Review: The Moon Dwellers by David Estes

The Moon Dwellers (Dwellers #1)
by David Estes
Published: June 30, 2012



In a desperate attempt to escape destruction decades earlier, humankind was forced underground, into the depths of the earth, creating a new society called the Tri-Realms.

After her parents and sister are abducted by the Enforcers, seventeen-year-old Adele, a member of the middle-class moon dwellers, is unjustly sentenced to life in prison for her parents' crimes of treason.

Against all odds, Adele must escape from the Pen and find her family, while being hunted by a deranged, killing machine named Rivet, who works for the President. She is helped by two other inmates, Tawni and Cole, each of whom have dark secrets that are better left undiscovered. Other than her friends, the only thing she has going for her is a wicked roundhouse kick and two fists that have been well-trained for combat by her father.

At the other end of the social spectrum is Tristan, the son of the President and a sun dweller. His mother is gone. He hates his father. Backed by only his servant and best friend, Roc, he leaves his lavish lifestyle in the Sun Realm, seeking to make something good out of his troubled life.

When a war breaks out within the Tri-Realms, Tristan is thrust into the middle of a conflict that seems to mysteriously follow Adele as she seeks to find her family and uncover her parents true past.

In their world, someone must die.


Prologue. PROLOGUE and already my mind is going ‘Woah! This is going to be one hell of a book!’ and boy was it not? With a fresh dystopian approach, let’s make a tour of this new underground home built after an apocalypse that resulted into a Tri-realm society where life isn't as different as above, only with more thrill and adventure – and an artificial sun.

Life as a Moon Dweller isn't easy. And without knowing where her family or whether they are still alive, Adele spent her life in prison distanced from everyone until she met Tawni and Cole who were later her partners in 'crime' breaking out of the Pen and finding her family.

Enter Tristan - rich, famous, gorgeous Tristan; a Sun Dweller who happened to have felt a connection on a random dark-haired Moon Dweller prisoner. Determined to get a life and find out what that connection is, he set out with his friend Roc outwitting his father's guards on his journey that led to an absolute maze of a cat-and-mouse chase; much like traveling the Lonely Caverns, if you know what I mean.

And this is where the adventure starts. Adele, unbeknownst to Tristan, is also drawn to that unusual connection. Now hold your thought! Before you go any further, it wasn’t some prelude for a clichéd instalove, that's for sure. Curious as she was, finding her family and getting them back is more important and that is what I really like about her. She's smart, funny, brave and rational. Add that to the fact that she kick's ass. Tristan even got a taste of that wicked roundhouse, unexpectedly and unfortunately. He's not someone she trusts and whatever connection they have will not change that. He is, after all, a Sun Dweller and the successor of his father's presidency - or kingship - and is hated by those who are not blinded by his favors.

David Estes deserves every bit of recognition for his absolutely brilliant self-published work. I admire his writing style, which is very much worth noticing. It made me smile, amazed and just damn awed. It’s like he knows exactly what his readers want and just as you begin to question a certain part then BAM! You get the answer right after.

Not all of them, of course. Now where would be the suspense in that then? Need I clarify why I have to read the second book? Because seriously, this book is awesome and not reading the sequel would be a total sin. Get me? LOL! Thank you, David, for creating this beauty. I'm really looking forward to highlighting a lot more of your clever, amusing and original metaphors in my reader.

Don't expect me to compare this to other dystopian books out there because personally, I think this book is original and well-thought. I love it! I wasn't expecting much from this but damn if it didn't get me hooked.

Words!
Adele

Now, stuck in the Pen, it seems like an awfully big waste of energy—to swim against the current, that is. But I can’t take it back, not any of it, no matter how hard I try. No matter how much I try to wish it all away, my past is the zit that you pop, watch bleed, watch heal, only to see poking from your skin again a week later.

Tristan

If you've never run at full speed in complete darkness, you should try it sometime. It’s exhilarating.