The Renegade by Amy DunneThe Renegade by Amy Dunne is a post apocalyptic novel about Alex, a woman who is trying to survive after all her loved ones die of The Red Death.

The Red Death has killed most of the human population making infrastructure, government and any kind of law non-existent. Alex finds herself all alone in the world and sets off to find a place to settle down and live out the rest of her life.

Eventually she finds a travelling companion, or two, and ends up in a situation where she must be taken captive in order to save her companion’s life. She is brought to a camp surrounded by wire fences and heavily guarded.

There she meets the camp doctor, Evelyn. There is an instant attraction between the women. But there is no room for their love in a world where extremists are convinced that the only way the human race will survive is to repopulate the earth by having women and men procreate.

The Characters

Amy Dunne’s characters are well thought out and interesting. Each one is unique and memorable. I must admit that one of my favourite characters in this book was actually a man (I am a bad, bad lesbian). When you read this book and you meet Murphy, you will see why.

Another plus in many of Dunne’s books is her canine characters. I am guessing that she not only has a pet dog or two but that she spends a lot of time with her dog. It is evident in the way she writes her dog characters. Her canine characters get two thumbs up from me.

The Writing Style

This is Amy Dunne’s best book to date. Her writing is always clean and well paced, but there was a special something about this book. She took me on an emotional ride that she hasn’t done before. She didn’t just take me to the point of fear but kept me there and really let me experience it.

There were moments when I wanted to close my eyes so that I couldn’t see them hurting the dog anymore. You know? (See the book excerpt below).

The Pros

This was a great read. Amy Dunne is a consistently good author and even then, I can see improvements in each book. For The Renegade she took anything that was holding her back as an author and chucked it out the window, then sat down and wrote a story that takes you by the scruff of the neck and says, right, the world has ended now watch while I put the character through the ringer.

The Cons

The dog’s story line sort of fizzles out and he is barely in it for the last half of the book. I would have liked him to be included more.

I was also intrigued but a wee bit disappointed in the ending. The hero didn’t get to be a hero in the end

The Conclusion

I really did enjoy the book. The story was utterly unique. The characters were well written and you find yourself caring for them.

Note: This is more of an action than a romance. There is romance but it is not the main plot.

It is a good read. You should totally get it. And if you aren’t convinced then read the excerpt and try not to want to know what happens next.

Excerpt from Renegade by Amy Dunne

Alex’s feeling of foreboding exploded into full-blown fear. She sensed something sinister about the two men. Her skin crawled and the tiny hairs all over her body stood on end. She took a tiny step backward and covered her mouth to silence the cry that nearly escaped.

The man with the rope pulled one last time and dragged a bundle of fluffy fur cruelly out from beneath the car. The man continued to drag the puppy over to the nearest lamp post and tied his end of rope around it.

Frozen in horror, Alex watched as the guy with hair returned to the other man’s side. Both were laughing, and the sound sent an icy chill splintering down her spine.

The bald man removed the rifle from his shoulder and loaded it. He raised the gun, aimed at the puppy, and to Alex’s horror pulled the trigger.

She screwed her eyes shut and flinched. The shot reverberated through the town. Sickened, she only opened her eyes when she heard the high-pitched cries of terror. The puppy looked unharmed, but cowered and frantically tried to escape. Each time it tried to run away, the rope around its neck yanked it back. Terrified, the puppy unwittingly ran in the opposite direction, wrapping the rope around the lamp post again and again, shortening its crude leash.

Both men laughed sadistically, and the bald man passed the rifle to the other. The man with hair raised the rifle, aimed, and fired. The bullet narrowly missed the puppy but still had the desired reaction. The puppy’s terror was absolute; it continued to unintentionally wrap the rope and itself more tightly around the lam post.

Trying to fathom what she should do, she took another step back, but met with something solid. Turning, she cried out as she took in the brute of a man that towered over her.

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Bits and Bobs

If you enjoyed this book then try

The Organization by Luci di Legge

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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