Review: re:  intense dystopian action
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 10 20, 2012
The world of King Samuel Benson's 2018 series -- with this as the debut entry -- has fought off a mysterious alien invasion and has been taken over by a new government with the militarism and fascistic mind control that have been featured in dystopian literature from Orwell's 1984 all the way to Hunger Games. Our entry point into this world is Alex King, a displaced Nigerian youth with a cool head and an indomitable will. Alex along with his best friend Mercy and their hot-tempered adversary Ibrahim are drafted into the "Blood Tournament," a form of arena fighting with girl-boy teams from different regions. This novel also features werewolves and cyborg soldiers, which, combined with the alien-invasion background, should mean the series will go in a radically different direction than any dystopian novel I have read before.This is Benson's first novel, and as a first novel, it's quite accomplished, with some sharp characterization and complicated world-building. Some editorial assistance would have helped in a few places, particularly with verb use, but the story and dialogue flow very nicely and sustain interest on every page. A lot more has to be done to flesh out the world, as is promised for the next book in the series, which should be released soon. This volume is mostly about establishing the setting and the situation and getting us familiar with Alex King, who looks likely to be the protagonist of the entire 2018 series. Alex's steely nerves, self-confidence, and optimism make him the ideal young man to confront the challenges of his world.I'm especially pleased to recommend this book for two reasons.1) King Samuel Benson presents an authentic voice from Nigeria, a country that is not well-represented in the world of independent publishing;2) The author, a member of my writers' group, is a very positive-minded young man with the drive and toughness needed to succeed in any industry.