Canberra Weekly Column – Science Fiction – 3 June 2021

Are you ready to check out one of the most unique and creatively complex debuts of 2021? Then buckle yourself in and get ready to play the Game, as new author Terry Miles presents his weirdly compelling science fiction thriller, Rabbits.

Synopsis:

What happens in the game, stays in the game…

Rabbits is a secret, dangerous and sometimes fatal underground game. The rewards for winning are unclear, but there are rumours of money, CIA recruitment or even immortality. Or it might unlock the universe’s greatest secrets. But everyone knows that the deeper you get, the more deadly the game becomes – and the body count is rising. Since the game first started, ten iterations have taken place… and the eleventh round is about to begin.

K can’t get enough of the game and has been trying to find a way in for years. Then Alan Scarpio, reclusive billionaire and alleged Rabbits winner, shows up out of nowhere. And he charges K with a desperate mission. Something has gone badly wrong with the game and K needs to fix it – before Eleven starts – or the world will pay the price.

Five days later, Scarpio is declared missing.

Two weeks after that Eleven begins, so K blows the deadline.

And suddenly, the fate of the entire universe is at stake.

Rabbits is a fascinating and complex novel that I was lucky enough to receive a copy of a few weeks ago. I have to admit that when I first received this novel I had no idea what I was in for as I was expecting something a little simpler, like a computer game giving out unique challenges. However, Rabbits was a much more insane and complicated science fiction story than I ever imagined, as the protagonist and his friends find themselves falling down a deep rabbit hole. The Game, also known as Rabbits, leads the protagonist into a world of shifting patterns, strange coincidences and slightly different alternate realities, as they attempt to get to the heart of the Game and the people trying to manipulate it.

In reviewing this book, I found that Rabbits is a rather hard novel to describe, especially as Miles has gone out of his way to make his narrative as unique and complex as possible. The entire story appears at times to be a mass of convoluted ideas that revolve around the somewhat ill-defined game which forms the centre of the entire book. As Rabbits progresses, the reader is subjected to a weird array of storylines, which mix strange patterns and coincidences, with journeys into alternate realities, overarching conspiracies and complex tale surrounding point-of-view character K. While the plot of Rabbits is a little confusing at times, there is a really intriguing and compelling story behind this book that becomes rather addictive the more you dive into, very much like the game it describes.

Miles sets up his novel beautifully, and the reader is quickly introduced to some of the key concepts of the Game and the personal history of K. This introduction proves to be a good grounding to the rest of the novel, and readers will quickly find themselves flying through the rest of the book, especially as they become invested in the protagonist’s quest to learn about the Game, as well as the great conspiracy that is being formed around it. Rabbits proves to be a very fast-paced book, and I found myself getting really attached to K and his friends, who are a fun group of conspiracy obsessed nerds. This entire story comes together with a fascinating and high-stakes conclusion, which does a good job wrapping up the entire narrative and providing the reader with some closure. An overall fun, if unpredictable story, readers who check this one out will be in for a very interesting time.

One of the most entertaining elements of this book is the constant stream of pop-culture references that Miles loads into his story. The plot of Rabbits is filled with mentions of all sorts of movies, games, novels and famous figures, many of which are associated in some way with the Game, either directly (such as having a code hidden within it) or indirectly (details about them are changed in a new reality). Video games, particularly old arcade games, are strongly featured within Rabbits, and Miles provides so many different references or depictions of classic games or technology that will no-doubt appeal to game aficionados. Other cultural items, such as the film Donnie Darko (which has its own breed of rabbit in it) and the actor Jeff Goldblum (who appears in a very disturbing video that may or may not have happened), are also worked into the story, and it was fascinating to see the various connections they potentially have to this wide-reaching game. I really enjoyed the way Miles worked in all these references, cultural items and figures into his story, and readers will have fun recognising everything the author includes.

Rabbits ended up being a very interesting and memorable debut from Terry Miles, and I am glad that I checked it out. I really enjoyed the complex and thrilling narrative that Rabbits which will appeal to a wide range of readers. That being said, Rabbits will definitely not be everyone’s cup of tea, and I can see some readers struggling with it. But I felt that Rabbits was worth making the effort to get through and I look forward to seeing what unique novels Miles comes up with in the future.

Book Haul – 29 May 2021

On May 31, 2021 By The Unseen LibraryIn Book HaulLeave a comment

It has been a little while since I have done a Book Haul post, so I figured it was a good time to look back at some of the amazing books that I have received in the last couple of weeks. I have actually received quite an impressive haul recently, made up of a number of exciting and intriguing books, including a few novels that I have been looking forward to for some time. Each of the books below have a lot of potential and I am really keen to check them all out as soon as I can.

