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On the Back of the Beast
Everyone knew it was coming but no one was sure just when it would happen. It had been over a hundred years since the last big earthquake had decimated the San Francisco Bay Area and another massive tremor was long overdue. The slumbering beast that is the Hayward Fault finally awoke on an ordinary October morning, catching the 7 million people of Bay Area by surprise as they tended to their routine affairs. Will seventeen-year-old Kayla Hendley, airline pilot Burt Weaver, precocious second grader Gwen Mills and many others live through the convolutions of the angry earth? Surviving the savage pummeling will have more to do with blind luck than any careful preparations. The lives of ordinary people will be forever changed by the colossal natural disaster that is The Beast.
- GenresContemporaryFiction
184 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2013
9 people are currently reading
470 people want to read
About the author
S.F. Chapman
6 books23 followersA lifelong Northern Californian, S F Chapman traded his construction job for the more docile (but no less demanding) profession of novelist in 2008 when the US economy faltered.
The tireless author has since written eight books. His first, "I'm here to help" (published by Striped Cat Press in July of 2012), is a literary fiction novella about a teenage daughter looking for answers to some troubling inconsistencies in her birth certificate. "The Ripple in Space-Time" (published by Striped Cat Press in February of 2013) is Chapman’s second book. It is an exciting science fiction detective adventure set in a moldering and corrupt future controlled by greedy warlords.
S F Chapman's third novel, "On the Back of the Beast" was released in August 2013. The author describes it a fast-paced disaster survival story centering around a giant earthquake in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Other completed works awaiting publication are the post-apocalyptic soft science fiction MAC Series consisting of "Floyd 5.136", "Xea in the Library" and "Beyond the Habitable Limit"; and a recently completed sequel to "The Ripple in Space-Time" entitled "Torn From On High."
Chapman is currently writing a rough and tumble literary fiction novel about homelessness called "The Missive In The Margins."
S F's huge gray male tabby cat keeps him company while he writes and was the inspiration for Striped Cat Press.
The tireless author has since written eight books. His first, "I'm here to help" (published by Striped Cat Press in July of 2012), is a literary fiction novella about a teenage daughter looking for answers to some troubling inconsistencies in her birth certificate. "The Ripple in Space-Time" (published by Striped Cat Press in February of 2013) is Chapman’s second book. It is an exciting science fiction detective adventure set in a moldering and corrupt future controlled by greedy warlords.
S F Chapman's third novel, "On the Back of the Beast" was released in August 2013. The author describes it a fast-paced disaster survival story centering around a giant earthquake in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Other completed works awaiting publication are the post-apocalyptic soft science fiction MAC Series consisting of "Floyd 5.136", "Xea in the Library" and "Beyond the Habitable Limit"; and a recently completed sequel to "The Ripple in Space-Time" entitled "Torn From On High."
Chapman is currently writing a rough and tumble literary fiction novel about homelessness called "The Missive In The Margins."
S F's huge gray male tabby cat keeps him company while he writes and was the inspiration for Striped Cat Press.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
July 22, 2013
I could not stop reading this book, I completed it in less than a day.
The story surrounds the lives of multiple characters living through a Major earthquake and the chaos that ensues afterward. There are many characters in this book and the writers style is enthralling. When I inevitably found myself thinking that I would just finish the chapter or paragraph I was reading and then put the book away to continue later, I found myself being thrown back into the often times thrilling and sometimes scary adventures of another character or set of characters. The books style kept me entranced by the story. I found myself coming to the end of a section or chapter wondering what was happening with another character and as if the writer was in my head the next section would bring that characters story into focus.
This book is a warning to the world about the disruptive chaos that major earthquakes cause. It was enthralling, yanking me forward, further into the novel at nearly every turn.
I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys a good thriller or is interested in earthquakes. Just remember that "The Beast" is slumbering under your feet.
The story surrounds the lives of multiple characters living through a Major earthquake and the chaos that ensues afterward. There are many characters in this book and the writers style is enthralling. When I inevitably found myself thinking that I would just finish the chapter or paragraph I was reading and then put the book away to continue later, I found myself being thrown back into the often times thrilling and sometimes scary adventures of another character or set of characters. The books style kept me entranced by the story. I found myself coming to the end of a section or chapter wondering what was happening with another character and as if the writer was in my head the next section would bring that characters story into focus.
This book is a warning to the world about the disruptive chaos that major earthquakes cause. It was enthralling, yanking me forward, further into the novel at nearly every turn.
I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys a good thriller or is interested in earthquakes. Just remember that "The Beast" is slumbering under your feet.
July 29, 2013
I have read 2 other books from this author and this is the best yet. I made it through the book in less than a day, it was that gripping.
The story starts out with average people going about their average lives near San Francisco. You get a good feel for several of the characters straight away: An elderly woman who clerks at a rundown liquor store, a troubled teenager named Kayla and a plucky little girl called Gwen who loves the Monkey bars at her grade school.
A giant earthquake hits and the characters are left to deal with the destruction. Since I personally hate spoilers, I won’t spill much more. Parts of the book were quite moving, some of it is absolutely terrifying, a few bits near the end made me tear up. Everyone works together after the disaster for the good of all.
An excellent read.
The story starts out with average people going about their average lives near San Francisco. You get a good feel for several of the characters straight away: An elderly woman who clerks at a rundown liquor store, a troubled teenager named Kayla and a plucky little girl called Gwen who loves the Monkey bars at her grade school.
A giant earthquake hits and the characters are left to deal with the destruction. Since I personally hate spoilers, I won’t spill much more. Parts of the book were quite moving, some of it is absolutely terrifying, a few bits near the end made me tear up. Everyone works together after the disaster for the good of all.
An excellent read.
August 31, 2013
Love the descriptive words that paint a picture of the events as they unfold... never boring as we glimpse what is happening with the people effected by the earthquake. Reading it again as I find more to "see" in the experience of the earthquake from the different persons. BTW I personally hope the title will be changed when the second printing or newer edition of the book is published as I can't relate the title "on the back of the beast" to an earthquake.
October 3, 2013
The biggest earthquake I have experienced was a 2.1 (probably considerably less where we were as the epicentre was a good fifteen miles away). I have hypersensitive nerve damage which I think allowed me to feel it as most of our sleeping neighbours were clueless. So earthquakes have always fascinated me, even if I never want to be in one even that big again!
I thought this was a fascinating collection of intertwining lives of the average Joes who live on a fault line yet never think of it. This really showed the best of people helping each other out, doing their best to save lives, but also the ne'er do wells who loot and take advantage.
I was hooked from the start, I think the young girls stole the show.
I thought this was a fascinating collection of intertwining lives of the average Joes who live on a fault line yet never think of it. This really showed the best of people helping each other out, doing their best to save lives, but also the ne'er do wells who loot and take advantage.
I was hooked from the start, I think the young girls stole the show.
January 27, 2014
The beast being the earthquake fault ridging the west coast, and those living on top of it noted as "riding the back of the beast". This story is about the beast awakening from the slumber that many of us have experienced, during those "trembly snores" that happen with frequency in California, and that many will happen one day. The next big one will be one with dire consequences and is just waiting.
This book follows the lives of several survivors and the various challenges they encountered and how they dealt with the disaster. A pretty good read and if nothing else, makes one take a few minutes to really think about what might occur, if living near or in California.
This book follows the lives of several survivors and the various challenges they encountered and how they dealt with the disaster. A pretty good read and if nothing else, makes one take a few minutes to really think about what might occur, if living near or in California.
April 4, 2014
On the Back of the Beast
S.F. Chapman
Read it again... the recent earthquake brings it to mind... *shakeSHAKEshake*
S.F. Chapman
Read it again... the recent earthquake brings it to mind... *shakeSHAKEshake*
February 25, 2016
This book which is about the aftermath of a huge earthquake in California, really kept my interest. The author gives us a handful of people who we follow more than others and what happens to them during this period of time. He (The author) takes us back and forth between what is going on within these groups of people, which was a good way to keep up the tention.
November 16, 2014
Terrific book
A fabulously exciting book that I had to read in one sitting. The characters were so real and the action was heart pounding. It was an emotional story well balanced with hope and very caring characters. This is one of the best books I've read
recently-- and I read A LOT of books -- all free from Amazon!
A fabulously exciting book that I had to read in one sitting. The characters were so real and the action was heart pounding. It was an emotional story well balanced with hope and very caring characters. This is one of the best books I've read
recently-- and I read A LOT of books -- all free from Amazon!
February 2, 2015
The beast......
This was a pretty good story....though pretty short....it followed through with pretty much everything that would happen in an earthquake and was well written....
This was a pretty good story....though pretty short....it followed through with pretty much everything that would happen in an earthquake and was well written....
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews