Book Blurb:
In the ruins of the world that was lies the city of Dios, a haven protected from the hostile environment known as The Outlands. Ruled by an oppressive Patriarch, the people of Dios are conditioned in fear. The smallest infraction could result in banishment to the Outlands, a fate worse than death.
With his make-shift family of “Undesirables”, Jett Lasting struggles to find his place in a world where drawing attention to yourself can get you killed. His very existence is considered a crime. To survive, he must avoid guards, beggar gangs, and an ever-growing tension that could drag the whole city into chaos.
Jett unwittingly becomes entwined in a plot to overthrow the government where his choices could lead to freedom or the death of everyone he’s ever known or cared about.
I received this book from the author for free. All comments and opinions are entirely my own and this review is voluntary.
Rayleigh’s Review:
Don’t stand up. Don’t stand out.
The Outlands is a true dystopian, showcasing a far futuristic world of forced compliance and a heavy-handed government. In a world that has twisted the “sacred texts” to make the people believe that it is their diety’s will that the government is enacting upon, the truth is lost and desperate people give their all to make a stand, even if it means that they will fall.
I have read very few dystopian novels over the past two years, because honestly, they’re hitting a little too close to home in their messages and what are supposed to be “fictional” governmental circumstances. But once upon a time, dystopian was my favorite genre, and reading The Outlands felt like a throwback to happier days in my life (that’s ironic haha).
The Outlands now ranks in my Top 10 Dystopian Reads because of the realistic characters, the storyline that never lets you breathe, and the pure genius of the battle tactics. This book was exciting from start to finish, and when you weren’t running for your life with Jett and the others, you were working your brain to untwine the web of lies. It’s a truly masterful story!
Another reason it’s in my top books, is because of how the cursing was handled. When I read The Maze Runner series, I loved how James Dashner used made-up words for cursing because some of the characters were the cursing type, but it didn’t overwhelm you. In The Outlands, Tyler Edwards uses the same tactic. The characters curse, but it’s in a way that is unique to their world, and the cursing words are actually intelligent in how they are used, too. They aren’t ridiculous like some replacements I’ve read.
The Outlands is free of any sexual content beyond kisses and some comments made by other characters. The gore is decently high, definitely a PG-13 rating if it were a movie. Overall, I give this book a solid 5 out of 5 stars and highly recommend it to dystopian lovers!
Trigger Warnings: Death. Blood. Gore.
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