The Fall of Koli

December 21, 2020
The engrossing finale to Carey’s Rampart Trilogy (following The Trials of Koli) dashes many of its characters’ hopes but also opens possibilities for the future that none of them ever imagined. Koli and his companions—trans woman Cup, scientist Ursala, and sentient AI Monomo—have finally reached the source of the signal they’ve been following through the dystopian wilderness: a ship called the Sword of Albion. They hoped the source would offer answers, but instead they discover that the ship holds horrific, lethal secrets from the prewar past, before technology was destroyed and outlawed. Meanwhile, Koli’s old friend Spinner has become a leader in the village of Mythen Rood, wielding controversial old world technology. Now the town faces invasion by a massive, undefeated army. Even if the town survives the assault, it will have to contend with Koli’s return home from exile and the potential extinction of humanity. Carey packs this series conclusion with long-awaited answers about the past, present, and future of this dystopian world. Brimming with both action and humanity—especially from the AI Monono—this is sure to satisfy series fans. Agent: Meg Davis, Ki Agency.

March 31, 2021
Carey wraps up the Rampart trilogy (after The Trials of Koli, 2020), following Koli Faceless and his friends as they seek a mysterious signal in this unique postapocalyptic setting. The signal has led them across Ingland to the Sword of Albion, a ship that has been at sea since before war devastated the world, carrying the three unusual members of the Banner family. After an uncertain welcome, Ursula is engaged to enhance the medical diagnostic machine she carries to assist with teenager Stanley's health issues, separating her from Cup and Koli, who are stuck socializing with the angry youth and trying to come to terms with the weirdness of the ship's inhabitants. Meanwhile, the village of Mythen Rood, from which Koli was exiled, is dealing with the fallout of a skirmish with a band of Half-Ax fighters, fanatics who follow the Peacemaker, a tyrant who has decided every surviving piece of technology is his. The unpredictability of this distinctive story will keep readers engaged at every turn of the page.

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Starred review from April 1, 2021
Carey concludes his post-apocalyptic Rampart trilogy, set in a future England ravaged by climate change and war. Koli Faceless and his companions--healer Ursala-from-Elsewhere; Cup; and the snarky, self-aware AI Monono Aware--have finally found the Sword of Albion. They've been following the signal across the ocean in a leaky boat, and when they find its source, they discover that the Sword isn't an actual sword at all. It's a massive warship chock full of old tech, more than Koli has ever seen in one place. It's inhabited by only three people: Lorraine and Paul Banner and their son, Stanley. Lorraine and Paul are keenly interested in Ursala's vital medical diagnostic unit. But something is off about the trio, and Koli and his friends are under constant watch, making them feel more like prisoners than guests. Turns out there really is something to the stories of a boogeyman called Stannabanna, "the lord of all shunned men and monsters," and nothing on the ship is quite what it seems. Folksy, lyrical storytelling and heartbreakingly complex characters have been a trademark of this rich trilogy. In off-kilter English (England is "Ingland," diagnostic is "dagnostic," etc.), Koli shares a narrative with Monono and with his childhood friend Spinner as she takes on a powerful new role and a fearsome enemy back in Koli's home village of Mythen Rood. Themes of loyalty, friendship, compassion, and inclusion are tightly woven into an inventive and exciting whole, and there are strong echoes of the current state of the world, notably the dangers of building walls between people. Luckily, in Koli's world at least, there is always light at the end of the tunnel, even if it's just a pinprick. An epic and hopeful finale to an altogether splendid tale.

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