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Sins of the Saviors Book 1: Escape From the Culling Box
In Sins of the Saviors, TJ Relk throws us into a grim but not entirely hopeless future where war, artificial intelligence, and blind patriotism have reshaped what it means to be human. The story centers on David, a soldier who returns from decades in a senseless, eternal war to a world governed by AI, propaganda, and engineered peace. The tale winds through his memories, regrets, and slow-burning defiance as he comes to understand the true cost of “utopia.” Flipping between David’s perspective and those of his aging mother Gale, his idealistic sister Mary, and his rebel sibling Jane, the book dives into what happens when free will is exchanged for safety, and what’s left when even memory is no longer trusted.
I liked how the book captured emotional decay. The slow erosion of identity in a world that insists it’s perfect. Relk’s writing is sharp. The style is lean and introspective, often haunting in how casually it delivers gut punches. There were pages I read twice because a single line kept ringing in my head, like David’s quiet desperation or Jane’s fiery truths about a world that stopped caring about real truth. Some scenes, like the slow fade of old friendships or Gale’s annual ritual to honor a son who might as well have been a myth, cut deeper than expected. They felt real. There’s no clean villain here, just systems of thought that got out of hand.
Sometimes the pacing slows, especially when the narrative shifts to Mary’s point of view. The dystopian future is vividly imagined. I was left wondering Goliath the network or a god? Sometimes both? Sometimes neither? I got the sense that Relk wanted that ambiguity, and it left me craving answers a few times. Still, I appreciated that the story didn’t spell everything out. There’s something gutsy in trusting readers to make their own calls about what’s real, what’s right, and who, if anyone, is actually free.
I’d recommend Sins of the Saviors to anyone who likes their dystopias philosophical, their heroes broken but not beaten, and their science fiction tangled up with questions about memory, identity, and whether safety is ever worth the soul. It reminded me a bit of 1984 with the heart of The Road, but written for today’s digital chaos. If you’re someone who’s ever worried about where all this tech and tribalism is going, this book might hit a little too close to home.
Pages: 199 | ASIN : B0FDBN6KMT
Sins of the Saviors
Sins of the Saviors is a thought-provoking dystopian novel that follows Jane Veristo, a defiant and introspective protagonist grappling with the oppressive surveillance state of Goliath Network. Told through the framework of Jane’s journal entries, the story plunges readers into a bleak future where truth is a commodity, history is rewritten, and rebellion simmers under a suffocating blanket of propaganda. As Jane attempts to uncover the truth about her brother’s suspicious death and the sinister systems around her, her journey becomes a gripping tale of resistance and self-preservation.
One thing I really liked about this story was how personal and raw the writing felt. Jane’s voice is captivating—a blend of bitterness, longing, and weary determination that pulls you in. Her reflections on David’s orchestrated “sacrifice ceremony” were haunting. The contrast between her family’s raw grief and the mechanical, staged nature of the event was chilling. The way the Goliath Network erased her presence at the ceremony, editing her rebellion out of the official narrative, hit hard. It reminded me of how powerful institutions can rewrite reality itself.
Author TJ Relk’s portrayal of the Goliath Network is eerily vivid and inventive. The merit-based economy, where every aspect of life is determined by a fluctuating score, feels all too plausible. Jane’s demotion to a hoverbike after a failed protest over a “weather station” highlights the soul-crushing micromanagement of this society. That scene, where a smug bureaucrat silences Jane with falsified zoning documents, felt like a punch in the gut. It’s infuriating but also deeply compelling. The way truth is malleable under Goliath’s regime mirrors some unsettling trends in our current reliance on digital ecosystems.
However, it’s not all doom and gloom. Relk sprinkles in moments of connection and hope that provide relief amidst the despair. Jane’s relationship with Lily, a spirited teenager who refuses to submit to the lies, was a highlight for me. Lily’s defiance and belief in Jane’s fight reignited a spark of optimism, and I couldn’t help but cheer for both of them. These glimpses of humanity’s resilience are what kept me hooked. The flashbacks to Jane’s time with friends like Caleb also added layers of complexity, showing how even the well-meaning can be complicit in oppressive systems.
I’d recommend Sins of the Saviors to anyone who enjoys dystopian tales that cut close to home, like 1984 or The Handmaid’s Tale. It’s perfect for readers who appreciate flawed, complex characters and morally murky worlds. Be prepared to get angry, sad, and inspired—all in one sitting.
Pages: 69 | ASIN: B0DP5P5P4J
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