Apocalypse Machine

By: Jeremy Robinson

Narrated by: Jeffrey Kafer

Length: 10 hrs and 18 mins

Publisher's Summary

The human race started the sixth mass extinction on Earth.

A chain of subglacial volcanoes erupt in Iceland. The melting ice floods the countryside. Poisonous gas descends on Scotland. A tsunami devastates the Norwegian coastline. An ash cloud rises into the atmosphere, blotting out the sun across Europe, ushering in a new Ice Age. Dozens of nuclear power plants, flooded by ocean water, experience meltdowns. Millions perish. Many more are displaced. All on the first day.

On the second day, a series of earthquakes moving in a straight line, reveal the presence of something massive walking across the landscape. Concealed by a thick, radioactive ash cloud, the 'aberration' heads west, toward Russia.

Abraham Wright, a science writer for Modern Scientist, who wants nothing more than to be reunited with his family, finds himself at the center of the United States' response to the crisis. Under his new title as Assistant Science Advisor to the President, Wright is sent to Europe with a team of Army Rangers, where he uncovers the truth about the ancient behemoth laying waste to the world: there have been five mass extinctions on planet Earth, and the aberration has been present at each.

On the third day, the world fights back.

And loses.

Separated from his family by continents and oceans ravaged by countless disasters and populated by strange new life, Wright struggles to survive in an evolving world. Hoping to uncover the key to mankind's redemption, he fights for answers, and to reach his loved ones - before the human race's extinction.

The Apocalypse Machine will finish it.

Jeremy Robinson returns to the Kaiju thriller genre he popularized with the largest Kaiju to ever appear in fiction: the Apocalypse Machine. Bursting with all the epic action, desperate struggle and complex characters that listeners have come to expect, Robinson takes the world to the brink.

©2016 Jeremy Robinson (P)2016 Jeremy Robinson

Totally engrossing story

You know you've got a good book when it's nearly impossible to take a break from listening to the story - or when you can't stop thinking about it when doing something else. I found this world that Robinson created to be incredible. Love the characters and the way the book was set up - a mix of first person (which I normally shy way from) and third person points of view. Just incredible story telling and Kafer is one of my favorite narrators. Brilliant.

Not my favourite.

I'm a big fan of this author, but this book just didn't work for me. It felt too disjointed!!

The plot was slow to really get going, and when it did it took an extra little while to get into because years have passed and we get introduced to way too many other characters that we have to try to connect with too. We start with Abraham and some volcanologists checking out a dormant volcano that seems to be showing some activity. His guide steps on a spike of some sort and Abraham tries to get a sample, but once he touches it, he gets images of a giant machine destroying the world. This machine has been woken to cleanse the earth because the humans have destroyed it. From there we get snippets of different peoples lives and what happens the world as the machine advances. It's up to Abraham to figure out how to stop the machine.

That's basically the first half of the book, then we get to the second half and it's jumped 15 years (I think). Again we see snippets of life from different characters about how life is now. The machine is still going, still destroying, which I found odd because you would think that after years, it would have cleansed the world!! Anyway, enter Abraham, he's survived and determined to see if he's family has too. He also needs to stop the machine!!

Personally, I felt the flow of the plot was disjointed and I didn't like it. I think there were too many characters to fully connect with, and not many of them were really likable to me, and I don't know why! The author fleshed them out fine....there was just something missing. Plus the way it was told wasn't my style either, we get first person present tense, then some third person past tense thrown in, it didn't work for me.

In all, I still think this author is amazing and I'll read everything he writes, but not every book is for every reader, and this was not my favourite one by him.

Jeffrey Kafer is one of my favourite narrators. He always delivers a great performance, is easy to listen to and reads well. I just felt that with all the characters, some sounded too alike to tell apart. I also found that he didn't bring the atmosphere to life like he usually does. Still a great performance though!

Great Apocalyptic Story. Interesting Kaiju

The Apocalypse Machine was an amazing story. The plot was more a warning than fiction for mankind to change their ways. The Kaiju monster was very different that any others I have read or seen, in that it has no desire to kill or destroy, it does so as its duty without remorse or care. Very apathetic to its destruction. This is very much a character driven story with the tell of the end of mankind being told through the eyes and voices of several main and, in some cases, not main characters. Survival after the end is harsh and it is laid out here with passion, but also with scientific accuracy.
I would highly, and have already, recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good read/listen.

Not his best work unfortunately.

I'm a big fan of Jeremy Robinson, but not this book. it was filled with too many characters I didn't care about, and too many one shot characters that didn't move the story along. I was so bored by the last couple hours that I just wanted it to end. I wish I could recommend it, but I just can't.

A Godzilla Environmentalist Retelling of Genesis

What did you love best about Apocalypse Machine?

It was written well, and performed expertly.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

The modern retelling of the life of Abraham, where Godzilla is God is likely to turn off anyone who respects the historical Abraham of the Hebrew Scriptures. I'm sure the new atheists will love the alien nature of the origin of life on Earth

What about Jeffrey Kafer’s performance did you like?

Excellent narration.

Any additional comments?

Not my favorite kind of book.

“This audiobook was given by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review via Audiobook Boom.”

Not Robinson's best

I'll take a Kaiju story anytime. Even a mediocre one. Safer seemed rushed. Overall not a bad use of a crexit.

Great reading.

I have found a new genre in Jeremy Robinson. I love his characters and topics. Keep writing and I will keep reading.

Loved it

Jeremy Robinson is a master at writing compelling story’s with creative monsters and a healthy dose of action
Once again Excellent narration from Jeffrey Kafer they make a great team
if you enjoyed this I also highly recommend flux
I received a free review audiobook and voluntarily left this review

Excellent

Great twist and story line, apocalypse narrater is well done and keep you guessing what will happen next.

Kaiju, Kaiju and more Kaiju, oh my!

As a group of scientists study a volcano in Iceland, they make a discovery that spells doom for mankind. As a Kaiju that would give Godzill a massive inferiority complex rises up to the sky, they run for their lives, and the months and years that follow show the battle mankind faces to survive an extintion level event, namely a Kaiju that has caused massive die offs throughout the planets history. Great writing and characters, a fast paced story that has you waiting to see what comes next are key points. The only issue I had with it was the complete harping on the climate change thing. Wow, does the author beat you over the head with it, as if its completely settled, and no questions remain, even though some of his own writing in the story show climate has been cyclical throughout history. Other than the complete overhammering of that point, which to me was pointless preaching, a cheap plot device for the Kaiju's existence and the weird "marriage" arrangement of the main character, the book had lots of great points that make it readable. Jeffrey Kafer, as always, really nails the characters and makes the story narration flow smoothly. If you like Jeremy's other Kaiju books, you'll enjoy this one.

I was given a copy of this book by the narrator free of charge in return for an honest review through Audiobook Boom.

Not my favourite!

Any additional comments?

I'm a big fan of this author, but this book just didn't work for me. It felt too disjointed!!

The plot was slow to really get going, and when it did it took an extra little while to get into because years have passed and we get introduced to way too many other characters that we have to try to connect with too. We start with Abraham and some volcanologists checking out a dormant volcano that seems to be showing some activity. His guide steps on a spike of some sort and Abraham tries to get a sample, but once he touches it, he gets images of a giant machine destroying the world. This machine has been woken to cleanse the earth because the humans have destroyed it. From there we get snippets of different peoples lives and what happens the world as the machine advances. It's up to Abraham to figure out how to stop the machine.

That's basically the first half of the book, then we get to the second half and it's jumped 15 years (I think). Again we see snippets of life from different characters about how life is now. The machine is still going, still destroying, which I found odd because you would think that after years, it would have cleansed the world!! Anyway, enter Abraham, he's survived and determined to see if he's family has too. He also needs to stop the machine!!

Personally, I felt the flow of the plot was disjointed and I didn't like it. I think there were too many characters to fully connect with, and not many of them were really likable to me, and I don't know why! The author fleshed them out fine....there was just something missing. Plus the way it was told wasn't my style either, we get first person present tense, then some third person past tense thrown in, it didn't work for me.

In all, I still think this author is amazing and I'll read everything he writes, but not every book is for every reader, and this was not my favourite one by him.

Jeffrey Kafer is one of my favourite narrators. He always delivers a great performance, is easy to listen to and reads well. I just felt that with all the characters, some sounded too alike to tell apart. I also found that he didn't bring the atmosphere to life like he usually does. Still a great performance though!

Absolutely awful

Story did not flow well at all. It was jumpy and disjointed and read like it was written by someone in high school not a serious author. Halfway through the book jumps to the future which in itself is fine...but then it jumps to random people with no reasoning clear behind it. The narrator is even worse. Every line is read like a newsreader. Where it starts normal and talk talk talk and then dips low
....every time! It was irritating to listen to. Absolute waste of a credit. Really annoyed also that I can't seem to be able to return it either. Bad bad bad don't waste your time

“Yeah though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will kick evil straight in the f**king nuts”

Great story and well written. I like the way the story moved some years later as the story progressed.
Jeffrey does a brilliant job with narration too just like every other book I’ve heard him narrate. If he’s narrating, it’s worth listening too!
Definitely hoping there’s more to come in the future from this pairing.
This is my honest opinion on a free review copy.

Imaginative

I found the premise of the book a little hard to buy into at first. But I found the second part of the book more enjoyable. Overall an enjoyable listen.

wow! original apocalypse tale!

This book was full of surprises! It was a great ride from beginning to end. Starting off in Iceland, it looks like a group of scientists are caught in the middle of a major volcanic event. As they flee for their lives, Abe thinks he might have seen something odd, large, and impossible. But he doesn’t have time to mull is over as he and others scramble to get out of the path of disaster. Woo! I had to catch my breath after just the first 20 minutes of the book. Already, we got a sizable body count and it looks like the world will no longer be the same.

