The story is engaging…if you like post-apocalyptic stories (which I do). Ben, the protagonist, is an annoying blowhard, though. He’s whiny about silly things (instead of the important tragedies involved in a doomsday story), resentful about even sillier things and people, controlling. sexist, and prone to right-wing rants that really have no place in an end-of-times story. While he’s somewhat of a “prepper” and has saved some lives, he also makes the stupidest mistakes that even I–an urban school teacher–can spot ahead of time. When he was trying to find his two kids, he was rushed and frenetic, and those types of mistakes made sense, but later in the story (SPOILER ALERT) after he finds his kids, he’s still so rushed (NEEDLESSLY) and the mistakes are really silly and deadly.
Still, I continue to listen, and I am engaged, so–for now–the annoying silly protagonist has been enough to dissuade me from continuing.