Ratings9
Average rating2.9
In Benjamin Percy's new thriller, a post-apocalyptic reimagining of the Lewis and Clark saga, a super flu and nuclear fallout have made a husk of the world we know. A few humans carry on, living in outposts such as the Sanctuary-the remains of St. Louis-a shielded community that owes its survival to its militant defense and fear-mongering leaders. Then a rider comes from the wasteland beyond its walls. She reports on the outside world: west of the Cascades, rain falls, crops grow, civilization thrives. But there is danger too: the rising power of an army that pillages and enslaves every community they happen upon. Against the wishes of the Sanctuary, a small group sets out in secrecy. Led by Lewis Meriwether and Mina Clark, they hope to expand their infant nation, and to reunite the States. But the Sanctuary will not allow them to escape without a fight.
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I really enjoyed Percy's werewolf book, Red Moon, so I was keen to get into this one as soon as I could. Sadly, it turned out to be not as good as that book. There is some great vivid writing, very atmospheric and evocative, but two flaws pull it down. Firstly, the bad guys are just too bad - cartoon villains with no depth or believability. Percy also adopts a deliberately fragmented style, with key events happening between chapters or even sentences, leading me to repeatedly go back over what I'd just read to see if I'd missed something, which I normally hadn't. I suppose it's a device to reinforce the idea of a broken world, but it quickly became distracting. Overall, an enjoyable read, but could have been much better.
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