Paradigm

Paradigm #1

by Ceri A. Lowe

What if the end of the world was just the beginning?

Alice Davenport awakens from a fever to find her mother gone and the city she lives in ravaged by storms – with few survivors.

When Alice is finally rescued, she is taken to a huge underground bunker owned by the mysterious Paradigm Industries. As the storms worsen, the hatches close.

87 years later, amidst the ruins of London, the survivors of the Storms have reinvented society. The Model maintains a perfect balance – with inhabitants routinely frozen until they are needed by the Industry.

Fifteen-year-old Carter Warren knows his time has come. Awoken from the catacombs as a contender for the role of Controller General, it is his destiny to succeed – where his parents failed.

But Carter soon discovers that the world has changed, in ways that make him begin to question everything that he believes in. As Carter is forced to fight for those he loves and even for his life, it seems that the key to the future lies in the secrets of the past...

Genres: Dystopia, Young Adult, Science Fiction, Post Apocalyptic, Fantasy, Teen, Fiction

382 pages, Paperback

First published June 10, 2014

About the author

When Ceri isn’t writing, she’s a self-employed project management consultant specialising in financial services. She lives in Bristol, England and has various obsessions including all things Spanish, renovating houses, travelling and her dog, Pablo.

In the last few years she’s won the Global Short Stories annual prize, the Flash 500 Award, the Story Star Publishing Prize, the Exeter Short Story Prize and the Writers’ Forum Short Story competition. She’s also been placed and published in the Word Hut Short Story Competition & Henshaw Prize. In 2013, she was also long-listed in the Bristol Prize and Lightship Publishing Awards.

She has just completed The Paradigm Trilogy, the first book of which is titled The Rising Storm, a dystopian YA series set in a post apocalyptic world. Book two, The Girl in the Storm is now available for preorder on Amazon.

Reviews

[Sally906 · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE RISING STORM is the first book in the new Paradigm Trilogy – and what a great scene setter it is. The good things about Dystopian novels is that it frees the author to follow their own particular ideas on how dreadful a society can be – so there is no right or wrong to world building. So the challenge is to place characters in your world that the readers are going to relate to, who they are going to care about. Ceri A. Lowe produced not just one, but two main characters who had me cheering them on sometimes, and tut tutting when they missed something that I felt was obvious. Carter and Alice take it in turns to tell us the story of the Paradigm Society from very different viewpoints – how the society is currently, and how it was at the beginning.

The books open with a prologue – Carter is sent to the freezing chamber and he thinks this is a good thing as he has high expectations for his future role – while at least one other thinks it is a bad thing and asks for it not to happen. The reader immediately feels compelled to ask two questions - why are they being frozen? Followed by – why is one happy with the idea and the other isn’t? Cue Alice and our witness to the end of the world.

Alice is alone in her flat when she witnesses the devastation of the first catastrophic storm. While it is not really stated – storms start to increase and cyclonic winds now batter Europe on a regular basis – global warning has hit. Millions of people are killed – either in the storms or in the floods that occur as a result of the torrential rain. Paradigm Industry has sensed somehow this is going to happen, and they have set themselves up a fortress/ark to protect survivors until everything settles down. Alice is among those rescued. Alice is alone as her dad died before the book started and her mother is prostituting herself to pay the rent and bills. Her mother disappears in the first huge storm. Inside the safety of the fortress, the rescued population are no longer allowed to read or listen to music as it is these recreational activities that lead to the downfall of the world. Alice is a tough little cookie as a result of fending for herself so it makes sense that she has the smarts to rise up and become a responsible member of the system – and one of the chosen few to go out and scout once the floods die down. Films are made of these scouting expeditions to be shown to the populace.

Decades later we meet Carter. Carter has been groomed from birth to one day be the leader. He belongs to one of the original families – sort of the high society of the community. There are also lesser beings called Lab-made – test tube babies – which are second class citizens. He had been frozen as a 15 year old to be brought back as a candidate to be Controller General. While he's been frozen the political climate has changed and there's rebellion developing. He also finds out he is a father of twins, and he has to go through a series of test to prove he has what it takes to be leader. As the story progressed – the past and the present being propelled forward by the two storytellers – the links between the past and present are gradually revealed. While they never meet, Carter is aware of Kate as she narrates the scouting films.

I have to be honest did get a little confused once or twice – but that didn’t prevent me from loving the story and looking forwards to seeing what happens. There are some questions that haven’t been answered – but I am guessing there are going to be more revelations in the subsequent books.

With thanks to Bookouture and the author via Netgalley for my copy to read and review

[Kayla Silverss · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got sent this book in exchange for a honest review, all my opinions are my own and thank you so much to the publishers for sending me this book!

The world in this book was so beautifully crafted and the setting was so intriguing and I wanted to learn more about this place.
The book was such a good read and was a very plot driven book and that's why I think I couldn't really connect with any of the charcaters which was a real shame because I would have loved to give this a higher rating

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought I was going to hate this book. I thought it was going to be a rehash of the same book I've been reading over and over for the past three years. Consider me surprised.

Dystopian series usually focus on the end of the dystopian society. This one focuses on the formation of one. Teenaged Alice is put in charge of building a new world after freak storms ruined the current one. And then there's Carter: groomed to one day be the leader. But while he's been frozen the political climate has changed and there's rebellion developing.

The book ends in a very precarious place for our characters and I'm really excited to see what happens in Book 2.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had been dying to read this book as soon as I heard about it from Bookouture, and it’s safe to say it was worth the wait! Once I picked it up, I couldn’t stop reading it.

I’m a sucker for all things YA/dystopian lately, so The Rising Storm was right up my alley. It’s a cracking opening to a series, setting up the characters nicely, and with some really interesting story arcs.

I really enjoyed the pace of The Rising Storm. Nothing is out of sync in terms of how the narrative jumps between characters and their experiences in the past and present. I liked how the author was able to weave it all together, and although I was left with some questions, I’m glad to know that there is more to come with this series.

Clever, engaging and with excellent character development, I raced through The Rising Storm. Bring on the next one! 😊

Highly recommended!

[Yzabel Ginsberg · Rating 1 out of 5]

(I got this novel through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. My copy being an ARC, some things in it may be different than they are in the published book.)

I'm not sure what to make of Paradigm. On the one hand, while its cover is terribly reminiscent of Divergent, and while it also deals with a dystopian world, it does so in a different way than what is usually seen in similar novels: the reader is actually given to see both the dystopian society and its origins, through the eyes of Carter ("present" time) and Alice ("past" time). On the other hand, I did find the story confusing in several places, and its good ideas not exploited enough.

What I liked:

* Two timelines with their own characters. I'm fond of books that make use of different timelines, because I always hope this will give me a deeper insight on what's happening to whom, and where and when it's happening. It opens up a lot of possibilities, and the one here—seeing what led to the "present time" dystopian state led by the Industry—is definitely interesting. The thought process involved is somewhat logical enough: "the old world failed us and we failed it, so if we are to survive, we must destroy what's left and reinvent something new, not try to recreate our old lives."

* Alice's bleak background, and how she decided to shape a life for herself. She lost her father when she was still quite young, her mother had to sleep with men to earn money (it's heavily implied that the forbidden room was where she would welcome customers at times, or at least, that's how I understood it), her daily life and surroundings were far from brilliant. When the Storms hit, when she was brought underground with other survivors, she decided that she was given a chance to start all over, on equal footing with people who, before the catastrophe, had more money, weren't bullied at school, had better prospects than her... She didn't dwell on the misery, on the lost world, and when she did, she realised she had to come to terms with it, because it would never come back, and moping wouldn't change anything, except set her back. The way she grew up after that, the way her mind shaped itself, was fascinating both for its positive take and for its wickedness, as contradictory as it may seem: she started from a "now I have the same chances as everyone else" approach to go through a process that would make her a perfect candidate for establishing a dystopian society.

* The setting. No USA this time, but London. I love London. I'm totally biased about London. And the Black River definitely lives up to its name. (Every person who's been to/living in London must know by now that the Thames isn't fit for diving, even now. ;))

* No romance, or so little (a couple of kisses, a few memories) that it didn't really matter. Don't misunderstand me, I can appreciate romance, but YA novels, whether dealing with dystopia or not, so often end up with stories boged down by love triangles and lovey-dovey scenes that it quickly gets old. Love wasn't the focus here, it never was, there were so many other things to tackle first, and that's exactly what the author did.

What I didn't like:

* The world building started off on an intriguing footing, but some things didn't make much sense. I would've liked the Storms phenomenon and its origins to be better explained—more than "we ruined our planet with pollution and now it's too late." Was it the same in every country? Can it only be the same everywhere? Where are the other countries, anyway (because it seems London is the only place left in the world here)? How come the Storms happened so fast? What about the government's actions, the Army's, the Navy's, the police's (it looks as if they didn't do anything, and just died like everyone else)? Also, hurricanes by definition can't hit Northern Europe; windstorms, sure, but not technically hurricanes. Another thing that bothered me: why were the Scouts affected by the water when they were equipped with hazmat/anti-radiation suits? From what I know, those are supposed to block particles, and I doubt whatever was in the water was tinier than alpha and beta particles—and there was heavy radiation around, since exposure was shown to lead quickly to radiation poisoning, with hair falling in clumps, bleeding, etc. If the water could affect them, then shouldn't they have died of such poisoning pretty fast, too? (Which still happens too fast, by the way. Radiation sickness develops in 24-48 hours, not a few minutes only.)

Although it's something younger readers might not pay attention to, you can never tell what they know exactly, and I think those things will clearly lead to questioning.

* Carter's arc went too fast in places, and I found his character inconsistent. He started like the perfect brainwashed candidate for Mr. Dystopian World Of The Year, having worked all his (short) life to become Controller General, which is totally all right with me in such a setting... but then, he seemed to be affected too quickly by what he discovered, to be swayed and changed too drastically. His development may have been more believable to me if he had had more contact with Ariel and Lucia, with Isabella, with Iseult, and hadn't been influenced so easily.

* Speaking of which, the characters in general didn't feel very developed. I think the problem might've stemmed from the use of two timelines, demanding that the focus be on many things. As a result, we'd probably have needed a longer novel, in order for most of those people to be given their chance at development.

* A lasting feeling of confusion. It somehow worked in the beginning, in that it reflected Carter's own confusion upon waking up, but after a while, I wasn't sure anymore why the story jumped to this or that scene, and I always wondered if I had missed a chapter in between.

* The whole process of waking up people 15-20 later for them to contribute to society wasn't too clear in its origin and goals. In a way, I can understand the desire to keep people with specific skills in cryo-sleep if they're not absolutely needed in the now, in order to wake them up at a time when their skills are more in demand. However, why wake up a few kids and make them compete for Controller General position when they haven't even had time to get adjusted to a world 15 years older than the one they knew? The Industry knew things had been changing, they wanted someone to right them, and I can't decide if this made sense (keep the kids in the dark so that they compete the way they would have 15 years ago, and "bring back" ways considered as more appropriate) or not (having more data in hand could help contenders to grasp the situation and adapt their actions in order to make society the way they had known it).

* The writing style: overall an easy read, but sometimes I found sentences that didn't make much sense, clauses with missing words, or descriptions that were way too vague ("There was something about him, thought Alice, that reminded her of something, but she couldn't quite place it.") As said, though, this was an ARC, so those problems might have been edited out of the final version.

I'm rating this book 1.5 stars because I really appreciated it not giving in to the pressure of "YA must have romance" and for dealing with the making of a dystopian world, not only its current existence. But it still left me frustrated on way too many accounts.

[Nila (digitalcreativepages) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every expedition of any kinds requires sacrifices and sometimes they are one too many. But survival calls for it everytime...

This is the experience of Alice who has seen the world getting destroyed by the Storms till Paradigm Industry rescues her and trains her to build their own community of survivors for the next generation, but a functional community with no creativity, no music no books (horrors)

Till

90 years later, Carter is awakened from a cryogenic sleep, when the Industry decides it is time for him to become the Controller General of their Model establishment. But where there are rules, there is always rebellion against them... And then it is Carter's journey till he is betrayed...

Ceri A. Lowe has created a unique world where we get to see how it all started via Alice's eyes and where it is leading to via Carter's journey. I liked the way she has kept this impending aura of anticipation wondering if the 2 worlds would meet. There is an excitement in the air as the pages are turned, knowing that the truth of both their journey resides in Others.

The book has a few things which are not explained, about the Model and the science of the community, they did niggle me. But being the first in the series, I think the author is laying down the foundation of the characters as well as leaving us with the need to know more.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I requested through NetGalley to receive this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This is my first disclosure. My second disclosure is that I am a thirty-something reading a YA book so I am not it’s intended audience.

“You have five minutes of this life left.” - The first line of the book is a great opener and really draws you in. But then just a few sentences later it mentions something about the over thirties which gets my back up. “If he could keep himself together, then surely the old-timers should be able to manage it. It just confirmed everything he knew about anyone over thirty.”

Despite the inference that I’m an old-timer, I carried on with the story. ;-)

I really like how the story was told. It is written in third person from two different POVs and two different time frames. Confused? Well there’s no need to be as it’s really well done. Carter Warren, a 15-year old boy, shows us what it’s like in a present day post-apocalyptic world while Alice Davenport shows us how life as we know it changed forever and how the new society was formed. I thought this was quite unique among the dystopian/post-apocalyptic stories out there as we generally see what it’s like after the s**t has hit the fan as opposed to as it’s happening. Each chapter switches POV to progress the story and each story line makes things fall in to place in the other.

While we don’t know exactly what has caused the Storms, it’s obviously global warming related in some way. The Storms came followed by floods then people died. Any remaining stragglers were picked up by Paradigm Industry and taken underground to sit it out until a society could be established above ground again. This is the bit I found scary! Not in a horror story kind of way but that this could happen; Corporations gaining control and being in charge is where we’re heading now. While we still have a government in our country many of the MPs have shares or some other involvement in big businesses and banks, so laws are passed to favour themselves, we have schools sponsored by companies and things being tendered out to private companies such as homeland security and prisons to name just a few.

So Back to the story! 87 years down the line, technology has advanced significantly and people are chosen by the Industry to go back in to the catacombs underground to be frozen in stasis for an unknown period of time to be awakened in the future to bring balance to society. Carter Warren is one of those people who were chosen and frozen just aged 15 to be brought back in the future as a contender to be Controller General, the person in charge of the Industry and Society as a whole.

I forgot to mention that the book is set in London too which I also liked being a Brit myself.

Whilst reading, I felt like I was waiting for the obligatory romance to start which always seems to crop up in YA books. But it didn’t happen which was quite refreshing. There were some mentions of crushes and love and the odd kiss and cuddle but it wasn’t the main focus of the story. And no angst!

A few interesting issues are raised in this book. Carter has sex for the first time, aged 15 on his going away party, and gets a girl pregnant with twins. I thought this sends a clear message to the YA audience to practice safe sex and that even on the first time you can get pregnant, although the message is more implied rather than being spelled out. It also briefly addresses paedophilia/sexual assault with Alice being attacked by an old man whilst she was under his care. Difficult topics to broach but they were woven in to the story nicely and sensitively.

I felt that some of the things that happened were predictable while other things happened which were really unexpected (but were good) and blew me away. I also felt that some characters were well thought out and developed, for example Alice and Carter, while others not so and it was difficult to understand who they were and what they stood for. At times things happened and I wasn't sure what, leaving me feeling confused although that eased off as things were explained later in the book.

I really liked that it covered the creation of a post-apocalyptic world and the reasons why they made the choices they did and the omissions they made to society and life. I also get why those restrictions which once worked no longer do when time moves on and why 87 years later people are rebelling against the rules.

If I could, I would give this 3.5 stars but I can only give whole stars so 3 stars it is!

All in all I thought it was an enjoyable read. Will I be reading the sequels? I’d quite like to know how the story progresses so I probably will.

[Hannah Quinn · Rating 5 out of 5]

What would you create after the end of the world? Cleverly winding together two compelling characters' story lines as they approach this question from very different view points, Paradigm is an exciting and wonderfully written debut novel. For fans of dystopian fiction who are looking for something much less formulaic and a little more grown up than a lot of its competition. The world of the Industry is an eerily plausible and seductively logical background to a great story, beautiful details and big questions. Read it!

[Milo · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Review: http://thefoundingfields.com/2014/07/...

“This book is proof that you shouldn’t judge things just by what they’re billed as. What could have been a cheap ripoff and cash-in attempt on the popularity of The Hunger Games and Divergent instead is something that shines, and is full of its own originality. The Dystopian Young Adult genre may be overcrowded right now – but Paradigm is something that’s worth checking out.” ~Bane of Kings, The Founding Fields


What if the end of the world was just the beginning?

Alice Davenport awakens from a fever to find her mother gone and the city she lives in ravaged by storms – with few survivors.

When Alice is finally rescued, she is taken to a huge underground bunker owned by the mysterious Paradigm Industries. As the storms worsen, the hatches close.

87 years later, amidst the ruins of London, the survivors of the Storms have reinvented society. The Model maintains a perfect balance – with inhabitants routinely frozen until they are needed by the Industry.

Fifteen-year-old Carter Warren knows his time has come. Awoken from the catacombs as a contender for the role of Controller General, it is his destiny to succeed – where his parents failed.

But Carter soon discovers that the world has changed, in ways that make him begin to question everything that he believes in. As Carter is forced to fight for those he loves and even for his life, it seems that the key to the future lies in the secrets of the past…

As the quote above suggests, I was initially put off by Paradigm. It looked a bit too much like familiar territory for me and quite frankly it’s annoying to see yet another young adult dystopian fiction title when there’s so much more to the science fiction genre than just post-apocalyptic scenarios in a world screwed up. I for one, would kill to see a fully blown Space Opera young adult book – think the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy movie for where I’m getting my thoughts from. I’d take space opera as a trend anyday over well, this.

However, as is proven in the case of The Hunger Games, there are some titles worth reading from this subgenre, and Paradigm is a great example, with a plot that isn’t exactly your standard dystopian fare, and for a refreshing change, it’s actually set in London – or at least, in part – and that pretty much gains points from me right there because I will read pretty much any SciFi/Fantasy that has some version of London as its origin, purely because I’m an ex-Londoner myself.

The book isn’t just set in London though. It deals with an interesting scenario where the narrative actually has an 87 year split. The book tells the story of how the world went to hell, and what happened in the future. It’s smart, compelling, and Ceri A. Lowe has found a good way to bridge the gap and keep both stories relevant.

The main characters are interesting and compelling. Alice Davenport is essentially the main character from the present, where we get to see London destroyed by storms that leave little survivors. She’s lost her mother, and it’s interesting to see how Lowe handles Alice’s character in the aftermath and as she develops over the course of the book. However, what makes a refreshing change from the likes of Divergent and The Hunger Games is that there’s actually a shift in narrator – rather than sticking with Alice throughout the whole book, we also meet Carter Warren, who’s a fifteen year old 87 years into the future, who has his own problems.

What also makes this book stand out from the crowd is that we get to see the dystopian setting not only from the perspective of the rebels but we also get the reasoning behind its creation. Why was a strict Government necessary? It’s an interesting addition and the time-split in the narratives helps Lowe illustrate how much things have changed. It’s handled well and that’s not just the only thing that feels fresh about the dystopian setting in this novel.

For a start, there’s virtually no romance. Paradigm doesn’t fall into the trap of other books by overloading on love triangles and making the romance become the main focus of the plot. Like the refreshing changes and additions to the book, it really helps make it stand out. This isn’t just your average cheap cash in novel, folks.It proves there’s still good things to be found in the young adult dystopian genre, even if I’d rather that we moved on from this craze.

There are a few problems however, and for a start, I’d like to talk about the cover. It just feels so same-y and as though we’ve been there, and done that. The addition of the London skyline is good but more change should have been made to make this book standout more. It doesn’t detract from the main experience of the storyline but it probably should have been improved

Carter’s development is unfortunately inconsistent, and happens too quickly and too fast. The change should have happened at a slower pace and he shouldn’t have been influenced as easy as he did, and as a result his story comes across as weaker than Alice’s.

On the whole then, Paradigm is a mostly successful read. It’s compelling, engaging and a refreshing dystopian Young Adult novel that can come recommended despite its flaws.

VERDICT: 7.8/10

[Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dystopian and YA are two of my favourite genres so I was excited to get suck in to the first book of this trilogy. I loved how the story was told over two timelines: Alice at the point of the world’s collapse and Carter in the future that has adapted to the new way of living and is oblivious to how the world was before the creation of the Paradigm society.

In all honesty I preferred Alice’s narrative; witnessing the devastating effects of the vicious storms that rip London apart and how ten year old Alice survived (and eventually thrived) horrific scenes to eventually lend a hand in the creation of a new society was gripping. Her policies are rightfully questioned by Carter years after the event but at the time she believed what she was doing was for the greater good. Go Alice! Also, as I’ve mentioned, I’m a huge fan of dystopia and more so in the destruction and survival of people in the immediate aftermath. I’m not sure what that tells you about me!!

Where Alice was building the future and safeguarding future generations, Carter has his eyes opened to the truth of his family and the harsh reality of mankind’s history being erased. He begins to question the politics of the Paradigm which is pretty awkward as he has been raised to be a leader of the people and the powers that be are not comfortable with him questioning their authority. I did enjoy seeing his beliefs change throughout the story.

The Rising Storm is a great start to the trilogy and I will definitely be reading the rest.

My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my copy

[Marta Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes I see a book and the very fact that opinion is divided fuels my interest. This story goes back and forth between Alice from the past when the world as we know it changed and then forward to Carter a boy awoken from a cryogenic sleep. Essentially we see how Alice rises up against all odds to become a fabled scout of what is known in the future as the Industry . She’s bright, adapts easily and yet there’s a softness to her that recognises others have needs.
Yet it’s Carter who dominates and his findings when he comes back to what he thought would be a perfect job. Carter has always known he should be Controller General but he is tested and forgets the one thing that can change everything, there are other candidates waiting for the position. A world full of secrets, punishment and even termination. Rebellion threatens the Industry but is Carter doing the right thing or being led down a slippery path ?
I didn’t mind jumping about from Alice to Carter although if honest wanted a little more information initially as we walked along with Carter. The ending made their connection very clear and I understood exactly why the author chose to write her story this way. My slight niggle is that I really wanted more of the here and now with a stronger world building and if brutal I didn’t really understand Carter or really connect with his cold, selfish personality. The ending however left possibilities for Carter to step up and if a rebellion is on the cards then they just might have found the perfect leader ! Not a perfect book but still an interesting one .
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

[booksofallkinds · Rating 4 out of 5]

Opening with a bang, THE RISING STORM by Ceri A. Lowe keeps up the energetic pace with this compelling dystopian novel.

After abnormal storms change the world as we know it, Alice is needed to rebuild civilisation but things are not always as they seem and soon Alice is not sure which world she wants to inhabit - the old or the new. While at the same time Carter is being trained to be a future leader and he is determined to be the best that this world has ever seen but when he witnesses how harsh and secretive the Industry truly is, he begins to question everything that he has been taught, and when secrets from the past come to the surface, it will begin a new journey for everyone ...

I'm always a little weary when books are compared to The Hunger Games as I feel they are being set up to fail by comparison but THE RISING STORM really doesn't disappoint. Gripping, well-paced, with plenty of grit, strength, and danger throughout, this novel is unique and fresh and I became fully immersed in the drama. And that ending will leave you wanting the next instalment!!

​THE RISING STORM by Ceri A. Lowe is a cracking story and perfect for dystopian fiction fans.

*I voluntarily reviewed this book from Netgalley

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is pretty amazing. An apocalyptic story about the beginning of the end and the end of the beginning. There is so much about Paradigm that made this enjoyable. The story was really original and the characters had such different viewpoints and strengths. This story shifts from one timeline to another, both riveting in their delivery.

This story covers the end of the world as we know it through a girl named Alice. A storm brings floods so bad civilization is forced underground. The survivors are mostly children aided by a company calledThe Industry. These children lead the way to a new way of living. They decide to start fresh and wipe out most of the things that led to the world’s demise. In the future there is Carter, a boy destined for leadership. He is unfrozen to a time 15 years into his future. He is propelled forward by being frozen in a way that has become normal. He is to be the next comptroller, a president like leader that controls the masses. The problem is that his family, both old and new, are the start of the rebellion to a society where art, music, and entertainment are prohibited. These two characters mark the beginning and the end.

What a fantastic way to start fresh! Wipe out everything that distracts from production. Alice and her generation see the err of the ways of the world. They see that the distractions take away from the things that are important. I found the character of Carter a bit less likeable, but his story was still . His reality is so rigid. He wakes up into the future. Society for him is so callous and unnatural. It is easy to see how, by avoiding somethings, a bit of humanity was wiped out. I was so captivated by the Industry. This population is made up of mostly younger people. The young and strong have found a way to survive and they are much more adaptable.

There wasn’t a bunch of technical talk in this story. We are given the elements of the community as they are known to the characters without boring explanations. This made it a much easier read than most sci-fi I have encountered. I found this book such a great escape. This was a well written story that was easy to envision. The story comes full circle in the end. There are suppose to be two more books in this series. Paradigm is so complete, I just could stop here. This book didn’t read like a series, and I am very happy to report this. Knowing and loving the characters the author has created, I am grateful there will be more. I would love to read more about this world. Bring it Ceri!

[Anissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable read. I particularly enjoyed how the story is told through two people, Alice and Carter. Alice, shows us how the world Carter lives in came to be. Carter takes us on a journey informed by the past but looking to the future. In many dystopian stories I read, I’m often left wanting in the “How did we get here?” department. Sometimes it comes in later books (if in a series) and other times, it’s never to really be seen or mapped out in a way that makes much sense. So, many points to Ceri Lowe for really crafting that part. It was engaging and felt real.

It’s not often that I don’t much like a main character for most of the story but that was the case with Carter. He certainly had a high opinion of himself and was certain of his ascendance to Controller but I didn’t see anything to credit him for the great majority of the book. As one character mentioned, that he was his parent’s child seemed to confer some sort of status to him, more than anything else. He didn’t seem exceptional to me in any way and that he was so sure of things in his surrounding for someone who’d been asleep for the last fifteen years made if very difficult for me to buy into his prescience. He didn’t seem to read situations or people very well either, so when things turn (and I saw these coming from several chapters preceding) I was actually happy for his fall. I haven’t cheered so much for a fall after such a deep case of hubris in a long time. I sided with the antagonist even though they were obviously on the “wrong” side of things. It finally gave me a reason and chance to root for Carter and by the story’s end, I did and was interested, very much, in what is next for him.

I’d definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a dystopian read. It wasn’t the usual fare that seem to be all over at the moment. I do look forward to reading the next book in the series.

I received a copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

[Renita D'Silva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this amazingly well written, lucid book about what is to come for all of us if we are not careful. It deals with the end of the world as it is now, and it sounds all too real. The two main protagonists, Alice and Carter are beautifully realized. Carter’s determination is admirable, he believes in the Industry, he trusts that he is meant to be Controller General and he never loses sight of that vision. Alice’s bravery, her toughness and her vulnerability, her fierce loyalty to Jonah and her inner strength, are beautifully portrayed. I loved how it all comes together, full circle at the end. And not only is the story brilliant, the characterization to die for, but Ceri A Lowe’s writing sparkles, each sentence a perfectly honed jewel. Sparse, beautiful prose that gives the book depth and substance. Some books make you think, they question the way you live, the choices you make. This is one of them. And the good news: that there are more books in the series! Cannot wait.

