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Third Life
On his eighteenth cycle, Christopher has to join the ranks of the Formation. A society built on strict rules, where discipline is rewarded with immortality and inefficiency is punishable by death. Within the walls of the Formation, measurements control every aspect of a person’s life, but the resources outside the walls offer the only means of survival.
When Christopher is assigned to be a scout, his life is flipped upside down. Though it has the lowest causality rate in the Formation it is one of the most dangerous jobs because it puts him in danger of crossing paths with the Others.
While searching the forest for the river, the Formation’s final means of survival, Christopher is confronted by the truth of his world and his own existence. He learns the history of the war between his tribe and the Other’s and questions everything he’s been led to believe by the Formation.
This novella dives into questions about free will, faith, and duty.
When Christopher is assigned to be a scout, his life is flipped upside down. Though it has the lowest causality rate in the Formation it is one of the most dangerous jobs because it puts him in danger of crossing paths with the Others.
While searching the forest for the river, the Formation’s final means of survival, Christopher is confronted by the truth of his world and his own existence. He learns the history of the war between his tribe and the Other’s and questions everything he’s been led to believe by the Formation.
This novella dives into questions about free will, faith, and duty.
82 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 24, 2018
39 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
May 24, 2018
If me giving a star rating for my own book bothers people I will clear the stars, but I love writing reviews because it feels like a second author note right there on the book's goodreads page.
There were no big announcements for this release or anything I usually do in the lead up to a book publication. This is an incredibly short (82 page) novella I wrote towards the end of my semester and wanted to publish. It's one of those books that just stuck with me for a while; I couldnt shake the idea from my head, so when a friend of mine offered to do a writing sprint, I decided to finally give this plot the focus it deserved.
What makes this book unique for me is it wasn't born out of a usual plot idea, or the dire need to create a certain character; I wrote it because these questions of free will vs predestination have been playing in my head so I wanted to write about a character who had no say over their life.
I kept it short, even though it probably could've been at least another couple hundred pages, because I didn't want to bore anyone with these questions I just wanted to illustrate them.
If anyone wants to have conversations on these topics feel free to send me a friend request or a message on here, I am always up for a philosophical discussion.
As always, thanks for reading.
-R.K. Gold
There were no big announcements for this release or anything I usually do in the lead up to a book publication. This is an incredibly short (82 page) novella I wrote towards the end of my semester and wanted to publish. It's one of those books that just stuck with me for a while; I couldnt shake the idea from my head, so when a friend of mine offered to do a writing sprint, I decided to finally give this plot the focus it deserved.
What makes this book unique for me is it wasn't born out of a usual plot idea, or the dire need to create a certain character; I wrote it because these questions of free will vs predestination have been playing in my head so I wanted to write about a character who had no say over their life.
I kept it short, even though it probably could've been at least another couple hundred pages, because I didn't want to bore anyone with these questions I just wanted to illustrate them.
If anyone wants to have conversations on these topics feel free to send me a friend request or a message on here, I am always up for a philosophical discussion.
As always, thanks for reading.
-R.K. Gold
January 16, 2019
This one was very weird, but that's what made it interesting. I was never bored during this book nor do I regret reading it, but due to the short length, I had to reread a few parts because the transitions happened too fast for me to grab hold of. The second portion was very fantastical and a little sudden. You get hints to it in the beginning, but it was still odd. I think it'll be hit or miss for people like the fantastical elements are in "The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue".
The first half felt very dystopian and clearer in execution. I would've liked to spend more time learning how their society worked. However, as with "Beds are for Flowers", the author knows his target audience well and meeting my expectations would be a disservice to them.
My biggest issue was that, though I found the characters interesting, I couldn't connect with any of them. There were emotional stakes, but I wasn't emotionally impacted. I will likely read more from this author in the future. Maybe YA or Adult. I've come to find I need a bit of introspection to really enjoy a book.
*I am now using the goodreads rating system rather than a personal system.
The first half felt very dystopian and clearer in execution. I would've liked to spend more time learning how their society worked. However, as with "Beds are for Flowers", the author knows his target audience well and meeting my expectations would be a disservice to them.
My biggest issue was that, though I found the characters interesting, I couldn't connect with any of them. There were emotional stakes, but I wasn't emotionally impacted. I will likely read more from this author in the future. Maybe YA or Adult. I've come to find I need a bit of introspection to really enjoy a book.
*I am now using the goodreads rating system rather than a personal system.
May 31, 2018
Intriguing and unique story
I thought this story might be a bit like Maze Runner but it was much more imaginative and really digs into a deeper concept of existence. Emotionally charged and gripping, I couldn't wait to find out what happened next. A very enjoyable read.
I thought this story might be a bit like Maze Runner but it was much more imaginative and really digs into a deeper concept of existence. Emotionally charged and gripping, I couldn't wait to find out what happened next. A very enjoyable read.
June 4, 2018
Gold is the master of creating new and unique worlds and sucking the reader into its depths. Third Life reminds me of The Giver with a splash of Divergent. It’s a fast-paced read that will leave you completely satisfied. If you’re looking for an escape into another dimension, I highly recommend this book!
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews