Audible Book Review: Messenger, America Falls, Book 0.5, by Adam Barr

I liked this story focused on one character in a dystopian setting.

Messenger
America Falls, Book #0.5
By: Scott Medbury
Narrated by: Adam Barr

Length: 1 hr and 14 mins
Release date: 04-07-21
Publisher: Anscot Publishing Pty Ltd
Genre: Dystopian, Post-Apocalyptic
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.25.

Publisher's Summary
His name was Death, and Hell was following close behind...
Messenger is a novella from the America Falls world and is an action-packed story set around 10 years after the events of Civil War. It tells the story of a mysterious traveler with a hook hand, who travels the post-apocalyptic eastern states of America spreading a message of hope about "the Cities" and the budding rebirth of the United States.
It isn't always smooth traveling at the end of the world, though, and when he stumbles across a gang of cannibals out for the blood of the innocent, he must decide whether to interrupt his mission and risk death at the hands of psychopaths to help someone in need.
©2018 Anscot Publishing Pty Ltd (P)2021 Anscot Publishing Pty Ltd

Review:
The “Messenger” is a young man who survived as a teenager when China released a biological weapon that killed the majority of adults. The young people fought back and started developing communities after a counter biological killed the occupying Chinese. Along the way the Messenger lost his hand and lost loved ones. Now he travels the land seeking other survivors to invite to his home community.

He is also gathering information and tracking evil gang groups like the cannibals who prey on innocents. He has spotted four of these evil men heading into a small town known for trading. Initially it appears that the local ‘police’ are monitoring the four and that they are not causing trouble. But suddenly the Messenger notices a father and son rushing out of town with the four leering after them. The Messenger has to decide if he will continue his travels or follow the cannibals to help the father and son.

If you have read the first books of America Falls, you know who the Messenger is. But even if a reader doesn’t know him when they start this book, they will learn at the end and can enjoy the nature of the hero along the journey. I enjoyed the quick story with the suspense and hope that is well blended. I finished books 1-3 and have 4-6 on my TBR to look forward to. I recommend this novella and the series in the boxed sets (better value) to fans of post-apocalyptic/dystopian.

Audio Notes: Adam Barr continues to due a good job with the narration in this series. He provides distinct voices and I like how he conveys the mystery and seriousness of the suspense and the lightness of hope at the end. I am very glad this was available on sale.

America Falls Episodes 1-2 by Scott Medbury; My Rating 4.0.
Book Review: Book 3 of The After Days Trilogy by Scott Medbury; My Rating 4.0.

Source: 3-3-2022 Audible Sale Purchases $3.74. This qualifies for 2022Audiobook and 2022Alphabet goals.

Book Review: Book 3 of The After Days Trilogy by Scott Medbury

Book three in this series moved the story forward and brings the community to a point of evacuation.

The After Days Trilogy
(After Days Trilogy #1-3)
by Scott Medbury

Paperback ‏ : ‎ 656 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1519573251
Genre: Dystopian, Post-Apocalyptic
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

The complete After Days trilogy
Fifteen year old Isaac Race has already lost everyone close to him. He is about to lose a lot more. We all are. A mystery outbreak sweeps North America, it is chilling in both its speed and deadliness. The odd thing is though, it is only fatal to adults. Too late, it becomes clear to authorities that the virus is man made - a biological weapon - and that the United States is at war... a war it has already lost.
As his country is invaded and occupied, Isaac must help his ragtag group of survivors find refuge in a world turned upside down. A world full of fear and danger. A world where enemies can be friends and friends... worse than enemies.
Don't miss Scott Medbury's After Days, the dystopian trilogy destined to become a classic.
This version includes:
Affliction
Sanctuary
Attrition

Review:
I read book from the middle of Sanctuary (book two) through book three, Attrition. This picks up where the young survivors led by Isaac manage to escape from what they thought would be sanctuary but turned out to be a tyranny led by a mad professor. The escape is not without chase and death, but once again the survivors struggle on to find a new safe place. They find a valley farm where they begin to settle in.

As they return to inspect the surrounding cities, they find that the mad scientists counter chemical attack has succeeded. Isaac and friends release enslaved American youth but not all of them are receptive to friendly survival. One particularly sullen youth, Ash, takes off with a Hummer full of weapons. It soon becomes clear that Ash will become a brutal enemy.

The book moves fairly quickly over early years of survival for the valley colony which grows from natural pairings and outsiders seeking to join a safe community. Finally, an attack by some of the marauding army, pushes the peaceful survivors to evacuate their valley home in search of another safe settlement.

As noted in my review of Books 1 and 2, the writing is not complex, but it is consistent, and, I am glad to say, it does not resort to ugly vulgar language. Basically, the main characters continue with the addition of a couple more key additions. There are some areas which I thought were just too convenient or easy for the survivors, but it moved the story along not getting too bogged in details of farm survival. This allowed for a good mix of action with some relationship development.

I am likely to continue with the next books (as a boxed set) at some point. I recommend the boxed sets (better value) to fans of post-apocalyptic/dystopian.

[This is the same or previous edition of America Falls. Affliction and part of Sanctuary became America Falls Book 1, Hell Week and Book 2, On the Run, which I listened to in October 2021.]

Source: Free Kindle 2017. This qualifies for 2022TBR, 2022eBook, and 2022Alphabet goals.

#FraterfestRat (book 1) Audio Book Review: America Falls Episodes 1-2 by Scott Medbury

I enjoyed the beginning of this post-apocalyptic series.

America Falls Episodes 1-2
Written by Scott Medbury
Read by Adam Barr

Series: America Falls
Run Time 11h 12min
Release Date: November 28, 2020
Publisher: Scott Medbury
Genre: Dystopian, Post-Apocalyptic
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.0; Narration 4.25.

Publisher Description
No Maze. No Zombies. No games.
After a surprise biological attack, America, the most powerful nation on Earth, quickly succumbs, with over 99.5% of the adult population killed. As society unravels and a ground invasion of his country begins, loner Isaac Race must form a connection with a ragtag group of survivors and elude not only the invaders, but other dangers and chaos unleashed in Post-America.
These are the first two action packed episodes of the bestselling AMERICA FALLS, a compelling series about who we are and who we have to become in order to survive.
This audio duet includes: Hell Week and On The Run

Review:
Book 1, Hell Week, introduces the protagonist, Isaac, who isn’t even sixteen yet. He has had a rough childhood with many losses – first his parents and later a good foster father. Now all the adults around him have died from a pandemic unleashed by enemy forces. The children struggle to survive as the enemy forces invade America and round them up to use as a local slave force. Isaac has avoided capture and joined with other young people who are in hiding. One of the girls they rescue tells of a refuge she heard of to the north. Initially Isaac is put in position of the leader of his handful of friends until they meet another group with an older, more experienced leader, Sonny.

While dodging the foreign enemy, Isaac and his friends have to scavenge supplies and avoid the competing gangs who rape and kill rather than share. With some unexpected aid, Sonny’s group decides to make a daring escape to try to get to the refuge in the mountains. When friends are killed and Sonny is injured, Isaac is once again forced to lead, and he feels the responsibility of making hard decisions.

Book 1 moves right into Book 2, On the Run. Isaac and the group are running with the truck they have, but they are being chased by a gang that they angered. While trying to escape the gang, Isaac and company see an enemy outpost directly ahead. They manage to lead the gang into the hands of the enemy but now Isaac is being chased by two angry enemies, the foreigners and the gang leader. If they can get to the rumored place of refuge before being killed, will they really find help?

I like Isaac as a troubled but determined young man. He quickly discovers that he must do what has to be done to stay alive and keep his friends alive. His companions are an interesting mix, including a brainy classmate and beautiful young girl they rescued. The author provides plenty of excitement with numerous ‘last minute’ escapes. I am glad I had books one and two together and now I want to continue with book 3. This isn’t high level literature, but it has nice relationships and engaging action.

Audio Notes: Adam Barr does a good job with the narration. He provided sufficiently distinct voices and portrayed the emotional angst of the situations. I am glad I had this on audio.

Source: 2/21/21 Purchase at Chirp $1.99. This qualifies for 2021Audiobook goal and Book 1 was finished as the last book of my 2021 #FraterfestRat.