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It has been almost three years since a mysterious natural disaster left the earth submerged beneath the oceans, and still the sole survivors cling desperately to life aboard their flotilla. When they learn of a secret government facility located deep below the surface, an expedition party headed by Jim, the group leader, and Eva, a former cop, sets out in the hope of uncovering the truth about their drowned planet.
But when the ragtag submarine crew, riven by discord, united in distrust, finally arrive at the underground bunker, the scene that awaits them offers more questions than answers. What happened here to incite such shocking acts of violence? Who is responsible—and where are they now?
Jim and Eva are determined to follow the trail through to its dangerous end. But the further they venture, the more sinister their world becomes. How high up does the conspiracy really go
But when the ragtag submarine crew, riven by discord, united in distrust, finally arrive at the underground bunker, the scene that awaits them offers more questions than answers. What happened here to incite such shocking acts of violence? Who is responsible—and where are they now?
Jim and Eva are determined to follow the trail through to its dangerous end. But the further they venture, the more sinister their world becomes. How high up does the conspiracy really go
306 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 2, 2016
69 people are currently reading
770 people want to read
About the author
Colin F. Barnes
25 books194 followersColin F. Barnes is a British author of thrillers featuring working-class heroes doing extraordinary things. He is published by 47North, Audible, and Podium. He is represented by Paul Lucas of Janklow & Nesbit.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
January 19, 2017
I'm being generous with the three star review because I really wanted to give it two but I guess I'm being nice. I really enjoyed Salt but this just felt like a completely different book to me. To start, I read Salt a year ago, and Soil did not give us any background or anything as a refresher as to what had happened previously so it was like going in blind. It definitely impacted how I read and felt about this one. I felt like the writing got worse in this and I noticed several mistakes throughout. The plot just didn't make sense at times and was trying to be way too cliche. There was not too much in this that was believable. A huge thing that bothered me was that the author gave Eva a different love interest in both books and it was not natural. It was as if the author decided after writing the first book that he'd rather place her with a different character and just changed it. I liked the surviving on a flotilla in a post apocalyptic world story that the first novel told, but this didn't have any of it. I just couldn't care about the science, politics, or conspiracies that this novel was about. I wanted to like this sequel but I just didn't even though it did keep my interest for the most part.
March 10, 2017
okay. but what happened to the dog.
February 7, 2019
Really good book.
March 27, 2019
Book 1 was an ok story. But This book 2 "Soil" turned into a "Who-Done-it"and I don't care for murder !mysteries. Clearly imho this series had enough for either just the 1 book of possibly 2. However I could not make it to halfway through book 2 to find out if book 3 was any good. Oh well I rarely stop reading a book but I just could not push myself past the halfway mark. Too bad because the basic story and characters were not the bad issue. Switching years from a Sci-fi thriller to a did the butler do it murder mystery is not a good way to keep my attention.
July 13, 2017
Book 2, a follow-up to Salt, which I enjoyed. I enjoyed Soil, too, but I think I'm done with the series (should Book 3 appear). The premise of humankind destroyed with only a few remaining is always intriguing, and I admit that I had never considered that the only survivors would be those who were already at sea when the catastrophe occurred. However, other than Marcus, the characters began to bore me.
June 14, 2017
What an adventure
The crew on the USS UTAH takes off to find an underground compound hoping to find answers to what caused the drowning of the planet. This second book flies with accidents, subterfuge and terror.
The crew on the USS UTAH takes off to find an underground compound hoping to find answers to what caused the drowning of the planet. This second book flies with accidents, subterfuge and terror.
May 23, 2019
Post-apocalypse meets politics
I enjoyed this series. The second book was more political than the first book. I really liked it, but I also found there were a few things that weren’t consistent. I did enjoy the story and I liked the ending.
I enjoyed this series. The second book was more political than the first book. I really liked it, but I also found there were a few things that weren’t consistent. I did enjoy the story and I liked the ending.
February 15, 2020
How would you behave after the end of the world? If you found your trusted statesmen weren't who or what they appeared to be? Would you choose to share your life with the good guy who's a good friend but nothing more or with the bad boy who may be just what you never knew you needed?
May 20, 2019
Concept was interesting. Language terrible. But needs book 3 to see how it all ends !
March 14, 2020
This book
Went well with the 1st book and complete the story. This writer keeps you turning pages through the whole book
Went well with the 1st book and complete the story. This writer keeps you turning pages through the whole book
January 1, 2021
Soil is the second part of the story with the first part of the diptych (or is it a dialogue) contained in Salt. I would prefer the story concentrated into a single volume.
May 15, 2025
I really liked this second book of this series. It moved along at a fast pace and the fight scenes were well written. I was right there with them! Good series!
April 10, 2016
Disclaimer: I'm reviewing this book after receiving it free of charge in a Goodreads Giveaway promotion; and am offering an honest review in return.
As I won this book in the Goodreads Giveaway, and it was the second in a series, I purchased the first book, read it, and then picked up this one to read. I previously reviewed the first book in this series, "Salt (The Lost Flotilla, #1). Had I not won this book, I might not have read this one, as the first book was not so compelling that I would have purchased this one. However, a deal is a deal - I agreed to read and review it, and I had read the first one in the series, so... here we go!
First and foremost, I'll say that these two books could have easily been combined into one. It would have been a bit long, but the cliffhanger style ending of the first one just should not have been. Thsi book picks up very soon after the ending of the previous book, and take the reader for a wild ride. The pace of this book was quite a bit faster than the first one, which did drag on at times. In addition to the picked up pace, the reader starts to learn more about the characters and their motivations. One thing I found a little disconcerting, was there are actions and discoveries by the characters, that just suddenly dead end, without further explanation. I even went back on a few of these to make sure I recalled it correctly - there were two instances where one action/discovery seemly contradicted the subsequent one. I don't want to go into detail here on it; I don't want to create a spoiler. Small details like this distracted me from the main story line and made me wonder if this was just something a good editor should have caught, and didn't.
Regardless, I did enjoy reading this book and was glad I read it. I was fearful that the end was going to be a big setup for book number three in the series, but as it turns out, it ends nicely to settle the big questions from both books, and does leave room for a future story should the author continues this series. If the third book continues the improvements over book #1 in the series, I'll be reading it.
As I won this book in the Goodreads Giveaway, and it was the second in a series, I purchased the first book, read it, and then picked up this one to read. I previously reviewed the first book in this series, "Salt (The Lost Flotilla, #1). Had I not won this book, I might not have read this one, as the first book was not so compelling that I would have purchased this one. However, a deal is a deal - I agreed to read and review it, and I had read the first one in the series, so... here we go!
First and foremost, I'll say that these two books could have easily been combined into one. It would have been a bit long, but the cliffhanger style ending of the first one just should not have been. Thsi book picks up very soon after the ending of the previous book, and take the reader for a wild ride. The pace of this book was quite a bit faster than the first one, which did drag on at times. In addition to the picked up pace, the reader starts to learn more about the characters and their motivations. One thing I found a little disconcerting, was there are actions and discoveries by the characters, that just suddenly dead end, without further explanation. I even went back on a few of these to make sure I recalled it correctly - there were two instances where one action/discovery seemly contradicted the subsequent one. I don't want to go into detail here on it; I don't want to create a spoiler. Small details like this distracted me from the main story line and made me wonder if this was just something a good editor should have caught, and didn't.
Regardless, I did enjoy reading this book and was glad I read it. I was fearful that the end was going to be a big setup for book number three in the series, but as it turns out, it ends nicely to settle the big questions from both books, and does leave room for a future story should the author continues this series. If the third book continues the improvements over book #1 in the series, I'll be reading it.
August 23, 2016
A Search for Answers- 3.5 stars...
The Lost Flotilla series is a post-apocalyptic story about a group of survivors that have been living on a flotilla of ships because a mysterious natural disaster has completely flooded the entire world.
Soil pickups where Salt left off. The survivors have learned the location of a secret underground facility that might have information about what caused the disaster so they train a crew to run their sub and go in search of this place...
I liked this follow-up but I enjoyed Salt a lot more. There were just a few scenarios in this one that were a little too unbelievable and the plot just wasn't as entertaining to me. I just got the 'I've been there done that' feeling. If you haven't read a ton of other post-apocalyptic stories though you'll probably enjoy it more then I did
The Lost Flotilla series is a post-apocalyptic story about a group of survivors that have been living on a flotilla of ships because a mysterious natural disaster has completely flooded the entire world.
Soil pickups where Salt left off. The survivors have learned the location of a secret underground facility that might have information about what caused the disaster so they train a crew to run their sub and go in search of this place...
I liked this follow-up but I enjoyed Salt a lot more. There were just a few scenarios in this one that were a little too unbelievable and the plot just wasn't as entertaining to me. I just got the 'I've been there done that' feeling. If you haven't read a ton of other post-apocalyptic stories though you'll probably enjoy it more then I did
February 11, 2017
Ace
Great follow up to salt, had by smiling and crying aling with the characters in there journey for the truth.
Great follow up to salt, had by smiling and crying aling with the characters in there journey for the truth.
February 12, 2016
Interesting enough
The story was interesting enough to hold my attention and though some what cliche the characters were engaging.
I really liked the backdrop of the world drowned. I liked how the author brought different characters from all over the world together. The group dynamics kept the story going at times where the plot got bogged down.
What I did not like is the blatant author's bias against the USA government and evil corporations.
He did not come right out and say it but I got the sense he used the tired worn out liberal mantra of It's Bush's fault. Three stars because I am feeling generous today.
The story was interesting enough to hold my attention and though some what cliche the characters were engaging.
I really liked the backdrop of the world drowned. I liked how the author brought different characters from all over the world together. The group dynamics kept the story going at times where the plot got bogged down.
What I did not like is the blatant author's bias against the USA government and evil corporations.
He did not come right out and say it but I got the sense he used the tired worn out liberal mantra of It's Bush's fault. Three stars because I am feeling generous today.
March 24, 2016
After several years of living on a flotilla, some survivors find out that certain leaders of the world had escaped to a hidden bunker before the earth was flooded. After searchers find the bunker, they find a few living, healthy survivors among ill and dead people in the bunker. They also find out that the flooding was caused by a manmade device had caused the flooding and the man responsible is still alive. The search for the bunker and the device leads to a fast paced story and a satisfying conclusion.
I received a copy of this book in the Goodreads Giveaway program.
I received a copy of this book in the Goodreads Giveaway program.
February 7, 2016
Fantastic best book i have read for a long time
Book one "salt" was good and I really enjoyed it but book two "soil" was by far the best book I have read in a very very long time. I am a casual reader but simply could not put this down. Finished in one sitting. The story is so more rich compared to the first book. The characters are developed even more with continuations on the love interest that was bubbling away in the first book. Mr Colin Barnes thank you so much for this book. Now please hurry up with book 3. I am waiting!!!!!!
Book one "salt" was good and I really enjoyed it but book two "soil" was by far the best book I have read in a very very long time. I am a casual reader but simply could not put this down. Finished in one sitting. The story is so more rich compared to the first book. The characters are developed even more with continuations on the love interest that was bubbling away in the first book. Mr Colin Barnes thank you so much for this book. Now please hurry up with book 3. I am waiting!!!!!!
February 4, 2016
I enjoyed reading this book very much. It was ful of adventure mystery. It is science fiction, so if you like that kind of reading, it will certainly hold your interest .
With the world leaders as they are now I certainly hope this book isn't our future. There are some wicked men and women in this world, and some that believe very word that is said. Give your leaders some thought on what the say. Some want to destroy our world. Most will stabbed you in the back.
With the world leaders as they are now I certainly hope this book isn't our future. There are some wicked men and women in this world, and some that believe very word that is said. Give your leaders some thought on what the say. Some want to destroy our world. Most will stabbed you in the back.
March 5, 2016
Absolutely loved this sequel to Salt. Writing is fast paced, descriptive (but not overly so), and completely absorbing. I found myself again and again unable to put it down. Highly recommend the series!
February 18, 2016
I was up until the early hours finishing this one, I was desperate to read it after reading Salt which I absolutely loved and this didn't disappoint, great characters which I was really rooting for, a really satisfying read and author Colin F Barnes is one to watch for the future
June 1, 2016
l received this book for free from Goodreads Firstreads
Although this is a sequel to Salt (which l haven't read) l found the story easy to follow. l an afraid to say that l did not empathise with any of the characters and l thought that the storyline was rather too farfetched to be interesting.
Although this is a sequel to Salt (which l haven't read) l found the story easy to follow. l an afraid to say that l did not empathise with any of the characters and l thought that the storyline was rather too farfetched to be interesting.
April 29, 2016
Great book
You realize through the series this could be life. I enjoyed the journey. This could be our life if we don't pull together and learn from history. we are a world in turmoil
You realize through the series this could be life. I enjoyed the journey. This could be our life if we don't pull together and learn from history. we are a world in turmoil
February 10, 2016
Fast
Would have loved them to have more interaction once that arrived at their destination. It went a little fast at the end
Would have loved them to have more interaction once that arrived at their destination. It went a little fast at the end
February 10, 2016
Great read
Thoroughly enjoyed this sequel. Would love to read a third! What happens next? Any more land discovered? More survivors perhaps!
Thoroughly enjoyed this sequel. Would love to read a third! What happens next? Any more land discovered? More survivors perhaps!
February 29, 2016
Riveting!
Could not put this down. Such an interesting concept, a different sci fi story. Can't wait to read the third book.
Could not put this down. Such an interesting concept, a different sci fi story. Can't wait to read the third book.
October 25, 2017
I enjoyed the characters and plot. Some of the politicians and people in authority remind me of current times.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews