Friday, October 23, 2015

Starting the Slowpocalypse by James Litherland

Title:  Starting the Slowpocalypse
Series:  Slowpocalypse #1-3 Omnibus
Author:  James Litherland
Publication Date:  July 20/15 by Outpost Stories
Length:  724pgs
Genre:  dystopian
Shelf:  review
Rating: ★★★★

Back Cover Blurb:

—The first 3 Slowpocalypse novels plus the prequel short story in one massive volume! Includes Durable Impressions, Certain Hypothetical,Threat Multiplication, and Compromised Inside.

Brave men and women fight to survive and build a better future while the world falls apart around them.

Durable Impressions (Prequel Short Story)

—From Protected to Protector

As civilization has slowly crumbled, Katherine Miles has led a life of privilege—but also one of preparation. Now, under the ominous shadow of a society coming apart at the seams, her mettle will be tested for the first time.

Certain Hypothetical (Book 1)

EVERYTHING changes when FURC Director Jonathan Miles seals the fourteen square mile compound home to the Federal University and Research Complex and the community that supports it, cutting them all off from the slowly crumbling civilization on the outside—and making them a target of those who want the facilities for themselves.

The director’s daughter Katherine returns to work for FURC Security with a promotion because of the crisis, eager to face any challenge—but as tensions among the residents rise, she encounters greater peril than she had imagined.

David Belue gives up his classes to help install additional defenses, but his curiosity leads him to discover a threat inside the community, endangering his life—because an enemy within waits for just the right moment to betray them all.

Threat Multiplication (Book 2)

—A Perfect Storm

MYSTERIOUS power outages, disrupted communications, and a rash of illness among the guards are only the beginning. Soon FURC Security Chief Anthony Nelson and his small, mostly inexperienced staff are overwhelmed by the hacking of the local network, the contamination of the food supply, and a seemingly impossible murder.

Rookie David Belue is trying to solve one of those mysteries when he comes under investigation himself, because he’s one of the few who had the means and a motive to murder. Which makes Officer Lisa Courdray’s job much more difficult—now she has to prove her own partner innocent while also uncovering a hidden saboteur within the community.

Lt. Katherine Miles can’t help—she’s far from the FURC on a secret mission and unable to contact them with a warning. If she can make it back at all, she’ll be bringing even more trouble along with her.

Compromised Inside (Book 3)

—Beware the Gravity Bug

SEALED off from the crumbling civilization outside, the residents of the FURC may be safe from external threats, but their isolation only speeds the spread of a dangerous new infection, even as an upcoming election exposes divisions among them. And the fourteen square mile compound may not be big enough to prevent the pressure from building into violent upheaval.

Illness lays low Security Chief Anthony Nelson when he’s needed the most—as the crisis grows critical, will he jump back into the fray before he’s fully recovered? Lt. Katherine Miles has her own issues, but with Tony out of action, dealing with everyone else’s problems is distracting her from the real danger.

Caroline Sanderson runs in the election hoping to keep the community from falling apart, but she’s unprepared for what her rivals will do to win. Meanwhile, David Belue helps Dr. Amita Harker investigate the virus sweeping the FURC. Will the escalating epidemic eliminate everyone—or will they destroy themselves first?

My Review:

What a vivid world! Litherland has created an unforgettable world for readers to loose themselves in. He does a great deal of world and history building here. Throughout the series, he continues to build the world in which his characters live. With each chapter it becomes more and more vivid. I really enjoy being immersed in the world that he’s created. It’s so vivid & believable, yet at the same time completely dystopian. His descriptions bring everything to life in a vivid manner while his writing style gives readers a feel for the people of the world. I appreciate how he also leaves room for further growth in later novels of the series. Litherland reveals this story slowly, allowing readers to feel like they’re really part of the tale. He drops readers into the story, giving them little knowledge of the outside world, and putting them in the same boat as the characters. Intrigue and suspense wind their way throughout the tale, keeping readers on their toes.

I found a few of the characters really easy to connect with. I loved following them through this tale. As a whole, the characters in this novel are intriguing, although not necessarily always likeable. The contrast is compelling. I appreciate how each character has a defined place within the novel, allowing readers to completely understand every aspect of it. I enjoyed the interpersonal relationships between the major characters in the story. They were as important to my enjoyment of the tale as the action of the story. The contrasting personality types gives the tale the feel of an entire community, with the extremes to be expected of a community long isolated. The characters aren’t overly developed at the beginning, allowing readers to get to know them as they grow. The continuous character development really allowed me to feel as if I knew the characters better at the end of the novel than I did at the beginning. Readers come to know the characters and their backstory.

Litherland’s stories build on one another, culminating in a fascinating conclusion in the 3rd novel. It was an interesting read that I would definitely recommend to others.

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