Review: Devel Django: A Dark Wave Journey by D.S. Quinton

Seeking the ultimate answers to where we came from and why life exists can set a brilliant foundation for any suspenseful novel, and author D.S. Quinton does just that with Devel Django: A Dark Wave Journey. Brilliantly melding elements of sci-fi futurism with ancient significance, alien life and the evolution of humanity, this book is difficult to put down in a way that will stay with you long after reading.

When a meteor storm strikes in the mountains of Italy, the unfortunately named Dr. Brad Bradley, happens to be in the right place at the right time. As a professor of Astrobiology, these types of astral events are critical to his research. However, his curiosity not only exposes him to a mysterious virus, but also puts him on the radar for others who are interested in the same sorts of otherworldly debris.

Brad is teamed up with Cora on this adventure, who provides an excellent balance to Brad’s personality throughout the novel; he is bold and adventurous, the kind of guy who bravely pushes into the heart of a storm, while Cora is the type to wait behind at base camp and make sure all the equipment is working properly. Her expertise and AI knowledge help to unravel the plot in a major way.

Brad’s exposure to the infection makes him a target for the antagonist of this novel, General Keller, who is determined to solve the mystery of his son’s death, which is intimately linked to Brad’s own experience on the mountain. Thus begins a rather epic chase with mixed motives and missed signals, narrow escapes, and strange revelations. Brad’s grip on reality begins to waver, and the separation between dreams and waking grows thinner, adding excellent tension to the second half of the book. Brilliant storytelling from Quinton weaves a number of disparate plot lines together, culminating in an unexpected ending, while leaving the door open for more books in the series.

The plot is relatively straightforward, but the subject matter is complex and challenging, bouncing between ideas of evolution and human progress, hinting at otherworldly origins, and presenting not-so-farfetched hypotheses on the meaning of life. Wrapping that amount of depth in a compelling and original plot is no easy task, but the characters that Quinton has created keep this book engaging. The line between good and bad definitely blurs over the course of the novel, particularly in its more philosophical moments. These points in the prose also demonstrate the author’s interest in the larger questions of existence, and shows off his delicacy in discussing them.

On the technical side, the writing style is smooth and polished, primarily declarative and plot-progressing, but there are also moments of descriptive flair. Quinton focuses on the physicality of characters more than the scenery in which they are placed, and this strategy gives a sense of authenticity, sucking readers directly into this troubled world. The nature of the writing in the second half also changes, particularly around Brad, which cleverly reflects the infection that everyone in the novel is struggling to understand and overcome. The pace speeds up as the stakes rise, making for a dynamite ending that will leave readers very satisfied – but also hungry for more.

All in all, Devel Django is an intense science-fictional thriller with the ideal balance of metaphysical pontification and tight storytelling.