Review: After The Echo - Fast, Exciting Read. Not quite as good as The 1st Book
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 04 20, 2013
While the first book was basically setting up the story of the characters lives after a huge solar blast leaves most humans in a near zombie state, and others who survived intact but depressingly aware that they are few in number, and had woefully inadequate experience to live in such a world. The second book is a little bit muddled which I will explain later. In the wonderful first book, we learned the information through the eyes of several survivors.The characters we had come to know and love seemed weaker and several places, it seemed that their progression toward survival did not fit the same characters we read about in After The Shock. IMHO, this book was not as well written as the first one. Also, the progress of moving on seemed strange in almost all groups. Characters I'd become attached to either weren't given much attention or got lost, or died. This book seems more intent on the changing nature of the Zapheads, and showing us that the evil military are nothing more than thugs and gangs. I found this part a little offensive, since my view of our military is one of respect, not the evil picture Mr. Nicholson painted. If he had brought our politicians into it, definitely would have felt more realistic. They pretty much are a messy bunch who, facing these same circumstances, without the protection and fine lives we afford them with our tax dollars. THAT would have been far more believable to me and would have lent some humor to a very terrible situation.Writing still well done. I still recommend this book and am going to believe this author tries not to pick on the easy targets in his next book in this series. This is a three and a half star rating because it was an easy read with good pacing, I just have problems with the people he chose as antagonists, and the fact that the characters from the first book did not appear as much in the 2nd book.This book was definitely a quick read, but it wasn't as connected to the first book as I expected. It gets a little preachy about killing the Zapheads as they "change" (we are not yet told why). And for some reason that didn't connect in my head, I feel like they are being set up as the second, and better edition as the people who lived normally before the flares. Usually at the end of the first and second book of a trilogy, I am left not being able to wait for the next installment. This book confused me, almost as if the author writes so prolifically, and is under stress to keep up the good work that this isn't the book it could have been. Just my opinion. When I see someone with great writing skills as Scott Nicholson put out a sort of not well thought out book, I see someone in too much of a hurry to do justice to his story, and to his readers. Slow down, Mr. Nicholson! I have seen this happen to every self-published author. Don't let the stress shove you further than your writing can handle. You are a brilliant writer, judging by your first book. Just slow down and remember why you do this!Looking forward to the next book in the series! And despite my opinion, I still recommend this book! If you can look past some minor literary errors and take it at face value, it is certainly a great staying up way too late-night read!