Scarcity

by Robert Calbeck

Ten years after World War III, the Earth is still reeling. World leaders have banned all fossil fuels other than oil, leaving the major powers to fight over what’s left. The results are starvation, war, rationing. Billions were left dead in their wake. The survivors have limped into a new equilibrium subsisting entirely on green energy, but there is not nearly enough of it to grow and transport sufficient food or keep everyone warm in the winter. Everyone has an identification chip implanted to monitor their Carbon output, ensuring compliance with the green new world. In this world where the most precious commodity is electricity, a former paratrooper named Luthor Tenrel stumbles upon a new stable element capable of creating endless, self-renewing, clean energy through its ability to manipulate gravity. On the eve of his reveal at the International Energy Convention, ruthless men attempt to take Luthor's discovery—and his life. Framed for crimes they didn’t commit, Luthor and his team struggle to escape the seemingly omnipotent conspiracy that will stop at nothing to possess Luthor’s technology. With the help of the mysterious Vika and the strange gravitational powers of Luthor's new element, their small band must evade governments, criminals, and Luthor’s own demons to have a chance to end scarcity once and for all. Robert Calbeck's debut novel throws readers into a complex and detailed world that explores the consequences of Climate Change and the policies designed to fight it. Hard-fi fans will appreciate the meticulous research to make Scarcity believable, but fantasy lovers will be drawn to the gravity-manipulating antics that read more like something from Brandon Sanderson.

521 pages, Paperback

Published June 24, 2019

About the author

Congratulations, you made it here! This is probably one of the most obscure places on the entire internet: the author page for Robert Calbeck. That means you actually want to know more about me. Here it goes: I am the author of Scarcity, house husband to Kristi, two-time Mr. Congeniality winner for the Father of the Year competition, math teacher extraordinaire, and supreme dictator of all Calbeckistan. (It’s quite the resume, I know).

I live near Denver, Colorado and my day job is solving for X in a public high school (exciting, right?). As crazy as it may sound to the layperson, I honestly love my job. I get to work with awesome students all day and get to see the lights go on when they finally “get it.” I’m there to help them through some of the toughest 4 years of their lives, and I get the privilege to influence their future. Yes, I know, some of you just had flashbacks of mathematical trauma. For that, I am truly sorry. Others of you just said, “wait, a math teacher wrote a book? Um… that makes me nervous.” If that’s you, I dare you to read Scarcity. It turns out our brains are more than capable of being good at more than one thing, and I’d like to prove that to you.

For those more interested in my writing career, here’s a short synopsis. I’ve always loved reading. After high school, a friend had just finished reading a novel and declared, “how hard could it be to write one? It would be easy!” Eight years and two degrees later, we finished Flame Bearer. I think there might have been a good story buried in there somewhere, but I’m going to be honest, it was BAD. Both of us knew it, and never sought to publish it. But we both learned a ton about writing and had a great time inventing a world. My second attempt went much better after applying all the things I learned not to do with Flame Bearer. Eight years later, you finally have Scarcity. I’m extremely satisfied with how it turned out, and I think it is extremely timely. Thanks to all my Alpha and Beta readers for helping to make it what it is!

If that STILL isn’t enough and you are still reading, I have a few more writing projects on the horizon. The first is Soulstruck. It is a venture back into the fantasy genre. The other project in the works is a non-fiction book on teaching titled Redemptive Teaching.

That’s everything I can think of to say about myself in a bio. But if you have more questions, feel free to ask them here! I am also available for interviews or speaking engagements by request.

Reviews

[Alvin C. Streeter Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

People NEEDto read this book.

This should become a retired cautionary tale for everyone regardless of which side of the global warming divide they find themselves.

[Matt Kelland · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF. Interesting premise but too preachy and not well enough written to hold my attention.