Saturday 3 December 2016

Defender by GX Todd Book Review

Defender: The Voices Book 1 by [Todd, G X]

BLURB


Defender by G X Todd is an imaginative thriller that draws on influences from Stephen King, Clive Barker and Neil Gaiman to create a new world - where the biggest threat mankind faces is from the voices inside your own head. If you loved The Stand, you'll love Defender, the first in a four part series.
'Compelling, suspenseful, and altogether extraordinary' Lee Child
'So accomplished that it's difficult to believe it's a first novel, Defender is already worthy to take its place alongside The Stand in the canon. An absolute gem of a book' John Connolly
'On the cusp of sleep, have we not all heard a voice call out our name?'
In a world where long drinks are in short supply, a stranger listens to the voice in his head telling him to buy a lemonade from the girl sitting on a dusty road.
The moment locks them together.
Here and now it's dangerous to listen to your inner voice. Those who do, keep it quiet.
These voices have purpose.
And when Pilgrim meets Lacey, there is a reason. He just doesn't know it yet.
Defender pulls you on a wild ride to a place where the voices in your head will save or slaughter you.

MY THOUGHTS

Wow, what can I say about Defender? What a brilliant debut novel by GX Todd, and one I am sure will hit the bestseller charts next year!
Defender is not the sort of book I would usually read, but I was intrigued by the story after hearing a lot about it on Twitter and the cover definitely made up my mind. I dived in and I am so glad that I did. The author is a master at storytelling! I was sucked into the story from page one and I was kept hooked right up until the very last page. Defender is a story that I’m sure will stay with me for a long time.
Defender is a dystopian novel set in a post apocalyptic version of the United States. In the opening pages we are introduced to Pilgrim, who hears a voice and when he comes across a girl, Lacey, who is selling lemonade, he has no idea how much his life is going to change just by one chance meeting. I loved Pilgrim’s voice who was often very witty and lightened up the book.
Lacey is desperate to reach her sister, Karey and the rest of the family after the death of her Nan. I loved Lacey’s character, and I really liked the relationship that she built with Pilgrim afterwards, even though Pilgrim was reluctant to help her out in the first place. He is not especially welcoming to people, other than to the voice inside his head. I didn’t like Pilgrim at first but I grew to like him as the novel progressed, he would be a great friend to have around.
GX Todd keeps you gripping the edge of your seat as Pilgrim and Lacey try to reach her sister. Lacey is desperately hoping that her sister has survived, against all the odds as her sister is the only future she can see for herself.
You really get a sense of the world that you are in within these pages and GX Todd has done a fantastic job of crafting the landscape. I really liked the fact that the author kept some elements of the world we live in, in this book and she made it feel as though the story was set in the not too distant future.
Defender really surprised me, I can’t wait for the next book in the series, there are a lot of ideas here that I am desperate to know more about! Defender took me on a journey that I will not be forgetting quickly and I really became attached the characters who I can’t wait to hear more from. I highly recommend this book. Thank you to Netgalley and Headline for the early review copy!
Publisher: Headline
Print length: 464 pages
Publication date: 12th January 2017

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