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Commune #1
Commune: Book One
For dinosaurs, it was a big rock. For humans: Coronal Mass Ejection (CME).
When the Earth is hit by the greatest CME in recorded history (several times larger than the Carrington Event of 1859), the combined societies of the planet's most developed nations struggle to adapt to a life thrust back into the Dark Ages.
In the United States, the military scrambles to speed the nation's recovery on multiple fronts including putting down riots, establishing relief camps, delivering medical aid, and bringing communication and travel back on line.
Just as a real foothold is established in retaking the skies (utilizing existing commercial aircraft supplemented by military resources and ground control systems), a mysterious virus takes hold of the population, spreading globally over the very flight routes that the survivors fought so hard to rebuild. The communicability and mortality rates are devastating, leaving only small pockets of survivors scattered throughout the countryside.
Commune: Book One is the story of one small group of survivors who must adapt to a primitive, hostile world or die. As they learn the rules of this new era, they must decide how far they're willing to go to continue living, continually asking themselves the same question daily: is survival worth the loss of humanity?
When the Earth is hit by the greatest CME in recorded history (several times larger than the Carrington Event of 1859), the combined societies of the planet's most developed nations struggle to adapt to a life thrust back into the Dark Ages.
In the United States, the military scrambles to speed the nation's recovery on multiple fronts including putting down riots, establishing relief camps, delivering medical aid, and bringing communication and travel back on line.
Just as a real foothold is established in retaking the skies (utilizing existing commercial aircraft supplemented by military resources and ground control systems), a mysterious virus takes hold of the population, spreading globally over the very flight routes that the survivors fought so hard to rebuild. The communicability and mortality rates are devastating, leaving only small pockets of survivors scattered throughout the countryside.
Commune: Book One is the story of one small group of survivors who must adapt to a primitive, hostile world or die. As they learn the rules of this new era, they must decide how far they're willing to go to continue living, continually asking themselves the same question daily: is survival worth the loss of humanity?
304 pages, Paperback
First published March 29, 2017
531 people are currently reading
1464 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 243 reviews
November 30, 2020
Well, this “100 Tips On How To Survive The Apocalypse” book is certainly written by a gun nut. There are chapters with extremely overly long descriptions of firearms and how to use a shotgun and which ammo is used for what which I felt was more appropriate in a technical manual than a post apocalyptic novel focused on building a new society. Later even the nearly 8 year old girl wants a gun so she can protect herself and mom. Mom does say no, but she and her gun happy friends immediately talk about taking the girl to a range and teach her how to shoot. Under constant surveillance of course. Just so she’s ready to get her own gun at 10. I guess being a European none of this appeals to me in any way. A gun does not make me feel safer because if I have one, the other guy will likely also have one. How about neither of us have one?
The story sadly ran through the usual tropes of the helpless woman and child being caught by evil rapey men until the good men come and rescue them and they shoot a lot of other people who also shoot at them but then they also make new friends and talk a lot about guns and gas and cars and chess.
I guess this just wasn’t the story I had expected.
The story sadly ran through the usual tropes of the helpless woman and child being caught by evil rapey men until the good men come and rescue them and they shoot a lot of other people who also shoot at them but then they also make new friends and talk a lot about guns and gas and cars and chess.
I guess this just wasn’t the story I had expected.
December 10, 2018
It's been a while since I read a good post-apocalyptic story. And this one is it.
This is what you can expect when Sun sucker-punches us. If you live.
Early signs were showing the story moving towards I am legend future. Although I love the book (and a movie!) it did not happen, thankfully. Interactions between (living) people are much more interesting.
Even with most people dead, it quickly became clear this will be a good old Human vs Human fight for survival. Big surprise, knowing our history. Sometimes I wonder how we still keep existing (and polluting everything).
I had a feeling of an early The Walking Dead story. Minus the undead. Like the later episodes of TWD, you don't really need anyone else but humans for the bloody savagery.
Am I describing Mad Max here?
The writer tells us a story of a group of people. They are all among the survivors of a coronal mass ejection.
CME is an event where the Sun ejects magnetized plasma. Happens roughly once per day and is generally irrelevant to humans. Unless it is directed towards Earth. Then we're screwed.
Run for your lives!! Or... STOP! xD
This is exactly what happened. Huge electro-magnetic storms killed the global power grid. In the new Dark Ages, humanity reorganized and somewhat stabilized. Suspicion is that, with the power out, something escaped from one of the research labs.
It decimated the population and kept spreading until only the strongest or luckiest survived.
We get to see how it was at the very beginning. People now knowing anything about pure survival, yet still living through the night. Knowledge was again the most powerful thing to possess. If you can live long enough, of course.
And that's where the fun begins and we join in. As we all know, I abhor spoilers and will have none of that nasty business here. If the above sounds interesting, go grab the book. While you're thinking about it, go grab the audiobook!
Joshua Gayou got R.C. Bray to narrate this goodness and they made a great thing together. Probably the reason why I got the book in the first place.
That, and Darko chasing me to read it for over a year now :D
Frequently, I second-guess my ratings and wonder if I over-rated the book again - but not this time.
This book is awesome and I'm not even exaggerating.
As I said before, if you like The Walking Dead, you'll love this book.
For some reason, which I'm sure is weird, the book title reads SOMMCPE in Cyrillic. The artist was probably going for COMMUNE using 'exotic and mysterious' characters. As far as I'm concerned, he failed miserably.
SOMMCPE: BOOK ONE. I lol'd
He opened the bottle and poured some more for himself.
- I thought you said this stuff was horrible?
- Yep. I'm just making sure, though. Some more?
- Yes, please.
Commune: Book One (Commune Series #1)
by Joshua Gayou (Author), R.C. Bray (Narrator)
This is what you can expect when Sun sucker-punches us. If you live.
Early signs were showing the story moving towards I am legend future. Although I love the book (and a movie!) it did not happen, thankfully. Interactions between (living) people are much more interesting.
