review by Joe Vaz

eBook 250 pages Available in digital from: Amazon

Abi Godsell’s Idea War is magnificent.

I had the privilege of reading the first ten chapters of Abi Godsell’s sprawling Idea War series a few years ago, and it immediately grabbed my attention.

Idea War Vol One introduces us to a team of young rebels, fighting against an autocratic government that, in a not-too-distant future, has taken over the control of South Africa.

Through multiple viewpoint chapters we are taken into a highly polarised world, where the characters believe they are either against the government, or working for it. A notion which quickly comes crashing down in the second chapter.

At this stage the book simply introduces us to the characters, the fighter, the mechanic, the pilot.

But pay attention, because all of the characters we encounter later in the book feature in the background of the first couple of chapters.
Godsell seamlessly ties these characters together, allowing us a peek into their motivations for fighting against the autocratic government. But slowly the convictions begin to be stripped away as both the reader and the characters begin to get a greater understanding of what is actually happening and what the stakes are.

We at Something Wicked have long been fans of Godsell’s work, having seen the talent and potential of her work back when, at fifteen, she submitted her first piece to us. It is with great pride and joy that we witness her work growing bigger and better.
Idea War Volumes Two and Three were launched 25 March 2015 and are available for purchase through Amazon.

Godsell’s work is not just another dystopian YA, her characters are strong and the story complex and compelling. This is a fantastic debut by an author who is going to go far, but then we’ve been saying that for years already.

All three volumes of Idea War are available from Amazon.