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Arrival: War for Earth Book One
We never saw it coming. Brace for the Arrival.
Paramedic Maya Talbot knows her unhinged, ex-husband is gunning for custody of their children. When she drops off Aiden and Laura at Grandma's for a weekend visit, Maya assumes they'll be safe. However, nothing could have prepared her for the chaos created when a strange obelisk rises from the ground and generates an impenetrable dome over the city. Riots, looting, and violence run rampant. The situation in Nashville deteriorates—and then they arrive, thrusting Maya into a desperate race to escape the dome and save her children from the dangers on the ground—and from above. When darkness falls, the intergalactic visitors manifest our worst fears and threaten the future of humankind.
Arrival is the new post-apocalyptic thriller from bestselling authors, J. Thorn and Zach Bohannon, the first book in the War for Earth trilogy.
Paramedic Maya Talbot knows her unhinged, ex-husband is gunning for custody of their children. When she drops off Aiden and Laura at Grandma's for a weekend visit, Maya assumes they'll be safe. However, nothing could have prepared her for the chaos created when a strange obelisk rises from the ground and generates an impenetrable dome over the city. Riots, looting, and violence run rampant. The situation in Nashville deteriorates—and then they arrive, thrusting Maya into a desperate race to escape the dome and save her children from the dangers on the ground—and from above. When darkness falls, the intergalactic visitors manifest our worst fears and threaten the future of humankind.
Arrival is the new post-apocalyptic thriller from bestselling authors, J. Thorn and Zach Bohannon, the first book in the War for Earth trilogy.
- GenresScience Fiction
312 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 5, 2017
98 people are currently reading
69 people want to read
About the author
J. Thorn
170 books171 followersWant a story that’s rooted in a fundamental aspect of being human?
I believe reading dark fiction can be healing. My overriding mission is to connect with you through my art, and I hope to inspire you to do the same. I’m a word architect and driven visionary. I’m obsessed with heavy metal, horror films and technology. And I admire strong people who are not afraid to speak their mind.
I grew up in an Irish Catholic, working class family and was the first to go to college. I didn’t have expensive toys, so I used my own imagination for entertainment. And then I abused alcohol for entertainment. I spent the first thirty years of my life convincing myself I wasn’t an addict and the last ten worrying about all the potential threats the substances hid from me.
Anxiety and depression are always hiding in the corner, waiting to jump me when I start to feel happiness.
I had to break through family programming and accept the role of the black sheep. In my 30s I started writing horror and formed a heavy metal band while my family rolled their eyes, sighed and waited for the “phase” to end.
I spent years paralyzing myself with self-loathing and criticism, keeping my creativity smothered and hidden from the rest of the world. I worked a job I hated because that’s what Irish Catholic fathers do. They don’t express themselves, they pay the damn mortgage. I may have left my guilt and faith behind long ago, but the scars remain.
My creativity is my release, my therapy and my place to work through it all. I haven’t had a drink in a long time, but the anxiety and depression are always lurking. Writing novels and songs keeps it at bay. I scream over anxiety with my microphone and I turn my guitar up loud enough to drown out the whispers of self-doubt.
I hope to leave a legacy of art that will continue to entertain and enrich lives long after I’m gone. I want others to see that you don’t have to conform to the mainstream to be fulfilled.
Don’t be afraid of the dark. Embrace it.
Experience:
By the end of 2014, J. Thorn will have published over one million words and sold over 100,000 ebooks, worldwide.
J. Thorn is a Top 100 Most Popular Author in Horror, Science Fiction, and Fantasy (Amazon Author Rank). In March of 2014 Thorn held the #5 position in Horror with his childhood idols Dean Koontz and Stephen King at #4 and #2 respectively. He is an official, active member of the Horror Writers Association and a member of the Great Lakes Association of Horror Writers. J. is a contributor to disinformation.com and a staff writer for HeavyPlanet.net as well as a founding board member of the Author Marketing Institute.
Thorn earned a B.A. in American History from the University of Pittsburgh and a M.A. from Duquesne University. He has spent the last twenty years researching mysticism and the occult in colonial American history.
I believe reading dark fiction can be healing. My overriding mission is to connect with you through my art, and I hope to inspire you to do the same. I’m a word architect and driven visionary. I’m obsessed with heavy metal, horror films and technology. And I admire strong people who are not afraid to speak their mind.
I grew up in an Irish Catholic, working class family and was the first to go to college. I didn’t have expensive toys, so I used my own imagination for entertainment. And then I abused alcohol for entertainment. I spent the first thirty years of my life convincing myself I wasn’t an addict and the last ten worrying about all the potential threats the substances hid from me.
Anxiety and depression are always hiding in the corner, waiting to jump me when I start to feel happiness.
I had to break through family programming and accept the role of the black sheep. In my 30s I started writing horror and formed a heavy metal band while my family rolled their eyes, sighed and waited for the “phase” to end.
I spent years paralyzing myself with self-loathing and criticism, keeping my creativity smothered and hidden from the rest of the world. I worked a job I hated because that’s what Irish Catholic fathers do. They don’t express themselves, they pay the damn mortgage. I may have left my guilt and faith behind long ago, but the scars remain.
My creativity is my release, my therapy and my place to work through it all. I haven’t had a drink in a long time, but the anxiety and depression are always lurking. Writing novels and songs keeps it at bay. I scream over anxiety with my microphone and I turn my guitar up loud enough to drown out the whispers of self-doubt.
I hope to leave a legacy of art that will continue to entertain and enrich lives long after I’m gone. I want others to see that you don’t have to conform to the mainstream to be fulfilled.
Don’t be afraid of the dark. Embrace it.
Experience:
By the end of 2014, J. Thorn will have published over one million words and sold over 100,000 ebooks, worldwide.
J. Thorn is a Top 100 Most Popular Author in Horror, Science Fiction, and Fantasy (Amazon Author Rank). In March of 2014 Thorn held the #5 position in Horror with his childhood idols Dean Koontz and Stephen King at #4 and #2 respectively. He is an official, active member of the Horror Writers Association and a member of the Great Lakes Association of Horror Writers. J. is a contributor to disinformation.com and a staff writer for HeavyPlanet.net as well as a founding board member of the Author Marketing Institute.
Thorn earned a B.A. in American History from the University of Pittsburgh and a M.A. from Duquesne University. He has spent the last twenty years researching mysticism and the occult in colonial American history.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
May 8, 2018
J. Thorn and Zach Bohannon did not hold back in their new contemporary science fiction thriller, “Arrival” which is the first book in the “War for Earth” trilogy. The audiobook edition is well narrated by Chelsea Stephens, who at times elevates a weaker storyline keeping the book feeling alive and interesting. The publisher’s summary states the book is a post-apocalyptic thriller, and I could not agree more. There are overtones of horror along with elements of science fiction making up this somewhat fractured story involving survival, the unknown, and wanting to be reunited with one’s children. If you are a fan of aliens who are intent on talking over our planet for their own use, enjoy stories with decent character backgrounds and some good descriptive writing, I think you will like what this book provides you in return. Are there points where the story is weaker than I would have liked? Yes, but I found the solid narration helps bring the story upwards and between the two components, the book is worth a coveted Audible credit; that is if you are one who does not mind spending a total of three credits to complete the trilogy.
The book opens on a rather emotional note along with providing the reader with some good background about the various main characters. This extra information helps to ground the reader, so one can better understand the events faced in their new situations. I enjoyed knowing about the characters and the reasons they acted the way they did throughout the story. I will say that I felt this family was overly dysfunctional, but that may be based more on my own upbringing. We are also presented with a few of the standard character tropes one finds in a story like this one. We have the scientist, the know-it-all, and the crazy (but often correct) conspiracy theorist, etc. Even though they are regulars in a story like this, a few twists made them feel unique and slightly different.
What happens when a strange obelisk emerges from the ground and a protective domed shield separates those who are inside from those outside. What drives the story forward is that one of the main characters is separated from her children. She is determination to get them back which find her on an emotional roller coaster wanting to be reunited with them. This passion and desire fuels her every move along the way. If I were to boil the book down to a single word, it would be struggle. From its start to the finish, you could feel the pain, struggle, and drive to find a way of getting through this impenetrable force and once again be in the arms of her children. Often it reminded me of the events that took place in New Orleans after a hurricane stranded many. We quickly observed just how fast humankind devolves when in survival mode, and it is no different in this story. One often has to throw out all they have learned and instead turn to various make-shift weapons and means to stay alive. Even more heart breaking being that the main character determined she was unable to save everyone, only some people would make it out of this mess alive and she was already doing all she could. The story takes us from space, to inside the dome, outside the done, and even under the city looking for a means of escape.
I listen and review many book, and I was quite surprised when I found that Chelsea Stephens is a rather new comer to the Audible narration scene. At the time of this review, she only has a total of two books to her name. Why the surprise? Well the audio was of professional quality, the narration of the characters was better than many other books I have listened too, etc. The use of inflection and accents for the different characters helped make them feel alive. I do not recall any audio artifacts while listening (no swallows, no page turns, no volume inconsistencies), simply clean and clear narration. I look forward to new books by this narrator in the future.
For Parents and younger readers, this book does contain some light romance and topics covering sexual matters. The book also has a light use of profanity based on what one would expect from the genre, however it does get heavier later in the story. As one would have expected, there are quite a few scenes containing rather graphic violence that may not be appropriate for younger audiences.
In summary, this is an action-packed and suspenseful survival story involving aliens. If you are one who likes books such as “War of the Worlds”, I recommend you pick it up and give it a listen. Just remember this is a trilogy, so you will need to purchase all three books to find out what happens. As expected, this book does leave many cliff-hangers for those wanting to jump right into the second book.
Disclaimer: I was voluntarily provided this review copy audiobook at no charge by the author, publisher and/or narrator.
The book opens on a rather emotional note along with providing the reader with some good background about the various main characters. This extra information helps to ground the reader, so one can better understand the events faced in their new situations. I enjoyed knowing about the characters and the reasons they acted the way they did throughout the story. I will say that I felt this family was overly dysfunctional, but that may be based more on my own upbringing. We are also presented with a few of the standard character tropes one finds in a story like this one. We have the scientist, the know-it-all, and the crazy (but often correct) conspiracy theorist, etc. Even though they are regulars in a story like this, a few twists made them feel unique and slightly different.
What happens when a strange obelisk emerges from the ground and a protective domed shield separates those who are inside from those outside. What drives the story forward is that one of the main characters is separated from her children. She is determination to get them back which find her on an emotional roller coaster wanting to be reunited with them. This passion and desire fuels her every move along the way. If I were to boil the book down to a single word, it would be struggle. From its start to the finish, you could feel the pain, struggle, and drive to find a way of getting through this impenetrable force and once again be in the arms of her children. Often it reminded me of the events that took place in New Orleans after a hurricane stranded many. We quickly observed just how fast humankind devolves when in survival mode, and it is no different in this story. One often has to throw out all they have learned and instead turn to various make-shift weapons and means to stay alive. Even more heart breaking being that the main character determined she was unable to save everyone, only some people would make it out of this mess alive and she was already doing all she could. The story takes us from space, to inside the dome, outside the done, and even under the city looking for a means of escape.
I listen and review many book, and I was quite surprised when I found that Chelsea Stephens is a rather new comer to the Audible narration scene. At the time of this review, she only has a total of two books to her name. Why the surprise? Well the audio was of professional quality, the narration of the characters was better than many other books I have listened too, etc. The use of inflection and accents for the different characters helped make them feel alive. I do not recall any audio artifacts while listening (no swallows, no page turns, no volume inconsistencies), simply clean and clear narration. I look forward to new books by this narrator in the future.
For Parents and younger readers, this book does contain some light romance and topics covering sexual matters. The book also has a light use of profanity based on what one would expect from the genre, however it does get heavier later in the story. As one would have expected, there are quite a few scenes containing rather graphic violence that may not be appropriate for younger audiences.
In summary, this is an action-packed and suspenseful survival story involving aliens. If you are one who likes books such as “War of the Worlds”, I recommend you pick it up and give it a listen. Just remember this is a trilogy, so you will need to purchase all three books to find out what happens. As expected, this book does leave many cliff-hangers for those wanting to jump right into the second book.
Disclaimer: I was voluntarily provided this review copy audiobook at no charge by the author, publisher and/or narrator.
July 26, 2018
Arrival, War on Earth, is the first book of Zach Bohannon's and J. Thorn’s apocalyptic-thriller series…
And I am definitely itching for the second book!
Before I go any further, I want to make sure that I am perfectly clear and transparent on a few things. One, I am not an avid book reader or a connoisseur of audiobooks. I prefer movies and video games, with an occasional TV show thrown in now and then. With that said, when I do find a book to read, it has to grab me and not feel like a chore. The same can be said about audiobooks; however, thanks to a free Audible code from one of the authors (thanks!), this was my first audiobook, so, I wasn’t sure what to expect!
Since my knowledge of books is limited, I will refer to the basic school principles of a good story. Just like any good book, this story has a beginning, middle, and an end. But this story’s progression starts off good, then is great, and then it is fantastic! However, what is most interesting to me, is that this book is part of the beginning of something bigger - and that is what has me excited for more!
Overall, the story follows a day-in-the-life of Maya: a mom with two kids, a divorcee to a crazy ex-husband who will do ANYTHING to keep his kids, an EMT along with her younger partner, Reno, and a loving daughter to a mother who loves her grandkids.
Initial, the story started out slow for me, but, as it progressed, I was finding more and more things to relate to. What stuck out to me the most was Maya’s two kids, Laura (young teen) and Aiden (pre-teen); they reminded me of my daughter and son in some ways. Listening to how she spent her day as an EMT was also interesting and made me think of some of my friends who are nurses. And hearing her relationship struggles was eye-opening for someone who is married and can’t imagine life without his wife (this guy). ;)
Throw in a couple other intriguing moments, such as Reno’s attraction and affection for Maya (we can see it, Maya, why can’t you?!), and her crazy ex (who I do NOT want to talk about), and you got yourself some drama! And we haven’t even reached the main “problem” the characters have to deal with yet - the apocalypse! And that is where I will leave that!
Although I stated earlier that this story started out slow, the pace was nice. What it even better for me is that I wasn’t reading the character build up to the story; I was listening to Chelsea Stephens, the narrator. WOW! She did an excellent job narrating in her natural tone, as well as, changing up her tone, and sometimes accent, to fit the character she was reading for. If I am going to listen to audiobooks, I hope she is narrating! Of course, I am sure I will find others I like, but, she made my audiobook enjoyable.
When I finally got to the end, I realized there would be more, but, I was not disappointed in how it ended. I felt I got enough closure to comfortably wait for the next book. It’s not like some TV shows where you feel like the network and producers just want to be jerks and make you suffer while you wait several months for the next season to start; it felt comfortable where the authors left this book off. Of course, I want more, but, I’m happy where they left it and look forward to the next installment - NOW GET TO WRITING Zach and Jay! ;)
And I am definitely itching for the second book!
Before I go any further, I want to make sure that I am perfectly clear and transparent on a few things. One, I am not an avid book reader or a connoisseur of audiobooks. I prefer movies and video games, with an occasional TV show thrown in now and then. With that said, when I do find a book to read, it has to grab me and not feel like a chore. The same can be said about audiobooks; however, thanks to a free Audible code from one of the authors (thanks!), this was my first audiobook, so, I wasn’t sure what to expect!
Since my knowledge of books is limited, I will refer to the basic school principles of a good story. Just like any good book, this story has a beginning, middle, and an end. But this story’s progression starts off good, then is great, and then it is fantastic! However, what is most interesting to me, is that this book is part of the beginning of something bigger - and that is what has me excited for more!
Overall, the story follows a day-in-the-life of Maya: a mom with two kids, a divorcee to a crazy ex-husband who will do ANYTHING to keep his kids, an EMT along with her younger partner, Reno, and a loving daughter to a mother who loves her grandkids.
Initial, the story started out slow for me, but, as it progressed, I was finding more and more things to relate to. What stuck out to me the most was Maya’s two kids, Laura (young teen) and Aiden (pre-teen); they reminded me of my daughter and son in some ways. Listening to how she spent her day as an EMT was also interesting and made me think of some of my friends who are nurses. And hearing her relationship struggles was eye-opening for someone who is married and can’t imagine life without his wife (this guy). ;)
Throw in a couple other intriguing moments, such as Reno’s attraction and affection for Maya (we can see it, Maya, why can’t you?!), and her crazy ex (who I do NOT want to talk about), and you got yourself some drama! And we haven’t even reached the main “problem” the characters have to deal with yet - the apocalypse! And that is where I will leave that!
Although I stated earlier that this story started out slow, the pace was nice. What it even better for me is that I wasn’t reading the character build up to the story; I was listening to Chelsea Stephens, the narrator. WOW! She did an excellent job narrating in her natural tone, as well as, changing up her tone, and sometimes accent, to fit the character she was reading for. If I am going to listen to audiobooks, I hope she is narrating! Of course, I am sure I will find others I like, but, she made my audiobook enjoyable.
When I finally got to the end, I realized there would be more, but, I was not disappointed in how it ended. I felt I got enough closure to comfortably wait for the next book. It’s not like some TV shows where you feel like the network and producers just want to be jerks and make you suffer while you wait several months for the next season to start; it felt comfortable where the authors left this book off. Of course, I want more, but, I’m happy where they left it and look forward to the next installment - NOW GET TO WRITING Zach and Jay! ;)
September 13, 2020
Picked this book up at a convention where it was being promoted because I always love a good apocalypse novel. I'm a slow reader so it took a year to get around to starting it, but it only took about 4 days of light reading to finish because it's a very quick read with simplistic prose.
Unfortunately, while this works well for speed of reading, it also means the book was not particularly memorable. It's definitely a setup book for the rest of the trilogy, as it doesn't feel like very much happened. It's mostly the paramedic protagonist, Maya, and her partner Reno running around from place to place haphazardly while Maya single-mindedly obsesses over finding her kids. Sure, it makes sense that she prioritizes the safety of her children, but it gets a little dull and repetitive after 300 pages. And there is no end in sight on that objective by book's end so you can probably look forward to at least another book of this.
At first I thought that Maya's flatness was because the dual writers of this trilogy were both men who had no idea how to write a woman with any sort of identity outside of "determined mama bear" but then I realized that nearly every character was flat and clichéd. The partner Reno is handsome and loyal, the preteen son is obsessed with video games, the teen daughter is bratty and phone-obsessed, and the ex-husband is psychotic and unreliable. I almost wish there had been a darker backstory for the ex aside from "angry drunk who sucks at being a dad" because what happens to Maya is so extraordinary that her obsession with keeping her kids away from her ex seems almost petty at times throughout the book. I guess we're supposed to assume he doesn't love his kids at all, but you'd have to rely heavily on the "bad dad" cliché to make that assumption, since he barely appears in the book.
Come to think of it, you have to rely almost exclusively on the assumption that people are inherently bad to get through this book, because things turn to shit pretty swiftly, with gangs forming and murders happening within a single day. Even the potential allies Maya and Reno meet are psychotic (gangs), condescending (Kenny), or unreliable (Sean, Jack), and what the hell even was that part in the middle with the mole people?? Jack, the 'conspiracy theory' guy, is obnoxiously withholding. I get that it's a trilogy but 300 pages with no answers is frustrating.
I would like to believe this trilogy finds steadier ground in book 2, but I feel like I barely know anything about the characters, so admittedly I'm not very invested in seeking the books out. If I stumbled upon book 2, I might be tempted to give it a shot, just to see how it ends and whether Bohannon and Thorn have something good up their sleeve. But the thing about apocalypse novels is that the characters are key, because any idea or twist has been done before (this book is a combo of War of the Worlds and Stephen King's The Dome, and even references the latter directly to hang a lampshade on it). If you want to stand out, you have to have intriguing characters with unique experiences to guide you and I struggled with that here.
Unfortunately, while this works well for speed of reading, it also means the book was not particularly memorable. It's definitely a setup book for the rest of the trilogy, as it doesn't feel like very much happened. It's mostly the paramedic protagonist, Maya, and her partner Reno running around from place to place haphazardly while Maya single-mindedly obsesses over finding her kids. Sure, it makes sense that she prioritizes the safety of her children, but it gets a little dull and repetitive after 300 pages. And there is no end in sight on that objective by book's end so you can probably look forward to at least another book of this.
At first I thought that Maya's flatness was because the dual writers of this trilogy were both men who had no idea how to write a woman with any sort of identity outside of "determined mama bear" but then I realized that nearly every character was flat and clichéd. The partner Reno is handsome and loyal, the preteen son is obsessed with video games, the teen daughter is bratty and phone-obsessed, and the ex-husband is psychotic and unreliable. I almost wish there had been a darker backstory for the ex aside from "angry drunk who sucks at being a dad" because what happens to Maya is so extraordinary that her obsession with keeping her kids away from her ex seems almost petty at times throughout the book. I guess we're supposed to assume he doesn't love his kids at all, but you'd have to rely heavily on the "bad dad" cliché to make that assumption, since he barely appears in the book.
Come to think of it, you have to rely almost exclusively on the assumption that people are inherently bad to get through this book, because things turn to shit pretty swiftly, with gangs forming and murders happening within a single day. Even the potential allies Maya and Reno meet are psychotic (gangs), condescending (Kenny), or unreliable (Sean, Jack), and what the hell even was that part in the middle with the mole people?? Jack, the 'conspiracy theory' guy, is obnoxiously withholding. I get that it's a trilogy but 300 pages with no answers is frustrating.
I would like to believe this trilogy finds steadier ground in book 2, but I feel like I barely know anything about the characters, so admittedly I'm not very invested in seeking the books out. If I stumbled upon book 2, I might be tempted to give it a shot, just to see how it ends and whether Bohannon and Thorn have something good up their sleeve. But the thing about apocalypse novels is that the characters are key, because any idea or twist has been done before (this book is a combo of War of the Worlds and Stephen King's The Dome, and even references the latter directly to hang a lampshade on it). If you want to stand out, you have to have intriguing characters with unique experiences to guide you and I struggled with that here.
December 5, 2017
You know you're in good hands when either Zach or J are starting a series and when they're both working together it doesn't get much better. This time they weren't as secretive as they were with Final Awakening when it comes to their apocalyptic threat. Aliens are the name of the game this time. We don't learn too much about them by the end of the book, if it's anything like the Final Awakening series we'll be learning a lot more in book two, but their presence in the final act is daunting, a threat so powerful that I'm looking forward to seeing of Zach and J are possibly going to worm humanity out of this one. (you never know with them though, maybe humanity is screwed).
There are clear allusions to sci-fi horror greats, in act 1 a mysterious dome has fallen over the city. Almost immediately we get a nice tongue in cheek meta conversation regarding Stephen King's Under the Dome. Zach and J honor always honor the greats and build from them in creative directions, its not a case of recycling ideas. Everything they do is very calculated.
Maya is a highlight of book. I've mentioned before my reservations with some of Zach and J's protagonists, I have none of those issues here. Her immediate, non-alien related storyline is compelling, in fact probably the most compelling aspect of the whole book, and the ending leaves me excited as to where exactly that storyline will be going. She's tough as nails and has to deal with the moral issues that come with being an EMT in a disaster area where it would be impossible to help everyone, and every second she wastes the danger is building.
To compare it once again to The Final Awakening series, this was a slower start than that. The groundwork has been laid for a tremendous series but there were some moments along the way that felt unnecessary to me. There's an extended scene that takes place under ground where I don't exactly see how they're moving the story forward. It's possible that scene will have importance later, I'm assuming it will, but it felt like a detour that didn't need to happen in the first book in series.
Another fun aspect I love about Zach and J's writing is they keep their ear to the ground when it comes to good video games, music, movies, etc. so keep an eye out for those.
It's also clear they did their research to help make the EMT scenes more realistic. Just the right amount of technical to keep it interesting and the story moving.
I'm rounding it up from 3.5 stars to 4, there's room to grow and make this series awesome and they've got a great start.
There are clear allusions to sci-fi horror greats, in act 1 a mysterious dome has fallen over the city. Almost immediately we get a nice tongue in cheek meta conversation regarding Stephen King's Under the Dome. Zach and J honor always honor the greats and build from them in creative directions, its not a case of recycling ideas. Everything they do is very calculated.
Maya is a highlight of book. I've mentioned before my reservations with some of Zach and J's protagonists, I have none of those issues here. Her immediate, non-alien related storyline is compelling, in fact probably the most compelling aspect of the whole book, and the ending leaves me excited as to where exactly that storyline will be going. She's tough as nails and has to deal with the moral issues that come with being an EMT in a disaster area where it would be impossible to help everyone, and every second she wastes the danger is building.
To compare it once again to The Final Awakening series, this was a slower start than that. The groundwork has been laid for a tremendous series but there were some moments along the way that felt unnecessary to me. There's an extended scene that takes place under ground where I don't exactly see how they're moving the story forward. It's possible that scene will have importance later, I'm assuming it will, but it felt like a detour that didn't need to happen in the first book in series.
Another fun aspect I love about Zach and J's writing is they keep their ear to the ground when it comes to good video games, music, movies, etc. so keep an eye out for those.
It's also clear they did their research to help make the EMT scenes more realistic. Just the right amount of technical to keep it interesting and the story moving.
I'm rounding it up from 3.5 stars to 4, there's room to grow and make this series awesome and they've got a great start.
May 24, 2022
Just what I was craving
I listened to the audiobook version of this novel with Chelsea Stephens doing a remarkable job of narration.
Our main protagonist, Maya, is a single mom EMT who was working in Nashville when a transparent dome settles over top of the city. "you know, just like that dome in that Stephen King novel" says one of the characters in the book as the authors clearly take a poke at themselves. She is caught on the wrong side of an impenetrable dome, she is separated from her kids who are staying with her mom for the weekend. As if aliens aren't enough, her asshole ex-husband is threatening to take her kids. Maya and her partner, after exhausting their ability to help the injured, decide to try to get out from under the dome to get to her kids. Their attempts to find a way out occupy the majority of this book.
