REVIEW: Seoul Survivors by Naomi Foyle

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Seoul Survivors by Naomi Foyle
Publishing Information: Paperback; 464 pages
Publisher: Jo Fletcher Books; 1 March 2013
ISBN: 978-1780875989
Standalone
Copy: Provided by Publisher
Reviewer: Tyson Mauermann

Amazon

Synopsis: "A meteor known as Lucifer's Hammer is about to wreak destruction on the earth, and with the end of the world imminent, there is only one safe place to be.

In the mountains above Seoul, American-Korean bio-engineer Dr Kim Da Mi thinks she has found the perfect solution to save the human race. But her methods are strange and her business partner, Johnny Sandman, is not exactly the type of person anyone would want to mix with.

Drawn in by their smiles and pretty promises, Sydney – a Canadian model trying to escape an unhappy past – is an integral part of their scheme, until she realises that the quest for perfection comes at an impossible price."

I have had Seoul Survivors on my bookshelf for quite some time and when the publisher sent me Foyle's latest novel, Rook Song, I made the mistake of reading this book instead of the first book in that series (Astra) in order to catch up. So after about a quarter into the book I learned of my mistake. However, it was one of those mistakes that is for the better as I will be checking out Astra and Rook Song in the very near future.

Seoul Survivor brought back a lot of memories for me. As someone who has spent several years living in South Korea, it was great to see someone else's prospective on a city I have fallen in love with. Foyle does a great job of using words that anyone who has spent time in the Republic of Korea will quickly identify and as the story opens I could vividly see where her characters were as they were speeding down the road in and around Seoul. It was an instant trip down memory lane. She does a terrific job of bringing the city to life and in great detail.

The problem I have with the book and found it difficult to read is that none of the characters are very

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good people. Sydney Travers is a former escort turned model who is only seeking fame and fortune. Johnny Sandman is a horrible person with no redeeming qualities whatsoever, Damien Meadows is a down on his luck Englishman who has smuggled drugs into the country, Lee Mee Hee is a North Korean who has been found her way into South Korea, and Doctor Kim Da Mi is the genius who has a plan to redesign humanity all the while a meteor known as Lucifer's Hammer is imminently bound to strike the earth. While I never really liked any of the characters, I also found myself not being able to walk away from them as they are all very enthralling. Like a train wreck you just have to keep reading regardless of the carnage you might encounter.

The book starts out as a slow burn and as it comes to a simmer it really goes down some bizarre twists and turns. There are a few scenes of violent sex acts and strange behavior, which didn't exactly make me uncomfortable as much as just not what I was expecting when I began the book. There is a lot of grey in this book as nothing is ever black and white. Another issue I had was that although Lucifer's Hammer is barreling down on everyone, no one seems to care or bother to see when it will arrive. I found this strange considering that it is featured in the books blurb and I thought that it would take more of an active role in the book. Instead it is barely even a blip on the story's radar.

Seoul Survivors is a strange book but a well-written book that doesn't receive the attention it should. Foyle has a rare gift and while this story may not be for everyone, it should be on more lists as it really is impressive; highly recommended.

Overall 8.5/10