[Stefani Sloma · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can also read this review on my blog, Caught Read Handed, HERE.
Actual rating - 7

What I thought:

I’ll admit: I was first drawn to this title on NetGalley by its cover’s similarity to that of the Divergent series (though it is kind of a rip-off, isn’t it?). Then I read the summary. It sounded fascinating, like a unique and interesting take on dystopian fiction. I was really excited when I was granted access to the e-ARC.

I wasn’t disappointed in the book, but I think my hopes were a little too high for it. There were things I liked and things I didn’t like.

The things I liked:

-The novel alternates between chapters set in 2015, with Alice, right before and after the Storms ravaged London, and 87 years later, with Carter, as he is awoken from his slumber (is that the right word? I don’t know), his time in the Catacombs where he has been in stasis for the last fifteen years. This was very cool because, at the same time, we got to see how the Community was formed, how life got to be the way it was for Carter, and then how he saw it change and become something else entirely. I thought that switching between the two of them was a perfect way to have both a prequel and a sequel, if that makes sense (though I will comment later on how I preferred one character more than the other).

-The novel had some very beautiful descriptions, for both the emotions of the characters and the atmosphere/setting. Here’s an example:

What was the point, thought Alice, of that headstone now? She imagined it anchored under acres of water-sky, sitting alongside supermarket trolleys and broken glass with her father flying high in his coffin, floating amongst the clouds made of buildings.

I was able to completely picture the scene with this description. And “water-sky”? I don’t know, I just really liked this. Another example:

She felt the weight of the earth and the world and the stars melt from her shoulders and rise upwards to meet a cloud-shaped like the moon in the sky of the canteen ceiling.

-The idea behind the novel is just fascinating: Storms have ravaged London (we don’t actually hear anything about the rest of the world, though it’s probably safe to say the same fate has befallen the whole world) and a company called Paradigm Industries was already fully prepared. Alice, and many other survivors, are taken down into their underground bunker where they live for the next five years as the Storms continue to rage. Carter, who lives 87 years in the future, was raised as a Contender for the leader of the Community. In the Community, some people are frozen, put in stasis, for a time so that others may live. The Model, a computer program, decides when certain people are needed based on their knowledge and skills. I mean, how cool is that? Also, I seriously hope that we learn more about how the Model works; how has it been programmed to know when people are needed? I loved the idea. And overall, I thought it was really well-developed, and we get a good idea for how the Community is formed, though we should learn more about this in subsequent books. I thought Lowe’s dystopian novel was so unique because we actually got to see how the dystopian society was formed and exactly why it was dystopian; the problems were so very evident for the reader.

-I honestly don’t know how this makes sense, but as I have sat here and written this much of the review, I have realized just how much I liked this book. Though there were several parts that I just didn’t enjoy while I was reading, I realize now that I liked it A LOT. Weird.

The things I didn’t like:

-Carter. This is the note I wrote after I finished the book: “What the hell with Carter? Carter’s boring until about ¾ of the way through. Then really good. Then boring. Then interesting.” Haha. I found myself pretty bored with him for most of the middle section of the book. I kept reading his parts really fast so that I could get back to Alice, whose chapters I really, really enjoyed. Then about ¾ of the way through, his chapters got super cool and I was reading them fast for a completely different reason. Then, his chapters were kind of boring, but his last couple of chapters were interesting. I don’t know. I had mixed feelings about him.

-Although the novel had some very beautiful and wonderfully descriptive parts, it also had several that had me rolling my eyes or questioning if this was even the same author. Seriously. Some parts/sentences were almost juvenile in their descriptions. Though I will say that it helped the prettier parts stand out even more in their stark contrast.

-The cover art. Now that I have read the novel, I’m actually really disappointed with the choice for the cover. It is an obvious attempt to attract readers, specifically teens, I think, that read and loved the Divergent series. This novel is so unlike Divergent, and many other recent dystopian novels, and I think giving it a cover like that doesn’t actually do the content of the book justice. This is a pretty adult book in that it asks a lot of hard questions about what we, as a society and as individuals, focus on; we care so much about materialistic things that we don’t realize that we are ignoring our planet. Alice says, “Instead of doing something about the planet, about wars, about the madness, people just hoped things would improve.” Of course, things didn’t, and won’t, improve. This novel was a lot more serious than I thought it’d be. It is less action-packed, less focused on the romance than several dystopian novels recently published. I thought Paradigm was actually more like literary fiction with a dystopian plot thrown in. So, yeah, bad cover choice.

What these things mean:

I want to say that I didn’t really realize that I really liked Paradigm until after I’d finished it and started my review, so I don’t know what that has to say about the book; it’s probably good that I was still thinking about it and considering exactly what it was trying to say after I was finished. Alice was so compelling. She is an 11-year-old girl who lives with her mother, a prostitute, in council housing. She’s gone through a lot in her short life, and, therefore, doesn’t feel much in the way of emotions and favors logic over everything else. She was actually a little off-putting at first because of how unemotional she was through everything; I mean, she’s 11 and she doesn’t cry when she realizes her mother is probably dead and she is completely alone. I suppose she has always been alone. I was pulled into her story right from the start.

The bottom line:

While there were some parts that I thought were a little boring and unnecessary, overall, I really liked Paradigm. I’m looking forward to the next in the trilogy to see what becomes of both Alice and Carter and how their lives are even more interwoven than they though.

Rating: 7 – pretty good

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another year, another dystopian. Ceri A. Lowe’s Paradigm, however, is something to look out for. Paradigm is able to do what many other dystopias in the genre fail: credible world building. Being a debut I went into the book without expectations—I had nothing to compare it to—however, I was pleasantly surprised by the descriptive and flavoursome writing. This book manages to differentiate itself from all the other fish in the sea. Initially, the blurb alone managed to pique my interest. Whilst I don’t like dual POVs (but that is a personal preference—I find that it detracts from my already miniscule attention capacity) I have to admit that the idea of writing a dystopia from two points in time—the beginning and what seems to be the close—is a gem. What I must applaud Lowe for is her ability to weave and conjoin the decisions of the past with the consequential future.

The first thing that stood out to me was Alice’s passages. Alice watches the world, as she knows it, fall apart. This is something that I never see fully addressed in other books—the sheer devastation of loosing everything. It was so stark to see how desperate humanity got. Things like scientific knowledge, technology and personal possessions no longer mattered, nor defined a person. People became stripped to the core of their existence—the inherent trait that urges you to… survive .

"This is a situation of war. And in situations of war there are often things that we don’t want to do, but we do them anyway.”

Everyman was in it for himself. It is survival of the fittest and, as unfair as it is, sometimes it’s the selfish who survive because they have the drive.

“He lived in a high tower above the city and was forced to watch as the world died.”

Alice’s POV used neutral tonality that corroborated to place emphasis upon the austerity of the bleak and dreariness of a post-apocalyptic event. Despite what people may think I think her ability to be impersonal is what helps her character undergo Bildungsroman. There is definite character growth and strength.

”In the months that followed, there were at least twenty more suicides”

She becomes an Alice who is hardened by the knowledge that casualties and consequences were just a part of life. She learns early on that your experiences are there for you to grow on, and perhaps this is what allows her character to grow quicker than the “norm”. The Alice that we end up with is far removed from the Alice of the past.

Another element of the story that stood out was the romance. It is so, so rare nowadays to find a YA anything that doesn’t depend on romance. Whilst this story does still maintain this element what was surprising was how little it actually affected the story itself. Think of it in terms of playing jenga. If love (and by that I mean romance, not love in terms of passion for life etc.) were to be pulled from the tower then it would still stand, and stand strong. It is so refreshing to finally read a story that isn’t dependent on tragic and dramatic transcendent love, or love triangles or whatever the variation is now. Effectively this allows the reader to become more involved in the dystopian element itself instead of your typical “Let’s-save-the-world-lol-just-kidding-we-need-to-unnecessarily-make-out” (and yes, you know what I mean by this).

The ideas that Lowe brings up in her story were extremely resonant, and this was not because it was uber didactic or whatnot. It was due to the fact that the very same ideas that exist in a dystopian society can have the capacity transcend the barriers of fiction and be applicable in our own society. These are ideas that not many stop to think about, but when they were brought up I had a moment of realization at how much truth there was in it.

”There’s surviving and then there’s living…None of us just want to survive…We want something more, something joyful. Something to survive for”

The passage where the two characters discuss the difference between surviving and living struck a real chord in me. It was just so true. To live just to exist is pointless—there is no ambition and ambition drives survival. Once again it comes down to the idea of “survival of the fittest”. We are programed to want more, to strive for more, to improve over time, to seek answers. If we didn’t want, if there was no drive for competition, then perhaps humanity would not be where it is now. I really appreciated how Lowe managed to integrate these mini passages of philosophical ponderings into her book—it gave it a different flair.

I do have a bit to say about the structure though. Whilst it is a dual POV, I found myself a tad more involved in Carter’s side as opposed to Alice’s. Like I mentioned before Alice is a tad impersonal and thus warming up to Carter was, to me, inevitable. Word of warning though, there seems to be a lot of page breaks in the story throughout the chapters. The page breaks made it extremely hard to immerse yourself in the story itself because it just detracted from the flow. I would understand if the breaks had a stylistic purpose but no matter how much I obsess over “why” I simply cannot understand the need. It wasn’t as though the page breaks signaled a move into a different scene. It was as if I just stopped writing the sentence

and then subsequently continued on with it, but with a gap in between. That however is simply comes down to a structural preference.

Overall it was a great debut. Lowe manages to skilfully meld the past with the present. It was delectably enjoyable to be able to see something different, especially in the overdone dystopian genre. What many books critically fail to do is address world building, however you needn’t worry with Paradigm. The book transports the reader from the beginning of the end to the end of the beginning.



Many thanks to the publisher for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. All quotes used were obtained from an uncorrected proof that is subject to change in the final publication.

[OutlawPoet · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked half this book. Specifically, the half that dealt with the actual apocalyptic event.

I loved Alice and reading everything she went through. She was a butt kicking character who just rocked!

I did actually enjoy reading the contrast between Alice's days and our present day story with Carter. Most interesting was what the intentions of the originals were - rather than what history tells us in Carter's day.

But I didn't like Carter's story.

It was too generic YA dystopia with a little baby making thrown in for edge. Carter was one dimensional and there was no way on earth I could ever see him as 'THE ONE' (caps firmly intended.

I found myself wishing we were only reading Alice's story.

* ARC Provided via Net Galley

[Kathy Cunningham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ceri A. Lowe’s PARADIGM is a post-apocalyptic thriller told from two alternating viewpoints –Alice Davenport, who witnessed the end of the world when she was eleven, and Carter Warren, who has always wanted to be part of rebuilding it. But Alice and Carter are telling stories separated by eighty years, and their very different ways of looking at the world (both the world before the so-called “Storms” destroyed life as we know it, and the world after Paradigm Industries recreated it) are distinctly different. Alice watches as relentless rain and hail decimate London in 2015, and she is left alone in her decrepit tenement apartment with little food or fresh water – until representatives of the Industry rescue her. Over the next five years she lives in an underground community set up by the Industry to keep humanity alive while the world outside devolves into a poisonous nightmare. Eighty years later, Carter is a candidate for the Community’s Controller General, its highest leader. But to achieve the honor he’s lusted for since he was a child, he must pass a number of tests, as well as prove to the Industry that he has a “Contribution” that will set him apart from any other candidate. What happens to Alice in Year 5 and what happens to Carter in Year 82 are interconnected, in ways that may not be fully clear until Lowe’s next book (yes, it’s a series, so don’t expect any real answers!). But their stories are undeniably fascinating, and PARADIGM is undeniably addictive.

PARADIGM has a lot in common with a ton of post-apocalyptic and dystopian books out there, from the classics (“Brave New World,” “1984,” and “Fahrenheit 451”) to more modern retellings (“Divergent,” “Hunger Games,” and even the “Uglies” series). And while I found myself at times feeling a bit of déjà vu as I read the novel, I have to admit that Lowe’s vision is a unique one. The world-ending event this time is the result of global warming and human materialism – as Alice puts it, “Instead of doing something about the planet, about wars, about the madness, people just hoped things would improve.” Things didn’t improve, and weather (in the form of five-year “Storms”) destroys most life on the planet. Paradigm Industries, which rescues the remnants of humanity from the devastation, sets up a world that is distinctly communal (the group is definitely more important than the individual) and strictly ordered (freedom doesn’t have much meaning for Carter’s society).

But Lowe’s version of the future isn’t as black-and-white as that of most such YA novels today. There’s no clearly defined “bad guy” (no President Snow, for example), and the questions Lowe poses to her readers are as complex and multi-faceted as those Margaret Atwood poses in “Handmaid’s Tale.” The world in this novel DID fall apart because of human selfishness and greed, and because we cared too much about individual rights and freedoms and not enough about the good of the whole. At the same time, as Carter eventually realizes, there’s a big difference between “living” and merely “existing.” The Industry may have saved humanity from extinction, but is the world they have created (with imitation meat and chocolate, hovering “night drones” which spy on conversations, and the criminalizing of “useless things” like books, art, and music) really living?

PARADIGM actually has less in common with today’s plethora of YA dystopian romances than it does with more adult novels like “Fahrenheit 451” and “Brave New World.” Lowe is a literary writer, and her novel is less action-packed and romantic, and more cerebral and philosophical. Carter and Alice are fascinating characters, linked by a common world but separated by time and circumstance. Alice is Carter’s history, and he is her future. He knows her name, but not her connection to his own life. Both of their stories are compelling, but the fact that they are teenagers (they are both around sixteen when their stories heat up) isn’t really important. This isn’t a book FOR teens, but a book ABOUT teens in a world that seems all too possible.

Which brings me to the one criticism I have about PARADIGM – its cover. The cover art is strikingly similar to that of the “Divergent” series, in a clear attempt to attract teen readers who fell in love with Tris’s dystopian adventures. But PARADIGM is a very different novel, with a distinctly different style and a much broader and more challenging scope. This is not a “Divergent” clone, and that cover does it a disservice. I wish Lowe had come up with something as original as her novel.

Overall, if you enjoy literary science fiction and books that actually make you think, PARADIGM is a fabulous read. Be forewarned that it’s the first in a planned series (what isn’t, these days?), since you’ll definitely be hooked! But this is an exceptional novel, so I’m OK with that. I’m already looking forward to Lowe’s next installment, and that’s very rare for me. Highly recommended.

[Please note: I was provided a copy of this novel for review; the opinions expressed here are my own.]

[Joann M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seriously, can we talk about that ending. This book..... OMG. I am like so upset that I don't know what is gonna happen next. WHY!!!! How long do I have to wait until the next book comes out!!! Carter and Alice please wait for me.
This was a complete page turner.

I would give 10 stars if I could!!

My thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[M · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

What a fantastic book! We begin right in the middle of the action, thrust into the world of the novel, and Lowe sets an excellent pace for revealing the rules of her society. The novel is told from the perspective of Alice, an eleven year old girl who survives the storms of 2015 that effectively destroyed life on Earth as we know it, and Carter, a fifteen year old boy 87 years after the storms who has been brought up in the new society and believes that he is destined to lead it.

As I said, I think part of what made the novel so great is how subtle the introduction to the society was. Without ever getting preachy or detracting from the story, Lowe was able to set the scene, and through Alice and Carter, we get to understand how the new society came to be, how it is now, and what's in store for the future. I can't think of a more effective way to become familiar with the world of a dystopia.

What stood out the most for me is how absolutely beautiful the writing is. I've only recently started using the highlight feature on my nook and I marked tons of beautifully phrased metaphors and scene descriptions. Even if the story hadn't been so compelling, I probably would've kept reading just for that.

One of my favorite aspects of the novel was the social hierarchy. Children are picked for prestigious positions and their opinions are respected throughout because they are the key to the future. I also appreciated how the young women of the book were represented as being just as smart, capable, and able to lead as the boys. Even as I was marking a passage for its portrayal of women, Lowe even introduced a lesbian couple, while not particularly crucial to the action, was still a refreshing representation.

The characters are great, although I feel at times they fall too much into the role they're meant to represent, rather than the real people we've come to know them as. I love the duality of Alice and Carter because at times they seem completely different, and then oddly similar, and basically I just think that they were the perfect yin and yang to make the novel work and to tie together the new world and the old. I loved the way that Lowe described Alice's mother, subtle, but with enough information to draw the right conclusions. Carter started to annoy me after a while though, because he was just so naive. From the very beginning of the novel he assures the reader that he's the next great leader, but while he notices strange differences in society once he re-enters it, he doesn't question it or try to find out what happened until a conflict is staring him in the face.

My main issue with the novel is the shortcoming of most dystopias, and that's the plausibility of it all. Carter's perspective is taken 87 years after the initial Storms that caused society to go underground. The Earth was flooded, high enough to reach several floors up on buildings, and yet there was still plenty in tact when they came back onto the land more than three years later. Not only that, but there are still houses, buildings, toys, and books still in reasonable condition in Carter's time, nearly 100 years later. In the biblical tale, Noah had to take two of each species in order to preserve any life on Earth, but in Lowe's world, dogs, birds, and rats among others are all able to survive somehow. It doesn't really detract from the novel at all if you're willing to get sucked into the narrative, but it did get to me at times.

Despite that, I loved this book. I can't wait until it comes out so I can recommend it to everyone I know. I will do everything I can to make sure this novel becomes popular and I can't read to read the rest of the series.

(And it does look a lot like the Divergent cover.)

[Maxine (Booklover Catlady) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was really let down with this one, I had really been hoping for something spectacular to come of the ever popular Dystopian worlds craze, and that this one would really stand out as incredible. It didn't, it was so boring for the most part, yawn.....

What if the end of the world was just the beginning?

Alice Davenport awakens from a fever to find her mother gone and the city she lives in ravaged by storms – with few survivors.

When Alice is finally rescued, she is taken to a huge underground bunker owned by the mysterious Paradigm Industries. As the storms worsen, the hatches close.

87 years later, amidst the ruins of London, the survivors of the Storms have reinvented society. The Model maintains a perfect balance – with inhabitants routinely frozen until they are needed by the Industry.

Fifteen-year-old Carter Warren knows his time has come. Awoken from the catacombs as a contender for the role of Controller General, it is his destiny to succeed – where his parents failed.

But Carter soon discovers that the world has changed, in ways that make him begin to question everything that he believes in. As Carter is forced to fight for those he loves and even for his life, it seems that the key to the future lies in the secrets of the past...

So the book travels along two timelines, we have Alice who is alive when the storms wiped out most of humanity on the planet and she enters the underground world of Paradigm Industries (who are conveniently prepared for the world wipe out), she quickly adapts to the world below and their new rules on how to live, the removal of things such as music, it's all about control down there, but Alice embraces it. I have to say the first part of her story, when she is battling surviving the storm (she is 12 years old) was quite good, but then the story just lost it's oomph.

We meet Carter as he is being frozen, in suspension and then woken up at a time decided by Paradigm Industries, in the future. He is one of the contenders for the coveted role of Controller General, he for the most part is a Paradigm world lover. But all that changes.

What this book lacks is excitement, action, pace and something to make it "pop". It just gets really mundane and boring, sharing little bits of their days and not a lot of it is very thrilling. Even the reveals, the information that Carter learns for example it's not written in a way that hooks the reader in to the plot and makes you want more. I honestly feel if authors are going to tackle the Dystopian teen/YA market, they have got to have something really different to offer. This is not it.

Too slow for me and I felt it was going nowhere, did not connect with any of the characters except Alice, and I felt her character watered down poorly after she enters the underground world. I liked her before that. But that's it.

Meh. Not bothering with the next installment of this series. Too bland. Don't even think of comparing this to the first book in the Divergent series or even the Delirium series, it's worlds away.

I received a copy of this novel thanks to the publisher via Goodreads in exchange for an honest review.

[Bèbè ✦ RANT ✦ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will have to admit that the only reason why I picked up this book was because of the cover and how much it reminded me of Divergent cover. But even though they are both Dystopian novels, there is zero comparison.

From the very start, Paradigm introduces us to Carter, teenager who is getting down at the Catacombs to be frozen until the Community will need him again. The way it was described was really interesting because right off the bat you're not really sure what's going on and it catches your attention. Next chapter goes to the past, before the Storms started and the world flipped upside down. The Storms are described just like they are called - the Storms where it just started raining/hailing on the city without stopping and eventually flooded everything. Narrator in this case is Alice who stays home when her mother goes out and never returns. I found it interesting that you're not sure what her age is until later on in the book which is impressing because it explains a lot.

So alternating chapters, alternating chapter... Carter is back into the Community and starts to get ready to become the next Controller General who will try to make the Community a better place. This is where we can look closely at how the world works and have a better idea of their life. I like when the authors use this technic because it actually lets the reader figure it out for themselves instead of being told what the world is. Actually gives a chance to look at the world through narrator's eyes.

As it sounds, I did really enjoy the book and the plot itself. The alternating time frames weren't a big deal for me since there are only two different POVs which are easy to follow and remember what's happening. The only issue that I wish would have been explained more is if the Storms would be described better. How they were caused, how do they stopped, what the actual reason behind them? The only thing that I got from the book was that it was people's fault (which might be Global Warming? Damaged Ozone Layer?) and nother scientific behind it. Other than that, it was fast, easy to follow, and gave a different aspect on Dystopia.

[Ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

After the craze of The Hunger Games and Divergent series, I have been itching for a new dystopian series for quite some time.

Along came The Rising Storm, book 1 of the Paradigm series. I was a bit apprehensive at the start as I have such high expectation for the dystopian genre. It’s literally one of my favourite genres and so I was concerned that might not live up to expectations. I was glad that it did.

There are many reasons why this debut novel by Ceri A. Lowe was such a compelling reading. Firstly, because the story is told from the point of view of two different characters. I know what you are thinking “But Ana that isn’t anything new.” Well if you let me finish. Yes, we have had various stories were it changes from one characters point of view to another, but in this case these points of view are over 80 years apart.

Alice is telling her story from when the storms first started and how the building of a new society began. Carter is telling his story from after he wakes up from cryonic sleep into this new world. Most dystopian novels rarely show us how things started, and I find it quite interesting to see the beginning of the “end of the world”. Alice is such a great character that really drives the plot forward, Carter not so much. He has his moments of likeability.

Secondly, I love the fact that is set in London. It’s nice to know that a dystopian can be set anywhere else apart from the U.S.A. Plus the fact that I live in London makes it all a bit more real and scary.

Overall, it was a truly enjoyable read, packed with action and beautifully crafted settings. A must read for all dystopian fans, and since it finishes at such a crucial point you will be begging for the next book in the trilogy. Thankfully is actually coming out soon, this summer to be precise.

Rating: ★★★★☆

The Rising Storm by Ceri A. Lowe is available as an e-book and you can get it now on Amazon.

Thanks Bookouture and Noelle Holten for sending me an e-copy of The Rising Storm in exchange for my honest review.

*FangirlSince1988 xxx

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

First off, the cover is a blatant rip of Divergent. That needs to go if the powers that be expect anyone to take this seriously.

We've all read the YA books about the dystopian societies that focus on some rebel teenager that decides it time to put an end to things. Paradigm is a dual timeline, following Alice - tasked with leading the first team above ground in five years after a superstorm wipes out most of the planet and makes it uninhabitable - and Carter, 87 years later, waking up from a fifteen year cryogenic freeze to find that things aren't the same as when he went under and that his whole community - rebels and the powers that be - are looking to him to be their new leader. Taking a look at the birth of a dystopian society is a little formulaic than most of the books in this subgenre.

I feel like it could've been edited down a little bit, some parts dragged a bit and really slowed down the story with things that probably aren't 100% crucial to be included. There were links to the past and present that weren't overtly spelled out and I love that Ceri Lowe trusts readers enough to do this. So many authors feel the need to hit you over the head with obvious connections or blatant foreshadowing. Lowe sneaks 'em in there with little fanfare and and I loved that about her writing. There's a lot of commentary on global warming, human contribution to global warming, our often overlooked effects on the environment, our misplaced priorities and refusal to do much of anything to correct the wrongs we've inflicted on the world.
Overall, it's an enjoyable read with a fresh take on a well-covered topic. It ends with a major cliffhanger so if they're not you're thing, be warned!


I received an advanced copy from Netgalley for review.

[Anna (Unquenchable Reads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alice Davenport wakes up from her fever alone. Her mother is gone and a storm has ruined her city. There are only a few survivors. 87 years later, the storm still controls the city. Carter Warren knows that it’s his time. Time to awake up from the catacombs. He never died, he just went into hibernation with everyone else who was ready. Now, in the present, Carter wants to become the Controller General. But he isn’t the only one who wants to be it. He is a contender in the competition for it.

Rating: 3/5 stars
Cover Rating: 2.5/5 stars

This book is told in two parts. I’ll start with the bad things. I wasn’t a fan of Carter’s story. To me, I found it boring. Carter was an okay main character. I found when following him through his life, he was quite boring. Honestly, what happened to him wasn’t too boring, but the writing made it boring. Now to the good part. My favorite part of the book was Alice’s story. Her side of it was more interesting. I found the writing better in this part of the book. I felt like there should have been more action in this book. I would recommend this book to people who want just an okay book, are into 2 different time periods at the same time, and who want a dystopian book.

[Rebecca Calvin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book through Net Galley in turn for an honest review.

I really, really enjoyed Paradigm. I initially thought it would be just like every other dystopian fiction out there right now, but I feel like Ceri Lowe raised the bar with this one. I normally despise books that come from two different perspectives - but this one was different. It's smart. It's well written. It's an easy read that doesn't feel like cotton candy. It was interesting to see a dystopian from not only the "rebel" side but also to see it from the side of someone who created the strict government in the first place. It gives you an honest perspective of why this government was a necessity to begin with - but why it may not be working 87 years later. In a year (or couple of years) where dystopian books are a dime a dozen, this is one of the books that stands out. It is a great mix of Legend by Marie Lu and Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer. I highly recommend this book to anyone who truly enjoys the dystopian genre, but is looking for something more. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for the next two books in the series.

[Donna Maguire · Rating 4 out of 5]

https://donnasbookblog.wordpress.com/...

I love books that fall in this genre and having previously devoured the Maze Runner and Hunger Games series I was very keen to get my hands on this book, it sounded right up my street and having read it now I am so glad I got a copy of the first book in this trilogy!!

It is a very easy read and although I am an adult I will fully admit to having a love for YA books - the plot in this book was great and I was hooked straight away. It was a complete distraction for me and I loved being able to escape into the book. The characters were great too and very likeable!

Four stars from me, thoroughly enjoyable and looking forward to the next book in the trilogy!

[Joanne Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn't put this down! I became totally involved in their lives of Alice and Carter and am on their edge of my chair waiting for the next book. I love how this book is so close to a reality we could all be facing, even though that reality is terrifying. I needed to know more and really fell in love with them characters.

[Jill Cunliffe · Rating 5 out of 5]

absolutely brilliant! I couldn't put it down but didn't want it to end, can't wait for more.