Zarya, Chapter 2! Yes, we are back with this Teen Sci-fi story by Jackiem Joyner, and from what we read on the first book (review here) there are still unfinished business when it comes to Gerik and a faction of the Councill that does not want people to live.
From the experience of the last book we know that Jackiem Joyner will send us a fast paced ride of a story filled with close calls with a main character that doesn’t stop. But before we dive into the book, we have to take some time to say “wow” to the cover of the second chapter of Zarya because it is stunning! Impressive cover artwork.
The second chapter of the series starts exactly where the last one left off, so we are happy about that, because there are still one or two things that we have to see solved. Jackiem Joyner, the author, uses this second chapter to add some new problems to the story. Now we have an issue with an uncontrollable AI that is proving too smart to handle.
The author takes a fast and short approach about these problems, but not to solve them per se, but to open them up.
The Council is one of these problems, and there is quite a bit of attention paid to it. With this we get another set of problems to tackle in the next book and have time to prepare for what’s coming. It isn’t pretty.
Our main characters are going to have to prove their innocence, upon the Council and face their new enemies face-to-face.
As per the narrative, although it stays sharp, there is a change from 3rd to 1st person and then back to the 3rd person. It could just have stayed in the 3rd person.
There is a correlation between Zarya’s skill and the envy for it in the world, and we get it that this might be a part of the story, but Zarya was talented, not skilled per se, because it seems that she was born with these genius gifts.
There are weird interactions between Zarya and her father, that at times seem as if Zarya was superior and more intelligent than him, or that Aaron was flimsy when regarding Zarya, even though Aaron is the father. No authority whatsoever, and this was concerning.
The conflict of power remains strong. Both in the Council and in the leadership of the city, there are still forces bound to destruction and complete control. The villain of the series, will not lay low, nor show compassion when he comes back. His supporters do not waver in their quest to bring a megalomaniac plot to fruition.
The author makes a good point of telling readers how much politics influences and drags the decision making processes in the government and how at times it’s all useless in the grand scheme of things. All because of alliances and special interests, putting the Council in danger. With the enemy faction now ruling the Council, we get to see that there are bigger names than Gerik playing this game. Another hint that we get is that the corruption that we have seen in this and the previous book is a fraction of what’s to come.
This short chapter is a sort of an interlude to solidify and explain a few loose ends left in the previous book, showcase a glimpse of what we are about to see in the next book and set the tone for the series. We get to know that there are many more cities and territories in Cydnus, and there are more civilizations and planets that we will get to know in the next books.
Zarya – Sochi Unleashed, the second part of the Zarya Series is a nice book, that will be a little too rosy for some, but nice. Jackiem Joyner made this short book to certify the curiosity of readers in the next books and by the end of it, he achieved that.
If you haven’t read the first book, do so, as it will be a must read before you grab this one.
Pros:
- Good narrative, and after the shift back to the 3rd person, it was better
- We start to see more sides of Cydnus as a planet
- We get a deeper view of the Council
- It raised mystery and tension for the upcoming book
Cons:
- The description of characters abilities were rushed and seemed hyped
- At times we have the impression that male characters are either dumb or powerless and female characters are perfect, flawless geniuses
Scribble's Worth 
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