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The Hope: The most explosive, utterly compelling, MUST-READ climate-emergency thriller of 2026
Not yet published
Expected 12 May 26In a ravaged future ruled by the descendants of those who caused the climate collapse, a teenager with a remarkable gift must flee for her life – and fight to save the last hope for humanity. The searing, unforgettable conclusion to the internationally acclaimed The Forcing trilogy.
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The year is 2086. Climate collapse, famine and war have left the world in ruins. In the shadow of the Alpha-Omega regime – descendants of the super-rich architects of disaster – sixteen-year-old Boo Ashworth and her uncle risk everything to save what's left of human knowledge, hiding the last surviving books in a secret library beneath the streets of Hobart.
But Boo has a secret of her an astonishing ability to memorise entire texts with perfect recall. When the library is discovered and destroyed, she's forced to flee – armed with nothing but the stories she carries in her mind, and a growing understanding of her family's true past. Hunted and alone, and with the help of some unlikely allies, she must fight to save her loved ones – and bring hope to a broken world.
Spanning three generations before, during and after the fall, The Hope is the shattering conclusion to Paul E. Hardisty's critically acclaimed climate-emergency trilogy – a devastating, visionary thriller that dares to imagine the possibility of redemption in the face of near-total collapse. In a dying world, it asks the most urgent question of what if there's still time?
____
_____
The year is 2086. Climate collapse, famine and war have left the world in ruins. In the shadow of the Alpha-Omega regime – descendants of the super-rich architects of disaster – sixteen-year-old Boo Ashworth and her uncle risk everything to save what's left of human knowledge, hiding the last surviving books in a secret library beneath the streets of Hobart.
But Boo has a secret of her an astonishing ability to memorise entire texts with perfect recall. When the library is discovered and destroyed, she's forced to flee – armed with nothing but the stories she carries in her mind, and a growing understanding of her family's true past. Hunted and alone, and with the help of some unlikely allies, she must fight to save her loved ones – and bring hope to a broken world.
Spanning three generations before, during and after the fall, The Hope is the shattering conclusion to Paul E. Hardisty's critically acclaimed climate-emergency trilogy – a devastating, visionary thriller that dares to imagine the possibility of redemption in the face of near-total collapse. In a dying world, it asks the most urgent question of what if there's still time?
____
300 pages, Paperback
Expected publication May 12, 2026
3 people are currently reading
33 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 - 16 of 16 reviews
January 30, 2026
3.5 Stars
This is the last of The Forcing Trilogy which begins with The Forcing (https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/...) and continues with The Descent (https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/...).
The novel is set in 2082 in Hobart on the island of Tasmania. It’s a dystopian world where most live miserable, fear-filled lives with no freedom and under constant surveillance. Sixteen-year-old Boo Ashworth, her Uncle Kweku, and their friend Raphael collect whatever books they can find and hide them in a secret library; their goal is to preserve human knowledge in a world where information is heavily censored and people are kept illiterate. Boo, who loves to read, has the ability to instantly memorize entire texts. When the library is destroyed, Boo manages to escape. She sets out to find her family and ends up drawn into a plan to overthrow Eminence, the tyrant who maintains absolute control through the use of AI and threats of extreme punishment.
Interspersed regularly throughout Boo’s narrative are extracts from Kweku’s latest manuscript which documents his interviews with a man “at least partially responsible for more deaths than almost any other person in the history of the human race.” This manuscript, Kweku writes, “would form the third part of our family story spanning three generations, a tale of the perils of unconstrained greed, the cost of cowardice, and, perhaps, the power of hope.”
The title of the book, of course, points to its theme of the power of hope. This message is repeated again and again: “’Even when things are darkest, you can still care, and keep trying. As long as there is hope, there is a chance’” and “’there is always a pathway to a better future, even if you can’t see it. You have to keep hope alive. It’s what keeps you going. But you have to have courage in order to hope. You need to be brave. Because it’s a lot easier not to hope.’”
Though these comments are made to people of the future, there is no doubt that they are also intended to those of us who have “spectacularly wilful blindness.” Events of our time are described: “’The confluence of conditions unlike humanity had ever seen before. The rise of robotics and artificial intelligence, the largest population of human beings the Earth had ever borne, the heaviest burden. Technological prowess unmatched in our history, the ability to edit and extend life, to plunder the planet like never before, to fundamentally alter the climate. The rise of autocrats and strong men, of fundamentalist religions, the use of social media and disinformation to control minds and erode the democratic dream.’”
Reading about the aftermath of the election of President Bragg feels like reading a current newspaper about life after the election of President Trump: “’the civil service at every level in America had been completely dismantled and replaced by a phalanx of Bragg loyalist institutions. Everything – the courts, the senior military brass, local law enforcement, government agencies, the CIA and the FBI – everything was stacked with Bragg’s appointees. . . . Congress became nothing more than a group of old men taking turns holding a rubber stamp. The courts had long since been cowed, rendered impotent. All the so-called guardrails had been removed. . . . Environmental protections of all kinds had been wound back. The National Parks service was dismantled and the major wildlife refuges and areas protected for over a century were opened up for commercial exploitation – lumber, mining, oil and gas. Science agencies that studied climate change, the atmosphere and the oceans were gutted. Foreign aid was suspended. The right to protest was eliminated. Taxes on corporations and the rich who owned them were cut to the point where most billionaires paid nothing.’”
I got goosebumps as I read about Bragg suspending elections, citing the need for stability in a time of crisis, around the time Trump “joked” about cancelling midterm elections. And so many people feel overwhelmed by Trump’s chaotic shock and awe approach to governance: “’People walked around in a permanent state of disbelief. We were literally stunned. Shell-shocked. It had happened so fast, on so many fronts and with such ferocity, that there was simply too much to process.’” Much in this novel is unsettling because of its realistic depiction of our times; the possible consequences hypothesized are certainly not far-fetched.
Boo is an interesting character. Love for and loyalty to family define her. She is intelligent and possesses a maturity beyond her years. She is strong, yet at times is paralyzed by fear. Her relationship with Leo bothered me; because we see little of Leo, for much of the book it is difficult to understand the reason for the strength of her feelings. I understand that her love serves as a motivation and is necessary for the revelation in the last paragraph, a revelation not in the least surprising.
Tension is not lacking. Boo and various family members are often in danger. The scenes in the palace are sometimes difficult to read. The only light-hearted moment is the reference to “a plastic bag full of novels from a publisher called Orenda.”
I’d advise readers to begin with the first two books in the trilogy for a more complete understanding of what happened. There are returning characters and many references to earlier events. Unfortunately, the reader may end up feeling overwhelmed. I understand the importance of imagining a “just and fair future for humanity” and a pathway forward is prescribed, but are there enough people brave enough to hope and fight with love in their hearts?
Please check out my reader's blog (https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/).
This is the last of The Forcing Trilogy which begins with The Forcing (https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/...) and continues with The Descent (https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/...).
The novel is set in 2082 in Hobart on the island of Tasmania. It’s a dystopian world where most live miserable, fear-filled lives with no freedom and under constant surveillance. Sixteen-year-old Boo Ashworth, her Uncle Kweku, and their friend Raphael collect whatever books they can find and hide them in a secret library; their goal is to preserve human knowledge in a world where information is heavily censored and people are kept illiterate. Boo, who loves to read, has the ability to instantly memorize entire texts. When the library is destroyed, Boo manages to escape. She sets out to find her family and ends up drawn into a plan to overthrow Eminence, the tyrant who maintains absolute control through the use of AI and threats of extreme punishment.
Interspersed regularly throughout Boo’s narrative are extracts from Kweku’s latest manuscript which documents his interviews with a man “at least partially responsible for more deaths than almost any other person in the history of the human race.” This manuscript, Kweku writes, “would form the third part of our family story spanning three generations, a tale of the perils of unconstrained greed, the cost of cowardice, and, perhaps, the power of hope.”
