Earth Quarantined (Earth Quarantined #1) by D. L. Richardson

Earth’s population was being decimated by the EMB-II virus when the alien Criterion arrived. They averted the catastrophe, but humanity’s salvation came at a cost: the aliens stayed. At first, they stayed to assist in rebuilding and, later, the maintenance of peace among the population. For hundreds of years, the Criterion advocates have remained to guide Earth’s leaders in governing with the promise of the gift of space travel in the future.

Another consequence of the Criterion assistance was population control. The surviving human population must not outstrip the limited food and water resources the damaged planet could provide. Human female fertility is inhibited by bio-nano-probes carrying a fertility inhibitor chip which can only be unlocked by the Criterion advocates. Then when fertility is granted to a woman, only one child is allowed. Multiple births are interrupted in utero.

However, early in the Criterion occupation, a system for advancing the rebuilding efforts as well as saving these twins was developed and kept far away from the prying eyes of the advocates. Secret underground cities were established to work on a specific need or project element all geared toward getting humans off the Earth and into space. And when a twin was born, this forbidden second child was taken from its mother and smuggled into the underground hideaway to be raised and become a part of that community completely unaware of what was going on in the cities on the surface.

Unaware, that is, until one set of twins comes face to face.

This is the first volume in a new sci-fi trilogy by D.L. Richardson, the author of the exciting Welcome to the Apocalypse series. Well written, the story reveals a future Earth with a terrifying backstory. The characters are interesting and relatable, and are involved in a twisty, turny tale with lots to keep the reader invested and guessing at what’s going to happen next. I look forward to the next installment, Earth Arrested, which certainly cannot come soon enough.