Terra’s World (Terra #2) is Mitch Benn’s follow up to his hugely enjoyable debut, Terra. Still focusing on the titular character of Terra, Terra’s World ups the stakes while still keeping everything that made the first novel so special.
A couple of years have passed since Terra returned to Earth to live with her biological parents, but all is not as peaceful as she’d have hoped. With attempts on her life, the Bradbury family have gone into hiding, changing names and moving from place to place when the need arises. That is until another alien assassin is sent her way, but this time she’s ready and gets the upper hand – and a spaceship.
After receiving no communication from Lbbp, the alien who raised her as his own, in over a year, Terra now has the means to return to Fnrr. However, events on Fnrr have taken a change for the worse, and with Terra’s arrival the situation becomes even graver. An ancient and deadly legend – the Black Planet – is now on course for Fnrr, stories of which tell of how it leaves planets dead in its wake. Now Terra, Billy and her friends must work together before Fnrr becomes another victim…
I read the first book in this series, Terra, earlier this year and I loved it. It had this feeling about it that just made me smile. Mitch Benn has great prose, and his storytelling skills are superb. Not only that, but Terra was a fun story, and one with so much heart. So picking up Terra’s World was a no-brainer the moment I knew it was due out.
Much like its predecessor, Terra’s World is an easy read, but this time it’s pitched at a slightly older audience than the first – certainly the opening chapters suggest this. From there on out it really ups the ante, raising the stakes for all involved, but doing so with really interesting characters and such a great story.
The events taking place on Fnrr are a direct result of Terra’s influence on the planet, so seeing how it’s dealt with, and how Terra herself manages the situation, is really what this book is about. Of course, there isn’t just the one problem facing Fnrr, and this allows Benn to expand the story and look beyond planetary constraints. It all works very well, with plenty of action and adventure, as well as moments of serious contemplation. Terra’s World has a little bit of everything.
It’s really difficult to put into words how much fun Terra’s World is. Neil Gaiman said that Terra reminded him of Douglas Adams, Terry Pratchett and Roald Dahl – a combination I happily and whole-heartedly agree with. While aimed at a younger crowd, Terra’s World is still a highly enjoyable novel, and this is a series that I would recommend without hesitation. Great stuff – and I’ll be eagerly awaiting the next instalment!
Publisher: https://www.orionbooks.co.uk/Gollancz/
Author: www.mitchbenn.com
July 2014, 288 Pages
Hardcover, ISBN: 9780575132122
Review copy received from the publisher
© 2014 Mark Chitty
