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A Dark of Endless Day
Genres: Adventure, Children's fiction, Fantasy/SciFi/Speculative, Science Fiction (Sci-Fi), Young Adult (YA)
Age Groups: 12-15, 18+
Formats: Ebook, Audio, Paperback
Star Trails Tetralogy Volume II
Cyraria is a hostile world with weather extremes beyond imagination. With Opposition, the worst of the heat season on the way, Dirck Brightstar and his father, Laren take on the challenge of modifying their primitive shelter to withstand the hostile environment in what is rapidly becoming a dystopian nightmare. Their attempt to build a heat exchanger (air conditioner) to maintain a survivable temperature is interrupted when Laren is arrested in a midnight raid and incarcerated as a political prisoner as a part of Augustus Troy’s Integration recruiting efforts. Dirck is thus left on his own to fend for his family, more separated now than ever before. His friend, Win, proves to be a valuable ally though his little brother, Deven, becomes the real hero thanks to his strange alliance with an indigenous race known as the bnolar.
Creena, another family member separated from the family in a previous incident, experiences increasing trouble as well when she and her ‘troid, Aggie and vegemal, Thyron, land on a planet seeking a more capable vehicle for the trip back to the family's homeworld, Mira III, to obtain assistance. Their efforts are thwarted when authorities impound their ship and separate them as targets for government scrutiny and investigation. Creena’s options are severely limited and further complicated by Integrator attempts to abduct her, the evil purpose of which she can sense but doesn’t understand. With no other choice but to adapt to a primitive and alien lifestyle until her situation is resolved, when it finally comes time to leave she discovers she’s grown more attached to this backward world than she ever thought possible.
Reviews
Amazon Customer
I made time over the holiday season to read the second book in this wonderful series. The family is still torn apart, Creena is on Terra, desperate to return to her family and completely bewildered by the backward humans living on planet Earth (loved all the references to UFOs and aliens), while the rest of her family is surviving life on a hostile planet passing between two suns.
The heat ramps up as does the drama as Dirck is forced to take on Laren Brightstar’s design for an AC system that might keep the family alive during the hot season while Troy (baddie) plots how to manipulate Laren into doing his bidding.
I am in awe of the world author Marcha Fox has created. She has populated our galaxy with human colonies and aliens, enriching the story with intricate detail covering solar systems, seasons, geology, politics, anthropological, fauna, eco-commerce, technological, and spiritual beliefs that are unveiled layer upon layer as the story progresses.
The children are learning so much and (as I mentioned in my review for the first book) the reader learns right along with them. These kids face an epic struggle for survival and I felt their joy with each small success and their despair when everything they’ve worked for begins to fall apart on them. The characterisation is beautifully carried throughout and you witness the children’s emotional growth. Deven is still one to watch! I think leaving Mira was the best thing that could have happened to them. I shudder to think how their lives might have turned out if their biggest trial to face had been boredom and compliance in a system designed to perpetuate the ordinary. Not on Cyraria. Here, Marcha Fox has created something extraordinary.
Take your time reading this book as this is not a fast-paced read although it certainly has its heart-thumping moments. However, the pace encouraged me to slow down, savour the rich detail, and get inside the heads of these children. A thoroughly enjoyable read and I’m very much looking forward to Book 3!
The Fury Zone on Amazon
Following directly on from book one, this second novel in the Star Trails series continues the adventures of the Brightstar family as they fight against the odds to become united once more. With the necessary ‘world building’ out of the way in book one, the second is free to plunge headlong into the adventure, pitting the family members against a variety of dangers, some human, some alien and some just nature itself. The story flows at a good pace and is well written with descriptions that are rich and vivid but never too dense as to be detracting. The story mainly centres on how the disparate parts of the family adapt to their changing environments rather than being an action oriented adventure, however, when the action scenes do come, they are tense and exciting, with a genuine sense of urgency.
Out of all the characters’ story arcs, I enjoyed Creena’s the most as she is without a doubt the most fully realised and sympathetic character in the story - her pain at the separation from her family felt very real and honest. Being aimed at younger readers, the story concentrates mainly on the younger characters as you might expect, meaning the adults are very much demoted to background characters, and there perhaps lies the only downside for me as I would have liked to have learned a little more about Creena’s parents. Perhaps this will be addressed in later books.
Even though the book is primarily aimed at younger readers and is therefore ‘clean’ and free of graphic violence, there is enough story depth and characterisation to appeal to sci-fi fans of all ages - I am fifty myself. So if you would like to lose yourself in a fascinating otherworldly adventure, I can heartily recommend this book. Well done.
Judith Victoria Douglas on Amazon
In the vein of old science fiction literature this story could end up as another classic. Its original, with all the components, technology, other world and races, and a contact with Earth. It also has tension and conflict, though mostly emotional and interpersonal, not ray guns. The characters are wonderful and real, and the only thing that disappointed me was that it was another "to be continued" story. If you are willing to follow a series then you will not be disappointed with this one.