Lifekeeper

Lifekeeper is a novel by Mike McQuay published in 1980.

Lifekeeper is a novel in which the world is controlled by warring military dictatorships.

[1] Greg Costikyan reviewed Lifekeeper in Ares Magazine #5 and commented that "McQuay should have taken Brunner's advice to would-be writers: first write a novel; then throw it out; then write another novel.

Your second might be readable.

"[1]