Human - The Killers

Tankborn

Author: Karen Sandler
Pages: 370
ARC Acquired from:

Brief Summary:
Kayla and Mishalla are GENs, Genetically Engineered Non-Humans. They are essentially slaves. When people left Earth to begin living on this planet, the wealthy purchased their places and poorer people agreed to a temporary servant's status so that they could go. When the high status people did not give those of low status their freedom after the stated time period, riots began to break out. That's why GENs were made. The GENs take comfort in their religion, in which they were specially crafted by the Infinite and especially beloved. Being a GEN basically sucks, only now it seems to be getting worse...

Review:
Today is my birthday. Hurrah for me! I am so glad to be able to share such an awesome book on my special day. Let me apologize for the rather uninspiring description. The backstory might be helpful, even if it's not the most scintillating. It was awesome!

Tankborn was definitely another reminder to me not to judge books by their covers, which I will undoubtedly continue to do ad infinitum. Still, I know I shouldn't. The only reason I requested this on NetGalley was because of the golden word dystopia in the description. If it says dystopia, I will read it. So yeah, the cover's not the best (and, yet again, does not seem to depict one of the main characters), but don't let that stop you.

The characters and the story both intrigued me right off. It took a few chapters for me to get completely absorbed, because you're dropped into the middle of this completely unfamiliar landscape and have to get used to how things work there. Once I did, though, I could barely put the book down, except for having to work and sleep and feed the cat and all of that.

My one complaint, and it's pretty mild, is that I would really like to know more about why they left Earth. What happened there? There really wasn't too much said about that and I can only hope that there will be a sequel that might delve into some of that, and tell more of Kayla's future.

The lessons this book conveys about racism and religion are really well done, not so much lecturing as raising an ethical point and getting you to really think about the philosophical and theological leaps needed to support certain ways of being. This might make an excellent book club read for that very reason.

If you love dystopias, you will not want to miss Tankborn. It's going on sale tomorrow, so go get it!

"I did my best to notice
When the call came down the line
Up to the platform of surrender
I was brought but I was kind"