Year Zero (Revolution's Children, #1) / Revolution's Children (ePub)

In a future fascist America, sixteen-year-old Joey Cryer must answer one question; What will I sacrifice to save those I love?

In a dark and dystopian America, hope is a scarce commodity, and survival is a dangerous game. Unyielding and merciless, The Incorporated Precincts of America have established a stranglehold, their CEO and Board ruling with an iron fist. In this shattered version of the country we once knew, sixteen-year-old Joey Cryer fights for their life, with two missions burning in their heart: protecting their vulnerable six-year-old sister, Julia, and defying death itself.

"America first. America last. America always," is the chilling mantra of the ruthless leader of the IPA, the oppressive regime that holds the nation in its grip. As violent rebellion escalates, innocent lives are shattered, and the dark specter being selected to be a contestant on Manhunt, a brutal gladiatorial TV show, looms over all. Joey, unwillingly drafted to assist the IPA, becomes a target, and is constantly watched by the merciless Sons of Liberty-the enforcers of The Corporation's reign of terror. Survival means treading a treacherous path, where a single misstep could erase Joey and Julia forever. Their only hope lies in avoiding any thought, word, or action that could attract the wrath of their all-seeing overlords.

Pushed into this nightmare at the tender age of sixteen, Joey's world was once simpler; sitting at the right cafeteria table, trying to catch the eye of Cameron Black, and staying one step ahead of the school bully, Harlan Grundy. But Harlan, driven by loyalty, becomes one of The Corporation's obedient Sons, crushing any remaining hope beneath the soles of his jackboots. Fear, starvation, and the constant threat of death replace the once familiar rhythms of Joey's existence, turning neighbor against neighbor. Dissent becomes the deadliest sin, and silence becomes the only language of survival. In this dystopian landscape, the only acceptable response to a Son is the submissive assertion that "Everything is goodly."

Bereft of everything in the turbulent aftermath of revolution, Joey embarks on an unthinkable act of rebellion-aiding the wounded leader of the resistance, John Doe. In this world where allegiance to Doe means a one-way ticket to the gallows, Joey risks it all to keep Julia safe and forge a path to freedom. Against all odds, they find an unlikely ally in Harlan, who has tasted the bitter betrayal of his former masters. Trusting a former enemy might harbor the key to their survival, their future, and the liberation of their entire community. But at what cost? Only Joey can decide whether the risk is worth it-for their sister, for themself, and for the hope of a better tomorrow.