Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book.  Post contains affiliate links and I may earn commission if you make a purchase. Opinions shared are mine.

The psychology of dystopia really appeals to me.  I love thinking about how society might adapt and respond to the changing world as time goes on.  Typically, this genre has been firmly settled in the teen and YA shelves.  On the other hand, the T-H-B by Randy Dockens makes a good presence in the adult age range!  This book was published in 2017, so you have time to read it before books 2 and 3 come out in 2018.

This story is set approximately 60 years in the future.  Main characters Luke and Sarah work together in a NASA-type setting, preparing for an upcoming MARS mission.  At first the story moves pretty slowly, as the author spends a good deal of time introducing the characters and their routines.  As the events become stranger, though, we start to learn that nothing in this world is what it seems.

Author Randy Dockens uses his chemistry background to validate the T-H-B outline.  Though the writing is choppy at times, the action-filled scenes keep the pace going.  I enjoyed the descriptions of exciting restaurants and new cuisines.  It was pretty simple to figure out what the letter T-H-B stood for, but how it would reveal itself was a mystery to me.

In T-H-B, Randy Dockens sets a good stage for what might happen in a world where humans continue to filter out the things that make us unique.  Though the people in this Houston-based story might not realize it, the government and scientists have control over the population.  This book, which is the first in a trilogy, is a great option for fans of 1984, The Matrix, and Divergent.

Enter to win a copy of T-H-B in this giveaway! The contest is open to US readers ages 18+. Void where prohibited by law. Good luck!

It’s 2089, and a beautiful and peaceful world that some would consider a utopia, a world without war, aggression and things that people might disagree about – like religion.

But is it just a bit too perfect?

Author and real-life pharmaceutical scientist Dr. Randy Dockens introduces us to astrophysicist Dr. Luke Loughton, who enjoys the opportunity to be part of the team preparing for a Mars mission, while at the same time beginning a budding romance.

But that satisfying life begins to unravel.

Luke is stunned to realize how a small choice could change his life forever. Completely innocently, he makes what turns out to be a fateful decision to pick up a small piece of paper containing three simple letters.  That single act plunges him into a conspiracy, and forces him to face the world as he never knew it to be. He discovers he—everyone–is being manipulated by an elite few. Does he dare try to face the answers to the questions life is now throwing at him? Or does he blissfully ignore reality and go back to his fantasy world? He chooses to face the answers, and every direction he turns points him to T-H-B. What is the well-kept secret? Is it the answer, the truth, which he seeks? Will finding it bring clarity to his life and the right path for his future? Or will it make him an enemy to the entire world?

As he accidentally stumbles into a world secret, he and a group of friends are plunged into a covert adventure of discovery and intrigue. The fast-paced story moves from Houston to Paris and Hong Kong as the mystery unfolds. Glittering nightlife, world class cities, and futuristic food and restaurants—plus that  growing romance–add additional fun to the story.

T-H-B: Book One of the Coded Message Trilogy solves one mystery but leads right into another one in the next book.  The second book in the series, F-S-H-S: Book Two of The Coded Message Trilogy, is planned for release in June 2018, followed in September 2018 by the third and final book, T-U-L-E: Book Three of The Coded Message Trilogy.

Thanks to Buoyancy PR for sending me a copy of this book.