Book Reviews and More: World Killer

World Killer

Barry J. Hutchison

aka Barry Hutchinson

aka J.D. Kirk

Zertex Media

ASIN B07P74WKCS

Woah what a story. This one is a stand-alone story. Which is unusual for Barry. It has some of the humour of Space Team, but for the most part is a far more serious story. This appears to only be available an eBook and it looks like at one point there was an audio edition. But I cannot find the audio or a print edition, which is a pity, this is an excellent Young Adult SciFi novel. My son and I listened to it on a trip using adaptive technology. And now he is asking about all of Hutchison’s other series. (I wont let him in on the J.D. Kirk connection for a few years.)

Several months before reading this I encountered the works of J.D. Kirk I also discovered that Kirk publishes children’s books as Barry Hutchison, and other adult fiction and YA as Barry J. Hutchison. I have read 20 stories published under the Kirk Name and am now branching out to the ones under the Hutchinson names. This is the 11th under either of the Hutchison names. He is coming up on 200 books across the three pen names, and unattributed volumes. If I had known that or I might not have picked up this first one. Friends call me a ‘completionist’ in that when I find an author I like, I try to read everything they have published. I have enjoyed all I have read from his pen and this one was no different.

The description of this novel is:

“Aged six, he went missing for two weeks. Ten years later, he's finally going to find out why.

Ever since he staggered out of the darkness into a crowd of police and press reporters, Daryl Elliot has been afraid of something he has absolutely no memory of.

Afraid of whatever happened to him in those two missing weeks.

Now sixteen, Daryl has grown up a loner, with few friends, fewer ambitions, and a burning desire to go unnoticed by the rest of the world.

All that changes, however, when he begins to manifest telekinetic powers during gym class. Daryl begins to uncover the secrets of his lost two weeks, and just how far from average he truly is.

A threat is coming. The biggest threat the Earth has ever faced. Galactic warlord, the World Killer, is bringing his death-planet to our solar system, intending to strip our world bare.

And Daryl is one of just three people with the power to stop it.

With days to go before the attack, Daryl must learn to work with two super-powered strangers, master his own abilities, and prepare himself to lead the others into battle.

But, with a shady government agent hunting them down, a mentor with little regard for human life, and the world's most famous (and arrogant) teenager rounding out the team, it won't just take hard work to get them ready for war.

It'll take a miracle."

This was a great read. There was a little of the slap stick humour seen in other offerings, such as, Dial D for Deadman and Space Team. Especial the character Ash. Riley is a little creepy. And Daryl is masterfully written. I especially love his rating skills, and probable outcomes. I know it is often overused but “with great power comes great responsibility” (yes, my son cringed at that) and the trio have each been given skills, talents, and abilities. They have been told it is to save the world. But they must master their skills in a short period of time and save the world. But as in life things are not always what they appear to be.

This story reminded me of a lot of books I read when I was younger. Such as Piers Anthony’s Bio of a Space Tyrant Series, The Warlord of Mars books by Edgar Rice Burroughs and even of some of Heinlein’s stories. The story is action packed. The story had me hooked from the get-go. We could not put it down. And to be honest I would love to see what Hutchison would do in further adventures of the trio. An excellent read!

If you read this and want a lot more of the humour, I encourage you to check out he Space Team or other works under Hutchison’s other pen names. Again I will state this was an excellent read!

Books by J.D. Kirk:

The Bone House

…

DCI Logan Series:

The Last Bloody Straw

A Whisper of Sorrows

The Big Man Upstairs

A Death Most Monumental