Great Dystopian Christian fiction! My review of "Captives" by Jill Williamson

The year 2088 finds a world divided between those who live in the walled opulence of The Safe Lands, and those who survive on the outside of its borders. Those living in the Safe Lands have been infected with a blood-borne virus that makes them unable to produce children, leading them to capture those who live beyond their walls, virus free. When the village of Glenrock is targeted for the destruction and capture of many of its citizens for the purposes of forced reproduction, the captives must choose between accepting their fate and compromising their values, or fighting for freedom.

Jill Williamson has woven a wonderful teen novel in "Captives", creating a frightening futuristic world that seems all too possible. The writing is fast-paced and crisp, quickly drawing the reader into the story. At the same time, she has included wonderful details that bring the pages to life, with rich descriptions and unique devices like Compucharts or ColorCasts. I greatly enjoyed the variety of characters that she introduces into the story and the manner in which she has them meet and interact. The plot is filled with twists and turns and surprises, and the last half of the book is simply impossible to put down! The book delves into some dark subject matter, though appropriately dealt with (i.e. murder, forced pregnancies) and therefore is probably appropriate for older teens rather than pre-teens. At the same time, Williamson does a fantastic job of weaving Christian values into the story, and highlighting the importance of standing up for what we believe in, no matter the cost. 

Teens and adults alike will greatly enjoy this first installment in The Safe Lands series. I award it a very solid 4 out of 5 stars, and I am highly anticipating the next book to come!

Book has been provided courtesy of the publisher, Zondervan, and the Booksneeeze program, for the purposes of this unbiased review.

 Jill Williamson is a chocolate loving, daydreaming, creator of kingdoms and the award-winning author of several young adult books including the Blood of Kings trilogy, Replication, the Mission League series, and the Safe Lands trilogy. She lives in Oregon with her husband and two children and a whole lot of deer. Visit her online at www.jillwilliamson.com, where adventure comes to life.