*I received a free copy of this book with thanks to the author. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*
Blurb: As the old world burned, the elite departed to colonise space in search of a new home. Most of the human species perished on earth’s surface, but a protected few remained. Many generations passed without question, but now suspicions are starting to rise. Follow the story of Maz and her best friend Hap, as a chance encounter with a stranger lures them into a mission to decide the future of humankind.
Killer Domes and the Chosen one is an easy read, fast-paced adventure story, perfect for a week’s lunch breaks or a lazy Sunday.
Killer Domes and the Chosen One is a dystopian sci-fi novella, featuring a sedated and deceived society of law-abiding citizens, their robot minders, and an exciting revolution unfolding beyond the ‘Killer Domes’.
This book reads like the first in a series, as it sets up a fascinating futuristic society of Rebooting, Canvas – a VR aimed at creators, Ash-Robots, and a mysterious Elite somewhere in space. All completely riveting, but no time for details as we are whisked straight into the action with self-centred Maz and her hapless sidekick, Hap, as they blunder into the middle of a revolution and discover that the domes they thought were their haven are in fact full of lies and secrets, and possibly danger.
What danger? Well, it’s not totally clear. It is obvious that the individuals controlling the domes and all of the citizens within are not completely trustworthy (or even sane), but without more information about how the domes and their infrastructure work, and how the societies within them normally function, it is hard to tell whether the threat level is dire, or just Mitch being dramatic.
Maz and Mitch, the two confidently competing ‘Chosen Ones’ are deliberately somewhat unlikable, although both grow on you as they begin to develop through the challenges they face. Hap is very likeable right from the start and I was utterly exasperated with Maz treating him like a mangy stray, and with him letting her. Hap for the Chosen One!
As a series starter, I think this novella works really well, but as a standalone book I was left a little unsatisfied. I wanted to know more! How does Reboot work? What’s with the nutrients and the special lotion? Who controls the Hub? Why keep the Domes running at all (presumably with great effort and expense) if the outside world isn’t as dangerous as claimed? I wanted to know more about Mitch and Logan’s history together, and more about Maz and Hap’s achievements in Canvas.
Gibbo Gibbs has created a unique and interesting world for his post-apocalyptic adventure story, and I want to know more about it!
All citizens followed a regular Rest and Reboot procedure, but Maz believed this affected others differently to her. Reboot had to be something more than waking from rest. For this reason, she persuaded Hap to skip a few cycles so she could observe any changes in his behaviour. In the short term, this wouldn’t be considered illegal, and it might even affect him positively…or so she hoped.
The pirate’s eyes turned slowly towards the leather breeches of her avatar’s lederhosen outfit, or possibly her unclothed legs. This kind of strange behaviour never occurred until Hap skipped Reboot, and it intrigued Maz.– Gibbo Gibbs, Killer Domes and the Chosen One
Find more from Gibbo Gibbs at his website here, or follow him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Goodreads.
Killer Domes and the Chosen One is available on Amazon right now!
Bookshine And Readbows 