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linbee83's review against another edition
4.0
An interesting take on the apocalypse. There is alcohol, strange creatures, alcohol, interesting memories, alcohol, engaging main characters, and a bar at the very end of time. Fast read, and very enjoyable.
csdaley's review against another edition
5.0
This was a very good book. It had a wonderful style to it. Almost lyrical and yet still full of horror and dark fantasy.
Outside of the box as far as end of the world novels go. If you like his previous work you will love this. Luckily Tim likes to jump around in his genres so the style shift shouldn't be to jarring.
Outside of the box as far as end of the world novels go. If you like his previous work you will love this. Luckily Tim likes to jump around in his genres so the style shift shouldn't be to jarring.
norrin2's review against another edition
4.0
I usually avoid post-apocalyptic fiction like - well, like the plague that has wiped out most of humanity in Tom Lebbon's "novel of chilling suspense, apocalyptic beauty, and fine ales." Behind a great cover depicting someone who looks a lot like Keith Richards floating in a glass of beer is a story about horrific death, zombies, murderous trees and love and friendship. And memory, mostly memory. This has to be the first time I've ever finished a zombie book and just sat for a few minutes thinking about what it meant. I'm still not 100 % sure but part of it is that as long as someone remembers you you are never truly dead.
leighnonymous's review against another edition
3.0
(3 1/2)
What a fun and unusual book! I originally picked the book up because of the irresistible premise: after their wine and ale run out, five survivors of an apocalypse risk their lives traveling across ruined civilization in search of the last bar on earth. Although that's pretty funny, the book remained serious throughout, with the exception of several comments from the Irishman. The main character remembers his wife, Ashley, and their life together before the plague, by the type of beer he was drinking; hence, each chapter is titled after a different beer. In addition, the reader understands pretty quickly that Lebbon is a beer aficionado because his descriptions of the drinks sound like they're straight out of a tasting catalog. It's pleasant to think about great tastes that evoke great memories; I'm not the only one to do that (G&Ts, you know you'll always have a place in my heart because of the memories).
The novel is not at all what I was expecting. The plot came out of nowhere. Lebbon veered off into some odd territory but quite a beautiful one. I don't know if he was making a political statement with the last part of the book, but it's great and it makes sense: a people's history is a part of that group of people and should not be forgotten.
As usual, Lebbon leaves some things unexplained; however, they're small things that don't make much difference and could really be explained away if you wanted to find an answer. For instance, the flying things above the city that swoop down and carry things off…what were they? It doesn't matter because they're part of the "new world" that is changing. I would definitely have liked, though, an explanation for why these survivors were survivors and didn't die like the rest of the world. I appreciate his sparse use of description for certain things, like when the red-faced woman appears and "something" happens to her mouth. That reminded me a lot of Shirley Jackson; let your mind fill in what scares you. Three and a half stars.
Now I could use a drink…
What a fun and unusual book! I originally picked the book up because of the irresistible premise: after their wine and ale run out, five survivors of an apocalypse risk their lives traveling across ruined civilization in search of the last bar on earth. Although that's pretty funny, the book remained serious throughout, with the exception of several comments from the Irishman. The main character remembers his wife, Ashley, and their life together before the plague, by the type of beer he was drinking; hence, each chapter is titled after a different beer. In addition, the reader understands pretty quickly that Lebbon is a beer aficionado because his descriptions of the drinks sound like they're straight out of a tasting catalog. It's pleasant to think about great tastes that evoke great memories; I'm not the only one to do that (G&Ts, you know you'll always have a place in my heart because of the memories).
The novel is not at all what I was expecting. The plot came out of nowhere. Lebbon veered off into some odd territory but quite a beautiful one. I don't know if he was making a political statement with the last part of the book, but it's great and it makes sense: a people's history is a part of that group of people and should not be forgotten.
As usual, Lebbon leaves some things unexplained; however, they're small things that don't make much difference and could really be explained away if you wanted to find an answer. For instance, the flying things above the city that swoop down and carry things off…what were they? It doesn't matter because they're part of the "new world" that is changing. I would definitely have liked, though, an explanation for why these survivors were survivors and didn't die like the rest of the world. I appreciate his sparse use of description for certain things, like when the red-faced woman appears and "something" happens to her mouth. That reminded me a lot of Shirley Jackson; let your mind fill in what scares you. Three and a half stars.
Now I could use a drink…
magneticcrow's review
3.0
An odd, dreamy book, which focuses on the interweave of memory, dream, and grief. Very unpredictable, I like how it managed to lull me into believing it a standard post-apocalyptic zombie/road novel, then completely threw me for a loop.
Not a book that ties up a lot of loose ends, but I like that about it too. My main complaint is that it felt almost like a very slow, elongated short story than a novel. It really takes half the book for the plot to get moving.
Not a book that ties up a lot of loose ends, but I like that about it too. My main complaint is that it felt almost like a very slow, elongated short story than a novel. It really takes half the book for the plot to get moving.
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