STARRED Book Review: The Call of Abaddon

Reviewed by Timothy Thomas

A post-apocalyptic thrill ride of galactic proportions

A mysterious obelisk linked to the spread of a deadly cybernetic disease. A psychically empowered emperor waging war across the galaxy and slaughtering anyone with a hint of the plague. A trio of escapees from the research facility where the artifact was studied.

The Call of Abaddon is a straight-up page-turner. With layers upon layers of characters, backstory, and worldbuilding that culminate in a satisfying conclusion, this science fiction novel from the mind of Colin Searle is a welcome addition to the genre.

The Earth has been rendered largely uninhabitable due to a toxic biosphere, which is the unavoidable consequence of the Confederacy emptying their thermonuclear stockpile to stop the Abaddon Obelisk’s prior attempt at Ascension. Now, eight years after the United Earth Federation (UEF) Science Institute lost three of its test subjects, who were critical to controlling the artifact, Abaddon is preparing for another planetary-scale Ascension event.

Jason (aka Subject 107), who has previously only ever heard the voices of Abaddon in his dreams, has now begun hearing them while awake, with the psychoactive drug Osmium being his only relief. But when a routine salvage run turns disastrous, revealing Jason’s vulnerability to Abaddon’s reach, he, David (his brother), and Sam (a fellow escapee) determine the only way to sever the connection is to return to the Science Institute and find Abaddon themselves.

Elsewhere in the solar system, Anne Oakfield is preparing a rescue of her brother, Zeke, as part of a larger plan to kill Emperor Mariko. The Federation has surrendered to the emperor, bringing him and his warships to Earth for him to take over as sovereign ruler, creating the perfect opportunity for Zeke’s forces to take him down. Can Mariko be stopped or will all humankind fall to Abaddon’s devastation?

The Call of Abaddon excels in its worldbuilding, creating memorable and realistic settings within which the story can take place. It is a densely layered narrative environment, wherein the Solar War and the toxic biosphere contribute complexity and depth to a larger-than-life narrative. These layers of lore are not merely throwaway background elements but instead make their impact known throughout the story.

For example, in this version of a future where many people have chosen to augment themselves with cybernetic enhancements, the Nanophage (the cybernetic disease) not only impacts inanimate things but infects people too. Emperor Mariko’s goal to destroy the Nanophage wherever it is found therefore results in genocides and mass murders wherever he goes.

While it would be easy to allow these layers to fall by the wayside, the book does a great job of keeping them integrated and positioned front and center for the reader. Beneath the canopy of worldbuilding and lore sits themes of identity, redemption, and purpose. The broken people of the world must expose the truth to free themselves from the bondage of fear and the shame of the past. Rather than offering definitive conclusions on these topics, the story intentionally presents its characters in the process of discovery.

The Call of Abaddon is perfectly at home among the post-apocalyptic science fiction genre. It’s got great potential as a series, but it’s also a gem all on its own.

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