Audio Book Review: Deadbreak by Jorge Sanchez

This is a well written zombie survival story.
Deadbreak
Author Jorge Sanchez
Narrator: James Fouhey

Duration: 10 h 59 min
Release date: 02-25-20
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy > Apocalyptic & Dystopian, Horror
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.5; Narration 4.5.

Summary
It's been three long years since Deadbreak. That's what everyone's calling it-the day the dead rose. Every day since then Jeremiah Reid has had one goal: to make his way back to his daughter. With his four-legged companion, Joe, Jeremiah has to travel a lawless wasteland teeming with zombies, bandits, and worse, like people who put anchovies on pizza (you know who you are). It's a new world out there and no one is safe. People are weary, cities are in ruin, supplies are scarce, and brains are on the menu. If he's going to have a chance, he'll need his wits, a little bit of luck, and lots of ammo.

Review:
Jeremiah wasn’t a military warrior when his world succumbed to a deadly virus when the dead began to rise. Jeremiah, his wife, and daughter, Penny, tried to make their way to safety. Along the way, Jeremiah lost his wife and gave his child to others to shelter her. But he promised to find his little girl. He has to find a way to Hawaii where the General took Penny. If planes aren’t available, Jeremiah will find a ship off the west coast. But he has to get to the coast first.

Initially Jeremiah’s only friend is Joe, a dog who senses the walking dead and is helpful in a fight. Jeremiah stops for a time in a community of survivors who are rebuilding their town. Jeremiah is able to help by scavenging badly needed items. Jeremiah becomes friends with the medical lead, a smart veterinarian named Jenny. Jeremiah isn’t interested in any relationship as his focus remains on his daughter. For some reason, the mayor of the town does not care for Jeremiah and wants him gone. Before leaving Jeremiah warns the mayor of vulnerabilities of the community. Instead of heading the advice, the community soon faces an attack … and not just from the zombies.

Many of the townsfolk, including the mayor, are taken prisoner. Jenny too gets captured, and Jeremiah and Joe have to find a way to rescue them. He is approached by some surprising allies…but people aren’t always what you expect in this brutal world.

Jeremiah is a character I liked although he is remarkably lucky and manages to have a never ending supply of bullets. He continually gets to the brink of death and has to be rescued by Jenny who is an excellent shot and a true warrior. Jeremiah’s humor reminded me of my husband who was always calling people by names that were close to right but not. It could be terribly annoying but eventually is humorous. I like how Jenny is a strong companion who won’t give up.

The story is well written and has plenty of action, some gruesome, and, as noted, some humorous. I would be glad to seek out more work by Mr. Sanchez. I recommend this to fans of zombie and post-apocalyptic stories.

Audio Notes: James Fouhey does a grand job with the narration. His character voices are fitting, clear, and distinct. He captures the desperation and humor, of the characters. I would enjoy his narration again. It enhanced this listening experience.

Source: 10/30/2021 Audiobooks.com Two For One Credit Horror Audiobooks. This qualifies for 2023TBR amd 2023Audiobook goals.

Audible Book Review: Robinson Crusoe 2244 by E. J. Robinson

This dystopian post-apocalyptic is interesting though not gripping.

Robinson Crusoe 2244
By: E. J. Robinson
Narrated by: Malk Williams

Length: 8 hrs and 1 min
Release date: 05-27-15
Publisher: E. J. Robinson
Genre: Dystopian, Post-Apocalyptic, Teen & Young Adult
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.0; Narration 4.0.

Publisher's summary
Two centuries after mankind drove itself to the brink of extinction, a new civilization rises from the ashes of what was once Great Britain. But when deadly strife breaks out among their ranks, the teenage son of one prominent family finds himself fleeing in the dead of night, only to wind up shipwrecked on the forbidden continent of America. Armed with only his wit and the most unexpected of allies, the teenager struggles to survive in a wasteland filled with unspeakable horrors. In the end, he must uncover the one secret that can either save his own people, or spell doom for mankind forever.
©2014 Erik Robinson (P)2015 Erik Robinson

Review:
Robinson Crusoe is a teenage son of Tiers, a prominent family in the new regime of New London a community behind the Wall that keeps out the monsters. The One People have rules that help maintain peace, health, and security by controlling the classes, prohibiting weapons, and restricting freedoms. If you violate the rules, you may be executed in public to send a message to others.

Robinson is now turning of age and graduating from school when he will be expected to apprentice under his executive father. Robinson has caused mischief all of his young life and his latest antics are causing embarrassment. But there is other trouble in the wings as some of the Tiers seem to be plotting a campaign of rebellion. Events take a tumultuous turn forcing Robinson to flee his Regen and travel to the far distant land of America. His landing isn’t secure and he soon is struggling to survive in a wasteland filled with Renders, the mutated remnants of humanity. And he suspects that he has uncovered a huge secret that concerns his own family. He latches onto an old man who teaches him how to hide and hunt. And then he learns about other monsters who show up once a month.

Robinson finds a friend in a mutated dog that is friendly rather than vicious. And when the old man disappears, Robinson rescues a caged young woman who is more of a fighter than he is.

Clearly the title and text has parallels to the original 1719 book, Robinson Crusoe. But this story veers with the dystopian world, monster beings, and political scheming. I found the story entertaining with danger, action, secrets, and intrigue. I liked how Robinson grows to survive the struggles he faces, but there were plot issues and character developments that seemed contrived to move the story forward. I might continue the story in the future, but it is a must move forward series for me. I recommend this to fans of dystopian with teen heroes, especially readers who might enjoy the tie to Robinson Crusoe.

Audio Notes: Malk Williams does a good job with the narration. The British accent fits the story and he provides distinct voices for the characters. He also gives clear intonation to the descriptions that make it visual. The narration enhanced my enjoyment of the story.

Source: 7/17/2022 I got a $7.00 credit so this book from my wish list ended up costing $.49 since I already had the Kindle copy. This qualifies for 2023TBR, 2023Audiobook, and 2023Number goals.

Audible Book Review: The Age of Embers (A Post-Apocalyptic Survival Thriller) by Ryan Schow

This is a good action, post apocalyptic title.
The Age of Embers (A Post-Apocalyptic Survival Thriller)
The Age of Embers, Book 1
By: Ryan Schow
Narrated by: Kevin Pierce

Length: 12 hrs and 18 mins
Release date: 08-07-19
Publisher: Ryan Schow
Genre: Adventure, Post-Apocalyptic
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.5; Narration 4.5.

Publisher's Summary
An Amazon all-star recipient! Fresh off the highly acclaimed The Last War Series, comes a gripping new tale of the apocalypse from bestselling author, Ryan Schow. The Age of Embers Series is perfect for fans of Matthew Mather, Bobby Akart, Jack Hunt, Nicholas Sansbury Smith, Mike Kraus, and Harley Tate.
The end is almost here, are you ready?
A high-tech nightmare. A crippling attack on America and her infrastructure. Are humans in their final days? When a sudden, unexplained spasm of violence rocks the country from coast to coast, when our military is hijacked and the president can’t be found, the survivors will be left to wonder if this is the start of a new world war, or if this is the last chapter of humanity itself.
Undercover DEA agent, Fire Dimas, is drowning in problems: an unrelenting job, a difficult marriage and a teenage daughter with suitors of the worst kind. Then there’s the cartel he double-crossed and the “incident” at the high school. To say he’s in way over his head is the understatement of the century. Rest assured though, for Fire and his family, it’s about to get much, much worse. The assault has already begun....
Eliana Gutierrez and her niece, Carolina, are stolen by the Guatemalan cartel and swallowed into the dark world of human trafficking until a brutal crime separates them. Eliana must now use the deadly trafficking lines to trek up through Mexico and into America in search of the only person she ever loved. Along the way, she’ll come face-to-face with a handsome, rancorous hitman who will either be her salvation or her bitter end. Under the cover of a post-apocalyptic nightmare, Eliana will risk life and limb for the child, but will it be enough?
The Age of Embers is a post-apocalyptic survival series written inside the universe of the best-selling The Last War series. This edge-of-your-seat thriller chronicles the harrowing journey of ordinary people trapped in an encroaching dark age. Get ready for characters you'll want to know in real life, big post-apocalyptic action and a no-holds-barred action/adventure series that just might hit a little too close to home.
Note: The Age of Embers and subsequent books can be listened to as a stand alone series or in addition to The Last War series. Both stories are written in the same universe on the same timeline and some characters will overlap.
©2019 Ryan Schow (P)2019 Ryan Schow

Review:
Fire Dimas is an undercover DEA Agent in Chicago who is on the edge. He hasn’t been home for eight months and his marriage is on the rocks. His teen daughter is stepping out with the wrong kind of boys. Fire has underlying anger issues that haven’t been helped by having his hands tied in a criminal environment.

