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End of Days #0.5
Surviving Chaos
When ordinary life transforms into a fight for survival, can a young woman keep the chaos from pulling her under?
Go-getting twenty-six-year-old investigative journalist Cassandra Drews just wants her miserable day to end. And desperate to put her breakup behind her, she agrees to one last face-to-face to return belongings to her ex. But when they're nearly killed by an out-of-control car, she's horrified when the nightmare of her relationship takes a backseat to an eruption of violence.
In the blink of an eye, an EMP attack wipes out the nation's power and the world grinds to a stop. Surrounded by chaos, Cass is torn between tending to the injured or escaping her seething ex.
It doesn't take long before panic and violence erupt on the streets of Portland. Out of options, Cass has no choice but to race home, hoping to outrun a looming ice storm. Can she make it to safety before experiencing the wrath of the bitter winter storm? Or will she find herself the victim of far more than the elements in a town thrust into bedlam?
From Sam J Fires comes the brand-new End of Days series, a post-apocalyptic EMP survival thriller featuring flawed, complex characters and adrenaline-fueled action adventure. Perfect for fans of Ryan Schow, Grace Hamilton, Kyla Stone, and Jack Hunt.
Grab your copy now!
Go-getting twenty-six-year-old investigative journalist Cassandra Drews just wants her miserable day to end. And desperate to put her breakup behind her, she agrees to one last face-to-face to return belongings to her ex. But when they're nearly killed by an out-of-control car, she's horrified when the nightmare of her relationship takes a backseat to an eruption of violence.
In the blink of an eye, an EMP attack wipes out the nation's power and the world grinds to a stop. Surrounded by chaos, Cass is torn between tending to the injured or escaping her seething ex.
It doesn't take long before panic and violence erupt on the streets of Portland. Out of options, Cass has no choice but to race home, hoping to outrun a looming ice storm. Can she make it to safety before experiencing the wrath of the bitter winter storm? Or will she find herself the victim of far more than the elements in a town thrust into bedlam?
From Sam J Fires comes the brand-new End of Days series, a post-apocalyptic EMP survival thriller featuring flawed, complex characters and adrenaline-fueled action adventure. Perfect for fans of Ryan Schow, Grace Hamilton, Kyla Stone, and Jack Hunt.
Grab your copy now!
55 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 1, 2022
245 people are currently reading
315 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
April 16, 2022
A really good start to this exciting & new end of the world EMP adventure. Great ideas & good solid interesting characters make for a really satisfying & good read! I do recommend & I am really looking forward to the next book in the series! Good stuff!
May 17, 2022
A young woman, twenty-six-year-old investigative journalist Cassandra Drews is meeting her ex to give back some of the things he left behind at her place when they split. In my opinion, I think he just wanted an excuse to try and get Cass to come back to him. I think there is more to this dude than is revealed.
Just as Cass walks into the cafe and gives him his box of goods a car comes crashing through the window. Cass reacts instantly trying to help as many people as she can.
The moment the car comes crashing through the window the power goes out everywhere leaving the world in darkness, well, maybe not literally at the time but you get my meaning right? All electronic devices stop working sending the world into chaos. The world comes to a grinding halt as most do not know what to do without their electronics. What happens? Chaos sets in.
People start looting, grabbing whatever they can. People are afraid and so anyone with any evil in them well, it comes bubbling to the surface, showing their true nature. But of course, there are some really great humans as well trying to save or help as many people as they can and Cass is one of those people.
Cass tries to help or save anyone who needs it while also trying to make her way home. After arriving at her apartment she learns that her roommate has left with her boyfriend leaving her dog behind for Cass to take care of. When no other choice or nowhere else to go Cass decides to follow in her friend's footsteps.
Surviving Chaos was a great start to a new series the End of Days. Once I picked it up I was instantly lost in its world. I was drawn in as if I was a character too just following Cass where ever she went. I felt as if Surviving Chaos came to life with me right there in the middle of it. The world-building was one of the best and brilliantly written. There was enough excitement going on that I had no problem staying glued to the pages. I am looking forward to seeing more of this world.
