A Review Of Ripped Away By S. D. Christopher

Print Length: 290 page

Publisher: Purple Octopus Books (7 April 2020)

Language: English

ASIN: B0858Y57KN

The BookViral Review:

The problem with many super character novels is they come across as rather two dimensional when compared to their onscreen counterparts but this certainly isn’t the case with Ripped Away. The second book in S.D. Christopher’s Uncommon Senses series it proves a genuine gem in a subgenre that’s ever-increasing in popularity and yet it’s refreshingly free of tired tropes and clichés. 

Benefiting from a taut multi-thread plot and Christopher’s acerbic pen its execution is relatively straight forward and the metaphysical aspects superb as we’re immediately drawn into the strange world of Christopher’s ‘sensitives’. 

They’re an eclectic mix of characters with Christopher balancing quite different tones amongst their stories. Confused, scared, tender, virtuous, vicious and complex. They may be imbued with extraordinary abilities but they’re very human and feel highly authentic which alongside Christopher’s astute conceptualization brings a genuinely chilling aspect to his novel.

As the lives of characters like Igor, Amy, Maiko and Steven continue to intertwine we feel their hunger for connection and whilst Christopher doesn’t delve too deeply into the moral or thematic implications of their abilities, the challenges they face makes for a winning concept.

Original and highly entertaining Ripped Away can be read as a standalone novel but is best appreciated when read in conjunction with The Ripper of Blossom Valley. It will also appeal to fans of Tim Kring’s TV show Heroes and Sense 8 from Lana and  Lilly Wachowski. It is recommended without reservation.