The Long Road: A Postapocalyptic Novel (The New World Series)
by G. Michael Hopf
File Size: 2637 KB
- Print Length: 344 pages
- Publisher: Plume (October 30, 2013)
- Sold by: Penguin Group (USA) LLC
- ASIN: B00GAHEWJ2
Genre: Post Apocalyptic
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0
Book Description
Publication Date: October 30, 2013
The End was just the beginning of the new world…
Only six weeks have passed since a super-EMP attack devastated the United States, but already, life has changed dramatically. Most of America has become a wasteland filled with starving bands of people, mobs and gangs. Millions are dead and millions more are suffering, with no end in sight.
For Gordon, Samantha, Sebastian, Cruz and Barone, the turmoil and chaos they dealt with in the early weeks after the attack will seem trivial in comparison to the collapse of society that plays out before their eyes. Uncertainty abounds as they all travel different paths in search of a safe place to call home. The only thing that is definite is that The Long Road will take its toll on all of them.
Review:
This is book two in the series with Haley continuing her interview to describe events that pick up six weeks later. An additional side-story is added to the three groups from book one. A gang known as the Villista was introduced in book one as a cutthroat group from a Mexican drug cartel that was terrorizing San Diego. The local leader, Pablo Juarez, tries to convince his father to change from drugs to a broader mission to become a powerful political force against the broken down Americans.
Gordon and his family have set off in a small convoy of families traveling to his property in Idaho to establish a survival community. After escaping one attack along the road, Gordon insists on reconnoitering a near by military base. Only one man accompanies Gordon go but Gordon's eight year old son Hunter sneaks along. They are captured by a crazed religious cult that is holding strangers as slave labor. Samantha is insistent on remaining to search for her disappeared husband and son, and their friend.
Sebastian has parted ways from the Marines as he tries to get to Gordon. He gets injured and is rescued by a group of Seventh Day Adventist group where a lovely young woman nurses him back to health. He makes it to Gordon’s community to discover Gordon gone and most of the neighborhood massacred by the Villistas. They recover two young teens, one bitter and angry and the other milder but still suffering from shock. This group is set to travel to Zion, a Holy Land in Missouri.
Barone has set off to commander parts of Oregon, starting in Salem, as his new base to take control for his Marines. He explains that he feels his actions are justified because their sworn duty is to their country -the people- not the corrupt government that has left the best interests of the citizens.
President Conner went with the first convoy to set up the new government base in Portland Oregon. His convoy is attacked and he has disappeared. Vice President Cruz now has to take up the decisions on how to move the reduced government resources as well as dealing with the global enmity resulting from Conner’s numerous nuclear strikes against the Mideastern countries he held responsible for the terrorist attacks against America.
Again this book was full of action, danger and tension and I liked following the different group activities. Some motives are provided for characters like Baron, but not others, like Cruz. Gordon continues to show as a stubborn, flawed character even taking unreasonable action that leaves part of his family unprotected when that was part of his primary purpose. I still found the story engaging and am interested in reading book three when it releases in May.
I'm glad I received this title too through NetGalley so I could continue the adventure.
