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Reduced #1
Reduced
Fiction or prediction?
A devastating biological agent is about to be released, to be tested in remote areas. Rumor has it, though, that there is more to this than meets the eye. One group makes plans to hide out, and survive, in case that rumor proves to be truth. Meeting at an abandoned summer camp near St. Louis, Missouri, a dozen old friends gather after the alarm is raised.
Life becomes more precious, more tenuous, as time passes. Government controls tighten, people are herded into the city…or killed. Towns are obliterated. And soon, the enemy agenda becomes obvious.
Abby, like the rest, has special skills – each member of the group was chosen not only because of past ties, but also for their unique training and abilities. She will come face-to-face with death, bear the responsibility for a young girl, and endure the severing of childhood relationships in the most terrible way imaginable.
From mere concealment to reconnaissance to aiding a rebellion, where will it end? Will the entire region be decimated, and who will be left alive to know?
A devastating biological agent is about to be released, to be tested in remote areas. Rumor has it, though, that there is more to this than meets the eye. One group makes plans to hide out, and survive, in case that rumor proves to be truth. Meeting at an abandoned summer camp near St. Louis, Missouri, a dozen old friends gather after the alarm is raised.
Life becomes more precious, more tenuous, as time passes. Government controls tighten, people are herded into the city…or killed. Towns are obliterated. And soon, the enemy agenda becomes obvious.
Abby, like the rest, has special skills – each member of the group was chosen not only because of past ties, but also for their unique training and abilities. She will come face-to-face with death, bear the responsibility for a young girl, and endure the severing of childhood relationships in the most terrible way imaginable.
From mere concealment to reconnaissance to aiding a rebellion, where will it end? Will the entire region be decimated, and who will be left alive to know?
320 pages, Paperback
First published October 23, 2012
4 people are currently reading
251 people want to read
About the author
Robin Tidwell
7 books37 followersRobin is the author of REDUCED, REUSED, and RECYCLED, and lives in the St. Louis, Missouri area with her husband, Dennis, and their youngest son. She has a rather eclectic educational background, and finally finished her B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies. She has held a plethora of jobs, appointments, and volunteer positions, and tries very hard to make it through one week at a time without a crisis.
Robin and Dennis are the owners of Rocking Horse Publishing.
Robin and Dennis are the owners of Rocking Horse Publishing.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
August 28, 2020
From the very first paragraph I was invested in the characters.
Like another reviewer stated dystopian fiction is all the rage; and Robin Tidwell finally delivers one for the thinking adult.
Quickly the reader becomes apart of the group, because this could happen. The plot, as well as the antagonists, are believable and Robin doesn't wander off into fantasy. Even as Jules enters the picture the mother in me knew that in a post apocalyptic world the children would learn survival skills instead of cheer-leading and football! Yet the concept wrenched at my heart, which grew to be proud of Jules' fortitude, as well as Abby's transition from loner to the mothering kind, in her own believable fashion.
Reduced was hard to put down. Reduced made it hard not to consider that the world Robin Tidwell so easily created for the reader was a very real possibility.
Fully fleshed characters and settings right from the very beginning made the book a good and easy read.
The ending makes one anticipate the next chapter of the story. One instinctively knows there is more!
A must read.
Like another reviewer stated dystopian fiction is all the rage; and Robin Tidwell finally delivers one for the thinking adult.
Quickly the reader becomes apart of the group, because this could happen. The plot, as well as the antagonists, are believable and Robin doesn't wander off into fantasy. Even as Jules enters the picture the mother in me knew that in a post apocalyptic world the children would learn survival skills instead of cheer-leading and football! Yet the concept wrenched at my heart, which grew to be proud of Jules' fortitude, as well as Abby's transition from loner to the mothering kind, in her own believable fashion.
Reduced was hard to put down. Reduced made it hard not to consider that the world Robin Tidwell so easily created for the reader was a very real possibility.
Fully fleshed characters and settings right from the very beginning made the book a good and easy read.
The ending makes one anticipate the next chapter of the story. One instinctively knows there is more!
A must read.
January 25, 2013
Dystopian fiction isn't my usual genre, but even so I really enjoyed reading Reduced. It was well written, with a solid storyline that was easy to follow. The characters were realistic, and readers can find themselves getting truly invested in their lives.
I read this book in 2 days, because I literally could not put it down. Looking forward to the next one!!
I read this book in 2 days, because I literally could not put it down. Looking forward to the next one!!
February 6, 2015
Captivating
This was a really great book. It was very intense right from the start. Even when things seemed to settle down I find myself on pins and needles waiting for the other shoe to drop. I really enjoyed it and can't wait to see what is next for Abby.
This was a really great book. It was very intense right from the start. Even when things seemed to settle down I find myself on pins and needles waiting for the other shoe to drop. I really enjoyed it and can't wait to see what is next for Abby.
July 29, 2013
THIS IS NOT A FIVE STAR STORY!
It is not a question of taste, subject or genre. In the same way as a list of ingredients is not a tasty dish without being mixed in correct quantities and proportions before being cooked in a relatively precise manner, a story requires similar attention. This cook has not served a full apprenticeship. 'Reduced' is NOT a story.
A story requires an overall shape, tension, conflict, character development, internal logic etc.etc. Endless descriptions of sharpening knives, stripping guns, drinking coffee, hiking through the woods like an Indian, and basically doing nothing beyond living in the old summer camp is not enough. Not nearly enough.
I have met far worse writing in terms of typos, grammatical errors, poor sentence construction and so forth but this has the hallmarks of a tyro writer who has not yet learned what to leave out, how to tell a tale, what character development means, and that creativity is not just inventing things.
In earlier times this writer would have received a bunch of form rejects, would put this story away and embarked on another tale having read more books and essays on the craft of writing. More rejects would follow but slowly, with practice, the quality would improve and finally a short story might be sold. Nowadays it is too easy to rush to publish. Even rushing slowly is too fast for most writers because they have not done enough practice. You can't play the piano competently without thousands of hours of scales. This writer has not yet sat long enough at the keyboard. Stick to it though. I have seen worse beginnings.
I agree with most of what the single (so far) one star reviewer says.
It is not a question of taste, subject or genre. In the same way as a list of ingredients is not a tasty dish without being mixed in correct quantities and proportions before being cooked in a relatively precise manner, a story requires similar attention. This cook has not served a full apprenticeship. 'Reduced' is NOT a story.
A story requires an overall shape, tension, conflict, character development, internal logic etc.etc. Endless descriptions of sharpening knives, stripping guns, drinking coffee, hiking through the woods like an Indian, and basically doing nothing beyond living in the old summer camp is not enough. Not nearly enough.
I have met far worse writing in terms of typos, grammatical errors, poor sentence construction and so forth but this has the hallmarks of a tyro writer who has not yet learned what to leave out, how to tell a tale, what character development means, and that creativity is not just inventing things.
In earlier times this writer would have received a bunch of form rejects, would put this story away and embarked on another tale having read more books and essays on the craft of writing. More rejects would follow but slowly, with practice, the quality would improve and finally a short story might be sold. Nowadays it is too easy to rush to publish. Even rushing slowly is too fast for most writers because they have not done enough practice. You can't play the piano competently without thousands of hours of scales. This writer has not yet sat long enough at the keyboard. Stick to it though. I have seen worse beginnings.
I agree with most of what the single (so far) one star reviewer says.
May 2, 2013
Not bad, not bad at all.
OK, maybe not a full 4-star, but more than a 3.5, so lets round it out to 4.
A few little hickups, such as missing words and a few typos, but the story itself was good.
Good setup, good premise, good charaterisation...
still what happens at the end of the world? why, you go camping of course :-)
and if all else fail... go back to living in caves.
95% of the population is "exterminated" from the face of the earth... but money still works... doesn't that mean that the government in place actually work?
Sure it'll have its downsides, and it'll have to take plenty of unpopular decisions... but then again what government doesnt? But seeing as the govmt was initially responsible for the extermination, I guess wanting to upend them would be justified.
