Title: The Atlas Paradox (The Atlas Six Book Two)
Author: Olivie Blake
Genre: Science fiction, fantasy
Publisher: Tor Books
Publication Date: 2022
Page count: 410

Rating:

The Atlas Paradox is the second book in The Atlas Six trilogy. I was really excited for this one as the first book was one of my absolute favourite reads of 2022.

Olivie Blake is such an interesting writer. She creates heavily flawed, emotionally charged characters in a universe that’s a unique mix of sci-fi and fantasy, with a writing style that I find really introspective and poignant. This second book built off of the epic finale of the first and served mostly as a set up for what I can only assume will be an epic conclusion.

I think it’s safe to say that there’s little that Blake could write that I wouldn’t enjoy at this point, but The Atlas Paradox was a particularly good one for me. I rated it 4-stars, and I already can’t wait to find out how the series will end when the next book hits shelves in 2024.

Fair warning: spoilers ahead for anyone who hasn’t read this or the other book in this series.

Book Review: The Atlas Paradox by Olivie Blake

The Atlas Paradox picks up where The Atlas Six left off, with the initiates of the Alexandrian Society still reeling from the fake murder of Libby Rhodes and the attempted murder of Callum Nova. They’re headed into their second and final year with the Society where they’re expected to perform original research that contributes to the magical archives they’ve all been given access to.

As they begin, it’s clear that the entire group has been dramatically changed from the events of the previous year. Libby’s absence leaves a gaping hole in the group’s dynamics, specifically one that served as the barometer of morality for the group. The mutual decision, and failure, to murder Callum has also created an insurmountable rift between Callum and most of the remaining initiates.

We begin with the initiates each being responsible for participating in what is deemed a “game” of sorts in which they won’t be graded or tested, but instead will simply be observed by both their peers and Atlas Blakely, the Society Caretaker. The game, as it turns out, is each character individually meeting another character on an astral plane where some of their most significant insecurities, vulnerabilities, and perceptions of themselves and each other will play out in front of the whole group. The result is a series of introspections that will haunt each character for the remainder of the book and will serve as the catalyst for actions and events that will reshape the initiates themselves entirely.

From here, the characters all embark on separate but connected journeys that will entail battling with their own internal demons, discerning what the Society actually wants of them, and deciding whether or not they wish to be a part of it.

The Atlas Paradox was heavily character driven through a rotating point of view narrative. I think one of my favourite aspects of Blake’s writing is how she’s able to use the introspection of her characters not only to move the plot forward, but also to dissect emotion. Whether it’s a character’s feelings, their nature, their internal dialogue, or observations they’re having of each other, she’s able to eloquently evoke the real root of a feeling. Her writing fills you with the exact purpose and emotion she wants you to feel to understand the magnitude of the conscience running through the character’s mind and, consequently, the impact that it will have on their actions. At one point she describes Callum’s reaction to an interaction with Tristan as “He felt anger with an intensity that was incandescent with bereavement” and I actually had to write it down because it was such an exceptionally poignant way of evoking the exact emotion that the situation called for.

Plot-wise, I found this book to be a little slower paced as it was more heavily focused instead on the character development. Each character really goes through their own arc, with some leaning far further into the morally grey, if not outright immoral, sides of their potential.

I loved that Blake took the opportunity to spend a lot of time in a really introspective space with each initiate, allowing you to see the nuance underneath each personality, especially the ones that I think are easy to categorize as villains. Callum, Parisa, and Ezra are really humanized through the exploration of their pasts. What often seems like callous or cruel behaviour on their parts often has roots in the trauma or challenges that they’ve faced over their lives, and while it doesn’t excuse their behaviour, it does explain it.

I won’t spoil the ending, but Blake leaves a lot doors open and creates some interesting last-minute connections that I think have the potential to create very compelling storylines in the final installment of the trilogy. Blake has become a reliable author for me, one I can count on enjoying reading no matter the context, and The Atlas Paradox just further proved that. I’ll definitely be picking up the final installment when it’s released.