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Deathlands #27

Ground Zero

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* 6 hours and 51 minutes *

In the Deathlands, everyone and everything is fair game, but only the strong survive.

And where its proud heart, the city of Washington had stood, Ryan Cawdor faces double jeopardy posed by a barbaric baron and the indifferent wrath of nature.


©1995 Worldwide Library (P)2007 GraphicAudio, LLC

7 pages, Audible Audio

First published June 1, 1995

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123 people want to read

About the author

James Axler

272 books175 followers

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5 stars
60 (27%)
4 stars
74 (33%)
3 stars
70 (32%)
2 stars
14 (6%)
1 star
0 (0%)
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
Profile Image for Mark Hennion.
Author 0 books5 followers
October 21, 2014
Deathlands is an acquired taste; when I was younger, I loved these books. It simply seemed to be the only fiction on the market aimed at men (read: angst-ridden teenagers) that included the trifecta: sex, violence, cool horror/sci-fi themes.

I recently picked up a few handfuls of these books from a secondhand vendor and must report I was disappointed. This is not to say anything about taste, but rather, after returning to the books as an adult I can see the glaring faults in the series. In this particular title (nearly a prediction of Fallout 3), the gang heads to and thru post-fallout DC.

The series are all written with the design that any reader at any time can pick up the series. Admirable, but the fault lies here. The constant catalog of weapons, character descriptions, character quirks, character backgrounds, ad nausea grows so tiresome. How many times would you like to hear about "fiery" redhead and LeMat revolvers? Well, you are going to hear about them. Again and again.

If scripted as an action film or a TV series Deathlands could thrive with the right direction. As fiction, you really have to be willing to overlook the nearly impassable trail of adverbs, dialogue attribution tags, sex scenes with two filthy, absolutely makes-no-sense-at-the-moment characters, and the like.

I gave the title two stars for creativity and world-building, along with a nostalgic nod to the past. I've skimmed some of the new titles which are still being published and was disappointed to see much hasn't changed. For those of you who love the series, please understand this is a literary criticism, not a content criticism (ok, well, a little).
71 reviews
July 6, 2021
3.5.

Not bad, but not great either.

Ryan acted like a bit of a dumb dumb and poor leader in this one. It was pretty obvious what the baron was up to.

No suprising twists or turns, and not much interesting world building.

Wouldn't recommend, but would say it should be actively avoided either.
Profile Image for Jason.
1,204 reviews20 followers
October 28, 2019
Some missed opportunities - I feel like this story could have been expanded a great deal further. Excellent antagonist.
Profile Image for Clark.
31 reviews2 followers
April 3, 2012
"I could have easily soiled my best linen"
Profile Image for Little Timmy.
7,406 reviews60 followers
January 26, 2016
An average apocalyptic adventure story. This one takes a century after the last war and now there are mutants running around the earth. Recommended
Profile Image for Morgan.
Author 14 books99 followers
February 25, 2011
Ah yes, their trip to Washington D.C. (otherwise known as Washington Hole)
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews

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