Meritopia

Meritropolis #3

by Joel Ohman

In this thrilling conclusion to the bestselling Meritropolis trilogy, Charley and company chase the Czar to Meritopia, a utopian city set among celestial heights in the mountains. Just to get near the city, Charley will have to brave terrifying new animal combos roaming wild among the stark wilderness, and if he succeeds in summiting the peak, there’s no assurances that he will even be able to gain access. Meritopia might deign to be a perfect society based on merit, but that doesn’t mean everyone’s invited. But Charley’s not the kind of person who waits for an invitation to do what needs to be done and this is his last chance to zero the System and avenge his brother’s death.

Interview with the Author

Q - What or who was your inspiration to write in this genre?

I’ve read a lot in the YA dystopian genre so I would say it's a mix of a lot of different things. I really just wanted to explore this question of, “What gives a person their worth?” Is it their usefulness to society? Is it because someone loves them? Is it because of how they look? Is it because of their health or ability? As a Christian, I believe that everyone has worth because they are made in the image of God so I wanted to explore some different takes on this question. I think that the post-apocalyptic/dystopian/scifi-ish genre was the best vehicle to tackle some of those deep philosophical questions in a fun and interesting way.

Q - Okay, so you're a Christian... Well, I don't like reading Christian fiction so interview's over, I guess—

Not so fast. I am a Christian, but this is most definitely NOT Christian fiction, at least in the technical sense. There are certainly some Christian themes like courage in the face of evil, grace to love and forgive even when someone doesn't deserve it, and the biggest themes of identity and worth, the value of a person, as mentioned above, and it's a very CLEAN book, which a lot of parents have told me they really appreciate. That being said, this is very much a secular young adult dystopian fiction series, and one that I think hits a lot of the tropes and conventions in the genre, but in some new and interesting ways that might just surprise you. For those who care to look there are also some deeper philosophical underpinnings floating just below the surface of a book that is almost pure action. Just wait until you meet Charley, he's more of an "act first, think later" type of person, if you know what I mean—in other words, your typical teenage boy...

Q - Are there any books that have inspired you at any time while you’ve been writing?

I read a LOT in many different genres so there are many different things that have shaped my writing over the years, but I wouldn’t say there was any one particular book, or books, that I was consciously looking to for inspiration while writing Meritropolis. Looking back though I can definitely see different threads of influence in almost everything I have read over the years that contribute to make Meritropolis what it is: the strong protagonist of Lee Child’s Jack Reacher series, the philosophical bent of C.S. Lewis’ fiction where there are layers upon layers of meaning, the bleak dystopian setting of Hugh Howey’s WOOL series, and many more.

Q - Where can we learn more about you and your other books?

If you visit my website at JoelOhman.com, I've currently got some free Kindle eBooks that I'm giving away to everyone who subscribes to my newsletter.

Genres: Dark, Dystopia, Adventure, Paranormal, Fantasy

256 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 2, 2017

About the author

Joel Ohman lives in Tampa, FL with his wife Angela and their three kids. His writing companion is Caesar, a slightly overweight Bull Mastiff who loves to eat the tops off of strawberries.

Joel is the author of the #1 bestselling Meritropolis series—“The Hunger Games meets The Village with a young Jack Reacher as a protagonist” and the new YA release, Other Bodies.

Join the Joel Ohman Reader's Group for FREE giveaways and VIP access to pre-release books, gift cards, and special announcements. Join now at JoelOhman.com!

Reviews

[Katelyn Buxton · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Everyone matters. People are more than a number; their worth does not come from the System, or from you – it comes from above. It is what makes us human."
"... and though everyone matters, everyone is still broken. Broken, and in need of grace."

Throughout this three-book series I have been consistently floored by the beautiful message woven in throughout the otherwise pretty standard dystopian narrative. There are walls, vicious beasts, self-obsessed rulers, even a young hothead to effect the necessary change... yet the consistent theme is that everyone matters, and our worth is not defined by the label man gives us. Our worth is defined by the One who made us—and that's all that matters.

Also, a theme that was introduced in the previous book, Meritorium, was really brought home: and that is that we're all broken and in need of grace—a grace that only God can give. I thought it was a great cap to a trilogy that already had a beautiful message throughout.

Charley was as relatable as ever—explosive temper, self-doubt, and all—but I would just like to put down here that the real hero of this trilogy was not the main character. It was Grigor. I haven't mentioned Grigor before, but he's a patient, loveable mountain of a man that performs the function of mentor to Charley and his young High Score friends. He saves Charley's skin on more that one occasion, and is a constant source of wisdom—a guiding force to the comet of Charley's trajectory.

That said, I felt that this was the "roughest" of the three books. Honestly, for most of the book I was thinking I'd give it three stars, just because it felt... well... raw. As an author myself, I know this could've been resolved with another couple rounds of editing, and I was wishing Ohman had taken the time to do that. (Example: a few of the jokes fell flat—at least for me—and some of the characters behaved kind of inconsistently). The reason I ended up giving it four stars after all is because the ending saved it.

Another thing that I didn't really appreciate was the fact that several times Charley found himself admiring his female companions, and thinking of them as "hot," or "sexy," and once, one of his female companions remembered an instance where she'd seen Charley bathing in the river. She admired his muscly torso, but I found myself thinking, "Really, Ohman? Really?" Let's just spread the awkward, so everybody gets some. -_- Also, that same female companion started the story off with an attitude gained in the previous book that, "Anything a man can do, I can do better," which manifested itself in a very obnoxious way sometimes.

However I rated it four stars, which means that overall, my impression was a good one. I would definitely recommend these books to anyone who likes dystopian, but with a beautiful message woven in. This whole trilogy has been like a breath of fresh air, and I would like to thank Ohman for sharing it with us.

[Lana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had imagined this book to have kept up the fast pace the previous book had so was a bit disappointed when it just tackled the track by our friends to Meritopia however during this journey the group start to realise things about themselves and how they reacted towards one another which would effect their reactions in the final hour. Charley as usual is fuelled by his anger, Orson still wants to best his father, Sven wants to prove he can be better than a low score that he was, but Grigor always stood by what he believed his faith and his claim for reformation over revolution. So when the book gathers pace and becomes really tense and full of expectation towards the end of the book and the reader is expecting the fall of the Czar and the end of Meritopia we are all caught unawares at how this will finally happen. Charley gets to stand when all others bow before the fearsome Czar and he does this out of love and a lack of fear for his life as he feels unworthy of life after he let his friends down, little realising that he was surrounded by all his friends on the day of revelation. They had all made it to the centre and they all had different roles to play and play them they did and so very well. A great series which shows how a craving for power can ruin everything and that no one is better than anyone else and we all have a part to play in our society!!

[Courtney Giraldo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Charley and his crew are once again on the run. Fleeing Meritorium after a bloody battle in the Venatio, they must make their way across unfamiliar lands in their pursuit of the Czar in a desperate attempt to once and for all zero the System. The Czar has fled to Meritopia, hailed in his warped mind as the utopia of society where he will meld human and animal, creating the most perfect master race. Battling new and dangerous animal combos along the way, and teaming up with familiar faces from Meritropolis, Charley makes it to this "utopia" only to find it more eerie and dangerous than he imagined. Will he be able to zero the System and kill the genetically enhanced Czar once and for all, or will the System finally win? 

This book is formatted and paced in much the same manner as it's predecessor. Charley and his gang flee a broken city, traverse the unknown wild lands in search of a newly discovered city, combat combo and human adversaries, arrive at destination, and fight the Czar. I appreciated that it was paced and structured in a similar fashion to the previous books, lending it a sort of symmetry. I once again enjoyed the various imaginative animal combos. Ohman certainly had a way of making each and every combo come alive on the pages (I find myself with an intense desire for some gobster after finishing this series). The characters continued to grow and develop, most notably with Orson. He was perhaps the most conflicted character of the series in my opinion who subsequently experienced the most dramatic metamorphosis (not physically- that would be the Czar of course *wink wink*). My only criticism, much the same throughout the series, are the sermons and preachy moments dispersed throughout the book. I think Ohman did himself a disservice in this novel by focusing too much on the morality of this new world (which duh- we as readers know that it's pretty fucked up) and Gods hand in it (or absence as the dialogue suggested) and not enough on delving deeper and expounding on the System itself and the world in which it derived. Understanding the mechanisms and nuances of the System and it's affect on society (especially seeing as how the System was a relatively new construct as The Event was not that long ago in history) and being more in touch with society as a whole versus just Charley and his group would have made for a far better read in my opinion. If you can get past these obvious attempts to explain the mysterious workings of God through the characters struggles, the story itself is interesting, action packed, and enjoyable. Overall I would recommend this one if you are in the market for a unique dystopian read.  

