The Darwin Elevator by Jason M. Hough + a Giveaway

Good morning, readers! Today I'm on the TLC blog tour for Jason M. Hough's debut, The Darwin Elevator, the first book in the Dire Earth Cycle!

I have to go with the publisher synopsis here - I read much of The Darwin Elevator through a fun headache, a cop-out I know but it's made it a bit hard to put together my thoughts on the post :(

Here's the synopsis from Goodreads:

In the mid-23rd century, Darwin, Australia, stands as the last human city on Earth. The world has succumbed to an alien plague, with most of the population transformed into mindless, savage creatures. The planet’s refugees flock to Darwin, where a space elevator—created by the architects of this apocalypse, the Builders—emits a plague-suppressing aura.

Skyler Luiken has a rare immunity to the plague. Backed by an international crew of fellow “immunes,” he leads missions into the dangerous wasteland beyond the aura’s edge to find the resources Darwin needs to stave off collapse. But when the Elevator starts to malfunction, Skyler is tapped—along with the brilliant scientist, Dr. Tania Sharma—to solve the mystery of the failing alien technology and save the ragged remnants of humanity.

So, um, zombies! And aliens! There are both zombies and aliens in this post apocalyptic book! I tell you, it had all the elements necessary to make me happy!

I loved everything here except the very beginning. The first page is the kind that does suck you in, no doubt, but your sucked into a story in progress. By page two with the mention of the climbers, I was a little confused (might have been the headache mentioned above) but I only mean to point out that the explanation of the world and its situation comes a bit further into the story. Any confusion didn't last long and frankly the premise and the way the story was playing out was so cool that I just didn't care. The payoff comes soon enough, too, so if any of you have the same issue at the start I do urge you to stick it out. I promise it doesn't take long.

If you're in the mood for an action packed, science fiction adventure (maybe you missed all the fun at the box office this summer or your still craving more like me) Hough should be added to your TBR immediately. This is a summer blockbuster in book form!

This is the first in a trilogy. Book two, The Exodus Towers, just hit shelves yesterday, and the third book, The Plague Forge, will be out September 24.

To see more stops on the touch, visit the official TLC tour page here.

For more on Jason and the Dire Earth Cycle check out his website here. You can also like him on Facebook and follow him on Twitter and Goodreads.

Now for the giveaway! One lucky reader will win a copy of The Darwin Elevator. All you have to do to enter is fill out the rafflecopter below before September 9. US/Canada only and no PO Boxes please.


a Rafflecopter giveaway