The Eternal Season (The Swallowed World Book 1) by Tyler Bumpus depicts a dystopian land plagued by food shortages and disasters. The Florida Peninsula is waterlogged and ruled by a wide variety of unsavory characters, including warlords who have a lot at stake guarding the precious coast. Allie Fountain is just trying to make a living in this strange new world, but things don't always go his way. There’s no law in the peninsula and Allie is on his own if he wants to stay safe. Unfortunately, he is something of a rule breaker and he isn’t afraid to cross the warlords, even at incredible risk. He knows he should be trying to stay safe, but staying safe might be a little too boring. And how safe can anyone really be in this incredibly changing world with new laws, new rules, and new rulers?

The Eternal Season is a unique dystopian read and I applaud Bumpus for the creativity and ingenuity that went into this story. It couldn’t have been easy to create such a new and devastatingly exciting world, but Bumpus did it with ease. The world is beautifully created (and then destroyed) and the characters are interesting, engaging, and true to their ideals. I liked Allie a lot and found myself rooting for him to live, survive, and thrive. I liked the scientific elements to this story and think it will appeal to a lot of science fiction fans and readers who enjoy stories with advanced technology.

Tyler Bumpus’ The Eternal Season is an innovative, masterful opening in the The Swallowed World Series, a book that will grab the attention of the fans of Divergent in its execution. Set against the backdrop of a devastated future America, the book narrates the story of the reconstruction of a new world and the reconciliation of values. The Florida Peninsula is witnessing an apocalyptic turmoil with devastating natural calamities and war, a time ruthless men use to their advantage to pillage and rob others of the little they have left. A man running from his past and his own demons, Allie and his friends have to face dangerous elements, creatures, and enemies.

Bumpus is a name that will soon be mentioned alongside bestselling authors like Veronica Roth, Suzanne Collins, and Ally Condie for creating memorable characters such as Albert, Freddy, and Raoul. The author doesn’t waste his readers’ time with unnecessary explanations, and the character cast is just enough for an interesting story, kept to the minimum, which enables readers to easily connect with the characters. The writing ― crisp and elegant ― is arresting, a unique style that comes across as refreshing to lovers of dystopian novels. The dialogue flows naturally and is well structured within the context of the narrative, offering vivid glimpses into the consciousness of the characters and propelling the plot forward. The drama is intense and constant, and the characters are convincingly real and mesmerizing. The author has the gift of providing ample details without losing the reader’s interest.

The Eternal Season is the kind of story that transports the reader to a dream world without depriving them from thinking; it will evoke powerful emotions in readers, entertain them, and leave them to think about the characters for a long time after the last page has been turned.