Commune

A Contender For Best of 2017

I’ve read a lot of post-apocalyptic books. A lot. And when I find something new I’m always shocked. In PA books there’s always a reason for the apocalypse, the journey is hard (in most books), and they get to where they are going only to have to defend their turf. Sure, that’s the same basic plotline of Commune, but the way that it gets there is totally different. Gayou was able to write new life into the same kind of story. It was a difference in tone. It was told from the point of view of storytellers (and the person recording the history of the story). Which made it completely unique among hundreds of books I’ve read in this genre.

Each person’s story was different. Just like the way that everyone has their own origin story to life. Each person in Commune felt different and interesting in their own way. There were quiet people who you knew had a lot going on under the surface. And the caring ones who cared, almost to a fault. Along with what I would call someone with the “papa bear” mentality. They all came together in different parts of this book and made something beautiful in the ashes of the apocalypse.

The back and forth of the characters playing out the same or similar situation really made this book stand out to me. I loved hearing about the story from Jake’s perspective and then Amanda’s. I also really like that everything is happening in the past and Commune is a sort of retelling. A ‘back to your roots’ sort of storytelling. Like the older generations used to do. That was how history was passed down from generation to generation. The back-to-basics sort of feel, looking back on their stories was something I’ve never read in any post-apocalyptic book.

I won’t ruin the ending or even how it gets to the ending, but I actually completely understand the way that Gayou went. I want to write more about it, but anything else I write here will become a spoiler. Let’s just say that I’m excited to see the direction that is taken in the other books in the series.

Sometimes I wonder if Bray picks books that make him laugh out loud at least once in them. I can’t even think if the last book I read by him made me laugh (it was about a guy out for revenge) but I’m sure it did. Ever since The Martian, almost every book Bray’s narrated has had me in stitches (even when it’s a serious book). Commune was no different. Numerous times (pretty much every listening session to and from work) I laughed at least once. Also, any book that Bray read the opening of and says “yeah, I’ll narrate your book” to an author he met on a Reddit AMA says a lot to me.

Overall, Commune Book 1 will easily be a contender for the best book I read in 2017. It’s easily one that I won’t forget for some time. Before I even finished it I told my wife that she had to listen to it. I woke up this morning to hear her in the kitchen listening to it.

I was given a free copy of this book which has not affected my review in any way.

103 of 113 people found this review helpful

I want to adopt the characters into my family

First, if R.C. Bray described the process of picking lint from his belly button in one of his many voices, I'd pay money for it. I often pick titles just on the basis of his voice credit, and it's a crying shame he doesn't top Audible's list.

However, as excellent as his narration is, the story itself is THAT good, and I have to give credit to Josh for what is shaping up to be an absolute epic, with a hint of plausibility that is terrifying. Josh puts a lot of emphasis into character development, and this is what makes the book so inviting. His characters immerse themselves into your imagination, full of depth, yet also so shrouded in mystery. That mystery sets you up for a subtle cliffhanger that pervades through the entire story, and leaves you wanting more even after the bonus epilogue.

The documentary format sucks you in, and you quickly lose sight of the interviewer/interviewee context as you journey into the detail of Josh's visualizations. I live in the Western U.S., so all the locations are familiar and well-described, but as I've never personally considered them. I look forward to visualizing them again in my travels, but this time in Josh's artistry through words.

Back to Bray. Bob is hands down the best narrator in the biz. He utterly nails each voice, and the extent to which he prepares is evident in the expert voicing of the story. To say he brings this story to life is an understatement.

This duo will make a formidable pair in Audible's PA genre. Well done fellas!

74 of 81 people found this review helpful

Endless Descriptions

Is there anything you would change about this book?

There is a good story woven through the endless descriptions of everything.

What was most disappointing about Joshua Gayou’s story?

I enjoy a well detailed story world,but a blow by blow description of tying a garage door in the up position using an orange not yellow, orange, 16 gauge extension cord secured around the wheel axle between the track and door, was a bit too much.

I am not a firearm fanatic. I did carry on the job for many years but a firearm is a tool not a hobby. The never ending descriptions of proper gun etiquette, tactics and even how to attach a shoulder strap to some sort of a Swedish wonder gun.... just ruined the story.

Much was made in other reviews about this not being another super prepper fantasy. Well it is just another super prepper fantasy thinly disguised by Including a couple of inexperienced characters that are constantly being lectured in proper prepper etiquette thereby showing the authors super prepper prowess does not help. I get it you are ready for the end of the world.

Have you listened to any of R.C. Bray’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

The audio performance was very good with believable changes in tone for each character.

Was Commune worth the listening time?

I wanted it to be worth the time, I really did. Based on many of the other reviews I was expecting something other than another description of how a super prepper will survive while everyone else dies.

Any additional comments?

As a manual for how to select the proper firearms for the end of the world, Great. as a novel with a rich cast of characters and a interesting world, not so much.

72 of 79 people found this review helpful

Want to learn about guns? Great!

I want to start by saying I enjoyed the world this book sets up. I am good with the premise, and the characters are interesting.

However, long in-depth descriptions about all kinds of firearms just gets boring. If those long detailed descriptions had played into the story arc at all, then I'd be fine with it - but instead the details of guns just seems to be something Gayou likes to write.

The premise of how the book is narrated (not performed, but the actual written narrative structure) leaves a bit to be desired as well. 90% of the book comes from one perspective, even through from the outset we are given the premise that it will be presented from a number of character's points of view.

I was excited to see what happened, and I listened to it all. Ultimately, I wasn't satisfied.

Alas.

6 of 6 people found this review helpful

not bad, but.....

spoilers from here on out.

first off, I liked the story, the characters and, of course, the narration. I will almost certainly be listening to the sequels.

My issue is, like so many newer post apocalyptic books these days it seems to follow the same basic formula. it glosses over "the event", whatever that may be, with a brief description or presenting it as a mystery as to what happened, then just kind of throwing you into the story of "survivor/s" who just happens to be a prepper with all the latest and best equipment. there is no real struggle to survive beyond a few brief encounters with some bad guys who, in a world filled with whatever they want, have no real motivation to be bad guys(although the bad guys the mother has to deal with were probably the most believable bad guys in a story like this that I've seen in a long time.).

I hate comparing every post apocalyptic book with The Stand, but in that example, by far the most interesting part is seeing the virus spread, how he government tries to deal with the problem and contain it, and watching society slowly start to collapse, and how the characters react to and deal with it. the shock and loss of what happened and where they go from there.

here it's just a brief description of what happened, then we are dropped in the lap of our small group and are occasionally reminded of how much things sucked while society collapsed, but thank god they happened to find this prepper guy who knows exactly what to look for and where to go.

here, Billy has a solar powered house with a wood shop and a metal shop. tons of barrels ready for fuel, a diesel truck with trailer, food, etc... Imagine a post apocalyptic series where they DON'T have those things and they struggle to get them and rebuild. rather than the standared where they already have them and occasionally fight some bad guys off. how about a story where our hero/group ISN'T prepared as they watch society collapse and must figure out what to do about it.

having said all that, I liked the book and wished it was longer. I know I sound like I didn't like it, but I really did. I just want something more and this book just happened to be the last in a string of books I listened to that all seem to suffer from the same problems.

24 of 27 people found this review helpful

RC Bray as Hispanic Woman - Just Wow!

Commune left me on the fence, and I'm still debating if I purchase Book 2. I have to admit that it mostly held my attention, but other than the first person POV narration style, there's not much new. It's pretty much talking guns, eating MREs, scavenging through Walmart and killing 72% of the people you meet. And did I say talking guns (ad nauseam). But the thing that really bugged me was how on one hand it seemed they had the prepper thing down to a gnat's ass, but then something would happen in the story that even a rookie wouldn't let happen. I think Josh was too busy thinking about bullet calibers and opening chess moves (which actually was pretty good), rather than ensuring his hombres always practiced basic common sense. I also felt the final act was pretty lame - don't want to leak any spoilers, but let's just say it showed an incredible lack of creativity (and again, common sense) in what should have been the climax of the book. It certainly didn't leave me rushing out to buy more credits!

As far as the performance goes, RC Bray totally makes the book! Only he could have pulled off the 1st Person POV style. I suspect had he not been the narrator, we would be seeing a lot more 3 stars in the reviews. Gread job RC Bray.

So I guess I'm going to buy book 2, just because I live off Post Ap books. I can only hope it doesn't have any more long winded explanations on how a Glock is .000073 % more accurate on a humid day than a Beretta when using 147gr JHP 9mm ammo.

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

Just wondering why RC Bray is not in the #1 spot

If you would look at all of books I have purchased and the books I returned, you would see that I have purchased more books read by RC Bray then any other narrator and the least number of returns by far and he did not even make your list this year. Most weeks, I read at the very least 3 or more books and usually more. I've always said a good narrator can change a bad store book into a a great one and a bad narrator can take a classic and turn it into trash. And RC Bray is not on your list, wow

71 of 82 people found this review helpful

Plausible

Very plausible situations that happen throughout the book. Nothing like crazy prepper that has everything in the bag. Kind of slow beginning but it gets better as you go on.

28 of 32 people found this review helpful

More of any instruction manual than a story

I love RC Bray as a narrator, and the setup of this story interested me. However, the story itself dragged. The author, at times, put more emphasis on educating the reader on how weapons operate or how one plans for the apocalypse, and that made for dull points in the book. I think the characters are interesting, and the setup could be good for the books to come, but I'm not sure I'll spend the credit on book 2.

24 of 28 people found this review helpful

Great Characters, Great Narration!

I was pleasantly surprised by this book . I only took a chance because Bray narrated it and he is vocal of only doing the books he likes personally.

I have several hundred books on here , you tend to become jaded and eventually think you know what’s going to happen and characters drive you nuts with stupidity and weird logic in choice making . This book delivers , love the characters and love the story line . Bray is as great as always . No surprises there .

16 of 19 people found this review helpful