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The Last Peak #1
The Darwin Protocol
This is an alternate title and cover edition for ASIN: B019UQRJZ8.
An ex-soldier fights to protect his family as a terrifying apocalypse unfolds.
Mason West protects people for a living and he’s the best in the business. He strives to do his job and be a good father while not letting a dark secret from his past pull him under.
A viral outbreak pushes the city into chaos. A ruthless gang leader targets his family for revenge. Keeping his loved ones safe is an impossible mission. But that won’t stop him. With everything he cares about on the brink of annihilation, the beginning of the end couldn’t be more personal.
The Last Day is the first novel in the action-packed Edge of Survival series. If you like apocalyptic adventure and heroes that never give up, then you’ll love this thrilling series from William Oday.
* This book was previously titled The Darwin Protocol. *
An ex-soldier fights to protect his family as a terrifying apocalypse unfolds.
Mason West protects people for a living and he’s the best in the business. He strives to do his job and be a good father while not letting a dark secret from his past pull him under.
A viral outbreak pushes the city into chaos. A ruthless gang leader targets his family for revenge. Keeping his loved ones safe is an impossible mission. But that won’t stop him. With everything he cares about on the brink of annihilation, the beginning of the end couldn’t be more personal.
The Last Day is the first novel in the action-packed Edge of Survival series. If you like apocalyptic adventure and heroes that never give up, then you’ll love this thrilling series from William Oday.
* This book was previously titled The Darwin Protocol. *
418 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 26, 2015
220 people are currently reading
167 people want to read
About the author
William Oday
34 books43 followersWant my FREE Starter Library? One novel, one novella and one short story, all for free. Get it at WWW.WILLIAMODAY.COM.
I grew up in the red dirt of Oklahoma, the center of the states. I later meandered out to the West Coast and have remained off-center ever since. Living in Los Angeles, I achieved my Career 1.0 dream by working on big-budget movies for over a decade. If you’ve seen a Will Smith or Tom Cruise blockbuster action movie, you’ve likely seen my work.
The work was challenging and fulfilling… until I got tired of telling other people’s stories. I longed to tell my own. So, now I’m pursuing my Career 2.0 dream—a dream I’ve had since youth—to write stories that pull a reader in and make the everyday world fade away.
I’ve since moved to a small town in Northern California with my lovely wife, vibrant children, and a dog that has discovered the secret to infinite energy. His name is Trip and he fits the name in four unique ways.
You can find out more about me and my stories at WILLIAMODAY.COM.
I grew up in the red dirt of Oklahoma, the center of the states. I later meandered out to the West Coast and have remained off-center ever since. Living in Los Angeles, I achieved my Career 1.0 dream by working on big-budget movies for over a decade. If you’ve seen a Will Smith or Tom Cruise blockbuster action movie, you’ve likely seen my work.
The work was challenging and fulfilling… until I got tired of telling other people’s stories. I longed to tell my own. So, now I’m pursuing my Career 2.0 dream—a dream I’ve had since youth—to write stories that pull a reader in and make the everyday world fade away.
I’ve since moved to a small town in Northern California with my lovely wife, vibrant children, and a dog that has discovered the secret to infinite energy. His name is Trip and he fits the name in four unique ways.
You can find out more about me and my stories at WILLIAMODAY.COM.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
February 17, 2016
I received this book with the original title from the author for an honest review.
3.5 stars
Have you ever read something that you both liked and disliked? That is where I am with this one, I liked the book but it did not totally grab me but I was still compelled to keep going because of the things I liked. Things started very slowly for me and took quite a while to heat up to the point I could not put it down. I am not a fan of lots of short chapters that jump from place to place and in this case to an earlier time period. I do like that the story was told from multiple perspectives which made it easy to follow the action.
The Good:
Great characters with lives that are totally believable who you cannot help but love or hate.
A location that works for me because I know exactly where most of them are.
A complex story that makes you work to understand what is happening.
Nice family drama
The Bad:
105 chapters in a book of 400 pages.
