REVIEW: A Touch of Death by Rebecca Crunden

Genre: Sci-Fi, Dystopian

Publisher: Self-Published

ISBN-13: 978-1543210217

Release Date: 24th February 2017

Links: Goodreads, Amazon.com,
Website, Map


Synopsis:

A thousand years in the future, the last of humanity live inside the walls of the totalitarian Kingdom of Cutta. The rich live in Anais, the capital city of Cutta, sheltered from the famine and disease which ravage the rest of the Kingdom. Yet riches and power only go so far, and even Anaitians can be executed. It is only by the will of the King that Nate Anteros, son of the King’s favourite, is spared from the gallows after openly dissenting. But when he’s released from prison, Nate disappears.

A stark contrast, Catherine Taenia has spent her entire life comfortable and content. The daughter of the King’s Hangman and in love with Thom, Nate’s younger brother, her life has always been easy, ordered and comfortable. That is, where it doesn’t concern Nate. His actions sullied not only his future, but theirs. And unlike Thom, Catherine has never forgiven him.

Two years pass without a word, and then one night Nate returns. But things with Nate are never simple, and when one wrong move turns their lives upside down, the only thing left to do is run where the King’s guards cannot find them – the Outlands. Those wild, untamed lands which stretch around the great walls of the Kingdom, filled with mutants and rabids.

Review:


**Book sent to me by the author in return
for my honest review**

It's been a little while since I've reviewed a novel that has been sent to me, but I am so happy to share my review of A Touch of Death with you!

Rebecca Crunden recently contacted me asking if I would review her novel. After reading the synopsis I just had to say yes. (Dystopian? Yes please!)

This dystopian novel is set a thousand years in the future where the last of humanity is living inside a totalitarian Kingdom. While the rich are living a sheltered life, the rest of the kingdom is dealing with famine and disease. After disappearing for two years, Nate suddenly returns and is soon on the run with Catherine (his brother's partner), into the Outlands where the King's guards cannot find them.

By far, my favourite part of this book was the world building. Crunden did a fantastic job at really building up a picture of how the dystopian world looks and how dire it was. The difference between the rich and poor was written fantastically and Crunden did a wonderful job at showing how vastly different the living arrangements and struggles were for each person. 

There are two major characters that you follow in the story, Catherine and Nathaniel (Nate). Catherine has spent her life content and comfortable. She hasn't experienced the diseases and famine that is causing the poorer to suffer so greatly. Instead, she lives as the daughter of the King's Hangman and is in love with Thom, Nate's younger brother. Despite her sheltered life, Catherine is actually a strong character. There were a lot of situations she found herself in that I felt really helped build and show her strength.

Nate on the other hand has been away for two years when he suddenly returns and very quickly causes Catherine's whole life to turn upside down. The two had a very interesting relationship. Catherine struggles to forgive Nate for his past actions and still judges him when he returns despite his brother, Thom, having forgiven him. In fact, throughout the majority of the novel Catherine really isn't Nate's biggest fan but the various situations they find themselves in mean they end up spending a lot more time together than Catherine probably likes. Nate is a bit of a trouble-maker with a past that only makes her resent him more. I liked that the start of the novel showed a little bit of insight into his past, though I personally would have liked a little bit more of this. I loved the two character's interactions with one another. Despite their differences, I felt that the two characters really complimented each other and helped each other to grow.

It wasn't just the main characters that I loved. All the characters, major and minor, were well-developed and interesting.

The plot was fantastic. The different twists and turns the storyline took me on had me on the edge of my seat. The tension built throughout the novel and I never felt like the pace was too slow or too fast. The only part that I found a little confusing was the abrupt jump from a look into Nate's past into the future where he is with Catherine running through the wilderness.

There are many dystopian novels out there but Crunden adds many elements into this novel that really make it stand out against the crowd. The added sci-fi elements mixed with a dystopian world made for a fantastic and gripping read. Definitely pick this one up.

**All thoughts and opinions are my own**