This book tracks much closer to what I believe is most plausible for the collapse of the United States. The story isn’t one of those books where immediate chaos sets upon the populace. It takes time to develop. The story being told from multiple points of view taps into the messy way our society works. In many novels, the hero and his people tend to be on the same page from the start. Sure, there are small moral conflicts, but frame of mind is generally the same.
This book (and whole series) is excellent. I’ve listened to the series multiple times on long trips, and I’m never bored by it. If you want immediate chaos and adapt-quickly-to-survive, this book isn’t for you. If you want a book that addresses reality as it tends to be, problems of government (pre- and post-collapse), and the mental and physical struggles that a normal person would have to face in a slow collapse, this series is definitely for you. Great value to be found within.