Book Review: Darkrange

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Darkrange     Amazon US PB Amazon Canada PB
S. Roy L. Hawkins
Class/Genre:   Fantasy   Apocalyptic Fiction
Trafford, 2001

Eight centuries ago, give or take a decade or two as post catastrophic historical time is not precise, pandemic devastation occurred when the magnetic poles shifted. Most people drowned on continents flooded by the oceans; others died not long afterward. Over the next eight hundred years, the few survivors live a sparse nomadic lifestyle with tribes constantly vying with others as available sustenance is slight.

The Usenn know life is a bitch and then you die, but a local calamity strikes the tribe when invading strangers abduct a Doctor- Woman while she gathered herbs. The leaders assign their greatest warrior Odd to rescue the Doctor-Woman , but they have taken her to the forbidden eerie Darkrange, the last place even a great warrior like himself would not want to enter. However, Odd enters the uncanny realm not just out of honor and duty, but also because he loves the Doctor-Woman, though no one knows his deepest secret feelings.

The DARKRANGE is an exciting post apocalyptic tale that takes the audience on a powerful journey because this future earth seems like a genuine depiction of an orb impacted by a change in global polarization (as has happened in the eons of the planet). Odd is a great lead character whose physical prowess and consequently confidence in his abilities are legendary amidst his people, but now knows fear as he enters a real to be avoided, but his biggest apprehension is for the woman he loves. S. Roy L. Hawkins blends action-packed science fiction, a mystery of past present and future, and a touch of romance into a fabulous futuristic phenom that needs time for its one sitting read.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner