BoundbyWords: BLOG TOUR: Sanctuary by G. Michael Hopf

Title: The End (The New World Series #1)

Author: G. Michael Hopf
Genre: Post-Apocalyptic Fiction
Publisher: Plume (Penguin Imprint)

Release Date: May 27/2014

Adquired: Print copy provided by publisher

Goodreads: ADD

Purchase: Amazon/Indigo/Book Depository

Surviving the attack proved to be more than they could have imagined…

Months after a super-EMP attack devastated the United States, the country is now unrecognizable. Major cities are run by gangs, survivors are dying of starvation and the government is falling victim to lawlessness. Those who were prepared for the end find that they weren’t really prepared at all.

While some seek vengeance for their losses, others are determined to restore the nation. Gordon, Samantha, Sebastian, Barone, Connor and Pablo are all on different paths, but they are all in search of a home away from chaos. They are all in search of a sanctuary.

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I'm not quite sure what I was expecting from the third installment of The New World Series, but if I was forced to come up with something, I would tell you that I was HOPING to find more humanity than the first two books displayed. Unfortunately, that's not what I found within Sanctuary. If anything, there was even MORE emphasis on robotic characters, and violence for the sake of violence. I kept reading, despite it all, but my experience was not one I'd want to revisit.

Once again, the book is divided up into short-lived chapters, depicting the individual stories of multiple characters. This narrative style, coupled with the subject matter of this book, had the potential to be EPIC. Sadly, it wasn't so, due to the fact that almost every voice was a mirror image of the other. I had also hoped that the author would flesh out his characters in this third book-craft back stories, push dialogues further than:

"okay let's do this" *insert insanely technical military lingo*

"okay, thanks for doing that"

"I am over here doing this," *insert some more lingo, that went completely over my head*

"okay I'll be over here doing this other thing."

It was incredibly, INCREDIBLY robotic, and completely devoid of true emotion, and depth, and THOUGHT. I kept hoping I would turn the page and things would miraculously change. I kept hoping that the author would drop his (albeit, very impressive) use of technical jargon, and just WRITE A STORY. I can completely appreciate that this book was backed by some intense real-life experience, and thought that Michael Hopf's idea to translate it into fiction was a brilliant move, but, I might as well have been reading non-fiction. There seemed to be no room for characters arcs, no solid world building-or in this case world destroying. The entire story seemed to exist on the top-most layer of reality, and when things WERE "explained," I found it to be in a manner that would not reach most readers.

The gratuitous violence continued in Sanctuary. Again, I'm not ignorant to the possible consequences that would ensue should such an attack happen in our own reality, but I just found the mentions of violence in this book to be there for the mere pleasure of it, so one could say that they read a violent book. It seemed to have no basis (yes, a total electricity shut-down, I know), but it was just never-ending. There were no shining moments of humanity, everyone was just BAD. Everyone. YOUR mother, and her brother, and his nephew, and..his dog. All of them, BAD.

I wanted to literally squeeze this book, squeeze it until different words popped onto the page. Words that I could relate to, and connect with. Characters I could sympathize with, and CRY for. I wanted less explanation and more feeling-the topic was an APOCALYPSE for God's sakes, where was the FEELING?

The New World Series is definitely one that would appeal to those who are a little rougher around the edges, for those who have had military experience themselves, those who are content with little to no real emotion from their characters. This was simply a book filled with action, and JUST action. If that sounds like your ideal, this book, and series, is exactly what you're after.

Recommended for Fans of: Post apocalyptic fiction, Suspense, Thriller, Gore, Controversial Issues, Political Fiction, Military situations/lingo.

Challenges: Goodreads 100 Book Goal

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G. Michael Hopf is a combat veteran of the Marine Corps, a former bodyguard for the Saudi Royal family, entrepreneur, and best-selling author.

He has studied the threat of EMP for 6 years and how to best prepare in the event. He wrote The End and The Long Road (Books 1 & 2 in The New World series)to illustrate the effects our nation would suffer if ever attacked by this type of weapon.

He and his family currently reside in San Diego, CA.

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