The Rye Braden Series is set in the near future. It is 2054 when we first introduce Rye Braden. The world has changed and is now governed by the United Continents. It is not a dystopian setting, as the United Continents have helped bring order to the world in most cases. Alternative energy sources have been made a reality to slow down climate change. The growth of the population has been slowed with restrictions on childbirth and family sizes. Alternative living has become a reality for some, with the introduction of Sky Zones. Drones police the skies above, always watching. Technology has advanced rapidly, including computer systems integrated with human minds and advanced communication systems. Transport has evolved to include shuttle aircraft, autonomous cars, and advances in alternative fuel and propulsion systems.
Unfortunately, human nature will always be slower to evolve.
Who Are The United Continents?
Since 2032 the United Continents has forged its dominance on the world, especially after the fall of the European Union some years earlier. After many gritty years of world conflicts, many different countries were forced to join together to safeguard the civilian populations against the dramatic rise in global terrorism that had plagued many cities and countries. The primary aim of the United Continents was to bring nations together and oppress those that demanded that the rest of the world follow their ideologies and way of life.
The United Continents takeover was rapid once the mainstream of countries had signed up, having this unity spread using the leaders of those countries. They believed in a united front to protect the globe. This also meant ending other threats, including global warming, diminishing resources, and other prominent global concerns. By 2032, the world had forged together and reduced to four continents, with each of the four continents ruled by one specific leader. These continents included Eurasia, the Americas, Africa, and Australia, meaning that Eurasia was now the most extensive and strongest of the United Continents despite being the most complicated. Antarctica had become a waste ground and not inhabited by man anymore, mainly due to global warming and the loss of the polar ice caps. It was removed from being classed as a continent, what was left of it anyhow.
Who Governs The United Continents?
The United Continents were ruled by leading figures from across the globe, with each of the four continents having their own President. Every President had four Secretary Generals under their power, which led to each Secretary-General having four Field Marshalls under their direct control. Each Field Marshall was responsible for the four areas of current warfare, Land, Sea, Air, and Space. The ruling individual over the United Continents was the Commander General; this was now the highest rank on the planet. Even the remainder of the world’s royal families were under this one person’s rule. The current Commander General was an ex-military high-ranking officer from Eurasia named Pierce Davenport.
The Evolution Of Viruses In The New World
The United Continents was also a valued defence against epidemics and pandemics, which were causing significant concern since the increase in viruses in 2020. These viruses had taken the lives of millions of people, showing total disregard for life and the human race. The rate at which each virus had spread across the globe had shocked even the most mighty of governments. From that point on, every effort had gone into protecting against the ongoing threat and any new viruses that materialised. As time moved on, it was clear that private pharmaceutical companies were playing god with vaccines, holding the population to ransom and selecting who received vaccinations first. This forced a change in the way the pharmaceutical industry was run. The companies that operated in this space were absorbed by the United Continents, although at very healthy selling prices. Even though the rich got more prosperous from the sales of these companies, it meant that medicines and vaccines were made equally available to everyone. It was refreshing to see that the United Continents did not discriminate or promote profit over well-being regarding disease and cures.
Benefits Of The United Continents
The world had seen many changes, most of which were for the better, although there were still visible differences in all areas of humanity in terms of wealth versus poverty. One of the most significant benefits was that world hunger had been overcome by 2042 due to the efforts of the United Continents and its humanitarian projects. However, this did not alleviate poverty but did ensure that men, women, and children did not starve to death through lack of aid reaching them as opposed to earlier in the century.
Genetic Manipulation Becomes A Reality
Another area of scientific advancement and one which was heavily criticised was that of genetic mutation experimentation. Despite the advancements in this scientific area, many people still did not agree with this type of human testing. It was true that genetic mutation had helped alleviate some of the worst diseases for humans. However, it was rumoured that gene mutation was also used in top-secret experiments. Still, nothing could be proved.
Summary
The above is just a snapshot of the changes in the year 2054 to give potential readers an insight into the world that hosts Rye Braden and the other characters. As the series unfolds, I am sure that other advancements and changes will be highlighted.
The story is set only thirty-two years in the future, so it was essential not to portray a completely different world. Although, exploration and assumptions had to be made regarding how the world would change in that time, especially how technology may have advanced.
At the same time, it allowed for creativity throughout the series.