Jill Williamson

Jill Williamson readily admits that she writes “weird books for teens”. Well, Captives is definitely weird and definitely a book that will appeal to teen readers. A dystopian look at a future America post-pandemic, the book has a lot going for it — interesting characters, fascinating setting, and a disturbing plot that feels both improbable and very possible all at once. Fast-paced with vivid imagery, I would recommend Captives to older teens (high school or older). The novel is never show more graphic, yet reproduction, surrogacy and promiscuity are part of the story and may be too mature for a younger audience.

The Safe Lands are anything but safe, but the veneer of the nation covers the evil beneath the surface. Those that live in the shadow of its walls have much to fear — the thin plague that infects all of Safe Lands’ citizens and the more insidious allure of a life of pleasure and the overwhelming control of the governing council. Omar is fascinated by the glitter and is determined to help his clan relocate to Safe Lands and start enjoying an easy life. But the encounter between his village and the enforcers takes a deadly turn and the once free people of Glenrock are now captives in a highly gilded cage. Some of those kidnapped are quick to assimilate into the new surroundings, while others are determined to escape before physical or spiritual infection takes root.

Williamson brings to life a dying society built on pleasure — a society where all is well as long as one complies. Beauty is lauded over all else, yet the slow-dying public must cover up who they are with wigs, paint, makeup and SimTags (a kind of virtual tattoo) in order to disguise the plague that racks their bodies. A verse from Daniel is used as an introduction to the book, and the parallels of ancient Babylon and this new world are marked. There are a lot of things to discuss with this book — technology, morality, free will, and freedom — and it would serve as a great tool for a small group. Captives is also book 1 in a series, so there is a great deal to speculate about before the next book is published.

So, if your teen enjoys weird and wants a book that will cause an examination of current trends in our own society, then get Captives for him or her.

Recommended.

(Thanks to CSFF and Zondervan for my copy of this book. All opinions expressed are mine alone.) show less

This novel is a complicated look at both faith and scientific ethics wrapped up in a deceptively simple YA teen troubles story. The writing is excellent, enough to keep me reading when the main character adopted a holier than thou attitude that wore on me a bit, mostly because I fell into the trap of connecting the Abby’s beliefs and attitudes with those of the author and so expected this novel to end in a heavy, overly simplified moral. Boy was I wrong.

The basic premise of the story is show more that a scientist was maintaining a secret lab in which he produced clones for medical testing and something more nefarious that would end up killing them when they turned eighteen. Even worse, the staff was abusive, both physically with brutal testing and beatings, and psychologically by creating a scenario in which the clones were sacrifices to save the rest of the world, a lie the clones had no way of testing because they are never allowed out of the facilities.

Note the premise has nothing to do with Abby. She comes into it because her father is on an obsessive search for a cure to cancer after it stole his wife and Abby’s mother too soon. He’s lost sight of the bigger picture and is willing to do anything, even get mixed up with a bad scientist who thinks he’s above the law.

There’s a lot going on, both with Abby (enough to make her interesting despite being a fanatic) and with the clone who goes by the nickname Martyr because he defends the weaker clones against the stronger in what is a bit of a Lord of the Flies situation with little effort taken to keep the clones from establishing primitive order among their own. As long as they do no permanent damage to the most viable, the scientist and staff care little for what happens in the facility. It’s up to Martyr to step in, often to his own loss.

It’s hard to talk about all I liked in this novel without giving away important pieces, so I’m keeping it general, or mentioning things that come up in the beginning. Still I’ll say this much: Abby is not a doctrine to be taught despite how much she thinks she is. Replication touches on serious questions and leaves it to you to consider the implications rather than laying down answers in a fanatical manner, answers about faith and science.

I thought at first that Abby spoke for the author, and that she acted in the place of taking an argument to its farthest reaches and using that as a reason not to explore, in this case the argument that because science can be taken to far, it should then be prevented from searching for genetic solutions, sort of like saying that because someone could die from being stuck with a pencil through the eye pencils are clearly too dangerous to exist. Even if I hadn’t recognized that Abby was just one view in an exploration that raises serious questions to consider, the inclusion of discussion questions in the back proves Williamson’s intent was to get people thinking, especially young people who will be the scientists and believers in our future, the ones making decisions about cloning, genetics, and what defines a person.

Now I don’t want you to think this is a textbook, because you could read and enjoy the novel without ever considering a greater implication. It’s a story with many levels, and well-drawn characters who are far from one-dimensional. You get the perspective of Abby who thinks she knows it all; JD, the star senior, who thinks he wants, and deserves, it all; Abby’s father who believes if he can find a cure he can somehow make up for his failure in his wife’s case, missing the fact that his lack was not in failing to prevent her death but in not appreciating and sharing her life while she was there; and Martyr, of course, whose naïve curiosity makes others question what they have accepted as true. And that’s just a sampling of characters, while the story has elements of a family story, a mystery, a thriller, and several other genres blended well into a cohesive whole.

I requested the book from NetGalley after reading a friend’s review, so I read the final galley rather than the final itself. There was one continuity error I noticed that I hope they catch for the released version, but overall, this is a book worth reading both for enjoyment and to make you consider the implications of where we’re headed, both on religious and scientific grounds. It’s not long, it’s not a hard read, but it is packed tight with story and philosophical goodness, including some things I didn’t even touch on so as not to spoil. show less

I read this book thinking that I would humour it - I got it for free, [a:Jill Williamson|2869923|Jill Williamson|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1423327876p2/2869923.jpg] offering a free copy, like many indy authors do. A review wasn't expected, but I'm going to give one because I now want to read this whole series! I really enjoyed this story that can only get deeper as the story goes on.

Living in a Polytheist society can be tough, especially when that society also celebrates distinct show more class lines and actions that keep the poor poorer. The kings of the land are making sacrifices to the Gods, well one God in particular, Barthos, and that is not what everyone believes is right, especially not Wilek the young prince who can remember watching is father the king sacrifice his own son to said God and still with little result. Even though Wilek has convinced his father that the sacrifices should not be children and innocents, but those who are criminals and convicted of crimes, he still feels great guilt and suffering at the thought of these men that his father is sending to their death in The Gray.

Wilek bucks tradition on many levels. He has fallen in love with his concubine, Lebetta, but that love is not to be no matter how many times she tries to make it more that just the relationship they have. Wilek is promised to Lady Zeroah, and no marriage can be made between a concubine and a prince. He wants to be heir, he wants to be the one of the sons his father chooses to lead the realm, but he doesn't want to rock the boat so much that that will be hindered. He wants to change laws, change the way things are, but he doesn't feel powerful enough to do anything at the moment. I want to see him find that power.

By contrast, Mielle becomes the honour maiden to Lady Zeroah. She feels powerless to right the wrongs that she sees in the world. When she finally finds someone she believes to be good, a man that she could love with all her heart, she's faced with the gut wrenching knowledge that she can never have him due to the way the society is created. Trevn doesn't even realize until she tells him, screams it at him, but he feels the same about her and I can't wait to see what he will do to be able to make it possible for them to be together. He is said to change laws and this is the one that I will have my eyes on.

Lady Zeroah wants to be the only one for her future husband, to be certain that she is the only one that he loves and she does want him to love her. She wants him to turn from the polygamous ways of the old kings, to decline the harems and to only choose her as his queen. I want her to be able to do this - because she wants to make the kingdom a better place.

Then there is the cult of empowered magical women... Oh yeah, I know I should find it distressing that a group of powerful women are the "bad guys" here, but I don't think it's them I think it's one of them. Specifically Mreegan. I think Charlon would be the better leader, leading with compassion, but Magon needs Mreegan for something, to make something happen.

I have this feeling that we're looking at something intricate that is about to happen. I can't wait to read more now! show less

After reading By Darkness Hid, Jill Williamson became one of my favorite authors instantaneously. I was so excited to see her first novel win a Christy – it was entirely deserviced. I have read a great deal of fantasy over the course of my reading career, but I can say without a doubt that the Blood of Kings series is everything that an epic fantasy novel should be. Better yet – the author’s Christian approach to fantasy imbue the work and character with great integrity, honor, and show more struggles that lead them closer to their one-god (called Arman in this world).

To Darkness Fled, the sequel and middle book of the trilogy, is everything I hoped for, and more. Classified as a young adult novel, it is still an incredible read for fantasy-loving adults as well! Williamson’s characters continue to become fuller and richer, growing in likeability.

Picking up where By Darkness Hid left off, the story follows Vrell, Achan, and their renegade party into Darkness, where no sun shines. Fleeing from the false prince Esek Nathak they are relentlessly pursued by bounty hunters and the allies of the impostor who has formally seized Achan’s rightful place as King of Er’Rets. Battles ensue, rescues take place, armies are raised, and Vrell continues to masquerade as a humble lad while growing fonder, and fonder of the rightful (yet still displaced) King.

One of the most delightful aspects of To Darkness Fled is that Williamson rarely needs to concoct conflict for Achan and Vrell – they make it for themselves; it springs intrinsically from them as they stumble over their own faults and innate character flaws as their struggle towards maturity. Many times other authors seem to be flinging unnecessary obstacles in the path of two characters finding one another, but Achan and Vrell do a great job of this themselves….no matter how frustrating it is to me as a reader! Still, I can see how any pat resolutions at this point would be so contrived, and not true to the characters.

Williamson has also crafted one of the most realistic transitions from displaced hero-boy to a fledgling King that I have ever read. The growth of Achan from a heroic stray into coming to understand his place in the world as Arman’s chosen sovereign is skillfully wrought, and therefore entirely believable. We are also treated to a deeper understanding of how Arman and His Son Caan parallel YWH and His Son Yeshua as we see Achan growing in his knowledge of Er’Rets’ one-God.

The only frustration is that the story ends with a cliffhanger – of course! But still, now that the third, and final installment in the trilogy is completed, readers won’t have to wait to get their next dose of Vrell and Achan in. I know I certainly can’t! Fans of Christian fantasy owe it to themselves to check out this series – they won’t be disappointed!

Reviewed at quiverfullfamily.com show less