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The Breathless #2
Choke
When Eria escapes her home in the Biome, she uncovers more about her
features and specifications as a HumaNot. Following her father's
instructions, Eria embarks on a journey into a dangerous and unpredictable world.
Along the way, she encounters a young rebel, Dirk, who explains he's from the Anarchy, an underground human resistance rising up against the BOTs--advanced man-made robots gone wild. Together, Dirk and Eria battle underground serpents, desert dingos, sand storms, and advanced Bots that are always hot on their trail. As they become closer, Dirk reveals his hatred of machines, forcing Eria to hide the secret of what and who she really is.
When the truth of her identity comes out, Eria is forced to become the very thing she hates the most.
This novelette is about 20,000 words and is the 2nd in the YA Breathless novelette series. Exhale (#3) is scheduled for Nov 2013.
features and specifications as a HumaNot. Following her father's
instructions, Eria embarks on a journey into a dangerous and unpredictable world.
Along the way, she encounters a young rebel, Dirk, who explains he's from the Anarchy, an underground human resistance rising up against the BOTs--advanced man-made robots gone wild. Together, Dirk and Eria battle underground serpents, desert dingos, sand storms, and advanced Bots that are always hot on their trail. As they become closer, Dirk reveals his hatred of machines, forcing Eria to hide the secret of what and who she really is.
When the truth of her identity comes out, Eria is forced to become the very thing she hates the most.
This novelette is about 20,000 words and is the 2nd in the YA Breathless novelette series. Exhale (#3) is scheduled for Nov 2013.
50 pages, ebook
First published December 1, 2012
1 person is currently reading
232 people want to read
About the author
Shelli R. Johannes
41 books425 followersShelli R. Johannes is the author of 18 books (out and forthcoming). She is the coauthor (with Kimberly Derting) of the popular CECE LOVES SCIENCE series and PENNY (An Engineering Tale of the Fourth Pig). In addition to her tween and teen novels, she is also the author of the THEO THESAURUS series and SHINE LIKE A UNICORN. Her new chapter book in Chelsea Clinton’s “She Persisted” series on FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE comes out in March 2023.
Shelli can often be found on highways and country roads saving strays and other jaywalking critters or volunteering with animal conservation groups. After earning a master’s to follow her passion of writing.
She lives in Atlanta with her own pack of unicorns: a British husband, two teens, two Goldendoodles, one sassy bird, and the many loud characters that “live” in her head. Shelli is addicted to exclamation points, puns, unicorns, and anything sciencey. You can always count on her to laugh at her own jokes, at least once.
You can find her online at srjohannes.com
Shelli can often be found on highways and country roads saving strays and other jaywalking critters or volunteering with animal conservation groups. After earning a master’s to follow her passion of writing.
She lives in Atlanta with her own pack of unicorns: a British husband, two teens, two Goldendoodles, one sassy bird, and the many loud characters that “live” in her head. Shelli is addicted to exclamation points, puns, unicorns, and anything sciencey. You can always count on her to laugh at her own jokes, at least once.
You can find her online at srjohannes.com
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
July 25, 2013
Choke follows Suffocate, the first of S. R. Johannes’ Breathless novellas, and it’s a quick, breathless, exciting and enticing read. The author has a deft hand with minimal backstory and you won’t need to have read the first book to follow this tale. From a fantastic first line—“Whether I’m real or not, the sun still burns my skin”—to an ending that leaves you with a feeling of “No, that can’t be the end,” the story keeps you glued to the page or whatever e-reader you happen to be using.
Some fine lyrical phrases bring the reader quickly into Eria’s world as she runs between “an altered past and an unknown future.” Not quite human, not quite anything else, she’s lost all she knows and she knows both more and less than she needs. The world she runs through is filled with frights of its own, yet haunting hints of our own world lie beneath. Filled with mystery—mostly unresolved—and promises, with great characters, an intriguing plot, and only occasional inconsistencies, Choke offers a very unsettling view of what future technology could hold and future politics could destroy. Breathless is a great series. I just wish the story hadn’t ended where it did ‘cause I don’t know how long I have to wait to read part three.
Disclosure: The author kindly gave me a free ecopy to review and I’m so glad she did!
Some fine lyrical phrases bring the reader quickly into Eria’s world as she runs between “an altered past and an unknown future.” Not quite human, not quite anything else, she’s lost all she knows and she knows both more and less than she needs. The world she runs through is filled with frights of its own, yet haunting hints of our own world lie beneath. Filled with mystery—mostly unresolved—and promises, with great characters, an intriguing plot, and only occasional inconsistencies, Choke offers a very unsettling view of what future technology could hold and future politics could destroy. Breathless is a great series. I just wish the story hadn’t ended where it did ‘cause I don’t know how long I have to wait to read part three.
Disclosure: The author kindly gave me a free ecopy to review and I’m so glad she did!
March 8, 2014
WOW not sure what else to say. This is the second book in The Breathless Series and I have to say the author definitely knows how to keep you on the edge of your seat and holding your breath. I feel for Eria with all of the loss, heartache, and finding out so many things that are surprising throughout this short story. Not your typical sci-fi short story.
July 26, 2013
Uh. What just happened? WHAT JUST HAPPENED?
I imagine that somewhere in the world, right now, S.R. Johannes is cackling evilly to herself for sending yet another reader into a post-cliffhanger frenzy. (No really, I’ve met Johannes, and she’s actually very nice.) But still, that was an evil, evil ending…
… and I loved it!
We pick up with Eria just after she’s left the Biome and discovered that she’s actually an artificial life-form, a Humanot. She’s not long on her journey to nowhere, when she finds a pre-recorded message from her dad further splintering her already fragmented reality. But as shocking as the revelations are, her dad does give her something to hold onto – a mission and a direction – a purpose, however nebulous and vague though it may be. He also gives her more of an idea of what she’s capable of as a Humanot, and her skill set is vastly impressive and useful in the wasteland beyond the Biome. However, to Eria, it’s also a constant reminder of what she’s lost and what’s she’s not.
And this was my favorite part of this novelette, Eria’s struggle with her humanity. Is she human? She sure felt human before discovering her “artificiality.” Is any part of her human? Are all of her responses programmed? Who is she really? Can she ever really know? Is she capable of true emotion or free-will? What is her purpose? Why was she created? Eria’s internal conflict regarding her existence is simply fascinating.
But never fear, the novelette isn’t just one big existential debate. Eria’s journey across the wasteland is fraught with danger, adventure, monsters and a cute human resistance fighter, Dirk, who may pose the greatest danger of all.
Dirk has grown up hating BOTS, a group of rogue artificial lifeforms bent on wiping out the humans and their way of life, and he’s very vocal in his hatred of them. Despite herself and what she is, Eria likes Dirk – he’s her only ally and she needs his help and his community’s help if she’s to complete the assignment given to her by her dad. But all secrets have a way of getting out, and Eria dreads the consequences of discovery.
For all his prejudices, I did like Dirk. I mean if I grew up fighting against super creepy robots bent on killing me and everyone I love, I’d probably have rather strong feelings on the subject too. But regardless, capable, charismatic, compassionate, and a bit of a rebel even among rebels, he is an extremely likable and an understandable character. Dirk and Eria establish a tentative friendship in Choke, and I’m curious to see if that friendship will be able to supersede a lifetime of hatred or if the party line that all robots are evil will hold firm.
Storywise, I was impressed with how much happened in this novelette. And it was a page-turner as Eria jumps from one danger and adventure right into the next. And it is exciting and fast-paced right up until that doozy of an ending. (Sooooo evil.)
Overall, Choke builds on the great foundation laid in the first novelette, altering preconceptions, introducing a new perspective, revealing more of this ever-intriguing world, all while dealing with the complex issues of humanity, reality and prejudice.
I imagine that somewhere in the world, right now, S.R. Johannes is cackling evilly to herself for sending yet another reader into a post-cliffhanger frenzy. (No really, I’ve met Johannes, and she’s actually very nice.) But still, that was an evil, evil ending…
… and I loved it!
We pick up with Eria just after she’s left the Biome and discovered that she’s actually an artificial life-form, a Humanot. She’s not long on her journey to nowhere, when she finds a pre-recorded message from her dad further splintering her already fragmented reality. But as shocking as the revelations are, her dad does give her something to hold onto – a mission and a direction – a purpose, however nebulous and vague though it may be. He also gives her more of an idea of what she’s capable of as a Humanot, and her skill set is vastly impressive and useful in the wasteland beyond the Biome. However, to Eria, it’s also a constant reminder of what she’s lost and what’s she’s not.
And this was my favorite part of this novelette, Eria’s struggle with her humanity. Is she human? She sure felt human before discovering her “artificiality.” Is any part of her human? Are all of her responses programmed? Who is she really? Can she ever really know? Is she capable of true emotion or free-will? What is her purpose? Why was she created? Eria’s internal conflict regarding her existence is simply fascinating.
But never fear, the novelette isn’t just one big existential debate. Eria’s journey across the wasteland is fraught with danger, adventure, monsters and a cute human resistance fighter, Dirk, who may pose the greatest danger of all.
Dirk has grown up hating BOTS, a group of rogue artificial lifeforms bent on wiping out the humans and their way of life, and he’s very vocal in his hatred of them. Despite herself and what she is, Eria likes Dirk – he’s her only ally and she needs his help and his community’s help if she’s to complete the assignment given to her by her dad. But all secrets have a way of getting out, and Eria dreads the consequences of discovery.
For all his prejudices, I did like Dirk. I mean if I grew up fighting against super creepy robots bent on killing me and everyone I love, I’d probably have rather strong feelings on the subject too. But regardless, capable, charismatic, compassionate, and a bit of a rebel even among rebels, he is an extremely likable and an understandable character. Dirk and Eria establish a tentative friendship in Choke, and I’m curious to see if that friendship will be able to supersede a lifetime of hatred or if the party line that all robots are evil will hold firm.
Storywise, I was impressed with how much happened in this novelette. And it was a page-turner as Eria jumps from one danger and adventure right into the next. And it is exciting and fast-paced right up until that doozy of an ending. (Sooooo evil.)
Overall, Choke builds on the great foundation laid in the first novelette, altering preconceptions, introducing a new perspective, revealing more of this ever-intriguing world, all while dealing with the complex issues of humanity, reality and prejudice.
January 14, 2014
This was an interesting novella, I definitely loved the way it was paced, it was exciting and fun. A couple issues I had: 1. I wish they would have taken a little more time to show her transformation, it went from nothing to everything regarding her abilities. 2. The editor (at least on kindle) didn't do a very good job, I found a lot of little mistakes and yes it isn't that big of a deal but it definitely takes you out of the moment. I look forward to the next one, definitely a fun and light read.
February 21, 2014
As with the first book, I loved this story. However, the book needs to be edited again as there are a number of times where the wrong word is used, punctuation is in the wrong place or words are incomplete. Also, there is an inconsistency between this book and the first one. In the first book, the place outside the Biome she was supposed to get to was 50 miles away and, in this book, it is 100 miles away.
July 12, 2013
4.5 Quiet a few typos, but overall a good novelette.
January 10, 2014
excellent book, short but entertaining. Waiting for the next in line
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews