X Isle by Steve Augarde

Two years after the world floods, the last remaining place of hope is Eck’s Island (X Isle), run by the mysterious preacher John Eck and his sons. Parents on the mainland send their boys to the island to work an underwater operation to salvage canned goods and, hopefully, live a better life. Steve Augarde’s tale follows Baz and Ray, two boys chosen to work on X Isle, and their developing friendship as they perform dangerous labor, fight with other workers for rationed food, and avoid the physical abuse of the preacher’s sons. Augarde’s style, strong characters, and gritty, industrial-like world demands your attention from start to finish.