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The Wastelanders
America is controlled by a corporate oligarchy known as the Water Cartel and warrior-priest Joey Hawke finds himself trapped between a mysterious geneticist amassing a clone army and a group of political fanatics convinced that a dead president will rise from his tomb to lead them to salvation. Caught outside his spiritual haven when the Cartel moves against the Wastelanders, Joey is aided by Bear, an enigmatic weapons runner, a lovesick Scrapwoman, and Bernie Hawke, his estranged father. But against the Cartel’s military strength, led by the power hungry Rex Fielder, Joey’s only hope may be Si-Ting, a young woman with prescient abilities––a woman who not only holds the key to his heart but also to an American conspiracy to crown its future with the withered laurels of the past.
498 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2012
3 people are currently reading
472 people want to read
About the author
Tim Hemlin
18 books105 followersI'm a marathoner, teacher, and have my master's degree in counseling, but it's my passion for the environment that sparked me to write The Wastelanders, a dystopian-clifi published in both e-book and paperback by Reputation Books. I'm represented by Kimberley Cameron of Kimberley Cameron & Associates Literary Agency.
Recently the Muse has kindly allowed me to tap into that creative magic and pen a young adult urban fantasy. If all goes well with the edits and revision, the final draft should be completed by early spring. (Hemingway liked running with the bulls. I enjoy running with the dragons.)
Finally, I've also published the Neil Marshall series of culinary mysteries set in Houston, Texas. These include If Wishes Were Horses, A Whisper of Rage (nominated for a Shamus Award), People in Glass Houses, A Catered Christmas (the one I most enjoyed writing), and Dead Man's Broth.
Recently the Muse has kindly allowed me to tap into that creative magic and pen a young adult urban fantasy. If all goes well with the edits and revision, the final draft should be completed by early spring. (Hemingway liked running with the bulls. I enjoy running with the dragons.)
Finally, I've also published the Neil Marshall series of culinary mysteries set in Houston, Texas. These include If Wishes Were Horses, A Whisper of Rage (nominated for a Shamus Award), People in Glass Houses, A Catered Christmas (the one I most enjoyed writing), and Dead Man's Broth.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
October 25, 2014
The Wastelanders is a well-built dystopian adventure.
I liked the presentation of futuristic technology as well as all the action. Something about Hemlin's writing style reminded me of James Patterson's early books. The highlighting feature on my e-reader got a workout, as there were so many moments, either in the dialogue or narration, that cracked me up or made me think.
As for the story, Hemlin masterfully used shifting viewpoints to uncover and drive the motives of the different groups--the Water Cartel, Rads, Scrapmen, government, and more--who were not only in conflict with one another, but among themselves. These elements alone would have been enough to make for an interesting plot. But there was more, and I was greatly surprised.
Hemlin didn't just build a future world with barren lands and interesting technology. He wove supernatural abilities into the storyline. The interplay between the tech and supernatural was fascinating. I greatly enjoyed the game of "who's playing who" and discovering their game pieces. It was... "Marvelous, bloody marvelous."
I liked the presentation of futuristic technology as well as all the action. Something about Hemlin's writing style reminded me of James Patterson's early books. The highlighting feature on my e-reader got a workout, as there were so many moments, either in the dialogue or narration, that cracked me up or made me think.
As for the story, Hemlin masterfully used shifting viewpoints to uncover and drive the motives of the different groups--the Water Cartel, Rads, Scrapmen, government, and more--who were not only in conflict with one another, but among themselves. These elements alone would have been enough to make for an interesting plot. But there was more, and I was greatly surprised.
Hemlin didn't just build a future world with barren lands and interesting technology. He wove supernatural abilities into the storyline. The interplay between the tech and supernatural was fascinating. I greatly enjoyed the game of "who's playing who" and discovering their game pieces. It was... "Marvelous, bloody marvelous."
October 3, 2014
Tim Hemlin’s The Wastelanders is quite honestly one of the better Dystopian reads out there. He gives a unique view of the future in this strange new world of interesting characters and a plot line that may hit a bit too close to home. Mr. Hemlin’s writing style is undoubtedly something to be admired as well. I was hooked throughout this novel!
Without giving too much away, I would highly recommend this book to sci-fi/dystopian lovers out there who are ready to get sucked into an exciting adventure.
Without giving too much away, I would highly recommend this book to sci-fi/dystopian lovers out there who are ready to get sucked into an exciting adventure.
February 7, 2015
In the future, ecological disaster has struck the world.
The US has survived by building domes to protect their city and desalination plants to provide water. The great President Litz kept the country from sliding into chaos by bending the Constitution. The Cartel, the company that owns the desalination plants, is the greatest political power in the country.
Those that disagree with the direction of the US, who yearn for political or religious freedom, or have fled the rules of society dwell in the Wastelands of the central United States. These Wastelanders are a diverse group of cults, opportunist, and criminals.
When Bernie Hawke, a former cop turned security officer, had a bad bout of food poisoning, his life was saved. Desalination Plant #23 in the Houston Bubble was destroyed and Bernie becomes the suspect. He was conveniently sick and, worse, his son Joseph had left the Bubble to join one of the ragged groups existing outside the control of the country.
Now Joseph is wanted for the terrorist bombing.
Bernie has to deal with the suspicious HomeSec while trying to discover if his son really is a terrorist. As he searches, he stumbles onto a vast conspiracy that will change the direction of the country.
Tim Hemlin weaves the lives of multiple characters into his SciFi, political thriller. The plot twists and turns in a fully realized world. Tim has a varied and vivid cast, each with their own motivations and goals colliding together. If you’re a fan of Sci-Fi, thrillers, and a fast-paced plot, then you’ll enjoy this story.
The US has survived by building domes to protect their city and desalination plants to provide water. The great President Litz kept the country from sliding into chaos by bending the Constitution. The Cartel, the company that owns the desalination plants, is the greatest political power in the country.
Those that disagree with the direction of the US, who yearn for political or religious freedom, or have fled the rules of society dwell in the Wastelands of the central United States. These Wastelanders are a diverse group of cults, opportunist, and criminals.
When Bernie Hawke, a former cop turned security officer, had a bad bout of food poisoning, his life was saved. Desalination Plant #23 in the Houston Bubble was destroyed and Bernie becomes the suspect. He was conveniently sick and, worse, his son Joseph had left the Bubble to join one of the ragged groups existing outside the control of the country.
Now Joseph is wanted for the terrorist bombing.
Bernie has to deal with the suspicious HomeSec while trying to discover if his son really is a terrorist. As he searches, he stumbles onto a vast conspiracy that will change the direction of the country.
Tim Hemlin weaves the lives of multiple characters into his SciFi, political thriller. The plot twists and turns in a fully realized world. Tim has a varied and vivid cast, each with their own motivations and goals colliding together. If you’re a fan of Sci-Fi, thrillers, and a fast-paced plot, then you’ll enjoy this story.
December 11, 2014
The Wasteland by Tim Hemlin weaves together philosophy, mysticism, futurism, politics, and time warps to create a fascinating future world. The creative, intricate details make it real. It’s set in an arid, Dune-like future world, after global warming has devastated the breadbasket of America. The book cover states: “When water is scarce, a drop is more precious than gold.” Bernie Hawke is a trained guard suspected of helping to blow up a water station. His son Joey, who joined a wastelanders group living outside the civilized bubble, is the prime suspect. Joey escapes but Si-Ting, his girlfriend, is detained.
Several factions are battling for control of the country. In an interesting twist, Si-Ting becomes mentally powerful and helps shift the balance. There are plots spinning within plots and political/philosophical musings: “By nature people didn’t necessarily want freedom—the illusion of freedom worked just fine.” The characters are unique, memorable, and grow naturally with the story. The writing is very descriptive with nice touches of poetry: “Light tens of thousands of years from the past struck the earth in the form of stars.”
The Wasteland is a terrific, very well-written book ideal for anyone who enjoys science fiction. Highly recommended!
Several factions are battling for control of the country. In an interesting twist, Si-Ting becomes mentally powerful and helps shift the balance. There are plots spinning within plots and political/philosophical musings: “By nature people didn’t necessarily want freedom—the illusion of freedom worked just fine.” The characters are unique, memorable, and grow naturally with the story. The writing is very descriptive with nice touches of poetry: “Light tens of thousands of years from the past struck the earth in the form of stars.”
The Wasteland is a terrific, very well-written book ideal for anyone who enjoys science fiction. Highly recommended!
October 15, 2014
THE WASTELANDERS is a dystopian novel set in future America. Cities are enclosed within bubbles as the outside air is too toxic. This is a culture where dissenters and criminals are sent out into the Wasteland. This barren space is also a great place for the government to hide secret research into cloning and immortality. A political conspiracy is underway to undermine the current government and bring a dead president back to the oval office. They don't care how many innocents are annihilated in the ensuing machinations and conflict.
