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Darklandia

by T.S. Welti (Goodreads Author)

3.67 of 5 stars 3.67 · rating details · 114 ratings · 46 reviews

Manhattan, 2147

Seventeen-year-old Sera Fisk gleefully celebrates the death of her 114-year-old great-grandmother, the last Atraxian alive who still remembers what New York was like before Felicity.

There is only one principle of Felicity: Suffering is optional. Those who disagree or forget this principle, as Sera's father did, are detained and “purified”. Through the use of...more

Paperback, 201 pages

Published October 22nd 2012 by Blackhill Publishing (first published October 18th 2012)

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Dec 13, 2012 Kascha rated it 3 of 5 stars

I'm sort of at a loss as to what to really rate this book. Not because it is not good; it is very engaging. Because it is in fact, engaging.

I've read several reviews now that I've finished the book that place it as a hybrid of The Matrix and 1984, and in fact, nothing could be more accurate. The entire time I was reading it I had the phrase "Free your mind" whispering through my head in Morpheus's voice. The obvious connection besides that would of course be 1984, although one could also make a...more I'm sort of at a loss as to what to really rate this book. Not because it is not good; it is very engaging. Because it is in fact, engaging.

I've read several reviews now that I've finished the book that place it as a hybrid of The Matrix and 1984, and in fact, nothing could be more accurate. The entire time I was reading it I had the phrase "Free your mind" whispering through my head in Morpheus's voice. The obvious connection besides that would of course be 1984, although one could also make a case for Brazil (without the humor), or computer games like Bioshock. There were points at which, while the characters walked down corridors to a reveal, I found myself hearing "We're off to see the wizard" in my head. But that could just be me. Any way it goes, this book fits right in with the time tested oppressive regime of the future formula, albeit with a very nice set of customizations.

As I said, it is a definite page turner. It was superbly easy for me to envelop myself in the world and see it clearly. The main characters were easy to attach to and feel for, while the others were often faceless which is exactly what they are designed to be by the system in which they live. It sets a very claustrophobic and paranoid vibe that can be felt.

That's the good news. The bad news, as I've also read in reviews, is that just when the story is at its most engrossing, and I couldn't turn pages fast enough, I was looking at an epilogue with author dedications followed by a link page and a second table of contents. I was reading in Kindle, so there was no visual indicator of how close I was getting to the end, which made the reaching of it just that much more jarring and premature feeling. I can't stress this enough. There was such a superb job done meticulously taking me through the story that the abrupt ending had me wondering if the file was damaged. I was positive this was a series and actually went looking for the next book to continue with, only to find there are none yet.

To make matters worse, the ending itself, although I think I can see what obviously happened, left me with absolutely no understanding whatsoever of what actually happened. I feel like I must have skipped 15 or so pages and lost the whole thing. Similar to the confusion you'd get if you walked in on a new X-Files episode 10 minutes late. Now as a result I will have to read the last third of the book over again, and possible yet again, until I can figure out what the deal was.

There were repeated phrases or plot keys that reappeared at the end in character conversation that had to be more than coincidence, but I haven't the slightest idea what they referred to. Sigh...

Nonetheless, these are the only reasons I denied the book a fourth and possibly even fifth star. And I will definitely be picking up any additional books should this become a series. Recommended.(less)

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Dec 04, 2012 Frank Errington rated it 4 of 5 stars

Review Copy

Darklandia is the first book I've read from YA author T.S. Welti. I don't expect it to the the last. If I had to catagorize the work, I might say a dystopian/thriller with one hell of a twist.

Set about 130+ years in the future, the old United States is no more. After the Civil War of 2072 the government finally defeated the rebels by uniting with Canadian and Central American forces to form the nation of Atraxia.

The story follows seventeen-year-old Sera Fisk who stops drinking the wat...more

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Nov 30, 2012 Sean rated it 4 of 5 stars

I will not bore readers of this review with plot lines and giveaways, I will state simply a review of some of the things I think make this book worth reading, and what I think Ms. Welti could do to make it even better.

First of all, as a fairly perceptive writer myself, I find it easy to be distracted by authors who write poorly. I was not distracted. Ms. Welti's prose was excellent and engaging. I would certainly rank her writing ability at 5 stars.

The characters made me want to engage in their...more

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Nov 24, 2012 Tim rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is a slightly disturbing novel about a teenage girl who rebels against society when she learns the truth about her father. Sera lives in a world that has undergone a major drought, and because of the drought, there was a civil war. The new government (reminiscent of the government in Orwell's "1984") uses propaganda, schooling and drug-laced rations to control the population. Those that are not in the governments control are considered darklings.

The star rating I gave this book is really no...more

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Nov 17, 2012 Sabrina Riley rated it 5 of 5 stars

I know that this book technically qualifies as YA, but I think that it might be so deep and layered with intelligent meaning that some of it may be missed on the youngest of the young adults.

This book is good. I mean, like, really good. The author tells the complicated story in a first person perspective that puts the reader in a strange position, even uncomfortable at times, which makes you feel what she feels, even when she feels something completely foreign to most of us.

The technology in th...more

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Nov 12, 2012 Vicki James rated it 5 of 5 stars

I found Darklandia to be on a whole other level compared to the past work I have read from T.S. Welti.

Though I enjoyed the No Shelter Trilogy immensely, Darklandia was just my kind of book. It was dark and well thought out, and really captured the heart of a the Sci-Fi genre it is written for. It really throws your dramatically, and with a great deal of honest and brutal detail, into the Dystopian world Sera (our main character) has come to know and celebrate.

When we come to find that Sera has...more I found Darklandia to be on a whole other level compared to the past work I have read from T.S. Welti.

Though I enjoyed the No Shelter Trilogy immensely, Darklandia was just my kind of book. It was dark and well thought out, and really captured the heart of a the Sci-Fi genre it is written for. It really throws your dramatically, and with a great deal of honest and brutal detail, into the Dystopian world Sera (our main character) has come to know and celebrate.

When we come to find that Sera has a past, and a mind, that comes to sense that something is very wrong, is when the story really starts. T.S. Welti has a way of detailing every emotion, decision and character with both dialogue and thought, it is a fantastic way of storytelling, as you're left to make your own decisions and interpretations of the characters and this world.

In places I found myself a little bored, when dialogue became a little stretched and dried up, but honestly, in the places this happened, it worked well to add a layer of depression, darkness and loneliness to the story, which fit perfectly with the journey our character was making. If this was intentional, it was genius, if not, it was in no way something that effected my reading experience or make me love the book any less.

The journey our character, Sera, makes is one that does have a layer of darkness to it, and I found myself loving the inner battles she seemed to have. Her understanding of her world is that it is perfect, she has no concept of sadness or evilness, what is right, and what is wrong, and that makes the battle she has with the idea of being a 'Darkling' probably one of the most amazing character stories to follow.

The relationship between all the characters is also one of the most wonderful things that I have read in a long time, it reminded me very much of the way Stephen King writes his characters in novels such as 'Under the Dome' and 'Carrie'. It is such a breath of fresh air to see a writer writing in such a way, and focusing more on the story and character relationships, to display and describe the characters we are reading.

Since reading the novel, I have noticed a divide in readers, those who loved the ending, and those who didn't. I found the ending was a perfect ending, it really is quite a twist, that I didn't see coming. As simple as I can put it; it ended how it should have. There was it could have ended any other way, and have had quite the same effect and left the space for a sequel. It took a while to soak in, but after it had, I found myself loving it even more.

I would highly recommend Darklandia to anybody who loves this genre, and quite honestly, anybody who is a fan of any of Stephen King's work, 1984, Day of the Traffids, and I am Legend. In fact, I'd recommend it to anybody who loves a good story. I look forward to seeing where T.S. Welti goes with this in future.

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Nov 04, 2012 Michelle Muckley rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was my first opportunity to read work by T.S. Welti, and I was not dissapointed. No longer able to quite consider myself quite a Young Adult, I wondered if I wouln't be able to connect with the characters, but this was certainly not the case.

We are thrown straight into a dystonpian world, a post catastrophic scenario where life conversely appears on a first glance to be somewhat perfect, celebratory even. It however soon becomes evident that this facade is merely a point of view, and that t...more

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Dec 28, 2012 Alex Albrinck rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

There are a number of dystopian YA novels on the market these days, using a number of different approaches in terms of how the bleak futures might be achieved and what form they might take. The best known, of course, is The Hunger Games, in which the future is presented as an openly oppressive regime stifling prosperity and doling out punishment in the form of a fight-to-the-death televised tournament amongst children. Another lesser-known series, which starts with Matched, presents a near-oppos...more There are a number of dystopian YA novels on the market these days, using a number of different approaches in terms of how the bleak futures might be achieved and what form they might take. The best known, of course, is The Hunger Games, in which the future is presented as an openly oppressive regime stifling prosperity and doling out punishment in the form of a fight-to-the-death televised tournament amongst children. Another lesser-known series, which starts with Matched, presents a near-opposite view of a seeming utopia: clean and pristine living, plenty to eat, and no death tournaments. That shrouds a society in which all true freedom - and thus all true living - is stripped away, decisions such as career and mate chosen "scientifically" by the "friendly" government. Naturally, in both series, the rebels want a change, which seems intelligent to the oppressed in the first series and absurd to those in the second.

Darklandia takes something of a hybrid approach. Sera Fisk lives in a future New York City in which water is scarce and rationed, and all citizens must spend an hour a day immersed in a virtual reality game called Darklandia, in which players are forced and encouraged to act out their most violent urges and tendencies before returning to the real world. Mad at your boss? Kill them in the game. Annoyed at your spouse? Have a fling in the game. The game was created in response to a massive, decades-long drought which made water scarce and necessitate the banning of alcohol production; without this game, people acted out these urges in the real world. Eventually, a government formed around the use of the game and rationing of water, as well as the selection of careers and mates. Life is wonderful, of course.

Sera figures out, with the help of the dying words of her "darkling" grandmother, that something's not quite right, however. Over time, she learns of a society that oppresses its people through drugging the water supply to deaden emotions, pain, and the ability to sense reality. "Suffering is optional," they say, so long as you take those rations as prescribed. (If you don't, you'll be "purified" or "raptured.") Words which might provoke questions of the government and its Felicity are expunged; all problems are blamed on the evil darklings - like Sera's great-grandmother and missing father - and their creation of the drought and constant war that turns parts of New York City into a war zone. As Sera wakes, with the help of rebel leader Aaron, she starts to realize that she's never truly lived.

This is a well-written, thought-provoking story that will leave you asking questions about human nature and what we might expect in a future world, and I definitely enjoyed it. I thought Sera fought off her lifelong conditioning a bit too easily, and the ending was definitely not something I would have predicted or expected. Still, this is an enjoyable read for dystopian novel fans, and I encourage such readers to check it out.(less)

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Feb 09, 2013 SunHi Mistwalker rated it 4 of 5 stars

It's been a while since I wrote a review here on Goodreads, but I just had to write one for Darklandia. First off, I was sucked into the story from page one. I cared about the main character and wanted her to escape the evil society in which she lived. I also loved the way the author helped me see the world and understand how it impacted the characters, especially the main character. The writing was clear and I don't think I saw one typo or grammar error. The only thing stopping me from giving t...more

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Nov 27, 2012 Chris Ward rated it 3 of 5 stars

I thought this book was pretty well written and developed a pretty cool dystopian world which had a lot of potential. However, the issues I have with it outweigh what I liked which is why I can't rate it any higher, although I would probably check out more by the author.

I had noticed from a couple of other reviews that some people were dissatisfied with the ending. Strangely enough, this is one of the things that kept me reading. The promise of a really good or a really bad ending is addictive f...more I thought this book was pretty well written and developed a pretty cool dystopian world which had a lot of potential. However, the issues I have with it outweigh what I liked which is why I can't rate it any higher, although I would probably check out more by the author.

I had noticed from a couple of other reviews that some people were dissatisfied with the ending. Strangely enough, this is one of the things that kept me reading. The promise of a really good or a really bad ending is addictive for me. I almost bunked off work back in January because I'd heard about the controversial ending of Stephen King's Dark Tower 7, and it didn't disappoint. Recently I read Christopher Priest's Inverted World, with "one of the best twists in sci-fi" and it was expertly done.

Here, I didn't feel that same mastery. I began to get worried when I was 20 pages from the end and nothing much besides a bit of build up had happened. I expected it to taper off and set up for a second part in the series, but it didn't. I'm not going to put in spoilers but I couldn't help but think it was a waste of a good world, for all the issues I had with it - in particular how the "rebels" were able to pretty much run around at will being the evil government's back, and the ease with which they were able to avoid such things as security cameras. I felt no sense of any real danger. The issue with the central character's friend, Darla, conveniently joining the rebels only to get captured again summed this up. It was all a little too easily done.

The writer clearly has a great imagination which is why I would look for more of her work. The whole Department of Felicity thing was very well developed (I loved the name) as was the water rations, however I struggled with the technology side of the Darklandia pods and wasn't really sure what was going on. Perhaps that was the point, or perhaps that was my fault. I'm not particularly good with hard sci-fi.

I felt overall that the book tried to be a cross between 1984 and The Matrix without really achieving either. The story it most reminded me off was The Bridge by Iain Banks, which is a masterful novel with a vaguely similar storyline (I can't say more without giving away any spoilers but if you've read it you'll understand).

Overall, I thought this book had a lot of potential but didn't really live up to my expectations.(less)

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Oct 28, 2012 Andrea rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: librarything-giveaways, absolute-favourites

I was lucky enough to win a copy of Darklandia in a Library Thing Giveaway.

I have to say it is one of the most superb novels I have ever been lucky enough to win in this way. It is hard to say what genre it falls into, it is a kind of dystopian thriller/post apocalyptic/sci-fi hybrid, that draws upon a few parallels with the novel 1984. I, unlike most people, HATED 1984, but Darklandia seems to pull from it's better elements and gives it a new, original and exciting twist.

The faux-happiness (or...more I was lucky enough to win a copy of Darklandia in a Library Thing Giveaway.

I have to say it is one of the most superb novels I have ever been lucky enough to win in this way. It is hard to say what genre it falls into, it is a kind of dystopian thriller/post apocalyptic/sci-fi hybrid, that draws upon a few parallels with the novel 1984. I, unlike most people, HATED 1984, but Darklandia seems to pull from it's better elements and gives it a new, original and exciting twist.

The faux-happiness (or 'felicity') instilled in everyone is very eerie; from the beginning I think the reader realises that there is something wrong with the situation; buzzwords that make you think of cults, brainwashing etc. such as 'Rapture' as a noun not as a verb also contribute to this. I had a little cry within the first few pages if I'm honest, the brutality of the 'raptures' and how the citizens had been brainwashed to accept death and murder as a happy thing as opposed to the brutal and devastating things they are was something I found very uncomfortable.

The characters within Darklandia are expertly written; I found that the protagonist, Sera, affected me most of all. Her abject horror at the thought of being a 'darkling' (or 'normal', as we would consider it) is quite distressing and the level to which she has been brainwashed by the Atraxia (new Manhattan) government is alarming, yet not unfeasible. The 'pain' of her realisation that something isn't right, when citizens are not allowed to feel pain, is quite poignant, as she learns how to be human as we know it. Her relationships with others, particularly her distrust of her own mother and her trusting people she has only just met seems warped but again, is understandable in the circumstances she finds herself in. Sera is possibly one of the most interesting characters I have read in a long time, and I wish I could read more of her.

The twist at the end of the novel is quite brutal, and one I definitely didn't see coming. Darklandia is an exceptional novel that I would honestly recommend to almost everyone - don't write it off as 'just another 1984', it is so much more and so much better. I will look forward to reading more by this author for sure!(less)

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Oct 23, 2012 Kit Embleton rated it 5 of 5 stars

If there is one thing to be said about Darklandia, it is that you should go and pick it up, right now. No, seriously. If you enjoy distopian fiction of any flavor, chances are high that this book is one you will enjoy.

In the beginning of Darklandia we meet Sera, a young woman who lives in Manhattan. Not the Manhattan that we know; a Manhattan of the future, where your water is rationed and the nutrients you need to survive are given to you three times a day in a glass. A Manhattan where the sub...more If there is one thing to be said about Darklandia, it is that you should go and pick it up, right now. No, seriously. If you enjoy distopian fiction of any flavor, chances are high that this book is one you will enjoy.

In the beginning of Darklandia we meet Sera, a young woman who lives in Manhattan. Not the Manhattan that we know; a Manhattan of the future, where your water is rationed and the nutrients you need to survive are given to you three times a day in a glass. A Manhattan where the subways are inaccessible to the general public, and where you must spend at least one hour every day in a virtual reality machine to soothe your "darkling" urges.

Everything in this Manhattan is controlled. There are security cameras everywhere, watching your every move. The bracelet on your wrist tells the government if you've been skipping your water rations, or if you haven't served your hour in the virtual reality world known as Darklandia. Your words have been filtered; words that have negative meanings have been filtered out of every day vocabulary, so only harmonious words are spoken.

In the beginning, Sera is happy with her life. Her great-grandmother, the last of the darklings from the time before Darklandia and the water rations, is nearing her rapture. When the time comes, Grandmother tells Sera one final thing, "It's in the water rations." These words start a cascade within Sera, driving her to become one of the rebels who are trying to wake up those suffering from the state known as "felicity".

Much of the imagery in this book lends itself to the post-apocalyptic genre; Manhattan decimated by civil war, but only outside of the areas where the government has corralled the people of the new nation of Atraxia. In one scene, Sera is walking with a friend of hers in an area of the city that she had never been to before, and she notices a fountain that is gushing crystal clear water. It is mentioned that it looks "obscene", because of how the citizens of Manhattan are forced to go weeks without washing their clothes or bodies due to the water restrictions.

One could also call this book a science fiction novel, what with its use of technology that is definitely futuristic. The Darklandia pods, where people experience the virtual reality simulations, are filled with a gel that recognizes each person and allows the Department of Felicity to give them personalized simulations that feel real. So real, in fact, the there are some citizens who have trouble differentiating between what is reality and what is not.

As the book continues, the tone becomes more rushed, like an action film that is charging headlong toward its climax. I was unable to tear myself away, unable to stop reading. The last few chapters had me tearing through each page, desperate to find out what would happen to Sera and her friends.

This is one book where I absolutely did not see the ending coming. The last couple of chapters are a huge twist, one that had me nearly in tears. Not that the ending was a disappointment; far from it. It was not the ending that I was expecting, but it was a perfect way to end the book. I can say that the ending felt like it absolutely destroyed me; it was so good, but I felt like it left me wanting more when there was none.

The way that it was all brought together in the end makes me wonder if there will be another book. Even if there isn't, Darklandia is a fantastic addition to Ms. Welti's growing list of novels, and would be a great addition to anyone's personal library. I recommend this book wholeheartedly. (less)

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Oct 30, 2012 Lily (Lily Pond Reads) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

I got this book from Library Thing Giveaway

I struggled at first with what to give the book. When I started to read it I absolutely found myself submerged in it as well as the plot. It seemed to flow, and the world T.S Welti created was simply unique and interesting.

Sera, the main character of the story lives in a new type of Manhattan. From the very beginning I was a little shocked with the way it had started, but it set up a very interesting storyline. I love the mystery that the character had...more

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Nov 12, 2012 RickyB rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was a really quick read (more like a novella or short story than a novel) and I loved it!

The story can be compared to Orwell's 1984 and also shares similarities with movies such as Matrix, Open Your Eyes and Equilibrium. It has a nice twist at the end that I didn't see coming at all (love it when that happens!). Actually, I wouldn't mind reading this again to clear up a couple of things I might understand better now that I realise what was happening.

I really liked the characters. Consider...more

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Dec 12, 2012 Lelia Taylor rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: full-reviews

When I first heard about Darklandia, I was intrigued and, the more I learned, the more I thought this might be a book I wanted to read. So many people are self-publishing these days that it’s difficult to find the books that rise to a certain level of quality and I spend a good deal of time vetting an author or a specific book before I’ll read it. The benefit of such due diligence is that I rarely find myself hating the book I’m reading. The delight comes when I “discover” a true gem. In this ca...more When I first heard about Darklandia, I was intrigued and, the more I learned, the more I thought this might be a book I wanted to read. So many people are self-publishing these days that it’s difficult to find the books that rise to a certain level of quality and I spend a good deal of time vetting an author or a specific book before I’ll read it. The benefit of such due diligence is that I rarely find myself hating the book I’m reading. The delight comes when I “discover” a true gem. In this case, I did something that’s very rare for me—I approached the author and told her I was interested in reviewing her book. I’m not sorry I did.

Watching Sera learn about the world outside her very controlled existence is like watching a tiny child encounter all the wonders of life, things we take for granted such as the taste of an apple, the feeling of being clean, the expression of joy or the sensation of pain. (Nobody looks forward to feeling pain, of course, but try to imagine life without it.) Her awakening, and her realization of the truth behind Darklandia and Atraxia, are the core of the story and kept me engaged, wanting to know what would happen next.

Ms. Welti does a nice job with plot but her character development is even better. Sera is clearly a girl who has toed the line while understanding that she has no familial support to speak of and her story is appealing. Other characters are equally interesting, especially Nyx and Darla, and I found myself really liking Lux. The author also has a way with words and the book was nearly free of formatting and language construction errors, something that’s important to me and many other readers.

The twist in the last few pages was completely unexpected and was an intriguing way to end the story. If I have any complaint, it is that Darklandia is too short—I would have liked spending more time with Sera and Nyx and Ms. Welti could have more fully developed some of the secondary characters.

Apparently, the ebook edition of this title could originally be found at multiple venues such as Barnes & Noble, Smashwords and Kobo. I do hope the author will make it available again for those readers who would rather not purchase from Amazon. In particular, it would be nice to have it up on Kobo since so many independent bookstores now offer the Kobo device and its ebooks.(less)

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Dec 02, 2012 Kylie J. Colt rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was 17% into this novel and hooked. The plot line was complicated and gripping and certainly refreshing from other predictable plots out there. I felt deeply immersed in the world and the characters and the pace moved at a rate my modern brain was not bored by. Even the exposition was enjoyable.

I loved not knowing what was coming and certainly did not guess the ending. I admit I had to re-read the last 5 pages or so a few times to grasp exactly what the author intended. This is not a fault of...more

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Jan 23, 2013 Teresa rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have a love/hate relationship with this book.

I really loved the characters, and the way that the relationship between Sera and Nyx is developed. I loved the way in which the author's imagination took us to a Manhattan of the future, a future that could become a reality if we continue to squander our natural resources. I love the way that Manhattan of 2147 is depicted and described. This author has an incredible way with words, and a fantastic imagination.

HOWEVER....I DESPISE the ending of the...more

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Nov 02, 2012 Caitlin (SmartFolksRead) rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: on-kindle

I feel really awful giving this novel two stars, but the good just couldn't outweigh the bad. When I first started reading Darklandia I quickly found my self captivated by a world where "suffering is optional." T.S. Welti weaved a unique tale that was captivating to read, but the ending killed me.

I'm not usually one to complain if a novel does not end how I want it because hey, it's all up to the author. But the two star rating for this book came from the fact that the ending disappointed me and...more

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Dec 20, 2012 Gregory Stahl rated it 3 of 5 stars

A fun, futuristic page-turner, this is among the first indie books I've read via Amazon Kindle. It starts strong, though momentum lags a bit mid-story. However, the reader's interest is so fully captured in the first few chapters that I easily pulled through the whole book in a short amount of time. In particular, the author does a superb job at developing her protagonists's metamorphosis. In fact, this is the key element that captured my imagination so completely and kept me turning pages. The...more

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Dec 25, 2012 ABookVacation rated it 4 of 5 stars

To see my full review:

http://bookvacations.wordpress.com/20...

This was a very intriguing dystopian read. I’ve always wondered what life would be like if I didn’t feel emotional pain—I’ve wished for it on more than one occasion, to be honest, but in truth, I think life would be quite bland. And, according to Welti’s novel, Darklandia, it would be worse than bland, so I guess I’ll thank my lucky stars I can feel emotional pain, because for Sera Fisk, that’s something she must fight to experience....more To see my full review:

http://bookvacations.wordpress.com/20...

This was a very intriguing dystopian read. I’ve always wondered what life would be like if I didn’t feel emotional pain—I’ve wished for it on more than one occasion, to be honest, but in truth, I think life would be quite bland. And, according to Welti’s novel, Darklandia, it would be worse than bland, so I guess I’ll thank my lucky stars I can feel emotional pain, because for Sera Fisk, that’s something she must fight to experience. Without it, there is no truth to her life—no real feelings towards anything, and life is lived in a bubble, as it were.

I really enjoyed watching Sera’s story unfold, and though I occasionally thought the story was pushed, or that the romance moved much too quickly, etc., the ending completely knocked my sox off and solidified the reason for the quick succession of relationships and adventure throughout the novel. I can’t tell you any more than that, as it’d give away the epic conclusion, the “aha” moment, as it were, but just know that there is a rhyme and reason behind everything Welti does within her novel, including hurrying along the plot, action sequences, and romance. And it just fits.

Let me tell you, the novel’s ending really did blow me away. I’ve only read a few novels that left my jaw on the floor due to a conclusion I never saw coming, one being 1984 (I’ve got my theories on that one), and the other, The Catcher in the Rye (which I actually hated, but the ending made it redeemable, in my eyes). If you’ve read those novels, then you know there’s a big twist at the end that somewhat blindsides readers, and that’s exactly what Welti does with her own novel, and I loved it. I completely explained everything that I hadn’t understood before, and it made this novel jump in status, for me, from good, to really good. Honestly, I highly recommend this novel—it’s not too long, and the ending I think it’ll leave many readers shocked.
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Dec 01, 2012 Sharon rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The government is controlling the populace by injecting drugs into the food/drink everyone consumes. Not a new idea and the author points us in the direction of government control and rebels, including a young woman named Sera. Sera is about to wake up, that is stop taking the drugs and see what is really going on and join the rebel force completely. At this point I thought I knew what was really going on. And then the ending happened, and it turns out I didn't have a clue. Or did I? This was e...more

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Nov 18, 2012 Barth Siemens rated it 4 of 5 stars

I do not recall another novel, for which the cover meant so much to me; more so because I was originally put off by it. But I started to think about the smiling face differently after reading a third of the book.

How interesting to consider how flat a smile can become in a society where "suffering is optional." The protagonist, Sera Fisk, is told that she is tainted through heredity and relationship to her father and great-grandmother, who were each infamous because of their connection to life b...more

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Jan 30, 2013 Jordan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Reviewer copy.

I found Darklandia by T.S. Welti to be an overall good read. It is classified as YA, but it didn't really have the feel of a YA novel. I felt it was more of a dystopian thriller that could be enjoyed by all ages. It was fast paced, and kept me thoroughly interested and wanting to read more. It did however have it's plot holes and issues that annoyed me as I was reading through.

Basically, this is set in the future after a large civil war. The new nation is called Atraxia. It keeps...more

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Mar 05, 2013 Mandy Sickle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, dystopian, ebooks, dystopian-2013-challenge, fiction

I received Darklandia from a librarything giveaway in return for a honest review. Sera has just watched her grandmother be raptured which is a happy time for the people of Felicity. Her grandmother was the last living person to remember what New York was like, and with her rapture it would change the city for the better. Sera has grown up in the future where after a drought has changed the course bring about a war that causes the government to police water. Everyone receives water rations that a...more

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Dec 28, 2012 Jillian rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, dystopia, book-nooked, early-reviewers, kindle, sci-fi, what-just-happened, blackhill-publishing

{ I received a Kindle edition for free through Early Reviewers on LibraryThing. Review originally posted on my blog, PidginPea's Book Nook.}

My wishlist for Darklandia:

{ I wish I could come up with such an amazing dystopian idea. }
The idea of Felicity and a virtual reality amusement park are truly brilliant. So much potential behind them. I love dystopian novels that really create a sort of other-worldly atmosphere, despite the fact that they're set in familiar places. Welti nailed it.

{ I wish we...more

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Feb 02, 2013 Annah rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebook, fantasy-or-sci-fi, young-adult

This is my first book by Welti and I have to say I was amazed. It's a quick read but that doesn't detract from the story at all. There are some really great characters in Darklandia that are easy to like and understand. Their struggles become your struggles. The plot itself is imaginative and engaging. I didn't get bored reading any of it. The writing is well done and easy to understand as well as being descriptive. I suggest you read this. The ending absolutely blew me away!

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Mar 29, 2013 Kami rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: another-world, dystopia, young-adult

The year is 2147 and Sera lives in a dark dystopian world, Atraxia. Her 114-year-old great grandmother is the last of the darklings. Before her great-grandmother is raptured for a crowd of people, she says it is “in the rations”, so Sera stops drinking hers. In this world the people get all their nutrition through their “water rations”. The rations take away people's emotions and make them obedient. Water is in short supply and everyone is filthy, but no one cares. Darklandia is a virtual realit...more

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Dec 09, 2012 Dick rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopian-society, fiction, science-fiction, fantasy

I enjoyed this and I really got into it. The ending was a real surprise! I wasn't expecting that.

The story follows a young woman in a highly controlled society in NYC in the future. Rations are provided and water limited due to events in the world leading up to that time. Suddenly, her drugged and controlled life to thrown into turmoil as she begins to question the reality of her existence.

While I enjoyed the story, it wasn't as finished as most books and seemed to struggle. Or, it was just me.

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Feb 07, 2013 Tasha rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopian-post-apocalyptic, science-fiction

I NEVER compare books because I feel every author deserves to have the story read with out preemptive comparisons, but this book by far trumps Suzanne Collins hunger games trilogy.

This book is emotionally intense, yet fast paced. The story, the characters, the twist and turns make this book an amazingly fantastic read. There are no words I can even think of to convey how great this book is, and do it any justice. T.S. Welti is an amazing author.

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Nov 05, 2012 Cassie added it

I loved the plot and found myself sucked in as I read the first page. I love the twists of this Distopian Fiction. Even though I was completely surprised by the ending, because it ended the complete opposite of the ending I pictured in my mind, I still loved the book. I will be on the lookout for more books written by T.S. Welti.

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About T.S. Welti

You can find out more about me and my books at tswelti.com.

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Quotes from Darklandia

“Are you saying the end of human suffering began with an amusement park?”

“I’m saying the end of human suffering is a myth.”

“But everyone’s happy.”

“You think that just because a person doesn’t question the way the system works that means they agree with it? And if they do agree that must mean they’re happy? Are you happy?” — 2 people liked it

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