Review: Action-Packed, Fun, and Clever
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 06 27, 2014
This was one of the more enjoyable reads I've had in a long time, and I can't imagine that many people would be able to disagree with me, whether you're a science fiction fan or not. While this might not be up everyone's street in terms of the subject matter, a roving band of adventurous warriors in a steam punk sci-fi world full of dark magic and darker motives, it's the perfect introduction to a new style of sci-fi that is picking up "steam" and makes for a truly interesting read. Every character is unique and is legitimately developed, not just classified as "the brawler", the "magic user", etc. It can be very easy for sci-fi authors to fall into the same hackneyed traps and character profiles as dozens of other authors, but Pepper has a visionary head on his shoulders and has really made this book stand out.The mystery woven into the book also pulls the reader along; you will sincerely need to finish this book before putting it down. The tension that slowly builds like a balloon about to pop is addictive, but we are fortunate as readers that you get those explosive moments of action in well-written and structures combat scenes that are never too much - they are the perfect frequency and length to work perfectly. I could rave about Pepper's book all day, but I can finish by saying that as a sci-fi author, a steam punk dabbler, and a writer in general, Pepper nailed it with the Outrider Legion, and I am very much looking forward to the rest of the series.