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Utopia Project: Everyone Must Die

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An apocalyptic event. A simple gift box from a military father. A stunning connection between and possibly the last hope for humanity.

After America’s controversial presidential election in 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic, several decades of escalating civil crises have ensued. The governments of many countries have conspired to develop the ultimate solution for controlling the lives of their citizens. The new society, forged in the secret Utopia Project, provides for all of your needs without cost, promotes recreational group sex, raises offspring without parents, and offers a life without stress. When the project’s true purpose is revealed, a nightmare weapon turns the rest of the world into a mass grave of melted corpses. Inexplicably, not everyone died as planned. On the East Coast of America, Sara Hyland and boyfriend Kid Carlson somehow survive. Hunted by the merciless forces of the Utopia Project, a single thread of hope is discovered in a gift box, given to Sara by her military father the night of the destruction. But is it too late to save humanity from extinction?

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Published October 8, 2021

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Billy Dering

5 books12 followers

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5 stars
140 (38%)
4 stars
103 (28%)
3 stars
78 (21%)
2 stars
29 (7%)
1 star
13 (3%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
2 reviews1 follower
October 5, 2021
It might be good for teenagers or very young adults

The overall idea is interesting, but it felt very much like I was reading a novel written by a high school student. At first I thought it might get better as I got further along in it, but it didn't. The characters were one dimensional, the plot had gaping holes, and the book was difficult to finish. I didn't find myself wondering what would happen next, but instead I found myself wondering how much more I could force myself to read. I don't know how the book has such a high overall rating, but I'm guessing the author has a group of friends and family that are being supportive of their efforts.
Profile Image for Kate Ashbrook.
Author 3 books75 followers
June 22, 2021
I discovered this book through an online ad and devoured it in two days. I read a lot of dystopian fiction and can be a picky reader. I found Utopia Project to be well-written and engaging. The first few chapters were a little gory, but stick with it for the incredible world-building, skillful character development, and action-adventure. I enjoyed the sweet relationship between Kid and Sara. It was also interesting to see the creative ways Kid and Jess got out of seemingly impossible situations. Highly Recommend.
1 review
January 9, 2022
A book doesn’t have to be a work of literary genius for me to enjoy it but this book was so far off the mark. I wanted to like it but found the writing style annoying. It could have been half as long if the author would have been more skilled at explanations without trying to use every word in the thesaurus. I agree with another reviewer that said it felt like it had been written by a high school student. The book was hard to finish and I definitely won’t be reading anything else from this author.
Profile Image for Misty.
337 reviews318 followers
November 1, 2021
Rife with stilted dialogue, editing errors and nonsense that includes melting humans. No word of a lie. I just couldn’t bring myself to finish.
Profile Image for Sam.
2,510 reviews41 followers
June 10, 2024
This was an incredibly good story! A really good idea, a little along the line of Brave New World in a way. But interesting idea, a nasty end of the world for those that perish & a really good survivors story that follows! I will look for more by this writer as I found it a great story!
41 reviews1 follower
February 18, 2022
The world as we know it is falling apart and needs to be controled and what better way to do that than through a project created in secret, the Utopia Project where Everyone Must Die! The world must be reborn and everyone controled, no self, no I, just we and the Elders call the says who lives or who dies. But, not all goes as planned! A group of friends survives and now the horror begins!

The title alone caught my attention first, the Utopia Project, Everyone Mut Die! Action is definitely what you will get throughout this story and the narrator Bill Spadea does a great job of taking you through that action from beginning to end. When he describes some of the bodies that the friends come across he has the right tone to make you see what they see. So hold on to your stomach! It is very subtle, but the narrator slightly changes how he reads the characters more in the feelings area. For example, when Kid and Hidi gripe at each other, you can hear the hate in the tone or when you reach the lovely Elder One you can hear the evilness or hatred that he has and as sara said in the story you can tell when a rant is about to come.

The one thing that made me shake my fist is I hate the wy it ended!

Overall, I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. Een though I didn't like the way it ended doesn't mean it ruined the book because it didn't. That is just my personal negative for the whole thing.

This is definitely a book I would recommend. I am totally blind so read the audible version of this book. If you are totally blind or love listening to audiobooks then give this one a try and let the narrator draw you in. It is also available through kindle as well.
Profile Image for Verbologist.
13 reviews
July 26, 2021
I wanted to love this, I really did. The plot is fantastic, but the writing feels like the author relied too much on the thesaurus. Things that could have been described simply were quite a reach sometimes. My other complaint is the heavy use of passive sentence structure. Just SAY IT! So much "having gone to..." and "was (insert verb here) by..." was distracting and at times downright irritating.

