I received a copy of Grave Cold for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.
After reading Shannon's second remarkable book, Insiders, she contacted me
and told me about Grave Cold. She said it might not be something fitting my
usual reading material. She was right only because Grave Cold is not a space
opera; it is set right here on a future Earth where cities are no longer
accessible by just anyone. There are some strange goings on in the District of
Portland, the setting for this tale. The book might fit into Dystopian Sci-Fi
and Urban Fantasy classifications, but no matter how one describes it, it is a
fine story that moves along at a fast pace with characters one will care about.
The world building is colorful and more than a little scary.
Nyle is a Raven. He travels the world when he is called by the dead to
release their… I'm not sure what to call it. Consciousness? Life force? Soul?
In any case, the energy that exists in a person's body is trapped until someone
like Nyle comes along to release them and allow them to pass into the next
plane of existence. This is not a simple job, and it comes with perils. The
raven can be killed if he/she tries to do too much.
Caitlin, known to her friends as Cait, is a young woman who struggles as a
hairdresser to make a living. The only stable thing in her life is her cat. She
thinks herself to be genetically altered, as many are in the District, but
thanks to Nyle, she learns she is a necromancer. She can speak with the dead.
Together, they learn of a group of nefarious individuals who have learned
how to use the life force of the dead to create energy used to power systems in
the District. They make it their mission to stop this abuse to allow the dead
to rest as they should.
Nyle and Cait are an interesting pair. Their relationship is a unique one
that, as the tale unfolds, becomes borderline romantic. But before that, Nyle
only wants Cait to be safe and does his best to make sure she is. Nyle's
problem is, anytime he gets near the dead, he is inundated with spirits who
want to be released, and they deplete his energy in doing so. Fortunately, Cait
is on hand most of the time to make sure Nyle doesn't do too much and puts
himself in jeopardy, at least most of the time.
Cait is a young woman living as a, more or less, free spirit. She has deep
feelings about things, and will do whatever it takes to make sure the right
things are done for those who have passed on.
Both are interesting characters with a lot of depth revealed as the story
moves along. We get to know them both well enough to want them to be safe and
successful. Cait is especially endearing because of her chaotic lifestyle. I
enjoyed watching her try just to pay her rent, and being late nearly everywhere
she went. Descriptions of the hairstyles she prefers were among the lighter
moments in the story, and I found them enjoyable, although they wouldn't be for
me.
Along with the characters, my favorite point of plot was the world building.
The District of Portland is surrounded by a wall, making it an island-like
place. Apparently, all large cities are similarly separated. Getting into a city
is difficult if one is an outsider. Governance is handled by corporations and
many live in luxury, while others, such as Cait, live by barely subsisting on
some go-nowhere job paying just enough to live, but not enough to afford even
the simplest pleasures of life.
Sometimes, Districts come into conflict with each other, and the results are
disastrous.
My takeaway from Grave Cold is when someone is forced to live in loneliness,
one must learn to get by as best they can. But one should never set aside their
sense of what is right and wrong.
Both the characters in this story are lonely people because of their roles
in their lives. They cannot share who they are without compromising what they
have to do. This theme is explored throughout the book.
The theme of loneliness is so present in this story, the reader can almost
taste it.
I admire Shannon's writing style and wanted to get her thoughts about her
motivations and about her as a person. The following is an interview I
conducted with her. I love the depth of her answers and hope you do also, and I
also hope you will read her books...
Me: What inspired you to become an author?
Shannon: Oh, this feels like an impossible question because I’ve
always wanted to be an author. Stories inspired me. The world inspired me. I
realize now how unique my childhood was compared to so many people’s today
because not only did I grow up before the Internet, but I grew up in the deep
backwoods of the Ozarks. There weren’t other kids to play with besides my
siblings. There were three TV channels available with scarcely any shows for
kids. The libraries didn’t have many sci-fi or fantasy books, either. Still, I
read a lot. I played in the woods. I also spent an enormous amount of time with
my own imagination.
Me: What kind of books, movies, and/or television shows played a part
in your decision to write?
Shannon: When I was a child, my dad subscribed to a science fiction
and fantasy book club. My dad, siblings, and I all loved reading those books. I
read anything on those home library shelves many times. My big brother Seamus
made a deal with me that he would read my first book, which I’d handwritten in
journals, if I first read The Dragonbone Chair. Not only was that a chonker
divided into two mammoth hardcover copies (with gorgeous Michael Whelan
covers), but the book was the last in a series. I was in grade school, but I
happily read those books. Seamus read my “book” and told me to keep writing,
which was about the nicest thing he could have said.
I also remember picking up Lioness Rampant by Tamora Pierce at some point.
It was deeply amazing to me because I was accustomed to reading books aimed at
an adult audience, and I adored understanding every word of a story aimed at
young girls. The feeling was so huge. That’s when I decided my dream was for
someone someday to read one of my books and feel the way I felt then.
For movies, the original Star Wars trilogy was a big influence. I also loved
Dark Crystal. I rewatched them many times. My brothers and I were latchkey
kids, and after they got in trouble too many times with how they chose to spend
their time, we were instructed to turn on a movie when we got home from school,
and an adult would be there before it ended. This resulted in the endless
back-to-back viewing of the Star Wars trilogy.
Me: What book is on your nightstand right now?
Shannon: I am reading Renia by Karl Forshaw.
Me: Do issues people face today affect what you write?
Shannon: Absolutely. I think the heart of sci-fi and fantasy is the
issues we face today. When you pick up great classics in the genre, you see a
timestamp of issues the author found important.
Me: Pantser or Plotter?
Shannon: I plot where I’m starting and where I’m ending, and I pants
the rest. I make sure I know my characters first.
Me: Have you had any formal training in writing?
Shannon: I have a B.A. in English. I’ve also taught English,
including writing. Teaching children to write is an incredible way to learn
more about writing because you need to be able to explain why something does or
does not work.
Me: How did you deal with the COVID pandemic and did it help your
writing?
Shannon: I got COVID in the spring of 2020, and I did not get better.
Instead, I experienced a series of changing and worsening symptoms. After about
two and a half years mostly bedbound, one of the tests resulted in a treatment
that allowed me to sit up throughout the day. During the worst periods, I could
not even think. I existed in a liminal space that felt separate even from my
own mind. My ability to self-reflect came and went. During moments of clarity,
I vowed to myself to self-publish the three books I had previously completed
that my agent hadn’t sold. Since I’d gone through such a life-changing
experience, I had a new perspective as I revised my books. This new perspective
is incredibly important. However, I also have new disabilities that make daily
life more difficult.
Me: What are you doing when you're not writing?
Shannon: COVID has limited my activities and productive hours. I
teach English online a few hours per week. I have been busy with other aspects
of self-publishing. For instance, I just got a new cover completed for
Insiders, which is very exciting, and I’ve been updating distributors with new
files and sending out for the proofs of the hard copies. Meanwhile, another
artist is painting a new cover for my fantasy novel, Wish Givers. I’m also
connecting with book reviewers, like you. In the evenings, I like to read. When
I can’t read, I watch Korean dramas. My kitty hangs out with me most of the
day.
Me: If you could travel to any time, future or past, what period
would you go and why?
Shannon: I would go to a time in the future when there was a
treatment for Long COVID. When you lose your health in such an enormous way,
the situation causes a whole new awareness. I lost parts of myself that I
didn’t know it was possible to lose. I would gladly go to a time where I could
get those back. Going back in time, prior to my infection, doesn’t seem like a
good solution because earlier adoption of a respirator might not be sufficient,
and I might simply experience the same horror twice, but the second time, I
would not be able to go through those years with the naive aspiration that
tomorrow I would be well. Sci-fi tells me the future has great medical
solutions. I also think we writers can help create that future because the
first step is to imagine the scientific solution.
Me: I've read two of your books. Are there any characters in Insiders
or Grave Cold that are you, or people you know?
Shannon: No. Unless they are all me, which is a weird thought, but…
Me: What takeaways would you like readers of Insiders to take with
them after they finish reading?
Shannon: We are all in this together. That’s my biggest, single theme
for Insiders. We all have our unique ways that we can contribute, and together
we can make amazing things happen. Also, we should help and protect each other
as best we can, especially our most vulnerable. Sachi’s role as a teenage girl
is one where I wanted readers to see that she should be guided and protected,
but I also wanted readers to see her as powerful and heroic, even as she’s
figuring things out. Our society tends to look down on teenage girls,
trivializing their interests and abilities, but teenage girls are amazing.
I also hope people can feel connected to the characters as they read.
Me: Same question for Grave Cold?
Shannon: Life has enormous power. Death is partially why life is so
powerful. The fact that life is limited–that it can end at any moment–creates
an urgency that highlights our every moment. A big part of the beauty of life
is our interactions with others. A single person can make a big difference.
I explored a lot of other ideas, too. Death is not the end of someone.
Villains feel justified in taking anything they can from those less powerful
than them, while heroes will take a stand to protect those less powerful than
them. ME is a terrifying illness that many people are unaware of. No one should
be ostracized for their differences.
I also hope people feel entertained while reading an adventure story.
(Note: ME refers to Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome(ME/CFS))
Me: Have you read a book that has changed your life?
Shannon: All books change my life. Some more than others. Some in
different ways than others. Books are incredible. They let us see other
people’s perspectives. They teach us new things. They give us hope and
laughter. They connect us to other times and places. Books are marvelous.
Me: Is there a book, other than your own, you think everyone should
read?
Shannon: My bookish opinion is that not every book is for every
person. Some books are best at certain points in a person’s life. It’s also
good to read outside of your comfort zone. As a rule, though, I want to know
more about what someone wants to read before offering a book suggestion.
Me: Is there a book you wish you would want to read again for the
first time?
Shannon: COVID does wild things to your brain and memory. I had lots
of memory problems. There were times I couldn’t speak or understand language. I
had memory gaps, too. Unsurprisingly, I couldn’t read for a long time, but I’d
try anyway. I held the latest Murderbot volume in my hands while I was sick.
Just to hold it. Some days I’d read a sentence or a paragraph over and over.
Murderbot is a wonderful character to hang out with. After I could genuinely
read again, I read the book. I’d laugh, which hurt a lot. But I guess I wasn’t
really up to it, because later I read it again, as if for the first time–I had
no memory of it at all. When I really (really!) had improved, I read the entire
Murderbot series again, including the book that wasn’t staying in my memory.
Third time’s a charm! The series is mostly novellas. It all felt brand new,
like I’d never read any of it before. After that, I took another favorite
series, the Mercy Thompson books by Patricia Briggs, and read the entire
series. Rereading feels a bit like a visit with my past self, because I
remember my initial impressions along with my new ones. It felt like a good way
to remember and remind myself of who I am.
Me: What was your favorite book as a child?
Shannon: Lioness Rampant by Tamora Pierce. Alanna was so cool. I
wanted to be a knight, too. (And now I am!)
Me: What is your favorite part of the writing process? What is your
least favorite part of the writing process?
Shannon: My favorite part is writing. My least favorite part is
marketing. Too bad Doyle (from Insiders) can’t do it for me.
Me: What is a question you wish someone would ask you, but never has?
What is your answer?
Shannon: This is a clever question. I’m not longing for any
particular questions, but I’ll take this opportunity to tell you how wonderful
my cat is. Wow. He lets me put my face in his fluffy belly fur, and it is not a
trap. I think he’s having a Totoro experience every time he sleeps on my torso.
He’s excellent company. He stayed right by my side for those super sick years,
and he would purr so happily. He has a kitty bed on the desk so he doesn’t
lounge on the keyboard, and he can hang out while I write. We’re buds.
Me: What are you currently working on? Tell us what you can, if
anything.
Shannon: Mostly, I’m working on the non-writing side of self-pub, but
I’m marinating multiple story ideas. There are so many stories to tell.
Me: What are the best ways to learn more about you and your work?
Social media? Blog? Website? Newsletter?
Shannon: I’m still figuring things out, but I’ve got a website
started, and I’m on some social media.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/_Shannon_Knight
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heyshannonknight/
Grave Cold is a marvelous story about life and death, and perhaps afterlife.
It features great and well-developed characters set in a future where energy
can be derived from strange places, including the departed. It is set at a time
when people can be genetically manipulated, and there is extreme prejudice that
doesn't allow for people's growth. I enjoyed this story and the sci-fi included
in the story is accessible to any reader, the fantasy aspects are not
over-the-top, and there are some lighter moments to allow the reader time to catch
their breath between some well-paced action. I look forward to Shannon's future
work with eagerness.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
No comments:
Post a Comment