7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Deathlands Reborn!!!, June 1, 2008
The latest Deathlands novel, Apocalypse Unborn, I am glad to say is one of the most break-out, solid storyline, all-out action/adventure thrill-fest of the entire Deathlands saga in quite some time.
This Deathlands is penned by long-timer Alan Philipson, who has been writing solid military action/adventure for almost 3 decades, but has in recent years taken a solid grasp of the Deathlands series and given readers some fantastic adventures that go 'outside-the-box' normalcy in the Deathlands arena.
And in his latest, he fires fully on all cylinders. The story concept is original and fresh, the action and adventure is as raw and primal as the Deathlands should be. And all the characters are written and portrayed pretty evenly, and very thoughtfully, something most of the other writers don't give credence to.
I won't ruin any of the plotline's various surprises, but suffice it to say, Doc may be going back in time to get reunited with his long-lost family. But if he time trawls back in time to the 1800's, it could mean the erasure of the Deathlands timestream. Great stuff this!
Alan even pays homage in a way to the awesome movie - 300 - but does it Deathlands style! Very well done, chock-full of cool and new muties that don't come off as cheap comic book impersonations, but more steeped and backed up with either scientific explanations, or more cosmic and mysterious - all due in part by the enigmatic Magus, of course.
Alan Philipson writes and portrays the Magus to his ruthless and diabolical utmost - which is always a treat to read about. Nothing worse than a boring and bland bad guy of the typical persuasion. Not here!
Even though the Deathlands new cover artist is better than the Outlanders one, they both can't seem to capture the characters looks the way that the original artist, Michael Herring did. This new cover is by far one of the best - and unlike the latest Outlanders cover art - the scene on the cover is in the book - albeit bigger and better in its battle scenario.
Alan Philipson again proves, without a shadow of a doubt with great adventure novel, that he is the premiere Deathlands author. I for one feel very fortunate to have him working on a series that still has tons of steam left for may years to come. There is a wealth of dark territory yet to explore in this series. And while all the other writers seem to be stagnating in either horrible or weak storylines, Alan Philipson comes in and shows them how its done.
Way to go Al! On behalf of all the numerous Deathlands fans - thank you for your dedication and hard work. Looking forward to your next awesome endeavor. We give this a ten-star rating.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
End of Deathlands?, July 14, 2008
This review is from: Apocalypse Unborn (Deathlands) (Mass Market Paperback)
In an unexpected twist, one begins to wonder if Axler is axing his series! Be prepared for unusually deep gore and a separation of the travelers, but as always, Axler never fails to satisfy!
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Audacious, June 19, 2008
This review is from: Apocalypse Unborn (Deathlands) (Mass Market Paperback)
The first half of Apocalypse Unborn is pretty dang good. It starts off with a strong premise, introduces a couple of characters who will have a major impact on Doc's future, and sets the companions off on an attempt to deal with the Magus once and for all. There are several pitched battles, and lots of interesting character dynamics.
And then the second half of the book starts.
Fully 50% of the book is one, long, running battle. Page after page after page, non-stop combat. It is breathtaking in its audaciousness. As the perspective shifts seamlessly from character to character, the tension never lets up. It is a page turner from end to end, with a very satisfying ending.
Although I didn't like this one quite as much as Cannibal Moon, it came pretty dang close. Definitely a very strong entry into the Deathlands series.
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