The Mountain and the City - A Post-Apocalyptic Serial

I don't usually have much free time on Saturdays, but this past weekend I found myself with nothing to do.  So I grabbed a comfortable seat at a nearby Starbucks and sat down to read the first two parts of Brian Martinez' serialized story, The Mountain and the City.

The blurb for Part I reads "A solitary survivor hides in a mountain above the city, living in a trailer with the door and windows duct-taped shut. Outside, the air is poisoned with a virulent disease that has killed off most humans. Those who lived have become something else. Something that hunts and kills. Survival in this new world comes down to two, simple rules: stay quiet and protect the air. It's an obsessive and regimented life, but one day a visitor comes up the mountain that threatens everything."

I first read this one when it was released, before I knew that it was going to be part of a serial, and even as a stand-alone story, I thought it was great.  I really liked the world that was created, and the way its history was revealed a little at a time by the narrator's somewhat faulty memory.  And though the ending left the door open a bit, it still felt totally satisfying.  

Because I enjoyed Part I so much, I was excited to hear that it was only the first of a continuing series of stories, projected to be five parts in total.  So when Part II was released, I grabbed it, and was happly that I was able to put aside some time to read it.

Part II is described as "When Part I ended, the fate of the unnamed survivor and an unlikely companion was left up in the air. Now, learn what happens in Part II. Will they escape? And if so, where will they go to seek safety?"

Part II didn't feel as self-contained as Part I did, but where they do seek safety greatly expands the universe of the story.  And it makes it even more interesting knowing that with several parts to go, there will be enough room to give answers to what we've seen so far, and also to introduce new surprises.

If you're not sure if you want to dive into a story that will likely take the better part of a year to complete, Brian has made the decision a little easier, by letting Part I go for the low low price of free.  You can get it on Smashwords, Amazon, or even read it right here in the Fiction gallery.

Then, if you're hooked, and you just have to know what happens next, Part II is just 99 cents, also available on Smashwords and Amazon.

So go ahead and give Part I a read.  I'm sure you'll enjoy it, and if you do, you know that there'll be more of the same coming soon.