Review: Complexity of World-Building
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 11 26, 2012
I reviewed this ebook for Innovative Online Blog Tours, which provided me with a review copy.Review or Wisteria by Bisi LeytonAn Innovative Online Blog Tours Hop5 starsA complexity of world-building structures the foundation of this novel, first in a series. First of all, this "post-apocalyptic," very Dystopian, society exists in the midst of (or around the edges of) "The Infected," sick individuals who suffer from a type of virus that renders them zombie-like, determined to consume human flesh-live human flesh. Often called "Fleshers," they're implacable-and their bite is fatal, because the recipient always turns.In addition is another "world," a culture that disdains Terrans (Earth humans), and either kills or enslaves them; a culture whose young males spend 1000 days on a Great Journey (something similar to a vision quest, in a way). Three young men of The Family: Bach, his close friend Enric, and the Steward Felip, live in the penthouse of a London tower which is one of the Family's safe houses, protected from the Infected, patiently waiting out their 1000 days till they can return home. All is well, if not exciting; until Bach encounters Wisteria, a tracker living on the Isle of Smythe, and saves her from an overrun of Infected.The background is complex since the author must juggle more than two worlds (including the histories of the cultures and the characters) and the characters are enticing. Action fills the story, and the reader will end it looking forward to the next in the series.