A New World (The Series) by John O'Brien

A New World (Series)
by John O'Brien

Synopsis
From Amazon

There is no sanctuary. 

That was taken away in the blink of an eye. Humanity went out not with a whimper, but a bang. Jack, a sometimes humorous, sometimes philosophical ex-special operations pilot and soldier is one of the few left to struggle through the desolation left in the aftermath; seeking to survive as a new ferocious species emerges from the rubble, hungry and unrelenting. Will his special forces training be enough? Will he be able to keep his children safe and guide the few survivors through perils that now roam the world they once knew? Or will the hordes that now own the night prevail, forever removing the last of mankind from existence? Humankind was once at the top of the food chain. But that has now changed. 

This hard-hitting, action-packed series begins with Jack Walker being suddenly thrust into a world where the infrastructure which cherished Armani suits, night clubs, fast and expensive cars and watching the daily stock market are gone. Left in its place is the material world mankind built but a majority of the population has vanished; replaced by a new, savage, unrelenting, cunning, animalistic species which hunts and operates at night.

The Order of the Books & Where to Get Them
1.  A New World: Chaos
2.  A New World: Return
3.  A New World: Sanctuary
4.  A New World: Taken
5.  A New World: Awakening
6.  A New World: Dissension
7.  A New World: Takedown
8.  A New World: Conspiracy
9.  A New World: Reckoning

Review
Note: I have purchased each book in the series on Amazon for my Kindle Fire

I have read all of John O'Brien's books in his A New World series, so I decided to review the series as a whole instead of as individual books. O'Brien's books are not the typical "zombie" stories.  I say that because his monsters are not technically zombies, although you won't be disappointed if you are a zombie-lover.  The flesh-eating creatures are similar to zombies, but different. That's all I'll say on that subject... I don't want to spoil it for anyone.

Why do I like this series? I thought you'd never ask! Read on...

First of all, O'Brien's books are well-written. He is a gifted story-teller and it clearly shows.  He could probably write in any genre he wanted and have the finished product turn out to be excellent. He seems to have a high standard when it comes to his own writing and this high quality is consistent throughout the series.

O'Brien tells a fast-paced, exciting story in each of his books. I especially like the military perspective that is woven throughout the plot. I do not have a military background but am still able to follow along. Those few times when I encounter military weaponry and/or equipment I am unfamiliar with, I look it up on Google. I enjoy learning, so that is a bonus for me.

John O'Brien takes the time to develop his characters. The "good guys" in his stories are truly good. There are times when the main character, Jack, seems to be able to do just about anything, which can become annoying in other books. What keeps his character "real", however, is his self-doubt and humility; Jack often worries about being able to protect his family and friends. He sometimes questions his decisions and even laughs at his short-comings along the way.   

What don't I like about the series? Well, that's a great question! 

What I don't like is having to wait for the next book in the series to come out. I know that sounds cliché, but it's the truth. If this is a new series to you, you'll be lucky-- you will have nine whole books to read in the series, and won't have to wait for the next one to come out until after you finish #9 (the most recent book in the series at the time of this blog post).

You also won't want to miss the author's companion book A New World: Untold Stories.

About the Author

John O'Brien is a former Air Force fighter instructor pilot who transitioned to Special Operations for the latter part of his career gathering his campaign ribbon for Desert Storm. Immediately following his military service, John became a firefighter/EMT with a local department. Along with becoming a firefighter, he fell into the Information Technology industry in corporate management. Currently, John is writing full-time on the series, A New World.

As a former marathon runner, John lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest and can now be found kayaking out in the waters of Puget Sound, mountain biking in the Capital Forest, hiking in the Olympic Peninsula, or pedaling his road bike along the many scenic roads.

Where to Find the Author
A New World
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