catbooking's review against another edition
2.0
Previously I had given this book a much higher rating, considering it is a popcorn read and you shouldn't expect much from those. But it kept bothering me. Yeah it is supposed to be all fluff, but that doesn't excuse the author's use of the rape trope.(How do you know a bad guy is bad? Because the bad guy is a rapist. No need to focus on victim's feelings at all, they are just convenient tools to tell the reader who the bad guy is.) So I am downgrading my rating, maybe that will allow me to stop thinking about the book.
litwrite's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. Pulpier than the first, if this is even possible. Incredibly cheesy, probably should have been done as a comic book. However, it's an undeniably fun read, original for the genre, and better written than some of the zombie schlock that gets self-published out there.
twilliamson's review against another edition
3.0
In the sequel to Ex-Heroes, Clines pulls his ragtag band of heroes back into the zombie apocalypse, picking up some time after the conclusion of the last novel, hoping to broaden out the scope of his fictional world. Although there are a few slightly new twists in this longer sequel, many of the novelties of Ex-Patriots feel more like subtle rehashes of the earlier conflicts of the original novel.
To say that the sequel doesn't hold up when compared to the first book would be misleading, though. There are certainly some problems I have with some of the characters--Mr. Smith's exploits read like a rape narrative--and though I don't necessarily think it's Clines's prerogative to be misogynist, many depictions of his heroes and heroines favors male gaze over any real characterization. It's hard to say where the line between archetype or cliché and sexism begins and ends in a work of genre fiction, but even giving the story the benefit of the doubt, I felt far less engaged in certain aspects of this novel than in others.
In any case, the series has been intriguing in these two novels, and may be worth further sequels. As Hollywood-style postmodern mashups go, this series seems to offer exactly what it sets out to offer, and the entertainment factor shouldn't be diminished. Still, this sequel seems to miss some critical opportunities for the expansion of the series' mythos, and while it raises new questions, many of the lingering questions from the previous installment are still yet unanswered. While we can hope that in the following three novels some of those ideas are clarified and brought back into the fore, it still seems to me that the scope of what Clines is trying to accomplish lies slightly beyond his ability to unravel.
I don't regret the read, but I do think I expect more from future installments on multiple levels.
To say that the sequel doesn't hold up when compared to the first book would be misleading, though. There are certainly some problems I have with some of the characters--Mr. Smith's exploits read like a rape narrative--and though I don't necessarily think it's Clines's prerogative to be misogynist, many depictions of his heroes and heroines favors male gaze over any real characterization. It's hard to say where the line between archetype or cliché and sexism begins and ends in a work of genre fiction, but even giving the story the benefit of the doubt, I felt far less engaged in certain aspects of this novel than in others.
In any case, the series has been intriguing in these two novels, and may be worth further sequels. As Hollywood-style postmodern mashups go, this series seems to offer exactly what it sets out to offer, and the entertainment factor shouldn't be diminished. Still, this sequel seems to miss some critical opportunities for the expansion of the series' mythos, and while it raises new questions, many of the lingering questions from the previous installment are still yet unanswered. While we can hope that in the following three novels some of those ideas are clarified and brought back into the fore, it still seems to me that the scope of what Clines is trying to accomplish lies slightly beyond his ability to unravel.
I don't regret the read, but I do think I expect more from future installments on multiple levels.
texaswolfman's review against another edition
5.0
The blurb says walking dead meets the Avengers, that is spot on. Excellent sequel. Need to get the third one, STAT!!!
bustafine9's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.75
csdaley's review against another edition
3.0
It was okay. Barely a three. The series is barely holding on for me. Not sure I will read the next one.
heathercatherineo's review against another edition
3.0
Like the first book in the series, I found Ex-Patriots to be an entertaining, if less than challenging read. Unlike some middle novels in trilogies, this one could actually stand on its own, which was rather refreshing. As was the fact that Clines humanized the military unlike many zombie novels and movies (even if I found it tiresome that he constantly pointed that fact out).
Overall a fun read, with a very fascinating twist I completely did not see coming. I enjoyed reading it, and look forward to the third book.
Overall a fun read, with a very fascinating twist I completely did not see coming. I enjoyed reading it, and look forward to the third book.
jellybean_gene's review against another edition
5.0
Great continuance of the series. Really fun book and cool introduction of super soldiers