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Commune #4
Commune: Book Four
The philosopher asks: faced with the mutually exclusive choice between moral principle and the survival of your family, which is the correct path?Philosophers love to pose such questions, and in the day-to-day struggle, such thinkers rarely attain to a level of relevance rivaling that of the simple hunger pang. Their careful considerations dissipate under the leveled gun. We do not feel their disapproving gaze when The Others draw near.When the world sends doom, the survivors do not hesitate. The survivors do what is necessary.
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First published October 21, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
May 28, 2019
5 awesome talented stars audio
5 stars I am so sad this series is over stars story! I don't know where to go from here. 😢😢😢
Positively loved this series and it's cast of varied characters. Hope I don't have to wait a long time for the author to publish another riveting novel!
5 stars I am so sad this series is over stars story! I don't know where to go from here. 😢😢😢
Positively loved this series and it's cast of varied characters. Hope I don't have to wait a long time for the author to publish another riveting novel!
March 20, 2019
I've followed this series from the beginning, and have been one of it's biggest fans. For a series whose readership is dominated by audiobook listeners (due, in no small part, to the insanely awesome performances of R.C. Bray), I am somewhat of a rarity: an actual book reader. I'm not sure how much that changes my perspective of the work. I'm reminded of one of my other fanboy weaknesses, Game of Thrones, where I am among the rare book readers surrounded by the vast multitude of show watchers.
In the case of Game of Thrones, the source material has been altered significantly in its transition to the screen. When even eight seasons of episodic television are still not enough to envelope the entirety of George R.R. Martin's sweeping fantasy saga (the final two books of which have not even been released yet), these alterations are inevitable. Certain characters are combined, or eliminated outright. Whole subplots are rearranged or deleted. Timelines are compressed (sometimes absurdly so). While some of this leaves us bookies screaming in protest, the depth and visual richness that the on-screen version brings to the Song of Ice and Fire world are undeniable.
With audiobooks, thankfully, the source material is typically left intact. Word for word. But the narrator's performance of the material can still bring dimension and depth that the written word may lack, by itself. Of course, for books its up to the reader to form these pictures and sounds in their own mind. In that way, the same great work of fiction may be enjoyed in uncountable ways by different people. No two are likely to interpret it exactly the same. Even a re-read by the same person may take on different nuances. This variability of interpretation is somewhat lessened with audiobooks, as the narrator has filled in much of those blanks for us. In some cases, this can be to the detriment of the author's work--or for the reader, missed opportunities to interpret the book their own way. But in the case of R.C. Bray's performance of the Commune series (and anything else he applies his golden vocal chords to), the result is pure magic.
I've read each of Joshua Gayou's Commune books before the audiobook was released. And I've enjoyed each of them immensely, during my initial read-through. Gayou writes with a clarity of purpose, and depth to his characters, that is simply extraordinary. And each of the books has only gotten better, as the series progresses. And then, some time later, as each one has been released in audiobook form, I've listened to them too. And enjoyed each episode all over again. And while I've loved each of the books in text form, listening to each of them is like a whole 'nother experience. That said, I can not bring myself to recommending that readers only experience these books one way, and not the other. You owe it to yourself to read them first. Absorb them in whatever way your mind interprets them. Savor each bite. And then get the audiobook and do it all over again. While the audiobooks are awesome, I can't help feeling just a little bit sorry for those who have denied themselves the opportunity to enjoy the books in both formats. But I digress (as I'm wont to do)...this review is supposed to be for Commune 4 specifically, so let's get on with it!
So if you haven't read the first three books in the Commune series yet, stop. Close this window. Go directly to Amazon and grab the books, and tell your family you're taking the next few weeks off. Come back here when you're done. Because here there (might) be spoilers.
Commune 4 is where everything comes to its final, spectacular conslusion. As is typical of Mr. Gayou's writing, it does take some time to get there. But as we sense the end coming, that is OK. Because we don't want to leave this world. Not yet. We're still living in it, still getting to know all of these interesting people. Still rooting for things to happen, both in the main storyline and all of the little interpersonal subplots. And we're just enjoying the view, drinking in the world that Gayou has painted for us.
I recently played Red Dead Redemption 2, which is, in my opinion now, the single greatest video game ever produced. Visually stunning, with a depth of character and storytelling that is above and beyond anything else I've ever played. Not to mention a vast, open world that seems endlessly explorable. Even as the action and tension ratcheted up as the story approached its end game, I found myself wanting to slow down, almost saddened by the impending end. I felt that way reading Commune 4. As the pace quickened as the end game drew near, I found myself trying to resist it. Wanting to slow down, savor it more before it was over. I was mourning the end way before I even reached it. This, from a reviewer whose only complaint throughout this series was that it sometimes seemed a bit slow. Now we were hurtling toward the end, and I wanted to take back everything I ever said about the pace.
If you're reading this, unless you've ignored my warning above, you have already read Commune 1 through 3. So I won't re-hash everything in those books. But just to set the table, Commune is a post-apocalyptic tale of a group of survivors who face, and have to figure out ways to overcome, whatever problems come their way. While this is a rather overdone premise in literature and movies today, here it serves only as the canvas on which Gayou paints his masterpiece. The real meat of this story isn't in the struggle to find food, or the technicalities of how they will deal with civilization winding down (though Gayou does perhaps a better job with those than any other post-apoc writers I've read). No, the real gems here are the personal stories. Who these people are, where they've come from, how they interact with each other. And how they might reflect on us, as the reader, and those around us. Gayou probably could have done this with just about any other literary genre as his backdrop. Sci-Fi? Fantasy? Western? Regency romance? Probably any of those. And I suspect that he could have done as good a job of it against any genre backdrop.
In book 3 we got a taste of two groups that would come to figure heavily in the story of the main group we've been reading about, the inhabitants of the namesake Commune. A group of U.S. military stragglers, who are benevolent if a bit overbearing, and a more sinister group of marauders, who are painted as the ultimate evil that will provide the final test of survival for our heroes. Here again, in these groups, we have even more people, with their fascinating personal storeis, to further deepen the experience.
And while, at first, some of these characters might seem like they were ordered up from Central Casting, most of them have depth and nuance to them that will eventually make us reconsider our intial assessments. Indeed, even some the characters we thought we knew all along continue to evolve and change right up until the end. More like people in real life than typical fictional characters. As the story comes to it's conclusion, we find ourselves questioning our earlier judgements. Are the good guys really that good? Are the bad guys really that bad? Or is everyone really more alike than different, separated only by matters of degree, on the same scale of good versus bad. For sure, there are examples of extremes on either end, but most of the central characters are somewhere in that muddy middle. Not unlike real life.
I can't say whether I think Commune 4 is better than the other books. For me, Commune 3 was hard to beat. But the fourth book is special simply in that it is the final chapter in this series, and thus has special significance. I'm more apt to judge the series as a whole, now that it has come to its conclusion. And my judgement is that the Commune series is awesome. A rare piece of literary excellence, made even more extraordinary when considering that these are Joshua Gayou's first books. Oh, and by the way, as of writing this I have not yet listened to C4 on audio, as it is not yet released. But you can bet I'm looking forward to it.
In the case of Game of Thrones, the source material has been altered significantly in its transition to the screen. When even eight seasons of episodic television are still not enough to envelope the entirety of George R.R. Martin's sweeping fantasy saga (the final two books of which have not even been released yet), these alterations are inevitable. Certain characters are combined, or eliminated outright. Whole subplots are rearranged or deleted. Timelines are compressed (sometimes absurdly so). While some of this leaves us bookies screaming in protest, the depth and visual richness that the on-screen version brings to the Song of Ice and Fire world are undeniable.
With audiobooks, thankfully, the source material is typically left intact. Word for word. But the narrator's performance of the material can still bring dimension and depth that the written word may lack, by itself. Of course, for books its up to the reader to form these pictures and sounds in their own mind. In that way, the same great work of fiction may be enjoyed in uncountable ways by different people. No two are likely to interpret it exactly the same. Even a re-read by the same person may take on different nuances. This variability of interpretation is somewhat lessened with audiobooks, as the narrator has filled in much of those blanks for us. In some cases, this can be to the detriment of the author's work--or for the reader, missed opportunities to interpret the book their own way. But in the case of R.C. Bray's performance of the Commune series (and anything else he applies his golden vocal chords to), the result is pure magic.
I've read each of Joshua Gayou's Commune books before the audiobook was released. And I've enjoyed each of them immensely, during my initial read-through. Gayou writes with a clarity of purpose, and depth to his characters, that is simply extraordinary. And each of the books has only gotten better, as the series progresses. And then, some time later, as each one has been released in audiobook form, I've listened to them too. And enjoyed each episode all over again. And while I've loved each of the books in text form, listening to each of them is like a whole 'nother experience. That said, I can not bring myself to recommending that readers only experience these books one way, and not the other. You owe it to yourself to read them first. Absorb them in whatever way your mind interprets them. Savor each bite. And then get the audiobook and do it all over again. While the audiobooks are awesome, I can't help feeling just a little bit sorry for those who have denied themselves the opportunity to enjoy the books in both formats. But I digress (as I'm wont to do)...this review is supposed to be for Commune 4 specifically, so let's get on with it!
So if you haven't read the first three books in the Commune series yet, stop. Close this window. Go directly to Amazon and grab the books, and tell your family you're taking the next few weeks off. Come back here when you're done. Because here there (might) be spoilers.
Commune 4 is where everything comes to its final, spectacular conslusion. As is typical of Mr. Gayou's writing, it does take some time to get there. But as we sense the end coming, that is OK. Because we don't want to leave this world. Not yet. We're still living in it, still getting to know all of these interesting people. Still rooting for things to happen, both in the main storyline and all of the little interpersonal subplots. And we're just enjoying the view, drinking in the world that Gayou has painted for us.
I recently played Red Dead Redemption 2, which is, in my opinion now, the single greatest video game ever produced. Visually stunning, with a depth of character and storytelling that is above and beyond anything else I've ever played. Not to mention a vast, open world that seems endlessly explorable. Even as the action and tension ratcheted up as the story approached its end game, I found myself wanting to slow down, almost saddened by the impending end. I felt that way reading Commune 4. As the pace quickened as the end game drew near, I found myself trying to resist it. Wanting to slow down, savor it more before it was over. I was mourning the end way before I even reached it. This, from a reviewer whose only complaint throughout this series was that it sometimes seemed a bit slow. Now we were hurtling toward the end, and I wanted to take back everything I ever said about the pace.
