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The Voices #3
Survivors
There are two kinds of people in this world. Those who hear voices, and those who want to silence them.
Pilgrim is a man with a past he can't remember. When he wakes alone in a shallow grave, there is a voice in his head that doesn't belong to him. It explains who he is and what he's done. It tells him he has one purpose: to find a girl named Lacey.
As Pilgrim is drawn north to Missouri in search of Lacey, he must also travel back to where it all began - to those he left behind. War is coming, and Pilgrim is going to need all the allies he can get.
Survivors is the highly anticipated third instalment in the acclaimed Voices series, following the spectacular novels Defender and Hunted. Good and Evil are closer than ever before in a world where the voices in your head can save or slaughter you.
Pilgrim is a man with a past he can't remember. When he wakes alone in a shallow grave, there is a voice in his head that doesn't belong to him. It explains who he is and what he's done. It tells him he has one purpose: to find a girl named Lacey.
As Pilgrim is drawn north to Missouri in search of Lacey, he must also travel back to where it all began - to those he left behind. War is coming, and Pilgrim is going to need all the allies he can get.
Survivors is the highly anticipated third instalment in the acclaimed Voices series, following the spectacular novels Defender and Hunted. Good and Evil are closer than ever before in a world where the voices in your head can save or slaughter you.
- GenresPost ApocalypticDystopia
512 pages, Paperback
First published October 31, 2019
3 people are currently reading
135 people want to read
About the author
G.X. Todd
5 books137 followersAverage age.
Average height.
Average intelligence.
Excellent imagination.
Twitter/X: www.twitter.com/gemtodd
Website: www.gxtodd.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/g.x.todd
Facebook: www.facebook.com/gxtodd
Average height.
Average intelligence.
Excellent imagination.
Twitter/X: www.twitter.com/gemtodd
Website: www.gxtodd.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/g.x.todd
Facebook: www.facebook.com/gxtodd
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
October 19, 2019
GX Todd's brilliantly chilling dystopian post-apocalyptic series reaches its penultimate addition, an addition that runs alongside the previous book, Hunted. Here the story goes back and forth in time to fill in essential parts of what occurred when the voices came onto the scene. Pilgrim has been a taciturn man, a closed off individual reluctant to reveal anything about his past history and who he is as a person. After what happened to him previously, he makes a surprising return from his shallow grave, covered from head to toe in mud, with the voice loud and clear in his head. As he converses with it, it edges him forward on the necessity of illuminating his past history, to Ruby and what happened to her, and a book that he cannot help but feel is important.
Todd's world building of this bleak, dark and menacing universe is skillful, spellbinding and atmospheric. A host of diverse characters return, along with new ones, on both sides of the struggle, the good and not so good, where survival is the name of the game, with many willing to do whatever it takes to do so. There is pain and suffering, mayhem, madness, and death everywhere, but also friendship and incredible bravery. Pilgrim heads north, towards Missouri, on a quest to reconnect with Lacey, but his journey is littered with obstacles that force him off course and into action packed battles. War draws ever nearer and must be prepared for. This a highly compulsive, intense and gripping read, that moves the story forward considerably in anticipation of the final part in this unforgettable series. It wrings out every last drop of emotion from the reader, the characterisation is wonderful, alongside the stellar character development. I cannot wait for the next book! Many thanks to Headline for the ARC.
Todd's world building of this bleak, dark and menacing universe is skillful, spellbinding and atmospheric. A host of diverse characters return, along with new ones, on both sides of the struggle, the good and not so good, where survival is the name of the game, with many willing to do whatever it takes to do so. There is pain and suffering, mayhem, madness, and death everywhere, but also friendship and incredible bravery. Pilgrim heads north, towards Missouri, on a quest to reconnect with Lacey, but his journey is littered with obstacles that force him off course and into action packed battles. War draws ever nearer and must be prepared for. This a highly compulsive, intense and gripping read, that moves the story forward considerably in anticipation of the final part in this unforgettable series. It wrings out every last drop of emotion from the reader, the characterisation is wonderful, alongside the stellar character development. I cannot wait for the next book! Many thanks to Headline for the ARC.
October 31, 2019
Survivors is the penultimate book of the extraordinarily chilling post-apocalyptic thriller series entitled The Voices, and if you are thinking of jumping right in I would advise beginning them chronologically as you will miss a lot of the backstory and will not get full enjoyment. GX Todd has long been a vastly underrated writer with an astounding talent for producing tales that simply grab you and refuse to let go, and this book is no different. In this instalment, the war between those who hear the voices and those who don't is heating up. Waking up in a shallow grave mud-covered and cold Pilgrim knows what he needs to do; the voices remind him how to discover his past in order to understand his fate more. Up until now he has been quite the mysterious stranger in these books and we knew little about him, but Survivors, which is set in the exact same time as Hunted, follows him as he discovers much about how things were and are.
This is such a unique and gritty series and due to reading torrent of thrillers many books fail to impress me with their complexity and twisty surprises, but The Voices series is something else. It is certainly up there with my favourite series' of all time. If you enjoy books such as The Stand by Stephen King then I highly recommend it. Most fiction is either plot-driven or character-driven but Survivors has both a fantastic, heart-pounding plot and excellent characterisation with Pilgrim being the strong and silent protagonist we thought we had lost. This is dystopian fiction with heart, intricate worldbuilding and superb characters, which all create an immersive atmosphere. This is menacing, bleak and utterly compulsive reading and waiting for the next and final instalment is going to be a long 12 months. Many thanks to Headline for an ARC.
This is such a unique and gritty series and due to reading torrent of thrillers many books fail to impress me with their complexity and twisty surprises, but The Voices series is something else. It is certainly up there with my favourite series' of all time. If you enjoy books such as The Stand by Stephen King then I highly recommend it. Most fiction is either plot-driven or character-driven but Survivors has both a fantastic, heart-pounding plot and excellent characterisation with Pilgrim being the strong and silent protagonist we thought we had lost. This is dystopian fiction with heart, intricate worldbuilding and superb characters, which all create an immersive atmosphere. This is menacing, bleak and utterly compulsive reading and waiting for the next and final instalment is going to be a long 12 months. Many thanks to Headline for an ARC.
October 24, 2019
As always this review can also be found on my blog The Tattooed Book Geek: https://thetattooedbookgeek.wordpress...
Survivors is the third book (following on from Defender and Hunted) of four in The Voices series by Todd. The previous book, Hunted left us on the brink, on the precipice of what is sure to be an epic and heart-pounding final volume and culmination of the series as we anticipate, as we await with bated breath to find out the fate of the characters and the world. Yes, you read that right, Hunted, the previous book and not Survivors, this, the latest book. You see, Todd throws us a curveball and changes direction, or, if you will she gives the reader a ‘fuck you, you’re gonna have to wait to see how it all ends‘ book and instead of moving forward with the story, she goes back. Back in time, back to the past, Pilgrim’s past, back before the cornfield, back before the lemonade stand at the side of the dusty road, back before Lacey and back even further with Todd offering a glimpse back to when the world was on the edge, on the tipping point, when the voices started to take hold, to manifest in more and more people and when the tides hadn’t yet turned, when it hadn’t yet all gone to hell, all turned to shit.
