Right off the cuff, I’ll say that Breaking the World is one the best-paced novels I’ve read for a very long time. This is prime scotch fillet right here-tender, no fat and very tasty. From the action-packed first few pages, Gordon never allows the reader to catch a breath and it makes for a wonderful read.
It’s no secret that Breaking the World is an apocalyptic tale. Most of the book takes place in Waco, Texas, where David Koresh and his loyal(ish) followers stand firm against the mounting wave of FBI agents camped on their doorstep. All the while, a mysterious plague spreads across Mexico and threatens the United States.
Our main character is Cyrus. Cyrus is a young boy trapped inside of the compound and he is pretty confused (as are most of the others) as to what exactly is going on. What follows is a fantastic fictional look at the final hours at Mount Carmel. Escape seems impossible and whilst the action is plentiful, it’s the characters that truly shine. Koresh is fascinating. Gordon portrays him as a kind of father figure, a sometimes kind and considerate person, yet at others, he is simply batshit crazy. Cyrus is excellent, too, a wise head on young shoulders, he is every bit as engaging as Koresh and their tense relationship leads to some excellent clashes.
Breaking the World is one of those “What if?” books. Despite its relatively short length, there is more than enough happening to make it feel like a novel twice its size. The only thing holding me back from giving this the full 5-star rating is the direction it takes during the latter stages of the book. I enjoy a good apocalyptic road trip as much as anyone and yet I felt just a little let down with this one. The book goes down a path I’ve walked many, many times before, but this is only a slight criticism and it’s probably just me being picky. Still, Breaking the World is a fantastically entertaining book and one I have no trouble at all recommending.
4/5 hallelujahs from the Grim Reader
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Grim Reader Reviews 