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The Third

by Abel Keogh (Goodreads Author)

3.67 of 5 stars 3.67 · rating details · 132 ratings · 57 reviews

In this stark and haunting look at the not-so-distant future, an environmentally minded society elects to limit the number of children couples can have, enforcing dire consequences for lawbreakers. But when his wife gets pregnant with their third, and therefore illegal, child, Ransom Lawe is forced to choose between the government who's trying to save the world from ecolog...more

Paperback, 265 pages

Published April 8th 2011 by Bonneville

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Jan 16, 2012 Wendy Hines rated it 4 of 5 stars

Ransom Lawe works at the recycling plant. Back in the day the position would have been called a garbage man, but times have changed and so has the job. In this time, everything is recycled, even houses and trees.

In this not so distant future time, there are no cars and water and food are rationed. Women are allowed to only have two children. If they have a third, they must have a "credit" for it, or the Census Bureau Sentinals will come take the female to the infirmary and take care of the prob...more Ransom Lawe works at the recycling plant. Back in the day the position would have been called a garbage man, but times have changed and so has the job. In this time, everything is recycled, even houses and trees.

In this not so distant future time, there are no cars and water and food are rationed. Women are allowed to only have two children. If they have a third, they must have a "credit" for it, or the Census Bureau Sentinals will come take the female to the infirmary and take care of the problem.

His wife, Teya, works for Dr. Redgrave, taking blood samples most of her day, basic pregnancy tests. But Teya has been switching her own blood samples with others so no one realizes she is pregnant. She and Ransom already have two boys and she isn't sure what they are going to do.

Teya's sister is the Director of Population Control and won't ever use her credit, so that she can set a good example. When she finds out her sister is pregnant, instead of giving her the spare credit, she calls the Sentinals and Teya is sent to the infirmary. Ransom has five days to come up with a credit or Teya will lose the baby.

A woman Ransom had helped on the rails approaches Ransom that she can help him. She wants to repay his kindness in helping her save her whining child from a Sentinal, but what she offers Ransom can't refuse. A life in a new greener area where the people can have as many children as they want and the food isn't rotten is too good to be true. But she and her people will only help Ransom free Teya and escape if he agrees to her demands. Ransom will have to make a choice for his family in a limited amount of time. Politics or Family?

The Third is a page-turning dystopian novel that will keep you up late at night! I couldn't put this book down. The world Keogh paints is desperate and full of despair. The characters are realistic and even a glimmer of hope lights up their persona. Jam packed with action, love, choices against a bleak landscape will have you on the edge-of-your-seat hoping for a happy outcome when there is little hope.
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Aug 24, 2011 Carla Thomas rated it 2 of 5 stars

Recommended to Carla by: ccthomas516@frontier.com

Shelves: adult-fiction

The Third by Abel Keough
(Adult Apocalyptic Fiction)

"The covers of this book are too far apart."--Ambrose Bierce
Thus begins my review of a book that took too much and gave too little.

The Third takes place in the year 2065, a futuristic apocalyptic world where citizens are only allowed 2 children. The concept is so overdone already--for a great book on the same plot, try Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix. In this version, Ransome Lawe has just found out his wife has become pregnant with...more The Third by Abel Keough
(Adult Apocalyptic Fiction)

"The covers of this book are too far apart."--Ambrose Bierce
Thus begins my review of a book that took too much and gave too little.

The Third takes place in the year 2065, a futuristic apocalyptic world where citizens are only allowed 2 children. The concept is so overdone already--for a great book on the same plot, try Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix. In this version, Ransome Lawe has just found out his wife has become pregnant with their third child, a move he is not happy about. However, being the great husband that he is, he swallows his feelings of frustration and blame (barely) and tries to find some way to legally keep the child. When this fails, there is no other way but to escape to a utopian land called 'Minnesota'.

It isn't only the plot that makes this story a drudgery to read. There were so many capitalization errors that is was frustrating and distracting to work all the way through. That's a minor problem. The bigger problems are with details. As a reader, I was brought forcefully out of the story and had to keep stepping back from the book and asking questions to an author (or editor) I wish I had an email address for.

For example,
1. In this future world where resources are terribly scarce, why do people still use pencils, papers and clipboards? My doctor's office doesn't even use this stuff now. Everything is on a laptop and there are computers in the book.
2. Why does EVERY woman have to come to the clinic for a monthly blood test to check for pregnancy? Seriously, we can just pee in a cup today. In 50 years, there still won't be a better test? (If you're feministic like me, this type of thing will drive you crazy the whole way through.)
3. Why are these people still using birth control? TODAY there are better methods than the pill and the author doesn't even try using other technologies.
4. The main character complains about paying $2 for a Coke to show how outrageous prices are. Um, there is a machine at Universal Studios in Orlando that charges $3.50.

It just seems as if the author were writing from 50 years ago. None of the main plot supports even begins to suggest why this should be a realistic or believable story. When a reader delves into futuristic fiction, it should be cutting-edge looking beyond what we have today and imagining for the reader how our future technologies will morph into something either for good or ill. This book just doesn't do that. If you are into Dystopian fiction, I have plenty of other suggestions that will blow your mind....Hunger Games, Among the Hidden series, Uglies,......I can go on and on and you should too.

Go on to another book, that is. (less)

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Jul 16, 2011 Birgit rated it 4 of 5 stars

With an opening scene that will shatter you to the core Abel Keogh presents a dystopian novel with a theme that doesn't seem so far fetched at all.
In a world where The Third refers to what society tries to prevent, the illegal birth of a third child in a family, everything is being rationed and regulated, from how much food you get to how many children you may have. When Ransom finds out that his wife is pregnant with their third child, he tries everything to keep them both safe which turns out...more

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May 17, 2011 Justin rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-2011, dystopia, 2011-release, cedar-fort

http://staffersmusings.blogspot.com/2...
Know what I liked about The Third ? There are no right answers. In Abel Keogh's novel of the near future, the world has responded to the threat of global warming by instituting strict population limits and rationing resources. I was very hesitant to read the novel because the global warming issue has become so politicized in recent years that I fear any novel built around the concept will demagogue for one side or the other. I shouldn't have worried.

The st...more http://staffersmusings.blogspot.com/2...
Know what I liked about The Third ? There are no right answers. In Abel Keogh's novel of the near future, the world has responded to the threat of global warming by instituting strict population limits and rationing resources. I was very hesitant to read the novel because the global warming issue has become so politicized in recent years that I fear any novel built around the concept will demagogue for one side or the other. I shouldn't have worried.

The story centers on Ransom Lawe - a recycler whose job entails leaving the confines of the walled city and stripping abandoned buildings for resources. Lawe, already questioning the rightness of a society that demeans a woman's right to have children, finds himself in dire circumstances when his wife, Teya, becomes pregnant with their third child. Two children are frowned upon, but a third is illegal.

Throughout the novel Keogh asks all the right questions. Is global warming the threat the government claims it is? If it is, does that threat justify denying humanity's natural rights? The Third shows both points of view through two distinct characters - Mona, Teya's sister and Director of Population at the Census Bureau and Esperanza, a prominent leader in the resistance. Mona believes so strongly in the necessity to protect the earth and humanity's survival as a species that she will not help her own sister give birth. In contrast, Esperanza espouses an almost Ayn Randian vision of self determination as she tries to free the Lawe family.

After finishing I can honestly say I'm not sure what Keogh believes. For me though, that is the point. He seems to say there is no perfect solution. Is the earth getting warmer? Absolutely, the data is irrefutable. That said there's not yet a consensus on what's causing it. And even if there were, what cost is society willing to pay to turn back the thermometer? Beyond the issue of global warming, Keogh also delves into the idea of social change. Using Mona and Esperanza again he sets up an almost Malcolm X/Martin Luther King Jr. paradigm. Can change be best accomplished within the system or can things only truly change through revolution? It's a provocative discussion and only hinted at, eschewing the frank discussions that get someone pigeonholed as a political mouthpiece.

The one downside for me was in how Teya was written. Keogh portrays her as incapable of dealing with the situation. She's often reduced to a simpering layabout waiting for her husband or sister to solve her problems. Even when she makes a decision she bungles it only complicating the already herculean task she's put before her husband. It seemed to me that Keogh played into many of the emotional stereotypes surrounding women (and in case my wife is reading this - they're all crap!). Perhaps he makes up for this in Esperanza and Mona who are both far stronger female characters. I still feel like the novel could have had the same impact without her being characterized this way.

Unlike many books that deals with large social issues, The Third is current. While in the tradition of 1984 and Brave New World , Keogh discusses themes that are far more relevant to today's young people making it a great option for high school reading lists. I definitely recommend The Third and I’ll be interested to see what Abel Keogh writes in the future.
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May 16, 2011 Julie Ford rated it 4 of 5 stars

An intense depute novel I am happy to report, I could hardly put down.

However, I have to say that I wasn’t sure what message the author was trying to send. Oppression under the guise of environmental protection as opposed to what, catchphrases like: capitalism, free-market and trickle down economics? I consider myself an environment-friendly person. I recycle, drive a hybrid and use phosphate-free cleaners. Maybe the planet isn’t heating up as some may claim but I’m old enough to remember a tim...more

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Apr 01, 2012 Georgette rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: futuristic

Ransom works as a recycler in a town and future where population control is an everyday reality. What does that mean? Limiting women to only having two children. What happens if the women get pregnant with a third? Well, not pretty. The novel starts out with Ransom saving a women's baby from being killed by an evil sentinel on the tram. This heroic act backfires, but by the end of the novel, his good deed does not go unpunished. However-it turns quickly to bad. And that is what Ransom has to dea...more Ransom works as a recycler in a town and future where population control is an everyday reality. What does that mean? Limiting women to only having two children. What happens if the women get pregnant with a third? Well, not pretty. The novel starts out with Ransom saving a women's baby from being killed by an evil sentinel on the tram. This heroic act backfires, but by the end of the novel, his good deed does not go unpunished. However-it turns quickly to bad. And that is what Ransom has to deal with when his wife Teya realizes she's pregnant and keeps it from him until the last moment. Ransom goes through hell and back and runs into all sorts of ugly predicaments that endanger not only his life, but that of Teya, their unborn child, and their two sons. Teya feels no choice but to confess her pregnancy to her sister, who turns on her and reports her. They get ahold of Teya and imprison her. It's up to Ransom and the group of friends who are helping people escape the town and get into a "Green City"(where they are allowed to live their lives as free people, not as drones of the environmentally- obsessed zealots), to get Teya out of the hands of those who will terminate her pregnancy, and possibly kill her. Do they? You have to read it to find out.
What stopped me from giving this 5 stars? Well, several factors.
1. When the novel ends, it ends with a sacchrine ending. I had hoped for more of an action-packed ending, in keeping with the pace of the entire novel. The book came in like a lion, ended like a lamb.
2. Dragonmir- the evil sentinel who stalked Ransom, beat the crap out of him, and tried to rape Teya- I hoped he would get more of what he got. I understand the character's rationale, as it jived with his character, but someone so evil should've gotten his.
3. Mona- Teya's career-obsessed sister. For turning her own sister in to the government, knowing full well what usually happens to imprisoned pregnant women carrying the third- should've gotten more vitrol. She gets a stern talking to from Ransom, and just disappears. That seemed kind of contrived.
Otherwise- the book kicked ass. (less)

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Jun 27, 2011 Heather from NightlyReading rated it 5 of 5 stars

As you all know, I normally only read YA novels, but I was intrigued by this title and storyline. I am so glad that I decided to give this book a try, I ended up loving it! This book has a frustrating storyline, but is beautifully written.

The book takes place in the year 2065. Things have changed a lot from now til then. The government has taken over regulating everything from food to all power sources. They blame everything on the people and say that the earth was never taken care of especially...more

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Apr 15, 2010 Gordon Ryan rated it 5 of 5 stars

I read The Third in pre-release format on my Kindle and was extremely pleased with the content, writing style and overall message. Keogh's The Third reminded me of George Orwell's classical novel, 1984. The world he paints, not that far into the future, is dysmal, confining, and completly in control of the government right down to the food we eat and the time we spend each day. I am a new fan of Abel Keogh. I look forward to the sequel.

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Jul 27, 2011 Mandy rated it 5 of 5 stars

As the world's temperatures continue to increase, certain areas have taken drastic measures to curb global warming. With high taxes for environmental impact, government sanctioned limits on reproduction, and punishments for those who violate population laws, citizens are indoctrinated into this view of lawful citizenship. When Ransom and his wife are faced with their own violation, the world suddenly doesn't look quite so black and white.

Abel Keogh's The Third is a fantastic dystopian novel bru...more

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May 25, 2011 Emily rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult-lit, dystopian, favorites, political, scary, thriller

Overall Review: Reminiscent of George Orwell’s ‘1984’, Abel Keogh has captured a viable, thought provoking, and grippingly scary future in The Third. It is the year 2065 in Washington State, USA. The government has almost total control over the people: no cars are allowed (donkeys with carts or public trams instead!), no air conditioning/heating, the power is closely regulated (and if you use too much, it’s shut off!), water is rationed, food is rationed to the point of a constant gnawing hunger...more Overall Review: Reminiscent of George Orwell’s ‘1984’, Abel Keogh has captured a viable, thought provoking, and grippingly scary future in The Third. It is the year 2065 in Washington State, USA. The government has almost total control over the people: no cars are allowed (donkeys with carts or public trams instead!), no air conditioning/heating, the power is closely regulated (and if you use too much, it’s shut off!), water is rationed, food is rationed to the point of a constant gnawing hunger, and above all, having more than two children is unheard of and illegal. The only way around the ‘child replacement’ law is if you can find someone who doesn’t have kids who is willing to sell their replacement credit to you. If you’re caught expecting your third without that credit, you will go to prison and undergo surgery! Ransom Lawe does a good deed and ends up having a run-in with a sentinel (law enforcement officer) that does not bode well for his family. At the same time, his wife, Teya, tells him she is expecting an illegal third. Now they are desperately trying to find solutions that will keep them both out of prison. The writing in this novel is fantastic. The characters are realistic and the settings are bleak. Ransom is hot-headed and aggressive, and I admit I didn’t like him at first. As the story went on, though, you realize that he is that way due to stress, frustration, and helplessness. There is a constant intensity that doesn’t let up; it builds and builds without relief until the very end! The law is enforced by intimidation and brute force. Everyone is repressed, though most don’t realize it. They’ve all been taught that the new restrictions and laws are for the good of the people—that it will make life better. Some choose to fight against the control and barbarism, but most are content to just sit back and let things lie as they are. I wondered often: Which side would I be on? Would I fight to be free? Or would I just go with the flow? The Third is an expertly told psychological dystopian tale that keeps you on the edge of your seat. I can’t stop thinking about it. Overall rating is 5 out of 5 stars!

Content Review:

PROFANITY: Two mild instances

SEXUAL CONTENT: Mild to moderate throughout

VIOLENCE: Moderate throughout with a few strong instances

MATURE THEMES: Moderate to strong

RECOMMENDED AGE GROUP: 21+

This novel was so well written and scary, but I would not consider it clean. The sentinels are evil and brutal. They have no problem hurting small babies, harassing and battering women, stealing, belittling, threatening, and beating up anyone who stands in their way. There are anger crimes as well. A character pulls out another’s stitches to get some answers. There is an intense and pretty gory fight scene at the end. There are some sexual innuendos. Since this book is about whether or not the people should have large families, there are lots of discussions about family planning, etc. A character is very crude and makes comments about another man’s wife. As far as profanity, there are only 2 mild words, and not necessarily even used as exclamations: one is giving thanks, the other is a place. The themes are very adult: How our choices affect not only ourselves but others around us; living with hard decisions; dealing with fear and intimidation; dystopian societal laws and whether to follow them or to follow your own heart. The Third is recommended for Ages 21+.

This review was written by Emily
A Squeaky Clean Reads Book Reviewer
This book was sent to Squeaky Clean Reads by Cedar Fort for a review

To see more book reviews with content in mind, visit Squeaky Clean Reads!(less)

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Apr 24, 2011 Melanie Coombes rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

I just finished this book last night and thought it was great. I might have been mislead by the cover. I kept expecting a dark, gloomy story, but that is not the case. The story takes place in Washington state in 2065. Ransom Lawe is a recycler who finds out that his wife, Teya is pregnant with their third child. Having more than two children is illegal. Ransom has to figure out how to save his wife and unborn child from a government that claims they are only trying to save the planet.