If you're reading this, unless you've ignored my warning above, you have already read Commune 1 through 3. So I won't re-hash everything in those books. But just to set the table, Commune is a post-apocalyptic tale of a group of survivors who face, and have to figure out ways to overcome, whatever problems come their way. While this is a rather overdone premise in literature and movies today, here it serves only as the canvas on which Gayou paints his masterpiece. The real meat of this story isn't in the struggle to find food, or the technicalities of how they will deal with civilization winding down (though Gayou does perhaps a better job with those than any other post-apoc writers I've read). No, the real gems here are the personal stories. Who these people are, where they've come from, how they interact with each other. And how they might reflect on us, as the reader, and those around us. Gayou probably could have done this with just about any other literary genre as his backdrop. Sci-Fi? Fantasy? Western? Regency romance? Probably any of those. And I suspect that he could have done as good a job of it against any genre backdrop.
In book 3 we got a taste of two groups that would come to figure heavily in the story of the main group we've been reading about, the inhabitants of the namesake Commune. A group of U.S. military stragglers, who are benevolent if a bit overbearing, and a more sinister group of marauders, who are painted as the ultimate evil that will provide the final test of survival for our heroes. Here again, in these groups, we have even more people, with their fascinating personal storeis, to further deepen the experience.
And while, at first, some of these characters might seem like they were ordered up from Central Casting, most of them have depth and nuance to them that will eventually make us reconsider our intial assessments. Indeed, even some the characters we thought we knew all along continue to evolve and change right up until the end. More like people in real life than typical fictional characters. As the story comes to it's conclusion, we find ourselves questioning our earlier judgements. Are the good guys really that good? Are the bad guys really that bad? Or is everyone really more alike than different, separated only by matters of degree, on the same scale of good versus bad. For sure, there are examples of extremes on either end, but most of the central characters are somewhere in that muddy middle. Not unlike real life.
I can't say whether I think Commune 4 is better than the other books. For me, Commune 3 was hard to beat. But the fourth book is special simply in that it is the final chapter in this series, and thus has special significance. I'm more apt to judge the series as a whole, now that it has come to its conclusion. And my judgement is that the Commune series is awesome. A rare piece of literary excellence, made even more extraordinary when considering that these are Joshua Gayou's first books. Oh, and by the way, as of writing this I have not yet listened to C4 on audio, as it is not yet released. But you can bet I'm looking forward to it.
October 5, 2019
This was a decent end to the Commune series. I really loved the first 2 books, as they were really the backstories of Jake, Amanda, and Gibs, and how the Commune came to be.
Books 3 and 4 are the stories of how the residents of the Commune keep their homes.
I really hated Clay and his group, and I understand that we had to have good vs evil. But... Books 1 and 2 really didn't have that type of storyline. I would have liked to have more of those stories. Good survivors finding other good survivors and rebuild and thrive in a harsh post-apocalypse.
What made this series for me was to be able to listen to the audiobooks as performed by RC Bray. I thought about DNFing this one about halfway through. Clay's vulgar language was getting to me by then. But... I missed RC Bray's voice so decided to suck it up just for more of him. Glad I did, because I did need that ending.
Books 3 and 4 are the stories of how the residents of the Commune keep their homes.
I really hated Clay and his group, and I understand that we had to have good vs evil. But... Books 1 and 2 really didn't have that type of storyline. I would have liked to have more of those stories. Good survivors finding other good survivors and rebuild and thrive in a harsh post-apocalypse.
What made this series for me was to be able to listen to the audiobooks as performed by RC Bray. I thought about DNFing this one about halfway through. Clay's vulgar language was getting to me by then. But... I missed RC Bray's voice so decided to suck it up just for more of him. Glad I did, because I did need that ending.
September 11, 2019
The first few books were interesting, nice take on the well-worn post-apocalypse road. What set it apart with the witty dialogue, the balance of positive and negative, world-building that happened through back-stories and wide variety of characters lead by the ever-mysterious Jake. The books were a solid rebuke against the idea anyone was good or bad, just motivations that conflicted with others. While the books contained their share of action and adventure, they were more about rebuilding when the world has fallen apart.
The last book draws back, and is mostly a long protracted conflict, with an unsatisfying conclusion... all in the name of moral ambiguity. Many of the earlier characters are somewhat muted, with pivot towards Clay's posse. I really liked this series but felt this fell short, focusing too much on action. Outside of Clay's expository nature, the rest of the cast seemed less-present. It's a less than satisfying ending. If you were hoping for answers about who Jake was or some sort of real closure, it isn't in this book.
I was under the impression this was the last book and perhaps it is but ends with what seems like a setup for a sequel, perhaps a spin off.
The last book draws back, and is mostly a long protracted conflict, with an unsatisfying conclusion... all in the name of moral ambiguity. Many of the earlier characters are somewhat muted, with pivot towards Clay's posse. I really liked this series but felt this fell short, focusing too much on action. Outside of Clay's expository nature, the rest of the cast seemed less-present. It's a less than satisfying ending. If you were hoping for answers about who Jake was or some sort of real closure, it isn't in this book.
