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The Surface's End by David Joel Stevenson
Near the edge of Jonah Whitfield's small farming village lies the Deathlands – a strange desert in the middle of a lush, green landscape. It is strictly forbidden. Jonah often lingers at the border of the Deathlands out of curiosity, hunting wild game where no one else feels safe. When he follows a wounded deer into the desolate expanse, he stumbles upon a hatch to a futuristic underground society. After setting eyes on a beautiful girl whose only wish is to see the surface, Jonah is determined to free her from a prison made of comfort and lies. Will he rescue her, or will he find himself trapped mere miles away from the life he has taken for granted?
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About the author
David Joel Stevenson
5 books59 followersDavid Joel Stevenson lives outside of Nashville, TN with two dogs, several chickens, and thousands of honey bees. He is the singer in the band Manic Bloom (www.ManicBloom.com), a songwriter, a computer programmer, and is irregularly documenting his quests in homesteading on his blog, www.GeekOffGrid.com.
For more information, visit www.DavidJoelStevenson.com
For more information, visit www.DavidJoelStevenson.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
November 21, 2015
This book falls in line with the dystopian trend. Not going to lie, was a little unsure coming into the book, but quickly fell in love with the story and had to keep reading! Jonah is a relatable character – doing what he has to do to support his family – the struggle is real. But as we all feel from time to time – what if there is more to life outside of our standard boundaries? Well he finds it – and I am intrigued the whole time he is discovering it. The lead up – the effort it takes for him to get into the new world – the thought process of what he expects vs. what he finds. I loved it all. Could see this as a movie someday.
June 9, 2024
I picked this book up at a local convention after hearing a brief synopsis from the Author, and I’m so glad I did. I couldn’t put it down. Needless to say, I bought the second book three fourths of the way through this book and I’ll be starting it as soon as it gets here tomorrow!
May 22, 2018
Shelf Life — The Surface’s End Has a Deep Environmental Message
The Surface’s End by David Joel Stevenson is a post-apocalyptic sci-fi that follows teenager Jonah Whitfield, a hunter living in a small town at the edge of the Deathlands. Even though his hometown is full of lush greenery, the Deathlands nearby are a desert wasteland stretching on for what seems like eternity, with an unnaturally sudden change between the two.
While out hunting one afternoon, Jonah’s prey darts into the Deathlands, and he follows, stumbling upon a hatch in the ground. He returns over the next week, drawn to the curious hatch, and finally manages to open it, revealing a tunnel down into the ground.
The beginning of the book starts out a bit slow. We get a lot of details about Jonah’s family, his town, and some hints as to what happened in the past that our modern way of life no longer exists. Despite being post-apocalyptic, Jonah’s life is actually pretty great. He has a loving family, the world has not descended into anarchy despite the lack of established government, nor is there a dystopian government ruling over everything with an iron fist (at least, not in his world).
I had a bit of a difficult time believing that society would have completely forgotten all about the world that came before the destruction that wiped out a good portion of humanity. Even if they no longer have working technology, they would still have books and left-over infrastructure, and I couldn’t imagine that people wouldn’t try to keep their knowledge of the past alive. However, we do only see a small portion of the world, Jonah’s hometown, which is pretty secluded, so it’s possible that this knowledge was kept alive in other locations.
The beginning is slow to give us a detailed sense of the “normal” world, at least from Jonah’s perspective. That way, we really feel how foreign the underground society he discovers is (though it may seem uncomfortably familiar in some ways). When Jonah descends into the hatch, he finds himself in a strange dystopian facility. At first he acts as an observer, hiding in small crevices and watching the family he comes across.
The book has no shortage of moral lessons, but they never feel heavy-handed. You could even classify this novel as Christian fiction, which normally I don’t care for, but in this case I enjoyed it, because it’s real Christianity, not “Republican Christianity.” The morals all come down to treating people, animals, and the environment with respect.
The scene that probably stuck with me the most was when There’s a reason I’ve personally avoided eating mechanically separated chicken, and this is it.
I think the history behind the facility is the most interesting part.
The only place where I thought the book was a bit unbelievable in its religious message was that Jonah’s family would still practice Christianity. After all, we’ve established that all other previous facets of our modern culture have been lost, so why would any currently established religions still exist? That’s not to say that people would have no religion, but it would make much more sense for them to have a new, different religion influenced by the state of their world than a religion that is already 2,000 years old at present and has evolved drastically since its original creation. It would have made the most sense, this being set somewhere in the US, if there society had multiple aspects of various world religions, as the United States is not exclusively a Christian country. It felt a bit like having one’s cake and eating it too. Personally, I feel you can still have a Christian message without the name Christianity being used and the Bible still being read (especially when all other books about our present society seem to have mysteriously disappeared).
That being said, I found the book overall very enjoyable, especially the messages about respect for the environment and the warnings against nuclear war. The underground facility reminded me a lot of the vaults in the Fallout game series, and it was interesting to read a post-apocalypse where the main character discovers a dystopian society rather than coming from one. Towards the end we also get some of Talitha’s POV, which I think would have made the book even better if we’d gotten to read her side of the story earlier on, but I’m hoping that the sequel will let us see more from her eyes now that I look forward to reading book 2, The Dirt Walkers.
The Surface’s End by David Joel Stevenson is a post-apocalyptic sci-fi that follows teenager Jonah Whitfield, a hunter living in a small town at the edge of the Deathlands. Even though his hometown is full of lush greenery, the Deathlands nearby are a desert wasteland stretching on for what seems like eternity, with an unnaturally sudden change between the two.
While out hunting one afternoon, Jonah’s prey darts into the Deathlands, and he follows, stumbling upon a hatch in the ground. He returns over the next week, drawn to the curious hatch, and finally manages to open it, revealing a tunnel down into the ground.
The beginning of the book starts out a bit slow. We get a lot of details about Jonah’s family, his town, and some hints as to what happened in the past that our modern way of life no longer exists. Despite being post-apocalyptic, Jonah’s life is actually pretty great. He has a loving family, the world has not descended into anarchy despite the lack of established government, nor is there a dystopian government ruling over everything with an iron fist (at least, not in his world).
I had a bit of a difficult time believing that society would have completely forgotten all about the world that came before the destruction that wiped out a good portion of humanity. Even if they no longer have working technology, they would still have books and left-over infrastructure, and I couldn’t imagine that people wouldn’t try to keep their knowledge of the past alive. However, we do only see a small portion of the world, Jonah’s hometown, which is pretty secluded, so it’s possible that this knowledge was kept alive in other locations.
