Science Fiction Annotation

The Traveler

By, John Twelve Hawks

Synopsis

This is a unique book written by an anonymous author with the pseudonym, John Twelve Hawks.  According to John Twelve Hawk’s biography, he lives off the grid and communicates via satellite phone because it is untraceable.  Mya is trained to avoid to attention and being caught on London’s surveillance cameras and to avoid the secret shadow organization that has tracked and killed people around the world.  Maya meets Gabriel who is on the run from the shadow agency because he is the only person who is willing to stand against them. Much like the author, the book is about a family trying to live off the grid in London. 

 

Elements of Science Fiction

Tone/Mood – The tone plays on the genre’s appeal to the intellect

The novel is a dystopian science fiction novel that focuses on big brother trying to control society.  It appeals to the reader’s intellect by bringing our current day government into question.

 

Characterization – Generally the issues, story, and frame are emphasized more than the characters.

Maya is a twenty six year old who has abandoned her father’s dangerous way of life and instead chooses a normal life until she meets a group called the Travelers.  A Traveler is a small group of prophets who are able to influence the future.  Maya’s father makes her aware of a group of ruthless mercenaries who have hunted Travelers for many generations. The focus of the story is on Maya’s ability to guard Gabriel against a group of people who are determined to control the world.  In order for Gabriel to save the world from this tyrannical group, Maya must leave behind safety to ensure Gabriel stays off the grid. 

Frame/Setting – Consistently evocative and visual.

From the back alleys of Prague to the busy heart of Los Angeles to the dry deserts of Arizona, Maya and the Travelers explore a parallel world that exists alongside our own.

 

Pacing – Determined by the amount of action.

The Traveler is an unsettling story filled with suspenseful action and adventure as the characters try to evade the group of secret mercenaries. 

 

Read-A-Likes

·         The Dark River: Book Two of the Fourth Realm, John Twelve Hawks

·         The Golden city: Book Three of the Fourth Realm, John Twelve Hawks

·         Infoquake (Jump 225, #1), David Louis Edelman

·         Tank Girl: The Gifting, Alan C. Martin

·         Idlewild (Idlewild, #1), Nick Sagan

·         Overclocked: Stories of the Future Present, Cory Doctorow

·         The Graveyard Game (The Company, #4), Kage Baker