Review by JaimeAlfonzo -- Exiles' Escape

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Unread post by JaimeAlfonzo » 19 Mar 2020, 14:01

[Following is a volunteer review of "Exiles' Escape" by W. Clark Boutwell.]

4 out of 4 stars

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Exiles’ Escape is the second book of the series "Old Men and Infidels", which takes place in a dystopian future. In this future the former USA is divided in three sections: First, we have the Unity, locates in the East Cost of former United States. The Unity is similar to the society despised in Huxley’s “A brave new world”, in the Unity the state raises the child, the citizens should retire at the age of 40, and they have brain implants that are able to recreate illusions that the citizen take as the reality. The Unity is described as a socialist country how seceded for the former United States of America, the mysterious and unknown Solons lead the country.

Secondly, there is the RSA (Restructured States of America) in the West Coast, the RSA continues the democratic tradition of the USA; but they had suffered the constant intent of invasion by the Unity. This is due to, the RSA is less technological developed that the Unity, thought they have a technology that increases the length of the life.

At last, the Scorch between the Unity and the RSA. During the secession war the Unity used chemical in the agricultural source of the RSA, this gave result as many different mutant plants.

In the present the Unity is in decline, the food production decreases and a coup d’etat is in process by Eustace Jourdaine. In order to solve the economic a politic Unity’s trouble, an invasion is the most practical solution. The Restructured States of America’s intelligence knows about this situation, then there is a political plot at long the story.

The principal characters are the old man, the famous hero of the RSA, Dr. Jesse Johnstone and, a Unity’s citizen soldier, Malila Chiu. Although, it exits two other subplots in Exiles’ Escape. One is the relationship between three Artificial Intelligence, Cain, Frog and Edie; and the other is the love story of, a RSA's spy, Will Butler and, a Unity's deserter, Hecate Jones.

I should give this book full marks, four stars out of four stars, and obviously, I will recommend the novel Exiles’ Escape to others readers. Clark Boutwell’s book has the achievement of being original, it brings fresh ideas on the saturated dystopian gender. Furthermore, the plot is not linear or predictable. The protagonists are both creditable and show several moments of human incertitude. I found interesting the interesting the character of Will Butler, a spy with moral instead of the amoral cliche. It should be said that I personally dislike the cliffhanger ending of the novel, I found that disrespectful, but is my humble opinion. I had not found any typo or grammar error on the novel, I am able to said the book is well edited.

The possible public for Exiles’ Escape will be young adult science fiction readers, the fact that the book despise the inconformity and revolt of young adults against the system, will call the attention of the young people.