A.B. Shepherd

I was given a copy of this book, in return for an honest review.

HOLY TOLEDO BATMAN!

Lifeboat is a book where a 1000 people were rescued, by aliens, because Earth has been destroyed by the ultimate natural disasters, and I mean in the epic proportions too. Cass, a lonley woman who had lost what meant most to her in her life, had become obsessed with UFO's after seeing one, a few years after the death of her husband and son. She had eventually came to meet up with two UFOlogists by the names of Rhys and Graham. One night while out waiting to see if they would encounter a UFO, Cass & Rhys were taken by aliens, and put on a ship called "Lifeboat". Here they were prepared with the 998 other people who were "saved" to live life on new earth, (earth 500 years later).

Things are just too fabulous when they all first arrive, until Cass and Seamus another survivor set out to make trades at other villages that were set up on the land. Things are awry and Cass and the others try to figure out what's going on, but as they continue to search for answers more and more people mysteriously disappear.

This book is not what I expected at all. At first it was slightly confusing with all the flip flopping around, then it really gets into the whole of the story, and wow it's amazing. With an ending you'd never expected. I must say I was just a little hesitant on reading this, since it's not my usual read, but I'm glad I was contacted, and I'm glad I read it.… (més)

I acquired this e-book through the Early Reviewer's giveaway at LibraryThing in APRIL LAST YEAR, and had read the first 30 or 40 pages, but only got to finish it when I was admitted to hospital this week, so I must apologise first to LibraryThing and A.B. Shepherd for how long it has taken me to write a review.

I found the first 30 or 40 pages hard going, hard to get into because of the way the characters were introduced, or perhaps just because of my increasingly tenuous physical and mental state. Once I took the book up again this week though, I found it increasingly absorbing and well written (apart from a few irksome spelling and grammatical errors which some additional proofreading should have picked up - although as I am a trained proofreader perhaps the average reader wouldn't notice).

When the seemingly idyllic lifestyle of the survivors of the end of the Earth starts to unravel, and they start vanishing slowly, the build-up in tension from the time Cass and Seamus discover the next village over is deserted right up to the surprise ending is very well developed. (I did sort of guess the ending, but didn't take my guess far enough so was pleasantly surprised that I had not guessed the whole truth.)

An excellent achievement for a first time author.

Highly recommended.… (més)