An unexplained attack starts destroying the cities, taking out authority centers as well as indiscriminating killing people in the streets. Chaos erupts and the social dynamic changes as surviving gangs try to take control and civilians just try to survive. Fire is caught in the middle wanting to protect his family but being in a place to take down the gangs. He will move between both worlds until his own family is caught in the maelstrom.

Meanwhile, in Guatemalan, Eliana is a beautiful young woman who has been isolated by her overly protective father. His means of protecting her is to make her look less attractive and train her to fight to injure men. Finally, the day arrives when Eliana and her younger niece, Carolina, are captured by traffickers who kill her father. Eliana struggles to escape and survive to track down Carolina. As Eliana pursues the trail, she meets a rough but handsome ‘hitman’. He agrees to introduce her to the head of cartel with a plan that may well cost her live. After they both walk out of the situation, they agree to travel together in the same direction, if not as partners. Their path goes through grit and death and eventually brings them to a collision with Fire in Chicago.

I picked this for an action, post-apocalyptic title and it delivered. It is dark, gritty and violent story. Some of the scenes made me flinch and cringe and I didn’t feel that all of it was realistic. But it could be real, especially the attack event, which is scary! It is likely that I will go back to the earlier books by Schow and then continue with this series too. I recommend this to fans of post-apocalyptic who can handle the girt and violence.

Audio Notes: Kevin Pierce is a good narrator who does quite a bit of narrating in this genre. He manages the hard voices and gritty characters well with distinct sounds and energy. I appreciated having this in audio format.

Source: 12/17/2020 Audible Sale – $5.00. This qualifies for 2023TBR and 2023Audiobook goals.

#NetGalley Audio Book Review: The Never-Ending End of the World by Ann Christy

This is a very good end of the world and dystopian story with a unique mystery event.
The Never-Ending End of the World
By: Ann Christy
Narrated by: Thérèse Plummer, Ari Fliakos

Length: 13 hrs and 19 mins
Release date: 08-08-23
Publisher: Campfire Publishing
Genre: Dystopian, EOTW, Post-Apocalyptic
My Rating: 4.75 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.75; Narration 4.75.

Publisher's Summary
Station Eleven meets The Last of Us in this post-apocalyptic sci-fi epic from USA Today and Wall Street Journal best-selling author Ann Christy.
Coco Wells hasn’t seen another living person since she was a teenager. All of Manhattan is reliving the same few seconds, minutes, or hours on a loop…and they have been for years. Everything looks normal from a distance, but up close, it’s a nightmare.
Coco is a survivor. She scavenges for food, reads, and—most importantly—avoids loopers. They ignore her, but only as long as she’s silent. She’s learned the painful lesson that a broken loop can mean death.
After eight years of solitude, learning to survive and precisely timing the loops that weave around the city, Coco wonders what lies beyond New York and what has become of the rest of the world.
As she leaves home for the first time, one question haunts her above all:
“Am I the only one left?”
Speculative sci-fi, dystopian apocalypse, and scientific mystery coalesce into The Never-Ending End of the World—a gripping tale of survival, hope, and love from retired Naval Officer Ann Christy.
©2023 Ann Christy (P)2023 Ann Christy

Review:
Coco was a 12 year old when her world changed. Suddenly her family members appeared only in a loop of time…some seconds and some as much as hours. But if the loop is interrupted, there are immediate reactions. Coco breaks a few loops before she realizes the harm that she has caused. She learns to map out the loops in her Manhattan community so she can scavenge real food and resources. She also keeps a journal of her activities and some of the more remarkable loops she observes. For years she is able to take pictures of time and leave them carefully behind…just in case time ever gets fixed.

Surprisingly, after many years alone, Coco meets another person who is alive like her. Sadly, the woman is ill, and Coco only gets a short time with her. But this gives her hope and sends her out to explore the world beyond Manhattan and New York. When she finally meets others, she learns there are two divisions. Her newest friends are Seekers who will go out to explore, find other living beings, and look for a way to fix the frozen time problem. They are soon joined by some members of the Chosen who is a group who believe they were chosen to live and start a new world society. The Chosen are willing to break loops if it is necessary to their plans for development.

The story continues to a new generation where it is learned that some children develop new skills relating to the loops. Hidden information regarding the cause of the event is discovered. This leads to hopes of discovering the possibility of fixing it. But there is a huge cost, and not everyone wants to fix the past as it threatens their current and future lives.

I enjoyed the creativity of this EOTW dystopian story. I was pulled in to caring for Coco and other characters. I was invested in discovering how the event occurred and if and how it could be fixed. I recommend the story to fans of EOTW with rival groups of survivals and elements of mystery.

Audio Notes: Thérèse Plummer and Ari Fliakos are skilled narrators. They provide distinct voices and their delivery helps the characters to be real to the listener. The narration enhanced my enjoyment of the story.

Source: May 2023 NetGalley, This qualifies for 2023NetGalley and 2023Audiobook goals.

Audible Book Review: Terminus, Lee Harden, Book 6 by D.J. Molles

I enjoyed this series and will need to find a good replacement. Maybe one of Molles’ other series.

Terminus
Lee Harden, Book 6
By: D.J. Molles
Narrated by: Christian Rummel

Length: 13 hrs and 8 mins
Release date: 01-11-22
Publisher: Audible Studios
Genre: Military, Post-Apocalyptic
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.5; Narration 4.5.

Publisher's Summary
The only way out is through.
Greeley, Colorado lies before him. Griffin’s army presses at his back.
Lee Harden is out of options, and out of time.
Inside the city, Sam Ryder is trapped behind enemy lines, and Acting President Briggs still maintains his stranglehold on the country - and Lee’s destiny.
Choices. We are made by choices. And they make us. Choices are being made by every individual swept up in this conflict. Abby - Sam - Abe - Brinly - Angela - all of them making choices, with irreversible consequences.
And all of those consequences fall on Lee.
As Lee fights to adapt and maintain control amid the chaos of a city under siege, all of those choices will reach their terminus in this explosive conclusion to the Lee Harden series.
©2021 D.J. Molles (P)2021 Audible, Inc.

Review:
Lee Harden has had several years of struggling to keep civilians alive. That was his original mission: Survive, Rescue, Rebuild. He wasn’t given orders of how to rebuild America but thought he was on the way by developing Fort Bragg Safe Zone with leadership known as the United Eastern States (UES). The growing community was taking in refuges while defending against the infected ‘zombie’ hordes. But the tyrannical, self-proclaimed President of the United States, Briggs, based out of Greeley, Colorado, decided to take down the UES. Then the mindless hordes became Primals with reasoning and reproductive abilities.

Lee was hoping to raise allies, but US troops under the command of Briggs were willing to slaughter communities rather than allow them to help Lee and the UES. Ultimately the better armed and trained US forces, led by Colonel Griffin, attacked Fort Bragg and routed the UES partially by allowing the Primals to gain access.

Lee and a band of survivors set out to make a last ditch attack directly on Greeley. Lee has been placed in command, a job he never wanted. He is a soldier, trained to fight. It was hard enough to be responsible for a platoon of other soldiers. As he leads the rebellion into Greeley, a battered Lee now struggles with the burden of being responsible for not only his civilian companions but the innocent civilians caught in the middle of an unwanted power war.

This final installment features the tactical plans employed by Lee, his young protégé, Sam, and the US forces led by Griffin. Meanwhile, Lee’s friend and other Project Hometown Coordinator, Abe, is driven by vengeance to take out Briggs. There is depression, trauma, frustration, and a few moments of relief woven in between the active battles.

I like the action and the emotional realities. There were some twists that I appreciated for making the ending better than it might have been. Lee Harden was introduced in the Remaining Series which went through eight books before breaking into the six books of the Lee Harden Series. I have enjoyed it all and recommend it to readers who enjoy zombie type danger set in post-apocalyptic survival stories. My thanks to D. J. Molles for hours of entertainment!

Audio Notes: Christian Rummel has been the voice of Lee Harden and comrades. He provides unique voices for the characters and delivers the angst and emotional trauma that fills the story. I am so glad that I listened to the series (other that the short novellas in the Remaining series). The narration added to my enjoyment.

