Is it a comet or is it aliens?

I love reading post-apocalyptic books and enjoy those that have a unique twist to them. And, this one definitely had a different twist! The world is bracing for impact with Zabat’s Comet, which is supposed to hit around the Seattle area and wipe out the human race. The author shows how several people are approaching this event. Without giving away the story, let’s just say that hedonism is raging, crimes that can never be punished are being committed and people are preparing their own deaths before the comet hits.

But, then things change and people don’t die with the impact. Instead, a thick yellow dust covers everything and kills those who are exposed to it. This book follows several people in the aftermath. You have a grieving father, an alcoholic scientist who is called upon to figure things out, a drug addict, a therapist, and a couple with two young girls. You have the obligatory Raiders, the trying-to-be helpful government/Army, a FEMA camp from Hell, and the need to find a safe place to stay with food and water.

I think my main problem with this book was that there were so many characters that were somehow connected that were introduced at a fast pace. Then, there was the too naive to be believed woman that trusts everybody and another who is one of the most unlikable and horrid characters that I had read in a long, long time. There were some interesting aspects to the book and those were the most enjoyable parts to me. Maybe I have read too many books in this genre, but I kept being reminded of others that did the same type of story so much better.

The narrator, Andrew Wehrlen, is one of my favorites and kept me listening to this otherwise unremarkable book. The book ended with an obvious nod to sequels, but I’m not sure that I care enough about any of the characters to continue the series. I was given the chance to listen to this audiobook by the author/narrator/publisher and chose to review it.