The Quake Cities

A Captivating Novel With a Touch of Science Fiction

A woman wakes in the dark place and doesn’t know where she is. I fact, she doesn’t at first remember her name. Her legs are not fully functional. She hears others shouting, and wanted to call out. A hand clamps over her mouth. It’s another young woman who tells her to be quiet and that her name is Este who tells her a way out. The woman remembers her name, Alice, but the voices seem to found her. There were muzzle flashes down the hall, and luckily they were not aimed at her. When Alice reached the street, she sees total major city in total destruction. She wanders to find water and food and avoid any people. Meanwhile Este and her partner, Wilfredo discover that there is a one million dollar bounty for a woman matching the description of the woman she saved earlier. The novel proceeds from here.

The main storyline timeline is set in the near dystopian future. Este’s and Wilfredo’s goal is to find the woman and collect the million dollars. The city is Los Angeles that had suffered three monumental earthquakes. This was a trend for many as major earthquakes happening around the world. There are people living within the ruins for various reasons who eschew the near normal living outside the quake zones, called LoP, Land of Plenty. Soon, into the novel a significant event occurs that significant changes the direction of how Este and Wilfredo will achieve their goal. These significant events keep occurring that also change Alice’s goals. My attention was captured and solidly held all the way to the end.

The B-storyline of both Este and Wilfredo is extensive and is portrayed by them talking with each other, with Casey, Este’s dog, and Alice. For Este, her actions and also tell much about her. There are several submain storyline threads that allow Este and Wilfredo to show additional sides of their personalities. Alice’s background is a major part of the main storyline and unfolds with the main storyline. The author weaves these B-storyline threads seamlessly into the main storyline threads. They enriched my enjoyment in reading this novel.

For areas that some readers find objectionable, there are not any intimate scenes, and foul language instances are the low single digits with zero f-bombs. The most possibly objective language is the use of OMG. Violence is another story. Most of it is described as it occurs which is more edgy. There is significant implied violence. While the level is significant, I did not find it objectionable. This book should not raise any red flags to readers.

I was surprised that this novel really was science fiction. The only novels that I had read by this author before this one were the three Luis Chavez novels that were straight mystery thrillers. I do read science fiction, and this is the type that I enjoy as it is a more story interaction that science fiction. There wasn’t anything negative in this novel for me. It kept me quite interested in continuing to read late into the night and the first thing when I woke in the morning. Everything was tied up by the end. Writing about the end, indicated that the future after the novel probably will challenging but there is hope. This is a good science fiction ending for me.

Overall, this novel met all the aspects I need for a five star rating. I enjoyed it. If you like action adventures with a little science fiction, I believe that you will like it also.

I received a free e-book version of this novel through NetGalley from Severn House Publishers with an expectation for an honest, unbiased review. I wish to thank Severn House Publishers for the opportunity to read and review this novel early.