Divided States of America: A Look Into Our Future

The Galaxy Series #3

by Aithal, An Indian, Darshini

What if your future was a nightmare you could still prevent? Can a nation on the brink be saved by going back in time?

What happens when division goes too far? Could your country collapse from within while you're not looking? And if given the chance, would we make better choices—or repeat our mistakes?

Author Aithal, known for The Galaxy Series, crafts powerful speculative fiction grounded in emotional truths and social insight. Now he brings us a gripping vision of tomorrow gone wrong—and a daring mission to rewrite the past before it’s too late.

Divided States of America is a thought-provoking sci-fi thriller that explores how division, fear, and intolerance can dismantle even the strongest societies.

Through the eyes of three astronauts and an alien ally, Aithal exposes the dangers of unchecked political and social strife, and the desperate hope found in second chances.

And by following their journey, readers are urged to reflect on their own choices and the future they help shape.

In Divided States of America, you’ll discover:

A fractured 2032 America—what led to the collapse and what can be learned
The psychological toll of returning home to a nation torn apart
The power—and peril—of time travel as a tool for redemption
An alien ally whose motives challenge human assumptions
A mission that forces heroes to choose between the future and their moral compass

Divided States of America is your urgent playbook for recognizing the signs of social unraveling—and choosing unity over division before it’s too late.

If you liked The Man in the High Castle, The Expanse, or 1984, then you’ll love K. Aithal’s timely and riveting sci-fi allegory.

Genres: Science Fiction

340 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 4, 2020

About the author

I've written several books covering various genres, including international thrillers and memoirs.

I'm also the author of four science fiction books. Well, I'd not really call them science fiction as I think it may disappoint science fiction fans if they are expecting hard-core books in that genre. It's more of 'political science fiction'. It's a dystopian look at our future (environmentally) if we stay on our path. They involve space-travel and take a deep-dive into political psychology.

It's a journey into space and back to future Earth that spans across these books.

Follow me on Instagram, where I post regularly, including all the artworks created for the books.

Here are few of the artworks used in the books:


The books' website has more information (including excerpts) of all four books.

My next book is an international thriller, the story starting in the beautiful Orange County in the US and ending at India/Pakistan border.

My lates book is a memoir where I have penned down my journey from Mumbai, India to the US.

Reviews

[May · Rating 2 out of 5]

There is no doubt that the message of this book is crucial and highly commendable, yet the execution felt poor and lacking in many aspects. A shame, really.

Divided States of America, as the title implies, depicts a future where the US is divided into two countries, one for the Democrats (Coastal America) and one for the Republicans (The Heartland). The imminent threat of Climate Change hangs over everyone's heads, but while Coastal America has gone 100% renewable, the Heartland still relies on fossil fuel. There is hatred and mistrust on both sides.

Firstly, we get to meet Laura's family. I suppose they function as representatives of normal citizens and what they think about the divide and the current state of affairs. They also serve as an audience to Don and his friends, but we'll get to this later. Laura, James, and the others are awfully bland and boring; they have as much character as pieces of furniture. One of them, Brittany, says two lines in the entire book; you would not be able to distinguish her from a wall even if you tried very hard.

Then we have Don, Tom (their names rhyming really got on my nerves), Kim, and Terry. They are time and space travellers, and we hear their story about three times, which is extremely tedious. All of them, without exception, are banal and characterless. As you may have noticed, character building and growth is unfortunately non-existent in this novel; no one was remarkable, relatable, or even vaguely interesting.

The dialogue felt contrived and, well, stupid at times; people's reactions were unrealistic, their conversations poorly constructed.
"I know you don't have many stores there that are here, but don't make me carry things that are available there if the price is not very high there." ಥ_ಥ
There were also several typos and grammatical errors.

It's an easy and quick read. The pace is neither too slow nor too fast, but not much happens anyway. The parts depicting Laura and her family are, in my opinion, completely redundant and could be done away with, or at least executed in a more convincing and effective manner.

The ending is perplexing. Through a single act the dilemma is solved and Climate Change suddenly vanishes as if by magic (?) I don't quite understand it.

I suppose that if not for the very important message of the book and the political discussions (which were enjoyable), I would've been bored out of my mind. There is very little science fiction to compensate for poor non-existent character building, subpar narration, average world construction, and unnatural dialogue. I was unable to empathize with anyone, nor be fully invested in the outcome (except very briefly towards the end). I would have also loved to know more about the Alien planet and its history.

Finally, I don't think Divided States was diverse enough. We have several women, only one of them is a scientist, and none in a position of power. We have several black men, but only two of them are mentioned by name, and they function mostly as background decorations. As everyone in this book sounds like an idiot, I don't believe it was done intentionally.
Descriptions of female characters were disturbing, from Laura's "lithe body...long shapely legs, oval face with full lips...her flat belly...supple hand" to a very unnecessary description of a random waitress with her "pouty lips". Same goes to male characters, so again I don't think it was intentional. It got on my nerves, nonetheless.

Emphasizing the danger of Climate Change and describing the ensuing calamities is basically the only thing I really loved about this book. How the rich and powerful (who are contributing the most) suffer the least; calling Americans to vote for what will ensure their survival, not short-term profit for those at the top; and criticising the idiot that was elected as president in 2016 were all important points to make. The last few pages by the author were passionate and compelling. I hope they are read by as many people as possible.

This is, of course, my personal opinion. If you find that you enjoy the writing style and dialogue, then this will be an excellent read for you. Alas, it was not so for me.

[Glen · Rating 1 out of 5]

I won this book in a goodreads drawing.

A family made up of tyros and ciphers live in an America divided along current political lines. We don't really get any sense of why the two countries are different. Climate change is allegedly a crisis, but nobody living in this world really seems to think so.

Some astronauts you can't tell apart come from space. They're disoriented. An alien they come with solves the climate change crisis with some sort of space magic.

Pedestrian. Maybe MSNBC fans will dig it.

[Dianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part political platform, part time travel science fiction, part futuristic dystopia, yet written in an easy to read tale that changes pace and tenor to suit events, Aithal’s DIVIDED STATES OF AMERICA will separate families, cars will fly, and small-minded people will prevail with their own personal issues and it will all be witnessed by three astronauts from the past and their alien comrade who has the ability to travel through both time and space from another galaxy, telling of the demise of the planets his own race has brought about through selfish abuse.

I do enjoy Aithal’s easy-to-read style, the attention to the day-to-day conflicts a divided nation can bring into each household. It illustrates the fact that issues start at the grassroots level. What does prevent me from a full five star review was the blatant political stabs made throwing blame on a specific set of shoulders. Whether I agree or not, I read fiction to escape into another world, I understand alluding to events the contemporary world can relate to, but, for me, this went too far for a fantasy read and threw me out of the story several times.

That said, I am sure that is just me, and as a whole, this is a well-written tale that deserves to be part of readers’ TBR list, because, who knows what will happen in the future if the citizens of this world don't take a physical stand and actually DO something about protecting this planet and its inhabitants yet to come!

I received a complimentary ARC edition from Aithal! This is my honest and voluntary review.

Series: The Galaxy Series - Book 3
Publisher: Season Ball (January 4, 2020)
Publication Date: January 4, 2020
Genre: Science Fiction | Fantasy |Time Travel
Print Length: 228 pages
Available from: Amazon
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com

[Peri June · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having enjoyed the first two installments in this series, I was eager to read this one and, I have to say, it did not disappoint.
A mix of sci-fi and dystopia, Divided States of America is a very thought-provoking and well-written book about how humanity is wrecking itself from within.
The book picks up right at the cliffhanger of the previous one, taking us to a futuristic world where the worst has happened to America--a complete divide.
The author manages to integrate new characters with the ones from the first two books very seamlessly. The transitions from one scene to the next were well-executed with smooth writing.
I read well into the night in order to know how the story wraps up.
And that surprise at the end made the whole book for me.
An exciting read.

An ARC of this book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Nathan Albright · Rating 2 out of 5]

[Note:  This book was provided free of charge by Reedsy Discovery.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.]

There was admittedly much I did not appreciate about this book.  I had expected a novel that was thoughtful and reflective about the state of the world, and what I got instead was a fable that attempted to do too much with characters that were not nearly interesting enough and that reveled in the irrationality of left wing climate and political panic.  This is the sort of book where the characters claim to hate politics but cannot seem to talk about anything else, and where the author confuses his misguided demand that the right wing just abandon their political efforts and let the left-wingers control everything for the sake of the planet with something that is sane and reasonable.  This book is part of the reason why people from the left wing and right wing are so divided, and I speak for many of this book's potential readers when I say that I would happily prefer to see the nation divide than to let the left wing remain in charge and act according to their misguided climate and other kinds of panic.  

This book is a textbook example of what happens when someone writes to suit their agenda and forgets that the people that are (potentially) read this book do not share their agenda.  Someone whose political worldview comes from the mainstream media and who has a high idea of the scientific validity of global warming models may think of this book as a sensible one, but others may see this book's climate science as being equally valid as the book's playing fast and loose with time travel.  As for me, I was personally offended by the book's suggestion that going to the past and not voting in Trump was what was necessary to save the world from coastal flooding and the destruction of Florida.  Considering him better than the alternative, I did not find much to appreciate about this book, largely because it is embedded in the political discourse that it claims to disdain and I am too honest about my own political worldview to appreciate a book like this one which is based on an entirely hostile worldview to my own.  If America is a divided country, the fact that an author can think that rank partisanship is a cure for our divisions is a big part of the reason why.

[Stuart Aken · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third in a series. The book is a worthy work, but I found it slow to start. That may be because I haven’t read the previous two. Once the first chapters are done, the story starts to move at a good pace and it’s easy to engage with the characters. Those early chapters could be a lot shorter, contain a lot less detail, for me.
The story is full of imagination, conveying some unusual ideas about the way politics in the USA may develop if left unchallenged. And there are some imaginative outcomes envisaged regarding the lack of action to tackle the climate emergency.
I enjoyed the alien technology, which showed good scientific knowledge. And the time travel elements were well-handled.
There are editing errors involving missing words and some syntactical concerns. I doubt these will worry the majority of readers, but I found them a little jarring as I read as a writer. I wish I could be more enthusiastic; this is a story that deserves a wide readership. And, read for the story alone, it will doubtlessly satisfy a good many readers.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first book I have read by this author. It kept my interest throughout

[Dr. Monidipa Dutta · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book "Divided States of America" by Aithal is a gripping and thought-provoking read that takes readers on a journey through time and space. The story follows three astronauts who return to Earth in the year 2032, only to find a country torn apart by division and strife.

What makes this book truly exceptional is the stunning illustrations by Darshini which immerses readers in the world of the book and enhance the overall reading experience.

The plot is engaging and keeps readers on the edge of their seats, but it's Darshini's illustrations that truly make this book a standout.

Her attention to detail and ability to capture the emotions of the characters is truly remarkable. The author and the illustrator both are a powerful combo.


My Final Thoughts:

"Divided States of America" is a must-read for anyone who enjoys science fiction, time travel, and stunning artwork. Aithal and Darshini have created a truly remarkable book that is sure to captivate readers from start to finish.

Aithal has done a fantastic job with "Divided States of America". The book is well-written, with a captivating plot and relatable characters that draw readers in and keep them engaged until the very end.

Aithal's writing style is both descriptive and engaging, allowing readers to easily visualize the world and events of the book. The story is thought-provoking and raises important questions about the role of division and unity in society.

Aithal's writing and storytelling skills are top-notch, making "Divided States of America" a must-read for anyone interested in science fiction and time travel.

