-
Eden Lost
- Eden Rising Post-Apocalyptic Series, Book 2
- Narrated by: Greg Hernandez
- Length: 6 hrs and 31 mins
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Buy for $19.95
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Publisher's summary
They can't escape the evil.
When a forest fire destroys their beloved forest sanctuary, Ben and Lila, along with their six-year-old daughter Katie, head west through the earthquake-ravaged landscape toward a rumored thriving community in Yellowstone National Park.
But another rumor persists of a "great evil" in the Midwest - one they will have to deal with if they have any hope of making it safely to Yellowstone, a community they are not even sure really exists.
Six years after finding their peace, Ben and Lila have to reenter the world. Has it gotten better or become far worse?
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
Eden Rising
- By: Andrew Cunningham
- Narrated by: Greg Hernandez
- Length: 7 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
"The Earth died in less than a minute. Maybe that's an exaggeration. It's not like the planet ceased to exist altogether. It just seemed like it. Cities were reduced to rubble. Millions of people died that day. I've since been told that 95 percent of the Earth's human population was wiped out. I don't know if that's true - I mean, who can know that for sure? It's not like we still have any of the technology that we once used to determine such things. But I do know that it was almost empty of people - live ones, that is..."
-
-
Not for me!
- By Petpapilloion on 06-05-23
-
Z Chronicles Boxed Set
- By: A.L. White
- Narrated by: David Loving
- Length: 14 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
All of civilization is drawing its last breaths as the grip of the zombie apocalypse tightens on the world. In the last days of government efforts to stem the spreading plague, Lori’s parents are taken away when they are found to be infected—leaving her alone to look out for her two younger siblings.
-
-
Decent book
- By Devlin Odd on 08-17-23
By: A.L. White
-
Prepper: Book 1
- By: Tom Abrahams
- Narrated by: Kevin Pierce
- Length: 7 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Before the lights went out, Jack Warrant never considered himself a prepper. That was someone on the edge, a conspiracy theorist or a doomsday cultist who had a fatalistic view of the world. He was neither a theorist nor a cultist. He was an optimist. At least that was what he told himself when the darker thoughts creeped into his psyche as he stared at the ceiling in the middle of the night. Whenever he started down the rabbit hole, he always clawed his way back into the sunlight.
-
-
Nice story
- By Amazon Customer on 08-10-23
By: Tom Abrahams
-
The Burning Tree Box Set: Books 1-5
- By: Christopher Artinian
- Narrated by: Kim Bretton
- Length: 44 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
One day changed the world forever. Billions died. A small handful of survivors braved the apocalyptic wasteland to start again. This is their story.
-
-
Its worth spending a credit on
- By Rusty on 08-12-23
-
End of Days: Books 1-7 Box Set
- By: Sam J. Fires
- Narrated by: Seth Podowitz, Gerald Hill, Jorjeana Marie, and others
- Length: 22 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
During the coldest winter on record, an EMP attack wipes out the nation's power and cripples the country. As the city spirals into lawless chaos, an investigative journalist, twenty-six-year-old Cassandra Drews, is forced onto the dangerous streets of Portland to begin the long walk to her parents' home in Oregon. But hypothermia and starvation aren't the only dangers Cass and her rescue dog, Daisy, face on their perilous trek.
-
-
Excellent series
- By bill on 03-11-24
By: Sam J. Fires
-
The SHTF Omnibus Series, Books 1-4
- By: L.L. Akers
- Narrated by: Kevin Pierce
- Length: 23 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
While he sat back and watched the United States rattle swords with Korea, play chicken with Russia, and strong-arm China, he felt sure if the lights went out that he and his family would be ready and safe—whether it was due to a natural disaster or a man-made event. They had everything they needed at their homestead.
-
-
Good listen
- By Holly on 08-10-23
By: L.L. Akers
-
Eden Rising
- By: Andrew Cunningham
- Narrated by: Greg Hernandez
- Length: 7 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
"The Earth died in less than a minute. Maybe that's an exaggeration. It's not like the planet ceased to exist altogether. It just seemed like it. Cities were reduced to rubble. Millions of people died that day. I've since been told that 95 percent of the Earth's human population was wiped out. I don't know if that's true - I mean, who can know that for sure? It's not like we still have any of the technology that we once used to determine such things. But I do know that it was almost empty of people - live ones, that is..."
-
-
Not for me!
- By Petpapilloion on 06-05-23
-
Z Chronicles Boxed Set
- By: A.L. White
- Narrated by: David Loving
- Length: 14 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
All of civilization is drawing its last breaths as the grip of the zombie apocalypse tightens on the world. In the last days of government efforts to stem the spreading plague, Lori’s parents are taken away when they are found to be infected—leaving her alone to look out for her two younger siblings.
-
-
Decent book
- By Devlin Odd on 08-17-23
By: A.L. White
-
Prepper: Book 1
- By: Tom Abrahams
- Narrated by: Kevin Pierce
- Length: 7 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Before the lights went out, Jack Warrant never considered himself a prepper. That was someone on the edge, a conspiracy theorist or a doomsday cultist who had a fatalistic view of the world. He was neither a theorist nor a cultist. He was an optimist. At least that was what he told himself when the darker thoughts creeped into his psyche as he stared at the ceiling in the middle of the night. Whenever he started down the rabbit hole, he always clawed his way back into the sunlight.
-
-
Nice story
- By Amazon Customer on 08-10-23
By: Tom Abrahams
-
The Burning Tree Box Set: Books 1-5
- By: Christopher Artinian
- Narrated by: Kim Bretton
- Length: 44 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
One day changed the world forever. Billions died. A small handful of survivors braved the apocalyptic wasteland to start again. This is their story.
-
-
Its worth spending a credit on
- By Rusty on 08-12-23
-
End of Days: Books 1-7 Box Set
- By: Sam J. Fires
- Narrated by: Seth Podowitz, Gerald Hill, Jorjeana Marie, and others
- Length: 22 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
During the coldest winter on record, an EMP attack wipes out the nation's power and cripples the country. As the city spirals into lawless chaos, an investigative journalist, twenty-six-year-old Cassandra Drews, is forced onto the dangerous streets of Portland to begin the long walk to her parents' home in Oregon. But hypothermia and starvation aren't the only dangers Cass and her rescue dog, Daisy, face on their perilous trek.
-
-
Excellent series
- By bill on 03-11-24
By: Sam J. Fires
-
The SHTF Omnibus Series, Books 1-4
- By: L.L. Akers
- Narrated by: Kevin Pierce
- Length: 23 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
While he sat back and watched the United States rattle swords with Korea, play chicken with Russia, and strong-arm China, he felt sure if the lights went out that he and his family would be ready and safe—whether it was due to a natural disaster or a man-made event. They had everything they needed at their homestead.
-
-
Good listen
- By Holly on 08-10-23
By: L.L. Akers
-
Flashpoint: The Complete Series
- By: Tara Ellis, Mike Kraus
- Narrated by: Tom Taylorson
- Length: 29 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Half of the earth's population has been wiped out. Impossible to predict or stop, the Gamma Ray Burst tore through the Earth like a bullet, its radiation wave killing hundreds of millions, and the after effects ensuring the deaths of billions more.
-
-
SHTF for Libs
- By Doug on 09-03-23
By: Tara Ellis, and others
-
Feral Outbreak
- By: Sean Liscom
- Narrated by: Christopher Lane
- Length: 9 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the wake of the cataclysmic events that reshaped our world in 2020, a sense of relief washed over us all. By late 2023, I think we were ready to just live life again. I know I was. It was a time to make new friends and put the past to rest. Rayne and I hadn’t known each other long, but we were building a solid friendship, nothing more. It was our common interests that sent us on vacation together to my remote cabin. What we didn’t, couldn’t know, was that we were on a collision course with the end of the world as we knew it.
-
-
Not good
- By ♡Louise♡ on 07-13-24
By: Sean Liscom
-
Edge of Collapse: Box Set, Books 1-3
- By: Kyla Stone
- Narrated by: Stacey Glemboski
- Length: 27 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the dead of winter, an EMP attack destroys the U.S. power grid. No electricity. No cars or phones. The country is plunged into instant chaos. But for Hannah Sheridan, it's the best day of her life. For the last five years, she's been the captive of a sadistic psychopath—until the EMP releases the lock of her prison.
-
-
EoC
- By Carl Magnuson on 01-21-24
By: Kyla Stone
-
End of Summer
- Seasons of Man, Book 1
- By: S.M. Anderson
- Narrated by: Jay Snyder
- Length: 11 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When a viral apocalypse kills 97 percent of the people on the planet, the survivors' humanity is hanging by a thread. Amid the leftovers of civilization, ex-Army Ranger Jason Larsen is reminded of the meaning of hope, family, and loyalty by a dog and a young boy who are as alone as he is. The survivors he seems to collect become family, and that is very bad news for those who think they run the apocalypse.
-
-
Excellent book!
- By K. Rintala on 07-26-20
By: S.M. Anderson
-
The Burning Hollow
- Sunset on America, Book 1
- By: Ryan Schow
- Narrated by: Kevin Pierce
- Length: 10 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the near future, in the picturesque town of Burning Hollow, Tennessee, a century-old squabble between two families is brewing. For four generations, blood has spilled between the patriarchs, shifting the tides of power. But after each significant change, a new war begins. Will an EMP strike on a failed economy prove lethal to a besieged nation? Or will its citizens rally to protect their homesteads and safeguard their families?
-
-
Insultingly dumb
- By MoreCowbell on 03-21-23
By: Ryan Schow
-
America Falls Collection 1: Books 1-6
- America Falls Mega Collections
- By: Scott Medbury
- Narrated by: Adam Barr
- Length: 33 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Isaac Race thought he'd found a new family and home. A new Life. He had, but it's all about to be snatched away. When an ambitious enemy launches a sneak attack on the USA, his peaceful life is shattered and Isaac, by his very nature a loner, must band together with a ragtag group of survivors to make their way to a sanctuary, three states away in the depths of a vicious east coast winter.
-
-
Might have been five stars, but…
- By Richard Schwartz on 06-16-24
By: Scott Medbury
-
Troop of Shadows
- The Troop of Shadows Chronicles, Book 1
- By: Nicki Huntsman Smith
- Narrated by: Anne Lentino
- Length: 11 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A catastrophic pandemic ravages the globe, reducing the human population to extinction levels and cleansing the world of mediocrity. A doomsday prepper, a molecular geneticist, a journal-keeping loner, and a martial arts-trained nerd survive the disease that annihilated almost everyone else on the planet. Despite the miles between Kansas and California, Texas and Arizona, the four share a connection. They realize that not dying was the easy part. Now a year later, they navigate a bleak world...one without technology, without modern medicine, and without law and order.
-
-
a welcome change
- By Lisa Lindemann on 03-05-21
-
Wanderers
- A Novel
- By: Chuck Wendig
- Narrated by: Dominic Hoffman, Xe Sands
- Length: 32 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Shana wakes up one morning to discover her little sister in the grip of a strange malady. She appears to be sleepwalking. She cannot talk and cannot be woken up. And she is heading with inexorable determination to a destination that only she knows. But Shana and her sister are not alone. Soon, they are joined by a flock of sleepwalkers from across America, on the same mysterious journey. And like Shana, there are other "shepherds" who follow the flock to protect their friends and family on the long dark road ahead.
-
-
Recommended, with some issues
- By Allan T. Maule on 07-29-19
By: Chuck Wendig
-
American Apocalypse Box Set
- Books 1-4
- By: AJ Newman
- Narrated by: Kevin Pierce, Sara Morsey
- Length: 21 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Joe doesn't care about politics, or what happened. The grid is down, and every day is a struggle to survive. He just knows his world went to Hell when the EMPs ended life as he knew it. Joe scrambled to hide from all of the craziness, but kept his sanity, and improved his lot in life by reading some witty survival notes that his dead grandma had left him. She'd been a prepper all her life, and she had been close to Joe. Joe grows and learns, but can he survive? Listen to this complete series to find out how a regular guy survives in a post-apocalyptic world.
-
-
Disregard bad reviews.
- By jeff on 04-19-22
By: AJ Newman
-
Dark Nation: Books 1 - 3
- By: Grace Hamilton
- Narrated by: Andrew Tell
- Length: 23 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When a powerful EMP blast knocks out power across the country, Molly, former Marine bus driver, Colton, and the five students they’re supervising are trapped inside a prison, surrounded by hardened criminals and with no safe exit. And it doesn’t take long for a riot to throw everything into even more chaos.
-
-
Another great one
- By Mike on 07-13-23
By: Grace Hamilton
-
The Mad Mick Box Set Volume 1
- The Mad Mick Series, Books 1-3
- By: Franklin Horton
- Narrated by: Kevin Pierce
- Length: 26 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When a series of devastating terror attacks brought down the United States, Conor and Barb assumed they were safe in their compound. They had everything they needed. They were armed and highly trained. But then, Barb was kidnapped. The kidnappers didn’t know why Conor was known as The Mad Mick. They didn’t know the fear and respect his name invoked in the shadowy underworld of covert operations. They didn’t know that when it came to protecting his family, he was without conscience, without compassion, and without equal. But they would soon find out.
-
-
I had to stop listening
- By JBA on 12-30-23
By: Franklin Horton
-
Odd Billy Todd
- By: N. C. Reed
- Narrated by: Christopher Lane
- Length: 25 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Billy Todd has always been different. Most people called him odd, and those were the nice people. Though he was born with a learning disability, Billy's parents never allowed him to consider himself disabled. Raised to be self-sufficient, Billy might not be as smart as some, but he was a lot smarter than people realized.
-
-
Odd Billy Todd is fantastic
- By bebe on 08-16-19
By: N. C. Reed
Related to this topic
-
Kings of the Dead
- By: Tony Faville
- Narrated by: Marc Vietor
- Length: 6 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When the H1N1 "Swine Flu" virus mutates it begins to not only kill those who have received the vaccination, but also bring on the unthinkable: the dead reanimate. Cole Helman and his friends are not only survival experts, they've spent hours discussing and preparing for just this event and quickly head to the hills before the cities become clogged with looting and riots.
-
-
A must listen to book for all zombie fans.
- By Ron on 01-10-12
By: Tony Faville
-
Under a Graveyard Sky
- Black Tide Rising, Book 1
- By: John Ringo
- Narrated by: Tristan Morris
- Length: 13 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Zombies are real. And we made them. Are you prepared for the zombie apocalypse? The Smith family is, with the help of a few marines. When an airborne "zombie" plague is released, bringing civilization to a grinding halt, the Smith family, Steven, Stacey, Sophia, and Faith, take to the Atlantic to avoid the chaos. The plan is to find a safe haven from the anarchy of infected humanity. What they discover, instead, is a sea composed of the tears of survivors and a passion for bringing hope.
-
-
Sorry to say....not so good. :(
- By Chris on 03-07-14
By: John Ringo
-
United States of Apocalypse
- By: Mark Tufo, Armand Rosamilia
- Narrated by: Sean Runnette, Julia Whelan
- Length: 9 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When World War 3 erupts on American soil, it is up to some less than likely heroes to band together and stand tall against any and all comers as a once proud nation is brought to her knees. Cowardly terrorist attacks and indifferent global communities have isolated America as she spirals into a desperate bid for survival.
-
-
Can we please leave the leftist rhetoric out of my books?
- By Laura D. on 04-25-21
By: Mark Tufo, and others
-
War Dogs Trilogy
- Wounded Warriors of the Apocalypse
- By: AJ Newman
- Narrated by: Roger Wayne
- Length: 18 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Three Books: Heading Home, No One Left Behind, and Amazon Warrior.
-
-
killing a dog is weak writing
- By Diana on 12-13-22
By: AJ Newman
-
Alaska Wild: Books 1-3
- By: Paige Shelton
- Narrated by: Suzie Althens
- Length: 27 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The wilds are unforgiving, but Beth Rivers has already faced worse. Join her as she uncovers Alaska's mysteries and escapes into the wilderness in the first three books of the Alaska Wild series: Thin Ice, Cold Wind, and Dark Night.
By: Paige Shelton
-
Walking in the Rain
- Surviving the Fall
- By: William Allen
- Narrated by: Pat Young
- Length: 3 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Sixteen-year-old Luke was trapped in Chicago when the lights went out and civilization began to unravel. Determined to get home to his family, Luke begins a 1,000-mile odyssey that will show him the depths of human depravity while also giving him a chance at redemption. In an abandoned house in Missouri, Luke makes a discovery that changes the way he acts and feels, as the suffering of another forces him to fight yet again. Luke is already haunted by what he has seen, and he fears what is yet to come as he takes on a partner in his travels.
-
-
Bitter Disappointment
- By Ryan on 01-10-16
By: William Allen
-
Kings of the Dead
- By: Tony Faville
- Narrated by: Marc Vietor
- Length: 6 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When the H1N1 "Swine Flu" virus mutates it begins to not only kill those who have received the vaccination, but also bring on the unthinkable: the dead reanimate. Cole Helman and his friends are not only survival experts, they've spent hours discussing and preparing for just this event and quickly head to the hills before the cities become clogged with looting and riots.
-
-
A must listen to book for all zombie fans.
- By Ron on 01-10-12
By: Tony Faville
-
Under a Graveyard Sky
- Black Tide Rising, Book 1
- By: John Ringo
- Narrated by: Tristan Morris
- Length: 13 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Zombies are real. And we made them. Are you prepared for the zombie apocalypse? The Smith family is, with the help of a few marines. When an airborne "zombie" plague is released, bringing civilization to a grinding halt, the Smith family, Steven, Stacey, Sophia, and Faith, take to the Atlantic to avoid the chaos. The plan is to find a safe haven from the anarchy of infected humanity. What they discover, instead, is a sea composed of the tears of survivors and a passion for bringing hope.
-
-
Sorry to say....not so good. :(
- By Chris on 03-07-14
By: John Ringo
-
United States of Apocalypse
- By: Mark Tufo, Armand Rosamilia
- Narrated by: Sean Runnette, Julia Whelan
- Length: 9 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When World War 3 erupts on American soil, it is up to some less than likely heroes to band together and stand tall against any and all comers as a once proud nation is brought to her knees. Cowardly terrorist attacks and indifferent global communities have isolated America as she spirals into a desperate bid for survival.
-
-
Can we please leave the leftist rhetoric out of my books?
- By Laura D. on 04-25-21
By: Mark Tufo, and others
-
War Dogs Trilogy
- Wounded Warriors of the Apocalypse
- By: AJ Newman
- Narrated by: Roger Wayne
- Length: 18 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Three Books: Heading Home, No One Left Behind, and Amazon Warrior.
-
-
killing a dog is weak writing
- By Diana on 12-13-22
By: AJ Newman
-
Alaska Wild: Books 1-3
- By: Paige Shelton
- Narrated by: Suzie Althens
- Length: 27 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The wilds are unforgiving, but Beth Rivers has already faced worse. Join her as she uncovers Alaska's mysteries and escapes into the wilderness in the first three books of the Alaska Wild series: Thin Ice, Cold Wind, and Dark Night.
By: Paige Shelton
-
Walking in the Rain
- Surviving the Fall
- By: William Allen
- Narrated by: Pat Young
- Length: 3 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Sixteen-year-old Luke was trapped in Chicago when the lights went out and civilization began to unravel. Determined to get home to his family, Luke begins a 1,000-mile odyssey that will show him the depths of human depravity while also giving him a chance at redemption. In an abandoned house in Missouri, Luke makes a discovery that changes the way he acts and feels, as the suffering of another forces him to fight yet again. Luke is already haunted by what he has seen, and he fears what is yet to come as he takes on a partner in his travels.
-
-
Bitter Disappointment
- By Ryan on 01-10-16
By: William Allen
What listeners say about Eden Lost
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Kindle Customer
- 10-15-22
very good
Loved it !! this story. the narrator is so fantastic it's like your really there!! good overall
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Lelia T
- 04-09-21
Post-Apocalyptic Adventure
3.5 stars
Ben and Lila have made a home deep in the forest for themselves and their six-year-old daughter, Katie, seven years after the event that killed almost the entire US population, perhaps even worldwide. Their self-sufficiency became the stuff of legend but they never wanted to be seen as heroes and retreated to their own little piece of the world. They haven’t just survived, they’ve thrived and Katie is every bit as tough as her parents. Now, though, a forest fire has driven them out and they’ve decided to head for Yellowstone where a community seems to have settled.
Their journey takes the trio through some heartwarming times, meeting people who are kind and generous, but they also run into some very dangerous situations. In particular, they are confronted by a group of people controlled by a megalomaniac and his thugs. This man is certain he knows what’s best for everyone and uses the electric power he recreated to recruit new settlers, willing or not, and Ben and Lila are forced to either comply or take a stand.
Although I think there are some glaring flaws—for instance, Katie is a downright unnatural child even taking into account her upbringing, and everything I’ve ever heard about EMPs indicates that such widespread and instantaneous loss of life would be unlikely—I really enjoyed Mr. Cunningham’s story and Mr. Hernandez’s narration nearly to the end. That ending, though, brought me up short and I was truly appalled at Ben’s last action and how he justified it to himself. I can’t say any more about this because it would be a major spoiler and I suspect I’m in a very small minority; if an audio version of the third book gets made, I’ll be in line to find out how Ben’s choice plays out.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Dawn H
- 04-13-21
One of my favorite post-apocalyptic series
I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Greg Hernandez. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.
I’ve read quite a few post-apocalyptic books, and Eden Rising is was one of my favorites so I was looking forward to listening to Eden Lost. I was not disappointed.
Ben and Lila had their own little paradise in the Smokies until a forest fire destroyed it all. They decided to head to Yellowstone where they’d heard there was a settlement that sounded like something they wanted. It had privacy but people so that their daughter could meet other people, especially other children. Their journey was long and filled with danger but rewarding.
Ben and Lila were strong and well-developed characters. They were deeply in love and were able to work through the tragedies that befell them, although sometimes it took time. They would both do anything for Katie. I liked getting to know the new characters, especially Ben’s brother and his best friend.
The narrator did a good job. His tone and pace were good, and he was able to express the characters’ emotions well. I hope to listen to other books he’s narrated in the future.
Eden Lost is definitely a book worth your time if you like post-apocalyptic stories with strong characters. It stands on its own but I recommend reading Eden Rising first.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Ellen Oceanside
- 07-26-22
Excellent Narration
I really loved this narration and recommend it to anyone who loves mystery and suspense
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Reviewer
- 04-13-21
A Family Migrates Through Post-Apocalyptic USA
Eden Lost is the continuation of the Eden Rising story, where in the world's few survivors of a mass EMP event are learning how to survive and thrive in a post-apocalyptic world where modern technology has been rendered useless. If this sort of survival adventure story is your thing and this second book is what's immediately available to you, you absolutely can jump in. I have not yet read the first book at the time of writing this review, and I did not feel lost or like I needed to have experienced the initial events of book one to appreciate what was going on.
Ben, Lila and their now six-year-old daughter Katie have been considering finding other survivors for Katie's sake when a forest fire makes their decision for them and forces them out of their reclusive home. What follows is a long trek across no-longer-relevant state lines as they seek out a community they've heard of that has limited power. This trek is full of passing friendly strangers, passing not-so-friendly strangers, dangerous dog packs, and settlements with their own set of politics and opportunities.
I always feel compelled to compare books of this sort with the first novel series in the genre neighbourhood that left an impression on me, and that's S.M. Sterling's Emberverse novels (Dies the Fire and sequels.) They both start with a similar concept, EMP or similar events that destroy technology across the world and plunge our modern world back into the dark ages, then follow small groups of people trying to adapt. So far I would say Eden is more pleasant to read in that although the science of the apocalypse isn't so far out to lunch it's unbelievable, it doesn't have the existential dread-inducing gritty convincing realness of Dies the Fire. In other words, Eden hasn't left me feeling like I'll have nightmares for a month. I read it, I had fun, I can put it down and move on rather than work through newly acquired trauma.
The psychology of this parents and one small child dynamic in this setting is interesting and well explored, particularly when Ben muses on Lila's depressive period after a series of injuries prior to the start of this book and how it temporarily changed the parent-child relationship. I would like to point out, however, that I'm not convinced by the mental state presented in Katie. I'm sure the young daughter of a pair of stubborn survivors in the wilderness who's never known any humans other than her stubborn survivor parents would be quite mature for her age and would have acquired skills we wouldn't normally require our six-year-olds to learn, but this kid is a 40-year-old woman in a first grader's body. She doesn't ask childish questions, ever. She doesn't point out a random pretty flower or bird as they walk. She doesn't talk to herself (in a creative play kind of way.) She doesn't seem to have any comfort items nor is she shown to fidget with anything. (Pebbles? Sticks? Those little wing-shaped twirly things that fall from certain trees?) She's six! Show me that she's six! Little birds are cute and wildflowers are pretty and smooth river pebbles are perfect for busy hands. Show me that she's only recently gained a complex theory of mind and have her confer with one parent about what the other is thinking rather than just presenting her as someone who already has a pretty good idea of what everyone's thinking at all times. I feel like the most concrete reminder we got that she's six was Ben's consideration for how often she would need breaks when they travelled because she's small. I also felt like some of Ben's dialogue in particular didn't feel natural. He tended to make a statement and then elaborate, but Lila and Katie didn't need the elaboration, it was just exposition for the reader.
The trio ends up temporarily settling down here and there in different communities along their migration path, and the elements of these settlements and choices these people made whenever we reached these stopping points reminded me of my middle-grade fan fiction. I would take kid-lit survival stories like Hatchet and have Brian just choose to stay in the shelter he set up and live there in the woods forever. I remember being asked to write an epilogue in class in grade 7 and I had him collect supplies in the town he was brought back to by his rescuers, peace out and go right back to where he'd been, and construct a cellar. (My teacher wasn't impressed. She wanted a re-adapting to society type thing.) The details of the settlements along the way in this book remind me of those sort of alternate endings I would write for myself back then. For nostalgia's sake, for the namaste vibe, I loved that. On the other hand, these scenes were written as brief summaries of work and decisions conducted over several days or weeks, and as such it ended up being a lot of telling rather than showing. I would not have minded more paragraphs if I could have visualized these things happening. I feel like my 13-year-old self could have written those sections exactly, and my 33-year-old self wanted more complexity. The characters got a break and a change of pace whenever they stopped and made a temporary home, but the reader breezed through it and before you know it they're on the move again. Might as well have just paused for the afternoon.
A lot of this book reads like a travel diary, so take note if that is or isn't something that appeals to you when considering this book. The narrator is Future Ben's voice recalling what Past Ben and his little family experienced just a few hours or days ago. It's passive. The narrative voice is not a separate character and the reader isn't invited to feel like the fourth human member of this travelling group. That's not at all an inherently bad thing, but some readers don't like this kind of more detached storytelling, so I did want to highlight that.
I experienced this one as an audiobook, so I do need to comment on the narrator's performance. Greg Hernandez has a pleasant voice to listen to and he was able to differentiate between Ben/narrative voice and the quoted dialogue of other characters enough to avoid confusion. Give that this book is all Ben's perspective it would be easy to lose the other characters' voices, but that was not the case, and I found it quite easy to follow. I would absolutely pick up other books for the narrator in this case, and I actually checked the Audible listing for Greg's work just now and added something else to my TBR. 5 star performance!
If you like post-apocalyptic stories, particularly ones that leave survivors in a medieval-type version of the world or books with a lot of travelling, this may be the perfect next read for your list!
--
I was granted complimentary audible access to Eden Lost by Andrew Cunningham as part of my participation in the blog tour for this title with Audiobookworm Promotions. Thank you to all involved in affording me this opportunity! My thoughts are my own and my review is honest.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Kathy
- 10-14-23
narration was a bit stilted.
Loved the story enough to live with the narration. Glad to see there is a new story out.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!