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Outzone Drifter #1
Winter's Edge
The year is 2047. Seven years after a global war has devastated mankind, the apparatus of the old security state has rebuilt itself into an even greater monster: the Strata State. But this time there's a difference--The Outzone. A choice too dangerous for most to consider.
Not Frank Brogan. When three Outzone bandits cross into New Haven and murder his wife and daughter, Lieutenant Frank Brogan quits his specially-trained police unit to hunt them down. Leaving the safety of the Strata State, Brogan enters the Outzone--a quasi-sovereign tract of land ceded from federal jurisdiction--and travels to its de facto capital, Winter's Edge, where he picks up the bandits' trail. In a violent city controlled by rival gangs, he needs to use all his hard-won skills as a police officer and war veteran to survive.
It isn't long before Brogan's quest takes him out of the city and deeper into the lawless territory. Can he survive encounters with the nomadic tribes that roam the Outzone's mountains and plains to finally confront the men who murdered his family?
For a limited time, readers can receive a FREE full length novel, OUTZONE RAIDER by signing up to the mailing list (details at the end of the book)
Not Frank Brogan. When three Outzone bandits cross into New Haven and murder his wife and daughter, Lieutenant Frank Brogan quits his specially-trained police unit to hunt them down. Leaving the safety of the Strata State, Brogan enters the Outzone--a quasi-sovereign tract of land ceded from federal jurisdiction--and travels to its de facto capital, Winter's Edge, where he picks up the bandits' trail. In a violent city controlled by rival gangs, he needs to use all his hard-won skills as a police officer and war veteran to survive.
It isn't long before Brogan's quest takes him out of the city and deeper into the lawless territory. Can he survive encounters with the nomadic tribes that roam the Outzone's mountains and plains to finally confront the men who murdered his family?
For a limited time, readers can receive a FREE full length novel, OUTZONE RAIDER by signing up to the mailing list (details at the end of the book)
312 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 11, 2016
228 people are currently reading
181 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
March 14, 2017
A compact and brisk novel with enough brutality to make it a genuine dystopian story.
I started reading hoping for a fast read with a solid plot. Having my expectations fullfiled actually surprised me, since Mike Sheridans books are rather found in bookshelfs about fitness and nutrition, than dystopian fiction.
Winter's Edge offers nothing spectacularly new in the world-building an adept dystopia fan haven't already encountered in the genre: The wars are over, the world lies in shambles. In America several states collapsed and instead a new one formed: New Haven, an authoritarian state deep in the northwest where the survivors of America’s elite had flocked during the war. Carved out of two former states, it emerged out of the ashes of the old corporate state to become the single -most powerful political entity in post-war America, rivaling the influence of the federal government itself.
The familiarity of the setting allowed a quick adaption to the political and geographical landscape. (A map would've been a nice orientation nonetheless)
We jump forward a few years. The social strata haven't changed a bit from the pre-war era and subdivide into the highly progressive tech-cities and the Outzone, where the "law" is written by those who are fit enough to survive. Women and children are kidnapped and sold into slavery, there are biker gangs, self-governered tribes, wild-west gambling villages and too many road bandits to count.
Frank Brogan, being a citizen of New Haven deals with the outlaws from the other side of the table. As a former special ops soldier and now a police officer he goes through life paralyzed by the fear inducing regime, trying to drown his bad conscience in alcohol and virtual reality. Until one day he loses everything that he loves and becomes one of the Outzoners.
His quest for revenge brings him to Winters Edge, the capital of the Outzone. From here on his hunt begins.
The world building is solid. I liked the contrast between the highly advanced New Haven and the fiefdoms of the Outzone. Military fiction being my guilty pleasure, it was easy for the main character to get my sympathies. The plot advances rapidly jumping from one action scene into the next. The third POV, switching back and forth between the two characters confused me a bit but overall it was executed well.
Mike Sheridan's writing style makes it easy to follow through the world building, which amounts into a very detailed info dump, plus ab appendix to the war history by the end of the book (which tbh would've been mighty helpful on the first page, not the last). Nonetheless, the story and characters are well built and a solid groundwork laid for the sequel. The atmosphere the books creates is a nice change from the overall gloomy and grizzly dystopia I usually pick up. It certainly made me curious to find out more about the Outzone. Luckily the sequel will be published this month!
I started reading hoping for a fast read with a solid plot. Having my expectations fullfiled actually surprised me, since Mike Sheridans books are rather found in bookshelfs about fitness and nutrition, than dystopian fiction.
Winter's Edge offers nothing spectacularly new in the world-building an adept dystopia fan haven't already encountered in the genre: The wars are over, the world lies in shambles. In America several states collapsed and instead a new one formed: New Haven, an authoritarian state deep in the northwest where the survivors of America’s elite had flocked during the war. Carved out of two former states, it emerged out of the ashes of the old corporate state to become the single -most powerful political entity in post-war America, rivaling the influence of the federal government itself.
The familiarity of the setting allowed a quick adaption to the political and geographical landscape. (A map would've been a nice orientation nonetheless)
We jump forward a few years. The social strata haven't changed a bit from the pre-war era and subdivide into the highly progressive tech-cities and the Outzone, where the "law" is written by those who are fit enough to survive. Women and children are kidnapped and sold into slavery, there are biker gangs, self-governered tribes, wild-west gambling villages and too many road bandits to count.
Frank Brogan, being a citizen of New Haven deals with the outlaws from the other side of the table. As a former special ops soldier and now a police officer he goes through life paralyzed by the fear inducing regime, trying to drown his bad conscience in alcohol and virtual reality. Until one day he loses everything that he loves and becomes one of the Outzoners.
His quest for revenge brings him to Winters Edge, the capital of the Outzone. From here on his hunt begins.
The world building is solid. I liked the contrast between the highly advanced New Haven and the fiefdoms of the Outzone. Military fiction being my guilty pleasure, it was easy for the main character to get my sympathies. The plot advances rapidly jumping from one action scene into the next. The third POV, switching back and forth between the two characters confused me a bit but overall it was executed well.
Mike Sheridan's writing style makes it easy to follow through the world building, which amounts into a very detailed info dump, plus ab appendix to the war history by the end of the book (which tbh would've been mighty helpful on the first page, not the last). Nonetheless, the story and characters are well built and a solid groundwork laid for the sequel. The atmosphere the books creates is a nice change from the overall gloomy and grizzly dystopia I usually pick up. It certainly made me curious to find out more about the Outzone. Luckily the sequel will be published this month!
May 9, 2017
So this book is a little different from what I would normally read, but I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.
I thought that this was very well written. The writing flowed well and was engaging, it drew me in right from the start. With this book being the first in a series, there was a lot of world building. There was plenty of well written description, that allowed you to create a very clear image in you head of what the setting was like, but never so much that you got bogged down in it. The explanation of the events that occurred to create this dystopian version of our world were weaved into the story in such a way that it didn't detract or take over from the plot line, or interrupt the flow either. I never felt like there were any pacing issues, or that I had missed something.
There is an interesting cast of characters, that are also well written. You can get a clear sense of the different personality types and they all play off each other well. I'm looking forward to reading the next book to see how the different friendships/relationships develop between the characters. Although mostly men feature in this book, it was nice to see some believable female characters. The handful of women in the book are all very different, and I'm glad the author didn't just stick to one stereotype.
There is enough action in this book to balance out some of the 'slower' elements. Balanced would be a good word to describe this book; get a good amount of everything: backstory, description, action...
You never feel like you're being overwhelmed with information. This was just a really gripping read that I look forward to reading more of.
Well written, great characters, good flow and an interesting story line. I really enjoyed reading this and couldn't put it down. Totally recommend.
I thought that this was very well written. The writing flowed well and was engaging, it drew me in right from the start. With this book being the first in a series, there was a lot of world building. There was plenty of well written description, that allowed you to create a very clear image in you head of what the setting was like, but never so much that you got bogged down in it. The explanation of the events that occurred to create this dystopian version of our world were weaved into the story in such a way that it didn't detract or take over from the plot line, or interrupt the flow either. I never felt like there were any pacing issues, or that I had missed something.
There is an interesting cast of characters, that are also well written. You can get a clear sense of the different personality types and they all play off each other well. I'm looking forward to reading the next book to see how the different friendships/relationships develop between the characters. Although mostly men feature in this book, it was nice to see some believable female characters. The handful of women in the book are all very different, and I'm glad the author didn't just stick to one stereotype.
There is enough action in this book to balance out some of the 'slower' elements. Balanced would be a good word to describe this book; get a good amount of everything: backstory, description, action...
You never feel like you're being overwhelmed with information. This was just a really gripping read that I look forward to reading more of.
Well written, great characters, good flow and an interesting story line. I really enjoyed reading this and couldn't put it down. Totally recommend.
April 24, 2016
This story opens with a news clipping about the murders of a mother and daughter, Sarah and Jessica Brogan, at the hands of three Outzoners. They are survived by husband and father Frank Brogan, a lieutenant in the New Haven police force. Frank elects to abandon his job in the police and head into the Outzone in search of the murderers.
This story really comes alive once Frank hits the Outzone. His time spent in New Haven within Strata State carries scant details. We don't really get a sense of the actual environment within which he moves. But we do gain an understanding that it is relatively hi-tech in some ways.
The Outzone, by contrast, is low-tech and gritty. A relatively lawless region in the American Mid-West (or thereabouts), it is largely run by tribes, clans, gangs and oficinas. For some people fighting and dicing with death is part and parcel of their way of life, while others find ways to live a more peaceful existence. I really liked that we met people on both sides during the course of the story.
I've discovered lately that I often have a pervading image that runs through my head while reading a book, and this one is of semi-arid desert, with small, low bushes and plenty of rocks and pebbles visible inbetween. Of course there were areas the characters go to that were vastly different from this - this is just what got stuck in my head.
An excellent debut in the post-apocalyptic dystopia genre, with clear depictions of events and a compelling main character in Frank who one roots for throughout. There is also a well-defined group of secondary characters, each of whom plays an important role in the story. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Winter's Edge, and look forward to more from Mike Sheridan.
*****
Minor spoiler: There was one moment of violence in the book where Sheridan caught me off guard. I'm used to reading violence (prefer reading to watching), but this was sheer genius. Took me a while to recover from it too. Kudos to Sheridan for that one!
*****
For fans of post-apocalyptic and dystopia.
This story really comes alive once Frank hits the Outzone. His time spent in New Haven within Strata State carries scant details. We don't really get a sense of the actual environment within which he moves. But we do gain an understanding that it is relatively hi-tech in some ways.
The Outzone, by contrast, is low-tech and gritty. A relatively lawless region in the American Mid-West (or thereabouts), it is largely run by tribes, clans, gangs and oficinas. For some people fighting and dicing with death is part and parcel of their way of life, while others find ways to live a more peaceful existence. I really liked that we met people on both sides during the course of the story.
I've discovered lately that I often have a pervading image that runs through my head while reading a book, and this one is of semi-arid desert, with small, low bushes and plenty of rocks and pebbles visible inbetween. Of course there were areas the characters go to that were vastly different from this - this is just what got stuck in my head.
An excellent debut in the post-apocalyptic dystopia genre, with clear depictions of events and a compelling main character in Frank who one roots for throughout. There is also a well-defined group of secondary characters, each of whom plays an important role in the story. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Winter's Edge, and look forward to more from Mike Sheridan.
*****
Minor spoiler: There was one moment of violence in the book where Sheridan caught me off guard. I'm used to reading violence (prefer reading to watching), but this was sheer genius. Took me a while to recover from it too. Kudos to Sheridan for that one!
*****
For fans of post-apocalyptic and dystopia.
May 10, 2016
If this were a stand-alone book, I'd give it a 3-Star rating as it was entertaining and flowed well. However, this is a series launch, so some of my negative points are, well, negated.
There are a handful of interesting characters, one being Frank Brogan who is the tragic hero in this saga. Thankfully, Sheridan makes him human and not just a SpecOps/Lawman on a mission. Brogan voluntarily leaves a civilized, protected Strata State to hunt down three Outzone criminals that killed his wife and daughter. The kicker - he can't return to the Strata State. Once he leaves, there is no going back. Once his mission is over, the Outzone and beyond is his new life.
Post -Apocalypse, dystopian set-up: The world went all Skynet and paid a heavy price. Globally, populations are now a shadow on Earth. Democracy has turned Orwellian for civilization, and Wild-West for the rest.
Straight off, Brogan encounters new allies, which were 'left off' so he could go hunt. Along the way, he meets a Tribal Chief, who although is a bear of a man, I kept picturing Danny Trejo for some reason.
In any event, this is the beginning of a series and I'm fairly certain additional character development will occur. Sheridan does well to paint a bleak land - lawless in many respects, but shows humanity and ethics still rule some. There is violence, murder, kidnapping and more.
Author provided book for review.
There are a handful of interesting characters, one being Frank Brogan who is the tragic hero in this saga. Thankfully, Sheridan makes him human and not just a SpecOps/Lawman on a mission. Brogan voluntarily leaves a civilized, protected Strata State to hunt down three Outzone criminals that killed his wife and daughter. The kicker - he can't return to the Strata State. Once he leaves, there is no going back. Once his mission is over, the Outzone and beyond is his new life.
Post -Apocalypse, dystopian set-up: The world went all Skynet and paid a heavy price. Globally, populations are now a shadow on Earth. Democracy has turned Orwellian for civilization, and Wild-West for the rest.
Straight off, Brogan encounters new allies, which were 'left off' so he could go hunt. Along the way, he meets a Tribal Chief, who although is a bear of a man, I kept picturing Danny Trejo for some reason.
In any event, this is the beginning of a series and I'm fairly certain additional character development will occur. Sheridan does well to paint a bleak land - lawless in many respects, but shows humanity and ethics still rule some. There is violence, murder, kidnapping and more.
Author provided book for review.
Read
May 29, 2016A post-apocalyptic wasteland, closely resembling Mad-Max in the first act, but very much a “Hero’s Journey” story at heart. The start is predictable as a man falls apart after his family is taken away from him by the Outzoners, however this fuels the insane and improbable fire Frank needs to enact his revenge in a world alien from his home.
The dichotomy comparing the Outzone to New Haven spoke to me, since I adore the technological oddities found in “Fallout”-style worlds. And the implants and various tracking-type tech had a beautiful homage to Neil Stephenson’s “Diamond Age” with their advanced design, while the opposite comes to light in the Outzone, where rudimentary tribes band together to make various regions in a “wild-west” form of civilization. Sheridan nailed world building out of the park and made me feel the dry, arid landscape as the motorbikes caressed the crusts of the dunes.
The main plot within the story, in my eyes, builds up for what comes next, since this is only book one. Character development is key, and again – Mike Sheridan tied it to the back of a motorcycle and… he did well. The characters are alive, with no sore spots or weak players not really muddling up the cast of oddities in the play. The Chief is… And the brutal part... But wait... You’ll have to read it to find out.
And Mike, let me know when part 2 comes out. I want to know more.
The dichotomy comparing the Outzone to New Haven spoke to me, since I adore the technological oddities found in “Fallout”-style worlds. And the implants and various tracking-type tech had a beautiful homage to Neil Stephenson’s “Diamond Age” with their advanced design, while the opposite comes to light in the Outzone, where rudimentary tribes band together to make various regions in a “wild-west” form of civilization. Sheridan nailed world building out of the park and made me feel the dry, arid landscape as the motorbikes caressed the crusts of the dunes.
The main plot within the story, in my eyes, builds up for what comes next, since this is only book one. Character development is key, and again – Mike Sheridan tied it to the back of a motorcycle and… he did well. The characters are alive, with no sore spots or weak players not really muddling up the cast of oddities in the play. The Chief is… And the brutal part... But wait... You’ll have to read it to find out.
And Mike, let me know when part 2 comes out. I want to know more.
August 9, 2016
Could have been...
I found myself in a bit of a quandary with this book when it came to rating it. I thought most of the book was exceptionally well written, however, several things kept me from rating it as five-star worthy. The first was the dropped ball regarding the kidnapped girl. What started out as a tense, gripping part of the book did not just fizzle out, it was totally dropped, leaving me disappointed at the end of the book. Second, we have a main character obsessed with finding the killers of his wife and daughter and then he goes off the tracks and becomes engrossed in buying a farm. Really??? To make matters worse, the author then spends way too much time and space on describing farming methods, bogging the book down. Just a little bit more writing about the characters introduced and a lot more editing about agriculture and this book would have gotten a five-star review.
I found myself in a bit of a quandary with this book when it came to rating it. I thought most of the book was exceptionally well written, however, several things kept me from rating it as five-star worthy. The first was the dropped ball regarding the kidnapped girl. What started out as a tense, gripping part of the book did not just fizzle out, it was totally dropped, leaving me disappointed at the end of the book. Second, we have a main character obsessed with finding the killers of his wife and daughter and then he goes off the tracks and becomes engrossed in buying a farm. Really??? To make matters worse, the author then spends way too much time and space on describing farming methods, bogging the book down. Just a little bit more writing about the characters introduced and a lot more editing about agriculture and this book would have gotten a five-star review.
July 31, 2016
Good story, well done! Our protagonist character Frank Brogan is well developed having faults and virtues as any normal man. No retired special forces or Delta operator here, although he was a police lieutenant in a special squad. Thirty years in the future our criminals and undesirables are sent into exile to a huge protected area known as the Outzone. Brogan’s wife and child are killed by criminals from the Outzone. Brogan decides to track down these louts by rescinding his citizenship and going into the Outzone, never to return. As I said, god story, fast paced with plenty of action. The narrator, Kevin Pierce is excellent as always. This appears to be the first book of a series. I look forward to more from Brogan.
This audiobook was given by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review via Audiobook Boom.
This audiobook was given by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review via Audiobook Boom.
August 27, 2016
I enjoyed this book. It was well written and gave a different take on what the after the bomb world would be like.
One world is supposedly civilized with law and order and the big corporations run everything. Then you have the Outzone, which is like the Old West used to be like. That's where Frank Grogan comes into play. He was a Lt. with the police in the "civilized" world until someone killed his wife and daughter. Now he goes to the Outzone to find their killers. Along the way, he meets up with some characters that were really well thought out and developed into believable people.
"This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBoom dot com."
One world is supposedly civilized with law and order and the big corporations run everything. Then you have the Outzone, which is like the Old West used to be like. That's where Frank Grogan comes into play. He was a Lt. with the police in the "civilized" world until someone killed his wife and daughter. Now he goes to the Outzone to find their killers. Along the way, he meets up with some characters that were really well thought out and developed into believable people.
"This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBoom dot com."
March 3, 2017
Another great performance by Kevin Pierce! He is definitely my favorite narrator for this type of book.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I'm looking forward to seeing where the relationship with Rojas ends up. I also can't wait to find out about Ritter!
I loved how the tribes were of mixed race. I know that the treatment of women & the down trodden is always going to play a part in books like this. I'm glad this one includes revenge too.
I would recommend this to older teens & anyone who like dystopian SHTF type books. If you pay close enough attention you may actually learn a thing or two in this book.
This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of Audiobook Boom.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I'm looking forward to seeing where the relationship with Rojas ends up. I also can't wait to find out about Ritter!
I loved how the tribes were of mixed race. I know that the treatment of women & the down trodden is always going to play a part in books like this. I'm glad this one includes revenge too.
I would recommend this to older teens & anyone who like dystopian SHTF type books. If you pay close enough attention you may actually learn a thing or two in this book.
This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of Audiobook Boom.
August 9, 2016
This is a post-apocalyptic book written after the world has been destroyed, something I think we all see coming. The book is a well written book by what I understand is a first time author, which says a lot. The author knows how to write a compelling story and plot, and get the reader engaged.
Many books I have listened to or read lately seem to follow multiple persons around, and it gets incredibly confusing. Winter's Edge does not do this and follows a main protagonist throughout the book, I find this very helpful for myself.
The book is a part of an unfinished series, which I think will likely become a very interesting series to finish.
This audiobook was given by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review via Audiobook Boom.
Many books I have listened to or read lately seem to follow multiple persons around, and it gets incredibly confusing. Winter's Edge does not do this and follows a main protagonist throughout the book, I find this very helpful for myself.
The book is a part of an unfinished series, which I think will likely become a very interesting series to finish.
This audiobook was given by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review via Audiobook Boom.
May 22, 2016
Engrossing post-apocalyptic mayhem, set in a world a bit reminiscent of Mad Max, at least that is what it reminded me of. Our main character, Brogan, is a policeman who gives that up and goes a bit rogue in the Outzone (basically no-mans land) after his wife and daughter are murdered by two Outzoners. He doesn't necessarily "blend" well in this environment though, which tends to set him up for mayhem, trauma, and drama.
I did like that Native American Indians are one of the gangs of "good guys" in the story that help him out. Obviously a first book in a series, this one ends with loose ends and Brogan still pursuing his vendetta.
I did like that Native American Indians are one of the gangs of "good guys" in the story that help him out. Obviously a first book in a series, this one ends with loose ends and Brogan still pursuing his vendetta.
January 20, 2022
Winter's Edge: A Post Apocalyptic/Dystopian Adventure (Outzone Drifter Series Book 1) by Mike Sheridan
I got this book as an Advanced Reader Copy against an honest and fair review.
It was my first attempt at a novel from Mike Sheridan who here managed to get me hooked.
I found it a well written novel, portraying an interesting dystopian world with a specific tangible atmosphere to it.
I perhaps missed an explanation of the how the USA had come to this situation, was there an international crisis, which kind of war?
The description of the life after a collapse of the organized world is very vivid, the characters portrayed Brogan, Staunton, Marlee, Bear, Roja and others are easy to relate to , thus one ends up caught in the story and the adventure is even more gripping, with some unanswered questions which should raise awareness and get us to think about what an organized government as New Heaven with its “Strata State”, stands for and question its ultimate goals vs. the Outzone where not everyone is an Outlaw.
I would advise reading it and would certainly read the following novel since I have been hooked and would like to go further with this story if not in this world.
I got this book as an Advanced Reader Copy against an honest and fair review.
It was my first attempt at a novel from Mike Sheridan who here managed to get me hooked.
I found it a well written novel, portraying an interesting dystopian world with a specific tangible atmosphere to it.
I perhaps missed an explanation of the how the USA had come to this situation, was there an international crisis, which kind of war?
The description of the life after a collapse of the organized world is very vivid, the characters portrayed Brogan, Staunton, Marlee, Bear, Roja and others are easy to relate to , thus one ends up caught in the story and the adventure is even more gripping, with some unanswered questions which should raise awareness and get us to think about what an organized government as New Heaven with its “Strata State”, stands for and question its ultimate goals vs. the Outzone where not everyone is an Outlaw.
I would advise reading it and would certainly read the following novel since I have been hooked and would like to go further with this story if not in this world.
July 4, 2019
The future?
I enjoyed this book way too much. The future it portrays, unfortunately, is rather close to our present. Dystopian novels are one of my favorite genres. The author's ability to portray a new world, built on the old one , is a gift. In this series we meet a man on a mission. Our hero, a former soldier and a police officer, has resigned his from the police and is in the final stages of leaving the safe, mundane world behind. He is deliberately giving up his place in society along with his citizenship to go beyond the wall to the unsettled wild world that exists without a government. Now all you need to do is get the book and start reading, you will be glad you did.
I enjoyed this book way too much. The future it portrays, unfortunately, is rather close to our present. Dystopian novels are one of my favorite genres. The author's ability to portray a new world, built on the old one , is a gift. In this series we meet a man on a mission. Our hero, a former soldier and a police officer, has resigned his from the police and is in the final stages of leaving the safe, mundane world behind. He is deliberately giving up his place in society along with his citizenship to go beyond the wall to the unsettled wild world that exists without a government. Now all you need to do is get the book and start reading, you will be glad you did.
July 16, 2017
Hard to put down once I started to read it.
Ounce again this writer took me to places and introduced me to characters I didn't expect to meet. The story line was so plausible. It was easy to believe that it was real.
I only gave him four star's because because I want him to continue improving his writing .
The truth is, he is a great writing talent.
If you read these kinds of books, you will love this book.
Ounce again this writer took me to places and introduced me to characters I didn't expect to meet. The story line was so plausible. It was easy to believe that it was real.
I only gave him four star's because because I want him to continue improving his writing .
The truth is, he is a great writing talent.
If you read these kinds of books, you will love this book.
August 16, 2017
This book takes place several years after a global war that has destroyed the government in the U.S. It is never entirely clear what has happened to other countries. Frank leaves the safe city he is living in to revenge his wife and daughter in a lawless area known as the outzone. The book is very will written with lots of exciting action and well-drawn characters. I don't rate many books a 5 star but this one definitely is.
December 19, 2017
Interesting story!
A little different type of post apocalyptic story. Main character well developed, but other characters are a little shallow. Still a good, fast read that I found enjoyable.
A little different type of post apocalyptic story. Main character well developed, but other characters are a little shallow. Still a good, fast read that I found enjoyable.
June 11, 2018
Great read Good author
I really enjoyed reading this the first book in the series. I love postapocalypse reads. This author gives it a good spin, no aliens or zombies. The book was a fast and enjoyable reading experience. I am really looking forward to the next in the series.
I really enjoyed reading this the first book in the series. I love postapocalypse reads. This author gives it a good spin, no aliens or zombies. The book was a fast and enjoyable reading experience. I am really looking forward to the next in the series.
June 2, 2017
Good storylines. Interesting characters. Looking forward to the next book in the series.
September 18, 2017
Different, in a good way
Little different take n the end of the world scenarios. Story moves along, doesn't get bogged down. Good characters. Looking forward to the second book.
Little different take n the end of the world scenarios. Story moves along, doesn't get bogged down. Good characters. Looking forward to the second book.
October 12, 2017
Good reading
Enjoyed this first book, a little cumbersome in the beginning but the background filled in nicely. Looking forward to book two
Enjoyed this first book, a little cumbersome in the beginning but the background filled in nicely. Looking forward to book two
October 26, 2017
Not bad.
Started off a little cheese but ended up a pretty decent story. Went to the next one right away. One more work required, that's so stupid.
Started off a little cheese but ended up a pretty decent story. Went to the next one right away. One more work required, that's so stupid.
April 25, 2019
Starts but
Starts slow but picks up. The characters are an interesting mixture, some naive, some street smart, some with evil intent. Suspense throughout.
Starts slow but picks up. The characters are an interesting mixture, some naive, some street smart, some with evil intent. Suspense throughout.
June 16, 2019
Awesome new series
This is a wonderful story. It grows as it goes. Take a minute and check out this series. You want be sorry.
This is a wonderful story. It grows as it goes. Take a minute and check out this series. You want be sorry.
August 20, 2019
Well done, indeed
The dystopian\anarchy dynamic played out in a small stage, but with the full gamut of emotions. Fast paced, to the point yet it sacrifices nothing for brevity
The dystopian\anarchy dynamic played out in a small stage, but with the full gamut of emotions. Fast paced, to the point yet it sacrifices nothing for brevity
April 29, 2017
Well, I sucked this one down like so much dystopian candy. It was easy reading, a great post-apocalyptic world with no info-dumping, and engaging story telling. The world is set for modern Earth, the near future, after we've pretty much destroyed about 90% of the population and all of the world's major urban centers. Life is a scrabble existence, eked out either in rich enclaves where there's no social mobility and the oligarchs still pretty much control everything, or out in the wilderness, the Outzone, a wild west atmosphere where there's opportunity to start over, but also lawlessness and a quick death.
Our hero is the super cop, special forces, macdaddy Frank Brogan, whose name just oozes testosterone. I wanted to go up and rub on him the whole book. Frank is disillusioned with life in New Haven, and when his wife and daughter are killed near the border, Brogan goes into overdrive. Resigning his position, he crosses over into the Outzone territory to hunt down his family's killers. Tales of vengeance are typically awesome, and this one was no exception. Sheridan does an exceptional job with the world building, with all sorts of nifty details that take our modern world and stretch it forward about forty years and many bombs later.
My one little complaint is that Frank was just too perfect. Yes, he was a virtual gaming junkie at the beginning, but that was quickly glossed over in his quest to go Mad Max on his family's killers. He never misses, never spits, tips his hats to strangers, pets the dog. He shows mercy to young thugs. He farts sparkly bullets. (Kidding on the last one.) I guess I wanted him to have some type of flaw, in personality, character, eye color, something. When he finally gets knocked upside at the end of the book, I almost did a little jiggity-jig, because we finally got something that showed Frank was still only human.
Overall, an excellent book, and I am looking forward to Book 2!
Our hero is the super cop, special forces, macdaddy Frank Brogan, whose name just oozes testosterone. I wanted to go up and rub on him the whole book. Frank is disillusioned with life in New Haven, and when his wife and daughter are killed near the border, Brogan goes into overdrive. Resigning his position, he crosses over into the Outzone territory to hunt down his family's killers. Tales of vengeance are typically awesome, and this one was no exception. Sheridan does an exceptional job with the world building, with all sorts of nifty details that take our modern world and stretch it forward about forty years and many bombs later.
My one little complaint is that Frank was just too perfect. Yes, he was a virtual gaming junkie at the beginning, but that was quickly glossed over in his quest to go Mad Max on his family's killers. He never misses, never spits, tips his hats to strangers, pets the dog. He shows mercy to young thugs. He farts sparkly bullets. (Kidding on the last one.) I guess I wanted him to have some type of flaw, in personality, character, eye color, something. When he finally gets knocked upside at the end of the book, I almost did a little jiggity-jig, because we finally got something that showed Frank was still only human.
Overall, an excellent book, and I am looking forward to Book 2!
May 18, 2017
Not a bad read, but could have been so much better. Needs a ruthless edit and attention to pacing to get that fourth star.
WHAT WORKS: The post-apocalyptic world, the characters' motivations, action (although see comments below)
WHAT NEEDS WORK: Pacing, slabs of irrelevant description (streets, meals, permaculture, for example), character arcs
I enjoyed parts of this book, but I felt I was reading a second draft rather than the finished novel.
Brogan is a man who's lost everything: his estranged wife and child are murdered whilst he's too busy being a cop in a world still trying to find itself after a global war.
Seeking revenge, Brogan heads out of the state-controlled safe city of New Haven to the Outzone, hot on the trail of his family's killers.
The action and world building is great until we actually get to the Outzone city of Winter's Edge, where it becomes unnecessarily bogged down with Brogan helping minor characters to find homes and umm... a serenade to permaculture that Bill Mollison would be proud of! This section needs a razor and the eye of a second editor.
Somehow, the promising pace at the beginning of the novel never quite picks up again - even at the end.
Character arc is another place where I'm not getting a strong sense of Brogan developing. Sure, he lets another woman into his heart, but this seems a little too quick and contrived. As this is a series, I'm not looking for a complete arc, but some progress.
I'll read the next book and fingers crossed the pacing works.
Recommended.
WHAT WORKS: The post-apocalyptic world, the characters' motivations, action (although see comments below)
WHAT NEEDS WORK: Pacing, slabs of irrelevant description (streets, meals, permaculture, for example), character arcs
I enjoyed parts of this book, but I felt I was reading a second draft rather than the finished novel.
Brogan is a man who's lost everything: his estranged wife and child are murdered whilst he's too busy being a cop in a world still trying to find itself after a global war.
Seeking revenge, Brogan heads out of the state-controlled safe city of New Haven to the Outzone, hot on the trail of his family's killers.
The action and world building is great until we actually get to the Outzone city of Winter's Edge, where it becomes unnecessarily bogged down with Brogan helping minor characters to find homes and umm... a serenade to permaculture that Bill Mollison would be proud of! This section needs a razor and the eye of a second editor.
Somehow, the promising pace at the beginning of the novel never quite picks up again - even at the end.
Character arc is another place where I'm not getting a strong sense of Brogan developing. Sure, he lets another woman into his heart, but this seems a little too quick and contrived. As this is a series, I'm not looking for a complete arc, but some progress.
I'll read the next book and fingers crossed the pacing works.
Recommended.
August 30, 2016
If you like post apocalyptic that is non zombie, plague, rogue scientist or mutant creature this is a really good one.
Interesting, engaging, well written and entertaining post apocalyptic story.
The story pulls you in and doesn't let go. It moves along at a steady pace being woven together one piece at a time. Before you know it you've listened for 8 hours it's over and you want more. The world the author has created is interesting and more realistic than many post apocalyptic stories.
After the death of his family Frank Brogan finds himself in the Outzone seeking vengeance on the men who killed his family. Great cast of characters, of coarse Brogan was a great main character. Bear was another really good character.
Will definitely reading the next installment of the series as soon as it's available.
Once again Kevin Pierce does a fantastic job with the narration. He has the perfect deep alpha male voice for the main character. The voices for all the characters male and female are great. Smooth even pace, clearly spoken. His narration makes the story and characters come to life. He is fast becoming one my favorite narrators.
This audiobook was provided by author, narrator or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBoom.com
Interesting, engaging, well written and entertaining post apocalyptic story.
The story pulls you in and doesn't let go. It moves along at a steady pace being woven together one piece at a time. Before you know it you've listened for 8 hours it's over and you want more. The world the author has created is interesting and more realistic than many post apocalyptic stories.
After the death of his family Frank Brogan finds himself in the Outzone seeking vengeance on the men who killed his family. Great cast of characters, of coarse Brogan was a great main character. Bear was another really good character.
Will definitely reading the next installment of the series as soon as it's available.
Once again Kevin Pierce does a fantastic job with the narration. He has the perfect deep alpha male voice for the main character. The voices for all the characters male and female are great. Smooth even pace, clearly spoken. His narration makes the story and characters come to life. He is fast becoming one my favorite narrators.
This audiobook was provided by author, narrator or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBoom.com
April 22, 2019
After reading the description I was sold and it certainly delivered, big time. I found it really difficult to put down, I just had to keep turning the page, had to find out what happened next.
Frank Brogan is the sort of character you can warm too, invest in and root for. Hell, I wouldn't mind following him to the ends of the earth (even if he does gets himself into a few scrapes along the way).
After such a strong start to the series I hope there is plenty more to come from this Drifter series.
Frank Brogan is the sort of character you can warm too, invest in and root for. Hell, I wouldn't mind following him to the ends of the earth (even if he does gets himself into a few scrapes along the way).
After such a strong start to the series I hope there is plenty more to come from this Drifter series.
May 25, 2016
YAYYYYY! Another editing project is now a published book!
April 28, 2017
Frank Brogan's quest is one that leads him into a world where only the strongest and smartest survive. Finding out if he makes the cut takes the reader on quite an adventure.
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