The Ninth Metal
by Benjamin Percy
Published by William Morrow & Company on June 1, 2021
Thrillers – Suspense // Science Fiction – Apocalyptic & Post-Apocalyptic
One of the best aspects of sci-fi books is the world building: avid nerd tourism to explore strange locations and of course dangerous locals brimming with hostile locals and confusing customs.
So where does Benjamin Percy transport sci-fi readers?
Why: Northfall, Minnesota! (I mean…would you want to visit Stephen King’s Maine?!)
Cue Fox Mulder and his slide projector: “Meteors cratered hardwood forests and annihilated homes, and among the wreckage a new metal was discovered. This “omnimetal” has properties that make it world-changing as an energy source…and a weapon.”
That “bright” comet creates a modern gold-rush with ah…X-Files elements. The Hatfield and McCoys resume their war: this time as Minnesota conglomerate families sparing for control over omnimetal, there’s a creepy cult that snorts omnimetal…what’s happening here?
The Ninth Metal is a crazy fun ride. If you like dirty cops, a kid with “superpowers” and desperate people who do dirty deeds dirt cheap then this is your jam! Solid sci-fi thriller.
Ben’s “day job” is writing comic books and I wonder if he trojan horsed a superhero origin story: we’ll see in Book 2 (The Unfamiliar Garden).
The Ninth Metal is the first novel in The Comet Cycle a trilogy. I asked Ben if the third book The Sky Vault: Is this final book? Or is popular demand going to increase the series/world?
Ben replied: “There could be six or twelve or twenty more. Hard to know. A lot in flux right now (especially on the Hollywood side of things). This is the last book FOR NOW. Glad you’re digging them.”
Yo: The sky is falling; open your hands to catch this.
Bonus Recent Sci-Fi Sky Is Falling Recommendation: The Effort by Claire Holroyde where a dark comet threatens to end Earth.
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