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Deprivation
Condemned to become the people of Necroplis’ next meal, Luke Harper must do everything he can to prevent his fate. Teaming up with a fellow inmate, he escapes into the wastelands beyond the city. Out there survival is brutal, trust is fragile, but whispers of rebel Outlanders promise hope.
Being on the run is only the beginning. Fragments of a memory-wiped past claw their way back. Luke begins to see the reality of the system he fled, and the truths buried deep within himself.
The more secrets he unfolds, the more he questions: Is cannibalism truly the darkest horror his world has created?
Being on the run is only the beginning. Fragments of a memory-wiped past claw their way back. Luke begins to see the reality of the system he fled, and the truths buried deep within himself.
The more secrets he unfolds, the more he questions: Is cannibalism truly the darkest horror his world has created?
368 pages, Paperback
Published May 26, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
June 20, 2026
Deprivation was a strange one for me because I can see why some people enjoy it, but it never really clicked for me.
The premise is genuinely interesting: a dystopian world where food scarcity has become so severe that cannibalism has been normalised, prisoners are effectively part of the food supply, and the story follows a man who escapes execution only to discover he doesn't even know who he really is. On paper, that's exactly the sort of thing I should enjoy.
Unfortunately, I spent most of this book feeling disconnected from it.
Part of that may be the audiobook experience. I listened to this through Spotify and never really connected with the narration. I also started it while I was sick, which probably didn't help. From very early on I found myself struggling to stay engaged, and once a book loses me early it's hard to recover from that.
My biggest issue was the worldbuilding and prose. Throughout the book I had trouble visualising what was happening. Locations, vehicles, settlements, action scenes - very little formed a clear picture in my head. Even when major events happened, like the prison escape, I often felt like I was following the broad strokes rather than experiencing the scene itself.
The world itself was interesting, but I never felt like I fully understood it. There were lots of concepts introduced, but I was constantly wanting more detail about how society functioned, what the broader world looked like, and how everything fit together. Some of the futuristic elements also felt a little too convenient for the type of dystopian setting the book was trying to create.
The memory-loss storyline also didn't work particularly well for me. I kept comparing it to Project Hail Mary, which handles the gradual recovery of memories in a way that feels purposeful and satisfying. Here, the flashbacks often felt confusing and sometimes made it harder to stay grounded in the story rather than drawing me deeper into it.
To the book's credit, the final stretch was definitely more engaging. The revelations surrounding all made sense within the story. The ending wasn't bad by any means. It was just a little predictable by the time I got there, and because I hadn't been fully invested in the characters or the mystery, the payoff landed flatter than it probably should have.
Charles was probably the relationship I found most interesting, although even that felt somewhat unclear throughout. I was never entirely sure whether he and Luke were genuine friends, allies of convenience, or simply two people waiting for the right moment to turn on each other.
If I'm being completely honest, if I wasn't stubborn about finishing books, this probably would have been a DNF somewhere around the halfway mark. But I wanted to give it a fair shot, and I'm glad I finished it because the ending was stronger than the beginning and middle.
Overall, I think Deprivation has a good concept and some interesting ideas, but the execution never fully worked for me. I can understand why others enjoy it, but it wasn't a book that managed to pull me into its world or make me care deeply about what happened next.
The premise is genuinely interesting: a dystopian world where food scarcity has become so severe that cannibalism has been normalised, prisoners are effectively part of the food supply, and the story follows a man who escapes execution only to discover he doesn't even know who he really is. On paper, that's exactly the sort of thing I should enjoy.
Unfortunately, I spent most of this book feeling disconnected from it.
Part of that may be the audiobook experience. I listened to this through Spotify and never really connected with the narration. I also started it while I was sick, which probably didn't help. From very early on I found myself struggling to stay engaged, and once a book loses me early it's hard to recover from that.
My biggest issue was the worldbuilding and prose. Throughout the book I had trouble visualising what was happening. Locations, vehicles, settlements, action scenes - very little formed a clear picture in my head. Even when major events happened, like the prison escape, I often felt like I was following the broad strokes rather than experiencing the scene itself.
The world itself was interesting, but I never felt like I fully understood it. There were lots of concepts introduced, but I was constantly wanting more detail about how society functioned, what the broader world looked like, and how everything fit together. Some of the futuristic elements also felt a little too convenient for the type of dystopian setting the book was trying to create.
