Weaponized by Neal Asher

Weaponized is fundamentally a book about evolution – but not as we know it. Set in the distant future on a newly colonised planet, we witness the rapid and violent evolution of humans as they struggle to acclimatise themselves to an increasingly hostile world.

Ursula is the leader of the new colony on Threpsis, a planet with enough similarities to Earth to make it viable for humans – just. She and her fellow pioneers are determined to escape the artificial intelligence that controls much of human society, spread across hundreds of worlds throughout space. They have decided to live as “humanly” as possible, without the aids that AI provides them. While the colonists have the technology to adapt to a strange world full of carnivorous plants and poisonous insects, they are not prepared for the raptors – vicious and destructive predators who may just be more intelligent than they are.

Set against the backdrop of an intergalactic war with an alien race, Ursula and her fellow colonists find themselves fighting a war on two fronts. With dwindling resources and firepower, they decide that their only choice is to weaponise the best assets they have left: themselves. To survive, they might have to become like those they fear.

Weaponized is an extremely fast-paced action narrative. The reader is carried along with the colonists as they fight for their lives in almost every scene. The battles are vicious and, as the narrative progresses, more gruesome. There is very graphic violence and fight scenes.

The non-linear narrative does become frustrating at times as the reader has to continually adjust back into the plot of the current timeline, as the author works to blend past and present to round out Ursula as a character. Some of these chapters feel unnecessary to the plot and detract from the urgency and action of the main narrative. Nevertheless, Weaponized is an enjoyable read, particularly for fans of hard science fiction.

Themes: Science Fiction, Action, Space, Aliens, War, Artificial Intelligence.

Rose Tabeni