Dregs Island - Softcover

Blossman, Dr. Bon; Myer, Zakk

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0996524835 ISBN 13: 9780996524834

Publisher: Bon Blossman Dr., 2017

Synopsis

Seventeen-year-old Alex Cardin is falsely convicted of a felony. It is six years after President Gray's Prison Reform Act of 2026. Prisons have been shut down across the United States, and all felons must serve life sentences on isolated prison islands where escape is impossible, and rules of civility are obsolete. Alex is banished to Dregs Island and must rely on his sharp intuition, as nobody can be trusted. To survive, he must defeat the ruthless ruler of the island who was a legendary serial killer back on the mainland. Alex is forced to make decisions along the way that weigh survival against humankind and family against friendship.

About this title

About the Author:

ABOUT THE AUTHORS
The authors are a mother and son writing team from Austin, Texas.
 
Dr. Bon Blossman is an award-winning fiction author and founder of the world's top murder mystery game company, MyMysteryParty.com. She is also a recording artist, a developmental physiologist, and former college professor with nearly twenty years of teaching experience. Dr. Bon completed her Bachelor of Science in Pre-Medicine, her Master of Science in Biology, and her Ph.D. in Developmental Physiology before completing a postdoctoral fellowship in a developmental cardiovascular research program. Dr. Bon is also in a band (DrunkLora) and writes short films for her company, Little Ghoul Productions.
 
Zakk Myer is a psychology student at The University of Texas at Austin. He is also a music producer and musician, playing various instruments such as the piano,drums, and the bass guitar. Zakk is currently a member of an indie rock band,The Other Kids (soundcloud.com/otherkidsmusic). Zakk has also produced music for various projects, such as Dr. Bon's book trailer for Blood Dolls. Zakk has plans to graduate from UT and pursue a career in music and film production. He co-founded the film production company with Dr. Bon (Little Ghoul Productions). 

Review:

Reviewed By Arya Fomonyuy for Readers' Favorite
Falsely accused, Alex Cardin is sentenced to life in prison. It is not the sentencing that is shocking. What scares him most is where he is sentenced to -- Dregs Island -- a place where criminals are shipped to and an island where no one has ever succeeded in escaping. Here, Alex will be more than creative if he only wants to survive, let alone think of escaping. We encounter this young and compelling character in the dynamics of prison life and his determination to get justice, his own way. He will not only face numerous challenges, but will also have to face the very boss of the island, the man who once was a serial killer in an alternate life and who does not know the word "compassion." Dregs Island by Dr. Bon Blossman and Zakk Myer is a real thriller, the kind of book that is impossible to put down. 

I read this story straight through the night, unable to stop because of the beauty of the language and the strong storyline. The story has a lot of action taking place and the first pages already feature a dramatic incident, an accident to which the protagonist and narrator is witness, and the chapter ends with the protagonist being shipped to jail. I loved the writing, which I found to be impeccable, laced with vivid and attention-grabbing descriptions. The story has great psychological and emotional depth and the reader will love the way the authors develop the conflict in this story -- both psychological and interpersonal. Dregs Island by Dr. Bon Blossman and Zakk Myer is a masterpiece, a great story that explores the themes of justice, freedom, and crime.

Reviewed By Romuald Dzemo for Readers' Favorite
The first chapter of Dregs Island by Dr. Bon Blossman and Zakk Myer finishes with a short conversation that becomes a huge promise for readers who understand that it would be a fast ride. 

"I didn't do it, sir. You have to believe me. I saw who did it."
"Get in," he said, shoving me into the backseat.
The car door slammed shut.

Alex Cardin has just witnessed a hit-and-run accident and it was he who tried to get help by calling 9-11, but to his greatest stupefaction, the seventeen-year-old boy will be behind bars for a crime he never committed, and not just anywhere. Alex is shipped to Dregs Island, the place where the most hardened criminals go, and a place where one receives no mercy and where no one can be trusted. Alex is determined to survive, perchance he could be the first to escape Dregs Island. But this means he must be both creative and powerful, and he must defeat the one-time serial killer who now runs the Island. 

Dregs Island begins with great intensity of action and there is no slowing down till the end. The story is told in the first person narrative and in a voice that is compelling and there is no way the reader can ignore it. The narrative style absorbs the reader into the worldview of the protagonist and creates a powerful connection between the reader and the characters. The language is tight, crisp, and highly descriptive. I love the fact that the dialogues came across as natural, reflecting the state of mind, the level of education of the characters, and where they come from. Dr. Bon Blossman and Zakk Myer have created a thriller that readers will love, a story with very interesting characters and a conflict that helps a lot in plot and character building. I was very keen on following the development of Alex Cardin, and I wasn't disappointed in any way. This thriller is a great success and will undoubtedly provide great entertainment for readers.

Reviewed By Rabia Tanveer for Readers' Favorite
Dregs Island by Dr. Bon Blossman and Zakk Myer is a dystopian Young Adult novel with a gripping tale of survival. The novel follows a seventeen-year-old boy named Alex Cardin. Alex has been convicted of a crime that he did not do and now he is facing jail time on an island where there are no civil rights and the jail is run by a tyrant. He is shipped off to Dregs Island, a prison where escape is impossible. 

Alex now has to survive his sentence, he needs to make sure that he stays out of the way of the people who can be dangerous to him. The problem is, everyone is dangerous to him. He is a young and innocent boy who has been falsely charged with something that he never did. When you are in a place like this, how can you survive a place that is run by a serial killing tyrant, a ruthless, merciless man. Can Alex survive? Can he change his destiny? Escaping from the island is impossible, but will he be given the chance to complete his term and go home to his family?

What can I say about Dr. Bon Blossman and Zakk Myer? Both of these writers did an amazing job portraying the struggle of the psychological effects of living in such conditions. I am amazed at how smoothly and completely these two are able to transition their story so that everyone who loves dystopian novels will appreciate it. I also liked Alex very much. His character development was on point and I enjoyed his impulsive yet calculated actions. 

About this edition

• Publisher: Bon Blossman Dr.
• Publication date: 2017
• ISBN 10: 0996524835
• ISBN 13: 9780996524834
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 254