Commune

Commune, Book 1

De: Joshua Gayou

Narrado por: R.C. Bray

For dinosaurs, it was a big rock. For humans: Coronal Mass Ejection (CME).

When the Earth is hit by the greatest CME in recorded history (several times larger than the Carrington Event of 1859), the combined societies of the planet's most developed nations struggle to adapt to a life thrust back into the Dark Ages.

In the United States, the military scrambles to speed the nation's recovery on multiple fronts including putting down riots, establishing relief camps, delivering medical aid, and bringing communication and travel back on line.

Just as a real foothold is established in retaking the skies (utilizing existing commercial aircraft supplemented by military resources and ground control systems), a mysterious virus takes hold of the population, spreading globally over the very flight routes that the survivors fought so hard to rebuild. The communicability and mortality rates are devastating, leaving only small pockets of survivors scattered throughout the countryside.

Commune: Book One is the story of one small group of survivors who must adapt to a primitive, hostile world or die. As they learn the rules of this new era, they must decide how far they're willing to go to continue living, continually asking themselves the same question daily: is survival worth the loss of humanity?

©2017 Joshua Gayou (P)2017 Joshua Gayou

Solid Post-Apocalyptic Story

I don't go searching out this type of post-apocalyptic story. Most of them sound similar to me, and I am certainly not seeking out zombie books (this is NOT a zombie book). What drew me toward Commune were the reviews that raved about the book being very character-driven and well-done. And of course, our familiar and very beloved friend, R.C. Bray, who is always a sure bet as narrator. So, how could I go wrong?

I don't think I did go wrong. The three main characters (I'm not counting the small child) carried the story, were well-developed, interesting, and I really cared what happened to them. As the story progressed, it maintained a high level of believability, and I was always wanting to know, "What comes next?"

Why not 5 stars? Just a few quibbles. I felt there was a bit too much emphasis on weapons. It is not that I thought the weapons were unnecessary--they were imperative. I just felt the author went overboard in showing us his knowledge and prowess with guns.

In addition, I had a lot of short listening periods and for a while, could not easily determine the difference between Jake and Billy. And, the child was too saintly and well-behaved, all the time. Know a child like that? I don't! In addition, I think the book could have benefited from a few more characters joining the triad 'commune'.

None of the above-mentioned issues were a deal breaker for me. I expect my minor complaints to be remedied in Book 2, which if I am not mistaken, is already available for listening and very well-reviewed and rated. I will most likely get it.

(And, if you just can't get enough of character-driven P-A, non-zombie stories, get 'The Dog Stars', my all-time favorite. Sorry, Joshua.)

Exceptional

RC Bray is amazing. Take the time to listen to his read. It is exceptional.

Best apocalyptic book in a long time. Since Alas Babylon I have been a fan of the genre. This book stands out in that it doesn't rely on fantastic events. I related to the characters. There is a constant feeling of being involved in the story. The writing style is so rich I hit rewind many times. RC Bray has a way with voices that gave the words punch. The most powerful moment in the book caused me to cry as I drove. I love stories written as if characters are each telling their own story. It makes the story real. Highly recommend this book.

My Favorite Post Apocalyptic Traveler Story

The talents of both Joshua R.C. Bray totally knock this one out of the park. It is a great mixture of a narrative and prepper handbook. Can’t wait for book two.

excellent dystopian tale; good characters

loved it. smart. funny. original. not too gruesome. good for a long road trip. Great.

Excellent

I loved it. I loved the characters and the story. The narration was excellent also. I can't wait to listen to the next book in the series.