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Forager #1
Forager
Eighteen-year-old Ethan Jones lives in Newhome, a town built upon the decaying ruins of post-apocalyptic Melbourne, ruins haunted by the ferocious Skel, a nomadic tribe of degenerate savages.
The Skel are ramping up their attacks on Newhome's foraging teams and infesting Melbourne's ruins in ever greater numbers. Is this part of a larger plan that could spell the town's doom?
Meanwhile, the last thing Ethan expects when he and his companions rescue a two-car convoy from the Skel is a Japanese teenage girl with an outlandish dress-sense, who after they take her back to Newhome, goes to great lengths to ingratiate herself into his life. But is it in gratitude for saving her life or is she seeking something more?
And what a quandry she places him in, for he knows the rules, that no man is permitted to be alone with an unmarried woman. But how can he drive such a gentle soul away when she touchs his heart so deeply, even though she clearly carries the pain of a broken heart.
At the same time, Newhome's police force, the Custodians, are suspicious of Ethan's foraging team's successes and are pulling out the stops to find out which member of his team has the illegal mutant ability that gives them an edge over the other teams. Should these peacekeepers discover Ethan is the mutant they seek, they will haul him away and dissect him like a frog.
The Skel are ramping up their attacks on Newhome's foraging teams and infesting Melbourne's ruins in ever greater numbers. Is this part of a larger plan that could spell the town's doom?
Meanwhile, the last thing Ethan expects when he and his companions rescue a two-car convoy from the Skel is a Japanese teenage girl with an outlandish dress-sense, who after they take her back to Newhome, goes to great lengths to ingratiate herself into his life. But is it in gratitude for saving her life or is she seeking something more?
And what a quandry she places him in, for he knows the rules, that no man is permitted to be alone with an unmarried woman. But how can he drive such a gentle soul away when she touchs his heart so deeply, even though she clearly carries the pain of a broken heart.
At the same time, Newhome's police force, the Custodians, are suspicious of Ethan's foraging team's successes and are pulling out the stops to find out which member of his team has the illegal mutant ability that gives them an edge over the other teams. Should these peacekeepers discover Ethan is the mutant they seek, they will haul him away and dissect him like a frog.
296 pages, Paperback
First published November 20, 2013
1094 people are currently reading
1363 people want to read
About the author
Peter R. Stone
24 books76 followersPeter Stone, an avid student of history, was reading books on Ancient Greece from the age of four. Periods of interest include the ancient world, medieval era, Napoleonic times, and the Second World War. He still mourns the untimely passing of King Leonidas of Sparta and Field Marshal Michel Ney of France.
A product of the Cold War Generation, Peter Stone studied the ramifications of a nuclear missile strike when he was in his senior year of high school, learning the effects of nuclear fallout and how to (hopefully) survive it. He has ever been drawn to post-apocalyptic and dystopian novels and films, and eagerly devoured The Day of the Triffids and John Christopher's Tripod Trilogy when he was a child. He is also an avid fan of science fiction, and his favorite books include the Lensmen Series by E.E.Doc.Smith, anything by Alastair Reynolds, and the Evergence trilogy by Sean Williams. He also enjoys J-pop (especially Ayumi Hamasaki trance remixes), K-pop, Korean movies, and K-drama.
Peter Stone graduated from Melbourne School of Ministries Bible College in 1988. He has been teaching Sunday School and playing the keyboard in church for over twenty-five years. His wife is from Japan and they have two wonderful children. He has worked in the same games company for over twenty years, but still does not comprehend why they expect him to work all day instead of playing games.
A product of the Cold War Generation, Peter Stone studied the ramifications of a nuclear missile strike when he was in his senior year of high school, learning the effects of nuclear fallout and how to (hopefully) survive it. He has ever been drawn to post-apocalyptic and dystopian novels and films, and eagerly devoured The Day of the Triffids and John Christopher's Tripod Trilogy when he was a child. He is also an avid fan of science fiction, and his favorite books include the Lensmen Series by E.E.Doc.Smith, anything by Alastair Reynolds, and the Evergence trilogy by Sean Williams. He also enjoys J-pop (especially Ayumi Hamasaki trance remixes), K-pop, Korean movies, and K-drama.
Peter Stone graduated from Melbourne School of Ministries Bible College in 1988. He has been teaching Sunday School and playing the keyboard in church for over twenty-five years. His wife is from Japan and they have two wonderful children. He has worked in the same games company for over twenty years, but still does not comprehend why they expect him to work all day instead of playing games.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 153 reviews
December 9, 2023
Clean read, as far as sex and profanity, but there is a lot of violence. Probably suitable for Teen and up. Set in Australia, post nuclear apocalypse.
Good action, there's always something happening next, good plot, and likeable characters.
A surprising amount of tech and manufacturing going on 100 years after WWIII, but much is seemingly available just to be able to keep the story going so smoothly. There must have been a lot of geniuses who survived, along with some academic libraries.
Aside from the problems with probable reality, it was a very compelling read, and I enjoyed it.
I found a copy of book 2 in a Little Free Library, but wanted to start from the beginning. Luckily, book 1 was free from Amazon as an ebook!
Good action, there's always something happening next, good plot, and likeable characters.
A surprising amount of tech and manufacturing going on 100 years after WWIII, but much is seemingly available just to be able to keep the story going so smoothly. There must have been a lot of geniuses who survived, along with some academic libraries.
Aside from the problems with probable reality, it was a very compelling read, and I enjoyed it.
I found a copy of book 2 in a Little Free Library, but wanted to start from the beginning. Luckily, book 1 was free from Amazon as an ebook!
April 1, 2016
I started reading this month's ago, it was a bit slow and didn't grab me so I put it aside to read a few other things. This week I went back to it and wow. About a page after where I stopped reading it things got super interesting. Plot twists and turns, action, suspense, great characters who suddenly got depth.
Its about a futuristic Melbourne, in the 22nd century, and a society trying to survive in a brutal world. The main male character Ethan is good but the star Is the lead female character, Nanako. She is a great character and really drives the story and all the plotlines. Its part of a series and I'm really looking forward to the rest of them.
Its about a futuristic Melbourne, in the 22nd century, and a society trying to survive in a brutal world. The main male character Ethan is good but the star Is the lead female character, Nanako. She is a great character and really drives the story and all the plotlines. Its part of a series and I'm really looking forward to the rest of them.
September 19, 2014
Review for Forager by Peter R. Stone
My Rating: 4 stars of 5 stars
This is a great little book. It is a YA, dystopian, post-apocalyptic story, but I really found it to be a lovely romance because the romantic theme in it far outweighed the others themes. The story has energy; it moves quickly and has plenty of mystery and action to keep you interested. The characters are appealing and diversely motivated. I especially liked Nanako, with her unwavering loyalty and determination. The universe is rather limited, as the setting is very small, walled town in post-apocalyptic Australia, and some technical issues are simplistic, but we are dealing with fiction, here. It is a clean-read, and by that I mean that there is no foul language and no explicit sexual material ; people of all ages can read this. I liked it very much and read it in just two sittings because it kept my interest.
My Rating: 4 stars of 5 stars
This is a great little book. It is a YA, dystopian, post-apocalyptic story, but I really found it to be a lovely romance because the romantic theme in it far outweighed the others themes. The story has energy; it moves quickly and has plenty of mystery and action to keep you interested. The characters are appealing and diversely motivated. I especially liked Nanako, with her unwavering loyalty and determination. The universe is rather limited, as the setting is very small, walled town in post-apocalyptic Australia, and some technical issues are simplistic, but we are dealing with fiction, here. It is a clean-read, and by that I mean that there is no foul language and no explicit sexual material ; people of all ages can read this. I liked it very much and read it in just two sittings because it kept my interest.
August 16, 2015
This Book was a Great fast paced book! I loved the very complex character and plot! The characters grew as the story went on... This dysatopian novel was not too over powering. adding some romance into this book made me want to read more and made the book better!
I also enjoyed Peter R. Stone's writing style that made the experience seem more authentic.
with everything being said there were a lot of times that the book seemed predictable, but that didn't bother me at all. I am looking forward to read the next book.
I also enjoyed Peter R. Stone's writing style that made the experience seem more authentic.
with everything being said there were a lot of times that the book seemed predictable, but that didn't bother me at all. I am looking forward to read the next book.
December 30, 2013
I really enjoyed this one, although I can honestly say I would not want to live in the town of Newhome at all. In fact, I think I would rather take my chances in the outside.
Well-written, with characters that really seemed to come alive right off the page.
Well-written, with characters that really seemed to come alive right off the page.
free-read
June 24, 2018Dystopian, YA
Free 06-24-18
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Free 06-24-18
Apple iBooks
Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Forager-Post-A...
B&N https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fora...
February 9, 2020
I was pulled into this dystopian society. I found it as intriguing but yet a very scary society. I was rooting for the MC as he remembered his past and started to realize the true reality of things around him. I think the reader has barely skimmed the surface of the treachery and lies that have befallen this society. Overall, a great start to a new series that I feel can only get better. I can't wait to continue this reading journey.
May 25, 2018
Not the best, but original to a degree and enough to fill a flight or car ride
January 31, 2018
Quite a surprise....
This a dystopian novel with a twist....a remote area of Australia saved from what could be worldwide devastation.... What happened? How did this area get spared and why? And most importantly, how can the heroes and heroines keep this last spark of civilization alive? An exciting read, filled with action, mystery and romance, sure to keep you on the edge of your seat! Heading right now to purchase the next volume in the series! Excellent work, Mr. Stone... I look forward to more, and will review....highly recommend to all my Kindle and Goodreads friends! Jim
This a dystopian novel with a twist....a remote area of Australia saved from what could be worldwide devastation.... What happened? How did this area get spared and why? And most importantly, how can the heroes and heroines keep this last spark of civilization alive? An exciting read, filled with action, mystery and romance, sure to keep you on the edge of your seat! Heading right now to purchase the next volume in the series! Excellent work, Mr. Stone... I look forward to more, and will review....highly recommend to all my Kindle and Goodreads friends! Jim
January 7, 2014
The story is told by Ethan’s voice, and describes the world a century after the World War Three.
Ethan lives in Newhome, a well guarded town constructed inside the ruins of what once was the city of Melbourne, and works as a forager, retrieving non-corrosive metals from the ruins around them.
The society changed and the people had little to no freedom. It sucked most for the women, who didn’t have a say in anything at all. They weren’t allowed to go out of their homes without a chaperone, didn’t have permission to go to school, or date, or even talk with their own sons alone.
All the marriages were arranged by the fathers and any kind of misbehave was punished by the Custodians.
But the people who lived inside the walls of Newhome weren’t the only survivors. There were other towns and also the feared Skel (in the beginning of the book, I thought they were zombies or something like that, but that’s not it at all), who raided civilized towns and settlements to steal supplies and abduct captives to be their slaves.
Ethan had an accident two years before the beginning of the book, and because of that, he didn’t remember anything that happened in a whole year of his life. He also was what the Custodians called aberration (people with some kind of genetic mutation) and had the ability to use a sonar, much like bats do, and see through darkness and inside buildings.
Ethan struggles to live up the strict rules of Newhome, and often rebels against them, even more when his father tries to set up his marriage with a girl he can’t stand. He is already in love with a Japanese girl he saved from the Skels
Some things that happens in the book were very predictable, but it didn’t take away the fun I had reading it.
There are also some contradictions, again nothing too relevant to the plot and there is always so much going on that you quickly forget about them.
What I liked: Ethan – he is stubborn and brave, even when he is almost peeing his pants with fear; Nanako – the girl Ethan is in love with. She is very lovable and her feelings for him are endearing. Michal – Ethan’s best friend; and the plot. It was intriguing and fast paced.
What I didn’t like: Some things that happened near the end of the book (and that I will not list here to avoid spoils). But I can say that those things were what made me give this book four instead of five stars.
I read this book in one night and I recommend it to all who loves the dystopian theme with a beautiful love story.
Ethan lives in Newhome, a well guarded town constructed inside the ruins of what once was the city of Melbourne, and works as a forager, retrieving non-corrosive metals from the ruins around them.
The society changed and the people had little to no freedom. It sucked most for the women, who didn’t have a say in anything at all. They weren’t allowed to go out of their homes without a chaperone, didn’t have permission to go to school, or date, or even talk with their own sons alone.
All the marriages were arranged by the fathers and any kind of misbehave was punished by the Custodians.
But the people who lived inside the walls of Newhome weren’t the only survivors. There were other towns and also the feared Skel (in the beginning of the book, I thought they were zombies or something like that, but that’s not it at all), who raided civilized towns and settlements to steal supplies and abduct captives to be their slaves.
