Tag: dystopian

Dominion of the Star by Angelica Clyman Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviews1 Comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

A world torn apart and ruled over by a leader through fear and superstition finds a young girl tested to her limits and on a journey of self-discovery before the world experiences another tragedy in author Angelica Clyman’s novel “Dominion of the Star”. 

The Synopsis

The totality of a solar eclipse lasts only a few short minutes. That’s more than enough time for an apocalypse to erupt.

Almost eighteen years have passed since the Eclipse changed the Earth forever, and Sebastian Za’in rose from the chaos and seized control, imposing his order on the broken planet. In a world ruled by fear and superstition, where all gods have perished, there is no one who can stand up to Za’in, the man rumored to be one of the Nephilim—hybrid offspring of Angel and Man. In a few short months, another Eclipse will occur, and while there are those who expect a new natural disaster, Za’in has plans of his own . . .

Completely unaware of this global turmoil, Kayla Steelryn has spent most of her life in a quiet village, longing to uncover her hidden past. When she leaves her home in search of answers, she finds herself faced with the truth about her identity, forced to choose between the two men she loves, and thrust into a conflict where she alone has the power to stop an event more disastrous than the end of the world.

The Review

This was a truly entertaining and unique post-apocalypse/fantasy read. The narrative was written beautifully, transitioning seamlessly between the fantasy element of the mythology behind the protagonist Kayla and the antagonist Sebastian, and the post-apocalyptic nature of the world the characters are inhabiting in this dark future. 

One aspect that really stood out from other books in the fantasy or dystopian style genres of books was the integration of the romance aspect of the novel. So often a book will include romance just for the sake of having romance, and it won’t feel natural to the story being told. However the romance Kayla feels for two of the supporting characters of the novel feels natural and doesn’t pull focus from the story whatsoever. Instead it builds not only the drama but both the beautiful and haunting imagery used throughout the book. 

The Verdict

This is a must read novel of 2019. Complex, engaging and a lengthy read that readers will not be able to help getting sucked into, the first book in a series called “Descendants of the Fallen” expertly blends romance, mythology and post-apocalyptic survival into a one of a kind reading experience. Readers will root for the protagonist while becoming fascinated with the roots of the antagonist, and the constant struggle of who Kayla can truly trust in this novel will only keep readers that much more engaged. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy of Dominion of the Star by Angelica Clyman today!

Rating: 10/10

About the Author

Angelica Clyman was raised on Catholicism and urban legends, fairy tales and 80s movies. Her love for fantasy books and poetry was put on hold while she pursued other passions, but she found her way back to words and stories after following the seemingly disparate paths of the visual arts, academia, yoga, martial arts, business, dance and magick. Angelica is an artist, educator, wife, and mother. “Dominion of the Star” is her first novel.

https://amzn.to/2kCrgTB

https://www.facebook.com/DominionoftheStar/

A Single Light (The Line Between #2) by Tosca Lee Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviews2 Comments

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

In one of the years most anticipated reads yet, a young woman who survived the initial outbreak of a deadly virus and the grim machinations of the cult she was raised in finds herself in the fight for her life in author Tosca Lee’s novel, “A Single Light”. 

The Synopsis

In this gripping sequel to The Line Between, which New York Times bestselling author Alex Kava calls “everything you want in a thriller,” cult escapee Wynter Roth and ex-soldier Chase Miller emerge from their bunker to find a country ravaged by disease, and Wynter is the only one who can save it.

Six months after vanishing into an underground silo with sixty others, Wynter and Chase emerge to find the area abandoned. There is no sign of Noah and the rest of the group that was supposed to greet them when they emerged—the same people Wynter was counting on to help her locate the IV antibiotics her gravely ill friend, Julie, needs in order to live.

As the clock ticks down on Julie’s life, Wynter and Chase embark on a desperate search for medicine and answers. But what they find is not a nation on the cusp of recovery thanks to the promising new vaccine Wynter herself had a hand in creating, but one decimated by disease. What happened while they were underground?

With food and water in limited supply and their own survival in question, Chase and Wynter must venture further and further from the silo. Aided by an enigmatic mute named Otto, they come face-to-face with a society radically changed by global pandemic, where communities scrabble to survive under rogue leaders and cities are war zones. As hope fades by the hour and Wynter learns the terrible truth of the last six months, she is called upon once again to help save the nation she no longer recognizes—a place so dark she’s no longer sure it can even survive.

Fast-paced and taut, A Single Light is a breathless thriller of nonstop suspense about the risks of living in a world outside the safe confines of our closely-held beliefs and the relationships and lives that inspire us. 

The Review

This novel does an amazing job of doubling down on the action, mystery, suspense and dystopian like settings of the first novel. A world on the brink of becoming one similar to Stephen King’s “The Stand”, the author has created a fantastic balance between the inner emotional turmoil of a young woman who survived the impossible with the high stakes of a nation torn apart and options limited when the life of a loved one is at risk. 

The novel explores many different facets of the world created in the first novel. Starting with the days spent underground in the bunker and the grim turns the survivors go through during that time, to shocking revelations that threaten to tear apart Wynter’s relationship with a person she’s grown close to and finally the dark world that has transformed during their time underground, this novel is rich with both character development and setting that will engage readers in every page. 

The author successfully introduces new characters and antagonists throughout the novel that feel natural and does a great job of not repeating the same formula of the first novel. While the first novel focused on the emergence of the disease and Wynter’s history with the cult she escaped, the second novel is more about the ramifications of both of those things, both physically and psychologically, on this impactful, strong and often relatable protagonist. 

The Verdict

This is a great read that kick starts the upcoming fall must reads lists for readers and bloggers everywhere. A book filled with emotional shocks, twists and turns galore and amazing character growth, this is a novel readers of the thriller genre will not want to miss. If you haven’t yet, grab your copy of “A Single Light” by Tosca Lee today!

Rating: 10/10

The Line Between Review
The Progeny Review
Firstborn Review

About the Author

“Superior storytelling.”

-Publishers Weekly

“One of the most gifted novelists writing today.”

-Steven James, bestselling author

Tosca Lee is the award-winning, New York Times, IndieBound, and Amazon bestselling author of twelve novels including THE LINE BETWEEN, THE PROGENY, FIRSTBORN, THE LEGEND OF SHEBA, ISCARIOT, and the Books of Mortals series with New York Times bestseller Ted Dekker. Her work has been translated into seventeen languages and been optioned for TV and film. A notorious night-owl, she loves movies, playing football with her kids, and sending cheesy texts to her husband.

You can find Tosca at ToscaLee.com, on social media, or hanging around the snack table. A SINGLE LIGHT, the highly-anticipated sequel to THE LINE BETWEEN, releases September 2019 and is available for preorder now.

For book release news and giveaways, join Tosca Lee’s Nocturnal Cafe: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/…

Ration by Cody T. Luff Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviews1 Comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

A harsh world where food is scarce and two young women must decide what they are willing to do in order to survive and whether they can help others survive in the process in author Cody T. Luff’s novel “Ration”. 

The Synopsis

Cynthia and Imeld have always lived in the Apartments. A world where every calorie is rationed and the girls who live there are forced to weigh their own hunger against the lives of the others living in the building. It’s a world where the threat of the Wet Room and Ms. Lion always lingers, and punishments are doled out heavily both by the Women who oversee them and the other girls.

When Cynthia is wrongly accused of eating an “A” ration which leads to the death of another girl, her peers punish her harshly. In seeking revenge, she is forced from the only home she has ever known, out into the broader world with one of the Women—Ms. Glennoc—who has tormented her for years. Hunger mixes with politics, intrigue, and social status, and Cynthia needs to figure it out quickly if she’s going to survive and make it back to the Apartments to save Imeld.

With her friend and Ms. Glennoc gone, Imeld is lost. Ms. Tuttle forces her to step into Ms. Glennoc’s shoes, taking on the role of a Woman in charge of all the girls, the punishments, and the Wet Room. The new role feels wrong, especially as Ms. Tuttle’s behavior becomes more and more erratic. Imeld can’t turn her back on the other girls in the Apartments, but how can she save them when she isn’t sure how to save herself? If they rebel against Ms. Tuttle and the other Women, will they starve?

Set in the far future, Ration is an unflinching take on the ways society can both thrive and go wrong as the pressure to survive builds. 

The Review

This book was incredibly well written. From the novel’s first pages, readers get a sense of being in the opening scene of Stephen King’s Carrie, if Carrie took place in the world of author Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaids Tale. A world ravaged by an unknown virus that has taken the lives of all men in the world, and the women left created a brutal system of survival like no other. 

The two main perspectives shown throughout the novel are stark contrasts with one another, as we see the innocent protagonist Cynthia thrust into a cruel reality and fighting not just to survive, but to find a way to punish those who made her and her fellow “girls” suffer. Then there is Ms. Tuttle, the strict leader of the Apartments, who follows the rules to a T but finds herself caught between a secret of her own and the harshness of her mother and the political world they come from. 

A truly gripping tale, the novel does an excellent job of delving into the despair of a dystopian novel while inciting horror and terror into the actions and ways in which the survivors of this world have adapted, where flesh and lower class “girls” are a commodity for the higher class “women” to use as they please, and even amongst advocates for change, no one can truly be completely trusted. 

The Verdict

This is a breathtaking thriller and horror adventure like no other. While the book has it’s gruesome moments when delving into the specific “payments” made by the girls, it is the pacing of the author’s writing that sells the horror aspect of this novel. Combine this with the despairing the reader feels in the dystopian setting, and readers can expect a truly engaging read that is sure to become a cult classic in the genre. If you haven’t yet, grab your copy of “Ration” by Cody T. Luff today!

Rating: 10/10

About the Author

Cody’s stories have appeared in Pilgrimage, Cirque, KYSO Flash, Menda City Review, Swamp Biscuits & Tea, and others. He is fiction winner of the 2016 Montana Book Festival Regional Emerging Writers Contest. 

Cody teaches at Portland Community College and works as a story editor. He completed an intensive MFA in Creative Writing from Goddard College. Cody grew up listening to stories in his grandfather’s barber shop as he shined shoes, stories told to him at bedsides and on front porches, deep in his father’s favorite woods, and in the cabs of pickup trucks on lonely dirt roads. Cody’s work explores those things both small and wondrous that move the soul, whether they be deeply real or strikingly surreal.

https://codytluff.com/

http://www.mindbuckmedia.com/

Kill Code: A Dystopian Science Fiction Novel by Clive Fleury Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

A man desperate to survive a declining world finds himself discovering the dark secrets of the world’s most powerful security force in author Clive Fleury’s “Kill Code”. Here is the synopsis. 

The Synopsis

WHEN THE OCEANS RISE…THE TRUTH DROWNS

The year 2031. Our future. Their present. A world decimated by climate catastrophe, where the sun’s heat is deadly and the oceans rise higher every day. A world ruled by the rich, powerful, and corrupt. A world where a good man can’t survive for long.

Hogan Duran was a good man once: a good cop, forced to resign in disgrace when he couldn’t save his partner from a bullet. Now Hogan lives on the fraying edges of society, serving cruel masters and scavenging trash dumps just to survive.

But after four years of living in poverty, Hogan finally gets the chance to get back on his feet. He’s invited to join the National Security Council, the powerful paramilitary organization responsible for protecting the rich and powerful from the more unsavory elements of society. All he needs to do is pass their deadly entrance exam, and he’ll be rewarded with wealth and opportunity beyond his wildest dreams.

But this ex-cop’s path to redemption won’t be easy. The NSC is hiding something, and as Hogan descends deeper and deeper into their world, he starts to uncover the terrible truth of how the powerful in this new society keep their power…and just how far they’ll go to protect their secrets.

In a world gone wrong, can one good man actually make a difference? Or will he die trying?

The Review

In just a 136 pages, author Clive Fleury packs quite a punch that delves head first into the dystopian sci-fi genre. Exploring a world in the midst of financial and climate ruin, the author expertly crafts a tale of redemption, misconceptions and a fight for the truth that leads the protagonist in several directions. The futuristic world that is built in this short novel instantly grabs the readers attention, drawing them into this vicious cycle where the elite rule all, and the majority of people live in complete poverty. 

Mixing the grim reality that most dystopian novels feed off of with the advanced technology and great character development, this novel accomplishes a great deal of entertainment and fun in a short time. Readers will be left breathless as the tables turn time and time again, leaving the question: who can Hogan trust?

