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Rebel: A gripping dystopian thriller

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Iris was born twenty-eight years ago during the unrest, when every birth required a life to be sacrificed. Since then, fertile women’s rights have been curtailed in further attempts to reduce the population. Deemed as a dangerous nuisance, restrictions are in place on where fertile women can work and socialise, as well as what internet access they are allowed.

Iris has been a good citizen and has followed every rule imposed upon her. But when new and even more sinister methods to reduce the population are enforced, Iris can’t accept it any more.


Tired of being complacent, Iris’s anger drives her to action, and she is not alone.

It’s time to rebel.


Readers should be aware that Rebel is more violent than the previous two books and contains references to drug use.

385 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 29, 2024

208 people are currently reading
477 people want to read

About the author

Emma Ellis

15 books48 followers

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5 stars
423 (54%)
4 stars
245 (31%)
3 stars
84 (10%)
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15 (1%)
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3 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
Profile Image for Liz Fully Booked.
527 reviews22 followers
January 20, 2024
Wow. What an amazing ending to an amazing series. From page one of book one, this series captivated me. Rebel, which is book 3 of the series wraps it all up nicely, but before that, takes you on an action packed rollercoaster ride of anxiety, anger, disgust, and emotions you might not be used to feeling. Not going to lie, I actually had a stomach ache reading parts of this, it was that intense.

I cannot recommend this book enough to any dystopian fans, or anyone really. It is so incredibly well written, the ideas so unique and well thought out, and the characters so full of life and personality. Emma Ellis definitely has a talent for writing dark, suspenseful and amazing thrillers. I cannot wait to read her other series.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 book and series for me. Read it! You won’t be sorry.

I received an advance reader copy from the author, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for Bookaholic__Reviews.
1,175 reviews155 followers
January 30, 2024
"The Society. Where everyone knows their place, and everyone can achieve!"


What a fantastic finish!! This was a series that I absolutely fell in love with, and as much as I enjoyed this final book, I am sad that the story is over. I became so invested in these individuals' lives and struggles.

This is a world I would never want to live in, but it sure was a great experience to read about. This is a series that makes you think, and it's a series that can't be easily forgotten.

By the time we make it to book three, things haven't gotten better. In fact, for those with low life scores, things have turned deadly. Luckily for them, there are a few people strong-willed enough to fight back, and they are ready to take on "The Eyes Forward." Get ready to root for the underdogs!

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Sam.
2,555 reviews41 followers
January 30, 2024
5 stars for sure! This is an absolutely intriguing story set in a scary dystopian world! Really well written, gripping thriller, high tension & twists & turns enough to take your beathe away! I do recommend this & that it should be read in order of the series, for maximum reading pleasure! I loved it all & I do strongly recommend for all that love this style of adventure! Brilliant!
Profile Image for Rachael Gathercole.
271 reviews
May 30, 2024
The final part of a 3 part series, I enjoyed it but it wasn't quite as good as the previous 2!
Profile Image for Claire.
37 reviews
February 22, 2025
The books in this series just keep getting better and better. I enjoyed book 3/3 the most - it had a fast pace, loads going on and, well, I knew these were dark but it took some very dark, gripping, unexpected twists that’s for sure!

It was really refreshing to read a book that my brain didn’t accurately guess the plot lines for! It was really hard to put down and I am very glad I read it in half-term which meant that for the most part, I didn’t have too!
Profile Image for Emily Long.
135 reviews
March 27, 2024
this was a great end to an amazing trilogy! Getting to have 3 different POVs was an awesome way to really tie the story together. As always, the author grabbed my attention and left me wanting more!
Profile Image for Sofia.
860 reviews23 followers
January 27, 2024
So this was a “crescendo” I loved each book more than what came before, and I am really glad I read all the books in order, because for this story, you really need that, you understand more about each the characters and what motivates them, my only reason for wanting more is, I really wanted to know the “real” source of the voice and if after the ending would the voice continue? I also wanted to know more about Mae and Pacha, I know I learned about almost all about Ava in the second book, but I liked her there and I wanted more of her here. So these are my egoistical reasons about wanting more.

I really enjoyed Iris, I loved how she was so protector of Georgie, without the need to having more than almost filial feeling for her, I really love to see a bond like that between people without the need to turn that sexual, and that brings in another point where this book is so natural about and I really enjoyed that in here, people in this book could be gay, lesbian, bisexual and in some cases transexual and you know what? That doesn’t define them, yes they are, but that is not all they are. And for me that was a bit of fresh air, because in my experience with other modern authors, some made the sexuality of their characters more important than what situations the characters were passing in their lives, and I don’t mean “adult action” moments, some have the need to point that out page in and page out, that is very tiresome, but not in here, so that is a big bonus for me and I really recommend this series, for me, this dystopian world is scary, very unfair, and every day painful, I really love that we are inside this world by the eyes of different women (being the most relevant in this book Iris) I still wish to have had more of the other women that I got to know in the previous books, but the author could always bring that to life in novellas, yeah the sky is limit!!

Again, I really recommend this series and this author, it was such a dive, the first two books for me felt much more slower than this one (but not in a bad way), this one started with one event/ situation that I knew nothing about and then started telling the story of how we got there, and I can only imagine if this was a movie I would love to be in a movie theatre to watch. I can only advise you, grab a copy and read the whole series for yourself, but keep in mind this is not for the faint of heart, and hard themes are mentioned and even lived by the characters.

I got a free ARC copy from the author and this is my honest opinion.
38 reviews1 follower
November 10, 2024
I didn’t love the first one but felt the need to see it all through. It didn’t get better. The different POV’s in the books was just confusing. Actual dates instead of random this many years before and after would have made it easier to follow. The ending was abrupt and ended suddenly.
In all a great concept poor execution
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Yvonne.
1,757 reviews136 followers
February 22, 2025
This is the final book in this The Eyes Forward trilogy and I have read each of the books one after the other. At the time of reading these were available on Kindle Unlimited.

Being the third book, I will state that these really should be read in order. The first two give two different aspects of life in the county of Berkshire, while the third book brings both books together uniting the past with the present and finally bringing the answers I have been looking for. When I thought the author could not get darker with her plots, I was wrong. Using the nature of greed and status the author uses her characters to show the extremes that can be attained in a dictatorial and patriarchal style of life.

After years of being told what to do, trying to increase your points to be allowed to eat, drink and access certain basics in life such as being served in a café or restaurant, being allowed in a shop or living in an area that has running water and electricity. The world is overpopulated and there have been plans in the past to help reduce the population there is another plan in this book.

Characters from the first and second books have been brought together, some more amicably than others. There is tension, fear, and suffering and there is a warning that comes with this book in the synopsis. The previous books have been dark and this one is the same but different topics are brought into this story. I have mentioned in the other books that the themes are in keeping with the storyline and again this is the same. Human nature is not nice when it comes down to the survival of the fittest, the strongest or those with the most wealth. If you don't believe me just take a look at the news!

This is a dystopian story that is dark, and serious, and has elements found in books such as 1984 and The Handmaid's Tale. It is violent and there is death throughout the psychological idea of being brainwashed is rife. It is part of the story. The author takes her descriptions far enough to get the imagery of what is happening to the reader and make them aware of the effects of living in a social system as her characters do.

If you are a fan of dark fiction, dystopian and thriller novels than this is a trilogy that might well interest you. Each book has been a fabulous if unsettling journey and one that I have been addicted to since I read the first book. It is a book and trilogy that I would definitely recommend.
Profile Image for kelly casey.
80 reviews1 follower
December 18, 2024
Amazing! More people need to hear about this series.
Cleverly written. I really enjoyed this book. It was interesting and gripping from the start.
I highly recommend this series.


The plot was twisty and the characters put together in ways you didn't see coming. It's well structured and thought out and they all tie together perfectly. The timeliness of all three books join and together and it paints a picture stretched over decades without being rushed.
The first book was slower and originally rated it 3 stars but upon finiahing the series the first book lays the groundwork for the following books.


Book 1- lays the ground work and sees the change of new laws to manage population are introduced- needing someone to sacrifice their life to allow a new child to be born. leading to a great unrest. The POV Mae - a pregnant woman and how the new laws impact her and her family.

Book 2 - focuses on life score, discrimination against women, and preserving the high scores.
flashes between 10 year before the great unrest and 10 years later the POV of ava - -after the unrest - the fight for upping her life score to save her aunt and living as an "unsafe woman" See more how the society works and the dialy challenges.
The POV of her aunt leading to the great unrest, fight between those who want to take pres x (preservative to fight aging and living longer) and those who want to have children.

Book 3- 20 years later POV of Ava, Mae and Maes daughter Iris.
Iris now 28 and one of the children born during the unrest under the new laws.
Life isn't a pretty picture for the low scorers.
Profile Image for Cristy Robinson.
73 reviews6 followers
February 13, 2024
Gripping series conclusion

What a gripping series conclusion. Fast-paced page-turner conclusion to the Eyes Forward series, I stayed up too late, read too long just to read to the end! I want to be Iris. Smart, climbs up walls, takes down regimes, and does it all with friends in tow and complete love for her fellow many woman. Ms. Ellis has crafted a great series here for those who loved Hunger Games, Divergent or Handmaidens Tale, check this series out. Ellis is an up-and-coming dystopian author to watch. Some notes - the series is written in British English, so Americans take not, the word isn’t misspelled, it’s different. The last book is darker, like Ellis warns in her description, but it’s also hopeful. Trigger warnings - drug use (she warns us on the first page, but it has a redemption purpose), sexual abuse / and an almost rape, death on page, violence greater than the prior two books in series (it’s dystopian and we need the oppressive government to go down, right?), serious long-term illness in a parent, and forced abortion / sterilization. Even with this trigger warnings, if you love dystopian series, pick this up. You won’t regret it.
13 reviews
January 13, 2025
I read the series. Book 1 and book 3 are the best. Book 2 was ok, but just not as exciting. I kind of rolled my eyes at the amount of man-hating feminism in these books, though considering the situation of women carrying the sole burden of having babies, it kind of makes sense. I liked the ending, but it seems like there are some plot holes? What happened to all the drones that constantly followed Mae and Pasha and everyone in book 1? How were there so many Eyes Forward people who went to the meeting at Zia’s, but now only 10, with no job descriptions or duties? Where was Joan hiding all those years? Another thing I couldn’t solidly figure out in all 3 books: were the counties just in the UK? What was going on in the rest of the world? Or did the counties spread all over the world? I got that some counties were parts of UK, like Cornwall vs Berkshire, but as an American I’m wondering where is everyone else? Was the rest of the world taking pres-x, or other similar drugs? So many questions….
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Dani.
13 reviews
April 21, 2024
The Eyes Forward must be rebelled against. But with life scores and reversing the aging clock so important to the society, and punishments severe for those who break the rules, who will fight back to save the lives of the low scorers?
Book three has to be my favourite of the series, and my most enjoyed book of Emma so far. It has many of thriller aspects I love. I liked how the action kept happening, and kept the pace moving quickly. The settings were included in the plot and became part of the story in a way that can be hard to find in books.
Iris is a cool character, and fights for change despite her fears for herself and her friends. Georgie is a fun secondary character, and gave some nice moments of humour, but still felt 3D with some sad moments. I liked how it tied all the main characters together for the series.
The build up to the explosive ending was steady and exciting.
I found myself procrastinating jobs to keep reading.
Profile Image for Natalie.
34 reviews
June 10, 2024
I enjoyed Rebel (book 3) a lot more than I enjoyed the second book in the eyes forward series. Book 2 jumped all over the place in timelines, which I didn’t like and struggled to follow without getting confused. This book however is like book 1 in terms of it doesn’t jump timelines as much.
I feel like Rebel completed the series nicely. I still struggle to like Iris, but that’s just me. During book 2 I thought I was going to dnf the series and not bother with book 3, but I’m glad I stuck it out, pushed through and got to enjoy book 3 and it’s conclusion.
Profile Image for Carole.
173 reviews1 follower
August 24, 2024
Wow, what a series. I didn’t want the story to end! Really great characters and lots of twists and turns. Reading these books really made me think, what if and could it happen? Scarily enough I think it’s a possibility. So many people obsessed with how they look these days, so many self centred and entitled people who think they are better than others. AIs becoming more prominent and people stuck on their phones all day without looking around them and enjoying what nature gives them. Highly recommended reading that really makes the reader think about life.
76 reviews1 follower
July 6, 2025
Smashing!

I can't remember the last time I read a series of books. I usually only chose single stories. Having read the sample of the first of this series, I was hooked. This last of the three was the best of the lot and I read it in just over 2 days. Thoroughly enjoyed the series, the originality of the plot and all it's different aspects was brilliant. Thanks Emma. At 71 years old, no I wouldn't want to extend my life. I struggle with tech already and I dread to think how I would get on in another 71 years 😂
Profile Image for Reader87.
15 reviews
April 2, 2024
Amazing series, dystopian fiction done well!

I have really enjoyed this trilogy and I'm sad I've finished them so quickly, I'm really hoping there will be more to this series as I'd love to know what happens to the 'society' with that ending.

The plot was so original and I really enjoyed the final book with characters merging from the first two books.

Emma's writing style is simply fantastic and I really felt immersed in the world!

My new favourite author!
Profile Image for Stacey Crampton.
298 reviews
January 11, 2025
A thrilling conclusion to a tremendous trilogy!

I’m sad to be finishing this trilogy, as the characters have been a breath of fresh air and the story has been spectacular. The ending was satisfying but yet I still crave more! The story is both terrifying because it could be true so easily. I don’t have enough descriptors to explain how wonderful and refreshing this series is. Well worth a read!
3 reviews
February 3, 2025
superb ending to the series

Times like these need us to recognise that leaders only govern by consent, and even their pooled sovereignty is very little in the grand scheme of things. This novel shows us this, through the eyes of flawed characters who feel like real people we know and love, filled with foibles, generational trauma and most importantly the spark that makes us all human.
Wonderful series, look forward to reading more of your work
Profile Image for Stacey.
61 reviews
January 31, 2024
Fantastic series!

This third book in the series nicely wraps up! I love how the characters are all connected! This is a solid dystopian book that I have been just glued to! I encourage you to read the series all the way through! I would then recommend you find more books by this author! You can’t go wrong!
18 reviews
February 26, 2024
Great series

I enjoyed this series of three books. I liked being taken on a political journey to the future. I did though, find myself losing my place at times due to the big range of characters. I think you need a good level of concentration to keep on track. But overall, it was a great adventure! Only thing is, I want to know what happens next!!
Profile Image for Maggie Maxfield.
Author 6 books10 followers
March 11, 2024
Truth takes longer to permeate than lies

This book was fantastic. A perfect blend of 1984, brave new world and the purge. Non stop action draws you in, but the heartfelt characters make you want to stay, and root for their cause. The way the author brings the previous two periods of society together, culminating in three generations of oppression, and revolution, makes for the year’s best Dystopian. This is a must read series, and such a satisfying conclusion!
Profile Image for Lisa Jess.
13 reviews
July 21, 2024
I have enjoyed this series and I did enjoy this book but it felt a bit rushed i don't feel like the series is done and would like to hear a bit more from this world. Without giving anything away I would say the main protagonist in this book is expendable like she didn't actually move the narrative along and it might have been better told from another pov.
Profile Image for Tatiana.
87 reviews
October 16, 2024
Thrilling end to the series. I didnt see the end coming, the twist with AI controlling everything was interesting. Pretty topical with the upsurge of AI in today's society. Enjoyable read, though at times I was annoyed by Iris' lack of perception around the people in her life. I.e always believing her parents were at fault. Overall enjoyed this series
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Tricia Toney.
969 reviews8 followers
January 5, 2025
This novel takes place some years into the future from book 2. Iris, Mae and Pasha's daughter, is a low scorer who works for the Life Score department. After taking a new designer drug named Flake, she realises how deeply corrupt their society is. With the aid of her friends, she decides that it's time to take The Society down.
Profile Image for Peggy Payne.
133 reviews3 followers
January 11, 2025
The third and, final book, of The Eyes Forward Series was just as awesome as the first two. In this finale, we mainly follow Iris and her group of friends as they seek revenge and justice against the insane rules and life score algorithm of their time.
In this final book, we get to experience their rebellion!
Fast-paced page turner!
Profile Image for Mallory.
88 reviews8 followers
June 13, 2025
A binge read to finish the series. I liked how this 40 year saga has been wrapped up. As is typical in series like this, a lot of action happened in the final 5% of the book, with 1-2 chapters of unsatisfactory wrap up. I probably wouldn’t recommend the series to anyone (the trilogy was free for me with Amazon reading), but found the concept of vanity and life preservation interesting
Profile Image for Heather Novak.
Author 11 books20 followers
August 14, 2025
Incredible. I couldn't put it down and was reading it as I walked Halls at work

Finishing this incredible trilogy has been a journey. The first book was a little slow for me until the middle and then it got really good and then the last two to zip through. Painfully relatable these days, what an incredibly gifted author. Everyone who likes their freedom should read the books.
120 reviews
February 1, 2024
Brilliant culmination of the series

Thoroughly enjoyed this series and certainly found this last book totally gripping, although a little bloodthirsty!
Highly recommend the series - insightful writing and an underlying warning of what we could become if we are not careful.
Profile Image for Danielle Hennessy.
229 reviews2 followers
February 23, 2024
Amazing end to the series. Very impressive writer and a very scary concept throughout the series. You certainly feel a connection with the characters and I kinda want to just keep reading about their lives!
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