Rabbits of the Apocalypse

by Benny Lawrence

Rabbits of the Apocalypse is set in a not-too-distant future plagued with drought, human trafficking, rabid religious groups, and people who completely lack a sense of humor.  What with all the hunger, chaos, sunstroke, landmines, and radiation it's hard to get by, and harder still to get laid.   In the remote desert town of Lafontaine, Casey Prentice has been trying to survive the endtimes by keeping her head down and refusing to give a damn about anyone except her younger sister Emily and wingman Malice Hiroyama. But that ceases to be an option when a powerful and mysterious entity known as the Anastasian League descends on the town. Casey offers shelter to genius Pax, who is trying to escape the League. In doing so, she invites a whole new kind of danger into her life on top of a budding romance. The town of Lafontaine has a secret . . . and if the League discovers it, then the apocalypse will be the least of Casey’s worries.

Genres: Science Fiction, LGBT, Dystopia, Lesbian, Fiction, Audiobook, Humor

258 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 23, 2014

About the author

Benny Lawrence was not born, but created in a freak accident involving a Hadron supercollider, a plaid raincoat, an original edition of C.W. Ceram's Gods, Graves, and Scholars, and a nice hot cup of tea. She now roams the streets of Toronto by night, fighting the forces of evil by correcting their grammar until they scream and implode. In her spare time, she writes books. She sometimes wears hats, too.

She is also a lawyer. We don't talk about that.

Her superpowers are all crayon-related.

Reviews

[K.J. Charles]

How have I never heard of this book or author before? Why hasn't this been filmed? Craps all over Mad Max.

So this is brilliant. In a post climate collapse America, a variety of hardscrabble losers are hanging on by their fingernails and more or less giving up on life. I will not spoil the plot but it involves a psycho bestie, a frippery sibling, mutant powers, plucky lesbians, rabbits, quite a lot of violence, and a really interesting take on the Scary Post Apocalyptic Organisation of Thugs.

The narrative voice is great, striking the rare balance where you believe the hard-nosed pitch black humour is a cover for deep agonising feelings, rather than just someone pressing the 'snark' key. Lovely characters, well developed world, imaginatively expansive, and a fabby f/f romance in a terribly unhealthy way.

Hugely enjoyable and really deserves to be far more widely read.

[Agirlcandream · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel like I have been on a whirlwind ride into this post apocalyptic world created by Benny Lawrence. I don't usually read much speculative fiction but if this genre is always this entertaining then I have been missing out on some terrific reads.

Rabbits of the Apocalypse grabs you from the opening chapters. The setting in the Twenty Third century is easy to imagine. Think Mad Max with lesbians in the leading roles instead of Mel Gibson (thank god). Benny's humour comes through in the witty dialogue and improbable situations. Any book that opens with the following lines is hard to resist:

I was reading The Sex-Bots of Space Alcatraz for the fifty-third time when my little sister Emily slammed open the apartment hatch.
"Aliens are attacking the city!" She yelled, and then she slammed straight back out again.
My reaction surprised even me. "Thank God," I said out loud. Then I dropped my dog-eared book and hurried after her.

I won't rehash the plot as the book blurb is thorough without giving away major plot points.
This is the kind of book you can read for its sheer entertainment value or you can dig a bit deeper and look for some insight into the human condition. I did a little of both and found it hard to put this book down once it got rolling.

The title of this novel is brilliant, thought provoking,and puzzling all at the same time. So is the book. I would love to see a sequel as I am not ready to leave these characters behind.

4.5 stars

[Gaby LezReviewBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

A weird but very good story

I’m not a fan of speculative fiction but this book has been on my TBR list for a while and now that it has been released on audiobook, I took the chance to listen to it. I’m very happy that I did because it’s really entertaining.

Two centuries into the future, the world as we know it is plagued by drought, radiation and crime. In the little town of Lafontaine, Casey Prentice has been surviving by only caring about her younger sister Emily and her best friend Malice Hiroyama. Nothing happens in Lafontaine until an armed group called the Anastasian League descends into the town looking for a well-kept secret. When Casey offers shelter to a league deserter called Pax, it will trigger a series of events that will put Casey’s life in danger, more than the apocalypse itself.

I tend to avoid the post-apocalyptic genre because it rarely looks at humanity in a positive way and there’s little space for romance in the plot. While the first part of my previous statement is true, I’m glad that there is a bit of romance in the story to balance out the negativity. If you think of a world in which all the known life comforts are gone, electricity is almost nonexistent, gangs of raiders threaten to attack any day taking everything and everyone, then it could make for a pretty depressive read. But – and this is a big but – Ms. Lawrence adds a cynical character with a sarcastic sense of humor, witty banter, and laugh-out-loud dialogues, and the overall tone of the book is completely transformed.

This book is weird and I say this in the most appreciative way. The weird (but justified) title, crazy situations and quirky characters, make it a hilarious read. But beyond the easy laughs, funny one-liners, and bewildering moments, the reader can appreciate and identify with, the human condition and the consequences of people’s actions. It makes for a thought-provoking read with an unexpected turn of events that you won’t see coming.

I’ve never heard of narrator Blair Baker before and she doesn’t seem to read many audiobooks, at least under that name. However, her comedic timing is impeccable and her performance of both Casey and Pax is amazing. All in all, this is a very weird but entertaining listen. Highly recommended. 5 stars.

Length: 7 hours, 41 minutes

[Jude Silberfeld-Grimaud · Rating 5 out of 5]

What the fuck did I just listen to? This story is brilliant, dark, so dark, but also hilarious. The narration is fantastic as well, despite a few strange pauses at times but I really didn’t care.

Casey’s sole goal in life is to keep her sister Emily alive and not pregnant in a dystopian world where that’s actually an achievement. She can count on her partner in crime Malice and that’s about it. The arrival of a mysterious but powerful cult-like army in their current village puts everyone in danger, especially when gorgeous genius Pax tries to escape and seeks refuge with Casey.

What’s right and wrong when everything is fucked up? Is a world running fast towards its end worth trying to change? Why are rabbits? So many existential questions will burrow in your brain like weirdly cozy bacteria and you know what? You’ll enjoy it. That’s how outstanding this book is. And sure, some things probably don’t make sense, I’m sure there are inconsistencies, but the story is so fast-paced, the banter so much fun, there’s so much depth underneath the wit, I didn’t have either the time or the will to mind. You can read—or, even better, listen to—Rabbits of the Apocalypse for the enjoyment factor alone or use it to entertain your brain cogs. Either way, if you’re into speculative fiction and love a cynical MC, look no further.

I received a copy from the author and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

Read all my reviews on my blog (and please buy from the affiliation links!): Jude in the Stars

[Farah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Benny Lawrence blew me away with her stunning The Ghost and The Machine, immediately after finishing it, I bought Shell Game and Rabbits of The Apocalypse, any regrets? None whatsoever.

Despite some dark elements in TGATM, I found myself laughing my arse off, my funny bone is working fine and slightly twisted even as I still enjoy watching Adam Sandler's movies. In ROTA, Lawrence stepped up her game with hilarious interactions between the lead, Casey and everyone in contact with her.

Casey (L) her bestie, Malice(L) Casey's sister, Emily(S) and Pax(L) someone's love/hate interest are the main characters in ROTA. Nothing is more appealing than a self discovery story and Lawrence delivers just that. I applaud the author for taking her readers on Casey's journey to freedom and wholeness. There are dramas and intrigues without overdoing the angst and heartache, and enough sexy moments to appease those that like their bedroom actions on minimal scale. The author also takes away the predictability factor from the storyline and I love the surrounding characters; Casey's best friend, her sister and the townsfolk.

At times it has the 3 or even 4 stars feelings, but sadly the book does not work for me in its entirety to give it a higher rating. Why? We have these awesome women but in my opinion, they are not given anything to do. It feels like they are just hanging around, eager to kick the dystopian/ apocalypse world where the Sun don't shine, but Lawrence leaves them hanging.

Should you still read it, yes! For the sparkling dialogues, colorful personalities and humor....I have plenty of highlighted sentences on Leia, ROTA is one big one-liner and Casey is the storyteller that doesn't have a filter between her brain and her mouth.

Caution - The humor element may vary depending on the condition of your funny bone. Consult your physician before devouring.

Thanks - Agirlcandream for the rec

[K. Aten · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 – Fast-paced, unique, and crudely funny, with a hint of plot twist!

I know I’ve said this a few times before but I typically don’t like first person novels, and I’m not a fan of juvenile and inane humor. I think perhaps that is why it took me so long to actually read this book. I mean, I’ve had it in my possession for seven months. Procrastinate much, moi?

That being said, I started and finished it yesterday because I found it strangely enjoyable. Once in a while a book will break through my usual displeasure with certain writing styles and this book was definitely one of them. Despite the totally different plot and scene (dystopian future vs paranormal present) reading Rabbits of the Apocalypse gave me the same feeling of pace and storytelling as the Demons Series by K.B. Draper. (So if you really liked the one author’s books, you’d probably like the other and vice versa)

The nits and grits. Starting with the obvious, the dystopian future was particularly believable with the exception of mutant bits. But then, who knows? The evolution of life on this planet can be astounding sometimes and who is to say what can and cannot be possible a few hundred years into the future. Adapt or die. For me Rabbits of the Apocalypse was like Mad Max, if Mad max had starred Bill Murray and was directed in the style of Dodgeball. I liked the three mains in their little family unit, Casey, her sister Emily, and Malice. They were insane and dysfunctional but they worked. Then we’re introduced to Pax and I started to wonder.

The twist…don’t worry, not going to give it away. But I will say I expected it, and was almost right. Almost. But, there were more twists as you went and that’s what kept it from being too predictable. It definitely WASN’T predictable. As for the mystery, well I figured that one out too, for the same reason that someone else did in the book. But you’re not getting that out of me either, read the book!

Now for my cons. It’s not major but despite reading stories where you have to suspend a certain level of belief, I found some things a little out there. When I mentioned the believably of the dystopian world, I meant it. Roving gangs, communities trying to survive, home surgery, and the works. However, the things that threw me a little were the highly advanced tech used to corral the town, as well as a few weapons. But yet, the same people didn’t have something as simple as refrigeration? Food storage and stockpiling would be essential for the group and goes a long way to future planning. But with power rationing and all, I guess I get it. Hundreds of years ago they’d bring arctic ice down on ships to facilitate food storage, something that wasn’t possible in a dessert.

Anyway, I’m falling down a rabbit hole with the fridge thing (see what I did there?) Rabbits of the Apocalypse by Benny Lawrence is funny, irreverent (there may be substantial lesbi-centric editing of the bible by Casey), and keeps pulling you along until the end. And the end, while both expected and unexpected, entertained and delighted me. It was a good read and if you’re a fan of raucous humor, then definitely give it a go.


This ARC was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

[Skye Kilaen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Casey, a lesbian scraping by in a post-apocalyptic small town with her sister and best friend, ends up rethinking her own approach to life when their town is raided.

It's a sci-fi with some suspense that's often darkly hilarious, but also deeply emotional. The F/F relationship is a subplot in some ways, but in other ways the whole story hinges on it, both the good and the bad. (CW: prisoner/captor. Not a genre romance so I have leeway for a different kind of story than I'd be comfortable with in romance.)

Very complex, but it left me with a feeling of hope and I couldn't get it out of my head for days!

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really amazing book. Full of wit and humor...albeit a little dark. But really really worth the read!
Great characters that are well developed. An interesting plot with nice twists and an angst filled romance! It doesn't get much better!

[Hesch Aut · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book because I discovered the author through „Shell Games“, which I loved. While the setting couldn’t have been more different, the characters in „Rabbits of the Apocalypse“ were just as 3-dimensional, the narrator and dialogues just as funny and the plot just as well thought-through.

Power, control, trust and deep feelings are also themes of this book. And in between laughing out loud and enjoying the dystopian atmosphere, I found myself wondering what the heck this book really was about. And that’s what I love when I read a book: The need to keep reading to find out, because the story is so unique and so are the characters and relationships. And of course you’ll get a few answers. And they are all satisfying.

[P. Industry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Casey Prentice finds herself in a bind. That is, more of a bind than normal; she is normally stuck in a tin-pot town surrounded on all sides by a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Her insane family shares this hellish landscape wit her - a younger sister named Emily (who comes part and parcel with a succession of poofy-haired boyfriends) and her comrade, the aptly named "Malice" Hiroyama. The bind is that into this lawless world there are people who yearn for what once was, and they're willing to brutalize the independent factions to get it; one such organisation is the Anastasian League, and they've come to take everything.

For anyone lucky enough to read "Shell Game", the humor is remarkably similar; Benny Lawrence has a gift for slapstick. Reading this novel is like listening to a weather-beaten drifter making a pun, or letting a heavily scarred bulldog drool on you and lick your face. Serious themes are treated with a lightness that only serves to emphasize the potential cruelty of the situation. Further, the humour also serves to humanize all involved; without it, it might be difficult to connect with the slightly drippy (but also awesome!) Casey.

Like "Shell Game", however, the plot feels rushed in places. Once Casey is effectively kidnapped, the plot seems to rush headlong to a conclusion, convulsing across the page. Themes that are acknowledged feel underdeveloped, but were probably deliberately left that way to provoke thought in only those people that want to think. The problematic nature of her sexual relationship with the person who took her prisoner is definitely the one I noticed the most - it was tangled and confusing and just... made me feel. I personally found the section where Casey was being "trained" to be useful indescribably horrifying - perhaps as a product of my experience with the Armed Forces. All-in-all, the whole love angle is given both more and less attention than it needs to be anything else other than unsettling - I am almost certain, however, that is the point. Anyone seeking something more satisfying should stick with Shell Game.

Another fascinating aspect of this novel is that the League has a really good point; resources are scarce, and getting humanity back on its feet is a worthy and admirable goal. The individuals in the independent towns also have perfectly reasonable points, however - at what point do their individual needs and wants outweigh the needs of a collective? How should individual doubts about the goals of that collective impact their involvement in such ventures? Bloody good questions, and subtlety framed.

Benny Lawrence is a talented author, and this is a talented book; rushed at the end, but superbly written, cleverly subtle, and just an all around good book. Four stars.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars
In a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by drought, disease and radiation mutated humans (better known as 'Naturals'), Casey Prentice is just trying to get by from day to day. She lives in a cramped little apartment in the town of Lafontaine with her sister, Emily, her sister's latest boyfriend and her deranged sidekick, Malice. One night the town seems to be under attack from what the residents mistakenly believe to be aliens. It turns out to be much worse. The Anastasian League has taken an interest in Lafontaine and if the Inquisitor finds what the town is hiding, the apocalypse is about to be a lot less fun. Casey makes a split decision to help a stranger, Pax, who is trying to escape the League and there begins more trouble than Casey ever imagined.

Being a big fan of post-apocalyptic fiction, I snatch up any book that fits the subject and get even more excited if it fits the lesfic category. Sufficed to say the title alone is enough to grab your attention. There are so many reasons I like this story. First, the author has an awesome sense of humor and it comes through in her writing. The characters are well developed and believable. Casey's character is sarcastic and blunt and usually tells it how it is. She does what needs to be done to survive and protect her sister. Emily, is the complete opposite. She's a lazy dreamer who is described at one point as 'an old soul' who would have fit better into the pre-apocalypse world. Malice is psychotic and dangerous but has been Casey's best friend through all their crazy adventures. Pax, Casey's love interest, is logical and intelligent and a little mysterious.

The scene is also set so its easy to imagine the dusty, run down world the characters inhabit. Think images from the Dust Bowl or if you happen to be a fan of the video game Fallout that's how I imagine it. The talk of raiders and gangs and roving bands of religious pilgrims gives it that 'end of the world' feel.

There are a couple of twists in the book. The first was a bit unexpected but the second I kind of felt coming. I always feel like a book is good when it elicits emotions from me and I was angered several times by one of the character's actions, so that's a win. The only reason I deducted half a star is because I wasn't ready for the story to end. It seems like there is so much more that could be written, and I really hope the author will continue Casey's tale. I'll also be looking into Benny Lawrence's other books in hopes of catching some more of her refreshing wit.

[Frank Van Meer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Casey, my kind of heroine. With a sense of humor so black it makes a black hole shine, and so completely and utterly cinical and sarcastic, her words are so sharp they are able to split atoms.

In the 23rd century, when life has gone to all to hell and it's survival of the fittest, Casey makes do in an out of the way settlement with the odd job here and there and looking out for her sister Emily. She has done and seen it all during a trek through the wildernis with her trusty sidekick Malice, and at the moment, her biggest concern for the day is at what time they should get drunk.

The tone of the novel is set with the very first sentences, when her sister proclaims the town is under attack from aliens. Well, thank god, Casey says. Finally something to worry about. Of course, it's worse than aliens, as the League blockades the town and prepares for a search.

Enter Pax, and Casey is smitten with her, but for all her bravado and spunk, she dares not act upon that attraction, much to the dismay of Malice. Words fly, and there was actually a moment where I snorted my coffee through my nose, because I made the mistake of drinking while reading. I never laughed so much.

I think the first half of the book is the best. It's a laugh a minute, yet at the same time we get to see the utter bleakness of existence. The second half lost a bit of that, because it is only Pax and Casey then.

My favorite:

So we joined one of the wildest street parties and I took a few shots of hooch so strong that I all but started to speak in tongues. Infortunatley, Emily showed up and I had to try and keep her following my example. That meant that Malice and I had to drink any booze that came near her and before it reached her lips. We did our best. For the children.

Recommended.

[XR · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've never read an apocalypse book quite like this one and I loved it, it was hilarious, heart wrenching and thought provoking.

It's downright appalling thinking about the possibility of how low humanity can go... but I'd rather hope and be a bad arse like Casey & Co.

[Kats · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rabbits of the Apocalypse is a post-apocalyptic story that takes place in a world where nuclear radiation has permanently changed the world - there is no unifying government or military anywhere, the ocean is warm, it no longer rains, and some people are born with mutations ranging from third eyes to supernatural powers. The book follows Casey, a nihilistic woman trying to survive (and get laid) alongside her best friend and her sister as their town is laid siege to by a cult seeking to fix the planet.

I really liked the writing style and setup for this book, but I think that it probably should have been a lot longer to adequately resolve the issues between the two main characters. The story takes place in an interesting universe and the plot twists are clever, but it felt like too much time was spent on setup. Then once the actual plot hit, the resolution for the physical conflict was quick and the emotional conflict sort of got brushed aside as resolved without much time being spent on addressing the impact that said conflict had on Casey, the main character.

This was especially an issue for me because the particular sort of injustices presented in the book. Having the capacity to enforce slavery, theft, and murder is a serious and significant part of a character, and I wasn't comfortable with the story's resolution to those things because it felt like important issues were left hanging or "redeemed" with little basis despite the morality of them coming up many times.

Overall, though, I did enjoy reading Rabbits of the Apocalypse and would recommend it for folks looking for a short, fun, offensive, and nihilistic romp through a post-apocalyptic wasteland but aren't particularly uncomfortable with awkward morality decisions or potentially toxic relationships.

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

The combination of grim and funny is pretty challenging to pull off, but Lawrence does a really nice job in this quirky lesbian postapocalyptic science fiction novel. The characters are relatable and diverse, the world-building is very well done and the plot kept me engaged. I'm hoping she opts to write a sequel to this because I'd like to see more.

[Sabrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was just fun, man. And really heartfelt in the end.

There’s a focus on found-family even in the worst situations, and a sapphic love story woven through it all. Not as gruesome and dark as other dystopian tales, but the story doesn’t shy away from the realities of a post-climate-crisis world either.

The MC, Casey, has the closest character voice to my beloved Gideon Nav from Gideon the Ninth (but this story is MUCH easier to follow).

[Derick · Rating 4 out of 5]

If Benny Lawrence has a knack for anything, it would be making me want to kiss her works and snap it in half at the same time. Kissing it while snapping it. French kiss. Full out, with tongue and everything. Yes, I'm very much channeling my inner Casey. I wanted to give this a 2, for no other reason than it make me angry. But the fact that it managed to get a rise outta me mean it's a good book, in a sense of "I want to punch something until it's a bloody pulp"good book.

[Ruth Jenkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

This has a lot that many people will love: gallows humour, dysfunctional lesbian relationship, Mad Max style post apocalypse America. But something just didn't click for me. Towards the end it was a feeling that optimist Pax has more influence on nihilist Casey than vice versa. We don't see much of Pax's reasons for optimism, and I couldn't help feel Casey was right!

[Catie Markesich · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW!!! I don’t usually like books about the apocalypse but this one was FANTASTIC. It is very, very, very funny (warning, is a tad raunchy, but not much). I loved the writing, the plot, and the characters. And There were some great twists. I read the audio book and I’m really glad I did- this was one of the most enjoyable narrations I’ve listed to. I HIGHLY recommend!!

[Jean Tiposah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. That story was so close to perfection it's actually frightening.

[natt :) · Rating 4 out of 5]

lesbianas lovers to enemies to lovers en un mundo postapocaliptico (ate this shit up)

[camilla hects pr rep · Rating 3 out of 5]

this book wants what gideon the ninth has i fear.. don’t be mad at me sofia 💔

[Anabel · Rating 5 out of 5]

(4.50)

[Shaz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Four and a half stars

This was an immensely entertaining story set in a post-apocalyptic setting and told in a fabulous narrative voice that hits just the right note.

[Jessica Schember · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read

I truly enjoy Benny Lawrence's writing style. Rabbits of the apocalypse does not disappoint. I recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a bit of dark humor, and imperfect love stories. If you don't laugh while reading this book; you're doing it wrong.

[Xènia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Semblava un llibre entretingut, però ha resultat no ser-ho. La història és estranya i no té gaire sentit, i es fa molt difícil connectar amb els protagonistes. Considero que he perdut bastant el meu temps.

[Nadin Albrecht · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was torn between a 4 and 5 Stars Rating, but decided to give 5 stars as I am loving the brillant humor and the writing (chapter 19 is One of my Favorites). The reason why I was tempted to rate "only" 4 stars was, that the pace of the story dramatically changes after the first major plot twist. For too many chapters there isn't so much going on with the story or character development. It is not before close to the end that it picks up it's perfect speed again. But other than that I totally loved this book! This is my 2nd book by this author and I am hungry for more.

[Elena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who knew the apocalypse could be so much fun

This story happens in a Mad Max like atmosphere, where global warming has sent the world into a tailspin direct to hell, so one would maybe not expect it to have such a comedic bend. I did trust that Benny Lawrence could make that happen, but I was still very happily surprised at such goofy storytelling. Not to say there aren't tough parts to this story, but even then, it's difficult not to outright snigger in some of those parts. There is also a wonderful plot twist that took me totally by surprise, and I just *love* when that happens with a book.

Casey and Malice are something else, entirely. Pax is a perfect counterpoint to both. The whole cast of characters is fantastic.

Now, I did the audio version of this story, and kudos also for the narrator, Blair Baker. I think she nailed this story, most specifically she nailed Pax, giving her a voice of common sense, wisdom and authority to die for.

Super recommended!

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lawrence, you've done it again. What an absolute HEATER especially if you find yourself far to the left of the current global fascism trend. I do take issue with a few things, many spoilery so I will skip, but one being that, babe: calling it a cult is an absolute disservice to the message you otherwise make very well. Cults are othered, they're exoticized and deplatformed. You're talking empire, fascism. It's a paragovernmental militia, and that's okay!

Anyway, this ripped and it has my brain firing.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Run don't walk and buy this now

I really, really liked this. So different and truly original. Usually when I like a story so much, I'll want a sequel (or more) but this made me want a prequel.
A post apocalyptic love story that's heartbreaking and hilarious at the same time. I'll be buying more from Benny Lawrence while feverently hoping she writes more soon!!!!