Primitive [Paperback]

J. F. Gonzalez (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 7, 2009

It began as just another day for David Spires and his wife Tracy: coffee, breakfast, and getting the kids ready for school. Then the bottom dropped out of civilization. The world ends not with a bang or a whimper, but with a dizzying downward spiral. Instead of the rat race of commuters scurrying to beat the clock, humans are now packs of animals reduced to snarling primitives. David, Tracy and their daughter Emily, along with fellow survivors, leave Los Angeles for the safety of the country where fewer people means fewer primitives. But as they venture farther away from the city, they realize an unnatural force is at work. Civilization didn't just fall apart...it was overtaken by an ancient evil that was present before the first cave paintings. Human history has no formal record of it, but the dark presence that's fueled nightmares since time began has crept out of the shadows...and its influence is growing.

Product Details

• Paperback: 310 pages
• Publisher: Delirium Books (July 7, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 193454616X
• ISBN-13: 978-1934546161
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 8.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #998,522 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Good 'Ol Fashion Apocalyptic Story!, September 6, 2009

By 

Cryptor (Brownwood, Tx) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Primitive (Paperback)

I literally just got finished reading Primitive and I just had to share what a GREAT novel this was. Gonzalez has successfully pulled off one of the most exciting apocalyptic stories since Keene's zombie invasion in The Rising. And what's great about this particular novel is that it's a very interesting and orginal take on the end of the world. What's scary is how realistic Gonzalez creates the beginning to the end of the world; on how people would react, their emotions, society as a whole. I easily think this is J.F.'s best book since Survivor. Please check it out whether you buy the tradeback or the digital release. It's a great story and it needs to be read.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Apocalyptic Novel!!!!!!, August 11, 2009

By 

Sheri A. Gambino (Kansas City MO) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Primitive (Paperback)

I highly recommend Primitive if you like apocalyptic novels. I love the idea that Gonzalez came up with the world reverting back to their primitive nature that still exists deep within us. Something releases it one day upon the world. There are survivors that are struggling to stay alive but are constantly hunted down. Something evil and ancient awakens once again that rules over the Primitives and it is very old.

4.0 out of 5 stars Gonzalez Delves Into Primitive Evil, November 20, 2011

By 

William M Miller (Bronxville, NY USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Primitive (Paperback)

3 AND 1/2 STARS

J.F. Gonzalez, author of the brutal classic, "Survivor", creates his own spin on the zombie genre. I won't give anything away, but what Mr. Gonzalez does here is very different than almost anything that I've read before. He clearly had a cool idea and pulled out all the stops, throwing a rather normal family in the middle of a nail-biting and very dangerous new world that you definitely won't see coming.

While I did find a few areas that could have used a touch more editing (discovering some repetitive sentences) I found the narrative fluid and very fast paced. There were many moments while reading it that I felt considerable anxiety from the tension Gonzalez created. And that's not easy to do.

One of my problems with the book had to do with Wesley's character and his prior knowledge of the plague situation and the fact that he didn't realize what was happening sooner seemed a little forced. Not to mention the coincidence of the family running into him randomly. But I suppose if that choice was not made, the audience would be as in the dark as the main characters. Whether that would have made a better story, who knows? The character of Heather was also too overdone in her racism, and I felt that if she was so against people different from her race, she never would have stayed with such a diverse group in the first place.

Those small issues aside, I had a great time reading this intense and many times, shockingly unpredictable story. I really appreciated that Gonzalez decided to branch well away from the common zombie theme and come up with something, whether you like it or not, insanely original as to the reasoning of why the primitives are mutating and the overall roots of evil. A bit far-fetched, perhaps, but the author backs it up with some credible history and mythology. "Primitive" is yet another solid outing from J.F. Gonzalez and gets my recommendation.