Continuing the story line of Arcadia’s Children: Samantha’s Revenge, this futuristic sci-fi tale brings back Mick Tarmy and a cast of characters guaranteed to create a fascinating journey to destroy a plantation dedicated to growing zuka milk, which produces a powerful narcotic street drug. The Great Ones, who use the drug to raise funds for their war against humanity, will go to any lengths to … lengths to stop Mick, his cohorts Claire Hyndman and Nonie Tomio, from their mission. Journey through a world filled with aliens, robots and clones in this book that is a cracking good read for all ages.
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Andrew Williams brings the reader back to his highly detailed new world in the follow up to Arcadia’s Children: Samantha’s Revenge. Although it would certainly be helpful to read the first book in the series, it is not entirely necessary. Williams gives a nice summary of important terms and characters at the outset of the novel that is so helpful in getting readers new to the series on board. I am not going to lie, the details in this book around Williams’ world-building skills give us a dense picture of this new place and take some learning and attention. Once you have a solid understanding of this world, get ready for a major adventure!
The Great Ones are looking to take back a world that they believe is theirs and will stop at nothing to do so. They have begun creation of a special substance that is used to create a highly potent street drug they plan to disseminate to the masses. They will use the profit to fund their takeover mission. Mick Tarmy, the fascinating lead character, along with his allies, attempt to destroy the plantation that is at the root of the issue.
I was instantly invested in the main character, who is complex and fascinating. Within this character we have someone who is both loved and hated, a great complexity that the reader must navigate. There is a feeling of borrowed time and an intensity to this story that make it a real page turner. This book was anxiety-producing in the best way possible. If you are a fan of the sci-fi genre you will NOT be disappointed. There are clones, aliens, robots, teleportation, mind-reading and mind-control but these are also tied in with relatable human elements and struggles.
This is a fascinating sci-fi fantasy read to be enjoyed by both young adult readers as well as adults.
A sequel book in the Arcadia Children’s series by author, Andrew R. Williams taking place at Fyfield Plantation. The fantasy world is dynamic with superheroes, villains, crime, love and worth binge reading. Take your favorite pillow and sunblock, sit by the pool with your tablet and delve into this fantasy mystery. Some important plot elements you will soon find out. The prime groups are
The Great Ones and Zuka Milk Plantation. Both attempt to eliminate, destroy, or overpower society in one way or another. Zuka Milk Plantation is the drug lord and spreading crime and fear. Our protagonist, Mike Tarmy an already established character from the previous book, will continue to eradicate drugs and harm to his closest allies.
Journey of dynamic proportion. I’m new to this genre, the author concisely describes the scenes in a way understood by any reading level. I’ve read some novels that spun my head leaving me confused. I didn’t feel that way here.
Humanity is at stake in a new world described partly as Earth and partly as a new creation.
Tarmy has his motives but his good side is tender, loyal, supportive and protective most especially to Claire Hyndman a friend and sidekick. Archetypal saga themes such as this grabs attention immediately – a world of deception, spying, aliens, humans and maybe a happy ending but I won’t reveal how this imaginative story plays out.
After having being blackmailed by Samantha —the super intelligent android working for the Minton Mining Company— former military and civil police Mick Tarmy is stranded along with Claire and Nonie in Arcadia, the third planet in the Salus System. Samantha seeks to discredit the civil police and create an army with factual powers that will defend the interests of the Minton Mining Company, running over anyone who happens to be on her path. Tarmy must face once again the powerful alien species known as The Great Ones and the mental powers of the spettri if he wants to rescue his daughter Amanda and his former coworkers, who have been held back by Samantha. Everything will get complicated when he gets involved in a mission to destroy a plantation of zuka, an illegal narcotic substance growing in the Fyfield Valley.
This fantastic adventure, a continuation to Arcadia’s Children 1: Samantha’s Revenge, puts Tarmy / Tarleton and his travel companions (Claire, Nonie, Lascaux, Chou and Alex) at the center of a battle full of intrigues, betrayals, androids, clones, pulse weapons, teleporters, telepathic beings, body invaders and lethal animals. The quality of the narrative is impeccable and its cadence is very light. The plot is loaded with piles of action and danger, and the clarity of the language is so good that the book can be read in a heartbeat, with hardly any need to pause.
I think that the strongest points of this book are the effectiveness of its narrative and the ease with which the plot unfolds, and I applaud the clarity throughout the whole story. I would have liked that the action scenes —especially those in which many elements intervene simultaneously— would have been developed with greater breadth and detail, since, although they fulfill their function, I feel that they are a little short and rushed (I felt the same in regards to the apparent destiny of Samantha at the end of the story). I would also have liked that the main characters had faced more small stumbles during their journey (throughout the adventure it becomes a bit obvious that everything has to go well for the protagonist, while for the “bad boys” everything will be complicated and hilly). Other than those two details, this book has been an exciting, enjoyable and recommendable journey.
I haven’t read the first installment of ‘Arcadia’s Children’, but that did not detract from my enjoyment of reading ‘The Flyfield Plantation’ at all. This is a really decent sci-fi story. What I liked most, was the way in which William’s makes everything seem perfectly plausible and believable. If you read sci-fi, you want the world that opens up around you to be a place for great escapism, and that’s exactly what happens on Arcadia. The attention to detail in describing the make-up of the planet, teleportation, and the technical information for systems used enhances the experience of the world the author has created. Even the storyline following corruptive ‘Great Ones’ who are growing a dangerous street drug, is relatable to current affairs, and makes the situation on Arcadia more conceivable. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will be looking out for more in the series.
