Posts Tagged ‘apocalypse’

Book review – Surviving the Evacuation : Frank Tayell, books 4 and 5

Posted: August 10, 2015 in Book reviews
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Surviving_Evacuation4I’ve previous reviewed books in this series, having already read and reviewed book 1-3.

These latest book books have some new and some old characters in it. Book 4 starts with a new lead character, Nilda. When the evacuation is announced she decides to stay in her small town with her son.

The start of this book would feel a little rushed and a little glossed over if you hadn’t read the previous books. There’s not a lot of depth and detail around the events leading up to the evacuation but as part of a series I guess that doesn’t matter too much. I think you could also read this as a standalone book too.

Survivng_Evacuation5It’s a really good book with likeable characters and enough depth to the main characters. It features mainly on Nilda and along the way she meets up with a few characters from the other books in the series. You feel that Nilda is believable in her thoughts and actions and that the resources available to her are believable. Too many books I have read, have main characters that just happen to have a bazooka in their back garden! Book 5 follows on nicely where 4 leaves off. I won’t do any spoilers, but as the title suggests, there is a reunion. The newer characters from book 4 meet up and so do some from the previous books as they move towards London.

I really like this series. I like the fact that it’s set in the UK which makes it completely different from the multitude of zombie apocalypse books set in North America. There’s a more claustrophobic feel and it’s not all gung-ho guns!

I’ve just spotted that book 6 is now out, so I’d better crack on with reading my current book and get it downloaded onto my Kindle!

A Shrouded World – Whistlers : A Jack Walker & Michael Talbot Adventure

Posted: February 13, 2015 in Book reviews
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Shrouded World bookThis is a collaboration between Mark Tufo and John O’Brien.

As you know I’ve been a big fan of Mark Tufo books for a while, especially the Zombie Fallout series, so when I saw this I thought I’d better give it a read.

It was quite an odd start. The chapters of the book are split into the story from each character. So one chapter would be Mike and the next chapter would be Jack. Actually it seemed odd at first, but worked really well. Talbot was an old friend, but Jack was some new interloper, so this brought him into ‘my’ story quite well and filled in a bit more information about him.

The chapters are pretty much a parallel story of both main characters and how they are dealing with being dropped into this new, strange world – I don’t think I’m creating any spoilers by saying that. Also, I don’t think it’s going to be a spoiler to say that their paths cross?

Oh, how could I omit this from my review? Mike doesn’t just land in this new world, he crashes there with an old Zombie Fallout favourite – John the Tripper. If anything he’s trippier than ever in this book. The way his character progresses in this book kind of reminds me of how Tommy’s character evolved in the early books. Instead of producing Pop Tarts out fo thin air, Tripper seems to be able to produce something a little more intoxicating 🙂 It’s kind of sweet and funny and, yeah a but weird. But we like weird, eh?

There are elements from both the character’s original worlds, but also some new frightening elements that they need to work out. I don’t want to give too much away but there are zombies and there all also night runners, and a something else…

I really liked the storyline and love how the characters interacted.  Both are very strong characters but it seemd to work very well. The authors clearly had a good time writing this collaboration and it shines through. I loved it and as it was left with a cliffhanger, I would imagine that there will be a sequel? I hope so as I’ll have it on my Kindle within seconds of the release!

As a footnote, this book prompted me to check out John O’brien’s series – I finished them all one after the other. Although not strictly zombies, I’ll write up a review shortly…

Book Review – The Wanderer by David Anderson

Posted: September 5, 2014 in Book reviews
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The WandererOK, I admit it. This isn’t a zombie book but it IS a post-apocalyptic book. There aren’t any zombies in it, but the landscape is similar and to be honest the humans are as bad as zombies in most zombie books.

This book is set about 5 years after a virus has wiped out virtually all of the population. The book is centred around a boy, who is around 15. His parents died during the outbreak and he has been pretty much alone since. He spends his days wandering around his hometown.

No information about where the town is, or his exact age, or his name is given. It;s clearly the UK, but could be any city/town. It all adds to the feeling that the world we know ended 5 years ago. It really sets the scene to say that anything that happened before just doesn’t matter anymore. Oer the years of living alone and wandering through his town he has become very used to his existence and almost scared of change. The routine is probably what keeps him going and keeps him sane.

Something happens that jolts him out of this, erm I was going to say ‘cosy existence’ but that’s clearly not right in a  post-apocalyptic world… anyway, something happens that has the potential to completely change his existence, if he follows it. After 5 years of being alone in his own little (dead) world that could be quite a wrench.

I really liked this book and I had to admit I only spent 99p on it. Very well worth this tiny sum of money!

I know it’s not zombies, but go on and give it a try. Bits of the book will stay with you…

Book Review – Surviving the Evacuation by Frank Tayell

Posted: September 2, 2014 in Book reviews
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Surviving the Evacuation bookI came across this whilst looking for a new zombie book to read, after having a bit of a break and reading some sci-fi. It was on my Kindle Owners Library list to borrow for free. Yeah, I know that isn’t always a good recommendation…I had a quick look at the blurb and thought I’d give it a try – mainly because it said it was set in the UK. I’ve read all three books in the series now:

  • Surviving the Evacuation: London
  • Survivng the Evacuation: Wasteland
  • Surviving the Evacuation: Family

OK, I’ve read all 3 books so it can’t have been too bad? Yeah, actually that’s about right.

The first book starts quite slow really and is based on the diary of Bill. As the outbreak, which started in New York, escalates and Britain is quarranined, Bill breaks his leg and is confined to his home. At first he has regular contact with the outside world via his friend Jennifer who is an MP. Then the evacuation starts and he is alone. Then the power  goes out and the streets start to fill with zombies. He realises that he must leave as soons as his cast can come off.

I hope I’m not spoiling too much by saying that he does leave his house, otherwise there wouldn’t really be books2 and 3….

It’s a series of books that is really easy to get along with as it’s based around a fairly small cast. Bill’s quite troubled (I won’t say why) but he’s quite a likeable character. Kim’s pretty ballsy and it’s not that unusual to have children in a zombie book, but these books include a baby too. Quite cool when you consider how much noise a baby makes!

This review is for all three books and I have to say the writing is strong throughout and I found myself wanting to know what was going to happen next. There’s a few twists in there but theywould be complete spoilers if I mention any of them. I did find one of the twists a little bit hard to swallow, but went with it and the extra character fitted well.

I quite like the way it is lead by the journal, which means it’smainly seen from one person’s point of view. I liked the way the story unfolded and they way it dealt with zombie encounters. It’s not a graphic “eat ’em up” book but much more about the situation and the people. It’s also very refreshing reading a UK-based zombie book 🙂

I would deffo recommend it. Such good value too!

Book review – Sawkill Stories by Matt Fitzgerald

Posted: September 12, 2013 in Book reviews
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Sawkill StoriesThis review includes Sawkill, The Silver Tower and Cora. The Silver Tower and Cora are both short, standalone books.

The main character, Jessie, is working away from home and he misses calls from his wife Mauri. Jessie is 300 miles away in New Jersey from his wife in Massachusetts.

It transpires that an infection has started in Manhattan and during the 9 hours that Jessie has had his phone turned off, events have escalated. The virus hasn’t been contained and the system has completely broken down. Jessie needs to get back to his wife and kids, and there are hordes of zombies in the way, not to mention the US government wanting to cleanse te infected areas by dropping bombs… not an easy trip then?

I found myself not really liking Jessie. He’s some sort of Jason Bourne type character who seems perfectly at ease in killing anyone that gets in his way. He’s supposed to be the good guy in the book but acts more like the bad guy. I guess the writer is trying to show that he’s a guy that stepped up when needed, but he comes across as a bit of a sociopath.

Anyway, I won’t give any spoilers, which I’m sorry kind of leaves a shorter review. It’s certainly a rollercoaster of action, some of which sometimes seems a little convenient, but it is a page turner. If you like a fast-paced action kind of book, this could be for you.

Now the Silver Tower is a twisted little story. It’s standalone but happens to be the same zombie apocalypse. Again delving too much into the story would give away too many spoilers. The Silver Tower is an exclusive high-rise condo where key staff pull down the shutter as the chaos outside starts to escalate. Let’s just say, it’s a short story to devour…

Cora is a more like a taster than a short story. It’s a about a man and his daughter. Again standalone but not too bad.

All in all, not a bad set of books. They are quite often on Amazon Prime, so well worth a read. Watch out for a few typos though. I also think there is a new book coming out.

The Reanimation of Edward Schuett – Derek J. Goodman

Posted: July 31, 2013 in Book reviews
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Reanimation of Edward ShuettAnother book from the Zombie Book of the Month list. I’d never come across it, but the blurb online sounded quite unusual so I thought I’d give it a go.

Wow, I’m so glad I did. What a great book and a more unusual take on a zombie novel.

The book starts off 50 years on from the Zombie Uprising. The USA has started to recover well and the cities are thriving again. Outside of the cities it’s still a different story. In 50 years, the zombies haven’t died, they have continued to mill around. Some of these small towns still collect zombies and have their own local zombie games. Edward is rounded up by a couple of these ‘collectors’.

The last thing Edwards remembers is a BBQ on the 4th of July and a zombie attack on his family. He has no memories of the last 50 years, but he can now think and talk and feel.

Some people react to him with horror, after all, he is still a zombies and a talking zombie is even more scary. Some want to capture him and experiment on him and try to turn him into a weapon. Whereas some people are simply curious and can see the human behind the zombie.

It really is a well-written story with well-rounded and interesting characters. As the book progresses, Edward’s story unfolds and he build relationships with many of the key characters. There’s also plenty of action, as there is a race across country when he goes on the run.

If you are a bit bored with the plethora of run of the mill zombies books and want something a little bit different, then this is the book for you – enjoy!

World War Z (zed or zee?)

Posted: June 18, 2013 in Film reviews, News
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World War ZI’ve just realised that I haven’t posted a review of one of my favourite books – World War Z. This isn’t just one of my favourite zombie books, but actually one of my favourite books.

I must post my book review 🙂

So, as you can probably guess, I have been beside myself waiting for this new movie to come out. Last year I was scouring the internet for trailers and the trailer really grabs you and make you want to watch the film. Here’s the official trailer –

Now this year there has been more information out about the film and it appears that it doesn’t really follow the book that well. The reviews have also started to come out now and they seem a bit mixed, although I’d say they are probably more towards positive rather than negative.

I’m terrible – if I’ve read the book and liked the book then I’m usually disappointed with the film. I love the World War Z trailers and I love the way the zombies are seen racing along like cockroaches. I really hope I like the film too.

I was all set for going and watching it on opening night here in the UK but just realised to due to other commitments I won’t be able to go and see it until next week. Can I hold out that long???

Book review – the Sovereign Spirit Saga (Voyage of the Dead) by David Forsyth

Posted: June 5, 2013 in Book reviews
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Voyage of the DeadThis review cover all 3 books currently in the series:

  • Voyage of the Dead
  • Flotilla of the Dead
  • Deluge of the Dead

This is a series that I’ve had on my Kindle wish list fr ages and ages and just not got around to downloading. When the Zombie Book of the Month club chose a book I’d already read, I though this was a good opportunity to download this trilogy and give it a read.

It’s the usual sort of zombie book but with the twist of the main character being on a luxury boat when the outbreak happens. The main character, Scott, won the lottery a little while ago and bought this boat and had it kitted out in luxury and with a whole load of ‘boys toys’ so that he could sail around the world with family and close friends. The outbreak occurred just as they were heading back to the USA.

Flotilla of the DeadEverything happens pretty quickly in the book and the guys on the Sovereign of the Seas are pretty far removed from the horror happening around the world. They encounter zombies when they go to rescue friends and family trapped on the mainland.

The books read really well, and through the three books they encounter more survivors including miliary, FBI, police, mayors and the press. Scott always seems one step ahead of everyone else and makes full use of all his boys toys stashed n the boat. In some case I found him a bit too clever and well-equipped. He always seemed to have just the right piece of equipment stashed away in the hold, or just happens to have a marine laboratory to help the scientists come up with a cure for the virus. There’s not enough of the usual struggle that you have in a zombie novel.

However, I really enjoyed the ‘Interlude in Hell’ sections in he first book. Carl is struggling to survive after his wife becomes a zombie. He manages to find his way to a power station and starts to have some good ideas around survival and finds himself leading a band of survivors. This is much more like the usual story of survival when all the odds are stacked against you.

Deluge of the DeadLater in the books, Carl meets up with Scott and they join forces. There’s a build up to them both getting together, so you know that it will eventually happen. To be honest, I thought Carl had made a pretty good base at the power station and had picked up groups of survivors along the way. I wasn’t sure he needed Scott.

The books are good read. They move at quite a pace. Some of the storyline can be anticipated but there are a few twists and surprises, especially with some of the characters that do die along the way.

The way the third book ended, it looks like the will be a fourth book coming along at some point, which I will definitely read!

Book Review – Sadie Walker is Stranded by Madeleine Roux

Posted: April 27, 2013 in Book reviews
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Sadie Wlaker is StrandedI downloaded this onto my Kindle as soon as I’d finished Allison Hewitt is trapped. I really enjoyed that book and wanted to read more by the author. Here’s my review – Allison Hewitt is Trapped.

I’ll tell you what, this book didn’t disappoint.

It’s the same zombie apocalypse but with different characters. Sadie isn’t Allison, but she does aspire to Allison’s story. Due to the blog Allison wrote in the fist book, she’s a bit of an underground celebrity. She doesn’t appear in this book though. This is Sadie’s story and about the people around her and the people she meets on her own story.

Sadie’s is in Seattle and it’s several months after the zombie outbreak. Seattle is vaguely functioning and is slowly starting to rebuild itself. Then an infected gets in and all hell breaks loose. Sadie’s and her nephew and friend escape on her friend’s uncle’s boat during the chaos. There’s a mixed bag of characters on the boat. I don’t think I’m giving anything anyway when I say that something (involving zombies of course) happens and they end up getting stranded on an island. I guess the clue is in the title… 🙂

This story ends up also being a bit of a whodunnit mystery as well as a zombie novel. There’s not as much zombie action as most zombie books but the series of events that happens on the island and then trying to unravel what’s happening makes for a very good read.

This is almost a standalone book too and not exactly a sequel to the first book. There is the occasional nod to the first book.

I really enjoyed it. I liked the new characters. All with their own backgrounds and secrets. I liked the way the story unravelled in the whodunnit style too.

I really hope there will be another book in the ‘series’!

Book review – Allison Hewitt is trapped by Madeleine Roux

Posted: April 20, 2013 in Book reviews
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Allison Hewitt is TrappedThis is a cracking book!

It cropped up in my suggested read on Amazon and the title of the book really pulled me in to have a read of the blurb and the reviews. I do love a quirky title!

I normally try and seek out the unpublished authors and quite like a bargain on price. Well this wasn’t on offer or anything but something about it just made me want to grab it. As I said on the opening sentence, it’s a cracking book.

The zombie apocalypse happens and completely ordinary Allison ends up trapped in the bookstore where she works part-time. She’s trapped in the employee break room with her boss, some colleagues and some customers. They have security cameras so can see a little of what’s going on outside. They have some food, but all snacks and pop (soda to American readers).

What Allison does have though is power and an internet connection. To hep keep her sanity she starts to blog. The story is written in a series of blogs, which work really well as chapters. Each blog entry also contains comments from her followers which gives an insight into what is happening around the world and outside the confines of Allison’s break room.

Allison is a brilliant character and you find her starting to take control and being the one the decided to venture out for food. She gels with some of the other characters but some of them are still just colleagues.

If I write much more about the storyline then I’ll start to give spoilers and I really don’t want to do that. There does come a point though where they need to look at moving from the safety, and the confines, of the bookstore. Much of the book focusses on this. It develops really well, especially Allison’s character. Things don;t go smoothly and sometimes the good guys don’t make it…..

Allison, hopefully with her beloved axe, is just the perosn I’d want to be trapped with in a zombie apocalypse!

As soon as I finished it, I looked for other books by the author and found Sadie Walker is Stranded, which I downloaded immediately. I’ve already finished it so a review of that will follow shortly….

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