This is one of those books that I just couldn't put down. Every page had something. It is well written, lively and engaging. The dialogue, characters, and world building are all very realistic and believable. The plot and pacing are also done to a high standard and are consistent. There is some need for minor editing to clear up some odd comma usage, etc, and there are a few spelling mistakes, but nothing major and certainly not enough to interrupt the read.
I would recommend this book to all lovers of dystopian fiction.
This is one of those books that I just couldn't put down. Every page had something. It is well written, lively and engaging. The dialogue, characters, and world building are all very realistic and believable. The plot and pacing are also done to a high standard and are consistent. There is some need for minor editing to clear up some odd comma usage, etc, and there are a few spelling mistakes, but nothing major and certainly not enough to interrupt the read.
I would recommend this book to all lovers of dystopian fiction.
September 13, 2015
I usually enjoy a glimpse into a possible future, whether utopian or dystopian, and Hemlin's Wastelanders has a rich dystopian setting that is populated with an assortment of enjoyable characters (and some not so enjoyable... but most stories have a bad guy or two). A father and son combo provide dual protagonists that the reader can cheer for, though neither are 100% squeaky clean.
Antagonists come in several flavors. There is the President (who has no qualms about bombing his own citizens), the (mostly) evil military commander, and the very shifty and slimy people in 'The Corporation / Cartel'.
The 'Wasteland' is (I think) everywhere that is not under the protection of a city's 'bubble'. I like the imagined design of the bubbles. They're not fixed domes, but a series of linked transparent (translucent?) shields. Possibly like scales(?), but that's my interpretation. Anyway, they can shift and include more land or exclude (as required by a terrorist attack in the opening scenes of the book).
The Wasteland is populated with an assortment of criminals (Rads), religious settlements (Neo-Gnostics, Zen), scavengers (Scraps)... and then there's The Bear (who somehow seems to be able to relate to ANY of those groups. The Bear appears to have a gift of prescience, but it doesn't seem to be an exact vision of the future. I also like the 'Time-Witch' who has the ability to bend little sections of time in the form of 'do-overs'.
Some of the similes and metaphors seemed a little heavy handed, but perhaps that is just my taste. The pacing is good. The characters are engaging and realistic. It's an enjoyable read, and I highly recommend it to Sci-Fi fans (particularly those who enjoy a peek into a potential dystopian future).
Antagonists come in several flavors. There is the President (who has no qualms about bombing his own citizens), the (mostly) evil military commander, and the very shifty and slimy people in 'The Corporation / Cartel'.
The 'Wasteland' is (I think) everywhere that is not under the protection of a city's 'bubble'. I like the imagined design of the bubbles. They're not fixed domes, but a series of linked transparent (translucent?) shields. Possibly like scales(?), but that's my interpretation. Anyway, they can shift and include more land or exclude (as required by a terrorist attack in the opening scenes of the book).
The Wasteland is populated with an assortment of criminals (Rads), religious settlements (Neo-Gnostics, Zen), scavengers (Scraps)... and then there's The Bear (who somehow seems to be able to relate to ANY of those groups. The Bear appears to have a gift of prescience, but it doesn't seem to be an exact vision of the future. I also like the 'Time-Witch' who has the ability to bend little sections of time in the form of 'do-overs'.
Some of the similes and metaphors seemed a little heavy handed, but perhaps that is just my taste. The pacing is good. The characters are engaging and realistic. It's an enjoyable read, and I highly recommend it to Sci-Fi fans (particularly those who enjoy a peek into a potential dystopian future).
December 10, 2014
Exciting, thought provoking and fun. That is the Wastelanders in one breath.
Tim Hemlin paints a grim, post-apocalyptic picture of Houston.
An environmental disaster has disrupted the rain cycles on the continent, and the only access to drinking water is through The Cartel’s desalination plants. The hyper-capitalistic political organization has saved humanity… or has it?
Trouble is afoot, and that is clear from the first page. That trouble comes in many forms, and it weaves through a love triangle and excellent character development.
Certainly worth a read. I tore through it while on a cruise. Excellent pool-side reading (because where else should you read a book about a world without water?)
Tim Hemlin paints a grim, post-apocalyptic picture of Houston.
An environmental disaster has disrupted the rain cycles on the continent, and the only access to drinking water is through The Cartel’s desalination plants. The hyper-capitalistic political organization has saved humanity… or has it?
Trouble is afoot, and that is clear from the first page. That trouble comes in many forms, and it weaves through a love triangle and excellent character development.
