What do you think?
Rate this book
Survival of the Fittest #1
The Cost of Being Special
A Dystopic Action-Adventure Novel!
Kyle is directionless, languishing in a local community college trying to figure out what to do with his life. All around him, the world is getting stranger. A virus has rendered most of the male population in the world infertile. The fabric of society is stretching thin. People are scared of what might come next.
Then, in a lightning strike of unexpected fortune, Kyle finds out he is one of the few. He isn't at all ready for what comes next. It no longer matters if he ever had hopes and dreams. What other people want suddenly is now far more important. Some want to claim him. Some want to hate him. Then, there are those who don't think he should ever have received that gift. They will do anything to make sure he never gets the chance to enjoy it.
The fact that he is special crashes into his life and changes the way everyone looks at Kyle. But that is both a gift and a curse. There is a cost to finding out that he is special, and the cost might end up being his life.
===== Fair Warning =====
This book is the first steps taken by the characters into a dystopic future just beginning to fall apart. There will be violence, emotional turmoil, dark subject matter, and some intense, highly erotic scenes which include harem elements, light BDSM play and lots of sexy fun.
For the entertainment of adults only!
Kyle is directionless, languishing in a local community college trying to figure out what to do with his life. All around him, the world is getting stranger. A virus has rendered most of the male population in the world infertile. The fabric of society is stretching thin. People are scared of what might come next.
Then, in a lightning strike of unexpected fortune, Kyle finds out he is one of the few. He isn't at all ready for what comes next. It no longer matters if he ever had hopes and dreams. What other people want suddenly is now far more important. Some want to claim him. Some want to hate him. Then, there are those who don't think he should ever have received that gift. They will do anything to make sure he never gets the chance to enjoy it.
The fact that he is special crashes into his life and changes the way everyone looks at Kyle. But that is both a gift and a curse. There is a cost to finding out that he is special, and the cost might end up being his life.
===== Fair Warning =====
This book is the first steps taken by the characters into a dystopic future just beginning to fall apart. There will be violence, emotional turmoil, dark subject matter, and some intense, highly erotic scenes which include harem elements, light BDSM play and lots of sexy fun.
For the entertainment of adults only!
Audible Audio
Published April 24, 2020
350 people are currently reading
194 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
October 14, 2021
Rating 2.5 stars
This story had a great idea that was poorly executed. Too many things didn't make sense in the context of the setup. The premise was very good. A virus has infected the world making all men sterile except for 0.5%. In order to help prevent the end of the species, the government has come up with a program to find those men that are still able to have children. That is an awesome setup, because it can lead anywhere. Married women wanting to have sex with fertile men and how their husbands deal with that. Jealousy from single men, desperation from women who will do anything to have children. Then there is the added component of the government and whatever program they could come up. That could have been so interesting.
The main problem is the author didn't delve into most of that. The story follows Kyle who is a bit of an enigma. He is sort of an outcast but he also has had years of martial arts training. On his 20th birthday he finds out that he is one of the lucky few who can still have children. Instead of the government setting him up and having him service willing women, or having him make deposits in a sperm bank or something. The government set up an app for women to let them know when a fertile man is near them. They know this because every person is implanted with a tracker which has all of their vital information. That really doesn't seem like a good system when the fate of the world is on the line, and then it gets even weirder.
This story had a great idea that was poorly executed. Too many things didn't make sense in the context of the setup. The premise was very good. A virus has infected the world making all men sterile except for 0.5%. In order to help prevent the end of the species, the government has come up with a program to find those men that are still able to have children. That is an awesome setup, because it can lead anywhere. Married women wanting to have sex with fertile men and how their husbands deal with that. Jealousy from single men, desperation from women who will do anything to have children. Then there is the added component of the government and whatever program they could come up. That could have been so interesting.
The main problem is the author didn't delve into most of that. The story follows Kyle who is a bit of an enigma. He is sort of an outcast but he also has had years of martial arts training. On his 20th birthday he finds out that he is one of the lucky few who can still have children. Instead of the government setting him up and having him service willing women, or having him make deposits in a sperm bank or something. The government set up an app for women to let them know when a fertile man is near them. They know this because every person is implanted with a tracker which has all of their vital information. That really doesn't seem like a good system when the fate of the world is on the line, and then it gets even weirder.
