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The Salvation State #1
The Salvation State
“This is what the truth is. Second Salvations murdered my parents, and I’m running away.”
A single post over unregulated Internet channels. A sleeping society awakens to a chase, broadcast live on television screens all across the New United States of America...
Rebecca and Daniel have never met. A fifteen-year-old preacher’s kid and a sixteen-year-old atheist outcast, they appear to have little in common. And yet they have both attracted the attention of a recruiter for Angel Island, where bad kids go to be remade—or destroyed.
Agents of the all-powerful New America Unity Church will stop at nothing to get them. They’re building an army, a modern children’s crusade, in which Rebecca and Daniel may be just the kind of future leaders they need.
If not, they might be just the kind of sacrifice necessary to keep the rest of the faithless in line.
A single post over unregulated Internet channels. A sleeping society awakens to a chase, broadcast live on television screens all across the New United States of America...
Rebecca and Daniel have never met. A fifteen-year-old preacher’s kid and a sixteen-year-old atheist outcast, they appear to have little in common. And yet they have both attracted the attention of a recruiter for Angel Island, where bad kids go to be remade—or destroyed.
Agents of the all-powerful New America Unity Church will stop at nothing to get them. They’re building an army, a modern children’s crusade, in which Rebecca and Daniel may be just the kind of future leaders they need.
If not, they might be just the kind of sacrifice necessary to keep the rest of the faithless in line.
- GenresYoung Adult
282 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 15, 2016
14 people are currently reading
107 people want to read
About the author
Marcus Damanda
20 books67 followersWriter, teacher, world's best uncle, adoptive dad to Shazam the cat, I am the gatekeeper to your nightmares and dreams, weaver of tales fantastic and unimaginable ... or some stuff like that.
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October 14, 2018
The country has been taken over with a bastardized version of religion and no one is safe, pray, tithe or disappear. Individuality is a thing of the past and the hive mentality abounds under fear of retribution.
Welcome to Marcus Damanda’s THE SALVATION STATE where problem children go to “camp” be “saved,” meaning: beaten, tortured, maimed and brainwashed. Some may even survive.
Two teens who have never met will become primes targets for recruitment in the New America Unity Church, one a preacher’s daughter craving the freedom of all teens to spread their wings, the other an atheist teen who got caught attempting to steal to put food on the table. They have now become “guests” of the Reverend Matthew Black and his wife, Ruth and the flames of eternal damnation couldn’t be any worse than the world they must now survive.
Marcus Damanda has nailed that smarmy tele-evangelist persona in Matthew Black, from his overly large presentation teeth to his dramatic wardrobe. Dear wife Ruth is just as plastic and quite possibly more heartless. We are not treated to any pretty words or scenes as we are ripped from our existence and into this twisted world.
Rebecca and Daniel are incredible teen characters, terrified, yet determined and they completely realistic! From the vilest characters to the most innocent, they make this tale feel alive and had my skin crawling!
Marcus Damanda presents his story with stark clarity, raw emotions and a complete lack of guile. With bold strokes, the story unfolds in brittle waves of the poison that has infected his world.
Absolutely riveting from start to finish!
I received a complimentary copy from Evernight Teen!
Series: The Salvation State - Book 1
Publisher: Evernight Teen (January 15, 2016)
Publication Date: January 15, 2016
Genre: YA Dystopian
Print Length: 342 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com
Welcome to Marcus Damanda’s THE SALVATION STATE where problem children go to “camp” be “saved,” meaning: beaten, tortured, maimed and brainwashed. Some may even survive.
Two teens who have never met will become primes targets for recruitment in the New America Unity Church, one a preacher’s daughter craving the freedom of all teens to spread their wings, the other an atheist teen who got caught attempting to steal to put food on the table. They have now become “guests” of the Reverend Matthew Black and his wife, Ruth and the flames of eternal damnation couldn’t be any worse than the world they must now survive.
Marcus Damanda has nailed that smarmy tele-evangelist persona in Matthew Black, from his overly large presentation teeth to his dramatic wardrobe. Dear wife Ruth is just as plastic and quite possibly more heartless. We are not treated to any pretty words or scenes as we are ripped from our existence and into this twisted world.
Rebecca and Daniel are incredible teen characters, terrified, yet determined and they completely realistic! From the vilest characters to the most innocent, they make this tale feel alive and had my skin crawling!
Marcus Damanda presents his story with stark clarity, raw emotions and a complete lack of guile. With bold strokes, the story unfolds in brittle waves of the poison that has infected his world.
Absolutely riveting from start to finish!
I received a complimentary copy from Evernight Teen!
Series: The Salvation State - Book 1
Publisher: Evernight Teen (January 15, 2016)
Publication Date: January 15, 2016
Genre: YA Dystopian
Print Length: 342 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com
January 15, 2016
If you like Dystopian, I recommend this. I wouldn't be surprised if it turns into a major movie.
I'm a fan of Damanda's understated, sinister writing style. There's no hyperbole or drama - he just writes what's happens. And what happens is extraordinary.
Something has gone wrong in the world and parts of America are now governed by the Salvation State, an ultra-devout, uber-conservative set of rules for living in which indviduality is maligned as a threat. Rebecca is a reverend's daughter, smart, sporty and a little too savvy. She sees through the bull***t and won't be convinced by the lies. However, all she wants is that little bit of freedom we all crave. Skipping out of school. Meeting up with the occasional boy. Experimenting with a first kiss. This is what lands her in trouble - bigger trouble than she ever imagined.
On the other hand, Daniel has done it tough. He's been suffering on the outskirts of society, finally ready to try and fit in. He needs to protect his mom and himself.
It's too late. Both of them have achieved extraordinary results on their Solomon Tests and they've been noticed by Ruth and Matthew Black.
The characters in this book have such power - you find yourself identifying with all of them in some way, no matter how well-meaning or evil. Everyone is flawed. Everyone is real. I found myself sympathising with even the most awful of characters. However, you will fall in love with Rebecca, I guarantee it. A heroine who is smart, tough and talks back. She's fantastic.
This is a mind-blowing read that grabs you in the first scene and takes you on a tense journey through a range of people's perspectives. I am dying to know what happens to Rebecca and Daniel in future. Book 2, please!
I'm a fan of Damanda's understated, sinister writing style. There's no hyperbole or drama - he just writes what's happens. And what happens is extraordinary.
Something has gone wrong in the world and parts of America are now governed by the Salvation State, an ultra-devout, uber-conservative set of rules for living in which indviduality is maligned as a threat. Rebecca is a reverend's daughter, smart, sporty and a little too savvy. She sees through the bull***t and won't be convinced by the lies. However, all she wants is that little bit of freedom we all crave. Skipping out of school. Meeting up with the occasional boy. Experimenting with a first kiss. This is what lands her in trouble - bigger trouble than she ever imagined.
On the other hand, Daniel has done it tough. He's been suffering on the outskirts of society, finally ready to try and fit in. He needs to protect his mom and himself.
It's too late. Both of them have achieved extraordinary results on their Solomon Tests and they've been noticed by Ruth and Matthew Black.
The characters in this book have such power - you find yourself identifying with all of them in some way, no matter how well-meaning or evil. Everyone is flawed. Everyone is real. I found myself sympathising with even the most awful of characters. However, you will fall in love with Rebecca, I guarantee it. A heroine who is smart, tough and talks back. She's fantastic.
This is a mind-blowing read that grabs you in the first scene and takes you on a tense journey through a range of people's perspectives. I am dying to know what happens to Rebecca and Daniel in future. Book 2, please!
July 11, 2018
Wow! I’m not normally a fan of dystopian novels, but it was a book club book for this month. I’m familiar with Marcus Damanda from his stories on the NoSleep Podcast so I gave it a try. I was not disappointed! The characters were well written and interesting. I found Rebecca very likable and I was cheering for her throughout her adventures. I felt bad for Daniel and his family. The plot was interesting and I enjoyed “watching” the events unfold from the point of view of multiple people. I did curse the author when it came to an end because I wanted more! It left off at a point that makes it obvious there will be more to the story of Rebecca and Daniel and I’m really excited to follow what happens next! Jessica McEvoy did great narrating the audiobook!
November 20, 2021
One of the most engrossing books in awhile.
February 8, 2016
This was an excellent Dystopian book about some very complex teen characters. Absolutely worth the read and I'm waiting very impatiently for the next book in this trilogy.
Full review coming soon!
Full review coming soon!
January 23, 2016
One Wild Ride: A Badass, Feminist Page-turner
Full disclosure: I’m not generally a fan of dystopian novels. But Marcus Demanda’s The Salvation State grabbed me from its bang-up opening and kept me riveted to the last page. There aren’t many books that have tempted me to encase my Kindle in a Zip-Lock baggie so I could read continue reading them in the bathtub, but that is exactly what I did today.
Rebecca and Daniel, The Salvation State’s main characters, live in New America, a broken, dirty-bombed-out place where the Church has become the State. And the Church in question is a warped, fundamentalist pseudo-Christianity. Girls are especially oppressed: forbidden from wearing flattering clothing or make-up, pushed into loveless marriages, and expected to be subservient to their husbands. Physical punishment is a routine part of parenting. No one gets so much as a service job without church membership. Doubters are jailed—or worse. And you can get sent away from your family to a brutal “religious” reform school…for cutting school.
Fifteen-year-old Rebecca has made just that mistake—and she’s also given some lip to her pastor father. Daniel’s family hasn’t darkened the door of the local mega-church in so long that his father has been imprisoned, their lights have been turned off, and their refrigerator is empty. But both teens are smart and daring enough that the dictatorial church-state wants to use them to further its grip on New America.
How do you survive in such a grim world? Rebecca has the answer: know how to play the game…and when to be a total badass. And her feminist badass-ery is a joy to behold. Demanda deftly gets the reader inside Rebecca’s head as she ends up running for her life and her sanity. After all, there are places worse than the reform school. There is, for example, Angel Island!
Demanda’s lesser characters are wonderful, too. There is the sweet but too-easily-manipulated Caroline; the reader sympathizes with her weakness and wants to take her by the shoulders and shake her at the same time. Rebecca’s loving, tragic mother is also a heart-breaker. A scene between her and Rebecca in the family’s attic is both a clever plot point and incredibly sad.
The Salvation State has plenty of action. There are wild, frantic chases, and really imaginative James-Bond-level technology. But this novel thinks as it crashes through the underbrush. And it absolutely grabs your heart as it thinks!
Full disclosure: I’m not generally a fan of dystopian novels. But Marcus Demanda’s The Salvation State grabbed me from its bang-up opening and kept me riveted to the last page. There aren’t many books that have tempted me to encase my Kindle in a Zip-Lock baggie so I could read continue reading them in the bathtub, but that is exactly what I did today.
Rebecca and Daniel, The Salvation State’s main characters, live in New America, a broken, dirty-bombed-out place where the Church has become the State. And the Church in question is a warped, fundamentalist pseudo-Christianity. Girls are especially oppressed: forbidden from wearing flattering clothing or make-up, pushed into loveless marriages, and expected to be subservient to their husbands. Physical punishment is a routine part of parenting. No one gets so much as a service job without church membership. Doubters are jailed—or worse. And you can get sent away from your family to a brutal “religious” reform school…for cutting school.
Fifteen-year-old Rebecca has made just that mistake—and she’s also given some lip to her pastor father. Daniel’s family hasn’t darkened the door of the local mega-church in so long that his father has been imprisoned, their lights have been turned off, and their refrigerator is empty. But both teens are smart and daring enough that the dictatorial church-state wants to use them to further its grip on New America.
How do you survive in such a grim world? Rebecca has the answer: know how to play the game…and when to be a total badass. And her feminist badass-ery is a joy to behold. Demanda deftly gets the reader inside Rebecca’s head as she ends up running for her life and her sanity. After all, there are places worse than the reform school. There is, for example, Angel Island!
Demanda’s lesser characters are wonderful, too. There is the sweet but too-easily-manipulated Caroline; the reader sympathizes with her weakness and wants to take her by the shoulders and shake her at the same time. Rebecca’s loving, tragic mother is also a heart-breaker. A scene between her and Rebecca in the family’s attic is both a clever plot point and incredibly sad.
The Salvation State has plenty of action. There are wild, frantic chases, and really imaginative James-Bond-level technology. But this novel thinks as it crashes through the underbrush. And it absolutely grabs your heart as it thinks!
October 25, 2023
I'm going to put this review for all three books because I'm lazy and because they all deserve a write up. No spoilers, promise!
Only two tropes truly scare me anything to do with alien invasion and this; the whole cult/extremist/scary side of religion. It probably says a lot about my personal hang-ups that both of these have to do primarily to do with absolute loss of power and control in your life but eh, read into it what you will.
Growing up during the time of the "Satanic Panic" in a conservative Christian environment that bordered on enthusiastic (not extreme), I'm well into my deconstruction phase of adulthood and I really appreciated reading this. While the circumstances of this story are over the top from the perspective of most of the world, I'm here to tell you that the expectations of purity, blind respect and adherence to rules and placement of arbitrary restrictions and structures isn't that far off from accurate. What I loved about this story was that it doesn't discount the basics of Christianity at it's core; the stuff we can all agree on- AND it doesn't mock the beliefs that the MC's had or ostracize them for having been brainwashed for their formative years. The main message of this story was forgiveness and redemption and it was so cathartic to read (even though I listened to it because I *heart* Jessica McElvoy's voice 4ever).
*Addendum to this: I have amazing, loving and very open minded parents that were as taken in by this community as I was. We are all deconstructing in our own way as we grow.
Edit: Here's my casting for the book (not repeated in the other reviews)
Rebecca (Rags)- Taissa Farmiga
Daniel (Faust) - Griffin Powell-Arcand
Caroline (Wren) - Taylor Russell
Max (Vex)- Thomas Brodie-Sangster
Asher- Allan Hyde (during True Blood 2009)
Drab - Harry Lloyd (YOUNG)
Phyllis - Honestly don't know.
Nero - Sauriyan Sapkota
Miss Paula - Ginnifer Goodwin
Magda - Abigail Breslin at 15
Barney Scruggs - Henry Thomas
Wendy Scruggs- Samantha Sloyan
Ruth Black- Kate Siegel
Reverend Black- Bryan Cranston
DC - Michael Chiklis
Charlie - Nick Offerman
Only two tropes truly scare me anything to do with alien invasion and this; the whole cult/extremist/scary side of religion. It probably says a lot about my personal hang-ups that both of these have to do primarily to do with absolute loss of power and control in your life but eh, read into it what you will.
Growing up during the time of the "Satanic Panic" in a conservative Christian environment that bordered on enthusiastic (not extreme), I'm well into my deconstruction phase of adulthood and I really appreciated reading this. While the circumstances of this story are over the top from the perspective of most of the world, I'm here to tell you that the expectations of purity, blind respect and adherence to rules and placement of arbitrary restrictions and structures isn't that far off from accurate. What I loved about this story was that it doesn't discount the basics of Christianity at it's core; the stuff we can all agree on- AND it doesn't mock the beliefs that the MC's had or ostracize them for having been brainwashed for their formative years. The main message of this story was forgiveness and redemption and it was so cathartic to read (even though I listened to it because I *heart* Jessica McElvoy's voice 4ever).
*Addendum to this: I have amazing, loving and very open minded parents that were as taken in by this community as I was. We are all deconstructing in our own way as we grow.
Edit: Here's my casting for the book (not repeated in the other reviews)
Rebecca (Rags)- Taissa Farmiga
Daniel (Faust) - Griffin Powell-Arcand
Caroline (Wren) - Taylor Russell
Max (Vex)- Thomas Brodie-Sangster
Asher- Allan Hyde (during True Blood 2009)
Drab - Harry Lloyd (YOUNG)
Phyllis - Honestly don't know.
Nero - Sauriyan Sapkota
Miss Paula - Ginnifer Goodwin
Magda - Abigail Breslin at 15
Barney Scruggs - Henry Thomas
Wendy Scruggs- Samantha Sloyan
Ruth Black- Kate Siegel
Reverend Black- Bryan Cranston
DC - Michael Chiklis
Charlie - Nick Offerman
February 9, 2016
The Salvation State by Marcus Damanda was one heck of a roller coaster ride. It has everything one loves in a dystopian novel, but so much more.
The world that he built was unlike anything I had ever read before. Usually in dystopian novels, there was some disaster or virus that caused the creation of the new world. In The Salvation State it is humanity and religion that cause a new, evil world to emerge.
Being a person that does not believe in organized religion, I found myself angry during certain parts of the book for good reason, the world that the book takes place in, is corrupt and frustrating. I felt so bad for the characters that had to live in this world and I was eager to cheer their triumphs every step of the way.
This book follows a young girl named Rebecca who is thrust into a world of crazy simply because she skipped school. This character was very easy for me to relate to, her snarkiness and her good girl appeal reminding me a lot of myself, which is why I very much enjoyed following her on her journey.
I highly recommend this book to all who enjoy YA lit or who enjoy a good dystopian novel. This book has a little bit of everything and it is very well written.
The only thing I did not like about this book was the ending, it does end on a cliffhanger which leaves you begging for MORE!
I give The Salvation State a 10 out of 10
The world that he built was unlike anything I had ever read before. Usually in dystopian novels, there was some disaster or virus that caused the creation of the new world. In The Salvation State it is humanity and religion that cause a new, evil world to emerge.
Being a person that does not believe in organized religion, I found myself angry during certain parts of the book for good reason, the world that the book takes place in, is corrupt and frustrating. I felt so bad for the characters that had to live in this world and I was eager to cheer their triumphs every step of the way.
This book follows a young girl named Rebecca who is thrust into a world of crazy simply because she skipped school. This character was very easy for me to relate to, her snarkiness and her good girl appeal reminding me a lot of myself, which is why I very much enjoyed following her on her journey.
I highly recommend this book to all who enjoy YA lit or who enjoy a good dystopian novel. This book has a little bit of everything and it is very well written.
The only thing I did not like about this book was the ending, it does end on a cliffhanger which leaves you begging for MORE!
I give The Salvation State a 10 out of 10
January 28, 2016
There are very few times when I am not reading at least one book in my life. Recently I have spent my time reading books over
again while waiting for something new to catch my attention. Even with numerous books available, I hadn't found anything I really
wanted to read and not put down in many months. Yesterday, however, I started reading The Salvation State by Marcus Damanda
and was drawn into a future world that refused to let me go until I finished. Rebecca and Daniel are both very well written characters,
you can't help liking them and wanting them to succeed. The other characters surrounding them, gave greater life to the main
characters, bringing more depth to their stories. this book will be one I am sure I will re-read and add to my collection.
Mr. Damanda has written a captivating novel, and I am looking forward to reading more of his work as soon as possible.
again while waiting for something new to catch my attention. Even with numerous books available, I hadn't found anything I really
wanted to read and not put down in many months. Yesterday, however, I started reading The Salvation State by Marcus Damanda
and was drawn into a future world that refused to let me go until I finished. Rebecca and Daniel are both very well written characters,
you can't help liking them and wanting them to succeed. The other characters surrounding them, gave greater life to the main
characters, bringing more depth to their stories. this book will be one I am sure I will re-read and add to my collection.
Mr. Damanda has written a captivating novel, and I am looking forward to reading more of his work as soon as possible.
February 15, 2016
The intense first chapter and disturbing dystopian setting had me intrigued from the start. In a place where the church is the state, politics are corrupt and people are cruel. Two teenagers from varying backgrounds, Rebecca and Daniel, get caught up in the power play of this society. I eagerly flipped the pages to see how they would survive all their conflicts in New America. Readers will find themselves cheering them on in this high stakes plot with amazing action and characterization. I have read Damanda’s horror—his previous novels are just as amazing—and I’m glad to see he’s writing in other genres.
April 3, 2016
How do you like your dystopian novels? Gritty? Tense? Entirely plausible? If you answered "yes", then I suspect that this book ought to be on your list of books to read.
Told in the no nonsense style which I have come to expect from this author, this is a story of restrained, quiet rebellion playing counterpoint to the loud, brash, hypocritical approach of the so called christian leaders.
The matter of fact narrative, the plucky heroine (whom I defy you not to root for), and the (sometimes unexpected) allies she meet, all come together to make a deliciously disturbing read.
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Told in the no nonsense style which I have come to expect from this author, this is a story of restrained, quiet rebellion playing counterpoint to the loud, brash, hypocritical approach of the so called christian leaders.
The matter of fact narrative, the plucky heroine (whom I defy you not to root for), and the (sometimes unexpected) allies she meet, all come together to make a deliciously disturbing read.
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 18, 2016
The best book by far from this author, it's a book that when you finish, you'll be wanting more. A disturbing premise eloquently brought to life, imagine if radicalism took over Christianity and distorted it beyond recognition . A true horror story. You can't help but cheer for the main characters. Futuristic, drama, dystopian, and more rolled into one. This one would be a great movie. Don't make us wait too long for the next one.
February 21, 2018
Read this review and more on my blog at [Roxie Writes].
‘The Salvation State’ by Marcus Damanda (narrated by Jessica McEvoy)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5
Finished on February 18, 2018
GIVEN A FREE COPY OF THE AUDIOBOOK IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW
$4.99 on Kindle | $14.99 in Paperback | $14.95 with Audible
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
“This is what the truth is. Second Salvations murdered my parents, and I’m running away.”
A single post over unregulated Internet channels. A sleeping society awakens to a chase, broadcast live on television screens all across the New United States of America...
Fifteen-year-old daughter of a preacher, Rebecca, and Daniel, a sixteen-year-old atheist, both become targets of Angel Island, a place where “bad” kids go. Those who go there become “forgottens”, but what’s really happening under the New American Unity Church?
Rebecca and Daniel, two very different kids brought together by tragic circumstance, just might be the leaders the Church believes they need to front their crusade.
Or, they’ll serve as the perfect sacrifices to force everyone else to fall in line.
MY REVIEW:
I received a free audiobook copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Wow. This book is intense, and it’s only the first installment. Rebecca and Daniel are two kids growing up in a bleak future wherein Christianity has taken over and taken a very wrong turn. Under the guise of righteousness, the New American Unity Church exerts a sinister control.
Rebecca, the daughter of a preacher, has always been faithful. She’s done what she needed to do to be a good Christian, but she’s also a typical teenage girl. She wants freedom that her society doesn’t allow her. When she gets caught skipping school, she’s branded a “bad kid” who needs to be remade. But she’s stronger, more clever, and insightful than they give her credit for.
Daniel, an atheist outcast, is deemed “bad”, too. When he ends up on the same island as Rebecca, forced to change his name, and have the gospel beat into him, he does what he has to do to survive, but he promises to stay true to himself.
This is a scary story. Not even so much because the Church makes for a terrifying villain, but because the world Rebecca and Daniel live in is not all that hard to believe. As far as dystopian futures go, this one is the most plausible I’ve read. And that is downright frightening.
Power corrupts, we all know that, and while religion in itself can be a very good thing, when it’s used for power and control by the wrong people -- people who don’t actually care about the compassionate root of religion but more about what it can do for them -- it quickly devolves into something evil.
Damanda has a way with horror. His writing doesn’t beat you over the head with what should scare you. It’s subtle, making the fear bubble over so much easier.
Jessica McEvoy, the voice actor who narrates this book, is truly a gem in her field. Her voice complements Damanda’s writing style perfectly. And her range when it comes to character voices often makes you forget that a single woman is telling you the story.
If you’re a fan of dystopian novels, you should definitely pick this up. Be prepared to possibly have everything you’ve ever been taught to believe twisted into a masterful scary story.
‘The Salvation State’ by Marcus Damanda (narrated by Jessica McEvoy)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5
Finished on February 18, 2018
GIVEN A FREE COPY OF THE AUDIOBOOK IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW
$4.99 on Kindle | $14.99 in Paperback | $14.95 with Audible
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
“This is what the truth is. Second Salvations murdered my parents, and I’m running away.”
A single post over unregulated Internet channels. A sleeping society awakens to a chase, broadcast live on television screens all across the New United States of America...
Fifteen-year-old daughter of a preacher, Rebecca, and Daniel, a sixteen-year-old atheist, both become targets of Angel Island, a place where “bad” kids go. Those who go there become “forgottens”, but what’s really happening under the New American Unity Church?
Rebecca and Daniel, two very different kids brought together by tragic circumstance, just might be the leaders the Church believes they need to front their crusade.
Or, they’ll serve as the perfect sacrifices to force everyone else to fall in line.
MY REVIEW:
I received a free audiobook copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Wow. This book is intense, and it’s only the first installment. Rebecca and Daniel are two kids growing up in a bleak future wherein Christianity has taken over and taken a very wrong turn. Under the guise of righteousness, the New American Unity Church exerts a sinister control.
Rebecca, the daughter of a preacher, has always been faithful. She’s done what she needed to do to be a good Christian, but she’s also a typical teenage girl. She wants freedom that her society doesn’t allow her. When she gets caught skipping school, she’s branded a “bad kid” who needs to be remade. But she’s stronger, more clever, and insightful than they give her credit for.
Daniel, an atheist outcast, is deemed “bad”, too. When he ends up on the same island as Rebecca, forced to change his name, and have the gospel beat into him, he does what he has to do to survive, but he promises to stay true to himself.
This is a scary story. Not even so much because the Church makes for a terrifying villain, but because the world Rebecca and Daniel live in is not all that hard to believe. As far as dystopian futures go, this one is the most plausible I’ve read. And that is downright frightening.
Power corrupts, we all know that, and while religion in itself can be a very good thing, when it’s used for power and control by the wrong people -- people who don’t actually care about the compassionate root of religion but more about what it can do for them -- it quickly devolves into something evil.
Damanda has a way with horror. His writing doesn’t beat you over the head with what should scare you. It’s subtle, making the fear bubble over so much easier.
Jessica McEvoy, the voice actor who narrates this book, is truly a gem in her field. Her voice complements Damanda’s writing style perfectly. And her range when it comes to character voices often makes you forget that a single woman is telling you the story.
If you’re a fan of dystopian novels, you should definitely pick this up. Be prepared to possibly have everything you’ve ever been taught to believe twisted into a masterful scary story.
February 16, 2018
With the main characters in this book being teenagers, it would be quite easy to overlook this book as being just another book in a dystopian YA series, but that would be underestimating the scope of it.
This book does not go into much detail of the nature and extent of the disaster that has resulted in the usa having been rebuilt in a fairly fascist and extremely conservative christian image, the focus is more about building a picture of the current state of that country rather than what caused it to exist.
The main character is a teenage girl called Rebecca who has caught the attention of a recruiter for a shadowy re-education camp called Second Salvations and this book is predominantly about how she ends up at that camp, while also introducing us to a lesser extent to Daniel who has similarly attracted the attention of this recruiter and he seems likely to increase in prominence in subsequent books.
It says quite a bit about the nature of the country established in this book that Rebecca's fairly ineffectual attempt to avoid being taken to Second Salvations managed to gain her such a level of notoriety, clearly very little rebellion is tolerated there now.
I am not familiar with the narrator of this book, but thought that she gave a strong performance for the main character and enough variation on the supporting cast as needed, nicely bringing to life the book as a whole.
One thing I didn't like about this book very much was the opening which was a flash-forward to an action scene as if the author did not feel enough confidence in the pace of the opening chapters getting to that point in a more linear fashion and thus resorted to this needless gimmick. However, this did not detract too much from my overall enjoyment of a strong first book in this series and I would definitely consider looking out for subsequent ones.
This book does not go into much detail of the nature and extent of the disaster that has resulted in the usa having been rebuilt in a fairly fascist and extremely conservative christian image, the focus is more about building a picture of the current state of that country rather than what caused it to exist.
The main character is a teenage girl called Rebecca who has caught the attention of a recruiter for a shadowy re-education camp called Second Salvations and this book is predominantly about how she ends up at that camp, while also introducing us to a lesser extent to Daniel who has similarly attracted the attention of this recruiter and he seems likely to increase in prominence in subsequent books.
It says quite a bit about the nature of the country established in this book that Rebecca's fairly ineffectual attempt to avoid being taken to Second Salvations managed to gain her such a level of notoriety, clearly very little rebellion is tolerated there now.
I am not familiar with the narrator of this book, but thought that she gave a strong performance for the main character and enough variation on the supporting cast as needed, nicely bringing to life the book as a whole.
One thing I didn't like about this book very much was the opening which was a flash-forward to an action scene as if the author did not feel enough confidence in the pace of the opening chapters getting to that point in a more linear fashion and thus resorted to this needless gimmick. However, this did not detract too much from my overall enjoyment of a strong first book in this series and I would definitely consider looking out for subsequent ones.
February 19, 2018
[My review is for the audiobook format.]
What would life be like in a country where religion is a dictatorship? Where individual freedom is replaced with a strict set of rules that are enforced by infallible authoritarian leaders? Where your lifestyle is defined and directed by the local church which, by the way, you are required to attend? Where defiance of any kind lands you in re-education camps, gulag-type prisons, or a six-foot deep hole?
The Salvation State is a shocking reminder of the fragility of personal freedom. Author Marcus Demanda tells the story of a teenage girl who bucks a rigid system, loses her freedom, and then wages a fierce war against her state-sanctioned captors. Thought-provoking and emotion-stirring, Demanda's story made me shudder to think how easily our country can be turned on its head and life as we know it erased.
Demanda offers readers an opportunity to explore sensitive, complex topics within the safety of this accessible, well written story. Narrated by Jessica McEvoy, who reads with enthusiasm and professional ease. If you enjoy stories with dystopian societies (The Handmaid's Tale, Hunger Games), then The Salvation State should definitely be on your reading list.
I was voluntarily provided this review copy audiobook at no charge. This review is unbiased and the opinions expressed herein are 100% my own.
What would life be like in a country where religion is a dictatorship? Where individual freedom is replaced with a strict set of rules that are enforced by infallible authoritarian leaders? Where your lifestyle is defined and directed by the local church which, by the way, you are required to attend? Where defiance of any kind lands you in re-education camps, gulag-type prisons, or a six-foot deep hole?
The Salvation State is a shocking reminder of the fragility of personal freedom. Author Marcus Demanda tells the story of a teenage girl who bucks a rigid system, loses her freedom, and then wages a fierce war against her state-sanctioned captors. Thought-provoking and emotion-stirring, Demanda's story made me shudder to think how easily our country can be turned on its head and life as we know it erased.
Demanda offers readers an opportunity to explore sensitive, complex topics within the safety of this accessible, well written story. Narrated by Jessica McEvoy, who reads with enthusiasm and professional ease. If you enjoy stories with dystopian societies (The Handmaid's Tale, Hunger Games), then The Salvation State should definitely be on your reading list.
I was voluntarily provided this review copy audiobook at no charge. This review is unbiased and the opinions expressed herein are 100% my own.
August 8, 2017
Some of the best dystopian fiction I've read in awhile
I read a LOT, and the majority of what I read is dystopian fiction in one form or another. A lot of the newer books in this genre tend to become predictable, but Salvation State is absolutely not like that. The story is like The Handmaid's Tale meets Divergent, with a little bit of The Darkest Minds. The writing is fantastic and I love the uniqueness of the story. It only took about five pages before I was totally hooked and couldn't put it down. I'm so glad I bought this in a bundle with book two because I know I won't want to wait for the second part of the story.
I read a LOT, and the majority of what I read is dystopian fiction in one form or another. A lot of the newer books in this genre tend to become predictable, but Salvation State is absolutely not like that. The story is like The Handmaid's Tale meets Divergent, with a little bit of The Darkest Minds. The writing is fantastic and I love the uniqueness of the story. It only took about five pages before I was totally hooked and couldn't put it down. I'm so glad I bought this in a bundle with book two because I know I won't want to wait for the second part of the story.
August 23, 2018
Wow, so glad to find this great series! The Salvation State is intense, gripping! Really liked the idea of the story, I thought it was well thought out, well writtten and beautifully narrated. I have only good things to say about this story, really liked it!! Crazy futuristic religious cult vs. two teenagers, both from very different backgrounds. Love cult/dystopian stories, and this is an awesome addition! Highly recommended, I already have book 2 and will be anxiously awaiting more! ;)
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
September 16, 2019
I think I made it about 100 pages in before I had to put this down. To be clear, I am by no means claiming that this promises to be a poorly written book, or that what little I managed to slog through was badd in any way.
My problem is that there is only so much angst and horror I can withstand as a reader, most especially when I know that said angst and horror are going to persist over multiple installments of a series.
So, if you are anything like me and prefer books where antagonists pay for their crimes relatively soon, you might consider skipping this one.
My problem is that there is only so much angst and horror I can withstand as a reader, most especially when I know that said angst and horror are going to persist over multiple installments of a series.
So, if you are anything like me and prefer books where antagonists pay for their crimes relatively soon, you might consider skipping this one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 29, 2018
Oh Wow! I’m not that big on stories with a religious twist (honestly - it makes me want to roll my eyes a bit) but it didn’t take long before I fell in love with the story and the characters and then it didn’t matter to me anymore. The Salvation State is definitely a pageturner (or what ever the name is for it when you listen to it as an audiobook) and I highly recommend it to everyone. Btw Jessica McEvoy does an amazing job reading the audiobook. Do yourself a favor and give it a listen!
February 6, 2020
Would you skip class if you thought you could get away with it? Rebecca lives in the new world, a church controlled, New American Unity. Skipping class has led to her being sent to camp to be 'fixed'. Only she's wanted by the Second Salvation and no one gets away from them... I think this dystopian story will appeal to young adult readers. The stark and sometimes brutal world that these characters live in makes for an interesting and compelling story.
December 26, 2018
The Salvation State
Marcus Damanda
This was a great book. I loved all the conflict, and twists that kept popping up. Rebecca was amazing as the heroine thrown into the New America Unity Church. Daniel was her perfect counterpart being raised the complete opposite. When they are taken they need to find a way to survive or they will die. What will they do to survive and pay them back?
Marcus Damanda
This was a great book. I loved all the conflict, and twists that kept popping up. Rebecca was amazing as the heroine thrown into the New America Unity Church. Daniel was her perfect counterpart being raised the complete opposite. When they are taken they need to find a way to survive or they will die. What will they do to survive and pay them back?
January 8, 2019
This is the 1st book I've read written by Marcus Damanda; he has done an excellent job at writing a good book; I will definitely be reading more of his books.
The story line caught my attention at the very beginning and kept me interested throughout the entire book.
I loved the characters.
I received a free copy of this book via booksprout and I’m voluntarily leaving a review.
The story line caught my attention at the very beginning and kept me interested throughout the entire book.
I loved the characters.
I received a free copy of this book via booksprout and I’m voluntarily leaving a review.
January 10, 2019
The Salvation State by Marcus Damanda is a wonderful story to read. This is a wonderful start to a brand new series by a brand new author. This is book number one and it kept my interset from start to finish, and I highly recommend this story.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 24, 2020
Her parents have been murdered and she is running away and a boy connects with her on the internet. The leaders says if a child is bad they need to be rounded up and taken to a place. While there they are either remade or destroyed. Can they stay ahead of them? See if they can
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 20, 2018
I loved this book. Even if you don't like religious books, it is perfectly balanced so everyone can enjoy. Looking forward to Absolution Island.
March 21, 2018
This book is written very well and so off my genre that I can't not be surprised why I couldn't put it down.
Performance is perfectly done.
I believe that the reason that I liked the book so much is because it's so believable, like it could happened or even might be happening right now under our nose.
Really amazing writing, can't wait for book 2 to come out.
Fully recommend !!!
Got this audiobook for free for reviewing.
Performance is perfectly done.
I believe that the reason that I liked the book so much is because it's so believable, like it could happened or even might be happening right now under our nose.
Really amazing writing, can't wait for book 2 to come out.
Fully recommend !!!
Got this audiobook for free for reviewing.
March 6, 2017
This book drew me in from the first page and kept me engaged throughout. Marcus Damanda certainly does know how to weave in some wickedness throughout his characters--even the good ones--and it scares me that there really are people like DC out there. I can't even fathom the evil that is Mrs. Black.
I'm not a fan of cliffhanger endings, but this one ended just right, and with a promise for more. Anxiously awaiting the sequel.
March 17...
#amwaiting
I'm not a fan of cliffhanger endings, but this one ended just right, and with a promise for more. Anxiously awaiting the sequel.
March 17...
#amwaiting
January 30, 2016
First of all, it's rare for me to give a book 5 stars. I can only remember giving five stars to a couple series: JRR Tolkien's The Hobbit/The Lord Of The Rings and Rothfuss' The Name Of The Wind.
That being said, Marcus Damanda's Salvation State - Book 1 easily rates 4 1/2 stars and is one of the best dystopian futures I've ever read. If the right people get word of this story, we should see this as a movie. Mark my word.
After reading the prologue, I could not put this book down. At first I thought this might turn into a "preachy" story due to the setup after the prologue.
Boy was I wrong! I am delighted I gave the story a chance to unfold!
Damanda has created a world where an ideology has been corrupted and used to oppress. A chilling vision of where today's politics could devolve.
Damanda writes characters that are believable; a rare commodity in the current fiction market.
He created his protagonist flawed and relatable. She's a "normal" human being; like a friend who has their faults but genuinely wants to do right.
Instead of writing characters that are "evil just because", he writes his antagonist characters so that we can understand their motivation. They make seemingly logical decisions born out of their desire to "do the right thing" according to their world view.
Don't get me wrong. There are characters you are going to love to hate. But my point is these characters are not simply evil, they are fleshed out, complete and believable.
The Salvation State is a thought-provoking tale and eerily relevant to the current state of America. I can easily give this a "must read".
I am going to have a difficult time waiting for the next installment to this thrilling series.
That being said, Marcus Damanda's Salvation State - Book 1 easily rates 4 1/2 stars and is one of the best dystopian futures I've ever read. If the right people get word of this story, we should see this as a movie. Mark my word.
After reading the prologue, I could not put this book down. At first I thought this might turn into a "preachy" story due to the setup after the prologue.
Boy was I wrong! I am delighted I gave the story a chance to unfold!
Damanda has created a world where an ideology has been corrupted and used to oppress. A chilling vision of where today's politics could devolve.
Damanda writes characters that are believable; a rare commodity in the current fiction market.
He created his protagonist flawed and relatable. She's a "normal" human being; like a friend who has their faults but genuinely wants to do right.
Instead of writing characters that are "evil just because", he writes his antagonist characters so that we can understand their motivation. They make seemingly logical decisions born out of their desire to "do the right thing" according to their world view.
Don't get me wrong. There are characters you are going to love to hate. But my point is these characters are not simply evil, they are fleshed out, complete and believable.
The Salvation State is a thought-provoking tale and eerily relevant to the current state of America. I can easily give this a "must read".
I am going to have a difficult time waiting for the next installment to this thrilling series.
February 9, 2016
The Salvation State is a well written dystopian story that teens and adults of all ages will enjoy. If you enjoyed reading The Hunger Games or Divergent, you’ll enjoy this story. When I came across this book, I didn’t know it was part of a trilogy and when I got to the final page, I was concerned that this was the end and I was desperate to know more of the story. Luckily, another reviewer mentioned the trilogy. I definitely look forward to seeing how this story is going to unfold, to see Rebecca and Daniel come into their own and how they are going to go up against the New American Unity Church and the misguidedness/evilness within it. Rebecca and Daniel (the heroine and hero of the story) are such strong and likeable characters.
I was given a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I was given a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
October 8, 2017
Great world building! I really thought the story came off intense and well written. I'm looking forward to the next book.
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