Odd Billy Todd

By: N.C. Reed

Narrated by: Christopher Lane

Length: 25 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's Summary

A post-apocalyptic fiction by N.C. Reed.

Billy Todd has always been different. Most people called him odd, and those were the nice people. Though he was born with a learning disability, Billy's parents never allowed him to consider himself disabled. Raised to be self-sufficient, Billy might not be as smart as some, but he was a lot smarter than people realized.

When the entire world is devastated by a plague that kills over 95 percent of the population, Billy is not helpless. Believing he may be the only survivor in his town, he manages to place himself in a good position to survive alone in a new world.

©2015 N.C. Reed (P)2019 Creative Texts Publishers, LLC

It's Forest Gump during the apocalypse!!!

interesting listen, narrator did amazing job with all the people's voices. I was a little hesitant but thoroughly enjoyed this audio. I kept thinking, it's Forest Gump during the apocalypse specially how the narrator did Billy's voice. Enjoyable.

Odd Billy Todd is fantastic

This is a long book, yet not long enough. I hated for it to end. I was totally immersed in the world of Odd Billy Todd. He was odd, but wonderful. His parents knew he had learning disabilities, but they trained him throughout their lives with him for Billy to be self sufficient. He thought things through carefully, always looked under the hood, made a careful plan, and stuck to it. He kept a notebook and wrote things down as soon as he thought of them so that he would not forget - he was extremely careful and his parents had trained him for anything that could arise, including the end of the world. There are no zombies. A horrible plague has killed almost everyone in the world. The people that are left must be resourceful but some choose to just take from others. Billy has collected some people in the valley where his family had a farm. They form relationships, work hard and fight to survive through hardships. The world building of the farm in the valley is fascinating and the people seem as real as the ones in my own neighborhood. I enjoyed listening to how they adapted to the new order of things and produced food and some comforts.

Even though there are no zombies, there are bad guys, and a train. The action scenes involving the bad guys are quite tense. However, the book does not leave your nerves shot from listening to one harrowing event after another. There is just enough tension to keep it moving along. There are also some dogs that are great characters - particularly Rommel, who is Billy's dog. I highly recommend this book and cannot imagine anyone being disappointed. The narrator is excellent. I enjoyed listening to his pleasant voice and his various accents. Good choice as reader.

The book ties everything up in the end and there does not need to be a sequel, but I hope there will be one. I would love to continue to live in the Billy Todd universe and find out what happens to my favorite characters.

Not Usually My Genre But I Loved The Book

I wasn't sure what to expect when I began reading this novel, it's a post apocalyptic story so I had a general idea, but one never knows what direction a writer will take with that topic. I often read reviewers that say "I couldn't put it down" and tire of reading that comment, its become somewhat over used, but now find myself apologizing to those who've used it because that's exactly how I felt reading this book. It wasn't an edge of your seat, white knuckled account, it was even better than that. It took a different tact for end of the world scenario's and went about describing what might really happen if one found themselves alone when/if the world's population was decimated. Billy Todd encounters people along his journey, good, bad and indifferent and bases his decisions on many variables. I didn't want this book to end, but was glad it wasn't a cliffhanger or a book 1, 2, 3 etc. It didn't need to be, there wasn't more to say about Billy Todd's story, it made sense. This book might not be for everyone, but it was enough for me, and then some. I loved it in its simplicity and possibilities.

Christopher Lane was amazing with the delivery of the story

WONDERFUL

I did not want this to end , Loved everything about it .
Great story line , great characters, Great narrator.

Do people really talk like this?

I’m giving this book 2 stars because I was able to listen to the entire story. It was “slightly” entertaining and I suppose the idea behind books like this is to suspends one belief system. In other words; as a listener we are supposed to just accept that the main character can pretty much do anything. Even though 95% of the population is dead he just happens to find the one girl that happened to have a high school crush on him when he loots the local gun store. Never mind that the local gun store has explosives, full auto military rifles and hand grenades. Furthermore, everything seems to go perfectly for these characters. As conflicts arise they seem to easily overcome them and in my opinion this makes for a boring story. At about the halfway point in the story I found myself hoping that someone (anyone!)would get killed. I was indeed rooting for the “bad guys”.
Also, it should really be titled “A Shopping Spree in a Post-Apocalyptic Tennessee”. It seemed that most of the books plot line revolved around the characters shopping (or looting) for items they needed. Living in a post-apocalyptic world I can understand looking for food, clothes and guns but after awhile it got ridiculous. From building materials and XBoxes and PlayStations and toys to snowplows and fire trucks the characters found it all, rather easily.
Lastly, since I do not reside in Tennessee I have to wonder; do people really still talk like this? “I’m as nervous as a long tail cat in rocking chair factory”...Seriously? Who says that?
I reckon if y’all wanna be hearing one o’them there tall tales of yesteryear then I reckon and I do declare y’all might be finding this here yarn a mighty fine one. But now if y’all ain’t be not minding I supposing it be time for me to be having some moonshine and collard greens...bless your heart.

Still Listening ...

Hell, I'm only 1/3 of the way through the book and I needed to write a review. Damn, this book is good ... and, kudos to Christopher Lane for bringing out Billy's character. I'm truly engrossed by this book and am hoping that once I get to the end, I'm going to find out that the door was left wide open for a series of books!

Took a chance on this, having read some reviews and listened to the sample ... I call this a winner!

Loved it!

Love love love Odd Billy Todd! Idk how he manages it but he always has a wonderful set of characters! It’s Not even about how the story flows great, there’s not a boring page or how the story keeps glued to it. It’s the wonderful characters! I love them all! People you’d like to know in real life just like the Sanders! Anxiously waiting for whatever he releases next!

Normal Billy Todd

Lets get this out of the way Billy is not odd. He is a normal person who they try to so how paint as special needs but also somehow paint as quick, decisive, focused, thinks outside the box, and is a leader. His biggest failings are he needs to notes to remember stuff, he gets anxiety around a bunch of people and loud noises, and likes to have a system in place. For goodness sakes he was a mechanic that owned and ran his own business. Not Forrest Gump in the least.

That aside its okay book. Everything was exceptionally easy for them as a group and any hardships are quickly conquered and mostly forgotten. They have more than they need of everything really, and anything they don't have they pretty easily find. There is some good prepper/survivor stuff in there but its all pretty superficial.

The bad people are really bad, and the good people are generally good, so not a lot of nuance there, but I'm not a fan of the anti heroes usually so okay with it.

This is also a super male fantasy. While not as bad as the harem books that have started arising on audible (sigh) its really not too far off. MC is strong, respected, a great shot, gets the girl quickly and easily, thinks of all the best ideas (despite being slow), and dispatches with evil at will. Female characters are subservient and fall easily into the roles of cooking, cleaning, sewing and raising kids. There are strong personalities on some females but even they are put in place by their "men folk" for not obeying.

If you don't mind vocabulary that sound like 1890s Tennessee, and some male chauvinism, it is an entertaining listen.

Bored, really, bored.

Plans were drawn up, admired and implemented. Chores were scheduled and accomplished. Stuff was acquired and sensibly stored. Black hats were effortlessly dispatched. Feminine hygiene requirements were satisfied. Truth was reckoned. Loyalty was pledged.

That is the 25 hour gist of it.

Amazing - Can't Stop Listening!

Probably one of the best post-apocalyptic stories that I've ever heard/read/seen! I still have 9 hours left and only stopped to quickly write this review, we'll more of a straight up praise really. Great premise, character development, action, emotion, humor, morality, an eye-opening reality check into what it takes to survive in a "after" time where old rules don't apply anymore. It's an awesome combo with N.C. Reed/Christopher Lane, together - they put this one over the bleachers, right up there with Tufo/Runnette, Correia/Wyman and Mayberry/Porter. This has got to (hopefully) continue as a series! All right, enough - I've got to get back to it!

Fantastic

A highly enjoyable listen indeed, and I fully recommend it. The narrator is perfect, and will look out for more of his readings. Superb!

A Beautifully Written Heartwarming Story.

I am so very happy to have discovered this novel. I enjoy most post apocalyptic stories - many follow a similar format and routine, but this one is refreshingly different. Without giving anything away, it demonstrates that humanity could when in the face of adversity, be decent and survive without modern amenities.
I hope N. C. Reed will continue the story or write more like this.
As an audio book it is first class and deserves to be priced accordingly - excellent narration!

really good story and likable characters

the narrator smashed it, he really brought the characters to life and works a great story very well

Hillbillies

The story of a redneck paradise, god fearing, wholesome food, women in their place and everyone armed to the teeth, including the children. Struggled through it.

Surprisingly brilliant

I wasn’t sure I would enjoy this book as although I’m a fan of the genre (post apocalyptic) I’m not a huge fan of American fiction, especially when narrated with a ‘southern drawl’! However, I persevered and actually loved it! Billy Todd won me over with his no nonsense, tell it like it is ways! Definitely worth a credit and I’m hoping for more from Billy.

I loved this

Such a great listen, narration is also spot on,
The story is fantastic.
All in all one of the best books i have listened to this year.
Loved it.

loved it

loved the story and the narrator was amazing. if you like feel good stories then this is not to be missed.

Thoughtful and unput-downable........

I found this book beautifully written with such clarity of characters and depth of detail. I love Christopher Lanes accents and his American drawl. It’s almost as if I could visually see Billy Todd and the other people throughout the story, they were so well described. The story flows well with twists and turns, keeping me ‘on the edge of my seat’, overwhelmed, but also with laughter at occasional funny family and relationship scenarios.

Gold

worthy of a gold medal.
I haven't so much listened to a novel, I feel like I have watched a captivating Mind Film.

Absorbing

Struggled to stop listening. Stayed awake far too late but couldn't keep away from it.