The Last Starhopper
Reviewed By: Susan Keefe
Susan Keefe reviews novels, poetry and non-fiction books for TheColumbiaReview.com
The Last Starhopper, an exciting adventure, is the debut novel for author Ian Shaw. However the author himself is not new to the world of adventure, as at the tender age of fifteen he left his home in Australia and travelled the world. That experience was followed by joining the French Foreign Legion, working for the CIA, fighting as a mercenary, and serving with Israeli forces. These wide and diverse ‘life experiences’ have enabled him to write this fascinating story with its many complex, yet realistic characters.
The Last Starhopper is set on Earth in the 2030’s, which after all is not the too-far distant future. It follows the adventures of a group of adolescents as they make their way through life. It is said that everyone’s future is a set of crossroads, and I think that everyone will agree that this is true. The ‘what if’ element is present in everyone’s life… As each of the characters follow their separate journeys, we watch fate, circumstance, and chance, all take part in what the future holds for them. None of them could possibly realize how their lives would become so cleverly entwined, and yet they do. And none could have ever imagined that it is the qualities that they possess would make them the subjects of interest to the creatures watching them, who are not of this earth.
As nuclear war breaks out, fate brings them mysteriously together at a small village in the Andean mountain region of Colombia. Everyone is put on this world for a reason, and it is at this moment in time that they discover what their future holds. A future like no other, a journey into the unknown, but full of promises…
In summary: With its many twists and turns, I found The Last Starhopper very interesting. The author’s insight into many different walks of life, and the science fiction element, gave interesting food for thought. I look forward to his second book. Highly recommended! –Susan Keefe for TheColumbiaReview.com