Reviewed by Maria Victoria Beltran for Readers' Favorite

Rainbow Valley: A Story Of Choices by Francis Mont unfolds after a nuclear war destroyed most of the USA and the rest of the world. Climate change has also wreaked havoc on weather conditions resulting in hurricanes, tornadoes, forest fires, droughts and a rise in sea levels. In Sacramento Valley, California, some towns survived the destruction and its human population is trying to rebuild their lives. Before this destruction, automation and alternative power generation had improved drastically and this will help greatly in rebuilding society, making it possible to produce food and power and the utilization of artificial intelligence or robots in the formidable tasks ahead. Each town formulates its own economic system, choosing for themselves what works for them. This is with the aid of advanced computers, designed and programmed by their human creators to safeguard the interests of the population.

Francis Mont’s Rainbow Valley: A Story Of Choices is a science fiction novel that depicts a frightening world. What makes it chilling is that we may well be on our way to this dystopian world. The story is well researched, so much so that it is quite realistic. Francis Mont has a vivid descriptive style and the flow of his narrative is logical. Fast-paced with many interesting plot twists, it is an interesting read. And in spite of the chaos brought about by the breakdown of the world order, the indomitable human spirit shines through and this is what makes Rainbow Valley different from many dystopian novels. Humans may, after all, learn from past mistakes, and build communities that truly nurture life.