One Word Kill

So, this is one of those books that did something quite rare - it surprised me.

I did not know much about this book. I had obviously seen countless reviews as I follow Mark Lawrence on this site and thought I must get around to reading that.

I totally agree with Robin Hobbs, this is a six star book. I loved it. I think especially because I was sixteen in 1986, I was a goth, not the updated type, but the proper 80's Sisters of Mercy type and I was right into fantasy stuff (and in later years, played D & D). So, Mark, you got me covered. And on top of that it has my son's name in it. He only appears for a minute (and just for clarity, The author does not know my son and any representation to people living or dead is purely coincidence, which this is).

You can tell it is a good book, when you find yourself with a spare five minutes, the book suddenly (as if by magic) appears in your hands, demanding you to find out what happens next. Except that the five minutes turns into an hour, tea is burning and you are quite blissfuly unaware that you have reached the end of the book in two days.

I loved this book and if the rest of it is like this, then I think that this will be the best trilogy I have read all year.

One small niggle and this is the smallest hill that I am willing to die on is that I am sure that in 1986 it would have been Beadle's about - not Candid Camera. Teeny weeny hill!

Oh and the bit about the nurses is hilarious. On two counts really, I was in and out of hospital when I was a kid and I am a nurse now, so that bit about nurses is definately true. I could go on and on, so I have to stop now.

I'm impressed. This is quite a different style of book to the usual fair that is associated with Mark Lawrence, but he carries it off with distinctive flair. The 80s geek culture vibe is strong and echos closely with some of my current interests (board games etc). I can definitely see the Stranger Things vibes running strongly through it and the time travel aspect is intelligently plotted taking into account the necessary paradoxes.

Underlying this is the story of a young man with cancer, which is very poignantly done. I lost my mother to cancer less than a year ago and can recognize some of the descriptions of the cancer wards and the numbness with which the disease gets to you and the people around you. The coming of age tale which accompanies it is nicely done. All in all Mark Lawrence takes his engaging style of prose and crafts a wonderful tale with tense drama, wit and a strong underlying sadness. I look forward to continuing the series!

Nick has been diagnosed with cancer. At the age of 15, he must come to terms with the fact he may never live to be an adult. Nick spends his weekends playing D & D with his best friends, trying to escape the harsh reality his life has become. Until one day he meets a man who is oddly familiar. One who promises that if he helps him, Nick may just live to see adulthood.

Mark Lawrence has been one of my favorite authors since Prince of Thorns. Now, this is no brutal and dark fantasy like Thorns, but it was still entertaining. Being the geek I am, I loved reading about the D & D adventures that paralleled what the kids were going through. I do have to admit the whole concept of quantum physics went over my head though. The entire explanation about paradoxes and branching timelines through me for a loop. Not my cup of tea.

Time travel. Yes, the appropriate cracks were made about Back to the Future. In fact, it takes place during the same year the movie came out. But even with the concept of multiple timelines and the fear of messing up the one timeline they needed to follow, this one also seemed a bit slower in pace. There was a lot less conflict than the typical books I read, but given it is the first in a new series I can let it slide.

I didn't feel as connected to Nick as I have with the rest of Lawrence's characters, but it may be due to the fact he wasn't an anti-hero. I still look forward to the next book, as it seems there is going to be some issues with the timeline. I'd like to see how far into the realms of impossible this series will go.

I loved this book so much! Time travel? Yes please! Set in the 80s? Awesome! The main characters are lovable geeks and nerds? Even better!

I'm excited to dive into book #2 soon. (It looks like this is a trilogy.)

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this story in exchange for my open and honest review.

There is a magic power associated with adolescence. It is a collection of moments where you step out of the warm and safe embrace of childhood. And stick your proverbial toe in the cold waters of adulthood. It can be exhilarating. It can be terrifying in equal and confusing parts — all newness of experiences and the rush of first-times.

Now throw in cancer into childhood. The big C. The silent lurking predator that ravages your body and soul while you attempt to survive while being stripped and flayed alive. Cancer is the stuff of nightmares for adults, but for children who have enough mental juggling going on, it is world changing. It is hard to talk about adolescence and cancer without going down the dark path of maudlin. But this story isn't about swimming through the muck and mire of disease.

It could have been in lesser authorial hands, but it isn't.

What this story is, is a nostalgic trip into childhood built with the strength and craft of someone who remembers what it was like. This is written by someone who knows the sweet and enduring pleasures of friendship, the fantastic wild fun of D&D, and the relationships those two can create. This story was an absolute treat to read.

One Word Kill starts like a lot of stories do with a boy and his friends. I'll introduce his friends, but that's it. All of Lawrence's stories hold their own. They don't need me to run down the plot, because that is no fun for anyone. Meet Nick, the narrator of the story, the protagonist in 1980's London, newly diagnosed with leukemia, has a brilliant and advanced mind bent towards Quantum Theory. Simon, who can do mental computations in seconds. Elton, who can move like a spider and practices kung fu with his five brothers. John, the rich and cool kid that is written without stereotypes. And Mia. Mia is a smart, goth girl who is the heart of the story in so many ways. Friendships like these are what can make a person brilliant as an adult. Lawrence combines so much into such a short and excellent story. Cancer, adolescence, friendship, physics, D&D, time travel, and a charming love story. It has everything you would expect from Lawrence as a writer plus so much more you didn't know he had in him. Lawrence, thank you for the nostalgia of my childhood growing up in the 1980s. Thank you for the friendship and these fascinating characters that I get to take with me. Thank you.

If you would like to read more of my reviews, please check out my blog at www.beforewegoblog.com

I haven't read very much sci-fi, and never played Dungeons and Dragons, but I really enjoyed this book. I love the characters! Their little D & D group had me from the start. Such a diverse group that just fits perfectly together.
Nick is 15, and he's dying. There is also a man following him that is a stranger but not a stranger. There are a couple of bullies he is trying to avoid. What will kill him first: chemo, stalker, bullies? Best to just go hang out and play Dungeons and Dragons where things are less weird!

I was really excited that this was an Amazon first book this month. I hope the next one will be too. If not, I will still buy it. It's Mark Lawrence after all!

Very good read.

This is sort of a time travel story with a lot of heart. The characters and settings reminded me a bit of Stranger Things. Recommended.