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Joe Hart
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Cruel World Kindle Edition

by Joe Hart (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 1,245 ratings
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Hidden away from the world by his famous father, Quinn Kelly strives to find meaning in his life while struggling with a deformity that has kept him from leaving the only home he has ever known. On the eve of his departure a sudden and deadly virus sweeps across the nation, killing nearly all it touches. Within days Quinn is left to fend for himself in an empty world.

But there is something still very much alive beyond the walls of his sanctuary, its malicious intent clear all too soon.

Joining forces with a young single mother and her blind son, Quinn must cross a dangerous and silent America in the search for refuge and a truth that may shatter his sanity and strip him of the last things he holds dear.
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  1. Print length
    258 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publication date
    December 2, 2014
  5. File size
    4013 KB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  9. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Joe Hart is one of the most exciting and consistently entertaining horror writers to come along in years. If you haven't yet read his work, I'd advise you to rectify that oversight posthaste. Trust me, you'll be glad you did. Hart's is an old-school sensibility with a modern twist, and anything he writes is well worth reading." - Kealan Patrick Burke, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of The Turtle Boy and Kin.

About the Author

Wall Street Journal bestselling author Joe Hart is the author of eleven novels that include The River Is Dark, Lineage, EverFall, and the highly acclaimed Dominion Trilogy. When not writing, he enjoys reading, exercising, exploring the great outdoors, and watching movies with his family. For more information on his upcoming novels and access to his blog, visit www.joehartbooks.com.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00P50N8UO
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Black Spine Books (December 2, 2014)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 2, 2014
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 4013 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 258 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 1,245 ratings

About the author

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Joe Hart

Joe Hart

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Joe Hart is the Edgar Award winning and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of fifteen novels that include The River Is Dark, Obscura, The Last Girl, and Or Else. He lives with his family in Minnesota. For more information on his upcoming novels and access to his blog, visit www.joehartbooks.com.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
1,245 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Cheryl
5.0 out of 5 stars I couldn’t put this down!
Reviewed in the United States on January 18, 2024
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This book was amazing and well written. I loved it! It kept me intrigued from the first page to the last! A must read!
One person found this helpful
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ProggAxxe
4.0 out of 5 stars Exciting but plot holes can be distracting
Reviewed in the United States on May 5, 2023
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(Minor spoilers)
The virus spreads evenly around the world literally overnight?
No HAM radio? GPS works but all other satellite telecommunications are unavailable or inaccessible?
The mutants are huge relative to humans, but no space is too narrow for them to access when pursuing prey?
A few soldiers survive on the army base. Presumably they were outnumbered by refugees, but all of the refugees are dead? Statistically, shouldn't some of them have been immune too?
A clan of brutal degenerates were on an identical quest the whole time, and made it to their destination despite traveling as a big noisy convoy?

Joe Hart is a promising writer. I know it sounds condescending, since he's written so much already and I'm just a reader. But it feels like he settles on a good idea or two as a premise without following through. The final mystery here, like in OBSCURA, is rushed and anticlimactic relative to the compelling worldbuilding and journey that brings us to the climactic revelations. I am definitely a fan and hope he continues to branch into sci-fi.

Still giving four stars because it has a LOT of thrilling action and surprises and the characters including were original and interesting, though making the kid blind was a bit much survival-wise and on-the-nose narratively, even given all the plot armor our heroes have. (Every other good person is a red shirt. For example, from the moment we meet her, we know Collincz wasn't going to survive to join the group.)
2 people found this helpful
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Cheryl Stout
5.0 out of 5 stars “I’d bet on Armageddon before the government any day.”
Reviewed in the United States on December 15, 2016
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I enjoy Joe Hart's style of writing - a lot. I've made some time for myself for a Joe Hart reading marathon and CRUEL WORLD is the first book I'm reading (although it's not the first of his books I've read).

Post-apocalyptic or dystopian or zombie novels are all my favorite reading genres right now and this book is one of the better examples I've read that fits all three.

Quinn Kelly was born with severe facial deformities - a genetic condition called Fibrous Dysplasia. His mother left when he was young and his father is James Kelly, a famous movie actor. They live with staff members on an isolated estate in Maine, which Quinn has NEVER left.

Fast forward a few years and a flu pandemic decimated the world's population. And Quinn finally leaves all he's familiar with, immune to the killer virus.

Hart created quite a scary world within the pages of this story, with totally believable, fleshed-out characters.

I won't go into any more details in this review. Readers should experience the impact of this book on their own.

But I enjoyed it very much and I especially appreciate that it's a standalone novel (I just don't find enough non-series books anymore, at least in my opinion) and author Hart told his full scary tale within the pages of this book. I also liked having an epilogue.

