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Strain #1
Juggernaut
They helped destroy the world. Now they have to survive the new one.
For rentboy Nico Fernández, it’s a simple seduce a presidential advisor to help cement approval to launch Project Juggernaut. He’s done similar work for General Logan McClosky before, and manipulating people for his favorite client beats the hell out of being trafficked for slave wages in some corporate brothel.
Zach Houtman feels called to work with the most vulnerable outcasts of society. But his father, the Reverend Maurice Houtman, insists that Zach work for him instead as he runs for Senate. Zach reluctantly agrees, but is horrified to see his father leave behind Christ’s mandate of love and mercy to preach malicious zealotry and violence instead. Zach even starts to suspect his father is working with fundamentalist terrorists.
When Project Juggernaut accidentally unleashes a deadly plague that claims billions of lives, Nico and Zach are thrown together, each bearing a burden of guilt. With only each other for safety and solace, they must make their way through a new world, one where the handful of people left alive are willing to do anything—and kill anyone—to survive.
Word 100,400; page 370>i?
For rentboy Nico Fernández, it’s a simple seduce a presidential advisor to help cement approval to launch Project Juggernaut. He’s done similar work for General Logan McClosky before, and manipulating people for his favorite client beats the hell out of being trafficked for slave wages in some corporate brothel.
Zach Houtman feels called to work with the most vulnerable outcasts of society. But his father, the Reverend Maurice Houtman, insists that Zach work for him instead as he runs for Senate. Zach reluctantly agrees, but is horrified to see his father leave behind Christ’s mandate of love and mercy to preach malicious zealotry and violence instead. Zach even starts to suspect his father is working with fundamentalist terrorists.
When Project Juggernaut accidentally unleashes a deadly plague that claims billions of lives, Nico and Zach are thrown together, each bearing a burden of guilt. With only each other for safety and solace, they must make their way through a new world, one where the handful of people left alive are willing to do anything—and kill anyone—to survive.
Word 100,400; page 370>i?
378 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 8, 2015
71 people are currently reading
642 people want to read
About the author
Amelia C. Gormley
25 books226 followersAmelia C. Gormley published her first short story in the school newspaper in the 4th grade, and since then has suffered the persistent delusion that enabling other people to hear the voices in her head might be a worthwhile endeavor. She’s even convinced her hapless spouse that it could be a lucrative one as well, especially when coupled with her real-life interest in angst, kink, social justice issues, and pretty men.
When her husband and son aren’t interacting with the back of her head as she stares at the computer, they rely on her to feed them, maintain their domicile, and keep some semblance of order in their lives (all very, very bad ideas—they really should know better by now.) She can also be found playing video games and ranting on Tumblr, seeing as how she’s one of those horrid social justice warriors out to destroy free speech, gaming, geek culture, and everything else that’s fun everywhere.
You can find her self-published Impulse trilogy almost anywhere ebooks are sold, and check out her catalog of Riptide Publishing releases at their website.
(NOTE: If you are sending me a friends request just to try to promote your books to me or invite me to release events, I will unfriend and block you. I don't use GoodReads to spam people and neither should you.)
When her husband and son aren’t interacting with the back of her head as she stares at the computer, they rely on her to feed them, maintain their domicile, and keep some semblance of order in their lives (all very, very bad ideas—they really should know better by now.) She can also be found playing video games and ranting on Tumblr, seeing as how she’s one of those horrid social justice warriors out to destroy free speech, gaming, geek culture, and everything else that’s fun everywhere.
You can find her self-published Impulse trilogy almost anywhere ebooks are sold, and check out her catalog of Riptide Publishing releases at their website.
(NOTE: If you are sending me a friends request just to try to promote your books to me or invite me to release events, I will unfriend and block you. I don't use GoodReads to spam people and neither should you.)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
July 31, 2015
If there was one book that really stood out for me in 2014, it was Amelia C. Gormley's Strain. It was a masterpiece, with a very well-written post-apocalyptic setting, a romance that pushed my boundaries, and an in-depth look at the extent to which humans will fall in order to survive. So when I found out that their would be a prequel, I was over the moon. 'Juggernaut', while very different from Strain, was a great prequel.
This book begins a few months before the virus outbreak, and shows what America was like at that point (which, if I'm correct, could be anywhere between 50 to 100 years in the future from our present time). What does America look like at that time? Mass unemployment and ghettoization of the poor, violent religious fundamentalism, corporate domination, environmental degradation and unfettered militarism. So basically, everything progressives are currently warning the world about.
Scary stuff, right? Gormley wrote this world brilliantly. I really enjoyed seeing it from two different perspectives. Nico is the son of one of the country's few ethical sex service owners, and a higly-sought high-end sexworker himself, but he's very much so aware of how the majority of the population scrapes by. I immediately connected with Nico, and even when he made some very questionable decisions, I was rooting for him.
On the other hand, Zach is the son of a popular fundamentalist pastor-turned-politician, who blames America's problems on the sodomites, the immigrants, the whores, etc etc. He's the Republican Tea Party 2.0. At times it was hard to like Zach, because he shuts his eyes and ears to his father's actions. But I could sympathize with his struggle between his family, his religion, and his own sexuality and political beliefs. I liked him a lot more in the second half of the book, when he finally throws off his father's control.
Juggernaut does a good job of filling in the blanks from Strain. We finally find out how the infected Jug soldiers and the civilian government ended up at Cheyenne Mountain, and what lead to a deterioration between the two groups. And throughout this whole process, we see how Nico and Zach's relationship evolves. My heart broke for these two repeatedly, seeing how they yearned for each other and thought that they'd found happiness many times, only to be ripped apart again.
My only complaint is that the romance, while engaging and heartbreaking, was so very vanilla. In fact, Juggernaut on the whole was a lot more tame than Strain. Strain was all kinds of twisted, and Darius and Rhys were a fucked-up couple, to say the least. It's what made Strain so memorable. But that's not the case in this book, and I missed that skeevy factor.
Even so, Juggernaut was a great prequel, filling in the blanks from Strain and introducing a new couple and new storylines. I'm eagerly looking forward to reading the final book in this series, Bane. I can't wait to get back to Rhys and Darius, and see how things between Nico and Zach work out!
This book begins a few months before the virus outbreak, and shows what America was like at that point (which, if I'm correct, could be anywhere between 50 to 100 years in the future from our present time). What does America look like at that time? Mass unemployment and ghettoization of the poor, violent religious fundamentalism, corporate domination, environmental degradation and unfettered militarism. So basically, everything progressives are currently warning the world about.
Scary stuff, right? Gormley wrote this world brilliantly. I really enjoyed seeing it from two different perspectives. Nico is the son of one of the country's few ethical sex service owners, and a higly-sought high-end sexworker himself, but he's very much so aware of how the majority of the population scrapes by. I immediately connected with Nico, and even when he made some very questionable decisions, I was rooting for him.
On the other hand, Zach is the son of a popular fundamentalist pastor-turned-politician, who blames America's problems on the sodomites, the immigrants, the whores, etc etc. He's the Republican Tea Party 2.0. At times it was hard to like Zach, because he shuts his eyes and ears to his father's actions. But I could sympathize with his struggle between his family, his religion, and his own sexuality and political beliefs. I liked him a lot more in the second half of the book, when he finally throws off his father's control.
Juggernaut does a good job of filling in the blanks from Strain. We finally find out how the infected Jug soldiers and the civilian government ended up at Cheyenne Mountain, and what lead to a deterioration between the two groups. And throughout this whole process, we see how Nico and Zach's relationship evolves. My heart broke for these two repeatedly, seeing how they yearned for each other and thought that they'd found happiness many times, only to be ripped apart again.
My only complaint is that the romance, while engaging and heartbreaking, was so very vanilla. In fact, Juggernaut on the whole was a lot more tame than Strain. Strain was all kinds of twisted, and Darius and Rhys were a fucked-up couple, to say the least. It's what made Strain so memorable. But that's not the case in this book, and I missed that skeevy factor.
Even so, Juggernaut was a great prequel, filling in the blanks from Strain and introducing a new couple and new storylines. I'm eagerly looking forward to reading the final book in this series, Bane. I can't wait to get back to Rhys and Darius, and see how things between Nico and Zach work out!
July 21, 2015
I received this book as an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this book, and it added so much to my understanding of the first book. I really liked knowing what happened, and why, and the roles Nico and Zach played in events to come. I liked seeing how events changed, and didn't change both characters. I really appreciated the role Zach's faith played in his life especially after seeing how damaging faith could be in the hands of his father and brother. The plot was nicely paced, and fast moving. I really liked how difficult Nico and Zach's relationship was, and how love didn't come close to solving anything. A really nice addition to the series, and I look forward to reading more.
I got the ARC, and I'm so excited!
I really enjoyed this book, and it added so much to my understanding of the first book. I really liked knowing what happened, and why, and the roles Nico and Zach played in events to come. I liked seeing how events changed, and didn't change both characters. I really appreciated the role Zach's faith played in his life especially after seeing how damaging faith could be in the hands of his father and brother. The plot was nicely paced, and fast moving. I really liked how difficult Nico and Zach's relationship was, and how love didn't come close to solving anything. A really nice addition to the series, and I look forward to reading more.
I got the ARC, and I'm so excited!
maybe
July 27, 2018Freebie at amazon.com right now: https://www.amazon.com/Juggernaut-Str...
June 21, 2015
4.5 stars
OMG this book was so good. I loved it way more than Strain. I definitely understand way more. While it's not a requirement to read this as a follow-up, I highly recommend reading it. It really makes your understand the events that happen in Strain. This book introduces the end of the world that we know and two important people are introduced in the series. Nico & Zach. Oh my goodness just thinking about them has me tearing up. They are such a cute couple, but it takes alot for them to be together.
The beginning of the book was so harsh. Nico is the strongest man I know. Goodness what it went through was basically non-con, but it never stopped him. Nico plays a major part in the Juggernaut story. He had so much guilt on his shoulders, I'm still uncertain how I feel about Major McCloksey. Zach Houtman is the oldest child of Rev.Houtman from book one and Jacob's brother. Just seeing Jacob in this book, I wanted to destroy him again and again. Zach had some hard choices in this book, and I'm happy to see him make some of the unselfish choices ever.
I think the author did a really good job of making these two choices as real as possible. That scene where Nico walked away, I could not stop crying to save my life. I'm so impressed with the story that was told in this book. We saw some of our friends from book one and their story kinda from the beginning. I can't wait to start Bane!
OMG this book was so good. I loved it way more than Strain. I definitely understand way more. While it's not a requirement to read this as a follow-up, I highly recommend reading it. It really makes your understand the events that happen in Strain. This book introduces the end of the world that we know and two important people are introduced in the series. Nico & Zach. Oh my goodness just thinking about them has me tearing up. They are such a cute couple, but it takes alot for them to be together.
The beginning of the book was so harsh. Nico is the strongest man I know. Goodness what it went through was basically non-con, but it never stopped him. Nico plays a major part in the Juggernaut story. He had so much guilt on his shoulders, I'm still uncertain how I feel about Major McCloksey. Zach Houtman is the oldest child of Rev.Houtman from book one and Jacob's brother. Just seeing Jacob in this book, I wanted to destroy him again and again. Zach had some hard choices in this book, and I'm happy to see him make some of the unselfish choices ever.
I think the author did a really good job of making these two choices as real as possible. That scene where Nico walked away, I could not stop crying to save my life. I'm so impressed with the story that was told in this book. We saw some of our friends from book one and their story kinda from the beginning. I can't wait to start Bane!
June 7, 2015
Goodreads ate my freaking review but there is one on the blog
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September 29, 2015
Thoroughly enjoyed. Great world building. Off to re read book 1. Looking forward to book 2!
April 6, 2016
3.5 stars.
Having read and enjoyed Strain, I was, however, left with questions. Like, how exactly the Bane virus spread so fast and so far? Why the plans for the Jug troops went so wrong?
Well, Juggernaut answers those questions and many more, in details. I loved that. There was lots of back-story, the descriptions of the world existing before the pandemic. Niko, who was described as a rentboy, but was in reality more like an astute businessman, played quite a big role in administering the Jug project..and regret it he did. I liked Niko, in the end, but for half of the book he came across as too cold, almost robotic.
Zach, the prodigal son of the horrible Reverend from Strain, was even harder to like. Respect for his religion aside, he was annoying with his piety. He and Niko were such a bad match. It was pretty obvious to me by the end of the book.
The heroes meet only at 35% of the book..even though they move fast after that, the romance was still lacking, unconvincing and lacked chemistry. Add to that the lack of HEA (or kinda HFN?), the overall depressing atmosphere and bitterness - and I was left feeling really down by the end.
**ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley.**
Having read and enjoyed Strain, I was, however, left with questions. Like, how exactly the Bane virus spread so fast and so far? Why the plans for the Jug troops went so wrong?
Well, Juggernaut answers those questions and many more, in details. I loved that. There was lots of back-story, the descriptions of the world existing before the pandemic. Niko, who was described as a rentboy, but was in reality more like an astute businessman, played quite a big role in administering the Jug project..and regret it he did. I liked Niko, in the end, but for half of the book he came across as too cold, almost robotic.
Zach, the prodigal son of the horrible Reverend from Strain, was even harder to like. Respect for his religion aside, he was annoying with his piety. He and Niko were such a bad match. It was pretty obvious to me by the end of the book.
The heroes meet only at 35% of the book..even though they move fast after that, the romance was still lacking, unconvincing and lacked chemistry. Add to that the lack of HEA (or kinda HFN?), the overall depressing atmosphere and bitterness - and I was left feeling really down by the end.
**ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley.**
August 18, 2015
All the five stars on Prism Book Alliance®
So lemme tell you a story about this story. Despite my absolute belief in, love of, and immense enjoyment from Strain, I didn’t have automatic immediate buy-in to this story. This is a prequel, telling us how The Rot came to be as played out in book one. I think I enjoyed this story even more because I didn’t experience the insta-love. Why? Because it meant I experienced everything honestly, without a rose colored haze. I had to be convinced. And, boy, was I.
Nico is the son of a very successful business woman and works for her company. He’s a high-priced, highly sought after rent boy for whom family, his job, and his future are the most important things.
Zach is someone who lives his faith every day. The way he treats other people, his ability to see things from their points of view, and his desire to add something to this world that has been turned inside out are the most important things to him.
Unsurprisingly, the first major event is brutal, physically and emotionally. It’s clouded by the active choices the character makes, leading to a true case of dubious consent. The choices are conscious but are they being made with full knowledge of the consequences?
A few chapters in and I was wondering where everything was headed. Having read “Strain”, some of the surprises for the characters aren’t really surprises for the reader. Hints and allusions made in that first book are confirmed in this one. How was this all going to work?
Essentially, the world has gone to hell and beyond because a few individuals decided they had the right to dally with the destruction of every human being, their potential, their love. It all made me angry for Nico. Angry for Zach. And Silvia, Nico’s mama. The devastating unfairness is inescapable.
About a third of the way through, I came to this:
He understood how little he’d lived and how much he’d sacrificed, enslaving himself to his father’s will and ambitions. Now he knew, but it was too late to go back and claim the life he should have had before. Too late for everything.
The fork in the road appears, with life and death forming the opposing paths. The choice is not so clear.
The struggle here is to maintain that fingertip grip on one’s humanity, and what exactly that means, and the means by which to do it. Practically and emotionally, where’s the line? Has it changed? How often does it move? Does it even matter since it’s now reality, and reality is survival? When all of society fails to provide as it once did, determining the boundaries and rules just might kill you, and your heart, before any “revenant” has the chance.
Seriously, this story got me thinking. I know, I know, duh, it’s obvious by all of the questions I’m asking, but still, it made me think. A lot.
At this point, I’d firmly landed on the side of brilliant storytelling. And by this point I mean half way through. What in the world was left to do? To go? To feel?? I couldn’t help the asking but I should have known better.
… as if his nerve endings had just suddenly come to life after years of nothingness.
To say this is emotional… well, the world may be gone, along with most people in it, but an individual’s needs and dreams and doubts and losses are still that, individual. Everything is magnified.
This was one of those reading experiences that sunk its talons in deep, refusing to let go until the very last sentence. All throughout, the breadth of human dignity, and indignity, felt limitless. On the same day a young man suffers the worst imaginable, at the hands of one who forces that worst on the world, he also experiences the ultimate in compassion from someone else, someone willing to stay and witness the aftermath, despite the handwriting on the wall.
I know a lot of this has been rather vague. It was either this or I went on for pages and pages, ruminating and investigating, and giving everything away.
So here’s the sitch as it stands now: having read book one, “Strain”, and the way this story unfolds in the first half, I wasn’t yet convinced this prequel would work. I was wrong. I was oh so completely utterly wrong. Making it all work, of course, is the as close to flawless as flawless can be in the writing, the diverse cast of characters, and the multi-layered metaphor about today’s world embedded all throughout.
For as difficult a read as this is, it’s a must-read.
As for the reading order, I would still recommend reading Strain first, and then this. And then turn right around and read Strain again. That’s what I’m going to do.
So lemme tell you a story about this story. Despite my absolute belief in, love of, and immense enjoyment from Strain, I didn’t have automatic immediate buy-in to this story. This is a prequel, telling us how The Rot came to be as played out in book one. I think I enjoyed this story even more because I didn’t experience the insta-love. Why? Because it meant I experienced everything honestly, without a rose colored haze. I had to be convinced. And, boy, was I.
Nico is the son of a very successful business woman and works for her company. He’s a high-priced, highly sought after rent boy for whom family, his job, and his future are the most important things.
Zach is someone who lives his faith every day. The way he treats other people, his ability to see things from their points of view, and his desire to add something to this world that has been turned inside out are the most important things to him.
Unsurprisingly, the first major event is brutal, physically and emotionally. It’s clouded by the active choices the character makes, leading to a true case of dubious consent. The choices are conscious but are they being made with full knowledge of the consequences?
A few chapters in and I was wondering where everything was headed. Having read “Strain”, some of the surprises for the characters aren’t really surprises for the reader. Hints and allusions made in that first book are confirmed in this one. How was this all going to work?
Essentially, the world has gone to hell and beyond because a few individuals decided they had the right to dally with the destruction of every human being, their potential, their love. It all made me angry for Nico. Angry for Zach. And Silvia, Nico’s mama. The devastating unfairness is inescapable.
About a third of the way through, I came to this:
He understood how little he’d lived and how much he’d sacrificed, enslaving himself to his father’s will and ambitions. Now he knew, but it was too late to go back and claim the life he should have had before. Too late for everything.
The fork in the road appears, with life and death forming the opposing paths. The choice is not so clear.
The struggle here is to maintain that fingertip grip on one’s humanity, and what exactly that means, and the means by which to do it. Practically and emotionally, where’s the line? Has it changed? How often does it move? Does it even matter since it’s now reality, and reality is survival? When all of society fails to provide as it once did, determining the boundaries and rules just might kill you, and your heart, before any “revenant” has the chance.
Seriously, this story got me thinking. I know, I know, duh, it’s obvious by all of the questions I’m asking, but still, it made me think. A lot.
At this point, I’d firmly landed on the side of brilliant storytelling. And by this point I mean half way through. What in the world was left to do? To go? To feel?? I couldn’t help the asking but I should have known better.
… as if his nerve endings had just suddenly come to life after years of nothingness.
To say this is emotional… well, the world may be gone, along with most people in it, but an individual’s needs and dreams and doubts and losses are still that, individual. Everything is magnified.
This was one of those reading experiences that sunk its talons in deep, refusing to let go until the very last sentence. All throughout, the breadth of human dignity, and indignity, felt limitless. On the same day a young man suffers the worst imaginable, at the hands of one who forces that worst on the world, he also experiences the ultimate in compassion from someone else, someone willing to stay and witness the aftermath, despite the handwriting on the wall.
I know a lot of this has been rather vague. It was either this or I went on for pages and pages, ruminating and investigating, and giving everything away.
So here’s the sitch as it stands now: having read book one, “Strain”, and the way this story unfolds in the first half, I wasn’t yet convinced this prequel would work. I was wrong. I was oh so completely utterly wrong. Making it all work, of course, is the as close to flawless as flawless can be in the writing, the diverse cast of characters, and the multi-layered metaphor about today’s world embedded all throughout.
For as difficult a read as this is, it’s a must-read.
As for the reading order, I would still recommend reading Strain first, and then this. And then turn right around and read Strain again. That’s what I’m going to do.
August 12, 2015
Juggernaut is the prequel to Strain. They can both be read as standalone novels but they absolutely need to be read before Bane. I was very impressed with the world that the author created here. Every question I had after reading Strain was answered. Even the fact that zombies were called revenants is given a reason.
If you enjoy the world-has-gone-to-shit-because-of-a-virus theme, you’ll geek out with pleasure with this book. I loved the fact that it wasn’t just a pile of scientific mambo jumbo to set the pace for the stories to come. The main characters, Nico and Zack, get the full treatment in terms of character development. We get their backstories, the societal structure in this future before it became dystopian, and the characters don’t even meet until the 35% mark. Although I kept getting a bit impatient with the romance to get going, I understood perfectly later on why the characters needed so much page time individually in the beginning. The fact is that by the time we get to Bane, we will have known these characters for over a decade of their lives. So, it is absolutely necessary that we know where their fears, motivations, and perspectives originate from.
When these two get together, it's an absolute delight. They meet in a destroyed, hopeless world, with one of them in danger of infecting the other, and yet the desperation with which they come together is thrilling. As a reader, I could feel their need and love, especially considering their circumstances were not ideal. I was gripped by anxiety for the majority of the book, wondering when the shit is really going to hit the fan.
The book explores the concept of racism in a very unique way under a very unique set of circumstances. It is amazing how human nature with all its weakness and selfish motivations is given centre stage in the way the plot twists and turns as the story moves forward. Nico and Zack are major players in their own different ways in how the plot progresses with a very unfortunate but necessary separation at the 70% mark. So, if you’re looking for a HEA or even a HFN, you won’t find it. But, this is only a prequel, and when we do see them again in Bane, they come together in a way that fits with the storyline perfectly.
This story is grim and hard and there’s a ton of violence, sexual and otherwise, in it. I would still absolutely urge all lovers of mm dystopian stories to read this. Don’t hesitate because the romance isn’t number one priority here. It is a riveting story that I couldn’t put down until I finished the entire thing –and it’s a long book!
Highly recommended!
ARC provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
If you enjoy the world-has-gone-to-shit-because-of-a-virus theme, you’ll geek out with pleasure with this book. I loved the fact that it wasn’t just a pile of scientific mambo jumbo to set the pace for the stories to come. The main characters, Nico and Zack, get the full treatment in terms of character development. We get their backstories, the societal structure in this future before it became dystopian, and the characters don’t even meet until the 35% mark. Although I kept getting a bit impatient with the romance to get going, I understood perfectly later on why the characters needed so much page time individually in the beginning. The fact is that by the time we get to Bane, we will have known these characters for over a decade of their lives. So, it is absolutely necessary that we know where their fears, motivations, and perspectives originate from.
When these two get together, it's an absolute delight. They meet in a destroyed, hopeless world, with one of them in danger of infecting the other, and yet the desperation with which they come together is thrilling. As a reader, I could feel their need and love, especially considering their circumstances were not ideal. I was gripped by anxiety for the majority of the book, wondering when the shit is really going to hit the fan.
The book explores the concept of racism in a very unique way under a very unique set of circumstances. It is amazing how human nature with all its weakness and selfish motivations is given centre stage in the way the plot twists and turns as the story moves forward. Nico and Zack are major players in their own different ways in how the plot progresses with a very unfortunate but necessary separation at the 70% mark. So, if you’re looking for a HEA or even a HFN, you won’t find it. But, this is only a prequel, and when we do see them again in Bane, they come together in a way that fits with the storyline perfectly.
This story is grim and hard and there’s a ton of violence, sexual and otherwise, in it. I would still absolutely urge all lovers of mm dystopian stories to read this. Don’t hesitate because the romance isn’t number one priority here. It is a riveting story that I couldn’t put down until I finished the entire thing –and it’s a long book!
Highly recommended!
ARC provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 11, 2015
Well written with really good character development and world building, and a great storyline. Rather than picking up where Strain left off with Darius and Rhys, we start with new characters (Nico and Zach) at the beginning of the world event.
My reasons for slightly "disliking" this installment of the Strain series were personal. While I didn't think much about the religious side story of Zach's family, when it developed as an internalized part of Zach it just irritated me to no end. The other significant piece , which at the very least would have made Nico's life more bearable. It was an act of such selfishness (tied to the religious aspect of the character and story) that I nearly put the book down.
I opened the next in the series, Bane, with real trepidation....
My reasons for slightly "disliking" this installment of the Strain series were personal. While I didn't think much about the religious side story of Zach's family, when it developed as an internalized part of Zach it just irritated me to no end. The other significant piece , which at the very least would have made Nico's life more bearable. It was an act of such selfishness (tied to the religious aspect of the character and story) that I nearly put the book down.
I opened the next in the series, Bane, with real trepidation....
October 1, 2015
Jeez! I didn't think it was possible to fall in love with this Strain Universe more than I already had, but Juggernaut did just that. Fucking per-fect! I can't even... Gah, it's SO GOOD! Amelia, you've got yourself a new fanboy!
March 8, 2017
5 STARS
As far a prequels go Juggernaut is excellent. I'm not overly fond of prequels but this was just exceptional. It's not as gritty and dark as Strain, but it's well worth the time to find out how this dystopian world was really created.
Once again Amelia C. Gormley's excellent writing skills and creativity were what made this book so good.
The one thing I like the most about this book is how all the separate sub-plot were woven together to make for one excellent read. Not only that but the MC's were amazing and so vastly different but just worked together so well. Once again the other very prominent characters were outstanding too.
Triggers for rape but although this book is a lot tamer than Strain it is in no way lacking as another brilliant book for this series
As far a prequels go Juggernaut is excellent. I'm not overly fond of prequels but this was just exceptional. It's not as gritty and dark as Strain, but it's well worth the time to find out how this dystopian world was really created.
Once again Amelia C. Gormley's excellent writing skills and creativity were what made this book so good.
The one thing I like the most about this book is how all the separate sub-plot were woven together to make for one excellent read. Not only that but the MC's were amazing and so vastly different but just worked together so well. Once again the other very prominent characters were outstanding too.
Triggers for rape but although this book is a lot tamer than Strain it is in no way lacking as another brilliant book for this series
September 29, 2015
The book lost steam for me at about the 60% mark. The romance between Nico and Zach was really of secondary importance against the backdrop of revenants and flesh-eating disease and survival in a new world. The exposition at the end of this book was a little... ummm... lazy? I was looking forward to a showdown with Littlewood *snicker* but I guess that's still coming. Moving on to a re-read of a favorite of mine - Strain. Will it still be a favorite a year after my first read?
August 24, 2015
3.5 rounded down. I already know that I like the premise from the first book, so seeing the start of everything was interesting. But I would have enjoyed it a whole lot more if the pacing wasn't so uneven. Plus it ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, so I'm definitely itching for the next instalment.
March 3, 2019
4.5 stars
Warning: Triggers include noncon sadism, emotional and psychological abuse.
I really enjoyed this couple and the struggle they endured not only together, but separately as well. IMO, very well done :)
Warning: Triggers include noncon sadism, emotional and psychological abuse.
I really enjoyed this couple and the struggle they endured not only together, but separately as well. IMO, very well done :)
August 10, 2015
Hello! I reviewed Juggernaut for the blog. You may read it here.
It's not a "happy" book, but it is a great set up for what is to come. If you've not read the first book Strain, it's not necessary as this is a sort of prequel, but you'll probably want to by the end of this one. The third book, Bane, will be coming out shortly and they'll all interconnect into one, hopefully, amazing punch to the throat to all the bad people that even thought of creating a super soldier.
