This is not your typical YA romance/adventure story. Mr. Mueller creates a future dystopian world where present civilization has been decimated by war and plague. Cities and technology have begun to reappear, with barbarian tribes living in between the cities (the setting of the novel is the far future US, especially around Los Angeles) and the cities developing steam technology.

Mr. Mueller successfully combines the elements of YA, vision quest lore, romance stories, bizarre religious cults, evil priesthoods and steampunk. Add a dash of drug addicted vampire-like behavior, and you have a nice, dark and very entertaining novel.

A lot of fun to read. A very good book.