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3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
Surprisingly I didn't like this one too TOO much. Like, it was good but the first book was phenomenal.
I think another reviewer Steve said it best: "I didn't like this one nearly as much as the first volume in the "Triptych", and I'm not sure why... Perhaps it was that I lost the connection with the characters from the first group of stories (several of the stories in this volume didn't even have the same main characters)...Perhaps I like the intensity of knowing that some great disaster/invasion/event is coming and how people react to that pressure.)
I really think some of the poignancy is lost from the first stories with too much exploration---especially in the case of the stories that had different characters. There were some real gems here, including the first and last in the bunch.
Going to paraphrase some from Carolyn F. here and add my own comments:
1. Herd Immunity by Tananarive Due. 5 stars. We follow the same girl, sans grandmother, as she follows and meets another Naturally Immune (she thinks) at a fairground and it was so good and all the feels. I would read a book of this, hands down.
2. The Sixth Day at Deer Camp by Scott Sigler. 4 stars. We actually get to see some aliens.
3. Goodnight Stars by Annie Bellet. 4 stars. Follow up from the moon mission/exploding.
4. Angels of the Apocalypse by Nancy Kress. Everyone is all docile because alien dust in volcanoes and a girl tries to help her sister. 4 stars.
5. Agent Isolated by David Wellington. The prion zombie brain follow up. CDC dude tries to save some people and can't. 3.5 or 4 stars.
6. By the Hair of the Moon by Jamie Ford. A survivor in an opium den tries to find a way to escape destruction by comet and smoking opium helped her survive. Good story. 3 stars.
7. Dear John by Robin Wasserman. Wow. One of the survivors writes goodbye letters to her lovers and tries to figure out what she wants next. Really good! 5 stars. That was a good place to end it----I really feel like the first (Herd Immunity) and this are best in the collection.
We will see what the 3rd and final part holds.
I think another reviewer Steve said it best: "I didn't like this one nearly as much as the first volume in the "Triptych", and I'm not sure why... Perhaps it was that I lost the connection with the characters from the first group of stories (several of the stories in this volume didn't even have the same main characters)...Perhaps I like the intensity of knowing that some great disaster/invasion/event is coming and how people react to that pressure.)
I really think some of the poignancy is lost from the first stories with too much exploration---especially in the case of the stories that had different characters. There were some real gems here, including the first and last in the bunch.
Going to paraphrase some from Carolyn F. here and add my own comments:
1. Herd Immunity by Tananarive Due. 5 stars. We follow the same girl, sans grandmother, as she follows and meets another Naturally Immune (she thinks) at a fairground and it was so good and all the feels. I would read a book of this, hands down.
2. The Sixth Day at Deer Camp by Scott Sigler. 4 stars. We actually get to see some aliens.
3. Goodnight Stars by Annie Bellet. 4 stars. Follow up from the moon mission/exploding.
4. Angels of the Apocalypse by Nancy Kress. Everyone is all docile because alien dust in volcanoes and a girl tries to help her sister. 4 stars.
5. Agent Isolated by David Wellington. The prion zombie brain follow up. CDC dude tries to save some people and can't. 3.5 or 4 stars.
6. By the Hair of the Moon by Jamie Ford. A survivor in an opium den tries to find a way to escape destruction by comet and smoking opium helped her survive. Good story. 3 stars.
7. Dear John by Robin Wasserman. Wow. One of the survivors writes goodbye letters to her lovers and tries to figure out what she wants next. Really good! 5 stars. That was a good place to end it----I really feel like the first (Herd Immunity) and this are best in the collection.
We will see what the 3rd and final part holds.
Some great and chilling stories. Along with some sad ones. Overall excellent work, though.
After having been disappointed with the first volume overall, I considered not continuing because I didn't care about about the stories really. I had already previously read the Ken Liu one, so that was even less incentive. I kept reading though for three reasons. I wanted to see how the experiment went, it bothered me to only have a third of the story, and honestly probably most of all I wanted to be accurate with creating the image that summed up the stories of the three volumes.
full size: https://i.imgur.com/3mqDjMO.png
HERD IMMUNITY - Tananarive Due
She hasn't seen another human in 9 months. When she finds a guy, she's desperate, even though he doesn't want anything to do with her, for good reason.
Blah
THE SIXTH DAY OF DEER CAMP - Scott Sigler
...was the counterattack
Meh
GOODNIGHT STARS - Annie Bellet
The daughter of a woman on the moon colony and her friends rush to find safety from the moon debris.
Meh
ROCK MANNING CAN’T HEAR YOU - Charlie Jane Anders
They're wacky adults now making zany gonzo films, but for some reason their films keep ending up with someone killed. WEIRD! Also, the world is a disaster, but don't worry about that.
Blah
FRUITING BODIES - Seanan McGuire
A mother and daughter attempt to survive in a world devoured by fungus. It's repetitive for a short story, which I assume was to mimic the mother's OCD, but I didn't appreciate it. I also don't have any appreciation at all for this particular type of dark story.
Blah
BLACK MONDAY - Sarah Langan
Another group attempts to survive, but choices make in desperate circumstances often lead to unfortunate outcomes.
Blah
ANGELS OF THE APOCALYPSE - Nancy Kress
Now everyone under 30 is docile. Popular sentiment is that they all need to be killed because they're soulless monsters. Also, it was aliens all along.
Blah
AGENT ISOLATED - David Wellington
Agent Whitman tries to escape with a group of survivors and evade both the zombie hordes and the military who are hunting down the potentially infected.
Ok
THE GODS WILL NOT BE SLAIN - Ken Liu
The uploaded human consciousness battle each other for supremacy.
Enjoyable
YOU’VE NEVER SEEN EVERYTHING - Elizabeth Bear
A woman treks against the United States to be reunited with her partner and child. Flu has killed off many, more than it should have, as it was exacerbated by the anti-vaxxer movement.
Meh
BRING THEM DOWN - Ben H. Winters
The two characters in the dead world bumble around until the plot happens.
Blah
TWILIGHT OF THE MUSIC MACHINES - Megan Arkenberg
Highly acidic rain slowly corrodes the world, but in this town mostly everyone lives as if doom wasn't upon them. A slice-of-life during an ongoing apocalypse.
Ok
SUNSET HOLLOW - Jonathan Maberry
Hack & slash survival horror zombie b movie with an infant escort mission
Blah
PENANCE - Jake Kerr
He didn't decide who would die, but he had to tell them that they would, which would forever haunt him.
Meh
AVTOMAT - Daniel H. Wilson
1707, Imperial Russia, the last mechanician creates two humanoid automata using ancient relics that give them life.
Ok
DANCING WITH BATGIRL IN THE LAND OF NOD - Will McIntosh
His wife of twenty-two years announced she's been having an affair, so he leaves to try start a relationship with his celebrity crush, the 58 year old actress who played Batgirl in her younger years.
Meh
BY THE HAIR OF THE MOON - Jamie Ford
In 1910, a cousin of the protagonist from the previous story tries to survive while high on opium.
Blah
TO WRESTLE NOT AGAINST FLESH AND BLOOD - Desirina Boskovich
Despite aliens constantly destroying cities all over the world, many people rise up against the "true enemy", the government, because they don't believe that the aliens exist. It's all a hoax and false flag they say. One young woman doesn't want anything to do with any of it and only wants to survive.
Ok
IN THE MOUNTAIN - Hugh Howey
Oh no, the Chosen Ones thought they were superior to all but it turned out that they weren't!?
Blah
DEAR JOHN - Robin Wasserman
An epistolary story written on toilet paper by a woman in the ark about all the men in her life, almost all of whom treated her terribly. This was surprisingly amusing and funny.
Enjoyable
full size: https://i.imgur.com/3mqDjMO.png
HERD IMMUNITY - Tananarive Due
She hasn't seen another human in 9 months. When she finds a guy, she's desperate, even though he doesn't want anything to do with her, for good reason.
Blah
THE SIXTH DAY OF DEER CAMP - Scott Sigler
...was the counterattack
Meh
GOODNIGHT STARS - Annie Bellet
The daughter of a woman on the moon colony and her friends rush to find safety from the moon debris.
Meh
ROCK MANNING CAN’T HEAR YOU - Charlie Jane Anders
They're wacky adults now making zany gonzo films, but for some reason their films keep ending up with someone killed. WEIRD! Also, the world is a disaster, but don't worry about that.
Blah
FRUITING BODIES - Seanan McGuire
A mother and daughter attempt to survive in a world devoured by fungus. It's repetitive for a short story, which I assume was to mimic the mother's OCD, but I didn't appreciate it. I also don't have any appreciation at all for this particular type of dark story.
Blah
BLACK MONDAY - Sarah Langan
Another group attempts to survive, but choices make in desperate circumstances often lead to unfortunate outcomes.
Blah
ANGELS OF THE APOCALYPSE - Nancy Kress
Now everyone under 30 is docile. Popular sentiment is that they all need to be killed because they're soulless monsters. Also, it was aliens all along.
Blah
AGENT ISOLATED - David Wellington
Agent Whitman tries to escape with a group of survivors and evade both the zombie hordes and the military who are hunting down the potentially infected.
Ok
THE GODS WILL NOT BE SLAIN - Ken Liu
The uploaded human consciousness battle each other for supremacy.
Enjoyable
YOU’VE NEVER SEEN EVERYTHING - Elizabeth Bear
A woman treks against the United States to be reunited with her partner and child. Flu has killed off many, more than it should have, as it was exacerbated by the anti-vaxxer movement.
Meh
BRING THEM DOWN - Ben H. Winters
The two characters in the dead world bumble around until the plot happens.
Blah
TWILIGHT OF THE MUSIC MACHINES - Megan Arkenberg
Highly acidic rain slowly corrodes the world, but in this town mostly everyone lives as if doom wasn't upon them. A slice-of-life during an ongoing apocalypse.
Ok
SUNSET HOLLOW - Jonathan Maberry
Hack & slash survival horror zombie b movie with an infant escort mission
Blah
PENANCE - Jake Kerr
He didn't decide who would die, but he had to tell them that they would, which would forever haunt him.
Meh
AVTOMAT - Daniel H. Wilson
1707, Imperial Russia, the last mechanician creates two humanoid automata using ancient relics that give them life.
Ok
DANCING WITH BATGIRL IN THE LAND OF NOD - Will McIntosh
His wife of twenty-two years announced she's been having an affair, so he leaves to try start a relationship with his celebrity crush, the 58 year old actress who played Batgirl in her younger years.
Meh
BY THE HAIR OF THE MOON - Jamie Ford
In 1910, a cousin of the protagonist from the previous story tries to survive while high on opium.
Blah
TO WRESTLE NOT AGAINST FLESH AND BLOOD - Desirina Boskovich
Despite aliens constantly destroying cities all over the world, many people rise up against the "true enemy", the government, because they don't believe that the aliens exist. It's all a hoax and false flag they say. One young woman doesn't want anything to do with any of it and only wants to survive.
Ok
IN THE MOUNTAIN - Hugh Howey
Oh no, the Chosen Ones thought they were superior to all but it turned out that they weren't!?
Blah
DEAR JOHN - Robin Wasserman
An epistolary story written on toilet paper by a woman in the ark about all the men in her life, almost all of whom treated her terribly. This was surprisingly amusing and funny.
Enjoyable
dark
medium-paced
Again, i've listened to the audiobook, and there's a male sounding voice that looks like he is sick or does drugs because he is always sniffing and that distracts alot.
I did enjoy most of the stories, and some while they're not directly with the same characters as in the first it takes place in the same world.
Highly recomend this book as well
I did enjoy most of the stories, and some while they're not directly with the same characters as in the first it takes place in the same world.
Highly recomend this book as well
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
A hard book to review. Some of the stories are exceptional. Some are very much not for me. Some are terrifying (my goodness...the mold). Some are sad. All are bleak. This is a very very bleak collection, as the subject matter would indicate. I inhaled the stories I wanted to finish and skipped the ones I didn't (zombies do nothing for me - never have). But this is a depressing read and definitely not for someone who isn't feeling great about the world. What sticks with you is the humanity of the people - even at the end and at the worst of times, we are all humans.
I would recommend this anthology as a stand-alone book of short stories or as a continuation of the series. Most of the stories in the book are a continuation of stories in some form of the last book. Many are creative in how they continue the narrative forward, either with the same characters, or new ones that inhabit part of the world that was falling apart in the last book. I look forward to the final installment.
I like anthologies because it is a good way to try out a bunch of different authors. And, what better time for an apocalypse anthology! Ugh. But even though I didn’t love all the stories I enjoyed reading this second installment in the Apocalypse Triptych. I jotted down my thoughts on each story in anticipation of reading book 3. Here they are.
HERD IMMUNITY: good, harsh, 4/5
THE 6TH DAY OF DEER CAMP:
Gotta love it as a Michigander! But kind of silly 4/5
GOODNIGHT STARS: OK. A bit too melodramatic. 4/5
ROCK MANNING CAN’T HEAR YOU:
Ok but kind of odd 3/5
FRUITING BODIES: Ugh. I’m finding I really don’t like Seanan McGuire’s writing. She’s kind of the Mitch Albom of Horror/SciFi. Trying too hard to be melodramatic & not realistically. The characters seem fake to me. But it is readable. 2/5
BLACK MONDAY: Get your tickets to the apocalypse! Well sort of. I didn’t care for it all that much. 3/5
ANGELS OF THE APOCALYPSE : I liked the ideas of “sweets” but if they always avoided conflict I imagine they would do as their family wished. So the whole premise fell apart for me. 3/5
AGENT ISOLATED: My favorite so far. Zombies but eerily believable and relatable to current times. I’d read this if it was a full length novel. Going to try to find more by David Wellington. 5/5
THE GODS WILL NOT BE SLAIN: I generally like Ken Liu’s writing. The machines are taking over theme. Good but I didn’t get emotionally invested. 3/5
YOU’VE NEVER SEEN EVERYTHING: “The otter flu” sounds too cute. Didn’t love the ending but could’ve been worse. 3/5
BRING THEM DOWN: Everyone hearing voices except one girl. Good idea but not perfectly executed. Maybe should’ve been a shorter short story. 3/5
TWILIGHT OF THE MUSIC MACHINES: Didn’t like the writing style. A struggle to get through for me. 2/5
SUNSET HOLLOW: Harsh but I love zombie stories. 5/5
PENANCE: This whole premise was messed up. All the time spent on these meetings could’ve been spent building boats or whatever. Well written but I didn’t like it. 3/5
AVTOMAT: Interesting, well done robot/historical fiction story. Fun but not really my type. 3/5
DANCING WITH BATGIRL... :
Ugh. Harsh and heartbreaking. Weird. I liked it. 5/5
BY THE HAIR OF THE MOON: Gritty comet apocalypse story. Too gritty. Ugh. 2/5
TO WRESTLE NOT... : Didn’t like. 2/5
IN THE MOUNTAIN: Oh, come on. You’ve got plenty of time to think of other solutions! Good but frustrating story. 4/5
DEAR JOHN: Hated it. 1/5
HERD IMMUNITY: good, harsh, 4/5
THE 6TH DAY OF DEER CAMP:
Gotta love it as a Michigander! But kind of silly 4/5
GOODNIGHT STARS: OK. A bit too melodramatic. 4/5
ROCK MANNING CAN’T HEAR YOU:
Ok but kind of odd 3/5
FRUITING BODIES: Ugh. I’m finding I really don’t like Seanan McGuire’s writing. She’s kind of the Mitch Albom of Horror/SciFi. Trying too hard to be melodramatic & not realistically. The characters seem fake to me. But it is readable. 2/5
BLACK MONDAY: Get your tickets to the apocalypse! Well sort of. I didn’t care for it all that much. 3/5
ANGELS OF THE APOCALYPSE : I liked the ideas of “sweets” but if they always avoided conflict I imagine they would do as their family wished. So the whole premise fell apart for me. 3/5
AGENT ISOLATED: My favorite so far. Zombies but eerily believable and relatable to current times. I’d read this if it was a full length novel. Going to try to find more by David Wellington. 5/5
THE GODS WILL NOT BE SLAIN: I generally like Ken Liu’s writing. The machines are taking over theme. Good but I didn’t get emotionally invested. 3/5
YOU’VE NEVER SEEN EVERYTHING: “The otter flu” sounds too cute. Didn’t love the ending but could’ve been worse. 3/5
BRING THEM DOWN: Everyone hearing voices except one girl. Good idea but not perfectly executed. Maybe should’ve been a shorter short story. 3/5
TWILIGHT OF THE MUSIC MACHINES: Didn’t like the writing style. A struggle to get through for me. 2/5
SUNSET HOLLOW: Harsh but I love zombie stories. 5/5
PENANCE: This whole premise was messed up. All the time spent on these meetings could’ve been spent building boats or whatever. Well written but I didn’t like it. 3/5
AVTOMAT: Interesting, well done robot/historical fiction story. Fun but not really my type. 3/5
DANCING WITH BATGIRL... :
Ugh. Harsh and heartbreaking. Weird. I liked it. 5/5
BY THE HAIR OF THE MOON: Gritty comet apocalypse story. Too gritty. Ugh. 2/5
TO WRESTLE NOT... : Didn’t like. 2/5
IN THE MOUNTAIN: Oh, come on. You’ve got plenty of time to think of other solutions! Good but frustrating story. 4/5
DEAR JOHN: Hated it. 1/5
Nearly as strong as its amazing predecessor, this is a wonderful anthology of various Apocalypses en medias res.