The Fyfield Plantation is a continuation of Samantha’s Revenge on Arcadia’s Children. This futuristic sci-fi fantasy story features Mick Tarmy. Tarmy and his cohort embark on a journey to destroy Zuka Milk Plantation, which produces a potent street drug. The Great Ones use the proceeds from the drug to wage war against humanity. They are ready to do anything to fight Mick and his friends and frustrate their mission. The fight gets more intense as they go after Tarmy’s daughter Amanda.
Sit back and enjoy as the book takes you through a world of robots, clones, and aliens. Andrew is a brilliant writer with exceptional talent in storytelling. The plot is amazing, and the characters incredible. The twists and turns captivate your attention right from the beginning. The book’s scenes are well-illustrated with attention to details. It is insanely interesting and ideal for people of all ages. If you are a sci-fi fantasy freak, you will not be disappointed. I look forward to reading his next book.
A sequel to Arcadia’s Children: Samantha’s Revenge, Arcadia’s Children 2: The Fyfield Plantation is a science-fiction novel written by Andrew R. Williams. This action-packed story takes place in a technologically advanced – albeit somewhat dystopian – society on Arcadia, a planet similar to Earth, and its moon Arden, which is practically owned and controlled by a mining company.
At the beginning of the story, the question in the air is if Mick Tarmy (aka Tarleton) and his sidekick Claire Hyndman survived an assassination attempt orchestrated by the evil humanoid Samantha. Alton Mygael, a director at the Minton Mining Company, pretends to cooperate with Samantha because they share a common enemy: The Great Ones – hostile Arcadians profiting from a drug trafficking operation. Readers learn that Tarmy is alive and devising a plan to destroy a secret zuka plantation in the Fyfield Valley; zuka milk is the main ingredient of a powerful street drug that funds the wicked Great Ones. Will Tarmy succeed?
In this thriller’s suspenseful plot, I was constantly on edge and never sure of where loyalties and rivalries truly resided. The author skillfully develops archetypal saga themes such as deception, spying, and treason. I also thought Tarmy’s witty personality was cleverly textured. He came across to me as a relatable, compelling main character – someone you root for. His motivation to protect his daughter and friends, as well as their planet, was heart-warming.
The author’s writing style is lively and stimulating, and he constructs an impressive and vividly rendered sci-fi background. Droids, humanoids (aka spettri), air-cars, teleportation devices, and electronic face masks are examples of the advanced props in this novel’s imaginative settings.
Although the book is a sequel, it can be read independently, for the author conveniently presents character details from the first book right at the beginning of this one. I hadn’t read Arcadia’s Children: Samantha’s Revenge, but now that I finished Arcadia’s Children 2, I’m unquestionably curious to read the first book of the series.
In closing, I rate the book 4 out of 4 stars. It is an engaging and pleasurable read, and I have no noteworthy negatives to mention. I did find grammatical errors in it, but they were mostly minor comma issues which did not detract from the enjoyment of the story. Williams’ writing generated a growing interest in me to find out what was going to happen next – culminating in a cliffhanger in the end. I highly recommend this book to readers who are fond of science fiction.
British author Andrew R. Williams has written an impressive array of books, from fantasy fiction, such as his ongoing series ARCADIA’S CHILDREN, to architectural information books – DOMESTIC BUILDING SURVEYS, PRACTICAL GUIDE TO ALTERATIONS AND EXTENSIONS, and A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO SINGLE STOREY HOUSE EXTENSIONS. He is a chartered surveyor.
The intricacies of Andrew’s attention to detail make this novel as accessible, and even credible, as the prior book in this series – ARCADIA’S CHILDREN: SAMANTHA’S REVENGE. Andrew knows the realm of imagination and uses his mastery of the science fiction genre in a manner that few authors can match. Wildly inventive concepts and description of events and forms become clearly relatable in his hands.
A hint of why Andrew’s bizarre world works so well is evident in his offering ‘facts’ about Arcadian archaeology before the story’s onset. For instance, Arcadia is the third planet in the Salus System. As it is in a Goldilocks Zone, the planet is an Earth type, and The Wreck – Although badly damaged, The Wreck is still being subjected to close scrutiny. It has also become a major tourist attraction. Since teleportation systems were installed, over two million tourists per annum visit The Wreck. When entering a strange realm such preparation makes the journey more credible.
A taste of the author’s style is seductive, as the opening sentences prove: ‘Pushley gave Mick Tarmy a lopsided smile. “How’s it going, Tarleton?” One glance at Ed Pushley’s face was enough to convince Tarmy that the other man wasn’t in control of his faculties. Pushley’s expression reminded him of how Claire Hyndman had looked a few hours previously when, for reasons best known to her, she’d suddenly slashed one of her hands with a commando knife and told him to taste her blood. “What’s the matter, Tarleton? Cat got your tongue?” Instead of responding, Mick Tarmy stared at Pushley’s power bubble image for a second or two and vaguely wondered what was creating it. Was it one of their percoms or was Claire Hyndman’s invisible friend creating the bubble?’
Keen characterizations create near visible images and the plot of the story is full of imaginative excursions and strange events. Though far too condensed, the plot outline follows:’ – a fascinating journey to destroy a plantation dedicated to growing zuka milk, which produces a powerful narcotic street drug. The Great Ones, who use the drug to raise funds for their war against humanity, will go to any lengths to stop Mick, his cohorts Claire Hyndman and Nonie Tomio, from their mission.’
Exciting and beautifully realized, this is one of the better Sci-Fi fantasy novels of the day. Recommended.