Review of The Beginning of the End - It Starts

[markodim721]

[Following is a volunteer review of "The Beginning of the End - It Starts" by John K. Williamson.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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What if one of the most developed parts of the world was turned into a wasteland in just a few minutes? What if the most advanced country in the world became the first target in a nuclear war without any announcement? How much humanity would be left in people if 60% of everything in the world suddenly turned to dust and ashes? The answers to these questions are provided by the very successful novel The Beginning of the End: It Starts by John K. Williamson.

From the very beginning of this novel, the author decided to tell the story from multiple perspectives. The plot of the novel follows several individuals and their coping in a world in which, after a nuclear attack, all the rules ceased to apply. Two prisoners, a single mother, a war veteran, an old hypochondriac, and her neighbor, as well as the President of the United States of America, are the main protagonists of the novel. Occasionally and only for a moment, the author presents the events from the perspective of the villains, which I believe contributes to creating a sense of objectivity of the narrative. Consistent with the theme of the book, it abounds with credible descriptions of extraordinarily cruel scenes of violence. Will the paths of the main characters cross? Will they agree on a common goal or will personal quarrels prevail over logic and reason in the fight for their own lives? Although the novel, which could be classified as action fiction, can be read as a stand-alone book without any problems, readers will be able to find the answer to many open questions in the second book.

What I really liked about The Beginning of the End: It Starts are the extraordinarily designed characters. The plot of the book is character-driven which I always find desirable. It is also great that in the book that talks about war, cruelty, and destruction, there are several female protagonists. The President of the United States, Jim Thomas, was presented very convincingly, with all the hopes, doubts, fears and responsibilities that this position carries. Still, if I had to single out two characters who stand out for their qualities and who, in my humble opinion, are best designed, it would be Henry and Janay. As a war veteran and now a surgeon in Chicago, Henry is exactly what the citizens determined to survive the general chaos need. With his calmness and rationality, he is the complete opposite of his impulsive compatriots. Janay, on the other hand, is a single mother in a typically male work environment, who goes through numerous hardships to reunite with her family. At the same time, Janay is the character who has made the most progress in the entire book, when it comes to personal development.

The complex plot that combines the elements of the present with fiction could not pass without flaws, although they have been reduced to a relatively modest measure. At first, I did not like the structure of the book because the narration is often interrupted by new chapters, of which there are exactly seventy in this book. I don't think it's fair for the president of the United States to be a fictional person while the president of Russia is a person who really exists. In addition, in several places, the persons who had been one of the main characters in the entire book until then were suddenly marginalized for no apparent reason. It also happened that some protagonists did not react at all to the fate of their loved ones, which I do not think is realistic.

I rate The Beginning of the End: It Starts with three out of four stars. Extraordinary descriptions of various situations, decent knowledge of human psychology, and well-designed dialogues in the right places are the main qualities of this book. When very well-designed characters are added to that, it is clear that the book to a large degree overcomes certain shortcomings.

I recommend The Beginning of the End: It Starts to fans of novels full of action, passion, and twists. I’m sure fans of fiction will like the novel as well. Due to the frequent and very brutal scenes of violence, I think that the book would not be a good choice for younger categories of readers as well as those readers who are sensitive to brutal scenes of violence.

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The Beginning of the End - It Starts
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[Kirsi Cultrera]

What this book describes is a horrible threat that I truly hope will never happen in real life. Just thinking about it scares the core of my being. However, I like character-driven stories in general and also well-developed dialogues are always a treat. This book seems to succeed in those. Regardless, I think I would lose my good night sleep if I read this book, as I am a rather sensitive personality. Thanks for an interesting review!

[markodim721]

What this book describes is a horrible threat that I truly hope will never happen in real life. Just thinking about it scares the core of my being. However, I like character-driven stories in general and also well-developed dialogues are always a treat. This book seems to succeed in those. Regardless, I think I would lose my good night sleep if I read this book, as I am a rather sensitive personality. Thanks for an interesting review!

The book has a very strong but also cruel plot that is not for everyone's literary taste. Thanks for the comment. I appreciate it.

[Kaushiki Parihar]

I have read and reviewed this book too. And I agree with you on all the aspects of the book. Henry and Janay, too was my favourite characters from the novel. I enjoyed reading your beautiful review.

[markodim721]

I have read and reviewed this book too. And I agree with you on all the aspects of the book. Henry and Janay, too was my favourite characters from the novel. I enjoyed reading your beautiful review.

Thanks you very much for the kind words. I'm glad you liked my review and that we came to the same conclusion.