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Last Judgment's Fire #1
Gunpowder & Embers
In the smoking ruins of our world, will the struggle for yesterday's technology spark tomorrow's global war? A new postapocalyptic novel, in which a young cowboy claims his destiny—and tries to prevent a catastophic war—from New York Times best-selling author John Ringo, Kacey Ezell, and Christopher L. Smith.
WAR IN THE SMOKING RUINS OF TOMORROW!
Thirty years ago, the world ended. Giant electrovoric ants and pterodons came through a rift in space-time, millions of humans died, and that was that. Without electricity, human ingenuity has provided some creative work-arounds to the energy problem, but most people survive at subsistence level.
For Chuck Gordon, the simple life of a rancher was enough. But then he met a mysterious dying stranger and now he’s on the road of destiny across America accompanied by a warrior monk, a beautiful dragon tamer, a runaway cultist, and a mystic drunken lecher—all searching for the key to reclaiming humanity’s past—and future.
At the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management).
About The Valley of Shadows by John Ringo:
". . . fast-paced . . . building to an exciting climax . . . Ringo and Massa have written an end-of-the-world novel that is unconventional and entertaining."—Daily News of Galveston County
About Black Tide Rising, coedited by John Ringo (featuring stories by Kacey Ezell and Christopher L. Smith):
“. . . an entertaining batch of . . . action-packed tales. Certainly, fans of Ringo’s particular brand of action-adventure will be pleased.”—Booklist
"This anthology broadens Ringo’s Black Tide world, serving up doses of humanity amid the ravenous afflicted. Comedy has a place in this harsh reality, and these stories stir adventure and emotion at a frantic clip throughout. Zombie fiction fans will be thrilled."—Library Journal
About the Black Tide Rising Series:
“Not only has Ringo found a mostly unexplored corner of the zombie landscape, he's using the zombie frame to tackle a broader theme: the collapse and rebirth of civilization. The zombie scenes are exciting, sure, but its the human story that keeps us involved. A fine series.”—Booklist on the Black Tide Rising Series
About John Ringo:
“[Ringo’s work is] peopled with three-dimensional characters and spiced with personal drama as well as tactical finesse.”—Library Journal
“. . . Explosive. . . . Fans . . . will appreciate Ringo’s lively narrative and flavorful characters.”—Publishers Weekly
“. . . practically impossible not to read in one sitting . . . exceedingly impressive . . . executed with skill, verve, and wit.”—Booklist
“Crackerjack storytelling.”—Starlog
About the work of Kacey Ezell:
"Gritty, dark and damp. Much like the war itself."—Michael Z. Williamson, best-selling author of A Long Time Until Now
"I loved Minds of Men."—D.J. Butler, best-selling author of Witchy Eye
WAR IN THE SMOKING RUINS OF TOMORROW!
Thirty years ago, the world ended. Giant electrovoric ants and pterodons came through a rift in space-time, millions of humans died, and that was that. Without electricity, human ingenuity has provided some creative work-arounds to the energy problem, but most people survive at subsistence level.
For Chuck Gordon, the simple life of a rancher was enough. But then he met a mysterious dying stranger and now he’s on the road of destiny across America accompanied by a warrior monk, a beautiful dragon tamer, a runaway cultist, and a mystic drunken lecher—all searching for the key to reclaiming humanity’s past—and future.
At the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management).
