The Chest by Michael Robertson

Synopsis

Waking up in a hostile environment, paralyzed from the waist down, and unable to see any further than the end of his nose, James has to work out where he is and what the hell he's doing there.

Publisher: Self Published
Print length: 29 pages

Review
Format: Kindle (Kindle Unlimited)
I give The Chest 5 out of 5 Stars (I love it!)

Once again, Michael Robertson has blown me away! I read this book in one setting because once I started, I didn't want to stop. I had to find out how it ends. 

Like most readers, I made assumptions about what was going on and why the character found himself in the situation he did. All of my assumptions were wrong. I love stories that do that to me! 

The book is also very well-written. Robertson has a beautiful way with words... almost poetic, but without any pretentiousness. 

The ending is what sealed the "wow" deal for me: totally unexpected and meaningful. I recommend this book highly.

Buy The Chest on Amazon!


About the Author

Michael is a writer from the UK with several publications to his name both online and in print. He has recently won a competition with HarperCollins for his zombie short story 'In the Name of Science'. He writes because he needs to. He writes dystopian, sci-fi, and apocalyptic fiction. Crash is his first ebook release.

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Website: Michael Robertson

Gone Feral by Ted Nulty

Synopsis
A world wide chemical attack has left society in ruins. The chemicals used not only affect humans, but all mammals. The cannibalistic rage brought on by the toxin soon destroys almost everything man has built. 

In San Diego a group of survivors struggle to survive and rebuild. 

In Bemidji, Minnesota another group fights their way through ground zero, and then begins to fight back...with the help of a 12 year old boy. 

In Atlanta the CDC has been virtually destroyed, but a female Doctor is determined to find the answers everyone is looking for.

As these groups come together to deal with the catastrophe, they have to find a way to prevent the next attack, which will mean the end of them all.

Publisher: Self Published (July 25, 2014)
Print Length: 310 pages

Review
I obtained a copy of this book via Kindle Unlimited
I give Gone Feral 4 stars (I really like it)

Ted Nulty's Gone Feral is a unique take on zombies. First of all, I've never read a book in this genre where animals are infected and respond the same way people do to whatever agent turns them into cannibalistic beasts. I use the word "zombies" for lack of a better word, but his zombies aren't zombies in the traditional sense. They are scarier in many ways. I am not going to say why. I don't like spoilers.  

The characters in Gone Feral are a lot of fun. They're the kind of people I'd like to be friends with... especially since they are so well-prepared for any sort of catastrophe. There are a lot of characters, so it's important to keep up with them, but it's worth it. 

Ted Nulty seems to have a sense of humor, based on the dialogue and descriptions in the story. This makes the book even more fun to read. The humor comes across especially well with his main character, Mark.

My favorite character comes a little later in the story. He is a preteen feral killing machine (rhyme not intended there). Barry loses his whole family and ends up on his own for a while but becomes an unlikely hero. Mr. Nulty has just published his second book in the Gone Feral series called Barry's Walk. I'm looking forward to reading more about this character. 

There is a very strong militaristic theme in Gone Feral, which I like. For me, the drawback in this case is the amount of military-style dialogue found in the book. It was difficult for me to follow certain scenes because I had no idea what the characters were talking about. For readers with a military background, I'm sure this won't be an issue at all. I do hope the dialogue is more mainstream in Barry's Walk.

I am also going to point out that there are quite a few punctuation errors and capitalization issues in the book. This doesn't affect the rating I gave the book. I point it out with the hope Mr. Nulty will fix these issues because it is a great book and it deserves to look as professionally "polished" as the story is.

Buy Gone Feral from Amazon.


About the Author

Ted Nulty graduated from Coronado high school before attending Northern Arizona University on a "Seven year, drink beer" graduation program. Having never received a grade above a 'C' in English in high school, his life was changed when his first year English professor got him into creative writing and actually gave him an 'A'. After serving in the United States Marine Corps, he began a second career in Law Enforcement and then Private security. Having an entrepreneurial streak, Ted has invented several items and started several moderately successful businesses. A lifelong horror and zombie fan, he began writing Gone Feral in 2013. Discovering that the best cure for writers block is to have another book in the works to distract him. He began and completed his second book The Locker shortly thereafter. 