Then Abe gives some key info to the US President. In exchange for his family’s safety, he’s willing to go back out in the field. I loved Abe’s family. He and his wife Mina tried hard and long to have a child and when that didn’t happen, their relationship started to fall apart. That’s when Abe met another woman (Belle), and after a brief relationship, he learned that both ladies were pregnant. The awesomeness is that they made it work – all 3 adults living together raising two sons, Ike and Ishah.

Back in the field, Abe is with a highly trained and skilled group of soldiers. They plan to investigate the ‘aberration’ more closely, but things go horribly wrong. Pretty soon, it’s just Abe and Graham, one of the soldiers. Together, they manage to stay alive but they are separated from government and family.

Take another breath, because the action continues! One thing leads to another and then Mayer joins the small team in survival. This aberration walks the planet, going from one natural disaster to another, setting them off. Pretty soon, there isn’t any place on Earth that hasn’t been affected. The story leaps ahead several years by giving us a peek at how others around the world have survived one calamity after another.

The tale brings up a lot of great questions about mass extinctions and new species suddenly popping up in the fossil record without a clear evolutionary line. I love how a lot of people pulled together to survive, as well as learning to live with (or at least avoid) some of these new species (many of which are deadly).

Meanwhile, Abe is still dead set on finding his family. Mayer and Graham have nothing better to do, so all three make a life and a quest of it. Abe learns weapons and fighting, but he also shares his scientific knowledge and just as often keeps the three of them safe. I loved this one particular scene where he first meets the new US President. All that physical activity, training, and fighting has changed Abe, and for the better.

The one element that was a little jolting for me were Abe’s visions. These happened whenever he was in physical contact with the aberration and give him vague hints about the nature of the aberration. Even as the main plot wraps up fantastically with plenty of action, emotionally moving scenes, and sacrifice, these visions leave plenty of unanswered questions on the table. 4.5/5 stars.

The Narration: Jeffrey Kafer is always a joy to listen to. He gives a great performance with Abe’s voice, sounding all nerdy. He also makes a great US Army Ranger (Graham) and a deadly Israeli Mossad agent (Mayer). Kafer did a great job with Abe’s many and varied emotions throughout the book. His female voices were believable and his foreign accents were well done. There were no tech issues with the recording. 5/5 stars.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are 100% my own.

Hold on and shut up.

Humanity has brought the world to the brink of destruction. Time to wipe the slate clean and start again. The first part of this book is superb - exciting, terrifying as tsunami and volcanic eruption sweep millions to near instant death, a good introduction to the main character, and mysterious glimpses to engage the immagination. The crescendo is rising loud and fast - and then there's a leap forward in years, which, though still action filled, just didn't make sense other than to fill what, to this reader, felt like an unnecessary Abraham and Isaac biblical symbolism. Was that really necessary? Or was it, even, the main point of the book? Sorry, don't know. But the time lag seemed to take away the previously are inspiring threat...

Or perhaps I just read it wrongly.

Narration was by the excellent Jeffrey Kafer, whose reading never disappoits. Always giving full commitment to the story and voicing the protagonists individua!ly, even be had a slight difficulty keeping up with the numerous characters who entered then, almost as suddenly, were gone again. But his performance definite!y raised the excitement and tensions, flowing the story forward with the intensity of the post volcanic gas clouds themselves.

My thanks to the rights holder of Apocalypse Machine, who, at my request via Audiobook Boom, freely gifted me with a complimentary copy. Jeremy Robinson's books are always well written, direct and visual, and this is no exception. Similarly, the main characters are come-to-life personalities, as are several of the lesser, or short lived, protagonists, also true in this book. But despite being the hero who will hopefully save the world, I could not really relate to Abraham (Abe), main man in this story, which, as chapters passed, began to judge out my involvement. So I am having a hard time in deciding how to date this book as a whole.
Great book for readers who enjoy apocalypse terrors and/or monster machinations. In parts, especially early, the pictures evoked are truly terrifying.

great fun book

a real fun tome. have up. all my podcasts for three days while I finished this. good action interesting twist on the massive monster ideas. excellent narration.

☺

It's my first audio book by Jeremy Robinson and Jeffrey later going to look out for more of there work 5 out of 5

My first Kaiju book was a success!

Great set up. Very detailed. Enjoyable and in-depth presented characters. A total surprise for me but a very welcomed one!

Great read

It was one of those books that your listening to and all of a sudden, it finishes! I was enjoying the book so much I thought I had more left. I love the narrator and the author. The story did trick me. I thought it finished suddenly but then the story picked up slightly in the future. It's a great story a new take on a kaiju story. Very interesting. Would recommend to fans of apocalypse and kaiju fans.