#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER A stunning new novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts–Year One is an epic of hope and horror, chaos and magick, and a journey that will unite a desperate group of people to fight the battle of their lives… It began on New Year’s Eve. The sickness came on suddenly, and spread quickly. The fear spread even faster. Within weeks, everything … quickly. The fear spread even faster. Within weeks, everything people counted on began to fail them. The electrical grid sputtered; law and government collapsed–and more than half of the world’s population was decimated.
Where there had been order, there was now chaos. And as the power of science and technology receded, magick rose up in its place. Some of it is good, like the witchcraft worked by Lana Bingham, practicing in the loft apartment she shares with her lover, Max. Some of it is unimaginably evil, and it can lurk anywhere, around a corner, in fetid tunnels beneath the river–or in the ones you know and love the most.
As word spreads that neither the immune nor the gifted are safe from the authorities who patrol the ravaged streets, and with nothing left to count on but each other, Lana and Max make their way out of a wrecked New York City. At the same time, other travelers are heading west too, into a new frontier. Chuck, a tech genius trying to hack his way through a world gone offline. Arlys, a journalist who has lost her audience but uses pen and paper to record the truth. Fred, her young colleague, possessed of burgeoning abilities and an optimism that seems out of place in this bleak landscape. And Rachel and Jonah, a resourceful doctor and a paramedic who fend off despair with their determination to keep a young mother and three infants in their care alive.
In a world of survivors where every stranger encountered could be either a savage or a savior, none of them knows exactly where they are heading, or why. But a purpose awaits them that will shape their lives and the lives of all those who remain.
The end has come. The beginning comes next.
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Nora Roberts has created a whole new world in this thriller. The characters are believable and the ways they face the challenges are fascinating. Can’t wait for the next book!!
This book kept me interested the whole way thru! Can hardly wait to read the rest of the trilogy. Loved it! Kinda scarey because I fully belive this scenario is plausble in the future!
One of my favorite books and favorite new series. I hope there is more to come!
Overall this was a great novel. For me, the beginning was a bit confusing and hard to follow along. As I got further into the story, things started to pick up and became more clear. Nora Roberts does a great job introducing new characters and has created a great storyline.
Interested in reading book 2.
Just re-read this book before reading the 2nd one in the series. It was just as much of a page turner as the first time! Great series!
There are a lot of reviews talking about how this is a different style for Nora Roberts, but I’ve only read her dark fantasy trilogies like Three Sisters Island, the Cousins O’Dwyer, and the Gallaghers of Ardmore so this book is pretty much how I perceive Ms. Roberts’ writing. It has all the magickal elements of those other books along with some Celtic legends.
As always, her writing is lovely, drawing the reader into the characters and settings effortlessly. There’s a lot of characters to follow, each with different and fascinating stories of their own. Lana is probably the main focus, but I enjoyed reading about Fred, Arlie, Poe, Flynn, and many others. They all contribute some light in a dark fantasy world where the some of the worst of mankind and Fairie combine after a disease called the Doom wipes out most of mankind.
The Tuatha de Danann have risen after a sacred stone circle is defiled. The world they create out of the wreckage of the Doom is dystopian with only a few places of goodness. Lana and her mate Max must find a safe place to live and raise their family. New York City has been overtaken by gangs and evil creatures so they head west, hoping to find a refuge in the Midwest.
I found the story a real pageturner and I’m excited that the second book of the series is out so I can continue this amazing journey.
This book grabbed me from the first page! Highly recommended.
Nora Roberts never fails to excite and entertain. If you like a little magic, you won’t be able to put this one down.
This is very unlike the usual Nora Roberts books, but enjoyable nevertheless. Great for fans of fantasy and dystopian society. Now I’m on book two and it’s hard to put down!
END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT THIS BOOK IS WONDERFUL COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN READING BOOK TWO NOW JUST AS GOOD BLOOD AND BONES
5 STAR PLUS
Love this book. Very different and entertaining.
The first book in the Chronicles of The One. As the world falls to the war between the light and the dark, we follow those of the light as they make their way. Eventually they find themselves at New Hope starting over.
A sweeping saga that chronicles the end and the beginning and all the challenges between. Strong characters drive the story of good versus evil. As I read this in December, the striking similarity of the birth of a child to lead them toward the light could not be denied.
Kept my attention from the beginning as it was so different from NR’s other books. I was distressed when it finally sank in that this was part of a trilogy and I was going to have to wait FOREVER ( 11 months) for the next book. It’s also a very good thing I’m retired cuz I read Year One well into the night and then picked it up again when I woke up. It’s that good.
Not the best of Nora Roberts but still better than most books. Difficult to get into but interesting if you can get through the first chapters.
Loved it.
This book really brings out human nature in the face of great tragedy. If this plague were to hit today I could see this happening.
Really enjoyed meeting each character and seeing how the groups come together.
Great story…. excited for the next book
Loved that Nora Roberts mixed up her mystical beings and put them at the end of an apocalypse. Look forward to book 2
Stayed up till 3 am because I couldn’t put it down. Wonderful characters that I want t follow in the next book.
Loved this book! It was a great twist on the post-apocalyptic world theme. Lots of unexpected turns. Similar to The Stand in content. Well written and well developed characters. Can’t wait for the next book to come out this month!