Oblivion: Ad Infinitum Tenebrae by Jordan G. Farrell opens with a very dark moment; Europa exploding in the most violent event to occur in the solar system in three-and-a-half billion years. “Its tumult was like a bright, second sun suddenly appearing with brilliant, radiant illumination, lighting the world.” There is a reversal in the myth of creation where the light came forth out of the darkness. This time: “Out of the light, came darkness.” In a post-apocalyptic world, with humanity nearly extinct, a powermonger, Cassius Boll, has immersed the three regions of Shangri-La, Kraken Mare, and Xanadu in war. Blieh Amadán Dubh and Manannán mac Lir are survivors of the war and are now on the run through desolate wastelands, rivers, and lakes of Shangri-La. They are headed for a hideout that is unknown to many, but can they find hope and enough fight to restore humanity’s future?

Jordan G. Farrell’s writing is filled with imagery and is for readers who enjoy strong prose and a setting that is vividly captured. The setting itself is designed to reflect the level of conflict. The dystopian themes are skillfully explored and readers encounter characters that are well-developed, natural phenomena that disrupt the balance in nature, and a conflict that takes different forms —existential, political, and environmental. Blieh Amadán Dubh and Manannán mac Lir are amongst my favorite characters and their journey through difficult landscapes reveals a lot about the human spirit, about grit, and the power of hope. Oblivion: Ad Infinitum Tenebrae is well-plotted, skillfully written, and packed with action. A great treat for fans of sci-fi.

Oblivion: Ad Infinitum Tenebrae by Jordan G. Farrell is a dystopian tale where two survivors of the war try to find refuge in a place that might not even exist. When the world collapsed, a twisted dictator called Cassius Boll was hell-bent on enslaving the remaining humans and reigning over everything that still existed. There was no hope for the future and everything was as bleak as Cassius Boll wanted it to be. Of all the people left alive, Manannán mac Lir and Grace Blieh Amadán Dubh were exiled and on the lookout for a place where they could be safe. These two had nothing in common except for their will to live and to find a refuge that was previously thought to be non-existent. They don’t know if that place really exists but they have no other choice if they want to survive. The only thing keeping them sane is their will to live and, of course, taking strength from each other. Will they able to find the sanctuary they so desperately need?

From the moment I started reading this novel, I knew that it was going to be special. It’s a dystopian science fiction novel so I thought it would be very bleak, but it was surprisingly hopeful. The setting is scarily real and describes what could actually happen to us, which made this story even more interesting to me. The author has done a wonderful job of creating a world with vivid details and believable characters. Both Grace and Manannán are two very different people and they were well detailed and developed even from the beginning. They brought a lot to the story individually and as a duo. Their struggles were hard, their need to survive was desperate, but their appreciation for what they learned and discovered made the whole story very hopeful. I had a sense of fulfillment by the time the story ended. The pace was not too slow or too fast, which was perfect for the story. It took its cues from the flow of the story and that made reading this fantastic novel a very different experience. Regardless to say, this was a pleasure to read!