December 28, 2019
I like dystopian novels. I even like smut. But this was too much smut and not not enough dystopia to keep me engaged for the next book. This is our male escapist fantasy in a world where every woman is a sex goddess who is willing to act out whatever fantasy the protagonist has, and wait her turn, while passing the time by engaging in BDSM relationships with other members of his harem. You strip all that away, and there could have been an interesting story about a dystopian society complete with government conspiracies and even eugenics. But this was all a backseat to the author’s idea of sexy time.
Writing was poor, several errors suggest that the editor didn’t even proof read this, and glaring plot holes. Not Kindle Unlimited’s finest offering.
Writing was poor, several errors suggest that the editor didn’t even proof read this, and glaring plot holes. Not Kindle Unlimited’s finest offering.
November 22, 2020
What a letdown...
I really wanted for this book to be more than what it appeared to be: Yet Another Teenage Wet Dream. The premise was powerful. There seemed to be undercurrents of conspiracy, eugenics, social strife... It was not meant to be.
None of all those potential conflicts were harnessed in any meaningful way for one simple reason: The author doesn't know how to do characterization. Not a single character felt real or even life-like. They were just a pile of stitched-up clichés, like a R-rated version of all the worst teen-flicks one could conjure.
I will spare you the ridiculously lengthy exposition "class" (the notorious "as you know" moments) and the moronic fertile-men-locator app. They're not worth a comment.
The book tried really hard, and totally failed to convince me that the people it showed doing things had any rational reasons for doing them. See, it's not about the sex, it's about what leads up to it, and what makes it believable. And the few instances I managed to push through just merged my eyebrows and my hairline (and I'm bald). For events on that scale (potentially race-ending), the level of levity and the-world-is-doomed-oh-well-what's-for-dinner displayed in the book just didn't compute. And that lack of gravitas permeates throughout the whole book, utterly unraveling it.
But!
Maybe I misunderstood the book's intentions. Maybe it never claimed to be a story-with-some-sex, but rather porn-with-some-story... An honest mistake. It's just that I keep hoping for a book to succeed at the first. I guess it won't be this one.
I really wanted for this book to be more than what it appeared to be: Yet Another Teenage Wet Dream. The premise was powerful. There seemed to be undercurrents of conspiracy, eugenics, social strife... It was not meant to be.
None of all those potential conflicts were harnessed in any meaningful way for one simple reason: The author doesn't know how to do characterization. Not a single character felt real or even life-like. They were just a pile of stitched-up clichés, like a R-rated version of all the worst teen-flicks one could conjure.
I will spare you the ridiculously lengthy exposition "class" (the notorious "as you know" moments) and the moronic fertile-men-locator app. They're not worth a comment.
The book tried really hard, and totally failed to convince me that the people it showed doing things had any rational reasons for doing them. See, it's not about the sex, it's about what leads up to it, and what makes it believable. And the few instances I managed to push through just merged my eyebrows and my hairline (and I'm bald). For events on that scale (potentially race-ending), the level of levity and the-world-is-doomed-oh-well-what's-for-dinner displayed in the book just didn't compute. And that lack of gravitas permeates throughout the whole book, utterly unraveling it.
But!
Maybe I misunderstood the book's intentions. Maybe it never claimed to be a story-with-some-sex, but rather porn-with-some-story... An honest mistake. It's just that I keep hoping for a book to succeed at the first. I guess it won't be this one.
December 1, 2020
Good start, but then all goes to hell. All girls are lesbians, cheaters and want to be with each other, even the teacher and couple of school girls. Its not sexy, just weird and unbelivable. The writing is like a 13 year old wrote all his fantasies. A lot, doesn't make sense. That the thing that bugged me the most. The MC is jumping between being a supersmart martial art expert to a stupid 13 year old.
January 9, 2020
A solid semi-apocalyptic book. The harem elements are at least internally consistent, and it's a good story well executed. Not much else to say than if the blurb catches your eye it's worth a read. It has characters I care about, so that'll get me to read the sequel for sure.
April 24, 2020
Holy shit
Wow, what can I say. That book was absolutely amazing. From start to finish. I read a lot of harem books. This one was one of the best. Simply wonderful characters, story everything was so well done. I cannot wait to start the next one.
Wow, what can I say. That book was absolutely amazing. From start to finish. I read a lot of harem books. This one was one of the best. Simply wonderful characters, story everything was so well done. I cannot wait to start the next one.
December 19, 2019
A different kind of end of the world novel.
Interesting story has the trope of plagues with a twist of just making men sterile. Had the government is infiltrated and corrupt.
Interesting story has the trope of plagues with a twist of just making men sterile. Had the government is infiltrated and corrupt.
December 10, 2024
The premise was kinda interesting. Only a few man are left fertile and women are encouraged to engage with them to have children. You can probably already imagine the possibilities, but this is not where the story goes.
Problem starts with the MC. He is tiny, considered ugly, muscled (but in a way that still makes him look weak), academically challenged, starts conversations with women saying things like "Gaah", most girls are too disgusted to look at him.
When he gets tested he is of course one if the lucky few and women are suddenly horny and magically capable of overlooking his disappointing looks and personality. Not for the money and the grants but they are magically interested in him as a person even though none of them seem to want babies (!?).
Now for some reason the government has a special shadow task force to check up on the fertile men and kill them if they are considered inferior, like some nazi eugenics program. Only one in 200 man can produce offspring, the world population is in heavy decline and they start to kill most of them? Seriously?
Obviously MC doesn't meet their standards on all accounts and they start hunting him down, that seems to be the main theme for the series. In my opinion this is all crammed in way too fast and too full of plot holes to be enjoyable.
Characters are lifeless and one dimensional teen movie inserts (angry stupid jock, bitchy head cheerleader, etc). There is not much in the way of (inter)personal development besides the 180 all the women do when they realize his dick actually works.
The prose and grammar are quite good on the other hand.
Problem starts with the MC. He is tiny, considered ugly, muscled (but in a way that still makes him look weak), academically challenged, starts conversations with women saying things like "Gaah", most girls are too disgusted to look at him.
When he gets tested he is of course one if the lucky few and women are suddenly horny and magically capable of overlooking his disappointing looks and personality. Not for the money and the grants but they are magically interested in him as a person even though none of them seem to want babies (!?).
Now for some reason the government has a special shadow task force to check up on the fertile men and kill them if they are considered inferior, like some nazi eugenics program. Only one in 200 man can produce offspring, the world population is in heavy decline and they start to kill most of them? Seriously?
Obviously MC doesn't meet their standards on all accounts and they start hunting him down, that seems to be the main theme for the series. In my opinion this is all crammed in way too fast and too full of plot holes to be enjoyable.
Characters are lifeless and one dimensional teen movie inserts (angry stupid jock, bitchy head cheerleader, etc). There is not much in the way of (inter)personal development besides the 180 all the women do when they realize his dick actually works.
The prose and grammar are quite good on the other hand.
August 6, 2020
A brilliant, chilling YA series. I almost gave it a full four-star rating but the presence of a couple minor grammar issues just dropped it below what I consider is needed for that.
I admit that going in to this book I expected "Entitled super-male gets world turned upside down" or a rehashing of that one episode of 'Sliders' where they wind up in a world where fertile men are a commodity that governments will war over. I was pleasently surprised for it to be more than that, with Kyle being a skilled but believable example of humanity. It could certainly have been done with more depth and complexity, but the world that is presented to us is believable enough that I could buy into it as a reader.
If your on the fence about it then give it a try, it's definitely one of the better YA books I have read in recent years...
I admit that going in to this book I expected "Entitled super-male gets world turned upside down" or a rehashing of that one episode of 'Sliders' where they wind up in a world where fertile men are a commodity that governments will war over. I was pleasently surprised for it to be more than that, with Kyle being a skilled but believable example of humanity. It could certainly have been done with more depth and complexity, but the world that is presented to us is believable enough that I could buy into it as a reader.
If your on the fence about it then give it a try, it's definitely one of the better YA books I have read in recent years...
December 27, 2019
Interesting book
Very well written. I will read the next one in spite of the dark nature. Spoiler, this book is about eugenics. If you are not familiar, think World War II Nazi racial cleansing. A virus stops male fertility at .05% and it is 10 years later. A rogue branch of the government it's killing fertile males. This book should have a grimdark tag. I normally don't read those type of books. I have enough drama in my life. This book was definitely unique and well written in spite of the dark nature.
Very well written. I will read the next one in spite of the dark nature. Spoiler, this book is about eugenics. If you are not familiar, think World War II Nazi racial cleansing. A virus stops male fertility at .05% and it is 10 years later. A rogue branch of the government it's killing fertile males. This book should have a grimdark tag. I normally don't read those type of books. I have enough drama in my life. This book was definitely unique and well written in spite of the dark nature.
January 3, 2020
A risque rollercoaster with a powerful story
I read books like this expecting, well, smut for smuts sake. Picking up this book turned that expectation on its head. There is a deep, engaging plot that generates some soul searching questions. I can't wait for the sequel. There are a few minor grammatical errors, but nothing that really breaks the immersion in the story. Definitely an author to watch.
I read books like this expecting, well, smut for smuts sake. Picking up this book turned that expectation on its head. There is a deep, engaging plot that generates some soul searching questions. I can't wait for the sequel. There are a few minor grammatical errors, but nothing that really breaks the immersion in the story. Definitely an author to watch.
January 11, 2020
Interesting and Well Done
Start with a well conceived premise. Add a really good plot. Tuck in multi-dimensional characters, then spice it with some good sex. It’s surprising and delightful to find a plot this well done, whose action only gets better as you read. It mostly makes sense, so it’s intriguing enough to want to follow. The “What Happens Next” element is strong, and that makes it a win for me. Definitely recommended (16+).
Start with a well conceived premise. Add a really good plot. Tuck in multi-dimensional characters, then spice it with some good sex. It’s surprising and delightful to find a plot this well done, whose action only gets better as you read. It mostly makes sense, so it’s intriguing enough to want to follow. The “What Happens Next” element is strong, and that makes it a win for me. Definitely recommended (16+).
January 18, 2020
Ingredients are all there, but it’s half baked.
I like a dystopia and this is a good one, with a plausible backstory that leads to several disturbing changes to society. I like smut and this is good smut, always fresh and interesting. There’s all these plot threads that never really go anywhere though, it’s like the author lost track of what he had written before. It can be a frustrating read.
I like a dystopia and this is a good one, with a plausible backstory that leads to several disturbing changes to society. I like smut and this is good smut, always fresh and interesting. There’s all these plot threads that never really go anywhere though, it’s like the author lost track of what he had written before. It can be a frustrating read.
April 14, 2021
Some good ideas and decent writing mixed in with crap execution and character development.
Too much 'free love' 'open relationship' content for me.
It damages the character development, makes them generally unlikeable and caused me to DNF at about 60%.
Final nail in the coffin was the unbelievability of the antagonist motivations, combined with plot holes large enough to swallow the 'Death-Star'.
Just not worth the time.
Too much 'free love' 'open relationship' content for me.
It damages the character development, makes them generally unlikeable and caused me to DNF at about 60%.
Final nail in the coffin was the unbelievability of the antagonist motivations, combined with plot holes large enough to swallow the 'Death-Star'.
Just not worth the time.
July 29, 2021
A nice surprise
I avoided this book for a long time. Something about the cover and blurb didn’t mesh with what I was looking for. But after seeing the author recommended day after day and the high volume of high ratings on his books, I decided to give this book a try.
Wow. Blown away. A missing element to the standard Harem genre! Modern day cloak and dagger! This was a wild ride that was a whole lotta fun!
I’m thinking that I’m about to read all of the authors works now. Excellent!
I avoided this book for a long time. Something about the cover and blurb didn’t mesh with what I was looking for. But after seeing the author recommended day after day and the high volume of high ratings on his books, I decided to give this book a try.
Wow. Blown away. A missing element to the standard Harem genre! Modern day cloak and dagger! This was a wild ride that was a whole lotta fun!
I’m thinking that I’m about to read all of the authors works now. Excellent!
Read
October 31, 2021Amazing!
This book amazed me from start to finish.
The characters are great, and concept is unique. I mean, there are many books out there that have disease killing off the males of the population. Others are wars, but. This story only sterilized the majority of the men.
The only problem I have is how in the world does the group finance all of this?
And what is the acceptable baseline?
This book amazed me from start to finish.
The characters are great, and concept is unique. I mean, there are many books out there that have disease killing off the males of the population. Others are wars, but. This story only sterilized the majority of the men.
The only problem I have is how in the world does the group finance all of this?
And what is the acceptable baseline?
October 17, 2022
I read this book cover to cover and immediately upon finishing it bought the whole series. This book has plenty of action and a storyline that’s not over the top. The MC is not some overpowered dude but a down to earth guy who depends on the people around him to help him out. Yes there’s sex but it doesn’t run the story. I highly recommend you give it a shot. I’ve also read his book For Love of Elves and once I finish this series I’ll be going back to that one. It’s also extremely well written.
December 15, 2019
Interesting
This story follows a post apocalypse adult that just so happens to have what is needed to keep the population going. Some sexy stuff and some action. Main problem is that there are some typos mixed in along the way that you can find in most self-published works. Give it a shot.
