I really liked M.R. Carey's book The Girl with All the Gifts, but the Koli series has honestly been kind of disappointing. This book really just failed to hold my attention the entire time, and I felt really confused a lot of time time.

The Trials of Koli continues the story of a post-apocalyptic world in which the trees will literally eat you. This book focuses on the journey of Koli and his friends to find the lost city of London. It also adds the perspective of Spinner, allowing us to see what happened in Mythen Rood after Koli left the village.

In spite of the fact that this book clocks in at well over 400 pages, it is a surprisingly quick read. I found myself so engrossed in this fascinating world that I ripped through this book in two days flat, yet again. Once again, the world building is simply superb. In this book, we get an expanded view of the world: villages that have thrived, villages that have failed, ruins of the old world, various belief systems, etc.

We also have a motley crew of supporting characters for both of these journeys: Ursula, a clever loner who understands much about the world that was lost; Cup, the fierce trans female warrior; Monono, the Japanese AI who has become self-aware; Haijon, Spinner's husband who was stripped of his Rampart status after his tech was destroyed; and Catrin, the Rampart leader who used trickery to establish her family's power. And yet, none of these characters can truly be quite so simply defined. The second book continues the character building that started in the first book, so these characters become even more flesh-and-blood. And there's plenty of action in this book, with plenty of scenes that will keep you turning pages.

I am enjoying this series a great deal, and I'm very excited to read the next book in this trilogy. Thanks to Orbit Books and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and Orbit Books for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

4+ stars

I got an ARC of The Trials of Koli and realized it was Book 2 of the Rampart Trilogy. I listened to an audio book of Book 1 and read Book 2 immediately afterwards. Having listened to the audio book first helped me connect better to Monono Aware. While reading the second installment I realize the author shows lots of misspellings and misnamed places and objects which matches a mainly illiterate world which I didn’t catch while listening to the audiobook.

The Trials of Koli picks up right after the Book of Koli ends. Koli, Monono, Cup and Ursala are out in the woods searching for more Old Tech and answers. The book switches between Koli and his childhood friend Spinner who still lives in the village.

I love dystopian books and this trilogy does not disappoint. Koli is very likable and kind in a brutal world. I like the mix of Middle Ages lifestyle sprinkled with high tech. I can’t wait for Book 3.

I had enjoyed The Book of Koli, and was excited to reading the sequel. This book didn't disappoint, it had what I was looking for in the sequel. I look forward to more from this series.

If you liked The Book of Koli, you will like this next part of the story, which sees Koli, Ursala, and Cup (and Monono Aware!) traveling far from Koli’s village to discover the greater landscape and more of the remaining peoples of Ingland, while also checking in on what’s happened back in Mythen Rood, with Spinner as narrator. Her story is perhaps more surprising than Koli’s, and just as epic in its own way.

The post-apocalyptic world Carey has built is so well-rendered, his characters so complex. I loved this and can’t wait for Book 3!

This is book 2 of the Rampart Trilogy by M.R. Carey, writer of The Girl with All the Gifts. In this second installment, Koli teams up with Ursula, Cup, Monono the virtual girl, and the Drudge to seek out the long lost city of London while back in Mythen Rood, an epidemic takes hold and Spinner's character is further developed in POV chapters. The setting is the world many, many years after the Unfinished War. Society has devolved into a type of medieval existence except that there is leftover "tech" from before the final war and climate change. Its all very creative and imaginative. I will definitely read the third book. Looking forward to it.

Thanks to NetGalley and Orbit Books for the ARC.

In THE BOOK OF KOLI, readers were introduced to the wonderfully endearing Koli Woodsmith as he was trying to find his place within his small community. His journey continues in THE TRIALS OF KOLI, where he is navigating yet another tricky space by coming to terms with being Faceless and alone. Not only did his world expand by miles and miles seemingly overnight, but so did the danger. There is no fence to protect him from the harsh environment and there are no weapons to protect him against the exiles as he and Ursula try to make their way to London.

With this second book, Carey shines more light on the events and the circumstances that led to the end of the world. Human interference, genetic modification, global warming were all factors in the environment turning on us. My favorite aspect of this series still remains the danger from things we find innocuous. I’m not sure what’s better — having people try and survive the seemingly unsurvivable, or just let nature take over and eat everyone. Another contributing factor to the apocalypse was something known as the Unfinished War. A little more is revealed about said war, but not nearly enough and I hope that’s explored more in the final book.

In THE TRIALS OF KOLI, readers are also joyously given dual narrators where the story moves between Koli and Spinner, who recounts what happened after Koli was exiled and the now-precarious position Mythen Rood and its Ramparts finds itself in. What readers (and Koli) already know about the tech, some members of Mythen Rood have been necessarily let in on the secret and it seems like only a matter of time before the community implodes.

Bottom line — Carey’s RAMPART trilogy is definitely one you need to read. It’s a post-apocalyptic treat that’s unlike any other, with characters you can’t help but feel for. Highly recommend both this book and its predecessor, and I can’t wait to see how Koli’s journey concludes in the final book.

The Trials of Koli // by M.R. Carey

I finished this book about a week ago and have been dreading writing this review since. I loved this book and it’s always the ones I love the most that I worry about writing reviews for the most. It stresses me out to find the appropriate words to convey my love for a book without scaring someone away with my enthusiasm at the same time. But I assure you, I very much enjoyed my time back in Ingland with Koli and his companions, and here is why.

Koli of course is as charming and full of heart as ever. Yes, he can be absolutely clueless sometimes and a little bit of an airhead. He is our adorable Koli-boo though and you cannot really be mad at him with his sheltered kid vibe. While that sounds critical, I really do not mean to be harsh because Koli also often has some really deep thoughts that stem from how he tries to understand other people and put himself in their place. While he might not always agree with their thinking, it does show great character that he considers things from all angles before forming an opinion. I also like that despite his wary travels and having had his life threatened multiple times since leaving Mythen Rood, he still does not like to kill and tries to find an alternative whenever possible. I’m honestly not sure if I have ever rooted for a character this much before and I am wondering if I am in for the biggest heartbreak of my reading life since the third and last installment in The Rampart Trilogy is called The Fall of Koli.

This second book though is not only narrated by Koli, but also by his former best friend Spinner. I was a little disappointed by this at first because I really just wanted to find out more about Koli’s journey but that opinion changed rather quickly. It was so interesting to see things through Spinner’s eyes. I loved how much Spinner enjoys learning and you realize rather quickly that she has had a much different education than Koli, in the way she speaks and perceives things. She is also a lot more cunning, which I did not expect at all after Koli’s description of her in the first book. I was rather offended for Koli’s sake in the beginning but started craving her narrations soon as well. She is a great storyteller and really knows how to play with the reader’s emotions. We not only get to hear about Koli’s banishment from her point of view but also what happens with Mythen Rood after he leaves. Her life does not exactly play out like she has planned and she has several difficult decisions to make herself as well and it is interesting to hear her line of thinking. While she does consider others as well, it does not feel as genuine as it does with Koli and sometimes has a tinge of self-serving to it.

Both perspectives teach us a lot about the Ingland of their time in terms of society, flora and fauna, and technology. There are also again complicated topics, such as identity, sexuality, artificial intelligence, religion, ethics, and personal responsibility, that somehow get stripped down to the very basics for both narrators as they often are in the very beginning stages of learning of these things. I enjoyed the conflict of wanting to choose a comfortable life in a community of welcoming strangers versus being a part of trying to better the world for everyone still clinging on to life in such harsh circumstances. While Koli struggles with this decision, Spinner on the other hand has a chance to change the future of her community with the information she learns during her dealings with the Ramparts. Carey really knows how to pack a lot of things into his books without making it feel like they take over the entire story.

Just like in the first book, I really enjoyed the world-building itself apart from the story. While this Ingland feels somewhat fantastical with the plants and animals we get to hear about, it also feels oddly realistic and within reach at the same time. It is easy to picture out world heading in this exact direction and that makes this read both fascinating as well as slightly terrifying. I am really looking forward to the third book to learn more about the history as well as everyone’s adventures, especially since Carey left us with a big cliffhanger this time. I said in my review of The Book of Koli that the first book very much feels like the beginning of a trilogy due to its slow start and being left open-ended, and here again, Carey leaves us wanting more and chomping at the bit to get our hands on the last book. There is a lot going on in this book but he really built things up for the next one!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! This was even better than the first book! So this book picks up where the first one ended, but this time there are two concurrent stories that are occurring--one is with Koli and his friends and the other is with Spinner back in the village. I did a combination of reading and listening to this book (my request for the audiobook came in when I was about 20% through the book) depending on if I had time to sit or not. But I ended up finishing the book listening and reading at the same time. What I appreciated about the narration is that Koli's part was narrated by Theo Solomon and Spinner's part was narrated by Saffron Coomber and both were equally good at narrating not just Koli and Spinner's parts, but also other character voices, both male and female, so I never had trouble following the story. Still, I enjoyed reading the words as well, so this is a book that can be enjoyed in both formats. This time, I was not thrown by the "poor grammar" and it felt more like a dialect to me. As for the world-building, I'm kind of blown away by how unique a world they live in. There was much more time spent on the battle between nature and humanity in this book, and I loved how Spinner and Koli and friends were able to figure out what questions to ask and creatively come up with various solutions. Along with the science, the author spent enough time developing the sometimes uneasy relationships between the various characters, and there were even some discussions that went into science vs. faith that I found interesting. This book does end on a cliffhanger of sorts, but it's a good place for both Spinner and Koli's stories to pause, just for a bit. But I will be anxiously waiting for the third book!

FTC Disclosure: Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by the Author and Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I love what Carey has done here with The Rampart Trilogy; book one was released April 14th, now in September book two is in our hands. Enough time for book one to be well settled in my past, but not so long that my interest has waned. Very smart timing.

The fact that this is a stated trilogy keeps me involved; too often I start a series, I get invested in the characters and then by the time we reach book 22 it seems like the same thing over and over again; I often find that I’m done with the characters before the author is. But the trilogy is perfect: a beginning, a middle, and an end. Carey has guaranteed me that he has enough story for three books, and he will not push it beyond that.

Carey has expanded the point of view with this book, adding more details to Koli’s story and his world. This is a world that has captivated my attention, it is unique and filled with a perspective on humanity and nature that is hard to find anywhere else. There are some political, no, not political, humanitarian topics or opinions that come through in this story; they are on the fringes, not shoved down your throat. I appreciate how Carey lets his readers into his mind and his opinions without being preachy and condescending (some authors lack that skill).

But most of all I loved the story, the interaction with the characters, the surprises along the way. Carey kept me entranced with The Trials of Koli: I laughed, I cried, where can I buy the T-shirt? I have been left with a need, want, and desire to know what happens to Koli and his friends. What more could you ask for from book two in a trilogy?

*4.5 Stars

I loved this book! The 2nd book in a trilogy often feels like filler, but not in this case! The Trials of Koli expands the world introduced in The Book of Koli, keeping the excitement high and developing the characters and their world in all sorts of new and intriguing ways. Can't wait for #3!

I loved this book. I liked it even better than the first one, and the first one was excellent. The best part of this series for me is the clear-eyed way each theme is woven into the lives of the main characters. There's no way to separate out consequences, both immediate and long-term, from the decisions being made. Every character believes themselves to be the main character, and therefore believes they are the only one who sees things properly and morally. But, as they continue to interact with others and see more of the world and gain experiences, they change their minds or harden their views. It's brilliantly done.

The strongest example of this would be that whoever has tech and information has power. The way different characters see their responsibility with this tech/info makes me want to shout. I desperately want this series to be taught in schools. Whoever writes history will control the present and shape the future, and this book is an entertaining and smart way to approach this concept.

My other favorite part of this series is the transgender representation. I love Cup. I loved watching her set boundaries and fall in love and find her own truths. I may have cried during the conversation between Monono and Ursala with this statement: "And doing nothing, by the way, is making the choice for her. It's not a neutral option. There is no neutral option."

And can we talk about the delight of seeing things described as if we've never seen them before? "There was a space inside the front door that was not a room, only a place where rooms met"

And the folksy aphorisms that decorate the world-building? "A lie is like a knife in that regard: it wounds when you thrust it in, and again when you draw it out."

Seriously. I love this book. Thank you to Orbit and NetGalley for providing me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed the first Koli book and looking forward to this one. It did not disappoint! The only downside is waiting for the next book.

Rating: 9.5/10

The Trials of Koli is an almost-perfect follow-up to The Book of Koli. Everything that author M.R. Carey does in this book works, from the continuation of Koli’s story to the differing perspectives, all the way to the world expansion. Being such a huge fan of the first book in the series, I am really happy with the way the second in the series was written. Advance warning for minor spoilers related to book 1.

I want to address Koli, first, as he is the obvious highlight of the series. I love his character in book 1, so much so that in my review I stated “we are all Koli, in one form or another”. That fact has never been truer than in the second book, as Koli continue to be a microcosm of the rest of us. As his journey continues and Koli experiences new events, places, and peoples he both in awe of these things but at the same time takes them at face value. He does not overthink anything, merely just rolls with whatever comes his way. That does not mean he does not control his own fate, as it is his decisions that have them on this journey in the first place. But there is a certain innocence to him that permeates his words and actions, and that is a really appealing characteristic. I would say Koli does not really change much from book 1 to book 2 (he did most of his growth in Book), even as his world expands.

I have made no bones about the fact that Monono is my favorite character, though. In Book her character evolves (literally) right before our eyes, going from a standard AI to something more sentient. As with Koli, Monono does not change much in this book because most of her changes took place in the first book. Her relationship with Koli continues to be a highlight for me, offering him advice and information, and even affection. Hers is no doubt a love story with Koli (that becomes clear with certain scenes in the book), and to experience how much they care for each other is quite moving. Monono’s relationship with the other characters does shift in this book. I do not want to give too much away, but let’s just say that the more difficulties the crew of Koli, Monono, Cup, Ursala, and the Drudge encounter, the more they are forced to work together and put old grudges aside. It is not always easy, and it is definitely not linear, but they know they cannot survive, otherwise. It is a nice little trope that I enjoyed.

Speaking of difficulties, as with most series, Carey took the opportunity to use the second book to open up the story and give the readers (and the characters) an expanded view of world the author has built. I love the way this is accomplished in Trials, as I think this is one of the unique aspects of the book. As expected, Koli and friends continue on their journey to London. In doing so, the reader experiences new things right along with them. The landscapes, cities, and peoples they encounter are a welcome addition to the world view we already have while being somewhat par for the course. That is not to say it is not exciting, because it is. Koli’s story continues to be enthralling. But, what sets Trials apart for me is the other way Carey expands the narrative, and that is accomplished by introducing another perspective: Spinner. If you read Book, you will recall that she is the girl Koli was in love with and was hoping to marry, then had to sit by and watch her marry a Rampart, instead. This event was the catalyst for Koli’s actions that led to his exile. We get to hear from Spinner in Trials, as a good portion of the story is told from her perspective. Not only do we get an explanation of the events Koli describes in Book, but Spinner’s story continues, as well, and it is quite a treat. Again, I am not going to give much away, here, but I will say that while Koli is out exploring the world, the people of Mythen Rood are not just sitting on their hands watching the choker seeds grow; they have their own issues to deal with, and Spinner is right at the center of it all.

Herein lies the genius of this setup: Carey is simultaneously zooming out and expounding on the story by sending Koli out into the world to explore, and at the same time using Spinner’s narrative as a way to zoom in on one plot arc and provide more detail in that respect. There is a saying in baseball about pitching the ball in and out, up and down, and using location to change a batter’s eye-level so they do not get comfortable with one area of the plate. Carey employs the same philosophy here: by constantly changing not just the form but also the nature of the narrative (Rasengan, anyone?) the reader is never able to get too comfortable in one mindset; thus, creating that natural tension we all crave in a story.

I would be remiss if I did not mention the one aspect of this book that I was not as happy with, and that was the ending. Book ended in a perfect place, with Spinner getting married and Koli off to London the reader is provided with both a natural stopping point and something to look forward to. To be clear, I am DEFINITELY looking forward to book 3 in the series, The Fall of Koli, but the place where Trials leaves off feels does not feel as natural. To me, it felt almost like the author just stopped mid scene, called “Cut!”, and decided to start the third book at that stopping point. Despite that, Carey does leave the reader with much to anticipate.

Suffice to say, I loved this book. The Trials of Koli is setup in an ingenious way, continuing with the literary aspects that made The Book of Koli such a wonderful read while introducing new features of the story that ensure the reader is engrossed all the way through. This is a great follow-up to the first book, and I am waiting on the edge of my seat for series finale, The Fall of Koli, in early 2021. The Trials of Koli gets my highest recommendation.

The Trials of Koli by M.R. Carey is the second book in the post-apocalyptic Rampart Trilogy, a Science Fiction novel.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Orbit Books, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


Series Background:    (Warning – May contain spoilers from previous books)

Koli Woodsmith was born and raised in a small village of Mythen Rood, after the world was lost.  His dreams were of becoming a Rampart (one who could bring the old technology back to life).  Unfortunately, his dreams and actions caused him to be exiled from his village, forcing him out into the hazardous environment of the world beyond his home.  This world is filled with trees that attack, choker seeds that penetrate your skin and grow, and rain and snow that are not as they seem.  Then there are the rats, wild dogs, molesnakes, knifestrikes, drones….and worse.





My Synopsis:   (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)

Koli, Ursala and Cup continue their travels, with the assistance of Monono and the Drudge.  They are following a signal from someone called the Sword of Albion.  Koli hopes to see London, and perhaps find a way to re-unite all people.

Meanwhile, back in Mythen Rood, Spinner's determination in marrying  Haijon Vennastin, a Rampart, has had some unexpected benefits, and a few consequences.  It is taking a while to be accepted by his family, but it is his Grandfather, Rampart Remember, that may hold the key.  Gaining his trust may provide Spinner with more than she had bargained for.


My Opinions:  

This is a very good series, but you must read the books in order.  Carey has created a new world in which the people are enthralled with the "old" technology, and making it work.  Some of that "old" tech is recognizable, and others not-so-much.   Their old-world was more advanced than ours. The people themselves have both an old-world feel, and yet they accept new-world ideas.  Picture a fishing village where an old woman "sings" to heal people, where the Head Man wears a piece of tech on his head that allows him to retrieve others memories, and they accept trans-gender people the same way they accept anyone else.  There is no prejudice in this world, but there is still war....everyone wants the tech.

I really love Koli's continued innocence.  I also liked the way the story of Mythen Rood was taken up by Spinner (Koli's first love), whose need for knowledge makes her a force to be reckoned with.

I felt that the pace of this book was slower than the first, and although I loved the plot, sometimes it took too long to get from Point A to Point B.  It dragged a little (and it's a fairly long book).

That being said, the "adventures" that both Koli and Spinner encountered were well thought-out, and captivating.  The writing, as always, was great, and I loved the simple language and words that came out of Koli's thoughts.

Overall, it is a good book, and an interesting trilogy...thus far.  Looking forward to Book #3.

I did not finish the first book due to the narration writing style so I will not be reading this sequel.

The Trials of Koli picks up where The Book of Koli left off.  Koli and Ursala and Cup are heading to London and chasing the signal of The Sword of Albion.  Meanwhile, we are also treated to Spinner's POV, and following her journey in the present timeline.  

This book seemed to have more action in it than the first one, but even without the action I was hanging on every word.  If you liked the characters the first time around, they'll hook their claws in you in book two and not let you go.  Ursala and Monono seem to take a step back. They are still there and active in the story, but the reader is given more insight into Spinner and Cup and it's impossible not to care about them.

Carey builds upon the world he's made here- giving us glimpses of how other villages live, of other tech that exists, of belief systems, ruins of the old world and defenses used, etc.  Where I felt unsure about how dangerous the world really was in book one and wanted to see more of it- the danger is full blown here. I was left wondering how anyone at all is left alive. (In other words- were I a character in this book, I doubt very much I'd have lived past page one...)

The writing style is still very much the same (stream of consciousness-Tom Sawyer/Huck Finn style).  Personally I love it and think it helps bring the characters to life but I know for some that was a sticking point.

Anyway- I don't want to spoil anything, I just came to say that while The Book of Koli is outstanding, somehow The Trials of Koli is even better.  I can't wait to get my hands on book three!

Not quite six months ago, I read and thoroughly enjoyed the first book in this dystopian fiction trilogy, The Book of Koi. It makes a fresh start in a world where survival is a struggle from every angle - from bloodthirsty trees, warring societies and too small of populations for a healthy gene pool. This sequel opens pretty much immediately after the close of the first installment - though Carey inserts enough reminders of the previous book's plot to fully refresh faulty memories. It follows the same oral history format that I think would translate well into an audio version. Though this second volume expands the perspectives from the first book - Spinner back in Mythen Rood gets her own sections alongside Koli's travels. This helps refresh the first book, too, without it ever feeling redundant. Both storylines are genuinely thrilling - there's plenty of action here, along with some continued world-building, particularly in Koli's adventures in Ingland to locate the source of the signal.

The book ends at a natural breaking point, but it's just enough of a cliffhanger to make me extra excited about the release of the third volume. I've read and enjoyed many of Carey's earlier novels and this series is definitely one of my favorites of his. The characters are all likable, their relationships continue to grow here and I'm very curious to see where this is all headed. Fast-paced, exciting and totally original, I certainly hope that the wait isn't too long for the last book! Well-written and with a lot of great diversity and many points to start conversation, I think that readers will be satisfied and eager to speculate together about what may happen next!

The Trials of Koli by M. R. Carey is an aptly titled books as that is what Koli and his group face, as they try to make it to London. The Trials of Koli is book the second book in the Rampart trilogy. The first book, The Book of Koli, was brimming with heart and the second one is too. Koli is trying to figure out a world he was sheltered and lied against by the village of Mythren Rood. The second book picks up a second narrator Spinner, who is the woman he wanted to impress that lead him to stealing the tech that got him banished, that fills in all that went on in the village of Mythren Rood since Koli was vanished. This book filled in one gap that the first book did not, they're locked in this village because trees can now kill, but the first book doesn't show us, then comes the introduction to the choker trees and their seeds. Choker trees are trees that shed and drop seeds every couple of years, if the seeds touch body in flesh they will immediately take root in a person's body. I think the people at Netgalley and Orbit books for giving me ARC for The Trials of Koli that is published on 9-15-20. The Book of Koli made it into my top ten of best books last year.

The plot of The Book of Koli - the world we know has long been dead nature is what most are afraid of as a type of tree can walk and kill. Most stay protected in their little village, Mythren Rood and are forbidden from leaving the protection. Koli is a woodsmith in a family of woodsmiths that works at the lumber mill. When he is older he plans to take a test to be a rampart. A rampart is special class of citizen that rules the others, they use tech of yester-years to protect the village. To become a rampart you have make the old tech work on first touch. The tech is a flame thrower, a laser, bolt gun, and some other devices. Koli and his best friend Haijon dream of being ramparts, Haijon's mother, aunt, grandfather, and cousin are all ramparts. Koli is tested with four other young adults with Haijon being the only one who can make the tech work, becomes a rampart, and gets Spinner the girl he wanted to wed. Koli is devastated, thrown into wood work, this all changes when Ursula a visiting healer, who is charge of pregnancy and other abrasions, uses and knows tech she scavenges is saved by Koli holding back a rampart from accidentally hurting Ursula. She tells him how tech really works through access codes and fingerprint analysis and that the ramparts are rigged. Koli knowing this is determined to be a rampart, breaks in to the hold and steals a piece of tech that is not exactly a weapon, that he gets to work. Under the rampart rules he is a rampart, but if the ramparts are rigged what will they do when they find out what Koli has done? They vanish him one of the Rampart that wanted more power grabs the tech that Koli stole and demands he make it work or will kill him. Koli figures he's dead anyway and uses the tech to over power the rampart killing him and Koli is reunited with the tech. The noise draws in a group of shunned that capture him and want him join their cult. Koli finds that Ursula has been kidnapped as well. they escape and end up taking a prisoner in Cup and decide to go to London.

The Plot of The Trials of Koli this books take right off where the last one ended, with Ursula, Koli, and a still bound Cup heading for London and a beacon that is still up and running. They don't make it very far until they run into Half-Ax who scour for new tech and claim this land as theirs, as they escape Koli cuts Cup's bonds which lets her flee and Koli get caught. with Ursula and Cup escaping Cup and Ursula hate each other so he has no chance in them working together to save him.
Spinner is a girl that Koli once mated with and is the main reason he wanted to be a Rampart to begin with so they can wed and not his former best friend Haijon. We see through Spinner's eyes as Koli displays the tech he got to work at her wedding, to all the rumors surrounding him. We get to see the fall out after the Rampart that Koli killed and their tech destroyed, effects Haijon since the tech was going to go to him and Spinner. Spinner finds out the deadly secret that Ramparts aren't called upon to use the tech, but chosen by the Ramparts already. A plaque has effected the village of Mythren Rood they're looking to Rampart Remember who uses a tablet for information, he is suffering from dementia, and with the help from Spinner uses the technology in secret, as more people die. Rampart Remember decides to give her the tech as he has an old non-working one to fool the other Ramparts. She solves it but as she does she is busted with the stolen tech, will she suffer the same fate as Koli?

What I Liked: The heart of these book sticks out more and more, we all want to see the world as Koli. The book dealing with Cup who is transgendered during the Apocalypse, and what that is like. The villages acceptance of Cup and how they explain it is beautiful. The rescue attempt at the Half Ax and the plotting leading up to that. Spinner and her story development was exciting to see. The sea bear fight was a highlight. I liked seeing the traditional healer's jealousy at Ursula and her tech healing and the trial she makes for Ursula. The big show down with Half Ax was great. I liked the dual storytelling at first I was on the fence, then I started enjoying Spinner's story more than Koli's.

What I Disliked: The pacing was not always great, the middle stalls for a bit with the Koli storyline. I wanted to see more of Koli and his thoughts, I felt Cup kind of took over at the back half of the book.

Recommendations: This is turning out to be a pretty good trilogy with the unlikeliest of heroes and weapons. Spinner storyline was a breath of fresh air. The story ends with a pretty good cliffhanger that can change everything. I rated The Trials of Koli by M. R. Carey 4 out of 5 stars.

Full Review To Come

Incredible Second Installment in the new M.R. Carey Rampart Series. I cannot wait for the last installment, The Fall of Koli, next spring!