Bold, powerful, and thematically daring, Rootless is a masterpiece debut novel from Chris Howard. This astoundingly compelling and immensely satisfying novel tells the story of Banyan, a 17-year-old tree builder and an artist, who dedicated his whole life to creating trees from pieces of scrap metal and electronic elements, and is now about to be launched on a wild quest to find his missing father and the remaining trees on Earth. 
 They figured me too young for a tree builder. I could see it in their eyes. Bunch of rich freaks, staring at me like I needed to impress them. But I did need to. That was the problem. 
 The world described in Rootless is completely mesmerizing. It's dark, ruthless, sad. Filled with misery and pain. Life is cheap in this world. People die from hunger, diseases, or from the hand of another. GenTech (a big corporation) controls the food supplies. Their genetically engineered superfood provides everything that a body needs, but people don't get enough of it. And there is nothing else to eat - all the animals are dead, plants are gone, and water supplies are short. The only thing that grows in this desert of a world is a genetically modified corn, but GenTech owns the cornfields and they'll kill anyone who tries to steal from them. And so people starve, their weakened bodies get sick, their lives are cut short. And even if you're lucky enough to get enough food, there are other things out there that can - and will - kill you. Like the mutated, flesh-devouring locusts. Or the pirates. It's a mad, mad world. 
 Everyone's got to have something to believe in, that's what Pop always told me. He'd spent his whole life trying to make the world worth living in. And I was damned if I was going to let him die someplace alone. 
 Banyan is a great, believable character. His motivations seem real, he often acts on emotions, but also displays a lot of compassion and courage. He's a survivor. He's smart, quick-witted, resourceful. He fights for what he believes in and is ready to sacrifice himself for the people he loves and cares about. At the same time, he's not naive, he doesn't let others manipulate him. He has a strong will and an equally strong moral compass. Sure, he makes mistakes - who doesn't? But he always tries to do the right thing, and that's all that matters in the end. I had no problem connecting with him. His feelings and actions were real, and they definitely managed to affect me emotionally. I found myself rooting for him, sharing his happy and sad moments, his victories and heartbreaks. That is one masterful character development on Howard's part! 
 I stared at her. Wanting her. And I wanted to be more than just her means to some end. I wanted to be someone with which she'd become rooted and tangled. 
 Banyan's creations symbolize so many things. They're not only pieces of art, built to please the eye and make life on the brutal, sun-parched earth slightly more bearable. They're also - or perhaps most of all - little islands of hope, bringing life, happiness and color to the darkest of times. They give people something to believe in, something to fight for. Banyan's tree-building work goes far beyond creating something from pieces of metal, plastic and electronics. He's not only a tree builder, he's also a soul-builder. His art has the power to inspire and transform, remind people of better times and push them to fight for their future. In that sense, Rootless is just as fun, entertaining and visually mesmerizing, as it is emotionally affecting, thought-provoking and poignant. Chris Howard created a thoroughly disturbing vision of the future, but also one that is not completely without hope. He succeeded in bringing the violent, desolate post-apocalyptic world of Rootless to vivid life. And he gave it purpose - to caution, educate and motivate. To inspire change before it's too late, before the terrifying reality of Rootless becomes our own. This novel is both intellectually stimulating and emotionally impactful. I was completely blown-away by all the aspects of it. 
 All in all, Howard's debut novel is simply mind-blowing. An ingenious combination of ground-breaking biopunk science fiction, mesmerizing fantasy adventure, and a stunning post-apocalyptic vision. The environmental message is clear and powerful, the social commentary - absolutely and completely relevant. On top of all that, the unexpected twists, high-intensity blood-splattered scenes and mind-numbingly shocking developments will keep you right on the edge of your seat all the way through. Rootless is just as much food for imagination as it is food for thought. I can't wait for the next book! 
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