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4.14 AVERAGE
4.14 AVERAGE
I can't help but want to compare this book to King's "The Stand." You have a post-apocalyptic world that has been ravaged by nuclear war. There are many characters throughout the novel and it's easy to get attached to a character, only to have them killed off in the next chapter. The book kept me entertained until the very end.
2024: picked up while delirious late at night after quitting another book. This morning, seeing a bit more about what I picked up and, yes, the length, I’m putting down. Did seem very Stephen King like. Very. Felt like The Stand.
Fuuuuuuuucking finally. I blame the narrator for this being so hard to get through. I started this a couple months ago, and the narrator and I weren't getting along. I picked it up again because well it was like money burning a hole in my pocket and it was burning a hole in my currently reading.
I was able to consume a good chunk of it a few weeks ago and then finally picked it up to get that 7 hours of listening, I needed to finish it.
The story and characters and everything were great. I just couldn't get that narrator's voice to not sound like nails on a chalkboard and for a 34 hour listen which at 3.5 speed was about a 10 hour listening. It was a struggle with a narrator and I, that didn't see.... mouth to ear.
I was able to consume a good chunk of it a few weeks ago and then finally picked it up to get that 7 hours of listening, I needed to finish it.
The story and characters and everything were great. I just couldn't get that narrator's voice to not sound like nails on a chalkboard and for a 34 hour listen which at 3.5 speed was about a 10 hour listening. It was a struggle with a narrator and I, that didn't see.... mouth to ear.
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is one of my favorite books of all time. I have reread it multiple times and a tattoo dedicated to it on my arm. The book is written from a few different perspectives. Three protagonists and three antagonists. The thought that went into this book is very much seen through the writing and the story. I also love that you get both sides of the story. You see everyone’s thoughts and reasons for their decisions. Just amazing. Can never talk enough about this gem.
Absolutely mediocre in every aspect. Not a bad book, not really a good book either, which is why it took me forever to finish it. I might reccomend the book if it were shorter, but given it's 900 page length it's not worth the time commitment for bland and predictable story. There is, I feel, only one developed character and it isn't the hero or the villain. As far as post apocolyptic stories go, this one did a fair job of witnessing the events as they unfold for each survivor, and how the quick disintegration of society. However, everything was so cut and dried: THIS is evil, THIS is good, people behave this way just because they are crazy...it lacked the depth it needed to foster my suspension of disbelief. Maybe skip it.
Meh.
Because I was relatively engaged by the plot, I rounded up to 3 stars. But, like several other reviewers have pointed out already, there was a lot of cheese and clichéd writing in this book. Colonel Macklin was terrifying until he named his soldiers the "Army of Excellence". Eye roll forever.
Because I was relatively engaged by the plot, I rounded up to 3 stars. But, like several other reviewers have pointed out already, there was a lot of cheese and clichéd writing in this book. Colonel Macklin was terrifying until he named his soldiers the "Army of Excellence". Eye roll forever.
adventurous
dark
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
i've heard that this is the book i thought the stand was going to be, and that's extremely accurate. a goddamn incredible book.
dark
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated