What do you think?
Rate this book
The Third
In this stark and haunting look at the not-so-distant future, an environmentally minded society elects to limit the number of children couples can have, enforcing dire consequences for lawbreakers. But when his wife gets pregnant with a forbidden third child, Ransom Lawe is forced to choose between the government who's trying to save the world from ecological disaster and the family he loves dearly.
265 pages, Paperback
First published April 8, 2011
51 people are currently reading
2187 people want to read
About the author
Abel Keogh
12 books100 followersAbel Keogh is a relationship coach and the expert on widower relationships. A remarried widower, Abel has successfully helped thousands of women know if they widowers they’re dating are ready for a serious relationship. He also helps widowers understand what it takes to overcome grief and open their heart to another woman.
Abel is the author of four books on widower relationships and a memoir about losing his late wife to suicide and falling in love again in the year following her death. His Dating a Widower YouTube channel contains valuable advice for widowers and the women who are dating or married to them.
Abel is also an avid runner and writer. He and his wife, Julianna, live in the beautiful state of Utah and as citizens of the Beehive state are parents of the requisite seven children.
Abel is the author of four books on widower relationships and a memoir about losing his late wife to suicide and falling in love again in the year following her death. His Dating a Widower YouTube channel contains valuable advice for widowers and the women who are dating or married to them.
Abel is also an avid runner and writer. He and his wife, Julianna, live in the beautiful state of Utah and as citizens of the Beehive state are parents of the requisite seven children.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
October 4, 2016
The Third by Abel Keough
(Adult Apocalyptic Fiction)
"The covers of this book are too far apart."--Ambrose Bierce
Thus begins my review of a book that took too much and gave too little.
The Third takes place in the year 2065, a futuristic apocalyptic world where citizens are only allowed 2 children. The concept is so overdone already--for a great book on the same plot, try Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix. In this version, Ransome Lawe has just found out his wife has become pregnant with their third child, a move he is not happy about. However, being the great husband that he is, he swallows his feelings of frustration and blame (barely) and tries to find some way to legally keep the child. When this fails, there is no other way but to escape to a utopian land called 'Minnesota'.
It isn't only the plot that makes this story a drudgery to read. There were so many capitalization errors that is was frustrating and distracting to work all the way through. That's a minor problem. The bigger problems are with details. As a reader, I was brought forcefully out of the story and had to keep stepping back from the book and asking questions to an author (or editor) I wish I had an email address for.
For example,
1. In this future world where resources are terribly scarce, why do people still use pencils, papers and clipboards? My doctor's office doesn't even use this stuff now. Everything is on a laptop and there are computers in the book.
2. Why does EVERY woman have to come to the clinic for a monthly blood test to check for pregnancy? Seriously, we can just pee in a cup today. In 50 years, there still won't be a better test? (If you're feministic like me, this type of thing will drive you crazy the whole way through.)
3. Why are these people still using birth control? TODAY there are better methods than the pill and the author doesn't even try using other technologies.
4. The main character complains about paying $2 for a Coke to show how outrageous prices are. Um, there is a machine at Universal Studios in Orlando that charges $3.50.
It just seems as if the author were writing from 50 years ago. None of the main plot supports even begins to suggest why this should be a realistic or believable story. When a reader delves into futuristic fiction, it should be cutting-edge looking beyond what we have today and imagining for the reader how our future technologies will morph into something either for good or ill. This book just doesn't do that. If you are into Dystopian fiction, I have plenty of other suggestions that will blow your mind....Hunger Games, Among the Hidden series, Uglies,......I can go on and on and you should too.
Go on to another book, that is.
(Adult Apocalyptic Fiction)
"The covers of this book are too far apart."--Ambrose Bierce
Thus begins my review of a book that took too much and gave too little.
The Third takes place in the year 2065, a futuristic apocalyptic world where citizens are only allowed 2 children. The concept is so overdone already--for a great book on the same plot, try Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix. In this version, Ransome Lawe has just found out his wife has become pregnant with their third child, a move he is not happy about. However, being the great husband that he is, he swallows his feelings of frustration and blame (barely) and tries to find some way to legally keep the child. When this fails, there is no other way but to escape to a utopian land called 'Minnesota'.
It isn't only the plot that makes this story a drudgery to read. There were so many capitalization errors that is was frustrating and distracting to work all the way through. That's a minor problem. The bigger problems are with details. As a reader, I was brought forcefully out of the story and had to keep stepping back from the book and asking questions to an author (or editor) I wish I had an email address for.
For example,
1. In this future world where resources are terribly scarce, why do people still use pencils, papers and clipboards? My doctor's office doesn't even use this stuff now. Everything is on a laptop and there are computers in the book.
2. Why does EVERY woman have to come to the clinic for a monthly blood test to check for pregnancy? Seriously, we can just pee in a cup today. In 50 years, there still won't be a better test? (If you're feministic like me, this type of thing will drive you crazy the whole way through.)
3. Why are these people still using birth control? TODAY there are better methods than the pill and the author doesn't even try using other technologies.
4. The main character complains about paying $2 for a Coke to show how outrageous prices are. Um, there is a machine at Universal Studios in Orlando that charges $3.50.
It just seems as if the author were writing from 50 years ago. None of the main plot supports even begins to suggest why this should be a realistic or believable story. When a reader delves into futuristic fiction, it should be cutting-edge looking beyond what we have today and imagining for the reader how our future technologies will morph into something either for good or ill. This book just doesn't do that. If you are into Dystopian fiction, I have plenty of other suggestions that will blow your mind....Hunger Games, Among the Hidden series, Uglies,......I can go on and on and you should too.
Go on to another book, that is.
May 26, 2011
Overall Review: Reminiscent of George Orwell’s ‘1984’, Abel Keogh has captured a viable, thought provoking, and grippingly scary future in The Third. It is the year 2065 in Washington State, USA. The government has almost total control over the people: no cars are allowed (donkeys with carts or public trams instead!), no air conditioning/heating, the power is closely regulated (and if you use too much, it’s shut off!), water is rationed, food is rationed to the point of a constant gnawing hunger, and above all, having more than two children is unheard of and illegal. The only way around the ‘child replacement’ law is if you can find someone who doesn’t have kids who is willing to sell their replacement credit to you. If you’re caught expecting your third without that credit, you will go to prison and undergo surgery! Ransom Lawe does a good deed and ends up having a run-in with a sentinel (law enforcement officer) that does not bode well for his family. At the same time, his wife, Teya, tells him she is expecting an illegal third. Now they are desperately trying to find solutions that will keep them both out of prison. The writing in this novel is fantastic. The characters are realistic and the settings are bleak. Ransom is hot-headed and aggressive, and I admit I didn’t like him at first. As the story went on, though, you realize that he is that way due to stress, frustration, and helplessness. There is a constant intensity that doesn’t let up; it builds and builds without relief until the very end! The law is enforced by intimidation and brute force. Everyone is repressed, though most don’t realize it. They’ve all been taught that the new restrictions and laws are for the good of the people—that it will make life better. Some choose to fight against the control and barbarism, but most are content to just sit back and let things lie as they are. I wondered often: Which side would I be on? Would I fight to be free? Or would I just go with the flow? The Third is an expertly told psychological dystopian tale that keeps you on the edge of your seat. I can’t stop thinking about it. Overall rating is 5 out of 5 stars!
Content Review:
PROFANITY: Two mild instances
SEXUAL CONTENT: Mild to moderate throughout
VIOLENCE: Moderate throughout with a few strong instances
MATURE THEMES: Moderate to strong
RECOMMENDED AGE GROUP: 21+
This novel was so well written and scary, but I would not consider it clean. The sentinels are evil and brutal. They have no problem hurting small babies, harassing and battering women, stealing, belittling, threatening, and beating up anyone who stands in their way. There are anger crimes as well. A character pulls out another’s stitches to get some answers. There is an intense and pretty gory fight scene at the end. There are some sexual innuendos. Since this book is about whether or not the people should have large families, there are lots of discussions about family planning, etc. A character is very crude and makes comments about another man’s wife. As far as profanity, there are only 2 mild words, and not necessarily even used as exclamations: one is giving thanks, the other is a place. The themes are very adult: How our choices affect not only ourselves but others around us; living with hard decisions; dealing with fear and intimidation; dystopian societal laws and whether to follow them or to follow your own heart. The Third is recommended for Ages 21+.
This review was written by Emily
A Squeaky Clean Reads Book Reviewer
This book was sent to Squeaky Clean Reads by Cedar Fort for a review
To see more book reviews with content in mind, visit Squeaky Clean Reads!
Content Review:
PROFANITY: Two mild instances
SEXUAL CONTENT: Mild to moderate throughout
VIOLENCE: Moderate throughout with a few strong instances
MATURE THEMES: Moderate to strong
RECOMMENDED AGE GROUP: 21+
This novel was so well written and scary, but I would not consider it clean. The sentinels are evil and brutal. They have no problem hurting small babies, harassing and battering women, stealing, belittling, threatening, and beating up anyone who stands in their way. There are anger crimes as well. A character pulls out another’s stitches to get some answers. There is an intense and pretty gory fight scene at the end. There are some sexual innuendos. Since this book is about whether or not the people should have large families, there are lots of discussions about family planning, etc. A character is very crude and makes comments about another man’s wife. As far as profanity, there are only 2 mild words, and not necessarily even used as exclamations: one is giving thanks, the other is a place. The themes are very adult: How our choices affect not only ourselves but others around us; living with hard decisions; dealing with fear and intimidation; dystopian societal laws and whether to follow them or to follow your own heart. The Third is recommended for Ages 21+.
This review was written by Emily
A Squeaky Clean Reads Book Reviewer
This book was sent to Squeaky Clean Reads by Cedar Fort for a review
To see more book reviews with content in mind, visit Squeaky Clean Reads!
May 15, 2011
I wanted to like The Third more than I actually did. The plot was a good one but the execution was lacking for me. I never connected with the characters or felt invested in them. Both Ransom and Teya made so many rash, impulsive decisions that they were often the source of their own troubles. Ransom didn't bother me too much but Teya's character was all over the place. I couldn't pin down who she was as a person so I couldn't relate to her in any way. Her reaction to Ransom at the end of the book when he's risked so much for her just cemented my dislike. The supporting characters like Mona and Dempsey actually stood out more for me.
