Rare as Earth

From a secluded boarding school in Central Pennsylvania, where the action begins, to the Southern Utah Wilderness where it concludes, Rare as Earth is as entertaining as it is educational. Jake Goddard and Susan Brand take us on another thrill ride involving arson, assault, abduction, attempted murder, car chases (well, trucks, really), and a little sex -sprinkled in like adding Slap Ya Mama Cajun spices to Louisiana delicacies.

The first two novels in the Jake Goddard and Susan Brand thriller series have been said to exemplify the sub-genre climate fiction or cli-fi because drought in the Colorado River Basin (The Straw That Broke) and larger more destructive forest fires (Some Say Fire) are partially the result of climate change.

Rare as Earth tackles issues as wide-ranging as climate change, fracking, the ­ heavy metals extractive industry, government roll-backs of environmental protections, the reduction of national monuments and the young Greta Thunberg acolytes who are striking school to protest climate injustice.

Rare as Earth features four strong female protagonists, two of whom are freshmen in high school.