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RazorWire
What massive event happened to destroy the world 100 years ago? No one left alive seems to understand. But there is one thing they understand perfectly... When civilization collapses, only the uncivilized survive. Nobody really knew what catastrophe caused the demise of civilization, only that whatever it was happened 100 years ago. Those first few survivors from many years before were now long gone, leaving behind nothing more than their stories, passed down and embellished over time. Impossible tales, of steel buildings a thousand feet tall and cities of millions, were all that remained. Now the world is a harsh place, filled only with the ruins of an erstwhile time. Hunger and fear are constants for those who remain, while the cold serves as a reminder of mankind’s ultimate frailty. The survivors or this harsh new world trade with each other in bullets and books in their desperate bid to survive at any cost. But when a new danger suddenly surfaces, all of these troubles suddenly seem insignificant. A ferocious band suddenly invades, killing and slaughtering everything in their path in a pitiless frenzy of mindless violence. It seems that nothing can stop them. But there is a place where help can be sought. It is a place which is veiled in mystery and blood. A place connected to the old world and is a place that few have ventured to and fewer still have returned from. It is simply called The Wall-without-Walls and, if anyone is going to survive, then someone must cross beyond the barrier and seek the help they need… Before it’s too late.
306 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 27, 2016
76 people are currently reading
218 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
February 3, 2016
Throughly enjoyed this book!
The world building was excellent. I felt like I was stepping right into The Waste. The story is action packed! The plot is developed well and the characters all brought something important to the story. Even though Rock himself is a man of few words, his character has depth and you can't help but root for him to see there is more to life than being a Wanderer.
I even laughed several times and I got teary eyed once. (Poor Matthew)
Quite the adventure! I'm definitely interested in what will await Rock and Caroline now that they have reached the Wall-Without-Walls.
The world building was excellent. I felt like I was stepping right into The Waste. The story is action packed! The plot is developed well and the characters all brought something important to the story. Even though Rock himself is a man of few words, his character has depth and you can't help but root for him to see there is more to life than being a Wanderer.
I even laughed several times and I got teary eyed once. (Poor Matthew)
Quite the adventure! I'm definitely interested in what will await Rock and Caroline now that they have reached the Wall-Without-Walls.
March 5, 2018
Once the world was beautiful and full of people. Cities filled the landscape and buildings reached the sky. But now, after The Wandering, very few portions of the old world remain, and more of the surviving fragments of a glorious past disappear every day
October 24, 2017
Dystopians have never been a genre to which I'd gravitate - this was my first dystopian book. And it "Rock"ed my world!
The world building was subtle and eloquent. It didn't drop the reader in the middle and then spoon or force feed the details - or bread crumb it when it suited the sake of the story. It was very well plotted!
There was a touching, intimate memory to explain the environment, tugging at heart strings while giving the character depth and opening the possibilities of plots and sun plots and pleasant surprises.
The Waste began to fill with hope and wonder. Tiny clues with a humanity and emotion started sneaking into the characters, pumping them with tender moments and tendrils of connections to the reader.
The cliffhamger - ugh. I should have seen that coming!
:/ And therein lies my dilemma. A solid 5, despite that snafu ...
As drawn in as I am by the enigma and mystery .... To go through two more books to finish one tale?! .... I haven't decided. If and when I have the time to determine that fate - I might have the devote to that kind of commitment. Possibly next year - unless I forget by then.
The world building was subtle and eloquent. It didn't drop the reader in the middle and then spoon or force feed the details - or bread crumb it when it suited the sake of the story. It was very well plotted!
There was a touching, intimate memory to explain the environment, tugging at heart strings while giving the character depth and opening the possibilities of plots and sun plots and pleasant surprises.
The Waste began to fill with hope and wonder. Tiny clues with a humanity and emotion started sneaking into the characters, pumping them with tender moments and tendrils of connections to the reader.
The cliffhamger - ugh. I should have seen that coming!
:/ And therein lies my dilemma. A solid 5, despite that snafu ...
As drawn in as I am by the enigma and mystery .... To go through two more books to finish one tale?! .... I haven't decided. If and when I have the time to determine that fate - I might have the devote to that kind of commitment. Possibly next year - unless I forget by then.
March 18, 2016
A fairly standard, but interesting take on the postapocalypse. It kept me reading through the end as I've just gotta find out what's beyond that "Wall".
I would have given this five stars if the author had given it just one more once-over to correct some simple grammar issues.
I'm on to the next one. There is a good story here.
I would have given this five stars if the author had given it just one more once-over to correct some simple grammar issues.
I'm on to the next one. There is a good story here.
March 26, 2018
I enjoyed this book so much more than I thought I would! I would say it's like a cross between a Dystopian Western and The Walking Dead (Minus the zombies, of course). It definitely had some commonly used dystopian themes and scenarios, which let's face it, with how popular dystopian books are right now, it's definitely expected and falls perfectly into the genre.
