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Primitives

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From New York Times bestselling author Erich Krauss comes Primitives, the story of two unlikely heroes thrust into a post-apocalyptic mission to restore humanity.

Thirty years after The Great Fatigue infected the globe—and the treatment regressed most of the human race to a primitive state—Seth Keller makes a gruesome discovery in his adoptive father’s makeshift lab. This revelation forces him to leave the safety of his desert home and the only other person left in the world…at least, as far as he knows.

Three thousand miles away in the jungles of Costa Rica, Sarah Peoples has made her own discovery—just as horrific, and just as life-changing. It will take her far from the fledgling colony of New Haven, yet never out of reach of its ruthless authoritarian leader.

On separate journeys a world apart, Seth and Sarah find themselves swept up in a deadly race to save humankind. Their fates will come crashing together in an epic struggle between good and evil, where the differences aren’t always clear. Among the grim realities of civilization’s demise, they discover that the remaining survivors may pose an even greater threat than the abominations they were taught to fear.

Fighting for their lives, they’re confronted with a haunting question.

Does humanity deserve to survive?

Primitives, the first book of this saga, is a tale of bravery and self-discovery found in the ruins of a dying world, where the darkest sides of human nature are revealed.

424 pages, Hardcover

First published May 10, 2022

221 people are currently reading
16k people want to read

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Erich Krauss

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5 stars
348 (29%)
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264 (22%)
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79 (6%)
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22 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 220 reviews
Profile Image for David Putnam.
Author20 books1,940 followers
June 13, 2022
What a great read. This one is a Wow! An easy five stars. But I’m a sucker for a post apocalyptic story. Some of my favorites are The Stand, Earth Abides, and The Passage, just to name a few. Primitives is every bit as good, (maybe even better). Loved it.
The story is told in two first person point of views, a strong male, the other a strong female character. They are on different continents both headed toward the same goal, both with different obstacles to overcome. The points of view are delineated in alternating chapters. Each time a chapter ends I didn’t want to leave that character. An amazing feat for the author who really knows how to write. All the characters are wonderful and well-drawn.
Another chilling aspect of this plot is that it parallels a current day issue, COVID. But what’s hidden in this vaccine is what causes humankind’s downfall. A vaccine built with malice and forethought. Excellent. Very creative.
Another great aspect is that this book is a continuing series, the next one comes out next year. You can bet I’ll be first in line for that one.
David Putnam Author of the Bruno Johnson series.
Profile Image for Tonya Bryant Gillon.
385 reviews4 followers
May 23, 2022
I don’t read much dystopian books. This one came to me in the mail and I started reading and couldn’t stop. The characters and the scenes are so well developed I was there in this world. I enjoyed the journeys Seth and Sarah took, they were fast paced and quite different for each. I couldn’t stop reading the book till the end. Now I want more of this world and these characters! This was a great read!
429 reviews
March 24, 2022
This book was scary good!
I won it from Bookluvers and I had no idea what a great writer the author is.
The idea of mad scientists causing a whole world full of people to become animals is scary enough, but that they still weren't satisfied and wanted to find other ways to change life as the world knows it, is even scarier.
The book written from the viewpoints and detailing the adventures of two different young people, starting out with different goals and lives works a lot better than you would expect.
I read a review in which the reader said it caused him/her to repack their bugout bag, and I fully appreciate that idea.
Scary good!
Just no other way to describe it.
Profile Image for Janice Celentano.
4 reviews
April 13, 2022
I am typically a true crime/thriller reader, but my daughter gave me a copy of this book and I was hooked on page 1. I read this 400 plus page book in about 4 days and I am so happy I did. The settings are so well detailed, I felt like I was traveling along with Seth and Sarah. I knew they were going to intersect, but the author beautifully architected their collision with such suspense and excitement that had me on the edge of my seat. Not only is it a great read, the book itself is quite substantial. The cover is so beautiful, once I finished I immediately placed it on my coffee table as it adds a lovely touch to my living room. I look forward to reading more from this author. Sequel please!!

Profile Image for Lee.
88 reviews1 follower
April 16, 2022
I’m not going to write a book report walk through of the novel, I am just going to give my opinion of it. For me this was a true page turner. The story flowed so smooth even though it flip flops from one of two characters perspectives. The story definitely seemed possible and could almost be compared to current events. The book could definitely become a saga and I really hope that there is another book or even a series. The only knock I had was I didn’t care much for the way it ended.
I won this book from the publisher and absolutely loved it. I’m very grateful for the opportunity to read an advance copy. Hopefully someone reads this review and decides to give the book a read. I clearly enjoyed it. It was an easy read and very entertaining.
4 reviews
April 13, 2022
This scrumptious book was gifted by ŷ. I couldn’t put it down once I started. There were great character developments and the going back from Seth to Sarah really worked for me. The best of all, was the unique and interesting take on the primitives (or Andes). The creatures were unlike any apocalyptic creatures I’ve ever encountered in a book before (new and refreshing for sure). I highly recommend this book. It’s a quick read and will get you thinking (especially with the quick roll out of the Covid vaccines). You definitely won’t be disappointed!!!Thank you ŷ and Erich Krause!!!
Profile Image for Burma Turner.
830 reviews19 followers
April 22, 2022
Wow, I loved this book. This is a very original post-apocalyptic book. I was drawn into this book from the very first page. I definitely want a sequel! I have to know what happens to these characters! Very entertaining book that I will be recommending to everyone!
4 reviews
April 6, 2022
I won a copy of this book and did not know what to expect! This book is brilliant and so well written!
4 reviews
April 7, 2022
Didn't know what to expect and was pleasantly surprised. This book pulls you in on the first page. Makes me want to read more books by the aithor
7 reviews
April 16, 2022
This was an amazing book. Not my normal genre- but I am SO glad I gave it a shot. It speaks about humanity and makes you think about where you might fall if faced with certain choices. Told from multiple points of view, from different locations, this is a great story. I had trouble putting it down numerous times. And I look forward to a sequel!
7 reviews
April 9, 2022
I received this book in a giveaway and I’m happy to say I quite enjoyed it. The book was entertaining and well written. There were a few slow parts, but overall it was suspenseful and worth the read.
Profile Image for Chet.
52 reviews6 followers
April 26, 2022
In Primitives, Erich Krauss paints a picture of a world where most of humanity has been regressed to a caveman-like state. There are survivors, of course and the book focuses on Seth and Sarah, alternating between the two character’s stories. Now, I generally hate fiction written in the first person. For some reason, it makes everything less believable for me and prevents me from getting into the story. Maybe I’m weird, but it’s the way it is. And to be sure, it took me a bit to get into Primitives because of this, but when I finally did, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Krauss has definitely started a successful series (and there will be a sequel, no doubt) that will span, at least another book, if not several. There are a lot of questions left to be answered at the end of primitives and it ends on a cliffhanger, so if there’s not a sequel there will be a lot of angry readers out there.
There seems to be some parallels here to the recent fear of the Covid-19 vaccine. I’m not sure if that’s intended or if it’s just a coincidence that the book came out right around the same time. Either way, it’s tough not to draw some conclusions about the author’s stance whether it’s correct or not. In the long run, it’s a minor detail, but for some reason, it kept bugging me. Overall, however, Primitives is a fun ride and does get hard to put down. The story is a lot of fun and the main characters are likeable and well fleshed out. I’ll be looking for the next book in the series over the next year or two, but in the meantime, I suggest you pick this one up if you’re a fan of post-apocalyptic fiction or adventure tales in general. Thank you to Netgalley and Briar Road Books for the ARC. I greatly enjoyed it.
Profile Image for Sharon  Jones.
52 reviews
May 14, 2022
I am very thankful to have won this book in a ŷ giveaway. I simply could not put it down. This book has adventure and action. It follows the journey of two incredible characters dealing with their own horrors both within themselves and the circumstances in an apocalyptic world. I highly recommend reading and look forward to the continuing adventures in future novels.
Profile Image for Kinsey Breland.
457 reviews
April 18, 2022
I won this book in a ŷ' Giveaway.

I loved the artwork in this book. A little drawing of something that happens or an object of importance in the chapter was placed at the start of each section. It was cool to then read the chapter and see what the correlation was between the image and what was happening next.

The backstory on how the world became what it was, was amazing. I loved the thought process that went into the history that took place before we got to the present day. Not only do we have a world that is being plagued by the Great Fatigue, but their first attempt at a cure led to the deterioration of their minds. It was also clever to add in the detail of both the people of New Haven, and Seth and the Professor calling this degressive human race by different names. Since Seth and the Professor had lived separate from the rest of humanity for years, they don’t know what is going on out there or what everyone else calls these creatures.

I don’t truly understand why the Professor didn’t just explain what he was doing in his lab to Seth. I get that he was worried that Seth might not understand, but he is clearly a smart kid and it didn’t take much for him to grasp what the Professor was saying he discovered. There was clearly no need to hide any of it from Seth.

Josh was the worst character. He treated Sarah terribly. Stalking, kidnapping, sexual harassment, and when she did something that he didn’t like, he would hit her and say that it was her fault that he had to get violent. Josh was the definition of an abusive man.

The author left a few questions unanswered at the end. The one I’m most intrigued about is the belt that the Professor said belonged to Seth’s father and the story behind where Seth came from. I really hope we get a second book to help fill in these blanks.

I'm giving this book a 4.5 star rating.
Profile Image for Darren.
1,983 reviews45 followers
April 1, 2022
I won this book as part of a giveaway from a site off the internet. I enjoyed reading it. It took me longer than normal to read because some of the chapters were long. It is my first book read by this author. I hope to read more books by this author.
1,611 reviews30 followers
May 3, 2022
Does humanity deserve to survive? An interesting question to ponder as you read novel. The way Erich Kauss writes is captivating from the beginning and you just want to keep reading and reading and not stop. It is both descriptive and has great world building (important for a fantasy) but also is interesting and is filled with mystery/suspense throughout. Can you imagine reading the story of The Primitives, The Great Fatigue has infected the globe—and the treatment regressed most of the human race to a primitive state—Our protagonist only knows of two people who may still exist in this new world. Need I say more? There is just no way that you can find the right spot to set the book down, but you just have to - now way you can read it in one setting, unless you pull an all nighter and then you still want to keep reading as you know there's more to the story than the author has let us know. And once I reached the end I desperately wanted the next novel in the collection. How long would I have to hold my breath before I can get my hands on the next novel in the series? I so wanted more!! Honestly the ending of this particular segment was absolutely amazing! Be prepared the ending is going to totally throws you for a twist!
1 review
May 17, 2022
This book is a page-turner! From the first 2 chapters, I could not put the book down. Epic story and a beautiful book. I can't wait for the next book! Hurry up Mr. Krauss, the suspense is killing me!
Profile Image for AmandasLibrary13.
50 reviews1 follower
May 10, 2022
I’m giving this 4.5 stars but then again I’m a sucker for a dystopian novel.
This book gave off the maze runner meets the testing vibes. I was invested from the beginning. It’s told from 2 perspectives with each having a separate story line. The story is well written with good world set up. I loved the inclusion of a few graphics in the kindle version.
The ending man, talk about a cliff hanger! I can not wait for the second book and I’m sad it’s not already out.
Trigger warnings for kidnapping and assault.
Profile Image for Kayla Savoca.
49 reviews2 followers
April 14, 2022
� 𝚎𝙰𝚁𝙲 𝚁𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠 �

𝑷𝒓𝒊𝒎𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒔 𝐛𝐲 𝐄𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐊𝐫𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐬

𝙼𝚢 𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: ★★★★�
𝙶𝚘𝚘𝚍𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚜: 𝟺.𝟼𝟷/𝟻

Let me start off by saying, I loved this book, and my rating is realistically a 4.5★’s. The writing and the pacing was fantastic and what I loved most about 𝑷𝒓𝒊𝒎𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒔 is that it really had me thinking about its subject matter. This is especially the case since it’s subject matter is about a disease that rampages the world—much like our own.

𝑷𝒓𝒊𝒎𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒔 is set in a post-apocalyptic, dystopian world where humanity has yet again done itself in. The story begins with readers learning about what plagues our world, a pandemic called “The Great Fatigue�. Humans succumb to a sickness that leaves humanity exactly as it sounds, in an extremely tired exhaustive state. When experiencing this fatigue, most survive it but others do not as it makes one unable to care for themselves or others, and not being able to function properly in order to survive.

This is when scientists develop a vaccine that is the supposed cure to the pandemic—only it’s not—sort of. The vaccine 𝒅𝒐𝒆𝒔 cure those of the disease 𝒃𝒖𝒕 there is a huge discrepancy—those that took the vaccine suffer from a severe regression of their minds, leaving them in a primitive state.

Fast forward to thirty-years later when we meet two different people, located in two different parts of the globe. Seth lives with the professor, a father figure who saved Seth from the “Andes�, and Seth believes that he and the professor are the only two normal people left in the world.

The second person that we meet is Sarah, who lives with a large community of people in a place called New Haven, deep in the jungles of Costa Rica. Here she lives among other survivors, trying to live safely away from “Draggers�.

Draggers, Andes, or Primitives, all different terms but they all mean the same thing—predators and threats to soceity.

Seth hopes to one day find other “normal� people and Sarah wants to leave her community and its twisted leadership. Both survivors find out information that changes their world as they know it and so begins the story of 𝑷𝒓𝒊𝒎𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒔.

If you love reading about mad scientists with hidden agendas, stories of survival, humanity’s downfall, or just need a pallet cleanser (hi—it was me 🙋🏻‍♀�), then please give this one a shot when 𝑷𝒓𝒊𝒎𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒔 releases on May 10th! It was very intriguing and a page-turner with a great story!

Thank you NetGalley and publishers for an eARC of 𝑷𝒓𝒊𝒎𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒔 in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
Profile Image for jennifer cecil.
258 reviews4 followers
May 5, 2022
I loved this book! The story was really good and I was hooked almost as soon as I started reading. The artwork between chapters was a very pleasant bonus. Highly recommend!!
Profile Image for Shelley.
488 reviews19 followers
April 28, 2022
I very much debated how to rate this book. If ŷ had a 1-10 scale I’d have rated it a 7. I settled on 4 because I’d like to see the next in the series.

I’ve also gone up to a 4 because my life has been insane and frantic so I constantly put down and picked the book up before completing it, which in my opinion does the book a disservice.

But I will say you should probably be a fan of the dystopian genre to enjoy this book.

Finally, I will let folks know I received this book for free via a ŷ giveaway. While I definitely appreciate that, it did not influence my opinion of the book.
6 reviews2 followers
April 15, 2022
First of all, I got this book for free in exchange for my review, just so everyone knows. :) While I loved the colorful cover, I wasn't so sure how it would turn out as a book. The beginning of the book had a few hooks to catch my attention, but not as many as I am accustomed to. The back and forth between two lives in different parts of the world were fairly easy to distinguish, though. The more I read, the more I found myself drawn into the story, the characters, and more.

There were some interesting parallels to the world today that could turn off some readers who can't put their politics aside to just enjoy the story, but after reading the author's true life battles with chronic illness, I felt he did a great job of bringing those struggles into the plot.

I look forward to a sequel, if is willing to write us one! If you like some post-apocalyptic, realistic science fiction, this is well worth trying out!
163 reviews4 followers
April 1, 2022
I won this book from Penguin Random House.
In a post-apocalyptic world two people on separate journeys. One to save the world, the other to save herself. It's been thirty years since the Great Fatigue infected humanity and the cure returned most of the humans to a primitive state, barely able to think. Seth Keller has been living on a butte in the Utah desert with just the Professor who rescued him as a baby. Sarah Peoples has been living in New Haven, a community in Costa Rico. Each of them makes a startling discovery that sets them on their journey. He is traveling on foot to San Diego searching for a cure in a lab for the Primitives. Sarah gets kidnapped and is taken by her captors on a road trip to the same city. However, her captors are on a mission to destroy the lab where the cure might be found. It's a race to save mankind or destroy what's left.
Profile Image for John Clark.
2,586 reviews46 followers
March 16, 2022
A most satisfying dystopian tale. You start with a pandemic that causes global fatigue, then add a 'cure' that turns most of humanity into creatures barely capable of thought. A few pockets of survivors remain relatively unscathed. An obsessed professor and the young man he rescued as an infant comprise one story track, while a young woman in a compound in Costa Rica makes up the other. Early on, you know they're going to come together, but how that happens makes for a real page turner with gradual revelations and an ending that begs for a sequel.
Profile Image for Theresa Kulenkamp.
156 reviews6 followers
April 6, 2022
Excellent page turner, much like many books by the late Michael Crichton. A few flaws in logic, but if you dwell on them it wrecks the ride.
Profile Image for Paul Klee.
52 reviews1 follower
April 22, 2022
Impressive! While it's fairly evident that this book is a fiction debut. Clunky in parts and and the alternating POV's are a bit of overkill the story is surprisingly good. As I started reading I thought the book was going to be another heavy-handed diatribe of Climate Change and and allegory to Public CoVid policy. Yuck, I almost put the book down. Don't do it! Other than a straight-forward condemnation of of the medical establishment the story is an extremely subtle and comprehensive examination of human nature. As I said impressive.
Profile Image for Maureen.
487 reviews17 followers
April 21, 2022
Wow! The pace at the end of this book has my heart pounding! I was pulled into the story from the very beginning. While this is dystopian, the main characters are all relatable and empathetic. I felt all of their highs and lows, hopes and despair; and there were plenty because this book is a rollercoaster. It definitely begs for a sequel .The author's note at the end left me speechless. Feel free to read it first as there are no spoilers. It's inspirational.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.
Profile Image for Jess Svajgert.
532 reviews2 followers
April 30, 2022
*Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. Pub date: May 10, 2022

Gripping from the start, this post-apocalyptic novel quickly immersed me into its world. Written as a dual narrative, this novel is well paced and many chapters end on a cliffhanger as it switches to the other POV, leaving you racing through to see what happens—a true page turner. There is a decent amount of gruesome violence (especially against Sarah), and as the first of this saga—book 1 ends on a very abrupt cliffhanger.

TW: abuse, death, stillbirth, suicide ideation, violence
Profile Image for Jonann loves book talk❤♥️❤.
870 reviews186 followers
August 10, 2022
**Review** Primitives by Erich Krauss (5⭐⭐⭐⭐�)

There is truly something spectacular about Primitives by Erich Krauss, both for the mind as you read it and for the eyes as you see the detailed illustrations. It is an extraordinary dystopian story with beautiful art throughout the pages.

Synopsis:
In a post-apocalyptic world where the population has all but been destroyed, Seth and Sarah join together to battle evil forces. They soon learn that trusting mankind may lead to their demise. With the fate of the remaining human race resting in their hands, can they survive the ultimate showdown to save civilization?

Author Erich Krauss has written 34 books, including 13 New York Times bestsellers. Business Insider named Primitives "one of the best science fiction books of 2022". Additionally, Rodolfo Vanni (RVANNI) provided an absolutely breathtaking cover and art for the book.

Erich Krauss is currently writing the sequel to Primitives called The Merry Men. All personal proceeds from Primitives are being donated by Erich Krauss to research the treatment of Lyme disease.

Primitives is a must-read for science fiction fans. As a member of BookTrib.com's Influencer Network, I am honored for the opportunity to review it. Thank you, Erich Krauss and BookTribBooks, for gifting me a copy of this outstanding novel. Your kindness is appreciated!

#BookTribBooks #ErichKrauss #RodolfoVanni @rodolfo.vanni
#Primitives #NewYorkTimesBestsellingAuthor #Bookmail
Profile Image for Jesse.
198 reviews14 followers
June 21, 2022
I am honestly amazed if not a bit skeptical about all the 5 star reviews. I know reading is a subjective experience but there are a lot of problems with this book. The first being the plot: a disease that makes people lethargic (ok, no problem) then a global mandated vaccine (during a time with so much misinformation on vaccines) that turns everyone who took it into�..CAVEMEN!! Yes, the world’s best and brightest minds gave themselves, their families and the world a vaccine that makes them CAVEMAN, incapable of thought, speech, or anything else remotely human. I felt that was a little irresponsible given the times were currently in.

But I gave it a chance and kept reading; fiction is filled with lots of suspension of disbelief. I tried to think of it as another way of doing a zombie-type post apocalyptic idea.
The characters are very one-dimensional and make decisions that lack reason. The two scientists are both immortal monsters, which goes back to my concern about mistrust and misinformation of that community. The dialogue is cliche and the bad guy reminds me of every 80’s movie high school bully. Think “Sweep the legs� Johnny� from Karate Kid and that’s how the interactions with the female protagonist go. There are also huge plot holes and a lack of common sense by our two protagonists. It reminds me of a Geico (I believe) commercial where there are several teens running from a serial killer and they have two options: head to the running car and leave or hide in the chainsaw-filled shed. They chose the shed and so did the characters, so to speak. There is also no ending.

The chapters were short and it moved along briskly, which is perhaps why others enjoyed it. But an author and a reader have a relationship of sorts, one where the author has to be careful about stringing us along with critical information to keep us reading but not to the point of frustration, which is how I felt reading this. It just felt extremely amateur.

I know the author had Lyme disease and was able to recover, and I’m sincerely glad he did. My reviews are always about the work and not the person. I wish I had better things to say about this book, but felt that other voices besides “this is amazing!� Should be heard so people (like me I suppose) can then make a more informed decision about whether to read it or not.
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