What do you think?
Rate this book
Haan #2
Fallout
Overpopulation, disease, and ecological disaster were edging humanity toward extinction. Hope arrived in the haan, an alien race that promised us a future.And what they wanted in exchange seemed so harmless... Sam Shao has found out too much about the haan, by accident. All humans have to get along with them—we owe them our lives—and Sam even counts a haan among her best friends. But the more she learns, the less she trusts them It doesn’t help that the building of new haan colonies seems to be coinciding with a rash of missing persons cases. Sam and her hacker friends are determined to reveal the truth about the haan, before it’s too late. The aliens are still promising salvation, and they seem set to deliver, but with things already spinning out of control Sam is confronted with a possibility no one wants to admit—that what salvation means to humankind and what it means to the haan may be two horribly different things.
386 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 4, 2014
9 people are currently reading
614 people want to read
About the author
James K. Decker
4 books31 followersJames K. Decker was born in New Hampshire in 1970, and has lived in the New England area since that time. He developed a love of reading and writing early on, participating in young author competitions as early as grade school, but the later discovery of works by Frank Herbert and Isaac Asimov turned that love to an obsession.
He wrote continuously through high school, college and beyond, eventually breaking into the field under the name James Knapp, with the publication of the Revivors trilogy (State of Decay, The Silent Army, and Element Zero). State of Decay was a Philip K. Dick award nominee, and won the 2010 Compton Crook Award. The Burn Zone is his debut novel under the name James K. Decker.
He now lives in MA with his wife Kim.
He wrote continuously through high school, college and beyond, eventually breaking into the field under the name James Knapp, with the publication of the Revivors trilogy (State of Decay, The Silent Army, and Element Zero). State of Decay was a Philip K. Dick award nominee, and won the 2010 Compton Crook Award. The Burn Zone is his debut novel under the name James K. Decker.
He now lives in MA with his wife Kim.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
November 7, 2014
A decir verdad nunca me había sentido atraída por leer un libro de ciencia ficción siempre que me llegaba algún libro de este género a las manos los apilaba en una sección de mi librero y mas nunca los volvía a tocar—con este fue distinto— porque fue mi primer libro que ganaba en un concurso o giveaway y por ello gano un valor especial. Tenía mis dudas al principio, no sabía si sería capaz de leerlo pero la portada ayudo a que lo hiciera—no juzgue al libro por su portada pero influyo, sin dudas—.
El autor usa los primeros capítulos para mostrar el inicio del plan de acción que tiene Sam para poder mostrar la verdad sobre los haan, mostrando de apoco las relaciones entre los personajes y presentando un pequeño romance entre Sam y Vamp. Todo el libro es narrado desde la perspectiva de Sam, dándonos la posibilidad de llegar a pensar y sentir como ella. Todos los personajes presentan características muy propias y muy marcadas, no sabes si amarlos u odiarlos (me pasaba todo el tiempo) lo que lo hace más interesante… teniendo en común sus ganas de contar una verdad de la que solo unos pocos saben y que cambia el rumbo de las cosas.
Definitivamente Decker sabe cómo jugar con nuestras emociones, generando expectativas entre cada página que pasas. ¡Nunca sabes que va a ocurrir! ¡NUNCA!
Si eres amante a la ciencia ficción con algo de fantasía te encantara. Es entretenido, muy. Y estoy segurísima que si lo lees lo vas a disfrutar. Vale la pena leerlo. - Anamelia
El autor usa los primeros capítulos para mostrar el inicio del plan de acción que tiene Sam para poder mostrar la verdad sobre los haan, mostrando de apoco las relaciones entre los personajes y presentando un pequeño romance entre Sam y Vamp. Todo el libro es narrado desde la perspectiva de Sam, dándonos la posibilidad de llegar a pensar y sentir como ella. Todos los personajes presentan características muy propias y muy marcadas, no sabes si amarlos u odiarlos (me pasaba todo el tiempo) lo que lo hace más interesante… teniendo en común sus ganas de contar una verdad de la que solo unos pocos saben y que cambia el rumbo de las cosas.
Definitivamente Decker sabe cómo jugar con nuestras emociones, generando expectativas entre cada página que pasas. ¡Nunca sabes que va a ocurrir! ¡NUNCA!
Si eres amante a la ciencia ficción con algo de fantasía te encantara. Es entretenido, muy. Y estoy segurísima que si lo lees lo vas a disfrutar. Vale la pena leerlo. - Anamelia
March 2, 2014
Really glad this series didn't devolve into sexxxy times for the girl-woman shero. Yeah, she can get busy, on her terms, (with a guy who really does play out as the good kind of nice guy, not the nice-so-i-can-get-in-your-pants type,) but not at the sacrifice of good story. It's really all about the plot action. Still not enough answers about the world in which they find themselves. I don't know if there will be more installments, there are a lot of open ended elements to the story, but it's still quite readable and not insultingly cliffhangerish.
Marathon reading, the best kind of entertainment. Recommended.
Marathon reading, the best kind of entertainment. Recommended.
March 22, 2016
Pros: great protagonist, fascinating world, interesting aliens, complex plot
Cons: minor plot complaints, Sam survives a LOT of dangerous situations without injury
Though months have passed since the events that took place in Shiliuyuan station, Sam Shao is still haunted by what she saw there and what she knows Sillith’s virus is doing to the people of her city. She wants to expose the truth of the alien haan, what they really look like and have been doing, and so has teamed up with some other dissidents to help expose the aliens’ true form. But there are a lot of new problems: Alexei is enamoured with the new Gonzo religion that worships the haan, there are hundreds of missing people, and some of her allies want to take their protests to a new, violent level.
The Burn Zone ended with several revelations that deeply affect Sam. This book starts with her dealing with the fall out of what happened, even though some time has passed.
She’s a great protagonist. She’s been through some horrible stuff and is quite tough because of it. That does make it difficult for her to progress in her relationships. She’s kept Vamp at a distance and her relationship with Alexei is combative, despite her love for her adopted brother. She’s dealing with a lot and so ignores some important clues that those around her need help and attention, which causes her problems as the action progresses.
The world is fully realized. It’s easy to picture the streets of Hangfei as Sam goes from place to place. There’s variety in the different neighbourhoods and a sense of history.
While you don’t learn much new about the haan, they continue to be mysterious. And the new haanyong - humans who have been ‘evolved’ into haan like creatures - are pretty scary.
The plot is really complex, though Sam does do a lot of running around to keep things moving. There’s a ton of action, though I was surprised at how many dangerous situations she walked away from without injury. I was also surprised by how naive she was about how people would react to seeing the true face of the haan.
While I predicted one aspect of the ending, several other things surprised me and I was left… unsure how I felt about Sam’s reaction to the various revelations.
It’s an entertaining book that will keep you turning pages.
Cons: minor plot complaints, Sam survives a LOT of dangerous situations without injury
Though months have passed since the events that took place in Shiliuyuan station, Sam Shao is still haunted by what she saw there and what she knows Sillith’s virus is doing to the people of her city. She wants to expose the truth of the alien haan, what they really look like and have been doing, and so has teamed up with some other dissidents to help expose the aliens’ true form. But there are a lot of new problems: Alexei is enamoured with the new Gonzo religion that worships the haan, there are hundreds of missing people, and some of her allies want to take their protests to a new, violent level.
The Burn Zone ended with several revelations that deeply affect Sam. This book starts with her dealing with the fall out of what happened, even though some time has passed.
She’s a great protagonist. She’s been through some horrible stuff and is quite tough because of it. That does make it difficult for her to progress in her relationships. She’s kept Vamp at a distance and her relationship with Alexei is combative, despite her love for her adopted brother. She’s dealing with a lot and so ignores some important clues that those around her need help and attention, which causes her problems as the action progresses.
The world is fully realized. It’s easy to picture the streets of Hangfei as Sam goes from place to place. There’s variety in the different neighbourhoods and a sense of history.
While you don’t learn much new about the haan, they continue to be mysterious. And the new haanyong - humans who have been ‘evolved’ into haan like creatures - are pretty scary.
The plot is really complex, though Sam does do a lot of running around to keep things moving. There’s a ton of action, though I was surprised at how many dangerous situations she walked away from without injury. I was also surprised by how naive she was about how people would react to seeing the true face of the haan.
While I predicted one aspect of the ending, several other things surprised me and I was left… unsure how I felt about Sam’s reaction to the various revelations.
It’s an entertaining book that will keep you turning pages.
February 18, 2014
http://openbooksociety.com/article/fa...
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Sammy
Wow this series is really hitting its stride. Once again action packed, well written and this time much easier to follow. I highly recommend reading the first two books in this series first, it will add so much to your understanding of the story line, whhich is awesome.
In this story we get a better feel of everyone and the feelings they have. Sam was much more interesting in this addition, her thoughts and how she sees things, were like a window into her mind, I liked her much more in this story. How she treats Alexei (not at first) shows how much she has grown and what is important to her and the people she cares about much more openly now.
Sam and Vamp’s relationship grows in this story as well it doesn’t take over the story, but flows nicely. The triangle with his ex is interestingly done and that it gets resolved in a positive way was a great.
Now as far as the mystery went, omgosh, talk about not seeing things coming!!! This author did a fantastic job, of keeping me on the edge of my seat, trying to figure out what was going to happen. Things are not what they seem and then they are and then they aren’t, but not in a confusing way, in a I want to figure out this puzzle type of way.
I highly recommend this book to people who enjoy, of course Sci-fi with twists or puzzles in their stories that really are interesting and not something they will see coming. I know, I know we hear this so many times but in this case the story could have gone in so many different directions and still have been good but the author has such a wonderful imagination that I would not have guessed where it was going and trust me I tried. I can’t wait to see where the author takes this story. I’m looking forward to the next installment.
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Sammy
Wow this series is really hitting its stride. Once again action packed, well written and this time much easier to follow. I highly recommend reading the first two books in this series first, it will add so much to your understanding of the story line, whhich is awesome.
In this story we get a better feel of everyone and the feelings they have. Sam was much more interesting in this addition, her thoughts and how she sees things, were like a window into her mind, I liked her much more in this story. How she treats Alexei (not at first) shows how much she has grown and what is important to her and the people she cares about much more openly now.
Sam and Vamp’s relationship grows in this story as well it doesn’t take over the story, but flows nicely. The triangle with his ex is interestingly done and that it gets resolved in a positive way was a great.
Now as far as the mystery went, omgosh, talk about not seeing things coming!!! This author did a fantastic job, of keeping me on the edge of my seat, trying to figure out what was going to happen. Things are not what they seem and then they are and then they aren’t, but not in a confusing way, in a I want to figure out this puzzle type of way.
I highly recommend this book to people who enjoy, of course Sci-fi with twists or puzzles in their stories that really are interesting and not something they will see coming. I know, I know we hear this so many times but in this case the story could have gone in so many different directions and still have been good but the author has such a wonderful imagination that I would not have guessed where it was going and trust me I tried. I can’t wait to see where the author takes this story. I’m looking forward to the next installment.
March 8, 2014
Fallout is everything I've come to expect from science-fiction author James K. Decker. The story includes heart-stopping action, fascinating technology, an intricate plot with plenty of surprises, and perfectly balanced descriptions which allow me to see the scenes as I go.
In Fallout, sequel to The Burn Zone, Sam's newly adopted brother, Alexei, joins the story but seems to be involved with the wrong crowd. Sam will stop at nothing to protect her family as she and Vamp team up to uncover the truth about the haan; a secret the haan will do anything to keep hidden. Unfortunately for Sam, the whole truth may turn out to be more than she can handle.
Science-fiction fans, you don't want to miss this series! Fallout delivers on The Burn Zone's promises, and makes many more of its own. I'm already looking forward to the next installment!
In Fallout, sequel to The Burn Zone, Sam's newly adopted brother, Alexei, joins the story but seems to be involved with the wrong crowd. Sam will stop at nothing to protect her family as she and Vamp team up to uncover the truth about the haan; a secret the haan will do anything to keep hidden. Unfortunately for Sam, the whole truth may turn out to be more than she can handle.
Science-fiction fans, you don't want to miss this series! Fallout delivers on The Burn Zone's promises, and makes many more of its own. I'm already looking forward to the next installment!
February 8, 2022
I can't help but feel there are layers I am only peripherally aware of here, layers that are probably front and center to a smarter reader. I didn't enjoy this one quite as much as the first but I still found it to be wonderfully competent, creative, and even bold.
So far I've enjoyed everything Knapp/Decker has written and I hope to see more from him in the future.
So far I've enjoyed everything Knapp/Decker has written and I hope to see more from him in the future.
January 1, 2023
A good sequel that kept the Hann story going, and keeps the reader engaged.
April 26, 2014
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
And thanks to the author for initialing it!
First of all, and this should be obvious, this is a sequel. That means that it helps if you read the first book before this book. Unfortunately, I don't always do the smart thing. So I was glad that this book started off with some subtle background information.
Sam Shao knows things that nobody else knows. She knows the truth. The haan crash-landed on Earth a number of years ago. At least, that's what everyone believes. In reality, the haan accidentally destroyed our universe and pulled the Earth through to their universe. People high up in the government are trying to keep this piece of information secret. Meanwhile, the haan give humans advanced technology in order to keep them happy. But they have a secret agenda.
All over the city, people are disappearing. The authorities deny that there is a mass disappearance, however. Sam is trying to find out the truth and then reveal it to people.
There is a group of religious people who worship the haan, and want a Second Impact to occur. They are very zealous, and Alexei, Sam's adopted brother, is getting lured in by their words. Sam doesn't trust Gohan, their leader, but he is very interested in her.
And throughout all of this, the foreigners are getting ready to attack because they can see things that no one in the city can. And they are starting to get very nervous.
With all of this happening at once, it leads to an action packed book.
This was a really interesting book. The world was really well crafted, the background made sense, and the characters seemed realistic. I liked how things happened that didn't seem to have a big impact on the story, but later on, you find out that they really mean a lot. The 3i sounds really cool; I wish we had that in real life. Personally, I don't like smoking, so I thought that there was a little too much focus on cigarillos, but it does provide a common theme throughout the entire book.
I wouldn't recommend this book to a younger audience.
And thanks to the author for initialing it!
First of all, and this should be obvious, this is a sequel. That means that it helps if you read the first book before this book. Unfortunately, I don't always do the smart thing. So I was glad that this book started off with some subtle background information.
Sam Shao knows things that nobody else knows. She knows the truth. The haan crash-landed on Earth a number of years ago. At least, that's what everyone believes. In reality, the haan accidentally destroyed our universe and pulled the Earth through to their universe. People high up in the government are trying to keep this piece of information secret. Meanwhile, the haan give humans advanced technology in order to keep them happy. But they have a secret agenda.
All over the city, people are disappearing. The authorities deny that there is a mass disappearance, however. Sam is trying to find out the truth and then reveal it to people.
There is a group of religious people who worship the haan, and want a Second Impact to occur. They are very zealous, and Alexei, Sam's adopted brother, is getting lured in by their words. Sam doesn't trust Gohan, their leader, but he is very interested in her.
And throughout all of this, the foreigners are getting ready to attack because they can see things that no one in the city can. And they are starting to get very nervous.
With all of this happening at once, it leads to an action packed book.
This was a really interesting book. The world was really well crafted, the background made sense, and the characters seemed realistic. I liked how things happened that didn't seem to have a big impact on the story, but later on, you find out that they really mean a lot. The 3i sounds really cool; I wish we had that in real life. Personally, I don't like smoking, so I thought that there was a little too much focus on cigarillos, but it does provide a common theme throughout the entire book.
I wouldn't recommend this book to a younger audience.
October 7, 2014
Primero, debo decir que este libro lo gane en uno de los ‘giveaways’ que realizo el autor: James K. Decker; segundo, este es el primer libro que leo de este autor… Y tengo entre mis compras de Navidad comprar el primer libro de la serie que es ‘The Burn Zone’ y solo hablare de lo que leí en ‘Fallout’ y tercero pero no menos importante ¡Es mi primera experiencia con un libro de ciencia ficción, nunca jamás había leído un libro de este género hasta ahora y realmente no me puedo quejar!
Esta es mi opinión del libro:
Sin duda recomendaría este libro a los amantes de la ciencia ficción porque Fallout es un libro que te para la respiración, te hace desear mas y mas mientras lees, en donde no sabes que va a pasar con una carga de acción muy fuerte.
Aquí la atención se centra en Sam Shao, Nix, Alexei, Dragan y Vamp con quien tiene una relación amorosa complicada y otros hackers quienes tratan de revelar las verdaderas intenciones de los Haans en el distrito de Hangfei, en donde llevar a cabo el plan se vuelve una odisea. Sam es una mujer que es un poco impulsiva, muy protectora y humana. Fiel a sus ideales capaz de hacer lo que sea por su familia; Dragan, su padre adoptivo y su hermano adoptivo Alexei.
Me hubiera gustado que el autor no se hubiera centrado tanto en la relación de Sam-Alexei y Sam-Dragan y Sam-Nix, sino que hubiera puesto más romance en la relación de Sam-Vamp porque en las pocas ocasiones en las que parecían llegar a algún lado, pasaba algo y todo el aire romántico caía y las cosas se tornaban frías e indiferentes entre ambos personajes. El final no me gusto del todo siento que quedaron cosas inconclusas, no era lo que esperaba.
Pero a pesar de eso Decker sabe como meternos dentro de la historia y hacernos creer que somos algunos de los personajes eso me ¡ENCANTO!
Por eso le doy 4/5 estrellas.
Esta es mi opinión del libro:
Sin duda recomendaría este libro a los amantes de la ciencia ficción porque Fallout es un libro que te para la respiración, te hace desear mas y mas mientras lees, en donde no sabes que va a pasar con una carga de acción muy fuerte.
Aquí la atención se centra en Sam Shao, Nix, Alexei, Dragan y Vamp con quien tiene una relación amorosa complicada y otros hackers quienes tratan de revelar las verdaderas intenciones de los Haans en el distrito de Hangfei, en donde llevar a cabo el plan se vuelve una odisea. Sam es una mujer que es un poco impulsiva, muy protectora y humana. Fiel a sus ideales capaz de hacer lo que sea por su familia; Dragan, su padre adoptivo y su hermano adoptivo Alexei.
Me hubiera gustado que el autor no se hubiera centrado tanto en la relación de Sam-Alexei y Sam-Dragan y Sam-Nix, sino que hubiera puesto más romance en la relación de Sam-Vamp porque en las pocas ocasiones en las que parecían llegar a algún lado, pasaba algo y todo el aire romántico caía y las cosas se tornaban frías e indiferentes entre ambos personajes. El final no me gusto del todo siento que quedaron cosas inconclusas, no era lo que esperaba.
Pero a pesar de eso Decker sabe como meternos dentro de la historia y hacernos creer que somos algunos de los personajes eso me ¡ENCANTO!
Por eso le doy 4/5 estrellas.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 2, 2015
"Fallout" is the sequel to "The Burn Zone" and the prequel "Ember".
It's a great series for anyone who likes science-fiction action novels. Since it is the second in the series, you will want to read "The Burn Zone" first. If you don't, you won't know what's going on because the first book sets the stage for the events in "Fallout". Also, most of the characters have already been introduced and fleshed out in "The Burn Zone", so it is assumed you know who everyone is already in "Fallout".
I'd even recommend reading the prequel "Ember" before reading the "The Burn Zone", but it isn't necessary. I say this because "Ember" provides a great introduction to the world Decker has created and also focuses on the character of Dragan (Sam's father figure - her guardian). Dragan is in the other books, but he is mostly a background character and it is nice to get to know him better. Plus his story was really good.
Anyway, back to "Fallout"... In "Fallout" the main character Sam continues to struggle with her knowledge of what the haan are doing to people in secret. She feels she must act to let the public know what is going on. Unfortunately, Hangfei is not a democracy and she faces jail or worse if she tries to broadcast her knowledge openly. So, Sam uses her boyfriend Vamp's network of hackers to set in motion a plan to make the truth plain to everyone. And this leads to her discovering an even worse conspiracy that threatens the entire world.
It's a great series for anyone who likes science-fiction action novels. Since it is the second in the series, you will want to read "The Burn Zone" first. If you don't, you won't know what's going on because the first book sets the stage for the events in "Fallout". Also, most of the characters have already been introduced and fleshed out in "The Burn Zone", so it is assumed you know who everyone is already in "Fallout".
I'd even recommend reading the prequel "Ember" before reading the "The Burn Zone", but it isn't necessary. I say this because "Ember" provides a great introduction to the world Decker has created and also focuses on the character of Dragan (Sam's father figure - her guardian). Dragan is in the other books, but he is mostly a background character and it is nice to get to know him better. Plus his story was really good.
Anyway, back to "Fallout"... In "Fallout" the main character Sam continues to struggle with her knowledge of what the haan are doing to people in secret. She feels she must act to let the public know what is going on. Unfortunately, Hangfei is not a democracy and she faces jail or worse if she tries to broadcast her knowledge openly. So, Sam uses her boyfriend Vamp's network of hackers to set in motion a plan to make the truth plain to everyone. And this leads to her discovering an even worse conspiracy that threatens the entire world.
February 23, 2019
This book was definitely better than the first one! In the first book, I struggled a bit to understand the world the story took place in, but with this prior knowledge now, I felt like I could focus more on the storyline. Just like the first book, this is incredibly fast-paced and full of nonstop action - which I love. What I love about Decker, is that he really knows how to twist up the plot and take the story in unexpected directions. It's the type of story where you honestly can never guess what will happen next. I like that this book had more of a focus on Sam's relationships with Alexi, Dragan, Nix, and VAMP. I'm in love with Vamp.
November 17, 2014
I hope this is a trilogy because I want to know more.
Now that we know what the haan are and why our worlds merged (from book 1), this book is about revealing that and dealing with the consequences of it. There were a lot of different layers to the story. As with book one, the 3i tablets featured heavily. As did Nix.
The ending caught me nicely by surprise and made me revisit a lot of my assumptions while reading.
Now that we know what the haan are and why our worlds merged (from book 1), this book is about revealing that and dealing with the consequences of it. There were a lot of different layers to the story. As with book one, the 3i tablets featured heavily. As did Nix.
The ending caught me nicely by surprise and made me revisit a lot of my assumptions while reading.
February 14, 2014
Need to read the 1st two books first. Great story.
March 3, 2014
Lots of action a real page turner. I want to read The Burn Zone now.
April 9, 2014
A bit confusing
October 12, 2014
Meh. Too convoluted.
May 18, 2015
Disappointing. But not awful. There were plenty of typos. Which is strange.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews