Book Review: "Wayward" by Chuck Wendig

 

Five years ago, ordinary Americans fell under the grip of a strange new malady that caused them to sleepwalk across the country to a destination only they knew. They were followed on their quest by the shepherds: friends and family who gave up everything to protect them.

Their secret destination: Ouray, a small town in Colorado that would become one of the last outposts of civilization. Because the sleepwalking epidemic was only the first in a chain of events that led to the end of the world—and the birth of a new one.

The survivors, sleepwalkers and shepherds alike, have a dream of rebuilding human society. Among them are Benji, the scientist struggling through grief to lead the town; Marcy, the former police officer who wants only to look after the people she loves; and Shana, the teenage girl who became the first shepherd—and an unlikely hero whose courage will be needed again.

Because the people of Ouray are not the only survivors, and the world they are building is fragile. The forces of cruelty and brutality are amassing under the leadership of self-proclaimed president Ed Creel. And in the very heart of Ouray, the most powerful survivor of all is plotting its own vision for the new world: Black Swan, the A.I. who imagined the apocalypse.

Against these threats, Benji, Marcy, Shana, and the rest have only one hope: one another. Because the only way to survive the end of the world is together. - from Netgalley.com

This ARC was provided by Netgalley.com at no cost and I am providing an unbiased review.

** Spoilers Ahead Alert **

This is the second book in this series, that picks up on the storyline around five years after the first book. The 'Sleepers' and their caretakers (Shepherds) have all 'woken' and are surviving in a remote town of Ouray. There is some dissention starting between the Sleepers and the Shepherds, revolving around the birth of a baby - a special baby. And that was about as far as I got into the book.

I really enjoyed the first book, and was excited to hear that a second was going to be out, considering the author had said something about the possibility of there not being a follow-up book. But I just could not get into the story once I got so far in. I set it aside for several days and tried to get back to it, but again could not. I am not sure if it is just my head doesn't want this kind of story right now, or what. Either way I am giving it three stars because I do think the plot line is good, and I have enjoyed many of Wendig's books, that I think it is just me that cannot read this at the present, but would try again later on.