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Empire's Corps #7
Reality Check
None of them wanted to leave Earth. It might have been nightmarish, but it was all they knew.
Gary wanted to concentrate on his exams, in hopes of leaving the CityBlock and its bullies far behind. Kailee wanted to become an actress. Darrin merely wanted to live. But when the three teenagers win a competition, they find themselves taking the trip of a lifetime, a voyage to a colony world where they can see how the colonists live.
Meridian is very different from the dark and dismal cityblocks, a place where they can make a new beginning. But it also houses dangers, dangers that their education on Earth didn't even begin to prepare them to face, dangers governed by the cold equations of survival.
And when disaster strikes, they find themselves forced to fight for their lives – or die, alone and unloved, thousands of light years from home.
Gary wanted to concentrate on his exams, in hopes of leaving the CityBlock and its bullies far behind. Kailee wanted to become an actress. Darrin merely wanted to live. But when the three teenagers win a competition, they find themselves taking the trip of a lifetime, a voyage to a colony world where they can see how the colonists live.
Meridian is very different from the dark and dismal cityblocks, a place where they can make a new beginning. But it also houses dangers, dangers that their education on Earth didn't even begin to prepare them to face, dangers governed by the cold equations of survival.
And when disaster strikes, they find themselves forced to fight for their lives – or die, alone and unloved, thousands of light years from home.
482 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 23, 2013
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221 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
December 20, 2014
A significant departure from its predecessors, quiet good.
October 11, 2014
Again I have to say that, when reading a book from Mr. Nuttall, it never comes down to whether I will like it or not but rather to how much I will like it. This book is a good one. Sure, there are a few of his books that I have liked more but there are a few that I have liked less as well. The book is one of those “out of line” books in this series in the sense that it takes place in the same universe and with the same apocalyptic backdrop but has little, nothing really, to do with the Marines on Avalon and the Commonwealth.
I liked the story concept very much. Totally ignorant as well as downright stupid city brats from Earth gets thrown into the real world outside of their decadent and dysfunctional home planet. Some of them are not only ignorant and stupid but downright criminal. Needless to say it becomes a shocking experience, lethally so for some of them.
As with all the books in this series the core of the story is the unsustainable government of Earth where people can roam around, do more or less what they want and still be feed by the government. The school system are of course equally dysfunctional and do not even aspire to teach the student anything but blatantly false government propaganda. Many readers would argue that this future is fiction and exaggerated and sure, it is both fictional and excaggerated…to an extent. However I cannot help to be worried when I do see how many people already seem to take it for granted that the government should support them no matter how lazy they are or how stupidly they behave. As far as the school system goes, well there I am pretty scared I have to say. The school system in my country of birth is already next to useless and more concerned about being politically correct than to actually produce people with some skills. I remember one instance a few years ago where the teachers actually forced students to give back private birthday invitations because they argued that, in true socialist spirit, handing them out on school property was not allowed unless everyone in the class got them. What the f…? Anyway I digress, back to the book.
The story is a nice mix of cultural shock and adventure for the kids. Naturally the kids are forced to grow up rather quickly and not only learn some skills but some manners as well. Not so surprisingly it does not go so well for all of the kids and for some of them mistakes become deadly. Actually this is one small gripe that I have with the book. A lot of the kids are meeting a somewhat untimely end without any real fault of themselves. I felt it a bit overkill (pun intended) actually. I was also a bit miffed when one of my favorite characters (not one of the kids) was killed off. Well it was the authors choice so I have to live with it and it is a minor gripe anyway.
The ignorance door swings both ways and it is not only the Earth kids that are in for a chock. Their handler, also a young boy, are totally unaware at the level of ignorance, not to mention stupidity, that the Earth kids are possessing. This is also the cause of some incidents of course.
The book more or less ends after Earth has fallen and for good measure the author throws in a bit of a cliffhanger at the end in order to tie Meridian further into the future plot of the series. Well, cliffhanger and cliffhanger. The main story arc of the book does indeed come to a proper conclusion. This cliffhanger is more to kick start some future part of the main story.
As usual I am looking forward to read the next book in the series.
I liked the story concept very much. Totally ignorant as well as downright stupid city brats from Earth gets thrown into the real world outside of their decadent and dysfunctional home planet. Some of them are not only ignorant and stupid but downright criminal. Needless to say it becomes a shocking experience, lethally so for some of them.
As with all the books in this series the core of the story is the unsustainable government of Earth where people can roam around, do more or less what they want and still be feed by the government. The school system are of course equally dysfunctional and do not even aspire to teach the student anything but blatantly false government propaganda. Many readers would argue that this future is fiction and exaggerated and sure, it is both fictional and excaggerated…to an extent. However I cannot help to be worried when I do see how many people already seem to take it for granted that the government should support them no matter how lazy they are or how stupidly they behave. As far as the school system goes, well there I am pretty scared I have to say. The school system in my country of birth is already next to useless and more concerned about being politically correct than to actually produce people with some skills. I remember one instance a few years ago where the teachers actually forced students to give back private birthday invitations because they argued that, in true socialist spirit, handing them out on school property was not allowed unless everyone in the class got them. What the f…? Anyway I digress, back to the book.
The story is a nice mix of cultural shock and adventure for the kids. Naturally the kids are forced to grow up rather quickly and not only learn some skills but some manners as well. Not so surprisingly it does not go so well for all of the kids and for some of them mistakes become deadly. Actually this is one small gripe that I have with the book. A lot of the kids are meeting a somewhat untimely end without any real fault of themselves. I felt it a bit overkill (pun intended) actually. I was also a bit miffed when one of my favorite characters (not one of the kids) was killed off. Well it was the authors choice so I have to live with it and it is a minor gripe anyway.
The ignorance door swings both ways and it is not only the Earth kids that are in for a chock. Their handler, also a young boy, are totally unaware at the level of ignorance, not to mention stupidity, that the Earth kids are possessing. This is also the cause of some incidents of course.
The book more or less ends after Earth has fallen and for good measure the author throws in a bit of a cliffhanger at the end in order to tie Meridian further into the future plot of the series. Well, cliffhanger and cliffhanger. The main story arc of the book does indeed come to a proper conclusion. This cliffhanger is more to kick start some future part of the main story.
As usual I am looking forward to read the next book in the series.
April 5, 2015
Christopher Nuttall takes a detour with "Reality Check," book seven in The Empire's Corps series, which chronicles the collapse of earth's future Empire. Nuttall tells the story through three school children, who are trying their best to navigate the preposterous school system that's no longer teaching students anything more than how to survive a massive version of "Lord of the Flies." School administrators and teachers have no power. Potential litigation and potential job loss keep them from applying any discipline. As a result, the school system is run by bullies. Rapists aren't punished, and murder is often faultless. Complain and a student is beaten by the authorities. Nuttall uses the scenario to describe how useless testing for the sake of testing is meaningless and how pursuing bureaucratic fixes to schooling actually water down content and make it progressively useless to society. His earth has been crammed with 80 billion people who live in superblocks of a million people. There are no opportunities, and many have never left their blocks. They have no aspirations because they're taught nothing can be achieved. Gary is the nerd. He's beaten up constantly and lives in absolute fear. Kailee wants to be an actress and has so far kept herself from rape. Darrin is a typical kid who follows along with the bullies because it's safer that way. All three of them strangely win a trip off planet to the colony of Meridian. And they immediately begin to learn that what they've been taught isn't merely lies, but it's useless in the real world. Nuttall makes their experiences resonate. Nothing is easy, and their challenges are just beginning. Will they be able to handle it?
May 29, 2015
This book is a bit different than others in the series to date. The story focuses on three teenagers: Gary who wants to finish his examination and get away from some bullies, Kailee wants to be an actress and Darrin just wants to live. The three of them enter a competition and win a trip to Meridian, a colony world. The goal of the trip is to learn about the colonist.