About The Valley of Shadows by John Ringo:
". . . fast-paced . . . building to an exciting climax . . . Ringo and Massa have written an end-of-the-world novel that is unconventional and entertaining."—Daily News of Galveston County
About Black Tide Rising, coedited by John Ringo (featuring stories by Kacey Ezell and Christopher L. Smith):
“. . . an entertaining batch of . . . action-packed tales. Certainly, fans of Ringo’s particular brand of action-adventure will be pleased.”—Booklist
"This anthology broadens Ringo’s Black Tide world, serving up doses of humanity amid the ravenous afflicted. Comedy has a place in this harsh reality, and these stories stir adventure and emotion at a frantic clip throughout. Zombie fiction fans will be thrilled."—Library Journal
About the Black Tide Rising Series:
“Not only has Ringo found a mostly unexplored corner of the zombie landscape, he's using the zombie frame to tackle a broader theme: the collapse and rebirth of civilization. The zombie scenes are exciting, sure, but its the human story that keeps us involved. A fine series.”—Booklist on the Black Tide Rising Series
About John Ringo:
“[Ringo’s work is] peopled with three-dimensional characters and spiced with personal drama as well as tactical finesse.”—Library Journal
“. . . Explosive. . . . Fans . . . will appreciate Ringo’s lively narrative and flavorful characters.”—Publishers Weekly
“. . . practically impossible not to read in one sitting . . . exceedingly impressive . . . executed with skill, verve, and wit.”—Booklist
“Crackerjack storytelling.”—Starlog
About the work of Kacey Ezell:
"Gritty, dark and damp. Much like the war itself."—Michael Z. Williamson, best-selling author of A Long Time Until Now
"I loved Minds of Men."—D.J. Butler, best-selling author of Witchy Eye
347 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 7, 2020
148 people are currently reading
224 people want to read
About the author
John Ringo
101 books1,831 followersJohn Ringo is a prolific author who has written in a wide variety of genres. His early life included a great deal of travel. He visited 23 foreign countries, and attended fourteen different schools. After graduation Ringo enlisted in the US military for four years, after which he studied marine biology.
In 1999 he wrote and published his first novel "A Hymn Before Battle", which proved successful. Since 2000 Ringo has been a full time author.
He has written science fiction, military fiction, and fantasy.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
In 1999 he wrote and published his first novel "A Hymn Before Battle", which proved successful. Since 2000 Ringo has been a full time author.
He has written science fiction, military fiction, and fantasy.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Ratings & Reviews
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
December 1, 2019
Gunpowder Embers is a big pot of gumbo, combining the weird western genre with post-apocalypse fantasies, and science fiction giant insect alien creatures who hypnotize the earthlings. The world has been decimated and a few brave souls and a dragon have a quest or a journey at least to undertake. For my taste, there were just too many different focuses in this story and, despite some promising points, it didn't fully work.
January 9, 2020
Very enjoyable read!
I really had a blast digging into Gunpowder & Embers. The setting takes a bit getting used to as things are only hinted at but not totally explained.
But… as it … we are in a post-apocalyptic setup. Aliens invaded Earth somehow and were more or less beaten to a standstill but ruined civilization in the process, as apparently there is no more electricity around The aliens, in the form of giant ants and feral dragons, are still there and fighting humanity, but humanity fights back.
We are basically in the Wild west, with modern weapons but without electricity, moving happens on horse or on boats. So it is some sort of Steampunk western setup.
Out of the ashes rose a truly evil bad guy who fancies himself a leader and would like to extend his power more and more, cunning as he is, he has developed a railroad system to deploy his troops and found unlikely allies to give him an edge.
The good guys are remnants of the US Army, getting long in the tooth (the action happens at least 20 – 30 years after alien invasion), a new generation of fighters (the windfists are elite warriors used to fight the giant ants (the gants) who have been submitted to a harsh training regimen from their youth onward. Think ranger training in the US army at the very least. City states also have militias but there is lots of lawlessness in what used to be the USA…
And then, the book begins and our heroes gather, quite an unlikely bunch:
- A dragon tamer,
- A windfist journeyman,
- A simple farmboy with a veteran father,
- A former cultist worshipping the ants,
- A mysterious old man
This book tells us how they came together, for which mission and gives us enough details to make us want more !
The characterization is spot on, the characters are frustrating, enjoyable, endearing… No pulls are punched and the book is action-packed.
An awesome collaboration.
I don’t need to present John Ringo and in the last 2 years I had the chance to discover the works of Kacey Ezell and Chris Smith, as solo novelist or short stories writers. After reading Gunpowder & Embers you will want to check them out and read their other works!
Can’t wait for the second installment in this series!
I really had a blast digging into Gunpowder & Embers. The setting takes a bit getting used to as things are only hinted at but not totally explained.
