Rating: 
Summary: This Book was fasinating!!!!!!!
Review: Read This Book
Rating: 
Summary: A decent first novel with some first-rate ideas
Review: SF has always been about the ideas more than the prose. Many authors have built solid reputations while neglecting character development or using the sort of sentence structure that makes Hemingway look like a romantic poet. _Aftermath_ is not great literature, but it's decent SF and an admirable first novel, one of the few by known "stars" which seems *not* to have a ghost or co-writer. The background is presented rather quickly (and would lend itself well to revisiting in future novels), and Burton tries to flesh out his characters. He doesn't always succeed, but he *has* paid attention to providing personal histories which contribute motivation for the actions he constructs, and if the characters fail to come alive, they are at the very least acceptable companions for the duration of the novel. Burton's optimism is tempered by realism about human nature and the lessons of history, and he has come up with a plausible and horrifying idea about how years of civil rights struggles could all disappear in the name of a market economy. Anyone who thinks race problems have been solved in the US is probably a white male who doesn't care to think too deeply and anyone who thinks what's once been won is won forever hasn't been watching the Taliban. Philip K. Dick once said "if it is good SF the idea is new, it is stimulating, and it sets off a chain-reaction of ramifications in the mind of the reader". At least one of the ideas Burton presents here does that -- and from a beginning writer, that's a pretty good record.
Rating:
Summary: A decent first novel with some first-rate ideas
Review: SF has always been about the ideas more than the prose. Many authors have built solid reputations while neglecting character development or using the sort of sentence structure that makes Hemingway look like a romantic poet. _Aftermath_ is not great literature, but it's decent SF and an admirable first novel, one of the few by known "stars" which seems *not* to have a ghost or co-writer. The background is presented rather quickly (and would lend itself well to revisiting in future novels), and Burton tries to flesh out his characters. He doesn't always succeed, but he *has* paid attention to providing personal histories which contribute motivation for the actions he constructs, and if the characters fail to come alive, they are at the very least acceptable companions for the duration of the novel. Burton's optimism is tempered by realism about human nature and the lessons of history, and he has come up with a plausible and horrifying idea about how years of civil rights struggles could all disappear in the name of a market economy. Anyone who thinks race problems have been solved in the US is probably a white male who doesn't care to think too deeply and anyone who thinks what's once been won is won forever hasn't been watching the Taliban. Philip K. Dick once said "if it is good SF the idea is new, it is stimulating, and it sets off a chain-reaction of ramifications in the mind of the reader". At least one of the ideas Burton presents here does that -- and from a beginning writer, that's a pretty good record.
Rating: 
Summary: Levar Burton takes a "STAND" on the world's end
Review: Similarities can be found between this first effort by the former "Star Trek" performer and the classic novel by Stephen King. It is also obvious that Burton wishes to tread waters covered by sci-fi literary icon(and fellow African-American) Octavia Butler.The book is easy to read, the plot development adequate, and the occasional "action scenes" hold true to a person familiar with episodic television. "Aftermath" may not belong in the category of great literature, but it is an entertaining and engrossing story. I recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: Levar Burton takes a "STAND" on the world's end
Review: Similarities can be found between this first effort by the former "Star Trek" performer and the classic novel by Stephen King. It is also obvious that Burton wishes to tread waters covered by sci-fi literary icon(and fellow African-American) Octavia Butler. The book is easy to read, the plot development adequate, and the occasional "action scenes" hold true to a person familiar with episodic television. "Aftermath" may not belong in the category of great literature, but it is an entertaining and engrossing story. I recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: Levar Burton takes a "STAND" on the world's end
Review: Similarities can be found between this first effort by the former "Star Trek" performer and the classic novel by Stephen King. It is also obvious that Burton wishes to tread waters covered by sci-fi literary icon(and fellow African-American) Octavia Butler. The book is easy to read, the plot development adequate, and the occasional "action scenes" hold true to a person familiar with episodic television. "Aftermath" may not belong in the category of great literature, but it is an entertaining and engrossing story. I recommend it.
Rating: 
Summary: Definitely a first effort
Review: Some of the ideas in this book are promising, but it just doesn't read all that well. The characters are one-dimensional, despite rather forced attempts to give them some depth. There is far too much use of passive voice, and the narrative is choppy. By the time I was 1/3 through the book, I could see pretty clearly all the way to the end. To be fair, there were some high spots. All in all, though, I was glad that I got this one from the library.
Rating:
Summary: OK, but not great.....
Review: The premise of a near-future America devastated by civil war, economic depression and a monster New Madrid fault earthquake forms an interesting and initially promising backdrop. But Burton's neophyte writing skills are painfully evident in the one-dimensionality of his characters, the amateurish approach to the scientific, and awkward prose. I can't help but wonder what someone like David Brin, John Barnes or Octavia Butler would have done with this story. Another thing I didn't like too much were the almost-cartoonish racist overtones applied to the characters and overall story line. Maybe if Burton would have been less proccupied with these and more mindful of writing a more coherent story, the book would have been better.
Rating:
Summary: Great, moving glimpse into a dark and troubled future
Review: This book was nothing like I had expected. It was truely well thought out. The events, descriptions, and imagery were very realistic. Though this book follows a standard plot about a hero saving people it had such novel ideas about what life would be like in the future that were very believable. Never did I see one Jetson like description in which humans zoomed around in spaceships to and fro. Instead the cold realism that humans have been forced to revert to a early 1900's depression type era. It was defenitly worth the money and time and I would strongly recommend reading it if you love new and different ways to percieve the future and human culture.
Rating:
Summary: AWESOME READ!
Review: This is an awesome book! Well worth a glance! Grade: A+
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