Protector by Conn Iggulden

Let us start this post off with one of my anticipated reads of 2021, Protector by Conn Iggulden. Protector is the sequel to one of my favourite books from last year, The Gates of Athens, and will continue to follow the epic events of the Greek war against Persia. Set to feature some major battles and Athenian politics, this is going to be an awesome and compelling novel and I look forward to checking it out.

Rabbits by Terry Miles

Next we have this intriguing science fiction debut, Rabbits by Terry Miles. Rabbits, which I have already read, is a weird and unique novel that sees a brilliant, yet troubled, protagonist attempt to play a legendary game with the fate of the universe in the balance. A fantastic, if unusual read, I am hoping to get a review up for it soon.

The Ninth Metal by Benjamin Percy

Another book that I have already read, The Ninth Metal is an exciting and interesting science fiction read that follows the chaotic events occurring around a small-town in America that was the site of a meteor strike, leaving a vast amount of a rare, alien metal. Featuring feuding companies, strange abilities and a fantastic goldrush mentality, this was a captivating and fun read.

The Enemy Within by Tim Ayliffe

I also received a copy of the latest thriller from Australian author Tim Ayliffe, The Enemy Within. This latest novel contains an intriguing narrative about neo-Nazis in Australia and a dangerous cover-up surrounding them. I very much enjoyed Ayliffe’s first novel from a few years ago, The Greater Good, and I was honoured to see that my review for it was featured in the inner-cover of The Enemy Within. I am looking forward to checking this novel out, although I may have to read the second novel, State of Fear, first.

Falling by T. J. Newman

Another great book that I have received is the fantastic sounding thriller, Falling by T. J. Newman. Falling contains a great story that sees a plane full of people at risk when their pilot’s family is kidnapped and threatened. This debut novel from Newman already has a lot of buzz around it and I am very keen to check this one out.

Small Acts of Defiance by Michelle Wright

I am also very excited to check out another great debut, Small Acts of Defiance by Australian author Michelle Wright. Small Acts of Defiance is a compelling historical drama set in occupied Paris. I imagine this is going to be a pretty intense and impressive read and I am very excited to check it out.

The President’s Daughter by Bill Clinton and James Patterson

The final novel I have received is the fun sounding thriller, The President’s Daughter by the remarkable team of Bill Clinton and James Paterson. The President’s Daughter is the follow-up to the pair’s first novel, The President is Missing, and looks set to be another exciting and fantastic adventure of a rogue president going off on his own to save the people he loves.

In addition to some of the books I have received from publishers, I also went out on a bit of a shopping spree the other day and grabbed several amazing novels and comics that I have been really excited for.

A Comedy of Terrors by Lindsey Davis

There was no way that I could avoid getting a copy of the latest Flavia Albia novel by Lindsey Davis, A Comedy of Terrors, especially after how much I enjoyed her 2020 release, The Grove of the Caesars. This latest novel sets professional informer and investigator Flavia Albia up against a new and dangerous foe during the middle of a massive festival. It sounds like a pretty awesome novel and I cannot wait to explore it’s brilliant mystery and fantastic humour.

Blackout by Simon Scarrow

Blackout is a novel that I have been hoping to read for a very long time. Written by one of my favourite authors, Simon Scarrow, Blackout is an excellent sounding murder mystery set in the midst of Nazi Germany during the war. While I do prefer some of Scarrow’s Roman historical fiction novels, such as last years exciting The Emperor’s Exile, Blackout sounds like an exceptional read and I am very keen to check it out.

Breakout by Paul Herron

Another novel that I have been hoping to read for a while is the amazing thriller Breakout by Paul Herron. Breakout has a fantastic sounding plot which forces a violent criminal and a forgotten prison guard to work together to survive the horrors of a flooding super-max prison with all the inmates let out. This novel has so much potential for fun, action and excitement, and I imagine I will get through it in a very short amount of time.

Star Wars (2020): Volume Two: Operation Starlight by Charles Soule, Ramon Rosanas and Jan Bazaldua

The final entry on this book haul post is the second volume of the fantastic Star Wars (2020) comic series, Operation Starlight. Operation Starlight continues to follow the adventures of Luke, Leia and Lando following the events of The Empire Strikes Back, and this latest volume forces them to face off with a dangerous foe. I deeply enjoyed the first volume of this series, The Destiny Path, and after reading this second volume, Star Wars (2020) is swiftly becoming one of my favourite Star Wars comic book series of all time.

Well that’s the end of this latest Book Haul post. As you can see I have quite a bit of reading to do at the moment thanks to all these awesome books that have come in. Let me know which of the above you are most interested in and make sure to check back in a few weeks to see my reviews of them.