Purged Souls

A catastrophic and near-apocalyptic event has altered the course of Lori Rose’s life forever. Now, twenty years after the Purge hit and eclipsed the world around her, wiping out nearly everything and everyone she loved, her life holds a meaning of a different kind. Time and experiences have naturally hardened her over the years, making her seem callous, even wanton. As the head of Special Forces of Marin military headquarters, her calculating, logistical mind serves her well in a world still filled with violence, death, and uncertainty. When called upon to protect and fight for Marin against those in bordering territories, she accepts the call of duty and ends up at odds with her own. She reaches out to an old friend of hers, one that saved her life many years ago when he pulled her from the remnants of a devastating blast. Together, she and Mika strive to determine how a young, fatally wounded soldier manages to survive, escaping from the hospital in which she was treated with no trace of ever having existed. What they find is alarming; she’s apparently not the only one. It becomes clear that enemy forces may be at work. In fact, they discover there are “Puries” in their midst, using biological weapons to decrease birth rates among the citizens of Marin and Kern, in order to further decrease their populations. They’ve also been injecting AHtX into mortally wounded soldiers in order to boost their immune systems enough to render them indestructible. With a significant amount of aid from others, Lori and Amy Chipps, the governor of New Cal, are able to neutralize the surrounding threats and save Mika from impending death after a gut-wrenching fall. They’re finally able, too, to look to their futures with some semblance of hope.

This science fiction thriller is masterfully and articulately written. The cast of characters is thoughtfully diverse. Some are cold and deceptive, power-hungry, and willing to do anything to prevail. Others are courageous and determined, passionate, and in search of a better life. Still, others are angry and methodical, vengeful, and goal-driven to the end. They add intrigue and diversity, peaking readers’ interests. The storyline itself is complex and filled with elaborate details. There are more twists and turns throughout than displayed in an intricately woven spiderweb. The majority of the chapters end with a new caveat being introduced, enticing readers to read on to the very last page.

The author does a remarkable job of weaving a couple of endearing relationships into what is otherwise an action-packed thriller. For example, Lori’s closeness to Mika, her only childhood friend who survived the Purge, is palpable and even perplexing at times, given their personality dissimilarities. Additionally, the love that grows between Mika and Amy, over the course of happenstance in many respects, is intriguing and humanizing as well. When Mika finally awakes from a comatose state, the words draw the reader in and capture the essence of their bond: “She’d stared at his vacant face for three weeks, imagining it springing to life and saying something endearing. This hadn’t been what he’d uttered in those daydreams, but it wasn’t eloquent words she’d missed. It was that mischievous smile, the exuberance escaping from the gap between his teeth and filling the room. She leaned and kissed his cheek.”

This futuristic story is timely with respect to the world facing a pandemic of unconscionable magnitude right now. Though the Purge and it’s effects on humanity are in stark contrast with the effects of the Coronavirus, as are its origins, but the parallels that exist add a confounding element to the tale. They certainly both illuminate the unpredictable nature of life on earth. It’s likely this book will appeal to readers of various genres, given some of its unique attributes.