fuonlyknew

Got a chilly one for you today. Thanks to Flame Tree Press I received this beautiful paperback ARC of Night Shift by Robin Triggs and I’m happy to share my review with you.

~~~~~

 Night Shift

  by Robin Triggs

Genre: Science Fiction

 My  Review

I was really wanting to love this. Stories that are set in Antarctica are a big draw for me. The harshness of frigid temps and the isolation from society. It brings group dynamics into play. Another favorite aspect for me.

It was fascinating to see how this group of miners would handle the challenges that were thrown at them. The long night is coming. A new Chief of Security, Anders Norvekdt, arrives. The crew lacks confidence in his abilities as the winter over starts. His own self doubt is evident and when the commander’s body is found frozen outside and communication with the outside world goes down, he’s the likely suspect. But, trust is in short supply, and the crew also turn their suspicions on each other.

Who would fall to the hunger, fear and isolation and who would rise to lead was the best part of this story. I can’t say it was the character’s personalities. I didn’t warm up to any of them. And I was disappointed in the world building. I gathered it was in the near future as the mining operation was a last ditch hope to discover a new energy source to keep society alive. But it was never really explained. You’re left to draw your own conclusions.

The last quarter of the book was pretty thrilling. As the last remaining crew members have to rely on each other to survive, despite their mistrust, their situation gets more dire. Lack of food and water and a way to stay warm force them into smaller and smaller locations. The author put me in their shoes as they despair, grow weaker and weaker. Crammed together, they wait for the night shift to end.

 The issues that kept me from loving this book weren’t major, yet, they did add up. I can say I never wanted to stop reading and I did enjoy it.

~~~~~

Synopsis

Antarctica. A mining base at the edge of the world. Anders Nordvelt is over-promoted and he knows it. Arriving at Australis base on the last transport before the long night falls, he is to take over as Chief of Security. It should be an easy job. The crew have all been rigorously psychoanalysed and he’s there only because the rulebook says the position must be filled. The biggest challenge Anders anticipates is to find his place within an established group. But shortly after his arrival communications to the outside world are cut. Suspicion immediately falls upon Anders. It’s his job to uncover the culprit – but how can he find answers when the rest of the crew, bound by relationships, resentments and passions he knows nothing about, see him as the threat? Surely no-one can have crossed thousands of miles of wasteland – the sabotage must have been an inside job. But how could a criminal have got past the screening process? Then the commander’s body is found in the ice. The running of the base falls to the senior staff, Anders included, but there is open hostility towards him. Only the uncertain support of the engineer, Max, gives any hope. But can he trust her? Is he giving her too much leeway as it is? Amidst the fear the work must continue. In a world where every last scrap of fuel is precious, the minerals must keep flowing. But the attacks continue, leaving them with no heating and little food. As they shelter in a basement room, claustrophobia, starvation and madness become as big a threat as a murderer. Will Anders live long enough to find the killer? Will anyone survive the night shift, or will future explorers find only ice and frozen corpses in the last remaining wilderness on the planet? FLAME TREE PRESS is the new fiction imprint of Flame Tree Publishing. Launching in 2018 the list brings together brilliant new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices.

Amazon / B&N

~~~~~

Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.