I gave this 3.5 stars... rounding up to 4 here because of reasons. :)
It's not a "happy" book, but it is a great set up for what is to come. If you've not read the first book Strain, it's not necessary as this is a sort of prequel, but you'll probably want to by the end of this one. The third book, Bane, will be coming out shortly and they'll all interconnect into one, hopefully, amazing punch to the throat to all the bad people that even thought of creating a super soldier.
I gave this 3.5 stars... rounding up to 4 here because of reasons. :)
September 13, 2015
This book has renewed my love of zombie books, I'm on the hunt for more now! This is the prequel to Strain, a post-apocalyptic dystopian story about a virus that's killed billions of people. It begins a few months before the virus outbreak and explains how it all happened and who was behind the outbreak. As in the first book, the world building is really detailed and believable, everything is exceptionally well thought out and it had me on the edge of my seat the entire way through. I'm glad I don't have too long to wait until Bane.
April 18, 2024
DNF @ 71%
I just couldn’t take it anymore. The MCs had NO chemistry and were so completely bland I don’t even know how I made it past the 50% mark.
Although this book had a lot of themes that I liked (end of world catastrophe , religious mc/ sex worker mc, and it being a completed series) this was absolutely horrendous.
I thought I would have gotten over my dislike, I was waiting for something MORE, but I just couldn’t hold out. I even skipped to the end and was glad I did because it wouldn’t have been worth it.
Despite the very drastically different livelihoods that each main character came with, you would think that there would be a lot more evolution, growth, and conflict in their interactions before love declarations were made, and sex was had, however, That didn’t happen.
The main character’s seemed so incredibly unbalanced that they almost read as caricatures of their professions. And you mix that altogether and what you get it’s a poorly written dystopian novel of two main characters who just happened to come together and fuck.
I just couldn’t take it anymore. The MCs had NO chemistry and were so completely bland I don’t even know how I made it past the 50% mark.
Although this book had a lot of themes that I liked (end of world catastrophe , religious mc/ sex worker mc, and it being a completed series) this was absolutely horrendous.
I thought I would have gotten over my dislike, I was waiting for something MORE, but I just couldn’t hold out. I even skipped to the end and was glad I did because it wouldn’t have been worth it.
Despite the very drastically different livelihoods that each main character came with, you would think that there would be a lot more evolution, growth, and conflict in their interactions before love declarations were made, and sex was had, however, That didn’t happen.
The main character’s seemed so incredibly unbalanced that they almost read as caricatures of their professions. And you mix that altogether and what you get it’s a poorly written dystopian novel of two main characters who just happened to come together and fuck.
October 29, 2015
4.75 stars
I love zombie-ish tales. This one was awesome. It totally kept my full attention the entire time. Most zompoc stories that I've read seem to pick up after the world has went down the toilet leaving a few survivors fighting for their lives. This book is about the outbreak. It's an inside look at the government designed virus. The reader gets to witness how the world was shaped, how the top military official, the psychotic mark, the religious fanatic and the rent boy played their parts.
The storyline follows Nico. He is one of the top male sex workers of time. The reader learns what's going on as Nico learns. This book is filled with political, social, economical, racial, moral and spiritual issues as well as death and the fight for survival of the human race. Underlying everything is the star-crossed romance between two young men.
Juggernaut was my first read of this series, but it has me hooked. I recommend it for sure.
August 23, 2015
Absolutely phenomenal prequel to Strain and an absolute must read in the wonderful apocalyptic universe Ms. Gormley has created.
Well crafted, flawlessly executed, well developed characters in a not too far, insane future. We get the gritty on how this all came about and the intricacies of it all. We experience, in delicious detail, the all too real world of the future before the inevitable apocalypse due to our incredible greed. The cause of all wars boils down to greed.
Our two MCs, Zach and Nico, I can't help but connecting with them in some instinctual way. The world smart Nico so kick ass. The ingenue to the ways of the world, Zach, with a deep down heart of gold. The cruel Secretary Littlefoot very well written and the power hungry General McClosky who allows himself to show some shred of humanity and feelings.
The ending of Strain meshes so well with the first book, Strain, and sets the stage for the next one.
I love this all too possible apocalyptic series and I am so looking forward to the next installment: Bane.
Well crafted, flawlessly executed, well developed characters in a not too far, insane future. We get the gritty on how this all came about and the intricacies of it all. We experience, in delicious detail, the all too real world of the future before the inevitable apocalypse due to our incredible greed. The cause of all wars boils down to greed.
Our two MCs, Zach and Nico, I can't help but connecting with them in some instinctual way. The world smart Nico so kick ass. The ingenue to the ways of the world, Zach, with a deep down heart of gold. The cruel Secretary Littlefoot very well written and the power hungry General McClosky who allows himself to show some shred of humanity and feelings.
The ending of Strain meshes so well with the first book, Strain, and sets the stage for the next one.
I love this all too possible apocalyptic series and I am so looking forward to the next installment: Bane.
July 29, 2017
4.5 amazing stars
It took a little while to get into the story as we start off before the Bane outbreak. I felt so bad for Zack having to deal with his zealot father and brother. Thankfully Nico comes across his home...but he's already infected with the alpha strain and has become a Jug.
They set off to find the only human safe-zone and end up in a struggle for their lives. The end is a little disappointing and there's no real HEA.
I look forward to reading the conclusion Bane to see if Zach and Nico are finally able to reunite.
It took a little while to get into the story as we start off before the Bane outbreak. I felt so bad for Zack having to deal with his zealot father and brother. Thankfully Nico comes across his home...but he's already infected with the alpha strain and has become a Jug.
They set off to find the only human safe-zone and end up in a struggle for their lives. The end is a little disappointing and there's no real HEA.
I look forward to reading the conclusion Bane to see if Zach and Nico are finally able to reunite.
October 11, 2015
I've been thinking about how to rate this for a few days now, but I'm still having a hard time doing it.
Strain was one of the biggest surprises and highlights for me last year. I went in without any expectations and it seriously blew me away with how spectacular it was. I loved the deliciously wrong fuck-or-die scenario, I loved Darius and Rhys as a couple, I loved the sheer fucked-up-ness of the whole world described in this book. It was something different, something new, something daring and I wanted more!
So, I started reading Juggernaut with a set of expectations on the extreme opposite end of the spectrum: there were a lot and they were high!
Even knowing that it was a prequel, I expected something even darker and grittier than Strain, something that would shock me again. I was looking forward to a world completely going to shit and another twisted couple including a rentboy (yay!) I could fall for.
Now THAT, what Nico tells Zach in one of the hotter moments of the book, was what I was preparing myself to do. Forget about wrong or right and just enjoy the ride.
But, and here comes the big BUT for me: Apart from a few scenes, this wasn't very dark at all and nothing really surprised me or took me even close to the edge of my comfort zone.
Can one critiscise that a book wasn't cruel enough? Wasn't wrong enough? Was too nice to its characters and didn't let them suffer enough? I guess something must be wrong with me, but that's excactly how I felt about Juggernaut. The world just wasn't fucked up enough.
(I could stop writing here, because I think that sums up my feelings pretty accurately, but I'll try to explain myself a bit better, including some minor spoilers concerning the structure of the plot)
Instead the first third was a veeeeery sloooow paced explanation of how it all went down, during which Nico and Zach don't even meet. There was lots of telling about all the poor people and the bad things happening out there, lots of waiting around, lots of praying (Zach), lots of vomiting when hearing about all those people dying (Nico). During all this, I constantly felt that there wasn't that much new information that we hadn't already gotten in Strain and was mostly waiting for Nico and Zach to get out of their secluded bubbles and into the middle of all this madness, so it wouldn't feel so distant anymore.
When Nico and Zach ultimately did meet, it was more praying from Zach, some entertaining flirting from Nico (finally!), some thoughts on whether religious people can or cannot be with not religious people, more waiting after a far too short trip across the country while struggling with danger and new discoveries (I would have liked to see more of that), very few tingling moments and even less sex. After all this glorious kinkiness in Strain, I'm sorry, I was a bit disappointed, especially because of the latter.
The last third finally got some stronger emotions out of me, there were some old acquaintances from Strain that I liked meeting up with, some suspense and character challenging developments. Unfortunately sometimes I felt like I'd accidentally stumbled into a not-so-subtle should-uninfected-people-be-with-infected-people-Debate during all the fights and action.
Don't get me wrong here. Juggernaut was far from being a bad read. I guess it all comes back to expectations. After the kick-ass-reading-experience that was Strain, I was simply looking for something really different, had higher hopes, and definitely didn't expect the book being so comparatively tame in every sense of the word.
But I'm definitely going to read Bane, and I'm so looking forward to spending some time with Rhys and Darius again. But I'm also a bit afraid now of where this is all going to end...
Strain was one of the biggest surprises and highlights for me last year. I went in without any expectations and it seriously blew me away with how spectacular it was. I loved the deliciously wrong fuck-or-die scenario, I loved Darius and Rhys as a couple, I loved the sheer fucked-up-ness of the whole world described in this book. It was something different, something new, something daring and I wanted more!
So, I started reading Juggernaut with a set of expectations on the extreme opposite end of the spectrum: there were a lot and they were high!
Even knowing that it was a prequel, I expected something even darker and grittier than Strain, something that would shock me again. I was looking forward to a world completely going to shit and another twisted couple including a rentboy (yay!) I could fall for.
"Leave anything you've been taught at the door. Just let me know what you don't like, let me know when you want more of what you do, and I'll do the same. Forget about what's appropriate, or sinful, or what anyone ever said you should want or do."
Now THAT, what Nico tells Zach in one of the hotter moments of the book, was what I was preparing myself to do. Forget about wrong or right and just enjoy the ride.
But, and here comes the big BUT for me: Apart from a few scenes, this wasn't very dark at all and nothing really surprised me or took me even close to the edge of my comfort zone.
Can one critiscise that a book wasn't cruel enough? Wasn't wrong enough? Was too nice to its characters and didn't let them suffer enough? I guess something must be wrong with me, but that's excactly how I felt about Juggernaut. The world just wasn't fucked up enough.
(I could stop writing here, because I think that sums up my feelings pretty accurately, but I'll try to explain myself a bit better, including some minor spoilers concerning the structure of the plot)
Instead the first third was a veeeeery sloooow paced explanation of how it all went down, during which Nico and Zach don't even meet. There was lots of telling about all the poor people and the bad things happening out there, lots of waiting around, lots of praying (Zach), lots of vomiting when hearing about all those people dying (Nico). During all this, I constantly felt that there wasn't that much new information that we hadn't already gotten in Strain and was mostly waiting for Nico and Zach to get out of their secluded bubbles and into the middle of all this madness, so it wouldn't feel so distant anymore.
When Nico and Zach ultimately did meet, it was more praying from Zach, some entertaining flirting from Nico (finally!), some thoughts on whether religious people can or cannot be with not religious people, more waiting after a far too short trip across the country while struggling with danger and new discoveries (I would have liked to see more of that), very few tingling moments and even less sex. After all this glorious kinkiness in Strain, I'm sorry, I was a bit disappointed, especially because of the latter.
The last third finally got some stronger emotions out of me, there were some old acquaintances from Strain that I liked meeting up with, some suspense and character challenging developments. Unfortunately sometimes I felt like I'd accidentally stumbled into a not-so-subtle should-uninfected-people-be-with-infected-people-Debate during all the fights and action.
Don't get me wrong here. Juggernaut was far from being a bad read. I guess it all comes back to expectations. After the kick-ass-reading-experience that was Strain, I was simply looking for something really different, had higher hopes, and definitely didn't expect the book being so comparatively tame in every sense of the word.
But I'm definitely going to read Bane, and I'm so looking forward to spending some time with Rhys and Darius again. But I'm also a bit afraid now of where this is all going to end...
May 18, 2018
Review @Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words
It’s no secret that I have a thing for dark, creepy and apocalyptic books. Juggernaut promised all that and more. And I’m happy to say that I was not disappointed in the least. In fact, I absolutely loved this book. It was brilliant.
I liked Nico from the start. He’s not the kind of poor, helpless rentboy in desperate need of a saviour we usually see in this genre. He’s in the business out of his own free will and he knows how to defend himself when the need arises.
At first, I was a bit concerned about whether I’d like Zach. I’m an atheist and I tend to dislike very religious characters in my books. I just find it very hard to relate to somebody whose main purpose in life seems to be in their faith. But Zach was a pleasant surprise. While his faith is very important to him, it’s not his defining character trait. He never judges people based on their faith or lack thereof. He never tries to play missionary. He just quietly tries to help in whichever way he can. If somebody finds solace in praying together, he’s happy to do so. If somebody doesn’t want to pray, then that’s fine too. I really liked his approach to religion.
Many m/m books that deal with religion in one way or another tend to portray it negatively: Bigots, zealots and generally unpleasant people. “Juggernaut” had both the negative example (Zach’s father is a real jerk) and positively (Zach’s approach is very tolerant). It was very interesting to see the conflict between Zach and his father and their different ideas of what being a good Christian means. It made for an interesting subplot.
The main plot focuses on survival. At times, it gets pretty violent and a bit gory. The tone is very dark. This is not a happy story, at all. The story is incredibly addicting and it was next to impossible to put the book down. There’s lots of action, but the romance is rather slow to unfold. Personally, I liked that. And it fit the circumstances. Zach led a very sheltered life so far and there’s just so much else going on in the lives of our MCs, there just isn’t all that much time for them to develop really romantic feelings for each other.
Nico is a Latino and he’s very conscious of what that means. So racism and inequality added another interesting layer to the plot.
The ending is rather open, but again, that just fit the whole story. I really want to know what happens next. In Nico’s and Zach’s lives and in the entire world.
Long story short, “Juggernaut” is utterly brilliant. If you like dark, apocalyptic stories with a bit of romance thrown in, then this book is a must.
I really like the cover. It’s delightfully dark and violent and fits the mood of the book perfectly.
It’s no secret that I have a thing for dark, creepy and apocalyptic books. Juggernaut promised all that and more. And I’m happy to say that I was not disappointed in the least. In fact, I absolutely loved this book. It was brilliant.
I liked Nico from the start. He’s not the kind of poor, helpless rentboy in desperate need of a saviour we usually see in this genre. He’s in the business out of his own free will and he knows how to defend himself when the need arises.
At first, I was a bit concerned about whether I’d like Zach. I’m an atheist and I tend to dislike very religious characters in my books. I just find it very hard to relate to somebody whose main purpose in life seems to be in their faith. But Zach was a pleasant surprise. While his faith is very important to him, it’s not his defining character trait. He never judges people based on their faith or lack thereof. He never tries to play missionary. He just quietly tries to help in whichever way he can. If somebody finds solace in praying together, he’s happy to do so. If somebody doesn’t want to pray, then that’s fine too. I really liked his approach to religion.
Many m/m books that deal with religion in one way or another tend to portray it negatively: Bigots, zealots and generally unpleasant people. “Juggernaut” had both the negative example (Zach’s father is a real jerk) and positively (Zach’s approach is very tolerant). It was very interesting to see the conflict between Zach and his father and their different ideas of what being a good Christian means. It made for an interesting subplot.
The main plot focuses on survival. At times, it gets pretty violent and a bit gory. The tone is very dark. This is not a happy story, at all. The story is incredibly addicting and it was next to impossible to put the book down. There’s lots of action, but the romance is rather slow to unfold. Personally, I liked that. And it fit the circumstances. Zach led a very sheltered life so far and there’s just so much else going on in the lives of our MCs, there just isn’t all that much time for them to develop really romantic feelings for each other.
Nico is a Latino and he’s very conscious of what that means. So racism and inequality added another interesting layer to the plot.
The ending is rather open, but again, that just fit the whole story. I really want to know what happens next. In Nico’s and Zach’s lives and in the entire world.
Long story short, “Juggernaut” is utterly brilliant. If you like dark, apocalyptic stories with a bit of romance thrown in, then this book is a must.
I really like the cover. It’s delightfully dark and violent and fits the mood of the book perfectly.
March 10, 2016
So interesting! It's an apocalypse. I loved it and can't wait to read the follow up.
This book is a prequel to Strain. It takes place years before and explains how the virus began.
Amelia's idea and development of this story just astounds me. Biowarfare gone horrifically wrong. And now the world has been thrown into an apocalyptic state. The virus has mutated and now exists in three separate strains, two of them horrifically fatal. Supplies are limited and rationed. Marshall-law has been implemented. People have been quarantined if they have survived. Humanity has become endangered.
And Nico and Zach, one infected with the original strain and one uninfected have been thrown together to survive.
They make it to the refugee camp in Colorado, but because of his infected state, Nico knows he’ll never make it past quarantine to the Clean Zone. Every day he stays with Zach, he's putting him in danger. So with a breaking heart, he walks away and leaves him in quarantine. OMG! I almost cried at that scene. It was so heartbreaking!
After almost a year, Nico returns with the rest of the Juggernauts to overthrow the government that caused all the trouble in the first place. But when the government tries to retaliate against the Jugs and several get injured, Nico’s fears return. Once again, with a heavy heart, Nico walks away from Zach, leaving him safe in the Clean Zone.
This is most definitely not a HEA or a HFN but without revealing the spoiler (which you already know if you've read Strain) you are given a morsel of hope that Nico and Zach can overcome the issues keeping them apart.
There is so much more to this story than just a romance. The sci-fi element plays a huge role in this story and if you love sci-fi, then this book and the series will be a very entertaining read. I stayed on the edge of my seat. The fear and hopelessness of their future consumed me at times. But I was thankful for that little spark of hope at the end that things would get better.
An ARC of this book was provided via NetGalley by the publisher for an honest review.
This book is a prequel to Strain. It takes place years before and explains how the virus began.
Amelia's idea and development of this story just astounds me. Biowarfare gone horrifically wrong. And now the world has been thrown into an apocalyptic state. The virus has mutated and now exists in three separate strains, two of them horrifically fatal. Supplies are limited and rationed. Marshall-law has been implemented. People have been quarantined if they have survived. Humanity has become endangered.
And Nico and Zach, one infected with the original strain and one uninfected have been thrown together to survive.
They make it to the refugee camp in Colorado, but because of his infected state, Nico knows he’ll never make it past quarantine to the Clean Zone. Every day he stays with Zach, he's putting him in danger. So with a breaking heart, he walks away and leaves him in quarantine. OMG! I almost cried at that scene. It was so heartbreaking!
After almost a year, Nico returns with the rest of the Juggernauts to overthrow the government that caused all the trouble in the first place. But when the government tries to retaliate against the Jugs and several get injured, Nico’s fears return. Once again, with a heavy heart, Nico walks away from Zach, leaving him safe in the Clean Zone.
This is most definitely not a HEA or a HFN but without revealing the spoiler (which you already know if you've read Strain) you are given a morsel of hope that Nico and Zach can overcome the issues keeping them apart.
There is so much more to this story than just a romance. The sci-fi element plays a huge role in this story and if you love sci-fi, then this book and the series will be a very entertaining read. I stayed on the edge of my seat. The fear and hopelessness of their future consumed me at times. But I was thankful for that little spark of hope at the end that things would get better.
An ARC of this book was provided via NetGalley by the publisher for an honest review.
February 11, 2025
The romance in this is lacking. Let’s just get that clear right off the bat. The characters don’t meet until about 30% and then pretty quickly are hooking up and acting all couple-y. It’s also pretty vanilla which I understand is quite different from book 2. It’s just not that well developed imo BUT I love a dystopian survival book and this was soooooo interesting! Esp with our now superhuman MC being a former rentboy and our “civvie” MC being a corrupt pastor’s son.
I loved watching the whole shitty world fall apart and Nico constantly wanting to leave Zach for his own safety was both infuriating and so loving.
I’m so keen to keep reading the series to find out what happens next!
I loved watching the whole shitty world fall apart and Nico constantly wanting to leave Zach for his own safety was both infuriating and so loving.
I’m so keen to keep reading the series to find out what happens next!
March 16, 2020
This book exceeded all my expectations. It was full of action and the love story was to die for. I especially loved the way the author used the discrimination of the Jugs to emulate racism in real life. And considering that the Juggernauts were people of color made the comparison all the more meaningful. This wasn't just another apocalyptic novel with gratious gay sex and no plot; it was an incredible story that dealt with real life issues in a dystopian world. I cannot recommend this book enough. It might just be one of my new favorites of the year.
July 21, 2015
This is the "prequel" book to STRAIN, a post-apocalyptic dystopian future story about survivors of a virus that killed billions. In Juggernaut we see the world before and immediately after the viral outbreak. If you have read STRAIN (published a year ago), there are no spoilers below. If you haven't, well, I don't think I give away more than the blurb will tell you....
This story is set approximately 100 years into the future, when long military campaigns had decimated the recruitment of soldiers. In this brave new world, wealth is highly concentrated, and poverty is likewise concentrated--in corporate-owned slums. The ways out are not plentiful, but soldiers could get their families out, and people could take up prostitution, legally, if they worked for a corporate brothel. Education was only for the wealthy, because who else could afford to download their digital lessons?
Nico is a rentboy in a special place--his mother broke away from her corporate brothel and opened a boutique business in providing educated, charming companions to the upper echelon of society. He has all the advantages of his courtesan education, including the regular clientele of Gen McClosky. Nico steps in and accepts a job for McClosky to 'entertain' a high ranking advisor: Secretary Littlewood. The night goes according to Littlewood's sadistic plan, leaving Nico wrecked--and especially so when he learns what his efforts enabled: green lighting Project Juggernaut, infection of several army battalions with the Bane Alpha virus to give them super strength, super agility, advanced stamina and healing power--but also turning their blood into a chemical weapon. When cut, any non-Alpha immune person would contract Bane Beta and become violently ill with a terrible flu. Only, something goes epically wrong. (PS, this is not a spoiler if you have read STRAIN)
Zack Houtmann is a former divinity student working on his father's, Reverend Maurice Houtmann, political campaign, and he's not happy about it. He struggles with the anti-homosexuality message being touted by his father and also the lack of compassion he sees displayed by his father and younger brother, Jacob. It's not a small thing that Zack seemingly overhears plans of a terrorist hate-crime to coincide with his father's campaign kick-off. As the virus is unleashed on American soil, Zack is forced to hole up with his increasingly paranoid and zealous father and Jacob.
Nico is saved from the virus by the guilty hand of Gen McClosky--who also sets Nico on his way once the worst of the outbreak has happened. Nico and Zack cross paths in America's crossroads--Indiana, en route to the survivors' camp in Colorado Springs. Getting there is quite the battle, but surviving quarantine and staying is even more dangerous.
This is a fantastic post-apocalyptic story with great characterization and incredibly well-crafted plot tie-ins to STRAIN. We meet the Jugs (infected soldiers) and witness the crippling issues of starting society over. Zack and Nico develop a love story, but it is one of mutual self-sacrifice. Expect more bitter than sweet in this book, and expect to immediately want to jump into STRAIN if you have not read it--or BANE, STRAIN's sequel--if you have. The book has the typical zombie-like menace, marauding revenants who are just as deadly as the Jug's toxic blood, but it is the uninfected humans who provide more terror. Their justifiable paranoia leads to inhumane action--it's a cruel, cruel world for real.
I couldn't stop reading this book. Just excellent.
This story is set approximately 100 years into the future, when long military campaigns had decimated the recruitment of soldiers. In this brave new world, wealth is highly concentrated, and poverty is likewise concentrated--in corporate-owned slums. The ways out are not plentiful, but soldiers could get their families out, and people could take up prostitution, legally, if they worked for a corporate brothel. Education was only for the wealthy, because who else could afford to download their digital lessons?
Nico is a rentboy in a special place--his mother broke away from her corporate brothel and opened a boutique business in providing educated, charming companions to the upper echelon of society. He has all the advantages of his courtesan education, including the regular clientele of Gen McClosky. Nico steps in and accepts a job for McClosky to 'entertain' a high ranking advisor: Secretary Littlewood. The night goes according to Littlewood's sadistic plan, leaving Nico wrecked--and especially so when he learns what his efforts enabled: green lighting Project Juggernaut, infection of several army battalions with the Bane Alpha virus to give them super strength, super agility, advanced stamina and healing power--but also turning their blood into a chemical weapon. When cut, any non-Alpha immune person would contract Bane Beta and become violently ill with a terrible flu. Only, something goes epically wrong. (PS, this is not a spoiler if you have read STRAIN)
Zack Houtmann is a former divinity student working on his father's, Reverend Maurice Houtmann, political campaign, and he's not happy about it. He struggles with the anti-homosexuality message being touted by his father and also the lack of compassion he sees displayed by his father and younger brother, Jacob. It's not a small thing that Zack seemingly overhears plans of a terrorist hate-crime to coincide with his father's campaign kick-off. As the virus is unleashed on American soil, Zack is forced to hole up with his increasingly paranoid and zealous father and Jacob.
Nico is saved from the virus by the guilty hand of Gen McClosky--who also sets Nico on his way once the worst of the outbreak has happened. Nico and Zack cross paths in America's crossroads--Indiana, en route to the survivors' camp in Colorado Springs. Getting there is quite the battle, but surviving quarantine and staying is even more dangerous.
This is a fantastic post-apocalyptic story with great characterization and incredibly well-crafted plot tie-ins to STRAIN. We meet the Jugs (infected soldiers) and witness the crippling issues of starting society over. Zack and Nico develop a love story, but it is one of mutual self-sacrifice. Expect more bitter than sweet in this book, and expect to immediately want to jump into STRAIN if you have not read it--or BANE, STRAIN's sequel--if you have. The book has the typical zombie-like menace, marauding revenants who are just as deadly as the Jug's toxic blood, but it is the uninfected humans who provide more terror. Their justifiable paranoia leads to inhumane action--it's a cruel, cruel world for real.
I couldn't stop reading this book. Just excellent.
April 15, 2023
My 500th book, yay!
I read Strain before and, back then, hadn’t known it was part of a series of three books. From what I understand, each of the instalments can be read as a standalone novel. Be that as it may, I still wanted to both reread Strain and familiarise myself with the entire series in chronological order, so Juggernaut was a no-brainer. And—I loved it. Not as much as Strain, but I still think it’s a great novel.
Juggernaut takes us back to the very beginning of the Bane pandemic and explains how the outbreak occurred in the first place. It follows two very different, but equally fleshed-out leads—Nico and Zach.
Nico is an escort whose favourite client is the high-ranking General McClosky, one of the brains behind the Bane virus. Zach is an idealistic young man who reluctantly helps his father’s campaign and political aspirations, his father being the odious Reverend Maurice. We’re taken back to the days before the plague and shown how these two young men unwittingly contributed to Project Juggernaut getting greenlit.
Once the virus is unleashed, it devastates Earth’s population and leads to the creation of the revenants—mindless, zombielike creatures that can no longer tell friend from foe. A long period of seclusion follows, as both Nico and Zach remain isolated from the world so as to avoid contagion.
Nico is the first to exit isolation. He sets out to find his mother, and find her he does, only to realise it is too late. She has already contracted the virus and is slowly morphing into a mindless zombie. Once her transformation is complete, she attacks Nico, causing their car to crash. Unable to kill his mother, Nico flees the crash site and takes refuge in a shed before the house that belongs to Reverend Maurice. There, he starts getting to know Zach.
Zach has grown disillusioned with Maurice’s version of Christianity and his abuse, so he decides to leave his father and his brother Jacob behind. Together with Nico, who has now fully been infected with the Alpha strain and gained considerable strength and stamina, Zach heads to the Clean Zone, a place where survivors go through a period of quarantine before they’re given accommodation and a chance to resume as normal a life as possible under the circumstances.
Now, this is a really strong narrative. It’s a love story set against the backdrop of apocalyptic devastation. There is a strange, though oddly pleasing, mix of science fiction, religion, sexuality and moral ambiguity.
The biggest problems for me were pacing and structure. The events of Juggernaut span several years. In and of itself, that isn’t an issue, but in this case, it impacts the story in weird ways. For instance, a year passes between the beginning of the book and the outbreak. Then roughly another six months pass before Zach and Nico meet. They spend all of three months together before they’re separated. Months later, they briefly meet again, only to get separated yet again for at least four years. I know their story threads will get picked up again in the third instalment, but looking at this single book in isolation, it just doesn’t work.
Another pacing-related issue pertains to this whole end-of-the-world business. One of the things I liked most about Strain is that it takes place years into the pandemic. It is an out-and-out post-apocalyptic novel and can thus faithfully illustrate a world that’s already gone to shit. It makes it more realistic, since it’s easy to believe that certain occurrences already happened and were already dealt with over the preceding ten years.
Juggernaut, on the other hand, tries to cram in too much stuff. It shows us the pre-apocalypse society and the outbreak and the crumbling of civilisation and the fight for survival and the establishment of uninfected zones and the military dictatorship and the Jugs’ overthrow of said dictatorship and, on top of everything else, a love story. It wants to be too much all at once.
I wouldn’t have a problem with this if Juggernaut were a fifteen-hundred-page novel. Since it isn’t, the events featured in it feel rushed and somewhat underdeveloped. Nico and Zach’s relationship doesn’t have the gravitas it should. They barely get time to interact with and develop feelings for one another, whereas Zach’s religious and sexual revolution is so sudden that it doesn’t feel earned.
All right, that’s quite enough of that. Time to move on to the things I liked about this book.
Number one would have to be the characters. I absolutely adore Nico. He hits every single note—vulnerability, strength, grief, regret, longing, you name it. He is so believably flawed and human that you couldn’t ask for a better lead.
Being a staunch atheist, I was surprised to find I didn’t mind Zach, despite his all-too-frequent religious talk. I think that’s mostly because Gormley made sure he’s so likeable and open-minded that not even atheistic readers can have an issue with him. He is idealistic, soft-spoken, mild-mannered, optimistic and all-around pleasant to be around. In other words, if Zach were real, you’d want to be friends with him. His patience, quiet bravery and look-on-the-bright-side demeanour perfectly complement Nico’s jaded, world-weary outlook.
From what I gathered, Gormley is passionate about social issues and that passion shines through in her works. For those of us who like our smut with a side of social commentary, her works are a treat. Nowhere does the author’s passion leap off the page more than in the discussions surrounding Nico’s career.
Nico is a sex worker, a professional escort who provides his clients with both carnal pleasure and witty banter for intimate dinners and social events. The man can do everything, he’s like a geisha. However, his profession isn’t presented as tragic or traumatic. Nico wasn’t abused or victimised or tricked into joining sex slavery. He became an escort of his own free will and is fully aware of both the pros and the cons of his chosen career path. It’s a great case study in favour of decriminalising sex work that portrays sex as entirely natural and healthy and sex workers as intelligent, healthy people.
Apropos of this, I’d like to just briefly touch on Nico’s relationship with General McClosky. The general is old enough to be Nico’s father and the age gap does colour their friendship in many ways. In fact, theirs is one of the most unique relationships I’ve seen in fiction, since Nico has both a daddy-kink, low-key infatuation with the General and an appreciation of the older man’s paternal affection. I didn’t expect to love their dynamic, but I do. Also loved their hate fuck after Nico finds out the man he looked up to is responsible for unleashing the virus.
Even though I’m not a fan of the somewhat rushed pacing and weird structure, I do greatly appreciate that the author took the time to flesh out the Clean Zone happenings. It would’ve been all too easy to write, “And then the survivors gathered in the uninfected area and everybody lived happily ever after.”
Instead, Gormley treats us to a complex political situation, chockfull of unexpected twists and turns. The military government is good because it gave survivors a place to stay. But wait! The military government is bad because it starves the survivors. But wait! Some of the survivors are in cahoots with the corrupted guards. But wait! Other survivors are fighting back against them. But wait! The displeased Jugs are on their way to free the people. But wait! Then the people turn on the Jugs, who have helped them out so much, out of fear and prejudice. But wait! Some of the Jugs go rogue and start enslaving the uninfected civilians. But wait!
On and on it goes like that, to the point where it becomes almost too complex and convoluted. It’s messy as all hell, but that messiness is all too relatable and true to life. There are different factions and factions within factions and even factions within factions within factions. Everybody has different goals, ideas and means, so no situation—fictional or not—can ever be entirely resolved. The loose ends aren’t tied up in a neat little bow. The individual and corporate struggles continue.
So, needless to say, I love it! And, needless to say, I can’t wait to dive back into Strain now and, later on, see how the story concludes in Bane.
I read Strain before and, back then, hadn’t known it was part of a series of three books. From what I understand, each of the instalments can be read as a standalone novel. Be that as it may, I still wanted to both reread Strain and familiarise myself with the entire series in chronological order, so Juggernaut was a no-brainer. And—I loved it. Not as much as Strain, but I still think it’s a great novel.
Juggernaut takes us back to the very beginning of the Bane pandemic and explains how the outbreak occurred in the first place. It follows two very different, but equally fleshed-out leads—Nico and Zach.
Nico is an escort whose favourite client is the high-ranking General McClosky, one of the brains behind the Bane virus. Zach is an idealistic young man who reluctantly helps his father’s campaign and political aspirations, his father being the odious Reverend Maurice. We’re taken back to the days before the plague and shown how these two young men unwittingly contributed to Project Juggernaut getting greenlit.
Once the virus is unleashed, it devastates Earth’s population and leads to the creation of the revenants—mindless, zombielike creatures that can no longer tell friend from foe. A long period of seclusion follows, as both Nico and Zach remain isolated from the world so as to avoid contagion.
Nico is the first to exit isolation. He sets out to find his mother, and find her he does, only to realise it is too late. She has already contracted the virus and is slowly morphing into a mindless zombie. Once her transformation is complete, she attacks Nico, causing their car to crash. Unable to kill his mother, Nico flees the crash site and takes refuge in a shed before the house that belongs to Reverend Maurice. There, he starts getting to know Zach.
Zach has grown disillusioned with Maurice’s version of Christianity and his abuse, so he decides to leave his father and his brother Jacob behind. Together with Nico, who has now fully been infected with the Alpha strain and gained considerable strength and stamina, Zach heads to the Clean Zone, a place where survivors go through a period of quarantine before they’re given accommodation and a chance to resume as normal a life as possible under the circumstances.
Now, this is a really strong narrative. It’s a love story set against the backdrop of apocalyptic devastation. There is a strange, though oddly pleasing, mix of science fiction, religion, sexuality and moral ambiguity.
The biggest problems for me were pacing and structure. The events of Juggernaut span several years. In and of itself, that isn’t an issue, but in this case, it impacts the story in weird ways. For instance, a year passes between the beginning of the book and the outbreak. Then roughly another six months pass before Zach and Nico meet. They spend all of three months together before they’re separated. Months later, they briefly meet again, only to get separated yet again for at least four years. I know their story threads will get picked up again in the third instalment, but looking at this single book in isolation, it just doesn’t work.
Another pacing-related issue pertains to this whole end-of-the-world business. One of the things I liked most about Strain is that it takes place years into the pandemic. It is an out-and-out post-apocalyptic novel and can thus faithfully illustrate a world that’s already gone to shit. It makes it more realistic, since it’s easy to believe that certain occurrences already happened and were already dealt with over the preceding ten years.
Juggernaut, on the other hand, tries to cram in too much stuff. It shows us the pre-apocalypse society and the outbreak and the crumbling of civilisation and the fight for survival and the establishment of uninfected zones and the military dictatorship and the Jugs’ overthrow of said dictatorship and, on top of everything else, a love story. It wants to be too much all at once.
I wouldn’t have a problem with this if Juggernaut were a fifteen-hundred-page novel. Since it isn’t, the events featured in it feel rushed and somewhat underdeveloped. Nico and Zach’s relationship doesn’t have the gravitas it should. They barely get time to interact with and develop feelings for one another, whereas Zach’s religious and sexual revolution is so sudden that it doesn’t feel earned.
All right, that’s quite enough of that. Time to move on to the things I liked about this book.
Number one would have to be the characters. I absolutely adore Nico. He hits every single note—vulnerability, strength, grief, regret, longing, you name it. He is so believably flawed and human that you couldn’t ask for a better lead.
Being a staunch atheist, I was surprised to find I didn’t mind Zach, despite his all-too-frequent religious talk. I think that’s mostly because Gormley made sure he’s so likeable and open-minded that not even atheistic readers can have an issue with him. He is idealistic, soft-spoken, mild-mannered, optimistic and all-around pleasant to be around. In other words, if Zach were real, you’d want to be friends with him. His patience, quiet bravery and look-on-the-bright-side demeanour perfectly complement Nico’s jaded, world-weary outlook.
From what I gathered, Gormley is passionate about social issues and that passion shines through in her works. For those of us who like our smut with a side of social commentary, her works are a treat. Nowhere does the author’s passion leap off the page more than in the discussions surrounding Nico’s career.
Nico is a sex worker, a professional escort who provides his clients with both carnal pleasure and witty banter for intimate dinners and social events. The man can do everything, he’s like a geisha. However, his profession isn’t presented as tragic or traumatic. Nico wasn’t abused or victimised or tricked into joining sex slavery. He became an escort of his own free will and is fully aware of both the pros and the cons of his chosen career path. It’s a great case study in favour of decriminalising sex work that portrays sex as entirely natural and healthy and sex workers as intelligent, healthy people.
Apropos of this, I’d like to just briefly touch on Nico’s relationship with General McClosky. The general is old enough to be Nico’s father and the age gap does colour their friendship in many ways. In fact, theirs is one of the most unique relationships I’ve seen in fiction, since Nico has both a daddy-kink, low-key infatuation with the General and an appreciation of the older man’s paternal affection. I didn’t expect to love their dynamic, but I do. Also loved their hate fuck after Nico finds out the man he looked up to is responsible for unleashing the virus.
Even though I’m not a fan of the somewhat rushed pacing and weird structure, I do greatly appreciate that the author took the time to flesh out the Clean Zone happenings. It would’ve been all too easy to write, “And then the survivors gathered in the uninfected area and everybody lived happily ever after.”
Instead, Gormley treats us to a complex political situation, chockfull of unexpected twists and turns. The military government is good because it gave survivors a place to stay. But wait! The military government is bad because it starves the survivors. But wait! Some of the survivors are in cahoots with the corrupted guards. But wait! Other survivors are fighting back against them. But wait! The displeased Jugs are on their way to free the people. But wait! Then the people turn on the Jugs, who have helped them out so much, out of fear and prejudice. But wait! Some of the Jugs go rogue and start enslaving the uninfected civilians. But wait!
On and on it goes like that, to the point where it becomes almost too complex and convoluted. It’s messy as all hell, but that messiness is all too relatable and true to life. There are different factions and factions within factions and even factions within factions within factions. Everybody has different goals, ideas and means, so no situation—fictional or not—can ever be entirely resolved. The loose ends aren’t tied up in a neat little bow. The individual and corporate struggles continue.
So, needless to say, I love it! And, needless to say, I can’t wait to dive back into Strain now and, later on, see how the story concludes in Bane.
May 24, 2015
4.5 Amazing stars!
I know some people wonder whether they can read this book if they haven't read Strain, and the answer is YES! I haven't read Strain myself, and I didn't feel like I missed anything. There were no characters whom I wondered about, or any feeling that there's something hinted at that happened in Strain and I'm not going to figure it out in Juggernaut. This is by all means a standalone novel. WARNING!!! This novel ends with a cliffhanger the size of Europe, so you'll need to read the next book, which will come out this fall. However,some characters in the next book, who are going to play an important role, are the MCs from Strain, so you'll eventually have to read that as well.
This novel and the concept it is based on is truly mind-blowing. And also scary; I can totally imagine this as a possible event in our future, because I wouldn't put it past greedy humans to try to create the perfect soldier, without taking into consideration the consequences. This book is raw and very angsty, there's a lot of emotional turmoil that both MCs go through, and while they find temporary solace within each other, their love story is not a traditional one. There's not a lot of sex for a book as long as this, but the little there is, is sweet and passionate and everything I could want. Too bad we didn't have more of it.
There's not much I can say about the challenges Nico and Zach face without spoiling the book for you, but be prepared to feel emotional pain while reading this. No, there's not unnecessary drama, but sometimes the choices the MCs have to make for themselves and for the rest of the humans alive, are not ones that guarantee a happy ending for them. I loved both characters to pieces, I can't say I have a favorite, and that's very rare for me. They're both amazing in different ways and complement each other perfectly.
I hope in the next book they'll be able to find a way to be together and be happy, because they both deserve it and because I really NEED TO SEE IT! I was very disappointed to reach the end, hoping for some smiles and a happy ending, only to get there and be left in shock at how it ended. Had I known there was a cliffy, I wouldn't have picked this book up until the next one is released.
Also as a warning, the beginning of this book is a bit graphic and involves a "rape". It's not exactly a rape in the traditional sense because Nico allowed it to happen, but it wasn't something he wanted or liked, and I'm not sure he could've stopped it had he wanted to. It's very graphic, painful to read, so be warned. If you can't handle it, then maybe skip that part when you get to it.
I know some people wonder whether they can read this book if they haven't read Strain, and the answer is YES! I haven't read Strain myself, and I didn't feel like I missed anything. There were no characters whom I wondered about, or any feeling that there's something hinted at that happened in Strain and I'm not going to figure it out in Juggernaut. This is by all means a standalone novel. WARNING!!! This novel ends with a cliffhanger the size of Europe, so you'll need to read the next book, which will come out this fall. However,some characters in the next book, who are going to play an important role, are the MCs from Strain, so you'll eventually have to read that as well.
This novel and the concept it is based on is truly mind-blowing. And also scary; I can totally imagine this as a possible event in our future, because I wouldn't put it past greedy humans to try to create the perfect soldier, without taking into consideration the consequences. This book is raw and very angsty, there's a lot of emotional turmoil that both MCs go through, and while they find temporary solace within each other, their love story is not a traditional one. There's not a lot of sex for a book as long as this, but the little there is, is sweet and passionate and everything I could want. Too bad we didn't have more of it.
There's not much I can say about the challenges Nico and Zach face without spoiling the book for you, but be prepared to feel emotional pain while reading this. No, there's not unnecessary drama, but sometimes the choices the MCs have to make for themselves and for the rest of the humans alive, are not ones that guarantee a happy ending for them. I loved both characters to pieces, I can't say I have a favorite, and that's very rare for me. They're both amazing in different ways and complement each other perfectly.
I hope in the next book they'll be able to find a way to be together and be happy, because they both deserve it and because I really NEED TO SEE IT! I was very disappointed to reach the end, hoping for some smiles and a happy ending, only to get there and be left in shock at how it ended. Had I known there was a cliffy, I wouldn't have picked this book up until the next one is released.
Also as a warning, the beginning of this book is a bit graphic and involves a "rape". It's not exactly a rape in the traditional sense because Nico allowed it to happen, but it wasn't something he wanted or liked, and I'm not sure he could've stopped it had he wanted to. It's very graphic, painful to read, so be warned. If you can't handle it, then maybe skip that part when you get to it.
August 6, 2015
Nico Fernandez is the son of the most powerful Sanctioned Madam; he is also her most valued employee. Nico sees how the people that don’t have the opportunities he has suffer and he truly wants to help any way he can. Poverty is prolific and Nico is spared that type of life, until he unwittingly helps a family friend, also a sometimes lover, unleash the virus that now plagues humanity.
Zach Houtman is the son of the most powerful Zealot in this post-apocalyptic world. As a former minister turned politician, his father spouts nothing but hate and venom at anyone that doesn’t conform to his ideals and beliefs, including his own son. Zach turns a blind eye for years, until his father pushes him too far. Zach and Nico become companions due to circumstance. They become lovers by choice. But the society and the unholy virus that is slowly wiping out humanity has other plans for these two, that is, if they survive.
Juggernaut shows us how the plague in the story Strain started. Gormley paints a vivid picture of a society on the verge of breaking down, even before the virus takes hold. War, poverty, lust, greed and a thirst for power pale in comparison to the Juggernaut virus that turns man against each other. Society is already on the verge of breaking down, even before the virus. When you have a base reality of people that are hell bent on destroying each other, playing God usually backfires, and that’s exactly what happens here.
I thoroughly enjoyed this look back into the history of the Jugs. How they came to be the super soldiers and protectors they are. You’ll not only learn how the Strain started but you get to see a little bit of the reasoning behind certain aspects of Strain that you may have questioned or misunderstood. The relationship between Nico and Zach was a little too simple for my taste, especially if you’ve read Darius and Rhys’s story prior to this one. But I’m very excited to see what Gormley brings to the table with Bane, the next book in this series.
If you like dystopian stories then this is a must read for you. It’s one of my favorite genres, so when new books release in the genre I’m usually standing on top of the buy now button waiting for them. The story itself, the world this is set in is very post-apocalyptic and though it’s not as prevalent in this book, it has a zombie edge to it as well. If you haven’t read Strain yet, you won’t be lost. But if you think that was a cliff hanger, go straight to Strain to answer some of your questions.
* I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *
Zach Houtman is the son of the most powerful Zealot in this post-apocalyptic world. As a former minister turned politician, his father spouts nothing but hate and venom at anyone that doesn’t conform to his ideals and beliefs, including his own son. Zach turns a blind eye for years, until his father pushes him too far. Zach and Nico become companions due to circumstance. They become lovers by choice. But the society and the unholy virus that is slowly wiping out humanity has other plans for these two, that is, if they survive.
Juggernaut shows us how the plague in the story Strain started. Gormley paints a vivid picture of a society on the verge of breaking down, even before the virus takes hold. War, poverty, lust, greed and a thirst for power pale in comparison to the Juggernaut virus that turns man against each other. Society is already on the verge of breaking down, even before the virus. When you have a base reality of people that are hell bent on destroying each other, playing God usually backfires, and that’s exactly what happens here.
I thoroughly enjoyed this look back into the history of the Jugs. How they came to be the super soldiers and protectors they are. You’ll not only learn how the Strain started but you get to see a little bit of the reasoning behind certain aspects of Strain that you may have questioned or misunderstood. The relationship between Nico and Zach was a little too simple for my taste, especially if you’ve read Darius and Rhys’s story prior to this one. But I’m very excited to see what Gormley brings to the table with Bane, the next book in this series.
If you like dystopian stories then this is a must read for you. It’s one of my favorite genres, so when new books release in the genre I’m usually standing on top of the buy now button waiting for them. The story itself, the world this is set in is very post-apocalyptic and though it’s not as prevalent in this book, it has a zombie edge to it as well. If you haven’t read Strain yet, you won’t be lost. But if you think that was a cliff hanger, go straight to Strain to answer some of your questions.
* I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *
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