My biggest issue with the book though was the world-building. I didn't quite understand why this community existed or where it came from. When I finally got some solid backstory in a conversation between Ransom and Mona it felt like both a lecture and an info-dump. I could pick up the cautionary parallels to current life without getting knocked over the head by them. Also, the story got very predictable. Every choice they made led to a bad outcome which got old. I stopped having hope about halfway through since I knew whatever it was it would backfire. Who didn't see the issue with the credit coming from a mile away? The plot and world-building just weren't nuanced enough, smooth enough and it really affected the impact of the story. I think there's something good here but it just didn't reach it's potential in my mind.
*I received this book courtesy of NetGalley.
My biggest issue with the book though was the world-building. I didn't quite understand why this community existed or where it came from. When I finally got some solid backstory in a conversation between Ransom and Mona it felt like both a lecture and an info-dump. I could pick up the cautionary parallels to current life without getting knocked over the head by them. Also, the story got very predictable. Every choice they made led to a bad outcome which got old. I stopped having hope about halfway through since I knew whatever it was it would backfire. Who didn't see the issue with the credit coming from a mile away? The plot and world-building just weren't nuanced enough, smooth enough and it really affected the impact of the story. I think there's something good here but it just didn't reach it's potential in my mind.
*I received this book courtesy of NetGalley.
April 10, 2010
No bias here. :)
May 17, 2011
http://staffersmusings.blogspot.com/2...
Know what I liked about The Third ? There are no right answers. In Abel Keogh's novel of the near future, the world has responded to the threat of global warming by instituting strict population limits and rationing resources. I was very hesitant to read the novel because the global warming issue has become so politicized in recent years that I fear any novel built around the concept will demagogue for one side or the other. I shouldn't have worried.
The story centers on Ransom Lawe - a recycler whose job entails leaving the confines of the walled city and stripping abandoned buildings for resources. Lawe, already questioning the rightness of a society that demeans a woman's right to have children, finds himself in dire circumstances when his wife, Teya, becomes pregnant with their third child. Two children are frowned upon, but a third is illegal.
Throughout the novel Keogh asks all the right questions. Is global warming the threat the government claims it is? If it is, does that threat justify denying humanity's natural rights? The Third shows both points of view through two distinct characters - Mona, Teya's sister and Director of Population at the Census Bureau and Esperanza, a prominent leader in the resistance. Mona believes so strongly in the necessity to protect the earth and humanity's survival as a species that she will not help her own sister give birth. In contrast, Esperanza espouses an almost Ayn Randian vision of self determination as she tries to free the Lawe family.
After finishing I can honestly say I'm not sure what Keogh believes. For me though, that is the point. He seems to say there is no perfect solution. Is the earth getting warmer? Absolutely, the data is irrefutable. That said there's not yet a consensus on what's causing it. And even if there were, what cost is society willing to pay to turn back the thermometer? Beyond the issue of global warming, Keogh also delves into the idea of social change. Using Mona and Esperanza again he sets up an almost Malcolm X/Martin Luther King Jr. paradigm. Can change be best accomplished within the system or can things only truly change through revolution? It's a provocative discussion and only hinted at, eschewing the frank discussions that get someone pigeonholed as a political mouthpiece.
The one downside for me was in how Teya was written. Keogh portrays her as incapable of dealing with the situation. She's often reduced to a simpering layabout waiting for her husband or sister to solve her problems. Even when she makes a decision she bungles it only complicating the already herculean task she's put before her husband. It seemed to me that Keogh played into many of the emotional stereotypes surrounding women (and in case my wife is reading this - they're all crap!). Perhaps he makes up for this in Esperanza and Mona who are both far stronger female characters. I still feel like the novel could have had the same impact without her being characterized this way.
Unlike many books that deals with large social issues, The Third is current. While in the tradition of 1984 and Brave New World , Keogh discusses themes that are far more relevant to today's young people making it a great option for high school reading lists. I definitely recommend The Third and I’ll be interested to see what Abel Keogh writes in the future.
Know what I liked about The Third ? There are no right answers. In Abel Keogh's novel of the near future, the world has responded to the threat of global warming by instituting strict population limits and rationing resources. I was very hesitant to read the novel because the global warming issue has become so politicized in recent years that I fear any novel built around the concept will demagogue for one side or the other. I shouldn't have worried.
The story centers on Ransom Lawe - a recycler whose job entails leaving the confines of the walled city and stripping abandoned buildings for resources. Lawe, already questioning the rightness of a society that demeans a woman's right to have children, finds himself in dire circumstances when his wife, Teya, becomes pregnant with their third child. Two children are frowned upon, but a third is illegal.
Throughout the novel Keogh asks all the right questions. Is global warming the threat the government claims it is? If it is, does that threat justify denying humanity's natural rights? The Third shows both points of view through two distinct characters - Mona, Teya's sister and Director of Population at the Census Bureau and Esperanza, a prominent leader in the resistance. Mona believes so strongly in the necessity to protect the earth and humanity's survival as a species that she will not help her own sister give birth. In contrast, Esperanza espouses an almost Ayn Randian vision of self determination as she tries to free the Lawe family.
After finishing I can honestly say I'm not sure what Keogh believes. For me though, that is the point. He seems to say there is no perfect solution. Is the earth getting warmer? Absolutely, the data is irrefutable. That said there's not yet a consensus on what's causing it. And even if there were, what cost is society willing to pay to turn back the thermometer? Beyond the issue of global warming, Keogh also delves into the idea of social change. Using Mona and Esperanza again he sets up an almost Malcolm X/Martin Luther King Jr. paradigm. Can change be best accomplished within the system or can things only truly change through revolution? It's a provocative discussion and only hinted at, eschewing the frank discussions that get someone pigeonholed as a political mouthpiece.
The one downside for me was in how Teya was written. Keogh portrays her as incapable of dealing with the situation. She's often reduced to a simpering layabout waiting for her husband or sister to solve her problems. Even when she makes a decision she bungles it only complicating the already herculean task she's put before her husband. It seemed to me that Keogh played into many of the emotional stereotypes surrounding women (and in case my wife is reading this - they're all crap!). Perhaps he makes up for this in Esperanza and Mona who are both far stronger female characters. I still feel like the novel could have had the same impact without her being characterized this way.
Unlike many books that deals with large social issues, The Third is current. While in the tradition of 1984 and Brave New World , Keogh discusses themes that are far more relevant to today's young people making it a great option for high school reading lists. I definitely recommend The Third and I’ll be interested to see what Abel Keogh writes in the future.
July 8, 2011
I have read a few YA Dystopian novels lately that I have enjoyed but this is the first Adult Dystopian for me and I loved it. The world that The Third was set in was scary in the sense that I can see how it could one day be real. I do not think it is a stretch to think that one day our population will outgrow our resources. Things like mandatory recycling of goods are already happening in some various cities or states in the US like Pittsburg, San Diego, Seattle, New York, Philadelphia, Connecticut, San Francisco, Gainesville, Florida and Honolulu. It is a fairly well known fact that China has limits on the amount of children you can have. It is not too far to stretch to put those regulations all in one place and add more and more for our own protection and end up in a place far from where we intended to go. The Third is a cautionary tale in my opinion of what can happen when government gets too big. I also think it is a cautionary tale for not doing what we can to protect our natural resources now.
Ransom is such a great character in my opinion. He really feels like a real man. He cares about his family, he cares about his job. He stands up for what he believes in even when he will suffer for it. I am married to a man like that and it is my wish that every woman in the world could be too! I completely was sympathetic with Teya as well. She cares about her family and is going to do everything she can to protect them. What would you do if you found out you were pregnant with your third, and therefore illegal child?
BOTTOM LINE: IF YOU ARE A FAN OF DYSTOPIANS, THIS SHOULD BE YOUR NEXT READ!
Ransom is such a great character in my opinion. He really feels like a real man. He cares about his family, he cares about his job. He stands up for what he believes in even when he will suffer for it. I am married to a man like that and it is my wish that every woman in the world could be too! I completely was sympathetic with Teya as well. She cares about her family and is going to do everything she can to protect them. What would you do if you found out you were pregnant with your third, and therefore illegal child?
BOTTOM LINE: IF YOU ARE A FAN OF DYSTOPIANS, THIS SHOULD BE YOUR NEXT READ!
May 14, 2011
Abel Keogh had me hooked by the first few pages when he describes in harrowing detail how the main character, Ransom Lawe, rescues a baby from an evil Census Bureau Sentinel. Abel's description and vivid emotional detail kept me turning pages to find out what would happen next.
I love books with a theme that at first glance seems like something that couldn't happen, but upon closer examination show that some parts of our world are mere steps away from scary fiction.
Abel is a talented writer and you won't want to miss reading The Third!
I love books with a theme that at first glance seems like something that couldn't happen, but upon closer examination show that some parts of our world are mere steps away from scary fiction.
Abel is a talented writer and you won't want to miss reading The Third!
April 15, 2010
I read The Third in pre-release format on my Kindle and was extremely pleased with the content, writing style and overall message. Keogh's The Third reminded me of George Orwell's classical novel, 1984. The world he paints, not that far into the future, is dysmal, confining, and completly in control of the government right down to the food we eat and the time we spend each day. I am a new fan of Abel Keogh. I look forward to the sequel.
September 28, 2012
This was not one of the worst books I have ever read, but definitely one of the worst of the year. I wanted to like it, it started off awesome and had moments of promise, but it just got worse and worse until it finally ended. Not a big fan of the writing, "Ransom this" "Ransom that"... Seems Keogh is afraid of pronouns. Idea was good, delivery not so much.
May 12, 2011
Wow! This book is fast paced and keeps your heart pumping.
You have to read this one. Abel is a great writer! He does a fantastic
job of keeping the suspense up. I will be reviewing this book on my blog
May 14th. Come by to see what else i really liked about this book.
You have to read this one. Abel is a great writer! He does a fantastic
job of keeping the suspense up. I will be reviewing this book on my blog
May 14th. Come by to see what else i really liked about this book.
