Book Review: False Idols
False Idols is a tight, crisp read, full of depth and consistency that is hard to find in a newcomer.
The book is set a few decades into the future, a time where the gap between the “haves” and the “have-nots” has widened. It’s a bleak, dystopian world where natural resources are scarce, yet technology is still developing, evolving, progressing and growing at a dizzying pace.
The perfect examples are False Idols’ main characters: orphan girl Sarah and Vinicius “Nick” Lal, son of a couple of an uber-rich and highly successful couple of scientists from India and Brazil respectively.
Both Sarah and Nick receive implants known as a MindWave, a sort of gadget or device that allows people to connect to the internet directly through their brains, and to create thorough, highly detailed virtual realities in what Grove calls the “ether”.
Sarah and Nick receive their implants—which in Sarah’s case is known as a TacWave, not a MindWave, due to her implant’s properties as more of a tactical device—at a time when a shady, enigmatic female character known as an Aeon begins to conduct a series of cyber-attacks that lay in the heart of the story.
Nick’s implant is more of an “upgrade”, whereas Sarah’s is for military purposes, first and foremost. Yet in both cases our protagonists must learn how to make the best use of their newfound skills throughout their interaction with secondary characters, mentors of sorts who teach our young leads the ropes in this wonderful adventure of high stakes.
What I liked about this book:
Grove’s characters are likable, engaging and credible. It’s not easy delving into the mind of teenagers, yet Grove manages to capture the essence of a “spoiled brat” in Nick Lal, and the ever-unpredictable and capricious nature of a young girl in female protagonist, Sarah.
Secondary characters, such as Sarah’s love interest Michael, her mentor Willy, the enigmatic Laura (responsible for introducing Nick to the proper use of his MindWave), and the ever-mysterious Aeon are also quite interesting and engaging, among others.
The story itself is delightful. Grove manages to introduce us into his futuristic dystopia in a way that feels natural, organic and entertaining, all at the same time. There’s no tech jargon here to make False Idols a cumbersome, complicated read.
“Show don’t tell” definitely comes to mind in Alexis Grove’s case, the most important trait in any master story-teller’s makeup, and one that is hard to find in a newcomer.
What I didn’t like about this book:
Honestly? Having to wait for the next volume in Alexis Grove’s Aeon series. That’s my biggest issue with False Idols. Especially when you realize that Alexis Grove will keep growing and developing as a writer. That’s a scary thought…in a good way, of course.
Conclusion:
False Idols is a terrific start to what promises to be an excellent, thought-provoking trilogy. I’m certainly looking forward to the next installment in the Aeon series. If you’re an avid reader of sci-fi and fantasy like yours truly, get your copy of False Idols. You won’t regret it.
