What do you think?
Rate this book
Code Name: Atlas
Atlas is a war hero caught between his wife’s love or saving the survivors of Earth which has been destroyed by unknown forces. The closest thing to organized leadership are the packs of scavengers that take what they want. To keep his wife safe, he builds an army. To give her the life she wants, he fights. To win back their home, he must go to war. But she doesn’t believe that his sacrifice is for her and his selflessness is driving them apart. As he struggles for his wife’s devotion he is caught in a war with a tyrannical dictator. To win the war and his wife's safety he must give her up and fight a war where defeat is expected. To fight a dictator he must become a warlord.
Hovering over everything is the threat of an alien invasion which Atlas slowly pieces together through unreliable stories told by the survivors. He soon learns that his fight is only a small part in a war that has been raging for hundreds of years and reaches throughout the galaxy.
A gritty and realistic action adventure book blends with minimal use of science fiction elements to create a rich, believable contemporary fiction story of one soldier’s heart-wrenching post apocalyptic journey to keep his family alive.
"Code Name Atlas is a very accomplished, spirited novel of depth and intelligence that grips you in a vice like hold from beginning to end. Highly recommended." SFBook.com
Hovering over everything is the threat of an alien invasion which Atlas slowly pieces together through unreliable stories told by the survivors. He soon learns that his fight is only a small part in a war that has been raging for hundreds of years and reaches throughout the galaxy.
A gritty and realistic action adventure book blends with minimal use of science fiction elements to create a rich, believable contemporary fiction story of one soldier’s heart-wrenching post apocalyptic journey to keep his family alive.
"Code Name Atlas is a very accomplished, spirited novel of depth and intelligence that grips you in a vice like hold from beginning to end. Highly recommended." SFBook.com
310 pages, Paperback
First published June 29, 2010
1 person is currently reading
126 people want to read
About the author
Tony Evans
3Ìýbooks59ÌýfollowersTony Evans is an American writer and military veteran. During his eight years in the U.S. Army, he earned a promotion to Non-commissioned officer while deployed in combat in recognition of his leadership and bravery under pressure. His military career includes a year-long deployment in Iraq, where he played a pivotal role in over 50 combat operations as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom, earning the Army Commendation Medal for his service. Beyond his military achievements, he holds a bachelor's degree in computer science. He has applied these skills in the tech sector, contributing over a decade to the technological advancements of one of the largest banks in the U.S. He now lives in Southern California with his wife and kids.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
November 25, 2013
The Earth has been decimated by missiles from an unknown source, an electromagnetic field has been pulsed around the world, disrupting communications, radiation is killing millions, crippling a world that is losing its humanity. Will this be the end or a new beginning? Code Name: Atlas by Tony Evans is a dark and jarring story of the will of man to survive, some to attempt to rebuild, others to dominate and control. This is classic good vs evil vs the unknown, because there is an unknown. A reluctant war hero with a gift for military strategics becomes the leader of an ever-growing band of survivors. Not welcoming his role, he uses only the name Atlas as he leads his followers to what he hopes will be safety and security, foregoing his own happiness to fulfill his need to protect and serve. Are the forces that rise up against him more powerful? Better equipped? What do they know that he doesn’t? Will the civilians understand his methods of leading or will they turn against him? How much is one man expected to give up and remain sane?
After each brick is mortared, and his world-building was complete, author Tony Evans took me through his frighteningly realistic world in chaos, where survival is near impossible without strength and loyalty. Heroes grow out of the ranks, and betrayal grows out of fear. Good people die, bad ones survive in a world that now must also face danger from space, but first, the dangers on Earth must be tamed. Mr. Evans created tension from the beginning and it may have changed focus, but it never let up! This is not a post-apocalyptic world where its survivors gain unique abilities, find young love or even a moment of respite, this is stark, raw and brutal, told with frank words, blunt descriptions and real drama.
Do I recommend this book? Most definitely! Tony Evans has mastered the transportation of the mind into another reality takes a while to come away from.
I received a review copy from the author in exchange for my honest review.
Date of Publication: June 29, 2010
Publisher: Xlibris Corporation
ISBN: 978-1453526880
Genre: Adult Action/Military/Post-Apocalyptic Fantasy
Page Count: 310
|
After each brick is mortared, and his world-building was complete, author Tony Evans took me through his frighteningly realistic world in chaos, where survival is near impossible without strength and loyalty. Heroes grow out of the ranks, and betrayal grows out of fear. Good people die, bad ones survive in a world that now must also face danger from space, but first, the dangers on Earth must be tamed. Mr. Evans created tension from the beginning and it may have changed focus, but it never let up! This is not a post-apocalyptic world where its survivors gain unique abilities, find young love or even a moment of respite, this is stark, raw and brutal, told with frank words, blunt descriptions and real drama.
Do I recommend this book? Most definitely! Tony Evans has mastered the transportation of the mind into another reality takes a while to come away from.
I received a review copy from the author in exchange for my honest review.
Date of Publication: June 29, 2010
Publisher: Xlibris Corporation
ISBN: 978-1453526880
Genre: Adult Action/Military/Post-Apocalyptic Fantasy
Page Count: 310
|
April 19, 2013
Disclaimer: I was given a copy of this book for free by the author in exchange for an honest review.
It's hard to know where to begin with a book like this. I was intrigued by the storyline, pulled in by the quick pacing, but also confused by the end and unable to reconcile the entire book with the very last few pages.
The book begins almost at the end - the main character (were we ever given his real name? I don't remember it being mentioned before he's given his code name) is being held prisoner, among his "men," for something the reader is apparently left to figure out. This kind of tactic, revealing the near-end of a book in order to start a story, doesn't always sit well with me. Primarily, it's because we're told what's going to happen, and then told the story of how it happened. I would rather have the story build to the climax, and have it happen in order, so that I don't sit reading the entire book going "Yeah but..."
Since he's known throughout most of the book as Atlas, I'll just refer to our protagonist as Atlas and leave it at that. When we go back to the beginning, Atlas and his wife Amori are struggling to survive amidst a world that has gone mad after a supposed bombing by unknown forces. Amori is pregnant , and the two seem to be in love. But as they take on more and more survivors and form a group, she becomes more distant from Atlas. It's hard to watch, because I feel no sympathy whatsoever for Amori. She pushes Atlas, tests boundaries, punishes him for slights only she feels, because she's jealous of the fact that he becomes a leader. I found her highly unlikeable, especially after she takes her first trip out to the Loom (the second camp that Atlas founds to expand on Troy, the original) with Hector.
Unfortunately, the only character I ultimately found myself caring about was Atlas. By the end, I wasn't worried about what was happening with Amori, Hector, Gannon, Keagan, and had completely forgotten about Smith.
The book ultimately revolves around Atlas and his actions, reactions, and ideals. His lack of concern for what happens to Amori is worrisome, considering his near-constant declarations of love and devotion to her. But really, protecting the survivors is what matters the most to him, no matter how much he claims to love his wife. By the time he is captured and put into the prison camp, he has become a god among men and yet never seemed to want it. I can't help but wonder, what would have happened if he had just listened to Amori and gone his own way? WHY did he feel the need to stand up for others? It's never truly delved into, this need for self-sacrifice. Amori mentions it a few times, and so does he, but other than his time in Iraq and his actions to save a senator, we aren't really given a reason for why he does what he does.
The story itself is very fast-paced and moves along at a nice steady clip. Months pass between chapters, and what feels like only a few weeks ends up being probably closer to a year or more. We aren't really given an exact timeline, but obviously all the technological advances couldn't have happened overnight. The technology seemed to be explained pretty well, including the armor that Atlas's scientist, Osgood, figures out how to build. We don't get much from Osgood outside of the occasional invention. The same goes for Kale and Cyril. Cyril builds the weapons for their trucks, but other than that he's not much of a character. Kale is good with technology, but
I did have a major problem with the treatment of Keller.
The rest of the plot review will be a spoiler so I'm hiding it all behind a
With regard to formatting and readability, I found it hard to read the book itself because the prose was very clunky. Sentences such as "A silhouette came rushing around the corner. I could see the silhouette of a rifle in their hand. I fired one shot at the left of the silhouette‟s chest just under the left armpit and the silhouette fell out of sight. A rush of silhouette‟s filled the antechamber, and I crouched down on one knee to get a better shot." were scattered throughout the entire novel, making it hard to follow because of all the repetition. There were also numerous spelling errors, often using the wrong word ("traitors" was often spelled "traders"), missing periods and commas, and even quotation marks. In the sections narrated by Atlas, it was often hard to tell where he was speaking and where he was thinking to himself, because the opening quotation mark was missing. I had to guess at what point in the paragraph he started speaking, because there were closing quotes at the end of a paragraph but none opening his statement.
While I didn't love the book, I did like the story and the ideas it proposed. I wasn't attached to the characters, though, and was almost happy when and if there is a sequel I really hope that it delves further into character development. If you can look past spelling/grammar errors, and don't so much care about writing style as much as plot, then this book is a good read and an interesting and semi-original sci-fi plot. I appreciated the military and scientific background that came through, as the author mentions in the afterword, and it wasn't too much that the average layperson couldn't follow (Kim Stanley Robinson has the problem of being too high-minded for the average person to follow, this book was much more on equal footing with people who aren't versed in science).
Overall, 3 out of 5 stars for the experience, the story, and Atlas. Get rid of the plot holes, the format errors, and such and it would have been 4.
It's hard to know where to begin with a book like this. I was intrigued by the storyline, pulled in by the quick pacing, but also confused by the end and unable to reconcile the entire book with the very last few pages.
The book begins almost at the end - the main character (were we ever given his real name? I don't remember it being mentioned before he's given his code name) is being held prisoner, among his "men," for something the reader is apparently left to figure out. This kind of tactic, revealing the near-end of a book in order to start a story, doesn't always sit well with me. Primarily, it's because we're told what's going to happen, and then told the story of how it happened. I would rather have the story build to the climax, and have it happen in order, so that I don't sit reading the entire book going "Yeah but..."
Since he's known throughout most of the book as Atlas, I'll just refer to our protagonist as Atlas and leave it at that. When we go back to the beginning, Atlas and his wife Amori are struggling to survive amidst a world that has gone mad after a supposed bombing by unknown forces. Amori is pregnant , and the two seem to be in love. But as they take on more and more survivors and form a group, she becomes more distant from Atlas. It's hard to watch, because I feel no sympathy whatsoever for Amori. She pushes Atlas, tests boundaries, punishes him for slights only she feels, because she's jealous of the fact that he becomes a leader. I found her highly unlikeable, especially after she takes her first trip out to the Loom (the second camp that Atlas founds to expand on Troy, the original) with Hector.
Unfortunately, the only character I ultimately found myself caring about was Atlas. By the end, I wasn't worried about what was happening with Amori, Hector, Gannon, Keagan, and had completely forgotten about Smith.
The book ultimately revolves around Atlas and his actions, reactions, and ideals. His lack of concern for what happens to Amori is worrisome, considering his near-constant declarations of love and devotion to her. But really, protecting the survivors is what matters the most to him, no matter how much he claims to love his wife. By the time he is captured and put into the prison camp, he has become a god among men and yet never seemed to want it. I can't help but wonder, what would have happened if he had just listened to Amori and gone his own way? WHY did he feel the need to stand up for others? It's never truly delved into, this need for self-sacrifice. Amori mentions it a few times, and so does he, but other than his time in Iraq and his actions to save a senator, we aren't really given a reason for why he does what he does.
The story itself is very fast-paced and moves along at a nice steady clip. Months pass between chapters, and what feels like only a few weeks ends up being probably closer to a year or more. We aren't really given an exact timeline, but obviously all the technological advances couldn't have happened overnight. The technology seemed to be explained pretty well, including the armor that Atlas's scientist, Osgood, figures out how to build. We don't get much from Osgood outside of the occasional invention. The same goes for Kale and Cyril. Cyril builds the weapons for their trucks, but other than that he's not much of a character. Kale is good with technology, but
I did have a major problem with the treatment of Keller.
The rest of the plot review will be a spoiler so I'm hiding it all behind a
With regard to formatting and readability, I found it hard to read the book itself because the prose was very clunky. Sentences such as "A silhouette came rushing around the corner. I could see the silhouette of a rifle in their hand. I fired one shot at the left of the silhouette‟s chest just under the left armpit and the silhouette fell out of sight. A rush of silhouette‟s filled the antechamber, and I crouched down on one knee to get a better shot." were scattered throughout the entire novel, making it hard to follow because of all the repetition. There were also numerous spelling errors, often using the wrong word ("traitors" was often spelled "traders"), missing periods and commas, and even quotation marks. In the sections narrated by Atlas, it was often hard to tell where he was speaking and where he was thinking to himself, because the opening quotation mark was missing. I had to guess at what point in the paragraph he started speaking, because there were closing quotes at the end of a paragraph but none opening his statement.
While I didn't love the book, I did like the story and the ideas it proposed. I wasn't attached to the characters, though, and was almost happy when and if there is a sequel I really hope that it delves further into character development. If you can look past spelling/grammar errors, and don't so much care about writing style as much as plot, then this book is a good read and an interesting and semi-original sci-fi plot. I appreciated the military and scientific background that came through, as the author mentions in the afterword, and it wasn't too much that the average layperson couldn't follow (Kim Stanley Robinson has the problem of being too high-minded for the average person to follow, this book was much more on equal footing with people who aren't versed in science).
Overall, 3 out of 5 stars for the experience, the story, and Atlas. Get rid of the plot holes, the format errors, and such and it would have been 4.
April 14, 2013
This book had a very interesting premise, some really interesting characterization, a gripping writing style with a no-nonsense practicality, a few unexpected moments, some very questionable and shocking ethical decisions here and there...and a very strange and jarring ending.
First off, this book is dark. Really dark. Don't expect everyone to live. Or anyone, really. The world setting is post-apocalyptic (with somewhat of a twist, which is part of what makes the premise interesting instead of a typical ho-hum post-apocalypse story that is so common lately). Balancing that, however, is the main character, who is truly heroic. Some might even say too much so, but I would disagree. One of the interesting things about this book, in fact, is how it explores the downsides of heroism - the effects it has on family and others close to the hero. I found that part, in particular to be very well done. Another downside it explores is the no-shades-of-grey morality that is part of the typical heroic makeup. Some of the things the hero does made me wince - there is very little mercy or compassion in this "hero". In one scene, he coldly executes a teenage boy that he'd helped raise. While the book does explore the inner turmoil this causes the hero as well as the effects it has on his relationship with the mother (more on that in a moment), that doesn't stop him from taking the action in the first place. There are other such decisions as well, but none that were on that scale. What makes it interesting though is that it's very clearly a consequence of a black-and-white morality that is typical of heroic characters, but most books never really explore the emotional or moral consequences of that mindset. This one does and shows WHY being a hero and doing the "right" thing is not always...right. Atlas is nearly robotic and emotionless in his coldly rational decisions. Ironically, he even wonders about that part of himself off and on and recognizes that aspect of himself...but never really changes it.
On a side note, the mother of the boy he executes was way too forgiving, in my opinion. Any mother I know of would wait for the hero to sleep and then put a bullet in his head for what he'd done.
Whether I agreed with (or even liked) Atlas, however, the book was interesting reading. There was plenty of action, ethical dilemmas, drama, and villainy. Ironically, the villains weren't actually black and white like many typically are. In fact, I have to say the author does a better job of explaining their worldview and decision making processes than he does with the main character! The villains were not at all cardboard and they had their own agendas and morality, which of course seemed reasonable to them. At times, I found myself wondering whether I sympathized more with them than the main hero. But then the hero would do something actually heroic and the villains would prove that they really were thoroughly evil (in action, if not always in thought or motivation). The main difference, really was that while Atlas does occasionally do something truly morally ambiguous, on the whole, he truly is a hero. His influence on the world is overwhelmingly positive and he truly does seem to help people. The villains have motivations that are seemingly also worthwhile, but unlike Atlas, they never really do much good. Overall, their actions are overwhelmingly evil and it's pretty obvious they truly are a blight on the world.
Most of the book, really, is just an interesting backdrop highlighting a very fascinating character study of contrasts in actions, thoughts, and ethics. For that reason alone, I liked the book quite a lot. I have to admit, though, by the end, I was pretty depressed and wanted to just nuke the lot of them. Luckily, the author pretty much took care of that for me. Well, almost.
