The Day after Oblivion

by Tim Washburn

AND SO IT BEGINS…
In the United States, the Department of Defense and the NSA computer networks have been hacked. A nuclear-armed CIA drone has lost all flight control. North Korea . . . Iran . . . Russia . . . and soon the gates of Hell will open.
 
DEFCON 1—FULL SCALE NUCLEAR WAR
Humanity’s most terrifying nightmare has become reality. Bombs are detonated, missiles are launched, counterstrikes are ordered, and within minutes, untold thousands of megatons have left countless millions dead or dying. Devastation of biblical proportions has fallen over the land . . . and the USA has been hit the hardest.
 
NOW THE SURVIVORS ARE ON THEIR OWN…
The death toll is incalculable. Following the devastation, there is no law, no power, no communication. But there are survivors. And now the real battle begins, on the ground, hand to hand, person to person. Can those who remain survive long enough to rebuild a world . . . or will it just take a little longer for them to die?
 
“Leaves you breathless.”—Marc Cameron, bestselling author of National Security and Day Zero
 
“Like a nuclear reactor, this story heats up fast!”—Anderson Harp, author of Retribution and Born of War (on Powerless)

Genres: Fiction, Science Fiction, Post Apocalyptic, Dystopia, Audiobook, Apocalyptic

561 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 30, 2018

About the author

After graduating with a Journalism degree from the University of Oklahoma, Tim Washburn spent several years working in the television business. He's worked as a photographer, producer, special projects director, and programming director both in Oklahoma City and Little Rock, Arkansas.

Shortly After the birth of their first child, he and his wife made the decision that Tim would be a stay-at-home dad, while doing some freelance journalism jobs on the side. Tim's been president of the PTA, a soccer coach, a volleyball coach, and a life coach.

Tim knew from a young age that I wanted to write, but it wasn't until several years ago that he turned his focus to writing and founds his passion.

Tim hopes his novel entertains you and that some of that characters may linger long after the book is finished .

Reviews

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Day after Oblivion by Tim Washburn is an apocalyptic thriller that takes readers on the wild ride of just what might happen if we face another world war. The story started with bringing in computer experts when it looks like the government has been hacked. Things quickly escalate leading the world to an all out nuclear war.

After the dust settles there are some survivors left in the world and this book tells their story and what it might be like for those left. The chapters are fairly short with each changing the point of view between different characters and groups that have survived and what is happening with them.

I have to admit I’ve always been a bit of a fan of the doomsday scenario movies and books. Who knows, maybe one of these apocalyptic thrillers will give me the tips to survive if it looks as if the world is actually ending or in the very least they are fun to read to pass the time with all the action and events.

I don’t know that I would say this book held anything new or amazing but even so I still found it to be an entertaining read. All of the survivors in the story seemed to lead completely different lives and have differing views on how and what to do after the bombs dropped so it made for interesting reading switching between what was going on with each of them at any given time. In the end I thought this was a solid read and would definitely check out more from this author in the future.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....

[Jeri · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love apocalyptic fiction, this book is one for you. Even if you just enjoy a good thriller, you will enjoy it. What happens when the world literally goes to hell in a handbasket? No one knows who started it or why. This book follows a handful of people from Day 1 to a week later. You see the good and bad side to humanity and how dangerous even the most simple things can become.

I was given an eARC by the publisher through NetGalley.

[Joanne Hurley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read The Day After Oblivion. I have to admit, I'm a disaster movie junkie - ever since The Poseidon Adventure and The Towering Inferno; and that has translated - somewhat - to my choice of post-apocalyptic thrillers. I have read one of Mr. Washburn's previous novels (and plan on reading the other one).
On a day like no other, every country in the world decides to launch a wave of nuclear weaponry - most likely spurred on by malware infecting computer systems across the world.
The Day After Oblivion tells the story of the day it happened, and tracks the lives of various characters in the aftermath.
Tautly written, and very expertly described, this will keep you reading far into the night and to the end. I, for one, cannot wait to see what else the author has for us in the future.

[Polly Krize · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Apocalyptic look at what happens when the world goes mad...nuclear devastation across the globe...North America hit the hardest. The few survivors must find a way to live in this changed world. Fast paced and well written.

[Debi · Rating 1 out of 5]

Shoot off every nuke in the world and the worst hazard any survivor faces is driving fast through a city with the windows rolled up in case the radiation hasn't settled?
I don't think so.

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent post-WWIII novel but the characters too often engage in what I call 'Walking Dead Syndrome,' whereby otherwise intelligent people do incredibly stupid things given the post-apocalypse world in which they now live.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nail biting thriller I couldn't put down!

Three segments: Present Day, After, One Week Later provide the timing for this doomsday fiction which is full of political, scientific and survivalist knowledge.

I loved learning about wind turbines, cyber security, basic military level mechanics of a submarine and military installation placement across the USA.

Five scenarios alternate in one and two page chapters that end on cliffhangers had me wishing I was reading print over EPub so I could fast forward to see what happens with those characters next, then flip back to do the same with the next set of characters. An audiobook would be even better - I could listen while making dinner!

Having read Tim Washburn's Powerless I knew I would be in for a fascinating story and this met every expectation and then some.

I volunteered to read an ARC from Kensington through Net Galley

[Nanette · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this whole, long book, and that’s saying something. The writing is decent, but there isn’t much of a plot or suspense, which is unusual in a novel about a post-apocalyptic world. Sure, lots of bad things happen to some of the people, but most of it is offstage, and none of it really happens to any of the main characters. The good guys have a way of always coming out on top in this tale, and they all do it with expediency and skill. That’s not necessarily a bad thing but it is somewhat unrealistic. In a way, though, it is comforting. Some (ok, most) post-apocalyptic novel leave one feeling hopeless and very concerned about the future of the world. This novel is not nearly as bleak as most. It seems to say that there is always hope, even when all the world has fallen down around your ears.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a favorite! Could list many a read novel on the end of days scenarios involving atomic bombs. This one novels has the world devastated by nuclear bombs but all these characters are somehow connected. Friends, family or friends of family that are somehow spared death and somehow find each other. Some find baby formula and somehow get this to her sister, miles away in another state, in time to save the baby. It was great for Mom and baby but...It all came together,somehow. A large novel, over 500 pages, that just comes together way to nicely. My only criticism, so I will leave it up to you to decide if you read it. A fairy tale ending. If you enjoy a dreadful scenario of the ending of days that has an ending of unrealistic conclusion then read on. Later. Keep Reading

[Robert Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is quite a book. Compelling and highly readable. Tim Washburn is a skilled author and so I will be seeking out his other books. I enjoyed this book but it is a difficult read. Not because of the language or writing skill but because when the face of civilization slips, evil easily steps in. The danger to the survivors is very real and always constant. If you enjoy apocalyptic stories you will love this one.

[Joe Sylvia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great storytelling

Extremely well written. Great story, told in a style similar to Tom Clancy with several parallel tales all adding up to a grey read. Evokes several emotions regarding man's interaction with fellow humans and the narrow division between order and chaos. Would highly recommend this book and hope to read more of this author's works.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a fan of disaster novels and movies, the more outrageous, the better. This is the third I’ve read by Tim Washburn. What I really like about his stories is he creates characters the reader grows to care about. He finds a good balance of providing an interesting backstory for each character without interrupting the suspenseful flow. I hope he keeps writing them so I can keep reading!

[Lori L (She Treads Softly) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Day after Oblivion by Tim Washburn is a recommended, highly for the right reader, end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it survival thriller.

The power grid, all communications links, and, well anything run by a computer have all been hacked. This includes the Department of Defense and the National Security Agency. It also includes a nuclear-armed CIA drone. When the remotely controlled drone is sent over Russian airspace and detonated, all hell breaks loose and the world is involved in a global nuclear exchange.

After the exchange, the action shifts and novel follows five different groups of people: the computer experts from Washington D.C.; the teachers and group of young teens from Texas stranded in Minneapolis; the small town Oklahoma family; the father and son in a sailboat; the crew on a submarine. The computer experts are trying to cross the country and get to a family in Oklahoma. The teachers and teens are trying to get back to Texas. The family in Oklahoma is trying to get a wind turbine working and is expecting a baby. The father and son are trying to sail to someplace safe. The submarine crew is looking for a safe area to dock. They needs supplies but are also still at war.

There is no doubt that this is an action packed thriller as the various groups try to make their way home. They all encounter a lot of the worst humanity has to offer along with a very few good souls. Everyone is armed or immediately gets armed. Rule #1 for the end of the world after a nuclear attack is to arm yourself and get enough ammo for your weapon. Shot anyone who looks at you funny or gives you a funny feeling. Rule #2 is get water and food. A codicil might be to look for an old vehicle that will start after an EMP and immediately find a hose or tubing to siphon gas (as 2 groups do here).

Now, please indulge me and allow me to address all young women in the event of this or a similar scenario. For goodness sakes, remember rule #1. Do not allow some jackwagon to capture you and then make you a sex slave. This happened to more than one woman in this version of the end, so be prepared. Apparently, those who believe in a rape culture will survive, will be traveling, and will try to get you. Fight back. Get them first. Training in self-defense beforehand would be wise, along with your gun and ammo.

The Day after Oblivion is entertaining. It provides action, gun play, narrow escapes, insidious bad guys, and ultimately a satisfying ending. The chapters are short and quickly move from one group to another. Is it a realistic look at the aftermath of a global nuclear war, uh, probably not likely. The focus here is on the journey the various groups are making and the difficulties they encounter along the way. There isn't a lot of room for much character development either, but that really isn't the focus of the novel.

As I said, this is an entertaining novel. It's a thriller that won't require much beyond just following the groups. Set disbelief aside and go with the story and you will enjoy it. The Day after Oblivion is a perfect airplane book. It is engaging and will hold your attention. 4 stars for the reader who can set aside disbelief; 3.5 for me due to a few issues I had with it.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Kensington via Netgalley.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2018/0...

[Richard Becker · Rating 4 out of 5]

For people who enjoy post-apocalyptic fiction, there never seems to be enough of it. For me, it’s not so much the world ending in a thermonuclear bang as the survival story after.

This is why I picked up Tim Washburn's “The Day After Oblivion.” I read one or two survival thrillers a year, and found the premise interesting enough with the usual promise of a ragtag assortment of Americans as they navigate the aftermath. Washburn delivers on this promise after putting the world through the ringer.

Although a former journalist with a knack for disaster scenarios, this one starts a little weaker than it ends. The story starts with a slightly less plausible cause of one bad actor fooling everybody into believing someone else did it, followed immediately by a series of gratuitous character introductions just so they be consumed in nuclear fire. Among the late introductions are the survivors Washburn intends to keep around. A couple of teachers who were bringing students home from a trip abroad, a submarine crew grappling with the last orders of a government, and a father and son who eventually find a sailboat and navigate treacherous waters.

Chief among his choices is the Larson family. A father, Gage, is a stoic farmer tending 1,280 acres in Oklahoma. He, his wife, and children, hunker in a storm cellar during the blasts and eventually emerge to scavenge through fallout-choked farmlands. Gage's quiet competence and his wife's fierce maternal drive make them relatable anchors in the chaos, their banter a rare respite from the grimness.

Eventually, you do end up cheering these different groups on, even if Washburn doesn’t always make it easy. Many encounters are too quick to devolve into quickdraw moments, the dialogue is a bit awkward at times, and our heroes tend to be oddly insulated from the apocalyptic toll compared to the people they come across. Sometimes this makes the book creak under its own weight.

In many ways, the story evokes Pat Frank's “Alas, Babylon, an early gold standard of nuclear fiction. But where Frank's novel is a sophisticated meditation on community and decay, Washburn's feels like a stripped-down, less nuanced cousin. It also made me recall David Graham's “Down to a Sunless Sea,” which is another overlooked gem that plunges readers into global nuclear winter. Graham's scope is broader, tracing arcs from London to the Arctic with a poetic bleakness that lingers like radiation. While Washburn dials back the despair, there is still something to be said for a more optimistic lens. And ultimately, I think post-apocalyptic fans will be okay with the novel. It’s a bit more of binge read than something that will stay with you, but enjoyable nonetheless. 3 1/2 Stars, rounded up to 4.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember that when ON THE BEACH by Nevil Shute was published in 1957 at the height of the Cold War, it stunned everyone. The novel depicted a world after a nuclear holocaust, or actually, what was left of the world, in Australia. But the winds were gradually bringing the end to life, even on that continent, as people tried to live as best as they could for as long as they could. It was a time of civility there, concern for others, and simply living in the last months of life on earth.

Shute’s readers’ reactions were horror and resolve to find ways to promote peace. I think many believed there would never be a 2021, and if we got that far, we would be a wiser and kinder people and beyond such madness. We're not.

THE DAY AFTER OBLIVION, by Tim Washburn, published in 2018, reflects a far different world facing the same scenario of the aftermath of a nuclear holocaust, but in a time of far more countries with, or close to having, nuclear weapons; far more reliance on suddenly defunct computers and electricity to run every aspect of our lives; and worst of all, far more guns and anger and me-first mentality than we ever imagined in the 1950s. There are no strains of “Waltzing Matilda” here, only the violence and savagery we see nightly on the evening news today, magnified by survival instinct in the extreme in the face of unimaginable death and destruction.

Why did I keep reading (and cringing with every chapter)? Because it might happen one day, and because I want to believe it won’t. And because I have hope that the qualities of some of the individuals portrayed, who tried to help each other, who still felt there was hope not just for life but for goodness in the human heart, are out there somewhere in our world today. And I also kept reading because Washburn is an excellent writer and the suspense made it impossible to put down, even though I sometimes wanted to stop and read a cookbook or the comics – anything to escape the grimness in the book and, too often, in our reality.

[Pam Shelton-Anderson · Rating 2 out of 5]

This started out with a lot of tension and as danger escalates, it had the potential to have been a really good story. Unfortunately, it was undercut by some issues. One issue was the writing in present tense. I find it uncomfortable to follow that type of style and it felt like I was reading the script of a play or movie instead of a novel. There were a number of writing and editing issues (verb usage, participles) and in one case, Zane and Alyx are traveling together, but the story suddenly has Gage siphoning gas. A good editor would have greatly helped (and possibly, gently suggested to not use present tense). I did like a lot of the characters but found some of their situations and choices baffling. Zane and Alyx and the Minnesota group both traveled a long distance and encountered enough devastation that they had to have been in hot zones (in fact, this was stated a couple of times). They never had any symptoms or negative effects from this; very unrealistic. Both groups had armed confrontations in which they were the victors, but not once did they salvage the weapons dropped by their foes. Enough weapons and ammo were always a concern, but they never thought to pick the up guns for their use or even to be able to trade for food and supplies. Gah! I liked the naval guys too, but I had a family member on a submarine, and know that they have a lot of extra supplies in case they have an emergency or have to unexpectedly extend their tour. It is not an infinite supply, but they would not have been in dire straits just a few days after their resupply should have occurred. This book was a decent attempt to tell a good story, but had a lot of fixable issues.

[Joseph Bartos · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Day After Oblivion

First Half
The premise of the end of the world starts with a cyber attack but quickly move to full scale nuclear war. I am not sure why the author sends any time with a cyber attack angle to only dump it and why would the countries involved move to launching nuclear missiles to only destroy the entire planet. Does not make sense.

Character development is lack luster. I couldn’t care less about anybody in this book so far. Live or die, don’t care.

The characters we follow in the book are the only ones to figure out how to get vehicles to run?

Character interactions with other survivors are simplistic and quickly lead to a gun battle. Including the nuclear balistic submarine that torpedoed another ship in dock because they folks on the island wouldn’t let them resupply or dock at the island. That is what a US Naval Captain would do?

So far it is superficial, weak and unoriginal. About halfway and it is a close DNF but I will continue for now.

Second Half

Well it does not improve. It remains superficial at best or poorly develop plot, pros are weak and it ends with a happy every after. I just don’t feel this a novel worth a persons time and really not worth a rating greater than a 2 at best. While I have read novel of poorer quality this year this one is near the bottom. Read the Zero Day Code instead.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The blurb for this books sounds really good. A nuclear war resulting in TEOTWAWKI. It sounds like there is a lot of action, people fighting for survival. I was so disappointed. There was a nuclear war and even EMP’s, apparently but it was more of a “light apocalypse.” Yes, there was destruction, some radiation, some hazy skies, and most of civilization is dead but the band of survivors that we follow throughout seem of nonchalant about the end of the world. Conversations (which there isn’t much of) is stilted. They don’t encounter much in terms of difficulties and when they do they don’t have any problems taking care of it and everything is smooth sailing again. Chapters are very short and there are too many groups to follow for much story development for each group. So when something does happen, it is over before you know with no build up.f There wan’t much in the way of tense moments and I wasn’t on the edge of my seat either. No surprise endings. The only part of the story I found interesting was the submarine. If the entire book focused on the submarine then maybe it would have been more interesting and original. I received an advance copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Severina · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book follows four sets of people in the week following worldwide nuclear war. A pair of computer scientists try to make it home, where the sister of one has just given birth; teachers and kids on a school trip are also trying to get home; and a nuclear sub searches for a way to refuel. All of the characters are two-dimensional with little to differentiate them, and with an astoundingly unemotional reaction to the end of life as we know it. But then again, they don’t seem concerned about radiation. I mean, they roll their car windows up in hot zones. That’s gotta fix it, right? *sigh* There are some many offputting moments, from the staggeringly high number of people they meet who are in it for rape and murder, to the blossoming romance between a guy whose *wife just died* and a complete stranger, to the crew of the sub cheering when they torpedo Russian or Chinese vessels *days after the war has already devastated the planet*. And let’s not forget the men doing all the shooting/searching/hunting/saving while the women are useless or annoying.

[Jan- Content Advisories (Ratings) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the premise and wanted to give it a higher rating but it didn't progress past the first 50 pages. The plot, characters, and pacing could all have been deepened but they weren't. I was interested in all the storie (5 of them actually) and I was pleased some of them merged by the end, but I wish it would have happened sooner, rather than as an after-thought. The author also didn't take the opportunity to explore the plot more, like his focus on the 3 adults and not the middle-school children's feelings and reactions to Armageddon. I enjoy the focus on ex-military people, but 4 of the 5 stories were just these people and not regular joes from the streets. I don't know how accurate the science behind the radiation is- and I'd like to. Good but not great.

Note on content- Themes of mass death by nuclear war. Occasional adult language, moderate violence- the worst are descriptions of how people had been tortured and killed. No sex scenes, but themes of rape. Recommended for older teens and up

[Randi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highbrow literature this is not, but it is an incredibly thrilling and engrossing book. I could not put it down. I want to read more! I'm always looking for apocalyptic/post-apocalyptic books because I can't get enough of them, but I just keep seeing the same ones recommended over and over (most of which I've read already or which deal with aliens, an area not of interest to me); this book was recommended to me by a student and completely captivated me from beginning to end. Washburn knows how to write a great thriller, and I immediately added the rest of his books to my Amazon cart.

If you enjoy this book for what is: an intense, action-packed thriller, you'll love it. If you start the book expecting extensive character development, you'll be disappointed. This book is all about plot, but that was exactly what I was looking for. I highly recommend this to fellow fans of thrillers and/or apocalyptic tales.

[Carole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed "The Day After Oblivion". I remember reading a post once from a teacher looking for recommendations of books for her 9th grade class, not from the reading list of classics they were studying, but just books the kids might enjoy. She mentioned that they seemed to enjoy dystopian novels. At the time, I thought that this genre of books might indicate something less than uplifting, however, after reading this book, I can see the appeal for young people living in such a chaotic world as we have. Reading a novel about people experiencing a horrific event and figuring out a way to survive and move foreward is very uplifting. No matter what life hits people with, they find a way, therefore, so can they. The world has always been chaotic and people have overcome the crash of their civilizations. This is a good book for that particular lesson, intense and scary without being too explicitly brutal. I enjoyed this and I think young people would as well.

[Jerry Mount · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good for a Post-Apocalyptic America story. Very minimal set-up for the Oblivion itself, and not much explanation for it after. The book uses the POVs of several very divergent sets of survivors. Most of them are on the road or seas, while one group digs in at their home. Some of the groups make contact later in the book. I enjoyed the story. Most of the characters behaved reasonably and logically for the most part. Most things in the book seemed plausible, if not likely. To be sure, there were plot holes and unbelievabilities, but they didn't distract me. The ending seemed as rushed as the beginning, but the journeys were the real meat of this book. Perhaps a little too optimistic and positive for an end of the world story, but a good read.

[Tim · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Iranian government, eager for revenge against the great Satan decides, foolishly, to set off a chain of events that cause the mutually assured destruction of most of the world.

After that set up, and a few key characters introduced, we are treated to 5-10 chapters of individual people who lives are cut short by nuclear blasts that decimate the world.

The novel basically cuts between four plotlines, all relatively decent. Not too many twists overall, and what I wanted more of, seeing how what remained of government would act is only handled with the late chapter involving the mastermind who gets a swift if slightly humorous denouncement for his delusion of grandeur.

Overall, it was readable but nothing notably special.

[Emmeline Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a self confessed, disaster movie / post apocalyptic junkie, and I have to say this book did not leave me disappointed. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the epic descriptions of the nuclear disaster, and then following the stories of several key characters, and of their initial survival. The level of detail in this book is amazing, especially around the military components.

It actually got me thinking about how I would survive such an event!

Cover to cover I could not put this book down. My only, very minor nit picking criticism is how quickly the book goes from character to character, but perhaps this was my enthusiasm for learning the fate their fate - I found myself longing for longer chapters :-)

Thank you for an incredible, extremely well written read!

[Holly Schneider · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story started slow, jumps around quite a bit to different characters but after a while you get used to it and can follow the story. It’s a fairly believable post apocalyptic and interesting story. It makes a person think about what would happen… Just as I was really starting to enjoy the story more, there was some very terrible very graphic descriptions of pedophilia and necrophilia, completely out of the blue and not at all in line with the rest of the writing style. It was wholly not needed in such disgusting detail. For that reason, I gave it 2 stars almost 1 star. It should have a disclaimer for that graphic detail. Also it ended rather abruptly, as if there would be a part 2…but there isn’t.

[Christine Carroll · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good end-of-the-world-as-we know-it-story. I appreciated the 4 or 5 storylines about several families. That made the book even more interesting since I wanted to find out what happened next to each group of characters. However I am doubtful that that much radioactivity decomposes as fast as described in the book.

The one thing that drove me nuts was that the book was written in the present tense. This style reads like a play with stage directions: "Jim picks up the bottle and walks to the door. He throws the bottle out the door and renders the mailman unconscious." Really?

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every once in a while I have a yen to read a good disaster book and and never clear how the author can come up with such horrific situations. This one was particularly good starting with the idiots in power pressing their nuclear buttons at the same time and mostly obliterating the world as we know it. Of course civilization falls apart and it is guns and bullies that speak. The mere fact that pockets of good people still exist is a miracle and at the end of the book it is a form of redemption and that life will move on...at a cost of millions of lives.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

A day after an emp has taken down all the power in the country this follows the trek of a couple different sets of people who are trying to reach home from several different location in the United states a whole bus load of school kids stranded at the airport, two agents trying to get across the country to check on resources, and a farmer and his wife who live on a farm that uses wind power and their son in law who is protecting his pregnant wife from any and all disaster that might pop up. a very good read and kept me turning the page.

[Pat · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mediocre post-nuclear yarn as a motley group of survivors try to... well... survive. Turns out that the nuclear apocalypse isn't going to be that bad... fallout's not really a problem & the nuclear winter just makes it a bit cloudy. The biggest problem is... wait for it... other people! To be fair, its not a bad read if you just looking for something cheap and cheerful but this is defintely not The Road.