OUTBACK OUTBREAK by Frank Tayell

 4 out of 5 stars

On Amazon (universal link)
On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: I've read a lot of books by this author, so Amazon recommends others!

In a Nutshell: Beginning of zombie apocalypse, in Australian Outback.  

Frank Tayell has written extensively about the same zombie apocalypse, a main series (Suviving The Evacuation) that started about ten years ago and is up to Book 21, and the other related collections, set in different places.  Kind of like The Walking Dead with all its spin-offs!

This first book of the Surviving The Evacuation: Life Goes On series is set in Australia, in which a carpet salesman from Indiana called Pete Guinn goes on a mission to find his oddly elusive sister, where she works mending fences in the Outback.  The events of the first chapters were labelled as '18 hours before the outbreak', etc - the suspense building even though Pete didn't know it!  As well as breakdown of civilisation and the zombies, rich evil cartel type people provide Pete, Corrie and their friends yet more headaches.

I very much liked going back to the beginning of the apocalypse (I've only read up to about Book 8 of the original series), and enjoyed Pete's shock at the reality of trying to exist in the Outback, even before the zombies appear.  It's a good story and I did like it, but my interest waned with the original because the characters' conversations became too information-dump-ish, as though the dialogue is being used primarily as a vehicle for giving information to the reader, rather than as an expression of character, and I felt the same creeping in here.  This can result in the characters coming across a bit one-dimensional, or all speaking in the same 'voice'.  This wasn't the case in the earlier books (my review of Book 1, written 9 years ago, HERE).

Anyway, I still liked it!  Mr Tayell is a fine judge of pace, creator of plot, builder of suspense, etc - and, in case you ever read this, Frank, I laughed at this: He didn't know much about hotels, motels or any variation in between, but he knew carpet and the one beneath his feet was expensive.  A hard-wearing, two-ply, eighty per cent wool mix with a polyester coating to ease cleaning.  I used to know a chap who sold carpets, and he was not dissimilar.  We'd be watching telly and he'd point at the screen during a really dramatic scene, and say, "That's a nice bit of Worsted fibre bonded.  Made by Danflor, if I'm not mistaken'.

MOUNTAIN MAN: PREQUEL by Keith C Blackmore @KeithCB1

4.5 out of 5 stars

On Amazon UK
On Amazon.com
On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: I've read the rest of the series, so this one appeared to me on Amazon!

In a Nutshell: Prequel to the 5 book Mountain Man series - the outbreak

I was so pleased to discover this - the first Mountain Man book starts a while into the zombie apocalypse, so it was great to find out how Gus got to where he is in Book #1.  Also - and I am sure I am not alone here - I always find the most exciting part of any post apoc series to be the very start, when people think 'something is happening, but maybe it'll be okay' - then come to the slow realisation that it's the very opposite, and life as they know it was breaking down even as they were kidding themselves.

In this prequel we see Gus in his pre-zombie days as a painter (of the decorating sort), on an emergency job during what will be his last normal evening of his life.  We see the night turn to shit as he is stranded in a shopping mall with a couple of work friends and a bunch of random people, wanting only to get back to the woman he loves.

The main characters (Gus and his friend Toby, mostly) are well-rounded and realistic, and the dialogue is great.  During the first half of the book I felt certain parts could have been edited down a bit, or just given a bit more spit and polish, but as Gus's plight gains momentum in the second half of the book I no longer cared; the last thirty per cent, in particular, is riveting.  

I still think Books #1 - #3 are the best of this series, but I thoroughly enjoyed this one, too.  If you love zombie series, or any post apoc, I can't recommend this series too highly.  Definitely going to have a crack at some of Mr Blackmore's horror books, too :).

MAKE ME KING by Keith C Blackmore @KeithCB1

4.5 out of 5 stars

On Amazon UK
On Amazon.com

How I discovered this book:  Had read the rest of this series, so Amazon 'told' me when this one was out.

In a Nutshell: Book #5 of a zombie apocalypse series (Canada), but I'd say it stands up fairly well as a stand alone.

I read the first 4 books of this series some time ago and have a pretty lousy memory (I can't remember how book #4 turned out at all), but this was still fine to read on its own—however, I would most certainly recommend reading the first 3 books first, in particular, as they are a stunningly good example of their type, and steer away from many of the genre standards.

