• Botanicaust

  • Botanicaust, Book 1
  • By: Tam Linsey
  • Narrated by: Meghan Kelly
  • Length: 10 hrs and 1 min
  • 4.2 out of 5 stars (46 ratings)

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Botanicaust

By: Tam Linsey
Narrated by: Meghan Kelly
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Publisher's summary

The only crop left is human....

Genetic modification has rendered Earth's croplands barren. Some survivors turned to science. Some turned to God. Some turned to the unthinkable.

Dr. Tula Macoby is a proud member of the Haldanian Protectorate, a compound built by those who believe humanity must embrace the same technology that caused the apocalypse. Bioengineered with photosynthetic skin, their mission is to eliminate the cannibalism ruling the world outside the safety of its walls, one conversion at a time.

When a prisoner who is obviously not a cannibal arrives in Tula's lab speaking a language she's never heard before, she's intrigued. His gentle but firm refusal to be genetically modified makes her question for the first time the Protectorate's policy of euthanizing anyone who won't convert.

But the law is clear: Savages who refuse the modification must be exterminated.

With time running out, will Tula risk everything to save the stranger from execution?

(This audiobook contains adult situations: sex, violence, drug references, and murder. You’ve been warned.)

Eerily plausible, Botanicaust is a must-hear for any lover of science fiction, dystopia, and post-apocalyptic fiction.

©2012 Tam Linsey (P)2014 Tam Linsey
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: Romance

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What listeners say about Botanicaust

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Unusual and suspenseful

An interesting and unusual post apocalyptic audiobook. The world created by the author is unusual, innovative but a bit hard to get into at first. The cannibals, Amish, photosynthetic people and the reclusive techno cave-dwelling immortals were all a bit confusing and took some sorting out but once I had everything straight, I really enjoyed it. It is a fascinating world that has a complex mix of societies and they all believe that theirs is the right way to live. The main protagonists, Tula and Levi, are from very different societies and the development of their relationship is convoluted and heartwarming. This book had suspense, intrigue, romance and an original storyline. The narrator did a great job of highlighting the differences between the characters and expressed emotions well. I received this audiobook at no cost in exchange for an honest review.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Another Unique Apocalypse

Botanicaust is a rather unique post apocalypse world, after some botanical plague nearly destroyed all crops on earth. The book opens some unknown time after the apocalypse, but I'm guessing more than a couple of generations (there do not appear to be any people who witnessed it first hand left). At any rate, some of the characters have some knowledge of what they were told caused it, but that does come into question in the book.

Humanity in the area of the novel has segmented into several groups. Their are several groups of technically capable people, who see the rest of the uncivilized world as "the cannibals". This is based on their knowledge that there was a lot of cannibalism post apocalypse, so they just have the mindset that everyone non-tech are cannibals. The non tech world, as we start to learn however, is not as simple as "all cannibals". We learn early on that Levi is from a small Amish like community of non-cannibals. And much further into the book Levi himself is surprised to learn that they weren't the only non-tech non-cannibals in the wasteland, and discover there are others living and trading that aren't just wanting to catch and eat them. Yes, there are cannibals, but I don't believe the problem is anywhere near as wide spread as the characters all thought. At any rate, I think all characters by the end seemed to have gained an understanding that none of them were fully right in their beliefs, whatever they were, and had come to accept change.

The book was complete in itself, and didn't really end on a cliffhanger. But I'm really looking forward to the other books in this series - I hope they get made into audiobooks. I do hope perhaps that they delve more into the real "how" of the apocalypse.

The narration was fantastic, and the narrator was able to convey the different characters accents and the tones of the narration. I'd definitely recommend the narrator for continuing this unique series!

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

PLANT PEOPLE, CANNIBALS, AND THE AMISH!!!!

Would you listen to Botanicaust again? Why?

I totlly would..and I need book 2 asap!!! SUPER GREAT STORY AND NARRATION!!!!

Who was your favorite character and why?

Tula...she is kind, and she really wants what is best for people...

Which scene was your favorite?

The Rescue!! Both of them!!

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Many moments in this book touched my heart...but I loved how Tula and Levi refused to abandon each other in the desert...they are both really good people!

Any additional comments?

** I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for and honest review **

I loved this twist on the apocalypse!!! The world is devastated by mutant plants, and vegetation is wiped out turning people into desperate cannibals..not all people but most! There is a society of genetically altered plant people, there skin has been photosynthesized and they get there nutrients from the sun now, they rarely need to eat..and when they do its only protein...but not meat, and real plants are not good for them...on the outskirts of there community are cannibals which they capture and try to convert...Levi who is a member of a religious community that has kept to themselves all this time just so happens to get captured...Tula who is there convert Doctor sees something in him, and after not successfully being able to convert him, can not stand to see him euthanized...she helps him escape...ultimately putting them both on the run!

Levi is on a journey to the Fossilites, another small community which have became immortal and have all the cures and latest technology...he needs to save his son who has cystic fibrosis...that doesn't really work out because those people are crazy! They escape again! Everywhere Levi and Tula turn they are compromised...and as they grow closer they have to fight harder to survive...Levi has a lot of faith in God...and thaat was beautiful to me..Tula has a lot of faith in science...but a wonderful heart...I like Levi and Tula together...and this was a fabulous book!!!

Thank You Meghan..you did an excellent job, and I hope you get to narrate book 2 also!!

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

well thought out and unique story

Botanicaust what a title, dredging up so many ideas in my head. A botanic holocaust? What could that entail? So many questions running around in my head.

Tam Linsey set out to create a unique world where the Earth was decimated by plants, of all things. Destroying anything resembling a society that I am familiar with. This, I am assuming, is set in the far future, after the devastation and humans have reconstructed.

Leaving three distinct species of humans. Plantfolk or Halvainiens. People that have undergone genetic cleansing and selection and manipulation. To turn them into plant-like humans. Sustaining themselves largely by photosynthesis.

There are the Fossilites, an immortal race of humans that are plagued by not genetically selecting. Leaving them with a majority of the population having Downs Syndrome. Living deep inside mountains and now they can hardly leave.

Lastly the cannibals, these are what the previous two call them. but really they are the Old Order. Trying to live in the wastelands.

We have Tula a plant person who's job it is to convert cannibals into plant people. Starts to develop feeling for Levi a cannibal and helps him escape into the wasteland. This is where Tula's life get turned upside down.

Botanicaust had more religious references than I normally hear. This didn't really bother me until the council meeting near the end. It fit into the story line, yet wasn't for me.

All in all Botanicaust is a well thought out and unique story of love, betrayal, racism, adventure and survival. A fun listen that leaves many questions unanswered, to be answered in future installments. I am interested to find out where Linsey will take these characters and look forward to learning more about this world.

At first Meghan Kelly reminded me of Emma Galvin's, soft spoken, kind of raspy, imperfect voice. She gave very little injection of anything as the narrator. However where she really shined was with the characterizations. Fluctuating her tone and volume to portray the vast array of ages, sexes, and races.

After listening to this whole story I am now sold on Kelly's skill and look forward to hearing more from her.

Audiobook submitted for review by the author.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

A Great Premise and a Good Story!

It's refreshing to find a sci-fi story that could actually occur in our timeline with a reasonable explanation to the sci-fi components of the story. I enjoyed following the small group of characters as they navigated and introduced us to their world, while exposing the reader to the three factional groups of the timeline and the conflict (whether obvious or unseen) that exists between each group.

The narration here is excellent for the story and acts to keep the reader engaged. This is a good listen!

* I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from AudioBookBlast.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Unique.

This was an incredibly unique post apocalyptic book. It's hard to explain the plot because it's better experienced. From what I got, plants destroyed the world and now only 3 type of races are left, Halvainiens - genetically modified people who are plant like and sustained using photosynthesis. Cannibals and Fossilites - I'm still not too sure what these are but I think they are immortal humans (though I'm not sure how) but there race is plagued with genetic defects.

Even with it being so unique, I only kinds liked the story. At times I found my attention wandering cause it seemed to have a lot of unnecessary details or events. I also had to go and skip back at times to replay what they were on about. The audio did come with a PDF of glossarys but I didn't have time to keep going back to it to see. I think maybe if I read it it may have been easier because I could of used the PDF but since I didn't, I didn't enjoy the story too much. Towards the end it was a chore to keep going.

Meghan Kelly did an awesome job as always. I always enjoy her performances and she always delivers. Despite not liking the book as much, Meghan made it easy to listen to.

*I received a copy of this for review. This in no way affected my thoughts.*

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Great story with unique twist

Great storyline. I loved the whole plant people, fossilite , and cannibal thing. Truly enjoyed the book. What prevented me giving it a 5 was all the religious overtime that permeates sections of the book. While born and raised Catholic I enjoy a good sci fi novel. I prefer my religion in church and in my bible not in my pleasure/relaxation reading. I look forward to trying the next in the series. I received this audiobook from the author narrator or publisher for free via audiobookblast in exchange for an unbiased review.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Botanicaust

Where does Botanicaust rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Botanicaust is unique when compared to other science fiction books I've read. I really enjoy it when a book suggests futuristic technology and even finds a way to explain it. I do not require exact science but a reasonable explanation is the minimum. Botanicaust did a great job at making me believe that what I was reading could actually come to fruition. The three things that worked together was: Post apocalyptic world, Several different cultures that interact with one another, and everyone is at a different level of technological advancement. This allows the story to never become stale.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I did not have a favorite character(in the traditional sense). Due to a language barrier between cultures, every character has multiple personas. The cannibals seem horrible when viewed by someone who doesn't understand them. But when there is no language barrier you can relate to them better. Although I liked this writing style, It made it impossible for me to like any one person. That is why my favorite character is the union of two. Tula and Levi were very difficult for me to like individually. When they are together, I love them both. They complete each other and I feel like that was the entire point of their relationship.

What about Meghan Kelly’s performance did you like?

Meghan Kelly did a great job at performing this story. I liked how she voiced each character. I could instantly recognize who was talking even if they had not been introduced to the conversation yet. She does a great job with both female and male voices. I never felt like I was missing out on the story due to poor voice acting. She has a soft voice but it carries well. The sound quality was good and the volume was always stable.She does have a bit of an accent. I placed it as Wisconsin.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Several times I got quite engaged with the plot. I would find myself gripping the steering wheel tight and breaking out in a sweat. There are parts of the book that will keep you wanting more.

Any additional comments?

There are a few tasteful sex scenes in the book. Parts of the book, especially the end, deal greatly with religion. Mainly Christianity. If you absolutely hate reading books with any religion in them, then you may lose interest at those parts. It is not overwhelming so just hang in there and it actually becomes very important to the plot. This book will make you take sides and then change them. It will force you to pick a view point and then realize you were wrong. I would recommend this book.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent Book!

I absolutely loved this book. In my opinion, the author was very creative with this unique post apocalyptic story. The narrator did an amazing job as well. I am looking forward to hearing the rest of the series when it becomes available.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Compelling Novel Where Humans Become Plant-like!

Any additional comments?

Botanicaust by Tam Linsey is a very unique and compelling novel. It is a few hundred years after the Apocalypse where most of the known world died after genetic alterations were made to certain vegetation life, which had the opposite affect than anticipated. [When you think about how many of today’s crops are genetically engineered, this plot is totally plausible!] Most natural food sources are destroyed and the only way to save the human race is to photosynthesize a person’s skin so they are less dependent on food.

The story centers around Tula who believes photosynthetic skin can save the human race. She works in the department that determines whether or not a person who is captured should be “altered” to the plant way of life or euthanized. It is clear she has grown weary of her role and does not believe that if a person refuses conversion, they should be put to death. She falls in love with Levi, a member of a community that is very similar to the Amish, who is captured and soon scheduled for euthanization. Tula soon helps Levi escape his imprisonment and they set off on a quest to find a cure for his son who is terminally ill.

Meghan Kelly did an excellent job narrating. Her narration flows naturally at an even pace. She was easy to listen to, having differing voices for all characters, male and female. She really contributed to my enjoyment of the book and I just couldn’t stop listening ~ I listened to all 10 hours in one day!

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