Population zero

by Fran Lewis

Imagine a forest so dense and so filled with trees that you cannot see anything but darkness. The smell of the dead leaves, the creatures that lived there, and the stench they created.

Imagine smashed windows and abandoned satellite dishes and blocks of plaster all over the ground.

Imagine... What might the world be like if humans were suddenly to disappear?

In Population Zero by Fran Lewis, we experience several post-human worlds through the eyes of people who were allowed to visit for one day. A world covered in ice, a world in complete darkness, a world where deserts are plentiful, and others...

Get a glimpse of what our planet would look like if humans stopped existing. Get a glimpse of the future.

76 pages, Paperback

Published June 26, 2021

About the author

Biography: Fran Lewis

Born in the South Bronx, I grew up with people from many ethnic backgrounds. I learned to play and work with children in my school that came from other countries and different places.
I was always over weight as a child and got picked on a lot by the other children in my class and even my teachers. I found it hard to do many of the sporting activities that my sister and cousins could do. I learned at an early age that kids can be mean and I promised myself that I would never retaliate or do mean things to other kids in return.


When I decided to write my short stories I realized that I had a lot to say about my youth and in both of my books I tell about a ten year old girl named Bertha who learns to deal with real life issues kids face today at home and in school. I write reviews for other sites and I wrote three children’s books and currently writing one on Alzheimer’s Disease.

As an educator I the New York City Public Schools for over 36 years, I realized just how unique and precious our children are. I was the reading and writing staff developer in my school and the dean. I loved the children and had the respect of my fellow teachers and parents.

Teaching children to read was really very rewarding and introducing them to writing and creating their own stories was exciting for the students. I am a member of WhosWho of America’s Executives and Professionals as well as a member of WhosWho of America’s Teachers. I am the author of three children’s books and my fourth entitled Memories Are Precious: Alzheimer’s Journey: Ruth’s Story will be out next month. I am currently writing my fourth Bertha Book and a second on cognitive ways to keep your brain alert. The tentative title is Sharp as a Tack or Scrambled Eggs: Which Describes Your Brain. This book will deal with how we should help those who are seniors keep their minds and bodies active as well as ways to help delay dementia and Alzheimer’s.


I review books for Manic Readers, I justfinished.com and BookPleasures.com. I review books for authors upon request and would love to get paid for doing my reviews. There are publicists that send me books to review and that get paid for my reviews. I wrote five books that are self-published and I am going to complete one book children’s book and one based on a true story.

I host two radio shows on Red River Radio. The first is a book discussion where I interview or ask authors questions about their writing and books along with a book club panel to ask additional questions. I am going to host a show for children’s and Ya authors starting in August. I have been interviewed many times. I will be interviewed on D’s Roundtable on August 19th at and page Page Readers on Sept. 27th at three. My book discussion show is the third Wed. of every month at one eastern and my children’s author’s show will be four times a year. I am also going to interview Dr. Kenneth Weene on Sept. 21st at four. I had to reschedule the interview due to personal reasons. We will discuss the inside scoop about insane asylums and his career working in one plus his book Memoirs from an Asylum.

I hope this gives you a picture of what I do. Fran

I am a reading and writing staff developer and I worked with children with reading and writing disabilities.
https://profiles.google.com/gabina49

Reviews

[RubieReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

What if we lived in a world with no sun, no light, scorching heat? Maybe ice. There is no water.
Do you think we could survive in a world like that?

Fran Lewis wrote Population Zero in a world post-Covid
This story is short, but frightening.
To hear from people who are living the nightmare of what could be.
Lewis explores the idea of if viruses were much worse such as (airborne).
And how these characters were living in these times.
Like in one chapter they lived in glass houses because the air was that contaminated. Couldn't leave your house without wearing protective gear and mask.
I seriously couldn't even begin to imagine that horror!

This book was a great read. It was eye opening.
It was scary in a sense to think of what this world could've been or possibly could be!

[Irma Fritz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished reading "Population Zero" on the eve of President Biden's Climate Summit with forty world leaders. This book could not have come at a better time, and I only wish those 40 world leaders would also read it!
In "Population Zero," author Fran Lewis creates a harrowing look into a future world that may be the fate of our next generation. We have a choice and a chance, she tells us. What will we choose while there is still time? Told in disturbingly detailed scenarios of what humans might face if we don't act now, it can only be hoped that Lewis's excellent book will shock us out of our complacency.

[Jeff Bond · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fran Lewis's POPULATION ZERO is a haunting apocalyptic fable that contemplates multiple scenarios for a post-Covid world. It's a quick read but certainly not breezy. The author eschews a traditional protagonist, employing a roving-eye technique that gives the narrative an empty, eerie vibe. It's a perfect choice, and reinforces powerful themes of loss and (ir)responsibility.
The author's bleak landscapes are rendered in stark, precise prose. The book is meticulously researched and wildly imaginative. Reading it, I felt the author's pandemic fears and passions — all of our fears and passions — viscerally. The occasional second-persons addresses to the reader bring the themes' importance into even sharper focus.
A dire warning from a bold, original voice.

[Cindy McDonald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author, Fran Lewis paints a devasting portrait of the world to come through the voices of those living the horror of what could possibly be, if we do not change. Ms. Lewis's explicit descriptions are most frightening, and her warning to all is quite clear: alter the way we behave toward one and other, and our earth or there simply will be nothing left for our children and grandchildren. This is a book that cannot, should not be ignored!

[Niki · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was sent this ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) from Blackthorn Publishers in return for an honest review.

A really thought provoking book that certainly makes you think about just how delicate our planet really is. each Short story portrays an alternative to our world. A what if set of scenarios that make you question, would i want to live in any of these alternatives? No I don't think I would, they are all dark and scary and almost impossible to live in. I was left with a definite feeling of "I like this world, lets stop destroying it" the alternatives are not inviting.

[Cheryl Masciarelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who would have thought, or even imagined, how we had to live in 2020 with COVID-19? Having to quarantine, wearing masks, not seeing family and/or friends outside of our own house, and the number of deaths around the world.

I have spoken to some people in the medical field and their take was that there are going to be long-term conditions like PTSD and physical ailments to those that were lucky enough to beat the virus and even luckier, to those that evaded the illness.

Some people felt that this was the start of the end of the world. Maybe it was or wasn't but we still aren't 100% back to normal. We did receive hopeful news that vaccines were available the efficacy was promising. But what if there were no vaccines? What if the virus won and there was no one left behind?

The author creates those worlds and what it would be like if a human was allowed to return for just 24 hours to experience what life would be like. No sun, darkness, ice-covered terrains, and/or just deserts with no water.

A short story where we are allowed to visit the worlds that the author has created. And those are terribly eerie and chilling!!! A scary read!!!

[Joan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lewis uses her imagination to encourage us to use ours. She presents us with a number of future scenes based on the way people are making current choices. Perhaps there are no more people living at all. The stench of death is everywhere. Perhaps some are still living but in strictly separated conditions. Perhaps there is no more clean air, clean water, nor even a sun.

The sketches Lewis has crafted give extreme possibilities. Much of her future imaginations flow from how people have reacted to the virus, not taking it seriously. Some might view her fiction a bit of a commentary on that. As the delta variant seems to be causing a new surge in virus cases, Lewis' imagination may have some chilling ideas for readers to think about. Our choices today have consequences for tomorrow.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this book through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours. My comments are an independent and honest review.

[Charlotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thought provoking, dystopian world.

Our planet, inhabitable and dying. Population Zero pushes you to think about the future, about how our actions have consequences that reach far beyond our own front yard.
It made me feel sad and had me thinking of how easily things can change.
I'll be honest, none of the possible worlds described held any appeal at all. None of them hold hope of any type of survival but all of them get you to question your actions in the here and now.

An ideal young adult read to open up discussions about the future of our planet.

[The Horror Report -Angela · Rating 2 out of 5]

Population Zero
Stories of the World’s End
Author: Fran Lewis


This was another short story I chose to read from Blackthorn Books Tours’ “Quick Bite” for December. (For any new readers in my audience, these are short stories instead of full-length novels available for review.) My curiosity was piqued when I read the blurb and saw that it was a short story about the end of the world. I seem to always find doomsday type stories, movies, etc. fun, interesting and exciting but also horrific and terrifying at the same time.

As I started reading this, it’s only about twenty pages, I was thinking it had real potential. And I must state before I give my actual review that I still believe it has great potential. So, at the start of it, I was pleased and eager to turn pages.

The author describes multiple scenarios in which the world’s population has decreased to zero or near zero. Some scenarios have nothing living on the planet. No humans, animals, plants, nothing. Others there are some signs of life but still rather desolate and fairly void of signs of living inhabitants. All of these worlds could be considered a version of Hell on Earth. Lewis describes the emptiness, the loneliness, the profound damage and destruction all around. She can convey emotional traits these worlds bring forth in very vivid ways. The death and destruction, the pain and suffering, the danger and isolation, desperation, sadness and emptiness flooding the reader as the turn the pages of a number of possible futures.

However, I’d be remiss if I didn’t discuss two particular things that I found somewhat…bothersome, I guess would be a good way to describe the feeling that I started having. Each chapter is only a few pages long. The first issue I had with this short story was how repetitive the writing seemed to be. For example, in one section of the story there are three chapters back-to-back, all describing the exact same kind of world. It seems that the author was trying to give us different points of view through various characters at assorted times in the story. So, let’s say the first chapter (in this set I am talking about) would be a general description of the new world. The next chapter is a more detailed description with causation added. The third would then be the same world being described but from a character’s point of view. Yet, even though we are talking about three different chapters, it was as if the same chapter repeated three times, varying only in vocabulary. Even at only twenty pages this became very tiresome very quickly.

My second observation really had me feeling rather uneasy and uncomfortable. And here’s why:

During the description of each world there is a “soap box” preaching type of feel embedded in what could be a great story. Covid-19 is mentioned multiple times throughout the whole work and whether or not people get vaccinated seems to be a key issue here. It also seems that the writer automatically assumes that whoever is reading this is against or doesn’t believe in things like Covid, the vaccines, global warming/climate change. The way things are worded at many points in the story there is almost a shaming aspect geared toward the people who exercised their right not to get the vaccine. There also seems to be some righteous indignation towards people who decline to conform to the mandates and rules set down as the pandemic hit and throughout its global run. We are given multiple scenarios of the world’s end and they all seem start with people not being vaccinated against the Covid-19 virus and other viruses that would follow. It’s almost as if this author is using this short story as a warning to the reader and implying that this is what will happen if you don’t get vaccinated.

Now, if you are someone that doesn’t have issues with the mask mandates or the vaccines and you wear your mask and got your shots, the kind of thing I just described probably wouldn’t really bother you. You’d probably just find it a little heavy handed on the preaching and a little light in the plot. But, if you are a person that is against the mandatory masking, against places of business or education requiring vaccination or if you don’t believe in or trust the vaccines or you feel that the government has done this on purpose to the population…you may very well likely be offended while reading this story.

I feel that the author has a great base for a fantastic story. Such emotionally vivid descriptions set the stage perfectly for the end of the world or a world after people. Also, this story has enormous potential for the ultimate amount of creepiness and eeriness already rooted with huge gusto in the core of the story. But when the repetitive chapters are combined with the “shame on you” and “this is the fault of the unvaccinated” kind of attitude, it can actually become quite annoying rather quickly. If the preaching had been significantly toned down or, better yet, completely removed this story would have been one hell of an eerie and creepy tale of life beyond mankind. More time and effort could have been spent on developing the story’s imagery and actually building and nourishing the characters’ personality profiles. This would also allow the author to unveil much more intricate descriptions, resulting in the story and its characters having a fuller feel with a lot more body and impact. Unfortunately, we don’t have any idea who is telling the story and when we do meet characters, they are only referred to by letters, such as “S” or “M”.

And one question kept being asked over and over and over again throughout the entire story. In fact, this one question seemed to be on about a third of the pages. “Would you want to live in a world like this?”. That question or some slight variation of it permeated the story from beginning to end. This made it feel almost like you were ten years old again and getting a lecture from your mother about something you did wrong. Again, if this was not so prevalent and so ‘in your face’ the story would have been much better. In my opinion, if the preaching and indignation were removed this story would most certainly be a huge hit amongst those horror lovers that like doomsday end of the world storylines. But as it stands now, it seems to be more like a public service announcement warning of tragedy to come if all people do not conform. That in itself is a little creepy to me. So, I can’t just tell you guys that you’ll love this. I honestly am not sure at all how any random person would respond to this. I would assume some would naturally like it, some naturally wouldn’t, some wouldn’t care about the preachy side of it and some would be incredibly offended. I don’t know which one of those groups any of you as my readers would fall in to. This is one I have to leave up in the air as far as recommendations go. But my rating of the story is still an honest rating. I just can’t say for sure who to recommend this one to.


RATINGS
2/5 Stars

[Selena | Beauty's Library · Rating 1 out of 5]

I received a free copy of Population Zero through Blackthorn Book Tours for their December Quick Bites in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for this opportunity!

What I had hoped to be an intriguing collection of potential futures for our world, showcasing the events leading up to their particular downfalls whether that being catastrophic or human stupidity turned out to be more of a muddled chaotic cluster of words.

Often repetitive, I found none of the worlds unique. Several of them sounded almost exactly the same. Almost none of them truly had any science or research that sounded believable to back up these potential futures. And several times the author would say “one last world” but then the next chapter would introduce us into a “new” world. This would make my eyes roll. Other times, we would reference a past world, and I’m sitting here thinking to myself, “I thought we had moved on from that one?”

This was a very disappointing and annoying read. Personally, I think this could have used more editing to be a better more coherent read. Not something I’d recommend, unfortunately.

[Liz (Quirky Cat) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Population Zero, written by Fran Lewis, is a world that feels uncomfortably familiar. That is because it is our own – set in a future of Lewis' imagining, where humans meet their (possibly likely) ending.

Close your eyes and try to imagine what the worst-case scenario would look like for this world. Or, if you prefer, pick Population Zero, as Fran Lewis strives to do the same thing.

"I am an ethereal being that is not alive but has been chosen by those above to help you, the humans, understand what is going to happen if you do not work together, follow the guidelines of the virus, and learn to live in harmony."

As that one pull quote might indicate, one of the endings Lewis imagines involves a very real virus – one we're all too familiar with. Written during COVID-19 times, this novella hits hard. Yet that was the entire point of that story and this book.

I'd like to point out that I actually really appreciate what Lewis is trying to do here. There's something shockingly beautiful about the message woven within all the horror and trauma – that we can (and need to) do better.

I'm choosing to hold onto that hope with both hands and ideally never let go. Still, I wouldn't go into this book expecting a light read, as it is anything but. While it is a mere 76 pages (by my count), each and every one of those pages will work hard to hit you right in the feels – and teach us all a lesson.

Thanks to Atmosphere Press and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Check out more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks

[Jenny McClinton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an E-ARC copy of ‘Population Zero’ by Fran Lewis from Henry Roi PR in return for my honest review.

This book is a dystopian book which explores eight possible worlds for the future:

World 1 – The Darkened City
World 2 – The World Without the Sun
World 3 – The Scorching Desert Heat
World 4 – A World Enclosed in Glass
World 5 – A World of Ice
World 6 – The World Without Water
World 7 – A World of Mist and Fog
World 8 – Told from Voices Behind Grave Stones

There are also a couple more explored by the author, each one just as devastating and deadly to humanity as the next.

The book is told by Ella, an ethereal that is not alive but has been chosen by above to help the human race.

What is the cause of the destruction of the world and what can be done to save it?

This short story is very scary in the way that it portrays ways the world could end up. I wouldn’t want to live in any of these worlds, even if it was possible.

There were some worlds that I thought, this would be ok and then there was a reason why this wouldn’t be possible.

It will make you think about what needs to be done to ensure that this kind of destruction doesn’t happen.

Overall, a dark and scary dystopian short story, leaving you with the thought which world would you choose?

[E.A. · Rating 3 out of 5]

(I received this book free in exchange for my honest review)

My first read from this author I wasn't sure what to expect. I will say that I'm not really sure if I liked this book or not. It has a good direction and the flow and structure wasn't solid enough to fully keep my attention.

Population Zero dives into the authors mind on what it would be like for the world and it's inhabitants thew different scenarios. Each one was intriguing and posted different questions. The author did try to describe these world as best as she could; so that us readers could get a glimpse of what horrors await. Weather it was darkness, scorching heat, or being trapped in glasses pods unable to leave. It got you thinking about what was the root cause to cause all these worlds to get to where that are not in that book. In all, it makes you sad, and helpless.

I will say that there is some repressiveness, and though the different world's were descriptive; I believe some more research into extreme weather, and science would help narrow down the descriptive language and round out this story.

Overall this book does get you thinking, and though I can't give a half star rating here, this book is 3.5 stars; and gets my recommendation.

Happy Reading

-E.A. Walsh

[☠Arianne Reads Horror ☠ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel abit so so about this read. A 23 page book of short tales, each about a different kind of world. One without a sun, without water, one surrounded by mist and fog so dense you cant see your own hand in front of you.

I really enjoyed the idea of this book, and the message its trying to give. Throughout the book, you can see that its about a dramatisation of the what ifs if our behaviours on earth continue( global warming, the covid crisis etc) I liked the idea.

