Review: Good story, hard to put down!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 03 30, 2014
I’ve read a couple of books by this author, but The Reset is far and away his best one yet! The story – especially the early part – is definitely reminiscent of The Road by Cormac McCarthy, and also reminded me a bit of Earth Abides, by George Stewart.The story revolves around Benjamin Stone, who was a youngster when “The Reset” occurred. He sought sanctuary in a shelter, emerging ten years later into a new world where a nuclear winter had settled in and most of the survivors reduced to a hard-scrabble life.Benjamin spends years wandering around the southeast of what used to be the United States, surviving on what he could scavenge and questioning why he even bothered. But things change for the better when he stumbles into a farmhouse that offers shelter and even hope of building a meaningful future. Soon, he is joined by Alice, and this is where the author seems to have gotten himself fully engaged in the telling his tale.Although the world after the Reset is a cold and dreary place, there is plenty of hope, too. Soon, Benjamin and Alice manage to create a life that goes beyond mere existence. But what must they do to keep this almost idyllic life, when the threat of discovery in a lawless world seems imminent?This is a well-written and thoughtful book and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Rather than suffering in a dying world, the author paints a picture of hope and even the possibility that life after the Reset could be comfortable and rewarding. No one rises up from the dead in this book – the scenario is perfectly plausible and I found myself thinking that the apocalypse, if it did occur, could easily be very much like this. The plot was complex enough to be interesting and character development was great – I really did find myself caring about Benjamin and the people in his life.Readers who like realistic, well-written post-apocalyptic fiction will enjoy this book! Recommended!Note: I had the honor of being given a copy of this book in exchange for agreeing to write a fair and honest review. I have never met the author.