Entheóphage

by Drema Deòraich

Winner of the Literary Titan Gold Book Award for November 2024!

Dr. Isobel Fallon thinks she's found a treatment that will help her son and others suffering from Milani Syndrome, a rare neurological disorder. What she doesn't realize is that harvesting the source of this treatment in the only accessible place on earth it grows, a coral reef in the Nlaan Islands, is going to have consequences far beyond the disruption of the fragile ecosystem on one small reef.

CDC researcher Nadine Parker and her team are baffled. Lukas Behn’s daughter Kyndra has contracted a bizarre new virus that leaves her screaming in pain. But they can't identify any physical, biological source for that pain, not in Kyndra, nor in the dozens, then hundreds, and finally millions of children worldwide succumbing to the same virus. And no one seems to have made a connection between what's happening with the infected children and the events on a small coral reef in the South Pacific.

Eventually, Nadine has to face the unlikely truth, and the enormous implications of it. The children aren't sick. They're changing. But will anyone else believe her?

Genres: Science Fiction, Mystery, Fiction, Thriller

408 pages, Paperback

Published October 1, 2022

About the author

Drema Deòraich is an award-winning author of speculative fiction that sometimes asks big questions. Her flash fiction, short stories, and novelettes have been published in numerous online journals, as well as a few semi-professional zines. Nine of those are captured in her short story collection, Murder of Crows & Other Consequential Tales, available now.

Her debut novel Entheóphage is a medical sci-fi/climate fiction novel that explores the question, “What would it take to make us stop destroying our ecosystems?” “Phagey” (as it is affectionately known by its fans) has become a subject of book club discussions in many places.

Her trilogy, The Founder’s Seed (Fallen, Book 1; Broken, Book 2; and Driven, Book 3), is a science fantasy trilogy exploring what it means to be a misfit, and the challenges involved in finding one’s niche.

Her novelette "Deer in Headlights" follows researcher Cait as she faces unexpected consequences of her ecosystem-damning actions and is faced with a life-altering choice.

Her novelette "Jane Doe #7" follows Dr. Kyle Wicks, who's built his career on the comatose--until one patient fights back.

Other short-story collections and a science fantasy trilogy follow-up in The Founder's Seed universe are in the works.

Drema currently lives in Southeast Virginia with her husband, his two cats, and all her other characters. When time and mosquitoes permit, Drema works on transforming their yard into more welcoming habitat for small wildlife. She also occasionally blogs about writing, ideas from Life that inspire her, environmental issues, ways to live more sustainably, and whatever else captures her fancy.

Find her on Facebook at NiveymArtsLLC and on Bluesky at @dremadeoraich.

Reviews

[Steve Exeter · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Entheóphage" by Drema Deòraich is a compelling science fiction novel that delves deep into the intersection of medical innovation, environmental crisis, and the unforeseen consequences of human actions. The narrative centres around Dr. Isobel Fallon, a dedicated scientist who believes she has found a groundbreaking treatment for Milani Syndrome, a debilitating neurological disorder afflicting her son and others. Her research leads her to a coral reef in the Nlaan Islands, but the extraction of the cure from this natural source sets off a chain of devastating ecological consequences.

Parallel to this storyline is Nadine Parker, a CDC researcher grappling with an enigmatic virus that causes excruciating pain in children worldwide, yet defies all biological explanations. As Nadine's investigation progresses, she uncovers a startling revelation: the children are not merely suffering; they are undergoing a profound transformation.

Deòraich masterfully weaves these narratives together, raising poignant questions about humanity's relationship with nature and the ethical implications of scientific advancements. "Entheóphage" challenges readers to consider the delicate balance between progress and preservation, and the ripple effects of our actions on the natural world.

With its intricate plot, richly developed characters, and thought-provoking themes, "Entheóphage" is an engrossing read that will leave you contemplating long after the final page. It's a must-read for fans of science fiction that not only entertains but also inspires deep reflection on the complexities of our world.

[Anna Kaling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michael Crichton meets ecofiction in this scarily plausible medical thriller.

What's it like to be Patient Zero in a deadly pandemic that will ravage the world? Single dad Luk watches his daughter Kyn fade from a bizarre and devastating virus, the doctors clueless, frustrated, and suspicious. Especially when children from all corners of the globe start showing the same symptoms.

Pharmaceutical scientist Isobel desecrates a pristine coral reef to find a cure for a rare illness, unaware she's unleashing something far more dangerous.

CDC investigator Nadine races to find answers, find a cure, and save the world. But the virus is like nothing she's seen before, and all her efforts lead to dead ends. Until she realises that maybe it isn't just a virus. Maybe it's something far more terrifying than that.

Once I started reading, I couldn't stop. The plot is gripping, with a medical mystery to rival Crichton and Tess Gerritsen, and I could not stop reading to find answers. Each of the three main characters is masterfully crafted: complicated and very human, facing tough questions and making tough decisions - sometimes wrong, sometimes right - that we would all battle with. I felt their fears, hopes, and frustrations. There are no perfect protagonists and no one-dimensional villains.

And that ending...!

If you like scifi, medical mysteries, well-rounded characters (especially strong female characters), and beautiful writing... you won't be disappointed.

[Cheryl Hyde · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mind Altering

Entheóphage grabbed my attention and held it throughout the book. It’s complex and deep but in a good way. It revs your mind into overdrive as it progresses. The story deals with so many issues facing all of us living on this great planet in so many ways. I don’t want to give anything away, but the author does an excellent job at setting scenes and developing the characters. Her writing is such that you feel as if you are there. You can feel the pain, anguish, hope, fear, happiness.

Some of the characters I fell in love with right away and others I well… let’s be kind and say I didn’t like. Or at least I didn’t like their actions. All are fully developed and play central roles to the story. Lucas Behn, is a video game developer with an eight year old daughter, Kyndra (Kyn) he is raising on his own after his wife’s death. Dr. Isobel Fallon is a researcher with a large pharmaceutical company who has one goal - to save her son’s life, regardless of the far reaching consequences. Dr. Nadine Parker with the CDC is tasked with determining how and why this bacteriophage (NJace or Phagey as it is dubbed) is affecting children before they reach puberty. She is the one who discovers the link between it and world happenings. All the children have unique and direct ties not only with each other but with nature - animals, plants, air, water - the world we all live in. Their brains are being rewired.

Kyn, is the most central of the players and the first child affected by this strange new disease. She is a very intelligent and compassionate individual from the beginning. As the story progresses we realize that this bacteriophage infecting the children is not a disease. They are not sick. They are changing. Becoming better. Smarter. More in tune with the world they live in.

Doctors and the medical world in general refuse to believe what is happening. Bacteriophages are not intelligent they insist. What the children are insisting is not possible. They cannot feel what plants and animals halfway around the world are experiencing. They cannot talk to trees or feel their anguish. What they are claiming is an impossibility. Or is it?

I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a great read slightly off from the beaten path. And, the ending is just as great as the rest of the book.

[John Rosenman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Novel Would Make a Great TV Miniseries

Children are our most precious resource, but in Entheóphage they are endangered by a mysterious virus that threatens their lives. The number of children affected rises quickly worldwide to epidemic proportions, yet there is no discernible geographical pattern to the cases or a reason for the children to bemoan collectively Earth’s climate crisis—the suffering of fish, the pollution and destruction of habitats, and so on. Most importantly, there is no apparent reason for the virus existing in the first place. Jake, Isabel’s husband says, “They’re calling the virus the Entheóphage, claiming it’s God working through the children [or phage] to hold us accountable for our actions.” Is Jake’s suggestion true? Is God punishing humanity because they befoul the environment and are poor stewards of this planet?

This finely written novel is a superb medical mystery or thriller, and Jake’s suggestion is just one possibility. Readers will ask themselves constantly what the answer is, and why little children are suffering from such a disease. Is it God’s will, Man’s neglect, or something else? Drema Deòraich has definitely done her homework when it comes to medical research, and she provides a host of excellent characters to pull the reader in. I especially like Dr. Isabel Fallon, who seeks a cure by harvesting the star queen in the coral reefs of the Nlaan island chain, and Lukas Behn, who watches his precocious daughter Kyndra waste away in pain. Then there’s the interracial, lesbian married couple, Barbara and Dr. Nadine Parker, who’s searching for a cure herself and fighting professional opposition at the same time. And don’t get me started on the children, who are also well drawn and engaging.

As I read this novel, I kept thinking that it would make one heck of a TV miniseries. There’s enough drama and conflict here to engage viewers for at least one season. I’m tight with a dollar, but I’d gladly pay to watch it.

[Carol Ann Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book!

I am in awe of this book. I just finished it. Not only is it beautifully written, but it is intelligent in concept as well as content. This book tells a story of a biological entity which causes children who contract it to have a heightened sense of the feelings of other species on earth. But though the children feel the pain and anxiety of other living beings, it is by no means a sad, violent, or depressing book. It is instead an account of the efforts of dedicated parents, researchers, and other professionals to identify and understand this entity. The storyline is well developed, and the vocabulary reveals the prodigious research required to create a very credible, suspenseful, and satisfying narrative. While I certainly was not reading it as an editor, those tendencies do kick in. And I cannot remember the last time — until now — that I read a complete novel that didn’t contain at least a few grammatical errors, spelling errors, typos, and the like. Drema ( or her editor) even used the Oxford comma! I am impressed!

[Susan Posey · Rating 5 out of 5]

The novel is EXCELLENT. Not only is it a page Turner, it is also important. Deoraich has done what the titular “character” does: she makes us feel. And then she gives us hope. Of the 4 new novels I’ve read in the last 2 months, Entheophage is the one I keep wanting to give to people for Christmas. You want to read this novel. Don’t wait.

[Melody · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. Isobel Gallon’s son has a genetic defect that interferes with a certain protein needed for neurological activity. Isobel’s sister had the defect and died a horrible death at age 8. Isobel found an amino acid strand in a coral that stabilises the defective protein. It isn’t a cure but could make live much more normal for the patient and their families. So she finds an area in the south sea that has an abundance of the required corals and secures permission to collect some from the reef from the local, very isolated indigenous matriarchal leaders with promises to do as little harm as possible and restore as much as possible when done. But Isobel works for a big pharma and they are all about the bottom line and she is pressured to work 24/7 and harvest as much coral as possible as quickly as possible. As soon as they start harvesting a little girl in Austin Texas is found outside sleep walking apparently. Her Dad finds her staring off into the north saying the trees are burning. The next morning during their bike ride she passes out and crashes her bike but is out for only seconds and is otherwise fine. The next day she has a huge seizure and goes into a coma. She awakes briefly off and on screaming and in the pain of tress being chopped down or animals being killed or some other environmental insult. Later that day, a classmate at her school developed the same symptoms and then children all over the city. The medical profession is at a loss and accuse the parents of scaring their children with eco terrorism talk and that is the source of their delusions. Because the children must be delusional, right? The CDC is called in sets up shop and begins investigating the now numerous patients all over the country and indeed all over the world. The case count increases rapidly. Meanwhile in the south seas harvest is occurring rapidly but is causing coral dust to obscure the sun light to the reef and some of the corals and attendant animals and fish are being harmed. Not to mention oil slicks from the boats etc. The local rulers insist they slow down and clean up their mess as they go. And they can only harvest during the day as it is time for the coral to reproduce and they do that at night. But her boss insists she hurry up, when told she can’t he recalls her due to the cost. So she makes a decision to harvest as much as possible in the few days she has left and plants explosives in the reef. That same time back in Texas the original patient and all the patients in all the hospitals go into crisis, some die, some end up on life support and some are saved. The CDC team has identified a bacteriophage that all the children are infected with.

An excellent medical mystery and reminder that all is not what it seems. A real page turner, well written and carefully plotted. Highly recommended.

[Dylan West · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent Blend of Microbiology and Ecology

There is so much to love about this book! Let's start with the science. Not at all bolted on as an afterthought, it is integrated seamlessly throughout the story. If you're a science geek like me, you'll revel in the talk of bacteriophages, the effect of pH of water on chemical testing, insulae, spindle neurons, intermedin, peptides, and epigenetic modifications. If you're unfamiliar with all these terms, no worries. You won't get lost. They're all understood well enough in context. And the author doesn't just sling technical jargon around for appearances, either. The scientists in the story show real understanding of the microbiology concepts and apply them to solve problems and drive the plot forward. I especially enjoyed how the scientists thought through problems. A lot of research went into this book, and it paid off. Here are some quotes to show what I mean:

-"Maybe it’s attaching to their hormones," Lara said. "Wouldn’t that allow it to pass the barrier?" Cagney straightened in his seat. "Or maybe it’s producing a toxin that mimics a hormone. That would do it."
-"This one got a shot of combined estradiol, estriol, and testosterone in a 40/40/20 mix."
-"The phage has integrated its genetic material into the normal flora of the patients’ bodies in what is called a lysogenic cycle. Instead of being immediately copied and expressed, which would kill the host bacteria, NJace DNA recombines with the bacterial chromosome. It becomes part of the chromosome as a prophage."

And there's wonderful prose beyond the scientific details. Here are some of my favorites:

-"There are so many things to check, I'm swinging a wedge in a sand trap the size of the Sahara while blindfolded."
-"For a second, the whole English language fled Nadine’s tongue."

As far as story goes, the conflict never lets up. Especially the sort where the characters you root for end up getting treated unjustly and where their best efforts are punished in sad and surprising ways. There's no shortage of people making interesting decisions in this book.

I also love that a major character is a video game developer!

My favorite character is Nadine, and I always looked forward to her myriad food references:
-"She cursed under her breath. For the love of deep-dish pizza."
-"I love you more than chocolate."
-"What fresh-baked weirdness is that?"

Prepare yourself for excellent writing and storytelling. You're in good hands here. I swear it on Nadine's Alton Brown recipes.

(I received a free ARC in exchange for an honest review)

[Carl Shirley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entheóphage by Drema Deòraich is a medical thriller with a central premise that reads like a cross between Michael Crichton’s The Andromeda Strain and Greg Bear’s Darwin’s Radio. When an expedition to harvest coral for medical research coincides with the outbreak of a disease that appears to infect only children, the CDC and other experts find little reason to believe the events are related. Still, as the infected children get more and more sensitive to environmental damage across the globe, the apparent link between how the Entheóphage is changing them and threats to the environment becomes clear.

Entheóphage is a compelling and well-written medical thriller featuring complex characters and a plot that moves along at a mostly swift pace. It is a story about parents and their children and the lengths some parents will go to keep their kids safe, even if that means making questionable choices that put others (or the environment) at risk. The main characters have a remarkable complexity, drawn out by the little details and how they respond to their various crises. The medical and scientific information presented has an authenticity that only comes with meticulous research but never confronts the reader with too many hard-to-understand details. And while this novel definitely has an environmental message, it never gets preachy in its presentation. Overall, Entheóphage is a very enlightening and entertaining read.

[Julee Balko · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. And here’s the truth. I knew from the title I was intrigued. We talk a lot about science in our house because my husband is a…scientist. So I really enjoyed how science, medicine, and environmental factors came to life in this book.

In the beginning, the book’s plot gave me a bit of COVID stress. After all, aren’t we still dealing with the challenges of an unknown disease? But that quickly faded away and I was absorbed into the story and how the children were getting a mysterious disease that was somehow linked to our environmental issues. In some ways, it helped that the disease was a bit more fantastical so I could leave my COVID baggage behind. Pretty sure no one could talk to foxes or other animals when they had COVID.

While it was the disease that started me turning the pages, it was the characters that kept me going. There were so many nuances to the characters that made them real. I loved Lukas’s relationship with his daughter who was the first patient to get sick. I enjoyed that he was a game developer and how his job played out in the story. I enjoyed that the CDC investigator Nadine also loved to cook so she had fun food references.

Overall, it was an enjoyable read with a wonderful message to appreciate our planet. And a truly creative story. Just ask the foxes;)

[Liliana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't often read eco-fiction or medical thrillers so I don't know who to compare this book to. All I know is this author does her research and doesn't make up science but you also don't have to be a scientist to understand it. The characters are well developed and women don't show up as tropes. This book follows patient zero through a new and strangely compelling illness. There are timeline updates similar to World War Z that drew me into the next chapter and then the next. I didn't want to put it down!

I was slightly afraid I'd be triggered reading this after living through Covid-19 but turns out this book has a way different feel and it wasn't a problem for me. If that's a concern for you I'd recommend giving this one a try.

I received a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[V.L. GURIOLI · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entheóphage is an eco-fiction novel in which Deóraich forges a connection between a new deadly virus affecting children only and the environment.

I had the pleasure of reading this novel recently and greatly enjoyed it! It is well-researched, with its fair share of biogenetic discussion. Medical terms like “bacteriophages,” “protein fragments,” and the “blood-brain barrier” abound, and yet it’s a highly accessible read. The narrative maintains an urgency which holds the reader’s interest from first page to last.

If environmental issues are top of mind for you, then this is a must read. If not, it still comes highly recommended!

Drema Deóraich is a talent and I can’t wait to read her next one!

[Leslie Kain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entheóphage by Drema Deòraich
Cli-fi and Eco-fiction meet medical Sci-fi in this spell-binding Spec-fic mystery. Deòraich has marshalled extensive research and consulted with medical and science experts to craft a story that feels authentic, highly plausible, topical, and captivating. I literally could not put it down! The story begins with a female researcher in a pharmaceutical company, who is driven to find a cure for her son’s illness, ruthlessly disregarding the impact of her methods on indigenous lives and the environment. Her actions trigger a worldwide epidemic in which children’s brains are affected by a novel bacteriophage that causes the kids to experience empathetic pain both in advance of and in response to ecological destruction. A CDC researcher and her crack team are brought in to solve the mystery and a cure, but the phage seems to have intelligence, a purpose. Should this phenomenon be cured? Deòraich has created a compelling drama with uniquely engaging characters, a complex plot that kept me turning pages, a timely message, and a final ending that could spawn an equally exciting sequel. FIVE STARS
-- Leslie Kain, author of Secrets In the Mirror

[Yvette Kulik · Rating 5 out of 5]

If a child is diagnosed with a rare neurological disorder, it can be a challenging time for parents. To seek out a specialist who has experience with the particular neurological disorder your child is diagnosed with. To learn as much as you can about the neurological disorder so that you can make informed decisions about your child's care and treatment. First points to do.
Dr. Isobel Fallon thinks she's found a treatment that will help her son and others suffering from Milani Syndrome, a rare neurological disorder. The source of this treatment in the only accessible place on earth it grows, a coral reef in the Nlaan Islands, what has some strange consequences. Millions of children worldwide succumbing to a new virus and no one seems to have made a connection between what's happening with the infected children and the events on a small coral reef in the South Pacific. Is there this connection? How to solve it? Are these children sick or are they changing?
Many questions. You can get answers from this interesting fiction story.

[Harper · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was immediately taken in with this story’s characters and Deòraich’s ability to paint a scene with her words. The descriptions of the setting made me feel I was actually out on a boat in the ocean, or in a hospital room standing at Kyn’s bedside.

This book is told from multiple points of view and shifts seamlessly between them without being jarring to the reader. I admit that when I read some books with multiple POVs I tend to have my favorite characters and feel like I’m slogging through certain chapters to get back to the people I care about, but with Entheóphage I was invested in what each character had to say, and the part they played as the story developed.

This story’s message about the toll we’re taking on the environment, and our need to make change is an important one. Anyone who has an interest in cli-fi and eco-fiction should read this story.

As an ARC reader I quite enjoyed Entheóphage, and look forward to more tales from the author.

[Sarah Remy · Rating 5 out of 5]

An extremely relevant Cli-Fi mystery, Entheóphage gave me shivers all the way through, both because the story hits very close to home and also because Deòraich's prose brings to life vibrant, empathetic characters that are all too relatable in their sorrows, their struggles, their mistakes and their triumphs.

