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Reviewed by Asher Syed for Readers' Favorite
Hilo Dome by Jack Bartley follows Nathan, a mute telepathic teen in the post-war dome city of Hilo, who learns that the dome’s systems are failing. He evades capture but is swept away in the river and ends up outside the dome. Rescued by a “Feral” Honoliʻi villager, Kayli, he discovers the villagers are also telepathic. Nathan adjusts to life in Honoliʻi despite limited resources, in tandem with the same happening inside the dome. Meanwhile, Alfred Kawananakoa, a leader of a hostile Feral faction, plans to invade the dome to plunder resources. Honoliʻi may not be the immediate target, but he is at risk if he succeeds in Hilo, and Hilo's deteriorating defenses are inadequate to counter an attack. Nathan and the villagers must prepare themselves and warn the people in the dome, forcing Nathan to reconcile his past with the way he lives now and save those he loves on both sides of the dome.
Jack Bartley's Hilo Dome delivers a fantastic mix of what I can only think to call a dystopia in paradise, with two versions of post-apocalyptic society existing independently in the stunning landscape of Hawai'i. The premise is unique and Bartley wastes no time in immersing us both inside and outside the dome. Nathan is separated from his parents, but Bartley fills the void with Kayli, and the pair's dynamic grounds the plot. I like that we get multiple points of view, and, when it comes to survival, the line between who is right does blur. Yes, those inside the dome are resource hoarding, but what else would they do? Generations have passed, and both sides are neither responsible for nor have an understanding of what the others intend. The spycraft and the military preparations are first-rate. Overall, Bartley’s storytelling ensures that the suspense never wanes, leaving readers eager to see what will happen next. The story ends on a satisfying note, but there is promise for expansion, and I look forward to seeing if there is one. Recommended.
