The Dredge

4.7/5 ( ratings)

"The Dredge," a new science fiction novella by Jaimie Engle, is likened to the "Firefly" genre

What Most Dystopian Tales Take Three books to Tell...
...Jaimie Engle does in a short story.

A boy born who could be the long awaited prophet; a girl with deceitful intentions will risk it all for his secret.

Sean Marrok, a young miner who is known only by an assigned number, lives in the Dredge under the controlling thumb of the Regime. After his shift in the mine, he goes to a local club to let off steam and drink a few Stingers. He decides to place a two-million to one bet and the dice lands its mark on the winning number. But at what cost? His big win attracts the attention of the casino owner, Ambrosia. Instead of turning Marrok over to the authorities, Ambrosia releases him to the charming Chantelle who escorts him to the back exit and away from Regime soldiers. But Marrok is framed for destroying Regime property and finds himself on a commuter ship to the prison on Roan. Instead of landing on Roan, the ship is ambushed and crash landed at the secret base of the Network, where he once again runs into the exotic woman, Ambrosia. She believes he is destined to be the Savior of the people, the one to overthrow the Regime. Will Marrok see what's to come? Or will his third eye be blinded by his own decisions? A dark science-fiction novella weaving magic with manipulation that shows what happens when the oppressed have had enough and rise up to fight.

Awarded honorable mentions in L. Ron Hubbard's 2013 Writer's of the Future contest.

“Jaimie Engle brings "The Dredge" to an exciting, unexpected, and ultimately satisfying ending.”

“In some ways this is often written about an oppressed future, which too many think will remain fiction, so the reader will wonder what will be different? What will the reluctant hero do? Engle ends the story the way all great short stories do, insert a surprise most won't see coming. Kind of reminds me of another very ancient story -- perhaps we should be listening to history?”

“This was a great read for me. I truly enjoyed the fast pace and the gritty depiction of the future. The main character's voice was raw and edgy, which I loved. The sci-fi elements were woven in artfully, which made this an easy and fast read even though I'm not a sci-fi reader by nature. If you're in to post-apocalyptic tales, you'll enjoy this story.”

Other Science-Fiction & Fantasy Categories for The Dredge:

Cyberpunk
DystopianDark FantasyOccult & SupernaturalApocalyptic & Post-Apocalyptic