If masterful plotting were the book's only attribute, then Retribution Falls would still be a first-rate read. What makes it exceptional is the psychological insight rare in fast-paced, adventure SF. Frey is a fully-rounded character whose selfishness and duplicity undergo a gradual transformation as events cause him to reassess his motivations, as well as to appreciate the qualities of his crew, themselves fascinating individuals. On every level, Retribution Falls is a triumph. -- Eric Brown THE GUARDIAN 'Retribution Falls is the kind of old fashioned adventure I didn't think we were allowed to write any more, of freebooting privateers making their haphazard underhand way in a wondrous retro-future world. But Chris has dusted off the format and given it a sharp modern edge that makes for a fast exhilarating read' -- Peter F. Hamilton 'There's a neat combination of swashbuckling excitement and wisecracking patter with sometimes surprisingly hard-edged violence, moral ambiguity, and a cumulative depth. It pulls the neat trick of sucking you in with pure entertainment value, and delivering substance while you're not looking. Retribution Falls picks you up, and it whisks you swiftly and entertainingly along, and it sets you down with a big smile on your face' -- Joe Abercrombie Retribution Falls is all the pirate yarns, heist movies and spaghetti westerns you've ever seen. It's how Wooding tells it that makes the difference. The pace is furious, the action is full-screen, the style is sharp and polished, the air is full of whizzing bullets and strangled cries. What's not to like? About as good a telling of the old tale as you're likely to get. -- Tom Holt SFX This is a cracking, if rather derivative, adventure yarn. -- Jonathan Wright BBC FOCUS Retribution Falls is a rollicking good action-adventure yarn that absolutely doesn't take itself too seriously. from the first page to the last this is a book chock-full of dockside gunfights, aerial chases, dogfights and fist-fights and the pace is pretty relentless, slowing just enough to let you catch your breath between the action and that's why I loved it - it's FUN! SCI-FI LONDON For the buccaneering spirit writ large across a realistic world of aerial technology, and some daemonic entities but little else of a genre form, this can only be highly recommended. THE BOOK BAG Occasionally a book comes along which takes the concept of fun and turns it up to 11. Retribution Falls is one such book. The story powers along at a relentless, page-turning pace. THE WERTZONE BLOG 'Anyone who likes to sympathise with rogues and shady characters, such as fans of Scott Lynchs Locke Lamora, will surely enjoy the reprobates of Retribution Falls. I am certainly looking forward to their continuing adventures' -- Simon Appleby BOOKGEEKS By the time the story ends, only the grimmest of readers won't be smiling (and/or punching the air). Sequel soon, please: the Ketty Jay's crew deserve to fly again. TOTAL SCI FI Retribution Falls is a rip-roaring full blown space-pirate adventure, SF with a touch of Fantasy, driven at a pace that scarcely leaves the reader time to deal with its implausibilities. It is a plot and character driven piece that opposes airships with machine guns, magic with science, betrayal with loyalty. It's also one of the best pieces of fun I've read in a long while. -- Mark Yon SFF WORLD Retribution Falls is a superb, ripping yarn. Great characters, tight plot, relentless pace, and a fascinating world full of promise for future instalments. Prepare to be entertained. -- James Long SPECULATIVE HORIZONS What's not to love in this book - fast action, great characters, great setting and superb one-liners? Highly, highly recommended and another notable sff novel of 09 for me. FANTASY BOOK CRITIC A thoroughly enjoyable read that I'd recommend to anyone who's after a does of rip roaring adventure. There's enough here for me to want to pick up the next book and see what Wooding has in store for us. GRAEME'S FANTASY BOOK REVIEW This is one of my favourite books ever! I've already recommended this book to my friends as I liked everything about it - the cover, the storyline and the characters. TEEN TITLES
