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lovesbooksandtea's review
3.0
"Meh" is the best way to describe this book. 2 guys who suck at life survive the apocalypse and suddenly become heroes. One of them, for some reason even he can't comprehend, has a super hot girlfriend whose good at everything. I couldn't get behind either of their characters or their plot lines. I also found a lot of the author's descriptions to be superfluous, especially the constant descriptions of what each character was constantly packing.
I bought books 1-3 on offer for 99 cents but I'm not sure if I'll continue reading.
--Spoilers below--
What I liked: the twist on where the virus came from, the fact that he diverted from the overused "they have a hive mentality, blow up the mothership and they all blow up/go home/drop dead. These are the two things that kept me going but it was definitely a struggle.
I bought books 1-3 on offer for 99 cents but I'm not sure if I'll continue reading.
--Spoilers below--
What I liked: the twist on where the virus came from, the fact that he diverted from the overused "they have a hive mentality, blow up the mothership and they all blow up/go home/drop dead. These are the two things that kept me going but it was definitely a struggle.
cindy_todd1's review
3.0
Interesting apocalypse book. Not exactly what I was looking for, but still a pretty decent read. I know this is the first in a series... still haven't quite decided to read the next one. Will have to wait and see.
Overall, not a bad book, just now what I expected.
Overall, not a bad book, just now what I expected.
serena_dawn's review
3.0
I felt this fell flat in the third part, where I saw 'rip offs' from "Independence Day", as well as When Aliens Attack (National Geographic Channel).
I also had a issue with most of the female characters deaths - Vanessa, who was going to leave her boyfriend, Sarah the crazy damsel in distress, Mia who joins a alien resistance, and Walt's sudden violence against a 'power crazed' woman.
Despite this, I had read and liked the prologue to this series and wouldn't mind continuing the series if those aspects weren't within the next sequels.
I also had a issue with most of the female characters deaths - Vanessa, who was going to leave her boyfriend, Sarah the crazy damsel in distress, Mia who joins a alien resistance, and Walt's sudden violence against a 'power crazed' woman.
Despite this, I had read and liked the prologue to this series and wouldn't mind continuing the series if those aspects weren't within the next sequels.
alapage's review
4.0
I enjoyed the book far more than I first thought I would. There were some interesting points and some that were very unlikely. However it was tempered with humour that appealed to me which made it a good, if light, read.
moondance120's review
4.0
If he'd known the world had already started to end, Raymond would have kept the drugs for himself.
A deadly flu is sweeping across the country killing millions in a very short time. After Vanessa dies in New York, Walt decides to walk to California to see the Pacific Ocean that Vanessa always wanted to see. I California, Raymond and Mia struggle to keep their home. They are quickly driven out and end up holing up in the mansion of Raymond's former employer. Survival becomes more difficult after we discover who created the epidemic.
I started this book late evening/early morning and could not put it down. I was fascinated with Walt's determination to walk from NY to California. I enjoyed Raymond and Mia's relationship and their resourcefulness to survive. The story was gripping and I found myself wanting to know more. I will definitely be reading the next book in the series.
4.5 stars!
A deadly flu is sweeping across the country killing millions in a very short time. After Vanessa dies in New York, Walt decides to walk to California to see the Pacific Ocean that Vanessa always wanted to see. I California, Raymond and Mia struggle to keep their home. They are quickly driven out and end up holing up in the mansion of Raymond's former employer. Survival becomes more difficult after we discover who created the epidemic.
I started this book late evening/early morning and could not put it down. I was fascinated with Walt's determination to walk from NY to California. I enjoyed Raymond and Mia's relationship and their resourcefulness to survive. The story was gripping and I found myself wanting to know more. I will definitely be reading the next book in the series.
4.5 stars!
darlinestoddard's review
2.0
I really enjoyed the start of the book but as it went on it became a struggle to read. The chapter were way to long for my liking and too much filler in there. Maybe a good editing will do the trick!
tracisbooks's review
4.0
3.5 stars maybe? The plot was pretty good, if not a bit recycled in places--the whole first part felt a lot like The Stand minus the Stephen King-ness and minus Gary Sinise, one of the few bizarre celebrity crushes I have actually managed to hold onto.
And the whole last part felt a lot like Independence Day, to the point where even the characters were laughing about how much it felt like Independence Day.
One of the things I always really enjoy about post-apoc novels, though, are the pop culture references, so I can't entirely hold that last one against the book. This novel had a lot of them.
I enjoyed reading about the two entirely different and distinct reactions of Walt compared to Raymond and Mia, but couldn't completely throw myself behind either of their plans. Walt almost seemed like he was trying too hard to be Daryl Dixon and well, this book was missing him, too. :P
I think that my biggest issue with this book was that things seemed a little forced, on occasion, just to push the plot forward and it probably would have been fine if it had just been allowed to progress naturally.
I haven't decided if I'm going to continue on with this series or not. The first book wasn't bad and I enjoyed it but it seemed to have a pretty definite ending, so I'm just not sure.
And the whole last part felt a lot like Independence Day, to the point where even the characters were laughing about how much it felt like Independence Day.
One of the things I always really enjoy about post-apoc novels, though, are the pop culture references, so I can't entirely hold that last one against the book. This novel had a lot of them.
I enjoyed reading about the two entirely different and distinct reactions of Walt compared to Raymond and Mia, but couldn't completely throw myself behind either of their plans. Walt almost seemed like he was trying too hard to be Daryl Dixon and well, this book was missing him, too. :P
I think that my biggest issue with this book was that things seemed a little forced, on occasion, just to push the plot forward and it probably would have been fine if it had just been allowed to progress naturally.
I haven't decided if I'm going to continue on with this series or not. The first book wasn't bad and I enjoyed it but it seemed to have a pretty definite ending, so I'm just not sure.
vailynst's review
4.0
**Potential Minor Spoilers in the Review**
I'm undecided on how to score the book. I'll make a decision once I finish writing my review. I listened to half of the story and read the rest. I went back and listened to the last few chapters because I couldn't quite believe that it had ended. It doesn't matter if the narrator said "Epilogue" before proceeding to wrap up the story. I mean, I knew the end was coming but I wasn't ready for it yet.
Thus far, I would have to say that I really enjoy Robertson's way of describing NYC and LA. You can tell that he's been there because there are touches of insight that you only grasp if you really live in the area. What you pick up as a local. Towards the middle of the book, Raymond and Walt lose a bit of individuality, or perhaps all of the characters lose a bit of what made them real once there were more than two characters on the scene. The main characters' introspection, memories or present thoughts/emotions are what made the story really vibrant for me. Some of that personal touch is lost once there are a group of people to move around the board.
It's really easy to lose myself in this silent, casually violent world of desolation but I had to work to suspend my believe once the cast started to plan how to fight back against the invasion. Ok. Maybe I had to work on that suspension from the first alien fight but it became harder to do later on.
Two high-fives on the aero plan! I was pretty happy to see a key point from the start of the story being implemented towards the end. It's quirky and fits right in the state of things.
Can you believe that I forgot the story was going to have aliens? For whatever reason, I was totally ready for it to be about man-made biotech and survival. Imagine my snort of surprise when I got to the part about alien airships? Ha!
I listened to the end of Breakers for the second time and my response is the same:
"Suurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrre. It's over. Ship went kaboom and everyone lives happily ever after in the mechanical wasteland. Nahhhhhhhhhhhhh!"
Can't wait to see what's up in the next book!
Also, the secret is out. It's totally obvious that Robertson is a romantic.
I'm undecided on how to score the book. I'll make a decision once I finish writing my review. I listened to half of the story and read the rest. I went back and listened to the last few chapters because I couldn't quite believe that it had ended. It doesn't matter if the narrator said "Epilogue" before proceeding to wrap up the story. I mean, I knew the end was coming but I wasn't ready for it yet.
Thus far, I would have to say that I really enjoy Robertson's way of describing NYC and LA. You can tell that he's been there because there are touches of insight that you only grasp if you really live in the area. What you pick up as a local. Towards the middle of the book, Raymond and Walt lose a bit of individuality, or perhaps all of the characters lose a bit of what made them real once there were more than two characters on the scene. The main characters' introspection, memories or present thoughts/emotions are what made the story really vibrant for me. Some of that personal touch is lost once there are a group of people to move around the board.
It's really easy to lose myself in this silent, casually violent world of desolation but I had to work to suspend my believe once the cast started to plan how to fight back against the invasion. Ok. Maybe I had to work on that suspension from the first alien fight but it became harder to do later on.
Two high-fives on the aero plan! I was pretty happy to see a key point from the start of the story being implemented towards the end. It's quirky and fits right in the state of things.
Can you believe that I forgot the story was going to have aliens? For whatever reason, I was totally ready for it to be about man-made biotech and survival. Imagine my snort of surprise when I got to the part about alien airships? Ha!
I listened to the end of Breakers for the second time and my response is the same:
"Suurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrre. It's over. Ship went kaboom and everyone lives happily ever after in the mechanical wasteland. Nahhhhhhhhhhhhh!"
Can't wait to see what's up in the next book!
Also, the secret is out. It's totally obvious that Robertson is a romantic.
abitcloudy's review
3.0
A plague hits the world and wipes most of the population out. I didn't really like that aliens are the ones who seem to be the ones who brought the plague. I didn't really like the book but I wanted to see how it ended
cableknit's review
5.0
After an ending like that, I'm interested to see what the next 7 books have in store! What an amazingly well written book, enough detail to really paint the picture but not overwhelm you. And clearly I enjoyed it, slammed right through this book with ease.
I now lovingly refer to this series as "Suddenly, Aliens" because I picked up the e-book copy for free from Amazon.com and didn't know anything about it. I jumped right into reading it and at first was like "oh sweet, post-plague adult story, a departure from my dystopian YA addiction" and then about a third of the way through... suddenly, ALIENS. Not really having read an alien related book, I was already thoroughly impressed with the writing that my brief moment of "wait wtf am I reading" was suppressed with "I am REALLY into this book right now".
You follow two stories happening concurrently. Walt, who lives in New York and is having a waffling relationship that ends abruptly when his girlfriend dies of the plague. He decides instead of killing himself in NY that he will travel to LA (where his girlfriend was trying to convince him to move) and off himself there. So half of the book is told from his perspective, his journey to LA.
Meanwhile in LA, you are introduced to a couple who survive the plague and are taking camp in an abandoned mansion in the hillside. Eventually the two stories merge. I'm not usually into the story perspective switching but in this particular series (and it is ongoing into now book 3 that I'm reading), I don't mind it at all. Just another testament to (in my opinion) Robertson's fantastic writing.
I now lovingly refer to this series as "Suddenly, Aliens" because I picked up the e-book copy for free from Amazon.com and didn't know anything about it. I jumped right into reading it and at first was like "oh sweet, post-plague adult story, a departure from my dystopian YA addiction" and then about a third of the way through... suddenly, ALIENS. Not really having read an alien related book, I was already thoroughly impressed with the writing that my brief moment of "wait wtf am I reading" was suppressed with "I am REALLY into this book right now".
You follow two stories happening concurrently. Walt, who lives in New York and is having a waffling relationship that ends abruptly when his girlfriend dies of the plague. He decides instead of killing himself in NY that he will travel to LA (where his girlfriend was trying to convince him to move) and off himself there. So half of the book is told from his perspective, his journey to LA.
Meanwhile in LA, you are introduced to a couple who survive the plague and are taking camp in an abandoned mansion in the hillside. Eventually the two stories merge. I'm not usually into the story perspective switching but in this particular series (and it is ongoing into now book 3 that I'm reading), I don't mind it at all. Just another testament to (in my opinion) Robertson's fantastic writing.