Hive Monkey is the second novel in Gareth L Powell’s Ack-Ack Macaque series, a series I was eager to read more of after the impressive – and BSFA award winning – first novel, Ack-Ack Macaque. When I read the first novel last year I was surprised at what I found. Rather than a light-hearted steampunk romp I found an intricate and absorbing sci-fi story with a unique and rather enjoyable anti-hero. There was also much more to the novel than I initially thought, so wondering where Powell would take things with Hive Monkey was high on my list of priorities. And let me say this: I wasn’t left disappointed.
From the publisher:
In order to hide from his unwanted fame as the spitfire-pilot-monkey who emerged from a computer game to defeat the nefarious corporation that engineered him, the charismatic and dangerous Ack-Ack Macaque is working as a pilot on a world-circling nuclear-powered Zeppelin.
But when the cabin of one of his passengers is invaded by the passenger’s own dying doppelganger, our hirsute hero finds himself thrust into another race to save the world – this time from an aggressive hive mind, time-hopping saboteurs, and an army of homicidal Neanderthal assassins!
Now famous all over the world, Ack-Ack Macaque is piloting the airship Tereshkova for its owner and his friend, Victoria Valois. Among others on the ship are K8, a teenage hacker that Ack-Ack has grown close to, and Victoria’s holographic husband, Paul, who has moved past the constraints of his soul catcher to inhabit the ship’s computers. When popular SF writer William Cole escapes an attempt on his life and ends up on the Tereshkova, Ack-Ack, K8, Victoria, and Paul are drawn into a mysterious web of lies and intrigue when Cole’s double from a parallel universe turns up dead on the ship. Add to this the hive-mind cult, the Gestalt, are growing in power and size, and appear more involved in events the deeper Ack-Ack and the crew look.
Now that we’ve got that little bit out of the way I’m not going to talk too much about the plot again. Why, you ask? Simply because it’s one that I think you need to experience yourself, as fresh as possible. What Hive Monkey does is keep things going after the end of Ack-Ack Macaque, adding much that can be appreciated, but also doing so in a fun and informal manner.
The characters are much the same as in the first novel, so having them back is a welcome sight. However, events from the first novel have had an effect and Powell develops them nicely along the way. Ack-Ack is a particularly interesting character once again. Yes, he’s a violent, foul mouthed, and gun-toting monkey, but he’s got some deeper issues that start to come through as events in the novel unfold. The same can be said for all our main protagonists, with Victoria, K8, and Paul showing very real and emotional developments. Cole meanwhile, the new addition to the main cast, has all sorts of issues that the appearance of his doppelganger only exacerbates, as does the discovery of multiple universes.
While I won’t talk about the plot, I can say that things move along quickly, much like its predecessor. It throws some surprises in along the way, but nothing that doesn’t fit the setting and structure that Powell has created. In short, it’s damned readable, and thoroughly enjoyable.
Gareth L Powell has managed once again to deliver a novel that blows expectations out of the water. Hive Monkey is not only an enjoyable novel, it’s one that introduces new elements and opens up the setting for some very interesting future stories. Highly recommended.
Publisher: http://www.solarisbooks.com
Author: http://www.garethlpowell.com
January 2014, 384 Pages
Paperback, ISBN: 9781781081655
Review copy received from the publisher
© 2015 Mark Chitty
You’ve convinced me that I need to pick up the first one. I had almost done so before, and had forgotten that it won the BSFA. They look fun, which is fine in and of itself, but even more enjoyable when the fun includes some bigger surprises.
I’d definitely recommend picking up the first book – it really surprised me with the story, much more than I expected. I guess some of the shine does wear off for the sequel because you know pretty much what to expect, but Powell still managed to deliver a few surprises!