4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good Lights Out Story, February 25, 2011
This review is from: The Unit (Paperback)
The Unit is a very enjoyable book which combines what are becoming two popular genres; Lights Out and Post Disaster. It goes further than the typical Post Apocalyptic story, or should I say, it pulls up short of a full-on Post Apocalyptic story. It contains elements of a Survivalist tale, without the how-to details that sometimes bog down what are otherwise good story-lines.
The story revolves around a family of four who find themselves stuck along the freeway in Northern California following a limited nuclear exchange. The reader knows no more about the details of this exchange than the characters.
Through flashbacks and remembrances the reader is brought up to speed as to what happened to the family immediately following the event. These flashbacks occur amidst the desperate struggle for survival that the family currently finds itself in.
Character development is strong, in that the first person perspective switches amongst the leads as the story progresses. This perspective also switches to other non-lead characters along the way.
The main antagonists are a group of escaped inmates from a juvenile detention center who are raiding the countryside and ambushing inept groups of weary travelers attempting to survive in an environment growing more hostile as supplies dry up.
There is plenty of gun play and narrow escapes, but there are also tense moments where the reader is unsure of who will ultimately survive, if anyone. At one point I was certain that none of the lead characters would make it through, and in fact, not all of them do. The pace is good and the situations are realistically portrayed.
For fans of this mixed genre, I would compare the book to Patriots, American Apocalypse III and Lights Out.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Satisfying Read., April 3, 2011
This review is from: The Unit (Paperback)
Satisfying Read! DeHart writes a fast paced story in an interesting way. One of the most intriguing aspects of the story is that each of the characters tells their part of it in 1st person, an unusual approach that De Hart makes work. The setting of a post-apocalyptic world actually lends itself well to this type of storytelling allowing the reader to go deep inside each characters thoughts and feelings mourning the lost past way of life, uncertainty of present predicaments and hope for the future. The plot doesn't suffer from using this device, in fact it propels the story along at an even quick pace. One thing I didn't care for was the title. Other than that it is an entertaining quick read.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Apocolyptic, End of the World Book with Heart, December 8, 2010
This review is from: The Unit (Paperback)
This book is really great! I loved it. I read it from front to back in one sitting, I just couldnt put it down. The author takes you into peril right along side the Sharpe family. From the first page you truly feel as though your in this struggle with them. Your Heart races so fast, that you think its going to beat right out of your chest when Jerry (dad) struggles to keep his family together. You find yourself really hating the antagonist, wishing them the worse outcome possible, then realizing that your reading a book and its not really the end of the world. I loved this book, and Im more of a zombie enthusiast. But, I cant wait to read it again and again. Great buy, Great book!
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