A Book Review: Rust
Title of the book: Rust
Author: C.J. Stilling
Publisher: Saeculi Incorporated
Publication Date: 20th of February 2021
Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Young Adult
Why I picked up this book:
I always have and always will be more drawn to physical copies of books. Yes – I fully realize the drawbacks. They take up so much more space, cost more in a lot of cases and boy are they a pain when you try to stuff them into a suitcase. Still – I prefer the feel, the smell the weight of an actual copy in my hands.
However, I recently got my hands on a Kindle, you know, to see what all the faff is about. I went in fully expecting to put it back down about a minute in, but I have to admit, it does have a certain charm. It’s lighter, easier to hold and I can read it at night without waking my partner up with the bedside lamps. That and it certainly helps with reviewing large volumes of books. I don’t think my partner is quite ready for the absolute onslaught of books we’d have to ship in to keep up with my reading pace if it weren’t for the Kindle.
Now for the first book I was going to read on a Kindle, I wanted a Science Fiction novel. You know – high techy book solutions require a high techy book. Rust, one of the free ARC’s I was offered, immediately caught my eye. Where a lot of science-fiction novels either start by building up to an apocalyptic event or show us what has happened to society centuries after the fact, this novel sort of starts in the middle. What happens afters species have tried to bring about each other’s annihilation, and what do they do now that an uneasy armistice has forced them to rely on one another.
About the author:
C.J. Stilling has a PhD in immunology, a background in artificial intelligence, and an ongoing war with his son for high scores in classic arcade games. In his spare time, he likes watching sappy Japanese anime with his daughter and spending time with his amazing wife who is patient enough to put up with all this stuff.
Synopsis:
Nineteen-year-old Andrew Wallace regrets killing billions. Having engineered an apocalyptic virus to end Earth’s war with an alien race, he’s seeking peace and redemption.
But after accepting exile along with everyone else responsible for the carnage on both sides, he’s horrified to discover their destination planet is home to a terrifying new threat.
Stranded with most of their tech ravaged, Andrew forms a tentative friendship with an alien girl while researching an answer to the nightmare around them. But as suspicion and fear reignite tension between the two species, he uncovers a solution he doesn’t dare to share.
Can Andrew unify the former adversaries before a primal life form consumes them all?
Review of the book:
I initially struggled to get into the story. I was a couple of chapters down the line before things truly started making sense to me. The exposition felt a bit muddled to the point where it was hard to understand if I was reading about 1 or 2 alien races that were aligned against the humans and our main character.
This was not helped by the jumps in timelines, as the author describes both actions in the near past and the present. As the plot developed this shift between events did start to make complete sense, however, I can’t help but wonder if the story wouldn’t be better served by introducing the ‘past’ at a later stage. At a point when we’ve had a chance to familiarize ourselves with this new universe and the creatures that inhabit it.
Like our main character Andrew. Barely out of his teenage years, this young man carries the weight of genocide on his back. Having done the impossible to safeguard the existence of the human species, he is now forced to team up with those he hates most. Enough to drive most people to the brink of insanity, if you ask me. This is where the issues with Andrew lie. Whilst a likeable character at the surface, he feels a bit too polished. Freshly cast from our ‘troubled young hero’ mould, there is little that truly sets him apart. Sure he can be impatient, he is easily manipulated by those closest to him and he overextends himself in the pursuit of knowledge. But which hero doesn’t.
Rather than these character traits feeling as if they are Andrew’s own, they feel as if they have been included because they belong to this type of character. His motivations and goals are handed down to him, because he has to have them – rather than being intrinsically linked to his personae.
Which is mirrored by the cast of accompanying characters. Cassie, as Andrew himself even remarks, is the perfect girlfriend. She waits on him hand and foot, is patient and ever accepting of his erratic and callous behavior. Cassie is brave when she needs to be, knows the answers when Andrew falters, but who she is outside this relationship we barely know. You almost long to see her stumble just once, in a way that isn’t convenient to the plot. In a way that doesn’t end up helping our protagonist somewhere down the line.
Another issue I found, was with the plot itself. I understand this is a part of a series – which means that some of the faults I am finding now, may be resolved in an utterly satisfying way in future books – however, right now they do take away from the enjoyment of the story. Chief amongst them, the subplot of the rust. Rather than being a terrifying threat to all existence, it comes across as a minor inconvenience, just enough of a distraction to keep Andrew from figuring out what is happening in the large scheme. One he ultimately combats in a simple manner with some tamed wildlife and a haphazard gun. It takes what could be a very interesting part of the story and cheapens it.
However, all of that being said, I didn’t hate the book. Not in the slightest. The twists and turns along the way are clever and inventive. The deeper, mysterious history of the Dawn Bringers left me wanting for more, the action had me at the edge of my seat throughout and, I really liked the character of Andrew’s grandmother. Yes, she is an absolutely vile woman with a grudge, but I thought she was well written and the revelation at towards the end of the novel made my heart ache for her.
Ultimately this is one you are going to have to read for yourself. You’ll either end up loving it and considering my opinion trash or you’ll feel similar to myself.