Something Better

by Jim Bates

For Quinn and his young family, life in 2220 was a depressing dead-end existence. The mandatory enforced lifespan was forty years, and then you were unceremoniously put to death and turned to compost.But only if you lived that long. In the aftermath of global warming, Quinn makes a fateful decision with a disastrous effect. One that forces him, his wife, and son, along with a friend, to flee the confines of The City. In search of a different life. Something better. The World Order Security Police are dispatched to track them with instructions to shoot to kill. But can they avoid them long enough to make it to a better life? Read their inspiring story and find out.

162 pages, Paperback

Published July 2, 2021

Reviews

[Gill James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jim Bates presents us with a dark world: because of climate change the planet is running out of food. People are only permitted to live until forty and extra days can be lost by such simple acts as hugging a child. Quinn and his family bring us hope. Not that they have an easy ride. The pace and tension are upheld throughout. This is a real page turner.

[P.C. Darkcliff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jim Bates immediately drew me into the book by describing a seemingly enjoyable father-son outing... and slowly but relentlessly revealing the horrible world they lived in. I found myself cheering for the main characters as they decided they had enough of living in a gray, polluted city under a cruel regime that kept them separated and threatened to shorten their lives to save the dwindling food supplies and punish their minor offenses.
The book brims with action and adventure, but it is also a warning—a warning against global warming and all its possible consequences. Highly recommendable!