Space travel is something most know of, but have never experienced. It’s an advanced field that many dream of joining one day. However, Timothy Zahn makes his way across galaxies in “The Icarus Twin.”
“The Icarus Twin,” sequel to “The Icarus Plot,” focuses once again on the duo of Gregory Roarke and Selene. The two have once again moved to being crocketts, a job in which they collect samples from uninhabited planets to determine what materials are on the surface. But something goes wrong when the two notice their probes being snatched up and their ship being followed.
Their captivity highlights the bond between Roarke and Selene. As the two enter captivity together, their trust in each other is highlighted as there is no time to plan or even chat. More of Roarke and Selene’s story before the novel is introduced, only strengthening the already tight bond in the reader’s eye.
Roarke’s internal struggle is a main focus as well. He has absolutely no clue as to what is happening. No higher ranking officials will give him any information about his current situation, causing extreme waves of doubt in both his captors and the group he works with. Through it all, Roarke keeps his focus on protecting Selene.
Zahn blurs the lines of good and bad by keeping information from Roarke. This tactic also shows Roarke’s true side – the one of him and Selene. The ending of the book highlights this, as Roarke calls on both sides of the hunt to expose the manipulation and gore surrounding both sides. Captors are given a sense of relatability while the ones Roarke works with are revealed to have dark sides. Roarke’s ability to be the middleman and improv his way through difficult situations comes out, making readers question if he really is one of the “good guys.”
Zahn also uses many instances of foreshadowing in this book. It starts at the very beginning, so small that most casual readers won’t recognize it. But as the story progresses and more truths are revealed, more of the instances start to make sense in the reader’s mind. The foreshadowing also speaks to the pacing of the book. It’s fast, but not so fast as to overwhelm the reader. The pacing makes big moments hit just as hard as the small ones, bringing an emotional instance to every part of Zahn’s writing. The end of the story wraps up the questions extremely well while also including a monologue from Roarke that introduces even bigger questions to the playing field.
Roarke and Selene are thrown to the wind in “The Icarus Twin,” but prevail nonetheless. Roarke and Selene’s personalities bring a spark to the already exciting adventure, making this a worthy read for science fiction fans and general readers alike.
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