Firstly, this is my first attempt at a review, so bear with me. 
Dark Eden introduces us to a group of ancestors from a space crash 163 years previously. Clinging to legends of Earth, remaining in the valley the first survivors, Angela and Tommy, settled, life is hard: limited food; cold threatening any attempt to expand their horizons, and an inability to innovate all stifle the community.
John Redlantern not only questions the social norms, he disrupts and challenges them, until he breaks an unforgiveable taboo and is made outcast. He finds himself leader of a small breakaway Family, taking them across the frontier of Snowy Dark to the promised land beyond.
Written in very close third pov, it is the strength of the characters which pull the book along. It isn't afraid to take its own pace, believing in the characters and their interaction to propel the story.
The central character, John, is both frustratingly aware of his role as a leader - possibly too much so, at times sounding a little like a textbook on leadership traits - and endearingly unable to connect with those he needs to. As a foil to his reservedness we have Tina Spiketree, a feisty partner with a clear understnding of her own, and others, motives.
The world is well realised, the language - both prose and dialogue - adhering well to this world with its effective doubling and emphasising. The adherence to myths about Earth, its descendants and the effect of mythology on an isolated people is well realised. The casual sexual relationships in a world where procreation is central, and birth defects a shadow, is both believble and disturbing.
I found the timescales a little difficult to follow, both in terms of jumps, and changes wrought within. I also ound some of the description a little lean.
However, when the breakaway group make a devasting discovery at the end it is, whilst not unexpected, moving and effective.
Well realised, smoothly written, with engaging characters, i enjoyed it very much.
Dark Eden introduces us to a group of ancestors from a space crash 163 years previously. Clinging to legends of Earth, remaining in the valley the first survivors, Angela and Tommy, settled, life is hard: limited food; cold threatening any attempt to expand their horizons, and an inability to innovate all stifle the community.
John Redlantern not only questions the social norms, he disrupts and challenges them, until he breaks an unforgiveable taboo and is made outcast. He finds himself leader of a small breakaway Family, taking them across the frontier of Snowy Dark to the promised land beyond.
Written in very close third pov, it is the strength of the characters which pull the book along. It isn't afraid to take its own pace, believing in the characters and their interaction to propel the story.
The central character, John, is both frustratingly aware of his role as a leader - possibly too much so, at times sounding a little like a textbook on leadership traits - and endearingly unable to connect with those he needs to. As a foil to his reservedness we have Tina Spiketree, a feisty partner with a clear understnding of her own, and others, motives.
The world is well realised, the language - both prose and dialogue - adhering well to this world with its effective doubling and emphasising. The adherence to myths about Earth, its descendants and the effect of mythology on an isolated people is well realised. The casual sexual relationships in a world where procreation is central, and birth defects a shadow, is both believble and disturbing.
I found the timescales a little difficult to follow, both in terms of jumps, and changes wrought within. I also ound some of the description a little lean.
However, when the breakaway group make a devasting discovery at the end it is, whilst not unexpected, moving and effective.
Well realised, smoothly written, with engaging characters, i enjoyed it very much.
