Lacuna: Demons of the Void [Kindle Edition]

Having read more science fiction books than I care to count for well over half a century, I continue to be surprised on occasion by something having a fresh and gripping appeal. David's book meets this criterion. I looked forward each time I picked it up to an entertaining and enjoyable dip into his speculation regarding mankind's interstellar future, not to mention the personalities and inter-reactions of the people involved, and was not disappointed.

Lacuna: Demons of the Void is a space-hopping science fiction novel with a strong military them to it. This is not normally the kind of book I enjoy, but I found it a very compelling read.

The story opens with an alien attack on the Earth. This unprovoked and mysterious assault leads Earth's bigger power blocks to construct three massive starships to make up the core of Earth's defence. It's a good set up, but once the foundations are set, the book uses them to explore concepts of personal politics, multicultural interaction and even a bit of gender politics. In true Star Trek fashion, we get to see science fiction used to explore the world around us a little more. Overall, the book reminded me a lot of both Star Trek and the Mass Effect games, which is a nice genre to see explored in original fiction.

There were a few problems that jarred me as I read through, mainly that the story sometimes unfolds a little conveniently. Characters always seem to find just what they need, just in time, with just enough spanners thrown in the works to stop it being too easy. But, this is a small gripe and definitely not a deal breaker.

I can recommend Lacuna to anyone who enjoys a good sci-fi/action read. The plot bounces along nicely and it's all set within a universe that has a lot of character. I will definitely be buying the second book in the series.

Lacuna paints a rich backdrop, led by a Chinese superpower and some interesting tech (if perhaps a little too advanced given the minimal time lag between the 2029 setting and present day).

Adams has well thought out combat scenes that really used the third dimension to great effect. Combined with some promising primary character development, this instalment sets up an interesting world to play in.

Secondary characters felt a little cardboard cut out, but that is par for the course. I'm also surprised that the ships aren't 'dry' - to give terrifying tech to those under the influence doesn't quite ring true.

Dialogue was realistic, if not quite as militaristic as one might expect given the backgrounds of those speaking. I liked the use of a non-English speaking alien as that forced richer development.

I did note a few typographical errors, and display issues with Chinese characters but these do not detract from the story in any meaningful way. The other slight niggle for me is that characters seemed to be assigned nationalities without any development of that aspect of their character. The culture was not differentiated, as if the world had become homogenised by 2029.

It's quite a short book (214 pages) but I think that's probably wise as the length reflects the meat to the story without too much fluff. The pace does ebb and flow throughout, but it's compelling enough to make you want to read the whole story (and subsequent installments).

Overall, well worth grabbing (particularly while it is free). 8/10