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Breakers #4
Reapers
When the plague came, federal agent Ellie Colson fled into the Adirondacks with Dee, the daughter she barely knew. They began a new life as subsistence farmers, isolated from the fall of the world. In the six years since, a small community has arisen from the ashes. Dee is grown up. She's engaged to Quinn, a young man from across the lake.
And she's being hunted.
Strangers are spying on the farms at night. Dee's harassed by a spurned suitor. One of Quinn's dogs turns up dead. Drawing on her old skills, Ellie launches an investigation of the locals. Turns out Quinn's dad has made some bad decisions. Some enemies, too. The strangers aren't after Dee--they're after Quinn.
When he goes missing, Quinn's dad fears the worst. But Ellie has a lead. She and Dee track the kidnappers into the post-apocalyptic wilderness of New York--and into darker lands than Ellie could ever imagine.
And she's being hunted.
Strangers are spying on the farms at night. Dee's harassed by a spurned suitor. One of Quinn's dogs turns up dead. Drawing on her old skills, Ellie launches an investigation of the locals. Turns out Quinn's dad has made some bad decisions. Some enemies, too. The strangers aren't after Dee--they're after Quinn.
When he goes missing, Quinn's dad fears the worst. But Ellie has a lead. She and Dee track the kidnappers into the post-apocalyptic wilderness of New York--and into darker lands than Ellie could ever imagine.
385 pages, ebook
First published August 5, 2013
95 people are currently reading
662 people want to read
About the author
Edward W. Robertson
73 books1,234 followersEd is the author of the post-apocalyptic Breakers series and the epic fantasy series The Cycle of Arawn. A former New Yorker and Idaho-guy, he currently lives in the LA area. His short fiction has appeared in a whole bunch of magazines and anthologies.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
October 5, 2013
First let me say that I do like this series a lot (or I wouldn't keep reading) but this is probably my least favorite so far. I didn't find the characters believable at all so I had a hard time getting into it. Lucy started out really well but at some point I realized she was bat shit crazy, obsessed, and kind of Single White Female-ish. Ellie was stereotypical female federal agent...the kind you read in those horrible FBI agent chases serial killer while finding romance books. (Not that Ellie was a FBI agent or found romance). Also...no Walt. Where for art thou, Walt?!
August 20, 2013
When you start to read a bunch of books in a series or by a specific author, you start to compare them to each other and not so much to books by other authors.
I really enjoyed this story, set in the Breakers universe, which centers on New York, both upstate and the city. It explores how people will react to the loss of constraints that are put on us by civilization. Of course, all the books explore this theme, but this one seems a little more direct in addressing it. It's well written, and as usual, the characters are very well drawn, in my opinion. (I've seen other reviews of books in the series that feel the opposite, but it was the characters that drew me into this series in the first place so I think those other reviews are wrong.)
I still give this book a solid A grade, although I think I may have liked the first just a hair more. I'm not tired of this universe, and would love to read more stories set in it. (Maybe Edward Robertson should open his world to other authors as Hugh Howey did with the WOOL universe...) Another winning entry in a compelling series.
I really enjoyed this story, set in the Breakers universe, which centers on New York, both upstate and the city. It explores how people will react to the loss of constraints that are put on us by civilization. Of course, all the books explore this theme, but this one seems a little more direct in addressing it. It's well written, and as usual, the characters are very well drawn, in my opinion. (I've seen other reviews of books in the series that feel the opposite, but it was the characters that drew me into this series in the first place so I think those other reviews are wrong.)
I still give this book a solid A grade, although I think I may have liked the first just a hair more. I'm not tired of this universe, and would love to read more stories set in it. (Maybe Edward Robertson should open his world to other authors as Hugh Howey did with the WOOL universe...) Another winning entry in a compelling series.
December 11, 2013
Ahh, it was so so. I definitely didn't like this one as much as the first 3 in the series.
I just couldn't relate to these characters and the plot didn't really hold my attention.
Half way through I wanted to give up on it but I plodded through anyway.
Not sure if I will continue to follow the series.
I just couldn't relate to these characters and the plot didn't really hold my attention.
Half way through I wanted to give up on it but I plodded through anyway.
Not sure if I will continue to follow the series.
September 29, 2020
On to the next....
Read
September 6, 2015A great 'Breakers' side story.
I skipped over Reapers when I was reading the Breakers series; it jumped into the future and across the country from where the other books in the series were taking place, and it didn't appeal to me. I wanted to read about Walt, and Rainia, and Ness, fighting the the swimmers and Reapers didn't have any of that.
But then I finished Blackout, the final book in the series, and I wasn't willing to leave the Breakers world, so I went back and downloaded a copy. And I'm really glad I did.
Reapers tells the story of Lucy and Ellie, two determined women on separate journeys- Elllie's to find a missing family member, Lucy's to find a friend. But like all missions in the post-panhandler world, what should be a simple trip is made nigh impossible by the lack of technology, bad luck, bad guys, unstable food sources and the occasional alien.
Lucy and Ellie shame the same characteristic as the other protagonists in the Breakers series- awe-inspiring, single minded dedication to the cause at hand. And like the other books in the series, the narrative of that determination bumping up against the forces arrayed against it makes for a first rate story.
I skipped over Reapers when I was reading the Breakers series; it jumped into the future and across the country from where the other books in the series were taking place, and it didn't appeal to me. I wanted to read about Walt, and Rainia, and Ness, fighting the the swimmers and Reapers didn't have any of that.
But then I finished Blackout, the final book in the series, and I wasn't willing to leave the Breakers world, so I went back and downloaded a copy. And I'm really glad I did.
Reapers tells the story of Lucy and Ellie, two determined women on separate journeys- Elllie's to find a missing family member, Lucy's to find a friend. But like all missions in the post-panhandler world, what should be a simple trip is made nigh impossible by the lack of technology, bad luck, bad guys, unstable food sources and the occasional alien.
Lucy and Ellie shame the same characteristic as the other protagonists in the Breakers series- awe-inspiring, single minded dedication to the cause at hand. And like the other books in the series, the narrative of that determination bumping up against the forces arrayed against it makes for a first rate story.
July 10, 2018
This is the fourth part of an epic post-plague apocalypse that also sports a somewhat inept alien invasion. I say that since they seem to have been vanquished in previous chapters. Sorry if that's a spoiler.
This one features two main protagonists, Lucy a Florida teen whose on the hunt for her childhood friend in the now Rotten Apple that is NYC. We also pick up again with Ellie Colson, the somewhat anti-hero from the prequel origin story. This is good because she's literally a federal agent who kicks ass and takes names later.
We find her as a farmer in the Lake Placid/Saranac region of New York's Adirondack mountains. She heads to NYC to find her daughter's fiancee who's been kidnapped by big city ne'er-do-wells as slave labor. The plot thickens from there.
These are well told tales with good plotting, attention to details of place, that are populated with good character. Otherwise it’s a waste of time, frankly.
Onto part five!
This one features two main protagonists, Lucy a Florida teen whose on the hunt for her childhood friend in the now Rotten Apple that is NYC. We also pick up again with Ellie Colson, the somewhat anti-hero from the prequel origin story. This is good because she's literally a federal agent who kicks ass and takes names later.
We find her as a farmer in the Lake Placid/Saranac region of New York's Adirondack mountains. She heads to NYC to find her daughter's fiancee who's been kidnapped by big city ne'er-do-wells as slave labor. The plot thickens from there.
These are well told tales with good plotting, attention to details of place, that are populated with good character. Otherwise it’s a waste of time, frankly.
Onto part five!
May 26, 2019
Something about this book didn't gel for me. A story of a post apocalyptic world after an alien invasion it covers two separate groups and their survival. It is independent of the first three and is a complete story in one volume. The author writes well but I found myself jumping chapters to follow one group more than the other.
October 26, 2020
Least favourite of the breaker series. I felt this one was a chore to read. I didn't care for the characters, Lucy felt a bit forced. Pan handler was mentioned here and there although this felt completly disjointed - like it could be a different series all together. Don't get me wrong, there was potential; the book just never lived up to it. I'm really hoping book 5 is better.
April 2, 2014
The more of these books I read, the more I want to read. Simple as that. Robertson writes clear, well-paced prose that captures the imagination but doesn't cloy with stylistic preciousness. His characters are well-drawn and the plots compelling. I can't wait for the next one!
May 3, 2019
couldn't finish it.
June 23, 2019
The best deals on this series for audible listeners is to purchase the Kindle version and add the Audible for $8 = $11 or 12 for both versions vs $15 for Audible only. 5
Many of the new post-apocalyptic series books go for $14 or 15 for 6 or 7 hours but this series has respectable 13 to 14-hour segments for excellent characters in intertwining storylines that eventually see each of the dozen or so main characters come together for the final series ending battles .
85% of humanity dies from a worldwide pandemic only to face invasion from Swimmers - crab/squid/lobster like aliens that start eliminating the survivors or capturing them in order to craft a virus to overcome their immunity.
Each book has chapters that alternate the stories of 2 or 3 main characters who migrate toward Los Angeles from New York, Idaho, and other states with stops in Washington State's Hanford nuclear facility, Redding CA., Hawaii, and/or Arizona.
The surviving humans end up in 4 camps in SoCal - The LaJolla Kingdom, The Catalina Kingdom, the followers of Anson in Hollywood, and Raina's San Pedro - Long Beach group all fighting for dominance and control beneath the shadow of the massive alien mothership before and after it is crashed into the Pacific off Santa Monica.
Many of the new post-apocalyptic series books go for $14 or 15 for 6 or 7 hours but this series has respectable 13 to 14-hour segments for excellent characters in intertwining storylines that eventually see each of the dozen or so main characters come together for the final series ending battles .
85% of humanity dies from a worldwide pandemic only to face invasion from Swimmers - crab/squid/lobster like aliens that start eliminating the survivors or capturing them in order to craft a virus to overcome their immunity.
Each book has chapters that alternate the stories of 2 or 3 main characters who migrate toward Los Angeles from New York, Idaho, and other states with stops in Washington State's Hanford nuclear facility, Redding CA., Hawaii, and/or Arizona.
The surviving humans end up in 4 camps in SoCal - The LaJolla Kingdom, The Catalina Kingdom, the followers of Anson in Hollywood, and Raina's San Pedro - Long Beach group all fighting for dominance and control beneath the shadow of the massive alien mothership before and after it is crashed into the Pacific off Santa Monica.
July 30, 2018
Once again this book follows the pattern of alternating chapters, with a separate narrative strand in each thread. Unlike other books the narratives, though overlapping in time and location, do not intersect.
Lucy follows her childhood friend to New York in oredr to fulfil her promise to Tilly's dying father to look after his daughter. Meanwhile Ellie (from the first book, Outcome) is forced from her farm to trace the fiancé of her adopted daughter (Dee, also in Outcome) and follows the trail to New York. There the two parties find a city divided - two opposing 'philosophies'and a weak government...
I enjoyed this book, partly as we see developing cultures in the city and in the country, partly because the two narratives are interestingly different. Another page tirner - though I took the time to backtrack and read the Outcome prquel to get a better feel for Ellie.
The end of the epilogue returns us to the company of some previously encountered characters and sets up the next book in the sequence.
Lucy follows her childhood friend to New York in oredr to fulfil her promise to Tilly's dying father to look after his daughter. Meanwhile Ellie (from the first book, Outcome) is forced from her farm to trace the fiancé of her adopted daughter (Dee, also in Outcome) and follows the trail to New York. There the two parties find a city divided - two opposing 'philosophies'and a weak government...
I enjoyed this book, partly as we see developing cultures in the city and in the country, partly because the two narratives are interestingly different. Another page tirner - though I took the time to backtrack and read the Outcome prquel to get a better feel for Ellie.
The end of the epilogue returns us to the company of some previously encountered characters and sets up the next book in the sequence.
May 21, 2019
Not my favorite of the series, let alone of Robertson's entire collection. That said, it was perfectly fine. The story was exciting and dramatic and it pushed the whole Breakers world forward in some small way. I like the way Robertson weaves together the threads of these characters' post-apocalyptic lives in different ways. Each installation into the series is unique, but familiar.
I have a feeling my biggest complaint about this book will be mitigated in the next couple, but here it goes anyway. The first 3 books were satisfying because of the scope of what the characters went through and accomplished. This book was much more personal and focused. That's not a bad thing, necessarily, but it left me wanting something more meaningful.
I have a feeling my biggest complaint about this book will be mitigated in the next couple, but here it goes anyway. The first 3 books were satisfying because of the scope of what the characters went through and accomplished. This book was much more personal and focused. That's not a bad thing, necessarily, but it left me wanting something more meaningful.
May 18, 2020
I have the second omnibus edition of this series so will just say that book four takes place a few years after the virus and focuses on two stories - that of Ellie and Lucy.
Each of their adventures had the feel of a crime /gang novel but still in relation to the apocalyptic events...more focus on the 'way of life after'. Each story was well-written, each character believable and each intertwined loosely with the other.
Overall, an enjoyable and compelling read.
Highly recommended.
Each of their adventures had the feel of a crime /gang novel but still in relation to the apocalyptic events...more focus on the 'way of life after'. Each story was well-written, each character believable and each intertwined loosely with the other.
Overall, an enjoyable and compelling read.
Highly recommended.
November 3, 2018
By now Robertson's style on the Breakers books is well set: two stories in different geographic locations, told in alternating chapters--so each one ends in some sort of cliffhanger--with the two story lines brought together at the end. This time he dodges expectations a bit by not having the two groups of characters actually meet. The presentation may be formulaic, but it's no less effective.
October 24, 2019
Ellie is a BADASS MOFO haha Honestly shes in my top 4 favorite characters in the series (Ness, Raina, Sebastion, Ellie).
-------------------------- SPOILER ALERT-----------------
The ending is so satisfying. It's like the end of Musashi when you've made it through thousands of pages and everything comes together perfectly at the very end.
-------------------------- SPOILER ALERT-----------------
The ending is so satisfying. It's like the end of Musashi when you've made it through thousands of pages and everything comes together perfectly at the very end.
May 7, 2020
A really great stand-alone in the breakers universe. Every time I read this book, at the beginning, I am always annoyed that it doesn't cross over with the other books. From around 2/3 of the way in though, I'm hooked. The action ramps up, and because I've spent the book really getting to know the characters, I'm invested in them. This book stands on its own, and I like that.
November 13, 2017
Exciting!
I couldn't put it down. Read it in one sitting. Great read. Wonderful characters, felt like I was right there with them. Most anyone should enjoy this read. Good job Mr. Robertson.
I couldn't put it down. Read it in one sitting. Great read. Wonderful characters, felt like I was right there with them. Most anyone should enjoy this read. Good job Mr. Robertson.
May 5, 2017
I was initially disappointed when this wasn't a direct sequel, but it turned out to be a great post-civilization read anyway. Looking forward to finally reading more of the series.
May 25, 2017
This was my least favorite book from the Breakers series thus far.
July 25, 2017
I liked pretty well. Not as good as the first three.
September 5, 2017
Had trouble putting this down.
September 25, 2017
PROB A 3.5 BUT GAve it a 4 cause I was distracted with my Audible movie !!!LOL
November 6, 2017
I’ve enjoyed this series. It’s a nice change in apocalypse genre as it’s not zombies. I’m working my way through them all. I’ve found them engaging. Not the best but pretty darn good.
October 22, 2019
not bad.
March 28, 2015
"We start off thinking the whole world is about us, once you learn how little it cares about you, that's when you stop taking things personal."
--Edward W Robertson, Reapers
(may contain spoilers for books 0.5-3)
This is the fourth book in the Breakers Series and I really think EWR has grown as a writer. His writing is more complex with a lot of reflections about life and the essence of being human. This whole series is about aliens landing on our planet and dispersing a virus in the water, so that it kills most of the human population off. These books are about the people who are left and not affected by the virus; trying to survive and thrive even in a world, that is almost completely decimated.
This book in particular is about Ellie, who we first see in the novella Outcome (#0.5). There is also another character introduced that we haven't previously seen; Lucy. Lucy is a good addition, I liked her. We then switch between Ellie's story and Lucy's story with each chapter, which can be frustrating because every chapter ends with something big happening and then the next chapter is about the other one. Frustrating but I've learned to live with it, because all the books in this series are like this.
I'll leave with a couple more quotes from this book:
"Enemies are like family, you don't get to choose them. And you can only avoid them for so long."
"And it was truism that the people most interested in power and authority were those least qualified to exercise them."
January 27, 2021
This was a good story that fits within the Breakers ‘series’. I am still not convince that this is a series in the traditional sense but more a case of a collection of loosely connected stories within the same ‘universe’, in this case the post Panhadler virus and alien invasion world. Reapers focusses on two main but linked story lines.
The first sees a return for Ellie the Department of Advance Analysis from the prequel novella ‘Outcome’ as she is trying to establish a life for herself and her adopted daughter. Things start to get ugly when her daughter’s fiancé is kidnapped by slavers in the wake of his father’s non-payment of a debt. Joined by her daughter and the towns sheriff they set off in pursuit of the missing son. Through many trials and tribulations, they end up arriving in Manhattan just as rival gang violence is about to escalate into all out war.
The second sees a new character Lucy is also travelling to Manhattan in search of an old friend in order to keep an promise given to a dying man. She arrives just the tensions between the two largest gangs Dist and Kono are starting to rise. She manages to play one gang off against the other and eventually a full scale war is imminent.
Although this is billed as book 4 in the Breakers series it is really a standalone story that works even with no previous knowledge / exposure to earlier books in the series. I enjoy the books so will probably continue onto book 5.
The first sees a return for Ellie the Department of Advance Analysis from the prequel novella ‘Outcome’ as she is trying to establish a life for herself and her adopted daughter. Things start to get ugly when her daughter’s fiancé is kidnapped by slavers in the wake of his father’s non-payment of a debt. Joined by her daughter and the towns sheriff they set off in pursuit of the missing son. Through many trials and tribulations, they end up arriving in Manhattan just as rival gang violence is about to escalate into all out war.
The second sees a new character Lucy is also travelling to Manhattan in search of an old friend in order to keep an promise given to a dying man. She arrives just the tensions between the two largest gangs Dist and Kono are starting to rise. She manages to play one gang off against the other and eventually a full scale war is imminent.
Although this is billed as book 4 in the Breakers series it is really a standalone story that works even with no previous knowledge / exposure to earlier books in the series. I enjoy the books so will probably continue onto book 5.
September 26, 2015
4.0 out of 5 stars Post Apocalypse Detective Thriller, September 25, 2015
By THE HOLEY ONE
Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is for: Reapers (Breakers Book 4) (Kindle Edition)
This book, Reapers, was presented as a Science Fiction story and I guess since it had an Alien craft and a couple of Aliens on one page it barely qualifies as "Sci-Do". It was a great story and that probably deserves a five Star rating but it wasn't what I was expecting. Don't get me wrong, this is well worth the time investment to read and I enjoyed it immensely and strongly recommend it. If you're expecting, and demand a Sci-Fi story this may disappoint you. It does follow the nearly Extinction Level Event of the Alien delivered "Plague" and is a well developed chronicle of both Country and City Life following the end of 99%% of the population. While people are beginning to learn how to survive and plan to rebuild the old society, the same mistakes and failed "social experiments" seem inevitable. This fourth book in the Breakers Series followed a new set of characters and I very much look forward to following their adventures now knowing there won't be any FTL Vehicles, anti-gravity devices, Plasma Weapons, etc. There are more than enough conventional weapons to be found.
Review by "THE HOLEY ONE"
January 2, 2016
I think that this may be the best book in the series so far. I have the feeling that I am going to be thinking that for the remainder of the series, because they just keep getting better.
The best part about Edward W. Robertson is that he can write books with chapters rotating between characters in a way that makes me want to skip chapters to immediately read what's going to happen to character A, but then I am also on the edge of my seat about character B, so I am in constant grips with each story. It makes it hard to put down.
There was a lot of imagery in this particular book. Once again, a few words that I needed to use my kindle dictionary for, but not to the point where it was bothersome.
I gave this book four stars. I really did like this book, and I can't wait to read the next in the series.
The best part about Edward W. Robertson is that he can write books with chapters rotating between characters in a way that makes me want to skip chapters to immediately read what's going to happen to character A, but then I am also on the edge of my seat about character B, so I am in constant grips with each story. It makes it hard to put down.
There was a lot of imagery in this particular book. Once again, a few words that I needed to use my kindle dictionary for, but not to the point where it was bothersome.
I gave this book four stars. I really did like this book, and I can't wait to read the next in the series.
February 8, 2014
I kinds of hated Ellie in Outbreak - my love of the Cutting Room made her seem way more suited to that story/world/multiverse. She reappears in Reapers and seems much better integrated into the post-apocalyptic milieu.
Like many elements of the Breakers series/saga this book covers some interesting intellectual territory. Human cruelty and brutality are explored as they are at several points in the other books but this one explores freedom, slavery and equality a bit more and in a compelling manner.
By now I'm totally hooked on this series. If you're seeing this and just discovering the series you should begin with Breakers #1 then read Outbreak and the rest of the series... I think that, like me, you'll be glad you did.
Like many elements of the Breakers series/saga this book covers some interesting intellectual territory. Human cruelty and brutality are explored as they are at several points in the other books but this one explores freedom, slavery and equality a bit more and in a compelling manner.
By now I'm totally hooked on this series. If you're seeing this and just discovering the series you should begin with Breakers #1 then read Outbreak and the rest of the series... I think that, like me, you'll be glad you did.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews