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The Forcing #2
The Descent
A young man and his young family set out on a perilous voyage across a devastated planet to uncover the origin of the events that set the world on its course to disaster ... The prescient, deeply shocking prequel to the bestselling, critically acclaimed Climate Emergency thriller, The Forcing.
Kweku Ashworth is a child of the cataclysm, born on a sailboat to parents fleeing the devastation in search for a refuge in the Southern Ocean. Growing up in a world forever changed, his only connection to the events that set the world on its course to disaster were the stories his step-father, now long-dead, recorded in his manuscript, The Forcing.
But there are huge gaps in the story that his mother, still alive but old and frail, steadfastly refuses to speak of, even thirty years later. When he discovers evidence that his mother has tried to cover up the truth, he knows that it is time to find out for himself.
Determined to learn what really happened during his mother's escape from the concentration camp to which she and Kweku's father were banished, and their subsequent journey halfway around the world, Kweku and his young family set out on a perilous voyage across a devastated planet. What they find will challenge not only their faith in humanity, but their ability to stay alive.
The Descent is the devastating, nerve-shattering prequel to the critically acclaimed thriller The Forcing, a story of survival, hope, and the power of the human spirit in a world torn apart by climate change.
Kweku Ashworth is a child of the cataclysm, born on a sailboat to parents fleeing the devastation in search for a refuge in the Southern Ocean. Growing up in a world forever changed, his only connection to the events that set the world on its course to disaster were the stories his step-father, now long-dead, recorded in his manuscript, The Forcing.
But there are huge gaps in the story that his mother, still alive but old and frail, steadfastly refuses to speak of, even thirty years later. When he discovers evidence that his mother has tried to cover up the truth, he knows that it is time to find out for himself.
Determined to learn what really happened during his mother's escape from the concentration camp to which she and Kweku's father were banished, and their subsequent journey halfway around the world, Kweku and his young family set out on a perilous voyage across a devastated planet. What they find will challenge not only their faith in humanity, but their ability to stay alive.
The Descent is the devastating, nerve-shattering prequel to the critically acclaimed thriller The Forcing, a story of survival, hope, and the power of the human spirit in a world torn apart by climate change.
402 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 29, 2024
17 people are currently reading
123 people want to read
About the author
Paul E. Hardisty
15 books73 followersPaul E Hardisty has worked all over the world as an environmental scientist and writer. His work has taken him to some of the world's most dangerous places, including Yemen, Ethiopia, and most recently Ukraine in 2022, 2024, and 2025 working on a new book about the war. The Abrupt Physics of Dying, the first novel in his Claymore Straker thriller series was shortlisted for the CWA Creasy dagger award and was one of the London Telegraph's 2015 crime books of the year. The Forcing, first book in his climate thriller series, was shortlisted for the Crime Fiction Lovers' Awards for 2023, and In Hot Water: Inside the Battle to Save the Great Barrier Reef, was shortlisted for the 2025 WA Premier's Award for non-fiction. Paul lives in Western Australia and is a keen outdoorsman and martial artist.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
February 7, 2024
This book is told from two points of view: Kweku, set in 2066, and Sparkplug’s, set in 2024.
Kweku was born after the climate change catastrophe. He now lives with his family in the Southern Pacific and begins to broadcast his late stepfather’s memoir The Forcing.
However, there is a five year gap in his stepfather’s account: when they left Belize and arrived in Australia.
Kweku’s mother doesn’t say much about the past, but she tells him that a horrible thing had happened in one of the refugee camps back in Africa. She wants for her son to go there, discover the truth, and tell the whole world.
Meanwhile, a horrific attack on Kweku’s family results in him leaving the island with his wife, Julie, and their son, Leo.
However, the world is a perilous place and you can’t trust anyone…
I loved this book. I adored The Forcing and this one was just as good, if not better, as we get to discover the event leading up to the climate change cataclysm.
I was particularly interested in Sparkplug’s account, as she worked for The Boss, one of the richest men on the planet, responsible for destroying the planet.
The consequences of climate change are told with brutal truth and honesty. I feel that the theme of the book is current and we, the people who live here right now, should do something to change the course. The power is in our hands.
Otherwise, we are going to end up just like Kweku and his family, where the reality is brutal and dangerous.
I recommend this book to anyone. You simply must read it.
Kweku was born after the climate change catastrophe. He now lives with his family in the Southern Pacific and begins to broadcast his late stepfather’s memoir The Forcing.
However, there is a five year gap in his stepfather’s account: when they left Belize and arrived in Australia.
Kweku’s mother doesn’t say much about the past, but she tells him that a horrible thing had happened in one of the refugee camps back in Africa. She wants for her son to go there, discover the truth, and tell the whole world.
Meanwhile, a horrific attack on Kweku’s family results in him leaving the island with his wife, Julie, and their son, Leo.
However, the world is a perilous place and you can’t trust anyone…
I loved this book. I adored The Forcing and this one was just as good, if not better, as we get to discover the event leading up to the climate change cataclysm.
I was particularly interested in Sparkplug’s account, as she worked for The Boss, one of the richest men on the planet, responsible for destroying the planet.
The consequences of climate change are told with brutal truth and honesty. I feel that the theme of the book is current and we, the people who live here right now, should do something to change the course. The power is in our hands.
Otherwise, we are going to end up just like Kweku and his family, where the reality is brutal and dangerous.
I recommend this book to anyone. You simply must read it.
February 9, 2024
The Descent is not only a superlative eco/apocalyptic thriller but also serves as a perfect prequel and sequel to Paul Hardisty’s The Forcing which was published last year. The Forcing was one of the most truly affecting books I have ever read,
“This is an important book, a shocking book, tinged with the feeling of a small hope at the bottom of the Pandora’s box that we have opened in relation to our planet, but with the central message heightened with all the excitement, peril and pace of an action thriller.”
and quite rightly appeared in my Top 10 of 2023 books. The Forcing was a harrowing yet grimly truthful and vivid rendition of the damage wreaked upon the planet by humankind, and as civilisation, and by consequence, society has broken down, the inheritors of the earth, the young, decide that the inaction and selfishness of the previous generations cannot go unpunished. The older members of society are shipped out to camps, with all the attendant atrocities that we are so familiar with due to events we have witnessed in the past, leaving the young to try and rebuild the seemingly irreparable damage done to the planet. Entire infrastructures of countries have collapsed due to war, droughts or floods, with an eye-watering death toll, and many millions affected by famine and food shortages. It has to be said that The Descent is a beautifully formed parenthesis, carefully mapping out the events which began in the 2020s, and following the story in the present day- the 2060s, neatly bracketing the narrative of the previous book.
The split narrative in this book works perfectly as our horror grows at the scheming machinations of the privileged few in our present day, which sends shockwaves of death and destruction across the globe. The ignorance of this frankly despicable group of despots and eye- wateringly rich businessmen, who manipulate the media, the global markets, the scientific evidence of climate change, unleashing famine, disease and war is bleak and uncompromising. There are veiled and not-so-veiled- references to familiar political figures, complicit in this treacherous unfolding of events, all for self gain, self promotion or quite simply because the power that they hold allows them to act in any way they please. People in the inner circle are used and brutally discarded, entire populations are wiped out, and the eco system begins to self destruct, as this powerful cabal, masterminded by The Boss, manipulate events.
I think what hit home the most as these dreadful events play out, is the absolutely terrifying thought that this is not such a fanciful fiction. We have already witnessing some elements of this narrative, albeit on not such an apocalyptic scale, and terrifyingly it would not be a huge leap for what is happening now in the hands of the few, to impact so catastrophically on the many. Through the prism of a young female assistant to The Boss, she, and by extension us, watch with growing horror as this cabal become seemingly unassailable in their power and ambition. Depressingly it appears that nothing can derail them, but resistance can prove a powerful force…
The flip side of the narrative is post The Forcing and post cataclysm where we witness the quest for survival, revenge and hope through the story of Kweku Ashworth and his family. I’m reluctant to reveal the events that force Kweku on his own personal odyssey both in spirit and physically, setting him and his wife and child on a sea journey to avenge a crime, and more importantly to establish where home really is. We see newly formed societies in the wake of these huge economic and environmental changes playing by different rules. We see exploitation, disease, death and subjugation as Kweku and his family traverse the oceans to different lands. This is where we really witness the sublimity of Hardisty’s writing, as he wraps us in this Homer-esque tale, full of spirituality, naturalism and the indefatigable nature of the human spirit to overcome and survive. Set against the corresponding narrative of hard headed, cut-throat ambition driven by manipulated facts and greed, the almost dreamlike quality to some elements of Kweku’s journey provides a sharp counterpoint to the other. The way that Hardisty integrates the two storylines is superb in its execution throughout, with equal weight and drive given to both narratives, seamlessly moving the reader between the two. Consequently, I found myself experiencing an abundance of emotions during the course of this book, from the depths of despair to tentative hope, and literally all points in between, such is the power of Hardisty’s writing.
There is no question in mind that with The Descent, Hardisty has matched, and in Kweku’s story in particular, exceeded all the emotional heft of The Forcing. His blunt and forthright depiction of a world in dramatic environmental freefall, leaving the global populace in the hands of a cabal of power crazed, self serving individuals is both familiar and probably in the light of the world today, terrifyingly prescient. This is not a happy-clappy, whistle blowing, environmental rally in Hyde Park on a balmy day. This is a brutal and real look at the way the world is changing in unflinching detail, tinged with a fragile sense of hope and survival, with all the excitement of a thriller. Again, this is an important book and a shocking book, but one that is totally worth the investment of reading. Highly recommended.
“This is an important book, a shocking book, tinged with the feeling of a small hope at the bottom of the Pandora’s box that we have opened in relation to our planet, but with the central message heightened with all the excitement, peril and pace of an action thriller.”
and quite rightly appeared in my Top 10 of 2023 books. The Forcing was a harrowing yet grimly truthful and vivid rendition of the damage wreaked upon the planet by humankind, and as civilisation, and by consequence, society has broken down, the inheritors of the earth, the young, decide that the inaction and selfishness of the previous generations cannot go unpunished. The older members of society are shipped out to camps, with all the attendant atrocities that we are so familiar with due to events we have witnessed in the past, leaving the young to try and rebuild the seemingly irreparable damage done to the planet. Entire infrastructures of countries have collapsed due to war, droughts or floods, with an eye-watering death toll, and many millions affected by famine and food shortages. It has to be said that The Descent is a beautifully formed parenthesis, carefully mapping out the events which began in the 2020s, and following the story in the present day- the 2060s, neatly bracketing the narrative of the previous book.
The split narrative in this book works perfectly as our horror grows at the scheming machinations of the privileged few in our present day, which sends shockwaves of death and destruction across the globe. The ignorance of this frankly despicable group of despots and eye- wateringly rich businessmen, who manipulate the media, the global markets, the scientific evidence of climate change, unleashing famine, disease and war is bleak and uncompromising. There are veiled and not-so-veiled- references to familiar political figures, complicit in this treacherous unfolding of events, all for self gain, self promotion or quite simply because the power that they hold allows them to act in any way they please. People in the inner circle are used and brutally discarded, entire populations are wiped out, and the eco system begins to self destruct, as this powerful cabal, masterminded by The Boss, manipulate events.
I think what hit home the most as these dreadful events play out, is the absolutely terrifying thought that this is not such a fanciful fiction. We have already witnessing some elements of this narrative, albeit on not such an apocalyptic scale, and terrifyingly it would not be a huge leap for what is happening now in the hands of the few, to impact so catastrophically on the many. Through the prism of a young female assistant to The Boss, she, and by extension us, watch with growing horror as this cabal become seemingly unassailable in their power and ambition. Depressingly it appears that nothing can derail them, but resistance can prove a powerful force…
The flip side of the narrative is post The Forcing and post cataclysm where we witness the quest for survival, revenge and hope through the story of Kweku Ashworth and his family. I’m reluctant to reveal the events that force Kweku on his own personal odyssey both in spirit and physically, setting him and his wife and child on a sea journey to avenge a crime, and more importantly to establish where home really is. We see newly formed societies in the wake of these huge economic and environmental changes playing by different rules. We see exploitation, disease, death and subjugation as Kweku and his family traverse the oceans to different lands. This is where we really witness the sublimity of Hardisty’s writing, as he wraps us in this Homer-esque tale, full of spirituality, naturalism and the indefatigable nature of the human spirit to overcome and survive. Set against the corresponding narrative of hard headed, cut-throat ambition driven by manipulated facts and greed, the almost dreamlike quality to some elements of Kweku’s journey provides a sharp counterpoint to the other. The way that Hardisty integrates the two storylines is superb in its execution throughout, with equal weight and drive given to both narratives, seamlessly moving the reader between the two. Consequently, I found myself experiencing an abundance of emotions during the course of this book, from the depths of despair to tentative hope, and literally all points in between, such is the power of Hardisty’s writing.
There is no question in mind that with The Descent, Hardisty has matched, and in Kweku’s story in particular, exceeded all the emotional heft of The Forcing. His blunt and forthright depiction of a world in dramatic environmental freefall, leaving the global populace in the hands of a cabal of power crazed, self serving individuals is both familiar and probably in the light of the world today, terrifyingly prescient. This is not a happy-clappy, whistle blowing, environmental rally in Hyde Park on a balmy day. This is a brutal and real look at the way the world is changing in unflinching detail, tinged with a fragile sense of hope and survival, with all the excitement of a thriller. Again, this is an important book and a shocking book, but one that is totally worth the investment of reading. Highly recommended.
January 25, 2024
Review to follow
March 23, 2026
This is an excellent read. Hardisty does a superb job of carrying you into an unbelievable but becoming alarming believable future.
February 5, 2024
I knew that when I started this book it was going to be an eye opening read, I just didn't realise quite how much. Although this is clearly a work of fiction, it has its roots in reality and should perhaps be read as a warning as much as entertainment. There is no doubting Paul Hardisty's credentials when it comes to the subject of climate change and its impact upon our planet, and with The Descent, his has taken this very stark and important subject as a basis for his story, and shown us a snapshot vision of what we could be facing if we do not change our ways. And yes, you can argue that this is just fiction, but there are some very clear parallels between what happens in these pages and real life, too many for this to be a comfortable read, and yet it is compelling and thrilling, and the kind of book I just couldn't take my eyes off once I started.
The Descent acts as both prequel and sequel to the author's brilliant dystopian climate change thriller, The Forcing, which was one of my top reads of 2023. Throughout the book we are shown what is happening in the new world, post climate catastrophe if you like, and the shocking, but all too believable, events that led to the final decline of the global climate. In the present day, we follow Kweku Ashworth, step-son of Teacher, our key protagonist of The Forcing. Kweku sets sail from what is left of Australia with wife and son, in search of what is left of his family, and a better understanding of what happened in his parent's life. The journey leads hims to navigate the globe in the old boat, Providence, that had once carried his parents to safety and is now taking him and his family into all manner of unknown dangers. Interspersed amongst Kweku's story we hear diary excerpts from someone who calls herself 'Sparkplug', someone who bore witness to the very vents which saw an escalation in the climate crisis and the breakdown of civilisation as we know it.
This book makes for quite the dramatic and often chilling read. In fact, it's hard to find the words that describe the way the book made me feel whilst reading. It would be easy to just dismiss this whole thing as fiction, something we can just brush off and walk away from. If only it were that simple. Knowing that there as snippets of climate fact in amongst the dramatic fiction makes it quite easy to sit there and think 'what if?' What if what the author has recorded in these pages isn't as far from reality as we would like? There are certain characters who bear and uncanny resemblance to people in the public eye, situations which act almost as a mirror to society. In fact, as I read the book and witnessed the antagonists determined effort to undermine the impact of climate change via social media, I was also witnessing a long debate on Twitface where people were decrying claims from the Met Office that 2023 was the warmest year on record. 'Yes' they said, 'but it always has got warmer.' 'It's all rubbish' claimed another. 'Look at all the rain we're having.' Talk about life imitating art. Although, it's not really a surprise as this discourse, this disagreement over what change we can really make to climate has raged on for years.
Two of the key aspects of this book that really grabbed my attention were the impact of big business upon the speed of climate change, and the way in which society sought to reestablish itself post crisis. When it comes to big business, the author posits the theory that, far from denying climate change, they understand it better than most and seek to use the future devastation to further their profits at the expense of the poorer, more expendable, of society. Sadly, this felt far too believable for comfort, and whilst, for the most part, the orchestrator of this conspiracy remains largely, anonymous, known only as 'Boss' with a blink and you'll miss it reference to their identity, it is not hard for those who have read the previous book to understand where this is leading, long before the explicit reveal. As for the new societies that are left in the wake of the devastation, some things never change. Whilst in some cases there is a clear tip in gender balance, the fact is that the rich continue to get richer, and power and violence remain, for some, the currency of choice. Even when given the chance of a completely new start, there are those who seek to dominate and to quell any idea of individual thought.
The author really creates a sense of unease and tension from the very beginning. Whilst there are moments of conflict, scenes in which our protagonists are faced with great danger, this books is not about that. It is a by product of all that is happening around Kweku and his family. Even in the seemingly most measured and organised of societies, there is that sense of disquiet, a rot beneath the surface which kept me on edge. Beyond Kweku and his family, and their neighbours in their old settlement in Australia, it was hard to completely trust the people they met along their journey. When it came to Sparkplug, whilst I believed her testimony, her confession if you like, she was a character I was willing to go on the journey with, but not one I felt any empathetic connection with. Yes, Sparkplug was exploited, but there was no denying her complicity in what came to pass making it hard to feel any real sympathy for her position, despite knowing the potential consequences of defying her Boss. Then again, perhaps she is, in a way, representative of a part of all of us who are willing to turn the other cheek, and ignore the consequences of our actions, just to take that short haul flight for a quick getaway. To use that single use plastic carrier bag for its convenience. Her actions, or lack thereof, may have greater immediate consequences, but the end result, if not checked, could be the same.
