Book Reviews and More: Weigh the Odds - Corinna Turner

Weigh the Odds

unSPARKed Book 11

Corinna Turner

Unseen Books

ISBN 9781917628006

eISBN 9781917628013

ASIN B0DN6SZL2J

Weigh the Odds - Corinna Turner - unSPARKed Book 11

This series keeps getting better and better, this is a great addition to the series. This is a masterfully crafted piece! As soon as I finished it I out it back on my to be read pile to read it again. This story was so AWEsome it is a great read in an FANtastic series. I have read stories in this series over 40 times now. And my son has read all of them more than once as well. We have been ordering them for my nephew his cousin, as he finished each we order him the next. As well as how highly we regard these stories and Turner’s writings.

I first read a story by Turner in 2015, and read the first in this series in 2017. Since then, I have read book by her a total of 74 times, and unSPARKed stories 40 of them. I have also read a number of the unSPARKed stores in Anthologies. This story is the eleventh novel in the series and is available as an eBook and in print format. This book and series are excellent for teens, young adults and adults. The series keeps getting better and better! It has real staying power.

When I am recommending this series, which happens often, I frequently describe it as a mashup of Mad Max, Lost World, and Jurassic Park, and I have recommended it to many, all who have enjoyed them. In many ways it is like 50 years after Jurassic World Dominion. We have even bought a full set for my son’s school library and know from the Librarian that they are very popular.

unSPARKed is a series set in a not-too-distant future. Dinosaurs once again roam the earth. Just because a scientist could do something, did not mean they should have done it. Most people live SPARKed, in cities with walls and electrified fences. There are two groups of people who live unSPARKed, farmers who have electric fences around their farms and live in community with their close neighbours. The other are Hunters who live most of the time out on the road or off road in HabVI’s Habitat Vehicles.

The description of this volume is:

“WHAT DOES SEB WANT?

After his release from jail, all Josh needs to do is arrange his friend's burial and help Darryl and Harry reunite with their father. Then, he'll be free to return to the life he loves, capturing and taming dinosaurs for zoos.

Or will he?

When an “old friend’ from prison makes a surprise visit, Josh knows it's more than coincidence. Sebastian Steven has secrets he'll kill to protect. The question is, does he know Josh knows?

If Seb is out for blood, it will take all of Josh's cunning to keep himself—and Darryl and Harry—safe. Can they match wits with a snake like Seb, or will Josh's luck finally run out?”

This story is told in a series of first person narratives. The narrators are:

Darryl - 26

Joshua - 23

Harry - 20

This story takes place over just a few days. There are surprises right from the beginning. I honestly did not think the risk and the danger could be pushed further in this series, and yet Turner has found a way to do it. It is a fast paced heart pounding pager turner. If it was not for a very important meeting at work I would have stayed up all night reading. There is a lot of action packed into this volume, and like a taunt spring ready to explode Joshua must choose when and how to set his plan in motion. The stakes are high and the consequences of failure – fatal. Wow what a story!

The next story in the series is A Nest of Piranha’saurs and I can freely admit we are both desperate for Corinna to write and release it. From the ending of this one it can go a few ways and it is hard to wait. To fill in the time I am going to go back and reread the whole series over the holidays. We can only hope the next volume A Nest of Piranha’saurs and the long-awaited prequel A Mom With Blue Fathers drop sooner rather than later. This story ends with in a surprising way, and leaves you desperate for more. I believe Turner has 2 or 3 more novels planned for the main series and at least the one promised prequel story.

This is another excellent read in a MASTERfully written series. It is a great read by a gifted and talented author, and one of our favourite contemporary YA and Catholic authors at that! A volume we can easily recommend for fans of the series, fans of science fiction or really anyone who just loves a very well-crafted story.

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2024 Catholic Reading Plan!