Book Preview — “The Last Forest”

I’m writing my first book, The Last Forest, a futuristic, eco-sci-fi thriller epic love story. This is a preliminary cover concept. I hope to have it completed and published in some form in 2020. I will also be creating illustrations and imagery for the book. I am writing, pretty far along, with a ways to go. The outline is complete, I’m very excited about the story. I’ve wanted to write a book for a long time, but I just haven’t had a good story—it came to me this Summer of 2018. Its topically relevant to and inspired by, our present day and possible futures. Excerpts from ‘The Last Forest: Future’s Last Hope,” ©2018 Bob Paltrow

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“Let us give back to nature that which she gave to us” — quote from the movie Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets

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A long, long, time ago in the distant future, in the center of a twirling galaxy far, far away—before cars and computers and trains and planes; before chocolate and soda, before sneakers and snacks, before trains and tracks, before cars and tires, before video games and jump ropes—there was a beautiful blue and green planet with three moons, revolving around an orange sun.

Once upon a time—and for a great while thereafter—it was a joyous, happy place: thriving and resplendent with rich tapestries of diverse and complex ecosystems. A world so vibrantly alive, abundant and colorful, they named it Huetopia.

Overflowing with mountains, forests, rivers, streams and waterfalls; birds, fish and beasts of all sorts, sizes, varieties and peculiarities, Huetopia was an unparalleled planetary paradise of seemingly endless resources and breathtaking beauty.

So the legends say.

That was a long time ago. Only the ancestors of our ancient ancestors can say how long ago it was for certain. As on Earth, Huetopians evolved and developed into great civilizations. Nations emerged and diverse cultures developed. Technological advancements enabled diseases to be cured, life spans to be lengthened, modes of transportation became swifter, harvests more fruitful, communication faster to the point of constant and instantaneous.

So the history books say.

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The Climate War was the war to end all wars. There was nothing left to fight for—besides survival.

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It sure feels like a losing cause, crawling along at subsonic speed in this 350 year old, dilapidated, duct-taped together piece of crappin’stein. But hey, if it takes a last ditch effort in a flying shit can to save our great civilization, I’m game.

The heat was off the charts blistering and oppressive, but that just made Tayo-Mar want to push the pedal to the metal, the dusty desert winds fanning up and over the windshield of his salvaged hybrid Arachnocruiser.

Hope had never felt so urgent, and we had never felt so alive. Its not every day you get to save the world. If ever. ”Maybe once,” Tayo-Mar mused.

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