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shiny_'s review
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Generously, you could call this book 28 Days Later meets Dead Space with shades of War of the Worlds. But that would be awfully generous for what is a bog standard zombie apocalypse plot where our zombies resemble Dead Space's visceral, monstrous necromorphs instead of the usual cadavers.
Close encounters with the infected are easily the highlight of this book, Hawkins lavishing the mutated antagonists of his story with the lurid, disgusting descriptions they demand. He keeps the variety way up, no two mutants ever quite the same. But there's too much of a good thing in the end here - the book wound up feeling like a literal menagerie of horrors, each paraded by just long enough to get a good look at them before they're whisked back behind the curtain so another can emerge.
There's frankly not much else to say about this book. Those familiar with the genre will find nothing surprising, and the characters are practically cardboard cut-outs. You can probably guess the entire plot right now. Like the movies and games it resembles, though, that's not what you stick around for - it's seeing what grisly horror will pop out of the dark next.
Close encounters with the infected are easily the highlight of this book, Hawkins lavishing the mutated antagonists of his story with the lurid, disgusting descriptions they demand. He keeps the variety way up, no two mutants ever quite the same. But there's too much of a good thing in the end here - the book wound up feeling like a literal menagerie of horrors, each paraded by just long enough to get a good look at them before they're whisked back behind the curtain so another can emerge.
There's frankly not much else to say about this book. Those familiar with the genre will find nothing surprising, and the characters are practically cardboard cut-outs. You can probably guess the entire plot right now. Like the movies and games it resembles, though, that's not what you stick around for - it's seeing what grisly horror will pop out of the dark next.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Child death, Death of parent, Pandemic/Epidemic, Suicide, Violence, Body horror, Cannibalism, Death, Fatphobia, and Gore
Moderate: Sexual violence and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Alcohol, Trafficking, and Vomit
jstatt's review
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
As seems the way with all the Rich Hawkins books I've read this leans closer to traditional horror than it does lovecraftian. Which isn't to say its not a good horror book, its actually a really good zombie apocalypse story. That being said there aren't all that many truly lovecraftian aspects to the story.
This story is also very, very violent and depressing (something Rich Hawkins is very good at), its almost like The Road but set in a zombie apocalypse that makes 28 days later's zombies look cute and cuddly by comparison.
I found the characters not to be all that interesting. I did like some of them, Ralph and Frank especially, but for the most part they are just the view port with which the horrors and mayhem are portrayed to you through.
All in all I recommend the book to people who want a dark, scary, and depressing survival story, but not to someone who wants a real-deal lovecraftian horror.
Spoilers for the end --->To be honest I don't even know if I'll read the sequels, I suppose it depends on if it follows Joel, Anya and Florence or if it follows another group of survivors. I found Joel to be the least interesting character of the group and with Ralph and Frank dead I don't know interested I'd be in the rest of the story.
This story is also very, very violent and depressing (something Rich Hawkins is very good at), its almost like The Road but set in a zombie apocalypse that makes 28 days later's zombies look cute and cuddly by comparison.
I found the characters not to be all that interesting. I did like some of them, Ralph and Frank especially, but for the most part they are just the view port with which the horrors and mayhem are portrayed to you through.
All in all I recommend the book to people who want a dark, scary, and depressing survival story, but not to someone who wants a real-deal lovecraftian horror.
Spoilers for the end --->
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death of parent, Gore, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Cursing, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, and Suicidal thoughts
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