[Sarah Berry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible conclusion to the series with a great lesson

In this third and final installment of the Meritropolis series, we find the crew on their way to Meritopia to bring down the Czar and The System. As was evident in the previous books and even stronger in this one, Charley is facing not only the environmental elements but also battling the mental aspects of this long journey.  The lessons that Grigor has taught all of them are adding up and really having an effect, especially when Charley makes the choice to leave his "low score" friends, Grigor and Sandy included, behind to enter the gates of Meritopia. 

A deeper and more spiritual book, the action isn't lacking one bit. New incredible beast combos and crazy battles litter each page and keep the reader engaged. Each of the characters has their own experiences separate from the group, as they have been divided up, and they all realize how lucky they were to have someone like Grigor looking over them, teaching them, protecting them, and helping them along the way. The spiritual connection is less subtle and plays a greater roll for all of them in Meritopia.  In the end they all come back together, to not only prove themselves,but to show that each and every one of us has something to offer; we are all important.  We can't be divided into groups and take our self worth from what someone else says. We all matter. 

I highly recommend Meritopia, as well as the entire Meritropolis series.  It is not only a wonderful read, but also has a great message.  Joel Ohman is an incredible and imaginative writer and his words bring each of the characters and creatures to life, taking the books to the next level.  With the adventure and excitement, I believe the Meritropolis series is perfect for younger teenage readers as well as more mature readers. It is a book and series that can be enjoyed by everyone. Happy Reading. 

[Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meritopia is the third and final book in the series. As our adventures travel to the Utopian city on the mountaintop to confront the Czar . It is there that they hope to zero the unfair merit system. They face many obstacles and a new group of animal combos along the way. Once there, will they have a high enough score to be allowed to enter the city of Meritiopia, home of the perfect society based on merit. Along the way they encounter the doctor that is designing all the animal combos. Who helps them better understand what is going on, and how far the animal experiments have gone. They also find out that many people are upping their score by adding animal DNA to become part animal, part people.

While the troop of adventures are traveling, there is a constant undeclared battle for leadership. With Sandy asserting herself over Charley and taking the lead. Like all battles for leadership, eventually conditions and challenges allow true leadership to rise to the top. The journey proves to be a great growth experience for all the travelers. As they get split into groups that must fend for themselves and learn self reliance.

Charley get so challenge and fight the Czar to avenge the killing of Alex his brother back in Meritropolis. When he is overpowered. Orson steps up to confront his father and Czars arrogance proves to be the Czars undoing.

This series of books is well written and suitable reading for younger readers. As they are cleanly written and lesson based. By the end of the book , the story line gathers all the lose threads and weaves it into a very satisfying conclusion. I highly recommend this book and the whole series.

[Sasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a review for the whole series.

I really liked the first two books the first time I read them - before the third book was released. On whole, the books were well written and had an intriguing plot. I was excited to see everything come together in the conclusion.

But it never did. The entire purpose of The System seemed to change from book to book. In book 1, high scores were important for “harvesting.” So wouldn’t it make sense to try and cultivate more high scores? Then in the second book, high scores are allowed to put themselves into a death arena for glory? That’s counter-intuitive to the idea that high scores are important and are needed by the czar - if they’re so important, why are they put in harm’s way?

Book 3 never gives an ultimate reason for this merit system and the score separations beyond the czar’s whims. In the first book an enemy invasion is implied - it would have been nice to see this theme more fully explored.

The main character, Charley, also became rather one dimensional as the series continued. He had ethical quandaries in the first book, but by book three he was just angry all the time. The author gives a reason for this, but it’s nevertheless incredibly dull to read. Sven, on the other hand, becomes a bigger player, and it would have been nice to have had an intro to his POV in book 1.

As I said in the beginning, there are plenty of positives to this books. What I felt was lacking was continuity in the overall story arch. Don’t let that dissuade you from reading the books, just know you may feel that you’re at a loose end when you finish.

[GrnEyed · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have such an appreciation for Joel Ohman and his Meritropolis Trilogy. Throughout all three books Charley, Sandy, Grigor and the rest of the group are subjected to the most unbelievable obstacles. They are faced with bizarre animal combos that can kill them if they do not kill them first. Charley and the group are faced with landing on an island that ends up being a ginormous turtle! Everything that they face is done with one goal in mind, to remove the Czar from power and zero out the System to prove that everyone should be equal.
Charley is forced to face an assortment of personal struggles. Is revenge for his brother the right reason to attempt to dethrone the Czar? Is he taking those who have helped him along the way for granted? Is he selfish for doing the things he does that sometimes leaves people behind?
Charley and his friends also have to contend with fighting the unknown. They are forced to use sprays to battle animal combos when they have to just have faith they will work. When they make it to Meritopia, Charley and his friends are faced with unexpected surprises that could potentially destroy their plans to remove the Czar from power. Will it work? Will Charley and his friends achieve all they hope? Will they discover things about themselves they had overlooked along the way?
The only way to find all the answers to these questions is to read the book. I promise you, you will not regret the incredible journey that Joel Ohman takes you on!

[Asl4u · Rating 1 out of 5]

Horrible. Preachy. After the really great story beginnings of the first 2 books the author ran out of time and had to shove every single drop of his religous beliefs, his assumed ethical correctness, and his social and philosophical udeoligy into this final book. No - it would not have been better if he’d have made the attempt to spead it out over multiple additional volumes. If you want God ideology - just go to church and read the bible. This story was not improved by the preaching. and to be honest - I paid way too much for the “opportunity” to be dragged through the preaching so i could get to the end of the story. This guy can write and its sn interesting world but in the rnd he was so caught up on “teaching” the reader hus philosophical content that he had to resort to telling the reader that his characters had grown - and how - instead of showing them grow... So bad i do not even know what the end was... something like , “and they all lived happily ever after”...
horrid... just really bad. first 2 books - good for a stiry - last book - horrible horrible horrible. I did not come to learn about the right-ness of your God.

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

As with any quest, the adventurer at the beginning bears little resemblance to the conquering hero. Charley was the young hot-head bent solely on justice for his murdered brother. His young and naïve friends felt the need to follow. Grigor was the ever-present protector, provider, and peacemaker. His quiet demeanor and guidance aided the motley crew in their own self-reflection and spiritual growth. Each character, in his or her own way, was vital in creating balance. High Score, Low Score, everyone matters.

The primary goal was to zero the System and rid the world of its creator in any way possible. Each step we take towards reaching that goal leads to more questions and self-doubt. Only when a person comes full circle, does the end seem obtainable.

I enjoyed reading this book, as well as the series. The ending was perfect. Vital lessons were learned by all. And they all lived happily ever after. Well, as much as one is able in a Utopian-Dystopian world

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good ending

This book is a good, solid ending to a good series. Not your same old YA dystopian adventure, as the characters actually grow and develop, learning from each other and their situations. I love how the author weaved in the themes of grace and forgiveness without hitting the reader over the head with them. I also love how these themes always came up in the context of conversations among the characters. I do wish the editing had been better- there were many grammatical errors and too many instances of things "bubbling up;" sweat, rage, fear...that phrase was just too overused. Orson's character also perturbed me as he was so unpredictable and didn't have a relatable personality either for good or for bad. He did so many things that just made no sense, that I found myself dreading parts where he featured prominently. The good definitely outweighed the bad, however, and I am looking forward to receiving and reading the next Joel Ohman novel that I preordered!

[Bonnie Dale Keck · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kindle Unlimited, little too hunger games for me, but then didn't like that show either that much

In this conclusion to the Meritropolis trilogy, Charley and company chase the Czar to Meritopia, a utopian city set among celestial heights in the mountains. Just to get near the city, Charley will have to brave terrifying new animal combos roaming wild among the stark wilderness, and if he succeeds in summiting the peak, there’s no assurances that he will even be able to gain access. Meritopia might deign to be a perfect society based on merit, but that doesn’t mean everyone’s invited. But Charley’s not the kind of person who waits for an invitation to do what needs to be done and this is his last chance to zero the System and avenge his brother’s death.

Meritropolis
Meritorium (Meritropolis Book 2)
Meritopia (Meritropolis Book 3)

[Marinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

In book 3 of this awesome series Charlie and friends are chasing the Czar, the creator of the System. I'm zeroing the Czar they hope to zero the system. They have to get to the city of Meritopia but will their scores be high enough to get through the gates? On their travels the find many more strange animal combos, some helpful and some even more dangerous than what they've faced before. Can Charlie control himself and do what he feels he needs to do to avenge his brother or will his animalistic rage get the best of him?
This is an action packed story from start to finish and I couldn't put it down. I love the characters and some I loved to hate. I would definitely like to read more about this world and hope the author will continue this great series.

Independent reviewer for Romance Authors That Rock. 5 hearts

[Sharon Sam · Rating 1 out of 5]

Poorly written

This book. I was very excited for because I read the first two and really enjoyed them but I feel like the author tried too hard to sound like an expert writer instead of actually just focusing on the story. There many times I had to stop and think why did he choose this word instead of using a simpler word that could've been used instead such as the amount of times he chose to use the word precipitation instead of just rain. Not to mention the sheer volume of purple prose instead of just keeping things to the story I ended up skipping a lot of sections despite having waited over a year for the story to come out. I am disappointed but hopeful that the next time the author decides to get an editor to fix what could be a really great story. These same problems were present in the first two books but the story kept me going. This time it couldn't.

[Gina Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an excellent ending to a very good trilogy. In this book, Charlie and his crew are heading west toward Meritopia. Charlie is determined to get revenge on the Czar for the death of his brother Alec. The group is determined to zero the system and end the ranking system, giving all equal rights. But after their revolt in Meritropolis and Meritorium, they are afraid they have been making things worse instead of better. In their travels, they encounter many animal combinations, always with interesting results. The group members experience positive changes in themselves. This book contains many powerful lessons, mostly taught by Grigor. I enjoyed this story and it's characters very much. I'm sorry this trilogy is over and I will look for more from this author in the future.

[Sharyl · Rating 1 out of 5]

Subtle poison for young minds.

Moderately enjoyed the first 2 books of the series. Very appalled that this was a platform to espouse sanctimonious and self-rightous Christian fundamentalist ideas of pro-life, heterosexual relationships, and anti-science and anti-intellectualism. Freedom of speech is great. Airing your ignorance and narrow view is only sad. The young audience you target is probably incapable of the type of critical evaluation it takes to recognize the real ugliness being messaged in these stories. This author is part of what is wrong with my America.

[Elda · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great series and a terrific ending

What a wild ride this series has been. So much adventure packed into just three books. And what a wild imagination this author has. Well written although at times it could be a little ‘preachey.’ I loved the descriptive animal combinations, some hilarious, some scary. I would hate to be one to come face to face with some of them myself. This series can be read by all young ones and older. It has a sort of Lewis Carroll type ending I think anyone can appreciate.

[Sharon Cernik · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one GREAT series!

I began with Meritropolis, in this dystopian society where every time you turn the page there is another unexpected escalation or challenge. Redemption is an ever-changing goal for each of the main characters,with a surprising undercurrent of Christian faith coming from one of the least-expected characters.

This trilogy is hard to put down,and the end is surprising,but quite satisfying. I would love to read one more book ,seeing how the future affects the fledgling New order of things.

This entire series gets a five-star rating from me,for sure!

[Carol Brandon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This final book in the trilogy really comes into its own as a fast-paced Christian allegory. Charley and his friends travel to Meritopia to confront the Czar. Each has their own idea about what that will look like. Along the way, as they encounter many trials, they’re confronted with the concept of God’s grace, and their brokenness. They can choose to accept that gift and recognize that they can’t fix themselves, or continue to hold onto their desire for revenge.

[Richard Myers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book

This is the last book in the Meritropolis series and it seems to tie up many threads that the author wrote in the other books. There may be a vague hint of more books to come in the future. I loved all three of these books and I encourage everyone to read them as well.

[margie jameson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very Good

I don't read very many Christian author's book's but this one with the other 2 book's are truly keepers. The themes are good and are woven masterfully into the sci-fi plots. The first book in this series is a free download so what do you have to lose. If you read for entertainment and want to read books with deeper meaning give this series a try.

[Thomas Hobbs · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meritopia

I liked the first two books in this series better than this one, no offense to the author. This one was kind of slow, not a lot of action. The ending was good and I'm glad Charlie got rid of the system.

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a superb ending to this series. Charley has his work cut out. Just loved it and couldn't imagine that this is the last book in the series. Kept me intrigued.

[Jonathan Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story, good message, not too pushed. The ending was a bit cloudy though, and a little too easy

[Marcia Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book

This book deals with the fight against evil. The way the characters are is a testament to the author. You need to go read this.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picking up where book 2 left off, Meritopia brought everything together in great conclusion. I noticed the books carried a lot of religious undertones, which made the books even better to read imo.

[Rosemary · Rating 4 out of 5]

A satisfying conclusion to a well-written, well-imagined trilogy. The character interaction and the novel pacing is tight, and will keep dystopian readers engaged and turning pages.