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Eldorado
Lost and alone in the desolate wasteland that was once suburbia.In an energy-starved future, Richard Hampton's world is blown apart when his younger brother Danny disappears and the police are too busy trying to keep a lid on a hungry, overcrowded city to search for him.Richard has to make the transformation from bookish nerd to street-smart warrior to survive when he jumps the 'Food Train' for the disintegrating suburbs in a desperate search for Danny and his dog, Zonk.Branded a criminal by a community of outcasts and condemned to death, Richard is rescued by streetwise Carrie, who joins in his search. As they trek across the remnants of suburbia, facing criminal gangs, renegade militias, and the hardships of the road, their friendship evolves into something more.The trail finally unwinds at a deserted complex in the remotest corner of the sprawling suburbs. The incredible secret they uncover there will alter their lives and their world forever.Pick up Eldorado today, and escape to an unforgettable world of mystery and adventure.What Readers Say About ★★★★★ 'I was hooked right from the get go, on the edge of my seat throughout the whole thing.'★★★★★ 'a marvelous page-turner that never stops to breathe.'★★★★★ 'amazing read of an amazing futuristic journey.'★★★★★ 'an engaging and thrilling adventure.'★★★★★ 'Can't wait for a sequel. Very believable,couldn't put it down."★★★★★ 'Eldorado, Wow'
283 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 8, 2013
62 people are currently reading
653 people want to read
About the author
Jay Allan Storey
13 books112 followersJay Allan Storey has traveled the world, passing through many places in the news today, including Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, and the Swat valley in Pakistan. He has worked at an amazing variety of jobs, from cab driver to land surveyor to accordion salesman to software developer.
Jay is the author of eight novels, two novellas, a number of short stories, and several screenplays. A new novel is set to be released in 2025. His stories always skirt close to the edge of believability (but hopefully never cross over). He is attracted to characters who are able to break out of their stereotypes and transform themselves.
He loves both reading and writing, both listening to and playing music, and working with animals. He's crazy for any activity relating to the water, including swimming, surfing, wind-surfing, sailing, snorkeling, and scuba diving.
Jay is married and lives in Vancouver, BC.
Jay is the author of eight novels, two novellas, a number of short stories, and several screenplays. A new novel is set to be released in 2025. His stories always skirt close to the edge of believability (but hopefully never cross over). He is attracted to characters who are able to break out of their stereotypes and transform themselves.
He loves both reading and writing, both listening to and playing music, and working with animals. He's crazy for any activity relating to the water, including swimming, surfing, wind-surfing, sailing, snorkeling, and scuba diving.
Jay is married and lives in Vancouver, BC.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
July 26, 2013
In post Peak-Oil Vancouver, Canada, the future is not bright. The end of the Petroleum Age means the luxuries we’ve come to enjoy – automobiles, computers, and e-readers – have been left in the distant past. Suburban communities like Surrey have been largely abandoned, and Vancouver itself is becoming a human wasteland of joblessness and homelessness. This is the stage set for author Jay Allan Storey’s new dystopian novel, Eldorado.
The novel’s protagonist, Richard Hampton, is one of the few Vancouver residents with some semblance of a normal life. A college professor, he still has a house which he shares with his younger, troubled teenage brother, Danny. But when Danny disappears, the local police are unable to search for the missing youth, and Richard is forced to give up his comfort and set out to find his brother.
Richard’s journey takes him through the decaying remains of a civilization that was built on cheap oil, and destroyed itself by not heeding the warnings about dwindling oil supplies. The world Storey creates is no Mad Max look at the future, but a sobering, realistic view of what might lie ahead of us.
Those lucky enough to have homes must turn to subsistence farming to survive. Fuel and electricity are rationed by the government. There are few automobiles, and those are owned only by the wealthiest citizens. Bicycles and the occasional antiquated electric street car are the main modes of transport; even the police are restricted to patrolling on small, under-powered motorcycles called “mosquitoes” due to the high-pitch whine of their engines.
Criminal gangs and right-wing militias (who still don’t believe the Oil Age has ended) make the abandoned suburbs where Richard must search a No-Mans-Land. Beyond the setting of Vancouver, wars are being fought for whatever natural resources remain, but without oil the great armies of the United States and China have become little more than 19th century horse-drawn throw-backs.
Eldorado is an engaging and thrilling adventure, while also being a serious and thought provoking warning about the future that lies ahead.
The novel’s protagonist, Richard Hampton, is one of the few Vancouver residents with some semblance of a normal life. A college professor, he still has a house which he shares with his younger, troubled teenage brother, Danny. But when Danny disappears, the local police are unable to search for the missing youth, and Richard is forced to give up his comfort and set out to find his brother.
Richard’s journey takes him through the decaying remains of a civilization that was built on cheap oil, and destroyed itself by not heeding the warnings about dwindling oil supplies. The world Storey creates is no Mad Max look at the future, but a sobering, realistic view of what might lie ahead of us.
Those lucky enough to have homes must turn to subsistence farming to survive. Fuel and electricity are rationed by the government. There are few automobiles, and those are owned only by the wealthiest citizens. Bicycles and the occasional antiquated electric street car are the main modes of transport; even the police are restricted to patrolling on small, under-powered motorcycles called “mosquitoes” due to the high-pitch whine of their engines.
Criminal gangs and right-wing militias (who still don’t believe the Oil Age has ended) make the abandoned suburbs where Richard must search a No-Mans-Land. Beyond the setting of Vancouver, wars are being fought for whatever natural resources remain, but without oil the great armies of the United States and China have become little more than 19th century horse-drawn throw-backs.
Eldorado is an engaging and thrilling adventure, while also being a serious and thought provoking warning about the future that lies ahead.
February 12, 2015
Eldorado is an intense futuristic story where energy and food are scarce and danger lurks around every corner. For most people staying alive is an everyday struggle, but Richard Hampton lives a life which is considered luxurious. He has a job with the local college, a home with running water, electricity, and a garden which provides food. He seems to take his fortunate circumstances for granted and is oblivious to the hardships so many must endure. That is until his kid brother ends up missing. Mysterious journal entries made by Danny's lead Richard to believe that Danny is in real trouble. After the police show a lack of concern, Richard enlists the help of his uncle to bring Danny home. Lacking street smarts, Richard winds up in a mess of trouble and the journal leads to more questions than answers. Will he find Danny before it's too late?
Eldoardo is well written and action packed. The story is also thought-provoking as we view a world with gasoline so scarce and expensive that no one can afford it. Thus, leading to lack of work, vehicles, and housing. Cities that once thrived lie in ruin all because of the failure to conserve resources for the next generation. As we recently experienced gas prices nearing the $5/gallon mark, it is easy to visualize the reality of this story. The characters are also engaging and well developed. Both Danny and Richard undergo dramatic changes as they are forced to embrace reality and discover what is most important in life.
I highly recommend picking up a copy.
Eldoardo is well written and action packed. The story is also thought-provoking as we view a world with gasoline so scarce and expensive that no one can afford it. Thus, leading to lack of work, vehicles, and housing. Cities that once thrived lie in ruin all because of the failure to conserve resources for the next generation. As we recently experienced gas prices nearing the $5/gallon mark, it is easy to visualize the reality of this story. The characters are also engaging and well developed. Both Danny and Richard undergo dramatic changes as they are forced to embrace reality and discover what is most important in life.
I highly recommend picking up a copy.
October 1, 2013
Eldorado is about the what COULD happen if we don't change the course we are on. In this version of the future, resources and energy are limited and climate change has affected us in a pretty bad way. The main character, Richard, leads a fairly normal life though, until his younger brother Danny goes missing. Richard then goes on a quest to find him, and that's when the story gets really interesting. I liked the theme AND the plot of this book, and the vivid depiction of what could be if we're not careful had me enthralled. I also appreciated that there a was strong female character, in addtion to the other interesting male (and dog) characters.
This is a good book and I recommend it!
This is a good book and I recommend it!
January 7, 2015
I loved this book! Richard Hampton and his little brother Danny are alone in an uncertain world of the future. When Danny comes up missing the reader is taken on an amazing adventure, Because fuel is almost non-existent in this future, people would do about anything to get even a few drops. Danny knows something about the fuel because of his dog Zonk and that's why he is in trouble, As Richard looks for Danny he discovers Danny's secret and is doing all he can to find his brother before it is too late. This book is a great read wit an amazing writing style and great characters that the reader will feel compassion for some and hatred for others. Great job on a winning novel.
January 26, 2020
I think that I should start this review by stating that this book isn't what I normally read. I usually read contemporary novels, but I'm trying to read more books that aren't what I'd normally read. I really liked Eldorado. There were a couple of things that I didn't like, but that's the same with almost anything I read. I liked how the narrative started by focusing on Richard, but expanded to focus on a lot of other main characters. Eldorado packed a lot into its just over 300 pages, and gives the reader a lot to think about with our consumption of nonrenewable resources.
March 11, 2025
Eldorado’s main character, Richard, has a good position as a teacher at the university in Vancouver. He lives with his brother, 17, who he has looked after since his parent’s death. Richard soon realizes his brother, Danny, is in some deep trouble he refuses to share with him. When Danny turns up missing, Richard risks his life to find him. Jay Allan Storey, who brings his fast-paced scenes to life, has written a grand adventure, both imaginary and realistic, with a very serious theme.
August 20, 2018
Eldorado
Very entertaining science fiction storyline but with a believable premise. Mankind 's greed and quest for power damaging the world enough to put their own future at risk. What price must be paid to stay alive and still keep self respect and kindness. ?
Very entertaining science fiction storyline but with a believable premise. Mankind 's greed and quest for power damaging the world enough to put their own future at risk. What price must be paid to stay alive and still keep self respect and kindness. ?
September 5, 2017
Good
Well written Teocawki ( the end of civilization as we know it). Interesting and slightly different than the usual Teotwawki. Fun read. It has a dog and I like dogs and babies!
Well written Teocawki ( the end of civilization as we know it). Interesting and slightly different than the usual Teotwawki. Fun read. It has a dog and I like dogs and babies!
December 3, 2017
Good book!
Well written. I saw a few typos, but not enough to distract from the story. Plot was excellent and kept my interest, and the characters were fun. Great read.
Well written. I saw a few typos, but not enough to distract from the story. Plot was excellent and kept my interest, and the characters were fun. Great read.
January 5, 2019
Didn't finish it. Wouldn't be reviewing it except Goodreads is stalking me.
May 27, 2013
The actual story behind "Eldorado" is engrossing and entertaining. The adventure, tension, character development and dialogue are all very good. I enjoyed reading this story; however, the setting--a futuristic time where the oil is gone and folks are struggling to get by--doesn't work as well for me as if this story were in another setting. The future here doesn't seem like a future, but more of a present, and I had some issues with the concepts played out in the story.
But I did really enjoy the character interactions, the development of Richard from a book-smart professor into a street-smart warrior, the goofy dog Zonk, the affable parental figure Keller--always ready for a new adventure, the strong, hardened Carrie, and the soft, innocent Lacy. Danny, Richard's younger brother who causes all the ruckus in the first place, is well developed too--a restless youth intent on making his own way but getting way over his head in the process. The characters, including the bad guys--vicious Crack with his writhing, octopus tattoo, and delusional, violent Swallow--are all well developed over the course of the book. Storey has a gift for bringing out humanity in his characters, and this is the strength of the book.
The book follows several characters, and sometimes I got confused by the sequence of time. But the action and suspense is good, and I think the only down part of this book is that the future world is never developed--it seems exactly the same as the present world, except crumbling. A little more development of this world would have made this story more solid.
Nikki Bennett
Nik's Picks Book Reviews
www.nikki-bennett.com
But I did really enjoy the character interactions, the development of Richard from a book-smart professor into a street-smart warrior, the goofy dog Zonk, the affable parental figure Keller--always ready for a new adventure, the strong, hardened Carrie, and the soft, innocent Lacy. Danny, Richard's younger brother who causes all the ruckus in the first place, is well developed too--a restless youth intent on making his own way but getting way over his head in the process. The characters, including the bad guys--vicious Crack with his writhing, octopus tattoo, and delusional, violent Swallow--are all well developed over the course of the book. Storey has a gift for bringing out humanity in his characters, and this is the strength of the book.
The book follows several characters, and sometimes I got confused by the sequence of time. But the action and suspense is good, and I think the only down part of this book is that the future world is never developed--it seems exactly the same as the present world, except crumbling. A little more development of this world would have made this story more solid.
Nikki Bennett
Nik's Picks Book Reviews
www.nikki-bennett.com
June 15, 2013
Treasure hunt in the future
"Eldorado" takes place in the future - when fossil fuels have almost disappeared and only the government and very rich are able to get supplies of oil and gasoline. Also climate change has affected the ability to produce hydroelectric power.
Richard Hampton, a gardening teacher at East Vancouver Community College in British Columbia, is guardian to his younger brother, Danny. This post-apocalyptic tale centers on Richard trying to find Danny after he disappears, running afoul of fellow survivors, gangs, a prostitution ring, and a quasi-militia group.
I thought the main characters were well drawn, if a little naive. The story kept my interest all the way through. I loved Zonk, the dog. And the female characters were shown as strong, decisive, and flexible thinking. The romances in the book were handled a bit awkwardly but then this is post-apocalyptic fiction, not a romance novel. It would have done better to leave most of the romance out IMO.
My main negative of the book is that this future Vancouver-Surrey area is not described in very much detail. The cities and the people were rather vague. I would have liked to have read more about gardening techniques, feeding of the thousands of homeless people, etc. You know - the details.
But the book was a fun read and I enjoyed it.
"Eldorado" takes place in the future - when fossil fuels have almost disappeared and only the government and very rich are able to get supplies of oil and gasoline. Also climate change has affected the ability to produce hydroelectric power.
Richard Hampton, a gardening teacher at East Vancouver Community College in British Columbia, is guardian to his younger brother, Danny. This post-apocalyptic tale centers on Richard trying to find Danny after he disappears, running afoul of fellow survivors, gangs, a prostitution ring, and a quasi-militia group.
I thought the main characters were well drawn, if a little naive. The story kept my interest all the way through. I loved Zonk, the dog. And the female characters were shown as strong, decisive, and flexible thinking. The romances in the book were handled a bit awkwardly but then this is post-apocalyptic fiction, not a romance novel. It would have done better to leave most of the romance out IMO.
My main negative of the book is that this future Vancouver-Surrey area is not described in very much detail. The cities and the people were rather vague. I would have liked to have read more about gardening techniques, feeding of the thousands of homeless people, etc. You know - the details.
But the book was a fun read and I enjoyed it.
October 18, 2013
Eldorado, by Jay Allen Storey, is a well written dystopian novel that takes place in a future that is most likely only a few generations away, which is truly scary.Close your eyes and imagine a life in which most of the fossil fuels are gone, and the small amount that is left is priced so out of the average person's budget that it may as well not exist. Imagine how life would be. No longer will we be able to just run down to the supermarket and buy our food. Most likely we will either grow it ourselves or buy from a local farmer, if we are lucky enough to have a job. Try to think of any industry that would not be decimated. It's hard to think of one, isn't it?
The author has done a great job of creating this world on paper. His characters are well written. My favorite character, and surprisingly, the character most important to the development of the plot is Zonk, the dog.
The action is fast, and the development of relationships between characters is even faster. sometimes too fast. But the shocks and surprises that abound make this book more about the plot as a whole rather than those relationships. But the plot and the backdrop of this book are so well written that they are completely believable, which makes this a page-turner. Read it for yourself!
The author has done a great job of creating this world on paper. His characters are well written. My favorite character, and surprisingly, the character most important to the development of the plot is Zonk, the dog.
The action is fast, and the development of relationships between characters is even faster. sometimes too fast. But the shocks and surprises that abound make this book more about the plot as a whole rather than those relationships. But the plot and the backdrop of this book are so well written that they are completely believable, which makes this a page-turner. Read it for yourself!
September 30, 2013
There are things about this book I liked, and some that I didn't like. I'm a fan of dystopian stories, so the setting in the not-too-distant future works well for me. In a future where the oil has fun out, I could easily see it playing out as Mr. Storey describes. Most of the characters were set up nicely as well, from Professor Richard right down to Zonk, the dog. The city of Vancouver and it's surrounding areas is a great place to set the story. There were a few things that really didn't work for me. The dialogue at times felt kinda hokey. It wasn't a constant thing, but it was enough to make it noticeable for me. I also had a problem buying the different characters falling in love like they did. It seemed very rushed and unrealistic. I have a hard time deciding on a star rating for this one, but it's probably a 2.5 star one for me. I guess I'll round up.
September 28, 2014
This is a dystopian novel that is based on a real issue that we face today on a much smaller scale. We need oil and fuel prices to go down, and I hear people complain about it almost every day. I truly hope that it does not get as bad as this author wrote it will. It was interesting that there are different modes of transportation and it seems that the characters go backwards with technology. There are more bikes than cars, and farming is completely different then I think of it today. I have a greenhouse, and I still think that I would not be self sufficient. This was an eye opener and I think that the politicians making decisions about fuel, etc., should read this book. This is definitely an interesting story. I am giving this book a 4/5. I was given a copy to review through Book Review Buzz and the author, however all opinions are my own.
May 26, 2015
This was a really imaginative story. I enjoyed reading it- the characters are all well-developed. Jay Allan Storey has a way of describing action and scenery that is believable and easy to "see". I found a few parts to be on the edge of believable, as some other reviewers have mentioned-
- the "instant love" by a couple of characters
- the number of times some of these people got kidnapped/captured- seems they would have learned their lesson
- it starts out with the "easy life" in the city and at the college, and then later in the story it shows that they had fences/locks around houses/college buildings- this seemed like a sudden change from how the story started out
These few things barely distract from the story though, and anyone who is a fan of dystopian fiction will enjoy this
- the "instant love" by a couple of characters
- the number of times some of these people got kidnapped/captured- seems they would have learned their lesson
- it starts out with the "easy life" in the city and at the college, and then later in the story it shows that they had fences/locks around houses/college buildings- this seemed like a sudden change from how the story started out
These few things barely distract from the story though, and anyone who is a fan of dystopian fiction will enjoy this
December 30, 2014
This is a book to keep you on the edge of your seat. Just as the two main characters, Richard who is searching for his missing brother Danny, seem to have weathered the latest crisis yet another one appears. It matters because, like all the characters, they are well drawn and you desperately want them to succeed. The future world that Jay portrays is bleak but somehow totally believable.
My only criticism is that, being a Brit who has never been to that part of Canada, I would have liked more description of the Vancouver and Surrey as I found them hard to visualise. But a great plot - well told.
A real page turner. Looking forward to reading Jay's next book!
My only criticism is that, being a Brit who has never been to that part of Canada, I would have liked more description of the Vancouver and Surrey as I found them hard to visualise. But a great plot - well told.
A real page turner. Looking forward to reading Jay's next book!
December 26, 2016
A fine read
After the collapse of the fuel industry, society produces gangs, homeless by the thousands, and insatiable greed. I love that this is a stand alone sort of post apocalyptic story. Maybe one day we will find out what else Zonk can sniff out, and how the new community fares.
After the collapse of the fuel industry, society produces gangs, homeless by the thousands, and insatiable greed. I love that this is a stand alone sort of post apocalyptic story. Maybe one day we will find out what else Zonk can sniff out, and how the new community fares.
June 20, 2015
Exciting Read
Great story in a future without gas. Could see this happening just as the author described it. Very believable. Characters were cool also. I'll be reading Storeys next novel when it comes out.
Great story in a future without gas. Could see this happening just as the author described it. Very believable. Characters were cool also. I'll be reading Storeys next novel when it comes out.
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