omeone was going to die. And it wasn’t going to be Maximus Black.
…
The terrain lost its shadows as darkness came down like a fire blanket. None of the moons had risen yet and the toxic evening wind of the acid ocean had not yet begun to bite. But the stillness did not fool Special Agent Maximus Black, who seemed too young to be suspicious when things were going exceedingly well. But he knew that it was not how much you experience but how you experience it.
Maximus came from a long line of madmen, murderers and megalomaniacs, but the Regis Imperium Mentatis – the galactic law enforcement agency known as RIM – seemed not to car about his ancestry.
Maximus Black is a man with a mission. He’s determined to impress RIM management with his skills and abilities. If he can do that, it opens up all sorts of opportunities that RIM may not have intended or even be aware of. Anneke Longshadow is another brilliant young RIM agent and she’s discovered a mole within the organisation. And so the whirlwind begins. A chase, a cat-and-mouse game across many worlds and all the spaces in between. There are more enhancements and gadgets than ever graced any James Bond film. There are gadgets to gather intelligence, weapons more diabolical than seems possible, gadgets to promote healing, programs that create the illusion of a disguise and if they’re not adequate, then there are ‘renovators’. The plot? To take over the world, of course!
Mole Hunt is a science fiction novel for young adults that hurtles through space at dizzying speed. Protagonist, Maximus Black, is singleminded in pursuing his self-set mission, whatever the consequences. His motivation is subtly hinted at, but readers will need to wait for further instalments in this three-part series to fully understand what drives him. Anneke Longshadow’s motivations are clearer as she sets out to pursue Black. The two are stars in the RIM organisation, and more alike than either could imagine. While the worlds spin around them, all their ingenuity and skill are tested in their pursuit of each other. No romance at all, this is a battle of high stakes, that both are determined and confident of winning. Recommended for mid-secondary and beyond.
Mole Hunt , Paul Collins
Ford St Books 2011
ISBN: 9781921665264
review by Claire Saxby, Children’s Author
www.clairesaxby.com
This book can be purchased from good bookstores, or online from Fishpond. Buying through this link supports Aussiereviews. is book can be purchased from good bookstores, or online from Fishpond. Buying through this link supports Aussiereviews.