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After Days Trilogy #1
After Days
"Grabs you by the throat and doesn't let go..." - Goodreads
15 year old Isaac Race has already lost everyone close to him. He is about to lose a lot more. We all are. A mystery outbreak sweeps North America, it is chilling in both its speed and deadliness. The odd thing is though, it is only fatal to adults. Too late it becomes clear to authorities that the virus is man-made, a biological weapon, and that the United States is at war...a war it has already lost.
As his country is invaded and occupied by the Chinese army, Isaac must lead a ragtag group of survivors across three states in the depths of winter, avoiding not only the invaders, but also other dangers unleashed in a world suddenly deprived of adults and authority, to a safe haven that may not even exist.
15 year old Isaac Race has already lost everyone close to him. He is about to lose a lot more. We all are. A mystery outbreak sweeps North America, it is chilling in both its speed and deadliness. The odd thing is though, it is only fatal to adults. Too late it becomes clear to authorities that the virus is man-made, a biological weapon, and that the United States is at war...a war it has already lost.
As his country is invaded and occupied by the Chinese army, Isaac must lead a ragtag group of survivors across three states in the depths of winter, avoiding not only the invaders, but also other dangers unleashed in a world suddenly deprived of adults and authority, to a safe haven that may not even exist.
357 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 27, 2014
172 people are currently reading
1276 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
June 15, 2016
3.5 stars
I enjoyed this YA apocalypse theme. It was a palette cleanser after so reading so many back to back romances.
It has a really steady pace with no lags at all. Lots of action. In fact, I thought it read more like an action movie than a book. For some reason, I didn't engage emotionally with any of the characters even though I really enjoyed the story.
I enjoyed this YA apocalypse theme. It was a palette cleanser after so reading so many back to back romances.
It has a really steady pace with no lags at all. Lots of action. In fact, I thought it read more like an action movie than a book. For some reason, I didn't engage emotionally with any of the characters even though I really enjoyed the story.
September 15, 2014
This is an excellent and unusual tale, it's definitely never been done before. I love the difference of this book compared to other dystopian books as it's a lot more realistic. Not everything goes right for the characters, 'love' isn't a key part and you can tell the author has done his research.
The scenario reminds me a lot of historic events that has affected the present and future heavily. What really scares me is the possibility of this book becoming a reality. Obviously I'd imagine it to be unlikely as I doubt the Chinese would be able to create an infection that wouldn't harm their own race, but I'm no scientist. However you can see how all the politics come into play and how heavily influenced the events and actions of characters have been from the past.
None of the characters are unrealistic, something I love about this story, and all come from different backgrounds. Again the author has researched this area well. For example there are words and phrases British wouldn't understand, same vice versa for Americans, and this is pointed out at certain points. Actions children would take. Even the fighting aspects seem realistic. All of the characters have been giving reasoning as to why they are or aren't good fighters and they even compare real experiences with the unrealistic movie ones.
I'd highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys dystopian/war books as it's an excellent representation of what our future could end up like. I know all of my friends would agree and love this book, I can't wait to let them know! Probably 13+ is the correct recommending age group as there're certain things you have to understand to grasp the idea and concept behind this book. I really enjoyed the cliffhanger, also, I can't wait for the sequel!
The scenario reminds me a lot of historic events that has affected the present and future heavily. What really scares me is the possibility of this book becoming a reality. Obviously I'd imagine it to be unlikely as I doubt the Chinese would be able to create an infection that wouldn't harm their own race, but I'm no scientist. However you can see how all the politics come into play and how heavily influenced the events and actions of characters have been from the past.
None of the characters are unrealistic, something I love about this story, and all come from different backgrounds. Again the author has researched this area well. For example there are words and phrases British wouldn't understand, same vice versa for Americans, and this is pointed out at certain points. Actions children would take. Even the fighting aspects seem realistic. All of the characters have been giving reasoning as to why they are or aren't good fighters and they even compare real experiences with the unrealistic movie ones.
I'd highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys dystopian/war books as it's an excellent representation of what our future could end up like. I know all of my friends would agree and love this book, I can't wait to let them know! Probably 13+ is the correct recommending age group as there're certain things you have to understand to grasp the idea and concept behind this book. I really enjoyed the cliffhanger, also, I can't wait for the sequel!
August 5, 2014
3.5 stars
I really liked the premise and general story. China unleashes a virus on the U.S. that kills anyone 17 and older who is not of Chinese descent (there is a scientific explanation for this, though I have no idea how medically possible it is). Basically China wants our land due to its own overpopulation. The story is told by Isaac and focuses on him and his revolving band of kids who are able to survive without adults. I was horrified by the thought that so many babies and toddlers, and most younger kids would just die because there was no one to take care of them. It's a really interesting idea, but I was a little confused by the writing. At times it seemed to be accurate narration for a 15-year old boy, but at other moments it felt far too stiff and formal, especially some of the dialogue that was supposed to be between teenagers. Don't expect flowy prose; it's very straightforward. If you love post-apocalyptic like I do, this is definitely worth checking out, especially given that it's inexpensive on Kindle.
I really liked the premise and general story. China unleashes a virus on the U.S. that kills anyone 17 and older who is not of Chinese descent (there is a scientific explanation for this, though I have no idea how medically possible it is). Basically China wants our land due to its own overpopulation. The story is told by Isaac and focuses on him and his revolving band of kids who are able to survive without adults. I was horrified by the thought that so many babies and toddlers, and most younger kids would just die because there was no one to take care of them. It's a really interesting idea, but I was a little confused by the writing. At times it seemed to be accurate narration for a 15-year old boy, but at other moments it felt far too stiff and formal, especially some of the dialogue that was supposed to be between teenagers. Don't expect flowy prose; it's very straightforward. If you love post-apocalyptic like I do, this is definitely worth checking out, especially given that it's inexpensive on Kindle.
August 15, 2014
Very few words bloody awesome !! can't wait for the next chapter of the story.
June 17, 2015
Second time I've read this book, I'm giving it a 3.5 but rounding up because I really liked the plot. The plot is original, which is why I came back to it a second time before I read the next book in the series. There were however where a few quirks that drove me crazy. One of those things was the word adrenaline, it seemed to be on every other page (or pretty close) and it was spelled adrenalin. This leads me to the the other thing that bothered me which was there were many non-americanized english words used in a book based in America. It felt extremely out of place. Other than that the book was really good for a first book in the series. I'm really curious as to what will happen in the next book.
July 8, 2017
I liked this book. Isaac is a regular kid, in foster care after his parents and sister are killed in a fire. He likes his foster parents and just when he thinks he might have found a place in life, his world falls to pieces once again. The Chinese unleash a terrible virus that kills anyone over 17 that is not of Chinese descent within two days average. When everyone starts dropping like flies, Isaac and his friend Luke set out to find if anyone is out there that can protect them, following a message in Morse code. Will they stay alive or will the forces now unleashed make it impossible for them to survive? If you like books placed at a time after an apocalypse that is also very dystopian, this book's for you.
September 4, 2014
I received a copy of this as a Goodreads first read! Despite several spelling errors throughout my paperback version, this was a fast and intriguing read with an interesting dystopian premise. China releases a virus that kills everyone in the US who is older than 17 and of non-Chinese decent. I enjoyed the narrator, although at times he seemed more mature than his 15 years, and the story kept me guessing.
June 1, 2014
Brilliant! I could barely put this down, and loved every second of it. I won't put in any spoilers but you just have to read it if you are into young adult or dystopian or anything post apocalyptic. I wouldn't put it in any one box though, its kind of all those things and more. My only grip is that I have to wait for book 2!
shelf-that-must-not-be-named
February 19, 2015Checking out the "Look Inside" feature, I wasn't crazy about the writing. Lots of telling, not showing. Formatting looks ok. I'm wondering about the glowing reviews though, I don't see it.
March 5, 2015
Great book. I want to read the other two!
November 1, 2020
I read Affliction (After Days Book 1) as my A in my new A-Z challenge; however, when coming to write this review, I have discovered this series has been rebranded. What was one book, Affliction, has now been split into two books in the America Falls series: Hell Week and On The Run, as such you can not read Affliction anymore.
This book is very timely and apt, though with some differences! It follows Isaac, a teenager, as he learns to adapt to the new world. After a sudden outbreak of a deadly virus in Korea, the virus was contained before being discovered on American soil. Unfortunately, it wasn't too long before it was obvious that the virus was a biological weapon, and only people of Chinese heritage or who hadn't finished growing (ie children) we safe from death - though arguably they may have a worse fate having survived. Isaac meets other children on his travels, and becomes the natural leader of the group as they struggle to get to a safe haven in the Drake Mountains.
I loved this book. It is really gripping; I just hope that splitting it into two hasn't diluted it too much. It has been written in a very clever way, in that it alludes to some horrific and gruesome things, but doesn't elaborate, so it is up to you what you imagine (and such, could be suitable for younger readers). When I was looking for this book on Amazon, and initially couldn't find it, I was disappointed, as I would like to finish the rest of the series; so I am glad that the series is still there under an alternative name (even though I think there should be some reference to the change on at least Hell Week's write-up).
A good book.
This book is very timely and apt, though with some differences! It follows Isaac, a teenager, as he learns to adapt to the new world. After a sudden outbreak of a deadly virus in Korea, the virus was contained before being discovered on American soil. Unfortunately, it wasn't too long before it was obvious that the virus was a biological weapon, and only people of Chinese heritage or who hadn't finished growing (ie children) we safe from death - though arguably they may have a worse fate having survived. Isaac meets other children on his travels, and becomes the natural leader of the group as they struggle to get to a safe haven in the Drake Mountains.
I loved this book. It is really gripping; I just hope that splitting it into two hasn't diluted it too much. It has been written in a very clever way, in that it alludes to some horrific and gruesome things, but doesn't elaborate, so it is up to you what you imagine (and such, could be suitable for younger readers). When I was looking for this book on Amazon, and initially couldn't find it, I was disappointed, as I would like to finish the rest of the series; so I am glad that the series is still there under an alternative name (even though I think there should be some reference to the change on at least Hell Week's write-up).
A good book.
May 24, 2017
Fantastic
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters are pubescent and young adults dealing with a disaster that left them struggling to find somewhere safe. A deadly disease unleashed by one super power on another to deal with overcrowding. A disease that will kill anybody over 18 . Will Isaac and his friends find a safe haven? Or will they have to keep battling an enemy to stay one step ahead in order to keep their freedom?
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters are pubescent and young adults dealing with a disaster that left them struggling to find somewhere safe. A deadly disease unleashed by one super power on another to deal with overcrowding. A disease that will kill anybody over 18 . Will Isaac and his friends find a safe haven? Or will they have to keep battling an enemy to stay one step ahead in order to keep their freedom?
July 15, 2018
This first foray into the trilogy has a grim feel to it and whets the reader's appetite for more.
The fictional young men and women who survived a horrifying attack on the United States show great promise at not only fending for themselves but also have been quite easy to get to know.
Looking forward to reading the second and third books to see where the end journey takes Isaac and friends.
The fictional young men and women who survived a horrifying attack on the United States show great promise at not only fending for themselves but also have been quite easy to get to know.
Looking forward to reading the second and third books to see where the end journey takes Isaac and friends.
February 24, 2019
Pretty good read.
At first I wasn’t sure if I would like the story because of the narrator intrusion in the beginning, reminding the reader that someone was telling the story. But the story moved fast and read normally after a while.
I actually really liked the main character, despite him being a fifteen-year-old kid and this being a YA voice.
Reader Rated for ages 16+ for moderate violence and mild language.
At first I wasn’t sure if I would like the story because of the narrator intrusion in the beginning, reminding the reader that someone was telling the story. But the story moved fast and read normally after a while.
I actually really liked the main character, despite him being a fifteen-year-old kid and this being a YA voice.
Reader Rated for ages 16+ for moderate violence and mild language.
May 30, 2017
I really liked this book. Sonny was my favorite character. Without him I doubt the others would have survived even though they did lose some. Luke was a strong character and someone to have behind your back. Isaac was strong but he hesitated too much and always felt guilty having to kill the enemy but he grew along with the story.
January 23, 2017
Great YA apocalyptic tale
I truly enjoyed this start to an exciting series. It was emotional, intriguing and paced well with solid characters.. Recommended read.
I truly enjoyed this start to an exciting series. It was emotional, intriguing and paced well with solid characters.. Recommended read.
March 15, 2017
What I really loved about this book was how realistic it was. The virus made sense, especially in explaining why the virus would only be working on adults. On the other hand, why wouldn't it work on the Chinese? I'm pretty sure if it works on Koreans it will work on Chinese as well.
Anyway, the characters were great in the way that they didn't have the typical traits. They were bothered about killing people, not just for two seconds, but throughout the book. It didn't get easier. They cared about the people they lost, and had to leave behind, they weren't forgotten. They followed their leader with respect even if they didn't agree with him. These things are quite uncommon in the books I usually read, so I really liked seeing that.
I also really liked how the fights weren't ready for the main character. Although Luke was pretty much good at anything, the main character got plenty of hits, never being suddenly stronger than someone who should clearly be stronger. Actually, all characters took hits, had flaws and were interesting, although Sonny's crew did not get too much characterisation.
Overall, I loved the realism of it, and can't find any major flaws in this book. I'd feel recommend it to people who love realistic dystopians.
Anyway, the characters were great in the way that they didn't have the typical traits. They were bothered about killing people, not just for two seconds, but throughout the book. It didn't get easier. They cared about the people they lost, and had to leave behind, they weren't forgotten. They followed their leader with respect even if they didn't agree with him. These things are quite uncommon in the books I usually read, so I really liked seeing that.
I also really liked how the fights weren't ready for the main character. Although Luke was pretty much good at anything, the main character got plenty of hits, never being suddenly stronger than someone who should clearly be stronger. Actually, all characters took hits, had flaws and were interesting, although Sonny's crew did not get too much characterisation.
Overall, I loved the realism of it, and can't find any major flaws in this book. I'd feel recommend it to people who love realistic dystopians.
October 6, 2018
Well written but cliffhanger ending
I quite enjoyed this young adult story but the last chapter seems to completely change the accepted situation then the book ends!
I quite enjoyed this young adult story but the last chapter seems to completely change the accepted situation then the book ends!
December 9, 2018
Good read
I really hope to read more of course it just sucks you in. All the characters are believable. That’s what I’m saying is it gonna
I really hope to read more of course it just sucks you in. All the characters are believable. That’s what I’m saying is it gonna
June 10, 2019
3 1/2 stars.
Read
June 12, 2021Definitely a cliffhanger but . . . . .
In a good way.
You want to read the next book because this one was so good & you are emotionally invested in the characters.I
💞~👵
In a good way.
You want to read the next book because this one was so good & you are emotionally invested in the characters.I
💞~👵
November 15, 2023
Older version of America Falls series. Book 1. No mention of Covid of course.
December 31, 2016
After Days reminds me a little of Red Dawn. In this story, the Chinese set loose a virus that kills all adults except those with Chinese ethnicity and take over the United States with plans to repopulate the country with civilians from China. A Morse code message continues to broadcast across an AM radio channel that promises sanctuary on the Eastern Seaboard. The protagonist, a 15 year-old boy, hooks up with a close friend and together they head out to find out if Sanctuary actually exists. They meet others along the way and find themselves in life-or-death circumstances as they are hunted by Chinese soldiers and a gang of youths seeking revenge for them killing the leaders younger brother.
The group loses members along the way as they get a little bolder and go on the offensive against the gang members and Chinese Soldiers. It appears like the group will fail in their quest as they are attacked by Chinese soldiers and helicopters before reaching Sanctuary. There are some twists but eventually, the group is taken captive by soldiers in white camouflage. And then, it's the end of the story. The cliffhanger leaves readers hanging so they purchase the next book in the series to find out what happens. Who are these people? The protagonists best friend is gut shot and almost unconscious - will he survive? Does this story turn into a Red Dawn? I feel the author should have brought this story to a better conclusion for readers who are only interested in reading this one book because of others in their queue. So if readers don't want to read a partial story that ends with a number of unanswered questions then don't buy this. If you want to follow through the trilogy - buy the box set - it's less expensive.
John Podlaski, author
"Cherries - A Vietnam War Novel" and "When Can I Stop Running?"
The group loses members along the way as they get a little bolder and go on the offensive against the gang members and Chinese Soldiers. It appears like the group will fail in their quest as they are attacked by Chinese soldiers and helicopters before reaching Sanctuary. There are some twists but eventually, the group is taken captive by soldiers in white camouflage. And then, it's the end of the story. The cliffhanger leaves readers hanging so they purchase the next book in the series to find out what happens. Who are these people? The protagonists best friend is gut shot and almost unconscious - will he survive? Does this story turn into a Red Dawn? I feel the author should have brought this story to a better conclusion for readers who are only interested in reading this one book because of others in their queue. So if readers don't want to read a partial story that ends with a number of unanswered questions then don't buy this. If you want to follow through the trilogy - buy the box set - it's less expensive.
John Podlaski, author
"Cherries - A Vietnam War Novel" and "When Can I Stop Running?"
February 18, 2017
DNF Too many plot holes to get past pg 175
March 26, 2016
I gave this book three stars because there were things I really liked about it matched almost evenly by the things I really disliked. It deserved more than two stars because it had interesting characters and a very unique premise. But it missed out on four or five stars because it was flat-out depressing and had basically nothing about it that offered hope of a positive outcome for the characters.
By the end of the novel, I just wanted to have some kind of hope that our young bunch of heroes could stand a chance of making it. I didn't. Despite reaching their "goal," the goal never promised to hold much hope and seemed even less likely to offer a happy outcome once they got there. If there's no hope, why bother?
By the end of the novel, I just wanted to have some kind of hope that our young bunch of heroes could stand a chance of making it. I didn't. Despite reaching their "goal," the goal never promised to hold much hope and seemed even less likely to offer a happy outcome once they got there. If there's no hope, why bother?
February 26, 2015
Isaac Race is the main character of After Days and the story is told from his point of view. The book has a cast of characters that are all quite likable. I especially liked Isaac’s best friend Luke, who provides support to Isaac in his leadership of the group and needed comic relief with his video game references. I felt the plot and the premise of the book were believable. There is discussion on leadership and ethics in the book that I found thought provoking, if a bit too mature for the teenagers in this story. You’ll also find hints of romance in the book between several characters that I felt were distracting and added little value to the story. I almost felt like the romance was thrown in to appease the age group this book is intended to reach. That being said, there are very few books in this genre that do romance well.
The first person narrative was one of my biggest problems with this book. There was far too much foreshadowing from Isaac’s inner dialogue. Every time a new character came along or event occurred, Isaac made some sort of ‘hindsight’ comment so I constantly felt like I already knew what was going to happen. I think foreshadowing is an excellent plot device when used subtly or minimally, but that was not the case in this book. How often the foreshadowing occurred in After Days annoyed me and took me out of the story. I also felt some of the dialogue was a bit stilted; entirely too formal for teenagers.
Overall, I enjoyed After Days and the cliffhanger definitely left me wanting to read the next book in the series, Sanctuary.
The first person narrative was one of my biggest problems with this book. There was far too much foreshadowing from Isaac’s inner dialogue. Every time a new character came along or event occurred, Isaac made some sort of ‘hindsight’ comment so I constantly felt like I already knew what was going to happen. I think foreshadowing is an excellent plot device when used subtly or minimally, but that was not the case in this book. How often the foreshadowing occurred in After Days annoyed me and took me out of the story. I also felt some of the dialogue was a bit stilted; entirely too formal for teenagers.
Overall, I enjoyed After Days and the cliffhanger definitely left me wanting to read the next book in the series, Sanctuary.
July 8, 2017
once you start reading it is hard to put down
December 20, 2015
Not a bad series - I've read the entire trilogy. A little bit sexist - 'got to protect the little women/women are too delicate to fight' sort of mentality here which bugged me a little bit. For some reason I got into my head that this was set in some far off future so all the pop-culture references distracted me a bit, but that was my mistake. When I went back and checked there was no indication this was supposed to be a future world.
I felt that Isaac was a whole lot older and talked a lot different than any fifteen year old I've ever met. He actually said, "Behind the thick glasses he wore, his eyes showed a lively intelligence." Have you ever heard a fifteen year old use the phrase lively intelligence? Me neither. There was also a bit of a cheesy factor in parts.
Overall this trilogy was a fun read with the right amount of conflict and a few pretty evil bad guys. I liked the author's imagining of how a genetic pandemic could take out a civilization, and what it might be like for kid survivors to try to make in a world without adults.
I felt that Isaac was a whole lot older and talked a lot different than any fifteen year old I've ever met. He actually said, "Behind the thick glasses he wore, his eyes showed a lively intelligence." Have you ever heard a fifteen year old use the phrase lively intelligence? Me neither. There was also a bit of a cheesy factor in parts.
Overall this trilogy was a fun read with the right amount of conflict and a few pretty evil bad guys. I liked the author's imagining of how a genetic pandemic could take out a civilization, and what it might be like for kid survivors to try to make in a world without adults.
March 3, 2015
The premise is very interesting. That's why I read as much as I did. However, it's written like the protagonist, Isaac, is telling you the story. Problem is, Isaac's not a very good storyteller. He skips over things a lot, dialog and action I wanted to experience, by simply telling you they happened. The foreshadowing is pretty blatant (i.e. "Should I have paid more attention as Sonny talked about the Tigers street gang? Probably, as the events of the next few days would show."). I could accept it if he only did it occasionally, but he does it all the time, so the device loses all dramatic effect.
The book is an Amazon bestseller, so a lot of people do like this story. But Isaac kept reminding me it was his story instead of pulling me into with him, so I only made it about halfway through.
The book is an Amazon bestseller, so a lot of people do like this story. But Isaac kept reminding me it was his story instead of pulling me into with him, so I only made it about halfway through.
September 7, 2015
When a virus sweeps over the USA no one thought the result would be that all grown ups would die. Isaac already lost his family and now he loses his foster family to.
The virus is man made by China and they are ready to come and start living in the USA. The world and his rules have changed, the strong survive and Isaac has fight together with his friends to stay alive and reach a safe zone.
I liked the world building, story line and characters. I can’t wait to read the sequel. The writing was very good, I could't put this book down. It did remind me a little of Tomorrow when to war began.
The virus is man made by China and they are ready to come and start living in the USA. The world and his rules have changed, the strong survive and Isaac has fight together with his friends to stay alive and reach a safe zone.
I liked the world building, story line and characters. I can’t wait to read the sequel. The writing was very good, I could't put this book down. It did remind me a little of Tomorrow when to war began.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews