Welcome to the book blog of SOLITARY MAN

Thank you Ambassador International for providing me a free copy of this book to review. All opinions expressed are my own.  

ABOUT THE BOOK:  Ten years after a brutal war, cannibals and humans fight over the pieces of a hardscrabble existence.

Former Navy SEAL Doyle has been prowling the broken remnants of a devastated America for years. Alone in an armored bus loaded with weapons and supplies, he's grateful for his solitude. Being alone makes it easier to survive, as others can become a liability in the end of the world. But when a particularly brutal attack leaves Doyle in need of fuel and repair, he has no choice but to venture into the nearest settlement.

Jonathan has been pastoring a small church of Christians in that same settlement, but when he meets Doyle he sees an opportunity to expand his ministry. Cannibals have kept everyone from traveling, but Doyle's armored transport and weapons bring hope to his small band of followers. The two men strike up a mutually beneficial bargain, but neither of them realizes that this journey will change them in ways they could never have imagined.

As they search for other believers, they must battle cannibals, militant atheists, and a mysterious super soldier. Doyle's unbelief and Jonathan's faith will collide in this action-packed wasteland.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Eric Landfried: I was thirteen years old when I realized I was a writer. Once I had this realization, I grabbed a spiral notebook and began filling it with all the stories bumping around in my head. I was young and inexperienced, and therefore terrible, but the ideas kept coming and I kept improving as a writer. As a shy and withdrawn kid living in West Virginia, writing became the best outlet to express myself, and I exploited it as much as I could.
As an adult, I wrote less frequently, usually due to my procrastinating nature, but the ideas never went away. Many of them are still with me, waiting for me to introduce them to the world. And now, someone has looked at my writing and deemed it worthy of investing time, money and effort in order to share it with the masses.
I now live in New Hampshire with my wife Kristen and my son Nathan. I'm excited to begin a new chapter in my life that involves doing something I've always loved. There's never been a moment that I felt like I wasn't a writer, but the journey of a writer is sometimes discouraging more than it is encouraging. This means I'm eternally grateful for this opportunity to share my thoughts and ideas with you. Thank you for your interest and support.


MY REVIEW:  For those that enjoy stories about the end of the world, this is definitely the book for you.  It has a lot of action, very vivid and graphic details, which you would expect from a world that has been shattered by war, starvation, and violence.  Survival of the fittest takes on a whole new avenue.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.  It has all the elements of a post-apocalyptic adventure.  Doyle, the protagonist and unbeliever, is a tough Navy SEAL, who survives by his instincts and training.  Being alone has its advantages, no one to worry about except for himself, until he meets  a small group of Christians that changes everything for him.   He faces new dangers and situations that test him to the limit of his abilities.

The Christians he encounters embrace him almost immediately, which at times, makes Doyle very uncomfortable. And for an unbeliever, it could be a bit intimidating.  However, the reader will find how necessary it was for them to continue sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with him.

Their journey is riddled with dangers unimaginable, and at times, quite terrifying, I caught myself holding my breath hoping the horror would pass.  They will find great sadness and despair at times, but Christ keeps them strong and motivated to continue on.

I must be honest and admit that with all the characters in the story, the one that was my least favorite was Jonathon. I felt he was way too pushy and preachy for my taste, at times it was just too much for me to absorb.  However, Mia, his wife was more subtle in her approach in witnessing Christ, by her actions and not by her words.  You'll have to make that judgement call on your own.  Doyle, of course, is what you would expect from a hero, however, love creeps into his heart, eventually.

This story has every element you would find in a post-apocalyptic story, but with a twist, Christ is the center of the chaos.  It is an intense read, and there were times, I was bawling my eyes out, and other times, I was gripping my seat with fear and intense anticipation.  It is VERY well-written and I'm looking forward to Book II.