Thursday, November 5, 2020

Axiom

Death and violence do not exist in Axiom. There is no strife, no war, no suffering. There is no hunger, no sadness, and no pain. Axiom is a place of perfection. But, at what cost? In Axiom, mankind has willingly submitted itself to one man–the Lord Protector–who controls the destiny of every human being. Emotions have become outlawed. Relationships are forbidden. Any sign of the Disease is treated with hostility. Under the eternal guidance of the Lord Protector, mankind no longer knows what it means to be human. But, stirring within the hearts and minds of a few individuals is a reality which cannot be ignored. It is this reality which will cause the spark of rebellion to be born.

My thoughts: I seem to have been reading a decent bit of dystopian style stories lately! I thought that Axiom does a wonderful job of building a world in the distant future where emotions are seen as a hindrance, and are therefore suppressed. The story is told from several points of view and give a good balance to the story and where it goes. I liked that there are some un-foreseen twists to the story! This is an excellent dystopian story to pick up and enjoy.

I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review.

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About the Author

Kristofor Hellmeister is an alien—a legal alien born in Canada who has lived in Georgia since he was a young boy. Presently, he lives just outside of Atlanta with his wife, Kristie, and his three-year-old son, Maddox. Kristofor has always pursued writing, ever since he was in first grade writing about dinosaurs, tornadoes, and man-eating plants. He published his first book—a historical fiction called Brothers of Baseball—in 2017. Axiom is his first foray into science fiction and is the first book in the Axiom Chronicles. Kristofor enjoys reading anything from military fiction, to the newest Star Wars or Halo book, to fantasy and spy novels. He also enjoys spending time outdoors whether it is running a 5k, taming his wild backyard, or going on an adventure with his family. The core theme for all of his stories is that of redemption, for he believes this is reflected all around us and throughout history.

More from Kristofor

The source of this novel comes from multiple experiences. I remember sitting in a church in downtown Atlanta at an event called TheoEd Talks. It was a theological discussion by leaders of the religious community that was designed much like a Ted Talk. I remember listening to a gentleman, I don’t recall his name, who was elaborating on a tension he was trying to navigate. At the time, there were riots and demonstrations were occurring in cities across the United States due to racial unrest. The man was a pastor and was asking the question, “What should I do?” I remember him elaborating on how he was not an activist, he was not a civil leader, he was not a politician, and yet he still had a role in the job he did best—pastoring. His challenge to us—do what you are passionate about and let this become your source of aid to the world’s problems. At the time, I was struggling with mental health, cynicism, and a gnawing sense of despair. I used these elements to create a novel which addresses a world in which culture is leaving behind Enlightenment thinking and embracing emotionalism. Axiom frames these cultural changes through the eyes of characters who are flawed but passionate in their desires. Entwined with my faith, I hope to have created a story that draws readers into a world where rationalism, emotionalism, and spirituality all must be embraced in order for us to be truly human.