In Blackmore's post zombie apocalypse world, several years on, the 'mindless' have faded out... most of them, anyway.  All that's left is an empty world... or not so empty.  Gus, Scott and his friends are living on an island, but supplies must still be found.  Which is where the trouble starts.

I adored the first half of this book, with its sinister alternate chapters from the point of view of some bad guys - later, it features some of the best escape-from-zombies chapters I've read.  I was not so keen on the last 30-40%, which takes place in a bunker inside a mountain, because I could no longer picture it, despite there being much detail; a lot of this-happened-then-that-happened; scenes that would have worked brilliantly on screen but I didn't think translated so well to a book.  However, there were still some great plot developments, and it kept me reading.

If you like the horror end of the post apoc genre, I can't recommend Books #1 and #3 highly enough. 

BROKEN STORIES by Kate L Mary

5 out of 5 stars

7 short stories/novelettes: out-takes from the Broken World Zombie Apocalypse Series

On Amazon UK HERE
On Amazon.com HERE
On Goodreads HERE

I just spent a very happy happy two and a half hours reading these, a snip at 99p!

If you've finished the Broken World series and wish there was another book, or haven't read it yet and wonder if you're going to like it, this collection is a terrific introduction to it. 

Some of the stories are about characters we have already met or heard of in the series (such as Brady in Colorado, Vivian's father Roger, two of the girls who got out of the catastrophe at the Monte Carlo casino, and the girl down on Key West who was immune to the virus ~ you'll like the ending to that one, if you've already read the series!).  Others, though, are about people from different places: a girl in rural Oklahoma whose dad was a survivalist, another couple who had made the wrong decision to stay put in a city centre.  Roger was particularly well drawn; shades of Angus, but basically a bad guy, whereas Angus was basically good.

As with the other books in this series, there are a few editing and proofreading errors, but not enough to spoil my enjoyment; Kate Mary is a terrific storyteller.  I would have liked seven more, and hope that some day she will write another book in the series ... I want to know what happened to Brady, Jim, the people at Hope Springs, and some of the new people I met in these stories.  And I'm not finished with Viv and Axl yet! 

Definitely recommended.

Reviews for the 6 books in the BROKEN WORLD series can be found HERE

Review for TWISTED WORLD, the first in the 20-years-later series, is HERE

FORGOTTEN WORLD by Kate L Mary

5 out of 5 stars

The final book of a 6 part zombie apocalypse series

On Amazon UK HERE
On Amazon.com HERE
On Goodreads HERE

What makes a really good book?  These are some of the things: a believable plot, a pace that keeps you turning the pages, characters you feel you know, and care about, situations that affect your emotions.  Forgotten World has all of these; it's the best in this series.  

Vivian, Axl and the gang set out to get their one hope, the virus-immune Angus, to Atlanta, where the CDC are working on a cure.  The road trip is hazardous beyond their expectations, and people get lost on the way.  There were three instances in the second half of the book that actually made me cry - I mean real tears running down my cheeks and sniffing, not just a watery eye!  I can't say which they are or I'll give the plot away, though.  

There were some things about the book I was a bit disappointed with - not knowing what happened to a new favourite character, and the quick disposal of a menace who could have run and run.  And what about The Watchers?  So sinister - I wanted to know more!  Yes, there are editing errors, too - quite a few instances of the wrongly assigned dependent clause (eg, something like "Walking down the road, the bus ran me over" - if you don't know what's wrong with that, ask an editor!), the constant lack of the word 'of' after 'couple' (a couple years, a couple blankets) - fine when in Axl and Angus's dialogue, not so good in Vivian's narration.  Some basic proofreading errors, like backwards apostrophes.  But I'd still recommend this book to anyone who likes this genre; Amazon tells us that 5* means 'I loved it'.  I did, I loved this book, and I was so sad to say goodbye to the characters (especially the one we lost last!).   I think the series could have done with one more book, but I've just seen that Kate Mary has also produced 'Broken Stories', so perhaps some of my questions will be answered in that....  I've just downloaded it to start reading immediately!
  
BROKEN WORLD, the first in this series by Kate Mary is reviewed by me HERE, with links to my reviews of the other four books.  All have Amazon buy links.

NEW WORLD by Kate L Mary

4.5 out of 5 stars

Part 5 of Zombie Apocalypse Series

On Amazon UK HERE
On Amazon.com HERE
On Goodreads HERE

So there was me, with The Walking Dead withdrawal symptoms and in need of more zombie apocalypse stuff, when I remembered this series I'd meant to keep up with.  I re-read the first and the second, then decided to get this next one.  I have no longer got episode 4, Lost World, as I'd downloaded it on Kindle Unlimited, and I have a shocking memory, but, happily, most of the story made its way back into my head as I started reading this, and I discovered that it actually works okay as a stand alone, or near enough.

The two groups from Lost World are enduring their first zombie winter in snow-covered Colorado, and wondering what happened to their friends from whom they were separated.  One group is in a small community of about twelve, one in a much larger one, numbering about 200.  But, of course, with any community comes leadership wrangles that are only just beginning. And what will happen when the zombies thaw out?

It's never NOT a good time for a picture of Norman Reedus...

This is a cracking series, a real easy read if you like this sort of thing.  It's told from the points of view of ex stripper Vivian, redneck-with-a-heart Axl, former Hollywood actress Ginny, and her man, Jon.  The characterisation is excellent - I found a new one to love (Jim) and one to hate, too (Dax), and of course there are other worries for all survivors: sometimes the humans are more dangerous than the zombies.  I'm still not sure that Hope Springs holds the answer....

For anyone who's been reading these books, there are two sad losses, from the original group, one of which brought tears to my eyes. I have downloaded Book 6, Forgotten World, and am going to start it as soon as I have posted this!

Book one, BROKEN WORLD is reviewed HERE, with links to my reviews for other 3 books in the series, all with Amazon buy links.

SURVIVAL (Great Bitten Book 2) by Warren Fielding

4 out of 5 stars

Zombie Apocalypse

On Amazon UK HERE
On Amazon.com HERE

The prequel to this book, Outbreak, was the first of this genre I read, and I loved it ~ this was when I discovered that zombie apocalypse books aren't a load of childish comic book nonsense, but are all about the ways in which human nature reacts to the world turning upside down.  There is a link to my review, below.

I've since discovered through reading lots more post apocalyptic books (not all zombie orientated) that there are many plot standards, and Survival deals with one of them, ie, the discovery of a 'safe haven' community that turns out to be something other than is initially perceived.  Dawn Peers (Warren Fielding is the protagonist's name) has done a bit more with it than most, though.  The character of Warren is great, I could really get along with this guy!  All her characters are clearly defined, I could 'see' them all.  

Ms Peers is an excellent, sharp, insightful writer, she has so much of the basic storytelling knack, and this book didn't bore me for a moment; I'll definitely read the next one.  As far as the genre goes, it's got oodles of zombie stuff going on for people who like theirs packed with goo and gore, but enough of the character relationships/philosophical thought business, too.  I've only given it 4* rather than the 5* it could have had, though, because I felt it needed another redraft to tighten it up, and perhaps a final copy edit to get rid of the missing punctuation, occasional grammar error, and to add the occasional 'I said' or 'Rich said' in the long streams of dialogue; I had to trace back to see who was talking, several times.  A copy editor might also advise against calling two main characters Rich and Rick - that was seriously confusing.  

I'd most certainly recommend this book if you like this genre - and I'd love to see that final polish on the work of this writer, to do it justice. 

OUTBREAK (Great Bitten Book 1) by Warren Fielding reviewed HERE 

MR CLASSICAL by Warren Fielding reviewed HERE

LOST WORLD by Kate L Mary

4.2 out of 5 stars

Zombie apocalypse

On Amazon UK HERE
On Amazon.com HERE

Book 4 in the Broken World series ~ a bit better than 4 stars but not quite 4.5!

So many of the reviews for this series say that Kate Mary has borrowed much from The Walking Dead that I won't point out all the similarities; I thought at first that we had a guest appearance of Tyrion Lannister from Game of Thrones, too, aka Brady, the educated, articulate dwarf who can beat a man twice his size with verbal arrows, but he didn't turn out to be him after all, about which I was pleased!  But is Hope Springs as sinister as whatever-The-Governor's-community-was-called?  We will have to wait until Book 5 to find out!

Something the less positive reviews have failed to point out, though, is that there is a hell of a lot in this series that isn't TWD.  Daryl Dixon might be Ms Mary's ideal, but Axl in the Broken World series is very much his own man.  There are plenty of characters and situations that are the author's own invention, and very good they are too.  The love stuff isn't over the top in any of the books and the (very occasional) sexy bits aren't smut-for-the-sake-of-it, they're just real.  These books are not about zombies, they're about people.  And people fall in love, get jealous, feel insecure, argue - and do sex.  Vivian and Axl's relationship is too believable, too down to earth, for a moonlit kiss fading to asterisks!

 It never isn't a good time for a picture of Daryl Dixon...

 

I was disappointed not to have chapters from Axl's POV in this one, as in Book 3, but Hadley's story was a good diversion from the main one, and her 'voice' very different from Vivian's.  I enjoyed this book very much, and the scene at the end when we nearly lost a main character is terrific, so well done, the best I've read in these books so far.  The dialogue is great, the characters clear and easily identifiable, all the way through.

The Broken World series is not great literature, it's popular, easy read fiction, but that requires as much storytelling talent as any other sort, and Kate Mary has this in spades.  

Recommended for any fellow lovers of this genre, and I can't wait to read New World when it comes out in the summer!

Book 1, Broken World is reviewed HERE, with links to my reviews of books 2 & 3

SURVIVING THE EVACUATION Book 4: Unsafe Haven

5 out of 5 stars

Zombie apocalypse

On Amazon UK HERE 
On Amazon.com HERE

Now, that's more like it!  I loved this fourth episode in Frank Tayell's post apocalyptic world as much as the first one.   In Unsafe Haven the story goes back to the beginning and a completely new set of characters - single mother Nilda, her thirteen year old son, Jay, and her neighbour Sebastian.  To say any more would be to give the plot away, but suffice to say it's every bit as gripping as the original story about Bill.  

We follow Nilda through her ideas and plans for survival and trying to get a community together, through the inevitable realisation of the hopelessness of it all, and her pain as she loses people.  During this story we also get glimpses of another character, Chester.... and find out the identity of Sam, the man Bill was signalling from his window and who he thought had left him alone.  

If you enjoy stories of survival against all odds as much as I do, you'll really like this, too, and I love the way all the stories and characters begin to tie up, all the individuals from the four books coming together.  There are also a few thought provoking moments, about the nature of mankind and the question: is it just time for the species to end, and are all the survivors just clinging on to a metaphorical fast sinking ship?  Can't wait to read book five!

Only one tiny annoyance: English people using American speak.  For instance, saying they're operating 'out of' Anglesey, instead of 'from', and a middle-aged monk talking about being 'tasked' to do things.  Made my pedantic side go grrr, but I suppose doesn't really matter that much - this makes no pretence at being great literature!

Book 1: London reviewed HERE 

Book 2: Wasteland reviewed HERE 

Book 3: Family reviewed HERE

SURVIVING THE EVACUATION Book 3: Family by Frank Tayell

4 out of 5 stars

Zombie apocalypse

On Amazon UK HERE
On Amazon.com HERE

.... and so it continues.  Episode three sees the removal of those who had double-crossed Bill and Kim, and the reunion with those for whom they'd been searching, together with the journey to the beach in Wales where Sholto is sure lies the beginning of their rescue.  

This was a mixed one for me.  I read the free short story, in which we are introduced to George Tull, the (relatively) young and sprightly resident of an old peoples' home.  This story takes place just as the outbreak starts, and is very, very good - go read it!  Some of the conspiracy uncovering and resolving stuff I found a little bit too outlandish, coincidental and not in keeping with the realism of the rest of it (if talking about realism when referring to a zombie apocalypse novel doesn't seem too daft), and also a little information-heavy; George didn't seem to bear much relation to the old chap I'd met in the short story.  There was too much long conversation which was all there just to impart the background and subsequent cover-ups to the reader, it wasn't that interesting to read.  

However!  There were also some splendid bits.  There's a truly shocking episode around the middle, when the group have come through a fairly zombie-free few miles, only to look over a hill into the abyss - literally millions of them, all on a shambling march to nowhere.  I won't say how they hide from them because it'll spoil it if you read it, but the descriptions of this, their escape and how the horde of moving undead turn the countryside into something like the face of the moon were so good I read it twice.  There's also a balloon ride that I read twice, too, and I loved some of Bill's thoughts about the world and the situation they were in.  

To sum up - some bits were a bit tedious, but I still really liked it, and am still going to start book 4.... now!


Book 1: London reviewed HERE

Book 2: Wasteland reviewed HERE

Book 4: Unsafe Haven reviewed HERE  

SURVIVING THE EVACUATION: Book 2: Wasteland by Frank Tayell

4.5 out of 5 stars

Zombie apocalypse

On Amazon UK HERE
On Amazon.com HERE

Yes, the second of the series read in 24 hours, too!  In which Bill Wright's leg gets better enough for him to move around a bit, he travels south, meets people, abandons old plans, makes new ones, gets betrayed, discovered - oh, look, it's another page turner, right?  Put it like this - husband and I were watching a good film and he fell asleep; I very quietly turned the sound down to low and picked up my Kindle so I could read as much of this as possible before he woke up again....!

Bill and Kim's experience is a lot more terrifying than in other zombie apoc books I've read, or indeed The Walking Dead.  In Frank Tayell's books there are hardly any survivors and a hell of a lot more zombies; I notice that each person who writes these stories has a slightly different take on how the infection spreads.

We discover more in this part about Sholto and the Prometheus project - all good stuff.  I found the ending a little bizarre, and not quite in keeping with the realism of the rest of the book, which is why I have knocked half a star off an otherwise fab second episode.  And I've already bought the other three.

Book 1: London is reviewed HERE

Book 3: Family is reviewed HERE

Book 4: Unsafe Haven is reviewed HERE  

SURVIVING THE EVACUATION: Book 1: London by Frank Tayell

5 out of 5 stars

Zombie apocalypse

On Amazon UK HERE
On Amazon.com HERE

Just read this in the space of 24 hours - it's not a very long novel, only just over long novella length, I think....  no, just looked at the blurb, it's 74K words long, must have seemed shorter because I was enjoying it so much!

This is the journal of Bill Wright, the man who was unlucky enough to break his leg just as the trouble started.  The first half of the book is taken up with his survival, hope and growing despair as he recuperates in his flat, the second half with his escape and attempt to find a place in which he can be safe and live some sort of life again.  Alongside all the day to day worries, though, he uncovers to the reader (and to himself) the real truth behind the outbreak and the 'evacuations'...  suffice to say I downloaded the next straight away and will start reading it as soon as I have posted this review!  

I'm fascinated by tales about survival against all odds, and think Frank Tayell has done a marvellous job of this.  It's a lot more intelligent and well written than many books in this genre that I've started and abandoned, and the pace of the first part is spot on.  I found the intricate details of Bill's ideas for day to day survival completely engrossing, and a round of applause for not just copying half the scenarios from The Walking Dead, 28 Days Later or Survivors; this actually paints a slightly different picture of such a disaster, and not one in which the protagonist keeps coming across groups of people who just happen to have all the skills necessary to survive in the new world, either.  Loved the conspiracy orientated bits, and I can't wait to read the truth about Lenham Hill.....

I'd definitely recommend this to any fans of this genre - and it's set in England, too!

Book 2: Wasteland reviewed HERE

Book 3: Family reviewed HERE 

Book 4: Unsafe Haven reviewed HERE

 

MR CLASSICAL by Warren Fielding

4 out of 5 stars

Zombie apocalypse, short story

On Amazon UK HERE
On Amazon.com HERE
 

I read the first novel in the Great Bitten series (Outbreak) and loved it (see below for link).  Mr Classical is the first of a series of long-short stories showcasing some of the individuals the protagonist of Great Bitten, Warren Fielding, meets on his quest to stay alive during a zombie apocalypse in southern England.  It's a really neat idea, showing how different people deal with the catastrophe, not necessarily the heroes of such stories who have all the bright ideas and manage to survive.

Monty is a conservative man who loves classical music and lives in a quiet apartment block alongside elderly, lone and similarly conservative neighbours.  The story starts as the terrible news breaks about what is happening throughout the country; Monty is waiting for his lover, Alec, and his only concern is that they should be together.  Mr Classical has a distinctly amusing side, as Monty comes up against denial about their situation amongst his co-residents, makes ill-advised plans for safety and comes to terms with certain truths about himself.

From 74% you can read the beginning of 'Great Bitten: Outbreak', which I highly recommend.  

I felt Mr Classical could do with a copy-edit and a final proofread to remove grammatical and punctuation errors, and perhaps a final re-draft to tighten it up, but the tale itself is very clever and unusual, sad and amusing in turn, and I am sure it will be enjoyed by all fans of this genre - and it has a nice little twist at the end, as all short stories should have!

GREAT BITTEN: Outbreak by Warren Fielding reviewed HERE 

GREAT BITTEN: Survival by Warren Fielding reviewed HERE