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The Wasteland

(Their Champion – Book 1)

by K.A. Knight
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Post-Apocalyptic, Medium Burn RH, Series Complete
Available on Kindle and Kindle Unlimited

Down & Dirty

With the fourth and final book recently released, it’s a great time to revisit the begining of Worth’s story, and how the Wastes came to be. Brutal, bloody and engrossing, this entire series is available on Kindle Unlimited.

What is it about?

(Blurb from GoodReads)

The world ended and with it so did the rules.

I was stolen from my family and raised in the Wastelands to the North. I did what I had to ensure my survival. I became The Champion, with my history carved into my skin for all to see.

Now I spend my days drinking and hiding from my past until four newcomers offer me a job I can’t refuse. When my past and future mix I must once again rise and fight. This time it’s not for my freedom, it’s for my happiness.

Author’s Note:

*Contains triggers and a cliffhanger ending. This is a dark Dystopian RH.

My Thoughts on The Wasteland

I first read and reviewed this gem back in January of 2019, including it in one of the first lists I made. Yet now, with book 4 dropping and Worth’s story coming to an end, I have gone back and reread this Mad Max’eque Reverse Harem series from the beginning…. and it reads just as well on a reread as it does during the first foray.

Rough, brutal and incredibly bloody, there is nothing gentle about this narrative. After ‘The Scorch’, the world we once knew was decimated, changed into a hell scape almost overnight, with humans left fighting for scraps and against each other for the power, water and simple survival. Into this brave new world comes Tazanna Worth, a scarred and hardened warrior determined to egg out an existence on the edges of society. Her story, her history, and her future, make this gory telling a journey you won’t want to miss.

Fair warning, it’s painful – and there are trigger warnings that you really, really should pay attention to.

Pros:

• The writing style. It’s straight forward and brutal, pulling no punches even as emotion is woven throughout.
• Worth. You have to love her. She’s a survivor in every sense of the word and so bloody badass, she fits the title Champion, which she won through grit, talent and determination.
• World building. There were times I literally felt the dust fly up my nose.

Cons:

• Character development of the guys. This is a RH series, and thus features multiple love interests. Yet finding out who these guys ARE is shadowed and somewhat rushed. There is hardly any insight into them until almost the end, where the four of them actually start coming to life – and developing personalities of their own.
• Rushed emotions. Ok – so this one may be just me. Emotions should take time, but the love just blossoms here, perhaps too quickly? Then again, the world of this novel is not a kind one, any love must be grabbed and held on to before the inevitable death comes knocking. So… yeah, maybe just me.

Perspective:

First Person, Single POV

Ending Type:

Cliffhanger

Rating:

Adult… very, very adult.

Romantic Dynamic:

MMMMMF

Character Age Range:

23+

My Final Verdict on The Wasteland

Devastating, brutal and emotionally intense, this is a Dystopian Read worth delving in to… as long as you pay attention to the trigger warnings. This first book is rough, but the other three are even harsher – and wonderful. Free on Kindle Unlimited.

The Wasteland

Published September 16th, 2018
242 Pages

If you enjoyed this re-review of The Wasteland, please consider checking out a few of my other articles.

• Echoes of the Past by Regina J. Robinson – A Book Review
• Time Bomb by Penelope Wright – A Book Review
• I Am the Wild by Karpov Kinrade – A Book Review

Your Turn

Have you read this book yet? What other books by K.A. Knight have you enjoyed? Leave a comment, I would love to talk!