Review of Critical Habitat
Posted: 19 Dec 2023, 03:07
[Following is a volunteer review of "Critical Habitat" by Terrence King.]
Critical Habitat, written by Terrence King, is an amazing dystopian novel. The book is a blend of action, thriller and drama. It explores common themes for this type of dystopian universe, such as the survival and resistance of the less lucky citizens against a higher power, which in this case is the "authority". However, the scenario that leads to a state of survival is unique among dystopian novels.
The action of the book is set in a post-war continuously declining society, where the bees are known to have disappeared and the "authority" is in search of the rumored surviving honey bees secretly owned by the rebel forces.
I loved the catalyst of the story, the missing bees, but, at the same time, it terrified me because it is a very plausible future development for our planet. It is a known fact that, without bees, most ecosystems will collapse within half a year.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Critical Habitat. The storyline is perfectly paced. It is composed of both intense action and quiet moments, for the reader to develop a more clear and deeper understanding of the characters' choices, struggles and thoughts. The writing style is fluid. The skill of the author for world-building and character-developing is amazing. General Speer who leads the authority's camp, through his actions, captures the essence of his masters: heartless and valuing utility over life itself. If one is not useful, then he/she should not be at all. Mistakes are not accepted; vulnerability is a sin. X and Y are ingenious, brave and resilient children who manage to steal a device of huge importance from the camp. The use of "X" and "Y" as names for children after birth strengthened the image of the all-powerful and overbearing authority vs. the poor and dependable citizens whose existences are reduced to such an extent. The character of Mel adds suspense to the story. And the last, but not the least character to keep track of, the old Sun Bin, who is as wise and gentle as he is old. He adds depth to the story through his presence, which is not overbearing like the "authority", but still commands respect from the ones around him, in a kind yet resolute manner.
There is nothing I disliked about the book. I couldn’t find any grammatical or spelling errors in it. The book is professionally edited.
In conclusion, Critical Habitat is an exceptionally well-written dystopian novel. It will keep the readers interested and on their toes from start to finish. I recommend this book to action, drama and dystopian novels fans. There is no profanity in the book which makes it appropriate for younger readers too. I rate the book 5 out of 5 stars.
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Critical Habitat
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes | on Smashwords
Critical Habitat, written by Terrence King, is an amazing dystopian novel. The book is a blend of action, thriller and drama. It explores common themes for this type of dystopian universe, such as the survival and resistance of the less lucky citizens against a higher power, which in this case is the "authority". However, the scenario that leads to a state of survival is unique among dystopian novels.
The action of the book is set in a post-war continuously declining society, where the bees are known to have disappeared and the "authority" is in search of the rumored surviving honey bees secretly owned by the rebel forces.
I loved the catalyst of the story, the missing bees, but, at the same time, it terrified me because it is a very plausible future development for our planet. It is a known fact that, without bees, most ecosystems will collapse within half a year.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Critical Habitat. The storyline is perfectly paced. It is composed of both intense action and quiet moments, for the reader to develop a more clear and deeper understanding of the characters' choices, struggles and thoughts. The writing style is fluid. The skill of the author for world-building and character-developing is amazing. General Speer who leads the authority's camp, through his actions, captures the essence of his masters: heartless and valuing utility over life itself. If one is not useful, then he/she should not be at all. Mistakes are not accepted; vulnerability is a sin. X and Y are ingenious, brave and resilient children who manage to steal a device of huge importance from the camp. The use of "X" and "Y" as names for children after birth strengthened the image of the all-powerful and overbearing authority vs. the poor and dependable citizens whose existences are reduced to such an extent. The character of Mel adds suspense to the story. And the last, but not the least character to keep track of, the old Sun Bin, who is as wise and gentle as he is old. He adds depth to the story through his presence, which is not overbearing like the "authority", but still commands respect from the ones around him, in a kind yet resolute manner.
There is nothing I disliked about the book. I couldn’t find any grammatical or spelling errors in it. The book is professionally edited.
In conclusion, Critical Habitat is an exceptionally well-written dystopian novel. It will keep the readers interested and on their toes from start to finish. I recommend this book to action, drama and dystopian novels fans. There is no profanity in the book which makes it appropriate for younger readers too. I rate the book 5 out of 5 stars.
******
Critical Habitat
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes | on Smashwords