Of White Pills and Lobster - Paperback

by Wilhelm (Author)

Surtr would do anything for the people he loves-sell cocaine, go to war, or even commit treason. As a young fire sewa, part of the warrior caste of his country, his only chance to escape the meat grinder of war is to study, to research weapons instead of using them. He is drafted into the armed forces and captured by a foreign mob. Desperate to get home and to protect his younger brother from the same fate, Surtr agrees to bring their cocaine trade back with him. In pursuit of his freedom, he discovers the depth of corruption in his country that pits his tribe against his found family. Surtr must find a way to balance expectations between his country, his gang, and his tribe. As he fights to keep all three from hurting each other under mounting pressure, he is forced to choose what to save and what to sacrifice.

Of White Pills and Lobster is a dystopian science fantasy set in an alternate world, after WW3 set on the Steppes of Eurasia. It's full of elemental magic, gene tech, war and drug trade. The book relies on Tengiirist and Nordic mythology to fuel its beliefs and magic system, marrying two ancient raiding cultures, as half of the Author's family is from a post soviet steppe culture, and half is Northern European. We've read about Peter Pan beating up pirates, Naruto fighting assassins, and Luffy battling warlords of the sea. In short, watching children in an adult's world. This book is inspired by the beloved childhood heroes.

Early readers have said:

• Of White Pills and Lobster is a sweeping, visceral dystopian packed with action and tragedy that never let up. I was so engrossed in the intricate world and the devastating arcs of characters I couldn't help but love. A true feat of a debut! - Hunter Gay
• S. B. Wilhelm paints a story of love and corruption, a scathing indictment of the abuse of power, and people, where the good moments burn all the brighter for how bleak the world is. - Adorne Sibley
• Wonderfully different. Seeking glimpses of beauty in a deeply painful reality. Who they become resonates with the struggle between bitter circumstance and the human necessities of love and security. - H. R. Sillin
• A pressure chamber that forces the reader to experience it alongside the characters, who we feel like we're friends with. There is no escape from the horror in this morally ambiguous story. - Lynn Kerrigan

Tropes: morally ambiguous story telling, sibling relationships, found family, forbidden love (part of a romantic sub plot), mentor trope

Trigger Warnings:

This book contains scenes of self harm, scenes of a graphic nature towards all ages (including minors): violence, domestic abuse, explicit language, human experiments, mention of genocide, rape and assault, death of named characters, drug/ substance abuse and addiction, infringement of reproductive rights.