Ecosystem

Ecosystem #1

by Joshua David Bellin

Seventeen-year-old Sarah is a Sensor, gifted with the ability to survive within the sentient Ecosystem that swept away human civilization centuries ago. While the remnants of humankind huddle in small villages of stone, Sarah uses her psychic connection to the Ecosystem to travel freely in the wild in search of food, water, and fuel. Sarah doesn't fear the Ecosystem—but she hates it for killing her mother when Sarah was a child. When she hunts, she hunts not only for her people's sustenance but for revenge.

Then Miriam, an apprentice Sensor, is lost in the Ecosystem, and Sarah sets out to rescue her. Joining Sarah is Miriam's beloved, Isaac, a boy who claims to possess knowledge of the Ecosystem that will help their people survive. The harrowing journey to find the missing apprentice takes Sarah and Isaac into the Ecosystem's deadliest places. And it takes Sarah into the unexplored territory of her own heart, where she discovers feelings that threaten to tear her—and her society—apart.

A thrilling fantasy adventure from the author of Freefall and the Survival Colony series, Ecosystem is the first book in an epic cycle that includes The Devouring Land (2018), House of Earth, House of Stone (2019), and The Last Sensor (2020).

Genres: Fantasy, Dystopia, Young Adult, Science Fiction, Fiction

346 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2018

About the author

I've been writing novels since I was eight years old (though the first few were admittedly very short). A college teacher by day, I've published numerous works of science fiction and fantasy: the Querry Genn Saga (SURVIVAL COLONY 9 and SCAVENGER OF SOULS), the deep-space adventure FREEFALL, the 5-part Ecosystem Cycle (ECOSYSTEM, THE DEVOURING LAND, HOUSE OF EARTH, HOUSE OF STONE, THE LAST SENSOR, and THE GREAT FOREST), and the 3-part Book of the Huntress series (DAUGHTER OF DUST, DARK'S DOMINION, and SCARRED CITY). My latest novel, the time-travel thriller MYRIAD, released in May 2023.

In my free time, I love to read, watch movies, and spend time in Nature with my kids.

Oh, yeah, and I like monsters. Really scary monsters.

Reviews

[Lauren (TheBookishTwins) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received a free copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Last year I read Freefall and was blown away by the excellent world-building and the on-the-edge-of-your-seat thrills, and I am happy to announce that ECOSYSTEM delivers just as well.

In a world where the Ecosystem has turned against humanity, humans are confined to villages made of stone where nature has no hold. In order to survive in the hostile world, Sensors - those born with a gift to feel and sense the intentions of the ecosystem - risk their lives to hunt for food, water, and wood. Sarah, one of the newest Sensors, has been training to take up the mantle of her mother since she was three years old after she was murdered by the Ecosystem. Sarah, unlike the others, does not fear the Ecosystem but hates it, and each foray into the forest is for revenge. When Miriam, an apprentice Sensor, goes missing in the Ecosystem, it's up to Sarah to find her, and delve further into the Ecosystem than ever before and discover its secrets - secrets that threaten the future of her village and everything she's been taught to believe.

Joshua David Bellin manages to create a thrilling, unique, post-apocalyptic world where nature itself has turned against us. There are horrifying creatures, deadly plants and living trees that are described in such detail it's like being there, amongst the Ecosystem. This was definitely one of my favourite parts of the novel, and for anyone who is a sucker for a good, well-built world, there is very little lacking in ECOSYSTEM, and Joshua David Bellin has created a thoroughly immersive setting.

Sarah, our protagonist, is a formidable character. I adored her fierceness, intelligence, and loved to see her overcome the wall she built around her heart. One of the most enjoyable parts of the novel was also experiencing Sarah interact with those around her. She's, at first, prickly and always on the offensive. But as she grows, she learns to trust and love, and I especially adored her relationship with Aaron, the father figure in her life.

There is a bit of romance, and it's thoughtful and well done, and I think even those adverse to romance in books will find it a compelling relationship (and also I really do enjoy hate-to-love relationships, so this was a plus for me).

If you're a fan of survivalist and post-apocalyptic literature then I would definitely, and not so subtly, tell you to read ECOSYSTEM.

[Darlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

ECOSYSTEM by Joshua David Bellin is a YA “cautionary tale” for our times. Welcome to the Ecosystem. A future where the natural world of plants and animals are in charge. The Ecosystem has turned against humanity. Humans are confined to the rocks and dead places where no life blooms. To survive, the Sensors – those chosen and trained to see, feel, hear, and know what the wild world is up to- venture into this hostile world, risking their lives to hunt for food and water to feed the village.
Sixteen year old Sarah is raised and trained to become a Sensor. She journeys into a world where a false move or misstep will kill you. When Sarah’s own apprentice Sensor-in-training disappears into the Ecosystem, she ventures into it to rescue her. The further Sarah goes into the forest, the more she realizes that it may take more than skill and knowledge to get out alive.
This page turner will give you a new respect for the forces of the natural world. I’ll never look at plants or animals the same way again. A five star tour-de-force. Can’t wait for a sequel.

[Kat Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

An original and stylish blend of fantasy and sci-fi, Ecosystem has plenty of action, but also a ton of heart and intelligence. I loved Sarah, who’s brave and resourceful, and the sweet budding romance with Isaac. But the Ecosystem itself is the star of the show, with its traps and pitfalls and clever reimagining of familiar things (sickenmore trees, warhogs) with a more sinister cast.

A cautionary tale worth pondering that also happens to be a lot of fun. Twists and revelations abound, I can’t wait for the next book!

[Margo Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re a huge fan of Joshua David Bellin, like I am, be warned that his newest book, Ecosystem, utilizes a significantly different narrative voice than the ones found in his previous novels, in large part because his previous books were science fiction and Ecosystem is more in the fantasy realm. Consequently, I recommend you cleanse your palate, clear your mind, and control your phobias before jumping into the jungle underbrush of Ecosystem. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.

Ecosystem by Joshua David Bellin is an exciting escapade that delves into the notion of rules being rules because they’ve been passed down from generation to generation and teens pushing beyond their societal boundaries because they believe there’s a better way, which conjures in my mind notions of both The Giver by Lois Lowry and The Maze Runner by James Dashner.

Once I settled into the narrative voice of Ecosystem, I really enjoyed the storytelling and word choices. Instead of calling plants commonplace names such as primrose and wisteria, Bellin gave them menacing names like poisonrose and histeria. Instead of sycamore tree, it was sickenmore tree. As much as I love going camping every summer in my beloved state of Idaho, I would not want to take a day trip through Bellin’s Ecosystem! Yikes. Everything, it appeared, was out to kill the humans in Bellin’s fictional forest.

Bellin paints detailed imagery throughout the story, for example:

“I stand amid trees many hundreds of years old, their branches trailing lattices of moss, their bark carved into antic shapes like deeply wrinkled faces. Ferns with spatulate leaves form beds between tree-trunks, while a few downed giants wave earth-brown roots to the sky.”

Even though Bellin’s writing is beautiful, the reader (and characters within the story) must remember, “The Ecosystem is a parade of horrors, and anyone who forgets that is asking for her own death.”

Ha. I love a good horror story.

From the book:

“I slice the monster from blunt head to a third of the way down its back. It has no throat to make a sound, but its body buckles in agony, the viscous liquid that passes for its blood spraying me as it writhes across the floor. Not dead, though. Urthwyrms can suffer far more damage than that and live. Cut them in two, and you’ve only doubled your enemy’s strength.”

A few other favorite lines from the book:

“The words I might have offered him stick like thorns in my throat.”

“The forest didn’t need to lift a finger to kill me. All it had to do was sit back and watch me kill myself.”

“They told me I was too bold . . . That is what the timid call the brave.”

While Ecosystem by Joshua David Bellin is great romp through the forest following Sarah’s compelling quest, the story also takes a fascinating look at relationships, responsibilities, and expectations between people, nature, and society.

Ecosystem is the first in a new series by Bellin. It reads as a standalone book, with the major plot threads tied up at the end, but Bellin left a few unanswered questions to tease my curiosity into wanting to read the next book as soon as possible.

I recommend Ecosystem to anyone who loves a great adventure story, anyone who loves the outdoors, and anyone who loves to hate monsters.

(By the way, as much as I love a scary story, I’m glad I read this in the comfort of my home instead of while camping in the boonies, where there are creepy crawlers and twisted trees and swampy marshes.)

[Christina Farley]

In ECOSYSTEM, Bellin has developed a unique, post-apocalyptic world, one where nature has turned on us and become our predator. Every foray into this treacherous land ensures a painful death. Unless you are a Sensor. Seventeen-year old Sarah has this Sensor gift and with it she can Sense the Ecosystem. She knows when it moves, what it sees, and even its intent. With this ability, she’s able to join the other Sensors and journey into the dangerous Ecosystem to hunt and gather food for her community. But when the Ecosystem uses Sarah’s own gifts and weakness (her Sensor-in-training) to lure her into the deepest, darkest heart of this predator, Sarah begins to question her past and even her community.

Sarah is a feisty character, who has been taught and trained to ignore her emotions, instead focusing on the task at hand. I liked that about her. I also loved the development of her character from the moment we saw her celebrating her first hunt, to when she’s cast out, and even as she abandons all of her training to do the unthinkable. A character who surprised me was Isaac. He showed up late in the story, and at first I merely dismissed him as a side character, but then he shows up later in the most unexpected way with the most unexpected ability.

I loved this twist as it’s very unusual for me to be surprised by events in a story. In fact, I think that’s why I enjoyed ECOSYSTEM so much. It’s full of unexpected moments, it doesn’t follow the norm, and the world building is incredibly fresh and unique. Unlike Bellin’s other works, ECOSYSTEM had a storytelling style and veered more into the realm of fantasy, which I really liked. This is such a thrilling story that once I started reading, it sucked me into this world. I am eagerly waiting for the sequel!

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ecosystem is a powerhouse of a novel. From the very first scene, Bellin draws you into a highly realized universe where the greatest threat to humans is the world around them. From bloodbirds to poisonrose to flameflies, there’s always something ready to harm or kill a person as soon as they step outside of their stone village.

Bellin’s writing is confident and clear, coaxing you into the world and the story. It’s apparent that he took great care in this project and that it’s close to his heart. As someone who reads a lot, I think that makes a subtle difference in the reading experience because it helps deepen the story.

What generally attracts me to stories is the protagonist. Here, it’s a fun and occasionally exasperating ride to step into Sarah’s shoes and find out where her journey—both physical and emotional—takes her. Like the stabbing nettles she sometimes encounters, she’s a bit prickly, especially at first. But as she learns to trust others and herself, she grows in confidence and grows on the reader.

This is a timely novel, too, that cautions against abusing the environment. It should seem like common sense, but in a time when recognizing climate change means going against business interests and profits, it’s a necessary and apt reminder.

Overall, Ecosystem is a thrilling, complex read. I’m eagerly awaiting the next book in the trilogy, The Devouring Land.

[Dave Webber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good Reading

Thought provoking story, that makes one wonder if it could happen. Starts off with the reader accepting the sense, but has one questioning it by the end.

[Lois Piner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. The world building was spectacular and imaginative and everything I wanted it to be. It was definitely, positively five stars, and the sole reason this book isn’t a three star.

The big flaw, in my opinion, was the characters. I liked them, but they were pretty stereotypical. You have the hot boy with a big, brave heart, the moody girl who falls in love and learns the whole entire world isn’t evil, and the clumsy, awkward, shy girl who nobody thought could ever do anything but ends up being really powerful and gets the hot guy in the end.

Also, there were only three big female characters and somehow, all three fell absolutely head over heels for the one male main character. That’s a little unrealistic, and this feeling was driven home for me when this character failed to charm me. He simply wasn’t developed enough for me to see how every girl in the book was literally willing and ready to die for him, sometimes within a week or two of knowing him.
Yeah, I just didn’t see that part.

Despite this, the ending was intriguing and I’ll definitely be reading the next book. I would recommend, but not super enthusiastically.

[Katie Carroll · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since the Ecosystem awoke with a vengeance and took over the earth, Sensors are the only thing keeping what is left of humankind alive in their small stone village. Sarah, the newest Sensor, uses her gift to venture into the Ecosystem to hunt. She can feel and understand what the Ecosystem is thinking and what it will do, letting her navigate her way safely through it. But she hates the Ecosystem for killing her Sensor mother before Sarah even had a chance to remember her. Now it had taken another victim, the apprentice Sensor Miriam, and Sarah is tasked with seeking her out. Her journey deeper into the Ecosystem deeper than she has ever gone before will shed light on her people and their role on the earth in a way she never imagined.

Joshua David Bellin's ECOSYSTEM is full of inventive natural monsters that are a play on the animals and plants we know in our world. It's a quick-paced read with a really cool world. The descriptions are vivid, beautiful, and terrifying. I look forward to the next installment.

[Breanne Christian · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Earth has had enough of humans destroying and overexploiting it. After a series of catastrophes, leaving very few of the human race to live, it seeks revenge. The remaining humans have evolved to defend themselves from this new, aware ecosystem. Sensors are born with the sense. They know what the ecosystem is thinking, what it's going to do, and when it's going to do it. When Sensor Sarah goes against the rules of the Sensors, she tries to redeem herself by training Miriam, until she pushes Miriam too far and Miriam goes missing. Can Sarah fix what she has done? Is Miriam lost for good? Find out in Ecosystem.
I enjoyed every moment of this book. I did not want to put it down. It was full of twists and turns. The world created is intriguing and has creatures that have evolved from the creatures we have today, evolved into the majority of them being bloodthirsty. If you want to read an original, science fiction, dystopian book, look no further.

[Barbara Barrow · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. On one level, it's an exciting adventure story about a young woman who trains hard to fight and gather food in a treacherous, post-apocalyptic ecosystem for a community of villagers who don't possess her sensory / psychic relationship to the environment. On another level, it's a cautionary tale about our antagonistic stance towards the natural world, and it raises other possibilities for the relationship between humans and ecosystems. The book moves swiftly and features interesting relationships between the protagonist, her mentor Aaron, and her sometimes antagonist / sometimes partner Isaac. The setting--the Ecosystem--is vivid and full of strange, violent flora, fauna, and wild animals; the Ecosystem is a whole character, or cast of characters, unto itself.

[Mary Enck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ecosystem is a study in believable world building. Astonishing to think of a forest filled with trees, flowers, plants and a vast assortment of insects, animals and unexpected, deadly creatures that keep the story rolling at a ferocious pace. As a lover of nature and forests, I am Druidlike in my beliefs and this story really touched me. That part of the tale and how the humans relate to it is very separate from the other rather normal relationships among the little village that is surrounded by the forest.

I will read the next novel in this trilogy and hope to enjoy it as much. The author captured me with his skill as a fine storyteller. I think anyone would be captivated by this story.

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting read

I didn’t know what I was getting myself into when I started this book. I’ve definitely never read anything like it which was very intriguing to me. I mean, the idea that nature attacks humans...very interesting. I loved this book! At first, I didn’t know what to make of it but then I couldn’t put it down! The author did a great job of introducing new ideas and words in a seamless way. I’m going to go read the next one now because I can’t wait to find out what will happen!

[Marlena · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn't sure what to expect when I started reading. I couldn't put this book down. It was an interesting twist on what nature could do to us and is nature picking off humans or protecting itself. I was impressed on how descriptive the books wand and how the author immerses the reader into Sarah's life. It made me think what role would I have if we lost all technology and had to start over. Of course I need to read the next book to the Ecosystem!!!!

[Christa Yelich-Koth · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastic story! I loved the descriptions of the 'sentient' forest and how the people interact with it. This book was definitely not your normal YA fantasy book. The main character was complex, the setting vivid, and it kept my attention the whole way through. Highly recommend this book! Can't wait for the next one!

[C.A. Knutsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

An intriguing and rewarding book

An excellent first book in what promises to be a rewarding series. Realistic characters that you engage with right away. Brooding wrongness about the villages way of life hides in the shadows. The main characters struggles and growth are very well portrayed. The relationship with the ecosystem is intriguing.

[Kristina Trawick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spellbinding

On an Earth like, and unlike, the one we share with nature today, humans have evolved in order to survive a world where plants and animals alike have retained control over a race that was destroying it. This is the story of survival after cities, machines, all modern conveniences have disappeared. Can't wait to dive next book.

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can forgive a lot of things in a story once I get going, but not an MC (and POV character) who doesn’t understand that actions have consequences in her world and still lets her emotions get the better of her. I would rather have read about a cold, methodical MC who did everything right and still failed and THEN had to fix it.

[Bee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book started off well- it was a fun YA read with an interesting concept. However, about 2/3 of the way through, it became hard to follow- it’s clear that the author had a really cool storyline in his head, but some details didn’t make it to paper and the flow became a little off.

[Malayna Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved everything about this book--the living environment, the believable main character, the writing. Loved!

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read most of this book outdoors, which is appropriate considering the trees don’t attempt to murder me here. I’m excited to read the rest of this series!

[Rodrigo Bombardi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very original premise and beautifully written

[Flin Marshall · Rating 1 out of 5]

Extremely boring. Highly advise against reading this.

[Alexia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an absolute roller coaster of emotions and made me fall in love with the fantasy/sci-fi genre again. I haven’t read fantasy in years, so I wasn’t sure if I would get into but immediately I was drawn into this world that could be earth’s fate. It’s set in a world where basically nature fought back against us and almost wiped us out which I feel is very relevant in today’s times. Sarah is such an amazing protagonist. She’s a strong character who does what she thinks is right and adapts to new information and her surroundings. All the characters are written so well and the world building is unparalleled. Also, I like the touch that all the names are biblical as it relates to the creation of the Ecosystem.

[Catherine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got bored and didn't finish it. The writing was good: smooth and vivd.