Times have changed and reality looks much different in Doug Dorsey’s post-cataclysmic, anti-religious world. The planet is now governed by a single ruler, the Sovereign Alexander Wraith. His power is seemingly limitless, as all the world’s leaders have pledged loyalty to his rule in exchange for refuge in the last remaining habitable continents. The entire globe now enjoys a measure of peace like it has never seen before. But this synthetic peace comes with a price tag, to the tune of all basic personal freedoms and preferences. Most people are happy to pay the entrance fee to Wraith’s tech-driven new world order, but a rebellious Christian group, dubbed terrorists and extremists, is unwilling to set their faith aside. Seeing religion as a threat to global unity, Wraith unleashes a campaign to eradicate these remaining tenacious Christians. With a revolutionary new tool, Wraith, who always gets exactly what he wants, might just be unstoppable in his war on nonconformity. But this group of Christians, led by fiery Jessica and tech-genius Liam, prove to be determined and resourceful, hoping to outmatch the military’s cruel weapons and diabolical schemes.
With ominous themes reminiscent of the Bible book of Revelation and a futuristic story that isn’t too far out of reach, Doug Dorsey offers a unique and engrossing science fiction/Christian lit hybrid. Rather than focusing on what led humanity to the brink or how we failed to prevent it, The Betrayal, the first book in the Blue Lotus Project series, is a story about how we cope in the aftermath and what we’re willing to sacrifice for what is right. The forward-reaching story is undeniably compelling, but it is the dynamic characters, extending even to smaller secondary roles, that will keep readers invested. “A grave injustice had happened right in front of his eyes, and he couldn’t put it out of his mind.” This mindset, along with an ingrained bias against Christians, demonstrates why Liam Adler is the perfect unlikely hero. As an optimum counterbalance, Jessica Cyprus is a passionate woman filled with missing memories, mysterious tattoos and angry energy, just waiting to direct her angst at a worthy target. Though the narrative is encumbered by repetitive phrases and obtuse foreshadowing, readers will have a tough time moving away from such engaging and impactful characters and their worthy fight. The ultimate mingling of dark with light and deception versus truth, the Betrayal sucks you in deep and throws a few striking twists, never releasing its hold.
