LAND OF FENCES

Three years after a deadly virus first swept Australia, the intrepid survivors from Smith’s Wilder Trilogy continue to struggle.

Several months after the events of Wilder Country (2018), Finn, Kas, Ray, and Rowdy are living off the land and their store of supplies in Angowrie, ever vigilant for danger. The setting is idyllic—a young couple in love, enjoying the beauty of land and sea with their loyal dog and protective father figure—but they’ve seen too much to be complacent. The unexpected arrival of JT and Daymu, who have escaped captivity on the No-landers’ farm, brings unwelcome news: Ramage and Tusker, cruel leaders of the Wilders who pursue and persecute refugee Sileys like Kas and Daymu, are not only alive, but in roles of authority in regional government. With the virus mutating and decontamination squads closing in on the quarantined zone, the four youths and Rowdy set off in search of a safe haven, bidding a gut-wrenching farewell to Ray, who doesn’t want to slow them down. Their bid for freedom is tragically short-lived, and their capture takes the hardy band into dark places indeed. All too timely in an age of pandemics and panic, this gripping work has real emotional depth and ultimately rests on a foundation of hope and faith in humanity. Kas is Afghani and Daymu is Karen; most other main characters are white.

Equal parts page-turning adventure and heartwarming tribute to chosen family.