I have already written – rather enthusiastically – about the first instalment of this trilogy, The Lives of Tao, saying that the book is an innovative example of a techno/sci-fi thriller and that I looked forward to the rest of the trilogy. That’s not something I say often – mainly because I’m generally unhappy with sequels and series. They rarely live up to the opening novel.This is not the case here. I would rather say the opposite is true: the series gets better and better.
The reason why I have chosen to write about the two books in the same post is not just because I have read them in sequence, one right after the other. I also feel they are strongly connected, even more than the first and the second. And given to the fact that the plot become thicker and some of the unclear points of the Lives of Tao get an explanation when looking at the big picture, this is what I advice you to do, reading them as one book. It’s not a sacrifice. The story flows well, taking you effortlessly through the events, and you never got bored or stuck.
The Deaths of Tao (DoT) starts from where the previous novel stops and, while you can still enjoy it without The Lives of Tao (LoT), I certainly recommend you to read it first. It would add to the fun, also because the best (and main) character, Roen, hosts of Tao and one of my favourite anti-Hero characters, can only be throughly understood in that way (Roen has not always been what he looks like in DoT, no). The story follows like it says on the cover: The Prophus and the Genjix are at war. For centuries they have sought a way off-planet, guiding humanity’s social and technological development to the stage where space travel is possible. The end is now in sight, and both factions have plans to leave the Earth, but the Genjix method will mean the destruction of the human race.
I believe the best description for DoT is the one the author himself has given – as for the first novel – on Chuck Wendig’s blog: After LoT, all Hell has broken loose and shit just got real. Genjix busting out the super soldiers. Roen can’t keep it together #stinkytofu.
Genjix are once again the bad faction here, and I have to say I have enjoyed them even more – sinc
e they get more characterisation and details. To get a feeling of the action, Wesley’s preferred paragraph of the DoT gives a good idea: “Hutch, standing next to Roen, coughed and fidgeted with his jacket. Thirty-six gangsters, dressed to the nines, surrounded the small table, drawn guns half pointing at them and half at each other. Roen poked Hutch and gave him the don’t-get-us-shot glare. The gangsters were already on edge. The last thing they needed was to see an anxious foreigner making sudden moves.”
You can feel it doesn’t going to stop there, even though individual characters may come and go. And as a matter of fact, in the Rebirths of Tao, set many years after DoT, you will still find the world is split into pro-Prophus and pro-Genjix factions, which a devastating new World War looming ahead and a new set of adventures preparing to happen. And you know you are going to find Roen and root for him.
One thing I especially liked in the last novel is its treatment of the more general subject about alien-human interaction, which can’t be reduced just to friend/foe dichotomy. If one of the intended aims of SF is to provoke questions together with entertaining readers – this is my take, anyway – I would say Wesley Chu managed to do both, and brilliantly.
RoT is the perfect closure of the trilogy, also because, as it should, expands the action and takes it on a wider setting, whilst still preserving the essential characters – humour, strong writing, adventure and intrigue – that have made the other two such as a good reading.
Wesley has been nominated for the 2015 John W. Campbell Award for best new writer, and he deserves all the praise he can get. Follow his blog tours and news about his 2015 appearances here.
(Note – Where I got the books: I received a copy of the Deaths of Tao from Angry Robot. I have purchased the Rebirths of Tao on Amazon.)
I completely agree. I love this entire series, but the last book was definitely the best. He’s a remarkable writer, and I can’t wait to read his next book.
Indeed! Hopefully I will have the opportunity to see him in person this year at the Worldcon in Sasquan. Would love to ask him a few questions…