In an isolation experiment, Martin Lake had been below-ground for fourteen months and two weeks. He came up on May 30, Wednesday, 11:35 AM. He disc...
read full description
reviews
Feb 21, 2012
Sarah
rated it: 
Selection Event was a great book, with a tight plot that moves along at a comfortable clip, despite the fact that the cast of characters grows throughout the progress of the novel. Martin's character development in his new place in society is believable and compelling. The flashbacks to characters from Martin's past really bring the events of the plague to life, without making the book about the plague. This book is not about the plague, it's about the aftermath, and the book knows that.
More...
More...
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Dec 19, 2011
Elwbuckeye
rated it: 
Meh. It was an okay story. The writing was not bad and it flowed well. I was not bored reading the book, but two factors kept this book from being better.
Character development was lacking. With the exception of three or four characters, the character development was not there. In the last third of the book, several characters were mentioned frequently that had been barely introduced and I had no idea who they were or if they had any significance at all.
Another critique I hav More...
Character development was lacking. With the exception of three or four characters, the character development was not there. In the last third of the book, several characters were mentioned frequently that had been barely introduced and I had no idea who they were or if they had any significance at all.
Another critique I hav More...
Nov 01, 2011
Cheer
rated it: 
Interesting premise...guy who is kind of a drifter signs up for a college experiment to live alone in an underground bunker for a year. His year comes and goes and yet he isn't released by those conducting the experiment...why? They are all dead; in fact, most of the world's population has died from a virus. He enters "a whole new world" and the rules of civilization no longer exist. The best part of this book...the characters, including the dog (and yes, you get the dog's narrativ
More...
Oct 03, 2011
Mari
rated it:
This is a nice, tightly plotted drama that could not have existed without The Stand (my sweet baby!), but quickly tears off and becomes its own thing. We rotate among a cast of several characters, chief among them Martin, his dog Isha, and a biker afflicted with bipolar depression named Diego, who appears to have been based upon one of Wightman's own friends. (In which case he clearly cared for his friend a great deal, because Diego is more sharply and lovingly drawn than any other character.) O
More...
Oct 02, 2011
Rolando
rated it: 
This book is a very long lecture on the evils of Republican Christian gun toting meat eating humans. It started off with how bad humans were and how good the earth would have it now because all the humans were dead. Now the world can go back to normal. Then the author introduced two Christian characters that were written so evil or stupid that the reader wants them dead. I love that the life long heroin addict is a better human than the christian leader. I thought that the sequences written
More...
3 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Sep 10, 2011
Felicia
rated it:
Dare I give a book 5 stars? Not sure I have ever done that before...
Though it is not perfect and I do have some minor objections with the story, it is but a matter of a difference of opinion between the author and I. This rich and thoughtful PA story is a step away from the norm, and is very well done.
As we know from the summary, the protagonist has spent 14 months alone underground, participating in an isolation experiment. When he emerges, society has...ended, completely More...
Though it is not perfect and I do have some minor objections with the story, it is but a matter of a difference of opinion between the author and I. This rich and thoughtful PA story is a step away from the norm, and is very well done.
As we know from the summary, the protagonist has spent 14 months alone underground, participating in an isolation experiment. When he emerges, society has...ended, completely More...
9 comments
like
(4 people liked it)
Sep 24, 2011
Cheryl
rated it:
The pace for Selection Event by Wayne Wightman is set by a loving dog, Isha, who is waiting in the front window for her owners, who never come home because they have been killed by a virus which kills off the majority of mankind. Isha is saved by survivor Martin, who was participating in a year-long isolation experiment and thus missed the virus and its devastation. Martin emerges into an empty world and spends his time looking for other survivors and trying to build up something of a communit
More...
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Oct 27, 2011
Idgie
rated it:
I bought this ebook on a lark to keep on my phone for slow moments and ended up tearing through it. I'm a book reviewer who, sad to say, ignored the pile of books to be reviewed on her desk to read this instead!
I feel that's it compares nicely with another post apocalyptic REALISTIC novel, "Earth Abides" by George R. Stewart. A book written in 1949 about disease wiping out the world and the frighteningly quick downward spiral that civilization can take, regardless of how More...
I feel that's it compares nicely with another post apocalyptic REALISTIC novel, "Earth Abides" by George R. Stewart. A book written in 1949 about disease wiping out the world and the frighteningly quick downward spiral that civilization can take, regardless of how More...
Feb 11, 2012
Keith
rated it:
What an amazing adventure! Thoroughly enjoyed it. I've read some of the reviews trashing this book (mainly for some of the 'non-Christian themes') written by obvious Christian people. But what we need to do is disengage our belief system and just enjoy the book for what it is, a bloody good read and a rollercoaster of an adventure. After such an event, I do believe that the Christians would actually bear a slight similarity to those displayed in the book. Certainly not using heroin or drugs to k
More...
Dec 19, 2011
liirogue
rated it:
I really enjoyed this post-apocalyptic novel. I see a lot of reviewers feel like the author was biased against Christians and Christianity, but I didn't come away with that at all. I think the author was trying to portray how people would respond to an extreme situation, and I don't find it far-fetched or discriminatory to imagine that some people would corrupt and manipulate religion to suite their own needs.
At any rate, I thought it was a good book. I had a hard time putting it More...
At any rate, I thought it was a good book. I had a hard time putting it More...
Jan 20, 2012
Jay
rated it:
If I could give this a zero, I would. I un-recommend it highly.
Essentially, the author's point ends up "Belief systems are bad; believers in them force people into thinking their way, and if you don't believe that way, the believer's natural reaction will be to kill you. So, the only belief system that works is Libertarianism. You must believe this way, or we will kill you."
Truly a) obviously circular, b) shows a blackness of spirit in the author that's just sa More...
Essentially, the author's point ends up "Belief systems are bad; believers in them force people into thinking their way, and if you don't believe that way, the believer's natural reaction will be to kill you. So, the only belief system that works is Libertarianism. You must believe this way, or we will kill you."
Truly a) obviously circular, b) shows a blackness of spirit in the author that's just sa More...
Jan 03, 2012
Clarissa
rated it: 
Well for the most part I was okay with the story. My only beef is with how every single crazy murderous power hungry person in the book was 'Christian'. They were the villains everytime.
I don't generally let what people say or think about different groups get to me, especially in a fictional story, but for some reason this felt excessive. I think that at least once there could have been a villain that didn't claim to be led by God.
There were some things that I did like, Isha's poi More...
I don't generally let what people say or think about different groups get to me, especially in a fictional story, but for some reason this felt excessive. I think that at least once there could have been a villain that didn't claim to be led by God.
There were some things that I did like, Isha's poi More...
Feb 09, 2012
JennyB
rated it:
I enjoyed the book and recommend it, but yes, the commonly mentioned criticisms are unfortunately true. There isn't a single religious person in this book who isn't evil or crazy. And there isn't a single ideological follower who isn't actually doped up and tricked into staying with the group (whether the ideology is religion or over-exuberant patriotism).
I think if there is a sequel, it should explore how the remainder of humanity is about to wiped out by invasive species of predato More...
I think if there is a sequel, it should explore how the remainder of humanity is about to wiped out by invasive species of predato More...
Oct 08, 2011
Sheila
rated it:
I purchased this book as a inexpensive kindle download. There were some things I enjoyed about the book, including the chapters with the point of view of the Isha the collie and her pet manx cat, though the cat's story was a bit sketchy at times. Also, just the fact that is was a story about survival after a very sudden apocalyptic event kills the majority of humans always interests me. But the heavy religion bashing, the sudden jumping in bed together of characters (yes, there were not many p
More...
Dec 15, 2011
Vicky
rated it:
Probably not your typical beach read, but I enjoyed this one on my beach vacation. I agree with the other reviewers that the author doesn't paint a great view of religious people, but honestly, at the end of the world, I could see people coming up some pretty crazy religious takes on things and why they were spared, etc. I'd definitely read another book by this author.
Dec 30, 2011
Gwen
rated it:
I enjoyed a lot about this book. I liked the interactions between people, I like the way the society of the "good" people worked itself out, I liked the dog, I enjoyed the little poly family, I liked how Diaz kept sending strays back to Martin...
I did not like the treatment of Christians. It would have been nice to have had some Christians of the non-zealot variety represented in the book.
Overall, though, good read. Thanks http://lendle.me
(If y More...
I did not like the treatment of Christians. It would have been nice to have had some Christians of the non-zealot variety represented in the book.
Overall, though, good read. Thanks http://lendle.me
(If y More...
Dec 04, 2011
Malina
rated it:
Incredible book! Could not put this one down! Martin is an ordinary man who decides to take part in an experiment and live underground for a year, only to discover the world is not the one he left behind.
The characters are well thought out and the story moves well. Did not want this to end....ever.....
The characters are well thought out and the story moves well. Did not want this to end....ever.....
Nov 01, 2011
Ian
rated it:
Great read, not going to win any nobel prizes for literature but a strong story, well-formed characters you can actually care about (one of them a dog), and the end of the world in chapter one. It's nice to get that out of the way first, right?
If you like apocalyptic fiction, this is a worthwhile read..
If you like apocalyptic fiction, this is a worthwhile read..
Sep 25, 2011
Fiona
rated it:
Oh My,
This is soooo good,,one of the best books I have read this year.
I loved this story and the people in it..
I was wondering if this was going to have a sequel it could have - heres hoping....
Read this in just under 2 days... Brilliant....
BTW I adore this cover - so creepily GOOD!!!
This is soooo good,,one of the best books I have read this year.
I loved this story and the people in it..
I was wondering if this was going to have a sequel it could have - heres hoping....
Read this in just under 2 days... Brilliant....
BTW I adore this cover - so creepily GOOD!!!
Oct 19, 2011
Kari
rated it:
LOVED this book. It couldn't have been more to my liking. It had everything about a PA book that it should have. If you're at all into Post Apocalypse stories set in California you'll go ape for this one. It's almost a companion piece to "The City, Not Long After", by Pat Murphy. So good. SO good.
Jan 11, 2012
Jeff
rated it:
It's a decent post-apocalyptic story. Not the best, but by far not the worst. It could use some culling of words and a bit of a kick in the pants on pace and action.
I doubt this will be a "read it again" book, but not bad...not bad.
I doubt this will be a "read it again" book, but not bad...not bad.
Dec 02, 2011
John
rated it:
The second 2/3rds of this book was much better than the first third. Maybe it was just me, but it took a little too long to get rolling. Once it did though, I couldn't put it down. Debated giving this three stars, but the latter part of the book made up for the former's shortcomings.
Aug 26, 2011
Sonia
rated it:
I really enjoyed the book. The only thing I didn't like was the abrupt ending. It was well developed throughout the story then I flip to the next page and it's over.
Jan 19, 2012
Steve
rated it:
Fun short post-apocalyptic yarn. Maybe a little optimistic about the length of time electricity would be available.
Jan 16, 2012
Brad
rated it:
One of my new favorite apocalyptic fiction books. I loved the chapters narrated by the dog.
Jan 30, 2012
Haley
rated it:
This was a pretty good read. It felt like a watered down version of The Stand though. That's not necessarily a bad thing since the author tells a story in his own way. Just some familiar themes.
Dec 21, 2011
amber
rated it:
I paid $3 for this book and that was too much... The characters lacked depth in an extreme way, and the story was very shallow as well. It was a fast read, but I wouldn't recommend it, even as a time passer.
