Synopsis:
A missing sister. A daring heist. A collision course with destiny.
The Seeds of the Universe have awoken.
The clock is ticking…
When Kara is attacked whilst investigating the site of a mysterious cult, her soul unknowingly severs their connection, leaving a bewildered Kara stranded inside The Astrex after fleeing there in search of answers.
By the time she finds her way home, an entire year has passed, and not everyone is pleased to see her, none less so than her brother, Markus, who seems to have changed beyond recognition in their time apart.
Furthermore, Kara soon learns that Anya—her sister—has been missing for weeks, leaving nothing behind but a notebook, and a fractured trail of breadcrumbs that suggest she may have gone off in search of Gravis, the man who killed their father.
With no time for her tired body to rest, Kara heads off in pursuit, with a mixture of old and new faces at her side.
But unknowingly to her, Kara’s search places her on a collision course with destiny—a destiny she’ll have to come to grips with fast if she’s to succeed, not just in saving Anya, but the universe itself.
Review:
I read, enjoyed, and reviewed Peter Beard’s debut Kara, the first book in the Astrex series. I had expected that book to be a space adventure, and it took a mystical turn partway through that edged into sci-fi fantasy. Of course, I’m in no way a sucker for such a blend ‒ oh yes I am! And so is every Star Wars fan (come on).
I was therefore fascinated by where Beard would take this series next. Well, take that pinch of mysticism, add a universe approaching apocalypse, a sea of souls, the ability to shift from one place to another, and we’re verging on Snape heaven.
But. There is a but.
Beard likes a long book. I’ll come back to that.
The prose is great, the characters defined, the story arcs interesting and keep you engaged. The world-building (and this harks back to book 1) is deep and believable. The author has built a great connection between family here, both of the ‘found family’ variety and that genetically coerced by our alien friends in the series. And it’s this connection that carries you through as Kara is forced to confront her creation, her purpose and abilities ‒ both current and those still developing ‒ as this book progresses.
Kara’s hunt for her sister propels the first half of the book and serves to reintroduce some of the sidekicks and minor characters from book one in a meaningful way. It also enables Gravis to be an overarching villain of the piece, and between the action come the passages of discovery as Kara’s creators eventually reveal the truth and what they wish of her. Yes, it’ll involve sacrifice. And yes, I’m a sucker for it.
So, a fun, involving vibe with great world-building, action a-plenty and huge stakes. And a touch too long. Did it spoil it? No, but paring back can expose the flower within sometimes.
Overall, I urge you to give Kara, book one in the series, a read. It’ll surprise you, and if you vibe with the direction it takes you, then Seeds of the Universe adds another intriguing layer.
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