The beginning is slow to give us a detailed sense of the “normal” world, at least from Jonah’s perspective. That way, we really feel how foreign the underground society he discovers is (though it may seem uncomfortably familiar in some ways). When Jonah descends into the hatch, he finds himself in a strange dystopian facility. At first he acts as an observer, hiding in small crevices and watching the family he comes across.
The book has no shortage of moral lessons, but they never feel heavy-handed. You could even classify this novel as Christian fiction, which normally I don’t care for, but in this case I enjoyed it, because it’s real Christianity, not “Republican Christianity.” The morals all come down to treating people, animals, and the environment with respect.
The scene that probably stuck with me the most was when There’s a reason I’ve personally avoided eating mechanically separated chicken, and this is it.
I think the history behind the facility is the most interesting part.
The only place where I thought the book was a bit unbelievable in its religious message was that Jonah’s family would still practice Christianity. After all, we’ve established that all other previous facets of our modern culture have been lost, so why would any currently established religions still exist? That’s not to say that people would have no religion, but it would make much more sense for them to have a new, different religion influenced by the state of their world than a religion that is already 2,000 years old at present and has evolved drastically since its original creation. It would have made the most sense, this being set somewhere in the US, if there society had multiple aspects of various world religions, as the United States is not exclusively a Christian country. It felt a bit like having one’s cake and eating it too. Personally, I feel you can still have a Christian message without the name Christianity being used and the Bible still being read (especially when all other books about our present society seem to have mysteriously disappeared).
That being said, I found the book overall very enjoyable, especially the messages about respect for the environment and the warnings against nuclear war. The underground facility reminded me a lot of the vaults in the Fallout game series, and it was interesting to read a post-apocalypse where the main character discovers a dystopian society rather than coming from one. Towards the end we also get some of Talitha’s POV, which I think would have made the book even better if we’d gotten to read her side of the story earlier on, but I’m hoping that the sequel will let us see more from her eyes now that I look forward to reading book 2, The Dirt Walkers.
June 15, 2024
I bought this book directly from the author at his vendor booth at GalaxyCon in Oklahoma City and loved it! I usually try to purchase a novel by one of the new authors when I attend cons, to support their work. This was a great read—had difficulty putting it down—so I definitely plan to read the sequel!
July 9, 2023
I picked up this book along with several others by this author with no idea of what to expect. I started this book on the ride home and didn’t put it down until I finished it and was ready for bed. Its offers a nice balance of simplicity and a quick pace that often comes with YA novels while still having a full and insightful plot. I can’s wait to begin the sequel tomorrow! If you’re on the fence about getting this novel, do it! Its a quick read that you won’t regret!
September 23, 2019
I really enjoyed this book! I couldn't put it down. Cant wait to read the next one.
April 30, 2024
It really should be marketed better as being for young children. It’s also a really derivative, pompous story that just feels like a preachy right-wingers idea of themselves being better than everyone else for living traditionally.
June 20, 2024
Remember when the first season of Stranger Things came out? I was hooked from the very first scene. A scientist ran down a darkened corridor, fleeing from some unseen evil. As soon as he reached the safety of the elevator and sighed in relief, you knew what was going to happen next. But, if you’re anything like me, you still felt a tingle of fear when the scientist was jerked abruptly upwards and out of frame, having succumbed to the predator.
Suddenly, I was a kid, watching the early seasons of the X-Files. The similarity in style and execution was not unintentional. As the show progressed, the audience relived the favorite movies of their childhoods in allusions to Poltergeist, Firestarter, The Goonies, E.T., War Games, Ghostbusters, etc. According to Variety, the first season of the show had a viewership of 14.9 million.
All this is to say, one does not have to build a world from scratch to tell an entertaining, well-written story. A narrative, whether in print or on the screen, can be appreciated for its cheeky homages to other works in the genre, if done well.
David Joel Stevenson sets his protagonists, Jonah and Talitha, in a dystopian landscape that lies at the crossroads of the future North Americas described in A Canticle for Leibowitz, and the Silo and Fallout franchises. (It’s untold years in the future, half of the human population is underground frightened of the radiation-scarred landscape of an event no one properly remembers, and scientific progress has taken a backseat to religion since the records of the past have been destroyed.) As a fan of dystopian sci-fi, I’m not annoyed. I’m even a little pleased with myself to be in on the allusions with the author. Besides, just because a writer sets their story in a familiar world, doesn’t mean they don’t have original, compelling characters or a new take on the genre.
To return to my Stranger Things analogy, the show charmed the viewer with nostalgia, but this alone would not have secured its longevity. Audiences returned because the characters were just quirky enough to be relatable and the mythos surrounding the Upside Down was entirely unique.
And this is where the parallels between the two homage-laden stories end.
I had hopes that, when the surface-dwelling protagonist, Jonah, descended into the sterile, kleptocratic world that had thrived, unknown, beneath his feet, I would be in for something unexpected. Perhaps an existential crisis that sent Jonah on a quest to find some deeper meaning of how humanity had become bifurcated, one half hidden from the other.
Nope.
Jonah saw a pretty girl he liked in the secret, underground city in part because she was slimmer than her fat, rich parents. The pretty girl (named Talitha Coomy, an embarrassingly transparent reference to the Aramaic, “Little girl, rise,” from the Gospel of Mark) dreams of a life on the surface where she can see real stars. But her mean old parents want to keep her caged in the underground world so she can grow up to be a nice, fat bureaucrat like them. Who cares if opening the hatch to the surface will cook her with 600 rads in seconds? Parents are so unfair! Jonah HAS to save her!
Look, I realize that this is written for a YA audience. But there is a difference between literature that is accessible and a story is slipped into the YA category where the author prays their target audience won’t realize how lacking it is. Surface’s End is, much to my disappointment, the latter of the two.
Any interest the reader had invested in Jonah slowly evaporates after chapters of stilted, expository dialogue, one-dimensional characters, and lack of original plot. The message, if one can claim that there is one at all, is a general condemnation of urbanization and liberal social values in favor of good, old fashioned country living.
The author does not seek to use his love of the genre as a platform to stand upon and offer a new perspective, glimpse new worlds, or even deconstruct. Instead, he blends pinched ingredients from the finished creations of other dystopian authors. The resulting concoction is a watered down slurry that leaves the reader wondering how something with so much potential could leave them feeling so empty.
Suddenly, I was a kid, watching the early seasons of the X-Files. The similarity in style and execution was not unintentional. As the show progressed, the audience relived the favorite movies of their childhoods in allusions to Poltergeist, Firestarter, The Goonies, E.T., War Games, Ghostbusters, etc. According to Variety, the first season of the show had a viewership of 14.9 million.
All this is to say, one does not have to build a world from scratch to tell an entertaining, well-written story. A narrative, whether in print or on the screen, can be appreciated for its cheeky homages to other works in the genre, if done well.
David Joel Stevenson sets his protagonists, Jonah and Talitha, in a dystopian landscape that lies at the crossroads of the future North Americas described in A Canticle for Leibowitz, and the Silo and Fallout franchises. (It’s untold years in the future, half of the human population is underground frightened of the radiation-scarred landscape of an event no one properly remembers, and scientific progress has taken a backseat to religion since the records of the past have been destroyed.) As a fan of dystopian sci-fi, I’m not annoyed. I’m even a little pleased with myself to be in on the allusions with the author. Besides, just because a writer sets their story in a familiar world, doesn’t mean they don’t have original, compelling characters or a new take on the genre.
To return to my Stranger Things analogy, the show charmed the viewer with nostalgia, but this alone would not have secured its longevity. Audiences returned because the characters were just quirky enough to be relatable and the mythos surrounding the Upside Down was entirely unique.
And this is where the parallels between the two homage-laden stories end.
I had hopes that, when the surface-dwelling protagonist, Jonah, descended into the sterile, kleptocratic world that had thrived, unknown, beneath his feet, I would be in for something unexpected. Perhaps an existential crisis that sent Jonah on a quest to find some deeper meaning of how humanity had become bifurcated, one half hidden from the other.
Nope.
Jonah saw a pretty girl he liked in the secret, underground city in part because she was slimmer than her fat, rich parents. The pretty girl (named Talitha Coomy, an embarrassingly transparent reference to the Aramaic, “Little girl, rise,” from the Gospel of Mark) dreams of a life on the surface where she can see real stars. But her mean old parents want to keep her caged in the underground world so she can grow up to be a nice, fat bureaucrat like them. Who cares if opening the hatch to the surface will cook her with 600 rads in seconds? Parents are so unfair! Jonah HAS to save her!
Look, I realize that this is written for a YA audience. But there is a difference between literature that is accessible and a story is slipped into the YA category where the author prays their target audience won’t realize how lacking it is. Surface’s End is, much to my disappointment, the latter of the two.
Any interest the reader had invested in Jonah slowly evaporates after chapters of stilted, expository dialogue, one-dimensional characters, and lack of original plot. The message, if one can claim that there is one at all, is a general condemnation of urbanization and liberal social values in favor of good, old fashioned country living.
The author does not seek to use his love of the genre as a platform to stand upon and offer a new perspective, glimpse new worlds, or even deconstruct. Instead, he blends pinched ingredients from the finished creations of other dystopian authors. The resulting concoction is a watered down slurry that leaves the reader wondering how something with so much potential could leave them feeling so empty.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 7, 2020
Simple but great easy to read fiction. I had fun reading this.
March 3, 2023
very good book!! i couldn’t wait to start the next one!
August 16, 2024
Future dystopian YA fiction from a distinctly Christian worldview. I picked up this book from the author at Comic Con because he was really engaging, and I’m glad I did. It was genuinely engaging and a fun read.
August 19, 2019
I enjoyed the ride, but it needed a lot of editing. I do plan to pick up the sequel.
February 3, 2016
The Surface's End
Author: David Joel Stevenson
Paperback: 218 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace (November 2, 2015)
Website: davidjoelstevenson.com
Twitter: @geekoffgrid
Facebook: Davidjoelstevenson
Jonah Whitfield lives in a small farming village near the Deathlands, a strange desert in the middle of a lush and green landscape. The inhabitants of his village live a pastoral life, one free of excess, electronics and sloth. Hard work is valued, family life is cherished and citizens strive for a strong sense of community. But the land holds many secrets. Rusting mechanical machines litter a nearby junkyard. Tools and homes are crafted from the remnants of objects whose original uses are lost to time. One day, while hunting, Jonah explores the forbidden Deathlands area only to find a passageway to a hidden complex, a series of tunnels filled with glowing lights, working machines...and the voices of other humans. Here he finds questions that may very shake his view of the world.
Thus begins David Joel Stevenson's Young Adult (YA) Dystopian novel, The Surface's End. I have to say this was a welcoming and pleasant surprise, if not a bit formulaic.
The YA and Dystopian novel market is booming, helped in part from the success of The Hunger Games, and the self-published sensation Wool. It seems we all can't quite get enough of a futuristic world filled with crushing authority, bleak lives and young protagonists that offer a glimmer of hope for a better future. I know I can't. I practically thrive on it.
Stevenson turns the tables on the basic dystopian formula by starting off in a quite comfortable place where residents have found a bit peace after what appears to have been a time of violence many generations past. History is forgotten, but not altogether gone. The shells of the former world litter the landscape, raising questions for those brave enough to ask. Only after Jonah discovers a hidden world do we begin to see a society living in a questionable future, a future filled with laziness, lack of values and systematic separation of classes. A future that looks surprisingly like our own present.
The author did a fine job of building the mystery in the first half of the novel. Unfortunately, the second half fell into the trap of revealing too much information too fast. While I have no doubt Stevenson has more to tell of what lies beneath the Deathlands, revelations seemed to come faster than expected. The fun is in the build-up! I like my dystopian stories dripping with dispair and a protagonist that struggles with a world that makes little sense. There is also a not-so-subtle message that Stevenson is trying to convey to the reader - a philosophy of hard work, good values and unquestioning loyalty to family and community. But here too, the delivery is a blunt object over the head. Stevenson needs to trust the reader to make their own conclusions to the message he's sending.
That aside, this was a quick, enjoyable page-turning read. The author provided me with a review copy of this novel in exchange for a fair and honest review. My foray into the world of first time authors and self-published novels from up-and-coming independent writers, continues to be a welcomed experience. Finding a small jewel like this in the stacks of requests is what makes my hobby of book reviewing so enjoyable.
The Surface's End was engaging, creative and hopping with energy. The author has a clean and tight writing style that is effective and affective. Readers will eagerly want to learn what comes next. I know I do. But let the mystery build a little slower next time, ok?
Three Stars out of Five. A good, enjoyable novel that you will not be disappointed in reading.
