First and foremost I need to call out the cover art on this. I didn’t realize when I first started it just how much the imagery was going to ring true to the story – but the yield sign almost underwater, the one-story building up to its eaves and the 2-story building more than half flooded are all parts of the story. Along with the flotsam that comes along with a major flood. So, kudos to Hristo Kovatliev for this stellar artwork.
Second, I need to point out that I’ve been championing this series on my blog and in my interview with Paul Stokes (the audiobook reviewer) because it feels so original and incredibly unique. I thought that with the first two books. This third book has completely blown the other two out of the water (pardon my pun).
This might be one of the best non-apocalyptic apocalypse books I’ve ever read (I say that because it appears to have only affected New Orleans and not the rest of the world). Abrahams was able to portray a city in panic both outwardly and quietly. There were people who were riding out the storm and surviving with no issue, others who weren’t going to make it, and then there were the heroes. The ones who run into the fire (in this case swim into the water) to selflessly save others. One of the lines that stood out to me was:
“Freaking A, man… You were amazing. I didn’t think you had that in you. No offense. But…freaking A, man.”
…”Anybody would have done it.”
“Not true,” said the field producer. “I didn’t do it.”
“Me neither,” said the photographer.”
Abrahams also threw in something that was new to me for any of his books (and makes me really want him to write a technothriller once he’s done with The Alt Apocalypse). I can’t go too deep into it, but the scene(s) with the tech guy had me scratching my head and making wild assumptions and guesses.
Abrahams was able to portray the water and its depth (both actual depth and the amount that’s hidden just below the surface) in such a way that when a character would underwater (almost drowning or trying to save someone) I wouldn’t even think about it, but I would be holding my breath until they surfaced. It was an exhausting book (in such a good way). He kept throwing the characters into the water and hoping for the best.
I can say this without any hyperbole. This will be a book that will be hard to forget. Seriously, it was my favorite in the series and I’m pretty sure it’s going to get better from here.
If you’ve been on the fence about this series so far (first off, what’s wrong with you) and secondly – get it. You won’t regret it. I requested a review copy of this book – it has not affected my review in any way.