Even with most people dead, it quickly became clear this will be a good old Human vs Human fight for survival. Big surprise, knowing our history. Sometimes I wonder how we still keep existing (and polluting everything).
I had a feeling of an early The Walking Dead story. Minus the undead. Like the later episodes of TWD, you don't really need anyone else but humans for the bloody savagery.
Am I describing Mad Max here?
The writer tells us a story of a group of people. They are all among the survivors of a coronal mass ejection.
CME is an event where the Sun ejects magnetized plasma. Happens roughly once per day and is generally irrelevant to humans. Unless it is directed towards Earth. Then we're screwed.
Run for your lives!! Or... STOP! xD
This is exactly what happened. Huge electro-magnetic storms killed the global power grid. In the new Dark Ages, humanity reorganized and somewhat stabilized. Suspicion is that, with the power out, something escaped from one of the research labs.
It decimated the population and kept spreading until only the strongest or luckiest survived.
We get to see how it was at the very beginning. People now knowing anything about pure survival, yet still living through the night. Knowledge was again the most powerful thing to possess. If you can live long enough, of course.
And that's where the fun begins and we join in. As we all know, I abhor spoilers and will have none of that nasty business here. If the above sounds interesting, go grab the book. While you're thinking about it, go grab the audiobook!
Joshua Gayou got R.C. Bray to narrate this goodness and they made a great thing together. Probably the reason why I got the book in the first place.
That, and Darko chasing me to read it for over a year now :D
Frequently, I second-guess my ratings and wonder if I over-rated the book again - but not this time.
This book is awesome and I'm not even exaggerating.
As I said before, if you like The Walking Dead, you'll love this book.
For some reason, which I'm sure is weird, the book title reads SOMMCPE in Cyrillic. The artist was probably going for COMMUNE using 'exotic and mysterious' characters. As far as I'm concerned, he failed miserably.
SOMMCPE: BOOK ONE. I lol'd
He opened the bottle and poured some more for himself.
- I thought you said this stuff was horrible?
- Yep. I'm just making sure, though. Some more?
- Yes, please.
Commune: Book One (Commune Series #1)
by Joshua Gayou (Author), R.C. Bray (Narrator)
Verdict A great piece of post-apocalyptic dystopia!
Runtime 09:45
Overall
Performance
Story
November 12, 2017
I’ve read a lot of post-apocalyptic books. A lot. And when I find something new I’m always shocked. In PA books there’s always a reason for the apocalypse, the journey is hard (in most books), and they get to where they are going only to have to defend their turf. Sure, that’s the same basic plotline of Commune, but the way that it gets there is totally different. Gayou was able to write new life into the same kind of story. It was a difference in tone. It was told from the point of view of storytellers (and the person recording the history of the story). Which made it completely unique among hundreds of books I’ve read in this genre.
Each person’s story was different. Just like the way that everyone has their own origin story to life. Each person in Commune felt different and interesting in their own way. There were quiet people who you knew had a lot going on under the surface. And the caring ones who cared, almost to a fault. Along with what I would call someone with the “papa bear” mentality. They all came together in different parts of this book and made something beautiful in the ashes of the apocalypse.
The back and forth of the characters playing out the same or similar situation really made this book stand out to me. I loved hearing about the story from Jake’s perspective and then Amanda’s. I also really like that everything is happening in the past and Commune is a sort of retelling. A ‘back to your roots’ sort of storytelling. Like the older generations used to do. That was how history was passed down from generation to generation. The back-to-basics sort of feel, looking back on their stories was something I’ve never read in any post-apocalyptic book.
I won’t ruin the ending or even how it gets to the ending, but I actually completely understand the way that Gayou went. I want to write more about it, but anything else I write here will become a spoiler. Let’s just say that I’m excited to see the direction that is taken in the other books in the series.
Sometimes I wonder if Bray picks books that make him laugh out loud at least once in them. I can’t even think if the last book I read by him made me laugh (it was about a guy out for revenge) but I’m sure it did. Ever since The Martian, almost every book Bray’s narrated has had me in stitches (even when it’s a serious book). Commune was no different. Numerous times (pretty much every listening session to and from work) I laughed at least once. Also, any book that Bray read the opening of and says “yeah, I’ll narrate your book” to an author he met on a Reddit AMA says a lot to me.
Overall, Commune Book 1 will easily be a contender for the best book I read in 2017. It’s easily one that I won’t forget for some time. Before I even finished it I told my wife that she had to listen to it. I woke up this morning to hear her in the kitchen listening to it.
I was given a free copy of this book which has not affected my review in any way.
Each person’s story was different. Just like the way that everyone has their own origin story to life. Each person in Commune felt different and interesting in their own way. There were quiet people who you knew had a lot going on under the surface. And the caring ones who cared, almost to a fault. Along with what I would call someone with the “papa bear” mentality. They all came together in different parts of this book and made something beautiful in the ashes of the apocalypse.
The back and forth of the characters playing out the same or similar situation really made this book stand out to me. I loved hearing about the story from Jake’s perspective and then Amanda’s. I also really like that everything is happening in the past and Commune is a sort of retelling. A ‘back to your roots’ sort of storytelling. Like the older generations used to do. That was how history was passed down from generation to generation. The back-to-basics sort of feel, looking back on their stories was something I’ve never read in any post-apocalyptic book.
I won’t ruin the ending or even how it gets to the ending, but I actually completely understand the way that Gayou went. I want to write more about it, but anything else I write here will become a spoiler. Let’s just say that I’m excited to see the direction that is taken in the other books in the series.
Sometimes I wonder if Bray picks books that make him laugh out loud at least once in them. I can’t even think if the last book I read by him made me laugh (it was about a guy out for revenge) but I’m sure it did. Ever since The Martian, almost every book Bray’s narrated has had me in stitches (even when it’s a serious book). Commune was no different. Numerous times (pretty much every listening session to and from work) I laughed at least once. Also, any book that Bray read the opening of and says “yeah, I’ll narrate your book” to an author he met on a Reddit AMA says a lot to me.
Overall, Commune Book 1 will easily be a contender for the best book I read in 2017. It’s easily one that I won’t forget for some time. Before I even finished it I told my wife that she had to listen to it. I woke up this morning to hear her in the kitchen listening to it.
I was given a free copy of this book which has not affected my review in any way.
June 22, 2018
I am so confused why this book gets so much love. I've had to give up and I'm only at chapter 7. I was already fairly bored and unimpressed with the strange talking heads narration style. Why not just tell the story as it happened instead of reducing it to some kind of journal-entry blow by blow? From the get-go I was holding on to some fairly hefty side-eye towards the sole female character, Amanda. Did she really have to be a single mother, pregnant at 19 and widowed at twenty-something? It is so yawn-worthy to see this tired old trope of women always having to be mothers and wives when the men just get to be the infinitely capable, silent lone-wolf types with no familial responsibilities to burden them. Anyway, I was willing to overlook it and see how she evolved and where her story went. Well imagine my surprise (not) when only 7 chapters in we find her square in the middle of that old favourite, the post-apocalyptic gang rape fantasy. I mean seriously. Why do so many male storytellers feel the overwhelming desire to put their female characters through degrading and traumatic sexual violence in order for them to emerge as that "STRONG FEMALE CHARACTER" they can then have a wank over. Fuck. That. Pretty sure this little gem of a line is what really sealed the deal for me - "What he was describing (being raped every night for the rest of time by four men while your soon-to-be-at-risk-too daughter sleeps near by) didn't actually sound like the worst thing that could happen. Our culture has it all built up like rape is the absolute worst thing that could happen to a woman. But it's really not." Umm ok, pal. Thanks so much for the enlightenment! Listen up ladies! Rape's ok! No need to make a fuss about it. Just "roll over" and do your bit for mankind. They have needs you know. And listen, if you're lucky then a couple of 'nice guys' will come along and save you and you can feel like a regular damsel in distress. Then they can teach your pretty little head how to use guns and survive. Gee, what would you ever have done without all these men. So yeah...I'm out. There are far far better post-apoc stories out there with nuanced, well-rounded characters that also don't go on about bullet diameters for paragraphs upon paragraphs. Joshua - your rape and gun fetishes are showing. Might wanna tuck those in.
September 10, 2019
4.5 stars! I have a thing for apocalyptic tales. I love the bits where the reader learns little tricks on how to survive an apocalypse. I especially love it when we fall in love with the main characters! And wow! I was head over heels for Jake, Billy, Amanda, and little Lizzie in this book! I could not get enough and listened to the audiobook every chance I could. R.C. Bray narrates and was amazing as always.
When first the flare kills all electronics, and then the plague hits, the few survivors are left to fend for themselves. Jake and Billy rescue Amanda and her daughter from really BAD guys and form a small family heading to Billy's "prepper" home in Wyoming.
This is the kind of apocalypse story I love the most. No monsters or zombies. Just good people finding each other and trying to survive in a new world. I couldn't get book 2 loaded fast enough and am continuing with my binge read of this series!!
When first the flare kills all electronics, and then the plague hits, the few survivors are left to fend for themselves. Jake and Billy rescue Amanda and her daughter from really BAD guys and form a small family heading to Billy's "prepper" home in Wyoming.
This is the kind of apocalypse story I love the most. No monsters or zombies. Just good people finding each other and trying to survive in a new world. I couldn't get book 2 loaded fast enough and am continuing with my binge read of this series!!
January 11, 2018
Added a star for voice-work in the audio version, - outstanding job!
This is a really interesting story. I read many other EMP/CME stories before but what is uniquely done in this one is multiple character perspective, on same events. I am already invested in all of the characters and am waiting with anticipation for book 2 to be available in audiobook format, fingers crossed it will continue to stay engaging and unpredictable!
This is a really interesting story. I read many other EMP/CME stories before but what is uniquely done in this one is multiple character perspective, on same events. I am already invested in all of the characters and am waiting with anticipation for book 2 to be available in audiobook format, fingers crossed it will continue to stay engaging and unpredictable!
May 17, 2019
5 OMFG I'm in love with R. C. Bray's voice audio stars! Sooo yummy!
4.5 stars story! I love stories that brings groups of people together during some kind of disaster or other with a twist of humor here and there.
4.5 stars story! I love stories that brings groups of people together during some kind of disaster or other with a twist of humor here and there.
October 10, 2018
I kept waiting for something interesting to happen in this book. It is the most ho-hum predictable story of people meandering through a post-apocalyptic US on the way to a huge property in Wyoming where the one guy just happened to have picked up doomsday prepping as a hobby and use his Native American casino money to build a secluded complex.
WAAAAAYYYYY too much of the book is dedicated to gun and ammo fetishizing - throw in other detailed tactical analysis of various vehicles, scavenging strategies, other gear and equipment. I was screaming at the book "I DON'T CARE, TELL THE STORY!"
At least 50% of the dialog between characters is one character man-splaining to another about how this or that gun works, what situations it's good for, pros and cons, etc. So painful. The shell of a story that all that is bolted onto is not worth reading.
WAAAAAYYYYY too much of the book is dedicated to gun and ammo fetishizing - throw in other detailed tactical analysis of various vehicles, scavenging strategies, other gear and equipment. I was screaming at the book "I DON'T CARE, TELL THE STORY!"
At least 50% of the dialog between characters is one character man-splaining to another about how this or that gun works, what situations it's good for, pros and cons, etc. So painful. The shell of a story that all that is bolted onto is not worth reading.
April 21, 2018
Holy shiiiiiiiit!!!!!
November 21, 2017
When the world is hit with a CME bigger than the Carrington Event, things quickly go to hell, but humanity perseveres and they try to survive. Just as things are starting to come together, a sickness spreads and kills even more of the survivours. Now we are following a group of people who are intent on trying to make things work.
This book surprised me a lot!! While it follows the basic rule of a post apocalyptic book, it isn't the plot that makes this shine, it's the characters and it's the way the story is told! It's told to us as a story, the narrator is recording how the Commune came to be but we also see the same story told through multiple characters POV. Now, that can sometimes be awful but it works here, and works well!!
This focuses on 4 people. Jake, Billy, Amanda and her daughter, Lizzy. How the four came together is something you will have to read the book to find out, because I don't want to spoil it! But it's a heartbreaking journey for some of them. I loved how they came together, and I think the author does a fantastic job with it. But it doesn't just stop with them meeting, nope, the journey continues as a group and is captivating and addicting!! I absolutely devoured it.
Every single character is well written and developed, which is rare in a debut book. There is depth to these characters that really captured my attention. Amanda and Lizzy have a hard journey, but they come out stronger. Billy is a great character and a real father figure. Jake is mysterious and I really can't wait to find out more about him. He is a fantastic character!! I also liked the fact that there isn't a love story here! While there's potential, I'm glad the author didn't feel the need to create one, especially after what Amanda endured.
In all, this is a story of survival when nothing is available anymore. The author really makes you realise how things can change in the blink of an eye! He puts a lot into the world building, but even more into the character development and what he has created was a memorable read, and I can not wait for the next one!!!
R.C Bray... let's all bow down to the awesomeness that is R.C Bray! His range of tones and voices is impressive and he really knows how to tell a story!! A good story teller can draw you into the book and make you forget everything else, well this is what Bray does. He drew me in and made the story effortless to listen to. It played in my head like a movie and I loved it!! He is a narrator I could listen to every day and feel like I was listening to different people. Amazing performance!!
I was voluntarily provided this audiobook for free from the author, narrator, or publisher. This in no way affected nor influenced my thoughts.
This book surprised me a lot!! While it follows the basic rule of a post apocalyptic book, it isn't the plot that makes this shine, it's the characters and it's the way the story is told! It's told to us as a story, the narrator is recording how the Commune came to be but we also see the same story told through multiple characters POV. Now, that can sometimes be awful but it works here, and works well!!
This focuses on 4 people. Jake, Billy, Amanda and her daughter, Lizzy. How the four came together is something you will have to read the book to find out, because I don't want to spoil it! But it's a heartbreaking journey for some of them. I loved how they came together, and I think the author does a fantastic job with it. But it doesn't just stop with them meeting, nope, the journey continues as a group and is captivating and addicting!! I absolutely devoured it.
Every single character is well written and developed, which is rare in a debut book. There is depth to these characters that really captured my attention. Amanda and Lizzy have a hard journey, but they come out stronger. Billy is a great character and a real father figure. Jake is mysterious and I really can't wait to find out more about him. He is a fantastic character!! I also liked the fact that there isn't a love story here! While there's potential, I'm glad the author didn't feel the need to create one, especially after what Amanda endured.
In all, this is a story of survival when nothing is available anymore. The author really makes you realise how things can change in the blink of an eye! He puts a lot into the world building, but even more into the character development and what he has created was a memorable read, and I can not wait for the next one!!!
R.C Bray... let's all bow down to the awesomeness that is R.C Bray! His range of tones and voices is impressive and he really knows how to tell a story!! A good story teller can draw you into the book and make you forget everything else, well this is what Bray does. He drew me in and made the story effortless to listen to. It played in my head like a movie and I loved it!! He is a narrator I could listen to every day and feel like I was listening to different people. Amazing performance!!
I was voluntarily provided this audiobook for free from the author, narrator, or publisher. This in no way affected nor influenced my thoughts.
December 4, 2017
I was blown away by this book. I easily have read 50 post apocalyptic books and this one has moved up to my favorite slot.
Firstly, the format it was written in is fresh and done extremely well. Each chapter is from a different characters view as being told to a person who is documenting the history of their group. It's brings a lot of depth to the characters that would have otherwise been missed if told from one characters point of view or as an overall look at the situation.
Secondly, the characters are real people. People who barely know which end is which on a gun, who react appropriately to situations they are placed in and who have viable personalities. They developed through the book as they should have given their experiences, but always stayed true to their initial personalities (which many, many authors struggle with).
Third, the author (I was shocked to learn this was his first book, by the way) didn't go over the top with crazy situations that happen one after another. Instead they were spread out, believable and not overly described in terms of violence or graphic descriptions. Not that I mind either, but given the format it was written in, the characters telling the story wouldn't necessarily give that type of description or detail so it made sense.
Fourth, there were actually 2 'events' that made this apocalyptic, but it didn't focus on either one except when needed to give background regarding the characters circumstances. I liked that a lot.
I seriously cannot rave enough about this book. I purchased this one on audiobook (the narrator was absolutely perfect as well), but couldn't wait for the second book to come out in audio format so I bought it on kindle. Worth it! AND I'll get it on audiobook when that one is released as well.
Firstly, the format it was written in is fresh and done extremely well. Each chapter is from a different characters view as being told to a person who is documenting the history of their group. It's brings a lot of depth to the characters that would have otherwise been missed if told from one characters point of view or as an overall look at the situation.
Secondly, the characters are real people. People who barely know which end is which on a gun, who react appropriately to situations they are placed in and who have viable personalities. They developed through the book as they should have given their experiences, but always stayed true to their initial personalities (which many, many authors struggle with).
Third, the author (I was shocked to learn this was his first book, by the way) didn't go over the top with crazy situations that happen one after another. Instead they were spread out, believable and not overly described in terms of violence or graphic descriptions. Not that I mind either, but given the format it was written in, the characters telling the story wouldn't necessarily give that type of description or detail so it made sense.
Fourth, there were actually 2 'events' that made this apocalyptic, but it didn't focus on either one except when needed to give background regarding the characters circumstances. I liked that a lot.
I seriously cannot rave enough about this book. I purchased this one on audiobook (the narrator was absolutely perfect as well), but couldn't wait for the second book to come out in audio format so I bought it on kindle. Worth it! AND I'll get it on audiobook when that one is released as well.
August 4, 2021
۴.۳۵!
امتیاز کتاب صوتیش ولی ۱۰ از ۱۰!
امتیاز کتاب صوتیش ولی ۱۰ از ۱۰!
April 6, 2017
Commune is an excellent first book by a new author. I learned of Joshua Gayou's book through a mutual friend and thought what the hell, I'll give it a shot. I read a lot of indie authors and first-time novelists, with varying degrees of satisfaction. Many brand new authors start out pretty shaky, with poorly developed stories, one-dimensional characters, awkward prose and poor editing. So I wasn't expecting much when I jumped into this book. I was more or less just curious to see what someone who happened to be in a similar circle of friends would be writing about.
But I was very pleasantly surprised at how much I actually enjoyed this book. While I'm not a huge follower of post-apocalyptic fiction, I do enjoy it from time to time. Gayou's take on the theme tends to focus on more of the details of what would actually happen in such a societal break-down, and how the people who are left would cope with the new reality. Most other books, movies and TV shows in the genre tend to break down into simple good vs. evil melodrama, with survivors aggregating into one of those two camps and battling it out, with a heavy focus on the violence. Commune has some of those themes, of course, but the book takes a more cerebral approach to exploring the reality of what would actually happen.
The structure of the story is clever, told in first-person from several of the main characters' points of view. At first this threw me a little bit, as I would confuse characters when the POV shifted. But from about half-way through the book all of the chapters are from a single character's POV so it becomes a little easier to follow along.
There were a few editing issues I spotted, along with a couple of minor plot problems, but these were few and far between. Overall the prose was MUCH cleaner than I've come to expect from rookie novelists. And they weren't enough to throw off my reading rhythm or to affect my enjoyment of the story.
And I did enjoy it. I found myself tearing through the story faster than I usually do with some of my favorite big-name authors. This is presented as book one in a series, and I find myself looking forward to the continuation of the story. Well done, Mr. Gayou.
But I was very pleasantly surprised at how much I actually enjoyed this book. While I'm not a huge follower of post-apocalyptic fiction, I do enjoy it from time to time. Gayou's take on the theme tends to focus on more of the details of what would actually happen in such a societal break-down, and how the people who are left would cope with the new reality. Most other books, movies and TV shows in the genre tend to break down into simple good vs. evil melodrama, with survivors aggregating into one of those two camps and battling it out, with a heavy focus on the violence. Commune has some of those themes, of course, but the book takes a more cerebral approach to exploring the reality of what would actually happen.
The structure of the story is clever, told in first-person from several of the main characters' points of view. At first this threw me a little bit, as I would confuse characters when the POV shifted. But from about half-way through the book all of the chapters are from a single character's POV so it becomes a little easier to follow along.
There were a few editing issues I spotted, along with a couple of minor plot problems, but these were few and far between. Overall the prose was MUCH cleaner than I've come to expect from rookie novelists. And they weren't enough to throw off my reading rhythm or to affect my enjoyment of the story.
And I did enjoy it. I found myself tearing through the story faster than I usually do with some of my favorite big-name authors. This is presented as book one in a series, and I find myself looking forward to the continuation of the story. Well done, Mr. Gayou.
April 21, 2017
This was a quick read, I did it in about a day. I could not put the book down I wanted to know what was going to happen next. This is not my normal type of book to read. I am usually a strictly YA/ Paranormal/ or romance okay basically I will read anything as long as there is a possibility of romance in the horizon. Well, this book did not have that really. Now, I am still holding out hope for Jake and Amanda. Enough of that though.
This book has you focused on three characters Jake, Amanda, and Billy during basically what I would call an early stage of a Mad Max apocalypse world. So a solar flair basically takes out the worlds computers/machines, and people have been reduced to learning how to live without, FB, ATM, Netflicks, Lights, running water. So Jake, Billy, Amanda and her Daughter Lizzy are learning how to scavenge for supplies and survive after the plague takes out the majority of the population. Now, this was not a zombie book which I liked.
I really liked Billy I could see a little bit of that crazy uncle we all have, that tells us stories that will have an impact on us but then later add a joke. Jake is a bit interesting. What I really liked was the whole addressing the BIG PINK ELEPHANT and yes I mean PINK. In every book or TV/movie they hardly ever mention feminine products. Thank you to the author for paying attention to the fact a woman in a post civilization may want her tampax. This was not my normal book but I am glad I read it.
This book has you focused on three characters Jake, Amanda, and Billy during basically what I would call an early stage of a Mad Max apocalypse world. So a solar flair basically takes out the worlds computers/machines, and people have been reduced to learning how to live without, FB, ATM, Netflicks, Lights, running water. So Jake, Billy, Amanda and her Daughter Lizzy are learning how to scavenge for supplies and survive after the plague takes out the majority of the population. Now, this was not a zombie book which I liked.
I really liked Billy I could see a little bit of that crazy uncle we all have, that tells us stories that will have an impact on us but then later add a joke. Jake is a bit interesting. What I really liked was the whole addressing the BIG PINK ELEPHANT and yes I mean PINK. In every book or TV/movie they hardly ever mention feminine products. Thank you to the author for paying attention to the fact a woman in a post civilization may want her tampax. This was not my normal book but I am glad I read it.
December 4, 2018
This is one of my favorite genres - the "how people learn to live in the world after the world we knew (with technology and rules) has ended due to an EMP, war, disease, or zombie apocalypse." While I enjoying hearing how the preppers manage to find water, fuel, and other necessities along the way, there is also a dark side I'm less fond of. It is interesting to see how easily many of the men left standing after the global fall develop a savage, entitled complex, thinking they own everyone and everything they come across. There is always one in these sorts of modern society has fallen, survival stories ... I'm not trying to hate on the guys here, but I've never read a one of these that portrayed a group of women reducing and degrading the man in the group to a whore and using his child as a bargaining chip if he didn't play nice. The callow men who do this, or who even turn a knowing blind eye to this abuse make me sick. Yeah, this book is that gritty - so no, I don't think it would be a suitable read for a child. But there are still good people in this darker world and that is what keeps me reading.
Gayou does draw from the usual end of the world formula with many of the situations that transpire, but he does it well. I will be moving along to the next book in the series to see what happens to the characters I've grown to care for.
Gayou does draw from the usual end of the world formula with many of the situations that transpire, but he does it well. I will be moving along to the next book in the series to see what happens to the characters I've grown to care for.
September 29, 2018
So. Much. Gun. Description. Seriously, I feel as though at least half of this book was devoted to describing different types of guns and the ammunition they each take. And how to use them. And how to hold them. And where to acquire guns and ammunition. Technical details took the place of character back story and development, thereby rendering me practically comatose throughout the majority of this audiobook. The narrator was great considering that he had to drone on for hours about guns. Yaaawwwn.
January 27, 2021
Some reviews talk about how the author is a gun nut because he spends way too much time talking about guns. This is not true. He spends way too much time explaining every little action, interaction and story and I love it. I recommend listening to the Audiobook version narrated by R.C. Bray. I can’t get enough of it.
December 15, 2018
Commune (Book 1) is the first installment in Joshua Gayou’s post-apocalyptic trilogy. The audiobook is popular on Audible and highly rated. For the most part, it kept my attention. There’s nothing extraordinary here, though maybe the story is just getting started. R.C. Bray, the narrator, is serviceable. Overall rating: 3.59 stars
September 15, 2019
This starts out as a writer prepares to record the history of the current settlement after the apocalypse. We hear from Amanda and Jake - and their stories are gritty and sad and at times, shocking. I loved the rawness of this story. It felt like someone was just relating to me how they got where they did. I'll be bingeing the series.
And of course RC Bray is fantastic on the audio.
And of course RC Bray is fantastic on the audio.
September 17, 2017
This is much, MUCH closer to five stars than four.
I just love the characters and their interactions - Joshua did an excellent job at bringing the reader into the scenes and making the reader empathize with the characters.
I enjoyed how the author dealt with the realism of normal, everyday people not knowing their way around firearms. It really brings a sense of reality to the book! I do, however, feel like it might be a bit much sometimes. I'm kind of torn on the point because on one hand the information is correct, but on the other, it just seems to happen a little too often for my liking. There were a few typos here and there, but nothing that took me out of the story. Between these two issues I had, they were the only reason I didn't rate as five stars.
The author did an excellent job at bringing a different slant to the military during/after the apocalypse... all too often, we see the military as "the bad guy". I like how Joshua brought some humanity to the servicemen as well as making me actually give a damn about the characters. Joshua really has something here. I've already purchased book 2 and will most likely download the audiobook shortly.
I just love the characters and their interactions - Joshua did an excellent job at bringing the reader into the scenes and making the reader empathize with the characters.
I enjoyed how the author dealt with the realism of normal, everyday people not knowing their way around firearms. It really brings a sense of reality to the book! I do, however, feel like it might be a bit much sometimes. I'm kind of torn on the point because on one hand the information is correct, but on the other, it just seems to happen a little too often for my liking. There were a few typos here and there, but nothing that took me out of the story. Between these two issues I had, they were the only reason I didn't rate as five stars.
The author did an excellent job at bringing a different slant to the military during/after the apocalypse... all too often, we see the military as "the bad guy". I like how Joshua brought some humanity to the servicemen as well as making me actually give a damn about the characters. Joshua really has something here. I've already purchased book 2 and will most likely download the audiobook shortly.
December 22, 2020
This book felt so pointless.
First off, it was derivative of every other apocalyptic book out there: there is no plot beyond people stockpiling guns because it's the Wild Wild West out there. Our main character befriends and protects a lady and her kid, which shows that he is a very nice guy as astute readers may know.
Gayou seriously needs to learn about showing and not telling. The other books in the series get progressively longer, and suffice to say I won't be reading them.
First off, it was derivative of every other apocalyptic book out there: there is no plot beyond people stockpiling guns because it's the Wild Wild West out there. Our main character befriends and protects a lady and her kid, which shows that he is a very nice guy as astute readers may know.
Gayou seriously needs to learn about showing and not telling. The other books in the series get progressively longer, and suffice to say I won't be reading them.
July 24, 2019
Characters are just not believable. The character interactions are inconsistent. It’s a world of preachy, morally superior, good guys and really really bad guys.
November 28, 2020
I purchased the audiobook of Commune on sale a while ago, and it's sat unread ever since. Well, now the audiobooks of the other three books in the series are on sale, so I decided to read the original to see if it was worth investing further. (Spoiler alert:. I grabbed a copy of the second book, but not all three.)
In short, a coronal mass ejection (CME) from the sun created an electro-magnetic pulse (EMP) causing almost all electronics and machinery on earth to stop functioning. While that was bad, humanity was getting itself back together when the pandemic hit. It was the one-two punch that got 'em. The novel is set in the time immediately after these events, the very near future, and it's purported to be a history of how a commune was founded. So, throughout the book, readers will know little to nothing about the present day of the characters, or precisely how far in the past the events described took place.
So, this first book is primarily world-building and character introductions. That makes it sound like nothing happens, and on the contrary, the book is both character and plot-driven, and moves along at a good pace. Book one also has a nice arc and comes to a reasonable concluding place, rather than just stopping mid-stream. A reader could quit at book one feeling satisfied, which I like.
There's nothing particularly original in the premise of this novel, but the old saying is true: Execution is everything. And while I don't feel the need to run around singing it's praises, Commune was quite competently executed. With this kind of post-apocalyptic fiction, you see A LOT of crap. Commune was a good read, well-written. I look forward to seeing where the story goes next.
In short, a coronal mass ejection (CME) from the sun created an electro-magnetic pulse (EMP) causing almost all electronics and machinery on earth to stop functioning. While that was bad, humanity was getting itself back together when the pandemic hit. It was the one-two punch that got 'em. The novel is set in the time immediately after these events, the very near future, and it's purported to be a history of how a commune was founded. So, throughout the book, readers will know little to nothing about the present day of the characters, or precisely how far in the past the events described took place.
So, this first book is primarily world-building and character introductions. That makes it sound like nothing happens, and on the contrary, the book is both character and plot-driven, and moves along at a good pace. Book one also has a nice arc and comes to a reasonable concluding place, rather than just stopping mid-stream. A reader could quit at book one feeling satisfied, which I like.
There's nothing particularly original in the premise of this novel, but the old saying is true: Execution is everything. And while I don't feel the need to run around singing it's praises, Commune was quite competently executed. With this kind of post-apocalyptic fiction, you see A LOT of crap. Commune was a good read, well-written. I look forward to seeing where the story goes next.
May 30, 2020
At the same time credible and almost prophetic in certain aspects, this first part of Commune is a very good surprise.
The characters are solid, their psychology holds water without falling into a psychoanalyst's delirium, and the author doesn't feel invested in the mission of explaining life to his readers.
There are certainly some faults, some blunders, including some gossip and some useless monologues, but it remains in the realm of the acceptable.
The storyline is interesting, even if the narrative process of the journal written afterwards is not what I prefer.
There is action, rhythm, but it's not a shoot them up. Far from it.
Commune is a very good post-apocalyptic novel, which will appeal to fans of the genre.
No more no less.
I found it very pleasant to read and I'm going to start the second volume right away.
And for those who are horrified that there are so many weapons in a post-apocalyptic novel, I would like to make a clarification: the post-apocalyptic novel is to the future what the western is to the past. There are rare exceptions, sometimes successful, but most of the genre is still focused on survival and conflict. And since the dawn of time, to survive, man has used the tools he had at his disposal.
The characters are solid, their psychology holds water without falling into a psychoanalyst's delirium, and the author doesn't feel invested in the mission of explaining life to his readers.
There are certainly some faults, some blunders, including some gossip and some useless monologues, but it remains in the realm of the acceptable.
The storyline is interesting, even if the narrative process of the journal written afterwards is not what I prefer.
There is action, rhythm, but it's not a shoot them up. Far from it.
Commune is a very good post-apocalyptic novel, which will appeal to fans of the genre.
No more no less.
I found it very pleasant to read and I'm going to start the second volume right away.
And for those who are horrified that there are so many weapons in a post-apocalyptic novel, I would like to make a clarification: the post-apocalyptic novel is to the future what the western is to the past. There are rare exceptions, sometimes successful, but most of the genre is still focused on survival and conflict. And since the dawn of time, to survive, man has used the tools he had at his disposal.
November 13, 2017
The story contained in these digital audio bits, or the associated with the corresponding physical pages, is truly refreshing. This book brings about an interesting take on documenting a post-apocalyptic scenario. Having each character tell their view of the events which occurred is interesting and paints a new dynamic for the situation. In this case, there are no zombies. Instead we are placed in a world thrust back into a quasi-stone age. All of the luxuries of daily life are pushed into imminent extinction as supplies now become extremely perishable as different groups seek them in order to survive/maintain some semblance of their past lives.
I am not going to spoil some of the journeys that Billy, Amanda, Jake, and Lizzy find themselves thrust into but instead want to highlight key aspects of the book which kept me hooked.
The first item which immediately drew me in was the depiction of our reliance on the technologies and systems we take for granted in everyday life. What happens when the supply chains which transport our goods break down? What happens when all of the individual workers that make up an assembly/distribution chain for a single item are no longer collaborating or performing their required tasks? What happens when the folks monitoring critical systems such as water, power, or even satellite are unable to perform the small tweaks and tunings required to keep the respective systems operational? Each of these items are brought to light in this story. In fact, Josh goes into great detail at points on some of these topics and it really gives you a sense of where reality would be without those critical operators. This aspect of storytelling develops somber feel which increases as you realize the characters are running out of time for what little technology they have remaining. Our society has become overly complex for even basic things such as obtaining water, and Josh has done a great job depicting that in this first entry in the series.
The next piece of this book that drew me in is a trait I look for in any good post-apocalyptic story and that is depicting the real nature of humanity. Josh did a fantastic job in this regard and the first aspect I picked up on was how the characters were forced to figure out how they can decide whether or not someone they are meeting is trustworthy. In a world where everyone is out for themselves, how do you place trust in someone when you are competing the same, limited resources? This is witnessed at several points in the story such as Billy and Jake’s meetup, Amanda meeting up with Jake and Billy, later on with Otis, and each time presents a new challenge. Additionally, Josh does a great job at highlighting that our military members are human just like everyone else, even more so after the second wave hits and we start to see them perish along with the civilians they are trying to protect. This is an uncommon trend in the genre and a welcome one that I feel adds a new twist to the military industrial complex as it is typically portrayed in a post-apocalyptic setting.
Another interesting topic brought up in the story is that of disease and famine. When all power and running water is gone, how do you perform basic hygiene tasks? What happens to military labs where viral research was being conducted, especially in a non-weaponized fashion? What was once a trustworthy, safe, and protected endeavor of research is now much less-so when those safeguards are not available. While this doesn’t take on a major role in the story, it is hinted at and gives the reader something to ponder over. Additionally, seeing what occurs directly after the solar flare hits is depressing. This aspect of the story hits home on our over-reliance on modern systems to help control aspects of our lives many have forgotten about or take for granted.
There are several emotional moments in the story from a humor, revenge seeking, and sad perspective. The biggest moment which really got my emotions going was when Lizzy climbed into bed with Amanda as she was crying after her ordeal. I was driving out on a family trip as this scene came about and I definitely teared up a little bit. This was counter-balanced with some humor/revenge situations where I found myself cheering/laughing such as Larry’s tug-of-war event with his own keister. The ending left me tearful as well. It amazed me how I became attached to a character in such a short time.
This is a great start to a refreshing series in the genre and I am excited to see how the story develops in subsequent novels. This audiobook is one I stumbled upon at the recommendation of R.C. Bray on his Facebook page. Needless to say, his recommendations continue to ring true as he seems to select/narrate books that I genuinely enjoy. Bray did a fantastic job and really showcased his diversity with the accents he used throughout the book. Getting to hear him voice Beavis from Beavis and Butthead was truly a joy to hear. Likewise, I had to replay a section of the story for my wife and ask if Bray was attempting to sound like Morgan Freeman. He nailed it if that was his intention.
This is a great book. For any post-apocalyptic reader/listener, give this one a shot. You will not regret it. I am grateful for the fact that Josh’s friends convinced him to write and release this book. Thanks to each of you and, most of all, thanks to Josh for putting this out. This was definitely a story worth sharing.
I am not going to spoil some of the journeys that Billy, Amanda, Jake, and Lizzy find themselves thrust into but instead want to highlight key aspects of the book which kept me hooked.
The first item which immediately drew me in was the depiction of our reliance on the technologies and systems we take for granted in everyday life. What happens when the supply chains which transport our goods break down? What happens when all of the individual workers that make up an assembly/distribution chain for a single item are no longer collaborating or performing their required tasks? What happens when the folks monitoring critical systems such as water, power, or even satellite are unable to perform the small tweaks and tunings required to keep the respective systems operational? Each of these items are brought to light in this story. In fact, Josh goes into great detail at points on some of these topics and it really gives you a sense of where reality would be without those critical operators. This aspect of storytelling develops somber feel which increases as you realize the characters are running out of time for what little technology they have remaining. Our society has become overly complex for even basic things such as obtaining water, and Josh has done a great job depicting that in this first entry in the series.
The next piece of this book that drew me in is a trait I look for in any good post-apocalyptic story and that is depicting the real nature of humanity. Josh did a fantastic job in this regard and the first aspect I picked up on was how the characters were forced to figure out how they can decide whether or not someone they are meeting is trustworthy. In a world where everyone is out for themselves, how do you place trust in someone when you are competing the same, limited resources? This is witnessed at several points in the story such as Billy and Jake’s meetup, Amanda meeting up with Jake and Billy, later on with Otis, and each time presents a new challenge. Additionally, Josh does a great job at highlighting that our military members are human just like everyone else, even more so after the second wave hits and we start to see them perish along with the civilians they are trying to protect. This is an uncommon trend in the genre and a welcome one that I feel adds a new twist to the military industrial complex as it is typically portrayed in a post-apocalyptic setting.
Another interesting topic brought up in the story is that of disease and famine. When all power and running water is gone, how do you perform basic hygiene tasks? What happens to military labs where viral research was being conducted, especially in a non-weaponized fashion? What was once a trustworthy, safe, and protected endeavor of research is now much less-so when those safeguards are not available. While this doesn’t take on a major role in the story, it is hinted at and gives the reader something to ponder over. Additionally, seeing what occurs directly after the solar flare hits is depressing. This aspect of the story hits home on our over-reliance on modern systems to help control aspects of our lives many have forgotten about or take for granted.
There are several emotional moments in the story from a humor, revenge seeking, and sad perspective. The biggest moment which really got my emotions going was when Lizzy climbed into bed with Amanda as she was crying after her ordeal. I was driving out on a family trip as this scene came about and I definitely teared up a little bit. This was counter-balanced with some humor/revenge situations where I found myself cheering/laughing such as Larry’s tug-of-war event with his own keister. The ending left me tearful as well. It amazed me how I became attached to a character in such a short time.
This is a great start to a refreshing series in the genre and I am excited to see how the story develops in subsequent novels. This audiobook is one I stumbled upon at the recommendation of R.C. Bray on his Facebook page. Needless to say, his recommendations continue to ring true as he seems to select/narrate books that I genuinely enjoy. Bray did a fantastic job and really showcased his diversity with the accents he used throughout the book. Getting to hear him voice Beavis from Beavis and Butthead was truly a joy to hear. Likewise, I had to replay a section of the story for my wife and ask if Bray was attempting to sound like Morgan Freeman. He nailed it if that was his intention.
This is a great book. For any post-apocalyptic reader/listener, give this one a shot. You will not regret it. I am grateful for the fact that Josh’s friends convinced him to write and release this book. Thanks to each of you and, most of all, thanks to Josh for putting this out. This was definitely a story worth sharing.
October 11, 2024
Pēc ārkārtīgi liela Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) uzliesmojuma, ja nejaucu tad magnētiskā vētra(?), Zemes, un sērijas ietvaros koncentrējoties uz varoņu apdzīvoto ASV, infrastruktūra cietusi tik pamatīgi, ka teju tūlītēji seko sabiedrības ieslīgšana haosa. Ar visnotaļ lielu varbūtību nekas tik dramatisks, kā pilnvērtīga apokalipse nebūtu spējusi uzņemt apgriezienus, ja ne globāla pandēmija.
https://poseidons99.com/2024/10/11/jo...
https://poseidons99.com/2024/10/11/jo...
October 22, 2019
I liked this book. The characters and storyline were pretty great. Kinda wish it had zombies. lol. Overall a really good book. Can't wait to read the next book in the series.
August 27, 2019
Engaging and mysterious! My only complain is that for a book that went long in explaining different types of guns and their pros and cons, there was surprisingly little action.
April 22, 2019
Really captivating
I don’t recall when or why I picked this up, but I sure am glad I did. The presentation is excellent and very natural. The story is well thought out, engaging (even captivating), and frighteningly realistic. I’m looking forward to the next part of the series. I highly recommend.
I don’t recall when or why I picked this up, but I sure am glad I did. The presentation is excellent and very natural. The story is well thought out, engaging (even captivating), and frighteningly realistic. I’m looking forward to the next part of the series. I highly recommend.
April 23, 2019
It was a great read. Looking forward to Book #2.
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