*Book source
~ A review copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.
Title ~ Untaken
Author ~ J.E. Anckorn
Publisher ~ Curiosity Quills Press
Published ~ 23 March 2015
Genre ~ YA | Post-Apocalyptic
Pages ~ 260
My Rating ~ 4 bites
Forget Armageddon. Aliens have shown up in large numbers in strange silver ships and they did not come in peace. Destroying buildings and killing humans, the aliens have made a right mess of Earth. The remaining people are scattered among shelters, but when they thought they could count on the government to protect them, they soon realize how very wrong they were. Gracie, Brandon and Jake need to get to safety and wait for the Army to rescue them from aliens and the special agencies such as the CIA. However, they didn't count on Jake being of special interest to the government and aliens alike. Now they can't trust anyone except themselves. How long can they hide and survive? And if there's no one left, does it matter if they do?
This is an interesting take on alien invasion. A slow start, but picks up as it goes along. The story is told from three POVs, 14-yr-old Gracie, 15-yr-old Brandon and 5-yr-old Jake. None of them are related, but they all want to survive. Gracie and Brandon's stories of the invasion are sorta similar, but Jake's is very different. He's very different.
The invasion is a bit confusing. Why hover and wait around for so long? Then come in guns blazing when it later becomes clear that they want the humans. So why slaughter so many? Didn't make sense. And our own governments? What asshats! Seriously.
I enjoyed the switching POVs. It gave a well-rounded telling of the events both before and after the invasion. The writing is superb and the plot interesting. It made me wonder aloud to my husband how well our own kids would fair if they were dumped into a flight and survive situation. The kids in this story had to go back to basics. Forget tv, internet and video games. How well would most of the kid/teen population today get along if they had to do without electricity, running water and grocery stores? How many of us are prepared for such an event? I grew up on a farm and my husband knows how to hunt, so we would probably be ok as long as we avoided the aliens and the bad government guys. But still...eep. Let's just not let this happen. Ok?
We've had this discussion a lot, except with Zombies because my step-son IS OBSESSED with zombies. We've all decided that I wouldn't make it because I'm not a fighter, but in terms of roughing it I'd do the best. I think kids nowadays would be dealt badly equipped, such electronic lives :/ But yeah, lets let it not happen :)
ReplyDeleteI'm not in great shape, but I think I could hold my own as long as I didn't have to actually run. lol I'm sure I would get fighting fit in no time as long as I stayed alive. After that, it's a matter of common sense and having knowledge that dates before the 20th century. :)
DeleteThis sounds good, I grew up not having any of the cool things kids have today, but I think I might die without my computer..lol. So yeah, lets not let that happen. :)
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing how much technology has changed since I was a kid growing up in the 70s. No computer would be GAH! as I've been experiencing lately since my computer died. *sigh*
DeleteNo electricity... No internet, that would be the end of the world, aaaaaaaaaaaaah ! I think my only lessons of "how to survive an apocalypse" come from watching Walking dead ;)
ReplyDeleteNo internet would truly truly suck. lol
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