The dropship had thundered through the atmosphere like a comet, chased and harried by Xannix ships. Splashdown brought its own set of problems. The chill waters cut to the bone, the darkness punctuated by staccato sparks of light in the flooded cabin. He had been told landings were simply controlled crashes – this had not been a controlled crash.

Since arriving in-system, life had become complex. Scientists had pronounced Hayford b to be a paradise, free from sentient life, ready for colonisation. They were wrong. Larsen fought against the bitter cold of the icy waters and pushed for the surface of the lake. He and Rivers had survived the crash, but could they survive the hunt? Cut off from the fleet and marooned on an unknown alien world, how long could they keep up any escape and evade the attentions of the local inhabitants, never mind the tracker team? The whole world was hostile.

From the moment of first contact with the Xannix aboard the Intrepid, things had gone from bad to worse. But now he was beginning to feel that things had become personal. Trouble had come to the Xannix homeworld. Being the prey in a global game of cat-and-mouse was never his intention, but you worked with the hand fate dealt you. He was convinced of one thing - they were not going to die today!

Our review......

An intelligent and wholly original military science fiction thriller, Clarion takes the Sol Protocol series to a higher level as readers are treated to another confrontation with the Xannix. Larson, Rivers, Silvers and Dr. Spencer are once again in the thick of it but things are never what they seem as competing factions within the Xannis change the rules of engagement and a shock revelation for Larson puts him once again in the firing line. Science fiction is one of the most popular genres and its success is built by not just keeping up with the expectations of its readers but in finding new ways to explore the human condition. Hurst does this by combining superb prose, masterfully crafted battle scenes, illuminating first contacts and an innate ability to explore the psyche of his characters. Not just the human and alien ones but those of his A.I.s as well. At a little under 400 pages, there are multiple plot threads but each one is deftly handled and as with the first release in the series each is resolved within the story arc as he takes us ever closer to another superb denouement. Clarion is a game changer for Hurst’s human colonists and the Xannix which combined with ever-present social commentary gives his series increasingly crossover appeal to non-military science fiction fans. Especially those who appreciate cleverly conceived tech and its implementation.

A genuine gem of a release in the Sol Protocol series, Clarion demands an uninterrupted read to fully appreciate the quality of Hurst’s writing and it is recommended without reservation. Read it and you won’t be disappointed!