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The Farm: A Science Fiction Thriller (The Emergence Mystery Book 1) Kindle Edition

4.0 out of 5 stars 130 ratings

One mysterious farm...
Five slaves with no memories of the past...
A shocking discovery that none of them saw coming.


***

"With elements of Lost, Westworld, and many classic scifi tales, The Farm is a simmering piece about the grey area of power relationships. Recommended for those looking for a contemplative sci-fi mystery." - Paul C

In the distant future, mankind is nearly extinct.
Those who remain work the farms.
But it's just a matter of time before humans are no longer needed...
The countdown to the end has begun.

***

Waking up on a farm that appears to be out of the early 1800's, Cole has no recollection of the past. He stands in line as the landowner and his two farmhands explain the rules of the farm along with the consequences of breaking those rules.

But for the sweet taste of freedom, questions will be asked and rules will have to be broken to find the truth, leaving Cole in the fight for his life as he seeks to fulfill the dying wish of an old man who longs to see mankind back on top of the food chain once again.

Will Cole find the answers to all of his questions and obtain the freedom that he so desperately wants?

Or will he die trying and rest in peace on the farm?

ABOUT THE FARM
Packed full of mystery and suspense, The Farm is a page-turning, character driven thrill ride that you won't soon forget. It is the first book in The Emergence Mystery series.

Note: this novel is available in print paperback as well as an eBook on Kindle Fire and Kindle eReader. It is also available in Kindle Unlimited where subscribers can read for free.

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Editorial Reviews

Review

SELECTED PRAISE FOR MATT MOSS

"I'm happy to say that this book just further cements Matt as an author to really watch in the genre and he continues to make a significant mark with his books." -
on The Legend of the Soul Stones.

"This book was entertaining enough to me that I sat down and read it all the way through in one sitting!" -
on The Farm

"Could NOT put this book down!" -
on Alterlife

From the Inside Flap

An Exclusive Excerpt from The Farm:


Chapter ONE


Today is the first day of my life. At least, I think it is.

I can't remember anything from before.

In my short time here, there's two things that are certain.

I'm on a farm.

And I don't know if I'll make it through the week.

Standing beside me in a line are four other men, all similar in height, weight and features; white skin, brown hair, brown eyes, brown clothes that are more like cotton rags than anything else. I'm on the end of the line, wondering what is going on and why we're all gathered here. No doubt they're all thinking the same thing judging by the looks on their faces. Surely, they're asking themselves the same questions:

Who am I?

Where am I?

How did I get here?

Behind us lies the farm--flat and seemingly endless. There's a big red barn off to the side a couple hundred yards from the house and a large oak tree stands tall beside it. Weeds and grass have grown up throughout the fields, choking out the last vestige of a crop that used to grow there.

In front of us looms the farm house. Actually, it's more like a mansion; massive, and with more rooms than anyone could ever use or need. It looks like it was built in the nineteenth century and, judging by the white paint that is peeling around the windows and balcony, in need of some repairs. A wrap-around porch that's supported by ivory pillars with two porch swings on opposite sides looks inviting enough. It's hard to tell how big the house actually is since a twenty foot fence blocks both sides and wraps around the property, disappearing somewhere into the woods. Pine trees, thick, straight and tall jet out from the side of the mansion as far as the eye can see; the fence in front of them acting the part of sentinel.

Standing in front of us are two men. One looks like the rest of us but is much larger and has red hair, green eyes. The other man is black and wears a Chicago Bulls ball cap. He looks up and down our line with a bemused grin, while the red-haired man eyes us like dogs that just shit in his yard. His hand is resting on a bull whip that's strapped to his side, his stance loose and weight slightly shifted to his left foot. He glares at me and spits a mouthful of tobacco in my direction. I break my stare and look away.

It looks like they're both waiting on someone, and I'm wondering when one of them will say something. I glance to my right and wonder when one of us is going to say something. A bead of sweat trickles down my back and I look up to the sky, finding the sun set high. Must be midday. I look at the black man and now notice that he has a whip as well. Must have blended in with his dark clothing before.

The mansion door opens and a white man dressed in a tuxedo suit steps onto the porch. His steps are quick, the sound of his solid heel shoes clicking on the wood steps as he approaches. He glides through the freshly trimmed lawn like a man on a mission and with no time to waste. When he stops, he looks up from the ground for the first time, his eyes locking on me first before darting to the men next to me. One by one, he sizes us up.

Red crosses his arm and sticks his chest out. I dare not speak, but the silence is killing me. I pick my bare foot up and rub an itch at my ankle.

"Good day gentlemen," the man in the tuxedo finally speaks. "I am Mr. Whyte. I am the owner of this farm and take great pride in it. I expect you to do the same." He pauses and curls his lips, the thick, dark mustache rising up into his nose. "The man to my right is Mr. Red."

I knew it. And let me guess... the man to your left is Mr. Bla-

"And the man to my left is Mr. Gibbs."

Mr. Gibbs tips his hat to us in a slight nod before pulling a hand rolled cigarette out of his shirt pocket. He lights it and takes a long slow draw before releasing the smoke to roll up around his head.

Mr. Tuxedo continues. "These two are my farmhands. They run this place under my supervision and I expect you to give them your utmost respect. There's a lot of work to be done and not much time."

"What the hell is this place?" a strong voice calls from the other end of the line. I lean forward to steal a glance.

Mr. Red storms up to him, fists clenched. "You will speak when spoken to. Do I make myself clear?" The man who spoke stares wordless at Mr. Red in reply, an arrogant look on his face, daring the farmhand to do something.

"That's enough Mr. Red, thank you," Mr. Whyte calls out. "No doubt you all have many questions, and they will be answered in time. Mr. Red, must I repeat myself?"

"No, sir." Red narrows his gaze at the man on the end of the line, sucks air through his teeth, and walks back to his spot.

Mr. Gibbs chuckles and shakes his head, then takes another slow toke before putting the cherry out on the grass.

Mr. Whyte gives a cautious look to Mr. Red as he returns. It was an odd look. Cautious. Fearful, maybe? I wonder if anyone else noticed it. Probably not. It was probably nothing. Mr. Whyte speaks. "There are only three rules on this farm, so listen carefully. "One," he holds a finger up. "You obey at all times."

Not gonna happen. Especially with the hot head on the end.

"Two. No talking while at work."

"This is bull shit. I'm not going to stand here--" A crack from Red's whip snapped just shy of the hot head's nose, the sound of it startling me and no doubt giving him cause to piss himself. Red draws it back, quick, and holds it ready in case the guy wants to say something else.

These people obviously aren't playing around man, so shut the hell up until we sort all this out. Everyone waits for the man at the end of the line to speak as his face is beet red, looking like he's about to explode. He doesn't say another word.

Mr. Whyte shoots a glare at the hot head and holds three fingers up. "Three. You take what we give you. There is no currency here, so your payment is food. If you work well and follow the rules, you will be rewarded. If you don't, you will be punished." He folds his hands and inclines a nod. "Have a good day, gentlemen."

We watch in silence as he turns and walks through the yard and up the steps, shoes clicking on the porch before returning back inside the white house.

Mr. Gibbs walks to the front of the line. "You heard the man, let's get to work." He cuts between us and begins walking towards the field. A couple follow after him. Red motions the rest of us along. "Let's go little doggies. Move," he says.

As we approach the barn, I notice all the usual things that a barn might have lying around. Shovels, mattocks, hoes, a post hole digger--all showing signs of rust from years of use on the farm, the wood handles aged and splintered. Off to the side there's a well, not like the kind that you pump water out with a handle, but the old style well with a hole in the ground, bucket and rope. Closer now to the large oak tree near the barn, it's bigger than what I thought. The trunk is scarred with what looks like many hits from an axe or large knife.

"Home sweet home," Mr Gibbs says as he stops in front of the large open doors.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07VX7VWDR
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 27, 2019
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.0 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 272 pages
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Book 1 of 2 ‏ : ‎ The Emergence Mystery
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.0 out of 5 stars 130 ratings

About the author

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Matt Moss
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Writing within the Science Fiction and Fantasy genres, Matt's books have been described as fast paced, intriguing, and hard to put down. He hopes that the reader enjoys his novels as much as he enjoys writing them.

Matt Moss is the author of THE LEGEND OF THE SOUL STONES, ALTERLIFE, and THE FARM.

***For a sneak peek at new books, free stories, and more, subscribe to the newsletter at:

www.mossthewriter.com/the-books

Like the Facebook page: www.facebook.com/mossthewriter

Books by Matt Moss:

________________

THE LEGEND OF THE SOUL STONES - B07NQRHKGH

THE REBELLION - B07NZZKND3

________________

ALTERLIFE - B07Q4DF7HD

ALTERLIFE II - B07QFFGKZQ

ALTERLIFE III - B07XYC68RB

ALTERLIFE IV - B091D1JZ36

________________

THE FARM - B07VX7VWDR

LUNAR BASE 9 - B08LW1R2SL

________________

HEROES WANTED: A FANTASY ANTHOLOGY (Contributor) - B0825H8H5T

Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
130 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book thoroughly entertaining. They appreciate its imaginative elements, with one customer noting how it keeps readers guessing throughout.

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8 customers mention "Enjoyment"8 positive0 negative

Customers find the book thoroughly entertaining, with one describing it as a well-done science fiction novel.

"...leave a ‘verified purchase’ review of what I thought was a thoroughly entertaining read...." Read more

"...The conclusion is less satisfying, but still a viable vehicle for understanding the underlying plot." Read more

"This book was entertaining enough to me that I sat down and read it all the way through in one sitting!..." Read more

"...Good read, I recommend" Read more

7 customers mention "Imaginativeness"7 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the imaginative elements of the book, with one describing it as a contemplative sci-fi mystery that keeps readers guessing.

"...It starts with several mysteries that make the reader wonder and greatly contemplate the possibilities...." Read more

"...This book takes that metaphor and gives it new meaning. The journey is mysterious and encourages the reader to ponder the ultimate “ why “ ?..." Read more

"Interesting idea, slow execution. The word “thriller” in the title shouldn’t be confused with any kind of thrilling adventure or action." Read more

"...It shows a lot of imagination, and again, this author brings to life the settings with his vivid descriptiveness...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on August 27, 2019
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I began reading The Farm when the author started releasing it a chapter at a time on Facebook. After 9 or 10 weeks when I had read the whole book, I purchased the digital copy specifically so that I could leave a ‘verified purchase’ review of what I thought was a thoroughly entertaining read. It starts with several mysteries that make the reader wonder and greatly contemplate the possibilities. Toward the end it really gets cranking on the sci-fi aspects with fascinating implications. Without spoiling, it has a detail that was dwelled upon in chapter 2, that was then categorically denied in the rest of the book. I went back to read a few chapters over in case I missed a clue, but perhaps it’s a question to be answered in the (greatly anticipated!) second book in The Farm series.
    One person found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on November 6, 2021
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    While I have always believed the journey to be a bit more important than the destination. This book takes that metaphor and gives it new meaning. The journey is mysterious and encourages the reader to ponder the ultimate “ why “ ?

    The conclusion is less satisfying, but still a viable vehicle for understanding the underlying plot.
  • Reviewed in the United States on April 20, 2020
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Interesting idea, slow execution. The word “thriller” in the title shouldn’t be confused with any kind of thrilling adventure or action.
  • Reviewed in the United States on June 14, 2021
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    actually.....you can built in machines a device that made them able to digest organic material just like we organic beings do.

    this process or item is called bio-converter/tor.
    a power plants that function much like a
    human's system. They generate energy using food and atmospheric
    oxygen. and have a "mouth" into which water and food
    (anything biological) must be placed. A robol with a jaw may
    eat like a human. chewing food: otherwise. food must be liquefied
    (or be baby food. etc.) and poured in.

    there is also The vampire's bio-converter/tor version or option. witch requires 1 gallon of blood per day. (An average human body has 1.25 gallons blood.)

    credits to: GURPS Robots by David L. Pulver.
  • Reviewed in the United States on September 3, 2019
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    With elements of Lost, Westworld, and many classic scifi tales, The Farm is a simmering piece about the grey area of power relationships.

    Cole wakes up without any recollection of the details of his past. He is on a farm with four other men, all 33-years-old and with similar physical characteristics as himself. They are warded over by two farmhands, Mr. Red and Mr. Gibbs. There is also the owner of the farm, a sort of overseer named Mr. Whyte.

    The men are instructed to work the land, sleep in the barn, and not to ask questions. But man’s inquisitive nature takes over and the five quickly need to feed a desire to either run away or get answers. Small cracks start to appear in the relationships amongst the men and with the farmhands. Incentives and punishments are doled out for work performance, which only causes more of a rift. And when Mr.Whyte takes a special interest in Cole, things start to go a bit haywire.

    I will hold off on writing about anymore of the plot because I don’t want to reveal too much. Moss deals with themes of stoicism, Stockholm syndrome, and group dynamics. Each idea building on the next and twisting up against the characters. I enjoyed the character of Cole. He’s both a part of the group and finds himself broken off and thoughtful. It’s this depth that really contributes to my enjoyment of this short novel.

    This was a very quick read… a one-evening read as a matter of fact. The pacing is quick: Moss’s foreshadowing slowly reveals the truth about The Farm, the origin of the workers, and what really happens in the the white farm house. I also appreciated the many allusions the author makes along the way… all important to pick up as the conclusion puts all the pieces together.

    Recommended for those looking for a contemplative sci-fi mystery.

    From Blurb: This book contains graphic language, violence, and sexual content.
    4 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on August 28, 2019
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    This book was entertaining enough to me that I sat down and read it all the way through in one sitting! It shows a lot of imagination, and again, this author brings to life the settings with his vivid descriptiveness. Would highly recommend it, but some scenes and language are not for younger readers.
    One person found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on February 7, 2023
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Cole is one of five similar-aged men who find themselves on a farm in what appears to be the mid-west. They till the soil from dawn to dusk under the watchful eyes of Mr Red and Mr Gibbs. But Cole senses that something is not right and hopes his burgeoning friendship with farm owner Mr Whyte will reveal the truth.
    Unfortunately, it’s a slow and plodding journey to that point, and , for me, not particularly revelatory even then.
    I stuck at it but I was left wanting more tension, more jeopardy, and the promised thrills. Opportunities were there - the absence of bugs, hints of mutiny, what did they do to Larry, the buried “treasure”.
    Perhaps book 2 will offer up more but as I was drawn to this one mostly by the claim of a thriller rather than the scifi element, I’m not inclined to continue with the series.
  • Reviewed in the United States on November 6, 2019
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I liked this. The whole story I was trying to figure out what, really, was the situation these slave farmhands were in. I love stories where people wake up with no memory and are thrust into a bizarre situation and have to adapt. Most of this tale consists of these farm slaves trying to cope with the situation they are in, each other, their overlord slave drivers and their brutal conditions.

    The very end of this book reveals a shocking science fiction revelation about what situation they are actually in. I think the second book with be better because it will be more science fiction focused. I look forward to that. Recommended.
    One person found this helpful
    Report

Top reviews from other countries

  • johnny 9
    4.0 out of 5 stars Good
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 2, 2022
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Good read
  • Nikhil Bhatt
    4.0 out of 5 stars Worth a read
    Reviewed in India on December 11, 2019
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Good read.
  • WestCoaster
    5.0 out of 5 stars keeps you engaged !
    Reviewed in Australia on April 2, 2021
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I enjoyed reading this novel, this is book 1 of a 2 book series. the author does a good job of keeping you engaged and guessing what is happening.
  • Lynne E. Jones
    3.0 out of 5 stars Not bad
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 6, 2020
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    The premise was intriguing but the writing could have done with a bit of polish. I enjoyed this story.

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