Max Brooks

A group of naive tech optimists live in a small remote eco-village in Washington state, and are completely unprepared when Mt. Rainier erupts and cuts them off from the physical world and the internet. That would have been disastrous enough, but then the villagers are attacked by a tribe of sasquatches.

The book is primarily in the form of journal entries by one of the village residents, supplemented with transcripts from interviews of various experts from the park service, emergency services, etc.

It's an entertaining and engaging read. Brooks is an excellent writer: the book is just a teeny bit campy, with some nods to Bigfoot in popular culture. It's very much a typical disaster horror story, yet somehow manages to never feel trite. The characters are interesting and well-developed, with just enough backstory to make them compelling without detracting from the pacing of the book. Everything is surprisingly plausible, even the sasquatches.

The audiobook is read by a full cast, which includes Nathon Fillion and Terry Gross, which made for a really entertaining listen.… (mer)

This was a fun read. In the author’s note it mentioned that this story was originally a film script he had written and bought back to write the story and I can totally see that, this would be an awesome movie if adapted properly! I listened to the audiobook of this one and would highly recommend it because it was done so well. The story is told through a mix of journal entries from the main character Katie, interviews of different people from a journalist that “put this all together”, and a few documents of reports that are relevant to the case. The parts that are the interviews are set up so well, they literally sound like you’re listening to a podcast interview. The tones are super conversational in that same way. And then the journal entries come across with lots of emotion.

So the basics of the story are that there’s this high tech but very “green” community that lives in the forested area around Mt. Rainer. It is supposed to attract people who want to live greener and make less of an impact on the environment, enjoying the seclusion and being closer to nature and each other— all while not having to give up a lot of the conveniences they are used to from their city lives. But, herein lies the problem. Because, when Mt. Rainer erupts and knocks out their power they can no longer get their scheduled driverless van and drone deliveries of groceries or anything else. Their phones don’t work, or at least the parts that matter the most like being able to make calls, send messages, or get on the internet. They begin to realize just how secluded they really are and some struggle to come to terms with what this may mean about rescue attempts and survival. Meanwhile, animals are also on the run, away from the eruption, and to further places where they can find food again. They are hungry. And while most of the animals in the area may not pose much of a threat, there’s a species that no one KNEW existed for sure that is now forced out of hiding— the Sasquatch, aka Big Foot. As the Sasquatch colony comes across the town in their escape, the two species must assess what each is capable of in such circumstances and a primal battle of survival ensues.

It was kind of hilarious to see people’s reactions any time I told them about this book as I was reading it. I feel like it comes across like a ridiculous type of Sharknado story, but it really isn’t like that. I got hooked really quickly and it really makes the whole story sound very possible in a way. It honestly gave me more Jurassic Park type of vibes in a way. Like nature taking back over and showing humans that they aren’t as in control as they think they are and their comfortable lives may lift them out of a primal state of being, yet we shouldn’t forget that we are also still animals. Also with the cautionary tale of being too reliant on new tech. All in all, an enjoyable read!

Devolution: 4/5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆… (mer)

I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked up WORLD WAR Z. I had watched the movie and had enjoyed it. A few years ago, my husband had attempted to read the book and set it down after a couple of chapters. He couldn't get into it because it read like nonfiction rather than a linear narrative with a central character.

I read a lot of nonfiction and generally enjoy it, so I could sink into this intensely believable account of what it would be like to live through the zombie apocalypse. I was particularly enthralled by the in-depth look at various cultures' reactions and attitudes toward the zombie outbreak. And then there were the chapters that so closely paralleled aspects of the response to our own recent pandemic experience. I found those chapters the most unsettling of all.

The book is exceptionally well researched, well thought out, and well developed. Brooks dives deep into various individual narratives. Each segment reads like a stand-alone short story linked by a potential world-ending event. I zoomed through this book quickly - and I've been sleeping with a night light on ever since.… (mer)