Perhaps the most shocking reality of all, is that all of this takes place within the next forty or so years. This dystopian future begins in the here and now, which makes this perhaps one of the most terrifying stories of all. Given the direct parallels between the book and real life it is hard to separate fact from fiction at times, and if that is not enough to give readers pause for thought, nothing will be. Sadly, I fear that the people who read this book are perhaps already on board with the idea of climate change, but perhaps there is still time and opportunity for us to do more. The future that is described in this book is not yet written in stone, but without holding ourselves, Governments and big business to account, it could yet become, in part, a horrifying reality. A sobering thought.
Compelling, concerning and completely engrossing, with characters you will naturally root for and those you will despise, this is a book that demands your attention and your action. It is a must read book
The Descent acts as both prequel and sequel to the author's brilliant dystopian climate change thriller, The Forcing, which was one of my top reads of 2023. Throughout the book we are shown what is happening in the new world, post climate catastrophe if you like, and the shocking, but all too believable, events that led to the final decline of the global climate. In the present day, we follow Kweku Ashworth, step-son of Teacher, our key protagonist of The Forcing. Kweku sets sail from what is left of Australia with wife and son, in search of what is left of his family, and a better understanding of what happened in his parent's life. The journey leads hims to navigate the globe in the old boat, Providence, that had once carried his parents to safety and is now taking him and his family into all manner of unknown dangers. Interspersed amongst Kweku's story we hear diary excerpts from someone who calls herself 'Sparkplug', someone who bore witness to the very vents which saw an escalation in the climate crisis and the breakdown of civilisation as we know it.
This book makes for quite the dramatic and often chilling read. In fact, it's hard to find the words that describe the way the book made me feel whilst reading. It would be easy to just dismiss this whole thing as fiction, something we can just brush off and walk away from. If only it were that simple. Knowing that there as snippets of climate fact in amongst the dramatic fiction makes it quite easy to sit there and think 'what if?' What if what the author has recorded in these pages isn't as far from reality as we would like? There are certain characters who bear and uncanny resemblance to people in the public eye, situations which act almost as a mirror to society. In fact, as I read the book and witnessed the antagonists determined effort to undermine the impact of climate change via social media, I was also witnessing a long debate on Twitface where people were decrying claims from the Met Office that 2023 was the warmest year on record. 'Yes' they said, 'but it always has got warmer.' 'It's all rubbish' claimed another. 'Look at all the rain we're having.' Talk about life imitating art. Although, it's not really a surprise as this discourse, this disagreement over what change we can really make to climate has raged on for years.
Two of the key aspects of this book that really grabbed my attention were the impact of big business upon the speed of climate change, and the way in which society sought to reestablish itself post crisis. When it comes to big business, the author posits the theory that, far from denying climate change, they understand it better than most and seek to use the future devastation to further their profits at the expense of the poorer, more expendable, of society. Sadly, this felt far too believable for comfort, and whilst, for the most part, the orchestrator of this conspiracy remains largely, anonymous, known only as 'Boss' with a blink and you'll miss it reference to their identity, it is not hard for those who have read the previous book to understand where this is leading, long before the explicit reveal. As for the new societies that are left in the wake of the devastation, some things never change. Whilst in some cases there is a clear tip in gender balance, the fact is that the rich continue to get richer, and power and violence remain, for some, the currency of choice. Even when given the chance of a completely new start, there are those who seek to dominate and to quell any idea of individual thought.
The author really creates a sense of unease and tension from the very beginning. Whilst there are moments of conflict, scenes in which our protagonists are faced with great danger, this books is not about that. It is a by product of all that is happening around Kweku and his family. Even in the seemingly most measured and organised of societies, there is that sense of disquiet, a rot beneath the surface which kept me on edge. Beyond Kweku and his family, and their neighbours in their old settlement in Australia, it was hard to completely trust the people they met along their journey. When it came to Sparkplug, whilst I believed her testimony, her confession if you like, she was a character I was willing to go on the journey with, but not one I felt any empathetic connection with. Yes, Sparkplug was exploited, but there was no denying her complicity in what came to pass making it hard to feel any real sympathy for her position, despite knowing the potential consequences of defying her Boss. Then again, perhaps she is, in a way, representative of a part of all of us who are willing to turn the other cheek, and ignore the consequences of our actions, just to take that short haul flight for a quick getaway. To use that single use plastic carrier bag for its convenience. Her actions, or lack thereof, may have greater immediate consequences, but the end result, if not checked, could be the same.
Perhaps the most shocking reality of all, is that all of this takes place within the next forty or so years. This dystopian future begins in the here and now, which makes this perhaps one of the most terrifying stories of all. Given the direct parallels between the book and real life it is hard to separate fact from fiction at times, and if that is not enough to give readers pause for thought, nothing will be. Sadly, I fear that the people who read this book are perhaps already on board with the idea of climate change, but perhaps there is still time and opportunity for us to do more. The future that is described in this book is not yet written in stone, but without holding ourselves, Governments and big business to account, it could yet become, in part, a horrifying reality. A sobering thought.
Compelling, concerning and completely engrossing, with characters you will naturally root for and those you will despise, this is a book that demands your attention and your action. It is a must read book
January 27, 2026
Thank you, @oreandabooks and @paul, for having me on this series read-along. With these books being science fiction and dystopian-focused, they are far from my normal go-to genre, and I'm surprised by how much I'm enjoying them. Although they do have quite a thrilling aspect that soon becomes nail-biting reads.
The Descent follows the story of a young man and his young family who set out on a perilous voyage across a devastated planet to uncover the origin of the events that set the world on its course to disaster... The prescient, deeply shocking prequel to the bestselling, critically acclaimed Climate Emergency thriller, The Forcing.
Kweku Ashworth is a child of the cataclysm, born on a sailboat to parents fleeing the devastation in search of refuge in the Southern Ocean. Growing up in a world forever changed, his only connection to the events that set the world on its course to disaster were the stories his stepfather, now long-dead, recorded in his manuscript, The Forcing.
This book is narrated between Kweku, set in 2066, and Spartplug in 2024. Both accounts worked together seamlessly; they were both unique and interesting. As the story unfolds, both become key storytellers of a deeply harrowing truth, delivering shockwaves of death and destruction.
I found Spartplug's account riveting, as she was working for one of the richest men on the planet, "The Boss," who was also responsible for destroying the world as we know it.
This reality was brutal and, unfortunately, rings so true in the current climate we live in. The Forcing was a very worrying read, and this book just cemented those fears further. Consequences of climate change are disturbing, and these books seem to outline the reality deeper than anything I've experienced.
Hardisty may have a fanciful prediction of the world, but at its core, it's a brutal reality that feels surreal but yet real. This series so far has demonstrated intense research, and its deliverance proves that. It's very dynamic and blunt with honesty.
I feel like these books are quite shocking experiences but ones that reverberate with the reader; therefore, they come with really important lessons.
The Descent follows the story of a young man and his young family who set out on a perilous voyage across a devastated planet to uncover the origin of the events that set the world on its course to disaster... The prescient, deeply shocking prequel to the bestselling, critically acclaimed Climate Emergency thriller, The Forcing.
Kweku Ashworth is a child of the cataclysm, born on a sailboat to parents fleeing the devastation in search of refuge in the Southern Ocean. Growing up in a world forever changed, his only connection to the events that set the world on its course to disaster were the stories his stepfather, now long-dead, recorded in his manuscript, The Forcing.
This book is narrated between Kweku, set in 2066, and Spartplug in 2024. Both accounts worked together seamlessly; they were both unique and interesting. As the story unfolds, both become key storytellers of a deeply harrowing truth, delivering shockwaves of death and destruction.
I found Spartplug's account riveting, as she was working for one of the richest men on the planet, "The Boss," who was also responsible for destroying the world as we know it.
This reality was brutal and, unfortunately, rings so true in the current climate we live in. The Forcing was a very worrying read, and this book just cemented those fears further. Consequences of climate change are disturbing, and these books seem to outline the reality deeper than anything I've experienced.
Hardisty may have a fanciful prediction of the world, but at its core, it's a brutal reality that feels surreal but yet real. This series so far has demonstrated intense research, and its deliverance proves that. It's very dynamic and blunt with honesty.
I feel like these books are quite shocking experiences but ones that reverberate with the reader; therefore, they come with really important lessons.
February 22, 2024
‘The Descent’ is both a prequel and sequel to Paul E. Hardisty’s thought-provoking ‘The Forcing’ and is just as hard-hitting. Before I even picked up this book I knew I was going to be in for a read which was unsettling, scaringly possible and realistic. Paul’s background in climate change means he has the credentials to make this piece of fiction sing with the truth we are unable to face. Most of us, whilst claiming to be green and wanting to help the planet, shove our heads in the sand and carry on life as normal. But ‘The Descent’ forces us as readers to confront the consequences of our actions and how our future may pan out!
This was a compelling and thrilling read and once I started I literally could not put this down. It gets under your skin and even though I finished it a few days ago it still has its hooks inside me. It's a stark and unflinching read which unsettles you in a way I can't really describe. I think because, unlike many other dystopian futures, this one starts playing out in 2021, this ‘future’ is already here and there is no stopping it! ‘The Descent’ is set over two timelines - the first being the ‘past’ and is a series of diary entries written by ‘Sparkplug’ chronically how big business concentrates the power of our world into just a few pairs of hand and how dangerous that can be! Then we have the present where we follow Kweku Ashworth, step-son of Teacher the protagonist from ‘The Forcing’. Kweku and his family set sail from their home in Australia to find out more about their family and the events in his parent's life. They navigate the globe facing many dangers in a very unstable world and come to many shocking conclusions about past events.
Two things struck me as I read this book. Firstly, that big business and the rich will always look out for number one. Secondly, there is always hope. There were so many recognisable figures in the ‘big business’ section - billionaires who used people as their playthings, obsessed with material wealth and pandering to ego projects like a space programme! Giving huge amounts of political donations to get a puppet ‘President’, not caring about how their actions affect the population of this world. But even this section had hope in the characters who were trying to fight back. Then the present, whilst filled with horrific danger also had an overarching sense of the planet starting to heal and that those left were wanting to change and start over. The local connections and communities were where this would grow if the right people were in charge.
This book is a testament to the standard of Paul’s writing as it is a book which weighs upon your soul, you take these characters to heart and you secretly pray that this is not going to be your future. The clever part is all the education which is wrapped up in this thriller as you don't realise how much you are absorbing of the science and the reality of the world’s position. Like I know now I need to move to Tasmania! It is the message of the book that you as a reader are going to remember and I think that is Paul’s aim. Write a banging thriller and scare the reader to death with the reality of climate change. Well, it is job done. Mission achieved.
Normally, I say let me know if you pick this one up. Not this time. I'm telling you, you NEED to read this book!
This was a compelling and thrilling read and once I started I literally could not put this down. It gets under your skin and even though I finished it a few days ago it still has its hooks inside me. It's a stark and unflinching read which unsettles you in a way I can't really describe. I think because, unlike many other dystopian futures, this one starts playing out in 2021, this ‘future’ is already here and there is no stopping it! ‘The Descent’ is set over two timelines - the first being the ‘past’ and is a series of diary entries written by ‘Sparkplug’ chronically how big business concentrates the power of our world into just a few pairs of hand and how dangerous that can be! Then we have the present where we follow Kweku Ashworth, step-son of Teacher the protagonist from ‘The Forcing’. Kweku and his family set sail from their home in Australia to find out more about their family and the events in his parent's life. They navigate the globe facing many dangers in a very unstable world and come to many shocking conclusions about past events.
Two things struck me as I read this book. Firstly, that big business and the rich will always look out for number one. Secondly, there is always hope. There were so many recognisable figures in the ‘big business’ section - billionaires who used people as their playthings, obsessed with material wealth and pandering to ego projects like a space programme! Giving huge amounts of political donations to get a puppet ‘President’, not caring about how their actions affect the population of this world. But even this section had hope in the characters who were trying to fight back. Then the present, whilst filled with horrific danger also had an overarching sense of the planet starting to heal and that those left were wanting to change and start over. The local connections and communities were where this would grow if the right people were in charge.
This book is a testament to the standard of Paul’s writing as it is a book which weighs upon your soul, you take these characters to heart and you secretly pray that this is not going to be your future. The clever part is all the education which is wrapped up in this thriller as you don't realise how much you are absorbing of the science and the reality of the world’s position. Like I know now I need to move to Tasmania! It is the message of the book that you as a reader are going to remember and I think that is Paul’s aim. Write a banging thriller and scare the reader to death with the reality of climate change. Well, it is job done. Mission achieved.
Normally, I say let me know if you pick this one up. Not this time. I'm telling you, you NEED to read this book!
February 27, 2024
The Descent is another powerful novel from Paul E Hardisty which needs to be on everyone’s TBR pile. Following on from the events recorded in the first book, The Forcing, we meet Kweku Ashworth whose stepfather recorded the events in the previous book. Now, Kweku is attempting to fill in the gaps in his stepfather’s work, by going on a dangerous mission across the world, and this isn’t the same world we are used to, but one that has been ravaged by climate change. There are only a handful of places left on Earth that remain habitable, and these areas have also gone through vast, radicle changes.
Paul E Hardisty’s description in this book, as it was in the last one is exceptional. He paints a vivid and a terrifying portrayal of what our world could become if we don’t take action now on climate change, and it has never been more important to make the changes to save our future. Our descendants will judge us for the decisions we make now.
What Paul shows us here in this book are the despicable and horrific actions the rich and powerful take to boost their profits. This is shown in scenes dating back to the 2020s when climate change statistics are being rubbished by those people, who are at the top of their game, and who could actually do something to help, but instead focus on themselves. You can quite clearly see how they do not care for human life and the planet as a whole. It was sickening reading these scenes and it would not surprise me in the slightest if something similar is actually happening in the world today. It makes me so angry when I think of these people described in Paul’s book, especially the man in charge known simply as ‘The Boss.’
The present day events in the book take place in the 2060s. These scenes are so vivid and so haunting. You can really see how society has broken down. Paul E Hardisty writes about a version of society that doesn’t seem too far from reality and this is what makes his books so scary. This version of what the world has become is the result of what takes place in the 2020s; it did seem to me, as I was reading, that this is a message to the reader saying that we need to take action now in this decade to prevent the worst effects of climate change.
Kweku’s journey throughout this book kept me hooked as the reader. I read The Descent really fast and finished it in just one day. I can’t recommend this book and the first book in this series highly enough.
Paul E Hardisty’s description in this book, as it was in the last one is exceptional. He paints a vivid and a terrifying portrayal of what our world could become if we don’t take action now on climate change, and it has never been more important to make the changes to save our future. Our descendants will judge us for the decisions we make now.
What Paul shows us here in this book are the despicable and horrific actions the rich and powerful take to boost their profits. This is shown in scenes dating back to the 2020s when climate change statistics are being rubbished by those people, who are at the top of their game, and who could actually do something to help, but instead focus on themselves. You can quite clearly see how they do not care for human life and the planet as a whole. It was sickening reading these scenes and it would not surprise me in the slightest if something similar is actually happening in the world today. It makes me so angry when I think of these people described in Paul’s book, especially the man in charge known simply as ‘The Boss.’
The present day events in the book take place in the 2060s. These scenes are so vivid and so haunting. You can really see how society has broken down. Paul E Hardisty writes about a version of society that doesn’t seem too far from reality and this is what makes his books so scary. This version of what the world has become is the result of what takes place in the 2020s; it did seem to me, as I was reading, that this is a message to the reader saying that we need to take action now in this decade to prevent the worst effects of climate change.
Kweku’s journey throughout this book kept me hooked as the reader. I read The Descent really fast and finished it in just one day. I can’t recommend this book and the first book in this series highly enough.
February 1, 2024
If I thought The Forcing was hard to review in January 3023, then this one is nigh impossible, but I’ll give it my best shot.
The Descent alternates between two timelines – the first one being now ie 2024 which we see from the point of view of a young assistant (we don’t know her name) to the ‘Boss’ (we don’t know his name either initially). If you’ve read The Forcing you might have an inkling. She is around 20 years old and is one of his favourites. She earns a fortune for someone of her age, but what she has to do for the money is not exactly part of the official job description. This part is the ‘prequel’ to The Forcing.
We then jump to the ‘sequel’ ie the 2060s, after The Forcing, and it’s here that we meet Kweku Ashworth, his wife Julie, their young son Leo and the rest of their family. A tragedy means that they have to travel all over the world, first seeking Kweku’s relatives in Africa, to try to find answers to the gaps in his mother’s story. Then they must search for a missing child, but they have no idea where she might be.
The whole world has been devastated by climate change, an African war, nuclear bombings and mass inoculation resulting in sterility and death. This all occurred in the late 2020s, when a group of very rich men including the Boss decided to ignore the climate crisis and make money out of others’ misfortunes. These facts are revealed gradually as Kweku, Julie and Leo travel to Africa, Madagascar, Panama, Grenada and finally to Bora Bora, amongst other places.
When I read The Forcing, I said I thought that ‘villain’ Derek Argent reminded me of Trump but in The Descent we have a president called Bragg and he really is a Trump-alike – bragger by name and by nature. In fact though, he is more a puppet of the rich, who know that keeping him in power will work to their benefit. And his of course.
While I understand that we are not doing enough to prevent a climate catastrophe, I hope that there aren’t people around like the Boss and his mates, ready to let the earth burn while they get richer. However, “The Forcing was certainly a very bleak read, seemingly devoid of hope”, but by the end of The Descent, I could see a glimmer of a future amongst the death and devastation. I hope we never let it get to that point.
Many thanks to @annecater for inviting me to be part of #RandomThingsTours
The Descent alternates between two timelines – the first one being now ie 2024 which we see from the point of view of a young assistant (we don’t know her name) to the ‘Boss’ (we don’t know his name either initially). If you’ve read The Forcing you might have an inkling. She is around 20 years old and is one of his favourites. She earns a fortune for someone of her age, but what she has to do for the money is not exactly part of the official job description. This part is the ‘prequel’ to The Forcing.
We then jump to the ‘sequel’ ie the 2060s, after The Forcing, and it’s here that we meet Kweku Ashworth, his wife Julie, their young son Leo and the rest of their family. A tragedy means that they have to travel all over the world, first seeking Kweku’s relatives in Africa, to try to find answers to the gaps in his mother’s story. Then they must search for a missing child, but they have no idea where she might be.
The whole world has been devastated by climate change, an African war, nuclear bombings and mass inoculation resulting in sterility and death. This all occurred in the late 2020s, when a group of very rich men including the Boss decided to ignore the climate crisis and make money out of others’ misfortunes. These facts are revealed gradually as Kweku, Julie and Leo travel to Africa, Madagascar, Panama, Grenada and finally to Bora Bora, amongst other places.
When I read The Forcing, I said I thought that ‘villain’ Derek Argent reminded me of Trump but in The Descent we have a president called Bragg and he really is a Trump-alike – bragger by name and by nature. In fact though, he is more a puppet of the rich, who know that keeping him in power will work to their benefit. And his of course.
While I understand that we are not doing enough to prevent a climate catastrophe, I hope that there aren’t people around like the Boss and his mates, ready to let the earth burn while they get richer. However, “The Forcing was certainly a very bleak read, seemingly devoid of hope”, but by the end of The Descent, I could see a glimmer of a future amongst the death and devastation. I hope we never let it get to that point.
Many thanks to @annecater for inviting me to be part of #RandomThingsTours
February 1, 2026
Book two in The Forcing Trilogy, and another heart wrenching read. This is a multi point of view read, following Kweku in 2066 and Sparkplug set in 2024. Kweku and his family live in the South Pacific, his parents whose story we followed in The Forcing bringing him up in what they thought was relative safety. But a decision made by Kweku and his brother to broadcast the horrors their parents faced leads to devastating events.
Forced to leave their home this book follows Kweku and his family on a journey of revenge, fact finding and heroism. At the same time the events that led to the climate disaster are broadcast for the survivors to hear, shedding light on the few who destroyed humanity for the masses.
This book was at times a difficulty read as the horrors that people have faced/ are still facing are uncovered. This is heightened by Sparkplugs story as you can relate to how this could quite easily happen given the impact the world is having on the climate today. Whilst this is a story of fiction, this trilogy is a must read and should be added to your list now!
Forced to leave their home this book follows Kweku and his family on a journey of revenge, fact finding and heroism. At the same time the events that led to the climate disaster are broadcast for the survivors to hear, shedding light on the few who destroyed humanity for the masses.
This book was at times a difficulty read as the horrors that people have faced/ are still facing are uncovered. This is heightened by Sparkplugs story as you can relate to how this could quite easily happen given the impact the world is having on the climate today. Whilst this is a story of fiction, this trilogy is a must read and should be added to your list now!
November 11, 2024
I have been putting off writing the review for this book as I just don’t know how to do it justice. Paul Hardisty has given readers another thought provoking book and the perfect follow up to The Forcing. Although billed as a prequel it has a timeline that covers both before and after the time the first book was set and takes the reader on a journey from the present to forty years in the future and it is a journey that is both scary and realistic and had me hoping that we have been treated to an exceptional imagination and not a prediction of what is to come.
Kweku Ashworth is determined to understand more about his family and what happened before they set down roots in what is left of Australia. His father died before he was born, and his stepfather left a set of diaries that detailed some of their life but there are bits that are missing. He has been broadcasting some of the stories in the hope that someone out there is listening, and he does eventually contact a woman known only as sparkplug. She tells some of her story and it is through her that we learn about the events that led to the devastation that Kweku and his family are now experiencing but she has a warning for him, keep broadcasting his story but be careful as there are those that don’t want the story told. Kweku is driven by a need to find the truth and it takes him on quite a perilous journey, one that puts him and his family in danger as they encounter other survivors who have made the best of what they have and have forged unconventional ways of living.
I was drawn to Sparkplugs story as it explained so much of how events in The Forcing came to happen and also gave the greatest pause for thought on what is happening right now and where the story became less fiction and more a possibility and that is what is worrying. The Descent was not a quick read for me as I had to concentrate to fully appreciate the story that was being told, but it was worth it and I know that this book just like The Forcing will stay with me for quite some time. Only time will tell if Paul Hardisty has predicted a future that no one would want to live through, but I really do hope not.
Kweku Ashworth is determined to understand more about his family and what happened before they set down roots in what is left of Australia. His father died before he was born, and his stepfather left a set of diaries that detailed some of their life but there are bits that are missing. He has been broadcasting some of the stories in the hope that someone out there is listening, and he does eventually contact a woman known only as sparkplug. She tells some of her story and it is through her that we learn about the events that led to the devastation that Kweku and his family are now experiencing but she has a warning for him, keep broadcasting his story but be careful as there are those that don’t want the story told. Kweku is driven by a need to find the truth and it takes him on quite a perilous journey, one that puts him and his family in danger as they encounter other survivors who have made the best of what they have and have forged unconventional ways of living.
I was drawn to Sparkplugs story as it explained so much of how events in The Forcing came to happen and also gave the greatest pause for thought on what is happening right now and where the story became less fiction and more a possibility and that is what is worrying. The Descent was not a quick read for me as I had to concentrate to fully appreciate the story that was being told, but it was worth it and I know that this book just like The Forcing will stay with me for quite some time. Only time will tell if Paul Hardisty has predicted a future that no one would want to live through, but I really do hope not.
February 25, 2024
The Descent is both a sequel AND prequel to The Forcing, as it plays with two timelines. One that explores what led up to the climate crisis that changed the world forever, and one that takes the story further into the future and the new post-apocalyptic world.
I'd highly recommend reading The Forcing first, as there are a lot of references to characters and relationships from the previous book. Saying that, although I read a lot of books, my memory for minor details is pretty rubbish (one of the reasons I write book reviews is to remember what I've read before!) and I found I had to play catchup here, but I still got a lot out of the story.
Word of warning to fans of The Forcing - I enjoyed that book partly because it ended on quite a hopeful note. This book comes down on some of that hope in the very early chapters (so not a spoiler), prompting our main character Kweku and his young family to sail across the ocean looking for community and answers in this changed world.
Kweku's step-father left behind his log of what happened in the old world (ie what we read about in The Forcing), but there were some significant gaps, and it's those answers he's looking for now. But not everyone is welcoming in the new world and they'll have to be careful and clever to survive.
At the same time, a new voice is telling their story over the radio. A woman, who we only know as Sparkplug, worked for 'The Boss' - a billionaire with influence across America, its president, and beyond. He knew about the upcoming climate crisis and then tried to use it to his advantage. With no power of her own, all Sparkplug could do was keep a diary - and tell it now.
It took me a little while longer to get into her story as she was a new character to me, but the sheer audacity of it all grabbed me in the end.
It's a shocking story simply because you can see it's all too plausible. Are we doing enough about the climate? No. Do we still have time to change the outcome? Who knows... A depressing thought. A very interesting read.
I'd highly recommend reading The Forcing first, as there are a lot of references to characters and relationships from the previous book. Saying that, although I read a lot of books, my memory for minor details is pretty rubbish (one of the reasons I write book reviews is to remember what I've read before!) and I found I had to play catchup here, but I still got a lot out of the story.
Word of warning to fans of The Forcing - I enjoyed that book partly because it ended on quite a hopeful note. This book comes down on some of that hope in the very early chapters (so not a spoiler), prompting our main character Kweku and his young family to sail across the ocean looking for community and answers in this changed world.
Kweku's step-father left behind his log of what happened in the old world (ie what we read about in The Forcing), but there were some significant gaps, and it's those answers he's looking for now. But not everyone is welcoming in the new world and they'll have to be careful and clever to survive.
At the same time, a new voice is telling their story over the radio. A woman, who we only know as Sparkplug, worked for 'The Boss' - a billionaire with influence across America, its president, and beyond. He knew about the upcoming climate crisis and then tried to use it to his advantage. With no power of her own, all Sparkplug could do was keep a diary - and tell it now.
It took me a little while longer to get into her story as she was a new character to me, but the sheer audacity of it all grabbed me in the end.
It's a shocking story simply because you can see it's all too plausible. Are we doing enough about the climate? No. Do we still have time to change the outcome? Who knows... A depressing thought. A very interesting read.
February 11, 2024
OMG what a book. This is both the prequel and the sequel to The Forcing and I definitely recommend reading both books; they are a harrowing look at how things could look on our planet if we carry on neglecting it. I didn’t think it could get any better than the previous book, but it did. I loved both timelines equally and well done to the publisher for putting them in different font (on the ecopy not sure about the book) it made it really easy to follow. In the prequel the story is told by Sparkplug, secretary to The Boss, the person who masterminded the Forcing. The sequel is told by Kweku Ashworth, born during the cataclysm, for whom shocking events have now forced him and his family to leave their home.
Briefly, as Kweku and his family are sailing the world in search of family Kweku continues to listen to a transmission by Sparkplug as she regales anyone listening to the truth about what happened in the 2020’s to the 2060’s that led to the shocking state the world is in. Kweku and his family meet numerous perils in their travels and uncover some terrible secrets about his family. I can’t say more for fear of spoilers.
This is a very emotional read, both timelines, but the personal nature of Kweku’s story made it particularly difficult to read. The mental strength he, and his wife and child, show throughout is incredible as they circumvent the most terrifying, unimaginable dangers. However, the earlier story is so chilling with just enough reality in the characters and events to make you seriously consider what a group of despotic people could do in the name of progress but really self gain, with no thought of anyone or anything but themselves. A story of overcoming adversity against the most overwhelming odds this is a fast paced and exciting book that kept me reading into the early hours. Brutal and brilliant.
Briefly, as Kweku and his family are sailing the world in search of family Kweku continues to listen to a transmission by Sparkplug as she regales anyone listening to the truth about what happened in the 2020’s to the 2060’s that led to the shocking state the world is in. Kweku and his family meet numerous perils in their travels and uncover some terrible secrets about his family. I can’t say more for fear of spoilers.
This is a very emotional read, both timelines, but the personal nature of Kweku’s story made it particularly difficult to read. The mental strength he, and his wife and child, show throughout is incredible as they circumvent the most terrifying, unimaginable dangers. However, the earlier story is so chilling with just enough reality in the characters and events to make you seriously consider what a group of despotic people could do in the name of progress but really self gain, with no thought of anyone or anything but themselves. A story of overcoming adversity against the most overwhelming odds this is a fast paced and exciting book that kept me reading into the early hours. Brutal and brilliant.
January 23, 2026
Again an incredible imagining of what might happen in the near future if we do not react to the climate crisis. The second book in this trilogy is imagining in further depth what might happen and is focused on the political aspects and the power of a few rich individuals. I really liked the portrayal of some of the characters here, multi-layered, thought provoking and scarily close to reality (or what could be our reality). Again a riveting book that really got me thinking, it’s again dual timeline and POV and really cleverly interwoven.
There see to be some minor inconsistencies that were slightly confusing but didn’t take away from the enjoyment of the story.
“And in all of this we have determined that the world remains a very beautiful place, and that despite our failings and hauntings, there is an infinite capacity for love in each of us, and so there must also be hope for us all, here on this immense, vanishingly small, fragile, and oh so precious Earth.”
4.25 stars
There see to be some minor inconsistencies that were slightly confusing but didn’t take away from the enjoyment of the story.
“And in all of this we have determined that the world remains a very beautiful place, and that despite our failings and hauntings, there is an infinite capacity for love in each of us, and so there must also be hope for us all, here on this immense, vanishingly small, fragile, and oh so precious Earth.”
4.25 stars
January 24, 2026
You get a mix again with the chapters, a diary of the past and what has brought this mess on.
Then the story of ‘now’ as the family carry on and try to have a life in the after.
There are so many things linked and making sense, not always good sense but the story is pulling together even more.
There’s an overall sense of good from this family once they decide on what they want, not without horrible things but a togetherness
The topic obviously is a hard one. Climate emergency and it is written so well. Lots of the characters can be seen in the world today and the crazy going on. The author has definitely seen a lot and wanted to make sure we see it too in his fiction.
Then the story of ‘now’ as the family carry on and try to have a life in the after.
There are so many things linked and making sense, not always good sense but the story is pulling together even more.
There’s an overall sense of good from this family once they decide on what they want, not without horrible things but a togetherness
The topic obviously is a hard one. Climate emergency and it is written so well. Lots of the characters can be seen in the world today and the crazy going on. The author has definitely seen a lot and wanted to make sure we see it too in his fiction.
February 28, 2024
The Descent is a prequel/sequel to The Forcing and joins the Ashworth family descendants in The Hope on the coast of Australia. Kweku and his brother Lewis with their families. Their father, The Teacher, has passed away and his sons are carrying on his legacy, transmitting his book The Forcing to the world, to anyone who would listen.
This is how we meet the character Sparkplugs – a woman’s voice through the radio, filling the gaps of the world doom story and how it all happened in the first place. Sparkplug tells the tale of working for The Boss and being privy to all the machinations of world’s richest people, working hard to ensure they survive what is coming.
And then a tragedy occurs, someone wants them to be quiet. Kweku looses most of his family and his little niece his abducted – only bloodied playing cards with Alpha Omega symbols on them are left behind as a clue.
Kweku sets off around the world with his wife Julie and son Leo to find what really happened to the world, his family and to find his niece Becky and bring her home, if there is one left at the end.
This book is amazing – it is a real warning to us regarding our actions against the natural world and should be read by everyone. It is an amazingly woven story of the past and present and is certainly a book that will stay with me for a long time.
This is how we meet the character Sparkplugs – a woman’s voice through the radio, filling the gaps of the world doom story and how it all happened in the first place. Sparkplug tells the tale of working for The Boss and being privy to all the machinations of world’s richest people, working hard to ensure they survive what is coming.
And then a tragedy occurs, someone wants them to be quiet. Kweku looses most of his family and his little niece his abducted – only bloodied playing cards with Alpha Omega symbols on them are left behind as a clue.
Kweku sets off around the world with his wife Julie and son Leo to find what really happened to the world, his family and to find his niece Becky and bring her home, if there is one left at the end.
This book is amazing – it is a real warning to us regarding our actions against the natural world and should be read by everyone. It is an amazingly woven story of the past and present and is certainly a book that will stay with me for a long time.
February 29, 2024
I read The Forcing and it was with a gaze of horror of the things people do to one another. But it was all in the future.
This is a split narrative so we’re seeing the future and now. It shows how people are being used as commodities and discarded, even destroyed when their usefulness is outlived, or they decide that their moral compass can’t go further. Looking at the current world situation it’s a horrifyingly real read. Yet, it’s compulsive and gripping as it moves through how things escalate when left to those who are in power. I have to say that it’s a read you can’t put down but it’s so real that if you don’t want to read about the world in a book, while wondering how much of this is fact or fiction now, this may be a book you’re likely to skip.
Personally, I wanted to read it and see if we can make anything better on a human level. I came to one conclusion. Be aware of what’s happening and care.
Because some of the book is set now, it makes it more timely. There are events going on in reality that feel as though they are the truth of what’s happening now and the added pieces are not an impossible stretch for the reality of life now. If this doesn’t make sense to people then nothing will.
With thanks to Anne Cater, Orenda Books and the author for the advanced reading copy of this book.
This is a split narrative so we’re seeing the future and now. It shows how people are being used as commodities and discarded, even destroyed when their usefulness is outlived, or they decide that their moral compass can’t go further. Looking at the current world situation it’s a horrifyingly real read. Yet, it’s compulsive and gripping as it moves through how things escalate when left to those who are in power. I have to say that it’s a read you can’t put down but it’s so real that if you don’t want to read about the world in a book, while wondering how much of this is fact or fiction now, this may be a book you’re likely to skip.
Personally, I wanted to read it and see if we can make anything better on a human level. I came to one conclusion. Be aware of what’s happening and care.
Because some of the book is set now, it makes it more timely. There are events going on in reality that feel as though they are the truth of what’s happening now and the added pieces are not an impossible stretch for the reality of life now. If this doesn’t make sense to people then nothing will.
With thanks to Anne Cater, Orenda Books and the author for the advanced reading copy of this book.
February 22, 2024
One of the best books I ever read was Paul's The Forcing. This was a dystopian thriller and I never thought it would be topped. But Paul has done it!
I was wondering how Paul could write a sequel but he has managed it. In fact Paul has pulled off quite the literary trick. He has written a prequel, that tells the reader the events leading up to his previous book The Forcing and the sequel of what happen's after his previous book.
In the sequel we see the world falling into ruin and the ordinary people in the street are the casualties of climate change whilst the rich are doing what they always do. Line their own pockets and feather their nests. But are they going to be ok or are they sitting on a time bomb? That is the big question.
In the sequel the survivors are travelling the world to find a safe haven and just when they think they have found one ugliness raises its head and a big rethink is needed. Instead of all the survivors banding together for the common good the old hierarchies fall into place and people jockey for positions of authority.
This was a great read and I would recommend it to anyone who loves a book that will keep them on the edge of their seat!
Paul E. Hardisty and OrendaBooks you have done it again. Thankyou.
I was wondering how Paul could write a sequel but he has managed it. In fact Paul has pulled off quite the literary trick. He has written a prequel, that tells the reader the events leading up to his previous book The Forcing and the sequel of what happen's after his previous book.
In the sequel we see the world falling into ruin and the ordinary people in the street are the casualties of climate change whilst the rich are doing what they always do. Line their own pockets and feather their nests. But are they going to be ok or are they sitting on a time bomb? That is the big question.
In the sequel the survivors are travelling the world to find a safe haven and just when they think they have found one ugliness raises its head and a big rethink is needed. Instead of all the survivors banding together for the common good the old hierarchies fall into place and people jockey for positions of authority.
This was a great read and I would recommend it to anyone who loves a book that will keep them on the edge of their seat!
Paul E. Hardisty and OrendaBooks you have done it again. Thankyou.
February 14, 2024
I found that I was soon hooked by this book, and couldn't out it down. I loved the fact that the storyline was split into two sections - the past & the present. At first it took a bit of getting my head round as the 'past' is technically still in the future for us but once I stopped thinking about that, the book just flowed.
I thought that it was so clever the way that the stories intertwined and each of our main characters stories was so intriguing. Kweku's story was just heartbreaking as he had so much suffering to overcome, but he was determined to not only find the truth but also his niece.
'Sparkplug's' story was so interesting as she was telling us how the group was formed and who it was that held the power - I loved the fact that her story was the broadcast that Kweku listened too each week, and the fact that she carried on with her broadcasts even after Kweku was no longer able to do his ones.
I found that as I was reading I felt so many different emotions throughout the storyline as it evolved. It was brilliantly written. I haven't read the first book 'The Forcing' but I feel that I need to go and read it as this one was brilliant
I thought that it was so clever the way that the stories intertwined and each of our main characters stories was so intriguing. Kweku's story was just heartbreaking as he had so much suffering to overcome, but he was determined to not only find the truth but also his niece.
'Sparkplug's' story was so interesting as she was telling us how the group was formed and who it was that held the power - I loved the fact that her story was the broadcast that Kweku listened too each week, and the fact that she carried on with her broadcasts even after Kweku was no longer able to do his ones.
I found that as I was reading I felt so many different emotions throughout the storyline as it evolved. It was brilliantly written. I haven't read the first book 'The Forcing' but I feel that I need to go and read it as this one was brilliant
June 5, 2025
A novel of two halves, split into the present and the near future telling of the descent of civilisation into chaos and destruction following the selfish and quite evil actions of the ultra rich few. In the present, a young woman records her involvement with these billionaires, as they make deals to enrich themselves and their accomplices as they destroy both humanity and the planet. In the future, the same woman broadcasts her story over the radio to surviving listeners, including an African man and his family, trying to survive in a bleak future where the ultra rich destroyers of the Earth rule the planet between them, living as evil despots. Much to like, though I found the split storylines annoying at times. Also, much to be concerned about. This is likely our future, unless a miracle occurs soon. Very good.
September 18, 2025
I massively enjoyed this, going back into the set up of The Forcing and now want to read The Forcing again as I’m sure there are threads I can now pull together. So if you haven’t read The Forcing but want to, read this first. These are 2 terrific climate fiction books right up there with The Stranding / Dog stars/ Ministry of the future/ Termination shock or Juice.
You can tell I have been on a bit of apocalyptic trend....
SPOILER (kind of comment)
The one thing that frustrated me was I got less interested in Kweku’s tale which got a bit repetitive and more fascinated by Sparkplug's given the way the author has cleverly woven in so much detail from 2000-2025 as precursors to what happened. Eerie to read as you can see the Murdoch / Trump / Musk characters I’d have liked more of that and still feel there is a little gap between the two books.
You can tell I have been on a bit of apocalyptic trend....
SPOILER (kind of comment)
The one thing that frustrated me was I got less interested in Kweku’s tale which got a bit repetitive and more fascinated by Sparkplug's given the way the author has cleverly woven in so much detail from 2000-2025 as precursors to what happened. Eerie to read as you can see the Murdoch / Trump / Musk characters I’d have liked more of that and still feel there is a little gap between the two books.
March 1, 2024
This was a compelling post-apocalyptical thriller that really made me think. It's a prequel/sequel to the author's book "The Forcing" which I have not read but I never felt lost so don't think you need to read that one first.
The book is told in a dual timeline. The present is in the 2060's and the world has suffered catastrophic damage from climate change and resulting human behaviors. The past is in the 2020s and tells how everything came about with people ignoring the climate change warnings (as they do) and how the super rich just made everything worse.
I could not put the book down and had a couple of super late nights staying up reading it. I needed to know what happened next!
The book is told in a dual timeline. The present is in the 2060's and the world has suffered catastrophic damage from climate change and resulting human behaviors. The past is in the 2020s and tells how everything came about with people ignoring the climate change warnings (as they do) and how the super rich just made everything worse.
I could not put the book down and had a couple of super late nights staying up reading it. I needed to know what happened next!
March 4, 2024
I took four days to read this book using Audible. I felt that the author succeeded to bring a life to a future that, though seemingly impossible, could yet unfold. The premise is that it only takes a few powerful men, wealthy beyond imagination, turning evil beyond the wildest thoughts, to create a dangerous future where men live out their vices.
it only needed the acquisence and silence of the majority to allow that to happen, and of course, the bravery of a small minority, shown by the main characters in the book, as well as in the book before it, to change the course of history and let us enjoy a beautiful Earth.
Read this book, I ask.
it only needed the acquisence and silence of the majority to allow that to happen, and of course, the bravery of a small minority, shown by the main characters in the book, as well as in the book before it, to change the course of history and let us enjoy a beautiful Earth.
Read this book, I ask.
November 10, 2025
The Descent into madness, greed, evil wrongdoing described as survival of the fittest. If ever there was a case for climate change, this is it. The world here is dying, hastened on its way by big business.
The story is told in two parts. One is the diary of a beautiful survivor who does everything to keep her place, serving the boss of Argent companies.
The second is the story of a family travelling on the Providence (yacht,) having numerous hair raising adventures but following in the footsteps of Teacher, and determined to survive.
Whole populations are erased by deliberately released virus; others by sheer homicide. It's pretty nasty but well thought out.
The story is told in two parts. One is the diary of a beautiful survivor who does everything to keep her place, serving the boss of Argent companies.
The second is the story of a family travelling on the Providence (yacht,) having numerous hair raising adventures but following in the footsteps of Teacher, and determined to survive.
Whole populations are erased by deliberately released virus; others by sheer homicide. It's pretty nasty but well thought out.
February 19, 2024
This novel is so deserving of 5 stars. It is a story of survival ,hope, greed and despair. Told from two narratives. Kweku in 2066 and Sparkplug in 2024.. Some of the narrative is so real you can almost believe you are there. It's totally gripping and doesn't ease up for a moment. A complete masterpiece of writing which I would heartily recommend to anyone interested in climate change , in fact I think everyone should read this one and The Forcing. It will certainly stay with me for a long long time.
April 7, 2024
This book isn’t subtle - it’s a post apocalyptic thriller with a clear message about current events, and what we could become. That said, it works on more than one level - yes, it’s a slightly overdone polemic on the damages of rapacious capitalism, however it’s also a really gripping thriller. It’s in some ways a prequel to his earlier novel The Forcing - however the split time narrative means you get current ‘current’ and historic timelines. I very much enjoyed it.
December 2, 2025
This is an amazing read & at the same time, it is very scary... It is so up-to-date & the reader can recognise that all this is already coming to fruition!
Lots of information but written in an easy style to keep you reading
Lots of information but written in an easy style to keep you reading
May 27, 2024
Bordering on a 5 star; compelling, horrifying and just a touch too believable.
February 7, 2024
Two years after the death of his step-father, Teach, Kweku Ashworth rereads the manuscript he left behind, telling what he knew of The Forcing that brought the planet to its knees through an unstoppable climate emergency. Kweku knows the importance of these stories in recording the events that led his family to travel half-way across the world to their refuge in Australia, and feels it is time for this knowledge to be spread to other survivors on this devastated planet.
Kweku begins broadcasting Teach's words on a short-wave radio, hoping that someone out there will hear them. Unexpectedly, he receives a response from a woman calling herself Sparkplug with her own shocking revelations about how The Forcing was managed, and her complicity in the planet's descent into chaos. She also feels it is time for her story, The Descent, to be told.
As Kweku begins to put together more pieces of the puzzle about how ruthless corporations and corrupt politicians turned their back on the truth to line their pockets, he realises that there are gaps in Teach's stories that need to be filled - gaps that his mother is reluctant to explain. But before he can understand why his parents kept secrets from him, tragedy comes to his family's haven in the Southern Ocean. It is time for Kweku and his own young family to go on a dangerous quest for the truth, and what they discover will not only reveal the full impact of the past, but also the reality of the world they are now living in.
Following on from Paul E. Hardisty's incredible climate emergency thriller, The Forcing, which should absolutely be required reading for all, The Descent revisits the same timely themes in a way which is brilliantly both prequel and sequel to the first book. You do have to have read The Forcing before reading The Descent - you can thank me later for the way it will open your eyes to what is going on right now around the world.
The story unfurls in two cracking storylines - one in the near future following Kweku and his family's fight to survive, and the other through Sparkplug's revelations about the horrific events that led to the collapse of society. Kweku's part in the novel builds beautifully on Hardisty's writing in the earlier book to give you a disturbing wider view of the way people are scratching together an existence in a world that has changed for ever, and plays out in a series of edge-of-your seat scenarios that make for a thrilling dystopian nightmare all of their own. But the real magic comes from the way Sparkplug's narration gradually completes the tale of how The Forcing was not only managed, but how its instigators planned to ride out the storm while engineering the destruction of the society that raised them as gods. Both storylines feed into each other with masterful storytelling, with deliciously contrived links between the two in terms of characters and history, until they collide in explosive style.
Both threads of this tale are full of unsettling acts and intent. Kweku's side of the novel carries with it the biggest emotional punch, exploring poignant themes of family, love, and humanity. However, as a huge fan of the prescient nature of the first book, for me, it is Sparkplug's side of the novel that is the most chilling, and the one which carries with the most significance in guiding us through the difficult times ahead. I do not think it is any mistake on Hardisty's part that Sparkplug's narration begins with a climate emergency conference in 2024, where attempts to educate are cynically subverted by greed. Hardisty almost offers a blueprint of how repudiation can lead to the most horrific of futures, with sharp insight into the insidious tactics that can be employed to distract from the truth. Some of the most upsetting scenes in this story are those which describe the sordid veracity of obscene consumerism while the planet burns, and those where callous acts lead to slaughter in pursuit of a fast buck - which feel all too real.
While this has a difference in tone to the first book, with two threads that are equally pacy, it is every bit as terrifying and awareness-raising. There are lessons to be learned here: ways to act that still offer us hope. Another must-read book from Paul E. Hardisty!
Kweku begins broadcasting Teach's words on a short-wave radio, hoping that someone out there will hear them. Unexpectedly, he receives a response from a woman calling herself Sparkplug with her own shocking revelations about how The Forcing was managed, and her complicity in the planet's descent into chaos. She also feels it is time for her story, The Descent, to be told.
As Kweku begins to put together more pieces of the puzzle about how ruthless corporations and corrupt politicians turned their back on the truth to line their pockets, he realises that there are gaps in Teach's stories that need to be filled - gaps that his mother is reluctant to explain. But before he can understand why his parents kept secrets from him, tragedy comes to his family's haven in the Southern Ocean. It is time for Kweku and his own young family to go on a dangerous quest for the truth, and what they discover will not only reveal the full impact of the past, but also the reality of the world they are now living in.
Following on from Paul E. Hardisty's incredible climate emergency thriller, The Forcing, which should absolutely be required reading for all, The Descent revisits the same timely themes in a way which is brilliantly both prequel and sequel to the first book. You do have to have read The Forcing before reading The Descent - you can thank me later for the way it will open your eyes to what is going on right now around the world.
The story unfurls in two cracking storylines - one in the near future following Kweku and his family's fight to survive, and the other through Sparkplug's revelations about the horrific events that led to the collapse of society. Kweku's part in the novel builds beautifully on Hardisty's writing in the earlier book to give you a disturbing wider view of the way people are scratching together an existence in a world that has changed for ever, and plays out in a series of edge-of-your seat scenarios that make for a thrilling dystopian nightmare all of their own. But the real magic comes from the way Sparkplug's narration gradually completes the tale of how The Forcing was not only managed, but how its instigators planned to ride out the storm while engineering the destruction of the society that raised them as gods. Both storylines feed into each other with masterful storytelling, with deliciously contrived links between the two in terms of characters and history, until they collide in explosive style.
Both threads of this tale are full of unsettling acts and intent. Kweku's side of the novel carries with it the biggest emotional punch, exploring poignant themes of family, love, and humanity. However, as a huge fan of the prescient nature of the first book, for me, it is Sparkplug's side of the novel that is the most chilling, and the one which carries with the most significance in guiding us through the difficult times ahead. I do not think it is any mistake on Hardisty's part that Sparkplug's narration begins with a climate emergency conference in 2024, where attempts to educate are cynically subverted by greed. Hardisty almost offers a blueprint of how repudiation can lead to the most horrific of futures, with sharp insight into the insidious tactics that can be employed to distract from the truth. Some of the most upsetting scenes in this story are those which describe the sordid veracity of obscene consumerism while the planet burns, and those where callous acts lead to slaughter in pursuit of a fast buck - which feel all too real.
While this has a difference in tone to the first book, with two threads that are equally pacy, it is every bit as terrifying and awareness-raising. There are lessons to be learned here: ways to act that still offer us hope. Another must-read book from Paul E. Hardisty!
February 26, 2024
I read and reviewed Paul E Hardisty's The Forcing in February of last year. The Descent is both a prequel and a sequel to The Forcing. The author shows us what happened in the years between 2024 and 2039 that set the scene for the drastic measures demanded by those who governed in the following years. He also takes us forward in time where we meet the descendants of those who made a journey in The Forcing. It is incredibly well structured, and once again, just as I did when I read The Forcing, I felt emotions that ranged from pure anger, to extreme terror.
Paul E Hardisty is a well respected environmental scientist, his research is source material for many papers prepared for Governments around the world. I heard him speak at the Newcastle Noir crime fiction festival last year, and there is no doubt at all that his fictional characters and events are based on real science and the truth. I guess it's fairly hard for him to get the general public to read long, fairly dry scientific reports, so writing novels about the same subject makes sense. It helps too that his writing is magnificent. It is often lyrical, almost poetic, yet is filled with tension and suspense at the same time.
The Descent has two main threads, both told in the first person. We get to know Kweku Ashworth, the child of the narrator of The Forcing. Kweku has grown up learning about the events that changed the world from his step-father's manuscript. However Kweku has always been intrigued and worried about the gaps in this story and when he discovers a regular recording, narrated by someone who knows so much about the historical events, he is determined to find out more.
The second narrator is know as Sparkplug, and she's the voice of the recordings that Kweku listens to. Her story is frightening and alarming, and there are people who would do anything to ensure that her voice is silenced. Sparkplug's story is terrifying, and for me, it was the part of the novel that most resonated. Readers will recognise some of the people spoken about in her revelations; the leader of Russia, the guy who will be the US president, the extremely wealthy and powerful, they are all there and they all walk amongst us.
Kweku and his small family set off on a long voyage on the boat that his parents arrived in, and also the boat that he was born on. Their journey is full of danger, they will come across those people who can help, those who pretend they can help and those who are determined to stop them. As they cross the oceans, they land in places that were once thriving, vibrant countries but are now almost deserted, barren and most of the remaining inhabitants are hungry, poverty stricken and hopeless.
The two narratives appear to be separate yet it soon becomes clear that the events that Sparkplug describe and the actions of the richest and most powerful have shaped the world that Kweku now lives in.
This is a powerful, thought provoking and chilling story that should be a warning to us all. Whilst it is fiction, we have to realise that it really could be reality. Speculative yes, but very very probable too. Hardisty writes with an authority and conviction that cannot be denied. The Descent is utterly brilliant, even if it sends shivers down the spine.
Paul E Hardisty is a well respected environmental scientist, his research is source material for many papers prepared for Governments around the world. I heard him speak at the Newcastle Noir crime fiction festival last year, and there is no doubt at all that his fictional characters and events are based on real science and the truth. I guess it's fairly hard for him to get the general public to read long, fairly dry scientific reports, so writing novels about the same subject makes sense. It helps too that his writing is magnificent. It is often lyrical, almost poetic, yet is filled with tension and suspense at the same time.
The Descent has two main threads, both told in the first person. We get to know Kweku Ashworth, the child of the narrator of The Forcing. Kweku has grown up learning about the events that changed the world from his step-father's manuscript. However Kweku has always been intrigued and worried about the gaps in this story and when he discovers a regular recording, narrated by someone who knows so much about the historical events, he is determined to find out more.
The second narrator is know as Sparkplug, and she's the voice of the recordings that Kweku listens to. Her story is frightening and alarming, and there are people who would do anything to ensure that her voice is silenced. Sparkplug's story is terrifying, and for me, it was the part of the novel that most resonated. Readers will recognise some of the people spoken about in her revelations; the leader of Russia, the guy who will be the US president, the extremely wealthy and powerful, they are all there and they all walk amongst us.
Kweku and his small family set off on a long voyage on the boat that his parents arrived in, and also the boat that he was born on. Their journey is full of danger, they will come across those people who can help, those who pretend they can help and those who are determined to stop them. As they cross the oceans, they land in places that were once thriving, vibrant countries but are now almost deserted, barren and most of the remaining inhabitants are hungry, poverty stricken and hopeless.
The two narratives appear to be separate yet it soon becomes clear that the events that Sparkplug describe and the actions of the richest and most powerful have shaped the world that Kweku now lives in.
This is a powerful, thought provoking and chilling story that should be a warning to us all. Whilst it is fiction, we have to realise that it really could be reality. Speculative yes, but very very probable too. Hardisty writes with an authority and conviction that cannot be denied. The Descent is utterly brilliant, even if it sends shivers down the spine.
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