Source: 6/17/2022 May Audible Credit. This qualifies for TBR2023 and 2023Audiobook goals.

Audible Book Review: Kingdoms of Sorrow, Catalyst, Book 2 by JK Franks

This was an engaging continuation of the survival problems in post-apocalyptic America.
Kingdoms of Sorrow
Catalyst, Book 2
By: JK Franks
Narrated by: Steven Varnum

Series: Catalyst, Book 2
Length: 15 hrs and 15 mins
Release date: 07-18-17
Publisher: J K Franks
Genre: Adventure, Genetic Engineering, Post-Apocalyptic
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.25.

Publisher's Summary
The fight for survival continues in book 2 of the Catalyst series.
A murderous army, an unspeakable plague and an approaching hurricane. One man will risk it all to save his community. Cities, nations, and governments lie in ruins and billions have perished. In the wake of a global apocalypse, survival has become a way of life in a world that seems intent on wiping them all out.
Among the survivors are Scott Montgomery and his friends on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi. They have struggled to hang on better than most. But growing threats - both man-made and natural - leave their chances on a razor's edge. Now with the help of uncertain alliances they must face a new danger none of them saw coming. This group, "The Messengers", are like a biblical plague, destroying everything - and everyone - in their path.
Time is short for the survivors and another grim new discovery means the Messengers may not be the only thing they should fear.
Don’t miss out on the second installment of the best-selling Catalyst series.
©2017 J K Franks (P)2017 J K Franks

Review:
This book picks up from book 1, Catalyst Downward Cycle. The story primarily follows three groups in the survival struggles. It has been five months or so since the solar flare took out the electrical grid and left Americans trying to survive pre-industrial conditions and marauding bands of criminals. Scott and Todd are in Harris Springs, Mississippi, on the Gulf of Mexico on the cruise ship that has been turned into a refuge home for 200 or so people seeking to rebuild community.

Jack, aka Preacher, is a former convict who is out on a working boat with four other men. Their job has been to forage supplies and trade with smaller farms or communities along the water ways. Things had been going well until they have to face pirate raids. Then they learn about the butchery by a large, supposedly religious group known as the Messengers. This cultish group is sweeping across the south giving people the choice to join and serve or die.

Skybox 5 is a new character. He is a special forces paramilitary operative in a very secretive group called the P-Guard. Before the electric went out, he and his team were on mission in Pakistan. They were tasked with retrieving an crucial scientist/virologist who was working in a remote university lab. Before they could get to the target, something went wrong and a deadly virus was released. Although there were efforts to contain the virus, the efforts failed miserably. Skybox is the only man who comes out alive as he is apparently immune. Now he is directed to get to the coast so he can be taken to scientists in America who can test his blood for a vaccine. Skybox ends up at a secret location that happens to include a personal friend of Scott's niece. Scott is recruited by an opposing military group to try to retrieve Skybox.

I like these characters and the mostly realistic struggles and battles. There is good character development and better action. The cult group is scary and adds additional tension and suspense. I will be looking to get the third book in the series and a side story too. Reading book 1 may not be necessary, but I think it provides better background to the characters and events. I recommend this to readers who enjoy post-apocalyptic survival stories.

Audio Notes: Steven Varnum does a good job with the narration. He delivers good character voices and I thought his energy input was better on this book than the first. I am glad to listen to this on audio.

Source: 3-3-2022 Audible Sale Purchase $3.74. This qualifies for 2023TBR, 2023Audiobook, and 2023Alphabet goals.

Audio Book Review: The Darkest Winter, Savage North Chronicles, Book 1, by Lindsey Pogue

I liked the supernatural element that added to this post-apocalyptic survival story.

The Darkest Winter
A Post-Apocalyptic Adventure
Savage North Chronicles
Written by Lindsey Pogue
Narrated by Sarah Ruth Thomas & Luis Bermudez

Run Time 15h
Release Date: October 8, 2020
Publisher: Lindsey Pogue
Genre: Paranormal, Post-Apocalyptic, Science Fiction
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.25.

Publisher Description
The Virus spread. Billions died. The Ending began.
A group of orphaned misfits.
The wildlands of the last frontier.
Superhuman abilities, harrowing adventures, and heartbreaking secrets.
Elle - Haunting shadows are nothing new to Elle St. James, she’s been running from them all her life. But since the outbreak spread from the lower forty-eight, new monsters lurk in the darkness. After Elle wakes from the fever, capable of horrific deeds, she fears she’s one of them. When she stumbles upon four orphans, Elle’s forced to discover what happens when her greatest fear becomes her darkest secret and her only hope of surviving.
Jackson - After the world goes mad and takes his family with it, Jackson Mitchell tosses aside his badge and decides a bottle of bourbon and the depths of despair are preferable to any semblance of living. All of that changes, however, when a group of young survivors are in dire need of his help and Jackson sacrifices his blissful oblivion in order to keep them safe. As they trek further away from the collapsing cities, Jackson must rely on his knowledge of the backcountry and the traditions of his people, or succumb to the dangers of the Alaskan wilderness.
Brought together under the worst possible circumstances, Elle and Jackson must face the inexplicable realities of the new world. Their past lives are over, and the arctic isn’t all that’s savage anymore.

Review:
A virus has killed Billions. But some survived. Of those who survived the fevers, some are realizing they have unusual, super human abilities. Elle is one of these. She set off to find her sister but instead she stumbles upon four orphans struggling to survive the trauma of losing everyone around them. Elle feels compelled to be the adult who must step up to help them. But she needs to protect them from her own secret.

Jackson has lost his wife and unborn child not to the virus but to a crazed intruder. His initial reaction is to drown his sorrows in a bourbon bottle. He finds his friend and begins to come back to life. He is intent on meeting his friend at a designated point, but along the way he finds Elle and her young charges. Reluctantly he realizes he must help them if they are to survive. He agrees to escort them, at least part of the way, sharing his survival knowledge with them.

Elle and Jackson had no intent to seek a relationship but it is hard to avoid when they find themselves thrown together trying to protect a small group of survivors. Elle learns that others have new abilities and that she may have to rely on her own ‘powers’ to fight back. How will her charges and Jackson react when they see her powers in use?

I liked the different personalities of the main and minor characters. They also get aid from a family in the wilderness that lives totally off the grid that gives a new perspective to the dangers of society. I felt there were areas of unrealism in the travels but it was overall a good story. I recommend this to fans of post-apocalyptic who would also like the paranormal elements.

Audio Notes: This is a story where dual narration worked well. Sarah Ruth Thomas & Luis Bermudez did a good job with the female and male voices. They both delivered distinct character voices and appropriate emotional energy. I enjoyed the audio entertainment.

Source: April 18, 2021 purchased at Chirp for $3.99. This qualifies for 2023TBR, 2023Audiobook, and 2023Season goals.

Audible Book Review: The Last Tribe by Brad Manuel

I liked this post-apocalyptic which is full of characters and survival rather than guns and gore.

The Last Tribe
By: Brad Manuel
Narrated by: Scott Brick

Length: 22 hrs and 42 mins
Release date: 06-14-16
Publisher: Podium Audio
Genre: Action & Adventure, Fantasy, Post-Apocalyptic
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.25.

Publisher's Summary
Imagine being alone in the world, one of only a handful to survive a global pandemic. Not only do you struggle to find food, water, and shelter but you also deal with the sadness and losing everyone you know and everything you have.
Fourteen-year-old Greg Dixon is living that nightmare. Attending boarding school outside of Boston, he is separated from his family when a pandemic strikes. His classmates and teachers are dead, rotting in a dormitory-turned-morgue steps from his room. The nights are getting colder, and his food has run out. The last message from his father is to get away from the city and to meet at his grandparents' town in remote New Hampshire. Knowing the impending New England winter could be the final nail in his coffin, Greg packs what little food he can find and sets off on his 100-mile walk north with the unwavering belief that his family is alive and will join him.
As the fast-moving and deadly disease strips away family and friends, Greg's father, John, is trapped in South Carolina. Roadblocks, a panic-stricken population, and winter make it impossible for him to get to his son. John and his three brothers appear to be immune, but they are scattered across a locked-down United States, forced to wait for the end of humanity before travelling to the mountains of New Hampshire.
Spring arrives, and the Dixons make their way north to find young Greg. They meet others along the way, slowly forming the last tribe of humanity from the few people still alive in the Northeast.
©2015 Brad Manuel (P)2016 Podium Publishing.

