The Mutant and the Mule is a dystopian sci-fi tale wrapped in rebellion, identity, and unexpected friendship. It follows Helia, a Mutant trained for infiltration, as she dives deep into the oppressive Norm society to sabotage it from within. Things go sideways when her mission contact vanishes, and she’s forced to team up with Ari, a snarky, hard-drinking Mule who has zero illusions about the world she was born into. Together, they dodge government thugs, make questionable plans, and form a bond neither of them saw coming.

One of the strongest things about Blair’s writing is how real the world feels. It’s dark and suffocating—domed cities, oppressive governments, and class systems etched into skin tones and uniforms. In the opening chapter, the tension is so thick you feel it crawling up your neck. Helia’s nerves as she sneaks into the Norm compound are palpable, her inner conflict sharp. Blair doesn’t just build a world—he throws you into it, head first, with no map and a lot of heart.

The characters are the lifeblood. Ari stole the show for me. She’s messy, sarcastic, and painfully relatable. Her introduction, waking up in a puddle of her own vomit and annoyed someone’s being loud enough to interrupt her hangover, is peak character work​. And then bam—she’s saving Helia from a brutal beating by a Department of Sanitation thug. Her loyalty is messy too, driven more by a gut sense of justice than some grand ideology. That made her feel real.

As much as I liked the action (and the matter blast scenes are wild), what stuck with me most was the quiet stuff. The awkward bonding. The little bits of humor in a bleak world. Blair nails the rhythm of human connection without overplaying it. These characters are absurd and brave in equal measure, and their choices matter because we care. While I enjoyed the story, I felt that some parts of the world-building could have used a somewhat lighter touch. There were moments when the exposition got a bit thick, but it never dragged for too long. The pace always snapped back thanks to some smart dialogue or a sudden twist.

The Mutant and the Mule is for readers who love sci-fi that punches hard but still has heart. It’s gritty, emotional, and sometimes downright funny. If you’re into found-family stories, rebellion against oppressive systems, or just want to watch two unlikely allies stumble their way toward hope, pick this one up. If you enjoy authors like Pierce Brown, Veronica Roth, or Octavia Butler, The Mutant and the Mule will feel like familiar territory—but with its own sharp bite.

Pages: 200 | ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0DCP4MGWC