There was a lot of action and great character growth! There never really was a dull moment in the story, which is great because I feel a lot of authors that write in this genre either put in too much unnecessary filler or not enough detail. I felt the balance was level, especially knowing that this is the start of a series. In the beginning I wasn't really attached or connected to the main character, but as the story went on I found myself wanting to know more about him and liking him as a person. I have read books where I hated the main character and thankfully that wasn't the case here.
I also absolutely love how much the author incorporated the scarcity of books! This added something new to the post-apocalyptic scene. In my opinion and as a book lover myself, I would see the need to have books in a world like The Waste. It's not often this genre mentions books as part of the story, but books definitely played a big role here.
The story had a big open ending just so we would want to read the rest of the series, which I am looking forward to. So in the end, it wasn't a perfect book or my favorite, but it was definitely worth the read.
There was a lot of action and great character growth! There never really was a dull moment in the story, which is great because I feel a lot of authors that write in this genre either put in too much unnecessary filler or not enough detail. I felt the balance was level, especially knowing that this is the start of a series. In the beginning I wasn't really attached or connected to the main character, but as the story went on I found myself wanting to know more about him and liking him as a person. I have read books where I hated the main character and thankfully that wasn't the case here.
I also absolutely love how much the author incorporated the scarcity of books! This added something new to the post-apocalyptic scene. In my opinion and as a book lover myself, I would see the need to have books in a world like The Waste. It's not often this genre mentions books as part of the story, but books definitely played a big role here.
The story had a big open ending just so we would want to read the rest of the series, which I am looking forward to. So in the end, it wasn't a perfect book or my favorite, but it was definitely worth the read.
December 17, 2016
A compelling story, badly executed
Like so many self-published kindle books, this one suffers from very poor editing.
Lots of spelling mistakes, an author that doesn't understand the use of an apostrophe or the difference between there, their and they're,, and disquieting lapses of logic detract from what would otherwise be a good yarn.
How hard is it to find an editor? I pay good money for a book, I expect it to at least be grammatically correct.
I found the poor editing detracted from what would otherwise be a decent tale and I'm annoyed that, yet again, I feel cheated - I do my part by paying you, you do yours by delivering a product in a readable condition, not some half-assed effort.
I would like to continue the story, but I'm loathe to put good money after bad.
Do some work and re-read and fix your errors, author.
Like so many self-published kindle books, this one suffers from very poor editing.
Lots of spelling mistakes, an author that doesn't understand the use of an apostrophe or the difference between there, their and they're,, and disquieting lapses of logic detract from what would otherwise be a good yarn.
How hard is it to find an editor? I pay good money for a book, I expect it to at least be grammatically correct.
I found the poor editing detracted from what would otherwise be a decent tale and I'm annoyed that, yet again, I feel cheated - I do my part by paying you, you do yours by delivering a product in a readable condition, not some half-assed effort.
I would like to continue the story, but I'm loathe to put good money after bad.
Do some work and re-read and fix your errors, author.
January 27, 2019
I tried so hard to get into this, but having read the whole book, I would definitely not recommend it to my past self or anyone else. There are better post-apocalyptic works out there. This one does not deliver on the alien landscape and civilization. The author spends so much time focusing on how bullet casings are used as currency because...guns...that the rest of the world is super undeveloped. Then add in lots of inconsistencies about the numbers of the enemy and how fast they travel and whether or not they are effective killing machines or just a bunch of storm troopers.... *sigh*
I tried reading the sequel to see if it got better... Signs pointed to no, so I quit. :(
I tried reading the sequel to see if it got better... Signs pointed to no, so I quit. :(
May 15, 2017
I hate dystopian characters that have to wage internal moral discussions before they pull the trigger!
Read
January 2, 2018Great story, got me to read rest of books from the series!
May 30, 2024
I haven't quite finished this yet...I am honestly not sure I am going to. There is just something that is not holding my attention with this book. There is just too much exposition and not enough action.
Ok, I finished it. It finally got moving more than halfway through the book. I still just can't get behind it though. It is not for me.
Ok, I finished it. It finally got moving more than halfway through the book. I still just can't get behind it though. It is not for me.
June 25, 2016
This book takes place 100 years after civilization ended. We don't know how it ended or why, but humans have reverted to a hunter-gatherer type of living that they call "wandering". There are different types of wanderers, but the book focuses on one Indi-Wanderer, Rock, and a few different tribes. There is also a place called, "The Wall with No Walls" where no one goes because anyone who does dies.
Rock comes across Caroline after her tribe has been attacked and decimated by the "Vorin". The Vorin seem to have no purpose but to kill people and destroy whatever small sliver of civilization they have, be it an orchard or farmland. This seemed strange to me. If the people alive in this world are surviving day-to-day, why do the Vorin destroy valuable resources (the food and guns) that would seem to be invaluable? Do the Vorin have an unknown source of food? They fight on horseback using advanced bows and arrows that seem to be tipped by some kind of metal. Do they have a source of metal?
The Vorin cannot be explained. They just arrive and kill people. They also get killed in large numbers, but keep coming back. What is their motivation? We don't learn anything about them in this book. Are they survivors from the war the ended civilization? Were they on the winning--or losing--side? Do they want revenge or to finish off what they started?
I WANT TO KNOW.
Rock is escorting Caroline to the wall without walls. She is either going to sacrifice herself for her tribe or try to find help against the Vorin. Rock has been to this place once before when he was a child. He isn't really thrilled to go back, but, although he wants to remain independent and detached, he seems to have developed feelings for Caroline. Some of the book is devoted to Rock's memories of his childhood. His life was difficult, but he had a mother who loved him. She told him stories of things that existed before the end of civilization. He couldn't believe such things existed.
They come across an actual city in their travels. This is how civilization started in the first place. Hunter-gatherers found places with enough resources to hold them through winters, so they stopped wandering and started farming and raising animals. Then they started trading with other groups. This seems to be the stage this overall civilization is at in the book.
The city is called Centralia. It has a mayor and a geologist who seem to know more than everyone else. The geologist wears glasses, which no one seems to have seen before (which doesn't seem realistic). Centralia borders on the river that borders on the wall without walls. Somehow, I don't think that's a coincidence.
I kept trying to figure out the actual places being described in the book. They are definitely east of the Rocky Mountains because Rock talks about going there. Centralia has to be somewhere in the Midwest that was farm country because they are growing wheat and barley. Is the river they're talking about the Mississippi? I don't think so because why would the "wall without walls" be across the Mississippi in Iowa? I'm just guessing that the "wall without walls" is some last bastion of civilization that somehow survived the downfall of humans, but what do I know? It could just be some leftover technology that kills anyone who passes near it.
I really enjoyed this story and the characters, but I am frustrated by the lack of answers provided. Of course, this is a serial so things have to be saved for the next books, but there are questions galore in this book and absolutely no answers. I couldn't believe it when I tapped on the Kindle and found out the book was over (just after one of the most exciting scenes). It's done? It's over? What about all the questions?
Yes, that's how book series work and at least this was a full-length novel. So many of these serialized books are barely over 100 pages. This book was over 200 pages and could probably have been a self-contained book if it was 300 pages.
Is "mayer" some other language spelling of "mayor"? That was distracting.
The last question: Why is it named Razor Wire?
Rock comes across Caroline after her tribe has been attacked and decimated by the "Vorin". The Vorin seem to have no purpose but to kill people and destroy whatever small sliver of civilization they have, be it an orchard or farmland. This seemed strange to me. If the people alive in this world are surviving day-to-day, why do the Vorin destroy valuable resources (the food and guns) that would seem to be invaluable? Do the Vorin have an unknown source of food? They fight on horseback using advanced bows and arrows that seem to be tipped by some kind of metal. Do they have a source of metal?
The Vorin cannot be explained. They just arrive and kill people. They also get killed in large numbers, but keep coming back. What is their motivation? We don't learn anything about them in this book. Are they survivors from the war the ended civilization? Were they on the winning--or losing--side? Do they want revenge or to finish off what they started?
I WANT TO KNOW.
Rock is escorting Caroline to the wall without walls. She is either going to sacrifice herself for her tribe or try to find help against the Vorin. Rock has been to this place once before when he was a child. He isn't really thrilled to go back, but, although he wants to remain independent and detached, he seems to have developed feelings for Caroline. Some of the book is devoted to Rock's memories of his childhood. His life was difficult, but he had a mother who loved him. She told him stories of things that existed before the end of civilization. He couldn't believe such things existed.
They come across an actual city in their travels. This is how civilization started in the first place. Hunter-gatherers found places with enough resources to hold them through winters, so they stopped wandering and started farming and raising animals. Then they started trading with other groups. This seems to be the stage this overall civilization is at in the book.
The city is called Centralia. It has a mayor and a geologist who seem to know more than everyone else. The geologist wears glasses, which no one seems to have seen before (which doesn't seem realistic). Centralia borders on the river that borders on the wall without walls. Somehow, I don't think that's a coincidence.
I kept trying to figure out the actual places being described in the book. They are definitely east of the Rocky Mountains because Rock talks about going there. Centralia has to be somewhere in the Midwest that was farm country because they are growing wheat and barley. Is the river they're talking about the Mississippi? I don't think so because why would the "wall without walls" be across the Mississippi in Iowa? I'm just guessing that the "wall without walls" is some last bastion of civilization that somehow survived the downfall of humans, but what do I know? It could just be some leftover technology that kills anyone who passes near it.
I really enjoyed this story and the characters, but I am frustrated by the lack of answers provided. Of course, this is a serial so things have to be saved for the next books, but there are questions galore in this book and absolutely no answers. I couldn't believe it when I tapped on the Kindle and found out the book was over (just after one of the most exciting scenes). It's done? It's over? What about all the questions?
Yes, that's how book series work and at least this was a full-length novel. So many of these serialized books are barely over 100 pages. This book was over 200 pages and could probably have been a self-contained book if it was 300 pages.
Is "mayer" some other language spelling of "mayor"? That was distracting.
The last question: Why is it named Razor Wire?
September 27, 2016
This was a good story. I'm still not 100% certain what the wall without walls is. Lol I will be interested to see where Rock & Caroline end up. I love that books are important in this world. I like that people are trying to learn again. I don't get why there aren't remnants of a forgotten world like buildings, cars & things like that. People know about guns, toasters & solar screen to charge things....
Not everything has come together for me but I am hoping that in the next volume more will be explained.
I did not like the voice used for Rock but I got use to it. I also didn't like that the name of the book was said between every chapter. It got old & was unnecessary.
Overall it was a good story. New creative names for things. I am very interested in the woman in the tent. How did she do what she does?
This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of Audiobook Boom
Not everything has come together for me but I am hoping that in the next volume more will be explained.
I did not like the voice used for Rock but I got use to it. I also didn't like that the name of the book was said between every chapter. It got old & was unnecessary.
Overall it was a good story. New creative names for things. I am very interested in the woman in the tent. How did she do what she does?
This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of Audiobook Boom
July 30, 2016
"You have to ring the bell. Read the ... sign"
With the opening passages, I thought that this was going to be yet another post apocalyptic story of one loner battling for survival as he makes his way through lands of starvation and desolation. How wrong I was. Yes, one of the main protagonists, Rock, is usually a lone traveller but the majority of the people are grouped into large tribes or smaller clans or families, some of which are nomadic but the others stay in one place, farming or trading. And, whilst most of the scientific achievements we take so much for granted such as cars, planes and the internet, no longer exist other than as fabled stories of Once Upon a Time, (like the tales of skyscrapers and vast populations), a few little electrical devices have survived - kettles and toasters, for example - but these are now rarely used, though treasured, as they need the magic of the power from shiny black Suncatchers and their little black storage boxes to make them work. Even these items are slowly disappearing as the technical knowledge to repair them no longer exists. We are not told what caused the transition but it happened just within the memory of a previous generation.
Into this reasonable settled world comes an invading army of horse riding, bow wielding aggressors, seemingly determined to destroy everyone. The story revolves around the journey of a young woman sent to seek help against them. She has to travel to, and beyond, the Wall without Walls, a place offering instant death to anyone who tries to cross it. She is accompanied by an initially reluctant Rock, whose service to deliver her there is purchased by the bribe of five old books, these being a rare and valuable exchange commodity. As well as being an exciting and rattling good story with plenty of action, there are numerous great characters all given depth and personality by the author. My personal favourite is Dickens, an odd man, himself a book collector.
The author, Troy Hallewell, also narrates, which can often be a disaster. But Mr.Hallewell's reading is good and his dialogue voices are varied, distinct and the overall performance is worthy of many of the professional readers. There are a couple of editing glitches, but these are minor. My main irritation came solely for the book title, RazorWire, being given at the beginning of each new chapter. A small thing but a distraction from the overall continuity of the action.
In addition to a great storyline, well written, and a cast of rounded, interesting characters, there is also a touch of mystery. Who are these new invaders and where are they from? What do they want and can they be stopped? Why does crossing the Wall without Walls mean an automatic death sentence? What is beyond it? What caused the happening which took away the technologies and must have killed so many? And what will be in the next book of After Civilisation, RazorsEdge? I can't wait!
My thanks to the right's holder for sending me a complementary copy of RazorWire in exchange for an honest review. This I have given
With the opening passages, I thought that this was going to be yet another post apocalyptic story of one loner battling for survival as he makes his way through lands of starvation and desolation. How wrong I was. Yes, one of the main protagonists, Rock, is usually a lone traveller but the majority of the people are grouped into large tribes or smaller clans or families, some of which are nomadic but the others stay in one place, farming or trading. And, whilst most of the scientific achievements we take so much for granted such as cars, planes and the internet, no longer exist other than as fabled stories of Once Upon a Time, (like the tales of skyscrapers and vast populations), a few little electrical devices have survived - kettles and toasters, for example - but these are now rarely used, though treasured, as they need the magic of the power from shiny black Suncatchers and their little black storage boxes to make them work. Even these items are slowly disappearing as the technical knowledge to repair them no longer exists. We are not told what caused the transition but it happened just within the memory of a previous generation.
Into this reasonable settled world comes an invading army of horse riding, bow wielding aggressors, seemingly determined to destroy everyone. The story revolves around the journey of a young woman sent to seek help against them. She has to travel to, and beyond, the Wall without Walls, a place offering instant death to anyone who tries to cross it. She is accompanied by an initially reluctant Rock, whose service to deliver her there is purchased by the bribe of five old books, these being a rare and valuable exchange commodity. As well as being an exciting and rattling good story with plenty of action, there are numerous great characters all given depth and personality by the author. My personal favourite is Dickens, an odd man, himself a book collector.
The author, Troy Hallewell, also narrates, which can often be a disaster. But Mr.Hallewell's reading is good and his dialogue voices are varied, distinct and the overall performance is worthy of many of the professional readers. There are a couple of editing glitches, but these are minor. My main irritation came solely for the book title, RazorWire, being given at the beginning of each new chapter. A small thing but a distraction from the overall continuity of the action.
In addition to a great storyline, well written, and a cast of rounded, interesting characters, there is also a touch of mystery. Who are these new invaders and where are they from? What do they want and can they be stopped? Why does crossing the Wall without Walls mean an automatic death sentence? What is beyond it? What caused the happening which took away the technologies and must have killed so many? And what will be in the next book of After Civilisation, RazorsEdge? I can't wait!
My thanks to the right's holder for sending me a complementary copy of RazorWire in exchange for an honest review. This I have given
December 24, 2016
Rock in an Indi Wanderer, a nomad travelling the Wastes. After he is attacked by bandits, he rescues Caroline, who proves to be the daughter of a tribal leader. She persuades him to escort her back to her tribe, but once there he discovers that his escort duties are not entirely finished. Caroline is being sent to the mysterious and probably deadly Wall Without Walls. If she can pass, she may be able to find help for the people of the Wastes, who are being systematically attacked and often killed by an army of horsemen who have come from nobody knows where. Rock agrees to help her reach the Wall, and the rest of the book is taken up with their journey.
RazorWire felt like a post-apocalyptic Western. At a personal level, I don't dislike Westerns as a genre, but neither am I drawn to them. From what I've encountered, they seem to mostly involve a lot of riding around on horses, with regular attacks and/or gunfights, and while not dull, this doesn't really grab my attention. I guess I'm just ambivalent about them. So this book, although it's definitely identified as post-apocalyptic, felt very much of the Western genre as well, from the setting and various events and situations throughout.
There were some nice touches. I liked the idea of shell casings being used as currency, and the occasional bit of still working technology, like batteries and solar panels, provided a link to the past, before whatever happened to make part of the US into the Waste. What didn't quite feel right was the timeline. I got the impression that the Big Event had only happened a bit over a century earlier, yet nobody in the Wastes seems to know about what actually happened, or, at least, nobody talks about it. Given the social setup, with tribes, clans, families and Indis, and given that stories are generally very important to groups of humans, I would have expected some sort of oral tradition telling of what occurred. Yet this was absent; perhaps for some hitherto unexplained reason, but it felt a little unreal to me.
This was a fun read, with plenty of action and adventure. I'll carry on with the trilogy just to find out where it goes from here.
RazorWire felt like a post-apocalyptic Western. At a personal level, I don't dislike Westerns as a genre, but neither am I drawn to them. From what I've encountered, they seem to mostly involve a lot of riding around on horses, with regular attacks and/or gunfights, and while not dull, this doesn't really grab my attention. I guess I'm just ambivalent about them. So this book, although it's definitely identified as post-apocalyptic, felt very much of the Western genre as well, from the setting and various events and situations throughout.
There were some nice touches. I liked the idea of shell casings being used as currency, and the occasional bit of still working technology, like batteries and solar panels, provided a link to the past, before whatever happened to make part of the US into the Waste. What didn't quite feel right was the timeline. I got the impression that the Big Event had only happened a bit over a century earlier, yet nobody in the Wastes seems to know about what actually happened, or, at least, nobody talks about it. Given the social setup, with tribes, clans, families and Indis, and given that stories are generally very important to groups of humans, I would have expected some sort of oral tradition telling of what occurred. Yet this was absent; perhaps for some hitherto unexplained reason, but it felt a little unreal to me.
This was a fun read, with plenty of action and adventure. I'll carry on with the trilogy just to find out where it goes from here.
July 16, 2016
RazorWire takes place about a hundred years after civilization ended and humans have reverted back to a hunter / gatherer ways of living.
The main male lead wanderer, Rock, encounters Caroline after her tribe has been attacked and decimated by villains, the Vorin. I did not understand why the Vorin were attacking everyone. I wish more details were provided about them.
Rock is trying to escort Caroline to the Wall without Walls. She is either going to sacrifice herself for her tribe or try to find help against the Vorin. During their journey, Rock seems to develop feelings for Caroline.
There are a few unanswered questions, like the drive behind the Vorin's attacks.
However, the author has created a vivid and intriguing world and the story is well written with complex characters.
The book was narrated by Troy Hallewell, the author, and it was interesting to Hear His Characters come to Life.
Note:
"This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of Audiobook Blast."