Ethan had an accident two years before the beginning of the book, and because of that, he didn’t remember anything that happened in a whole year of his life. He also was what the Custodians called aberration (people with some kind of genetic mutation) and had the ability to use a sonar, much like bats do, and see through darkness and inside buildings.
Ethan struggles to live up the strict rules of Newhome, and often rebels against them, even more when his father tries to set up his marriage with a girl he can’t stand. He is already in love with a Japanese girl he saved from the Skels
Some things that happens in the book were very predictable, but it didn’t take away the fun I had reading it.
There are also some contradictions, again nothing too relevant to the plot and there is always so much going on that you quickly forget about them.
What I liked: Ethan – he is stubborn and brave, even when he is almost peeing his pants with fear; Nanako – the girl Ethan is in love with. She is very lovable and her feelings for him are endearing. Michal – Ethan’s best friend; and the plot. It was intriguing and fast paced.
What I didn’t like: Some things that happened near the end of the book (and that I will not list here to avoid spoils). But I can say that those things were what made me give this book four instead of five stars.
I read this book in one night and I recommend it to all who loves the dystopian theme with a beautiful love story.
May 28, 2014
** This Review is done in conjunction with NerdGirl. For more info, check out their FB page https://www.facebook.com/NerdGirl.NG **
Dystopian is interesting to me, it’s one of those genres that really opens up, and you can take it anywhere. The world has so many flaws to exploit, and twist, and it’s such a great baseboard for stories. Previously, I had read Stone’s A Knight of Dein, which is fantasy and action, and was very good. I enjoyed it, but I will say, I enjoyed this one even more. Australia is the setting and the world has been decimated by World War 3. You are pulled into this story, quite quickly, and it’s worth it. The author gives us a dense world, complex characters, and thorough storytelling. It’s outstanding. A lot of writers struggle with describing a world so far from what we’re living in, that it falls flat, but Stone’s world really brings life to it, and interests the reader. Ethan, the main character, is a Forager, hence the title. He goes out and finds materials from the ruins of other cities. This leads to the plot line, Ethan and his crew are so good, the government is taking notice and sends special agents with them, called Custodians, and it’s during this mission we’re introduced to the love story line in the book. I liked Ethan, I thought he was realistic, and driven, and really stood out from the background in the way a main character needs to. Nanako, the love interest, was another interesting character, she’s endearing and sweet, and you really grow to appreciate the love blooming between Ethan and her. Overall, the plot was solid, it pulls you in, and you move through this book quite quickly, you are interested in the well-being of the characters, and you start pulling for them. There were a few elements in the book that could be described a bit more thoroughly, like his powers, Custodians, Skel to name a few, but it does seem like there will be a follow up book, and if so, I can understand how some issues haven’t been full developed yet. Good read for dystopian/sci-fi lovers, and I can’t wait to see what happens for the next book!
*I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Dystopian is interesting to me, it’s one of those genres that really opens up, and you can take it anywhere. The world has so many flaws to exploit, and twist, and it’s such a great baseboard for stories. Previously, I had read Stone’s A Knight of Dein, which is fantasy and action, and was very good. I enjoyed it, but I will say, I enjoyed this one even more. Australia is the setting and the world has been decimated by World War 3. You are pulled into this story, quite quickly, and it’s worth it. The author gives us a dense world, complex characters, and thorough storytelling. It’s outstanding. A lot of writers struggle with describing a world so far from what we’re living in, that it falls flat, but Stone’s world really brings life to it, and interests the reader. Ethan, the main character, is a Forager, hence the title. He goes out and finds materials from the ruins of other cities. This leads to the plot line, Ethan and his crew are so good, the government is taking notice and sends special agents with them, called Custodians, and it’s during this mission we’re introduced to the love story line in the book. I liked Ethan, I thought he was realistic, and driven, and really stood out from the background in the way a main character needs to. Nanako, the love interest, was another interesting character, she’s endearing and sweet, and you really grow to appreciate the love blooming between Ethan and her. Overall, the plot was solid, it pulls you in, and you move through this book quite quickly, you are interested in the well-being of the characters, and you start pulling for them. There were a few elements in the book that could be described a bit more thoroughly, like his powers, Custodians, Skel to name a few, but it does seem like there will be a follow up book, and if so, I can understand how some issues haven’t been full developed yet. Good read for dystopian/sci-fi lovers, and I can’t wait to see what happens for the next book!
*I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
September 1, 2017
Set in a post apocalypse Melbourne (a nice change of pace there) this is told from the POV of 20 year old Ethan.
Ethan's job as a forager is not to find food but to locate supplies of metals and other valuable commodities from the ruins of the surrounding towns and cities. His special abilities help to keep him and his team safe from marauding mutants and make finding these supplies easier.
Love the world building in this book.. I had such a clear picture of Ethan's home. There is constant action and drama, from the foraging expeditions, to the sweet way he tries to care for his sick little sister and the draconian rules of a very strict patriarchal society where a woman's place is in the home and the genders don't mix. Throw in a special skill he must keep a secret under the threat being called a mutant and then dragged away for experiments.. and that Ethan is drawn to a young mystery woman from a more liberal city, and you have an story that grabs you from beginning to end.
This would make an awesome movie!
Ethan's job as a forager is not to find food but to locate supplies of metals and other valuable commodities from the ruins of the surrounding towns and cities. His special abilities help to keep him and his team safe from marauding mutants and make finding these supplies easier.
Love the world building in this book.. I had such a clear picture of Ethan's home. There is constant action and drama, from the foraging expeditions, to the sweet way he tries to care for his sick little sister and the draconian rules of a very strict patriarchal society where a woman's place is in the home and the genders don't mix. Throw in a special skill he must keep a secret under the threat being called a mutant and then dragged away for experiments.. and that Ethan is drawn to a young mystery woman from a more liberal city, and you have an story that grabs you from beginning to end.
This would make an awesome movie!
December 22, 2015
I did not see this book coming. Seriously. A free book made it into one of the top 20 reads os 2015. Unbelievable.
The book could have gone wrong but it never does. It sounds like, reminds of but is never a copy of other books in the genre.
The main protagonists are well developed. Some things are predictable. Most are not.
Given this book could do with a very good line edit. But even with the glaring oversights I literally could not put this book down.
It is free so you literally have nothing to loose. So don't take my word for it. Get a copy and read it for yourself.
WaAr
The book could have gone wrong but it never does. It sounds like, reminds of but is never a copy of other books in the genre.
The main protagonists are well developed. Some things are predictable. Most are not.
Given this book could do with a very good line edit. But even with the glaring oversights I literally could not put this book down.
It is free so you literally have nothing to loose. So don't take my word for it. Get a copy and read it for yourself.
WaAr
August 8, 2016
Pentru o carte gratis, a fost buna. :)
Ideea in sine, mi-a placut, insa desfasurarea actiunii mi s-a parut previzibila pe alocuri. Personajele sunt okish, dar nu extraordinar de bine definite. Cred ca ar putea da nastere unui scenariu interesant pentru desene animate.
Cartea asta ar putea fi pe placul unui adolescent ;)
Ideea in sine, mi-a placut, insa desfasurarea actiunii mi s-a parut previzibila pe alocuri. Personajele sunt okish, dar nu extraordinar de bine definite. Cred ca ar putea da nastere unui scenariu interesant pentru desene animate.
Cartea asta ar putea fi pe placul unui adolescent ;)
August 6, 2022
The nuke that hit Melbourne a century ago must have had the wrong co-ordinates.
This is the book I wanted to write in my late teens. A post apocalyptic tale around a city and a repressive society. I wrote maybe twenty pages of my book before I gave up. It’s title was “Non-Citizen” after the B Side of Suzi Quatro’s hit single “If You Can’t Give me Love“. Now approaching the final chapter of my life, I came across this YA Post Apocalyptic novel with the same vibe, it was free on Amazon for Kindle, and I loved it.
The book is set 100 years after World War 3 had brought about mass global destruction and Melbourne was one of the many cities that was nuked. The protagonist, Ethan Jones is a 20-year-old forager, who lives in a parochial walled town, Newhome outside Melbourne and he leads a small team into the abandoned city to forage for metals like copper and lead.
The author Peter R Stone like me, according to his Goodreads bio “eagerly devoured The Day of the Triffids and John Christopher’s Tripod Trilogy when he was a child.” I am reminded also of The Chrysalids by John Wyndham, when reading this, about a repressive society set after a nuclear war. In Newhome there is a very patriarchal society, with draconian punishments for stepping out of line, women can be executed for pre-marital sex, for example.
Foraging is a dangerous job, the Skel, a kind of demented nomads, clad in an armor made from the bones of their victims roam the city. Early on in the book, Ethan’s foraging party rescue two Japanese from a Skel attack and take them back to Newhome. The Japanese are from another town in Victoria, Hamamachi and Ethan finds himself strongly attracted to 20 year old Nanako, who is very different in looks and attitude to the young women of Newhome.
There is still some functioning technology, like cars running on solar power, electricity and even MRI Scanners in the hospital but there is no air travel and no global communications. Ethan also has an unusual power, a bat-like echolocation, which he’d been warned from an early age to keep quiet about lest they dissect him like a frog.
The action is fast paced with plenty of plot twists, the characters are engaging, maybe some of the background characters are a little predictable and one dimensional. I would also liked to have known more about the Skel. There is mystery and romance thrown in the mix for a thoroughly enjoyable read.
This book is the first of the Forager trilogy.
June 11, 2019
This is the tenth book of my second summer of free amazon books. (2.10)
I honestly really liked this book. Enough to buy the second one in the series.
It’s a nice summer read, with just enough of both action and romance to make it interesting. It is a little predictable in some of the ways most dystopian books are- the hero has special abilities, he is somewhat of an outsider, there is a love triangle of sorts, and so on, but there are some nice little plot twists which takes it a notch up.
The writing is fast paced, but peppered between and within the action sequences there is enough internal dialogue and descriptive language to take it out of mindless action.
The prose is fine, though not magnificent.
I think the thing that made me like it so much is the setting. The city the hero lives in is very totalitarian, very dystopic, and that shit is my jam.
If it’s yours too, you should read it :)
I honestly really liked this book. Enough to buy the second one in the series.
It’s a nice summer read, with just enough of both action and romance to make it interesting. It is a little predictable in some of the ways most dystopian books are- the hero has special abilities, he is somewhat of an outsider, there is a love triangle of sorts, and so on, but there are some nice little plot twists which takes it a notch up.
The writing is fast paced, but peppered between and within the action sequences there is enough internal dialogue and descriptive language to take it out of mindless action.
The prose is fine, though not magnificent.
I think the thing that made me like it so much is the setting. The city the hero lives in is very totalitarian, very dystopic, and that shit is my jam.
If it’s yours too, you should read it :)
October 15, 2024
Forager-A Post-Apocalyptic/Dystopian Thriller, Book 1
100 years after the nuclear bomb drops, Ethan Jones is trying to lead his team of foragers, and his few true friends, to find metals for his community. The new community is male dominant and very oppressive. Ethan disagrees with everything about the culture and it even causes some family strife. Luckily when he finds his wife, he has a chance to live the way he wishes, or does he??
Outside the bleak, grey walls of the community the Skels are watching and taking people for dead or for slaves. There is continuous war with the Newhome community and the Skels. Enter the other communities, more modern and less oppressive districts. It's a fight for survival.
This book took me through all my feelings. It is hard to put down. My summary is overly simplistic because I don't want to give away anything good! It is GOOD! You should read it.
100 years after the nuclear bomb drops, Ethan Jones is trying to lead his team of foragers, and his few true friends, to find metals for his community. The new community is male dominant and very oppressive. Ethan disagrees with everything about the culture and it even causes some family strife. Luckily when he finds his wife, he has a chance to live the way he wishes, or does he??
Outside the bleak, grey walls of the community the Skels are watching and taking people for dead or for slaves. There is continuous war with the Newhome community and the Skels. Enter the other communities, more modern and less oppressive districts. It's a fight for survival.
This book took me through all my feelings. It is hard to put down. My summary is overly simplistic because I don't want to give away anything good! It is GOOD! You should read it.
November 7, 2019
A hundred years from now, after an apocalyptic thermonuclear war, only parts of Melbourne remain. Ethan lives in Newhome, an area outside the damaged center of the city and works as a Forager, going out daily with his crew to find valuable metals in the ravaged skyscrapers and houses. When a group of Custodians is assigned to accompany the group, ostensibly to protect them from Skels, the skeleton-armored humans that haunt the area, Ethan believes they’re really there to root out anyone with mutant abilities, abilities he’s hidden from all but a few. When a convoy sent to establish trade with a Japanese-developed village is attacked by the Skels, the action revs up, especially when Ethan is drawn to the female translator sent with the convoy. I’d rate this 4.5 except for the abrupt ending that requires the next book in the series to find out what happens next.
September 9, 2018
Amazon would not allow me to put up a review because I don't buy enough according to their rules!
So I am making one here instead.
This is a thought provoking book about survival after a nuclear war has occurred. The whole premise of towns being cut off and trying to survive is easily understandable. How the towns are governed and the rules that they live by are what makes the plot interesting. This is a easy and good read. I enjoyed the plot development, the characters are very believable, and found myself engrossed in the story. There are a few plot turns that will leave you guessing. I found them to be very entertaining. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. I just bought the next book in the series.
So I am making one here instead.
This is a thought provoking book about survival after a nuclear war has occurred. The whole premise of towns being cut off and trying to survive is easily understandable. How the towns are governed and the rules that they live by are what makes the plot interesting. This is a easy and good read. I enjoyed the plot development, the characters are very believable, and found myself engrossed in the story. There are a few plot turns that will leave you guessing. I found them to be very entertaining. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. I just bought the next book in the series.
April 9, 2024
A dangerous post-war world
Forager follows Ethan and his team of foragers in the wreckage of Melbourne after a nuclear war no one is allowed to know anything about. When Ethan meets a young woman, pieces of a world lost to amnesia starts to return and his world changes for the worse.
While I enjoyed the story, and the description of a dystopian world ruled by fear and the need to rebuild, surrounded by a strange enemy called Skel, I couldn't immerse myself as much as I'd have hoped. The main character is supposed to be a young man that dropped out of school but speaks like a scholar twice his age and I couldn't believe in him.
If that isn't a problem for a reader, I'd say Forager is worth the read.
Forager follows Ethan and his team of foragers in the wreckage of Melbourne after a nuclear war no one is allowed to know anything about. When Ethan meets a young woman, pieces of a world lost to amnesia starts to return and his world changes for the worse.
While I enjoyed the story, and the description of a dystopian world ruled by fear and the need to rebuild, surrounded by a strange enemy called Skel, I couldn't immerse myself as much as I'd have hoped. The main character is supposed to be a young man that dropped out of school but speaks like a scholar twice his age and I couldn't believe in him.
If that isn't a problem for a reader, I'd say Forager is worth the read.
October 14, 2017
Really a rating of 4.5 would suit better.
I have been happily mired down in dystopian and apocalyptic fiction for the bulk of this year. I ran across this new to me author, read the summary, and thought to give him a go.
The author writes a very real and intriguing apocalyptic story that didn't fall into any of the pitfalls of this genre. The characters and their actions are well written and make for good reading. I now have a new author to follow and I recommend that you give this author a go. Read the About the Author blurb. I find him to have an interesting history and can see bits of his personal life in the book.
I have been happily mired down in dystopian and apocalyptic fiction for the bulk of this year. I ran across this new to me author, read the summary, and thought to give him a go.
The author writes a very real and intriguing apocalyptic story that didn't fall into any of the pitfalls of this genre. The characters and their actions are well written and make for good reading. I now have a new author to follow and I recommend that you give this author a go. Read the About the Author blurb. I find him to have an interesting history and can see bits of his personal life in the book.
September 19, 2019
Exciting
This book had me hooked from the beginning. This is the second book by Peter Stone that I have read. The stories are completely different but both books were great. I love dystopian thrillers and this one did not disappoint. There are many twists and turns that only make this story mode intriguing. I found myself shocked about some of the turns. I don't think I there was a page in this book that was boring. This is the 1st book of a trilogy and I can't wait to read the other 2.
This book had me hooked from the beginning. This is the second book by Peter Stone that I have read. The stories are completely different but both books were great. I love dystopian thrillers and this one did not disappoint. There are many twists and turns that only make this story mode intriguing. I found myself shocked about some of the turns. I don't think I there was a page in this book that was boring. This is the 1st book of a trilogy and I can't wait to read the other 2.
May 2, 2024
No pēdējā laika sci-fi sērijām izskatās diezgan laba, bet beigas tādas, kas ļoti pakaras un tā viena lieta, par kuru ir visa grāmata, netiek atbildēta. Negribētos to uzzināt pēdējā grāmatā, bet sēriju paturēšu prātā.
Stāsts ir par pēcatomkara sekām Austrālijā, kur Ethans kopā ar saviem draugiem dzīvo strikti vīriešu dominējošā vidē. Viņš ir "vācējs", kurš ar saviem kolēģiem dodas ārpus pilsētas un vāc derīgos materiālus un lietas. Viņam ir īpašas eholokācijas spējas, kuras jāslēpj, bet kuras arī palīdz izvairīties no naidnieku uzbrukumiem...
Stāsts ir par pēcatomkara sekām Austrālijā, kur Ethans kopā ar saviem draugiem dzīvo strikti vīriešu dominējošā vidē. Viņš ir "vācējs", kurš ar saviem kolēģiem dodas ārpus pilsētas un vāc derīgos materiālus un lietas. Viņam ir īpašas eholokācijas spējas, kuras jāslēpj, bet kuras arī palīdz izvairīties no naidnieku uzbrukumiem...
February 25, 2018
This has been on my reader for a short while and in the mood for something futuristic with an edge thought it would fit the bill.
It did and it did not. While the story had a good flow, a good pace, a good set up, easy to relate to characters somehow when it was over I did not feel totally satisfied with how things turned out.
Hard to pin down exactly what was wrong but just know something was off for me no matter how much enjoyed the book just did not love it like I wanted to.
It did and it did not. While the story had a good flow, a good pace, a good set up, easy to relate to characters somehow when it was over I did not feel totally satisfied with how things turned out.
Hard to pin down exactly what was wrong but just know something was off for me no matter how much enjoyed the book just did not love it like I wanted to.
July 20, 2018
So, I actually read this years ago. My memory has not been kind to this book. I know that I got through it, so it wasn't horrendous, but I cannot recall a single thing that happened in it. It had made me upset enough that my first ever post on my blog was in reference to this book but it didn't stick with me enough for me to even recall what I was reading even though I had the title tagged right there.
Overall, it was okay, but utterly forgettable.
Overall, it was okay, but utterly forgettable.
August 7, 2019
This is a pretty good book. There's some editing issues (especially in the later chapters), but it's only a minor irritant. The story is a good one, and I think I'll actually go hunt for other books by this author. I don't know if there are more books set in this world, I'd be surprised if there were, but if so, I wouldn't mind reading them. Most scifi fans should enjoy this one, though those who like post apocalyptic scenarios would likely enjoy this one even more.
April 29, 2020
This was a good read, if only 75% of the download (the rest a peek at the next book). It was well-written, though not quite believable, for example, the age of Ethan did not quite match his character.
I did enjoy the plot twists and surprises, and the fight scenes felt realistic. This future world was fascinating in a disturbing way and that gave it interest in regard to injustice and wanting to know the outcome.
Overall, an enjoyable dystopian story and worth a look.
I did enjoy the plot twists and surprises, and the fight scenes felt realistic. This future world was fascinating in a disturbing way and that gave it interest in regard to injustice and wanting to know the outcome.
Overall, an enjoyable dystopian story and worth a look.
July 26, 2023
I really enjoyed this story. The book is fast-paced, with many unexpected plot twists. I like the introduction to Ethan and Nanako's feelings, thoughts and characters. Many questions are still unanswered, so I look forward to reading book 2 "infiltrator". Just bought the 6-book edition on Amazon. Now I have to find a way to put this on my kobo e-reader (or I will have to read it on my phone or tablet, which I don't like).
March 5, 2018
Found this book on Kindle Unlimited and thought I’d give it a try, set in post apocalyptic Melbourne it follows a young guy called Ethan. I was happily surprised by this book and was entertained throughout, the two main characters were intriguing and the storyline didn’t dull at all. Looking forward to reading the next!
February 15, 2019
Forager starts slow but builds until you are hooked. The characters are varied and individualized so that it is easy to pick your favorite.
The writing is done well and the plot has some twist that only adds to the desire to continue reading. I think anyone will enjoy this book and would recommend it without a doubt. Give it a try and you won't be sorry.
The writing is done well and the plot has some twist that only adds to the desire to continue reading. I think anyone will enjoy this book and would recommend it without a doubt. Give it a try and you won't be sorry.
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