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Overthrown: The Great Dark
Ever since the Great Dark pushed the world into chaos, Gordon's singular focus has been keeping his family alive. But survival is growing tougher by the day, just like the cancerous tumor wrapping itself around his wife Meg's spine.
Meg is strong - she's fought off the disease once before. It was over a year ago, when there were doctors and hospitals and pharmacies. Now those things are gone, along with so much else. And the battle inside her body is turning against her. Gordon knows that she won't survive without the cancer medicine that saved her the first time. Medicine that's in a distant and deserted city, out in the darkness.
He's heard the stories of a dangerous new landscape, with fearless wild animals and bands of violent outliers. Yet Gordon has to try, even though the only allies he can enlist to help him are his 15-year-old twins, Jessica and Henry. And they may be too young to provide any help at all.
But what Gordon starts to see on their journey is that his kids are more gifted than he's ever noticed. They're clever and resourceful, adaptive and resilient. And as the three of them get closer to the city that holds the medicine, they find themselves in the midst of a new war. A war against the hackers who destroyed the world's technological infrastructure and rebuilt it for their own design. And Gordon begins to realize that his children may be the only hope that civilization has left.
Meg is strong - she's fought off the disease once before. It was over a year ago, when there were doctors and hospitals and pharmacies. Now those things are gone, along with so much else. And the battle inside her body is turning against her. Gordon knows that she won't survive without the cancer medicine that saved her the first time. Medicine that's in a distant and deserted city, out in the darkness.
He's heard the stories of a dangerous new landscape, with fearless wild animals and bands of violent outliers. Yet Gordon has to try, even though the only allies he can enlist to help him are his 15-year-old twins, Jessica and Henry. And they may be too young to provide any help at all.
But what Gordon starts to see on their journey is that his kids are more gifted than he's ever noticed. They're clever and resourceful, adaptive and resilient. And as the three of them get closer to the city that holds the medicine, they find themselves in the midst of a new war. A war against the hackers who destroyed the world's technological infrastructure and rebuilt it for their own design. And Gordon begins to realize that his children may be the only hope that civilization has left.
459 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 26, 2016
18 people are currently reading
196 people want to read
About the author
Judd Vowell
5 books17 followersJudd Vowell is the author of five novels. His Overthrown trilogy is a doomsday adventure, Powder House is a paranormal whodunit, and his latest, Salvation, Mississippi, is a Southern crime thriller. Judd lives and writes in his hometown of Huntsville, Alabama, where he also raises a teenage son and plays his guitar too loud from time to time.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
June 17, 2016
We all have this fear of being caught in a situation where we're unprepared and our family depends on how we react. We live in a time when networks that control communication and energy are so vast, yet vulnerable to disruption, that it's not to hard to imagine a moment when we have to reset our lives back to basic survival.
Judd Vowell's novel is a walk through a scenario where everything is in question for a father and his young kids as they try to A) survive in a world that's been turned inside out and B) to do something noble and impossibly dangerous to keep their mother alive. This no trite apocalyptic zombie-fest. These characters are real; pulled from any one of our streets or offices. No super heroes or outlandish leaps in plot. What makes this such a great read is that it's all very plausible.
This is a fast-paced thriller of a book that will be over before you're ready. That's really my only criticism. The end came too quickly. I want to know more about these people I became so close to. I want to see what happens next.
I hope Mr Vowell has another volume up his sleeve soon. Don't know how long I can wait to continue the story.
Judd Vowell's novel is a walk through a scenario where everything is in question for a father and his young kids as they try to A) survive in a world that's been turned inside out and B) to do something noble and impossibly dangerous to keep their mother alive. This no trite apocalyptic zombie-fest. These characters are real; pulled from any one of our streets or offices. No super heroes or outlandish leaps in plot. What makes this such a great read is that it's all very plausible.
This is a fast-paced thriller of a book that will be over before you're ready. That's really my only criticism. The end came too quickly. I want to know more about these people I became so close to. I want to see what happens next.
I hope Mr Vowell has another volume up his sleeve soon. Don't know how long I can wait to continue the story.
October 4, 2016
"his intentions, when he formed ANTI-were to take the world, the human race, back to zero. To take away human controls: government, money, technology and so on."
I love a good dystopian story and Overthrown does not disappoint. Set in the near future, where the world has been thrown into chaos and darkness due to a complete financial and technological infrastructure collapse. The story s told from two perspectives. The first is a man and his children as they search for life-saving medication for their mother. The father's narrative not only details their journey, struggles and eventual partnership with the Resistance, but also uses flashbacks to detail the history of the mother's illness and explains the first few months after the collapse.
The other perspective is told from the view of a professional hacker who has been hired by ANTI to create the virus that collapses the infrastructure. Also using flashbacks, we get a detailed look at the man behind ANTI, his upbringing, the events in his life that contributed to his plan, and how his plan came to fruition.
I loved this story. I thought it was completely compelling and i could not put it down. It was full of interesting details and information. It reminded me a little of Mr. Robot and the idea that big corporations, financial institutions and technology will be the eventual downfall of our world. Maybe a little too realistic. But I love books that make me feel like I could see the event of the book actually happening. Judd Vowell has done an excellent job creating a realistic scenario but still leaving a fantastical element to it.
I love a good dystopian story and Overthrown does not disappoint. Set in the near future, where the world has been thrown into chaos and darkness due to a complete financial and technological infrastructure collapse. The story s told from two perspectives. The first is a man and his children as they search for life-saving medication for their mother. The father's narrative not only details their journey, struggles and eventual partnership with the Resistance, but also uses flashbacks to detail the history of the mother's illness and explains the first few months after the collapse.
The other perspective is told from the view of a professional hacker who has been hired by ANTI to create the virus that collapses the infrastructure. Also using flashbacks, we get a detailed look at the man behind ANTI, his upbringing, the events in his life that contributed to his plan, and how his plan came to fruition.
I loved this story. I thought it was completely compelling and i could not put it down. It was full of interesting details and information. It reminded me a little of Mr. Robot and the idea that big corporations, financial institutions and technology will be the eventual downfall of our world. Maybe a little too realistic. But I love books that make me feel like I could see the event of the book actually happening. Judd Vowell has done an excellent job creating a realistic scenario but still leaving a fantastical element to it.
August 16, 2016
"Civilization was on a runaway steam train with no destination and no engineer, only firemen shoveling more and more coal into the engine."
Such a bleak outlook on the world hits pretty close to home these days, with joke memes like "Giant Meteor '16 - just end it already" becoming popular in response to the troubled US presidential election. Indeed, the world of Overthrown is essentially our own, and Vowell takes great care in chaining familiar historical and current events into the cataclysm that plunges his characters into a post-apocalyptic darkness. Set amidst this anarchic backdrop is a thrilling heroic quest: a family on a mission to obtain drugs needed to keep wife and mother alive.
The narrative structure, consisting of short chapters, which for much of the book alternate between different threads, holds the reader's attention and keeps the story moving at a breakneck pace. Combined with skillful use of foreshadowing and cliffhanger, this becomes the book that is hard to put down. I have to add that among its many plot twists, there is one that I found a bit dubious at first, but in the end Vowell pulls it off!
With its inventive and compelling story, and interesting and relatable characters, Overthrown is a fun, entertaining, and thought-provoking read.
Such a bleak outlook on the world hits pretty close to home these days, with joke memes like "Giant Meteor '16 - just end it already" becoming popular in response to the troubled US presidential election. Indeed, the world of Overthrown is essentially our own, and Vowell takes great care in chaining familiar historical and current events into the cataclysm that plunges his characters into a post-apocalyptic darkness. Set amidst this anarchic backdrop is a thrilling heroic quest: a family on a mission to obtain drugs needed to keep wife and mother alive.
The narrative structure, consisting of short chapters, which for much of the book alternate between different threads, holds the reader's attention and keeps the story moving at a breakneck pace. Combined with skillful use of foreshadowing and cliffhanger, this becomes the book that is hard to put down. I have to add that among its many plot twists, there is one that I found a bit dubious at first, but in the end Vowell pulls it off!
With its inventive and compelling story, and interesting and relatable characters, Overthrown is a fun, entertaining, and thought-provoking read.
June 18, 2016
I could be partial, because the author happens to be my brother, but my review is honest and objective. This is a novel of the moment that readers of all kinds will find enjoyable, thought-provoking, and meaningful. It falls into the apocalyptic, dystopian genre, but with a family story that will ring true to parents (and maybe even to teen children, too, if you give it to a young adult reader you know). Gordon is a father and husband who can't focus solely on his own survival when the world goes dark; he has to think of his sick wife and his teenage twins. His will to survive is motivated by theirs, and his story turns into a story of his courageous kids. Meanwhile, the plot of the terrorists keeps the pages of every other chapter turning, and we get a glimpse of the motives behind the cyberterrorists' scheme to gain power by taking away the world's power: electricity, the Internet, and the international grid. Given real-life groups like Anonymous, the novel Overthrown presents a story that seems plausible enough to happen, and readers might feel relieved it's just fiction—for now, at least.
June 18, 2016
A powerful and compelling read for Mr. Vowell's debut. This story is for anyone who enjoys a personal, engaging read, set in a futuristic (but realistic) world. Highly recommend.
October 8, 2017
Author Judd Vowell gave me the opportunity to read and review his book, and I am so glad he did! This was a thrilling, exciting read. In a post-apocalyptic world where the Great Dark has entirely wiped out worldwide connections to the Internet, and other forms of global communication, the world Gordon, his wife, Meg, and children once knew has been thrown into chaos. With Gordon’s wife running low on the medication she needs to keep her alive, Gordon and his twin son and daughter, Jessica and Henry, venture out into an unstable world filled with mercenaries, endless danger and a new war being waged against the hackers who destroyed all global communications in order to restock on the medicine Meg needs to survive. As they learn to become more resourceful in order to complete their mission, Gordon learns just how resilient his children are, and that they might be the last remaining hope society has. “Overthrown” is the first book in Vowell’s “The Great Dark” series, and I have been completely sucked in. I will definitely seek out the rest of the books, and I hope you will, too.
February 15, 2018
What an interesting read! Vowell is able to parallel current events and weave a storyline that sounds scarily applicable. From the uprising of an organization that takes down the world via electricity outages, communication breakdowns when the internet no longer works, and humanity reverts to its basest form in order to survive to a small group trying to battle this great force.
The ending of the book makes me glad I have the second book on hand. I can't wait to see what happens next!
The ending of the book makes me glad I have the second book on hand. I can't wait to see what happens next!
July 14, 2017
Amazing! Loved this book! Read it in two days! Great story and loved the characters! Great discussions with our book club!
Can't wait for the next one!
Can't wait for the next one!
January 25, 2017
My favorite line of "Overthrown" was, "Truth be told, the chances of us getting the medication for Meg and then getting it back to her in time were slim at best. I knew it all along, but I had ignored it. Maybe that's what hope really is." Perfect. Sometimes hope IS just moving forward even when it seems like nothing is ever going to work out. This author is insightful and you'll see evidence of this insight throughout his debut novel.
This novel takes place in the apocalyptic tension of a post terrorism event. We have had our deep dependence on technology cut away from us with the flick of a switch (so to speak) and all the luxuries that come with it are gone. Everything we have previously taken for granted from groceries stores to gasoline is no longer a given. And then there are the weaker members of society: the sick, the young, the elderly. They have lost the most. Vowell focuses on the urgent needs of be first group, while also showing that youth is a luxury of those who can afford to categorize it. In impoverished nations around the world, childhood ends when you can go fetch the water and cut the fire wood, usually around age 4. In post-apocalyptic America, we suddenly have to ask our children to do some growing up, fast. Thankfully, the main character, Gordon, has raised some amazing kids and they rise to the task. One can only imagine that seeing their mother's suffering has strengthened them and prepared them for this life and their mission in ways they were previously unaware. As the family travels, they meet up with all sorts of characters who are reacting to this act of terrorism and the resulting lack of government in all the ways you'd imagine: denial, anger, apathy. It's as if the stages of grief are walking the barren highways and they're all searching for something different. And much of it is scary.
When we finally see what is happening behind the scenes (and Vowell feeds us background in fragments small enough to pull us long and keep us wanting more), we find we know just enough to start to relate to, and maybe even empathize with, the terrorists. We are left straddling the fence. We know who the good guys are, but the bad guys don't seem to be all bad either.
The novel really hits its stride as we get closer to its conflict--a meeting between the two sides. More characters are introduced, details and relationships become more fleshed out, and you're drawn into a world that leaves you wanting more. Everything feels real. Other than the use of one short character POV that felt a bit contrived for me, I felt pleasantly lost in the story and surprised at every turn. When I reached the final page, my overwhelming thought was, "when is the sequel coming out?"
This novel takes place in the apocalyptic tension of a post terrorism event. We have had our deep dependence on technology cut away from us with the flick of a switch (so to speak) and all the luxuries that come with it are gone. Everything we have previously taken for granted from groceries stores to gasoline is no longer a given. And then there are the weaker members of society: the sick, the young, the elderly. They have lost the most. Vowell focuses on the urgent needs of be first group, while also showing that youth is a luxury of those who can afford to categorize it. In impoverished nations around the world, childhood ends when you can go fetch the water and cut the fire wood, usually around age 4. In post-apocalyptic America, we suddenly have to ask our children to do some growing up, fast. Thankfully, the main character, Gordon, has raised some amazing kids and they rise to the task. One can only imagine that seeing their mother's suffering has strengthened them and prepared them for this life and their mission in ways they were previously unaware. As the family travels, they meet up with all sorts of characters who are reacting to this act of terrorism and the resulting lack of government in all the ways you'd imagine: denial, anger, apathy. It's as if the stages of grief are walking the barren highways and they're all searching for something different. And much of it is scary.
When we finally see what is happening behind the scenes (and Vowell feeds us background in fragments small enough to pull us long and keep us wanting more), we find we know just enough to start to relate to, and maybe even empathize with, the terrorists. We are left straddling the fence. We know who the good guys are, but the bad guys don't seem to be all bad either.
The novel really hits its stride as we get closer to its conflict--a meeting between the two sides. More characters are introduced, details and relationships become more fleshed out, and you're drawn into a world that leaves you wanting more. Everything feels real. Other than the use of one short character POV that felt a bit contrived for me, I felt pleasantly lost in the story and surprised at every turn. When I reached the final page, my overwhelming thought was, "when is the sequel coming out?"
July 7, 2016
Did not expect to enjoy this book; as a debut from a new author, it could easily have been poorly written, awkwardly paced, and have problems and contradictions that could derail the plot and knock the reader off the precarious perch of suspended disbelief.
But Overthrown was very readable, and an original and, within the bounds of fiction, believable device for the end of modern society than in any number of other post-apocalypse stories.
I'm not gonna lie--some of the characters are not very clearly drawn (at least not yet; this is the first of a series); and there are a few thin or glib explanations in places that don't bear too much scrutiny. But the story holds together and moves at a good pace - e.g., no huge plot upheavals that happen in a few paragraphs, followed by endless description or internal monologue. Very little filler; all the information either drives the plot or illustrates the character or explains motivation. The reader is left with a satisfying ending for the first part of the series, and enough interest in the surviving characters to want to continue. One warning: the author Ned Starks one of my favorite main characters; but thumbs up to a new author gutsy enough to sacrifice a character to feed the story.
If you enjoy Apocalypse fiction, add this to your list to read.
But Overthrown was very readable, and an original and, within the bounds of fiction, believable device for the end of modern society than in any number of other post-apocalypse stories.
I'm not gonna lie--some of the characters are not very clearly drawn (at least not yet; this is the first of a series); and there are a few thin or glib explanations in places that don't bear too much scrutiny. But the story holds together and moves at a good pace - e.g., no huge plot upheavals that happen in a few paragraphs, followed by endless description or internal monologue. Very little filler; all the information either drives the plot or illustrates the character or explains motivation. The reader is left with a satisfying ending for the first part of the series, and enough interest in the surviving characters to want to continue. One warning: the author Ned Starks one of my favorite main characters; but thumbs up to a new author gutsy enough to sacrifice a character to feed the story.
If you enjoy Apocalypse fiction, add this to your list to read.
November 15, 2016
This is a plausible tale of what could happen if hackers shut down the grid. The storyline revolves around a father trying to survive such a situation with his children, while they attempt to find life-saving medication for their mother.
I like the way Judd develops a back story for his characters. There are a few surprises. Ultimately, it's a fast-paced read that ends before you want it to. Never fear, there is a sequel in the works! I hope it comes out soon because I'm curious to know what happens next.
I like the way Judd develops a back story for his characters. There are a few surprises. Ultimately, it's a fast-paced read that ends before you want it to. Never fear, there is a sequel in the works! I hope it comes out soon because I'm curious to know what happens next.
June 15, 2016
Great read!
Futuristic, but based enough in reality to create a plausible, frightening scenario of what could be in store for our technologically-dependent society. I will definitely be on the lookout for a sequel.
Futuristic, but based enough in reality to create a plausible, frightening scenario of what could be in store for our technologically-dependent society. I will definitely be on the lookout for a sequel.
August 6, 2016
Quite Enjoyable!
Well developed plot and characters. Unusual story about end times but believable. The story gives you a lot to think about with what is going on in the world today. Hope there is a sequel.
Well developed plot and characters. Unusual story about end times but believable. The story gives you a lot to think about with what is going on in the world today. Hope there is a sequel.
June 28, 2016
Thrilling and realistic with plenty of surprises! Once I started this book I could not put it down until the final sentence. Based on the ending... I am hoping there is a sequel!
May 16, 2017
Great read!! The dark web meets the walking dead (sans zombies)...coincidentally, hackers/cyber attacks were all over the news when I was reading this!
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June 20, 2017This. Is an interesting take on the post-apocalyptic genre.
This book is an auspicious start to a series. It is mostly character driven, with well developed and interesting likeable characters. There are points where the author drifts away from the plot. There is also some supernatural aspects that only appear because the writer kills off a character before his time, seemingly forgetting that the plot can't move forward without him. The ghost seems to be interjected solely so the author doesn't have to rewrite the story or revise points of view within it. It's a pretty big technical error, in any story, but the book is enjoyable anyway, despite the need for a revision, sans ghost.
This book is an auspicious start to a series. It is mostly character driven, with well developed and interesting likeable characters. There are points where the author drifts away from the plot. There is also some supernatural aspects that only appear because the writer kills off a character before his time, seemingly forgetting that the plot can't move forward without him. The ghost seems to be interjected solely so the author doesn't have to rewrite the story or revise points of view within it. It's a pretty big technical error, in any story, but the book is enjoyable anyway, despite the need for a revision, sans ghost.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews