Digging Around the Pandemic: The SwiftPad Extinction
S. Lee Barckmann
Barckwords Publishing (2020)
ISBN: 9781735251462
Reviewed by Amy Lignor for Reader Views (04/25)
After reading the first two incredible books in this trilogy (“Digging Up New Business” and “Digging the Golden Fungus”) I was overly anxious to read what I knew would be the mind-stopping end of the whole thing, “Digging Around the Pandemic.” And I was not disappointed.
This book allows all readers to travel with what should now have become some of their favorite literary characters to the ‘primeval’ forests located in the Oregon Coast Range, to the ever-so-cool spots making their home on the Mississippi River. It is the latter where the words and actions of others have created a tumultuous spot where, quite literally, the next Civil War to be fought in America will begin.
One of my personal faves, Kip “Chubby” Rehain (who is SwiftPad’s founder) is journeying though Alt-world, meeting up with the fear, terror, and panic that’s all around. A trail takes him across Asia, Siberia, and eventually to the very source of it all. Now, Chubby has more than one mission, but his main goal remains the same. He is trying to find GG, his business partner and former lover, by getting to the very core of the Leviathan. This is not easy, of course, considering that is the very spot where mega-hackers, a disease, and Mother Nature, herself, have combined to bring all humans into the next stage of existence…yes, even those that definitely do not want to go.
As a now avid reader of this author, I was able to gasp, laugh, be in fear, and have an absolute ball on a chapter-by-chapter basis. I loved watching Cadez escape from Portland, and I was thrilled to be offered a ‘seat’ on the plane to Memphis when Chubby flew there with Aldane. The action didn’t stop with Maggie, Nate and Sequoia also entering the adventure and heading directly to the Rehain Compound, where eventual disaster was nearing. Each and every chapter had me doing something new, even seeing and feeling the emotions that ran through characters (and myself) as the ‘last train’ ran out of Omsk.
As always, not wanting to release any spoilers, all this reviewer can say for certain is, “Start with Book 1!” Not only do you really need to in order to understand the adventure that will play out, but you should start there in order to not miss a second of the hard work and passion this particular author put into every single scene. Full of twists and turns, you will not be disappointed whatsoever! The only downside is the cool trilogy has come to a close. It will be interesting to see what comes next.
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