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The Palace Program #1
New Kings of Tomorrow
“His writing is haunting, honest, and refreshing. There are echoes of Stephen King in his character development, and an understanding of the human condition that is sometimes uncanny.”
USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR— Michael Ploof
*** WARNING This book contains some sexual/assault material, both minor and severe in nature. Please do not download if those subjects bother you. WARNING***
Twenty years ago, Jacob lost everything. Just as he was starting to figure out life as a college freshman, his world was suddenly shattered when a devastating illness destroyed the world he once knew and claimed the lives of everyone that mattered to him.
Jacob and the other survivors of the pandemic were transported to the Palace Program. Housed in a quarantined modern facility, the Palace is a perfect community designed to protect them from the sickness that wiped out ninety-five percent of the world population.
The Order, which has risen as the new ruling power, and believes the desires of the old world were responsible for its collapse. They appoint Sirus, the program director, to rehabilitate the survivors and continue with the reproduction of mankind.
As the years go by and Jacob's relationships in the Palace become more complex, he slowly begins to see that the man-made utopian society is nothing close to a perfect tomorrow, but is instead an unfathomable deception.
New Kings of Tomorrow is a high intensity, self-introspective journey through a dystopian world on the brink of a revival or implosion. This book is Handmaid's Tale, Under the Dome, The Dark Tower, and The Maze Runner intertwined into a page-turning thriller that is sometimes scary and enlightening. J.M. Clark created a post-apocalyptic world full of suspense and gripping plot-twists.
Review
“I can only say that the story is a roller coaster ride of suspense and action. Clark takes us on several twists and turns that jaded reader I may be, I never saw coming. He is insidious with the way he dribbles little clues at us that the paradise of the Palace is not all that it seems and could be so much more. The pacing is enthralling, and it is difficult to put down once started. All of this is great, but to be honest, the best part about this book is that it defies labels. It's dystopian. It's mystery suspense. It's sci-fi, and psychological thriller. It is so many things, but most of all it's unique in that it tells a great story and does it uncompromisingly. “——-Amazon Reader
“J.M. Clark is the New King of Today's Near Future SciFi genre!” —-Science Fiction Critique
“Just finished reading, New Kings of Tomorrow by J.M. Clark and I don’t want to put too many spoilers in it, but the ending is so off the wall and not what you were expecting the whole time that it would make M. Night Shyamalan jealous and wishing he’d thought of it. It is a near future sci-fi book, that really hits close to home with all the things happening in it. This book is like an emotional roller coaster of twists and turns. It starts out with an event ripped right off what could be one of our front page news stories, a flu pandemic that wipes out like 95% of the Earth’s population.”——Mike Danielson, Goodreads
USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR— Michael Ploof
*** WARNING This book contains some sexual/assault material, both minor and severe in nature. Please do not download if those subjects bother you. WARNING***
Twenty years ago, Jacob lost everything. Just as he was starting to figure out life as a college freshman, his world was suddenly shattered when a devastating illness destroyed the world he once knew and claimed the lives of everyone that mattered to him.
Jacob and the other survivors of the pandemic were transported to the Palace Program. Housed in a quarantined modern facility, the Palace is a perfect community designed to protect them from the sickness that wiped out ninety-five percent of the world population.
The Order, which has risen as the new ruling power, and believes the desires of the old world were responsible for its collapse. They appoint Sirus, the program director, to rehabilitate the survivors and continue with the reproduction of mankind.
As the years go by and Jacob's relationships in the Palace become more complex, he slowly begins to see that the man-made utopian society is nothing close to a perfect tomorrow, but is instead an unfathomable deception.
New Kings of Tomorrow is a high intensity, self-introspective journey through a dystopian world on the brink of a revival or implosion. This book is Handmaid's Tale, Under the Dome, The Dark Tower, and The Maze Runner intertwined into a page-turning thriller that is sometimes scary and enlightening. J.M. Clark created a post-apocalyptic world full of suspense and gripping plot-twists.
Review
“I can only say that the story is a roller coaster ride of suspense and action. Clark takes us on several twists and turns that jaded reader I may be, I never saw coming. He is insidious with the way he dribbles little clues at us that the paradise of the Palace is not all that it seems and could be so much more. The pacing is enthralling, and it is difficult to put down once started. All of this is great, but to be honest, the best part about this book is that it defies labels. It's dystopian. It's mystery suspense. It's sci-fi, and psychological thriller. It is so many things, but most of all it's unique in that it tells a great story and does it uncompromisingly. “——-Amazon Reader
“J.M. Clark is the New King of Today's Near Future SciFi genre!” —-Science Fiction Critique
“Just finished reading, New Kings of Tomorrow by J.M. Clark and I don’t want to put too many spoilers in it, but the ending is so off the wall and not what you were expecting the whole time that it would make M. Night Shyamalan jealous and wishing he’d thought of it. It is a near future sci-fi book, that really hits close to home with all the things happening in it. This book is like an emotional roller coaster of twists and turns. It starts out with an event ripped right off what could be one of our front page news stories, a flu pandemic that wipes out like 95% of the Earth’s population.”——Mike Danielson, Goodreads
296 pages, Hardcover
Published December 9, 2021
232 people are currently reading
268 people want to read
About the author
J.M. Clark
5 books6 followersA self-professed outgoing pessimist, J.M. Clark is a word enthusiast and an up-and-coming science fiction author in southern Ohio. J.M. studied English literature and writing at Northern Kentucky University. Now, a member of Cincinnati Fantasy-writers and Sci-fi and Fantasy-writers of America, J. M. indulges in his passion for writing and critiquing work in the realm of fantasy fiction. An avid reader, and transitional professional from lyricist to author, J.M. loves interacting with friends and other writers. He continues to deliver hesitantly optimistic advice, and produce work that keeps fans constantly wanting more.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
October 1, 2018
New Kings of Tomorrow started off with an exciting bang. Told from a handful of different points of view, rotating around with each chapter. This book was an up and down ride of excitement. One minute, everything seemed normal with the characters and the Palace they've been placed in. The next, we're bordering on mental breakdowns and outbursts that stay locked up inside of our characters until they may burst one way or another. No matter the training, our Old World characters just cannot be changed any deeper than what their surface offers. Fake smiles, cooperation for the sake of surviving peacefully, riding under a radar.
This book shows us from a different point of view how little a quarantine will change human nature - no matter how disgusting or even beautiful that can be. We're always questioning authority, always lacking the trust in those we feel the need to question. Humans are an interesting bunch and I felt this book explained that well.
My favorite character was Jacob. From the very beginning, I enjoyed his storyline and his personality the most.
This ending had me happy and then sad and then shocked.
As a warning: There is pedophilia and rape within the pages of this book and I did skip that character's POV chapters after realizing that.
This book shows us from a different point of view how little a quarantine will change human nature - no matter how disgusting or even beautiful that can be. We're always questioning authority, always lacking the trust in those we feel the need to question. Humans are an interesting bunch and I felt this book explained that well.
My favorite character was Jacob. From the very beginning, I enjoyed his storyline and his personality the most.
This ending had me happy and then sad and then shocked.
As a warning: There is pedophilia and rape within the pages of this book and I did skip that character's POV chapters after realizing that.
February 9, 2019
I hate leaving bad reviews, but this book was tough for me. The ending was really interesting - I wouldn’t have seen the big twist coming, and it’s an interesting premise - but it was hard to get that far.
First off: major trigger warnings necessary for sexual assault of a minor and for self-harm and suicide. While it’s possible that these become important later in the series, they were gratuitous in this book and did nothing to move the story further. **For the record, reading about this stuff doesn’t typically bother me, and I was upset by these scenes (the self harm scene in particular, the assault scene a bit less; the suicide was fairly benign in my opinion)**
Second: science. Think about pandemics and immunity. People who were still alive to be brought into the program didn’t need protection from the “flu,” they were naturally immune. Otherwise they’d have died with everyone else. So the whole quarantine zone and hazmat suits and everything is just ridiculous.
Third: the “greater understanding program” was transparent as all hell.
Fourth: too many points of view. Telling the story from 7+ perspectives works when you’ve got space to explore each of those personalities. When you only meet some of those characters once or twice, it’s a waste. That many characters are hard to keep track of, and when you start killing off POV characters it’s like... what’s the point.
All in all, the writing was good, but the numerous povs made it hard to follow, the science felt like a giant plot hole, and the triggering items mentioned above were in poor taste. Would not recommend. Will not be continuing the series.
First off: major trigger warnings necessary for sexual assault of a minor and for self-harm and suicide. While it’s possible that these become important later in the series, they were gratuitous in this book and did nothing to move the story further. **For the record, reading about this stuff doesn’t typically bother me, and I was upset by these scenes (the self harm scene in particular, the assault scene a bit less; the suicide was fairly benign in my opinion)**
Second: science. Think about pandemics and immunity. People who were still alive to be brought into the program didn’t need protection from the “flu,” they were naturally immune. Otherwise they’d have died with everyone else. So the whole quarantine zone and hazmat suits and everything is just ridiculous.
Third: the “greater understanding program” was transparent as all hell.
Fourth: too many points of view. Telling the story from 7+ perspectives works when you’ve got space to explore each of those personalities. When you only meet some of those characters once or twice, it’s a waste. That many characters are hard to keep track of, and when you start killing off POV characters it’s like... what’s the point.
All in all, the writing was good, but the numerous povs made it hard to follow, the science felt like a giant plot hole, and the triggering items mentioned above were in poor taste. Would not recommend. Will not be continuing the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 10, 2018
Captivating, But Offensive
This book is a page turner. The plot, with its various twists, was good. Halfway through, however, the book started to focus on sexual violence. It's not what I was expecting, nor is it something I enjoy reading. So it's an interesting futuristic book that should be rated M for Mature.
This book is a page turner. The plot, with its various twists, was good. Halfway through, however, the book started to focus on sexual violence. It's not what I was expecting, nor is it something I enjoy reading. So it's an interesting futuristic book that should be rated M for Mature.
November 6, 2018
Well, that was painful
I’m not sure why I slogged through this entire book. The prose was leaden and left nothing to the reader’s imagination, the graphic violence unnecessary. Nothing redeeming about it at all. Truly, it was a painful experience.
I’m not sure why I slogged through this entire book. The prose was leaden and left nothing to the reader’s imagination, the graphic violence unnecessary. Nothing redeeming about it at all. Truly, it was a painful experience.
February 13, 2018
A virulent form of the flu sweeps across the world killing off most of the human population in a matter of days. A few lucky survivors are snatched up by the remains of the government and spirited away to safe locations known as Palaces. Thus begins the lengthy process of attempting to repopulate the human race while at the same time, educating the survivors so that the excesses of the "old-world" are never allowed to occur again. This is the story of one such Palace and the secrets it holds.
First of all let's talk characterization. It's freaking phenomenal. The protagonists of the story are Jacob and Trevor, two survivors of the old world, trying to make sense of this new normal even twenty years later. Mary is a young woman born into the Palace who is slowly falling in love with Jacob, a concept that is frowned by the new order. Clark does an amazing job bringing his characters to life. Jacob is a sure favorite, being both intelligent and a bit self-destructive at the same time. He clings to his past even while attempting to conform to the new way of doing things which is far different from the world he grew up in. Trevor, I especially loved. He is in his sixties, an ex marine and as stodgy as they come. Doing whatever he can to protect his wife Amy and hoping to one day escape the restrictive confines of the Palace.
Sirus is the executive in charge of the compound and he is a great foil for our main characters (and just about anyone else that is naughty in his domain.) He is the typical bureaucrat but a politician as well, meticulously planning every meeting, discussion or come-to-Jesus meeting with unruly members of the Palace. All hope to get into the Greater Understanding Program which means leaving their Palace and going out into the world to be fruitful, multiply and erase the mistakes of the old-world. He's as sly as the devil and just as charismatic. Is he good? Is he bad? Is he just middle management? He keeps us guessing.
Without revealing any spoilers I can only say that the story is a roller coaster ride of suspense and action. Clark takes us on several twists and turns that jaded reader I may be, I never saw coming. He is insidious with the way he dribbles little clues at us that the paradise of the Palace is not all that it seems and could be so much more. The pacing is enthralling and it is difficult to put down once started.
All of this is great, but to be honest, the best part about this book is that it defies labels. It's dystopian. It's mystery suspense. It's scif-fi and psychological thriller. It is so many things, but most of all it's unique in that it tells a great story and does it uncompromisingly.
My only real complaints are that that narration sometimes goes on about a character's background or motivations where I'd rather see that some out in their actions or dialogue. Overall this is a great read that I highly recommend.
First of all let's talk characterization. It's freaking phenomenal. The protagonists of the story are Jacob and Trevor, two survivors of the old world, trying to make sense of this new normal even twenty years later. Mary is a young woman born into the Palace who is slowly falling in love with Jacob, a concept that is frowned by the new order. Clark does an amazing job bringing his characters to life. Jacob is a sure favorite, being both intelligent and a bit self-destructive at the same time. He clings to his past even while attempting to conform to the new way of doing things which is far different from the world he grew up in. Trevor, I especially loved. He is in his sixties, an ex marine and as stodgy as they come. Doing whatever he can to protect his wife Amy and hoping to one day escape the restrictive confines of the Palace.
Sirus is the executive in charge of the compound and he is a great foil for our main characters (and just about anyone else that is naughty in his domain.) He is the typical bureaucrat but a politician as well, meticulously planning every meeting, discussion or come-to-Jesus meeting with unruly members of the Palace. All hope to get into the Greater Understanding Program which means leaving their Palace and going out into the world to be fruitful, multiply and erase the mistakes of the old-world. He's as sly as the devil and just as charismatic. Is he good? Is he bad? Is he just middle management? He keeps us guessing.
Without revealing any spoilers I can only say that the story is a roller coaster ride of suspense and action. Clark takes us on several twists and turns that jaded reader I may be, I never saw coming. He is insidious with the way he dribbles little clues at us that the paradise of the Palace is not all that it seems and could be so much more. The pacing is enthralling and it is difficult to put down once started.
All of this is great, but to be honest, the best part about this book is that it defies labels. It's dystopian. It's mystery suspense. It's scif-fi and psychological thriller. It is so many things, but most of all it's unique in that it tells a great story and does it uncompromisingly.
My only real complaints are that that narration sometimes goes on about a character's background or motivations where I'd rather see that some out in their actions or dialogue. Overall this is a great read that I highly recommend.
February 10, 2018
Just finished reading, New Kings Of Tomorrow by J.M. Clark and I don’t want to put too many spoilers in it, but the ending is so off the wall and not what you were expecting the whole time that it would make M. Night Shyamalan jealous and wishing he’d thought of it. It is a near future sci-fi book, that really hits close to home with all the things happening in it. This book is like an emotional roller coaster of twists and turns. It starts out with an event ripped right off what could be one of our front page news stories, a flu pandemic that wipes out like 95% of the Earth’s population. Then a group called “The Order” drives around in white vans collecting survivors of the sickness and taking them to their new home in “The Palace”. In the Palace itself are three classes of people; The Old Worlders, the ones who survived the pandemic and bring with them the baggage of losing loved ones and an entire way of life. The Palace-Born, the ones who were born and raised in the safety and security of the Palace. Finally, the Order, the puppet masters, the ones pulling the strings on all the other participants of the “show”. This is J.M. Clark’s first book and that is extremely surprising by the way this guy ties everything in together. The complex relationships, the back stories and the exciting crescendo of it all at the end. This definitely does not seem like the product of an amateur author. Also, if you are familiar with The Walking Dead, and how they kill off main characters all the time, you will love this book. Some of the characters you get used to and are pulling for the entire book, don’t even exist at all, ala The Sixth Sense. This guy is the “real deal” I loved this book and can not wait for book two of, The Order of Chaos series, Tomorrow’s Wraith...but like every tv in The Palace says....Please Wait.
September 11, 2022
It starts with a pandemic. And while some aspects of it look familiar, this was published in 2018. Instead of lingering lockdowns, vaccine anxiety, and impatience for it all to end, we get The Stand.
Like The Stand, JM Clark has 95% of humanity wiped out in a day. What happens next is survivors rounded up and taken to a place of safety called The Palace. There are other palaces, but this one is in southern Indiana. For those from the "Old World," it's been a long 20 years waiting to get into the "Greater Understanding Program," a promised reward for those to get out of the Palace and go reclaim the world. But all is not as it seems. Two men, Trevor and Jacob, the trauma of losing their families lingers. And they grow tired of the ever-watchful eye of Sirus, the mysterious leader of the Palace. The teachers all have the names of Apostles (Brother Paul, Brother Matthew, Brother Simon). Over time, some of the "Old World" people snap from the strain of the Palace's regimented lifestyle.
As I said before, there are elements of The Stand in this, at least in the beginning. The pandemic is set in Greater Cincinnati, where I live, so those scenes were rather unsettling. The Palace, though, is more a cross between a Twilight Zone episode (specifically "To Serve Man") and 1984. We never learn the truth of the Order, which runs the Palace. Sirus gives a different answer every time he's confronted with it. Of course, this is book 1 of a trilogy, so giving away all the goods wouldn't work here.
It is, however, fresh take on the post-apocalyptic dystopia genre. Instead of an overdone rehash of The Hunger Games (I'm looking at you, Maze Runner), we get a brand new universe with the outside world still a blank slate at the end.
Like The Stand, JM Clark has 95% of humanity wiped out in a day. What happens next is survivors rounded up and taken to a place of safety called The Palace. There are other palaces, but this one is in southern Indiana. For those from the "Old World," it's been a long 20 years waiting to get into the "Greater Understanding Program," a promised reward for those to get out of the Palace and go reclaim the world. But all is not as it seems. Two men, Trevor and Jacob, the trauma of losing their families lingers. And they grow tired of the ever-watchful eye of Sirus, the mysterious leader of the Palace. The teachers all have the names of Apostles (Brother Paul, Brother Matthew, Brother Simon). Over time, some of the "Old World" people snap from the strain of the Palace's regimented lifestyle.
As I said before, there are elements of The Stand in this, at least in the beginning. The pandemic is set in Greater Cincinnati, where I live, so those scenes were rather unsettling. The Palace, though, is more a cross between a Twilight Zone episode (specifically "To Serve Man") and 1984. We never learn the truth of the Order, which runs the Palace. Sirus gives a different answer every time he's confronted with it. Of course, this is book 1 of a trilogy, so giving away all the goods wouldn't work here.
It is, however, fresh take on the post-apocalyptic dystopia genre. Instead of an overdone rehash of The Hunger Games (I'm looking at you, Maze Runner), we get a brand new universe with the outside world still a blank slate at the end.
February 5, 2018
Wow. Where do I begin? I've never shown any interest at all in sci-fi books of any kind, except for "Goosebumps" thrillers as a child. & Let's just say, this book gave me back that excitement for reading, like how we enjoyed reading as a child. I cannot believe this is his first novel. The author sets up the perfect scenario for your mind to race, and wonder on what's going to happen next. To call it a page turner would be a disrespect & an understatement. Generally when I read it's already something I've read but just in different wording, to the point to where I've often caught myself already knowing the ending, breezing through what I am reading. I took my time with this novel, it was that intricate, some of the excerpts were so genius I had to re- read them for confirmation. Each character in his book had their own personality, & ways about themselves which made it easy to follow along. One of my greatest pet peeves to date, is a novel that cannot keep my attention. JM definitely had NO issues, in doing that for me. He took me and my emotions on such a roller coaster from start to finish, this novel had me in tears by the end. I'm on edge & waiting daily hoping that he has in fact, ALREADY been writing the second novel to this UP & COMING "TV SERIES" OR "MOVIE". I am so satisfied with this novel, I've actually started reading it again to see if there is anything I missed. Such a well written jewel to be his first, & I'm ooozing with anticipation for the rest of the world to read this novel. It's definitely worth every penny. I don't think I'll find a book I like better this 2018. Thank you JM for bringing back great novels. You definitely have a FAN FOR LIFE.
April 14, 2023
Jesus where to begin? I went into this thinking that it was going to be another dystopian book, okay fine I've read those before not normally my cup of tea but I'll give it a go. I was not expecting within the first couple of chapters for there to be graphic descriptions of death and of bodies being destroyed from a car accident.
Things settled down once we got to the palace and I was fine reading about the lives of those who live there. Then things started getting darker and I got concerned when one character in particular was described as having a glitch. I was hoping it wasn't going to be what I thought it was but I was unfortunately right.
I can't figure out where the author stands on issues. I initially thought he was against religion but then it talked about being anti abortion which confused me. Then there were definitely anti- LGBTQ vibes when the two characters who were vaguely mentioned as being gay had horrible endings. One was taken to "the greater restoration program" and the other simply killed himself after molesting/raping a 10 year old, also after cutting her hair to make her look like a boy, and murdering her. So you know who needs gay people?
The ending was a shock and something I didn't see coming so good for the author.
I'm giving it 4 stars because it is well written it just traumatized me and honestly I wish it had a warning about the triggers it contains. I wanted to like the book because I bought it from the bookstore that the author owns and I met him and he seems nice I just, don't know if I can handle or process the trauma it brought me.
Things settled down once we got to the palace and I was fine reading about the lives of those who live there. Then things started getting darker and I got concerned when one character in particular was described as having a glitch. I was hoping it wasn't going to be what I thought it was but I was unfortunately right.
I can't figure out where the author stands on issues. I initially thought he was against religion but then it talked about being anti abortion which confused me. Then there were definitely anti- LGBTQ vibes when the two characters who were vaguely mentioned as being gay had horrible endings. One was taken to "the greater restoration program" and the other simply killed himself after molesting/raping a 10 year old, also after cutting her hair to make her look like a boy, and murdering her. So you know who needs gay people?
The ending was a shock and something I didn't see coming so good for the author.
I'm giving it 4 stars because it is well written it just traumatized me and honestly I wish it had a warning about the triggers it contains. I wanted to like the book because I bought it from the bookstore that the author owns and I met him and he seems nice I just, don't know if I can handle or process the trauma it brought me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 15, 2025
This was a wild ride. Imagine after COVID the remaining survivors were all housed in specialized places, living in pods, no access to the outside world for fear of imminent death…
Welcome to The Palace!
The Palace provides everything you need to live, but you’re not allowed to leave. The ways of old world and free will are over. New Indoctrinations to change old thinking, population control through regulation and processes not love and relationships.
This is a gripping dystopian thriller. I was hooked from the first page.
What does a post-pandemic world look?
We follow Jacob, a survivor grappling with grief, isolation, and the haunting truth behind The Palace. Controlled by The Order, it’s perfection or so it seems.
Jacob begins to question things and the slowly unraveling of the truth delivers constant tension and thought-provoking twists.
If you’re a fan of dark, dystopian narratives with layers of mystery and social commentary, this one’s worth the read.
This is a multi POV fast paced read with twist and turns you may not see coming.
Please check triggering warnings as parts of this story are graphic and involve extremely disturbing scenes and topics.
Welcome to The Palace!
The Palace provides everything you need to live, but you’re not allowed to leave. The ways of old world and free will are over. New Indoctrinations to change old thinking, population control through regulation and processes not love and relationships.
This is a gripping dystopian thriller. I was hooked from the first page.
What does a post-pandemic world look?
We follow Jacob, a survivor grappling with grief, isolation, and the haunting truth behind The Palace. Controlled by The Order, it’s perfection or so it seems.
Jacob begins to question things and the slowly unraveling of the truth delivers constant tension and thought-provoking twists.
If you’re a fan of dark, dystopian narratives with layers of mystery and social commentary, this one’s worth the read.
This is a multi POV fast paced read with twist and turns you may not see coming.
Please check triggering warnings as parts of this story are graphic and involve extremely disturbing scenes and topics.
February 13, 2018
This is the first book I have read for entertainment purposes in a while. And I am NOT disappointed!! The author’s imagery keeps a clear, vivid picture in your mind the entire time. I seriously felt like I was watching a movie. The story line is very intriguing, very intense .. it leaves you yearning for more with each flip of the page. There is confusion, chaos, excitement, anger, shock.. you will go through a multitude of emotions during your journey through this book. I’ve already recommended it to people who DON’T even read books, because it is THAT good! The author does a great job of hooking you in the beginning, keeping you there for a while, and then reeling you right in at the end. You will become completely engulfed in this story, and feel like you are there, experiencing this exact moment with the characters in this book. Highly recommended and I am anxiously awaiting the next story in what I know will become a classic series!!!!!
May 26, 2018
I cannot understand the quantity of 5-star ratings this book gets... and I love dystopian fiction.
None of the characters were particularly sympathetic, although by the end, I found myself mildly interested in Mary's story.
The book could have benefited from additional editing. There was entirely too much redundancy. In the first section the author told us about the pandemic from too many POVs, including characters who were not going to survive.
Chapter 7 through ~ chapter 35 could have been reduced by at least 2/3. Clark just kept pounding home the same basic plot point. There is a second book coming out. Which makes me suspect that the author stretched this material so that he could have two books.
The end was interesting, I did not see the twist coming. Regardless, I will not be reading the sequel.
None of the characters were particularly sympathetic, although by the end, I found myself mildly interested in Mary's story.
The book could have benefited from additional editing. There was entirely too much redundancy. In the first section the author told us about the pandemic from too many POVs, including characters who were not going to survive.
Chapter 7 through ~ chapter 35 could have been reduced by at least 2/3. Clark just kept pounding home the same basic plot point. There is a second book coming out. Which makes me suspect that the author stretched this material so that he could have two books.
The end was interesting, I did not see the twist coming. Regardless, I will not be reading the sequel.
February 6, 2018
This is an intriguing page turner from cover to cover. You become so involved in the story, wanting to keep reading to find more and more pieces to put together. The characters begin to grow on you quickly, some you'll love and some will disturb you, but you still want to follow all of them and their next moves as they begin to question everything about the life they now know.