(still, a part of me still thinks that aot of the world's problems would go away if the population were decreased ;-)
OK, maybe not a full 4-star, but more than a 3.5, so lets round it out to 4.
A few little hickups, such as missing words and a few typos, but the story itself was good.
Good setup, good premise, good charaterisation...
still what happens at the end of the world? why, you go camping of course :-)
and if all else fail... go back to living in caves.
95% of the population is "exterminated" from the face of the earth... but money still works... doesn't that mean that the government in place actually work?
Sure it'll have its downsides, and it'll have to take plenty of unpopular decisions... but then again what government doesnt? But seeing as the govmt was initially responsible for the extermination, I guess wanting to upend them would be justified.
(still, a part of me still thinks that aot of the world's problems would go away if the population were decreased ;-)
September 19, 2012
THE ROAD meets EBOLA in this chillingly believable dystopian.
I finished reading Robin Tidwell's debut novel the day after I bought it at her launch party. Yep, it was that hard to put down.
Recently I've enjoyed reading a number of young adult dystopian novels, but REDUCED moved away from teenage romantic tropes into a deeper exploration of mature friendship and love after a manmade cataclysm destroys society as we know it. Robin has an amazing feel for the Missouri backwoods, which she puts to good use as a handful of survivors are forced to live off the land. She realistically depicts an uglier side of survival in a world where the highest law is protecting those you love.
I appreciated her portrayal of strong women and look forward to the next book in this series!
I finished reading Robin Tidwell's debut novel the day after I bought it at her launch party. Yep, it was that hard to put down.
Recently I've enjoyed reading a number of young adult dystopian novels, but REDUCED moved away from teenage romantic tropes into a deeper exploration of mature friendship and love after a manmade cataclysm destroys society as we know it. Robin has an amazing feel for the Missouri backwoods, which she puts to good use as a handful of survivors are forced to live off the land. She realistically depicts an uglier side of survival in a world where the highest law is protecting those you love.
I appreciated her portrayal of strong women and look forward to the next book in this series!
December 8, 2012
Let me start by saying this was a really good story. Tidwell had an exceptional idea for a book when this started. However, that is where it ends. The book is not well written, or edited. Typos, missing words, and a few grammar issues. I'm not sure who is to blame for either. I just kept thinking if she (and a good editor) had taken more time or had been more thoughtful in the process, this could have been really, really good. It read--to me--like the rough draft of her book instead of the finished product. This could have been a Whitney Houston song, but instead it was a 17 year old singing a Whitney song.
August 26, 2012
Loved the book, very well written. Makes you think how things could happen on the present track the government is currently on. It also demonstrates the human spirit's ability to survive.
September 4, 2012
Excellent read. Wonderful story line.
December 18, 2025
Reduced is an intense and gripping tale that blends suspense, action, and thought-provoking speculation. Robin Tidwell creates a world on the brink of disaster, where danger, survival, and human resilience collide in unpredictable ways. The characters are skillfully developed, each with unique skills and motivations that make the story feel authentic and immersive.
Tidwell’s pacing is masterful, the tension builds steadily, keeping readers on edge from the first chapter to the last. The moral dilemmas, high stakes, and personal struggles of Abby and the group add depth and complexity, making this much more than a survival story. Reduced is a thrilling read that will captivate anyone who enjoys suspenseful, intelligent, and emotionally charged fiction.
Tidwell’s pacing is masterful, the tension builds steadily, keeping readers on edge from the first chapter to the last. The moral dilemmas, high stakes, and personal struggles of Abby and the group add depth and complexity, making this much more than a survival story. Reduced is a thrilling read that will captivate anyone who enjoys suspenseful, intelligent, and emotionally charged fiction.
October 16, 2020
Reduced is an excellent adventure book. It was a welcomed change to my usual reading material. The characters are believable, witty, and endearing. The storyline was different and captivating. I was hooked on the book early on. Many times I found myself holding my breath, rooting for the tight-knit band of survivors, and with a tear in my eyes for the delightful supporting characters.
The audiobook flowed well. The story was full of changes, gripping moments, conspiracy theories, sad scenes, and hopeful periods. Reduced was truly an enjoyable read and a brilliantly told tell. If you need a relaxing break from the ordinary book, this is just what your heart and mind need.
The audiobook flowed well. The story was full of changes, gripping moments, conspiracy theories, sad scenes, and hopeful periods. Reduced was truly an enjoyable read and a brilliantly told tell. If you need a relaxing break from the ordinary book, this is just what your heart and mind need.
July 31, 2019
Instantly Engaging
I already bought the rest of this series because I HAVE to know where the heck it’s all going! What a ride!
I already bought the rest of this series because I HAVE to know where the heck it’s all going! What a ride!
May 13, 2017
I really wasn't impressed with this story at all. I'm obviously not seeing what other reviewers saw in this and I was very disappointed with what I read.
We jump into the plot where some kind of virus is infecting and killing people and our hero MC Abby is running from it, trying to get to a safe place where she will be meeting a collection of friends. It's not exactly clear what the virus is, how it spreads, what it does to the people who are infected, how it started...in fact, in the opening part of the book we get no information about it at all. So I started the book feeling a bit lost at to what was actually happening.
Abby stops at a shop for supplies and has a run in with three 'evil teens', who she ends up killing. This was confusing as I'm not really sure WHY they are evil. Are they infected with this mystery virus? It sounds like it but why is it such a threat to Abby? How contagious is it? Are they fully human? Are they about to go zombie or psycho or something? Why were they such a threat that they had to be killed? I'm not really sure to be honest. I don't feel that things are being explained by the author. Either the author thinks they have been clear enough and don't need to say more, or it is a deliberate plot choice to keep the reader in the dark. Whichever it is, I didn't like it much.
Even when we get to their safe compound, the fog of confusio remains. It's safe to assume that they are some kind of preppers who have met previously and discussed disaster plans. They are organising their camp to keep everyone safe, and various jobs are assigned to people based on their skills. But what I don't like is that the compound leaders seem to be very vague about what was happening, keeping information from the other characters, meaning yet again the reader is wondering what we have not been told. It is all way too vague.
For me, I like to begin a book knowing at least something about it, especially when it is some kind of virus. I don't need to know everything about it but at the start, it seems important to have a background of what the virus is, how it starts and how it spreads. It's vital to know how it spreads so you can see the danger in situations for the characters. If I don't know how it spreads or what it is, how can I feel the tension and excitement in each scenario that the characters face? It just doesn't work.
The book also seems to be drifting into government conspiracy and a new evil political party storyline. Yeah ok, it's not my favourite plot but I wouldn't mind this if the basics were covered. I don't want to know about the complex conspiracy when I don't know anything about the virus yet. It was all mixed up and unorganised for me. It was vague, lacked any kind of cohesion or flow, and I wasn't impressed by the way the plot was set out. The characters also lacked depth and interest and I felt the plot sort of floated around without any direction.
Overall it was a massive disappointment and I wasn't inspired to finish it.
We jump into the plot where some kind of virus is infecting and killing people and our hero MC Abby is running from it, trying to get to a safe place where she will be meeting a collection of friends. It's not exactly clear what the virus is, how it spreads, what it does to the people who are infected, how it started...in fact, in the opening part of the book we get no information about it at all. So I started the book feeling a bit lost at to what was actually happening.
Abby stops at a shop for supplies and has a run in with three 'evil teens', who she ends up killing. This was confusing as I'm not really sure WHY they are evil. Are they infected with this mystery virus? It sounds like it but why is it such a threat to Abby? How contagious is it? Are they fully human? Are they about to go zombie or psycho or something? Why were they such a threat that they had to be killed? I'm not really sure to be honest. I don't feel that things are being explained by the author. Either the author thinks they have been clear enough and don't need to say more, or it is a deliberate plot choice to keep the reader in the dark. Whichever it is, I didn't like it much.
Even when we get to their safe compound, the fog of confusio remains. It's safe to assume that they are some kind of preppers who have met previously and discussed disaster plans. They are organising their camp to keep everyone safe, and various jobs are assigned to people based on their skills. But what I don't like is that the compound leaders seem to be very vague about what was happening, keeping information from the other characters, meaning yet again the reader is wondering what we have not been told. It is all way too vague.
For me, I like to begin a book knowing at least something about it, especially when it is some kind of virus. I don't need to know everything about it but at the start, it seems important to have a background of what the virus is, how it starts and how it spreads. It's vital to know how it spreads so you can see the danger in situations for the characters. If I don't know how it spreads or what it is, how can I feel the tension and excitement in each scenario that the characters face? It just doesn't work.
The book also seems to be drifting into government conspiracy and a new evil political party storyline. Yeah ok, it's not my favourite plot but I wouldn't mind this if the basics were covered. I don't want to know about the complex conspiracy when I don't know anything about the virus yet. It was all mixed up and unorganised for me. It was vague, lacked any kind of cohesion or flow, and I wasn't impressed by the way the plot was set out. The characters also lacked depth and interest and I felt the plot sort of floated around without any direction.
Overall it was a massive disappointment and I wasn't inspired to finish it.
December 7, 2013
While there's no lack of dystopian fiction these days, on the bookshelves and on television, thanks to the recent zombie craze, Myan predictions, and end-of-the-world scenarios playing out across all forms of media, most of these creative outlets focus on the horrors of the "what-if's." From flesh eating bacteria to alien invasions, extreme weather to civil unrest, our fears are usually taken to the extreme.
Robin Tidwell's first novel, Reduced, takes us in the opposite direction. Just as the title suggests, it reduces our post apocalyptic fears to what's more important but just as scary: the human condition. In the book, we meet Abby, a young woman with no lack of survival skills and knowledge of the outdoors. When a biological agent is being tested in the remote wilderness outside of St. Louis but quickly spreads out of control, Abby and her friends take shelter at an abandoned summer camp.
Government is being reshaped, abortion camps are being set up, the aging are being forced into death lines. Abby and her cohorts focus on survival, but their limits are about to be tested again and again, both inside and outside their camp.
Tidwell teases both her readers and cast of characters with bits of knowledge, that while communication is becoming impossible at the camp, the reader is also "dying" to know just what's going on. The fear of "not knowing" is what makes this such a frightening novel.
Though the conditions of the disease are horrible, Tidwell does not rely on the obvious of scenes to build intensity. Sure, there's bloodshed and death practically in every chapter, but as I said before, this book is about the human condition. Abby soon finds herself not just fending for herself, but also caring for a four year old girl while also trying to look out for her best friend.
There are long bouts of Abby exploring the surrounding woods on her own that will have you biting your nails off. If you've ever gone out "exploring" a wooded trail all on your own, you know how your mind can play tricks on you. You hear things. You look over your shoulder. You pick up your pace, just in case. Now put yourself in that scenario when civilization is out of control. The fear of the unknown rules supreme!
Reduced has the feel of Stephen King's epic, The Stand, with its large cast of characters and deadly illness. It exposes us to the deep dark recesses of the outdoors and man's strengths and weaknesses in it like James Dickey's celebrated novel, Deliverance. And yet Tidwell makes this sub-genre her own by taking full advantage of her backyard setting in the city of St. Louis.
In the end, it is far from a predictable horror novel. It stands alone as a story of survival and the importance of human relationships and how they will be tested should we ever find ourselves in a society spiraling out of our control.
Robin Tidwell's first novel, Reduced, takes us in the opposite direction. Just as the title suggests, it reduces our post apocalyptic fears to what's more important but just as scary: the human condition. In the book, we meet Abby, a young woman with no lack of survival skills and knowledge of the outdoors. When a biological agent is being tested in the remote wilderness outside of St. Louis but quickly spreads out of control, Abby and her friends take shelter at an abandoned summer camp.
Government is being reshaped, abortion camps are being set up, the aging are being forced into death lines. Abby and her cohorts focus on survival, but their limits are about to be tested again and again, both inside and outside their camp.