Review:
A fast-moving global pandemic has eliminated most of the people within two months. There is no clear reason why certain people survive and others do not. Surprisingly in this world, four Dixon brothers seem to be immune. Even more surprising, one of their wives survived too. The four brothers are spread across the Eastern United States from South Carolina to Ohio. John, Todd, Paul, and Hank agree to meet in the spring at their childhood home in Hanover, New Hampshire.

John is in Charleston, with two of his sons who survived. His fourteen-year-old son, Greg, is away at boarding school in Massachusetts. In their last phone call John told Greg to get to Hanover to wait for the rest of the Dixon men. After all of the others at his school appear to be dead, Greg sets out alone on his journey north. Along the way he is stunned to stumble upon another living person. Thirteen-year-old Rebecca is a young genius who is determined to survive.

Paul and Hank live in Cincinnati and Dayton, Ohio, respectively. They react differently when their wives and children die leaving them alone. They have to decide how to travel north and whether they should travel before winter.

Todd lives in Raleigh and is relived that his wife, Emily, and two young sons, have survived. Emily is determined to continue to educate their boys even as they travel to meet the rest of the family. They have a surprising visit to the Governor’s house before they proceed on their journey, adding some interesting companions along the way.

John and his sons have the furthest distance to travel. Young adult, Matt is prepared to help his father as soon as they can get control of young Craig who is suffering grief and anxious to get to Greg. When they get Craig focused on fishing, he can add his skills to their survival.

A handful of other survivors are discovered along the various journeys. There is a fine dilemma between finding others to rebuild society and finding others who are safe to trust. This is a totally character driven post apocalyptic story. Rebecca, the child genius, and extreme organizer, is a fascinating character. The other characters are well developed I was engaged by the character interactions which kept the story interesting. Although there is no heavy action, I enjoyed all of the survival observations and techniques.  I recommend this to post-apocalyptic survival fans who would enjoy character strengths as a change of pace.

Audio Notes: Scott Brick is a talented narrator. He delivers clear voices and appropriate emotion. I enjoyed the audio entertainment.

Source: 05/17/2020 Audible Credit pick. This qualifies for 2023TBR, 2023Audiobook, and 2023Alphabet goal.

Audible Book Review: Don't Call Me Ishmael by Chris Kennedy

This is a strong story, set in The Fallen World series, of a man without a memory seeking his identity.
Don't Call Me Ishmael
By: Chris Kennedy
Narrated by: Mark Boyett

Series: The Fallen World, Book 2
Length: 7 hrs and 19 mins
Release date: 06-25-19
Publisher: Podium Audio
Genre: Action, Post-Apocalyptic, Superhero
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.5; Narration 4.5.

Publisher's Summary
Don’t call him Ishmael. Or do; he really doesn’t care. Just don’t call him Fred.
No matter what you call him, though, he has a problem. Well, several of them. Ishmael - for want of a better name - woke up in a world that had changed. The Corporations - the wielders of power in a society not long from now - brought about the end of civilization as we know it, nuking each other to the point where it collapsed.
Ishmael doesn’t know any of this, though; in fact, he doesn’t know anything about himself when he wakes up in this shattered world. All of his autobiographical and episodic memories are gone, and along with them, any knowledge of who he was or anything in his past.
Worse, he has made enemies of some very important people, and they are after him. They are armed and he is alone and in...well, he doesn’t know where he is, either.
Can Ishmael stay alive long enough to recover his memories - to find out who he is and how he fits - or will he be just another casualty of This Fallen World?
©2019 Blood Moon Press (P)2019 Podium Publishing.

Review:
“Ishmael” doesn’t know his name or his identity. He awoke in a ‘coffin’, like a tanning bed, in a locked room. He soon runs into hostiles and discovers that the world around him is in chaos. As he escapes from the building, he destroys it behind him not knowing how important that chamber was to his recovery.

Ishmael, or Fred as he gets dubbed, has some natural muscle memory that helps keep him alive. He learns clues that send him off to find a former Corporation leader who may be able to help him learn his identity.

I liked Fred’s personality even when he didn’t know who he was. It was clear he was a superhero/warrior of sorts, probably an assassin like Kade in This Fallen World. I was glad that his inclinations were to do good considering the history and reputation of the Corporation assassins.

I really enjoyed the story-telling that fit well even though this is a different author in The Fallen World series. There are good characters, plenty of action, and a sense of humor. Again, the use of “this Fallen World” was fun but the reader has to get used to the repetition as it is used at the end of almost every chapter. I will be looking for more books in the series and more series from this author. I recommend the series and this action packed superhero, post-apocalyptic story.

Audio Notes: Again, Mark Boyett does a wonderful job with the narration. He is one of a handful of narrators I would be willing to search to select books he has narrated. I am thankful to have gotten these books for free for Audible listening.

Source: 11/5 Audible Plus Catalog This qualifies for 2022Audiobook goal.

Audible Book Review: This Fallen World by Christopher Woods

I liked the action in these stories.

This Fallen World
By: Christopher Woods
Narrated by: Mark Boyett

Series: The Fallen World, Book 1
Length: 8 hrs and 10 mins
Release date: 04-23-19
Publisher: Podium Audio
Genre: Adventure, Dystopia, Post-Apocalyptic
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.5.

Publisher's Summary
The world has Fallen, but life goes on....
Matthew Kade was a corporate assassin - one of the best agents Obsidian Corporation had. But then the bombs began falling, and the old world ended. Now he must navigate the new world he finds himself in, a world where the strongest survive, and the weaker do their bidding...or die.
Kade was always one of the strongest, though, so when a rich man’s daughter goes missing, he turns to Kade to find her and bring her back. But she has already been gone three days, and in the Fallen World, that is an eternity in which any number of things could have happened to her.
Can Kade - a man with a price on his head - pick up the trail of the young woman and navigate the streets of the city to find her, or will the city’s denizens be the end of him? It will take all of Kade’s abilities to find her and save her life...if he doesn’t lose his first.
This Fallen World includes three novellas in an exciting new universe by best-selling author Christopher Woods. You’ll want to get it - right now!
©2018 Blood Moon Press (P)2019 Podium Publishing.

Review:
This book consists of three short stories. The first was This Fallen World. The second is Broken City and the third is Seeds. The Fallen World is the bigger story.

A nuclear holocaust between warring corporations has resulted in decimating the United States. Few cities and countryside communities have survived. Slowly the survivors have established very rough societies who have a hierarchy with trading for life needs such as water, food (the Farmers), protection (the Society of the Sword), and even electric power (the Dynamo). The society groups are broken into blocks known as Zones some led by good, fair leaders, and others by vicious Warlords. Travel between Zones can be tricky.

In the Old World, Matthew Kade was a corporate assassin for one of the high corporations, the Obsidian Corporation. Now he serves as a tracker, retriever – a warrior of quiet renown. Kade has made enemies and has a price on his head due to prior events. But he also has made friends among prior clients, being trustworthy, and by being kind to people on the street. These friends can help him survive in the streets and as he passes from Zone to Zone.

A wealthy man hires Kade to find and return his daughter who was on a Caravan through Zones but has been missing for three days. Kade has a connection to Teresa, a leader of the Society of the Sword, which is a group set on removing the worst of the bad guys. Teresa has sent a tank of a man, William Poe, to watch Kade’s back. Kade and Poe will face random gangs as well as Zone armies to accomplish his mission. Kade is quick to say "Expect the worst and you won't be disappointed."

Broken City finds Kade called in to solve a mystery of murders taking place among the Mardins. This is a society group who live under the city in the maintenance tunnels, where they provide water and sewer systems to the groups above in exchange for being left alone. When someone violates the agreement by entering their tunnels and killing members, the Society of the Swords in called upon and Kade is assigned to solve the problem. Again, he has assistance, and they face mutant killers. There is also a furtherance of the relationship between Kade and Teresa.

Finally, in Seeds, we learn about Zebadiah Pratt and struggles of the Farmers as they begin to form shortly after ‘the fall’. Pratt was in the military in the Old World and came home alive but damaged. This story fills in some of the history of how the world became ‘this fallen world’. There were interesting additions in this story, including a fat, lazy pony. Also, this one gets a bit more brutal than the first two stories.

I enjoyed the character development and the full-on action in these stories. There was a bit of repetition especially for the phrase of “in this Fallen World.” Initially it is clever, cute, but it gets to be overdone. I am glad to have received this through Audible Plus and I have another book in this series which I look forward to reading (listening) to. I recommend this to fans of dystopian, post-apocalyptic novels that are filled with fighting action.

