Emergence marks the end of an awesome trilogy, the Post-Apocalyptic Eden’s Root trilogy by Rachel E. Fisher. Come see what I thought of the ending, and then read what Rachel has to say about saying goodbye to her characters, plot arcs, and what she’s working on next!

The final installment in the Eden’s Root Trilogy.

“I promise you, Sean. We’re going to stop them.”

The pieces on the board are in motion and with both sides gathering strength, each move will be critical. When the Truthers make a play for checkmate, the Seeders are forced to respond. Fi and her companions will face greater challenges and higher stakes than ever before, because this time if they fail, it’s for keeps.

I received this title from the author in exchange for an honest review. 

My Thoughts

I’ve been saying for the past few months that the word “epic” is being vastly overused and that I would try to refrain from using it. But then I finished Emergence, the last book in the Eden’s Root trilogy, and asked myself what one word I would use to describe the book. I bet you know what word popped into my head first.

Yeah, it was epic.

I don’t want to give the story away, so I’ll just list a few points I really enjoyed about the book: Yes, this book is a post-apocalyptic/survival book, but it’s also a book about family.

Like most YA books, there’s a love story, but instead of the sole focus being only on the romantic relationship, this book also has a strong familial/friendship love aspect too. Fi’s and Asher are in love, but they’ll also fight to the death to protect the makeshift family they’ve made.

The loyalty and fierce protectiveness shown between each different character creates a great dynamic. I also liked how the characters questioned that, even though they love eachother now, whether they would have ever become friends if it weren’t for the need to survive as the few who remained on Earth.

I also enjoyed how a character from the first book made an appearance, how much the characters have developed, how the relationships (romantically and friendship wise) have grown, and the way the whole society in the book has grown.

For tons of action, adventure, and plot twists, I’d definitely recommend the Eden’s Root trilogy!

Author Interview

In four words, describe your next writing project. 

Ooooooooo. This is FUN! Ummmm….toooooooo….haaaaaard. Misfit. Alien. Love. War.

This was the last book in the trilogy, so you’re saying goodbye to these characters and wrapping up their story. How does it feel?

Terrible. I’ve shed real life tears over this. It feels idiotic, it what it feels, but I haven’t actually said goodbye, if I’m honest. I keep writing another novella in my head. My current WIP is kinda pissed at this point.  :)

In Emergence, I noticed some characters and references to the first book popping up. How much of the plot of the last book/overall plot arc did you have figured out when you wrote the first book?

This was a really good question. I had to think about it. The story is so woven now that it’s hard for me to even recall how some threads got their start. Here is the real story. Originally, when I sat down and began tapping away, this was a single novel. The characters are seeking Eden. They go through trials but prevail. The End. And then I met Fi. (Feel free to eyeroll, I realize that using this phrasing with regards to my own character is pretentious.) But given that this was my first plunge into a full length novel, and a return to creative writing after a long lull, it felt like a process of discovery, of “meeting” my characters as I pulled them from within myself.

By the time Eden’s Root reached it’s original ‘finish line’ in my mind, I knew that Fi wasn’t the kind of gal to sit trapped underground, happy to be safe. And I knew that the people of Eden were passionate about their mission and were willing to risk their own safety as well to achieve their goals. Everyone in the colony was brave and pioneering in his/her own way and I found myself shifting from telling a story about a girl to telling a story about a movement.

But to answer your original question…none. :) I didn’t have any of Seeds of War or Emergence worked out when Eden’s Root finished. Wait, that’s not totally true. I wrote the first few scenes in Seeds as the end of Eden’s Root originally and then shifted them to the next book. But I didn’t have much more than that.

 From the first page to the last, all of the characters have loved, lost, been pushed to their limit, and developed. I know all of them are great, but what’s been a particular favorite character aspect or plot point of yours to develop over the trilogy?

God, this is hard. Fi is my heart, much like Kiara is hers. I cannot love another above her, but I love the others each in their own way. (As Bert of Bert and Ernie once said of his beloved paper clips, “They are each so individual.”) I’m indulging myself but favorite moments:

Asher – When he goes home in Seeds of War and he carves the message to his parents in the coffee table using the Chinese characters for “husband” and “father” and himself.

Sean – The scene when he takes Sara Seeking on Topside for the first time and uses the Prime Numbers to help calm her down. She sees her first skeleton and he comforts her. It’s the moment that he really falls completely and steps into the protector role for someone who is going to turn out to be pretty fearsome. It’s a role he wont forget or relinquish, even when it costs him a piece of his humanity that he’d wanted to keep.

Sara – You don’t get her POV, but there are two key moments for Sara. Her first kill. And her confession of Layla. Then all the pieces of Sara go SNAP! right into place for you. And your heart breaks for her. It changes Sara from enthusiastic assassin to righteous angel of death in one fell swoop.

So back to Fi.
I think that one of my favorite moments for Fi is when the Seeders are in Lakeland (in Seeds of War) and Asher is hung over, having done the drinking for both of them the night before, and he and Fi have a real, serious talk. The kind of talk that really solid couples have to have and, if they are truly solid, they do have.

The reason I love that moment is because Fi finally admits not just that she was scared when they were attacked by the Lobos, but that she was scared to become a mom. I think it shows a softness in her, an unexpected area of self-doubt in a seemingly iron-willed person. Toughie that she is, she still only admits it to her husband because she trusts him with her vulnerabilities…but I think it’s an important moment. SHE grows up a lot as soon as she says what she is afraid of out loud and starts to work it out. Like Asher, she really becomes a mom in her mind in that moment.
And then Asher is so sweet. Telling her she’s already a great “mom”. Perfect. My version of toe-curling love.

Thanks so much, Rachel, I’m looking forward to your next book!