In the near future, saving the environment at all costs is the concern of the totalitarian government. Everything must be recycled, the amount of food the public can buy is limited, and the number of children a couple can have is two. Each person has one "credit" they can use to have a child. Should they choose not to have a child, they may sell this credit to a couple who wish to have a third. Ransom Lawe's wife is pregnant with their third child. He must find a way to purchase a credit, or should he trust the people telling him there's a land he can go to out of the city where he and his family can live free?
The Third is a chilling story of government regulation gone bad. Everything is controlled by the government with ration cards and credits. People must stand in lines all day to buy groceries, if there's anything left on the shelves. Abel Keogh has created a world that could easily be taken as a future reality.
Ransom Lawe is a character easily related to, a decent, law-abiding citizen working hard to provide for his family. When his world is turned upside down by the third pregnancy, he has to face a choice between the government and his family. His situation evokes the age-old struggle between good and evil, it's a journey from slavery to freedom.
I enjoyed this book, Keogh kept enough suspense going that I wanted to keep reading to find out what would happen next. One thing I had hoped for that I didn't get was a look at the free civilization that was mentioned. Maybe in the sequel!
If you like dystopian futuristic novels, give this one a try!
*Disclaimer: I received this book from Netgalley for free. I was not required to write a positive review.
I give this book 4 Bookworms.
Paperback: 272 pages
Publisher: Cedar Fort, Inc. (April 8, 2011)
ISBN-10: 1599554941
ISBN-13: 978-1599554945
This sounds interesting. Reminds me of other sci fi I've read.
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