Lonely Riders

Kyle and Elise have the perfect relationship: she has a respectable and well-paying job, he gets to stay home and work on his interests, and they complement each other with their old and kindred souls. On Valentine’s Day, Elise comes home with news that she’s lost her job; struggles with depression and substance use make this a troubling situation. When she turns to drugs to cope, Kyle accepts a stranger’s intriguing and mysterious job offer. With hopes to provide financially and emotionally, he jumps at the opportunity with good intentions and faith but doesn’t know what he’s gotten into before it’s too late. Prepped and ready to go, tasked with saving humankind from The Beast in a multidimensional and post-apocalyptic world, Kyle will make discoveries with lasting impact.

The author portrays characters in the story seemingly accurately as they undergo intense situations. The story realistically depicts the depth of strength and humility that an individual possesses with a certain level of love and passion found in and around them. The themes of love, passion, and justification are central throughout. Lonely Riders is a multi-read story due to the need to grasp the hidden details contained within and for the reader to process and decipher it all. The story will stick with the reader after the conclusion because of shock and curiosity. This reader’s interpretations of various scenes during the first read are understood now as inaccurate, based on information provided at the conclusion; however, trigger warnings about scenes being graphic in sexual and violent natures, foul language, and infant dangers are evident.

Some of this reader’s hesitations were personal, but the story as a whole, based on the genre, is written similarly to other psychological and post-apocalyptic stories. While reading, this reader noted confusion within timelines that felt disorienting, but after finishing the story and understanding the subliminal implications, all is good. This reader appreciates themes of family, commitment, resiliency, and overall betterment from Kyle (the main character) because of the alternate idea of men not displaying these crucial characteristics for relationships and well-being. The idea of a sequel wanders around this reader’s mind, as the ending seems to support this possibility, and a continued storyline in the sci-fi/post-apocalyptic genre isn’t uncommon; however, the possibility remains for the author’s decision to follow suit with similar authors and leave the “ever after” with the reader.

In sum, Lonely Riders is likely to be most appreciated by fans of men who don’t portray the typical outward masculinity but internally know what’s right and make things happen to get it done, in the name of love, destiny, and desire.