I did not realise this book was SF and set in the future this is not what I am interested in. This book was very slow for my. Not my kind of book at all.

When Ben's fiance Cara doesn't return from her work trip, Ben gets worried. She works on an island with no phone signal and communication is by letter. Cara likes her job a lot and she likes the importance that it offers her.

This story is set around a two-tier society, those that can afford to live in Villages, and those that can. The Villages are a new way of living. The main island is known as Sanctuary Rock, a remote island that has a strict and limited access system.

For Ben, this is a society or system that doesn't quite sit well with him. He has visited Villages to paint portraits for the wealthier residents. He however is happier in the city in his small flat. There are benefits to these hubs as those who cannot afford to live in them can work in them. Travel and work are via permits.

Ben finally has enough of waiting for Cara so decides to make his way to The Sanctuary. A dangerous journey to undertake with no idea what he will find when he gets there.

Once there he is surprisingly welcomed as it seems that Cara is respected there. While he still waits for her to return from another job he is shown and welcomed to the island. It has a good feel, almost like a utopian society where everyone works together. There is however an underlying ominous feel, is everything as good as it seems or is it too good to be true?

This is quite an addictive story and it does have a dystopian feel to it, but not overly so and this makes it more accessible. THere are ethical questions raised within the story and this is a great way of interacting with the reader and made me think about options, dilemmas and principles.

The story unfolds further and you start to notice the cracks, things are not as they seem but quite what they are I wasn't able to put my finger on, following Ben in this story finally led me to a truth that I didn't expect.

This is a mystery novel that has a sci-fi or dystopian twist to it. The plot was a slower one but it gave all the information and explanations to set the reader up for the revelations to follow. I really enjoyed this one and I would be happy to recommend it.

Ever wondered what life will be like if we don’t take the time and make the effort to protect our environment?

This novel puts the reader right into the middle of environmental catastrophe. Into a society which has become broken down and corrupt. The hero is forced to make choices about who to trust and who is lying for the sake of it. This society has become divided into the haves and the have nots. Which side do you want to be on? But be careful all is not as it seems. And when Ben’s fiancé goes missing he sets out to find her..

This story is a masterpiece of mystery and suspense which will keep you guessing right to the very end. Thank you for allowing me to read this week constructed book.

This was an interesting book about an isolated island home to a cult who want to cut themselves off from the outside world and their leader who thinks of himself as a God. While the world building and setting of the island was intriguing, I didn't really enjoy the book and didn't much like any of the characters either. It is a slow read but the further I got into it and as more secrets and twists were revealed, it did get slightly more interesting. This is the perfect book for readers who enjoy books about cults in a slightly dystopian setting.

If you like speculative fiction then this is a great example.

Although slow to start, this dystopian story is well written and explores lots of thought provoking themes.

In the future there are cramped poor living conditions in cities and the rich living in 'villages' where the poor are only allowed entrance in order to serve the rich. Ben Parr is a artist who makes a living painting portraits of the rich in the villages; however, when Cara his girlfriend tells him that she won't return to the city and will instead stay on the island where she has been working alongside the mysterious Sir John the creator of this new utopia he decides to travel there himself and find her at all costs. However, instead of Cara what he does discover is nothing that he ever could have predicted.

This was a fast paced and interesting dystopian thriller. I loved Ben's journey to the island and then his slowly facilitating feelings towards Sir John as his suspicions grew and then were allayed as this brought a sense of paranoia and questioning of what was really happening. A gripping and exciting read that kept me hooked until the very last second.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for a copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review

Delayed finish due to house move etc., I got the book from our store to complete. I really enjoyed The Last Day and looked forward to this. Overall I would recommend, though in the good but flawed camp. Ben is a young painter in a world where tech has mostly gone, and of rich and poor. His searches for his fiancé take him to an island paradise/something more sinister, maybe.

Flaws first - though I felt this was the author's intention for the main character, I did find Ben at times annoying; from his cack-handed journey to decide to go and then reach the island onward. His 'openness' to different views from minute to minute (literally!) later in the book I assume was intentional as it was so embedded in the character and plot: it didn't make him less annoying. Possibly a personal thing. The pacing at times seemed a little off-balance in places, from slowness to rapid reveals. Again I think this was intentional to portray the world and it's characters, not sure it worked throughout - but this was more in the content and development of ideas/plot rather than specifically to do with the pacing for me.

As with The Last Day the world itself was well constructed that to an extent it faded into the background, allowing the character and plot to come through. For me the earlier book was more 'complete' in these other aspects, their development and progress, and that is where it succeeded to a higher level. The Sanctuary is a book I would recommend, though with potential flaws (eye/mind of the reader!) in mind.

Firstly, a huge thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I did enjoy this book in the end, although it did take me a long time to get in to. The first section of the book is considerably slower than the rest which I think lets it down a bit. However, once the plot picked up speed, I couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen next. I ended up reading the second half of the book in two days.

If you're going to read this, expect to have to push through the first section, but after that it is a really interesting and thought-provoking read.

Unfortunately not for me. It was more the style of writing that I did not enjoy. The plot didn't get me hooked so I didn't finish it, hence a neutral 3 stars.

Another interesting book from Hunter Murray. In a near future an unspecified catastrophe has occurred, creating a divide between the haves and have nots who either live in gated villages or in the bustling city. However, there is an even more elite destination, Sanctuary Rock, where Sir John Pemberley, the architect of all the villages has created a bespoke community hand picked for an idyllic life. Ben the central narrator is drawn to the Sanctuary to discover why his fiancé Cara is not returning as planned from her employment there. Gaining access to the island is just the beginning as Ben's assumptions are tested, his sanity questioned and his beliefs challenged.

A gripping read with twists and turns and a smattering of science!

This was such an immersive, dystopian read. Split into 3 parts, the first part felt a little slow but intriguing enough to keep me reading. By part two I was hooked. So descriptive and mysterious I had to keep going to find out the secrets of the island. 5 star read for me. Loved it!

I really enjoyed The Last Day but struggled with The Sanctuary and in fact, I didn’t complete the book. I found it slow initially and that pace didn’t pick up. Thanks for the opportunity to ready this but sadly it wasn’t for me.

I enjoyed The Last Day but the Sanctuary was a disappointment. The pace was too slow, the protagonist boring and the story did not grab me. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

In a dystopian future the privileged live away from trouble in smart enclaves. The workers come in to service them & then there are the wild lawless areas. Ben earns his living painting portraits for the well off, not entirely satisfying but earns a crust! He is engaged to Cara who is working away for Sir John Pemberley on Sanctuary Rock. When she doesn't return as expected her decides to go find Sanctuary Rock. It is an a community that does not welcome intruders! When he finally gets there he finds Cara is away but he is allowed to stay & see the society John is building. He also gets a commission to paint John- in spite of Pemberley's cynicism as to it's usefulness. Ben gets drawn in to the place. He has questions& is not sure he will like the answers! And why hasn't he seen or spoken to Cara?

It took me a while but I was soon hooked. I like Andrew Hunter Murray's style. I really liked Ben & I loved how the hexagons around the chapter numbers changed! Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting e read & review this book. It was a brilliant read

Sometimes I like to read something different. This book certainly was!

Ben, and his love of his life, Cara go their separate ways on some sort of island utopia. But all a bit odd and the book starts slowly, never increasing in pace.

Not for me, but thanks to Net Galley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for the chance to read and review.

Unfortunately this book did little for me and I couldn’t wait to finish it and start another novel. It was slow to take off and I presumed the pace would increase, so I persevered to the end, but no it didn’t. John wanted his plan where only young people survived on his island to succeed and appeared to stop at nothing to do so.

I didn’t like this book very much and gave up very quickly. I found it slow and boring. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

This book wasn't at all what I was expecting. It was very slow and I struggled to stay interested this is not a bad book but just wasn't for me..

Even several days after finishing this book I am not wholly sure what to completely make of this book. I loved The Last Day, and was eager to read The Sanctuary. Maybe I wanted to like it too much and, as such, put too much pressure on myself to do so. That said, I did enjoy my time with it and found certain elements to be completely fascinating. I think where it all broke down a bit was the way the book came to an end. Spoilers prevent me from explaining what I mean here. but the biological stuff just didn't quite work for me. That said, I did have a blast getting to that point and, taking the bit that didn't gel with me out of the equation, it was nevertheless a good solid read. I did guess a few things a bit early so the final shocks were a bit diminished too.
So, Ben and Cara are engaged but spend most of their lives apart, working in different fields that take both away from home for long periods of time. They are due to reunite though, something that Ben is very much looking forward to. But Cara cancels, by letter, and Ben subsequently fails to get in touch with her by phone, to talk... So, he does the only thing he can which is go find her... Trouble is, she's on an Island which is closely guarded and about which, little is really known. But Ben is determined and pulls out all the stops, pushing danger aside to try and reunite with his love.
And then it all goes a bit weird... In a good, if definitely not healthy, way!
It's a slow burn, building up the tension in layers. But its important to do this as certain of those layers will be key to discovering the real truth as it all eventually come out at the end. It's definitely worth persevering with though (previous comment aside) as once we get to the Island proper, things really start to kick off...
There's a lot to be taken from this book. Morals, ethics, poor/rich divide being just a few of the key ones. All of which have the possibility of invoking a great book club discussion. But if you do not have that in mind, it can also just be read a a story with a dollop of food for thought on the side. Ben himself is a bit of an insipid character. Whether this is by design or just my interpretation, but it actually works this way. He is not the important element in most of what is going on despite him being the main character. Honestly that makes sense in my head!
All in all, not as good as his previous book but a good solid read in itself once it kick off. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

A dystopian world and an isolated island paradise.
I wanted to love this but there was a real disconnect between what was written and where it was going. I was really disappointed especially after his incredible work The Last Day