"Riding the Rapids: A Turn of the Tide in Christian Dystopian Literature"
- Tracey Holland
- Jun 26, 2024
- 5 min read
AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY
Maressa grew up in the Netherlands, and moved to England soon after finishing teaching training college. Married to Pastor Richard Mortimer they live in a Cotswold village with there four children. She is a homeschool mum, enjoying the time spent with family, travelling, reading and turning life into stories, she wants to use her stories to show practical Christian’s living in a fallen world.
Chapter 1 Part 1
“Radio chatter? What do you mean by that? And you are prepared to change your life again?” Gax’s mum looks at Macia and Macia can feel her face warming up.
Caecilia swallows and stirs her potatoes around her plate in small circles. She had expected as much from Gax’s parents.
Macia lays down her fork, “Linu from Gax’s Mission School picked up radio chatter. You know, when you’re on a frequency and you can hear voices.” She swallows and looks at Gax, “Gax said Linu told him it sounded like the Elabi lilting voices. It might not lead to anything, I was simply saying that the news shocked me.”
That’s an understatement and makes Caecilia snort. “It did shock me, as well,” and she smiles at Gax, “but we have to trust that all things will work for our good, even this news. Gax,” Caecilia swallows, her face warm as she glances at his mother, “Gax told us and it brought back a lot of memories.”
Feelings too, but she doesn’t want to say that. She glances at Gax, takes a deep breath and looks at his mother. “We’re on kitchen duty tomorrow morning, and this gravy is wonderful. Is it hard to make?” She points at her plate with her fork, “The food at the shelter can be dry and having gravy will make it taste and look better.”
Gax’s mother sighs, opens her mouth, then nods. “It is easy to make, you get it from a tub,” she says. “You add hot water, and that’s your gravy, although I add some of the juices from the meat as well to make it richer.”
After the meal, the girls lean back in Gax’s parents’ lounge chairs, the tension still with them. They don’t want to appear in a rush, and spending time with Gax is precious. “We will have to go soon,” Caecilia says in the end and Macia nods, unusually quiet. “Kitchen duty is early and I have some reading to do.”
Macia grins, and Caecilia elbows her. “Not just the book I borrowed,” she says, “one of my assignments for my course is due soon.”
Gax’s father nods, “You girls have worked hard, and you have come a long way. Not just in distance, but from where you started when you left Elabi all those months ago.” He looks at Macia especially,
“Your arm has healed well and Gax says you might have a space on the course you wanted, to train others?”
Macia nods and smiles, “Yes, the course will be just right, and I have already started helping the coaches at the shelter to get more experience.”
She hides her hands behind her back, making tight fists, as she knows what Gax’s father is driving at. And Gax talked about her to his parents? The warmth on her face is nothing to do with his father’s stern look this time. “I’m grateful for those that have helped us, and like we said,” she ignores Caecilia’s small noise, “nothing has changed. It’s just something Linu mentioned, that’s all. I only mentioned it for your prayers, as you know where we have come from and have been so good to us.” She manages to make her smile warm.
Gax opens the door of his old car. Macia smiles at him, and looks away as Caecilia gets in after her. “Thank you Gax, it is kind of you to drop us at the house,” Caecilia gushes. “It’s been lovely to spend time with your parents; your mum is a wonderful cook. I’m always glad when it’s her turn to help at the Meeting House dinners.”
Gax smiles in the rearview mirror at Caecilia. “Me too,” he rolls his 2 eyes, “some months the dinners can be hard work.”
BLURB
Radio signals have been picked up that might reveal the location of Downstream. Macia longs to find her mother there and tries to persuade her friends Gax and Cecilia to join her in the search. But is it a dangerous mistake or a mission from God? Many difficulties await them and they will need to trust God as they encounter darkness and danger, reaching out with the Light.
REVIEW
If you're into Christian Dystopian reads, it's high time you took on the journey with this series. But hey, make sure you've familiarised yourself with the first and second books before you board the boat downstream. These books are like stepping into a vibrant tapestry of adventures and incredible personas.
And this latest one, 'Downstream'? Oh, it's a surprise! Packs a punch with its riveting storyline that's bursting at the seams with danger and intrigue. The characters? Solid, real, and growing. And by growing, I mean their faith and their courage. Their faith, being tested with every twist and turn, is the beacon they follow in adversity.
The author, the talented Maressa Mortimer, does a cracking job of painting the world for us. It's different from what we're used to, but she makes it so tangible, so vivid, that you'd almost believe you're there, right in the thick of it.
Is it a good read? I'd say, it's smashing! Had me gripped from start to finish. Unputdownable. It's got me itching to read more - a sign of a job well done, wouldn't you agree? Ticks off all my boxes for a good book. Let me tell you something: you would be off your trolley to miss out on this.
Got my hands on an Advance Reader Copy, courtesy of Lynsey Adams from the Reading Between The Lines Blog Tour - an absolute blessing! Here's my honest shout-out: Anyone with a thing for Dystopian Fiction would find themselves absorbed in this, no matter the age. The series is described as Young Adult and Fantasy Fiction, but it resonated with me brilliantly.
As for the setting, even though it's in some alternate universe, you'll find it surprisingly easy to visualise. It grabs you and plunges you right smack in the middle of the action! Mortimer's magic extends to crafting interesting characters, each unique with their personalities - quite a charmer, you'll see. But what's truly the cherry on top is how entertaining and well-rounded the plot is. So, that's about it. Give it a go and you'll see what I'm on about. 'Downstream' isn't just a book, it's an experience!
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