If ever there was a book that I would love to see brought to TV or film, this would be it.

I was grabbed from the very beginning. When things started getting interesting with Simon, the story switched to Brian and Steven, and part of me screamed, "No!" Then, it would switch back to Simon when Brian and Steven found themselves in a pickle and I just had to keep on reading. It wasn't confusing the back and forth and instead added to the suspense. I was on the edge of my seat from beginning to end.

I think what I loved most was how all of the characters start out as a part of their own story and as they journey on, their paths cross and the multiple stories become one. It's not an easy task to melt storyline together seamlessly, but Zenner does it well.

I'm also a big fan of a book that emphasizes the bond between a man and his dog. I'm a sucker for pets, I'll admit it, and I was rooting for Simon and Winston to have their happy ending from the very beginning. The relationship between them was exactly what you would expect to find between a man and the dog he has had since a pup. It was wonderful and beautiful. Winston saved Simon in more ways than one.

I enjoyed the concept of this novel as well. The U.S. is at war and intelligence has been leaked that a deadly disease will follow the fighting. Because of this intelligence, some have prepared to hide and wait the 2 years needed fo the disease to die out. What follows the war is just as disastrous as the war itself. Mercenaries, cannibals, and criminals run free, but there is hope in sight because some members of the military have prepared to restore society to its former glory when the time comes.

Like I mentioned before, I hope this becomes a TV series or a movie one day. Chapter 63, the major battle between the band of mercenaries and the people of Alice, was AMAZING! Simon, the peaceful one, became a beast, killing men left and right to save Bethany and Winston. The fight was glorious and I'm not even a fan of action packed scenes.

I do have one complaint, though. Where are all the women???? In the Book of the Unnamed Midwife, there was disease that killed more women than men, but in The After War nothing like that was mentioned. Yet, there are very few women after the war and the disease. So, what happened? Is this some sort of jab that women wouldn't be able to survive a war on American soil or was the disease more devastating to women and I just missed that part?? Speaking from a female perspective (particularly a mother), I'm not exactly battle ready, but I would kill 1000 men if it kept my kids safe and I'm sure there are plenty of women out there who would agree with me here.

I'm glad this was both Part 1 and 2 because when I finished Part 1, I was dying for more. I enjoyed reading the "what if" scenario and following the characters through the aftermath. I loved how all of them end up a part of the same story and this one kept me on the edge of my seat, feverishly flipping pages to find out what happened next.

Great work Zenner!

This story was told from a few different points of perspective but the main character I enjoyed the most was Simon. Simon is a young man who longs to be in the wilderness and someday be a forest ranger. He is in survivalist training and about to graduate from school when he is called away to return home. He comes from an extremely wealthy family who explains to him that we are at war and that he is to go to his uncle's cabin in Nova Scotia and stay there for at least two years so that what is coming will have had time to pass. He leaves with his dog Winston and proceeds to live in isolation, meditating and becoming "one with nature".
The 2nd point of view is from two cousins, Brian and Steven, who have been living in a bunker for the past two years and who have also been told to wait 2 years and to go to a certain town to get their sister and cousin.
Simon heads back to his home only to find that his parents have died and that the town has been designated as the Blue Zone due to its water filtering facility and is run by the military. Brian makes it to his cousins and they proceed to what is now known as the red zone for its access to fuel.
The antagonist in this story is a evil militia style group that terrorizes anyone they come across and they manage to fool the blue zone into allowing them entry as additional reinforcements for their community.
I really enjoyed everything about the book except for the fact that it seemed way to obvious what the Red Hand militia was up to before they were officially invited to come in. I think Simon's character was very unusual as far as this type of book goes, he very much wanted to use non-violence to solve the problems and start the world back on the right foot. I found the fact that he became everything he was against near the end very surprising but quiet satisfying. Looking forward to the next book.

A thoughtful, indepth look at how an apocalypse would affect different types of people. I enjoyed the different ways people voted and the different systems they set up afterwards; often this kind of book only covers one or two types of society, so it was interesting to see more than that. It also wasn't too gruesome or gory.
Thank you for the chance to read it.

I love when I dive into a book knowing little to nothing about it only to find myself deeply entangled in the story by the time I've finished.
If you want an endlessly entertaining and thought provoking read then I'd defintely recommend reading The Afer War by Brandon Zenner.

2 years after the earth was ravaged and ruined by a nuclear war and a widespread fatal disease, Steven and Brian are leaving the safety of their underground bunker for the first time.
Meanwhile, Simon and his faithful dog Winston are leaving the comfort of their secluded cabin in the woods.
Both groups are headed east in hopes of reuniting with family..or whatever is left of them.
Small groups of survivors litter their path along the journey. Some are more dangerous than others and many are desperate for resources.
Its a gripping novel about survival in a world where the line between good and evil begins to blur and the morally corrupt have all the advantage.

Things i loved about this book:
- Character development. All of the characters were very well written, even some of the supporting roles. Through the journey each main character seems to change--subtly at first, then by the end of the book they seems to have metamorphasized.
- The switching between different protagonist viewpoints and bringing two separate stories together seamlessly. The story was so well put together! It withheld the holes my nit picking brain wanted to poke in it, which made it all the more satisfying.
- The descriptive imagery was spot on and not over the top. I can't stand when a story is bogged down by too much descriptive language. Zenner added just the right amount that allows the reader to picture each scene vividly while not disruppting the plot line.
- Goin into this book I knew there would be people acting insane in a world with no rules and no accountability, but the protagonists were just downright evil. It gave me great joy to root for their demise and kept me on the edge of my seat with every despicable action they made.

It takes a few chapters to get a feel for all the characters, but once you do I'm sure you'll find yourself rooting for them as I did.
In part two it was a bit harder to focus on the shifting narrative due to the addition of more characters but with a little determination and re-reading a page or two I was able to comfortably continue.

I give this nove a 4.5/5. I'd highly recommend to lovers of sci-fi, dystopian novels, books in a post apocalyptic setting or anyone who loves a well thought out plot with a multitude of great characters.