Surviving Anstey

A Story of Love Through Time and Space

Fiction - Science Fiction
345 Pages
Reviewed on 08/27/2020
Buy on Amazon

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    Book Review

Reviewed by Susan Sewell for Readers' Favorite

With false promises and devious methods, a prominent figure of an alien planet ensnares and enslaves those who follow him to earth in the riveting science fiction novel, Surviving Anstey (A Story of Love Through Time and Space) by Susan Hancock. With their world, Auriga, near extinction, a group of people follows their leader, Anstey, and escapes through a time rift and settles in a sixteenth-century European coastal region on earth. Tricked by Anstey to sign over their rights to their holdings and children, they all become little more than his slaves. Thomas Alban was one of the children torn from his parents and placed in Anstey's designated school. Twenty years later, he is an enforcer for Anstey. When Thomas rescues Kat, a village resident, and takes her to his quarters for medical attention, his and his friends' lives turn upside down. Kat is a powerful force born of two planets and the catalyst that forces Thomas and his friends to follow through with their desire to escape their servitude. Unaccustomed to living in a human environment, Kat leads the group out into the world to plot their next moves. Will they ever be safe from Anstey's reach? Can they bring an end to his rule?

Brimming with action and suspense, Surviving Anstey (A Story of Love Through Time and Space) by Susan Hancock is the thrilling first book in an exciting new series. I thoroughly enjoyed the novel and was impressed with Ms. Hancock's research on the setting and background. They are both stunningly portrayed, giving the story a believable and life-like feel. It has engaging characters and a brilliant storyline that held me captive from the first paragraph. Fully developed, the characters are relatable, making it easy to get caught up in their dramatic and life-threatening circumstances. As the plight of the protagonists escalates, so does the excitement and intense drama of the plot, leading to a suspenseful and smashing climax. It is a spectacular book, and I highly recommend it to everyone who loves electrifying science fiction novels. Because of some intimate scenes and violence, the story is more suitable for mature readers.

Astrid M. Arzu

In Susan Hancock's Surviving Anstey, Katharine Wrenn (“Kat”) is an impetuous young woman living in 16th-century England. She resembles her mother in appearance and special powers, which make them both clearly unique in the community. But her mother is accused of witchcraft and her father leaves home in order to save her, leaving Kat at the mercy of rapists. A mob then ties her to a rock in the ocean, dooming her to death from the incoming tide. However, a courageous and kind-hearted man, Thomas Alban, sets out to rescue her, risking his own life. This man is a member of a special patrol that guards an underground complex. In it, a community of exiles from another world far from Earth exists under a rule of terror by the atrocious Richard Anstey. Will Thomas be able to save Kat, not only from her impending death at sea but also from the threats and cruel plights that Anstey will want her to suffer?

Very well written, Susan Hancock's Surviving Anstey delivers an exciting and original tale combining historical fiction, romance, sci-fi, and adventure. Kat is a very lively and intelligent heroine, with whom it’s easy to form a connection. This is also true for the male protagonist, Thomas, who wins your heart with his ever-present selfless concern for the wellbeing of others, despite having to endure a lifetime of traumatizing experiences. Anstey is a villain that the reader will find hard to forget for all his extreme deviousness and cruelty. The characters thus have a lot of depth and credibility. The storyline is well developed, at times very thrilling. Beware that if you are looking for a soft-romance type of story, this one does contain several dark passages depicting some heinous crimes. This story is part of a series, but it can be read as a stand-alone book.

K.C. Finn

Surviving Anstey: A Story of Love Through Time and Space is a work of fiction in the science fiction, romance and adventure story sub-genres, and was penned by author Susan Hancock. Written for adult audiences due to the presence of sexual situations in the book, as well as the use of explicit language, this highly engaging tale explores a standalone tale from the Anstey Kingdom trilogy. As exiles from an interstellar war find themselves trapped in a complex deep beneath England in the sixteenth century, so begins the strange connection between our protagonists Kat and Thomas. Separated by space and time, the two find commonality and must develop their own special power to take on their oppressors and fight back.

Author Susan Hancock has crafted a most compelling novel that blends together different genres to give its own unique approach. Romance fans will be delighted by the central pairing of Kat and Thomas, who follow many of the most popular struggles and developments of classic romance, though it is convincingly and meaningfully embedded into an original science fiction premise. I loved the inclusion of British history in the mix of galactic and alien influences, which makes for some fascinating developments for the characters and the world around them. The dialogue too was an effective blend between this historical time and the futuristic and highly developed alien refugees. Overall, I would certainly recommend Surviving Anstey for readers who enjoy compelling science fiction and action-packed romance that is masterfully written.