Title: Vanwest: The Past
Author: Kenneth Thomas
Type: Fiction
Page Count: 197
Rating: 3.75/5
Disclaimer: While I aim to be unbiased, I received a free copy of this book and was compensated for my time.
This book is interesting because it blends a bunch of different things together in a sort of YA-focussed sci-fi caper involving everything from time travel to a sort of Hunger Games/Triwizard Tournament style event right at the beginning that sets up the world and kicks us off.
The subject matter and the ideas here are pretty cool, but I personally would have loved to see something a little grittier. In particular, the constant “roaching hell” and “roachtard” swear word substitutes kind of grated on me as being a little too twee. But if that’s the only complaint I have, it can’t be too bad, right?
Overall, it was an interesting little indie read with a lot to offer, and it hopped between genres as easily as the characters hopped between timelines. It also did a good job of worldbuilding and contrasting the differences between the future and the past, and sets up the series pretty well.
