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Planet Urth #1-3

Planet Urth Boxed Set

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Planet Urth (Book 1)
The world has changed. It’s dangerous, deadly. Inhuman creatures rule the planet. Animals have mutated. The land is hostile. But it’s all I’ve ever known. Hunger. Fear. Panic. Those emotions are my reality. They are my every day. I am Avery, and I am seventeen. My father died a year ago. Since then I’ve been responsible for my eight-year-old sister, June.
I worry we are the only humans left.
Humans have been hunted for centuries, to the brink of extinction. I must fight each day to protect my sister. It is the reason I wake, the reason I breathe. But how long can I go on fighting? How long will it be before they find us?
More than two hundred years into the future, human beings are an endangered species. The planet has been battered by war, its inhabitants plagued by disease and death. Few humans survived and remained unaffected. Most changed dramatically and evolved into something else entirely. Irrevocable alterations caused by chemical warfare have created a new species. North America is in ruins and has been overtaken. Humanity has fallen at the hands of mutants known as Urthmen.
Seventeen year-old Avery is alive and unchanged. But she has not been immune to the harshness of the new world. She has lived on the run for much of her life, in terror.
After losing her father, Avery is the sole guardian of her eight-year-old sister, June. Avery is now charged with June’s safety as well as her own, a nearly impossible task.
Forced to hide deep in the forest and away from the cities overrun by Urthmen, Avery and her sister are constantly hunted. Danger awaits them at every turn. They fear they are the only human beings left, that they are the last of their kind.
But are they truly alone?

Planet Urth: The Savage Lands (Book 2)
After fleeing the only refuge she’s known for much of her life, Avery, along with her sister June and new friends, Will, Oliver and Riley forge through the forest to uncharted territory in search of a better life, in search of other survivors. But Avery soon learns that life beyond the woods is far worse than she ever imagined. She finds that safety does not exist for human beings in a world run by Urthmen.
Hope seems futile.
But Avery refuses to surrender hope and chooses, instead, to push forward and move her group into the heart of danger, to seek out more humans.
Will she and the others survive their journey into the savage lands of Planet Urth?

Planet Urth: The Underground City (Book 3)
We can’t stay out here in the open any longer. We killed the king’s son. It’s only a matter of time before his people find us, before they slaughter us all. We need to leave now. We need to make it to the underground city.
Avery, June and their friends are being hunted. They need to find fuel so that they can travel across the country to the underground city, to a place where humans live safely, free from the terrors above ground. But once they make it there, will it be the idyllic paradise they imagine it to be or will it be worse than the current nightmare in which they live?

466 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 2, 2015

1050 people are currently reading
779 people want to read

About the author

Jennifer Martucci

61 books117 followers
Jennifer and Christopher Martucci hoped that their life plan had changed radically in early 2010. To date, the jury is still out. But late one night, in January of 2010, the stay at home mom of three girls (all under the age of six) had just picked up the last doll from the playroom floor and placed it in a bin when her husband startled her by declaring, “We should write a book, together!” Wearied from a day of shuttling the children to and from school, preschool and Daisy Scouts, laundry, cooking and cleaning, Jennifer simply stared blankly at her husband of fifteen years. After all, the idea of writing a book had been an individual dream each of them possessed for much of their young adult lives. Both had written separately in their teens and early twenties, but without much success. They would write a dozen chapters here and there only to find that either the plot would fall apart, or characters would lose their zest, or the story would just fall flat. Christopher had always preferred penning science fiction stories filled with monsters and diabolical villains, while Jennifer had favored venting personal experiences or writing about romance, as romance was far easier to invent fictitiously than it was to attain in real life. Inevitably though, frustration and day to day life had placed writing on the back burner and for several years, each had pursued alternate (paying) careers. But the dream never died. And Christopher suggested that their dream ought to be removed from the back burner for further examination. When he proposed that he and his wife author a book together on that cold January night, Jennifer was hesitant to reject the idea outright. His proposal sparked a discussion, and the discussion lasted deep into the night. By morning, the idea for the Dark Creations series was born.

