Book review: Resonance by AJ Scudiere

Blurb:[1. Review copy provided by Griffyn Ink]

THE SHIFT IS COMING. SOON.

Dr. David Carter knows this. However, he’s a geologist, so ’soon’ means anywhere from tomorrow to a thousand years from now.

PEOPLE ARE DYING. NOW.

Drs. Jordan Abellard and Jillian Brookwood are standing at the edge of SuperAIDS.

online pharmacy buy pepcid with best prices today in the USA

Or are they? They won’t be able to figure it out if they can’t get some authorization signed – and soon. But they’re peons and no one is paying attention. That means no one will notice a little forgery either, right?

WHOLE SPECIES DIED AT THE LAST POLAR SHIFT. 65 MILLION YEARS AGO.

Right now Dr. Becky Sorenson has some seriously mutated frogs in her lab. In L.A. Bees are making abnormal columns on the side of the freeways. In Georgia, birds are migrating out of season. It all makes a sick kind of sense when the doctors consider that the last magnetic shift is strangely coincidental to the dinosaur die-out. And the only similarity among the problems today is that each is occurring in a ‘hotspot’ – a pocket of reversed polarity that tells them all.

THE SHIFT IS ALREADY HERE.

I’ll come right out and say it: I really, really wanted to like this book. Regardless of whether or not a catastrophe of this magnitude could be caused by a pole shift, the concept is intriguing.

Continue reading “Book review: Resonance by AJ Scudiere”

I'd like my microchip now, please.

Mind control microchips are a fun thing to fear and speculate on. Well, for me. I’m kind of a scatterbrained-forgets-a-lot. I often mean to do things then hours (or seconds) pass and the thing is not only not done but also an annoying ghost of a memory. I lose all the scraps of paper I make notes on; I set reminders on my phone a leave it in another room; and, I have a dozen half finished projects I don’t know how to keep track of. I need a microchip. In my brain. Continue reading “I'd like my microchip now, please.”

Book Review: Robopocalypse by Daniel H. Wilson

[1. Robopocalypse was provided for review by Simon & Schuster]

Twenty years from now, a high-level artificial intelligence known as Archos comes on-line…and murders its creator.

Humanity has no idea when it starts to silently take over our cars, power grids, aircraft guidance systems and computer networks.

In the early months, sporadic glitches are noticed by a handful of humans, but most of us are unaware of the growing rebellion until it is too late.

At a moment known later in history as Zero Hour, every mechanical device in our world rebels against us, setting off the Robot War that both decimates and – for the first time in history – unites humankind.

Something I’ve had to learn with my increasing review schedule is this: Just because a book is good doesn’t mean I’ll like it, and just because I like a book doesn’t mean it’s good.

I like this book a lot. But, objectively speaking, it’s not that good. It’s action-y brain candy, and there is nothing wrong with that.

Continue reading “Book Review: Robopocalypse by Daniel H. Wilson”

Some depressing truths.

The Apocalypse (hell, any massive disaster which you may need to survive) is not going to be fair. Books and Films and Comics give us the impression that, as long as we’re a ‘main character’ we’ll make it. Oh, there’ll be tragedy and horror along the way, and people will die almost as if it was designed to have an emotional impact, but we’re the leading characters. We’ll make it!

Most people see themselves as the leading characters in their own story. The fact is, this won’t be a story, and we can’t all make it.

Continue reading “Some depressing truths.”

Dealing with post-apocalyptic people you don't like

There are always going to be people you don’t like. Sometimes it’s that annoying dude at work who always sucks up to the boss; sometimes it’s your annoying Great-aunt Edna. Sometimes it’s both. Regardless, they’re people who annoy you. Now, in the pre-apocalypse, it doesn’t matter; not in the grand scheme of things.

Oh sure, that suck-up is irritating and will probably get that promotion you’ve been aiming for, and sure Great-aunt Edna always gives you that annoying and embarrassing kiss that leaves the lipstick stain on your cheek. But ultimately, you don’t have to rely on either of them to survive.

Unfortunately, in the post-apocalypse, you will. You’re going to have to work with people who annoy you then just as you do now–only “work” will have a different connotation.

Continue reading “Dealing with post-apocalyptic people you don't like”

3 Free Comic Previews – Post Apocalypse

I don’t know if you’ve heard, but the saying, “if it’s free, it’s for me” doesn’t always ring true. See, on Comixology.com they’ve got more free comics than you’ll know what to do with. Literally, you’ll have so many options and so little time you might find yourself overwhelmed by the selection and possibilities. This is similar to the Kindle quandary: How do I know if this item is worth the time or dollar it takes to check it?

