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ela_35's review against another edition
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
This book was fine but a lot of it was just saying that time was passing and the electricity still wasn’t working.
Up to around 50% nothing really happened. It said that their town was getting organised and that a lot of time was passing but it was all vague. I wanted to see them actually doing things and interacting with other characters.
Ben and Sela’s relationship is really quick and I wanted to see more of them actually interacting.
This book was fine and the idea seemed interesting but I was bored for the first half of it and then the rest was a bit quick.
bookrambler's review against another edition
3.0
In a world where the sun came down and brought down the electrical grid of Earth along with it After Sundown tackles with the aftermath of a sun apocalypse.
I've read a book with a similar scenario before but it was sci-fi; I don't want to call this a 'suspense' because it didn't feel one. The story starts with our hero Ben, an ex-marine receiving news about incoming solar flares. Then, we are introduced to our heroine Sela, who's a shy general store owner and is she's warned by Ben that she should stock up on essentials before it is too late.
The majority of the story deals with the aftermath of the situation where it is much worse than our current situation. Electricity is out, satellites aren't working which leads to zero communication with the world. Zillions of problems arise, and of course among them are people who are keen on taking advantage of the situation. Among all of this, romance blooms between loner Ben and shy Sela.
I would've liked it if we knew at least one anecdote related to Ben's life. I don't know if I missed it but I just couldn't connect with Ben. All I know about Ben is that he has 'buns of steel', and that he's an ex-marine, loner, almost definitely has PTSD, hasn't had sex for a long time, likes to brood and doesn't want to become emotionally invested(at first). I desperately wanted to know more about his childhood, teen or his time in the Marines but i got nothing. The romance also felt too rushed bordering on clinical; I wanted just a bit more emotional interaction between them.
Overall, it's a good story if I take into account the plot and the stakes. I usually love Linda Howard's books and I devoured this in a day with the occasional jabs at the book for the quality of romance. Thanks to Harper Collins/William Morrow for gifting me a copy in exchange for my honest review.
I've read a book with a similar scenario before but it was sci-fi; I don't want to call this a 'suspense' because it didn't feel one. The story starts with our hero Ben, an ex-marine receiving news about incoming solar flares. Then, we are introduced to our heroine Sela, who's a shy general store owner and is she's warned by Ben that she should stock up on essentials before it is too late.
The majority of the story deals with the aftermath of the situation where it is much worse than our current situation. Electricity is out, satellites aren't working which leads to zero communication with the world. Zillions of problems arise, and of course among them are people who are keen on taking advantage of the situation. Among all of this, romance blooms between loner Ben and shy Sela.
I would've liked it if we knew at least one anecdote related to Ben's life. I don't know if I missed it but I just couldn't connect with Ben. All I know about Ben is that he has 'buns of steel', and that he's an ex-marine, loner, almost definitely has PTSD, hasn't had sex for a long time, likes to brood and doesn't want to become emotionally invested(at first). I desperately wanted to know more about his childhood, teen or his time in the Marines but i got nothing. The romance also felt too rushed bordering on clinical; I wanted just a bit more emotional interaction between them.
Overall, it's a good story if I take into account the plot and the stakes. I usually love Linda Howard's books and I devoured this in a day with the occasional jabs at the book for the quality of romance. Thanks to Harper Collins/William Morrow for gifting me a copy in exchange for my honest review.
moni_a's review against another edition
4.0
Danke an NetGalley und HarperCollins für das Rezesssionsexemplar.
Ben lebt zurückgezogen auf einem Berg bei Wears Valley. Doch als sich eine Naturkatastrophe anbahnt, warnt er Sela, die ihn natürlich nicht ganz kalt lässt, davor. Nachdem es durch den Solarsturm keinen Strom mehr gibt, müssen die Bewohner sehen, wie sie allein als Gemeinschaft zurecht kommen.
Ich habe mich sehr über ein neues Linda Howard Buch gefeut, aber man merkt, dass sie "Bedrohliche Gefühle" nicht allein geschrieben hat. Was allerdings nichts schlechtes ist. Es ist nur ein bisschen anders als man es von ihren Bücher gewohnt ist. Der Schreibstil ist recht locker und lässt sich flüssig lesen.
Einzig die Perspektivwechel waren etwas schwierig und man wusste nicht immer gleich aus welcher Sicht gerade erzählt wird.
