The Embers of Hope is the second book in the Hibernation series. You can read my review of the first, The Whisper of Stars, here. Warning: this review contains spoilers for the Whisper of Stars, so if you don’t wish to know how that ends, stop reading now.
The Blurb
After narrowly escaping the Shiryaevo Vault, Nathan O’Brien is on the run, adapting to life without Jennifer Logan. In his possession: a powerful mind control device known as the Histeridae and evidence of the Hibernation Program’s true agenda.
Beginning with George Mohanty and his words ‘Death is a relative term’, he must unravel the mystery of the Histeridae. But Nathan is on borrowed time, trapped inside a body that was never supposed to last. Can he bring back the woman he loves and expose the truth before it’s too late, or will the past finally catch up with him?
From the mountains of India to the futuristic streets of London and Dubai, The Embers of Hope is the thrilling second instalment in the Hibernation saga.
It features conspiracy theories, romance and intrigue and is set in a dystopian world, making it an ideal read for any fans of the sci-fi genre and also suitable for a young adult audience.
The Review
In The Embers of Hope we follow Nathan O’Brien, paranoid, alone and grieving following the death of Jennifer Logan. He is still living with George Mohanty, the only person he knows who has any knowledge of the Histeridae. Haunted by the phrase “death is relative” he finally gets George to talk, revealing that it wasn’t him who said the words, but somebody called Victor Reyland. But Reyland is a dangerous man, the man behind the Histeridae programme, a man happy to sacrifice others to meet his goals. Can this man help O’Brien bring back Jennifer?
While The Embers of Hope carries on directly from the excellent, The Whisper of Stars, it is a slightly different book. The pace is a little slower, a little more introspective, matching the more considered approach of Nathan O’Brien as he undertakes his task. Where action was high on the agenda of its precursor, in The Embers of Hope, intrigue takes centre stage. We get to learn more about the history behind the Histeridae, and how Jennifer Logan became caught up in the conspiracy. At the same time we learn more about the reason the Histeridae is so important, and a secret that affects the future of humanity.
I really enjoyed this book. While the action levels were reduced, I still found myself racing through the book as Jones expertly revealed the truth behind everything with a steady drip of information. At the start I worried that O’Brien on his own wouldn’t be a strong enough character to carry the novel, but Jones manages this cleverly through the introduction of new characters as well as fleshing out those familiar from The Whisper of Stars. This was especially well done with Zido Zitagi, whose world becomes ever less certain the more she learns about her organisation’s purpose. And while the ending is naturally open ended, there was enough closure to keep me satisfied. I just can’t wait to find out what happens next.
If you enjoy near-future, dystopian thrillers, you should definitely read this excellent series. Highly Recommended.
To buy The Embers of Hope from Amazon.co.uk click here
To buy The Embers of Hope from Amazon.com click here
Recommended reads are either independently published books – or those that are published via a small press – that I have bought and enjoyed. They are part of a commitment to ‘pay it forward’ to other independent authors by buying their work and promoting those that I have enjoyed, both here and on Amazon and Goodreads. I don’t accept submissions but instead focus on people who have helped or inspired me through their blogging or who actively support other writers, but I only recommend those books I have personally enjoyed. If you are an independent author I would encourage you to do the same and help pay it forward to the community. For more information please see my blog post here.
Suffolk Scribblings 