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'Two decades of social media had prepared them well for UK2.'
The pace steps up in this final instalment of the Project Renova trilogy, as the survivors' way of life comes under threat.
Two years after the viral outbreak, representatives from UK Central arrive at Lindisfarne to tell the islanders about the shiny new city being created down south. Uk2 governor Verlander's plan is simple: all independent communities are to be dissolved, their inhabitants to reside in approved colonies. Alas, those who relocate soon suspect that the promises of a bright tomorrow are nothing but smoke and mirrors, as great opportunities turn into broken dreams, and dangerous journeys provide the only hope of freedom.
Meanwhile, far away in the southern hemisphere, a new terror is gathering momentum...
'I walked through that grey afternoon, past fields that nobody had tended for nearly three years, past broken down, rusty old vehicles, buildings with smashed windows. I was walking alone at the end of the world, but I was a happy man. I was free, at last.'
Although this concludes the Project Renova trilogy, there will be more books in the series. A collection of five side stories is planned, and another novel, set far into the future.
The pace steps up in this final instalment of the Project Renova trilogy, as the survivors' way of life comes under threat.
Two years after the viral outbreak, representatives from UK Central arrive at Lindisfarne to tell the islanders about the shiny new city being created down south. Uk2 governor Verlander's plan is simple: all independent communities are to be dissolved, their inhabitants to reside in approved colonies. Alas, those who relocate soon suspect that the promises of a bright tomorrow are nothing but smoke and mirrors, as great opportunities turn into broken dreams, and dangerous journeys provide the only hope of freedom.
Meanwhile, far away in the southern hemisphere, a new terror is gathering momentum...
'I walked through that grey afternoon, past fields that nobody had tended for nearly three years, past broken down, rusty old vehicles, buildings with smashed windows. I was walking alone at the end of the world, but I was a happy man. I was free, at last.'
Although this concludes the Project Renova trilogy, there will be more books in the series. A collection of five side stories is planned, and another novel, set far into the future.
492 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 27, 2018
31 people are currently reading
38 people want to read
About the author
Terry Tyler
34 books584 followersI am self-published with thirty books on Amazon. Most recently I've published the first two books in my Revenge series, Served Cold and So Shall Ye Reap. More to come!
Other recent releases include Safe Zone, a dystopian/post-apocalyptic thriller. It follows on from the SFV-1 series (Infected, Darkness and Reset), but is completely stand-alone, so can be read as a story within itself.
I love watching and reading anything to do with history, post apocalypse, dystopian scenarios, anthropology, mountaineering and polar exploration. Big Walking Dead fan.
Favourite writers: Gemma Lawrence, Kate Mary, Blake Crouch, Deborah Swift, Carol Hedges, Douglas Kennedy, John Boyne, Deborah Moggach, Judith Arnopp, Jon Krakauer, Phillipa Gregory, John Privilege, Zeb Haradon, Dylan Morgan, Kate Atkinson, Norah Lofts, Dorothy Parker, Bill Bryson, PJ O'Rourke, Ann Swinfen, Keith Blackmore, Frank Tayell.
Other recent releases include Safe Zone, a dystopian/post-apocalyptic thriller. It follows on from the SFV-1 series (Infected, Darkness and Reset), but is completely stand-alone, so can be read as a story within itself.
I love watching and reading anything to do with history, post apocalypse, dystopian scenarios, anthropology, mountaineering and polar exploration. Big Walking Dead fan.
Favourite writers: Gemma Lawrence, Kate Mary, Blake Crouch, Deborah Swift, Carol Hedges, Douglas Kennedy, John Boyne, Deborah Moggach, Judith Arnopp, Jon Krakauer, Phillipa Gregory, John Privilege, Zeb Haradon, Dylan Morgan, Kate Atkinson, Norah Lofts, Dorothy Parker, Bill Bryson, PJ O'Rourke, Ann Swinfen, Keith Blackmore, Frank Tayell.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
May 30, 2018
Book Reviewed by Julie on www.whisperingstories.com
‘UK2’ is the last novel in the Project Renova series penned by best-selling multi-genre author, Terry Tyler. For anyone who read the previous books some time ago, there is a very helpful recap section which can be read or skipped at the beginning.
Again, we see the action through the eyes of some of the main players and the tale is mostly written in the first person and the present tense.
In common with the previous novels, the underlying theme is one of survival; for some that means working together for the common good but for others, it presents an opportunity for self-advancement.
As much as I enjoyed day-to-day life on Lindisfarne, Tyler needed to move the story along and did so by expanding the role of Doyle at the newly established UK Central in the south of England. He is an intelligent no-nonsense character who is under no illusions regarding the benevolence of those who purport to be building a new functional society for the future.
For the concept of Renova, Tyler draws on parallels from history with undertones from the Nazi programme of lebensborn – the creation of a master race – as we witness the impressionable Flora getting sucked into the Juno Project. Whilst I still had a soft spot for the original main characters, Vicky and Lottie, I very much enjoyed the development of Flora. Her initial naivety and unquestioning thrill at being chosen, is short lived as her doubts begin to surface.
I confess to always enjoying a story with a juicy hate-figure and Tyler delivers this with the complex duplicitous Dexter, who was already in the grips of an Orwellian fantasy as the self-styled, non-accountable ruler of Lindisfarne. However, his evolution from rebel to collaborator is complete as it becomes clear his ultimate ambition is to inveigle himself with the masterminds behind Renova.
We are reminded that the collective phenomena that make up the natural world are finely balanced and perhaps it was therefore inevitable that Project Renova would encounter a variable it had not anticipated. This twist is managed cleverly through foreshadowing from a fairly early stage in the book.
Through her three-dimensional characters, Terry Tyler has thrown every conceivable emotion at us from romantic and altruistic love, through to disillusionment and despair, cynicism and ultimately barbaric ruthlessness. She has again given her fans a gripping multi-layered action-packed story which is every bit as strong as her previous work. I award ‘UK2’ five very well-deserved stars.
‘UK2’ is the last novel in the Project Renova series penned by best-selling multi-genre author, Terry Tyler. For anyone who read the previous books some time ago, there is a very helpful recap section which can be read or skipped at the beginning.
Again, we see the action through the eyes of some of the main players and the tale is mostly written in the first person and the present tense.
In common with the previous novels, the underlying theme is one of survival; for some that means working together for the common good but for others, it presents an opportunity for self-advancement.
As much as I enjoyed day-to-day life on Lindisfarne, Tyler needed to move the story along and did so by expanding the role of Doyle at the newly established UK Central in the south of England. He is an intelligent no-nonsense character who is under no illusions regarding the benevolence of those who purport to be building a new functional society for the future.
For the concept of Renova, Tyler draws on parallels from history with undertones from the Nazi programme of lebensborn – the creation of a master race – as we witness the impressionable Flora getting sucked into the Juno Project. Whilst I still had a soft spot for the original main characters, Vicky and Lottie, I very much enjoyed the development of Flora. Her initial naivety and unquestioning thrill at being chosen, is short lived as her doubts begin to surface.
I confess to always enjoying a story with a juicy hate-figure and Tyler delivers this with the complex duplicitous Dexter, who was already in the grips of an Orwellian fantasy as the self-styled, non-accountable ruler of Lindisfarne. However, his evolution from rebel to collaborator is complete as it becomes clear his ultimate ambition is to inveigle himself with the masterminds behind Renova.
We are reminded that the collective phenomena that make up the natural world are finely balanced and perhaps it was therefore inevitable that Project Renova would encounter a variable it had not anticipated. This twist is managed cleverly through foreshadowing from a fairly early stage in the book.
Through her three-dimensional characters, Terry Tyler has thrown every conceivable emotion at us from romantic and altruistic love, through to disillusionment and despair, cynicism and ultimately barbaric ruthlessness. She has again given her fans a gripping multi-layered action-packed story which is every bit as strong as her previous work. I award ‘UK2’ five very well-deserved stars.
April 16, 2018
UK2, the third full length book in the Project Renova series, indicates a change is coming sooner rather than later with a visit from a UK Central contingent.
Early summer 2026 and Dex Northam is pleased with himself and the way he’s organised what he classes as his community, but still, the thought of what the future might bring excites him. The group on Lindisfarne are producing just enough food and are still able to find goods they can salvage on scavenging runs. But illness is a problem due to the this imposed lifestyle. Dex has a strong feeling the world will change again in the not too distant future. In the meantime he feels happy with life.
The secret Lottie is keeping from her mother plays havoc with her mind, and is only the tiniest bit alleviated because she can share her concerns with Mac, her biker boyfriend. The enormity of it is overwhelming, making her impatient, sleep deprived and bad-tempered. She despises Dex and misses Heath but is scared of how Vicky will take the information, especially as she’s still living with Dex. Lottie has grown into someone she doesn’t recognise, a person who can hold a knife to someone’s throat if they threaten her.
In the south UK Central is expanding and Verlander is working towards an agenda he’s only sharing with a select few. Scouting parties are sent out to scour the country for pockets of survivors and bring in as many unsuspecting people as they can. Several Lindisfarne residents elect to leave, including Dex who has plans of his own. Through the thoughts and opinions of Doyle, Verlander and Dex, the unpalatable truth is revealed. The new world regime is not at all as promised and, for most, the better future doesn’t materialise.
I love the way the characters are easy to connect with, brought to life as the reader is privy to each of their reflections and opinions, with chapters coming from various first person perspectives – namely Vicky, Lottie, Flora, Martin and Doyle. This approach gives a real sense of their personalities and how everyone’s method of coping differs. Other characters are given third person points of view which are just as hard hitting. The world building is convincing, chilling and vivid, it’s easy enough to imagine such a scenario.
It seems UK2 is the least of the looming threats to the survivors however, and no-one is certain how much newcomers to Lindisfarne, Seren and Hawk, can be trusted.
Terry Tyler’s books have never disappointed. Each one is individual yet they are all connected in a way, by the incredibly authentic characterisations, development, realistic dialogue and interactions, not forgetting the wonderful sense of place. Project Renova is a highly recommended series.
I chose to read and review UK2 based on an advance reader copy of the book supplied by the author.
Early summer 2026 and Dex Northam is pleased with himself and the way he’s organised what he classes as his community, but still, the thought of what the future might bring excites him. The group on Lindisfarne are producing just enough food and are still able to find goods they can salvage on scavenging runs. But illness is a problem due to the this imposed lifestyle. Dex has a strong feeling the world will change again in the not too distant future. In the meantime he feels happy with life.
The secret Lottie is keeping from her mother plays havoc with her mind, and is only the tiniest bit alleviated because she can share her concerns with Mac, her biker boyfriend. The enormity of it is overwhelming, making her impatient, sleep deprived and bad-tempered. She despises Dex and misses Heath but is scared of how Vicky will take the information, especially as she’s still living with Dex. Lottie has grown into someone she doesn’t recognise, a person who can hold a knife to someone’s throat if they threaten her.
In the south UK Central is expanding and Verlander is working towards an agenda he’s only sharing with a select few. Scouting parties are sent out to scour the country for pockets of survivors and bring in as many unsuspecting people as they can. Several Lindisfarne residents elect to leave, including Dex who has plans of his own. Through the thoughts and opinions of Doyle, Verlander and Dex, the unpalatable truth is revealed. The new world regime is not at all as promised and, for most, the better future doesn’t materialise.
I love the way the characters are easy to connect with, brought to life as the reader is privy to each of their reflections and opinions, with chapters coming from various first person perspectives – namely Vicky, Lottie, Flora, Martin and Doyle. This approach gives a real sense of their personalities and how everyone’s method of coping differs. Other characters are given third person points of view which are just as hard hitting. The world building is convincing, chilling and vivid, it’s easy enough to imagine such a scenario.
It seems UK2 is the least of the looming threats to the survivors however, and no-one is certain how much newcomers to Lindisfarne, Seren and Hawk, can be trusted.
Terry Tyler’s books have never disappointed. Each one is individual yet they are all connected in a way, by the incredibly authentic characterisations, development, realistic dialogue and interactions, not forgetting the wonderful sense of place. Project Renova is a highly recommended series.
I chose to read and review UK2 based on an advance reader copy of the book supplied by the author.
April 14, 2018
A satisfying finale to the Project Renova series….
I do recommend that you read Tipping Point and Lindisfarne, the first two books in the series before reading UK2.. however for those who have read the first two books and would like a recap before reading… head to the back of UK2 for a summary.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the post-apocalyptic world created by Terry Tyler in Tipping Point but also frightened. The concept is not inconceivable, when you have leaders in the world who are less than rational, and greedy individuals who feel entitled to keep the world’s riches for themselves. In a very short space of time the world is in chaos including the UK where we are introduced to the survivors in the first two books.
UK2 begins on Lindisfarne and picks up the story of the central characters including Dex, Vicky, Lottie and Jax. The island is on alert for attacks from outsiders and concerned about dwindling supplies, but for Lottie and a handful of her closest friends, there is also a secret that will rock the community. If you want someone to really dislike as a character, then Dex is your man.
In the south the government is creating UK version two, gathering the survivors to create a new nation governed by members of the elite. They have designed a strictly regulated programme of indoctrination and compliance. And as with every master race initiative, selective breeding programmes. They send out recruiters, including the thuggish Barney and reluctant Doyle, to market UK2 as the answer to all outlying communities concerns with the promise of housing, jobs, education and security. A large number of Lindisfarne’s residents are convinced to leave by the persuasive enticements, and travel in buses to the fortified sanctuary full of hope of a better future. This includes Dex who feels that his leadership role on the Island can expand into one of even more prominence within the new administration.
The story then splits into life for those remaining on Lindisfarne with new characters introduced such as Hawk and Seren who have arrived from a failed community on a Danish island. But are they really who they claim to be? And we are introduced to life for those now living in UK 2. It is clear that not is all as promised in the marketing hype, and young Flora in particular, discovers that you should always read the small print.
It is difficult to write a review for a book in a series without giving away spoilers. However, I can promise you a reading experience that is chilling and thought provoking, and central characters so well drawn, that you connect with them on a personal level, as they share their perspective on events. You will find yourself taking sides in the various relationships that develop in both locations, and have a growing dislike…bordering anger, at those in leadership roles who manipulate and betray those they have sworn to protect.
It is a good idea to take a moment to put yourself in their shoes as the story unfolds, and question whether you would be strong and resourceful enough to survive.
And apart from the human element of this terrific series, the manufactured virus that wiped out millions, is also disdainful of those that perpetrated this atrocity, and is about to teach humans that you don’t mess with nature.
I do recommend that you read Tipping Point and Lindisfarne, the first two books in the series before reading UK2.. however for those who have read the first two books and would like a recap before reading… head to the back of UK2 for a summary.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the post-apocalyptic world created by Terry Tyler in Tipping Point but also frightened. The concept is not inconceivable, when you have leaders in the world who are less than rational, and greedy individuals who feel entitled to keep the world’s riches for themselves. In a very short space of time the world is in chaos including the UK where we are introduced to the survivors in the first two books.
UK2 begins on Lindisfarne and picks up the story of the central characters including Dex, Vicky, Lottie and Jax. The island is on alert for attacks from outsiders and concerned about dwindling supplies, but for Lottie and a handful of her closest friends, there is also a secret that will rock the community. If you want someone to really dislike as a character, then Dex is your man.
In the south the government is creating UK version two, gathering the survivors to create a new nation governed by members of the elite. They have designed a strictly regulated programme of indoctrination and compliance. And as with every master race initiative, selective breeding programmes. They send out recruiters, including the thuggish Barney and reluctant Doyle, to market UK2 as the answer to all outlying communities concerns with the promise of housing, jobs, education and security. A large number of Lindisfarne’s residents are convinced to leave by the persuasive enticements, and travel in buses to the fortified sanctuary full of hope of a better future. This includes Dex who feels that his leadership role on the Island can expand into one of even more prominence within the new administration.
The story then splits into life for those remaining on Lindisfarne with new characters introduced such as Hawk and Seren who have arrived from a failed community on a Danish island. But are they really who they claim to be? And we are introduced to life for those now living in UK 2. It is clear that not is all as promised in the marketing hype, and young Flora in particular, discovers that you should always read the small print.
It is difficult to write a review for a book in a series without giving away spoilers. However, I can promise you a reading experience that is chilling and thought provoking, and central characters so well drawn, that you connect with them on a personal level, as they share their perspective on events. You will find yourself taking sides in the various relationships that develop in both locations, and have a growing dislike…bordering anger, at those in leadership roles who manipulate and betray those they have sworn to protect.
It is a good idea to take a moment to put yourself in their shoes as the story unfolds, and question whether you would be strong and resourceful enough to survive.
And apart from the human element of this terrific series, the manufactured virus that wiped out millions, is also disdainful of those that perpetrated this atrocity, and is about to teach humans that you don’t mess with nature.
April 23, 2018
‘Power is not a means; it is an end.’
― George Orwell, 1984
‘Nobody can imagine how good power feels until they have it.’—Dexter Northam, UK2 by Terry Tyler
As a fan of Terry Tyler’s writing, I’ve learned the only thing I can consistently expect from her is the unexpected. Her body of work spans genres, settings, and time. The one characteristic her novels have in common is their brilliantly three-dimensional characters who drive the story. UK2, the third and final(ish) book of Tyler’s post-apocalyptic Project Renova series is certainly no exception.
And…no. You really can NOT read UK2, at least not until you’ve read the first two books of the series. Sure, the backstory is easy: in the near future (2024), the world is struggling with overpopulation and decreasing resources. When a shadow-organization implements “Project Renova”—a depopulation bomb in the form of a deadly virus for which the ‘right’ people will receive vaccinations—their carefully orchestrated solution to the population problem escapes their control, decimating the world’s population.
