God Flare

God Flare picks up the action from the last scenes of Version Control, Volume Two of “The Reckoner Rises” series. Cole and Eva realize that Mihko Laboratories is now involved in conducting human experiments and that they must confront what is going on. But Cole is still battling his own mental health demons, and their good friend Brady hasn’t recovered enough to be of much help. Fortunately, Cole and Eva have figured out the ingredients to make a new discovery called God Flare. But will it work as they expect against Mihko?

Cole and Eva have both problems and powers and once again are the main protagonists of the story. They show how strong they are, and their ability for quick thinking as well as getting others to co-operate will hopefully ensure the success of this latest mission. Brady, who has undergone Mihko experiments, has trouble differentiating reality from what Mihko tried to install in his brain. He is under his grandmother’s care but seems unlikely to participate fully in this latest adventure.

Robertson is an award-winning Cree author who presents his young adult readers with a novel which defies classification. There are elements of fantasy and superheroes as well as adventure horror. “The Reckoner Rises” series picks up from the earlier “Reckoner” trilogy, and these earlier novels give readers background and character details which help them with the plot. While any of the books can be read on their own, readers who have the continuity provided by the earlier series will have a better understanding of not only the plot but also the characters and themes.

One of Robertson’s main themes is that of the treatment of Indigenous people. He has chosen Winnipeg as his setting, but the theme goes far beyond any one city. Mihko Laboratories and their experiments stand in for the government and big business, in other words, for anyone with power over the Indigenous population. Cole and Eva represent the efforts of the ‘little guy’ to fight back despite tremendous odds. The strong bond of friendship between Cole and Eva and their relationships with other characters in the book provide motivation to continue with their ongoing struggles.

God Flare is exciting, with lots of action, tension and suspense. Typical of the genre, the book relies as much on illustration as it does on dialogue. Robertson works with an excellent team: Scott B. Henderson is an award-winning freelance illustrator, and Andrew Thomas has worked on a number of projects as a comic book artist and letterer. The illustrations support the story, describe various settings and help readers understand the characters’ feelings and reactions as well.

This graphic novel has strong indigenous characters and key observations on the need to maintain one’s mental health in order to accomplish goals. Readers begin to understand the plight of Indigenous people in this country as well as their strength and resilience. The graphic format will appeal to readers of comics and other graphic materials while the message is important for everyone. And, as always, Robertson introduces a cliff hanger right at the end of the story, leaving fans eager for the next episode of the story!