The Domino Men

A century and a half ago a drug-addicted Queen Victoria sold the citizens of London into slavery, to be harvested at will at some future date by a being called Leviathan. In exchange for this great bounty the House of Windsor was guaranteed control of Great Britain for all time. Since then a secret division of the civil service, known as the 'Directorate', has waged war against the crown in an effort to win back the future of their city.

Enter Henry Lamb. Once a flash-in-the-pan child star he now works as a filing clerk for the government. After his grandfather, a former Directorate agent, falls into a coma he is drafted into the war. What follows are London's final, precious days of freedom before the deal is completed. And only Henry, a mysterious woman named Estella, and the Prince heir Arthur are there to stand in its way.

The author of The Domino Men is Jonathan Barnes, writer of last years The Somnambulist. This is a fine easy read with very little to recommend it to the ages. I enjoyed the development of Arthur and found Henry a sympathetic sort, but occasionally Barnes falls prey to the British desire to shove a comedic moment down your throat at every turn. It's also readily apparent that this isn't the end of the tale. Many of the characters from The Somnambulist return here, and very little is done to develop the repeat characters nor identify their fates.

Recommended for readers with a liking for sci-fi and humor.