But… as it … we are in a post-apocalyptic setup. Aliens invaded Earth somehow and were more or less beaten to a standstill but ruined civilization in the process, as apparently there is no more electricity around The aliens, in the form of giant ants and feral dragons, are still there and fighting humanity, but humanity fights back.
We are basically in the Wild west, with modern weapons but without electricity, moving happens on horse or on boats. So it is some sort of Steampunk western setup.
Out of the ashes rose a truly evil bad guy who fancies himself a leader and would like to extend his power more and more, cunning as he is, he has developed a railroad system to deploy his troops and found unlikely allies to give him an edge.
The good guys are remnants of the US Army, getting long in the tooth (the action happens at least 20 – 30 years after alien invasion), a new generation of fighters (the windfists are elite warriors used to fight the giant ants (the gants) who have been submitted to a harsh training regimen from their youth onward. Think ranger training in the US army at the very least. City states also have militias but there is lots of lawlessness in what used to be the USA…
And then, the book begins and our heroes gather, quite an unlikely bunch:
- A dragon tamer,
- A windfist journeyman,
- A simple farmboy with a veteran father,
- A former cultist worshipping the ants,
- A mysterious old man
This book tells us how they came together, for which mission and gives us enough details to make us want more !
The characterization is spot on, the characters are frustrating, enjoyable, endearing… No pulls are punched and the book is action-packed.
An awesome collaboration.
I don’t need to present John Ringo and in the last 2 years I had the chance to discover the works of Kacey Ezell and Chris Smith, as solo novelist or short stories writers. After reading Gunpowder & Embers you will want to check them out and read their other works!
Can’t wait for the second installment in this series!
January 13, 2020
Pretty good. It took a while for me to become invested in the characters.
January 9, 2020
Very enjoyable read!
I really had a blast digging into Gunpowder & Embers. The setting takes a bit getting used to as things are only hinted at but not totally explained.
But… as it … we are in a post-apocalyptic setup. Aliens invaded Earth somehow and were more or less beaten to a standstill but ruined civilization in the process, as apparently there is no more electricity around The aliens, in the form of giant ants and feral dragons, are still there and fighting humanity, but humanity fights back.
We are basically in the Wild west, with modern weapons but without electricity, moving happens on horse or on boats. So it is some sort of Steampunk western setup.
Out of the ashes rose a truly evil bad guy who fancies himself a leader and would like to extend his power more and more, cunning as he is, he has developed a railroad system to deploy his troops and found unlikely allies to give him an edge.
The good guys are remnants of the US Army, getting long in the tooth (the action happens at least 20 – 30 years after alien invasion), a new generation of fighters (the windfists are elite warriors used to fight the giant ants (the gants) who have been submitted to a harsh training regimen from their youth onward. Think ranger training in the US army at the very least. City states also have militias but there is lots of lawlessness in what used to be the USA…
And then, the book begins and our heroes gather, quite an unlikely bunch:
- A dragon tamer,
- A windfist journeyman,
- A simple farmboy with a veteran father,
- A former cultist worshipping the ants,
- A mysterious old man
This book tells us how they came together, for which mission and gives us enough details to make us want more !
The characterization is spot on, the characters are frustrating, enjoyable, endearing… No pulls are punched and the book is action-packed.
An awesome collaboration.
I don’t need to present John Ringo and in the last 2 years I had the chance to discover the works of Kacey Ezell and Chris Smith, as solo novelist or short stories writers. After reading Gunpowder & Embers you will want to check them out and read their other works!
Can’t wait for the second installment in this series!
I really had a blast digging into Gunpowder & Embers. The setting takes a bit getting used to as things are only hinted at but not totally explained.
But… as it … we are in a post-apocalyptic setup. Aliens invaded Earth somehow and were more or less beaten to a standstill but ruined civilization in the process, as apparently there is no more electricity around The aliens, in the form of giant ants and feral dragons, are still there and fighting humanity, but humanity fights back.
We are basically in the Wild west, with modern weapons but without electricity, moving happens on horse or on boats. So it is some sort of Steampunk western setup.
Out of the ashes rose a truly evil bad guy who fancies himself a leader and would like to extend his power more and more, cunning as he is, he has developed a railroad system to deploy his troops and found unlikely allies to give him an edge.
The good guys are remnants of the US Army, getting long in the tooth (the action happens at least 20 – 30 years after alien invasion), a new generation of fighters (the windfists are elite warriors used to fight the giant ants (the gants) who have been submitted to a harsh training regimen from their youth onward. Think ranger training in the US army at the very least. City states also have militias but there is lots of lawlessness in what used to be the USA…
And then, the book begins and our heroes gather, quite an unlikely bunch:
- A dragon tamer,
- A windfist journeyman,
- A simple farmboy with a veteran father,
- A former cultist worshipping the ants,
- A mysterious old man
This book tells us how they came together, for which mission and gives us enough details to make us want more !
The characterization is spot on, the characters are frustrating, enjoyable, endearing… No pulls are punched and the book is action-packed.
An awesome collaboration.
I don’t need to present John Ringo and in the last 2 years I had the chance to discover the works of Kacey Ezell and Chris Smith, as solo novelist or short stories writers. After reading Gunpowder & Embers you will want to check them out and read their other works!
Can’t wait for the second installment in this series!
January 26, 2020
When a successful author begins to sub-contract some of the writing of a book by taking on a junior co-author to me it is a sign that the author is beginning to disengage from the writing process.
When the whole thing appears to be written by others and the successful author is adding the big print 'by' name to hook fans of previous books by that successful author, then it is a dishonest exercise. This isn't classic Ringo or even recent Ringo efforts 'with' a co-writer. Did his agent talk him into this? Did he have a yacht payment coming due?
I couldn't decide if this book was intended to be a spoof, a parody, or if it was simply poorly written. I was a John Ringo fan from his very first book and have stuck with him as he's taken on various assistants. This one was junk. I was disappointed with the book and only good thing from reading it for me (as far as I got) was that it was a library book and I hadn't invested anything but my time.
Not recommended.
When the whole thing appears to be written by others and the successful author is adding the big print 'by' name to hook fans of previous books by that successful author, then it is a dishonest exercise. This isn't classic Ringo or even recent Ringo efforts 'with' a co-writer. Did his agent talk him into this? Did he have a yacht payment coming due?
I couldn't decide if this book was intended to be a spoof, a parody, or if it was simply poorly written. I was a John Ringo fan from his very first book and have stuck with him as he's taken on various assistants. This one was junk. I was disappointed with the book and only good thing from reading it for me (as far as I got) was that it was a library book and I hadn't invested anything but my time.
Not recommended.
April 24, 2023
This should have been a great book: it combines all the Wild West tropes (the shy, polite young hero, the harsh, but loving father. the unexpectedly helpful town drunk, the singer, the saloon owner) in an post-apocalyptic scenario featuring big bugs and dragons. There are even warrior monks!
But they could not pull it off, sorry! The world-building was contrived and sometimes annoying. On one side, the barbaric post-apocalyptic generation : One generation after the big war, people already forgot who Disney was. On the other side, half the cast turn out yo be ex-US army soldiers, **who all knew each other**!
In the end, it felt too forced to be fun.
But they could not pull it off, sorry! The world-building was contrived and sometimes annoying. On one side, the barbaric post-apocalyptic generation : One generation after the big war, people already forgot who Disney was. On the other side, half the cast turn out yo be ex-US army soldiers, **who all knew each other**!
In the end, it felt too forced to be fun.
July 24, 2025
Just Meh
This book wasn’t good, but wasn’t bad. Kind of a dull start, lackluster middle and meh ending. Usually I’ll continue to read a series even if I wasn’t too fond of the first one, but really this one I’m fine with not continuing. It’s a different take on the post apocalyptic style, with, from what I gathered from the book, is from some weird portal that brought giant ants and dragons. Where are they from? Who knows. What made them get there? Again, who knows. It’s not told anywhere in this book. Maybe the others go into a little detail, but there really wasn’t much world building in this one.
