When I opened Tim Rees’ Original Earth: Book One, I expected a familiar survival tale. Instead, I found an emotional journey that runs from the claustrophobic passages of a crippled starship to the harsh beauty of an alien planet. Humanity’s last thousand survivors drift in space for generations before sabotage forces an emergency landing on a world they call Earth 2. Tim Rees explores not just survival, but whether people can truly change when given a second chance. At the heart of it all is Anu, an eight-year-old girl whose honesty and quiet courage cut deeper than the words of most adults.

The opening chapters carried a warmth that drew me in. Anu’s algae-block “strawberry” breakfast was both sweet and heartbreaking, and it showed me how well Rees balances innocence with underlying loss. That sense of comfort didn’t last. The sabotage of the algae vats shattered it in an instant. The frantic scramble to abandon ship, paired with Juno’s ruthless grab for power, made me feel just how fragile their world had always been.

The landing on Earth 2 was one of the most striking sections for me. Rees describes grass beneath bare feet, birds overhead, and the shock of real air with such vividness that I felt the settlers’ exhilaration. Yet he cuts that wonder short with the sudden appearance of a dinosaur-like creature, a jarring reminder that this new world is as dangerous as it is beautiful. Survival becomes grueling, and the endless cycle of hunting, gathering, and securing water presses heavily on every page. Rees captures that grind with a stark honesty that left me uneasy but deeply invested.

For me, Juno’s tightening grip was one of the most unsettling parts of the book. His obsession with water control felt alarmingly real, and it made me think about how fragile any society can be when power rests on basic needs. At the same time, I found myself drawn to Emrys and Onua’s struggle to hold their family together, even as Onua’s injuries dragged them down. What struck me most was Anu’s quiet strength in these chapters. Watching her comfort her brother with a maturity far beyond her years was both moving and painful.

The latter portion of the narrative resonated with me. The pages carried betrayals, losses, and a sliver of hope that felt almost too fragile to hold. Anu’s reflection near the end on what survival truly costs stunned me. It wasn’t neat, and it wasn’t reassuring. Rees doesn’t hand out easy answers. Instead, he leaves us with the harsh truth that humanity has to keep trying, even when the odds feel impossible.

Tender and tense, Tim Rees’ Original Earth: Book One blends discovery, danger, and humanity’s flaws with remarkable honesty. For readers who love survival stories with heart and grit, this book delivers.

Pages: 338 | ASIN : B0DLPGDKQF