Review of speculative spy thriller The Trial Show – The Resistance Rises by Constantina P.
Forced into the shadows while waging war on an oppressive regime intent on controlling those born with unnatural powers, the Resistance feels like a family. And although all families harbour secrets, theirs are world-shattering.
When Ava Moore foresees the death of her sister Brooklyn and Resistance leader Parker Quinn is forced to appear in a televised trial accused of murder, the web of lies begins to unravel. For not only is Resistance’s second-in-command, Jay Frazer, fighting a guerrilla battle with deadly consequences, he’s also trying to bury his deep-seated love for Parker.
With Parker and Jay temporarily out of the picture, double-agent Trent Reese is left responsible for leading the Resistance. Trent is willing to adapt his moral code to any situation, but what—or whom—does he believe in? As for innocent Ava, who’s plagued by unsettling visions, it’s becoming clear that everyone she loves is in peril. Given, however, that Parker is concealing a mighty gift of his own, one that could change the entire course of the rebellion, the future of the all-seeing state is on the line too.
When the web of secrets is untangled, who will survive?
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Excerpt from The Trial Show – The Resistance Rises
Or maybe I need to mourn for my best friend. The teenager I once met that was always angry and who grew up to be a perpetual frowner. The man who always stood by my side and trusted me enough to put me on the helm of an organisation that was more inclined to follow him. The man who helped me raise Ava, the three of us trapped in a two-by-two room for years. His room before it became only mine. He took us in and never complained.
Mourn the man who taught me how to fight, who laughed his ass off when my first punch ended with a broken finger, and who, once I healed, corrected my stance and told me to do it again. The man whose fiancé I got killed, but, still, the worst thing he did was cry in my arms.
But, most of all, maybe I need to mourn for the lost chances. The gazes that—stubbornly—never lingered. The touches that never came, and the ones that did, but never became anything more. The thoughts that were never spoken out loud…The reassurances that were never given…The promises that I never dared to make…The words that were only spoken once, but got shot down so quickly they never dared to make a reappearance.
My Review of The Trial Show – The Resistance Rises
Fast-paced and lots going on in this dystopian story with some pretty scary implications. I liked the trial show concept—kind of like Judge Judy but way more of a societal problem. The shifting points-of-view were a neat way to tell this story, too.
For me, the things I found most interesting about this were also the things that I felt could have been fleshed out more. The trial show was cool, but it wasn’t really explored. A lot of the story world was like that. Something bad went down. People are rebelling, and society is messed up. But I wasn’t sure how any of this got to where it was. I almost felt like this was the second or third installment in a series and I’d missed the first book(s). There were lots of interesting story elements, but I didn’t understand their greater significance or how they came to be.
The multiple POVs had a similar effect. A few strategically placed flashbacks provided context, but with how everything kept jumping around, that context never felt strong enough for me to understand who was doing what, where and why. I struggled a bit with keeping the characters separate. They’re all in first-person, and some of the voices weren’t unique enough for me to keep them straight. Having the character names as chapter titles helped somewhat. The depth of emotion the characters felt was absolutely breathtaking. With a bit more understanding of the context, I would have been a wreck as everyone’s secrets spilled out. As it was, I was playing a bit of catch-up to get in touch with the characters, and the greater emotional impact got a little lost.
I wanted to love this. I liked it a lot, but the background just felt a bit too jumbled for me to really get into the story. Definitely recommend for people who love fast-paced stories. If you like being tossed in at the deep end and letting the story unravel as you go, this is perfect for you.
About Constantina P.
Konstantina was born in 1988 in Korinthos, Greece, and soon after her family moved to Lefkada where she grew up until 2006 when she relocated to Athens for her studies. She has a BSc in Physics, an MSc in Materials Science, a PhD in Physics and a second PhD in Engineering. In 2013, she got her Diploma in Scriptwriting for TV, Film, Stage, Radio.
In 2020, she moved to Coventry, UK, where she currently lives. She keeps busy teaching in higher education and researching energy materials towards a greener future.
Giveaway
Konstantina P. will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
Thanks for hosting!
Thank you for sharing your honest review of The Trial Show, I do love the cover, synopsis and excerpt and this is one of my favorite genres so this book is a must read for me
Sounds like a great read.
Do you have a favorite space to do your writing?
I enjoyed the excerpt and The Trail Show, The Resistance Rises sounds like a thrilling read, thanks for sharing it with me!
Thanks, Kit ‘N Kabookle for sharing your review!
Have an awesome week!
Great review