Author: A.N. Willis
Genre: Science Fiction, Young Adult
Published on: June 23, 2015 by Alloy Entertainment
Infinite worlds. Endless possibilities . . .
Stel Alaster has never known life without the Corridor. It appeared suddenly seventeen years ago, the only portal to a parallel version of our world—Second Earth. Everyone on First Earth fears Mods, the genetically modified Second Earthers who built the Corridor. They are too smart, too strong, and have powers that can’t be controlled. Any Mod found on First Earth is branded, then detained in the Corridor’s research labs.
Only Stel has a dangerous secret. She has a power, too: She can open a portal to Second Earth . . . and several other parallel universes she’s discovered. If anyone ever finds out, she’ll be imprisoned, no better than a Mod or common lab rat.
But when the Corridor starts to fail, emitting erratic bursts of energy that could destroy First Earth, Stel must risk everything to save the people and world she loves. With the help of an escaped Mod and an infuriatingly arrogant boy from a third universe, Stel sets out to unravel the mysteries of the Corridor and stabilize it before it’s too late. The fate of every world lies in the balance. . . .
I've never actively searched for parallel universe sci-fi novels, but I've read a bunch of them. The Corridor is one of those. I found this book while browsing the Kindle store. The synopsis sounded compelling, and I liked the cover art. The Corridor's main character is Estele "Stel" Alaster. She's a girl in her late teens who lives in a world very like ours. The difference is that its people know that parallel realities exist. Almost two decades ago, a sphere portal they called the Corridor opened without warning. It leads to Second Earth, a place that used to be far more technologically advanced than Stel's home. The Corridor ravaged Second Earth, though, so the people of First Earth have been helping them since the opening of the portal.
When the story begins, Stel is doing schoolwork in the observation area near the Corridor. As her father is Chair of the Corridor Facility, they both live in the compound. The portal suddenly acts up, and in the aftermath Stel ends up with a special power. She can open up her own temporary portal, which lets her visit other worlds. Yes, it doesn't take Stel long to discover that there are more parallel worlds besides Second Earth. Unfortunately, the Corridor's flare up had other consequences. Beyond damaging the Facility's structure, it caused Dr. Alaster to lose his post. Stel has a best friend named Lissa, whose scientist mother became the new Chair. This drove a wedge between the two friends.
Things are very different months later. Stephen, Stel's father, is now almost a shadow of his former self. Dr. Alaster spends hours on end collecting and analyzing data on the Corridor. Meanwhile, Stel's older brother Justin is now a Corridor Guard lieutenant. He's always been a very rigid, rule-abiding person. In contrast, Stel is more open-minded and able to think outside the box. They still have a good relationship despite this. Justin also used to date Lissa. The two broke up due to long-distance issues, but are still sort of friendly with each other. They have to be, seeing as they now see each other every day, what with Justin working for Lissa's mother.
An important character shows up early in the book. She's Annatole (shortened to Anna), a citizen from Second Earth. Anna is what First Earthers call a Mod: a genetically enhanced human. Second Earth's tech advances were far enough ahead to allow for this. Lots of people modified themselves to have special abilities. The Corridor exists thanks to Mods, in fact. Most of First Earth distrust Mods now, and some are even afraid of them. That's why they're kept under close watch by the Corridor Guard. Anna is able to escape, though, and has the fortune to run into Stel. Anna discovers the latter's powers, and persuades the girl to hide her somewhere. Stel ports with Anna to an Earth she calls the Barrens. There aren't any people there, likely due to some unknown catastrophe.
As time passes, Stel is getting better at mastering her power. This allows her to eventually reach a new Earth. This one is as (or more) prosperous than First Earth. There, Stel meets two siblings, Flinn and Cohl. One of them is warm and easy-going. As for the other, Stel doesn't know what to make of him. He's kind of antagonistic. Their Earth also provides an opportunity for Stel to learn more about the multiverse. Dr. Alaster's main motivation for researching the Corridor is to learn how to stabilize it. As it currently is, the Corridor poses a danger for both Earths it connects. In Flinn and Cohl's Earth, Stel could find crucial information that will help her father find a definitive answer.
The Corridor is a relatively short read, but it's not lacking in story or entertainment value. I liked it more than I expected to. Stel is a likable heroine with a cool power and the desire to do the right thing. Anna, Cohl, and Lissa are also compelling characters, although the latter has a rather small role. Lissa also wasn't the best best-friend character I've come across in a novel. She's not bad, she just made a few mistakes. That's part of being human. I also liked the multiverse part of the story. It's well done, and the mechanics for traveling are straightforward. The worlds shown in The Corridor aren't hard to tell apart either. I think that's mostly because each Earth's characters are so different. You'll see what I mean when you read the book. It's really good. I'm definitely going to be reading the next installment.
My rating: ★★★★
4 stars - Definitely enjoyed it!
No comments:
Post a Comment