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Atom Bomb Baby
It's been twenty-five years since the Kraal appeared from another dimension out of time and space, sweeping across all the galactic worlds and causing the death of 98% of the populations in a matter of months. The military Corps of the Union of Stars responded with a "cleansing" strategy, raining nuclear devastation on the already ravaged worlds. A teenage girl, Ashe, roams the desolate wasteland left behind, determined to remain solitary a year after her family were exiled from their underground shelter and suffered a horrible tragedy. But when she reluctantly rescues a mysterious child, she is drawn into a perilous journey that uncovers the significance of his abilities and the forces that aim to exploit him. Along the way, despite her determination to avoid ties, she connects with other travelers and renews old friendships. Can Ashe finally face the darkness of her past with their support? Atom Bomb Baby chronicles the survivors of a galactic-wide calamity as they find new friends, fight against unjust oppression, and ultimately uncover the secrets behind the arrival of the Kraal and the fall of civilization. This journey appeals to fans of Science-Fiction, Dystopian, and Urban Fantasy.
326 pages, Paperback
Published June 22, 2023
14 people are currently reading
90 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
November 20, 2023
Just finished this book!
Okay there are a couple things I have to talk about.
First of all, when I saw the website of the author last week, I was like: who is Talia? She looks pretty. BUT OH BOY! NO! STOP FLIRTING WITH MY MOONBEAM!!! I kinda like her and hate her at the same time😅
Some parts of this book was really hard to understand. Like until the end of the book I thought the Kraal was a monster too and I realised it could also be MORE than one and still call it Kraal, which was already hard to imagine what or how it looked like.
But I really loved to see Ashe develop from lone-warrior to a girl whose mental health almost completely depended on the team.
Love Moonbeam, love Ashe, like Jade, meh about Rainwood. Not sure about Talia yet.
Lastly, I want to thank the author SO MUCH. Because as a girl who always wondered what would happen if some weird creatures end up in Earth. Was awesome to read what I actually always wanted to read!
While I was reading, I kept saying " Moonbeam please end up with her PLEASE! " even though they had just met lol.
I literally screamed when I read the part where Jade asked if he loved her and he said "what does she think of me? " I LOVE IT!!
4 STARS ⭐⭐⭐⭐/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
NO SPICE -/🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶
#ridersofthestars #brandongillespie #atombombbaby
Okay there are a couple things I have to talk about.
First of all, when I saw the website of the author last week, I was like: who is Talia? She looks pretty. BUT OH BOY! NO! STOP FLIRTING WITH MY MOONBEAM!!! I kinda like her and hate her at the same time😅
Some parts of this book was really hard to understand. Like until the end of the book I thought the Kraal was a monster too and I realised it could also be MORE than one and still call it Kraal, which was already hard to imagine what or how it looked like.
But I really loved to see Ashe develop from lone-warrior to a girl whose mental health almost completely depended on the team.
Love Moonbeam, love Ashe, like Jade, meh about Rainwood. Not sure about Talia yet.
Lastly, I want to thank the author SO MUCH. Because as a girl who always wondered what would happen if some weird creatures end up in Earth. Was awesome to read what I actually always wanted to read!
While I was reading, I kept saying " Moonbeam please end up with her PLEASE! " even though they had just met lol.
I literally screamed when I read the part where Jade asked if he loved her and he said "what does she think of me? " I LOVE IT!!
4 STARS ⭐⭐⭐⭐/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
NO SPICE -/🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶
#ridersofthestars #brandongillespie #atombombbaby
November 16, 2023
Review: One of the few books that have a simple and interesting enough story line, coupled with pronounced characters that I would recommend being made into a movie. Of course no one in Hollywood is listening to me, as they shouldn’t what with being so far removed from morality.
This was so close to being shjt canned in the first few pages. The opening was stilted, fumbling and amateurish. The internal dialogue smooths out after a few chapters and the character interations are deft enough to build upon. Battle hardened adults deferring to a 16yo is relentless in this genre. It is at once insulting and not believable. Not too much blushing/crushing which goes a long way with me.
This was some freaky world building with monsterous images that were quite creepy. I love the MC as she is easy to visualize. Rainwood, not so much. The chapter artwork is really good and evokes high resolution visuals. The world does feel like it was borrowed from Fallout 4, an FPS PC game.
I like this world.
Rating: 3.7/5
This was so close to being shjt canned in the first few pages. The opening was stilted, fumbling and amateurish. The internal dialogue smooths out after a few chapters and the character interations are deft enough to build upon. Battle hardened adults deferring to a 16yo is relentless in this genre. It is at once insulting and not believable. Not too much blushing/crushing which goes a long way with me.
This was some freaky world building with monsterous images that were quite creepy. I love the MC as she is easy to visualize. Rainwood, not so much. The chapter artwork is really good and evokes high resolution visuals. The world does feel like it was borrowed from Fallout 4, an FPS PC game.
I like this world.
Rating: 3.7/5
December 29, 2023
If you like Mad Max and The Maze Runner then this book is for you!
It took me a minute to get into the story since you are dropped into a dystopian world that builds slowly over the book as opposed to more upfront. It felt very similar to The Maze Runner in that you know there is more to this Maze but it takes a while to get to that part of the world. I thought the characters were a lot of fun and enjoyed some of the vintage/80s aspects that were thrown in. I felt like the slang was a bit heavy handed at first but then felt more a part of normal conversation as the book goes on. The one thing I didn’t love about this book is there were so many different plot points. They were easy enough to keep track of but they didn’t always feel like they fit or were needed in the story, unnecessarily complicating it. But they may become more important later on and make sense as the series continues. I’m interested to see what the next books bring to this world.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an eARC of this book in return of my honest opinion
It took me a minute to get into the story since you are dropped into a dystopian world that builds slowly over the book as opposed to more upfront. It felt very similar to The Maze Runner in that you know there is more to this Maze but it takes a while to get to that part of the world. I thought the characters were a lot of fun and enjoyed some of the vintage/80s aspects that were thrown in. I felt like the slang was a bit heavy handed at first but then felt more a part of normal conversation as the book goes on. The one thing I didn’t love about this book is there were so many different plot points. They were easy enough to keep track of but they didn’t always feel like they fit or were needed in the story, unnecessarily complicating it. But they may become more important later on and make sense as the series continues. I’m interested to see what the next books bring to this world.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an eARC of this book in return of my honest opinion
February 11, 2025
3.75 stars, rounded to 4 on sites that don't accept decimals.
"Welcome to Fen, where everything wants to eat you."
Atom Bomb Baby is everything you expect of a "retro-future dystopian". The themes of the book are edgy, sarcastic, and full of action-packed encounters with rebels, monsters, and robots! It feels a bit like a cyber-punk novel mixed with dystopian and a dash of sci-fi. If I had to compare it to other forms of media, I'd say that it reminded me of The Maze Runner by James Dashner and, as far as how the story was told (keeping the reader in the dark, etc), I thought about the movie A Quiet Place a few times, too.
Ashe is nothing less than a "spunky" main character and her attitude of disdain and reluctance towards her crumbling world is easily what drives this book forward. She encounters every obstacle with a roll of her eyes and an adolescent attitude of "whatever, not my problem", even though she's going to act anyway, against her better judgement. She is definitely an anti-hero. I didn't like her in the beginning of the book, and even towards the end she still annoyed me with her attitude towards others, but you learn so much about her that it's difficult to not at least sympathize with her plight. This book would not be the same story without her attitude, so I wouldn't want her to be any other way. It's also a bit refreshing to see a young woman in fiction allowed to be angry throughout most of the book instead of falsely positive for the sake of having a likeable female. And if anyone had reason to be angry, it was definitely her.
My reasoning for 3.75 stars, instead of 5, is hinged mostly on details of the story world. There are little to no descriptions about what the monsters are, so they are left almost entirely up to your imagination. I mentioned earlier that this book reminded me of The Maze Runner, and I actually found myself mentally plugging scenes in this book with clips from The Maze Runner movie, just because I didn't know what the monsters were or what the Kraal is. Upon finishing the book, there are a lot of open-endings and few conclusions, which left me baffled as to what the government's objective was, what controlled the robots, etc. etc. Which, if I recall correctly, was the same issue that I had with finishing The Maze Runner the first time, so perhaps this style is intentional and all will be revealed in the last book of this series?
Overall, I enjoyed the adrenaline rush of the storyline, the tender moments with Jade, and the subtle themes of how trauma can affect memories, especially when said trauma happens at a young age. I do wish I could've immersed myself more fully into the story world, but I'd read the sequel and additional work by this author!
Content disclaimers: Cursing: infrequent, mild language (though mentions of crude hand gestures). No romantic content. Gore: I'd say roughly PG-13 rating, depending on the reader's imagination. There aren't detailed descriptions, but some fight scenes are pretty intense.
Trigger Warnings: many themes of death and loss. Trauma-induced memory loss. Survival in an apocalyptic setting.
"Welcome to Fen, where everything wants to eat you."
Atom Bomb Baby is everything you expect of a "retro-future dystopian". The themes of the book are edgy, sarcastic, and full of action-packed encounters with rebels, monsters, and robots! It feels a bit like a cyber-punk novel mixed with dystopian and a dash of sci-fi. If I had to compare it to other forms of media, I'd say that it reminded me of The Maze Runner by James Dashner and, as far as how the story was told (keeping the reader in the dark, etc), I thought about the movie A Quiet Place a few times, too.
Ashe is nothing less than a "spunky" main character and her attitude of disdain and reluctance towards her crumbling world is easily what drives this book forward. She encounters every obstacle with a roll of her eyes and an adolescent attitude of "whatever, not my problem", even though she's going to act anyway, against her better judgement. She is definitely an anti-hero. I didn't like her in the beginning of the book, and even towards the end she still annoyed me with her attitude towards others, but you learn so much about her that it's difficult to not at least sympathize with her plight. This book would not be the same story without her attitude, so I wouldn't want her to be any other way. It's also a bit refreshing to see a young woman in fiction allowed to be angry throughout most of the book instead of falsely positive for the sake of having a likeable female. And if anyone had reason to be angry, it was definitely her.
My reasoning for 3.75 stars, instead of 5, is hinged mostly on details of the story world. There are little to no descriptions about what the monsters are, so they are left almost entirely up to your imagination. I mentioned earlier that this book reminded me of The Maze Runner, and I actually found myself mentally plugging scenes in this book with clips from The Maze Runner movie, just because I didn't know what the monsters were or what the Kraal is. Upon finishing the book, there are a lot of open-endings and few conclusions, which left me baffled as to what the government's objective was, what controlled the robots, etc. etc. Which, if I recall correctly, was the same issue that I had with finishing The Maze Runner the first time, so perhaps this style is intentional and all will be revealed in the last book of this series?
Overall, I enjoyed the adrenaline rush of the storyline, the tender moments with Jade, and the subtle themes of how trauma can affect memories, especially when said trauma happens at a young age. I do wish I could've immersed myself more fully into the story world, but I'd read the sequel and additional work by this author!
Content disclaimers: Cursing: infrequent, mild language (though mentions of crude hand gestures). No romantic content. Gore: I'd say roughly PG-13 rating, depending on the reader's imagination. There aren't detailed descriptions, but some fight scenes are pretty intense.
Trigger Warnings: many themes of death and loss. Trauma-induced memory loss. Survival in an apocalyptic setting.
March 20, 2025
"Atom Bomb Baby" by Brandon Gillespie is a thrilling dystopian novel that blends familiar post-apocalyptic elements with unique twists. Set in a world ravaged by interdimensional beings and nuclear fallout, the story follows Ashe, a teenage girl determined to survive on her own in the dangerous wasteland of Arcadia.
Gillespie's writing style is clear and engaging, immersing readers in the challenges and triumphs of this harsh world. The pacing is well-balanced, alternating between high-action scenes and moments of reflection. The author's artistic abilities shine through in the book's imagery, offering visual insights into the story's creatures and world-building aspects.
The character interactions are a highlight of the novel. Ashe's journey from lone survivor to reluctant caretaker is compelling, and her relationships with characters like Moonbeam, Jade, and Rainwood are well-developed and genuine. Each character brings something unique to the story, contributing to Ashe's growth and the overall narrative.
Thematically, "Atom Bomb Baby" explores responsibility, survival, and finding one's place in a transformed world. These themes are woven skillfully throughout the story, particularly through Ashe's internal conflicts and evolving relationships.
While the book draws inspiration from the Fallout franchise, it stands on its own as a unique story. Fans of post-apocalyptic fiction, especially those who enjoy YA dystopian novels, will find much to appreciate here. The novel's strengths lie in its well-developed plot, strong characters, and immersive world-building.
At 333 pages, "Atom Bomb Baby" is a solid start to the Riders of the Stars series. Despite some occasionally heavy-handed narrative elements, the overall experience is engaging and leaves readers eager for the next installment.
Gillespie's writing style is clear and engaging, immersing readers in the challenges and triumphs of this harsh world. The pacing is well-balanced, alternating between high-action scenes and moments of reflection. The author's artistic abilities shine through in the book's imagery, offering visual insights into the story's creatures and world-building aspects.
The character interactions are a highlight of the novel. Ashe's journey from lone survivor to reluctant caretaker is compelling, and her relationships with characters like Moonbeam, Jade, and Rainwood are well-developed and genuine. Each character brings something unique to the story, contributing to Ashe's growth and the overall narrative.
Thematically, "Atom Bomb Baby" explores responsibility, survival, and finding one's place in a transformed world. These themes are woven skillfully throughout the story, particularly through Ashe's internal conflicts and evolving relationships.
While the book draws inspiration from the Fallout franchise, it stands on its own as a unique story. Fans of post-apocalyptic fiction, especially those who enjoy YA dystopian novels, will find much to appreciate here. The novel's strengths lie in its well-developed plot, strong characters, and immersive world-building.
At 333 pages, "Atom Bomb Baby" is a solid start to the Riders of the Stars series. Despite some occasionally heavy-handed narrative elements, the overall experience is engaging and leaves readers eager for the next installment.
October 23, 2024
Oh, my goodness, where do I put a book like this?
I picked it up at our local Pop-Culture Convention, and I must admit, the cover art drew my eye.
The Author was at the table and I said, "alright, I'm interested, tell me about your book."
He said, "It's a post-apocalyptic... "
"Sold," I interrupted.
I usually don't have very good luck with books that I pick up at the Con, but this one knocked my socks off.
It's fun, its got a sassy protagonist, its got zombies, its got evil corporations, its got robots, its got mechs, its got waring governmental factions, and its got a little bit of Lovecraft as icing on the cake.
And Spoiler Alert...
Every chapter is an oldies rock song. I started every chapter by listening to Spotify... That was so much fun!
Another spoiler alert...
Look up the book title on Spotify... Just saying...
I picked it up at our local Pop-Culture Convention, and I must admit, the cover art drew my eye.
The Author was at the table and I said, "alright, I'm interested, tell me about your book."
He said, "It's a post-apocalyptic... "
"Sold," I interrupted.
I usually don't have very good luck with books that I pick up at the Con, but this one knocked my socks off.
It's fun, its got a sassy protagonist, its got zombies, its got evil corporations, its got robots, its got mechs, its got waring governmental factions, and its got a little bit of Lovecraft as icing on the cake.
And Spoiler Alert...
Every chapter is an oldies rock song. I started every chapter by listening to Spotify... That was so much fun!
Another spoiler alert...
Look up the book title on Spotify... Just saying...
January 16, 2024
Atom Bomb Baby: A Dystopian Retro-Future Adventure is a post-apocalytpic survival journey book. Some post-apocalyptic stories can be enjoyable despite the struggles to survive and escape the monsters, but some are mostly tedious. A lot depends on the characters, the world-building, and the relationships between the survivors.
This story, sorry to say, was more on the tedious side. My readers probably already know how I feel about journey books, and this was most definitely that. We follow our main character from place to place, fight battles with creatures here and there, find friends, lose friends, and keep going until they finally get to somewhere they want to get to. The side quests were somewhat strange, especially the treasure hunt. Just say what you’re actually after. Once they got there, it was a quick memory lane, and off they went again. That part seemed odd where it was laid out as a big plot point.
The creatures in the book were confusing but also interesting. I still don’t understand who the interdimensional monsters are who came and killed everyone and don’t allow gatherings. I don’t understand why the lab had a way to summon them? Why even have that be an option if they only kill? The void storms were fascinating and the creatures that get mutated are interesting as well. I did love all the illustrations that helped show us the creepy creatures.
I would say this book is a mix of Walking Dead (which I stopped watching as it got too tedius and they killed off my favorite character) and Of Love and Monsters (which I really enjoyed). I also liked the nostalgic aspect of the song title chapters, and all the songs and references to pop culture in our early-mid 1900s.
I really liked the dynamic between the special kid and Ashe. I liked Ashe’s character development, with the strange need to protect the child that she didn’t even understand and her inner demons finally coming forward, where she allowed herself to remember what had really happened. I also liked some of the side characters, like Talia and Moonbeam. I’d definitely like to get more behind the scenes with Moonbeam and what his deal is. I understand he’s somewhere on the spectrum, but there’s more to him and his always cheery nature.
I know this will be a series, so there should be more explanations of the labs, hopefully with them finding the other child. But this book left a lot of questions unanswered. However, it did end on a positive note.
This story, sorry to say, was more on the tedious side. My readers probably already know how I feel about journey books, and this was most definitely that. We follow our main character from place to place, fight battles with creatures here and there, find friends, lose friends, and keep going until they finally get to somewhere they want to get to. The side quests were somewhat strange, especially the treasure hunt. Just say what you’re actually after. Once they got there, it was a quick memory lane, and off they went again. That part seemed odd where it was laid out as a big plot point.
The creatures in the book were confusing but also interesting. I still don’t understand who the interdimensional monsters are who came and killed everyone and don’t allow gatherings. I don’t understand why the lab had a way to summon them? Why even have that be an option if they only kill? The void storms were fascinating and the creatures that get mutated are interesting as well. I did love all the illustrations that helped show us the creepy creatures.
I would say this book is a mix of Walking Dead (which I stopped watching as it got too tedius and they killed off my favorite character) and Of Love and Monsters (which I really enjoyed). I also liked the nostalgic aspect of the song title chapters, and all the songs and references to pop culture in our early-mid 1900s.
I really liked the dynamic between the special kid and Ashe. I liked Ashe’s character development, with the strange need to protect the child that she didn’t even understand and her inner demons finally coming forward, where she allowed herself to remember what had really happened. I also liked some of the side characters, like Talia and Moonbeam. I’d definitely like to get more behind the scenes with Moonbeam and what his deal is. I understand he’s somewhere on the spectrum, but there’s more to him and his always cheery nature.
I know this will be a series, so there should be more explanations of the labs, hopefully with them finding the other child. But this book left a lot of questions unanswered. However, it did end on a positive note.
December 25, 2023
I know that this book is going to be part of a series so I'm going to not try and comment on plot devices that might be continued in future sequels. That being said, while I did enjoy this novel there was also a lot I didn't enjoy.
To start with the positives, I've always loved a good sci-fi novel and a good dystopian novel so having both of them together in this way was pretty cool! There was a lot of potential with the characters as well. Ashe, the headstrong fighter out for vengeance, and Jade, the boy with government experiment with mysterious powers. Moonbeam didn't seem to add much to the story unfortunately. He seemed to generally be comedic relief which felt very stereotypical. Talia was a character I wish there had been more of in the story over all as I genuinely enjoyed her.
What I didn't particularly care for was the way Ashe, Talia and Moonbeam spoke at times. I couldn't tell if they were meant to use older slang because it's a dystopian world or if the author thought the slang was still what teenager used in the present. Either way, I found their manner of speech a bit annoying at times. I also felt like we were running from one plot point to the other as quickly as possible without really addressing anything. At one point, Moonbeam proclaims that the skeleton they've found is his mom but they don't discuss it afterwards. Mason dies and Ashe wants to take his mech home to his parents but then she looses the mech and.... they don't try to get it back? Ashe talks about a plan she has to get it back but that never happens. The whole "treasure hunt" that Rainwater and Moonbeam are on was... very random too and didn't add anything to the story. I felt it would have been better if these two were also looking for Jade, looking for a reward but then decide to not turn him in when they realize he's a kid. It would have added a lot to the plot.
Overall, I think I'm left more confused about the novel than anything. There was a lot of information/world building thrown at us and much of it wasn't explained. I'll have to see how I feel about reading the sequels.
To start with the positives, I've always loved a good sci-fi novel and a good dystopian novel so having both of them together in this way was pretty cool! There was a lot of potential with the characters as well. Ashe, the headstrong fighter out for vengeance, and Jade, the boy with government experiment with mysterious powers. Moonbeam didn't seem to add much to the story unfortunately. He seemed to generally be comedic relief which felt very stereotypical. Talia was a character I wish there had been more of in the story over all as I genuinely enjoyed her.
What I didn't particularly care for was the way Ashe, Talia and Moonbeam spoke at times. I couldn't tell if they were meant to use older slang because it's a dystopian world or if the author thought the slang was still what teenager used in the present. Either way, I found their manner of speech a bit annoying at times. I also felt like we were running from one plot point to the other as quickly as possible without really addressing anything. At one point, Moonbeam proclaims that the skeleton they've found is his mom but they don't discuss it afterwards. Mason dies and Ashe wants to take his mech home to his parents but then she looses the mech and.... they don't try to get it back? Ashe talks about a plan she has to get it back but that never happens. The whole "treasure hunt" that Rainwater and Moonbeam are on was... very random too and didn't add anything to the story. I felt it would have been better if these two were also looking for Jade, looking for a reward but then decide to not turn him in when they realize he's a kid. It would have added a lot to the plot.
Overall, I think I'm left more confused about the novel than anything. There was a lot of information/world building thrown at us and much of it wasn't explained. I'll have to see how I feel about reading the sequels.
February 28, 2024
I quite enjoyed this story. It’s always interesting to see a main character choosing a way of living - here, solitary - and then life throwing unexpected encounters at them to change everything. When Ashe runs into an old reverent on a treasure hunt, accompanied by a jolly teen whose memory sometimes plays tricks on him, she couldn’t have asked for better companions when protecting little Jade, whose special abilities paint a target on his back. It was so interesting getting to know all these characters, where they came from, what trauma they have endured, and what it did to them. While also being drawn into the fast-paced dystopian adventure full of conflict and monsters.
I’m a fan of Stranger Things and The Last of Us, and this book reminded me of both. So, if you are into these kinds of stories, too, I recommend checking out this first book in the Riders of the Stars series.
I’m a fan of Stranger Things and The Last of Us, and this book reminded me of both. So, if you are into these kinds of stories, too, I recommend checking out this first book in the Riders of the Stars series.
March 1, 2024
“Atom Bomb Baby,” by Brandon Gillespie
This book was a super fun dystopian nuclear fallout type a book with the MC finding her found family and learning to trust in them. It was really good, and I enjoyed reading it a lot. The characters are all pretty quirky and weird, which I liked. It reminds me of the videogame Fallout but in book version. 4 out of 5 stars, super worth the read.
Thank you for the free copy.
This book was a super fun dystopian nuclear fallout type a book with the MC finding her found family and learning to trust in them. It was really good, and I enjoyed reading it a lot. The characters are all pretty quirky and weird, which I liked. It reminds me of the videogame Fallout but in book version. 4 out of 5 stars, super worth the read.
Thank you for the free copy.
December 10, 2024
This review originally published in Looking For a Good Book. Rated 3.5 of 5
Ashe is a teenage girl wandering a dystopian landscape all alone. Before she was even born, an alien race appeared from another dimension and wiped out nearly the entire planet. To combat the alien Kraal, the military corps chose to 'cleanse' the planet with a blanket of nuclear bombs.
After her family was exiled from the underground shelters and her parents suffered a horrific tragedy, Ashe has chosen to wander, alone, because she doesn't want to put her fate in anyone else's hands. But, starting with a child whom she saves and who now insists on following her everywhere, Ashe slowly begins to connect with others who are rediscovering the planet.
But the Kraal may not be the only danger, especially for a teenage girl and her ward. Not all survivors are willing to be as open and welcoming as Ashe.
Dystopian worlds with teenagers (particularly teenage girls) are certainly nothing new and author Brandon Gillespie's biggest challenge is to provide the reader with different characters in a different situation. I think that he only partly succeeded.
There's a lot of world-building going on, setting the tone for where we are and what our central character is facing. But because of this I think the book moved very, very slowly. It picks up a little bit as we get further into the book, but it definitely requires some effort to stick with it.
The characters are interesting. Ashe is really a very good YA heroine, and some of her behavior seems very appropriate for a young teen girl - from wondering about whether or not someone likes her, to not being able to tell the child that he can't stay with her. Sometimes the conversations are a little stilted and come across as just being info dumps.
My biggest problem is a lack of cohesive purpose. This is sort of set up as an 'epic quest' story. Ashe and friends wander, fight, wander, fight. But unlike some of the more classic stories in the genre, I'm not clear on what they are wandering to or what they are looking for. Whatever this goal is (I have a thought but won't share that here as it could reveal too much), but it's not urgent enough to really drive the characters and therefor not urgent enough to drive the reader.
There are many questions left unanswered and I recognize that this is planned to be the beginning of a series, but I really don't like a book that doesn't stand alone as a book.
I'm not sure who the target audience is for this book. I presume it's targeted toward the YA reader and with some of these characters, Middle Grade reader could even be targeted. But I think it's too slow and cumbersome to really energize that market.
Looking for a good book? Atom Bomb Baby by Brandon Gillespie is a dystopian YA with some good characters and a fun concept, but the book spends too much time setting it up and not enough time telling a story.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher/author, through LibraryThing, in exchange for an honest review.
Ashe is a teenage girl wandering a dystopian landscape all alone. Before she was even born, an alien race appeared from another dimension and wiped out nearly the entire planet. To combat the alien Kraal, the military corps chose to 'cleanse' the planet with a blanket of nuclear bombs.
After her family was exiled from the underground shelters and her parents suffered a horrific tragedy, Ashe has chosen to wander, alone, because she doesn't want to put her fate in anyone else's hands. But, starting with a child whom she saves and who now insists on following her everywhere, Ashe slowly begins to connect with others who are rediscovering the planet.
But the Kraal may not be the only danger, especially for a teenage girl and her ward. Not all survivors are willing to be as open and welcoming as Ashe.
Dystopian worlds with teenagers (particularly teenage girls) are certainly nothing new and author Brandon Gillespie's biggest challenge is to provide the reader with different characters in a different situation. I think that he only partly succeeded.
There's a lot of world-building going on, setting the tone for where we are and what our central character is facing. But because of this I think the book moved very, very slowly. It picks up a little bit as we get further into the book, but it definitely requires some effort to stick with it.
The characters are interesting. Ashe is really a very good YA heroine, and some of her behavior seems very appropriate for a young teen girl - from wondering about whether or not someone likes her, to not being able to tell the child that he can't stay with her. Sometimes the conversations are a little stilted and come across as just being info dumps.
