N. C. Reed

While I wait (impatiently) for book #6 of the Sanders Saga, someone suggested I read this stand-alone novel. I'm glad they did.

This one came close to five stars, which I rarely give. Great unusual characters, skillfully developed and a well thought out plot. Once I started reading this, I gave up on all my chores & just binge read the entire book. An excellent mix of prepper and post-apocalyptic story

Editing: some errors, rarely so glaring that it stops the flow of the book
Sex: Implied, not show more graphic
Violence: There is fighting, skirmishes, death. Only a couple scenes would I put into the possible gory category
Page Turning Factor: Extremely High
Other notes: I don't remember the cursing being a huge factor in the book - sure there was some, but not constant. Religion - yeah, Christianity/Bible was in there, but not so much that it will turn folks who don't like that theme against the book. More just a couple of paragraphs here and there, easy to skim/skip. show less

I enjoyed this book (though in places it is a bit gory) and would have rated it higher except for the high number of errors that permeated it. It is also a long book. I liked that Billy is not the perfect protagonist hero but that despite his disabilities, he is able to be an effective leader. I wish I could say that if something like this happened in real life, that most groups would be more like Billy's and less like the groups in Franklin or at the Wal-Mart, but I suspect that the groups show more that prey on the weak would proliferate in such an environment and outnumber those that tried to help each other. show less

Christopher Lane's southern twang is soothing, comforting, and suits this story perfectly. Country folks, like me, who enjoy post-apocalyptic fiction can relate to every aspect of this thriller that accurately portrays the world, especially farm life, after a mysterious sickness kills 99% of humanity.

This tale digs into the gritty, dark side of human nature, without being vulgar, and explores life after TEOTWAWKI from a realistic and down-to-earth perspective.

The author does an excellent job show more of shining light on those areas of our personalities that are often viewed as weaknesses but are truly the features that make us each unique and beautiful in God's eyes...SMILE!!! show less

A decent short story, but it never took the jump to be a great story. I never really connected with or cared about any of the characters.