Franklin Horton is a giant of the post-apocalyptic genre. His stories are conceivable, well-paced, and well-equalized between action and contemplation. Where some authors in this genre tend to overindulge in the ‘nightmares of survival with murdering convoys of marauders, cannibalism, and (the least believable) zombies’, Horton does not. He simply moves the apocalyptic event into the background and lets his characters deal with it. The post-apocalyptic world is not a plot device; it just is.

His main protagonists possess distinctive competency and grit. If you are a fan of rugged competency in a challenging landscape, you are likely a fan of Horton. Conner and Jim are flawed but heroic in the modern-day sense. That’s why I enjoy these books as I do. This one is a gift. The series of Mad Mick and the series of Jim Powell converge. We are able to view each character through the other’s eyes. We are given the story Horton has been teasing for some time. I’m not ashamed to say I got a little teary during the encounter.

I believe this one could be read as a stand-alone, but I would not. When I picked up “The Borrowed World” #1 (still my favorite of the series) I traveled along with Jim Powell and Gary on their long way home after the lights went out, engrossed in every page. I noticed the Mad Mick series when I needed to occupy myself between Borrowed World releases. I’m excited about what will come next.