With a skilled editor, this would have been a stellar book. Alas, I don't plan to continue with the series.
122 reviews5 followers
April 27, 2022
Utopia Project Everyone Must Die : By Billy Dering

My Rating : 4.9/5

Utopia Project : Everyone Must Die is an amazing dystopian novel that will keep you on the edge of the seat from first page to the last. Set in the future 2040s, there are protests against the government's Utopia Project which was disguised as an experiment on plants and animals for 20 years but is in fact, an experiment on humans.

Sara is with her boyfriend Kid and other friends on the beach. She is waiting for the clock to hit 11:03 at night so that she can open the box given to her by her father, the US Army General Eric Hyland. But before she can do it, the weather starts to change and everything is covered by a red light, blinding the group of friends. The next morning, slowly they regain their eye sight and Kid and Jess find out that everyone except their group is dead! What just happened? Who's behind all this? What was in the box that Sara's father gave her?

I loved this book, it is dystopian and full of suspense and mystery. There is romance and there are emotions too. It is fast paced and the plot and all characters are well developed and nicely written. This is one of those books that you would like to see as a movie adaptation. I liked the writing style, it was graphic, descriptive and atmospheric which made reading this novel a very immersive experience.

This book is a page turner and unputdownable, I kept turning pages to find out the truth and uncover secrets. It is a must read, highly enjoyable!
Profile Image for _sassy_39.
2,518 reviews151 followers
May 14, 2022
"Utopia Project: Everyone Must Die" is a science fiction novel penned by the author Billy Dering. Story is set in the future and features Kid Carlson and his girlfriend Sara Hyland. Kid was at the beach along with his group in Seaside Heights, New Jersey. There was a neutron beam attack that wiped out everything. Only Kid and his friends survived the attack. Even though Professor Cofflin had invented the weapon earlier, he didn't have any plans to build it. He knew that this weapon in the wrong hands could extinguish the entire human race.

This made Brian to pinpoint at the fact that the neutron beam attack happened a week after the Utopia Project was discovered. In the 2020s, an army wife, named Anna Delilah, fell off of a window ledge trying to get her kid and escape the CCP project. Because of her death, there was a rally which made the President stop the CCP. Read this book to know the challenges that Kid and his friends have to take.

Story is full of drama, action. It kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time I was reading it. Cover photo of the book looks lovely. The title is suitable according to the story. There are so many characters to keep track of. If you enjoy stories with more characters then add this book to your tbr.

Those who love reading Dystopian fiction should get their hands on this one for sure.
Profile Image for Prashant Singh.
874 reviews31 followers
June 11, 2022
Utopia Project: Everyone Must Die by Billy Dering as it's name suggests is a science fiction genre book with suspense, thrill, romance and emotions all set in the dystopian world.

The story is set in 2040, when one night a red light covered the whole sky and the weather starts to change and the next day one thing was clear that no one on earth is alive. No one, but a group of friends the protagonists of our story, Sara, her boyfriend Kid and their other friends. Sara was waiting at the beach with her friends about to open her present by her father an Army officer.

The Utopia Project was a project that was developed in 2020, by Professor Coffin which was highly protested by people and was eventually shut down. But now it has been used, but why? By Whome? And how did Sara and her friends survived when no one else could?

I found the story extremely interesting and on the edge thriller. It has the qualities of keeping your full attention and giving you shocks. Character development was good and use of emotions are done in the best way possible with all that action, thrill and suspense.

This book is a blessing for the lovers of novels based on the dystopian world concept and the lovers of science-fiction, and thriller genre novels.
1,279 reviews59 followers
May 15, 2022
𝑻𝒊𝒕𝒍𝒆: Utopia Project: Everyone Must Die
𝑨𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓: Billy Dering

𝑴𝒚 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘:
Professor Cofflin made a neutron beam weapon that could extinguish humans in a few seconds. During the project, the professor was trying to convince everyone that the weapon could never be used so it shouldn't be built.

In 2044, a neutron beam attack made everything and everyone dead. But one particular group survived. This group is of Kid Carlson and his friends. For a few hours they were blinded by the attack but could see the next morning.

The story is full of suspense. It would be amazing to watch this story as a movie. Kid and Sara's chemistry is something I liked. Will Sara and others be able to save humanity from destruction? What was in the box that Sara received from her military father?

I like to recommend this book to other science fiction lovers. I enjoyed reading it. It's highly descriptive so needs more attention while reading it. Characters are well written. I appreciate the author's vivid imagination in creating the fantasy world and an interesting plot. Story is captivating, so go ahead with this one.

𝑴𝒚 𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: 5/5
1 review
May 25, 2021
"The Utopia Project: Everyone Must Die" is the start of a three-book series you do not want to miss. It is a great read. The author is a master storyteller whose well-anchored imagination weaves a credible yet unthinkable tale that brings together love, hope, loyalty, and courage all in the face of overwhelming odds for human survival.

Author Billy Dering takes you on a journey that is a page-turner every step of the way. He uses skillful prose to unfold his vision of what could be literally right around the corner where a realistically crafted Dystopian world awaits. His characters are endearing. The plot is carefully crafted with flashbacks and interconnected twists that hit you with both mystery and surprise. The multi-leveled plots steadily build with continuous action-packed incidents filled with compelling themes and conflicts.


The storyline grabs you from the first chapter and continues to keep you in its grasp. The storytelling is flawless and shows a maturity of style and skill. You cannot put down this book so plan on clearing your schedule for a superbly enjoyable binge reading experience.
Profile Image for Emma.
52 reviews1 follower
August 22, 2023
From the start the characters are well defined and likeable, their complexities skillfully drawn out, and the relational nuances between them delicately explored. The rather graphic descriptions of the demise of humanity by a devastatingly destructive but selective weapon, of melted faces and blood and guts, is not for the faint hearted, but if you enjoy the shock aspect of the more terrifying sci-fi/disaster genre, you’ll be enthralled and well entertained. I certainly was. The plot is fast paced and maintains momentum, despite some fascinating changes in time back and forth. It remains easy to follow and the chapters moving back and forth in time worked well and were well titled meaning you always knew where you were as a reader. This also allowed for a temporary relief from the adrenaline-charged passages to interesting flashbacks pre the “Event” that changes the world forever. This was such a clever way to keep the reader fascinated and slowly unravel key intriguing and thought-provoking pieces of information essential to the plot.
1 review1 follower
July 18, 2021
it's an interesting read and shows off an interesting concept(as is well explained why this is the way). the learning of the new society and the time spent on the ships is the high note of the book and made it into a page-turner, I loved reading about the elders and seeing this turn of action.

what disappointed me where the leads, feel underdeveloped and their actions are never explained or confronted by others in the group. I wish the author used more time to deterrent them from another, give them different speech pattren and character treat as they would feel more alive. some sentences seams and scenes seem a little redundant but it was an interesting read.

curries where he go with his next book and as a teen book it will be in right place.
Profile Image for Mara Roane.
48 reviews
August 22, 2023
Utopia Project: Everyone Must Die is the fast paced exciting first instalment in Billy Dering’s extraordinary “Utopia Project” series. This fascinating science fiction, dystopian thriller is suspenseful, exhilarating and highly addictive.

A small group of friends somehow survive an apocalyptic event which leaves virtually everyone dead worldwide. Not knowing how or why they have survived, they uncover some clues through a cryptic package left by Sara Hyland’s father, General Hyland. With his clues and through their own resourcefulness, they discover the terrifying and gruesome new reality of the Utopia Project where there is no individualism, no “I”, only “we” and an all-controlling regime which seeks to stamp out free will, attachments, desire, and love.
33 reviews
January 14, 2024
This book is almost too realistic. It uses events we have all witnessed in today's society. The commotion and torment of COVID and the unrest about the presidency was all too familiar. The novel really takes a turn with the discovery of the Utopia Project and all of its' villainous, malicious intent. A world destroyed by the very thing that was promoted by the lie that it would create a stressless and carefree life Following the main characters journey to save the world is an experience in itself. There are some twists and turns that keep you reading. I read most of this in one sit down and cannot wait to read the next one in the series. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a save the world kind of novel. It doesn't disappoint.
Profile Image for Bill Thibadeau.
503 reviews13 followers
June 30, 2021
Torn between rating this a 3 or 4

The good: a plausible reason why the earth population went from billions to just 5 (in book 1), characters are believable as well as their interactions, there is probably enough fodder for a too long series.
The not so good: The author should stay away from describing ships as it is overly obvious he lacks real nautical know, it is a YA novel, drags a bit at times, the story gets sporadically lacks reality or believability.
The verdict: if you can glide across the parts that may be rankling, then I think you will enjoy the book, if not then better choose something else.
Profile Image for Mia C..
1,078 reviews24 followers
September 20, 2022
An addictive story

This book has an addictive plot that captivated me completely. The author’s ability to create believable characters is marvellous. While reading it was difficult to differentiate between reality and fiction. Their description and development throughout the story was very good.
The author’s narrative in general is good; there’s a good balance between narrative and dialogues, and also the plot has the right pace; all this makes it a good read that can be read quickly.
It is a really good start to the series and for this reason I recommend reading it and I will stick to the series as well.
Profile Image for Reader Carter.
23 reviews1 follower
February 20, 2024
Ugh this book was annoying but now I have to read the other 2 in the series in order to tie everything together. I would recommend this book for maybe an 8th grader which isn’t terrible it’s just a very bland book and easy read. My english teachers use to say “Show not tell” but unfortunately this author never got that lesson. All of the descriptions were so overdone, there was no real elegance to the writing. I did however draw interest in the characters over time but I think I only did so because the plot was so annoying I had to know how it ended. But again…this is 1 of 3 so unfortunately to put it altogether I have to read the other 2.
Profile Image for Santiago Flores.
1,012 reviews10 followers
September 26, 2022
“Utopia Project: Everyone Must Die” by author Billy Dering is the first volume in the Utopia project series and one that is totally promising. The plot mixes events that seem to be true with others which are fictionalised, making the reader doubt about what is true and what isn’t. I liked that.
The story is completely addictive; once I started reading it, I couldn’t stop. The author has a great ability with words, and intertwined intrigue, flashbacks, and twists and turns that kept me glued to the pages. A complete must read!
Profile Image for Charlotte.
78 reviews
August 22, 2023
The narrative takes us on their intense journey as they struggle for survival in this new Dystopia, where people are reconditioned and brainwashed to conform to the ideology imposed upon them. The group of friends are discovered by the forces of the Utopia Project and the pursuit to capture and convert them, or at worst destroy them, ensues. Billy Dering creates a realistic, and terrifyingly believable landscape which gives the novel credence and an all too possible flavor with skill and obvious relish.
Profile Image for Julie  Whitley.
205 reviews12 followers
February 19, 2022
a fast-paced ride through a dystopian world

What if a relative handful of people decided to rewire humankind into a more malleable and obedient whole and believed that to do so, they needed to erase the existence of the current inhabitants in order to start over. This was a story I couldn’t put down as I followed Kid, Jess, Heidi, Maria and Sara as the only survivors in their race to survive.
16 reviews
May 16, 2023
It might appeal to a younger audience, that is why I gave 3 stars Example: The Hunger Games, Twilight, etc. Just not for me The author does a very good job descibing the Jersey shore, this is what caught my attention to read the book. I found his concept interesting, creative and not dull, however often redundant. Also, I felt the ending was rushed to get the group off to Rahway and then Vermont. Does keep the suspense to read book 2. It is a fun read to enjoy!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Annie Kosar.
361 reviews2 followers
April 1, 2024
TERRIFYING & EMOTIONALLY POWERFUL APOCALYPTIC THRILL RIDE!!!

Just at the outset…..just WOWWOWWOW!!! Such an intense and deeply complex dystopian thriller!!!! I could NOT STOP TURNING PAGES and stayed up late into the night!!!! The characters are complex and PHENOMENAL and the plot is chilling!!!! Super realistic and yet on the verge of being so surreal it makes you hold your breath throughout!!!! CANNOT WAIT TO SEE WHERE THIS JOURNEY GOES NEXT!!!:-). LOVED IT!!!!:-)
6 reviews
July 11, 2021
A great action/sci fi/romance novel

This was a really good read. Character development was believable and as a result, enhanced the narrative . The description of the effects of a neutron bomb is factual. The story draws the reader in quickly. The author creates an action/scifi/Shakespearean
romance.The ending makes this a worthy read. Eager for the next installment!
Profile Image for Su.
190 reviews
September 13, 2021
Everyone is dead

This was a different take on the apocalypse. It was different and scary at the same time. But a group of young adults were saved from the end. But how were they saved and by who? Its a twisty turny story that will keep you reading far into the night. I can't wait for the second book to come out.
Profile Image for Sara.
53 reviews
August 22, 2023
I was gripped from the first page to the end and left wanting to continue the series by reading the next book right away. If you enjoy and love to escape in chilling and gripping novels that have action, mystery, suspense, thrilling science fiction, dystopian and apocalyptic scenarios, scenes, and plots, then this is the novel for you.
Profile Image for Allie.
49 reviews
August 22, 2023
Fascinating story. I was hooked right from the start. This is an incredible science fiction, suspense, thriller, dystopian and action story done right. This author is an expressive exceptional writer and and a clever and imaginative storyteller.
I totally recommend this exciting and thought-provoking novel, Utopia Porject to all fans of these genres.
30 reviews1 follower
August 26, 2021
My interest has been peeked!

I was a little disappointed that the story was to be continued but I'll have to be patient. An interesting plot but a depressing thought that there probably are some individuals who think this would be an acceptable solution to the world's problems.
13 reviews
August 27, 2021
Tense Action!

Consistent future scenario combined with minute-by-minute survival challenges for the intrepid survivors. Envisions what can happen when ordinary people confront extraordinary circumstances.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews

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