This is my kind of book, a “what if?” type of book with a dark, tormented protagonist. The surface of the earth is completely inhospitable, the last remnants of life (or so they thought) have taken to the skies.
Hell Divers has a great concept; people living on massive airships who would still need supplies from the earth. These brave individuals, Hell Divers, parachute to the surface and face a plethora of challenges to keep humanity alive. Nicholas Sansbury Smith takes us deep into the life of one of these insane…I mean... brave men.
“The average life expectancy for a Hell Diver was fifteen jumps. This was Xavier Rodriguez’s ninety-sixth, and he was about to do it with a hangover.”
This is our introduction to X, a man who is one part brave, two parts skilled, with a smattering of luck and a whole lot of crazy. As I read Hell Divers, I was pulled into his life, I began to understand the why’s and how’s of X. I love a tragic hero, no one wants Mr. Perfect to win, we prefer to root for the underdog. A tragic hero like X always makes the story better.
I had a few minor issues with the story. I found myself wondering: why do they do it like that? I really don’t think that’s logical; but let’s be honest, this is science fiction. Why do I read science fiction? For a getaway, an escape and to have some fun.
In the end, Hell Divers was an exciting edge-of-my-seat experience with an incredible protagonist that was based on a well-developed, intricate concept. It was a hell of a lot of fun. Sign me up for the next Hell Divers Team!