Every once in a while something you enjoy has a bad day. It doesn’t matter if its comics, books, movie franchises, your favourite television show… they all have the occasional bump.

It has to be expected.

When it comes down to the grind, the writers are the very heart and soul of ANY series. I don’t care how much you argue that it is the artist, the actors, what have you… they wouldn’t be needed without the writer.

And writers are, after all, only human and they too have bad days, or in the case of books, bad additions to a series they work for.

This is especially true when you are talking about a series that doesn’t involve revolving door writers, but one that is written by the actual creator.

I hate to say it, but the Savage Horde was just one of these books. To be honest, it was not one of the better novels in the series.

As usual, I will not give away any details with the exception of what one can read from the back of the novel. I hate to spoil things for people.

The Savage Horde has Natalia badly wounded, and as such it forces John T. Rourke on a mission to the ravaged west Coast. He’s travelling with the very man who nearly killed Natalia on a mission that could change the tide of the on going war between the U.S. 2 forces and the Soviet occupation.

Now, even though it’s been years since I’ve read the survivalist, I listened to the Graphic Audio adaptation of Survivalist 6: The Savage Hoard.

Now, the audio book was, as one would expect, to be top notch quality. As usual, the fine technicians, production staff and vocal cast did their usual bang up job. It was a joy to listen to.

However, a less than stellar book still comes across as less than stellar, no matter how much you doll it up.

The usual was there, the interaction between the characters, the friendship – and the need to find those close to ones heart.

There is also the ever present ominous feeling that something terrible is lurking just beyond the unseen horizon – something that the mission Rourke is undertaking has heavy interest in.

So, yes, it has everything that I would expect, including the tension. But one thing it actually had too much of was combat.

What is that you say? A men’s adventure series with too much combat? Well, I kid you not. It was overpowering!

I have a feeling that when Mr. Ahern originally wrote the novel he didn’t have too much in the way of a plot and needed serious filler for it.

Thus he turned to what seemed to be almost endless combat. Well, of course it only felt that way, but to be honest, it was way too over the top.  More background story could have been written when it came to the other characters, even the Soviets themselves.

So, I have to say that it wasn’t my favourite book thus far.

Still, it wasn’t a bad book, just average. So, as long as you’re a fan of the series, it’s worth picking up.

Just remember, one mediocre book out of six isn’t bad.

3 out of 5