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Tourists of the Apocalypse
Dylan Townsend stands on the beach watching commercial jets fall out of the sky like oak leaves twirling in the wind. A wing shears off the one closest to the shore just before it splashes down in the sea. Why was she telling him this outlandish story? What sort of Tourist Agency would offer people a front row seat to the end of the world? More importantly, why would anyone book such a vacation if there wasn’t any way home afterward?
“Why would anyone buy a ticket on the Titanic if they knew it was doomed?”
“Relax Dylan,” she assures him. “If you know it’s going to sink, you could bring a raft.”
As she paces in the sand watching the sky, he realizes that however wild her story may be, he loves her. Maybe Izzy is a time travel tour guide after all. In truth, he is more likely to be harmed by her boyfriend than the imminent apocalypse. What’s he going to about that sticky situation?
“Come on,” she orders, pulling on his arm. “We need to see a man about a raft.”
DISCLAIMER: This novel contains no profanity, some violence, an office princess in bondage, cowboy coffee, classic cars, love triangles, domestic violence, birthday cake, Lion Country Safari mishaps, beach volleyball, road rage, a prosthetic shotgun, text messages on gum wrappers and the strong belief that people are a product of their experiences and not just genetically predisposed to mayhem.
Any resemblance to actual historical events or persons alive or dead is purely coincidental.
“Why would anyone buy a ticket on the Titanic if they knew it was doomed?”
“Relax Dylan,” she assures him. “If you know it’s going to sink, you could bring a raft.”
As she paces in the sand watching the sky, he realizes that however wild her story may be, he loves her. Maybe Izzy is a time travel tour guide after all. In truth, he is more likely to be harmed by her boyfriend than the imminent apocalypse. What’s he going to about that sticky situation?
“Come on,” she orders, pulling on his arm. “We need to see a man about a raft.”
DISCLAIMER: This novel contains no profanity, some violence, an office princess in bondage, cowboy coffee, classic cars, love triangles, domestic violence, birthday cake, Lion Country Safari mishaps, beach volleyball, road rage, a prosthetic shotgun, text messages on gum wrappers and the strong belief that people are a product of their experiences and not just genetically predisposed to mayhem.
Any resemblance to actual historical events or persons alive or dead is purely coincidental.
406 pages, Audible Audio
First published April 9, 2016
80 people are currently reading
128 people want to read
About the author
C.F. Waller
10 books72 followersAward wining author C. F. Waller is best known for 2015 Reader Favorite Award winners SOUTH FACE and FREE DIVE. He recently released TOURISTS OF THE APOCALYPSE which was recognized by Readers Favorite in 2016, as well as Shelf Media.
He published his first science fiction novel at age forty-seven, after a flight on an ill-fated commercial airliner over the Atlantic Ocean nearly became an episode of Why Planes Crash. This experience illustrated for him first hand that writing about exotic or dangerous locales was safer than traveling to them. Since then, he likes to think his meticulous research and storytelling gives readers a clear sense of their grandeur, without the inherent risk of flying.
After narrowly escaping the academic death-grip of several universities, Charles worked in nightclubs, took a turn as a new car salesman, and also as a hurricane shutter engineer. His favorite authors include, Oscar Wilde, Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., and Michael Crichton. The later being especially close to his heart as Crichton epitomizes the tecno-thriller genre and the failure of humans to interact with technology.
Though he will forever be a Midwestern boy at heart, he now lives on the gulf coast of Florida with his wife, Tina, and one fuzzy feline companion. If he’s not working on a new novel, you can find him volunteering at church, playing overly competitive Yahtzee with his spouse, or indulging in an unhealthy addiction to competitive cooking shows on television.
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He published his first science fiction novel at age forty-seven, after a flight on an ill-fated commercial airliner over the Atlantic Ocean nearly became an episode of Why Planes Crash. This experience illustrated for him first hand that writing about exotic or dangerous locales was safer than traveling to them. Since then, he likes to think his meticulous research and storytelling gives readers a clear sense of their grandeur, without the inherent risk of flying.
After narrowly escaping the academic death-grip of several universities, Charles worked in nightclubs, took a turn as a new car salesman, and also as a hurricane shutter engineer. His favorite authors include, Oscar Wilde, Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., and Michael Crichton. The later being especially close to his heart as Crichton epitomizes the tecno-thriller genre and the failure of humans to interact with technology.
Though he will forever be a Midwestern boy at heart, he now lives on the gulf coast of Florida with his wife, Tina, and one fuzzy feline companion. If he’s not working on a new novel, you can find him volunteering at church, playing overly competitive Yahtzee with his spouse, or indulging in an unhealthy addiction to competitive cooking shows on television.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
September 7, 2017
My original Tourists of the Apocalypse audiobook review and many others can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.
What if you had the chance to change events that normally would be beyond your control? Would you go back to the past and buy a raft along with your ticket to sail on the Titanic? Or you could change the past by going to the future? A mind-boggling set of questions that C.F. Waller explores.
Dylan Townsend is a young teen living on a lonely cul-de-sac with his mom and her worthless brute of a boyfriend when he meets Graham; a weird guy who seems to have more money than sense. Graham is always there to help Dylan both financially and with solid advice.
Years later, Dylan escapes his cul-de-sac by going into the military but promising to return before July 4, 2015. Needless to say, he doesn’t return and thus begins the beginning of his downward spiral into the apocalypse. Eager to have Izzy, a girl from the cul-de-sac and be happy, Dylan makes choices that impact more lives than anyone has the right. Not to mention, he discovers the fail-safe and the world Graham is a part of ….
At first, I was a bit confused but Waller does tie everything together neatly at the end, you just have to be patient! Well written with twists that leave you stunned. You don’t think an author would go there but Waller does! He is a gifted word-smith; he uses few words that speaks volumes. Very entertaining with a smooth flow to the story.
The best thing about this book? Besides everything I mentioned here, Waller does not waste his time or the readers with highly descriptive acts of violence, sex, or depravity; he left a lot of this to the imagination of the reader – which to me was greatly appreciated!!!!!
The narrator is solid as well. There was never any question as to which character he was nor did he over act in his reading. He injected just the perfect amount of tension, fear, and anger. His voices were appropriate. His performance was consistent throughout. Excellent narrator!
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves apocalyptic books with a unique solid twist at the end that leaves you thinking hard about it for a long time.
I did not encounter any difficulties with the audio production or quality of this book.
Audiobook was provided for review by the narrator.
What if you had the chance to change events that normally would be beyond your control? Would you go back to the past and buy a raft along with your ticket to sail on the Titanic? Or you could change the past by going to the future? A mind-boggling set of questions that C.F. Waller explores.
Dylan Townsend is a young teen living on a lonely cul-de-sac with his mom and her worthless brute of a boyfriend when he meets Graham; a weird guy who seems to have more money than sense. Graham is always there to help Dylan both financially and with solid advice.
Years later, Dylan escapes his cul-de-sac by going into the military but promising to return before July 4, 2015. Needless to say, he doesn’t return and thus begins the beginning of his downward spiral into the apocalypse. Eager to have Izzy, a girl from the cul-de-sac and be happy, Dylan makes choices that impact more lives than anyone has the right. Not to mention, he discovers the fail-safe and the world Graham is a part of ….
At first, I was a bit confused but Waller does tie everything together neatly at the end, you just have to be patient! Well written with twists that leave you stunned. You don’t think an author would go there but Waller does! He is a gifted word-smith; he uses few words that speaks volumes. Very entertaining with a smooth flow to the story.
The best thing about this book? Besides everything I mentioned here, Waller does not waste his time or the readers with highly descriptive acts of violence, sex, or depravity; he left a lot of this to the imagination of the reader – which to me was greatly appreciated!!!!!
The narrator is solid as well. There was never any question as to which character he was nor did he over act in his reading. He injected just the perfect amount of tension, fear, and anger. His voices were appropriate. His performance was consistent throughout. Excellent narrator!
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves apocalyptic books with a unique solid twist at the end that leaves you thinking hard about it for a long time.
I did not encounter any difficulties with the audio production or quality of this book.
Audiobook was provided for review by the narrator.
August 24, 2016
Tourists of the Apocalypse by C. F. Waller Tourists of the Apocalypse by C. F. Waller is an unusual post apocalyptic book. It was about time travel and the end of the world as we knew it. It kept me guessing. I gave it five stars.
The characters were well developed and it was action packed. I just kept turning the pages until I reached the end. I found it fascinating.
Link to purchase: https://www.facebook.com/notes/injoyf...
The characters were well developed and it was action packed. I just kept turning the pages until I reached the end. I found it fascinating.
Link to purchase: https://www.facebook.com/notes/injoyf...
September 18, 2017
Review of the AUDIOBOOK.
I want to rate this book higher. It has lots of great reviews. There is so much potential here, but ...
This book has a great title and a great premise and a pretty good ending. However, it is somewhat poorly executed. The dialogue and relationships between characters are not believable, and I really did not care for the narrator. His voice/manner of speaking somehow made the dialogue seem more unnatural/stiff than it already was. He also called a character named "Fitz" the wrong name a few times. He called her "Fritz." That was very annoying to me.
There are some other nitpicky points that bugged me like the author mixing up infer/imply. Basically, I think this book would benefit from some editing and tightening up. The potential is there but it has the feel of an earlier draft rather than a final, polished product.
I want to rate this book higher. It has lots of great reviews. There is so much potential here, but ...
This book has a great title and a great premise and a pretty good ending. However, it is somewhat poorly executed. The dialogue and relationships between characters are not believable, and I really did not care for the narrator. His voice/manner of speaking somehow made the dialogue seem more unnatural/stiff than it already was. He also called a character named "Fitz" the wrong name a few times. He called her "Fritz." That was very annoying to me.
There are some other nitpicky points that bugged me like the author mixing up infer/imply. Basically, I think this book would benefit from some editing and tightening up. The potential is there but it has the feel of an earlier draft rather than a final, polished product.
April 22, 2020
This book lacks basic story telling common sense, something that finally became unbearable 73% of the way through and so I stopped reading it.
This book opens with what appears to be a separate short story the author tacked on to the beginning of this book. It tells the story of a woman engineer who uses her artificial legs to smuggle a shotgun into a research facility which includes a nuclear reactor. Given her preparations it appears as though she is seeking to sabotage the reactor in such a way as to cause a massive EMP. We are never told why (in the first 73% of the book) she does this only that her actions are the culmination of 20 generations of work. Then there’s a flash of light and the story just ends without any indication as to its meaning or purpose.
Jump to Dylan’s story which starts with him as 13 year old boy in an abusive home in Texas. Weird people move into several of the houses on the block and then the abusive boyfriend of Dylan’s mom disappears. The weird neighbors next give Dylan and his mom jobs. Years pass and Dylan graduates and goes into the army but not before getting some pretty obvious hints that the weird neighbors know an apocalypse is coming in 4 years. Izzy is one of the secretive neighbors who knows about the upcoming apocalypse and she can’t stop herself from flirting with 17 year old Dylan even though she is married to mysterious neighbor Lance, and of course Dylan is too stupid to leave it alone. This is in spite of mysterious neighbor, Graham, telling them both to knock it off.
So Dylan goes into the army without sleeping with Izzy but Izzy keeps flirting with Dylan every time he’s home. Finally discharged Dylan and Izzy almost have sex but get interrupted. Dylan, now 20ish, basically pouts and runs away. Still Graham tells Dylan to be home by the 4th of July and Izzy even gives Dylan a letter explaining everything which Dylan DOES NOT READ. WHO DOES THAT??? THIS IS ONE OF THE STUPIDEST TROPES AUTHORS USE!!!
Since Dylan is basically acting like a whiny brat he doesn’t return any of Graham’s phone calls and refuses to head home for the 4th of July. So Izzy tracks him down on a beach in Florida and rather than driving back to Texas immediately EVEN THOUGH IZZY KNOWS THE APOCALYPSE IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN, Izzy jumps into bed with Dylan and awaits the apocalypse just so they can attempt the drive back to Texas in the worst possible conditions. HOW DOES THIS MAKE SENSE???? They could have stolen a Ferrari and driven the whole way at 200 mph. The characters say the pre-apocalypse drive time is 13 hours. Even if they drove the speed limit they would have made it in 16 hours according to google maps. Instead Dylan and Izzy spend the night and a big chunk of the next day together screwing and waiting on the apocalypse. Leaving immediately would have gotten them TO THEIR DESTINATION. The only remotely intelligent thing about this whole scenario is that Izzy at least brought a car specially modified for post-apocalypse conditions.
So finally, about 65% of the way through the book, the apocalypse happens but by this point in time I was pretty much thinking this book would have been better if Dylan had died 100 pages ago.
Izzy’s brilliant plan is to wait two more days before heading from Florida to Texas, theoretically allowing some of the mess to clear off of the highways. During this time they use their cash to collect supplies (before everyone realizes cash is now worthless). Izzy also tells Dylan that she’s a tour guide from 500 years in the future and things are still pretty crappy then. Time travel is one way so there is no going back but in return for Izzy going into the past her parents in the future will receive a ton of money. Also during this time Dylan demonstrates that HE HAS NO CLUE, doing stupid things like suggesting using drinking water for hair washing instead of using ocean water (they are on a beach).
Izzy and Dylan finally leave for Texas and begin the wonderful section of the book where Dylan repeatedly demonstrates he should be dead. They encounter a road block and Dylan wants to just walk up to it and Izzy has to talk him out of it. Etc. They eventually have to stop to sleep because FOR SOME REASON they deem getting out of the car and both sleeping simultaneously to be a better plan than driving in shifts or finding some place to hide out with their VERY SPECIAL CAR???? As you can imagine that doesn’t work out so they lose their car but find another, more crappy, car.
It finally occurs to Dylan and Izzy that having a third person will allow them to sleep in shifts while driving. WHY DIDN’T THAT OCCUR TO THEM BEFORE THEY LOST THEIR CAR SPECIALLY MODIFIED FOR THE APOCALYPSE????? So they pick up a third person and then drive straight into an obvious trap. WHY ARE THEY EVEN ON AN INTERSTATE WITH CHOKE POINTS AT EVERY OVERPASS WHEN BY THEIR OWN INFORMATION SMALL TOWNS WILL HAVE LESS REASON TO BE HOSTILE AT THIS TIME AND RURAL ROADS WILL HAVE FEWER VEHICLES AND PEOPLE FOR THEM TO CONTEND WITH???? Basically these people are too stupid to live in a post-apocalyptic world. They do escape the obvious trap THROUGH THE DUMB LUCK that their car still ran (for a bit) after ramming another car with it. Then, once they’ve lost their second car, they are rescued by a neighbor from Texas. Turns out the time travelers could track Izzy’s phone.
So, now the love-birds are holed up in the Texas compound built to survive the apocalypse with Izzy's husband who runs the place. Dylan demonstrates his inability to cope competently with this situation as well and I STOPPED READING.
BOTTOM LINE: THERE MUST BE SOMETHING BETTER FOR YOU TO READ.
This book opens with what appears to be a separate short story the author tacked on to the beginning of this book. It tells the story of a woman engineer who uses her artificial legs to smuggle a shotgun into a research facility which includes a nuclear reactor. Given her preparations it appears as though she is seeking to sabotage the reactor in such a way as to cause a massive EMP. We are never told why (in the first 73% of the book) she does this only that her actions are the culmination of 20 generations of work. Then there’s a flash of light and the story just ends without any indication as to its meaning or purpose.
Jump to Dylan’s story which starts with him as 13 year old boy in an abusive home in Texas. Weird people move into several of the houses on the block and then the abusive boyfriend of Dylan’s mom disappears. The weird neighbors next give Dylan and his mom jobs. Years pass and Dylan graduates and goes into the army but not before getting some pretty obvious hints that the weird neighbors know an apocalypse is coming in 4 years. Izzy is one of the secretive neighbors who knows about the upcoming apocalypse and she can’t stop herself from flirting with 17 year old Dylan even though she is married to mysterious neighbor Lance, and of course Dylan is too stupid to leave it alone. This is in spite of mysterious neighbor, Graham, telling them both to knock it off.
So Dylan goes into the army without sleeping with Izzy but Izzy keeps flirting with Dylan every time he’s home. Finally discharged Dylan and Izzy almost have sex but get interrupted. Dylan, now 20ish, basically pouts and runs away. Still Graham tells Dylan to be home by the 4th of July and Izzy even gives Dylan a letter explaining everything which Dylan DOES NOT READ. WHO DOES THAT??? THIS IS ONE OF THE STUPIDEST TROPES AUTHORS USE!!!
Since Dylan is basically acting like a whiny brat he doesn’t return any of Graham’s phone calls and refuses to head home for the 4th of July. So Izzy tracks him down on a beach in Florida and rather than driving back to Texas immediately EVEN THOUGH IZZY KNOWS THE APOCALYPSE IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN, Izzy jumps into bed with Dylan and awaits the apocalypse just so they can attempt the drive back to Texas in the worst possible conditions. HOW DOES THIS MAKE SENSE???? They could have stolen a Ferrari and driven the whole way at 200 mph. The characters say the pre-apocalypse drive time is 13 hours. Even if they drove the speed limit they would have made it in 16 hours according to google maps. Instead Dylan and Izzy spend the night and a big chunk of the next day together screwing and waiting on the apocalypse. Leaving immediately would have gotten them TO THEIR DESTINATION. The only remotely intelligent thing about this whole scenario is that Izzy at least brought a car specially modified for post-apocalypse conditions.
So finally, about 65% of the way through the book, the apocalypse happens but by this point in time I was pretty much thinking this book would have been better if Dylan had died 100 pages ago.
Izzy’s brilliant plan is to wait two more days before heading from Florida to Texas, theoretically allowing some of the mess to clear off of the highways. During this time they use their cash to collect supplies (before everyone realizes cash is now worthless). Izzy also tells Dylan that she’s a tour guide from 500 years in the future and things are still pretty crappy then. Time travel is one way so there is no going back but in return for Izzy going into the past her parents in the future will receive a ton of money. Also during this time Dylan demonstrates that HE HAS NO CLUE, doing stupid things like suggesting using drinking water for hair washing instead of using ocean water (they are on a beach).
Izzy and Dylan finally leave for Texas and begin the wonderful section of the book where Dylan repeatedly demonstrates he should be dead. They encounter a road block and Dylan wants to just walk up to it and Izzy has to talk him out of it. Etc. They eventually have to stop to sleep because FOR SOME REASON they deem getting out of the car and both sleeping simultaneously to be a better plan than driving in shifts or finding some place to hide out with their VERY SPECIAL CAR???? As you can imagine that doesn’t work out so they lose their car but find another, more crappy, car.
It finally occurs to Dylan and Izzy that having a third person will allow them to sleep in shifts while driving. WHY DIDN’T THAT OCCUR TO THEM BEFORE THEY LOST THEIR CAR SPECIALLY MODIFIED FOR THE APOCALYPSE????? So they pick up a third person and then drive straight into an obvious trap. WHY ARE THEY EVEN ON AN INTERSTATE WITH CHOKE POINTS AT EVERY OVERPASS WHEN BY THEIR OWN INFORMATION SMALL TOWNS WILL HAVE LESS REASON TO BE HOSTILE AT THIS TIME AND RURAL ROADS WILL HAVE FEWER VEHICLES AND PEOPLE FOR THEM TO CONTEND WITH???? Basically these people are too stupid to live in a post-apocalyptic world. They do escape the obvious trap THROUGH THE DUMB LUCK that their car still ran (for a bit) after ramming another car with it. Then, once they’ve lost their second car, they are rescued by a neighbor from Texas. Turns out the time travelers could track Izzy’s phone.
So, now the love-birds are holed up in the Texas compound built to survive the apocalypse with Izzy's husband who runs the place. Dylan demonstrates his inability to cope competently with this situation as well and I STOPPED READING.
BOTTOM LINE: THERE MUST BE SOMETHING BETTER FOR YOU TO READ.
March 6, 2017
Review originally published at: http://www.lomeraniel.com/audiobookre...
I have received a copy of this book in audio format from the narrator in exchange for an honest review.
The book starts in a future society, a legless woman sabotaging the company that she is working for, and then waiting for somebody to arrive. Back in the present, we witness how a strange crew arrives to the cul-de-sac where Dylan and his mother live, helping them in ways which nobody will expect from a stranger. Some years later an EMP leaves Earth without electricity, and Dylan discovers that this strange crew knows a lot more than anyone should.
It took me some time to get into the story. The opening act felt weird, and then things shifted quickly. From that moment onwards it went smoothly. Waller did a good job building up and keeping the intrigue, just slowly revealing parts of the truth. I really enjoy when there is a mystery behind and we do not get the whole truth almost until the end. It is also very well written.
The characters were well developed and had differentiated personalities. They felt almost real, although there were some reactions that I did not completely understand, especially Dylan's relationship with his mother and his reactions towards her. It felt somehow off.
Despite how well written the story is and the amazing premises, there were a couple of details that did not completely convince me, like Dylan's reaction to what happened to his mother, and the final goal of the mentioned crew. It is never completely explained, and the little we get does not make a lot of sense. It is also not explained what happens with all the fail-safes when they get back. I think more development was needed there since it feels like the weakest part of the story.
J. Scott Bennett did a wonderful job narrating this book, and he delivered male and female voices with efficiency. He took and transmitted all the emotions and nuances to the story. It is my second book narrated by him, and I can totally vouch for him.
All in all it was a very good listen, and despite the minot complaints I have, I really enjoyed it. Just fixing those little things would have made it a five star book.
I have received a copy of this book in audio format from the narrator in exchange for an honest review.
The book starts in a future society, a legless woman sabotaging the company that she is working for, and then waiting for somebody to arrive. Back in the present, we witness how a strange crew arrives to the cul-de-sac where Dylan and his mother live, helping them in ways which nobody will expect from a stranger. Some years later an EMP leaves Earth without electricity, and Dylan discovers that this strange crew knows a lot more than anyone should.
It took me some time to get into the story. The opening act felt weird, and then things shifted quickly. From that moment onwards it went smoothly. Waller did a good job building up and keeping the intrigue, just slowly revealing parts of the truth. I really enjoy when there is a mystery behind and we do not get the whole truth almost until the end. It is also very well written.
The characters were well developed and had differentiated personalities. They felt almost real, although there were some reactions that I did not completely understand, especially Dylan's relationship with his mother and his reactions towards her. It felt somehow off.
Despite how well written the story is and the amazing premises, there were a couple of details that did not completely convince me, like Dylan's reaction to what happened to his mother, and the final goal of the mentioned crew. It is never completely explained, and the little we get does not make a lot of sense. It is also not explained what happens with all the fail-safes when they get back. I think more development was needed there since it feels like the weakest part of the story.
J. Scott Bennett did a wonderful job narrating this book, and he delivered male and female voices with efficiency. He took and transmitted all the emotions and nuances to the story. It is my second book narrated by him, and I can totally vouch for him.
All in all it was a very good listen, and despite the minot complaints I have, I really enjoyed it. Just fixing those little things would have made it a five star book.
February 2, 2017
** Review of Audio Format **
The Apocalypse & Time Travel…What Could Go Wrong?
Dylan meets Graham right before Graham kills Dylan’s mom’s boyfriend. The boyfriend is a jerk and deserves to die so don’t feel sorry for him. Graham takes care of Dylan and his battered mom from then on by employing them both.
Soon after, Dylan meets Izzy and sometime after that, the two of them fall in love. The only problem is that Izzy’s boyfriend is a jealous maniac and her and Graham’s boss. Dylan joins the military to get away from an impossible situation. Izzy tells him not to re-up after 2015 so he doesn’t. When he comes home after being discharged, things at home haven’t changed except now pretty much everyone on his little street is now employed by Graham and building a mysterious facility in the middle of the west Texas desert. Dylan finds he still can’t have Izzy so he leaves again. Graham tells him to come back no later than July 4th. Dylan doesn’t listen and ends up in Florida on a beach when the apocalypse happens. Izzy, who has come to get him to save his stubborn butt, explains what she and Graham and the others have been doing for the last 10 years. Soon, the two are trying to get back to Texas and running into all sorts of trouble.
Don’t expect this to be an everybody dies or a happily ever after story. Life is complicated and so, it turns out, is Dylan. I guessed much about the ending so I wasn���t totally surprised and found it quite satisfying. Of course, I am a sucker for happy endings so had my fingers crossed that everyone would live but, c’mon! it was the apocalypse so, of course, people died!
Loved F. Scott Bennett’s narration. He got it right in all the right ways, as he does in everything I listen to by him.
I received this audiobook for free through Audiobook Boom! In exchange for an honest review.
The Apocalypse & Time Travel…What Could Go Wrong?
Dylan meets Graham right before Graham kills Dylan’s mom’s boyfriend. The boyfriend is a jerk and deserves to die so don’t feel sorry for him. Graham takes care of Dylan and his battered mom from then on by employing them both.
Soon after, Dylan meets Izzy and sometime after that, the two of them fall in love. The only problem is that Izzy’s boyfriend is a jealous maniac and her and Graham’s boss. Dylan joins the military to get away from an impossible situation. Izzy tells him not to re-up after 2015 so he doesn’t. When he comes home after being discharged, things at home haven’t changed except now pretty much everyone on his little street is now employed by Graham and building a mysterious facility in the middle of the west Texas desert. Dylan finds he still can’t have Izzy so he leaves again. Graham tells him to come back no later than July 4th. Dylan doesn’t listen and ends up in Florida on a beach when the apocalypse happens. Izzy, who has come to get him to save his stubborn butt, explains what she and Graham and the others have been doing for the last 10 years. Soon, the two are trying to get back to Texas and running into all sorts of trouble.
Don’t expect this to be an everybody dies or a happily ever after story. Life is complicated and so, it turns out, is Dylan. I guessed much about the ending so I wasn���t totally surprised and found it quite satisfying. Of course, I am a sucker for happy endings so had my fingers crossed that everyone would live but, c’mon! it was the apocalypse so, of course, people died!
Loved F. Scott Bennett’s narration. He got it right in all the right ways, as he does in everything I listen to by him.
I received this audiobook for free through Audiobook Boom! In exchange for an honest review.
September 16, 2017
A well written, enjoyable and engaging story. Bit of a different take on an apocalyptic story. The story pulls you in from the beginning. The way the story unfolded was not how I though it would, but it was definitely creative, interesting and very entertaining. It's definilty worth your time and credit.
A mixture of time-travel, apocalyptic, dystopian, romance, mystery, suspense and intrigue all woven into a really good story.
Things start out in one direction then completely change and by the time you get back around to "the beginning "again you are so caught up in the story you have completely forgotten how it "started" then suddenly with a fantastic twist things fall into place and take another unexpected turn. One that has you saying "well I didn't see that coming. I don't want to say anything to ruin the story for anyone.
What if your future is someone else's past? Great cast of well rounded characters.
Although this is a stand alone book with a great ending I'm really hoping that there is a sequel or it's turned into a series. I would definilty follow Dylan, Dickie, and the rest of the group through any travels they undertake.
J. Scott Bennett once again does a fantastic job with the narration. Nice voice. Easy to listen to for long periods of time. Clearly spoken with a smooth even pace. Great character voices. You always know which character is speaking. Dickie's stutter was perfect. He brings the characters to life through his narration. He just has one of those voices that was made for narrating books. Very enjoyable.
I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator or publisher.
A mixture of time-travel, apocalyptic, dystopian, romance, mystery, suspense and intrigue all woven into a really good story.
Things start out in one direction then completely change and by the time you get back around to "the beginning "again you are so caught up in the story you have completely forgotten how it "started" then suddenly with a fantastic twist things fall into place and take another unexpected turn. One that has you saying "well I didn't see that coming. I don't want to say anything to ruin the story for anyone.
What if your future is someone else's past? Great cast of well rounded characters.
Although this is a stand alone book with a great ending I'm really hoping that there is a sequel or it's turned into a series. I would definilty follow Dylan, Dickie, and the rest of the group through any travels they undertake.
J. Scott Bennett once again does a fantastic job with the narration. Nice voice. Easy to listen to for long periods of time. Clearly spoken with a smooth even pace. Great character voices. You always know which character is speaking. Dickie's stutter was perfect. He brings the characters to life through his narration. He just has one of those voices that was made for narrating books. Very enjoyable.
I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator or publisher.
February 7, 2017
I have to write this one carefully, as the ending might cloud what I wanted to say before I got to it. The ending is sweet (although being far from perfect with at least one major question about the future Dylan - the main charachter - scheme, not to mention it contradicts what Dylan thought just a few pages before).
The book can be divided into several parts, only some of which were interesting. The third part, The roadtrip through the apocalypsed south was to most interesting, but was sadly cut short by a deus-ex-machina sort of a solution.
The main problem of the book, as I said to myself over and over while reading it, was Dylan. He's insufferable. He's constantly whining, unfocused and self-centered. One minute he's resolved at a thing, the other he thinks of another, while wallowing in self pity all the while. Even the final solution to the book, which puts to question the entire final third of the book, as he gets nothing done in his obviously weak plan to settle things since he's distracted by a charachter he met for five minutes and didn't really connect with. The rest of the characters felt underdeveloped and the whole story, although the concept is interesting, needed some strong jumps of faith to be taken.
The book can be divided into several parts, only some of which were interesting. The third part, The roadtrip through the apocalypsed south was to most interesting, but was sadly cut short by a deus-ex-machina sort of a solution.
The main problem of the book, as I said to myself over and over while reading it, was Dylan. He's insufferable. He's constantly whining, unfocused and self-centered. One minute he's resolved at a thing, the other he thinks of another, while wallowing in self pity all the while. Even the final solution to the book, which puts to question the entire final third of the book, as he gets nothing done in his obviously weak plan to settle things since he's distracted by a charachter he met for five minutes and didn't really connect with. The rest of the characters felt underdeveloped and the whole story, although the concept is interesting, needed some strong jumps of faith to be taken.
June 5, 2016
Warning, big plot spoilers.
It just didn't do it for me. I thought the story idea was great, people come back from a dark future to watch the apocalypse in alternate time lines. I was enjoying the book until 3/4 of the way through when everything just got weird.
A bunch of the main characters get killed, and oh by the way one of them was pregnant with the main character's baby, which mysteriously wasn't evident to anyone else until that moment? Then a Mad Max style chase ensues, and when the main character fails to kill the bad guy he decides that he'll just hitchhike into the future using a stolen implanted device from another dead character. So leaving his infant son behind (lucky they had a failed out trauma surgeon to both re-implant the return-to-the-future device and deliver the baby from the dead mother at the same time) he meets his future descendent and saves her from death, while killing the bad guy before he becomes the bad guy. Then decides he doesn't want to stay with the love of his life after all and goes back in time to a different past time line to live the story over again as a 20 year older version of himself? Ok then.
It just didn't do it for me. I thought the story idea was great, people come back from a dark future to watch the apocalypse in alternate time lines. I was enjoying the book until 3/4 of the way through when everything just got weird.
A bunch of the main characters get killed, and oh by the way one of them was pregnant with the main character's baby, which mysteriously wasn't evident to anyone else until that moment? Then a Mad Max style chase ensues, and when the main character fails to kill the bad guy he decides that he'll just hitchhike into the future using a stolen implanted device from another dead character. So leaving his infant son behind (lucky they had a failed out trauma surgeon to both re-implant the return-to-the-future device and deliver the baby from the dead mother at the same time) he meets his future descendent and saves her from death, while killing the bad guy before he becomes the bad guy. Then decides he doesn't want to stay with the love of his life after all and goes back in time to a different past time line to live the story over again as a 20 year older version of himself? Ok then.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 22, 2018
This is my 2nd C.F. Waller audiobook (Free Dive & Tourist of the Apocalypse) I’m looking forward to the 3rd (South Face). Don’t get hung-up on preconceived ideas about time travel or mainstream zombie apocalypse, the story line is refreshingly original. I listen to audio books during my long work commute, there are so many twists, turns, and surprises I found myself (on more than one occasion) sitting in the car for an extra few minutes, I couldn’t put the book down! Narration for Tourist of the Apocalypse is done by J.Scott Bennett he is absolutely outstanding!
April 16, 2018
Near the top of my all time great reads
I cannot say how much I enjoyed this book. I haven't had this much enjoyment reading a new author in a while. It stared a little slowly but once it started, Bam! The thrills just would not stop: Izzy and Dylan. Time travel. Apocalypse. Soldiers. Fast Cars. Smart doctors in yoga pants. And an awesome ending with a bad ass Scooby-Doo gang. I'm thinking about reading it again just to see what I missed. Read it, you won't regret it. P.S. SEQUEL Please!!!!!!!!
Highest of high recommendations.
I cannot say how much I enjoyed this book. I haven't had this much enjoyment reading a new author in a while. It stared a little slowly but once it started, Bam! The thrills just would not stop: Izzy and Dylan. Time travel. Apocalypse. Soldiers. Fast Cars. Smart doctors in yoga pants. And an awesome ending with a bad ass Scooby-Doo gang. I'm thinking about reading it again just to see what I missed. Read it, you won't regret it. P.S. SEQUEL Please!!!!!!!!
Highest of high recommendations.
February 23, 2017
I really enjoyed this! It goes right along with my two favorite genres, time travel & the apocalypse.
It was very original, fun, fast & entertaining!
Great narrator too, he did an amazing job.
I did feel like I missed something at the very end & wonder where the money was coming from....
I highly recommend this books it would be great for adults & older teens too.
I was voluntarily provided this review copy at no charge by the author, publisher and or narrator.
It was very original, fun, fast & entertaining!
Great narrator too, he did an amazing job.
I did feel like I missed something at the very end & wonder where the money was coming from....
I highly recommend this books it would be great for adults & older teens too.
I was voluntarily provided this review copy at no charge by the author, publisher and or narrator.
June 23, 2022
Some of this book was very entertaining, some of it (especially at the beginning) was not so entertaining. The protagonist can be a bit annoying at times as well. He puts themselves in a dangerous position then later almost nopes out one the very people he put in that position. There is some time travel at the end but its not what I would think of as a time travel book. I am glad I read it but its not something I could see re-reading.
August 10, 2017
I really liked this audio at first it is a little confusing but the author ties it all in at the end. What a great story about dooms day. The author goes into how the world changes, how long it takes people to turn against each other when they find they have lost everything. The author take today’s world and shifts it back to the 1800 before electricity, before cars. You have a cell phone, a car, heat, air, you have all the things we have today but with one flip of a switch you lose it all. What would you do if you couldn’t get home, maybe you are on a trip but now you find cars, trains, and planes no longer run? This book is about a small town in Texas and the families there taking you through the hardships of today going through the years as one small 13 year old grows up. A kind man comes to town buys up houses throws money around as he helps this family. They talk about strange things, seem to be doing strange things. What could all this be about?
Mr. Bennett’s narration is outstanding as he brings to life the story with strong emotions, confusion, power, control, anger, loss, heartache. You can hear all these in his voice as he builds each character giving us their strengths and weakness. His female and male voices are wonderful you always know who is talking and just what they are feeling. There are no background noises, no volume changes just a very clean clear audio that really pulls you in. If any breaks were taken you cannot tell. What really makes this an outstanding audio is how the narrator really brings it to life, you have no trouble getting lost in his pleasant voice which makes it very easy to picture the scenes in your mind. He really gives character to the characters as he puts his self in their place. Dickie is so sweet and kind with a mental issue after an accident but he is very strong and determined. Mr. Bennett gives the full impact through his voice as your heart goes out to him and later cheer him on. Each character goes through a trying time, the narrator has no trouble showing you exactly what they are feeling. It is a great narration that really pulls you in leaving you laughing and sad at other times.
