The Phoenix Descent

by Chuck Grossart

The year is 2025. Astronaut Caitlyn “Sif” Wagner and her team emerge from stasis to discover that their Mars mission has gone terribly awry—the crew has run off course in space and, they suspect, in time as well. Their damaged ship returns to an Earth reduced to overgrown cities and blasted terrain. Yet humans have somehow survived, living in caves, foraging at night, returned to a tribal existence. Sif meets Litsa, the fiercest warrior in her tribe, and learns a horrific the planet is overrun with the Riy, a swarm of spore-releasing revenants intent only on spreading their infection.

But even as Sif and Litsa unite in combat, they soon realize that the battle against the Riy is only one stage on which they must fight the war for humanity’s survival.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Time Travel, Post Apocalyptic, Horror, Audiobook, Dystopia

370 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 15, 2016

About the author

Chuck is an award-winning and Amazon #1 best-selling author in Action & Adventure, Genetic Engineering, Post-Apocalyptic & Dystopian sci fi, Military Thrillers, Conspiracy Thrillers, and Suspense fiction (US, UK, and Australian Kindle stores). He lives outside of Omaha, Nebraska, with his very patient & understanding wife, along with a giant German Shepherd named Duke, a giant Golden Pyredoodle named Holly Jo, and tons and tons of dog hair.

You can contact Chuck through his website (www.chuckgrossart.com), on Facebook (@ChuckGrossartAuthor), or on Twitter (@chuckgrossart).

His latest military sci fi novel, OF ENEMIES AND ALLIES (The Han Wars Book 5), was released on August 13, 2022. Look for the 6th and final book of The Han Wars, REQUIEM FOR THE WARRIOR, coming soon.

Awards & Accolades:
- 2017 Killer Nashville Reader’s Choice Award Finalist for Best Fiction Adult Fantasy/Science Fiction Novel
- 2017 Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award Finalist for Best Fiction Adult Horror/Science Fiction Novel
- 2016 Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award Winner for Best Science Fiction Novel
- 2014 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award (ABNA) Winner for Science Fiction/Fantasy/Horror
- #1 US Kindle bestseller (THE GEMINI EFFECT)
- #1 Science Fiction author, US Kindle store
- #1 Science Fiction & Fantasy author, US Kindle store
- #1 Action & Adventure author, US Kindle store
- #2 Mystery, Thriller & Suspense author, US Kindle store
- #2 author, US Kindle store (all categories)

Reviews

[CS · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bullet Review:

DNF at 55% or about Chapter 34.

Mostly, this book is boring. The characters are cardboard archetypes and unlikeable. Most importantly, I don’t CARE about what happens to these random people. The last chapter I listened to was just Sif reading for 2 hours explaining to the readers how this happened - infodumping at its best. What I learned didn’t make me curious in the slightest to see where this story went. Also, the narrator, while nowhere near the worse, sounded as lifeless and bored with the story as I was.

Life is too short to waste on mediocre books. The real question I have is the overwhelming love for this book - mostly 4 and 5 stars on here and Amazon! What am I missing?!

Full Review:

Litsa lives in a world where the daylight means death and the night is security. Creatures called the Riy are seeking out new hosts; in addition, there are military called Takers that will just take large communities, never to be seen again.

Caitlin "Sif" Wagner is an Air Force fighter pilot chosen to be one of three on a Mission to Mars, along with Lucas and Hunter. One month out, they are jarred out of their hibernation to realize that they aren't at Mars at all and are headed back to Earth - an Earth they do not recognize.

There was an Audible sale going on - use 1 credit to get 2 audiobooks. The first book I chose was "Intuitive Eating". After pouring over the pages of book offerings and much agonizing, I decided to pick "Phoenix Descent" due to the positive reviews and the subject matter. (Normally, I'd pick something I had on my list, but as these sales are wont to do, there were no other books on my list(s) so I had to make a jab at something else.) I tried listening to this audiobook some time ago, but put it on hold because I wasn't invested and had other things to do. But after finishing the delicious "A Company of Liars", I knew I should go back and clear through this half finished book.

Honestly, this book bored me to tears. I'm trying to think of something positive to say about it, but I just can't. I mean, it is nice that there are two prominent female characters and neither was written in a screechy, demeaning way. So there's the positive - if you want an action book starting female characters, with female POVs, this is your book.

