Out of This World SFF Reviews is delighted as always to be one of the stops on the latest Blog Tour hosted by The Write Reads! Today is Day 7 of Kristin Ward's RISE OF GAIA tour and as part of it, I will be reviewing Kristin's YA Science Fiction novel RISE OF GAIA, as well as providing some information on how to connect with her via the web and social media. Kristin's previous series, After the Green Withered has garnered tons of accolades and is an intriguing coming of age Dystopian SF story infused with a powerful environmental message. But now, let's get on with my review of her latest offering!
17 year-old Terran has begun to see visions. These visions are not only terrifying in nature, they also seem to foretell a world on the brink of a horrific cataclysm. At first Terran doesn't quite know what to make of these apocalyptic messages, but after discussing them with her best friend Beth, she makes the decision to see a local medium to see if any light can be shed on these episodes.
The world that Terran lives in is a world that has turned its back on the environment. It is a place of excess and selfishness that is only concerned with consumption at all costs without much thought to the potential ramifications. It could very well be the world that we ourselves are living in today or at least a very near future should we not heed the warnings of many concerned scientists.
Gaia in this story represents the spiritual manifestation of the personification term "Mother Earth". It is Gaia who is causing Terran's nightmarish visions in an attempt to use her as a human mouthpiece and harbinger of the potential devastation to come. For Gaia is extremely angry at the greed and callousness being perpetrated every day by humanity and Gaia has frankly had enough. As that fury grows, so does the realization that there will soon be a reckoning to deal with and that Terran may be the key to saving a society that seems hell-bent on its own destruction.
I really enjoyed this book. Not only is it a cracking SF yarn, but the overriding message of a world speeding toward an environmental Armageddon was interwoven beautifully in the narrative. Kristin Ward does an exceptional job of conveying her message through a very relateable and likeable teenager, Terran. Whether you believe that there is an impending Climate Change crisis or not, this book is incredibly thought-provoking and challenges you to examine ways in which you can be part of the solution instead of the problem.
But aside from the obvious environmental message, there is also a fantastic SF story that entertains you along your journey of enlightenment. There's no doubt that Kristin Ward is a skilled writer with an impressive imagination. This is even more evident in the vivid depictions of a doomed Earth. The imagery of wrath and destruction is both palatable and haunting. It is during these sections where my enjoyment of the book really increased significantly.
In the end I was left with a thrilling and satisfying SF story that touched on a timely and relevant message that we can all learn from. If you enjoy exciting YA fiction with relateable characters and on overarching social message, then you simply can't miss RISE OF GAIA by Kristin Ward. I'm so glad that I got a chance to experience this wonderful book and would recommend it to readers of all ages without reservation.
(My rating: 7.5/10)
Kristin Ward Bio
Kristin Ward has loved writing since middle school but took thirty years to do something serious about it. The result is her Best Indie Book Award-winning novel, After the Green Withered, followed by the sequel, Burden of Truth. She lives in a small town in Connecticut with her husband, three sons, and many furry and feathered friends. A SciFi geek to the core, she is fueled by dark chocolate and coffee and can be heard quoting eighties movies on a regular basis.
Connect with author Kristin Ward on these various platforms:
That cover is STUNNING! I've been a bit worn out by dystopia over the years but the environmental angle is quite appealing. Also while it's common for the earth to have been destroyed by environmental disaster in dystopias, the dystopic element is rarely RELATED to that. It's usually some other awful thing and the dying earth is just set dressing.
ReplyDelete(PS Still loving the space theme on this blog :D )
It's an awesome cover I agree. And thanks for the compliment about the appearance of the blog. Blogger is rough to work with in that regard but I tried to make it as aesthetically pleasing as I could with the limited resources available. It makes me feel good to hear that people like it.
DeleteAn absolutely well-written review. Agree with everything! The overarching theme has been embedded very deeply and skillfully into the plot and that is truly what makes this a great read.
ReplyDeleteThanks! Glad you enjoyed the review and I agree totally.
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