November 6, 2024
This is the most boring and anticlimactic book I have read in a very long time.
Ransom lives in the new US. There is one main law. You may only have two children. A third could put you in prison. Now his wife is telling him that she is pregnant.
My love for reading came from reading dystopian novels. So I had to pick up this book as it seemed like a grown up version of those novels plus it was a Utah author. But man was I bored. With every page turn I was wanting for the action but it literally happens in the last 15 pages and then it just ends. It looks like the author planned on it to be a series but never finished it.
Genre: Dystopian
APK: Physical
Pages: 266
Rating: ⭐️⭐️
Series or Standalone: Stand-alone
Ransom lives in the new US. There is one main law. You may only have two children. A third could put you in prison. Now his wife is telling him that she is pregnant.
My love for reading came from reading dystopian novels. So I had to pick up this book as it seemed like a grown up version of those novels plus it was a Utah author. But man was I bored. With every page turn I was wanting for the action but it literally happens in the last 15 pages and then it just ends. It looks like the author planned on it to be a series but never finished it.
Genre: Dystopian
APK: Physical
Pages: 266
Rating: ⭐️⭐️
Series or Standalone: Stand-alone
February 3, 2018
This is the second time I have read The Third, and the story was just as intense a read as it was the first time I opened the pages. This is a futuristic story that is non-stop, gripping-the-edge-of-your-seat action and emotion, and it makes the reader ponder how they would handle having their freedom of choice taken away when it came to their basic human rights. It is as if the author is predicting the future of our nation through a fictional work that is more believable and possible than we want to think about too deeply.
A very gripping novel, and I'm eagerly awaiting the next installment in the series.
A very gripping novel, and I'm eagerly awaiting the next installment in the series.
February 23, 2014
Every now and then I pick up a book by a Mormon author hoping that maybe, just maybe, this one will be readable. Occasionally my hopes are fulfilled and the book is enjoyable. 97% of the time they are . . . not.
This book? Solidly in the 97%.
In the first place, it just came across as passive-aggressively preachy. Like it was written in response to the people who in real life think people have too many kids. And considering that all one has to do is take a look around to see that those people are very much in the minority - well, the premise isn't ruined, but it makes the crappy delivery more evident.
Secondly, this may have been published in 2011, but it reads like it was written in the 70s. I mean, supposedly it's only the year 2065 but in the interest of conserving resources pretty much all digital technology has been abandoned and everyone's using paper and pencil and donkeys and carts. Seriously? I realize a fancy futuristic digital computerized notepad is going to take up a lot of resources to make, but if your world is one that's so strapped for resources that your characters reuse medical supplies like needles and crap, using paper and pencil is much more wasteful in the long run. Either use the practical, logical, actually-resource-conserving or if you must go the ridiculous route, go whole hog and have them using scrolls and ink medieval style where the ink is scrapped off so the parchment can be used again.
Not to mention that so much of the basic premise is full of holes. If having only two children is so central to this particular dystopian government then why is the government-required birth control apparently less effective than what's actually available in the real world now? If they're going to require monthly pregnancy tests why on earth would it be a blood test when, again, there already exists methods that are just as effective and much less invasive? If unplanned pregnancies are so ridiculously common then what's with the five day grace period? Either give these people sufficient time to make new arrangements or do the state-mandated forced abortion immediately. The whole concept of "letting them flounder around frantically trying to come up with a miracle and then doing it anyway when the miracle doesn't happen" is just . . . pointless. Literally the only reason it exists is to create urgency in this specific instance - and there are better ways to create urgency. Ways that don't feel plot-hole-ish. In fact, everything about this supposedly totalitarian government just feels so wishy-washy. You're only allowed two kids by law - except for the bajillion ways around it. You're only allowed so many resources - except for all the ways there are to sneak more.
And did I mention that it's just plain boring? The main characters are just . . . bland. Like, I can kind of sympathize with the predicament they're in, but there was no reason to care about them specifically. Especially since there are apparently dozens (at least) of other couples in the exact same situation. How are Ransom and Teya any different from all these others (other than having absolutely ridiculous names)? Why should we care about them more than all these others who are in the EXACT SAME TROUBLE? What makes them different? What makes their story worth being told?
Absolutely nothing.
There are two separate resistance movements that have somehow gone completely undetected by the government. You know what would have been an interesting story? Actually seeing them in action. I mean, beyond the vague explanations and "I'll tell you laters" that were only there to advance the plot. You know what would have been really interesting? A story about these two resistance movements coming up against each other and having to decide if they're going to work together or oppose each other in addition to the government. Or, you know, pretty much anything than the snooze-fest that served as a plot here.
If you're looking for an imperfect but much better no-more-kids-to-save-the-planet story, read Gemma Malley's The Declaration trilogy.
Long story short: Mormons have good ideas. We just seem to really suck at writing them down.
This book? Solidly in the 97%.
In the first place, it just came across as passive-aggressively preachy. Like it was written in response to the people who in real life think people have too many kids. And considering that all one has to do is take a look around to see that those people are very much in the minority - well, the premise isn't ruined, but it makes the crappy delivery more evident.
