reWritten

by Jako Malan

Against his better judgement and born of circumstances beyond his control, Professor van Elsburg is hired to lead a troupe of mercenaries deep into the unexplored wastelands that surround their world. Their unravel the mystery surrounding an undocumented archaeological site, and to discover the fate of the last expedition that vanished whilst trying not to do the same.

reWritten is an existential horror story set in a gritty post-human world, littered with the rubble of a once-mighty civilization that fell suddenly, now inhabited entirely by anthropomorphic animals. It provides a glimpse into the origins of this crudely industrialized dystopian-utopia and the Mammalæ that keep its engines oiled, its boilers fired, and its printing presses rolling.

In a world only superficially similar to our own, it asks questions that have no easy answers, and answers questions that may have been better left unasked.

Knowledge can free the mind, but it can also destroy the soul.

163 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 28, 2019

About the author

Jako Malan (aka. Erdbok) is an author based in Cape Town, South Africa. His style could be described as visceral and he enjoys blending different genres. He is a furry and as such most of his work is geared towards the Furry Fandom.

Reviews

[Michael Miele · Rating 4 out of 5]

reWritten is the first book I've read by Jako Malan and he has a very distinctive writing style that took me a while to get used to. I really appreciate the level of detail that this world he has described has. I can feel the amount of time that he's spent thinking through the various ways in which sapient animals would live in a society based off of the humans that are no longer a part of their world. Bridgend feels like a very lived-in city with everyone having some connection to the wider world around them. I will also say that I was surprised at the sudden turn the book made from industrial revolution setting into one that more heavily focuses on sci-fi aspects at a certain point in the book. However, this shift is explained in a way that fits in with the wider setting and makes sense in context. I was hooked on the promise of seeing where that would lead and the ending did not disappoint. I was left scratching my head at some of the character's decisions at points and the resolution to one of the major threats that is brought up in the book didn't quite land with me. Again, while it made sense in context, I felt like it was a tad too easy for the secret town of carnivores to be dealt with so quickly and efficiently. I'd say if you're into anthropomorphic horror/sci-fi with an industrial revolution twist to definitely give this book a try. There's a 2nd book in the series and I'm excited to see where the story goes next!