The Swift

By: Ricky Dragoni

Narrated by: Steve Castello

Left behind after a military evacuation and separated from their families, the people of Storm Lake must decide what to do. Technology along everything else has mysteriously ceased to function. There are no answers, only questions and many tough decisions to be made.

As they search for help in the cornfields of rural Iowa, a deadly game of hunter and prey develops between them and the Swift. The Swift are mysterious and ruthless creatures who hunt to kill. They unexplainably appear after the event and mercilessly dispatch anyone who they encounter, while Coach Mike Larson, Levi, his pupil, and everyone else must hunt the Swift for sustenance and survival.

Go along this dark and twisted journey with Coach Mike Larson and Levi as they do the unimaginable to survive in this apocalyptic new world, all in hopes of one day reuniting with their families.

©2018 Ricky Dragoni (P)2018 Ricky Dragoni

Very captivating. Makes you wanna hear more.

I love this story and the way it's narrated. A story that makes you wonder, could it happen?

What a Ride

This book was a fantastic ride into the unknown but a story of survival at any cost. It’s not a story I would typically look for but I found it engaging and the writing so descriptive that you like you were there. I listened to the audible version the narration was so perfect for the story. The Swift is really about the fight within ourselves and the struggle to survive against all odds. Mr. Dragoni is a master storyteller.

Loved the story

This book flowed well and I loved the ending. The narrator kept us interested the whole road trip. We can't wait to hear more from Dragoni and Castello!

Excellent story from a new to me author!

Between Ricky's writing and Steve's narration, you are in for a treat.

Ricky Dragoni is new to me as an author and he did not disappoint. The story takes us on a journey where we meet Coach Mike and Levi both separated from their family when it all began. Lucky for them both they are not strangers.

In the beginning of the story, I listen, thinking, ok your normal struggling to find safety and sustenance dystopian read. Then you start learning about The Swift and you become intrigued, good, they're not being called Zombies, that's new. Then you get hit over the head with a sledgehammer at the end. The only complaint I have, is the story is too short! It flows well and wraps up nicely, I'm just greedy and wanted more.

Well-paced survival story with a worthwhile ending

This is both a review of the book and Audible audiobook. The narration is of very good quality, pronunciation is smooth, clear, and polished. Though I typically listened to this one at normal speed, I can verify that it's very possible to listen at higher speeds like 1.2x or 1.5x and still perfectly make out every detail. This book is on the shorter side, almost a novella, and about the same length as watching a longer than average film would be.

Which is fitting because (onto the book review now) the story line flows in a way that's similar to a fast-paced action flick. This is a dystopian tale about two people left behind to fend for themselves after an apocalypse wherein creatures called Swifts (similar to zombies, but different) lurk about and much of humanity has been evacuated into safe zones.

The main characters are Mike and Levi, a teacher and his student, desperate to get back to their families and traveling from place to place in search of food and fellow survivors. The story is told from the first person perspective of Mike. There is a lot of detail put toward his inner voice and reactions, putting the reader in his shoes to feel every harsh and frenzied moment of his struggle. Levi is in a fragile state and reminds Mike of his own children.

Mike's determination to protect Levi is endearing, but I was often left wishing Levi showed more personality early on and were a more interesting character. He does show more spark toward the end though. I also wish there had been more character development for other characters. Mike and Levi end up finding more groups of survivors but that's quite late into the book and the focus is still on the larger goal of just surviving from day-to-day. I do like single-character storylines or small casts of characters though, so it wasn't a big problem and Mike's death-defying journey is well-paced enough to be entertaining. Mike himself is a well-defined character.

Withing spoiling anything I'm just going to say the ending is really good. I was left startled by it. After enjoying a plethora of dystopian/survival media, I've never seen an ending quite like this one and it's a clever approach to this genre. There's some good re-read value in experiencing the story again, knowing some important details that the ending provides.

Disclaimer : I was provided a digital audiobook of this title in exchange for an honest review.