Edge of Truth
by Natasha Hanova
Publication date: June 6th 2013
by Sapphire Star Publishing
Genre: YA Dystopia
Publication date: June 6th 2013
by Sapphire Star Publishing
Genre: YA Dystopia
Synopsis:
Citizens who report to work on time, obey the Overlord’s laws, and stay off the Synbot’s radar, live long lives. Long, dull, monotonous lives.
It’s not a bad plan for someone with a hidden, emotion-based ability to trigger earthquakes. In a world pitted against her, sixteen-year-old Rena Moon strives for a life beyond working herself to death at the factory. Seeing an alternative, she risks selling relics from the forbidden lands at Market. It becomes the worst decision she ever made. Someone kidnaps her best friend in exchange for the one thing that would end her oppression.
Driven by loyalty, Rena and seventeen-year-old Nevan Jelani, soulful composer, green thumb extraordinaire, and the secret love of her life, plot to rescue her friend and reclaim her salvage. Still, the thought lingers whether Nevan is a true hero or another thief waiting for his chance at her loot. Events spin wildly, deepening Rena’s suspicions and pushing her limit of control. With more than her chance for freedom at stake, she must decide if she’s willing to kill to protect what’s precious to her. For once, the Overlord isn’t holding all the power, but can Rena live with being reduced to what she’s trying so hard to escape?
AUTHOR BIO
Natasha Hanova is an award-winning author of young adult and adult dark fantasy/paranormal fiction. Her short stories are published in Undead Tales 2, October Nightmares and Dreams, and Once Upon a Christmas. She is a member of Novel Clique, YALitChat, and an Affiliate member of the Oklahoma Writer’s Federation, Inc. She lives in Kansas with her wonderful husband, twin boys, and daughter.
Links:
My Review
This YA Dystopian story was really good. Great concept with the touch of paranormal in it, with the Others, meaning some people have supernatural gifts. Like the main character Rena, can create an earthquake, and she has to keep it under control so not to make one happen on accident. Though when she does let off some energy while her and her best friend are in the wasteland area, it uncovers some treasures, time capsules it seems, but then that leads to a whole new set of troubles. But won’t spoil it for you.
Nevan is a great character; he is someone Rena has had a secret crush on for awhile. I think its sweet, but in some ways, Rena is very immature on that whole situation, she almost acts like a 12 year old instead of a 16 year old. Maybe its just this dystopian environment.
It’s a well thought out plot, and its written very well too. I think this world that Natasha has created could really grow. It has that Divergent books feel, with the supernatural abilities in there too, with a totally different way of life, but has that same excitement in it.
Fans of books like that will love this I believe.
I highly recommend this book, and give it 5 out of 5 stars. Need the next book now. lol.
I received a copy of this book for my honest review.
Excerpt
Chapter One
Thursday, June 15, 2248
Late Afternoon
Rena Moon wished she could swap places with the canteen, held tight and pressed to Nevan’s lips. Condensation reflected the sunlight streaming through the trees. A drop of liquid trickled to his chin, and her mouth dried. After a final swig, he wiped his forehead with the back of his wrist. The drained container echoed against the picnic table when he set it down.
“Come on,” she said to her best friend, Blaze. “Let’s move closer.”
“Why are you whispering? It’s not like he can hear us from here.”
“Habit.”
“We’ll have a better vantage point from over there.” Blaze pointed to a shaded spot across Transit Plaza, one table away from Nevan’s. “It’s outside his peripheral vision. We can stand closer, maybe even within hearing range.”
“Loving your attention to detail.”
While stealing glances at her secret crush, Rena strolled along the sidewalk under the elms. They were planted in a geometric pattern so the trees lined up no matter which direction she looked. Recycled plastic benches and tables broke up the monotony. Nevan’s group, agricultural workers according to the sage green t-shirts they wore, always sat in the third row across, fifth row back. It was the perfect distance from the platform, where eager people lingered to catch the first CityRail home.
