REVIEW: The Remaining by D J Molles
Publishing Information: Kindle
Publisher: Orbit; 7 Jan 2014
ISBN: 978-0316404150
ASIN: B00H25FGBO
Series: Remaining #1
Copy: Provided by publisher
Reviewer: Tyson
Amazon
Synopsis: "The first volume in D.J. Molles's bestselling series, now in a special edition with the bonus novella The Remaining: Trust.
In a steel-and-lead encased bunker a Special Forces soldier waits on his final orders.
On the surface a bacterium has turned 90% of the population into hyper-aggressive predators.
Now Captain Lee Harden must leave the bunker and venture into the wasteland to rekindle a shattered America."
I have had this book for review for quite a while and finally found it at the top of my reading pile. The Remaining is a cross between The Walking Dead and the upcoming video game, The Division. Lee Harden is one of 48 coordinators that are placed in a well-stocked bunker when the defensive readiness condition or DEFCON reaches a point where there is a credible threat. If, after 48 hours with no contact from his handlers, he is to open his safe and begin his mission. Capt. Lee Harden hasn't had contact and now his mission begins.
I had no expectations from this book. I am really tired of the zombies but if a book can find a unique angle to the genre, I am open to it. I am happy to report that The Remaining has found an angle that works and kept me reading whenever I could find a little bit of time to sneak in a few chapters. Harden is a compelling character. He has the training to complete his missions and he isn't the heartless killer that the military would send out to deal with threats. He is a tactical thinker that does his best to help those in need and goes above and beyond to provide assistance. His mission is clear, rebuild society and in order to do that he has to trust people who are already weary of strangers. A mission that won't be solved in a few hours. Harden also has a decent personality. He doesn't know it all and keeps a realistic outlook on things with a sense of humor.
The world-building is excellent. We gain a pretty good idea of just what it is occurring and learning new bits of information as Harden gets the intel. Just like the world today, there are some genuinely good people out there but there are also individuals and small groups that are out to take advantage of the situation and loot and plunder the weak. Harden must deal with those groups and many in between in order to navigate the new world he has found himself in.
As I was preparing to write this review, I learned that the book/series is being optioned for a movie and it would make a great movie but without a doubt the book is better as it is not an in your face military thriller featuring zombies but a book about dealing with others in an attempt to bring back civilization. While I received this book for review, I have every intention of checking out the rest of the series as I really dig Harden as a character and the pacing of the book. It has a lot of little tidbits that Harden has to figure out in order for the survivors to work with him and gain their trust. A situation that I could imagine happening if civilization where to collapse. The Remaining is highly recommended.
Overall 8/10
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