Customer Reviews

The Reckoning

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A bomb attack from an unknown enemy spreads an illness that turns peaceful citizens into a red-eyed, crazed hoard of killers. A small cadre of individuals, as yet unaffected by the sickness, fights their way through the homicidal masses. A desperate dash for the mountains is accompanied by a far-fetched hope for safety and survival. I admit that I kind of dig these post-apocalypse (zombacalypse?) stories, like Stephen King's "Cell" and "The Stand" and the movie "28 Days Later." D. Mikels' novella "The Reckoning" fits nicely into this mold, so it makes sense that I would enjoy it. As a tale of apocalypse and violence and survival, it is an exciting, eerie, and well-conceived story. However it is must more than just that, and this is what makes "The Reckoning" stand out from the crowd and linger with you well after you have read it.

I won't give away what makes "The Reckoning" unique - I'm not so cruel as to ruin the story for you. Suffice to say that after I read the last page, I had to stop and blink for a moment and then mentally rewind and replay the entire story to look at it from a slightly different angle. This element adds depth of the story and elevates it from simply "good" to "memorable" in my opinion.

In this novella, the present struggle for survival is interspersed with John's memories, and these trips into the past serve as a wonderful contrast: what is now versus what used to be. Not only does this underscore the grim situation that John has found himself in, but it also provides insight into aspects of John's character that we would never have been privy to otherwise. John strikes us as almost heroic as he deals with the horrors of the present, but we see that this is not actually who he has been in the past. And we wonder: is this a redemption of sorts for John?

Overall, "The Reckoning" is a well-written thriller of a story that many readers should find satisfying. The action is well written and exciting, the danger is omnipresent, and the effects of the illness enough are satisfyingly revolting. Once or twice the prose felt just a touch overblown, but this did not affet my enjoyement of the story. I found "The Reckoning" an enveloping and very entertaining read, and I would definitely recommend it to others.

The Reckoning chronicles John Morrison's journey as he struggles to survive in a post apocalyptic world. His once imperfect life is now complicated by a strange sulfuric fog that pollutes the air and water and 'changes' people, ultimately killing them.

John's life was far from stellar before 'it' happened. As the current story unfolds, the author begins each chapter with a glimpse into John's past, creating an image of a man deeply flawed.

The story flows fast and furious and the writing is of the caliber that you don't want to put it down; eager to get to the next level of action, fear or discovery. The author takes you on a creative ride between the past and the present; he gives you a realistic feel of the emotions and responses the characters convey in the face of adversity.

Though the book is only 124 pages long, it is not lacking in content. It is rich and detailed, telling a tale of a horrific event, as seen by a damaged man and finally about forgiveness and peace. A great read.

D. Mikels, you're a good writer, well versed in craft and pacing, able to hold a story together with a theme, but character driven. That's what I take from The Reckoning. It's a good book, novella, told as two stories - the before and the after.

John Morrison screwed up his life - that's the message from the before - and in point by point detail, we learn how that happened. He's not a bad man and he's not a good man, he's just a man with flaws as well as strengths. He's not particularly honest, but then again he does have a conscience.

For my taste though, I'd have rather had full alternating chapters detailing the before and after, or I'd have brought out the before in situations, dialogue, memories, etc. A few inconsistencies threw me out of the story and those ought to have been caught in the proofing stage. But the major problem I had with the book is the ending. Those of you who've read it know what I'm talking about, but I won't spoil it for those who haven't. Suffice it to say that the reader has an emotional investment in the plot and characters and that ending betrayed that connection, I believe.

However, those nits aside, this was a quick and enjoyable read. It carried me through based on the strength of plot and pacing. Like a good movie, it was told in specific scenes and I had no trouble seeing those scenes before me as I read the text.

I'm giving it 4 stars because it succeeded on so many levels, anything lower would be unfair of me. I can't give it 5 stars because it just wasn't quite up to that standard for me.

I will read more by D. Mikels and look forward to doing so. Besides, a fellow Sooner with writing talent is a great find indeed.

- CV Rick

I started this one yesterday
And couldn't put it down
It all began one quiet day
In a small rural town

A deafening roar shattered the calm
The ground began to shake
A quick glance at the southern sky
Proved this was not a quake

A misty haze hung in the air
Green clouds tinted the sky
Poisoning the atmosphere
And the water supply

Some gasped a final dying breath
In one stroke things had changed
A select few appeared immune
But many were deranged

All John had were memories
He and his wife had parted
His failures and his love for booze
Were where the trouble started

Through the smoke he tried to find
His daughter and his wife
But soon he came to realize
He must fight for his life

Deep down inside he knows they've gone
To join his son, who'd died
But still he soldiered on despite
The burning ache inside

Comparable to King's book "Cell"
But with a "Mikels" twist
What's scary is it could come true
'Cos such things DO exist



Amanda Richards, January 20, 2007

4.5
"Where were you when it happened? The question replaced obligatory courtesy between strangers. No more would those who survived greet one another with a shallow 'hi' or 'hello'"

Into each life a little rain must fall. John Morrison has had a hurricane. His life has come undone. His first job opportunity as a married man fell apart, and he went from one job to another, racking up credit card bills. His wife, Dana, would have to leave her tennis court life and go to work and bail them out of debt. But, she only worked for a while, and she would give him 'that' look. You know the one, 'failure' written all over it. Life had held such promise; beautiful wife, two children and what had John done? Life-did him in. He drank to survive, until that day. The day he was packing to leave. Dana had asked him to leave, Their family had come apart, and apparently it could not be put back together again.

The big noise, a sudden attack of something, and life as John knew it was gone. A new world entered, one of green 'others' menacing and every man for himself. Kill or be killed. Green ooze, the people he knew became green 'others', and nothing was beyond their capability. John hooked up with two other 'real' people and headed for the North, to safety. What has happened to his world, why must John fight for his life and his being? He remembers all of the little things that mattered- his wife's love, his son and daughter and their life together, and he reminiscences. He will live or he will die while trying. John had always been a man of honor until circumstances took over. He must return to that life. Along with his two companions, John struggles to survive, and along the way he learns the hard fought lessons of life.

D Mikels has written an absorbing novel of survival; of life and the lessons to be learned along the way. Do we get a second chance? John Morrison will lead you along his path, and you travel with him. You will discover the answer in a most uncertain place.
Highly recommended. prisrob 1-13-07

The Reckoning

This terrific thriller begins with a bittersweet flashback to a simple, happy day that meant a lot to John Morrison. He remembers his little son's tiny blue sneakers with the white tips, and now, years later, his son is gone. Looking back, John realizes his life has been one loss after another - jobs, love, his son, and ultimately, his self-respect. Today, something will happen that is so huge, so devastating, that he will have to fight for his very survival or give up and fail for the last time. His journey toward redemption will be the hardest of his life. Will he make it?

D. Mikels' third book is a great read and his best story yet. John, the protagonist, is a very real man; flawed and filled with regrets. When a cataclysmic event changes life on earth, John must face many challenges and his own weaknesses in order to survive. The narrative is crisp, the dialogue authentic, and the pacing quick; there's action on every page and you can't wait to see what will happen next. This is a book that fans of action, science fiction, and drama are sure to enjoy. Heartily recommended.

Like Mikels first book, 'Dawn Of The Transcendence', 'The Reckoning' promises to take you through surreal dimensions of deep emotional aches and touching tenderness.

John Morrison's life has fallen apart. His son is dead, and his wife is separating from him. In the course of packing up his belongings, a strange event occurs that changes his life forever. An explosion, and afterward clouds of green smoke. John's focus is to find his wife and daughter who were shopping at the mall.

John makes it as far as his business office, not far from the mall, before realizing just how bad things are. He's no longer fighting to find his wife, he's fighting for his life.

If you're a fan of horror and dark fantasy, if you like zombies, if you like apocalypse tales, if you chase private daemons, or just enjoy magnetic stories with mythical implications, then you shouldn't miss out on this small gem of a novel. Mikels stylishly combines Morrison's poignant memories with the fast-paced, brutal survival actions in a world gone horribly wrong. The surprise ending will leave you breathless and questioning your own reality.

New twists on "used" genres such as zombies and apocalypse tales are always welcomed by this particular horror fan. At only 124 pages, I read the book in a couple of hours and was left wanting more. I highly recommend this book. Enjoy!

John Morrison's life was going right down the drain. With the loss of his son and now his impending divorce, he thought all was lost. True he still had his daughter Tiffany, but nothing will ever sooth his heart. John had no idea that his life was about to get much much worse, at the first sight of the green smoke.

The Others with fiery red eyes, cannibalistic nature, and the need to set buildings afire, were taking over. The infectious disease spreading like wildfire amongst the town and surrounding areas. There were only a handful of survivors, but John, Kevin, and Deb managed to stick together and escape from the evil brewing in Blairington.

D. Mikels scrawls a tale of horror that engrosses the reader from the start. I started reading this book one night while lying in bed...believe me that did not last long. Dreams of Zombies with fiery red eyes plagued me for two days. The Reckoning was filled with excitement and ended in an unimaginable twist. D. Mikels knows what he is doing, a captivating author that can make the hairs on your neck stand straight up. 5 Hearts

You might be wondering at the title of my review, especially if you have read the synopsis of this book and the other reviews. What luck is there? No, I am not being sarcastic either.

This is a very intimate and personal story of a man who is given the opportunity, with a backdrop that is devastating and unthinkable, to allow his own life to be reviewed in great detail.

There is a sudden explosion and things change for John Morrison. It changes for everyone around him as well. Some sort of attack, some sort of diabolical distruction has been wrought against mankind...at least all of those in the United States, if not everywhere. In an instant, a green gas has caused many people to go insane--they have become rabid animals, attacking everyone they see. Their red tinged eyes give a clear indication that they are something "other" than human now.

John has not gotten sick with this poison. People who have not gotten sick are victims to be pummelled and destroyed by the condemned. John does his best to survive, hooking up with a couple of other survivors, desperately trying to find a place that is safe, a place where the others cannot go.

But that is just half the story. The author uses flashbacks to allow both us and John to examine his life. He and his wife were seperating when the blast occurred--he was packing his things so he could move across town. His son died in a horrible accident a few weeks before and his life has unravelled. Throughout this tale of his desperate attempt at survival we revisit all the aspects of his married life that he felt were his failings--all the things that he did wrong, all the things that crumbled within his grasp.

So why is John lucky? Because usually when we are presented with our mortality, or own eminent demise, we not given much of a chance to better grasp what it is that happened to bring us to our current state. With a world in such a chaotic state usually a sudden and abrupt ending happens while the world crumbles around us. We are given no chances to comprehend anything at all. John however not only gets the chance to escape the demons of his exterior world but also face his inner demons at the same time.

This is a novella that was well put together and is tightly bound. The author drew me and quickly made me appreciate what agony our main character is going through--more so the agony of his past existence than even the horrible experiences of the apocalypse around him. Things are revealed both to him and to us, the reader, that are both terrifying but provide incredibly profound revelations. Whether you feel that John is a wretch of a man or simply weak, like all of us are, there is something to him that makes him incredibly human and noble as he does his best not just for himself but for those who he is still trying to save.

A reckoning is defined as an appraisal or judgement but is also can be defined as a settlement of accounts. John is blessed and lucky, as I mentioned in the title of my review, because he is not only forced to do the former but is also able to strive for the latter in this story.