Review Detail

4.0 1

Forager (Forager - A Dystopian Trilogy Book 1)

Young Adult Indie 141

A Review by Kathryn Bennett for Readers' Favorite

May 24, 2015

From the Author
Travellers Guide to Newhome by Peter R Stone

Welcome to Newhome, a town complete with modern facilities and comprehensive services, situated directly north-west of the ruins of Melbourne's Central Business District. Below are some tips to help you enjoy your stay with us.

Be Prepared for an Extended Stay

You are not permitted to leave the town for any reason.* This is for your own wellbeing, because it's not safe out there. Skel roam the ruins night and day, and we don't want you bumping into one of them, do we.

* Unless you're a town sanctioned forager. And if you are, we wish you luck. You're going to need it, too. For if you're caught by the Skel - well, let's just say we won't be making any rescue missions.

Observe the Town's Quaint Customs

Newhome boasts a unique culture which recognises the diverse roles played by males and females in a modern society. If you are female, note that young women are not permitted outside without a suitable chaperone. Furthermore, women may not speak without permission, are barred from school, and may not enter the workforce. If you are male, take care that you're never alone with an unmarried woman apart from a member of your family, for sexual misconduct is dealt with severely. The moral fabric of society must be upheld. Please also note that only authorised books may be read. This is for your protection. We don't want any subversive ideas popping into your heads.

Report Any Mutants

All mutations must be reported to the Custodians immediately. We all know the importance of keeping the human race pure, don't we.

Respect the Law

The Custodians are here for your protection. Ignore malicious rumours claiming they abuse their authority. These rumours are baseless slander. If you hear someone spreading such slander, report them to the nearest Custodian immediately.

All Citizens are Equal

All citizens in Newhome are equal and enjoy equal rights. However, some citizens have more to contribute to society than others, and if they're lucky, they may win the right to move into Newhome's exclusive North End district.

Good Points

Forager (Forager - A Dystopian Trilogy Book 1) by Peter Stone is the story of 18-year-old Ethan Jones who has a secret that even his parents and companions don't know about. A secret so bad that if it is found out he will be taken away by the draconian paramilitary and dissected like a science project. When Ethan visits the ruins of Melbourne in 2122 AD, to forage for scrap metal, he feels safe and free. His life is thrown into even more of an uproar when he meets a Japanese girl who defies the conventions of his town so she can get to know him better.

This is a unique dystopian book and for me put a fresh take on themes we have seen before. Peter Stone builds a solid foundation for his trilogy. Ethan is a compelling and interesting character that I felt connected with only a little bit into his story. The pace of this book is really fast, but it goes along well with the characters and the events that happen within the pages. You can tell that Peter Stone cares about his writing and his characters and I truly do applaud him for this brilliant piece of work. The dialogue between the characters is well thought out and some of the best that I have seen in books recently. I would recommend this one to readers who enjoy a good book any day of the year.