Never fear, I love apocalyptic comics, like trying new things, and don’t like wasting money. So, I’ll let you know which preview comics (not full-length issues) I checked out and if I think you should too – or if you should avoid them like the plague. Continue reading “3 Free Comic Previews – Post Apocalypse”

Review: Stupid Zombies (Android)

Stupid Zombies by GameResort is your basic time-killing puzzle game.

Every lever hosts a small room occupied by a number of zombies, just standing around, and one gun-toting fighter. “Fighter” is an over statement. The man stands at the edge of the room and is unable to move anything but his arm.

Armed with five bullets and unable to move, the man must kill all the zombies in the room. Luckily, the stupid zombies don’t realize bullets bounce off walls and can move objects so they just stand there waiting to die like losers.

Sure the mechanics don’t make any real life sense but they stand within the confines of the game.  Charged with killing all the zombies in the room, you have a limited number of bullets and each bullet has a limited number of bounces. To win the level, you kill all the zombies without running out of bullets. To get the high score, you kill all the zombies with bullets to spare.

Stupid Zombies is a basic high-score app-game with unique mechanics and challenging levels. I didn’t feel like I was playing [Name of Popular Game] with zombies inserted and a little twist.

You don’t need to have an internet connection to play and it doesn’t draw too much battery power– which is good because my Instagram and flashy  transitions suck enough of its battery as it is.

The drive to get all the stars for the level or out do your last high score is a standard for app-games and works well here. I found myself replaying levels trying to finish with more bullets left over or get all the stars.

There are three sections and tons of levels in each section. You’re required to get a certain number or stars from the previous section to unlock the next.

For a free app-game, Stupid Zombies is fun and I recommend sparing a bullet on it.

[rating:4/5]

 

Post-Apocalyptic Reading – Impressions: THE INFECTION by Craig DiLouie


Description of Craig DiLouie’s THE INFECTION[1. This book was provided for review by Permuted Press]

A mysterious virus suddenly strikes down millions. Three days later, its victims awake with a single purpose: spread the Infection.

online pharmacy buy cipro with best prices today in the USA

As the world lurches toward the apocalypse, some of the Infected continue to change, transforming into horrific monsters. 

In one American city, a small group struggles to survive. Sarge, a tank commander hardened by years of fighting in Afghanistan. Wendy, a cop still fighting for law and order in a lawless land. Ethan, a teacher searching for his lost family. Todd, a high school student who sees second chances in the end of the world. Paul, a minister who wonders why God has forsaken his children. And Anne, their mysterious leader, who holds an almost fanatical hatred for the Infected.  

Together, they fight their way to a massive refugee camp where thousands have made a stand. There, what’s left of the government will ask them to accept a mission that will determine the survival of them all—a dangerous journey back onto the open road and into the very heart of Infection.

The best part about apocalyptic survival stories is the rogue, make-your-own-rules mentality the characters get to embody. The worst part is the reality behind why they now have this mentality. Everyone they know is dead, missing, or has been murdered (possibly at their very own hands).

Unfortunately, The Infection has much more of the latter than the former. There are at least half a dozen characters, and most of them are sad or damn-near suicidal — actually someone in their party killed himself before we, the reader, join the story. Continue reading “Post-Apocalyptic Reading – Impressions: THE INFECTION by Craig DiLouie”

The Zombie Apocalypse is COMING NOW.

At least if reports coming in from Africa are to be believed.

The ‘Nodding Disease’ is a virulent condition affecting African children in Uganda. The symptoms include seizure, bizarre personality changes, mental degradation, and, in a so-far unconfirmed report, irrational violence in a small number of victims. The CNN report actually refers to the victims as ‘zombies’

According to reports, one mother of infected children has to tie them up whenever she leaves the house, or they wander around and ‘set fires’ randomly with no seeming reason. The children cannot be reasoned with, and will attempt to gnaw through their restraints.

Infected children are doomed to a slow, mental degradation, leading to loss of speech, partial paralysis, personality changes and the supposed violence.

Continue reading “The Zombie Apocalypse is COMING NOW.”

Killing Zombies: What they don't tell you

The likelihood of zombies rising up and trying to eat your face isn’t the point. What is the point is that if zombies do rise up you need to be prepared to kill them or you’ll get eaten.

Everyone knows you should aim to disable a zombie’s brain to take them down for good. But what do you do before you start swinging? How do you prepare to fight instead of flee? Continue reading “Killing Zombies: What they don't tell you”