by Benjamin Percy

Hodder & Stoughton, out now

Five years after the Earth moves through a comet debris field, much has changed on the planet – including the discovery of a new metal…

Benjamin Percy’s prose has covered widely different areas – from werewolves in Red Moon to Lewis & Clark in The Dead Lands – and his comic book work (both in graphic form and podcasts) has rightly been acclaimed. The Comet Cycle, of which this is the first book, is a series of standalone but interlinked novels – the next one is out at the start of 2022 – chronicling the aftermath of a cataclysmic event and while it’s definitely a sci-fi premise, the strength of the book is in its characters.

There’s more than a hint of the wild west about Northfall, Minnesota – it’s a place that’s suddenly become extremely popular because of the presence of omnimetal, and everyone wants to get a part of it. Not every local is best impressed by this influx of new people, and the family who’ve basically run the town are at the heart of this story, as the “black sheep” returns home for his sister’s wedding, with his own agenda. Which doesn’t get much of a chance once he becomes embroiled in the many issues in Northfall.

There’s much that reminds me of Desmond Bagley’s work – particularly The White Tiger, his story set during the lead up to and aftermath of an avalanche, and all the dirty tricks that come to light – with a similar combination of family drama and action (albeit with an SF twist). Throw in a secret lab, a mysterious survivor and the particular idiosyncrasies of the area, and you’ve got a propulsive thriller that drops plenty of hints about a bigger picture to be discovered.

Verdict: Fast-paced and gripping, this will make you eager for the next in the Comet Cycle. 9/10

Paul Simpson

Click here to read our interview with the author

And click here to order from Amazon.co.uk