Review: Like Animal Farm, just better! What a ride!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 02 4, 2013
I started this book not knowing what to expect other than action. What I got instead was a surprise. The first few chapters are chaos and carnage. At first it's disconcerting until I realized it's a working metaphor for the global mentality and the sheer scale of disorder and tragedy.Despite the first few chapters starting slowly, giving the reader no indication of what's coming, you are falsely lulled into a pocket of safety in an isolated haven in a world turned black. At some points the atmosphere is so bleak and despairing you find yourself struggling to see the point to it all, but hold tight because just around the bend the book suddenly launches into dramatic action, personal (and grueling) hardships, and you have the rug pulled out from under you.By the time I hit chapter ten I for one couldn't put this book down. I read voraciously, devouring this novel. The pace is hectic, the twists and turns piling up like a car crash, and I absolutely loved some characters who totally gave the second half of the book a distinct anchor of humanity. The contrast is probably needed to appreciate these seasoned warriors willing to fight for their corner of the planet despite the sheer amount of savagery gripping the world.The writing is fantastic! I loved the descriptions, I loved the overall atmosphere, I found myself solidly 'inside' every scene, and the plot unfolded in a blur as I sped through to the end. All the pace missing from the beginning grabs you by the throat and hauls you behind the carnage in the second half and you barely have time to catch your breath. I was so invested in the outcome and so was very happy with the ending, I sagged in relief and thought 'thank heavens for that!'What a ride!! This is like Animal Farm, just better! And if you are a fan of war stories you will love the details in this book which give us constant intel on strategy, equipment, and lots and lots of things that go boom. It reminds me of Warcraft with that little Scotsman who keeps saying "I like blowing things up".Wow! Trust me, this book is a journey, not just for the characters but for the reader too. Definitely five stars from me.