Publisher's Synopsis
Innocence Lost is the first volume of the Altheizer Trilogy, a speculative series that looks at humanity's quest for survival following a century of global strife that has decimated the human population. Volume 1 in the series introduces Jack Wilson, a an average man living an unassuming life in what remains of the planet's civilization, who suddenly abandons all he has known to take refuge in the wilds of the Altheizer Preserve. During his wanderings, he is befriended by the residents of the preserve, known in civilized lands as savage Naturalites, and it is through these innocent people that he learns of a new way of life, a new way of survival.
Altheizer Preserve is one of several large tracts of abandoned lands where its inhabitants live simple lives in rustic communities, often located within the shadows of the remains of abandoned and decaying cities. Wilson finds a new home in one of these small villages but soon realizes that he has to return to civilization to uncover the mysteries that destroyed his former way of life. Soon, he discovers a world he never imagined existed in civilized society, secrets that continue to threaten society's attempts at recovering from global desolation. He discovers that humans have not really learned from mistakes made a century ago and are following a path that may end their existence entirely. Not only must he fight his inner demons, but Wilson also must find a way back to the preserve, where the true future of mankind may lie.
Innocence Lost is a story about a brave new world where civilization has found the answer to longevity, counting their life expectancies in centuries not years or decades. This twist to the post-apocalyptic genre creates a unique conflict between opposite ways of life. The Naturalites have denounced the concept of longevity and remain loyal to beliefs they have held for centuries. As Wilson learns of their ways of life, he realizes how truly different their lives are, that his new-found friends will age, grow old and die while he will remain virtually the same age as the day he first discovered their existence. Perhaps it is these differences that drives him back to civilization, but perhaps it is also why he eventually attempts a return to this strange new world.
