David: Savakerrva, Volume One is an epic work of action-packed science fiction penned by author Lawrence Brown and the opening work to a brand new series. In this collection, which contains the first two novels of the David: Savakerrva Series, we first meet our central hero as a boy, when he’s growing up in a group home in East Detroit. These urban streets are all he’s ever known, so when the prospect of being prophesied to lead a totally different life in another, far-flung world rears its head, he doesn’t want to know about it. But destiny is destiny, and soon the boy will discover the incredible heritage and the dangerous creatures that will tempt him into his role as a savior.

One of the most unique things about this solid and well constructed science fiction epic adventure is the original, urban roots of Detroit, and how those street smarts and the qualities of the boy’s upbringing inform his character choices and personality, even when he travels to a totally different world. The narration sweeps across different scenes, with plenty of new characters to meet, and author Lawrence Brown does an excellent job in populating and describing his far-flung fantasy world with the same level of realism as Detroit itself. For an epic-length novel, the work reads pretty quickly, twisting through moments of history and backstory revealed, then back to current threats and exciting moments of action and near-misses with danger. Volumes 1 and 2 blend together well for a really satisfying overall read, but they also leave plenty of room open for future books, and more of the fantasy past to come back and haunt the modern-day future. Overall, David: Savakerrva, Volume One is certain to please science fiction and fantasy fans who enjoy great action sequences, fulfilling worldbuilding and a central character who you can root for right from the start.

David — Savakerrva is the first volume in A New Science Fiction Adventure Series by Lawrence Brown, a coming of age story with strong themes of adventure and fantasy. The narrative begins in Detroit with Ana Redhawk being visited by strange creatures in the night and then finding herself being hunted by characters who want her son marked. She quickly understands that her son doesn’t belong to her world. The boy learns about his destiny and that he belongs to a world far from Detroit. The adventure follows a young protagonist transported from Detroit into a world brimming with war and violence, the world of the Great Ice Clans. Can he be the savior the people of these distant lands have hoped for or will he be crushed in the fray?

I enjoyed this novel from the opening pages. The encounter between Ana and the strange beings creates a strong premise for a compelling conflict, and while I thought that Ana Redhawk would be the main character in the story, it is actually her small boy. The plot is well-designed to keep readers guessing, asking questions and wanting to know where the story leads. The protagonist is a young boy who grew up in Detroit, knowing nothing about the origins of his father and unaware of his roots. The transition from being an ordinary kid to saving “other worlds” is one that is skillfully handled and the vulnerability in the protagonist and his growth are interesting. The prose is beautiful, the themes of family, war, parenting, and adventure are ingeniously written into the story. David — Savakerrva is an exciting entry in a promising series.