Something to Fight For (Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, Book 5) by W.J. Lundy

Synopsis

Brad and his team have returned to the United States only to find that the nation is as devastated as the rest of the world. The Primals are not the only threat to those who survived the outbreak. Hunger, disease, and other survivors are bigger problems to contend with. 

There seems to be a glimmer of hope, however, as Brad's team is enlisted to recover the key to developing a cure to the Primal virus. Time is not on their side as others seek the same objective. This is where loyalty and trust part ways, leaving the team questioning everything they have been fighting for.

Meanwhile, one soldier finds himself in the position of keeping the key to the cure protected at all costs.   

This is a Zombie War Story.

Publisher: PHALANX PRESS; 1 edition (December 10, 2014)
Print Length: 333 pages

Review
Five out of Five Stars (I would give it more, if it made sense to do so)
Purchase Something to Fight For on Amazon

When I read the very first book in this series by W.J. Lundy, I never expected it to gradually become my favorite zombie apocalypse series— there was some tough competition for that spot. Up until Something to Fight For, I considered the Whiskey Tango Foxtrot series one of my favorites. By the time I got half-way through this most recent installment, I knew that had changed.

Enough of my fangirling. I will tell you why I like Something to Fight For so much. First, of all the books in this series, this has the most depth; the characters continue to develop, the plot is becoming more intense, and there are some new, interesting characters added to the mix. 

Another reason I like this book so much has to do with the side story that is woven through the plot. The story of Brad and his crew eventually connects with this side story, and I can't help but hope Lundy follows up on this twist as he continues the series. 

What is the "side story" I'm referring to? Well, I don't want to give too much away, but it has to do with a former soldier who finds himself in the position of being the sole protector of a little girl. The story that follows the man and the little girl is both terrifying and endearing. Their story sucked me in and kept me thoroughly engaged to the point where I felt emotionally invested in the book.

W.J. Lundy's storytelling has gotten better with each new book and this one is no exception. I recommend this series highly to fans of zombie fiction, military fiction, horror, suspense, and anyone looking for a fun, excellent read.

About the Author 

W. J. Lundy is a still-serving Veteran of the U.S. Military with service in Afghanistan. He has over 14 years of combined service with the Army and Navy in Europe, the Balkans, and Southwest Asia. W.J. is an avid athlete, writer, backpacker, and shooting enthusiast. He currently resides with his wife and daughter in Central Michigan.

I developed the Whiskey Tango Foxtrot series from notes and ideas I had put together while deployed to Afghanistan. I had been jokingly asked how we would defend against a zombie attack. Escaping the Dead was written in a small spiral notebook and later clicked one key at a time into a word document once I arrived back home. At the success of the short story, the series was born.

All along, I wanted to tell a story that portrays the military that I know, the people I serve with, their characteristics, and something that shows our true, actual capabilities. These are my thoughts. I hope you enjoy them, and thank you for reading.

Follow W.J. Lundy on Facebook and Twitter.

Tales of the Forgotten (A Whiskey Tango Foxtrot Novel, Volume Two) by W.J. Lundy

Synopsis
The world is at war with the Primal Virus. Military forces across the globe have been recalled to defend the homelands as the virus spreads and decimates populations. 

Out on patrol and assigned to a remote base in Afghanistan, Staff Sergeant Brad Thompson’s unit was abandoned and left behind, alone and without contact. 

They survived and have built a refuge, but now they are forgotten. No contact with their families or commands. 

Brad makes a tough decision to leave the safety of his compound to try and make contact with the States, desperate to find rescue for his men. 

What he finds is worse than he could have ever predicted. 

This is a Zombie war story, The follow up to: Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (Escaping the Dead) 

Publisher: Phalanx Press (May 29th, 2014)
Print Length: 298 pages
Edited by Monique Happy

Review
Kindle version purchased on Amazon
I give Tales of the Forgotten 5 out of 5 Stars 

This book has been on my "to read" list ever since I finished the first book in this series. For a review of Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (Escaping the Dead), click here. Tales of the Forgotten is quite a bit longer than Escaping the Dead, but it didn't feel like it. It is one of those books I couldn't put down. 

I notice on Amazon that this edition is described as a "New Edited Version". I don't know what the previous version was like, but this one is flawless. I appreciate the professional "finish" of the book. If there were errors in spelling, punctuation, or grammar, I didn't notice them. I don't usually give a lower rating for books with those types of errors, but when I see a book without mistakes, it tells me that the author respects his or her readers and takes pride in his/her work.

I like the pacing of the story. It's fast, but not to the point where the action becomes unbelievable. As I said above, I couldn't put the book down. I carried my Kindle with me everywhere. I read while brushing my teeth, cooking dinner, watching TV... well, you get the idea. I was invested in the four central characters and wanted to keep track of them, hoping they would survive from one scene to the next.

I noticed something about the main character, Brad, that makes him different from most main characters in this type of story: he is not the "leader" of his group of survivors. He defers to his more experienced, higher ranking counterparts, Sean and Brooks. Brad learns from them and there is absolutely no ego on his part. I point this out only because I find it refreshing to have a main character in this type of scenario who isn't also the leader with a seemingly endless supply of knowledge and extraordinary skills.

I have a long "to read" list and lots of books in my Kindle that are getting dusty (virtually). I will not wait to read book number three in this series. I need to find out what happens next!

Do yourself a favor: read this series!

 
Click the links above to purchase books 1 & 2-- You won't regret it.

About the Author

W. J. Lundy is a still serving Veteran of the U.S. Military with service in Afghanistan. He has over 12 years of combined service with the Army and Navy in Europe, the Balkans and Southwest Asia. W.J. is an avid athlete, writer, backpacker and shooting enthusiast. He currently resides with his wife and daughter in Central Michigan.

I developed the Whiskey Tango Foxtrot series from notes and ideas I had put together while deployed to Afghanistan. I had been jokingly asked how we would defend against a zombie attack.

I wanted to tell a story that portrays the military that I know, that displays our actual capabilities. These are my thoughts, I hope you enjoy them, and thank you for reading.

Follow W.J. Lundy on Facebook and Twitter.

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, Volume One by W.J. Lundy

Synopsis
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot is an introduction into the apocalyptic world of Staff Sergeant Brad Thompson. 

The radio goes quiet while on convoy in Afghanistan, a lost patrol alone in the desert. With his unit and his home base destroyed, Staff Sergeant Brad Thompson suddenly finds himself isolated and in command of a small group of men trying to survive in the Afghan wasteland. The local population has been afflicted with an illness that turns them into rabid animals. They pursue him and his men at every corner and stop. Struggling to hold his team together and unite survivors, he must fight and evade his way to safety. 

Publisher: Phalanx Press (May 29, 2014)
79 pages
Editor: Monique Happy

Review
I gave Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, Volume One 5 out of 5 stars on Amazon and Goodreads.
The book was purchased as a Kindle Edition.

Words can't describe how happy I am to have found a new series to really get excited about! There are good books in this genre, and then there are the ones that stand out from the rest-- the ones that make me want to purchase all the books in the series in one shot and keep reading. 

W.J. Lundy's Whiskey Tango Foxtrot falls into the latter category. From page one, I was captivated and the story just gets better as it goes. There has only been one other series that has sparked this kind of enthusiasm right from the start. It's great to find another!

Lundy's characters are soldiers who find themselves stranded in Afghanistan when the zombie outbreak hits. With no way to communicate and absolutely no knowledge of what is happening, they must find a way to survive the first few days of the outbreak. There are some victories, but there are also great losses. Once they are somewhat settled into a safe location, the soldiers' focus turns to helping the small number of survivors they find in the city. 

I am impressed with Lundy's ability to build his main characters without going into a large amount of detail about them. There is so much action in the book, there isn't much room for an in-depth look into each character. I felt I got to know the main character, Brad, and a few of his fellow soldiers quite well through their actions and their interactions with each other. 

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot is very much a military story. Sometimes, these can become overly technical and may not appeal to the general population. This isn't the case here. As someone who does not have a military background, I never once felt lost in Lundy's use of military-related terminology.

What happens to these stranded American soldiers? Are they going to be able to return to the United States? If so, will they be returning to a nation that has been utterly destroyed as a result of the zombie outbreak? All these questions, and more, were bouncing around in this head of mine as I finished Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, Volume One. That left me with only one option: I had to have the next book in the series, Tales of the Forgotten. I can't wait to see what happens next!

If you found my review of this book helpful and decide to purchase it, I'd appreciate it if you would use the link above. Amazon throws a few pennies my way when purchased through my blog. Thank you! 

About the Author

W. J. Lundy is a still serving Veteran of the U.S. Military with service in Afghanistan. He has over 12 years of combined service with the Army and Navy in Europe, the Balkans and Southwest Asia. W.J. is an avid athlete, writer, backpacker and shooting enthusiast. He currently resides with his wife and daughter in Central Michigan.

I developed the Whiskey Tango Foxtrot series from notes and ideas I had put together while deployed to Afghanistan. I had been jokingly asked how we would defend against a zombie attack.

I wanted to tell a story that portrays the military that I know, that displays our actual capabilities. These are my thoughts, I hope you enjoy them, and thank you for reading.

Follow W.J. Lundy on Facebook and Twitter