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Breakers #1
Breakers
In New York, Walt Lawson is about to lose his girlfriend Vanessa. In Los Angeles, Raymond and Mia James are about to lose their house. Within days, none of it will matter.
When Vanessa dies of the flu, Walt is devastated. But she isn't the last. The virus quickly kills billions, reducing New York to an open grave and LA to a chaotic wilderness of violence and fires. As Raymond and Mia hole up in an abandoned mansion, where they learn to function without electricity, running water, or neighbors, Walt begins an existential walk to LA, where Vanessa had planned to move when she left him. He expects to die along the way.
Months later, a massive vessel appears above Santa Monica Bay. Walt is attacked by a crablike monstrosity in a mountain stream. The virus that ended humanity wasn't created by humans. It was inflicted from outside. The colonists who sent it are ready to finish the job--and Earth's survivors may be too few and too weak to resist.
When Vanessa dies of the flu, Walt is devastated. But she isn't the last. The virus quickly kills billions, reducing New York to an open grave and LA to a chaotic wilderness of violence and fires. As Raymond and Mia hole up in an abandoned mansion, where they learn to function without electricity, running water, or neighbors, Walt begins an existential walk to LA, where Vanessa had planned to move when she left him. He expects to die along the way.
Months later, a massive vessel appears above Santa Monica Bay. Walt is attacked by a crablike monstrosity in a mountain stream. The virus that ended humanity wasn't created by humans. It was inflicted from outside. The colonists who sent it are ready to finish the job--and Earth's survivors may be too few and too weak to resist.
299 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 7, 2012
618 people are currently reading
4916 people want to read
About the author
Edward W. Robertson
68 books1,243 followersEd is the author of the post-apocalyptic Breakers series and the epic fantasy series The Cycle of Arawn. A former New Yorker and Idaho-guy, he currently lives in the LA area. His short fiction has appeared in a whole bunch of magazines and anthologies.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 501 reviews
December 17, 2012
Okay, I'm giving it five stars - "it was amazing" - because it exceeded my expectations by a bunch. I've read a lot of post-apocalyptic fiction, including a few self-published works, and I'm sort of a sucker for that sub-genre of books. I still put King's THE STAND at the top of the list, with stuff like LUCIFER'S HAMMER right there.
So why am I loving on this book so much? Well, I'll start with the characters. I downloaded samples of this and MELTDOWN (another book set in the same fictional universe) and was immediately attracted to the characters. I had to know what happened to them. I connected with them immediately. That's rare for me these days. Even Mr. King didn't grab me with his characters in the recent UNDER THE DOME like this book did.
Then there was the story - a viral plague, sort of like THE STAND, but told from the point of view of very different characters - urban characters. Where did this virus come from? How was the government reacting? How do the handful of survivors react? I thought this stuff was very well done.
The writing was quite good as well. It had a great balance of imagery and storytelling, most of the time just pitch perfect. There were spots where it got a little wordy, with material that possibly could have been edited down or just left out, but only a few spots like that.
In the end, it comes back to the characters for me, and their relationships to each other. I thought it worked at a pretty high level. That part of the story WAS amazing. Overall, the story is not completely unflawed, but it really resonated with me.
So why am I loving on this book so much? Well, I'll start with the characters. I downloaded samples of this and MELTDOWN (another book set in the same fictional universe) and was immediately attracted to the characters. I had to know what happened to them. I connected with them immediately. That's rare for me these days. Even Mr. King didn't grab me with his characters in the recent UNDER THE DOME like this book did.
Then there was the story - a viral plague, sort of like THE STAND, but told from the point of view of very different characters - urban characters. Where did this virus come from? How was the government reacting? How do the handful of survivors react? I thought this stuff was very well done.
The writing was quite good as well. It had a great balance of imagery and storytelling, most of the time just pitch perfect. There were spots where it got a little wordy, with material that possibly could have been edited down or just left out, but only a few spots like that.
In the end, it comes back to the characters for me, and their relationships to each other. I thought it worked at a pretty high level. That part of the story WAS amazing. Overall, the story is not completely unflawed, but it really resonated with me.
November 15, 2013
The first 60% was great, but after the two stories we are following merge, things got boring and tedious. I think it was because after following these few characters and getting so deeply involved with them, when they meet another group of survivors it feels like too much work to care about them too. Especially after having been through so much sickness, violence and then aliens with the main people. I skimmed the last 3rd with much hardship.
January 10, 2016
#10 - Top Ten Reads of 2015 at timothycward.com
A new favorite series in my catalog of Post-Apocalyptic reads. Breakers is the story of two couples on different sides of the country who were both struggling prior to an outbreak that killed most of the planet. One couple has a guy fearing his girlfriend is cheating on him, and lies to re-earn her affection. The other couple has a guy who... well I don't remember what he did, but after the outbreak he and his partner find a way to farm and take care of themselves. I really enjoyed both storylines. The twists throughout did a great job of sustaining suspense. Robertson's writing is very strong and I loved that he focused so much on the relationships, while also adding in enough description and tone to give us a visceral sense of the world in its post-apocalyptic existence. Without spoiling anything, I'll just say he kept me eagerly consuming the story straight to the end and beyond. That you can get the first three books for $.99 is a steal. The audiobook narration is superb. Ray Chase is one of my new favorites. If there are drawbacks, the finale wasn't a knock it out of the park shot, and certain events left me caring less than I had hoped to be in the end. That said, I'm very curious to see where he takes it in book two, let alone the remaining seven books in this series.
A new favorite series in my catalog of Post-Apocalyptic reads. Breakers is the story of two couples on different sides of the country who were both struggling prior to an outbreak that killed most of the planet. One couple has a guy fearing his girlfriend is cheating on him, and lies to re-earn her affection. The other couple has a guy who... well I don't remember what he did, but after the outbreak he and his partner find a way to farm and take care of themselves. I really enjoyed both storylines. The twists throughout did a great job of sustaining suspense. Robertson's writing is very strong and I loved that he focused so much on the relationships, while also adding in enough description and tone to give us a visceral sense of the world in its post-apocalyptic existence. Without spoiling anything, I'll just say he kept me eagerly consuming the story straight to the end and beyond. That you can get the first three books for $.99 is a steal. The audiobook narration is superb. Ray Chase is one of my new favorites. If there are drawbacks, the finale wasn't a knock it out of the park shot, and certain events left me caring less than I had hoped to be in the end. That said, I'm very curious to see where he takes it in book two, let alone the remaining seven books in this series.
April 11, 2015
First thing’s first; let me start by defending my average rating of a very decent book. I was utterly engrossed by the initial part of ‘Breakers’ and thrilled that there was a whole series for me to work my way through. Then I hit the middle, the aliens were ushered in and despite the curve-ball to the plot I felt my interest slowly slipping away. Yes, I had been warned about the aliens, so it can certainly be argued that it is my fault that I didn’t enjoy the book overall – I have never classified myself as a huge fan of alien fiction, apart from a few distinctive exceptions. It was the other intriguing aspects of the book which caused me to overlook what turned out to be a major flaw in an otherwise good story.
With a love of catastrophe of most kinds, the start of this book was a winner for me; an epidemic of a mystery strain of flu has killed off 90 percent of the population and those who are left must do what they can to survive this new and dangerous world. The story gives us the perspectives of two of those survivors; Walt, a man who was slightly unhinged even before the virus was implemented, and Raymond - who will do almost anything to provide for himself and his wife. We follow these characters as they deal with the devastating affect the virus has on their lives and the world around them, and how they function after the end of the world as they have known it.
The build up to the disaster is suspenseful and exciting – it is fantastically implemented and at just the right pace – I could not put the book down at this point. I also loved the author’s portrayal of the world after the virus; the post-apocalyptic setting is highly convincing and accurate, it was very easy to get lost in the situation. There was just the right amount of gore to make the plot effective, but not too much to put me off.
Another huge positive for this book was the multi-faceted characters; the author presents us with an intimate group of average but flawed people who were fascinating to read about, even before the virus hits. I absolutely loved the intense transformation of these characters as they adapted to their new surroundings and faced a whole host of tragedies, complications and danger. How do they adjust being survivors in a perilous, unfamiliar world?
It certainly makes the reader question a lot of deep rooted assumptions about human nature and the blurring lines of morality after the deterioration of civilisation. Whatever else I have to say about this book, it was chock full of really profound ideas which genuinely had me thinking; how do humans adjust to chaos? What happens when order crumbles and it is every man and woman for themselves?
But after the aliens are announced the book loses direction, and in my opinion it really goes downhill. Secondary characters feel hastily written in, in contrast with the slow and intense relationship we have developed with the main survivors; there is no connection made. And the ending is just as hasty and abrupt – I found the dialogue amusing but since I had lost interest it felt superficial. I had a difficult time envisioning the aliens, though the descriptions were in depth I couldn’t wrap my head around their image.
Despite loving the authors approach to disaster and survival, I cannot honestly say this outweighs the negatives in this book. I felt the alien aspect seemed completely out of the blue, it was almost awkward. Yet saying this, if this is your kind of thing then perhaps you will have better luck with it, but it is doubtful that I will continue on with the series.
With a love of catastrophe of most kinds, the start of this book was a winner for me; an epidemic of a mystery strain of flu has killed off 90 percent of the population and those who are left must do what they can to survive this new and dangerous world. The story gives us the perspectives of two of those survivors; Walt, a man who was slightly unhinged even before the virus was implemented, and Raymond - who will do almost anything to provide for himself and his wife. We follow these characters as they deal with the devastating affect the virus has on their lives and the world around them, and how they function after the end of the world as they have known it.
The build up to the disaster is suspenseful and exciting – it is fantastically implemented and at just the right pace – I could not put the book down at this point. I also loved the author’s portrayal of the world after the virus; the post-apocalyptic setting is highly convincing and accurate, it was very easy to get lost in the situation. There was just the right amount of gore to make the plot effective, but not too much to put me off.
Another huge positive for this book was the multi-faceted characters; the author presents us with an intimate group of average but flawed people who were fascinating to read about, even before the virus hits. I absolutely loved the intense transformation of these characters as they adapted to their new surroundings and faced a whole host of tragedies, complications and danger. How do they adjust being survivors in a perilous, unfamiliar world?
It certainly makes the reader question a lot of deep rooted assumptions about human nature and the blurring lines of morality after the deterioration of civilisation. Whatever else I have to say about this book, it was chock full of really profound ideas which genuinely had me thinking; how do humans adjust to chaos? What happens when order crumbles and it is every man and woman for themselves?
But after the aliens are announced the book loses direction, and in my opinion it really goes downhill. Secondary characters feel hastily written in, in contrast with the slow and intense relationship we have developed with the main survivors; there is no connection made. And the ending is just as hasty and abrupt – I found the dialogue amusing but since I had lost interest it felt superficial. I had a difficult time envisioning the aliens, though the descriptions were in depth I couldn’t wrap my head around their image.
Despite loving the authors approach to disaster and survival, I cannot honestly say this outweighs the negatives in this book. I felt the alien aspect seemed completely out of the blue, it was almost awkward. Yet saying this, if this is your kind of thing then perhaps you will have better luck with it, but it is doubtful that I will continue on with the series.
February 27, 2013
I've read a lot of the end of the world dystopian novels from on The Beach to The Stand to Lucifer's Hammer, and I can say with all honesty that Breakers can easily stand with any of them. Robertson might not have reinvented the end of the world novel but with his engaging characters, clever ideas and plot twists, and very solid writing chops he's created a very real world that I didn't want to leave -- even though it's a world with awful things happening to it.
Normally, I don't care for books that reference pop culture icons, but Robertson manages that feat here in a very ingenious way. I can't tell you what he's referencing without giving away a couple of important plot twists, but trust me, you'll know it when it comes up.
If you're hesitating about buying this book because it's self pubbed, put those fears aside. I've been reading a lot of self pubbed books lately. Most I drop in fifty pages because they writing is awful, the punctuation and grammar is terrible, and so forth. Breakers could've been published by any major house. In fact, if Robertson isn't soon signing himself a book deal (if that's what he even wants) I'll be surprised.
Normally, I don't care for books that reference pop culture icons, but Robertson manages that feat here in a very ingenious way. I can't tell you what he's referencing without giving away a couple of important plot twists, but trust me, you'll know it when it comes up.
If you're hesitating about buying this book because it's self pubbed, put those fears aside. I've been reading a lot of self pubbed books lately. Most I drop in fifty pages because they writing is awful, the punctuation and grammar is terrible, and so forth. Breakers could've been published by any major house. In fact, if Robertson isn't soon signing himself a book deal (if that's what he even wants) I'll be surprised.
October 26, 2016
Breakers by Edward W. Robertson
1 – Stars
I'm pretty generous with my reviews and ratings, but this book has so many problems right from the start. I picked this trilogy up for free because of the thousands of raving reviews, needless to say, I've already removed it from my devices.
The first problem for me was the MC Walt. When we meet him he's a whiny, prissy, totally unlikable sissy crying because his gorgeous girlfriend has left a good bye note. She hasn't given it to him, he's just gone through her dresser to find it. After the plague hits and she dies he becomes bent on killing himself and has determined to die on his journey from New York City to Los Angeles. Why is he making this journey, and on foot? Because his dead girlfriend was an actress and always dreamed of being there. Along the way, without ever being shown how, Walt becomes pretty much an expert marksman.
The second problem with this book is the sheer number of unnecessary words put to paper. Or e-paper. The author simply vomits up needlessly long descriptions of everything and makes sure to throw in simile after simile with his retching.
Third, It's as if the Author was inspired by Stephen King's epic The Stand and tried to do that but add in some funky crab-like aliens. It didn't work. It didn't work primarily because King's book takes the time to develop a good plot and characters we're drawn to. This book, despite the word count, does neither.
I could go on, but if I haven't managed to sway your desire to read this abomination, nothing will. This book is also in desperate need of editing.
1 – Stars
I'm pretty generous with my reviews and ratings, but this book has so many problems right from the start. I picked this trilogy up for free because of the thousands of raving reviews, needless to say, I've already removed it from my devices.
The first problem for me was the MC Walt. When we meet him he's a whiny, prissy, totally unlikable sissy crying because his gorgeous girlfriend has left a good bye note. She hasn't given it to him, he's just gone through her dresser to find it. After the plague hits and she dies he becomes bent on killing himself and has determined to die on his journey from New York City to Los Angeles. Why is he making this journey, and on foot? Because his dead girlfriend was an actress and always dreamed of being there. Along the way, without ever being shown how, Walt becomes pretty much an expert marksman.
The second problem with this book is the sheer number of unnecessary words put to paper. Or e-paper. The author simply vomits up needlessly long descriptions of everything and makes sure to throw in simile after simile with his retching.
Third, It's as if the Author was inspired by Stephen King's epic The Stand and tried to do that but add in some funky crab-like aliens. It didn't work. It didn't work primarily because King's book takes the time to develop a good plot and characters we're drawn to. This book, despite the word count, does neither.
I could go on, but if I haven't managed to sway your desire to read this abomination, nothing will. This book is also in desperate need of editing.
August 26, 2014
I read to the very end because I was curious, but I wasn't ever really riveted after the first part. Once the I was hard pressed to care. I also had a hard time telling the initial couples apart, and even at the end was a little unsure who had lived, who had died. Probably if I'd read it all at one sitting, this would be less of a problem. I don't think I'll be continuing to read the series.
March 14, 2013
This has been on my kindle for a while and I finally got round to reading it. The story of a world on the brink of extinction as seen through the eyes of two ordinary american guys from opposite sides of the country. There were things in here I'm sure I've seen before, not just the freely-acknowledged borrowing of ideas from classic films such as Independence Day. The characters themselves make references to these kind of films as they try to imagine what their heroes might have done (nice touches of irony!). But there are still scenes in here I've seen before and I can't quite remember where ...
Great characters and well-plotted. We get right inside the minds of Walt and Raymond as their lives converge. I did feel in part that the two characters' voices were a little too similar. With their different upbringings I wouldn't have expected them to have quite so similar outlooks on life. And there was a lot of reminiscing which I confess I skipped. But there was enough tension to keep reading and the story built to a good finale.
Great characters and well-plotted. We get right inside the minds of Walt and Raymond as their lives converge. I did feel in part that the two characters' voices were a little too similar. With their different upbringings I wouldn't have expected them to have quite so similar outlooks on life. And there was a lot of reminiscing which I confess I skipped. But there was enough tension to keep reading and the story built to a good finale.
January 14, 2014
Absolutely awesome! Has a great pace, and manages to end each chapter leaving you hesitant to stop reading. The characters are well thought out and pull you in. I was a little skeptical at first, but it was well worth the time invested. By chapter two I was hooked.
August 6, 2016
This was ok but a bit of a jumble. Not going to read any more of this series.
October 26, 2019
I wish I had liked this more; I think I've just read so much amazing apocalyptic fiction that this was more average among them. It was good but I think I'll take my time reading the rest of the series. I liked Walt a lot. I have to say that I laughed out loud when I heard the line "I'm an old man with a gut wound! I've got less chance than the Cleveland Browns!"
There were some other good moments as well. The introspective quality of the story is well done.
That said, I'm not so interested as to want to move on just yet. I think I'll take my time.
The narration by Ray Chase was excellent.
There were some other good moments as well. The introspective quality of the story is well done.
That said, I'm not so interested as to want to move on just yet. I think I'll take my time.
The narration by Ray Chase was excellent.
January 12, 2014
Breakers starts out in Part 1 as a really good post-apocalyptic story, with compelling characters (Walt; Raymond and Mia) and their different tales going back and forth how they are surviving the meltdown of society. I was really sucked into Part I by both the characters and the writing. Then Part II opens up and it started going downhill, but the characters are still very enjoyable and I am getting to really like them, especially the new female character.
During Part 2, the LA couple, Raymond and Mia start to become my favorite as they work not only to stay together as a couple but to stay and survive. Walt, our New Yorker is trekking across America and he is finding out things that kind of.. well.. I mean... it is a bit of a reach. As soon as the author has Walt's parents be Hot Air Balloon people that we were going to have something later on and without giving spoilers because it happens in a different book, I ... anyway not going there. Walt's whole, WALKING bit is interesting, but he is to over the top survivalist. But who am I, I never would know what I am really capable of if this happened in my world.
Just when I thought... this is a pretty good Post Apocalypse book, the aliens show up. And of course they are not good aliens, they are bad ass mean ass horrific going to raise the earth kind of aliens and make you my bitch kind of aliens, right? Well sounds AWESOME! Ummm but we still have no clue why the aliens are herding humans naked into corrals or killing and razing down the world. What evidence they are the ones that planted the actual virus that wiped the planet out. But at the same time, if he had then what, it may have been to convoluted.
Part 3 has Walt, Mia, and Raymond decide to go find the resistance. Now at least there are three characters I like because up till now Walt has been an asshat. Though I am wondering if the author may have watched a bit to much Independence Day.
I am continuing to read Book 2 but frankly I have had to put it down and only pick it up when I don't have anything else to read. It has gotten better but the problem.
Honestly if I was rating this on my blog it would be a 5 out of 10 stars, straight up 2.5 and I am being generous.
During Part 2, the LA couple, Raymond and Mia start to become my favorite as they work not only to stay together as a couple but to stay and survive. Walt, our New Yorker is trekking across America and he is finding out things that kind of.. well.. I mean... it is a bit of a reach. As soon as the author has Walt's parents be Hot Air Balloon people that we were going to have something later on and without giving spoilers because it happens in a different book, I ... anyway not going there. Walt's whole, WALKING bit is interesting, but he is to over the top survivalist. But who am I, I never would know what I am really capable of if this happened in my world.
Just when I thought... this is a pretty good Post Apocalypse book, the aliens show up. And of course they are not good aliens, they are bad ass mean ass horrific going to raise the earth kind of aliens and make you my bitch kind of aliens, right? Well sounds AWESOME! Ummm but we still have no clue why the aliens are herding humans naked into corrals or killing and razing down the world. What evidence they are the ones that planted the actual virus that wiped the planet out. But at the same time, if he had then what, it may have been to convoluted.
Part 3 has Walt, Mia, and Raymond decide to go find the resistance. Now at least there are three characters I like because up till now Walt has been an asshat. Though I am wondering if the author may have watched a bit to much Independence Day.
I am continuing to read Book 2 but frankly I have had to put it down and only pick it up when I don't have anything else to read. It has gotten better but the problem.
Honestly if I was rating this on my blog it would be a 5 out of 10 stars, straight up 2.5 and I am being generous.
May 25, 2012
The black plague returns. On steroids.
People begin dropping dead. In any population, there are naturally resistant genes but few survive. Like Night of the Living Dead, the survivors can take what they want and live where they want. Mansions, cars, camping equipment, whatever you want. Think of the The Road before everything is pilfered and people start feeding on each other.
However, it's not a natural disease. It's just the natural order of the food chain and we're not on top anymore. Robertson adds an interesting twist to an all-too-possible disease outbreak. He writes with easy humor and sets up scenes nicely. At times, the humor is overplayed and erodes an otherwise intense scene where people, even in shock, aren't telling jokes. However, there were many times the humor is well-played and I laughed out loud. Yeah, I LOL'd.
It's a long book. I like stories shorter and tighter (thus 4 stars instead of 5) but that shouldn't be a criticism of an otherwise well-written book. King, Rowling, and Gaiman write long, too, and not many are complaining.
People begin dropping dead. In any population, there are naturally resistant genes but few survive. Like Night of the Living Dead, the survivors can take what they want and live where they want. Mansions, cars, camping equipment, whatever you want. Think of the The Road before everything is pilfered and people start feeding on each other.
However, it's not a natural disease. It's just the natural order of the food chain and we're not on top anymore. Robertson adds an interesting twist to an all-too-possible disease outbreak. He writes with easy humor and sets up scenes nicely. At times, the humor is overplayed and erodes an otherwise intense scene where people, even in shock, aren't telling jokes. However, there were many times the humor is well-played and I laughed out loud. Yeah, I LOL'd.
It's a long book. I like stories shorter and tighter (thus 4 stars instead of 5) but that shouldn't be a criticism of an otherwise well-written book. King, Rowling, and Gaiman write long, too, and not many are complaining.
February 22, 2019
What's better than an apocalypse?
Two apocalypses. Apocalypti?
This book follows two sets of characters as they endure not one, but two apocalyptic events.
It's a take on the genre I have not seen before, and for that, I liked it.
Be forewarned though, some of the heroes die in this one.
Two apocalypses. Apocalypti?
This book follows two sets of characters as they endure not one, but two apocalyptic events.
It's a take on the genre I have not seen before, and for that, I liked it.
Be forewarned though, some of the heroes die in this one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 28, 2016
honestly ,what did i except
they blew a gigantic space ship by riding a Hot air balloon and sneaking through the engines to plant hand made explosives
they blew a gigantic space ship by riding a Hot air balloon and sneaking through the engines to plant hand made explosives
July 12, 2013
Author Edward W. Robertson starts slow in his novel "Breakers," which chronicles the incubation and fallout of a runaway virus that kills nearly everybody it infects. He spins the tale through two main characters, Walt in New York City and Raymond in Southern California. Both are twenty-somethings who aren't the most successful, intent on plugging away at life despite the seeming urge to surf the couch most of the day. Then change begins. In a way, the arrival of the virus that kills indiscriminately offers both characters a way out of their boring existence. Raymond gets a job mostly because he's "clean" helping a shady character, and Walt has to deal with the fact that his jerk girlfriend is dead and he must get on with life. Walt takes a bit of convincing, but his storyline definitely is the more interesting. Raymond acts like an observer who's forced to participate. His wife, Mia, is a bit under-used but is a more dynamic character. And dynamic is what they need. Nobody who sits around moping about the situation does well in this situation. The economy tanks, services shut down and chaos descends. And then the fun begins. Robertson injects first person observation of his choice of locations. I can tell he's lived in New York from the descriptions of sights and smells. Likewise, he's spent some time on the coast in SoCal. But he has a talent for adventure yarns. The pace of this book picks up about a quarter of the way through and doesn't ease up. It's really not an apocalyptic survival tale. The story has more going on than that, elevating it to a bright up and comer in the sci-fi genre.
April 28, 2014
I was skeptical about this book, since I don't typically LOVE post-apocalyptic stories. (They're usually so depressing I feel like I need to listen to Disney songs just to keep from leaping off a cliff.)
Predictably, there's a lot of darkness here. There are also people whose heads I don't particularly like getting inside. That being said, as much as I didn't love the people, they felt like... well... people.
For whatever reason, I also like Robertson's prose. It's snappy, with enough detail to keep you in the story, yet it doesn't overpower your imagination along the way. That's hard to pull off.
The one niggle I have with this book is that it leaves a lot unanswered. It's not trying to be existential, either. Literally, a lot of loose threads are left hanging. Now that I've read the second book, I feel much more satisfied with the experience, since it was obviously part of the plan.
This is definitely a series I'll be sticking with through the end.
Predictably, there's a lot of darkness here. There are also people whose heads I don't particularly like getting inside. That being said, as much as I didn't love the people, they felt like... well... people.
For whatever reason, I also like Robertson's prose. It's snappy, with enough detail to keep you in the story, yet it doesn't overpower your imagination along the way. That's hard to pull off.
The one niggle I have with this book is that it leaves a lot unanswered. It's not trying to be existential, either. Literally, a lot of loose threads are left hanging. Now that I've read the second book, I feel much more satisfied with the experience, since it was obviously part of the plan.
This is definitely a series I'll be sticking with through the end.
March 21, 2013
This was well written and suspenseful, but it broke my heart when one of the characters died. I was actually in denial for a chapter or so since there was no body. Not sure I want to read more by this author because IMO the death was unnecessary. (This is what happens when you kill off someone I like for no good reason.)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 8, 2017
I bought the "Breakers Omnibus " from audible. It was a fine "end of the world" pitch. If you enjoyed stories like, Wool, The Stand, Swan's Song, you likely will enjoy this one. the Omnibus was 40 hours+ and I was sad to finish. More of a 4 star book but I couldn't put it down and was sad when it was over so I rounded up.
September 17, 2023
The story started off good but Walt’s POV just horrid to read.
The fist part It was not bad but really needs editing and the author needs to stop the word diarrhea. Such long tedious descriptions of everything!
Then the story changed, and it got really tedious and not enjoyable at all so I skimmed read the last 1/3.
I bought the trilogy and in a few months I may
The fist part It was not bad but really needs editing and the author needs to stop the word diarrhea. Such long tedious descriptions of everything!
Then the story changed, and it got really tedious and not enjoyable at all so I skimmed read the last 1/3.
I bought the trilogy and in a few months I may
August 11, 2018
Did not connect with the characters at all....
March 24, 2025
Amazing post apocalyptic story! I loved that it was told from two points of view split by chapters, that kept me interested and turning pages once I got back into the book.
I am so excited to read the next two in the series!
I am so excited to read the next two in the series!
February 8, 2018
I downloaded this free for my eReader along with the second and third instalments of the series. I wouldn't say I loved it, but I'm still interested enough to read the second book so it beats most freebies already!j
February 20, 2015
I will start by saying that if the system allowed it I would have given this 4.5 stars. There were a couple of things that prevented me from giving out that fifth star. These are not major problems by any means, I really loved the book and reading 300 pages in a single book in 11 days is pretty quick for me since I am usually reading at least two books at any given time; I liked this book enough that I wasn't reading anything else in parallel.
One minor issue was the conscious suspension of disbelief I had to take take while reading the initial phase of Walt and Otto's mission. I groaned inwardly and thought "Really, I am supposed to believe that happened?" but I was enjoying the story so much that it wasn't such a big deal as that type of thing has been for me in other books. The other quibble I have is the very end of the book, it felt like just a bit of a letdown. I expected a bit more from Raymond and David's scene for some reason.
Overall the characterization was well done, one exception would be that Raymond and Mia became sort of interchangeable at some point. There was more than one conversation between the two where I totally lost track of who was saying what and had to reread the passage. In the end it didn't ever really matter which character said a specific line.
I noticed quite a few pop culture references and wondered how many of them would go over the heads of younger readers as they were 1980s or 1990s referenes. I personally enjoyed them quite a lot though, especially the passage regarding classic works of sci-fi and the effect they had on one of the characters.
I also liked the physical description of the aliens as it was detailed and yet I felt that every reader would have a slightly different mental image. In my opinion this works much better as a book than a movie as it leaves room for audience interpretation; in a movie the aliens would have a specific appearance with no ambiguity which would remove some of the enjoyment for me.
I read a lot of zombie apocalypse books last year to getting to read a post-apocalyptic book that didn't involve the undead was very refreshing. I was very impressed by the writing style and the way the author could turn an otherwise pedestrian description of a scene into a really well worded and elegant passage.
I really liked this book and am looking forward to reading the rest of the series. I though there were only three books when I started but apparently I was mistaken as I see a fifth volume now that I take a closer look. I hope the author can keep up the quality in the rest of the series.
One minor issue was the conscious suspension of disbelief I had to take take while reading the initial phase of Walt and Otto's mission. I groaned inwardly and thought "Really, I am supposed to believe that happened?" but I was enjoying the story so much that it wasn't such a big deal as that type of thing has been for me in other books. The other quibble I have is the very end of the book, it felt like just a bit of a letdown. I expected a bit more from Raymond and David's scene for some reason.
Overall the characterization was well done, one exception would be that Raymond and Mia became sort of interchangeable at some point. There was more than one conversation between the two where I totally lost track of who was saying what and had to reread the passage. In the end it didn't ever really matter which character said a specific line.
I noticed quite a few pop culture references and wondered how many of them would go over the heads of younger readers as they were 1980s or 1990s referenes. I personally enjoyed them quite a lot though, especially the passage regarding classic works of sci-fi and the effect they had on one of the characters.
I also liked the physical description of the aliens as it was detailed and yet I felt that every reader would have a slightly different mental image. In my opinion this works much better as a book than a movie as it leaves room for audience interpretation; in a movie the aliens would have a specific appearance with no ambiguity which would remove some of the enjoyment for me.
I read a lot of zombie apocalypse books last year to getting to read a post-apocalyptic book that didn't involve the undead was very refreshing. I was very impressed by the writing style and the way the author could turn an otherwise pedestrian description of a scene into a really well worded and elegant passage.
I really liked this book and am looking forward to reading the rest of the series. I though there were only three books when I started but apparently I was mistaken as I see a fifth volume now that I take a closer look. I hope the author can keep up the quality in the rest of the series.
December 29, 2014
The Breakers Series by Edward W. Robertson is an absolutely captivating, original, character-filled, compelling post-apocalyptic tale. The world building is detailed, so believable as to be completely transparent and absorbing. The logic of what has happened to end the world (a plague) fits together nicely, with no wrong steps or weird missing facts. It is chillingly realistic. Then, each book in the series introduces a new set of characters and follows them as they navigate through the apocalyptic world. Mr Robertson has a knack for showing his characters as deeply flawed people, but leading the reader to come to understand and respect (if not like) them -- even the most socially retarded and selfish ones. Each book concentrates upon several of these characters, but is filled with interesting secondary characters who are also well drawn out and multi-dimensional. And, in what I considered a bonus gift, characters from the earlier novels appear or are referenced in later books. This constant weaving together threads from different novels reinforces the overall story (of a world collapsed, with survivors fighting for their lives) and somehow makes it more believable and real. I hope that Mr. Robertson will continue writing these books forever and ever. If you haven't discovered this series yet you are in for a treat. Start at the beginning so you can experience the complete story fully. Then join me in asking for more books in the series! Book 1, Breakers, is told from the viewpoint of Walt (in NY) and Raymond and Mia (California). Walt goes on a long road trip and ends up meeting up with Mia, Raymond, and some other notable characters including Otto.
February 23, 2015
In all fairness to this book, it took me longer to read because I was travelling less, working more, and video-gaming in between. So that left less time for reading. That said... it still took me awhile to really get into this book. At first I thought it was going to be about an apocalyptic world, wiped out after a flu pandemic. Then the aliens showed up. And it all kind of went down the crap-shoot after that.
If I had to say what the number one annoyance was for me, it was the characters. (All of them.) Though they are all different, I didn't care about any of them. That is such a rare experience for me that I'm actually left baffled by it. How did I not connect to even just 1 person? The one I wanted to know more but never got the chance had very little time in this story. Which is maybe why I liked him? There were a lot of things that felt cliched as it related to the characters.
I did enjoy the story as far as the events that actually happened, but I wanted to read more about the government quarantine, the other survivors, and the resistance. Sadly that was all very lacking. Walt walked from New York to California for god's sake. WALKED. Yet we only get a glimpse of that journey in this detached sort of way. That is really my biggest problem I suppose. The fact that all the parts I wanted to know more about were just sort of glossed over, yet pages and pages were spent on things I really don't care about.
I will read the other 2 books in the trilogy because I bought them all at the same time. Though I will take a break for awhile before picking up the next book.
If I had to say what the number one annoyance was for me, it was the characters. (All of them.) Though they are all different, I didn't care about any of them. That is such a rare experience for me that I'm actually left baffled by it. How did I not connect to even just 1 person? The one I wanted to know more but never got the chance had very little time in this story. Which is maybe why I liked him? There were a lot of things that felt cliched as it related to the characters.
I did enjoy the story as far as the events that actually happened, but I wanted to read more about the government quarantine, the other survivors, and the resistance. Sadly that was all very lacking. Walt walked from New York to California for god's sake. WALKED. Yet we only get a glimpse of that journey in this detached sort of way. That is really my biggest problem I suppose. The fact that all the parts I wanted to know more about were just sort of glossed over, yet pages and pages were spent on things I really don't care about.
I will read the other 2 books in the trilogy because I bought them all at the same time. Though I will take a break for awhile before picking up the next book.
March 5, 2015
For an apocalyptic where the reader gets to see the devastation and destruction WHILE it is happening, this was a bit slow. Time moves really weirdly. One minute seems like forever and it is difficult to know how much time the characters go through. Months go by but there is no real indication of when or where it went.
The characters were quite brilliant though. I really enjoyed how they went about surviving. Even knowing that this is probably the apocalypse and getting their stuff together. It’s fabulous. It is also what would happen in the real world. The only downside was that it was difficult to tell the two main characters, Walt and Raymond, apart. So much so that it took me a minute when the story skipped back and forth at the beginning. This does fix itself as the story goes on, fortunately. Or maybe I just got more into the characters and could tell their own stories apart. Either way, it got better.
The narration was great for this. Ray Chase has a way of really inducing intensity into his voice. It’s entertaining and brings that intensity to portions of the plot that are not even that intense. Deep and gravelly, perfect for this type of story.
I loved the pop culture references and jokes. We would all do it. It’s a huge part of reducing stress for some. That or kill other people, I guess. I’d prefer telling jokes. Sometimes they went a bit too far but I was with the story enough at that point that it did not bother me too much.
The sci fi portion threw me though. There’s a twist that I did enjoy reading, but I needed a little more. Overall it was good, but not fabulous.
Received by audiobookreviewer.com for an honest review.
The characters were quite brilliant though. I really enjoyed how they went about surviving. Even knowing that this is probably the apocalypse and getting their stuff together. It’s fabulous. It is also what would happen in the real world. The only downside was that it was difficult to tell the two main characters, Walt and Raymond, apart. So much so that it took me a minute when the story skipped back and forth at the beginning. This does fix itself as the story goes on, fortunately. Or maybe I just got more into the characters and could tell their own stories apart. Either way, it got better.
The narration was great for this. Ray Chase has a way of really inducing intensity into his voice. It’s entertaining and brings that intensity to portions of the plot that are not even that intense. Deep and gravelly, perfect for this type of story.
I loved the pop culture references and jokes. We would all do it. It’s a huge part of reducing stress for some. That or kill other people, I guess. I’d prefer telling jokes. Sometimes they went a bit too far but I was with the story enough at that point that it did not bother me too much.
The sci fi portion threw me though. There’s a twist that I did enjoy reading, but I needed a little more. Overall it was good, but not fabulous.
Received by audiobookreviewer.com for an honest review.
September 14, 2013
Breakers is a book that begins like many in the genre do: a super virus wipes out a majority of humanity, leaving a spare few to rebuild. The twist comes when - spoilers - it turns out aliens have come to town on top of it all. The premise alone is an entertaining combo of The Stand and Independence Day.
Firstly, Breakers is very well written. The author know how to use words, to build characters, and to describe scenes. For this, the book is a pleasure to read. Rarely is there any eye-rolling moments of poor dialogue or poorly formed character motivations. For that this book is worth reading.
There are a few minor issues. For one the ending feels as bit at odds with the tenor of the rest of the book. Something about it hard but it's hard to put a finger on how. I think for me some of the character motivations became muddier as the latter tenth of the book arrived. Naturally with such a small portion of the book at odds it is not a major detraction, but it still is a bit disappointing.
It's hard to take much away from the book for this though. The only other issue I noticed was the middle of the book has several encounters with the main characters that seen very similar and all inexplicably aggressive. Naturally, in such a situation one would run into unsavory characters, but it would have been a good chance to introduce some other characters.
Firstly, Breakers is very well written. The author know how to use words, to build characters, and to describe scenes. For this, the book is a pleasure to read. Rarely is there any eye-rolling moments of poor dialogue or poorly formed character motivations. For that this book is worth reading.
There are a few minor issues. For one the ending feels as bit at odds with the tenor of the rest of the book. Something about it hard but it's hard to put a finger on how. I think for me some of the character motivations became muddier as the latter tenth of the book arrived. Naturally with such a small portion of the book at odds it is not a major detraction, but it still is a bit disappointing.
It's hard to take much away from the book for this though. The only other issue I noticed was the middle of the book has several encounters with the main characters that seen very similar and all inexplicably aggressive. Naturally, in such a situation one would run into unsavory characters, but it would have been a good chance to introduce some other characters.
May 22, 2012
Although not my usual genre, I found myself captivated by this novel, Breakers. It was like watching the downfall of man-kind in technicolor. In fact, I could see this novel hitting the big screen at some point.
Although(to me) it started a little sluggish, within a few pages I was hooked and I ended up reading Breakers in one sitting. I won't mention that I completely forgot about a "thing" I was supposed to attend, and instead spent the time deeply invested in the characters and their tribulations.
I found the premise a unique amalgam of the typical apocalyptic books. There's a pandemic that kills off most of civilization. Aliens come to take over. And both are tied together seamlessly in this novel. So much so, that it was totally believable, and I didn't even have to worry with suspending my beliefs.
The writing was fluid and sometimes so perfect I had to highlight certain phrases in my Kindle app. I don't do that often, so that's saying something. I love how Robertson gives us independent characters without the dreaded author-injection, letting the reader decide what they are thinking or feeling.
Overall an extremely well done novel and I'd recommend it to just about anyone-- not just readers of sci-fi or end-of-the-world tales.
Although(to me) it started a little sluggish, within a few pages I was hooked and I ended up reading Breakers in one sitting. I won't mention that I completely forgot about a "thing" I was supposed to attend, and instead spent the time deeply invested in the characters and their tribulations.
I found the premise a unique amalgam of the typical apocalyptic books. There's a pandemic that kills off most of civilization. Aliens come to take over. And both are tied together seamlessly in this novel. So much so, that it was totally believable, and I didn't even have to worry with suspending my beliefs.
The writing was fluid and sometimes so perfect I had to highlight certain phrases in my Kindle app. I don't do that often, so that's saying something. I love how Robertson gives us independent characters without the dreaded author-injection, letting the reader decide what they are thinking or feeling.
Overall an extremely well done novel and I'd recommend it to just about anyone-- not just readers of sci-fi or end-of-the-world tales.
February 22, 2015
The world building in this book was great. The author give you just enough detail to paint the world in your mind with-ought overdoing it! The characterization of each individual was on point. I felt like I knew them all personally. I hope this is not a spoiler, however, I do not like to fall in love with a character just to have to say goodbye to them unexpectedly.
I'm usually a nut for romance and Erotica but Mr. Robertson has opened a new world to me. Thank you for that. I noticed many readers had an issue with the grammar in a few of the earlier additions, what I'd like to say to that is, be patient readers. Sometimes it's difficult for an author bringing you a special book at a very low cost. Eventually they will make all the wrong right, but it cost to do that when you're doing it all yourself.
There are now many wonderful books out for us to enjoy by self publishing authors, or authors that are under a publishing company who's standards are not the best, so you may have to deal with a few typos to enjoy a great book.
I bought the first three books for $0.99, and if the next two books are as good as this first one, I'll be happy to pay full price for the rest.
Thanks Mr. Robertson for a book well done!
I'm usually a nut for romance and Erotica but Mr. Robertson has opened a new world to me. Thank you for that. I noticed many readers had an issue with the grammar in a few of the earlier additions, what I'd like to say to that is, be patient readers. Sometimes it's difficult for an author bringing you a special book at a very low cost. Eventually they will make all the wrong right, but it cost to do that when you're doing it all yourself.
There are now many wonderful books out for us to enjoy by self publishing authors, or authors that are under a publishing company who's standards are not the best, so you may have to deal with a few typos to enjoy a great book.
I bought the first three books for $0.99, and if the next two books are as good as this first one, I'll be happy to pay full price for the rest.
Thanks Mr. Robertson for a book well done!
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