A meticulously crafted plot brimming with unexpected twists and thought-provoking ethical dilemmas.
The Colonial Army has never truly enjoyed peace. Ever since thinking machines nearly wiped out the population, life has been a precarious dance on the edge of ruin. Even between skirmishes, the soldiers are plagued by the battles they’ve fought, and Lieutenant Thomas Walker is a prime example. Having devoted himself heroically to the army and endured devastating personal losses, Thomas is a man with nothing left to lose. So when he receives an opportunity to serve again, he accepts the assignment, fully aware of his slim odds for survival. Thomas has sacrificed more than most, but he believes this mission’s success could turn the tide in a conflict that has seen far too many casualties. Unfortunately, the completion of his secretive assignment carries consequences of its own. The Others are an ongoing threat, a treacherous new enemy is lurking in concealed places, and insidious government bureaucracy causes stagnation that could prove lethal. Beyond all the delays, dangers, and disappointments, these survivors will need to rely upon the thinking machines they’ve spent a lifetime trying to vanquish. But how can they trust that these artificially intelligent machines have their best interest in mind, especially when the machines aren’t sure they can trust the colony they’re trying to protect?
Not all battles are fought on the front lines, and Toby Cox proves his mastery of this inner struggle in the second novel in The Empty Sky series, Some Monster. This installment picks up the pieces of a world still reeling from alien invaders. The Others are mindless killers, though twisted new threats soon take precedence. A brilliant take on the rise of the machines trope, the strengths in this powerful tale lie in the imaginative worldbuilding, impressive character development, and a meticulously crafted plot brimming with unexpected twists and thought-provoking ethical dilemmas. The clash of perspectives, particularly during the characters’ time in the Forbidden Forest, creates a compelling interplay of stark contrasts. The differences between a society striving to develop meaningful technology and one so far advanced that it provokes suspicion create a fascinating dynamic. And as these groups figure out how to work together, managing necessary truths and lies, balancing trust and secrets, their relationships become as complex as the evolving story. Perfectly primed for the next in the series, the ending leaves enough resolved to satisfy, but dangles a tasty enough carrot to make your mouth water. Military maneuvers and moral ambiguities abound in Some Monster, the otherworldly adventure made for science-fiction lovers.
