After the Devil Has Won

by Rick Wood

Hell crumbled and out they crawled…

Seventeen-year-old Cia is resourceful, tenacious, and a survivor. She has to be to stay alive in a perilous, post-apocalyptic world teeming with horrors.

When she finds a terrified autistic boy, hiding from the creatures who’ve killed his parents, she decides to take care of him and comes to love him like a brother.

But then the monsters attack, and the two are separated.

Desperate to reunite with him, she battles the creatures, her surroundings, and other humans with the vilest of intentions. Every day becomes a fight for survival through horrific ordeals just to continue in her search.

She knows he cannot survive without her. Noises overwhelm him, anxiety shuts him down, and without her, he is unable to cope. Every minute she spends away from him is another minute he is less likely to still be alive

Will she return to him in time?

Or will this world take her as its prisoner before she can find him?

Download this post-apocalyptic horror-thriller, and experience the true lengths a woman would go to for sisterly love, in a dangerous world full of deadly monsters…

Genres: Horror, Post Apocalyptic, Dystopia, Contemporary, Science Fiction, Fiction

318 pages, Paperback

Published September 18, 2018

About the author

Horror Author

Reviews

[Sheena ☆ Book Sheenanigans · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: ★★★★✬ (4.5/5 Stars)
Title: After the Devil Has Won
Author(s): Rick Wood
Character(s):
― Cia Rose: 17 years old, Black, Green Eyed
― James "Boy" : 11-12 years old
Setting: ―
Tag(s): Science Fiction
Content Rating: R
POV: Third Person (Heroine)
Smexy Level: Hot
Favorite Quote(s):
― “The devil has departed, And you are not alone.”
Overall Opinion:
This post apocalyptic thriller had me going with Cia on a wild journey in finding the Boy after becoming separated from an attack by one of the hellish monsters that wreak havoc in their everyday lives. It was a fast paced, well written novel that nearly blew me away and it was an impressive introductory to this author for me. Despite being a 300+ page novel, it felt so much shorter than it actually was and I was pleasantly surprised I was able to finish this in one sitting. The plot, character development, the author's ability to betray autism in a realistic light and how the novel concluded won me over. Needless to say I will be keeping a close eye on what the author comes out with next.

[Elena Linville-Abdo · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF at 45%.

I didn't enjoy this book at all. The plot is thiner than watered down tea. The main character is unlikeable. The author doesn't know how to show, not tell. The book even begins with an infodump.

Hard pass.

[M.A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read. A daughter gets revenge on her father for abandoning her and leaving her to fight monsters in order to survive.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was thrilled to snag this title after having read all of Rick Wood's Edward King series and, as suspected, I am captivated by Cia Rose.
Cia Rose was just a child when the devil won and demons came up from below the earth. After surviving alone for years she finds "Boy" an autistic 11 year old and his need for her gives her life a purpose at last. As Cia and Boy make their way through a forest littered with body parts and populated with monsters they find that their bond grows. Boy is all that matters to Cia. When circumstances seperate them Cia will do anything to get back to him. Throughout the book are elements of class, racism, elitism, cowardice and there is even some empathy for the creatures here and there. Now I'm off to go find book number 2, as I am hooked on yet another Rick Wood series.
#AfterTheDevilHasWon #netgalley #reviewathon

[Jim · Rating 2 out of 5]

Full review: https://girlswithguns.org/when-the-wo...

I think the biggest misstep is at the end, where Cia takes action which results in the immediate deaths of hundreds of people, destroying what had been a safe haven. No matter how bad your Daddy issues, and regardless of the reason, it’s hard to come to terms with the vast carnage for which she is directly responsible, willfully and very much with malice aforethought, while still empathizing with the character. Even though nobody we particularly care about is lost – only bad people, judged by Cia’s severely questionable moral code – it yanked away almost all desire to follow her progress through this post-apocalyptic landscape. It was basically a teenage temper tantrum. Having raised two teenagers, my tolerance for those is slim, especially with the lethal consequences they have here.

[Gwen Schwartz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great fantasy

I really liked this book. It had a very strong lead female character. The imagination of this author is second to none. You need to read this book just to envision the world and creatures this author has created. It was definitely a page turner. It also shows the ugliness of racism and bigotry. I would love to read a sequel to this book. I wasn't ready to say goodbye to the characters yet! There is some violence, but this book could not have been written without it. I don't want to give anything away, so you'll just have to trust me, when I say that you will really enjoy this action packed story!

[Josette Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! If this is what comes when the world ends, it will be one frightening planet! The monsters are so real. I was terrified most by the snake creatures. I already dislike snakes so these monsters took it to a whole new level! I have to say, CIA is an amazing human being. Even in the midst of terror and devastation, she finds time to save a boy with autism. It must be awful for this child. To have his mostly normal world turned upside down. I am hoping things start to turn around because I love for good to triumph over evil.

[Jean Labrador · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Different Kind of Apocalyptic Book

This is the first book I have read by author Rick Wood. This is a monster story, one that involves many monsters and many different kind of monsters; end of the world kinds of monsters. The type of monsters that can tear a house apart with a tail swipe, or eat you in one gulp. How can a teenage girl a who finds a young boy on the autism spectrum survive out in the wild with these kind of animals out there. and where did these things come from? If you like apocalyptic tales, then this is one for you.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book. It is the first in a series so wasn't sure how I would like it but I was not disappointed. The characters are very well written and the imagination of this author is something else.. It is set post-apocalyptic and shows the lenghts Cia will go to save the little boy she considers hers to protect. Edge of your seat reading. I will look forward to reading more of Cia's story.

[Polly Krize · Rating 3 out of 5]

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

Struggling to stay alive in a post-apocalyptic world full of monsters, Cia finds an autistic boy who really needs her. Separated, Cia battles to find him again. Suspenseful and well written, in a sea of dystopian novels these days. Recommended.

[Claudette Bigby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good story

The only thing I didn’t like was that it wasn’t longer. A good bedtime read. There could also be descriptions of the monster animals. They would be more terrifying if we knew what they looked like and how they acted (besides killing ) & how they came to be.

[barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not sure about this one story was good but can't get over how one girl can kill soo many people including her Father because he left her to fend for herself she has def been mentally disturbed by her struggle to survive in the trauma of the gruesome people and things she has had to cope with

[lou brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did not enjoy this book at all. The plot was thin and weak.

[michelle Simons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely brilliant. I love after the apocalypse books, and this was an absolute belter. Rick's books just get better and better.

[Pat Oliver · Rating 4 out of 5]

good story. Cia's story was told very well

[Sally Mander · Rating 1 out of 5]

Now......Then.......

I lost interest in the story, just after Cia and Boy were separated. The book took a terrible turn at that point. Rating 1 star.

[Stacie Hirsch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story

I liked the story it had a nice flow. Not my regular genre though. I will read the next story to see what happens to Cia and boy

[Oz De · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast read! LOVED the book in the beginning good pace!

[Mel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wasn't expecting this book to be as good as it was. Had me hooked from the very beginning. Writing style was easy and fast paced; never was bored even for a second. Looking forward to reading book two soon.

[Billie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hell crumbled and out they crawled…
Seventeen-year-old Cia is resourceful, tenacious, and a survivor. She has to be to stay alive in a perilous, post-apocalyptic world teeming with horrors.
When she finds a terrified autistic boy, hiding from the creatures who’ve killed his parents, she decides to take care of him and comes to love him like a brother.
But then the monsters attack, and the two are separated.
Desperate to reunite with him, she battles the creatures, her surroundings, and other humans with the vilest of intentions. Every day becomes a fight for survival through horrific ordeals just to continue in her search.
She knows he cannot survive without her. Noises overwhelm him, anxiety shuts him down, and without her, he is unable to cope. Every minute she spends away from him is another minute he is less likely to still be alive
Will she return to him in time?
Or will this world take her as its prisoner before she can find him?

This is a brilliant horror read.
I love the apocolyptic world building and the monsters created.
The plot and story line are amazing and can't wait to see where the author takes us next.
Characters have been amazingly fleshed out and can't wait for the next installment.
Recommend reading.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

[Allison Scheler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found myself unable to put this book down. It's a great book to read when you have a couple hours to spare. It kept me on the edge of my seat. The relationship between Boy and Cia was really well developed, and I liked the interactions between characters. They were believable and made you want to learn more about the characters.

I really liked how fast paced everything was; there wasn't a single dull moment to be had. I would've liked the book to have a different ending with a more permanent solution, but that's just me.

[Harry Royster]

So so

This was a nice little story but for some reason it seemed to lack something. It focused on one girl's struggle to survive and a world suddenly filled with monsters while ignoring all the epic battles that had to be taking place all around the world. There was drama and action but it just didn't seem to be real. I'm sorry to say it's not a book I would recommend