Book Review: Crash by Chris Muhlenfeld @AnAudiobookworm

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Title: Crash
Series: The Obsolescence Trilogy, Book 1
Author: Chris Muhlenfeld
Narrator: Price Waldman
Publication Date: November 14, 2018
Genres: Science Fiction, Post-Apocalyptic

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Crash
The Obsolescence Trilogy, Book 1
Chris Muhlenfeld
Narrated by Price Waldman
Chris Muhlenfeld, November 2018
Downloaded Unabridged Audiobook

From the author—

And then it went dark…the world’s electrical grid was gone. 

Who would survive the chaos? 

For James and Alexa, they saw it unfold from their ranch, which was a blessing. They were away

from the chaos, and they thought they were safe. They thought wrong. 

What will they do? 

All across the country cities are in crisis. 

Logan and his family look out from their Manhattan penthouse. The world is crumbling before their eyes. Unprepared, he’s got to do something. They can’t stay. But how can they leave and where will they go? 

Someone has a solution. 

It’s Logan’s domestic android. 

Can he believe a machine? 

You won’t believe the twists and turns, but you’ll love the adventure.  

Ahhh, it’s a rare day when I find a book that comes close to blowing me away but Crash certainly did and for a variety of reasons. Now, I’m already predisposed to like post-apocalyptic, especially when the story involves an EMP or other event that causes the grid to catastrophically fail because I really appreciate the concept of people having to learn how to live without so many of the niceties of life we’ve become so used to. I also like that we don’t get all the answers because, if such an event were to happen to us, we wouldn’t have all the answers since worldwide communications wouldn’t be working, would they?

In a not too distant future setting when everything goes dark, there are immediate effects such as most vehicles not working and having no lights or elevators but it doesn’t take long for people to realize even more devastating things are beginning to happen, food and drug shortages among them. Many of our characters lose contact with family members with unimaginable consequences for some, particularly children, and my first encounter with a homeless child came at the very beginning. Jess is on a plane heading to the East Coast when the flight attendant announces a diversion to Charlotte and she and her seatmate, a grown man named Liam, help each other through their unsurprising nervousness and make a pact to stick together after they land. Liam is determined to get Jess to her mom in Atlanta.

Elsewhere, we meet James and Alexa who are better off than many on their ranch, somewhat sheltered from marauding bands of looters and well-supplied with food and water for the time being, but trouble is coming. Then there are Logan and his family who are definitely not in a safe place in a highrise but their options really seem limited until a surprising yet suspicious solution is offered.

And then there’s a very special droid.

Crash is one of those tales that keeps the reader feverishly reading or, in this case listening, because so much is happening, questions are becoming intense and it’s getting worse by the day for the characters. Speaking of which, let me warn you, don’t get too attached to any of them because Mr. Muhlenfeld is not afraid to take us there. Nuff said. As for the audio narration, Mr. Waldman does a fine job. I can’t say he’s the best I ever heard because he doesn’t do very distinctive voices for women and children but he has great pacing and tone and it never took me long to know which character was speaking. All in all, this book excited me and I’m still savoring it. On to the next episode!

Reviewed by Lelia Taylor, January 2020.

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Purchase Links:
Audible // iTunes

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About the Author

Chris has been reading and writing science fiction since he was a teenager. After roaming all over the world,  he finally settled down in the beautiful mountains of western Montana where he publishes Distinctly Montana magazine with his wife. When he’s not hiking, biking or camping in the Montana wilderness, he and his wife are traveling the world.

Author Links:
Website // Facebook // Amazon

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About the Narrator

Price Waldman is an actor and singer, born and raised in NYC. Classically trained, and working professionally in the theater for over 20 years he is new to the world of audiobooks. As an actor he has performed multiple times on Broadway, toured nationally and internationally and appeared on film and television.

Narrator Link:
Broadway World

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Play an excerpt here.

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Follow the tour here.

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