Zero Hour

Zero Hour

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4.01 of 5 stars 4.01  ·  rating details  ·  262 ratings  ·  58 reviews
Ernest just turned thirty. It’s time for retirement, freedom from the tedious drudgery of his job as a data clerk. Time to explore parts of the city he’s never seen before, and hopefully meet some people other than his Deacon or his health monitor. And at the end of the month? Time to die.

Will mans the counter at the historic coffee shop, and when he talks, he sounds just...more
ebook, 292 pages
Published (first published June 1st 2011)

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Shelley
4.5 Stars.
Can you imagine what life could be like 300 years in the future?
You can’t?
Well, Jordan Castillo Price can, and it’s truly something to behold.


JCP has delivered a fantastic Dystopian adventure driven by world-building and powered by great characterisation. She sets everything up so carefully and without complication. There is no information overload to befuddle the mind (thankfully) as you slowly discover this futuristic world bit by bit.

The story begins when Ernest has reached the en...more
L-D
This was a very interesting free online story. I thought the concept was great and her depiction of the characters was well-thought out. She gave Will a little more personality because he has been outside the system, while Ernest is a bit stiffer. In this society, at the age of 30 people are retired and they have 30 days remaining in their life cycle. They have shunts in their arms that are used to provide them with nutrients. They do not perform any regular biological functions like eating, pee...more
Regina
Check out this review and others like it at BadAssBookReviews

Jordan Castillo Price has to be one of my top 5 favorite authors. I am purposely holding myself back from reading all of her books at once to ensure that I always have a backlist to read. Zero Hour is a standalone book, it is set in a dystopia setting where human government has "evolved" to a point that it has convinced human beings to live literally in a bubble and to live short but productive lives. The main character, Ernest has co...more
Elisa Ramblings
Aside for the hot cover, one of the reason that pushed me to buy this book, the other is obviously the author: Jordan Castillo Price is one of those authors that will never disappoint you, she has both story than characters solid and strong, and so plenty satisfying, even when I’m reading a futuristic setting, that is not usually my cup of tea.

In a not so far future, some apocalyptic disaster, destroyed the world how we know it; a central power, the Deacons, govern the society and people are cl...more
Sandra
3.5 stars I'm a sucker for amazing cover art, and I'm a sucker for JCP! This is sort of a modern, gay Logan's Run. Ernest is content in his life and has one month left until he turns 30 years old, and therefore, 1 month of retirement before Reclaim (aka: they kill your ass!). I love a good dystopian story, and this definitely fits that category. Eugine is naive and innocent without coming across and ignorant or annoying, and Will is his perfect polar opposite. It's so cute when he tries to figur...more
Sue
Loved, loved, loved this!
The dystopian genre obviously suits me, as I found the crumbling settings of a post-apocalyptic America (New Seattle) and the very strange societal structure Jordan Castillo Price created for it, amazingly gripping and interesting.
I'd read quite a few of those post-apocalyptic books where religious authorities of one kind or another run the world, or at least the book's part of the world, but this is the first that includes a huge control of society via technology. There...more
Trix
This was quite an interesting read. A very original concept.

(view spoiler)[It was fascinating to read about a future society that brain-washed people into willingly ending their life at the age of 30 and thinking of it as the natural end to their existence. Equally interesting was seeing the characters encounter things we now take for granted and try to descipher their meaning and use. It made me look at things from a different perspective. Very refreshing.

I liked Ernest a lot. He was just so sh
...more
Ami
3.5 stars

Well, for the most part, I do like it. I think the beginning, especially is excellent. I just adore Ernest's 'innocence' and enjoy reading his experience with the 'world' outside his POD for the first time. From drinking coffee, reading, trying to guess Will's facial expression --- all of them has been such pleasure. Oh, and how he discover porn and well, orgasm :). Cute.

On the other hand, the middle part is a bit dragging (I admit I skim a lot then). Also as they go near the end. I don...more
Ashke
Far Beyond what I expect in light reading and/or erotica and expected from the cover, this is a solid sci-fi story with everything from sly humor to epic drama. The themes of breaking away from a corrupt system, sensory experiences and their significance to the human experience, and love, sex, & violence in the context of emotion and drive dominate the story of Ernest, who is awakening to what it means to be human after 30 years of oppression via ignorance. Solid, well-rounded characters and...more
LdDurham
Pros of this book was the attention to details in how Ernest viewed the world, which was much different than we would. That's important, because the reader will. if well written, identify with the character and put themselves in he or she's shoes. So it's important that the idea of eating was thoroughly explored from Ernest's point of view so I, the reader, could better understand. The shunt was also explained and explored very well.

The only cons were the very atypical occurrence of typos in a...more
Crys Harris
I didn't care for this. I wasn't engaged with the characters or the world building. Not that there was anything wrong with it. Generally, I'm a fan of a dystopian society and the idea that perfectly healthy people are terminated at 30 years and 30 days seems fascinating. Still, for me, the synopsis was more interesting than the read. I'd recommend it to others, if you like Jordan's work. Because the premise is interesting.

My favorite part was when Ernest was discovering that all he'd been told w...more
K.V. Taylor
I was surprised (though not unpleasantly) that this book turned out to be more straight up sci-fi and less romance -- I think because of the cover more than the excellent reputation of the author. It's a very cool blend of some of my favorite sci-fi tropes (Logan's Run meets Welcome to the Monkey House meets ... a bunch of other cool stuff) to form a new and interesting flavor of its own. While the plot is propelled by the relationship between Will and Ernest, it's not really the focus so much a...more
Erica Pike
Loved this! Taking place roughly 300 years in the future, it stared off easy and develops as Ernest learns about real life as opposed to what he's been taught. He's been living in his artificial intelligent POD for all of his 30 years until he walks into an old-time coffee shop where he meets the very unusual Will. Ernest is living the first day of his 30 day retirement, after which he walk into "reclaim" to have his spirit move on to the ultimate reward. This, of course, is just bull and crack,...more
Jayhjay
This review was originally posted on my blog Joyfully Jay.

The story opens with Earnest beginning his first day of retirement. He has turned 30 years old, and over the next 30 days he will rapidly age until he is ready to die, at which point he will turn himself in to Reclaim to have his soul "demagnetized" from his body, his reward for his years of hard work. Now that he is down to his last 30 days, he is free from his job as a programmer and can spend his time out in the world a bit. Earnest is...more
Bookbee
4.75 Stars

First off - absolutely GREAT cover! It's what made me stop and look at this book in the first place!

This book was sooooo close to a 5 Star for me. I'm a Sci-Fi lover from way, way back and I'm particularly fond of books that have the MC suddenly thrust out of his comfort zone. Usually the scenario involves the break-down of civilization as we know it so I was thrilled to see the reverse here - being forced back to "our" primitive interactions with our bodies and each other.

I loved all...more
Emanuela ~plastic duck~
4.5 stars.

This feels a bit different from other JCP's books. I usually feel that, even if she can devise the most different settings and plots, her stories are very character-driven. In this story the world building became more prominent.

Ernest is living the last 30 days of his life. In this world, once you reach thirty, you reach old age in thirty days and then you are given your just reward and your soul is set free. Ernest tries to pack different experiences before his time is due and he ente...more
Noughty
If Jordan Castillo Price reads this. Is there any chance of a sequel?

Please tell yes, crossing fingers :)

*************************************************

Review of the draft version (the one free online)

It's amazing how detailed the created world is. How unique and interesting. I like how simple, everyday actions were made into discoveries. How hard it is to learn that we do everyday. The world itself isn't described separately much but you see a lot of it from the characters, how they act, re...more
Kukko
I wish I had been paying better attention since I now know what "dystopian" means and why having it in the title should have been warning enough. Well, I am happy to report that I found the story dark and depressing….as I am sure was the author's intent.

The characters spend so much time struggling to survive, there is not much time for romance. The little romance there is, is awkward and not particularly appealing. There is no HEA, in fact as the story approached it's conclusion I couldn't help...more
Holly
Interesting, dystopian, Sci-fi novel. Blurb with the book tells the plot synopsis well enough.

I liked this book. Liked the main characters.

I just felt this book could be . . . longer? More fleshed out? Denser? I just felt much more could have been written in the timeframe that the book took place in.

In other words, I'm never one to say "this was too long". (That's what she said! . . . sorry ;-) )

Ok. Im a book-size queen! I confess!
OkayKim
Had to think for a day or so as to how to write about this one. It was a scary read, cause I actually believe there's a government out there that would gladly do to people what this book portrays if it wasn't illegal and immoral. And yes, it did remind me of sci-fi movies I've watched in the past. I'm assuming there will be more to this story. So many questions left unanswered.
Great sci-fi, a 4.5 read!
Fangtasia
Another excellent story from Ms. Castillo-Price. I was immersed in the universe from page one, that's the kind of writing you can expect from this author. Even if it's something you've never experienced, nobody has because it doesn't even exist, you'll be there with the MCs. I guarantee it.

Exceptional characters, enough psychological twists and turns to keep anyone on their toes. A study in the subtleties of our spoken language. I think I'll go back and re-read just to count the idioms and how...more
Chris
4.5 stars. Very good m/m cyberpunk/dystopian scifi with a dash of romance. I think, with the very best scifi, you can see how things got from here to there without much trouble... and that is definitely the case with this story. Ernest is 30 and his one-month long retirement has started, at the end of which he'll be demagnetized and reclaimed. His very first stop is an actual coffee house (nearly unimaginable in a world where nutrients are provided intravenously via permanent shunt), where he me...more
Lirajean
Futuristic setting with old-fashioned story line: geeky boy meets boy-rebel and discover the wonder of each other. A lot of work went into creating this future world and it hangs together very well. The writing is solid. But I found my interest fading in and out. The characters were a little flat, a little one dimensional, which was in keeping with that world. They pushed the boundaries of acceptable behavior all the time but not always in ways interesting to today's reader.
Missy Welsh
Very interesting story! I would love to read more because there's just so much for them to learn and do. Would make a brilliant film too. If Soylent Green made you gasp and The Matrix intrigued you, you'll love this book. You may never look at eating the same way again, but you'll love this book.
Bdbaficionada
I love anything JCP writes. She writes so you connect to her characters. This futurist f'd up world was intense and scary and I loved it. My only draw back was how quickly Will falls for Ernest. I thought he was with mathew and moved on a bit quick. However the story grabs your attention and I would recommend.
Carole Cummings
Macabre and sweet, appalling and charming. And yes, I meant to use all of those words in the same description. This is a terrific dystopian story with a riveting plot, involving world and truly engaging characters. I don't think JCP knows how to disappoint. An excellent read that I will read and read again.
Jean
Fun sf book. I look forward to seeing this universe developed in future books. The characters were nicely drawn, they pulled the reader in immediately. Interesting setup. I found the secondary characters as interesting as the main two--a strength of this author.
Melora
- Good, worth a reread.
Jessa Ryan
Unique and wonderful! I'd give it a 4.5, but rounded up because the author was so generous as to leave the un-edited version online for free for us sci-fi lovers.
The depth the author goes to to build this world had me completely enthralled. I loved Earnest, his innocence and the way his naive tunnel vision slowly broadened to see the ugly real world around him. If I had to give only one complaint, it would be that I wish there was more to the end of the story, or more answers to all the questio...more
Hanni
M/m with sex scenes is so far from being my "thing", but I stumbled across this online and the summary was so intriguing I had to check it out. I was hooked fairly quickly and read the whole thing in one night. This book is by turns sad, funny, and tense; and always very, very clever. Where many authors would set up backstory and surrounding with exposition, Price immerses you in it and lets the setting unfold around you. Honestly, the amount and explicitness of the aforementioned m/m sex scenes...more
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Zero Hour - A Dystopian Adventure (ebook)
Zero Hour (Kindle Edition)
Zero Hour (Paperback)
Zero Hour: A Dystopian Adventure (ebook)
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Jordan Castillo Price spent her formative drinking years in inner city Chicago, and is now writing paranormal thrillers from her home in small-town rural Wisconsin.

Jordan is best known as the author of the PsyCop series, an unfolding tale of paranormal mystery and suspense starring Victor Bayne, a gay medium who's plagued by ghostly visitations.
More about Jordan Castillo Price...
Among the Living (PsyCop, #1) Criss Cross (PsyCop, #2) Camp Hell (PsyCop, #5) Body and Soul (PsyCop, #3) GhosTV (PsyCop, #6)

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