Fighting for survival – #Dystopian #SciFi #Giveaway #Review

Blurb

In a ruined, distant future of our world, filled with rain, gloom, and danger, Squirt and her sister Dara fight to survive as part of the underground clan, hunting meat to survive and clinging to the edges of existence.

When Squirt encounters a mysterious figure above ground, her life is upended. Taken to a gleaming paradise above the clouds, she finds herself trapped in an idyllic prison, where everything seems perfect—but is danger hiding in plain sight? Does Charlotte, her enigmatic and gentle companion, hide secrets behind her perfect smile? Does Mrs Wallis, the tower's cold matriarch, watch Squirt with a predator's patience?

Below, Dara hunts alone, trying to find meaning in her life and haunted by her sister's disappearance while whispers of betrayal within the clan force her to choose between being a victim or fighting for her survival.

As the sisters' paths converge, truths are exposed: immortality comes at a terrible price, and the ones they've trusted most may be their greatest enemies. Above the Clouds is a haunting tale of the fight for survival and identity, asking the question: What does it truly mean to be human?

Excerpt

She made it to the side of the ruins, ducked under a concrete slab, and crouched silently, listening and watching the darkness. She allowed her ears and eyes to acclimate to the noises and darkness of the ruins, the dripping water, the scurrying of a rat, the rattle of a falling piece of rock, and the sounds men made.

She sniffed and smelled something. Something cooking.

Rat! she thought.

Moving slowly and cautiously, she crept out from her hiding place, not making a sound. She climbed onto a slab of concrete laying diagonally and crawled upward until she was looking down at where Chagga sat on a rock, roasting a pair of skinned rats above a fire. Adam was standing, shaking and banging the water off his furs. Chagga was speaking.

“...Tomorra, when the hunters head out, make sure our men are on guard at the big tube that comes in by the butcher…”

Hidden in the shadows above, Dara silently slipped her quiver from her shoulder.

“...That is where we attack…Once we have taken control, all those who have no faith will be butchered, and we will call Major Tom, and he will pick up, and he will send the riders, and we leave for Marbro Country!”

She rolled onto her back and slid two arrows from the quiver.

“Can you trust this bandit, Barg, father?” said Adam.

Gently, she laid one of the arrows on the concrete, and the other she notched.

“No,” said Chagga firmly. “But I need them to do in the guards while you kill the chief.”

She rolled, holding the bow with her left hand, pulling the bowstring back.

Kill Adam, and the others won’t know the plan? she thought. Or kill Chagga, and there is no plan?

She closed her left eye, pulling the string tighter.

Kill them both!

Review by Lisabet Sarai

For centuries, the Clan has clung to life in the subway tunnels of a long-ruined city, sheltering from the incessant rain and the toxic residues of a nuclear apocalypse. Only rigid adherence to strict social rules has kept the community alive. Scarce food is shared and rationed. Unpleasant but necessary jobs are assigned based on skill, not preference. Infractions are punished by mutilation or death. And every member of the Clan, even the Chief, is subject to the “hard goodbye” when they turn fifty years old, forced to leave the tunnels to survive or perish on the surface, so as not to burden the Clan as they age and are no longer useful.

Squirt and her younger sister Dara are trained Hunters, responsible for trapping and killing whatever animals they can find to supply the Clan with desperately-needed meat. Exposed to the dangers outside the tunnels, they must be quick, clever, observant, courageous—and ruthless when threatened. But the world becomes more perilous daily, as vicious bandits grow in strength and plot against the tunnel-dwellers.

Then Squirt discovers that not everyone in the world is struggling, when she’s spirited away to a seeming paradise atop tall towers that pierce the perpetual layer of cloud. Who are the people that inhabit these privileged realms? What is their history? And why have they rescued Squirt?

Above the Clouds is an engaging and powerful story that kept me riveted through most of its length. The vivid depiction of life in the Clan felt eminently plausible. Human beings are incredibly adaptable; I could see how the Clan society might evolve, a harsh but mostly fair adjustment to the devastating realities of a shattered world.

Squirt and Dara are both admirable despite the violence they so easily can inflict. I am a cat lover, so it was difficult to read about them hunting strays, but they clearly are forced to do so. The interesting thing is that despite the indoctrination and social pressures exercised by the Clan, they prove that they can make independent choices. Again, I find this a valid observation about human nature. We balance social good against individual needs, trying to find a path that can satisfy both.

One aspect of the story that particularly rang true was the home-grown religion of the Clan. I won’t spoil things by going into detail, but the author shows how superstition and hope intertwine—as well as how unscrupulous individuals can manipulate spiritual beliefs for their own benefit.

Squirt’s experiences above the clouds, and the revelations about her hosts, did not impress me as much as the sections about the Clan. I was left with many questions about how the parallel society managed to evolve, although it’s clear, looking at the world today, that apocalypse would not have nearly as devastating an effect on the wealthy and powerful as on ordinary people.

Above the Clouds is generally well-written, but there was one aspect that bothered me. As she becomes involved with the tower people, Squirt encounters objects and phenomena that are completely unfamiliar. The author had a tendency at these points to slip out of the character’s point of view; he explains too much, rather than allowing us to experience the incomprehensibility of the new world through Squirt’s eyes. As a result, this section of the book felt less compelling than the earlier parts involving the Clan. It seemed to me that given her background, Squirt adapted too quickly and easily to her new world.

Given the youth of its heroines, I wonder if the author intended Above the Clouds for a young adult audience. In any case, I enjoyed the story and would recommend it for its gritty, detailed picture of life after nuclear devastation, as well as for its insights about society and civilization.

About the Author

Tim works in digital marketing in Toronto and is well-traveled, having visited over 80 countries. When he is not working or writing, he likes to spend time with his family and German Shepherd and go cycling.

Social Links

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Buy Links

Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/book/above-the-clouds/id6741713791

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=ddhFEQAAQBAJ

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Above-Clouds-post-apocalyptic-Tim-Vee-ebook/dp/B0DTJL73QM/

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1704940

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