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Jericho Rose
The plague in REBOOT 1 & 2 is over. It's time to rebuild, but there are some who are trying to turn the pandemic to their own advantage. An authoritarian government uses a pod system to force the population into permanent lock-down, and seeks to overcome the mass infertility which is an effect of the virus by creating hybrid foetuses. Can human life ever return to normal? Can Lander and his friends win against overwhelming odds?
338 pages, Paperback
Published August 2, 2022
4 people want to read
About the author
Phill Featherstone
15 books97 followersPhill alternates between writing, drinking coffee, and playing the saxaphone (badly) - not always in that order. He lives in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England with Sally, his wife and partner of more years than they can count.
Phill is the award winning author of a number of novels and short stories. Most are about young people and therefore get the YA tag, but they're enjoyed by readers of all ages, including retirees.
Paradise Girl, Book 1 of Phill's REBOOT trilogy, is set in the northern hills where, amidst the majestic beauty of the rolling moors, a world pandemic consigns a lone young woman to a bleak future. In Book 2, Aftershocks, the twin brother of the heroine of Book 1 sets out to discover the truth behind the infection. REBOOT concludes with Jericho Rose. By now the pandemic is over and it's time to rebuild. However, there are a selfish few who seek to exploit the situation for their own ends and this risks losing the little that's left.
Phill's fourth novel, The God Jar, is a tale of magic and mystery which straddles 16th century Europe and 20th century England. John Dee, Elizabethan sorcerer and mystic, finds a jar which he discovers has enormous powers. 400 years later it resurfaces when a pair of honeymooners come across it on a diving trip. But have they found the jar or has it found them?
In What Dreams We Had a group of young people on holiday in Italy are forced to confront uncomfortable truths about who they are and what's important to them, and to wonder whether anything they thought was real actually is.
I Know What You're Thinking, is a thriller in which a pair of teenagers share the ability to see into each other's mind. When one of them disappears can the other use this gift to find them, and if they can what price must they pay?
Phill has also written a book of short stories, Undiscovered Countries. It's free to subscribers to his his email newsletter. Go to www.phillfeatherstone.net to sign up for this, writing updates and book recommendations.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
May 6, 2025
Jericho Rose, the third and final instalment in Phill Featherstone’s REBOOT series, delivers a compelling conclusion to this dystopian young adult fiction trilogy. Following the devastating plague depicted in the first two books, the Author explores the aftermath of a pandemic world, where the struggle now centres on rebuilding society against those who seek to exploit the crisis.
The narrative picks up after the plague has subsided, but humanity faces new challenges as an authoritarian government implements a restrictive “pod system,” essentially forcing the population into permanent lockdown. Adding to the dystopian landscape, the government attempts to address mass infertility—a consequence of the virus—through controversial experiments creating hybrid foetuses. The plot moves at an engaging pace, neither rushing crucial developments nor lingering unnecessarily on exposition. The Author maintains tension throughout, keeping readers invested in whether protagonist Lander and his allies can overcome seemingly insurmountable odds.
The character development in Jericho Rose benefits from the groundwork laid in previous books. Lander remains a compelling protagonist whose journey readers have followed throughout the series. His continued evolution feels authentic as he navigates this transformed world. The Author demonstrates skill in maintaining emotional investment in established characters while introducing new dynamics relevant to the changed landscape. The relationships between characters carry emotional weight precisely because readers have developed connections with them across multiple books.
The novel thoughtfully explores several interconnected themes: the tension between security and freedom, the ethical boundaries of scientific advancement, and the resilience of human connection even in the most oppressive circumstances. Particularly relevant is the examination of how crises can be manipulated by those seeking power. The narrative raises profound questions about what constitutes “normal” life after catastrophic societal disruption and whether returning to pre-plague conditions is either possible or desirable. These thematic elements elevate the story beyond typical YA dystopian fiction.
The Author’s prose remains consistent with previous instalments—accessible without being simplistic, emotional without veering into melodrama. The world-building feels credible, with logical extensions of the pandemic’s consequences thoughtfully integrated into the narrative. Dialogue serves character development effectively while advancing the plot.
Jericho Rose provides a satisfying conclusion to the REBOOT trilogy, offering both resolution to overarching conflicts and thoughtful exploration of complex themes. The novel maintains dramatic tension while allowing meaningful character arcs to reach fulfilment. Fans of the series will find their investment in these characters and this world richly rewarded.
I award 5 stars.
The narrative picks up after the plague has subsided, but humanity faces new challenges as an authoritarian government implements a restrictive “pod system,” essentially forcing the population into permanent lockdown. Adding to the dystopian landscape, the government attempts to address mass infertility—a consequence of the virus—through controversial experiments creating hybrid foetuses. The plot moves at an engaging pace, neither rushing crucial developments nor lingering unnecessarily on exposition. The Author maintains tension throughout, keeping readers invested in whether protagonist Lander and his allies can overcome seemingly insurmountable odds.
The character development in Jericho Rose benefits from the groundwork laid in previous books. Lander remains a compelling protagonist whose journey readers have followed throughout the series. His continued evolution feels authentic as he navigates this transformed world. The Author demonstrates skill in maintaining emotional investment in established characters while introducing new dynamics relevant to the changed landscape. The relationships between characters carry emotional weight precisely because readers have developed connections with them across multiple books.
The novel thoughtfully explores several interconnected themes: the tension between security and freedom, the ethical boundaries of scientific advancement, and the resilience of human connection even in the most oppressive circumstances. Particularly relevant is the examination of how crises can be manipulated by those seeking power. The narrative raises profound questions about what constitutes “normal” life after catastrophic societal disruption and whether returning to pre-plague conditions is either possible or desirable. These thematic elements elevate the story beyond typical YA dystopian fiction.
The Author’s prose remains consistent with previous instalments—accessible without being simplistic, emotional without veering into melodrama. The world-building feels credible, with logical extensions of the pandemic’s consequences thoughtfully integrated into the narrative. Dialogue serves character development effectively while advancing the plot.
Jericho Rose provides a satisfying conclusion to the REBOOT trilogy, offering both resolution to overarching conflicts and thoughtful exploration of complex themes. The novel maintains dramatic tension while allowing meaningful character arcs to reach fulfilment. Fans of the series will find their investment in these characters and this world richly rewarded.
I award 5 stars.
April 29, 2020
A WISHING SHELF BOOK REVIEW
29th April 2020
TITLE: Jericho Rose
AUTHOR: Phill Featherstone
Star Rating: 4.5
‘A fascinating, thought-provoking insight into a post-plague world.’ The Wishing Shelf
REVIEW
In a world battling the coronavirus, this YA novel – the third in the trilogy – is oddly relevant. Set in a post-plague world, the survivors must find a way of moving on. But liberty is endangered by a dictatorship-style government which is keeping the citizens in lockdown and trying to find a way of overcoming the problems of infertility. The characters in the story want answers we, living in this world, also want: Can life ever return to normal? Do governments ever have the right to control what we do and where we go?
The author of this trilogy, Phill Featherstone, is a very accomplished writer. Having enjoyed all three of the books, I can honestly tell you that this story is gripping. Not only that, it’s also thought-provoking. The author attempts – and is mostly successful – in offering young adults a compelling thriller, charismatic, often introspective characters and, most importantly, a pertinent dilemma for them to overcome.
Would I recommend this book? Totally. Who to? Well, anybody who enjoys post-apocalyptic thrillers will find this a compelling story. I suspect many adults will also get a lot from this thoughtfully-written novel. And, of course, anybody who is looking for answers as to how the world gets out of this mess it is presently in might find this trilogy food for thought. Which, I guess, is pretty much everybody!
Enjoy!
A ‘Wishing Shelf’ Book Review
www.thewsa.co.uk
29th April 2020
TITLE: Jericho Rose
AUTHOR: Phill Featherstone
Star Rating: 4.5
‘A fascinating, thought-provoking insight into a post-plague world.’ The Wishing Shelf
REVIEW
In a world battling the coronavirus, this YA novel – the third in the trilogy – is oddly relevant. Set in a post-plague world, the survivors must find a way of moving on. But liberty is endangered by a dictatorship-style government which is keeping the citizens in lockdown and trying to find a way of overcoming the problems of infertility. The characters in the story want answers we, living in this world, also want: Can life ever return to normal? Do governments ever have the right to control what we do and where we go?
The author of this trilogy, Phill Featherstone, is a very accomplished writer. Having enjoyed all three of the books, I can honestly tell you that this story is gripping. Not only that, it’s also thought-provoking. The author attempts – and is mostly successful – in offering young adults a compelling thriller, charismatic, often introspective characters and, most importantly, a pertinent dilemma for them to overcome.
Would I recommend this book? Totally. Who to? Well, anybody who enjoys post-apocalyptic thrillers will find this a compelling story. I suspect many adults will also get a lot from this thoughtfully-written novel. And, of course, anybody who is looking for answers as to how the world gets out of this mess it is presently in might find this trilogy food for thought. Which, I guess, is pretty much everybody!
Enjoy!
A ‘Wishing Shelf’ Book Review
www.thewsa.co.uk
Read
June 15, 2020Jericho Rose is a further contribution from Phill Featherstone to the story of what happens in Britain when a disastrous virus wipes out about ninety per cent of the population. Heard about it ? In this imagined case the story is told through characters we have met in Paradise Girl and Aftershocks who, though they have lost some close ones to the virus, are surviving in an authoritarian state, managed through a government with phoney electoral credentials, and which is seeking a scientific solution to widespread male and female infertility. A new vaccine is at the heart of the quest, giving a renewed topicality to the story. The heroes and heroines of the plot move between the highly controlled world of ‘pods’ to the uncontrolled world of ‘Drifters’ seeking a form of freedom in this toxic environment. The outcome is nevertheless a homage to life itself (and rather specifically to life on the Pennine farm where the Paradise Girl story began).
This is an interesting trilogy, especially in the Covid19 context, and a pointer to what really might happen if this or another virus really devastated the world population. There are other ways of thinking about global viral attacks but this is a very personal and effective one, to be recommended.
This is an interesting trilogy, especially in the Covid19 context, and a pointer to what really might happen if this or another virus really devastated the world population. There are other ways of thinking about global viral attacks but this is a very personal and effective one, to be recommended.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews