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Beyond What Separates Us
Four strangers from distant parts of the world struggle to survive on a planet torn apart by war, greed and disease. Living under drastically different circumstances, they are each presented with an opportunity to choose what type of world they want to live in. Beyond What Separates Us follows these four strangers as they attempt to overcome hardships and reach their full potential. This is a story about the best and worst aspects of humanity clashing to determine not only the fate of our species but all other life on Earth.
290 pages, Hardcover
Published September 9, 2020
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8 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
September 22, 2020
Thank you Iread and the author for a complimentary copy. I voluntarily reviewed this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
Beyond What Separates Us
By: R.A. Morris
REVIEW ☆☆☆☆☆
I'm drawn to speculative fiction more and more lately. Especially climate fiction. Maybe because I see a stark truth and a bleak future, potentially. Beyond What Separates Us by R.A. Morris takes us about thirty years into the future, and the landscape is no longer recognizable.
Through this new world, we follow four people in different locations: Budapest (Hungary), India, Colombia and Ontario. I think this approach works well because we get a sense of what has happened in various parts of the world. The four characters do not live in the same manner, but each has experienced hardship, tragedy and a new unwelcome standard of living. The suffering is not confined; it is global.
R.A. Morris takes us front and center with each character. I felt such heartbreak for them all as I spent time in each situation. The ruined places, strict rules, dangerous conditions, threats of violence and general upheaval held a sense of urgency and authenticity. I could feel the uneasiness everywhere, both terrifying and suffocating, and could not escape. My mind went to dark places because I know this type of world devastation can actually happen. One passage in particular struck me with its tragic irony.
"The climate chaos..was still ongoing.. Essentially, sea levels rose faster than scientists had been predicting;..Vast coastal regions..became covered..Entire cities, states, countries vanished. Storms grew in intensity..years of drought..constant flood zones. Millions of people became climate refugees. Resources became scarce and conflicts spread globally. Diseases devastated Asia..other parts of the world.. war..spread across the Pacific..American Southwest was quarantined."
Sound familiar? Too familiar in my opinion. The story mentions, in the beginning, four types of people in the new world. Fatalists are those who are passive, anxious, shy, overwhelmed to the point of giving up, i.e. suicide. The Depraved are the worst of humanity who feed on cruelty and chaos. The Reconciled simply accept whatever and live in indifference and routine. The Valiant are selfless and few in number. Heroes do not exist in abundance. So, I ask, which type are you?
I genuinely loved reading this revelatory insightful book. The subject is fascinating, and I just fell right into the story, totally absorbed. If you are interested in climate or speculative fiction, I suggest Beyond What Separates Us. Grab your copy today!
Beyond What Separates Us
By: R.A. Morris
REVIEW ☆☆☆☆☆
I'm drawn to speculative fiction more and more lately. Especially climate fiction. Maybe because I see a stark truth and a bleak future, potentially. Beyond What Separates Us by R.A. Morris takes us about thirty years into the future, and the landscape is no longer recognizable.
Through this new world, we follow four people in different locations: Budapest (Hungary), India, Colombia and Ontario. I think this approach works well because we get a sense of what has happened in various parts of the world. The four characters do not live in the same manner, but each has experienced hardship, tragedy and a new unwelcome standard of living. The suffering is not confined; it is global.
R.A. Morris takes us front and center with each character. I felt such heartbreak for them all as I spent time in each situation. The ruined places, strict rules, dangerous conditions, threats of violence and general upheaval held a sense of urgency and authenticity. I could feel the uneasiness everywhere, both terrifying and suffocating, and could not escape. My mind went to dark places because I know this type of world devastation can actually happen. One passage in particular struck me with its tragic irony.
"The climate chaos..was still ongoing.. Essentially, sea levels rose faster than scientists had been predicting;..Vast coastal regions..became covered..Entire cities, states, countries vanished. Storms grew in intensity..years of drought..constant flood zones. Millions of people became climate refugees. Resources became scarce and conflicts spread globally. Diseases devastated Asia..other parts of the world.. war..spread across the Pacific..American Southwest was quarantined."
Sound familiar? Too familiar in my opinion. The story mentions, in the beginning, four types of people in the new world. Fatalists are those who are passive, anxious, shy, overwhelmed to the point of giving up, i.e. suicide. The Depraved are the worst of humanity who feed on cruelty and chaos. The Reconciled simply accept whatever and live in indifference and routine. The Valiant are selfless and few in number. Heroes do not exist in abundance. So, I ask, which type are you?
I genuinely loved reading this revelatory insightful book. The subject is fascinating, and I just fell right into the story, totally absorbed. If you are interested in climate or speculative fiction, I suggest Beyond What Separates Us. Grab your copy today!
September 12, 2020
I'm a sucker for a good dystopian future story, and this one had me hanging on the edge of my seat! I love how the author jumps from one character to the next throughout the novel, always leaving me curious and wanting to know more. The stories are heartfelt (sometimes heartbreaking) intriguing, and full of layers. The characters are believable and relatable. Unfortunately, the story might be prophetic if we don't get our collective shit together. I know this is a first novel for the author and hope he goes on to write more in the future.
October 5, 2020
Beyond What Separates Us is a captivating fictional novel about four protagonist characters living in different places around the world after climate change devastated the globe. The novel takes readers into the future 30-40 years from now and showcases how human greed and neglect for the environment not only destroyed cities and ecosystems but also humanity. Although, this novel is categorized as fiction, I found it difficult yet captivating to read as the author did an excellent job illustrating a realistic future if humans continue to live the way we do and not address climate change more seriously. The character's lives are well described and the opportunities and challenges they face feel real. I could see those realities actually happening in those parts of the world following war, economic downturn and loss of humanity.
As I got further into the book, I became invested in each character's lives. Some characters I didn't like as much as other, but I was still looking forward to reading their next chapters. The author does a good job connecting the reader to the protagonists and keeping a good flow to the book.
I would recommend this book to those who wish to read ecofiction/climate fiction, in addition to those new to the genre. I liked how the author touches on climate change by weaving the impact it'll have on humans in the future instead of speaking about it directly in a strictly science-based manner.
As I got further into the book, I became invested in each character's lives. Some characters I didn't like as much as other, but I was still looking forward to reading their next chapters. The author does a good job connecting the reader to the protagonists and keeping a good flow to the book.
I would recommend this book to those who wish to read ecofiction/climate fiction, in addition to those new to the genre. I liked how the author touches on climate change by weaving the impact it'll have on humans in the future instead of speaking about it directly in a strictly science-based manner.
September 8, 2020
Beyond What Separates Us is an interesting debut for new author R A Morris. It takes readers on quite an adventure by introducing them to four strangers from different areas of the world. They have to learn to use their courage and strength to survive their home land and find that they are now able to choose how they want to live. It shows the good and the bad of all of humanity.
Even though it is not my usual genre, I was still entertained throughout while reading Beyond What Separates Us. I was a little lost and confused at times, but was able to quickly catch on again and continue reading. I thought the story teaches some valuable life lessons that we all could learn from. I enjoyed and admired the bravery of the characters and how they were able to overcome the hardships. It was interesting reading to find out on how it would end for them all and where they would end up.
Beyond What Separates Us is getting three and a half stars from me. I would be interested in reading more by the talents of R A Morris and see where his imagination will take his readers to next. I recommend this one for readers who enjoy to read science fiction and fantasy reads. I thought it is worth a read and not one to miss.
I received Beyond What Separates Us from the publisher. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.
Even though it is not my usual genre, I was still entertained throughout while reading Beyond What Separates Us. I was a little lost and confused at times, but was able to quickly catch on again and continue reading. I thought the story teaches some valuable life lessons that we all could learn from. I enjoyed and admired the bravery of the characters and how they were able to overcome the hardships. It was interesting reading to find out on how it would end for them all and where they would end up.
Beyond What Separates Us is getting three and a half stars from me. I would be interested in reading more by the talents of R A Morris and see where his imagination will take his readers to next. I recommend this one for readers who enjoy to read science fiction and fantasy reads. I thought it is worth a read and not one to miss.
I received Beyond What Separates Us from the publisher. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.
September 17, 2020
Beyond What Separates Us is a fictional story with a very realistic vibe to it. It follows four different characters in four different parts of the world -- Hungary, Canada, India, and Colombia -- as they struggle to deal with their new future. Climate change (and the people in power) have caused serious devastation to the world, and the aftermath is now what the characters are trying to survive. There's a very tentative optimism within each character, although life is not easy or pretty at times.
Love and loss, families torn apart, gangs running rampant... it's all within the pages of this book.
There are also some life lessons we can all learn from hiding within the pages.
I did struggle a little with this book at first, but once I got a little more into it, I became invested and wanted to see where each character's journey would take them. I think the character I felt for most was Miguel (from Colombia).
Beyond What Separates Us is a story full of hope, hardships, and humanity trying to do what they deem is best. It's a very real story that will resonate with readers.
I'd give it 3.5 stars.
Love and loss, families torn apart, gangs running rampant... it's all within the pages of this book.
There are also some life lessons we can all learn from hiding within the pages.
I did struggle a little with this book at first, but once I got a little more into it, I became invested and wanted to see where each character's journey would take them. I think the character I felt for most was Miguel (from Colombia).
Beyond What Separates Us is a story full of hope, hardships, and humanity trying to do what they deem is best. It's a very real story that will resonate with readers.
I'd give it 3.5 stars.
October 3, 2020
RA Morris's first book tells a compelling story of a world torn apart by disease and environmental degradation through the lenses of four different protagonists scattered across the Earth. Graphic and visceral at times, the different perspectives of the characters help build an understanding of the entirety of the world, including places hard hit by the climate crisis, and those largely untouched.
The novel explores human nature and the impact of environmental exploitation and creates space for the audience to consider how the world arrived at the state it's in and how our own trajectory can be altered to avoid a similar fate. With direct, captivating prose, the novel's woven narrative can initially be confusing, but draws together neatly as the novel progresses.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a well-written and accessible novel, that tackles intense and heavy subjects.
The novel explores human nature and the impact of environmental exploitation and creates space for the audience to consider how the world arrived at the state it's in and how our own trajectory can be altered to avoid a similar fate. With direct, captivating prose, the novel's woven narrative can initially be confusing, but draws together neatly as the novel progresses.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a well-written and accessible novel, that tackles intense and heavy subjects.
October 4, 2020
This was a well written book by a first-time author.
There are four different story lines with four different, yet similar, characters. It was a little disjointed at the beginning, but once all the story lines started to tie together it created a good flow and became quite captivating.
This book falls under the “CliFi” genre, but I didn’t find the climate change aspect to be as prominent as I expected. However, for someone not well versed in that area it was interesting to see how far reaching the impacts of climate change could be.
I’ve recommended this book to a couple friends and am excited to see more work from the author and read more titles from this genre.
There are four different story lines with four different, yet similar, characters. It was a little disjointed at the beginning, but once all the story lines started to tie together it created a good flow and became quite captivating.
This book falls under the “CliFi” genre, but I didn’t find the climate change aspect to be as prominent as I expected. However, for someone not well versed in that area it was interesting to see how far reaching the impacts of climate change could be.
I’ve recommended this book to a couple friends and am excited to see more work from the author and read more titles from this genre.
April 26, 2021
Beyond what separates us is an eye-opening glimpse into what our planet’s future may be if we humans continue down our environmentally destructive path. What I found unique about this novel is that the story of struggle and survival in a post-apocalyptical world is told from four very different cultural points of view, from across diverse climates and geographies. R. A. Morris has taken pains to describe how disparately climate change and ecological devastation will likely affect people depending on where they live; in particular, in Eastern Europe, India, Canada, and South America. While at times the characters experience horrific events and face impossible choices, there are also moments of joy and serenity. And hope in the resilience of human beings. A dystopian narrative can sometimes jar one into action to ensure that the reality imagined doesn’t come to fruition. Beyond what separates us succeeds in this objective.
September 22, 2020
I'm not sure if this book was supposed to be terrifying, but it was to me. Dystopian novels always have a lasting impact on me, but this one hit a bit closer to home than they usually do. This book was set closer to our current year than most I've read, which may have been why it spooked me as much as it did.
The book follows four strangers as they try to make the world as it is. This got a little confusing at times, but it was easy to quickly catch up and move along. I thought the four main characters would somehow meet up at one point, which didn't happen; I think I spent a good chunk of the book waiting for them to somehow meet. The only other confusing aspect was the switch in chapters; at times, I didn't realize the perspective had switched, which caused some slight confusion.
The character development was great. I really enjoyed watching each of them grow into a different person as the story progressed. I also really liked the majority of their interactions with other characters. Some conversations did feel forced or a little over-dramatic, but given the circumstances in which they were held, it still felt oddly normal.
There wasn't too much tension and suspense, but I never got bored. I general feeling of tension, to me, was waiting for them to somehow cross paths; I expected it to be like your average dystopian novel. When I realized that it wasn't going to go as I predicted, I was both a bit disappointed and relieved.
I think my favorite part about this book was that, while it was terrifying, it was also eye-opening. Granted, before the current pandemic, the entire plot-line of a disease wiping out over half the country never bothered me. I do, however, feel that it makes the book even more captivating. Unlike most dystopian novels, though, this one focused on more than just a deadly disease; it also showed the risks of war and greed. I think that was more eerie than the disease aspect.
If you're looking for a unique dystopian novel that shows the aftermath of a world destroyed by disease, greed, and war, this is absolutely a book you need to read. It's a fairly quick read, and even though I did find some of it slightly confusing, it was pretty easy to get back on track.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book via iRead Book Tours and am voluntarily leaving a review. This did not affect my opinions in any way.
The book follows four strangers as they try to make the world as it is. This got a little confusing at times, but it was easy to quickly catch up and move along. I thought the four main characters would somehow meet up at one point, which didn't happen; I think I spent a good chunk of the book waiting for them to somehow meet. The only other confusing aspect was the switch in chapters; at times, I didn't realize the perspective had switched, which caused some slight confusion.
The character development was great. I really enjoyed watching each of them grow into a different person as the story progressed. I also really liked the majority of their interactions with other characters. Some conversations did feel forced or a little over-dramatic, but given the circumstances in which they were held, it still felt oddly normal.
There wasn't too much tension and suspense, but I never got bored. I general feeling of tension, to me, was waiting for them to somehow cross paths; I expected it to be like your average dystopian novel. When I realized that it wasn't going to go as I predicted, I was both a bit disappointed and relieved.
I think my favorite part about this book was that, while it was terrifying, it was also eye-opening. Granted, before the current pandemic, the entire plot-line of a disease wiping out over half the country never bothered me. I do, however, feel that it makes the book even more captivating. Unlike most dystopian novels, though, this one focused on more than just a deadly disease; it also showed the risks of war and greed. I think that was more eerie than the disease aspect.
If you're looking for a unique dystopian novel that shows the aftermath of a world destroyed by disease, greed, and war, this is absolutely a book you need to read. It's a fairly quick read, and even though I did find some of it slightly confusing, it was pretty easy to get back on track.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book via iRead Book Tours and am voluntarily leaving a review. This did not affect my opinions in any way.
October 8, 2020
My book club read this novel upon a friend’s recommendation - I was not disappointed. I found R A Morris to present a chillingly realistic future in Beyond What Separates Us. This dystopian novel explores not only the potential wide-spread global effects that could result from climate chaos, but also has the reader reflecting on human nature and how the same intrinsic driving forces (e.g., greed and desire for free will) exist regardless of your circumstances. I was captivated by all four storylines and found myself racing to finish this book. Excited to read more from this first-time author!
January 9, 2022
Beyond What Separates Us offers four different visions for the future of our planet as climate change takes its toll on the environment and on society. It's bleak without becoming despairing, hopeful without being naive. A great read.
March 13, 2022
RA Morris presents a captivating look of our global future if we continue our disjointed efforts towards global sustainability. A read that forces a reflection of individual and disjointed global efforts to go “Beyond What Separates Us” to make changes to stop our trajectory of Earth’s climate destruction by investing you in the individual experiences of four characters in a future world that feels not so future.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews