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Ben Gold #1
Falling Sky
Ben Gold lives in dangerous times. Two generations ago, a virulent disease turned the population of most of North America into little more than beasts called Ferals. Some of those who survived took to the air, scratching out a living on airships and dirigibles soaring over the dangerous ground. Ben, a lone wolf, has reluctantly agreed to use his skills and his airship to help an idealist scientist, Miranda, on her search for a cure. Protecting her from Ferals is dangerous enough but when power-mad raiders run rampant, Ben finds himself in the most dangerous place of all—the ground. Ben’s journey leads him to Gastown, a city in the air recently conquered by belligerent and expansionist pirates. Old friends and new enemies are drawn into a struggle that quickly becomes a fight for the fate of the world. Ben must decide to focus on his own survival or risk it all on a desperate chance for a better future.
255 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2014
About the author
Rajan Khanna
41 books53 followersRajan Khanna is a fiction writer, blogger, reviewer and narrator. His first novel, Falling Sky, a post-apocalyptic adventure with airships, was released in October 2014. It was followed by Rising Tide in 2015 and Raining Fire in 2017. His short fiction has appeared in Lightspeed Magazine, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, and several anthologies. His articles and reviews have appeared at Tor.com and LitReactor.com and his podcast narrations can be heard at Podcastle, Escape Pod, PseudoPod, Beneath Ceaseless Skies and Lightspeed Magazine. Rajan lives in Brooklyn, NY where he's a member of the Altered Fluid writing group. His personal website is http://www.rajankhanna.com and he tweets, @rajanyk.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
March 5, 2017
Cross posted at my blog: http://clsiewert.wordpress.com/2014/1...
I was zombie free for most of the summer. Once The Walking Dead ended, I mean. And except that one book, The Girl with All the Gifts, which hardly counts, right? Oh, and I started that anthology The Living Dead, but didn't get very far, so that shouldn't count either. So when I saw a post about Falling Sky, I was both nostalgic and intrigued. Zombies? Check. Dystopia? Check. Airships? --Wait, what?
Yes--Airships.
Basic gist: Ben and his airship Cherub have reluctantly taken a contract to work with the scientists of the small community of Apple Pi. It has been a couple of generations since the Bug appeared, and the group of scientists there are hoping their research will bring a vaccine. Maybe even turn the infected, aggressive Ferals back into people. Ben considers it a pipe dream, and when the scientists want him to transport a Feral in Cherub, he puts his foot down. No matter how much he might admire Miranda, one of the lead scientists, there are some things that can’t be tolerated, and risking exposure to the Bug is one of them. Ben flies off in the Cherub only to discover that the nightmare attack that ruined the last community he was part of is about to start again. He needs to decide quickly if he will continue alone or rejoin a community.
I was most reminded of The Reapers are the Angels in atmosphere and theme. To me, atmosphere is a critical part of apocalypse/zombie books, and Khanna captures those elements beautifully. The setting is an interesting take in the genre; although it is at least a couple of generations post-disaster, there are some significant technological remnants of civilization as well as new cultural communities rising from the remainder of the old. The writing doesn’t quite soar to the Hemingway heights of Reapers, but it is appropriate for Ben. Writing is focused, with a pleasant variety of structure and vocabulary, making it above average in the field. A clever blend of flashback, dialogue and current action keeps the pace snappy while filling in details on character and world history.
Characterization is one of the standout aspects of this book. Khanna uses a single-narrator viewpoint through Ben, but still manages to convey a great deal of complexity to the main characters. It’s worth noting that there is a wide mix of people represented in the story, and neatly avoids the majority of genre tropes. Although I found I didn’t altogether like Ben, I found him far more tolerable than the equally selfish narrator of The Goldfinch, likely because he’s a person in progress.
Plotting is perhaps the weakest section of the story. I was carried along with the various events, noting a significant deus ex machina but not really caring, when the story was pleasantly sidetracked to an existence scenario. It is always interesting to experience the post-apocalypse world on those hardest of terms–the single forager–but the episode ended up resolving quickly and conveniently, moving Ben on to the next and more important section. There is a nice little genre twist, bringing an updated approach to the inhumanity of man. And the ending–whew. The ending was exceptionally brief, both in terms of emotional and plot resolution. While it opens the way to another story, it does end this one. More or less. I anticipate reviewer drama over this one. As an after thought, once I finished reading, a number logistical questions occurred to me. That could be a positive sign, in the sense I was still thinking about it, but it was also a negative one, as I realized a major decision didn’t make logical sense.
Regardless, it was a lot of fun, generally entertaining and worth the time. As a first novel, this was exceptional. But the $10.99 Kindle price? Now that, I’m no so sure–I’m glad this one was a library read. Overall, I recommend this for genre fans. As for myself, I’ll definitely be on the lookout for more from Khanna.
I was zombie free for most of the summer. Once The Walking Dead ended, I mean. And except that one book, The Girl with All the Gifts, which hardly counts, right? Oh, and I started that anthology The Living Dead, but didn't get very far, so that shouldn't count either. So when I saw a post about Falling Sky, I was both nostalgic and intrigued. Zombies? Check. Dystopia? Check. Airships? --Wait, what?
Yes--Airships.
Basic gist: Ben and his airship Cherub have reluctantly taken a contract to work with the scientists of the small community of Apple Pi. It has been a couple of generations since the Bug appeared, and the group of scientists there are hoping their research will bring a vaccine. Maybe even turn the infected, aggressive Ferals back into people. Ben considers it a pipe dream, and when the scientists want him to transport a Feral in Cherub, he puts his foot down. No matter how much he might admire Miranda, one of the lead scientists, there are some things that can’t be tolerated, and risking exposure to the Bug is one of them. Ben flies off in the Cherub only to discover that the nightmare attack that ruined the last community he was part of is about to start again. He needs to decide quickly if he will continue alone or rejoin a community.
I was most reminded of The Reapers are the Angels in atmosphere and theme. To me, atmosphere is a critical part of apocalypse/zombie books, and Khanna captures those elements beautifully. The setting is an interesting take in the genre; although it is at least a couple of generations post-disaster, there are some significant technological remnants of civilization as well as new cultural communities rising from the remainder of the old. The writing doesn’t quite soar to the Hemingway heights of Reapers, but it is appropriate for Ben. Writing is focused, with a pleasant variety of structure and vocabulary, making it above average in the field. A clever blend of flashback, dialogue and current action keeps the pace snappy while filling in details on character and world history.
Characterization is one of the standout aspects of this book. Khanna uses a single-narrator viewpoint through Ben, but still manages to convey a great deal of complexity to the main characters. It’s worth noting that there is a wide mix of people represented in the story, and neatly avoids the majority of genre tropes. Although I found I didn’t altogether like Ben, I found him far more tolerable than the equally selfish narrator of The Goldfinch, likely because he’s a person in progress.
Plotting is perhaps the weakest section of the story. I was carried along with the various events, noting a significant deus ex machina but not really caring, when the story was pleasantly sidetracked to an existence scenario. It is always interesting to experience the post-apocalypse world on those hardest of terms–the single forager–but the episode ended up resolving quickly and conveniently, moving Ben on to the next and more important section. There is a nice little genre twist, bringing an updated approach to the inhumanity of man. And the ending–whew. The ending was exceptionally brief, both in terms of emotional and plot resolution. While it opens the way to another story, it does end this one. More or less. I anticipate reviewer drama over this one. As an after thought, once I finished reading, a number logistical questions occurred to me. That could be a positive sign, in the sense I was still thinking about it, but it was also a negative one, as I realized a major decision didn’t make logical sense.
Regardless, it was a lot of fun, generally entertaining and worth the time. As a first novel, this was exceptional. But the $10.99 Kindle price? Now that, I’m no so sure–I’m glad this one was a library read. Overall, I recommend this for genre fans. As for myself, I’ll definitely be on the lookout for more from Khanna.
November 1, 2014
Tad Williams has a blurb on the front of this book, and that's why I picked it up. His "Hemingway meets Walking Dead" recommendation caught my eye, I mean, that's a pretty boasty claim, so i wanted to check it out!
I'm not a HUGE fan of zombies, but this was a cool world with Steampunk and Zombies combined (I dunno about being Hemingway-worthy, but I'm not a huge fan of Hemingway anyway, so I'll let it slide.) I really enjoyed the book though, even though Walking Dead and Z-Nation and Last of us has kind of saturated me on the genre, the voice is very real and gritty and I felt immersed in the world. Abercombie-edgy and quick read at that.
I'm not a HUGE fan of zombies, but this was a cool world with Steampunk and Zombies combined (I dunno about being Hemingway-worthy, but I'm not a huge fan of Hemingway anyway, so I'll let it slide.) I really enjoyed the book though, even though Walking Dead and Z-Nation and Last of us has kind of saturated me on the genre, the voice is very real and gritty and I felt immersed in the world. Abercombie-edgy and quick read at that.
November 28, 2014
4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.com/2014/11/25/b...
I enjoyed Falling Sky a lot more than I thought I would. That’s no meagre accomplishment, considering how many books are out there in the market these days involving zombies in a post-apocalyptic type future. But Rajan Khanna did not have to resort to any gimmicks or convoluted methods to make his novel stand out. All he did was come up with an awesome premise – that when a virulent epidemic broke out two generations ago and turned most of the population into mindless Ferals, humanity managed to survive by simply taking to the skies.
That means airships. Entire cities that float. People like main protagonist and narrator Ben Gold feel most comfortable off the ground, because that translates to safety from coming in contact with the tainted blood of Ferals, and in turns means being able to live out another day. Ben, who has always been happy on his own piloting his airship Cherub, finds a way to make money by working with the intelligent and headstrong Miranda, leader of a group of ambitious scientists hoping to find a cure for the Feral virus.
But then Valhalla strikes, and the skies are no longer a safe haven. A faction made up of savage pirates, Valhalla is bent on conquering and stealing from other settlements by employing the most depraved measures – like airlifting infected Ferals and dropping them into defenseless cities. After being caught in one such attack, Ben’s life is forever changed and he is forced to make some difficult decisions. He’s the kind of guy who’s always lived by the motto “Every man for himself”, but for the first time in his life he realizes there may be bigger things to fight for.
I don’t think I would have enjoyed this book so much if it weren’t for Ben. I loved his voice and took to his casual and devil-may-care attitude right away, and I found that the first-person narrative in the present tense worked surprisingly well for the story. Ben isn’t exactly someone you can admire or point to as a good role model, but I liked him all the same. Somewhat self-serving at times and frequently having a short view of the problem, Ben doesn’t always mean to screw the people around him over, but his impulsive nature usually leads him to do it all the same. But he’s got a good heart, as proven by the many times he’s gone out of his way to try and repay a favor or make up for his mistakes, and I find that admirable. And fine, I’ll also admit he’s got a bit of that roguish charm which I find irresistible.
You also have to love the mood of the story. One might expect a post-apocalyptic zombie book to be on the dark and grim side, but I would describe Falling Sky as more an adventurous and action-filled novel. That’s not to say the world that Ben lives in is without its grit and despair, because in fact, the author does a good job illustrating why a future infested with Ferals is not a very pleasant place to be. Mindless and violent beast-like zombies aside, so much technology has been lost and a lot of the crucial supplies like ammo and fuel from two generations ago have been depleted. But humanity has had enough time to deal with aftermath of the epidemic, and the tone that I get from the story is that life continues moving forward. Certain facets of society and culture have eroded away and things may be done a little differently, but people like Ben still have their sense of humor, and others like Miranda and her scientists have their hopes and dreams.
My main complaint is that the ending came and went too quickly and suddenly. We are literally dropped into the conclusion, and…scene. All I can say is, I really, really, really hope there will be a sequel. The story may be more or less wrapped up, but because of the abruptness of the way things ended, I just can’t help but think it’s not over. If there’s a book two though, definitely sign me up for it.
I enjoyed Falling Sky a lot more than I thought I would. That’s no meagre accomplishment, considering how many books are out there in the market these days involving zombies in a post-apocalyptic type future. But Rajan Khanna did not have to resort to any gimmicks or convoluted methods to make his novel stand out. All he did was come up with an awesome premise – that when a virulent epidemic broke out two generations ago and turned most of the population into mindless Ferals, humanity managed to survive by simply taking to the skies.
That means airships. Entire cities that float. People like main protagonist and narrator Ben Gold feel most comfortable off the ground, because that translates to safety from coming in contact with the tainted blood of Ferals, and in turns means being able to live out another day. Ben, who has always been happy on his own piloting his airship Cherub, finds a way to make money by working with the intelligent and headstrong Miranda, leader of a group of ambitious scientists hoping to find a cure for the Feral virus.
But then Valhalla strikes, and the skies are no longer a safe haven. A faction made up of savage pirates, Valhalla is bent on conquering and stealing from other settlements by employing the most depraved measures – like airlifting infected Ferals and dropping them into defenseless cities. After being caught in one such attack, Ben’s life is forever changed and he is forced to make some difficult decisions. He’s the kind of guy who’s always lived by the motto “Every man for himself”, but for the first time in his life he realizes there may be bigger things to fight for.
I don’t think I would have enjoyed this book so much if it weren’t for Ben. I loved his voice and took to his casual and devil-may-care attitude right away, and I found that the first-person narrative in the present tense worked surprisingly well for the story. Ben isn’t exactly someone you can admire or point to as a good role model, but I liked him all the same. Somewhat self-serving at times and frequently having a short view of the problem, Ben doesn’t always mean to screw the people around him over, but his impulsive nature usually leads him to do it all the same. But he’s got a good heart, as proven by the many times he’s gone out of his way to try and repay a favor or make up for his mistakes, and I find that admirable. And fine, I’ll also admit he’s got a bit of that roguish charm which I find irresistible.
You also have to love the mood of the story. One might expect a post-apocalyptic zombie book to be on the dark and grim side, but I would describe Falling Sky as more an adventurous and action-filled novel. That’s not to say the world that Ben lives in is without its grit and despair, because in fact, the author does a good job illustrating why a future infested with Ferals is not a very pleasant place to be. Mindless and violent beast-like zombies aside, so much technology has been lost and a lot of the crucial supplies like ammo and fuel from two generations ago have been depleted. But humanity has had enough time to deal with aftermath of the epidemic, and the tone that I get from the story is that life continues moving forward. Certain facets of society and culture have eroded away and things may be done a little differently, but people like Ben still have their sense of humor, and others like Miranda and her scientists have their hopes and dreams.
My main complaint is that the ending came and went too quickly and suddenly. We are literally dropped into the conclusion, and…scene. All I can say is, I really, really, really hope there will be a sequel. The story may be more or less wrapped up, but because of the abruptness of the way things ended, I just can’t help but think it’s not over. If there’s a book two though, definitely sign me up for it.
December 5, 2014
Falling Sky suffers from the very worst of everything that makes me cringe at the word “Steampunk.” Allow me to fill my review with sarcasm and snark in order to demonstrate why:
1. A spoonful of water is deeper than than any character in this story. The main character Ben, for example, is Han Solo but without the charm. He’s gruff and arrogant, and he likes to work alone. But deep inside (shockingly) he has a heart of gold that makes him fight for the Rebellion, uh, I mean, the scientists. And even though it literally gets stolen in chapter four, the reader is supposed to care that Ben loves his spaceship/blimp (the Millennium Zeppelin) waaaay too much, but at the end, Ben is forced, forced I tell you! to sacrifice his blimp to save the day. Boo, freakin’ hoo. Oh, and in one of the most irrelevant plot points ever penned, he’s Jewish.
Don't understand what I'm saying? Well how about this piece of dialogue instead: “I’m a gritty character so I can drink, pass out, wake up, and F@#$ING swear like a dying sailor! Also, I use the word boffin. Why? Am I British? No! Am I living in 1800? No! Then why am I using it…? Because I’m Steampunk! See my goggles? Now, get me my parasol!” I jest - he doesn’t actually have a parasol.
(Just describing the main character makes it sound like I’m pitching a skit to SNL producers.)
2. Every single decision made in the novel is made by either whining, smirking, or with a gut feeling:
SCENE 1:
“I’m not taking someone else with me on this mission.”
“But you owe me.” Whiny puppy eyes.
“Well, since you asked so nicely, I guess I’ll take you along…”
SCENE 2:
“Hey, I just screwed you over, but I need you to fly me around cause my spaceship got stolen.” Cocky smirk.
“Um, I hate you, but my wise and all-knowing gut says to take you anyway. So, welcome aboard!”
SCENE 3:
“Hey, let’s pull a Hobbit and sneak into the enemy base by hiding in these barrels.”
“Uh, that’s the best idea you’ve got?”
“Yes.” Whine and smirk.
“Okay, barrels it is!”
SCENE 4: “Man, I really shouldn’t sleep with this other character.” Smirk. Sex scene.
SCENE 5: “Man, I don’t have a place to sleep, but I’m Jewish.”
“What? You’re Jewish? Me, too! I’ll give you a place to sleep.”
3. The plot: a super-bug created the zombies, so scientists must work out a way to treat the super-bug by capturing zombies. But, hey, zombies are people, too! Oh look, a rival group of evil scientists is trying to create super-zombies to help create a new World Order! Snore. However, horses are immune to the zombie bug. Lucky horses and Lucky plot twist all in one. But wait a minutes...“I must leave the horse (that I’ve only known for two pages), so I shoot it in the head in order to get an emotional reaction from the reader because the reader actually cares more about this two-page old horse than they do about me or any other character in the novel.”
4. OMG! "I’m about to be eaten by a zombie/evil nameless, faceless character! Oh, look another good-guy just shot the zombie/bad-guy in the head with his gun/rifle/bow and arrow! Lucky me." Repeat. And repeat again. And then again.
5. "Hey guys, I’m a scientist who thinks that zombies are people too, but I’m a girl, so when I’m forced to shoot a zombie in order to save another character, I have an emotional melt-down."
6. The obligatory shoehorned and awkwardly written sex scene that uses the word “guided.” Barf.
7. And. I. Can. Write. Like. This.
8. The cover claims that this novel is “like Hemingway meets The Walking Dead.” Both Hemingway and The Walking Dead are rolling over in their respective graves. (Though, actually, while Hemingway is rolling over in his grave, The Walking Dead are crawling out of the their graves. See what I did there?)
9. Perhaps if this novel had been billed as a YA novel, I might have been a wee bit gentler on it, but it wasn’t, so I’m not.
10. And finally, first person present tense narration can kiss my pasty white butt.
Conclusion: This is the worst published novel I have read this year. Winner is you! (Unless you actually read this book, in which case, you lose.)
1. A spoonful of water is deeper than than any character in this story. The main character Ben, for example, is Han Solo but without the charm. He’s gruff and arrogant, and he likes to work alone. But deep inside (shockingly) he has a heart of gold that makes him fight for the Rebellion, uh, I mean, the scientists. And even though it literally gets stolen in chapter four, the reader is supposed to care that Ben loves his spaceship/blimp (the Millennium Zeppelin) waaaay too much, but at the end, Ben is forced, forced I tell you! to sacrifice his blimp to save the day. Boo, freakin’ hoo. Oh, and in one of the most irrelevant plot points ever penned, he’s Jewish.
Don't understand what I'm saying? Well how about this piece of dialogue instead: “I’m a gritty character so I can drink, pass out, wake up, and F@#$ING swear like a dying sailor! Also, I use the word boffin. Why? Am I British? No! Am I living in 1800? No! Then why am I using it…? Because I’m Steampunk! See my goggles? Now, get me my parasol!” I jest - he doesn’t actually have a parasol.
(Just describing the main character makes it sound like I’m pitching a skit to SNL producers.)
2. Every single decision made in the novel is made by either whining, smirking, or with a gut feeling:
SCENE 1:
“I’m not taking someone else with me on this mission.”
“But you owe me.” Whiny puppy eyes.
“Well, since you asked so nicely, I guess I’ll take you along…”
SCENE 2:
“Hey, I just screwed you over, but I need you to fly me around cause my spaceship got stolen.” Cocky smirk.
“Um, I hate you, but my wise and all-knowing gut says to take you anyway. So, welcome aboard!”
SCENE 3:
“Hey, let’s pull a Hobbit and sneak into the enemy base by hiding in these barrels.”
“Uh, that’s the best idea you’ve got?”
“Yes.” Whine and smirk.
“Okay, barrels it is!”
SCENE 4: “Man, I really shouldn’t sleep with this other character.” Smirk. Sex scene.
SCENE 5: “Man, I don’t have a place to sleep, but I’m Jewish.”
“What? You’re Jewish? Me, too! I’ll give you a place to sleep.”
3. The plot: a super-bug created the zombies, so scientists must work out a way to treat the super-bug by capturing zombies. But, hey, zombies are people, too! Oh look, a rival group of evil scientists is trying to create super-zombies to help create a new World Order! Snore. However, horses are immune to the zombie bug. Lucky horses and Lucky plot twist all in one. But wait a minutes...“I must leave the horse (that I’ve only known for two pages), so I shoot it in the head in order to get an emotional reaction from the reader because the reader actually cares more about this two-page old horse than they do about me or any other character in the novel.”
4. OMG! "I’m about to be eaten by a zombie/evil nameless, faceless character! Oh, look another good-guy just shot the zombie/bad-guy in the head with his gun/rifle/bow and arrow! Lucky me." Repeat. And repeat again. And then again.
5. "Hey guys, I’m a scientist who thinks that zombies are people too, but I’m a girl, so when I’m forced to shoot a zombie in order to save another character, I have an emotional melt-down."
6. The obligatory shoehorned and awkwardly written sex scene that uses the word “guided.” Barf.
7. And. I. Can. Write. Like. This.
8. The cover claims that this novel is “like Hemingway meets The Walking Dead.” Both Hemingway and The Walking Dead are rolling over in their respective graves. (Though, actually, while Hemingway is rolling over in his grave, The Walking Dead are crawling out of the their graves. See what I did there?)
9. Perhaps if this novel had been billed as a YA novel, I might have been a wee bit gentler on it, but it wasn’t, so I’m not.
10. And finally, first person present tense narration can kiss my pasty white butt.
Conclusion: This is the worst published novel I have read this year. Winner is you! (Unless you actually read this book, in which case, you lose.)
December 4, 2015
Science fictional zombie apocalypse via virus with airships.
Ben Gold is the pragmatic action hero that's fallen in with scientists trying to combat the Bug that has left the majority of humanity as animalistic Ferals. Any fluid contact with a Feral will transfer the Bug. A key part of the life of the survivors of the Bug is airship travel, well away from the carriers of it. But the remaining elements of humanity are prey to each other and there's little trust to be had even though trade and barter are required for people to survive. When Ben loses his heirloom ship to raiders that also attack the scientist's settlement the foundation for a much larger battle is laid.
This was ok. It's not the book, it's me. I'm just not into post-apocalyptic stories or zombie stories for that matter. This is quite competent, and the world mostly makes sense (where's the fuel coming from?! Can everyone brew biofuel?!) but it's not really my sort of thing. However, it's quite short and the story setup is interesting. I will be proceeding to the next one.
Ben Gold is the pragmatic action hero that's fallen in with scientists trying to combat the Bug that has left the majority of humanity as animalistic Ferals. Any fluid contact with a Feral will transfer the Bug. A key part of the life of the survivors of the Bug is airship travel, well away from the carriers of it. But the remaining elements of humanity are prey to each other and there's little trust to be had even though trade and barter are required for people to survive. When Ben loses his heirloom ship to raiders that also attack the scientist's settlement the foundation for a much larger battle is laid.
This was ok. It's not the book, it's me. I'm just not into post-apocalyptic stories or zombie stories for that matter. This is quite competent, and the world mostly makes sense (where's the fuel coming from?! Can everyone brew biofuel?!) but it's not really my sort of thing. However, it's quite short and the story setup is interesting. I will be proceeding to the next one.
November 3, 2016
Just a bunch of kind of random thoughts about the book:
-Fast-paced.
-Story told from Ben Gold's perspective. Ben's not a particularly sympathetic character. He's got a narrow set of priorities, and can't understand the more altruistic impulses of Miranda.
-Kind of interesting that Ben identifies as Jewish. This is the first zombie tale I've read where the protagonist wasn't some version of WASP.
-And though the action takes place from Ben's perspective, I found Miranda interesting. She's clearly smart, and though living in a dangerous time, has more reasons for doing things than simply food and a safe place to live, which seem to be Ben's only interests. Actually, Ben remains pretty focused on his ship and drinking himself to unconsciousness for much of the book. He's also not terribly introspective, and can't understand why he does things that are contrary to his stated priorities.
The above is kind of a jumble of thoughts, but I think I'm going to read the next in the series.
-Fast-paced.
-Story told from Ben Gold's perspective. Ben's not a particularly sympathetic character. He's got a narrow set of priorities, and can't understand the more altruistic impulses of Miranda.
-Kind of interesting that Ben identifies as Jewish. This is the first zombie tale I've read where the protagonist wasn't some version of WASP.
-And though the action takes place from Ben's perspective, I found Miranda interesting. She's clearly smart, and though living in a dangerous time, has more reasons for doing things than simply food and a safe place to live, which seem to be Ben's only interests. Actually, Ben remains pretty focused on his ship and drinking himself to unconsciousness for much of the book. He's also not terribly introspective, and can't understand why he does things that are contrary to his stated priorities.
The above is kind of a jumble of thoughts, but I think I'm going to read the next in the series.
January 28, 2019
I spent the majority of this book just rolling my eyes. I just didn't like it. It felt very subpar and I'm kinda sad about that.
Read
April 14, 2021It’s hard to read about a plague called the Bug when global viral catastrophe is a very real threat. This week saw the first case of Ebola in the United States. I live a couple thousand miles north of Dallas, but I’ve seen the movies and I’ve read the books. Apparently, I like scaring myself. I’m not alone in my fascination, however, which is why post-apocalyptic fiction has always had a place…and currently enjoys such an upsurge in popularity.
Falling Sky by Rajan Khanna captures the panicked urgency of a viral plague extremely well. It’s not clear how long the world has been under the sway of the Bug, but the effects are profound. The bulk of humanity or what’s left of us has taken to the sky to live in airships and floating cities, some of which are tethered to tall buildings. Below, Ferals roam the detritus of civilisation. The Bug is extremely contagious, but does require contact, generally that of the fluid kind, which has also wreaked some interesting changes on society. Casual sex just isn’t a thing, for instance, not when just kissing someone can cause you to Fade, losing the power to reason.
Accordingly, Benjamin Gold is a bit of a loner. He’s been flying and following his father’s rules for most of his life. When the scientists he’s working with want to capture a live Feral for experimentation, he decides to return to the solo life. But he’s already missing the company of one of the scientists, Meredith, when he learns that the scientific community is in danger from airborne raiders. In his attempt to warn Meredith and her friends, Ben loses his ship. He then has to call on unlikely and former allies to get it back and to put a dent in the raiders more permanent plans.
The adventure aspect of Falling Sky is as compelling as the world. Khanna’s writing is clear, Ben’s voice engaging. I quickly became invested in his story and his fate. In between the adventure, we learn pieces of Ben’s past – what happened to his family and, to some degree, the world. I enjoyed these interludes. I also enjoyed Ben’s exploration of faith and what it meant to him. One of my favourite scenes in the book was his visit with the rabbi in Tamoanchan.
The climax of the story is, well, climactic. The best part, though, from a reader’s point of view, is that Ben made a move I did not expect. This really deepened a character I already liked, despite his sometimes immature behaviour. The way Ben bounces off his friends and allies is believable, however, and I enjoyed watching him come to the realisation that Miranda was more than a client.
Falling Sky ends with a small victory, but it’s obvious that it’s the first battle in a brooding war. The raiders have plans that extend beyond piracy and there is still the Bug for which Meredith and her colleagues hope to find a cure. Given the great start, this is a story and a series I’m keen to follow.
Finally, I’d like to mention the cover art. In short, I love it. So many times the cover art doesn’t clearly represent the content of the book. The illustration by Chris McGrath really captures both the ambience of Rajan Khanna’s world, from the desolate city scape and distant airships to the figure of Ben, who looks exactly as I might have pictured him, outfit and all.
Written for SFCrowsnest.
Falling Sky by Rajan Khanna captures the panicked urgency of a viral plague extremely well. It’s not clear how long the world has been under the sway of the Bug, but the effects are profound. The bulk of humanity or what’s left of us has taken to the sky to live in airships and floating cities, some of which are tethered to tall buildings. Below, Ferals roam the detritus of civilisation. The Bug is extremely contagious, but does require contact, generally that of the fluid kind, which has also wreaked some interesting changes on society. Casual sex just isn’t a thing, for instance, not when just kissing someone can cause you to Fade, losing the power to reason.
Accordingly, Benjamin Gold is a bit of a loner. He’s been flying and following his father’s rules for most of his life. When the scientists he’s working with want to capture a live Feral for experimentation, he decides to return to the solo life. But he’s already missing the company of one of the scientists, Meredith, when he learns that the scientific community is in danger from airborne raiders. In his attempt to warn Meredith and her friends, Ben loses his ship. He then has to call on unlikely and former allies to get it back and to put a dent in the raiders more permanent plans.
The adventure aspect of Falling Sky is as compelling as the world. Khanna’s writing is clear, Ben’s voice engaging. I quickly became invested in his story and his fate. In between the adventure, we learn pieces of Ben’s past – what happened to his family and, to some degree, the world. I enjoyed these interludes. I also enjoyed Ben’s exploration of faith and what it meant to him. One of my favourite scenes in the book was his visit with the rabbi in Tamoanchan.
The climax of the story is, well, climactic. The best part, though, from a reader’s point of view, is that Ben made a move I did not expect. This really deepened a character I already liked, despite his sometimes immature behaviour. The way Ben bounces off his friends and allies is believable, however, and I enjoyed watching him come to the realisation that Miranda was more than a client.
Falling Sky ends with a small victory, but it’s obvious that it’s the first battle in a brooding war. The raiders have plans that extend beyond piracy and there is still the Bug for which Meredith and her colleagues hope to find a cure. Given the great start, this is a story and a series I’m keen to follow.
Finally, I’d like to mention the cover art. In short, I love it. So many times the cover art doesn’t clearly represent the content of the book. The illustration by Chris McGrath really captures both the ambience of Rajan Khanna’s world, from the desolate city scape and distant airships to the figure of Ben, who looks exactly as I might have pictured him, outfit and all.
Written for SFCrowsnest.
October 28, 2014
3.5/5 rounded up
First the good. The first 90% of the story.
Think of Han Solo in a Western movie. Now don't make it a western, but rather a steampunk tale, in the sky in floating cities and zeppelins and blimps. Now add the Walking Dead zombies, raiders, and a highly contagious plague.
Falling Sky.
Boom.
But.... and this is a HUGE but...
The ending. That god forsaken ending. Pissed. Me. Off.
It's not a complete story.
With so much going right -- the pacing, the dialogue, the characters, the world-building, the style and voice and humor and sarcasm! -- this pulpy, gritty, brief post-apocalyptic survival really had my attention. I zoomed through, flipping pages, getting paper cuts. Delicious cotton candy, popcorn entertainment. Movie quality fodder calling my name. Please make me in to a movie! Please, the novel called out to me. Like Hemingway writing The Road by Cormac McCarthy then adapted by Robert Kirkman. Zip-zop, zuppity bop!
Until that weak, cliffhanger ending . . .
*Screams at the moon until he passes out*
It's just, like, write a full length novel! That's not a good cliffhanger, it's an incomplete cop out. It's a tease. It's lazy. It's some desperate editor or publisher making the author chop up his work to get people to buy more. This cannot have been Khanna's idea. If it was, shame on him. Write 75 more pages and finish this f***in' arc. Then hint at a sequel. This book isn't done! You'd still be able to write a second book after that, Mr Khanna, but complete those 75, hell, even just 50 more pages.
How many books is in this "new series"? Did it HAVE to be a series? Is there any new sci-fi or fantasy today not fractured arbitrarily at horrible points in the plot for the sake of a series?
I'd expect this type of ploy from an e-book publisher where the installments are $5.99. The wicked awesome parts of this novel do not make up for that bad taste in my mouth I'm left with. It really incapacitated me from giving this a solid 4/5. Hence: the 3.5. I should probably give it a 3, but I want this author to succeed.
For all that bitching above, listen: the first 90% was totally, monsterously, fun.
For most discerning readers, I must warn you, the end of this book isn't a great climax. We're left floating like a turd in the ocean with our protagonists. I mean that figuratively and literally -- it's how we leave the surviving characters. Floating with 50 pages of adventure left to be had at an island where the arc can be drawn to a close, complications can arise, and a book two can be set-up.
The beginning of book two will be the end of book one, and if you read "Falling Sky", you will know what I mean.
Now that I'm done venting, know this: I highly, highly, highly recommend this book for zombie or survival/action fans, but you should really consider reading it in a year or two when the second or possibly third installments have been published. I really felt ripped off and I'm glad I got this book from the library and didn't buy it. Maybe it's a testament to the quality of work that I am legitimately angry that book two is nowhere near being published.
"Falling Sky" is not a complete story, and that's shitty, but what a bad-ass incomplete story it is.
3.5/5 rounded up
MH
First the good. The first 90% of the story.
Think of Han Solo in a Western movie. Now don't make it a western, but rather a steampunk tale, in the sky in floating cities and zeppelins and blimps. Now add the Walking Dead zombies, raiders, and a highly contagious plague.
Falling Sky.
Boom.
But.... and this is a HUGE but...
The ending. That god forsaken ending. Pissed. Me. Off.
It's not a complete story.
With so much going right -- the pacing, the dialogue, the characters, the world-building, the style and voice and humor and sarcasm! -- this pulpy, gritty, brief post-apocalyptic survival really had my attention. I zoomed through, flipping pages, getting paper cuts. Delicious cotton candy, popcorn entertainment. Movie quality fodder calling my name. Please make me in to a movie! Please, the novel called out to me. Like Hemingway writing The Road by Cormac McCarthy then adapted by Robert Kirkman. Zip-zop, zuppity bop!
Until that weak, cliffhanger ending . . .
*Screams at the moon until he passes out*
It's just, like, write a full length novel! That's not a good cliffhanger, it's an incomplete cop out. It's a tease. It's lazy. It's some desperate editor or publisher making the author chop up his work to get people to buy more. This cannot have been Khanna's idea. If it was, shame on him. Write 75 more pages and finish this f***in' arc. Then hint at a sequel. This book isn't done! You'd still be able to write a second book after that, Mr Khanna, but complete those 75, hell, even just 50 more pages.
How many books is in this "new series"? Did it HAVE to be a series? Is there any new sci-fi or fantasy today not fractured arbitrarily at horrible points in the plot for the sake of a series?
I'd expect this type of ploy from an e-book publisher where the installments are $5.99. The wicked awesome parts of this novel do not make up for that bad taste in my mouth I'm left with. It really incapacitated me from giving this a solid 4/5. Hence: the 3.5. I should probably give it a 3, but I want this author to succeed.
For all that bitching above, listen: the first 90% was totally, monsterously, fun.
For most discerning readers, I must warn you, the end of this book isn't a great climax. We're left floating like a turd in the ocean with our protagonists. I mean that figuratively and literally -- it's how we leave the surviving characters. Floating with 50 pages of adventure left to be had at an island where the arc can be drawn to a close, complications can arise, and a book two can be set-up.
The beginning of book two will be the end of book one, and if you read "Falling Sky", you will know what I mean.
Now that I'm done venting, know this: I highly, highly, highly recommend this book for zombie or survival/action fans, but you should really consider reading it in a year or two when the second or possibly third installments have been published. I really felt ripped off and I'm glad I got this book from the library and didn't buy it. Maybe it's a testament to the quality of work that I am legitimately angry that book two is nowhere near being published.
"Falling Sky" is not a complete story, and that's shitty, but what a bad-ass incomplete story it is.
3.5/5 rounded up
MH
March 5, 2015
When a virus turns half of the American populace into Feral zombies, the rest of them retreat to the sky in airships to barter and live life away from the ground. When the Feral zombies attack Gastown, all hope is lost. It is up to Ben, Miranda, Rosie, Diego, and Claudia to stop the Valhalla pirates from releasing the swarm before it is too late. Will they succeed? Read on and find out for yourself.
This was a pretty good Steampunk zombie dystopian horror story. If you enjoy stories about zombies, definitely check it out.
This was a pretty good Steampunk zombie dystopian horror story. If you enjoy stories about zombies, definitely check it out.
June 11, 2019
I liked this book a lot more than I thought I would! At first, the protagonist was getting on my nerves, because he was so self-centered. A lot of the bad things that happened in this book were kinda his own fault, like that whole Gastown debacle, for example. But what surprised me is the amount of character growth he goes through and that all his mistakes and selfish decisions are flung into his face before the book ends. And of course, I loved the ending and just how much it underlined the fundamental change he underwent through the book. The Ben from the first chapters would never have done what he did in the end.
Now I just hope it wasn't all in vain and that the next book will answer the questions raised in this book. Like What are the people of Valhalla planning? Will Ben and Miranda survive? Will they find the cure?
All this means I have to read the next book in the series now, right?
Now I just hope it wasn't all in vain and that the next book will answer the questions raised in this book. Like What are the people of Valhalla planning? Will Ben and Miranda survive? Will they find the cure?
All this means I have to read the next book in the series now, right?
January 19, 2015
This book starts off so well and then just fades like a slowly-leaking helium balloon.
The ideas are ones we've all seen before, but Khanna gives them a twist. Instead of zombies, we have people who have become animalistic due to a brain-eating virus, and they're called Ferals. That's cool. Instead of old-timey steampunk airships, we get modern, sleek dirigibles and blimps. So far, so good. Instead of Mad Max's bad guy The Humongus we get the sky pirates called the Vikings... uh-oh.
Then the story moves along by the numbers and becomes kind of rote. Plots are no big deal, really, because even the simplest plot can be gussied up with cool action scenes, witty dialogue and razor-sharp prose. We almost get that. The first few pages are really terrific. Now that I've finished the book, it feels to me like Khanna rewrote and polished those opening two chapters over and over and spent less and less time doing so in the rest of the book.
It makes a good first impression, then becomes less interesting. Characters are constantly expelling their breath because they've forgotten to breathe. Bad guys get taken out with a couple blows to the head but our hero gets shot and beat up and stabbed and beat up some more and can still kick ass, even though he complains he's not really capable of doing much. Ferals get blown away when they are literally on top of main characters, but somehow none of their contaminated blood gets on the heroes. The protagonist is in love with one woman but sleeps with another, despite the whole "avoid exchanging fluids" thing. He's shallow but knows he's shallow, the rogue with a heart of gold. Coincidentally, his name is Ben Gold.
He's also Jewish, which comes up about halfway through the story but then it's abandoned for some reason. It's almost as if Khanna started doing an "Obi-wan Kenobi mentors Han Solo" story but then lost the thread of that. Which is too bad, because some more of that sort of thing would have helped cement Gold's development as he becomes less shallow.
Similarly, there's a scene when Gold is on the run from the Vikings and Ferals and happens to run into a guy with what might very well be the last horse. There is plenty of room for character development here as Gold encounters someone who behaves decently and differently from most people he knows, but the guy mysteriously disappears and Gold never thinks about him again. Might as well just skip over that chapter because it's just pointless if the main character doesn't learn something from it.
I also had a few technical issues with the technology, as well. The zeppelins seem to be incredibly fast, when in reality they are pretty slow. Everything that happens must take place in a relatively small area around the ruins of San Diego because it seems to only take a couple hours to get anywhere. Even if these are the fastest blimps ever made and can hit 100 mph, that's not a huge distance to travel. Los Angeles is 125 miles away, for instance. I dunno, it just kept bugging me every time Gold mentioned how fast his ship was. Also, you need a LOT of helium (or hydrogen) to lift a gondola with multiple rooms, engines, furniture, food, water, weapons all the stuff you need in your RV of the sky. So these things would be, at minimum, the size of Goodyear's latest dirigibles, and given the description of what some of these Vikings are carrying, waaaay bigger than the largest Zeppelins we've ever constructed. Plus, there sure seem to be a lot of them.
I could go on, but suffice to say these three stars are more for ideas rather than execution. It certainly doesn't meet the high praise on the cover blurb from Tad Williams of "Hemingway meets the Walking Dead." It's a decent beach read.
Khanna at least has the good sense to end the story at the emotional high point.
The ideas are ones we've all seen before, but Khanna gives them a twist. Instead of zombies, we have people who have become animalistic due to a brain-eating virus, and they're called Ferals. That's cool. Instead of old-timey steampunk airships, we get modern, sleek dirigibles and blimps. So far, so good. Instead of Mad Max's bad guy The Humongus we get the sky pirates called the Vikings... uh-oh.
Then the story moves along by the numbers and becomes kind of rote. Plots are no big deal, really, because even the simplest plot can be gussied up with cool action scenes, witty dialogue and razor-sharp prose. We almost get that. The first few pages are really terrific. Now that I've finished the book, it feels to me like Khanna rewrote and polished those opening two chapters over and over and spent less and less time doing so in the rest of the book.
It makes a good first impression, then becomes less interesting. Characters are constantly expelling their breath because they've forgotten to breathe. Bad guys get taken out with a couple blows to the head but our hero gets shot and beat up and stabbed and beat up some more and can still kick ass, even though he complains he's not really capable of doing much. Ferals get blown away when they are literally on top of main characters, but somehow none of their contaminated blood gets on the heroes. The protagonist is in love with one woman but sleeps with another, despite the whole "avoid exchanging fluids" thing. He's shallow but knows he's shallow, the rogue with a heart of gold. Coincidentally, his name is Ben Gold.
He's also Jewish, which comes up about halfway through the story but then it's abandoned for some reason. It's almost as if Khanna started doing an "Obi-wan Kenobi mentors Han Solo" story but then lost the thread of that. Which is too bad, because some more of that sort of thing would have helped cement Gold's development as he becomes less shallow.
Similarly, there's a scene when Gold is on the run from the Vikings and Ferals and happens to run into a guy with what might very well be the last horse. There is plenty of room for character development here as Gold encounters someone who behaves decently and differently from most people he knows, but the guy mysteriously disappears and Gold never thinks about him again. Might as well just skip over that chapter because it's just pointless if the main character doesn't learn something from it.
I also had a few technical issues with the technology, as well. The zeppelins seem to be incredibly fast, when in reality they are pretty slow. Everything that happens must take place in a relatively small area around the ruins of San Diego because it seems to only take a couple hours to get anywhere. Even if these are the fastest blimps ever made and can hit 100 mph, that's not a huge distance to travel. Los Angeles is 125 miles away, for instance. I dunno, it just kept bugging me every time Gold mentioned how fast his ship was. Also, you need a LOT of helium (or hydrogen) to lift a gondola with multiple rooms, engines, furniture, food, water, weapons all the stuff you need in your RV of the sky. So these things would be, at minimum, the size of Goodyear's latest dirigibles, and given the description of what some of these Vikings are carrying, waaaay bigger than the largest Zeppelins we've ever constructed. Plus, there sure seem to be a lot of them.
I could go on, but suffice to say these three stars are more for ideas rather than execution. It certainly doesn't meet the high praise on the cover blurb from Tad Williams of "Hemingway meets the Walking Dead." It's a decent beach read.
Khanna at least has the good sense to end the story at the emotional high point.
January 6, 2019
I like the idea of a world where people live in the air and airship cities fascinate me, even though I'm not a fan of the steampunk genre. This one being set in the future rather than Victorian times suited me better. Scientists work in fortified buildings on the ground to try and find a cure for the disease that causes the ferals while airships ferry people and supplies between the base and trade cities in the sky. I liked the worldbuilding with the raiders and the zombie creatures ready to attack. There were decent bits of action including air battles between airships, and attacks on the cities and base by raiders and ferals. The overall story was quite interesting.
Ben was ok as an MC but he could be really irritating. He is continually persuading other people to put their lives in danger because of his obsession with his airship. He is interested in one woman but sleeps with an old flame for the sake of it, annoying both women. He takes too many risks and gets everyone else into trouble. I do find him to be a bit selfish. thinking his needs come before everyone else, even when he is their guest and abusing their hospitality. I liked Miranda but her obsession with catching ferals in her search for the cure also puts everyone in danger and there were times that I wanted to shake her to wake her up to reality. I did like some of the side characters like Sergei who makes the fuel they need, and Diego and Rosie from another colony. I especially liked Viktor, who Ben meets on his travels but I wasn't greatly happy with the plot surrounding him, which was somewhat un-satisfying. Clay's continual bitching at Ben also got on my nerves.
I liked the book enough to finish it but I can't see me reading on with the series. There was nothing wrong with the book and it was entertaining but it just lacked that little something to grab me and make me want to read on with the series.
Ben was ok as an MC but he could be really irritating. He is continually persuading other people to put their lives in danger because of his obsession with his airship. He is interested in one woman but sleeps with an old flame for the sake of it, annoying both women. He takes too many risks and gets everyone else into trouble. I do find him to be a bit selfish. thinking his needs come before everyone else, even when he is their guest and abusing their hospitality. I liked Miranda but her obsession with catching ferals in her search for the cure also puts everyone in danger and there were times that I wanted to shake her to wake her up to reality. I did like some of the side characters like Sergei who makes the fuel they need, and Diego and Rosie from another colony. I especially liked Viktor, who Ben meets on his travels but I wasn't greatly happy with the plot surrounding him, which was somewhat un-satisfying. Clay's continual bitching at Ben also got on my nerves.
I liked the book enough to finish it but I can't see me reading on with the series. There was nothing wrong with the book and it was entertaining but it just lacked that little something to grab me and make me want to read on with the series.
Read
July 11, 2016DNF
I gave up at 50%. I could not connect with the characters. I loved the premise, but this just wasn't working for me.
I gave up at 50%. I could not connect with the characters. I loved the premise, but this just wasn't working for me.
January 17, 2018
This is a pretty good dystopian book. Most people live in airships to stay off the ground where the ferals live. I did have a few issues with a couple of plot spots, but other than that it was an entertaining read.
I like the concept of the ferals, people who caught the virus and went mad.
Ben Gold is a well meaning character, yet flawed. I liked that not everything went as planned too.
I've moved on to the second in the series.
I like the concept of the ferals, people who caught the virus and went mad.
Ben Gold is a well meaning character, yet flawed. I liked that not everything went as planned too.
I've moved on to the second in the series.
December 19, 2014
I was excited to learn about Falling Sky, Rajan Khanna’s debut novel. I've really enjoyed Khanna's short fiction in the past and he's also one of my favourite narrators over at the Escape Artists podcasts. In addition, Falling Sky just seemed like a really cool story. It was. On the relatively short side – my ARC clocked in at 261 pages – the story still managed to cover plenty of ground, yet never felt rushed.
For the setting of his story, Khanna combines a post-apocalyptic America with steampunk sensibilities, which makes for an interesting mix. The virus that turns people into Ferals is frightening and with recent outbreaks in mind, quite timely as well. With the Bug, as the virus is called, Khanna has created a form of zombies that, while scary, I can actually read about without nightmares, which puts him in a relatively exclusive club together with David Towsey. Humanity has taken to the skies in an effort to flee contagion and the Ferals and built actual floating cities. These cities feel almost like frontier town communities, as they were in the Old West, with gun slingers, gangs, and bars, and every man and woman for themselves. Life in these towns is primarily about survival, which is a trait they share with the novel’s protagonist Ben.
Ben Gold is Falling Sky’s protagonist, but I’m not sure whether he is also its hero; that role might actually belong to Miranda, the scientist he’s hired to protect. I loved Ben. His attachment to his airship the Cherub was wonderful, as she isn’t so much an airship as she is his home and his one remaining tangible link to his father. Ben is absolutely selfish in his desire to survive. But then the Bug only reinforces the need for this as it is transmitted through bodily fluids. The way Khanna has his characters interact with each other and their environment, always staying completely wrapped up, keeping their distance from unknown humans, rarely allowing for physical contact, all serve to emphasise the terror and danger human contact forms. This makes Miranda and her scientist friends even more unique as they not only strive to find a vaccine, they actually hope to cure the Bug. And to cure the Bug Miranda is willing to risk her life time and again, because she believes this is the right thing to do. Hence my statement that Miranda might just be the true hero of the story.
Over the course of the novel Ben slowly realises he can’t go through life without forming attachments. One would say that Ben’s bond with Miranda is the main reason for him letting down his guard, but I would argue that his meeting with the horse rancher Viktor and the time he spends with him is even more crucial in Ben’s changing attitudes. Viktor’s kindness and selfless humanity serve to disarm Ben’s distrust. Similarly, the connection he forms with the people he saves early on in the novel, when he performs an act of altruism that surprises even Ben himself, shows him that helping others sometimes also helps yourself. Ben’s slowly crumbling walls and the painful realisations he must go through were very well drawn and I believed the way Khanna developed Ben, it felt genuine and it made it very easy to root for him.
When the Cherub is stolen during a raid on the Core, the scientific complex where Miranda works and lives, Ben sets out to get her back, in the process discovering a larger conflict encompassing the raiders, Gastown, and a mysterious, isolated community out on the edge of nowhere. While I enjoyed this aspect of the story, Ben’s arc and his developing relationship with Miranda were what really made the story shine for me. From his short fiction I knew Khanna was a talented author, but with Falling Sky Khanna has successfully made the leap into longer fiction. Falling Sky is a solid debut for Khanna, with an interesting world and characters I hope he’ll return to in the future.
This book was provided for review by the publisher.
For the setting of his story, Khanna combines a post-apocalyptic America with steampunk sensibilities, which makes for an interesting mix. The virus that turns people into Ferals is frightening and with recent outbreaks in mind, quite timely as well. With the Bug, as the virus is called, Khanna has created a form of zombies that, while scary, I can actually read about without nightmares, which puts him in a relatively exclusive club together with David Towsey. Humanity has taken to the skies in an effort to flee contagion and the Ferals and built actual floating cities. These cities feel almost like frontier town communities, as they were in the Old West, with gun slingers, gangs, and bars, and every man and woman for themselves. Life in these towns is primarily about survival, which is a trait they share with the novel’s protagonist Ben.
Ben Gold is Falling Sky’s protagonist, but I’m not sure whether he is also its hero; that role might actually belong to Miranda, the scientist he’s hired to protect. I loved Ben. His attachment to his airship the Cherub was wonderful, as she isn’t so much an airship as she is his home and his one remaining tangible link to his father. Ben is absolutely selfish in his desire to survive. But then the Bug only reinforces the need for this as it is transmitted through bodily fluids. The way Khanna has his characters interact with each other and their environment, always staying completely wrapped up, keeping their distance from unknown humans, rarely allowing for physical contact, all serve to emphasise the terror and danger human contact forms. This makes Miranda and her scientist friends even more unique as they not only strive to find a vaccine, they actually hope to cure the Bug. And to cure the Bug Miranda is willing to risk her life time and again, because she believes this is the right thing to do. Hence my statement that Miranda might just be the true hero of the story.
Over the course of the novel Ben slowly realises he can’t go through life without forming attachments. One would say that Ben’s bond with Miranda is the main reason for him letting down his guard, but I would argue that his meeting with the horse rancher Viktor and the time he spends with him is even more crucial in Ben’s changing attitudes. Viktor’s kindness and selfless humanity serve to disarm Ben’s distrust. Similarly, the connection he forms with the people he saves early on in the novel, when he performs an act of altruism that surprises even Ben himself, shows him that helping others sometimes also helps yourself. Ben’s slowly crumbling walls and the painful realisations he must go through were very well drawn and I believed the way Khanna developed Ben, it felt genuine and it made it very easy to root for him.
When the Cherub is stolen during a raid on the Core, the scientific complex where Miranda works and lives, Ben sets out to get her back, in the process discovering a larger conflict encompassing the raiders, Gastown, and a mysterious, isolated community out on the edge of nowhere. While I enjoyed this aspect of the story, Ben’s arc and his developing relationship with Miranda were what really made the story shine for me. From his short fiction I knew Khanna was a talented author, but with Falling Sky Khanna has successfully made the leap into longer fiction. Falling Sky is a solid debut for Khanna, with an interesting world and characters I hope he’ll return to in the future.
This book was provided for review by the publisher.
Read
January 15, 2015I'm very literal when I shelve this book as "bedside-reading." I'm trying to use screens less at night, largely because it's just so simple to flick over to check my email, which instantly wakes me up. Luckily, with my library card, I've got a lot of books available, even books like this one which I picked up because I saw it on the shelves and because I know and enjoyed some of Rajan Khanna's work.
(Also, he's a friend of friends and I was excited to see his first novel out and on the shelves.)
For instance, I've enjoyed Rajan Khanna's card sharp stories, set in a weird west where special playing cards serve as magical tokens. It's super gamey as a concept, the writing is brisk and breezy, and there are some big themes and ideas along the way. Falling Sky continues with those strengths:
Geeky concept: The world is over because of Zombies, but the fast kind, who are still actually alive. (Basically, some transmissible bug has turned people into dangerous animals.) The hero is Ben Gold, a guy who has no family beyond his zeppelin--because when the zombies overrun the world, there's still the sky. Ben is a loner who can't admit that he has feelings for this one scientist who wants to do more than survive: she wants to save the world.
Easy reading: People get all sort of squirrely around the idea of "easy" and "hard" as if hard is either bad (see Nick Mamatas on Lovecraft's hard writing) or as if easy is dumb. Feh. This is a fun adventure story about a man learning what's important to him, so the easy prose fits very well. It's full of fast-paced adventure (which, again, ties into the geeky/gamey aspect); and told from the POV of Ben, who is not exactly the deepest thinker.
In fact, this was my biggest issue with the book. I mean, the overall arc of the story is very predictable, but that's fine. (Again, not a terrible thing: I review some bad indie published books that aren't predictable, but that lack of predictability doesn't make them good.) But the opening few chapters spends a while with Ben, showing us his feelings and reactions; and it kind of bogs down because it's a little repetitious to me.
Big themes: Saving yourself vs. saving others? The importance of tradition (holding on to what you have) vs. the hope for the future? The importance of other people, etc.
Short version: Not ground-breaking, but a fun adventure.
(Also, he's a friend of friends and I was excited to see his first novel out and on the shelves.)
For instance, I've enjoyed Rajan Khanna's card sharp stories, set in a weird west where special playing cards serve as magical tokens. It's super gamey as a concept, the writing is brisk and breezy, and there are some big themes and ideas along the way. Falling Sky continues with those strengths:
Geeky concept: The world is over because of Zombies, but the fast kind, who are still actually alive. (Basically, some transmissible bug has turned people into dangerous animals.) The hero is Ben Gold, a guy who has no family beyond his zeppelin--because when the zombies overrun the world, there's still the sky. Ben is a loner who can't admit that he has feelings for this one scientist who wants to do more than survive: she wants to save the world.
Easy reading: People get all sort of squirrely around the idea of "easy" and "hard" as if hard is either bad (see Nick Mamatas on Lovecraft's hard writing) or as if easy is dumb. Feh. This is a fun adventure story about a man learning what's important to him, so the easy prose fits very well. It's full of fast-paced adventure (which, again, ties into the geeky/gamey aspect); and told from the POV of Ben, who is not exactly the deepest thinker.
In fact, this was my biggest issue with the book. I mean, the overall arc of the story is very predictable, but that's fine. (Again, not a terrible thing: I review some bad indie published books that aren't predictable, but that lack of predictability doesn't make them good.) But the opening few chapters spends a while with Ben, showing us his feelings and reactions; and it kind of bogs down because it's a little repetitious to me.
Big themes: Saving yourself vs. saving others? The importance of tradition (holding on to what you have) vs. the hope for the future? The importance of other people, etc.
Short version: Not ground-breaking, but a fun adventure.
October 12, 2020
Just got done with a reread. Even better the second time around! I didn’t find it at all slow this time through. I now have the sequel so guess what I’m diving into next?!!
——————
I loved this world, it is so unique - unlike anything I have read before.
The prose was BEAUTIFUL. Not as good as THE REAPERS ARE THE ANGELS by Alden Bell (my benchmark for BEAUTIFUL PROSE - seriously read it. You would never think a zombie novel can be so PRETTY!) but this is a worthy second place.
I found it to be a little slow at times, but I think that was more to do with me reading faster paced books alongside this one and it suffered a little because of it. Saying that, however if I had read this from start to finish without stopping for other books I don’t know if I would have noticed.
Another thing I loved about this book was the way that the author made Ben’s airship into another character. I got choked up when ****** happened and normally a flying blimp doesn’t engender those feelings in me.
So if you are looking for something a little steampunk, and a lot different with some Zombies (Ferals) thrown in, pick this up!
4 Stars - This book was awesome. I loved the way it was written, although I found it a little slow at times. Looking forward to a reread soon.
——————
I loved this world, it is so unique - unlike anything I have read before.
The prose was BEAUTIFUL. Not as good as THE REAPERS ARE THE ANGELS by Alden Bell (my benchmark for BEAUTIFUL PROSE - seriously read it. You would never think a zombie novel can be so PRETTY!) but this is a worthy second place.
I found it to be a little slow at times, but I think that was more to do with me reading faster paced books alongside this one and it suffered a little because of it. Saying that, however if I had read this from start to finish without stopping for other books I don’t know if I would have noticed.
Another thing I loved about this book was the way that the author made Ben’s airship into another character. I got choked up when ****** happened and normally a flying blimp doesn’t engender those feelings in me.
So if you are looking for something a little steampunk, and a lot different with some Zombies (Ferals) thrown in, pick this up!
4 Stars - This book was awesome. I loved the way it was written, although I found it a little slow at times. Looking forward to a reread soon.
November 4, 2014
I've been a fan of the zombie genre in certain filmed materials, such as SHAUN OF THE DEAD and THE WALKING DEAD, but never much beyond that. Khanna takes the undead subject matter and sets it in a world with airships and smart talking everyday people who don't always make the best decisions, and then have to make the best of the resulting bad situations. It's a great voice, a quick read, and I enjoyed it thoroughly.
March 31, 2016
A solid quick reading dystopian zombie novel with Zeppelins that proves the old adage that even in a zombie apocalypse it is the living you must worry about the most.
You won't be bowled over by verbiage or a marvelous use of descriptive language here, but what is here is solid sparse and sharp. The plot moves quickly and true. The characters are likeable and the Zeppelin angle and the ending keep this from being just another zombie book.
You won't be bowled over by verbiage or a marvelous use of descriptive language here, but what is here is solid sparse and sharp. The plot moves quickly and true. The characters are likeable and the Zeppelin angle and the ending keep this from being just another zombie book.
October 24, 2014
Quite a fast read, this book is a nice yarn about a future where quite a few things have gone bad. We've got a tough main character, various fun locales (floating cities!) and some mysterious world building. A good portion of suspension of disbelief is required - don't poke too hard at character motivations or world building - but the story is nonetheless fun to read.
November 28, 2015
This was a great steampunk with airships, post zombie-apocalypse world adventure. Swashbuckling and rescues and complaining about the dangers of the world on the ground. It is harsh and violent and I was very upset about the farm. But it was realistic, so get over it, right?
Anyway, looking forward to the next one.
Anyway, looking forward to the next one.
May 7, 2017
I thought the premise sounded interesting, but it turns out the writing is kind of blah. Not necessarily bad, but just rather mediocre. No pizzazz. And because I didn’t find the story to be THAT great it just all ended up rather meh for me.
Ben is this rough and tumble guy who ultimately has a heart of gold, but wants to keep it guarded because of the world he lives in. There isn’t too much of a personality going on there aside from a rather standard bad past so he closed off and keeps to himself kind of dude. Nothing spectacular. I think the characters with more potential are the women, but they’re kind of buried behind Ben. Not necessarily in a sexist kind of way, but it’s Ben’s story and women orbit around him for whatever they need (and no, I don’t mean that in a chick magnet kind of way). I think Miranda and Rosie both have a ton of potential and I would like to see Ben get out of the way so I can see those stories because his is kind of meh.
The world itself is just okay. It doesn’t go into too much detail about what happened and how everything crumbled. Literally what you get in the blurb is all you get. So I’m left with a lot of questions that are left unanswered and I’m just left to trust that this is the way it is and I’m not the biggest fan of that. I like a little more depth in my worlds and it seems like in FALLING SKY what happened was just a means to tell a story. It didn’t feel very substantive to me.
FALLING SKY is one of those books where I could keep reading in the series, but I’m not sure how much I’d enjoy the story. I found myself glazing over a fair amount, not necessarily bored with the book, but not all that engaged either. I think there are more substantial post-apocalyptic light sci-fi books out there with worlds that are more fleshed out and more substantive characters than what’s here. Like I said, it’s not bad, but it’s not the greatest either. It just doesn’t have a whole lot of oomph to it.
2.5
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Ben is this rough and tumble guy who ultimately has a heart of gold, but wants to keep it guarded because of the world he lives in. There isn’t too much of a personality going on there aside from a rather standard bad past so he closed off and keeps to himself kind of dude. Nothing spectacular. I think the characters with more potential are the women, but they’re kind of buried behind Ben. Not necessarily in a sexist kind of way, but it’s Ben’s story and women orbit around him for whatever they need (and no, I don’t mean that in a chick magnet kind of way). I think Miranda and Rosie both have a ton of potential and I would like to see Ben get out of the way so I can see those stories because his is kind of meh.
The world itself is just okay. It doesn’t go into too much detail about what happened and how everything crumbled. Literally what you get in the blurb is all you get. So I’m left with a lot of questions that are left unanswered and I’m just left to trust that this is the way it is and I’m not the biggest fan of that. I like a little more depth in my worlds and it seems like in FALLING SKY what happened was just a means to tell a story. It didn’t feel very substantive to me.
FALLING SKY is one of those books where I could keep reading in the series, but I’m not sure how much I’d enjoy the story. I found myself glazing over a fair amount, not necessarily bored with the book, but not all that engaged either. I think there are more substantial post-apocalyptic light sci-fi books out there with worlds that are more fleshed out and more substantive characters than what’s here. Like I said, it’s not bad, but it’s not the greatest either. It just doesn’t have a whole lot of oomph to it.
2.5
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
October 7, 2014
originally posted at: http://thebookplank.blogspot.com/2014...
Pyr is one of those publishers that have an exciting line up books that they publish, though the amount cannot be compared by the big houses, the quality is high. When I heard about Falling Sky, I was definitely thinking that this would be much more of a steampunk kind of story, mainly because of the references towards airships and Gastown, but instead, after the first few pages, I found that there was a clear focus on a dystopian science fiction setting. There are many books in the current fantasy genre that focus on apocalyptics plagues hitting a planet etc, but I am going to be very honest. The story that Rajan Khanna tells in Falling Sky hasn't been told before, it's very cool and will definitely get your heart racing.
The story of Falling Sky picks up with an immediate sense of danger, Rajan Khanna does a great job is showing just how dire and ruined the whole world has become. In the midst of it all you meet up with the protagonist of the story, Ben Gold, who is currently helping scientists to develop a cure for a plague known as "the Bug", a viral plague that completely decimated the globe years ago. The Bug turned every human being into monsters, called Ferals, these human that caught the virus reverted back to their basic living urges. Eating. And preferably other humans. Since the plague was highly virulent and spread easily through fluids, the survivors only had one option left and that was to take living to the skies. Living in the air is the only place where it cannot get to you. Living his life by his own set of rules have kept Ben safe for a long time, but unforeseen events start to throw Ben's plans into slight disarray. The family heirloom, the airship The Cherub, is what keeps Ben mobile and in the air safe from the Bug. But when Ben thinks he is doing the right thing, he looses it all, his safety in the skies and his precious Cherub, now stranded on the ground, the tables are turned on Ben and he will have to do everything to try to stay alive. I can make a comment here that the hunter has become the hunted, but the general tone is to stay away as far as possible from this nasty Feral's. One thing that Ben just cant let happen is to have his legacy seen taken away from him, Ben is more than determined to right this wrong put upon him by the raiders, he want back what is his. No matter the cost. While he is at it, Ben starts to uncover a much bigger plot in the making, one that involves utilizing the Bug for other purposes.
I have read my fair share of post-apocalyptic zombie books, for me this is a setting that has so many different interpretations. What Rajan Khanna does and what I mentioned briefly up top is that he has created a very unique story in Falling Sky, one that I haven't had read before. The whole setting that Rajan Khanna bring to the forefront is richly detailed from the world itself down to the different characters that you follow.
This directly brings me to the world of Falling Sky. From above you can make out the setting of the story a futuristic, post-apocalytic viral outbreak. So you can undoubtedly guess that the world isn't all rainbows and sunshine. From the first page of the book you are confronted by a very dark and grim setting and that every currently living human does everything not to get infected. Normally you have these kind of scenarios take place on the ground only, people living in shelters or underground etc. But what Rajan Khanna does is take his idea to higher levels, literally, the whole society in his book has taken to the skies in order to survive creating giant floating cities for safety. When I first read about this I had to think of the movie Waterworld, where you have the settlements on water. I really liked this idea and the way that Rajan Khanna went about and describe these events and surroundings was just spot on, it's very creepy and trust me you don't want to be alone on the ground level...
As for the characters, the focus is on Ben Gold. Now I found his character to be one of the best representations of how a human will possibly act in a destroyed world. He is selfish, picking himself before others in many a different situation. Come on, wouldn't you do everything to survive? This personality trait of Ben will cause you to either love or hate him, but for me it is more the human nature aspect that made me enjoy reading about him. Ben is very serious about almost everything and in his character you will not find that many joking moments to lighten the mood, this again only futher bolsters the image that Rajan Khanna wants to bring over. A dark and inhospitable place to live. But back to Ben's character. He is very well developed and shown in the best possible light on how, more realistically, a human in a destroyed world should react. I do have to confess that sometimes I would have liked to smack him in the head and say "stop being such a jerk (and that is the nice version)" but on the other hand. I can't fault him. Next to Ben you have one of the scientists that he helps, Miranda. Miranda is quite the opposite when compared to Ben. She would risk her own life to find that cure to the Bug. This is perhaps more the standard way a scientist acts in these kind of stories but when you pair both Ben and Miranda together you get a great and tense dynamic between them. (One side note, romance doesn't really feature here). Where you can clearly see that it puts strain on both their patience. This was a very nice interplay.
Falling Sky is a safe and sound debut, it's an highly enjoyable debut. From the beginning of the book Rajan Khanna knows just how to put the tone of the book in a dark and grim surrounding. The world on the ground IS destroyed and you don't want to be there at any given moment. I am in full praise of firstly the world building that was carried out, Rajan Khanna has created a very unique setting in Falling Sky, a pathogen that rips through humanity might not be that original but what he does add in the mix by taking to the skies, is. Building his story surrounding a society that lives in the skies to survive and only takes technology from the ground to survive is very cool. Every time when the scenes feature on the ground level I was pushed to the edge of my seat, the action that takes place between Ben and the Feral is rapid paced and even though Ben is an ass you don't want to see him get infected. Rajan Khanna has gotten all the right elements for a solid debut and only further makes him an author to watch out for. I read his short story in the Dead Man's Hand anthology earlier this year Second Hand and fell is love. There isn't a confirmed sequel yet but in the interview on the blog you can read that he has plenty more ideas for stories. Can't wait to read them.
Pyr is one of those publishers that have an exciting line up books that they publish, though the amount cannot be compared by the big houses, the quality is high. When I heard about Falling Sky, I was definitely thinking that this would be much more of a steampunk kind of story, mainly because of the references towards airships and Gastown, but instead, after the first few pages, I found that there was a clear focus on a dystopian science fiction setting. There are many books in the current fantasy genre that focus on apocalyptics plagues hitting a planet etc, but I am going to be very honest. The story that Rajan Khanna tells in Falling Sky hasn't been told before, it's very cool and will definitely get your heart racing.
The story of Falling Sky picks up with an immediate sense of danger, Rajan Khanna does a great job is showing just how dire and ruined the whole world has become. In the midst of it all you meet up with the protagonist of the story, Ben Gold, who is currently helping scientists to develop a cure for a plague known as "the Bug", a viral plague that completely decimated the globe years ago. The Bug turned every human being into monsters, called Ferals, these human that caught the virus reverted back to their basic living urges. Eating. And preferably other humans. Since the plague was highly virulent and spread easily through fluids, the survivors only had one option left and that was to take living to the skies. Living in the air is the only place where it cannot get to you. Living his life by his own set of rules have kept Ben safe for a long time, but unforeseen events start to throw Ben's plans into slight disarray. The family heirloom, the airship The Cherub, is what keeps Ben mobile and in the air safe from the Bug. But when Ben thinks he is doing the right thing, he looses it all, his safety in the skies and his precious Cherub, now stranded on the ground, the tables are turned on Ben and he will have to do everything to try to stay alive. I can make a comment here that the hunter has become the hunted, but the general tone is to stay away as far as possible from this nasty Feral's. One thing that Ben just cant let happen is to have his legacy seen taken away from him, Ben is more than determined to right this wrong put upon him by the raiders, he want back what is his. No matter the cost. While he is at it, Ben starts to uncover a much bigger plot in the making, one that involves utilizing the Bug for other purposes.
I have read my fair share of post-apocalyptic zombie books, for me this is a setting that has so many different interpretations. What Rajan Khanna does and what I mentioned briefly up top is that he has created a very unique story in Falling Sky, one that I haven't had read before. The whole setting that Rajan Khanna bring to the forefront is richly detailed from the world itself down to the different characters that you follow.
This directly brings me to the world of Falling Sky. From above you can make out the setting of the story a futuristic, post-apocalytic viral outbreak. So you can undoubtedly guess that the world isn't all rainbows and sunshine. From the first page of the book you are confronted by a very dark and grim setting and that every currently living human does everything not to get infected. Normally you have these kind of scenarios take place on the ground only, people living in shelters or underground etc. But what Rajan Khanna does is take his idea to higher levels, literally, the whole society in his book has taken to the skies in order to survive creating giant floating cities for safety. When I first read about this I had to think of the movie Waterworld, where you have the settlements on water. I really liked this idea and the way that Rajan Khanna went about and describe these events and surroundings was just spot on, it's very creepy and trust me you don't want to be alone on the ground level...
As for the characters, the focus is on Ben Gold. Now I found his character to be one of the best representations of how a human will possibly act in a destroyed world. He is selfish, picking himself before others in many a different situation. Come on, wouldn't you do everything to survive? This personality trait of Ben will cause you to either love or hate him, but for me it is more the human nature aspect that made me enjoy reading about him. Ben is very serious about almost everything and in his character you will not find that many joking moments to lighten the mood, this again only futher bolsters the image that Rajan Khanna wants to bring over. A dark and inhospitable place to live. But back to Ben's character. He is very well developed and shown in the best possible light on how, more realistically, a human in a destroyed world should react. I do have to confess that sometimes I would have liked to smack him in the head and say "stop being such a jerk (and that is the nice version)" but on the other hand. I can't fault him. Next to Ben you have one of the scientists that he helps, Miranda. Miranda is quite the opposite when compared to Ben. She would risk her own life to find that cure to the Bug. This is perhaps more the standard way a scientist acts in these kind of stories but when you pair both Ben and Miranda together you get a great and tense dynamic between them. (One side note, romance doesn't really feature here). Where you can clearly see that it puts strain on both their patience. This was a very nice interplay.
Falling Sky is a safe and sound debut, it's an highly enjoyable debut. From the beginning of the book Rajan Khanna knows just how to put the tone of the book in a dark and grim surrounding. The world on the ground IS destroyed and you don't want to be there at any given moment. I am in full praise of firstly the world building that was carried out, Rajan Khanna has created a very unique setting in Falling Sky, a pathogen that rips through humanity might not be that original but what he does add in the mix by taking to the skies, is. Building his story surrounding a society that lives in the skies to survive and only takes technology from the ground to survive is very cool. Every time when the scenes feature on the ground level I was pushed to the edge of my seat, the action that takes place between Ben and the Feral is rapid paced and even though Ben is an ass you don't want to see him get infected. Rajan Khanna has gotten all the right elements for a solid debut and only further makes him an author to watch out for. I read his short story in the Dead Man's Hand anthology earlier this year Second Hand and fell is love. There isn't a confirmed sequel yet but in the interview on the blog you can read that he has plenty more ideas for stories. Can't wait to read them.
August 17, 2017
Disclaimer: I was sent a review copy of this book.
TLDR: This is a fun, page-turning, action-packed adventure in a post-apocalyptic world of airships and zombies.
I don't understand what Tad Williams means in his blurb that this book is like Ernest Hemingway meets Walking Dead. Does he mean it's full of deep literary significance hidden beneath spare prose? Because that's not what this book is, unless that literary significance is buried really deep. Spare prose? You bet - Rajan Khanna isn't interested in hashed metaphors and purple prose. The language in Falling Sky is punchy and direct, just like the protagonist. That said, it's not the two-fisted fiction of Larry Correia, whose pulpy word choices get tired after a while. Khanna's writing is enjoyable to read, and his story of an airship pilot who has his ship stolen in a world where it's not safe to be on the ground (that's where all the zombies are!) is great summer fun.
I was sent the book because I study steampunk. While there are airships and air-fortresses, readers looking for goggles and gadgets or corsets and cogs are going to be sorely disappointed, because this book has no Victoriana and is hardly retrofuturistic. I think Tad Williams would have been more accurate if he'd said "this is the Walking Dead with airships," because that's more what it feels like. High-flying adventure mixed with shoot first and ask questions later survivalism. Except that Falling Sky isn't as relentlessly brutal as Walking Dead--while the world of Falling Sky is filled with danger at every turn, it's also one with hope on the horizon.
TLDR: This is a fun, page-turning, action-packed adventure in a post-apocalyptic world of airships and zombies.
I don't understand what Tad Williams means in his blurb that this book is like Ernest Hemingway meets Walking Dead. Does he mean it's full of deep literary significance hidden beneath spare prose? Because that's not what this book is, unless that literary significance is buried really deep. Spare prose? You bet - Rajan Khanna isn't interested in hashed metaphors and purple prose. The language in Falling Sky is punchy and direct, just like the protagonist. That said, it's not the two-fisted fiction of Larry Correia, whose pulpy word choices get tired after a while. Khanna's writing is enjoyable to read, and his story of an airship pilot who has his ship stolen in a world where it's not safe to be on the ground (that's where all the zombies are!) is great summer fun.
I was sent the book because I study steampunk. While there are airships and air-fortresses, readers looking for goggles and gadgets or corsets and cogs are going to be sorely disappointed, because this book has no Victoriana and is hardly retrofuturistic. I think Tad Williams would have been more accurate if he'd said "this is the Walking Dead with airships," because that's more what it feels like. High-flying adventure mixed with shoot first and ask questions later survivalism. Except that Falling Sky isn't as relentlessly brutal as Walking Dead--while the world of Falling Sky is filled with danger at every turn, it's also one with hope on the horizon.
October 23, 2017
Second worse book I have ever read.
I really do not know where to start on what I did not like about this book.
The way the book was wrote was poor.
- When you can count the number of times "I say" "she says" "says" is said within half a page enough to distract you from actually taking in the story....like 30 times within a half page.
- The way the character is infatuated with his "Ship" which is actually a zeppelin from the 30's and has to make mention of said ship over and over and over and over......and over again.
- Kills a horse that is immune to the virus because, well really no reason at all. If the horse is immune let it go. Oh wait, he killed it because he was thinking about his "ship" (See above comment).
- Using swear words and body part nicknames like a kid who just learned them would. No reason to really.
- Talking about his "Ship" about every other page....we get it....
The only reason I read the book was it was a gift from my son. If I had bought it myself....I would have burned it so no one else would have to endure the pain of trying to get through this poorly written story.
I really do not know where to start on what I did not like about this book.
The way the book was wrote was poor.
- When you can count the number of times "I say" "she says" "says" is said within half a page enough to distract you from actually taking in the story....like 30 times within a half page.
- The way the character is infatuated with his "Ship" which is actually a zeppelin from the 30's and has to make mention of said ship over and over and over and over......and over again.
- Kills a horse that is immune to the virus because, well really no reason at all. If the horse is immune let it go. Oh wait, he killed it because he was thinking about his "ship" (See above comment).
- Using swear words and body part nicknames like a kid who just learned them would. No reason to really.
- Talking about his "Ship" about every other page....we get it....
The only reason I read the book was it was a gift from my son. If I had bought it myself....I would have burned it so no one else would have to endure the pain of trying to get through this poorly written story.
January 12, 2019
Rajan Khanna’s “Falling Sky” is set in a post-plague world where most people live in the sky. We’re not talking sparkly sci-fi utopias. We’re talking old school blimps and dirigibles and platforms of hovels held aloft by balloons. This is a dirty, backward world where everyone fears getting the Bug and turning into a mindless animal called a Feral.
The protagonist is not a likeable guy. He’s shuttling and protecting some scientists trying to find a cure. When their compound is over-run by marauders who drop, his airship is stolen. The rest of the story is how he works to get his airship back and the discovery of a vicious new empire working towards a new world order.
The protagonist is not a likeable guy. He’s shuttling and protecting some scientists trying to find a cure. When their compound is over-run by marauders who drop, his airship is stolen. The rest of the story is how he works to get his airship back and the discovery of a vicious new empire working towards a new world order.
September 13, 2021
This was a really enjoyable read!
The storyline moved fast and was engaging. I also liked the ending- it was humble and sweet for the world that they live in - with action right up to the end.
The characters within were explained well and not overexplained. I enjoyed following their story.
Great book- and would read more from the author
The storyline moved fast and was engaging. I also liked the ending- it was humble and sweet for the world that they live in - with action right up to the end.
The characters within were explained well and not overexplained. I enjoyed following their story.
Great book- and would read more from the author
September 23, 2018
It wasn't awful but I had such hopes for it. Steampunk! Zombies! Post-apocalyptic setting! But it was merely...boring. Lacklustre characters! Contrived plot! Uninteresting main character!
February 26, 2020
not a typical zombie, book, but it was good
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