Jericho

by Rachel Mumaw

Welcome to the collapse of order as we know it.Riley Jay, Sergio, Ian, and Jen survive the Collapse, a civil war resulting from a violent political takeover that obliterated a once peaceful nation. Riley and their little found family remain independent and impartial from the conflict until tragedy strikes, forcing them into Jericho.Remnants of the country’s former military, the Command, promise the hodgepodge family more safety and stability than their nomadic lives could ever offer. At first, the promise seems to be true. But when Riley Jay is secretly “recruited” to provide medical services, something firmly illegal within Jericho’s walls, and Command tightens its grip on dissenters, Riley is asked to take on increasingly dangerous tasks. When domestic unrest shakes the foundation of Jericho, they will have to decide whether their community's health is worth the safety of their family.Jericho is a dystopian novel with gritty characters, thrilling action, and a found family that puts themselves in jeopardy for their community. 

339 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 27, 2021

About the author

Ever since Rachel Mumaw was in elementary school, she would get into trouble for reading when she was supposed to be doing schoolwork. This love of reading, especially for dystopian, sci-fi, and fantasy literature, quickly turned into a love of writing. During her academic career studying human rights, she searched for a way to combine her love of fiction with her passion for social justice. With a BA in human rights from Southern Methodist University, Rachel focuses on the intersection between LGBTQ+ rights and faith.

Outside of writing, Rachel explores her adopted home state of Texas and chases around her two cats.

Reviews

[Nic Wells · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thrilling dystopian adventure that had me hooked from the first chapter. The themes are deep and thoroughly explored, and the characters are compelling with great chemistry. Love the non-binary representation. Great read!

[Erin Rowland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite chaos and uncertainty around every turn, an unexpected family relies on their steadfast love and loyalty to stay alive... But it isn't easy. Jericho boasts a vibrant cast of characters and a fast paced, immersive storyline.

[Justine Ramos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jericho is an exhilarating, heartwrenching, and adventurous tale that highlights the effects of violence and war on young people. It also shows the importance of community, family, and friendships in the midst of political upheaval.

[A.E. Hearn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Combining intense action and turmoil from a world torn apart by war, Jericho is a riveting tale that speaks on important topics of sexual identity and what it means to be a community.

[Kelly Coons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mumaw combines a Biblical namesake with exploration of queer identity (including within the structure of a found family) against a dismal backdrop of control as the cost for survival. Is that what it means to be "safe" at the end of the world, though? If you are interested in questions like that, this is a great book for you!

[Noah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thrilling and suspenseful from the first chapter. Excellent debut work, and very much worth your time.

[Michael Mumaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent read from start to finish with a wonderful take on family and friendships. With a debut book this good, I can’t wait to read more.

[Bianca Wang-Polendo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was immediately sucked into Jericho’s vivid dystopian world and its explorations of family, community, and identity. Awesome thriller. Also, there’s non-binary rep in this book! 👀

[Rebecca Stegmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can't recommend this book enough! It's such a fun and thought-provoking story that will stay with you long after you finish. The characters are so loveable, relatable, and complex. It highlights and celebrates queerness with heartfelt romances. The story unfolds in such a way that you feel the same anxieties and uncertainties that a person experiences during civil unrest and crises. My only complaint is that I can't read the second book right now!

[Jane Doe · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found it difficult to get into this book and honestly only made it 20% through (according to the Kindle). There seemed to be obvious connections between all the characters, but these connections are kept secret for too long to the reader. Riley is in a relationship: for how long? How did they find these other people? Who are these crazy organizations? I felt like I was reading a long short story where I am already supposed to know the information, except the reader does not. Another note is that Riley is written as "they" and not "she/he." This would be fine if it was explained that Riley has not chosen a gender or that they are trans. It is very distracting and odd when first starting the book and I will admit that I never got used to it.

The story and characters seemed interesting, but those elements did not keep me hooked enough to keep reading.

[Annabelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the first dystopian fiction books I’ve read in a while and it did not disappoint! I loved the found family trope and thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the characters and uncovering their developing relationships with each other (YES diversity and representation!!!). Jericho is a testament to the lengths that we must take to fight for what we believe in and to protect those we love. Sooo, when is book two being released??