My Review Of The Contaminants

About the Book

Title: The Contaminants (New Dakota Series, Volume 1) | Author: Devin K. Smyth | Publication Date: June 9, 2015 | Publisher: Firedrake Books, LLC (2nd Edition) | Pages: 230 | Recommended Ages: 12+

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Summary: When the American government's attempt to "purify" Earth causes a worldwide nuclear holocaust, teen friends Jessil and Soraj are among the few to escape the planet. Orbiting in a cruiser designed to help regenerate Earth's ecosystem, they assist Soraj's father, who leads the process to salvage a location for the cruiser's safe return. But when a mysterious distress signalarrives from Earth, Jessil is desperate to discover who sent it. She and Soraj join the reconnaissanceteam that descends to the planet, a world very different from the one they knew. In such a strange land, can their search-and-rescue effort succeed? And if it does, will it mean failure for Earth's recovery?

My Review:  I loved this book. This story is told from the POV of two teen characters Soraj and Jessil. Soraj, Jessil and her two brothers meet all kinds of strange creatures on their journey to find Jessel's father. Some are friendly, other are dangerous. But the real danger comes when Soraj's father wants to kill them. "There can be no contaminants if humanity is to resurrect itself," Soraj's father says before getting ready to kill his own son. Danger. Adventure. A must read.

More Buzz About the Book

"The Contaminants, a work of dystopian fantasy for teens from Devin K. Smyth (the pen name of Kevin Speth), serves as the first volume of his New Dakota series. Composed of two believable first-person narratives and based around two father-child relationships, this is a novel that prizes emotions as much as it does technology." ~ Rebecca, Foreward Reviews

"The Contaminants by Devin K. Smyth is a story of survival, friendship, loyalty, and hope set in the aftermath of planetary devastation. I loved this book... I didn't want to put the book down. I wanted to keep reading to see what happened next. This is a great start to what I hope will be a continuing series." ~ Ubiquitous Bubba, Amazon

"This story had me sucked in fromthe very beginning, and I had trouble putting it down. The science was thorough and awesome. The characters were portrayed at different ages and through different stages of their journey with skill and a perfect arc. " ~ Amie M., Amazon

"An exciting trek to a post-nuclear Earth! Tightly composed and never off tangent in its delivery, "The Contaminants" by Devin K. Smyth packs many punches" ~ Future Boy, Amazon

"There's enough drama and tension here to keep you riveted. Smyth's concept of a world intentionally destroyed in order to "improve" on it is fresh and provocative. The characters are well developed and engaging. I'm eager toread the next story in this chapter, and find out more about this new yet familiar world." ~ Nikki B., Amazon

About the Author: Devin K. Smyth

Devin K. Smyth is the pen name of Kevin Speth, a part-time novelist and full-time marketing copywriter in the field of children’s entertainment. He resides in southern Wisconsin with his girlfriend and their herd of cats. The Contaminants is Devin K. Smyth’s first novel and is the first in the “New Dakota” series.

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