Lisa M. Stasse - The Forsaken

The Forsaken: Where Survival is a Rebellion

Alenna, a quiet orphan in the U.N.A., a colossal super-country formed from the remnants of North America, learned early on to blend in and stay silent. The chilling memory of her parents being taken by the police, a fate that haunts her daily, instilled a deep sense of caution. But Alenna's life takes a stark turn when she fails a mandatory test all sixteen-year-olds must take. The results, shocking and cruel, declare she possesses a high capacity for violence, a label that condemns her to The Wheel – a desolate island prison where would-be criminals are sent to face their supposed fate. Life on The Wheel is a brutal and chaotic struggle for survival. With a bleak life expectancy of merely two years, the island's harsh conditions, marked by civil wars for land and menacing machines that snatch children from their makeshift homes, seem to stretch eternity. Alenna, surrounded by other desperate prisoners, finds herself trapped in a relentless cycle of violence and despair. But Alenna, though burdened by a heavy past and the grim reality of her present, refuses to succumb to the island's suffocating grip. Driven by a burning desire for freedom, she joins forces with other prisoners to hatch a daring plan - a risky escape that could lead to their demise. Amidst the constant threat of death and the struggle for every breath, Alenna's determination to survive becomes a defiant act of rebellion. Can she break free from the shackles of The Wheel and find a way to reclaim her life, even if it means defying the very system that imprisoned her? The Forsaken is a gripping dystopian tale by Lisa M. Stasse, a writer who skillfully weaves together themes of rebellion, survival, and the fight for freedom against a backdrop of a chillingly imagined future.