Michael's Rating:   4 out of 4

The Evergence Trilogy, which consists of 'The Prodigal Sun', 'The Dying Light' and 'The Dark Imbalance' - written by Sean Williams and Shane Dix, is a sprawling space opera fantasy in the similar vein of Star Wars, yet differs in that it features hard sci-fi elements.

The setting of the story is placed roughly half a million years into the future of humanity, which has colonised the far reaches of the Milky Way galaxy. Humanity has evolved into various castes, such as High Humans, Exotic, Pristine, and Mundane.

Centring the story is the female lead, Morgan Roche, who is a commander in the intelligence arm of the Commonwealth of Empires, the oldest of the many nation states in her region of the galaxy. While en route in her mission to deliver an artificial intelligence known as the 'Box', her ship is attacked, and she is placed in company with the mysterious genetically enhanced clone, named Adoni Cane. Later to join her entourage is the Surin Maii who possess a ESP type ability called Epsense, and the ex-mercenary Ameidio Haid.

Pushing the plot of the story is the complexities surrounding Adoni Cane, where did he come from, who created him, and what is his purpose? In the backdrop to these story elements, are the perceived hidden agendas of the 'Box'.

Throughout the trilogy, the motley group, led by Roche, discover that Adoni Cane may not be the only one of his kind, perhaps one of many of the enigmatic 'Enemy' who currently plagues the galactic community via subterfuge and terrorism.

As the series evolves, layer upon layer is revealed, and new sub-plots examined and exposed, which helps enrich the story as a whole, delving deeper into the motives and agenda's of the main characters until the final explosive revelation.

You may notice that I do not delve into the many details and answers of the plot provided by this trilogy, I feel that it would spoil a true genuine old-fashioned good read. I felt I was rewarded by reading this trilogy, and justifiably so, as this was the first works of fiction that I had read in over a decade apart from work associated with the Star Wars universe.

Williams and Dix present a satisfying writing style which indulges the reader in the varying aspects of the characters they present; their motives, their relationships, they sense of purpose and destiny. Many themes are woven throughout the trilogy, such as what makes up the 'I'.

I highly recommend the trilogy, and I think it would make a great preparation into the style and prose of the authors, who will later be writing in the Star Wars universe - the New Jedi Order trilogy, Force Heretic.

Franks Ryan, Managing Director of Swift Publishers, would like to inform readers that they are producing Sean William's 'Evergence Trilogy' with Shane Dix, 'Ghosts of the Fall', 'Metal Fatigue' and, soon, 'The Resurrected Man', in the UK, where he is currently engaged in drawing attention to the two Australian writers who deserve it