Review: Take Flight by J L Pawley

Take Flight by J L Pawley: originally published in New Zealand by Steam Press in 2018

Take Flight is the second instalment in the Generation Icarus series (I love that name!). It is a science-fiction tale about a group of teenagers who suddenly and inexplicably sprout wings and must evade forces seeking to harness their abilities whilst coming to grips with their newfound gifts.

Take Flight picks up not long after Air Born, the first instalment of the series; however, before the Flight can pursue their goals, the Evolutionary Corp catches up with them. A tug of war begins between the major players; the Angelists, the Evolutionary Corp and the Flight themselves. Where the Angelists are one part helpful and two parts self-serving, the Evolutionary Corp is brutally self-centred, and the hapless Flight is caught in-between – scared teenagers who are protected but only as a means to an end by the former and treated as objects by the latter.

I enjoyed this story, reading it in a single sitting as I needed to know where it was going! The novel neatly sheds light on unanswered threads from the first book whilst illuminating further strings that leave the reader wanting more. The biggest recipient of time in the spotlight was the Evolutionary Corp, from introducing their shadowy figureheads to the lengths to which they’ll go to own their prized experiments. They treat the teenagers as nothing more than lab rats, to be abused and manipulated, torn apart and put back together as they see fit – an appropriate modus operandi for this villainous corporation!

Take Flight will engage returning readers with the familiar heroes and villains, as well as a few new faces. Pawley continues to juggle the diverse cast well, organically mixing the unique characters, playing them off one another, and further developing their relationships. I look forward to reading the next entry in this series and following the Icarus Generation on their journey!

Cover for Take Flight used with permission from J L Pawley & Eunoia Publishing

Background image by Casey Horner on Unsplash