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Park Service Trilogy #1
The Park Service
From New York Times bestselling author Ryan Winfield, a thrilling tale of friendship, betrayal, and adventure.
Sometimes the best intentions ultimately lead to evil ends. That's what fifteen-year-old Aubrey VanHouten learns when he stumbles onto a post-apocalyptic paradise where the few remaining humans live on the run from deadly drones controlled by a mysterious Park Service. Torn between loyalty to his new best friend and trusting the girl of his dreams, Aubrey must learn to survive in a world he never dreamed existed while searching for answers to why everything he was taught is a lie.
Beautifully written with challenging moral dilemmas and heart-melting friendships, The Park Service trilogy is an epic coming-of-age-story that will inspire and delight readers young and old.
Sometimes the best intentions ultimately lead to evil ends. That's what fifteen-year-old Aubrey VanHouten learns when he stumbles onto a post-apocalyptic paradise where the few remaining humans live on the run from deadly drones controlled by a mysterious Park Service. Torn between loyalty to his new best friend and trusting the girl of his dreams, Aubrey must learn to survive in a world he never dreamed existed while searching for answers to why everything he was taught is a lie.
Beautifully written with challenging moral dilemmas and heart-melting friendships, The Park Service trilogy is an epic coming-of-age-story that will inspire and delight readers young and old.
338 pages, ebook
First published October 11, 2012
293 people are currently reading
5644 people want to read
About the author
Ryan Winfield
14 books1,007 followers
New York Times
bestselling author. Recreational pilot and provider of foodstuffs to one very hungry Maine Coon. Cultivator of roses, apparently to feed a mob of blacktail deer.
Find me on Substack.
If your book club or organization would like to arrange an appearance from me, either in person or via Skype, please send me a private message at Facebook with your request.
I've been asked why I write. I write because I remember.
I remember waking up to snow. I remember racing to dress, struggling with my boots – “Here, don't forget your mittens.” I remember the soft thump of that first footstep, the tracks looking back, and everything new and blanketed in quiet white. Foghorns blowing on the mist-covered bay. I feel the canvas newspaper bag on my shoulders, the weight of Sunday's headlines heavy on my mind. I remember rubber bands and ink stained hands. A car spun sideways in a ditch. Always a car. Then barking dogs, a distant chainsaw. I remember snowmen and igloos and icy trails through the white and wondrous woods. And I remember sweet Mrs. Johnson waiting at her door; the smell of Avon powder, her smile as she pressed an envelope into my palm—ten dollars and a peppermint candy cane thank you!
Evening now, running downtown. Everything passes in an excited blur. Salvation Army bells, white lights strung in sidewalk trees, bundled shoppers, hunched and hurrying, kicking up little snowdrifts scattered by the wind. And now I’m here. The heavy door, the warmth, the light, the old wood floors—the bookstore! Smells of paper and leather and ink. Walls of worlds bound and waiting for me.
Nothing has affected me as much as reading has. Dickens, Tolkien, and Lewis raised me. And while I've walked through my own hell, made my own mistakes, and found my own redemption, always there have been books. Books to help me escape, books for courage when I needed to stay and fight. Books that taught without preaching the difference between wrong and right. Books upon books to feed a boy’s feverish dreams; and the boy now grown, it’s still books that kindle the memories of those dreams on these long winter nights.
And so, I remember. And I write.
Find me on Substack.
If your book club or organization would like to arrange an appearance from me, either in person or via Skype, please send me a private message at Facebook with your request.
I've been asked why I write. I write because I remember.
I remember waking up to snow. I remember racing to dress, struggling with my boots – “Here, don't forget your mittens.” I remember the soft thump of that first footstep, the tracks looking back, and everything new and blanketed in quiet white. Foghorns blowing on the mist-covered bay. I feel the canvas newspaper bag on my shoulders, the weight of Sunday's headlines heavy on my mind. I remember rubber bands and ink stained hands. A car spun sideways in a ditch. Always a car. Then barking dogs, a distant chainsaw. I remember snowmen and igloos and icy trails through the white and wondrous woods. And I remember sweet Mrs. Johnson waiting at her door; the smell of Avon powder, her smile as she pressed an envelope into my palm—ten dollars and a peppermint candy cane thank you!
Evening now, running downtown. Everything passes in an excited blur. Salvation Army bells, white lights strung in sidewalk trees, bundled shoppers, hunched and hurrying, kicking up little snowdrifts scattered by the wind. And now I’m here. The heavy door, the warmth, the light, the old wood floors—the bookstore! Smells of paper and leather and ink. Walls of worlds bound and waiting for me.
Nothing has affected me as much as reading has. Dickens, Tolkien, and Lewis raised me. And while I've walked through my own hell, made my own mistakes, and found my own redemption, always there have been books. Books to help me escape, books for courage when I needed to stay and fight. Books that taught without preaching the difference between wrong and right. Books upon books to feed a boy’s feverish dreams; and the boy now grown, it’s still books that kindle the memories of those dreams on these long winter nights.
And so, I remember. And I write.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 471 reviews
January 18, 2013
Mr. Winfield has done it again. I wasn’t sure I would like anything as well as Hunger Games, but it did not disappoint. Young adults fighting against the “government” and winning. There are many moral dilemmas in this book and I like that about a YA book. It will make you think about your choices. What is best for you? Is that always the best for others? Is intelligence how you measure morality? Is the smartest person always right? These and many more questions are facing Aubrey, how does he answer them? He leaves his home and everything he has ever known to go “UP”. Things are not as them seem. Along the way Aubrey meets a new friend and confidant, Jimmy. All always there is a love interest, Hannah. There is no triangle for her affections, but the trio is “in it together”. This story is told from the young man Aubrey’s perspective. It is very refreshing to get a young man’s thoughts on maturing, moral dilemmas, right and wrong, etc. I am really glad I purchase and read this 1st book in the series. I await the next installment eagerly. Again I want to say, Ryan Winfield you have started a great series here, keep up the good story!
January 24, 2016
So good.
The Park Service is such a quick, energetic read. The premise, the facts, the history, the world building, the people...everything is well done.
You learn along side the main character, a young man named Aubrey. Winfield's world develops at the perfect pace. Interesting, humorous, thrilling, endearing, frightening and lovely.
Sterile and vibrant. Savagely sophisticated.
I very much enjoyed journeying alongside Aubrey and the people he meets. The story cradles you and clenches your heart at times. There is much of personal growth and morality along the way. It put me in mind of Lost in the Barrens.
The Park Service will keep you up late flipping through pages.
I was lucky enough to have won a paperback copy of The Park Service by Ryan Winfield through a Goodreads First reads giveaway and I will definitely be picking up the sequel if I don't find a way to get my hands on an advanced readers copy. :D
The Park Service is such a quick, energetic read. The premise, the facts, the history, the world building, the people...everything is well done.
You learn along side the main character, a young man named Aubrey. Winfield's world develops at the perfect pace. Interesting, humorous, thrilling, endearing, frightening and lovely.
Sterile and vibrant. Savagely sophisticated.
I very much enjoyed journeying alongside Aubrey and the people he meets. The story cradles you and clenches your heart at times. There is much of personal growth and morality along the way. It put me in mind of Lost in the Barrens.
The Park Service will keep you up late flipping through pages.
I was lucky enough to have won a paperback copy of The Park Service by Ryan Winfield through a Goodreads First reads giveaway and I will definitely be picking up the sequel if I don't find a way to get my hands on an advanced readers copy. :D
October 17, 2012
As you may know, I have been patiently waiting for this book, even without knowing what they genre was going to be. I must say that I was pleasantly surprised when I saw that it was a YA Dystopian, I was even more surprised when I read it. Now that we know it's going to be a trilogy I am sure that Mr. Winfield will get incredibly tired of us bugging him to finish the next one so we can see what happens next!
You don't get many YA books that are written from the by a man and from a male first person POV, and I love that about this book. I think that it was a refreshing change from so many YA books being told from the female POV.
The world that Mr. Winfield creates here is very well thought out and perfectly captured down to the last detail. This story takes place in a post-apocalyptic world nearly 900 years from present day. Aubrey is a young man on the verge of truly becoming a man. Little does he know how much his life is going to change. He is faced with challenges that will shape him into the man who will hopefully be able to change the world he knows for the better. Early on he meets Jimmy and forges a friendship with him that is stronger than any other relationship he has had previously. Then Hannah enters the picture rounding them out to a trio on a mission to save their world and hopefully humankind along with it.
It's so hard to do this review without posting spoilers so I am going to have to keep my comments to a minimum as far as the plot is concerned. Suffice it to say, I really enjoyed the book. The character development is very well done and really I think the plot moved along a really nice pace all through the story. Ryan is excellent with description and didn't let us down with this book.
The only thing I had a problem with, and it's really tiny, is that suddenly about 1/2 way through the book Jimmy starts cursing and he only does it a couple of times, but it seemed unnecessary and kind of out of the blue. Other than those couple of words, one use of the F word, this is a really clean YA book. I don't mind cursing in the books that I read, but my 12 year old daughter wants to read this one and I really have to think about whether I want to let her read it.
This book is the start of a great series. It has a little bit of everything in it and can really appeal to a pretty wide audience. I know that I can't wait for the next book!
You don't get many YA books that are written from the by a man and from a male first person POV, and I love that about this book. I think that it was a refreshing change from so many YA books being told from the female POV.
The world that Mr. Winfield creates here is very well thought out and perfectly captured down to the last detail. This story takes place in a post-apocalyptic world nearly 900 years from present day. Aubrey is a young man on the verge of truly becoming a man. Little does he know how much his life is going to change. He is faced with challenges that will shape him into the man who will hopefully be able to change the world he knows for the better. Early on he meets Jimmy and forges a friendship with him that is stronger than any other relationship he has had previously. Then Hannah enters the picture rounding them out to a trio on a mission to save their world and hopefully humankind along with it.
It's so hard to do this review without posting spoilers so I am going to have to keep my comments to a minimum as far as the plot is concerned. Suffice it to say, I really enjoyed the book. The character development is very well done and really I think the plot moved along a really nice pace all through the story. Ryan is excellent with description and didn't let us down with this book.
The only thing I had a problem with, and it's really tiny, is that suddenly about 1/2 way through the book Jimmy starts cursing and he only does it a couple of times, but it seemed unnecessary and kind of out of the blue. Other than those couple of words, one use of the F word, this is a really clean YA book. I don't mind cursing in the books that I read, but my 12 year old daughter wants to read this one and I really have to think about whether I want to let her read it.
This book is the start of a great series. It has a little bit of everything in it and can really appeal to a pretty wide audience. I know that I can't wait for the next book!
January 12, 2014
Such a shame. This book really sounds interesting and would probably have ended up on my TBR list. But well.....things.
December 24, 2012
After Legend and Across the Universe THE PARK SERVICE was the third science fiction/dystopia book I read and it didn't disappoint me at all.
Fifteen years old Aubrey discovers that everything he's been taught is a lie. He lives in a facility five miles under the surface and believes that life doesn't exist above Holocene II. He's been taught that the earth above is an icy, uninhabitable lifeless hell. After earning a perfect score on a test (Hello Legend :) he is forced to leave the life he knows for a future on level one, the level only the most privileged get to see. An accident on his way to his new home throws him into a world he never knew existed...
The writing is stunning and entertaining. Ryan has a way to describe that you feel you could see, sense and hear it all by yourself. He draws you into the story and doesn’t let you put the book/reader aside. I immediately fell in love with Aubrey and Jimmy. Jimmy, yeah, he's my hands down favorite! Hannah is another story. I'm not sure yet if I'm going to love her. Maybe in book two? :)
I'm looking forward to continue this journey with Aubrey, Jimmy and Hannah. Can't wait for the next installment. Thx for a great book!
Fifteen years old Aubrey discovers that everything he's been taught is a lie. He lives in a facility five miles under the surface and believes that life doesn't exist above Holocene II. He's been taught that the earth above is an icy, uninhabitable lifeless hell. After earning a perfect score on a test (Hello Legend :) he is forced to leave the life he knows for a future on level one, the level only the most privileged get to see. An accident on his way to his new home throws him into a world he never knew existed...
The writing is stunning and entertaining. Ryan has a way to describe that you feel you could see, sense and hear it all by yourself. He draws you into the story and doesn’t let you put the book/reader aside. I immediately fell in love with Aubrey and Jimmy. Jimmy, yeah, he's my hands down favorite! Hannah is another story. I'm not sure yet if I'm going to love her. Maybe in book two? :)
I'm looking forward to continue this journey with Aubrey, Jimmy and Hannah. Can't wait for the next installment. Thx for a great book!
December 31, 2012
After reading this intense, eye-opening beginning of a trilogy, I believe Author Ryan Winfield just may be a visionary! Aubrey Van Houten, 15 years old, lives with his father in The Valley, the largest underground cavern in Holocene II. He is taught that no one lives on Earth's surface...not for thousands of years. The people in Holocene II reside there no longer than 35 years, and then move on to Eden. After ten years of education, Aubrey heads to school for the final time. He will be tested to see in which level of the underground he'll be qualified to work. Level 1 is for the few exceptionally gifted among his group of graduates. Aubrey is the first ever to obtain a perfect score. He'll be working closer to the outer world as now Earth's surface is called. As he is transported by an underground train to his new level, the train is impacted by a landslide of rocks. He escapes the train, and suddenly discovers the outer world. Thus his adventure begins. Author Ryan Winfield has written a story that may truly reveal our future of the world and especially America. He reflects the concerns and the future of current average Americans becoming used and abused by the One Percent -- the puppeteers who now control the strings of our government. This story moves slowly at first with wonderful descriptions of the discoveries made by Aubrey. And then the reader becomes consumed by truth. Ryan Winfield writes an absolutely reality-check story that is haunting and perhaps may reveal our future. If you have read "1984" by George Orwell or "Soylent Green" by Harry Harrison (made into a movie with Charlton Heston) you will be discovering a similar mind-blowing story. Don't miss out on this trilogy.
April 6, 2013
Fist, let me say that I am NOT writing this review, nor reading this book in hopes of winning a Kindle Fire as stated in another review. I already have one. I read this book because I wanted to and am writing the review because I LOVED the book!!
I picked up The Park Service because I was wanting something to read OTHER than Vampires, Werewolves, or nonhuman creatures. I was looking to something similar to the Hunger Games series. This was the perfect fit! The story reminds me of the Hunger Games in two aspects 1. It's is set in a dystopian times far in the future and 2. the people of the world need saving. Other than that, the plot is COMPLETELY different. It is a story of it's own, and it is a WONDERFUL story. I have read reviews that say "too much description is used" In my opinion the descriptions were needed, and only done during the necessary parts of the book. Aubrey, the main character is seeing the Earth for the FIRST TIME! The descriptions are to give you insight into his thoughts and feelings. You see what he is seeing, and you feel what he is feeling. I felt like I was right there with Aubrey seeing the surface for the first time and in a way I have never seen. I was a scared child; a determined young boy; then a man, fighting for a cause. The Park Service was a breath of fresh air. Not to heavy, and not to light, it was a well written story with loveable characters. I am very excited to read the next chapter in Aubrey's journey Isle of Man. Great Job again Mr. Winfield!!
I picked up The Park Service because I was wanting something to read OTHER than Vampires, Werewolves, or nonhuman creatures. I was looking to something similar to the Hunger Games series. This was the perfect fit! The story reminds me of the Hunger Games in two aspects 1. It's is set in a dystopian times far in the future and 2. the people of the world need saving. Other than that, the plot is COMPLETELY different. It is a story of it's own, and it is a WONDERFUL story. I have read reviews that say "too much description is used" In my opinion the descriptions were needed, and only done during the necessary parts of the book. Aubrey, the main character is seeing the Earth for the FIRST TIME! The descriptions are to give you insight into his thoughts and feelings. You see what he is seeing, and you feel what he is feeling. I felt like I was right there with Aubrey seeing the surface for the first time and in a way I have never seen. I was a scared child; a determined young boy; then a man, fighting for a cause. The Park Service was a breath of fresh air. Not to heavy, and not to light, it was a well written story with loveable characters. I am very excited to read the next chapter in Aubrey's journey Isle of Man. Great Job again Mr. Winfield!!
May 30, 2013
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Great characters, especially Aubry (great name, even for a boy :) and Hannah. Honestly I love the surprise villain too! No spoilers here! You read it yourself!
Probably my favorite thing about the book is that it was not self-indulgent. That is a problem I have in my own writing. The journey that Aubry has to go on to get to the end point is quite a long one and the author could easily spend a lot more time on different scenes and places, but didn't. Instead he chose the most important places, made an emotional connection, and moved on, just when you get attached, so not to bore the reader.
My favorite places were definitely the first one-Hollocene, and the house at the end. That's all I will say, so not to give anything away.
The ending is not a cruel where you feel your heart is ripped out and your mind won't let go until you know what happens. The conclusion is final enough to finish the book, while leaving a world of possibilities for another book.
The only problem some might have with this book is that it has some obvious political opinion infused. What is cool though is that you can't really tell which way the author leans. Several sides are approached and left to fight it out! Honestly I'm not sure which side wins! Would love to interview this author.
I would start the next one right away if I wasn't already working on others and writing my own.
Probably my favorite thing about the book is that it was not self-indulgent. That is a problem I have in my own writing. The journey that Aubry has to go on to get to the end point is quite a long one and the author could easily spend a lot more time on different scenes and places, but didn't. Instead he chose the most important places, made an emotional connection, and moved on, just when you get attached, so not to bore the reader.
My favorite places were definitely the first one-Hollocene, and the house at the end. That's all I will say, so not to give anything away.
The ending is not a cruel where you feel your heart is ripped out and your mind won't let go until you know what happens. The conclusion is final enough to finish the book, while leaving a world of possibilities for another book.
The only problem some might have with this book is that it has some obvious political opinion infused. What is cool though is that you can't really tell which way the author leans. Several sides are approached and left to fight it out! Honestly I'm not sure which side wins! Would love to interview this author.
I would start the next one right away if I wasn't already working on others and writing my own.
January 23, 2013
I really enjoyed this book. (A far cry from the author's previous book, South of Bixby Bridge). A slightly different distopian story, this first of a planned trilogy follows 15 year old Aubrey as he moves from living miles under what they are all told is a frozen, uninhabitable Earth to the surface only to find that Earth is indeed inhabitable. But he is slowly discovering that The Foundation that he has advanced up to is nothing but a lie. Drones fly around hunting down and killing those humans living on the Earth's surface, and the Eden that his underground family and friends all aspire to move to when they reach the "retirement" age of 35 is just a sham. I thought the story was well written and I did like the characters. I don't understand some of the reviewers here saying it is Winfield's move into the Hungern Games territory. This is nothing like The Hunger Games other than the characters being of the same age. I look forward to book 2 to see how Aubrey, his friend Jimmy and girlfriend Hannah begin their lives in their new world.
March 29, 2014
I read this book because I saw good reviews for it, and really enjoy dystopian novels. I'm sad it didn't live up to expectations. This one was focused too much on external details, such as the way the landscape was set up, than internal details: it was hard connecting with any of the characters. The story moved too fast and left gaps that weakened it. It didn't give me much to hold on to or invest in, and I read through it quickly because there wasn't much for me to hold onto. I'm disappointed, especially given how well-reviewed it's been overall.
March 13, 2013
Ryan Winfield – The Park Service | AnjaIsReading
Wow. That was the only word my brain was able to produce when I finished The Park Service. This book blew me away and made me speechless.
It started with one of the most intense prologues ever so that it had me captured from the very first paragraph. The subject brought up in this story will never get old. When I was a child I read a book with similar initial situation like this one that left me shocked and perplexed. And now, 25 years later, this topic is still scary as hell. No surprise there. Nukes are terrifying, and despite the fact that the beginning of this book is highly speculative it shows what might happen in case someone somewhere should want to play with the big bad red button...
After the prologue, 900 years in the future, we meet the main character, 15 years old Aubrey. He, like the remains of humankind, lives in a facility five miles under the surface where everything is well-ordered. All the people know is that there's no life on the surface, that the world is condemned as uninhabitable, and that turning 35 means to retire to a wonderful life in a VR paradise.
At the age of 15 kids have to pass a major test that decides over their future. Of course Aubrey passes with flying colors, whereupon he has to leave his old life to live on a level that's only for only the most privileged and cleverest. This is the point where Aubrey's story begins, where post-apocalypse meets dystopia meets coming of age in the best way imaginable.
It's somewhat impossible to tell more without placing huge spoilers. Unfortunately, the synopsis is way too spoiler-y, it's a shame. Still the story is full of surprises; there are so many things to discover, so many lies to unmask, so many moments when you can't help but crying what.the.everloving.fuck.
There is also the fact that, even though still highly speculative, situations, actions, characters, and character development are absolutely plausible and easily comprehensible. And that doesn't apply only to the heros but to the megalomaniacal villain as well. He is just as charismatic as despicable, and full of amazing but disgusting visions. I still have no words for how horrible and sick this guy is. Looks like he's got a screw loose. Then again I can see where he's coming from. This book set me thinking, that's for sure.
It's a welcome change that this book has a male main protagonist written by a male author. That's seldom seen... And while I'm on it, the author has an amazing way with words. The writing style left me utterly amazed; it was vivid, sweeping, full of emotions. Ryan Winfield plays with the reader's imagination. His words are so powerful they suck you into the story. It's not reading, it's like living it; like feeling the sun on your skin, like tasting the watermelons the protagonists eat, like hearing the rustle of the wind... you get the point ^^ As a result the not exactly few scenes full of gore are pretty vivid as well, but that's okay.
The Park Service isn't a perfect book, because there are some odd things that don't add up, the love story is quite strange (although understandable considering the circumstances), and it's predictable in some places. This is aggravated by the fact that I had some problems with how the MC reacted to certain events. But... no book is perfect, right? Besides, in spite of all that Ryan Winfield did a bang-up job writing this book. And, to top it all off, there is no evil cliffhanger. Yes, it's an open ending, but it's a worthy ending for a fuckawesome book.
Can't wait to read the next installment :)
October 17, 2012
Disclaimer: If Mr. Winfield published a book about dirt, I would read it and love it. All the words are put together in such a beautiful and rich way you will feel satisfied.
What an adventure this was! This is my favorite kind of story. It’s the kind of book that plucks you up from wherever you are physically and drops you into this newly created world. This is what a great novel is all about…taking you somewhere new and exciting and in this case totally imagined. Yet, the authors way of writing has you right there with Aubrey on his adventure, rooting for him all along the way. As you go along with Aubrey you see everything he sees and feel his excitement over his new discoveries. I love the way Mr. Winfield describes everything to the reader, you never feel that you’re missing out on anything.
I was left pleasantly surprised at every turn of events, never knowing what would come next. I loved the questions that came to mind of what I would do in the same situations Aubrey faced. (He’s a lot wiser then me)
I’m excited that I can share this book with my 10 and 12 years old children. I know they will love to go on this adventure and we will have the opportunity to discuss the content of the story.
THE BEST PART?? There will be more! Great start, to what will surely be a highly successful trilogy. I look forward to getting back into Aubrey’s adventures as the next books come out. Exciting. Fun. Thought provoking.
What an adventure this was! This is my favorite kind of story. It’s the kind of book that plucks you up from wherever you are physically and drops you into this newly created world. This is what a great novel is all about…taking you somewhere new and exciting and in this case totally imagined. Yet, the authors way of writing has you right there with Aubrey on his adventure, rooting for him all along the way. As you go along with Aubrey you see everything he sees and feel his excitement over his new discoveries. I love the way Mr. Winfield describes everything to the reader, you never feel that you’re missing out on anything.
I was left pleasantly surprised at every turn of events, never knowing what would come next. I loved the questions that came to mind of what I would do in the same situations Aubrey faced. (He’s a lot wiser then me)
I’m excited that I can share this book with my 10 and 12 years old children. I know they will love to go on this adventure and we will have the opportunity to discuss the content of the story.
THE BEST PART?? There will be more! Great start, to what will surely be a highly successful trilogy. I look forward to getting back into Aubrey’s adventures as the next books come out. Exciting. Fun. Thought provoking.
March 30, 2015
My Thoughts
Over and over again, I kept seeing posts on Facebook about a new and outstanding trilogy. When I saw that the first book was on sale for 99 cents, I decided to give it a try. I'm rather glad that I did.
The Park Service offers an interesting look at a dystopian future. Fifteen-year-old Aubrey VanHouten is living in an underground bunker -- the home of mankind after a devastating war made the surface of the earth uninhabitable. Or so everyone thinks. When Aubrey accidentally discovers that the surface is actually a pristine paradise, he is surprised to learn that there is a ruling power determined to keep people from bespoiling the planet again, treating the entire planet as a park to be preserved.
As mentioned in the online ads, this is the first book in a trilogy and after reading it, I would very much enjoy reading the rest of the series. Since all of the books in the trilogy are available through the Kindle Lending Library to Amazon Prime members, I might just borrow them rather than purchasing. A solid three stars -- I enjoyed the book.
Over and over again, I kept seeing posts on Facebook about a new and outstanding trilogy. When I saw that the first book was on sale for 99 cents, I decided to give it a try. I'm rather glad that I did.
The Park Service offers an interesting look at a dystopian future. Fifteen-year-old Aubrey VanHouten is living in an underground bunker -- the home of mankind after a devastating war made the surface of the earth uninhabitable. Or so everyone thinks. When Aubrey accidentally discovers that the surface is actually a pristine paradise, he is surprised to learn that there is a ruling power determined to keep people from bespoiling the planet again, treating the entire planet as a park to be preserved.
As mentioned in the online ads, this is the first book in a trilogy and after reading it, I would very much enjoy reading the rest of the series. Since all of the books in the trilogy are available through the Kindle Lending Library to Amazon Prime members, I might just borrow them rather than purchasing. A solid three stars -- I enjoyed the book.
December 27, 2012
Three words describe The Park Service. "A Page Turner"! I anxiously anticipated what would happen next in the 15 year old, Aubrey's adventures in the unknown & unexpected. I purchased the book as soon as it was released in October. However time was limited until a few days ago opening the opportunity for me to curl up with a blanket, some hot tea and this most intriguing story to dig into. And dig in I did! Much like the impatience I felt in delving into each book that followed in The Hunger Games Trilogy. I am most impatient for the arrival of the 2nd book of the The Park Service. You're not pumping it out fast enough Ryan! What will Aubrey come up with for an answer to his dilemma and then how will he implement it? Fantastic job!
January 30, 2013
This author is definitely one to watch. I picked up his 1st book on a Kindle Daily Deal last year and it was amazing. Now he has proven it certainly wasn't a one off and that he won't be pigeonholed into a genre. I also want to mention he seems to be a great guy and likes to connect with his fans. I got sucked into this story within 2 pages and basically didn't put it down except to sleep and I am anxiously waiting for the 2nd book of the series.
January 30, 2013
I read this novel because I saw from Facebook's ad that "it's gonna give Hunger Games a run for its money" or "the next Hunger Games". I've been duped! The only similarities they have is their genre. I'm so into dystopian novels but this book does not even make it to my top 10. I didn't even feel the hero and the heroine's spark. Mas may chemistry pa si Jimmy and Aubrey. Pfft!
November 8, 2012
I was very disappointed! I found it to be very unbelievable- a fifteen year old climbing over a glacier in nothing but a kilt and rope wrapped around his feet! The book was overly descriptive, I caught myself skimming over it to get to the plot!
December 27, 2012
This book earned 5 stars - and I'm only so grumpy about the sleepless night racing through the pages cost me. I have a thing for well thought out Dystopias with a sciency twist, and this one shot right to the top of my favorites list. Can't wait for the next!
January 13, 2013
Can't wait for the next one!
February 1, 2013
interesting concept. as usual, i have got my self stuck in the position of starting a trilogy without thinking and having to wait.... sigh.
June 7, 2016
The Park Service
A good read for teens! Even if I'm well past that stage in my life, I look forward to continuing the adventure.
A good read for teens! Even if I'm well past that stage in my life, I look forward to continuing the adventure.
July 8, 2017
The Park Service centres around Aubrey van Houten, a 15 year old living in a subterranean society called Holocene II. Civilisation was driven underground 1000 years ago after a nuclear holocaust, and the people in Holocene II are split into castes according to ability. Aubrey aces the test that determines where he’ll be placed and becomes the first ever citizen to ascend from Level 3 to Level 1. While being transported to Level 1 the train crashes on the surface. But far from being the desolate wasteland he’s been led to believe, the surface is pristine, flourishing and perfectly habitable!
Aubrey joins a local tribe and befriends a boy called Jimmy, who teaches him that the nomadic tribes of the surface live in fear of “The Park Service”: an unseen army of controllers who routinely exterminate the population using drones. After witnessing said extermination Jimmy and Aubrey embark on a trek to find the people behind it. Jimmy and Aubrey stumble across the man responsible for both the Park Service and Holocene II: Dr Radcliffe, a 900 year old scientist who wants his daughter and Aubrey to take over from him and his wife as custodians of the planet.
Aubrey learns that the world was all but destroyed 1000 years ago from overpopulation, nuclear war and pillaging of the Earth’s natural resources. North America was consequently designated as a national park and the Earth slowly recovered over the millennium thanks to minimal human interference. While Dr Radcliffe’s work started out nobly, Aubrey quickly realises that he’s gone batshit crazy. He’s killing the people of Holocene II and continuing to torture them after death, and he believes that humanity should be wiped out in order to let the planet flourish.
Aubrey and Hannah Radcliffe sabotage his plans, which ultimately culminates in the death of Mr and Mrs Radcliffe and the destruction of the Park Service control room. Aubrey, Hannah, Jimmy and their baby fox Junior narrowly escape death themselves, and are left to discover how far reaching Dr Radcliffe’s evil was.
-----
If you were a fan of James Dashner’s The Maze Runner, you’ll enjoy The Park Service. While Dashner’s protagonist is plonked in a maze with no memory and left to speculate as to its origins and creators, Aubrey is thrust into the outside world and left to speculate about the origins and creators of Holocene II and why he’s been lied to all his life. He may not have amnesia, but he knows as little about his surroundings as Thomas did about the maze! I’m a fan of narratives where you only know as much as the protagonist does. Even after Aubrey learns the story behind the war and creation of Holocene II, it’s not until the end of the book that you truly grasp the extent of Dr Radcliffe’s madness and what he really intends to do to the planet.
I loved the idea of Holocene II and being allocated to a level/caste that you’d be confined to for the remaining 20 years of your life. It was much more restrictive than Beth Revis’ Across the Universe where people might be confined to the same level, but it’s still a damn big level with a township and fields. The bottom level also had a touch of Brave New World, with its less intelligent citizens being sterilised to ensure they don’t procreate!
I also really loved the idea of Eden and was bummed when I found out it wasn’t the real deal. I’ve always been fascinated by the Apotheosis program/V-World in Caprica, where a person’s avatar could be uploaded to live on in the program after death. But while Eden claimed to truly allow Holocene’s citizens to progress to the afterlife, in Caprica the avatars were simply that: eerily realistic copies of the person and their personality, but not an actual upload of their soul. The timeline also provided great food for thought - while I look back on my 23 years and think “Crap, 23 years is a long time”, I imagine that the retirement age of 35 in Holocene II would creep up very quickly!
But though I was disappointed that the owners of the brains floating around in the Eden pool weren’t actually frolicking through open virtual fields with their loved ones, the alternative explanation was actually pretty cool. It was both intriguing and depressing to think that in this simulation humanity had been presented with multiple political systems, environments and even physiological differences, but the outcome was always the same: destruction.
While Radcliffe had obviously gone a bit nuts over the past 900 years, I can understand his perception that humanity was a virus plaguing the planet. I just wonder what “something greater” he was envisioning for Earth when humanity was wiped out. Was he just referring to nature taking over after humans were bumped from the food chain? Or was he expecting that some greater civilisation would inherit the planet and coexist peacefully with nature in the millennia to come?
I can’t wait to see what Aubrey and co. find as they traverse the globe in the next book! I’m super keen to see how the people of China are fighting back against the Park Service, and if Mother Nature has reclaimed China like she has North America. I’m really hoping that Dr Radcliffe’s population estimates were inaccurate and that China boasts a hundred thousand people living happily beyond the reach of the Park Service!
While I really enjoyed the premise and concepts presented in this book, I did have a few issues with the story and use of language...
Aubrey fell for Hannah far too quickly. Sure, he was this scrawny boy in Holocene II who had never had friends, let alone attention from girls, but he was practically ready to run off and marry Hannah the day after they met. It would’ve been nice to see more character development from them both, for Aubrey to fumble around Hannah and struggle to forget that he’s not the skinny gangly boy he was a few months ago. And given that Hannah has never interacted with anyone but her parents and the maintenance staff, surely she would’ve had a few awkward moments as she tried to interact with someone her own age? It would’ve been nice for Aubrey and Hannah to enjoy some real conversation to discover their mutual likes and dislikes, rather than “Oh you’re super smart and like reading? So am I.”
And we can’t forget Jimmy, who should’ve been really upset that Aubrey doesn’t practice “Bros before Hoes”. Aubrey should’ve been more repentant that he ditched his friend as soon as a girl came into the picture; a friend who he’d brought back from the brink of death and nearly died traversing a mountain with. Aubrey should’ve also shown more compassion for Jimmy, helping him to adjust to modern life rather than cringing and rolling his eyes when Jimmy ate with his hands at the dinner table.
The overuse of similes also gave me the shits. Winfield uses a simile in nearly every sentence, and some of them are so long-winded that you have paragraphs consisting of one simile run-on sentence! You can describe the way someone walks or talks or poops without needing to constantly compare them to a water dancer/goddess/rainbow/panda/whatever. It’s so flowery and convoluted, and Winfield would do well to realise that sometimes a cigar is just a bloody cigar.
I also wasn’t a fan of the way dialogue was written between characters. Winfield doesn’t use any dialogue tags to describe how a character responds, not even “he said” or “she said”! Consequently the dialogue has a very snappy staccato feel to it, like Aubrey is constantly challenging whoever he’s speaking to and that every conversation is actually a fight. If Winfield would add a simple dialogue tag such as “he admitted”, “she blurted” or “he sighed”, we’d get a sense of how each character is feeling, opposed to Aubrey sounding like a petulant child interrogating everyone.
Overall: I absolutely loved the post-apocalyptic world presented in The Park Service and can’t wait to see where Ryan Winfield takes it next. If you enjoyed the sense of mystery in James Dashner’s The Maze Runner you’ll enjoy following Aubrey van Houten as he blindly navigates a world thought to be destroyed. I did take issue with some of Aubrey’s character development and the language used throughout the book, but I’m curious enough about the state of the rest of the world to keep reading.
Aubrey joins a local tribe and befriends a boy called Jimmy, who teaches him that the nomadic tribes of the surface live in fear of “The Park Service”: an unseen army of controllers who routinely exterminate the population using drones. After witnessing said extermination Jimmy and Aubrey embark on a trek to find the people behind it. Jimmy and Aubrey stumble across the man responsible for both the Park Service and Holocene II: Dr Radcliffe, a 900 year old scientist who wants his daughter and Aubrey to take over from him and his wife as custodians of the planet.
Aubrey learns that the world was all but destroyed 1000 years ago from overpopulation, nuclear war and pillaging of the Earth’s natural resources. North America was consequently designated as a national park and the Earth slowly recovered over the millennium thanks to minimal human interference. While Dr Radcliffe’s work started out nobly, Aubrey quickly realises that he’s gone batshit crazy. He’s killing the people of Holocene II and continuing to torture them after death, and he believes that humanity should be wiped out in order to let the planet flourish.
Aubrey and Hannah Radcliffe sabotage his plans, which ultimately culminates in the death of Mr and Mrs Radcliffe and the destruction of the Park Service control room. Aubrey, Hannah, Jimmy and their baby fox Junior narrowly escape death themselves, and are left to discover how far reaching Dr Radcliffe’s evil was.
-----
If you were a fan of James Dashner’s The Maze Runner, you’ll enjoy The Park Service. While Dashner’s protagonist is plonked in a maze with no memory and left to speculate as to its origins and creators, Aubrey is thrust into the outside world and left to speculate about the origins and creators of Holocene II and why he’s been lied to all his life. He may not have amnesia, but he knows as little about his surroundings as Thomas did about the maze! I’m a fan of narratives where you only know as much as the protagonist does. Even after Aubrey learns the story behind the war and creation of Holocene II, it’s not until the end of the book that you truly grasp the extent of Dr Radcliffe’s madness and what he really intends to do to the planet.
I loved the idea of Holocene II and being allocated to a level/caste that you’d be confined to for the remaining 20 years of your life. It was much more restrictive than Beth Revis’ Across the Universe where people might be confined to the same level, but it’s still a damn big level with a township and fields. The bottom level also had a touch of Brave New World, with its less intelligent citizens being sterilised to ensure they don’t procreate!
I also really loved the idea of Eden and was bummed when I found out it wasn’t the real deal. I’ve always been fascinated by the Apotheosis program/V-World in Caprica, where a person’s avatar could be uploaded to live on in the program after death. But while Eden claimed to truly allow Holocene’s citizens to progress to the afterlife, in Caprica the avatars were simply that: eerily realistic copies of the person and their personality, but not an actual upload of their soul. The timeline also provided great food for thought - while I look back on my 23 years and think “Crap, 23 years is a long time”, I imagine that the retirement age of 35 in Holocene II would creep up very quickly!
But though I was disappointed that the owners of the brains floating around in the Eden pool weren’t actually frolicking through open virtual fields with their loved ones, the alternative explanation was actually pretty cool. It was both intriguing and depressing to think that in this simulation humanity had been presented with multiple political systems, environments and even physiological differences, but the outcome was always the same: destruction.
While Radcliffe had obviously gone a bit nuts over the past 900 years, I can understand his perception that humanity was a virus plaguing the planet. I just wonder what “something greater” he was envisioning for Earth when humanity was wiped out. Was he just referring to nature taking over after humans were bumped from the food chain? Or was he expecting that some greater civilisation would inherit the planet and coexist peacefully with nature in the millennia to come?
I can’t wait to see what Aubrey and co. find as they traverse the globe in the next book! I’m super keen to see how the people of China are fighting back against the Park Service, and if Mother Nature has reclaimed China like she has North America. I’m really hoping that Dr Radcliffe’s population estimates were inaccurate and that China boasts a hundred thousand people living happily beyond the reach of the Park Service!
While I really enjoyed the premise and concepts presented in this book, I did have a few issues with the story and use of language...
Aubrey fell for Hannah far too quickly. Sure, he was this scrawny boy in Holocene II who had never had friends, let alone attention from girls, but he was practically ready to run off and marry Hannah the day after they met. It would’ve been nice to see more character development from them both, for Aubrey to fumble around Hannah and struggle to forget that he’s not the skinny gangly boy he was a few months ago. And given that Hannah has never interacted with anyone but her parents and the maintenance staff, surely she would’ve had a few awkward moments as she tried to interact with someone her own age? It would’ve been nice for Aubrey and Hannah to enjoy some real conversation to discover their mutual likes and dislikes, rather than “Oh you’re super smart and like reading? So am I.”
And we can’t forget Jimmy, who should’ve been really upset that Aubrey doesn’t practice “Bros before Hoes”. Aubrey should’ve been more repentant that he ditched his friend as soon as a girl came into the picture; a friend who he’d brought back from the brink of death and nearly died traversing a mountain with. Aubrey should’ve also shown more compassion for Jimmy, helping him to adjust to modern life rather than cringing and rolling his eyes when Jimmy ate with his hands at the dinner table.
The overuse of similes also gave me the shits. Winfield uses a simile in nearly every sentence, and some of them are so long-winded that you have paragraphs consisting of one simile run-on sentence! You can describe the way someone walks or talks or poops without needing to constantly compare them to a water dancer/goddess/rainbow/panda/whatever. It’s so flowery and convoluted, and Winfield would do well to realise that sometimes a cigar is just a bloody cigar.
I also wasn’t a fan of the way dialogue was written between characters. Winfield doesn’t use any dialogue tags to describe how a character responds, not even “he said” or “she said”! Consequently the dialogue has a very snappy staccato feel to it, like Aubrey is constantly challenging whoever he’s speaking to and that every conversation is actually a fight. If Winfield would add a simple dialogue tag such as “he admitted”, “she blurted” or “he sighed”, we’d get a sense of how each character is feeling, opposed to Aubrey sounding like a petulant child interrogating everyone.
Overall: I absolutely loved the post-apocalyptic world presented in The Park Service and can’t wait to see where Ryan Winfield takes it next. If you enjoyed the sense of mystery in James Dashner’s The Maze Runner you’ll enjoy following Aubrey van Houten as he blindly navigates a world thought to be destroyed. I did take issue with some of Aubrey’s character development and the language used throughout the book, but I’m curious enough about the state of the rest of the world to keep reading.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 12, 2020
I usually like dystopian books, but this one just didn’t do it for me. I felt like the author spent way more time on the parts of the story that weren’t as significant, but then totally rushed through all of the really important events. I also couldn’t connect with any of the characters in this book, which made it hard for me to care about what happened. Eh- you win some, you lose some!
January 20, 2025
The Park Service is a very unique book and story! I'm a world where everything you've known is a lie, uncovering the truth is sure to keep you on your toes!
April 29, 2015
This book shares some similar themes with the Wool series by Hugh Howey, which I had read and really enjoyed a little over a year ago. I can’t go into detail about what was similar and what was different without spoiling either book, but I can say that they’re both post-apocalyptic books in which survivors from a cataclysmic event on Earth have been living underground for many generations. Most residents are kept isolated and ignorant of what’s really going on outside their own little area.
I’ve seen people compare Wool to the Fallout computer game series, but I really thought it only had a very superficial resemblance. The beginning of The Park Service, on the other hand, had some extremely strong similarities with the tutorial section of the Fallout 3 game. The similarities with Fallout ended before too long, although there continued to be some similarities here and there with Wool.
I don’t want to write too much about the story and ruin any surprises because there are several twists throughout the book as the true picture is slowly revealed. Although the story wasn’t very unique in my recent experience, it really was told well so I enjoyed it anyway. I probably would have enjoyed it even more if I hadn’t read anything similar before. In comparison with Wool, The Park Service has much more of a Young Adult vibe, mainly because the story takes place from the first-person perspective of a fifteen-year-old boy. Other characters who get a lot of page time are also around that age. However, in terms of the events that actually happen during the story, I would consider The Park Service to be at least as dark as Wool. Probably quite a bit darker, actually.
The main character, Aubrey, was likeable and sympathetic. There was another character I also really liked who played a prominent role in the book too. However, for a boy who was supposed to be very smart, Aubrey sometimes seemed excessively naïve and slow to grasp what was going on. In the beginning, I could overlook it because his world has been turned upside down and he was out of his depth. By the end, however, I thought his experiences thus far should have led him to the correct conclusions more quickly. There was another character who showed up later on, who I really can’t talk about without spoiling too much of the story, but I didn’t care for that character very much.
The story wasn’t complex, but it did have some moral dilemmas to consider and it held back answers about what was going on in a way that helped to hold my interest. I had many questions as I read and, as is typical for me, these questions kept me reading in search of the answers I wanted. These questions are pretty well answered by the end of this book, and the main story is mostly wrapped up while the ending is left open for the continuation of the trilogy. I had been stuck in a waiting room for longer than expected while reading this book, which is largely responsible for my finishing it so quickly. I immediately jumped into the second book because I want to see where the story will go next.
I’ve seen people compare Wool to the Fallout computer game series, but I really thought it only had a very superficial resemblance. The beginning of The Park Service, on the other hand, had some extremely strong similarities with the tutorial section of the Fallout 3 game. The similarities with Fallout ended before too long, although there continued to be some similarities here and there with Wool.
I don’t want to write too much about the story and ruin any surprises because there are several twists throughout the book as the true picture is slowly revealed. Although the story wasn’t very unique in my recent experience, it really was told well so I enjoyed it anyway. I probably would have enjoyed it even more if I hadn’t read anything similar before. In comparison with Wool, The Park Service has much more of a Young Adult vibe, mainly because the story takes place from the first-person perspective of a fifteen-year-old boy. Other characters who get a lot of page time are also around that age. However, in terms of the events that actually happen during the story, I would consider The Park Service to be at least as dark as Wool. Probably quite a bit darker, actually.
The main character, Aubrey, was likeable and sympathetic. There was another character I also really liked who played a prominent role in the book too. However, for a boy who was supposed to be very smart, Aubrey sometimes seemed excessively naïve and slow to grasp what was going on. In the beginning, I could overlook it because his world has been turned upside down and he was out of his depth. By the end, however, I thought his experiences thus far should have led him to the correct conclusions more quickly. There was another character who showed up later on, who I really can’t talk about without spoiling too much of the story, but I didn’t care for that character very much.
The story wasn’t complex, but it did have some moral dilemmas to consider and it held back answers about what was going on in a way that helped to hold my interest. I had many questions as I read and, as is typical for me, these questions kept me reading in search of the answers I wanted. These questions are pretty well answered by the end of this book, and the main story is mostly wrapped up while the ending is left open for the continuation of the trilogy. I had been stuck in a waiting room for longer than expected while reading this book, which is largely responsible for my finishing it so quickly. I immediately jumped into the second book because I want to see where the story will go next.
November 24, 2012
Kitty's review posted on Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews
5 Stars
Another blockbuster by new author Ryan Winfield. In his second novel, Ryan takes a total turn and goes from the powerful, awe-inspiring book “South of Bixby Bridge”, to a young adult novel about love, war and moral decisions.
The start of the book describes the end of the world as we know it. Holocene II is the setting of this powerful story. An underground city made up of 5 different levels. Aubrey and his father live in Holocene II where he attends school and his father works in the labs. There are 5 other levels, each with their own living quarters and assignments. At age 15, each child is tested to see where they will go. No one has ever gone up to Level I – until Aubrey. Everyone is so proud of him and his accomplishment. But, as he gets ready to head to the Foundation with dreams of making the earth habitable for his friends and family, he knows that this will be be the last time he sees his father. In 123 days, his father retires to Eden where he will reunite with his mother……so he thinks.
“The Park Service” brings you through the life of Aubrey as he finds out that everything he has been taught is nothing but a lie. That Eden is not what they were told it was. That the ultimate plan is to return the earth to it’s past splendor and not allow any humans to inhabit it. That “The Park Service” has been hunting and murdering humans so that they do not tarnish the earth. That him and Hannah have been chosen to bring earth back to it’s glory. But at what cost? In the end, he has to make a decision that will either destroy the earth or everyone in Holocene II. The last question on the test becomes totally clear to him and he now understands why he was chosen:
“You’ve been placed in command of Holocene II and entrusted with protection it. The basement level bio-testing lab has uncovered an airborne parasitic pathogen that kills almost every person it infects, and all or most of its citizens are infected. There is currently no cure for this infectious agent and you face an impossible choice – you can seal off the level, imprisoning its people to a terrible fate but saving the other levels from infection, or, you can continue to support the infected level in hopes that a cure might be discovered before it spreads into a pandemic that will destroy all of Holocene II and with it, our species. Please select your answer below.
A. Seal off the infected level and save Holocene II.
B. Render aid to those infected and risk total destruction.”
Again, I was awed by the writing of Ryan Winfield. The storyline is fast-paced and powerful. His writing style is riveting and exciting. Many authors have caught my attention and held me to a book for one reason or another but Mr. Winfield’s style of writing is like none that I have ever encountered. He has a way of describing actions, places and things with such clarity that you feel that you could see, feel and hear them. He draws you into the story and doesn’t let you come up for air. You read, wait and wonder what will be next. If you enjoy YA with a powerful storyline, you will love “The Park Service”. I am really excited and looking forward to Book 2 of The Park Service Trilogy – to see what Aubrey decides, to watch the love bloom between him and Hannah and to find out what awaits Jimmy.
Review copy provided for an honest review.
5 Stars
Another blockbuster by new author Ryan Winfield. In his second novel, Ryan takes a total turn and goes from the powerful, awe-inspiring book “South of Bixby Bridge”, to a young adult novel about love, war and moral decisions.
The start of the book describes the end of the world as we know it. Holocene II is the setting of this powerful story. An underground city made up of 5 different levels. Aubrey and his father live in Holocene II where he attends school and his father works in the labs. There are 5 other levels, each with their own living quarters and assignments. At age 15, each child is tested to see where they will go. No one has ever gone up to Level I – until Aubrey. Everyone is so proud of him and his accomplishment. But, as he gets ready to head to the Foundation with dreams of making the earth habitable for his friends and family, he knows that this will be be the last time he sees his father. In 123 days, his father retires to Eden where he will reunite with his mother……so he thinks.
“The Park Service” brings you through the life of Aubrey as he finds out that everything he has been taught is nothing but a lie. That Eden is not what they were told it was. That the ultimate plan is to return the earth to it’s past splendor and not allow any humans to inhabit it. That “The Park Service” has been hunting and murdering humans so that they do not tarnish the earth. That him and Hannah have been chosen to bring earth back to it’s glory. But at what cost? In the end, he has to make a decision that will either destroy the earth or everyone in Holocene II. The last question on the test becomes totally clear to him and he now understands why he was chosen:
“You’ve been placed in command of Holocene II and entrusted with protection it. The basement level bio-testing lab has uncovered an airborne parasitic pathogen that kills almost every person it infects, and all or most of its citizens are infected. There is currently no cure for this infectious agent and you face an impossible choice – you can seal off the level, imprisoning its people to a terrible fate but saving the other levels from infection, or, you can continue to support the infected level in hopes that a cure might be discovered before it spreads into a pandemic that will destroy all of Holocene II and with it, our species. Please select your answer below.
A. Seal off the infected level and save Holocene II.
B. Render aid to those infected and risk total destruction.”
Again, I was awed by the writing of Ryan Winfield. The storyline is fast-paced and powerful. His writing style is riveting and exciting. Many authors have caught my attention and held me to a book for one reason or another but Mr. Winfield’s style of writing is like none that I have ever encountered. He has a way of describing actions, places and things with such clarity that you feel that you could see, feel and hear them. He draws you into the story and doesn’t let you come up for air. You read, wait and wonder what will be next. If you enjoy YA with a powerful storyline, you will love “The Park Service”. I am really excited and looking forward to Book 2 of The Park Service Trilogy – to see what Aubrey decides, to watch the love bloom between him and Hannah and to find out what awaits Jimmy.
Review copy provided for an honest review.
June 2, 2014
This book is quite curious. There are so many things I liked about it.
The beginning was slow, but it served its purpose by setting up the story. Unlike most other books where it is too damn slow or speeds up very quickly, The Park Service has a happy medium. It gradually picks up at a nice pace.
I loved how Aubrey found a brother, Jimmy. Well not a blood brother, but they are as close as they can get. And that they have a little fox as a pet!!! AWW!!! That just adds a cute factor.
The ROmance... okay to be honest. There was no romance. Aubrey and Hannah just basically fell in love. Though they were kind of forced into it, Aubrey of course falls in love with a hot redhead. I mean, who wouldn't? IT was cute and all, but being a sucker for romance, I would have loved to have seen something build. But then again, it would have probably taken focus away from the EPIC plot-line. So it's at a stalemate. It's all good.
This book has some moral lessons that EVERY person should learn and know. I won't say what they are, you have to read the book so you can actually take the lesson from it. Kinda cool, I am learning a lesson from my ipad like Aubrey learned from his lesson slate xD
Aubrey is a special guy. He's ridiculously smart. I mean passing the BIGGEST FINAL EVER! (Fellow college students can relate) is the most stressful thing to experience. And yet he passes with a 100%. That's amazing. SO he is scrawny and a wimp. That all changes when he goes to the surface. He get lean and buff and I can only assume handsome and swoon worthy if a BEAUTIFUL redhead like Hannah has fallen for him. I can tell he has a good heart. I mean deciding not to eat a baby fox even though you are hungry as f*ck, tells alot about character. And taking him under your wing when you've eaten his mother? Kid's got heart. And not only that, but He didn't have to, but he did that because it is right.
Jimmy is a pretty cool guy too. He can't read, but that doesn't mean he isn't smart. He is a BEAST. A glorious hunter and a loving friend. There's not much to say about him except that you will get attached to this character as well.
Hannah. Well there's even less to tell. She's hot and she's a redhead. Oh, she's also like a genius or something, but that's only because we as the reader, are told so. She also has a kind of funny rivalry going on with Jimmy. Spoiled versus Savage. Hahaha. Find out how things turn out people.
Here is the part where I must take away one star. Grammar and spelling errors. I have found a few. If you are a self published author, I tend to discard them and let the author know where I have found the errors. But being a New York Times Bestseller?? and having errors? That's unacceptable. Bro, your editor missed a few things.
Overall. I am not surprised that this is a Best Selling Novel. It deserves it's credit and merit. Congrats Ryan Winfield, you've created a damn good book.
FOUR STARS!!!!!
The beginning was slow, but it served its purpose by setting up the story. Unlike most other books where it is too damn slow or speeds up very quickly, The Park Service has a happy medium. It gradually picks up at a nice pace.
I loved how Aubrey found a brother, Jimmy. Well not a blood brother, but they are as close as they can get. And that they have a little fox as a pet!!! AWW!!! That just adds a cute factor.
The ROmance... okay to be honest. There was no romance. Aubrey and Hannah just basically fell in love. Though they were kind of forced into it, Aubrey of course falls in love with a hot redhead. I mean, who wouldn't? IT was cute and all, but being a sucker for romance, I would have loved to have seen something build. But then again, it would have probably taken focus away from the EPIC plot-line. So it's at a stalemate. It's all good.
This book has some moral lessons that EVERY person should learn and know. I won't say what they are, you have to read the book so you can actually take the lesson from it. Kinda cool, I am learning a lesson from my ipad like Aubrey learned from his lesson slate xD
Aubrey is a special guy. He's ridiculously smart. I mean passing the BIGGEST FINAL EVER! (Fellow college students can relate) is the most stressful thing to experience. And yet he passes with a 100%. That's amazing. SO he is scrawny and a wimp. That all changes when he goes to the surface. He get lean and buff and I can only assume handsome and swoon worthy if a BEAUTIFUL redhead like Hannah has fallen for him. I can tell he has a good heart. I mean deciding not to eat a baby fox even though you are hungry as f*ck, tells alot about character. And taking him under your wing when you've eaten his mother? Kid's got heart. And not only that, but He didn't have to, but he did that because it is right.
Jimmy is a pretty cool guy too. He can't read, but that doesn't mean he isn't smart. He is a BEAST. A glorious hunter and a loving friend. There's not much to say about him except that you will get attached to this character as well.
Hannah. Well there's even less to tell. She's hot and she's a redhead. Oh, she's also like a genius or something, but that's only because we as the reader, are told so. She also has a kind of funny rivalry going on with Jimmy. Spoiled versus Savage. Hahaha. Find out how things turn out people.
Here is the part where I must take away one star. Grammar and spelling errors. I have found a few. If you are a self published author, I tend to discard them and let the author know where I have found the errors. But being a New York Times Bestseller?? and having errors? That's unacceptable. Bro, your editor missed a few things.
Overall. I am not surprised that this is a Best Selling Novel. It deserves it's credit and merit. Congrats Ryan Winfield, you've created a damn good book.
FOUR STARS!!!!!
December 8, 2012
Since I read South of Bixby Bridge, I have to say that I have been really looking forward to a follow-up novel. The new book is a totally different genre, but one that I have been enjoying more and more as I read them. Like many YA novels, it is the story of the underground survivors of a world gone very wrong.
When I first started reading I was reminded of the Wool Omnibus series where various levels of the survival area house specifically different work types. However, the story took on a life of it's own when the hero, Aubrey, is sent to Level One. Before he gets there a near fatal accident sends him to another area where the rest of the story takes place.
I think that Park Service was both well conceived and well written. There were some areas where I might have made changes to the story line - i.e. Aubrey and Jimmy relationship is somewhat homoerotic and given that they are possibly the only two people left on the planet after a horrible tragedy, it seems like they might have expressed their emotions in a more physical way. (They are both 15 years old and so probably would have the same raging hormones as our current generation.) This would also have added some additional excuse for Jimmy's disappearance from about 1/3 of the book and perhaps some more tension for the story.
Otherwise, I am very anxious for Part Two of the series. Let's hope that 12/21/12 ends up be just another story line and not a real thing, or we will all have to live (or die) with just Part One of this trilogy.
When I first started reading I was reminded of the Wool Omnibus series where various levels of the survival area house specifically different work types. However, the story took on a life of it's own when the hero, Aubrey, is sent to Level One. Before he gets there a near fatal accident sends him to another area where the rest of the story takes place.
I think that Park Service was both well conceived and well written. There were some areas where I might have made changes to the story line - i.e. Aubrey and Jimmy relationship is somewhat homoerotic and given that they are possibly the only two people left on the planet after a horrible tragedy, it seems like they might have expressed their emotions in a more physical way. (They are both 15 years old and so probably would have the same raging hormones as our current generation.) This would also have added some additional excuse for Jimmy's disappearance from about 1/3 of the book and perhaps some more tension for the story.
Otherwise, I am very anxious for Part Two of the series. Let's hope that 12/21/12 ends up be just another story line and not a real thing, or we will all have to live (or die) with just Part One of this trilogy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 30, 2013
I absolutely loved this book. I was beginning to think that I was broken when it came to reading. So hard for me to get into books lately, but when I picked up this one, I fell right into the story. But why? The description was beautiful, really putting you in the setting, showing you what the author was seeing and taking you along the journey with Aubrey.
**CONTAINS MINOR SPOILERS**
Ryan has done an amazing job with this book. I loved every part of it EXCEPT Hannah. In fact, she grated on my nerves so much, I really wanted her to fall in the lake and drown. My thoughts on her have changed SLIGHTLY, but not much.
For some reason, when I was reading it, I thought Jimmy and Aubrey would end up together. The story is told in first person through the eyes of Aubrey, and when it came to Jimmy, how he talked about him, how they acted together, how they swam naked and all that, I really thought it was going to be an awesome gay romance as a back-story. For the first time I thought we would see gay people written in the non-stereotypical light, having this epic adventure, but that didn't happen.
Now, when the love interest did come into it, I was a little taken aback. I didn't like the shift in the story (from my preconceived notions), but I stuck with it, and I am very glad I did. The Park Service has become the BEST book I've read lately.
I highly recommend this book.
**CONTAINS MINOR SPOILERS**
Ryan has done an amazing job with this book. I loved every part of it EXCEPT Hannah. In fact, she grated on my nerves so much, I really wanted her to fall in the lake and drown. My thoughts on her have changed SLIGHTLY, but not much.
For some reason, when I was reading it, I thought Jimmy and Aubrey would end up together. The story is told in first person through the eyes of Aubrey, and when it came to Jimmy, how he talked about him, how they acted together, how they swam naked and all that, I really thought it was going to be an awesome gay romance as a back-story. For the first time I thought we would see gay people written in the non-stereotypical light, having this epic adventure, but that didn't happen.
Now, when the love interest did come into it, I was a little taken aback. I didn't like the shift in the story (from my preconceived notions), but I stuck with it, and I am very glad I did. The Park Service has become the BEST book I've read lately.
I highly recommend this book.
November 26, 2014
I love the beginning. Getting to know Aubrey and how he and his father and all the other people are living and how they believe the world is like. Getting to know this part in the world. I love it. I also love to read about when Aubrey discovers the world beyond (when he crawls out of the wrecked train and doesn't realize that he's looking at stars. *meep*) and realizes that everything that he has learnt is a lie. I love it when he meets Jimmy and gets to know his world and people. I've been distraught and unbelieving when the drones came and killed everyone and I feared for Jimmys and Aubreys live on the mountains. I absolutely loved the book until that point.
And then? Then came insta-love/a lovestory and just, *gnah*, why?!?!? *hrmpf* I really didn't like that. :(
Also, the ending felt a bit rushed for me. :/ It felt too easy the way Jimmy and Aubrey destroyed "Level 1" and managed to take out Dr. Radcliffe.
I really, really, really like Aubrey and Jimmy. I could have read about them hunting and swimming and walking for a long time. These two are just very likable. My heart broke for Jimmy at the cove and later on when Aubrey realizes what will happen to his father and then he sees it? *hugs them both so much*
I still like the book and I love how it tackled some things but the insta-love/lovestory also diminished my enjoyment of it a lot.
And then? Then came insta-love/a lovestory and just, *gnah*, why?!?!? *hrmpf* I really didn't like that. :(
Also, the ending felt a bit rushed for me. :/ It felt too easy the way Jimmy and Aubrey destroyed "Level 1" and managed to take out Dr. Radcliffe.
I really, really, really like Aubrey and Jimmy. I could have read about them hunting and swimming and walking for a long time. These two are just very likable. My heart broke for Jimmy at the cove and later on when Aubrey realizes what will happen to his father and then he sees it? *hugs them both so much*
I still like the book and I love how it tackled some things but the insta-love/lovestory also diminished my enjoyment of it a lot.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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