The Dark Creations series was written while Jennifer and Christopher continued with their day to day activities and raised their young children. They changed diapers, potty trained and went to story time at the local library between chapter outlines and served as room parents while fleshing out individal sections of the book. Life simply continued. And in some ways, their everyday lives were reflected in the characters of the series. In fact, the main female characters are named after three very important people in their lives: their three daughters. Their likenesses end there, however.

As the story line continues to evolve, so too does the Martucci collaboration. Lunches are still packed, noses are still wiped and time remains a rare and precious commodity in their household in upstate New York, but it is the sound of happy chaos that is the true background music of their writing. They hope that their work, though penned for a young adult audience, will be appreciated by the young of every age, and that all enjoy reading it as much as they enjoyed writing it.

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5 stars
455 (49%)
4 stars
271 (29%)
3 stars
138 (14%)
2 stars
41 (4%)
1 star
21 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
Profile Image for Niki.
182 reviews
February 20, 2018
Fantastic!

It has been a long while since a book has kept me reading through the night! Well thought out characters, plotlines that keep you guessing and much better than the average editing (something I personally appriciate!) makes this a divine read!This series has been so fascinating and fun, I am most anxious to continue with it! The Planet Urth comes HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!
Profile Image for Darlene.
1,969 reviews220 followers
July 30, 2018
A while back my friend. Margaret McGaffey Fisk recommended this book on her website (https://margaretmcgaffeyfisk.com/?s=urth). I was intrigued. I looked on Amazon and it seemed that between my husband's and my joined content we had downloaded this story many times as a boxed set and separately. So I decided to read the boxed set. And guess what? I liked it a lot!

My inner teen was happy to have a book dedicated to young people, especially a strong female teen. The book was imaginative and fast moving. I had a hard time getting to sleep as I didn't want to leave the characters out there in possible danger.

My only problem with the writing is how repetitive it was. Aspects are repeated ad nauseum. Maybe if I were to read the books slowly, getting only moments to read, it would help remind me of the important points, but I found it distracting. I know the big sister, Avery, cares deeply for her little sister, June, and must try to protect her. Oh, and the lust Avery feels for the first guy she meets and then the second guy she meets, in spite of the dangers, and the angst that goes with adolescence is just annoying.

Overall, though, I did love the story and want to read the next in the series. Maybe you will love it even more!
Profile Image for Melissa.
1,519 reviews24 followers
March 21, 2017
I read part 1 last year.
When I saw parts 1-3 in a set for .99, I couldn't pass it up. I wanted to see what happened.
Umm... The Urthmen and Lurkers probably made the book for me. The back story of how they came to be monsters was good. There are a few tense scenes involving both.
The characters?
Avery is awkward for a good reason. A teenage girl that lost her mom at a very young age, left to fend for her and her sister for a year after their dad died while dodging scaries might not be the most well versed in relationships. But she also seemed dumb. Constantly wondering why Will was jealous while not knowing what the emotion was? Not to mention the love triangle with Will and Sully was odd.
When did her and Sully become a thing? It seemed like she liked them both. Sarah's character was not needed.
Why did she have to be so unlikable from the start? Will... I can't.
There were good parts. What would really happen with a break down of society.
But, eh.
Profile Image for Ilona Nurmela.
673 reviews16 followers
August 6, 2023
Hunger Games meets Gladiator, unputdownable post-apocalyptic delight, loved it!

A savage post-apocalyptic dystopian fantasy where money, houses & families are a thing of the past and life is about survival

It’s a collection of the first 3/9 books in the series.

The year is 2270. 208 years since the War of 2062 and 1yr after being orphaned, 17yo Avery lives in a cave with her 8yo sister June and hasn’t seen another human for years. Humans have mutated to simpler Urthmen & want to unalive any humans left, animals have mutated and then there are Lurkers who inhabit the forests & come out at night. Fate throws her together with 18yo Will and his family and together they trek through dangerous woods to find a better future. Good to know that human nature hasn’t changed that much - there are still some that take delight in seeing the sky and some who’d do atorcious things to other humans for survival of the species. Survival of the smartest was chilling to read about, especially when it’s an 8yo kid who has to grow up fast & parentless.

I read the entire set of 3 books in one go - unputdownable! Loved the post-apocalyptic Earth, loved the realism of a world without gadgets where survival is key, loved the story, the oace, the characters. The way Avery looked after June was sweet & fierce. Will’s and Avery’s awkward first attempts at romance were awww, but I liked Sully way more - the winking, the maturity, the being in sync with Avery who was a cross of Sarah Connor and Katniss Everdeen.

If you like hero stories where a human girl turns everyone to her belief that monsters and himans alike “we can all be friends” - this one is not for you. This girl was built for murder - a natural-born leader with a killer instinct - and there is no cumbaya between humans and the Urthmen. None.

Going to get the next set with books 1-5 now.

Recommended for lovers of YA dystopian epic tales the likes of Hunger Games (and/or Mad Max) and lovers of headstrong no-nonsense heroines.

Trigger warnings: parts of the 2nd book will be difficult to read for those who have seen death of a loved one & for women with PTSD after human trafficking and breeding slavery experiences.
6 reviews
July 24, 2018
Good but not amazing

There were lot of things I enjoyed about this series so far. I love Avery but am even more intrigued by Jericho, June and Sully. There is some interesting character development which I enjoy because it causes me to change my opinions about a character throughout the story. The story itself is interesting and I want to find out the fates of these characters.

That said, The first two books were ok but often left me wondering why we had to keep revisiting the same issues and feelings. There was a lot of repetition. Also, sometimes the action just seemed rushed and Avery’s skills unrealistic. It was difficult to connect with her.

That said, things changed dramatically in book three. Suddenly, the plot became much more interesting and I was drawn in. After book two there was less revisiting the same feelings (or at least it was done in such a way that I didn’t feel like rolling my eyes.) With few exceptions the plot no longer felt rushed either. I’m hoping the remaining books follow suit.

Overall this might very well end up being a good read.
Profile Image for Ben Langleben.
71 reviews
January 11, 2018
Books 1-2 contain a quite interesting plot about a teen fending for her sister in a dystopian post nuclear holocaust world. The inclusion of a few editor’s remarks are mildly distracting, as is the author’s refusal to use the first person accusative correctly.

All credibility however goes out of the window in book 3. It seems society had made no technological progress whatsoever in the 2 hundred odd years between the present day and the time the world was destroyed; if a mega nuclear bunker was able to accommodate thousands of humans, did they really enter a handful at a time in a single small elevator? Rather than rework details from a few pages earlier, the problem of how the population might evacuate gets solved by a subterranean city that can magically rise to the surface like a worm. Seriously?

Books 1-2 might have deserved 4 stars, 2 for book 3 would have been generous, and did enough damage that I don’t be rushing back to continue this series anytime soon.
Profile Image for Bob.
553 reviews1 follower
August 14, 2018
It's a good story

It's a story that never grows old because it reflects what many of us wish. We have no experience, but inside we all want to be great in some manner. This book is about taking that first step.

Words are spelled correctly, which is a huge plus.

This 3 book set compresses what objectively should take years into mere months.

Avery and her sister June are barely existing at a subsistence level, eating grubs and insects and living in a cave as the book begins. By the end of the third book we see a hidden, underground desert city that rises to the surface so humans can fight Urthmen with daggers, swords and crossbows.

If you like your stories fast and furious, you'll enjoy this read.

If you like your stories fast and furious and somewhat bound in logic and with a believable progression, you'll need to wait for Jennifer and her husband to polish their ctaft.
Profile Image for Robin Cappello.
34 reviews
December 5, 2019
Strong Female in the Lead Role

I kind of knew what to expect from this set when I started it because I'd (accidentally) picked up & read one of the books from farther along in the series when it was offered for free & really enjoyed it. I wasn't disappointed! The characters are well developed, believable people. The action & suspense happen in good amounts at the right places. And, in spite of the editing issues (which I refuse to take out of my rating), I really got wrapped up in these & I'll definitely be reading them again as I get more books from the series!
My only issues were editing ones: the publisher's spellchecker (or the editor who proofread these) missed the consistent mistake of replacing "than" with "that", making some of the sentences read much less smoothly, and the various proofreading errors increased in each book so that by the third, I found them rather irritating.
22 reviews
September 27, 2022
I don't love it, but I do.

The first 3 books in this series present the reader with a really great story full of possibilities. The main characters are wonderful and strong without being over the top for their situation and they have just the right amount of vulnerability.

**** Sorta spoiler****

I was good with books 1 and 2, but the 3rd book I found myself easily torn away from. There are great parts and then there are parts I had to skim through in order to get past them. The author gives great detail during the weirdest parts and then WAM BAMs others that we'd love to hear more about. From nada to insurrection and major battle in 5 paragraphs, but it takes ages to describe the ride to the city.

I am going to continue the series because the ending of book 3 really saves it. The author did a great job with the battle and I love what she is doing with the budding relationship. Standby to see if the next few books redeem us.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Christopher Matthias.
10 reviews1 follower
September 7, 2018
If I had a mean, teen daughter, I would recommend this to her. She would love it. I, however, wanted to Iike these books, and purchased this bundle because I saw potential in the first one. I will not continue this series, though. The story telling is repetitive. The authors keep repeating themselves. They say the same thing over and over using different words. - See what that is?... Page filler, and it distracts from the story. There is a decent distopian adventure story in there, though, hence the middle ground rating. --- Notes: teen/ya series; female main/lead character; "tough chick"; books 2 & 3 contain rape; teen girl emotions/romance; monsters; survival/murder/mayhem; vocabulary builder.
Profile Image for Nicole Kelley.
2 reviews
Read
January 20, 2023
It was cute. However, I don't think they need 3 books to tell the story.

I particularly appreciated the point in the story where Avery and Sully find out why the Urthmen hate them. Which is a reality? We are often in conflicts because we refuse to see the other side.

I was a bit disappointed in the 3rd book - only because in the 1st and 2nd books the author spent a lot of time drumming up Avery's fighting skills and in this one she was just lucky. I think sometimes authors forget the character they build up for the convenience of finishing the story.

I love the part of the book when Avery stood up to the men enslaving women to 'repopulate' the earth. I wanted to see more of that.
Profile Image for Travis.
2,884 reviews48 followers
June 3, 2018
If you like James Axler's deathlands series, then you'll probably like this series too. It has a lot of similarities, but it has some of it's own slants on things as well. Of course, there's the typical savior legend, which just happens to come to pass, there's the ever present heroine can't make up her mind who she wants plotline, and it isn't missing the whole disaster strikes at the worst time stuff either, but the way it's all woven together makes this a story well worth reading, and I for one will continue the series as it becomes possible for me to do so. I'd really like to see where this one goes.
Profile Image for Aron Schuller.
1 review9 followers
April 6, 2018
Where to start with this book... oh what a "good read." I stumbled upon this book in the iBooks store at some point looking for dystopian books, and I'm really glad I did. Not only does the story progress at a good rate but the character development the Authors brought was outstanding. You see multiple characters, once docile and skittish progress into lethal killers. I managed to read the entire book series in less than a week working 12-14 hours a day. Highly recommended and one hundred percent worth purchasing.
195 reviews1 follower
November 4, 2020
Great pace, never a dull moment

There is a nice melding of sci-fi/apocalypse/romance. Everything about this engaged me. The characters well sculpted and felt true. From the thoughtful handling of the main character’s first reaction to budding adult sensations, to the action and gore, all was well balanced. They are definitely well in tune with each and it shows in their collaboration.
7 reviews
January 29, 2018
I LOVED THIS BOOK! THE CHARACTERS ARE EXCITING. THE STORY IS BELIEVABLE I CAN SEE THIS HAPPENING. I LOOK FORWARD TO READING MORE FROM THIS AUTHOR.

THIS IS A GREAT STORY. IT IS A MUST-READ BOOK. YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PUT IT DOWN. IT HAS EVERYTHING YOUTH, LOVE, ADVENTURE, AND MORE.
Profile Image for Tony Miller.
46 reviews
March 24, 2018
Good.......but!

Nothing wrong with the writing, it flows well and logically. I feel the reader needs more background to the whole world put forward in the first book. ( maybe a prequel).
I also feel the characters were just a bit too good at everything, a young girl fighting like a Samurai needs explaining.
Good read though, possibly for a teen audience.
52 reviews
May 14, 2018
Too much dialogue not enough action

Definitely not to my liking. There is lots of personal interaction. The characters spend an inordinate amount of time getting to know each other without really getting to any depth. The setting for the action is woefully lacking. All in all not a book I will ever read again.
Profile Image for Chris.
71 reviews
October 17, 2018
Ok

The story line kept my interest although grammatical errors caused a number of stumbles. It's almost as if this set of books were thrown together and published before anyone checked it. I'd be interested in the rest of the series but I would hope a more professional job were done on the publishing.
27 reviews
August 12, 2019
Five Thumbs Up!! Or stars, I mean!!!

I began reading this box set thinking I'd just read it off and on, but I was sooo wrong. I couldn't stop reading. Not only does this story touch your interest with the post-apocalyptic theme but there is a bit of everything else too. To all who are curious, definitely give this series a read. You will not be sorry.
26 reviews1 follower
January 13, 2018
Greatest story i have read in awhile!

The story is well written and moves in a logical progressive manner! Even though this is a YA rated book i really enjoyed every page and looking forward to the next volume.
248 reviews1 follower
January 26, 2018
Great story tracking the characters' struggle for survival in a post apocalyptic world, works well and whilst I know there are subsequent books in the series this stops in a place that is a good ending.
Profile Image for Curtis Gillis.
1 review
February 6, 2018
I really liked the first three books so much i will have to get tbe others. I liked the way the story flowed . Curtis Gillis

I really liked the first three books so much I will have to get the others. I liked the way the story fiowed. Curtis Gillis
133 reviews2 followers
February 16, 2018
Interesting story

Interesting story of life after devastation of biological and nuclear war. Mutations over centuries cause life to be one of bare survival. Interesting but dangerous creatures cause daily crisis.
10 reviews1 follower
March 5, 2018
A really entertaining story.

I chose only four stars mostly because of lack of editing. In reality, the characters are quite strong, well wrought, and quite realistic, that is, all but the president, who is too too much.
Profile Image for Gwendolyn Harris.
24 reviews
March 29, 2018
Urth to Earth

The co-authors are creative and on point I have read other books written by them and they NEVER fail to entertain. Their books could be made into mini series because they are just that phenomenal. 2 thumbs up!
7 reviews
April 11, 2018
Interesting concept!

Story gets u into main characters head. I agreed w/her thinking, and wanted to help her succeed! Rich want to put it down, kept me on edge,(what's gonna happen next).
Profile Image for Robert.
1,342 reviews3 followers
November 2, 2018
Good series for middle schoolers, with a strong female lead. I won't read any more of the series (didn't know it was YA when I downloaded it) as it's too simplistic and is a bit too Republican for my taste.
2 reviews
March 18, 2019
Enjoyable enough

The story has a decent concept behind it and plenty of enjoyable aspects. However, I found it predictable and full of both grammatical and syntax errors. Still, it was an enjoyable read during my downtime prior to bed.
Profile Image for Tony.
247 reviews1 follower
May 10, 2019
I had higher hopes for this series. I found the heroes and villains to be single-dimensional and the post-apocalyptic world to be shallow. I think the original premise was good, but the execution lacking. Two of five on Goodreads.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews

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