This book wasn’t good, but wasn’t bad. Kind of a dull start, lackluster middle and meh ending. Usually I’ll continue to read a series even if I wasn’t too fond of the first one, but really this one I’m fine with not continuing. It’s a different take on the post apocalyptic style, with, from what I gathered from the book, is from some weird portal that brought giant ants and dragons. Where are they from? Who knows. What made them get there? Again, who knows. It’s not told anywhere in this book. Maybe the others go into a little detail, but there really wasn’t much world building in this one.
January 26, 2020
Competent but uninspiring. The characters are thin but not 2 dimensional. The post apocalypse has happened before the book opens but the adults all have lived in our modern world but the children are all clueless about the fallen world. The time lapse between the collapse and this new world feels too short for the amount of complete destruction to rebuild that is presented. Also with so much of the devastation being kept from the audience it proves to be less of an intriguing mystery but instead presents a baffling confusion. The world building is what really drags down the story.
September 9, 2024
Could not finish
I truly enjoy John Rings . But not when he writes with co authors . He has a unique style that is diminished when he has co authors . I couldn't even get past chapter four in this book before I threw up my hands and gave up . John please stop using co authors as I will never ever again buy anything with a co author of yours . Sorry but in this case too many cooks spoil things.
I truly enjoy John Rings . But not when he writes with co authors . He has a unique style that is diminished when he has co authors . I couldn't even get past chapter four in this book before I threw up my hands and gave up . John please stop using co authors as I will never ever again buy anything with a co author of yours . Sorry but in this case too many cooks spoil things.
November 18, 2020
Excellent new series
John Ringo is one of my favorite authors of all time. This new series by three great authors is the best I've ready since Robert Jordan's series. I highly recommend it.
John Ringo is one of my favorite authors of all time. This new series by three great authors is the best I've ready since Robert Jordan's series. I highly recommend it.
January 21, 2020
A Post Apocalyptic Quest, and Dragons
Ah yes! The Quest. One of the most popular themes in all literature. From Ulysses fighting his way home in Homer’s The Odyssey, or Sir Lancelot and the Quest for the Holy Grail. In more recent times Tolkien gave us Bilbo and Frodo Baggins and the One ring to rule them all, and the quest to destroy said ring in Mordor. The biggest selling and longest running fiction series in modern times have been “The Wheel of Time,” and “The Sword of Truth”. They all involve an ensemble cast of heroes, or ordinary people who set out to obtain something, or deliver something to a far distant destination. The adventure of the journey, and the striving through the fighting have always caught the imagination of we stay at home non adventurers.
In this case the quest begins on a farm in a post Apocalyptic era, dominated by the fight against the Gants, gigantic ants from outer space, who have largely defeated the society we know well. The hard scrabble life of Chuck and his family is disrupted by the arrival of a dying character named “Gunslinger,” who bears the item that needs to be guarded and delivered to “The Bunker”, at all costs.
The main protagonist, a resourceful young man named Chuck sets off at his father’s command to take a small key like shaped piece of metal across the strife torn post Apocalyptic landscape of America. This quest group is of the additive type.
In the first town he comes to he meets Jay, who seems to be the town drunk, but who served with Chuck’s father, surprise, surprise. At one point he comes out with the phrase “leads the way”. Army Ranger, perhaps?
The next addition is a warrior monk named, Garman, who is on his own quest at the behest of his own chain of command. A thoroughly stubborn young man, he mellows an becomes a productive member of the group.
Their next fellow traveler is a woman named Jasmine, who brought with her a Dragon. It seems that however the giGANTic ants arrived, the dragons came at the same time. Jasmine is a dragon trainer who escaped from a local warlord.
Then Ariel arrives, an escapee from the human cult which worship the Gants as gods. A romantic interest for Chuck, who is a defender of the weak and helpless. She also was trained in mechanics and electrical matters by the Gants.
Gants, Cultists, renegade monks, pirates, and wild dragons: Everyone they meet wants to stop them, everyone wants to kill them. Their quest is crucial to humanity. Is this pickup group equal to the task? The plot is intriguing, the excitement is nonstop. The Characters are superbly crafted. Oh, and did I mention there are dragons.
This novel is a great read, and the first of what I hope to be a great series. Get in on this one on the ground floor. Try it, you will like it.
Ah yes! The Quest. One of the most popular themes in all literature. From Ulysses fighting his way home in Homer’s The Odyssey, or Sir Lancelot and the Quest for the Holy Grail. In more recent times Tolkien gave us Bilbo and Frodo Baggins and the One ring to rule them all, and the quest to destroy said ring in Mordor. The biggest selling and longest running fiction series in modern times have been “The Wheel of Time,” and “The Sword of Truth”. They all involve an ensemble cast of heroes, or ordinary people who set out to obtain something, or deliver something to a far distant destination. The adventure of the journey, and the striving through the fighting have always caught the imagination of we stay at home non adventurers.
In this case the quest begins on a farm in a post Apocalyptic era, dominated by the fight against the Gants, gigantic ants from outer space, who have largely defeated the society we know well. The hard scrabble life of Chuck and his family is disrupted by the arrival of a dying character named “Gunslinger,” who bears the item that needs to be guarded and delivered to “The Bunker”, at all costs.
The main protagonist, a resourceful young man named Chuck sets off at his father’s command to take a small key like shaped piece of metal across the strife torn post Apocalyptic landscape of America. This quest group is of the additive type.
In the first town he comes to he meets Jay, who seems to be the town drunk, but who served with Chuck’s father, surprise, surprise. At one point he comes out with the phrase “leads the way”. Army Ranger, perhaps?
The next addition is a warrior monk named, Garman, who is on his own quest at the behest of his own chain of command. A thoroughly stubborn young man, he mellows an becomes a productive member of the group.
Their next fellow traveler is a woman named Jasmine, who brought with her a Dragon. It seems that however the giGANTic ants arrived, the dragons came at the same time. Jasmine is a dragon trainer who escaped from a local warlord.
Then Ariel arrives, an escapee from the human cult which worship the Gants as gods. A romantic interest for Chuck, who is a defender of the weak and helpless. She also was trained in mechanics and electrical matters by the Gants.
Gants, Cultists, renegade monks, pirates, and wild dragons: Everyone they meet wants to stop them, everyone wants to kill them. Their quest is crucial to humanity. Is this pickup group equal to the task? The plot is intriguing, the excitement is nonstop. The Characters are superbly crafted. Oh, and did I mention there are dragons.
This novel is a great read, and the first of what I hope to be a great series. Get in on this one on the ground floor. Try it, you will like it.
July 19, 2020
John Ringo writes best in contemporary and near-contemporary settings, and while this isn't exactly the Twenty Minutes Into The Future setting of some of his best-known series, it's close enough that many of the older characters still remember the world that existed before the gates opened to admit the giant electricity-eating ants and fire-breathing dragons. There's no explanation for how ants the size of ponies are able to avoid the implications of the square-cube law and not get crushed by their own weight, although the dragons are described as pterodactyls, albeit with some kind of natural flamethrower.
There are all kinds of shout-outs to other writers of spec fic, from Steven King's The Dark Tower to Anne McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern. We have monsters who control their human slaves by addiction to pleasure and we have outright quislings who cooperate with the monsters and their human servants for personal gain. We have an American version of the Shaolin Monks, and an old drunk who proves to be a Drunken Master. We have the farm boy who has to leave his family to fulfill a family legacy, and two women who break free from duress vile.
However, this is only the first of a series. At the end of this volume, the original missions of two characters may be fulfilled, but it's more like Luke and Han delivering the Death Star plans to the Rebel Alliance base on the moon of Yavin, or Frodo and Sam getting the Ring to Rivendell and Elrond's council of the wise. I'm already looking forward to the next volume in this series -- and it looks like it will be some months in the future, since the Baen website isn't even showing it in the schedule.
There are all kinds of shout-outs to other writers of spec fic, from Steven King's The Dark Tower to Anne McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern. We have monsters who control their human slaves by addiction to pleasure and we have outright quislings who cooperate with the monsters and their human servants for personal gain. We have an American version of the Shaolin Monks, and an old drunk who proves to be a Drunken Master. We have the farm boy who has to leave his family to fulfill a family legacy, and two women who break free from duress vile.
However, this is only the first of a series. At the end of this volume, the original missions of two characters may be fulfilled, but it's more like Luke and Han delivering the Death Star plans to the Rebel Alliance base on the moon of Yavin, or Frodo and Sam getting the Ring to Rivendell and Elrond's council of the wise. I'm already looking forward to the next volume in this series -- and it looks like it will be some months in the future, since the Baen website isn't even showing it in the schedule.
February 11, 2020
I need to begin by stating that I have been a long time reader of John Ringo's canon, and that is what brought me to this book. The book is written with the verve and editorial qualities I associate with Ringo's work. It is an easy read filled with interesting characters and a good bit of action. This is where my personal preferences come in. I have no hard and fast rule against reading fantasy works. I have read many of Harry Turtledove's more flamboyant alternate histories, and I can handle dragons and inter dimensional invaders. That said, I just have a preference for alternate histories thoroughly grounded in past history and present events (hence the four instead of five in my ratings). Nonetheless, it is an entertaining read if somewhat more slanted towards younger readers. I think it very suitable as a title that veers towards juvenile fiction filled with miraculous escapes, dastardly villains, and maidens in distress. It rises above the weaker examples of its genre because Ringo is good at offering insights into his characters' motivations, and I found it a quick and easy read.
Read
April 8, 2021I found the world interesting, and most of the characters before they got together to be somewhat interesting. But damn was it both annoying and boring at the same time together. The authors seemed to be making two couples of the 4 characters, with the magical old guy to keep them on track.
And man, the early part where the mysterious dying guy gives a magical item to the young farmboy, so he can go save the world.... I mean Jesus, if you're going to write a basic heroes journey, at least don't make it feel so damned cliche from the get-go.
I actually got about halfway through before giving up. I rolled my eyes at the dying strange giving the magical key, but didn't really get too annoyed until midway, when our Farmboy was so polite and naïve in so many ways. And the stupid upcoming romances, it kicked me out.
And man, the early part where the mysterious dying guy gives a magical item to the young farmboy, so he can go save the world.... I mean Jesus, if you're going to write a basic heroes journey, at least don't make it feel so damned cliche from the get-go.
I actually got about halfway through before giving up. I rolled my eyes at the dying strange giving the magical key, but didn't really get too annoyed until midway, when our Farmboy was so polite and naïve in so many ways. And the stupid upcoming romances, it kicked me out.
May 11, 2020
Post apocalypse America, after a rift invasion of giant ants and dragons, America has broken apart and slipped back to a 19th century tech level. A teenage boy from Wyoming is told by his father to take a key back East. The boy Chuck eventually gathers a band of followers as he heads east, including a dragon tamer, a human refugee from an Ant farm, and an old drunk.
This is the first book in a series and seems intended for a YA audience. It was entertaining and had some good suspense as the band of travelers headed to the Atlantic coast.
This is the first book in a series and seems intended for a YA audience. It was entertaining and had some good suspense as the band of travelers headed to the Atlantic coast.
January 10, 2020
What a ride!
Do I recommend this book? Absolutely!! It’s a fast paced adventure with characters you like and a story that immediately captures your interest and doesn’t let go. It’s genre-busting fun, with elements of science fiction, western, fantasy, and romance. The dry, and not to subtle, humor adds spice. Fun....it’s just fun! Take a ride with this one, you won’t regret it!
Do I recommend this book? Absolutely!! It’s a fast paced adventure with characters you like and a story that immediately captures your interest and doesn’t let go. It’s genre-busting fun, with elements of science fiction, western, fantasy, and romance. The dry, and not to subtle, humor adds spice. Fun....it’s just fun! Take a ride with this one, you won’t regret it!
January 25, 2020
Good
This was honestly a bit of a weird book, although I gave it a 5 star rating and enjoyed the story it was kind of difficult reading the book. And there is no logical reason or explanation for that because this is the kind of story that I normally finish in a few hours. And it just did not happen with this one.
This was honestly a bit of a weird book, although I gave it a 5 star rating and enjoyed the story it was kind of difficult reading the book. And there is no logical reason or explanation for that because this is the kind of story that I normally finish in a few hours. And it just did not happen with this one.
February 8, 2020
A little slow going getting into, but once I got into it I had a hard time putting it down. It's a pretty decent adventure story. Boy meets stranger. Boy gets mission. Boy meets people to help with his mission. All of it taking place in a USA that has been blasted back to the Steam Age, maybe, by invading insects (Gants) and dragons.
October 20, 2024
Fifty pages in and no spark, pun intended. I will try another 50, and then decide.
It got better as the very diverse characters settled in and began their pilgrimage across America. There were many bad guys and worse things to avoid or overcome as they trekked to the Bunker. It was a slow start, but the finish was good enough to read the next installment.
It got better as the very diverse characters settled in and began their pilgrimage across America. There were many bad guys and worse things to avoid or overcome as they trekked to the Bunker. It was a slow start, but the finish was good enough to read the next installment.
January 19, 2020
Amazing Tale!!!
Wonderful writing and colorful characters. They all grew and developed with the flow of the story. Great world building and a good addition to the young hero journey and definitely looking forward to the next book!!!
Wonderful writing and colorful characters. They all grew and developed with the flow of the story. Great world building and a good addition to the young hero journey and definitely looking forward to the next book!!!
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February 14, 2020I have mixed feelings about this book. It was fun, sure, but at no point did it feel like a Ringo book. It never felt like military fiction. It felt like...well, it felt like a military fiction author tried to write a postapocalyptic fantasy novel. I'll try the next book in the series.
March 29, 2020
Excellent Book!
I strongly recommend this book and anxiously awaiting the sequel. Great characters that you come to care for and a villain that you really come to hate. Interesting premise in a post apocalyptic world, that will keep you turning the pages long into the night.
I strongly recommend this book and anxiously awaiting the sequel. Great characters that you come to care for and a villain that you really come to hate. Interesting premise in a post apocalyptic world, that will keep you turning the pages long into the night.
April 2, 2020
Aliens bugs have sucked all the electricity from the modern world leaving America in a 1800's Wild West world. When a man is killed on their land, Chuck Gordon, is sent by his father to take the man's oddly shaped key to what remains of the US government.
April 4, 2020
They get to the bunker and there's no one better it seems to send out of blow the dam, so they get to do that next book. The little girl the baron kidnapped gets a possible ally to off him, may also be a plant.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 13, 2021
Was hard to really get into this story and it wasn't the military sci-fi I associate with Ringo. Was a rough read in parts and the main "bad guy" is so dastardly that he seems evil and yet overblown all at the same time. Not sure if I want to invest in the next book.
January 10, 2020
Great start
A strong opening to a new and well thought out world. I look forward to the next book. Very interesting and diverse characters.
A strong opening to a new and well thought out world. I look forward to the next book. Very interesting and diverse characters.
January 17, 2020
A good start to an interesting series. I just hope the authors continue until concluding the story line.
January 18, 2020
Good story. Apocolyptic as a lot of his are.
A new entry in Ringo's Apocolyptic series.a cross between a Western and a BEM plot. Looking forward to the next book.
A new entry in Ringo's Apocolyptic series.a cross between a Western and a BEM plot. Looking forward to the next book.
February 20, 2020
Interesting premise, odd style.
I enjoyed it, but not as much as I normally enjoy Ringo. I am interested to see where it goes next.
I enjoyed it, but not as much as I normally enjoy Ringo. I am interested to see where it goes next.
February 29, 2020
A post-apocalyptic world without zombies, how novel! Instead, you get giant bugs and dragons. Maybe a bit too much romance as the lead characters pair off and fight against improbable odds.
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