The Verdict

This is a must read sci-fi and dystopian novel. Filled to the brim with action, suspense and a mystery that slowly unravels into a collective mind of chaos and intrigue only a true fan of the genre could appreciate. If you enjoy entertaining sci-fi and dystopian novels, then author Clive Fleury’s “Kill Code” is for you. Pick up your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

About Me:

I am an award-winning writer of books and screenplays, and a TV and film director and producer.  I have worked for major broadcasters and studios on a wide variety of successful projects in the US, UK, Australia, Europe, and the Middle East. 

www.clivefleurywriter.com

The Line Between by Tosca Lee Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviews2 Comments

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

A young woman learning to adjust to society after escaping a doomsday cult finds herself in the fight of her life when a plague breaks out and begins infecting the world in author Tosca Lee’s The Line Between. Here is the synopsis.

The Synopsis

In this frighteningly believable thriller from New York Times bestselling author Tosca Lee, an extinct disease re-emerges from the melting Alaskan permafrost to cause madness in its victims. For recent apocalyptic cult escapee Wynter Roth, it’s the end she’d always been told was coming.

When Wynter Roth is turned out of New Earth, a self-contained doomsday cult on the American prairie, she emerges into a world poised on the brink of madness as a mysterious outbreak of rapid early onset dementia spreads across the nation.

As Wynter struggles to start over in a world she’s been taught to regard as evil, she finds herself face-to-face with the apocalypse she’s feared all her life—until the night her sister shows up at her doorstep with a set of medical samples. That night, Wynter learns there’s something far more sinister at play and that these samples are key to understanding the disease.

Now, as the power grid fails and the nation descends into chaos, Wynter must find a way to get the samples to a lab in Colorado. Uncertain who to trust, she takes up with former military man Chase Miller, who has his own reasons for wanting to get close to the samples in her possession, and to Wynter herself.

Filled with action, conspiracy, romance, and questions of whom—and what—to believe, THE LINE BETWEEN is a high-octane story of survival and love in a world on the brink of madness.

The Review

This incredible YA Dystopian novel explores the complicated, emotional and tumultuous world of cults and the affects it has on those raised within the cult itself, all the while putting a cult survivor in the midst of a doomsday scenario she always feared would come whilst within the cult. It’s quite an incredible story, and the author does a great job of interweaving the history of Wynter and her time at the cult while showing her journey to get these medical samples into the right hands and stop the apocalypse she’d been promised her entire life. 

The protagonist Wynter is the heart of the story. Her emotional journey of being taught from a young age dangerous and harmful beliefs and being put into awful situations that no one should have to go through, her journey from cultist, victim, survivor and finally hero was fantastic to see unfold. The action and suspense that built from the back and forth flashback and current day storylines playing out will keep readers on the edge of their seat, and sets up a great story that could be considered both a stand alone story and potentially a great series.

The Verdict

This is an incredibly powerful story that kicks off 2019 in a fantastic way. Already a top contender for 2019 book of the year, this YA action and dystopian thriller is unlike anything readers have seen before. A truly original story with fully fleshed out characters and vivid imagery that paints a realistic picture of the apocalyptic and cultist setting of the story, this is a must read novel for any YA fan. As Tosca Lee continues to shine in the YA genre, I highly recommend you pick up a copy of her novel “The Line Between” today.

Rating: 10/10

Read the official release for the upcoming adaption of The line Between for television here!

30% Off Select Happy Socks
The Progeny Review
Firstborn Review

About the Author

Tosca Lee is the award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of Iscariot, The Legend of Sheba, Demon: A Memoir, Havah: The Story of Eve, and the Books of Mortals series with New York Times bestseller Ted Dekker (Forbidden, Mortal, Sovereign).

A notorious night-owl, she loves watching TV, eating bacon, playing video games with her kids, and sending cheesy texts to her husband. You can find Tosca hanging around the snack table or wherever bacon is served.

Tosca’s highly-anticipated new thriller, The Progeny (May, Simon & Schuster) is available now!

Social Media Links

Homepage
https://twitter.com/ToscaLee
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorToscaLee

https://www.instagram.com/toscalee/

Black & White (Black & White #1) by Nick Wilford

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I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

A fantastic new YA dystopian novel makes it’s way into the YA world in author Nick Wilford’s first novel in a planned trilogy, Black & White. Here’s the synopsis:

What is the price paid for the creation of a perfect society?

In Whitopolis, a gleamingly white city of the future where illness has been eradicated, shock waves run through the populace when a bedraggled, dirt-stricken boy materialises in the main street. Led by government propaganda, most citizens shun him as a demon, except for Wellesbury Noon – a high school student the same age as the boy.

Upon befriending the boy, Wellesbury feels a connection that he can’t explain – as well as discovering that his new friend comes from a land that is stricken by disease and only has two weeks to live. Why do he and a girl named Ezmerelda Dontible appear to be the only ones who want to help?

As they dig deeper, everything they know is turned on its head – and a race to save one boy becomes a struggle to redeem humanity.

For me, this book had a lot of elements from books like The Hunger Games or even Stephen King’s The Long Walk. A handful of children dared to question the world around them, and found themselves fighting a government willing to do whatever it took to keep their secrets.

The author does an amazing job of building a mythology that keeps the reader hooked and intrigued. The world of Whitopolis and it’s surreal belief system based on both technology and mysticism is truly a wonder to behold. The world building in this dystopian trilogy has built a lasting foundation that will leave fans wanting more and more from this developing world. Where did this mystery boy come from, and what secrets are the government leaders hiding from the people of Whitopolis? By books end, the answers will only lead to more and more questions, and readers will be eager to see a book two in the series.

Overall I loved this book. The writing was even paced and the story had the perfect blend of breathtaking and surreal settings and relatable and charismatic protagonists. If you haven’t yet be sure to dive head first into this amazing YA dystopian novel Black & White by Nick Wilford today!

Rating: 10/10

https://www.amazon.com/Black-White-Book-One-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B07395MKSH/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1532576826&sr=1-1&keywords=Black+%26+White+nick+wilford

About the Author

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Nick Wilford is a writer and stay-at-home dad. Once a journalist, he now makes use of those rare times when the house is quiet to explore the realms of fiction, with a little freelance editing and formatting thrown in. When not working he can usually be found spending time with his family or cleaning something. He has four short stories published in Writer’s Muse magazine. Nick is also the editor of Overcoming Adversity: An Anthology for Andrew.

http://www.nickwilford.com/

Freedom City by Philip A. Becnel IV Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviews3 Comments

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

A near future that could easily mirror our own world comes to visceral life in author Philip A. Becnel IV’s Freedom City. Here’s the synopsis:

FREEDOM CITY hilariously ridicules the current kakistocracy (government run by the worst people) in a gripping satire that pays homage to The Monkey Wrench Gang. 

After President Trump unceremoniously dies from natural causes, four misfits from Washington, D.C. who call themselves the Fearless Vampire Killers sever the heads of Confederate statues and wage a comedic guerrilla war on post-Trump America. When President Pence enlists droves of fascist volunteers to crush the “alt-left” uprising, the rebels must risk their lives to run the fascists out of D.C. 

What follows is not only a battle for survival—but a desperate search for remnants of what once made America great.

This book is both humorous and touches on the scary reality of the Trump era United States. Those of you who know me on this blog know I am more liberal than anything else, and although I don’t agree with everything the democrats do, this book does resonate with me greatly. You see while it may appear to be an anti-Republican novel, this is actually just an anti-Trump, anti-racism and anti-bigoted book. It strikes at the heart of a corrupt government and the abuse of power that comes with it. It showcases how quickly personal freedoms are stripped away and those who don’t fit the government’s perfect mold are persecuted fiercely.

In this comical yet politically driven novel, it showcases how lost ordinary people are when they’re put in the middle of political rivalries between parties, and how it’s the average person’s duty not to blindly follow our leaders, but to question them and remind them that they were elected to represent us, not themselves. The characters are all relatable, each coming from a vastly different background than the other, and yet all brought together with the common goal of reestablishing the freedom that the United States was built upon. While each is damaged or comes with their own baggage, they find a closeness and family none of them knew they needed, all driven by a desire to fight for what’s truly right in the world.

The imagery was great in this novel, depicting a very real possible future that is both terrifying and hopeful. Terrifying in that one never wants to live in such a violent, chaotic and fear driven society, but hopeful in that it feels like there are more people out there willing to stand up for what’s right, despite the outpouring of negativity in the media and online. Overall I loved this novel, as it spoke to me as a liberal minded person without getting to heavy into the specific political views of each character, approaching it from a moral and human standpoint rather than a political one. This is a truly unique and one of a kind novel, so if you haven’t yet be sure to pick up your copies today!

Rating: 10/10

https://www.amazon.com/Freedom-City-Philip-Becnel-ebook/dp/B078YCZ4KW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1524562638&sr=8-2&keywords=freedom+city

Annihilation (Mind Breaker #3) by Marina Epley

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Annihilation (Mind Breaker #3) by Marina Epley
One of the first series I have had the pleasure of reading and reviewing on my blog has come to a thrilling end. That series is the Mind Breaker trilogy by Marina Epley, and the third book in the series, Annihilation, sees the deadly war between humans and breakers come to a bloody end. Here is the official synopsis:
THE MIND BREAKER ANNIHILATION. The third and final book in the MIND BREAKER trilogy. For the brave ones who have navigated the roller coaster ride of the first two books, hang on, the upside down inverted portion of your ride continues.
Not all dreams are meant to be fulfilled. Somebody once said what doesn’t kill you only serves to make you stronger… well, they lied.
Rex and his team have to join forces with their worst enemies in order to have a chance to overcome an even greater threat, a level 5 breaker with Godlike powers and evil intentions.
Strap in and enjoy!
The final book in this series takes the reader on a pretty intense journey, showing the fate of several characters you’ve come to know and love over the course of the trilogy. Relationships bloom, and old enemies become unlikely allies as the fate of both humanity and breakers alike rests in the hands of Rex, but will he be strong enough to stop this new emerging threat?
While there were a few grammatical errors throughout the book, overall I found the author’s style of writing to be entertaining and engaging, building a dark and desolate future and mythology that could easily mirror our own future, should certain fears be manipulated and decisions made based on that unfounded fear. The final book is jam packed full of emotion, heartbreak and edge of your seat suspense as you read the final pages for yourself. 
Overall, this is a fantastic final book that you will not want to miss. Marina Epley pens a beautiful final novel that YA and dystopian fans alike will enjoy, and I give it a 8/10 review. I hope you guys will pick up your copies today!

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Retaliation (The Mind Breaker Trilogy #2) by Marina Epley Review

It’s time to return to the dark, bloody world of The Mind Breaker Trilogy. In Marina Epley’s second novel of the series, Retaliation, the war
between humans and mind breakers deepens, as series protagonist Rex straddles the line between resistance hero and mankind’s most feared terrorist.
Here is the synopsis for the Dystopian novel:

RETALIATION is the second novel in THE MIND BREAKER trilogy, set in a violent dystopian world where governmental forces wage war against humans
with psychic abilities.

Against all odds, Rex escapes from an Elimination prison and joins Retaliation, a rebel group consisting of humans with abilities in hypnotism,
memory reading and telepathy. Unfortunately, this place turns out a bit different from the sanctuary he dreams about. Half of the rebels are
hardened criminals, and the rest are merely children, kids brainwashed into hating and killing any non-breakers they encounter.

In Retaliation, Rex decides to try and change things from the inside before the criminals take over, simultaneously looking for a way to
capture his hated enemy, Captain Wheeler. But it happens that the captain is always one step ahead, and has been planning an opportunity to
destroy Rex. He takes Rex’s mother and sister hostage, demanding Rex to surrender. So Rex now has to figure out how to save his relatives from
Wheeler and rescue trapped Retaliation recruits from the hardened criminal element currently taking over the group.

The underlying problem is that no matter what he decides, it always seems to be exactly what Elimination wanted him to do. In believing that
he is fighting a just war against his enemies, Rex may well happen to be nothing more than a puppet in somebody else’s game.

With Elimination seemingly ahead of him at every turn, the struggle for Rex is very real. Facing enemies both from the outside world and from
within his own group, Rex must find a way to stop Elimination and his foe, Captain Wheeler, and stop the hatred brewing on both sides between humans
and breakers. The writing in this story is real and passionate, and does a marvelous job of developing complex characters that you will either
love or hate deeply, making it an even richer story.

The themes of this story are a powerful one, especially in this day and age. The hatred and violence the breakers feel towards humans and the
humans feel towards breakers are an excellent study of prejudice against minorities or people who are different from the “norm” of society. It
speaks volumes for the hatred that is born out of fear of the unknown, and showcases the difficult path that acceptance and peace runs on.

Overall, this is a phenomenal novel. Fans of the dystopian genre will love delving into this series, and if you haven’t read the first book,
I highly suggest you do. Marina Epley is a talented indie author who is sure to storm the dystopian world with her insightful and thought-provoking
work, and that is why I give her novel, Retaliation, a 8 out of 10 rating, and highly recommend you guys check it out for yourself! We look forward
to reading the final chapter of this series and hope to see Rex find a way to end this war once and for all.