What do you think?
Rate this book
Husks: The First Book
Puck’s a scavenger in the husk of what used to be Los Angeles.
There’s work there. Not much of it honest. She’s been there long enough to know what trouble looks like and how to avoid it. And she knows better than to trust any evergreen who comes making stupid promises. Living comes first.
She’s pragmatic, but that has its own sort of problems. Especially when money outweighs the reasons to say no.
There’s work there. Not much of it honest. She’s been there long enough to know what trouble looks like and how to avoid it. And she knows better than to trust any evergreen who comes making stupid promises. Living comes first.
She’s pragmatic, but that has its own sort of problems. Especially when money outweighs the reasons to say no.
212 pages, Paperback
Published October 18, 2016
6 people are currently reading
20 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
February 13, 2017
I loved the story and if this is indeed the first of several in this series I'll likely buy them all. If I had to summarize or compare this book to movies I'd have to say it's a cross between Big Trouble in Little China & Cherry 2000. The main character, Puck, is a nice cross of the bad-ass Melanie Griffith from Cherry and the smart ass Kurt Russel from Big Trouble. Husks is a smaller book, but it packs a lot into the story.
Puck is a scavenger in a post war wasteland of the Western US. Against better judgement, she takes a job that puts herself and an evergreen, aka clueless noob, on the path through rival warlords to acquire an item from the previous occupiers. Unfortunately, they want it as well. The pace is fast and I love the distinct personalities of the various parties. If anything, this book is too short.
I purchased Husks from Mr. Fitzgerald at a convention in December 2016. Mr F, if you're reading this, I've enjoyed all your books it's only due to me being a bit overwhelmed (slacker) that I haven't posted reviews of The Siúil (yet!).
Puck is a scavenger in a post war wasteland of the Western US. Against better judgement, she takes a job that puts herself and an evergreen, aka clueless noob, on the path through rival warlords to acquire an item from the previous occupiers. Unfortunately, they want it as well. The pace is fast and I love the distinct personalities of the various parties. If anything, this book is too short.
I purchased Husks from Mr. Fitzgerald at a convention in December 2016. Mr F, if you're reading this, I've enjoyed all your books it's only due to me being a bit overwhelmed (slacker) that I haven't posted reviews of The Siúil (yet!).
November 9, 2016
This was a really good punk apocalypse, with a tough, no-nonsense badass in a collapsed world. We get a bit of a tour as she takes her job into the ruins, and out again, and I'd love to see where it goes from here.
It is interesting, though, the contempt we're invited to feel for the soft, useless 'evergreen' that she has to shepherd through this journey, especially as she accuses him of danger-tourism... because that's also the position that readers are in. Compared to the hyper-competent violence specialist that's the protagonist, none of us are likely to measure up. I kind of hope that the next book shows more of her 'home' life when she's not shooting things, because that sort of marginal society could also be interesting in this world.
It is interesting, though, the contempt we're invited to feel for the soft, useless 'evergreen' that she has to shepherd through this journey, especially as she accuses him of danger-tourism... because that's also the position that readers are in. Compared to the hyper-competent violence specialist that's the protagonist, none of us are likely to measure up. I kind of hope that the next book shows more of her 'home' life when she's not shooting things, because that sort of marginal society could also be interesting in this world.
December 6, 2017
Puck smokes. A lot. The amount of times that I was told by the author that Puck smokes kinda bothered me. Other than that the book was enjoyable for the most part, though I know very little about the main characters. Puck is tall, a badass, and speaks bluntly, and Carl is a scientist, an idealist, and naive. Motivations for the characters weren't really revealed and some characters were introduced for a page and were downright disturbing (such as a scene where a guy likes his taxidermy a little too much). The book felt more like world-building than a story, but it's an interesting world.
September 6, 2017
The more I read of Randall P. Fitzgerald, the more I love his writing.
Husks is a post-apocalyptic tale with a wild west feel. Puck, the scavenger we follow through the story, is a strong woman with little time or patience for side-quests. She's a fighter who likes to get to the point, and her irritation at others giving her the runaround is easy to relate to. My only question is, why haven't you read this book yet? Do it.
Husks is a post-apocalyptic tale with a wild west feel. Puck, the scavenger we follow through the story, is a strong woman with little time or patience for side-quests. She's a fighter who likes to get to the point, and her irritation at others giving her the runaround is easy to relate to. My only question is, why haven't you read this book yet? Do it.
February 22, 2019
I'm still just not sure what to say about this book. Which in my mind, says a lot.
The story isn't bad, and I enjoyed the setting. But there's a lot left wanting here. I didn't feel very invested in most of what was happening. The main character's detachment bled through much of the writing, making large chunks feel listless. That said, the action was captured in an interesting way, and the author's image of survival in the setting was engrossing, if dark.
However, there were multiple points where I felt it dropped the ball thematically. Established dramatic devices were suddenly ignored, interesting plot points shoved to the background (although constantly "thought about" to make sure the reader doesn't lose track, hey look, next book, right?), and glossed-over character development made the story fall a little short in drama and personal investment.
All told, not too bad, not too great. Looking forward to a movie adaptation, though!
The story isn't bad, and I enjoyed the setting. But there's a lot left wanting here. I didn't feel very invested in most of what was happening. The main character's detachment bled through much of the writing, making large chunks feel listless. That said, the action was captured in an interesting way, and the author's image of survival in the setting was engrossing, if dark.
However, there were multiple points where I felt it dropped the ball thematically. Established dramatic devices were suddenly ignored, interesting plot points shoved to the background (although constantly "thought about" to make sure the reader doesn't lose track, hey look, next book, right?), and glossed-over character development made the story fall a little short in drama and personal investment.
All told, not too bad, not too great. Looking forward to a movie adaptation, though!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews