Storm by Evan Angler, 3rd in the Swipe series
Gotta admit: I wouldn’t have picked up this book if not for the CSFF Blog Tour. It’s young adult futuristic dystopian science fiction (howzabout we try to squeeze a couple more genre descriptors into that list?), and although it has a great cover and interesting premise, I would probably have passed over it for something, well, more interesting.
And I’d have missed out on a good book.
Storm by Evan Angler is the third installment in the Swipe series (Thomas Nelson), but could almost stand alone. The author supplies the necessary information so the reader isn’t lost, but Angler never bogs down the present story with all the backstory. That takes skill.
Just as with the previous blog tour (featuring Merlin’s Blade by Robert Treskillard), the deadline has arrived but I’m still reading the book. However, here are three first impressions:
1) It’s easy to read. The writing is clean, not flowery but straight-forward, and it’s solid. The editor side of me is lulled to sleep by the excellence, in which the reader side of me is happy to indulge. The pace is right: tight, tense even in the “resting” moments, with just enough secrecy here and revelation there, keeping the reader engaged in the action.
2) Scenes move the story forward without bogging the reader in extraneous detail. This is great for snagging and maintaining the interest of impatient or easily-distracted readers. However, the details that are included aren’t vague. The characters seem real, and the settings are easily seen and navigated in one’s imagination. I’ve not yet been pulled back to reality by something that doesn’t fit or isn’t authentic to the story’s world or characters.
3) The story is imaginative. It synthesizes Biblical prophecy with futuristic science fiction in such a way that there is no preaching, only strong storytelling, and even those readers who might be familiar with current politics and world events, trends, fears, and the book of Revelation won’t know what’s coming next.
And though the circumstances may be dark, there is hope.
Maybe tomorrow I’ll blog about second impressions; meantime, here are other stops along the tour:
Julie Bihn
Beckie Burnham
Pauline Creeden
Emma or Audrey Engel
Sarah Faulkner
Victor Gentile
Ryan Heart
Jason Joyner
Carol Keen
Shannon McDermott
Meagan @ Blooming with Books
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Joan Nienhuis
Writer Rani
Chawna Schroeder
Jacque Stengl
Jojo Sutis
Jessica Thomas
Steve Trower
Phyllis Wheeler
Rachel Wyant
Adventures In Fiction 
rbclibrary
June 24, 2013 at 9:09 pm
Thanks for your thoughts on this one. I didn’t get the book this time, so I enjoyed getting your view. Looking forward to what you have to say after you get it finished.
Keanan
June 25, 2013 at 12:13 am
I received this in what should have been enough time, but have been traveling or occupied with scheduled family activities — or work, patooey, patooey, patooey — so have been stealing moments to read. Still, I’m about halfway through, and the book holds up. I hope it’s just as good at the end!
Jeff Chapman
June 25, 2013 at 2:55 am
You could add romance to the end of that genre string. Don’t know if it’s appropriate but it does roll off the tongue. I didn’t pick this book because it’s the third in a series. I’ve sworn never to start in the middle of a series again. Sounds like I could have dived in without fear.
Keanan
June 25, 2013 at 3:36 am
There might be a mild romantic element there, but I couldn’t say for sure. Still, adding “romance” to the end would actually make the list kinda funny!
Yeah, you coulda dove right in and not missed a thing.
Julie Bihn
June 25, 2013 at 3:51 am
You’re dead on with Point 3 in particular…even if you haven’t finished the book yet! Nicely done.
Keanan
June 25, 2013 at 3:44 pm
Thanks, Julie!
Shannon McDermott
June 25, 2013 at 9:10 pm
I had a similar reaction. I am not interested, generally, in End Times fiction, so I worried about that aspect of it. But I’ve found the series very creative and interesting.
I like your comments on the writing style. Again, not my normal speed, but it was good.