Benjamin Cross

Set in a remote island in the Russian Arctic, a group of scientists are tasked and asked to work on the island to conduct an environmental impact assessment. However, not all goes well when they found out that not only they are not alone in the island, as they also found an ice mummy which leads to a myth that may or may not be real for many, many centuries...

The story was great! No doubt, it set a good tone when it comes to the setting and the characters, as well as the events that follow by throughout the book. Although, I do have to mention that I got a bit lost since a lot of characters were introduced and not many characteristics were given to distinguish them (apart from three or four characters). That being said, most of the time I was confused about who was speaking and what part they are taking in this group, but I do have to say that english is not my mother tongue and that could have played a part on my confusion.

I was, nonetheless, gutted that we didn't get to see much more of the ice mummy that they had discovered. Yes, it was mentioned some times and they went back to check it later on, but I was hoping that would have been a discovery that would have marked the book itself, but it didn't. It was mostly focused on the creatures - which I wasn't mad about.

Overall, it was a good book. Like I said, I liked the story, the setting and all these crazy plot twists that involved the creatures, the villains and all the crazy fights for survival.… (más)

Colony is a spectacular and original thriller, drawing the reader in before exponentially increasing the tension and eventually, the terror. With a bleak and compelling setting, joining Callum as he unravels the mystery of Harmsworth island felt all too real. It’s a credit to Cross that his writing enables what could in less skilled hands feel far-fetched. His descriptions of the mist were particularly evocative, and whilst Harmsworth is an intriguing place, I don’t think I’d like to spend much time there.

The main cast felt like real people (and I picked up some Russian vocab!). Callum’s motivation to return to his son was believable and not overplayed. Whilst I didn’t feel my heartstrings were overly tugged on, I was invested in Callum’s safe return to his family, and in the relationships he built with other characters.

The two interweaved plotlines felt very disparate at the beginning of the novel, but with a few twists they came together very satisfyingly. I went into the book knowing nothing about the threat at the heart of Harmsworth, and whilst there are a few hints in the first chapters, I think that makes for the most enjoyable experience of the story, so beware spoilers!

Whilst the ending at times dipped into science fiction, I found that this didn’t negatively impact my experience due to the groundwork that had been laid throughout the book. Loose ends are tied up, so there’s no cliffhanger warning for this story.

I rated Colony 4 stars, and would recommend it to anyone looking for a thriller with something a little different. Personally, I’m going to be sending my Dad a copy for Father’s Day, whilst keeping hold of the signed edition I received in exchange for this honest review. Thank you again to Ben for sending me a copy. Content warnings for Major: Blood, Body horror, Death, Gore, Murder, and Violence. Minor: Sexual content and Terminal illness. Ages 14 and up.… (más)

My thanks to the Author publishers and LibraryThing for providing me with a Paperback copy of this book to read and honestly review.
Stranded in the Arctic.
Fighting to survive.
And they are not alone...
Says the blurb on the cover, what follows is a exciting thrilling non stop page turner. Well written and researched clever descriptive and imaginative, very imaginative. It certainly helps your enjoyment of this engaging tale, if like me you still have a big kid inside, to suspend your disbelief and just enjoy the action, though be warned some is seriously graphic. Absorbing atmospheric with terrific characters and some surprises along the way.
Finally a word for the publishers Book Guild Ltd for the quality of the paperback which is still in pristine condition even after I have finished reading it, not always the case these days no matter how careful you are.
A quality debut I look forward to more soon.
Recommended.… (más)

First of all this book is the first novel this author has ever released and it ended up great, so congratulations to author on that.
I enjoyed reading this book, the descriptions were so detailed that I could almost see myself in the place of the main character, I also loved the fact that the author wrote about some of the very common problems in today's world.
It's also a very great book for people who like thrillers, I got literal chills while reading some of the parts.
So overall this book is awesome, and I recommend it to everyone that even has a slightest interest in thrillers.… (más)