Review: Regress by SF Benson

Tru Shepard is a teenager committing acts of treason living in war-torn New Detroit circa 2025. The New Order, a government run by scientists and technologists, has banned creativity in favor of STEM education. In the eyes of the American Republic’s leaders, creativity is a waste of time which doesn’t foster a strong society. Besides Creatives have a tendency to speak out against the government.
Tru gambles with her life every time she steps foot in the Underground, a restricted warehouse district where Creatives congregate. She breaks the city-wide curfew to hang out with friends enjoying banned music and expressing herself on ancient sketchpads. Recently, the New Order has issued sweeps of the sector to find renegades.
But being picked up by the NDPD, New Detroit Police Department, is the least of her concerns. In ten days Tru will be seventeen, the age scientists consider a government-mandated inoculation to be totally safe. Although officials claim the vaccine is the country’s best defense against another worldwide pandemic, stories circulate amongst Creatives about individuals who lose their abilities after its administration.
Tru has her Inoculation Day orders. Failure to report is punishable by death, but if she can’t express herself artistically, she’d prefer dying. Just when she despairs on what to do Zared Aoki, someone from her past, enters her life. He may be just as dangerous as the vaccination Tru needs to avoid. He claims to know the real reason behind the vaccine—a government project tampering with the fundamental design of humanity.
The two set out to prove the true nature of the vaccine and alert the public to its devastating effects. But is the world ready to listen?

Ikira's Review 4 out of 5 stars

I chose to read this story based on the blurb alone and whilst I was not at all left disappointed, I did feel somewhat misled. There are details in the blurb which appear to be entirely missing in the story and others which are key to the story not in the blurb - it confuses me, this.

That said, the story is exceptionally well written, the author clearly has skills in putting language to good use without attempting to confuse the reader. There are a lot of acronyms which had me a little bewildered at times but given the type of story, it is to be expected.

I loved Tru's character - she's a rebellious, reckless, impulsive girl - just how I'd love to be and she makes up her own mind...or does she? Z initially appears to be of a similar ilk but there so much more to him than meets the eye - loved it!

Despite the beginning of the story, I hoped Ko would be more important in the grand scheme of the story, felt she would have featured more but when she does come into it, it was worth the wait.

There's a lot of maniuplation, deceit and intrigue throughout the story and the author handles it well, feeding you little droplets of information at a time - just enough to keep you going without becomming frustrated.

Finally, the ending. This is the only part I felt could have done with something more - the build up was huge and then...bam...its over, done...what the...? Cliff-hanger of all cliff-hangers there! In some ways, I salute the author on that, I'll definitely be reading the following book but wow, I really couldn't leave a reader like that!...Please let us have the next installment, like...now?!