"...a cautionary tale that blows open the standard concepts of strength and power." ~ Kate Douglas, author of Wolf Tales.
Millions of earthmen have been captured by aliens and are being put through the strangest and most terrifying survival tests ever imagined. Young Lyda Brightner's first experience after being thrown into the midst of undisciplined humans is so horrible that she vows she will never let it happen again, and that somehow she will live long enough extract revenge on the creatures responsible. She doesn't know that the trials are just beginning.
Again and again she has to call on the only resources she has available: her own innate bravery, her quick mind, her unwavering belief in the innate goodness of the majority of humans and ultimately, her belief that eventually she will find someone to love. But even if she lives through all this, she will still have to face the final question. What do the aliens have in mind for the few survivors? Savage Survival is a coming of age novel like no other and Lyda Brightner is a character you'll remember forever.
Note: brutality and grimdark elements.
Professional Reviews
wonderful "Darwinian" science fiction
The aliens came and conquered the Earth without much resistance. Many humans died in the first wave; other became guinea pigs for horrific survival testing though none of the earthlings know why. That is the pandemic big scale impact.
However, there are little stories also that roll up into the globalization nightmare like that of eleven year old Lyda Brightner. Her beloved father Bruce is dead; her equally overprotective mom Elaine is gone and assumed either dead or about to be dead. Lyda is hurt badly, but awakens in a camp with no protector. Someone named Boris sells her for a brick and water to Big Bill. He mistreats her and sells her to a slave owner. Lyda escapes and meets Ginella Sparks who is hiding with her baby having escaped from the "spiders". Lyda vows to never be abused again as she finds an inner strength to protect herself and those who soon depend on her for leadership. As she and the others adapt to a rough terrain and the alien tests they grow stronger mentally and physically. They each wonder what the spiders have in mind for the dwindling survivors.
Readers will enjoy SAVAGE SURVIVAL, a wonderful "Darwinian" science fiction tale that questions what human strength truly is. Lyda is a terrific lead individual who mentally grows stronger with each horrific adventure as she adapts to whatever is thrown at her; she truly comes a long way from the overly-protected suburban tweener to a powerful ethical leader. Darrell Bain provides a coming of age saga of a pampered loved preadolescent becoming a strong independent woman.
I'm not a Sci-fi reader, but I really enjoyed this!
This was my first DB book. I found it on a palm device several years ago. There was several books on it with the 1st chapter. I read the first chapter of this book and had to buy the rest of it. I had to see what was going to happen to that 11 year old girl! I couldn't put it down. I'm not usually a Sci-fi reader. This was different. Also it was the first book for me to read on a small device. That palm pilot has long since met it's demise as all electronics do. But the book still lingers in my mind from time to time. Just read the first chapter, you can usually download that for free right here on Amazon. You will be hooked too!
The AL-EX Project (ALternative EXistence) is my first foray into light science fiction, written under the name of C M Donaldson (my real name) with a tale that tells of what happens when our main character aims to explore the dream state and manipula
