Dave’s first novel, “The Mirrored Heavens” seemingly came out of nowhere last year. I had heard nothing about the book. A friend who knows my taste suggested I take a look at it suggesting since I love Richard Morgan and David Gunn this might be right up my alley.
It was love at first read. Dave created a post cyberpunk world with a lots of political machinations, thrilling action and some wildly creative technology. He also introduced two characters who quickly became favorites of mine. In short it was easily my favorite book last year.
In the process of writing this blog I’ve gotten to know Dave a bit and can say he’s easily as nice a guy as he is talented a writer. So what’s my verdict on “The Burning Skies”? I can say without any hesitation that it wipes the floor with “The Mirrored Heavens”. This is Dave on steroids. The action is bigger, the conspiracies are deeper and the stakes are through the roof.
We begin with one of our heroes from part one, Claire Haskell, confronting the commander who may have set her down the destructive path she now finds herself on. More than human but not total machine. Claire still desperately wants to believe in what she served that she continues to put herself in danger to support a president who likely only views her as a tool. Strom Carson, the Operative, is back as well. He’s commanding a triad assault team striking at what is believed to be Autumn Rain, who in turn is making a last ditch attempt to take out President Andrew Harrison. Harrison himself puts in quite a performance as the most ass kicking President since Harrison Ford in Air Force One.
Most of the book takes place on the fantastically conceived Europa Platform where we go from one wild action scene to the next. The pace is absolutely relentless and thrilling all the while. We learn bits of relevant information in the course of all the action. It reads fast, but it’s not lacking in depth. It builds to a conclusion that I certainly didn’t expect. One character makes a reveal that changes everything you’ve though to that point and Dave ends with the boldest cliffhanger I’ve read in a long, long time. This is like Darth Vader revealing he’s Luke Skywalker’s father big. It’s a stunning conclusion.
I can’t imagine what Dave has in store for part three, the fantastically titled “Machinery of Light”. He’s promised it’s worth the wait and after his first two books I’m inclined to believe him. After Mirrored Heavens I thought Dave was very much a writer in the vein of Richard Morgan. Bombastic action scenes and a tough edge. After Burning Skies I think Dave is standing toe to toe with Morgan at his best. I can’t pay him a higher compliment than that.
[...] originally published in Rescued By Nerds on 2009-05-23 [...]