In England, a small group—survivors who were either vaccinated or naturally immune—bands together, eventually settling on the semi-accessible island of Lindisfarne in Northumberland. If Book 1, Tipping Point (the story of of the epidemic), is the zombie apocalypse, and Book 2, Lindisfarne (their survival on the little island), is The Lord of the Flies, then Book 3, UK2, is Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four meets Woody Allen’s Sleeper. The science is shaky and the economics even more dubious, but none of that matters because Terry Tyler isn’t writing political ideology or scientific treatise.
Instead, this series is an exploration of what real people might do when their world ends. The fact of how it happens—science, philosophy, karma, zombies, or pure blind chance—is ultimately unimportant. What author Terry Tyler invites us to explore with her is what happens to ordinary people faced with extraordinary events.
In rotating sections, we get inside the heads of the main characters, viewing the rapid changes through their eyes. This provides input from a variety of key locations, giving the reader a birds-eye view of events. Or does it? These are people trying to make sense of their new world through the lens of the old one, complete with all the inadequacies, prejudices, desires, and unreliable observations of normal humans.
In this character-driven story, the main characters define and advance the plot. They include:
* Dex: Unlike the other characters, Dex’s point-of-view is told in the third person, further distancing him from the reader, but oddly fitting as he believes his intelligence and skills place him above the inferior people around him. As one of the few who predicted the conspiracy that was Project Renova, Dex sees himself as the rightful leader of the Lindisfarne community. Through deceit, manipulation, and outright murder, he’s established himself in the castle, and views the rest of the community as his subjects. And he even gloats silently over his personal harem in the form of his girlfriend (Vicky), plus the mother of his son (Naomi), and a third woman as his secret lover. “He has the perfect trio. The wife, the mother, the lover.” But Dex knows word of his crimes might cause him to lose everything, so when he hears about UK2, the utopian society being built in the south of England by the still-shadowy Project Renova, he immediately pictures himself as a leader of this much bigger empire.
* Lottie: In this first group, the teenage Lottie and middle-age Dex mirror each other—similar in some ways, but each reflecting the reverse of the other. Both share a grudging contempt for most people, while both embrace the realities of their new worlds. But where Dex uses the opportunity to seize political power, Lottie is single-mindedly amassing the personal power she’ll need to triumph over her new world.
[QUOTE] I don’t know her, that kid Lottie who ate ice cream watching dumb teen series on Netflix and arsed around online with her mates. I’m jealous of her for having nothing to make her feel overwhelmed and sick with fear. But I despise her, too, for thinking all the trivial crap that went on in her little life actually mattered. She’s not me. [END QUOTE]
* Vicky: And then we have Vicky, Lottie’s mother and Dex’s girlfriend. As I said in my review of Lindisfarne (Book 2), I have to admit that I really dislike Vicky—and I suspect I’m meant to. She seems like a particularly wet sponge: I imagine if you threw her against the wall, she would just stick there for a minute and then ooze slowly down. She’s the woman who validates her own identity through the eyes of her lovers. And—for reasons which totally escape me—Vicky must have the most glittery hoo-ha ever. Practically every man who sees her fantasizes about being her lover, while Vicky stumbles along in her own personal fog. “I must make decisions. Take action. I will. Just not today.” [Please note: this is not, by any means, a criticism of Terry Tyler’s brilliant writing. Clearly, she knows exactly what she’s doing in crafting Vicky’s character. The book doesn’t need an adorable puppy or kitten because it’s got a Vicky, the lovable, sticky goo that holds the rest together.]
Secondary characters also narrate from their point of view, including:
* Martin: With his memories of past lives and expectations for future ones, Martin has reached a level of self-acceptance none of the other characters ever achieve. “Karma can take its time, but it usually makes its mark in the end.” Oddly, this brings with it a detached perspective that makes him a good counselor but not a leader (or a lover). With his detached view and multi-lives experience, Martin is the book’s moral compass, the one who muses, “…the difference between men like Dex and most people is not only knowing the difference between right and wrong, but actually giving a sh*t.”
* Flora: At first I thought Flora was introduced as the foil to Lottie’s kickass tough girl approach. Raised as a corporate princess, Flora’s only dreams were to have a life exactly like her parents. “Before the virus I had a lovely life. I was so contented; my only ambition was to find a man like my father, and be the perfect wife and mother, like Mummy.” While Lottie exhilarates in the dangers and challenges of their new world, Flora clings to the old one, waiting patiently for “the government” to restore her old world. Despite enduring rape, assault, hunger, her parents’ death, and worst of all, lack of showers, Flora believes her new life is only temporary. “I just keep hoping that one day I’ll get my real life back. It must be possible. It must be.” Her faith seems to be rewarded when she gets a chance to move to UK2, where all her dreams come true when she’s chosen as the spokesperson for the Juno Initiative, matched to her love-at-first-sight husband, and almost instantly pregnant. Flora is, she’s constantly assured, the face of the new generation, and of the future. After she cheerfully exchanges every possible human right and liberty for the safety, protection, and warm showers promised in UK2, Flora slowly begins to realize how much she and her fellow UK2 residents have given up.
* Doyle: Unlike Flora and other UK2 residents, Doyle has both the experience and the intelligence to understand early that UK2 is really a prison. In his surveillance job at UK2, he tries some small subversions, only reporting the minimum number of infractions necessary to deflect attention, and secretly documenting what he sees. To his own disgust, he even goes along on recruiting trips, repeating the promises he already knows to be lies. “I try not to despise myself. I hate what I’m doing, and keep telling myself that ratting people out is just part of my job, as ratting me out is, I am sure, part of someone else’s. Most of the time, though, I don’t believe my own bullsh*t.”
* Karma’s a Bitch: Okay, so karma isn’t really a character. But—call it Fate or Life or Mother Nature or a Universe with a sick sense of humor—there’s a spirit behind the short chapters in italics that chart the beginnings of the biggest threat yet, one that even the hubris of Project Renova can’t control.
So who gets it right in the end? The answer—Flora—was a surprise to me, and a brilliant piece of writing, even by the standards of a terrific writer like Terry Tyler. Doyle and Flora represent two answers to the question about why good people don’t stop bad things. Why did the German people go along with the Holocaust? What explains friends and neighbors’ willingness to go along with apartheid in South Africa, segregation in the American South, internment camps for Japanese-Americans during WW2? Flora’s belief in her government, Doyle’s fear of consequences, their longing for the safety and amenities promised by the shadowy leaders of UK2—these are all reasons for giving up their personal freedom.
The parallels with Nineteen Eighty-Four and with the Third Reich are blatantly obvious. Even as Doyle and Flora and some of their friends prepare to risk all for their freedom, UK2 leaders prepare gas chambers and death squads in a last ditch effort to fight the impersonal plague they themselves unleashed. And, in a final brilliant touch, a small ark promises salvation.
These thoughts don’t even begin to cover the themes and layers of this amazing trilogy. I can’t recommend UK2 highly enough—but ONLY after you’ve read the earlier books in the series.
― George Orwell, 1984
‘Nobody can imagine how good power feels until they have it.’—Dexter Northam, UK2 by Terry Tyler
As a fan of Terry Tyler’s writing, I’ve learned the only thing I can consistently expect from her is the unexpected. Her body of work spans genres, settings, and time. The one characteristic her novels have in common is their brilliantly three-dimensional characters who drive the story. UK2, the third and final(ish) book of Tyler’s post-apocalyptic Project Renova series is certainly no exception.
And…no. You really can NOT read UK2, at least not until you’ve read the first two books of the series. Sure, the backstory is easy: in the near future (2024), the world is struggling with overpopulation and decreasing resources. When a shadow-organization implements “Project Renova”—a depopulation bomb in the form of a deadly virus for which the ‘right’ people will receive vaccinations—their carefully orchestrated solution to the population problem escapes their control, decimating the world’s population.
In England, a small group—survivors who were either vaccinated or naturally immune—bands together, eventually settling on the semi-accessible island of Lindisfarne in Northumberland. If Book 1, Tipping Point (the story of of the epidemic), is the zombie apocalypse, and Book 2, Lindisfarne (their survival on the little island), is The Lord of the Flies, then Book 3, UK2, is Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four meets Woody Allen’s Sleeper. The science is shaky and the economics even more dubious, but none of that matters because Terry Tyler isn’t writing political ideology or scientific treatise.
Instead, this series is an exploration of what real people might do when their world ends. The fact of how it happens—science, philosophy, karma, zombies, or pure blind chance—is ultimately unimportant. What author Terry Tyler invites us to explore with her is what happens to ordinary people faced with extraordinary events.
In rotating sections, we get inside the heads of the main characters, viewing the rapid changes through their eyes. This provides input from a variety of key locations, giving the reader a birds-eye view of events. Or does it? These are people trying to make sense of their new world through the lens of the old one, complete with all the inadequacies, prejudices, desires, and unreliable observations of normal humans.
In this character-driven story, the main characters define and advance the plot. They include:
* Dex: Unlike the other characters, Dex’s point-of-view is told in the third person, further distancing him from the reader, but oddly fitting as he believes his intelligence and skills place him above the inferior people around him. As one of the few who predicted the conspiracy that was Project Renova, Dex sees himself as the rightful leader of the Lindisfarne community. Through deceit, manipulation, and outright murder, he’s established himself in the castle, and views the rest of the community as his subjects. And he even gloats silently over his personal harem in the form of his girlfriend (Vicky), plus the mother of his son (Naomi), and a third woman as his secret lover. “He has the perfect trio. The wife, the mother, the lover.” But Dex knows word of his crimes might cause him to lose everything, so when he hears about UK2, the utopian society being built in the south of England by the still-shadowy Project Renova, he immediately pictures himself as a leader of this much bigger empire.
* Lottie: In this first group, the teenage Lottie and middle-age Dex mirror each other—similar in some ways, but each reflecting the reverse of the other. Both share a grudging contempt for most people, while both embrace the realities of their new worlds. But where Dex uses the opportunity to seize political power, Lottie is single-mindedly amassing the personal power she’ll need to triumph over her new world.
[QUOTE] I don’t know her, that kid Lottie who ate ice cream watching dumb teen series on Netflix and arsed around online with her mates. I’m jealous of her for having nothing to make her feel overwhelmed and sick with fear. But I despise her, too, for thinking all the trivial crap that went on in her little life actually mattered. She’s not me. [END QUOTE]
* Vicky: And then we have Vicky, Lottie’s mother and Dex’s girlfriend. As I said in my review of Lindisfarne (Book 2), I have to admit that I really dislike Vicky—and I suspect I’m meant to. She seems like a particularly wet sponge: I imagine if you threw her against the wall, she would just stick there for a minute and then ooze slowly down. She’s the woman who validates her own identity through the eyes of her lovers. And—for reasons which totally escape me—Vicky must have the most glittery hoo-ha ever. Practically every man who sees her fantasizes about being her lover, while Vicky stumbles along in her own personal fog. “I must make decisions. Take action. I will. Just not today.” [Please note: this is not, by any means, a criticism of Terry Tyler’s brilliant writing. Clearly, she knows exactly what she’s doing in crafting Vicky’s character. The book doesn’t need an adorable puppy or kitten because it’s got a Vicky, the lovable, sticky goo that holds the rest together.]
Secondary characters also narrate from their point of view, including:
* Martin: With his memories of past lives and expectations for future ones, Martin has reached a level of self-acceptance none of the other characters ever achieve. “Karma can take its time, but it usually makes its mark in the end.” Oddly, this brings with it a detached perspective that makes him a good counselor but not a leader (or a lover). With his detached view and multi-lives experience, Martin is the book’s moral compass, the one who muses, “…the difference between men like Dex and most people is not only knowing the difference between right and wrong, but actually giving a sh*t.”
* Flora: At first I thought Flora was introduced as the foil to Lottie’s kickass tough girl approach. Raised as a corporate princess, Flora’s only dreams were to have a life exactly like her parents. “Before the virus I had a lovely life. I was so contented; my only ambition was to find a man like my father, and be the perfect wife and mother, like Mummy.” While Lottie exhilarates in the dangers and challenges of their new world, Flora clings to the old one, waiting patiently for “the government” to restore her old world. Despite enduring rape, assault, hunger, her parents’ death, and worst of all, lack of showers, Flora believes her new life is only temporary. “I just keep hoping that one day I’ll get my real life back. It must be possible. It must be.” Her faith seems to be rewarded when she gets a chance to move to UK2, where all her dreams come true when she’s chosen as the spokesperson for the Juno Initiative, matched to her love-at-first-sight husband, and almost instantly pregnant. Flora is, she’s constantly assured, the face of the new generation, and of the future. After she cheerfully exchanges every possible human right and liberty for the safety, protection, and warm showers promised in UK2, Flora slowly begins to realize how much she and her fellow UK2 residents have given up.
* Doyle: Unlike Flora and other UK2 residents, Doyle has both the experience and the intelligence to understand early that UK2 is really a prison. In his surveillance job at UK2, he tries some small subversions, only reporting the minimum number of infractions necessary to deflect attention, and secretly documenting what he sees. To his own disgust, he even goes along on recruiting trips, repeating the promises he already knows to be lies. “I try not to despise myself. I hate what I’m doing, and keep telling myself that ratting people out is just part of my job, as ratting me out is, I am sure, part of someone else’s. Most of the time, though, I don’t believe my own bullsh*t.”
* Karma’s a Bitch: Okay, so karma isn’t really a character. But—call it Fate or Life or Mother Nature or a Universe with a sick sense of humor—there’s a spirit behind the short chapters in italics that chart the beginnings of the biggest threat yet, one that even the hubris of Project Renova can’t control.
So who gets it right in the end? The answer—Flora—was a surprise to me, and a brilliant piece of writing, even by the standards of a terrific writer like Terry Tyler. Doyle and Flora represent two answers to the question about why good people don’t stop bad things. Why did the German people go along with the Holocaust? What explains friends and neighbors’ willingness to go along with apartheid in South Africa, segregation in the American South, internment camps for Japanese-Americans during WW2? Flora’s belief in her government, Doyle’s fear of consequences, their longing for the safety and amenities promised by the shadowy leaders of UK2—these are all reasons for giving up their personal freedom.
The parallels with Nineteen Eighty-Four and with the Third Reich are blatantly obvious. Even as Doyle and Flora and some of their friends prepare to risk all for their freedom, UK2 leaders prepare gas chambers and death squads in a last ditch effort to fight the impersonal plague they themselves unleashed. And, in a final brilliant touch, a small ark promises salvation.
These thoughts don’t even begin to cover the themes and layers of this amazing trilogy. I can’t recommend UK2 highly enough—but ONLY after you’ve read the earlier books in the series.
July 8, 2019
I had to crack on with reading UK2 having finished Lindisfarne as I needed to know what was going to happen next.
I was keen to find out about the new world being built, and if it was going to be the utopia being sold to the masses. As with all things that seem too good to be true I suspected not all would be as it first appeared, but, hey, some people will put up with a lot for a flushing toilet! I don’t want to give any spoilers as to what happens to who but there are some terrific character arcs throughout this series as well as some brutal storylines.
A series such as this gives you a lot of time to really get caught up in each character’s story so you fully appreciate each new development, or twist. This means you can be booing a character one minute and cheering them on the next.
As before I enjoyed the setting on Lindisfarne – loving Lottie and Mac, Vicky and Kara and Phil, among others, as well as enjoying the challenge brought to them by Seren and Hawk.
I thought Doyle in UK2 was great, his cynicism in the grand plan realistic. I enjoyed Flora’s journey – such an awakening – as well as that of the Lincoln’s.
But there has to be a special place in this review for Dex, I shall say no more but… Ha!
If you want to absorb yourself in a terrific series, you need look no further than this one – top stuff!
I was keen to find out about the new world being built, and if it was going to be the utopia being sold to the masses. As with all things that seem too good to be true I suspected not all would be as it first appeared, but, hey, some people will put up with a lot for a flushing toilet! I don’t want to give any spoilers as to what happens to who but there are some terrific character arcs throughout this series as well as some brutal storylines.
A series such as this gives you a lot of time to really get caught up in each character’s story so you fully appreciate each new development, or twist. This means you can be booing a character one minute and cheering them on the next.
As before I enjoyed the setting on Lindisfarne – loving Lottie and Mac, Vicky and Kara and Phil, among others, as well as enjoying the challenge brought to them by Seren and Hawk.
I thought Doyle in UK2 was great, his cynicism in the grand plan realistic. I enjoyed Flora’s journey – such an awakening – as well as that of the Lincoln’s.
But there has to be a special place in this review for Dex, I shall say no more but… Ha!
If you want to absorb yourself in a terrific series, you need look no further than this one – top stuff!
April 3, 2018
i have long enjoyed Terry Tylers’ work and I have read almost everything she has written. However, when I heard she had changed genres and written an end of the world novel I hesitated. Only once had I read a dystopian book – and I hated it. What I forgot, at first, was that, not only does this author write a cracking good story, whatever the subject, she creates brilliantly rounded characters that take on a life of their own…and live, and grow and change as the plots progress. I took a chance and was hooked. I read the first of the trilogy Tipping Point (you can read my review here). Following the lives of the characters through desperate times was both fascinating and felt unbelievably real. The second of the trilogy, Lindisfarne; my review here, continues the story and, from my point of view, is equally riveting.
I have also enjoyed Patient Zero: short stories from the Project Renova series; a collection of nine short stories featuring minor characters from the series
And so to this last book, UK2, the conclusion of the the story (at least for the time being – as we see in the book description, Terry Tyler has other ideas). But, for now the stories of each of these characters I have grown to know and understand have sailed off into the distance.
There are so many well-rounded characters I honestly wouldn’t know where to start (and would probably ramble on for pages!). Some of the characters are told by a third person omniscient narrator, which allows the reader to sit back and observe. But many characters tell whole chapters from their own points of view. It’s interesting to hear the internal voices of Lottie, Vicky and Doyle, with their opinions on the world they are living in; all developing in the way good characters should in a novel. I was well impressed the way one character, Flora, changed. Oh, and I should mention the appearance of two characters I instantly loved, Seren and Hawk.
The dialogue is, as usual, good; some of the voices of the characters with the intonations subtly changed as the characters go forward in their stories, some immediately recognisable.
The settings, whether of Lindisfarne, the devastated Britain of the past, UK Central (ruled over by the plastic ‘Hollywood-style governor Verlander’) or islands far away, give a brilliant sense of place.
I have to be honest, it is a complex book with plots and subplots intertwined and a whole plethora of characters; so I can only recommend that readers start with the first book of the trilogy. And, to be fair, this is what the author recommends.
But, having the last word (well, this is my review!), whatever your preferred genre, give this series a go…you’ll be hooked.
I have also enjoyed Patient Zero: short stories from the Project Renova series; a collection of nine short stories featuring minor characters from the series
And so to this last book, UK2, the conclusion of the the story (at least for the time being – as we see in the book description, Terry Tyler has other ideas). But, for now the stories of each of these characters I have grown to know and understand have sailed off into the distance.
There are so many well-rounded characters I honestly wouldn’t know where to start (and would probably ramble on for pages!). Some of the characters are told by a third person omniscient narrator, which allows the reader to sit back and observe. But many characters tell whole chapters from their own points of view. It’s interesting to hear the internal voices of Lottie, Vicky and Doyle, with their opinions on the world they are living in; all developing in the way good characters should in a novel. I was well impressed the way one character, Flora, changed. Oh, and I should mention the appearance of two characters I instantly loved, Seren and Hawk.
The dialogue is, as usual, good; some of the voices of the characters with the intonations subtly changed as the characters go forward in their stories, some immediately recognisable.
The settings, whether of Lindisfarne, the devastated Britain of the past, UK Central (ruled over by the plastic ‘Hollywood-style governor Verlander’) or islands far away, give a brilliant sense of place.
I have to be honest, it is a complex book with plots and subplots intertwined and a whole plethora of characters; so I can only recommend that readers start with the first book of the trilogy. And, to be fair, this is what the author recommends.
But, having the last word (well, this is my review!), whatever your preferred genre, give this series a go…you’ll be hooked.
April 18, 2018
UK2 provides a great ending to this inventive and completely believable trilogy. I was a little concerned after Lindisfarne that the tone might take a mawkish step into soap-opera land, but UK2 was like a punch in the gut. It's arguably the strongest entry in the trilogy. I enjoyed it as much as Tipping Point and more than Lindisfarne, mostly because it steps up the conspiracy aspect and involves more of the characters I liked, while the stakes become much higher than simple survival against the elements.
There is a very strong cast of likeable and not-so-likeable characters in UK2. Lottie has been my favourite throughout, and Doyle gets far more screentime in this outing. Terry Tyler's particular narrative strength is the male douchebag, several of whom made me so frustrated that several pillows were beaten up as a result! No spoilers here, but I really loved the character development in this final episode and the page-turning quality of the narrative was up to her usual standard - "unputdownable" is one cliche I would gladly use for UK2, it really delivered on all levels
Highly recommended for fans of conspiracies, dystopian and post-apocalyptic survival novels; but also for fans of good fiction, solid writing and great storytelling!
There is a very strong cast of likeable and not-so-likeable characters in UK2. Lottie has been my favourite throughout, and Doyle gets far more screentime in this outing. Terry Tyler's particular narrative strength is the male douchebag, several of whom made me so frustrated that several pillows were beaten up as a result! No spoilers here, but I really loved the character development in this final episode and the page-turning quality of the narrative was up to her usual standard - "unputdownable" is one cliche I would gladly use for UK2, it really delivered on all levels
Highly recommended for fans of conspiracies, dystopian and post-apocalyptic survival novels; but also for fans of good fiction, solid writing and great storytelling!
June 13, 2018
I was offered an ARC copy of this novel and freely chose to review it.
I have read and reviewed the two previous books in the Project Renova series, by Terry Tyler, had read great reviews about the third book in the series, and was eager to catch up with the characters after what had happened in the previous two books. I will try not to spoil any of the surprises in the novel, but I want to advise anybody thinking about reading this book that they are written as a series and they should be read in the right order (first Tipping Point, then Lindisfarne, and UK2 third), as the story and the characters’ arcs grow as it goes along, and it is the best way to fully enjoy the story. There is also a compilation of short stories about some of the characters called Patient Zero (I have that one on my list but haven’t managed to get to it yet), but it is possible to follow the story without having read that one, although I’m sure you’ll feel curious enough to grab that one as well when you’ve finished the three main books.
I thoroughly enjoyed UK2. The novel is divided into three parts, and big events (and big secrets) are discovered in each. Readers who have been following the series will have been eagerly waiting for some of the things that happen in part 1, but in this novel, the action is divided between what is happening in Lindisfarne and what takes place at UK Central (the planned new capital of the UK post-virus). The brains behind UK Central are trying to gather as much of the population together as possible and that means some of the characters choose to move, and readers are given the chance to see how they are affected by their new circumstances. Their fates seem very different, to begin with, but, you won’t be surprised when I tell you that things are not as they seem.
This book is told from a large number of points of view. Many of the characters are given a voice, and here most of them tell the story in first-person, therefore allowing us to see them as they really are, rather than as the personas they try to portray to others. Some of them come out of it very badly (yes, Dex, I’m talking about you) but in other cases, we see characters who grow and develop in front of our eyes. This might come at a cost, but we get the sense that it is well worth it. There are brief interludes written in the third person, some about characters we know whose circumstances change, and others from an omniscient narrator, giving us an insight into what is going on in the world at large and helps create even more tension and anticipation.
The characters remain consistent throughout the series, and there are clear developmental arcs for them. Vicky fluctuates but after some more bad news manages to bounce back, Lottie remains one of my favourite characters and gets some new allies, and there are some surprises, like Flora, who slowly but surely comes into her own. I also enjoyed getting to know more about Doyle, who is another one of the characters who grow through the series, from being quite self-centered and doing anything for a quiet life, to developing a backbone and taking risks.
The quality of the writing is excellent, as usual in this author’s work. There is a good balance between fast-paced action and slower and more reflective moments, but there are gruesome and cruel scenes and sad events that take place as well, as should be the case in the genre. It’s impossible not to think about current politics and wonder what would happen if something like this took place. Let’s say that it feels scarily realistic at times and the novel is great at exploring how human beings can react when faced with extreme situations, with some becoming a better version of themselves, and others… not so much. But, this book is far from all doom and gloom and I loved the ending, and I think most readers will do as well. (Yes, I could not help but cheer at some point!) My only regret was that I had to part with the characters that have become friends by now, but I was reassured by the author’s promise to publish some companion novellas and another novel set in the far future.
Even if you’ve read the other two novels some time ago, you don’t need to worry because the author has included a link at the very beginning of the novel that allows readers to read a brief summary and catch-up on the action so far.
A great follow-up and closing (sort-of) to the Renova Project series, and one that shouldn’t be missed by anybody who’s been following it. A great ending, a beginning of sorts and a reflection on what extreme conditions can do to the human spirit. Unmissable.
I have read and reviewed the two previous books in the Project Renova series, by Terry Tyler, had read great reviews about the third book in the series, and was eager to catch up with the characters after what had happened in the previous two books. I will try not to spoil any of the surprises in the novel, but I want to advise anybody thinking about reading this book that they are written as a series and they should be read in the right order (first Tipping Point, then Lindisfarne, and UK2 third), as the story and the characters’ arcs grow as it goes along, and it is the best way to fully enjoy the story. There is also a compilation of short stories about some of the characters called Patient Zero (I have that one on my list but haven’t managed to get to it yet), but it is possible to follow the story without having read that one, although I’m sure you’ll feel curious enough to grab that one as well when you’ve finished the three main books.
I thoroughly enjoyed UK2. The novel is divided into three parts, and big events (and big secrets) are discovered in each. Readers who have been following the series will have been eagerly waiting for some of the things that happen in part 1, but in this novel, the action is divided between what is happening in Lindisfarne and what takes place at UK Central (the planned new capital of the UK post-virus). The brains behind UK Central are trying to gather as much of the population together as possible and that means some of the characters choose to move, and readers are given the chance to see how they are affected by their new circumstances. Their fates seem very different, to begin with, but, you won’t be surprised when I tell you that things are not as they seem.
This book is told from a large number of points of view. Many of the characters are given a voice, and here most of them tell the story in first-person, therefore allowing us to see them as they really are, rather than as the personas they try to portray to others. Some of them come out of it very badly (yes, Dex, I’m talking about you) but in other cases, we see characters who grow and develop in front of our eyes. This might come at a cost, but we get the sense that it is well worth it. There are brief interludes written in the third person, some about characters we know whose circumstances change, and others from an omniscient narrator, giving us an insight into what is going on in the world at large and helps create even more tension and anticipation.
The characters remain consistent throughout the series, and there are clear developmental arcs for them. Vicky fluctuates but after some more bad news manages to bounce back, Lottie remains one of my favourite characters and gets some new allies, and there are some surprises, like Flora, who slowly but surely comes into her own. I also enjoyed getting to know more about Doyle, who is another one of the characters who grow through the series, from being quite self-centered and doing anything for a quiet life, to developing a backbone and taking risks.
The quality of the writing is excellent, as usual in this author’s work. There is a good balance between fast-paced action and slower and more reflective moments, but there are gruesome and cruel scenes and sad events that take place as well, as should be the case in the genre. It’s impossible not to think about current politics and wonder what would happen if something like this took place. Let’s say that it feels scarily realistic at times and the novel is great at exploring how human beings can react when faced with extreme situations, with some becoming a better version of themselves, and others… not so much. But, this book is far from all doom and gloom and I loved the ending, and I think most readers will do as well. (Yes, I could not help but cheer at some point!) My only regret was that I had to part with the characters that have become friends by now, but I was reassured by the author’s promise to publish some companion novellas and another novel set in the far future.
Even if you’ve read the other two novels some time ago, you don’t need to worry because the author has included a link at the very beginning of the novel that allows readers to read a brief summary and catch-up on the action so far.
A great follow-up and closing (sort-of) to the Renova Project series, and one that shouldn’t be missed by anybody who’s been following it. A great ending, a beginning of sorts and a reflection on what extreme conditions can do to the human spirit. Unmissable.
March 31, 2018
The third book in this post-apocalypse story promised fear, revenge and an unknown future. Vicky, still in shock from the murder of her lover, Heath, has yet to learn the true mastermind behind his death, and her daughter, Lottie, now a mature 18 year old, must reveal what happened.
The community in Lindisfarne is disturbed by the visit of Barney, a bullying ex-policeman, who comes to tell them of a wonderful newly developed community UKCentral, down south. Travis is amazed to see Barney accompanied by his old friend Doyle, who is now managing data analysis at UKCentral, but Doyle is less than enthusiastic about this brave new world. Several of their community, including “princess” Flora, can’t wait to go to a new life in a modern apartment with hot water and entertainment. What could be wrong with it?
Through the words of Vicky, Lottie, Doyle and Flora, we learn how they feel about the way UK2 is developing and how the community of Lindisfarne is in danger of disintegrating. Are newcomers, Seren and Hawk, a threat or do they have an answer to their problems? There is another danger to humanity approaching and it is important to know who you can depend upon.
This novel is the perfect conclusion to the trilogy. Mankind is trying to move on in a world without the internet or communication and bonds are made which establish a future for many. Tiny spoiler here, I love the Book of Lindisfarne, a biographical parish record. But like any good conclusion, there are still questions to answer and lives to continue. If you haven’t started Project Renova yet, I recommend you download the trilogy as soon as possible.
The community in Lindisfarne is disturbed by the visit of Barney, a bullying ex-policeman, who comes to tell them of a wonderful newly developed community UKCentral, down south. Travis is amazed to see Barney accompanied by his old friend Doyle, who is now managing data analysis at UKCentral, but Doyle is less than enthusiastic about this brave new world. Several of their community, including “princess” Flora, can’t wait to go to a new life in a modern apartment with hot water and entertainment. What could be wrong with it?
Through the words of Vicky, Lottie, Doyle and Flora, we learn how they feel about the way UK2 is developing and how the community of Lindisfarne is in danger of disintegrating. Are newcomers, Seren and Hawk, a threat or do they have an answer to their problems? There is another danger to humanity approaching and it is important to know who you can depend upon.
This novel is the perfect conclusion to the trilogy. Mankind is trying to move on in a world without the internet or communication and bonds are made which establish a future for many. Tiny spoiler here, I love the Book of Lindisfarne, a biographical parish record. But like any good conclusion, there are still questions to answer and lives to continue. If you haven’t started Project Renova yet, I recommend you download the trilogy as soon as possible.
January 27, 2020
I read the previous two novels in this series ages ago and thoroughly enjoyed them both, and this third in the series certainly doesn’t disappoint.
I was worried I wouldn’t remember the ins and outs of the story, but I was back in this fabulously crafted dystopian world within a few pages, catching up with lovely Lottie (such a well-drawn character), her mum Vicky, dastardly Dex, poor little princess Flora and a cast of other, equally strong characters.
What works really well here is the dawning realisation of each of the characters that things aren’t what they seem. After everything that’s happened, they’re still hanging on to the idea that someone in charge will make it all go away, that someone else will sort it out and make them feel safe. The way each of them deals with the truth is so compelling, and it’s also what makes this book such a delight to read - it’s not difficult at all to imagine this happening.
My favourite storyline was Flora’s. She is so annoying, but I have a lot of sympathy for her. I have a sneaking suspicion I’d be a terrible wimp in similar circumstances, and to see her character develop the way it does is one of the highlights of the story.
As always with Terry Tyler’s novels, you get a great, believable storyline, and well-crafted compelling characters. This is essentially about people, and how they cope in dreadful circumstances – and it’s written with real skill. The author is a natural storyteller, and her books never disappoint.
I won’t be leaving it as long to read ‘Legacy’!
I was worried I wouldn’t remember the ins and outs of the story, but I was back in this fabulously crafted dystopian world within a few pages, catching up with lovely Lottie (such a well-drawn character), her mum Vicky, dastardly Dex, poor little princess Flora and a cast of other, equally strong characters.
What works really well here is the dawning realisation of each of the characters that things aren’t what they seem. After everything that’s happened, they’re still hanging on to the idea that someone in charge will make it all go away, that someone else will sort it out and make them feel safe. The way each of them deals with the truth is so compelling, and it’s also what makes this book such a delight to read - it’s not difficult at all to imagine this happening.
My favourite storyline was Flora’s. She is so annoying, but I have a lot of sympathy for her. I have a sneaking suspicion I’d be a terrible wimp in similar circumstances, and to see her character develop the way it does is one of the highlights of the story.
As always with Terry Tyler’s novels, you get a great, believable storyline, and well-crafted compelling characters. This is essentially about people, and how they cope in dreadful circumstances – and it’s written with real skill. The author is a natural storyteller, and her books never disappoint.
I won’t be leaving it as long to read ‘Legacy’!
April 16, 2018
As the third and final book in this trilogy about the UK society’s collapse following the decimation of the population wrought by a deadly virus, the community at Lindisfarne is faced with a new threat. UK2 or Central is the ‘golden’ new future, a city of safety that grows up out of the ashes of England’s wasteland. But all is not what it seems. In this totally unputdownable novel, we follow Vicky, Lottie, Dex, Doyle and many of the other characters we met in the previous books. They are facing life with dwindling supplies and the temptation of joining many of their friends who have traded freedom for safety by heading to the clean beds, running water, creature comforts and TV promised at Central. There are increasing dangers and attacks on Lindisfarne, but at least those who remain are free, which is perhaps far better than what those who end up at Central find they have to give up in return for their so called security, except for Dex (of course). Doyle, the Lincolns and Flora soon find out what it all means and the climax of the book had me glued to my Kindle. From new world order to worker bee is not a very great step, and when crisis looms, survival takes every ounce of independent spirit they have. Who will actually survive? You’ll have to read this brilliant book to find out. Three cheers, Ms Tyler. I doubted you could do it again, but you have. An absolutely riveting, thought provoking and terrific end to the series! Five stars aren’t enough!
April 9, 2018
An excellent final installment to the trilogy! Fast paced, exciting, and full of suspense, I was so anxious about the end I stayed up until 2am to finish it! I won't spoil the end, but must admit there was much there to satisfy! I particularly loved the dawning realisation which came upon several characters, but Flora especially, as UK2 turned out to be the stuff of nightmares rather than sweet dreams. With Tyler's finesse and grace at allowing her characters to come naturally, slowly, to their own conclusions, the reader is kept on the edge of the seat to see if they will understand the peril they are in in time, or if all will be lost. Lottie and Flora turned out to be my favourites in this book. When you look how far each of them has come, and the Stirling women I think they will be, I think there is hope for the future here.
Very pleased to read in the notes that Ms Tyler intends to write more in this world. I will read everything! Love this series. Cannot praise it enough
Very pleased to read in the notes that Ms Tyler intends to write more in this world. I will read everything! Love this series. Cannot praise it enough
November 29, 2018
I finished reading UK2 half an hour ago and I've already lined up the next in the series, LEGACY. What a superb series Project Renova is. Terry
Tyler has skillfully taken a difficult topic and gone to town with it. I was hooked from the start with Bk One, TIPPING POINT and then LINDISFARNE. I didn't think the series could get any better but UK2 was positively explosive. The list of characters is plentiful and diverse. Some. the reader can identify with, some are loathesome and others need a good shaking but Ms Tyler portrays each and every one so brilliantly. I thought this was a trilogy but I'm delighted to find that there is a fourth book which I have just downloaded. Can't wait to get into it.
The theme of all the books is an apocalyptical disease called bat fever which initially starts in Africa but soon spreads to Britain and then across the planet. Pockets of survivors form themselves into groups to eke out an existence void of law and order. There are too many characters to name in a review but Dex is one who will stay with me for a long time. No spoilers but the last two pages were satisfying to say the least. This is a worthy Five star read. Brilliant!
May 23, 2018
I couldn’t wait to get started on the final book in the Project Renova series. Having followed Vicky, Lottie, Dex, and the rest of the bat fever survivors I was desperate to know what they had in store for them this time.
I’ve always loved Terry Tyler’s writing voice and find her novels thoroughly enjoyable. UK2 was no exception. Every chapter is told from a different characters POV. Dex is first up, and I’m quickly reminded why I started to despise him about half-way through Lindisfarne (book 2)! Every novel needs a bad guy, and Dex is that guy. He is that character you really wish someone would kill, but they keep on surviving.
My favourite character throughout the series has been Lottie, and we see how much she’s grown in UK2. She bursts onto the scene holding a knife to someone’s throat with a calm control that should be alien to a teenager. She’s witnessed too much, lived through the worst of times, and has secrets that are eating away at her and yet she’s one of the strongest and wisest characters on the island. Lottie’s mum, Vicky goes through some serious changes of her own in UK2, and I was pleased to see an inner strength begin to emerge.
We meet new people, and we lose old friends as the truth about bat fever, and Project Renova unfolds. I loved the way each character realises what’s happening almost too late and how they deal with the circumstances they find themselves in. I could picture the scenes like I was watching a dark and disturbing film. There are plenty of ‘gasp’ moments as the twists fall into place. I especially loved Flora’s development as she slowly understands that all is not as she believed.
UK2 contains a mix of themes from building friendships to conspiracy theories, and murder to romance. It’s all seamlessly blended to give the reader an extraordinary experience.
We are left with a perfectly crafted ending (and deeply satisfying in some areas) but with enough little threads to leave you wondering what happens next. UK2 is one of those books that stays with you long after you finish reading.
I’ve always loved Terry Tyler’s writing voice and find her novels thoroughly enjoyable. UK2 was no exception. Every chapter is told from a different characters POV. Dex is first up, and I’m quickly reminded why I started to despise him about half-way through Lindisfarne (book 2)! Every novel needs a bad guy, and Dex is that guy. He is that character you really wish someone would kill, but they keep on surviving.
My favourite character throughout the series has been Lottie, and we see how much she’s grown in UK2. She bursts onto the scene holding a knife to someone’s throat with a calm control that should be alien to a teenager. She’s witnessed too much, lived through the worst of times, and has secrets that are eating away at her and yet she’s one of the strongest and wisest characters on the island. Lottie’s mum, Vicky goes through some serious changes of her own in UK2, and I was pleased to see an inner strength begin to emerge.
We meet new people, and we lose old friends as the truth about bat fever, and Project Renova unfolds. I loved the way each character realises what’s happening almost too late and how they deal with the circumstances they find themselves in. I could picture the scenes like I was watching a dark and disturbing film. There are plenty of ‘gasp’ moments as the twists fall into place. I especially loved Flora’s development as she slowly understands that all is not as she believed.
UK2 contains a mix of themes from building friendships to conspiracy theories, and murder to romance. It’s all seamlessly blended to give the reader an extraordinary experience.
We are left with a perfectly crafted ending (and deeply satisfying in some areas) but with enough little threads to leave you wondering what happens next. UK2 is one of those books that stays with you long after you finish reading.
April 5, 2018
An excellent conclusion to the Project Renova series totally enthralling
throughout with great characters and a real sense of karma at the end.
I found this book a thoroughly absorbing read and cannot recommend
the whole series highly enough.
throughout with great characters and a real sense of karma at the end.
I found this book a thoroughly absorbing read and cannot recommend
the whole series highly enough.
April 25, 2018
STARTED READING IMMEDIATELY
The moment I had finished book 2 in the trilogy I started book 3. Again, I was totally engrossed, excited to find out what happened to Vicky, Dex and Lottie. I never, ever read futuristic books but this story is so real, so plausible, so possible, so believable – without warlocks and witches and magic – that I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. Only with the best books I’ve read am I left with that bereft feeling – not sure what to do with myself now the story is over. But, I understand Mr Tyler is writing another and I shall grab it as soon as it is published. The whole series is highly recommended.
The moment I had finished book 2 in the trilogy I started book 3. Again, I was totally engrossed, excited to find out what happened to Vicky, Dex and Lottie. I never, ever read futuristic books but this story is so real, so plausible, so possible, so believable – without warlocks and witches and magic – that I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. Only with the best books I’ve read am I left with that bereft feeling – not sure what to do with myself now the story is over. But, I understand Mr Tyler is writing another and I shall grab it as soon as it is published. The whole series is highly recommended.
May 30, 2018
I received a free copy of this novel as part of the Whispering Stories Reviewing Team (#WSRT) and my review can be read by following the link below:
https://jhbooksblog.wordpress.com/201...
I awarded 'UK2' five stars.
https://jhbooksblog.wordpress.com/201...
I awarded 'UK2' five stars.
March 9, 2019
I'm trying to read something that isn't Project Renova, but those books won't stop being fantastic.
UK2 is the darkest part of the cycle, even though the first one features an actual man-made apocalypse. UK2 explores the psyche of those who survived the first year(s), built communities of various sorts... then discovered the allure of power. One of the most striking scenes (no spoilers) depicts a character who admits that once you've tasted power your point of view on things – i.e. people – changes. I continue being simultaneously amazed and terrified at how *real* those books feel – I don't feel that I am reading fiction, they feel like our actual future, and for our mutual sakes I hope they aren't.
PS. Lottie is THE BEST.
UK2 is the darkest part of the cycle, even though the first one features an actual man-made apocalypse. UK2 explores the psyche of those who survived the first year(s), built communities of various sorts... then discovered the allure of power. One of the most striking scenes (no spoilers) depicts a character who admits that once you've tasted power your point of view on things – i.e. people – changes. I continue being simultaneously amazed and terrified at how *real* those books feel – I don't feel that I am reading fiction, they feel like our actual future, and for our mutual sakes I hope they aren't.
PS. Lottie is THE BEST.
November 1, 2018
The author has a gift for using first person viewpoint across multiple characters which have matured across the trilogy. The grime, the sheer hard work of subsistence living, contrasts with the natural beauty of the Lindisfarne landscapes, while the new hope of UK2 losing its glossy spin leads the reader into the festering dread of megalomania and inhumanity, and the realisation of just how easy it was for despots of the 20th century to manipulate, subjugate and murder.
Yet ‘UK2’ is a novel of personal stories, of falls and rises and coming of age, ultimately asking the question of where we all stand in the face of good and evil. A fast-paced, gripping read with a cracking ending. Highly recommended. Book 4 is already on my Kindle.
Yet ‘UK2’ is a novel of personal stories, of falls and rises and coming of age, ultimately asking the question of where we all stand in the face of good and evil. A fast-paced, gripping read with a cracking ending. Highly recommended. Book 4 is already on my Kindle.
March 10, 2021
What a brilliant read. This is the third instalment from Terry Tyler’s Project Renova series. After reading Tipping Point and Lindisfarne I could not wait to get stuck into UK2.
A new capital city called UK Central is now under construction on the South Downs. With it’s leaders going all out to encourage who is left out in the devastated country to sign up and join them. The residents of Lindisfarne are on the list of possible recruits. But, after everything they have gone through, all the hard work and tough times endured to make Lindisfarne their home, will the residents simply cave in at the prospect of flushing toilets and a hot shower and food supplies amongst other fantastic things UK2 will offer them? Are these promises too good to be true?
Who will leave Lindisfarne and who will stay. Will any one of them regret their decision? Do all the residents at the fabulous new capital relish living there, how loyal are they to Verlander the other leaders?
A gripping story which unfolds brilliantly. I have come to know the characters over the Project Renova series. Some I thought of as annoying, childish or unlikeable characters actually grew on me. Especially Flora. I will not spoil the story for you by going into detail. All I will say is that this is a fascinating series and I have loved every page of every book. Thank you Terry.
A new capital city called UK Central is now under construction on the South Downs. With it’s leaders going all out to encourage who is left out in the devastated country to sign up and join them. The residents of Lindisfarne are on the list of possible recruits. But, after everything they have gone through, all the hard work and tough times endured to make Lindisfarne their home, will the residents simply cave in at the prospect of flushing toilets and a hot shower and food supplies amongst other fantastic things UK2 will offer them? Are these promises too good to be true?
Who will leave Lindisfarne and who will stay. Will any one of them regret their decision? Do all the residents at the fabulous new capital relish living there, how loyal are they to Verlander the other leaders?
A gripping story which unfolds brilliantly. I have come to know the characters over the Project Renova series. Some I thought of as annoying, childish or unlikeable characters actually grew on me. Especially Flora. I will not spoil the story for you by going into detail. All I will say is that this is a fascinating series and I have loved every page of every book. Thank you Terry.
May 7, 2018
I've loved these characters, hated them, been infuriated with some of their choices, and even mourned a few of them. Just when they thought they'd created a relatively safe, new kind of normal life on Lindisfarne, more obstacles are thrown in their paths. Opportunities are presented and choices are made - both good and regrettable. In their desperation to return to some semblance of their old lives, some characters forget that if something seems too good to be true, it usually is.
In this series, Lottie's and Flora's character arcs are my favorite. Lottie is nearly unrecognizable from the first book to the third, but she learns what's needed to survive in this new world while still retaining her humanity. I never thought I'd like Flora's character, but she makes immense strides in UK2, and I hope to see what happens to her in future novellas. I was thrilled to see that karma delivered packages to a few who deserved them.
I have to stress this isn't a series to be read out of order. I've been a fan of this series since the first book - and if you're a post-apocalyptic/dystopian fan, you will be, too.
I received a digital copy of this book from the author.
In this series, Lottie's and Flora's character arcs are my favorite. Lottie is nearly unrecognizable from the first book to the third, but she learns what's needed to survive in this new world while still retaining her humanity. I never thought I'd like Flora's character, but she makes immense strides in UK2, and I hope to see what happens to her in future novellas. I was thrilled to see that karma delivered packages to a few who deserved them.
I have to stress this isn't a series to be read out of order. I've been a fan of this series since the first book - and if you're a post-apocalyptic/dystopian fan, you will be, too.
I received a digital copy of this book from the author.
May 6, 2018
No Spoilers! The conclusion of the Project Renova trilogy did not disappoint and I was even more delighted to read the authors notes at the end to say that there will be some additional material released in the future and so I will definitely look out for that. Terry continued with the style of the second book in the series with a compilation of journal/diary type entries as the characters tell their story of the events unfolding. It is enjoyable to see how the characters have grown up and developed through the books especially Lottie (becoming more like her Mum than she thought she would?), Flora turning from vulnerable child hardened adult, the evil manipulating Dex and the UK Central head man Alex Verlander out for nobody but himself to name but a few. As with previous books this is a very easy read and once started is very hard to put down.
July 8, 2018
Well, I thoroughly enjoyed this third instalment in the Project Renova series.
Well written as per usual. I would expect nothing less from Terry Tyler. She possesses the ability to make you admire or hate a character very well. Her knack of ‘setting the scene’ is also admirable.
I liked the way the story was tied up nicely at the end, everyone where they should be!
I was pleased to read that Tyler may be writing a fourth book, set some time after the events of this one and I will be keeping a look out for it.
I have no qualms at all about recommending this book to anyone who enjoys a bit of post-apocalyptic storytelling (and even to those who haven’t ‘dipped their toe’ so to speak).
It’s a huge thumbs up from me.
Well written as per usual. I would expect nothing less from Terry Tyler. She possesses the ability to make you admire or hate a character very well. Her knack of ‘setting the scene’ is also admirable.
I liked the way the story was tied up nicely at the end, everyone where they should be!
I was pleased to read that Tyler may be writing a fourth book, set some time after the events of this one and I will be keeping a look out for it.
I have no qualms at all about recommending this book to anyone who enjoys a bit of post-apocalyptic storytelling (and even to those who haven’t ‘dipped their toe’ so to speak).
It’s a huge thumbs up from me.
January 29, 2019
I’m busy. I have things stacked up to do that really do need doing.
But, once I’d started on the first of the Project Renova trilogy by Terry Tyler, I let other things slide and read all three books one after the other.
It’s a superb series and each part easily deserves a full, scintillating 5*. It isn’t often an author can sustain my interest across three books. Frequently, the best ideas are in the first volume and the rest are lacklustre. These books had me hooked from start to finish and I really can’t fault anything about them.
In this book, set in a convincing post-apocalyptic Britain (not a zombie in sight), familiar characters and new ones develop and adapt to their changing circumstances. This isn’t a cosy read but it is full of suspense, humour and heart-stopping tragedy. I strongly recommend you read the trilogy in order, even though each separate part could be read as a standalone. The stories are gripping and by the end of this third one you’re cheering on some characters and praying for the downfall of some others. The tension lies in the excellent plot and the author’s ability to shock you by being prepared to sacrifice lovely characters and allowing repulsive ones to thrive.
I will say that I loved the ending…
Read this. It’s awesome.
But, once I’d started on the first of the Project Renova trilogy by Terry Tyler, I let other things slide and read all three books one after the other.
It’s a superb series and each part easily deserves a full, scintillating 5*. It isn’t often an author can sustain my interest across three books. Frequently, the best ideas are in the first volume and the rest are lacklustre. These books had me hooked from start to finish and I really can’t fault anything about them.
In this book, set in a convincing post-apocalyptic Britain (not a zombie in sight), familiar characters and new ones develop and adapt to their changing circumstances. This isn’t a cosy read but it is full of suspense, humour and heart-stopping tragedy. I strongly recommend you read the trilogy in order, even though each separate part could be read as a standalone. The stories are gripping and by the end of this third one you’re cheering on some characters and praying for the downfall of some others. The tension lies in the excellent plot and the author’s ability to shock you by being prepared to sacrifice lovely characters and allowing repulsive ones to thrive.
I will say that I loved the ending…
Read this. It’s awesome.
May 15, 2018
I am not generally a fan of post-apolcalyptic dystopian fiction, and it is a tribute to the author’s consummate story telling that I not only lapped up the first two books in the trilogy, but was gagging for the third. I dived into UK2 with enthusiasm, and catching up with Lottie and Vicky was like greeting old friends. I warmed to Flora in this book too, as I could empathise with her desperate hope for an ideal life, despite what she’d endured. Her gradual disillusionment was heartbreaking to read. Doyle’s cynicism and small rebellions against the UK2 regime were also enjoyable – I have come across many like him in corporate life. And Dex’s trajectory from good to evil was chillingly realistic. The plot rattles along at a breathtaking pace, and at points I felt a need for more insight into the motivations of the arch-villains, like Verlander. But all in all, it was another cracking read and I highly recommend the entire trilogy, which seemed eerily prescient alongside recent news stories.
January 10, 2025
It was great to catch up with the Lindisfarne gang and a few others met along the way.
A few left the island to travel to UK 2, an ambitious project to re start civilisation - but who is at the helm? Those left on the island face increasing hardships and attacks which binds them closer together as they reduce the number of new people they'll allow in.
Some great development of characters in this instalment. Some have remained consistent while others have reflected and grown as they met new challenges (and betrayals) and one in particular meets a perfect ending.
I am so pleased there is another book in this series. It simply couldn't finish where it did.
A few left the island to travel to UK 2, an ambitious project to re start civilisation - but who is at the helm? Those left on the island face increasing hardships and attacks which binds them closer together as they reduce the number of new people they'll allow in.
Some great development of characters in this instalment. Some have remained consistent while others have reflected and grown as they met new challenges (and betrayals) and one in particular meets a perfect ending.
I am so pleased there is another book in this series. It simply couldn't finish where it did.
November 15, 2020
Grimly Gripping
With the emergence of Covid19 in the UK in early 2020, and everything that has followed, I almost didn't read the Project Renova series. But I did, and whilst I'm not sure if 'enjoyed' is quite the right word to use (grimly engrossed is probably more accurate) I am glad I read them. It is hard not to see some parallels with the current situation! We can only hope that life will not imitate art on this occasion. If you enjoy suspense and conspiracy theories, I recommend this series!
With the emergence of Covid19 in the UK in early 2020, and everything that has followed, I almost didn't read the Project Renova series. But I did, and whilst I'm not sure if 'enjoyed' is quite the right word to use (grimly engrossed is probably more accurate) I am glad I read them. It is hard not to see some parallels with the current situation! We can only hope that life will not imitate art on this occasion. If you enjoy suspense and conspiracy theories, I recommend this series!
May 22, 2021
A brilliant end to a fantastic trilogy. I really enjoyed reading this series, great characters and a great flow to the overall story. I read them all really fast which is a good sign of a great storyteller and can't wait to delve into some of the other off-shoot stories - one of which I've already read and was also brilliant. Great books, well worth a read.
April 9, 2023
Part 3 of the Renova Story. Another compelling tale of a post apocalyptic world where survivors have to make a choice between freedom and comfort, danger and apparent safety. Nothing and no one are quite as they appear though and power corrupts.
April 12, 2021
I think it is a mark of a good author who takes a character you dislike and make them believably grow into someone you are rooting for.
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