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Conquering The Flying Mountain
And so Began the War follows a young roboticist who is swept away on an adventure to stop a war after a powerful government vies for control of a technologically superior nation. What were some sources that informed the development of this novel?
I’ve been a fan of science-fiction and fantasy my whole life, so things like Star Wars, Doctor Who and even a small touch of Game of Thrones, definitely played their parts in inspiring the creation of the world and how I approached some of the story telling.
Zoe Evelyn Lionheart is an intriguing character. What were some ideals you wanted her character to embody?
An unwavering relentlessness for her passion (Robotics), and how that is a main theme in her life, not something she puts off to the side while ‘life gets in the way’ (Her love of robotics is the way!). That, and bravery in the face of adversity, regardless of what the potential outcome may be.
What scene in the book did you have the most fun creating?
Oh, gosh … All of them! But if I have to pick just one, probably where Kensington is ‘conquering the flying mountain’ (i.e. the dragon).
Do you have plans to write more books in this world?
Yes, but I’m currently writing a book in my other series The Cities & Villages Saga. So once that’s done and dusted, I’ll likely revisit this world, although not necessarily as a direct sequel.
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And so Began the War
Zoe Evelyn Lionheart – or Eve as she likes to be known – is a skilled roboticist for her age. Living in the capital of the Greater Continent, her whole world is working on robots until rumors of war begin to stir. Little does Eve know that she will be swept up into events that haven’t been seen since the time of myth and legend. Together, with a group of brave and clever friends, Eve must work to end this brutal war and discover the power she has within her. Through these perilous adventures, both robots and humans learn first-hand what it means to have a soul purpose.
And So Began the War, by Ian Anthony Hollis, is a compelling science fiction novel that creates a fascinating world. The creativity embedded in this story is astonishing. It is highly emotional and the plot is uncovered like an excellent chess game. It also features a young woman in STEM, which is always wonderful to see. However, this epic sci-fi story can be quite dark as it delves into some serious and dangerous situations, but I found them to be absolutely riveting.
Eve goes through so much in this book. I would have loved to have read some of her inner dialog so that I can see the depth of emotion and decision making that she experiences, as well as the rest of the compelling characters. This felt like an epic science fiction adventure, even though this is young adult novel because there is so much going on, the scale is massive and the stakes are high. I enjoyed the characters and would have liked to have understood their motives a bit deeper. The plot has a great pace and is consistently entertaining. I felt that the reader only needs some puzzle pieces more explicitly explored – such as the character Amy and her storyline.
This is a world that readers will love to discover. It is vivid and fascinating and the authors descriptions make it seem like we are only scratching the surface of a much larger backstory. What rung true for me in this thrilling novel were the themes of sacrifice and identity – particularly in the exploration of morality.
Pages: 309 | ASIN: B08FCHJRF9
LITERARY TITAN 