(courtesy Gizmodo / image (c) Blackstone Publishing)
SNAPSHOT
Welcome to the Junkyard, a toxic wasteland where humans, machines, and everything in between fight for survival among the ruins of a long-forgotten war. This is where Diane Three-One-Seven finds herself after the arkship Cradle—the only home she’s ever known—falls out of the sky.When a mysterious scavenger named Virgil stumbles upon Diane’s escape pod, the two strike a deal (if it can be called that). Virgil’s spare mechanical battle suit, nicknamed the “Grave Walker,” can help Diane survive the ruined atmosphere—but it could kill her if it runs out of power. And Diane’s untainted blood, a precious resource in this radioactive hellscape, could keep Virgil alive long enough to finish one last mission—but at what cost?
The two will have to wait to work out their differences, however, as a new threat appears on the horizon: a masked man called the Messenger, who hopes to subdue the Junkyard with a mysterious new power. With the help of a ragtag team of misfits, Diane and Virgil may just have a chance to stop him—if they don’t kill each other first. (courtesy Gizmodo)
Written by two childhood friends – according to Gizmodo, “”authors Brennan Gilpatrick and Gregory Lang have been friends since the sixth grade” – Battery Life seems to be one of those apocalyptic novels which accepts everything is terrible but which also still believes in friendship, hope and connection.
In other words, all those things that make the hardness of life lovelier, and make even the worst of situations worth surviving.
The good members of this dark genre are the ones that remember to keep humanity at the heart of their story, in whatever form it comes, and honestly, Battery Life comes across as one of the good ones.
Can’t wait to read it when it hits shelves on 30 May – you can read an excerpt at Gizmodo.