***Gifted in exchange for an honest review***
When I was contacted by the author to read this book I liked the premise, but wondered if it would be a bit too much science and not enough fantasy.
I was right in my premise that it is more an action book rather than fantasy, so if you are after a full on fantasy novella you won't get it in this. But if you want a story that could actually happen then read on... who knows what is buried deep in the earth.
The main characters are scientists along with a reporter, company and the Company Oil rep, not many will survive... which I liked, its a more true to life account of what probably would happen when all hell is let loose on the earth.... lots of people would die.
When the group travel one of huge holes that have appeared in the Oil fields in Alaska. They hope to figure out what is going on before an environmental disaster happens when one of them opens up under an oil well or the pipe lines that feed from it.
So I read it in one day, it was fast paced but there were a few things that bugged me - one Huge one was the first accident scenario... no spoilers but I as a simple non-scientific person that has worked on sites in a normal job where pipelines and oil are in abundance, all the staff know that smoking is a no no, so I doubt that Real scientists or Oil Company employees would allow smoking anywhere where there were unexplained holes in the tundra near pipelines!
When the action starts up in earnest you are swept up on the journey to survive and I did get into the book storyline. But by the time I finished the story, I was left feeling that this book really should have been fused into the next book, it's just a long played out scenario of the first day of what is probably armageddon. I do have book 2 to read, as the Author has kindly sent them together, so I will try slot the book in while this novella is fresh in my memory,
If you like serial book stories, and I can say I felt like I was reading a TV Serial script, then you will be fine waiting with the small cliffhanger, I have gotten used to them as they are everywhere but I still prefer standalone book stories, and tend to wait a while until more than one book is out before buying serial storylines. I know book 2 is out but if there are more and more parts then this is where I get frustrated with this style of drip fed story. I guess I will find out soon.
I hope that the author will explain more how certain characters kept our human world safe until this catastrophe. As in this book its more action and escape than really getting deep into the world which the story is set.
(review of free book)