The Guardian is the second book in J.D. Moyer's Reclaimed Earth series and is set about ten years after The Sky Woman. This is a much longer book in comparison to the first which allows for more developed world-building and a larger cast of characters. I thoroughly enjoyed The Sky Woman but The Guardian is a more satisfying story which extends the Earth and ringstation based settings. It can be read as a standalone but I would recommend reading the series in order to truly appreciate the ongoing story arc.
The villagers who live in Happdal are fascinating because they are the descendants of advanced humanity but in a post-apocalyptic world, have an existence which is more akin to their Viking ancestors than to modern civilisation. In the previous book, one of the ringstation anthropologists, a woman called Car-En met and fell in love with a Happdal villager, Esper but though both feature here, the main character is their young son, Tem. It works well because he is in the unique position of having a claim to belong both in Happdal and on the Standford ringstation but consequently is somewhat of an outsider in both places. On Earth he dreams of becoming a blacksmith like his Farbror (uncle) Trond and has to work hard pumping the bellows but on Stanford he is expected to attend school. He has a maturity beyond that of most children of his age but is still a child and throughout the book he frequently makes decisions which are courageous but potentially foolhardy as he bears some heavy responsibilities, either through his own choices or thanks to others confiding in him. As a result he is an intriguing protagonist who is clearly motivated by his deeply held beliefs and principles but he is also the grandson of the village jarl and there are glimpses of arrogance. There seems to be the potential for him to become power-hungry as he grows older and I'm looking forward to seeing how his character is developed further in future books.
Although much of the action among the sky people is still set on Sandford, we also learn a little more about the other ringstations in the Coalition and the differences between their citizens. While those who live on Sandford are pacifists who prioritise science and learning, those on the Liu Hui are more militaristic and have a phenotype which emphasises height and strength compared to the smaller, lighter people on Sandford. There are also mentions for other ringstations, including Alhazen, Hedonark and perhaps most intriguingly, the Michaelangelo who are described as a former artist's colony which has morphed over time into a society of paranoid isolationists. As the story progresses I was struck by the similarities as much as the differences between the Earth based humans and the sky people. Both experience tensions between the various settlements that make up their communities; Happdal is one of the settlements in the Five Valleys but Svein, jarl of the closest village, Kaldbrek is a dangerous tyrant; meanwhile, Adrian Vanderplotz, Station Director of Advance Station One, a small research station on Earth, more commonly known as Vandercamp is an egotistical megalomaniac who invites a lethal visitor to the station.
The tense rivalries and human dramas are certainly engaging and I particularly liked Lydia, Vandercamp's doctor who was once Car-En's friend and has complicated relationship issues to confront alongside the dangerous situation she finds herself in. Likewise, Shane - the head of head of security is another strong addition to the series and the chapters which feature him are some of the most gripping in the book. However, as pressing as the more relatable human issues may be, the appearance of a tentacle enhanced Squid Woman who has dangerous plans is obviously going to take precedence.
Commander Umana could have been a ridiculous figure but this is a well-crafted novel which continues a plot strand introduced in the first book ensuring that as far-fetched as her appearance may sound, how and why she is like this makes perfect sense, and her inclusion sits perfectly within the wider story about the moral choices behind human evolution and development. The title of the book is interesting too and could refer to a number of characters or themes; Tem is obviously going to continue to play an important role in the future and could become some sort of guardian of the Earth but Umana also has plans to take over guardianship of the planet, planning to preserve and protect it.
Climate change and the environmental cost of human development is obviously a vital issue right now and J.D. Moyer's descriptions of a world which exists far in the future is a thoughtful look at how people may respond to catastrophic events, questioning whether idealistic fantasies about a new population built on compassionate progress could ever be realistic given human nature and the strengths and weaknesses which are handed down through the generations.
The Guardian is exactly what I'm hoping for when I pick up a sci-fi novel - richly descriptive worlds; the scientific elements are advanced and incredible but written in such a way to be plausible and the interesting, generally sympathetic cast of characters are thrust into situations which are exciting and thought-provoking. There is obviously a great deal still to discover here and plenty of conflict ahead so I'm very much looking forward to the next Reclaimed Earth story.

