Review: Cold Solar by Anthony C. Robinson

There is always an envelope to be pushed in the realm of sci-fi, and in Cold Solar, author Anthony C. Robinson smashes together unlikely companions in an incredibly creative setting, delivering a memorable and violent romp through a terrifying future. The complex premise and deeply interwoven characters, combined with Robinson’s unpredictable plot lines, makes for a genre-defying novel that reads fast and feverish.

In this visionary future, the dominant corporation that essentially rules Earth is rapidly flying towards a conflict with their oppressed colonies on Mars. While a Mars-Earth battle plot is not unique in the genre, this story is undeniably carried by its eccentric characters, primarily a motley crew of four would-be heroes. Their evolving dynamic is carefully maintained and guided from start to finish, resulting in believable and engaging characters that readers will laugh at, cry over, and genuinely fear for.

Robinson also manages to say a lot with little, so there aren’t excessively expository sections outlining the shape of this fictional future. Small hints and setting details reveal more and more of the history of the Martian conflict, the dirty dealings of the corporation, and the past experiences of the main characters, Low, Vlad, Bowen and Joanna. Using everything from dialogue to action scenes to flesh out the context of the story is a great trick, and this author has that skill in spades.

The battle scenes are also refreshingly unique for sci-fi lovers, as low-tech weapons like longswords are not the common choice when lasers and EMP pulses are available. For fantasy fans, this book satisfies the classic questing angle in addition to the unique weaponry, but those who are hooked on thrillers and suspense novels will also enjoy the depths of conspiracy and entanglement that Robinson weaves through the narrative.

The premise is also so specific that there isn’t an immediate parallel to our present situation on Earth, so it functions as an escapist novel, but there are certain moments, conversations and characters that function as small symbolic nods to present-day strife. Great authors, particularly when writing science fiction, find a clever way to deliver a powerful message while also constructing a brilliant plot, and that is certainly achieved here.

Unfortunately, the technical prowess in the novel was lacking at times, specifically in terms of sentence complexity, vocabulary use, and direct narration, rather than aesthetic or imagery-rich writing. Granted, not all authors need to use flowery prose to express a great story, but some of the scene descriptions fell flat, and countless moments for character development were missed by choosing hackneyed or simple descriptions. This mars the reading experience on the whole, which doesn’t always make up for Robinson’s prowess with plotting, though the story does propel the novel along at a quick pace.

Despite those critiques, the scenario that Robinson has constructed in this series could provide fodder for many more installments, and the characters that make it to the end are simply too good not to use again as this world continues to unfold.