recent read; MARROW DUST

MARROW DUST by Steve Van Samson

MARROW DUST is the sequel to THE BONE EATER KING, which was one of my favorite reads last year.

Van Samson weaves an intriguing story from the opening pages. Time has passed since the events of THE BONE EATER KING and, clearly, things have gone very bad. Somewhere, somehow, Re, the heroine of the previous novel, has succumb to the curse of the matsatsaku maza - the vampires of near-future Africa who have laid waste to the world.

But Re fights on to retain herself to execute a mission of revenge. Along the journey through post-apocalyptic Africa, we meet a cast of characters - all well fleshed-out and interesting. The action is pulse pounding, and the reveals and turns keep coming through the very last page. The near-future African setting continues to entice and to fascinate and hums with veracity.

As with THE BONE EATER KING, Van Samson delivers the story in a non-linear fashion that is extremely satisfying. The hooks of the current narrative combined with the puzzle pieces of flashbacks all lock together in step until all is revealed but you've got stay for the entire ride.

And believe me, MARROW DUST is a ride you want to take.

5 out of 5.