Post by pimpinainteasy on Aug 21, 2018 9:37:39 GMT
The first half of Unassigned Territory deserves a five star rating. Kem Nunn has created an array of interesting characters that could be out of a Rob Zombie movie (actually it is the other way around). Obadiah Wheeler is accompanying a group of preachers led by the gigantic hard drinking Harlan Low across the unassigned territory of the Mojave desert. On the way, he stumbles upon Delandra Hummer with whom he runs away. They take with them an alien artifact recovered by Delandra's father Sarge Hummer, in the hope of selling it. Her brother and Harlan Low give chase.
The book works best when Nunn lays down the setting. Kem Nunn goes to great lengths to describe the small towns of the Mojave desert. The desert is peppered with mining towns with names like Trona and Porkpie Wells. The bars, motels, convenience stores and used book stalls are an important part of the book. While Nunn describes these abandoned towns as wretched and ugly, I got the feeling that he actually has a thing for these places. He describes them like a tourist would describe them on a first visit. Almost as if these arid small towns have secrets related to UFO's, mysterious covert projects and alien invasions.
It is the second half of the novel, when Obadiah and Delandra embark on the road trip, that the novel falls apart a little. The plot points are not that interesting and Nunn fails to create suspense and tension. The mythological stuff was vague and it felt like Nunn was trying hard to finish the novel. But I am intrigued enough to check out more of Nunn's work.
The book works best when Nunn lays down the setting. Kem Nunn goes to great lengths to describe the small towns of the Mojave desert. The desert is peppered with mining towns with names like Trona and Porkpie Wells. The bars, motels, convenience stores and used book stalls are an important part of the book. While Nunn describes these abandoned towns as wretched and ugly, I got the feeling that he actually has a thing for these places. He describes them like a tourist would describe them on a first visit. Almost as if these arid small towns have secrets related to UFO's, mysterious covert projects and alien invasions.
It is the second half of the novel, when Obadiah and Delandra embark on the road trip, that the novel falls apart a little. The plot points are not that interesting and Nunn fails to create suspense and tension. The mythological stuff was vague and it felt like Nunn was trying hard to finish the novel. But I am intrigued enough to check out more of Nunn's work.