I found Danger’s Halo after doing a quick search for Science Fiction books on my Amazon Kindle. The book is listed as FREE for the Kindle, so I decided to give it a shot. I’m normally skeptical about books with low price points, but I was pleasantly surprised with Amanda Carlson’s dystopian sci-fi novel.
Synopsis
153 years in the future, Earth doesn’t look much like it used to…
Holly Danger’s current assignment gleaned from a set of foggy instructions and a handful of coin stuffed into a slot, is to pick up a street kid who’s about to terminate himself off a cliff. And, as a rule, she doesn’t turn down currency. Her job as a salvager keeps her fed and clothed above the norm, which isn’t saying much.
The norm in this city is a scrape-by existence in a post-apocalyptic world, where the rain never stops, food is always scarce, and the elite has deserted the ranks in search of something better. Picking up this urchin won’t take much time, even if he’s located outside city limits. Her craft is fast, her weapons deadly, and her tech has been optimized as well as it can be for a climate clogged with iron dust.
But things take a big turn when she decides to become the boy’s guardian instead of hand him over. Outskirts have descended on the city, and their plans don’t include playing nice. When her crew is backed against a graphene wall, it’s a good thing her Gem is primed and ready to go. It’s almost as deadly as she is… (via Amazon and Website)
The Pros
- The book’s protagonist, Holly Danger, is really well developed. Using the first-person point-of-view, Carlson allows the reader to get inside Holly’s head and understanding of what makes her tick.
- The world is intriguing. Following a meteor attack which has devastated the world and ended civilization as we know it, the people who survived are forced to fend for themselves. Carlson does a fantastic job describing her dystopian world through the actions of her characters and not just descriptive prose.
- The story is fun. If you’re a fan of dystopian futures, action, and badass female protagonists, Danger’s Halo is the beginning to a series you’ll love.
The Cons
- The world feels empty. Yes, it’s a dystopian sci-fi story, but outside a bit of description about the city’s sections, there is little in the way of interaction with people outside of those pivotal to the plot. Was this done intentionally? Maybe, but even if most of the world’s population was eradicated, the story takes place in a city and it would’ve been nice to see some regular, everyday people hanging around.
- Several of the characters are put in danger, but they don’t feel like they’re lives are at risk. I think this is a side effect of the first-person point-of-view. As Holly shares her thoughts about what she’s going to do, I felt like the veil of suspense was lifted.
Conclusion
Danger’s Halo was a fun story with an interesting set of characters and a fascinating post-apocalyptic world. While I’m wary about free books on Amazon, this is one story I’m glad I picked up and would happily invest in the rest of the series.
Want to get your hands on your own copy? Buy it here!
46 Series Entertainment 