Red Queen

By H M Brown (Viking, RRP $35)

Disappointing. That sums it up for me. When I hear there is a virus-ravaged world, I want to know a bit more than vague details. But, no, I am treated to a story of two brothers who have retreated to a farm in the hopes of escaping the virus that has eliminated most of the planet. A female sneaks into their fold and makes herself a part of their survival crew.

Sounds like it has potential, right? Well, when it just goes as far as a bizarre sexual relationship and a whole bunch of trust issues, punctuated by working in the yard, I call that very, very boring. On no level did this intrigue or enlighten me. I found myself skim-reading certain parts, and after going back over what I had missed, I had in fact missed nothing.

This is a debut effort from H M Brown and, hopefully, if she makes a second attempt at writing, she steps up her game a notch.

- © Fairfax NZ News