by
Richard Cox
Category: Techno Thriller / Science Fiction / Adventure
Publisher: Night Shade Books
Date of Publication: July 27, 2020
Number of Pages: 408 pages
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Both a frightening apocalyptic story set in the southern United States and a character-focused, deeply moving literary thriller.
What would happen if technology all over the world suddenly stopped working?
When a strange new star appears in the sky, human life instantly grinds to a halt. Across the world, anything and everything electronic stops working completely.
At first, the event seems like a bizarre miracle to Seth Black–it interrupts his suicide attempt and erases gambling debt that threatened to destroy his family. But when Seth and his wife, Natalie, realize the electricity isn’t coming back on, that their food supplies won’t last, they begin to wonder how they and their two sons will survive.
Meanwhile, screenwriter Thomas Phillips–an old friend of Natalie’s–has just picked up Skylar Stover, star of his new movie, at the airport when his phone goes dead and planes begin to fall from the sky.
Thomas has just completed a script about a similar electromagnetic event that ended the world. Now, he’s one of the few who recognizes what’s happening and where it will lead.
When Thomas and Skylar decide to rescue Natalie and Seth, the unwilling group must attempt to survive together as the world falls apart. They try to hide in Thomas’s home and avoid desperate neighbors, but fear they’ll soon be roaming the streets with starving refugees and angry vigilantes intent on forming new governments. It’s all they can do to hold on to each other and their humanity.
Yet all the while, unbeknownst to them, Aiden Christopher–a bitter and malignant man leveraging a crumbling society to live out his darkest, most amoral fantasies–is fighting to survive as well. And he’s on a collision course with Thomas, Skylar, and the Black family…
I know what you’re thinking. Do we really want\need a dystopia, post-apocalypse, prepper, techno-thriller book right now, given the state of affairs in the world? Mr. Cox does a great job addressing this question on the first pages in his Author’s Note. And I, for one, say yes. Yes, we do.
The characters in House of the Rising Sun are realistic, everyday people with their own hopes, dreams, and faults. I empathized with some, hated others. But more than anything, I was compelled to find out how/if these people would survive. The novel is told from multiple points of view, allowing even greater insight into the inner workers of the characters. Two of the various points of view that stand out for me are Thomas and Seth. Thomas, the screenwriter, is a most compelling character. He’s even partially blamed by others in the novel for the whole scenario after writing a screenplay that is eerily similar to the real-life events taking place. I appreciate his pragmatism and candor. He’s doing the best he can, which is all we can ask from him. On the other side of the coin is Seth. I don’t know that loathe is a strong enough word for my feelings towards Seth. And I don’t want to prejudice anyone with my own opinions. But let’s just say I’d kick Seth out of the bunker if it were up to me.
If the characters don’t catch your attention, the compelling, page-turning, thrilling\frightening plot certainly will. I found myself waiting for the next catastrophe around every corner, especially while the characters are driving or meeting up with any new characters. Mr. Cox writes some heart-pounding scenes. I kept thinking to myself Danger, Will Robinson!!. I wouldn’t necessarily call it doom-reading. But frik, I was frightened but also wanted to know what would happen!
The writing style in House of the Rising Sun is visual and compelling. Take this quote for example:
On the freeway they found rivers of more stranded drivers walking on shoulders and the median. Vehicle carcasses dotted the highway like slain buffalo.
Wow. that’s a metaphor! Now whenever I see an abandoned car on the side of the road, my mind immediately goes to carcass.
House of the Rising Sun is a cautionary tale of how to prepare yourself in the event of a global disaster. Or even just a local natural disaster. I’ve been known to scoff at preppers prior to reading this. I’d think to myself, why would any ‘need’ caseloads of water stock-piled in the garage? Now I understand! I chuckled at some of the circumstances that the characters found themselves in as I’ve been in their shoes before. Unbearable heat\humidity with no power is no laughing matter. I lost internet service last week while in the middle of reading this story. And let me tell you that was a rough evening for me. And I still had electricity (read: AIR CONDITIONING) and my phone and iPad. Even more, a scene at the beginning of the novel where different people are asking each other which cell carrier they had, thinking the outage would be limited to just one carrier. I totally do this when I have no cell service!
I do not know how I would fare after such events as described in House of the Rising Sun. But after reading it, I’m stashing some cash and paper maps in my car and adding a bunker to my dream home plans. This book’s blurb has it right – it’s frightening AND character driven. And well worth the time.
Thanks to author Richard Cox and Lone Star Book Blog Tours for providing this opportunity to review House of the Rising Sun. I received the novel free in exchange for my honest review.
Richard Cox was born in Odessa, Texas and now lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma. His newest novel is House of the Rising Sun. Richard has also published The Boys of Summer, Thomas World, The God Particle, and Rift. He’s written for This Land Press, Oklahoma Magazine, and TheNervousBreakdown.com.
When he’s not writing or reading, Richard loves spending time with his wife and two girls. And hitting bombs.
He also wrote this bio in third person as if writing about someone else. George likes his chicken spicy!
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THREE WINNERS
1st: Signed copies of House of the Rising Sun & The Boys of Summer;
2nd: Signed copy of House of the Rising Sun;
3rd: eBook copy of House of the Rising Sun.
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[…] am STILL thinking aboutfreaking out about House of the Rising Sun by Richard Cox. 2 years […]
Wow! That is a fantastic review. Thanks so much for reading the book and posting this. Makes me want to go back and read it again myself.
Thanks, Richard!
Great review and really compelling! I am adding this to my TBR now (and yeah — PAPER maps. Always! Thanks for the post.
Thanks, Kristine! And my mom is with you on the paper maps!