Blog Archives
Flee
Tracy Myhre’s Flee picks up where the first book of the Haven series left off, and it doesn’t waste a single beat. The story follows Sadie Masters, a young Marine Reserve and librarian-in-training, as her bus journey to a family reunion turns into a desperate fight for survival after a nuclear catastrophe devastates Washington State. Interwoven with her storyline are the perspectives of others, family, friends, and strangers, all caught in the chaos that follows society’s collapse. Myhre builds a world where every decision feels like it could be someone’s last, and every relationship is tested by fear, loyalty, and grief. It’s a book about what we hold onto when everything else falls apart.
I found Myhre’s writing raw and alive. She doesn’t dress things up or linger on flowery descriptions. Instead, she cuts straight to the emotion of the moment. The dialogue feels natural, sometimes painfully so, like listening in on real conversations you wish you hadn’t overheard. Sadie’s voice especially stands out. It’s strong yet vulnerable, brave yet messy in all the right ways. The pacing is quick. Chapters snap forward like jolts, each one dragging you into another cliffhanger or gut punch. Some scenes, especially the violent or intimate ones, feel real. They left me breathless and a bit shaken. That’s not a complaint, though, it’s proof that Myhre knows exactly how to get under a reader’s skin.
What impressed me most was how the book handles survival and morality without getting preachy. It’s not about heroes or villains, it’s about people just trying to live through impossible choices. I loved the smaller human moments, like Sadie’s flashbacks to her mother, or the quiet fear in characters who’ve already lost too much. At times, I did wish the story would slow down and let those moments breathe a little longer, but maybe that tension is the point. In Myhre’s world, there’s no time to rest.
I’d recommend Flee to anyone who loves survival stories that make your heart race and your mind spin. It’s perfect for readers who enjoyed The Road or Station Eleven, but want something a bit more grounded in family and personal history. It’s emotional, dark, and real. I finished it feeling wrung out and strangely hopeful, the kind of book that doesn’t just tell a story, it makes you feel like you’ve lived through it too.
Pages: 386 | ASIN : B0FQ1H1WRH
Ultimum Judicium The Last Judgment
David Navarria’s novel, Ultimum Judicium: The Last Judgment, is a gripping narrative that reimagines the end times as a brutal reality. The book stands apart from typical sci-fi or doomsday stories by grounding it in a world spiraling toward Armageddon. The author meticulously builds this world over a span of more than two centuries, detailing how society collapsed due to humanity’s moral transgressions fueled by media, corruption, and the worship of evil.
The story begins over two hundred years after civilization has fallen, with no remnants left behind. In this lawless and chaotic world, a prophet chosen by God, Mochè, rises as the leader or “Manhig”. His mission is to guide God’s remaining followers on an odyssey to a place of redemption. The journey is a constant struggle against a world now dominated by savage, nonhuman beings and evil humans.
Mochè is the heart of the story. He’s portrayed as a formidable warrior and a priest who leads his people with a deep sense of love and devotion. The book delves into his inner turmoil, particularly the temptation he faces in his love for Zipporah, an intelligent and captivating woman he rescues from a life of slavery. Zipporah is depicted as a strong and influential partner to Mochè, helping to build their new society.
The novel is rich with a diverse cast of well-developed characters. The story shines in its depiction of the subtle and not-so-subtle romances that develop, with the love stories of Zipporah and Mochè, Eliza and Matthew, and Gabriela and Benjamin forming a strong emotional core. These relationships provide moments of tenderness and hope amid the pervasive brutality of their world. The book also introduces other key figures, such as Goliath, a kind-hearted giant who serves God, and Nikanyiso, a formidable Zulu warrior.
The author excels at creating a constantly changing and suspenseful storyline. The narrative features intense and exciting battles that showcase Mochè’s strategic brilliance. The writing style is both clear and eloquent, effectively conveying the horrors of this fallen world while also capturing moments of profound beauty and spiritual reflection. The subtle yet powerful ways in which characters are introduced, alongside the detailed and vivid battle descriptions, contribute to a truly immersive reading experience.
Ultimum Judicium is a compelling and thought-provoking novel that subverts typical genre expectations. It is a story of love, faith, and resilience that navigates the complex and often brutal realities of a world on the brink of its final judgment.
Pages: 348 | ASIN : B0FL4K6K6M
Inhuman Intentions
The story follows Aaron White, a nephilim captain who leads an elite unit, S-0, across the hostile frontiers where monsters called nightmares roam and kill without mercy. It begins with a tense hunt in the wastes and quickly escalates into battles in ruined towns, desperate clashes with abominations, and the pursuit of Silas, a treacherous vampire who revels in carnage. Beneath the action, the book wrestles with questions of humanity, loyalty, and survival in a world where the line between man and monster is paper-thin.
The writing is sharp, violent, and unflinching. The creatures are described in grotesque detail, and the combat scenes are fast and vivid. At times, I found myself pausing, just to breathe after the chaos on the page. It’s rare for a book to push me into that kind of rhythm. The prose leaned into the gothic, almost theatrical at times, and it made the atmosphere all the more vivid and unforgettable.
What really worked was Aaron himself. He is powerful yet burdened, a man feared for what he is and respected for what he does. His struggle with identity gave weight to the story, and his exchanges with Durham and Dalton often made me smile, grim as they were. The people they saved, or failed to, gave the book a relatable core. The relentless pace kept the tension high, and the constant push from one storm to the next made the world feel dangerous and alive.
Inhuman Intentions is for readers who want dark fantasy that does not hold back, who enjoy worlds where morality is murky and survival is fragile. If you like stories with squads of hardened soldiers, grotesque monsters, and heroes who are not quite human, this book will grip you and not let go.
Pages: 232 | ASIN : B0FLZ2987N
AFTER THE BEFORE: A Post-Apocalyptic Novel
After the Before is a gritty, post-apocalyptic journey that follows Sophie and Markus, a pair of scavengers navigating the ruins of a collapsed world known only by the mythic shadow of “The Before.” When they uncover a mysterious box during a routine dig, their discovery sets them on a harrowing trip to the City, accompanied by the enigmatic Jen and the quiet, foreboding Barth. Along the way, they encounter religious fanatics, deadly mechanical beings called A-Eye, and a stark landscape filled with craters and threats. The book weaves together themes of survival, memory, trust, and the search for truth in a fractured future.
I found myself pulled in by the writing right from the first chapter. Gammage has a way of crafting scenes that feel raw and alive. The world is bleak, but there’s something beautiful in how it’s described, grimy yet human, desperate but never hopeless. The dialogue is clean and believable, with just enough punch to feel natural. The pacing struck a good rhythm, alternating between tense action and slower, character-driven moments. I especially liked how Gammage peeled back layers of history and emotion without ever dumping too much at once. The whole story feels personal, even as it tackles big, almost mythic ideas about civilization, memory, and identity.
But what really got to me were the relationships. Sophie and Markus have this bond that’s never overly defined, and that ambiguity felt real. I also appreciated Jen’s quiet strength and Barth’s silent loyalty, which made his eventual speech hit even harder. Luther felt a little too on-the-nose as a symbol of corrupted faith, and sometimes the A-Eye threat drifted into the background when I wished it had more weight. I kept waiting for the machines to play a bigger role. Still, the story never lost my interest, and even the quieter stretches had a kind of anxious tension that kept me turning pages.
After the Before left me thinking about where we’re headed and what we choose to remember. It’s not a flashy book, but it doesn’t need to be. It’s thoughtful and full of grit. I’d recommend it to anyone who likes post-collapse fiction that isn’t just about survival but about what it means to live with a past you barely understand. Fans of Station Eleven or The Road will feel right at home here.
Pages: 236 | ASIN : B0F8F25BN3
Forever, Cedar Key
Forever, Cedar Key is a post-apocalyptic tale grounded in the small coastal town of Cedar Key, Florida, after a catastrophic nuclear event. It picks up after the events of Bobbitt’s earlier novel, Godspeed, Cedar Key, following a close-knit community that clings to survival and tradition in a crumbling world. The story centers on the return of the Colonel, an aging Marine pilot who has flown a dangerous mission to scout what remains of the outside world. His crash landing stirs up the fragile peace of a town rebuilt on hope, shrimp boils, and stubbornness. The book weaves together themes of love, loyalty, and what it means to fight for something that matters, all told through the lives of the residents who refuse to let their home slip into history.
The writing is raw, earnest, and deeply human. Bobbitt doesn’t pretty things up. He writes like someone who has felt loss in his bones and joy in the quiet moments between chaos. There’s something magnetic in the way he captures the rhythm of life on a broken island—tides still rising and falling, people still falling in love. The prose dances between lyrical and plainspoken. It’s a book that doesn’t try to impress with big vocabulary or flashy metaphors. Instead, it punches you in the gut with a well-placed line or a tender silence. I found myself slowing down to savor certain passages, then speeding up in anxious anticipation when tension crept in like a thunderstorm.
The ideas in the book are as weighty as they are timely. Bobbitt has something to say about leadership, community, and what we’re left with when the world we know falls apart. What struck me most was how the town of Cedar Key, while fictionalized, felt so real—like a place I could drive to, where I might meet someone like Luke or Kinsey or the Colonel at the pier. It’s clear Bobbitt loves this town and its people. And that love is infectious. The story also made me think about how fragile our comfort really is, and how grit and grace often rise up in the ruins.
Forever, Cedar Key is for readers who want more than action or spectacle in their end-of-the-world stories. This one’s for folks who care about characters, who enjoy sitting with hard questions, and who understand that healing is just as important as surviving. I’d recommend it to anyone who has ever felt rooted to a place, or who needs a reminder that even after the smoke clears, life has a way of blooming again.
Pages: 269 | ASIN : B0F5BQTMVX
Sanctuary of the DarkLight
Sanctuary of the Darklight, the third installment in Eric B’s Night Crusaders series, picks up two years after a cataclysmic alien invasion of Draeghan, a province now led by a group known as Fight for Right. Under their rule, Draegahr City thrives, but a cloud of mistrust hangs over the province. The citizens grow increasingly suspicious as Fight for Right monopolizes the alien technology left behind after the invasion, refusing to share its secrets. Early in the book, we meet ROID, a mysterious figure, and the Night Crusaders, a team of half-alien superheroes who oppose the menacing Darklight. This dynamic immediately sets the stage for an engrossing and unpredictable narrative, as these characters clash in a world shaped by alien remnants and political intrigue.
The first chapter hooked me with a sharply written dialogue between Greg and Darius. I found Darius infuriating, likely by design, with his oversized ego and smarmy charm. He’s clearly meant to evoke strong reactions, and in my case, he succeeded. Meanwhile, Greg stood out as a far more complex character. When he dismissed psychology as “witchcraft,” I couldn’t help but laugh, though I also felt an immediate sense of pity for him, a feeling that deepened as the story unfolded. I especially loved the diary-style structure of the book, with references to specific dates and seasons grounding the narrative. It provides a rich historical context for Draeghan, offering readers the second half of the province’s tumultuous history.
Eric B exceeded my expectations with his well-crafted storytelling and world-building. That said, the erotic scenes’ abruptness disrupted the flow, leaving them feeling less polished compared to the rest of the narrative. Aside from that, the novel is packed with everything a fan of dystopian fantasy could want, dragons, demons, wizards, and a web of deception where different factions vie for control.
Sanctuary of the Darklight delivers an immersive, action-packed addition to the Night Crusaders series, blending elements of science fiction, fantasy, and dystopian intrigue with compelling characters and rich world-building. The novel excels in its ability to captivate readers with its unpredictable plot, complex moral conflicts, and a future that feels both fantastical and unsettlingly relatable. Eric B’s storytelling left me eager for more.
Pages: 277 | ASIN : B0CLLCSLYD
LITERARY TITAN 