Ein Dystopie Roman mit einer schönen Liebesgeschichte.
Ben lebt zurückgezogen auf einem Berg bei Wears Valley. Doch als sich eine Naturkatastrophe anbahnt, warnt er Sela, die ihn natürlich nicht ganz kalt lässt, davor. Nachdem es durch den Solarsturm keinen Strom mehr gibt, müssen die Bewohner sehen, wie sie allein als Gemeinschaft zurecht kommen.
Ich habe mich sehr über ein neues Linda Howard Buch gefeut, aber man merkt, dass sie "Bedrohliche Gefühle" nicht allein geschrieben hat. Was allerdings nichts schlechtes ist. Es ist nur ein bisschen anders als man es von ihren Bücher gewohnt ist. Der Schreibstil ist recht locker und lässt sich flüssig lesen.
Einzig die Perspektivwechel waren etwas schwierig und man wusste nicht immer gleich aus welcher Sicht gerade erzählt wird.
Ein Dystopie Roman mit einer schönen Liebesgeschichte.
pzinnel's review against another edition
4.0
41/2 stars! I could not put this book down! It was filled with great characters. The romance was sweet and secondary to the dystopian story. It got me thinking!!!!
thenaptimewriter's review against another edition
3.0
Q: How do you think you’d fare in a post-apocalyptic situation like a huge solar storm, where power was totally lost?
It’s something that I’ve thought about before, when I’m reading dystopian fiction or on the admittedly rare occasion of talking with someone about their prepping stash.
It can be a pretty grim topic whether IRL or in fiction. But when romance is added to the latter equation we're offered something beautiful out of the chaos and fear. Linda Howard and Linda Jones work this magic in their book After Sundown.
Ben Jernigan is a former Marine and current near-recluse who retreated to Wears Valley—a community in the Smoky Mountains—after losing some of his men and faith during war. After learning in advance that a life-changing solar storm is imminent, he does the unexpected and informs the only person he remotely cares about, gas station owner Sela Gordon.
She thinks he’s crazy.
But she prepares for what seems to be impossible—a world that will likely be without power for at least a year.
The storm hits and people are taken back to a time when everything was done without the benefit of electricity...and internet. As they try to become accustomed to this new life Ben and Sela are increasingly attracted to the other, though the odds against them—from external and internal forces—seem pretty huge in this post-apocalyptic world...
Ben and Sela shine throughout this book as both of them have some growing to do to meet the demands facing them. Someone has to step up to lead their community, and it’s rewarding to see Ben start to come down from his mountain and Sela learn to use the voice that she usually chooses to keep quiet.
Howard and Jones have the whole alpha hero thing down, and Ben’s a model example of the type. He’s protective, strong, and determined. He’s resourceful when it comes to surviving and when he’s reluctantly moved to take care of people their chances of surviving go up exponentially (this is just me speculating, but it’s the overall effect he gives off).
When he turns his sights to Sela it’s very intense, and in a way that feels familiar (and exciting) to me as a Linda Howard reader and fan. Their attraction crackles and arcs between them, thrillingly interrupting the narration of day to day post-apocalyptic life. This is a slowwwww burn.
Speaking of the narration, I feel like I learned a lot about how to possibly survive in a post-apocalyptic world because Howard and Jones go into so much detail about the practicalities. On one hand, it's kinda cool, and I settled into the soothing recital of what Ben, Sela, and her family and friends have to do to make it. On the other, there are times when the narration starts to feel a bit dry, and I wanted more time between Ben and Sela, who don’t really get any meaningful face to face time together until approximately 25% into the novel.
After Sundown largely ignores the outside world for most of the book, giving its readers a sustained glimpse into a particular community during a time when their world comes crashing down. There's a lot on the main characters's plates, and they do worry about the eventual intrusion of outsiders in their community, but I missed the emotional impact I was expecting to see in a post-apocalyptic read. After all, there are a lot of people dying as a result of the storm--millions and millions--and I didn't see a real emotional toll of that on anyone in the book. That seems a little odd to me.
In the end After Sundown is a post-apocalyptic romance that’s got its share of violence, but that’s also encouraging and at the best moments, pretty tender and lusty. I wanted more more more time with Sela and Ben but oh boy did that Epilogue deliver.
3.5 ⭐️
I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Edelweiss+ but all opinions provided are my own.
It’s something that I’ve thought about before, when I’m reading dystopian fiction or on the admittedly rare occasion of talking with someone about their prepping stash.
It can be a pretty grim topic whether IRL or in fiction. But when romance is added to the latter equation we're offered something beautiful out of the chaos and fear. Linda Howard and Linda Jones work this magic in their book After Sundown.
Ben Jernigan is a former Marine and current near-recluse who retreated to Wears Valley—a community in the Smoky Mountains—after losing some of his men and faith during war. After learning in advance that a life-changing solar storm is imminent, he does the unexpected and informs the only person he remotely cares about, gas station owner Sela Gordon.
She thinks he’s crazy.
But she prepares for what seems to be impossible—a world that will likely be without power for at least a year.
The storm hits and people are taken back to a time when everything was done without the benefit of electricity...and internet. As they try to become accustomed to this new life Ben and Sela are increasingly attracted to the other, though the odds against them—from external and internal forces—seem pretty huge in this post-apocalyptic world...
Ben and Sela shine throughout this book as both of them have some growing to do to meet the demands facing them. Someone has to step up to lead their community, and it’s rewarding to see Ben start to come down from his mountain and Sela learn to use the voice that she usually chooses to keep quiet.
Howard and Jones have the whole alpha hero thing down, and Ben’s a model example of the type. He’s protective, strong, and determined. He’s resourceful when it comes to surviving and when he’s reluctantly moved to take care of people their chances of surviving go up exponentially (this is just me speculating, but it’s the overall effect he gives off).
When he turns his sights to Sela it’s very intense, and in a way that feels familiar (and exciting) to me as a Linda Howard reader and fan. Their attraction crackles and arcs between them, thrillingly interrupting the narration of day to day post-apocalyptic life. This is a slowwwww burn.
Speaking of the narration, I feel like I learned a lot about how to possibly survive in a post-apocalyptic world because Howard and Jones go into so much detail about the practicalities. On one hand, it's kinda cool, and I settled into the soothing recital of what Ben, Sela, and her family and friends have to do to make it. On the other, there are times when the narration starts to feel a bit dry, and I wanted more time between Ben and Sela, who don’t really get any meaningful face to face time together until approximately 25% into the novel.
After Sundown largely ignores the outside world for most of the book, giving its readers a sustained glimpse into a particular community during a time when their world comes crashing down. There's a lot on the main characters's plates, and they do worry about the eventual intrusion of outsiders in their community, but I missed the emotional impact I was expecting to see in a post-apocalyptic read. After all, there are a lot of people dying as a result of the storm--millions and millions--and I didn't see a real emotional toll of that on anyone in the book. That seems a little odd to me.
In the end After Sundown is a post-apocalyptic romance that’s got its share of violence, but that’s also encouraging and at the best moments, pretty tender and lusty. I wanted more more more time with Sela and Ben but oh boy did that Epilogue deliver.
3.5 ⭐️
I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Edelweiss+ but all opinions provided are my own.
atticusmammy's review against another edition
3.0
3 1/2 stars. What a crazy book to read during a real-life pandemic! Sure made me grateful for electricity although I did kind of envy their ability to gather together. I wonder if there will be a sequel? I hope so.
thenia's review against another edition
3.0
Another survival story from Linda Howard, this time on a whole different scale.
Ben, a former marine who lives isolated up in the mountain in his fortress of a home, reluctantly warns Sela, the shy general store owner of the nearby town about an upcoming solar storm that will be catastrophic for the whole power grid.
Unsure whether to believe him or not, Sela starts stocking up on some essentials anyway, which puts her well ahead of everyone else when the official announcement is made.
With communications and electricity down, the town has to find a way to function and survive in conditions none of them are really prepared for, and Sela ends up in a leadership position within her community.
Ben, who initially refuses to join the townspeople, happy and well prepared in his isolation, eventually finds himself drawn in by Sela and the few people he has allowed himself to get to know.
While they make a well balanced couple, supportive and understanding of each other, their love story develops as a background to the new community that's being built, so I didn't get to enjoy the romance as much as I would have liked.
Also, I would have probably enjoyed the story a lot more had I not read it during the pandemic that sadly made their reality feel a bit too close for comfort...
Ben, a former marine who lives isolated up in the mountain in his fortress of a home, reluctantly warns Sela, the shy general store owner of the nearby town about an upcoming solar storm that will be catastrophic for the whole power grid.
Unsure whether to believe him or not, Sela starts stocking up on some essentials anyway, which puts her well ahead of everyone else when the official announcement is made.
With communications and electricity down, the town has to find a way to function and survive in conditions none of them are really prepared for, and Sela ends up in a leadership position within her community.
Ben, who initially refuses to join the townspeople, happy and well prepared in his isolation, eventually finds himself drawn in by Sela and the few people he has allowed himself to get to know.
While they make a well balanced couple, supportive and understanding of each other, their love story develops as a background to the new community that's being built, so I didn't get to enjoy the romance as much as I would have liked.
Also, I would have probably enjoyed the story a lot more had I not read it during the pandemic that sadly made their reality feel a bit too close for comfort...
buecherperlen's review
5.0
Realitätsnah und Mitreißend
Dieses Buch hat mich unheimlich positiv überrascht. Anfangs hat mich der Erzählstil etwas gestört, doch ich konnte mich unheimlich schnell daran gewöhnen, was vor allem auch daran lag, dass sowohl aus Sicht von Sela, als auch Ben erzählt wurde (allerdings auch zwischendurch aus anderen Perspektiven).
Die Prämisse des Buches, der Solarsturm, hat mich vollkommen von sich überzeugt. Es wurde so realistisch dargestellt und ich finde die Katastrophe eine wirklich einzigartige Idee. An die Handlung wurde so authentisch und realistisch herangegangen und die Charaktere haben einen großen Teil dazu beigetragen.
Sela ist eine wirklich ruhige, innerlich starke Frau, die nicht auffallen will und sich dank ihrer Vergangenheit eher im Hintergrund hält. Doch ihr klares, logisches Denken kommt gerade im Sinne der Katastrophe wirklich gut und ich mochte ihre Charakterentwicklung wirklich sehr gerne. Sie ist keine naive Protagonistin und wirklich hilfsbereit und ich mochte sie wirklich gerne.
Ben ist ebenfalls eher ein Einzelgänger und ich mochte seinen militärischen Hintergrund in Kombination mit seiner ruhigen Art. Auch seine Entwicklung geschieht in angenehmen, realistischen Tempo und seine Ausstrahlung ist super. Die Liebesgeschichte der beiden ist eher ruhig und ohne Drama, aber dafür sind die Umstände einzigartig genug.
Fazit:
Dieses Buch ist eine große Überraschung und ich kann es nur jedem empfehlen. Es ist echt, roh und einzigartig.
5 ⭐️
Dieses Buch hat mich unheimlich positiv überrascht. Anfangs hat mich der Erzählstil etwas gestört, doch ich konnte mich unheimlich schnell daran gewöhnen, was vor allem auch daran lag, dass sowohl aus Sicht von Sela, als auch Ben erzählt wurde (allerdings auch zwischendurch aus anderen Perspektiven).
Die Prämisse des Buches, der Solarsturm, hat mich vollkommen von sich überzeugt. Es wurde so realistisch dargestellt und ich finde die Katastrophe eine wirklich einzigartige Idee. An die Handlung wurde so authentisch und realistisch herangegangen und die Charaktere haben einen großen Teil dazu beigetragen.
Sela ist eine wirklich ruhige, innerlich starke Frau, die nicht auffallen will und sich dank ihrer Vergangenheit eher im Hintergrund hält. Doch ihr klares, logisches Denken kommt gerade im Sinne der Katastrophe wirklich gut und ich mochte ihre Charakterentwicklung wirklich sehr gerne. Sie ist keine naive Protagonistin und wirklich hilfsbereit und ich mochte sie wirklich gerne.
Ben ist ebenfalls eher ein Einzelgänger und ich mochte seinen militärischen Hintergrund in Kombination mit seiner ruhigen Art. Auch seine Entwicklung geschieht in angenehmen, realistischen Tempo und seine Ausstrahlung ist super. Die Liebesgeschichte der beiden ist eher ruhig und ohne Drama, aber dafür sind die Umstände einzigartig genug.
Fazit:
Dieses Buch ist eine große Überraschung und ich kann es nur jedem empfehlen. Es ist echt, roh und einzigartig.
5 ⭐️