Audio Notes: Mark Boyett is a skilled narrator, delivering distinct voices and apt energy to the stories. I am drawn in by his narration and I really was pleased to get to listen to this story.

Source: 11/5 Audible Plus Catalog. This qualifies for 2022Audiobook goal.

Audible Book Review: Last Stand: The Complete Box Set by William Weber

This four book box set presents a solid Post-Apocalyptic survival and military story.
Last Stand: The Complete Box Set
By: William Weber
Narrated by: Kevin Stillwell

Series: Last Stand (Weber), Book 1-4
Length: 24 hrs and 50 mins
Release date: 09-20-17
Publisher: Audible Studios
Genre: Dystopia, Military, Post-Apocalyptic, War
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.0; Narration 4.0.

Publisher's Summary
Last Stand: Surviving America's Collapse: John Mack, a prepper and former soldier, struggles to save his family and community after an EMP (electromagnetic pulse) takes out the country's electrical grid. With most electronics, communications, and transportation destroyed in a matter of seconds, the nation quickly collapses into anarchy.
For John and the other residents of Willow Creek Drive, the breakdown of social order throws them back to the 1800s. As the community tries to come together, a powerful outside force appears that threatens their survival. Will John's years of military and prepping experience be enough to keep them safe?
Mixing tons of useful prepping tips into an action-packed story, Last Stand: Surviving America's Collapse is a must-listen for any fans of survival fiction.
Last Stand: Patriots: Three months after the EMP cripples the United States, John Mack and his family find their peaceful new existence shattered when a tyrant seizes control of the nearby town of Oneida. Soon John encounters a group of patriots who've sworn to stand against the growing despotism. But John will learn that nothing in this new post-EMP America is what it seems - and that the deadliest threats are often the ones you didn't see coming.
Last Stand: Warlords: Tormented by a past he can't forget, John Mack is about to face the toughest fight of his life. The tiny town of Oneida, Tennessee, stands in the crosshairs of Russian and Chinese armies threatening to push across the Mississippi river. With the United States fragmented and on the brink of military collapse, John will need to dig deeper than ever to defend his loved ones from enemies both foreign and domestic.
Last Stand: Turning the Tide: Foreign armies are poised along the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains preparing for the final assault and America's inevitable defeat. For John, turning back the tide will mean going deep behind enemy lines and organizing the very insurgency he fought so hard against in Iraq. But more than that, it'll mean coming to terms with the brutality of war and the realization that sometimes the deepest scars are the ones that can't be seen.
©2017 William Weber (P)2017 Audible, Inc.

Review:
Last Stand: Surviving America's Collapse: John Mack is a retired soldier. His experience has made him cautious enough to be a ‘prepper’, planning for a day of disaster. He has set up a bunker with supplies at home and has arranged a safe location to take his family when things get too rough at home. When the power goes down after an EMP strike, making computers, phones, and modern vehicles obsolete, John and his family hesitate to leave their home. Instead, John steps up to lead his neighbors at Willow Creek Drive, to gather to try to survive the immediate danger. Unfortunately, an outside mass of evil comes to take their supplies. John may be able to provide weapons and lead the community in a battle but at what cost?

Last Stand: Patriots: John and a group of survivors from Willow Creek are working to survive on the outskirts of a larger town, Oneida, Tennessee. John and his scouts are concerned that the nearby town has been taken over by enemies posing as US government who ask the people to turn in their arms on the pretext of safety. John has no choice but to take action when his wife and daughter are kidnapped by the enemy. In the process of gaining more information, a group of dedicated patriots align with John to expose the treachery and save the town… at least from the immediate enemy. They soon learn that the US is battling Russian and Chinese forces threatening along the Mississippi River.

Last Stand: Warlords: The town of Oneida is a point for supply movement and the Chinese don’t want to give it up. Most towns have allowed the enemy to infiltrate and take over from within. John and his patriots in Oneida are one of the few American strong holds, which brings them to the attention of a struggling US military. John is brought back into military service and tasked to take volunteers and conscripted men to the front line while also continuing to protect the town. The task isn’t easy especially when it is clear there is a mole in their midst. John’s job becomes more stressful when his 16 year old son and another young teen run off to fight at the front of the line.

Last Stand: Turning the Tide: John fought insurgents in Iraq. Although his memories are difficult, he has learned military strategies that he thinks will help in the extreme situation the US military finds itself in. John is bucking heads with a superior officer who is threatened by John’s successful plans. Fortunately, some of the higher leadership is willing to listen to John’s strategic suggestions. John and a small team reach out to other communities to set up pockets of resistance. Slowly John and the military begin to experience wins that give them hope.

I did enjoy this series and I think it was good that I listened to all four books during a couple of weeks rather than over months (or years). I mostly liked the main character, John, although he was a bit too much of being right. I didn’t think his flashbacks to Iraq added that much to the story as the impact of his past military service could be added in a quicker way. I do think the family, neighbors, and later, team warriors, added to the action of the story. There was good prepper information mixed in well with the military. The series is entertaining, and I would recommend it to fans of post-apocalyptic stories with military elements.

Audio Notes: Kevin Stillwell does a good job with the narration. He provided distinct character voices and did well with the foreign accents. The narration made this an easier listen.

Source: 11/3/17 Audible Purchase for $1.95. This qualifies for 2022TBR and 2022Audiobook goals.

Audible Book Review: White Wasteland by Jeff Kirkham, Jason Ross

I liked this Post Apocalyptic story but realized it is a shoot off from an earlier series.

White Wasteland
A Black Autumn Saga (White Wasteland Series, Book 1)
By: Jeff Kirkham, Jason Ross
Narrated by: Kevin Pierce

Series: White Wasteland Series, Book 1
Black Autumn, Book 5
Length: 12 hrs and 50 mins
Release date: 05-04-21
Publisher: ReadyMan Publishing, LLC
Genre: Military, Post-Apocalyptic
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.25.

Publisher's Summary
As winter descends on a broken nation, the Homestead survival compound squares off against Mother Nature and an unstoppable wave of human suffering against a violent flu, coupled with desperate mobs and a fanatical warlord.
The Special Forces warriors and their civilian fight force face a moral collapse at home as the founder of the Homestead struggles with the demons of his own, while a secretive group of Homestead women follow their hearts into uncharted waters, tossing the fragile community into further turmoil.
Strange visions, precarious faith, and troubled dreams gnaw at the Homestead, but are keys to their survival buried in their inmost truths?
The saga of Black Autumn continues in book one of the White Wasteland Series.
©2021 Jeff Kirkham, Jason Ross (P)2021 Jeff Kirkham, Jason Ross

Review:
Jason is the political, ‘mayorial’, leader of the Homestead, who is steadily drinking more and losing sight of doing the right thing. The Special Forces security leader, Jeff, is realizing he will have to take a stronger position to protect the Homestead - first from masses of starving people seeking food and then from more serious, organized threats.

Meanwhile, the hierarchy of the Church of Latter Day Saints (Mormon Church), is floundering due to the death of many of the high leaders. One of the top twelve remains but he is reluctant, due to guilt, to declare himself the next president. Instead a egomaniac church leader, with a large following on secure farmland to the southern border, declares himself the new President. He then declares war on the church in Salt Lake City.

The Homestead forces don’t have enough numbers to continue to fight off the outsider attacks. Jeff is having vivid dreams or nightmares nudging him to make hard decisions. Should he seek the help of the Salt Lake City church to fight the threat from the south?

The story jumps right in with action, and I quickly realized that the characters and apocalyptic event are carried forward from another series. This book is actually the 5th book in the Black Autumn series and the 1st in the White Wasteland series. Even though there is not a clear backstory to bring a reader up to date, I still enjoyed this story. It had plenty of action and personal conflicts to make it interesting.

I found the religious element interesting with the internal church struggles and the recognition of evil even in self-proclaimed godly men. I didn’t feel that the author was trying to preach through the inclusion of the church conflict which fit with the setting of the Homestead next door to Salt Lake City.

Some readers will feel it necessary to start at the beginning of the first series, but I think it can be enjoyed even if that doesn’t happen. I have the first book on Kindle and plan to read it at some point. I recommend this to fans of post-apocalyptic stories.

Audio Notes: Kevin Pierce does a great job narrating this genre. He provides distinct voices and appropriate energy. I am glad that I was able to listen to this story.

Source: 3/3/22 New-to-Me series purchased at Audible Sale for $3.74 This qualifies for 2022Audiobook goal.

Audible Book Review: After the Ending by Lindsey Fairleigh, Lindsey Pogue

 This is a bit on the teen angsty side for me but the post-apocalyptic story had some interest as survivors developed supernatural abilities.

After The Ending
The Ending Series, #1
By: Lindsey Fairleigh, Lindsey Pogue
Narrated by: Natalie Duke

Series: The Ending Series, Book 1
Length: 18 hrs and 10 mins
Release date: 04-25-14 Publisher: L2 Books
Genre: Post-Apocalyptic, Sci Fi
My Rating: 3.5 of 5.0 Overall; Story 3.5; Narration 3.75.

Publisher's Summary
The best-selling first audiobook in the emotionally charged post-apocalyptic romance series, The Ending Series.
The virus spread. Billions died. The ending began. We may have survived the apocalypse, but the virus changed us.
When people started getting sick, they thought it was just the flu. My roommate, my boyfriend, my family ...they're all gone now. I got sick too. I should have died with them - with the rest of the world - but I didn't. I thought witnessing the human population almost disappear off the face of the earth was the craziest thing I'd ever experience. I was so wrong. My name is Dani O'Connor, I'm twenty-six-years-old, and I survived the ending.
The virus changed everything. The world I knew is gone, and life is backwards. We've all had to start over. I've been stripped of my home, my dreams ...all that is me. I'm someone else now-broken and changed. Other survivors' memories and emotions haunt me. They invade my mind until I can no longer separate them from my own. I won't let them consume me. I can't. My name is Zoe Cartwright, I'm twenty-six-years-old, and I survived the ending.
We've been inseparable for most of our lives, and now our friendship is all we have left. The aftermath of the virus has stranded us on opposite sides of the United States. Trusting strangers, making sacrifices, killing - we'll do anything to reach one another. Fear and pain may be unavoidable, but we're strong ...we're survivors. But to continue surviving in this unfamiliar world plagued by crazies and strange new abilities, we have to adapt. We have to evolve.
And more than anything, we have to find each other.
This audiobook contains some adult content and language.

Review:
Dani and Zoe are in their mid-twenties and best of friends separated across the country when billions die from a rapid virus. They are able to determine they are both alive because they can communicate by email. Dani’s boyfriend died and she is devastated…at least until Zoe’s older brother, Jason, arrives to rescue her.

Zoe gathers a group of friends to head west to meet up with her brother while he has a handful of young men and women traveling to a place they believe will be safe. Along the way the separate groups run into hostile forces who want to control where they can go and what they can do.

The young people who have survived seem to be obsessed with sex. I struggled along in the teen angst because at mid-point it became clear that several of the survivors were developing unique powers. Although the abilities may be helpful, they soon are considered freaks who are a threat to others.

I felt the characters were shallow and not well developed, other than being whiney and on the weak side. I wasn’t particularly engaged by the survival because it is overwhelmed by the drama. Over the breadth of the story a romance develops for both Dani and Zoe. This is portrayed nicely without being graphic and at least gave some favorable elements to the story. I’m not planning on continuing the series. This is a post-apocalyptic story that would be good for a younger audience and for readers who enjoy supernatural elements.

Audio Notes: Natalie Duke precisely captures the young whiny female voices. I don’t think she managed the male voices as well. Still, the narration made this longish book move along for me.

Source: April 2014 Audible Credit. This qualifies for 2022TBR and 2022Audiobook goals.

Audible book Review: Commune: Book Four by Joshua Gayou

This story kept me up when I should have been sleeping.

Commune: Book Four Commune Series, Book 4
By: Joshua Gayou
Narrated by: R.C. Bray

Length: 22 hrs and 7 mins
Release date: 05-03-19
Publisher: Joshua Gayou, Blue Heron Audio
Genre: Dystopian, Post-Apocalyptic
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Content 4.25; Narration 4.5.

Publisher's Summary
The philosopher asks: "Faced with the mutually exclusive choice between moral principle and the survival of your family, which is the correct path?"
Philosophers love to pose such questions, and in the day-to-day struggle, such thinkers rarely attain to a level of relevance rivaling that of the simple hunger pang. Their careful considerations dissipate under the leveled gun.
We do not feel their disapproving gaze when The Others draw near.
When the world sends doom, the survivors do not hesitate.
The survivors do what is necessary.
©2018 Joshua Gayou and Blue Heron Audio (P)2019 Joshua Gayou and Blue Heron Audio

Review:
Although Brian, a member of the Jackson Commune, continues his character interviews in this episode, there is much more action. The military group that visited and helped the Commune has moved on. The Commune has set aside enough reserves to survive the winter and do the spring planting. Life has settled into normal work routine as the Commune looks forward.

Beyond the state, there is a group of misfits that has grown to a large community. They are under the leadership of Clay who struggles to maintain loyalties and control as the group grows and factions form. Some of the factions are more brutal and devious than others. Ronny, Clay’s second in command, had a bad encounter with Jake’s team and knows that they have a “home base” near Jackson. He is intent on moving the group to Jackson and finally convinces Clay to move on as the food stores are becoming scarce.

The Commune occupants quickly learn that a large group has moved into Jackson. It is very unclear if the group is friendly or intend harm. Gibbs and a few other leaders go to the edge of town to meet and attempt to find out the intentions of Clay’s group. They step back in order to regroup.

Jake instructs the Commune members to begin to prepare for an attack. They do not have enough food and resources to share, and they must protect the new home they have established.

There is still a misguided member of the Commune who thinks it will be possible to negotiate a fair exchange of information and resources. He sneaks off to town starting a stream of violent events.

This particular book has a lot of brutality and, unfortunately, a lot of foul language. The language is a bit distracting to me, but I was able to push through because I like the characters and the action. I truly did stay up too late into the night listening. I recommend the series to those who like rough post-apocalyptic survival and don’t mind rough language.

Audio Notes: R.C. Bray continues to deliver wonderful narration. Bray provides clear and distinct voices. As before in this series, I was engaged and my enjoyment of the story was enhanced by the narration.

Source: 11/18/2021 Audible October Credit. This qualifies for 2022TBR and 2022Audiobook goals.

Audible Book Review: Wolves by D. J. Molles

I like this author and narrator. This story is a bit brutal and sad - but engaging.
Wolves
by D. J. Molles
Narrated by: Christian Rummel

Length: 18 hrs and 19 mins
Release date: 08-30-16
Publisher: Audible Studios
Genre: Dystopian, Horror, Post-Apocalyptic
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.5.

Publisher's Summary
From the best-selling author of the Remaining series...
They took everything - killed his wife, enslaved his daughter, destroyed his life. Now he's a man with nothing left to lose...and that's what makes him so dangerous.
Ten years after the collapse, Huxley has built a good life again. He has a loving wife, a farm with fields of golden barley, and a daughter with a strange and wonderful gift. Then the slavers come. Working out in the fields during the attack, Huxley returns too late. His daughter has been taken, and his wife is bleeding out, her last whispered words about a man with a scorpion tattoo on his neck.
Where do the slavers go? Huxley has no idea. He knows only that they head east, and so will he, setting out on foot across the desert of the Wastelands. Eighteen months into his journey, he has no hope of ever seeing his daughter alive. Dying of thirst in the open desert, he doesn't even expect to see another day.
Then a man appears out of the desert and offers Huxley water from his canteen, an unheard of kindness in these savage times. Jay is an odd man, full of violence and guided by his hatred of the slavers, but he helps Huxley survive. And he gives Huxley a new purpose: Nothing can bring back the dead, but the two men can chase down the slavers and make them bleed.
Together Huxley and Jay carve a path of destruction across the remains of a once-great land. The slavers are brutal, but they have no idea what's coming for them. Huxley has found something to live for again: blood and vengeance.
In his most powerful work yet, New York Times best-selling author D. J. Molles delivers a carefully woven novel of violence and redemption, bringing to life a devastating portrait of a man pushed to the edge of his own humanity.
©2015 D. J. Molles (P)2016 Audible, Inc.

Review:
Huxley, his wife and daughter survived the collapse and got out of the city to set up a modest farm in the country. Ten years later he is working when Slavers arrive in his community. They take his daughter and kill his wife. Huxley sets out to find the slaver with a scorpion tattoo. Eighteen months later Huxley is about to die in the Wasteland dessert. But another man, Jay, offers him water and proposes a purpose to live.

Jay is clearly set on vengeance against those who took all from him. The men agree to follow the slavers east to a place of “blood and death”. Jay convinces Huxley to take a “no-holds barred” attitude to his ‘mission’. To be successful in their goals, they need to get weapons and supplies. So begins a journey of violence.

Along the way a mixed group of men and women join the two men, some seeking their own revenge and others for their own private reasons. The path becomes very brutal and more dangerous as it becomes clear that there is authority behind that slavers that has the real power. Huxley worries that if he finds his young daughter, she will not recognize the killer he has become.

This story is full of brutality and sadness. It is well written and includes some internal thought struggles for Huxley. I liked his daughter’s unique talent, and I did sense for most of the book that Huxley hoped to find his daughter as well as hoping to have the opportunity to kill the slaver who took his family.

I have now read/listened to Molles’ series Remaining followed by the Lee Harden series. I was interested to see if this standalone would feel like the other books. There is some of the same violence and internal debating, but this seemed darker and more disturbing. The world of the Wasteland and the surviving cities is not pretty, and I admit that I could have used a little shorter time in this dark world. I am likely to continue to read the books by this author. I recommend this as an engaging story to readers of post-apocalyptic.

Audio Notes: Christian Rummel does a wonderful job with the dark nature of the story. He is able to provide distinct character voices and energy. I have found that Rummel’s performance will contribute to my enjoyment of the story he narrates.

Source 9/18/18 Audible Credit. This qualifies for 2022TBR and 2022Audiobook goals.

Audible Book Review: What's Left of My World by C.A. Rudolph

I like this post-apocalyptic, character driven story.

What's Left of My World
By: C.A. Rudolph
Narrated by: Kevin Pierce

Series: What's Left of My World, Book 1 (7 books)
Length: 10 hrs and 14 mins
Release date: 04-04-17
Publisher: C.A. Rudolph
Genre: Dystopian, Fantasy, Post-Apocalyptic
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.25.

Publisher's Summary
Lauren Russell often wondered why her father had been so adamant about teaching her skills that most other fathers wouldn't even consider teaching their daughters. Ever since she was little, she had been taught how to live and survive outdoors, and how to use firearms to protect herself and those around her. Some of the training had been a bit extreme. Or had it been?
Many of her questions were answered the day the world as she knew it ended. Now, the skills she had been taught serve an essential purpose. They keep her and those she cares about alive. Even in the sparsely-populated mountains of West Virginia, where she and her family have been forced to relocate for their safety after the collapse, peril lurks around every corner. Normal life has taken on a whole new meaning for Lauren, her family, and the community they have become a part of. In this different world, the new status quo is self-preservation. There is no more middle ground. People either live, or they die.
Lauren's father didn't make it home on the day the world changed forever, and she misses him more than anything. Now, in What's Left of My World, she and her family must learn to endure life's horrors - without him.
©2016 C.A.Rudolph (P)2017 C.A.Rudolph

Review:
Lauren’s father had made sure that she could handle herself and her weapons. She has learned to live and survive outdoors, to face the perils of nature, and to face wild and human predators. She and her family have made it to a refuge valley in West Virginia. She hopes her father will be able to travel from his DC office to find his way to the family. But they all know there are dangers.

Within the valley there are members of the community who work together to survive while ‘takers’ living in the woods make raids to steal supplies. Now there are motorcycle terrorists breaking through to the interior homes. The bullies had attacked a neighbor home. Although the men were caught, the woman of the house was killed. When they investigated the men’s saddle bags, they found trophies – human fingers. The community is going to have to arm up and face this new, brutal threat. The community members are flawed, including Lauren who knows better than to investigate a murder scene on her own. She stumbles upon a survivor and has no way to know if he is an enemy or can be an asset.

I enjoyed the story line and the primary characters. They are a mixed bag of young and old, prepared and unprepared but ready to contribute to the upcoming battles. The action and suspense are good even if there are some unrealistic moments. Warning: the evil is brutal and ugly so be prepared for that. I will be listening to the next book and recommend this to fans of post-apocalyptic survival.

Audio Notes: Kevin Pierce is a reliable narrator in this genre. He provides distinct voices and distinct energy. I enjoyed the audio presentation.

Source: 7/18/2021 Audible $5.00 sale on Sci Fi and Fantasy titles. This qualifies for 2022TBR, 2022Audiobook, and 2022Alphabet goals.

Audible Book Review: The Breaking by Daniel Greene

This is a brutal zombie story.

The Breaking: The End Time Saga, Book 2
By: Daniel Greene
Narrated by: Keith Szarabajka

Series: The End Time Saga, Book 2
Length: 12 hrs and 55 mins
Release date: 07-24-18
Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.
 Genre: Horror, Military, Post-Apocalyptic
My Rating: 3.75 of 5.0 Overall; Story 3.75; Narration 4.25

Publisher's Summary
The hunt is on to find Patient Zero...
Both the East and the West Coasts of the United States have collapsed, and the US military is in full retreat. All their attempts to stem the tide of the dead have failed.
Former counter-terrorism agent Mark Steele and his fellow survivors have been bushwhacked in the West Virginia hills. The fringe West Virginians are teaching him a valuable lesson in the new rules of the apocalypse. The mountain folk are as resilient as they are ruthless, and Steele must find a way out to save his people.
In a desperate gamble to stop the virus, retired Air Force Colonel Michael Kinnick has been entrusted with finding Dr. Joseph Jackowski, who's gone missing in West Virginia. Kinnick's depleted unit of Special Forces soldiers have reached the breaking point as the dead assault them at every step.
Outside of Pittsburgh, Dr. Joseph Jackowski's quest to find Patient Zero has stalled. Unwillingly conscripted into the National Guard, he has been enlisted into Colonel Jackson's rapidly depleting force. As the military quarantine disintegrates around Pittsburgh, death marches closer, and time is running out.
Steele is forced to go further than he ever imagined in order to save his loved ones, but when he is done, will anyone still recognize him? Will he recognize them? And will he recognize himself?
In this thrilling sequel to End Time, Daniel Greene continues his fast-paced and gripping apocalyptic saga. The Breaking transports us to a near future composed of death, honor, destruction, and hope as the United States falls and lives crumble before a devastating zombie virus.
©2018 Daniel Greene (P)2018 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Review:
Mark Steele seems to be a “man of steel” but he takes a brutal beating when he and his small band of survivors, including his love, Gwen, are attacked by a violent group of hillbilly-country bullys (think Deliverance). Steele is left for dead while the survivors in his team are taken captive to be used for vile forms of entertainment.

Dr. Joseph Jackowski escaped the attack that took down Steele. He can’t spend time thinking about those he left behind because he is intent on finding Patient Zero. Joseph is glad to get to a military facility in Pittsburgh thinking they will help him on his quest. Instead, he finds himself in the clutches of a tyrant who insists that he put his skills to use to help the injured on his base.

Once Steele gets aid, he has to face the evil enemy on one side and the undead on the other. Can Steele save his friends without becoming like the brutes that tortured them? Meanwhile can Joseph find Patient Zero and what will happen if he does?

Although I like the action in this story, this one felt a little too long as it kept delivering blow after blow. I have the next book in the series, but I don’t plan to listen very soon. Fans of evil filled zombie action might like the series.

Audio Notes: Keith Szarabajka does a good job with the narrations. I enjoyed his voice characterizations and the energy he brings to the story. I am glad I listened to this.

Source: October 2020 Audible Plus Catalog. This qualifies for 2022TBR and 2022Audiobook goals.

Audible Book Review: Nomad, The Nomad Triology 1, by Matthew Mather

This apocalyptic, action story has interesting climate science elements.

Nomad
The Nomad Trilogy 1
By: Matthew Mather
Narrated by: Keith Szarabajka

Series: The Nomad Series, Book 1
Length: 9 hrs and 19 mins
Release date: 11-04-15
Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Genre: Action, Post-Apocalyptic
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.0; Narration 4.0.

Publisher's Summary
Something big is coming...big enough to destroy the entire solar system...and it's heading straight for Earth. That's what Dr. Ben Rollins, head of Harvard's exoplanet research team, is told by NASA after being dragged out of bed in the middle of the night. His first instinct is to call his daughter and wife, who are vacationing in Italy: Something is coming, he tells them, a hundred times the mass of our sun. We can't see it, we don't know what it is, but it's there. They're calling it Nomad, and it's coming fast. In just a few months, the Earth may be destroyed.
The world erupts into chaos as the end approaches - and Ben discovers that his wife and daughter are trapped in Italy. The key to humanity's survival may rest in the final answers he pieces together in the midst of his frantic scramble to find his family before Nomad swallows the planet.
©2015 Matthew Mather (P)2015 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Review:
As a young scientist, Dr. Ben Rollins provided research predicting a collision in space. That research paper was declined for publication many years ago. Now Earth is facing a catastrophic solar event which is being hidden from the public even as it will soon be in position to be seen by amateurs. Nomad, as the event is called, doesn’t have to collide with Earth to cause a terrible impact. Instead, it has enough draw to pull planets out of orbit. There will be cataclysmic global warming, volcanic activity, tsunamis, and more extreme conditions that will remove society infrastructure as well as causing immediate deaths.

Ben is picked up by government/scientific authorities. He apparently has the only records that would help pinpoint the origin and trajectory of Nomad. He tries to have his family, ex-wife, Celeste, and daughter, Jessica, fly to meet him but they get trapped in Italy when the climate reactions begin.

Jessica and Celeste were touring a castle (“castello”) in Chantilly, Italy. Jessica is an expert extreme climber in spite of having a prosthetic leg. She captures the eye of the owner of the castle which provides her a place to seek refuge after getting mugged in Rome.

The pacing was good and I enjoyed the action moving the story along. The scientific descriptions of the events and consequences made this interesting. On the other hand, I wasn’t particularly drawn to the characters with their poor decisions. It is an interesting post-apocalyptic and I expect I may pick up more in the series sometime in the future.

Audio Notes: Keith Szarabajka did a good job with the various voices, including acceptable accents (a least to my untrained ear). I am glad that I had this title to listen to.

Source: June 2021 Audible Plus Catalog. This qualifies for 2022TBR and 2022Audiobook goals.

Audible Book Review: After It Happened Books 5 and 6 by Devon C. Ford

This is a good Post-Apocalyptic with struggles, defeats, and finally victories.
After It Happened
Publisher's Pack 3
By: Devon C. Ford
Narrated by: R.C. Bray

Length: 13 hrs and 28 mins
Release date: 01-10-18
Publisher: Podium Audio
Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, Post-Apocalyptic
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.5.

Publisher's Summary
This publisher's pack contains Sanctuary (book 5) and Rebellion (book 6) of the After It Happened series.
Set in the UK in the immediate aftermath of a mysterious illness that swept the country and left millions dead, the series follows the trials facing a reluctant hero, Dan, and the group he forms around him. They must battle the elements, find sufficient supplies and equipment to survive, and protect themselves against the most destructive force on the planet: other people.
Sanctuary, book 5: Scattered, the group must come to terms with their new reality. They face more danger than they can deal with. They have no idea if they can win the race against time before one of them becomes critical. Meanwhile, back at home, a plan is hatched to overthrow a tyrannical rule.
Rebellion, book 6: Steve, now recovered from his horrific injuries, forms a plan to restore the balance of power in their camp, but his opposition is also playing a dangerous game. Meanwhile, Sanctuary reveals its secrets to Dan and the others, and they find safety and comfort behind the high walls. But safety is an illusion, and there are forces converging on them with a malevolence that they have not battled before.
©2017 Devon C. Ford (P)2018 Podium Publishing

Review:
These two books continue to tell the stories of several groups of survivors. Dan and his group are traveling through Europe to get to Africa where Emma believes she can find a cure to help Melissa (Dan’s woman) safely deliver their baby. They face killing marauders, lose supplies and become separated along the way. Having heard a radio message, they seek a fortified town called Sanctuary. When some of the survivors reach Sanctuary they need to prepare the town for the evil that may follow them.

Meanwhile, the original home base has been taken over by a fascist military leader who controls his troops by fear. Steve and the remaining members of the group have been captured and the others are conscripted into various jobs while Steve recovers with a doctor who agrees secretly to help lead a rebellion coup.

There are four young people who escaped from the troops who head out to find Dan. At least one of them, Chris is angry and blames Dan for leaving the home base insufficiently protected. This group is captured by the vicious marauders who almost captured Dan. Two of them are horribly torture before they break free.

I found these books to be very realistic which includes danger, oppression, torture and other traumatic events. There was a point where I wanted to have a better result for the good guys, but I had to continue in hopes of victories. There is some swearing and, of course, brutality. I recommend this series to true fans of post-apocalyptic adventure.

Audio Notes: I always enjoy the narration of R.C. Bray. He conveys distinct voices and energy that fits the scenes of the story. His narration enhanced my enjoyment of this story.

Source: June 2021 Audible Credit. This qualifies for 2022TBR and 2022Audiobook goals.

Audible Book Review: End of Summer by S.M. Anderson

This is a satisfactory, pandemic Post-Apocalyptic/Dystopian (and my "Summer" title).

End of Summer
By: S.M. Anderson
Narrated by: Jay Snyder

Series: Seasons of Man, Book 1 (2 books)
Length: 11 hrs and 33 mins
Release date: 06-16-20
Publisher: Podium Audio
Genre: Adventure, Dystopian, Post-Apocalyptic
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.5; Narration 4.5.

Publisher's Summary
When a viral apocalypse kills 97 percent of the people on the planet, the survivors' humanity is hanging by a thread. Amid the leftovers of civilization, ex-Army Ranger Jason Larsen is reminded of the meaning of hope, family, and loyalty by a dog and a young boy who are as alone as he is. The survivors he seems to collect become family, and that is very bad news for those who think they run the apocalypse. ©2019 S.M. Anderson (P)2020 Podium Publishing

Review:
A new virologist is flippant about the sanitation rules in the lab. He bends the rules one too many times and ends up taking sickness to the world.

Ex-Army Ranger Jason Larsen is more prepared physically than most for an apocalypse. Initially he just wants to die and be with his pregnant wife. But before her death by the virus, she made him promise to stay alive and help “the children”. Jason reluctantly steps out to the street and hears nearby gunshot. He goes through the back ways and discovers a woman shot in the back of a truck. He learns there are a group of thugs, ‘Tyson’s gang’, working out of the FEMA base under the direction of a twisted Sheriff. They are gathering kids to scavenge and adults with useful skills. If someone doesn’t have a good skill, they are left behind with a bullet.

Jason happens to know that one of his wealthy neighbors was a serious prepper. He carefully approaches the house and finds the neighbor’s black lab, Loki. Fortunately, the dead occupant has provided info to access the stored supplies.

Meanwhile, Pro is a fourteen-year-old from across town. He knows his father isn’t coming home and after several days he has to leave his dead family behind. He finds a house with good supplies where he sets up camp and begins to scavenge the neighborhood. Soon the Tyson gang realizes that someone e is cleaning out houses before they get there. Jason happens to stumble on Pro while he is tracking Tyson’s gang. Jason tries to direct Pro to safety, but Pro is suspicious of everyone. After Pro gets caught, Jason has to figure out if he can rescue the boy. Slowly Jason wages war on the scavenge crews, taking out the anonymous enemy one by one.

Jason has added to his small group a frightened, but fierce young women Rachel, who is protecting a young girl, Elsa. Rachel has no reason to trust any man and is only happy that Jason has given her a gun and trained her to shoot. She is set on revenge.

Pro manages to escape the compound by himself but now Jason has to grab him to save him from getting caught again. Pro insists there are others in the FEMA compound who aren’t brutal killers and he wants Jason to help free the good people. Can Jason control Rachel and Pro as he prepares an assault on the FEMA compound?

Jason is a quiet, strong, and likeable protagonist. He doesn’t want to be a hero, but he is prompted by the promise to his wife to try to save others. Pro is a smart teen who has to grow up too fast. Rachel is a young woman who is trying to recover from the trauma of sexual abuse by seeking revenge on bad men. These three create an interesting core who struggle to survive and help others.

I liked all of the action as well as the development of the characters. I am glad I have the second book to listen to. I recommend this to fans of the genres, post-apocalyptic, and dystopian. (Warning: there is violence, reference to rape, and some rough language.)

Audio Notes: Jay Snyder does a good job with the narration. He provides distinct voices for the characters and gives appropriate energy to the story. The audio enhanced my enjoyment of the story.

Source: 7/18/2021 Audible $5.00 sale. (Regular Price: $34.99.) This qualifies for 2022TBR, 2022Audiobook, and 2022Season goal.