gemmaduds's review
4.0
Wow! Oil is cut off around the world, leaving billions of people fighting amongst each other to survive in a world of absolute chaos. This one is a really dark apocalyptic tale of survival, which is made all the more shocking because it is not entirely a distant issue. This is something that could quite possibly happen to us, and Scarrow explores this possibility with brutal depth and frightening conclusion.
I'm off to read book 2!
I'm off to read book 2!
csdaley's review against another edition
3.0
This was really a 2 1/2 star book. I finished it and there were parts I really liked. That said, there were parts I hated and found ridiculous. Somewhere in here was a good disaster book but it didn't float my boat. I will not read the sequel.
barbarabarbara's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
beledit's review against another edition
5.0
I couldn't put this down. And when I wasn't reading it, I was worrying about what "was happening" and if the various characters "would be ok". In other words, total suspension of disbelief as I spent a few days tied to the story.
Scarrow writes with an immediacy that had me gripping the book in a tight hot hold, hardly daring to breath. I had this book for a long time and was put off by the 1-star reviews but once I started I was hooked. I liked the main characters, I liked the way Scarrow wasn't afraid to kill off some good characters before they had much chance to develop (I found that realistic) and sometimes in dumb ways.
OK, so it's a page turner. Is it realistic? No, probably not. But it had me constantly wondering how my family and I would survive in a world out of control as described here. I lay awake at night picturing scenarios.
Oh, and I'm off to change to a power supplier that uses 100% renewable energy sources such as wind power. We are way too dependent on oil. OK, so the idea of some unknown powerful group orchestrating the whole thing is kind of silly, but hey, that's just a back story and not really the point of it all. It's just a device to pin the story on, and I'm ok with that. But the real fact of the world's total dependence on oil supplies that could be stopped within days or weeks is true and scary.
Or maybe I've been reading WAY too many apocalyptic novels lately and it's starting to make me paranoid. I'll just quickly read the sequel (I MUST find out what happens in the next one...) Then I'll definitely calm down with a few tai chi sessions and get back to my 19th century novels.
Like this review? Why not check out my book review site: BelEdit Book Reviews?
Scarrow writes with an immediacy that had me gripping the book in a tight hot hold, hardly daring to breath. I had this book for a long time and was put off by the 1-star reviews but once I started I was hooked. I liked the main characters, I liked the way Scarrow wasn't afraid to kill off some good characters before they had much chance to develop (I found that realistic) and sometimes in dumb ways.
OK, so it's a page turner. Is it realistic? No, probably not. But it had me constantly wondering how my family and I would survive in a world out of control as described here. I lay awake at night picturing scenarios.
Oh, and I'm off to change to a power supplier that uses 100% renewable energy sources such as wind power. We are way too dependent on oil. OK, so the idea of some unknown powerful group orchestrating the whole thing is kind of silly, but hey, that's just a back story and not really the point of it all. It's just a device to pin the story on, and I'm ok with that. But the real fact of the world's total dependence on oil supplies that could be stopped within days or weeks is true and scary.
Or maybe I've been reading WAY too many apocalyptic novels lately and it's starting to make me paranoid. I'll just quickly read the sequel (I MUST find out what happens in the next one...) Then I'll definitely calm down with a few tai chi sessions and get back to my 19th century novels.
Like this review? Why not check out my book review site: BelEdit Book Reviews?
paulopaperbooksonly's review against another edition
3.0
Well, this was... I don't know. So I am going to give stars and take stars as I write the review...Something. After reading dozens books dealing with apocalyptic and post apocalpytic scenarios I don't know what to think about this one.
The premises is simple. Due to the sabotage then shortage of the oil refinaries, the world is plunge to a dark age. Not the first writer to pursuit this scenario but it's not that common. (3 Stars for that)
The "whys" we learn as we skip the pages but it's only in the last thirty pages that we know why really this is happening. And I always enjoy a conspiracy theory (2 Stars) but then the writer tries to link that conspiracy group to the old days of the Revolution of America and such. Alright... Now you've gone to far (Minus 1 Star).
The Assassin Ash (1 Star), Andy (Minus 3 Stars), Rest of the family (couldn't care less). Why? Because each character is almost a hero. The Girl (lenora) who in the beginning only thought about his cute new conquest to a hero of the old greek ages. Andy who is in Iraq and is coming to his family. I truly hated this character. I really wanted to anyone to kill it. Thank the gods that Scarrow had the decency to kill him or else these book would receive 1 star total.
I enjoy seeing the world falling to chaos but it was too soon, too quick. I always thought that people are just animals and only have laws because otherwise we would do as we please and be worse than barbarians. We are children of the dark controlled by laws and costumes. Nice one Alex Scarrow. (1 Star for that)
I have the second book and I want to know where the author is going with this because the ending is after the all incident and people are just starting to recovery and to live a new dark age. And what happenened to the Twelve and the One Hundred and Sixty? Their plan worked. But can they rise like a phoenix from the ashes of civilization?
The premises is simple. Due to the sabotage then shortage of the oil refinaries, the world is plunge to a dark age. Not the first writer to pursuit this scenario but it's not that common. (3 Stars for that)
The "whys" we learn as we skip the pages but it's only in the last thirty pages that we know why really this is happening. And I always enjoy a conspiracy theory (2 Stars) but then the writer tries to link that conspiracy group to the old days of the Revolution of America and such. Alright... Now you've gone to far (Minus 1 Star).
The Assassin Ash (1 Star), Andy (Minus 3 Stars), Rest of the family (couldn't care less). Why? Because each character is almost a hero. The Girl (lenora) who in the beginning only thought about his cute new conquest to a hero of the old greek ages. Andy who is in Iraq and is coming to his family. I truly hated this character. I really wanted to anyone to kill it. Thank the gods that Scarrow had the decency to kill him or else these book would receive 1 star total.
I enjoy seeing the world falling to chaos but it was too soon, too quick. I always thought that people are just animals and only have laws because otherwise we would do as we please and be worse than barbarians. We are children of the dark controlled by laws and costumes. Nice one Alex Scarrow. (1 Star for that)
I have the second book and I want to know where the author is going with this because the ending is after the all incident and people are just starting to recovery and to live a new dark age. And what happenened to the Twelve and the One Hundred and Sixty? Their plan worked. But can they rise like a phoenix from the ashes of civilization?
seddso's review against another edition
4.0
Very much enjoyed this- thought provoking and I’ll be thinking about this for a while.
sequana's review against another edition
4.0
Truely the scariest book i have ever read...simply cause it all could actuallly happen and the way folk react is spot on, in my humble opinion.
kathrynwardle's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
tuftymctavish's review against another edition
4.0
This turned out to be a realistic-seeming scary-vision of what happens if oil supplies were shut down suddenly. "We are less than a week away from the end," runs the strap-line, and it packs a lot into that week. It asks us what we will do when oil supplies eventually run out, "how lazy and vulnerable we are." It's a very interesting idea that I was very taken with when I read a brief bit of the sequel by chance recently. So while I already knew the general path of where this one was headed, it was still a very engaging read.
I've got a few more by the author on my list and I'm looking forward to receiving book #2.
I've got a few more by the author on my list and I'm looking forward to receiving book #2.
pheromonecvlt's review against another edition
3.0
This book is one of those books that is so terrifying because it is so possible.