Ship's Boy (The David Birkenhead Series Book 1): A Review

I was given a copy of Ship's Boy (The David Birkenhead Series Book 1) some years ago at a convention as a giveaway and it sat on my shelf for quite awhile until I picked it up and started reading about a future where worlds are ruled by a strict social order and united in a loose federation that can be tricky and sometimes dangerous. I picked the book up not expecting much and put it down surprisingly delighted and entertained.

There are those who will simply ignore the book because the protagonist is a genetically-engineered rabbit who is born into slavery and begins the journey to hero, but author Phil Geusz demonstrates he is a master at world-building and character development. The military aspects of the story are fascinating and described in such a way that the action is not paused for an info dump. The pace is exhilarating and the story keeps your interest. The political aspects are complex, but do not bog down the story. Bottom line: this is good stuff.

If this novella is a sample of what is to come, Geusz has written a series well worth pursuing.

The first book in the series is free and readers in the United States can download it here. For my readers in other countries, a quick search in your country's Amazon should be able to link you up quickly.


Personal note: On August 5, 2010, I started tracking the books I read. Ship's Boy (The David Birkenhead Series Book 1) is #216.