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BooksMEDIAScifi

Shackleton’s Burden (A Lost Wonders Novelette) by Todd Yunker (book review).

In the book ‘Shackleton’s Folly’, we meet Alec Shackleton and his assistant Dancer, who’s an AI in the form of a blue centaur. While ‘Shackleton’s Folly’ is book one in the ‘Lost Wonder’ series, ‘Shackleton’s Burden’ is not book two of the series. It is a short story (reported print length of 28 pages) detailing the initial meeting between Alec and Dancer. This is an aspect not covered in the initial book and, in the author’s notes, Todd says that many fans of the first book have requested more information on how the duo met.

ShackletonsBurden

The short story (novella?) provides the back story to the duo’s friendship although they don’t meet under the best of circumstances. Dancer was present at the death of Alec’s father and is able to narrate the story to Alec. It is largely due to Alec’s father that Dancer is a free android and Dancer feels some measure of guilt that he caused the death. That is why he has searched the galaxy for Alec, to help repay a life debt.

‘Shackleton’s Burden’ is on sale at Amazon for less than a pound as I write this review. For people who have bought and enjoyed the first book, ‘Shackleton’s Folly’, then this is a worthwhile investment to get a bit more of the back story. If, on the other hand, you have not read the book, then my advice would be to dive straight in to ‘Shackleton’s Folly’ and come back for this short story. You will get more out of it once you have immersed yourself in Todd Yunker’s future universe. For those of you who ignore my advice then I should add that the Kindle version of ‘Shackleton’s Burden’ on Amazon also contains chapter 1 of the book Shackleton’s Folly. It will almost certainly compel you to go and buy the full book anyway.

Andy Whitaker

(pub: Kindle, 2014 28 page e-book: Price: £0.99 (UK). ASIN: B00R2A3YOA)

check out websites: http://toddyunker.com/books/shackletons-burden/

AndyWhitaker

I live in deepest darkest Essex where I enjoy photography, real ales, walking my dog, cooking and a really good book. I own an e-book reader which goes with me everywhere but still enjoy the traditional paper based varieties. My oriental studies have earned me a black belt in Suduko and I'm considered a master in deadly Bonsai (there are very few survivors).

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