The title of the book, of course, points to its theme of the power of hope. This message is repeated again and again: “’Even when things are darkest, you can still care, and keep trying. As long as there is hope, there is a chance’” and “’there is always a pathway to a better future, even if you can’t see it. You have to keep hope alive. It’s what keeps you going. But you have to have courage in order to hope. You need to be brave. Because it’s a lot easier not to hope.’”
Though these comments are made to people of the future, there is no doubt that they are also intended to those of us who have “spectacularly wilful blindness.” Events of our time are described: “’The confluence of conditions unlike humanity had ever seen before. The rise of robotics and artificial intelligence, the largest population of human beings the Earth had ever borne, the heaviest burden. Technological prowess unmatched in our history, the ability to edit and extend life, to plunder the planet like never before, to fundamentally alter the climate. The rise of autocrats and strong men, of fundamentalist religions, the use of social media and disinformation to control minds and erode the democratic dream.’”
Reading about the aftermath of the election of President Bragg feels like reading a current newspaper about life after the election of President Trump: “’the civil service at every level in America had been completely dismantled and replaced by a phalanx of Bragg loyalist institutions. Everything – the courts, the senior military brass, local law enforcement, government agencies, the CIA and the FBI – everything was stacked with Bragg’s appointees. . . . Congress became nothing more than a group of old men taking turns holding a rubber stamp. The courts had long since been cowed, rendered impotent. All the so-called guardrails had been removed. . . . Environmental protections of all kinds had been wound back. The National Parks service was dismantled and the major wildlife refuges and areas protected for over a century were opened up for commercial exploitation – lumber, mining, oil and gas. Science agencies that studied climate change, the atmosphere and the oceans were gutted. Foreign aid was suspended. The right to protest was eliminated. Taxes on corporations and the rich who owned them were cut to the point where most billionaires paid nothing.’”
I got goosebumps as I read about Bragg suspending elections, citing the need for stability in a time of crisis, around the time Trump “joked” about cancelling midterm elections. And so many people feel overwhelmed by Trump’s chaotic shock and awe approach to governance: “’People walked around in a permanent state of disbelief. We were literally stunned. Shell-shocked. It had happened so fast, on so many fronts and with such ferocity, that there was simply too much to process.’” Much in this novel is unsettling because of its realistic depiction of our times; the possible consequences hypothesized are certainly not far-fetched.
Boo is an interesting character. Love for and loyalty to family define her. She is intelligent and possesses a maturity beyond her years. She is strong, yet at times is paralyzed by fear. Her relationship with Leo bothered me; because we see little of Leo, for much of the book it is difficult to understand the reason for the strength of her feelings. I understand that her love serves as a motivation and is necessary for the revelation in the last paragraph, a revelation not in the least surprising.
Tension is not lacking. Boo and various family members are often in danger. The scenes in the palace are sometimes difficult to read. The only light-hearted moment is the reference to “a plastic bag full of novels from a publisher called Orenda.”
I’d advise readers to begin with the first two books in the trilogy for a more complete understanding of what happened. There are returning characters and many references to earlier events. Unfortunately, the reader may end up feeling overwhelmed. I understand the importance of imagining a “just and fair future for humanity” and a pathway forward is prescribed, but are there enough people brave enough to hope and fight with love in their hearts?
Please check out my reader's blog (https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/).
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Having already read and reviewed the previous instalments of this trilogy- The Forcing and The Descent , I was braced and ready for an equally thought provoking and insightful conclusion to this brilliant trilogy. Judging by the amount of post-its I used to highlight quotes and salient details, I think I can safely say that I was not disappointed, and felt almost a sense of loss at the end of the journey with these characters.
Once again, following neatly on from The Descent, we are immersed in a world, altogether too close to home to our current one, in which the world has been brought to its knees by a band of power crazed despots and billionaire ‘entrepreneurs’ who have effectively caused the complete breakdown of civilisation as we know it. Books are banned and destroyed, climate change and environmental measures are thrown to the wayside, and the lives of many are severely impacted by the actions of the few. Millions die or suffer extreme poverty as these men wreak havoc across the globe, where social media is weaponised to spread their poisonous messages of division where objective truth ceases to exist, and in its wake fear and hatred flourish. Education and books are decreed to be dangerous, and the power to think and gain knowledge outside of the existing status quo is quashed. Hardisty cites many books throughout the novel, that if you are familiar with American politics and the current banning of books within schools and libraries, strikes a powerful chord with contemporary readers.
This theme of subjugating human knowledge plays a central role in the novel, where the main protagonist Boo, along with her uncle desperately try to conceal books to retain these hugely important artefacts of human knowledge, and any reader cannot failed to be moved by their courage and determination to do so. Boo is a marvellous character, and although young and small of stature, carries a moral certitude and strength that belies both her physiognomy and gender. As she finds herself in increasing amounts of danger, her intelligence and quick wittedness in exposing the truth behind past events (with her ability to memorise huge amounts of text) are a source of never ending admiration throughout the book. During the course of the book, she reads her uncle’s manuscript of his interactions with some of the architects of the downfall of civilisation, which in a way provides a blueprint for herself and others to reclaim, rebuild and repair society, but with the inevitable cost that such actions bring. The final third of the book illustrates most fully, not only Boo’s personal fortitude in the midst of some horrific revelations and personal experience, but how books and learning are essential to a democratic and open minded society, and that hope and love are equally important for a fair and inclusive world.
Hardisty employs a quote from Winston Churchill that perhaps sums up best the whole ethos of this trilogy:
“The care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction, is the first and only objective of good government.”
Through the course of this trilogy the author has carried us through a ravaged world where democracy has failed, power lies in the hands of the corrupt few, people are subjugated, tortured or simply annihilated, the environment is struggling to breathe and survive, and a sense of nihilism is rife. In counter balance to this we see a band of people who believe change is possible, that the world can be repaired and community and society can prosper again, and to be honest this is the message that we should all believe in as we see our own world in meltdown, mirroring the negative and power hungry actions of a few solipsistic individuals.
When I reviewed The Descent I said that, “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.” I think this book reinforced the message of hope, as the title suggests, and I found the final chapters hugely emotive but never losing the intensity of a thriller as Boo and others seek to overturn the totalitarian rule that exists. I loved this trilogy from beginning to end, not only for its poignancy, urgency and prescient observations, but also for its energy and sense of danger that kept me completely engaged. I would definitely urge you to seek this series out for yourselves.
Once again, following neatly on from The Descent, we are immersed in a world, altogether too close to home to our current one, in which the world has been brought to its knees by a band of power crazed despots and billionaire ‘entrepreneurs’ who have effectively caused the complete breakdown of civilisation as we know it. Books are banned and destroyed, climate change and environmental measures are thrown to the wayside, and the lives of many are severely impacted by the actions of the few. Millions die or suffer extreme poverty as these men wreak havoc across the globe, where social media is weaponised to spread their poisonous messages of division where objective truth ceases to exist, and in its wake fear and hatred flourish. Education and books are decreed to be dangerous, and the power to think and gain knowledge outside of the existing status quo is quashed. Hardisty cites many books throughout the novel, that if you are familiar with American politics and the current banning of books within schools and libraries, strikes a powerful chord with contemporary readers.
This theme of subjugating human knowledge plays a central role in the novel, where the main protagonist Boo, along with her uncle desperately try to conceal books to retain these hugely important artefacts of human knowledge, and any reader cannot failed to be moved by their courage and determination to do so. Boo is a marvellous character, and although young and small of stature, carries a moral certitude and strength that belies both her physiognomy and gender. As she finds herself in increasing amounts of danger, her intelligence and quick wittedness in exposing the truth behind past events (with her ability to memorise huge amounts of text) are a source of never ending admiration throughout the book. During the course of the book, she reads her uncle’s manuscript of his interactions with some of the architects of the downfall of civilisation, which in a way provides a blueprint for herself and others to reclaim, rebuild and repair society, but with the inevitable cost that such actions bring. The final third of the book illustrates most fully, not only Boo’s personal fortitude in the midst of some horrific revelations and personal experience, but how books and learning are essential to a democratic and open minded society, and that hope and love are equally important for a fair and inclusive world.
Hardisty employs a quote from Winston Churchill that perhaps sums up best the whole ethos of this trilogy:
“The care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction, is the first and only objective of good government.”
Through the course of this trilogy the author has carried us through a ravaged world where democracy has failed, power lies in the hands of the corrupt few, people are subjugated, tortured or simply annihilated, the environment is struggling to breathe and survive, and a sense of nihilism is rife. In counter balance to this we see a band of people who believe change is possible, that the world can be repaired and community and society can prosper again, and to be honest this is the message that we should all believe in as we see our own world in meltdown, mirroring the negative and power hungry actions of a few solipsistic individuals.
When I reviewed The Descent I said that, “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.” I think this book reinforced the message of hope, as the title suggests, and I found the final chapters hugely emotive but never losing the intensity of a thriller as Boo and others seek to overturn the totalitarian rule that exists. I loved this trilogy from beginning to end, not only for its poignancy, urgency and prescient observations, but also for its energy and sense of danger that kept me completely engaged. I would definitely urge you to seek this series out for yourselves.
February 4, 2026
2082. The impact of climate collapse, war and famine has left the planet in ruins. The last vestiges of humanity are struggling to survive, while the cruel Alpha-Omega (A-O) regime (descendants of the architects of the fall) rule like new-age kings behind the high walls of their realms.
In Hobart, Tasmania, sixteen-year-old Boo Ashworth works with her Uncle Kweku to build a secret library, hidden underground. Their aim is to save what is left of human knowledge, even though discovery means death. When disaster strikes, and the library is destroyed, Boo is suddenly alone. But all is not lost, for Boo has perfect recall, and within her mind the stories she and Kweku rescued remain alive. Hunted by the son of the Eminence who established his A-O kingdom in Tasmania, Boo needs allies to help her save her loved ones...
The final book of The Forcing trilogy has arrived! You must have read the first two instalments (The Forcing, and The Descent) of this incredibly prescient trilogy before reading this book, as each one is integral to the story as a whole.
Picking up the thread of the previous epic trials and tribulations of the Ashworth family, Kweku, his wife Julie, his son Leo, and his niece Becky (Boo) have settled in Hobart - and are amassing a secret library of precious books in a propaganda-rife world that bans knowledge of the past. They risk detection at any moment - not helped by strife within the family (particularly when it comes to restless Leo); and Julie's terminal illness, which means venturing into the A-O city for medicine.
Boo takes up the narrative for the first time in this series. She has already been through many traumas, after her rescue from the A-O as a child, and she is about to come into her own as a 'fire-brand'. I loved Boo from the moment she speaks. She is strong, smart, and resilient, loves books and knowledge, and has enormous courage - which she certainly needs in this story, when disaster takes her into the heart of the dangerous A-O regime.
Weaving in-between Boo's coming-of-age narrative, the familiar voice of Kweku takes us back in time to revisit the actions of a murky character we encountered in the first book - Lachie Ashworth, Kweku's older step-brother. Lachie, once President of the USA, and instrumental in many of the misguided actions that helped the world fall, is now keen to tell his story. Bringing Kweku to his haven in the Alps to act as his biographer, he gradually tells his shocking tale - going right back to the shift in power to the younger generation that saw his political star rise. In a stunning twist, Lachie's story also holds within it the seeds of hope for a broken world - which connects beautifully with Boo's part in the novel.
Alongside a superb Dystopian plot, carried by Boo, the Lachie-Kweku storyline fills-in so many gaps about how and why events played out. I really enjoyed how this added oodles of detail to what we already know from both The Forcing and The Descent, and am impressed by Hardisty's skill as a writer in bringing everything full circle when the intricate threads collide in a breath-taking finale. Echoing themes of power, betrayal, and sacrifice run riot; strong female characters abound; and the exploration of the importance of knowledge and the written word is wonderful - especially, I think, when is comes to the clever way he refers to the 'truth' fiction can convey.
Hardisty does just what great speculative fiction should do in this series, by provoking your thoughts, and raising awareness about where humanity is heading, at the same time as immersing you in a cracking story. The unflinching way he reflects the current state of the world in Lachie's testament is especially brutal and hard to read, but he does not misrepresent the title of this book in any way by calling it The Hope - if only people will listen to what he has to say. Absolutely required reading when it comes to the very best of the cli-fi genre.
In Hobart, Tasmania, sixteen-year-old Boo Ashworth works with her Uncle Kweku to build a secret library, hidden underground. Their aim is to save what is left of human knowledge, even though discovery means death. When disaster strikes, and the library is destroyed, Boo is suddenly alone. But all is not lost, for Boo has perfect recall, and within her mind the stories she and Kweku rescued remain alive. Hunted by the son of the Eminence who established his A-O kingdom in Tasmania, Boo needs allies to help her save her loved ones...
The final book of The Forcing trilogy has arrived! You must have read the first two instalments (The Forcing, and The Descent) of this incredibly prescient trilogy before reading this book, as each one is integral to the story as a whole.
Picking up the thread of the previous epic trials and tribulations of the Ashworth family, Kweku, his wife Julie, his son Leo, and his niece Becky (Boo) have settled in Hobart - and are amassing a secret library of precious books in a propaganda-rife world that bans knowledge of the past. They risk detection at any moment - not helped by strife within the family (particularly when it comes to restless Leo); and Julie's terminal illness, which means venturing into the A-O city for medicine.
Boo takes up the narrative for the first time in this series. She has already been through many traumas, after her rescue from the A-O as a child, and she is about to come into her own as a 'fire-brand'. I loved Boo from the moment she speaks. She is strong, smart, and resilient, loves books and knowledge, and has enormous courage - which she certainly needs in this story, when disaster takes her into the heart of the dangerous A-O regime.
Weaving in-between Boo's coming-of-age narrative, the familiar voice of Kweku takes us back in time to revisit the actions of a murky character we encountered in the first book - Lachie Ashworth, Kweku's older step-brother. Lachie, once President of the USA, and instrumental in many of the misguided actions that helped the world fall, is now keen to tell his story. Bringing Kweku to his haven in the Alps to act as his biographer, he gradually tells his shocking tale - going right back to the shift in power to the younger generation that saw his political star rise. In a stunning twist, Lachie's story also holds within it the seeds of hope for a broken world - which connects beautifully with Boo's part in the novel.
Alongside a superb Dystopian plot, carried by Boo, the Lachie-Kweku storyline fills-in so many gaps about how and why events played out. I really enjoyed how this added oodles of detail to what we already know from both The Forcing and The Descent, and am impressed by Hardisty's skill as a writer in bringing everything full circle when the intricate threads collide in a breath-taking finale. Echoing themes of power, betrayal, and sacrifice run riot; strong female characters abound; and the exploration of the importance of knowledge and the written word is wonderful - especially, I think, when is comes to the clever way he refers to the 'truth' fiction can convey.
Hardisty does just what great speculative fiction should do in this series, by provoking your thoughts, and raising awareness about where humanity is heading, at the same time as immersing you in a cracking story. The unflinching way he reflects the current state of the world in Lachie's testament is especially brutal and hard to read, but he does not misrepresent the title of this book in any way by calling it The Hope - if only people will listen to what he has to say. Absolutely required reading when it comes to the very best of the cli-fi genre.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
The two previous books in this trilogy; The Forcing and The Descent are two of my favourite books, and I've been really excited and looking forward to reading the conclusion.
There are books that entertain, books that unsettle, and then there are books that quietly take hold of you and refuse to let go. The Hope by Paul E. Hardisty is firmly in that last category. This is not just the conclusion of The Forcing trilogy; it is a powerful, unsettling and compassionate piece of storytelling that lingers long after the final page is turned.
Set in 2082, The Hope introduces a world that has paid the ultimate price for decades of greed, denial and wilful inaction. Climate collapse has reshaped everything: politics, power, morality and survival itself. The author does not gently ease his readers into this future. Instead, he places us directly inside it, where the remnants of humanity exist under the control of the Alpha-Omega regime; descendants of the very people who profited while the planet burned. It is grim, but it is also painfully believable, and that is what makes this novel so great.
At the heart of the story is Boo Ashworth, a teenager whose courage and resilience are remarkable without ever feeling implausible. Boo possesses an extraordinary gift, she ca memorise entire books with perfect recall. The author never treats this as a gimmick. Instead, it becomes a deeply symbolic act of resistance. In a world where knowledge is dangerous, outlawed and erased, Boo becomes a living archive, a keeper of stories, ideas and memory itself. The author understands the power of the written word so well.
This is a novel that spans generations, moving perfectly between past and present. The author invites the reader to consider not just what has been lost, but how it was lost, and, importantly, who benefited along the way. His background as an environmental scientist is evident, but never heavy-handed. The science is embedded seamlessly into the narrative, giving the story authority and weight without ever overwhelming the human drama at its core.
This book packs such an emotional punch. There is anger, and sorrow, and moments of genuine fear, but there is also tenderness and an unexpected sense of hope. The author's prose is often lyrical, almost poetic, even when describing the harshest realities. He has an uncanny ability to balance beauty and brutality, ensuring that the novel never slips into despair for despair’s sake.
Tension runs through every page. The sense of threat is constant, and yet the novel never becomes exhausting. Instead, you are compelled onwards, by the need to see whether resistance, memory and compassion can still matter in a world that seems determined to crush them. This is dystopian fiction at its most effective: not spectacle, but warning.
While The Hope does work as a standalone novel, it gains enormous power when read as the culmination of the trilogy. Threads laid down in earlier books come together with precision and purpose. However, the author is careful not to alienate new readers; enough context is provided to make this story accessible to all readers.
Ultimately, The Hope asks a question that feels uncomfortably urgent: what if there is still time? It does not offer easy answers, but it does suggest that resistance can take many forms; knowledge, memory, kindness, and the refusal to forget. This is a sobering, thought-provoking and deeply affecting novel, and a fitting, unforgettable conclusion to a remarkable trilogy.
Highly recommended, and not easily forgotten.
There are books that entertain, books that unsettle, and then there are books that quietly take hold of you and refuse to let go. The Hope by Paul E. Hardisty is firmly in that last category. This is not just the conclusion of The Forcing trilogy; it is a powerful, unsettling and compassionate piece of storytelling that lingers long after the final page is turned.
Set in 2082, The Hope introduces a world that has paid the ultimate price for decades of greed, denial and wilful inaction. Climate collapse has reshaped everything: politics, power, morality and survival itself. The author does not gently ease his readers into this future. Instead, he places us directly inside it, where the remnants of humanity exist under the control of the Alpha-Omega regime; descendants of the very people who profited while the planet burned. It is grim, but it is also painfully believable, and that is what makes this novel so great.
At the heart of the story is Boo Ashworth, a teenager whose courage and resilience are remarkable without ever feeling implausible. Boo possesses an extraordinary gift, she ca memorise entire books with perfect recall. The author never treats this as a gimmick. Instead, it becomes a deeply symbolic act of resistance. In a world where knowledge is dangerous, outlawed and erased, Boo becomes a living archive, a keeper of stories, ideas and memory itself. The author understands the power of the written word so well.
This is a novel that spans generations, moving perfectly between past and present. The author invites the reader to consider not just what has been lost, but how it was lost, and, importantly, who benefited along the way. His background as an environmental scientist is evident, but never heavy-handed. The science is embedded seamlessly into the narrative, giving the story authority and weight without ever overwhelming the human drama at its core.
This book packs such an emotional punch. There is anger, and sorrow, and moments of genuine fear, but there is also tenderness and an unexpected sense of hope. The author's prose is often lyrical, almost poetic, even when describing the harshest realities. He has an uncanny ability to balance beauty and brutality, ensuring that the novel never slips into despair for despair’s sake.
Tension runs through every page. The sense of threat is constant, and yet the novel never becomes exhausting. Instead, you are compelled onwards, by the need to see whether resistance, memory and compassion can still matter in a world that seems determined to crush them. This is dystopian fiction at its most effective: not spectacle, but warning.
While The Hope does work as a standalone novel, it gains enormous power when read as the culmination of the trilogy. Threads laid down in earlier books come together with precision and purpose. However, the author is careful not to alienate new readers; enough context is provided to make this story accessible to all readers.
Ultimately, The Hope asks a question that feels uncomfortably urgent: what if there is still time? It does not offer easy answers, but it does suggest that resistance can take many forms; knowledge, memory, kindness, and the refusal to forget. This is a sobering, thought-provoking and deeply affecting novel, and a fitting, unforgettable conclusion to a remarkable trilogy.
Highly recommended, and not easily forgotten.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
In The Hope, by Paul E. Hardisty, it’s 2082 and we follow teenager Becky (Boo) Ashworth from her burning home to an oligarch’s palace, where she’s forcibly inducted into his harem – but secretly conspires to help overthrow this wealthy family who terrorise and impoverish her corner of Tasmania.
Along the way, we learn how Earth got into a state where habitable areas and populations of humans and animals have severely declined, resources are scarce unless you’re one of the super-rich, and books are forbidden, lest anyone get dangerous ideas about how a better world is possible.
This information is conveyed to us via Boo’s perfect recall of a book written by her Uncle Kweku: while her family’s secret library has been destroyed by armed insurgents, and this particular volume is no longer in her possession, their contents are not lost – so long as Boo survives and escapes the palace, that is.
Starting this review with a quick confession: I didn’t realise The Hope was a follow-up to The Forcing and The Descent – neither of which I’ve read – when I put myself forward for the blog tour. However, as this book foregrounds different characters over a decade on from the events of The Descent, and Kweku’s book explains so much of the context, I didn’t feel particularly disadvantaged in this respect.
In fact, I was drawn into the story very quickly, beginning as it does with a life-threatening situation and Boo becoming separated from the other members of her household as she flees for short-lived shelter in the mountains. From there, she lurches from one nail-biting crisis to the next, finding out first-hand how brutally and unforgivingly those in the service of Eminence Valliant Junior are treated.
What’s more, the political developments and consequences that led to collapse for all but the wealthiest feel all too possible, especially considering the news over the last couple of weeks or so. This makes The Hope very compelling: what it describes is horrible, but you can’t look away, and all the time you’re thinking ‘could this please not happen in real life?’
The thing I liked most about The Hope, though, is its reverence for, and use of books, literacy, and stories. As hinted above, more than one political regime in this series has purposely cut people off from even learning to read, and therefore diminished their exposure to opposing viewpoints, and capacity for critical thinking.
Due to her family’s efforts to preserve whatever books they can find, as well as document their own stories (in-universe, The Forcing and The Descent were written by Boo’s grandfather and Uncle Kweku respectively), Boo is unusually literate for her time. While she does admire and respect books as physical objects, her appreciation for their contents rightly reigns supreme.
Not only does Boo’s extraordinary memory ensure that words outlast the destruction of the paper they’re printed on, but she also truly engages with what she’s memorised. As well as using stories to escape her harsh existence, understand the world around her, and see things through other people’s eyes, she habitually refers to authors and books, and puts some stories she knows to clever use inside the palace. I also enjoyed the tongue-in-cheek reference to another book by Hardisty, and the shout-out to publisher Orenda.
There were, however, a couple of things that niggled at me. One was that the author falls into the odd “men writing women” trap, with Boo’s thoughts and observations occasionally not quite ringing true, and some instances of female nudity/sexuality that felt more like they were catering to the straight male gaze than advancing the plot.
I also felt a bit uneasy about the two principal “baddies” being disabled – not because you shouldn’t have disabled villains (you totally should! Representation beyond “resilient”, “brave”, and “inspiring” matters!), but because of the way the author repeatedly refers to their disabilities, connecting them with their respective undesirable personalities and rendering them grotesque.
The Hope is a scarily plausible post-apocalyptic thriller and love letter to books and reading.
Along the way, we learn how Earth got into a state where habitable areas and populations of humans and animals have severely declined, resources are scarce unless you’re one of the super-rich, and books are forbidden, lest anyone get dangerous ideas about how a better world is possible.
This information is conveyed to us via Boo’s perfect recall of a book written by her Uncle Kweku: while her family’s secret library has been destroyed by armed insurgents, and this particular volume is no longer in her possession, their contents are not lost – so long as Boo survives and escapes the palace, that is.
Starting this review with a quick confession: I didn’t realise The Hope was a follow-up to The Forcing and The Descent – neither of which I’ve read – when I put myself forward for the blog tour. However, as this book foregrounds different characters over a decade on from the events of The Descent, and Kweku’s book explains so much of the context, I didn’t feel particularly disadvantaged in this respect.
In fact, I was drawn into the story very quickly, beginning as it does with a life-threatening situation and Boo becoming separated from the other members of her household as she flees for short-lived shelter in the mountains. From there, she lurches from one nail-biting crisis to the next, finding out first-hand how brutally and unforgivingly those in the service of Eminence Valliant Junior are treated.
What’s more, the political developments and consequences that led to collapse for all but the wealthiest feel all too possible, especially considering the news over the last couple of weeks or so. This makes The Hope very compelling: what it describes is horrible, but you can’t look away, and all the time you’re thinking ‘could this please not happen in real life?’
The thing I liked most about The Hope, though, is its reverence for, and use of books, literacy, and stories. As hinted above, more than one political regime in this series has purposely cut people off from even learning to read, and therefore diminished their exposure to opposing viewpoints, and capacity for critical thinking.
Due to her family’s efforts to preserve whatever books they can find, as well as document their own stories (in-universe, The Forcing and The Descent were written by Boo’s grandfather and Uncle Kweku respectively), Boo is unusually literate for her time. While she does admire and respect books as physical objects, her appreciation for their contents rightly reigns supreme.
Not only does Boo’s extraordinary memory ensure that words outlast the destruction of the paper they’re printed on, but she also truly engages with what she’s memorised. As well as using stories to escape her harsh existence, understand the world around her, and see things through other people’s eyes, she habitually refers to authors and books, and puts some stories she knows to clever use inside the palace. I also enjoyed the tongue-in-cheek reference to another book by Hardisty, and the shout-out to publisher Orenda.
There were, however, a couple of things that niggled at me. One was that the author falls into the odd “men writing women” trap, with Boo’s thoughts and observations occasionally not quite ringing true, and some instances of female nudity/sexuality that felt more like they were catering to the straight male gaze than advancing the plot.
I also felt a bit uneasy about the two principal “baddies” being disabled – not because you shouldn’t have disabled villains (you totally should! Representation beyond “resilient”, “brave”, and “inspiring” matters!), but because of the way the author repeatedly refers to their disabilities, connecting them with their respective undesirable personalities and rendering them grotesque.
The Hope is a scarily plausible post-apocalyptic thriller and love letter to books and reading.
February 10, 2026
‘The Hope’ is the culmination of the ‘Forcing Series’ and as unsettling as its predecessors. It’s provoking, emotive, speculative, empathetic, and utterly frightening. Yes, this is fiction, but from the pen of Paul Hardisty, it could become truth. You could pick this book up as a stand-alone, but to really see the story as it is meant to be, I recommend reading the first two books. I actually wish I had reread them before picking up this one, just as a wee refresh. I thoroughly enjoyed this series, and I’m sad to see it concluded.
Set in 2082, we find a world which has been shaped by numerous wars, famine, and the collapse of society. People now live on the fringes of the Earth, and our characters are no different. We find them in an abandoned house in Tasmania, overshadowed by the towering Alpha-Omega city that rules with a heavy and decisive hand. Boo Ashworth is the heart and soul of this novel and the epitome of hope itself. She is fierce and loyal, but also inquisitive and desperate to learn about her history and the world. Boo has a special talent though— she has a photographic memory, especially for print. She can recite whole books perfectly, and that is the threat. Education is what sets people free, and she is the catalyst. Her family has been collecting books as they find them and hiding them in their home. A risky and dangerous thing to be doing. Her Uncle has also been writing a manuscript, which Boo is desperate to read. I loved this mechanism of telling the missing bits of the trilogy through this diary, especially when we hear about Teacher’s son— that Prime Minister who changed everything!
Today’s actions of world leaders are dispersed throughout this narrative and give a sense of urgency and I’m afraid to say authenticity to the story. This is less about the science this time around and more about how people and society react to threats in general. It shows how power rests in the hands of the few, and it takes a revolution to overthrow them! It shows how power corrupts even those with good intentions.
Once again, the author puts our characters through the wringer, but also beautifully told through his exquisite writing and storytelling. I would believe anything this man sold me! I tried to take my time over this book, but it drags you screaming into the action, and even at the last word, you want more. It may be a tense and depressing read at times, but what kept me glued to the pages was the hope that Boo and her Uncle radiated. Ultimately, I was scared but hopeful, and I think that was the author’s aim all along. Job done, Mr Hardisty.
Let me know if you pick this one up!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I’ve read both The Forcing and The Descent, which is helpful when reading and reviewing The Hope – the final book in the trilogy. Dystopian fiction is not my usual genre – in fact it is something I often avoid – but these books are something special. Set in the future (2082), The Hope warns us what could happen if we ignore the signs – now. In the original book, the earth had reached 13 billion inhabitants (didn’t they warn us that 7 billion was the ‘tipping point’?), fires were burning out of control, a third of the animals were extinct and the Youth leaders blamed everyone born before 1990. All those people were shipped off to be relocated, their assets stripped.
The Hope is split into two parts. Kweku, the main character in The Descent is talking to President Lachie Ashworth about what went wrong and documenting the answers. The most worrying thing is how close we are to this situation right now. The powers that be over the pond scrapped all green initiatives and climate control, pillaged the earth’s resources for its remaining fossil fuels, fished the seas till there was nothing left, but only keeping the best catches and destroying the rest, and making the billionaires even richer. Millions died.
But the book opens In Tasmania with Kweku’s niece Boo fleeing her home and their secret library, all that is left of people’s knowledge through history books and literature. The place is set on fire and she has to run to the place where Uncle said they would meet if this ever happened.
Boo, now 16, is the three-year-old child from The Descent, kidnapped earlier and the one that Kweku, his wife Julie and son Leo traversed the earth to find. She tells the story from her point of view. There is so much she has never seen in her short life – things that most 16-year-olds today take for granted, like TV and mobile phones. But she carries all the information in her head.
The Hope takes a bleak view of our future where climate change is dismissed as a scam, and wealth is more important than humanity. There are things that happen or are said that makes me wonder if the author is psychic or has some special power, because I keep wondering ‘how did he know that?’ Things that have happened since he finished the book. I’m in awe, I really am.
But if there is just one thing you can take away from this book, it’s the title – The Hope. Because one day that may be all that we have left, but if there is still hope then we have a chance.
Many thanks to @annecater for inviting me to be part of #RandomThingsTours
The Hope is split into two parts. Kweku, the main character in The Descent is talking to President Lachie Ashworth about what went wrong and documenting the answers. The most worrying thing is how close we are to this situation right now. The powers that be over the pond scrapped all green initiatives and climate control, pillaged the earth’s resources for its remaining fossil fuels, fished the seas till there was nothing left, but only keeping the best catches and destroying the rest, and making the billionaires even richer. Millions died.
But the book opens In Tasmania with Kweku’s niece Boo fleeing her home and their secret library, all that is left of people’s knowledge through history books and literature. The place is set on fire and she has to run to the place where Uncle said they would meet if this ever happened.
Boo, now 16, is the three-year-old child from The Descent, kidnapped earlier and the one that Kweku, his wife Julie and son Leo traversed the earth to find. She tells the story from her point of view. There is so much she has never seen in her short life – things that most 16-year-olds today take for granted, like TV and mobile phones. But she carries all the information in her head.
The Hope takes a bleak view of our future where climate change is dismissed as a scam, and wealth is more important than humanity. There are things that happen or are said that makes me wonder if the author is psychic or has some special power, because I keep wondering ‘how did he know that?’ Things that have happened since he finished the book. I’m in awe, I really am.
But if there is just one thing you can take away from this book, it’s the title – The Hope. Because one day that may be all that we have left, but if there is still hope then we have a chance.
Many thanks to @annecater for inviting me to be part of #RandomThingsTours
February 12, 2026
Volume 3 in The Forcing Triology. Each book has surpassed my expectations. They are explosive climate-emergancy thrillers, with a dystopian and innovative theme. I've found them compelling, with a realistic portrait of climate collapse and a true reflection of politic greed.
This book is set in 2082 and swiftly takes readers into the center of climate collapse. Famine and war have left the world in ruins. The sea levels continue to rise, with well-known city's submerged. This new world has been re-shaped by politics, power, morality and those left behind by sheer survival. This devestation sees the pure extinction of many animal sepecies. Humanity is now controled by the Alpha-Omega regime. A regime maanaged by the descendants of the very people who too advantage of a planet that was already under a blistering strain. If your rich and powerful you may be lucky enough to recieve better treatment, but those who resist will only be severly punished.
This is the type of book that will reverberate into your core. I felt enraged and disturbed with fear. This author has captured the possible future of the world, it's raw, honest and shocking. The writing is impressive, enagaging and sharp in detail. A visonary with wise predictions that made me feel deeply unsettled.
This story predominately follows Boo who is now 16 and is the 3 year old child from the Descent who was kidnapped. Her narration is pure, providing a scary account of what her short life has been filled with. It demonstrates how privelged our children are to this day and merits the fact that they have little respect for the wolrd we live in.
I would advise you to read this series in order, as you need to appreciate the comprhensive message that each book comes with. Aswell as cementing the full history of Boo who comes with a remarkable gift.
The Hope is a tale filled with passion, an array of emotions and moments of misery. Yet the author utilisies the title irrespectively and guides your thoughts to feel that when it comes down to it all, hope is all we may have left.
This full series is now availble for purchase now and I would say these are a must-read whether your interets lies in climate change or not. It may just make you consider evey aspect of the conditioned world we live in right now.
This book is set in 2082 and swiftly takes readers into the center of climate collapse. Famine and war have left the world in ruins. The sea levels continue to rise, with well-known city's submerged. This new world has been re-shaped by politics, power, morality and those left behind by sheer survival. This devestation sees the pure extinction of many animal sepecies. Humanity is now controled by the Alpha-Omega regime. A regime maanaged by the descendants of the very people who too advantage of a planet that was already under a blistering strain. If your rich and powerful you may be lucky enough to recieve better treatment, but those who resist will only be severly punished.
This is the type of book that will reverberate into your core. I felt enraged and disturbed with fear. This author has captured the possible future of the world, it's raw, honest and shocking. The writing is impressive, enagaging and sharp in detail. A visonary with wise predictions that made me feel deeply unsettled.
This story predominately follows Boo who is now 16 and is the 3 year old child from the Descent who was kidnapped. Her narration is pure, providing a scary account of what her short life has been filled with. It demonstrates how privelged our children are to this day and merits the fact that they have little respect for the wolrd we live in.
I would advise you to read this series in order, as you need to appreciate the comprhensive message that each book comes with. Aswell as cementing the full history of Boo who comes with a remarkable gift.
The Hope is a tale filled with passion, an array of emotions and moments of misery. Yet the author utilisies the title irrespectively and guides your thoughts to feel that when it comes down to it all, hope is all we may have left.
This full series is now availble for purchase now and I would say these are a must-read whether your interets lies in climate change or not. It may just make you consider evey aspect of the conditioned world we live in right now.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I read and loved the previous two novels in this trilogy, The Forcing and The Descent, both of which were five-star reads for me. Because of this, The Hope was easily one of my most anticipated books of 2026.
I did initially find the opening slightly frustrating, but that was entirely down to my own hazy memory rather than the writing itself. There are several returning characters and references to earlier events, and I found myself wishing I had the time to reread the entire series back-to-back to fully appreciate all of the connections.
The novel is set in 2082, in the aftermath of climate collapse and widespread global devastation. Much of the world has become unrecognisable, and Paul Hardisty does an excellent job of conveying the harshness and fragility of life in this future. The story is primarily narrated by Kweku’s niece, Becky (known as Boo), as she and her family struggle to survive while secretly preserving a small, illegal library, in a society that fears knowledge.
Interwoven throughout are extracts from Kweku’s own writings, as he meets with former president Lanchie Ashworth and records their conversations. These sections add depth and historical context from the previous two books.
Boo is an outstanding protagonist. I was completely drawn to her intelligence, resilience, and quiet courage. I was also envious of her remarkable ability to memorise books perfectly! Through her perspective, the future world she inhabits feels vivid, believable, and unsettlingly plausible.
I also loved the final sections set within the Palace, ruled by the cruel and formidable Immaculata. The atmosphere here is oppressive and tense, and the stakes rise dramatically when Boo is forced to present herself to the Eminence, risking everything in a dangerous attempt to gather information that could help bring an end to the totalitarian regime. These chapters are gripping and filled with sustained tension.
Overall, this is an incredible conclusion to a powerful series. It offers a chillingly realistic vision of a future shaped by environmental collapse and the prioritisation of profit over humanity but it is also a story about resistance, memory, and the enduring importance of knowledge. The whole series are deeply thought-provoking and highly recommended reads!
I did initially find the opening slightly frustrating, but that was entirely down to my own hazy memory rather than the writing itself. There are several returning characters and references to earlier events, and I found myself wishing I had the time to reread the entire series back-to-back to fully appreciate all of the connections.
The novel is set in 2082, in the aftermath of climate collapse and widespread global devastation. Much of the world has become unrecognisable, and Paul Hardisty does an excellent job of conveying the harshness and fragility of life in this future. The story is primarily narrated by Kweku’s niece, Becky (known as Boo), as she and her family struggle to survive while secretly preserving a small, illegal library, in a society that fears knowledge.
Interwoven throughout are extracts from Kweku’s own writings, as he meets with former president Lanchie Ashworth and records their conversations. These sections add depth and historical context from the previous two books.
Boo is an outstanding protagonist. I was completely drawn to her intelligence, resilience, and quiet courage. I was also envious of her remarkable ability to memorise books perfectly! Through her perspective, the future world she inhabits feels vivid, believable, and unsettlingly plausible.
I also loved the final sections set within the Palace, ruled by the cruel and formidable Immaculata. The atmosphere here is oppressive and tense, and the stakes rise dramatically when Boo is forced to present herself to the Eminence, risking everything in a dangerous attempt to gather information that could help bring an end to the totalitarian regime. These chapters are gripping and filled with sustained tension.
Overall, this is an incredible conclusion to a powerful series. It offers a chillingly realistic vision of a future shaped by environmental collapse and the prioritisation of profit over humanity but it is also a story about resistance, memory, and the enduring importance of knowledge. The whole series are deeply thought-provoking and highly recommended reads!
February 8, 2026
This series has been published at a critical time for our planet; either we act now to save it, or we doom ourselves. The Hope is the latest novel in the climate emergency series. Paul E Hardisty paints a horrific picture of what could happen to our planet if we don’t do more to save it. This has been an outstanding, unique series to follow, and I haven’t read anything else quite like it.
This series has spanned generations, and now it is Boo’s turn to tell her part in it and learn what happened before her time. She lives in Hobart, Tasmania, run by a totalitarian government, the leader of which is a mysterious figure known as The Eminence. Boo is such a fascinating character. She loves her uncle’s secret library and has been secretly reading the manuscripts he has preserved, following the government’s ban on books, which has revealed how the planet has come to be how it is now. Boo also has a remarkable ability to be able to remember word for word everything she has read, and she is determined to commit the books in her uncle’s library to memory.
I loved learning about what happened to the world through Boo’s eyes. I could feel the tension on the page, particularly as she read passages that take place roughly in our time now. These scenes really resonated with me. It is clear to see as well how much Boo loves her family, her Auntie Julie and Uncle Kweku and this shines through in her personality.
Paul E Hardisty continues to up the stakes, and he has written such a powerful ending as Boo’s journey comes to an end. I could really feel what she was going through as she faced her fears and really felt for her because of the impossible position she finds herself in.
This is an exceptional series by Paul E Hardisty, which I have really enjoyed reading, and I loved the final message Paul leaves his series on, that even in the darkest of times, there can still be hope, and I think that’ll speak to a lot of people. If you haven’t yet read this series, I highly recommend it.
This series has spanned generations, and now it is Boo’s turn to tell her part in it and learn what happened before her time. She lives in Hobart, Tasmania, run by a totalitarian government, the leader of which is a mysterious figure known as The Eminence. Boo is such a fascinating character. She loves her uncle’s secret library and has been secretly reading the manuscripts he has preserved, following the government’s ban on books, which has revealed how the planet has come to be how it is now. Boo also has a remarkable ability to be able to remember word for word everything she has read, and she is determined to commit the books in her uncle’s library to memory.
I loved learning about what happened to the world through Boo’s eyes. I could feel the tension on the page, particularly as she read passages that take place roughly in our time now. These scenes really resonated with me. It is clear to see as well how much Boo loves her family, her Auntie Julie and Uncle Kweku and this shines through in her personality.
Paul E Hardisty continues to up the stakes, and he has written such a powerful ending as Boo’s journey comes to an end. I could really feel what she was going through as she faced her fears and really felt for her because of the impossible position she finds herself in.
This is an exceptional series by Paul E Hardisty, which I have really enjoyed reading, and I loved the final message Paul leaves his series on, that even in the darkest of times, there can still be hope, and I think that’ll speak to a lot of people. If you haven’t yet read this series, I highly recommend it.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
🫶🏻 A love letter to memory, resistance, and the fragile act of believing 🫶🏻
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“They can burn the pages, but they can’t burn what we remember.”
Paul Hardisty writes about the end of the world with clear eyes and steady hands, then dares—bravely, defiantly—to ask whether redemption might still be possible amid the wreckage.
Set in 2082, this is a future shaped by greed and indifference, where knowledge has become contraband and carrying books are acts of rebellion. Boo Ashworth, luminous and resilient, sees stories not just as comfort but as survival. Her gift for perfect recall becomes both a burden and salvation, a living archive in a world determined to forget itself.
What Hardisty does so well—across generations and collapse—is show that the climate emergency is not abstract. It is intimate. It lives in families, in losses handed down, in the moral debt inherited by the young. Yet The Hope never collapses into despair. Even as libraries burn and systems rot, this novel insists on the power of stories, of human connection, of choosing to care when it would be easier not to.
This conclusion to the powerful trilogy is one that feels earned: shattering, yes, but threaded through with defiant light. Hope, Hardisty suggests, is not naïve optimism—it is an act of resistance.
Verdict: A devastating and visionary finale. The Hope is a warning, a reckoning, and—against all odds—a quiet promise.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“They can burn the pages, but they can’t burn what we remember.”
Paul Hardisty writes about the end of the world with clear eyes and steady hands, then dares—bravely, defiantly—to ask whether redemption might still be possible amid the wreckage.
Set in 2082, this is a future shaped by greed and indifference, where knowledge has become contraband and carrying books are acts of rebellion. Boo Ashworth, luminous and resilient, sees stories not just as comfort but as survival. Her gift for perfect recall becomes both a burden and salvation, a living archive in a world determined to forget itself.
What Hardisty does so well—across generations and collapse—is show that the climate emergency is not abstract. It is intimate. It lives in families, in losses handed down, in the moral debt inherited by the young. Yet The Hope never collapses into despair. Even as libraries burn and systems rot, this novel insists on the power of stories, of human connection, of choosing to care when it would be easier not to.
This conclusion to the powerful trilogy is one that feels earned: shattering, yes, but threaded through with defiant light. Hope, Hardisty suggests, is not naïve optimism—it is an act of resistance.
Verdict: A devastating and visionary finale. The Hope is a warning, a reckoning, and—against all odds—a quiet promise.
February 11, 2026
My thoughts
This series has had me entirely hooked. It does give enough background that if you wish to you can just read this instalment. I’d seriously recommend reading the series.
It goes from a very short time in the future showing some very similar scenes to our current climate and yet it’s never dull, depressing or dark. The book is truly character driven and you want the characters to have a future. Something that isn’t promised to anyone in this dystopian world.
I have to say I shed a few tears whilst reading this, but mostly the title of the book did give me the hope for our world, future and lives that made me feel possible.
I loved Boo, she’s gutsy, determined and she’s a walking human library.
This whole book captivated me and I wish I could pass it on to current world leaders, people in power, those who feel hopeless. The Hope will stay with me for a very long time and rightly so. Paul Hardisty has excellent characterisation and vision that I cannot fault and he made me feel so much.
With thanks to Anne Cater, the publisher and the author for the advanced reading copy of this book.
This series has had me entirely hooked. It does give enough background that if you wish to you can just read this instalment. I’d seriously recommend reading the series.
It goes from a very short time in the future showing some very similar scenes to our current climate and yet it’s never dull, depressing or dark. The book is truly character driven and you want the characters to have a future. Something that isn’t promised to anyone in this dystopian world.
I have to say I shed a few tears whilst reading this, but mostly the title of the book did give me the hope for our world, future and lives that made me feel possible.
I loved Boo, she’s gutsy, determined and she’s a walking human library.
This whole book captivated me and I wish I could pass it on to current world leaders, people in power, those who feel hopeless. The Hope will stay with me for a very long time and rightly so. Paul Hardisty has excellent characterisation and vision that I cannot fault and he made me feel so much.
With thanks to Anne Cater, the publisher and the author for the advanced reading copy of this book.
January 31, 2026
My head is spinning. This book, this series really, is a kind of call to arms, an often disturbing dystopian vision of a future, all too easy to envision, and far too close for comfort. The Hope is the final part of a trilogy which examines the impact of climate change in a version of the world where big business has taken control. Driven the world to the point of decimation in their own interests, undermining the whole concept of climate change with large and influential countries have rolled back on their pledges to reduce emissions, prioritising revenue over humanity. Can you even imagine such a time and place ...
This series is best appreciated if you read in order. There are parts to the book which will have far more meaning if you are aware of not only the history of Boo Ashworth, but also all of the key players who are mentioned to more or less degree in this book. This is an ending, pure and simple, but, as the title would suggest, not necessarily one of utter desolation. In a world devastated by famine, war, rising sea levels and the near, if not total extinction of many species, there is a need for resistance. For someone to fight back. In Hobart, possession of books have been outlawed, and yet Boo, and her Uncle, Kweku, strive to preserve as much of the written word as they can, understanding its importance to all those who are oppressed by the leaders of the regime. And it is because of this, their secret library, that they have painted a target on their own backs, one which is struck in truly dramatic style, right at the start of the book.
Regime is really the only fair way to describe the current state of affairs. One rich and powerful family, controlling a militia and subjugating the remaining citizens. Medical treatment is reserved for the lucky few, and young women are rarely treated better than concubines to serve their leader, the punishments severe for those who displease. There are elements of the book which will disturb and probably enrage you. It did me. But this is where Paul E. Hardisty has played it perfectly, and why his writing hits so hard. Whilst we are nowhere near the level of depravity shown in this possible future, most of which is left off the page, women's rights are slowly being eroded even in so called democratic countries, and the scenes in this book are merely an extension of this. Shocking, sure, but not too impossible to imagine.
This book is laced with danger and tension. So many scenes that exist right on a knife edge, that kind of pulse thumping tension that just compelled me to keep reading onward. Yes, moments of the book are repellent, but in amongst the present day scenes, the author has transported readers back in time, to the beginning of it all. To a time where Generation Z started to sit up and take note. To take action. It provides context to the original events of The Forcing, filling gaps in the history that The Descent started to portray, whilst also answering some of the actions taken by characters in this book. As with the previous book, this works really well hear, providing a break from the relentlessly bleak and intense oppression of the present day, and starting to give a glimmer of something different. Of another way of living. A kind of roadmap to a better future.
And at the heart of it all, is Boo Ashworth. She is such a powerful character, such a brilliant narrative perspective to lead the story from. Book has. a talent for memorising books that she reads But, more than that, she has a resilience and a tenacity that defy her young years. If (when) you have read The Descent you will understand her story. Understand why her Uncle is so protective of her, although some of it is recounted in this book too. But her defiance and her spirit in the face of such adversity stop this book from becoming too dark. What she is forced to endure provides some of the hardest scenes to read in the book, but it is Boo who drew me into the story. Who kept me reading because I wanted, or needed even, to see her succeed.
So much of this story is rooted in current events, that ripped from the headlines kind of feeling as you read about what led everything to that very tragic position. As such it is chilling and definitely uncomfortable. I previously accused the author of being a Soothsayer - a predictor of the future - as much of what he wrote eventually came to pass. His stories are based on his own experience, his understanding of the implications of a future where we do not take the depletion of the world's natural resources seriously and that shows in the delivery of this book. But as scary as that is, and at times I did have to remind myself this is, so far, purely fiction, his writing does offer an alternative solution. A reminder that things are not too late to be turned around if we care enough to make changes. And perhaps that is the key message here if people choose to listen and act.
A stark, shocking, evocative and ultimately thought provoking book that deserves to be shared widely. For the strength of it's message, for the fact that is was so hard hitting and, as always for Mr H, so beautifully written that I could envision every single scene, I'll give it one of these. The red hot reads badge. Let's just hope it's not also a metaphor for the future ...
This series is best appreciated if you read in order. There are parts to the book which will have far more meaning if you are aware of not only the history of Boo Ashworth, but also all of the key players who are mentioned to more or less degree in this book. This is an ending, pure and simple, but, as the title would suggest, not necessarily one of utter desolation. In a world devastated by famine, war, rising sea levels and the near, if not total extinction of many species, there is a need for resistance. For someone to fight back. In Hobart, possession of books have been outlawed, and yet Boo, and her Uncle, Kweku, strive to preserve as much of the written word as they can, understanding its importance to all those who are oppressed by the leaders of the regime. And it is because of this, their secret library, that they have painted a target on their own backs, one which is struck in truly dramatic style, right at the start of the book.
Regime is really the only fair way to describe the current state of affairs. One rich and powerful family, controlling a militia and subjugating the remaining citizens. Medical treatment is reserved for the lucky few, and young women are rarely treated better than concubines to serve their leader, the punishments severe for those who displease. There are elements of the book which will disturb and probably enrage you. It did me. But this is where Paul E. Hardisty has played it perfectly, and why his writing hits so hard. Whilst we are nowhere near the level of depravity shown in this possible future, most of which is left off the page, women's rights are slowly being eroded even in so called democratic countries, and the scenes in this book are merely an extension of this. Shocking, sure, but not too impossible to imagine.
This book is laced with danger and tension. So many scenes that exist right on a knife edge, that kind of pulse thumping tension that just compelled me to keep reading onward. Yes, moments of the book are repellent, but in amongst the present day scenes, the author has transported readers back in time, to the beginning of it all. To a time where Generation Z started to sit up and take note. To take action. It provides context to the original events of The Forcing, filling gaps in the history that The Descent started to portray, whilst also answering some of the actions taken by characters in this book. As with the previous book, this works really well hear, providing a break from the relentlessly bleak and intense oppression of the present day, and starting to give a glimmer of something different. Of another way of living. A kind of roadmap to a better future.
And at the heart of it all, is Boo Ashworth. She is such a powerful character, such a brilliant narrative perspective to lead the story from. Book has. a talent for memorising books that she reads But, more than that, she has a resilience and a tenacity that defy her young years. If (when) you have read The Descent you will understand her story. Understand why her Uncle is so protective of her, although some of it is recounted in this book too. But her defiance and her spirit in the face of such adversity stop this book from becoming too dark. What she is forced to endure provides some of the hardest scenes to read in the book, but it is Boo who drew me into the story. Who kept me reading because I wanted, or needed even, to see her succeed.
So much of this story is rooted in current events, that ripped from the headlines kind of feeling as you read about what led everything to that very tragic position. As such it is chilling and definitely uncomfortable. I previously accused the author of being a Soothsayer - a predictor of the future - as much of what he wrote eventually came to pass. His stories are based on his own experience, his understanding of the implications of a future where we do not take the depletion of the world's natural resources seriously and that shows in the delivery of this book. But as scary as that is, and at times I did have to remind myself this is, so far, purely fiction, his writing does offer an alternative solution. A reminder that things are not too late to be turned around if we care enough to make changes. And perhaps that is the key message here if people choose to listen and act.
A stark, shocking, evocative and ultimately thought provoking book that deserves to be shared widely. For the strength of it's message, for the fact that is was so hard hitting and, as always for Mr H, so beautifully written that I could envision every single scene, I'll give it one of these. The red hot reads badge. Let's just hope it's not also a metaphor for the future ...
January 26, 2026
“To me, a house without books was not a home, not complete; like a life without memories.”
The Hope comes full circle as we hear from the next generation but also go back in time again to where it started. Again a cleverly woven story, deeply thought provoking. I have been profoundly moved my these books. Boo, our protagonist, is a young woman with a remarkable talent. And books play a large part of this story. It was moving, thought provoking and poignant.
I highly recommend this trilogy, it’s really is a remarkable piece of speculative fiction and one that is very relevant for current times.
The Hope comes full circle as we hear from the next generation but also go back in time again to where it started. Again a cleverly woven story, deeply thought provoking. I have been profoundly moved my these books. Boo, our protagonist, is a young woman with a remarkable talent. And books play a large part of this story. It was moving, thought provoking and poignant.
I highly recommend this trilogy, it’s really is a remarkable piece of speculative fiction and one that is very relevant for current times.
January 29, 2026
Well this book spoke to my head & heart.
Head wise, it’s so near the knuckle of the world now in parts. But you can see how things could go this way with the leaders of today. Dismissing problems and greed. The author has hit a huge topic with all of these books in the series.
Heart, I grew to want the people we learnt from to be ok. No hurt, no more harm. To survive this mess.
I really enjoyed this book & the series and really hope others do too.
Head wise, it’s so near the knuckle of the world now in parts. But you can see how things could go this way with the leaders of today. Dismissing problems and greed. The author has hit a huge topic with all of these books in the series.
Heart, I grew to want the people we learnt from to be ok. No hurt, no more harm. To survive this mess.
I really enjoyed this book & the series and really hope others do too.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Powerful, prescient end to the trilogy.
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