Lithosphere Rising

Sphere Rising #2

by Philip J. Rutherford

Alina is a teenage hacker with a burning vendetta against the world’s biggest food corporation. She is hiding in Australia’s Northern Territory, which along with much of the world in 2122 has become a vast desert. Owen helps his parents salvage scrap from the flooded coastline of Sydney, but he’s just received a curious riddle from a dead scientist.

As the world teeters on the edge of an ecological and political crisis, Alina and Owen discover an idea that might save the planet, but something is trying to stop them. Finding out who or what they are dealing with, before the world is plunged into war and chaos, will propel them into dangers and mysteries they cannot imagine.

Drawing on Solarpunk ideas, this is a story of struggle, hope, ingenuity and survival. Based on emerging science, it is an epic search for solutions, populated by fantastical creatures.

In keeping with the themes of the book a tree will be planted for every paperback sold and for each review of the ebook or paperback received.

Genres: Solarpunk

405 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 27, 2024

About the author

Philip J. Rutherford is a Sydney-based writer living on Darug land who studied creative writing with Australian poet, Dorothy Porter, at the University of Technology, Sydney. He is also a software engineer with a Bachelor of Science who founded a collaborative publishing software company, and has a keen interest in nature, technology, social justice and how communities can create better futures. Most of all he enjoys the poetry of a single moment when you experience something that can't be described.

His debut novel Hydrosphere Rising was published in 2021 and his second novel Lithosphere Rising was published in 2024.

For giveaways and more descriptions of the indescribable follow him on Goodreads, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter @philipjru or Instagram @philipjru.

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Reviews

[Sonia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this second book in the series; I thought it was even better than the first!

"Lithosphere Rising" takes readers on a series of adventures with Owen, Alina and their group of friends as they set out to save the world from the devastations of climate destruction, global food and water shortages and the impact of mega-companies on the environment. There are encounters with scary, fantastical creatures as they race against time to put a stop to the actions of the powerful food corporation that could start another world war. The novel is set in northern Australia and although references the first book in the series, it can still be read as a stand-alone novel.

Threaded throughout this YA novel are messages of hope, and respect for First Nations people, for all people regardless of background or gender, and for the land and waterways. There was also a strong sense of camaraderie, of building trust, and working with others to make this world a better place, despite the myriad of challenges they faced.

The devastation of northern Australia wreaked by rising temperatures, over-mining, over-farming and increased climate disasters described in this novel is terrifyingly believable. And the contrast of the portrayal of Keep Haven as a community that utilises science to support people while re-vitalising the land, forests and waterways, and providing abundant, healthy food to their own and other communities is idyllic and paints a world worth striving for. The dome structure that protected Keep Haven was intriguing and perhaps not so far out of our reach today. I would happily go visit Keep Haven and contribute to their community!

I would recommend this novel to readers young and not so young - for the adventures, the challenges, the individual journeys of trust and insight, for the collective belief that we can work together to make a difference. I look forward to the third novel in this series - where will we be taken to next time?

[Brooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lithosphere Rising is the second book in Philip J. Rutherford’s YA dystopian series and it was even better than the first. Although this could be read as a stand-alone, I enjoyed getting to see more of the main character from Hydrosphere Rising.

Set in Australia in 2122 and told through alternating POVs, Alina is a teenage hacker with a thirst for vengeance against the world’s biggest food corporation. Wanted internationally for cyber crimes, she is currently hiding out in the Northern Territory where she attends Charles Darwin University. Although much of the world is now desert, Owen works on Sydney’s flooded coastline salvaging scrap. When he receives a puzzling riddle from a scientist he believed to be dead, it sets him and his friends on a course to save the planet and stop the world from spiralling into chaos.

I was on the edge of my seat reading this propulsive quest which was a race against time to find answers and prevent a war. At times confronting and thought provoking, this cli-fi novel had engaging and relatable characters and a scarily believable premise. There were also some very impactful scenes, where well known landmarks such as Uluṟu were seen buried by sand from the constant dust storms. Picturing this future was incredibly powerful and certainly painted a frightening possibility.

“It was as if the heart of Australia was clogged with sand, and it could not pump life around the continent any more.”

Reminscent of favourites such as Divergent, this book had me captivated and on the edge of my seat as Owen, Alina and their friends faced unimaginable creatures and enemies. I could certainly see this being played out on screen.

[G M · Rating 5 out of 5]

An immensely enjoyable and page-turner read, this second book Lithosphere Rising builds on the future shown in Hydrosphere Rising with climate change having caused devastating results, with massive impacts on the world.
Owen ‘s story features again, from where we left him in the first book, with his close group of friends and a new mysterious friend Alina. The book takes you on a fast-paced ride, full of action, conspiracy, incredible imaginings and clever use of poetry again. Fictional portrayal of AIs with some potential benefits and risks was interesting.
It’s completely enthralling as Owen and Alina eventually combine their talents to complete some remarkable feats of courage and skill and battle against physical threats and political forces.
This second book is both hugely relevant in terms of its message and the climate science underpinning. It’s thought-provoking and conveys some sense of hope for the future.

[Joanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This new young adult book which is a sequel to ‘Hydrosphere Rising’ covers compelling and important topics around the future of our planet.

With a focus on food security and production one hundred years from now, we again meet Owen, the young protagonist from ‘Hydrosphere Rising’, as well as some of his friends and the new acquaintances he meets along the way.

Set in parts of Australia where the author has visited himself, I enjoyed researching the locations and landscapes as they are now along with the imagined, but very real, potentially catastrophic impacts of climate change and the monopolisation of food production by large corporations.

Although dystopian in its main subject, the story is an exciting, action packed and gripping read with a well crafted plot cleverly interwoven with details and characters throughout. Other parts of the book detail a flourishing utopian oasis that offers hope for the future. There are characters with identities different to Owen’s, including non binary gender and diverse cultural origins.

The exciting, thought provoking and sobering content is cleverly interspersed with Owen’s struggles with stress and danger and his strategies to cope, which include memories from his childhood and the concerns of a teenager and young adult faced with a difficult situation.

This novel with its underlying struggle between good and evil will certainly appeal to a young adult audience as well as adults who enjoy an excellent read with twists and turns and interesting characters.

[Philip Rutherford]

From readersfavorite.com ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"Lithosphere Rising is a compelling dystopian YA novel that explores crucial ecological issues and the fate of the earth. Philip J. Rutherford has skillfully crafted a thrilling story infused with well-researched details on environmental issues and natural disasters.

His writing style flows, making this novel an enjoyable read. Rutherford does an incredible job of merging Alina's and Owen's distinct stories as they team up to fight against the forces determined to stop them. These two main characters have unique reasons for wanting to restore the earth. Their personal experiences and memories are very moving, making the plot even more impactful. The excitement crescendos while watching them join forces and use their different skill sets to maneuver their turbulent predicament.

I enjoyed it all. If you are in the mood for a well-written and action-packed dystopian novel, get Lithosphere Rising today."

[Isabel · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Lithosphere Rising, the author has created a very much needed sense of hope for everyone, especially the younger generations, with regards to finding ways to solve the ecological problems we face nowadays.

He has obviously done extensive research into climate change solutions and shows that it is possible, with trust and cooperation amongst peoples who care for the Earth, to have hope for a better future.

[D. Sanz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this - a wild ride full of mystery and action, keeps you guessing and turning the pages up to the end. Interesting use of poetry and buddhist philosophy mixed in to a rollicking climate fiction adventure where a group of young people are bent on saving the world from further destruction.

[Peter Driscoll · Rating 4 out of 5]

More action than the first one, and the underlying messages are only more pertinent today. A fun and ultimately hopeful Australian YA sci-fi ride.