As someone who failed HS biology, I found the science bits super cool, informative, and not at all patronizing. Kudos to Deóraich for what must have been extensive science-based research.

As someone supremely anxious about the fate of our planet, I took the rollercoaster ride that is Entheóphage with some trepidation, but came out the other side exhilarated and hopeful.

I received an ARC of Entheóphage in exchange for an honest review.

[Toi Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book during a rough patch in my life and it was a nice break from reality. Some of the science in this book is a little too hard for my regular consumption but it did add a layer of believability to the fantastical plot. I really hope this author gets an option for screen rights on this story. This is such a relatable concept and very much in tune with the global climate.

It's difficult for me to love a book that ends on a cliffhanger, but that has more to do with my personal preferences rather than the talent of the author. I get why the book ends the way it does and hopes that a sequel is well underway.

Highly recommended to science fiction fans, those with environmental concerns, lovers of diverse characters, and classic doom tales with redemption in sight.

[Carmen Baca · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an ARC reader, I can honestly say Drema hooked me from the beginning, kept me guessing, and then turned the tables when I least expected. Her use of multiple POVs made for fast-paced action. I had to remind myself how little time had passed as the story unfolded and then flew off with me into possibilities. This writer knows how to set the tone, how to create imagery as effectively as a movie playing out in my mind’s eye, and how to weave a well-written tale that left me wishing in a way that it were true.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

What do you do when a rare illness impacts your child? Whatever it takes and that is what. Dr Fallon thinks she has the answer and it sits off an island in a coral reef. Nadine Parker, a CDC researcher is also seeking answers of what is afflicting millions of children who are changing. Is this a virus? Will anyone believe them? Take the journey to seek and find answers in this fictional story. You will find yourself drawn in and turning the pages to uncover what they discover on their journey.

[Feather Chelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phenomenal

This is a truly amazing book that fits into a number of genres. It is well-written and researched thoroughly with a quite intriguing premise. The author has a true talent for creating realistic characters and bringing the story to life. In fact, it was a bit terrifying how plausible the events in this book became in my mind. I won’t give any spoilers, but I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys science fiction, medical dramas, or apocalyptic works.

[Dawn Brotherton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very entertaining. While hitting on important environmental issues, the story moves along at a good pace. This author has a strong enough scientific background to make the sci-fi plot believable without bogging the flow down in boring facts.

[Katrina Mae Mae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really interesting and creative book. The ticking clock of the "number of infected" at the start of each chapter kept me turning pages.
I was about 3 chapters from the end when I lost my copy. Waiting a month to finish it almost killed me.

[Maia Strong · Rating 4 out of 5]

A researcher bent on finding a cure for her son’s terminal illness. A widowed videogame designer whose daughter is struck down by a mysterious sickness. A CDC doctor tasked with solving the puzzle of a brand new disease. Entheóphage is a complex scientific story with humanity at its heart.

Doctor Isobel Fallon is on a quest to save her son’s life, collecting coral from a pristine South Pacific reef to synthesize a cure for his terminal illness. But her actions on the reef have farther reaching consequences than anyone could have imagined.

When Lukas Behn’s eight-year-old daughter starts sensing burning trees and dying flowers, he thinks it’s her imagination—until she collapses and is rushed to the hospital. What starts out as an individual case rapidly grows into a citywide crisis and from there a worldwide pandemic that strikes only prepubescent children.

Doctor Nadine Parker, expert with the US Centers for Disease Control, leads the team tasked to find out what’s hurting the kids and stop it, hopefully even reverse its effects. Meanwhile, the culprit—a previously unknown bacteriophage—spreads without a logical, traceable path.

Rigorous scientific research leads to a disturbing hypothesis: the phage, dubbed entheóphage by the press, has a direct correlation to environmental damage being perpetrated by humanity. And the phage is causing the infected children to feel it all.

The author’s beautiful prose drew me in, but it was her compelling story that kept me turning the pages. Deóraich seamlessly weaves the speculative elements into a world easily recognized as our own, making the story feel immediate and accessible, braiding the three distinct narrative voices into a complex yet clear story even the non-scientifically minded can follow. (I speak from personal experience as a straight B science student.) Isobel’s desperate drive towards her goal is palpable as she faces diplomatic delays and failing tests. I felt Luk’s frustration as doctors dismissed his concerns as nonsense and even challenged his fitness as a father. And I appreciated Nadine’s willingness to keep an open mind as the scientific method leads her to a potentially metaphysical hypothesis.

These three central characters are supported by a rich cast that helps fill the world, bringing added dimension through their fully developed relationships. Luk’s daughter, Kyndra, is particularly compelling. As the phage affects her brain, she lucidly insists it’s not her and the infected children who are ill, but everyone else. As a reader living in our current geopolitical climate, her arguments are easy to believe.

If you enjoy grounded speculative fiction, medical mysteries, and climate activism, this is a book you won’t want to put down. I am definitely looking forward to more from this author.

I received a free ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Literary Titan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entheóphage, by Drema Deòraich, is a captivating narrative centered on environmental crisis and human accountability. The story begins with a gripping and tragic event: Lukas Behn’s daughter becomes the first known victim of a strange pandemic affecting only children. What sets this illness apart is not just its mystery but the victims' profound empathic connection to the environment, a link that reveals the broader impact of humanity’s reckless actions. Lukas finds an unexpected partner in Nadine, the CDC’s lead investigator, whose fearless determination uncovers the disease's chilling correlation with environmental pollution. As the plot deepens, Dr. Isobel, a scientist working for the pharmaceutical giant Holschtatt, is revealed as a pivotal figure. She oversees the destructive exploitation of coral reefs around the Nlaan Islands, ignoring the ecological devastation caused in pursuit of corporate interests. Together, Lukas and Nadine confront a world in denial, battling public indifference and corporate resistance to expose the true costs of environmental neglect. Deòraich’s novel is more than just a dystopian warning—it's a powerful reminder of the irreversible damage we risk by ignoring the earth’s warnings.

One of the novel’s standout features is its seamless integration of science. Deòraich has clearly done extensive research, crafting a fictional disease whose symptoms and underlying mechanisms are not only plausible but are explained with impressive clarity. The scientific elements are woven naturally into the plot, never feeling forced, and they contribute to the unsettling realism of the pandemic’s portrayal. The balance between hard science and the development of complex, relatable characters is masterful, making for a story that is both emotionally engaging and intellectually stimulating.

A key strength of Entheóphage is its refusal to offer easy solutions or to vilify any one character. Instead, the author delves into the intricacies of human impact on the environment. Dr. Isobel, for example, is not depicted as a simple antagonist. Her motivations and internal struggles are given depth, illustrating the gray areas between corporate ambition and ecological destruction. This nuanced approach adds a layer of authenticity to the story, making the characters feel real and their conflicts compelling.

Entheóphage is an engrossing blend of scientific insight, moral urgency, and thought-provoking storytelling. Its message is clear: the time to act is now before it’s too late. This book is an excellent read for all ages, offering both a warning and a call to action for those concerned about the future of our planet.

[Sofia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very interesting audiobook, at first I thought we would go in one direction but in the end we went 180 degrees in the other, really I was ready to describe this book as a mixture of Coocon (the 1985 movie) and childhood’s end, because it started to tick many of the boxes, but one of this two examples didn’t really go into the mix. ^__^ and you wont have spoilers with me.

This is kind of an ecological science fiction story, we humans, have many excuses for what we do, in our world, in this book one of our main characters Isabel Fallon is a driven woman, that will stop at nothing to find a cure for the disease of her younger son, but with her actions many things will fallen down the world and our children… Luk the father of Kyn, that is also named patient zero, in many points of this book, is in many aspects more likeable than doctor Isabel, at least for me… he is the owner of a video-game company and for me he was the most honest of the parents we listen the views of… he listen to what his daughter says and take it to face value, in other hand we have parents that may agree but because they are not usual couple they prefer to retreat and not take part of the action… I think that would also explain what happened to their son in the end… but again that is for me to know and for you to find out…

it was a good story, and made me think, I also did enjoy the narration, I love when the person reading makes all the voices and accents of the characters, it really help in bringing the book to life.

Thank you Storyorigin, for the free AAC and this is my honest opinion.

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I devoured ENTHEOPHAGE in two days. This is a really well written work of sci fi climate fiction featuring three main protagonists. Dr. Isabel Fallon is a doctor mining coral reefs in the South Pacific because she has learned that the coral can be used to create a cure for Milani Syndrome (something similar to Huntington’s that affects children—and is affecting her 5-year-old child.) Kyndra is a young girl in Austin, Texas who is one of the first children to fall ill from a strange new epidemic. As the disease spreads across the globe and only children fall ill, scientists and doctors are desperate to discover what is causing the illness. And finally Nadine is a CDC researcher who thinks she may have put the pieces together, and the answer is more shocking than anyone will be able to accept. I loved the writing in this book. It was well paced, there was a mix of science with the medical end of things being very well done and sci fi with children with new emerging psychic powers. I loved the heightened sense of urgency and panic, both from the doctors and parents treating the epidemic, and also I could, even as I watched Isabel doing the wrong thing, sympathize with her actions, because what mother wouldn’t do what she was doing. She says at one point, she had to make a choice between her son’s life or a fish, and of course she chose her son. I thought that was extremely well written. This was an excellent novel. I can’t wait to see what Drema Deoraich writes next! 5/5 stars.

[Janice Carr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Three related stories are skillfully woven together toward a common ending in this groundbreaking novel. The empathy the kids feel for all life on the planet contrasts crisply with the myopic focus of the adults, (even the heroes), on money and reputation.
The pace never lets up, while all the players are maneuvered into a world-changing climax.
This book will change how you see the world. For example, the bees were happily nectaring on the weeds in my yard until I mowed them. The next day, I could see, almost feel, the bees searching for the source they had been relying on. I'm not giving anybody an excuse not to mow their lawn. I am just illustrating how this book can change your perspective. I wouldn't have even noticed those bees before.
Not as extreme as the phage, but, like Luk's new video game, this book can make us more conscious of, and more empathic to what is going on in the environment. I hope more people will read this and become more keenly aware of the plight of the plants and wildlife we are harming in our everyday lives, locally and globally.

[Rick Stevens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entheóphage is a well-paced story that chronicles the appearance of a microorganism that infects children and results in a puzzling, mysterious combination of symptoms. The interplay of social issues, and personal loyalties as the nature of the problem is slowly revealed drives the action as the richly drawn main characters seek to save children at large, as well as their own loved ones.

This is not what one usually thinks of when using the term ‘science fiction.’ But sci-fi elements such as the possibility of a large, diverse organism displaying something akin to consciousness and purpose asks readers to consider challenging questions and philosophical issues. The way that the organism communicates with and through the children portrays what could seem almost mystical as a possible natural process that seeks to unite life on Earth.

[Curiouser_reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entheóphage pulled me in from the first page. This sci-fi novel weaves together environmental crisis, human culpability, and medical innovation in a way that feels urgent and unsettling. At its center is a pandemic-like illness affecting only children — who are transforming at the cellular level, becoming interconnected with each other and the natural world, feeling the pain of every environmental wound inflicted around them. It's a haunting premise that hits differently in the current climate.

The characters are well-developed, the pacing relentless, and the suspense holds all the way to the final sentence. A genuine page-turner.

Thank you to NetGalley and Niveym Arts LLC for the ARC.

Overall: 4.75/5

[Joanne Guidoccio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Riveted from the start, I couldn’t read fast enough to discover what happened in this well-researched and well-plotted novel. The thought of millions of pre-pubescent children screaming in pain as they are “rewired to feel every human’s slap in Nature’s face” is mind-boggling. And even more frightening is the connection between the infected children and the events on a small coral reef in the South Pacific.

A natural storyteller, Ms. Deòraich skillfully weaves the internal and external conflicts of the characters into the narrative. I was also impressed by the smooth handling of multiple POVs, plot twists, and unexpected ending.

I highly recommend this bold and gripping debut novel.