Providence
Love will tear us apart
Release Out now
Writer Caroline Kepnes
Publisher Simon and Schuster
Price £8.99Caroline Kepnes’ latest sees star-
crossed lovers unable to be together
because if shy, nerdy Jon gets too
close to popular, sensitive Anne,
he’ll kill her. Something happened
to Jon, or rather something was
done to him. As a child, he was
abducted and wasn’t found for
four years. When he returns, he’s
transformed from a fragile child
to a strapping young man, but his
kidnapper has prompted a sinister
transformation which dooms him
to unwillingly stop the heart of
those who get close to him.
As Providence hops between the
two leads’ perspectives and that
of investigator Eggs, it’s clear thatBig Damn
Hero
Taking back the sky
Release Out now
Writer James Lovegrove
Publisher Titan Books
Price £16.99When Captain Malcolm
Reynolds of the Firefl y-class
spaceship Serenity disappears on a
seemingly routine job, his crew are
tasked with tracking him down, whilst
also transporting some hazardous
cargo and avoiding the authorities
on their tail. Mal, meanwhile, is
forced to confront the sins of his past.
Though a return to the F i r e fl y
universe is very welcome, this
novel suffers from an apparent
misunderstanding of its target
audience. Even the most hardcore
fans will fi nd themselves worn down
by the Wiki-esque references to pastadventures in the opening pages,
while newcomers are likely to be put
off by the weight of weirdly specifi c
details. Once the story kicks into
gear, it’s more fun, as we get an
alternative perspective on the war
which provided the backbone to
the series’ narrative. It’s satisfying
to see a nuanced approach which
stretches beyond the often too simple
delineations in the show.
This is a solid effort, but a more
innovative approach would be
appreciated. The ‘western in space’
concept is deliciously vague and
rich, but here it’s encumbered
by reverence to the show. It’s
clear F i r e fl y fans want to see a
continuation of the series, but the
show was concluded rather stylishly
in the fi lm Serenity. It feels like too
long has passed to go backwards,
when there are new stories to be told
beyond the fi lm.
Martin Parsons
BOOK CLUB
Big Damn Hero // ProvidenceKepnes is less interested in Jon’s
curse (or ability?) than the ways
in which people struggle to let
go. She rides a fi ne line between
sentimentality and clear-eyed
analysis with each of three leads
suffering from obsession and heart-
ache at a personal cost.
As such, the characters can be
unlikeable and more human. Jon’s
disappearing act has consequences
and his stalking is sinister but
there’s never doubting the tragedy
of his circumstances. Chloe’s
inability to shake her obsession
hurts those around her, but there’s
no malice to it, just hope. The most
effective part of the novel, though,
may be Eggs, who is torn between
the thrill of the chase and the terror
that he’s losing his wife.
Heartfelt but incisive and
with some genuinely unnerving
moments, this is excellent stuff.
Jonathan Hatfull
086 | Tell us what you’re reading on Twitter or Facebook WWW.SCIFINOW.CO.UK