Review: Bell Tower by Rafael Pond

Bell Tower by Rafael Pond is a science fiction novel set in a world where people have technology called Glow Domes attached to them that allow them access to information at a rapid pace. 

I do not give low scores without proper consideration. I factor in many aspects of a book in order to determine how I should score something and I will always try to find good things to say. 

For Bell Tower, the premise is a good one. That's why I chose to read it in the first place. I was intrigued about reading a science fiction thriller that covered themes of social media abuse and reliance on technology, but the book is riddled with issues that I just cannot look past. 

The first and most glaring issue is that the book is almost entirely dialogue. Each chapter briefly sets the scene before launching into lines of dialogue between the various characters. The very little actual prose that is present is simple and matter-of-fact. There's no real descriptions of characters or settings beyond the surface level and this leads to it feeling stale. 

Beyond this, there is no nuance to the plot, opting to push the ‘technology bad’ narrative over any actual exploration of the themes. Overall, Bell Tower needs considerably more development and love before it can be considered worthy of a read.

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Book Details

Author: Raphael PondLength: 278 pagesGenre: Science FictionReleases February 18th. Preorder from raphaelpond.com