Dragon Rising
by Rachel E. Fisher
YA Dystopian
In his freshman year at Columbia University, future journalist Asher Grey is forced to face his darkest demons when the world falls to pieces. A champion Tai Chi swordsman, he will be tested to his limits just to survive. With a heavy heart and swift hand, he must reach deep inside himself to discover what it means to be a Dragon.
My Review:
I love this novella. !! It's dark and harsh and gritty... and I felt Asher's hunger and what he was willing to do to find food, making this dystopian reality so real, it hurts.
4.5 Stars - Great writing, fast action, gut-wrenchingly real. A tad... gross.
I've enjoyed emailing back and forth with Rachel since I first read Eden's Root. There's a level of freaky-reality to a world where food becomes poison, having been "fixed" too much. Rachel, herself, blogs (when she can) with recipes battling her own war with pre-made easy foods that aren't healthy. http://rachelefisher.com/blog/
As for Dragon Rising... Asher's story needed to be told. When Fi happens upon him, there's so much that happens in that one scene and Asher makes choices so quickly, he has so much character. Maybe I like him best, actually. Lol. This novella goes back to his beginning, how he came to be the master of one of the New York gangs, how he made the best choice out of icky options and somehow didn't lose his soul. How he stayed alive.
As the story unfolded, I found myself tense and excited for him to meet Fi. I suppose it's not entirely necessary, but I wanted to see her one more time through Asher's eyes. Tell me if you like the last scene 'cause I sure do. :-D
Of course... then you'll have to read Eden's Root, if you haven't yet.
Did I mention I really love these journal entries? No? I do. Before the action gets going, Asher has to survive and we speed through the torture of those first weeks of foodmageddon with stark journal entries. Here's my excerpt for this (totally awesome) tour.
Excerpt #5 on the tour... from Asher's journal:
June 7, 2033
Body count – 48: 21 men, 22 women, 5 children.
Days without food – 0. Found a stash of nuts and mints in a desk in the writing labs, TG. The nuts are giving my stomach fits, but hey, at least mint helps, right?
Days without sleep - 6
Temperature – Surface of the Sun and Rising
Too damned tired to think. All this hiding by day and scrabbling by night is making me feel like Gollum. Not that it helps the way a stupid mint brings tears to my eyes. Food’s become the goddamned Precious.
I’ve decided to stop keeping a body count after today. All 11 additions are from one site, a grocery store on 93rd. Someone trapped the family inside - easy enough with steel plates over the doors. Do you think when the soldiers barred those doors that they imagined what would happen if some sickos trapped people inside and lit a match? The ones that tried to run had been gunned down but most were still inside, pressed against the bars.
Human kindling…
Why am I still writing the date? Scratch that. Day 9 in HELL.
The Eden's Root Trilogy
(Eden's Root Trilogy #1) (Eden's Root Trilogy #2) (Eden's Root Trilogy #3)
About Rachel Fisher
I am a wife and entrepreneur living and working in Florida. I am also a graduate of Mount Holyoke College, where I majored in Biology. It was always my assumption that I would end up making research my life. Though it did not work out that way in the end, my passion for Biology remains intact.
I have always loved biology-based science-fiction and the young adult genre. It is in this vein that I offer my work.
I have always loved biology-based science-fiction and the young adult genre. It is in this vein that I offer my work.
Tour-Wide Giveaway
$20 Amazon Gift Card and an ebook of Dragon Rising
19 ebooks of Dragon Rising
Ends October 12th
Follow the Tour:19 ebooks of Dragon Rising
Ends October 12th