Secondly, this may have been published in 2011, but it reads like it was written in the 70s. I mean, supposedly it's only the year 2065 but in the interest of conserving resources pretty much all digital technology has been abandoned and everyone's using paper and pencil and donkeys and carts. Seriously? I realize a fancy futuristic digital computerized notepad is going to take up a lot of resources to make, but if your world is one that's so strapped for resources that your characters reuse medical supplies like needles and crap, using paper and pencil is much more wasteful in the long run. Either use the practical, logical, actually-resource-conserving or if you must go the ridiculous route, go whole hog and have them using scrolls and ink medieval style where the ink is scrapped off so the parchment can be used again.
Not to mention that so much of the basic premise is full of holes. If having only two children is so central to this particular dystopian government then why is the government-required birth control apparently less effective than what's actually available in the real world now? If they're going to require monthly pregnancy tests why on earth would it be a blood test when, again, there already exists methods that are just as effective and much less invasive? If unplanned pregnancies are so ridiculously common then what's with the five day grace period? Either give these people sufficient time to make new arrangements or do the state-mandated forced abortion immediately. The whole concept of "letting them flounder around frantically trying to come up with a miracle and then doing it anyway when the miracle doesn't happen" is just . . . pointless. Literally the only reason it exists is to create urgency in this specific instance - and there are better ways to create urgency. Ways that don't feel plot-hole-ish. In fact, everything about this supposedly totalitarian government just feels so wishy-washy. You're only allowed two kids by law - except for the bajillion ways around it. You're only allowed so many resources - except for all the ways there are to sneak more.
And did I mention that it's just plain boring? The main characters are just . . . bland. Like, I can kind of sympathize with the predicament they're in, but there was no reason to care about them specifically. Especially since there are apparently dozens (at least) of other couples in the exact same situation. How are Ransom and Teya any different from all these others (other than having absolutely ridiculous names)? Why should we care about them more than all these others who are in the EXACT SAME TROUBLE? What makes them different? What makes their story worth being told?
Absolutely nothing.
There are two separate resistance movements that have somehow gone completely undetected by the government. You know what would have been an interesting story? Actually seeing them in action. I mean, beyond the vague explanations and "I'll tell you laters" that were only there to advance the plot. You know what would have been really interesting? A story about these two resistance movements coming up against each other and having to decide if they're going to work together or oppose each other in addition to the government. Or, you know, pretty much anything than the snooze-fest that served as a plot here.
If you're looking for an imperfect but much better no-more-kids-to-save-the-planet story, read Gemma Malley's The Declaration trilogy.
Long story short: Mormons have good ideas. We just seem to really suck at writing them down.
January 5, 2017
This is a dystopian future story that tries really hard to have a deep meaning but really leaves too many loose threads to feel like a complete novel.
One of the conceits of dystopian futures is that you have to agree to stop asking questions. For instance, what events transpired to allow the world in 1984 to exist? It makes no sense. (I know that I’m probably inviting a lot of arguments with this since a lot of people think we are headed there right now. My argument is that those concerns and worries are precisely why this will never actually happen. I could say a lot more about that but this review is about The Third.)
In Abel Keogh’s The Third readers are asked to believe in a future where cities in the United States are, apparently, left up to themselves to be self-sustaining and a great ecological disaster has forced people to make laws for population control. People also, apparently have to live in tiny apartments and have rationed food etc. Don’t ask how this happened. The point of the book is not how the dystopia came to be. It’s how people deal with the oppression of that society.
Ransom is a garbage worker and his wife is a nurse. Their world starts to come apart when they find out they are expecting their third — and illegal — child.
The book spends a lot of time showing Ransom charging around the city looking for ways to solve the dilemma and getting beat on by cruel and efficient bullies. Towards the end a solution is presented but he has to go against the dogma that has been driven into him since he was a boy.
It’s an okay book. The writing is good enough. The story is acceptable. The characters dilemma feels real. Somehow it never quite comes together, though. The world feels like the city exists in a white box with nothing beyond. The world doesn’t seem to be fully fleshed out — and maybe it doesn’t need to be but it feels lacking. The entire book is just… good enough. I find there is little to complain about but little to love either. Several subplots that were introduced in the early chapters are forgotten and abandoned by the end.
My one item of real praise is that the characters in this book behave in character throughout even when it will make things harder for them, and for the author. Sometimes they are so in character they are frustrating.
There are better dystopian fiction books out there but to be honest my lackadaisical response to this book might be because this is a genre that I have never really enjoyed. I have a difficult time seeing how our world could have gotten to this mess and the same is true of most of these kinds of books.
One of the conceits of dystopian futures is that you have to agree to stop asking questions. For instance, what events transpired to allow the world in 1984 to exist? It makes no sense. (I know that I’m probably inviting a lot of arguments with this since a lot of people think we are headed there right now. My argument is that those concerns and worries are precisely why this will never actually happen. I could say a lot more about that but this review is about The Third.)
In Abel Keogh’s The Third readers are asked to believe in a future where cities in the United States are, apparently, left up to themselves to be self-sustaining and a great ecological disaster has forced people to make laws for population control. People also, apparently have to live in tiny apartments and have rationed food etc. Don’t ask how this happened. The point of the book is not how the dystopia came to be. It’s how people deal with the oppression of that society.
