A Kinder City by Peter Taylor-Gooby is on the blog today. Thanks to ZooLoo’s Book Tours and the author for the copy of the book to take part.
The City is governed by the grim law of profit and loss. No exceptions, no place for compassion, pleasure, the warmth of friendship or the ardour of love.
David, an Enforcer committed to the Law, meets Sarah, a villager from outside, and begins to understand that a different, more joyful, life is possible.
A Kinder City tells the story of their tangled relationship and of how they fall in love, and of their struggle against Franklin, the richest man in Market World. If the only law is the market, why not sell everything – and that includes the air we breathe, the land we stand on, the water we drink? No exceptions. His giant factories spew forth the road beasts – the huge machines that devastate the lands beyond the City in pursuit of yet more wealth. Not content with cloning animals, he traps horses in exo-skeletons and works them to death. Torn between her growing passion for David and her revulsion at the City that he is pledged to protect, Sarah turns her back on him.
In despair, he confronts one of the convoys supplying Franklin’s mills and releases the horses trapped within the giant trucks. Pursued by terrifying security guards they escape to the Broken Lands and witness at first hand the desolation that results from ruthless strip-mining and industrial farming driven purely by greed, and the misery of the remaining villagers. In their struggle to survive and return to the City they discover the power of their love for each other. Sarah challenges Franklin to his face and, helped by David, sparks off rebellion among the poor of the City.
Together they defeat Franklin. He must learn what it means to be destitute and alone in Market World. The possibility of building a kinder City lies within their grasp.
This book is from a genre I never thought I would enjoy. I discovered dystopian books and never looked back. I have found such great authors in this genre and Peter Taylor-Gooby is another great find.
A Kinder City introduces us to David, who,in a world ruled by profit and loss, is an enforcer of the law. He meets Sarah, a villager and his life changes. He actually discovers a truly different way of life which shows him the true meaning of worth.
A book that is rather thought provoking thriller with enough action that kept me reading on. I connected with David and Sarah as the reader sees David go to such lengths to be accepted by the villagers and prove his own worth. All the characters have been well drawn and provide more depth to the story. Peter Taylor-Gooby’s world building had me really invested in David and Sarah’s journey. The city seems to be perfect on the surface, but look a little deeper and it isn’t as white as it all seems.
The subjects that are highlighted in A Kinder City are so relevant to our world today. Franklin, a politician that will stop at nothing to see his vision put in place. It doesn’t matter about the impact on the enviroment or the population outside of the city. He makes the worst machines for the environment and that doesn’t matter, Profit is king. So true of these days!
A thriller set in a dystopian world, with different multiple threads that are cleverly woven together. A Kinder City captured me for a day and a half and left me pondering on the way our world is going long after I put the book down. Such an interesting read. I hope to see David and Sarah again in the future.
Buy Links
Amazon UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kinder-City-Market-World-Novel-ebook/dp/B09WYYM15L
Amazon US https://www.amazon.com/Kinder-City-Market-World-Novel-ebook/dp/B09WYYM15L
Author Bio
Peter Taylor-Gooby is a sociologist. He has published widely and made many TV and radio appearances. His novels deal with issues that matter – love, money, power and environmental disaster. He has worked on adventure playgrounds, in a social security office and as a teacher. He loves walking, cycling, writing and talking to his children.
Follow him
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/peter.taylorgooby
Twitter https://twitter.com/PeterT_G
sharonbeyondthebooks.uk 
Thank you so much for your review CF x
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