Today's read... Child of Etherclaw by Matty Roberts

 

CHILD OF ETHERCLAW

by Matty Roberts

Twilight Fox LLC

YA Science Fiction

370 pages

COMING...

AUGUST 2nd!!!

The bonds of family go well beyond blood.
But can those bonds hold when the blood itself carries a devastating secret?

Fenlee’s opal necklace had always radiated a certain warmth since her mother’s death. But now, at sixteen, her world begins to unravel as the stone sparks to life, revealing itself to be an otherworldly artifact of untold power.

Between her mechatronics studies at the academy and scavenging expeditions beneath the sprawling city of New Cascadia, Fenlee and her adopted brother, Elliot, try to decipher the mysteries of her necklace and its link to events in Fenlee’s past.

But they’re not alone in their search.

Strange undercity dwellers offer cryptic warnings, drones track their movements, and deadly corporate agents lurk in the shadows. When tragedy rips Fenlee’s family apart, she must learn to use the artifact’s power to save those who are deeply precious to her. But nothing can prepare her for the dark truths that she will uncover on that journey…

“Lee,” Elliot mumbled. “I’m not who you think I am.” 

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MY TIDBITS

Strong world building meets high-tension and layer after layer of secrets in this excitingly gritty, scifi read.

Fenlee loves her mechatronic studies and will do anything to make her creations stay above everyone else's. That includes hunting for parts in the off-limits, underground city. With her younger brother, she crawls through dangerous areas and is always careful not to be spotted by the security drones. When one of their runs lands her in trouble, she discovers a woman who bears a very cryptic message about the necklace around her neck. Told that the stone has given her access to certain powers, Fenlee soon learns that she's been left in the dark about many things, and those secrets are about to endanger her and everyone she loves. But even that doesn't prepare her for the biggest secret of all.

From the very first page, the reader dives into a vivid world. The author has done a good job at letting the scenes and surroundings come to life in a way that makes the reader almost feel as if they were there. And that without falling into description word dumps. It was science fiction fun and carried a grimy dark hint, which made it a treat to see what would come next.

The plot is well laid with tiny hints and clues sprinkled throughout. There were more than a few action-packed moments and other times, where emotions came through. It was a good balance on this end, and even had a last turn, which was extremely hard to see coming. There were a few moments, when the information or scenes came too quickly and easily, but these by no means ruined the tale. So, there are quite a few things about this read, which make it more than a little entertaining.

I do recommend this one for science fiction fans, who enjoy rescue action, a hint of the unknown, and a setting, which has all the darkness of a grabbing, dystopian world.