Ransom is a garbage worker and his wife is a nurse. Their world starts to come apart when they find out they are expecting their third — and illegal — child.
The book spends a lot of time showing Ransom charging around the city looking for ways to solve the dilemma and getting beat on by cruel and efficient bullies. Towards the end a solution is presented but he has to go against the dogma that has been driven into him since he was a boy.
It’s an okay book. The writing is good enough. The story is acceptable. The characters dilemma feels real. Somehow it never quite comes together, though. The world feels like the city exists in a white box with nothing beyond. The world doesn’t seem to be fully fleshed out — and maybe it doesn’t need to be but it feels lacking. The entire book is just… good enough. I find there is little to complain about but little to love either. Several subplots that were introduced in the early chapters are forgotten and abandoned by the end.
My one item of real praise is that the characters in this book behave in character throughout even when it will make things harder for them, and for the author. Sometimes they are so in character they are frustrating.
There are better dystopian fiction books out there but to be honest my lackadaisical response to this book might be because this is a genre that I have never really enjoyed. I have a difficult time seeing how our world could have gotten to this mess and the same is true of most of these kinds of books.
July 11, 2011
The US in 2065 is a very different place. Strict regulations govern where you live, what you do, how much you consume, and how many children you can have. All in the name of saving the planet. Ransom and Teya have respectable jobs, and two kids, the legal limit. When Teya reveals she's pregnant, Ransom must find a way to save his family from the overzealous government and their rules. Can he do it without ripping apart the life they lead?
This was a very adult dystopian in all its gritty details. The world building was extraordinary. It was explained thoroughout the story, but it was fairly easy to understand, even in the very beginning. This is not a strange, foreign world that needed to be spelled out to readers. This is a world that is entirely realistic and possible within our future. It was created by taking planet-saving steps too far, to the point of endangering humankind.
I sympathized greatly with Ransom. He's a good guy who just wants to have a little more for his family. The choices he makes are all based on this. He is an easy man to understand, and to side with.
His wife Teya though... I did not like her. Her every action seemed to make a bad situation worse. Over and over I wanted to shake her and tell her to smarten up. I understand that her life is hard, but I did not agree with her choices and had no respect for them at all. I just didn't, and couldn't, like her.
Overall, this was an amazing read. It was serious, sad and depressing, but still very captivating. I was very impressed at the world created, and felt strongly for Ransom. I would highly recommend this book to everyone. I couldn't find any talk of a sequel, but if there is one coming, I'd love to read it.
This was a very adult dystopian in all its gritty details. The world building was extraordinary. It was explained thoroughout the story, but it was fairly easy to understand, even in the very beginning. This is not a strange, foreign world that needed to be spelled out to readers. This is a world that is entirely realistic and possible within our future. It was created by taking planet-saving steps too far, to the point of endangering humankind.
I sympathized greatly with Ransom. He's a good guy who just wants to have a little more for his family. The choices he makes are all based on this. He is an easy man to understand, and to side with.
His wife Teya though... I did not like her. Her every action seemed to make a bad situation worse. Over and over I wanted to shake her and tell her to smarten up. I understand that her life is hard, but I did not agree with her choices and had no respect for them at all. I just didn't, and couldn't, like her.
Overall, this was an amazing read. It was serious, sad and depressing, but still very captivating. I was very impressed at the world created, and felt strongly for Ransom. I would highly recommend this book to everyone. I couldn't find any talk of a sequel, but if there is one coming, I'd love to read it.
January 4, 2018
This dystopian book was engaging and describes a world very different from the one we live in now, yet it connects readers to it through universal struggles that humans experience. The author vividly paints a picture of how society could be fifty years in the future and it's grim and harsh. There is a law in place that prohibits families from having more than two children. The main character (Ransom Lawe) finds himself questioning the rules of society when his wife becomes pregnant with their 3rd child. He gets frustrated trying to follow government rules while at the same time doing what he thinks is best for his family. The internal struggles and fears he has are significant and as the reader, it makes you wonder what you would do in a similar situation. The story builds and keep you wanting to read and find out just what price Ransom is willing to pay for his beliefs and to protect his family.
July 5, 2011
2.5 stars
Although the premise was great and the world Keogh created was interesting, I couldn't get into this book as much as I wanted to. Teya and Ransom were so impulsive-somehow not realizing that what they do has a direct impact on others (especially in regard to their 2 young children). I would have liked the book more if the main characters were actually likeable and/or relateable.
Although the premise was great and the world Keogh created was interesting, I couldn't get into this book as much as I wanted to. Teya and Ransom were so impulsive-somehow not realizing that what they do has a direct impact on others (especially in regard to their 2 young children). I would have liked the book more if the main characters were actually likeable and/or relateable.
May 14, 2013
I read this book up to the beginning of chapter 9. I think the author writes well. I even felt some level of "commitment" to finish the book, so I even began scanning the book to finish faster. However, I finally decided I was just not enjoying it. I think I am just tired of dystopian fiction and so I couldn't get into it. Nothing personal to the book.
