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pumpkinspice_mustflow's review
2.0
I just don't know.. this is a very unique take on the genre, but I actually felt gross while reading it and couldn't bring myself to put it in the Little Free Library in case some young kid picked it up.
titania86's review
3.0
When they first see the little girl in the umbrella socks devouring a rottweiler, Chase Daniels and Typewriter John figure they are just having a bad trip and dismiss the horrible vision. They can no longer ignore it when it starts chasing after them, causing Type to kill the little monster. Chase freaks out, convinced they are going to be thrown in jail, but the streets are suspiciously empty. They finally realize what happened: the zombie apocalypse has finally happened. So of course these two worry about their meth habit before anything else and go find the Albino, their meth supplier. Through some dubious reasoning, Chase, John, the Albino, and Chase's ex KK discover that the meth is keeping them from being zombies. Together they have to ration the meth, make more, and fight off zombies and other humans in order to survive.
Fiend isn't the typical zombie novel and Chase is not a typical hero. He's kind of a fuck-up who has allowed meth to drive away his family, his friends, and his girlfriend. He and Typewriter didn't even realize the zombie apocalypse was going on because they were on a week long binge. Meth colors his life and ties everything together. The arrival of zombies doesn't change this and even exacerbates it after they discover the key to staying human and alive is in meth. The only real change the new zombified world brings is getting rid of law and creating a legitimate reason to stay on the drug. Because of Chase's dependence, he doesn't always think clearly or makes decisions based on his own needs and addictions rather than what would actually benefit everyone. He can get downright annoying and isn't even particularly likeable, but this is the hero we have.
The narrative is in the first person and follows Chase's weird stream of consciousness, going backward and forward in time and reflecting his bipolar-like moods as he goes from the joy of being high to the paranoia when drugs run low to the hell of craving more and everything in between. The dialog has no quotation marks, making it hard to tell who is speaking for even if Chase is thinking or talking aloud. It succeeds in making the reader feel off balance, a little confused, and a taste of how an altered state would feel. The descriptions are tactile, disgusting, and darkly comical from the zombies to the disturbing habits of the addicts.
As much as I liked the concept, the characters are painfully annoying. They are all drug addicts who one moment are creating a drug fueled utopia and the next stabbing each other in the back. It's realistic and accurate, but they just whined about their lives and then continually made the same bad decisions that ruined their lives in the first place. Every character is greedy and selfish, ready to screw each other over for a hit. I grew tired to them and they grated on nerves over the course of the novel. The only flaw I saw in the writing was the ridiculously abrupt ending. I turned the page expecting a new chapter and found it blank.
This novel has zombies, but the focus is on drug addiction. The zombies are slightly different because they laugh instead of moan, which is creep. They provided motivation for the story and drove the plot forward, but they aren't what makes the novel special. The gore in the novel is pretty spectacular and described in vivid detail. I would recommend this more for people into drug fiction rather than zombie books, but adventurous zombie fans might enjoy it.
Fiend isn't the typical zombie novel and Chase is not a typical hero. He's kind of a fuck-up who has allowed meth to drive away his family, his friends, and his girlfriend. He and Typewriter didn't even realize the zombie apocalypse was going on because they were on a week long binge. Meth colors his life and ties everything together. The arrival of zombies doesn't change this and even exacerbates it after they discover the key to staying human and alive is in meth. The only real change the new zombified world brings is getting rid of law and creating a legitimate reason to stay on the drug. Because of Chase's dependence, he doesn't always think clearly or makes decisions based on his own needs and addictions rather than what would actually benefit everyone. He can get downright annoying and isn't even particularly likeable, but this is the hero we have.
The narrative is in the first person and follows Chase's weird stream of consciousness, going backward and forward in time and reflecting his bipolar-like moods as he goes from the joy of being high to the paranoia when drugs run low to the hell of craving more and everything in between. The dialog has no quotation marks, making it hard to tell who is speaking for even if Chase is thinking or talking aloud. It succeeds in making the reader feel off balance, a little confused, and a taste of how an altered state would feel. The descriptions are tactile, disgusting, and darkly comical from the zombies to the disturbing habits of the addicts.
As much as I liked the concept, the characters are painfully annoying. They are all drug addicts who one moment are creating a drug fueled utopia and the next stabbing each other in the back. It's realistic and accurate, but they just whined about their lives and then continually made the same bad decisions that ruined their lives in the first place. Every character is greedy and selfish, ready to screw each other over for a hit. I grew tired to them and they grated on nerves over the course of the novel. The only flaw I saw in the writing was the ridiculously abrupt ending. I turned the page expecting a new chapter and found it blank.
