Pulled from a cryogenic chamber 100 years after a deep freeze stopped cancer from claiming her life, a disoriented Ana Forsythe struggles to make sense of the new world around her. Hunter and Doc raided her hospital’s chambers after a hurricane drenches Houston, both intent on extracting ransom money for Ana and three others: wealthy and famous fashion designer Chun Li, former cage fighter Blaze and pretty boy Marcos, the son of the Mexican president. Both Hunter and Doc treat their captives with both toughness and kindness. It’s how they make a living in a world where a crashed economy and climate change causes humans to do anything to survive.
Author Shela Oaks Burdge unwinds an adventurous sci-fi tale in AWAKENINGS, fraught with danger but centered around the goodness of Ana. Told from the differing points of view of Ana, Hunter and Marco, Burdge lets the nuances of the each character unfold. In what first appears to be stereotypical characters, she slowly builds in details that allow the reader to settle in and cheer for the entire group as they meet and overcome the dangers of a broken world. The group coalesces around the vulnerable Ana, each at times sacrificing to help her survive.
Welded into the story is the mysterious reason why Ana is being tracked so ferociously. Something’s amiss among the human population, and Hunter understands Ana might just be the key to saving the human race. Burdge gives tantalizing details on Ana’s importance while also spinning out an exciting romance underneath the chaos.
Science fiction novels often rely on the fantastical to grab the reader’s attention. AWAKENINGS does more than that. As the novel comes to an ending that leaves the reader wanting more, Burdge leaves a note promising AWAKENINGS is the first of a trilogy. Ana now knows who she is and why she’s being hunted. Readers will be eager for what happens next.
AWAKENINGS unleashes a taut thrill ride with a plausible plot brought to life with great writing by author Shela Oaks Burdge.
~Greg Rideout for IndieReader