Synopsis:
20 Climbers. 20 Watchers. 5 Hunters. 1 Colossus.
After both their parents die during the live broadcast of the Tournament of the Colossus, Quinne promises to always keep Benn safe. Even from the deadly Hunters who scour the slums for those who can wield magic. But when Benn’s rare ability manifests during a public confrontation, the Hunters see them for what they truly are: riveting contestants.
Quinne will be a Climber, where she’ll be chased by Hunters and mechanized monstrosities through a trapped forest before attempting to climb a thousand-foot-tall destructive god. And Benn will be her Watcher, as his consciousness will be transferred into nothing more than a glorified camera in the form of a metal bird.
The odds of survival are low, the likelihood of death and blood great. Tune in today, for this Tournament will be a ratings juggernaut!
Review:
What did I just read?
My eyes. My brain.
This is a rollercoaster ride into the flux-blessed hell of the Death Show, with the Colossus at its core, one helluva pull for the reader. Part dystopian sci-fi, part homage to anime, and, to my mind anyway, a firm nod to the ‘80s films I so enjoyed watching.
I won’t go into detail about the plot, the characters, etc, as these are detailed elsewhere. Let’s just say they’re damn fine and leave it at that. What I will do is discuss Adams’ skill at drawing you in with fast, frenetic action that hits you over the head and then just keeps pummelling. Now, to some, this might feel like overkill, and in the hands of writers without Adams’ prose, you can see it becoming monotonous. What the author does, however, is give you just enough respite between these sections, with plot reveals fed in like juicy morsels to keep you fired up, that you’re ready for the next hard-hitting stage of action. And not only that, these reveals peel back the layers of a more complex plot than it first appears, with some painful truths, heart-rending and despicable behaviour (love that word), as well as that constant feeling he just might kill off your favourite character before the end.
If there is any issue at all, then for you it might be in the flux use. Because this is so integrated into the entire plot, the main characters, as well as the antagonists, it happens a lot. For me, that was fine. But be aware.
Where was I?
Oh yes. Read it. Preferably take your coffee decaffeinated until you’re done. This is one powerful adrenaline hit in written form.
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