Nuttall provides us with a view of the collapsing Empire’s school system or should I say dysfunctional school system. The three teenagers are ignorant in basic learning but also in common sense. Then disaster strikes, the plane taking them to see the farms crashes and they are forced to fight for their survival. The author provides us with lots of suspense and action along with an inside view of teenagers. I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. Jeffrey Kafer narrates the story.
Nuttall provides us with a view of the collapsing Empire’s school system or should I say dysfunctional school system. The three teenagers are ignorant in basic learning but also in common sense. Then disaster strikes, the plane taking them to see the farms crashes and they are forced to fight for their survival. The author provides us with lots of suspense and action along with an inside view of teenagers. I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. Jeffrey Kafer narrates the story.
June 28, 2018
The rape scene with Kailee was very upsetting. I really didn't like that this asshole villain gets exactly what he wants and getting beaten to death shortly afterward doesn't wash away the bad taste. It felt very unnecessary.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 11, 2017
Is it just me or does every chapter mention rape?! This book was such an uphill battle to complete. Pitty because the premise has so much potential.
June 24, 2018
Another look at the lives of others outside main plot. 3 earth born students win a trip to a colony and see how crappy their lives really are.
Now if you have read this far in the series you know and accept some of the dark themes of the book, its dark but not Grim. The empire has a culture of corruption, institutionalized incompetence, violence and rape. It works for this series since the goal of those in power is to numb and condition the population.
Examples of this is how sure students are sure they would be caught if they commit a certain crime, but its pointed out how easy one student hacked into computers; earth is supposed to be civilized even though girls walks in groups to guard from rape and males are lucky to live past 30.
We see inside the school system, teachers can be sued for anything so they are useless. Reading and writing is not needed cause technology reads and writes for them. One MC wants to be an actress not realizing that in a population 80 billion she wont make it, not when connected people who also want to be famous and can read/write are available. Gary the smart student does not even know what he wants to do with his smarts. Last student is on and off bully and quickly submits when someone stronger appears.
Earth is hell.
Negatives are that the colony is made to look almost like paradise for much of the book when we are told that they are under the boot of the empire and ethnic hatreds. This changes at the backend of the book, when we run into a bandit camp.
Good addition to the series for those wondering how school system that has been talked about in the series works.
Another plus is that the quotes every chapter seems less preachy and more relevant.
Now if you have read this far in the series you know and accept some of the dark themes of the book, its dark but not Grim. The empire has a culture of corruption, institutionalized incompetence, violence and rape. It works for this series since the goal of those in power is to numb and condition the population.
Examples of this is how sure students are sure they would be caught if they commit a certain crime, but its pointed out how easy one student hacked into computers; earth is supposed to be civilized even though girls walks in groups to guard from rape and males are lucky to live past 30.
We see inside the school system, teachers can be sued for anything so they are useless. Reading and writing is not needed cause technology reads and writes for them. One MC wants to be an actress not realizing that in a population 80 billion she wont make it, not when connected people who also want to be famous and can read/write are available. Gary the smart student does not even know what he wants to do with his smarts. Last student is on and off bully and quickly submits when someone stronger appears.
Earth is hell.
Negatives are that the colony is made to look almost like paradise for much of the book when we are told that they are under the boot of the empire and ethnic hatreds. This changes at the backend of the book, when we run into a bandit camp.
Good addition to the series for those wondering how school system that has been talked about in the series works.
Another plus is that the quotes every chapter seems less preachy and more relevant.
April 5, 2019
Lecture paper on a poor societal/education system.
This book read more like a lecture on a political/education system and its effects on students/society than a novel. I skimmed through over half of the book. Guess, I'll see if this series gets any better. But, I imagine I could have totally skipped this book without issue. If you are reading this series - I suggest you skip this book and move onto #8. I don't see how this could be relevant to the rest of the series. Send like it was just a side project the author wanted to write so he placed it here just to do something with it.
This book read more like a lecture on a political/education system and its effects on students/society than a novel. I skimmed through over half of the book. Guess, I'll see if this series gets any better. But, I imagine I could have totally skipped this book without issue. If you are reading this series - I suggest you skip this book and move onto #8. I don't see how this could be relevant to the rest of the series. Send like it was just a side project the author wanted to write so he placed it here just to do something with it.
January 3, 2024
The core of this book is a very good case study of the effects of the fall of civilization from the point of view of common citizens. The adventure involved is well-written, if a bit grimdark. The characters are believable and even though they're not inherently very sympathetic, they're written well enough that they engage the emotions of the reader.
By itself, that would result in a 4-star book.
But the combination of a heavy-handed and one-sided political overlay and an epilogue that spoils much of the impact of the base story (while acting as a cliff-hanger for the next volume in the series) drops this by one star.
By itself, that would result in a 4-star book.
But the combination of a heavy-handed and one-sided political overlay and an epilogue that spoils much of the impact of the base story (while acting as a cliff-hanger for the next volume in the series) drops this by one star.
May 4, 2019
3.5 stars. A good story and a quick read. But as seems to be the norm with this author the story seems to be merely a vehicle for his own apparently right of centre political beliefs. But if you ignore the obvious political agenda contained in the author's conclusion the story is entertaining. And given that I have now read 7 of his books I have to say that the universe crafted by Mr Nuttall is engaging.
December 5, 2022
And now for something completely different
A small aside from the story, yet nicely merged. The potential for growth in a stifling society. All things are possible for the human spirit
A small aside from the story, yet nicely merged. The potential for growth in a stifling society. All things are possible for the human spirit
October 5, 2017
So far this has been my least favorite of the sideline books. I had a really hard time feeling empathy for a bunch of whiny brats that leave Earth just before disaster.
September 12, 2020
Great book
Been reading the main storyline but decided to read this...great book with great insights as usual....now I will have to go back and read the others too...
Been reading the main storyline but decided to read this...great book with great insights as usual....now I will have to go back and read the others too...
May 8, 2022
Save your time and money
Sold as next in series.... Really an op-ed in the education system. Put me off the rest of the series. Story was only fair to begin with.
Sold as next in series.... Really an op-ed in the education system. Put me off the rest of the series. Story was only fair to begin with.
June 26, 2024
Side story not related to main story at this point in Series. Lost star for that. Might serve as prelude to later Book.
December 19, 2024
The story was great, however, the racist political views made this a difficult read.
August 13, 2016
As one of the other readers comment, this book also reminded of Heinlein's "Stranger in a Strange Land" and the "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress." TANSTFL is the acronym for there ain't no such thing as a free lunch". This statement is illustrated in this book.
As Mr. Nuttall illustrated in this, the educational system is broken an rapidly deteriorating. I have taught at the university level and supervised numerous college graduates in entry level positions in the sciences. They have no practical knowledge and need considerable training even for entry level jobs. After I retired from the private sector.
I taught in a community college for 9 years as a part-time and full-time instructor.A significant percentage of the students did not want to buy textbooks and even many students with textbooks did not read them carefully or use them to supplement lectures. Many of them did not accept personal responsibility for learning. Others desperately wanted to succeed, but did not know how to study and learn. I thought many students how to learn how to study and most of these improved to A/B students.
As Mr. Nuttall illustrated in this, the educational system is broken an rapidly deteriorating. I have taught at the university level and supervised numerous college graduates in entry level positions in the sciences. They have no practical knowledge and need considerable training even for entry level jobs. After I retired from the private sector.
I taught in a community college for 9 years as a part-time and full-time instructor.A significant percentage of the students did not want to buy textbooks and even many students with textbooks did not read them carefully or use them to supplement lectures. Many of them did not accept personal responsibility for learning. Others desperately wanted to succeed, but did not know how to study and learn. I thought many students how to learn how to study and most of these improved to A/B students.
October 19, 2016
Insightful, thought-provoking and a page Turner. Journal's best?
I have read a lot of Chris Nuttall's work and this I found the most interesting. His character terms and prostate growing in complexity as he explores earthy demise from facilitators. Being dyslexic and a teacher I found the situation in education quite believable, with the system becoming so broken that it existed to serve the politics rather than the students. Thankfully recent years there has been a push to reverse this tide, but until we make the hard decisions like Finland and remove the political needs as a priority in education we will continue to move the goalposts with every new education secretary. Looking at the impact of removing the interest rate from politicos whims shows the importance of long term planning, investment, infrastructure and stability for institutions to build futures. I feel that Chris might find an analysis of the 21st century and research into Ken Robinson creative school work enlightening. He might be able to influence some change to halt this slide into dystopia. The best novel yet.
I have read a lot of Chris Nuttall's work and this I found the most interesting. His character terms and prostate growing in complexity as he explores earthy demise from facilitators. Being dyslexic and a teacher I found the situation in education quite believable, with the system becoming so broken that it existed to serve the politics rather than the students. Thankfully recent years there has been a push to reverse this tide, but until we make the hard decisions like Finland and remove the political needs as a priority in education we will continue to move the goalposts with every new education secretary. Looking at the impact of removing the interest rate from politicos whims shows the importance of long term planning, investment, infrastructure and stability for institutions to build futures. I feel that Chris might find an analysis of the 21st century and research into Ken Robinson creative school work enlightening. He might be able to influence some change to halt this slide into dystopia. The best novel yet.
April 8, 2015
Another stand-alone novel that follows different characters than the group from Avalon. This one focuses in on three schoolkids on Earth (obviously before the Fall of Earth from book #3), trying to survive in a setting where there are no authorities and all discipline has broken down (so being in school means living in a version of tribal warfare).
They manage to win (through no fault or effort of their own) the chance to visit a planet on the Rim, and in the midst of visiting, have to learn how to be self-reliant individuals. A really interesting story, and we end up with the same questions that the people in the story seem to -- "is it possible to rehabilitate people who've been brought up in this system? at what point are they no longer able to be reached?"
I liked this, particularly for the thought-provoking questions it raised about how you'd approach the challenge of reaching feral youth, and help them become productive members of a society.
They manage to win (through no fault or effort of their own) the chance to visit a planet on the Rim, and in the midst of visiting, have to learn how to be self-reliant individuals. A really interesting story, and we end up with the same questions that the people in the story seem to -- "is it possible to rehabilitate people who've been brought up in this system? at what point are they no longer able to be reached?"
I liked this, particularly for the thought-provoking questions it raised about how you'd approach the challenge of reaching feral youth, and help them become productive members of a society.
October 31, 2013
The pendulum swings the other way... While reading this story I kept thinking of "A Stranger in a Strange Land". No one starts a religion and in reality the 'strange land' goes to the 'stranger' (Austin) but it felt like a 21st century reboot for the classic story. I almost never give 5 stars and this isn't even really 'five stars' but it is four and a half so I rounded up.
Note: If you think Socialism is a great thing, this book will piss you off.
Note: If you think Socialism is a great thing, this book will piss you off.
January 15, 2016
Page count exaggerated
The book is fine, I guess, but I'm getting tired of being sold a book advertised as 450+ pages, only to discover that the book itself ends in the mid 80% range followed by a large wad of author's personal opinions and often by an extensive sample of another book. Give an accurate size!
The book is fine, I guess, but I'm getting tired of being sold a book advertised as 450+ pages, only to discover that the book itself ends in the mid 80% range followed by a large wad of author's personal opinions and often by an extensive sample of another book. Give an accurate size!
December 17, 2014
This was an ok story, nothing too challenging. Oddly enough this was set well before the others in the series so from this point doesn't really add in to the main plot though may pick up them up again later.
started_finish_later
October 7, 2014read some of this too and the first few chapters are an over the top rendition of the current public school educational system and especially where it's headed
January 3, 2015
Nice breaks from the series that fill in some history.
July 21, 2015
In Earth's future, four children are sent to a colony planet.
April 1, 2021
Another one of the better books in this series so far. I think the author does a little better when he focuses on the smaller scale and with fewer POVs.
January 24, 2016
Another great book
July 8, 2015
excelllent, best book of series so far
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews