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Outlanders #1
Exile to Hell
AFTER JUDGMENT DAYAmerica had barely survived the nuclear holocaust but two centuries later a new order emerges to inflict its rule on the fortified cities. Beyond the walls are the Outlands, where a fragile freedom remains.Once a fearsome warrior of the new order, Kane discovers a secret that has damned humanity since the dawn of history. Now banished as an enemy of the state, he joins forces with Brigid Baptiste, keeper of the archives, and Grant, brother-in-arms and innovative weapons specialist.In the place that was once called New Mexico, Kane finds the first hidden clues to humanity's future.Coming to grips with the shocking truth behind the new reality...
352 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published June 1, 1997
27 people are currently reading
314 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
June 22, 2014
3.5 Stars
After being on a special ops mission that was off the books, Kane gets suspicious of his superior's motives and has some evidence sent over to Brigid who is a historian and so much more. Unbeknownst to him and his partner, Grant, Kane has just endangered all of their lives.
They are being watched and now the "government" thinks they know too much and must be silenced for the future of the new human race hangs in the balance.
When I start a new author it always takes me a few chapter to really get into the story and to gel with the writer's style.
It took a little while for me to figure out the terminology for some reason. After my initial confusion, the story started to flow and the action picked up.
Living in a compound of sorts after a nuclear holocaust decimated America creating inhospitable lands and mutant humans, Kane and friends are taught to do their job and not to ask questions so, the things that happen to them really knock them off balance and it's nice to see them struggle and act human instead of the robots that I thought they were at the beginning of the book.
I don't want to spoil anything. I don't see that many reviews, but the nuclear issues, although eluded to be man-made, may not have happened naturally.
Kane and friends are now on the run, trying to figure out just what their place is as Outlanders now that they've been exiled.
I ordered the next book and there are plenty more so I hope it will be just as satisfying.
After being on a special ops mission that was off the books, Kane gets suspicious of his superior's motives and has some evidence sent over to Brigid who is a historian and so much more. Unbeknownst to him and his partner, Grant, Kane has just endangered all of their lives.
They are being watched and now the "government" thinks they know too much and must be silenced for the future of the new human race hangs in the balance.
When I start a new author it always takes me a few chapter to really get into the story and to gel with the writer's style.
It took a little while for me to figure out the terminology for some reason. After my initial confusion, the story started to flow and the action picked up.
Living in a compound of sorts after a nuclear holocaust decimated America creating inhospitable lands and mutant humans, Kane and friends are taught to do their job and not to ask questions so, the things that happen to them really knock them off balance and it's nice to see them struggle and act human instead of the robots that I thought they were at the beginning of the book.
I don't want to spoil anything. I don't see that many reviews, but the nuclear issues, although eluded to be man-made, may not have happened naturally.
Kane and friends are now on the run, trying to figure out just what their place is as Outlanders now that they've been exiled.
I ordered the next book and there are plenty more so I hope it will be just as satisfying.
March 3, 2020
In the far, far future of 2001...
I went in expecting Mad Max and ended up with a weird mashup of The Matrix and Stargate that didn't quite do it for me, both in plot and writing.
I went in expecting Mad Max and ended up with a weird mashup of The Matrix and Stargate that didn't quite do it for me, both in plot and writing.
October 22, 2014
So I had this friend of mine suggest me this book called Outlander (or something like it) that was apparently some kind of romance mixed with time travel to old ireland/scotland (can't remember) and she warned me about a gay-sex scene somewhere near the end. Not my genre but I'm not above trying stuff outside my comfort zone of uncomfortable Fantasy/sci-fi/dystopian stuff. Since this book is utterly void of sex scenes of any kind, has nothing to do with either odd sub-section of the UK and I do not count probability manipulation as time-travel I think I might have read the wrong book. Just my rotten luck.
This only gets 2 stars because of a whole list of reasons, most of which are my personal pet-peeves and this reads so much like a secret love child of Judge Dredd and Equilibrium that I raised my eyebrows every half page or so. Not because it was not the book I expected. Actually, it gets bonus points for not being expected, points who are immediately distracted for being the most predictable junk I've read all year. The whole thing is riddled with weird ass plot points and science that is so far wrong that I could hear every biologist moan in pain by an sudden unexplained headache just by coming within a 3 mile radius of this book. (That is not how genetics or radiation works, James, it would have taken you 30 minutes to Google that information) The biggest offender though, by far, is the Albino girl driving a car, through a dessert, in broad daylight. I know albino girls are all cool and what not but they are also basically half blind, particularly when the sun is shining. I know some other people have tried making them drive cars though ice palaces (I'm looking at you 007) but that doesn't mean you should follow suit. Albino's have especially bad eyesight, particularly in bright light so she'd be squinting and hitting rocks most of the time while driving through the dessert. Second, an albino's eyes aren't red, they are often very pale blue or grey and only show up pinkish in certain lights. (and again something that a simple Google search could tell you in staggering detail). I'm also at quite a loss what the Humen-Alien hybrids are good for? They certainly didn't hold out in a fight and they didn't seem to be overly smart either. You know, by utterly relying on their sonic screwdrivers and not locking the arrival gateway room after the first set of people went through it. There is more, way more, but since no one ever reads these things I'll just stop here. So, yeah, 2 stars, because I'm a somewhat nice person.
This only gets 2 stars because of a whole list of reasons, most of which are my personal pet-peeves and this reads so much like a secret love child of Judge Dredd and Equilibrium that I raised my eyebrows every half page or so. Not because it was not the book I expected. Actually, it gets bonus points for not being expected, points who are immediately distracted for being the most predictable junk I've read all year. The whole thing is riddled with weird ass plot points and science that is so far wrong that I could hear every biologist moan in pain by an sudden unexplained headache just by coming within a 3 mile radius of this book. (That is not how genetics or radiation works, James, it would have taken you 30 minutes to Google that information) The biggest offender though, by far, is the Albino girl driving a car, through a dessert, in broad daylight. I know albino girls are all cool and what not but they are also basically half blind, particularly when the sun is shining. I know some other people have tried making them drive cars though ice palaces (I'm looking at you 007) but that doesn't mean you should follow suit. Albino's have especially bad eyesight, particularly in bright light so she'd be squinting and hitting rocks most of the time while driving through the dessert. Second, an albino's eyes aren't red, they are often very pale blue or grey and only show up pinkish in certain lights. (and again something that a simple Google search could tell you in staggering detail). I'm also at quite a loss what the Humen-Alien hybrids are good for? They certainly didn't hold out in a fight and they didn't seem to be overly smart either. You know, by utterly relying on their sonic screwdrivers and not locking the arrival gateway room after the first set of people went through it. There is more, way more, but since no one ever reads these things I'll just stop here. So, yeah, 2 stars, because I'm a somewhat nice person.
April 9, 2010
For those of you that have read the Deathlands series, or a good porpotion of them, you will love Outlanders, especically if you were wondering more about 'The Totality Concept' The history of the Redoubts and why the Neuclear Acoplyse happened. Set 200 years after the skydark, 9 Villes have unified to controll the deathlands with an iron fist. Kane and Grant two enforcers known as magistrates and an archivist stumble into a secret that threatens all they have known and that all that have known was a lie, and to know the truth means certain death. The devastating truth behind the Nukecaust and about The Totality Concept and all it stands for.
October 29, 2017
A great start to James Axler's new series.
January 3, 2026
Well, after almost 30 years of avoiding reading the Outlanders series in defence of my beloved Deathlands, I have to say I’m both happy and disappointed I never did read them. Happy because now I have a huge series of incredible pulp sci fi/action books to read; disappointed because I never got into the series years ago to experience the masterful storytelling of Mark Ellis.
Ellis never intended this series to be a continuation of the Deathlands, it was an idea for a standalone series for gold eagle books. They decided to tie it into Deathlands after, but it only worked to its benefit.
The series takes place 100 years after the events of Deathlands, and features a new group of protagonists who have now formed together into the nine Baronies, with the outlands being an uncivilized dangerous place outside the boundaries of each of the new villes.
This is the set up for what becomes one of the most interesting concepts in any pulp, sci-fi action books I’ve ever read. Alien hybrids, ancient genetic experiments on humans, and the new world order causing the nuclear war are all basis for this incredible first book.
Besides expanding the lore of the Deathlands, with a few nods to those now legendary characters from that series; this novel brings together several ideas that seem to follow the current Zeitgeist of reality today.
The characters are well written, the action is visceral 90s super gore, and all of it is embedded within the high concept ideas that humanity has been guided by an alien hand for thousands of years and are now poised to take total control of our planet, which they consider to be theirs.
The story arc of Kane, Grant and Brigid is well explored, showing how even the Magistrates, which are the sec men of the new Outland, can break their conditioning when faced with the horrible truth of reality.
Lots of secrets to be found in this incredible series, most of which is guided by the excellent hand of Mark Ellis, known for writing several comic book series. You can tell this is his true labour of love, and it exceeds heads and tales above most of the pulp books of this era. Where the Deathlands series was more concerned with action and not really exploring too much lore of the ruined world, Outlanders uses the violence and action to serve the incredible background story Ellis has fashioned. I would go so far as to say this series enhances the old Deathlands books with its expanded lore.
A great first entry into this series. Looking forward to reading the next 20 or 30 novels!
Ellis never intended this series to be a continuation of the Deathlands, it was an idea for a standalone series for gold eagle books. They decided to tie it into Deathlands after, but it only worked to its benefit.
The series takes place 100 years after the events of Deathlands, and features a new group of protagonists who have now formed together into the nine Baronies, with the outlands being an uncivilized dangerous place outside the boundaries of each of the new villes.
This is the set up for what becomes one of the most interesting concepts in any pulp, sci-fi action books I’ve ever read. Alien hybrids, ancient genetic experiments on humans, and the new world order causing the nuclear war are all basis for this incredible first book.
Besides expanding the lore of the Deathlands, with a few nods to those now legendary characters from that series; this novel brings together several ideas that seem to follow the current Zeitgeist of reality today.
The characters are well written, the action is visceral 90s super gore, and all of it is embedded within the high concept ideas that humanity has been guided by an alien hand for thousands of years and are now poised to take total control of our planet, which they consider to be theirs.
The story arc of Kane, Grant and Brigid is well explored, showing how even the Magistrates, which are the sec men of the new Outland, can break their conditioning when faced with the horrible truth of reality.
Lots of secrets to be found in this incredible series, most of which is guided by the excellent hand of Mark Ellis, known for writing several comic book series. You can tell this is his true labour of love, and it exceeds heads and tales above most of the pulp books of this era. Where the Deathlands series was more concerned with action and not really exploring too much lore of the ruined world, Outlanders uses the violence and action to serve the incredible background story Ellis has fashioned. I would go so far as to say this series enhances the old Deathlands books with its expanded lore.
A great first entry into this series. Looking forward to reading the next 20 or 30 novels!
August 14, 2021
Decided that if I waited until I finished (or even caught up with) the Deathlands series until I started this spinoff, I'd never get to it. So, this is set some couple of hundred years after the Deathland series. Things have settled down somewhat weather / geology-wise, and Ryan and his group have passed into legend (though so far, no specific legends, so no worries about "spoilers" - well, there's mention of one character I haven't met yet, but *shrug*). Though the denizens of Deathlands were too busy trying to survive to worry about what happened to cause the holocaust, now we start to get some answers. I'm not sure I like them, but I can deal with that. Somewhat more problematic for me are the main characters. They pretty much replicated the Crowder group in terms of number and archetype, but these are... Well, compared to the originals, they kinda milk-toast. But we'll see. I'll give them another volume or two to come into their own before I make a final judgement.
January 25, 2022
This for Jenny - You did indeed read the wrong book. The one referred to for you was Dianna
Galbaldens "Outlanders" a 10 book set that is the best I have ever read. So interesting, fun sexy and more, oh and also some gay sex scenes, just for you.
for everyone else, I am in the wrong place as well, have not read THIS Outlanders. but am on the second time around for the one in Scotland with the gay sex scene. To be truthful however it was more gay rape than gay sex. but a very small part of the book.
Galbaldens "Outlanders" a 10 book set that is the best I have ever read. So interesting, fun sexy and more, oh and also some gay sex scenes, just for you.
for everyone else, I am in the wrong place as well, have not read THIS Outlanders. but am on the second time around for the one in Scotland with the gay sex scene. To be truthful however it was more gay rape than gay sex. but a very small part of the book.
August 4, 2019
There were a few places where plot points were telegraphed or predictable. Still and all, an enjoyable listen
August 26, 2021
It was ok, almost quit. A lot of action. A lot of describing guns which is weird since this is 200 years in the future after a civilization collapse and shouldn't be just abundantly available.
Read
August 27, 2021Couldn't finish, very much like Deathlands and just not interested even though I really think post apocalyptic could be good.
February 18, 2024
3.75 🌟
There is a lot of action in the book and the character's are very interesting, Kane, Grant, Brigid & Domi the heroes are excellent and the bad guys are great to.
There is a lot of action in the book and the character's are very interesting, Kane, Grant, Brigid & Domi the heroes are excellent and the bad guys are great to.
October 6, 2020
I gave this a second chance and it was average, but fun.
September 15, 2014
This titles' series follows the Deathlands by the same artist. I haven't completed that series so I am Jumping Back and Forth in the series. This title introduces you the the primary characters of the series. The Enemy is the Law that is controlled by Barons I.E. THE ALIENS. The Good Guys are Outlanders no Protection no home.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 25, 2010
The first book in a ground breaking series. It seamlessly incorporates myths, legends and paranormal elements into an amazing adventure series.
September 28, 2012
Coulda been good, but I'm allergic to plot lines that are strung out over a series, so, not gonna read any more of these.
January 16, 2015
I read all of the Outlanders up to year 2012 or so. I really enjoyed them, so it comes as no surprise that I really enjoyed this book. Aliens? Dulce? More please!
February 26, 2016
Set in the same world as the Deathlands series. These books follow another set of adventures in the post holocaust world. Good men's adventures series. Recommended
Read
May 13, 2016Sci-fi, not surprising but nice story telling.
April 3, 2015
My First Axler book. What a Great book this was! I am eager tp read the second one.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews