SpecOps, the prestigious tech and xenoarchaeology organisation, demands new recruits make discoveries of scientific merit. Unfortunately for Sebastian, he didn’t.
An acceleration node repair mission seems like the perfect opportunity for him and Aryx to perform groundbreaking research and restore their freedoms, until a rare accident spells disaster for the pair.
When their friends combine forces to help, they inadvertently trigger a chain of events which threaten to expose everything they strive to protect, and unleash a legendary enemy against a planet they cannot defend.
Title: Telamon | Author: Rexx Deane | Series: Synthesis Weave #3 | Publisher: Forcefield Publishing | Pub. Date: 14 April 2021 | Pages: 456 | ISBN: 9781838323707 | Genre: Science Fiction | Language: English | Starred Review: Yes | Source: Author
Telamon Review
Rexx Deane brings us ‘Telamon’, the third instalment in his charming and very cool ‘Synthesis: Weave’ series. ‘Telamon’ is another solid piece of sci-fantasy that is stuffed with technological wonder, laced with mysticism, packed with strange worlds and races, and bursting with excitement. But this entry earns its place as my favourite so far because it has something else: heart.
Picking up where the ‘Synthesis Weave: Afterglow’ left off, Sebastian and Aryx are back on Tenebrae space station and dealing with the aftermath of their previous adventure. It is not long before they are thrown back into the thick of it. We meet new characters and revisit old favourites. There is plenty of quirky humour.
But this time around, we see the relationship between Sebastian and Aryx seriously develop. There is less buddy-cop and more soulmate, less bromance and more romance. The sense of doom and danger is more present than the previous chapters as the pair, Aryx especially, is forced to deal with isolation and devastating loss.
The author’s grasp of information technology is once again apparent, especially in his handling of the AI character Wolfram. Science fiction for the last half century has no dearth of AI-life questions, but there is a poignancy around this in Deane’s writing. As in previous entries, there is an informed sensitivity and pragmatism in dealing with the theme of disability. It is not simply a gimmick.
I have the same lexical peeves with ‘Telamon’ as I did with the previous books – I would love to see this writer push himself more. The dialog is too close to home for me which somewhat detracts from the escapism I expect from this genre. Stronger language and tighter prose would elevate this writer’s plentiful imagination and cool ideas.
I have said this of the previous novels, and I will repeat: I am reminded of my ‘Space Quest’ days. This is not a bad thing. ‘Telamon’ is entertaining, fun, and addictive start to finish. It is also refreshing to have a space-based story of this depth without the military element. I love Space Marines, and big f**cking guns as much as the next sci-fi nut, but I also want a story with a human soul and in this regard, Rexx Deane delivers
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