1. Essential Information
2. First Impressions
3. Synopsis
4. Critical Analysis
   1. Narrative Craft
   2. Thematic Depth
5. Impact and Significance
6. Reader’s Guide
   1. Who Would Enjoy This Book
   2. Rating Breakdown
7. Conclusion

Essential Information

• Title: Atom Bomb Baby
• Author: Brandon Gillespie
• Genre: Dystopian with elements of Retro-Future Adventure
• Publication Date: June 2023
• Length: 333 pages
• Format: Paperback
• Publisher: Revenant Creative Studio

First Impressions

The one thing that drew me to Atom Bomb Baby most was the beautiful cover design. It’s bright colors and artwork style gave me a bit of the Borderlands vibe. I also heard the author talk in a LTUE panel about writing stories inspired by other works we love but making them our own. I have enjoyed the Fallout franchise and found out that Gillespie had even pitched to them to try and make it a part of their universe. Either way, the book is out and is honestly a statement piece for any bookshelf. I was excited to see another take on post-nuclear apocalypse worlds and what kind of story might come from a fresh look at the trope.

Synopsis

Surviving on your own isn’t easy, especially when you’ve been rejected for the one place that has kept you safe your entire life. Ashe is on the roam as she tries to survive psychotic raiders and terrifying mutated beasts in a world that has been “cleansed.” After losing everyone and everything she has trusted, Ashe determines that she would survive best alone rather than trusting anyone else. The universe has different plans as her attempts to keep pushing people away seem to only bring more in.

Atom Bomb Baby is set on an Earth where inter-dimensional beings, the Kraal, arrived and killed 98% of the population before it could be cleansed by nuclear weapons. Ashe’s connection with the events begin 25 years after this cleanse, and a year after being shutout of her home. The determined to take care of everything herself teenage girl is in the middle of a job when she finds a helpless boy that will change her understanding of the world around her. All the while, she’s facing the challenges of being a teenage girl in a dystopian world. You’ll find a lot of nods to Fallout, the video game franchise and TV series, but Atom Bomb Baby remains it’s own story as much as Ashe is her own person.

Critical Analysis

Narrative Craft

Gillespie’s writing style is clear and easy for the reader to follow. The one thing that the author drives home with each chapter is the protagonist’s, Ashe, wants versus needs. Sometimes it seems heavy-handed, but that could also be my author brain filtering into my reading mind. Gillespie’s storytelling immerses the reader in Arcadia, enhancing the impact of its challenges and triumphs.

The overall pacing of Atom Bomb Baby is good, with high-action scenes followed by moments of reflection, when possible. Gillespie’s post-apocalyptic writing highlights the constant threat to life, but also shows characters finding moments of relief and survival. This story’s strength lies in its well-developed plot and characters, connected from start to finish. I remember talking to the author about his structural approach and it was the 7-point plot structure mixed with the chiastic story structure. I’m planning to reach out to him for permission to use the amazing graphics from the books here if possible, so I’ll touch base with him then to see if he can give me that other part. This author’s ability to seamlessly shift focus between problems kept me hooked, making me want to read more.

The world-building has two layers in this book because of the author’s artistic abilities. The imagery provided throughout the book offers insight that often is left to the reader’s imagination, and it’s fun to see how the author imagined the story creatures and other world-building aspects. Gillespie does a good job of trickling in the information as needed, and keeping from info-dumping. The world of Arcadia is a clear, post-nuclear wasteland with unique elements thanks to the void energy influencing the world. Each monster, setting, and groups of people bring in familiar but unique elements, making Atom Bomb Baby its own story. Where Atom Bomb Baby started out as a fan-fiction type of story, it’s clear to see the similarities in concepts between the inspiration material and the final output. Having a knowledge of the Fallout game series isn’t required to appreciate the unique twists Gillespie added, but it does make for some fun easter eggs throughout the story.

The character interactions were probably my favorite part of this book. Ashe is a teenage girl just trying to survive on her own and facing the challenges of human nature when groups are separated. The human nature to gather together draws out the internal conflict in Ashe and the things she’s truly hiding from. Her interactions with Moonbeam, bless his soul, are great comedic relief and serious moments. Moonbeam comes in and seems to be the first interruption of Ashe’s perfect plan, but he’s also uniquely himself in such a way that makes it impossible not to want to help the guy out. Ashe and Moonbeam are great contrast characters in their struggles, personalities, and character growths.

Jade is a character introduced early in the story, but the full context of his impact isn’t known for a little bit longer. I think Jade was the perfect addition to the story cast because it gave Ashe a reminder of what it is to be human. The relationship between the two is so genuine, and has such unique complications, that I can’t think of a better character to find Jade. He’s a great six year old character that has access to more information than most, and that reflected in his development. I think without that secondary factor, he would have sounded older than his age, but it worked for Atom Bomb Baby.

Rainwood is the icing on the cake that I saw as the grizzled old veteran character. While his history wasn’t what I imagined, his character just gave me the feel of a retired Navy Seal stuck in a post-apocalyptic world trying to help some kids survive. Rainwood’s contrasting portrayals shows Ashe how she could turn out if she lets the anger and fear drive her too far to one side. The one thing I appreciated most about Rainwood’s character was the full scale of his personality. He could have been at either extreme all the time, but his relationship with Moonbeam shows a great father-like figure when he doesn’t have to be one.

Thematic Depth

Where Atom Bomb Baby is a coming-of-age story for young adult audiences, it should be no surprise that themes of accountability for actions, responsibility for others, and finding one’s place in a new world are prevalent. Ashe embodies the theme of responsibility for others, which often contradicts her desires but ultimately proves to be exactly what she needs. Gillespie skillfully places Jade in a situation where, when Ashe finds him, there is no question that she will help him. It’s a spoiler I won’t reveal here, but when you read it, you’ll understand. Throughout the story, Ashe feels the weight of responsibility for others as she gives her word to friends and acquaintances who can assist her in achieving her personal goals.

One of the themes not mentioned above is survival, which comes along with the post-apocalyptic world, but with a focus on what it really means to survive. The opening of the book shows a very different kind of survival from the closing. What I appreciated is that Atom Bomb Baby did a great job showing the different standards for survival. From raider groups, small villages, in-mountain bunkers, and lone treehouses, there are a diverse display of living conditions in Arcadia.

Atom Bomb Baby is a great study of a potential future, though I hope there aren’t any void storms, for a world like ours. The fear of nuclear fallout hasn’t ended in the fifties and sixties, though it may not be as much as a modern cultural staple as it was back then. We still have the potential of causing what is called “cleansing” in Atom Bomb Baby, which should get people to thinking what survival would look like if our world ended up like Arcadia.

Impact and Significance

Atom Bomb Baby’s opening sequence was amazing and immediately sucked me into the book. I was right there with Ashe ready to face death in either form that it came. Gillespie opened the book with a great flex of his visceral writing and presenting a situation where you’re left searching for answers as soon as you finish the first sentence. The thing I appreciated most about the opening of Atom Bomb Baby was that there was a balanced world-building and good build up to the larger facts of Arcadia. The characters offer great mirrors for many different people dealing with issues beyond surviving in a post-nuclear world.

The most memorable moment for me was when we learn more about Moonbeam and maybe why he’s such a quirky guy. It offered not just a great characterizing moment for him as a character, but a mirror that showed each character’s reactions and behaviors because of that situation. I would say Moonbeam is the heart of this story, and I hope you’ll love his character too!

I’m still finding myself reflecting on the world and characters well after finishing Atom Bomb Baby. The journey was so much fun, and if you check out Gillespie’s website, it’s clear that this is just the beginning of the storyline. I can’t wait to read the next segment in the Riders of the Stars series!

Reader’s Guide

Who Would Enjoy This Book

The primary target audience is YA readers who love post-apocolyptic worlds with survival elements. Fallout fans and other gamers would find this right up their alley even without this falling into the GameLit or LITRPG Landscape. Any background knowledge of Fallout will only provide a basic understanding of this type of world and the Easter eggs hidden throughout the novel. Other than that, Atom Bomb Baby is a book that anyone can pick up if it piques their interest.

Rating Breakdown

Score each aspect out of 5:

• Writing Quality: ★★★★☆
• Plot/Development: ★★★★★
• Character/Argument Strength: ★★★★★
• Pacing: ★★★★☆
• Innovation: ★★★★☆
• Overall: ★★★★☆

Conclusion

“Atom Bomb Baby” by Brandon Gillespie is a captivating dystopian adventure that blends familiar post-apocalyptic elements with unique twists. With its strong character development, immersive world-building, and thought-provoking themes, this novel offers an engaging read for both young adult and adult audiences. Gillespie’s skillful storytelling and artistic contributions create a vivid, multi-layered experience that leaves readers eagerly anticipating the next installment in the Riders of the Stars series.

I can’t wait to read more of Gillespie’s works and hope you enjoy it too! Let me know if you’ve read Atom Bomb Baby and your opinions on it! Also, if you like his writing style, check out this post on plot structure!

Buy the book here!

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