Shadows of Tomorrow
Shadows of Tomorrow
by Jessica Meats
4 out of 5
Synopsis
Earth is at war. Portals are opening across the planet and bringing creatures known as Outsiders. Their only desire is to eat, leaving a trail of destruction in their path. All that stand in their way are the Defenders led by Gareth Walker who can open portals of their own to target the Outsiders in minutes. Gareth's one advantage is an ability to see glimpses of his future.
For the past decade the Defenders have held back the incursion, but now a new portal opens, bringing something that Gareth did not see coming. As he must find a way to stop this new threat, he starts a quest for answers. He must learn how the war began and find a way to stop them once and for all.
All the while, he is aware of a shadow in his future a moment he can't see past. Will stopping the Outsiders cost him everything?
Review
Gareth and his team of trained Defenders are heroes. They are the only protection against the Outsiders. The time is coming to put an end to these attacks.
I bought a paperback copy when I met the author at York Unleashed comic con, which is always a bonus.
Gareth is still relatively young compared to the senior Defenders, but he has come to terms with being in charge. He has a certain skill for seeing the future, which is very handy in predicting where and when the next Outsider attack will hit. Unfortunately, he also sees the fate of every person that fights, and he still has to send them through the portal to their death.
Since he has taken on this role of command, Gareth has been somewhat distant. It's hard to be close to people when you know the outcome; and it's also hard to act normal, when you don't know if you're replying to their current or future question.
Cassie is a newcomer to the Defenders, desperate to do her part in protecting Earth. As an ex-Olympic sprinter, she thinks she'll be somewhat ready for the physical exertions; but training to be one of these elite soldiers pushes her to the max.
Even though Gareth is the main character in this book, I really liked that there were multiple narrators. With Gareth's constantly-shifting hold on current and future events, it helped strengthen the story that he wasn't the only narrator (not to mention it helped build some suspense, when your narrator is not all-seeing!).
There managed to be a few shocks and surprises, and even when one particular death had been hinted at, then firmly foretold, you can't help hoping Gareth will be wrong.
I found the plot original and intriguing. I'm not sure exactly when its set - either current day or near future - but for the last ten years, portals have been opening at random unleashing vicious monsters onto the defenceless public.
The Defenders was established by the original commander, who was strangely familiar with the portal technology, and had dark weapons that could kill the beasts. Soon, the trained soldiers were able to deploy anywhere in the world, and stem the Outsider attacks.
I very much enjoyed this and look forward to the next part in the series!
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