I was under the impression this was the last book and perhaps it is but ends with what seems like a setup for a sequel, perhaps a spin off.
October 11, 2024
Komūnas sērija pārmaiņas pēc šāda tipa post-apokalipses pasaulē vairāk koncentrējas uz cilvēku savstarpējām attiecībām, uz atšķirīgiem līderu un vadoņu tipiem, kad jau bez pieminētās policijas nav arīdzan cita veida pārvaldošo institūciju un paši, tā teikt, ir visa noteicēji.
https://poseidons99.com/2024/10/11/jo...
https://poseidons99.com/2024/10/11/jo...
August 26, 2019
(Review is of Audible audiobook edition)
First off, before I comment on the book itself, a huge standing ovation for R.C. Bray. Bray's performance is simply exceptional - he is, by far, the best narrator in the business, hands-down. The way he gives each character a discernible voice, complete with unique personalities that come through simply by his delivery, is amazing. As this series progressed, the cast of characters grew and grew (arguably too big)... and yet Bray somehow gave each of them their own life. I'd listen to RC Bray read the freaking phone book.
As for Commune: Book Four... most of the other reviews pretty much nail it. We spend 3 books, and nearly a hundred hours or narration, building up to the novel and it's conclusion... and it kind of just fizzles out. Given the massive buildup, the final confrontation between our heroes and Clay and his crew is rushed, confusing, and nearly nonsensical. And there were numerous storylines that I expected to eventually see resolved in some way (key among them, who the hell is Jake?) that were just left hanging.
Don't get me wrong... I still enjoyed the book - and have loved the series. In the end it came down to being more about the ride than the destination, so to speak. Because the destination was meh.
In reflecting on the series, kudos to Gayou for his writing overall, and notably, the excellent characterization. Sometimes it came at the expense of overly long diatribes or unnecessary sub-plots or scenes, but it certainly helped to build up the main batch of heroes and villains. Gibbs, in particular, is a fantastic character (in no small part due to Bray's performance) that I'd love to read/hear more of in a sequel/spin-off.
And speaking of Gibbs... between his vocabulary and that of Clay and a few of his men, I learned words, phrases, insults and platitudes that were artifacts of obscene genius. Gayou's gift for foul-mouthed prose is without rival, and I found myself laughing out loud multiple times during the book. This is not a complaint -far from it - the stuff that comes out of Gibbs and Clay isn't for the faint of heart, but it's funny as hell.
Net-net, this book was a letdown, but the series is a complete blast, the characters are well-developed and Gayou's writing is thoughtful and compelling. A journey worth the ride, even with the unsatisfying conclusion. I sincerely hope this isn't the last of the author's work in this "universe" - there are clearly more stories to tell with the Commune crew like Jake's origin, Gibbs' new journey, the fate of Otter and his army... or hell, just finding out whatever happened to O.B. (that deserting bastard!).
First off, before I comment on the book itself, a huge standing ovation for R.C. Bray. Bray's performance is simply exceptional - he is, by far, the best narrator in the business, hands-down. The way he gives each character a discernible voice, complete with unique personalities that come through simply by his delivery, is amazing. As this series progressed, the cast of characters grew and grew (arguably too big)... and yet Bray somehow gave each of them their own life. I'd listen to RC Bray read the freaking phone book.
As for Commune: Book Four... most of the other reviews pretty much nail it. We spend 3 books, and nearly a hundred hours or narration, building up to the novel and it's conclusion... and it kind of just fizzles out. Given the massive buildup, the final confrontation between our heroes and Clay and his crew is rushed, confusing, and nearly nonsensical. And there were numerous storylines that I expected to eventually see resolved in some way (key among them, who the hell is Jake?) that were just left hanging.
Don't get me wrong... I still enjoyed the book - and have loved the series. In the end it came down to being more about the ride than the destination, so to speak. Because the destination was meh.
In reflecting on the series, kudos to Gayou for his writing overall, and notably, the excellent characterization. Sometimes it came at the expense of overly long diatribes or unnecessary sub-plots or scenes, but it certainly helped to build up the main batch of heroes and villains. Gibbs, in particular, is a fantastic character (in no small part due to Bray's performance) that I'd love to read/hear more of in a sequel/spin-off.
And speaking of Gibbs... between his vocabulary and that of Clay and a few of his men, I learned words, phrases, insults and platitudes that were artifacts of obscene genius. Gayou's gift for foul-mouthed prose is without rival, and I found myself laughing out loud multiple times during the book. This is not a complaint -far from it - the stuff that comes out of Gibbs and Clay isn't for the faint of heart, but it's funny as hell.
Net-net, this book was a letdown, but the series is a complete blast, the characters are well-developed and Gayou's writing is thoughtful and compelling. A journey worth the ride, even with the unsatisfying conclusion. I sincerely hope this isn't the last of the author's work in this "universe" - there are clearly more stories to tell with the Commune crew like Jake's origin, Gibbs' new journey, the fate of Otter and his army... or hell, just finding out whatever happened to O.B. (that deserting bastard!).
May 12, 2019
Yes, as every points out this series covers a topic that many (including me) feel has been explored far too often, but this is still a new take. Where it does overlap with others it exceeds with amazing characters and dialog. I listened to all 4 audiobooks and will stand strongly on the opinion Mr. Bray’s narration is what takes this series from 4.8 stars to 6.5. He is outstanding. The combination of these characters, the dialog and Bray’s voice should not be missed.
June 15, 2019
Just kind of ended. Was hoping for something more explaining the origin/character of Jake.
June 20, 2019
One of my all time favorite series, it's gripping in a slow building way. You feel like you know the characters and understand the situations they find themselves. The audiobook is the way to go with this series. The author explicitly wrote this to be read aloud and R.C. Bray does it exquisitely. If there were 8 more books in this series I would happily continue to listen to them back to back, looking forward to each one.
May 24, 2019
That...was...amazing.
No spoilers. I lack the words to tell you how satisfying that book was. From the opening chapter through the twists and turns, I was transfixed. In fact, I was never actually certain of anything. The characters are rich and flawed and as real as you or I.. the setups are real, the action believable and the motivations of the characters make me really question how I would act in that situation.
Joshua Gayou outdid himself, building up to this epic conclusion. I have not been this satisfied since watching endgame, its just that epic.
Also - R.C. Bray is a genius narrator. His performance was every much a part of the experience, and I doubt any other narrator could deliver this work as impactful as Bray. Well played...
No spoilers. I lack the words to tell you how satisfying that book was. From the opening chapter through the twists and turns, I was transfixed. In fact, I was never actually certain of anything. The characters are rich and flawed and as real as you or I.. the setups are real, the action believable and the motivations of the characters make me really question how I would act in that situation.
Joshua Gayou outdid himself, building up to this epic conclusion. I have not been this satisfied since watching endgame, its just that epic.
Also - R.C. Bray is a genius narrator. His performance was every much a part of the experience, and I doubt any other narrator could deliver this work as impactful as Bray. Well played...
June 16, 2019
After reading the first three books in this series, my expectation has been high on this one. However, I should say I am disappointed. I lost my interest starting at Jack’s disappearing. The disappearance itself is not sound. I think this is a big flaw in the plot. Starting from here, the author seems to show off his writing skills on a lot of dirty talk and a lot busy actions and twist here and there but it all goes nowhere, doesn’t give reader a satisfaction. Only busy, messy, frustrating.
What the book missing is focus.
What the book missing is focus.
August 19, 2019
I have finally finished this series... and WHAT A RIDE!
Book four brought everything from the first three into a fantastic ending. My assumption about Jake was right - and my head did, in fact, about explode. Well done.
Probably one of the best Post Apocalyptic book series out there. Joshua Gayou has really put a lot of thought, time, and love into these books and it shows.
I am anxiously awaiting the next series - which I'm hoping in a Gibbs stand-alone book.
Book four brought everything from the first three into a fantastic ending. My assumption about Jake was right - and my head did, in fact, about explode. Well done.
Probably one of the best Post Apocalyptic book series out there. Joshua Gayou has really put a lot of thought, time, and love into these books and it shows.
I am anxiously awaiting the next series - which I'm hoping in a Gibbs stand-alone book.
May 19, 2019
Spoilers at the end of this review. Overall it's a end to a good series. The witty banter had me laughing out loud a the the gym (audiobook). When I'm stuck in a two-hour traffic jam for a 6 mile commute (common in southern California) I often fantasize about the apocalypse. A resetting of the World without all the crap that dominates our media. I wonder what a resetting of the World would look like. What skills would you need, what would people be like when the slate was cleared. This series scratched that itch. I will definitely create an emergency response kit. However the ending just seemed to fall flat.
BIG SPOILERS below.
The way the series ended didn't sit well with me. At the end, the choices the characters made didn't seem to match how the characters would react in the previous three books (except Jake). There had to be some way that Jake's group could have helped those 300-400 people. They basically said, fu#k off and die somewhere else. If I had any remaining humanity I would feel awful for letting all those people to wander off and starve to death. It's a slow shitty way to die. Logically you need a large group of people to restart civilization. I wonder what Jake's crew will evolve into a hundred years after the events in the book. I thought that Gibbs was setting off to help those people find food and start anew somewhere but I was disappointed. I felt bad for those starving people and no discussion of their fates and knowing that this was the end of the series really made me feel bad for them. Of course not every ending has to be a happy one.
BIG SPOILERS below.
The way the series ended didn't sit well with me. At the end, the choices the characters made didn't seem to match how the characters would react in the previous three books (except Jake). There had to be some way that Jake's group could have helped those 300-400 people. They basically said, fu#k off and die somewhere else. If I had any remaining humanity I would feel awful for letting all those people to wander off and starve to death. It's a slow shitty way to die. Logically you need a large group of people to restart civilization. I wonder what Jake's crew will evolve into a hundred years after the events in the book. I thought that Gibbs was setting off to help those people find food and start anew somewhere but I was disappointed. I felt bad for those starving people and no discussion of their fates and knowing that this was the end of the series really made me feel bad for them. Of course not every ending has to be a happy one.
May 21, 2021
It was quite the battle to settle on 5 stars for the conclusion of this amazing series. I'd originally aimed towards a 3 star max, due to the way this story concluded. Having read the description of the book, and other readers reviews i raised it. Post apocalypse is really all i read and the traditional good vs evil, with the righteous eventually overcoming their enemy type story has always worked well with me. However the author decides to address the fact that not everything is that black and white, to intentionally induce in the reader an inner conflict of emotions. I admit i hugely struggled with certain parts as in most other books the bad guys, do bad things, and you want them defeated. However the author gave personalities to the 'invaders', who were simply other people struggling to survive and protect their families. Then having the 'good guys' acting in a hideous and calculated manner, just shattered that framework. Brilliantly written as you would expect, and it goes without saying R. C. Bray brought every character to life. Commune Book 4 did leave many questions unanswered but i'd think the success of this series, and the respect its earned from the dedicated followers will breathe more life into the Commune universe.
May 16, 2019
This was vary good thou I hope that we will some day see a follow up
October 18, 2019
I loved this series! I’m always a fan of anything Post-Apocalyptic. My husband was the one to suggest I give this series a listen-to, as he had enjoyed it. It’s stories like this, that leave me with no questions, that I thoroughly enjoy.
I love RC Bray! He always does an amazing job! It’s funny because a good portion of my listening time (through headphones) took place while my husband listened to another audiobook with RC Bray as the narrator. There was a little back and forth in my head when I’d stop listening as to how the characters of his story matched up with this one (forgetting he was listening to a different story). Fun times!
Pap really stood out to me in this one, obviously, that was the author’s intent, whereas the previous books, he sort of blended in with the other lower-level side characters, in my opinion. Minus the end when Pap does bad stuff to Jake’s group, I really liked his character. I had a hope that with caring for a child he would have come around to the lighter side, not want to continue killing unless absolutely necessary. The author did a great job with him, when he was no longer around, it definitely hits you in the feels, if you know what I mean. There were so many funny conversations throughout this story, and I’m always up for a good funny! The author provided a nice finality to the story, even though I wasn’t ready for it to end. I’ll definitely be on the lookout for other stories by Joshua Gayou.
I love RC Bray! He always does an amazing job! It’s funny because a good portion of my listening time (through headphones) took place while my husband listened to another audiobook with RC Bray as the narrator. There was a little back and forth in my head when I’d stop listening as to how the characters of his story matched up with this one (forgetting he was listening to a different story). Fun times!
Pap really stood out to me in this one, obviously, that was the author’s intent, whereas the previous books, he sort of blended in with the other lower-level side characters, in my opinion. Minus the end when Pap does bad stuff to Jake’s group, I really liked his character. I had a hope that with caring for a child he would have come around to the lighter side, not want to continue killing unless absolutely necessary. The author did a great job with him, when he was no longer around, it definitely hits you in the feels, if you know what I mean. There were so many funny conversations throughout this story, and I’m always up for a good funny! The author provided a nice finality to the story, even though I wasn’t ready for it to end. I’ll definitely be on the lookout for other stories by Joshua Gayou.
May 28, 2019
This was an excellent conclusion to the Commune series. I've enjoyed the entire series, and this wraps it up nicely. I had a change of opinion on a few characters. They clearly weren't the "good guy" or "bad guy" I originally thought. Desperate people with do things they would never consider under normal circumstances. I get that. Pap was a surprise. I won't give away details, but I honestly thought Pap was a good guy with good intentions caught up in a messy situation. After this book, I was either wrong or he was more simple-minded than I thought. I'd love to know what happened to OB. Gone for good, or coming back later? The ending of this series leaves it open to the possibility of a Gibbs sequel. I'd absolutely love to see that! There were also several moments in this book that have me laughing out loud! Outstanding narration by R.C. Bray as always. Bray is one of the best. I listen to a lot of books narrated by Bray, some of them back to back. It would be easy to confuse the books and characters, but not with Bray. He tends to convey the personality of each character perfectly.
May 15, 2019
Loved book 1, 2, and 3. I wish I hadn't read book 4.
I loved LOVED the first 3 books in this series. Because conflict was solved in a new and exciting way every time. There was fighting but that wasn't the go-to for this author. It was, at times about forming relationships and communicating.
I felt like the characters in this book were not the ones I'd been left off with at the end of Book 3.
Conflict felt like it was solved in a way I couldn't see the characters going with. It just felt forced to get to the last few chapters.
That all said, the character development was great and I loved getting to know the new characters more. I just felt like everyone lost their shit in this one.
I loved LOVED the first 3 books in this series. Because conflict was solved in a new and exciting way every time. There was fighting but that wasn't the go-to for this author. It was, at times about forming relationships and communicating.
I felt like the characters in this book were not the ones I'd been left off with at the end of Book 3.
Conflict felt like it was solved in a way I couldn't see the characters going with. It just felt forced to get to the last few chapters.
That all said, the character development was great and I loved getting to know the new characters more. I just felt like everyone lost their shit in this one.
December 9, 2018
Great closeout!
Awesome story from start to finish. The dialogue is incredible. I could not put this book down. My only gripe is how long the villians got to persecute the heros before everything got fixed.
Awesome story from start to finish. The dialogue is incredible. I could not put this book down. My only gripe is how long the villians got to persecute the heros before everything got fixed.
May 16, 2019
An anticlimactic ending to a pretty good series
February 24, 2023
A compelling and satisfying end to the first portion of this series. If you liked the previous Commune books, you'll love this one. Meaty and well done.
Small negatives: 1) Gayou does seem to hammer a metaphor onto nearly every statement. If someone picks up a coffee cup, the motion is likely to be followed by a metaphor explaining how the cup is longed for and lifted. Although I admire the effort this takes, it occasionally felt... like telling too much. Of course, the author gets to tell the story however he chooses. I began to simply read this abundance of metaphors as a fun quirk of the author's fingerprint. 2) Clay's vulgar and colorful language feels a bit like a mean version of Gibbs. I assume that's for humor. Sometimes it's hilarious. Sometimes feels... less than natural. That said, Clay is a spectacularly well-rounded character. One of the best bad guys--is he really a bad guy?--I've ever read.
Big positives: 1) Clay. Clay is a spectacular character. 2) A thick book with a whole community of characters who feel real. The character building for all these characters is truly well done. Better than well done. Excellent. The people--good guys and bad--feel true to life. The novel is more about character than action--but there's plenty of action. 3) Fine use of layout and description to make the action and scenery pop.
Small negatives: 1) Gayou does seem to hammer a metaphor onto nearly every statement. If someone picks up a coffee cup, the motion is likely to be followed by a metaphor explaining how the cup is longed for and lifted. Although I admire the effort this takes, it occasionally felt... like telling too much. Of course, the author gets to tell the story however he chooses. I began to simply read this abundance of metaphors as a fun quirk of the author's fingerprint. 2) Clay's vulgar and colorful language feels a bit like a mean version of Gibbs. I assume that's for humor. Sometimes it's hilarious. Sometimes feels... less than natural. That said, Clay is a spectacularly well-rounded character. One of the best bad guys--is he really a bad guy?--I've ever read.
Big positives: 1) Clay. Clay is a spectacular character. 2) A thick book with a whole community of characters who feel real. The character building for all these characters is truly well done. Better than well done. Excellent. The people--good guys and bad--feel true to life. The novel is more about character than action--but there's plenty of action. 3) Fine use of layout and description to make the action and scenery pop.
November 1, 2021
This was a great conclusion to the series and personally would have gotten 5 stars but for a couple of things. First off, the story was great. It was so full of ups and downs, and I was so very livid at Clay and his band of pirates as they moved into the bowl like locusts. A story that can conjure up such emotion is just a damn well written story. I was also glad/sad that Gayou was not afraid to kill off characters along the way, and I feel it just added to the emotional turmoil I felt with this book. It was just one cliffhanger after another, and the entire series was similar. Commune is an epic tale in a post apocalypse world where there are no zombies, no cannibals, and basically a collection of survivors which are both good and bad.
OK...the negative. Starting in Book 2, the author began to creatively use the English language as a more and more extreme tool. I understood when Gibs was the topic, as he was a crusty Marine, but as we wrapped up book 4, Gayou fancied himself the Shakespear of vulgarity. In fact, some of the rantings gave me pause just to visualize what the fuck was just said. I did not see it as necessary and for me it was rather distracting. Most of the schtick added little to the story.
OK...the negative. Starting in Book 2, the author began to creatively use the English language as a more and more extreme tool. I understood when Gibs was the topic, as he was a crusty Marine, but as we wrapped up book 4, Gayou fancied himself the Shakespear of vulgarity. In fact, some of the rantings gave me pause just to visualize what the fuck was just said. I did not see it as necessary and for me it was rather distracting. Most of the schtick added little to the story.
May 25, 2025
I thought enough of Book One to go online and order Books Two to Four. I would not have done that if I had read Book Two or Three or Four first. The author is way too wordy. You can easily skip paragraphs and pages as he goes on and on and on. The author stated he wanted to end this story with Book Three, but he had too much stuff to cover so he extended it to Book Four. I saw way too much padding and needless filler in the material. Wordy, wordy, wordy. Book Four had two entire chapters on folks telling ghost stories at a campfire. Skip those chapters, along with a lot of other pages.
The second issue I had was with the huge amount of gratuitous profanity from a former Marine named Gibs. I don't mind an occasional cuss word, but Gibs was ridiculous. I've been in the military for 34 years and never heard anyone as foul as Gibs. The author must have seen a Hollywood movie depicting a drill sergeant and assumed Gibs talked like that. This cussing got worse with the addition of another character, Clay, in Books Three and Four.
After reading these books, I felt I needed to take a shower to remove the filth and violence from these books. I won't be reading any of the remaining books in this series.
The second issue I had was with the huge amount of gratuitous profanity from a former Marine named Gibs. I don't mind an occasional cuss word, but Gibs was ridiculous. I've been in the military for 34 years and never heard anyone as foul as Gibs. The author must have seen a Hollywood movie depicting a drill sergeant and assumed Gibs talked like that. This cussing got worse with the addition of another character, Clay, in Books Three and Four.
After reading these books, I felt I needed to take a shower to remove the filth and violence from these books. I won't be reading any of the remaining books in this series.
August 9, 2019
WOW! What a conclusion to this fantastic series. I sat for a few minutes just staring at the screen in my car waiting for the Audible app to continue playing more. But alas, more never came. This was the conclusion this series and its fans deserved.
This entry, much like this rest of the series, hit on critical points that distinguish it from other books in the genre, and that is the fact that a post-apocalyptic society is not sugar and rainbows. Good people die, bad people will do bad things, and the human condition is on full display as characters who you would never expect to second guess themselves find that they are the mercy of their own internal demons.
This was a perfect ending to a favorite series of mine. Josh truly has a way with words and toying with your emotions (Billy, the fire bug, etc.). R.C. Bray, as usual, did a fantastic job narrating this story and I am anxious to start on Josh’s next work.
5/5
This entry, much like this rest of the series, hit on critical points that distinguish it from other books in the genre, and that is the fact that a post-apocalyptic society is not sugar and rainbows. Good people die, bad people will do bad things, and the human condition is on full display as characters who you would never expect to second guess themselves find that they are the mercy of their own internal demons.
This was a perfect ending to a favorite series of mine. Josh truly has a way with words and toying with your emotions (Billy, the fire bug, etc.). R.C. Bray, as usual, did a fantastic job narrating this story and I am anxious to start on Josh’s next work.
5/5
February 8, 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed this series. It was a different type of end of the world series. How far will you go to defend your community? What happens to morality when you have to choose between your loved ones and total strangers?
I was bothered by two things. First, I needed a little more background on Jake. What did he do before this? Did he have any family? Secondly, why Wyoming?? If I had to survive after the end of civilization, I would go to an area with a much longer growing season. Even more confusing is why Clay took hundreds of people from Colorado to Wyoming. It was just the rumor of a farm. I'm sure there were farms much closer. Why not East towards Kansas. Why not stay where they were in Colorado. You do not need to be an expert in farming. There are still libraries and books on farming. I am sure they can find seeds. People who can build cars fuelled by wood surely could figure this out.
I was bothered by two things. First, I needed a little more background on Jake. What did he do before this? Did he have any family? Secondly, why Wyoming?? If I had to survive after the end of civilization, I would go to an area with a much longer growing season. Even more confusing is why Clay took hundreds of people from Colorado to Wyoming. It was just the rumor of a farm. I'm sure there were farms much closer. Why not East towards Kansas. Why not stay where they were in Colorado. You do not need to be an expert in farming. There are still libraries and books on farming. I am sure they can find seeds. People who can build cars fuelled by wood surely could figure this out.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 12, 2019
A stunning and dramatic conclusion to a fabulous series. We can only hope that Game of Thrones ends this well.
Gayou has put together something of a masterpiece illustrating human tenacity, hope, treachery and brutality. It has all of the sins and virtues, and a healthy complement of men and women fleshing out various roles. No zombies were needed to show what dangers lurk for those who have lived in the cushy arms of urban civilization.
More than anything, this knockover of civilization, much better than something like The Martian shows what humans must do when there is no possibility of rescue - when it you against Nature and human nature. This shows what it is like in tribal societies and how kings and knights are forged.
Gayou has put together something of a masterpiece illustrating human tenacity, hope, treachery and brutality. It has all of the sins and virtues, and a healthy complement of men and women fleshing out various roles. No zombies were needed to show what dangers lurk for those who have lived in the cushy arms of urban civilization.
More than anything, this knockover of civilization, much better than something like The Martian shows what humans must do when there is no possibility of rescue - when it you against Nature and human nature. This shows what it is like in tribal societies and how kings and knights are forged.
July 19, 2019
I just loved this series. This book wasn't as strong as the previous three for me, partly because Jake was missing for so much of the book, and there was an excess of pontification from Clay. But the themes and style and characters that I have loved throughout are still very present. This one in particular highlights how terrible things can happen even when almost everyone is genuinely trying to do what they think is the right thing, or at least relatively the right thing. It is so tragic, and yet so plausible.
The end left some potential for a new book or series with Gibs, and I hope that is the case. I'd be happy to spend more time in this world.
The end left some potential for a new book or series with Gibs, and I hope that is the case. I'd be happy to spend more time in this world.
September 9, 2021
Grey morality is a challenging thing to get right. I think this book failed to get it right. The previous books were much better, but this one... if you are supposed to feel for the protagonists and dislike the antagonists, I feel the author totally failed. By the end I was rooting for the antagonist, genuinely cheering for the heel to win, and I knew that the main characters would get plot armor and contrive a way to defeat overwhelming odds. Of course, that happens, and it's... disappointing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 13, 2025
Enough is enough. This book just made me mad. The worst thing can't always happen. It becomes too predictable and just exhausting over four books.
Also, someone always overhears the plans. Hiding in a closet or listening outside a church. These people have to be the biggest idiots on the planet to speak what they did out loud and of course someone was listening in outside.
I need to take a walk and grab something to drink. I'm still mad any time I think about it and it's been a week since I put it down in disgust
Also, someone always overhears the plans. Hiding in a closet or listening outside a church. These people have to be the biggest idiots on the planet to speak what they did out loud and of course someone was listening in outside.
I need to take a walk and grab something to drink. I'm still mad any time I think about it and it's been a week since I put it down in disgust
April 20, 2020
Commune Book 4 Written By fave Author Joshua Gayou: Narrated By my fave R. C. Bray, The Commune Series is simply outstanding! Storyline is non-stop tension, action packed, heart stopping and gut churning. Characters are interesting, flawed, and oh so relatable, yep’ even the bad guys. I blew thru each book in the series. Absolutely 5 Stars! Please tell me there's another book by Joshua Gayou coming out soon...
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