I won't go into details so as to avoid spoilers, but the last few pages of the book take a radical and pretty unexpected turn just as you think the great Russian Tragedy is finally done. I would almost call the ending Deus Ex Machina, except that there's enough hints throughout the story that it kind of makes sense and it definitely does answer one of the great mysteries of the book. If there is another book in the series (which seems like a reasonable conclusion given where the story left off), it will likely be a very different kind of book.
Whether or not I liked characters, the world, or the overall plot, the book was very memorable and made me really think. Any book that can affect me that much deserves some praise and overall, I would recommend it to others. Just be aware up front that it's very dark and can be depressing at times. But then, so can humanity, and the way it captures that is what makes the book so interesting.
First off, this book is dark. Really dark. Don't expect everyone to live. Or anyone, really. The world setting is post-apocalyptic (with somewhat of a twist, which is part of what makes the premise interesting instead of a typical ho-hum post-apocalypse story that is so common lately). Balancing that, however, is the main character, who is truly heroic. Some might even say too much so, but I would disagree. One of the interesting things about this book, in fact, is how it explores the downsides of heroism - the effects it has on family and others close to the hero. I found that part, in particular to be very well done. Another downside it explores is the no-shades-of-grey morality that is part of the typical heroic makeup. Some of the things the hero does made me wince - there is very little mercy or compassion in this "hero". In one scene, he coldly executes a teenage boy that he'd helped raise. While the book does explore the inner turmoil this causes the hero as well as the effects it has on his relationship with the mother (more on that in a moment), that doesn't stop him from taking the action in the first place. There are other such decisions as well, but none that were on that scale. What makes it interesting though is that it's very clearly a consequence of a black-and-white morality that is typical of heroic characters, but most books never really explore the emotional or moral consequences of that mindset. This one does and shows WHY being a hero and doing the "right" thing is not always...right. Atlas is nearly robotic and emotionless in his coldly rational decisions. Ironically, he even wonders about that part of himself off and on and recognizes that aspect of himself...but never really changes it.
On a side note, the mother of the boy he executes was way too forgiving, in my opinion. Any mother I know of would wait for the hero to sleep and then put a bullet in his head for what he'd done.
Whether I agreed with (or even liked) Atlas, however, the book was interesting reading. There was plenty of action, ethical dilemmas, drama, and villainy. Ironically, the villains weren't actually black and white like many typically are. In fact, I have to say the author does a better job of explaining their worldview and decision making processes than he does with the main character! The villains were not at all cardboard and they had their own agendas and morality, which of course seemed reasonable to them. At times, I found myself wondering whether I sympathized more with them than the main hero. But then the hero would do something actually heroic and the villains would prove that they really were thoroughly evil (in action, if not always in thought or motivation). The main difference, really was that while Atlas does occasionally do something truly morally ambiguous, on the whole, he truly is a hero. His influence on the world is overwhelmingly positive and he truly does seem to help people. The villains have motivations that are seemingly also worthwhile, but unlike Atlas, they never really do much good. Overall, their actions are overwhelmingly evil and it's pretty obvious they truly are a blight on the world.
Most of the book, really, is just an interesting backdrop highlighting a very fascinating character study of contrasts in actions, thoughts, and ethics. For that reason alone, I liked the book quite a lot. I have to admit, though, by the end, I was pretty depressed and wanted to just nuke the lot of them. Luckily, the author pretty much took care of that for me. Well, almost.
I won't go into details so as to avoid spoilers, but the last few pages of the book take a radical and pretty unexpected turn just as you think the great Russian Tragedy is finally done. I would almost call the ending Deus Ex Machina, except that there's enough hints throughout the story that it kind of makes sense and it definitely does answer one of the great mysteries of the book. If there is another book in the series (which seems like a reasonable conclusion given where the story left off), it will likely be a very different kind of book.
Whether or not I liked characters, the world, or the overall plot, the book was very memorable and made me really think. Any book that can affect me that much deserves some praise and overall, I would recommend it to others. Just be aware up front that it's very dark and can be depressing at times. But then, so can humanity, and the way it captures that is what makes the book so interesting.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 30, 2013
A friend of mine brought this book to my attention,and at first I thought "Oh great, another zombie apocalypse scenario", which seems to be all the trendy flavor of the month, right? But I gave it the attention that it deserves, and the author acutally did a great job with it. He must have had some kind of military experience, because the action scenes are well played-out. There is a lot of attention to detail in that respect. There's emotion, there's grit - feelings and courage - lots of courage, in the acitons of the main characters. Lots of twists and turns, and many characters come and go. Reminds me of Game of Thrones, where you get to love a character and then BAM! they're out of there, and others you wouldn't expect to make the cut turn out to be major players. My only complaint, if you would call it that, is that it feels unfinished, and I would hope to see a sequel of this novel soon. There's lots of room to expand here.
October 15, 2013
If you like action-packed books set in a post-apocalyptic world, then this is definitely the book for you. There's twists and turns, there's things you don't expect and things you kinda do - and I was sorta complaining about how I expected more action at the beginning, but boy did the author end up delivering on that. The end was ... wow!
It's nice to have a military "hero" that's not really a hero (in his eyes) and whose life is far from perfect, but he hides it well. I love how he takes command and helps people out. You start to dislike his wife because she doesn't "stand by her man" in the good and bad (and other reasons).
I love Gannon. He is one of my favorite characters. I totally relate to him.
I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an HONEST review.
It's nice to have a military "hero" that's not really a hero (in his eyes) and whose life is far from perfect, but he hides it well. I love how he takes command and helps people out. You start to dislike his wife because she doesn't "stand by her man" in the good and bad (and other reasons).
I love Gannon. He is one of my favorite characters. I totally relate to him.
I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an HONEST review.
September 25, 2012
I'm not a big SciFi fan but this book has changed my perception of SciFi books. Codename Atlas has drama, action, and SciFi. There were times when I felt myself feeling what the protagonist felt, If he was upset I was upset. The action scenes were my favorite, there were times when I had to slow down and reread what I just read because I got so into the action that I wanted to speed through it just to find out what happened. The ending was the only part that left me hanging so I'm hoping there is going to be a second part to this book.
September 3, 2022
Imagine, if you will, a table with three different puzzles sitting upon it. Now, imagine somebody taking a handful of pieces from each of those puzzles, carefully placing them together, and creating an entirely new fourth puzzle. The pieces almost fit, and the picture they form is clear to the eye, but there are gaps between some pieces, and places where others overlap.
That's the best way I can think of to describe what Tony Evans has done with Code Name: Atlas. At different times and in different places, we're presented with a heart-wrenching tale of a post-apocalyptic journey, a fascinating science-fiction tale of big ideas, and a coldly efficient military/techno-thriller of a society at war. The three individual story elements do come together, linked by the character of Atlas, but it sometimes feels like there is something lost between the pieces. That's not to say it's a bad novel - I quite enjoyed it - but the gaps certainly preyed on my mind.
As the story opens, our world has been destroyed by unknown forces. Entire cities are in ruins, electronics are useless, and packs of scavengers are the closest thing remaining to organized leadership. Evans weaves in some really interesting ideas as to how our end came about, and who was behind it. In a series of flashbacks we're introduced to an escalating battle between science and religion, one that is compounded by the paranoid fears of governments across the globe. The ways in which the line between the reason and faith is blurred are fascinating, but it's a theme that is largely dropped for the rest of the novel.
As they pick up other survivors along the way, Atlas quickly takes on the leadership role to which he is naturally suited. Before long, he finds himself at the head of a newly emerging civilization - one of two significant societies that have risen from the ashes. What we're eventually faced with is an interesting conflict between a warlord and a dictator, neither of whom would be necessarily attractive in a democratic society, but both of whom are uniquely suited to the realities of a post-apocalyptic society. Atlas isn't perfect, and he regularly allows practicality to overrule sentiment, but he's a man with a difficult job. There are a few instances where he crosses a line, taking an action that is logical yet entirely distasteful to the reader, but I have to give Evans credit for maintaining that militaristic edge.
Hovering over everything (literally and symbolically) is the threat of alien invasion. We're teased and tantalized throughout the book with facts and theories about the forces behind our fall, but most of the reports we're presented with are tainted or unreliable. It's an interesting layer to have added to the overall story, but the alien paranoia is never quite played out to the extent I would have expected, and its rather sudden resolution significantly alters the course of the novel yet again.
At its heart, plotlines and themes aside, this is a story about the powers and the burdens of heroism. Atlas is not just the protagonist of the tale, he really is the tale. Remove him from the story, and it all falls apart without his motivations to tie everything together. Some of the secondary characters are better developed than others, and a few manage to endear themselves to the reader, but their primary purpose is to either support or illuminate the character of Atlas. Even the villains only seem to exist in contrast to his heroism, which allows for some interesting parallels to develop, especially in terms of loyalty and betrayal.
The concluding chapters suggest there is more of the story to come, so perhaps those gaps and overlaps I mentioned will be smoothed out in future volumes. Regardless, the novel works as a self-contained piece of storytelling, intriguing and exciting, with an ending that largely satisfies, even as it tantalizes the bigger picture.
Originally reviewed at
That's the best way I can think of to describe what Tony Evans has done with Code Name: Atlas. At different times and in different places, we're presented with a heart-wrenching tale of a post-apocalyptic journey, a fascinating science-fiction tale of big ideas, and a coldly efficient military/techno-thriller of a society at war. The three individual story elements do come together, linked by the character of Atlas, but it sometimes feels like there is something lost between the pieces. That's not to say it's a bad novel - I quite enjoyed it - but the gaps certainly preyed on my mind.
As the story opens, our world has been destroyed by unknown forces. Entire cities are in ruins, electronics are useless, and packs of scavengers are the closest thing remaining to organized leadership. Evans weaves in some really interesting ideas as to how our end came about, and who was behind it. In a series of flashbacks we're introduced to an escalating battle between science and religion, one that is compounded by the paranoid fears of governments across the globe. The ways in which the line between the reason and faith is blurred are fascinating, but it's a theme that is largely dropped for the rest of the novel.
As they pick up other survivors along the way, Atlas quickly takes on the leadership role to which he is naturally suited. Before long, he finds himself at the head of a newly emerging civilization - one of two significant societies that have risen from the ashes. What we're eventually faced with is an interesting conflict between a warlord and a dictator, neither of whom would be necessarily attractive in a democratic society, but both of whom are uniquely suited to the realities of a post-apocalyptic society. Atlas isn't perfect, and he regularly allows practicality to overrule sentiment, but he's a man with a difficult job. There are a few instances where he crosses a line, taking an action that is logical yet entirely distasteful to the reader, but I have to give Evans credit for maintaining that militaristic edge.
Hovering over everything (literally and symbolically) is the threat of alien invasion. We're teased and tantalized throughout the book with facts and theories about the forces behind our fall, but most of the reports we're presented with are tainted or unreliable. It's an interesting layer to have added to the overall story, but the alien paranoia is never quite played out to the extent I would have expected, and its rather sudden resolution significantly alters the course of the novel yet again.
At its heart, plotlines and themes aside, this is a story about the powers and the burdens of heroism. Atlas is not just the protagonist of the tale, he really is the tale. Remove him from the story, and it all falls apart without his motivations to tie everything together. Some of the secondary characters are better developed than others, and a few manage to endear themselves to the reader, but their primary purpose is to either support or illuminate the character of Atlas. Even the villains only seem to exist in contrast to his heroism, which allows for some interesting parallels to develop, especially in terms of loyalty and betrayal.
The concluding chapters suggest there is more of the story to come, so perhaps those gaps and overlaps I mentioned will be smoothed out in future volumes. Regardless, the novel works as a self-contained piece of storytelling, intriguing and exciting, with an ending that largely satisfies, even as it tantalizes the bigger picture.
Originally reviewed at
October 19, 2015
It’s difficult for me to put my thoughts about the premise of this book in any cohesive order as it’s truly a convoluted mess of happenstances. All I can say for sure is that it’s a dystopian novel based in the not so distant future when man is invaded by some sort of force and then has to fight to survive. It’s definitely a story that focuses on “war� more so than anything else.
Nevertheless, I will give it my best attempt at providing some sort of insight to the premise.
The main characters, whom we come to know as Atlas, is at odds with life. His wife is pregnant—about to go into labor at any moment—the world as we know it has fallen apart, and he finds himself having to take on the roll of the leader of a group of people he barely knows.
Later on in the story we discover that the “unknown force� that has destroyed the planet are aliens.
That’s about it. That covers most of the plot.
Side Note:
I have to start by saying something.
I am a lover of all things Science Fiction. I am always enamored by the idea of a great science fiction, dystopian story. However, the key (for me at least) is that the book must be well written, cohesive and easy to follow.
With that said, I find that I must push forward with my thoughts on this book as there are lots of them.
I’ve found in the past year or two, that it is really easy, in this age of advanced technology and self-publishing, to come across a book that has absolutely no Pros whatsoever. “Code Name Atlas� is one of them.
With that being said, I’ll dive right into the malfeasances of this book.
I went into this book with high hopes and looking forward to an amazing adventure. Instead what I found was heap loads of horse-pucky.
First Thought:
“Did ANYONE edit this book? Anyone? Anyone at all?�
This book was terribly written. What it reminded me of was a First Draft that was never edited, proofread or looked at, and published that way. I have screenshot after screenshot of grammatical and editorial blunders.
Side Note:
I make no joke when I say that I have 28 screenshots of blatant mistakes inside of the book. The kicker is that I ONLY have 28 because after I hit 10 I opted to JUST take screenshots of the “really bad� mess ups.
In the images above you will see things like incomplete sentences, to misplaced modifiers, to nonsensical grammar, to bad spelling.
Also, the author SIMPLY COULD NOT get the spelling of the word “nauseous� correct. It was always spelled “nauseas� as seen below.
PS: I did cross examine this with the Cambridge English Dictionary to see if it might be an American English vs British English spelling differential. It was not.
Long Sentence Armageddon
I am not a fan of long, run-on sentences. Never have been, never will be. Even with that, I do realize that sometimes long sentences are inevitable. Sometimes, they just happen.
Yet, there is a difference with “the inevitable long sentence� and ruining your book with continuous long sentences.
“Code Name Atlas� LOVES run-on sentences, to the point of utter annoyance.
I was exhausted by the time I finished most of them! Kind of like I’d run a marathon or something.
Alien Lobotomy
Have you ever read a book and thought to yourself, “Where is the feeling?�
“Code Name Atlas� is the embodiment of unemotional. There are scenes that should have been replete with emotions and/or compelling descriptiveness. Instead, we find that the most sentimental parts of the story are skimmed over and delivered dryly just to make more space for war and/or methodical combat jargon.
Examples of this are when Atlas and Amori’s newborn daughter dies during delivery, and when Amori falls in love with Hector.
Dystopian Resurrection:
One scene in particular, stands out like a sore thumb.
Atlas gets shot, and judging by the description, one is led to believe that he is dead. The very next scene he is alive and well, and back at war. *shocked face*
HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?
Now, it’s not impossible for the hero of a story to survive a shooting, but please, for the love of all things holy, tell us HOW!
The Presence of Presumption
There is a huge dilemma with First Person Omniscient narrative. It is this:
The ONLY way the main character can tell what the other characters are thinking and feeling is if he/she is of a preternatural/supernatural origin. This is to say, conveying a story in First Person Omniscient can only be done if the main character slash narrator is a ghost, spirit, angel, god, and thing of that sort.
An average, every day, person CANNOT, BY ANY MEANS, chronicle a story in Omniscient form! Why? Because THEY CANNOT SEE AND/OR FEEL what the other characters are feeling!
“Code Name Atlas� is a prime example of how presumptuous First Person Omniscient narrative is as the main character take it upon himself to tell the reader exactly what is happening, or the other characters are feeling even when he is not there.
Catastrophic Repetition
This story could have easily been cut in half—that is NO exaggeration—had it been properly weeded through.
Side Note:
I can never understand why authors tend to be so repetitious. Things don’t have to be constantly reiterated, unless they are of absolute importance.
That is all I’m going to say about that.
