A first rate story of dystopia and the fight against it by heroic characters. In some ways, reminiscent of Margaret Atwood's "The Handmaid's Tale," it is - in other respects - more like Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged," or Heinlein's "Moon is a Harsh Mistress," because of the way in which the heroic figures fight back.

In this story, set in a world decimated by a mutant strain of AIDS, a pragmatic coalition or "Procrusteans" (read "Socialists") and "Faithful" (Muslims? Christian Fundamentalists? Fascists?) introduce a law conscripting women to have children. But not all women are happy to be forced into this role in the name of social expediency. What is particularly clever is the WAY in which they fight back! ( )

A world ravaged by AIDS, with a depleted population. A European Federation torn between three factions: the Procrusteans, the Libertarians and the Faithful. A Procrustean leader who enters into an unholy alliance with the Faithful to conscript women to have children. This is the harsh and savage world conjured up in The Year of Compulsory Childbirth.

But geneticist Barbara Freeman does not accept the premise that collective survival takes precedence over civil liberties. Neither does rocket scientist Darii Lawson. To these free thinkers – whose parents were members of “the Logic society” – those expedient measures carry the foul stench of dictatorship. And they are prepared to fight against the authorities.

But what weapons do they have in their arsenal when they find themselves in a minority. And how far are President Luther and Faithful leader Eric Chain prepared to go in the face of this resistance? In the end it comes down to a small band of dedicated people, including Barbara’s sisters and her aging mentor Sophia Magnus to take on the might of a tyrannical superstate.

Nigel Farringdon has created a chilling Dystopia in this book that merits comparison to Brave New World and 1984 ( )