Wormwood Book Reviewed

 

Title: Wormwood
Author: Michah Ackerman, micahackerman.com

Facebook: https://facebook.com/micah.ackerman
YouTube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCz93CHIgix6mjuriLQWec7Q
Twitter: @Micah_Wormwood

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Published: May 17, 2014
Format: Paperback, Kindle, Audible
Pages: 306 pages
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1497329531
ISBN-13: 978-1497329539

Genre: Post-apocalyptic dystopian thriller

 
About the Book
Nate has always feared the worst, but now the worst has become the reality. The Emergency Broadcast System blares its tone, he flees to his hastily prepped shelter with his infatuation Jeannette Leach. Together they grieve and find love.

They emerge a month later to a devastated world where countless lives have already been lost. The few desperate survivors huddled in Middlebrook, Connecticut, finally receive a hopeful radio transmission from the National Guard.

Heartened by the news that Maine has supplies to spare, Middlebrook selects a few of its residents to retrieve the necessary items. But the road is long and treacherous, and bicycles are their only mode of transport.

While Nate Wilder and the other cyclists attempt to make it to Maine and back before winter strikes, the Middlebrook residents are left under the tenuous leadership of ultra-religious Simon Huff.

The dangers of the road are to be expected, but when even the fragile safety of home begins to look suspect, concerned citizen Jeannette Leach strives to uncover what is driving Simon’s strange behavior. Will Nate and the others return in time to save their hometown from more insidious catastrophe?

Touching on the effects of mental illness as well as the power of friendship, Wormwood takes a real-life approach to the post-apocalyptic thriller.

 
About the Author
Micah Ackerman is a phlebotomist who grew up during the Cold-War era. As a child, he was haunted by the looming threat of nuclear disaster. This experience inspired him to write the post-apocalyptic novel Wormwood, which also builds on his knowledge of living in rural Connecticut, suffering from panic attacks, and working in the medical field.
 

The Review

Whenever I get the time to read or listen to an audiobook, I typically gravitate toward all types of post-apocalyptic dystopian thrillers and survival adventures. Some time ago, I came across a book called ‘Wormwood’, by author Micah Ackerman. It was about a small group of people living in Middlebrook, CT who survive a nuclear attack on the United States. Read on for more about the book…

Recently, I had the opportunity to dig into the book again, and of course, I was sucked right back into the story, just as I had been the first time that I read it. Only this time, I decided to listen to the audiobook which was narrated by Kevin Pierce. I thought he did a fantastic job of bringing each of the characters to life, without overdoing it. Each word was clear, concise, and easy to listen to throughout the story. It is no wonder that he is a very accomplished narrator with an impressive collection of titles to his name.

The first few chapters of the book provide a solid foundation for the story, with an artful introduction to each of the main characters. Nate Wilder, the first character introduced in the book was a garden-variety prepper brought on by high-anxiety and panic attacks almost to the point of paranoia recently triggered by dark and depressing news reports regarding a series of catastrophic world events. Preparing a makeshift shelter in the basement of the office where he works provides him the only comfort and peace of mind that he can find living alone in Middlebrook, CT.

Jeanette, the next character to be introduced was Nates’ co-worker, whom he’s had a secret crush on since the moment he first laid eyes on her. She was a strong, caring young woman who has lived with a slight birth defect all her life.

As the story progressed, so did the pace at which the plot began to unravel. One moment you are connecting on a deep level with the characters as their relationship begins to blossom. And the next, you are thrust head-first into their intense struggle to survive the aftermath of the bombs. However, ‘Wormwood’ is not just another doom and gloom love story, it is also the story of a community coming together to survive in the perilous new world that they find themselves now living in.

I felt the story was a good one and thoroughly enjoyed it. For anyone who likes post-apocalyptic dystopian thrillers, I recommend giving it a shot.