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Book Review: Ow1: Believe by Geoff Hall

Ow1: Believe by Geoff Hall is a riveting novel with a right fusion of dystopia, supernatural, and political horror. The novel is about some teenage friends that are living in the State in Bristol, the UK. That state is not an ordinary place or country; rather it’s vigilante and sharp in its stance. It’s governed by big people of corporate, priests, churches, and security forces. How the state was formed is not mentioned clearly in the first part, but I am hopeful it will be clear in the upcoming books. This is the first in the trilogy of World of Owl novels.


I sighed in appreciation for the author, as he did the world building very carefully, not spilling the beans. Placing a tightly packed story that moves subtly is tough but Geoff has done it superbly. At the façade of the story, we see Strix, Calvin, Falco, T_m and D_m, Izzy, Jess, and Kristina. They are friends. Strix and Calvin lead the story from the front. Other than their hangouts and casual romance, the group longs for freedom. The state puts them in different projects, raised them, and put on work.

"Stix the writer and Calvin the artist were deemed to be best fitted for works as librarians, because of the passion for reading they'd shown at school."

But something is missing terribly – and I think that is freedom.

As the story chugs ahead, it becomes clear that the group gears up for silent and non-violent resistance that can undermine the state machinery. Right at the beginning of the novel, the story of Clarence sows the seeds of protest and resistance but it was suppressed efficiently. Another good thing in the novel is sub stories of people. For instance, there is a story of Zahra and Kristina that talks about slavery plight of women and how they land up in the state. A keen eye is needed to enjoy this novel thoroughly.

The major part of the novel revolves around Strix. His past is mysterious owing to his father Jack and model mother Shula. He might not be aware but the state is chasing him. He was previously named as Nic. Even Strix means owl in Latin. The title is apt but the cover page is intriguing. At some point, I felt that Strix is that owl who keeps a silent vigil on the activities of the state. To highlight his importance to the overall scaffold of the novel, the author has placed in between Strix's journal and writing.

How will this group subvert the state? Will they find a solution for their freedom? They are artists and coders. They get under the state by ‘vision state concept’ and are shocked to see what is churning inside. The novel has an appeal for freedom but its characters work clandestinely. Above all, I found Strix and his connections quite mysterious.

The novel is fast-paced and highly unpredictable. There is lot to grasp and enjoy in the novel. It’s a highly engrossing novel for its discerning readers.

Buy your copy from Amazon/Kindle.

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