This made it a little easier to get to the end. Although only 23 pages, I really couldn't get on with the style of writing. Theres a huge amount of over explanation throughout, which often leads to repetition that's unnecessary. While repetition can work in some cases, this wasn't one and just left me feeling like I was kind of reading the same thing over and over again, without actually learning or discovering anything new.

If you can get past those things, and really focus on the message behind it, it's a great book!! I think the way it's written just fell a little flat for me.

We can't all enjoy everything we read! And that's okay.

Thank you to @hrpr.booktours for letting me read and review this book.

[Amy Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely Chilling!

Lewis pens a chilling and (very close to real life within the COVID-19 era) story in Population Zero. I have not read work from Lewis before, but I have become a big fan of this author! So, from this point, whatever this author writes, I read. This author brings the story to life. The plot, the end of people as we know it. A thrust to save humanity, and a realization of how fleeting moments are, and in a blink, they're gone. People. Moments. Even humanity. You wake up one day and everything, everyone is gone, and you're next. It's a very powerful read, and I thoroughly enjoyed it, gasping for breath, walking away, or just sitting the book down before picking it back up. I love reading work from author's I've never read before, and this one, definitely has a fan in me. This read is so engrossing that it brings you right in the middle of the story, and the reader may keep looking around just to make sure the world is still here. Definitely an unpredictable story, my favorite kind! Wow! Simply masterful. Population Zero is a definite recommendation by Amy's Bookshelf Reviews. I look forward to reading many more stories by this author.

[Tawny Molina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Population Zero was a thinker of a short story. Several worlds with out the life of people are explained. Be those reasons ranging from a lack of sunlight to pandemic, each world is described in outstanding, and slightly horrifying, detail about how life ended or could end and what, if anything, was still lingering and nibbling on the meatless skeleton of human civilization.
At first, I was not sure what to think of the story. We currently live in a world where people are terrified of one thing or another, be it COVID-19 or some other dreadful issue we are still dealing with as a society, so when the narration of the story aimed in the COVID-19 direction I wanted to just put it down, but I decided to continue to read. I found myself amazingly satisfied with the ending of the tale and I was glad that I kept going.
The book is well written. The worlds described are fascinating in their darkness, both literal and metaphorical. The narration of the story is from a point of view that is painfully relatable in our world these days. I wish I could explain this more without actually ruining the story, however, I strongly suggest everyone pick up this short story for a quick read.

[Janelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This quick read definitely gives the reader something to think about. Steeped in the premise that humans are destroying our world with our irresponsible life choices & how that could potentially influence our demise (and the plants/animals we share the planet with).

A cautionary tale of what could happen to us in the future, the author provides several post-apocalyptic scenarios if we keep going the way we are now. I felt the book needed a little more fluidity and could be convoluted in some places, the overall impact it gives to the reader is very important today.

Another thought not given by the book, that I thought of while reading, is if humans were to suddenly disappear, would the world actually flourish? What about that?

Thank you to @partnersincrimevbt & @berthatillie49 for the book.

[Frasier Armitage · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is less of a story and more of a question. What if? And that’s where both its strength and weakness lies.

The narrative takes us on a whistle-stop tour of post-apocalyptic landscapes, written in a way to encourage the reader to think. It succeeds as a manifesto of doom. The worlds on display are varied, yet all hold the same stench of desolation. But that’s as far as it goes.

These worlds would have made great settings for compelling tales. But with a population of zero, there’s little in terms of stakes, and no-one around to root for.

It feels like this book makes a good first step, but, personally, I was hoping for much more of a journey.

If you enjoy the question of “what if?”, are concerned about the direction the world is heading, and you enjoy reading descriptive passages, then this book is for you.

[Jessica Bronder · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fran Lewis presents a very descriptive idea of what our world could look like post virus. No oxygen, no water, nothing but death all around. It is a bleak look at where our world could go. Of course, this is based after Covid and how it caused the world to end.

There were a couple things that caught my attention and made the stories drag a little. But this is a quick read, and you will get through it shortly.

If you like apocalyptic stories, you will find yourself right at home in this dark and dangerous world. It is an interesting look at a dark topic.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and share this book.

[Erica · Rating 3 out of 5]

My full review can be found here: https://thereadingwife.com/population...

[Fran · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wrote this do that people would understand my worlds and take the journey with the spirits and begin to work together and appreciate the world we are in now. What if one of my worlds became a reality?
These short stories were supposed to teach the reader a lesson in how to appreciate how world such as it is and to make wiser decisions. What would happen if one of my worlds became our world today?