Honestly, it is masterfully done, it works well, really fucking well and as a reader and lover of The Voices series, I couldn’t be happier. From the start, I’ve always been intrigued by the mysterious drifter, the closed book, the wanderer that is Pilgrim. Going back, learning about him, about his past life, what he has been running from, what has happened to him and ultimately, finding out who he is is superb. It is like brush strokes upon the canvas, adding colour inside the lines, helping to fill in the whole picture and serves to add an ocean of depth to the character, to the voices and to the world.
Pilgrim wakes in a shallow grave, crusted in dirt, in mud, a gaping hole where his memory should be. Like locked boxes, locked doors that are waiting to be unlocked, unpicked. Like a hand grasping, reaching out but what it is reaching for is too far away and the fingers slide over unable to gain a purchase and rather than grabbing hold they fall away. Something in him is broken, he can’t, or, he won’t remember. He needs to unlock those memories and to move forward he needs to look to the past.
Along with the parts set in the past Survivors also runs concurrently alongside Hunted allowing us to see the end events of that book through different eyes. Survivors is about Pilgrim, about his origin, about his journey of self-discovery and about his harrowing journey back to Lacey across desolate roads, into the bowels of buildings, wherein the darkness, the shadows, monsters dwell and through the wreckage of a world crumbling to ruin.
On his journey Pilgrim sees visions of Lacey, guiding him, talking to him, a figment of his imagination that carries him forward. They have a bond that won’t break, a chain that won’t sever. The Friendship between them, more than friends and like a father and his daughter. Pilgrim had closed his heart to people, to the world and kept himself to himself preferring to make his own way, to walk alone. Then, he met Lacey and Lacey made him care, made him feel and brought him back to the land of the living.
There are new characters (Abernathy is awesome) and some old ones return in Survivors too. The new ones all play their part and with the older ones, we continue to learn more about them. Whether old or new the array of characters on display are complex, real and you care about them, about their struggles, their lives and their fates.
In Survivors, there is the best of humanity on display and the worst too. The world that Todd has created is a dark place, cruel, dangerous and savage. It is a world like barbed wire, it’ll cut you, hurt you and leave you ragged, tattered and torn, The action, though not the main focus of the story has a heft to it, a weight to the blows, like you are in a fight for your life, for your survival.
With the different perspective in Survivors, we see events, moments that have already taken place in a different light, with more clarity, like the cloud has lifted and you are seeing a clear and bright sky. There is a bit in Hunted near the end that is a real fist-pumping moment, the emotion is tangible like you can reach out and touch it on the page, a living and breathing entity. Seen through different eyes and even though you know that it is coming, in Survivors that emotion, that impact is still there, just as potent if not more so and it really does tug at your heart.
Todd’s writing is descriptive, meaningful, immersive and vivid with a cinematic feel to certain locations. There’s humour, snark courtesy of Voice and plenty of emotion. There are big revelations, stellar set-pieces and moments where your heart is in your mouth.
The foundations were built with Defender, solidified with Hunted and Survivors finds Todd at the top of her game, at the top of the genre. I love everything about this series, the characters, the voices, the rusted and ruined landscape, the story and Survivors, itself, which is a brutally gripping roller-coaster has everything that I want from a post-apocalyptic book.
Simply, Survivors is fucking brilliant, The Voices series is fucking brilliant and if you are a fan of the post-apocalyptic genre then you need to read The Voices series.
Survivors is the third book (following on from Defender and Hunted) of four in The Voices series by Todd. The previous book, Hunted left us on the brink, on the precipice of what is sure to be an epic and heart-pounding final volume and culmination of the series as we anticipate, as we await with bated breath to find out the fate of the characters and the world. Yes, you read that right, Hunted, the previous book and not Survivors, this, the latest book. You see, Todd throws us a curveball and changes direction, or, if you will she gives the reader a ‘fuck you, you’re gonna have to wait to see how it all ends‘ book and instead of moving forward with the story, she goes back. Back in time, back to the past, Pilgrim’s past, back before the cornfield, back before the lemonade stand at the side of the dusty road, back before Lacey and back even further with Todd offering a glimpse back to when the world was on the edge, on the tipping point, when the voices started to take hold, to manifest in more and more people and when the tides hadn’t yet turned, when it hadn’t yet all gone to hell, all turned to shit.
Honestly, it is masterfully done, it works well, really fucking well and as a reader and lover of The Voices series, I couldn’t be happier. From the start, I’ve always been intrigued by the mysterious drifter, the closed book, the wanderer that is Pilgrim. Going back, learning about him, about his past life, what he has been running from, what has happened to him and ultimately, finding out who he is is superb. It is like brush strokes upon the canvas, adding colour inside the lines, helping to fill in the whole picture and serves to add an ocean of depth to the character, to the voices and to the world.
Pilgrim wakes in a shallow grave, crusted in dirt, in mud, a gaping hole where his memory should be. Like locked boxes, locked doors that are waiting to be unlocked, unpicked. Like a hand grasping, reaching out but what it is reaching for is too far away and the fingers slide over unable to gain a purchase and rather than grabbing hold they fall away. Something in him is broken, he can’t, or, he won’t remember. He needs to unlock those memories and to move forward he needs to look to the past.
Along with the parts set in the past Survivors also runs concurrently alongside Hunted allowing us to see the end events of that book through different eyes. Survivors is about Pilgrim, about his origin, about his journey of self-discovery and about his harrowing journey back to Lacey across desolate roads, into the bowels of buildings, wherein the darkness, the shadows, monsters dwell and through the wreckage of a world crumbling to ruin.
On his journey Pilgrim sees visions of Lacey, guiding him, talking to him, a figment of his imagination that carries him forward. They have a bond that won’t break, a chain that won’t sever. The Friendship between them, more than friends and like a father and his daughter. Pilgrim had closed his heart to people, to the world and kept himself to himself preferring to make his own way, to walk alone. Then, he met Lacey and Lacey made him care, made him feel and brought him back to the land of the living.
There are new characters (Abernathy is awesome) and some old ones return in Survivors too. The new ones all play their part and with the older ones, we continue to learn more about them. Whether old or new the array of characters on display are complex, real and you care about them, about their struggles, their lives and their fates.
In Survivors, there is the best of humanity on display and the worst too. The world that Todd has created is a dark place, cruel, dangerous and savage. It is a world like barbed wire, it’ll cut you, hurt you and leave you ragged, tattered and torn, The action, though not the main focus of the story has a heft to it, a weight to the blows, like you are in a fight for your life, for your survival.
With the different perspective in Survivors, we see events, moments that have already taken place in a different light, with more clarity, like the cloud has lifted and you are seeing a clear and bright sky. There is a bit in Hunted near the end that is a real fist-pumping moment, the emotion is tangible like you can reach out and touch it on the page, a living and breathing entity. Seen through different eyes and even though you know that it is coming, in Survivors that emotion, that impact is still there, just as potent if not more so and it really does tug at your heart.