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E by Kate Wrath

Synopsis

A poignant tale of love and friendship in a world beyond hope… 

Outpost Three: a huddle of crumbling buildings choked by a concrete wall. Cracked pavement, rusted metal, splintering boards. Huge robotic Sentries police the streets, but the Ten Laws are broken every time one turns its back. 

Eden is determined, smart, and a born survivor. Stripped of her memories and dumped on the streets of the Outpost, slavers and starvation are only the beginning of her problems. A devastating conflict is coming that threatens to consume her world and tear her newfound family apart. 

Life is harsh. It makes no exceptions. Not even for the innocent. 

Publisher: Self Published
Print Length: 351 pages

Review
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair review. 
I give E 5 out of 5 stars (5 stars= I loved it)

Fans of dystopian fiction are in for a treat with Kate Wrath's E. The setting is dark and cruel, the characters are memorable, and the story is full of surprises.

I didn't know what to expect from this book. I read the synopsis and was interested in the description of the story and the setting. At the same time, I was concerned it was going to simply be a glittery romance novel with dark undertones. 

I discovered quickly that this story is anything but glittery. The characters are complex and well-developed. The main character, Eden, is smart and tough, but she also has her vulnerabilities.  She makes friends and enemies throughout the story, each one unique and important to plot. 

The futuristic world in which the story takes place is a frightening one, putting the characters in potentially deadly situations everyday. In this world, people must break laws and moral codes just to survive.  Food is scarce, the streets are unsafe, and those with power abuse it. Laws are enforced by robotic creatures who deal with suspected offenders violently and swiftly. All this adds up to a book that is hard to put down.

The story is written very well-- it's intelligent, fast-paced, and if there were any editing or proofreading problems, I didn't notice them. 

Kudos to Kate Wrath for an excellent story!

Purchase E on Amazon!

About the Author

Kate Wrath is a science fiction and fantasy author. The first book in her series, E, debuted in May 2014. The second book is anticipated later in the year.

Kate Wrath's Website
Read Kate's blog
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Mace of the Apocalypse by Dan Williams

Synopsis
Mace Marconi is a man haunted by his past. Operating as a bounty hunter in San Francisco, his life is slowly gaining meaning as he falls in love for the first time and becomes mentor to a lonely child. As things start to fall in place for him, a deadly toxin is released in the City's transit system, causing the dead to rise and rage against the living. 

When a man with anger issues and a dark past is compelled to fight for the very existence of mankind, all hell is gonna break loose!

Publisher: J Ellington Ashton Press (February 10, 2012)
Print Length: 338 pages

Review
I purchase this book from Amazon in Kindle format.
I give Mace of the Apocalypse 4 stars (4 stars= "I really like it")

As indicated by my star rating, I really like Dan William's first book in his Mace of the Apocalypse series. Most of the story takes place after a suicide bomber targets the transit system in San Francisco. The toxins released by the bomb cause people to turn into flesh eating, zombie-like creatures. The number of infected grows and soon, the world is overtaken.

I like the protagonists in the story. Mace is a man with a rough past. His girlfriend, Jade, is tough and smart. My favorite character is the priest who plays a pretty big role in the story. He is edgy and very likable. Some of the other survivors include a brother and sister and a single mom with a young daughter. 

There are also some very bad people in the story. These characters are actually scarier than the monsters created by the blast of the bombs. There is an ample supply of drugs and alcohol, no law enforcement, and a seemingly endless supply of weapons. All this brings out the worst in certain groups of people. 

The story starts with a bang and the action doesn't let up. I will definitely be reading to find out what happens next to Mace, Jade, and the rest of the survivors.

Purchase Mace of the Apocalypse on Amazon.




About the Author

Daniel J Williams grew up in the San Francisco Bay area. Some of his favorite activities as a kid included scaring the bejesus out of kids on Halloween, terrorizing neighbors playing doorbell-ditch, and excelling in the ultimate sport of Dodgeball. He somehow managed to score a business degree and wasted years toiling in the business world, writing technical sheets and marketing materials.

He finally realized what was missing in his life: Zombies! Spending several years working on his breakthrough novel, Mace of the Apocalypse, he then couldn't help himself and penned three more novels with the same characters in a continuation of the story.

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