This book...more

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May 14, 2011 Heather rated it 2 of 5 stars

I wanted to like The Third more than I actually did. The plot was a good one but the execution was lacking for me. I never connected with the characters or felt invested in them. Both Ransom and Teya made so many rash, impulsive decisions that they were often the source of their own troubles. Ransom didn't bother me too much but Teya's character was all over the place. I couldn't pin down who she was as a person so I couldn't relate to her in any way. Her reaction to Ransom at the end of the boo...more

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Apr 26, 2011 Elizabeth Mueller rated it 5 of 5 stars

"The only way your kids are going to have any future is if we get this world back to a livable condition. The only way we're going to do that is with fewer people. People are the problem, not the solution."

Doesn't that just give you chills?

I enjoyed the world Abel Keogh built. It is strong, believable and frightening. I realize how blessed we are with our homes, our yards and swing sets, warm water, and motorized vehicles. Most of all, to have children without regulation--we won't be punished fo...more

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May 31, 2011 Missie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary

3.5 stars!

The most gripping aspects of this story was how it presents a future that is entirely possible, and most likely probable.

The year is 2065, and the world is a very different place from today. Instead of a future with kids playing at the park on their hoverboards or travel through teleportation (which I was really hoping someone would invent), our societies have destroyed the planet, and the consequences are harsh. People are barely scraping by, living off rations, limited supplies of wa...more 3.5 stars!

The most gripping aspects of this story was how it presents a future that is entirely possible, and most likely probable.

The year is 2065, and the world is a very different place from today. Instead of a future with kids playing at the park on their hoverboards or travel through teleportation (which I was really hoping someone would invent), our societies have destroyed the planet, and the consequences are harsh. People are barely scraping by, living off rations, limited supplies of water, and reused medical equipment. No one drives cars anymore because of high carbon taxes.

Since the main problem is that there is not enough food to feed everyone, strict population laws have been enforced. Each married couple is only allowed to have two children. If they break the law, they are immediately arrested.

So when Ransom Lawe's wife, Teya, reveals that she is three months pregnant with their third child, it presents quite a problem for the couple.

From the moment I started reading this book until I finished it, I had a shuddering chill running through me. The world Keogh created felt so real, yet he didn't have to elaborate much for me to be able to get a picture of how things were. Our civilization was in such a dire state, and I was completely disgusted with it.

In a place where survival of the fittest is the only thing that matters, I found myself horrified by how cruel humanity had become. Small kindnesses were few and far between. Still, Ransom was an honorable man. He risked his welfare to help a stranger which took him on a path that few would follow.

This book never stopped stirring emotions in me. Even while I raged over the injustice of the revoked rights to freedoms we take for granted today, like having as many children as you want, I still found myself completely frustrated with Teya's actions. Part of me thought her to be admirable, part of me thought she was completely selfish and put her family at too great of a risk. Either way, I was torn between wanting the family to find a way to keep the baby or to just give in to the law.

I did find bits of the prose and dialogue to be somewhat awkward, but in the world that Ransom lives in, people are no longer comfortable with one another, so it worked well for the story.

Very thought provoking read with and ending that breaths new hope into uncertain times.

http://www.theunreadreader.com/2011/0...(less)

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Mar 09, 2012 Laurie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Abel Keogh's "The Third" hit a nerve with me. I had just finished a lengthy visit with a friend from China where a policy of one to two children is already in place. She told me of families murdering girl children so they could get, in essence, another "credit" to try again for a boy. After that conversation, and reading "The Third," I find myself more aware of the subtle, anti-family political shifting evident today.

Keogh's writing style was straight forward which suited the material perfectly....more

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Jun 10, 2011 Tristi rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: i-edited-it

As an editor, I've had the opportunity to work on a lot of books. Some of them have stuck with me over time, but none has impacted me the same way as The Third by Abel Keogh.

Our main character is Ransom Lawe, a man living in the northwest about fifty years into the future. The world is running out of natural resources and the people of Earth depend on recycling for their survival. Another law has been enacted, that of allowing only two children per family. If a woman becomes pregnant after havi...more

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Apr 26, 2011 Kristin (MyBookishWays Reviews) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopian, for-review

You may read my review here: http://www.mybookishways.com/2011/04/...

In the Pacific Northwest, in 2065, Ransom Lawe is a recycler, with a wife, and two young boys. The family lives in a small apartment, and struggles just to have enough to eat. In Abel Keogh’s novel, people are only allowed to have two children. The earth is threatened, and people are the biggest threat. Everything is recycled, and sentinels, or “snatchers”, roam the street looking for families with illegal third children. Food...more

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May 13, 2011 Rachelle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Abel Keogh had me hooked by the first few pages when he describes in harrowing detail how the main character, Ransom Lawe, rescues a baby from an evil Census Bureau Sentinel. Abel's description and vivid emotional detail kept me turning pages to find out what would happen next.

I love books with a theme that at first glance seems like something that couldn't happen, but upon closer examination show that some parts of our world are mere steps away from scary fiction.

Abel is a talented writer and y...more

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May 26, 2011 Maria rated it 4 of 5 stars

In the near future, saving the environment at all costs is the concern of the totalitarian government. Everything must be recycled, the amount of food the public can buy is limited, and the number of children a couple can have is two. Each person has one "credit" they can use to have a child. Should they choose not to have a child, they may sell this credit to a couple who wish to have a third. Ransom Lawe's wife is pregnant with their third child. He must find a way to purchase a credit, or sho...more

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Aug 24, 2012 Cheryl C. rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In some ways, Healing Music overlaps Falling Through Ice. Some of the same years in the author's life are covered. But while the writing style is similar, the focus of each book is very different. Still married to her husband, Larry, and mother to her young daughter, Audra, Rankin receives a crushing blow when she learns she has Degenerative Bone Disease. Her doctor calmly informs her she will be wheelchair bound by the age of 35. Her deteriorating condition is compounded by her strained marriag...more

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Jul 08, 2011 Shannon rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011

I have read a few YA Dystopian novels lately that I have enjoyed but this is the first Adult Dystopian for me and I loved it. The world that The Third was set in was scary in the sense that I can see how it could one day be real. I do not think it is a stretch to think that one day our population will outgrow our resources. Things like mandatory recycling of goods are already happening in some various cities or states in the US like Pittsburg, San Diego, Seattle, New York, Philadelphia, Connecti...more

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Jun 17, 2011 E.A. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction

I had no idea what to expect from THE THIRD when I started reading it. All I knew was what I read from the back cover which isn't much. The cover itself actually drew me in. It took me three days to finish and that is only because I have to go to an office every day for eight hours. Abel Keogh presents a situation in such a way that it made me wonder what I would do if I were in the character's shoes.

The story is set in 2065 where births are regulated by the government. From the very beginning...more

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Jul 11, 2011 Sarah (Workaday Reads) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011, netgalley, 5-star-in-2011

The US in 2065 is a very different place. Strict regulations govern where you live, what you do, how much you consume, and how many children you can have. All in the name of saving the planet. Ransom and Teya have respectable jobs, and two kids, the legal limit. When Teya reveals she's pregnant, Ransom must find a way to save his family from the overzealous government and their rules. Can he do it without ripping apart the life they lead?

This was a very adult dystopian in all its gritty details....more

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May 17, 2011 Misty rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-ve-reviewed

Picked it up to skim it and read 50 pages, that' s how smoothly it reads. Still thinking about this one, but that's a good thing. Might have to think about it some more before I can write a good review, but here's a quick summary.

Ransom Lawe lives in a green city 50 or so years in the future. The city reminds me a little of the flourescent lights in Joe's office on Joe vs. the Volcano (sorry I mentioned Joe vs. the Volcano in a review of your book, Abel); the city sucks the life out of people by...more Picked it up to skim it and read 50 pages, that' s how smoothly it reads. Still thinking about this one, but that's a good thing. Might have to think about it some more before I can write a good review, but here's a quick summary.

Ransom Lawe lives in a green city 50 or so years in the future. The city reminds me a little of the flourescent lights in Joe's office on Joe vs. the Volcano (sorry I mentioned Joe vs. the Volcano in a review of your book, Abel); the city sucks the life out of people by taking away many of their freedoms, freedoms which we currently take for granted. The opening scene shows Ransom saving a baby from a Census Bureau snatcher on the tram, and this action has results that put Ransom and his family in pretty dire circumstances. And while Dragomir the snatcher is making life hard for Ransom, Ransom's wife Teya announces she is pregnant with their third, thus illegal, child, which of course Teya wants to keep. In order to keep the baby, Ransom and Teya must find an available child credit. When this proves difficult, Ransom has to consider how far he will go to save the baby.

But it's not really about saving the baby. He didn't save the baby on the tram because he liked kids or because he was nice; he saved it because he was decent. (And I'm smacking my forehead because I just realized that's a big fat foreshadow I didn't see before). I didn't get the sense that Ransom cared that much about having a third child. He was willing to consider the options of both abortion and adoption. And he didn't really seem to connect with the children he already had--I guess because he had to work so hard just to make ends meet, which is the real tragedy of living in the city. The people are trapped in the condition of high prices and rationing. But anyway, Teya wants the child, so Ransom, for his wife, tries to find a way to keep it. But I never did get the sense that he and Teya really connected either. They lied to each other about everything, and withheld so much of themselves from each other that it was difficult to believe they even loved each other. This made Ransom's actions seem slightly out of place, or at least motivated by something besides love. But it also showed how the rationing in the city affected the quality of life.

And anyway, sequel? I'd love to see Ransom in the green states.(less)

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Jun 18, 2011 Amber Argyle added it

I love a good dystopian novel, but to be honest, they're all starting to read alike. The Third is completely different. First, the main character is male, married, and mid-thirtiesish. No love triangles. No hiding secrets from mom. Honestly, it was a refreshing change.

My favorite character was Esperanza. I like characters that are a bit of a juxtaposition. Esperanza is a little Hispanic woman with a baby--totally helpless, right?

Nope. Esperanza runs an underground operation to smuggle women pr...more

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Jul 10, 2011 Jon Cox rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction-serious-adult-stuff, fantasy-sci-fi, history-politics, romance

Keogh crafts a tight story with believable characters. His writing is well paced and balanced. The concept is a plausible twist on the overpopulation hype. I especially like the way Keogh uses elements from the final days of communist Bulgaria and applies them to a believable decline in the United States. I think the snatchers are the hardest characters to believe, and may be hard to swallow for readers who have not experienced corrupt police states in first person.

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Nov 14, 2011 Deborah rated it 3 of 5 stars

A pretty good book. Sometimes I didn't enjoy when it got a bit preachy. I think a good author shows us why something is wrong or right by the storyline and the emotions the characters experience and sometimes I thought he told about it. I must admit that the ending was a bit of a cliffhanger that left me wanting to know what happens next so I guess I must have liked it a bit more than I first thought.

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Apr 22, 2013 Kimberly Van De Graaff rated it 2 of 5 stars

The book was ok. I found myself getting bored reading it and knew the ending way before I read it. It was an easy and fast read. I like apocalyptic fiction but would have liked a little more meat. It started off good, but the main character was weak. I never seemed to connect with any of the characters. Some jumped all over the place. I felt like certain areas needed more development.

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Oct 17, 2011 Lois rated it 4 of 5 stars

Oops. I think I wrote my review in the wrong place. Oh well. I'll just say it again. It sounds like a lot of people didn't like this book. I liked it a lot. I thought it was fast paced and I wanted to just keep reading it to find out what was going to happen. It is scary to think that something like that could actually happen to our world. It made me think. We sure had better value and make sure that we keep our freedom and our right to choose.

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May 14, 2013 Patricia rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: stopped-reading

I read this book up to the beginning of chapter 9. I think the author writes well. I even felt some level of "commitment" to finish the book, so I even began scanning the book to finish faster. However, I finally decided I was just not enjoying it. I think I am just tired of dystopian fiction and so I couldn't get into it. Nothing personal to the book.

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About Abel Keogh

Abel is the author of the novel The Third, the memoir Room for Two, and the relationship guides Dating a Widower: Starting a Relationship with a Man Who's Starting Over and Marrying a Widower: What You Need to Know Before Tying the Knot.

During the day, Abel works in corporate marketing for a technology company. His main responsibilities include making computers and software sound super sexy, codin...more

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Books by Abel Keogh

Dating a Widower: Starting a Relationship with a Man Who's Starting Over

Marrying a Widower: What You Need to Know Before Tying the Knot

Life with a Widower: Overcoming Unique Challenges and Creating a Fulfilling Relationship

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