What I’m Reading: DESTINY NEXUS by Ceri London

Last March I reviewed Rogue Genesis, the sci-fi/fantasy techo-thriller by UK author Ceri London. In my review I talked about how I loved the way she used Science (capital S intentional) as an integral part of the story.

A lot has changed since then. I was fortunate to strike up a friendship with Ms. London and was invited to be a beta reader for Destiny Nexus, the next installment of the Shimmer in the Dark sci-fi/fantasy series.

Good things come to those who wait.

In Destiny Nexus, we pick up with Major Niall Kearey and the Astereans where we left them at the end of Book 1. The planet Astereal is nothing but a ball of molten rock now and all the action had moved Earthside. However, instead of slipping across space-time to save an entire race, Major Kearey is using his incredible psycho-kinetic-mind portal abilities to perform espionage for the United States.

It gets worse. Niall’s abilities are a blessing and a curse—every government and power broker on Earth wants Kearey for their very own or at least wants to make sure that no one else can use him. Author London crawls through the back-stabbing politics and secret society backroom deals, each seedier than the last, until Niall’s options run out. The final gut-wrenching betrayal of a man who saved an entire race is more personally painful than he could ever imagine.

The ancient proverb says: “the enemy of my enemy is my friend,” and when a new extraterrestrial evil threatens the planet Earth, Niall is called back to service. The same people who couldn’t wait to get rid of him now can’t wait to be on his side. The way Kearey deals with the problem will blow your mind.

London writes with an easy style that makes you eat up pages and keeps the story moving along at a fast clip. This book also feels more personal than Rogue Genesis. London has always made Niall’s family his reason for being; this second installment attacks Niall at his very core.

Other reviewers have likened London’s work to DUNE by Frank Herbert. As a Dunehead myself, that's a pretty tall order, but I can see the parallels. The sweeping scope of the story, the space opera vibe, the world-building around the history-defining powers of one man—all of those are there. But Destiny Nexus drives home another similarity. In Paul Atreides and Niall Kearey you find men that make a fundamental realization: when they face their biggest test, they are the solution..and the problem.

And there’s nothing they can do about it.

Highly recommended.

David Bruns is the creator of the sci-fi series The Dream Guild Chronicles, and one half of the Two Navy Guys and a Novel blog series about co-writing the military thriller, Weapons of Mass Deception. Check out his website for a free sample of his work.