From Booklist
Set in a futuristic dystopia where women are scarce—fertile women, especially—Waters’ debut thriller opens as Emma wakes up in a hospital, unsure of who she is or why she is there. The handsome man at her bedside assures her that he is her husband, and she lets him fill her head with details of their life together. But Emma has terrible nightmares in which she is trapped, as if she is being prepped for some bizarre experiment. The dreams intensify, as do daytime flashes of memory, and she is haunted by images of being held in some sort of camp or training ground where women are bred to be wives. Back in reality, Emma is slowly realizing the truth about the world around her, where wives are bought and branded and treated like property. What do her dreams have to do with reality—and which is the more frightening scenario? Waters has created a fascinating world in this well-plotted tale. A sequel, Prototype, is set to follow in less than a year. Definitely a writer to watch. --Rebecca Vnuk
Review
Praise for M.D. Waters and Archetype:
"Archetype is the literary equivalent of a big-screen blockbuster with its beautiful but deadly heroine, tragic love triangle and grim futuristic setting. The closest thing in print may by Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale, but Emma is Offred with mixed martial arts training...Archetype finished with a cliffhanger made even more tantalizing by Dutton's promise to publish the sequel, Prototype, in six months. The prospect has me more excited than the next "Hunger Games" movie." - Associated Press
"Emotional involvement powers this absorbing gothic thriller in science fiction trappings." - Publishers Weekly
"Readers looking for a great thriller with a strong female protagonist mixed with a hint of science fiction should pick this up immediately." - Library Journal (starred review)
"Waters has created a fascinating world in this well-plotted tale. A sequel, Prototype, is set to follow in less than a year. Definitely a writer to watch." - Booklist
"A twisty, thought-provoking futuristic tale that unnerves and enthralls." - Family Circle
"I love reading debut novels because I want to find the next awesome author that's going to shake up the reading world. And that's what is going to happen with M.D. Waters's first book Archetype, coming out in Feb 2014. Twenty pages into the book I knew I wouldn't be getting much sleep until I finished every last page and re-read a few more. It will probably be categorized as sci-fi, and it is, but it's not too far off from the reality we all can understand. Oh, there are some changes, and you learn more about them as you go, but really, you will just fall into the complex storyline and puzzle along with the heroine as she tries to figure out what exactly has happened to her life. This is a high concept, high adventure, steamy love story with plenty of action and violence. I am still dreaming about the characters, which makes me very happy to have learned that the author's second book will be coming out in July 2014. I will absolutely be the first person in line for it."
—Jackie Blem, Tattered Cover Bookstore, Denver, CO
"M.D. Waters has given us that rare and wonderful action heroine who possesses both nerve and emotional depth. That rich characterization combined with an intricately crafted sci-fi mystery made Archetype an enthralling debut that I couldn't put down."
–#1 New York Times Bestselling Author Richelle Mead
"This is one of those unforgettable, breathless books you want all your friends to read."
—Kym Havens, Wellesley Books, Wellesley, Massachusetts
“Archetype is outstanding! While reminding me of Marge Piercy, George Orwell, and Margaret Atwood, this book takes off on its own from the very beginning . . . . The holographic texture of this story is absorbing and peels away at dystopia—creating something else entirely. M.D. Waters is her own cup of tea that I can’t see anyone putting down.”
—Emily Wilson, City Lights Bookstore, Sylva, North Carolina
"[A] dazzling debut....This is one of those books that seeps into your consciousness. It breeds discontent. It forces one to ponder the possible 'what if?' "
—Krys Tourtois, Schuler Books and Music, Lansing, Michigan
"A mystifying tale that tiptoes up and grabs you by the throat....With writing that is supremely confident, Waters builds the tension slowly and Emma's doubts and secrets multiply until the haunting explosion of the truth."
—Susan Wasson, Bookworks, Albuquerque, New Mexico
"Archetype is can't-put-it-down, up-all-night-reading fantastic. Emma is an endlessly fascinating, deeply compelling narrator, and I loved every moment I spent in her head."
—Sarah Holt, Left Bank Books, St Louis, Missouri
"A chilling, action-packed futuristic thriller....Like the works of Margaret Atwood, Archetype has kept me thinking about it and the questions it raises long after having turned the last page."
—Billie Bloebaum, Powell’s Books, Portland International Airport, Portland, Oregon
"Archetype is a thrilling and engaging story, with lots of plot twists and mysteries to keep readers excited and entertained. I would definitely recommend this book to other readers who enjoy anything from science fiction to romance... this book has it all."
—Katherine Konishesky, RJ Julia Booksellers, Madison, Connecticut
"Archetype is a thought-provoking novel that will appeal to science fiction lovers and romance readers, alike."
—Ellen Klein, Hooray for Books!, Alexandria, Virginia
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