Review: Fallen Down World

Title: Fallen Down World

Author: K. E. Douglas

Genre: YA Dystopian

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

This was a pretty decent book for its genre. I’ve reviewed other dystopian/apocalyptic books before, and they all seem to follow the same pattern. There’s the cataclysmic event, the breakdown of society, the initial panic. Then the slow recovery. I think every book I’ve read also has the inevitable meeting with the Bad Guys who try to take over in the chaos left by the event. This book was no exception.

That being said, I thought the author did a pretty good job. The viewpoint stayed true to the young nature of the protagonist, and there was some obvious research that went into the settings, particularly the prepper bunker that they find. I wasn’t thrilled about how events played out with the bad guys. I suppose it was more realistic than a good old fashioned shoot out, but it just seemed a bit stupid to me. That was my only issue with the book–otherwise I think it was very well done.  I liked that there was no immediate romance. It was more about survival.

Preview of new covers, new releases!

Okay, I’m back!  A couple of announcements today.  First, I will be publishing the next installment of my Cathy Pembroke tales soon. In celebration of this, I had new covers made for the previous installment, “Fairies At Fisherman’s Wharf.”  Check out the new pretty! Along with the now fully branded cover for the next one, “Ogres At Alcatraz Isle.”

 

Now here’s the sad news. I’m going to take down the original Cathy Pembroke tale, “A Troll Under Golden Gate Bridge.” This was a very short story I wrote fifteen years ago (yikes), and I just don’t think it’s good enough to keep out there any longer. I and my writing have grown a lot since then. I may offer it as a freebie in the future for newsletter subscribers, but that’s about it. So if you never downloaded this one, this weekend is your last chance!  It never did go permafree at Amazon so I’ll take that one down today.

It’s still available for free on Smashwords, Kobo, Barnes and Noble and iBooks.  Here’s the Smashwords link: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/159895

And Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-troll-under-golden-gate-bridge-judy-goodwin/1111943199?ean=2940033218561

I’ll take those down on Monday.  Enjoy!

Ever hear of generational theory?

I’m feeling off lately. I’m getting surgery next month, home life is chaotic, and the slow pace of writing is frustrating me. Not to mention the fact that the news seems so depressing these days. Talks of truce between the Ukraine and Russia but people don’t have faith it will last. An Arizona woman recently killed in the whole ISIS mess. And don’t forget cyberterrorism!

Generational theory (first outlined by Howe and Straus) says that there are four “Turnings” in a cycle that covers four generations, or about eighty years. Each generation is shaped by the circumstances of their birth, and also affects the generations following them. Trends swing back and forth during the span of this cycle, from a more restrictive, controlling society to a looser, more permissive one. Each cycle begins with a more stable, conservative “High,” then a cultural “Awakening,” a turbulent “Unraveling” and finally a “Crisis” which resolves to start another High and another cycle.

Right now, according to Howe, we’re in the 4th Turning. This Turning is when the big events occur–the last 4th Turning started with the Great Depression and extended through World War II.  The 4th Turning before that was the Civil War, at least for the U.S. And the 4th Turning before that was the Revolution.

So having read a lot about this, I listen to the news and wonder if the next big conflict is about to begin. There’s Europe and the threat of economic collapse, and Russia trying casually take back the Ukraine. That mirrors pre-World War II Third Reich a little closer than I’m comfortable with. Then there’s the Middle East, particularly Syria. One extremist group may not be able to draw the whole world into a conflagration, but they’re certainly pissing off quite a few countries. Somehow it feels like more than sabre rattling this time. I guess only time will tell.

Perhaps it’s the writer in me that listens to these stories and imagines the larger story of it all, feeling like society has been moving through Act II for some time and is gearing up for Act III and a giant climax. That all the economic struggles, the political struggles, the environmental struggles will all suddenly crash down on us. Maybe to be resolved.

Or not.