Tobin Marks’ Ark of the Apocalypse – The Magellan II Chronicles is an apocalyptic sci-fi, fusing together multi perspectives, through individual characters (and their families) to create a fantastic end-of-existence (as they know it) story.
The book starts by setting up each of the characters and their arcs. The character I was most intrigued by at the beginning was Dr Mizushima, and his machine. The very creation he sacrificed everything for, and very rightly so (this becomes a vital part of the story later on).
As the story develops, I started to find myself willing characters on (especially the Yanbeyev family) and getting excited to see how, what seemed like a very messy and political mass of insanity, would lead to dragons entering the scene (they did and it was marvellous by the way!).
I found the way that the book was worded was very vivid, and it allowed me to get lost in the pages of descriptive story. Marks is an absolute legend for giving me the opportunity to lose myself in another engaging and curious plot.
Many of the themes within the story are that of catastrophic climate change (drought is evil), human destruction of Earth, politics (but done well so that it keeps the pages a-turning), engineering advancement and magic (seers, oracles and dragons).
As I continued, glued to each page, urging a solution to save Earth, it became obvious that perhaps it could not be saved. Or could it? An ark, in the form of a space ship was built to be filled with enough people, 10,000 to be precise, to create a new colony on an alien planet, but did they succeed?
Marks did a great job of creating characters into the story that you’ll like, and you’ll hate all at once. There were some that I just grew less fond of the more I read on. I will not name those, as I don’t want to spoil it for you.
On finishing, Ark of the Apocalypse, I was left with food for thought. It was a really interesting read from start to finish, with each section just the right length. Each character was endearing enough to cause enough intrigue to read on and see where Marks would take their arc (and if they would make it to the ark of course). I closed the last page thinking, we all need to do more to save the planet. The power of words really applies here.
If you need something a bit different, with the threat of the end of the world, some cool space ship building, some very vivid descriptions (especially when people get blown up), politics, magic and a dragon (of course), then give Ark of the Apocalypse a go. You’ll enjoy it, I’m certain of it!
You can grab your copy of ‘Ark of the Apocalypse’ on Amazon.
Special thanks to Blackthorn Book Tours and Tobin Marks for inviting us along for the ride.
Words by Michelle Stannard
The Alt Entertainer 