The Trials of Koli

Rampart Trilogy #2

by M.R. Carey

Koli is looking for lost London. In a world where a journey of two miles is an odyssey, he's going to walk two hundred.
Spinner just wants peace and safety, but when her village of Mythen Rood is shaken by plague and violence she chooses a different path.
Ursala from Elsewhere needs to repair her medical kit, which means following the ancient signal to something called the 'Sword of Albion'.
The Peacemaker believes that all tech is his by right - including Koli's, Ursala's and Mythen Rood's precious, dwindling store. Now he's reaching out to claim his property, and Ingland is facing something it hasn't seen in three centuries. War.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Fiction, Post Apocalyptic, Dystopia, Audiobook, Young Adult

496 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 15, 2020

About the author

Mike Carey is the acclaimed writer of Lucifer and Hellblazer (now filmed as Constantine). He has recently completed a comics adaptation of Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere, and is the current writer on Marvel's X-Men and Ultimate Fantastic Four. He has also written the screenplay for a movie, Frost Flowers, which is soon to be produced by Hadaly Films and Bluestar Pictures.

Also writes as Mike Carey

Reviews

[Nataliya · Rating 2 out of 5]

“Keeping people stupid is a good way of controlling them, but it’s a tough trick to pull off.”

Well, I don’t know. It seems to have worked just fine for Koli.

Yeah, I know I’m being mean but I just can’t help it. The books where you can’t stand the protagonist are just not that much fun. And Koli got on my nerves way too much. At least there was a second narrator to make it more bearable - but it still couldn’t save the book for me. I blame Koli.

Let’s quickly recap. We are a few generations after the Unfinished War led to disintegration of civilization and huge population decline. Now there are medieval-ish pocket communities where some old tech still survives, and the surrounding landscape prevents effective travel and communication because of carnivorous trees and mutant animals. Our Koli is a 15-16 year-old from a small village of Mythen Rood in a place once known as “Ingland” (the future version of present-day Mytholmroyd in West Yorkshire, England). In the last book Koli steals a still working music player and befriends its AI Monono Aware, which eventually upgrades itself and becomes quite self-aware and self-learning. But for this he gets kicked out of his village as his “affinity” for tech threatens to disturb the village status quo in which one family through cheating has convinced everyone that only they have special powers that can awaken old tech.

And now our Koli, armed with his AI Monono and in the company of healer Ursala and her “drudge” (a machine that doubles up as a defense unit and as an operating suite), as well as a murderous teenager Cup they picked up along the way is headed towards London, the source of a strange signal from mysterious “Sword of Albion”. Ursala wants tech. Koli wants to enhance the “gene pull” since depopulation is a huge issue. Monono wants to protect Koli and take over Ursala’s drudge. Cup just wants to kill them all. The road to London takes them through the remnants of Birmingham and to a small fishing village on the shores of what used to be the Thames Valley. All while Koli’s former love interest Spinner becomes our viewpoint into the happenings in Mythen Rood after Koli leaves the village.

And oh dear, is Koli annoying or what? In the last book he was notably childish and very sheltered despite being at the age of full adulthood in a harsh society. He was remarkably naive and tended to act like what one would expect from a present-day young sheltered adolescent. However, given that his world gets shaken up quite a bit by everything that happened to him, I had high hopes that we will see him mature and develop.

Yeah, that didn’t happen.

He’s still like an overgrown child, blissfully traipsing through life in the haze of naïveté and innocence, allowing other more resourceful people to do pretty awesome things while his value lies in the allegiance his AI has to his bumbling self and happy moments of innocence that end up being important eventually as His Oafness blissfully stumbles upon the important plot points by the virtue of being our protagonist. Spinner, who has the same upbringing and is of the same age is infinitely more grown up and smart and curious, taking out even my idea of Koli’s immaturity being a result of a relatively sheltered upbringing in a tiny backwards village. Nope, his mediocre happy content stupidity is all his own.

Koli is still easily tricked and fooled, acting appropriate for about 10-12 years old. I wonder if maybe he was meant to be a preteen and aged up in order to get a wider audience, perhaps? His immaturity and naïveté gets further highlighted by contrast with Cup who is a few years younger and yet is tougher, smarter and more suited for the harsh environment than Koli. Whereas all Koli has is crazy luck with the finding of AI who can do all the thinking for him. Who needs brains when you can have Monono, the now super-enhanced AI from DreamSleeve music player?

Koli is clearly meant to be the conscience of the entire enterprise, presented as extra-kind and tenderhearted and self-sacrificing, clearly meant to appeal to our present-day sensibilities. But it’s taken a bit too far to make it believable. Seriously, no “gene-pull” concerns should be enough to mourn the pointless deaths of a bunch of hostile soldiers who just tortured him and almost killed all his companions. That’s not saintly, that’s just plain stupid.

And to add to it all, he is painfully incurious and content with maintaining his ignorance while happily listening to Monono’s selection of tunes. He is illiterate and does manage eventually to learn the letters, but easily and blissfully gives up on learning when Cup ends up picking up things faster than he does. But again, why would he bother to try to learn when he can just have is AI feed him the necessary info? Ugh.

“I was left behind soon enough, and dropped out of the race. I couldn’t see no point to it in the first place. Nobody in Mythen Rood knowed these things, and we did well enough.”

Spinner’s sections back in Koli’s old village, however, are less annoying and more interesting. They have better worldbuilding than Koli’s sections, although overall everything still remains quite vague, even with only one book now left in the trilogy. But even with a bit of gravity that Spinner’s sections provide, the overall tone is very light and breezy. It’s hard to believe that Koli and Co are ever in real danger. It’s easy to predict that yes, Ursala will be able to heal a dying boy. Yes, we can also synthesize any medications that are needed, basically at the drop of the hat, taking the threat out of most situations - be it the enzymes that protect from choker seeds or Cup’s puberty blockers. It’s all a bit toothless and naive and I’m disappointed.

Alright, enough ranting. It was an easy book to read, despite me not enjoying it much. I will finish the trilogy when the final book comes out, mostly for completion sake. And who knows, maybe it will manage to pleasantly surprise me?

Thanks to Koli Flash Read group for the read - reading is more fun with friends, always.

2 stars is the verdict. Apparently an unpopular opinion, but so it goes.
—————
My review of the first book in the series, The Book of Koli, is here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[carol. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Despite often viewing reading as a solitary experience, sometimes friends are where it's at. A flash book-group got me through the first Koli book, and a buddy read with Nataliya was my impetus and reason for the second. The first half of The Trials of Koli was a lackluster experience, and without my buddy, I might have let it languish. Fortunately, two aspects redeemed it: Spinner's storyline and the events in the later half of Koli's story.

I've said before in a first person narrative, you have to either like the character, or at least find them very interesting. Koli's perspective was frustratingly, determinedly innocent, but not with joy or with informed hope, but rather the clueless innocence of a child wanting some magic thing to happen and make it all better. At the end of the second book, I now suspect that viewpoint was more because Carey needed it to be. For instance, despite knowing about 'shunned men' who eat people, his experience with his own village casting him out, and his experience with the religious sect (all in the first book), he continues to approach villages without a modicum of caution and to look upon their motives without suspicion. While Cup seeks to learn and grow, Koli thinks, 'what's the point? No one in my village knows this anyway.' It makes for a character that is hard to both like and to maintain interest, as his reaction to the world is so one-note.

Thankfully, this book followed a dual plotline, one with Koli and his band on the journey to Londun, and one with Spinner in the village. She has a more mature outlook, and one that I think is in line with the world-building. She's agreeable and doesn't seek to escalate conflict; in fact, she works to diffuse it, which I think would be extremely necessary in a small, inter-connected group (spoiler for her life change) for instance, once the grandfather Remnent --memory of the name--comes to her with the problem of the virus and she starts working with him, she does seek to assuage the worries of the other people in the household who come and get her, and work to keep them friendly 

Spinner's chapters reinforce this feeling, because she sounds a bit more calculating and understanding about the economic and political structure of the village. When she marries, she tries to develop her relationship with the Ramparts. Koli is just clueless, and wants everyone to stay alive in this very harsh world where almost no one can.

It eventually became a more balanced and interesting book for me because of Spinner, and somewhat because of Cup, who indirectly showed more interesting thinking than Koli. Cup is a transgender pre-teen that joined with them at the end of the last group, and ends up going through some interesting changes. Granted, these are through Koli's perspective, but I found this to be one of the more interesting interactions Koli has.

Notes on the writing: Carey is a decent writer who uses language well. However, this is a world that is many years post-fall of civilization, so while some concepts and place names remain, they are somewhat adulterated. The people also talk in a dialect that sounds vaguely uneducated with improper tenses and grammar. Koli's internal voice is consistent with this as well, although Spinner's was less so. I got used to it, but I'm not overly fussy about such things.

Ultimately, I remain a bit ambivalent about the series. While I wouldn't say it's poorly written, I'm not sure it's actually interesting. Koli himself is too young and naive of a character to hold my interest, but as I'm starting to feel like that's authorial intention, I dislike being manipulated even more. For those who like the details of a journey--something I enjoyed a great deal when I was younger--I'm still not sure it will satisfy, as a great deal of the day-to-day in traveling is glossed over through the work of the drudge or dismissed with the ever present cloud cover (how convenient!) Will I go on to the next? It probably depends on Nataliya and the flash group. :D

A solid three stars because of the flash group and Nataliya :)

[karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

this second book, published just five months after The Book of Koli, is even better than the first, and feels much much bigger, even though it is only slightly longer in actual page count. part of it is the splitting of the story between koli and spinner this time, circling back to show, through spinner’s eyes, what happened after koli left his village (no spoilers), while continuing to move koli and his traveling companions forward on their adventures, exposing him to more of the world beyond his heretofore limited experience.

this book widens the scope of what we’ve seen so far, and broadens the part we’ve already seen with a different perspective; fleshing out koli’s village and its social structure with details that would have been kept from him.

none of the specifics of what happen will make sense to anyone who hasn’t read the first book, so i’ll avoid any of that and do more of a big-picture take on the series so far. i love the worldbuilding, and the fact that it’s an aftermath sitch taking a number of factors into account. the changes to nature, to society, to language, how the postcollapse dangers aren’t just the affected plants and animals, but the diminishing human gene pool, the lack of medical care, and, i suppose, also the cannibals. the bottom line is that these climate-changing, world-breaking problems are the result of humans doing bad things, and those explanatory/accusatory parts are a little heavy-handed and preachy to the choir that is me, but i do appreciate that some of the remaining technology in this world is a little beyond what we have now, so i take comfort in the suggestion that our collective doom, which will certainly come soon, is not quite here yet.

between the first-person POV and the fact that both spinner and koli are telling their stories looking back from some point in the future, there’s less tension in the ‘will they survive?’ category, but we can still worry about the fates of all of the secondary characters, whether or not they are flesh-and-blood, and carey’s done a great job developing them into complex characters you feel for and want to see stick around for the duration of the trilogy.

i am enjoying this series mightily, and am grateful that they are coming out with only a few months in-between them (part three, The Fall of Koli is scheduled to be published six months from now, in march 2021), so i won’t forget the details with my these-days-addled mind.

i’m ending this with an excellent quote that applies to this book, all books, and Life Itself:

There ought to be a rule in the telling of stories, my husband complained to me once, after I had brought him some dismay with a sad one. You ought to say before you start whether things will be brought in the end to a good or a bad case. That way them that are listening can gird themselves up somewhat, and be ready when the ending comes.

I told him I was sorry for the hurt to his heart and promised to give him fair warning next time. But I thought more thereafter, and in the end I came to this thinking on the subject. There can’t be any rules in the telling of stories. They’ve got to go where they go, which is not always where you would want them to. And as to the happiness or the sadness of it, that depends on where you’re standing. A happiness for one is sometimes a sadness to another. Or it might only be a happiness when you squint one eye. Or you might not know, even after it’s all done, whether it came out well or badly.

*************************************

in the future, nature gets a little weird.



come to my blog!

[Bradley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think it needs to be said: trilogies need to come back.

Certain stories require more page space. This second book continues The Book of Koli in a wonderful way. A sympathetic character in Koli is given a lot more dimension by other PoVs, but what really makes this shine is all the time and other character development out in the wide world of Ingland. :)

I'm not entirely certain how far in the future this Earth is, but all the remnants of high-tech weaponry and quasi-AI and massively altered plant and animal life make this a RICH setting to tell a big post-apocalyptic world. And that's just the first book.

This one quite naturally widens our scope and we see how several other sides live in this twilight of humanity.

I should mention that the text is mostly written by Koli who is "creatively literate" and maybe not surprisingly, there is plenty of evidence of language drift.

How cool is that? Most authors don't bother, but the evidence for some deep worldbuilding is everywhere in these. Just what happened in the Unfinished War? So many things combined to spell out our slow demise.

By just getting out on their own, fighting to live another day, I'm really invested in the story. I had a very good time.

That being said, this IS the second book. It doesn't stand on its own. But then, it does follow a very old tradition and I really don't mind it at all. We could have had one HUGE book with all three combined or we could them as they are split up here. To me, it's all one big story and I'm rocking to it. :)

[Baba · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rampant book No.2. A book kindly given to me in exchange for a fair review from an agent at Orbit books. Koli now persona non-grata from his home; Monomo a self-realised piece of Japanese tech whose personality was originally copied from a vacuous celebrity; Ursula a loner one-woman tornado of pro-truth, pro-science and wanting to save the world; Cup, a trans female warrior looking to get more out of life, now she's left a cannibal cult...

IKR! Carey's reality building and characterisations kick-ass so much, it feels like to the detriment of the story itself? There's lots of appeal with his 2 narrators recounting their tales in the past, from the future. This second book feels like it drags on for far too long - from me it's a 7 out of 12... although as things sped up towards the end, I am now very much looking forward to the final part... 'The Fall of Koli', a title that has me like...

Available in stores, and online, from Thursday 17 September 2020 :)

[Jenna ❤ ❀ ❤ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Koli.
I love Monono Aware.
I love Cup.
I love Spinner.
I love tech.

I freaking love this series!

[Nicholas Perez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Taking place just after the events of The Book of Koli, The Trials of Koli continues Koli's journey across post-apocalyptic England and his companions the skeptical Ursala, the wild girl Cup, and the AI Monono Aware. Additionally, the perspective of Spinner is introduced and we see how Mythen Rood fares in the wake of Koli's departure. Both Koli and Spinner encounter life-threatening ordeals and learn more and more about the secrets of their worlds. As those secrets are unveiled, we too learn about what has happened to the world.

I cam into this hesitantly because my friends were all conflicted over it. While there are things definitely worth a critique, I have to say that I did enjoy this sequel. It didn't knocked too many things out of the park, but there was plenty of developments and revelations that kept me interested.

I think Spinner's perspective is the strongest here. Spinner's thoughts seem to be a bit more, I'm not sure what the proper word is, mature than Koli's? Like him, she still is ignorant about some things and comes to be less ignorant. Perhaps less naïve is the proper term (I don't know the exact word). Regardless, Spinner is focused on her marriage with Jon, learning about the leadership of the Ramparts, and trying to cure a mysterious sickness sweeping Mythen Rood along with keeping Half-Ax opposition at bay. She's got her work cut out for her. Spinner is a very human perspective; she has her flaws and stumbles that she has to learn from, but her accomplishments are so well earned. I'm not sure why M.R. Carey didn't include her perspective in the first book. Though one thing that did intrigued me about her is how come she didn't speak or write in the broken English way that Koli did? They're both from Mythen Rood, and granted both of their viewpoints are technically recollections of things already past. Did something happen to either one or both of them that affected their speech and writing?

Anyway, what I enjoyed the most about Spinner's perspective is learn about the old tech and how Mythen Rood deals with things after Koli's leaving. Some of Koli's actions in the world outside the village either directly or indirectly came back onto Spinner and everyone else. What Spinner does at the end during the skirmish between her, Catrin, and the other Mythen Rood fighters against the Half-Ax fighters is incredibly awesome.

Koli's perspective is still interesting. We get to see more of England, see other peoples and villages, and learn and see more about those deadly sentient trees. Seriously, when we finally get the nitty-gritty of how they came to be and what they do, it is both interesting and creepy. It is through Koli's eyes that we also learn more about Ursala, Cup, and Monono. Cup is the most interesting and, in my opinion, the most developed in this book of Koli's companions. Cup is a trans girl who fled from Half-Ax and was apart of a cult that Koli encountered in the previous book. She is a wild girl whom Ursala does not trust and whom Koli feels sorry for and comes to befriend. Cup presents herself as strong and edgy, but throughout the course of the book she reveals a slight more tender side to her.

However, with Cup there's something I must address. As I said, she is trans and is being written by a cis writer. I am not trans myself, so I do not have to full transgender perspective to say whether she's a good representation of a trans character, but I will provide what I have seen. It is mentioned that Cup's identity was not accepted back in Half-Ax, one of the reasons she fled. In this book, Cup does not face any transphobia, although at some points Koli is worried that she might when they enter a new village called Many Fishes which has a different spiritual system than what either Koli or Cup have experienced. That worry is assuaged when Many Fishes' spirituality is said to be accommodating to trans people. Cup is never misgendered in this book, although she was threatened to be in the previous book. At one point, Monono and Koli suggest that Cup get some sort of gender reassignment therapy and the three of them petition Ursala and her diagnostic machine to do so. Ursala is hesitant because of how young Cup is and she even slightly implies that Cup might change her mind later. Koli and Monono strengthened their support for Cup and say that she's always known and Cup is able to get hormone blockers.

I am a little conflicted about this. For one, Cup never suffers for her trans identity and it was prudent of Carey to consider gender reassignment issues in the post-apocalyptic world as it rarely is discussed. However, Ursala's reaction has me a bit miffed. Throughout the book, Ursala and Cup have butted heads; the former being an objectivist atheist, the later believing in divine and spiritual beings and powers and, while not rejecting science totally, also wholeheartedly believing that Dandrake is control of everything. Was Ursala's reaction just a knee-jerk reaction to Cup in general or did she actually feel some sort of discomfort to transitioning? I'm not sure. So, I cannot say whether Cup is good trans rep or not, but I am glad that she is not suffering for the sake of proving a point.

Ursala, while almost always being right, isn't without her flaws either. Sometimes she's so focused on her objectivism that she falls to see a bigger picture and sometimes unnecessarily scorns people whether it's Koli, Cup, or the people of Many Fishes. We don't learn as much about her as we do Cup and Monono, but she still is an important player.

Koli learns more about Monono and what she can do as an overly sentient AI and who the girl she was modeled on. Monono is become more and more, well, aware. That's something that fascinates Koli but terrifies Ursala. Although I fear that in the next and final book that Monono may go rogue (just a guess) I am genuinely in awe how much her awareness is making her more and more human. I have to say, that the virtual reality scene with her and Koli in Tokyo did tug at my heartstrings.

Now, if you've read this far, you'll notice that I've told you about mostly everyone else but not much about our titular protagonist. And that's where some of my criticisms lay. It's absolutely great that we get Spinner's perspective and all the other characters get development, but when your title character is a bit static then that means you slipped up on the assignment. Koli isn't totally passive, he is still doing things and is reacting to things both mentally and physically and emotionally. But his voice feels so distant in this book except for a few parts. Don't get me wrong, the prose in his perspective is still unique and poignant, but he just feels static and distant. Koli is still as he was in the first book, a naïve boy who still wants (and needs) to grow up and who cares for others. He learns things through the developments of his companions, but he himself doesn't grow from it. He learns to cherish his companions, but his character doesn't change much.

I am hoping Koli's development changes radically in the next and final book. This isn't a bad sequel, but it's not a great one either. And so much more is shown the world. Seriously, the descriptions of the creatures are absolutely wild and terrifying. I hope to see more in the final book.

4/5 stars.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Trials of Koli picks up where The Book of Koli left off. Koli and Ursala and Cup are heading to London and chasing the signal of The Sword of Albion. Meanwhile, we are also treated to Spinner’s POV, and following her journey in the present timeline.

This book seemed to have more action in it than the first one, but even without the action I was hanging on every word. If you liked the characters the first time around, they’ll hook their claws in you in book two and not let you go. Ursala and Monono seem to take a step back. They are still there and active in the story, but the reader is given more insight into Spinner and Cup and it’s impossible not to care about them.

Carey builds upon the world he’s made here- giving us glimpses of how other villages live, of other tech that exists, of belief systems, ruins of the old world and defenses used, etc. Where I felt unsure about how dangerous the world really was in book one and wanted to see more of it- the danger is full blown here. I was left wondering how anyone at all is left alive. (In other words- were I a character in this book, I doubt very much I’d have lived past page one…)

The writing style is still very much the same (stream of consciousness-Tom Sawyer/Huck Finn style). Personally I love it and think it helps bring the characters to life but I know for some that was a sticking point.

Anyway- I don’t want to spoil anything, I just came to say that while The Book of Koli is outstanding, somehow The Trials of Koli is even better. I can’t wait to get my hands on book three!

Thank you to Orbit Books and NetGalley for the review copy!

This review was originally published on Hamlets & Hyperspace.

[Gabi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a soft spot in my heart for stories told in a far away de-technologized future where characters and readers have to slowly find out what happened to humankind and civilization, and I have a soft spot in my heart for the narrative structure where a story is told as reminiscence of a far older, more knowing character and thus interspersed with foreboding and self-reflection. The Rampart Trilogy snuggles comfortably in both of those spaces and fills my reader's heart with joy.

This second book is at least as good as the first one. The characters that were introduced in book one come together and some of them form a kind of family deeper than blood ties which is wonderfully to witness. Especially the dynamic between elderly loner Ursala and trans girl Cup hits all the right marks. But also the bantering between Ursala and Monono was lovingly portrayed. Those three together with Koli are such a diverse and interesting group of ... well ... beings. Carey skillfully brought them to life and into my heart.

In this second part we get another POV, that of Spinner, the young wife of a Rampart and childhood friend of Koli's from book 1. Her narration lets us witness the happenings back in Koli's small village, while Koli himself sets out on his journey to find London and the source of the signal of the Sword of Albion. Both storylines completely captured my attention with a successful mix of action, mystery and character play.

"The Trials of Koli" is the middle book of a trilogy and as such without beginning and without end, but fortunately part 3 is already announced for a March release - and I can't wait! Most of all I want to know what happened to all the printed material. A small comment from Monono had me guessing the whole reading long.

[Jonas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not usually a fan of trilogies, but wow, did this series change my opinion. This is book 2 in the Rampart Trilogy and it was full of surprises and unexpected turns. Most second books in a series are a 3 star read, a bridge between book 1 and 3, and sometimes drawn out (filler). NOT the case with The Trials of Koli. I loved so much about this book. It reminded me of watching Empire Strikes Back where the second installment was stronger than the first.

Many of the secondary characters in book 1 are flushed out and more fully developed. We get to see new dimensions to the transgender character, Cup, and get a deeper insight into Ursula. The author does an impressive job incorporating and addressing the realities, struggles, and prejudice against transgender people. This is not what I would call a transgender story, but a dystopian future story with a transgender character.

What I loved most about this story is the relationships and how the author introduces them. Spinner, former love interest of Koli and at the time someone I considered a minor secondary character, becomes an alternate narrator in book 2. WOW! What a character. Not only do we get inside of her head (and heart), but the reader also keeps up with the current situation in Koli's hometown. The battles! The new tech! New monsters! Questions answered and new questions posed! What more could you want from book 2 in a trilogy! I cannot recommend this book (and series) enough for lovers of sci-fi and dystopian stories.

[Holly (The GrimDragon) · Rating 5 out of 5]

“My name is Spinner. Spinner Vennastin. I am of Mythen Rood. On testing day, that fact is spelled out as plain as plain can be. Woman of Mythen Rood you are and shall be, under what name you choose. Maybe that means less now than it used to. Maybe, to you, it means nothing at all. Well, that’s no sin, and nothing to say sorry for, but it’s the main reason why I’m telling this. I am not ready yet to let our story be nothing. I don’t agree to it, I lived through great things and terrible things, and played a part in both. I will tell them to you exactly as I remember them. That might make me loom larger in the telling than I have any lease or leave for. I can’t help it. You’re free to listen to what others have to say on the matter.”

The Trials of Koli is the second installment in M.R. Carey’s post-apocalyptic Rampart trilogy. Having read & enjoyed The Book of Koli earlier this year, I was looking forward to picking back up with Koli, Monono, Cup & Ursala along their adventure.

Before I go any further, insert my usual spiel about how difficult it is reviewing a sequel without inevitably spoiling *something*.

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

Set in a dystopian future where the world has been ravaged due to the catastrophic Unfinished War & complications with climate change, this sequel focuses on the traveling group immediately following the first book, after Koli had been exiled from his village & stripped of his name. Joining him on this journey to the hopeful city of London is Ursala-from-Elsewhere, a healer & scientist of sorts; Cup, a transgender girl rescued from the shunned men of Calder Valley; and Monono Aware, an advanced AI inside the DreamSleeve, which is a piece of tech similar to an iPad.

Koli is following a mysterious signal identified as the Sword of Albion, in the desire for something more. Along the way, they encounter various people & situations. The majority of The Trials of Koli takes place in a small community by the sea called Many Fishes. Here, Koli & Crew™ find a different reality – peace.

Meanwhile, back in Mythen Rood, we are introduced to a second POV. Spinner is Koli’s friend & first love. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I actually dug these sections of the book, getting a chance to see what was happening to the people that Koli left behind & how their lives were impacted. Spinner marries Haijon, a Rampart heir. She wants to protect the village, but the only way she can goes against everything she fights for.

“But judge me how you like. You will see, at any rate, how it came out for me. Though we chop and bend and turn it as much as ever we can, life is no tale of princes and fairies.”

Killer trees & mole-snakes & Half-Ax fighters & FUCKING SEA BEARS!! The Trials of Koli is a delightful evolution of storytelling, growing the characters & broadening the worldbuilding within this sequel. Branching out past Mythen Rood, Carey brilliantly expands upon an already absorbing world. It’s oddly captivating!

I truly enjoy reading about these people. Cup is a mighty little character, one that brings quite a lot to the story, and I just bloody adore her! And of course, the glorious MONONO AWARE! For sure one of my favorite AI’s ever!

I could go on & on about the characters, because I just think they are so entertaining to read. The Rampart trilogy would make for a badass Netflix series! I’m thinking along the lines of The 100, but better. What say you?

The Rampart Trilogy more than has my attention & I am thoroughly invested. Really looking forward to seeing how the series wraps up.. although from the title, I’m assuming there will be heartache. Oof.

CW: Some transphobic scenes, violence, post-apocalyptic stuff & things that may affect you more during a real-life global pandemic such as the one we are currently facing.

(Big thanks to Orbit Books for sending me a copy!)

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Carey's "The Trials of Koli" is the second book in the Rampart trilogy and continues the story of Koli's world, a post-apocolyptic England where people live in small isolated villages not knowing much of what transpires even in the next town.

Some things of note if you haven't read the first book in the trilogy are that technology has all but disappeared, but what technology remains is worshiped and revered and practically drooled over. Forget the idea that the batteries ever run down. That would interfere with the storyline. Suffice it say, pieces of tech are prized in that world as they are today, but more so. In Koli's village, only a few are allowed to wield the laser beam cutter or the database or the flamethrower and only after testing as a teenager. Koli, however, has been exiled and does not return to his village at all in this book.

The format of "The Trials of Koli" consists of alternating sections of several chapters between Koli's colloquial Huck Finn voice and that of his childhood crush, Spinner, who does not write in such a colloquial fashion at all. This switching back and forth between narrative voices is highly succcessful as Spinner tells us from her point of view why she chose another over Koli and what went on back at home after Koli left. Ultimately, she too grapples with her relationship with technology. Her story is fascinating and could have been an entire book to itself.

Meanwhile, Koli is off on the journey to London with his odd assortment of companions. This includes an older woman, Ursala, who seems to be highly educated and knows pretty much everything. Also, she has a giant machine, the Drudge, which can do damn near anything if it is within range. Again, suspend belief a little and let the story carry along. The other animate companion is a young girl (although eventually we find it's a "girl" with boy parts, but that is not a major part of the story), Cup, who is initially a prisoner who cannot be trusted, but later becomes a full companion. The final member of Koli's party is Monomo, a music player with a personality and an artificial intelligence who talks with the voice of a Tokyo teenybopper and seems to be able to access the internet or what's left of it.

We also find out why the trees and plants are mobile and hostile as it turns out the pre-apocolyptic people genetically engineered the animals and plants and came up with mutations they scarcely could have imagined. The world of England (or Ingland) as they call it is fascinating and each new town the group finds gives us readers more adventures as is often the case in these type of novels.

All in all, the storytelling ability of the author is so strong that one can easily overlook the inconsistencies in tech that never runs out of juice and such and enjoy a really really well-told story.

[Allison Hurd · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this more than the first book, it had a lot of meat on the bones. However, it also doesn't have an ending, which is INFURIATING to me. We're already invested, authors! You don't need to sell us any more! We've bought in! Tell a damn story!

Content warning: transphobia, homophobia, mutilation, religious dogma, torture, cults, gore.

Things to love:

-Koli and cast. Koli is just so sweet, and I love his travel crew.

-The new POV. Won't say more but it added a whole lot of depth.

-The world. You can tell he did a lot of research with Girl with All The Gifts on what England would be like in an apocalypse and it's been put to good use. Definitely not the same world, but extraordinarily robust in terms of locations, outcomes, and local concerns. The novel parts are thought provoking.

-The vignettes. With book 1 I felt that he was trying so hard to speak differently that we lost some of the stuff I love most about his writing. We got it back here, with some paragraphs aimed like camera lenses at a sentence that just sings.

Two points of failure:

-Sensorium. There's a part that is solved by a literal ghost in a machine, but it happens only when plot critical, which seemed shoddy.

-No ending. This would have been 5 stars if it had some sort of bow on it. Instead it was literally like "what happened next was even crazier, but I want to hold onto the story a bit longer so I won't tell it yet." BOO HISS. 1 book, 1 story arc. There can be stories that linger past a book's last page, that's great. But book endings are breaking points, resolutions in one pivotal space, otherwise your book is half finished. Annoying.

[Oleksandr Zholud · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second volume of the post-apoc low tech trilogy. I enjoyed the first volume, The Book of Koli (my review is here) and the second one is just as good.

The first volume set the world and introduced the characters. The second one is “the journey” more used in fantasy than SF, where a team of characters wanders around assumedly toward some important goal. This time the team consists of Koli Faceless (the narrator, expelled from his village from using old tech hence the surname), Ursala-from-Elsewhere – an old woman a traveling healer with knowledge of old tech, who tries to fight the misery one life at a time. They have a trans girl Cup, who tried to kill Koli and Ursula in the previous volume, but becomes they hesitant partner as they travel along. Also there are non-human teammates: Ursula’s walking lab/factory/mule/protector the drudge and much more talkative Monono Aware, a sentient AI based on an increasingly advanced version of iPad (or Sony DreamSleeve entertainment device). The goal of their travel is very significant – to find out London and setup a settlement large enough for gene diversity because local villages slowly die out.

There is a second narrator in this volume, Spinner Vennastin of Mythen Rood, a woman than was teen love of Koli, but who preferred to enter a local nobility of old tech holders instead of choosing Koli. Her narration is presented as a story told long after the time period she describes and tells us what happened in Koli’s village after he left.

It was very nice to see how the author managed quite hard topics, from transgender issues to questions of power. If in the first volume tech holding Vennastin family was more about limiting access to tech for getting a more luxurious life-style, here it is presented much more complex.

Waiting impatiently for a grand finale in the third volume.

[The Captain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahoy there me mateys!  I received this sci-fi eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  So here be me honest musings.  While I try to post no spoilers, if ye haven’t read the first book in this series, the book of koli, then ye might want to skip this.  If ye keep reading this log then ye have been forewarned and continue at yer own peril . . .

So, can I have the third one right now?  Cause dang was this even better than the first.  I gobbled it up in one sitting and need to know what happens next.

The world expands in this installment.  One of the things I loved best was that not only are we following Koli, but we also get to have a new point-of-view from an old character that Koli left behind in the village.  I didn't think I needed to know what was happening there.  I assure ye that I did.  The switching back and forth was excellent and each section ended on these awesome cliffhangers where ye wanted more but also needed too see what was happening in the other part of the world too.  I didn't know which parts I would rather be in.  So fun.

I continued to love the writing in the degraded language.  I loved watching Koli's group turn into a found family.  I loved all the characters' personal growth.  I loved the plants and monsters.  I loved the AI and tech and the surprises in that regard.  Actually, I loved all the surprises.  I just plain loved this book.

No major plot points from me because of the joy of watching the story unfold.  Just know that ye have to read book one first.  I am avidly waiting for the conclusion of the trilogy.  Arrrr!

So lastly . . .

Thank ye Orbit Books!

[Soo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Notes:

5 Stars for Narration by Theo Solomon & Saffron Coomber
4 Stars for 2/3 of Story & 3.5 Stars for the Tail End

- Yay! I wanted the world to be fleshed out more & it was done well in this book.
- Lots of exciting developments but it felt a bit rushed.
- A little sad that there's only one more book in the trilogy, but excited to read it when it comes out in March 2021.

[Joanne Harris]

This series just gets better and better. Clever, compassionate and genuinely immersive: I can't wait for the next one...

[Traveling Cloak · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Trials of Koli is an almost-perfect follow-up to The Book of Koli. Everything that author M.R. Carey does in this book works, from the continuation of Koli’s story to the differing perspectives, all the way to the world expansion. Being such a huge fan of the first book in the series, I am really happy with the way the second in the series was written. Advance warning for minor spoilers related to book 1.

I want to address Koli, first, as he is the obvious highlight of the series. I love his character in book 1, so much so that in my review I stated “we are all Koli, in one form or another”. That fact has never been truer than in the second book, as Koli continue to be a microcosm of the rest of us. As his journey continues and Koli experiences new events, places, and peoples he both in awe of these things but at the same time takes them at face value. He does not overthink anything, merely just rolls with whatever comes his way. That does not mean he does not control his own fate, as it is his decisions that have them on this journey in the first place. But there is a certain innocence to him that permeates his words and actions, and that is a really appealing characteristic. I would say Koli does not really change much from book 1 to book 2 (he did most of his growth in Book), even as his world expands.

I have made no bones about the fact that Monono is my favorite character, though. In Book her character evolves (literally) right before our eyes, going from a standard AI to something more sentient. As with Koli, Monono does not change much in this book because most of her changes took place in the first book. Her relationship with Koli continues to be a highlight for me, offering him advice and information, and even affection. Hers is no doubt a love story with Koli (that becomes clear with certain scenes in the book), and to experience how much they care for each other is quite moving. Monono’s relationship with the other characters does shift in this book. I do not want to give too much away, but let’s just say that the more difficulties the crew of Koli, Monono, Cup, Ursala, and the Drudge encounter, the more they are forced to work together and put old grudges aside. It is not always easy, and it is definitely not linear, but they know they cannot survive, otherwise. It is a nice little trope that I enjoyed.

Speaking of difficulties, as with most series, Carey took the opportunity to use the second book to open up the story and give the readers (and the characters) an expanded view of world the author has built. I love the way this is accomplished in Trials, as I think this is one of the unique aspects of the book. As expected, Koli and friends continue on their journey to London. In doing so, the reader experiences new things right along with them. The landscapes, cities, and peoples they encounter are a welcome addition to the world view we already have while being somewhat par for the course. That is not to say it is not exciting, because it is. Koli’s story continues to be enthralling. But, what sets Trials apart for me is the other way Carey expands the narrative, and that is accomplished by introducing another perspective: Spinner. If you read Book, you will recall that she is the girl Koli was in love with and was hoping to marry, then had to sit by and watch her marry a Rampart, instead. This event was the catalyst for Koli’s actions that led to his exile. We get to hear from Spinner in Trials, as a good portion of the story is told from her perspective. Not only do we get an explanation of the events Koli describes in Book, but Spinner’s story continues, as well, and it is quite a treat. Again, I am not going to give much away, here, but I will say that while Koli is out exploring the world, the people of Mythen Rood are not just sitting on their hands watching the choker seeds grow; they have their own issues to deal with, and Spinner is right at the center of it all.

Herein lies the genius of this setup: Carey is simultaneously zooming out and expounding on the story by sending Koli out into the world to explore, and at the same time using Spinner’s narrative as a way to zoom in on one plot arc and provide more detail in that respect. There is a saying in baseball about pitching the ball in and out, up and down, and using location to change a batter’s eye-level so they do not get comfortable with one area of the plate. Carey employs the same philosophy here: by constantly changing not just the form but also the nature of the narrative (Rasengan, anyone?) the reader is never able to get too comfortable in one mindset; thus, creating that natural tension we all crave in a story.

I would be remiss if I did not mention the one aspect of this book that I was not as happy with, and that was the ending. Book ended in a perfect place, with Spinner getting married and Koli off to London the reader is provided with both a natural stopping point and something to look forward to. To be clear, I am DEFINITELY looking forward to book 3 in the series, The Fall of Koli, but the place where Trials leaves off feels does not feel as natural. To me, it felt almost like the author just stopped mid scene, called “Cut!”, and decided to start the third book at that stopping point. Despite that, Carey does leave the reader with much to anticipate.

Suffice to say, I loved this book. The Trials of Koli is setup in an ingenious way, continuing with the literary aspects that made The Book of Koli such a wonderful read while introducing new features of the story that ensure the reader is engrossed all the way through. This is a great follow-up to the first book, and I am waiting on the edge of my seat for series finale, The Fall of Koli, in early 2021. The Trials of Koli gets my highest recommendation.

[Lashaan Balasingam · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can find my review on my blog by clicking here.

Imagine being born in a world where everything you know, everything you do, everything you think, is shaped by those in power. Discretely manipulated into abiding by the rules without ever second-guessing decisions by these individuals with authority, while threatened into staying put by the scary creatures that dwell in the shadows beyond the walls mounted by these people, you wouldn’t question your life, your people, or the world around you. That is until doubt enters your mind, a compulsion to seek the truth calls within you, and you suddenly go out of your way to gain access to everything that was hidden from you and the world. Focusing more than ever on his characters and widening the post-apocalyptic world he’s created to uncharted territories now comes writer M.R. Carey with a sequel to his authentic and eccentric novel The Book of Koli as he begins to unravel the calamity at the heart of this world, shedding light on a disaster where mankind might have been at the root of it all.

What is The Trials of Koli about? Picking up where the story left off in The Book of Koli, the young and curious Koli is exiled into the wilderness, filled with terrifying vegetation that ruthlessly preys upon any source of disturbances. As an exile, he’s now off on a journey to a place that was once nothing more than a setting to folklores, a place that was spoken of as a thing of the past, a place that might have exactly what he needs to redeem himself in the eyes of the people of Mythen Rood: lost London. With all his hope put into this city where the mysterious tech of the Old Times might still exist, Koli travels alongside unlikely allies as they attempt to survive the threats that this deadly world of their own making has to offer.

Unlike the previous novel that exclusively focused on Koli’s narrative while giving this series a fascinating tone through his uncommon literacy, author M.R. Carey introduces readers with a second point of view, alternating it with Koli’s own adventure alongside his survival group, through Spinner who now serves as the perfect character to chronicle the events taking place within Mythen Rood following Koli’s departure. While this seemed risky at first, it turned out to be an excellent narrative decision that allowed the author to expand his universe, especially “Ingland”, in more ways than one. While the universe is brimming with deadly vegetation that Koli and his friends are inevitably bound to encounter throughout their journey, it is especially through the eerie and shady individuals from various isolated camps that we quickly learn that the real danger in this world isn’t in nature but in people themselves.

Where this sequel also succeeds is in developing the previously-introduced characters that have now stuck around with Koli in his journey towards discovering the truth about the world he has always been forbidden to discover. Author M.R. Carey cleverly builds on their tense relationship with one another as he explores each of their flaws and strengths in the context of survival. As Koli continues to trust Monono Aware, especially when she has proven herself to be his greatest friend, ally, and saviour, it is the tension between the others that makes this journey both thrilling and laborious for everyone. From Ursula’s inability to trust Monono with her artificial intelligence independence to Ursula’s inability to also trust Cup due to the latter’s past allegiance to a death cult, it is wonderful to watch them endeavour through countless trials and learn to grow fond of one another. If anything, the final book in this trilogy will undoubtedly bloom into a ferocious creature that will lead to The Fall of Koli.

The Trials of Koli is a riveting story focused on an ever-expanding world while crystalizing friendships through hardship.

Yours truly,

Lashaan | Blogger and Book Reviewer
Official blog: https://bookidote.com/

[Cheng Bogdani · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Trials of Koli starts up right where The Book of Koli leaves off. Our band of not-very-merry travelers overcome their differences while working through plot developments together, and by the time we get to the last section of the book they are thinking of themselves as a cohesive unit. During their journey south to London, we learn more about how far technology had advanced and where things went off the rails for the old civilization.

In this edition of the series, we still see the world through Koli's eyes who still maintains his fundamental optimism, tempered by his slow and methodical wit as he works with way south. We also see life in Mythren Rood, Koli's former village, through the eyes of Spinner. Spinner was once Koli's romantic interest, but she made other choices. She has a series ups and downs before finally ending the book with as high a status in the village as nearly anyone else. The storyline from the village went from painfully banal to interesting, and it makes sense from a storyteller's perspective to put Koli back at the village after his Hero's Journey and relate to Spinner with their positions of mutual empowerment.

I've gotten accustomed (attenuated?) to the odd english grammar, so it's not as jarring to read as the first book was. The middle part of the trip south started feeling a little repetitive, but by the time they get to the south the other characters Ursula and Cup are developing proper arcs of their own and it's less of a grind to get through.

There were a couple of what I thought were McGuffins, but they didn't come up again in this book. There's still another book though. The end of this book puts both Koli and Spinner on the verge of entirely new, though very different, situations and I'm looking forward to finishing the conclusion. It's a testament to MR Carey's imagination and skill that I'm actually reading a young adult trilogy; I usually actively shun YA.

Bechdel test? YES
Vito Russo test? YES
Latif test? YES
Mako Mori test? YES

Reading Level: young adult
Romance: very mild, very young adultish
Smut: No
Violence: rarely
TW: transphobia, religious extremism

[Steph · Rating 5 out of 5]

These novels just keep getting better and better. In fact this second novel in the series might even be better than the first one, and I adored that novel. And I must say again that this series is the high point in my reading list for 2020.
Clever, compassionate, and immersive, this creatively written world hooks it claws into you from the very beginning and doesn’t let go.
The characters that were introduced in book one come together in the second novel to make their own families, with ties that bind stronger than blood ties. The more we read, the more we learn about these wonderful characters, too.

The thrown together relationship between Ursula and Cup became quite lovingly portrayed. But also the bantering between Ursula and Monono hits all the right marks, for me. Carey really brought these diverse and interesting people to life, and made me love them all.
In this second novel, we also be the POV of Spinner, the friend of Koli’s from home. At first I wasn’t sure where Carey was taking us all, by showing what was going on in their hometown while Koli was away. But after we earned more about Spinner, her aim in life, and how she worked within this community and her own new family, I began to see just how interesting she, and they all really were. The places Carey took Spinner et all is a fascinating and thrilling adventure, to the point where at the end of the book, I’d cry, ‘no, wait! Just a little bit more, please.....!’ Needless to say I’m going to have a very hard time waiting for the third novel in this series to come out!
If that wasn’t enough, not only are there choker trees to contend with, but now there is a Sea Bear....! That was awesome. And much more scary than the ones in Spongebob. 😂

The audiobook version of this novel now has two wonderful and talented narrators to listen to. Theo Solomon is back (thank goodness!) to narrate Koli and his friends, and Saffron Coomber is the voice of Spinner and her community. Both Solomon and Coomber are actual jewels in this narration business. I adore them, and Hachette Audio had better use the crap put of these young people for many more future audiobooks, before they are snatched away to do bigger, and better things. And they will be, I bet my last dollar on that.

Please give this series a try very soon. There is a damn good reason these novels were nominated for the goodread awards for this year. They really are that wonderful. (And one of them should have won...!!!)

5 huge stars, and highly recommended.

[Steve Kimmins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just as good as volume 1. Loved it.

In volume 2 we continue with Koli, exiled from his isolated village and now embarking on that fantasy standby - a long journey! But what a fascinating journey it is, in a dangerous, post-apocalyptic world, with companions who are not necessarily friends. The journey is in search of the mysterious signal detected in volume 1, perhaps the only chance they have of seeing a more positive future beyond the anarchic, dying, world they now live in.

Koli was the solitary first person narrator in volume 1, with his charming, grammatically poor, English dialect. In volume 2 we also have Spinner, his love interest (unrequited!) when he was in the village. Spinner carves out for herself an independent story, with a prominent role at home, thanks to her intelligence and quick wittedness. An excellent new angle to the story. And her grammar is a little better!
Both first person POVs are telling us of events from their lives as things from their past, and we don’t know, as yet, whether that’s from a few months or many years beyond the stories they tell. As in volume 1 they sometimes reflect on whether what they did was wise or not, and whether they should have done something else. Overall I often found this narrative prose almost poetic with its homespun style, reflective wisdom often disguised, in Koli’s case especially, by the poor grammar.

‘Tech’ continues to act as their ‘magic system’, this being the pre-apocalypse 21st century technology they sometimes encounter. It’s a common observation that advanced technology can appear as magic to those in ignorance of technology. I found the role of this ‘tech’ to be an especially clever part of the story, whereby us Fantasy fans get a bit of magic in what is a post-apocalyptic SciFi tale.

Character wise, Koli is marvellously drawn, from his rather dumb, naive start in volume 1 to the increasingly worldly wise, though still wide eyed, adolescent; Cup, his damaged, superstitious but brave, companion, is growing on me; Spinner now has her own story where her intelligence can shine. But give me the smartarse A.I. ‘tech’, Monono, as a Xmas present please!

The story finishes, apparently, with us being prepared to see if there is anything deeper to this ruined, sparsely populated world than we’ve seen so far. A far from obvious possibility for this damaged future world.

Just as good as volume 1. Loved it.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Advance copy from NetGalley

From the first sentence, I snuggled right back in to Koli’s voice. His unusual grammar and vocabulary add a comfortable rhythm to his confidential tone to create a feeling of sitting around a campfire while a good storyteller spins yarns. The addition of Spinner’s POV in this volume enriched the story in ways I wasn’t expecting, and I can’t wait to get my hands on the final book in the trilogy.

With so many dystopian novels out there, it’s easy to get dystopia fatigue, and maybe now in 2020, the last thing anyone wants is dystopian fiction. But Carey has an incredible imagination, and this is far from standard fare. Without realizing it, I was drawn into the characters’ perspectives and started reacting to new obstacles in the context of their world rather than mine.

Really great storytelling—I’ll be recommending this trilogy a lot to library patrons.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm continuing to really enjoy this series. I think The Trials of Koli was even better than The Book of Koli. There's more of what I wanted from the first one - more POV, more world building.

I loved having the perspective of someone who was still in Mythen Rood (Spinner) as well as Koli's viewpoint outside of the village. I enjoyed all of the characters and their relationships throughout The Trials of Koli. I'm also glad we got to learn more about the choker trees and the nature of the world they are living in.

The Rampart Trilogy feels like one big book split into three parts so I don't think The Trials of Koli can be read on its own. It's a solid middle book, though. I will definitely recommend the series as a whole if I enjoy the final book as much as I've enjoyed the first two installments.

[Tammy - Books, Bones & Buffy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.The nitty-gritty: A stellar follow-up to one of my favorite books of 2020, The Trials of Koli is even better than the first book—unique, engaging, emotional and highly satisfying.

The future rises out of the past like a fountain, and cannot be held back.

Koli’s adventures continue in this excellent follow-up to The Book of Koli, M.R. Carey’s post-apocalyptic trilogy. I gave The Book of Koli five stars, and I was thrilled to be able to do the same for The Trials of Koli. Carey surprised me this time by adding a second perspective to his story, and at first I wasn’t sure how that was going to work out. But luckily, the author knew exactly what he was doing, and I never should have doubted him. This is a series you definitely need to read in order, so please do not start with this book! And take note, there will be minor spoilers for the first book in this review.

Just in case you need a refresher, the Rampart Trilogy takes place in a post apocalyptic world where pockets of people are scattered throughout “Ingland” after something called the Unfinished War. Koli is a young boy who, at the end of the last book, was cast out of the village of Mythen Rood for stealing tech—the priceless pieces of old technology that protect the village—and now he must navigate the world outside, which is filled with dangerous trees and animals and even groups of rogue outsiders. Koli is traveling with Ursala, a healer who has an amazing piece of tech of her own called a drudge, and Cup, a girl who they rescued during their adventures at the end of The Book of Koli. The tech that Koli stole is a Dreamsleeve named Monono Aware, a virtual Japanese performer who not only plays music but has her own distinct personality. Monono and Koli are fast friends, and Koli’s biggest fear is losing her. Koli and his friends are following a radio signal to London, where Ursala hopes to find vast numbers of people still alive, with the hope of creating a larger gene pool and literally saving the human race.

The second perspective is that of Spinner, who we briefly met in the last book. Koli was in love with her, but she chose another boy to marry, much to Koli's dismay. Spinner’s story tells what happened after Koli left, when she married Haijon Vennastin. Jon became Rampart Knife due to his affinity with a piece of tech called a cutter, and now Spinner is joining him in Rampart Hold as his wife. Spinner’s tale unfolds as she attempts to become friends with her new family members, who don’t seem to like her at first. But the people of Mythen Rood soon have other things to worry about when a deadly plague comes to the village. Spinner has no idea, but she is about to have her own adventure with the village’s tech as they attempt to figure out what is causing the plague and how to stop it.

I’m reluctant to give you any more of the plot so as not to spoil all the wonderful surprises in this story. The Trials of Koli is—in my opinion—the perfect middle book. New writers would be smart to read this series for inspiration, as Carey does everything right. You won’t find “middle book slump” here, or a book that acts as filler between the first and third books. Instead, The Trials of Koli is its own entity. It moves the overall series plot along nicely, but it also follows a clear story arc of its own, which I found thrilling, humorous, emotional and gasp-inducing in equal measure. 

I found myself loving both Koli’s and Spinner’s sections. When Spinner begins her tale, there is a little overlap with events from the last book, but because we are hearing those events from a different character’s perspective, everything felt fresh and exciting. And as time went on, I found myself so invested in Spinner’s story, that I actually felt sad when her sections ended. But then I realized how much I loved Koli’s story, and I was happy to be back there! And so on.

I loved Koli in the last book, and I grew to love him even more in this book, along with almost all of the other characters. Koli is completely innocent when he heads off into the world, seeing and experiencing things for the first time in his life, but you can see how he’s growing and changing in this book, even though he’s surrounded by people who seem to always be one step ahead of him. I liked the fact that his ignorance is balanced out by Ursala and Cup: Ursala because she is extremely smart and understands the ins and outs of medical science, and Cup because she has been through awful heartache and torture but has come through it all with strength and compassion. 

I think Cup was by far my favorite character this time around. I may have missed it in the last book, but Cup is a trans woman—not even a woman, but a teenager of about fourteen—who wants nothing more than to be accepted. Luckily she’s found acceptance in Koli and Ursala, and later on her adventures, when the group meets the people of Many Fishes, she finds love and even a place she thinks she can call home. Ursala and Monono discuss medical options for Cup, especially with the onset of puberty when she is struggling with such things as growing facial hair and the prospect of her voice changing, and I loved that Carey included these moments.

Many relationships between characters also change and grow, especially that of Ursala and Cup, and Ursala and Monono. Ursala distrusts both Cup and Monono at the outset of their journey, and I loved the small, subtle shifts that happen between them that turn enemies into fast friends. This is a wonderful “found family” story, for those of you who love that particular trope!

And I adored Spinner and her tale, as I mentioned before. Spinner is also an innocent and is unaware of the wider world, but she’s also quite smart, and her mind is blown when she makes a discovery about the tech of Mythen Rood. In fact, Carey focuses heavily on tech in this story, and as we venture further from Mythen Rood, we get to see more of this future’s abandoned tech. In the first book, I was trying to figure out exactly what the tech was (for example, I pictured the Dreamsleeve as an iPod), but in fact, most of this tech is completely unfamiliar. Even though Carey gives us a clear image of a dying world where tech doesn’t work anymore, that tech is still decades away from what might be familiar to us right now. And with each new piece of tech we discover, Carey widens our view of his fascinating world.

I also wanted to briefly mention one of my favorite parts of the book, which starts at about the halfway point. This is when Koli, Cup and Ursala find themselves guests of the people of Many Fishes, a peaceful village where life is much different from what Koli is used to. I won’t tell you too much, but I will mention that there is a fabulous side story involving a boat, and Carey finally tells us more about the killer trees introduced in the first book, and we get to witness the choker seeds firsthand. I absolutely adored the beliefs of the village and what happens to their dead, which also ties into that boat story I mentioned.

There are so many other elements I haven't even mentioned, but I should probably wrap things up so you can start reading this series if you haven’t already. The ending leads right into book three, and you can bet I’ll be waiting impatiently for March 2021, when the series concludes. Highly recommended!

Big thanks to the publisher for supplying a review copy.

Read my review of The Book of Koli This review originally appeared on Books, Bones & Buffy

[Jordan (Forever Lost in Literature) · Rating 4 out of 5]

*4.5

Find this review at Forever Lost in Literature!

I'm slowly catching up on some series I fell behind on, and The Trials of Koli was one that I had been particularly anticipating, though I also felt a bit nervous going into it. When I first read The Book of Koli, I recall being a bit unsure at the start before being slowly sucked into the story--this time there was no 'warming-up' period and I was immediately captivated once again by this world and the characters that inhabit it. Before diving into this review, just a head's up that there may be minor spoilers for the first book, but there will be no spoilers for this book!

In the first book, we followed only Koli's perspective, but in the sequel we have a new perspective added from Spinner, a girl from Mythen Rood that played a minor role in the previous book as someone that Koli loved. I really appreciated Carey's choice to include this perspective since it allows readers to continue following events that occurr in Mythen Rood after Koli's departure, as well as simply allow readers to get a new perspective and explore a new role from someone living in Mythen Rood. If you've read the first book, then you may recall that Koi's narrative voice is a unique one that has a certain 'uneducated' style to it since the current world setting is one that lacks a lot of the technology and education that once existed. With Spinner's point of view, I was impressed by how well Carey set her voice apart from Koli's and how much more dimension it added to this world to hear from different people. Spinner herself is a compelling character with such a strong voice and personality that I really grew to admire her and couldn't help but feel captivated by her own journey in this book that is vastly different from Koli's in a lot of ways, but also surprisingly similar in many other ways.

Koli remains a character that feels oddly relatable in all the best ways. He's rather naive to many things about the world, but he's certainly not stupid and has no problem catching onto things and ideas pretty quickly. Although this was also apparent in the first book, I found his goodhearted nature even more prominent in this book--Koli really is someone with good intentions and who cares about people in general, but circumstances often make it difficult for him to be able to trust people or allow his kindness to take precedence. His first journey into the world outside of Mythen Rood continues in this book, and I found myself enjoying his discoveries--both amazing and tragic--along his journey immensely.

Monono Aware, the Dreamsleeve tech Koli took from Mythen Rood, a girl named Cup, and the healer Ursula (and her Drudge, of course!) accompany Koli on his journey, and I this was such a ragtag sort of group that I couldn't help but love their dynamics. There's a lot of bickering and uncertainty, but also plenty of heart and excitement that was a part of this group. There's also a lot of sadness plaguing this group that emerges in a variety of forms, from anger to distrust and more, and I think this is what really allows us to get to know these characters and for their relationship dynamics to grow and develop in authentic ways that really allowed me to connect with them and care about each one.

The world-building created in The Book of Koli really gets to expand a lot in this book as we continue to explore what's left of the world outside of Mythen Rood, and these re some of the elements that I was particularly excited about. This is a world leftover from a post-apocalyptic event and the Unfinished War, where the population has been rather decimated and people live in groups scattered throughout what's left. There are cultural changes, major environmental differences that readers discover, and a world in which there are now some rather dangerous trees and other creatures that pose grave threats to inhabitants. I was pleased that we got to learn more about these "choker seeds" that come from the violent trees, as well as more about the trees themselves, as this was something that I felt wasn't developed enough in the first book and left me wanting more--and we finally got more!

One thing that I have really loved about this series so far is Carey's ability to tackle so many prominent themes in ways that feel so natural and fitting to the story. For instance, there are some discussions about Cup being a trans woman that explores the difficulties that accompany this experience, as well as themes of acceptance that go beyond Cup's experience and allows the characters within the book to reflect on things, as well as readers themselves.

I also read this book switching between the audiobook and the physical book, and I just want to note that the audiobook is truly well-done and I enjoyed it immensely. Theo Solomon and Saffroon Coomber, narrators for Koli's perspective and Spinners, respectively, were excellent in their roles and captured the personalities of each character extremely well. As someone who is new to audiobooks and has always struggled with focus, I was immersed in seconds and found it a highly enjoyable experience.

Overall, I've given The Trials of Koli 4.5 stars! I cannot wait to read the final book in this trilogy, which will be released next week!


*I received a copy of The Trials of Koli courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

[Sherry · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings about this. The world building is solid but the character work was not as good as the first for me. I loved the characters in the first book but found them not very fleshed out in this. Koli, who was endearing initially, became very one note, which is terribly naive and child like. The kid is a frickin unicorn in terms of wisdom and compassion. It led to him not being terribly interesting or realistic, which is problematic since the book is written largely from the first person narrative of his perspective. This leads me to what I found I had very mixed feelings about. I listened to this on audio which made the grammar a non-issue and made it feel very natural but listening to Cup’s ‘voice’ became really annoying as she was always reactive in some way that made her sound shrill to me. How was it that Koli never found her annoying or never resented her? A good deal of his interactions with Cups just didn’t seem very believable to me. When the story was focused on Koli’s viewpoint I found I wasn’t very engaged with it. In part, that was because I didn’t find Koli compelling, but also because he and his group spent a good chunk of the novel in a little village that I also did not feel very engaged with. What’s more, this feels a little preachy and a little too much like it’s ticking all the progressive boxes, while lacking substance and complexity. In short, I was a little bored. However, (hence, the mixed feelings) I found Spinner’s storyline much more compelling. She seems to have a more realistic pov considering they’re all living in a very dangerous post-apocalyptic world. She has intelligence and a more developed sense of survival that Koli seems to lack entirely. It made her chapters much more engaging for me, and also served to widen the understanding of the world and expand the world building, which is an interesting one. This left on a pretty big cliffhanger so I’m interested to see if the third book improves. Perhaps, some of the problems are because it’s the second of a trilogy and the author needs to set up where the story is going and pacing can suffer for that. But I do need a break from Cup’s voice so maybe book 3 can wait? I guess I’ll see what the reading vibe is for tomorrow.

[Cherie · Rating 5 out of 5]

As much as I hate books ending in cliff hangers, I am not too upset about this book ending in one. At least I know there is a next book coming in 2021. I cannot wait!

I have enjoyed the story told by Koli and Spinner in this second book. I love the language and the setting, as strange as it is at times. I love the characters and that even the tech items have names.

Kudos to the author. What a great imagination!

[Rebecca Alcazaze · Rating 3 out of 5]

Middle books of a trilogy can often be a bit repetitive and stilted and this one often was. Still a nice enough reading journey to get us to a point where the final book can begin though, it was also nice to have a new narrative voice added to the mix as well.

[Kat (Katlovesbooks) Dietrich · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Trials of Koli by M.R. Carey is the second book in the post-apocalyptic Rampart Trilogy, a Science Fiction novel.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Orbit Books, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

 
Series Background:    (Warning – May contain spoilers from previous books)

Koli Woodsmith was born and raised in a small village of Mythen Rood, after the world was lost.  His dreams were of becoming a Rampart (one who could bring the old technology back to life).  Unfortunately, his dreams and actions caused him to be exiled from his village, forcing him out into the hazardous environment of the world beyond his home.  This world is filled with trees that attack, choker seeds that penetrate your skin and grow, and rain and snow that are not as they seem.  Then there are the rats, wild dogs, molesnakes, knifestrikes, drones….and worse.


My Synopsis:   (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)

Koli, Ursala and Cup continue their travels, with the assistance of Monono and the Drudge.  They are following a signal from someone called the Sword of Albion.  Koli hopes to see London, and perhaps find a way to re-unite all people.

Meanwhile, back in Mythen Rood, Spinner's determination in marrying  Haijon Vennastin, a Rampart, has had some unexpected benefits, and a few consequences.  It is taking a while to be accepted by his family, but it is his Grandfather, Rampart Remember, that may hold the key.  Gaining his trust may provide Spinner with more than she had bargained for.


My Opinions:  

This is a very good series, but you must read the books in order.  Carey has created a new world in which the people are enthralled with the "old" technology, and making it work.  Some of that "old" tech is recognizable, and others not-so-much.   Their old-world was more advanced than ours. The people themselves have both an old-world feel, and yet they accept new-world ideas.  Picture a fishing village where an old woman "sings" to heal people, where the Head Man wears a piece of tech on his head that allows him to retrieve others memories, and they accept trans-gender people the same way they accept anyone else.  There is no prejudice in this world, but there is still war....everyone wants the tech.

I really love Koli's continued innocence.  I also liked the way the story of Mythen Rood was taken up by Spinner (Koli's first love), whose need for knowledge makes her a force to be reckoned with.

I felt that the pace of this book was slower than the first, and although I loved the plot, sometimes it took too long to get from Point A to Point B.  It dragged a little (and it's a fairly long book).

That being said, the "adventures" that both Koli and Spinner encountered were well thought-out, and captivating.  The writing, as always, was great, and I loved the simple language and words that came out of Koli's thoughts.

Overall, it is a good book, and an interesting trilogy...thus far.  Looking forward to Book #3.


For a more complete review of this book and others (including author information and quotations), please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/