A Nothing Named Silas
by Steve Westover
YA Dystopian
September 10th 2013 by Sweetwater Books
September 10th 2013 by Sweetwater Books
Summary
You are here because the Citizens put you here to serve them and because the Regents choose to control your lives.
In the not-so-distant future, workers are forcibly drafted into their fields. With all their choices made for them, the workers must do what they’re told or face severe consequences. When Labor chooses Silas, the tyrannical Labor Regent is determined to make him a public example of her complete control. He is humiliated, manipulated, and isolated during his first week under the Shield, and the people who show him kindness only help him because they have ulterior motives.
But the Regent is not the only one pulling Silas’s strings. The mysterious Gideon wants to mold him into a hero, a champion of the oppressed people. And a strange girl seems to be guiding him to find out more about the Citizens they serve. Through it all, no one bothers to ask Silas what he wants to do. Because, after all, he doesn’t have any rights. He doesn’t really exist.
Wade through twisted government conspiracies and deeply buried secrets alongside Silas as he learns to choose for himself—and discovers the cost of freedom.
My Review
I picked this up from NetGalley some time ago and then last month saw that Cedar Fort was going to be touring it, so I signed up. I wasn't quite sure what to expect from A Nothing Named Silas. This isn't the author's first book, so I at least expected the writing to be good, which it was.
I do have to say that I think because of some of the blunt descriptions in this book I think this would be a good book for male readers. There are some books that are so enveloped in romance that I think they are more suited for a female audience, but this is not the case here. There were a few descriptions that made me mentally cringe a little, such as when Silas had to stand completely unclothed in a cage and be viewed by the populace, when he had to clean out latrines, or when a specific person was killed.
The dystopian world that the author has created is unique in its own way. We basically really only know about one set of people until later in the book, but there are two main ones with sub-classes: those that serve and those that are being served. There isn't a lot of interaction between the two classes in this book, but I expect that not to be the case in the next book. I was very curious how society became this way and what might happen to change it in the future. I felt like the society was authentic - that it could actually happen and work how this one did. Not that I agree with it or like it.
I liked Silas. He has been raised for one thing and then finds himself living a completely different life, one that he isn't prepared for. He tries to deal with it as best he can and does fairly well, especially considering he is just 16 years old. I also liked the Regent's daughter, although I thought she should know more of what was going on. The villain in this, who I won't disclose, was really brutal and played the role well.
I wasn't quite sure which way the plot would take the story. I could see how two power figures were pitting themselves against each other and I wanted Silas to figure things out before he did. I also wanted him to not fall into the traps that were being set for him. It appeared that any direction he went would not be entirely painless or easy. There are several different powers in play and I don't think we even see the whole situation yet. I'm hoping more of what is really going on will be revealed in the next book.
Content: Some violence.
Source: Received copy for review from publisher and NetGalley, which did not affect my review in any way.
You can go to Cedar Fort's website to read an excerpt of A Nothing Named Silas.
I picked this up from NetGalley some time ago and then last month saw that Cedar Fort was going to be touring it, so I signed up. I wasn't quite sure what to expect from A Nothing Named Silas. This isn't the author's first book, so I at least expected the writing to be good, which it was.
I do have to say that I think because of some of the blunt descriptions in this book I think this would be a good book for male readers. There are some books that are so enveloped in romance that I think they are more suited for a female audience, but this is not the case here. There were a few descriptions that made me mentally cringe a little, such as when Silas had to stand completely unclothed in a cage and be viewed by the populace, when he had to clean out latrines, or when a specific person was killed.
The dystopian world that the author has created is unique in its own way. We basically really only know about one set of people until later in the book, but there are two main ones with sub-classes: those that serve and those that are being served. There isn't a lot of interaction between the two classes in this book, but I expect that not to be the case in the next book. I was very curious how society became this way and what might happen to change it in the future. I felt like the society was authentic - that it could actually happen and work how this one did. Not that I agree with it or like it.
I liked Silas. He has been raised for one thing and then finds himself living a completely different life, one that he isn't prepared for. He tries to deal with it as best he can and does fairly well, especially considering he is just 16 years old. I also liked the Regent's daughter, although I thought she should know more of what was going on. The villain in this, who I won't disclose, was really brutal and played the role well.
I wasn't quite sure which way the plot would take the story. I could see how two power figures were pitting themselves against each other and I wanted Silas to figure things out before he did. I also wanted him to not fall into the traps that were being set for him. It appeared that any direction he went would not be entirely painless or easy. There are several different powers in play and I don't think we even see the whole situation yet. I'm hoping more of what is really going on will be revealed in the next book.
Content: Some violence.
Source: Received copy for review from publisher and NetGalley, which did not affect my review in any way.
You can go to Cedar Fort's website to read an excerpt of A Nothing Named Silas.
About Author Steve Westover
My wife and I have lived in small town, rural Missouri for 12 years and have 4 entertaining and wonderful childrenm, but I never expected to be living on a farm with chickens, cows, kittens and a dog. I don't particularly enjoy animals, but I do appreciate them for their utility... and the kids love 'em. When I'm not writing my life revolves around spending time with my family and serving in our church. Being a father and a husband are the most important things I can concentrate my time on and I enjoy it.
I have always enjoyed writing, but I had never even considered writing a novel until one morning I woke up with the idea for some characters in my mind. I was curious if I could write a book so I thought I'd give it a shot as an experiment.
After a long process of writing, nearly giving up mid-way through, editing, shopping for a publisher, changing the title and editing some more, my first book,Defensive Tactics, was published through Cedar Fort on the Bonneville Books imprint, in August 2010. The sequel, Gold Clash has a release date of December 2012.
My second book, Crater Lake: Battle for Wizard Island is a youth/fantasy book written with my oldest daughter and son in mind. They are avid readers who turned me on to books like Fablehaven and Percy Jackson and the Olympians, which I really enjoy. So, as a father trying to please his children, I wrote Crater Lake for them.
Crater Lake: Battle For Wizard Island is book 1 in a series of 3. Book 2, Return of the Mystic Gray, is being released in April 2013.
Book 1 of my new Young Adult dystopian series will be released in September 2013. Book 1 is called, A Nothing Named Silas.
Website * Blog * Goodreads * Twitter
FB for Gold Clash * FB for Defensive Tactics * FB for Crater Lake
Giveaway
One ebook copy of A Nothing Named Silas (US and INT as long as you can access a Mobi, Epub, or PDF copy). My usual rules apply.
Ends 10/4/13
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Ends 10/4/13
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