| Title | : | The Harbinger: Books 14 |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 664 |
| Publication | : | First published July 18, 2016 |
Rumors. Paranoia. Conspiracy theories. Subterfuge.
Like lightning, the plague moves across the globe, spreading out in all directions. When the naysayers can no longer ignore the wails and moans of the dying, the Harbinger will already have them by their throats.
But the end is only the beginning…
Discovered in the Alaskan permafrost, the ancient virus was reanimated and genetically-altered. The new strain showed great promise in curing many of mankind’s afflictions. When the specimen fell into the hands of the Russian theocracy, their inept scientists attempted to create a biological weapon—a weapon that outsmarted them.
Now, the androvirus is a deadly airborne plague, conquering the world in a matter of days. With a communicability of 100% and a mortality rate of over 90%, there is no immunity. For the survivors, who can suppress the virus, there is only change. A few adapt, but most become walking, talking gray horrors with an appetite for flesh.
Primarily set in the American city of Memphis, four loosely-connected strangers, caught up in their lives, find their worlds annihilated by the swiftly-moving plague.
Alex Connelly is a wealthy, young executive, living an idyllic life with his pregnant wife, Madison. Kirk Foster is a self-absorbed aging gay man, desperate to hang onto his youth and sex appeal. Meredith Brinkley’s on-going war with breast cancer takes a turn for the worse, and she faces an impending double mastectomy. Logan King is a closeted baseball jock, playing for a minor league team while coming to terms with his true identity. And only together will they survive...
This work can be read as a stand-alone novel with an ending—an ending that leaves the door open for sequels as well as an exit for anyone who wants to get off the ride.
The Harbinger: Books 14 Reviews
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Audible
I’m embarrassed to admit that I pretty much liked it. (Not because it wasn't good, but because it is not actually my genre.)
MAYBE I would have enjoyed it less, had I read it and not listened to it.
But it was a quite entertaining audio book.
Review will be posted when I read the last book in the series. -
5 STARS, now I have confirmation of a sequel, it negates part of my review only re:ratings though
Oh please tell me there's a sequel coming! I'm confused if there is going to be one, there just has to be :) This is a great read for dystopian/post apocalyptic lovers. I'll grant it's slow but the character building is worth every word in the end BUT only if there is more to come. It's like the surviving groups all finally meet up at the end and I need more, I need to know what happens. I've rated this book 4.5 stars but I'll be brutally honest and say I'd give it 2.5 to 3 stars if there is no sequel, and 5 stars if there there is. Keegan Kennedy has written this fantastic novel which read to me as amazing and intricately crafted ground work for a sequel or series. It might be over 600 pages there's an enormous amount left open to keep this story ROCKETING ALONG. If anyone know if there is more of this story to come please let me know as I couldn't find anything. -
I loved this.
I loved this entire book. But I gotta say, that I squealed and did a happy dance at that epilogue.
I feel a little morbid, but that epilogue made my day. There were a few great things in the epilogue...but if you've read this, I think you can tell what my favorite one was.
There are some unanswered questions, that will have me picking up the next book very soon.
I'm most curious about Kirk. His growling in his sleep for one. A new question about Kirk popped up in the epilogue also.
And April. I need to know more on the April front.
This book was very entertaining, and even after 664 pages, I want more.
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This was a really long book and the story just seemed to end with many unresolved plot lines. I know there are four more books in this series but I just don’t think I want to invest anymore of my time on this. I’ve loved every other book I’ve read by Keegan Kennedy, but this one wasn’t my favorites.
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Holy crap, this was a long book!
At 664 pages, this was quite a journey. On the one hand, reading this formidable tome in a relatively timely manner required serious dedication and commitment. On the other hand, after reading every single word of this epic tale, I can honestly say that this book totally Kicked Ass! Disturbing, intelligent, funny, scary, gruesome and addictive... In other words, this book had everything I could ever want in a good, old-fashioned tale of Zombie Apocalypse.
I want to give M/M readers fair warning: While M/M erotic romance is a continuous theme throughout the book, this story's primary focus was on the horrowing human struggle to survive under the constant threat of mass extinction in a post-apocalyptic world. Instead of a focusing on a primary M/M relationship, the story focused on the relationship dynamic between an ensemble cast of characters, including strong females, precocious children and the requisite number of gay men for this read to qualify as M/M Romance.
I would recommend this book to M/M readers, but they should be aware that the structure of this storyline is likely to be a departure from what they have come to expect in an M/M Romance. -
I loved the story & several of the characters. The author’s take on a zombie apocalypse was unique & plausible. Unfortunately their writing style clashed with my taste & it made it difficult to fully enjoy the book. I’m hoping they phase out a few irksome habits in the sequels.
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When I started this book, I was slightly grossed out by the crudity of some descriptions (too many bodily fluids, and I'm not talking about the sex-related ones!) and a bit annoyed by the presence of typos and the apparent lack of a good editing but as far as I progressed in my reading.. I totally changed my opinion.
This is an incredible post-apocalyptic book with a well done addition of LGBT characters, a thrilling plot, lots of twists and many WTF moments. I loved it. Can't wait to read the sequel! -
Ugh, I hate it when I don't like a book, especially one like this where it was obviously such a large undertaking for the author. But this was just too much like a mishmash of a bunch of other books I've already read. It is well-written, and the large cast of characters are interesting, if not always likable, but it's just not the book for me.
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Good story. Liked it. But PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, get another narrator for your next book. This one was so awful. This story would have been a five star rating. Took away two stars because of the narrator.
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This was sat on my kindle for a while, I started it and then to be honest got bored. I came back to it a few weeks later and I'm so glad I did. It starts quite slowly but persevere because it's well worth it. I enjoyed how it went back and forth between the main characters because it allowed me to connect with them more. The world building was great, I thought it would be a rehash of The walking dead and whilst there are similarities, there are also enough differences that kept me reading. This was a really great post apocalyptic read, we get to see how it falls apart and how humanity survives after. The ending was perfect because finally they're all together which I was desperate for, to see how the dynamics would work, throughout the changes some of the survivors experiences are told but only really kind of hinted at. Then the end.... Aargh I need to know... Do they have powers?
Well done on a great read. I'll be snapping the next up soon. -
This book was amazing!!! I liked all the characters.. my favorite character was Kirk... I liked his flashbacks with his and his momma and I like how he is intelligent and kick ass... but truly I like them all.. Logan,Alex,Meredith and the names can keep going... I actually listened to the book on Audible...
The Narrator did an excellent job on bringing these characters and story to life as well..
World building was phenomenal!! I liked how Mr Kennedy told this story from the beginning on how the virus was released and what the characters lives were at the time..
Just outstanding writing!! Hats off to the author .. I'm a fan of Mr Kennedy's work and I will follow this adventure til the wheels fall off!!! -
I loved this story. The setting was...Just Right. The storyline was wonderful. I felt as if I was on the outside looking in. This is a side of Keegan Kennedy I haven't read before. I recommend that you read this book. All the strong characters, all was forceful characters, They each had their own talent. Not one was I dissatisfied with. I liked them all. A well written story, I gave it 5 stars, it deserved much more. I would say more, but no spoilers.
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The most engaging book I have ever read!!!
I will be the first to admit that l will put a book down and never pick it back up if it does not peak my interest within the first chapter. That being said the Harbinger not only peaked my interest; it grabbed my attention and kept it.
Being a writer myself; althought admittedly not even close to the caliber of this author I know how important it is to build characters your readers can relate to. This author does a famonial job of providing a cast of characters that are as complex and unique as his readers are; making each character someone the reader can relate to or identity with.
The story line and the unique cast of characters flows so fluently that as a reader you feel like you are part of the story. Not only do you discover whom you like and dislike you as far as characters go also find some you like exceptional well; maybe even wishing they were real.
This books takes the reader on an epic journey.
A killer plauge sweeps the globe in a manner of days wiping out nearly every living creature in it's destructive path. However this is no plauge like you or I could even begin to imagine. Those that survive are as surprised as the readers to learn that the after effects are as puzzling as they are scary.
I could go on and on here but will end by saying this book is beyond a good read. It is mind blowing, and I know if it ever became a movie it would be the best think to ever come alive on the big screen! You need to read this book.it will change you!! -
"Just Beyond!!!"
First let me start off by stating that I loved this book. The character development and the storytelling ability of Keegan Kennedy kept me entranced throughout the book. The cast of characters are representative of today's society, which explains some of the reviews about the book. Yes, there are gay characters, principle protagonists within the story; Yes, there is gay sex but no more than heterosex and the manner in which Kennedy interlopes the act into the story, one really doesn't focus on the sex, which as mentioned in several reviews, fades away before the nitty gritty occurs. NOT GAY EROTICA...A great story about the real potential of an end of the world scenario involving a manmade viral agent and the possible effects of the spread of such a virus. I think Michael Ahr did a fantastic job distinguishing the characters. I had no problems with his inflection and tone. He did a great job enhancing the story offered by Kennedy. The story was 29 plus hours and it took me a while to get through it...not because I wasn't enraptured with the story but life happens...I so enjoyed the story and I researched to see if the next segment was in audio. I will wait a bit to see if it happens but if it doesn't I will be buying the continuing books in the Harbinger series!
One final note...a spoiler of sorts but not really...let me just say...fried dark meat was fitting justice ;-) -
This review is for the audio book version of the book.
"Enjoyable EOTWAWKI tale featuring LGBT characters"
What made the experience of listening to The Harbinger the most enjoyable?
It was a very well written post apocalyptic story featuring a large ensemble cast including many LGBT main characters. The premise of a lab generated super-flu was realistically told, and the group of people that made up the prominent roles was very diverse and all of them were interesting. I liked the slow build up and the way each main figures personality was gradually fleshed out and revealed.The various side effects of the drugs was engrossing with the future potential for all kinds of good and bad super powers to be revealed. I am truly hoping that future installments will soon be available on audio.
What did you like best about this story?
That the "zombies"; weren't really zombies, the people were still alive, thinking, functioning base beings that somehow were even creepier than zombies. Also I really liked the any of the storylines with Kirk, Lauren and Aries, or Alex, Beulah and Amon the best.
What about Michael Ahr’s performance did you like?
I thought his performance was great, very nice distinction between each character and there were a lot!!!Being able to tell and distinguish between each person is a deal breaker for me. I will generally not finish a book were I am just being read to. Michael Ahr did a great job. -
Over all, I really liked this book. It started a little slow for me, and i didn't really enjoy the little bits of foreshadowing that the author keeps dribbling through. Such as "he had a bad feeling about..." or "little did they know that was the last time they would ever..." The author needs to show us those things instead of telling us."
But the story was compelling, had a diverse cast of characters and was quite fun to read. -
Very slowgoing, epic pre- and post apocalypse story. Neither gay nor romance I would classify it as open-minded.
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Well, it could have been shorted, especially at the start, when it was a bit repetitive. But it is still wery dynamic and involving
And there is more to come!
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When I was done reading this I had the biggest craving for Kentucky Fried Chicken. I really wanted me some finger lickin’ goodness. Seriously. I’m little twisted l suppose. You know what I mean if you’ve already read the book. Admittedly, not much of the story was memorable but weeks later and one scene stands out from all the others.
So, I said it wasn’t at all memorable but that didn’t mean it wasn’t worth the read. I found the comedic relief highly entertaining on the back drop of your typical post-apocalyptic-viral-outbreak world. I didn’t find myself attached to any of the MCs but I like people watching and this kind of satisfied me in the same way but in literary form.
It was well written, the paced slowed and picked up when it needed to, kept my attention through to the end. It was a weird combination of the movie Love Actually and The Walking Dead. Heh, yep I loved it. -
Six years ago, Androvirus alaskaense was discovered in the ancient Alaskan permafrost, buried deep below the ice. A team of scientists secretly studied the virus at an undisclosed government facility in Alaska realizing they had found an organism unlike anything the world had ever seen. Excited about the many great possibilities they were imagining, they began to work in hopes of medical breakthroughs, cures for deadly diseases, DNA modification.
But when animal testing went wrong and funding was lost, so was the chance for curing HIV and Parkinson's. Instead, the Government sold everything off to pharmaceutical companies leaving the original team out in the cold. But not all samples were in the Government's possession and some were smuggled into Russia and sold off. From there, modifications were made time and time again and soon the virus became out of control, killing everyone in its wake.
The Russian flu spread like wildfire and in only a matter of days to the world was facing total extinction of life. Few people survived, those who had would have to come together to stay safe.
We are living in an era where Zombies seem to be taking over in entertainment. Between television and movies as well as books and graphic novels, Zombies are everywhere. I'm not immune to the love of "Walkers" either and in fact jump at the chance to read a great story centered around a Zombie Apocalypse. There is a pretty standard formula to creating a world ravaged by Zombies and it makes it exciting to see a new take on it.
That was the initial draw to Harbinger and while I definitely give accolades to the author for world building, a very detailed world I might add, I was a little let down. This is very much my personal opinion and I know there are many who would not agree with me on this, but I am all about connection when I read a book. I need to connect to either the story or a character. It's a necessary element for my enjoyment of the story. If I'm not invested in the characters or the outcome it does nothing for me.
Basically other than Meredith, Lauren and Andre, I did not like any of the characters, like Logan, Alex and his wife and Kirk. I found most of them superficial, arrogant and mean. I honestly was put off by their conversations and actions throughout most of the book. Kirk was able to grow on me a little more as the story went on, but I never quite grew to really liking him.
There were a lot of graphic scenes throughout the book and some were quite disgusting. Of course, this is a horror book centered on the Zombie Apocalypse so I'm sure that's expected. The writing was well done and the author definitely pulled me into the world these characters live in. The Harbinger is definitely a different type of read, but if you are a fan of The Walking Dead/Fear of the Walking you may appreciate Keegan Kennedy's epic story. However, be warned that this is an intense read with graphic depictions of sex and death and doesn't pull any punches.
3 Stars!
***A copy of this book was provided to Bayou Book Junkie in exchange for a fair and honest review*** -
This one impressed me, Keegan means what he says and says what he means. If you have read ANY of his books you know what I'm talking about. No BS ever, just balls to the walls raunch. This is the first book in well over a year that had titties in it, really they say the word titties at least 3 times. I loved everything about this book, and after like 1,000 chapters, JK, he keeps you hooked. This is an 23 hour read according to My Precious aka Kindle but if you have the time, interested in a great read about zombies this one is worth the vested time.
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Fantastic story. Totally epic. I can't wait for the follow up book.
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DNF
