A SciFi Dystopian Thriller (The Slip Trilogy Book 1)

In a time of dystopian stories, this one stood out and grabbed my interest. Not only great characters and adventure, but also depth to dive into with our very real reality of an ever growing population.....

The "Slip" is an interesting book. The way the government was allowed to kill innocent children if they were born outside of they're law to reproduce. The ending was a shocker but I recommend you read it.

Mr. Estes has written a refreshing story for an old concept. Population control in the future is a real problem. In Slip, Mr. Estes has managed to put the problem in the hands of the children. Let's see how they handle it. I thoroughly enjoyed the book from start to finish, and look forward to the rest of the series.

Mr. Estes has written a refreshing story for an old concept. Population control in the future is a real problem. In Slip, Mr. Estes has managed to put the problem in the hands of the children. Let's see how they handle it. I thoroughly enjoyed the book from start to finish, and look forward to the rest of the series.

I enjoyed this book. The plot moved along without dragging and the characters you are supposed to like are likable. It did remind me of the plot from other dystopian novels which was disappointing. There are also points where the setting is being described in a way that seems unnecessarily detailed. There is not enough backstory about how society morphed so quickly and how the government fell apart and was reassembled, but maybe that comes further in the trilogy. The biggest issue I have is the demographic math mishap. People are living longer and young people are not allowed to have unauthorized children but they have to wait sometimes meaning some people become infertile waiting to be authorized. People who have unauthorized children are killed along with the child. If this is the case, how are they replacing the population at a rate that will keep jobs filled and the aging cared for? With the death rate appearing so high as a result of unauthorized children and families being killed off, it seems unlikely that the population is at replacement rate and is more likely to be shrinking. This part makes no sense to me and bothered me enough that I almost quit reading.

I really liked the kind of story this book promised, and I think the author did a pretty good job of translating that idea into plot, characters and conflict in a book I recommend to everyone who enjoys dystopian YA.

Parts of the book made me think of 4 stars; others 3 and something, but I decided for the former, because even though I think it's not quite a 4 star story, it is definitely more than a 3 and even than a 3.5.

Two aspects I found most appealing about how the story is told are:

a) multiple points of view, which lends you a nuanced view of the setting and the characters.
I think I could have done with a little more grey in Benson's nemesis, a guy by the name Domino. He comes across as pure evil, and I think that doesn't reflect on how people <i>really</i> are. While, of course, human beings are capable of horrendous acts, the twists and turns that lead to that are a bit more complex that what I perceive here. This being said, reading him, and his interactions with other characters won't spoil the thrill of the story.

b) the fact that some of those POW's are "evolving ones", this meaning we get to know these guys since they are little children, which both allows the interesting perspective of children on our dystopian society setting, and allows us to learn a bit of how these characters become the teenagers they are.

At risk of earning the disparagement of most readers, whom I know enjoyed this part of the story, I must admit the romance mostly put me off. I can't quite put my finger on why (I wish I could be more helpful here). Some dialogues and feelings, I found repeating themselves a bit, and at times I felt the story would have flowed better without the romance comings and goings.

On a final note, I especially liked the characters of the Benson's mom --Janice, an eccentric yet kind lady of whom one notices there's much more than meets the eye--, Benson's dad --whose inner struggle (on which I will not comment much as not to spoil the story) is intensely depicted-- and Benson's brother, Harrison, on whom I think the author skillfully blends goodness with anger and bitterness.

This book kept me engrossed from beginning to end. The storyline was engaging, believable and had action to move it along. Although it was not a long book, this is perhaps one of its charms. Great weekend timeout reading.

I downloaded this book when I came across the synopsis and became intrigued. I had no idea how the story would suck me in on such a personal level. David Estes takes the reader into a well-developed world that has lost sight of the value of human life. Taking you through the eyes of a child that grows into a young adult through the masterfully written pages, you will also feel what it might be like to be a non-person. I look forward to reading the next installment, Grip. Well done David!

If you've read any young adult/dystopian book series of the past few years you'll find yourself treading familiar waters, but this author's concept is fresh enough that I had to know what would happen next.