Vulture’s Gate
by Kirsty Murray
Allen & Unwin (2009)
ISBN: 9781741757101
$15.99
Buy this Book
Reviewed by George Ivanoff, Oct 2009
Callum has been kidnapped by two bikies, who train him to be part of a dangerous circus act involving motorcycles. As he attempts to escape, a young girl named Bo rescues him. But the rescue has now put Bo in danger, as Callum’s pursuers make their way to her home. Brought up in isolation by her Poppy, who is now dead, Bo is unable to defend her home. They are left with little alternative but to run. Together, Bo and Callum set off in search of Callum’s fathers, who have gone to a place called Vulture’s Gate. And so begins a perilous journey, as Bo and Callum face numerous obstacles in their quest to reach Vulture’s Gate. But their final destination is not quite what they were expecting.
This YA SF adventure is action-packed, edge-of-your-seat stuff. The book grabs you from word go and throws you into a tense and well-told story. The characters of Bo and Callum are well-developed and you really do feel for them as they struggle through the dangers that are thrown at them. The way Murray develops their friendship is perfect. The other characters we meet on the way are also well developed. Murray brings a good degree of complexity to even the minor characters. The gang leader Roc, in particular, is an intriguing character.
One of the most interesting elements of the book is the setting. It’s a post-apocalyptic future, the true extent of which is revealed bit by bit. It’s a world that has been ravaged by an avian virus. It’s a world of men forced into genetic engineering and cloning because the female population has been wiped out. And it is this setting, which makes Bo so unusual, in that she is a girl — perhaps the last. But even this set up is not quite what it first appears, with some surprising revelations as the novel progresses.
I felt that the story didn’t hold up quite so well at the end, as things became just a little too convenient — the presence of the ship in the harbour, and the roboraptor’s unexpected capabilities (I won’t say anymore than that, as I don’t want to give too much away).
Despite my feelings about the ending, Vulture’s Gate is still an excellent read — a well-rounded story with action, adventure, character development and an intriguing setting.
