Book Review: The Gulf (The Pulse, 3) by Owen Garratt

Reviewed by Audrey Davis

An action-packed apocalyptic adventure that leaves readers hungry for more

When a massive solar flare hits the Earth, devastation comes along with it, especially because of the fires set off by various electrical grids and systems. Jack Broderick is stuck in Florida while this is happening, separated from his wife and sons, on what was supposed to be a business trip. 

Injured and beaten down but nowhere near discouraged, Jack faces everything in his path head-on and with vigor, including bandits, fires, and a hurricane. Striving to better himself and let go of some of his self-destructive tendencies, he must make the perilous journey to where he believes his family is, needing to ensure their safety and win back their good graces.   

“The fires released people from the constraints of civilization. Free of law, of punishment, and waving the justification banner of ‘survival,’ the law of the jungle reigned supreme. Verminous people swarmed from the margins to feed on the great carcass of society.”

Owen Garratt has delivered an action-packed, detail-rich sci-fi here. Jack is a trove of information regarding weaponry and anatomy, and this attention to detail lends itself well to the apocalyptic story’s realism as well as with reader engagement. And yet, it’s not only about the action and weapons. This is a character-driven tale as much as it is about the action; Jack’s story of personal growth throughout this journey is an important one for the continuation of this series.

Jack prioritizes helping others over helping himself, a high-quality attribute for our leading man on this type of quest. But this is detrimental for him and his trip too. He spends time fighting battles with warring locals instead of setting off toward the west coast. We’re met with the reality that Jack is too driven to help others in this new and cruel world, which allows us to ask the question: is this a flaw or a display of selflessness? Jack is a brave, intelligent protagonist readers will enjoy following.

This book is a whirlwind of sci-fi action and adventure that battles with the perils of apocalypse and natural disaster. Fans of survival dystopian stories, like Walking Dead (without the zombies), have a lot to like about this worthy installment.

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