The memory-loss storyline also didn't work particularly well for me. I kept comparing it to Project Hail Mary, which handles the gradual recovery of memories in a way that feels purposeful and satisfying. Here, the flashbacks often felt confusing and sometimes made it harder to stay grounded in the story rather than drawing me deeper into it.
To the book's credit, the final stretch was definitely more engaging. The revelations surrounding all made sense within the story. The ending wasn't bad by any means. It was just a little predictable by the time I got there, and because I hadn't been fully invested in the characters or the mystery, the payoff landed flatter than it probably should have.
Charles was probably the relationship I found most interesting, although even that felt somewhat unclear throughout. I was never entirely sure whether he and Luke were genuine friends, allies of convenience, or simply two people waiting for the right moment to turn on each other.
If I'm being completely honest, if I wasn't stubborn about finishing books, this probably would have been a DNF somewhere around the halfway mark. But I wanted to give it a fair shot, and I'm glad I finished it because the ending was stronger than the beginning and middle.
Overall, I think Deprivation has a good concept and some interesting ideas, but the execution never fully worked for me. I can understand why others enjoy it, but it wasn't a book that managed to pull me into its world or make me care deeply about what happened next.
May 8, 2026
Deprivation is a great dystopian scifi that extrapolates more on the dark consequences and decisions humans are capable of from technological backfires than on the consequences of technology itself. I really liked that angle.
What I also liked was that this book starts as a dark comedy, helping you ease into the horrors of this society with some great Aussie/British style humour. But as the book and the characters grow and progress, the humour becomes less, allowing for characters, story, and emotional growth to mature.
I enjoyed the characters and the dual timeline story threaded together to add mystery and tension into the tale. Even if you guess some elements, you still wonder how the pieces will all click into place which is nice.
I’ve already started recommending Deprivation and will continue to do so. I’m between a 3.5 and 4 for this book, but rounding up as it is very enjoyable and does lots of things well.
Thanks to New Dawn Publishing for this ARC opportunity in return for an honest review.
What I also liked was that this book starts as a dark comedy, helping you ease into the horrors of this society with some great Aussie/British style humour. But as the book and the characters grow and progress, the humour becomes less, allowing for characters, story, and emotional growth to mature.
I enjoyed the characters and the dual timeline story threaded together to add mystery and tension into the tale. Even if you guess some elements, you still wonder how the pieces will all click into place which is nice.
I’ve already started recommending Deprivation and will continue to do so. I’m between a 3.5 and 4 for this book, but rounding up as it is very enjoyable and does lots of things well.
Thanks to New Dawn Publishing for this ARC opportunity in return for an honest review.
July 14, 2026
Well, you definitely aren’t eased into the cannibalism aspect in this book! Paragraph one is all about that delicious human burger and I’ll admit I felt a bit ill reading that - and now just thinking about it. Not sure I’ll ever have Grill’d again, thanks so much 😅
I think the writing style and the humour I’ve heard about weren’t for me, alas. There were times when what was being portrayed or said or recounted didn’t make sense to me and I didn’t see anything humourous in it. Maybe it’s a subtlety that my brain just couldn’t tune in with?
The overarching theme of cannibalism, human greed for power and justifying one’s actions was interesting and, unfortunately, so relevant to today you can apply it to any situation.
I’d recommend this to anyone who doesn’t mind a bit of a squeamish book, a bit of a look at the follows of humanity, and a bit of self-discovery along the way.
I think the writing style and the humour I’ve heard about weren’t for me, alas. There were times when what was being portrayed or said or recounted didn’t make sense to me and I didn’t see anything humourous in it. Maybe it’s a subtlety that my brain just couldn’t tune in with?
The overarching theme of cannibalism, human greed for power and justifying one’s actions was interesting and, unfortunately, so relevant to today you can apply it to any situation.
I’d recommend this to anyone who doesn’t mind a bit of a squeamish book, a bit of a look at the follows of humanity, and a bit of self-discovery along the way.
June 6, 2026
Had my jaw on the fucking floor in that last 10%. Neo-political horror at its peak.
Also, fuck the We Deserve Less chapter title. Charles and Sally deserved so much better.
Also, fuck the We Deserve Less chapter title. Charles and Sally deserved so much better.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I ate this book up… much like the characters eat people. Yeah. That’s the vibe. Welcome to Deprivation and the city of Necropolis
This is one of those books that is disturbing in the best possible way. We follow Luke, memory wiped, thrown into a system where he’s literally about to be cooked and served to other humans. Casual. Normal. Totally fine. And from there it just spirals (in a good way).
As Luke escapes and pieces of his past start clawing back, you’re constantly asking:
Who was he before this?
Why was he locked up?
And what kind of world makes this… acceptable?
The world building here is brutal. This is full on dystopian survival horror where humanity survives by eating each other—but with rules (because apparently its only cannibalism when its uncooked meat, and this is where they draw the line??).
It creates this constant sense of moral discomfort. You’re equal parts fascinated and horrified the entire time. Also quick PSA:
Do NOT do what I did and read this while eating. Or worse… while out for dinner alone. Learn from my mistakes.
The whole thing gives strong Mad Max x 1984 vibes, gritty, oppressive, and just deeply unsettling in a way that makes you think.
So finaly thoughts? A dark, twisted dystopian thriller that doesn’t hold back.
If you like:
- morally uncomfortable stories
- memory loss + unraveling truths
- brutal survival worlds
- sci-fi with horror elements
…this will absolutely get under your skin (and stay there).
This is one of those books that is disturbing in the best possible way. We follow Luke, memory wiped, thrown into a system where he’s literally about to be cooked and served to other humans. Casual. Normal. Totally fine. And from there it just spirals (in a good way).
As Luke escapes and pieces of his past start clawing back, you’re constantly asking:
Who was he before this?
Why was he locked up?
And what kind of world makes this… acceptable?
The world building here is brutal. This is full on dystopian survival horror where humanity survives by eating each other—but with rules (because apparently its only cannibalism when its uncooked meat, and this is where they draw the line??).
It creates this constant sense of moral discomfort. You’re equal parts fascinated and horrified the entire time. Also quick PSA:
Do NOT do what I did and read this while eating. Or worse… while out for dinner alone. Learn from my mistakes.
The whole thing gives strong Mad Max x 1984 vibes, gritty, oppressive, and just deeply unsettling in a way that makes you think.
So finaly thoughts? A dark, twisted dystopian thriller that doesn’t hold back.
If you like:
- morally uncomfortable stories
- memory loss + unraveling truths
- brutal survival worlds
- sci-fi with horror elements
…this will absolutely get under your skin (and stay there).
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Lets's start with the most important bit: Dont start reading this right after eating a burger like i did!
Now, let's not sugarcoat the rest. The setting for Deprivation is our worst nightmare. Roy has crafted a dystopian world where convicts are executed and served up to sustain the rest of the population. Oh, but this has only come about after all the cockroaches have been eradicated, cockroach soup anyone?
As a dystopian lover this was both unique and familiar. This story has quick plot pacing, an easy to visualise world and, excluding one very cool kid, is a cast full of older adults. The humour and mystery helped balance out the ickyness of the situation pretty well and i am happy to report i did not guess the twist ending.
Speaking of the ending. That was the best part for me, a very satisfying dessert if you will. The final chapter and epilogue was left wide open and i don't believe it was for a sequel, just more of a full circle thought provoking event: AND I LOVE THAT!
The only part i wasn't sure of was a trope that i am not a particular fan of, and that is just a personal preference. It worked for the story and was crucial for the open ending.
I recommend those that have a strong gut and love some existential dystopian dread pick this one up!
Thankyou New Dawn Publishing for the opportunity to read an early copy of Deprivation. This is my honest review and all opinions are my own.
Now, let's not sugarcoat the rest. The setting for Deprivation is our worst nightmare. Roy has crafted a dystopian world where convicts are executed and served up to sustain the rest of the population. Oh, but this has only come about after all the cockroaches have been eradicated, cockroach soup anyone?
As a dystopian lover this was both unique and familiar. This story has quick plot pacing, an easy to visualise world and, excluding one very cool kid, is a cast full of older adults. The humour and mystery helped balance out the ickyness of the situation pretty well and i am happy to report i did not guess the twist ending.
Speaking of the ending. That was the best part for me, a very satisfying dessert if you will. The final chapter and epilogue was left wide open and i don't believe it was for a sequel, just more of a full circle thought provoking event: AND I LOVE THAT!
The only part i wasn't sure of was a trope that i am not a particular fan of, and that is just a personal preference. It worked for the story and was crucial for the open ending.
I recommend those that have a strong gut and love some existential dystopian dread pick this one up!
Thankyou New Dawn Publishing for the opportunity to read an early copy of Deprivation. This is my honest review and all opinions are my own.
May 26, 2026
This book was gory, bleak and unsettling, but in such a great way.
Deprivation really asks the question - what if all food sources on the planet were no longer available? and answers it. And it's not just ok - people are cannibals. The author has really considered how people in this futuristic society would become cannibals.
Add to that the Mad Max vibes, the way computers could do us dirty but also keep us going, the nutritional considerations of cannibalism, an MMC who has had his memory wiped, and even a prison break? I literally did not know what would come next, this book constantly kept me guessing, right up until the ending, which leaves things intentionally quite open as to how things will go from that point forward.
My favourite part though, was the family Luke, the MMC, found along the way - they're a motley crew and you wonder what keeps them together when they don't really have much in common, but I guess in a dystopian world where you have no one, you'll grab onto the people you do have with both hands.
Such an enjoyable read despite the extreme ick it gave me at some points, it's funny and dry and even heart warming, while also being very entertaining!
Deprivation really asks the question - what if all food sources on the planet were no longer available? and answers it. And it's not just ok - people are cannibals. The author has really considered how people in this futuristic society would become cannibals.
Add to that the Mad Max vibes, the way computers could do us dirty but also keep us going, the nutritional considerations of cannibalism, an MMC who has had his memory wiped, and even a prison break? I literally did not know what would come next, this book constantly kept me guessing, right up until the ending, which leaves things intentionally quite open as to how things will go from that point forward.
My favourite part though, was the family Luke, the MMC, found along the way - they're a motley crew and you wonder what keeps them together when they don't really have much in common, but I guess in a dystopian world where you have no one, you'll grab onto the people you do have with both hands.
Such an enjoyable read despite the extreme ick it gave me at some points, it's funny and dry and even heart warming, while also being very entertaining!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Y'all, when I tell you I ATE up Deprivation by Roy V Marshan in one sitting last night, I was instantly transported back to my cold war era scifi phase.
That sense of foreboding, and "what if humanity really did destroy itself and have to persist" was so iconic to the time, but I feel is also having a real renaissance in our current global landscape where we are socially and environmentally balancing on a knife-edge.
Going into this book, the biggest surprise for me was that it is funny. Like, within the first few pages I was chortling out loud. For a book that opens with a prisoner being harvested and turned into food, I want to say that is no mean feat!
The humour was dark of course, the same sort of tongue-in-cheek macabre humour that you'd expect in Jay Kristoff's Empire of the Vampire. There is something pleasingly Aussie about that, without feeling out-of-place in the world.
I don't really want to say much more and risk spoiling anything, because this one is a dish best served cold. There's an A-grade twist at the end which I was high-fiving myself for guessing.
Thank you so much New Dawn Pub for sending me an ARC of this one! It is out NEXT WEEK!! ❤️🩸
That sense of foreboding, and "what if humanity really did destroy itself and have to persist" was so iconic to the time, but I feel is also having a real renaissance in our current global landscape where we are socially and environmentally balancing on a knife-edge.
Going into this book, the biggest surprise for me was that it is funny. Like, within the first few pages I was chortling out loud. For a book that opens with a prisoner being harvested and turned into food, I want to say that is no mean feat!
The humour was dark of course, the same sort of tongue-in-cheek macabre humour that you'd expect in Jay Kristoff's Empire of the Vampire. There is something pleasingly Aussie about that, without feeling out-of-place in the world.
I don't really want to say much more and risk spoiling anything, because this one is a dish best served cold. There's an A-grade twist at the end which I was high-fiving myself for guessing.
Thank you so much New Dawn Pub for sending me an ARC of this one! It is out NEXT WEEK!! ❤️🩸
August 15, 2026
This is a novel that I recommend you don't read while eating. The opening chapters had me cringing more than once, but the author balances the grotesque with a streak of dark humour that somehow makes the horror easier to swallow.
Set in a dystopian society ravaged by war and starvation, Necropolis has turned to state-sanctioned cannibalism as its solution for survival. Of course, even cannibalism needs rules, so prisoners become the designated food source.
It's bleak, it's disturbing, and it's exactly the kind of moral collapse that makes dystopian fiction so compelling.
Luke is a prisoner who voluntarily had his memory wiped, he doesn't know what he has done to be sent to prison or why he has no memory, so he teams up with Charles, another inmate and they work out a plan to escape.
This leads them to discover others trying to survive and maybe even the secrets that are hiding within Luke's memories.
This was an intriguing, unsettling read
that explores how far those in power will go when pushed to the brink, and how every decision, especially the monstrous, comes with consequences.
Thank you to New Dawn Books for this copy in exchange for my thoughts
Set in a dystopian society ravaged by war and starvation, Necropolis has turned to state-sanctioned cannibalism as its solution for survival. Of course, even cannibalism needs rules, so prisoners become the designated food source.
It's bleak, it's disturbing, and it's exactly the kind of moral collapse that makes dystopian fiction so compelling.
Luke is a prisoner who voluntarily had his memory wiped, he doesn't know what he has done to be sent to prison or why he has no memory, so he teams up with Charles, another inmate and they work out a plan to escape.
This leads them to discover others trying to survive and maybe even the secrets that are hiding within Luke's memories.
This was an intriguing, unsettling read
that explores how far those in power will go when pushed to the brink, and how every decision, especially the monstrous, comes with consequences.
Thank you to New Dawn Books for this copy in exchange for my thoughts
Review of advance copy
✨ALC Review✨
I loved the start of this. A dystopian end of the world setting, where people survive by eating other people because the whole world is pretty much fucked, and if you're in prison then good luck to you sir, you will be made into sausages in a week. 🫡
I felt myself zoning out a bit afterwards. A lot of adventure, fighting and survival happens that just didn't keep me interested like the beginning did. 😭
If you love dark humour with some horror elements in a thriller dystopian survival novel then you will want to give this a crack!
I loved the start of this. A dystopian end of the world setting, where people survive by eating other people because the whole world is pretty much fucked, and if you're in prison then good luck to you sir, you will be made into sausages in a week. 🫡
I felt myself zoning out a bit afterwards. A lot of adventure, fighting and survival happens that just didn't keep me interested like the beginning did. 😭
If you love dark humour with some horror elements in a thriller dystopian survival novel then you will want to give this a crack!
June 7, 2026
Really amazing book with such surprising twists that feel both integral to the story and just all round beautifully written. This is the second book i’ve read from Roy V Marshan and i’m here to say that this definitely won’t be the last, and really excited for a sequel if that’s in the works. This book has engulfed me over the last few days and i’ve enjoyed the journey that Roy has taken me through whilst reading this.
June 16, 2026
In the post apocalyptic city of Necropolis has legalised cannibalism and prisoners are executed and turned into the populations food supply. Luke Harper, cannot remember why he was arrested but must do everything in his power to prevent this fate. Luke teams up with a fellow inmate to escape the prison and seek out hope of better life in the wastelands beyond the city.
✨ review ✨
I love the concept of this so much (not cannibalism itself, but this just feels like such a fresh and unique take on the dystopian genre). You get thrown right into the thick of the plot at the start so it’s super engaging not having to go through world building right from the get go. The world building is given to you in sort of flash backs as you’re regaining memories alongside the MMC. I loved being able to discover new cities each with very different landscapes and just overall vibes, I truly felt like I was on an adventure with the characters. Also HELLO PLOT TWIST. I am so excited to see what happens in book 2 👀
genre: dystopian sci-fi
arc gifted by New Dawn for review, thank you so much 🫶🏼
✨ review ✨
I love the concept of this so much (not cannibalism itself, but this just feels like such a fresh and unique take on the dystopian genre). You get thrown right into the thick of the plot at the start so it’s super engaging not having to go through world building right from the get go. The world building is given to you in sort of flash backs as you’re regaining memories alongside the MMC. I loved being able to discover new cities each with very different landscapes and just overall vibes, I truly felt like I was on an adventure with the characters. Also HELLO PLOT TWIST. I am so excited to see what happens in book 2 👀
genre: dystopian sci-fi
arc gifted by New Dawn for review, thank you so much 🫶🏼
June 24, 2026
This book was soooo amazing oh my god !!! Definitely recommend was so good and easy to read I usually take so long to read books but managed to finish this one in 2 days !! Love the idea and the characters and the humour. I really hope this author writes another book!!!!
Read
July 23, 2026Luke is imprisoned and thus next in line to be butchered and fed to the citizens of Necropolis, but he does not know his crime or anything about himself. This is a book of daring escapes as Luke searches across the ruins of the world for a life without cannibalism and for his lost memories.
Did Not Finish
May 27, 2026I have never been defeated by a book before. I've also never read a book like this before. I am both impressed and embarrassed🤣
June 18, 2026
Thank you to Roy and New Dawn for a copy of this book!
Full review to follow
Full review to follow
July 7, 2026
Good book. Cool dystopian world
June 17, 2026
A bleak dystopian novel which keeps the reader glued to the main protagonists journey. Some great twists and some thought provoking situations. Highly recommended.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews