If you're looking for a new take on the post-apocalyptic thriller genre, you've found your next read. The story moves along smoothly and quickly, across a future Europe that has become mostly a desert, with plenty of dangers for those willing to traverse it. I think what I found most chilling is how plausible a future this is, especially with global warming and where the planet is currently headed. Price did an excellent job of bringing both setting and characters to life, transporting the reader into a world where survival is uncertain, and risks must be taken if you aren't rich or smart enough to be in a protected area. This is definitely dark even for post-apocalyptic fiction, so don't go in expecting a light read. Overall, a bleak look into a possible future that will have your heart pounding, and keep you turning pages for hours. ( )

*Received via NetGalley for review*

I was drawn to this because it seemed very Mad Max to me - a group of drivers, surviving along a barren wasteland, decide to fight for something better.

It's not quite that - not as action packed, not as political, not as non-stop. But it is an enjoyable read.

Cassady and Ghazi clearly have a history behind them, and while it's never made explicit, it's clear that it informs their arguments and interactions. The other characters are not quite as well developed, but it isn't really their story. ( )

This book caught me by surprise. I enjoy dystopian stories, but they tend to follow a formula, especially if they deal with destruction of the planet by humanity's bad choices or climate change. But this story of the aftermath of the fall of civilization really grabbed my attention immediately and kept it until the final page. The story is well-written and not formulaic or melodramatic. The characters and world are well-developed and believable.

The world is completely different since The Change. Europe was decimated and what is left of humanity scrabbles for scraps in the dirt. Some even resort to murder and cannibalism to survive. A group called The Korporation has fortified walls that protect the largest sources of fresh water and supplies. Outside the walled border, runners drive up and down roads delivering supplies to settlements and taking what payment they can get -- water, supplies, food. It's a hard life. But, a settlement in Italy has been working to develop a machine that could reverse the damage to the planet and climate, but they need help and supplies to finish the project. The Koalition wants to seize the machine and prevent it from being used. A group of runners is willing to help....but they will face extreme odds. It's a long trip....and the forces of The Koalition want to stop them.

This story has a lot of action. It's definitely never boring. It paints a bleak picture of a planet and civilization destroyed by mismanagement and greed. Very enjoyable read! I will definitely be reading more by this author!

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from John Hunt Publishing via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.** ( )

The world of the Change is much like many people see how our world is currently heading: desertification, extreme climatic events, famine, poverty and mass extinction.
While humanity desperately ekes out a living in this hell, the Runners transport what resources remain to be found among the last human settlements.
A cast of interesting characters emerge who draw you into their exertions in this tough world where there’s little left to drive them than the will to survive.
Readers who liked Mortal Engines or Mad Max will really enjoy this book
( )

I loved this story the first time I read it but forgot to write a review, so I had the pleasure of reading By the Feet of Men a second time. The end of the apocalypse is nearing. But what does that mean? Have the earth’s inhabitants finally given up hope? Or is something beautiful blowing in the wind?

Nothing ever comes easy, especially for the Runners who desperately try to save humanity. Runners, people who rely on their instincts to survive, who have learned never to trust anyone fully but cannot survive alone, are the blood running through the veins of post-Change Germany.

Four pantechs, with their drivers, have been sent separately on a quick run to deliver necessities to a nearby settlement. It doesn’t take long for them all to realize they’ve been set up. They’ve been given a life-altering choice. In a dangerous world where people learn to look out for themselves first, it’s not likely any of the group will accept the challenge. And if they do? Will they be able to work together?

It’s not just the story I love or the unique characters, but how the author crafts the words into apt similes and visually stimulating metaphors. “Like a sinking ship, the front was submerged in a sea of dust and earth.” I could spend all day pointing out examples similar to this one, but then I would just be copying down most of the book.

And then there are the philosophical debates sprinkled between long stretches of road and vast emptiness. Cassady sums it all up when he says, “Maybe this is all part of a dream in somebody else’s head. The road, the forest, Warspite, us. No way to prove any of it’s real.” Descartes might argue that point, but he wasn’t living in a world decimated by extreme climate change.

I do apologize to the author for this long-delayed review. But I am glad I was “forced” to reread the book. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys dystopian and post-apocalyptic tales. ( )