ReeceMNolan

Solid Flash Fiction

You get exactly what you expect from the blurb, with a little more. The author set themselves in a position where this lone soldier, literally, is talking to himself and has to carry the emotional weight, to which he does quite well. There were many times I was wowed by the imagery, painting this sullen farewell among many others lost.

I will say in terms of narrative, I didn’t feel the scene come together because I feel like I never got to know this tragedy. Being our only character, I think it would help to show him ruminate more than just the war with the departed.

However, the emotional core is brimming and there is a lot to like about this short and bittersweet scene.

An unforgettable labor of love.

I have to be transparent in my review, as I’ve read many drafts of this story throughout the years. That being said, this version of King Eden is by and large the strongest author Rowan Carver has produced yet. She has managed to craft an unforgettable sci-fi while also subverting even my expectations.

King Eden starts with the title character, King, scouring the ruins of Colossus to find her son who has been captured by the forces of Pallas.

So far in what I’ve read, we’re thrown right away into the action; hell has already come and King is on a mission through it. I really appreciate how expressive her characters are. Everybody has a crisp, distinct voice and the setting is directly feeding off of their dialogue.

Prose-wise, the writing is clear in the same way
a manga is abundantly focused; there’s absolutely no fluff here, just straight action, straight emotion that doesn’t go wasted. The prose is nearly spotless and I have no doubt she’ll make an editor’s job very easy.

This story is a labor of love and is definitely worth your time if you enjoy Akira, Mad Max, or even Ray Bradbury.