The author as well as the narrator has put a lot of time and thought into this book/audio. We may set and think about what the future will be like when the end is near. I can promise most of us have not really come close to what the book brings to the table. Who will you save, who will you walk away from and why? How will you keep your home and family safe? How will you get home to your family and what will you have to go through before you get there? What about food, water and so much more. I was very surprised at the detail that was given this story sometimes ia shocking but very believable. But at the same time the author gives you humor that makes you smile or downright laugh which is very well balanced with the sadness, horror, and fear. It is an exciting read with thrills and adventure but can be downright chilling. He gives you very detailed scenes that you picture in your mind as he takes you to a place that we all fear and hope we never see. The characters are very vivid and real as they deal with day to day issues, their fear, needs and issues of the unknown. I really enjoyed getting to know each one and all that they bring to this story. What you are given is a story about time travel as a group comes back to the past, how they change things and the power they have. It is a compelling read that pulls you in from the first page to the last. It was a story I could not put down. I had to know what these people were going through and what would happen next. The ending is wonderful and could be setup for a series. There are places you think oh no this isn’t the way I wanted it to go, but the author twists it around to make it a better ending giving hope for the future. There is romance but it isn’t over bearing it blends well with the story. I totally enjoyed it and this book as one of my favorite reads/listens of the year. If you like time travel, adventure along with a few chills, fears and thrills you do not want to miss this exciting story with a twists that holds your attention leaving you spellbound
Mr. Bennett’s narration is outstanding as he brings to life the story with strong emotions, confusion, power, control, anger, loss, heartache. You can hear all these in his voice as he builds each character giving us their strengths and weakness. His female and male voices are wonderful you always know who is talking and just what they are feeling. There are no background noises, no volume changes just a very clean clear audio that really pulls you in. If any breaks were taken you cannot tell. What really makes this an outstanding audio is how the narrator really brings it to life, you have no trouble getting lost in his pleasant voice which makes it very easy to picture the scenes in your mind. He really gives character to the characters as he puts his self in their place. Dickie is so sweet and kind with a mental issue after an accident but he is very strong and determined. Mr. Bennett gives the full impact through his voice as your heart goes out to him and later cheer him on. Each character goes through a trying time, the narrator has no trouble showing you exactly what they are feeling. It is a great narration that really pulls you in leaving you laughing and sad at other times.
The author as well as the narrator has put a lot of time and thought into this book/audio. We may set and think about what the future will be like when the end is near. I can promise most of us have not really come close to what the book brings to the table. Who will you save, who will you walk away from and why? How will you keep your home and family safe? How will you get home to your family and what will you have to go through before you get there? What about food, water and so much more. I was very surprised at the detail that was given this story sometimes ia shocking but very believable. But at the same time the author gives you humor that makes you smile or downright laugh which is very well balanced with the sadness, horror, and fear. It is an exciting read with thrills and adventure but can be downright chilling. He gives you very detailed scenes that you picture in your mind as he takes you to a place that we all fear and hope we never see. The characters are very vivid and real as they deal with day to day issues, their fear, needs and issues of the unknown. I really enjoyed getting to know each one and all that they bring to this story. What you are given is a story about time travel as a group comes back to the past, how they change things and the power they have. It is a compelling read that pulls you in from the first page to the last. It was a story I could not put down. I had to know what these people were going through and what would happen next. The ending is wonderful and could be setup for a series. There are places you think oh no this isn’t the way I wanted it to go, but the author twists it around to make it a better ending giving hope for the future. There is romance but it isn’t over bearing it blends well with the story. I totally enjoyed it and this book as one of my favorite reads/listens of the year. If you like time travel, adventure along with a few chills, fears and thrills you do not want to miss this exciting story with a twists that holds your attention leaving you spellbound
November 28, 2017
Brilliant. What a fun read with so many different layers. Time travel books can be tiresome to be honest and I usually try to avoid getting bogged down with techno-babble and drawn out descriptions of scientific theories. This is not one of those boring tales. Think of the film ‘The butterfly Effect’ with a ‘bad guy’ plus the added bonus of an Apocalypse, car chases and more. I loved every bit of this story!
November 29, 2016
Stayed up late, worth the read and very different for the grnre!
Spoilers!
Not at all what I expected and the most different of the books in this genre that I have read. Would have liked a longer ending or maybe a second in the series to know every ending detail. A few typos but less than five that I noticed. Worth the read!
Spoilers!
Not at all what I expected and the most different of the books in this genre that I have read. Would have liked a longer ending or maybe a second in the series to know every ending detail. A few typos but less than five that I noticed. Worth the read!
May 11, 2017
Well worth reading!
I always enjoy time travel stories and this one won't let you down. The characters are believable. Waller doesn't leave you with a fairytale ending but I liked it regardless. This tale would make a great movie.
I always enjoy time travel stories and this one won't let you down. The characters are believable. Waller doesn't leave you with a fairytale ending but I liked it regardless. This tale would make a great movie.
May 21, 2017
**I have received this title for free from Audiobook Jukebox and ACX for an unbiased review.**
Title: Tourists of the Apocalypse
Author: C.F. Waller
Narrator: J. Scott Bennett
Length: 12 hrs and 28 mins
Publisher/Date Published: C.F.Waller/ 1-13-2017
Have you ever experienced a power outage? For most of us the answer would be yes at some point in our lives, but how long did that outage last, a few hours? A few days if it was because of natural disaster, and how far did that outage affect? But what if you knew ahead of time when the world was going to go into total blackout? Would you go on vacation to see it and prepare ahead of time for the aftermath?
For Dylan Townsend, his new neighbors seem out of place for their small town in Texas on the edge of becoming a ghost town. With their wads of money being thrown around and their unusual use of current phrases, they make themselves at home. But are they really making themselves at home, or have they picked this small town as a barrier for themselves against what they are there to witness?
Tourists of the Apocalypse is a tale of the all to real threat that this world currently facing. The audio book starts out with the author telling us about a report that was published publicly at the same time the 9/11 Commission Report was published entitled, Critical National Infrastructures Report. The scary part about this, ITS TRUE! Like most of the world or at least those in the United States, we were so focused on understanding everything that happened around 9/11 and what we can do to never have this happen again, we completely failed to pay attention to anything else that could be just as dangerous! You can read more about it at www.empcommission.org.
C.F. Waller really does an amazing job to weave this information into the very beginning of this story, so that you are aware that the story he is about to tell you, however unlikely, could become out new reality very quickly. His writing style throughout the novel was very neat. When I say this I mean he gave description where it needed to be but didn't over dwell on every little thing. Everything he payed attention to enriched the story and didn't make it drag on into dead zones. This novel had no dead zones. From the very first introduction to Lucy, all the way to the very end with Dylan you are left with a fully enriched and evenly paced novel. You get a bit of everything in this novel. You get science, family, love, gunfights and death, history and choice. There are things here and there that you can pick apart but if you learn to let go of everything that is thrown at us about reality and let it bend the rules a bit, this novel is the most true look at an individual I've listened to in some time!
J. Scott Bennett does a fantastic job of switching between characters. He reads smoothly at the same speed throughout the book. At no point was I dulled to sleep, had trouble understanding what was being said or had a lack of not wanting to continue.
Overall, I was pleasantly surprise by this book. I was a bit disappointed in some of the ways things ended but by the end I cared deeply for the characters, was invested in their outcomes, and came away from the book happy that I was given the chance to listen to it. There is no profanity which is a surprise considering there were plenty of times it could have been appropriately used. There was violence and death but how can the world as we know it effective get shut off and both not happen instantly. And last but not least, I took away the realization that this may be the first time I have so clearly understood that the main character understands just how selfish and how wrong all of his choices have been and tries to do something about it. And I'm not talking about the last minute "throw yourself in front of the bus to save others" understanding of trying to make things right. I mean you understand and can almost feel the weight in the words of the true impact of what Dylan's decisions have caused. If you've made it this far in the review you are probably thinking that I have totally lost it reading how I am gushing about what I took away from this book. With the real threats we face everyday now, and understanding that we as a nation and as a species can do horrible things that will cause this world to end as we know it now, I live just as selfishly as Dylan has. I make my decisions based on what I want now, not on what that will cause in the future. I think we all do. We understand what we need to do for the future to survive, but we keep thinking to ourselves that no one person can make a huge impact. But then a novel like this goes to show you and makes you realize that for a family, it only takes one person to make an impact for generations, which in turn makes an impact on the world.
I highly recommend for those who love apocalypse, time travel, love is love, history, science-y novels. If you'd rather read it, that's awesome too, but I'd HIGHLY recommend listening to this one. I feel there are times when I just wouldn't have walked away with the same feelings from a book if I would have read it versus listening to it.
Title: Tourists of the Apocalypse
Author: C.F. Waller
Narrator: J. Scott Bennett
Length: 12 hrs and 28 mins
Publisher/Date Published: C.F.Waller/ 1-13-2017
Have you ever experienced a power outage? For most of us the answer would be yes at some point in our lives, but how long did that outage last, a few hours? A few days if it was because of natural disaster, and how far did that outage affect? But what if you knew ahead of time when the world was going to go into total blackout? Would you go on vacation to see it and prepare ahead of time for the aftermath?
For Dylan Townsend, his new neighbors seem out of place for their small town in Texas on the edge of becoming a ghost town. With their wads of money being thrown around and their unusual use of current phrases, they make themselves at home. But are they really making themselves at home, or have they picked this small town as a barrier for themselves against what they are there to witness?
Tourists of the Apocalypse is a tale of the all to real threat that this world currently facing. The audio book starts out with the author telling us about a report that was published publicly at the same time the 9/11 Commission Report was published entitled, Critical National Infrastructures Report. The scary part about this, ITS TRUE! Like most of the world or at least those in the United States, we were so focused on understanding everything that happened around 9/11 and what we can do to never have this happen again, we completely failed to pay attention to anything else that could be just as dangerous! You can read more about it at www.empcommission.org.
C.F. Waller really does an amazing job to weave this information into the very beginning of this story, so that you are aware that the story he is about to tell you, however unlikely, could become out new reality very quickly. His writing style throughout the novel was very neat. When I say this I mean he gave description where it needed to be but didn't over dwell on every little thing. Everything he payed attention to enriched the story and didn't make it drag on into dead zones. This novel had no dead zones. From the very first introduction to Lucy, all the way to the very end with Dylan you are left with a fully enriched and evenly paced novel. You get a bit of everything in this novel. You get science, family, love, gunfights and death, history and choice. There are things here and there that you can pick apart but if you learn to let go of everything that is thrown at us about reality and let it bend the rules a bit, this novel is the most true look at an individual I've listened to in some time!
J. Scott Bennett does a fantastic job of switching between characters. He reads smoothly at the same speed throughout the book. At no point was I dulled to sleep, had trouble understanding what was being said or had a lack of not wanting to continue.
Overall, I was pleasantly surprise by this book. I was a bit disappointed in some of the ways things ended but by the end I cared deeply for the characters, was invested in their outcomes, and came away from the book happy that I was given the chance to listen to it. There is no profanity which is a surprise considering there were plenty of times it could have been appropriately used. There was violence and death but how can the world as we know it effective get shut off and both not happen instantly. And last but not least, I took away the realization that this may be the first time I have so clearly understood that the main character understands just how selfish and how wrong all of his choices have been and tries to do something about it. And I'm not talking about the last minute "throw yourself in front of the bus to save others" understanding of trying to make things right. I mean you understand and can almost feel the weight in the words of the true impact of what Dylan's decisions have caused. If you've made it this far in the review you are probably thinking that I have totally lost it reading how I am gushing about what I took away from this book. With the real threats we face everyday now, and understanding that we as a nation and as a species can do horrible things that will cause this world to end as we know it now, I live just as selfishly as Dylan has. I make my decisions based on what I want now, not on what that will cause in the future. I think we all do. We understand what we need to do for the future to survive, but we keep thinking to ourselves that no one person can make a huge impact. But then a novel like this goes to show you and makes you realize that for a family, it only takes one person to make an impact for generations, which in turn makes an impact on the world.
I highly recommend for those who love apocalypse, time travel, love is love, history, science-y novels. If you'd rather read it, that's awesome too, but I'd HIGHLY recommend listening to this one. I feel there are times when I just wouldn't have walked away with the same feelings from a book if I would have read it versus listening to it.
January 19, 2020
I received a free review copy of this audio book, at my request, and am voluntarily leaving this unbiased review.
This book definitely was not what I expected. In my ways, its just another EMP Apocalyptic book. In other ways it's just another love story. And in other ways it's another buddy action story. However, it is doesn't do any of these plot types particularly well, but when it is all put together it is an enjoyable book, that is just not run of the mill enough to be enjoyable.
The first thing I want to say is this Apocalyptic book took 3 and a half hours to apocalypse, and that's too much pre Apocalyptic back story. There is also an authors note at the beginning which tries to explain some of the concepts of the book, which I feel it got kinda right, but kinda wrong.
The first chapter takes place in a time separate from the main plot, and follows someone doing something we have no context for and no understanding of the motivation. It is not an idea start and the pieces for chapter 1 don't start to make sense until much, much later in the book.
The book then goes to a modern day story which takes most of the rest of the narrative. The characters of the main plot are mostly pretty standard. The poor, abused mom, the abused but nice kid, the abusive boyfriend, the mysterious next door neighbor who drives the plot but won't provide exposition. Then the disabled neighbor, love interest, sudden best friend, etc. The characters themselves are well written, complex people with real motivations and not just 1 dimensional plot devices, even if they do fit into well worn stereotypes.
The plot is a little convoluted and contradicts itself at one point. We really see nothing of the plot until 3.5 hours in, when the Apocalyptic book apocalypses. Then we finally learn, slowly, what's going on. However, the author unnaturally unfolds the plot in a way that is meant to take the time for the reader to put pieces together a little here and there, rather than a big exposition dump all at once. However, it feels unnatural for 2 reasons, first that's not how life works. Secondly, it is often explained that there's no time to explain something, or are not sure where they should say something or not, etc. However this happens of the course of days of the characters alone together, there was a TON of time and as **minor spoilers** it was explained in a note given to the main character that was never read. now having the character who wrote not want to tell the main character, it doesn't make a lot of sense.
In any case, the story is still highly enjoyable. The plot is well organized and sensible. The characters react in meaningful ways and the reactions mostly are probable.
The voice acting by J Scott Bennett is well done. He has a decent range of voices to draw from and his female voices are good enough that they don't seem out of place.
All in all a really good book, with great characters, really good voice acting and a believable plot. The book is in danger, at times, of falling into cliche plot lines, but mostly avoids them to make a unique adventure. Some minor plot holes exist and once you accept them, the book is a good time.
**-spoilers***
So a big plot point of the book is the love triangle between Dylan, Izzy and Lance. Lance is a jerk, who treats Izzy poorly, is abusive and controlling. Lance is shown to kick the crap out of Gary, and generally be menacing to everyone else. However, Dylan (or anyone) never comes to the conclusion to just kill Lance. Tell him the brutal truth, and if he gets physical, shoot him. While he is the leader of the hive, he doesn't seem that important. Not only does no one intend to do it, but it's never even brought up.
This is also part of the problem, Dylan is the most passive and useless soldier in this apocalypse. He can't shoot straight, he has little tactical skills and he has a real problem fighting. It IS explained that he was a stores clerk, but as Dylan loves to point out, be did go through basic.
Lastly, the ending is fairly flawed. It is established that the timeline of the book isn't the timeline of the time machine. When travelers are send back, they arrive in an alternate dimension and there is no causality effect. However, Dylan leaves a note for his kid to help he out when it goes back to the future, and the note and a relative are there. It makes little sense. As did leaving Izzy in the future, but meeting up with Fitz in the past.
This book definitely was not what I expected. In my ways, its just another EMP Apocalyptic book. In other ways it's just another love story. And in other ways it's another buddy action story. However, it is doesn't do any of these plot types particularly well, but when it is all put together it is an enjoyable book, that is just not run of the mill enough to be enjoyable.
The first thing I want to say is this Apocalyptic book took 3 and a half hours to apocalypse, and that's too much pre Apocalyptic back story. There is also an authors note at the beginning which tries to explain some of the concepts of the book, which I feel it got kinda right, but kinda wrong.
The first chapter takes place in a time separate from the main plot, and follows someone doing something we have no context for and no understanding of the motivation. It is not an idea start and the pieces for chapter 1 don't start to make sense until much, much later in the book.
The book then goes to a modern day story which takes most of the rest of the narrative. The characters of the main plot are mostly pretty standard. The poor, abused mom, the abused but nice kid, the abusive boyfriend, the mysterious next door neighbor who drives the plot but won't provide exposition. Then the disabled neighbor, love interest, sudden best friend, etc. The characters themselves are well written, complex people with real motivations and not just 1 dimensional plot devices, even if they do fit into well worn stereotypes.
The plot is a little convoluted and contradicts itself at one point. We really see nothing of the plot until 3.5 hours in, when the Apocalyptic book apocalypses. Then we finally learn, slowly, what's going on. However, the author unnaturally unfolds the plot in a way that is meant to take the time for the reader to put pieces together a little here and there, rather than a big exposition dump all at once. However, it feels unnatural for 2 reasons, first that's not how life works. Secondly, it is often explained that there's no time to explain something, or are not sure where they should say something or not, etc. However this happens of the course of days of the characters alone together, there was a TON of time and as **minor spoilers** it was explained in a note given to the main character that was never read. now having the character who wrote not want to tell the main character, it doesn't make a lot of sense.
In any case, the story is still highly enjoyable. The plot is well organized and sensible. The characters react in meaningful ways and the reactions mostly are probable.
The voice acting by J Scott Bennett is well done. He has a decent range of voices to draw from and his female voices are good enough that they don't seem out of place.
All in all a really good book, with great characters, really good voice acting and a believable plot. The book is in danger, at times, of falling into cliche plot lines, but mostly avoids them to make a unique adventure. Some minor plot holes exist and once you accept them, the book is a good time.
**-spoilers***
So a big plot point of the book is the love triangle between Dylan, Izzy and Lance. Lance is a jerk, who treats Izzy poorly, is abusive and controlling. Lance is shown to kick the crap out of Gary, and generally be menacing to everyone else. However, Dylan (or anyone) never comes to the conclusion to just kill Lance. Tell him the brutal truth, and if he gets physical, shoot him. While he is the leader of the hive, he doesn't seem that important. Not only does no one intend to do it, but it's never even brought up.
This is also part of the problem, Dylan is the most passive and useless soldier in this apocalypse. He can't shoot straight, he has little tactical skills and he has a real problem fighting. It IS explained that he was a stores clerk, but as Dylan loves to point out, be did go through basic.
Lastly, the ending is fairly flawed. It is established that the timeline of the book isn't the timeline of the time machine. When travelers are send back, they arrive in an alternate dimension and there is no causality effect. However, Dylan leaves a note for his kid to help he out when it goes back to the future, and the note and a relative are there. It makes little sense. As did leaving Izzy in the future, but meeting up with Fitz in the past.
August 8, 2018
I don’t know what made me pick up this book, but it is GREAT!
I love time travel books, but this is time travel meets Mad Max with a sexy little love sorry thrown in for good measure. In fact, this is a cracking example of dystopian literature, although society isn’t so much teetering on the brink of collapse …. It’s collapsed, and CF Waller forced me to seriously consider what life would be like were we to be attacked by terrorists with access to electromagnetic-pulse-weapons, in other words EMPs. And our government is convinced there are countries out there who have access to these weapons.
My first thought was that with no electricity whatsoever my son and I would have to walk down to the supermarket and stock up. There may be riots down there – nobody could call the police and the police couldn’t come in any case. They’d be too busy walking home to their own families. So at the supermarket, if we made it out of there alive, we’d need to stock up with whatever we could.
Steaks was the first thought. Come on, they’d go off in a couple of days. No, we’d need canned food and water. And then we’d have to fight our way all the way home, hoping my wife was safe.
Next trip would be to the nearest garden centre in order to stock up on seeds for growing our own vegetables. That’s quite a long walk, which could prove fruitless, and it would mean leaving my wife to defend the house on her own. Perhaps I should go on my own and leave my son with her. Or better still, send him on his own. He’s fitter and faster than me and doesn’t have any dodgy knees. Much as I’d hate to send him on his own, I’d need to stay home to defend the house
I’m already undecided as to what to do.
But what then. In our own home we’d be completely isolated. We’d need to join a group of people. Strength in numbers. The best bet, much as it would grieve us, would be to leave our house knowing that we may never, ever return, and head to the local football club. We’d have to fight our way all the way there because we’d be pushing shopping trolleys filled with canned food and water that people would possibly kill for. We’d need weapons.
Maybe we should stay put, and team up with the neighbours, but sooner or later we’d need more food.
The situation would seem like the complete destruction of the world.
Meet Tourists of the Apocalypse.
The book is vastly different to way I’ve described the first 24 hours of an EMP blackout above, but because I don’t want to place any spoilers in this review.
There are several twists in this story, and it really is worth a read to watch how it all pans out.
I loved this book
I love time travel books, but this is time travel meets Mad Max with a sexy little love sorry thrown in for good measure. In fact, this is a cracking example of dystopian literature, although society isn’t so much teetering on the brink of collapse …. It’s collapsed, and CF Waller forced me to seriously consider what life would be like were we to be attacked by terrorists with access to electromagnetic-pulse-weapons, in other words EMPs. And our government is convinced there are countries out there who have access to these weapons.
My first thought was that with no electricity whatsoever my son and I would have to walk down to the supermarket and stock up. There may be riots down there – nobody could call the police and the police couldn’t come in any case. They’d be too busy walking home to their own families. So at the supermarket, if we made it out of there alive, we’d need to stock up with whatever we could.
Steaks was the first thought. Come on, they’d go off in a couple of days. No, we’d need canned food and water. And then we’d have to fight our way all the way home, hoping my wife was safe.
Next trip would be to the nearest garden centre in order to stock up on seeds for growing our own vegetables. That’s quite a long walk, which could prove fruitless, and it would mean leaving my wife to defend the house on her own. Perhaps I should go on my own and leave my son with her. Or better still, send him on his own. He’s fitter and faster than me and doesn’t have any dodgy knees. Much as I’d hate to send him on his own, I’d need to stay home to defend the house
I’m already undecided as to what to do.
But what then. In our own home we’d be completely isolated. We’d need to join a group of people. Strength in numbers. The best bet, much as it would grieve us, would be to leave our house knowing that we may never, ever return, and head to the local football club. We’d have to fight our way all the way there because we’d be pushing shopping trolleys filled with canned food and water that people would possibly kill for. We’d need weapons.
Maybe we should stay put, and team up with the neighbours, but sooner or later we’d need more food.
The situation would seem like the complete destruction of the world.
Meet Tourists of the Apocalypse.
The book is vastly different to way I’ve described the first 24 hours of an EMP blackout above, but because I don’t want to place any spoilers in this review.
There are several twists in this story, and it really is worth a read to watch how it all pans out.
I loved this book
January 31, 2017
( Format : Audiobook)
""Don't ask questions you don't want the answers.""
The author takes time to precede the opening chapters of his book to give his audience background information about E.M.P.s, and how just three strategically exploded nuclear devices could put out all of the lights in the U.S.A. He even commends to the reader a Government report about the dangers which was published on the same day as the one which investigated the happenings of 9/11 (and so was overlooked by the press).
And then the story begins...
From the very beginning the listener is drawn into a strange determination of a single female employee of some unknown facility, nuclear based, to blow up the building. All is set in motion but then she waits ... It will be a long time before we meet her again.
The scene changes as we are introduced to a teenaged boy, the main protagonist, named Dylan : and it is his life we follow as he is befriended by newly arrived neighbours with mysterious backgrounds, falls in love and survives the apocalypse. And discovers his neighbour's secrets.
It is a book of several parts, very unusual, mostly quite thrilling and not at all the usual story of total social breakdown found in most other post apocalyptic stories (although, inevitably, there are some such harrowing scenes). Plus, running through most of the book is the simple mystery - what does the person named as the Failsafe actually do?
The character building in Tourists of the Apocalypse is good, excellent in some cases - I especially enjoyed the development of Dicky, one of Dylan's near neighbours who had suffered brain damage as a youth. Yet somehow the people never really seemed to come fully to life, despite the best efforts of the marvellous J.Scott Bennett, whose narration was superb and each voicing individual and distinctive. An air of unreality seemed to hang over the central part of the story, as if the little group of individuals was somehow not part of the aftermath of the devestation. After the intriguing, exciting first hours, I found my attention wavering during this central section, only to be vigorously revived again in the latter part of the book. And the ending was superb.
So nearly a five star - for the originality, the different approaches, a sense of mystery, the absolutely thrilling chases towards the ending of the book, and even for the portrayal of Dylan and Dicky - yet for me it did not gel as seamlessly as a truly five star book should.
That said, it is an exceptionally good listen and my thanks go out to the rights holder who gifted me my copy, via Audiobook Boom. I would certainly recommend it to all post apocalyptic fans
""Don't ask questions you don't want the answers.""
The author takes time to precede the opening chapters of his book to give his audience background information about E.M.P.s, and how just three strategically exploded nuclear devices could put out all of the lights in the U.S.A. He even commends to the reader a Government report about the dangers which was published on the same day as the one which investigated the happenings of 9/11 (and so was overlooked by the press).
And then the story begins...
From the very beginning the listener is drawn into a strange determination of a single female employee of some unknown facility, nuclear based, to blow up the building. All is set in motion but then she waits ... It will be a long time before we meet her again.
The scene changes as we are introduced to a teenaged boy, the main protagonist, named Dylan : and it is his life we follow as he is befriended by newly arrived neighbours with mysterious backgrounds, falls in love and survives the apocalypse. And discovers his neighbour's secrets.
It is a book of several parts, very unusual, mostly quite thrilling and not at all the usual story of total social breakdown found in most other post apocalyptic stories (although, inevitably, there are some such harrowing scenes). Plus, running through most of the book is the simple mystery - what does the person named as the Failsafe actually do?
The character building in Tourists of the Apocalypse is good, excellent in some cases - I especially enjoyed the development of Dicky, one of Dylan's near neighbours who had suffered brain damage as a youth. Yet somehow the people never really seemed to come fully to life, despite the best efforts of the marvellous J.Scott Bennett, whose narration was superb and each voicing individual and distinctive. An air of unreality seemed to hang over the central part of the story, as if the little group of individuals was somehow not part of the aftermath of the devestation. After the intriguing, exciting first hours, I found my attention wavering during this central section, only to be vigorously revived again in the latter part of the book. And the ending was superb.
So nearly a five star - for the originality, the different approaches, a sense of mystery, the absolutely thrilling chases towards the ending of the book, and even for the portrayal of Dylan and Dicky - yet for me it did not gel as seamlessly as a truly five star book should.
That said, it is an exceptionally good listen and my thanks go out to the rights holder who gifted me my copy, via Audiobook Boom. I would certainly recommend it to all post apocalyptic fans
December 6, 2017
Lots to like about this book, although with the exception of an exciting opening slows to a crawl for the next 1/3 of the book. There were, in fact, many sections that could probably use a good editor. But overall, I liked the story. The whole time-travel / apocalypse / "rebuilding from the ashes" angle is definitely my ideal combination of genres, and for the most part, they were all handled well here. I wouldn't have minded a little more explicitness about the ages of the various characters, especially since it kindaaaaa seems like there could be a borderline pedophile/grooming/ickiness situation that could've been avoided if we were told exactly how old certain people are.
One final thought before I get into the audiobook review: the career path for surgeons that "wash out" is not nursing, it's just a non-surgical doctor. In any event, a person that did that would still refer to themselves as a doctor, not a nurse.
Ok, the audiobook review... this is the first book that I've listened to by this narrator (J. Scott Bennett), and frankly... it's not exceptional. He's got a good, soft voice that would be perfectly suited for (say...) a Mr. Rogers autobiography. He handled most of the non-dialogue fine, but the voices were definitely undercut by the softness of his voice - most of the characters and/or situations demanded a harder edge that he did not provide. He also missed a lot of the emotional weight that a line held. In all, his dialogue readings were a bit flat and nearly monotonous.
One final thought before I get into the audiobook review: the career path for surgeons that "wash out" is not nursing, it's just a non-surgical doctor. In any event, a person that did that would still refer to themselves as a doctor, not a nurse.
Ok, the audiobook review... this is the first book that I've listened to by this narrator (J. Scott Bennett), and frankly... it's not exceptional. He's got a good, soft voice that would be perfectly suited for (say...) a Mr. Rogers autobiography. He handled most of the non-dialogue fine, but the voices were definitely undercut by the softness of his voice - most of the characters and/or situations demanded a harder edge that he did not provide. He also missed a lot of the emotional weight that a line held. In all, his dialogue readings were a bit flat and nearly monotonous.
February 2, 2017
An intriguing premise in this book by an accomplished author, Tourists of the Apocalypse holds interest from the first page. I can’t write too much about the plot without giving away spoilers, but the tale unfolds in a way that is riveting. I could see this book being made into a popular sci-fi film.
We see the action through the eyes of Dylan, who is thirteen at the time the story begins. He is fascinated by new neighbours who arrive in his street and take over three houses, living quietly but mysteriously, talking about a ‘Fail Safe’ they never elaborate on. Dylan’s family life is dysfunctional until they appear and they help him, offering basic employment. Although they are on friendly terms with him and his mother, Dylan’s neighbours never divulge what is going on, providing only hints about their purpose. Later in the book, when that purpose is revealed, it comes as a surprise to him and also to the reader. This is a tale that grips from the beginning and holds the reader’s attention on every page. Highly recommended to fans of science fiction, and to any reader who wants a thrilling ride.
We see the action through the eyes of Dylan, who is thirteen at the time the story begins. He is fascinated by new neighbours who arrive in his street and take over three houses, living quietly but mysteriously, talking about a ‘Fail Safe’ they never elaborate on. Dylan’s family life is dysfunctional until they appear and they help him, offering basic employment. Although they are on friendly terms with him and his mother, Dylan’s neighbours never divulge what is going on, providing only hints about their purpose. Later in the book, when that purpose is revealed, it comes as a surprise to him and also to the reader. This is a tale that grips from the beginning and holds the reader’s attention on every page. Highly recommended to fans of science fiction, and to any reader who wants a thrilling ride.
September 11, 2023
Tourists of the Apocalypse is a poor title for this novel.
Yes, it deals with time travel.
Yes, there's an apocalypse.
At the end of the day, the story is about a kid who is raised in an abusive home who makes friends with a stranger who moves in next door. Eventually, his relationship with that neighbor leads him to other relationships with that neighbor's friends. Those people have apparently come back in time to witness the start of the apocalypse, but to call them tourists of the apocalypse presents this novel in an unfair fashion.
I think the author's intended scope outsized his writing. The overall story and plot was an interesting an ingenious one, but the author tried too hard to make shocking and surprising twists and turns. I also didn't believe the romance in the novel. It felt very two-dimensional, and it was pivotal to the story, so it should've been much more fully developed.
Yes, it deals with time travel.
Yes, there's an apocalypse.
At the end of the day, the story is about a kid who is raised in an abusive home who makes friends with a stranger who moves in next door. Eventually, his relationship with that neighbor leads him to other relationships with that neighbor's friends. Those people have apparently come back in time to witness the start of the apocalypse, but to call them tourists of the apocalypse presents this novel in an unfair fashion.
I think the author's intended scope outsized his writing. The overall story and plot was an interesting an ingenious one, but the author tried too hard to make shocking and surprising twists and turns. I also didn't believe the romance in the novel. It felt very two-dimensional, and it was pivotal to the story, so it should've been much more fully developed.
December 19, 2017
What can I say. I am a sucker for time travel apocalyptic stories. I loved this one. The image of planes raining over the ocean was just overwhelming. The plot is fast paced and really entertaining and I liked the characters a lot.
At one point in the story -the road fights- I couldn't help myself thinking this was the early days of a Mad Max style apocalypse. I do found that the main character was too self righteous at moments.
Fast read, with cool plot. I haven't thought yet of the paradox implications and science behind the travel mechanism (Einstein-Rosen bridges and multiple timelines). I'll give the story time to simmer and then I will ponder thus matters.
At one point in the story -the road fights- I couldn't help myself thinking this was the early days of a Mad Max style apocalypse. I do found that the main character was too self righteous at moments.
Fast read, with cool plot. I haven't thought yet of the paradox implications and science behind the travel mechanism (Einstein-Rosen bridges and multiple timelines). I'll give the story time to simmer and then I will ponder thus matters.
May 24, 2024
This was a fantastic read, a definite fresh breeze!
The concept is wonderfully awesome, very different from other post apocalyptic novels I have read.
At first I didn't understand why the story changed after the girl took down the security guard in the facility. I continued to read anyways because even the later story was interesting enough. Imagine my surprise when the two parts of the story collided in the most weird way possible near the end of the novel!
The plot is wonderful, the writing is brilliant and the entertainment is fine.
This novel deserves a five star and the author deserves three cheers!
The concept is wonderfully awesome, very different from other post apocalyptic novels I have read.
At first I didn't understand why the story changed after the girl took down the security guard in the facility. I continued to read anyways because even the later story was interesting enough. Imagine my surprise when the two parts of the story collided in the most weird way possible near the end of the novel!
The plot is wonderful, the writing is brilliant and the entertainment is fine.
This novel deserves a five star and the author deserves three cheers!
May 10, 2017
I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.
This had a really good premise; the break down of the power grid leading to a post apocalyptic situation surrounded by time travel, and it's narrated by an amazing narrator.
However, I just found myself confused. The opening scenes I realized were rewarded if you have the patience with the novel, but the characters were bland, the plot didn't live up to the expectation I had and it didn't hold my attention. All in all, it was pretty boring.
This had a really good premise; the break down of the power grid leading to a post apocalyptic situation surrounded by time travel, and it's narrated by an amazing narrator.
However, I just found myself confused. The opening scenes I realized were rewarded if you have the patience with the novel, but the characters were bland, the plot didn't live up to the expectation I had and it didn't hold my attention. All in all, it was pretty boring.
November 28, 2017
I had a really hard time getting into this story. I almost moved on to another book many times. However, I decided to keep reading and see if it improved any. It did pick up and the end of the book was probably my favorite part. The problem was that the book was super slow for the majority of the book. Plus the majority of the book is before the apocalypse so I kept wondering when it was going to happen. It was an ok story with a plot that could have been great.
May 17, 2021
All of the characters have questionable morals. There is no one to call a hero or even a good example. There are a couple of minor plot points that bug me:
1. If Lucy worked there for years, why would anyone be surprised at her disability when she entered the building?
2. I find it hard to believe that Dillon could launch the 500 pound gun to land on the hood of the following car. Our seems to me that would take more power than one man could exert.
1. If Lucy worked there for years, why would anyone be surprised at her disability when she entered the building?
2. I find it hard to believe that Dillon could launch the 500 pound gun to land on the hood of the following car. Our seems to me that would take more power than one man could exert.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 14, 2018
Great story, interesting and well written
The author has an engaging writing style and it immediately grabbed me, then the story took over and pulled me in the rest of the way. The characters are thoughtfully drawn and lead interesting lives. A dozen or so grammatical errors took nothing away from the experience other than being noticeable. Highly recommend this book.
The author has an engaging writing style and it immediately grabbed me, then the story took over and pulled me in the rest of the way. The characters are thoughtfully drawn and lead interesting lives. A dozen or so grammatical errors took nothing away from the experience other than being noticeable. Highly recommend this book.
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