A Fantastical Sci-Fi & Dystopian Action-Adventure that bends sci-fi and The Hero's Journey's tropes and archetypes. As a devastated world recovers from war and plight, an unlikely heroine emerges and attempts to rescue distressed rebels from the government’s corruption controlling the rationed food supply and from a rogue general trying to steal the only known honeybees.
And Earth itself fights back.
Assessment:
Plot/Idea: While there are elements of Critical Habitat that may feel familiar to readers of dystopian and sci-fi fiction (the technology, plunder of the earth, class warfare, lack of resources, etc.), the novel is a complex, fast-paced, and moving story that readers will not want to put down.
Prose: The prose is sharp and engaging; the author does a fantastic job providing background context about the world in which the characters live while also moving the plot along at a fact pace.
Originality: Critical Habitat contains some of the plot points and tropes that are common within the genre (the inclusion of adolescent characters and the districts has traces of The Hunger Games, for instance), but these are framed in a way that is novel and compelling. The reader especially appreciates the juxtaposition of the Authority technology with the relative simplicity of the rebels' mission to save the bees. The characters, their actions, and motivations feature a lot of moral grey area, which provides intrigue and sophistication.
Character/Execution: The characters in Critical Habitat are done to perfection. While there are certainly some -- like Speer -- who are purely self-motivated and evil, most of the characters are nuanced, complex, and -- frankly -- super interesting -- to a degree not often found in such an action-packed genre. The author provides an abundance of complex, deep female lead characters (X, Mel, and Leroi in particular) in a genre that is often lacking them.
Blurb: A nuanced, smart, and exciting dystopian adventure, King's Critical Habitat chronicles the hardships and triumphs of a rag-tag group of rebels who seek to salvage the planet from a violent, power-hungry overlord.
Date Submitted: May 20, 2023
King's fast-paced, complex, and captivating novel takes readers on a journey through a world ravaged by war and power struggles. Set in a time where an oppressive regime, the Authority, rules a devastated Earth, readers follow two young rebels, Y and X, as they work to reunite with their rebel camp—and save the crucial resistance information they possess from falling into the Authority’s hands. Through the eyes of Y, X, violent Authority figure General Speer, and a variety of other characters, King transports readers to a world where the balance of power is constantly shifting and the line between right and wrong is often blurred.Readers will be transfixed as the conflicts unfold between the Authority and the rebels, and King excels in developing complex relationships between the main characters. The story balances edge-of-your-seat thrills with dynamic experiences, bolstered by King’s intricate worldbuilding, and though some characters’ perspectives are stronger than others, the complexity of their relationships is riveting. A standout is Mel, a wrongfully imprisoned woman hired to hunt down the rebels, who slowly realizes the Authority’s promises to her were lies, and she’s sacrificed others’ safety for empty reasons. That realization prompts her to rethink the path she’s on, eventually bringing her full circle into her own unexpected destiny.
As the cast navigates the treacherous landscape of this believable post-war world, readers will be riveted by the story’s depth—and the believable dystopian society that feels both familiar and unsettling. The story is well-executed, and the characters' diverse backgrounds add to the enjoyment, making Critical Habitat a thought-provoking triumph that is sure to leave readers thinking long after they reach the last page.
Takeaway: Gripping, thought-provoking dystopian fiction exploring corruption and rebellion.
Comparable Titles: Mikhaeyla Kopievsky’s Resistance, Tochi Onyebuchi’s Riot Baby.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
