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Doomsday Diaries
C-Town
There’s not much for a young person to do in Corning, a small industrial town in upstate New York. While parents are working swing shifts to make ends meet, their restless children resort to acts of depravity and self-indulgence. Set in the late 1990’s, this is a story of a twenty-year-old man who is struggling with questions of purpose and existential nihilism. Patrick Mitchell spends most of his time at the YMCA, while attending community college classes, and training at the local karate dojo. He’s distracted by frivolous relationships, fights, and drugs, but his personal moral dilemmas will all seem much less important when an unusual occurrence shakes him to the very core.
140 pages, Paperback
First published July 8, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
May 28, 2013
Once again, Aaron Powell kept me reading past the point of good sense. This book made me late to work on two occasions. And you know what's really bad about that? It's not even like a book. It feels like you stumbled onto someone's journal and you're reading both normal, ordinary things like attending class and going to work, as well as very private things, like sexual encounters. Along with that feeling of reading a person's personal diary, it's a compelling read.
There doesn't seem to be any plot per se - and that's not a bad thing when Aaron is the one doing the writing - but it's more like part of a fabric of a larger literary tapestry. Another way of looking at it is that it's like all of Aaron's books could be combined to make one huge book. (Well, all of those that I've read so far. Benjamin appears to be an exception, but I'll find out when I read that later.)
In all of these books, we're discovering the characters in Aaron's universe. If you've read some of them, then you'll be familiar with Patrick, the protagonist. In this book, Patrick is a young college student. He's not as wise as he becomes in later books, but you can see all of the makings of what he will be later. He's developing his mind, educating himself, training his body in martial arts, and he thinks about things. Even though he makes decisions that he would probably regret as the older Patrick, he thinks about his actions, and he's becoming who he will be later.
In everything I've read from this author so far, I've complained that the books were too short. And that's not to say that they feel abrupt or unfinished - it's that I just love reading what he writes and then it ends too soon. I want more. This one is one of the longer ones at 138 pages.
If you've read this, and read Priority, and loved them like I did, I've got great news for you. The Doomsday Diaries picks up about where Priority leaves off and it clocks in at 400 pages. Ahhh finally. I get to languish in the Powell universe for a good while now. Why don't I have a hammock when I need one?
Fair warning: This book contains explicit sexual scenes. Maybe the author will consider releasing a general audiences version as well. These would be great books for younger people too.
There doesn't seem to be any plot per se - and that's not a bad thing when Aaron is the one doing the writing - but it's more like part of a fabric of a larger literary tapestry. Another way of looking at it is that it's like all of Aaron's books could be combined to make one huge book. (Well, all of those that I've read so far. Benjamin appears to be an exception, but I'll find out when I read that later.)
In all of these books, we're discovering the characters in Aaron's universe. If you've read some of them, then you'll be familiar with Patrick, the protagonist. In this book, Patrick is a young college student. He's not as wise as he becomes in later books, but you can see all of the makings of what he will be later. He's developing his mind, educating himself, training his body in martial arts, and he thinks about things. Even though he makes decisions that he would probably regret as the older Patrick, he thinks about his actions, and he's becoming who he will be later.
In everything I've read from this author so far, I've complained that the books were too short. And that's not to say that they feel abrupt or unfinished - it's that I just love reading what he writes and then it ends too soon. I want more. This one is one of the longer ones at 138 pages.
If you've read this, and read Priority, and loved them like I did, I've got great news for you. The Doomsday Diaries picks up about where Priority leaves off and it clocks in at 400 pages. Ahhh finally. I get to languish in the Powell universe for a good while now. Why don't I have a hammock when I need one?
Fair warning: This book contains explicit sexual scenes. Maybe the author will consider releasing a general audiences version as well. These would be great books for younger people too.
January 7, 2014
Well, this is a bit different from the ones I have been reading from Aaron Powell.
It seemed to me that I had a whole casting ready for me to shout, "Action!!"
Aaron this time exceeds himself in doing a whole town for Patrick, his lonely but never lone, karate fighter.
Expect as always, sex - a lot of well written sex scenes - and this time drugs - a lot of drugs, including the sensations. As I never did any, I'll have to rely on Aaron's experiences to tell me how is it.
Just kidding - Or maybe not...
Well, back to the review:
Patrick's life is pretty monotonous in a small town that sucks the life from its inhabitants and he tries to do his best to get it rolling. As I said: sex, drugs, rock'n'roll, friends, a little brother he is proud of, karate and lots of its training, with its formal, respecting and interesting rules.
C-Town links you to Scream, "Aye, Sir!" (5 star rating, imo), where we get to know Patrick even better.
It seemed to me that I had a whole casting ready for me to shout, "Action!!"
Aaron this time exceeds himself in doing a whole town for Patrick, his lonely but never lone, karate fighter.
Expect as always, sex - a lot of well written sex scenes - and this time drugs - a lot of drugs, including the sensations. As I never did any, I'll have to rely on Aaron's experiences to tell me how is it.
Just kidding - Or maybe not...
Well, back to the review:
Patrick's life is pretty monotonous in a small town that sucks the life from its inhabitants and he tries to do his best to get it rolling. As I said: sex, drugs, rock'n'roll, friends, a little brother he is proud of, karate and lots of its training, with its formal, respecting and interesting rules.
C-Town links you to Scream, "Aye, Sir!" (5 star rating, imo), where we get to know Patrick even better.
February 26, 2013
This was a very interesting book. It gave you insight into Mitchel's life and why he is in Scream, "Aye Sir!" He lead a very interesting and exciting life during his youth. Some of the things he did shocked/surprised me just a little because of how what I read before about him. Parts of the book did make you stop and think.But all in all this was a good book and I would recommended this book to others.
September 26, 2013
C-Town is another great story from Aaron Powell. This is the story of Patrick Mitchell's growing up in a small town. I love how the story can go from a steamy sex scene to laughing. There are bits and pieces about Patrick's father throughout the story which I tried to put together and will just have to read the Doomsday Diaries series to figure out.
I was intrigued by Mitchell in Scream Aye, Sir and reading this gives you more insight into him, what his life was like growing up, and after his father died. It's still full of sex with many different partners, well written and light hearted, it reminds me a bit of the tiny town I grew up in.
I love a story that makes me desperate to read the next in a series, to find out what happens to a certain character and this book did that for me.
I was intrigued by Mitchell in Scream Aye, Sir and reading this gives you more insight into him, what his life was like growing up, and after his father died. It's still full of sex with many different partners, well written and light hearted, it reminds me a bit of the tiny town I grew up in.
I love a story that makes me desperate to read the next in a series, to find out what happens to a certain character and this book did that for me.
January 7, 2014
This is about Patrick Mitchell, I have met before in Scream "Aye, Sir!" another book from Aaron Powell.
On C-Town we get to know him before he gets in to American Navy and why he is so proud of being a Marine.
I always find interesting how authors mix their lives with their books. Aaron himself is proud to be a Marine.
But on C-Town we see a side of Patrick that is not so glamorous: casual sex and experimenting drugs. On the other hand, he is ready to defend his black friend and to boost his little brother on the Karate classes. I guess I was like that when I was 18/20. Doing nice things in a moment, and no so nice in others.
Great book to remind us how life after high school looked like to some of us.
On C-Town we get to know him before he gets in to American Navy and why he is so proud of being a Marine.
I always find interesting how authors mix their lives with their books. Aaron himself is proud to be a Marine.
But on C-Town we see a side of Patrick that is not so glamorous: casual sex and experimenting drugs. On the other hand, he is ready to defend his black friend and to boost his little brother on the Karate classes. I guess I was like that when I was 18/20. Doing nice things in a moment, and no so nice in others.
Great book to remind us how life after high school looked like to some of us.
July 29, 2012
This book completely captured what is was like growing up for my generation. Maybe it wasn't like this for everyone, but this reminds me of everything I and my friends went through. The author perfectly describes the age after highschool when nothing seems to matter and "relationships" are casual and common occurences. As a side-note, there are some steamy love scenes that leave you wanting more. I would definitely recommend C-Town to others.
October 24, 2013
Maybe I'm just a little too young to appreciate the time period he's growing up in, but this book just left me with an 'I don't get it' or 'That's it?' feeling. I understood the monotony of his life, I felt like maybe it could have been written more packed in together as it led up to the event? Something to give it a different pace of reading.
August 8, 2013
This book deserves every star it has received (all 5 stars and probably more) The ending will leave you speechless. I am a BIG fan of Aaron Powell.
February 16, 2024
This was a Goodreads First Read that was gifted to me a long time ago!
I enjoyed this book for the most part. However, I could only give the book three stars. For one thing, there was no real plot to the book. From beginning to end, all that really happened was following along with Patrick's daily happenings. I kept wondering where the author was going to go with the plot, and I am left still wondering.
The ending was a big let down also. There was a moment where Patrick seemed to be a goner at the end of one chapter, and at the beginning of the next, he is fine and I was left wondering what actually happened to him and what the little boy and the singed grass around his assailants had to do with it. Maybe there's another book perhaps? I'm not sure, I will have to take a peak.
I also wanted to note that in one part of the book, after multiple exciting events had occurred in Patrick's life, he mentions how all of these things have only happened in a matter of days. If you read this book, you will understand why I was flabbergasted at that comment.
It was a good book overall, but it still left me wanting more and expecting more of an understanding as to what the whole point of the story was.
Thank you Aaron for the opportunity to read your book!
I enjoyed this book for the most part. However, I could only give the book three stars. For one thing, there was no real plot to the book. From beginning to end, all that really happened was following along with Patrick's daily happenings. I kept wondering where the author was going to go with the plot, and I am left still wondering.
The ending was a big let down also. There was a moment where Patrick seemed to be a goner at the end of one chapter, and at the beginning of the next, he is fine and I was left wondering what actually happened to him and what the little boy and the singed grass around his assailants had to do with it. Maybe there's another book perhaps? I'm not sure, I will have to take a peak.
I also wanted to note that in one part of the book, after multiple exciting events had occurred in Patrick's life, he mentions how all of these things have only happened in a matter of days. If you read this book, you will understand why I was flabbergasted at that comment.
It was a good book overall, but it still left me wanting more and expecting more of an understanding as to what the whole point of the story was.
Thank you Aaron for the opportunity to read your book!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews