I am really intrigued by David Estes and his premise for this first novel in a dystopian sci-fi series, “Slip.” The main character, Benson, who we know only as “son” for much of the opening section of the book, is forced to live in hiding after his parents illegally allow him to be born despite strict population control measures. But the characters that are drawn the most poignantly aren’t the main ones, but the side players like Janice, the mother who can’t be there for one child her husband has to tell to run away, or her other child, Harrison, whose plight we feel perhaps most of all as the sibling who was neglected from the start because of the secret brother he has no idea about. It’s an interesting and complicated world where there are no winners.

I overall loved the author’s writing style and storytelling and especially enjoyed the great twists at the end. Highly recommended.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the author. ( )

2nd time reading

I read this series when it first came out. I thoroughly enjoyed it then and now. I love David's books! ( )

Told from two points of view, that of two boys who could be twins except they obviously are not. One lives high, being a legitimately allowed birth. The other is a "slip", a not-allowed birth. Fascinating view into their lives, good and bad, as well as an intense view of life in a world where overpopulation is controlled one birth at a time. It is scariest in how close to reality it comes.

The ending was earth-stopping, just to warn you. ( )

I have read several books by David Estes and his writing gets better and better. I think he has become one of my favorite writers. In the Slip, it is many years in the future where the U.S. has been shrinking and in order to have resources, the government won't allow people to have a child unless they get a death match certificate. So someone can live only if someone dies. But then some get born who don't have a match and those are called Slip. The government kills any of those they find. Michael Kelly the head of Population Control has a son who is a slip and he will do anything in his power to keep his son alive. But there are others who don't see Slips as humans and will do everything to kill them and their families. The Destroyer is a psychopath and scary individual. David does a great job fleshing out the characters and making them real. He does a great job of making the readers care for the Slip and his family and hate the Destroyer and Corrigan Mars, second in command at Pop Con. When the book ended, I wasn't ready for that because I wanted to keep reading. I was sucked so far into the story I wasn't ready to let the characters go. This is going to be one trilogy that when it is over I will miss the characters.

I thank David for sending me a copy of the book for an honest review. ( )

I have read several books by David Estes and his writing gets better and better. I think he has become one of my favorite writers. In the Slip, it is many years in the future where the U.S. has been shrinking and in order to have resources, the government won't allow people to have a child unless they get a death match certificate. So someone can live only if someone dies. But then some get born who don't have a match and those are called Slip. The government kills any of those they find. Michael Kelly the head of Population Control has a son who is a slip and he will do anything in his power to keep his son alive. But there are others who don't see Slips as humans and will do everything to kill them and their families. The Destroyer is a psychopath and scary individual. David does a great job fleshing out the characters and making them real. He does a great job of making the readers care for the Slip and his family and hate the Destroyer and Corrigan Mars, second in command at Pop Con. When the book ended, I wasn't ready for that because I wanted to keep reading. I was sucked so far into the story I wasn't ready to let the characters go. This is going to be one trilogy that when it is over I will miss the characters.

I thank David for sending me a copy of the book for an honest review. ( )