Enclave

Reviewed by:

Matthew Holden from Greenwood, IN, who is a Professional Writing student at Taylor University in Upland, IN.

Title:

Enclave

Author:

Thomas Locke

Publisher:

Revell Publishing

Publication Date:

2018

Format:

Print Book

Length:

269 pages

OVERVIEW

The road seems long and endless as three travelers ride horses down what used to be an asphalt highway through the southern parts of the Appalachian Mountains—Kevin, an underground railroad worker and deputy; Caleb, an abomination with the power to discern intentions and lies; and Zeke, another abomination with the ability to hear far and act as a silent hunter. All three of them have been uprooted from their homes and have prices on their heads as they strive to find a refuge where they can do business and hide the secrets of the enclave they carry with them. As the government, bounty hunters, and people vying for money and power come down upon them, can these three survive long enough to become the unlikely heroes everyone thinks that they are?

Thomas Locke does amazing worldbuilding as he combines elements of classic Western stories with elements of dystopian fiction. The strange mix of horse and buggy combined with trucks and electric fences gives Enclave a unique place among other dystopian novels. As well, each character has a unique voice and dialect that sweeps the reader into the dialogue. Staying true to his setting, each character has a southern drawl that continuously immerses the reader into the setting.

Unfortunately, Enclave has too much going on in the book to make a very coherent story. It is honestly a book with amazing potential, but it should be at least 200 pages longer than it is. Thomas Locke does not spend enough time with any one element, and this leaves the readers confused and frustrated. Locke also fails in bringing humanity to many of the characters outside the main ones. Many are unbelievably trusting and helpful and there isn’t much diversity even among background characters. There are few females or non-White characters.

ASSESSMENT

Rating:

2 stars

Suggested Audience:

Young Adult or New Adult Dystopian lovers. People who love Hunger Games or Divergent may really like this.

Christian Impact:

This book does a good job of showing how greed can lead us. Many of the antagonists throughout the story are vying for money and power. These actions lead them to do some serious harm and evil things, which cause the main characters to lash back. Even though the main characters are also motivated by money, they put profits below helping other people and often make sacrifices to help one another.