Conquest

De: Nina Allan

Narrado por: Gyuri Sarossy, Sarah Lambie

An investigation of the human need to make connections, to find causes and effects, however fantastic, Conquest is the story of a disappearance, and of the mystery that follows.

Rachel's boyfriend Frank is different from other people. His strangeness is part of what she loves about him: his innocence, his intelligence, his passionate immersion in the music of JS Bach. As a coder, Frank sees patterns in everything, but as his theories slide further towards the irrational, Rachel becomes increasingly concerned for his wellbeing. There are people Frank knows online, people who share his view of the world and who insist he has a unique role to play. In spite of Rachel's fears for his safety, Frank is determined to meet them face to face.

When Frank disappears, Rachel is forced to seek help in the form of Robin, a private detective who left the police force for reasons she will not reveal. Like Frank, Robin is obsessed with the music of Bach. Like Frank, she has unexplained connections with the criminal underworld of southeast London.

An obscure science fiction story from the 1950s appears to offer clues to Frank's secret agenda, but not to where he is. As Robin and Rachel draw closer in their search for the truth, they are forced to ask themselves if Frank's obsession with an alien war, against all logic, might have a basis in fact.

Nina Allan's novel is a work of the greatest imaginative power, an investigation of the human need to make connections, to find causes and effects, however fantastic. Conquest is the story of a disappearance, and of the mystery that follows.

©2023 Nina Allan (P)2023 Quercus Editions Limited

No real pickup

Well written, detailed research, and some lovely turns of phrase, but just not for me. I don't mind slow stories, but the slow climax here was quite underwhelming.

Feels like an empty promise

The book has an interesting and original premise. Is well written. Narration also works fine. The problem is the story itself.

The starting point works well to grab reader’s attention and promises so much - yet, ultimately, the follow up does not deliver on these promises.

The mystery turns out not to be a mystery at all, characters don’t get development that’s meaningful enough, and lengthy detours into other works of art - both fictional and real - in the end don’t amount to much, nor do they fall convincingly to form a bigger picture like puzzle pieces (something that the reader is led to believe they’re supposed to do).

In the end, it’s all rather disappointing. I think I can see what the author had intended to do, I just don’t believe she has succeeded.