Grid Down Perceptions of Reality

Volume 2, Book 1

By: Bruce Buckshot Hemming

Narrated by: Elizabeth Phillips

Length: 8 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's Summary

America once a thriving and prosperous nation, now an empty decaying wasteland - everything changed in the blink of an eye. In Grid Down: Reality Bites, a high-altitude nuclear blast causing an EMP (electrical magnetic pulse) destroys the power grid, catapulting life as they knew it, back to the 1800's. The saga continues in Grid Down Perceptions of Reality (Volume 2, Part 1), as Amy, Preston, Michael, Joe, and Jane desperately struggle to survive the chaos that ensues. Now a post-apocalyptic world, they must rely on their primal instincts to escape destruction, disease and death.

©2013 - 2014 Bruce Hemming (P)2014 Bruce Hemming

What a shame

Is there anything you would change about this book?

The narrator. I can't believe this author allowed two different little girls perform this series. I listen to every survival, end of society, book audible offers. I have run out of fresh ones to listen to and hoped this series would keep me occupied. I was very disappointed to find these teeny bopper girls doing the series and barely let myself finish it. I will not waste my time on the rest of them.

How could the performance have been better?

100 times better with men for narrators. Not British accent narrators either. Good old fashioned Americans. Why would the author do this? Are they his kids or relatives or was he just using cheap help?

Any additional comments?

Tell the author to do the series over with decent narrators and I will buy the whole series.

Could Barely Finish Listening

The author revealed inexperience in several topics and the narrator's continual mispronunciations were getting to me. The overall human interactions and responses were weak if not sophomoric.

Decent

Would you try another book from Bruce Buckshot Hemming and/or Elizabeth Phillips?

From Bruce I would but I did not like the way Elizabeth narrated it at all!!! Sorry but I will stay away from her readings.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Grid Down Perceptions of Reality?

Most memorable is how much Elizabeth tried to change her voice and how over the top she sounded.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

Couldn't stand it, just did not work with this type of book at all, maybe some other type of story line.

Could you see Grid Down Perceptions of Reality being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

Could be a movie, Gerard Butler would be one of the stars.

Disappointing

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

The story line was okay, but the plot was not well developed and the characters not very believable.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

I started to wonder if there was any punctuation in this book, or whether the narrator was simply ignoring the periods and commas.

A super read.

As usual a very good read and story line is one that makes want many more.

Good series Terrible Narration

Would you try another book from Bruce Buckshot Hemming and/or Elizabeth Phillips?

Yes to him and the story. Narration was difficult to listen to.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Elizabeth Phillips?

Someone professional. She doesn't really seem to know what's going on. Awkward pauses etc.

Great book

Plausible storyline, and great info on getting off your butt and getting prepared. Not just for some possible breakdown in society but for power outages, earthquakes, floods, etc.

great series

Would you consider the audio edition of Grid Down Perceptions of Reality to be better than the print version?

It is is a great option, i enjoy having the option to listen while i am at work.

Any additional comments?

This is a great series and looking forward to the next book
This is reviewed by Kenny Heiser

Somefood for thought... some complete ignorance...

Any additional comments?

Bottom line- There are better books available- Lights Out, or Any of the JW Rawles novels are superior to this book.

First off- I am a Law enforcement Officer and I try hard to vote constitutionally (I didn't vote for Romney or Obama). I am certainly in favor of a limited government and a free market.- However people with certain points of view obviously peg themselves as ignorant of law enforcement subject matter.

I can tell you will 100% certainty that the author has never been a patrol officer for a year or more... I seriously doubt he has been a LEO officer in any capacity for a single day..

When the main character spouts off about rebuilding the constitution and "no more swat teams" the author automatically pegs himself as someone who's LEO knowledge comes from watching "Cops", watching the biased media, reading books, or talking with ignorant friends... What amuses me more is how the main character went through battle, after battle with gangs, and it was fine for him to use any weapon he can get a hold of.... And It's fine with the author to have heavily armed Militias to fight against gangs..... But when Law enforcement serves warrants on heavily armed gangs, and he thinks there needs to be a limit of no SWAT team??.... Yeah, that makes lots of sense genius....

I wish every time some ignoramus acted like there should be no swat team, all law enforcement could go on a temporary strike- then the (temporary on strike) law enforcement officers would outfit said Mr Ignoramus in a patrolman's uniform, give Mr Ignoramus a sidearm, and tell Mr. Ignoramus to go take down the houseful of armed gang members with no swat team... When Mr Ignoramus starts making excuses and trying to run away from the situation, Mr Ignoramus is reminded on how SWAT teams are not needed, and reminded how Mr Ignoramus just proclaimed to know more than officers who do the job everyday.... After making rapid fire excuses and possibly wetting his pants, Mr Ignoramus is reminded that he needs to serve and protect the community from these gang members... If Mr Ignoramus is still foolish enough to claim this ridiculous "No Swat Team" theory- Mr Ignoramus is finally thrown inside the gang-house by the seat of his pants....

Ignoramuses around the country would suddenly see that, there just might be a reason for SWAT teams...

Sorry, but I have a sore spot for arm chair quarterbacks of Soldiers, Firefighters, EMTs, Paramedics, or Officers... Any fool can comment on the job they do, when they are too cowardly to actually try doing the job themselves and show us all how it's done...

Aside from this
spoiler alert...
There is a "kidnapping prostitution business" that is just inaccurate...

A gang goes around kidnapping women and keeping them...

This kidnapping gang-leader acts like he is just a businessman and trading commodities...

However once they are kidnapped, the gang claims they won't "force" women to prostitute for them... The gang claims they just compel the captive women to cooperate by treating them "fairly", giving them nice clothing, good food, good shelter, etc in exchange for the kidnapped women cooperating in trading prostitution for goods for the gang...

Here is why this scenario is ridiculous...

During the great depression women were standing with signs claiming they would marry a man, or do whatever they wanted for a certain amount of money that is badly needed... If you want to get even more disgusting- some guys in jail who don't even claim to be gay give oral sex in exchange for snacks claiming they are hungry... (Even though inmates are fed three meals a day...)

The reality is- in this scenario 1 year after an EMP, many women everywhere would be starving--- women would be lining up to be prostitutes in exchange for nice clothes, showers, good food, and good shelter...

There would be no need to kidnap women, unless the gang just got excitement out of rape, or unless they plan not to pay them well... Which this gang claims not to be doing... They just want the prostitution business... Again... This scenario just doesn't add up... Kidnapping and raping women would just get a whole bunch of husbands and fathers wanting to kill the gang... It would just mean they need more guards, which makes more mouths to feed, clothe, shelter, etc......

Sorry-- It's just a scenario that has been added to the book, so a wife can be kidnapped and the husband can be the rescuer...

BTW I want to make it clear- I do not support prostitution in any way, prostitution is terribly degrading and certainly will affect a person physically, spiritually, and emotionally...

I just want to point out reality of what really happens in these scenarios... In Teotwawki, There will doubtless be rapists and murders.... But this "business" scenario just doesn't fit at all...

________
As far as the commentary on the series "The Colony" I will say- This is not like the first two issues- This is just an opposing opinion-

The claim that the Second Season participants would have starved if they didn't send in the Marine Recon... I don't agree at all.

Besides the first feast they had with the Marine Recon= The groups hunted or harvested food did not go up much, if at all- The person who was hunting already- Still remained hunting... Actually the second season group did better at rationing food than the first group, and the hunter they already had in the group, still did the majority of the hunting.

Now that we are on that subject I will also add- The main thing The Marine Recon added was security.... He had them form 360 degree security, inside and outside the compound...

However- His "castle" defending with 3 QRF on the outside armed with just shields and pipes against a crowd... This was not so good... Sending 3 QRF against that crowd was suicide, remaining inside the compound, or even making a funnel for the crowd (like the real 300 story) would have been far safer, and more effective. I give Marine Recon a lot of slack on this one though, since he is not used to medieval type warfare...

Also- When Marine Recon gets pepper sprayed, he immediately goes down... I was a little disappointed on that one... I certainly know from first hand experience that you don't have to go down when pepper sprayed- you certainly can fight through it... Especially when everyone in the group is counting on you...

BTW- The treatment the nurse gave Marine Recon for getting pepper sprayed is something that sounds great... If you ate something too spicy, drinking milk sounds like a wonderful treatment... and most people probably assumed she was doing things correctly since she was a nurse, but she has likely never treated a pepper spray "victim" because this "treatment" was not accurate. The Nurse poured the soymilk into his eyes, It sounds like it would work... and the cold liquid probably felt temporarily good, but it's not a good treatment... Water without soap (you can use baby shampoo if you have it) and fresh air is the best treatment... Been there, done that...

The one thing Marine Recon MIGHT have been able to really help them with with, was the hostage situation... I wanted to explode when that happened... in this scenario, the "OP4"? actors did a good job, of showing how a bad group of people will treat you when they start getting what they want... I suspect the only reason they didn't keep their hostage and continue milking the group for more and more food is because the producers wanted them to release her...

A.D.D. Moment... I did find it ironic how the kidnapped hostage (who is a model in real life) became angry at the group who negotiated most of their food for her release. She went on and on and said she was used, and she has never been used in her life... .... Yeah, she is a model... she never gets used.....

Also- as a small side note- I think the audiobook narrator is a talented reader, but she sounds like a teen girl... Not sure a teen girl voice was the best pick for a TEOTWAWKI novel, but this is completely subject to the listener's taste...

Finally they connected back with the first book

I was pleasantly surprised when they circled back to the book 1 volume 1 in book 2 volume 1.
I hope that two and three will do the same.