Review by Laura Mich -- The King of May by Matthew Tysz

[Laura Mich]

[Following is a volunteer review of "The King of May" by Matthew Tysz.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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The King of May by Matthew Tysz.

The King of May is the second installment in Matthew Tysz’s fictional series, The Turn. The plot of the book is set in a post-apocalyptic world after the occurrence of a cataclysmic phenomenon called The Turn. The world is transforming, and people are in confusion and despondency. The Turn brings forth the existence of deities possessed with exceptional powers. With a modern world inhabited with more than just humans, the pantheon of gods is in a quest to steer it to their desires. The transition is presumably going to be strenuous in the hands of self-endorsed gods who are frequently in antagonism with each other in their struggle and thirst for power, putting the humans’ lives on the line.

Among these gods inhabiting the world is The King of May. Not only is he a brutal and deranged character, but also necessitates all other gods annihilated so he can usher the world to a new destiny. Discontented by the actions of this miscreant, Cattleprod, a political magnate at Interstate, hires Ashley and Scholar to eliminate the deity. Regrettably, there’s an unprecedented turn of events and a sequence of complications. Will the duo triumph in this mission? What will be the destiny of the gods? Seize a copy of this compelling book to find out.

We have an action-packed storyline with twists, suspense, and surprises from the characters. I appreciated numerous aspects of the story. To begin with, the elucidations of the characters’ outward appearance are remarkably vivid that I could create an impression from it. I was grappled at the very beginning by the mystery pervading the novel. Additionally, I appreciated at the extent of Matthew Tysz’s ingenious power in designing a calamitous world order in the wake of a phenomenon short of a polar shift. The author invested his time well from the disquisition phases of the conflict until the resolution bit of the plot.

What I disliked about the book was the author’s affirmation regarding Africa on page 62. “The whole world was like Africa now. There was no bright and civilized continent awaiting you across the pond. The ugly truth was inescapable.” This sentiment equates Africa to a backwater continent with no civilization and economic opulence. Consequently, I forfeited all the respect I maintained for Matthew Tysz since I'm from Africa.

The novel seems to be professionally edited since I didn’t discover a single grammatical error. It contains profanity that I found appurtenant to the context that they were utilized. Sadly, I found the title of the book immaterial following the occurrences that developed in the story. I expected the book to focus on The King of May who would seemingly take extensive developments in the plot. The god’s decreased participation in this installment questions the motivation behind the focus laid on Ashley, Scholar, and Cattleprod. As a result, I rate the book three out of four stars. I recommend it to young adults who enjoy books hinged on supernatural interposition.

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The King of May
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[Sou Hi]

Thank you for your honesty. Regarding the issue on page 62, I thought Mallory meant the Africa where he went to treat his Ebola patients? The one where his tent suffered an attack from their fellow human? Many patients died, raped, or tortured, while the doctors panicked, screamed, and cried. Africa in that state was like hell, and he compared that hell with the current world, which is pretty much the same.

[Laura Mich]

Thank you for your honesty. Regarding the issue on page 62, I thought Mallory meant the Africa where he went to treat his Ebola patients? The one where his tent suffered an attack from their fellow human? Many patients died, raped, or tortured, while the doctors panicked, screamed, and cried. Africa in that state was like hell, and he compared that hell with the current world, which is pretty much the same.

He should have clarified about it. Instead, he left it as a loose end.
Thanks for your insight.

[Chali]

I am intrigued. I want to read it. I have read his previous works and I would love to have an opinion of the African issue.

[Lilyflower-x2]

Sounds like a very interesting sci-fi novel. Great review.

[JeanyJean]

I love this review. This sounds like a must read. The issue on Africa doesn't go down well withe too.