I am delighted to share my review today for Karakorum by Don McVey. This is a brilliant sci-fi thriller that I adored. I don’t read a huge amount of sci-fi so this one really did hit the spot for me.

My huge thanks to Anne at Random Things Tours for arranging my copy of the book. This book is Independently Published.

In this gripping sci-fi adventure, Sorcha, a youngster from the outer-edge, discovers a hidden anomaly within the deadly game of Scratch, setting off a chain of events that will test her abilities and challenge her very existence. Scouted by a stranger from a rival faction, Sorcha finds herself pursued by malevolent forces intent on unravelling the secrets she unwittingly uncovers. To find the truth and avert impending catastrophe, Sorcha must embark on a perilous journey to the heart of Karakorum—an expansive shanty town divided by borders formed from interconnected minds—a remnant of a dark era known as The Wipe. Within this chaotic world, the inhabitants abide by the dictums of the Modor, the founder of Sapienism; a religion based on the sacrosanct human gene. As Sorcha delves deeper into the labyrinthine society, she uncovers an ancient riddle that holds the key to the past and the future of every connected citizen. However, unbeknownst to her, her actions could inadvertently lead to their ultimate downfall. Enter the dystopian world of Karakorum and immerse yourself in the richly imagined world, where technology, consciousness, and humanity collide. Join Sorcha as she battles formidable foes, unravels enigmatic puzzles, and grapples with the consequences of her choices.

MY REVIEW

This is an amazing book set in a futuristic, dystopian world. The author uses a small cast of characters and this makes it feel like a personal story with Sorcha being the main character. She is seen as different by others, but that doesn’t mean she is an outcast, but she does live and make her money by playing a game called Scratch. This is a game where competitors vie to beat each other while they are connected to a, well I think it would be called an interface.

While playing the game Sorcha sees something that shouldn’t be there. This leads to a Doro hunting her down. With the help of others, she is able to disappear to a different level of this futuristic world and hopes to remain hidden. Things that are hidden are usually uncovered at some point. It is not just Sorcha that is wanting to remain hidden though!

This is such an addictive story and one that did take me a few chapters to get into, I will be honest there are some chapters that lost me but these were from a different voice. It is later on when I realised who this was.

The feel of the story is one that is actually quite fast-paced and full of action. The author brings the ideology and religious beliefs of the people to this story and also a sense of unrest as they are all workers. Describing life in Karakorum is done in such a way that you soon realise that it is not a place of happiness. People exist rather than live. It is a world that feels dark, oppressive and lacklustre.

The further the story goes on the more you start to realise that there is something else going on. The synopsis mentions this book as being a collision of “technology, consciousness, and humanity ” and this starts to become more obvious the more you read.

This did remind me of a couple of other Sci-fi stories and a film as I was reading, I won’t mention which ones as I am sure you will have your own ideas as you read the book. This does have a thriller feel to it and it does twist and weave around a fair bit. As I mentioned earlier there were times when I felt a little lost, or out of my depth. However, I had to keep reading to find out how this one would end.

If you are a reader of sci-fi, dystopia, and fantasy stories then I do think this one will be one to take a look at. There is some great detail and twists. Fabulous story and there are characters that you do want to cheer for. Definitely one I would recommend.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Don McVey has worked for over 20 years in the Film and TV industry. After winning the H.G. Wells award for his short story ‘Transference’, he decided it was time to get round to writing a novel. His debut novel Karakorum was released in May 2023.

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