Play the Game or die.Alone in a desolate world ravaged by war and alien invasion, Eileen Paine offers herself to indentured servitude in Purgatory City—a chance at a different life. No one knows what happens beyond the gates, but it has to be better than the peril in the Blastlands. Nothing could have prepared her for the darkness, the tests, the changes, or the people she meets. Least of all … or the people she meets. Least of all being changed and controlled by the aliens in power.
With no guarantee of success, eliminations happening frequently, and the threat of potential allies becoming enemies, does Eileen have what it takes to survive? And when her heart gets involved, can she live with what she has to do to escape Purgatory?
The Hunger Games meet aliens in this post-apocalyptic reverse harem.
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Purgatory City by Skye MacKinnon is such a wonderful story that I have read. This is book number one in this wonderful start to a brand new series and I can not wait to read the next book in this series. I highly recommend this story to everyone who loves reading about Sci-Fi stories.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Eileen thought she was finally escaping hell and going to heaven – instead she had signed up for worse.
Eileen hesitated before stepping through the gates into Purgatory City. She was leaving the life of starvation and suffering behind. Finally she would have food, comfort, safety, and a roof over her head. All she had to do was step through the gate…unless of course it was all a trick and she died the minute she stepped through.
She answered all of the guards’ questions. They asked her again if this was what she wanted and she said, “Yes”. Then she stepped forward through the gates and into the darkness and guess what?
She did not die. Instead she was mutilated, caged, and under some kind of alien mind control. Awesome.
Play the Game or die
Rebecca Royce and Skye MacKinnon have teamed up to give us a fun filled dystopian future where everyone wants you to die including your friends. Welcome to Purgatory City (Peryton Press, 2020) the first book in the “Through the Gates” series where nothing and no one is as it seems to include you.
Mind-tripping. Heart-breaking. Kick-ass heroine. Oh the backstories!!! (sigh) Action-packed. Thrill riding oh my god moments. Rack-em up kill numbers. Where did that (blank) go? Mind-tripping – yeah worth saying twice.
Royce and MacKinnon have reduced me to tags because I am too afraid to give anything away. This is a fabulous writing team with a nice twist on a familiar trope. Dystopia was never so messed up or enjoyable to read.
I received an ARC of this book and I am writing a review without prejudice and voluntarily.
Such a different and unique spin on a aliens meet hunger games type storyline. I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to read the next one in the series.
Aliens had invaded Eileen Paine’s planet 2 decades ago. Things had gotten so bad she had to go work for the aliens in purgatory city where it was said you could find a better life. There was just one problem once people went into work none came out again. That was a scary thought. Purgatory city wasn’t what it seemed.
This is a reverse harem so she does meet her men but I can’t tell you because it will mess the story and fun! I went into reading this knowing that Re mecca Royce had written it lol that’s all. I love her work and this was awesome. Tons of twists and turns in the story I never knew what would happen next. The characters are amazing. It’s full of drama ,mystery, suspense, spice. OMG I can’t wait for the next book. Don’t miss it
Voluntarily review a copy and I honestly loved it
No spoilers of any kind included.
Purgatory City was actually pretty good, it kept me interested all throughout the story.
So it’s going to be a yes I do recommend this book to anyone searching for a good story to climb into.
Purgatory City is the first book in the Through The Gates series and it’s an action packed start. The authors have created an interesting post apocalyptic world with intriguing characters and story that pulled me in and had me on the edge of my seat. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series to find out what happens next.
Purgatory was an absolutely fantastic book – 10 stars!! I enjoyed it from beginning to end and stayed up way too late because I couldn’t put it down. All the characters are great and I think I’m just a bit in love with Kenny. The world building was a cool Hunger Games/War of the Worlds mishmash and I can ‘t wait for the next one so I can meet Tim(s). I received an advance copy of this book and voluntarily left a review.
This is an action packed full of drama and suspense story. It is extremely well written with beautifully developed characters. I loved Eileen, Blake, Kenny, Pete, and Clay. They have different personalities where each is strong in their own way. Together they work amazingly well. There are sweet romance scenes even in their rough times. Yes, it does end in a cliffhanger and I can’t wait to read the next book. It is a must read!!!!!!
Here this author goes again surprising us with something different and unexpected. Good choice of a title with this being the beginning of more to follow. This author is one of the few who could get me to read sci fi which I do not read too much anymore. This goes a bit beyond that I do think with not having come across anything like this one. The wonderment of what comes along with everything being new and unexpected. Probably a bit like Eileen feels. This was a bit mind boggling with pleasant surprise at the embodiment of the character. This one carried me away with me holding close to the character just encase I could be lost. I do believe the next one that comes will also be superb so I will just be waiting.
This is book 1 of Through the Gates series. What a great start for the series. This book grabbed me from the beginning and pulled me into the story. A very well written book that I recommend reading.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Another Brilliant book by Skye MacKinnon and this time written with Rebecca Royce. This one is very unique and my only issue is that you really have to concentrate other wise it gets a bit confusing hence only the 4 stars.
Eileen steps through the gates of Purgatory City into what she believes will be a better life but what she gets is way worse than anything she has ever encountered before and she may not survive the trials and tribulations of being in what appears to be a video game. Blade Runner/Tron/Hunger games type senario.
If you can get past the confusion then it is actually a good storey with some complex characters and a kick ass heroine.
She will have to play the game of die. So for a chance of life different to what she is living she enters the games. It will not be easy to get through the game but will it be worth it? What must she do? How will she get on? Follow her adventures
Ohh I could not put this book down! Eileen goes to the gates for a better future. But Purgatory turns into a nightmare. She must try to survive the Game. She meets Kenny, Clay, X, and Y. Then there’s Tim her handler. This book gets hot! Woo Skye and Rebecca! Can’t wait to read what’s in store for Eileen and the guys.
Purgatory City (Through the Gates Book 1) Kindle Edition
by Skye MacKinnon (Author), Rebecca Royce (Author)
Thanks to the authors for my complimentary copy. I am voluntarily leaving a fair and honest review.
Every once in a while, I find myself reading a book where I fall into the world building. Suzanne Collins pulled me in with the Hunger Games. As bleak and war-torn as the alien-invaded world is, it is rendered beautifully and breadcrumbs of history are sprinkled liberally through the story without a single data dump. Both Ms. MacKinnon and Ms. Royce use their vast talent to let the rules of the game and the basis of characters slip out in dialogue and actions.
By locating Purgatory City and the surrounds in a no-name place makes the story resonate with the reader. The reader could be very much just outside the gates. The same could be said about the various locations of the game. I particularly like cloustraphobia of several of the underground scenes. It had a definite James Cameron of the early 1990s vibe going on. The noises and the building fear got me!
I enjoyed young adult characters, in the twenties who acted, spoke and had scars like actual late-20-somethings. Kenny’s crazy, X and Y’s issues and Clay really got to me. I can see my much, much younger self picking one of them for my forever book boyfriend
The tech/science utilized was acceptable. Unlike in most of Ms. Royce’s sci-fi books, it wasn’t a character on its own. This time it was plot-armor. It was the “found this mystery bit of tech in a nick of time” without a real reason given – for example, our heroine mysteriously having surgery and surgical tools in her tool box just when it was needed to save one of her guys. That was a little clunky.
While there is a definite Hunger Games if James Cameron wrote it vibe going on, the addition of Tim and the other handlers and the alien invasion was very unique.
The love scenes were intricate and beautiful nnd boy did the guys have the best lines! My favorite scene was making love amongst the stars..
All in all, not Ms. Royce’s best, but a damn sight better Sci-Fi RH than you can read anywhere else.
4.5 stars rounded up to 5.
https://www.amazon.com/Purgatory-City-Through-Gates-Book-ebook/dp/B083H4MSBN
Ok so when I first started this book I didn’t know if I was going to like it ……why I don’t know …but I was so wrong because I really enjoyed it it made me laugh get angry want to punch a few aliens that think there better than humans ….it reminded me of hunger games but with aliens controlling all … Those men yummy and a arse kicking leading lady just what everyone wants in a great read
Wow!! This book is so unique and never had a dull moment. The characters are all fantastic and I love that their relationships felt natural, not forced. So much is happening all the time and I loved it. So ready for book two and all the craziness and romance it will hopefully bring.
World building at its best! You get a world after it has been crushed where people have no choice but to select the unknown. When the unknown and the reality of the unknown are all built on rumor and speculation, you can only hope it is Purgatory and not Hell. Eileen found herself facing Purgatory along with a group of men Clay, Kenny, X, & Y. What they have to run from and even to was simply spell binding to read. I was just enraptured in the story. It was full of action and paced itself well. Where it goes, I can’t even imagine. This is only the first in the series.
Purgatory City is a different story. Things seem hopeless for Eileen in the beginning. She has no idea what she’s getting herself into. The Games are tough. The alien aspect is intriguing. I’m worried a out the future of the little group who has become a family.
Play the game or die. The hunger games meets aliens. These were some pretty strong tag lines thrown out to get you interested in this book. It worked on me for sure. Boy am I glad that it did. I picked it up thinking I was going to read a chapter or two just to see what it was like and the next thing I knew I was 40% into the book. It got me hooked.
Basically what we have is Earth being taken over and destroyed by aliens. Living outside the gates of Purgatory City is no easy feat. You have a choice to go through the gates but nobody knows what is on the other side. Nobody ever comes back once they go through. So Eileen figures she’s going to give it a shot. What does she have to lose right? Well she finds out that not only has she lost the little bit of freedom she had, she may also lose her life. Without giving too much away, you basically have aliens that are using humans like a video game. You do what they say, when they say it or you suffer the consequences.
Eileen finds she’s not alone in this new world though. She’s quickly taken in the ranks of a rag tag group of players. As much as her handler has told her to stay away from them, she just can’t leave them alone. So not only do they have their handlers trying to keep them apart, they also have the other players in the game and the obstacles and creatures the aliens keep throwing at them. What happens when they get to the end though? They may be working as a team but they aren’t one. It’s every man/woman for themselves.
So needless to say, there is never a dull moment in this book. We always have something going on to keep us on the edge of our seat. We also have some romance thrown in. The relationships develop at a very natural pace with the situation they are in.
So I say if you are looking for a thrilling, alien, post apocalyptic, kick ass romance then you need to check this one out.
Wow, this book is not something that I usually read. So this is like an alien dystopian novel. It is a bit slow at the beginning but informative. It seems a bit confusing until you really get into and understand what is going on. There are a lot of twist, turns and action. It is interesting to see that the characters in the book are used like game characters. So can Eileen and the guys, beat the aliens at their on game. What will happen? You will need to read to find out. I am interested to know what will happen next in this series.