This story follows a post apocalypse adult that just so happens to have what is needed to keep the population going. Some sexy stuff and some action. Main problem is that there are some typos mixed in along the way that you can find in most self-published works. Give it a shot.
December 19, 2019
Wow
Mr. Keys has crafted a deep introduction to a very scary altreality. I enjoy how close it is to what we are familiar with, but at the same time it's a brand new world. Most of the early characters and the MC are fleshed out really well, with more backstory teased for future novels. Can't wait for the next!
Mr. Keys has crafted a deep introduction to a very scary altreality. I enjoy how close it is to what we are familiar with, but at the same time it's a brand new world. Most of the early characters and the MC are fleshed out really well, with more backstory teased for future novels. Can't wait for the next!
December 19, 2019
Fantastically creepy
In between the scenes of lust and erotica is a rather disturbing premise that could easily become a reality if the world had a nudge in the right direction. While the story only hints at racism, it is easy to see that given the situation presented the reality of our world would push in that direction.
In between the scenes of lust and erotica is a rather disturbing premise that could easily become a reality if the world had a nudge in the right direction. While the story only hints at racism, it is easy to see that given the situation presented the reality of our world would push in that direction.
January 17, 2020
This book felt like one BIG miss opportunity. The writing itself is really good. The premise was so good but the story is so rushed. The story is full of plot wholes big enough to drive a 18 wheeler through. By the end I had to force myself to finish reading it. I give it 2 1/2 stars sounded up to 3.
May 10, 2020
DNF.
i gave this book 35% and just couldn't continue. I think I was subconsciously wanting a different story that what the author was writing. Too many shades of Nazi in the government organization meant to help humanity.
Maybe I am in the wrong headspace to read this currently in the midst of the 2020 Covid pandemic.
i gave this book 35% and just couldn't continue. I think I was subconsciously wanting a different story that what the author was writing. Too many shades of Nazi in the government organization meant to help humanity.
Maybe I am in the wrong headspace to read this currently in the midst of the 2020 Covid pandemic.
December 10, 2019
Not bad.
Dunno what the one reviewer is bitching about, the only 'sharing' that went on was between other members of the group. No males. Dudes an idiot. Just read the book. It's enjoyable.
Dunno what the one reviewer is bitching about, the only 'sharing' that went on was between other members of the group. No males. Dudes an idiot. Just read the book. It's enjoyable.
December 18, 2019
Interesting read
It was a nice read. It seemed to move kind of quick after appointment I'm skipping over certain areas of what I would imagine some of the store would be but it was nice to have a little bit of spy games and a bit of harem
It was a nice read. It seemed to move kind of quick after appointment I'm skipping over certain areas of what I would imagine some of the store would be but it was nice to have a little bit of spy games and a bit of harem
January 4, 2020
Poorly written
As someone else had said, it challenges the suspension of disbelief. The dialogue and plot are just so contriced and only serve to create a cheap wish-fulfillment with no substance.
As someone else had said, it challenges the suspension of disbelief. The dialogue and plot are just so contriced and only serve to create a cheap wish-fulfillment with no substance.
January 6, 2020
Woke And Badly Written
This book has no believable story or plot, the dialogue is clunky and childish. The characters are all SJW stereotypes. The book is just a badly written woke wish-fulfillment fantasy with no substance.
This book has no believable story or plot, the dialogue is clunky and childish. The characters are all SJW stereotypes. The book is just a badly written woke wish-fulfillment fantasy with no substance.
January 7, 2020
Interesting story
This is a good book. You should read it. I like the story. The characters are fun. different harem book than the usual. Most have had a stronger sci-fi or fantasy feel this is scary if but more of a setting then theme
This is a good book. You should read it. I like the story. The characters are fun. different harem book than the usual. Most have had a stronger sci-fi or fantasy feel this is scary if but more of a setting then theme
January 10, 2020
To much graphic sex.
Reasonable action, another decent story about how government can go over broad, all while wanting to "protect" us from some weird threat. I praise God we don't get all the government we pay for.
Reasonable action, another decent story about how government can go over broad, all while wanting to "protect" us from some weird threat. I praise God we don't get all the government we pay for.
Read
February 20, 2020Fun read!
Great interesting plot. Good characters. Interested to read the next book when it comes out. Conspiracy in the government after a fertility plague, MC immune but hinted by shadow agency of eugenicists.
Great interesting plot. Good characters. Interested to read the next book when it comes out. Conspiracy in the government after a fertility plague, MC immune but hinted by shadow agency of eugenicists.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews