Eden's Root [Kindle Edition]

Rachel Fisher (Author)

Book Description

It is 2033, and the world hovers on the edge of explosion as unexplained crop deaths lead to severe global food shortages. In the United States, the Sickness is taking lives slowly, creeping its way into every family. Fi Kelly has already faced the Sickness in her own family, toughening her beyond her years. But a shocking confession from her dying father will push her toughness to its absolute limits. Saddled with an impossible secret and the mission of saving her little sister, Fi sets out to transform herself into the warrior that she must become to survive the coming collapse. Along the way, she will discover that evil can be accidental and that love can be intentional.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

I am a wife and entrepreneur living and working in Florida. Though I grew up in the northeast, I can’t give up the sunshine and beaches of my adoptive home. My work is fictional and would be classified as science-fiction because it is rooted in science, but it is not the typical with robots, space travel, or aliens. This particular story is focused on realistic worst-case scenarios because those are what I find most intriguing right now. Favorite pasttimes...mostly outdoorsy things, and overuse of ellipsis.

Product Details

• File Size: 607 KB
• Print Length: 292 pages
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B006NP415G
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Not Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #114,855 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
  • #96 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Science Fiction > Genetic Engineering

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars It'll Make You Think July 17, 2012

By anaavu

Format:Paperback

This review may seem a bit scattered, but that's because it was originally a co-review on my blog: book-spark.blogspot.com

Overview:
Rachel (the author) has studied biochemistry and biogeochemistry and other unpronounceable courses, she is now a nutrition expert and truly knows what she's talking about. She always is a bit of a word nerd and has a certain way with words. This fearsome combination makes for a book with a dynamite plotline. In her story, you can get the actual scientific reasoning behind the apocalypse in such a simple and interesting way, you actually understand and start to believe in it. Random thought - I think Rachel would make an fantastic teacher.

Plot:
My favorite thing about Eden's Root is the circumstances around which the apocalypse happened. It wasn't the plan of evil governments, it wasn't bombs or volcanoes. It was - quite simply - man's greed. Scientists had, for centuries, cross-bred plants and animals and added pesticides and preservatives, convinced that they were helping to make more food to end hunger. Instead, all the blind tinkering with food sources led to all the plants and animals quickly dying (resulting in a famine) and many people becoming Sick with cancer and other diseases. The most chilling thing is... the logic's really convincing. We know scientists have added all these things to our crops, this frightens people enough that they are willing to pay much more for "organic" food. So it's not difficult to take that leap and believe that some harm could come of this food. And Rachel Fisher, well, she could probably make me believe anything. =)

Narration/Tone:
I was planning to give Eden's Root three stars for the first half of the book. Why? Because the author felt the need to describe Every. Single. Event. Seriously, I had to read every discussion Fi had with her dying father, every part of her training, and after the apocalypse, so much of the trek was described in excruciating detail. Okay, maybe I'm being too hard on the first half. It wasn't excruciating, but I can tell you, I was BORED. But then, Fi and Asher met. The tone of the novel suddenly changed. Things started actually happening. The story went at a much faster pace. I could sense hope in the characters, especially Fi. It's like Asher came and revived them all. There were fights and deaths and joy and grief - a whole depth of emotion and that's when I got hooked, baby!

Characters:
First half, I didn't like Fi. Not at all. She was so domineering! How did the adults handle following her? A person's level of preparation for the apocalypse doesn't automatically qualify her as Leader, but Fi leaves the Family with no option. It's like: "Here, become part of my Family and obey me no matter what with me as Leader and I'll protect you. Otherwise, go away." It worked out well in the end, but that's not the point. The fact that she could be so undemocratic in that matter made me think she was insensitive and I didn't care for her. As soon as she met Asher though, she completely changed. She was... fun! She finally started letting her emotions show and she started joking around more; thank goodness, because it was getting a little dull reading about a stoic survivor. Despite her unemotional attitude, I deeply respected her as a character. She was, without a doubt, a more-than-capable Leader and a formidable opponent in a fight and you just have to admire a 14-year-old who shuts off her grief and trains so hard for a year that she can successfully lead a group of 15 or so people across who-knows-how-many miles to safety.

Asher I pretty much loved from beginning to end, no question. I think it was the sword as a weapon of choice that did it. He can be my book boyfriend!

Romanciness:
Ana: Yes, there's a love triangle, but I loved the romance in this book anyway. It's a nice distraction from the extremely depressing conditions of Fi's world. I don't want to give anything away, but it's not a love triangle in the tradition sense, with two boys vying for the girl's heart. It's better. A lot better and so much more aww-worthy!

Basically...
Ana: The backstory has science behind it and was chillingly believable. I am hooked on this series and cannot wait to read Book 2, entitled Seeds of War! If you like dystopian reads, you'll find this one refreshing! Read it!

**I received a complimentary copy of this book as part of a blog tour in exchange for an honest review.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Terrifyingly Real with Potential! July 25, 2012

By M. Moran

Format:Paperback

The entire time I was reading Eden's Root, one thought kept resonating: this wasn't just sci-fi - this was realistic science fiction. And for me, that is usually the most terrifying kind...the sort that isn't out of the real of possibility. This suspenseful novel forced me to think about possibilities that, although they scared me, also made me appreciate the Fi and her family live in, and the choices she makes to keep them safe. Ultimately, Eden's Root had a few issues that detracted from my enjoyment of it, but I still found it to be a wild ride I won't soon forget!

While reading Rachel Fisher's novel, I struggled a bit with some of the characters. I've waited awhile after finishing to write my review, and I think there was something off in the character's voices for me. I liked the actual characters themselves well enough - Fi was brave and loyal, Sean was protective and strong, Asher was devoted and swoon-worthy, and the other members of the Family all had important roles to play. But in retrospect, even though I understand she was forced to grow up fast, Fi never felt like a teenager, nor did Sean or Asher, really. The only way I can describe it is that maybe Rachel struggled to really find their identities as teens - even teens who had grown up before they should have had to, due to their circumstances. Also there was a bit of a distance between the writing and their voices, almost as if she was afraid to get to close to the characters.

However, I did find a lot to like about Eden's Root. I really loved the scenes with Fi and her father - to me, that's where part of the heart of the story lies, in Fi's devotion to her father, and in his wish to prepare her for the harsh realities she'd face after he was gone, another victim of the Sickness, a cancer-like disease transmitted through the very food they're eating.

I also liked the unexpected romance between Fi and Asher! At first I thought Rachel Fisher was going in a different direction with the romance, but I'm happy with the way it all played out - it felt natural. Despite the fact that the pacing when it came to large passages of time felt choppy, Asher and Fi ARE given time to grow as friends and as a couple, so that their pairing felt more natural than rushed.

Overall, I liked Eden's Root, and read it in one sitting, so that says something about the story being told and about the writing! I think Rachel Fisher has a lot of promise, because while there are a few aspects to this book that felt under-developed, there was also a great deal of potential for a brilliant sci-fi trilogy!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining and edifying! Highly recommend! January 15, 2012

By (Hard Science Fan) Kitty

Format:Kindle Edition

As a fan of hard science fiction, I have to say I was really satisfied by Eden's Root. Not only did the author create an action-packed romp, with tension-filled moments, hand-to-hand combat scenes and harrowing journeys, but she was able to weave in interesting real-world information about heirloom food and the all-too-real possibility that we are genetically modifying our food sources in perilous ways. This is the basis of the plot of Eden's Root, and I found it all too plausible and eerily prophetic. And, even though I am no longer a "Young Adult," I enjoyed the main characters of Fi, Sean and Asher so much. Their fumbling youthful attempts to find love or face rejection (sometimes outweighed by more pressing issues of simply staying alive!) took me back to those teen years of discovery, youthful insecurity and giddy possibility as if it was yesterday. I really hope to read more about these characters and their further adventures! Rachel E. Fisher is a talent to watch!!

More About the Author

I am a wife and entrepreneur living and working in Florida. My work is fictional and would be classified as science-fiction because it is rooted in science, but so far it is not the typical with robots, space travel, or aliens. Instead I have focused on realistic worst-case scenarios because those are what I find most intriguing at the moment. And I have chosen biology-based science-fiction as my genre (It is also categorized as Young Adult.)

I am a graduate of Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts where I majored in Biology. I originally set out to become an academician, but found it didn't suit me. It turns out that research, of all things, is tedious. Who knew? Though I did not end up making research my life, my passion for Biology remained intact. That is why writing biology-based science-fiction felt natural to me. Those were often my favorite stories to read and daydream about, so it makes sense that they would be my favorite to write.

CHECK OUT MY REVIEWS ON GOODREADS for more impressions!