The Rule of Three by Eric Walters

The Rule of Three

By Eric Walters

Published on January 21st 2014
Published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Source: Publisher

One shocking afternoon, computers around the globe shut down in a viral catastrophe. At sixteen-year-old Adam Daley’s high school, the problem first seems to be a typical electrical outage, until students discover that cell phones are down, municipal utilities are failing, and a few computer-free cars like Adam’s are the only vehicles that function. Driving home, Adam encounters a storm tide of anger and fear as the region becomes paralyzed. Soon—as resources dwindle, crises mount, and chaos descends—he will see his suburban neighborhood band together for protection. And Adam will understand that having a police captain for a mother and a retired government spy living next door are not just the facts of his life but the keys to his survival, in The Rule of Three by Eric Walters.

All I can say is OMG! This book is phenomenal! This is one of those books where when I was forced (almost literally, physically forced) to take a break from reading, I had to take a few moments to adjust to the real world because I was so immersed in the reality of the book. No exaggeration.

Honestly, the blurb about it hits the nail on the head. When the world completely shuts down, civilization becomes chaotic. Amid the chaos, Adam, his family, his friends, and eventually his neighborhood must band together for survival. The only other option is death. Walters has created a complete world, brutally real and honest, and it's eerie just how easily this could happen. As I said before, every break from reading required me to take a moment or two to come back to reality where phones and vehicles work and people are not in a survival of the fittest mentality.

This book is action packed and will have you on the edge of your seat. As society breaks down without the daily conveniences, civil unrest grows and violence takes over. Ground battle. Air battle. You name it, it's in here. There is also a nice balance of quiet moments, however, when the neighborhood is coming together. And, for those of you who like some romance, there is even a lightly romantic atmosphere between Adam and his long-time crush, Lori.

My biggest downfall is that it had to end. I know it had to end. And, I have to say it ended in the right place. If it had gone on longer, it would have ruined it. But, still... it's one of those books that you finish and you're sad that it's over. It was THAT. GOOD.