Please note Splinter is the final novel in the Sentinel trilogy. If you haven’t read books one and two in this series, then there is a good chance what follows is going to contain a minor spoiler or two. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
The world is falling apart around Nicholas Hallow. Amid rumours that the Dark Prophets have returned, a deathly gloom pollutes England, unleashing a savage hoard of nightmare creatures. Fighting the tide of evil, Nicholas returns home to Cambridge, where an old ally helps him seek out the mysterious Skurkwife, who could help Nicholas stop Malika and the Prophets for good.
Meanwhile, Sam Wilkins unites the Sentinels against the forces of darkness, but with Jessica’s sanity slipping, and Isabel suspicious of her shadowy past, it’s a battle that could cost the Sentinels everything.
I’m always a little sad when I get to the last book in a series I’ve really enjoyed. I know that all good things must come to an end, but I’ll miss the characters I’ve grown to like. And so, with a heavy heart, we find ourselves having reached the final book in the Sentinel trilogy. I read the first two books, Sentinel and Ruins respectively, way back in 2015, and I’ve been waiting for Splinter to arrive ever since.
Nicholas Hallow is at the vanguard of the Sentinel movement. Previously he discovered his family legacy and the powers that allow him to help battle evil. Now, with the situation going from bad to worse, he has to take the lead and engage the enemy in a final confrontation. There is a chance that the world could literally turn to Hell and the only thing standing between us and demonic Armageddon are a small group of steadfast fighters. Nicholas, Dawn, Rae and Sam, along with the rest of the Sentinels need to stop the Dark Prophets by any means necessary.
Winning is great at defining his characters, it’s the thing that has kept me coming back with each new novel. Nicholas has evolved consistently since book one and the other Sentinels are just as well rounded. Sam, the grouchy mentor/surrogate father figure, has become an indispensable part of Nicholas’ life. Dawn and Rae are learning to achieve their own potential, but still keep Nicholas grounded. Even Esus, the enigmatic warrior spirit, plays a part in defining who Nicholas will become.
Every hero needs a villain and Malika is an ideal antagonist. Though she is completely consumed by her bloodlust, she also manages to remain coolly controlled and calculating. It makes her that much more frightening. She has goals, she is driven, and she will stop at nothing to achieve them. That mixture of viciousness and focus makes her an even match to our hero.
As the plot rattles towards its climax, the action remains exciting and unpredictable. You could easily compare events to scenes in a Hollywood movie. Swords and crossbows versus tooth and claw, talk about breath-taking. As things get increasingly desperate, the pace of the novel shifts gear and the fighting ramps up a notch. This is the battle to end all battles after all and Winning lets us know it.
Now you might be thinking that Splinter sounds like just an action-fest and nothing else, you would be dead wrong. If you dig a bit deeper, underneath all the conflict, there is extra depth to the narrative. The story also tracks Nicholas’ emotional journey. You get the sense Nicholas is still trying to come to terms with his place in the world. The young man’s abilities are driven by instinct and his emotional state directly impacts on the decisions he makes. Chaos and death surround Nicholas so there is little surprise he is in a constant state of turmoil. When I was his age I had little idea about the kind of person I wanted to be. I do know I would not have been able to cope with the stresses and strains of leading an army. Hell, on most days I could barely manage to get out of bed.
Joshua Winning weaves other more complex, introspective aspects into the plot flawlessly. It’s impressively done, I reckon you could remove all reference to the supernatural/demonic from the book and it would still be utterly engrossing read. In many respects Splinter marks Nicholas finally coming of age. He begins to understand what responsibility, love and family actual mean. These previously alien concepts now make a certain kind of sense. I’m not saying he understands everything, just that he now has the tools he needs to start his journey into adulthood. When I started reading these novels I don’t think I expected them to be quite so thought provoking. It a nice added bonus.
In book three Nicholas gets the opportunity to finally faces his demons, metaphorically and in the flesh as it turns out. The entire series has been building towards a huge apocalyptic showdown and when we get there it does not disappoint. One of the things I found particularly fitting was the location for this momentous event. I loved it, in fact I’ll go further, it is absolutely perfect. Don’t worry, I’ll not say any more as it would spoil the surprise.
One of the things I love about being an avid reader is the opportunity to follow a writer’s career. The chance to watch an author find their style and how it informs their writing holds a deep fascination. Earlier in the year I reviewed Vicious Rumer, also by Joshua Winning, and at the time I talked a little about how I felt that he had found his unique voice. Further evidence, if required, can be found here. The confident, self-assured writing ensures that the Sentinel trilogy ends on a high note.
My soundtrack choice for Splinter is a soundtrack album called Heartless by David Julyan. Subtle, and more than a little bit sinister, I think its overall tone compliments the novel perfectly.
Splinter is published by Peridot Press and is available now. I can heartily recommend this book and the others in the trilogy. As I’ve said in the past about the other books in the series, this is exactly the sort of novel I wish I had the opportunity to read back at the dawn of time when I was a teenager. Splinter is exciting, thoughtful and thoroughly enjoyable young adult fiction.
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