Review: Krakenscourge (Voidstalker Book 2) by John Graham

In Krakenscourge, the second installment in author John Graham’s Voidstalker series, readers are brought to an imagined world where humanity has breached the boundaries of the solar system, and found that life is not always interested in playing nice. Digging back into truth of the stranded alien vessel that had been savagely attacked in the previous novel, Gabriel discovers that there was a far more sinister reason behind the brutal assault, and an even greater evil lurking in the background of this expansive and enthralling future.

As in the first book of the series, Gabriel Thorn continues to dominate the plot with an overwhelming loyalty to his family and superhuman bravery in the face of terrible odds. Finding himself once again at the center of a conspiracy, Gabriel is sent into even deeper reaches of space, back to the terrifying void where the previous book’s events unfolded. This time around, he is more wary and far more suspicious of everyone’s motives, yet he understands the risks he must take to protect his family, some of whom are beginning to show their own signs of genetic enhancement.

Gabriel may be a human with unnatural abilities, but he is also the most relatable character in the book, wrestling with his own demons even as he fights to save humanity. At certain moments of the plot, it feels as though the fate of the entire species weighs on his decisions, and the author does a good job of showing the emotional and physical toll on this deeply human character.

The most compelling part of this novel, aside from the space battle scenes readers can practically taste, is the depth of detail that has gone into the world-building. From advanced genetic engineering concepts and the creative construction of other alien races with their own detailed histories to futuristic space-travel technology and deep-seated military knowledge/expertise, this book is both well-researched and believable, despite the genre. This is the type of prophetic storytelling that makes so many sci-fi readers fall in love with the genre again and again.

There are also enough allegorical moments within the plot to draw parallels to humanity’s present path in the world, always a good “big picture” addition to an adventure series of this caliber. The setting may be in the future, but the problems humans face today are not that dissimilar to the struggles being faced by these magnificently crafted characters. The struggle between good and evil occurs in countless forms, and heroes like Gabriel Thorn and his family arise when survival demands it.

Technically speaking, the book is well-edited with very few errors, although there are some passages, including a handful of the action scenes, that become slightly repetitive in terms of syntax and dynamic descriptions. Any critiques of that nature can be forgiven, however, as Graham has paced out the novel perfectly, keeping readers savagely hooked from start to finish.

The draftsmanship that goes into a novel of this depth and cleverness is a thing of beauty for any sci-fi fan, and loyal readers of John Graham will surely be hungry for the third piece of the Voidstalker puzzle.