Again, an excellent read. I don't know if it was the additional action, the shorter time period, or getting used to your writing style, but I did enjoy the second book a bit more than the first (probably a combination of all three).
I find myself constantly checking this world's "reality" against what I would expect to happen in typical "prepper-porn" type novels.
Having the Team help the little old lady was nice, and helps develop (or reinforce) their characters, but the stalled car was a very nice touch. 90% of fiction novels would have had a fire-fight in that scene (or the gas station before-hand), so it was nice to see that not every author feels the need to have a gun fight simply because his characters are carrying guns.
I felt like Grant's reaction to his gun fight was appropriate as well. No heroism or self-assuredness, but a lot of self-doubt, second-guessing and conflicting regrets. Just the way I would expect a real person to look back at the first time they found themselves in that awful situation.
I don't know if I can wrap my head around bugging out alone, without my wife and kids. Of course I have no idea how I would react, but in my head I don't think I would leave. I would stay in my home regardless of whether authorities would be looking for me... no way I would leave my wife or kids unprotected in that scenario. I don't know if I would use force to get them to come with me, but I would like to think I would have fought a lot harder than Grant did.
Even though I'm definitely not "tacti-cool" and I'm an older family man myself, I find myself identifying more with the Team and Pow than I do with Grant. I'm torn between whether I want the Team to rescue a bunch of "damsels in distress" type sorority chicks and end up all coupling up, or if that might be a little too predictable and start wandering dangerously close to Nora Roberts territory. :p
(As long as some fem-bot doesn't show up with an attitude and a crossbow I think I'll be alright with whatever happens.)