My biggest problem is a lack of cohesive purpose. This is sort of set up as an 'epic quest' story. Ashe and friends wander, fight, wander, fight. But unlike some of the more classic stories in the genre, I'm not clear on what they are wandering to or what they are looking for. Whatever this goal is (I have a thought but won't share that here as it could reveal too much), but it's not urgent enough to really drive the characters and therefor not urgent enough to drive the reader.
There are many questions left unanswered and I recognize that this is planned to be the beginning of a series, but I really don't like a book that doesn't stand alone as a book.
I'm not sure who the target audience is for this book. I presume it's targeted toward the YA reader and with some of these characters, Middle Grade reader could even be targeted. But I think it's too slow and cumbersome to really energize that market.
Looking for a good book? Atom Bomb Baby by Brandon Gillespie is a dystopian YA with some good characters and a fun concept, but the book spends too much time setting it up and not enough time telling a story.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher/author, through LibraryThing, in exchange for an honest review.
November 30, 2023
★ ★ ★ • 3
Initially was drawn to this book by the cover, can’t resist anything with pretty character artwork. Atom Bomb Baby, is a YA dystopian science-fantasy story about a teenage girl wandering the wastes of society trying to survive amidst a “Kraal” infested apocalyptic landscape. That part of the plot is pretty straight forward, ignoring all of the world-building details.
Right from the beginning, the story picks up with immediate action… Which would be a positive for readers who struggle to stay interested in slow paced books. However, as a result of that I did find myself having to go back several times and reread the summary of the book in order to get more context on what was happening. Many of the earlier chapters didn’t really give much explanation as to… Why things are the way they are. At the end of the book there’s an appendix included, that I would definitely recommend reading first. Having that information would’ve been helpful to be able to go back and reference when miscellaneous details became confusing at points.
Each chapter of the book is also named after and themed on a song, which… I didn’t realize until I started flipping through that same end appendix. For readers that like to listen to music while reading and want a more interactive experience, the song list is something worth checking out.
Though this book is YA, I would say that the target audience is more geared towards 11-13 year olds. The characters themselves are slightly older teens, but a younger audience would probably connect/relate with them better than anyone 14+. As someone in my 20’s I admit, I felt a bit indifferent to them. The book did also handle some heavier themes passively (it is a dystopian novel) but it’s done so in a way that wasn’t very emotionally charged, which is more ideal for a less mature audience (or really anyone who struggles to get through sad parts of books).
For fans of series like Alita, Resident Evil, and The Scorch Trials for sure give this book a try. And thank you so much to the author and publisher for the ARC to review!
Initially was drawn to this book by the cover, can’t resist anything with pretty character artwork. Atom Bomb Baby, is a YA dystopian science-fantasy story about a teenage girl wandering the wastes of society trying to survive amidst a “Kraal” infested apocalyptic landscape. That part of the plot is pretty straight forward, ignoring all of the world-building details.
Right from the beginning, the story picks up with immediate action… Which would be a positive for readers who struggle to stay interested in slow paced books. However, as a result of that I did find myself having to go back several times and reread the summary of the book in order to get more context on what was happening. Many of the earlier chapters didn’t really give much explanation as to… Why things are the way they are. At the end of the book there’s an appendix included, that I would definitely recommend reading first. Having that information would’ve been helpful to be able to go back and reference when miscellaneous details became confusing at points.
Each chapter of the book is also named after and themed on a song, which… I didn’t realize until I started flipping through that same end appendix. For readers that like to listen to music while reading and want a more interactive experience, the song list is something worth checking out.
Though this book is YA, I would say that the target audience is more geared towards 11-13 year olds. The characters themselves are slightly older teens, but a younger audience would probably connect/relate with them better than anyone 14+. As someone in my 20’s I admit, I felt a bit indifferent to them. The book did also handle some heavier themes passively (it is a dystopian novel) but it’s done so in a way that wasn’t very emotionally charged, which is more ideal for a less mature audience (or really anyone who struggles to get through sad parts of books).
For fans of series like Alita, Resident Evil, and The Scorch Trials for sure give this book a try. And thank you so much to the author and publisher for the ARC to review!
August 21, 2024
Reseña de «Atomb Bomb Baby» de Brandon Gillespie
Han pasado veinticinco años desde que el Kraal apareció desde otra dimensión fuera del tiempo y el espacio, barriendo todos los mundos galácticos y causando la muerte del 98 % de la población en cuestión de meses. El Cuerpo Militar de la Unión de las Estrellas respondió con una estrategia de «limpieza», desatando devastación nuclear en los mundos ya arrasados. Ashe, una adolescente, deambula por el desolado paisaje que queda, decidida a permanecer en soledad un año después de que su familia fuera exiliada de su refugio subterráneo y sufriera una horrible tragedia. Pero cuando rescata a regañadientes a un misterioso niño, se ve arrastrada a un peligroso viaje que descubre la importancia de sus habilidades y las fuerzas que buscan explotarlo. En el trayecto, a pesar de su decisión de evitar los vínculos, contacta con otros viajeros y renueva antiguas amistades. ¿Podrá Ashe finalmente enfrentar la oscuridad de su pasado con su apoyo?
El comienzo de la historia fue lento y un tanto confuso: se compartió una gran cantidad de información y hubo poca o ninguna explicación sobre lo que estaba sucediendo o por qué. La trama presentaba múltiples elementos, lo que añadía complejidad innecesaria. Además, los orígenes de los monstruos y las razones de la masacre original no se explicaron del todo ni de manera exhaustiva. Pensé que iban a desarrollarse en el libro, pero muchos misterios no se abordaron. A pesar de ser la primera parte de la serie, siento que podría haberse propuesto o esbozado algún tipo de teoría o sospecha.
Por otro lado, me encantó la relación entre Ashe y el niño especial. Creo que ver su lado más amable y humano le dio realismo a la historia y me ayudó a sentir que los personajes eran más creíbles. También me gustó que la historia tuviera algunas dificultades que no pudieran superar. Se sentía como si estuvieran enfrentando un desafío real, lo que me hizo sentir más conectada con su viaje y frustraciones.
En general, fue una buena distopía y un mundo fascinante que explorar.
Han pasado veinticinco años desde que el Kraal apareció desde otra dimensión fuera del tiempo y el espacio, barriendo todos los mundos galácticos y causando la muerte del 98 % de la población en cuestión de meses. El Cuerpo Militar de la Unión de las Estrellas respondió con una estrategia de «limpieza», desatando devastación nuclear en los mundos ya arrasados. Ashe, una adolescente, deambula por el desolado paisaje que queda, decidida a permanecer en soledad un año después de que su familia fuera exiliada de su refugio subterráneo y sufriera una horrible tragedia. Pero cuando rescata a regañadientes a un misterioso niño, se ve arrastrada a un peligroso viaje que descubre la importancia de sus habilidades y las fuerzas que buscan explotarlo. En el trayecto, a pesar de su decisión de evitar los vínculos, contacta con otros viajeros y renueva antiguas amistades. ¿Podrá Ashe finalmente enfrentar la oscuridad de su pasado con su apoyo?
El comienzo de la historia fue lento y un tanto confuso: se compartió una gran cantidad de información y hubo poca o ninguna explicación sobre lo que estaba sucediendo o por qué. La trama presentaba múltiples elementos, lo que añadía complejidad innecesaria. Además, los orígenes de los monstruos y las razones de la masacre original no se explicaron del todo ni de manera exhaustiva. Pensé que iban a desarrollarse en el libro, pero muchos misterios no se abordaron. A pesar de ser la primera parte de la serie, siento que podría haberse propuesto o esbozado algún tipo de teoría o sospecha.
Por otro lado, me encantó la relación entre Ashe y el niño especial. Creo que ver su lado más amable y humano le dio realismo a la historia y me ayudó a sentir que los personajes eran más creíbles. También me gustó que la historia tuviera algunas dificultades que no pudieran superar. Se sentía como si estuvieran enfrentando un desafío real, lo que me hizo sentir más conectada con su viaje y frustraciones.
En general, fue una buena distopía y un mundo fascinante que explorar.
March 31, 2024
Some parts of this book definitely gave me Fallout vibes. It's interesting because I just started playing Fallout 4. It's the first Fallout game I've played. I'm way behind in video games, I know. I'm trying to get back into it.
Anywho, getting past the fact that I live under a rock sometimes, this was a pretty fun read. I love post-apocalyptic settings. I love a lone wolf character who reluctantly becomes part of a ragtag group of survivors. The chapters are short and they keep the action moving along pretty nicely. The writing is definitely YA, which I think is the target group anyway.
I genuinely cared about what happened to the characters. We are primarily focused on Ashe in this book, so it's not always clear what the motivations of the other characters are, especially Rainwood and Moonbeam. Moonbeam is the most puzzling character, to me. He's very optimistic and just happy-go-lucky, despite the atrocities that surround him. He forgets things really easily and doesn't remember what happened to his family. Sometimes, he seems really dumb, but then he'll pull out some insightful statement.
Without giving spoilers, some elements are introduced, but not thoroughly explored. The author just leaves it hanging for now. I'm hoping that future books will tie up some of the loose ends in Book 1. Will I be reading future books? Hell yeah, I'd love to know more about this world and the Kraal.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and Revenant Creative Studio for the awesome read!
Anywho, getting past the fact that I live under a rock sometimes, this was a pretty fun read. I love post-apocalyptic settings. I love a lone wolf character who reluctantly becomes part of a ragtag group of survivors. The chapters are short and they keep the action moving along pretty nicely. The writing is definitely YA, which I think is the target group anyway.
I genuinely cared about what happened to the characters. We are primarily focused on Ashe in this book, so it's not always clear what the motivations of the other characters are, especially Rainwood and Moonbeam. Moonbeam is the most puzzling character, to me. He's very optimistic and just happy-go-lucky, despite the atrocities that surround him. He forgets things really easily and doesn't remember what happened to his family. Sometimes, he seems really dumb, but then he'll pull out some insightful statement.
Without giving spoilers, some elements are introduced, but not thoroughly explored. The author just leaves it hanging for now. I'm hoping that future books will tie up some of the loose ends in Book 1. Will I be reading future books? Hell yeah, I'd love to know more about this world and the Kraal.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and Revenant Creative Studio for the awesome read!
February 8, 2024
I enjoyed this book, but I wanted to love it. Gillespie has clearly put a ton of thought into this world he's created, but unfortunately I never felt like I was fully invited in. The characters are pronounced and distinct and all have their own secrets and misunderstood truths going on, which we love. Frankly, they were what kept me reading -- the glimpses of their inner lives that allowed me to invest in them. Though, I did feel we over-teased several "but they can never know my truth/shame/etc" style secrets...especially when you have a character like Jade.
Ultimately, I felt like the scenes, characters and story arc all needed a little more time to simmer. We were doing cool stuff and meeting neat people, but always seemingly at a sprint. It's hard to feel the stakes when you can't really picture your enemy and don't know enough of the lore behind them. A higher page count won't deter younger audiences if the extra space gives readers a chance to fully immerse themselves in the characters and events. Gillespie has a great little appendix in the back of the book where he outlines the power players, but in the actual course of the novel you just are handed new players without enough information to contextualize them.
Knowing that this intends to kick off a series, I wonder if the story will slow down long enough for us to catch up to the world in the next installation.
Ultimately, I felt like the scenes, characters and story arc all needed a little more time to simmer. We were doing cool stuff and meeting neat people, but always seemingly at a sprint. It's hard to feel the stakes when you can't really picture your enemy and don't know enough of the lore behind them. A higher page count won't deter younger audiences if the extra space gives readers a chance to fully immerse themselves in the characters and events. Gillespie has a great little appendix in the back of the book where he outlines the power players, but in the actual course of the novel you just are handed new players without enough information to contextualize them.
Knowing that this intends to kick off a series, I wonder if the story will slow down long enough for us to catch up to the world in the next installation.
July 19, 2024
I genuinely enjoyed this book and would happily consume further stories in this world.
With that said, there's also a lot here that I struggled with. I can only assume this story began as fanfiction for the Fallout video game series. The characters talking about Pop-a-Cola, or AstroTec, or even the not-bobbleheads was jarring and brought me out of the moment so many times. But more importantly, Ashe's "suppressed" memories or whatever you want to call it just didn't sit right with me. The way that is presented felt clumsy for something deeply serious.
Really looking forward to seeing more of whats going on off world and with the kraal though. Fascinating stuff there. And the fight with the deathclawmark was harrowing in such a good way.
With that said, there's also a lot here that I struggled with. I can only assume this story began as fanfiction for the Fallout video game series. The characters talking about Pop-a-Cola, or AstroTec, or even the not-bobbleheads was jarring and brought me out of the moment so many times. But more importantly, Ashe's "suppressed" memories or whatever you want to call it just didn't sit right with me. The way that is presented felt clumsy for something deeply serious.
Really looking forward to seeing more of whats going on off world and with the kraal though. Fascinating stuff there. And the fight with the death
November 25, 2024
Between three and four stars, really. It took a little to get going, but then sailed along fairly smoothly. I know story and character building require it, but sometimes all of that overshadowed the actual things happening. Long durations walking, then, BAM, something happens, and back to walking again. Actually, the whole timeline being compressed into such a short time is kind of insane, but I get it. Characters were good overall. I hope a couple others get fleshed out more in the coming books.
SPOILER
Ashe’s M*A*S*H finale “reveal” at the end was very predictable. That doesn’t make it bad, I suppose, but for such a build-up for the character, it was a bit anticlimactic.
All in all, it was enjoyable, and it’s been added to my classroom library. I look forward to the next book.
SPOILER
Ashe’s M*A*S*H finale “reveal” at the end was very predictable. That doesn’t make it bad, I suppose, but for such a build-up for the character, it was a bit anticlimactic.
All in all, it was enjoyable, and it’s been added to my classroom library. I look forward to the next book.
February 12, 2024
Atom Bomb Baby tells the story of Ashe, as she tries to survive the wasteland of her home planet. She and her family had to leave the enclave where they had been safe, but she was the only survivor and so she was used to being alone. After a storm, she runs into Moonbeam and Rainwood and shelters with them for the night, when she learns that they're searching for treasure. Ashe reluctantly agrees to help them and along the way they help a lost child who was being held captive, which in turn makes them some powerful new enemies. The writing wasn't the best quality, but the story was still enjoyable. This book will appeal to fans of adventure stories and Fallout.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the gifted copy.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the gifted copy.
September 3, 2024
Unfortunately this book was just kinda... boring? The plot and overall concept was interesting, and the art is beautiful, but the execution just wasn't all that. The characters didn't feel super realistic to me, and even though the main character is female it seemed to take a long time to hit all three parts of the Bechdel test (and I don't remember if it actually did hit all three). It was hard to get into, the characters weren't relatable to me, and the pacing was weird. Not a bad book by any means, definitely had potential, but didn't hit home for me.
December 27, 2024
Cool freshly creative world, fun diverse characters, had me hooked the whole time and left it on a cliff hanger! I'm so excited to see where this goes in book 2!
April 1, 2025
Found family tropes are my favorite. It was a simple and fun plot. Sure, it was somewhat predictable, and the ending felt very sudden, but I really enjoyed all the characters.
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February 5, 2025This is an ARC review.
I was attracted by the cover art, which strongly reminded me of Jamie Hewlett (Tank Girl, Gorillaz). The author uses songs for chapter titles and encourages the reader to go seek out the tunes, and I did go and listen as I went along, which was fun and interactive. Sometimes the emotion of the chosen song felt discordant with the action and emotion of the chapter, but that was an interesting effect too.
The plot is exciting and there's plenty of action to keep the story moving. On the other hand, and I'm not trying to include any spoilers, I'll say that sometimes there's glossing over of what would seem to be really complicated circumstances that might have been useful for increasing suspense and tension. It almost feels like the author meant to go back and flesh it out later; in that respect, the story feels like it's still in draft form.
I was attracted by the cover art, which strongly reminded me of Jamie Hewlett (Tank Girl, Gorillaz). The author uses songs for chapter titles and encourages the reader to go seek out the tunes, and I did go and listen as I went along, which was fun and interactive. Sometimes the emotion of the chosen song felt discordant with the action and emotion of the chapter, but that was an interesting effect too.
The plot is exciting and there's plenty of action to keep the story moving. On the other hand, and I'm not trying to include any spoilers, I'll say that sometimes there's glossing over of what would seem to be really complicated circumstances that might have been useful for increasing suspense and tension. It almost feels like the author meant to go back and flesh it out later; in that respect, the story feels like it's still in draft form.
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