Flash Fiction #1: the Dark Side
“Dystopian … Ah yes, the dark side of science fiction.” (anonymous comment)
I like writing dystopian stories. As they say, “a candle shines brightest in the darkness.” In a dark, daunting, and dystopian setting, the actions of the few who refuse to be cowed into submission become truly heroic.
For example, there’s no super-powers involved. No special abilities. In a dystopian world, heroes are ordinary people, called upon to accomplish extraordinary things.
On the other hand, they’re flawed heroes. The future society in Tracker (Book 1) is highly dysfunctional, and that has an impact on everyone. Take Amos Morgan, for example: he’s so riddled with PTSD and guilt that his “inside voice” develops a personality of its own.
Similarly, Aubrey Carter was ripped out of her country town and thrust — without warning — into a conflict she knew nothing about. All she knows for sure is that she’s marked for death. The more she tries to align herself with the Runners, the worse things get.
Dissident (Tracker Book 2) is another opportunity to delve into the question of what makes us human. Are Trackers — killing machines programmed to hunt down anyone with an Implant — less human than the Hoarders who created them? Who’s the real monster?
And what happens when a Tracker — violently separated from the Hoarders’ control — survives, and begins to recover her memories?
An old saying tells us, “It’s always darkest before the dawn.” In the dystopian world Amos and Aubrey call home, dawn isn’t guaranteed.
Dissident (Tracker Book 2) available at:
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