Book Review – The End by G. Michael Hopf

“Imagine if you will.” You are out for your morning jog. The weight of the world is on your shoulders as you think about the constant barrage of negative news stories and how it affects you and your family. You drift off to the natural high that comes with running, listening to the birds and smelling the warm salty breeze from the ocean.

All of a sudden, “CRASH!”. You see a wreck, or two, or ten. You realize something is wrong. This is not your normal power outage but instead it feels different.

Welcome to the world of Gordon Van Zandt!

In the style of “Lights Out” and “One Second After”, “The End” is an edge of your seat thriller. Book 1 of the New World Series by G. Michael Hopf draws you in from the beginning and keeps you wanting more all the way to the end.

The story starts with Gordon’s daughter, Haley, actually telling the story to a journalist. Each chapter is a progression through a calendar timeline, in that each chapter gives you the date the events are happening. This was one of my favorite “features” in the book because it kept me straight in determining was this action feasible or completely faulty based on the time it took.

I really commend Mr. Hopf in his use of his Marine background for facts and events. Since I have seen it happen before, I was worried that his military background would weigh the story down with facts, figures, acronyms and orders that only someone in the military would understand. Happily, this was not the case.

Since the book was actually two stories in one, there were different viewpoints that makes the reader consider the different options available should an EMP (Electro Magnetic Pulse) truly hit their country. While I was drawn into the story of Gordon and his actions, I was equally drawn into the life of Gordon’s brother, Sebastian and the life and activity surrounding the president.

Mentioning the reader is brought into the lives of Van Zandt along with his family and friends, it was proven in a discussion with the author after I finished reading the book. I expressed that I was pissed at one point and livid during another chapter and while happy in a different chapter. Not with the book, mind you, but instead with specific characters and their actions and reactions. It was as if I was part of the group that faced the life challenges.

In some of the other book reviews I have written, you can tell I love a good story. I am not a fan of books that start well and end well but have a weak mid-story. If you want one that keeps you interested all the way through, this is your book! Since this is the first in the series, I am definitely looking forward to the rest of them.

My thoughts to you are two-fold. First, BUY THIS BOOK! Secondly, keep watching for the upcoming review of “The Long Road” by G. Michael Hopf.

Just the facts:

• The End: A Postapocalyptic Novel
• Kindle – $5.12
• Print – $15.99 List – on sale for $12.60
• 384 pages

Until then,

Use your instincts to survive