It's a reminder of how things can change in an intant and as much as some things change some things always stay the same. It gets you thinking about perception and reality all while being entertaining and continuously interesting. I truly enjoyed this read. You're introduced to a new world which could easily be expanded upon later. . . . With even more twists and macabre turns! I definitely recommend this book.
It's a reminder of how things can change in an intant and as much as some things change some things always stay the same. It gets you thinking about perception and reality all while being entertaining and continuously interesting. I truly enjoyed this read. You're introduced to a new world which could easily be expanded upon later. . . . With even more twists and macabre turns! I definitely recommend this book.
February 13, 2018
If you're looking for a great piece of literature, this is the one. From the raw human emotions you can relate with to the make your skin crawl, don't take me down that hallway type journey; this book will definitely have you wanting to read page after page. I was a bit shocked at the honesty and thought for a moment it may be TOO controversial for me, but J.M. Clark had a knack for grazing the surface and eloquently pulling back to give your imagination just enough to shape the characters. To make this whole first novel launch even more epic, it was released during one of the biggest flu epidemics I've seen in my lifetime, which makes me question if Mr. Clark was sent here from the future with a warning message!
June 20, 2025
I read this due to the author being local and owning a bookstore nearby. I love supporting local.
This book definitely needed trigger warnings for sexual assault of a minor as well as self-harm. That part of the book could have been removed altogether because it really served no purpose in the overall storyline.
The beginning had several points of view that ended up not mattering due to the characters not surviving. Those were not needed.
None of the characters were interesting; they were blah. The 'romance' part was not romantic at all. Too much useless information about unnecessary background characters or descriptive sentences about inanimate objects. One example is the description of Sirus's office; it went on for too long. Another is how many times the female character, Mary, explained her attraction to Jacob using the same vocabulary. I thought I was in a time loop.
The premise of the novel was interesting as whole, but it could have been executed better. It needed better editing in my opinion. It was decent read nonetheless!
This book definitely needed trigger warnings for sexual assault of a minor as well as self-harm. That part of the book could have been removed altogether because it really served no purpose in the overall storyline.
The beginning had several points of view that ended up not mattering due to the characters not surviving. Those were not needed.
None of the characters were interesting; they were blah. The 'romance' part was not romantic at all. Too much useless information about unnecessary background characters or descriptive sentences about inanimate objects. One example is the description of Sirus's office; it went on for too long. Another is how many times the female character, Mary, explained her attraction to Jacob using the same vocabulary. I thought I was in a time loop.
The premise of the novel was interesting as whole, but it could have been executed better. It needed better editing in my opinion. It was decent read nonetheless!
February 5, 2018
This book is what I’d like to call a nail-biting Sci-fi thriller. I really love how the author was able to shine light on each character, giving each their own personality and depth without losing sight of the storyline. This actually drew me into the book even more! This is a book that you can become easily lost in making the separation between the book and reality damn near impossible. I love a book that puts me right where the action is. It is hard to believe that this is the work of an “up and coming writer”. This book is by far one of the best I’ve read in years and I look forward to seeing more books written by this young author.
March 15, 2018
I read a lot (thank you Kindle Unlimited!) and I'm always looking for new stories to invest myself in. New Kings of Tomorrow did not disappoint. I was drawn in from the first chapter and the character building continued to keep me intrigued throughout. I truly thought I had the story figured out, and then in the last few chapters, BAM! A huge twist I did not see coming at all. JM Clark has done a fantastic job of writing a world you can get lost in, building up characters you want to see unfold, and a creating a strong foundation for a continuing series. I'm so glad someone recommended this book to me, and I'm eagerly awaiting the next in the series.
July 10, 2025
In New Kings of Tomorrow, J. M. Clark fashions several delicious characters. He is not afraid to get his hands dirty and dog into the dark fallowed earth of the flawed human soul. I found myself rooting for characters during their struggles, mourning their losses and celebrating successes. It is fast paced but the characters are so well done it felt like I was reading a book three times as long. I couldn’t stop turning pages. He finds beauty in struggle, poignancy in tragedy better than any other modern author I’ve read. I can’t wait to continue my walk through this dystopian, apocalyptic masterpiece. I’m very much looking forward to picking up book 2.
February 4, 2018
“At the surface, NKOT is a timeless tale of revolution resulting from plague, yet as you dive deeper into the unknown, you find that things aren’t always as they seem. A sci-fi drama at its core, NKOT will have you questioning past, present, and future ideologies; even your own. The reader will delve into the minds of multiple characters to witness their struggles, and feel their pain. In his first outing, J.M Clark will have, at the very least, a cult classic that will have his readers begging for more... Please wait... “
5/5 -Jacob Isbell
5/5 -Jacob Isbell
February 25, 2018
J. M. Clark draws you in with relatable detail and his knack for using real fears. The story starts off with a pandemic like the world has never seen before and we see it unfold through the eyes of characters he has masterfully crafted. Their pain and anxiety become the reader’s. The book continues in to describe a utopian society created for the survivors to help foster them into a new world. All may not be as it seems though. Mr. Clark is a polished storyteller and his work is already being compared to that of Stephen King. I look forward to watching his career unfold.
February 13, 2018
J.M Clark delivered a masterpiece and it is only his first book given to us. I was honored to be a beta reader, and I am too happy. The book is an amazing excerpt and brings present conflicts into a futuristic world. Pick up this book for the cheap $2.99 and you'll be very pleased with the results. I personally can not wait for the second chapter to this, and for all the things to come from J.M Clark. Highly recommend this book to anyone, this is a great read for all genres.
February 19, 2018
This was a wonderful read. Highly recommended💯 and I definitely can see me rereading it, especially before the second book comes out. I got lost from reality into this book. It's one of those books that you would like a movie/tv series out of. The young author definitely put a lot of time in this. Best read I've had in a long time. It's hard for me to find something to keep me interested, and this surely did because it was so hard to put down.
February 26, 2018
NKOT is a very intense, pacy novel full of familiar characters. set in detailed environments, the subjects face dynamic situations which really bring the story to life. I couldn’t help but think about reality with every turned page, and how a tragedy like this isn’t so far fetched. that maybe a dystopian future isn’t so far away... Great read and a very exciting novel. I look forward to seeing more work from JM CLARK.
September 23, 2025
This book does everything the first book in a post-apocalyptic dystopian trilogy is supposed to do. It gives us a brief insight into this fictional world after being ravaged by an unknown virus. Near the end, we get a brief scope that builds our appetite to explore more of the story by slowly revealing more of the curtain and seeing what’s behind. Will definitely be picking up the next two in the series.
February 6, 2018
NKOT will blow your mind! It's gripping and challenging plot will have you questioning your very own beliefs. This book is worth reading more than once! J.M. Clark's breakout novel is beyond expectations, and courageously breaks barriers some are not willing to open their mind to prior to this story. It has elements of sci-fi, fantasy, thriller, mystery, and will have you on the edge of your seat from start to finish! Are you ready to examine your very existence?
February 6, 2018
Not a big fan of Sci-fi novels but I decided to take a chance and read something new...and i'm so glad I did! Great storytelling, very engaging,character led, + the action of the characters didn't seem fake or just thrown together. I definitely felt like story plot can actually happen in real life. Looking forward to the next book!
February 8, 2018
good night, where to start. From the first to the last chapter J.M. Clark did everything to encapsulate the reader. every page had me wondering what was coming next. Fictional Reads aren't normally something I go for as I tend to read biographies and autobiographies. i would say more but I don't want to give any details away. all in all it's a great book and you should definitely give it a read.
February 16, 2018
Absolutely gripping.
Now I am an avid fantasy reader, something about escaping reality or some nonsense, but this book here boyyyy. I'm overwhelmed with a sense of loss from reading it too fast and being left to wait until May to read more. BUY IT. You won't be disappointed, at least not until its over and you too must wait until May.
Now I am an avid fantasy reader, something about escaping reality or some nonsense, but this book here boyyyy. I'm overwhelmed with a sense of loss from reading it too fast and being left to wait until May to read more. BUY IT. You won't be disappointed, at least not until its over and you too must wait until May.
February 17, 2018
Fascinating novel that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The story takes you on a journey of life, death & love. It's so much more than a sci-fi novel. The author really gives a vivid description of the story & the characters with his writing skills. I was very impressed. It's a must read for all, I loved it.
April 5, 2018
Ok beginning to a story
I felt like 98% of the book was a lot of boring buildup, that any second was going to take off... and then it just didn’t, until the last few pages. Then everything happened at once and was over in a rush. The second book looks to be awesome though... hopefully...
I felt like 98% of the book was a lot of boring buildup, that any second was going to take off... and then it just didn’t, until the last few pages. Then everything happened at once and was over in a rush. The second book looks to be awesome though... hopefully...
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