Genre: post-apocalyptic
Format: ebook
Source: provided for honest review
Goodreads SummaryStrike Three is a post-apocalyptic novel:
Because of the "hot virus," the devastation of WWIII is more horrible than the worse case scenario, and missiles fired in retaliation gave new meaning to "Scorched Earth".
No one ever imagined they would have to start from scratch--and bare dirt.
The Good
Strike Three is a post-apocalyptic book and I really liked the focus being on the "starting from scratch" after the mass-destruction, "possibly" caused by hot-virus (yea, that's one thing you'll get only after reading the book!). All the people, resources, plant life, animals and infrastructures got swiped off the US (or the entire planet) except for the ones who took shelter underground with enough supplies. I loved the main protagonist, Lea and also her father, Sheridan. For me, they served as the linchpin of the story.Strike Three is very different from what we usually read in post-apocalyptic books, and that is one thing to look out for while picking up this book. I absolutely loved the flow of the story in the initial 80 pages. It started off pretty well and had me absorbed immediately. One of the positive points, that I realized at the end of the book was, the last two pages were the most important in the book as they cleared most of the things, which otherwise would have left the reader in confusion (but again, except for the motive and extent of the destruction!)
The Bad
After enjoying the first 80 pages, as I kept reading, the story got less-engaging and more uneventful and repetitious. More than half of the book was about trading, planting, finding new survivors and assigning jobs. It got really monotonous! A lot of things were not explained, which made it a bit difficult for me to connect with the characters.The second thing that disturbed me was that as the book went in the second phase or to say in the "new government" phase, the leads were nowhere to be seen! I really missed Lea and Sheridan, specially towards the end.
The Romance
There was no romance, though there was a lot of love! I adored the father-daughter bond of the Zanes and the Jensons. Lea Zane and her father Sheridan shared a very unique father-daughter bond, which served as the foundation of the book. I was really looking forward to seeing Lea (or any other character, for that matter) getting involved in a sweet romantic relation, but unfortunately, there was none.Conclusion
I would have given Strike Three a four star rating, if it wouldn't have been for the monotonous flow of the 2nd half of the book or for so many unanswered questions. I strongly felt that the book is missing out on 'something' that would have otherwise turned the book into a superb read!You'll enjoy reading Strike Three if you can ignore and be comfortable with some unexplained elements.
Did you enjoy this review? Check out Heena's other reviews at The Reading Bud
I have to admit, the cover is so bad I wouldn't even touch this book. I am so wrong and I know it! lol
ReplyDeleteI agree with you! A better cover might have lifted my spirit just a bit for an extra 1/2 star, but sadly it didn't ;)
ReplyDeleteJennifer- I agree with you! A better cover might have lifted my spirit just a bit for an extra 1/2 star, but sadly it didn't ;)
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't have picked up this book based on the cover or the synopsis. I'm glad you enjoyed it overall despite its issues. The monotony, MC's being MIA, and unanswered questions would definitely cause problems for me as well. Nice review, Heena.
ReplyDeleteBookworm Brandee- Thanks a lot Brandee! And yea, the book does have a lot of issues. Though what attracted me was a fresh approach to a post-apocalyptic scenario.
ReplyDeleteThe concept was brilliant and so was the first half of the book but after that it's a slog!
Thanks for sharing :)