If you think Book 1 in the Cyber Chronicles series was brilliant, wait until you read Book 2! With each book in the series, it becomes harder to stop reading, particularly since the book is character driven, and the characters are so realistic. Readers will also find a very different Tassin by the end of this book – one who isn’t nearly as selfish and conceited as the Tassin of Book 1 – as with all people, Tassin is changed by her experiences.
In this book, Sabre battles the cyber control unit for domination of his body and mind as they travel through the Death Zone, a fearsome and dangerous place where no man – or machine – is safe. Despite the danger, Sabre’s sense of humour starts to come out, along with a very human personality, giving the reader an insight into the type of person he could be without the brow band controlling his every move.
As in all Southwell’s books, the descriptions are so vivid that I could actually picture myself in the Death Zone, as if watching a movie in my mind. I also loved the way the author reminds the reader that Sabre isn’t as all-powerful as it would seem, and can bleed and die, just like the rest of us, when pitted against a strong enough foe.
I’m not as widely read on fantasy or science fiction as some, but I’ve never read anything, or seen any movie, where science fiction and fantasy are linked the way this author links them, so I have to give this ten stars for originality.
It’s obvious to me that Southwell put a lot of effort into writing Death Zone and that she enjoyed it immensely, making it an unforgettable read that I’d recommend to any sci-fi fantasy lover – and even those who aren’t lovers of the genre.
(reviewed the day of purchase)