Thomas Koloniar
HarperCollins Publishers
June 26, 2012 /978-0062025821
Fantasy
Amazon
Reviewed
by Jan Fields
As Cannibal
Reign opens, an asteroid is hurtling toward earth, but the government
wants to keep it quiet and only a very few people know. A small
group of retired Special Forces heroes are filling an abandoned
missile silo with food -- and a few hopeful people. An astronomer
is struggling to get the word out. And the end of the world hits.
Things go bad
even before the asteroid hits, and they only get worse. Starvation
and guns bring out the worst as society crumbles. But ultimately,
Cannibal Reigns isn't a book about how rotten people are -- but
how good they can be. It's fast paced,
sometimes horrific, always chilling, but also surprisingly hopeful.
No matter how dark the world becomes, the book reminds us that there
are some who will fight against the darkness instead of against
themselves.
I'm a huge
fan of apocalyptic fiction, and the book offers all the thrill ride
you expect from this type of story. But even though it doesn't pull
any punches about what humans are capable of, it also reminds us
that not everything we're capable of is shameful. The book isn't
perfect. The character of Jack Forrest is classic James Bond wish
fullfilment -- the guy every woman wants who just can't be defeated.
And the characterization for some of the women actually made me
laugh in a "you can tell this was written by a man" kind
of way. Still, in a genre I love -- Cannibal Reign has been my favorite
this year.
|