Review: The Hotline at the End of the World by Brady Koch

 

Genre: Science Fiction/Suspense

Description:

“In a world paralyzed by an unprecedented outbreak, Clint mans the CDC hotline, a solitary beacon of dwindling hope. Then, one fateful day, a call comes in. Clint finds himself navigating a delicate situation involving a mysterious woman, hinted at in classified files, who may possess the coveted cure. As the world remains under a suffocating lockdown, Clint's every word, every choice, holds the weight of untold futures.

The Hotline at the End of the World is a gripping narrative of responsibility and suspense, set in a reality where a single phone call can alter the course of humanity.”

Author:

Prior to this series Brady Koch had authored three collections of short fiction. This is the third book in the “All Our Forgotten Futures” series with one more book in the series slated for release sometime before the end of 2023.

For more about Brady Koch visit his blog.

Appraisal:

I’ve read and enjoyed the first two books in the series that this book continues, but this one is, by far, the one that I’ve enjoyed the most. Part of that is that the first two books set things up so well for this one. Even though this book can be read as a stand alone I felt like the background and feel for the story world I got from reading those prior books in the series helped draw me into the story even quicker than I would have otherwise. As far as that goes the experience the world got with the Covid pandemic over the last few years was a great setup for this series. Just imagine that experience and jack up the intensity several orders of magnitude and you’ll have an idea of what this series is like. One of the prior books involved Sarah Glen, a woman who scientists believe has DNA that is the key to being able to vaccinate against the deadly virus they are experiencing. Word has gotten out and now the CDC (Center for Disease Control) has a hotline that people who believe they have found Sarah Glen can call. However, the reality of this hotline is complicated, as you’ll see when you read this book. It made for an intense, thought-provoking read that I couldn’t put down.

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FYI:

The novelettes in this series are written to stand alone. You could read this book without having read the others in the series and understand what is going on.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 25-30,000 words