4 out of 4 stars
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A sequel to Arcadia’s Children: Samantha’s Revenge, Arcadia’s Children 2: The Fyfield Plantation is a science-fiction novel written by Andrew R. Williams. This action-packed story takes place in a technologically advanced – albeit somewhat dystopian – society on Arcadia, a planet similar to Earth, and its moon Arden, which is practically owned and controlled by a mining company.
At the beginning of the story, the question in the air is if Mick Tarmy (aka Tarleton) and his sidekick Claire Hyndman survived an assassination attempt orchestrated by the evil humanoid Samantha. Alton Mygael, a director at the Minton Mining Company, pretends to cooperate with Samantha because they share a common enemy: The Great Ones – hostile Arcadians profiting from a drug trafficking operation. Readers learn that Tarmy is alive and devising a plan to destroy a secret zuka plantation in the Fyfield Valley; zuka milk is the main ingredient of a powerful street drug that funds the wicked Great Ones. Will Tarmy succeed?
In this thriller’s suspenseful plot, I was constantly on edge and never sure of where loyalties and rivalries truly resided. The author skillfully develops archetypal saga themes such as deception, spying, and treason. I also thought Tarmy's witty personality was cleverly textured. He came across to me as a relatable, compelling main character – someone you root for. His motivation to protect his daughter and friends, as well as their planet, was heart-warming.
The author’s writing style is lively and stimulating, and he constructs an impressive and vividly rendered sci-fi background. Droids, humanoids (aka spettri), air-cars, teleportation devices, and electronic face masks are examples of the advanced props in this novel’s imaginative settings.
Although the book is a sequel, it can be read independently, for the author conveniently presents character details from the first book right at the beginning of this one. I hadn’t read Arcadia’s Children: Samantha’s Revenge, but now that I finished Arcadia’s Children 2, I’m unquestionably curious to read the first book of the series.
In closing, I rate the book 4 out of 4 stars. It is an engaging and pleasurable read, and I have no noteworthy negatives to mention. I did find grammatical errors in it, but they were mostly minor comma issues which did not detract from the enjoyment of the story. Williams’ writing generated a growing interest in me to find out what was going to happen next – culminating in a cliffhanger in the end. I highly recommend this book to readers who are fond of science fiction. In my opinion, only those who don’t enjoy the genre might not like it.
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Arcadia's Children 2: The Fyfield Plantation
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The plot sounds to be intriguing, I would give this one a try. Thank you for a great review!
Thanks for your review!
