One threat has been destroyed - another grows stronger. Even though Jack and the teams have won a major confrontation, their lives still hang by a thread. There are decisions to be made, and ones that have never been more critical.
Leonard continues to try to keep his crew together after being hit by another soul-shattering blow. They've only recently become aware of this new world, and it doesn't seem to be letting up anytime soon as they silently plunge through the Pacific, looking for answers Leonard knows they may never find.
Michael knows he can no longer stand idle and wait as he feels thousands of his kind disappear from his mind night after night. The weight of the survival of his kind weighs heavily on his shoulders and he pushes forward to end the threats to their existence.
John O'Brien is a former Air Force fighter instructor pilot who transitioned to Special Operations for the latter part of his career gathering his campaign ribbon for Desert Storm. Immediately following his military service, John became a firefighter/EMT with a local department. Along with becoming a firefighter, he fell into the Information Technology industry in corporate management. Currently, John is writing full-time.
As a former marathon runner, John lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest and can now be found kayaking out in the waters of Puget Sound, mountain biking in the Capital Forest, hiking in the Olympic Peninsula, or pedaling his road bike along the many scenic roads.
The whole series was incredible including this one. Little pissed about the end . I just feel that he went through everything to finally things will be easier for him to die. Really? Wow no words for it. Still loved it and going on to anotherJohn O’Brien series. He is an incredible writer. His words just flow and everyone feels like friends. I even felt like I was even reading anymore felt like I was right there in the story!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I have to say this is one of my favorite series. It sucks you into a new world and it doesn't let go. John did a awesome job with his detailed descriptions without dragging his ideas on too long like some other writers do. I always recommend this series when someone says they're looking for something new to read. I've gotta say this one had my heart pumping at the end.
What a final ! thank you so much Mr O'Brien to respect your readers to offer them a conclusion to your great tale. Finisehd it in a row on first day of this new year so i'm a bit tired but will complete my review later.
First of all I really liked the series and recommend it. The author undoubtedly has the talent to write a very interesting story that brings the characters to life and immerses the reader in the world he crafted.
Having said this the author does depend a little too much on major characters making dumb or foolhardy decisions only to come out victorious through sheer dumb luck. Too many times we see things happen just in the nick of time to get main characters out of a jam or the people who are found in some camp in the middle of bumfuck USA only for it later to be revealed they happen to posses the precise and unlikely set of skills and knowledge that the story needs to move along. I’m looking at you Harold!
A few things annoy the hell out of me though. Things that really don’t make sense or just wouldn’t happen if half competent people were in charge.
For instance: Why does every single building have to be pitch black only a few feet from the doors? Don’t windows and reflected light work the same way in this universe as it does in ours? Just open up all the windows and leave the doors open.
Want to raid the local Costco? Don’t just go in you idiot, climb up to the roof in the middle of the day and remove the corrugated sheet panels that make up the roof and let the sunlight flood the interior before you go in. Once the interior is well lit you can safely walk in an take whatever you like without fear of night runners. See how easy I make it? You can even raid the pharmacy in said Costco for medication. Don’t want to spend time removing roof panels, then get a bulldozer and remove a few walls to let sunshine in. They have access to heavy machinery and no one thought of doing this? Really? Every time I read about their fear of going into darkened supermarkets and warehouses I kept thinking “just used bulldozers before going in you idiots”.
Why build your sanctuary in a busy corridor between huge cities? In the real world as soon as Jack suggested cabela’s as their sanctuary someone would have told him that there are much better alternatives which are farther from the cities and thus the hoards of night runners. Why go through all the effort to clean out the Cabela’s then build miles of walls when there are nearby areas with natural defenses or use distance as a protective measure. If night runners need shelter during the day then just pick an isolated spot far enough away that it would be impossible for any night runners to get there on foot without getting caught by the rising sun.
If being close to the Tacoma- Seattle area was so importante then Wouldn’t it be better if they built their sanctuary on one of the many large islands in the area which already have infrastructure. Destroy any bridges and slowest clear out any night runners on the island. Then get a few boats and use those to move between the island and the mainland as needed. if there is no airport on the island then build a runway for the C130 and the “spooky” and there you go, a much safer place with infrastructure in place and without the constant fear of being invaded by hoards every night.
As I said before the author undoubtably is relented in world building. Even with all its flaws he created a very enjoyable series. I know this is just a fantasy but if the author took some time to actually make the story more believable it would have made it immensely better
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I was initially drawn in by the collaboration between O'Brien and Tufo, The Shrouded World Series. In order to understand the character of Jack Walker, I felt compelled to read this series.
O'BRIEN does have a unique style of writing.
I enjoyed the characters quite a lot. There is a great deal of depth put into the main character of Jack, who is likable and relatable to. The author takes a lot of time explaining to the layman how processes work without making the reader feel stupid by use of anthologies and interesting antidotes.
There are plenty of cliffhangers to keep you on the edge of your seat. The action keeps coming and had me asking, OK Jack, how are you going to get out of this one.
A different take on an old concept. I enjoyed reading this series and hope that the next reader shares the same enthusiasm for it as I did.
I've just finished this series with tears in my eyes. I have never been so involved with a story before and will remember this one for the rest of my life. Mr. O'BRien you write a damn great book. I loved, absolutely loved this story. I've never cried when reading a book but the end of this book was heartbreaking and at the same so truthful. I know it was the only way to end it. There is still a lot of me wants more and I'm sure the rest of your readers do too. I will always be a loyal follower. Thank you so much for such a wonderful story. Sincerely, Debora Seifert
I'd give this 4.5 rating, but Goodreads won't let me. This was a solid finish to the series, and I'm totally glad I read these books. This particular one felt a little rushed at times, perhaps forced, as O'Brien tried to bring the series to a close. He left a few plot points hanging out there. As for the actual ending, I'm both disappointed and satisfied. And that relates just to the plot itself. I didn't entirely get what I wanted... but that's because O'Brien was consistent in how he told the story. Things do not always work out the way you'd like in the middle of a zombie apocalypse, am I right?
This serve has been a rollercoaster. If you haven't tried the series, do it now. If you've only read part, keep going its worth it. Once again, this book was a real page turner. I seriously recommend reading these books. The characters are genuine and too easy to become attached to which, makes all the difference between a book and an amazing book.
Oh my o my, what can I say without spoiling it. It’s a fantastic conclusion to the story all bebit a sad one. I have laughed and I have cried throughout this series. I have not wanted to put the books down. I felt like I knew each character and was experiencing everything with them. Thank you so much for writing them John I thoroughly enjoyed every bit of the journey😊
Very intense, exciting. Could not stop reading it.
Loved the characters, and story. Did not like the ending. After all, Arnold, killed the Predator and lived. Ripley killed the Alien and lived.I like the hero's to live. However, I would highly recommend this series to anyone who likes exciting thrillers.I truly enjoyed every book.
I love this story.i lost a lot of sleep reading this series. The only thing about this series. is that some of the characters in the beginning books where in the story for only a little bit.like what happened to little Robbie n the dog?Or his ex wife n her family? It was still a great series.thank u
John O'Brien always delivers an experience filled with humor and gore, with a few tears and an underlying love of family. This is no exception. I refuse to live in a world without Jack so I will keep the faith that some how, some way..,
Terrific series. The writing draws the reader in and paints a vivid picture. You become involved in the characters lives and I find John O'Brien's books hard to put down.
I was hooked! The military aspect was great and the information on point. I discovered Jack when John teamed up with Mark Tufo in the Shrouded World series.
I finished reading A New World: Storm a few minutes ago. I was going to wait to write the review until I had a chance to process the story and its ending but decided not to. I want to write while my mind and emotions are still bound to the story.
I am simultaneously "wowed" beyond words and feeling something else that I will not describe. If I try, I will fail miserably and will most likely end up creating an unintentional spoiler.
In past reviews, I think I have made it clear that John O'Brien is my favorite writer in this genre. I hope I've also made it clear that he is one of my favorite writers of all the genres I've read. Storm solidifies that conviction for me. Why? The answer is simply this: John O'Brien is a talented writer and an amazing story-teller.
The first part of the book is dedicated to tying some loose ends together and setting the stage for the rest. There is not much action during this portion, which is unusual for most of the books in the series. Rest assured, the necessity to slow down for a bit does not mean it's boring. I mean, this is John O'Brien. Are his stories ever boring? No.
The action picks up once Jack sets out to take care of some unfinished business. It continues through the rest of the book as he and his group encounter new threats, as well eliminate some old ones. In addition, a couple new groups of survivors are introduced and plans to work with them are established. Meanwhile, Jack is doing his best to lead, although he is tired and not always certain he knows the direction he needs to take.
It is the last part of the book that made me clench my Kindle in a state of tightly-wound emotions and caused me to scowl at any poor soul who dared to interrupt my reading. As I write this, I am still reeling from the roller coaster ride Mr. O'Brien created. The ending packs a punch so be prepared, but do NOT read ahead. You will be kicking yourself forever.
As with all of the A New World books, I appreciate the hard work and pride O'Brien obviously poured into writing Storm. He is a first-class writer and can tell a story with the best of them.
Jack achieves a solid victory against the bunker and the ex Mossad agent. He does have one problem, which is what to do with the 300 prisoners collected. Eventually a solution is reached after educating the prisoners in what and who they were actually protecting. Eliminating that threat also resolved Jack's blocked satellite communication. This not only opens up local communication within his own group, but also allows communication with Leonard on the Santa Fe. With the bunker group threat out of the way Jack's group can concentrate on the infected horde building to the north. It comes to light that the bunker group's original plan of eliminating 60% of the population is still in place if the technical difficulties can be overcome. Without going into long explanations this means that two-thirds of the infected could be wiped out if Jack's tech guru can identify and remedy why the satellite trigger does not work. Hmm... Meanwhile, Captain Leonard has come into contact with two other U.S. attack subs and surprisingly a Russian missile sub to boot. Now there are four subs. The U.S. subs have received a communication for all active vessels to return to Pearl Harbor. They don't know if the communication is valid, but they don't want to ignore it. So they make their way to Pearl to investigate, the Russian included. The transmission turns out to be a desperation rescue attempt, which is no longer needed based on the remains left about. With the investigation over, the four subs again make their way to Bangor Naval Base to refit. The final battle with Jack, the Night Runners, and the nano-bots is coming. Great series, too bad it has to end.
And so a great series ends. When it comes to "light reading", but which still has some substance and interesting characters, O'Briens New World-series have been a constant companion through these ten books.
The book starts out with tying a lot of loose ends together, setting up a finish that to me was a bit unexpected.
The story is strong, the voices of the characters are all believable, and the action is as always good. When it comes to Zombie/Apocalypse-books, this is the best series I've read.
The only reason I'm keeping one star is that I feel the ending is a bit hurried and abrubt. The final confrontation seems a bit too underwhelming after all this time.
Still, it has been one helluva ride. Thanks for the ride, Mr. O'Brien. It has been a pleasure. I hope your next endeavor will be as successful and exciting.
Wow. I can't believe jacks story is finished. I am sad yet content with the ending. The last fight between the Michael and jack was fitting. To the end I had hoped that jack would pull thru; but when his daughter came for him; well, that made it a bittersweet ending. Yes. I wonder about drescall. But..this wasn't his story. I'm okay most loose ends we're left as is. I felt the opening of other possibilities. But even if there is to be no spin off. Well. I'll just have to use my own imagination Re: the survivors and Jacks legacy. I sincerely hope that John O'Brien will continue with his writing. This fan has high hopes for another series. Thanks for the wild ride Jack!
Oh Wow...I dont even know what to say...I am kind of heart broken...But nothing was written in stone...and I still have ASW...and I kind of think that is where Jack is now...with Michael Talbot in ASW...lol Jack was tough and honorable and did what he had to do to save his family and friends and even the rest of the world...His bravery will stay with me for a long time, and I really enjoyed my journey I took with Jack and the crew..I recommend this series to anyone who likes the post apocalyptic zombie genre....well worth your time...well written and Jack as a main character is a complete winner...also the narration is incredible....Good Bye Jack!
Has to be the greatest in the series that left me sad, happy and hopeful. John O'Brien has done it again with this installment of the NEW WORLD series. Slow to begin with but it does tie up many of the unanswered questions in previous books and it looks like Jack Walker, the protagonist of the series, is about to finally find the peace he has fought so hard for. But the Night Runners have different ideas and leads to an all out battle that will leave all Jack Walker/ John O'Brien fans screaming!!!! For a complete review check out Amazon
Oh no you didn't! What did he not do? you will have to read it. I will refrain from commenting here right now, as I would hate to spoil the read, but you will know when you are done. I will give it some time and then revise my review.
For those of you who have been reading the series you will not be disappointed. O'brien is really coming into his own as a writer, and this installation only whets my appetite for more to come from him.
Good job you emotion wrenching, sadistic writer you!
Mr O'Brien! Why? I loved it,I was on the edge towards the end. Didn't see that unfolding as it did. this has been one hell of a journey from start to finish. I love Jack and the whole series. I'm still shocked and probably never recover. please till me there is a spin off. What else will you be working on now? New series! you defiantly write some good stuff.
Like finishing a movie that has you sitting on the edge of your seat through the whole thing, this series has been that and more. John O'Brien has managed to make the readers feel a part of the teams that are fighting, a member of Jack's family, complete with laughter and tears......oh the tears! So, yes, standing ovation with one major encore!!!!! Well done my friend, well done!
I didn't leave any rating with the other books in my hurry to rush into the next book in this series. I found that I couldn't wait to keep reading these. The character's and all the personalities made the story line flow seamlessly from one book to the other. I hate the ending, knew it was coming, but hate it. From one AF family to another, please keep writing your stories. I can't wait to read more.....
So difficult to review this book without spoilers. It's full of the same excitement, discovery, action and emotion the rest of the series has. The characters John created are real and you will be able to continue their adventures.. I didn't give this 5* because I really care about the people in these books. It's not what happens but how that I've dropped a star. I'd still thoroughly recommend the series, great books
As always when I get really involved with a series I hate to see it end. I kinda feel lost and will miss all the characters. That being said...this is a wonderful series and I hope everyone out there that enjoys a good series has the chance to pick this one up. You will not be disappointed.