Title: Collapsed World
Series: EMP Aftermath
Author: Grace Hamilton
Publisher: Relay Publishing
Release Date: 14th June 2023
BLURB from Goodreads
When the world ends, all they have left is family. But can they survive what’s coming? Laurel and her husband, Bear, have finally reunited with their daughter Mae. But their daughter’s loyalties are divided, leading both Bear and Trent to get swept up in the turmoil as Mae is forced to pick sides. With her family separated once again, Laurel needs to figure out how to save them and remind their daughter that family comes first in the battleground of post-apocalypse America. And it isn’t long before a new crisis threatens everything they’ve worked so hard to build. Now Laurel must work out how to rescue not only the Freemen but the Militia as well. People are dying as the two groups clash, loyalties are tested, and Laurel and Bear must make the hardest choice of their lives. In the fight for survival, they struggle to answer a single burning how much can the ties of family withstand?
REVIEW
Once again the cover fits well with the others in the series and would make me want to learn more about the book and characters featured on it.
So Collapsed World picks up literally right where Divided World ended, so straight back into the plot, angst and action!
The freemen realise that they cannot hold onto the warehouse so a decision is made to relocate to an outside camp not that far away. There are some supplies already there but they also need to take some things with them. Laurel has some trickery decisions to make, particularly regarding one of her patients who still has not regained feeling in her legs after being crushed by a flag pole during the last battle with the militia. It's not an easy trip to make and as they are struggling with carts in mud whilst travelling away from the coveted warehouse Cornell is still as determined to take the warehouse from the freemen at all costs. Cornell decides to attack earlier than planned and when it becomes apparent that the freemen have left he is quite eager to enter the warehouse despite the risks of potential booby traps. When Cornell steps on such a trap, it is down to Mae and Gideon to help him. Its Mae's quick and clever thinking that saves Cornells life, not that he thanks her, nor even thinks better of her. Gideon later reveals that Cornell had asked him to step on the trap to free himself. Further proving Cornell is pertaining not fit to wear the army uniform let alone lead it.
Bear is locked away in an improvised pitch black cell with the help of his own daughter Mae! Cornell cruelly removes Bear's hearing aid therefore hindering him and depriving him of another of his necessary senses to be aware of his surroundings. He is however reunited in his cell with the missing Trent. It's not long before the pair have their heads together making an escape plan! They do in fact escape but end up delaying their get away to help a trapped swan which unfortunately means they are recaptured, once again Mae leads them back to imprisonment. This time they are separated and guarded preventing a further escape plan.
just when you think it's all over, that the bad guys have been squashed you find out it isn't over, theres more bad guy militia, part of some greater larger plan.
When an illness sweeps into the militia group, Cornell once again picks on Mae to undertake the dangerous mission of finding out if it's the water supply. Cornell seems to think just because her mother, Laurel is a doctor that Mae will have some specialised insight. When Mae hears Bear is also ill she does have the extra incentive to find out what is going on. Its whilst on this mission visiting the water plant that Mae comes across her mother Laurel on a similar mission. The freemen are also becoming ill with all signs pointing to the water being the source of the illness. Neither Laurel and the freemen, nor Mae and the militia trust each other. In fact each initially accuse the other group of being responsible for poisoning the water. Laurel works out the issue with the water but it wont make a lot of difference if the group cannot survive the militia attack.
I loved the catch up with what was going on at the hospital....the people, Chris, Peter & Liam....Hannah (nurse in relationship with ex prisoner Bulldog) is pregnant.....etc. I wonder if they are about to be overrun once again? Maybe Laurel and the Freemen will have to rescue them, or maybe use the hospital as a base. There are so many possibilities for what could happen. I really love that the author, Kyla Stone gives you, the reader the space to ponder what direction the plot, characters and world will take.
Theres lots of family angst continuing on in this book, will Mae ever choose her family over the army? Are there romantic feelings between Gideon and Mae?
Its difficult to say much more about the content of the book without giving anything away. I will say I thoroughly enjoyed reading Collapsed World, almost reading it in one reading session! I am definitely seriously looking forward to reading more. There seems to be so much more to come, theres still questions to be answered, and problems to be resolved.
Just when you think everything is over you find out the Cornells branch of the militia was part of some greater plan. Once again the book ends with the main characters facing a dilemma.....retreat to Thunder Bay and a hopefully quiet life or stay, and join the freemen in their quest against the other branches of militia and their bigger, greater plan whatever that may be.
Summing up, Another great action packed instalment in the EMP Aftermath series! I can't wait to read more!!
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