Guest Review: Cthulhu Armageddon (Cthulhu Armageddon #1) by C.T. Phipps

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We at FanFiAddict want to thank Steve Caldwell (aka The Bookwyrm Speaks) for his review of Cthulhu Armageddon.

Make sure to give him a follow on Twitter, @Sandman_Slim101, or on his blog, The Bookwyrm Speaks.

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Rating: 9.0/10

Synopsis

“Under an alien sky where gods of eldritch matter rule, the only truth is revenge.”

CTHULHU ARMAGEDDON is the story of a world 100 years past the rise of the Old Ones which has been reduced to a giant monster-filled desert and pockets of human survivors (along with Deep Ones, ghouls, and other “talking” monsters).

John Henry Booth is a ranger of one of the largest remaining city-states when he’s exiled for his group’s massacre and suspicion he’s “tainted.” Escaping with a doctor who killed her husband, John travels across the Earth’s blasted alien ruins to seek the life of the man who killed his friends.

It’s the one thing he has left.

Review

Like all C.T. Phipps books, this is a very character driven story, even given the large and appalling setting of a world almost destroyed by the Old Ones. The relationships between Booth, his companions and their enemies sets the tone for the whole book. Booth almost seems a man out of time, a warrior with honor in a time when that commodity is becoming increasingly scarce, even as his world slowly comes apart and his secret is revealed, even to himself.

The world building (destroying?) is excellent, giving you a feeling of living in this desolate and dying world, where you live on the knife’s edge of survival. This has to be one of the best realized dystopias I’ve ever heard of in books. Plot and pacing are also top notch, with a great story line and fast paced action keeping the reader engaged. Unlike most of the author’s books, there is not a lot of snark in this one. An occasional funny line, sure. Outright snark, not as much, seeing as the giant tentacled horrors from the Outer Reaches have basically destroyed civilization.

Narration-wise, Jeffrey Kafer does an outstanding job, which is something I’ve come to expect from him. He brings each character to life, and keeps the narration flowing steadily, never letting his narration lag or become monotone. Just another excellent performance.

This book is a must read for anyone into the Cthulhu mythos or dystopian worlds. It keeps the listener/reader engaged and wanting to see where the story will take them. In this case, it will be in directions you never expected.