By Leo
Publisher: Cinebook
ISBN: 978-1-84918-028-3
This is the second book of the second part of the Worlds of Aldebaran series by Brazilian writer and artist Leo. It explores mankind's first tentative steps of other-wordly colonisation where we've achieved a foothold on distant worlds but there is still much that is dangerous and unknown beyond the pockets of settlement. The first part of this epic, the Aldebaran books, introduce us to a number of characters including a young headstrong, but naive, woman called Kim. By this point in the tale her experiences have helped her grow in to a mature and resourceful individual, and she is now on one of the Betelgeuse planets on a search and rescue mission which in itself has gone wrong. The planet is largely hot and barren, but a deep, wide chasm runs across it filled with lush vegetation and bizarre wildlife.
As we join the story, Kim is recovering from being shot and is trapped in a cave with a companion after fleeing their captors. The inhabitants of the caves take an interest in them as potential food and they are forced to flee deeper into the caverns and to whatever may lurk there.
When much of the science fiction that reaches us nowadays is Hollywood driven, it often feels like there is little innovation and most aliens (Avatar being a prime example) ending up being not very alien at all. What I really enjoy about Leo's work is that there is a sense of this being other-worldly. The creatures are weird and wonderful, but still work as an eco-system, the plants are enormous and beautiful (and sometimes deadly) and there is a tremendous sense of scale. It all feels like an alien world should feel – unforgiving and mysterious – but the story also has a backbone of a solid plot that drives the characters forward and gives them a purpose beyond that just of survival. If you've ever enjoyed any form of science fiction then this is worthy of your attention.
And if you liked that: The final part is out soon, and don't forget the earlier Aldebaran series
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