This is the second book in the Reclaimed Earth series by J.D. Moyer, but I felt it can easily be read as a stand-alone.

Earth had been decimated, with only small pockets of villages left, but they happily survive albeit with rivalries between the villages.

Tem, of the Happdal, a Norse speaking settlement is a young boy who has dreams of being a smith…..his mother Car-En is one of the Sky people who defected. She had fallen in love with Esper. Tem sometimes has trouble feeling like he belongs, with his darker skin and small stature….but this is his home.

She decides it’s time to take Tem, to the Stanford, a ringstation to meet his other grandparents…..just for a visit…may be a year!

And so the adventure begins…….there is a psychopathic leader, Adrian, who had previously tried to kill Car-En….he has plans!

There is also a squid woman, now she is terrifying…….many many spiders…..even more horrific!

Will the people of Earth survive ? Will Tem ?

A complex tale with great world building, which I have to admit that took me a while to get to grips with, but it evolves into a thrilling, intelligent sci-fi adventure. I enjoyed the way it was set out, with chapters from various perspectives and the characters have clear personalities and a clever, engaging plot.

Thank you to The Author, the publishers and NetGalley for the eARC for free. This is my honest, unbiased review.

The Guardian is the continuation of the story that began in The Sky Woman. It takes place on and above a post-apocalyptic Earth, centuries after catastrophic depopulating events took place. Now, the earth is becoming habitable and civilization is making a comeback. And everyone wants a piece of Earth.

Much of the population fled to space stations to wait out Earth’s recovery. But not all. The residents of Earth may not be as technologically advanced as the ring stations, but they are socially evolved enough to recognize a threat in the ringstation interest in their world. The stark contrast between the earth-dwellers and ringstation dwellers causes both conflict and cooperation.

The main character focus has shifted from Car-En, the ringstation anthropologist, to her nine-year-old son Tem. Raised on Earth in Happdal, Tem is the son of Esper, so is half native. I really enjoyed Tem’s youthful viewpoint, though it is written with a mature voice. I watched as Tem’s world expanded from his Uncle Trond’s blacksmith shop to encompass much of Earth and the ringstation Standford, including his grandfather and many new friends. He may always want to be a blacksmith, but his mind is opened up to so many more possibilities on the Stanford with his friends. With the exciting possibilities come possibilities that are also dangerous.

Adrian Vanderplotz is the villain from book one. Now, he has established a research station on Earth, but colludes with a military force from another ringstation to take over the settlement. He gets more than he bargained for. It is always nice when the evil villain learns he is not the genius he thinks he is!

Enter Squid woman, Umana. This grotesque approximation of a military Commander seems to be the real villain in the story. But pay attention. Here is where book 1’s story of the gast evolves. What began as a supernatural creature in The Sky Woman, is revealed to have a scientific beginning in Earth’s history. And it is not done yet. Evolutionists may like Umana, but most of us will be uncomfortable with the scientific ‘progress’ that created her.

Individual story lines did seem a bit disjointed. Plus there were adventures with giant dogs and odd population groups on earth that seemed to have little to do with the story (like the giants in book 1). However, most of it is connected and patience is rewarded.

The Guardian. The title of this book. I really haven’t figured that out. In fact the word guardian is used only once in the story in reference to Tem’s grandfather as his guardian. Hmmm. The characters Katya and Tem come to mind as possible guardians, but I’m not sure what the author was referring to. Read the book. Let me know what you think.

Overall, The Guardian is a pretty good tale, complex, multi-faceted and full of danger and excitement.

Through Netgalley, the publisher provided a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I haven't read the previous book in the series so I'm probably at a bit of a disadvantage. But, I liked this nonetheless. It's a bit uneven but well=researched and mostly engaging. Part of an on-coming stories involving climate change. Recommended.

I really appreciate the advanced copy for review!!

This is Moyer's sequel to the Sky Woman, and picks up where the previous book ended. I enjoyed Sky Woman and I enjoyed the twists and turns of The Guardian. The plot and character development in book was excellent. I could not put the book down.