OUT OF THE GREY

A complex first novel in a fantasy series set in a world of advanced technology and brutality.

In the first chapter of Sprague’s multilayered adventure, Lumen Hadamard is collecting data on unusual battle simulations in a place called the Netherdome, an important center for fine-tuning sophisticated military operations in the land of Theia. He’s developing new weaponry to defend against Theia’s enemies, some of whom are using advanced technology, as noted in the book’s prologue. He sends his apprentice, Vey Lancer, on a new assignment to Fort Abandon. Her mission seems simple enough: Speak with Fort Abandon’s vice-regent about the Treaty of Nature, which puts strict limits on new tech and is a relic of a time when humanity was nearly annihilated. Specifically, there are concerns that some have been violating its limits. Before long, however, Vey has a dangerous interaction with an aged shaman called Akrylla, who wields the power to manipulate others and has a vast knowledge of potions that makes her a formidable enemy. Suddenly, Vey’s mission, as well as her life, is in serious jeopardy. Right from the opening pages, readers may find themselves overwhelmed by the dense worldbuilding, which goes on to extensively detail such things as the workings of the Netherdome, Akrylla’s background, and zero-gravity transportation tech, which hardly makes for light reading. Indeed, this density extends all the way to the sentence level, as when a character explains that “Bitterhelm’s leviathan—Asph the Tempting—is in the process of changing gender in anticipation of breeding with Sinfon, of the Dim Sea.” But although such passages sometimes require a close reading for full comprehension, the effort is not without its rewards. Although Vey’s journey is anything but straightforward, it’s never boring, as it takes her from a spa to some truly brutal environments, one of which involves an unpleasant creature called a Wulver. This book, for all its complexity, does allow the reader to fully grasp the fictional world’s many peculiarities and characters, which effectively sets the stage for more intricate developments in future installments.

A crowded but lively and sophisticated fantasy tale.