But that's not enough to me. It's not enough that I'm given a random female character through which to see the world - I ask to be invested in that character, to want to see what happens to that character, whether I liked her or I didn't. And neither Litsa nor Sif was a character I liked or cared to know what happened to her.

Litsa is the Strong Female Character who we are told is a Great Warrior, even though most of the things we see her do is royally screw up. Whatever, everyone has off days, right? Yes, but don't tell me that this character is Teh Best Warrior Evah if you aren't going to show her being competent! Gah!

Sif is the Strong Female Character who is the Orphan who brags about How Great She Is and How She Doesn't Need Anyone (and yet regurgitates all these fond memories of fighter pilot dad, "Thor", whom she of course imitated). Ugh. You know, I get it: women can be hotshot pilots and braggarts as much as men. But you know, I don't like male characters who are bragging about how amazing they are, I don't like female ones who do it either. And I don't like it when every character has to stop a story and go, "Wow, you did an amazing job, so much better than I could do!" every other sentence. Barf.

As for the story, it sounded intriguing on paper (har har, since this is all digital, get it?!), but when it was being executed, it was much much much less interesting. It all basically amounts to your generic zombie fiction with a smattering of "Planet of the Apes" (not clear why it was necessary for the Mars crew to have plot contrivance to get them to the time period where they are). It's not particularly original, not particularly well done, not particularly anything other than mediocre or at best average. The point at which I gave up on this book was the chapter where Sif and Hunter read various old newspapers and writings to fill the audience in on how the zombie apocalypse happened - and that was when I was like, yeah, I'm done. There is no craft in trying to reveal this to the audience. Just a big huge block of text where the astronauts read what the audience needs to understand before moving on to the next part of the story (which, I'm going to guess is Military BAD for taking the cave dwellers! Original, amirite?).

Also, I must include a sidenote about our poor narrator. She seemed partly bored and partly scared at what she was reading. You have these Strong Female Characters and then there's this narrator who seems like she might be afraid of her shoelaces, speaking their lines in this quavering voice. Nuh uh, sorry.

I don't normally DNF audiobooks like this, but I just cannot force myself to listen anymore. I'm learning that when I am avoiding listening or reading a book (such as when I go on my run and just shrug off forgetting my earbuds), it's likely because I'm not having a good time and need to try something new.

In addition, I'm including my DNF review because there are mountains of positive reviews, praising this book up one way and down the other, and I just don't get it in the slightest. I really wish there had been a negative review like mine when I was selecting this, so I could have read more about the characters and avoided this book. (What do they say about "Be the change you want to see in the world"? Why me?)

Anyway, that's just me. I was bored with the book, didn't care about the characters or what happened, so I had to quit. Maybe you will love this; if you do, more power to you.

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars

The Phoenix Descent by Chuck Grossart was a fabulous Amazon find. This is a thrill ride of a science fiction novel with a twist of the post Apocalypse and a future of a dystopian society. I loved the imagination and the world building, it worked.

Grossart plays things smart. He adds layers to this story that will surely please a wide audience. There is some science fiction and explanations that give the story a real feel. The characters are quite likable and easy to identify with. I wanted to know more about them. He also keeps the pace fast and makes this an easy read that is difficult to put down.

I really enjoyed this book it is a lot of fun. The ending is awesome and makes it worth it. Also, it is a rarity in that The Phoenix Descent is a standalone novel.

I am looking forward to reading more from Chuck Grossart. I highly recommend this book.

A snippet of his writing....



“"You’re saying that’s why we were pulled off course,” Sif said, “because of the thing’s gravity.” “Exactly. A fellow named Frank Tipler wrote about something like this back in 1974. He called it a Tipler cylinder, and he saw it as a way to travel in time.” Sif searched Lucas’s face for any sign that he was joking, and found none. “A time machine?” Hunter asked. Lucas nodded. “As an object nears the cylinder, it enters the space-time whirlpool the cylinder created. According to Tipler’s theory, an object orbiting one of his cylinders could travel backward in time. A time machine.”"

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me a while to understand what was going on in this book. It starts with the launch of the first manned spacecraft to Mars disappearing from communication. It then flashed to a postapocalyptic view of a tribe of people trying to survive a strange fungus that takes over people's bodies and makes them similar to zombies. The first quarter of the book had me wondering how these two groups of people were going to intersect - let me tell you the way they do is one crazy story and it was pretty good once it got going. Unbelievable, but interesting.

Once I got to know the characters, I really liked them. Sif and Hunter - I shipped them and wasn't disappointed. I liked the warrior, Litsa, too and was happy that she ended up playing such an important role. The Riy were terrifying.

[Thom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Apocalyptic theme and two strong female main characters make for a fairly good read. Two threads end up joining halfway through, and each works well. The author's military strength comes through in the organization found in the latter half, with some politics showing up then also. The science fiction works well, with some believable advances for the near future. Minor complaint - I thought the navy pilot came across a bit too emotional at times. Much better than his first book, a solid 3½ stars.

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's actually rather rare that I sit and finish a book in one sitting. I usually take my time, unless I really can't help it. The Phoenix Descent was definitely one of those books that I couldn't put down. I was even reading while cooking dinner. Chuck Grossart's writing was immersive and gripping, and the quick pace of the plot meant my Kindle was basically glued to my hand for the day.

I'm always wary of books that alternate between two characters. I like getting stuck into one narrative and character. But in this case, we flowed between Sif, an astronaut going to Mars, and Litsa, a warrior on the ground fighting the realities of the apocalypse. The (generally) alternating chapters left cliffhangers at each ending, making me want to read on more and more. The fast paced narrative style and the alternating focus left me thinking 'just one more chapter'.

But what stood out most in this book was the strong female characters. It's rare nowadays to see female protagonists outside YA novels, yet Grossart gave us two strong women who didn't need a guy. There was barely a hint of romance throughout the whole novel (a few mentions here and there that can be interpreted either way), and that was so refreshing. I'm tired of science-fiction and dystopian plots almost being overshadowed by the need for romance and love. I just want some good old classic alien invasion (not quite the case here), and maybe some military strategy.

I'm not going to lie, part of the plot (especially the big reveal at the end) was rather predictable, but that's probably down to me reading too many dystopian novels. While the plot wasn't the newest concept to grace the shelves, the focus on strong female characters that 'don't need no man' and the cohesive and immersive writing style left me love The Phoenix Descent.

It's not everyday I give 5 stars to science-fiction and dystopian novels. The majority of it nowadays follows the same typical pattern. Grossart gives a breath of fresh air to a dystopia, that typically struggles with representation, and science fiction, a genre that is increasingly become deep and lengthy in order to get a step ahead of the others.

Also published @ livingforbooks

[Empress Reece (Hooked on Books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars...

When I saw The Phoenix Descent not only courted two of my favorite genres sci-fi & dystopian/post-apocalyptic, but also had a parallel story line set in outer space, which I also love reading about, I just knew I had to give it a try. I'm glad I did because it delivered everything I was hoping for and more!

In one story line, present day, three astronauts are on their way to Mars when something happens and they find themselves heading in the wrong direction - back to earth. Meanwhile, one hundred years in the future, a tribe of warriors and gatherers who have made their home in the Dak, previously South Dakota, are battling against what they call the Riy and the Takers in order to just survive. 

I really liked Grossart's writing style! The story flow was spot on, it was a good length, there was just the right amount of action and he weaved the two story lines together seamlessly. There were also a lot of different facets to this story but they were all well-developed and mixed together nicely. I'll definitely be keeping my eye out for anything else Grossart comes out with. 

*I received this ARC from NetGalley & 47 North in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

Blog Review Link:
Hooked on Books- The Phoenix Descent

[Jamie (Books and Ladders)]

See this review and more on Books and Ladders!

DNF @ 6%

This book has been on hold for me for a long time. I have the audio version of it, so I started it again and I realize now what the problem was - the book. It's definitely not the book for me. I have seen a lot of positive reviews for it, so I would suggest trying a sample of it first and then going from there because it was mostly the way it was written that didn't do it for me.

[T.R. Horne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chuck Grossart is one of my new favorite authors! This novel is by and large one of the best pieces I've read all year. Ok, so it's only February but you get my drift. It will be hard to top this one in 2016. I'm definitely buying a hard copy in March as I'm pretty sure I will re-read this one again. Ok, so here we go...

Grossart creates a band of entertaining characters in Sif, Hunter and Lucas. All three astronauts are sent on a mission to explore the depths of Mars. After waking from stasis and realizing their ship has slipped into a time warp, they see Earth as a black ball, not the green and blues we are accustomed to seeing. When they realize that the ship is returning to Earth as protocols have been set to do, they send Sif and Hunter down to earth to explore. What they find is a sci-fi readers dream and worse nightmare. Sif, Hunter and Lucas must find out the truth about what has happened to earth but also sees that the people who are left have been changed over the span of nearly 200 years.

This storyline is a movie must. I read it in a day, fully involved and couldn't turn the pages quick enough. Great character development, awesome world view and has a heart-wrenching ending. Well done, Chuck Grossart...well done!

Raging Book Reviews Highly Recommended!

[Minke · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars
I really enjoyed this book. The plot was intriguing and action-packed and the changing POV allowed for suspense without dragging on too much. It made you care about each set of characters. And the reveal at the end about what is really going on was great. Will definitely be reading more books by this author in the future.

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terrific science fiction thriller, and an original take on post-apocalyptic fiction. Astronaut Sif and her two comrades are on their way to Mars when an anomaly turns them back to earth - a future earth. Meanwhile, in the badlands of South Dakota, warrior Litsa tries to protect her tribe from a horrible foe with a frightening, plausible history. And there's yet another community in play, but are they good or evil?

Chapters alternate between Sif and Litsa, until their worlds collide. I was truly surprised by the plot twists here, as both explore a strange future world and struggle to place themselves in it. I was so pleased to get to know these two strong women - and a third, Liv, with her own bravery and humor. Notable too was the refreshing lack of romance. This is a book about heroism, loyalty and community - not teen swooning. Military protocol, space-time theories and NASA history are all well-researched and effectively support the world of "Phoenix Descent."

Highly recommended for all ages. Some swearing (f---) and violence. I'll definitely be reading more from this author.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley, which did not affect the content of my review.

[Cullen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this up based on a Kindle Advertisement, which is very unusual for me. Every other book I've tried from Kindle Ads I've abandoned after the first couple of chapters.

The premise and initial setup are engrossing, and the action moves along quickly and kept me interested. The writing was competent, but most of the characters were forgettably flat and some of the dialog was cringe-worthy.

A solid read, and I'd recommend it for people who want a page turner and are intrigued by a mash up of time travel/apocalyptic/dystopia, with a bit of zombie thrown in for good measure.

[Bobby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining Science Fiction that's out there just far enough ( think time travel) mixed with a pretty good accounting of orbital docking and atmospheric dangers of re-entry to a space shuttle. The Riy were an added dose to a diseased Earth further complicating the hopes of returning the world to its former status of safety for the small population still alive. So much happens in this story that my review would be several pages long in an attempt to recap. Suffice it to say if you like good Science and Fiction, you'll enjoy this ride.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story. Interesting and entertaining. I loved the characters, they were well developed and had great personalities. The plot was intriguing and explosive. I only wish there was more to read...

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another post-apocalyptic story, but with the added twist of time travel bringing astronauts from the past into the future where everything went to hell. Well written with good characters and adult themes.

[Vitaliy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beginning hooked me in pretty hard, but not a fan of where the story ended up going.

[T.R. Thorsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I discovered Chuck Grossart’s deftly written, 2016 sci-fi novel, The Phoenix Descent while searching for an editor for my own book. As part of that search, I read the Amazon excerpts from nearly a hundred books, scanning each for signs of competent editing. While many a book review claims to have been hooked from the first pages of such-and-such book, I can assure you from my experience reading all these excerpts that such claims are mostly hyperbole. The majority of opening pages I encountered were forgettable. But The Phoenix Descent was an exception. I was hooked. I had found my editor and, fast-forward to now, I’ve sat down to finish the book that helped make my decision. I was not disappointed.

The Phoenix Descent opens with a premise that reminded me of The Andromeda Strain: a prologue built out of official documents that reveal, piece by piece, the events leading up to an apocalypse. The book then launches into a cinematic, in media res opening: the apocalypse unfolding (based on real science that is still unfolding today!), as seen through the eyes of a doomed soldier. It’s a clever, potent hook that propels the reader into a plot that reads like a lost Michael Crichton novel. Pages flip quickly as we enjoy the bumps and twists from two interleaved storylines, each following a strong female lead, and each embedded with a deep mystery.

These two primary storylines, each compelling in its own right, at first seem unlikely to collide, one taking place on a mission to mars, the other taking place in the regressive world of post-apocalyptic Earth. But as readers, we know that they must eventually intersect. The fuel that propels us forward is the simple question, How? Grossart accomplishes the feat convincingly, launching the reader into an exhilarating second act centered on the dynamic between the book’s two female leads. A third storyline, barely perceptible at first, steadily grows in scope, introducing additional mystery. My only complaint is that this third storyline seems underdeveloped compared with the others, and I wonder if Grossart missed a trick by not pulling its characters forward in the novel. This small nit aside, the book remains a legitimate page turner through to the very last sentence.

The Phoenix Descent recalls another piece of sci-fi from the same era which also offered interleaved plots and strong female protagonists—The 100, by Kass Morgan, released as a series of novels almost in parallel with its excellent television adaptation on the CW network. Fans of that work, as well as fans of Crichton, might find old itches scratched within Grossart’s pages. It’s one of those books that reminds us of other sci-fi we love, while still giving us something completely new.

[Jerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm always looking for good deals on highly-rated books. And of course, free is always the best deal. But while free books are in abundance for my Kindle, I have found out the hard way they are rarely worth my time.

So it was with minor trepidation that I downloaded and started reading The Phoenix Descent, after I was notified by bookbub.com that it was a highly-rated sci-fi novel currently available for free. I was actually quite pleasantly surprised.

The novel was quite entertaining, and quite a bit of fun. The story of three astronauts who end up back on earth 200 years into the future, after a cataclysmic event, works very well. Normally, I *hate* time-travel, so thankfully it only plays a bit part in the story.

The author utilizes a mechanism where alternating chapters tell different stories, which you know at some point will convene. It is an effective tactic, and i found myself reading "just one more" chapter to get closer to that point in the story.

Occasionally, events happened that were a bit too convenient. And once in a while, I had to roll my eyes. Here is an example (which I think I can relate without spoiling anything):

[Main character is being guarded by bad guy, she secretly removes bullets from his gun. Later when she is talking to the bad guy's boss over a radio, the bad guy's boss says, "So, are you doing what we asked you to do?" And she replies, "Of course I am, since your guard has a gun!"]

You can almost feel the "nudge, nudge, wink, wink".

To be honest, the book probably deserves a 3/5. But, maybe because just happened to need something light and digestable and the moment, it hit the sweet spot, so I am giving it a 4.

-----------
I think people tend to rate books higher than they should, so I try to rate books on a harder scale, while being consistent over time. Jerry Foster's book rating scale:

5 - Fantastic. Life-altering. Only 10-20 books in a lifetime.
4 - Very good.
3 - Worth your time.
2 - Not very good.
1 - Atrocious

[CK · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a well-written pageturner with these notable aspects:

1. The first 2/3 of the book outlines 2 storylines, one involving manned space exploration, and the other involving a kind of biohazard zombie apocalypse on Earth. Both storylines are riveting, and the author intertwines them masterfully.

2. The last 1/3 of the book, after the above 2 storylines converge, got a bit cheesy for me. The setup has some obvious cliches, like the mad scientist in love with his creation, and a plot setup straight out of The Matrix. I also felt this part of the book depended too much on "deus ex machina" plot twists where the right things happen at exactly the right times for the right people. In that way, this part of the book seemed a bit implausible, even for science fiction.

3. The 2 main female characters are really strong, both in temperament and in how they're presented. Cheers to a male author for setting out female protagonists who are this nuanced and aren't sex objects at any point during the book (even female authors are guilty of that). In fact, the female characters are so strong that the male characters seem paper-thin in comparison, but I'm not complaining, because the female characters can and do carry the whole book.

4. The collective Riy are one of the best nonhuman threats I've seen described since The Thing. Somehow the author takes something that looks sort of like a promotional wind sock puppet outside a car dealership, and turns it into a terrifying monstrosity of Alien chest-burster dimensions.

5. The book depends on a few scientific phenomena to advance its plot points. I don't know how plausible the presentation is scientifically, but to this layperson, it seemed believable. I found my mind stretching to accommodate the possibilities, and that's a good thing.

While flawed, this book was an immensely fun read, and I will likely check out the author's offerings. Imagine Dan Brown writing science fiction, with better drawn characters (especially female). Good stuff!

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

One the first manned mission to Mars, astronaut "Sif" Wagner and her fellow crewmembers are roughly awakened from stasis to find that their ship has been damaged and thrown off course in space and time and is on the way back to Earth - a planet that they find far different from the one they left. Meanwhile on the ground, Litsa, a warrior belonging to a tribe that has made its home in the post-apocalyptic landscape of what was once known as South Dakota, battles for survival against the Riy, entities that have overrun most of the planet, as well as another mysterious enemy they have dubbed the Takers. When Litsa and Sif meet, they join forces, discovering a shocking conspiracy and the origins of the Riy - and a possibility to put an end to them once and for all.

Action-packed from start to finish, this was a great read with a thrilling plot and compelling characters. I'll definitely be on the lookout for more from this author.

[Daniel Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Phoenix Descent was much better than I was expecting, and I was gripped after the first couple of chapters. The story alternates between a mission to Mars and a society using bows and arrows to fight off monsters. Two seemingly unrelated stories, but both captured my imagination and were hard to put down.

Eventually, the stories combine into a fascinating tale. The only gripe I had was at one point something big is revealed to the character, but it was a "fade to black" moment for the reader. When the "lights came up" the characters were affected by what they saw but the reader still had no idea. A few chapters later we learn what happened, and if made sense to reveal it then, but at the time it was frustrating. This may just be a pet peeve of mine and may not bother a faster reader.

All in all, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. Well worth your time.

[T.J Richards · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun story, missed some obvious plot holes

I enjoyed reading The Phoenix Descent. The characters had a bit of depth and the story flowed relatively well. My only feedback to the author is to think through some of the tech issues. First, (spoiler alert) when the arrived back at Earth, why were there no satellites in orbit? Or even any man made space junk? Also, if there was an operational airfield in use, you think the scans might have picked up on that? It made sense when tech was basically wiped out, but read false when it was not only still there, but had advanced considerably.

[Jason Coward · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Phoenix Descent was a quick but captivating read. I enjoyed the short chapters and rapid pace they conveyed. The characters were strong but not overdone, and the plot was exciting and well executed. I've only recently gotten back into healthy reading habits, and this was a record for me, reading the entire book in 4 days. I'm a science fiction geek, and if you are into it as much as I am, I expect time spent on this story will not feel wasted.

[Seth G. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hooked me early and kept me on the line all the way to the boat. The technical bits bring sci-fi credence to Grossart's world. The interactions of the characters and environments are developed and told so well that my imagination had no problem riding along in vivid detail. When done, I found myself immediately perusing Grossart's other novels for my next adventure.

[Daniel McFarlane · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 STARS
Had guessed the rough story of the people in the flying planes not long after they started talking about them i.e. that they wouldn't be who they thought they were and that they would be surviving humans. Other than that it was a great book that reminded me of some horror/zombie game character building for the infected.

[Thomas Skinner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read maybe two or three Si-Fi’s per year. This is the best story I’ve read in years. The story line kept me involved from start to finish, while the finish didn’t end the the story, it provided a satisfying place to stop. Great read 😁

[Denise Fountain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five stars IS NOT ENOUGH for this one!

OMG...phenomenal. Very hard to put this book down for little things like work, food and sleep! Very fast paced. Exceptional story telling from an author who is pushing my formerly 'favorite authors' OFF THE TOP SHELF!

[Kristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable. Like his first, started out as a straight "monster sci-fi" but turned into a thriller involving unexpected turns of events. Couldn't put it down. Had me in tears at one point.
But like his first, left me wanting more of the story. What happens next?

[Bryan Fleege · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and intriguing

The combination of Sci-fi and Horror in this apocalyptic/future apocalyptic world makes this book a very fun read. I look forward to the next book in the series.

[Aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great.

[Frank · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent summer read

Well crafted, fast pace and solid character development kept my interest. Just enough sci fi to make you think and yet stay within the believable.