Customer Reviews

Trigger

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I got the 8th signed copy (available from the Author's website), and I read it in just three days (and I'm a busy family man) because I couldn't put it down. It's very visual while having lots of twists and turns that keep you guessing.

I like the discussion of space-time paradoxes and the futuristic technologies reminiscent of maybe a pre- Star Trek: Enterprise series. Also, reading this book reminds me what a primal motivation love is in our decisions, small and important.

It was awesome. 5 Stars.

If it were a movie the high concept could be Battlestar Galactica meets the grandfather paradox and throw in a little Independence Day.

I just wanted to state that this is a truly wonderful story and I had trouble putting it down. Now that I have finished reading it, I really miss it. I want more, and I hope Todd is working on another book!
Also, the science in this book is very realistic. I never felt that something in the story was totally impossible in reality.

Trigger is the first complete novel by Todd Durrant, owner of A Different Drum record label. While A Different Drum is known for great modern Synthpop, Todd Durrant will quickly be known for great and philosophically thought provoking science-fiction. I was extremely impressed with this as a first work by him and anxiously look forward to more. The story was riveting and I couldn't put it down! It is the type of story with many interesting layers of plot revelation that keeps the reader on edge waiting to see what will happen next. I loved that it was not overly predictable as I find many stories both written and filmed to often be. Instead, this just seemed to get more curious with every page turned.

The most difficult thing about writing this review is that I really don't want to include too many, if any, spoilers as the greatest fun about reading it was the interesting turns the plot took as more information was revealed. Basically, the story takes place in two different timelines. In one, you have a group of human exiles from Earth who are trying to make their way in space after forcefully leaving the planet due to a an invasion by mechanical "lifeforms". In this timeline, there are divergent political perspectives revolving around either going back to retake Earth by force or expanding further into space and pioneering further development and growth. In the other timeline, which is pre-invasion, the focus revolves around a major corporation, scientific development, and a secret project to help prevent human annihilation by creating a device which is only activated after the calamity has occurred by using a trigger backwards in time to activate it.

The only criticism I have at all about this work is that I think more development could have been done on the desperation that humans faced in the future on these remote space colonies. However, in many ways the author did make it obvious and other readers may likely disagree with me on this one as much of the first part of the book does have quite a bit relating to this in it. However, I have to admit, character development is probably the most difficult aspect of writing a fiction novel and a marked improvement was shown as the story developed. Overall, I think Todd did a great job and I really liked the characters he created. They are all unique and interesting, no carbon copies, archetypical or stereotypes here except maybe where The Admiral is concerned but that is at it should be in my opinion. I also like that he has strong female characters and sensitive male characters. He also shows many situations where their actions are very human indeed, sometimes logical and sometimes purely emotional, but most often a combination of both as their plight is very unique and unusual. I also like the tech in this book and how he stuck to realistic descriptions regarding the physical dynamics of space, unlike the hollywood movies where you see and hear great explosions and flames in space.

Overall, the book has great technological ideas, interesting philosphical questions, multiple timelines, fairly well developed characters, mostly unpredictable plot lines and a very compelling story!

Trigger

Todd Durrant has been known for a number of years for his "synthpop" music store and publishing business, A Different Drum. With Trigger, he takes his foray into the world of science fiction.

The story takes place in several different times and places, all set in the future. It begins on Earth, in the year 2075 A.D. with the invasion of robots, which are dubbed droids. We are then whisked to 2155 where a ship is orbiting Earth, trying to gather information for an attack to take it back from the droids.

Meanwhile on Jupiter in 2048, a company that has been successful in inventing technologies that enable interplanetary travel, synthetic food, and powerful weapons, decides to start a new project to try to redeem themselves after realizing that their work is being put towards destructive ends. They plan to secretly build a machine to silently monitor Earth from afar, in the hopes that if the time ever comes that it is needed, it can keep the human race from being destroyed or destroying itself.

And in a distant system called Epsilon Eridani in 2140, where humans are eking out a living after having escaped from the earth during the attacks in 2075, dissension is brewing between those who would like to try to take the Earth back at any cost, and those who would like to continue to populate and survive in space. A leader emerges among those wanting to continue doing their best in space, even as a military organization forms and begins launching an attack to reclaim their lost planet.

The story has suspense, intrigue, and even some romance. The potential paradoxes of time travel are explored, and there are some exciting battles. Rather than being a story of good against evil, it is one of people - and machines - with diverse beliefs, understandings, and motivations. They all have the best of intentions, but they are at odds with each other and the answers are not clear cut.

I found the book to be very enjoyable reading. It was a little confusing at first, as it kept switching between different times and places, but once I became familiar with the various characters and their environments, it became very comfortable. There are hints of what is going on throughout the book, but it is written skillfully enough that I discovered much of it along with the characters, rather than being too predictable. The ending is satisfying but not conclusive; it leaves you thinking. It also seems to lead into a sequel, which the author is indeed working on.

A remarkable thing about this book is that there is no profanity and everything is kept to a PG level. It is a book I would feel comfortable letting my preteen children read.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading science fiction, thought-provoking fiction, or just a good, clean story. If you liked the new Star Trek movie, you would probably enjoy Trigger. I think that this could be the beginning of a new and rewarding career for the author.

With a narrative that spans the course of roughly one hundred years, this science fiction bonanza snaps back and forth between two time periods as the story unfolds. The reader begins the novel by observing an apparent attack on humanity by droids who appear calculating and detached. This annihilation results in a retreat by the humans to space where they begin to build their own space stations and warships with the hope and intention that someday they will be able to return and reclaim the Earth from the droids inhabiting the "anthills" on the Earth's surface. The audience is then allowed to observe the time period in which the humans begin the process of launching their attack on the droids.

There are not really characters to love or hate in the book as the humans in this book are, well, human. They elect to pursue avenues that probably aren't the best in hindsight, but their beliefs and passions guide them- for good or bad. They must accept the consequences of their actions, because ultimately, each has some responsibility.

Although it took awhile for me to get into the book (which I attribute to my lackluster attitude towards science fiction and my subsequent ignorance towards the genre), I found myself highly engaged after some interesting revelations emerge which bring cohesion to the story and propel it along. There are also some good twists and turns which kept me compelled enough where I read the last 150 pages in one sitting.

I am curious now to read some other science fiction so I have a better yardstick to measure this book. Solid entertainment, though, as it created a dandy movie in my head...which is what I look for in most books I read.

This is quite an ambitious first novel! Fortunately, that ambition pays off in a well-developed plot that unfolds at a perfect pace. The first hundred pages introduce us to the characters and set the stage for the dramatic series of revelations that occur throughout the rest of the book. A fun and thought-provoking read.

Trigger, the initial novel by Todd Durrant, is a fast paced SF tale about the exiled the population of earth. Humanity was attacked by machines that destroyed many and now some of the survivors have nothing on their minds but to take earth back from the machines. Forced to flee the planet of their birth or die, many inhabitants find a new home within the stars. No one knows the reason for the attack, no one but the oldest woman amongst the survivors. Are the machines enemies or are they their protectors?
I enjoyed this book from the minute I opened it. It moves at a great pace and takes you through the many facets that created the catastrophic event without slowing down. It will keep you interested, entertain to the end and you will be glad you took the time to read it. It is a great book for young men and those who enjoy Young Adult SF fantasy.

Anna del C. Dye
Author of "The Silent Warrior Trilogy"
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Good heavens! That's ridiculous. May be the best book in the world, but $17 for a 380pg paperback is insane.