I thoroughly enjoyed this first outing with Koli. It was topical with environmental issues and deforestation being high on a lot of a people’s fear lists. This has a well thought out setting with a great deal of fun to be had deciphering Koli’s inherited mispronunciation of British towns and phrases which makes this a particularly satisfying read for me as a reader.


Enough menace to keep me hooked despite a relatively slow burn in the first third of the book. There is much potential for a real rip roaring saga in the coming two.

Let me preface this review by stating i'm a fan of M.R. Carey's work - really enjoyed 'The Girl...' books and so was excited to read 'The Book of Koli'. This feels like a departure from the previous work, set in a future where things have definitely changed and maybe not for the better! Dystopian futures are a theme in Careys books and this one speeds along, really enjoyed the style and language used. I will admit, it takes some getting used to as the main protagonist 'speaks' in a way that can be hard to decipher at first, but, once the reader gets through about the first third of the novel it really picks up. Personally, looking forward to the next two in the series and I recommend this to any fan of Careys or futuristic dystopian themes.

I started reading this book and found the premise quite interesting. However, I found the book quite hard to get into and after persevering for a while I'm afraid I decided not to continue with it. I'm sure it is a good book but not my cup of tea unfortunately.

I liked this book and I genuinely feel that it has potential for forward momentum. Koli lives in a future where the world has fallen and even the trees can kill. His way of speaking is a cobbled together English stitched together with bad grammar and 'old world' words mostly spelled phonetically (Half-Ax, Hud's Field, Lementon) or slightly warped as they have been passed to generations that no longer remember their meaning. He and his village live in awe of old tech but Koli possesses a spark of intelligence that belies the surface ignorance, and that is what makes him a compelling character.
I think it is a credit to the author that seemingly side companions have just as much if not more bearing on the shape of this story as Koli himself. Despite some occasional lulls, I am excited for the next installment of the journey so that we may learn more about Ursala's plans to save humanity. Cup is a glimpse at how LGBTQIA people are still treated even in a dystopian future and Monono Aware (from Sony, of course) has a large part to play still yet to be revealed. All roads lead to London, I hope to see more of the Rampart series soon.

M Carey is a new author to me and this is a book with an interesting storyline with a dystopian twist and vivid descriptions.

I initially found this book hard to connect with as I struggled to find a reading pace as the terminology and words used aren't how we would use them and it kept making me question and double back. However I am pleased I stuck with it as the story as it started to unfold captured my imagination.

Koli is set in a post apolyptic world where life is a constant struggle for survival in a small population where you can not venture beyond the boundaries in place.

The story is written from the perspective of  Koli who lives in Mythen Rood not too close to the trees that have become dangerous. The world they now live in with its choker trees is a testing world full of manual hard work for Koli's family as the balance between nature, humans and technology swings back to nature having more control.

As I kept reading the pace increased and as I hit 50%, I became more intrigued and keen to keep reading to see what would come next and as I adapted to the writing style I found myself wanting to pick it up to find out where Koli was taking us and what he would do on leaving Mythen Rood.

I have to say I wasn't keen on the narrative style, although I have loved the author's other books. Not for me, but I'm sure others will love it.

Taking place in a post-apocalyptic world where nature has evolved to take its revenge on humanity and almost all of technology has been lost, The Book of Koli is the first book in a new trilogy from M. R. Carey.

This is the fourth book from M. R. Carey that I have read and, unfortunately, it really wasn't my cup of tea. I found the language very jarring as it is reminiscent of what we would see as poor grammar; I could appreciate that it was a deliberate choice for world-building however it made this book a chore to read.

There were large sections of story that didn't feel like it went anywhere especially as the book is narrated by a future Koli so you get hints of events to come and it constantly feels as though you are waiting for them to happen. The impression I got is that the trilogy could probably have been a single book...

This book does have some good representation. The protagonist is a PoC and there are two named trans characters. There is also a suggestion of gay / bi characters however they were only mentioned in passing.

I hate that I didn't love this book as I was really excited to get my hands on a copy, I can't say I am particularly interested in reading the rest of the trilogy either.

I’ve read most of MR Carey’s recent fiction and although he was some great books, his output since the excellent Girl with all the Gifts back in 2014 has been patchy. The loose sequel The Boy on the Bridge left me cold, Someone Like Me was also a let-down, but I did thoroughly enjoy the supernatural prison drama Fellside. Carey’s strength is his unpredictability, the range of his fiction, and ability to bled genre with literary fiction, however, I was unconvinced by this this latest effort, which takes another change of direction back into a post-apocalyptic world, minus the zombies of Girl with all the Gifts.

Maybe I missed something, but the publisher certainly has faith in The Book of Koli, as some online sources already have The Trials of Koli (2020) and The Fall of Koli (2021) listed for publication. To be brutal, although I finished this book, there was absolutely nothing I have not read before and I will not be returning for the sequel.

I’m going to get my major gripe out of the way first, as it really tested my patience and almost resulted in me abandoning the novel. One of the core aspects involves the rediscovery of old (almost forgotten) technology, such as hand-held computer consoles which are voice activated or controlled. Imagine having to explain what the internet is to an illiterate who has never heard of it or has no concept in the slightest. Because the readers already know what the internet is, this is rather tedious reading and way too much time of the book is spent on the main character, the narrator, Koli getting his head around technology. This was boring and even more irritating as the voice of the computer is in the style of a Japanese machine which might teach you to dance. Have I already said it was irritating? Too much time was spent in conversation with this frustrating gadget.

The Book of Koli is set at some point in the future after a war which is mentioned later in the story and there are some interesting concepts which are seriously underused in comparison to the annoying computer. For example, everyone lives in very small villages and there is very little travel from place to place because the trees are dangerous. Due to genetic engineering going wrong, many trees are now carnivorous and for the most part it is dangerous to wander in the nearby forests. Perhaps we will see more of these trees in the second book, but for such a cool idea they were too far in the background. Once in a while a traveller appears, who might use old tech, and pass on news from other villages, in reality everybody lives in isolation and news of other communities is few and far between.

The narrative style is a watered-down version of the heavily copied cult classic Riddley Walker by Russell Hoban where language has been broken down, with speech patterns and syntax messed around slightly. It is not as phonetically extreme as Riddley Walker and readers should find it easy enough to get into the first person narrative, which is almost written like Koli is telling his life story, rather reflectively, around a campfire and is aware of his mistakes and shortcomings. Words have obviously disappeared from common use and this style reminded be slightly of Chris Beckett’s Dark Eden series.

As the age of Koli is never revealed, the story has a slight coming of age, Young Adult, feel to proceedings and that was one of the stronger elements of the book. One can guess Koli is around sixteen, beginning to fool around with girls, is already seen as an adult and about to have his position in the village hierarchy revealed in relation to what his job will be which is revealed through a mysterious ceremony where he has ideas which are perhaps above his station, because of his fascination with the old technology. Beyond Koli the other main characters were also very well drawn, the girl he has a crush on, his best friend and relationship with his mother all convince. But this good work is dragged down by his fascination with the computer console, which results in him doing something really dumb which has life changing consequences for him. This is the core of that the book is about, but is it enough to carry the story? No, it is not.

Not enough happened in The Book of Koli to really suck me in, by the time it finished it was just warming up, but that’s the curse of the trilogy. There are lots of nice hints and clues where the story might be set, and the author develops a believable background involving the secrets which have been kept down the generations to keep the village going. It had its moments, but ultimately was rather underwhelming.

This is the first book in the Rampart Trilogy.
The story is set in a dystopian world where a young boy Koli is growing up.
This new world is scary and deadly and he will need all his strength to stay alive.
I found this book hard to read because the strange dialog was hard to follow at times.
Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

It did take me a little while to adjust to the narrative style. The narrator, Koli, is almost illiterate, and this is cleverly reflected in the speech patterns, grammar and syntax of the narrative itself. Which is different from anything I had read before and took a while to adapt to. Still, once I did, I found that it was a wonderful, integral part of the book and Koli.

I loved Koli as the main character, and while his age and therefore outlook/interpretation of the world gave the earlier part of the book a more YA feel, it was in keeping with the character and did not detract in any way from the impact, of a thought-provoking narrative. Beyond Koli, the cast of characters is large and colourful, and as interesting as Koli in their own way.

The world-building was fantastic. To be honest, I was sold at carnivorous trees, but this look at how the human population is prey in a world that they have helped to ruin is both hard-hitting, relevant and endlessly fascinating. I enjoyed the look at life reverting to more primitive methods – with what little technology remained and was still functional, almost considered as ‘treasures’ that were not fully understood. Later in the book, where more technology is found, it is interesting to see the reverse, and how technology can affect an individual raised in such a world.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed ‘The Book of Koli’. Although I did find the earlier half of the book a little too slow in terms of pacing, but it was made up for by the world and the characterisation. It was an entertaining read even in the slower parts, and it was a fantastic, fresh approach to a post-apocalyptic world. I would highly recommend and will eagerly be waiting for the next two books.

DNFed at 116 pages

This one just didn't click with me. It is quite slow to start, though I imagine it will pick up in the second half of the book, However, I just was completely unable to get into the world or relate to the main character. I gave it a good shot, but it was obvious pretty quickly that this book just wasn't for me.

This book wasn't for me but I can see how others would really be able to get lost in the alternate universe of magic and other worldly characters - a very imaginative piece of writing but just too much for me on this occasion!

Set in a dystopian future, this is a story about Koli. He lives in Mythen Rood (as a Northerner I recognised and loved the place names and how they had evolved over time) and is preparing for a coming of age task that involves seeing if he is able to activate the tech that the town has. If he is able to he will join the ruling family, if he fails, he will live an ordinary life as a worker. It is this task and Koli's reaction to the results of the task that sets off a series of consequences that mean Koli's life will never be the same again.

When he is forced to leave Mythen Rood we learn more about the world he lives in. Nature is now the enemy and Koli needs his wits about him if he is to survive not only the carnivorous trees but in a world with scant resources, other people too. With the help of Ursula and Mynono, (who is the most amazing kawaii Japanese pop star with a fabulous sense of humour and positive attitude), Koli sets out initially just to survive, but by the end of the book, with a plan for the future of humanity.

This is a brilliant start to an epic saga and I have already pre-ordered book 2.

My thanks go to the publishers and Net Galley for the advanced copy in return for an honest review.

This book is very well written, yet to be honest I found it hard going. An unsettling journey into a possible future for mankind that I hope will never come to pass.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Little, Brown Group UK--Orbit-- for a free ARC of this book.

The cover intrigued me, mostly due to the lack of anything much other than creeping vegetation. And the title made me wonder, what's this going to be about? So, I gave the description a once over ... EVERYTHING THAT LIVES HATES US ... ooh, now, I liked the sound of that. And I adore post-apocalyptic fiction. So, I requested The Book of Koli and duly received an advanced copy. I've never read anything by M R Carey before now, so I had no idead what to expect.

The narrative pulled me in from the first line of the first page and never let up until the end. Because this is the first book of a planned series, it ends where the next stage of the story will continue in book 2, so is a little open-ended due to that, but the threads from this first book are, by-and-large, tied up nicely.

I connected with all the characters, who are well drawn and realistic, and I care what happens to Koli and Ursala, as well as certain others, whom I don't want to mention here so as not to put in spoilers. I hate spoilers. The world-building was excellent, and I'm intrigued as to what happened to bring the world to its present state in this story. I expect we'll find out in book two.

As other reviewers have commented, the narration in the voice of Koli takes some getting used to, but very quickly, I found that I enjoyed the alternative way of speaking and the rythym. Here are a couple of examples ...

'She didn't say knowed, she said known, .... It was how they said those things in the old times.'

'... my ma sometimes called the engine Summer, ...' (for indian [injun] summer!)

And lots of English place names have been subtly altered, such as Half Ax, Ludden, Burnt Lea, etc.

Here are a couple of lines that I loved ...

'... or else a hollow in the ground and a hope that was hollower still.'
'I seen now that dying wasn't just one single thing that happens one single time. A little of it comes with every ending, collecting in the heart of you like rainwater in a barrel. This was a big lot of dying all at once, and it daunted me.'

This tale brings us a boy just coming of age, who has so far lived a sheltered life within the walls of his village. But his thirst for knowledge and wanting to get his hands on old tech propell him into places he never knew were there. The dystopian element is limited in this first story, but the post-apocalyptic element is huge and enjoyable. We have trees that move to trap unwary humans for food, as well as dropping seeds that burn into a person, and don't even ask about the wild animals! It's great to watch Koli grow as his story unfolds, and I look forward to reading more about him and his adventures in the coninuation of this series, which I'll be looking out for.

I don't want to say anymore here, because that would bring in spoilers. Suffice to say, I loved this book. It gets a solid five stars from me. The only reason I didn't read it in one sitting was because real life has a way of demanding your attention for other things.

***

NOTE ON RATINGS: I consider a 3-star rating a positive review. Picky about which books I give 5 stars to, I reserve this highest rating for the stories I find stunning and which moved me.

5 STARS: IT WAS AMAZING! I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! — Highly Recommended.
4 STARS: I WOULD PULL AN ALL-NIGHTER — Go read this book.
3 STARS: IT WAS GOOD! — An okay read. Didn’t love it. Didn’t hate it.
2 STARS: I MAY HAVE LIKED A FEW THINGS —Lacking in some areas: writing, characterisation, and/or problematic plot lines.
1 STAR: NOT MY CUP OF TEA —Lots of issues with this book.

I must open by saying I do tend to enjoy M.R. Carey’s novels, and The Book of Koli is no exception.

Koli lives in a typical dystopian world where humanity has devolved into technology-less pockets scattered across a much more hostile England. When trees can and will kill you, a forest spanning the country is a dangerous thing.

Koli is far too inquisitive and ambitious for his village and it’s his voice that helped pull me past any initial resistance to the odd dialogue. I don’t want to say too much as it’s easy to spoiler, but the pace moves quickly and the supporting cast of characters are fantastic. I understand this is the first of a trilogy and I’ll be looking out for book two to continue this journey.

Wow.... Outstanding! One of the best books i have read this year 03\20. I honestly can't wait for the rest of the trilogy. An amazing world, characters that all stand out and make a difference to the story. One of the truly special tales that will stay with you for the rest of your life

DNF - I could not get into this book. The writing style was really off putting. I wanted to like this book but I couldn't focus on the plot.

Quite a different read which entertained me with its dystopian world where the boy Koli lived his entire life in the village of Mythen Rood and was suddenly thrust out onto the unknown world for discovering a few truths, where danger lurked under every tree. Yes, trees ate people. It was a scary world out.

My first book by author MR Carey, I was quite immersed into the world created. The writing was quite detailed with the breathing trees and the deadly vines. Koli was an intriguing main character who could evoke my empathy from the get go. The entire story being told through his eyes was easy to follow.

The dangers made the plot interesting, I loved seeing Koli traverse a harsh, dangerous land with his friemds. Eclectic characters, immersible world building, and a sweet main character made this a fun read. This was book 1 in the trilogy, there was more to be uncovered in that world. Well recommended for readers who love a dystopian sci-fi.

Another brilliant book from Carey, from small beginnings it grows from a fun village tale and blooms into a compulsive epic adventure. With echoes of Knife of Never Letting Go and Girl With All the Gifts this is a must read. I’m so glad the next book is out in September!