WACOOH

by Harrison V. Perry

For two centuries, Quinton al-Zoubi, the Immortal Man, has been keeping the irradiated town of New Havilah alive, supplying the New Havilians with mushrooms, chocolate, tobacco, and, unbeknownst to them, the life-giving elixir Liphoric Zed.

This life-weary rhythm is broken by the arrival of the mysterious Black Rot, a mould that has ravaged not only Quinton’s mushrooms and chocolate but also his Flower—the source of Liphoric Zed.

Can he stop it or will New Havilah perish like all the rest of humanity?

301 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 1, 2023

About the author

Harrison is a writer, programmer, gonzo philosopher, and part-time skateboarder, who lives with his partner, Lianne, and their two kitties Ed and Rex, in the sunny South East of England. You can find more of his stories and writings at https://warpedandtorn.io and also follow his ravings on twitter @harrison_perry

Reviews

[Noura Navali · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alright! I gotta sit down and enjoy this.
Honestly, I expected this book to not satisfy me but it did more than deliver. I loved every part of it. It reminded me of The Little Prince with the flower, the pot, and all, and I love The Little Prince.
In the beginning, I was rooting for the Immortal man. In the end, I still rooted for him. As for Katherine, sometimes, I wanted to shoot her and other times, I wanted to slap her. I know how propaganda influences us, but she's a smart woman; she should have known better. But in the end, I just sat there and watched her drink the sap. I was like 'That's my girl! I raised you well'.
Overall, I think this novel should get more readers and another book.
The only time this novel went beyond my expectations was when the flower stayed alive. I thought it would die, but Katherine saved it.
I find it sad that Al-Zoubi doesn't have the gift. He can't hear the flower he protected for centuries. He had to use the help of another one to have his answers. It's also sad when his life revolved around one person and in the end, it was all a lie. The way he believed strongly in it, I started believing too but it turned out, as I expected in the beginning, his mother was dead and she just gave him a mean of survival.
Well, there are a lot of things I want to discuss this novel but I'll leave it for my poor mind to tackle.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Finley Clements · Rating 5 out of 5]

Borderlands meets a snow fallen Fallout. Perry takes on the impossible task to create a world destroyed by nuclear disaster. Although the bombs destroyed most of the world, Perry offers the perseverance of life and culture in the new world(even if this new world includes a few tentacles!). Perry's vibrant descriptions present a bleak, optimistic, dark and humours story which all would enjoy!

[Robin Ginther-Venneri · Rating 5 out of 5]

"WACOOH" by Harrison V. Perry is a captivating tale centered on Quinton al-Zoubi, the Immortal Man, who sustains New Havilah with life-giving elixirs. The unexpected threat of the Black Rot challenges his two-century mission, creating an engaging narrative that defies expectations. The book's unexpected twists, akin to "The Little Prince," build a complex connection with characters like Katherine. Despite initial reservations, the story surpasses expectations, leaving a lasting impact, particularly with the survival of the Flower and the poignant revelations about Al-Zoubi's past. Perry's storytelling prowess and character depth make "WACOOH" a recommended read, prompting a desire for more from this captivating world.

Thanks for the review copy of this book. My opinions in this review are voluntary, and receiving the book doesn't affect my thoughts on this entertaining story.

[Sarah Karasek · Rating 5 out of 5]

I need a sequel! Almost gave this four instead of five stars because the ending is such a cliff-hanger. But you know what? I wouldn't be worried about a cliff-hanger if the world wasn't so damn immersive and the characters so gripping.

This is a delightful sci-fi romp back-lit by post-apocalypse, political schemes, and a gritty under- (and upper-) world. Dune comes to mind as a comparison, but this is a much easier read and has a unique charm to it with characters such as Billick, a mutant residing in New Havilah, who dreams of being a pirate despite his successful career as (essentially) a botanist and the lack of ships to pirate from.

Highly recommend! I'll be keeping an eye out for more by Perry.