Official Review: Afterworld by Michael James Ploof

DaniMnv · Post by **DaniMnv** » 22 Apr 2015, 16:35

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Afterworld" by Michael James Ploof.]

4 out of 4 stars

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Afterworld: The Orion Rezner Chronicles, Book 1, by Michael James Ploof, is a Science Fiction novel which takes place in a post-Apocalyptic world. The populace has been severely diminished by a deadly virus, and life as the world knew it has changed. Ploof does a great job of bringing the characters to life for his audience. This book is an action packed novel full of popular characters such as Wizards, Witches, Demons, Sub/Super-humans, and other beings. It is evident the author’s target audience are young adults whom I believe will certainly identify with his style of writing.

Ploof’s imagination takes the reader along for a very adventurous ride. His cast of characters are colorful and all possess their own individual quirks (e.g. the main character, a wacky apprentice Wizard, has a sidekick chimpanzee named Dude, and the ghost of Benjamin Franklin follows him around). Everyone lends a healthy dose of comic relief to this story. In addition to the laughs, and nail biting suspense, heroism reigns supreme here. It is evident in this story the author enjoys and believes in what he writes.

The author employs a strong use of Hyperbole (e.g. “For the two years of my apprenticeship he was colder than a Russian winter and less forgiving than a cheap vodka hangover.”). I found these phrases thoroughly entertaining. In addition, they helped keep the storyline light and endeared you to the characters even more. Ploofs’s humor and wit are refreshing.

Afterworld takes the reader on a rollercoaster ride of emotion (fear, joy, horror, hope, etc.). Ploof’s cast of youthful heroes and heroines are loveable and quick witted. I found myself rooting for the heroes and heckling the villainous monsters. You will find these characters are people you can identify with. Granted, this is a fictional story, but I still felt a kinship to the main characters and their noble sense of right and wrong.

Science Fiction is one of my favorite genres. I feel the author has a great feel for it, and is certainly gearing up to be a force in this field. I rated this book 4 out of 4 stars. Even though I think the author’s target audience is a younger generation than I, it was still an enjoyable read for me. The story has its fair share of fun, surprise twists and humor. I thoroughly enjoyed Benjamin Franklin’s quotes throughout the book. Ploof’s use of the inventor’s quotes lend strength to Afterworld’s humor in its timing. After reading this book, I would gladly add this author to my list of must read Science Fiction/ Fantasy literature in the future.

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Afterworld
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