The storyline is intriguing and well-executed. There were a couple of things that detracted from achieving a 5-star review. Firstly, was Maya's dedication to her job as a paramedic. She feels obligated to help people even though the fate of her kids is unknown. I get it, to a certain extent, but the book takes it a bit further than I thought was realistic. Another aspect was the reaction of the people around her who refused to believe that the aliens were, well, aliens. "Oh, those are soldiers from the 101st airborne ....".
Maya and her partner go through a variety of challenges as they try to find a way out. In one case, Maya finds it necessary to kill a man. In another situation, her partner kills a woman who was about to execute Maya. The guilt and grief they felt seemed realistic to me. In another situation where clearly shooting their way out would have been an option, Maya manages to defuse the situation without hurting anyone. Clearly trying to keep her humanity.
Maya is portrayed as a strong woman, who has martial arts training, but that does not make her Supergirl. She does manage to get out of a couple of tight spots but for the most part, her responses are realistic. Her drive (once she decides she needs to get out of Dodge) is her kids and keeping them safe - albeit from her ex-husband more than from the aliens. In one of her hand-to-hand encounters with the aliens, she does manage to find a weakness in the aliens (shades of War of the Worlds - but not quite the same).
This was a page-turner that was fun to read. Sadly, the book does end in a cliffhanger. I enjoyed book 1 and feel compelled to read book 2.
I listened to the audiobook version of this novel with Chelsea Stephens doing a remarkable job of narration.
Our main protagonist, Maya, is a single mom EMT who was working in Nashville when a transparent dome settles over top of the city. "you know, just like that dome in that Stephen King novel" says one of the characters in the book as the authors clearly take a poke at themselves. She is caught on the wrong side of an impenetrable dome, she is separated from her kids who are staying with her mom for the weekend. As if aliens aren't enough, her asshole ex-husband is threatening to take her kids. Maya and her partner, after exhausting their ability to help the injured, decide to try to get out from under the dome to get to her kids. Their attempts to find a way out occupy the majority of this book.
The storyline is intriguing and well-executed. There were a couple of things that detracted from achieving a 5-star review. Firstly, was Maya's dedication to her job as a paramedic. She feels obligated to help people even though the fate of her kids is unknown. I get it, to a certain extent, but the book takes it a bit further than I thought was realistic. Another aspect was the reaction of the people around her who refused to believe that the aliens were, well, aliens. "Oh, those are soldiers from the 101st airborne ....".
Maya and her partner go through a variety of challenges as they try to find a way out. In one case, Maya finds it necessary to kill a man. In another situation, her partner kills a woman who was about to execute Maya. The guilt and grief they felt seemed realistic to me. In another situation where clearly shooting their way out would have been an option, Maya manages to defuse the situation without hurting anyone. Clearly trying to keep her humanity.
Maya is portrayed as a strong woman, who has martial arts training, but that does not make her Supergirl. She does manage to get out of a couple of tight spots but for the most part, her responses are realistic. Her drive (once she decides she needs to get out of Dodge) is her kids and keeping them safe - albeit from her ex-husband more than from the aliens. In one of her hand-to-hand encounters with the aliens, she does manage to find a weakness in the aliens (shades of War of the Worlds - but not quite the same).
This was a page-turner that was fun to read. Sadly, the book does end in a cliffhanger. I enjoyed book 1 and feel compelled to read book 2.
April 19, 2019
Arrival: War for Earth Book One (A Post-Apocalyptic Thriller) by J. Thorn and Zach Bohannon is a fast-paced and gripping story of ordinary people reacting to an alien invasion.
Our main protagonist is Maya, a thirty-something EMT with two kids, a teen girl, and a pre-teen boy. Her daughter has plenty of teenage attitude. Her son is an okay kid, but all he wants to do is play video games. Her ex-husband is truly the ex from hell. I don’t understand why she doesn’t just dissolve his body in acid. The world would be a better place. She keeps saying she wants the kids to have a relationship with their dad, but I don’t understand why. He ignores their lives to focus on his young, hot girlfriend when he's not fighting with Maya. This is one dysfunctional family.
Maya has been working with her current partner, Reno, for a year, and they are good friends. Actually, Reno would like to have a romantic relationship with Maya, but she's so wrapped up in her current stressful life that she just doesn't see it. The story starts out by following Maya and Reno around from one emergency call after another. We get a sense that they're both good people and just want to help the injured and get them to a hospital as soon as they can.
When the first crisis caused by the Aliens arrives, it becomes a parent's worst nightmare. Maya is separated from her kids with the threat of her ex-husband kidnapping their kids and disappearing. She is frantic to get to her kids, but there are significant problems she has to face throughout the remainder of the book. This makes for a fast thrill ride through a world breaking down into chaos.
I did not put this book down; I read it in a day. The characters are interesting and compelling. You care about what happens to them and want to find out what happens next. The situations are reasonably realistic. You could see this happening to real people in real life. The plot keeps moving forward as you meet one road-block after another. Since this book is volume one of a three-volume story, there certainly is a crisis at the end to lead into the next book. But you expected that. The next volume in this series is much anticipated.
Our main protagonist is Maya, a thirty-something EMT with two kids, a teen girl, and a pre-teen boy. Her daughter has plenty of teenage attitude. Her son is an okay kid, but all he wants to do is play video games. Her ex-husband is truly the ex from hell. I don’t understand why she doesn’t just dissolve his body in acid. The world would be a better place. She keeps saying she wants the kids to have a relationship with their dad, but I don’t understand why. He ignores their lives to focus on his young, hot girlfriend when he's not fighting with Maya. This is one dysfunctional family.
Maya has been working with her current partner, Reno, for a year, and they are good friends. Actually, Reno would like to have a romantic relationship with Maya, but she's so wrapped up in her current stressful life that she just doesn't see it. The story starts out by following Maya and Reno around from one emergency call after another. We get a sense that they're both good people and just want to help the injured and get them to a hospital as soon as they can.
When the first crisis caused by the Aliens arrives, it becomes a parent's worst nightmare. Maya is separated from her kids with the threat of her ex-husband kidnapping their kids and disappearing. She is frantic to get to her kids, but there are significant problems she has to face throughout the remainder of the book. This makes for a fast thrill ride through a world breaking down into chaos.
I did not put this book down; I read it in a day. The characters are interesting and compelling. You care about what happens to them and want to find out what happens next. The situations are reasonably realistic. You could see this happening to real people in real life. The plot keeps moving forward as you meet one road-block after another. Since this book is volume one of a three-volume story, there certainly is a crisis at the end to lead into the next book. But you expected that. The next volume in this series is much anticipated.
April 29, 2018
Arrival is an interesting tale, but somewhat convoluted at best. Circumstances happen quickly, but reason is rather vague and motive is without reason. Clear as mud? Background is usually a good thing and it helps set the stage for the rest of the book, but when the first fifth of the book is background on the main character it becomes a bit tiresome. There are inexplicable sub-plots such as the underground folks or curious characters such as Jack that makes me wonder where they came from or why they’re there. The book is not a total loss, it does have its moments and the premise is interesting; it’s just a bit rough around the edges. This audiobook was given by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review via Audiobook Boom.
June 22, 2018
This one's not bad... Easy to listen to and good narration. There are way too many storylines though for such a short book, and none of the characters is ever truly developed. The book doesn't really stick to any one genre, and seems to borrow entirely too much from other well-known movies and authors. It's a bit of a mash-up of every good sci-fi/horror drama you can binge on Netflix over the weekend. Personally, I think the authors have more talent than what is presented here, because all in all the various storylines aren't bad and could each be developed in to a very good book. Not a bad effort though, and an easy enough listen on a long road trip. ***This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.***
January 7, 2018
Gather some snacks – you are going to be sitting down with this book with very few breaks! If you love lots of action and suspense, you’re going to definitely enjoy this one!
Trapped under a dome, the fear crystallizes and sets the stage for what is to come. The book contains memorable characters to cheer for or fear! But you won’t be undecided how you feel about them! This is a fast-paced story that will grab your attention from the very start and drag you along – kicking and screaming -- as we beg for victory or escape!
This is a powerful author team that delivers! Get your copy and judge for yourself . . . if you dare!
Trapped under a dome, the fear crystallizes and sets the stage for what is to come. The book contains memorable characters to cheer for or fear! But you won’t be undecided how you feel about them! This is a fast-paced story that will grab your attention from the very start and drag you along – kicking and screaming -- as we beg for victory or escape!
This is a powerful author team that delivers! Get your copy and judge for yourself . . . if you dare!
March 22, 2021
The ideas were obviously lifted from well known books and sprinkled into a big vat of woke. The writing is ok. The sci-fi is sparse and the story centres on a single mother running around delivering babies and fixing sprained ankles. The ex husband is a drunk bully trying to steal back the kids, so she has her new partner who has dragged himself out to the ghetto and is everything a woman could ask for. The roads all have names like Rosa Parks Avenue.
My expectation is that the heroine will get to beat up some racist/sexist guy but I confess I didn’t make it to the end. Hopefully the aliens are woke or they will regret coming to earth.
My expectation is that the heroine will get to beat up some racist/sexist guy but I confess I didn’t make it to the end. Hopefully the aliens are woke or they will regret coming to earth.
December 16, 2017
Impossible to Put Down
Not my usual genre, but I have read the authors' work before, so I decided to try it. I am so glad I did. Strong character and a very interesting and unique plot made me read well into the night. I understood the main character's drive to survive and get to her kids. As a single mom who survived a horrible divorce, the instinct to protect is fierce. It was exciting and the aliens were different than any I have read previously. No spoilers here, you need to read this first book! I have no doubt this series will be a hit, it was an amazing read.
Not my usual genre, but I have read the authors' work before, so I decided to try it. I am so glad I did. Strong character and a very interesting and unique plot made me read well into the night. I understood the main character's drive to survive and get to her kids. As a single mom who survived a horrible divorce, the instinct to protect is fierce. It was exciting and the aliens were different than any I have read previously. No spoilers here, you need to read this first book! I have no doubt this series will be a hit, it was an amazing read.
September 14, 2018
Arrival : War for Earth book one
Aliens have invaded. Domes have been placed in various cities through out America and quite possibly the entire planet. It appears the aliens, or at least some are unable to breath our oxygen. Also they cannot tolerate sunlight or any type of bright light. This book is one women's will to survive and find her children. Extremely fast paced. Once you start reading you won't be able to put it Down. Can't wait for book two in this series!
Aliens have invaded. Domes have been placed in various cities through out America and quite possibly the entire planet. It appears the aliens, or at least some are unable to breath our oxygen. Also they cannot tolerate sunlight or any type of bright light. This book is one women's will to survive and find her children. Extremely fast paced. Once you start reading you won't be able to put it Down. Can't wait for book two in this series!
June 24, 2018
A good book.It reminded me a bit of 'Under the Dome',but,it was still good.A paramedic gets stuck on the other side of the dome from her children.Chelsea Stephens was a very good narrator.I am looking forward to book 2.I was given this book by the narrator,author or publisher free for an honest review.
July 22, 2019
I guess you have to like sci-fi, aliens and zombies to like the kind of books I read, but I have to say that I’m already looking forward to book 2. Zach Bohannon’s last series was about zombies and I loved it. This series is about aliens and is a collaborative piece with J. Thorn. They’ve arrived and they’re pretty scary.
December 10, 2017
The Dome on steroids!
This story is a mother's worst nightmare come to life. It starts slowly then plunges into the action as everything falls apart. I do like that the main character is a strong, driven woman. All in all a really good start to the series.
This story is a mother's worst nightmare come to life. It starts slowly then plunges into the action as everything falls apart. I do like that the main character is a strong, driven woman. All in all a really good start to the series.
December 21, 2017
Good read...
Probably one of the best alien books I've read.
The characters, Maya & Reno have been drawn perfectly. Maya is one tough, strong woman!
Looking forward to the next episode. I would gladly recommend this book to everyone. The authors have done a fantastic job...😊
Probably one of the best alien books I've read.
The characters, Maya & Reno have been drawn perfectly. Maya is one tough, strong woman!
Looking forward to the next episode. I would gladly recommend this book to everyone. The authors have done a fantastic job...😊
December 21, 2017
Good story, well paced, action makes you feel like you are there. Can't wait for the next book
Get this book, it's the first of what seems like a great new story. I can't wait for the next one
Get this book, it's the first of what seems like a great new story. I can't wait for the next one
December 27, 2017
INVASION AT THE GRAND OLE OPRY IT IS.....
Hello, this story just didn't do it for me. Nothing original. Some things there for no other reason than to fill up the page with words, I don't know? People acting way too stupid.
Hello, this story just didn't do it for me. Nothing original. Some things there for no other reason than to fill up the page with words, I don't know? People acting way too stupid.
January 7, 2018
Wow what a book. Totally different genre for me, but I love this author’s writing. All Maya wants is to keep her children safe, so she brings them to her mother, away from her ex. A big surprise when she comes back. Outstanding alien story. Received a free book.
February 2, 2018
A definite read for your TBR list
Very well written alien thriller. The storyline was very interesting and kept me interested to the very end. I highly recommend this to all the readers out there who read Sci Fi.
I am looking forward to book 2.
Very well written alien thriller. The storyline was very interesting and kept me interested to the very end. I highly recommend this to all the readers out there who read Sci Fi.
I am looking forward to book 2.
February 20, 2018
Everyone screams
Everyone screams and no one listens. I thought it was really weird that the people in the tunnels were dressed in old rags after only the dome had only covered the area for 3 or 4 days. Oh a dome just like the Stephen King novel.
Everyone screams and no one listens. I thought it was really weird that the people in the tunnels were dressed in old rags after only the dome had only covered the area for 3 or 4 days. Oh a dome just like the Stephen King novel.
April 10, 2018
Another stellar read from Thorn and Bohannon. I have zero complaints. Great plot, storytelling, characters, world. Plenty of surprises and action.
This is the perfect bridge from disaster to invasion.
This is the perfect bridge from disaster to invasion.
July 8, 2018
Good start!
Glad I found this book and love these authors. I hope the second book is ready to read, this one left us with new mysteries to solve. The aliens have arrived and Maya knows how to kill them!
Glad I found this book and love these authors. I hope the second book is ready to read, this one left us with new mysteries to solve. The aliens have arrived and Maya knows how to kill them!
July 30, 2020
I have the box set of this trilogy so will just say that this is a great start, with plenty of action and characters that fit well into the story.
It's always good to see a strong female lead and Maya is certainly that.
Fast-paced and enjoyable.
Recommended.
It's always good to see a strong female lead and Maya is certainly that.
Fast-paced and enjoyable.
Recommended.
June 7, 2023
😱
Initially I thought this book was going to be very Under the Dome like, in some respects it was but it was also different and very enjoyable. Fast paced and mainly centred around two characters rather than a whole town of characters like I thought it'd be.
Initially I thought this book was going to be very Under the Dome like, in some respects it was but it was also different and very enjoyable. Fast paced and mainly centred around two characters rather than a whole town of characters like I thought it'd be.
December 11, 2017
Awesome alien story
This was recommended to me on facebook. I am so glad I took the time to read it. I am looking forward to the next book!
This was recommended to me on facebook. I am so glad I took the time to read it. I am looking forward to the next book!
January 9, 2018
Just got it
This looks like a very good book. I went ahead and got it so I could leave a review. Smart marketing. It gets it out there!
This looks like a very good book. I went ahead and got it so I could leave a review. Smart marketing. It gets it out there!
January 10, 2018
A cool post-apoc fast-paced thriller with a kick-ass heroine and aliens who won't die. Loved this book, just right for a rainy January night.
March 19, 2018
Pretty good
Slow start. Towards the back half it started picking up. I am going to check out the next in the series and hope it picks up a bit.
Slow start. Towards the back half it started picking up. I am going to check out the next in the series and hope it picks up a bit.
May 31, 2018
I'm new to reading Post Apoc fiction but I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It has a great story and the good news is it is part of a series. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.
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