Yes.

See, this is exactly the kind of deep conversation that just keeps me coming back here....

Well, he didn't ask what anyone thought of it.

If he did I could have gone on at length how I thought it was one of the best novels ( never mind the "apocalyptic" tag) I had ever read...

Best, really? I did enjoy it, but I spent much of my time with the book being annoyed by the author's overriding instinct to not write about things actually happening. Significant portions of the book consisted of foreshadowing an event, writing up to the edge of that event, and then skipping ahead past it. For how many pages did he go on and on about "The Night of Blades an Stars", setting it up to be an epic dramatic event, and then when he finally gets there he skips directly from the moment before the lights go out to the next morning. I bet "The Night of Blades and Stars" was really cool. Epically cool, and full of action. I would have liked to read about it. He does that same basic thing over and over again. Describes in detail a night with a traveling group in which something *almost* happens but never does, and then a few pages later mentions in passing in a journal entry about a night in which there was plenty of action. It's like Justin Cronin is as terrified of writing direct action as Rob Liefeld is of drawing feet.

I kinda agree with ya, Miles.

 

At times the author really annoyed me. His lack of descriptions, especially of the Hulkish vampires, the main reasons for the apocalypse - was maddening at times.

 

But, overall, I did like it. The girl who didn't speak was a good character.

 

The new one comes out this summer. I will give it a try.

I think that was basically the whole point, focusing less on the big epic changes and more on the smaller personal ones.

I agree it was frustrating at points but I really enjoyed it.

Oh, I did enjoy the book quite a bit. And I suspect I will probably enjoy it even more in retrospect once the trilogy is complete. I have the distinct impression that many of blank areas will get filled in by the next two books.

But it still frustrated the heck out of me while I was reading it.

Now, how about this fairly new 1st of a books series in a post-apocalyptic world titled - Burn Down the Sky, by James Jaros.

 

Anybody read it? And if so, what did ya think?

 

I found it really good. Chock-full of action and zany characters, with a solid lead woman role. That's not normally done in a mostly traditionally male-oriented main hero character. I found it refreshing. Also the lead woman has a couple of daughters, the elder one becomes something of a badass, while the younger one is kidnapped and taken to a fortress by a religious fanatic.

 

Although some of the themes in this book have been used by others, namely Deathlands, Burn Down the Sky is still a solid read. If you like the genre - which, of course if you are a fan of this website you most likely are - then you should like, or even love, this first in a series.

The 2nd one comes out this summer.