Come the Revolution by Frank Chadwick science fiction and fantasy book and audiobook reviewsCome the Revolution by Frank Chadwick

Come the Revolution by Frank Chadwick science fiction and fantasy book and audiobook reviewsCome the Revolution (2015) is the sequel to Frank Chadwick’s How Dark the World Becomes (which you’ll want to read first).

Sasha Naradnyo survived the events of the previous book, but just barely. One of our favorite characters, however, did not survive. Now it’s a few years later. Sasha is the head of security for Tweezaa, the Varoki girl he was protecting in How Dark the World Becomes. Sasha and his wife, who is Tweezaa’s top advisor, are expecting their first child.

The story begins with a bang when Tweezaa’s shuttle is shot down with a missile. She has many enemies which include political rivals, her own relatives who are after the vast fortune she inherited, and Varoki citizens who are angry that she’s planning to be adopted into a different family. Our heroes survive the attack but then, at a meeting with top officials, there’s another violent incident and Sasha gets framed for it. Now he’s on the run (again) and ends up (again) involved in a war. This time, it’s a full-blown revolution and Sasha will play a pivotal role in the outcome.

Sasha seems to always be prepared for anything, but he’s totally surprised when a couple of unexpected but very important characters show up at the rebel camp. They, also, will be crucially involved in the events that unfold and will affect the future of humanity.

Come the Revolution by Frank Chadwick science fiction and fantasy book and audiobook reviewsAs I mentioned in my review of How Dark the World Becomes, Sasha makes a great protagonist. He’s tough, energetic, thoughtful, and good. Though he’s very active, he still manages to spend time reflecting on his actions and thinking about the kind of person he wants to be and the legacy he wants to leave for his child. He also thinks about the fate of humanity and is especially concerned with pointing out and reducing the prejudice that humans face.

The plot of Come the Revolution is entertaining, but not as exciting as the first book’s plot. Sasha is at his most entertaining when he’s outwitting other gangsters, but in this book he has a logistics role in the resistance movement and there’s too much talk about boring stuff like troop movements, weapons and supplies inventories, magazine capacities, food rations, personnel rosters, and number of casualties. This is totally up Frank Chadwick’s alley, but not mine.

One thing I was hoping to see more of in the SASHA NARADNYO books is Crack City. We heard about this fascinating human ghetto in the opening scene of How Dark the World Becomes, but we’ve learned little since. I’d love to read a novel set in Crack City, especially if Sasha the gangster was the star.

The Tantor Audio editions of the SASHA NARADNYO books are terrific and I recommend this format. I love Paul Heitsch’s interpretation of Sasha — I think it’s spot-on. Come the Revolution is 10 hours long.

Published in 2015. Tough-as-nails former gangster Sasha Naradnyo is back in this noir thrill ride from legendary game creator Frank Chadwick. Sasha Naradnyo had come a long way from the slums of Crack City on the planet Peezgtaan from Human gangster to head of security for Tweezaa e-Traak, the Varoki heiress to the largest fortune in the history of the Stellar Commonwealth. Then the largest nation on the Varoki home world collapsed into riots and civil war, a murderously anti-human Varoki fanatic made his bid for power, and the head of the Secret Police decided to take a personal interest in Sasha. Now Sasha must navigate the violence and anarchy of a growing revolution, come to grips with ghosts from his past who have suddenly turned up alive, make common cause with resistance fighters who want him dead, expose a conspiracy which will shake the Commonwealth to its foundations . . . and do it all without losing his soul..

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  • Kat Hooper

    KAT HOOPER, who started this site in June 2007, earned a Ph.D. in neuroscience and psychology at Indiana University (Bloomington) and now teaches and conducts brain research at the University of North Florida. When she reads fiction, she wants to encounter new ideas and lots of imagination. She wants to view the world in a different way. She wants to have her mind blown. She loves beautiful language and has no patience for dull prose, vapid romance, or cheesy dialogue. She prefers complex characterization, intriguing plots, and plenty of action. Favorite authors are Jack Vance, Robin Hobb, Kage Baker, William Gibson, Gene Wolfe, Richard Matheson, and C.S. Lewis.