Alexis:
I can’t believe it’s already September, but I’m back with another book review!
Scion by James Islington is described as a fast-paced cyberpunk thriller that’s John Wick meets Blade Runner. It definitely feels like an action-packed sci-fi movie.
After reading and loving Islington’s fantasy book, The Will of the Many, I wanted to give this one a shot. Islington’s voicey writing style makes the narration funny and compelling.
The plot follows Azure, an assassin who targets lifers (people who have become immortal) who is hired to protect a myserious old woman. Nowadays, I usually avoid fantasy books with assassins, as I’ve found them to be a little overdone. But since this is sci-fi, it just feels different; the contract assassin job just fits the futuristic world well.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one. There’s interesting tech and body modifications and a pack of biogenerated animals. The old woman character was my favorite. And the cinematic vibes and tone are just fun!
I was in the mood for something fun and action packed, and Scion definitely fit the bill. Since it is a short read, I feel like it ended a bit abruptly, but I think Islington left it open ended so he can return to this world in the future.
In his acknowledgements, Islington talks about how he drafted this book as a fun project in between writing his more serious fantasy series, and you can definitely tell how much he enjoyed writing it. This was a great introduction to his sci-fi world, and I hope he has the chance to explore the themes of life, death, social class, and what it means to be human more in future works.
takes two to book review 