Defender by G X Todd

Defender by G X Todd
Buy Defender by G X Todd at Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com
Category: Dystopian Fiction
Reviewer: Olivia Tierney
Summary: An outstanding debut, Defender is a brilliant post apocalyptic novel that will haunt your thoughts long after the final page. Thrilling and chilling, G. X Todd’s novel is unputdownable.
Buy? Yes	Borrow? Yes
Pages: 464	Date: January 2017
Publisher: Headline
ISBN: 978-1472233080
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We have all become strangers to each other and, worse still: enemies. The human spirit that once tethered us together has now divided us as surely as any ocean ever could.

Defender describes a post apocalyptic world in the which destructive voices have entered people's minds. In three short weeks, these voices have persuaded people to kill their most loved ones and themselves resulting in significant proportions of the world's population being wiped out. Those who have survived, with voices and voiceless alike, are few and far between.

Among them is Pilgrim, a man who has made every attempt to bury his past, whose inner voice has always been with him and from whom he will never be able to escape. Comfortable with travelling alone through eery dark towns and content to ignore his inner voice, a moment will change his future forever, tying his fate with that of a girl. Persuaded by his inner voice to buy a glass of lemonade from Lacey – a girl desperate to find and be reunited with her older sister – sat at a lemonade stand, will set in motion a chain of devastating events.

Together they will embark on a dangerous path encountering the darkest parts of humanity. And with the world reborn, armies will grow as the struggle for power begins. G X Todd’s first novel in a brand new exciting series is both compelling and imaginative.

What. A. Book. I didn't expect Defender to be so good and it really surprised me. I was intrigued by the concept and I can honestly say I've never read anything quite like Defender before.

G X Todd is exceptional in creating an atmosphere of building tension, with elegant writing which left little to be desired, and pacing, which was very well done with action in every chapter. The book’s beginning is particularly superb in setting the right dark tone for the novel and it's chilling in describing the emptiness of towns. The information surrounding the apocalypse is deliberately left vague and snippets are slowly fed to the reader, making the story a guessing game at times. The story itself is dark and twisted, with on-the-edge-of-your-seat, spine-tingling moments. The concept and the plot also continue to interest and intrigue throughout and the conclusion of the book leaves the reader with the desire for the answers for the questions remaining. The characters' stories, personalities and relationships with other characters all really shine throughout the novel with their development being distinct and fitting. All of the above make Defender a great book containing all the elements required for a dystopian tale.

Highly entertaining, Defender is thought-provoking and paints a disturbing post apocalyptic future. Not for the faint hearted, Defender portrays a vivid picture of the cruelty of humanity and highlights the destructive power of the mind which is a subject which is constantly under acknowledged.

Many thanks to the publishers for providing a copy for review!

In terms of further reading, Black Moon by Kenneth Calhoun is electrifying read. Perfect for those looking to read about a world crumbling.

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You can read more book reviews or buy Defender by G X Todd at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
You can read more book reviews or buy Defender by G X Todd at Amazon.com.

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