Super characters, imaginative world building and all the loose ends tied up without a cliffhanger. I'm a happy reader.
11 people found this helpful
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Irene B
5.0 out of 5 stars excellent, as always!
Reviewed in the United States on December 23, 2014
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I first read one of Joe's books at the recommendation of a friend. It was good and I kept reading. Then I found out my son went to school with Joe so he's a "local boy", which I am always willing to support. But in just the short time I've been reading Joe's work, he's already grown by leaps and bounds. I started with his short stories and now he's doing full length novels, and I'm buying his books as soon as they come out because he just plain rocks! He has moved to my short list of must read authors with Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Charlaine Harris, Jana DeLeon and a couple others.
Joe's characters are people you can relate to. They're always different in some bizarre way but Joe makes them real. The situations they find themselves in are fantastic but somehow believable.
Cruel World is about a man who's been secluded his whole life because of a disfigurement, and is suddenly forced out into the world after a disease wipes out everyone he knows. He meets up with a young mother and her son also trying to survive in very frightening circumstances.
One person found this helpful
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Mistina
4.0 out of 5 stars Good
Reviewed in the United States on December 29, 2023
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Premise is a little out there but it’s a fun story with good characters. I liked it even tho it has the requisite crazy evil bad guys which I hate but there’s plenty of action and excitement. And a dog! Definitely one of the better ones.
One person found this helpful
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Joelle L. Roux
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic, Read
Reviewed in the United States on August 23, 2023
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I don’t normally do reviews, I normally just give stars. And this case, I just wanted to say what are enjoyable story this was. I couldn’t put the book down and Literally read it in one day. I Will be reading more of your books. Thank you for the entertainment.
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Amazon Customer
3.0 out of 5 stars Is it weird to give it three stars and say I loved it?
Reviewed in the United States on December 30, 2019
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I have recently read two sci-fi works by this author and given them 5 stars. This book was nowhere as original or well written, and fell prey to almost every post apocalyptic zombie horror cliche, combined with a million impossibly unlikely scenarios. All that being said, I don't regret reading it for a second! The main characters are very sympathetic, the pacing is certainly exciting, and it's fun to see where this now polished author cut his teeth. I doubt there will be a sequel, but I would read it.
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AstraDaemon
5.0 out of 5 stars One of Hart's Best Stories
Reviewed in the United States on November 1, 2020
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CRUEL WORLD by Joe Hart is very original outbreak story. Nothing could prepare me for the mutations. Quinn's facial deformities seem so trivial compared to the transformation of the living infected. While the setup takes up a fourth of the novel, once the action kicks, the various threats Quinn must face are terrifying.

There are so many revelations towards the end of the story, I worried Quinn's journey might require a sequel, but Hart delivers a final destination for young man's trip through hell.

I love the variety of characters throughout the book, particularly the two survivors Quinn travels with. The differences in appearances and personalities provides plenty of thrilling and emotional moments throughout this novel.

I recommend this one to all fiction readers.
3 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Fan-bloody-tastic!!!!
Reviewed in Canada on December 4, 2014
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..and that's all I have to say. Do yourself a "good thing" and buy this book. Thanks to the author and I truly hope there's a Book 2!! Just fantastic. Read it and you'll get what I'm saying.
One person found this helpful
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Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Addiction
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 6, 2016
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I could not put this book down,it kept me completely gripped from start to end! I rated this a 5 star as I think it truly deserves it, it made me think ' what if I were in that position, where would I run,where would I hide, I don't think I would survive a world like that I wouldn't be strong enough. Thank you for a very good read.
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Jill Smith
5.0 out of 5 stars Never a dull moment in it
Reviewed in Australia on March 19, 2016
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Very exciting, fast paced reading. Never a dull moment in it. Did not want to put it down. Loved it from beginning to end.
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Frosty
3.0 out of 5 stars A fun read
Reviewed in Australia on September 25, 2018
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It was an exciting fast-paced read with an interesting variation to the usual zombie-like theme. The first half was pretty good, the second half a bit more tedious with the sheer number of times they get caught and then manage to escape. The ending felt rushed and a bit anti-climatic.
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Miss Missy
4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable post apocalyptic read with a difference!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 16, 2015
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I really enjoyed this read about Quinn, a young man who is the son of a famous actor, but who has been in hiding due to his facial deformities. The book starts a little slow as we learn about Quinn's background and his life in the house his father has kept him at, but once the disease starts wiping people out, it picks up pace! There is a love interest - a young woman with a son who is blind - and the relationship that develops between both her and Quinn, and Quinn and her son, is believable and touching. The disease itself is something original - those infected either melt into a puddle of goo, or grow into huge, man eating stilts! Perhaps I did have to suspend my belief a little, but I enjoyed the explanation, which comes later in the book. As with many post apocalyptic books, the main danger the pair had to face came from those who were left behind, but the stilts had their scary moments too! Recommended for all fans of this genre.
2 people found this helpful
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