G.C. Julien's novella "The Feral Sentence III" is another fast-paced segment in the continuing saga of life on the prison island of Kormace, focusing mainly on protagonist Lydia Brone. Readers are able to see Brone changing as she finally comes to understand that her short-term sentence of three years is actually a life sentence - no one is ever picked up via helicopter or any other means, for completing their sentence. The only way off the island thus far, is death. Brone's acceptance as to the actual meaning of her sentence allows her to explore and grow an inner strength she never realized she was capable of, while still trying to hang onto a sense of normalcy and humanity. Again, Julien presents a tight, well edited piece of the puzzle of life on Kormace, with no noticable grammar, punctuation or spelling errors. Some of the secondary characters are offering tidbits about their lives before Kormace and how they landed on the island, which in turn allows Brone to truly see how life had treated her and how she had come to make the decision that changed her life and sentenced her to the prison island. In the first installment, readers likely focused on Brone's fear and confusion; the second installment gave insight into Brone's terror turning to anger and her finally seeing the flaws and injustices of her society's laws. This third installment allows readers to witness Brone's budding acceptance of life while she continues to question society's treatment of those they had deemed unfit for normal society, as she continues to adjust to the new society she lives in. We are able to witness her character growth, for good or bad. This reader normally does not read cliff-hanger-ending stories, preferring a solid beginning, middle and ending - whether the ending is one of my choosing or not. However, when asked to read and review the first installment of this series, this reader made the decision to move forward with the understanding that each installment would undoubtedly end with a cliff hanger, and has not been disappointed thus far by the cliff hangers or Julien's story telling skill. Julien offers a fast-paced, tightly written story with interesting and nicely developed characters, settings that are easily visualized, and believable dialogue that is unique to the character speaking. This reader continues to recommend the author - and prepares to dive into the final installment of "The Feral Sentence". ** Review originally posted to Amazon reviews on April 21, 2017 and Goodreads on the same date. **
