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BookblogbyCari (345 KP) rated Enclave in Books
Aug 14, 2018
Book Review by Cari Mayhew. Rating 6/10.
Set in a post-apocalyptic world, this book is a cross between Lord of the Flies, and City of Embers. You know you’re reading a YA novel when it starts with a coming-of-age ritual, and all the characters are under 25 years old.
The central character, Deuce, is a 15 year old young lady who grew up in an underground enclave, who has trained all her life to catch food to eat and protect the rest of the enclave from sharp-toothed zombie-like creatures (AKA Freaks) who also live underground.
The power within the enclave is held by a minority few and they operate by hard and fast rules. Everyone is designated their own purpose when they come of age. Deuce’s role is “Huntress” and other roles include “Builder” for those who make the items needed by the enclave, and “Breeder” for those who lack the skills to be put to any other use.
The enclave motto is “The Strong Survive” and the unspoken implication is that the weak are not valued. Any random object found by the members has to be declared to the elders and kept by the Wordkeeper. Hoarding is punishable by death. The enclave’s beliefs and way of life are all that Deuce has ever known.
Shortly after her naming ceremony and teaming up with Fade to carry out patrols, Deuce starts to see the set-up for the cold way of life that it is. One thing leads to another and the 2 of them are exiled. And so, the second half of the book continues above ground, where they face a different set of challenges.
In the beginning of the book, the descriptions of the fights with the Freaks are detailed, but this soon changes (which I was glad of, as that would have put me off the rest of the book).
The story is fast-paced and I didn’t get bored, but, as you may expect in a post-apocalyptic world, much of the story revolves around fighting zombies, finding food to eat, and water with which to drink and wash. So it felt repetitive in places.
There is a barely-there slow burn romance between Deuce and her “partner” Fade. They have each other’s back when fighting the mutants, and when Deuce got exiled from the enclave, but there’s little in the way of desire for each other.
At one point, the book seemed to form the beginning of a mystery novel, as Deuce and Fade tried to piece together how the world had got this way, but when a yellowing newspaper revealed an old story, there seemed nothing mysterious about the state of affairs.
This book is the first in the 3-book series, Razorland. Strangely the first book doesn’t really end in a cliff-hanger, so I didn’t feel compelled to read the next one. Although I’d imagine some of the earlier characters will re-appear. To be honest, I felt the story so far is unimaginative, but that’s not to say the rest of the series is the same.
Set in a post-apocalyptic world, this book is a cross between Lord of the Flies, and City of Embers. You know you’re reading a YA novel when it starts with a coming-of-age ritual, and all the characters are under 25 years old.
The central character, Deuce, is a 15 year old young lady who grew up in an underground enclave, who has trained all her life to catch food to eat and protect the rest of the enclave from sharp-toothed zombie-like creatures (AKA Freaks) who also live underground.
The power within the enclave is held by a minority few and they operate by hard and fast rules. Everyone is designated their own purpose when they come of age. Deuce’s role is “Huntress” and other roles include “Builder” for those who make the items needed by the enclave, and “Breeder” for those who lack the skills to be put to any other use.
The enclave motto is “The Strong Survive” and the unspoken implication is that the weak are not valued. Any random object found by the members has to be declared to the elders and kept by the Wordkeeper. Hoarding is punishable by death. The enclave’s beliefs and way of life are all that Deuce has ever known.
Shortly after her naming ceremony and teaming up with Fade to carry out patrols, Deuce starts to see the set-up for the cold way of life that it is. One thing leads to another and the 2 of them are exiled. And so, the second half of the book continues above ground, where they face a different set of challenges.
In the beginning of the book, the descriptions of the fights with the Freaks are detailed, but this soon changes (which I was glad of, as that would have put me off the rest of the book).
The story is fast-paced and I didn’t get bored, but, as you may expect in a post-apocalyptic world, much of the story revolves around fighting zombies, finding food to eat, and water with which to drink and wash. So it felt repetitive in places.
There is a barely-there slow burn romance between Deuce and her “partner” Fade. They have each other’s back when fighting the mutants, and when Deuce got exiled from the enclave, but there’s little in the way of desire for each other.
At one point, the book seemed to form the beginning of a mystery novel, as Deuce and Fade tried to piece together how the world had got this way, but when a yellowing newspaper revealed an old story, there seemed nothing mysterious about the state of affairs.
This book is the first in the 3-book series, Razorland. Strangely the first book doesn’t really end in a cliff-hanger, so I didn’t feel compelled to read the next one. Although I’d imagine some of the earlier characters will re-appear. To be honest, I felt the story so far is unimaginative, but that’s not to say the rest of the series is the same.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated The Wolf Road in Books
Dec 14, 2018
3.5 Stars
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.</i>
“Any lie can turn into the truth if you believe it long enough.” <i>The Wolf Road</i> is the debut literary thriller by British author Beth Lewis. The post-apocalyptic world is not a very safe place to be, especially for a seven year old during a fierce and dangerous storm. Lost in the woods, a young girl comes across a man who, after naming her Elka, gives her a place to stay for the next ten years of her life. During this time he teaches her how to trap animals, use hunting knives and move silently between the trees – all the vital things needed to survive in the wild. For a long time Elka views this man as a father figure, but on discovering that her beloved Daddy is a serial killer, she realizes she has been living a life of lies.
Desperate to get away from the horrifying realization, Elka runs off deep into the forest with only a hunting knife and the clothes on her back. With nowhere to go, she decides to try and find her birth parents, but although she can easily survive in the wild, she is completely unprepared for the human world. With a childlike innocence, Elka finds herself in trouble on numerous occasions, only feeling at ease once she is back in the woods living the life of wolves. However she soon realizes that she will never be safe no matter how far she travels – not until that murderer is dead himself.
Once you get used to Elka’s colourful dialect, the gripping narrative pulls us into a world with danger around every corner. Elka’s revelation at the beginning of the book seems like a small issue compared with all the trouble she finds herself in later on. The reader will sympathize with Elka as she discovers the evils of man, and admire her strength as well as the development of a conscience after meeting and making her first ever friend. But whilst Elka learns how to walk amongst humans, there is a foreboding sense of doom as evilness keeps her within its sights.
<i>The Wolf Road</i> is a great post-apocalyptic story with a strong protagonist. At times it takes on a similar theme to a western novel, with guns, gold mining, and violence; but it is essentially a thriller built up of lies that are gradually unpicked. There is no psychological element to the book, thus nothing to try and work out for yourself. You simply need to read and discover what happens. As a result this book is the kind you will either love or hate. Some people may find it disturbing or gruesome, whereas others may find it exciting and enjoy reading about the unique main character.
Personally I think <i>The Wolf Road</i> is a great, original piece of work, and it only loses stars because I found a few parts a bit too grisly. Beth Lewis writes well and it cannot have been easy to keep the dialect up for the entire novel. This is an author who definitely has promise for the future.
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.</i>
“Any lie can turn into the truth if you believe it long enough.” <i>The Wolf Road</i> is the debut literary thriller by British author Beth Lewis. The post-apocalyptic world is not a very safe place to be, especially for a seven year old during a fierce and dangerous storm. Lost in the woods, a young girl comes across a man who, after naming her Elka, gives her a place to stay for the next ten years of her life. During this time he teaches her how to trap animals, use hunting knives and move silently between the trees – all the vital things needed to survive in the wild. For a long time Elka views this man as a father figure, but on discovering that her beloved Daddy is a serial killer, she realizes she has been living a life of lies.
Desperate to get away from the horrifying realization, Elka runs off deep into the forest with only a hunting knife and the clothes on her back. With nowhere to go, she decides to try and find her birth parents, but although she can easily survive in the wild, she is completely unprepared for the human world. With a childlike innocence, Elka finds herself in trouble on numerous occasions, only feeling at ease once she is back in the woods living the life of wolves. However she soon realizes that she will never be safe no matter how far she travels – not until that murderer is dead himself.
Once you get used to Elka’s colourful dialect, the gripping narrative pulls us into a world with danger around every corner. Elka’s revelation at the beginning of the book seems like a small issue compared with all the trouble she finds herself in later on. The reader will sympathize with Elka as she discovers the evils of man, and admire her strength as well as the development of a conscience after meeting and making her first ever friend. But whilst Elka learns how to walk amongst humans, there is a foreboding sense of doom as evilness keeps her within its sights.
<i>The Wolf Road</i> is a great post-apocalyptic story with a strong protagonist. At times it takes on a similar theme to a western novel, with guns, gold mining, and violence; but it is essentially a thriller built up of lies that are gradually unpicked. There is no psychological element to the book, thus nothing to try and work out for yourself. You simply need to read and discover what happens. As a result this book is the kind you will either love or hate. Some people may find it disturbing or gruesome, whereas others may find it exciting and enjoy reading about the unique main character.
Personally I think <i>The Wolf Road</i> is a great, original piece of work, and it only loses stars because I found a few parts a bit too grisly. Beth Lewis writes well and it cannot have been easy to keep the dialect up for the entire novel. This is an author who definitely has promise for the future.
the_mad_meeple (55 KP) rated Arctic Scavengers in Tabletop Games
Feb 19, 2020
Hot Heads in the Ice
It was a thursday night and I was round my mate's house ready for my first ever 'gaming session'. Overwhelmed by all the colourful cardboard I realised my expectations of Monopoly and Cluedo were embarrassingly ill-informed.
Arctic Scavengers, the first and last game of the evening, couldn't have been further from my previous gaming experience. A fantastically thematic and competitive deck-building game, it was love at first fight. Deep into a post-apocalyptic winter wasteland, I was soon digging for medicine I would later use to attract hunters and was recruiting brawlers with my charismatic team leaders. After winning the fourth contested resource (a dog sled to add to my grenade) I was hooked and by the time we had thrashed out our final fight I had completed my online checkout.
Pros:
- Simple card drafting game perfect for new players.
- The theme is excellent and match the components brilliantly.
- The length of the game can be controlled by limiting the number of contested resources, allowing for faster play if required (although not recommended).
- The idea of digging for medicine seems hilarious but deciding whether to keep the shovel or take the net can be game-changing and keeps every decision interesting.
Cons:
- The expansions seem to take away from the core game too much for me adding in too many components which alter the base mechanics too much.
The Game
The game is won by the player who has the most people in their clan by the end of the game - after the last contested resource is won.
Playing best with four players, you are required to develop your initial deck in order to fight other players for contested resources and be the strongest clan among the post apocalyptic wasteland.
During each round a player draws 5 cards and is given the opportunity to perform any of the available actions before deciding whether they want to fight for the available 'contested resource'. Able to complete actions such as digging for junk, recruiting new members to their clan or drawing other cards from their hand, Arctic Scavengers is a game where you have to balance the potential to draw a useles refuge, who offers nothing in a fight but increases the size of your clan, with the need to draw brawlers for the fight. Do you choose the versatile scavengers who can do everything, providing you with a variety of options, or go big and recruit thugs for the next fight.
A brilliantly varied game Arctic Scavengers can be played differently every time the lid comes off and no matter who you play against you see something new. I can honestly say that everyone I have played this with have loved it and it is off the shalf at every games night.
I realise that this game will often be compared to other self contained deck-builders such as Dominion and Clank but this is by far my favourite of these and has permanent residence on my shelf for the foreseeable future.
Arctic Scavengers, the first and last game of the evening, couldn't have been further from my previous gaming experience. A fantastically thematic and competitive deck-building game, it was love at first fight. Deep into a post-apocalyptic winter wasteland, I was soon digging for medicine I would later use to attract hunters and was recruiting brawlers with my charismatic team leaders. After winning the fourth contested resource (a dog sled to add to my grenade) I was hooked and by the time we had thrashed out our final fight I had completed my online checkout.
Pros:
- Simple card drafting game perfect for new players.
- The theme is excellent and match the components brilliantly.
- The length of the game can be controlled by limiting the number of contested resources, allowing for faster play if required (although not recommended).
- The idea of digging for medicine seems hilarious but deciding whether to keep the shovel or take the net can be game-changing and keeps every decision interesting.
Cons:
- The expansions seem to take away from the core game too much for me adding in too many components which alter the base mechanics too much.
The Game
The game is won by the player who has the most people in their clan by the end of the game - after the last contested resource is won.
Playing best with four players, you are required to develop your initial deck in order to fight other players for contested resources and be the strongest clan among the post apocalyptic wasteland.
During each round a player draws 5 cards and is given the opportunity to perform any of the available actions before deciding whether they want to fight for the available 'contested resource'. Able to complete actions such as digging for junk, recruiting new members to their clan or drawing other cards from their hand, Arctic Scavengers is a game where you have to balance the potential to draw a useles refuge, who offers nothing in a fight but increases the size of your clan, with the need to draw brawlers for the fight. Do you choose the versatile scavengers who can do everything, providing you with a variety of options, or go big and recruit thugs for the next fight.
A brilliantly varied game Arctic Scavengers can be played differently every time the lid comes off and no matter who you play against you see something new. I can honestly say that everyone I have played this with have loved it and it is off the shalf at every games night.
I realise that this game will often be compared to other self contained deck-builders such as Dominion and Clank but this is by far my favourite of these and has permanent residence on my shelf for the foreseeable future.
Last Day on Earth: Survival
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8.5
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Last Day on Earth is a zombie survival game, where all survivors are driven by one goal: stay alive...
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graveyardgremlin (7194 KP) rated Inside Out (Insider, #1) in Books
Feb 15, 2019
Having not read many dystopian or post-apocalyptic books, I went into this book with fresh eyes. Although the plot and setting are both very interesting, they could have been more clearly described; yet they still are good enough to set the stage for the characters and events. Trella, the main character, is the type who always interests me; she's a loner, doesn't trust easily, is independent, and is "street" smart, so to speak. Yes, she can be slightly abrasive, but only to others in the book, and I found her sympathetic and understandable; even when she was being difficult in one aspect or the other. The book moves at a nice and swift pace, which made it easy to read since I was eager to find out what happens at the end. Even though the book isn't very surprising overall, it's a pretty light-weight book, it's entertaining and well-thought-out; I truly had fun reading INSIDE OUT. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think the book could have benefited from having an extra fifty pages to fill it out more. The ending is a little too pat, but not terrible by any means, and it sets the stage for the sequel. I'm anxious to read what that might include, who's involved, and what or who the main antagonist will be the next go-'round. I heartily recommend this if you like sci-fi, dystopian societies, or just a darn good read that's on the lighter side.
Christine A. (965 KP) rated Losing Normal in Books
Mar 15, 2019
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.
Losing Normal by Francis Moss is relatively short, less than 300 pages, but do not let the length fool you into thinking it does not have a lot to say. There is a lot of action in this short book.
Alex, a highly-functioning autistic boy, likes things to stay the same. He knows how many steps it is from school to home and, to him, that is normal. He knows all the answers in math. That is normal. The strange giant television screens that are being put up all over are making him forget and that is not normal. Only the "defective" kids, those that are immune to the televisions, like Alex can save the world from becoming television watching zombies. What ensues is an interesting novel that shows how quickly technology could take over.
Losing Normal is not a post-apocalyptic novel. It shows the collapse of society by our rapidly advancing technology getting out of hand and beginning to think for itself.
This novel would be appropriate for those as young as middle school to read but it is an interesting story adults would enjoy too. I found it to be a quick, easy, enjoyable, and thought provoking read.
Review published on Philomathinphila.com, Smashbomb, Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble on 3/14/19.
Losing Normal by Francis Moss is relatively short, less than 300 pages, but do not let the length fool you into thinking it does not have a lot to say. There is a lot of action in this short book.
Alex, a highly-functioning autistic boy, likes things to stay the same. He knows how many steps it is from school to home and, to him, that is normal. He knows all the answers in math. That is normal. The strange giant television screens that are being put up all over are making him forget and that is not normal. Only the "defective" kids, those that are immune to the televisions, like Alex can save the world from becoming television watching zombies. What ensues is an interesting novel that shows how quickly technology could take over.
Losing Normal is not a post-apocalyptic novel. It shows the collapse of society by our rapidly advancing technology getting out of hand and beginning to think for itself.
This novel would be appropriate for those as young as middle school to read but it is an interesting story adults would enjoy too. I found it to be a quick, easy, enjoyable, and thought provoking read.
Review published on Philomathinphila.com, Smashbomb, Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble on 3/14/19.
Ridley Plays 2: Vincent River, Mercury Fur, Leaves of Glass Piranha Heights
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This second volume of Ridley's stage plays confirms him as one of the most imaginative, daring and...
LoganCrews (2861 KP) rated Into The Forest (2016) in Movies
Sep 19, 2020
A light, pretty take on the bonds of family during hard times gets brutalized halfway through by one of the hardest to watch scenes of 2015 before becoming a powerfully emotional apocalypse tale about how much of your life is actually necessary. This has been criticized up and down for not using a 'harrowing' enough crisis to set the scene, and look I'm just going to tell you right now that I understand why you all think this is 'millennial' but this right here would be my living nightmare. I'm that character in every pre/post-apocalyptic movie who loses their shit after the power goes out in the first five minutes - I don't even go tent camping, like I *need* that shit. To quote Kumail Nanjiani from 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘪𝘨 𝘚𝘪𝘤𝘬: "I'm going to be the first guy to die. I die so the other characters get to find out something weird is going on". Also a big plus that this doesn't turn into some finger-shaking technophobic lecture as it no doubt would have under any other circumstances. No I don't take a ton of stock in this rather simple story on the surface but the real beauty of it is brought to life with these all-in performances, earthly visuals, together with the *deeply* rich and evocative score. It's such a bracingly haunting yet unforgettably sensual experience, and it has one of the more sound 'good thing, bad thing, good thing, bad thing...' structures for the genre. Very lovely.
Ali A (76 KP) rated The Electric Kingdom in Books
Jan 11, 2021
The Electric Kingdom is a novel that takes another look at the beauty of humans in a post apocalyptic world. Eighteen years after a deadly Fly Flu sweeps the globe, killing most of the population, Nico and her dog, Harry get sent on a voyage by Nico’s father to find a mythical portal. Along the way, she meets other children, including a young artist named Kit. There’s also the Deliverer, who lives Life after Life in an attempt to put the world back together. This story is an exploration of art, love, life, and finding beauty.
Every character that David Arnold writes in this book is so full of love, warmth, and heartbreak. I fell in love with Kit and his outlook on live. It was beautiful. The relationship he had with his mother Dakota, and why he calls her “My Dakota” made me tear up.
I’m not sure I completely understand the whole dynamics of the world that is in this book, but I still very much enjoyed it! There are so many layers and plot twists and double backs, you don’t realize how intense it is until you’re half way through it. By then, Arnold has you hooked and you’ve got to find out what happens and how it’s all connected!
I haven’t read anything from Arnold before but I enjoyed this one and will seeking out others from him.
*Thank you Bookish First and Penguin Teen/Viking Books for Young Readers for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
Every character that David Arnold writes in this book is so full of love, warmth, and heartbreak. I fell in love with Kit and his outlook on live. It was beautiful. The relationship he had with his mother Dakota, and why he calls her “My Dakota” made me tear up.
I’m not sure I completely understand the whole dynamics of the world that is in this book, but I still very much enjoyed it! There are so many layers and plot twists and double backs, you don’t realize how intense it is until you’re half way through it. By then, Arnold has you hooked and you’ve got to find out what happens and how it’s all connected!
I haven’t read anything from Arnold before but I enjoyed this one and will seeking out others from him.
*Thank you Bookish First and Penguin Teen/Viking Books for Young Readers for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
Mini DAYZ - Survival Game
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How long can you survive in a post-apocalyptic world? Find out in Mini DAYZ now - an official pixel...