Title: To Slip The Surly Bonds of Earth
Author: Hugh Cameron
Publisher: Xlibris
ISBN: 978-1-7960-5323-4
Pages: 256
Genre: Fiction
Reviewed by: Tara Mcnabb

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The struggle to maintain new colonies in space takes a dark turn when malevolent forces will stop at nothing to tear down the fabric of humanity forever.

In this highly entertaining and imaginative novel, conflict on Earth has reached climactic proportions, and it’s only a matter of time before an all-out nuclear war takes place. With overcrowding becoming a nightmare and Europe on the brink of collapse, the Prometheus Group is scrambling to find a way to save humanity, while also preventing the destruction of the new space colonies. The number of options for relocation are growing less by the day, which means that establishing new societies on Mars and the moon could be mankind’s last hope. But even space can have its limits, as the Prometheus Group quickly finds out. Could America still have a chance at being one of the last truly free countries on Earth? And if so, what will it take to keep it that way in a time of war and chaos?

To Slip The Surly Bonds of Earth, being book one in a series, it’s safe to say that there will be more thrilling developments to keep readers on the edge of their seats. Book one successfully ends with a cliffhanger of mixed feelings, indicating that progress has been made but there is still much left to contend with. Like other apocalyptic-type stories, there is a powerful sense of foreboding and collective darkness about the future, which serves to keep readers guessing. But unlike other doomsday-narratives, there is a surprising humanistic quality to the characters that make them more complex, and less super-hero. They are depicted as having their own inner conflicts and motivations as they witness the drastic societal changes around them, which ends up making them more relatable and empathetic. It’s especially interesting to observe how the education of children impacts the adults and how the search for talent can call into question some deeply rooted beliefs.

Knowing that author Hugh Cameron is an orthopedic surgeon, it’s no wonder there are so many detailed and impressive descriptions of medical procedures. The complications of surgery and the emotional toll they can take are surprisingly realistic, so much so that only someone with intimate experience and knowledge could possibly have written them. That is probably the most fascinating part about this series; the author has managed to combine science fiction with deep human emotion, resulting in one of the most potent combos there is in fiction. Fans of high-stakes, end-of-the-world books will also appreciate the underlying subplots of human desires and conflict, as this adds a richer sense of realism to an already compelling novel.