Aeon Rising is the tale of a disaster from outer space that threatens to change life on the planet as we know it. I enjoyed the characters and was pleased to see them grow as the story progressed. There is plenty of engaging action taking place and I really didn't want to stop reading when I started. I hurried through my mundane obligations so I could get back to the book.
There is also a great deal of emotional content in this story, and the writing was so good, one could feel what the characters must have been feeling. The emotional spectrum in this tome is mostly on the dark side, but there are also brief glimmers of hope and even a small amount of humor thrown in for good measure.
Another thing I was stirred by was the varied settings and how they were presented in the prose. There were urban settings, the Amazon Jungle, and the frozen tundra of the South Pole. Mather's descriptions were vivid and colorful, complete with the discomforts that come with those environments, as well as a few the author made up to add to the terror, especially in the jungle.
Overall, I love this engaging story.
Opening at a scientific research station on the continent of Antartica, a scientist monitors her equipment to detect neutrino particles as they strike the detectors. During the project, the scientist feels lucky when there is a hit, but one fateful day, her detectors lit up with a brilliance as an astronomical number of neutrinos excites her equipment. The scientist knows what this discovery means, and it isn't good.
What follows is a nearby (a relative term in astronomy) super nova event that has the effect of placing a second sun to heat the already warmed Earth. Climate change is rapid and will prove catastrophic to all life, especially human life.
A man is sent to the Amazon in South America to contact an eccentric billionaire and friend to learn what he is up to in pursuing scientific discovery he would not be allowed to work on in the U.S. The man's pregnant wife is left to fend for herself and finds difficulty, but also finds help from a mysterious source.
The people of the Earth seek relief by moving north as fast as they can while resources are stretched to the limits and services are nonexistent.
The characters in this story are all well written and come alive as the reader gets to know them.
Max Carver is former military, currently a professional over-the-road trucker. He's been tapped to find and contact a friend from his past and learn what he is doing in the Amazon jungle. Max seems to be a gentle, nice guy on the surface, but he has a skill set and very good survival instincts. Mostly, he just wants to finish the job he was sent to do and get back home with his wife. She is seven months pregnant with their first child.
Talisha Carver, Max's wife, is also preoccupied with the idea of Max being home before their baby is born. She also has a special skill set and is trying to survive in the difficult situation brought about by the supernova that has trapped Max in the jungle. When she is accosted by several dangerous people, she has to go on the run to save herself and her unborn child, while trying to learn what happened to Max and getting some place safe. She also finds she has a mysterious companion who claims wanting to help her.
Dr. Xin Rhou is the first person to detect the neutrino burst heralding the coming of the supernova. She is stationed at the South Pole and is a Chinese national. There seems to be more to her than just a simple researcher. She also finds herself involved in a mystery involving murder and other mayhem.
My favorite point of plot for Aeon Rising is all the things hinted at in future installments of the series. There are several questions that come to mind:
1. How will governments deal with a mass migration of people moving north to get away from the effects of the Aeon supernova?
2. What part does Max's friend play in the changes in the Amazon jungle?
3. What is the nature of Talisha's mysterious friend who wants to help, and why has this entity appeared?
4. How is Max going to survive in an environment that is out to do him harm at every turn?
5. What will finally be the fate of Xin and what is her actual role in developing events?
The overarching theme and my takeaway from Aeon Rising is survival for everyone in a situation that happened without warning. There are no contingency plans in place to deal with the mass migration of humanity to the northern parts of the planet to escape a developing situation. On the surface, the people of the planet seem to face certain extinction from something no one understands and can't do anything about, except hold out in hopes the crisis will work itself out.
Mather has set up a seemingly impossible to survive story. It will be interesting to see what roads he will lead us down as the questions are answered. This segment of the series gives the reader an exposition of people, places, and things likely leading to some amazing plot twists. I think Aeon Rising is an uncommonly great example of telling a story to invoke compassion, apprehension, and extraordinary thrills. I give Aeon Rising: The Apocalypse Begins my highest recommendations as a book well worth reading.
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Aeon Rising exceeds my expectations!
I expect fun reading from Matthew Mather, but Aeon Rising had me spellbound. I love books like this where the science is accurate and I can learn about the topic. I looked up words and concepts as I read because I am not scientifically literate. I actually enjoy learning the new-for-me words and concepts. But I could not put this book down and I stayed up too late in the night reading it. The plot was fast paced so each page turn was exciting. The characters developed depth as we learned their stories and what motivated them. I cannot wait to read the next installment (Aeon Burn) and have already preordered it through Amazon. I will probably need to read this one again closer to when the next book is published. But that will not be a chore, but rather a chance to discover what I missed the first time I read it! Honestly, if you like lots of action, astronomical and earth science, and technology all thrown in together, then you should grab this and start it immediately! Thank you Matthew for continuing to write stories that keep me mesmerized! You are the best.
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kyteflyer
Matthew Mather is King of the Apocalypse
Reviewed in Australia on June 17, 2022