survivalist book

I have to admit that I’m somewhat of a fanatic of post-apocalyptic survival books. I can’t say precisely what it is about the genre that appeals to me, perhaps the promise of a new beginning, but whatever it is, The Upside of Down: The Sky Above and The Mud Below by Joel Bernard fit the bill.

The story is written from the perspective of the characters in a somewhat futuristic but not too distant future when climate change has caused a global catastrophe. Wildfires, storm surges, flooding, drought, superstorms, tornadoes, and the like were catalysts to a vast migration. People from the southern US were moving North, and those from the coasts were moving inland.

Although I enjoyed the book, there were some issues. The first drawback I found was that the sheer number of characters was overwhelming. Constantly switching back and forth between characters, perspectives, and even storylines, made it difficult to form an attachment to some individuals. Then some of the characters were dead, and we only hear from them after they are dead, which does very little to advance the plot since all they can talk about is being dead.

There seemed to be some vagueness about what happened to Moses, a likable character that lived in a church and could “get things.” It appeared that he had become an integral part of one of the wandering groups but then was killed, and there was a ceremony of some sort to mark his passing. However, none of these events are presented to the reader directly. I’m not sure if the chapters were edited out or the author didn’t smooth the plot development out quite right, but Moses got lost in the story.

I believe the author meant this novel to be a morality tale. The situations presented and the scientific information presented in hindsight musings told the story of a civilization that did not heed scientific warnings. The result was this calamitous new world humans struggled to survive in. Unfortunately, the story lacked immediacy. There was a lot of cloud gathering and navel-gazing by the characters, who realistically would be more focused on adapting to their harsh surroundings as they exhaustingly traveled hundreds of miles on foot to their hoped-for destinations.

So although I enjoyed the book, the meandering storyline in The Upside of Down: The Sky Above and The Mud Below by Joel Bernard might not be something everyone would enjoy.

I received an ARC from Reedsy Discovery. You can see my review here.

I’ve read dozens of prepper books over the years and found most to belong to the tin foil hat club. That is to say, the authors expect you to subscribe to their conspiracy theories which they go to great lengths to explain before they knuckle down and get to the practical stuff. I was delighted to find that Survival Tips, Tricks and Traps by Wanda Priday and William Priday was not that sort of book.

Instead, it was chocked full of useful tidbits that you can apply to emergency situations, whatever that may be. In fact, the book is so practical that the last few pages are “firestarter” pages making it the perfect book to tote around on your hunting or camping expeditions, as well as keeping a second copy in your bug-out-bag.

There are nine chapters that cover fire, water, tools, weapons, navigation and traps. Each chapter gives sensible tips to help you best survive whatever the situation you find yourself in, from a sudden WROL (without rule of law) scenario to a plane crash.

I totally agree with the thought the authors present that your skills are what will keep you alive in any SHTF situation, not the stockpile of shiny prepper items you have stockpiled in your bunker. To that end, this book isn’t an all inclusive survival book, but tips meant to increase the chances of your survival. It includes some checklists, a few tool suggestions, ways to practice your prepper skills in everyday life, and reams of good advice.

As I mentioned, I’ve read a plethora of prepper books, and am passionate about the practical value of the plant life that surrounds me. However, there were some things mentioned in this book that were completely new to me including the phenomenon of spalting rocks, the versatility of potassium permanganate, and the nutritional value of earthworms among others.

My favorite chapter, if I had to pick one, focused on tools. Did you know you could open a can without a knife or can opener? Or that your walking stick should be taller than you for safety reasons? How about the many uses of inner tubes, towels, condoms, tampons and cigarettes in a survival situation?

The final chapter on traps is extensive. It details several types of animal traps specific to the type of animal you are hunting and the materials you have on hand, complete with illustrations. I may never need to use that information, but should I find myself in a situation where I do, I’ll certainly be glad I picked up a copy of Survival Tips, Tricks and Traps by Wanda Priday and William Priday.