I recently had a chance to review a trilogy of books called The Zadok Series. The premise of the series is that when people die on Earth, they're reborn into life on a new planet with a strict caste color system. Harlow, the main figure in the trilogy, is born at the bottom of the system, but somehow also drawn back to earth, where she lives a double life trying to navigate both worlds and decisions that could have strong impacts.
My daughter loved the world-building in the book. The concept of the divisions in society, while not necessarily unique as an idea, certainly had a different treatment and theme than other books I've read.
The book was definitely full of suspense - I would have been very dissatisfied if I hadn't been able to read all three books as a trilogy, because the end of one book just leaves so much open for the next.
There are definitely some powerful themes in the series - prejudice, responsibility, companionship, and more. It's definitely not a light fantasy, since the book starts with the main character's murder, but fans of young adult fantasy fiction, especially dystopian societies, will find a lot to enjoy in this series.
“My son Randall Jackson, aka RJ, helped to inspire The Zadok Series,” Minty explained. “We were sitting in the library … when the question, ‘I wonder what happens after you die’ came up. RJ said, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool if every time we died, we regenerated onto a different planet?’”
As a tribute, Minty added, one of the characters is modelled after RJ, who “is quirky with a brain like an encyclopedia.” (As an autistic child herself, my daughter really enjoys seeing other characters who resonate with her own brand of quirkiness.)
About the Author
Born in Queensland, Australia, 1984, Nikki Minty rose into this world with a wild imagination. As a young girl, she would lie in bed with her family, co-telling stories about the big bad wolf and his turbulent adventures.
Nikki Minty is a writer and avid reader of YA. She loves fantasy, sci-fi, supernatural elements, magical realism and romance. Amanda Hocking is her all-time favorite author, she has a huge collection of Monster High Dolls, and her favorite color is red.
For more information, visit https://nikkiminty.com, or follow the author on Instagram (@nikstamint) or Twitter (@NikkiMinty1).
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