Whiplash is a fast-paced young adult, science fiction thriller and the first book in the Rust Chronicles.
Jack is a sixteen year old boy that is kidnapped and thrust into a world that he never could have imagined. He’s been hand-selected to be a warrior in a battle to save the world from dying in their sleep. He seems quite like an authentic sixteen year old boy, from the way that he talks to his crush on a fellow captive/warrior. He’s constantly piping in with smart-ass comments that he makes during every single interaction he has with other characters, even sometimes when he should be keeping his mouth shut for his own safety. I love sarcastic characters, and Jack does not disappoint! Side characters were also quite interesting and memorable, though for me, Jack really steals the show.
The author has done a fantastic job of worldbuilding. It’s very subtle at first, and we get to discover and understand the new world that Jack has been thrown into just as he does. I appreciated the lack of information dumping, which I find is very common in the first instalments in science fiction series. By the same token, I was never confused because things were explained just at the right time. This is a delicate balancing act, and Quaid pulled it off quite well! The entire concept of ‘dream tectonics’ is original and intriguing, and I was compelled to keep reading to find out more.
This novel is fast-paced and has quite a few surprising twists throughout. Just when I thought that I was getting the hang of the story and where it was going to go, there would be another twist to kept me on my toes.

What drew me to this was the artwork on this cover. It also made me wonder who is this guy and where is he?

The novel starts straight in the thick of it. Our protagonist Jack is two weeks from finishing college when he is kidnapped by some colourful characters (initially introduced as Ginger and Man-Mountain). He is taken to the Bunker because the world is about to change and Jack is marked for great things. Not that he knows this yet.

In the bunker, Jack is given a new name (Aster) and subjected to a series of tests before being assigned to a team with Saffron and Basil. According to the limited information they have about the outside world, there is a war being waged though not everyone knows that yet. People are dying en masse when they sleep.

Jack sounds like a pretty easy going guy and it’s funny how he tries to substitute someone in his place at the start because he has things to be getting on while the end of the world potentially happens. He makes other such humorous comments during his training and time in Traumwelt.

The dreaming aspect makes everything slightly surreal and coupled with being in a bunker, cut off from rest of the world makes for a disorientating experience. The story unfolds to not just fighting in a war in Rust (which can only be accessed through dreams) but to what else is really going on. There is a rebellion faction with their own objectives. Like all wars, nothing is clear cut though. There’s lots of action and in between, Aster/Jack finds time for a bit of love (difficult given the circumstances he lives in!).

There are more twists and reveals before the end leaving unanswered questions over Jack/Aster’s parentage. Though I won’t say more to avoid spoilers.

I think if you like fantasy novels involving battles, you’ll enjoy reading this one. My copy was provided by Netgalley and you can check out more of Quaid’s work on his website.

I thought this book was a graphic novel when i got it and started reading it once i downloaded it. The story was slow at the beginning but picked up pace after 30% and i was hooked on it.
Feeling excited for the next book and what happens next to our characters.

When the teacher tells you not to judge a book by its cover, this book is exactly what they are talking about! Not going to lie, I picked it up expecting a graphic novel-ish type book that my students might enjoy and was pleasantly surprised to be immediately hooked on this story myself. Can't wait to see where he takes the story next!