December 18, 2016
A frustrating mix. On the one hand, the basic plotline (a kind of dystopian postapocalyptic western) is intriguing, supported by a few compelling passages that are a pleasure to read. On the other, this short novel is rife with silly characterizations, wildly improbable action sequences, and stilted or ridiculous dialogue. It is obvious that Troy Hallewell has talent and is capable of writing well. But this novel could have a used a lot more care, a bit more craftmanship and, most of all, a more vigorous dose of copyediting. I'd love to offer more stars because I like the basic idea and want to like the characters. Unfortunately, Mr. Hallewell's work falls short in my view and my negative critical sense of the novel overpowers my desire to be generous. Two stars. Not terrible, but far from great.
-RRD
-RRD
October 2, 2016
Good Story, Poor Editing
I enjoyed the storyline of the book, and if that was all I required, would happily purchase the next installment! However, this book suffered from horrendously poor editing! Gems such as, "This was his chance to be get away with his life and armor," to run on sentences like, "From this point on the ground around them began a gradual slope until it eventually ran into a river that divided the central Waste from the area protected by the Wall-without-Walls," plague this book from beginning to end, making it practically unreadable.
I'm not in a hurry to read the next installment of this series, and strongly suggest that if you're thinking of giving this book a read, you give it a pass.
I enjoyed the storyline of the book, and if that was all I required, would happily purchase the next installment! However, this book suffered from horrendously poor editing! Gems such as, "This was his chance to be get away with his life and armor," to run on sentences like, "From this point on the ground around them began a gradual slope until it eventually ran into a river that divided the central Waste from the area protected by the Wall-without-Walls," plague this book from beginning to end, making it practically unreadable.
I'm not in a hurry to read the next installment of this series, and strongly suggest that if you're thinking of giving this book a read, you give it a pass.
March 9, 2016
Civilization was destroyed generations ago along with the means to create technology that we're all used to. All that is left are a few solar panels and some appliances - oh, and guns. People live in tribes or alone as traveling merchants. Everyone mostly gets along until a new tribe comes out of nowhere with extremely powerful bows and the skill to use them.
I listened to this is as an audiobook and I believe it's the author narrating it. He did a good job, but I think I got an early copy of the audio as it could use a little more post-production.
I would like to listen to follow-on stories in this series.
I listened to this is as an audiobook and I believe it's the author narrating it. He did a good job, but I think I got an early copy of the audio as it could use a little more post-production.
I would like to listen to follow-on stories in this series.
July 16, 2016
Wonderful Book
Well written,with very interesting characters filling a world rebuilding itself. The story just begins, no hint of what reduced Man back to being hunter/gatherers. I was held spellbound and read the book marathon style! Eager to read Book #2. Thought provoking story - very very enjoyable!
Well written,with very interesting characters filling a world rebuilding itself. The story just begins, no hint of what reduced Man back to being hunter/gatherers. I was held spellbound and read the book marathon style! Eager to read Book #2. Thought provoking story - very very enjoyable!
February 22, 2016
The first book in the series which introduces you to a wide range of characters and situations. The action is constant, characters are well developed and interact perfectly, a budding romance is present, intrigue and plenty of double cross action. There are also several plot twists and surprises.
September 25, 2016
I really enjoyed how this world stands out, it is noted that a variety of detail complements it tremendously, plus great voice work, brings it to life in the audio version so, so, well! I dunno if book 2 will be as good, but at least the last sentence in this one definitely picked my interest!
February 25, 2016
Not really my cup of tea
September 30, 2016
Awesome, just simply one of the best books so far.
March 26, 2017
Set in a post-apocalyptic world, Rock is an indie wanderer, traveling from place to place trading news and whatever he might have come by in between. He meets Caroline and her powerful father and is given a mission to escort her to the Wall. There her mission will begin as she attempts to find and bring back the last unscathed and powerful remnants of humanity. A tide of warriors is sweeping the land. They don’t trade, they don’t take tribute and submission. Instead, they seem bent on wiping the land clean of inhabitants and Caroline won’t let that happen without a last desperate attempt to push them back. Rock will have to figure out where his loyalties lie.
Basically, this was a Western given a little post-apocalyptic flare. It followed a pretty standard, and, at times, cliched, script. The beginning held a lot of promise and I was rather excited to venture into another destroyed future that was mostly desert and full of folks who have their own agendas. Once they started circling the wagons and shooting at warriors on horseback, I had to roll my eyes a little. This is a Western, which can be fun if a bit tired and worn.
On the plus side, Rock is an interesting character if a bit standard. I always have a thing for those strong silent types that are good in a fight but bad in relationships. Still, I was rooting for him the whole way. Caroline was your standard plucky female wild west woman. She’s beautiful and knows how to shoot but is a bit brash and wants to rebel. Still, she’s dead set on saving her people, if she can, even if it kills her. There were very few women in this story, which might explain why the world hasn’t managed to repopulate itself yet. There’s Caroline (who has plenty of lines), a mysterious female leader of the warrior tribe that is sweeping the land (who has perhaps 3 lines), a little baby girl that gets to be cute and cuddly for a scene or two, and then Rock’s remembrances of his own mother (who has 3 or 4 lines as well). This story could definitely improve with some gender balancing.
I also feel the need to comment on how the invading hoard all seem to be brown skinned, instead of a greater mix of ethnicities as I had been expecting with humanity surviving an apocalyptic event. Perhaps they are akin to a Mongolian tribe or perhaps akin to a Native American tribe. Since we haven’t met any of them individually, other than that brief encounter with one of their female leaders, we don’t know much about them. Still, their feathers, beaded clothing, horse skills, and archery all add to the Western story tone of the book.
Now I am very curious what lies beyond the Wall and why everyone thinks their saviors may be hidden in that direction. After all, no one has survived their journey over the Wall and returned to tell about it. In fact, bones of those who died shortly after traversing the Wall can be seen from it. I think Caroline definitely has her hands full in attempting this quest.
Over all, if you enjoy your standard fare Western and want a little more sprinkled in, then this is a good book for you. For me, it was so-so. It started off promising but the middle was very predictable. The ending has promise for the series with the Wall and beyond.
I received a free copy of this book through Audiobook Jukebox.
Narration: The author performed his own narration of this book. It was mediocre. First, the production quality wasn’t all good but it wasn’t all bad either. The volume goes up and down but never so loud as to blow out your ears. Also, sometimes it sounds a bit tinny and sometimes it’s good and clear. Hallewell does do a good job of keeping each character distinct. However, most of his voices appear to be based off old Western serials, which adds to the whole cliched Western flavor of this book. His female voice for Caroline is OK.
Basically, this was a Western given a little post-apocalyptic flare. It followed a pretty standard, and, at times, cliched, script. The beginning held a lot of promise and I was rather excited to venture into another destroyed future that was mostly desert and full of folks who have their own agendas. Once they started circling the wagons and shooting at warriors on horseback, I had to roll my eyes a little. This is a Western, which can be fun if a bit tired and worn.
On the plus side, Rock is an interesting character if a bit standard. I always have a thing for those strong silent types that are good in a fight but bad in relationships. Still, I was rooting for him the whole way. Caroline was your standard plucky female wild west woman. She’s beautiful and knows how to shoot but is a bit brash and wants to rebel. Still, she’s dead set on saving her people, if she can, even if it kills her. There were very few women in this story, which might explain why the world hasn’t managed to repopulate itself yet. There’s Caroline (who has plenty of lines), a mysterious female leader of the warrior tribe that is sweeping the land (who has perhaps 3 lines), a little baby girl that gets to be cute and cuddly for a scene or two, and then Rock’s remembrances of his own mother (who has 3 or 4 lines as well). This story could definitely improve with some gender balancing.
I also feel the need to comment on how the invading hoard all seem to be brown skinned, instead of a greater mix of ethnicities as I had been expecting with humanity surviving an apocalyptic event. Perhaps they are akin to a Mongolian tribe or perhaps akin to a Native American tribe. Since we haven’t met any of them individually, other than that brief encounter with one of their female leaders, we don’t know much about them. Still, their feathers, beaded clothing, horse skills, and archery all add to the Western story tone of the book.
Now I am very curious what lies beyond the Wall and why everyone thinks their saviors may be hidden in that direction. After all, no one has survived their journey over the Wall and returned to tell about it. In fact, bones of those who died shortly after traversing the Wall can be seen from it. I think Caroline definitely has her hands full in attempting this quest.
Over all, if you enjoy your standard fare Western and want a little more sprinkled in, then this is a good book for you. For me, it was so-so. It started off promising but the middle was very predictable. The ending has promise for the series with the Wall and beyond.
I received a free copy of this book through Audiobook Jukebox.
Narration: The author performed his own narration of this book. It was mediocre. First, the production quality wasn’t all good but it wasn’t all bad either. The volume goes up and down but never so loud as to blow out your ears. Also, sometimes it sounds a bit tinny and sometimes it’s good and clear. Hallewell does do a good job of keeping each character distinct. However, most of his voices appear to be based off old Western serials, which adds to the whole cliched Western flavor of this book. His female voice for Caroline is OK.
March 26, 2017
RazorWire by Troy Hallewell Set in a post-apocalyptic world, Rock is an indie wanderer, traveling from place to place trading news and whatever he might have come by in between. He meets Caroline and her powerful father and is given a mission to escort her to the Wall. There her mission will begin as she attempts to find and bring back the last unscathed and powerful remnants of humanity. A tide of warriors is sweeping the land. They don’t trade, they don’t take tribute and submission. Instead, they seem bent on wiping the land clean of inhabitants and Caroline won’t let that happen without a last desperate attempt to push them back. Rock will have to figure out where his loyalties lie.
Basically, this was a Western given a little post-apocalyptic flare. It followed a pretty standard, and, at times, cliched, script. The beginning held a lot of promise and I was rather excited to venture into another destroyed future that was mostly desert and full of folks who have their own agendas. Once they started circling the wagons and shooting at warriors on horseback, I had to roll my eyes a little. This is a Western, which can be fun if a bit tired and worn.
On the plus side, Rock is an interesting character if a bit standard. I always have a thing for those strong silent types that are good in a fight but bad in relationships. Still, I was rooting for him the whole way. Caroline was your standard plucky female wild west woman. She’s beautiful and knows how to shoot but is a bit brash and wants to rebel. Still, she’s dead set on saving her people, if she can, even if it kills her. There were very few women in this story, which might explain why the world hasn’t managed to repopulate itself yet. There’s Caroline (who has plenty of lines), a mysterious female leader of the warrior tribe that is sweeping the land (who has perhaps 3 lines), a little baby girl that gets to be cute and cuddly for a scene or two, and then Rock’s remembrances of his own mother (who has 3 or 4 lines as well). This story could definitely improve with some gender balancing.
I also feel the need to comment on how the invading hoard all seem to be brown skinned, instead of a greater mix of ethnicities as I had been expecting with humanity surviving an apocalyptic event. Perhaps they are akin to a Mongolian tribe or perhaps akin to a Native American tribe. Since we haven’t met any of them individually, other than that brief encounter with one of their female leaders, we don’t know much about them. Still, their feathers, beaded clothing, horse skills, and archery all add to the Western story tone of the book.
Now I am very curious what lies beyond the Wall and why everyone thinks their saviors may be hidden in that direction. After all, no one has survived their journey over the Wall and returned to tell about it. In fact, bones of those who died shortly after traversing the Wall can be seen from it. I think Caroline definitely has her hands full in attempting this quest.
Over all, if you enjoy your standard fare Western and want a little more sprinkled in, then this is a good book for you. For me, it was so-so. It started off promising but the middle was very predictable. The ending has promise for the series with the Wall and beyond.
I received a free copy of this book through Audiobook Jukebox.
Narration: The author performed his own narration of this book. It was mediocre. First, the production quality wasn’t all good but it wasn’t all bad either. The volume goes up and down but never so loud as to blow out your ears. Also, sometimes it sounds a bit tinny and sometimes it’s good and clear. Hallewell does do a good job of keeping each character distinct. However, most of his voices appear to be based off old Western serials, which adds to the whole cliched Western flavor of this book. His female voice for Caroline is OK.
Basically, this was a Western given a little post-apocalyptic flare. It followed a pretty standard, and, at times, cliched, script. The beginning held a lot of promise and I was rather excited to venture into another destroyed future that was mostly desert and full of folks who have their own agendas. Once they started circling the wagons and shooting at warriors on horseback, I had to roll my eyes a little. This is a Western, which can be fun if a bit tired and worn.
On the plus side, Rock is an interesting character if a bit standard. I always have a thing for those strong silent types that are good in a fight but bad in relationships. Still, I was rooting for him the whole way. Caroline was your standard plucky female wild west woman. She’s beautiful and knows how to shoot but is a bit brash and wants to rebel. Still, she’s dead set on saving her people, if she can, even if it kills her. There were very few women in this story, which might explain why the world hasn’t managed to repopulate itself yet. There’s Caroline (who has plenty of lines), a mysterious female leader of the warrior tribe that is sweeping the land (who has perhaps 3 lines), a little baby girl that gets to be cute and cuddly for a scene or two, and then Rock’s remembrances of his own mother (who has 3 or 4 lines as well). This story could definitely improve with some gender balancing.
I also feel the need to comment on how the invading hoard all seem to be brown skinned, instead of a greater mix of ethnicities as I had been expecting with humanity surviving an apocalyptic event. Perhaps they are akin to a Mongolian tribe or perhaps akin to a Native American tribe. Since we haven’t met any of them individually, other than that brief encounter with one of their female leaders, we don’t know much about them. Still, their feathers, beaded clothing, horse skills, and archery all add to the Western story tone of the book.
Now I am very curious what lies beyond the Wall and why everyone thinks their saviors may be hidden in that direction. After all, no one has survived their journey over the Wall and returned to tell about it. In fact, bones of those who died shortly after traversing the Wall can be seen from it. I think Caroline definitely has her hands full in attempting this quest.
Over all, if you enjoy your standard fare Western and want a little more sprinkled in, then this is a good book for you. For me, it was so-so. It started off promising but the middle was very predictable. The ending has promise for the series with the Wall and beyond.
I received a free copy of this book through Audiobook Jukebox.
Narration: The author performed his own narration of this book. It was mediocre. First, the production quality wasn’t all good but it wasn’t all bad either. The volume goes up and down but never so loud as to blow out your ears. Also, sometimes it sounds a bit tinny and sometimes it’s good and clear. Hallewell does do a good job of keeping each character distinct. However, most of his voices appear to be based off old Western serials, which adds to the whole cliched Western flavor of this book. His female voice for Caroline is OK.
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