Language : English
Paperback : 300 pages
ISBN-10 : 191678805X
ISBN-13 : 978-1916788053
Book Blurb
Six months since the earth-shattering events of The Space Between Us, the revelatory hope of the aliens’ visit has turned to du and the creatures have disappeared into the water off Scotland’s west coast.
Teenager Lennox and grieving mother Heather are being held in New Broom, a makeshift US military base, the subject of experiments, alongside the Enceladons who have been captured by the authorities.
Ava, who has given birth, is awaiting the jury verdict at her trial for the murder of her husband. And MI7 agent Oscar Fellowes, who has been sidelined by the US military, is beginning to think he might be on the wrong side of history.
When alien Sandy makes contact, Lennox and Heather make a plan to escape with Ava. All three of them are heading for a profound confrontation between the worst of humanity and a possible brighter future, as the stakes get higher for the alien Enceladons and the entire human race…
My Review
Last year I fell in love with Sandy, the Enceladon, in Doug Johnston’s The Space Between Us, and their empathy and the relationships forged with Lennox, Ava and Heather. The Collapsing Wave picks up the story six months after the enceladons came to earth and disappeared in the waters of the West Scotish coast. Since that event no one has seen or heard from Lennox and Heather, and Ava is awaitng the verdict on her trial of manslaughter for the killing of her husband. The three of them, and Ava’s six-month old daughter find themselves being experimented on with the enceladons, putting all of them in danger.
I was so excited to be back in the world of Sandy and the enceladons, who are beautiful and have more humanity than humans. Lennox and Heather have had no contact with the outside world where the arrival of the enceladon was covered up as being a natural phenomenon, and no one knows they are there. I liked that they still had a really close bond, she as a mother figure to Lennox, who had grown up in care, and Heather sees Lennox as a son, her own daughter dying of cancer. Both still have their telepathic powers between each other, unknown to their captors who only know of the power between them and Sandy and want to exploit that. Ava had the most to lose me as the American’s running the military base use her daughter against her. I really felt for her, she maybe released from prison but finds herself in a worse predicament. There is no doubt that Sandy was my favourite character, there is something about them that just makes me want to hug them. They are such a beautiful soul, kind and putting itself in danger to help Lennox, Heather and Ava.
Doug Johnstone’s idea of having the Americans in charge of the military base is both fascinating and frightening; there was a Trumpesque feel to some of the characters and language. The General in charge, Carson, has autonomy and feels like he can do anything as this is a secret base, he is jumped up and arrogant. The fact that they see the encaladons as ‘Illegals’ is ridiculous, but has a wry humour about it, they fear at how they behave and communicate. The irony is that the enceladon are peaceful, have no hate or violence in them whereas humans, who think they are superior, treat them with violence, torture and ultimately death. Ironically, they have come to Earth after their own home after an invasion. The story telling is masterful, drawing me into the story by chapters told from different points of view, and with his descriptive prose, bringing the characters and setting to life. The tension of what would happen to the main characters, and most of all Sandy and his community had me gripped and I actually read the book in one day as I had to know if they all survived.
To say I loved The Collapsing Wave would be a huge understatement, it was an amazing read. I was bereft finishing it, but excited to know there will be a third book coming. I was certainly on the side of the encaladons over the humans, the Americans cruelty was frightening and I do wonder if this is what they would be like if this type of event were to happen. It is strange that it is Sandy who restored my hope, and faith. in humanity; their outlook of being a collective certainly seems a better way to live. This really is the perfect feel good read, and I can’t recommend it highly enough. Simply sublime!!!
I would like to thank Orenda Books and Anne Cater for my copy of this book in return for my honest review.
