Ataxia and the Ravine of Lost Dreams

     In Ataxia and the Ravine of Lost Dreams, Rachel Barnard creates a post WWIII world in which hackers and other cyber crimes destroyed the fabric of society.  The Americas band together to create a single nation, and the government took control of cyber activity, news, and any form of press.  This new founded government (Referred to as Obies, or old boys) covers up an on going war between itself and a rebellion group know as Ataxia.  The story is told first person, through the eyes of a young woman named MC.  MC has a secret past, and a secret agenda.  

    The story takes place at an academy.  There is a form of high tech dodge ball which seems to be the main focus of the students.  The students enter an ever changing arena and throw "Fireballs" at each other.  They wear special uniforms that, when hit, freeze the person for the rest of the round.  The point is to get the most kills, be on a winning team, or avoid being killed, and there is a point system in place for each of those things.  The problem is that the teams constantly change, so you could be with a group of friends, and then the round is over and your uniforms change colors, making you instant enemies.  The rankings from these games compile throughout the year and the top ranked contenders, supposedly, get picked first for the best jobs upon graduating.  Of course there is a government conspiracy behind all of this, but I won't spoil the novel for you.

     MC is in a constant internal battle between her mission, performing well in the competition, keeping her distance from other students, and wanting to be a normal teenage girl.  She does make friends, but has to distance herself from them. And, of course, there is a love interest, along with a few side love triangles.

     The story is great, and I reservedly recommend the book to anyone who likes realistic, futuristic fiction.  The reason I say "reservedly" is because this is an Indie book.  It needs some major content editing.  Mrs. Barnard has a great story, but the characters are inconsistent, and the beginning of the book is very confusing.  The transitions of time passing need more explanation.  I found myself lost several times in the novel.  If you can get through the first 3-4 chapters, you will find that you enjoy the rest of the story with only a few hiccups between scenes and the passing of time.  

In all, I give this book