I would like to thank the author for an advance copy of this novella in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Publisher

Published – 8/4

Price – £2.49 eBook

That gold you stole will burn a hole in your heart…

Having pulled off the heist of the century, Professor Malago Browne and Pierre de Fermat are determined to hang up their protractors for good. But when you're the most notorious mathematician in the west, peace doesn’t come easy…

And when three women approach Browne with a proposition, she can’t help but listen. Terrorised by a corrupt sheriff and his posse, the town need to hire the quickest and deadliest fighters they can: in other words, mathmos.

Together with six unlikely allies, Browne once again finds herself facing incalculable odds in a battle for the town, its people, and the fate of every mathematician in the Western States.

And seven isn’t always a lucky number…

The second novella in Stark Holborn’s series, Advanced Triggernometry mixes the grit of the west with a cast of mathematicians from across history to create a truly unique and unforgettable adventure.

There are certain riffs in story a bit like music that you know are coming and as a reader you really WANT to see them played. The reveal of the murderer; the moment of galactic wonder or the first lover’s kiss. Like a classic song I’m interested in what the singer and the arrangement bring to this moment that I’ve not seen before. In the excellent novella Advanced Triggernometry by Stark Holborn we have a story of a battle against the odds that also has some things to say about the need for knowledge to protect us from the forces of ignorance.

We return to the world of Triggernometry (handily reviewed here! ) it appears to be similar to the US Wild West of the 18-19th century but with some key differences. After an unknown event, the world turned against experts and now those still practising their skills risk imprisonment. Professor Malago Brown teamed up with her old colleague Fermat for one last heist and is now living quietly to avoid the eyes of the Capitol. Now hiding as a schoolteacher, she is approached by two women from a small town named Summerville where a corrupt Sherriff is causing havoc murdering any opposition. They ask for her help to tackle this crisis, perhaps now recognising that you need skilled outlaws to fight back. Malago reluctantly knows she has to do this and so starts recruiting some of the most dangerous geniuses out there to form a gang of rebels.

Advanced Triggernometry I think is a worthy sequel and I was very impressed how Holborn raises the stakes. The idea of outlaw ‘mathmos’ can sound funny but while this story does know hot to have fun it is delivered straight. The format here is the western where a gang needs forming to tackle the villain and this time allows for a greater number of famous geniuses from history to accompany Malago who is just as smart, human, and dangerous as in the previous novel. In this case we get Charles Reason (obsessed with radicals) the first african american college professor and Wang Zhenyi from China’s Qing dynasty also favour for her work in maths. Although the setting is the american wild west this world is one where time and space has pulled in other key characters from all past and future periods. Expect tributes to Greek science and French philosophy too. It’s a great expanded cast and brings in their own tensions and viewpoints as well as playing homage to some of the archetypes this kind of story requires from the ol veteran, the drunk and the arrogant sharpshooter.

But for me the heart of the tale that really makes this work is the storyline. Firstly, Holborn gives us the idea that the public is realising that science and knowledge is needed. Some still view the experts with suspicion but here it’s a reminder that these skills save lives. It is not heavy-handed with that message, but it is a key part of the novel. But the emotional driver is the way this lead up to the final battle plays out. We get dramatic rescues, sacrifices and a villain who also is historically based and proves a fascinating counterpoint to the mathmos. Importantly we care about those putting themselves at risk and the consequences this rebellion will start. When the fighting begins the story as well as being excellently described in all its glory, we also get to have concern over who will make it out alive. This story is the fightback against evil it isn’t though going to be easy.

I loved Triggernometry and this was even better as the story gets bigger with more fascinating characters on both sides leading to a brilliant tense finale of the good-ish versus evil with a touch of surrealism, a sense of humour and yet a message of why science and knowledge is always needed to battle the forces of ignorance. If anything, the last year has shown we need those people to get us out of tight spots. This tale delivers that message wrapped in a wonderful adventure with laughs, drama and packs an emotional punch. Strongly recommended and I’m pleased that it very much looks like another Triggernometry lesson may be coming in the future which is even better!