Book review: Oasis, by Dima Zales

I have not read a book for pleasure in a long time, so when I was contacted for this review, I looked into it straight away. I was graciously provided the ebook for free in return for an honest review. As you'll read below, this book is captivating and refreshing. I loved that the author took a completely different direction when it comes to a post-apocalyptic storyline.

Written by New York Times bestselling author, Dima Zales.

Dystopian / Post-apocalyptic

Oasis is meant to take place after the rest of the world's end. Oasis is the last livable place on Earth and is separated by a protective dome from the Goo that has destroyed the rest of the planet.

The story begins with the main character, Theo, conversing with his imaginary friend, Phoe. We quickly learn of the advanced technological features of the society and their great benefits, such as immortality and the ability to enter a euphoric state called "oneness," on command. The residents of Oasis are protected from the ability to feel any anxiety, depression, or other emotion that could lead to a potentially catastrophic outcome, including love. Every resident maintains satisfaction with this way of living and has a stable neuro scan as proof.... or do they? It only takes one resident with a handful of questions to shake up this utopian civilization. The author brings the reader into Theo's world as he finds some shocking answers to the questions he once thought were innocent.

I would describe this book as gripping and suspenseful... but only after making it through the first five or so chapters. The beginning chapters are filled with dialogue at an attempt to explain the setting of the story. The chapters are relatively short, so it makes for a quick read, but five chapters is still twenty percent of the book. It also seemed the author had a change of heart in who the audience is after the beginning chapters. I began reading thinking it was a book geared toward high school students because of the extremely simple language and the practice of "telling" rather than "showing" the progression of the story. Suddenly, a few larger or unique words are thrown in, almost mimicking SAT style vocabulary that a high school student might pick up on. After accepting this shift in writing style (about a third of the way through the book), I coincidentally became much more enthralled by how the plot was unraveling and was held in suspense at the end of almost every chapter. So much so, that I just couldn't put my phone down once I started reading and often fell asleep with it in my hand.

Overall, I'd rate this book a 7 out of 10. As previously stated, this book has a great storyline, the characters are believable, and I was on my toes wondering where the story would go next. However, when searching for a good book, the author's writing style, the language of the story, and how much I can relate to the characters or storyline play a large role in whether it's good enough to read again. This book was a genuinely interesting read from beginning to end, but I wouldn't pick it up to read a second time.

If you'd like to read it for yourself, the ebook is currently available for pre-sale on Amazon.com with a publication date of January 19, 2016.

*** I received this product for free in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. I would never endorse a product if I did not love it. All comments on this product are entirely my own. ***