Epitaph Road

by David Patneaude

Book Overview

Kellen Dent feels all alone. In 2097, he has good reasons. Five billion of them. Five billion fathers, grandfathers, brothers, sons, grandsons, uncles, nephews, cousins, lovers, friends. Still... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 160684055X
• ISBN13: 9781606840559
• Release Date: March 2010
• Publisher: Egmont USA
• Length: 266 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.8" x 8.4"
• Age Range: 12 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 7 and higher

Customer Reviews

An interesting book...

2097 is unlike the world that we know. Thirty years earlier, a mysterious plague wiped out 97% of the male population in days. The whole world was full of unimaginable grief. Women slowly take over the world. Poverty, Crime, warfare, and hunger were all gone over night. The price to pay with this new "utopia" is familiar to fourteen-year-old Kellen. He is a minority in the world, because of his gender, he is only allowed certain career choices and relationship options. The plague also seems to randomly pop up. Also, he over hears something that he shouldn't and he must decide if he will take action against it or just let the world stand as it is. I enjoyed this book. Kellan was an entertaining narrator. He had humor in even the most dire of situations and also that he was very curious about what was happening. I also love Tia and Sunday. They both complimented each other and were well rounded characters of their own. The plot grips you fairly quickly as you are thrown into this world, but their were a few slow spots. Also, it takes place in Washington State, which makes it more familiar with me. The book is a dystopian novel in which a virus infects the world and the survivors are left to deal with the aftermath. It did have some originality. Patneaude is a good writer, that created an interesting story to read. I would recommend this to people that enjoy dystopian novels.

Really Great Post-Apocalyptic Novel

What would you do if years ago a virus killed nearly the whole male population of the world? What if you were one of the few men left in a world of mostly women? What would you do if it was happening again? In Epitaph Road by David Patneaude, it is the year 2067. Woman outnumber men 19 to 1. Kellan Dent is one of the few men left, at only fourteen, he is not ready to take on his education, let alone a gender killing virus. When word gets out that there may be another outbreak of this virus, Kellan, along with two of his friends, decide to bring a stop to it first hand. What secrets will Kellan stumble upon? What will he do when he realizes he might be in over his head? Read the newest novel by David Patneaude, Epitaph Road, and find out for yourself. Epitaph Road was an amazing post-apocalyptic novel that I could not get enough of. It's hard to imagine a world where women rule and men are scarce, but Patneaude painted a perfect picture. This story was something new and exciting and a refreshing addition to the Science Fiction Young Adult Genre. Patneaude used strong characters, both leading and supporting. For example, in the beginning he wrote about a blind coffee girl. This character was well thought out and well explained, even though she did not have an important role in the rest of the story. The characters of Kellan, Tia and Sunday were so well adapted and structured, that they were these very individual, deep people with very different and interesting views of the world. Never did I think any of the characters were flat or lifeless. The plot was also very different and interesting than anything I've read in a while. The settings were planned out and the experiences were very real and intense. I give this book a hefty five stars and I will definitely recommend it to others. Review originally posted on my blog Draw A Blank. Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from EgmontUSA Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Are women just as evil as men?

In Kellen's world men are rare having almost all died out in a mass epidemic years earlier. The epidemic occurred after the Men in charge had almost ended the world with constant conflicts and environmental ruin. Women took control of the world and things are peaceful and the environment has started to repair itself. However, things are not as perfect as they seem. The new government is controlling and limits procreation and the activities of men. The story starts with the author allowing the reader to explore Kellen's world. Then we find out that there is a planned outbreak in the area where Kellen's father lives. The characters have to figure out the mystery of the outbreak (which is clearly shown for the reader) and then must save Kellen's father. There is a nice twist at the end and some action. The author paints both men and women as capable of major evil and makes the reader think about what sacrifices would be acceptable to have in order to have a more peaceful world. I enjoyed this book and could not put it down, I would recommend it to readers who enjoy post-apocalyptic novels such as Life As We Knew It who don't require a lot of action or romance. There is nothing in the book that would irritate parents. No sex or drug use and no graphic violence. This is one of those rare books that boys will like as much as girls. It does have a touch of romance but not enough to turn boys off, it has a strong female main character and there is some action and a frenzied pace at the end of the book to keep the reader interested. The author did a good job of presenting both men and women as equally evil so this book doesn't end up being a male hating or a woman hating book.