June 7, 2011
Weak. Interesting premise, but never fully developed. I never cared for the protagonist, because he was a sullen jerk. The villians seemed toothless, and the only interesting twist was anti-climtic.
April 18, 2012
Okay, so I didn't read the entire book.
In fact, one chapter was enough.
As an aspiring writer, I was disgusted to see a work in print that had broken so many writing rules.
Maybe it was just jealousy, but either way, I won't be reopening it any time soon!
In fact, one chapter was enough.
As an aspiring writer, I was disgusted to see a work in print that had broken so many writing rules.
Maybe it was just jealousy, but either way, I won't be reopening it any time soon!
January 5, 2013
This book is based on an interesting premise - how society and government shape population and fertility policy to grapple with the environmental impact of over-population, but it felt rushed and was fairly predictable.
June 24, 2011
Horrible book. I couldn't stand the wife Teya. I just wanted to smack her. The husband Ransom never listened either. Waste of money.
March 14, 2018
The story starts by immediately immersing you in the setting of a not-too-distant future that is focused on recycling and saving the earth. Laws of rule and order are passed and families are granted only two credits for children. Having a third or more is against the law.
Right off the bat, Ransom saves a woman and her child from impending violence on a bus and in the process puts his own life in danger. This would be enough to keep you reading but when the twists and turns start flying, I couldn't put the book down.
The best part of Keogh's writing is the way he envisions the future and puts his characters in impossible positions where the line between right and wrong is blurred. He does a good job of exploring the issues from every angle. I even found myself agreeing with a character that was in opposition to my own opinion.
The plot is tight and intriguing and the characters are spot on. I couldn't stop reading and when the book ended.... well, I just can't wait for the next book to come out.
This is a great book I highly recommend for new adult/adult readers.
Right off the bat, Ransom saves a woman and her child from impending violence on a bus and in the process puts his own life in danger. This would be enough to keep you reading but when the twists and turns start flying, I couldn't put the book down.
The best part of Keogh's writing is the way he envisions the future and puts his characters in impossible positions where the line between right and wrong is blurred. He does a good job of exploring the issues from every angle. I even found myself agreeing with a character that was in opposition to my own opinion.
The plot is tight and intriguing and the characters are spot on. I couldn't stop reading and when the book ended.... well, I just can't wait for the next book to come out.
This is a great book I highly recommend for new adult/adult readers.
December 4, 2024
Dystopian books set in a future that could be our future usually are my favorites……but “The Third” did not do it for me. The writing felt stiff and somewhat forced. I thought the premise was promising but this novel didn’t have enough layers-it felt shallow-just too simplistic. I really looked forward to reading this and unfortunately I was disappointed.
(From the book blurb): “In this stark and haunting look at the not-so-distant future, an environmentally minded society elects to limit the number of children couples can have, enforcing dire consequences for lawbreakers. But when his wife gets pregnant with a forbidden third child, Ransom Lawe is forced to choose between the government who's trying to save the world from ecological disaster and the family he loves dearly.”
(From the book blurb): “In this stark and haunting look at the not-so-distant future, an environmentally minded society elects to limit the number of children couples can have, enforcing dire consequences for lawbreakers. But when his wife gets pregnant with a forbidden third child, Ransom Lawe is forced to choose between the government who's trying to save the world from ecological disaster and the family he loves dearly.”
February 22, 2018
The Third is a compelling story of a family that is easy to relate to. Ransom and Teya Lawe are the struggling parents of two precious boys who are working hard to make ends meet and provide for their family in a world that's over populated and increasingly running short on resources. Joining them as they desperately try to find a way to keep their third and illegal child this story sucks you right in. Great read! Can't wait for the sequel!
March 23, 2020
2.5 stars
I got this book from a thrift store and had no idea what it was about. It looked good and had an interesting premise but it was not what I was anticipating. I thought it was going to be more action/adventure but there is really only one big action scene that had me wondering how it was actually happening. How can someone who looks like they are about to pass out at any moment, knock someone who is twice their size out?
I got this book from a thrift store and had no idea what it was about. It looked good and had an interesting premise but it was not what I was anticipating. I thought it was going to be more action/adventure but there is really only one big action scene that had me wondering how it was actually happening. How can someone who looks like they are about to pass out at any moment, knock someone who is twice their size out?
April 5, 2020
Captivating
A surreal insight to a potentially realistic future, so much so that it was a bit unnerving at times. Definitely a page turner. It was very easy to get pulled in to the characters and identify with them. A great read and am definitely looking forward to book 2. Thoroughly enjoyed this! Thanks Abel!
A surreal insight to a potentially realistic future, so much so that it was a bit unnerving at times. Definitely a page turner. It was very easy to get pulled in to the characters and identify with them. A great read and am definitely looking forward to book 2. Thoroughly enjoyed this! Thanks Abel!
February 5, 2018
Riveting, frightening and thrilling story of life in a possible future world where it is against the law to have a third child.
January 2, 2020
Picked this book up off a shelf in an Air-B&B... I think I read about a quarter of it before I gave up. It was competently written but I didn't enjoy it.
November 21, 2022
Enjoyable dystopian read. Can't wait for there to be a sequel.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews