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Dry: Life Without Water

Ehsan Masood and Daniel Schaffer

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Water is in the air we breathe and beneath the ground we walk on. The very substance of life, it...

Kyera (8 KP) rated World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie Wars in Books

Feb 1, 2018

This novel is the oral history of the zombie war - as told by soldiers, civilians, doctors, and those who had a hand in decision-making. Some were people who created containment or attack plans, while others were in the government coordinating the military, corralling the people, and planning for the future of their countries.

You learn about the experiences of everyday people just prior to the outbreak. This is a time when no one knows what is happening. People are dying, becoming infected, and turning into violent cannibals. Is it some strange new disease that modern medicine has yet to find a cure to, or something worse?

Then, the stories become more dire, strained, broken; as the population begins to figure out the absolute devastation that this event will wreak. Suddenly, the stories are just people trying to survive or those attempting to combat the enemy. No one knows how to halt the impending storm. The absolute destruction such an enemy poses.

Unlike humans and their armies, the undead need no respite. The undead don't feel pain, hunger, anguish, or lose moral. And as the military's forces dwindle in battles, the zombies swell in ranks. Each loss to you is a welcome addition to their force. An enemy that is unknown cannot easily be beaten.

Will the human race even survive long enough to worry about rebuilding, destroying every trace of the plague, or even what brought it to the world to begin with?

The novel was a unique take on the zombie/war genre and interestingly written. I did find my attention wandering at times and would have to reread sections. Although I prefer reading physical books, this novel has an incredible voice cast for its audio-counterpart. Their talents brought this book to an entirely new level, giving each character a unique voice and story (and I'm not just saying that because there was a different person voicing each one.) I've never read a book before (or listened to one) that had such a diverse cast to bring the book to life.

If you like historical fiction or zombie novels, than you're likely going to enjoy this. If zombies and historical/realistic fiction (regardless of the fact that zombies are involved) are not your style, than you may not enjoy this.

How would you react if the dead began to rise, attack, and devour your neighbors, overrunning your town - could you survive?

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Miguel Covarrubias (143 KP) rated We Cast a Shadow in Books

Apr 30, 2019

This was a difficult book for me to get through. Not because of the writing but by seeing too much of myself in the main protagonist. I am a multi-racial father of a multi-racial son. This story resonated so much with me and wanting to 'protect' my son from the injustices of this world and this country. As a white skinned latin-x person, I've struggled so much with the changes of peoples moods and attitudes when they find out my name or my heritage from many different means. So many of the moments where the narrator struggles with his own identity within his heritage context as well as the context of society made me have to stop and take stock of my own life.

So many don't realize the struggle of a parent trying to find one's identity amidst the current racism. Especially for Latin-x people during the reign of Trump and Trumpian ideals within the United Sates. We are being equated with animals and the worst of the worst that share our heritage. Yes, there are some bad people out there, but there are bad people of every skin color or heritage. I want so much to protect my son, and ensure that he gets every opportunity without the problems that this evil presents currently.

This is a near future story, that says so much about who we are today. Especially for those of us who are Multi-Racial. Many of us aren't even accepted in either societies that are full heritage-ly made up. This book was not without it's issues, but it is a very important story. It is a great read for those trying to understand the struggle of Multi-Racial Parents and children. Highly recommend.

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ClareR (6241 KP) rated Beneath the World, a Sea in Books

Jul 26, 2019 (Updated Jul 28, 2019)

Beneath the World, a Sea

Chris Beckett | 2019 | Science Fiction/Fantasy

8.0

(1 Ratings)

Book Rating

My first, but certainly not my last Chris Beckett book

I really enjoyed this strange, singular work of science fiction. Inspector Ben Ronson arrives in a mysterious forest in South America: the Submundo Delta. It’s a place unlike any other: purple flora and unrecognisable fauna, and a humanoid race called Duendes. They can’t hear or speak, live in the waters of the Delta, and their mere presence causes people to expose their innermost thoughts and fears. Which is why the people who live there, the Mundinos, kill any that they find near their villages, as they don’t see them as equal to humans - and this is why Ben is there. He and the human rights people in Geneva want to stop the killings.

The writing style and the language used in this book really appealed to me - it’s poetic, descriptive and the story meanders along as we learn about the characters and the Submundo Delta. This is no action packed story, and that’s just fine with me. Instead it looks at how these characters deal with knowing their innermost thoughts, desires and fears. It also briefly looks at the morals of bringing science and technology to a shut off part of the world.

What really appealed to me, is how our memories construct our views of ourselves, and how we portray ourselves to others. It also looks at those parts that we keep hidden from others, and what happens when they are laid open to everyone. Rather scary, to be honest! We don’t always like those parts of ourselves.
This was my first Chris Beckett book, and I don’t think it will be my last.

Many thanks to Readers First for my copy of this book.