Photo Credits: Thomas Budach
Edited by Vaishali
Title: Killer Domes and the Chosen One
Author: Gibbo Gibbs Genre/Themes: Young Adult, Scifi Fantasy, Dystopian, Post-Apocalypse, Adventure Publisher: Self published Year of Publication: 2019 Version: Paperback kindly provided by the author ISBN: 9781078453813 Review“Giant ant robots?” Bel cried. “Killer domes? The chosen one?"
‘Killer Domes and the Chosen One’ is exactly what you’d think this book is about - killer domes and a chosen one!
‘Killer Domes and the Chosen One’ by Gibbo Gibbs is a futuristic, dystopian YA fantasy with a quick passing pace that leaves room for no lagging and no nonsense. Super intelligent Maz is the main lead in this story with her half-witted best friend Hap who companions her in an unanticipated but much desired adventure outside of the safety of the serene dome they live in. They are two of the remaining among every other survivor of a self-made apocalypse which sundered humanity. Since then dome structures were created to maintain life and protect the surviving. Deficiency, deprivation and greed troubled the world pre-apocalypse, and though the dome was made to defend, perhaps this system was an accelerator to do more than just protect, maybe to imprison the unknowing and unsuspecting…?
“And one day soon, a city will stand here once more, from where the future success of humankind can be born.”
“Don’t you want to be less strange?"
‘Canvas’ is a practical design program which is the focus of every inventor and inhabitant of the dome. All focus orbits the success of personal projects in the dome and Maz Is no different. A bold designer, Maz is enamoured by the architectures of the Old World, and her super smarts enable her to create the best projects on average. But the difference is that Maz has her own mind; one which won’t coalesce with the minds that want to be trapped. Haphazard Hap, on the other hand has restricted successes because his love of animals and insects really knows no bounds, much to Maz’s irritation. As her partner in crime and co-project maker Hap really has to broaden his success rate in Maz’s annoyed eyes….I think it’s safe to say that Maz doesn’t have as much faith in her dense friend.
“So…you know the interesting insect from the old world, the mosquito?”
Maz sighed. “Disgusting, not interesting…They sucked blood from humans and spread diseases.” “Exactly. Very interesting,” Hap said with a grin.'
Maz is inquisitive, venturesome and apt enough to question her life and its surroundings. Not one to enjoy social participation, she has recently grown more wary of the dome that houses their lives and work, but her suspicions might have ground for credibility because an out-of-the blue occurrence brings Mitch into their lives. As an overachiever with an intellect’s fragile tolerance for the frivolous Maz’s impatient sense of wonder cares for escapade. Following the strange folk she does not, and perhaps a good thing too because her suspicions it seems are only a variable wave in a sea of lies and hidden history.
‘Other citizens were so irritating, posing a severe threat to her biochemistry, blood pressure and patterns of thought. She preferred her interactions in small doses - and her small dose was Hap.’
‘Nothing unusual ever happened in the dome, and Maz feared she would grow bored of the garden one day. Her body was trapped, but her mind reached far.'
Temperamental Mitch, activist of a new world, leader of a new era and best friend to his mechanical sidekick Logan, he recruits Hap and Maz as informants and followers. He needs their help in his dedicated goal to ignite a forceful change in today’s suspect civilisation. What Mitch is doing is game-changing, and Maz would like nothing more than to be a front runner alongside this figurehead. Hap isn’t so keen on this tricky quest however, but where Maz leads, the ever accommodating Hap will follow. Mitch hordes secrets which Maz is dead set on knowing; where there are answers to her restive questions she’ll be there.
‘And not only the buildings lured her: the stories, the bizarre rituals, the fact that unproven deities inspired such glorious creations and intriguing cultures. Maz sensed this becoming an obsession.’
‘A disciple spreads teachings; she knew that much. But what would be taught? What secrets would he reveal?'
Mitch has a vision to bring about a new age of freedom from domes and demanding technology, so that a different kind of humanity can be born again. He has to part with his feelings and make decisions to keep this plan moving. As Maz and Hap venture outside of refuge for the first time, they are forced to see firsthand what lies outside of the dome’s perimeter, the kind of people who are very unlike them and their ways, and that friendship means more when situations force you to question, and when risk can throw a spanner into the sphere of certainty.
‘Thick and wrinkled, it’s veins swelled from the earth, immortal in their hunt for nutrients. The old world relic pulled at her with a mysterious magnetism.’
‘She’d learnt many things today, with one being that talking robots were programmed to be equally as irritating as talking humans.'
I’m not the most avid consumer of sci-fi or futuristic reading, but I thought I would give my usual genre reading a break to try and read something a bit different. For that reason I thought that ‘Killer Domes and the Chosen One’ might end up being an average read at best, but I was quite pleasantly surprised that I liked this story’s plot and pacing. The writing is very easy to follow, and the story doesn’t stop long enough for you to wish it kept on moving because the pace just keeps on moving. The writing style complements this unabating pace; which doesn’t let you stop enough to ask questions that don’t really need to be asked. This is a quick, speedy read with some humour, pursuits of a new future, and a goal to see where curiosity can take you. With both hope and hopelessness, appreciation and betrayals thrown into the mix this sci-fi is an overall fest of fleeing norms and being a part of something bigger than what you already know as certain fact. Challenging and questioning - as Maz does so naturally - is a small step, or rather and large leap in steering the direction just by making diverse choices.
‘She had no doubt that life had been safe, secure and certain so far, but she longed for something more, and a recovered planet waited for her, with a big plan to retake it.'
Hap is a bit dipsy dozy but in an adorable way which made me smile. He’s loyal to Maz and would probably do anything for her. I loved how certain situations prompted Maz to realise that her quirky friend’s worth stretched further than his virtual designing capabilities. Mitch was a very angry character (for somebody who is supposed to bring about positive change) - not my favourite - and seemed to take it out on people who crossed his path. He believes he is destined to alter the shift in humanity’s destination so has a lot to consider with a task so big. I actually find it quite funny that i placed a huge amount of faith and started to humanise a certain robot that ended up taking out a major player, but I suppose this teaches me that I should instead support fellow humans and not machines!
“I revealed secrets to you, and now you pay for them."
‘Killer Domes and the Chosen One’ is a book about peace-keepers, rule-breakers and rule-benders and a group of rebels who exercise in invasion and rebellion to break a system of peace that’s perpetuating questionable messages. It’s a short, sharp novella-sized story which is the first in what I’m assuming will be a series. I think Gibbo Gibbs has written something quite fun and inventive here so if sci-fi, adventure, apocalypses or devious robots are your thing, you might want to give this a try. It’s Mitch who holds the mantle and lit it, lets’ see if anyone might take it from him…
“Witness the power of the chosen one!"
I gave this book 3.7 stars -
P.S. Thank you to Gibbo Gibbs for sending me a paperback copy and giving me an opportunity to read 'Killer Domes and the Chosen One'.
My Rating System:
★ - 1 star: I did not like the book ★★ - 2 stars: The book was okay ★★★ - 3 stars: It was a good, solid read ★★★★ - 4 stars: A great book ★★★★★ - 5: A phenomenal read
THIS PART MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS!
Thoughts while reading:
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1) I was a bit lost following Bernard’s role in this story 2) Sometimes I was lost on who was on whose side? But I suppose we will find out specifics in the following books. 3) I think Maz would have been a better leader than Mitch. And I’m not sure that he actually is the Chosen One. 4) I think Mitch was a bit high on his own self-importance. He wanted to be the chosen one, but when he was challenged that Maz could potentially be in the same league he didn’t seem to like it.
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