When John Twelve Hawks' The Traveler was released in 2005, it immediately created waves that rippled across genre fiction and beyond. As a matter of course, I wished to read this novel, yet I wanted to wait for the buzz to die down before giving it a shot. And somehow, I forgot all about it. When I was sent an ARC of the sequel, The Dark River, I realized once again how much of a dumbass I could be when I put my mind to it.To remedy this unfortunate and unacceptable state of affairs, I brought The Traveler with me to NYC and DC. And I'm sure glad I did!
This thought-provoking techno-thriller will keep you begging for more! Complex and engrossing, The Traveler is a post September 11th cyber-version of the classic 1984.
John Twelve Hawks' narrative is powerful and evocative, with each locale coming alive and jumping off the pages. I look forward to discovering more about the different Realms.
The characters are genuine, believable, and well-drawn. Maya, in particular, is not your typical female protagonist. It's obvious that there will be something between her and Gabriel, yet it's going to be interesting to see how it will unfold in the two sequels. I'm curious to discover more about the Brethren and the unknown advanced civilization they've been communicating with via the quantum computer.
Fast-paced and exciting, The Traveler is hard to put down. Short chapters jumping from one POV character to the next ensure that readers keep turning those pages.
Though the novel is a well-executed thriller, it's the "fantasy" elements found within that truly make this one such an awesome read. The Harlequins, the Travelers, the Brethren, the Realms, and how they are all connected to our collective history, past and present, those are the characteristics which will mesmerize you at every turn.
Disturbing and paranoid, The Traveler should satisfy anyone looking for a quality read this summer.
The final verdict: 8.5/10
Very neat interview, seems like another book to add to my ever growing wishlist!
ReplyDeleteBut what's up with the cover art? We have the blue cover and then we see a sort of grey bar on the right side? Is the cover really like that? Just made me wonder. Looks kind of strange.
I loved "The Traveler"! "The Dark River" is a pretty good follow-up, but I think the first one is the better overall book. I definitely recommend it, and in fact, read it more than once. You'll get a lot more out of it the second time through...
ReplyDeleteWith that review, I really can't pass the book up! sounds fascinating ;D
ReplyDeleteThis is the only book out of the hundreds that I've bought in the past few years that I've managed to get my mother to read and enjoy. She's happily enjoying The Dark River ARC now...okay, maybe not "happily," but she's reading it at least :P
ReplyDeleteNot a comment on The Traveller (sorry). If you'd like to read a techno-thriller about a nuclear power plant on the verge of catastrophe, written by a longtime nuclear worker, see http://RadDecision.blogspot.com "Rad Decision" is provided at no cost online or its also in paperback at online retailers. Reader reviews can be found in the homepage comments. RadDecision.blogspot.com
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