“Sweet Mother Earth.” Blaze nudged Rena’s shoulder, nearly knocking her off balance. “He’s picking up the spoons. They’re gonna do it, again.”
“Wha…?” Transfixed, she watched Nevan’s biceps flex as he shifted and rested his forearms against the table edge.
After glancing down both sides, he nodded, once, twice, three times. Someone tapped a set of cups, creating a deep, resonant beat. Nevan joined in, drumming the spoons and knocking his wrist in perfect rhythm to bring the music alive. A single, perfect dimple formed on his left cheek as he swayed. Her fingers ached to touch the dreads that spilled over his shoulders.
With her gift to detect ground vibrations, Rena honed in on the cadence Nevan produced. Every tap thrummed through her, uniting her with his song on a level no one else could know. Enthralled, she drifted toward him as if he’d attached a melodic tether to her with the intent to reel her in.
“Be caref—” Blaze started to say.
Something caught Rena’s feet, and she tripped. The impact against the sidewalk stole her breath and forced an embarrassing noise from her mouth. The connection to Nevan snapped. She looked back at the small branch on the ground and shook her head.
“Stay down.” Blaze angled to block his line of sight.
Gratitude for her best friend bumped up a notch. Rena wanted Nevan’s attention, but not when she was making a bodink of herself.
She assumed her clumsiness went unnoticed because music continued to flow through the Plaza uninterrupted. Without her connection, she didn’t enjoy it as much.
Blaze glanced over her shoulder. “Okay, good news, bad news. You can get up, but everyone’s crowded around their table now.”
“Mostly girls, of course.” Rena sighed. Who wouldn’t want to watch Nevan? He was fit and beyondfine, the most quality boy in Hollowcrest. If she hadn’t tripped, she would’ve been able to sidle up next to him. But no, the branch ruined everything. Before she realized what she was doing, her fingers wrapped around it, and she lifted.
“Halt,” a Synbot commanded. Its six-foot frame, two inches shorter than Nevan, stopped in front of her.
Initial fear of discipline iced her blood. Thoughts of consequences chased it with angry heat. The combination made her brave and stupid instead of silent and compliant, as expected.
“I was only moving the stick off the path,” she explained before the Syn stated charges.
Blaze stepped forward as if to verify the story. Rena shook her head and shifted to put more space between them and draw the Syn’s attention away. Designed to look human, its synthetic skin appeared tanned, and every strand of its short brown, carbon fiber hair was in place. This particular model had blue eyes, which mimicked Overlord Andrick’s, except the robot’s lacked emotion. Rena wondered if she’d ever get used to the emptiness she saw when she made ‘eye’ contact.
The badge on its jacket had a tiny camera in the middle of the Overlord’s logo, which emitted a red light as it targeted and scanned the identification band attached to Rena’s pinky.
“Citizen 54325i, you are in violation of Conservation Laws 1, 21, and 28.”
“You don’t understand.” The words sounded louder than intended.
“You are also in violation of Conduct Ordinance 13.”
“Are you kidding me?” she mumbled. If she could go a week without a fine, it’d be a miracle.
The Syn’s gaze flicked to the grass beneath her worn shoes. “You are also currently in violation of Conservation Law 35.”
She growled under her breath, knowing it might earn her another fine. Releasing her anger in small doses prevented her from accidentally triggering an earthquake. It kept everyone safe, especially Rena. The consequences for Others, like her, were more permanent than the petty fines she faced now. One step put her onto the permitted walking area.
“Your total fines amount to 8,500 units. How would you like to pay? Cash or debit?”
Rena glanced at the branch, wishing she could incinerate it with a glare. If the stupid thing had stayed in the tree where it belonged, she would’ve stayed off radar. She wanted out of Hollowcrest so bad. Surely, people weren’t scrutinized so closely in the Eden biodomes. If only she could avoid daily fines, she might be able to save enough to buy her way inside.
“Cash or debit?” the Syn repeated.
“Neither,” she answered.
“Credit, then.” A panel, which resembled a large pocket on the Syn’s jacket, slid open. A hand shaped icon flashed on the screen beneath, signaling her to press a palm to it and transfer the violations to her record.
Eight thousand five hundred units, almost three month’s wages. Wages she couldn’t earn until she completed another year of Internship. If she combined the new amount with what she already owed... Animosity burned away the moisture of her tears and blurred her vision. Her dreams of Eden fell further out of reach.
“Do you understand the charges?” the Syn asked when Rena’s clenched hands remained by her sides.
“No. I don’t. I’m not trying to start a riot. And I don’t understand the charge for harming foliage when the branch was already on the ground. I tripped over it. I didn’t break any trees.”
The screen showed her holding the branch with an angry expression, then faded to the flashing icon. “You are strongly encouraged to consider your response according to Conduct Ordinances 1 through 6, unless you wish to incur additional fines.”
And you’re strongly encouraged to stop fining people with false charges, unless you wish to end up in a recycle yard. She swallowed the words. Tension coiled in her calves and caused a shiver to shoot through her. She bit her lip to quell the pain.
Bracing for the sight of her total debt in big, bold numbers for everyone to see, she lifted her hand toward the screen. Her palms tingled, rarely a good sign. She hesitated centimeters from contact. If she touched the machine in her current emotional state and something happened, she might accidentally out herself as Other. If she didn’t comply with the law, she’d be detained and her dad punished.
When she touched the Syn, a current zapped her palm and the screen blanched to blue. She yanked her hand away. The machine’s eyes went dark, its head tilted forward, and its shoulders slumped. People getting busted for breaking one law or another was so commonplace that Blaze was the only one who noticed what happened to Rena’s Syn. One less thing to worry about.
Seconds later, the Syn righted itself and the standard message ‘Your safety and security provided by Overlord Andrick’ scrolled beneath his image on the screen.
“Do better,” the android said in a slightly different voice. Without additional questions or a lecture on the importance of Hollowcrest laws, it marched toward a transport vehicle.
Relief alleviated the pressure strumming through Rena.
“What was that?” Blaze asked.
“The blue screen of death? Weird, huh? It probably had some kind of malfunction.” She wasn’t sure whether she’d short-circuited the Syn or not. Since it didn’t arrest her, she had to assume something else caused the reboot.
“Maybe the violations won’t transfer.”
“Not with my luck.” Rena shifted her backpack and looked at Nevan’s empty table.
“They headed toward the CityRail already,” Blaze said.
She didn’t get a last look at him. “Can you believe this? I need to get away from here.”
“We can hang out at my house for a while.”
“I’d probably pick up ten more fines on the way.” She shook her head. “I’m thinking someplace farther away.”
“The Market?”
“Westrock,” she whispered as they left Transit. The rumbling of the CityRail through the ground was like white noise, constant and level. “Come with?”
“There’s no way the gate guard will let us pass without authorization.”
“Don’t need it. I found a way out.”
“You can’t be serious.”
Rena held her gaze.
“Sweet Mother, you are. Do you know what kind of stuff goes on outside the boundary?”
“As a matter of fact, I do.” She headed toward Ugly Forest. “And it’s not what you think.”
NOTE:
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I have Disqus commenting on this blog, but if you do not wait for it to load, then you will be posting with the blogger comments, which do NOT show on the post, and I have now enabled word verification, and no Anonymous ones either, been getting 100 spam post on that per post. So if you want me to actually see your comment, wait for the Disqus to load if its taking time. There is no word verification (CAPTCHA) on the Disqus, only the blogger one that may show while Disqus loads.
Thanks, and sorry about the trouble.
Thank you for taking the time to review my book. I'm thrilled that you liked it so much!
ReplyDeleteYour welcome, I look forward to the next book (there is another I hope!! lol)
ReplyDelete