I love post-apocalyptic stories like Surviving Chaos very much and I highly recommend it to all dystopian and post-apocalyptic fans! Grab your copy of Surviving Chaos today and start a new adventure in a new world filled with chaos.
Just as Cass walks into the cafe and gives him his box of goods a car comes crashing through the window. Cass reacts instantly trying to help as many people as she can.
The moment the car comes crashing through the window the power goes out everywhere leaving the world in darkness, well, maybe not literally at the time but you get my meaning right? All electronic devices stop working sending the world into chaos. The world comes to a grinding halt as most do not know what to do without their electronics. What happens? Chaos sets in.
People start looting, grabbing whatever they can. People are afraid and so anyone with any evil in them well, it comes bubbling to the surface, showing their true nature. But of course, there are some really great humans as well trying to save or help as many people as they can and Cass is one of those people.
Cass tries to help or save anyone who needs it while also trying to make her way home. After arriving at her apartment she learns that her roommate has left with her boyfriend leaving her dog behind for Cass to take care of. When no other choice or nowhere else to go Cass decides to follow in her friend's footsteps.
Surviving Chaos was a great start to a new series the End of Days. Once I picked it up I was instantly lost in its world. I was drawn in as if I was a character too just following Cass where ever she went. I felt as if Surviving Chaos came to life with me right there in the middle of it. The world-building was one of the best and brilliantly written. There was enough excitement going on that I had no problem staying glued to the pages. I am looking forward to seeing more of this world.
I love post-apocalyptic stories like Surviving Chaos very much and I highly recommend it to all dystopian and post-apocalyptic fans! Grab your copy of Surviving Chaos today and start a new adventure in a new world filled with chaos.
November 1, 2023
This is an amazing addition to the series. Shows us the problem with relying upon electronics and electric powered vehicles. How will everyone survive this. Non stop action.
April 23, 2022
Full disclosure. I am a big fan of Sam J Fire’s books so I wasn’t surprised when this one grabbed me by the arm and pulled me down into my favorite reading ‘chair’.
This prequel starts out with Cass meeting the ex that just had to have his stuff back… right now.. Men…. Of course he ‘misses’ her and doesn’t understand why she just wants him to take his things and move on…. Next thing they know, and we know, the power goes out and chaos starts to follow.
With the temps dropping and things going downhill FAST, Cass works her way back to her home to figure out her next steps.
With the company of man’s best friend (or in this case, girl’s), she is going on an adventure during one of the worst times. What will happen? Who knows, but Book 1 is coming soon, so we shall see. The preview offers an insight into what will not be an easy time.
This prequel starts out with Cass meeting the ex that just had to have his stuff back… right now.. Men…. Of course he ‘misses’ her and doesn’t understand why she just wants him to take his things and move on…. Next thing they know, and we know, the power goes out and chaos starts to follow.
With the temps dropping and things going downhill FAST, Cass works her way back to her home to figure out her next steps.
With the company of man’s best friend (or in this case, girl’s), she is going on an adventure during one of the worst times. What will happen? Who knows, but Book 1 is coming soon, so we shall see. The preview offers an insight into what will not be an easy time.
April 26, 2022
I received this advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
End of Days is an exciting taste of what's to come from Sam J. Fires. Virtually the very first page finds our main character, Cass, in conflict with her ex boyfriend, Nathan.
And then, the world starts to fall apart. The coffee house they're sitting in is destroyed by a car crashing into the storefront. But, as they try to deal with that, Cass begins to notice much more is seriously wrong.
As Cass tries to get away from controlling Nathan, she realizes that the power is out, the phones are dead, planes are crashing out off the sky and they are in the middle of one of Portland's worst ice storms in years.
I'm not going to give away the rest of the book. Suffice it to say that Cass has her hands full trying to get back to her apartment and then home to her parents house in Bend.
As this was the prequel, I can't wait to read the next book in the series!
End of Days is an exciting taste of what's to come from Sam J. Fires. Virtually the very first page finds our main character, Cass, in conflict with her ex boyfriend, Nathan.
And then, the world starts to fall apart. The coffee house they're sitting in is destroyed by a car crashing into the storefront. But, as they try to deal with that, Cass begins to notice much more is seriously wrong.
As Cass tries to get away from controlling Nathan, she realizes that the power is out, the phones are dead, planes are crashing out off the sky and they are in the middle of one of Portland's worst ice storms in years.
I'm not going to give away the rest of the book. Suffice it to say that Cass has her hands full trying to get back to her apartment and then home to her parents house in Bend.
As this was the prequel, I can't wait to read the next book in the series!
April 16, 2022
This is a wonderful addition to this thrilling series!
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and action with wonderful world building that adds so much to the story.
Such a thrilling read that I couldn't put it down.
Can't wait to read more of these.
Recommend reading.
I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and action with wonderful world building that adds so much to the story.
Such a thrilling read that I couldn't put it down.
Can't wait to read more of these.
Recommend reading.
I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.
April 16, 2022
Good start to the series, this is certainly the sort of thing that could cause a major upset as we move ever deeper into our reliance on electronics and electrically powered transport.
I'm sure many of the younger generations have no practical skills outside those which are electronics based and perhaps some lessons learned here may help them survive.
Dragged me in and kept me entertained.
I'm sure many of the younger generations have no practical skills outside those which are electronics based and perhaps some lessons learned here may help them survive.
Dragged me in and kept me entertained.
April 16, 2022
This prequel is a gripping introduction to the End of Days series. I didn't want to stop reading, and I can't wait to read the rest.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 17, 2022
Excellent start to a new series. Based on this I definitely can't wait for the next!
April 21, 2022
An ordinary day turns into chaos with Laura having to unexpectedly survive while making her way back home. A good start to the series with a promise of much more to come. Well written and enjoyable. Looking forward to the reading the next instalment. I received a complimentary copy and voluntarily leave an honest review.
March 19, 2024
short and sweet
This was a great short story I enjoyed reading it and now can’t wait to read more. Such a fast start
This was a great short story I enjoyed reading it and now can’t wait to read more. Such a fast start
August 24, 2024
Pretty enjoyable prequel. Good start the series, I will be reading book one asap!
April 19, 2022
This book is a brilliant start to a new series. There are no punches pulled its full-on reading. You just open the first page and the story does the rest for you. We follow Cass and Daisy, a Golden Retriever, as her journey starts after a meeting with her ex at his request and right from there the words flow and it's really non-stop till the end. I love Cass she is a don't mess with me and who wouldn't love Daisy. I haven't read a lot of Sam J Fires so I wasn't sure about this wee book but I loved it and I can't wait to read the next one Grip of Fear.
April 19, 2022
While having coffee with her ex a car suddenly crashes through the cafe windows and the world is plunged into darkness. The streets become lawless and looters start raiding the shops. Cass decides to head for her parent's home but encounters more than she bargained for along the way.
April 18, 2022
Loved it. 5 Stars. Read the free chapters to get an idea what the book is about.
December 22, 2023
A very short prequel that fits neatly into the outline used by the dozen or so authors who are writing about EMPs these days. There is always a hero or heroine who is caught away from home when the lights go out. As planes crash all around them our hero has to make their way home or to family member's home, usually across a city or countryside, dodging violent skirmishes and/or the weather. Sometimes a dog is along for the ride, and frequently prepping supplies are involved - either lots of supplies, e g., guns - or - the prepper's stash hash been compromised by the weather or thieves. That's pretty much it, and this story hits all the points on the EMP author's outline, so in that respect it's a success story.
October 9, 2025
a very bleak, macho and unrealistic doomsday novella.
This is just a confusing read in a lot of ways. I worked for FEMA for a decade and my wife was an emergency dispatcher as well as a regional FEMA contact for natural disasters so we’ve both seen and experienced a lot.
The idea of the people of Portland immediately looting during an EMP/cold weather attack is not how it actually happens. You do have some minor crime for sure but in a cold weather event people tend to hunker down and in a large scale disaster people tend to pull together for three days to a week before they start going after each other and looting.
She goes past two roving packs of robbing rapists, kicks her ex boyfriend in the balls for no clear reason, and stumbled OVER a bicycle while running away instead of, say, taking the bike and getting home in a couple hours?
