Unwind

Synopsis:  What if your parents could "unwind" you...have you sent away and harvested for parts to be used for other peoples' medical needs?  What if you were born without parents and had to prove yourself in a state home, or else?  What if you were born for the sole purpose of being tithed by your family?  This novel explores some pretty intense topics:  What power should parents have over the lives of their children?  What is a soul, and do they exist at all?  When does life begin?

The story follows three young people, Connor, Risa, and Lev, all with widely different backgrounds.  All three end up running from the authorities to avoid being unwound.  Along the way, they learn a lot about their world and the inhuman things that human beings are capable of.

Can they survive until they turn 18, when no one will have the power to unwind them?

(This novel is the first in a trilogy, along with a 60 page short story sequel available as an e-book at Amazon.  The second novel, Unwholly, is available now.  And coming soon will be the third, Unsouled.)

Genre: science fiction

Pages: 335

Level:  intermediate/mature

Author's website

Opening paragraphs:

"There are places you can go," Ariana tells him, "and a guy as smart as you has a decent chance of surviving until eighteen."

Connor isn't so sure, but looking into Ariana's eyes makes his doubts go away, if only for a moment.  Her eyes are sweet violet with streaks of gray.  She's such a slave to fashion -- always getting the newest pigment injection the second it's in style.  Connor was never into that.  He's always kept his eyes the color they came in.  Brown.  He never even got tattoos, like so many kids get these days when they're little.  The only color on his skin is the tan it takes during the summer, but now, in November, the tan has long fade.  He tries not to thing about the fact that hel'll never see the summer again.  At least not as Conner Lassiter.  He still can't believe his life is being stolen from him at sixteen.

Ariana's violet eyes begin to shine as they fill with tears that flow down her cheeks when she blinks.  "Connor, I'm so sorry."  She holds him, and for a moment it seems as if everything is okay, as if they are the only two people on Earth.  For that instant, Connor feels invincible, untouchable...but she lets go, the moment passes, and the world around him returns.  Once more he can feel the rumble of the freeway beneath them, as cars pass by, not knowing or caring that he's here.  Once more he is just a marked kid, a week short of unwinding.


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