Tidwell teases both her readers and cast of characters with bits of knowledge, that while communication is becoming impossible at the camp, the reader is also "dying" to know just what's going on. The fear of "not knowing" is what makes this such a frightening novel.
Though the conditions of the disease are horrible, Tidwell does not rely on the obvious of scenes to build intensity. Sure, there's bloodshed and death practically in every chapter, but as I said before, this book is about the human condition. Abby soon finds herself not just fending for herself, but also caring for a four year old girl while also trying to look out for her best friend.
There are long bouts of Abby exploring the surrounding woods on her own that will have you biting your nails off. If you've ever gone out "exploring" a wooded trail all on your own, you know how your mind can play tricks on you. You hear things. You look over your shoulder. You pick up your pace, just in case. Now put yourself in that scenario when civilization is out of control. The fear of the unknown rules supreme!
Reduced has the feel of Stephen King's epic, The Stand, with its large cast of characters and deadly illness. It exposes us to the deep dark recesses of the outdoors and man's strengths and weaknesses in it like James Dickey's celebrated novel, Deliverance. And yet Tidwell makes this sub-genre her own by taking full advantage of her backyard setting in the city of St. Louis.
In the end, it is far from a predictable horror novel. It stands alone as a story of survival and the importance of human relationships and how they will be tested should we ever find ourselves in a society spiraling out of our control.
October 23, 2014
Reduced has no story arc; neither does it have plot or character development.
At the beginning of the book I thought the author was being scanty with the details and backstory to suck the reader in, but at the end of the book, I was almost as in the dark about what was going on, who the characters were, and their relationship to each other as I was when the book started.
The writing was also poor--including grammar mistakes and randomly switching from one point of view to another. The pacing was choppy. There was no sustained sense if tension.
The characters said and did things that didn't make sense, even when I suspended disbelief for the post-apocalyptic world.
Basically, this book was a hot mess. If I hadn't been reading it for a book club, I wouldn't have finished it. And only my innate sense of mercy prevents me from giving it one star.
At the beginning of the book I thought the author was being scanty with the details and backstory to suck the reader in, but at the end of the book, I was almost as in the dark about what was going on, who the characters were, and their relationship to each other as I was when the book started.
The writing was also poor--including grammar mistakes and randomly switching from one point of view to another. The pacing was choppy. There was no sustained sense if tension.
The characters said and did things that didn't make sense, even when I suspended disbelief for the post-apocalyptic world.
Basically, this book was a hot mess. If I hadn't been reading it for a book club, I wouldn't have finished it. And only my innate sense of mercy prevents me from giving it one star.
October 20, 2015
Pretty decent apocalyptic story, a popular genre these days. No zombies,just a killer virus, a shadowy pseudo government, and Orwellian manipulations of the remaining population. Abby is one of a group who have been preparing for the time they know will come, when the virus has wiped out most of the world and the new army will come for the rest. They flee the city and head, literally, for the hills. It's a life of hardship, survival and perpetual danger, long after the virus has largely spun itself out and the government, along with those they've indoctrinated, is the greater threat. The novel spans about 10 years, jumping ahead a little choppily, but well-told overall.
October 16, 2012
Reduced is a fictitious but eerily plausible account of what can happen when government becomes way to powerful. Strong bonds were forged out of necessity and common people were forced to work together or die. That was my favorite part of the book. I like seeing regular people rising to the occasion even when they feel they can't. The book started out a little slow and I would have liked to know more about each characters' background but by the end the pace had picked up considerably and the ending was unexpected.
January 23, 2016
loved the story idea but it was so poorly written I couldn't read past page 48. I don't know if her intended audience was adults or young adults but I felt like the writing was aimed at middle schoolers. The potential is there but the author needs a mentor or a group who will read her writing and be brutally honest.
August 30, 2014
Held my interest with the totally believable plot, however, I do think the book could use a little more editing. There were parts that seemed to come out of nowhere. It does leaves you hanging in order to "sequel" but no worry, books 2 & 3 are out. Really enjoyed the St. Louis locations. This book may be a prediction.....
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews