Randy

Complex, human, fantastical, amazing

Revisado: 04-17-25

Wow, this is a long and complex book. It is not an easy read for some reason, probably because, while the infection central to the story is somewhat fanciful, the human stories within it and responding to it are just too true. Characters are well fleshed out, real and feeling. The “bad guys” are painfully evil in a believable way. The evolution of relationships throughout the story are difficult to predict but believable, stirring and in the end, satisfying.
This is first and foremost a book about relationships that form under stress and in chaos. It could be viewed as an allegory for modern divisions within our communities and nation as well. That’s what was the most difficult, I guess. Seeing how large swaths of the population are more concerned with themselves than with their neighbors or their community is almost comical if it weren’t so sad. There is a lot of nuance in this book. It’s hard to not read so much into it.

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Not my thing, but probably good for others

Revisado: 04-03-25

I bought this book because it was on sale. It was better than average but just not my genre of horror. This I’m sure is written for a more feminine audience and delves into mother/daughter relationships, coming to terms with sexual violence, going home again, and rediscovering life and live. Then the underlying connection is revealed and … I hung on because I hate to leave books unfinished. So, probably well done but not my favorite.

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Really good

Revisado: 03-22-25

Good characters, good dialogue, nice live story, empathetic values, etc etc. no time for a full review. Pure Peter May. If you like him, you’ll like this.

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A happy camper fantasy!

Revisado: 03-17-25

Fun book! The Query’s obviously have spent a lot of time around wilderness camps and the high Rockies. I spend a lot of time hunting and fishing and hiking, I grew up going to camps, I’ve climbed a few mountains in Oregon and Washington. Every description was absolutely spot on target. The storyline in the end might not have been the most original in the world, but woven into this landscape made it fresh and enjoyable.

There is a mix of opinions on the narrator. He does so many accents so well, but some become more opaque caricatures than translucent narrative aids. That said, I didn’t mind at all. I can see where it would annoy some, but all good here. If it bugs you, concentrate on the story and the characters and it’ll carry you through.

Nicely done. Good read.

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Introspective and interesting

Revisado: 03-11-25

I’m enjoying this author very much, and the narrator is excellent. The writing is introspective and personal, much more about the people and the relationships than the action, though those scenes are well done. Good read.

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Deliberate, careful and engaging.

Revisado: 02-26-25

It’s been a while since I’ve done a good gothic ghost story, but glad I tried this. Is she mad or is she haunted? Maybe not the most original story line but most of this book feels fresh and interesting as the tale unwinds step by step and the characters become more and more real, flawed, vulnerable, and haunted. Many twists and turn I’d have never expected, but then the pathway was so interesting I wasn’t looking for twists and turns. I will look for more works by this author.

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Mind blowing

Revisado: 01-27-25

Excellent narration, mesmerizing writing, mind blowing concepts. I’ll need to listen to this again. Great series!

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Crazy!

Revisado: 01-20-25

I don’t have much time so I’ll just say that I’m enjoying the series ALOT! It’s crude and violent and occasionally a bit sacrilegious, but just a whole bunch of fun. Educational, too. You learn lots about birds.

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Fun!

Revisado: 12-21-24

Loved it! Perfect Chuck Wendig. Narrator was 4 of 5, some really good, some just pretty good. Still, overall, 4.33+. Engaging premise, well constructed, good characters, the right people got (proportionally) what they had coming, and the end kept me guessing.

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Gritty, greasy, kind of amazing

Revisado: 12-16-24

I had some long road trips so powered through this relatively quickly. It’s like a brutal backcountry hike of ups and downs and exhaustion but ultimately very satisfying. Because it plunges through racial issues so directly, it can be hard to take at times. Simmons doesn’t pull any punches or dance around our 2020s sensitivities. Parts of the book are overly brutal, overly racist, and overly graphic, but it’s that brutality that sort of defines the universe the characters have had to endure. In the end, the powers that some of the characters used on others was certainly no more horrible than our human ability to treat others with inhuman savagery. For a book written around a fanciful premise, it was pretty terrifying in its reality. And given the politics of the day, it actually seems a bit plausible.

Last thought: I was drawn in to the thoughtful discussions contained in the book. The musings were subtle enough that if you are a racist or care little for certain groups within your community, you might actually wonder who the antagonists are - those seeking power, or those trying to control it.

A remarkable book.

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