Original review posted on AstoundingBooks.wordpress.com
Author: David Joel Stevenson
Paperback: 218 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace (November 2, 2015)
Website: davidjoelstevenson.com
Twitter: @geekoffgrid
Facebook: Davidjoelstevenson
Jonah Whitfield lives in a small farming village near the Deathlands, a strange desert in the middle of a lush and green landscape. The inhabitants of his village live a pastoral life, one free of excess, electronics and sloth. Hard work is valued, family life is cherished and citizens strive for a strong sense of community. But the land holds many secrets. Rusting mechanical machines litter a nearby junkyard. Tools and homes are crafted from the remnants of objects whose original uses are lost to time. One day, while hunting, Jonah explores the forbidden Deathlands area only to find a passageway to a hidden complex, a series of tunnels filled with glowing lights, working machines...and the voices of other humans. Here he finds questions that may very shake his view of the world.
Thus begins David Joel Stevenson's Young Adult (YA) Dystopian novel, The Surface's End. I have to say this was a welcoming and pleasant surprise, if not a bit formulaic.
The YA and Dystopian novel market is booming, helped in part from the success of The Hunger Games, and the self-published sensation Wool. It seems we all can't quite get enough of a futuristic world filled with crushing authority, bleak lives and young protagonists that offer a glimmer of hope for a better future. I know I can't. I practically thrive on it.
Stevenson turns the tables on the basic dystopian formula by starting off in a quite comfortable place where residents have found a bit peace after what appears to have been a time of violence many generations past. History is forgotten, but not altogether gone. The shells of the former world litter the landscape, raising questions for those brave enough to ask. Only after Jonah discovers a hidden world do we begin to see a society living in a questionable future, a future filled with laziness, lack of values and systematic separation of classes. A future that looks surprisingly like our own present.
The author did a fine job of building the mystery in the first half of the novel. Unfortunately, the second half fell into the trap of revealing too much information too fast. While I have no doubt Stevenson has more to tell of what lies beneath the Deathlands, revelations seemed to come faster than expected. The fun is in the build-up! I like my dystopian stories dripping with dispair and a protagonist that struggles with a world that makes little sense. There is also a not-so-subtle message that Stevenson is trying to convey to the reader - a philosophy of hard work, good values and unquestioning loyalty to family and community. But here too, the delivery is a blunt object over the head. Stevenson needs to trust the reader to make their own conclusions to the message he's sending.
That aside, this was a quick, enjoyable page-turning read. The author provided me with a review copy of this novel in exchange for a fair and honest review. My foray into the world of first time authors and self-published novels from up-and-coming independent writers, continues to be a welcomed experience. Finding a small jewel like this in the stacks of requests is what makes my hobby of book reviewing so enjoyable.
The Surface's End was engaging, creative and hopping with energy. The author has a clean and tight writing style that is effective and affective. Readers will eagerly want to learn what comes next. I know I do. But let the mystery build a little slower next time, ok?
Three Stars out of Five. A good, enjoyable novel that you will not be disappointed in reading.
Original review posted on AstoundingBooks.wordpress.com
December 4, 2015
More reviews at Kreatures of the Night
I was really engaged while reading this story. Especially when Jonah was exploring the Deathlands. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop, wishing he wouldn't keep going out there because I just knew something was about to happen. No Jonah! Don't go by yourself! But he did, and I had to sit there biting my nails hoping everything would work out, which caused me to get through this book pretty fast.
The beginning is somewhat slow, you aren't grabbed from the first page, but around page twenty you start to come into some action and mystery as well as suspense. Don't give up on this book right away.
Though I hate comparisons and have openly stated that I hate comparisons, I will say that The Surfaces End somewhat reminds me of The Knife of Never Letting Go. Jonah and Todd are similar characters. Both grew up in a small town with lots of secrets. Both discover a girl that reveals the truth. Though Jonah is much more mature. See, that's not really a comparison, right? Or is it? Did I just break my own rule? The stories are completely different, each just reminds me of the other. Why am I pleading my case? It's my review - I'll do what I want. ;)
I think that The Surface's End could still use a little editing. It isn't terrible. I mean, I have definitely seen A LOT worse. But there are few places here and there where a word is missing or repeated twice. It didn't stop me from reading, but it was enough to make me stumble a few times. Another once over with a fine-toothed comb will fix it.
There is one thing that I must be nit picky about (as there always is). Jonah claims to have killed a twenty-five point buck.
People. I am from the south.
Hunting in my family goes back generations. Twenty-five point buck, though possible, it's one in a million - no, one in a billion. Eight point - that's a good sized buck, a good kill. Get a ten point and you're going in the record books. A twelve point is the king of bucks with big racks and also very rare.
Now, all I know is white tailed deer. And I understand that this is fiction that we are reading, so of course there is room to play and fantasize. Is this exaggeration a strike against The Surface's End? No. Most people don't know how to grade a buck. Deer hunting runs in my blood and when I read those words my eyes went up to the ceiling and I said, "Really?"
Research and fact checking is always important, because you never know who will be reading your work and you never know who is an expert, BUT I firmly stand by the fact that authors have complete creative freedom in their writing. It all depends on what you're trying to go for. If your goal is realistic, stay closer to the norm. However, if you're going for the wow factor, yeah - a twenty-five point buck will do the trick.
When did I become so teachy? I swear, I need a vacation and cold drink.
My advice if you want a good dystopian to read: pick up The Surface's End.
December 5, 2015
Jonah, a young man in late adolescence, is responsible for providing his family with game, the major source of meat in their post-apocalyptic world. He's found good hunting grounds at the edge of the dead zone, the desert known as the Deathlands, but even there the game is growing thin.
A wounded buck, fleeing the pain of Jonah's arrow, leaves the shelter of the woods to run into the desert; Jonah, who cannot waste the kill, follows. Near where the buck finally falls, he finds a metal wheel...a wheel which is opens a door into another world – not a magical world: this is no rabbit-hole - but an underground city, peopled with the descendants of those who fled a ravaged Earth many generations earlier.
This is the premise of The Surface's End, a young-adult dystopic science-fiction novel by David Joel Stevenson. I finished the book over two days: it's short, at about 139 pages on my Kindle app, but it was also compulsively readable. Both the homesteading world of Jonah and his family and their fellow villagers, and the mole-rat like existence of the underground inhabitants were internally consistent and plausible, although both were slightly too one-dimensional, with no hint of strife or disagreement within the homesteaders and no positive aspects to the underground world.
SPOILERS AFTER THIS POINT!
Having the 'wildlands' adolescent discover the 'city', rather than the other way around, was a nice twist on the young-adult dystopic meme. The inevitable romance between Jonah and Talitha, the girl from underground, is handled sweetly, Jonah's uncertainty and awkwardness particularly.
For the most part Stevenson's writing flows smoothly (and occasionally brilliantly, as in the line, referring to the Deathlands: 'He took his first step into the undiscovered lands.', an echo of Hamlet describing death as 'the undiscovered country.'). A minor niggle was that I found the tone and pacing of the narrative did not always reflect the tension and action of the story.
My only other niggle with the story was the scene in which Jonah and Talitha watch a digital feed of the deathbed confession of one of the original founders of the underground city. While it is important, a turning point in the story, the confession goes on too long, unbroken by the reactions and emotions of the two young people watching it.
All in all, though, I'm giving The Surface's End four stars. It's a worthy addition to the young adult dystopia genre (personally, I think it would make a good film), and it has enough originality to make it stand out from the crowd.
The author provided me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here are mine alone.
Review by Goodreads Author Marian Thorpe Empire's Daughter
A wounded buck, fleeing the pain of Jonah's arrow, leaves the shelter of the woods to run into the desert; Jonah, who cannot waste the kill, follows. Near where the buck finally falls, he finds a metal wheel...a wheel which is opens a door into another world – not a magical world: this is no rabbit-hole - but an underground city, peopled with the descendants of those who fled a ravaged Earth many generations earlier.
This is the premise of The Surface's End, a young-adult dystopic science-fiction novel by David Joel Stevenson. I finished the book over two days: it's short, at about 139 pages on my Kindle app, but it was also compulsively readable. Both the homesteading world of Jonah and his family and their fellow villagers, and the mole-rat like existence of the underground inhabitants were internally consistent and plausible, although both were slightly too one-dimensional, with no hint of strife or disagreement within the homesteaders and no positive aspects to the underground world.
SPOILERS AFTER THIS POINT!
Having the 'wildlands' adolescent discover the 'city', rather than the other way around, was a nice twist on the young-adult dystopic meme. The inevitable romance between Jonah and Talitha, the girl from underground, is handled sweetly, Jonah's uncertainty and awkwardness particularly.
For the most part Stevenson's writing flows smoothly (and occasionally brilliantly, as in the line, referring to the Deathlands: 'He took his first step into the undiscovered lands.', an echo of Hamlet describing death as 'the undiscovered country.'). A minor niggle was that I found the tone and pacing of the narrative did not always reflect the tension and action of the story.
My only other niggle with the story was the scene in which Jonah and Talitha watch a digital feed of the deathbed confession of one of the original founders of the underground city. While it is important, a turning point in the story, the confession goes on too long, unbroken by the reactions and emotions of the two young people watching it.
All in all, though, I'm giving The Surface's End four stars. It's a worthy addition to the young adult dystopia genre (personally, I think it would make a good film), and it has enough originality to make it stand out from the crowd.
The author provided me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here are mine alone.
Review by Goodreads Author Marian Thorpe Empire's Daughter
April 26, 2016
4.5 Stars :)
Review
Plot/Story: The book is in the Dystopian genre. There are two worlds (one above the ground and the other below). They are so different from one another, but they’re both trying to survive.I loved the name of the book as it played so beautifully in the book. I loved the twist the author put into the Dystopian genre and I think he did a great job plotting and showing us the worlds and the real struggle. The book has many layers underneath the surface of the main plot.
Characters: Jonah always lived above the ground and even though he knew better than to go out to the The Deathlands, his curiosity was too much and he found his way to the world below. There he found Talitha. I loved how much Jonah changed and grew over from the beginning of the book to the end. He has become so different and strong, I loved reading and watching him grows throughout the book. Jonah is my favorite character. I always wanted the story to be more focused on him, his thoughts and his emotions...Just him, lol.
Romance/Kills: The romance here was built nicely into the plot and it wasn’t too much. I will say that it wasn’t my favorite part of the book, but as it was so necessary to the plot, I felt that the author did a great job with them and how showed their importance to the plot itself.
Writing: I loved the author’s writing style here and enjoyed the reading with each page I turned. It was so nice to just enjoy the read, without any struggle. It was a fast read and even the premise itself was very interesting and had a unique look to it. The writing itself had some editing issues, but not in a way that ruined my read.
Beginning: The beginning was a bit slow, but quickly I’ve been able to pick up the pace and read faster.
Ending: By the end of the book, Jonah is so mature and brave and even though I had a good idea of how the book is about the end, it still didn’t make the reading less enjoyable.
Cover Art: The cover is very simply made, but I still like it :) From the cover you know what the book might be about.
Blurb: I think the blurb could use a bit more to it or change it in some way, but it was enough for me to pick it up from the list and not others. I really wasn’t sure about the book, but I’m glad I had picked it :)
Other Stuff
Opening Line: “Never go near the Deathlands. This was a rule that everyone in the village could agree on.”
Highlights: I loved the plot and the premise. Jonah was such an enjoyable character and I loved his journey and growth.
Lowlights: The start of the book was a bit slow and a few editing issues here and there.
Final Thoughts: I loved and enjoyed reading this book a lot and if you love the Post-Apocalyptic, Dystopian genre, you will enjoy reading this one as well.
Original review will be at: The Reading Bud
Review
Plot/Story: The book is in the Dystopian genre. There are two worlds (one above the ground and the other below). They are so different from one another, but they’re both trying to survive.I loved the name of the book as it played so beautifully in the book. I loved the twist the author put into the Dystopian genre and I think he did a great job plotting and showing us the worlds and the real struggle. The book has many layers underneath the surface of the main plot.
Characters: Jonah always lived above the ground and even though he knew better than to go out to the The Deathlands, his curiosity was too much and he found his way to the world below. There he found Talitha. I loved how much Jonah changed and grew over from the beginning of the book to the end. He has become so different and strong, I loved reading and watching him grows throughout the book. Jonah is my favorite character. I always wanted the story to be more focused on him, his thoughts and his emotions...Just him, lol.
Romance/Kills: The romance here was built nicely into the plot and it wasn’t too much. I will say that it wasn’t my favorite part of the book, but as it was so necessary to the plot, I felt that the author did a great job with them and how showed their importance to the plot itself.
Writing: I loved the author’s writing style here and enjoyed the reading with each page I turned. It was so nice to just enjoy the read, without any struggle. It was a fast read and even the premise itself was very interesting and had a unique look to it. The writing itself had some editing issues, but not in a way that ruined my read.
Beginning: The beginning was a bit slow, but quickly I’ve been able to pick up the pace and read faster.
Ending: By the end of the book, Jonah is so mature and brave and even though I had a good idea of how the book is about the end, it still didn’t make the reading less enjoyable.
Cover Art: The cover is very simply made, but I still like it :) From the cover you know what the book might be about.
Blurb: I think the blurb could use a bit more to it or change it in some way, but it was enough for me to pick it up from the list and not others. I really wasn’t sure about the book, but I’m glad I had picked it :)
Other Stuff
Opening Line: “Never go near the Deathlands. This was a rule that everyone in the village could agree on.”
Highlights: I loved the plot and the premise. Jonah was such an enjoyable character and I loved his journey and growth.
Lowlights: The start of the book was a bit slow and a few editing issues here and there.
Final Thoughts: I loved and enjoyed reading this book a lot and if you love the Post-Apocalyptic, Dystopian genre, you will enjoy reading this one as well.
Original review will be at: The Reading Bud
December 23, 2015
Two cultures, once united, now live only miles apart, but worlds away from each other. This is the arresting premise of the standout novel The Surface's End. The author has produced a masterpiece of dystopian fiction about young love and forbidden knowledge.
One set of people lives on the surface of the earth. The other lives well below ground -- the result of a long-ago war that left the planet decimated in some areas.
Seventeen-year-old Jonah Whitfield has heard it all his young life: "Never go near The Deathlands." But one day his hunting takes him out of the lush valley where he and his family live and into The Deathlands, where he discovers a portal leading to the civilization far beneath the scorched, cracked earth.
In its pristine service corridors he glimpses -- through a crack in the walls -- a beautiful young girl about his age. And that glimpse sends into motion a whole train of fantastic events that puts both Jonah and the girl -- Talitha -- in grave danger.
Talitha's family -- indeed, the entire underground population -- has been told for hundreds of years that the surface is uninhabitable -- scorched and ruined by a terrible war ages before. "The Facility", as they call the underground domain, has been set up and maintained to anticipate their every need.
But Talitha has always wanted to feel actual wind on her young face, and to gaze into a true star-filled sky -- not the one reproduced electronically on her ceiling each night. Then, Jonah arrives in her bedroom and suddenly the possibilities that she has only dreamed of turn out to be real.
The authorities of The Facility are furious, and Jonah and Talitha must make some hard choices about their future. Will they escape to the surface and live happily in Jonah's settlement? Or will the self-sufficient, self-serving society keep them prisoner -- or worse?
This book literally turns a new page on an old YA genre, and does so with excellent writing, flawless editing, and characters you'll come to care about deeply.
Five stars to The Surface's End. You'll read it in one sitting and become anxious for the film to be released.
One set of people lives on the surface of the earth. The other lives well below ground -- the result of a long-ago war that left the planet decimated in some areas.
Seventeen-year-old Jonah Whitfield has heard it all his young life: "Never go near The Deathlands." But one day his hunting takes him out of the lush valley where he and his family live and into The Deathlands, where he discovers a portal leading to the civilization far beneath the scorched, cracked earth.
In its pristine service corridors he glimpses -- through a crack in the walls -- a beautiful young girl about his age. And that glimpse sends into motion a whole train of fantastic events that puts both Jonah and the girl -- Talitha -- in grave danger.
Talitha's family -- indeed, the entire underground population -- has been told for hundreds of years that the surface is uninhabitable -- scorched and ruined by a terrible war ages before. "The Facility", as they call the underground domain, has been set up and maintained to anticipate their every need.
But Talitha has always wanted to feel actual wind on her young face, and to gaze into a true star-filled sky -- not the one reproduced electronically on her ceiling each night. Then, Jonah arrives in her bedroom and suddenly the possibilities that she has only dreamed of turn out to be real.
The authorities of The Facility are furious, and Jonah and Talitha must make some hard choices about their future. Will they escape to the surface and live happily in Jonah's settlement? Or will the self-sufficient, self-serving society keep them prisoner -- or worse?
This book literally turns a new page on an old YA genre, and does so with excellent writing, flawless editing, and characters you'll come to care about deeply.
Five stars to The Surface's End. You'll read it in one sitting and become anxious for the film to be released.
January 3, 2016
This is a dystopian novel at the fullest but it has some unique qualities. There is a society that the main character wants to escape from but the protagonist actually stumbles into that society by accident, he isn’t raised there and then gets a taste of freedom. Its kind of the other way around, Jonah is raised on the other side of the fence and stumbles upon a very odd civilization that’s been living underground.
This is a real play on the name of the book, The Surface’s End. I wasn’t sure where Stevenson was going to go with this when I finally cracked open his novel but I’m so glad that I agreed to review it. It takes a very common dystopian theme and adds a superbly unique and original twist to it.
I didn’t love the romance but it was necessary to the story and it helped build a lot of the suspense and anxiety throughout the novel. So I got to fall in love with Jonah while Jonah fell in love. What an interesting journey.
There are a few underlying psychological themes that come out in this book. Brainwashing being one of them, intimidation, and definitely group influence. All of this really helped bring the novel together and highlight the character growth that took place within the pages. Jonah is not the same person at the end of the book that he was in the beginning, I appreciated that. Watching him kind of ‘become a man’ and in a world that’s so unusual was definitely entertaining.
I wouldn’t say that this book was peppered with high paced action scenes but there were definitely some edge-of-your-seat moments that kept the pages turning. I’m not normally into futuristic stuff but this book blends a big part of imagination with reality on top of believable characters and a unique story so I was hooked right from the start. Anyone with an interest in dystopian books will love this but those into sci-fi may also appreciate the writing.
I would recommend this book to anyone who loves reading, there’s definitely a wide range of things to love about this novel.
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
This is a real play on the name of the book, The Surface’s End. I wasn’t sure where Stevenson was going to go with this when I finally cracked open his novel but I’m so glad that I agreed to review it. It takes a very common dystopian theme and adds a superbly unique and original twist to it.
I didn’t love the romance but it was necessary to the story and it helped build a lot of the suspense and anxiety throughout the novel. So I got to fall in love with Jonah while Jonah fell in love. What an interesting journey.
There are a few underlying psychological themes that come out in this book. Brainwashing being one of them, intimidation, and definitely group influence. All of this really helped bring the novel together and highlight the character growth that took place within the pages. Jonah is not the same person at the end of the book that he was in the beginning, I appreciated that. Watching him kind of ‘become a man’ and in a world that’s so unusual was definitely entertaining.
I wouldn’t say that this book was peppered with high paced action scenes but there were definitely some edge-of-your-seat moments that kept the pages turning. I’m not normally into futuristic stuff but this book blends a big part of imagination with reality on top of believable characters and a unique story so I was hooked right from the start. Anyone with an interest in dystopian books will love this but those into sci-fi may also appreciate the writing.
I would recommend this book to anyone who loves reading, there’s definitely a wide range of things to love about this novel.
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
July 15, 2016
The Surface's End was a fast-paced, gripping, enjoyable read in the dystopian/post-apocalyptic genre. The prose was well-done, varied, and engaging, the dialog realistic, and the concept intriguing. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys the dystopian/post-apocalyptic genre, to anyone young adult and older, and really to anyone who just wants an enjoyable quick read. Overall I liked the book and am looking forward to reading the sequel.
Pros:
Stevenson is a fine weaver of words, and knows how to keep your interest. I was absorbed and eager to find out what happened next throughout the book, and finished it in under two days. While the general plot line is relatively predictable (not because of Stevenson's writing, it is just an already well-worn path in this genre) Stevenson added some surprising twists that kept my interest throughout. His descriptions were vivid and enabled me to imagine the world he was painting, making the read an immersive experience. The book as a whole is packaged very professionally, with an intriguing cover and professionally formatted and edited text. For a first book from a self-published author, it is quite impressive and does the indie publishing community proud.
Cons:
The characters could have been more complex and multi-dimensional. While they certainly weren't flat or uninteresting, their actions and thoughts were just what you'd expect, and nothing more. I found the romance, while sweet and perhaps realistic given the extremely sheltered lives the teenagers grew up in, very eye-rolling. Also, throughout the book the author made some commentary on social issues (rich vs poor, good of the many vs good of the few, elitism, class warfare, etc), which I commend in general, but it seemed a bit heavy-handed. Being Stevenson's first novel, I think he did a fantastic job overall, but I look forward to seeing his skill as a writer develop and grow in his future works.
Pros:
Stevenson is a fine weaver of words, and knows how to keep your interest. I was absorbed and eager to find out what happened next throughout the book, and finished it in under two days. While the general plot line is relatively predictable (not because of Stevenson's writing, it is just an already well-worn path in this genre) Stevenson added some surprising twists that kept my interest throughout. His descriptions were vivid and enabled me to imagine the world he was painting, making the read an immersive experience. The book as a whole is packaged very professionally, with an intriguing cover and professionally formatted and edited text. For a first book from a self-published author, it is quite impressive and does the indie publishing community proud.
Cons:
The characters could have been more complex and multi-dimensional. While they certainly weren't flat or uninteresting, their actions and thoughts were just what you'd expect, and nothing more. I found the romance, while sweet and perhaps realistic given the extremely sheltered lives the teenagers grew up in, very eye-rolling. Also, throughout the book the author made some commentary on social issues (rich vs poor, good of the many vs good of the few, elitism, class warfare, etc), which I commend in general, but it seemed a bit heavy-handed. Being Stevenson's first novel, I think he did a fantastic job overall, but I look forward to seeing his skill as a writer develop and grow in his future works.
December 26, 2015
The synopsis caught my eye and I’ll have to admit, I’m not a huge fan of these type of novels. With that being said I was immediately pulled into the world the author created.
Jonah is the bread winner for his family in a world that is eerily apocalyptic in nature. With food being partial scarce in the area he hunts, he finally finds game and after wounding it, tracks the animal to a place called Deathlands. There he finds what I can only describe as an entrance to an underground world. A society who believes that the surface is unlivable and uninhabitable.
I do love the author’s writing style. It’s very smooth, sometimes over descriptive however that only adds more lure and interest in the novel. The beginning was somewhat slow and honestly, I could have done without the relationship between Jonah and Talitha. I felt that it only took away from the story. It was a distraction for me and at that moment, I felt that it was somewhat forced. I wanted to go back to Jonah. I wanted to learn about how he would adapt to this new environment underground. I understood how Talitha was the key to his lock in figuring out this dilemma and I would have liked to see more of that. Instead I felt that she would be romantic distraction. Nonetheless, the story soon picks up again and I found myself immersed.
Overall I give The Surface’s End stars. It’s a great read for those who like this genre as well as readers who are interested in discovering the genre.
The author provided me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Jonah is the bread winner for his family in a world that is eerily apocalyptic in nature. With food being partial scarce in the area he hunts, he finally finds game and after wounding it, tracks the animal to a place called Deathlands. There he finds what I can only describe as an entrance to an underground world. A society who believes that the surface is unlivable and uninhabitable.
I do love the author’s writing style. It’s very smooth, sometimes over descriptive however that only adds more lure and interest in the novel. The beginning was somewhat slow and honestly, I could have done without the relationship between Jonah and Talitha. I felt that it only took away from the story. It was a distraction for me and at that moment, I felt that it was somewhat forced. I wanted to go back to Jonah. I wanted to learn about how he would adapt to this new environment underground. I understood how Talitha was the key to his lock in figuring out this dilemma and I would have liked to see more of that. Instead I felt that she would be romantic distraction. Nonetheless, the story soon picks up again and I found myself immersed.
Overall I give The Surface’s End stars. It’s a great read for those who like this genre as well as readers who are interested in discovering the genre.
The author provided me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
April 19, 2020
Feels like I've read it before.
An old trope in the field: isolated, highly stratified society
Thinks it is all that is left of humanity and love underground in fear of the outside v
An old trope in the field: isolated, highly stratified society
Thinks it is all that is left of humanity and love underground in fear of the outside v
Read
February 18, 2016The Surface's End is set in a post-apocalyptic world where a young man, Jonah, discovers something quite unusual under the surface of a place known as the Deathlands.
Once I started reading this story, I was completely absorbed. The characters are very relatable and you really care about what is going to happen. I picked this book up and couldn't put it down! I had to keep reading to find out what was below the surface, and then, what Jonah was going to do about what he found! I was not disappointed!
I would definitely recommend this book!
Once I started reading this story, I was completely absorbed. The characters are very relatable and you really care about what is going to happen. I picked this book up and couldn't put it down! I had to keep reading to find out what was below the surface, and then, what Jonah was going to do about what he found! I was not disappointed!
I would definitely recommend this book!
March 17, 2016
I really liked this book. It had a real Hunger Games, Maze Runner, City of Embers feel to it. If you like any of these titles you will enjoy this book. I look forward to the next book in the series to find out what happens nest to the main characters.
January 8, 2016
Couldn't put it down. Interesting twist on the meeting of 2 people from different "worlds".
March 16, 2016
Enjoyed it!
I enjoyed reading this book and look forward to reading more books from this author! ! ! ! ! !
I enjoyed reading this book and look forward to reading more books from this author! ! ! ! ! !
February 13, 2017
This story was amazing. Too bad it ended so suddenly. Need more. Innocent and very romantic. I loved the characters very much.
March 28, 2024
Like other reviews have noted, I think this book starts out really strong, building out the character of Jonah and his world, and I was really enjoying it. Once he reaches the destination of the story, though, I didn't connect with it as much. It was difficult to envision how all of it works practically, and I had a hard time identifying with the characters' motivations in many places. The number of times I said to myself, "why don't they just ..." There comes a point in the book where we just get pages and pages of exposition that lay out many of the mysteries of the story, and I wish the author had found a better way to deliver that information. In film, this is known as "show don't tell". I would prefer to learn all this information in story beats than just a character telling it all to us one thing after another. It was during this section that I felt the author was sharing a world view that poor people are lazy and will choose to remain in poverty even when assisted, and that's simply not true, but it's possible I misunderstood that passage as there was a lot of exposition going on.
I don't want to be too negative, because overall, I'm glad I read this story. It's a light read and I was able to get through it quickly, which I appreciate. In general, I think it focuses on positive values, even if some of the Christian imagery is a bit on the nose. It's kind of like an original series Star Trek episode, wrapped with typical Young Adult themes and modern dystopian ideas. Jonah is a good character, and the other characters in his world are worth exploring more. If I end up reading the sequel, I'm hopeful we'll see more of them.
I don't want to be too negative, because overall, I'm glad I read this story. It's a light read and I was able to get through it quickly, which I appreciate. In general, I think it focuses on positive values, even if some of the Christian imagery is a bit on the nose. It's kind of like an original series Star Trek episode, wrapped with typical Young Adult themes and modern dystopian ideas. Jonah is a good character, and the other characters in his world are worth exploring more. If I end up reading the sequel, I'm hopeful we'll see more of them.
September 13, 2021
Intriguing
This futuristic book was unlike any other I have ever read. Set somewhere in the United States in the far distant future, it’s centered around two young people: a seventeen-year-old church-going lad who lives in a backward society devoid of technology on the surface and a sixteen-year-old girl dissatisfied with her meaningless high-tech existence below.
In a cross between Fahrenheit 450, The Time Machine, Soilent Green and The Island, these two characters meet when Jonah follows a deer he shot for food for his family into the forbidden Wasteland. There he finds a polished metal object unlike anything the village blacksmith can fabricate. He eventually returns and opens what leads to an alien environment of complex machines and pale-skinned humans who believe the surface was destroyed by a global thermonuclear disaster.
Although the plot bogged down a bit in some spots, it was an interesting story. It did end rather abruptly, which of course leaves you with enough questions to want to read the sequel.
If you enjoy sci-fi and popular dystopian young adult fiction, this is a nice, slightly more hopeful alternative. It clearly shows the difference between a godless, self-centered society and one that is rooted in belief in God and mutual care for one another. It also projects what humanity might come to, if we rely too much on computers and don’t allow for creativity and individuality that is focused on the enrichment of others.
This futuristic book was unlike any other I have ever read. Set somewhere in the United States in the far distant future, it’s centered around two young people: a seventeen-year-old church-going lad who lives in a backward society devoid of technology on the surface and a sixteen-year-old girl dissatisfied with her meaningless high-tech existence below.
In a cross between Fahrenheit 450, The Time Machine, Soilent Green and The Island, these two characters meet when Jonah follows a deer he shot for food for his family into the forbidden Wasteland. There he finds a polished metal object unlike anything the village blacksmith can fabricate. He eventually returns and opens what leads to an alien environment of complex machines and pale-skinned humans who believe the surface was destroyed by a global thermonuclear disaster.
Although the plot bogged down a bit in some spots, it was an interesting story. It did end rather abruptly, which of course leaves you with enough questions to want to read the sequel.
If you enjoy sci-fi and popular dystopian young adult fiction, this is a nice, slightly more hopeful alternative. It clearly shows the difference between a godless, self-centered society and one that is rooted in belief in God and mutual care for one another. It also projects what humanity might come to, if we rely too much on computers and don’t allow for creativity and individuality that is focused on the enrichment of others.
July 6, 2024
This isn’t a book I would have normally picked up for myself, but the author stopped me at GalaxyCON OKC while I was in a Beetlejuice cosplay and talked me into it.
It’s fine.
The first fifty pages are engrossing, and I got sucked in enough to dedicate my evening to finishing the book, but the last 75 pages are too quick and feel really rushed. Dialogue at points feels cringey. Love confessions come within days and feel more awkward than they should, even acknowledging they’re from two completely different cultures.
And there’s an undercurrent of a political narrative I not only don’t agree with, but feel as if it’s ethical philosophy is deeply flawed.
That aside, it did scratch an itch the Fallout show and replaying Fallout 4 had left me with, and at times felt a little like WALL-E.
The author as a person was a really interesting, charismatic and genuine guy, so I feel a little guilty for not liking this more than I do!
It’s fine.
The first fifty pages are engrossing, and I got sucked in enough to dedicate my evening to finishing the book, but the last 75 pages are too quick and feel really rushed. Dialogue at points feels cringey. Love confessions come within days and feel more awkward than they should, even acknowledging they’re from two completely different cultures.
And there’s an undercurrent of a political narrative I not only don’t agree with, but feel as if it’s ethical philosophy is deeply flawed.
That aside, it did scratch an itch the Fallout show and replaying Fallout 4 had left me with, and at times felt a little like WALL-E.
The author as a person was a really interesting, charismatic and genuine guy, so I feel a little guilty for not liking this more than I do!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 20, 2019
This was an interesting story. I met the author at Con Nooga and purchased this book. He had a great sales pitch for the book that really made me want to read it.
Imagine a 17 year old boy named Jonah who lives in a primitive society. He had always been warned not to go out into the Deadlands but one day after chasing a deer he had killed he stumbled upon a hatch to an advanced society...
I was hooked instantly. The book is an easy read. It is exciting throughout the book and the characters are well developed.
I was a little turned off by the political overtone of the book as being anti socialist, but that is no reason not to read it. The book ends with a cliffhanger and I am definitely going to pick up the sequel and read it when I have a chance.
Imagine a 17 year old boy named Jonah who lives in a primitive society. He had always been warned not to go out into the Deadlands but one day after chasing a deer he had killed he stumbled upon a hatch to an advanced society...
I was hooked instantly. The book is an easy read. It is exciting throughout the book and the characters are well developed.
I was a little turned off by the political overtone of the book as being anti socialist, but that is no reason not to read it. The book ends with a cliffhanger and I am definitely going to pick up the sequel and read it when I have a chance.
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