The Remaining

By: D. J. Molles

Narrated by: Christian Rummel

Length: 8 hrs and 39 mins

Publisher's summary

In a steel-and-lead-encased bunker 20 feet below the basement level of his house, a soldier waits for his final orders. On the surface, a plague ravages the planet, infecting over 90% of the populace. The bacterium burrows through the brain, destroying all signs of humanity and leaving behind little more than base, prehistoric instincts. The infected turn into hyper-aggressive predators, with an insatiable desire to kill and feed. Someday soon, the soldier will have to open the hatch to his bunker, and step out into this new wasteland, to complete his mission: Subvenire refectus. To rescue and rebuild.

The Remaining is the first book in the best-selling series, which tells a gritty tale of survival, perseverance and fighting to get back what has been lost.

©2012 D.J. Molles (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

TEOTWAWKI- The end of the world as we know it.

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Well done story arc, good characters. However, there are a lot of frustrating errors.. No proofreaders available? Even listening to the audio, there are grammatical mistakes. Was the author saving money? It shows.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

The set up for the main character owning a dog was a waste. Less buildup, and add more chapters to Lee doing his mission.

Which character – as performed by Christian Rummel – was your favorite?

Capt. Lee and Jack.

Could you see The Remaining being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

Why waste my time answering this? (for a book review) It's being filmed in Wimingotn, N.C.We are seeing proof of how huge the internet is, with a book going from digital media, and then to movie rights to be on the big screen.

Any additional comments?

It follows the standard zombie apocalypse genre. I have read or listened to a dozen books. I give the narrator a high rating, he's very good to listen to. The story is very sound and well done descriptively by the author. I am disappointed that the book was short in length (8 hrs), and would have liked it doubled for the price.I don't want to own a trilogy of books for $50 that could end up as a $3.95 bargain day buy in a year.

Where is the story

Would you try another book from D. J. Molles and/or Christian Rummel?

probably not

Would you recommend The Remaining to your friends? Why or why not?

I could not do that

What does Christian Rummel bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

It is a decent performance of dry material

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

no

Any additional comments?

I have to put this into the "just another apocalypse survival story". Some books just never really get off the ground, like this one. From beginning to end I felt it was 2 dimensional, I didn't know much about the characters and cared less. Simply put, it just had no reason for being written. Neither funny nor tense, not thought provoking or heart warming, it just sort of plods along.

Not bad for 5 bucks

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

It was better then sitting in complete silence

What was most disappointing about D. J. Molles’s story?

It's just average, not bad per say, but very forgettable

What about Christian Rummel’s performance did you like?

Yes

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

No I wouldn 't pay money to see it but I'd watch on Netflix.

Any additional comments?

The book is ok for 5 bucks. To put into perspective, I won't be getting the other books

rotten ending just wants you to buy the next book

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

not unless it was the whole story

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

good reader started out great

What about Christian Rummel’s performance did you like?

All good

Was The Remaining worth the listening time?

i guess

Any additional comments?

it ended in the middle of a seen

Okay for the first book but hoping next is better

Having just finished the latest Zombie Fallout book I was looking for something to help cope with the withdrawal symptoms. Gave "The Remaining" a shot and it was okay. As others have commented, the book starts somewhat slow which is too bad b/c it's pretty short overall. The main character made some stupid decisions which doesn't seem representative of someone who's highly trained in his area of expertise. I'm guessing the author did this to create conflict but it just didn't make sense to me.

What disappointed me the most was the ending. It just stops at a decent place in the story but certainly not at a point where you have any sense of closure. The next thing you know the narrator is telling you the book is finished but you get to listen to the first chapter of the next book "for free".

I wish the author would've combined both "The Remaining" and "The Remaining: Aftermath" into one book. Would have made more sense instead of just having the first book end.

Not bad, but pretty stupid decisions by characters

It is not bad, entertaining..... But for a special forces badass--- the cluelessness is kind of a joke.

Almost didn't get the others

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I would recommend to friends. It was different from any others I've read. It was from the perspective if the military. He actually wanted to help humanity.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

I was mad at first but. I hate when ppl I get attached too die. But it made for an exciting ending.

What does Christian Rummel bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Emotion. I felt like I was in the story. That rear

Did The Remaining inspire you to do anything?

No

Okay, but...'The Captain' is a lost opportunity.

***** SOME EARLY SPOILERS ****
I'm enjoying this series. Like others have mentioned the main character is a bit of an idiot. The series could have been so much better if 'the Captain' was more developed and acknowledged his own mistakes and reasons for making them. Likewise, his back story could have been much better outlined.

I prefer stories when the characters are 'human' and they are fallible. I have a hard time when something obviously short sighted happens and the author glazes by it, like the reader is as dumb as the character being written about.

This guy needs a better internal monologue

A highly trained military professional with a mission vital to the survival of America's governing philosophy, disobeys his primary orders. He can't stay in his bunker until the set amount of 30 days time elapses... because he is bored?... before a month is up? Why not at least write it around worry and checking the friend who is a neighbor?

He does not stay in contact with other bunkers in an age of satellites 'Operation Home Town' troops can't all stay in touch indefinitely?

No explanation about the 'underground' bunker destruction... Did he ask the kid if the 'bad guys' cleaned out the bunker...No? Did he attempt to clear the house debris and get back in... No? He chose to go off into hostile country, without determining the status of his base and supplies just abandoning any potential resources.

And what's with tacking the next book start onto the end of this one? That's very lame.

I know this review this sounds like a negative rant, but the book is an entertaining listen and about average for the genre. I was just hoping for a Tom Clancy-esque Zombie Book, but alas not.

It's not too bad

To many holes in story and missteps someone trained as the main character would not make. Got a bit aggravating I don't think I will continue the series.

Not just another zombie apocalypse ...

Zombies are in at the moment and unfortunately not all are created equal. This series is one of the goodies. One I haven't regretted buying. At the end of every book I've rushed headlong into the next and really enjoyed them all from beginning to end, the transitions from book to book being easy and smooth. The author holds back no punches and the reader is simply brilliant putting just the right emotion and tone into the characters at the right time.