How hard must a man fight when the apocalypse arrives?
Civil war ravages the country. The economy collapses. A plague spreads like fire, and pollution darkens the sky. This is the toxic world of Robert Ashton. A wasteland of broken dreams, death, tech, and mutants. But he is not alone.
He and his partner navigate life underground, where it is safer. Society has buckled, and working as a smuggler, Robert builds a criminal life to keep the two of them fed. But nothing lasts forever, and he is forced to return to the surface when the underground suffers a brutal military raid. What he discovers shocks a man who thinks he cannot be shocked anymore.
Robert emerges into the hellscape of the Third World War…
Inspired by current events, Abandon Us is the prequel to E.T. Gunnarsson's multi-award-winning book Forgive Us, a story readers call "thrilling, brutal, and completely unique."
A global plague, a collapsing economy, a civil war ... what else could possibly go wrong? The scenario feels frighteningly akin to modern times; yet Abandon Us is a post-apocalyptic story of a struggle for survival that adds a twist as a former service technician and his partner abandon a dying city to take to the underworld, underground.
Robert's move from above-ground activities and life to nefarious pursuits allow he and his partner to survive; but when events above-ground force him to return, it's to confront the aftermath of World War III in a deadly new environment that further confounds survival efforts.
The plot that E.T. Gunnarsson cultivates may sound similar to many other dystopian, post-apocalyptic stories; but the real meat that differentiates this book from others in the genre lies in protagonist Robert's efforts to transform his life not just once, but again and again, in response to world-changing events.
In 2070, the world may be dying, but Robert is not. His ability to survive this new world depends on his flexibility in coping with the "age of the wasteland" caused by nuclear war and the end of the United States as we know it.
Perhaps the dialogue between characters says it all:
“'What are we going to do?' Robert asked.
'Live,' William said."
Gunnarsson's focus on how life is revised and the methods and reasons for continuing on are the focal point in a story that is delivered in two parts: before, and after the fall of mankind.
This gives readers a fine contrast, builds Robert's personality and world, and creates a smooth segue between what was and what is, examining how and why the survivors act and react the way they do.
Why live? As further trials challenge the survivors, Gunnarsson asks pertinent questions about the process of struggling onward when everything formerly valued is gone: "What could one do against such a wicked creation? How does one cope with the idea that they are the living dead, conscious of their impending mortality yet powerless to mend it?"
Readers of post-apocalyptic fiction need not have prior familiarity with the first book in the Odemark series (Forgive Us) in order to seamlessly absorb the ongoing saga in Abandon Us.
Its satisfying twist, which asks not only how one survives disaster, but why, creates a riveting account highly recommended for sci-fi readers with special interest in post-apocalyptic scenarios of what rises from the ashes.
This isn't one of those books where the main characters feel safe throughout. As they move along, there's a tremendous sense of dread that makes you seriously worried for them.
The world-building was fantastic. Watching everything fall apart around the main characters made me stressed. Every character felt fleshed out and I liked everyone. I cried real tears multiple times.
The way the different communities fought felt realistic and terrifying. The fight scenes were tense and gripping.
This is easily my favorite apocalyptic book I've read.
The thought of what the world would look like if we ever went down the road of a third world war is a dark one, and this book certainly doesn’t shy away from the harrowing imagery of a world falling to pieces in brutal violence.
Author E.T. Gunnarsson's prose is harsh and visceral, a perfect set of tools for depicting the nightmarish vision of the future that he has crafted with great skill. Robert Ashton is a perfect protagonist for such a story, a determined individual grounded by his desire to provide for his partner and do whatever he needs to do for them both to survive.
The story that unfolds throughout Abandon Us with such a strong protagonist forced into the world of WW3 is sublime and gripping, with every threat feeling credible and every moment of danger so tense that the reader can taste it.
E.T. Gunnarsson creates the possibility of life ruled by a tyrannical government that does not care about long-term pollution effects. Food rationing, trash building up, and dead bodies littering the streets are terrifying to imagine.
Robert’s perception dominates the story, and I would feel hopeless if I were in his place. If a nuclear war occurs, many of the descriptions of what the world could turn into feel accurate.
This is a fast-paced story with a vivid depiction of how far people will go when desperation for survival overcomes humanity. People turn on each other without remorse, and trust is a thin line even when they team up. The end of the book was unexpected and leaves an opening for a sequel. Reflecting on the issues in the story, I feel I may need to invest in a well-stocked bunker.
Readers who enjoy thrillers set in the future filled with civil unrest and its results will enjoy Abandon Us.