This novel has zombies, but the focus is on drug addiction. The zombies are slightly different because they laugh instead of moan, which is creep. They provided motivation for the story and drove the plot forward, but they aren't what makes the novel special. The gore in the novel is pretty spectacular and described in vivid detail. I would recommend this more for people into drug fiction rather than zombie books, but adventurous zombie fans might enjoy it.
hayleyjayde's review
adventurous
dark
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
valdemarcavazos's review
4.0
Very interesting book and unlike anything I’ve ever read. From the beginning you know it this story will not end well for the characters so I wasn’t too put off by what was a very abrupt ending.
geekraver's review
3.0
Fun read. Stenson does a good job of getting into the head of his main character, and keeps things moving at a healthy clip. There were a few too many flashbacks, and he missed the opportunity to give the back story (and a credible explanation) for the characters in the final location, losing a star from what would have been a 4 star read otherwise.. It will be interesting to see what he writes next.
tsam426's review
4.0
*4.5
A very refreshing read about an apocalyptic zombie situation, whereas the survivors were those who are only druggies.
I love the writing. Usually a first person pov is kinda mehh to me but the way the author wrote it just seems so prefectly in line with the main character, I love how we get to know more about Chase with how he remembered things and not just going back in time to have flashbacks. Chase is an average person but an interesting one nonetheless.
The story is how you expect a zombie story would be, a gang of survivors, deaths and some conflicts with each other but this time with more an addiction problem to go with. How they're all so hooked up on meth above anything and how that came in to play in their group's conflicts. We also got to see how the addiction had effected their lifes, even before the apocalypse started and how it still effects them now and how much they struggle with it.
Sometimes, there these heartwarming moments of them just enjoying each other's company or bittersweet moments where they reminiscent their childhood or how things would've been different if they were better versions of themselves. It was such a nice thing to see and something I rarely found in stories that involves zombies.
The characters were all memorable, none of them are that likeable nor unlikeable (at least for me) and it's one of the reasons why I like about this book.
Overall, it was just such a fun and refreshing read. Really wished there was more of it tho.
A very refreshing read about an apocalyptic zombie situation, whereas the survivors were those who are only druggies.
I love the writing. Usually a first person pov is kinda mehh to me but the way the author wrote it just seems so prefectly in line with the main character, I love how we get to know more about Chase with how he remembered things and not just going back in time to have flashbacks. Chase is an average person but an interesting one nonetheless.
The story is how you expect a zombie story would be, a gang of survivors, deaths and some conflicts with each other but this time with more an addiction problem to go with. How they're all so hooked up on meth above anything and how that came in to play in their group's conflicts. We also got to see how the addiction had effected their lifes, even before the apocalypse started and how it still effects them now and how much they struggle with it.
Sometimes, there these heartwarming moments of them just enjoying each other's company or bittersweet moments where they reminiscent their childhood or how things would've been different if they were better versions of themselves. It was such a nice thing to see and something I rarely found in stories that involves zombies.
The characters were all memorable, none of them are that likeable nor unlikeable (at least for me) and it's one of the reasons why I like about this book.
Overall, it was just such a fun and refreshing read. Really wished there was more of it tho.
norma_cenva's review
4.0
Very unusual and memorable language and a great unique story. Great creepy read!
monty_reads's review
4.0
I sorta love Peter Stenson's Fiend even though it made me feel grimy and despondent and awful. It's an inventive take on the zombie genre, but it's also – I think, as a generally sober dude who can't speak with any authority on methamphetamine use – a critique of drug culture and the cost that comes with addiction.
In some ways it gives us what we expect from a zombie novel. One day, Chase and his best friend Typewriter, two long-time meth addicts, see a young girl rip out a dog's throat. With her teeth. Is this a drug-fueled hallucination? When she breaks into their squat and attacks them, it's clear it isn't. And as they escape and learn what's happened to the world, they begin to realize they're simultaneously lucky and doomed. In short, some sort of virus befell the world (or at least the United States or at least Minnesota, where Fiend is set). Some people died straightaway. Some reanimated as zombies. Apparently the only people to avoid either of those less-than-desirable fates are drug addicts. Chase doesn't arrive at a definitive answer for this – it's the apocalypse, duh – but his guess is that it has something to do with all the junk in their system essentially blocking them from the virus. The uncomfortable truth? Stay high or become a zombie.
The story tracks Chase and Typewriter's search to find a stable source for more meth; to find Chase's ex-girlfriend KK; and eventually to use a Minnesota prison as a place for refuge and – maybe – a cure. It's a fast-paced read that will satisfy casual horror readers as well as anyone out for something a little more allegorical.
A few things are crucial to Fiend's effectiveness:
1) It's a cool little spin on zombie folklore. For whatever reason, these zombies giggle uncontrollably. It doesn't sound like much, but think about it. You're in a darkened building searching for supplies. Your senses are amped. You're listening for any indication that you're not alone. Suddenly from out of the darkness you hear giggling. I don't care who you are – that shit's scary. Chase and his friends call them Chucks – short for Chucklers – and it's a subtle twist to the traditional zombie mythos that works really well.
2) As I read Fiend I couldn't help but be reminded of Nico Walker's Cherry. Both of them deal with addiction, both of them center on a protagonist who's an addict, both of them attempt to drop us into the addict's mind. Only Fiend works. As I mentioned in my review of Cherry, that book seemed a little too self-conscious, a little too satisfied with its own voice. It drew attention to itself. Chase, Fiend's main character, has a distinctive voice, but I didn't feel like Stenson wanted a pat on the back for capturing it. The message seemed to be: Chase is who he is, now let's get on with the story. Cherry had me rolling my eyes at the affectation; Fiend had me squirming at Chase's delusion and duplicity. It's not a book for people who need likable characters. Which is probably one reason why I loved it.
3) There's a clear and obvious comparison between Chase and the other addicts they encounter and the zombies. The subtext to all of this: who's really the undead? Yeah, the zombies are giggling monsters that feed on human flesh, but Chase is solely dependent on finding another score. He has nothing else. Even the human relationships he's forged pale in comparison. They matter to a certain degree, but unless he can find a reliable high, he's dead. I suppose on the surface it sounds a little trite – meth addicts are the walking dead – but Stenson doesn't deal in caricatures. Chase and Typewriter are relatable characters, and –
SPOILER ALERT
– Chase's reunion and eventual relationship with KK is poignant and heartbreaking. It's easy to want to view them as One-Dimensional Tweakers.™ But the book doesn't really work without us investing in Chase's ordeal. And the emphasis on these characters who find themselves lost in multiple, soul-shattering ways is kind of tragic.
Fiend is a horror novel before it's anything else. But thanks to Stenson's indelible voice and honest way of dealing with addiction, it also made me think of substance abuse in a way I never really had before. It'll be one of the best books I read this year.
In some ways it gives us what we expect from a zombie novel. One day, Chase and his best friend Typewriter, two long-time meth addicts, see a young girl rip out a dog's throat. With her teeth. Is this a drug-fueled hallucination? When she breaks into their squat and attacks them, it's clear it isn't. And as they escape and learn what's happened to the world, they begin to realize they're simultaneously lucky and doomed. In short, some sort of virus befell the world (or at least the United States or at least Minnesota, where Fiend is set). Some people died straightaway. Some reanimated as zombies. Apparently the only people to avoid either of those less-than-desirable fates are drug addicts. Chase doesn't arrive at a definitive answer for this – it's the apocalypse, duh – but his guess is that it has something to do with all the junk in their system essentially blocking them from the virus. The uncomfortable truth? Stay high or become a zombie.
The story tracks Chase and Typewriter's search to find a stable source for more meth; to find Chase's ex-girlfriend KK; and eventually to use a Minnesota prison as a place for refuge and – maybe – a cure. It's a fast-paced read that will satisfy casual horror readers as well as anyone out for something a little more allegorical.
A few things are crucial to Fiend's effectiveness:
1) It's a cool little spin on zombie folklore. For whatever reason, these zombies giggle uncontrollably. It doesn't sound like much, but think about it. You're in a darkened building searching for supplies. Your senses are amped. You're listening for any indication that you're not alone. Suddenly from out of the darkness you hear giggling. I don't care who you are – that shit's scary. Chase and his friends call them Chucks – short for Chucklers – and it's a subtle twist to the traditional zombie mythos that works really well.
2) As I read Fiend I couldn't help but be reminded of Nico Walker's Cherry. Both of them deal with addiction, both of them center on a protagonist who's an addict, both of them attempt to drop us into the addict's mind. Only Fiend works. As I mentioned in my review of Cherry, that book seemed a little too self-conscious, a little too satisfied with its own voice. It drew attention to itself. Chase, Fiend's main character, has a distinctive voice, but I didn't feel like Stenson wanted a pat on the back for capturing it. The message seemed to be: Chase is who he is, now let's get on with the story. Cherry had me rolling my eyes at the affectation; Fiend had me squirming at Chase's delusion and duplicity. It's not a book for people who need likable characters. Which is probably one reason why I loved it.
3) There's a clear and obvious comparison between Chase and the other addicts they encounter and the zombies. The subtext to all of this: who's really the undead? Yeah, the zombies are giggling monsters that feed on human flesh, but Chase is solely dependent on finding another score. He has nothing else. Even the human relationships he's forged pale in comparison. They matter to a certain degree, but unless he can find a reliable high, he's dead. I suppose on the surface it sounds a little trite – meth addicts are the walking dead – but Stenson doesn't deal in caricatures. Chase and Typewriter are relatable characters, and –
SPOILER ALERT
– Chase's reunion and eventual relationship with KK is poignant and heartbreaking. It's easy to want to view them as One-Dimensional Tweakers.™ But the book doesn't really work without us investing in Chase's ordeal. And the emphasis on these characters who find themselves lost in multiple, soul-shattering ways is kind of tragic.
Fiend is a horror novel before it's anything else. But thanks to Stenson's indelible voice and honest way of dealing with addiction, it also made me think of substance abuse in a way I never really had before. It'll be one of the best books I read this year.
snowstar280's review
3.0
I really wanted to like this book. Like really wanted to. The idea is awesome. Two guys wake up and find a girl eating a dog and realize that everyone is a zombie except for people addicted to meth. How cool is that? Except it didn't get there.
To be honest, it was cool that although there was a massive drug element to the story it didn't feel like it made drugs super awesome. No one liked that they were addicted to drugs and I liked that the characters had flaws. I enjoyed the interactions between all of the characters and how they all tried to not point out the flaws of each other. In that respect it was an interesting parallel to how culture often thinks of people addicted to drugs. They were respectful of each others journeys, even if they didn't agree with it.
The character development was also really good. It was not difficult to remember who each of the characters were or how they changed the story. The plot even moved well enough and kept going but not to the point where it was dragging.
My problem was the language. I like swearing and probably do it more often than I should. I was not offended by the language. What I hated was the fact that it seemed more to hinder the story than help it. It's fine if you want to swear and use crazy metaphors. But at the end of the day, I don't want to have to reread a paragraph 8 times trying to figure out what (if anything) was really just said. Rather than swearing to help a sentence there were 3 more swears than needed and no form of a coherent sentence.
But maybe that is how people addicted to meth speak. I've never been addicted to meth. I've also never been around zombies. Although I am pretty sure that at that point no one cares what you are saying, this was a book that I was trying to read and sometimes I had no idea what was happening, no matter how many times I read it. And that, for me, was a deal breaker.
*This book was given to me by Blogging for Books in exchange for a review
To be honest, it was cool that although there was a massive drug element to the story it didn't feel like it made drugs super awesome. No one liked that they were addicted to drugs and I liked that the characters had flaws. I enjoyed the interactions between all of the characters and how they all tried to not point out the flaws of each other. In that respect it was an interesting parallel to how culture often thinks of people addicted to drugs. They were respectful of each others journeys, even if they didn't agree with it.
The character development was also really good. It was not difficult to remember who each of the characters were or how they changed the story. The plot even moved well enough and kept going but not to the point where it was dragging.
My problem was the language. I like swearing and probably do it more often than I should. I was not offended by the language. What I hated was the fact that it seemed more to hinder the story than help it. It's fine if you want to swear and use crazy metaphors. But at the end of the day, I don't want to have to reread a paragraph 8 times trying to figure out what (if anything) was really just said. Rather than swearing to help a sentence there were 3 more swears than needed and no form of a coherent sentence.
But maybe that is how people addicted to meth speak. I've never been addicted to meth. I've also never been around zombies. Although I am pretty sure that at that point no one cares what you are saying, this was a book that I was trying to read and sometimes I had no idea what was happening, no matter how many times I read it. And that, for me, was a deal breaker.
*This book was given to me by Blogging for Books in exchange for a review