Today I’m joining the blog tour for The Collapsing Wave. My review is written with thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me on the tour and to Orenda Books for my copy of the book.

Blurb:

Six months since the earth-shattering events of The Space Between Us, the revelatory hope of the aliens’ visit has turned to dust and the creatures have disappeared into the water off Scotland’s west coast.

Teenager Lennox and grieving mother Heather are being held in New Broom, a makeshift US military base, the subject of experiments, alongside the Enceladons who have been captured by the authorities.

Ava, who has given birth, is awaiting the jury verdict at her trial for the murder of her husband. And MI7 agent Oscar Fellowes, who has been sidelined by the US military, is beginning to think he might be on the wrong side of history.

When alien Sandy makes contact, Lennox and Heather make a plan to escape with Ava. All three of them are heading for a profound confrontation between the worst of humanity and a possible brighter future, as the stakes get higher for the alien Enceladons and the entire human race…

Sequel to the bestselling The Space Between Us, The Collapsing Wave is an exquisite, epic first-contact novel, laced with peril and populated by unforgettable characters, and the awe-inspiring book we all need right now…

Review:

I loved The Space Between Us despite science fiction not being my usual genre, so I was delighted when I heard there was a sequel and I was keen to find out what had happened to the characters since we left them. The central characters returning from The Space Between Us, Lennox, Heather, Ava and Oscar each have their own chapters and I love how comprehensively Doug Johnstone has developed these characters, particularly Lennox, Heather and Ava, so that we can really sympathise with them and root for them as their story continues. It was good to also meet Vonnie for the first time and see her gradually get to know Sandy. I love that although these characters are so different from each other in terms of their demographic and life experiences, they still have a strong connection with each other and I found their stories really engaging.

Doug Johnstone has written novels in several different genres, but no matter what he chooses to write, his talent shines through. Despite writing about creatures from another planet, his descriptions of the Enceladons are so clear that it was impossible not to be drawn into the situation about which he writes. I also loved his descriptions of the setting of Ullapool. I love the way he explores a number of different themes and despite the scientific premise, the real message of this story is one of love, acceptance and friendship which really resonates with me and is particularly relevant to today’s society.

As The Collapsing Wave reaches its ending, Doug Johnstone really emphasises the chaotic situation in which the characters find themselves and I really wanted to know how this would work out. It was difficult to turn away until the very last page.

The Collapsing Wave is available from Amazon.

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