EMP by Orion Enzo Gaudio

This book was brought to my attention by Kindle Unlimited.

I have realized I need to make better choices other than it was released on Kindle less than 30 days ago as my filter for selecting books to review. I should have glanced at the reviews other Amazon customers had left, but I've found in the past when reviewers praise a new book it is often too kind and therefore unreliable. So I only looked at the plot and it looked like something I might enjoy. And while it is an interesting idea, it's also something that has already been done and not executed in a creative way. So it's a lesson learned for me and this is another 1 star.

This book does not have a traditional plot, it is more of an introduction to a world in the wake of a nuclear apocalypse (which is very similar to Jericho). There are four situations and none of them cross paths or have any impact on each other. The book meanders through different circumstances in order to establish a world instead of a plot:

• First there is General Sutherland and Special Agent Rodgers who are looking to establish a new world order in the United States with bunkers designated by district numbers. The districts are very The Hunger Games except they correlate to U.S. Government departments.
• Then you've got Nick who is taken in by survivalist Mike who has anticipated and been ready for this to happen. They head to his cabin, in a remote area, to wait for things to calm down. Mike teaches Nick to be a survivalist.
• Next there is Sandra and her farm (which remind me of Hershel's farm from The Walking Dead). She quickly decides that she will help refugees that find her farm, with the help of Nathan and Manuel, by growing as much food as she can and allowing folks to stay.
• Finally we have our chaotic evil (think Raiders in the Super-Duper Mart in Fallout 3) with leader, Anthony, and his crew Rick, Ned, and Fred. They immediately take possession of a super store and make it theirs, warning people away with their weapons. In this book they exhibit no redeemable qualities.

I did not like this book. It reads more like an encyclopedia of entries about the world than a story. It also seems to be Gaudio's second so maybe I'll give him another shot. But this book is not worth a read.

Visit Amazon's Orion Enzo Gaudio page for more information about the author and how to purchase his books.