New Book Alert: VanWest: The Past (Book One of The VanWest Series) by Kenneth Thomas; Involved, But Action Packed and Suspenseful Start of a Science Fiction Series

New Book Alert: VanWest: The Past (Book One of the VanWest Series) by Kenneth Thomas; Involved, But Action Packed and Suspenseful Start Of A Science Fiction Series

By Julie Sara Porter

Bookworm Reviews



Spoilers: The first couple of chapters of Kenneth Thomas's VanWest The Past are a stark difference than the rest of the book. It begins like a video game put to words. VanWest, the protagonist, participates in a series of tournaments that seems to be somewhere between Halo and Harry Potter's Triwizard Tournament. There is action and propaganda as VanWest and his fellow Enforcers are held up as the ultimate athletes. They go through various games with such delightful names as "Pythea's Labyrinth" and "Fires of Vesta," to achieve victory. The Enforcers use their strength, teamwork, and intelligence to get through the various levels. The Reader expects to see a Health Bar or gold coins representing extra points over the Soldier's heads. These chapters are tense and nail-biting, but not particularly interesting or character driven.


Just when the Reader thinks this book is going to continue to be all action and little plot, the book takes a 360 degree turn and it becomes apparent that all that happened before was intended propaganda. We, the Readers, were meant to see VanWest as the government sees him: as the ultimate hero, warrior, the one who fills their ideals of conquest and control. We are meant to not think too much about VanWest and what he actually stands for.

The introduction hints that Earth is now controlled by oligarchs who reside in Antartica (because it is the only decent piece of land that hasn't been completely destroyed by radiation and pollution). While we have an inkling that the government is corrupt, VanWest doesn't. He is supposed to be their model Superman, until the games are over.


Since time travel is possible, VanWest is given an important assignment. A rebel group the Natural Earth Alliance, wants to break the stronghold that the Universal Council has over the 29th century. The NEA wants to restore Earth to the late 20th century status so they have gone back in time to prevent the Universal Council from it's eventual conquest. 

The NEA's first stop is 1961 to interfere with the formation of CERN which is the first link in a long chain that resulted in the formation of space travel, the creation of the Universal Council, and the destruction of Earth. VanWest has to go back in time to infiltrate and stop the NEA. 

It is on this mission that VanWest and the Reader realizes that he is more than a propaganda tool. He initially sees the NEA members as names on a list with psuedonyms like "Mad Newton", "The Seductress," "The Priestess," and others.

 After his assignment, he befriends Dr. Von Helmann, the so-called "Mad Newton" and falls in love with Von Helmann's daughter, Iris. 

When he gains acceptance by the Van Helmann family and ends up being on the same side of the NEA, he sees them as more than names on a list. He sees them as people fighting for a just cause. We also see VanWest in a better light. He is more than a thoughtless blunt instrument. He is a man struggling to be himself and fight for his individuality in a government that forbids it. His greatest moment is when he openly defies the Council in public and on screen, the opposite of who he was before.


The book starts out virtually plotless but then becomes more involved. Betrayals pile on top of each other,  further confusing allegiances so that no one is sure who to trust. Suspense is built as characters try to outdo each other in cunning, subterfuge, and with a few fistfights and shootings.
VanWest The Past is the beginning of what hopefully will be a fascinating series of a rebel fighting against his own government and in the process finding himself.