Official Review: The Rages by James L Davis

[Lisa A Rayburn]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Rages" by James L Davis.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Imagine if the Earth herself were sentient and suddenly decided she was done with us. What would we do if Gaia and everything living upon her began to rage against us?

It began with a nuclear war between three nations, but the entire world felt the impact of the ensuing radiation. Then came the Rages wherein all beasts of the earth turned against humankind, killing indiscriminately without provocation. Most of the remaining population now live in the Hubs. These are protected cities in which all needs are met. Many spend their lives in the Vale, a digital representation of Earth. Within the Vale, anything that one wishes can be had with a thought. But this comes at a cost. Since its creation, the birthrate has plummeted. Most relationships are created in the Vale, with partners never having even met or touched. Real-life procreation is too much work. A digital baby can just be shut off if the parent is too busy… or lazy… to see to its needs. Between the radiation, the Rages, and the Vale, how will humanity survive?

The Rages (The Book of the Shepherds 1), by James L. Davis, was first released as five separate novellas. This book merges those stories into a single novel. Our main protagonist (and sometimes antagonist) is Harley Nearwater. He is the quintessential anti-hero. Where Harley goes, chaos ensues. He survives in the Wilderness outside the Hubs, unwilling to give up reality for a life in the Vale. One side character describes him well. “Harley here is … An enigma in our modern world. On his right hip, he carries his sidearm low, like a gunslinger of ages-old; on his left, he carries a sword, steely and ready to tear flesh from limb. A relic of the Old World. So, is he a cowboy, or is he a pirate? Does he even know?”

Harley was a conundrum in human form. Naturally, that trait made him my favorite character in the book. He primarily looked out for his own self-interests, killing without regret if the mood happened to strike. But occasionally, he ended up helping someone. This occasional urge baffled him, and he never knew when or for whom it would surface. His personality and backstory were well-developed, and his character experienced the most growth within the story. Character development is one thing at which the author excelled. Both major and minor characters had well-fleshed-out histories and personalities, and most experienced growth and change throughout the novel. With one exception, their purpose for being in the novel was clear. However, I’m afraid I took that exception to heart.

Brinna Wilde was a newly liberated member of the “Cult of the Jesus God.” The author took the time to develop her character, including her backstory, history, and personality. It seemed as if she were destined to become a secondary protagonist, perhaps even a foil for Harley. I grew quite fond of her and was interested in her storyline. Then… nothing… she crossed Harley’s path once. She helped him out of a tight spot, and then she just kind of wandered off, searching for an orchard she had seen in a recurrent dream. Hopefully, the author plans a sequel in which her character will reappear and play a more important part.

My favorite moments in the book had to be the bursts of humor that the author intertwined into the story. Though sometimes crude, they almost always made me laugh. For example: “The bull charged, and Harley had time to wonder if he might find himself explaining to Saint Peter how he survived so much in life only to die by a large and angry helping of hamburger.”

The world the author created was exquisitely detailed. This included both characters and the environment. “The Pilgrim… was a scarecrow of a man, bleached and wind-whipped to little more than leathered skin stretched over old bones.” I also found it fascinating that the author integrated real geography into the story, including currently existing roads and landmarks. As a huge fan of post-apocalyptic worlds, I enjoy knowing exactly what environment(s) were created when disaster struck. However, the level of detail into which the author goes could conceivably make the book drag for some readers.

For the storyline alone, I would have liked to give the book full stars. However, due to Brinna’s inexplicably dropped storyline and the (exactly ten) errors I found, I am forced to drop a star and award The Rages (The Book of the Shepherds 1) 3 out of 4 stars. I recommend it to those who enjoy sci-fi, especially books with post-apocalyptic themes and a bit of dark and twisted humor. There are several violent, gory scenes, so I cannot recommend the book for those under eighteen.

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The Rages
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[Vineeth kumar R]

It is so interesting ,it says about thr reality which may happen in future ,while reading the lines it took my mind into illustration

[Becca Olsson]

This is one of the most interesting plots I think I’ve heard. I’m definitely adding it to my must-read list. I’m glad that the author executed it well and wrote multi-dimensional characters. Thanks for the great review!

[NetMassimo]

I'm not sure I feel like reading a post-apocalyptic novel right now, but this one seems to develop some original ideas on this subject, so I'll keep this series in mind. Thank you for your great review!

[Sou Hi]

Thanks for your detailed review. Harley sounds like an anti-hero I would support. Once, I read a dystopian series whose main character is similar to Harley — he doesn't mind killing, but he is especially considerate towards those he cares for.

[Lisa A Rayburn]

It is so interesting ,it says about thr reality which may happen in future ,while reading the lines it took my mind into illustration

Seems very interesting, I can't wait to get started. Lovely review!

The author was, indeed, good at descriptions. Thanks to you both for dropping in and commenting!

[Lisa A Rayburn]

This is one of the most interesting plots I think I’ve heard. I’m definitely adding it to my must-read list. I’m glad that the author executed it well and wrote multi-dimensional characters. Thanks for the great review!

Good character development is one of the things I look for in what I read. This author did it well. Thanks for stopping in and commenting!

[Lisa A Rayburn]

I'm not sure I feel like reading a post-apocalyptic novel right now, but this one seems to develop some original ideas on this subject, so I'll keep this series in mind. Thank you for your great review!

I completely understand avoiding the post-apocalyptic genre at present. I'm just so hooked that I can't stay away! Thanks for dropping by and commenting!

[Lisa A Rayburn]

Thanks for your detailed review. Harley sounds like an anti-hero I would support. Once, I read a dystopian series whose main character is similar to Harley — he doesn't mind killing, but he is especially considerate towards those he cares for.

I loved Harley's character. It's difficult to create an anti-hero that readers both identify with and find...ethically challenging! I would love to know what series you were reading! Thanks for dropping by and commenting!

[Rwill0988]

Other than the dropped storyline, this sounds like a great read. I like when humor is mixed into books like these. I hope to get a chance to read it. Great review!

[Lisa A Rayburn]

Other than the dropped storyline, this sounds like a great read. I like when humor is mixed into books like these. I hope to get a chance to read it. Great review!

The dropped storyline was disappointing, but I did enjoy the humor a great deal. I hope you get to read the book! Thanks for dropping in and commenting!

[Prisallen]

It is a rather unique plot--Earth turning against humans. It sounds like one that I would enjoy. Thanks for your wonderful review!

[Lisa A Rayburn]

It is a rather unique plot--Earth turning against humans. It sounds like one that I would enjoy. Thanks for your wonderful review!

It's difficult to find a post-apocalyptic theme that hasn't been done to death. This one definitely qualifies as unique. I hope you enjoy the book as much as I did! Thanks for dropping by and commenting!

[Josephe-Anne]

I feel like the fictional events that are described in this book could actually become reality someday soon. (Human) Life is already so different to how it used to be just a few decades ago, so who knows? I'm also fascinated by post-apocalyptic survival stories.

Thank you for an excellent review.

[kdstrack]

This is a unique storyline that pulls one in just trying to imagine it! This sounds amazing - making it easy to overlook the mistakes! Thanks for the fascinating recommendation.