The Visitors

299 Days #5

by Glen Tate

The Visitors, the fifth book in the 299 Days series, follows Grant Matson, the Team, and other Pierce Point residents as they adjust to a rapidly changing post-Collapse reality. When the Team is summoned to bust a meth lab and protect their neighbors, they find themselves in an intense crime scene that results in the community having to decide innocence, guilt and punishment. Adjusting to this "new normal" is a challenge to Grant and others as they navigate a world where Pop-Tarts cost $45 a box, neighbors die from easily preventable conditions, and what remains of the former U.S. Government is deliberately choosing who they will and will not help. As tensions grow in Pierce Point and the Team begins to face organized opposition, they are presented with an incredible opportunity by the arrival of Special Forces Ted and his game-changing proposal. Grant finds himself at a crossroads as he must decide whether he and the Team will formally join the Patriots and train to become guerilla fighters against the growing forces of the Loyalists or standby and watch events unfold. Grant knows one decision could risk his marriage and family, while another would mean letting others decide their fate.

Genres: Fiction, Dystopia, Survival, Post Apocalyptic, Audiobook, Apocalyptic

188 pages, Paperback

First published March 19, 2013

Reviews

[Freedom · Rating 2 out of 5]

I tried, honestly, but the main character is just evolving into a bigger and bigger megalomaniac. The (civilian) Military Contractor, The Lawyer/Prosecutor, The Judge, and now the Secret Police all in a single character. It's exhausting and completely unbelievable. The constant positioning, the constant planning to gain more power and influence, this book, more than any other in the series has really put me off.
I appreciate what must have been a great effort to research material for the book, but honestly, just put "Grant" into a paid of blue tights with a big "S" on his chest and get it over with.

[David A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent! Each book in this series gets better although I am a bit concerned with the way the book ended, setting up the next book. I hope this does not turn from a "survivor" series, into a "war" series.

[Corinne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Main character seems unstable with all the crying and throwing up. He’s also changed from how he was portrayed in the first four books.

[Matthew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book 5 of the 299 series (Reiterated warning - this should be "chapter" 5 - these "books" are not self contained and do not have real start/end points)

This was the weakest book yet.
All the criticisms of the prior books continue, but are magnified.

I find the sections with the visitors at the end wholly unconvincing. This is important, because it is the direction that the entire series is going. (The turning of the entire community post a collapse in to a "patriot" base in some sort of "anti-government" war). Except that the author fails to make the articulation of the nature of the "war" against the Pierce Point community particularly well...in fact, the character vocalizes that weakness...and then simply "solves" the character's ambivalence over the issue with the annoying "outside voice" trick.

I found it ridiculous and unconvincing.

(And I find other parts of the story also less convincing - still not clear how they have answered the food shortage problems, the willingness of the community to support a massive security investment (i.e, feed the security people) since nothing requiring all the security has happened since the "collapse".) The story of the day to day challenges people would encounter post a collapse are secondary and unconvincing.)

The series is trying to be a blatant anti-big government/impending collapse story, but it is actually hard from the story as told to understand the bigger story and the "war" (?) going on in the context outside the community described.

Anyways, I find the story line - and the story telling - less and less engaging (and thoughtful) as we move through.

If I had not already put in the effort for the first 5 books (I'm now half way through)...I might consider stopping as the series is losing my interest and engagement. But I have made it this far, so I will give the 6th book a try...

[Sean Yunt · Rating 4 out of 5]

The writing and story both continue to improve as the series progresses. I paid closer attention to the hypothetical aspects of the collapse. Specifically which government or business services remain in place. Some of those, like reduced law enforcement make sense. Some of the black market bartering I had to accept on faith.

That brings up a small complaint I have. We hear from the author "this sh*t is real", but clearly the sequence of events are not (yet?) real. There's a vast difference between a character being real, and a future event being promised. The books are somewhat instructional with regards to prepping and managing social situations. In the first couple books I made paper notes of preps to buy, and how to implement certain steps. Then I caught myself doing the same in books 4 and 5, but had to stop and remember it's basically sci-fi at this point. The case of yellow spray paint ultimately didn't remain my shopping cart

[RJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Visitors chronicles the ongoing efforts of the community of Pierce Point to become a Patriot stronghold. The "sheepdogs" of the community are pressed into service to remove thieves and cut throats from their (AOI) area of operation. They were now self-described "constables" of the community, not having any legal authority but their own. Enforcing these rules bring on more issues for the community at large. Towards the end of the book "The Visitors" makes itself known. Special Forces Ted makes his appearance.

[Brad Theado · Rating 4 out of 5]

i really love this series. The only thing that would make me love it more would be if they would focus more on the core group and less on the ancillary groups. The parts that keep me reading have nothing to do with the government groups or the farm that up to this point has been disconnected from the story.

[Stephen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grant continues to lead Pierce Point into being a Patriot stronghold. Politics, legalities, and planning factors into this book with a special visit from Special Forces Ted. Things are about to heat up...

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another strong set-up for the next major event book in the series.

Some interesting moral struggles worked through.

[Cathy Trumbo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of good stuff happening, but I must admit near the end the recurring angst made me a lil bored and irritated.

[Joshua Friesen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good on you sir for writing a grim, but fun, all too possible scenario. I must point out there are a few inconsistencies with the main character throughout the series.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fifth book out of ten - same oh same oh