FEAR can be a superpower... Author C.S Mills has taken this very common idea and turned it into something exciting and rather, uncommon... Original. a lightnovel called "Beyond the Dome" a Blue Collar Hero "
On top of this common idea though comes things that are extremely deep rooted.
The story takes place in an alternate world where earth is plagued with terrible beasts and the only source of safety is a dome which is split into two cities, the in between is the outside where the creatures live. The inhabitants have strange abilities which are activated through fear, at 15 years old, children are released into the wilds where they are tasked to survive the night during which time they are meant to come in contact with and "Synthesize" with one or the creatures. Those that do have the potential to become "Blue Collar" and given the task of protecting the dome
Kai Mallory dreams of becoming a blue collar, like his father before him. But, his syncronisation doesn't go as planned... no one really knows why or what he syncronised with but what he does know is that is is filled with a terrifying anger that now wells up inside him
One of the biggest themes through this is being able to keep a hold of yourself through tragedy Kai ends up withdrawing himself, the way that I think some of us truly due in light of hard times, but as a result it puts a strain on him and the people who care about him
He distances himself from his best friend and even his own mother. I truly do believe that what C.S Mills wanted to accomplish with this kind of story was to show us that we have a choice in the midst of darkness, we can let it swallow us, or we can take hold and remain the hero we want to be.
Now, a few things I would like to see in the near future...
There is a certain character "Runa" I don't want to spoil so I won't go into too much detail but it seemed to me that she was either a phantom of perhaps a human race that died sometime before any of the stories current line or a wandering spirit.
I would like to see a prequel, something that goes deeper into her origin, just who was Runa, how did she end up the way she was. Was it tragedy like Kai Mallory, or something else, perhaps something more sinister...
Secondly... a continuation... the ending was perfect for it... again, not spoiling anything but I want to know how Kai handles the idea of dark and light tearing at him both in the internal sense and in the familial sense....
"Beyond the Dome: A Blue collar Hero" is definitely more than it seems and an intriguing read...