It seemed very much like masturbatory prepper nonsense than a real disaster/apocalypse book, which is what I enjoy reading. I’ve been boots on ground for multiple serious disasters after the grid is not available (several hurricanes, floods, etc) and like I said- people immediately looting and attacking others isn’t what happens. You have people MOSTLY freezing, not moving, and being helpful until the shock wears off and the bad behavior begins.
Also Portland is not like… Compton. It’s a fairly community oriented place. For a city its size it’s pretty low crime. So roving bands of thugs facing freezing sleet to threaten women in alleys 20 minutes after the grid falls seems super unlikely to me.
This is just a confusing read in a lot of ways. I worked for FEMA for a decade and my wife was an emergency dispatcher as well as a regional FEMA contact for natural disasters so we’ve both seen and experienced a lot.
The idea of the people of Portland immediately looting during an EMP/cold weather attack is not how it actually happens. You do have some minor crime for sure but in a cold weather event people tend to hunker down and in a large scale disaster people tend to pull together for three days to a week before they start going after each other and looting.
She goes past two roving packs of robbing rapists, kicks her ex boyfriend in the balls for no clear reason, and stumbled OVER a bicycle while running away instead of, say, taking the bike and getting home in a couple hours?
It seemed very much like masturbatory prepper nonsense than a real disaster/apocalypse book, which is what I enjoy reading. I’ve been boots on ground for multiple serious disasters after the grid is not available (several hurricanes, floods, etc) and like I said- people immediately looting and attacking others isn’t what happens. You have people MOSTLY freezing, not moving, and being helpful until the shock wears off and the bad behavior begins.
Also Portland is not like… Compton. It’s a fairly community oriented place. For a city its size it’s pretty low crime. So roving bands of thugs facing freezing sleet to threaten women in alleys 20 minutes after the grid falls seems super unlikely to me.
December 7, 2024
This was a recommended read so I jumped right in after purchasing and didn't stop reading until this was inhaled. A quick fast paced read which pulled me in straight away..
New to me author..
The day the world came to a standstill twenty-six-year-old Cass was in a cafe meeting up with her ex to give back items he'd left behind in her apartment two months prior. But you could feel that underlying feeling that he was there to rekindle their broken relationship.
Then things take a turn for the worst when the lights go out and a car careens into the window of the cafe throwing everyone into chaos and when she thinks things can't get any worse, planes are falling out of the sky and cars are at a standstill.
Cass' main concern is getting back to her apartment unscathed and then to plan to make it home to her doomsday prepper parents who live further upstate.
Escaping a few dire situations out on the streets, Cass isn't prepared to find out that her roommate/best friend has wiped out her survival kits, which were drummed into her from her parents to always keep on hand incase a situation like the one Cass finds herself in arises.
If that isn't the last straw her bestie has also left behind her newly acquired golden retriever for Cass to take care of.
This is definitely a great start to this series, one I'm looking forward to diving into.
New to me author..
The day the world came to a standstill twenty-six-year-old Cass was in a cafe meeting up with her ex to give back items he'd left behind in her apartment two months prior. But you could feel that underlying feeling that he was there to rekindle their broken relationship.
Then things take a turn for the worst when the lights go out and a car careens into the window of the cafe throwing everyone into chaos and when she thinks things can't get any worse, planes are falling out of the sky and cars are at a standstill.
Cass' main concern is getting back to her apartment unscathed and then to plan to make it home to her doomsday prepper parents who live further upstate.
Escaping a few dire situations out on the streets, Cass isn't prepared to find out that her roommate/best friend has wiped out her survival kits, which were drummed into her from her parents to always keep on hand incase a situation like the one Cass finds herself in arises.
If that isn't the last straw her bestie has also left behind her newly acquired golden retriever for Cass to take care of.
This is definitely a great start to this series, one I'm looking forward to diving into.
February 27, 2024
Cass is meeting with her ex at a coffee shop to retrieve some of her belongings, and it isn’t going too well. But while she’s trying to get her ex to understand that she doesn’t want to make their relationship work, the power goes out and a car drives through the building, sending chairs and tables flying and pinning a barista against the countertop. As she’s assessing the situation, a plane crashes into the river and she decides she needs to go home and prepare for the ice storm that’s coming. Battling many unexpected situations she finds herself in, she makes it home to find her roommate gone. How long will this bad day last?
I didn’t realize this was a prequel for a series of 7 books before I started it, but it’ll be interesting to see what comes of this situation that Portland (maybe the world?) has found themselves in. Nothing too crazy with this short book, now it’s up to me if I want to finish this series once I get kindle unlimited back 😂
I didn’t realize this was a prequel for a series of 7 books before I started it, but it’ll be interesting to see what comes of this situation that Portland (maybe the world?) has found themselves in. Nothing too crazy with this short book, now it’s up to me if I want to finish this series once I get kindle unlimited back 😂
January 30, 2024
Surviving Chaos
End of Days 0.5
Sci-Fi
Sam J. Fires
⭐️⭐️⭐️
• ᴅɪꜱᴀꜱᴛᴇʀ • ɴᴀʀᴄɪꜱꜱɪꜱᴛꜱ • ʙᴇᴛʀᴀʏᴀʟ •
I really enjoyed this series so I was looking forward to reading the prequel.
It was interesting to find out how Cass became stranded with her friends' dog, Daisy.
I was annoyed with Natasha and Kyle. They were incredibly selfish and I can't believe they thought it was ok to go through everything Cass owned to see what they could steal and then they left Cass with next to nothing to survive.
The pacing was fast and even though this was a short prequel, there was plenty of action packed in.
I really like this authors writing style and I'll be reading her other books
End of Days 0.5
Sci-Fi
Sam J. Fires
⭐️⭐️⭐️
• ᴅɪꜱᴀꜱᴛᴇʀ • ɴᴀʀᴄɪꜱꜱɪꜱᴛꜱ • ʙᴇᴛʀᴀʏᴀʟ •
I really enjoyed this series so I was looking forward to reading the prequel.
It was interesting to find out how Cass became stranded with her friends' dog, Daisy.
I was annoyed with Natasha and Kyle. They were incredibly selfish and I can't believe they thought it was ok to go through everything Cass owned to see what they could steal and then they left Cass with next to nothing to survive.
The pacing was fast and even though this was a short prequel, there was plenty of action packed in.
I really like this authors writing style and I'll be reading her other books
August 21, 2024
Hold onto Your Seat,
Poor Cass has her hands full dealing with a car plowing through a plate glass window of the cafe where she was meeting her ex-boyfriend to give him what was left of his property from her place, to working her way back to her apartment to discover her roommate/best friend had gone with mostly all of Cass’s gear in which to survive a coming freezing storm and what was an EMP going off. On top of all that, her roommate left Cass with her dog to take care of. Cass sets off on foot for her parents, expecting it to be a two to three day trek. She has no idea what she will be encountering.
Poor Cass has her hands full dealing with a car plowing through a plate glass window of the cafe where she was meeting her ex-boyfriend to give him what was left of his property from her place, to working her way back to her apartment to discover her roommate/best friend had gone with mostly all of Cass’s gear in which to survive a coming freezing storm and what was an EMP going off. On top of all that, her roommate left Cass with her dog to take care of. Cass sets off on foot for her parents, expecting it to be a two to three day trek. She has no idea what she will be encountering.
July 7, 2022
Surviving Chaos: A Post-Apocalyptic EMP Survival Thriller (End of Days Prequel), my first read from author Sam J. Fires . A well-written, entertaining read, that takes off from the opening pages like a jet from an aircraft carrier with well-developed characters that I read in a single setting. 55-pages in length setting the setting for the series. “I received a free Kindle copy of this book back in April and am voluntarily leaving a review." The gifting of this book did not affect my opinion of it. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).
January 31, 2023
Good Storyline
I read book 1 before the prequel, and that left me with questions that have now been answered.
However while I really like Cass Daisy, and have had a better intro to Nathan, I’m still stupefied that people write EMP stories where everything goes to hell in a hand basket within just a few hours.
I don’t for a moment believe people would break into buildings inside of only a few short hours after the power goes out.
And now I understand better what Natasha did to Cass, I hope she’s not living pretty with her crappy boyfriend living off other people.
I read book 1 before the prequel, and that left me with questions that have now been answered.
However while I really like Cass Daisy, and have had a better intro to Nathan, I’m still stupefied that people write EMP stories where everything goes to hell in a hand basket within just a few hours.
I don’t for a moment believe people would break into buildings inside of only a few short hours after the power goes out.
And now I understand better what Natasha did to Cass, I hope she’s not living pretty with her crappy boyfriend living off other people.
February 8, 2025
Prequel To A Post Apocalyptic Survival Thriller!!
This was a good start to another dystopian series for me to enjoy!! The MC has definitely made an impression on me, even though the Prequel was too short for me to say how I feel about her, but she is definitely easy to relate to. Her best friend on the other hand is a selfish jerk.
I’m looking forward to reading about what she goes through trying to get to her parents. I think having the dog with her is going to be a big help in her survival.
This was a good start to another dystopian series for me to enjoy!! The MC has definitely made an impression on me, even though the Prequel was too short for me to say how I feel about her, but she is definitely easy to relate to. Her best friend on the other hand is a selfish jerk.
I’m looking forward to reading about what she goes through trying to get to her parents. I think having the dog with her is going to be a big help in her survival.
July 22, 2022
I had originally read this author's "Grip of Fear" which was labeled as "End of Days #1." First book of a series, I thought. It felt like I was dropped in the middle of story, especially with respect to Cass, and then found there was a prequel. OK. So I read this prequel which is barely a couple of chapters; horribly short. This should have just been part of book 1 as it really didn't add as much to the story as I thought. Very disappointed.
December 1, 2022
Excellent introduction to the End of Days series!
While I must admit I read Surviving Chaos and Grip of Fear out of order, I can now say I fully understand Cass’s reluctance to be around her loser ex. Sure, as a prequel this is a quick read, but it does everything a prequel should do, it introduces some of the main characters and paints a vivid enough picture to hook the reader. I can guarantee I’ll be reading all eight books in this series.
While I must admit I read Surviving Chaos and Grip of Fear out of order, I can now say I fully understand Cass’s reluctance to be around her loser ex. Sure, as a prequel this is a quick read, but it does everything a prequel should do, it introduces some of the main characters and paints a vivid enough picture to hook the reader. I can guarantee I’ll be reading all eight books in this series.
August 4, 2022
Book review:
“Surviving Chaos: End of Days Prequel” by Sam J. Fires
This is a short fast-moving glimpse of how quickly society can disintegrate. Under stress the thin veneer of civility disappears very quickly.
As soon as I completed it, I began “End of Days Book 1” and look forward to reading the whole series.
“Surviving Chaos: End of Days Prequel” by Sam J. Fires
This is a short fast-moving glimpse of how quickly society can disintegrate. Under stress the thin veneer of civility disappears very quickly.
As soon as I completed it, I began “End of Days Book 1” and look forward to reading the whole series.
October 29, 2022
more like a chapter than a book
Discrepancies interfere. Would a best friend do that, really? First it’s icy, then raining, then snowing-doesn’t work. She doesn’t seem as smart as I’d like her to be. She doesn’t seem to remember what her parents taught her. Doesn’t seem like a book at all. It barely starts and then it ends.
Discrepancies interfere. Would a best friend do that, really? First it’s icy, then raining, then snowing-doesn’t work. She doesn’t seem as smart as I’d like her to be. She doesn’t seem to remember what her parents taught her. Doesn’t seem like a book at all. It barely starts and then it ends.
August 9, 2023
I’ve been dying to read this series and this little prequel was a quick, 20-minute listen for me, but a good start. Eased me into loads of drama, action and chaos—guess it’s aptly titled!
Will be reading on.
4 stars.
Audio:
Excellent! Smooth, pleasant voice, great performance and good overall sound quality.
Will be reading on.
4 stars.
Audio:
Excellent! Smooth, pleasant voice, great performance and good overall sound quality.
September 16, 2024
Great prequel. I'm invested and want to read this series. I got this free in a reading challenge. After I finish the challenge, I will be picking up this series. Cass finds herself out in the city when disaster strikes. She has to make it to her apartment and then on to safety. I can't wait to see how it turns out for her. Did I mention the Golden Retriever?
Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews