Riveting and action-packed, The Hurt Circuit extrapolates certain trends that are already emerging in our present society, and it also offers some predictions on where we could be heading next. The undercurrent is very dystopian, but The Hurt Circuit also shows that individuals can make a positive impact when they don't lose sight of their humanity.
The Book has been self-published and is available as eBook and Paperback - 464 pages - released in October 2013.
About the Book
Sometimes you need to lose everything to reach for your dreams.
There's just one thing on the mind of Calen Firth-Shelby, the nineteen-year-old former snowboarding hot shot, girls magnet and political prodigy, who came in last place on the Hurt Circuit four years ago: surviving long enough on the Baffin-Chain (a man-made prison island which is infested by cannibals) to prevent his teenage siblings, twins Stella and Paul, from suffering the same fate.
In the not-so-far future, the mega-rich live in constant fear: the "Suburban Tribes" that emerged from years of extremely violent global riots are more or less successfully kept out of the major cities and the state-of-the-art mountain enclaves of the most influential billionaire families. But the greatest threat comes from within. First it came in the form of the catastrophic "Billionaire-Wars", now it disguises itself as ubiquitous, highly intrusive surveillance technologies, as complex corporate lawsuits/espionage - and as the Hurt Circuit.
While the super-billionaires are racing each other to expand their conglomerates beyond Earth, their teenage children are transported to middle schools situated in enemy territories, to stay there for one year as hostages. There, on the Hurt Circuit, the teenagers have to complete dangerous assignments which often result in gruesome injuries and casualties. They are also exposed to a great deal of bullying from their peers: embarrassing secrets are gleefully dissected by obscure HC councils, and the inevitable suicides are covered up as unfortunate mishaps. The winners and their families are rewarded with even more money and a worldwide celebrity-status, while the losers are quickly hidden away by their disappointed families. If they are lucky.
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| Click to Read an Excerpt |
Calen isn't even that lucky. Tethering between life and death and unaware that he's still on the Hurt Circuit, albeit on a secret level, he breaks out of prison. However, his reappearance in high society not only triggers assassins to come after him, but also opens old wounds in family members and childhood friends.
To make matters even worse, world-famous pop star Mallory (a capricious diva) and beautiful athlete Jazmin (who struggles with her identity) both fall in love with him. Calen finds himself again in front of the ever-present cameras of the surveillance agencies and entertainment broadcasters, exposing his body and mind to all kinds of intrusive technologies while concealing his efforts of protecting his siblings and to defeat the Hurt Circuit.
Reviews (Excerpts)
- "This is a great dystopian story! It scares me that many of the key ideas could actually take place in the not too distant future. Very inventive!" - Grant Heathcote
- "The main character's fight to survive a horrible injustice immediately drew me in. [...] Love the surprising romantic twist at the end!" - SR (Amazon)
- "[...] The story was entertaining and fun to read. The book was interesting enough, I found myself searching online for a sequel. Take the time to read this. It was fun." - Dawn G.
About the Author
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| Author S.K. Atkins |
While growing up in the southern German state of Bavaria, an area full of history and folklore, she fell in love with the English language.
Eventually, she immigrated to the US, and she is now realizing her dream of combining whimsical elements of Old World folk tales with unique characters and the fast-paced imagery of modern blockbuster movies.
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Link to the Paperback The Hurt Circuit with Excerpt on Amazon
Link to the eBook The Hurt Circuit with Excerpt on Amazon
