An eco-dystopia, placed in a possibly near future, The Forcing by Paul E Hardisty, published last week by Orenda Books is simply terrifying. I usually don´t read science fiction and I don´t have a very vast bibliography of books on similar topics, but I should. The coming climate disaster may not be stopped by reading books, but at least books can raise awareness where political leaders and decision makers failed.
As the new young leadership of Canada and North America - now made it into one - decides to send to the wasteland of the South USA those responsible for the climate change, based on age. Those responsible of the collapsing of civilisation may be sent in the middle of the crisis they created. Caught in this resettlement process, David - aka ´The Teacher´ - and May are send in the new times ´gulag´, experiencing food shortages and freedom restrictions.
Written in a surgically precise way, with no scenes or word wasted, The Forcing is an essay in the end of times as we know it. The action articulates around social and psychological topics, summoned to explore and expand the environmental issues. The whole Planet is turned into a crime scene and the criminals are among us...
I liked the emergency of the topic, but also the writing flow. The inner exploration of brutality is chilling and nightmarish, leaving the reader with vivid memories and overwhelming worries.
As a non sci-fi/dystopian reader, it was a challenge, but fully worth taking it. Maybe such books can do more where political responsibility fails.
Rating: 4 stars
Disclaimer: Book offered as part of the book tour but the opinions are, as usual, my own
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