What do you think?
Rate this book
Ex-fire chief Devin Bane rises above the thick clouds for an interview in Seattle and the promise of a better life. Packing up his carry-on items for their descent into the city, Devin is blinded by a distant flash, followed by the screams and chaos of a crash landing.
Outside the plane's wreckage, a nightmare surrounds him. Seattle's iconic skyline is gone.
Searching for answers as he flees through the ruins, Devin and a handful of survivors are surrounded by the most primitive side of human nature. Plunged into the darkness of a broken society, their tattered souls are each tested by the horrors they face. Even if Devin can escape the city, a far worse danger now blocks his path back home . . . back to his family and the dawning of a changed world.
Outside the plane's wreckage, a nightmare surrounds him. Seattle's iconic skyline is gone.
Searching for answers as he flees through the ruins, Devin and a handful of survivors are surrounded by the most primitive side of human nature. Plunged into the darkness of a broken society, their tattered souls are each tested by the horrors they face. Even if Devin can escape the city, a far worse danger now blocks his path back home . . . back to his family and the dawning of a changed world.
432 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 11, 2012
4 people are currently reading
2444 people want to read
About the author
Bryan K. Johnson
1 book40 followersBryan K. Johnson graduated from the University of Liverpool with an MBA in Marketing, and also holds undergraduate degrees in Advertising and Graphic Design. He's worked as a Creative Director within the television industry for over a decade, winning several Emmy, Addy, and Telly Awards throughout his career. He currently lives in Oregon with his wife and two children. YIELD is his first novel, and book one of the Armageddia Series.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
July 2, 2019
If ever there was a realistic plot for the world to end, this is the plot I’d put my money on. No zombies, no killer virus. Just an all too realistic scenario. Some people might describe “Yield” as an end-of-the-world book. I prefer to think of it as the potential end-of-humanity story.
When people panic, they can become animals who throw civility out the window, along with anyone else in their way. The scarier part is how panic creates more panic and hatred begets more hatred. Spreading like a disease, “Yield” shows how people succumb to the darker side inside themselves when they are full of fear or anger. Johnson depicted this ugly side of human nature horrifically well. The characters don’t have to be zombies to scare me out of my skin.
Admittedly, despite all of the hatred and selfishness people can exhibit , seeing the kinder side of human nature is as refreshing as a spring of water found in a desert. Even during the turmoil, not all people are selfish, which is exactly what breaks down stereotypes in this book. And through all of the hysteria shown in “Yield,” we still find characters who represent the good people on earth – the ones who keep mankind from destroying itself.
I love the depth of human nature exhibited in this book. There are so many different characters dispersed throughout the story, either adding or leaving their own story. Whether it’s trekking across the wasteland of the U.S. to find survivors, or struggling to survive in a home that’s becoming more uninhabitable by the day, my emotions were wrung out like a washcloth. One chapter, my skin crawls from the ferocity and fear depicted. The next chapter, I’m fighting tears at the loss of a character or the finding of another.
The scariest and most intriguing aspect of “Yield” is how believable an end-of-the-world story can be. With the advancement of technology and enough hatred, mankind could destroy itself. There is a fine line between stories that broaden our minds, and stories that provide preachy opinions. Luckily, “Yield” did not cross that line or even use it as a balance beam.
When people panic, they can become animals who throw civility out the window, along with anyone else in their way. The scarier part is how panic creates more panic and hatred begets more hatred. Spreading like a disease, “Yield” shows how people succumb to the darker side inside themselves when they are full of fear or anger. Johnson depicted this ugly side of human nature horrifically well. The characters don’t have to be zombies to scare me out of my skin.
Admittedly, despite all of the hatred and selfishness people can exhibit , seeing the kinder side of human nature is as refreshing as a spring of water found in a desert. Even during the turmoil, not all people are selfish, which is exactly what breaks down stereotypes in this book. And through all of the hysteria shown in “Yield,” we still find characters who represent the good people on earth – the ones who keep mankind from destroying itself.
I love the depth of human nature exhibited in this book. There are so many different characters dispersed throughout the story, either adding or leaving their own story. Whether it’s trekking across the wasteland of the U.S. to find survivors, or struggling to survive in a home that’s becoming more uninhabitable by the day, my emotions were wrung out like a washcloth. One chapter, my skin crawls from the ferocity and fear depicted. The next chapter, I’m fighting tears at the loss of a character or the finding of another.
The scariest and most intriguing aspect of “Yield” is how believable an end-of-the-world story can be. With the advancement of technology and enough hatred, mankind could destroy itself. There is a fine line between stories that broaden our minds, and stories that provide preachy opinions. Luckily, “Yield” did not cross that line or even use it as a balance beam.
August 22, 2012
Get ready for WW3 and the start of a gripping trilogy.
I have just finished this book and I had to jump on here straight away to write a few words.
To put it simple; This book is incredible! I have never been one to pick up an apocalyptic End of the World as we see it novel, but after noticing the flash advert on my side toolbar and the amazing 5 star reviews I thought I would go against the grain, break my cycle and run with it. Oh boy, what a bloody good decision that was!
In the opening chapters we get introduced to pivotal characters slotted into a timeframe period. It reminded me of the opening scenes of a movie, I then found out that this was originally the Author's intentions.
We meet the Basketball star, the career driven News reporter, the bitter Arab, the beautiful model, the retired General, the pregnant Airline Stewardess and the British firefighter recovering alcoholic extraordinaire, Devin Bane. With a few others thrown in for good measure.
Going about their daily lives and little drama's, these characters gradually start to cross paths as they embark on an air flight from Portland to Seattle. Each with reasons of their own, they are then thrown together through tragedy. As a flash encompasses the airplane and heavy turburlance lands the aircraft in a pile of ash, Devin battles with the flames to help those he can escape the wreckage only to emerge to find the Seattle skyline completely obliterated.
As grief and emotional turmoil consume these characters, the unlikely team band together to get out of the city and the acidic rain that pours from the blackened clouds, as the reality dawns on them that America has just come under nuclear attack.
However, it is soon apparent that when the Human Race is faced with desolation and despair, the panic turns to street violence, loitering and the selfish will to 'survive'.
Trailing miles and miles for refuge, each mile poses further problems and it becomes a fervent battle to make it home. With thirst, hunger and escaped convicts chomping on their heels, the battle to survive continues...
Without giving anything else away with regards to the plot, this book had me turning page after page well into the night. I laughed and I cried at some of the unfairness of it all, and I was genuinely a little scared - simply because this could happen! Like someone else reviewed on here, there's no silly virus and no walking dead. This is a story that is written with honest angst that could easily be made believeable. A few of the characters I really warmed to, some others didn't quite capture my heartstrings but there were enough characters to give the book great flow, and worthy of a place in the movie world if the right production company got their hands on it.
Now, I want to know what happens next and will eagerly await book two. Bryan K.Johnson, you have converted me! Due to this, I can only give this book a well worthy big fat 5 stars.
I have just finished this book and I had to jump on here straight away to write a few words.
To put it simple; This book is incredible! I have never been one to pick up an apocalyptic End of the World as we see it novel, but after noticing the flash advert on my side toolbar and the amazing 5 star reviews I thought I would go against the grain, break my cycle and run with it. Oh boy, what a bloody good decision that was!
In the opening chapters we get introduced to pivotal characters slotted into a timeframe period. It reminded me of the opening scenes of a movie, I then found out that this was originally the Author's intentions.
We meet the Basketball star, the career driven News reporter, the bitter Arab, the beautiful model, the retired General, the pregnant Airline Stewardess and the British firefighter recovering alcoholic extraordinaire, Devin Bane. With a few others thrown in for good measure.
Going about their daily lives and little drama's, these characters gradually start to cross paths as they embark on an air flight from Portland to Seattle. Each with reasons of their own, they are then thrown together through tragedy. As a flash encompasses the airplane and heavy turburlance lands the aircraft in a pile of ash, Devin battles with the flames to help those he can escape the wreckage only to emerge to find the Seattle skyline completely obliterated.
As grief and emotional turmoil consume these characters, the unlikely team band together to get out of the city and the acidic rain that pours from the blackened clouds, as the reality dawns on them that America has just come under nuclear attack.
However, it is soon apparent that when the Human Race is faced with desolation and despair, the panic turns to street violence, loitering and the selfish will to 'survive'.
Trailing miles and miles for refuge, each mile poses further problems and it becomes a fervent battle to make it home. With thirst, hunger and escaped convicts chomping on their heels, the battle to survive continues...
Without giving anything else away with regards to the plot, this book had me turning page after page well into the night. I laughed and I cried at some of the unfairness of it all, and I was genuinely a little scared - simply because this could happen! Like someone else reviewed on here, there's no silly virus and no walking dead. This is a story that is written with honest angst that could easily be made believeable. A few of the characters I really warmed to, some others didn't quite capture my heartstrings but there were enough characters to give the book great flow, and worthy of a place in the movie world if the right production company got their hands on it.
Now, I want to know what happens next and will eagerly await book two. Bryan K.Johnson, you have converted me! Due to this, I can only give this book a well worthy big fat 5 stars.
June 17, 2012
Originally posted at: http://lasrsff.blogspot.com/2012/06/y...
What would you do if nuclear war became a reality and your city was destroyed?
This author impressed me. I have read several “end of the world” books. There's only so much you can do with the storyline. Mr. Johnson’s strength lies in his character building ability. From the first few pages, you begin to feel the survivor’s fears, worry and frustration. No one is a super hero. They are all common folks who had their own family problems and they have no desire to have to lead anyone or do anything except survive. This is a very realistic reaction to something you have no way of anticipating and lack understanding on how it could have happened to you.
Devin is a firefighter looking for a new job. He has the misfortune of being on a plane that crashes and involuntarily becomes a leader. Mr. Johnston has just made him an average man who had a drinking problem and is unsure of where he is in his life. The author gives Devin a mixed bag of survivors who are all trying to adjust to the loved ones they’ve lost and what might be left behind after the explosions.
You feel the long walk, the fear that convicts will attack you, their hunger and thirst, and you also understand why they don’t really trust each other. This gives the story more impact and keeps you reading to see what the author throws at them next. It’s realistic; not everyone makes it. That makes the story have a ring of truth.
The words flow well, the horrors of war feel real, and I cried at the death of one character. Mr. Johnson grabbed my attention and kept it through the whole book. If the thought of war on our soil hasn’t touched you yet, this story will make you a believer. Why not grab a copy and settle in for a story that will chill you and yet give you hope for the future?
What would you do if nuclear war became a reality and your city was destroyed?
This author impressed me. I have read several “end of the world” books. There's only so much you can do with the storyline. Mr. Johnson’s strength lies in his character building ability. From the first few pages, you begin to feel the survivor’s fears, worry and frustration. No one is a super hero. They are all common folks who had their own family problems and they have no desire to have to lead anyone or do anything except survive. This is a very realistic reaction to something you have no way of anticipating and lack understanding on how it could have happened to you.
Devin is a firefighter looking for a new job. He has the misfortune of being on a plane that crashes and involuntarily becomes a leader. Mr. Johnston has just made him an average man who had a drinking problem and is unsure of where he is in his life. The author gives Devin a mixed bag of survivors who are all trying to adjust to the loved ones they’ve lost and what might be left behind after the explosions.
You feel the long walk, the fear that convicts will attack you, their hunger and thirst, and you also understand why they don’t really trust each other. This gives the story more impact and keeps you reading to see what the author throws at them next. It’s realistic; not everyone makes it. That makes the story have a ring of truth.
The words flow well, the horrors of war feel real, and I cried at the death of one character. Mr. Johnson grabbed my attention and kept it through the whole book. If the thought of war on our soil hasn’t touched you yet, this story will make you a believer. Why not grab a copy and settle in for a story that will chill you and yet give you hope for the future?
August 26, 2012
Reduced to the basic equation that makes us all animal-minded, human beings are prone to disposing of etiquette and slashing their way to the roots of any problem. This is referring to people all over the world. This is nowhere more apparent than in Bryan Johnson’s Yield, readily available online and at your nearest local bookseller. Nixing opposite colors makes black, and the smearing keeps on spreading. Yield describes a universe in which people are constantly a hair away from choosing the dark side whenever confronted by base emotions like fear or anger. Johnson portrays this hair trigger ugliness instinct with the zeal of a horror talesman circa 1956 Weird Tales. Only in his rendition, the characters don't have to be undead ghosts guarding crypts in haunted houses; these stories are ripped from the headlines of today’s horrifying world! Suvivors of an unforeseen disaster have no choice but to form nationalistic factions and pit themselves against each other, if they ever hope to make it back to their families and the rubble of what used to be home sweet home in the old blasted neighborhood. Uneasy alliances are formed between sociopolitical rivals in the desperate flight to avoid destruction . Yield’s effect is like a ton of bricks to what you thought you knew for sure. From Devin to Chris to Izzy, Yield’s characters all relatable in one or another way. Without giving away very much, Yield’s classicist mezzanine of a plot is no less captivating to readers unused to navigation of multi-layered intaglios and mazes like the ones presented by Maestro Johnson in his terrifyingly lifelike Yield. Is it a coffin for the reader’s heart? Or a bulletproof shield for the reader’s mind? Yield is volume one of the Armageddia series, thus ends inconclusively resolute, with a bone chilling, mind tingling ckliffhanger, dedicated readers will no doubt be left hanging by their fingernails., wondering what will happen next???
MORE at www.armageddia.com
MORE at www.armageddia.com
August 23, 2012
**This book was received as a free advanced review copy**
I wasn't sure what to make of this book at first. It started slow, wasn't my normal reading style, but as I continued it I felt myself being drawn more and more into the story. Enough that I definitely would like to read the other books that will come in the series.
Yield is a futuristic take on America and what could happen to its citizens in a tragic event. More specifically, it offers up a third world war kind of situation, with all the modern elements that we take for granted today that weren't in the first world wars. There are three main sets of characters that the storyline revolves around. The first and foremost being a group of people who were on a plane when bombs struck nearby Seattle. The survivors band together and try to make their way back to Portland, where most of them have family. One of these characters, a fireman named Devin, has a family in Portland around which the book also tells a little of the story and how they are coping in a city not hit by the bombs. And the third group, are media news people, who were in Seattle at the time of the attack and want desperately to broadcast what's happening there to the rest of America. All of these people have to fight for survival in a now hostile Seattle with several unsavory people roaming the streets with them. Food, shelter, and protection are a must as well and not easily come by.
I like most of the characters in this book. Especially those with Devin in the primary group. It was easy to see that they were given the most attention and detail by the author. In contrast, while the other groups were ok, I just didn't feel as interested in them and their storyline and actually would have preferred that the book not be split into sections and stuck with the main group. But they did provide some kind of background to some of the characters. Devin especially was interesting, and while he had some problems, he seemed to be an all around good guy. The rest of the group followed suit being decent individuals. There aren't really bad guys per say in this book. At least not reoccurring ones. There are the people that dropped the bombs, but they're still mostly a mystery as far as motivation and specifics. There are the wild people roaming the streets, who don't stay in the book long and there's also just everyday people, who by being themselves offer conflict. So it's a varied group but with no one for certain that we can hate as an antagonist. Which since we're rooting for Devin and the gang anyway, it doesn't seem to matter what adversaries they face.
I enjoyed the plot and premise of this book. The "what if" kind of scenarios are always intriguing, although I genuinely hope this is nothing like what our future could turn out to be. That being said, I did have some issues with the way the book was written. I almost lost interest in the first part of the book because there was just too much build up. It got tedious and I wasn't really enjoying myself, luckily that switched as I stuck it through and the book got very interesting. Almost to the point of hard to put down interesting. I also wasn't a big fan of the use of present tense. There's very few books that can get away with using present tense successfully and while this one was readable, I'm not sure it was the best choice. It can make things seem more urgent, but it can also make books read somewhat stilted as well. There is violence in this book, cussing, and other things that some people could find offensive, but hey, it's a book about violence, you kind of have to expect that. If that's not your thing, you shouldn't be reading it. I happened to think it made it more realistic.
I'll definitely look out for the next in the series (although I'll be secretly hoping it switches to past tense). Should be an interesting read and I'm looking forward to what happens to the characters.
Yield
Copyright 2012
425 pages
Review by M. Reynard 2012
More of my reviews can be found at www.ifithaswords.blogspot.com
I wasn't sure what to make of this book at first. It started slow, wasn't my normal reading style, but as I continued it I felt myself being drawn more and more into the story. Enough that I definitely would like to read the other books that will come in the series.
Yield is a futuristic take on America and what could happen to its citizens in a tragic event. More specifically, it offers up a third world war kind of situation, with all the modern elements that we take for granted today that weren't in the first world wars. There are three main sets of characters that the storyline revolves around. The first and foremost being a group of people who were on a plane when bombs struck nearby Seattle. The survivors band together and try to make their way back to Portland, where most of them have family. One of these characters, a fireman named Devin, has a family in Portland around which the book also tells a little of the story and how they are coping in a city not hit by the bombs. And the third group, are media news people, who were in Seattle at the time of the attack and want desperately to broadcast what's happening there to the rest of America. All of these people have to fight for survival in a now hostile Seattle with several unsavory people roaming the streets with them. Food, shelter, and protection are a must as well and not easily come by.
I like most of the characters in this book. Especially those with Devin in the primary group. It was easy to see that they were given the most attention and detail by the author. In contrast, while the other groups were ok, I just didn't feel as interested in them and their storyline and actually would have preferred that the book not be split into sections and stuck with the main group. But they did provide some kind of background to some of the characters. Devin especially was interesting, and while he had some problems, he seemed to be an all around good guy. The rest of the group followed suit being decent individuals. There aren't really bad guys per say in this book. At least not reoccurring ones. There are the people that dropped the bombs, but they're still mostly a mystery as far as motivation and specifics. There are the wild people roaming the streets, who don't stay in the book long and there's also just everyday people, who by being themselves offer conflict. So it's a varied group but with no one for certain that we can hate as an antagonist. Which since we're rooting for Devin and the gang anyway, it doesn't seem to matter what adversaries they face.
I enjoyed the plot and premise of this book. The "what if" kind of scenarios are always intriguing, although I genuinely hope this is nothing like what our future could turn out to be. That being said, I did have some issues with the way the book was written. I almost lost interest in the first part of the book because there was just too much build up. It got tedious and I wasn't really enjoying myself, luckily that switched as I stuck it through and the book got very interesting. Almost to the point of hard to put down interesting. I also wasn't a big fan of the use of present tense. There's very few books that can get away with using present tense successfully and while this one was readable, I'm not sure it was the best choice. It can make things seem more urgent, but it can also make books read somewhat stilted as well. There is violence in this book, cussing, and other things that some people could find offensive, but hey, it's a book about violence, you kind of have to expect that. If that's not your thing, you shouldn't be reading it. I happened to think it made it more realistic.
I'll definitely look out for the next in the series (although I'll be secretly hoping it switches to past tense). Should be an interesting read and I'm looking forward to what happens to the characters.
Yield
Copyright 2012
425 pages
Review by M. Reynard 2012
More of my reviews can be found at www.ifithaswords.blogspot.com
July 28, 2012
Mostly I read romantic suspense novels and don’t usually read other genres. When I started to read this book, I had no preconceived notions on how good or not good it would be—but I wasn’t sure how I would enjoy reading an “end of days” novel. Let me just say that I was pleasantly surprised and if I can find other books in this genre, which are just as well-written, I may start reading them.
One thing that stood out to me as I read was that from the very first page, the author caught my attention and held it for the entire book. This book was very realistic in the story line and that was actually quite frightening. It related so well to current events and how things could go from bad to worse in one second that Bryan K. Johnson’s writing brought this scenario close to home. Anyone who reads this book will definitely be given pause for thought. As the horrific scenario of a potential third world war played out in the book, I clearly imagined myself, my family, friends, neighbors and everyone in our free world—potentially dealing with this real-world scenario in real life. When the traumatic events happened, it was interesting to see how the majority of the people in the book panicked and human decency vanished and it was every man for himself.
The book was well-written, with highly descriptive scenes, drawing the reader deeply into the dramatic story. Each action scene was believable and the characters were well-developed and pulled the reader into their lives—in such a way that by the end of the book, the reader can’t wait to find out what will happen to them next. The writing had just the right amount of details, yet not too technical to overwhelm the readers.
I highly recommend this book and am eagerly looking forward to reading Book Two in this series.
One thing that stood out to me as I read was that from the very first page, the author caught my attention and held it for the entire book. This book was very realistic in the story line and that was actually quite frightening. It related so well to current events and how things could go from bad to worse in one second that Bryan K. Johnson’s writing brought this scenario close to home. Anyone who reads this book will definitely be given pause for thought. As the horrific scenario of a potential third world war played out in the book, I clearly imagined myself, my family, friends, neighbors and everyone in our free world—potentially dealing with this real-world scenario in real life. When the traumatic events happened, it was interesting to see how the majority of the people in the book panicked and human decency vanished and it was every man for himself.
The book was well-written, with highly descriptive scenes, drawing the reader deeply into the dramatic story. Each action scene was believable and the characters were well-developed and pulled the reader into their lives—in such a way that by the end of the book, the reader can’t wait to find out what will happen to them next. The writing had just the right amount of details, yet not too technical to overwhelm the readers.
I highly recommend this book and am eagerly looking forward to reading Book Two in this series.
July 20, 2012
Yield was a wonderful piece of Fiction/thriller dealing with the lives of people in totally different worlds, forced to work with one another after a nuclear detonation blast wipes out the entire American continent. The land of freedom turns into a decaying, Apocalyptic hell once victims realize they are left to fend for themselves. With the help of his fellow evacuees, Devin learns the value of family and cherishing loved ones. Bryan K. Johnson deals with some strong themes in this book that need to be stressed. How far would you go to save another life? What would you endure to be with your family again? Devin literally travels through hell and back to see his wife and children waiting for him in Portland, after the nuclear bomb knocks his Seattle bound plane from the sky. If we can get anything of substance from reading Yield, is how often we battle darkness in order to appreciate life's most precious moments.
August 6, 2012
I received an advance copy from the author, and while this isn't my normal genre, I immediately found myself sucked into the story and in love with Devin, even though he didn't seem very likable.
What surprised me the most was the emotional realism. I lived in Oklahoma City when the Murragh building was bombed, and although Yield takes this to an extreme, when I first started reading, I was immediately transported to those feelings we had when we discovered what had happened in downtown OKC. Brian Johnson writes with empathy and details and brought me into the dream (of the story).
I loved that Johnson gave me, the reader, hope with the characters. I've always believed that those who come together in the face of disaster are the survivors.
What surprised me the most was the emotional realism. I lived in Oklahoma City when the Murragh building was bombed, and although Yield takes this to an extreme, when I first started reading, I was immediately transported to those feelings we had when we discovered what had happened in downtown OKC. Brian Johnson writes with empathy and details and brought me into the dream (of the story).
I loved that Johnson gave me, the reader, hope with the characters. I've always believed that those who come together in the face of disaster are the survivors.
August 15, 2012
The apocalypse is on many minds these days. Could it be the uprising in so many parts of the world? That it's an election year? Our troubled economy? I do not know. I do know that alot of creative types are trying to make sense of it or offer versions of it. Such is the case with this book. It's paced well, has good character development and and a not completely outlandish story line. It's a great end-of-summer into fall read as days get darker and thoughts turn more inwards. The book won't change your life but it will entertain you.
NB - there is some darker adult content (an attempted rape, adult themes) in YIELD, so not recommended for young readers.
NB - there is some darker adult content (an attempted rape, adult themes) in YIELD, so not recommended for young readers.
August 12, 2012
The other reviewers must be friends of the author, because this book is difficult to finish. If it weren't for the generally interesting plot (which is why it gets a second star), I would have stopped before page 50.
The book itself is a low-quality self published paperback. The dialogue is formulaic and the characters are flat. The writing tries too hard with its use of metaphors, and the style is repetitive.
Being a fan of post-apocalyptic fiction, I tried hard to like this book. But given all of the glowing reviews, I thought potential purchasers deserved a fair perspective. It feels like a first draft.
The book itself is a low-quality self published paperback. The dialogue is formulaic and the characters are flat. The writing tries too hard with its use of metaphors, and the style is repetitive.
Being a fan of post-apocalyptic fiction, I tried hard to like this book. But given all of the glowing reviews, I thought potential purchasers deserved a fair perspective. It feels like a first draft.
August 27, 2012
I won this book from a Goodreads giveaway and enjoyed reading it very much! The story line to the book was very entertaining a long with the fantastic attention to detailed words throughout the whole book. The detail really captures the reality of each situation which is presented in the book. I couldn't put this book down as soon as I picked it up! I was always eager to know what was going to happen next and how the book was going end.
July 4, 2012
A great read, always engaging and most of the time scary.
April 4, 2013
3.5 stars…..
I really struggled with rating this book. I wanted to rate the book differently for the first half and the last half of the book, but alas, I cannot. And before I go into why I gave this a 3.5 rating, I will say that I will definitely read the next book because I liked the ending of the book that much.
The beginning of the book was slow, but for a good reason. It was actually unnervingly slow in a good way, because it was so normal; I could identify with the normal lives of all of the characters. The unnerving part was having already read the description – I knew this was not how their lives were going to stay. I very much enjoyed how the book was set up.
The part of the book I struggled with was about the middle 1/3. There were several times where it was a little distracting because there were several things that were a little too heavy on the description of things and/or people, and it took away the momentum of the story line. There were also some things that were a little too coincidental, or easy, for the main characters, which is hard to explain without spoilers.
The last ½ to ¼ of the book, it was starting to become obvious that the writer was becoming more involved in the story, and less involved in the descriptions; possibly more comfortable with himself, as this is his first book. I was very involved in the last part of the book, and it quickly became a less predictable and very well written story. Things I “knew” were going to happen didn’t, and the book ended perfectly. Not too much of a cliffhanger, but definitely leaving you to want to know what is going to happen to not only the characters, but the rest of the world. It is a great set up for the next book.
This is why, although I gave this book 3.5 starts, I fully plan to read the next book, and would not at all be surprised if I end up giving the next book 5 stars. My opinion (not knowing the writer personally) is that the only complaints I had about this book simply came from a new writer getting comfortable, which he definitely did by the end of the book. I honestly look forward to reading the next one. ~Erin
Disclosure: This book was obtained through Goodreads giveaway.
This Review is copyrighted. Please do not share without giving Paranormal Reads/Erin full credit.
I really struggled with rating this book. I wanted to rate the book differently for the first half and the last half of the book, but alas, I cannot. And before I go into why I gave this a 3.5 rating, I will say that I will definitely read the next book because I liked the ending of the book that much.
The beginning of the book was slow, but for a good reason. It was actually unnervingly slow in a good way, because it was so normal; I could identify with the normal lives of all of the characters. The unnerving part was having already read the description – I knew this was not how their lives were going to stay. I very much enjoyed how the book was set up.
The part of the book I struggled with was about the middle 1/3. There were several times where it was a little distracting because there were several things that were a little too heavy on the description of things and/or people, and it took away the momentum of the story line. There were also some things that were a little too coincidental, or easy, for the main characters, which is hard to explain without spoilers.
The last ½ to ¼ of the book, it was starting to become obvious that the writer was becoming more involved in the story, and less involved in the descriptions; possibly more comfortable with himself, as this is his first book. I was very involved in the last part of the book, and it quickly became a less predictable and very well written story. Things I “knew” were going to happen didn’t, and the book ended perfectly. Not too much of a cliffhanger, but definitely leaving you to want to know what is going to happen to not only the characters, but the rest of the world. It is a great set up for the next book.
This is why, although I gave this book 3.5 starts, I fully plan to read the next book, and would not at all be surprised if I end up giving the next book 5 stars. My opinion (not knowing the writer personally) is that the only complaints I had about this book simply came from a new writer getting comfortable, which he definitely did by the end of the book. I honestly look forward to reading the next one. ~Erin
Disclosure: This book was obtained through Goodreads giveaway.
This Review is copyrighted. Please do not share without giving Paranormal Reads/Erin full credit.
November 7, 2012
*goodreads first reads Advanced Copy*
I found Yield to be a fast paced write about the outbreak of WWIII and, to a bigger extent, the efforts of survivors to reunite with loved ones. It was highly entertaining and well written. My only complaints were that perhaps some of the characters could have been a bit more fleshed out. I also found the story to end a bit quickly, with no real resolution (the reunions seemed to almost just be added when the author felt he reached the end. I know the story is part of a series, and perhaps more will be revealed in the future books, but I found myself wanting to know more right now. It's not really a bad thing. That means my interest was really caught. It's just a bit annoying on a personal, need to know right now way.
I would highly recommend Yield to all fans of Apocalyptic stories.
I found Yield to be a fast paced write about the outbreak of WWIII and, to a bigger extent, the efforts of survivors to reunite with loved ones. It was highly entertaining and well written. My only complaints were that perhaps some of the characters could have been a bit more fleshed out. I also found the story to end a bit quickly, with no real resolution (the reunions seemed to almost just be added when the author felt he reached the end. I know the story is part of a series, and perhaps more will be revealed in the future books, but I found myself wanting to know more right now. It's not really a bad thing. That means my interest was really caught. It's just a bit annoying on a personal, need to know right now way.
I would highly recommend Yield to all fans of Apocalyptic stories.
November 14, 2012
Enjoyed this book immensely. An all too real scenario of how humanity could destroy civilised behaviour and a warning against the use of nuclear weapons. The characters were engaging (I have a bit of a crush on Devin) and the plot was incredibly well driven throughout. Now I suppose is a long wait for the next book in this fascinating series.
March 6, 2013
Set during and a few days after WW111. Well written story with strong characters. Note: Book one of a series. You would have to buy the next book to get anywhere close to an ending. It never says how many books will be in this series-3 or 12? I prefer a trilogy instead of buying over 4 or 12+ books to tell a story. Only on rare occasions would I keep buying the same series over and over. For me, I don't think I will. I'll state again, it was a good book if you can imagine many countries banning together to attack the US on our soil. Yes, I can see a couple of countries doing that, but several- I don't think so. Then again we read about vampires, so... I'll leave that to you. A 4 star book. It would have been 5 stars had the author made it a little longer closing the gap and telling more of what happen to all the main characters in his book. In stead it ended with only one person which left me hanging. I'd love to know how many books were in this series, then I could make a decision whether to buy one more or not.
Read
October 21, 2012I'm only on page 23 and I already care about these characters! WOW. Loving it so far. Great writing!
Update.
I gave up. This guy is a GREAT writer! Just to boring for me!
Update.
I gave up. This guy is a GREAT writer! Just to boring for me!
January 3, 2013
After reading the blurb for this book, I couldn't wait to read it. End of the world/WWIII something devastating happened and the survivors either push ahead selfishly or pull together. Sounded interesting. ACK. The writing is HORRIBLE. Seems like the writer used a Thesaurus on every sentence. The "descriptive" language was overwhelming and actually made it harder to understand what was happening. I especially had trouble with the repeated references to a Black male characters Navy Blue eyes and when he "brushed his short salt and pepper hair from his forehead" I thought --that's not even possible is it? Another Asian lady had Violet eyes and a Chinese girl has Sapphire eyes...The British guy had Emerald eyes. Get the idea? Gag! But here, let me share just one paragraph with you: Tracy Thomas's candy-apple Boxster shoots in and out of frayed shadow edges, speeding under the dripping tips of Seattle's skyline. Traffic is grid-locked on most of the downtown streets. Rain clouds continue to blanket the city. They beat down upon civilization with an awakening wrath.
I have never read a screenplay before, but I felt like this was a screenplay rather than a novel.
I have never read a screenplay before, but I felt like this was a screenplay rather than a novel.
September 13, 2012
I'm a little torn about my feelings on this book. The writer is obviously a good story teller, and is good a painting pictures with his words, BUT... Some portions of the plot are unbelievable, and at the end of the book, there are many fundamental questions left unanswered. I understand that this is meant to be the first book of a trilogy, but I've always felt that each book in a series should be able to sustain itself if read alone.
The author also seems to overuse certain descriptive adjectives to describe the same characters and their features, creating a blatantly redundant writing style that sticks out like a sore thumb and distracts you from what is happening.
I enjoyed the read, but it just wasn't outstanding, and didn't live up to my high expectations.
September 28, 2012
I would give Bryan K. Johnson's 'Yield' a solid 3.5 stars.
I really enjoyed the first half of book. I thought it had so much potential and I was a little disappointed with where it went.
I also felt that the plot got bogged down with technical jargon that I really couldn't give a hoot about. I thought to myself, 'hmmm this writer must be a guy who worked for a TV station.'
I did like the way the first book of the series was wrapped up in the end. That made me happy.
I think readers who live in the Seattle area will enjoy it more than a gal from Canada, whose Country by-the-way wasn't even mentioned. Hello? Allies??
I really enjoyed the first half of book. I thought it had so much potential and I was a little disappointed with where it went.
I also felt that the plot got bogged down with technical jargon that I really couldn't give a hoot about. I thought to myself, 'hmmm this writer must be a guy who worked for a TV station.'
I did like the way the first book of the series was wrapped up in the end. That made me happy.
I think readers who live in the Seattle area will enjoy it more than a gal from Canada, whose Country by-the-way wasn't even mentioned. Hello? Allies??
Read
September 14, 2012very disturbing read.....
October 8, 2012
Intriguing and interesting in the beginning, but at times unrealistic.
I am in agreement with one of the reviewer's here, in that I am torn by my feelings for this book. I enjoyed the book, but it did seem lacking. I was engaged, but somewhat disappointing in the end.
The story started off great, and I was very much interested in the characters. The author does a great job of presenting the characters, and has a talent for making me, the reader, find interest in each one of them. I like how the story revealed itself over time, and there were many situations that were unknown or unclear to the characters, which seemed very realistic to me. So really, the first quarter of the book got me engaged enough to take interest and I was eager each evening to sit down to read the book.
However...
There were many elements along the way that made me say... "Really???!!!" There were these situations that were just too unrealistic to take seriously.
<<< SPOILER ALERT - SPOILER ALERT - SPOILER ALERT >>>
The scenes that drove me nuts were where the characters were acting playful or bantering with each other, just a few hours after barely surviving a major nuclear attack. Really??? Or what about the scenes where escaped prisoners seemed to behave more like silly zombies or mutants from "I am legend". What was that all about??? And the naval battle near the Columbia river really pushed me over, and seemed really trite, for what was intended there.
By about three fourths of the way through the book, I could tell things were not going to get wrapped up, which is a clear sign that this is going to be part of a series. The book just ended, without any real self-contained climax and conclusion, which to me is a major negative. Each book of a series (in my opinion) should stand on it's own, and have a reason or purpose or statement or something. In this case, the book just ended after many of the central characters died, but some survived. End of story.
So in the end, I can say that I did enjoy the book, but it I can't say that "I really liked it."
I am in agreement with one of the reviewer's here, in that I am torn by my feelings for this book. I enjoyed the book, but it did seem lacking. I was engaged, but somewhat disappointing in the end.
The story started off great, and I was very much interested in the characters. The author does a great job of presenting the characters, and has a talent for making me, the reader, find interest in each one of them. I like how the story revealed itself over time, and there were many situations that were unknown or unclear to the characters, which seemed very realistic to me. So really, the first quarter of the book got me engaged enough to take interest and I was eager each evening to sit down to read the book.
However...
There were many elements along the way that made me say... "Really???!!!" There were these situations that were just too unrealistic to take seriously.
<<< SPOILER ALERT - SPOILER ALERT - SPOILER ALERT >>>
The scenes that drove me nuts were where the characters were acting playful or bantering with each other, just a few hours after barely surviving a major nuclear attack. Really??? Or what about the scenes where escaped prisoners seemed to behave more like silly zombies or mutants from "I am legend". What was that all about??? And the naval battle near the Columbia river really pushed me over, and seemed really trite, for what was intended there.
By about three fourths of the way through the book, I could tell things were not going to get wrapped up, which is a clear sign that this is going to be part of a series. The book just ended, without any real self-contained climax and conclusion, which to me is a major negative. Each book of a series (in my opinion) should stand on it's own, and have a reason or purpose or statement or something. In this case, the book just ended after many of the central characters died, but some survived. End of story.
So in the end, I can say that I did enjoy the book, but it I can't say that "I really liked it."
April 18, 2013
I won this book in a GoodReads giveaway. I absolutely love apocalyptic books, so I was excited to read this one. The idea for the plot is very realistic- North Korea and 3 other countries team up to bomb major cities in the US. The book follows too many people, especially at the beginning, and makes it hard to keep track of the characters and how they're connected. Johnson introduces so many characters, but doesn't develop some that are central to the story. I'd like to see all of the main characters developed more. The writing is just okay. The author tries to be too descriptive and it actually makes the book hard to understand in places. If you're looking for realistic fiction, this is absolutely it. Johnson doesn't hold back with the details about how humanity could break down in crisis and the awful things people will do to others. He also isn't afraid of killing off characters. I don't think I will continue this series.
June 17, 2013
"Yield" has the makings of a good fun thriller, but some aspects make it less enjoyable.
I'll start with some positives: Johnson has put together a cast of interesting characters and thrown them into a tough situation to see what they're made of. It's a pleasure to see them surprise themselves and even sometimes disappoint themselves; no one character is the central hero without flaws or rough edges, just like in real life. The way the story unfolds in such a way that the readers don't know what's happening any more than the characters do adds to the suspense. At times the tension the author has created is palpable, particularly because he's not above killing off a character or two that we might have thought were important. And best of all, there are moments when I'm surprised by the insights into human nature that come out in the telling (and I will refrain from discussing them further here so as not to have to add the "spoiler" flag ;).
On the other hand, the text really could use a bold editor's red pen (and chopping block?). Not every noun must be adorned with an adjective (and when was the last time you met someone with eyes of the color "electric blue" or "violet"?); not every emotion needs to be explained (yes, we know "everything changed" with this event, you don't have to remind us). Because of the embellishment of much irrelevant backstory on each character (some of whom make but a few appearances over the entire book), it takes nearly 100 pages before the "disaster" begins... and even then we're still not sure who we should be rooting for, because there are so many characters whose relation and centrality is not clear until much later.
In writing classes, they tell you to "write what you know." In the places where Johnson is writing on topics he clearly knows--for example, TV journalism and the geography of the Pacific Northwest--the actions, dialog, and descriptions are vivid and lifelike. In other areas they are not so deep; for example, I would guess that the author has not been to many AA meetings, as the motivations of one character depicted as a recovering alcoholic are unlike any I've known. (But who am I to judge? How ironic that I objected to seeing the inner thoughts of a Muslim character shown as if he's perpetually about to boil over with rage at the unrighteous Westerners, but had no problem swallowing the idea that the TSA agents had the same barely-controlled anger issues!)
All told, I think that "Yield" shows promise of good things to come in the Armageddon Series, particularly if the storytelling could be tightened up and focused more to keep it flowing.
I'll start with some positives: Johnson has put together a cast of interesting characters and thrown them into a tough situation to see what they're made of. It's a pleasure to see them surprise themselves and even sometimes disappoint themselves; no one character is the central hero without flaws or rough edges, just like in real life. The way the story unfolds in such a way that the readers don't know what's happening any more than the characters do adds to the suspense. At times the tension the author has created is palpable, particularly because he's not above killing off a character or two that we might have thought were important. And best of all, there are moments when I'm surprised by the insights into human nature that come out in the telling (and I will refrain from discussing them further here so as not to have to add the "spoiler" flag ;).
On the other hand, the text really could use a bold editor's red pen (and chopping block?). Not every noun must be adorned with an adjective (and when was the last time you met someone with eyes of the color "electric blue" or "violet"?); not every emotion needs to be explained (yes, we know "everything changed" with this event, you don't have to remind us). Because of the embellishment of much irrelevant backstory on each character (some of whom make but a few appearances over the entire book), it takes nearly 100 pages before the "disaster" begins... and even then we're still not sure who we should be rooting for, because there are so many characters whose relation and centrality is not clear until much later.
In writing classes, they tell you to "write what you know." In the places where Johnson is writing on topics he clearly knows--for example, TV journalism and the geography of the Pacific Northwest--the actions, dialog, and descriptions are vivid and lifelike. In other areas they are not so deep; for example, I would guess that the author has not been to many AA meetings, as the motivations of one character depicted as a recovering alcoholic are unlike any I've known. (But who am I to judge? How ironic that I objected to seeing the inner thoughts of a Muslim character shown as if he's perpetually about to boil over with rage at the unrighteous Westerners, but had no problem swallowing the idea that the TSA agents had the same barely-controlled anger issues!)
All told, I think that "Yield" shows promise of good things to come in the Armageddon Series, particularly if the storytelling could be tightened up and focused more to keep it flowing.
October 23, 2015
I really was looking forward to reading this, but I can't even finish it. I'd rather go 3 days with nothing to read than have to deal with the frustration of trying to finish this.
The plot is pretty predictable, The characters are shallow and stereotypical, and I really felt like this book was written with the hope that someone would turn it into a movie! Uugh.
Every paragraph had some bad metaphor, or a reference to the eye colour of one of the many characters, or a reminder that, Devin is a firefighter. I know!
Or that Chris is a massive superstar high school basketball player! I get it!
Or that Terra is some kind of teen beauty queen! I understand!
I found myself cringing in a lot of places up to page 163 when I completely gave up, due to the poor writing.
I got the impression the writer read a book like, The Road, and thought "Shit I can do that!" but forgot to get it edited by a proffessional after he wrote it.
I wouldn't reccommend this to hardcore fans of the genre. We know better...
The plot is pretty predictable, The characters are shallow and stereotypical, and I really felt like this book was written with the hope that someone would turn it into a movie! Uugh.
Every paragraph had some bad metaphor, or a reference to the eye colour of one of the many characters, or a reminder that, Devin is a firefighter. I know!
Or that Chris is a massive superstar high school basketball player! I get it!
Or that Terra is some kind of teen beauty queen! I understand!
I found myself cringing in a lot of places up to page 163 when I completely gave up, due to the poor writing.
I got the impression the writer read a book like, The Road, and thought "Shit I can do that!" but forgot to get it edited by a proffessional after he wrote it.
I wouldn't reccommend this to hardcore fans of the genre. We know better...
April 8, 2025
Very disappointing. Unoriginal story filled with stereotypes (e.g. the firefighter hero guy, pregnant lady, kid with diabetes etc). I am a big fan of post-apocalyptic stories in general, but it's unlikely I will pick up any other books in this series.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews