Official Review: Through the Gates of Armageddon

[Ari Martinez]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Through the Gates of Armageddon" by W. D. Briarcroft.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Through the Gates of Armageddon by W. D. Briarcroft is a science-fiction novel filled with action and adventure. The story begins with Alex Fox reminiscing about the exile of his mother from the Colony. In the Colony, everyone lives a very easy and organized life, sheltered from the dangerous outside world. Recently, Alex has started to wonder what life is like outside of the Colony, especially because he knows his mother might be out there. After constantly fighting with his father, Alex finally decides to escape and look for his mother. Will he ever find his mother? Is the outside world as he expected? What horrors will he encounter along the way?

My favorite aspect of this story is the lack of dull and unexciting moments. The pace of the book is quite fast and the moments of suspense and action never stop. As soon as Alex overcomes one obstacle, another challenge is thrown his way immediately. Even though I enjoyed this aspect of the book, I do feel like some readers might prefer if the plot developed in a slower pace.

I also loved that, even though the narrator is omnipresent, he is not omniscient. As Alex learns about the world, so does the reader. In the beginning, the reader experiences a considerable lack of knowledge in regards to the outside world. Since the world that Briarcroft has created is very complex and full of different types of characters, this lack of knowledge makes the reader feel confused, but also curious to find out more. I thought this was a clever way of bringing the reader closer to Alex, since the reader is learning along with him.

My least liked aspect of the book is the tense that the story was written in. During the first few pages, I remember feeling a bit confused, but not being able to pinpoint why. Then, it dawned on me that the tense was a bit confusing. Certain parts of the plot seemed to be written in present tense while other parts seemed to be written in past tense. Nevertheless, this did not bother me for long, it just seemed to be a problem in the beginning of the novel.

Another aspect of the book I disliked a bit is the fact that some parts of the plot seemed very predictable. There were a few instances in which I easily predicted what would come next. I don’t know if I’ve just seen too many movies or if the plot really was predictable. Either way, I thought I would mention it.

I would recommend this for anyone who likes action and suspense. I would also like to note that this book ends with a “to be continued,” so if anyone does not like reading series, this might not be for you.

I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars because it is a very enjoyable story that I would recommend to others, but I doubt that it was professionally edited. There was a good amount of mistakes; however, the mistakes were not overwhelming enough to cause a distraction from the story.

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Through the Gates of Armageddon
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[NetMassimo]

The premise is not particularly original, maybe that's why some developments were predictable. I think I'll wait for at least one sequel to be published to see how the series continues to decide if I want to read it. Thank you for your informative review!

[spencermack]

I hate when an overall good book is wrecked by predictable plot points. Well written review, thanks!

[Harty]

I like books with suspense and fast paced. So I'll consider checking this book out. Thanks for the review.

[Galarneau]

This book sounds as if it might be an interesting read. I like books that are fast paced with suspence and lots of action. It seems Briarcroft went with a slightly different angle than most writers with his main character being inside a colony and going out of safety into the unknown. I will definitely check this book out soon.

[Jocy_Simple23]

This book sound interesting though i really like books that are fast paced but not unpredictable. This book is not boring because it is full of actions and suspense. I'll consider checking out this book.

[Nath_chuks]

This book sounds interesting to read. But I hate the fact that it is predictable. I'll pass. Great review

[Galarneau]

The title of the book made me feel that the book would be more in line with other books about Armageddon with people trying to find safety. So, the idea of living inside of a colony with safety and structure and leaving to go into the dangerous outside world is bit different. I agree that it was not well edited. Thanks for the review.