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Calm Act: Feral America #1
Feral Recruit
She survived. That's not good enough.When Ebola struck Manhattan, Ava was a bright high school sophomore. Two years later, she's still kicking. Also hitting, biting, and gouging eyes.Nine out of ten didn't make it. Half the survivors are feral teens like Ava. During the Starve, their gangs terrorized the city. The Army finally stopped the dying, and resettled desirable refugees into the countryside.But no one wants the gang rats, least of all the adults in the city. The generations loathe each other.The new nation of Hudson hopes Army discipline can salvage these problematic young adults. Ava is game. Because the Army holds all the cards. And if the streets taught her anything, she knows that only the ones with power survive. But for this to work, either the Army or the gang rat will have to change.If you enjoy vivid characters, compelling world-building, and page-turning action, you'll love the dystopian, post-apocalyptic Feral America series.
- GenresDystopiaPost Apocalyptic
408 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 6, 2017
306 people are currently reading
95 people want to read
About the author
Ginger Booth
65 books120 followersPlease visit my website at books.gingerbooth.com, and join my Reader Group for free prequels.
After 14 years on walkabout to New York, Colorado, Texas and Tokyo, I swam home to spawn in shoreline Connecticut. A recovering computer programmer, I’ve worked in the seismic industry, semiconductor electronics, academic research in biology and environmental science, and online teaching simulators.
I live alone, and enjoy swimming, walking, and crafts. I grow vegetables indoors, until my crops spill outside and down the driveway. I read voraciously, curious about everything, especially how things work.
After 14 years on walkabout to New York, Colorado, Texas and Tokyo, I swam home to spawn in shoreline Connecticut. A recovering computer programmer, I’ve worked in the seismic industry, semiconductor electronics, academic research in biology and environmental science, and online teaching simulators.
I live alone, and enjoy swimming, walking, and crafts. I grow vegetables indoors, until my crops spill outside and down the driveway. I read voraciously, curious about everything, especially how things work.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
January 16, 2019
There have been five “kids”, with whom I have shared a path and only one was mine. They went from teenagers to young men. One became a teacher of underprivileged kids, one went the path of drugs and jail who, at ten, watched his mother get killed in a drug deal gone bad, and the others chose the military. Of those, one is an EOD specialist, one came back with a heavy dose of PTSD and the other is in the reserves.
This is what you get in Feral Recruit. Ms Booth brings today’s life into a whole new setting. She writes a story of what young men and women go through just to grow up and find their way in life.
You may wonder what this has to do with gang (feral) kids? I won’t go into the details as others can and will do that. She takes the kids from a devastated New York and those who were lucky to escape to the good life and puts them together to learn how to live in a whole new world. Her description of boot camp and the way of military life is spot on, from the drill instructors to the commanders.
I love the way she has taken branches from the Calm Act tree and brought them to life in Feral Recruit. Adding Civil Disobedience and Dust of Kansas and you get quite a tree. If she can keep this up, the series could grow into a new Shannara. There are so many ways that it can develop.
If you want a good story about how things could go if we continue as we are, this book and series are must reads.
This is what you get in Feral Recruit. Ms Booth brings today’s life into a whole new setting. She writes a story of what young men and women go through just to grow up and find their way in life.
You may wonder what this has to do with gang (feral) kids? I won’t go into the details as others can and will do that. She takes the kids from a devastated New York and those who were lucky to escape to the good life and puts them together to learn how to live in a whole new world. Her description of boot camp and the way of military life is spot on, from the drill instructors to the commanders.
I love the way she has taken branches from the Calm Act tree and brought them to life in Feral Recruit. Adding Civil Disobedience and Dust of Kansas and you get quite a tree. If she can keep this up, the series could grow into a new Shannara. There are so many ways that it can develop.
If you want a good story about how things could go if we continue as we are, this book and series are must reads.
September 30, 2021
Full review: https://girlswithguns.org/feral-recru...
There has clearly been a lot of thought put into the detail of how society might be rebuilt after a world-shattering event like this – and another follows in the second half, when a tsunami triggered by the collapse of the melting ice-caps, sweeps the East coast of America. Perhaps it gets bogged down a little too much in those minutiae on occasion, though it’s never long before Ava’s progress forward continues. Interestingly, it doesn’t end quite the way I expected from the synopsis, but it’s always good when some problems are too much for a heroine to overcome; it makes them more human. This first installment finishes with Ava’s life heading in a different direction, and it’s one I’d be curious to follow her into.
There has clearly been a lot of thought put into the detail of how society might be rebuilt after a world-shattering event like this – and another follows in the second half, when a tsunami triggered by the collapse of the melting ice-caps, sweeps the East coast of America. Perhaps it gets bogged down a little too much in those minutiae on occasion, though it’s never long before Ava’s progress forward continues. Interestingly, it doesn’t end quite the way I expected from the synopsis, but it’s always good when some problems are too much for a heroine to overcome; it makes them more human. This first installment finishes with Ava’s life heading in a different direction, and it’s one I’d be curious to follow her into.
February 18, 2018
Excellent. Just read the entire series from start to finish in 3 days. It dragged me into its world.
December 1, 2019
This book and the rest of the series is one of my all time favourites and made me follow the author, one of the handful that I make sure I'm notified when their new books come out.
Definitely treat yourself to this post apocalyptic, action and emotion driven series that won't leave you wanting.
Definitely treat yourself to this post apocalyptic, action and emotion driven series that won't leave you wanting.
September 9, 2020
Great read
Very informative. Loved the story and characters. Went thru Army basic training myself I really enjoyed that part of the book . It really made me think about the way things are going today and what could happen.
Very informative. Loved the story and characters. Went thru Army basic training myself I really enjoyed that part of the book . It really made me think about the way things are going today and what could happen.
June 4, 2020
World builder author! Read her 7 volume Thrive series in a week and her Feral series in 4 days, sometimes reading into the early hours of the morning. Literally could not put them down. You aren't concerned about climate change? Read these books. We have a real problem and it is not going away.
October 9, 2017
I love this series. It is an important political document that's wrapped up in an interesting story. Global warming and climate change have struck the world with a vengeance and the surviving population must work together to avoid starvation and extinction.
_Feral Recruit_ is the fifth and latest novel in the Calm Act series, and it is the first to introduce Ava Panic. This novel is grittier than the previous four, because Dee Baker, the protagonist of the first 4 novels and 2 novellas, is working at the macro level and is married to one of the most powerful members of the military dictatorship that runs the newly formed nation of Hudson (basically New England and New York of the now defunct United States).
[Potential spoilers past this point.]
Ava is a former leader of a youth gang, White Supreme, that fought other racially segregated gangs in the Ebola-ravaged city of New York for scarce food and for territory and to thwart the government’s plan to exterminate them all. She is a skilled fighter and is exceptionally tough in hand-to-hand combat, even though she barely weighs 90 pounds.
I think this novel will extend the series readership to a younger demographic, because of the age of the new leads. It also takes what I see as a necessary step into the dark and shadowy world of the “killer angels,” a government-sponsored movement to cull the population to a sustainable level.
This series is heading in a great direction: realpolitik, survival of the fittest, and a world of tough ethical choices…all forewarning of a horrible future for mankind if climate change is not curtailed.
_Feral Recruit_ is the fifth and latest novel in the Calm Act series, and it is the first to introduce Ava Panic. This novel is grittier than the previous four, because Dee Baker, the protagonist of the first 4 novels and 2 novellas, is working at the macro level and is married to one of the most powerful members of the military dictatorship that runs the newly formed nation of Hudson (basically New England and New York of the now defunct United States).
[Potential spoilers past this point.]
Ava is a former leader of a youth gang, White Supreme, that fought other racially segregated gangs in the Ebola-ravaged city of New York for scarce food and for territory and to thwart the government’s plan to exterminate them all. She is a skilled fighter and is exceptionally tough in hand-to-hand combat, even though she barely weighs 90 pounds.
I think this novel will extend the series readership to a younger demographic, because of the age of the new leads. It also takes what I see as a necessary step into the dark and shadowy world of the “killer angels,” a government-sponsored movement to cull the population to a sustainable level.
This series is heading in a great direction: realpolitik, survival of the fittest, and a world of tough ethical choices…all forewarning of a horrible future for mankind if climate change is not curtailed.
August 11, 2018
I got this book because I thought it looked like an interesting twist on the boot camp/army style adventure, but it was far more unique and interesting than that. After an Ebola virus took out major U.S. population centers and the U.S. government collapsed, pre-teens and teenagers living in the cities were left in a “Lord of the Flies” style situation for several years. Now, as governments try to reassert themselves in the former U.S. they have to figure out what to do with hundreds of thousands of these “feral” children. One possible solution they are exploring is to try and civilize the children by putting them through a harsh boot camp and enlisting them in the army. But it’s not really a boot camp. It starts as a sort of rehabilitation center reminiscent of reform school and slowly builds into something else. The problem is frankly fascinating and the teenagers who make up the cast are interesting characters. This novel wasn’t what I was expecting, but I enjoyed it just the same.
September 8, 2018
I really enjoyed this book.
The protagonist is not perfect. She makes some questionable decisions and has her own moral code that is not exactly main stream. She is a survivor. In the world she inhabits only the strong and lucky survive. After living this way for so long you develop your own code and the number one rule? Survive.
Ava Panic is a character that you can respect. She works hard for what she wants and stands up for herself and others admirably.
The only things that let the book down were the following;
- a slight tendency to ramble on occasion
- so much squeezed into one book meant that the relationships and characters weren’t as well developed as they could be
All in all a good book. Worth reading as a standalone or exploring the entire series.
I received a complimentary copy from VRO in return for an honest review.
The protagonist is not perfect. She makes some questionable decisions and has her own moral code that is not exactly main stream. She is a survivor. In the world she inhabits only the strong and lucky survive. After living this way for so long you develop your own code and the number one rule? Survive.
Ava Panic is a character that you can respect. She works hard for what she wants and stands up for herself and others admirably.
The only things that let the book down were the following;
- a slight tendency to ramble on occasion
- so much squeezed into one book meant that the relationships and characters weren’t as well developed as they could be
All in all a good book. Worth reading as a standalone or exploring the entire series.
I received a complimentary copy from VRO in return for an honest review.
August 20, 2018
I think I was about 10% of the way through this book when I knew it was going to be a 5 star read. I was lucky enough to receive a complimentary copy of Feral Recruit from the author and Voracious Readers. I had no idea there was a preceding story, but will now have to look into it! Definitely excited to see what happens in Feral Agent. Fell in love with Ava at the first mention of her Deda. Her Serbian heritage shone through her character. I thought I would despise Frosty but ended up melting toward him in the end. Love the motley crew of characters that formed Ava’s journey. Absolutely fantastic read!
July 10, 2017
I read this new offshoot of the Calm Act Series having already read the whole of that series which does mean I am a bit of a fan boy as well, but this writer deserves it. I am what the lefties would call a "climate change denier" but I love science fiction, and this to me is a great "what if" story of, "these are the results we are getting now, how do we make it work long term". The characters are well written and believable, and left me wanting them to succeed as they struggled through their issues.. This book is well worth buying.
May 1, 2018
Excellent beginning
This book is the beginning of The Calm Act Feral America series. It would help to have read the original Calm Act series, but this series seems to be fairly stand alone. This book begins during the end of Calm Act 3 and covers the time period of Calm Act 4. Panic, Puño, Yoda, and Calderra are all highly detailed amazing characters. Even Frosty, Max, and Birch are detailed. This is a highly detailed, well thought out story about civilization surviving climate change on an epic scale.
This book is the beginning of The Calm Act Feral America series. It would help to have read the original Calm Act series, but this series seems to be fairly stand alone. This book begins during the end of Calm Act 3 and covers the time period of Calm Act 4. Panic, Puño, Yoda, and Calderra are all highly detailed amazing characters. Even Frosty, Max, and Birch are detailed. This is a highly detailed, well thought out story about civilization surviving climate change on an epic scale.
April 29, 2019
I really enjoyed this book.
An ebola contagion rushes through New York, which is placed in quarantine. After the initial die off, those caught inside suffer from the Starve. Most of the teens and younger survive, along with most of those 60+. This story follows the life of Ava Panic who has survived those times. The Army seems a good idea to her, so she applied and is accepted. She attends fitness camp first to gain weight and recover from starvation. Read the story to start a new interesting alternative future story!
An ebola contagion rushes through New York, which is placed in quarantine. After the initial die off, those caught inside suffer from the Starve. Most of the teens and younger survive, along with most of those 60+. This story follows the life of Ava Panic who has survived those times. The Army seems a good idea to her, so she applied and is accepted. She attends fitness camp first to gain weight and recover from starvation. Read the story to start a new interesting alternative future story!
June 6, 2018
Military science fiction
This dystopian sci fi is mainly a military story. There is the hard life she tries to escape by enlisting and the adventure of basic.
This is a gritty world but I wanted the heroine to succeed. I was confused by her abusive relationship with her ex. The ending was a let down for me, I didn't agree with her job choice. I'm not sure if I will continue this series.
Mature content
This dystopian sci fi is mainly a military story. There is the hard life she tries to escape by enlisting and the adventure of basic.
This is a gritty world but I wanted the heroine to succeed. I was confused by her abusive relationship with her ex. The ending was a let down for me, I didn't agree with her job choice. I'm not sure if I will continue this series.
Mature content
May 4, 2019
Feral Recruit
If you like a story with a strong smart female lead, here ya go. Ava is a strong character who holds in anger and frustration with the circumstances of the life she is stuck in. She is smart and able to learn how things work and what she can do to get the best out of it for herself and others she cares about. A lot about daily army type life fills most of this book. It is filled with plenty of action and drama to hold your interest at the same time.
If you like a story with a strong smart female lead, here ya go. Ava is a strong character who holds in anger and frustration with the circumstances of the life she is stuck in. She is smart and able to learn how things work and what she can do to get the best out of it for herself and others she cares about. A lot about daily army type life fills most of this book. It is filled with plenty of action and drama to hold your interest at the same time.
November 1, 2017
Good addition to the series
I really enjoyed this addition to the series and look forward to reading more about the main character of this book. There are not enough strong, smart female main characters and I am always happy when I find a new one. Hopefully this one will continue for at least a few more books!
I really enjoyed this addition to the series and look forward to reading more about the main character of this book. There are not enough strong, smart female main characters and I am always happy when I find a new one. Hopefully this one will continue for at least a few more books!
November 5, 2017
Love the series. Fun read with an important, albeit scary, message. Climate change is upon us and we are not an easy species to manage. This book plays with who will survive the deadly events of mother nature's wrath and how good and evil will translate into a new survival based world. Women matter in this series and that is a very good thing.
December 3, 2022
Awesome!
I love Ava and Cade. They’ve gone through a lot, surviving the starve, splitting up and going their own way, eventually finding their way back to each other. But there is so much in between…
They have grown so much. But they have so much further to go. On to the next book!
I love Ava and Cade. They’ve gone through a lot, surviving the starve, splitting up and going their own way, eventually finding their way back to each other. But there is so much in between…
They have grown so much. But they have so much further to go. On to the next book!
July 18, 2018
Good start to the follow on series
Nice to see how the other half was living, so to speak. Like the characters, and the action seems to be a bit less morally straightforward which could be interesting too. Good read.
Nice to see how the other half was living, so to speak. Like the characters, and the action seems to be a bit less morally straightforward which could be interesting too. Good read.
June 6, 2019
A novel concept of a post-apocalyptic world, I really enjoyed it. I liked the strong female lead character and that the whole story line was so realistic and believable. I would definitely like to read all the books in the Calm Act Feral America series.
September 24, 2019
Great set up for the series
After surviving Ebola and the Starve, Ava is all too eager for a chance to join the Army. But her ambition doesn't stop at just graduation. Her plans reach much farther.
After surviving Ebola and the Starve, Ava is all too eager for a chance to join the Army. But her ambition doesn't stop at just graduation. Her plans reach much farther.
May 24, 2022
Riveting Story
Well, I stayed up all night reading this book. The story is so well defined. The characters are believable and interesting too. I bought the rest of the series.. I can't wait to see what Ava and Cade do in the next book, and the next, and the next.
Well, I stayed up all night reading this book. The story is so well defined. The characters are believable and interesting too. I bought the rest of the series.. I can't wait to see what Ava and Cade do in the next book, and the next, and the next.
February 18, 2023
Interesting
What a book!! The author did her research and it shows. Complex yet not -- if that makes any sense. Very intriguing. Hard to put down.. Makes you think of th future. Not all is what you see
What a book!! The author did her research and it shows. Complex yet not -- if that makes any sense. Very intriguing. Hard to put down.. Makes you think of th future. Not all is what you see
October 2, 2017
The book is so good. Can not wait till a sequel to this book is written.
November 22, 2017
Another good chapter in the Calm Act series. I really enjoy this series.
December 29, 2017
Loved it
Disclaimer...I am a beta reader for Ms Booth. Although having read the rough working draft, i thoroughly enjoyed reading the finished version.
Disclaimer...I am a beta reader for Ms Booth. Although having read the rough working draft, i thoroughly enjoyed reading the finished version.
March 3, 2019
Different in a good way.
October 31, 2019
Great read!
September 7, 2023
Really good
Very different type of story line, but I liked the characters in the story and may read the next installment
Very different type of story line, but I liked the characters in the story and may read the next installment
October 1, 2017
Awesome series!
Normally I don't read this type of book but my attention was caught from the very first page. I read the entire series straight to the last page; couldn't put them down. The writing style, attention to detail, characters, everything about these books, is just amazing. Kind of terrifying too with the storms and fires going on in real life and the possibility of these things happening in our world
Normally I don't read this type of book but my attention was caught from the very first page. I read the entire series straight to the last page; couldn't put them down. The writing style, attention to detail, characters, everything about these books, is just amazing. Kind of terrifying too with the storms and fires going on in real life and the possibility of these things happening in our world
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews