Marooned
Stocking Filler Sci-Fi Books for Christmas
Reviews for Marooned
By Reign Goddess
5.0 out of 5 stars Marooned – The Young and the Bold.
Reviewed in the United States on 14 May 2022
“Marooned” by Andrew R. Williams introduces us to Bee Bee, alias James Kinfrank, a fifteen-year-old boy on board a ship–The Empress of Incognita—from Mars. Their ship hits a mine, an accident whose impacts and cause are worrying. Yet, Captain Wainwright wants the information concealed from other passengers on board the ship. However, curiosity gets the better of Bee Bee, who begins asking questions during the Captain’s dinner. Although the passengers are assured of the ship’s ability to use the triple-shield against any future attacks, more mines damage the ship and force it to go off-course.
In this desperate state, a mutiny starts, led by Dugal Whiston. During all this time, Bee Bee keeps hearing a voice inside his mind that he cannot quite place. In addition, he experiences strange dreams that he can only write about in his diary, as he cannot interpret them. After an alien millipede invades the ship aboard the shuttle, it becomes clear to Bee Bee that not only is Dugal after his life, but the Great Ones are also baying for his blood. Meanwhile, the survivors have to find a safe place to land because the wreck will not hold for long. Will they survive? What dangers must they overcome in Arcadia?
Andrew uses the first-person perspective as a narration technique that allows the reader or viewer to connect directly with the characters. He wanted to give his readers a more in-depth understanding of why certain things happened at certain times. It is the first book in the “Arcadia’s Children Series” and acts as a prequel to introduce us to the main character of this series. The author immediately dives into plenty of action and reveals enough mystery to hook you from beginning to end. This book gives immense detail on how some of the dramatic events occur, which form the basis of subsequent sequels that are yet to be written.
I enjoyed the book very much, with its sophisticated writing and depth of character. I found it particularly interesting that distinct characters’ personalities shone through in their dialogue so that even when they were not physically present, their presence was still felt on the page. Characters are not simply mentioned as they play out their roles on stage; each has distinctive but straightforward personalities, so we can quickly figure out who is who among them, even when there are many of them. It gave a strong sense of place, with a genuine feeling for place and time-something I’ve never encountered in a book by an author known only to me as a sci-fi/fantasy writer. My thanks go to Andrew for proving me wrong through his creativity. This book is one of the best prequels I have come across in my review career. The author incorporates intertextuality to break from the monotony of narration and give the book an aesthetic taste. The characters are well thought out and play their roles accordingly.
The action scenes are graphically recreated with vivid descriptions that convey a sense of urgency. We know where every person is standing, what they look like, and what they are wearing. We can almost feel the sound of cold air rushing against the ship’s hull as the missiles hit it or smell the smoke from the burning parts. As we read, we feel like we are along for the ride. The author extensively uses foreshadowing and flashbacks to provide background information. These techniques also add suspense and intrigue to this tale. The fast-paced action, imaginative plot twists and engaging characters set on a futuristic island make this book a joy to read.
It is clear that this book has been written by an experienced author who understands plot devices and how to use them effectively. It is a quick read, with good grammar and spelling throughout. The book’s flow was excellent, with smooth transitions between scenes and events. I happily award ‘Marooned’ five out of five stars and recommend it to lovers of sci-fi texts, especially those centered around space exploration. Regardless of your age, this book will entertain you until the end.
Sherin‘s review 5 Stars
Marooned by Andrew R Williams is the prequel to Arcadia’s Children series. Now we get to the part where and how everything started – Arcadia. It’s a well written story with a lots of twists, turns and suspense with a good measure of intrigue thrown into the mix. I love the character and world building in this novel, just like the author’s other books from this series.
Meet Bee Bee, a teenager who asks a lot of questions and the story revolves around how he grows up fast and why. If you love a good sci-fi or a good story, this is a must read.
The series of Arcadia makes even more sense, now that we have the prequel!
Extract from Novel
My name is Bee Bee, well, at least that’s what everyone calls me, and I’m 15, nearly 16. The last year has been tough, and I’ve found myself on the Empress of Incognita, travelling through the stars toward a new life with my dad and step-mum. Or at least that’s what should be happening.
Mary my stepmonther told me that the Empress of Incognita had been involved in a collision.
I later discovered that our star ship had hit a mine, a remnant of a long-forgotten war.
I was then told that the captain of the Empress had deliberately risked the passenger’s lives by flying down a wormhole known to have unexploded ordinance floating around in it. He took the risk to save time and money
Some time later, the Empress was hit by five more mines and was forced into an uncharted wormhole to escape the bombardment.
If that wasn’t bad enough, the passengers began to fight among themselves.
Those who escaped to Arcadia largely died from an unknown illness or were taken prisoner by the Great Ones
I just pray that Akbar’s dream revelations will save my group
