This is a collection of reviews of your favourite Wattpad Science Fiction stories. Some stories may be well known already, but we have also tried to include many that are relatively unknown, in an attempt to highlight your favourite works on Wattpad...
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The Ark by Hannah Hart is a gripping rollercoaster ride of a tale set in a cyberpunk dystopia in 2325. The population has doubled—packed into a manmade continent called the Ark, while the natural world is seemingly uninhabitable. The government has largely been taken over by a company called ZenTech, and ruthless Forcers maintain law and order. For the dwellers of the Ark, nature is nothing but a source of idle musing in a world where digital color—primarily, neon pink—"outshines" the sun.
Living in this futuristic dystopia is Astrid Wyatt, a spunky teen who possesses a love for vaping and hangs out with her best friend Celeste. Astrid's dissatisfaction with life in the Ark is brought out from the very beginning when she expresses her dismay over the corrupt Forcers' reign of terror, as well as her disdain over modified history taught at school, which leaves out information about the "old world". Her fascination of life beyond the Ark manifests itself in her decision to have the solar system tattooed on her torso.
Her life takes an unexpected turn when she stumbles upon a stranger with striking blue eyes seemingly mugging a man. Little does she know that from that point onwards, her world would spiral into a chaotic jumble of secrets and conspiracies, where she takes the center stage. She finds herself hunted for information about her dad's work that could jeopardize ZenTech. While on the run, fascinating characters materialize, such as the mysterious Zaphron, who turns out to be the love interest—and the Alita-esque, battle-ready hacker Delta.
This impeccable work never fails to impress from the very beginning—from its tantalizingly action-packed prologue to its minimalist, carefully color-coordinated aesthetics. The first chapter itself serves as an immersive stepping stone into the story—with breathtaking imagery, a smattering of action and clever dialogue that subtly dispenses info of world and character.
The author has built a detailed world with "territories" corresponding to different countries and game-like zones, such as the sprawling mall Hyperdome with its overwhelming sights, smells and sounds. Future tech, such as hov-cars and the Lens, has been seamlessly integrated into Ark life and the narrative itself, so that one gets to experience Astrid's "normal" as a teen living in this world. Intricate detail acts as a visual treat, peppered throughout the story, such as the description of Celeste's outfit: embroidered red roses bloomed from the sheer paneling, laced with gold thread.