[Melody Dealing · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first book that I have read in the Galaxy Series. I didn't feel lost or that I was missing some back ground information that may have been in the other books. I had several issues with this book. First, there are quite a few spelling/grammar/punctuation errors throughout the whole book. I am not a professional editor but as part of my occupation, I do proofread materials written by others. Nowadays, there is no reason for a published book to contains so many spelling or grammar errors with such programs as "spell check" or Grammarly available for use. To me it is distracting to have to re-read a sentence a few times because the grammar is incorrect. It takes away from the enjoyment of reading.

The second issue I had with the book was, what I consider, the heavy political overtones. The impression I was left with, was that all of our problems are due to our current president, Donald Trump. Whether you agree or disagree, the implications are there. I think that this message could have been conveyed using a fictitious name and back story. To lay the state of our nation on one party, even in a fiction novel isn't right. The state of our nation is due to multiple people, motives, organizations, and politicians. If this message was conveyed in this book, I truly missed it.

The story it self was confusing at times. I felt that it could have started out with a few chapter headings that gave the "year" reference so that gave you an idea if you were reading about the future, the present, or the past. Also, it took a while before you learned about the characters and their backstory; where they came from, how they got where they were.

For me the story was okay. I am not sure I will read any other books in this series. This just wasn't my cup of tea. It is labeled as a mix of sci-fi and dystopia, but, in my opinion, the sci-fi element lacked depth. I was truly hoping for more than what the book offered.

I received a copy of this book for free through Goodreads in exchange for my honest opinion.

[WS_BOOKCLUB · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest opinion. This book will be available on January 4th, 2020.

In the interest of full disclosure: I have not read the first two books in this series. However, I was easily able to follow the story.

As the title of suggests, politics are a very big part of this book. I expected a political sci-fi. What surprised me a bit was how much more politically-focused it is. In many ways, the science fiction takes a backseat. I honestly would be interested in reading a straight-out political novel by Aithal as that seems to be where his passion lays.

However, the science fiction is solid, and the story moves along well. The politics could get a little heavy-handed and if you lean toward the right, you might not appreciate this book as much. I think what took this book from a “love” to a “like” for me is simply that the state of American politics is a stressful subject for me. Trying to raise kids in a political environment that is so often charged with hatred can be a scary thing, and it sometimes dims my enjoyment of politically-minded books. That being said, this is a creative book, and a worthy addition to dystopian sci-fi.

https://wittyandsarcasticbookclub.hom...

[Mae-Anne Bryant · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Divided States of America: A Look Into Our Future" by Aithal is a gripping, emotionally charged speculative thriller that warns of what is happening right now. Aithal's writing is straightforward and honest. In 2032, three astronauts and an alien friend deal with a broken America and the moral choices that could either save it or destroy it. The story mixes big political ideas with small, personal moments. The voice of the story is both urgent and understanding, and it explains the end of society and time travel without diminishing the characters. Scenes of return and reckoning feel real, and the emotional toll of coming home to a country torn apart is shown with painful honesty. The pacing is perfect. The action builds steadily through mission-focused scenes, then slows into quieter moments that let the reader reflect on the stakes. This makes the book feel neither rushed nor preachy. Aithal uses speculative elements, like an alien whose motives make human assumptions more complicated and time travel to make things right, to drive the plot and make readers think about their own choices. It was like seeing a familiar skyline change into something strange while I read, which made me think about division, responsibility, and second chances in real life. This is, without a doubt, my favorite series of the last few years. I have read all the books in it. This book is a good read if you like science fiction that makes you think and political allegories.

[DCL · Rating 1 out of 5]

I received this book in a Goodreads Giveaway.

This book was exhausting to read. There was just so much exposition - it was a case of "tell, don't show". The author has clearly thought out the appearance of his universe and characters, but then told us everything about it. In one case, a minor character's appearance was described in detail, including the fact that he had (and I'm paraphrasing here), wavy hair, but when in the military, no one knew that due to the Army regulations mandating a short cut. Well though out for an author - served no purpose for a reader who only sees the character in the present!

The characters themselves lacked nuance - they were largely caricatures of either "good liberals" in Coastal America or "bad conservatives" in the Heartland, and the attempts to bridge that showed symbolic characters on one side grudgingly tolerating the other, but no room for interactions between complicated, nuanced characters who don't fit on one side or the other (or do, but aren't in lockstep agreement on absolutely everything)

Non-political interactions were also simplistic - those on the alien ship share their story right off the bat (no attempting to scout out what's going on, first?) with everyone they meet - and everyone they meet buys it - inviting them into their house, agreeing to take people into their community and even hopping a ride on the alien ship to take the grandkids to the Grand Canyon that same day because...why not??? Talk about naive (and not in a story-advancing way).

I could keep going, but the gist is that this book is somehow both overly detailed and lacking nuance, which just left me exhausted after reading it.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really looked forward to reading this book as I've enjoyed Aithal's other books very much. This one disappointed me a little though.

Through the other books there have been undercurrents of 'political' threads, particularly American ones, but this third book is driven by them and while climate change is an extremely important topic it does detract from the story that was begun in the first two books and it takes over. Having said this though, Aithal DOES portray the future of our Earth very well and has come up with some interesting visions of how humanity will move forward because of our self destruction and inability to accept that change is the only way forward.

[Howard Brazee · Rating 2 out of 5]

I only read 42% of the book. I thought it was part of a different "Divided States of America" series.

An astronaut looking for a planet with water gets transported to a distant galaxy. The powerful alien takes him back to Earth, slightly later than he left. He's disappointed to find the U.S. split into different countries, with stereotypical red and blue states. In California, there aren't laws nor guns, in Arizona everybody has guns. Trump was mentioned as being a reason for the split.

The astronaut was also disappointed that NASA is gone (he was a NASA astronaut).

[Kyra Pieterse · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's the sort of book that could get a cult following! Really enjoyed it and it gives you something to think about. Looking forward to your next books.

[Jody Huneycutt · Rating 1 out of 5]

Poorly written political propaganda disguised as a novel.

[Carolyn Klear · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting concept. I could see this happen8ng with the divisiveness of some of our political leaders (?). Sad what happened to our country

[Grady · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘Our country seems to have lost its moral compass’

Author Aithal was born and raised in Mumbai, India, came to the US in 1989 to New York, and currently resides in Los Angeles. His book contains illustration drawings by Darshini. His beautifully controversial series – The Galaxy Series - began with BEYOND THE MILKY WAY, followed by Book 2 RETURN TO EARTH, and now offers DIVIDED STATES OF AMERICA is Book 3. First some comments about the ongoing story of space travel and the meeting of aliens as Aithal described in Book 1. We were left with three astronauts and an alien in space and now they return to earth to find a very different situation – there is a time shift so that the return to earth is placed in the future.

Aithal understands the importance of initiating a novel with an atmospheric opening: “Shoot them,” Chuck finally shouted. All three men pointed their guns toward the ship and started shooting at the fleeing men. A few bullets missed them, whizzing past their heads, while others found their mark. It hit them squarely in their backs, and a few of them fell with a thud while the others kept running. Some bullets had hit the men in their hands or legs, and now the fallen men were crawling towards the ship. Terry, Don, and Kim could do nothing but run for their lives as they had nothing to fire back with…’ And with that action packed scene the novel opens in California and the action proceeds.

Aithal’s synopsis outlines this episode well – ‘The year is 2032. After traveling to a galaxy far far away, the three astronauts are back on Earth, but in the future. What they see shocks them. When they left Earth in 2015, America was united, but they come to a divided country. The only way to stop this from ever happening is for them to travel back to the year 2015. And the only person who can take them back is the alien who flew back with them. They have already witnessed the powers he possesses. They know that no human on Earth can do what he can. Will he do it?’ The Galaxy Series continues with book 4 – 2120, and after completing this novel, the reader will most assuredly be eager to discover the ending!

Read and think and note: we have a social philosopher among us!