Appleseed by Matt Bell

This is a destruction story, a creation story and a story of the Earth not as we know it but transformed into something strange. The strong survive and the weak do not but in Matt Bell's strange new world - the strong are regurgitating flesh and DNA to spit out new models of human and animal. Volunteers (who are anything but) arrive out of the destruction to work the fields and fuel the loom. It is where a small army will stage a fight or die trying. The other story is of two brothers, mythical faun creatures in the forest planting apple groves retreating to human form when around others. They are the legend of Johnny Appleseed come to life. Matt Bell's writing gushes forth in a slurry of thoughts and feelings giving the reader a true sense of the confusion and despair that has taken control. Frightening, brutal and freakishly fascinating, this Frankenstein meets climate change is perfect for fans of WestWorld, THE NEW WILDERNESS and the strange stories of Jeff Vandermeer.  4 1/2 stars