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Tuesday, August 25, 2020

The Trials of Koli by M.R. Carey

M.R. Carey's books are strange and fascinating.  Earlier I read and reviewed The Book of Koli and was eager for this second book in the Rampart trilogy.  Read The Book of Koli first to get the background because this is one of those trilogies that requires an introduction to the post-apocalyptic world and the characters.  It's worth it.

from description:  "Koli never planned to set foot outside his small village. He knew that beyond its walls lay a fearsome landscape filled with choker trees, vicious beasts and Shunned men. But when he was exiled, he had no choice but to journey out into this strange world where every moment is a fight for survival.

And it’s not just Koli’s life that is threatened. Whole villages just like his are dying out.

But Koli heard a story, once. A story about lost London, and the mysterious tech of the Old Times that may still be there. If he can find it, there may still be a way for him to change his own fate – by saving the lives of those who are left."

The Trials of Koli takes Koli, Ursula, and Monono forward on their journey to London.  They are joined by Cup, first as an unwilling prisoner, later as part of the group.  The journey is dangerous and the threats from man and nature are plentiful, but working together the group weathers the hardships and the damages inflicted.

Interesting (and surprising to me) was the addition of a second voice.  Spinner, Koli's friend in Mythen Rood who married a Rampart, begins a second narrative about what happened in Mythen Rood after Koli's exile.  While her experiences are vastly different from those of the group headed toward London, they are just as fascinating and informative.

I've been a fan of M.R. Carey since The Girl with All the Gifts, and I've appreciated both books in this new trilogy.  Now, a wait for the final book.  I do hate waiting.

Read in May; blog review scheduled for Aug. 25.

NetGalley/Orbit Books
Post-Apocalyptic.  Sept. 15, 2020.  Print length:  480 pages.

11 comments:

  1. You had me at post-apocalyptic. Love those novels. Maybe they will help us prepare for what the rest of 2020 brings. You know, what caught my eye was the simple addition of some greenery to that cover that changed what would have otherwise been a plain cover into one that made me stop and look. That's clever.

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    1. I don't think this one will help us prepare, but the series is interesting anyway. :) It is a good cover, especially when one thinks about how quickly kudzu will take over a field or a house in such a short time.

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  2. This series seem intriguing to me. The setting and the characters all sound fascinating to me.

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    1. The take on technology, which has almost disappeared from this world, is particularly interesting. :)

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  3. I'm always up for a good post-apocalyptic story. I've got a couple of M.R. Carey's books on my TBR list and it sounds like I need to add this series to it too. :)

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    1. I've really enjoyed M.R. Carey's books that I've read with the exception of Fellside. The Girl With All the Gifts is a good place to start. :)

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  4. Ahh...another series I'm behind in! ;D

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  5. I didn't realize that Carey had a second series out! I've only read The Girl With All the Gifts and plan (some day) to read The Boy on the Bridge. I liked his take on the zombie story and this Koli trilogy sounds equally fascinating.

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  6. Strange and fascinating is a perfect description of M.R. Carey's books. I'm looking forward to starting this trilogy. This one is fairly long, so I may go with the audiobooks.

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  7. I've only read one of Carey's books and did enjoy it a lot. Will have to check this one although I admit I'm not much into post-apocalyptic novels at the moment.

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