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Ronel van Tonder

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Compile Quest: Dark Dystopian Science Fiction (The Phoenix Code Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Ronel van Tonder (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

3.9 34 ratings

Book 1 of 3: The Corrupted SUN Script

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What happens when something created to protect is forced to destroy?

When Peppermint, a laidback party girl, is taken to a research facility under the guise of a routine checkup she discovers she's far from ordinary. Imprisoned and subjected to grueling tests and training, she longs to return to the dome and the two loves of life; her clustermates. But Phoenix, the artificial intelligence program who oversees every minute detail of her life - and every denizen on the planet - is far from done with her.

Readers of "1984" and "A Brave New World" will devour this multiple POV dystopian techno-thriller.

Unravel the conspiracy; scroll up and click buy.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Van Tonder's writing is raw and straight-forward. There is sex, profanity, and a creepy artificial intelligence program. She takes time in building her world and her characters rather than rushing out of the gates and racing through the story."
- Chris Dietzel (Dystopian Sci-Fi Author)

"A must-read for lovers of quality sci-fi. The two contrasting societies are superbly defined and highly believable and the tale is complex and entertaining, reminding me of Frank Herbert's 'Dune' series or the classic 'Foundation' trilogy by Asimov."
- Eric J Gates (Thriller Author)

"First, I loved that the story was set in South Africa. The well-developed characters have believable emotions and relationships to others. I didn't want the story to end so quickly ... I will be picking up the next book in the series."
- Deborah Mitton (Author)

"Reading Compile: Quest was an adventure. As I read, the more developed the characters became, and the more I got drawn into the story itself. Good writing allowed me to experience most of the sensations expressed, even down to the smells. I am anxious to read the next installment."
- Rick Rider (Reader)

"While the tropes of the domed city run by an almighty AI and the neo-feudal survivors scratching out a meager subsistence on the outside are well-worn in this genre, Van Tonder gives them a richly detailed treatment that lifts Compile:Quest above the competition."
- Felix Savage (Science Fiction & Fantasy Author)

"Van Tonder is a phenomenal writer, crafting a story that causes the reader to not only ask questions as they following along on a journey of words that excites and thrills but also question their own questions." - Max Stone (Thriller Author)

"Recommended for fans of science fiction, for people who love to get sucked into a fully realized world. I loved the setting a realistic futuristic world that wasn't too shiny or new, but really felt lived in."
- Steven VS (Steampunk Author)

"There is a starkness to the world, imagery and language that works. Hints of mysteries to be solved keep you reading. Sometimes things jarred - but the story is meant to be jarring."
- Jenny Schwartz (Steampunk & Romance Author)

"When we find ourselves thinking of the greats in the next decade, we will inevitably mention Ronel van Tonder, whose debut novel Compile: Quest is a feast for the imagination."
- Kelly Smith Reviews (Book Reviewer & Blogger)

"Extremely vivid world and character building, and the commentary on society (thoughts that many of us have) never feels heavy handed."
- Saz (Game Developer)

"COMPILE:QUEST gives interesting insights within a fantastic setting. The two main characters' lives are so far apart, they may as well be anathema to each other."
- Guo Zhantong (Sci-Fi Reviewer)

From the Author

Let's face it. Unless you're really rich and/or important, our society kind of sucks. Note how I don't mention a specific government - that's because it doesn't really matter which country you live in, or which political party holds power, or even which president is in fashion this year.

It really, really doesn't matter. There are things happening behind the scenes of our world that many people have no notion of. This is either because they couldn't care, or because the powers-that-be do such a darned good job of keeping this kind of knowledge secret.

More than anything, I hope that reading this book makes you question some of the constructs of our modern-day society. I also hope it makes dig deeper, and start searching for the grain of truth on the beach of propaganda. If you don't want to do this for yourself, then do it for your children. For their children. For all future generations.

