Devastated Lands: A Post-Apocalyptic Adventure

by Bruce W. Perry, Laura LaRoche (Illustrator)

Devastated Lands is a thrilling story set in an unforgiving landscape...an entertaining post-apocalyptic adventure pitting man versus nature. ~IndieReader Lahars from an erupting Mount Rainier in Washington devastate nearby river valleys and threaten the millions of people who live in Seattle and Tacoma. Caught up in the natural catastrophe is Shane Cooper, a mountain guide from Telluride, Colorado, and Mikaela Brand, a young mixed martial arts (MMA) competitor. Civilization has broken down after lahars roar down the mountain's flanks and destroy towns, utilities, airports, bridges, roads, and highways. The towns have become ruined ghost-towns inhabited mainly by desperadoes. Food, clean water, and gasoline are scarce or non-existent, and more lahars are on the way as Rainier has begun an every-1,000-year eruption. Cooper and Brand end up with a little girl named Amy, and her dog Turk, both orphaned by the disaster. They have to live off the land as they claw their way to the coast, and survive an armed gang that paints its faces like a Scottish Picts tribe and whose leader has it in for Shane.

245 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 29, 2017

About the author

I'm a big fan of good stories, and sharing them. I've been reading a lot since I was a towheaded kid, growing up in a small town with a reading and writing tradition called Concord, Massachusetts. Our house was about a half mile from Walden Pond. That didn't make me a better writer by osmosis, but it darn sure made me a reader! I was the kid sitting under a tree, head buried in a book. I read every hardcover and paperback I could get my hands on.

A family friend gave me anthologies of Jules Verne and H.G. Wells when I was in the third grade. They encompassed the first adult narratives and science fiction I had read. They were hardcover, heavy, and I couldn't put them down, until I had to put them down, because they were heavy.

I tend to read and write in several genres, mostly science fiction/dystopian, adventure, thriller, and detective, but I've written stories that don't really fall into either of those categories, as in the war romance Accidental Exiles or the satire Lost Young Love.

In my work life I've been a trade newsletter writer and a software engineer, as well as a landscaper and a really bad waiter. I've also written non-fiction books on fitness and software, including Fitness For Geeks.

When I'm not writing, I'm a nomad. I love to travel. I prefer writing outside with a pen, legal pad, and a nice view.

Reviews

[Jan Martindale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really different, authentic natural disaster story

Captivating, amazing story of random individuals who found each other in a volcano eruption & lived to tell the story.

[Pam Shelton-Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a standalone book and a focused view of the survivors of an eruption by Mount Rainier. We don't really "see" the actual eruption and start with a survivor in the immediately aftermath. It was the most interesting as we follow our small group who are trying to survive in the time frame where no helped has yet reached the area. It was less interesting and fairly unbelievable when we encounter a group of baddies who are led by a crazy woman. The resolution of that particular storyline was just strange. There were some amazing coincidences of the group meeting up with others that had been separated, but overall it was easy to root for these folks. The whole thing was about a 3.5 for me, but the editing was good and the ending was positive so it deserved a bump.

[allison holland · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was read in one sitting, it was so good


After getting into the first couple of chapters, I was mesmerized, I could see the characters in my minds eye. One of the best books I've read for years...unexpected ending that left me ready for a follow up.

[Trina · Rating 5 out of 5]

good

Shane guide is caught up in a volcano explosion. In his endeavour to find safety he meets Amy a little girl with her dog in dire need of saving. Together they meet Mikeala and thus their journey to safety really starts

[Aurora1212 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed

The setting is near Seattle. I enjoyed imagining the areas near where I used to live.I have been horseback riding near Orting WA. I have been to the Puallyup valley.

[Sabrena Phillips · Rating 2 out of 5]

Strange.

Pretty bored through most of the story. Kept thinking it would get more interesting but it never really did. Characters were never all that interesting either.

[Ann Ruple · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good

This was a good story. It could have had more buildup or information at the beginning. A little different from most of this type of book.

[Simone Padfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

2nd book I've read by Bruce perry. I seem to be reading a lot of post apocalyptic books lately. Looking forward to reading more from this author

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Realistic

This appears to be fairly realistic in its portrayal of possible events. The hero's of the story did the best they could to survive despite many horrible obstacles.

[Bonnie F. McKinnon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good story and well written

I hope no one ever has to go through what the people and the animals went through in this book!

[janet c seaberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting

The book needs serious editing and research about the 206. The character development was pretty good. I'm giving it 3 stars because he took time to write the story.