Certainly worth a read. I tore through it while on a cruise. Excellent pool-side reading (because where else should you read a book about a world without water?)
February 8, 2019
Interesting take on a dystopian society...would recommend
The Wastelanders by Tim Hemlin, was an entertaining take on dystopian/sci-fi genre. Would recommend if looking for something in this category.
What’s it about? The summary tells it well. For those who need a little more: politics, corruption, war, cartels, powers such as time travel, those who live in the bubble and those who live in the Wastelands (outside the bubble), and the conflicts of the various groups.
The good: keeps you interested, easy to listen to, not too many characters where it gets confusing.
The not so good: a couple parts were a little slow for my taste.
Narrator: Bryan Anderson did a good job on the narration. There were a couple of voices I could have gone without, but they didn’t ruin the book. I would listen to other books by him.
Overall, I would recommend, a solid four stars all around. This is one of those books you can see happening in the future.
Parental guidance/trigger warnings: slurs (Chinaman, fruit, or like terms), religion, some swearing, weapons, bombing, prejudice, racism, death.
*I was given a free review copy of the audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review. Thank you for allowing me to listen and review the book!
The Wastelanders by Tim Hemlin, was an entertaining take on dystopian/sci-fi genre. Would recommend if looking for something in this category.
What’s it about? The summary tells it well. For those who need a little more: politics, corruption, war, cartels, powers such as time travel, those who live in the bubble and those who live in the Wastelands (outside the bubble), and the conflicts of the various groups.
The good: keeps you interested, easy to listen to, not too many characters where it gets confusing.
The not so good: a couple parts were a little slow for my taste.
Narrator: Bryan Anderson did a good job on the narration. There were a couple of voices I could have gone without, but they didn’t ruin the book. I would listen to other books by him.
Overall, I would recommend, a solid four stars all around. This is one of those books you can see happening in the future.
Parental guidance/trigger warnings: slurs (Chinaman, fruit, or like terms), religion, some swearing, weapons, bombing, prejudice, racism, death.
*I was given a free review copy of the audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review. Thank you for allowing me to listen and review the book!
January 19, 2015
The world as we know it has changed. Most of the earth is a baron, dry and harsh wasteland. Some cities have survived, and their populations are protected from the outside elements by ‘Bubbles’; large domes of energy that encapsulate the cities. The people inside these cities go about their daily lives oblivious to what really goes on in the Wastes, believing the line the government feeds them about what it is like out there. Full of radical, violent and evil people.
But this is only partly true.
Bernie Hawke is an employee for the Water Cartel, and on the day he misses work due to illness, there is a terrorist attack – destroying the reactor he was supposed to be at. His absence and good fortune draws the attention of the authorities, and it soon comes to light that his estranged son, Joey, may be involved in the attack.
Joey had fled to the Wasteland years earlier when he and his father had a bitter falling out, but his childhood sweetheart, Si-Ting, who still lives in the city, may also know more than she’s letting on. Bernie must try to get to the bottom of everything and clear his sons name whilst the authorities watch him closely.
Joey, for his part, has business of his own to attend to. Is he behind the bombing, or is he being set up?
What follows is a journey that takes our hero’s from the perceived safety of the bubble, into the Wasteland - but an army bent on destruction is not far behind. It all builds to a barnstorming climax and sets up the possibility of a sequel nicely, which is something I’d like to see.
I don’t want to give too much of the book away (I hate when reviews do that), so I’ll leave the description of the story at that, but Wastelanders is a novel I can fully recommend to anyone with an interest in sci-fi, apocalyptic tales, or just good storytelling in general. Author Tim Hemlin builds a believable world and fills it with engaging characters, both good and bad (though never totally one or the other). I am really impressed with his use of similes and metaphors too, which adds to the word building and sense of place – it really is a strong point to his writing.
The cast of characters, as I’ve said, is well portrayed and you aren’t likely to forget them; Moon, Rex Fielder, Hunter and, what is sure to be a fan favourite, The Bear (marvellous*!), to name but a few. You also get a lot of story for your money too, not sure of the exact word or page count, but it isn’t a short novel by any stretch.
You can do much worse than pick up a copy of The Wastelanders, it’s an engaging tale that will grip you until the last page. Good storytelling lets you get lost in the world the author creates, and that’s exactly what you get here.
Well worth a look
But this is only partly true.
Bernie Hawke is an employee for the Water Cartel, and on the day he misses work due to illness, there is a terrorist attack – destroying the reactor he was supposed to be at. His absence and good fortune draws the attention of the authorities, and it soon comes to light that his estranged son, Joey, may be involved in the attack.
Joey had fled to the Wasteland years earlier when he and his father had a bitter falling out, but his childhood sweetheart, Si-Ting, who still lives in the city, may also know more than she’s letting on. Bernie must try to get to the bottom of everything and clear his sons name whilst the authorities watch him closely.
Joey, for his part, has business of his own to attend to. Is he behind the bombing, or is he being set up?
What follows is a journey that takes our hero’s from the perceived safety of the bubble, into the Wasteland - but an army bent on destruction is not far behind. It all builds to a barnstorming climax and sets up the possibility of a sequel nicely, which is something I’d like to see.
I don’t want to give too much of the book away (I hate when reviews do that), so I’ll leave the description of the story at that, but Wastelanders is a novel I can fully recommend to anyone with an interest in sci-fi, apocalyptic tales, or just good storytelling in general. Author Tim Hemlin builds a believable world and fills it with engaging characters, both good and bad (though never totally one or the other). I am really impressed with his use of similes and metaphors too, which adds to the word building and sense of place – it really is a strong point to his writing.
The cast of characters, as I’ve said, is well portrayed and you aren’t likely to forget them; Moon, Rex Fielder, Hunter and, what is sure to be a fan favourite, The Bear (marvellous*!), to name but a few. You also get a lot of story for your money too, not sure of the exact word or page count, but it isn’t a short novel by any stretch.
You can do much worse than pick up a copy of The Wastelanders, it’s an engaging tale that will grip you until the last page. Good storytelling lets you get lost in the world the author creates, and that’s exactly what you get here.
Well worth a look
March 24, 2015
‘The Wastelanders’ paints a disturbing picture of a dystopian society in America in 2116. The character development is layered and skilful and I was reminded very much of George Orwell’s 1984: the ubiquity of the spy network, the menace and the mercilessness, the corruption and amorality: the totality of control in what is left of a clapped-out world destroyed by the senseless greed and paranoia of those in power. And yet beyond the totalitarian bubble - along its rim, and in the Wasteland beyond, populated by the banished - against apparently impossible odds comes the hint of a saviour.
When we get into ‘The Wasteland’ we find the anarchy that pervades ‘Mad Max’. This is an allegorical journey through a futuristic hell on earth, which I will not describe because you need to make your own ‘Pilgrim’s Progress’ through it. Suffice it to say that while it is a harrowing journey, it is one well worth making. Power brokers have initiated their own equivalent of the burning of the Reichstag Building in order to justify a kind of genocide presided over by the looming absence of a Fuehrer with a plan to live a thousand years. By the 21st century, cloning has reached a whole new level…
Tim Hemlin is a poet, and more than anything else his poet’s perception enriches this book. Bone meal breaks beneath the brittle sun. Light deliquesces into darkness. There is an ellipsis of rooks. Coils of contempt tighten upon a face. He’s a dab hand at telling similes: The long shadow of the late Leonard Malcolm Litz darkened the room like the stubble on Dick Nixon’s face. The sun, like a flaming ball of barbed wire, scarred the sky. Expect strong metaphors as well, of course: the grin was a cheap coat against hard rain, the place had the stability of a home-made bomb; it was a toilet bowl waiting to be flushed. Light the color of bad teeth began its daily infection, gradually eating away at the meat of darkness.
Do not expect to be able to suspend your disbelief; but instead accept it as apocalyptic allegory, luxuriate in its language and give due consideration to its message: this is a state of affairs we seriously need to avoid, and the time to act is now.
When we get into ‘The Wasteland’ we find the anarchy that pervades ‘Mad Max’. This is an allegorical journey through a futuristic hell on earth, which I will not describe because you need to make your own ‘Pilgrim’s Progress’ through it. Suffice it to say that while it is a harrowing journey, it is one well worth making. Power brokers have initiated their own equivalent of the burning of the Reichstag Building in order to justify a kind of genocide presided over by the looming absence of a Fuehrer with a plan to live a thousand years. By the 21st century, cloning has reached a whole new level…
Tim Hemlin is a poet, and more than anything else his poet’s perception enriches this book. Bone meal breaks beneath the brittle sun. Light deliquesces into darkness. There is an ellipsis of rooks. Coils of contempt tighten upon a face. He’s a dab hand at telling similes: The long shadow of the late Leonard Malcolm Litz darkened the room like the stubble on Dick Nixon’s face. The sun, like a flaming ball of barbed wire, scarred the sky. Expect strong metaphors as well, of course: the grin was a cheap coat against hard rain, the place had the stability of a home-made bomb; it was a toilet bowl waiting to be flushed. Light the color of bad teeth began its daily infection, gradually eating away at the meat of darkness.
Do not expect to be able to suspend your disbelief; but instead accept it as apocalyptic allegory, luxuriate in its language and give due consideration to its message: this is a state of affairs we seriously need to avoid, and the time to act is now.
September 13, 2014
Tim Hemlin wrote this in prose so eloquent and beautiful it reminded me of F. Scott Fitzgerald in The Great Gatsby. This plot-driven novel was really good. I was confused for most of it, but I wanted to keep going and find out what was going to happen. The story was worth working through to the end.
I have just a few critiques:
1. "All intensive purposes" is just so wrong. It's "all intents and purposes." That's a big deal to me, but it's really my only grammatical critique. There were a few mistakes spell check couldn't catch, but overall it's a clean novel, well written.
2. The progression through time is not easy to understand. Perhaps that was intentional, time confusion playing a starring role in the exciting plot, but I have no idea what kind of time frame this story happened in. A week? Ten days? A year? Dunno.
3. More confusion - why do they use British vernacular and drink hot tea when this is set in Texas and the weather is blistering outside the bubbles? I use British vernacular and drink hot tea while living in Houston - but I'm a bloody weirdo. Does this mean there are more of us in the future? A bit of explanation would have made that quirky phenomenon seem less contrived.
4. Even more confusion - I don't want to give away the plot, but the possibility of the past interacting with the future, of resurrection, of time witch stuff, it's never really explained. I know it's sci-fi/dystopian but there should be a logical explanation behind things. Like warp drive on the USS Enterprise - there's a basis for the technology that's explained well enough to be plausible. This book doesn't try to explain anything.
The Wastelanders is, in a word, enigmatic. At times it's climate change propaganda, at times it's religious in tone, at times it indicts the abuse of political power in America striking eerily close to home. At all times it's beautifully written, engaging, mysterious, and elusive.
You may wonder why, with my critiques, I gave it 5 stars. That's simple! It was a great story, well told and authentic. Beautiful prose, man. Well done.
I have just a few critiques:
1. "All intensive purposes" is just so wrong. It's "all intents and purposes." That's a big deal to me, but it's really my only grammatical critique. There were a few mistakes spell check couldn't catch, but overall it's a clean novel, well written.
2. The progression through time is not easy to understand. Perhaps that was intentional, time confusion playing a starring role in the exciting plot, but I have no idea what kind of time frame this story happened in. A week? Ten days? A year? Dunno.
3. More confusion - why do they use British vernacular and drink hot tea when this is set in Texas and the weather is blistering outside the bubbles? I use British vernacular and drink hot tea while living in Houston - but I'm a bloody weirdo. Does this mean there are more of us in the future? A bit of explanation would have made that quirky phenomenon seem less contrived.
4. Even more confusion - I don't want to give away the plot, but the possibility of the past interacting with the future, of resurrection, of time witch stuff, it's never really explained. I know it's sci-fi/dystopian but there should be a logical explanation behind things. Like warp drive on the USS Enterprise - there's a basis for the technology that's explained well enough to be plausible. This book doesn't try to explain anything.
The Wastelanders is, in a word, enigmatic. At times it's climate change propaganda, at times it's religious in tone, at times it indicts the abuse of political power in America striking eerily close to home. At all times it's beautifully written, engaging, mysterious, and elusive.
You may wonder why, with my critiques, I gave it 5 stars. That's simple! It was a great story, well told and authentic. Beautiful prose, man. Well done.
May 29, 2016
Until I read "A Friend in Need" coauthored by two of my favorite YA time travel fantasy authors, Lex Lynam and Chess Desalls, I had never read nor even encountered Tim Hemlin. That book inspired me to read Tim Hemlin's The Wastelanders because his characters were interesting.
The Wastelanders is a dystopian novel with a bit of the mystical tossed in. A post apocalyptic world in which major cities are contained in a force field bubble and the driving force behind the government is the water cartel. The area outside the bubble beyond the rim is considered a wasteland and few people live there. Those who do consist of scavengers, peace loving religious groups, gun runners, prostitution rings and the dredges of society.
The plot is very well developed with a battle for control of the nation between the Water Cartel and patriots. There is some level of suspense as the force behind a major destructive event within the bubble is not clearly revealed and is the purported reason for the government strike against those living in the wasteland.
I really liked the characters. The protagonist was a peace loving priest and warrior of necessity. The antagonists, as there were more than one in this three sided war, were easy to hate. I like how the author developed the characters by their belief in reincarnation and the internalized revelation of the historical characters the antagonists believed themselves to be.
I wouldn't call The Wastelanders a time travel tale, but, there are characters who are able to bend time to their advantage and that was a talent I found quite unique in the world of fantasy. Others, among both the good and bad, had some level of prescience. These talents definitely made the story interesting with the foreboding foreknowledge that often was related in a very inspecific manner. The type of prophesy that is hidden in vague words until the event happens to make it clear.
An Excellent read; I really enjoyed this tale, it is appropriate for all ages of readers.
The Wastelanders is a dystopian novel with a bit of the mystical tossed in. A post apocalyptic world in which major cities are contained in a force field bubble and the driving force behind the government is the water cartel. The area outside the bubble beyond the rim is considered a wasteland and few people live there. Those who do consist of scavengers, peace loving religious groups, gun runners, prostitution rings and the dredges of society.
The plot is very well developed with a battle for control of the nation between the Water Cartel and patriots. There is some level of suspense as the force behind a major destructive event within the bubble is not clearly revealed and is the purported reason for the government strike against those living in the wasteland.
I really liked the characters. The protagonist was a peace loving priest and warrior of necessity. The antagonists, as there were more than one in this three sided war, were easy to hate. I like how the author developed the characters by their belief in reincarnation and the internalized revelation of the historical characters the antagonists believed themselves to be.
I wouldn't call The Wastelanders a time travel tale, but, there are characters who are able to bend time to their advantage and that was a talent I found quite unique in the world of fantasy. Others, among both the good and bad, had some level of prescience. These talents definitely made the story interesting with the foreboding foreknowledge that often was related in a very inspecific manner. The type of prophesy that is hidden in vague words until the event happens to make it clear.
An Excellent read; I really enjoyed this tale, it is appropriate for all ages of readers.
August 17, 2016
I really enjoyed reading this book. It’s quite a long book at 500 pages but I could have easily read another few hundred pages because it was so well written and the characters were so completely engaging. The dystopian theme provides a dark yet compelling read but it’s the strength of the characters and the wonderful writing style that really bring this book to life. If you read this book I’m sure you’ll agree the story, the characters, the gripping dialogue, and the setting are so powerful and absorbing it would be great to see an interpretation of The Wastelanders on the big screen. Even though post-apocalyptic dystopian books are not my favourite genre, I was so pleased to discover this extremely accomplished writer who obviously has an enormous amount of talent. His unique writing style is proof that this author could bring any book to life. However, this is the first book I’ve read from this particular author and I liked the book so much I’m really looking forward to reading more of his books in the future. In some ways, the story reminded me of George Orwell’s 1984 and I’m sure Orwell would have loved this book if he’d had the chance to read it. He would definitely say Tim Hemlin is a “scrupulous writer”. The wastelands, the main character Joey and his first love Si-Ting with her time-witch powers, the very likeable Bear, Joey’s concerned and caring father Bernie Hawke, the abused yet sweet and very determined Moon, the naive president and his scheming wife, the First Lady Isabel, as well as the camp and crazy geneticist and his clones who are all living in a false paradise under a clock tower in the wastelands, will remind you of any of the Mad Max movies. However, I thought The Wastelanders was even better than this famous film because the post-apocalyptic theme has been developed even further and it has such a unique twist. So, if you’re a fan of gritty, unpretentious, raw characters, as well as exhilarating action and political intrigue with a touch of romance, then this is the book for you.
July 29, 2015
The Wastelanders by Tim Hemlin is a rich tale of where America has ended up over time. The country has two primary populations. The first are the law abiding folks living under the bubbles covering the major cities and the second are those rogue elements living in the wasteland outside the bubbles. Tim has crafted an interesting metaphor in which the Wastelanders are tolerated by the organized society who have sought a normalized life under the controlled environment inside a bubble community. Entrance and exit from the bubbles are controlled by authorization as if the bubble was a separate country and the Wastelander a population to be tolerated but not embraced.
This story takes place in the future but does have a degree of present day represented in the modes of transportation and the human desire to better life. There are no cosmic travels and no magic superpowers to confuse the reader. People travel by hovercraft and have weapons. They live, sweat and die like regular folks, and this adds a degree of authenticity to the plot.
The plot is tight, and the story moves to an exciting conclusion. There is a hint of a sequel since some plot components are resolved but left for the reader to wonder. So as not spoil the story just let me say the reader will be pleased with the ending. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and want to read another. I am not a Sci-fi reader but was intrigued by the book blurb enough to give it a try. I’m glad I did and would recommend this book to anyone who likes an intriguing plot and excellent writing.
This story takes place in the future but does have a degree of present day represented in the modes of transportation and the human desire to better life. There are no cosmic travels and no magic superpowers to confuse the reader. People travel by hovercraft and have weapons. They live, sweat and die like regular folks, and this adds a degree of authenticity to the plot.
The plot is tight, and the story moves to an exciting conclusion. There is a hint of a sequel since some plot components are resolved but left for the reader to wonder. So as not spoil the story just let me say the reader will be pleased with the ending. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and want to read another. I am not a Sci-fi reader but was intrigued by the book blurb enough to give it a try. I’m glad I did and would recommend this book to anyone who likes an intriguing plot and excellent writing.
March 22, 2016
Received this through a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review.
I really wanted to love this book since he's a fellow Texan.
You're already on the page with the synopsis of the book so I'm just going to cut to the chase..... I really like the setting. Hemlin sets up a great dystopian world starting with a real-life problem and a plausible future. I love the bad guys and the spy network. I love how all of them genuinely believe they are good guys and have redeemable qualities that's what makes them so interesting. There are a few instances in this SciFi world that don't make sense to me.... like cutters. I'm not sure why we have those instead of guns and it took me a while to figure out what they even were... and thankfully there's enough context clues to figure out what most of the new future gadgets are and what they do.
All of these great things aside my biggest letdown were ALL the protagonists were as stale as week old bread. The only one I really felt like was a real person was Bernie Hawke. Everybody else just lacked any real conviction or convinced me to care about them.... It's hard for me to put into words exactly why. But I just wasn't very excited about reading about them or what they were after.....
I really wanted to love this book since he's a fellow Texan.
You're already on the page with the synopsis of the book so I'm just going to cut to the chase..... I really like the setting. Hemlin sets up a great dystopian world starting with a real-life problem and a plausible future. I love the bad guys and the spy network. I love how all of them genuinely believe they are good guys and have redeemable qualities that's what makes them so interesting. There are a few instances in this SciFi world that don't make sense to me.... like cutters. I'm not sure why we have those instead of guns and it took me a while to figure out what they even were... and thankfully there's enough context clues to figure out what most of the new future gadgets are and what they do.
All of these great things aside my biggest letdown were ALL the protagonists were as stale as week old bread. The only one I really felt like was a real person was Bernie Hawke. Everybody else just lacked any real conviction or convinced me to care about them.... It's hard for me to put into words exactly why. But I just wasn't very excited about reading about them or what they were after.....
January 19, 2016
Read it! Read it! Read it! I loved it, from the dystopian society, the characters, the plot - it's all well written and will hold your attention beginning to end. Tim Hemlin gives you incite to the different characters, who they are, what motivates them and you get to 'hear' their side of the fight for survival. It all adds to the complexity and suspense to the story. I loved the chess game - cool concept with how it was used. This story will keep you on your toes - there is danger at every corner, every move they make is a risk. This is one of those stories that shows the struggles, lies and deceit that occur at all levels from the government on down to the common man. Bad guys are woven into each side. Brilliantly written. If you like a good story, this is a must read.
October 26, 2016
Reading A Friend in Need inspired me to read Tim Hemlin's Wastelanders.
I was fascinated by the brief introduction to the world and its characters and needed to know more.
The story starts with a bang and had me hooked from page one, with it's unique and strange world filled with interesting and believable characters.
The plot is intelligently thought out and well written, with surprising twists that add to the complexity of the story
Marvellous!
I was fascinated by the brief introduction to the world and its characters and needed to know more.
The story starts with a bang and had me hooked from page one, with it's unique and strange world filled with interesting and believable characters.
The plot is intelligently thought out and well written, with surprising twists that add to the complexity of the story
Marvellous!
June 25, 2015
An excellent book. Imagine our country in chaos with cities living inside of a bubble. The United States is being controlled by Water Cartels. Joey and Bernie Hawke are being accused of a terrorist attack that took place in one of the big brother societies. Bernie has to find a way to save his son but from which enemy? Joey Hawke wants to stop a dead President from rising to power again. I found myself transported to the futuristic world and being brought back to the reality that this was suppose to be the United States by the author's use of historical figures and references.
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