Holocaust of Holes
There are a wide array of plot holes in this story that have no resolution whatsoever. Things are mentioned, and not resolved. Inconsistent scenarios are a constant and do nothing but besmirch the story. Inconsistency is another form of plot hole.
Suffice it to say that “Code Name Atlas� was a very big let down. I could not, no matter how hard I tried, see any redeeming quality in this story. Which is sad, because at the very beginning I thought that the story had some sort of potential. Yet the further I got in, the more I realized that it did not. I’m flabbergasted by the many reviews that rave about this story, because I feel as though I read the wrong book.
I suppose what infuriated me the most was the fact that this book was first published in 2010. You would think that the author would have taken the time to take it off of the market, make it better and then republish it.
With all of that being said; survey says 1 star.
Nevertheless, I will give it my best attempt at providing some sort of insight to the premise.
The main characters, whom we come to know as Atlas, is at odds with life. His wife is pregnant—about to go into labor at any moment—the world as we know it has fallen apart, and he finds himself having to take on the roll of the leader of a group of people he barely knows.
Later on in the story we discover that the “unknown force� that has destroyed the planet are aliens.
That’s about it. That covers most of the plot.
Side Note:
I have to start by saying something.
I am a lover of all things Science Fiction. I am always enamored by the idea of a great science fiction, dystopian story. However, the key (for me at least) is that the book must be well written, cohesive and easy to follow.
With that said, I find that I must push forward with my thoughts on this book as there are lots of them.
I’ve found in the past year or two, that it is really easy, in this age of advanced technology and self-publishing, to come across a book that has absolutely no Pros whatsoever. “Code Name Atlas� is one of them.
With that being said, I’ll dive right into the malfeasances of this book.
I went into this book with high hopes and looking forward to an amazing adventure. Instead what I found was heap loads of horse-pucky.
First Thought:
“Did ANYONE edit this book? Anyone? Anyone at all?�
This book was terribly written. What it reminded me of was a First Draft that was never edited, proofread or looked at, and published that way. I have screenshot after screenshot of grammatical and editorial blunders.
Side Note:
I make no joke when I say that I have 28 screenshots of blatant mistakes inside of the book. The kicker is that I ONLY have 28 because after I hit 10 I opted to JUST take screenshots of the “really bad� mess ups.
In the images above you will see things like incomplete sentences, to misplaced modifiers, to nonsensical grammar, to bad spelling.
Also, the author SIMPLY COULD NOT get the spelling of the word “nauseous� correct. It was always spelled “nauseas� as seen below.
PS: I did cross examine this with the Cambridge English Dictionary to see if it might be an American English vs British English spelling differential. It was not.
Long Sentence Armageddon
I am not a fan of long, run-on sentences. Never have been, never will be. Even with that, I do realize that sometimes long sentences are inevitable. Sometimes, they just happen.
Yet, there is a difference with “the inevitable long sentence� and ruining your book with continuous long sentences.
“Code Name Atlas� LOVES run-on sentences, to the point of utter annoyance.
I was exhausted by the time I finished most of them! Kind of like I’d run a marathon or something.
Alien Lobotomy
Have you ever read a book and thought to yourself, “Where is the feeling?�
“Code Name Atlas� is the embodiment of unemotional. There are scenes that should have been replete with emotions and/or compelling descriptiveness. Instead, we find that the most sentimental parts of the story are skimmed over and delivered dryly just to make more space for war and/or methodical combat jargon.
Examples of this are when Atlas and Amori’s newborn daughter dies during delivery, and when Amori falls in love with Hector.
Dystopian Resurrection:
One scene in particular, stands out like a sore thumb.
Atlas gets shot, and judging by the description, one is led to believe that he is dead. The very next scene he is alive and well, and back at war. *shocked face*
HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?
Now, it’s not impossible for the hero of a story to survive a shooting, but please, for the love of all things holy, tell us HOW!
The Presence of Presumption
There is a huge dilemma with First Person Omniscient narrative. It is this:
The ONLY way the main character can tell what the other characters are thinking and feeling is if he/she is of a preternatural/supernatural origin. This is to say, conveying a story in First Person Omniscient can only be done if the main character slash narrator is a ghost, spirit, angel, god, and thing of that sort.
An average, every day, person CANNOT, BY ANY MEANS, chronicle a story in Omniscient form! Why? Because THEY CANNOT SEE AND/OR FEEL what the other characters are feeling!
“Code Name Atlas� is a prime example of how presumptuous First Person Omniscient narrative is as the main character take it upon himself to tell the reader exactly what is happening, or the other characters are feeling even when he is not there.
Catastrophic Repetition
This story could have easily been cut in half—that is NO exaggeration—had it been properly weeded through.
Side Note:
I can never understand why authors tend to be so repetitious. Things don’t have to be constantly reiterated, unless they are of absolute importance.
That is all I’m going to say about that.
Holocaust of Holes
There are a wide array of plot holes in this story that have no resolution whatsoever. Things are mentioned, and not resolved. Inconsistent scenarios are a constant and do nothing but besmirch the story. Inconsistency is another form of plot hole.
Suffice it to say that “Code Name Atlas� was a very big let down. I could not, no matter how hard I tried, see any redeeming quality in this story. Which is sad, because at the very beginning I thought that the story had some sort of potential. Yet the further I got in, the more I realized that it did not. I’m flabbergasted by the many reviews that rave about this story, because I feel as though I read the wrong book.
I suppose what infuriated me the most was the fact that this book was first published in 2010. You would think that the author would have taken the time to take it off of the market, make it better and then republish it.
With all of that being said; survey says 1 star.
March 9, 2014
Code Name: Atlas, by Tony Evans [Read from 2/2/14 to 3/8/14].
Everything you need to decide to read this book is in the Overview or within all of the B&N.com 5 star reviews. I'd actually never heard of it. I noticed Tony was one of my Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ friends... not exactly sure how that came to be, but always happy to have friends. I had a look to see if we liked the same kind of books and discovered Tony had written a book. As soon as I knew I immediately purchased it and put it at the top of my reading list. That's all on me. Tony didn't push it or anything.
Before 30 pages into the book I tried to contact Tony and ask him if he was sure he would like me to review the book as by that time I had a truck load of bad impressions. No response..., so I deleted my question/comment and gave myself permission to dump it at any time without feeling badly. You see, I studied writing for decades, have read more books than I could count, and again many more manuscripts read specifically to critique at the author's request, and I've edited a bit as well. Doesn't do much for my writing, but I can certainly nit pik someone else's book from every imaginable angle, and here I was... already feeling some writer/reader trust issues going on.
My complaint wasn't with the story so much, although I felt Amori was a bit contrived or maybe too real world for fiction. I could see the need for her character to manipulate “Protagonist� so I wasn't on the high and mighty about that point.
What slayed me was the mechanics of the book. A series of misplaced words... in every day writing this is normal and probably have some in this review... but you don't expect it while reading a novel. The spell check won't catch “was� but the only way the sentence could make sense is if 'was' was “as�. Or you run across “thought� when the tense was absolutely present tense... think. And these little scruples were filling up my reading shoes. Nit picking, I know, but Tony IS a good writer. Start zipping along, reading at light-speed and then hit one of those speed bumps and you're two or three paragraphs down the road trying to make sense of what is going on as some minor glitch like I've mentioned gummed up the works. Then you're on a quest to figure out where you became lost. The reader's need to find the little bugger that threw a stick in the spokes that should have been caught by a copy editor or someone along the book publishing assembly line. Then it occurred to me. Self Publish.
Quick look at the publisher and self-publish is pretty much confirmed, so I decide not to toss the book aside unfinished. After all, Tony is a “friendâ€� on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ. Right?
Here's one for a neurotic writing and critiquing... The book is largely written in first person singular. I this, I that. This point of view writing has it's challenges like..., introducing your protagonist to your reader. Tony solves this for the first half the novel by not solving it. It can get on a reader's nerves and stretches the trust bond/contract between writer and reader. Maybe more than half the way through the book “protagonist� gets a nick-name: Atlas, which serves as his name hence-forth.
Determined to ignore the nit-piking things as much as possible, I plunged forward. The novel is well written and exciting. Tony brings his real life battlefield adrenaline into this story and you can feel it and almost get pissed off at the rarely spoken about “fog of war�. “Protagonist nearly has a mantra to himself to get through the unknowns that flash in and out of the fog of war... “Courage.... courage.�
I wasn't too pleased with the almost rumor-less, “we don't know how Earth became a dystopian gravel heap� with characters straight out of “The Postman� (by David Brin, and Movie) and ever hinting it may be a shoot off script of “Under The Dome� (CBS) or maybe “Falling Skies� (TNT), Tony does leave you guessing, which keeps the pace up racing towards a conclusion.
It has been around forever and really hit it's stride during the industrial revolution... it is the conclusion known as Deus Ex Machina, (God From the Machine) You're enjoying a story and it is getting more and more exciting... it looks more and more like the protagonist will never be able to successfully navigate this final hurdle, then Deus Ex Machina, aka the lazy writer's conclusion. In the science fiction written during the industrial revolution it became so common and so disappointing to readers that editors refused to publish such stories even from superstar writers. It is not ok to have magic, an incredible machine, or God, save your protagonist. Essentially, by writer/reader contract the protagonist must save himself, or maybe his side kick shows up with something believable to save the day... Ok, why the long rant on this writing technicality?
Tony was a brave writer to take “protagonist� so far down the perilous road that very certainly he could not overcome his last complication.
But I'm giving Tony, our writer, a provisional “pass� as he flirted with Deus Ex Machina, and may have even committed to that relationship, but there were extenuating circumstances.
I hope Tony sells lots of this book..., so many that he can issue a later edition with the pip squeak annoyances removed, because he has a winner on his hands. And luckily for any of his newly acquired fans... this is touted as the “Atlas� series. So there may be more where this came from!
Full review shortly.
October 11, 2021
There's a lot to like and dislike about this book. I want to like it but I can't overlook how the quality of writing switches back and forth from inspired, well written, well paced structure to abysmal use of repetition, poor characterisation, awkward dialogue and the large volume of contradictions and inconsistencies.
For what it's worth I like the plot. It has the potential (if given a good edit) to be a very good read, worthy of a solid 4 stars. In its current state, 2 stars is what it deserves.
I never read other reviews before reading a book, but I had to check them out before writing this because I wasn't sure I was reading the same thing as other people. I couldn't understand how some had given it such high praise given its faults.
The weird thing is that the synopsis is well written, engaging, to the point and intriguing enough to encourage a purchase.
The Prologue immediately threw up warning signs - weird mixed tenses, confusion over cages, cells and pens and conflicting points of view. One moment the main character is narrating, the next he's talking to...the reader I can only assume, or himself. I'm not a fan of prologues, they're a lazy tool and often unnecessary. Instead simply call the first chapter what it is, Chapter 1.
The contradictions are annoying. The first line in Chapter 1 has our main hero stating Scavengers were coming, yet despite the fact he'd seen them first enough to tell the reader, but in the same line it changes to Amori who spots them first, and then says "Scavengers."
The author seems to know what he wants to say but doesn't quite know how to say it so the narrative flows, for example:
"They all carried weapons but only one carried an assault rifle. The one with the assault rifle was walking along the side of the van."
No need for "assault rifle" twice. This is a common and highly annoying theme throughout.
Another example of repetition:
"I made her a bed on the left side of the building and made a wall with some boxes I found so she could have some privacy. I made her a bed out of some cardboard boxes so she could sleep."
Dialogue is another thing, on the one hand some of it flows really well, yet in so many places it's appalling. People rarely speak using full words - "I am going..." or "Let us see..." for example. They abbreviate. Sure, some characters may indeed speak each word in order to stand out, but not all of them. And that leads to inconsistencies where the same character will use "I am..." in one sentence but "I'm..." in another.
I can forgive a few mistakes with punctuation, grammar etc, but not when I see the same issues crop up over and over.
Aside from the nuts and bolts, I took an instant dislike to our main hero, code named Atlas, and his cold hearted selfish wife, Amori. The way Atlas spoke to people, strangers, "Do this, do that, cross me and I kill you" is not how to gain people's trust or encourage them to follow a leader. It comes across as arrogant macho clichéd junk rehashed from watching way too many B-movies.
I'm a huge fan of writers using their real life experiences to bring authenticity to their work, and I'd expect nothing less from a writer who has served in the military. Bring it on! Use that knowledge to ground a story in reality so the fantastical can have bigger impact. Yet Tony Evans seems preoccupied with creating an instant hero rather than taking his own life experiences and knowledge to provide Atlas with a quality character arc, faults, believable personality traits and so on.
The first huge obstacle that stopped me in my tracks and brought me completely out of the story was the death of their newborn baby. This happened so fast and was over and done with, with only a snippet of upset or emotion before the plot gears forced the story onward. It's quite some time before that event is mentioned and even then it's as if the characters are experiencing it second hand - recalling someone else's story for example, not having been through what must be a harrowing and nightmarish time of loss.
I was desperate to enjoy this book because I can see a real gem hidden under the dirt.
Given a very good polish this could be a cracking read but sadly as it stands I feel what would have been a quality story is let down by lack of editing, unnecessary repetition, contradictions, inconsistencies, poor characterisation and overall feeling of being rushed for the sake of drama and action.
For what it's worth I like the plot. It has the potential (if given a good edit) to be a very good read, worthy of a solid 4 stars. In its current state, 2 stars is what it deserves.
I never read other reviews before reading a book, but I had to check them out before writing this because I wasn't sure I was reading the same thing as other people. I couldn't understand how some had given it such high praise given its faults.
The weird thing is that the synopsis is well written, engaging, to the point and intriguing enough to encourage a purchase.
The Prologue immediately threw up warning signs - weird mixed tenses, confusion over cages, cells and pens and conflicting points of view. One moment the main character is narrating, the next he's talking to...the reader I can only assume, or himself. I'm not a fan of prologues, they're a lazy tool and often unnecessary. Instead simply call the first chapter what it is, Chapter 1.
The contradictions are annoying. The first line in Chapter 1 has our main hero stating Scavengers were coming, yet despite the fact he'd seen them first enough to tell the reader, but in the same line it changes to Amori who spots them first, and then says "Scavengers."
The author seems to know what he wants to say but doesn't quite know how to say it so the narrative flows, for example:
"They all carried weapons but only one carried an assault rifle. The one with the assault rifle was walking along the side of the van."
No need for "assault rifle" twice. This is a common and highly annoying theme throughout.
Another example of repetition:
"I made her a bed on the left side of the building and made a wall with some boxes I found so she could have some privacy. I made her a bed out of some cardboard boxes so she could sleep."
Dialogue is another thing, on the one hand some of it flows really well, yet in so many places it's appalling. People rarely speak using full words - "I am going..." or "Let us see..." for example. They abbreviate. Sure, some characters may indeed speak each word in order to stand out, but not all of them. And that leads to inconsistencies where the same character will use "I am..." in one sentence but "I'm..." in another.
I can forgive a few mistakes with punctuation, grammar etc, but not when I see the same issues crop up over and over.
Aside from the nuts and bolts, I took an instant dislike to our main hero, code named Atlas, and his cold hearted selfish wife, Amori. The way Atlas spoke to people, strangers, "Do this, do that, cross me and I kill you" is not how to gain people's trust or encourage them to follow a leader. It comes across as arrogant macho clichéd junk rehashed from watching way too many B-movies.
I'm a huge fan of writers using their real life experiences to bring authenticity to their work, and I'd expect nothing less from a writer who has served in the military. Bring it on! Use that knowledge to ground a story in reality so the fantastical can have bigger impact. Yet Tony Evans seems preoccupied with creating an instant hero rather than taking his own life experiences and knowledge to provide Atlas with a quality character arc, faults, believable personality traits and so on.
The first huge obstacle that stopped me in my tracks and brought me completely out of the story was the death of their newborn baby. This happened so fast and was over and done with, with only a snippet of upset or emotion before the plot gears forced the story onward. It's quite some time before that event is mentioned and even then it's as if the characters are experiencing it second hand - recalling someone else's story for example, not having been through what must be a harrowing and nightmarish time of loss.
I was desperate to enjoy this book because I can see a real gem hidden under the dirt.
Given a very good polish this could be a cracking read but sadly as it stands I feel what would have been a quality story is let down by lack of editing, unnecessary repetition, contradictions, inconsistencies, poor characterisation and overall feeling of being rushed for the sake of drama and action.
October 26, 2011
I had a hard time getting into this book because recently I have been reading and reviewing lots of books with a post apocalyptic world. I'm not sure if this is how people are feeling toward life or just a popular concept.
What I liked about the book is that the hero is just that a hero. He gives up everything for the greater good even though he is losing the one thing he loves and not matter how hard he fights with himself he can't help but help others in need. He runs towards the battlefield not away in hopes of creating a better future.
The author created a character that everyone wishes or hopes to be when the world comes to an end. Atlas is the All American Hero only because no one else was willing to take charge without expecting something in return. The author created very memorable characters but at the same time didn't flush out others. I enjoyed that the story was very grounded and the science fiction was there but it was very believable at the same time. The battle scenes didn't have as much gore as they could have had and I appreciate the author left something to the imagination. Some of the battle scenes and description of places reminded me of Gears of War the video game but replace the bug with humans.
What I didn't like about the book is the direction he would take some of the lesser characters. When someone died there was no grief even though he was suppose to be close to that person. Also the author would mention characters but never really flush them out as if he was waiting to do that in his next book. I can say that is one thing I dislike is being left hanging at the end of a book wondering why that person was even in the book or what purpose they severed in the book. I love a cliff hangers as much as the next reader but not one that left me with more question than answer.
Several times though the book there were grammar errors that even for me was hard to look over. Also the synopsis on the back of the book doesn't really give you the correct idea of the book and who knows what because in the end no one really knows what happened.
I would recommend this book if someone was into the video game Gear of War or even H.G. War of the World.
What I liked about the book is that the hero is just that a hero. He gives up everything for the greater good even though he is losing the one thing he loves and not matter how hard he fights with himself he can't help but help others in need. He runs towards the battlefield not away in hopes of creating a better future.
The author created a character that everyone wishes or hopes to be when the world comes to an end. Atlas is the All American Hero only because no one else was willing to take charge without expecting something in return. The author created very memorable characters but at the same time didn't flush out others. I enjoyed that the story was very grounded and the science fiction was there but it was very believable at the same time. The battle scenes didn't have as much gore as they could have had and I appreciate the author left something to the imagination. Some of the battle scenes and description of places reminded me of Gears of War the video game but replace the bug with humans.
What I didn't like about the book is the direction he would take some of the lesser characters. When someone died there was no grief even though he was suppose to be close to that person. Also the author would mention characters but never really flush them out as if he was waiting to do that in his next book. I can say that is one thing I dislike is being left hanging at the end of a book wondering why that person was even in the book or what purpose they severed in the book. I love a cliff hangers as much as the next reader but not one that left me with more question than answer.
Several times though the book there were grammar errors that even for me was hard to look over. Also the synopsis on the back of the book doesn't really give you the correct idea of the book and who knows what because in the end no one really knows what happened.
I would recommend this book if someone was into the video game Gear of War or even H.G. War of the World.
January 7, 2014
I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.
First Impression: I’m a sci-fi and post-apocalyptic fan; the cover is reminiscent of Master Chief? I’m in.
Characters: Atlas, so code-named by his wife Amori, is the star of this show. Amori comes across as heartless and weak, so it’s very hard to sympathize with anything she does. Atlas is direct and commanding, if a know-it-all. Unfortunately, he is the only memorable character from “Code Name: Atlas�.
World Building: The world feels all but destroyed, much like The Walking Dead but with an unknown alien presence. I appreciated the attention to military detail throughout, and was interested in the plans and devices described.
Writing Style: There are points in the book that seem a little too ‘preachy� in regards to how people would interact after an apocalypse. I think the author would do well to move away from the factual approach, and give more depth to the feeling. Readers want to connect with a character, with a plot, with something. There were also quite a few instances of repetition. It’s always helpful to have an editor use a thesaurus to find synonyms in order to improve readability.
What I Enjoyed: Even when describing ideas or items that can be complex, author Tony Evans does a great job of bringing it to the every person level. With an obvious understanding of tactics and psyche, Evans brings a realistic viewpoint within an interesting plot.
Deal Benders: I wasn’t a fan of the idea that civilians would automatically adapt to a militaristic chain of command. Something about Atlas made me want to punch him in the face, although I can’t quite put my finger on it. Maybe that’s the biggest issue I had while reading � I did not like the characters. If I can’t connect, it’s hard to focus on anything happening to them.
Overall Rating: I give this book 3 stars because I liked it, although it didn’t stay with me.
First Impression: I’m a sci-fi and post-apocalyptic fan; the cover is reminiscent of Master Chief? I’m in.
Characters: Atlas, so code-named by his wife Amori, is the star of this show. Amori comes across as heartless and weak, so it’s very hard to sympathize with anything she does. Atlas is direct and commanding, if a know-it-all. Unfortunately, he is the only memorable character from “Code Name: Atlas�.
World Building: The world feels all but destroyed, much like The Walking Dead but with an unknown alien presence. I appreciated the attention to military detail throughout, and was interested in the plans and devices described.
Writing Style: There are points in the book that seem a little too ‘preachy� in regards to how people would interact after an apocalypse. I think the author would do well to move away from the factual approach, and give more depth to the feeling. Readers want to connect with a character, with a plot, with something. There were also quite a few instances of repetition. It’s always helpful to have an editor use a thesaurus to find synonyms in order to improve readability.
What I Enjoyed: Even when describing ideas or items that can be complex, author Tony Evans does a great job of bringing it to the every person level. With an obvious understanding of tactics and psyche, Evans brings a realistic viewpoint within an interesting plot.
Deal Benders: I wasn’t a fan of the idea that civilians would automatically adapt to a militaristic chain of command. Something about Atlas made me want to punch him in the face, although I can’t quite put my finger on it. Maybe that’s the biggest issue I had while reading � I did not like the characters. If I can’t connect, it’s hard to focus on anything happening to them.
Overall Rating: I give this book 3 stars because I liked it, although it didn’t stay with me.
October 16, 2015
The synopsis of this book really intrigued me and, I am embarrassed to say, it was the cover that sold me. I try to follow the traditional saying to “never judge a book by its cover� but luckily, I was not disappointed.
This book has it all; love, conflict, heroes, villains and lots of twists. Set in a futuristic time when the Earth is destroyed by an unknown force. All basic necessities of the life we know, electricity, wireless communication, and clean water are no longer available. Scavengers roam the Earth to take anything of use, even if it requires killing to get it. This is definitely a world none of us want to see, I can’t take it when I lose my Wi-Fi!
Friendships are bonded and enemies are made all out of the basic need to survive. One man, Atlas, an ex- soldier, creates a make-shift army. He is recognized as publicized hero and expected to lead the new army, in hopes to create a new civilized world for the survivors. This is a lot to take on for anyone, even more so without the support of your spouse. Though his actions are for Amori, his wife, she is resentful of him. This adds another worry to Atlas� already full plate.
Overall, I loved this book. This is listed as a standalone read, but I see a “part two� in the future as the ending leaves a reader wanting more.
I give this book 4 stars. The writing truly deserves 5 stars but the poor editing ruins the flow of the reading. Please get a new editor if there is a part 2...Beth
This book has it all; love, conflict, heroes, villains and lots of twists. Set in a futuristic time when the Earth is destroyed by an unknown force. All basic necessities of the life we know, electricity, wireless communication, and clean water are no longer available. Scavengers roam the Earth to take anything of use, even if it requires killing to get it. This is definitely a world none of us want to see, I can’t take it when I lose my Wi-Fi!
Friendships are bonded and enemies are made all out of the basic need to survive. One man, Atlas, an ex- soldier, creates a make-shift army. He is recognized as publicized hero and expected to lead the new army, in hopes to create a new civilized world for the survivors. This is a lot to take on for anyone, even more so without the support of your spouse. Though his actions are for Amori, his wife, she is resentful of him. This adds another worry to Atlas� already full plate.
Overall, I loved this book. This is listed as a standalone read, but I see a “part two� in the future as the ending leaves a reader wanting more.
I give this book 4 stars. The writing truly deserves 5 stars but the poor editing ruins the flow of the reading. Please get a new editor if there is a part 2...Beth
July 20, 2013
It's not a terrible book. It's just not a great book. The story itself is a little schizophrenic. There is an alien war that you only barely hear about at the end as the set up for the sequel, there is the dystopian world wracked in war that the hero (who had served in the Iraq war but is only 18 several years later which would somehow be a big deal to the people following him if they knew?)
There is a lot of good in the book. He has built his world, that much is clear. The author knows where he is going. But the characterization is weak. His wife is always angry at him for leading these people, but then cheats on him with another man that is also leading people, and he never seems to get upset about any of this. There are two main characters who have nearly identical names. That's not confusing at all. And the story seems to jump at the last minute from the battle over the city which we have read about for a hundred pages to this new conflict in space. after the main character has been killed and resurrected.
I think that this is the author's first book and that he had a lot of ideas and wasn't giving everything the time it needed to develop before moving on to the next one. I'm hoping the next on in the series gets a more even pace to allow things to happen more naturally
There is a lot of good in the book. He has built his world, that much is clear. The author knows where he is going. But the characterization is weak. His wife is always angry at him for leading these people, but then cheats on him with another man that is also leading people, and he never seems to get upset about any of this. There are two main characters who have nearly identical names. That's not confusing at all. And the story seems to jump at the last minute from the battle over the city which we have read about for a hundred pages to this new conflict in space. after the main character has been killed and resurrected.
I think that this is the author's first book and that he had a lot of ideas and wasn't giving everything the time it needed to develop before moving on to the next one. I'm hoping the next on in the series gets a more even pace to allow things to happen more naturally
March 14, 2014
A breath of fresh air during the end of the world.
Definitely a new twist on the post-apocalyptic thriller genre. I mean, the hero’s girl isn’t supposed to resent him for being a hero and the good guys always win, right? From the big to small twists, this tale bucks every rule of action adventure. The bad guys are sympathetic and the good guys have a dark side.
This is no prepper tale of survival, but a military veteran’s take on rebuilding the world. As such, it stresses discipline, organization and teamwork over heroics. All with several mysteries hanging over the survivors� and did I mention the aliens?
My only real complaint is that these huge questions, there’s a lot of them, don’t get wrapped up until the end. Some of the most interesting tidbits come only in the final chapter. Sure, the best is saved for last, but I wonder why?
Still, a fun and different book that’s well worth the read.
Definitely a new twist on the post-apocalyptic thriller genre. I mean, the hero’s girl isn’t supposed to resent him for being a hero and the good guys always win, right? From the big to small twists, this tale bucks every rule of action adventure. The bad guys are sympathetic and the good guys have a dark side.
This is no prepper tale of survival, but a military veteran’s take on rebuilding the world. As such, it stresses discipline, organization and teamwork over heroics. All with several mysteries hanging over the survivors� and did I mention the aliens?
My only real complaint is that these huge questions, there’s a lot of them, don’t get wrapped up until the end. Some of the most interesting tidbits come only in the final chapter. Sure, the best is saved for last, but I wonder why?
Still, a fun and different book that’s well worth the read.
April 10, 2013
I think that Bob Milne’s review best describes my thoughts on this book. Without repeating a lot of what he already stated I will just say that first of all I enjoyed reading this book. The plot and the action scenes were enough to keep me coming back for more. The author does a great job of feeding bits of plot (the alien ships, the relations between the different human factions, and the hero’s personal struggles with dealing with the situations he finds himself in) and I think this contributes to motivating the reader to continue with seeing how the story goes. On the other hand, I found that I wished for some additional development or closure on some of these same topics. Perhaps, this book serves as a gateway to a sequel (which would be nice). Overall, I’m glad I read this book and look forward to more works by the author.
September 10, 2013
I have a lot of mixed feelings about this book. I really liked the action, the main character and quite many of the cast. It was heartbreaking to see some of them dying.
Not to mention I hated her. I really really hated Amori. Yes, I could understand her ideas and thoughts, but didn't she have any intelligent thoughts in her mind? - Let's run away. Run where? The world was destroyed. There was no place to run to. If there was, then sooner or later it would be destroyed. Not to mention she was selfish.
It is a good thing, that an author can make you hate a fictional character. I would definitely buy the second book. If it ever comes out. Would be interesting to see what happens next.
Not to mention I hated her. I really really hated Amori. Yes, I could understand her ideas and thoughts, but didn't she have any intelligent thoughts in her mind? - Let's run away. Run where? The world was destroyed. There was no place to run to. If there was, then sooner or later it would be destroyed. Not to mention she was selfish.
It is a good thing, that an author can make you hate a fictional character. I would definitely buy the second book. If it ever comes out. Would be interesting to see what happens next.
August 22, 2015
I have to say that I didn't finish this book, I didn't get even halfway. I found the narrative style, switching from first to third person, quite jarring, and it felt that the storyline jumped past segments that should have been there in getting from one scene to the next. The bit that perplexed me most (if I got the story timeline right) was Atlas having sex with his wife either the night of or the day after she gave birth to a dead child! Drip-feeding the back story was too slow, and I kept on thinking, whilst reading, that perhaps I'd missed something earlier in the book about various characters or storylines. When that happens, you stop enjoying the book, and that's why I stopped reading.
I've given it 2 stars because the element of a good story is there.
I've given it 2 stars because the element of a good story is there.
August 15, 2014
At first this story started out slow for me, but as I read through the chapters everything picked up quick and came together flawlessly. There is so much going on, a lot of characters with different backgrounds, and personalities with all sorts of emotions flying everywhere. The author is able to sync every character and situation to the overall story that it was enjoyable to read and easy to follow. The descriptive work and visuals provided from reading felt like I was paying a cinematic version in my head, amazing. I can honestly see this as a two part movie, a lot of suspense and great action scenes.
August 13, 2014
Yes, another post-apocalyptic thriller, not like any other that you've read before, and without zombies. The author did a wonderful job of interweaving the story lines of survival, relationship, drama and action. I appreciated the challenges that the lead character faced, but there was a dark side to him that added a bit of an unique dimension to the story. There were several twists that kept me intrigued right up to the end...which stopped on a cliffhanger.
I look forward to the next book.
I look forward to the next book.
August 15, 2013
I really liked this book. It came out of nowhere for me, but I'm glad it came; and at the perfect time, too. I had just finished The Book of the New Sun and had nothing else to read on my business trip.
I've written a more extensive review on my blog here:
Suffice to say that I would recommend this book to another fan of military science fiction.
Just one question, Tony: When's the next one?
I've written a more extensive review on my blog here:
Suffice to say that I would recommend this book to another fan of military science fiction.
Just one question, Tony: When's the next one?
April 16, 2015
Another sci-fi and post-apocalyptic fan book. I was just not sure at first what to think there are soo many of these books out there. But I was impressed with the hero in this book. He was just that a hero. Always trying to help and running towards trouble not away from it no matter the cost. When the world is destroyed and all seems lost we need a great hero. * I receive this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*
Read
February 12, 2016I received this book for an honest review. The review will be posted on Boundless Book Reviews as soon as it's scheduled. I will be posting a link as soon as it's available. Feel free to check out our website for all the current reviews. AND don't forget to like us!
Please see the full review at
Please see the full review at
May 31, 2013
This was a very good book and if I understand correctly, a first novel, which makes it pretty damn good. If you like some military stuff in your fiction, it's a worthy read. Not sure why it's so cheap on Amazon...
June 7, 2013
I actually liked the story - a new wrinkle in the post-apocalyptic world. However I was not crazy about the writing style. Might be a personal preference. Also, there was some transition between scenes that would have needed a little more polish. Not bad though...
April 22, 2015
Wow, I'm so glad the author contacted me about reviewing this book, because I really liked it.
This is waaaaaay out of my comfort zone, so I wasn't sure what to expect. I ended up loving this book!
I'm going to be posting a full review on my blog tomorrow, and then updating this review!
This is waaaaaay out of my comfort zone, so I wasn't sure what to expect. I ended up loving this book!
I'm going to be posting a full review on my blog tomorrow, and then updating this review!
March 17, 2013
Very Good Book. Post-apocalyptic meets alien federation under attack meets Greek epic poem. Hope author writes a sequel.
Read
December 1, 2013My review
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.