Greed has created a post-apocalyptic world in 2079 and humanity has to brave a harsh life ever since. Forgive Us by E.T. Gunnarsson is told through the lives of several individuals, decades apart in timelines. In 2099, 36-year-old lone rider Oliver, a living relic of the old world, heads east beyond the Rocky Mountains in search of a better settlement. In 2154, nomad London and his young adopted daughter Rose find themselves unwillingly involved in a war between two emerging nations. Thirty-one years into the future, Simon is one of the Workers of Arcadis Station, a home for the human descendants who fled the dying planet in 2078. The growing rumors about the change in leadership and returning to Earth increase the suppressive nature of the Leaders, and Simon is determined not to succumb to their autocratic rules.

E.T. Gunnarsson skillfully introduces and builds up the concept of Forgive Us around three timelines, giving enough room for character development for several protagonists; Oliver, London, Rose, and Simon. The well-paced plot is matched by an engaging narrative that chronologically alternates between the characters' perspectives until key events lead them to cross each others' paths. The protagonists' struggles and perseverance show the beauty and the ugly side of human grit. With a strong balance between descriptions and dialogue, the dark and nail-biting moments are convincing and heart-wrenching. The ending serves not only as the conclusion to an excellent dystopian sci-fi story but as a reminder that ignorance and a greed-ruled world can certainly plunge the human race into an undesirable future. Simply put, an excellent read.

Forgive Us by E.T. Gunnarsson is a science fiction/dystopian novel that takes readers across three timelines as the characters struggle to survive. In 2099, Oliver traveled through the devastated land and poisoned air to find a safe place. However, he would have to fight off mutants to build a new world. In 2153, London did his best to protect Rose as they tried to survive a depleted Earth and the dangers that came with it. Resources were hard to come by, and London had no idea that even living would become a luxury. And lastly, in 2184, some humans left Earth and settled at Arcadis Station. Simon lived there as a technician and tried to keep his head down and his nose out of trouble. However, he soon realized something was disturbing about their settlement. Little did he know, he would be the one to make a difference for the whole settlement.

The world-building was phenomenal in this brilliant and entertaining novel. The author gave readers exceptional characters that drove the story forward and allowed them to form a relationship with each of them. What would you do if Earth became a wasteland? That was the question I asked myself as I read the story. E.T. Gunnarsson crafted a believable universe that was very easy to imagine. The credit goes to the author and his narrative style. The author jumped between years with a convincing tone without giving readers whiplash. He added cohesiveness to the story that allowed readers to connect the different storylines and understand what was happening in the grand scheme of things. Forgive Us is an incredibly complex yet refreshing story!