At first, I thought Mad World would beat Cruel World in the action scenes and apocalyptic descriptions which still stick in my mind after reading it a month and a half ago. And it was like that until something happened, which made me reconsider my decision and embrace Cruel World without further doubts.
As the book description says, Cruel World is a story of Ryder on one side, injured and escaping the chains of the Syndicate of Truth as he struggles to reunite with his daughter Marin and wife Amy who are living a good life on a casino boat sailing down the Potomac River while figuring out the way to get back to their father and husband. This is the core around which young indie author, Michael Evans, with the skills of a seasoned writer builds the second novel in his brand-new, World Gone Mad series.
It is also a story in which each protagonist faces themselves and under a pressure of survival goes through metamorphosis, showing their true colors. But I will say no more. I will only summarize my impressions in the following sentences, hoping many readers will download this book or order its paperback and enjoy it as much as I enjoyed reading my advance review copy.
While members of a family torn apart by apocalypse are looking for a way to get back together and survive in the world overnight gone mad, the smells of destruction, burning, misery, confusion, and fear seep from the pages of this excellent novel. And poppy flowers. The field of poppy flowers. So surreal, calming, and the stark contrast to the destroyed world in which every undesired human being shall part with their life. Like a blooming announcement of the unexpected family reunion which will set a new direction and dimension for the story to take us. Cinematic, exciting, capturing. Cruel World is a real post-apocalyptic treat.
BJ
My review of Mad World.
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