And on that happy note, onward and forward!
I hope you enjoy the book.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00O8U9A8Q
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Grimdark Publishers; 2nd edition (December 13, 2014)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 13, 2014
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 2771 KB
Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 530 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #3,296,736 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #325 in Teen & Young Adult Politics & Government Fiction eBooks
- #831 in Teen & Young Adult Science Fiction & Dystopian Romance eBooks
- #4,260 in Metaphysical Fiction

Customer Reviews:
3.9 34 ratings

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Ronel van Tonder

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Ronel van Tonder is a science fiction author from South Africa. Her works include a dark, dystopian sci-fi trilogy, The Corrupted SUN Script, and a standalone cyberpunk novel, The Seventh Glitch. When she's not writing, Ronel spends her free time slaying rendered baddies in the form of robots, gangsters and aliens - with any weapon that happens to be at hand. She also runs her own website design company, and loves dabbling in graphic design, 3D modelling and animation.

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http://ronelvantonder.co.za/

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Customer reviews

3.9 out of 5

34 global ratings

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BigOrangeDave

The futures not so bright: South African style

Reviewed in the United States on July 19, 2016

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I recently had the opportunity to travel to South Africa business. The country was not what I expected; it was an amazing place. This book was quite similar. I didn't know what to expect and at first I struggled with the story. The constant jumping across different storylines was jarring. I struggled to piece things together and I put it aside for a while.

I picked it back up again last week determined to work my way through it. I am so glad that I did! As I got further into the book, the story accelerated and dragged me right along for the ride. This strange world started to fit together and a much larger story arc became evident. The never ending party of Peppermint and her friends was put into context and it's not a good one. The confusing diggers story line connected in several creative ways including redemption for a few characters that was entirely unexpected. Great stories surprise you and this one does it time and time again.

I am looking forward to the second Book in the series. Very nicely done!

Helpful

Eamon

Fresh, edgy and highly entertaining.

Reviewed in the United States on April 19, 2016

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It’s easy to become jaded with the plethora of Dystopian fiction knocking about right now. It feels like everything’s been done before, and a lot of newer authors seem reluctant to break the mould.
Enter South African author Ronel Van Tonder. Her novel Compile:Quest came across my desk recently, and having been hugely impressed with recent efforts from her fellow South Africans Lauren Beukes and Charlie Human, I was tempted to give this one a go.
Set in the distant future, Compile:Quest introduces a dystopian world where large numbers of the remaining population live in domed cities, segregated from those outside, largely controlled and manipulated by advanced technology and social media, seamlessly linking each “denizen” to each other, as well as the network owned by the mysterious SUN corporation.
When Peppermint, a denizen of the dome is called for what seems to be a routine medical exam, she is quickly ripped from her everyday life and subjected to testing in a secret facility. As she learns the reasons why, she makes a discovery that changes her life and unveils SUN's dark plans.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the dome in a harsh wasteland where solar flares have forced survivors to live in squalor underground, Jinx, a soldier in the Rooivaik embarks on a mission to find the truth about her parents, while engaging in negotiations with another dangerous militia group.

The strength of Compile:Quest is in Van Tonder's prolific prose, each carefully constructed set piece expertly described in impressive detail. The technological elements are both believable and practical, and the narrative is gently peppered with South African colloquialisms, giving it an authentic voice and feel throughout, without being too obvious, and although there is a glossary provided at the end, most readers should be able to figure them out by the time they reach the conclusion.

Compile:Quest's combination of great storyline, edgy attitude and strong characterisations make for a riveting read, and will have the reader reaching straight for the next book in the series.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Isabelle

Interestingly different post-apocalyptic setting, but not much of a story.

Reviewed in the United States on December 13, 2014

Well, this is something different! A dystopian / post-apocalyptic tale set in South Africa. I ate up the unusual setting, and I wish even more had been made of it.

In other ways, too, Compile:Quest differs from the common run of dystopian SF. It is ambitiously constructed, with a sprawling narrative driven by at least three main characters. That "at least" hints at my major nit with this novel: it was difficult to tell whose story this was, or in fact, *what* the story was, for the first 30%-40% of the book.

I stayed hooked, however, thanks to the delightfully annoying character of Peppermint, and the aforementioned unique setting. While the tropes of the domed city run by an almighty AI, and the neo-feudal survivors scratching out a meager subsistence on the outside, are well-worn in this genre, Ronel van Tonder gives them a richly detailed treatment that lifts Compile-Quest above the competition.

Unfortunately, as I mentioned above, the attention to detail overwhelmed the story at times. All in all, I think this would have been a better book if it were about 200 pages shorter, and had fewer viewpoint characters.

4 people found this helpful

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Isabell L

Grabbed me quickly

Reviewed in the United States on June 7, 2016

Verified Purchase

I received this book in return for an honey review.

This book was a very good read. The language usage is well, the author has a knack for finding writing an intriguing plot, and it kept me spellbound throughout the whole novel.

Reviewed in the United States on February 23, 2016

Verified Purchase

I found the book interesting and would happily read more by the same author.

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C Dietzel

Dystopian debut to check out!

Reviewed in the United States on July 4, 2015

Verified Purchase

I was immediately on board with Tonder's debut dystopian after reading the preamble, in which she says that unless you are rich or powerful, life pretty much sucks for everyone in the world, regardless of which political party is in power. Way to get the reader's attention.

And to think I was originally hesitant to read this after noting the page count. It is, however, an extremely quick read and feels much more like a 300 page book than a 550 page book. Don't be like me and put off reading it because of the page length.

Tonder's writing is raw and straight-forward. There is sex, profanity, and a creepy computer. She takes time in building her world and her characters rather than rushing out of the gates and racing through the story. You get to know the main characters and even some of the minor characters, giving the story an epic quality.

If I had to do an A + B = C equation for this book, I'd say that

'Heroes' (the TV show) + Wool = Compile: Quest

I would have liked to see the plot focus more on the inequality and dystopian aspect of the story rather than on the every day life of the two main characters, but that's only because of how much I liked the statement at the beginning of the book. This didn't take anything away from the book, though. And it's very likely that the next two books focus more on the apocalyptic world.

After being hesitant to read this first one (i.e., page length), I'll gladly add the other two books in the trilogy to my to-read list.

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Deborah Mitton

Great Start to a Series

Reviewed in Canada on March 12, 2015

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First, I loved that the story was set in South Africa. That made it interesting to me from the start.
Second, I loved that solar flares was the cause of destroying civilization, as we know it. Now this was believable as solar flares do disturb our daily communication today. I hate when SiFi novels are so out there it takes hours before you can get into the story. This was not the case with Compile:Quest. I was into it from the get-go.
Right away, the survivors run through a selection procedure, who will live and who might die outside the domed cities. Those who were not selection were to be deleted (very Nazi like thinking) but few escape to group together in caves and underground burrows like prairie dogs.
Centuries go up and the story tells of the evolution of new and very different societies; much like “Mad Max” and “The Time Machine” combined. One group lives hand to mouth. They must continually fight to survive and the strongest, most violent are the rulers. The other group have no worries, everything is given to them to survive. Life is just one party after another. A corporation runs their lives from creation to death.
The author speaks in “new age technology lingo” but I could understand what the items were and what their functions were. Great!
The well-developed characters have believable emotions and relationships to others. You start to care about one or two of them and hate the others :o)
I found it confusing a bit at times as the author jumps from one group to the other but that was most likely my fault and not the author’s.
I didn’t want the story to end so quickly … I will be picking up the next book in the series.

Dawn

Fantastic unique worldbuilding

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 10, 2016

Verified Purchase

There are several things that I really enjoyed about this book. I admit I saw the author posting about this on facebook and I was due to go on holiday, that meant I could read a book instead of an audiobook. :) so I purchased all three.

What I found in this book was a wonderful fully fleshed out world in a setting that I hadn't expected. South Africa for the most part. My cousins moved to SA when I was young and only recently came back to the UK so this held a lot of memories from their early years, which made this dystopian world seem all the more real.

It was a lot to read, but there were only a few spots that I thought the politics and scene settings got heavy. The characters were really fun, and from two very different sides of this world. They'd flawed, they have goals and the journey facing them even after this book I can see being very tough.

Both the MC's in here are wonderful. They both have distinct personalities and meld together bit like chalk and cheese would, but however they do unite for the greater good and it creates such a believable relationship that you can't help but adore the both of them, and of course want to kill the others.

Thoroughly enjoyed this, and hope I can squeeze the second one in before I go back to work. :) many thanks and glad I saw this.

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Compile Quest: Dark Dystopian Science Fiction (The Phoenix Code Book 1) Kindle Edition

What happens when something created to protect is forced to destroy?

Editorial Reviews

Review

From the Author

About the Author

Product details

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About the author

Ronel van Tonder

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