A flash of light crippled society in an instant…
For young Lexi Broadmoor and her brother Travis, the detonation not only took their father away but their future as well. Now stranded on a highway far from home without any survival skills or someone to protect them, staying alive will depend on their wits, a single bug-out bag, and a map to a stranger’s house.
With the grid down and a nation quickly descending into chaos, they’ll need to hurry, because the lawless are taking over.
But a larger threat looms. A mysterious foe has set in motion a countdown to Armageddon; unknown to Lexi and Travis, they’re part of the plan.- Goodreads
–S&S–
Highway Review
I’m not sure if Highway is meant to be a military thriller or an apocalyptic adventure. The story is pretty good, but it’s heavy with military fighting and short on life in a post-apocalyptic world. A car crash kills Lexi and Travis father and sets them on a journey to find a safe haven with their uncle. Three major cities from the Midwest to the east coast have been destroyed. Two bombs, known as an EMP (electro-magnetic pulse), have also been set off to disrupt all electronics. I’ve seen EMPs before in apocalyptic stories and like the way it separates pockets of individuals with disrupted communications.
Lexi and Travis are beside themselves with grief from the death of their father. The gravity of their situation and fatigue become too much as they face a three-day trek along the highway facing violence and death. With cell service out and no one to call they learn to rely on each other. They discover trusting anyone is a risky proposition after being taken hostage while looking for their uncle.
Lexi’s character arc is the focus of Highway as she learns to forgive her father. Her growth and ability to be a big sister to Travis takes precedent in her life. The narrative is told from several perspectives giving it a wider view. The author inserts a bit of optimism as the characters pull together and fight against the conspiracy to overthrow America. Frank who is ex-military tries protect his home against Islamic jihadists and alert the soldiers of a nearby army base to a terrorist invasion.
The first half of Highway was a bit slow and short on action. The second half is where the pace picks up and the details of the plot start to take shape. We get the backstory of Lexi’s father and how he is connected to the attack on America. There are several chapters explaining how past events connect the present. We also get a wider view of an adventure that could span several books.
M.L Banner is an author I’ve enjoyed many times in the past but Highway isn’t on my list of favorites.
Title: Highway | Authors: John Q. Prepper & M.L. Banner (site) | Publisher: Toes in the Water Publishing | Pub. Date: 2016-3-29 | Pages: 286 | ISBN13: 9780990874188 | Genre: Post-apocalyptic science fiction | Language: English | Source: Self-purchased | Purchase on Amazon
It’s been fun having David featuring on Sci-Fi & Scary. If you would like to have a guest review or two as well, drop me a line at contact @ (sitename).com
