Solstice: New World Solstice Book Five
Dystopian Fiction
Independently Published
July 1, 2020
385
HER DESTINY AWAITSIn Book 5 of the SOLSTICE SERIES, Julissa Grant, age 16, emerges from suspended animation decades after her launch from Telos, the Lemurian city within the hollows of Mount Shastina. Julissa, Aaron, and 23 other virgins were set adrift in their pods as Armageddon’s Killshot was fired. Life on earth is all but decimated during Armageddon, but remnants of humankind survived by taking shelter underground and are slowly establishing a New World. Julissa, having been chosen the surface-equal, is carrying the child of her newly-wed husband, pure-blood Lemurian, Aaron Delmon. As prophesized by the Foretold, the child (HeIs) is to be the sire of future Lemurians, and Julissa’s Holy-Grail blood will add critical DNA, strengthening the deteriorating genetics of the Lemurian race, which is about to go extinct. Only now – 75 years later – is Julissa’s pod melting out from an ice cave.Julissa is rescued by Cherrie, once her best friend and an ignor-inferus (mixed blood) Lemurian, but who, chiseled by time, adverse conditions, and a sacrifice all will-to-survive, has switched loyalties to the Atlanteans. The Atlanteans, headed by their self-appointed queen Nani Doris and her Sons and Daughters of Belial, live in relative luxury in the city of Atlantis, while the Lemurians exist in squalor and prehistoric cave conditions. In an effort to prolong Lemurian extinction, Aaron – not able to find his wife – and those brides who survived give birth to flawed offspring, known as the Glass Clan. Nani Doris, aware of the Foretold’s prophecy of a forthcoming ruler, orders the capture of all Lemurian males, any existing brides from the Old World, and the destruction of the Lemurian’s food stores. The Atlanteans force the captive Lemurians to fight as gladiators for Atlantean entertainment.Julissa yearns for Aaron, who has sacrificed his freedom to protect his clan, but due to the labyrinth of lava tunnels, the way to Atlantis is impenetrable. Cherrie convinces Julissa that Telos’s Ruby – which contains the record of all things – is key to cracking the Scroll. Julissa, having studied under the wizard, Jungo, has learned singlemindedness. She leads Cherrie and her henchmen through the Sticks of Stone cave, but not having perfected the art of vampirism, the ability to manipulate and transfer lifeforce energy, Julissa falters. She calls on Kriss’shon, Aaron’s deceased mother, who impregnated Julissa’s subconsciousness with her essence and now provides her with guidance.Cherrie and Julissa fail to find the ruby in the ruins of Telos, but Julissa’s crystal syncs with the Ruby allowing the transference of the record, including, Julissa believes, the path through the maze and Scroll to Atlantis. Cherrie, having been elevated to the right hand of the queen, is fueled by jealousy. Cherrie, now known as Perseus, despises Julissa for being named the “surface-equal” of prophecy, as she had been groomed for the role, having been replaced once she became soiled by sex. Once back from Telos, Cherrie steals Julissa’s crystal and abandons her in Jungo’s cave as she and her servant followers head for Atlantis to deliver the crystal to Nani Doris.Julissa is on her own in a New World. Does she have what it takes to fulfill the prophecy of the Foretell? To save herself? Her baby? And the Lemurians?
Reviewed by Linda Tonis
Member of the Paranormal Romance Guild Review Team
The world is coming to an end, Aaron and Julissa are married and they are hopeful she is carrying their son, the one who will when he comes of age impregnates the twenty-three brides traveling with them. Twenty-five pods hoping to survive the end of the world while preparing for a new world.
When Julissa’s pod is finally open she finds herself with no hair, no nails and in very serious condition. The face looking down at her is none other than Cherrie who along with others found the cave her grandfather spoke of and survived. Other brides did not make it and others have been kidnapped and are living in Atlantis ruled by none other than Nani Doris. Julissa has been in the pod for almost seventy-five years and a lot has happened, Aaron has fathered children who Julissa calls the glass clan since they are missing layers of skin.
The new world is not what the Lemurians expected, Nani with her father’s money survived and built a new Atlantis with all the luxuries she always had while the Lemurians are barely surviving. Aaron is a prisoner, Jason is blind and missing his tongue because of Julissa’s confession that he didn’t rape her. Just another person she feels guilty about. Cherrie convinces Julissa that in order to get into Atlantis she must find a ruby that contains the wisdom of the world.
After finding the ruby Cherrie betrays her and returns to Atlantis where she sits alongside Nani. There are so few brides left and it is imperative that she finds a way to save as many as she can or there is no hope for a new world and saving the Lemurians. Left alone with little knowledge of what is around her she is found by Aaron’s children who tell her that he never stopped searching for her.
I don’t want to reveal too much since this is the end of this series and the beginning of a new world for Julissa. There are surprises and a new sport the Atlanteans enjoy, watching the gladiators. One of them is Dasan who although an Atlantean protects the Lemurians. The long journey Julissa has taken answers all questions and if you have read the first four books which I highly recommend doing then you will be very satisfied with how it all ends.