A Shattered City : Earthquake in Seattle

Rating:
Summary: A Bit Overwrought, But Enjoyable
Review: A SHATTERED CITY:EARTHQUAKE IN SEATTLE tells the story of a major earthquake hitting Seattle, Washington. A sunny Saturday afternoon in July turns horrific as a 9.1 quake destroys the city and surrounding suburbs. Disaster junkies and Seattleites should find it compelling reading, and it should serve as a wakeup call to those who live in earthquake zones to get those disaster kits together.

A SHATTERED CITY does a decent job describing the disaster and its aftermath. Character development is a bit thin, but the story moves along well, and is compelling enough that you will want to keep reading. Amateur radio operators play a major role in the recovery, so hams will find the novel enjoyable and inspiring.

The novel is a bit over-the-top, not so much in terms of the huge earthquake, but in some of the subplots. There's a "false prophet" who inadvertently predicts the earthquake, and a beautiful private detective searching for a tycoon's long-lost wife by flying around the city in a giant helicopter. All of this just distracts from the main story: how a major city copes with an overwhelming disaster.

A SHATTERED CITY also suffers from very poor editing. I'm not sure it was proofread, let alone edited. There are wild inconsistencies in spelling and capitalization throughout, and numerous instances of poor grammar and usage. While editing isn't a high priority in most mass market paperbacks, the complete lack of it here gives the book a rather amateurish feel.

If you can overlook some of the goofier plotlines and glaring editing problems, A SHATTERED CITY is well worth a read.

Rating:
Summary: A Bit Overwrought, But Enjoyable
Review: A SHATTERED CITY:EARTHQUAKE IN SEATTLE tells the story of a major earthquake hitting Seattle, Washington. A sunny Saturday afternoon in July turns horrific as a 9.1 quake destroys the city and surrounding suburbs. Disaster junkies and Seattleites should find it compelling reading, and it should serve as a wakeup call to those who live in earthquake zones to get those disaster kits together.

A SHATTERED CITY does a decent job describing the disaster and its aftermath. Character development is a bit thin, but the story moves along well, and is compelling enough that you will want to keep reading. Amateur radio operators play a major role in the recovery, so hams will find the novel enjoyable and inspiring.

The novel is a bit over-the-top, not so much in terms of the huge earthquake, but in some of the subplots. There's a "false prophet" who inadvertently predicts the earthquake, and a beautiful private detective searching for a tycoon's long-lost wife by flying around the city in a giant helicopter. All of this just distracts from the main story: how a major city copes with an overwhelming disaster.

A SHATTERED CITY also suffers from very poor editing. I'm not sure it was proofread, let alone edited. There are wild inconsistencies in spelling and capitalization throughout, and numerous instances of poor grammar and usage. While editing isn't a high priority in most mass market paperbacks, the complete lack of it here gives the book a rather amateurish feel.

If you can overlook some of the goofier plotlines and glaring editing problems, A SHATTERED CITY is well worth a read.

Rating:
Summary: Disaster junkies, here's a treat!
Review: If you've ever wondered what could happen if a massive earthquake ever struck a major city, here's your answer -- in stunningly heartwrenching detail.

You'll get to know the characters personally -- just everyday people, going about their everyday lives in Seattle... until hell breaks loose. Then you feel every tremor, every crumbling wall, every panicked heartbeat, as a modern city struggles to survive in the face of mind-numbing disaster.

As if that isn't enough, Ms. Talbott weaves in another storyline -- the search for a missing person and her background, that commences even before Seattle quivers with the first of many shock waves. And Ms. Talbott keeps you hanging, just like the window washer dangling from his safety harness or the man trapped under a tree on a cliff (read the book!) as she throws out clues that keep you turning the pages, all the time wondering: "Who is this woman? Where did she come from? Why is she hiding?"

A mind-piquing mystery set against a backdrop of unimaginable catastrophe, that Ms. Talbott brings to life with the magic of words. Earthquake survivors will sigh with relief that someone understands and can communicate the trauma, while people far from earthquake zones will learn a new appreciation of the solid ground beneath their feet.

All in all, a page-turning novel of suspense and emotion that should inspire people to fall to their knees and thank God that such a scenario hasn't happened... yet.

Rating:
Summary: A real page-turner!
Review: Once you start A Shattered City, you won't want to put it down until the last page is turned. A winner!