Todd’s writing is descriptive, meaningful, immersive and vivid with a cinematic feel to certain locations. There’s humour, snark courtesy of Voice and plenty of emotion. There are big revelations, stellar set-pieces and moments where your heart is in your mouth.
The foundations were built with Defender, solidified with Hunted and Survivors finds Todd at the top of her game, at the top of the genre. I love everything about this series, the characters, the voices, the rusted and ruined landscape, the story and Survivors, itself, which is a brutally gripping roller-coaster has everything that I want from a post-apocalyptic book.
Simply, Survivors is fucking brilliant, The Voices series is fucking brilliant and if you are a fan of the post-apocalyptic genre then you need to read The Voices series.
Read
November 5, 2019If possible, could any reviewers port their reviews over to Amazon, please? It would be HUGELY helpful with getting their algorithms to give the book more visibility on there. Cheers! (And thank you for reading the books :D)
Bit.ly/SurvivorsVoices3
(And also for bit.ly/DefenderVoices1 and bit.ly/HuntedVoices2 )
Bit.ly/SurvivorsVoices3
(And also for bit.ly/DefenderVoices1 and bit.ly/HuntedVoices2 )
December 18, 2019
Can’t wait for book 4!!!!
November 18, 2021
Reread complete. Now to Ghosts....
November 1, 2019
Chances are that if you’re reading this, then you’ve already discovered this series of books and, like me, you’ve been waiting eagerly for Survivors to arrive. The good news is that the wait has been well worth it. G X Todd is back with another slice of post-apocalyptic drama, and it delivers on every page.
Book three of The Voices is a rare treat, especially if you’re a fan of everyone’s favourite taciturn enigma, Pilgrim. At its heart this book is his story. There is nothing quite so much fun as a mystery, and I think it’s fair to say that historically Pilgrim has fallen squarely into that category. Previously, there have been some very deliberate gaps in his backstory, but in Survivors the author begins to fill in these blanks. It’s the thing I like most about Todd’s writing, her ability to lay her characters bare. Pilgrim’s journey has become as much about the internal as external. We get to follow a man who has been broken at the most fundamental level as he rebuilds himself from the ground up. For many, the arrival of the voices spelled violence, death and destruction; for Pilgrim it was quite the opposite. Their coming resulted in his release from a troubled past. It’s a truly fascinating process to watch as he begins to understand where he has come from and, more importantly, where he is going. Pilgrim is just one of many names this man has used. Each previous incarnation he reconnects with takes him one more step to becoming whole, to becoming the person he was always meant to be. Throughout all this, he is driven on by the ghost of Lacey. Unsure, but grimly determined, Pilgrim knows she is special to him in some way and that he needs to do everything he can to find her.
I hadn’t considered this previously*, but a thought struck me about halfway through reading this novel. There is an introspective quality to this apocalypse which allows the author to explore concepts like the nature of mental health and how being trapped in our own heads affects each one of us. I’m always impressed with any story that leaves me with plenty to think about and Survivors has done exactly that.
If you look at other examples apocalyptic drama, The Walking Dead for example, it works best when the focus turns directly toward the characters. The details of the world ending become almost secondary. It’s the actions and reactions to a situation that has never been experienced before that I always become enthralled by. Defender, Hunted and now Survivor achieve that same level of insight into character motivation.
The timeline of the novel flits between two different time periods. We finally learn where Pilgrim was when the changes in society began. There are revelations aplenty and I have to admit I was particularly pleased with the way Todd’s narrative played around with my expectations. I’m a terrible one for trying to predict where an author will go with a plot and it always cheers me when I get it entirely wrong. When a writer takes the care to create such nuanced characters, like Pilgrim, it’s a joy to watch them evolve before your eyes.
Events end with a tantalising glimpse of a conflict in the offing. Sides are being drawn and it is only a matter of time before events will come to a head. The Flitting Man is still out there somewhere and someday soon there is going to have to be a reckoning.
Survivors confirms what I already knew. This novel easily holds its own against my favourite novels in the genre. The Voices is shaping up to be just as epic is its literary predecessors. I’ve re-read Swan Song, The Stand, Blood Crazy and Station Eleven on more than one occasion. I suspect in the future I’ll be doing exactly the same with this series. If you’re a fan of insightful post-apocalyptic fiction that explores the human condition, then you need to add G X Todd to your reading list.
*Yup, fashionably late as ever. Got there eventually though.
Book three of The Voices is a rare treat, especially if you’re a fan of everyone’s favourite taciturn enigma, Pilgrim. At its heart this book is his story. There is nothing quite so much fun as a mystery, and I think it’s fair to say that historically Pilgrim has fallen squarely into that category. Previously, there have been some very deliberate gaps in his backstory, but in Survivors the author begins to fill in these blanks. It’s the thing I like most about Todd’s writing, her ability to lay her characters bare. Pilgrim’s journey has become as much about the internal as external. We get to follow a man who has been broken at the most fundamental level as he rebuilds himself from the ground up. For many, the arrival of the voices spelled violence, death and destruction; for Pilgrim it was quite the opposite. Their coming resulted in his release from a troubled past. It’s a truly fascinating process to watch as he begins to understand where he has come from and, more importantly, where he is going. Pilgrim is just one of many names this man has used. Each previous incarnation he reconnects with takes him one more step to becoming whole, to becoming the person he was always meant to be. Throughout all this, he is driven on by the ghost of Lacey. Unsure, but grimly determined, Pilgrim knows she is special to him in some way and that he needs to do everything he can to find her.
I hadn’t considered this previously*, but a thought struck me about halfway through reading this novel. There is an introspective quality to this apocalypse which allows the author to explore concepts like the nature of mental health and how being trapped in our own heads affects each one of us. I’m always impressed with any story that leaves me with plenty to think about and Survivors has done exactly that.
If you look at other examples apocalyptic drama, The Walking Dead for example, it works best when the focus turns directly toward the characters. The details of the world ending become almost secondary. It’s the actions and reactions to a situation that has never been experienced before that I always become enthralled by. Defender, Hunted and now Survivor achieve that same level of insight into character motivation.
The timeline of the novel flits between two different time periods. We finally learn where Pilgrim was when the changes in society began. There are revelations aplenty and I have to admit I was particularly pleased with the way Todd’s narrative played around with my expectations. I’m a terrible one for trying to predict where an author will go with a plot and it always cheers me when I get it entirely wrong. When a writer takes the care to create such nuanced characters, like Pilgrim, it’s a joy to watch them evolve before your eyes.
Events end with a tantalising glimpse of a conflict in the offing. Sides are being drawn and it is only a matter of time before events will come to a head. The Flitting Man is still out there somewhere and someday soon there is going to have to be a reckoning.
Survivors confirms what I already knew. This novel easily holds its own against my favourite novels in the genre. The Voices is shaping up to be just as epic is its literary predecessors. I’ve re-read Swan Song, The Stand, Blood Crazy and Station Eleven on more than one occasion. I suspect in the future I’ll be doing exactly the same with this series. If you’re a fan of insightful post-apocalyptic fiction that explores the human condition, then you need to add G X Todd to your reading list.
*Yup, fashionably late as ever. Got there eventually though.
October 27, 2019
This series continues to be a huge amount of fun and deserves a much wider audience. Any fans of Stephen King looking to try something new should *really* give this series a go.
Survivors is the 3rd book of a planned quadrilogy (is that the right word?) called "The Voices". It's s dystopian epic, somewhat similar to The Stand, where people started hearing Voices and doing crazy shit. This volume steps back to various points in time to fill in some of the blanks regarding how The Voices came to be and focuses on the journey of one particular main character (kinda spoilery to say who). By the end of book 3 we're kind of back at the end of book 2 but from a different POV. That sounds like it might be frustrating, but it isn't. The story told here adds lots to the world we've grown to love in the first two books.
As with the previous two books, the characters are great, the world-building is hugely impressive and the mysteries to be unravelled are delicious. There was also a lovely piece of sleight of hand midway through involving the identity of a particular character .
Halfway through I thought this was a certain 5 star book but it lost it's way a little for me at some points. I thought there were a few too many dream sequences/hallucinations and got a little lost at times within these. I also feel like there could be a more solid definition of the overall threat and endgame - the "big bad" hasn't really featured and I'm not sure of his end goal or motivation, or what damage he's planing on doing. Also, and this could just be me, I'm not quite sure what's happened with "Voice".
However, these are quibbles and Survivors was probably the most fun I've had reading a book in 2019. I highly recommend this series and I'm flummoxed as to why it isn't super famous - I'll hazard a guess at the individual book titles not really being distinctive enough (I'd rebrand them as "The Voices: Defender", "The Voices: Hunted" etc, as "The Voices" part is cool!). Also not sure the covers are doing the book any favours - I have to be honest and say they look both "Meh" and scream "young adult".
Conclusion: listen to this Voice. It's telling you to buy book 1... and feel free to thank me afterwards. :-)
Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for providing an ARC in return for an honest review.
Survivors is the 3rd book of a planned quadrilogy (is that the right word?) called "The Voices". It's s dystopian epic, somewhat similar to The Stand, where people started hearing Voices and doing crazy shit. This volume steps back to various points in time to fill in some of the blanks regarding how The Voices came to be and focuses on the journey of one particular main character (kinda spoilery to say who). By the end of book 3 we're kind of back at the end of book 2 but from a different POV. That sounds like it might be frustrating, but it isn't. The story told here adds lots to the world we've grown to love in the first two books.
As with the previous two books, the characters are great, the world-building is hugely impressive and the mysteries to be unravelled are delicious. There was also a lovely piece of sleight of hand midway through involving the identity of a particular character .
Halfway through I thought this was a certain 5 star book but it lost it's way a little for me at some points. I thought there were a few too many dream sequences/hallucinations and got a little lost at times within these. I also feel like there could be a more solid definition of the overall threat and endgame - the "big bad" hasn't really featured and I'm not sure of his end goal or motivation, or what damage he's planing on doing. Also, and this could just be me, I'm not quite sure what's happened with "Voice".
However, these are quibbles and Survivors was probably the most fun I've had reading a book in 2019. I highly recommend this series and I'm flummoxed as to why it isn't super famous - I'll hazard a guess at the individual book titles not really being distinctive enough (I'd rebrand them as "The Voices: Defender", "The Voices: Hunted" etc, as "The Voices" part is cool!). Also not sure the covers are doing the book any favours - I have to be honest and say they look both "Meh" and scream "young adult".
Conclusion: listen to this Voice. It's telling you to buy book 1... and feel free to thank me afterwards. :-)
Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for providing an ARC in return for an honest review.
October 20, 2021
** I received an advanced copy of this book free of charge. This has not, in any way, affected my opinions on the book**
(Obviously, potential spoilers for 1 & 2)
When you get to the third book in a series that you love, it's hard not to go into it with high expectations. Tempered somewhat as my expectations were, Todd smashed through them all with SURVIVORS. I am in awe of her writing.
I always like to re-read the previous book before I start on the latest addition of a series. You don't necessarily have to do that here though. SURVIVORS is partly set in the past, and partly runs concurrently with HUNTED. So, it's up to you. Personally, I reread the last third of HUNTED as I was short on time. It was good to get back into this world before starting book three.
SURVIVORS is Pilgrim's story. Through him we start to get some answers - not just about him (though I loved that) but about this World and the people in it.
Todd treats us to some hefty revelations - unexpected, shocking, and yet also slowly helping us to fit together the jigsaw of this series. Todd is an incredible storyteller, and her skill in foreshadowing became apparent to me in this book. This world is so deep, so firmly rooted. As readers we are just starting to realise how deep those roots go.
I'm always aware of spoilers so let me just say that we get some new characters in SURVIVORS and get to know some old ones a whole lot better!
As we've come to expect from G X Todd, SURVIVORS gives us darkness, action, fear, and gore, but it's accompanied by friendship, trust, and a lot of feelings!! My emotions were EVERYWHERE during this book.
I feel like SURVIVORS has left us in a well-rounded spot. We're sitting on the edge of a cliff, admiring the view, yet waiting for book four to push us over the edge!! I'm nervous to see what's over that edge, what Todd has in store for my favourite characters, and what the fate of the world will be in this final book of the series. One thing's for sure, I cannot wait for more of Todd's writing!
(Obviously, potential spoilers for 1 & 2)
When you get to the third book in a series that you love, it's hard not to go into it with high expectations. Tempered somewhat as my expectations were, Todd smashed through them all with SURVIVORS. I am in awe of her writing.
I always like to re-read the previous book before I start on the latest addition of a series. You don't necessarily have to do that here though. SURVIVORS is partly set in the past, and partly runs concurrently with HUNTED. So, it's up to you. Personally, I reread the last third of HUNTED as I was short on time. It was good to get back into this world before starting book three.
SURVIVORS is Pilgrim's story. Through him we start to get some answers - not just about him (though I loved that) but about this World and the people in it.
Todd treats us to some hefty revelations - unexpected, shocking, and yet also slowly helping us to fit together the jigsaw of this series. Todd is an incredible storyteller, and her skill in foreshadowing became apparent to me in this book. This world is so deep, so firmly rooted. As readers we are just starting to realise how deep those roots go.
I'm always aware of spoilers so let me just say that we get some new characters in SURVIVORS and get to know some old ones a whole lot better!
As we've come to expect from G X Todd, SURVIVORS gives us darkness, action, fear, and gore, but it's accompanied by friendship, trust, and a lot of feelings!! My emotions were EVERYWHERE during this book.
I feel like SURVIVORS has left us in a well-rounded spot. We're sitting on the edge of a cliff, admiring the view, yet waiting for book four to push us over the edge!! I'm nervous to see what's over that edge, what Todd has in store for my favourite characters, and what the fate of the world will be in this final book of the series. One thing's for sure, I cannot wait for more of Todd's writing!
October 27, 2019
In Book #3 of The Voices, the war between people who hear voices and those who don’t is coming to a head. When Pilgrim wakes up in a shallow grave, he can’t remember who he is or how he got there. But there is a voice in his head which tells him what he needs to do: Find Lacey. As Pilgrim travels north in search of Lacey, he finds himself back in places he had long forgotten, with people he had left far behind. War is coming, and he will need all the friends he can get.
Survivors is the third book in one of my favourite series of all time. The characters are unbelievably good – I was beyond happy to have Pilgrim back (apologies for the slight spoiler, but yes, Pilgrim is alive), though I did miss Lacey in this book. But that’s part of the brilliance of this series. Each book so far has focused on different characters so, although I missed reading about some of my favourites, the story stays fresh and interesting.
It is 100% necessary to read the first two books before this one: it would not work at all as a standalone novel. It had been quite a long time for me between reading this book and the previous, and I did struggle a bit at times to remember who was who – because we do meet characters that we’ve come across before. Luckily, the story is so good that, in the end, it didn’t really matter that I was a bit lost at times. I completely loved it.
Todd’s writing is phenomenal, and has only improved book-by-book. The world-building and character development go a long way to create a totally immersive reading experience. Plot-wise, not a huge amount actually happens until later in the book. Instead, we get an insight into Pilgrim’s past and how he got to where he is now. But the lack of a completely action-packed plot does not lesson how good this book is at all. If anything, the change of pace from books 1 and 2 worked remarkably well.
The Voices is a must-read series for fans of post-apocalyptic fiction.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Survivors is the third book in one of my favourite series of all time. The characters are unbelievably good – I was beyond happy to have Pilgrim back (apologies for the slight spoiler, but yes, Pilgrim is alive), though I did miss Lacey in this book. But that’s part of the brilliance of this series. Each book so far has focused on different characters so, although I missed reading about some of my favourites, the story stays fresh and interesting.
It is 100% necessary to read the first two books before this one: it would not work at all as a standalone novel. It had been quite a long time for me between reading this book and the previous, and I did struggle a bit at times to remember who was who – because we do meet characters that we’ve come across before. Luckily, the story is so good that, in the end, it didn’t really matter that I was a bit lost at times. I completely loved it.
Todd’s writing is phenomenal, and has only improved book-by-book. The world-building and character development go a long way to create a totally immersive reading experience. Plot-wise, not a huge amount actually happens until later in the book. Instead, we get an insight into Pilgrim’s past and how he got to where he is now. But the lack of a completely action-packed plot does not lesson how good this book is at all. If anything, the change of pace from books 1 and 2 worked remarkably well.
The Voices is a must-read series for fans of post-apocalyptic fiction.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
August 6, 2020
There aren't enough words to explain how much I LOVE this series. Survivors is the third book and a welcome return to the characters I have come to know. One of my favourite of these is Pilgrim so Survivors is a double bonus as it is mostly about him and his past. A few shockers were still delivered; the author is VERY tricksy with her reveals! I loved finding out what made Pilgrim tick and seeing the events and past friends who have made him what he is.
In Survivors, Pilgrim must find his way back to Lacey and we follow him all the way from a shallow grave (terrifying) to where book 2 ended. No spoilers! There is darkness, death and depravity in this series but also friendship and the comic relief that is always provided by Voice.
I always recommend this series to fans of post apocalyptic fiction and can't wait for book 4!!
In Survivors, Pilgrim must find his way back to Lacey and we follow him all the way from a shallow grave (terrifying) to where book 2 ended. No spoilers! There is darkness, death and depravity in this series but also friendship and the comic relief that is always provided by Voice.
I always recommend this series to fans of post apocalyptic fiction and can't wait for book 4!!
November 5, 2021
You have no idea how much I was waiting for this book. Most of the time when a book has a sequel I passively wait for it - in that I don't pay much attention and don't realise the sequel is out until months after its release and I happen to walk past it in the book store, and then might pick it up and read it at a leisurely pace. With Survivors, I was pretty much counting down the days and couldn't put it down when I finally got my hands on it (Thanks so much to Headline for hooking a girl up).
Survivors is the third book in the incredible The Voices series by Todd - if you haven't read Defender and Hunted yet I suggest you give those a read before going further as this review will allude to happenings in those! Part of me felt utterly betrayed that this book had done a complete 180 and rather than giving any kind of closure on the cliffhanger events of Hunted, we instead took a step back in time to what Pilgrim was doing during the events of Hunted, with some jumping around in time, giving us some more background on our favourite pauciloquent protagonist. We go back to before Lacey, before the world went to hell, and we get a lot of wonderful nuggets that tie in with previous books too. I can totally forgive the betrayal, because this book was wonderful!
Sometimes hopping around in time can be done really awfully and can be so hard to follow, but that 100% was not the case here! It flowed really well and it worked amazingly too. As Pilgrim was unlocking his memories, more of him came back, and it created so much more depth to this character who's been a favourite of mine since first coming across him. We finally got to fill in the blanks for this layered character and it was incredible. The friendships along his journey, the ones of his past and the current ones, him opening up, who he was before, it was all brilliant to read.
The world building, as always, was perfect. Not too much to frazzle your mind, not so little that you can't properly see this world in your mind. The Unit in particular was amazingly crafted - in the acknowledgements it's mentioned it was based on a real place that Todd spent some time visiting, and it really shows. The world is immersive, utterly dark, cruel, and gripping.
We get some amazing new characters - Abernathy and Jay are particular faves of mine from the newbies. Although this book follow's Pilgrim's journey, we still get some of the amazing old characters too - with flashbacks with Ruby and Albus, and Lacey as Pilgrim's constant companion (in his mind at least, as she appears to him regularly and guides him on his journey back to her). One of the things that truly sells The Voices series to me is the characters. They're so real. I find myself genuinely invested in their stories, their survival, and their happiness. Even the voices, each of which Todd has given its own unique personality, feel so real.
A gritty, compelling book, which deserves a lot more attention than it gets. I can't recommend it enough and I can't wait for the next one!
Survivors is the third book in the incredible The Voices series by Todd - if you haven't read Defender and Hunted yet I suggest you give those a read before going further as this review will allude to happenings in those! Part of me felt utterly betrayed that this book had done a complete 180 and rather than giving any kind of closure on the cliffhanger events of Hunted, we instead took a step back in time to what Pilgrim was doing during the events of Hunted, with some jumping around in time, giving us some more background on our favourite pauciloquent protagonist. We go back to before Lacey, before the world went to hell, and we get a lot of wonderful nuggets that tie in with previous books too. I can totally forgive the betrayal, because this book was wonderful!
Sometimes hopping around in time can be done really awfully and can be so hard to follow, but that 100% was not the case here! It flowed really well and it worked amazingly too. As Pilgrim was unlocking his memories, more of him came back, and it created so much more depth to this character who's been a favourite of mine since first coming across him. We finally got to fill in the blanks for this layered character and it was incredible. The friendships along his journey, the ones of his past and the current ones, him opening up, who he was before, it was all brilliant to read.
The world building, as always, was perfect. Not too much to frazzle your mind, not so little that you can't properly see this world in your mind. The Unit in particular was amazingly crafted - in the acknowledgements it's mentioned it was based on a real place that Todd spent some time visiting, and it really shows. The world is immersive, utterly dark, cruel, and gripping.
We get some amazing new characters - Abernathy and Jay are particular faves of mine from the newbies. Although this book follow's Pilgrim's journey, we still get some of the amazing old characters too - with flashbacks with Ruby and Albus, and Lacey as Pilgrim's constant companion (in his mind at least, as she appears to him regularly and guides him on his journey back to her). One of the things that truly sells The Voices series to me is the characters. They're so real. I find myself genuinely invested in their stories, their survival, and their happiness. Even the voices, each of which Todd has given its own unique personality, feel so real.
A gritty, compelling book, which deserves a lot more attention than it gets. I can't recommend it enough and I can't wait for the next one!
July 9, 2019
The quality of this series remains stellar. Superb third installment, cannot wait to read the last one. G.X. Todd has such a way with words, you won't want this to end.
March 7, 2020
Maybe if I wasn't so damn tired of fucking trilogies that seem to be planned as revenue streams, and turn into qaudrogies and quintogies or whatever, I would have looked on this book more kindly. After all, despite it's undeniable derivative genre, it's decently written. as were its predecessors.
But when I come to the end of the book , and the expected denouement is little more than "tune in next week for another thrilling instalment" it's hard not to feel cheated. THAT was a story?
SO my recommendation is to skip this one, I very much doubt that if you wait, and then dive into episode 4, you will be much the poorer.
But when I come to the end of the book , and the expected denouement is little more than "tune in next week for another thrilling instalment" it's hard not to feel cheated. THAT was a story?
SO my recommendation is to skip this one, I very much doubt that if you wait, and then dive into episode 4, you will be much the poorer.
November 3, 2019
I have been lucky enough to receive a proof copy of Survivors and am enthralled!This is the third book in the Voices series and fans of the first two will not be disappointed. Characters old and new continue their journey with their extraordinary symbiotic relationships. Each of the characters you meet, love 'em or hate 'em, draw you further in. Todd has a real knack for creating a sense of anticipation and even unease. You're never quite sure what is round the corner, or if you'll want to meet it, but you can't resist knowing what comes next. Brilliant.
October 31, 2019
I'm grateful to Headline for a free advance reading copy of Survivors. Make that VERY grateful. This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2019 - and it didn't disappoint.
Survivors is a post-apocalyptic tale, the third (but not final!) in its sequence after Defender and Hunted. In this dark world, many people developed voices in their head - voices that urged them to kill others, and sometimes to destroy themselves. Enough of this, and civilisation soon dies. It's not so much the immediate effects, the gaps in the essential services, as the bonds of trust between strangers, neighbours, friends and even family dissolve, and it becomes a matter of kill first or be killed. Those affected by the Voices embark on a rampage, those unaffected hunker down, unable to group together in case they put themselves in danger.
Once it's over (but IS IT?) then, survivors wander the shattered remains of civilisation, seeking safety, shelter, and most of all - perhaps - meaning. Why did this thing happen? What comes next? Into the vacuum emerge cults, such that of the Flitting Man, whose spiral symbol is everywhere. Local warlords fight for territory and trade anything - including people - with one another.
It's a disjointed, scary background against which Todd has followed a scattered group, in particular, the troubled man Pilgrim, and Lacey, a young woman with whom he's travelled. In Survivors, we focus mostly on Pilgrim. For the first time we see his origins, and we also see his current life, including some vivid, nightmarish scenes where his very identity and nature is challenged. When the story proper opens (there is some prologue first) Pilgrim has just woken in an open grave and has no memory of who or where he is. The story then fills in details, but gradually and by jumping backwards and forwards.
If you're a fan of straightforward narratives you may find this a bit annoying (it didn't happen so much in the earlier books) but do persevere! I thought it wasn't going to work for me, but in fact it's a brilliant device. You will almost certainly be reading this book because you've read the previous two, but that probably means it's a little while since you did, and you may be hazy over the detail. How did Defender finish? Where was Pilgrim then? Who is Red? Who is Lacey, and what happened to her? All these names and events were in my mind somewhere, but also, not complete when I wanted them. There's a kind of fading in reading a series of books (unless you save them for one readathon) and a good author will work with that. Todd does. But not through a simple recap. Instead, here we have Pilgrim reconstructing not only his memory, but his identity. Todd makes it genuinely unclear who he is, lending a sinister light to all his exploration of her world, and we - the readers - don't know any better than him. Our sense of his history is rebuilt in the same way as his own.
So at times we have to trust (but who can we trust?) and at times, we think he's going wrong. The conditions and alliances in this world make it impossible to keep clean hands, impossible to separate "good" people from "bad". And remember, there are those Voices, which clearly have an agenda of sorts - theories about this and about the proper way to respond underlie much of the conflict in the book - so people here have an extra, hidden aspect (at least, those with Voices do - but again, can we trust someone who denies having a Voice?)
I don't want to make this book sound all tricksy and clever-clever. I think Todd does brilliantly match form to narrative, but even apart from this, Survivors is a vividly imaged story with well realised, involving characters set in a challenging and disturbing world. Pilgrim is a restless should, driven by a need to do - what exactly? Part of his frustration is understanding that. He thinks he has a purpose, responsibilities, duties, commitments, all lost in that void of his mind, and a great deal of his time is spent trying to understand them. But part of the risk of that all being so dark is, we don't know whether he is doing the right thing, guided by that lost part of himself, or whether he's being sidetracked by his history, experiences and attachments to things and people who are now gone.
Against that background it's genuinely affecting to see moments when he recovers something or, almost better, when an aspect of his past, a friend, rediscovers him (when you read the book you'll know what I mean) and also heartbreaking when he has to leave them behind again.
An explosive, engaging third part to this quadrilogy and one I'd urge you to get your hands on as soon as you can.
Survivors is a post-apocalyptic tale, the third (but not final!) in its sequence after Defender and Hunted. In this dark world, many people developed voices in their head - voices that urged them to kill others, and sometimes to destroy themselves. Enough of this, and civilisation soon dies. It's not so much the immediate effects, the gaps in the essential services, as the bonds of trust between strangers, neighbours, friends and even family dissolve, and it becomes a matter of kill first or be killed. Those affected by the Voices embark on a rampage, those unaffected hunker down, unable to group together in case they put themselves in danger.
Once it's over (but IS IT?) then, survivors wander the shattered remains of civilisation, seeking safety, shelter, and most of all - perhaps - meaning. Why did this thing happen? What comes next? Into the vacuum emerge cults, such that of the Flitting Man, whose spiral symbol is everywhere. Local warlords fight for territory and trade anything - including people - with one another.
It's a disjointed, scary background against which Todd has followed a scattered group, in particular, the troubled man Pilgrim, and Lacey, a young woman with whom he's travelled. In Survivors, we focus mostly on Pilgrim. For the first time we see his origins, and we also see his current life, including some vivid, nightmarish scenes where his very identity and nature is challenged. When the story proper opens (there is some prologue first) Pilgrim has just woken in an open grave and has no memory of who or where he is. The story then fills in details, but gradually and by jumping backwards and forwards.
If you're a fan of straightforward narratives you may find this a bit annoying (it didn't happen so much in the earlier books) but do persevere! I thought it wasn't going to work for me, but in fact it's a brilliant device. You will almost certainly be reading this book because you've read the previous two, but that probably means it's a little while since you did, and you may be hazy over the detail. How did Defender finish? Where was Pilgrim then? Who is Red? Who is Lacey, and what happened to her? All these names and events were in my mind somewhere, but also, not complete when I wanted them. There's a kind of fading in reading a series of books (unless you save them for one readathon) and a good author will work with that. Todd does. But not through a simple recap. Instead, here we have Pilgrim reconstructing not only his memory, but his identity. Todd makes it genuinely unclear who he is, lending a sinister light to all his exploration of her world, and we - the readers - don't know any better than him. Our sense of his history is rebuilt in the same way as his own.
So at times we have to trust (but who can we trust?) and at times, we think he's going wrong. The conditions and alliances in this world make it impossible to keep clean hands, impossible to separate "good" people from "bad". And remember, there are those Voices, which clearly have an agenda of sorts - theories about this and about the proper way to respond underlie much of the conflict in the book - so people here have an extra, hidden aspect (at least, those with Voices do - but again, can we trust someone who denies having a Voice?)
I don't want to make this book sound all tricksy and clever-clever. I think Todd does brilliantly match form to narrative, but even apart from this, Survivors is a vividly imaged story with well realised, involving characters set in a challenging and disturbing world. Pilgrim is a restless should, driven by a need to do - what exactly? Part of his frustration is understanding that. He thinks he has a purpose, responsibilities, duties, commitments, all lost in that void of his mind, and a great deal of his time is spent trying to understand them. But part of the risk of that all being so dark is, we don't know whether he is doing the right thing, guided by that lost part of himself, or whether he's being sidetracked by his history, experiences and attachments to things and people who are now gone.
Against that background it's genuinely affecting to see moments when he recovers something or, almost better, when an aspect of his past, a friend, rediscovers him (when you read the book you'll know what I mean) and also heartbreaking when he has to leave them behind again.
An explosive, engaging third part to this quadrilogy and one I'd urge you to get your hands on as soon as you can.
July 16, 2019
I was so excited to receive this book early to review I almost pissed my pants, 😂 but I managed to curb my enthusiasm long enough to re-read the series from the beginning, to refresh my memory, and although there was no need to do so I think I enjoyed Defender especially more this time around, which I didn’t think would be possible!
You don’t need to re-read the first two books again before picking this book up, there is enough backstory peppered throughout to refresh your memory and to follow the continuation with no problems at all. Where Hunted left on a bit of a cliffhanger, Survivors will keep you on that cliff edge dangling by your toes! There is the welcome back of some of both the good and bad characters as well as the introduction to some memorable new ones.
Survivors is primarily focused on Pilgrim’s story and it spends a lot of time in the past, his past, his backstory which was as enlightening as it was entertaining. He has been a bit of a closed book, a bit of an enigma up until now, so getting that character depth adds further understanding of the man himself, Voice and the voices’s themselves. His return was certainly unexpected as last time we saw him he was being buried alongside Red in Lacey’s sisters back garden! But return he has and as he travels forward he also has to revisit his past, the past he worked so hard to keep locked away, to fill in the missing holes of his memory. Only by unlocking his past can unlock his future and help him find his way back to Lacey, to defend her!
As with the previous books this one will also leave you desperately wishing for a time machine so we can jump to this time next year so we can finally found out how all this ends! I know I can’t wait! Thats the only downside to receiving ARC’s, there is longer to wait between book publication dates!
For fans old and new this is a great continuation of the series, one that’s a tumultuous stage that aligns all three books in preparation for the final showdown that’s to come.
#HearTheVoices
Survivors will be published on 31 October 2019 and is available to pre order now.
You don’t need to re-read the first two books again before picking this book up, there is enough backstory peppered throughout to refresh your memory and to follow the continuation with no problems at all. Where Hunted left on a bit of a cliffhanger, Survivors will keep you on that cliff edge dangling by your toes! There is the welcome back of some of both the good and bad characters as well as the introduction to some memorable new ones.
Survivors is primarily focused on Pilgrim’s story and it spends a lot of time in the past, his past, his backstory which was as enlightening as it was entertaining. He has been a bit of a closed book, a bit of an enigma up until now, so getting that character depth adds further understanding of the man himself, Voice and the voices’s themselves. His return was certainly unexpected as last time we saw him he was being buried alongside Red in Lacey’s sisters back garden! But return he has and as he travels forward he also has to revisit his past, the past he worked so hard to keep locked away, to fill in the missing holes of his memory. Only by unlocking his past can unlock his future and help him find his way back to Lacey, to defend her!
As with the previous books this one will also leave you desperately wishing for a time machine so we can jump to this time next year so we can finally found out how all this ends! I know I can’t wait! Thats the only downside to receiving ARC’s, there is longer to wait between book publication dates!
For fans old and new this is a great continuation of the series, one that’s a tumultuous stage that aligns all three books in preparation for the final showdown that’s to come.
#HearTheVoices
Survivors will be published on 31 October 2019 and is available to pre order now.
May 3, 2024
My love of this series continues to grow . What started out as an interesting , post apocalyptic thriller has turned into somewhat of an Epic, books 2 and 3 have succeeded and in taking a familiar concept, a world wiped off almost all life, bands of survivors with different methods and motives, and turned it into something so much bigger .
Book 3 takes place during the events of book 2, but from a different POV, this may seem like a stall in the story's progression but it was anything but . We find out so much history of characters new and old , and dive head first into the lore of how the world came to be and what may be in store for it.
Were introduced to even more new characters, who are brilliantly written , and fit right into the story. There are some pretty big revelations too, there's more heartbreak and emotion.
Todd knows how to tell a story, and this has gone far beyond my expectations. Some of the history is told through flashbacks and dream sequences , which had been doubling back on the audiobook a few times , but otherwise this was an excellent penultimate book.
The ending left me eager to jump straight into the 4th and final book to see where this all ends.
Highly, highly, recommend this series to anyone
Book 3 takes place during the events of book 2, but from a different POV, this may seem like a stall in the story's progression but it was anything but . We find out so much history of characters new and old , and dive head first into the lore of how the world came to be and what may be in store for it.
Were introduced to even more new characters, who are brilliantly written , and fit right into the story. There are some pretty big revelations too, there's more heartbreak and emotion.
Todd knows how to tell a story, and this has gone far beyond my expectations. Some of the history is told through flashbacks and dream sequences , which had been doubling back on the audiobook a few times , but otherwise this was an excellent penultimate book.
The ending left me eager to jump straight into the 4th and final book to see where this all ends.
Highly, highly, recommend this series to anyone
October 24, 2019
Survivors is the third in a four book series and is chockablock full of ‘bang for your buck’.
This book is a ‘delver’ ( an official term for a book that delves into the characters back stories to flesh them out but also to fill in pieces of the plot not previously explained). It’s not actually an official term, I made it up - but it seems to fit so I’m sticking with it.
This Voices series as a whole is blood pumping stuff with characters who get under your skin and Survivors is no exception to this. Survivors gives us a post apocalyptic world torn in half, people fall in one of two camps, those with Voices and those without. Survivors is neither simply plot focussed nor character focussed it does both really effectively. The plot is sufficiently complex to still allow time to fully develop characters who are strong, flawed and very human.
I am loving this series it is gritty, determined but doesn’t necessarily follow the path you are expecting it to. Highly recommended.
Kudos to you Ms Todd, who says this is a male genre you are absolutely rocking it.
Thank-you to Netgalley for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
This book is a ‘delver’ ( an official term for a book that delves into the characters back stories to flesh them out but also to fill in pieces of the plot not previously explained). It’s not actually an official term, I made it up - but it seems to fit so I’m sticking with it.
This Voices series as a whole is blood pumping stuff with characters who get under your skin and Survivors is no exception to this. Survivors gives us a post apocalyptic world torn in half, people fall in one of two camps, those with Voices and those without. Survivors is neither simply plot focussed nor character focussed it does both really effectively. The plot is sufficiently complex to still allow time to fully develop characters who are strong, flawed and very human.
I am loving this series it is gritty, determined but doesn’t necessarily follow the path you are expecting it to. Highly recommended.
Kudos to you Ms Todd, who says this is a male genre you are absolutely rocking it.
Thank-you to Netgalley for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
April 16, 2020
Erm what just happened? Cracked this open thinking this is it! Who wins? Who survives? But no, suddenly G.X. Todd takes us back to before the fall and then runs the story alongside Hunted. So initially I was a bit put out. I need to find out what happens. But this book is all about Pilgrim, a character I shed serious tears for in Defender and it means another Voices book so I can't complain!
Todd throws some wild curveballs in this novel yet again, so much so I had to go back a few times to check I was following everything correctly. This isn't a book or series you can half read. Quietness and full attention are required. If you haven't read any of these get Defender NOW, support a fantastic young British writer who opened her writing career BIG with this epic series.
Why are you still reading this? Did you not read what I said? Go, off to a book site with you now.
Todd throws some wild curveballs in this novel yet again, so much so I had to go back a few times to check I was following everything correctly. This isn't a book or series you can half read. Quietness and full attention are required. If you haven't read any of these get Defender NOW, support a fantastic young British writer who opened her writing career BIG with this epic series.
Why are you still reading this? Did you not read what I said? Go, off to a book site with you now.
March 3, 2020
This is the third (out of 4) of an excellent post apocalyptic series of books, however...word of warning, you really really need to start at book 1 or you'll be totally lost! This is not 4 short books where one would have done...currently running at around 1500 pages! The synopsis of the series is complicated, so best bet is to look up 'the voices' series by GX Todd and make up your own mind.
This episode goes back in time, and fills in some gaps very well...the journey continues, and the plot is far from unravelled, but the stage is set for a banging final installment (which wont be in peint until later this year earliest! If this is your thing, enjoy...its very well written and worthy of a read!
This episode goes back in time, and fills in some gaps very well...the journey continues, and the plot is far from unravelled, but the stage is set for a banging final installment (which wont be in peint until later this year earliest! If this is your thing, enjoy...its very well written and worthy of a read!
November 11, 2019
Flashback of characters' pasts.
I chose 4 stars because if this the final book in the series, I will be gutted!
As always, I love the characters in this series! Well crafted details.
What I don't like is that the book is mainly based on flashbacks of Pilgrim's life. Although it's a great way to get to grips with the main character- everything unfolds for us like for Pilgrim- I would have like the book better if the book/story went on for a couple hundred more pages!
Any chance you're going to write heavier, thicker novels (not necessarily this series), Todd?
I chose 4 stars because if this the final book in the series, I will be gutted!
As always, I love the characters in this series! Well crafted details.
What I don't like is that the book is mainly based on flashbacks of Pilgrim's life. Although it's a great way to get to grips with the main character- everything unfolds for us like for Pilgrim- I would have like the book better if the book/story went on for a couple hundred more pages!
Any chance you're going to write heavier, thicker novels (not necessarily this series), Todd?
January 11, 2022
Wow. If the first two books were good this is even better. And we finally get some, but not all, answers!
This book reveals some character history.
Also, the current events, happen at the same time as book 2 (i.e. contemporaneous) so we know where it's heading but the writer still manages to maintain the drama, action and story and I happily went along for the ride.
As with book 2, I'm left with an immediate desire to reach for the next book in the sequence.
Overall rating 4.5*.
This book reveals some character history.
Also, the current events, happen at the same time as book 2 (i.e. contemporaneous) so we know where it's heading but the writer still manages to maintain the drama, action and story and I happily went along for the ride.
As with book 2, I'm left with an immediate desire to reach for the next book in the sequence.
Overall rating 4.5*.
February 8, 2021
Book 3 in the series has made me rethink my 4 star rating of book 2. It would be fair to say that book 2 and 3 are just over complicated and have a lot of filler. Both could be cut down and combined into one book (voices 2) in my opinion.
But the book setting is adventurous and big in scope. Well written from start to finish.
Really hoping for a string ending with book 4.
But the book setting is adventurous and big in scope. Well written from start to finish.
Really hoping for a string ending with book 4.
January 17, 2022
I recently reread this so that I could read the final installment, ghosts. I'm not sure why I didn't review it the first time.
Characterisation is as always, excellent. This installment ties lots of storylines and characters together. Add that to a good dose of tension and who doesn't love the whole mental asylum storyline!
Characterisation is as always, excellent. This installment ties lots of storylines and characters together. Add that to a good dose of tension and who doesn't love the whole mental asylum storyline!
March 15, 2020
Are brilliant third link in the chain of events in this series. Yes to mani, I think it will seem like it is a slow start, but it is going back and filling in the jigsaw, a very complicated jigsaw, but brilliantly done and can’t wait for book four.
April 1, 2020
The best yet! Tricked me on two accounts there, GX. Not gonna spoil the first, but I really thought it was a trilogy. Can't wait for the next installment hope you're finishing it in your PJs as I speak :)
August 10, 2020
Survivors is book three of the Voices series by the amazing G. X. Todd. I finished it yesterday morning and I still can’t stop thinking about it.
Read more of our review here: http://www.bookerworm.com/reviews/626...
Read more of our review here: http://www.bookerworm.com/reviews/626...
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October 28, 2019DNF - brilliantly written but just not in the right headspace for it right now. Will go back to it!
June 28, 2020
Fantastic post-apocalyptic fiction - adore this series!
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