Krevax is a Science Fiction novel about a two-tiered world where the wealthy live in plastic globes that orbit earth and the rest live deep underground in Krevax, the last surviving human city. Humans moved underground long ago after a war decimated the surface of the planet to the point where it could no longer sustain life. The earth is now a wasteland of relics from the past.
The last tree has fallen and long ago disintegrated in the ash. Now underground, humming florescent lights on the ceiling imitate the sun, but they are a pale comparison. These lights are also made up of thousands of ads trying to sell happiness in a dreary reality. In the city of Krevax the only life to be found is human life, almost nothing else survived the nuclear winter.
A few crucial plants were rescued from seed banks and now make up the only food source in the city. Deep below the city these plants grow in fields under rows of UV lamps. The harvested plants are mixed together to form a dietary paste, which is supplemented with vitamins and nutrients. The nutrients not naturally available are chemically synthesized from minerals mined from other planets in the solar system. Once fully processed the light brown mush is packaged in tubes and delivered out to the masses. Water is pulled up from reservoirs in the earth where giant nuclear plants produce power for the cities and fuel for space ships.
Space is a national obsession in Krevax, not only do they depend on other planets for many of their needs, but the government’s top priority is to discover a habitable planet so that one day everyone can return to the surface. The city of Krevax is one with strict laws, where everyone is expected to maintain the status quo to ensure survival until a new planet is discovered. The women are enslaved by roles that they are assigned at the age of thirteen. Men in Krevax choose their role in society and are considered adults at the age of fifteen.
The beginning of the novel is about the discovery of a newly-circulating drug that allows the user to live temporarily in a dream. What these dreams are and where they come from, no one yet knows. At first the drug in question, nostaliem, goes unnoticed by the authorities, but after a slew of high-profile deaths Detective Tanner Blackwell is hired to track the true source of the drug. In his search for nostaliem Blackwell becomes involved in the dark underbelly of Krevax’ drug trade and must decide where his allegiances lie.
Growing up in a cold northern city never suited me. I was an outcast in a world built on oil, beef and canola. In the city oil money flowed from the men up north to women in bars with black dresses and high heels. I know this because I was one of these women. I have had first hand experiences with what an imbalance of power between the genders can create. In my opinion it played a key role in the objectification of women in my city. It was a common occurrence for men to catcall and whistle at me from their cars. On rarer occurrences they would ask me for lap dances at the family-friendly restaurant I worked at and once a man masturbated beside me on the bus while I sat there frozen. This is still just a small example of a much bigger problem though. Keep in mind I don’t want anyone to mistake my opinions for men bashing. To be clear I believe men and women deserve the same respect and consideration and that these social issues have negative outcomes for both genders. Gender stereotypes tell men to be more aggressive and emotionally repressed, they tell women to be submissive and shallow, but they shouldn’t. No man should feel like they are not allowed to be gentle and emotional and no woman should be afraid to say no and have an opinion. It is for this reason I want to fight for gender rights. Gender is not black and white, it is a scale.
I will be able to dedicate more time to writing. This is my debut novel and with your support I hope to become an established writer and publish Krevax.