No action pertaining to the virus or whatever that is supposed to hit L.A. until chapter 49.
Too many war flashbacks, when one or two could have told the story.
The United States is not what it used to be and does not wish to go down without a fight. To that end they bring in Dr. Anton Reshenko who has a plan that is intended to bring us back to the glory days. What they do not seem to comprehend is that Reshenko is your typical egomaniac scientist who sees nothing wrong in sacrificing the many to benefit a few.
In Los Angeles we meet Mason West, ex military and his family, who have no idea of the crazy about to come their way. Mason has also sworn to take care of the son of one of the men who did not make it back, the kid and his mom are both making that difficult. Elizabeth West is a veterinarian at the L.A. Zoo who has a thing for Bili chimps. Theresa West is their 15 year old daughter who is growing up and growing away from her parents in typical ways. Then there is Elio Lopez, the boy Mason has tried to protect is about to join a gang whose leader is a killer. With a life so full what else could possibly go wrong?
I have to say that it is worth your time to read this book. The characters make it more than worth it because they come to life in a very real way. While you do not get what is promised here I think it will be coming with the second book now that we have been fully introduced to the players.
3.5 stars
Have you ever read something that you both liked and disliked? That is where I am with this one, I liked the book but it did not totally grab me but I was still compelled to keep going because of the things I liked. Things started very slowly for me and took quite a while to heat up to the point I could not put it down. I am not a fan of lots of short chapters that jump from place to place and in this case to an earlier time period. I do like that the story was told from multiple perspectives which made it easy to follow the action.
The Good:
Great characters with lives that are totally believable who you cannot help but love or hate.
A location that works for me because I know exactly where most of them are.
A complex story that makes you work to understand what is happening.
Nice family drama
The Bad:
105 chapters in a book of 400 pages.
No action pertaining to the virus or whatever that is supposed to hit L.A. until chapter 49.
Too many war flashbacks, when one or two could have told the story.
The United States is not what it used to be and does not wish to go down without a fight. To that end they bring in Dr. Anton Reshenko who has a plan that is intended to bring us back to the glory days. What they do not seem to comprehend is that Reshenko is your typical egomaniac scientist who sees nothing wrong in sacrificing the many to benefit a few.
In Los Angeles we meet Mason West, ex military and his family, who have no idea of the crazy about to come their way. Mason has also sworn to take care of the son of one of the men who did not make it back, the kid and his mom are both making that difficult. Elizabeth West is a veterinarian at the L.A. Zoo who has a thing for Bili chimps. Theresa West is their 15 year old daughter who is growing up and growing away from her parents in typical ways. Then there is Elio Lopez, the boy Mason has tried to protect is about to join a gang whose leader is a killer. With a life so full what else could possibly go wrong?
I have to say that it is worth your time to read this book. The characters make it more than worth it because they come to life in a very real way. While you do not get what is promised here I think it will be coming with the second book now that we have been fully introduced to the players.
September 10, 2019
Finally found some time to read again. Picked this book up and couldn't put it down. It's action-packed. A mysterious disease, gangbangers, a super model, chimpanzees. I don't want to give too much away. I will definitely read the next book in the series to see what happens next.
March 4, 2017
The Darwin Protocol is What You Get if Hurt Locker, Taken, and Zoo Hook-up and Form a Throuple.
I don’t like to provide too many spoilers, though I need to divulge a little to provide an honest review of The Darwin Protocol. This is a book shows what happens if Hurt Locker, Taken, and Zoo hook-up and form a throuple. It is one part war novel, one part super bodyguard protecting his family and one part zoo veterinarian trying to save the animals that mean so much to her. The Darwin Protocol is a look at a possible near-term dystopian future. It is not beyond belief that in the near-future where our overuse of resources, overpopulation, genetic engineering of the food supply, mutation of viruses and rampant crime can lead to the collapse of what we hold dear.
The best thing about The Darwin Protocol is that it is a well written, well proofed and well-edited novel that does not require you to suspend disbelief to enjoy it. The story is skillfully knitted together, taking the disparate storylines and expertly weaving them into a cohesive, fast-paced book. The characters are strong, complex and credible. The dialogue is believable and well-constructed.
The only problem with this book, as it is with so many Book Ones in a series, is that it did not end in the right place for me. It was an Okay ending, just not what I would have liked to see. There are so few authors that can end a book in a series at the right time, Dean Koontz (Odd Thomas) and A.J. Scudiere (NightShade Forensic Files and The Vendetta Trifecta) manage to get it right. Even top-selling authors like Stephanie Myers (Twilight) and Suzanne Myers (The Hunger Games) don’t do it well. In this case, a better ending for book one would have been where the enclosed sample of Book Two ended. If all I ever read of the series were to be Book One, that would have been a better place to leave me.
This is the first book I’ve read of William Oday’s and I can say it will not be the last. Just to get the required disclaimers out of the way, I received this copy of The Darwin Protocol as a gift for joining an author newsletter list with no expectations of a positive review and no other considerations.
I don’t like to provide too many spoilers, though I need to divulge a little to provide an honest review of The Darwin Protocol. This is a book shows what happens if Hurt Locker, Taken, and Zoo hook-up and form a throuple. It is one part war novel, one part super bodyguard protecting his family and one part zoo veterinarian trying to save the animals that mean so much to her. The Darwin Protocol is a look at a possible near-term dystopian future. It is not beyond belief that in the near-future where our overuse of resources, overpopulation, genetic engineering of the food supply, mutation of viruses and rampant crime can lead to the collapse of what we hold dear.
The best thing about The Darwin Protocol is that it is a well written, well proofed and well-edited novel that does not require you to suspend disbelief to enjoy it. The story is skillfully knitted together, taking the disparate storylines and expertly weaving them into a cohesive, fast-paced book. The characters are strong, complex and credible. The dialogue is believable and well-constructed.
The only problem with this book, as it is with so many Book Ones in a series, is that it did not end in the right place for me. It was an Okay ending, just not what I would have liked to see. There are so few authors that can end a book in a series at the right time, Dean Koontz (Odd Thomas) and A.J. Scudiere (NightShade Forensic Files and The Vendetta Trifecta) manage to get it right. Even top-selling authors like Stephanie Myers (Twilight) and Suzanne Myers (The Hunger Games) don’t do it well. In this case, a better ending for book one would have been where the enclosed sample of Book Two ended. If all I ever read of the series were to be Book One, that would have been a better place to leave me.
This is the first book I’ve read of William Oday’s and I can say it will not be the last. Just to get the required disclaimers out of the way, I received this copy of The Darwin Protocol as a gift for joining an author newsletter list with no expectations of a positive review and no other considerations.
June 6, 2019
Not really sure why this book was written. The series nominally focuses on a virus that is released in the population, beginning with LA, which is meant to wreak havoc worldwide and decimate the human population. An evil genius behind it, or course.
However, this first installment only directly addresses the virus/genius at the beginning and end, representing about 5% of the pages, while the remaining meat of the novel tells the story of a marine veteran of Iraq and his family. He is now a body guard, but suffering from PTSD due to tragic events during the war. The story establishes that he is a capable but violent character, and there is lots of killing and explosions. There is a bigger-than-life Hispanic gang boss, meaner than hell, who (as a shopworn plot component) kidnaps the ex-marines teenage daughter, evoking the wrath of the ex-marine, resulting in bloody gun battles with the predictable conclusion.
There are a few other marginally related subplots going on, but that is the gist of it. I presume the characters that live through this first installment will go on to play roles in the subsequent novels in the series, so perhaps this book can be chalked up to "character development", but it feels a lot like padding, since the characters could be developed while also progressing the main plot in my opinion.
However, this first installment only directly addresses the virus/genius at the beginning and end, representing about 5% of the pages, while the remaining meat of the novel tells the story of a marine veteran of Iraq and his family. He is now a body guard, but suffering from PTSD due to tragic events during the war. The story establishes that he is a capable but violent character, and there is lots of killing and explosions. There is a bigger-than-life Hispanic gang boss, meaner than hell, who (as a shopworn plot component) kidnaps the ex-marines teenage daughter, evoking the wrath of the ex-marine, resulting in bloody gun battles with the predictable conclusion.
There are a few other marginally related subplots going on, but that is the gist of it. I presume the characters that live through this first installment will go on to play roles in the subsequent novels in the series, so perhaps this book can be chalked up to "character development", but it feels a lot like padding, since the characters could be developed while also progressing the main plot in my opinion.
August 31, 2021
If Society Crumbles, I Don't Want to Be In LA
In this first volume of a series, Mr. Oday shows us the beginning of a TEOTWAWKI scenario that is continued in the subsequent books. It's an exciting read and stands on its own, but I want to know what happens next!
I see that another reviewer complains that the book could be improved with a little condensation, but it sure kept me turning pages as scenes of terror and worse continued. I grew to care about the central characters as I learned more about them. The story is told from the perspectives of father and daughter and isn't in a linear format, but it worked to propel the story forward. The flashbacks to the father's Gulf War experiences serve well as a way to deepen knowledge of the character.
There's also some dark humor that allows the disturbing scenes of violence, some of a sexual nature, endurable. Here's a great quote: "When the ugliness of the world pushed you to the edge, humor was the thing that kept your toes attached to dirt."
In this first volume of a series, Mr. Oday shows us the beginning of a TEOTWAWKI scenario that is continued in the subsequent books. It's an exciting read and stands on its own, but I want to know what happens next!
I see that another reviewer complains that the book could be improved with a little condensation, but it sure kept me turning pages as scenes of terror and worse continued. I grew to care about the central characters as I learned more about them. The story is told from the perspectives of father and daughter and isn't in a linear format, but it worked to propel the story forward. The flashbacks to the father's Gulf War experiences serve well as a way to deepen knowledge of the character.
There's also some dark humor that allows the disturbing scenes of violence, some of a sexual nature, endurable. Here's a great quote: "When the ugliness of the world pushed you to the edge, humor was the thing that kept your toes attached to dirt."
July 12, 2018
Mason West has returned from his tour as a Marine sergeant and is now a civilian close protection officer (bodyguard). He unfortunately is still burdened by the events he and his squad experienced in Fallujah, Iraq and relives them frequently as flashbacks. Today, he encountered a local gang harassing his half-brother and upon intervening he creates a dangerous enemy, the gang leader. The gang then threatens his family and after a kidnaping and gunfight the day of violence was finally concluded but what would tomorrow bring as the Darwin Protocol still hangs over the entire community.
This book is well written and, after a slow seemingly unrelated first chapter, just grabs you by the throat and drags you through heart stopping event after sphincter tightening event. First in a series, I'm sure the succeeding books will be great reads also. If you like fast moving, violent action then grab a copy of The Darwin Protocol.
This book is well written and, after a slow seemingly unrelated first chapter, just grabs you by the throat and drags you through heart stopping event after sphincter tightening event. First in a series, I'm sure the succeeding books will be great reads also. If you like fast moving, violent action then grab a copy of The Darwin Protocol.
July 2, 2017
This is a really great read. There are so many different points of view and different environments. Each one is well developed and described perfectly. You feel like you're following along with each character in each situation down to the smells. It's hard to find authors that take this much time to help you feel like you're right there. I'm ready to dig in and find out more immediately after finishing this book. From Mason's grunt days in Iraq to the terrifyingly chaotic situations he finds himself in, you can't help but love and sympathize with him. His wife and daughter are also amazing people that get caught up in chaos. All during the possible collapse of humanity as we know it. Definitely worth the read and I can't to see what happens next.
February 10, 2017
I really wasn't sure when I started this book. there was a lot of detail on the characters and some time jumping, which didn't really make sense to begin with. But once I got past the half way mark (well, just before) then it really started.......it suddenly made sense! A really great book, fantastic pace (eventually) and great characters that not only 'changed' as the story progressed, but their choices made sense because of the detail throughout. My main frustration was the ending.......to say I turned the air blue is a slight understatement.........so need to get the next one to find out what happens next!!
February 4, 2017
Riviting. Although there is a lot of blood and gore in this story, it will grip you from the first page. I am not sure I would say I loved it but it was a thriller that compelled me to read every word. It was so descriptive that I could almost see all the chaos in full technical color. Although the story is a bit futuristic the characters are quite believable and I understood what made them tick. I can't wait to read the rest of the series.
July 29, 2017
Good read!
I'm giving 5 stars because I really liked the storyline. That being said, one thing that I feel the author needs to know, is a clip that you insert into a gun or rifle is not a clip, it's a magazine. Clips are what you use to load magazines. Other than that, this is a great book and you, readers, won't be disappointed!
I'm giving 5 stars because I really liked the storyline. That being said, one thing that I feel the author needs to know, is a clip that you insert into a gun or rifle is not a clip, it's a magazine. Clips are what you use to load magazines. Other than that, this is a great book and you, readers, won't be disappointed!
October 7, 2018
Last day
Enjoyed the book. Very entertaining. If you like the start of a pandemic, this is the book you should read.
What I didn't like.
I hate it and complain every time I hear this phrase. " Beth gave a quick thank you to the universe for giving her this career." Why can't you say God?
The flashbacks to his time in the military deflects from the story.
Enjoyed the book. Very entertaining. If you like the start of a pandemic, this is the book you should read.
What I didn't like.
I hate it and complain every time I hear this phrase. " Beth gave a quick thank you to the universe for giving her this career." Why can't you say God?
The flashbacks to his time in the military deflects from the story.
May 7, 2020
A “couldn’t put it downer” adventure
This adventure has everything that any adventure reader can ask for. The story flows easily along and causes the reader to always
yearn to know what can happen next. It superbly delivers endless action. The main result is a reader who only wants more.
You will greatly enjoy the ride. Treat yourself to this trip.
This adventure has everything that any adventure reader can ask for. The story flows easily along and causes the reader to always
yearn to know what can happen next. It superbly delivers endless action. The main result is a reader who only wants more.
You will greatly enjoy the ride. Treat yourself to this trip.
February 26, 2018
The Darwin Protocol
This book was so good that I looked forward to each time I picked it up I made sure I had the sequel (The Darwin Collapse) loaded and ready to go. I am glad I found this author!
This book was so good that I looked forward to each time I picked it up I made sure I had the sequel (The Darwin Collapse) loaded and ready to go. I am glad I found this author!
March 18, 2018
Wow! Now that is some kind of a story, interspersed with many twists and plots - it most certainly grabbed my attention and it became most difficult to put the book down - can't wait to get the next one in this series, "The Darwin Collapse".
January 24, 2022
An excellent book for a travel day. I was able to finish it over the course of 2 airplanes and a delayed flight. Book 1 seems slow and at the end, I realized it had all just been background development for the second book. But I finished the 2nd one the next day, so it definitely is a page-turner!
May 28, 2017
Good characters, fast paced reading. Started out slow but definitely picked up after the first chapter.
January 17, 2019
Great suspense and an engaging plot and characters
September 21, 2019
Loved this book! Looking forward to reading the next one.
December 29, 2019
Amazing
Loved this first book in the series. Edge of the seat writing, post apocalyptic fiction at it's finest. Recommend this series for any lover of this genre.
Loved this first book in the series. Edge of the seat writing, post apocalyptic fiction at it's finest. Recommend this series for any lover of this genre.
January 20, 2020
I did enjoy this story, it's a fast paced exciting end of the world adventure! Liked it! I would recommend this to anyone that enjoys this genre.
December 8, 2021
A good book and a compelling read. I liked the characters and especially the wee chimpanzee.
January 7, 2020
Awesome
I really enjoyed reading this book. The story was exciting and fast paced. I can't wait to find out where book two takes us!
I really enjoyed reading this book. The story was exciting and fast paced. I can't wait to find out where book two takes us!
March 17, 2017
Fantastic read. Loved the different back stories and plot twists. I read a lot of books, and this one was a page turner.
March 12, 2017
This one was a real page turner and messed with my beauty sleep! The last line grabbed me and made sure I was GOING to read the second book in the series!
A fun ride!
Thank you!!
A fun ride!
Thank you!!
February 25, 2017
What a rush! Oday builds on a sense of family that feels totally real. He creates tension that makes you a bit unsure as to whether or not you should turn to the next page, but you won't be able to resist. Action scenes are already detailed and paced for a blockbuster movie. It is all in the detail, and detail that matters is evident throughout. I loved the writing style, with its short punchy sentences, and phrases (that are not complete sentences - and are just where they count the most) that must have driven Word's grammar function almost insane. This book is the setup for a story of an Apocalypse that goes way past scary. I have already purchased the next novel in the series.
February 16, 2016
3.5 stars.
First of all, despite a lot of what I’m going to say, this was a really entertaining read. The action was great, the suspense kept me reading even when I had other things to do, and the characters are sympathetic when they’re supposed to be and hated when they’re supposed to be. The writing itself flows quite well and has been edited well.
However, the thing I kept getting stuck on was that the description, the title, and the cover all lead you to assume this book is about a “viral apocalypse” and “the end of the world.” The opening scene with government officials deciding to use the Darwin protocol also leads you to assume this is going to get right into an apocalyptic story. But really, MOST of the story is focused on something else entirely (gang violence), with this vague apocalyptic threat hovering in the background until the very end. Then, okay, things start to come together, but a reader should be aware that this isn’t significant to most of the story. This is Book 1 in a series, so I’m sure the apocalyptic features will grow from here, but there’s not a lot of that kind of thing in THIS book.
What IS in this book is pretty good. It’s very character-driven, and you care about this family. Mason is a likeable, heroic father with a lot of PTSD baggage from his time as a Marine. His wife is a strong character, even if she’d not present most of the time and her story is a very “what does this have to do with anything and why is it here?” side plot with chimpanzees. The daughter is a believable teenage girl who reacts pretty believably to her circumstances. The gang members are deadly and arrogant and evil. You feel for Elio as the kid tries to figure out what world to be a part of. The city itself is almost a character and really, really well-described as a catalyst for everything that happens.
Some plot points felt really forced, though. After Mason knows he’s in trouble with the gang leader (avoiding spoilers), he makes some very unbelievable decisions, seemingly because that’s the only way to get the plot to go where the author wants it to go. And why is there a slutty supermodel thrown into the mix? Okay, it’s LA, I’ll go with that. Also, why would the government do this, exactly? That’s not clear, although again this is only book 1.
Overall, I did enjoy reading this and thought it was entertaining. There were just a lot of little things that seemed odd all mixed together, and a lot of the plot felt forced.
First of all, despite a lot of what I’m going to say, this was a really entertaining read. The action was great, the suspense kept me reading even when I had other things to do, and the characters are sympathetic when they’re supposed to be and hated when they’re supposed to be. The writing itself flows quite well and has been edited well.
However, the thing I kept getting stuck on was that the description, the title, and the cover all lead you to assume this book is about a “viral apocalypse” and “the end of the world.” The opening scene with government officials deciding to use the Darwin protocol also leads you to assume this is going to get right into an apocalyptic story. But really, MOST of the story is focused on something else entirely (gang violence), with this vague apocalyptic threat hovering in the background until the very end. Then, okay, things start to come together, but a reader should be aware that this isn’t significant to most of the story. This is Book 1 in a series, so I’m sure the apocalyptic features will grow from here, but there’s not a lot of that kind of thing in THIS book.
What IS in this book is pretty good. It’s very character-driven, and you care about this family. Mason is a likeable, heroic father with a lot of PTSD baggage from his time as a Marine. His wife is a strong character, even if she’d not present most of the time and her story is a very “what does this have to do with anything and why is it here?” side plot with chimpanzees. The daughter is a believable teenage girl who reacts pretty believably to her circumstances. The gang members are deadly and arrogant and evil. You feel for Elio as the kid tries to figure out what world to be a part of. The city itself is almost a character and really, really well-described as a catalyst for everything that happens.
Some plot points felt really forced, though. After Mason knows he’s in trouble with the gang leader (avoiding spoilers), he makes some very unbelievable decisions, seemingly because that’s the only way to get the plot to go where the author wants it to go. And why is there a slutty supermodel thrown into the mix? Okay, it’s LA, I’ll go with that. Also, why would the government do this, exactly? That’s not clear, although again this is only book 1.
Overall, I did enjoy reading this and thought it was entertaining. There were just a lot of little things that seemed odd all mixed together, and a lot of the plot felt forced.
February 22, 2017
Located in LA, an ex marine with a teen daughter and a veterinarian wife finds himself confronted with a number of choices and problems. Left over guilt from his time in Iraq and a promise made tone of his troops to help his son if he did not make it back home, his daughter in the midst of the rebellious teen years and his wife who is trying to save a rare Chimpanzee female and her soon to be born twins. He is confronted with gang warfare and an impossible task as his job as a close protection security operative when he takes on a self important model and would be actress while all around him the LA area is descending into chaos. This is the first of a series and I guess I will have to get the second to find out what happens next....
February 12, 2016
Really good book. Read in one sitting.
I really liked that the author kept you trying to figure out what the hell was going on, you get little clues here and there and you know that people are dying and things are happening but you really don't know why exactly till the end.
The story is really interesting and has a lot of action, kind of like a movie. The characters are great and you really get to know them all. By the end of the book you will love all of them, even Iridia who is a big pain in the b*tt! Mason is my fave of course but I have to say Elio was also awesome and definitely a hero as well.
Some characters didn't make it of course, but it is an end of the world kind of story so it is expected, still a bit sad specially since a few (non humans) died in the story.
I liked the pace of the story, it wasn't super fast but it kept me interested throughout with all the things happening.
I can't wait to see what happens next in this super awesome story. And kudos to the author for adding some humor (teen humor) and also a bit of teen romance.
Will definitely recommend to my friends.
I really liked that the author kept you trying to figure out what the hell was going on, you get little clues here and there and you know that people are dying and things are happening but you really don't know why exactly till the end.
The story is really interesting and has a lot of action, kind of like a movie. The characters are great and you really get to know them all. By the end of the book you will love all of them, even Iridia who is a big pain in the b*tt! Mason is my fave of course but I have to say Elio was also awesome and definitely a hero as well.
Some characters didn't make it of course, but it is an end of the world kind of story so it is expected, still a bit sad specially since a few (non humans) died in the story.
I liked the pace of the story, it wasn't super fast but it kept me interested throughout with all the things happening.
I can't wait to see what happens next in this super awesome story. And kudos to the author for adding some humor (teen humor) and also a bit of teen romance.
Will definitely recommend to my friends.
February 13, 2016
There are a lot of apocalypse-type books nowadays, so it takes a good story to stand out from the masses. The Darwin Protocol does that. The first in a series, this book keeps the focus on one family during the first 24 hours in which LA begins to fall apart. And it's a crazy 24 hours, even without the background threat of an unknown contagion. Fast paced and well written, the plot flows smoothly. I did find the motivation behind the contagion a bit difficult to buy, but fortunately that wasn't a critical element to the story. The motivations of the main characters, including the gang member who wrecks havoc that night, are very believable. All in all, I'd recommend this to any fans of thrillers and apocalyptic stories. I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review, and I'm very glad to have had the opportunity.
November 13, 2020
There were things to like about this book, particularly that it has some good characters. However, there is only a mention of the viral outbreak as well as the shadowy guys that are unleashing the "Darwin Protocol." Most of the book is about 1. Beth's determination to save her beloved chimpanzee and fight the bad zoo director and 2. Mason's battle with a bad gang leader. I was a bit surprised that someone with Mason's background would openly challenge such a dangerous gang leader and then hope his family would stay safe. I assume that book 2 might have more of the apocalypse, but am on the fence about continuing.
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