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Zombie Fallout #20
Shores of Despair
Michael Talbot and his crew are sailing happily along aboard their nuclear aircraft carrier, The USS Jimmy Carter, building an ideal community, saving the planet from zombies and madmen in ports far and wide and.... Nope. That's some other book. The gang's out to sea alright, but under the worst possible meaning of the phrase.
Vague rumors of budding discord now take an ugly, violent turn, pitting the squad against mutineers and malcontents from every sector, and some of the plotters are from Talbot's own House.
What's worse than a bloody uprising at sea? Zombies! Though command assures us they have everything under control, total Hell breaks loose as Colonel Eastman's secret pets mutate, escape, and wreak murderous havoc on all decks.
These new monsters are smart and nearly impossible to kill. The carrier and crew can no longer survive the brutal assault on it from both sides. Can The Talbot gang possibly overcome battling terrorists, super-zombies, and a hopelessly damaged ship?
As the Demi-Goddess Poena has been known to "Let's throw a hurricane down upon them."
Doomed, you say? Quite possibly.
Vague rumors of budding discord now take an ugly, violent turn, pitting the squad against mutineers and malcontents from every sector, and some of the plotters are from Talbot's own House.
What's worse than a bloody uprising at sea? Zombies! Though command assures us they have everything under control, total Hell breaks loose as Colonel Eastman's secret pets mutate, escape, and wreak murderous havoc on all decks.
These new monsters are smart and nearly impossible to kill. The carrier and crew can no longer survive the brutal assault on it from both sides. Can The Talbot gang possibly overcome battling terrorists, super-zombies, and a hopelessly damaged ship?
As the Demi-Goddess Poena has been known to "Let's throw a hurricane down upon them."
Doomed, you say? Quite possibly.
374 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 16, 2023
83 people are currently reading
197 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
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May 26, 2023Family
As strange as that sounds. Mike and the rest has started to feel like family. That is the kind of writer mark Tufo is. Be sides the laughing and I will admit to crying. But hopefully there is a 21. Also getting to meet new characters is a plus.
As strange as that sounds. Mike and the rest has started to feel like family. That is the kind of writer mark Tufo is. Be sides the laughing and I will admit to crying. But hopefully there is a 21. Also getting to meet new characters is a plus.
May 31, 2023
Another great story.
ZF 20 carries the every expanding tale onward and upward. This is setting up yet more adventures for the varied inhabitants of the Talbot verse. Mark is still going strong in this chapter, and I hope it's not a long wait until ZF 21!
ZF 20 carries the every expanding tale onward and upward. This is setting up yet more adventures for the varied inhabitants of the Talbot verse. Mark is still going strong in this chapter, and I hope it's not a long wait until ZF 21!
July 28, 2023
5 stars as per usual. I'll be waiting for the next impatiently lmao!
May 22, 2023
The Michael Talbot saga continues!
Tufo is an excellent writer who has many excellent series going. He still owes us an Indian Hill book to wrap that up. I like the alternative time lines. A really good read, as always!
Tufo is an excellent writer who has many excellent series going. He still owes us an Indian Hill book to wrap that up. I like the alternative time lines. A really good read, as always!
May 23, 2023
EXCELLENT!
Another great one in the series! Characters are like family now! Can’t wait for the Audible version to come out!
Another great one in the series! Characters are like family now! Can’t wait for the Audible version to come out!
May 21, 2023
Outstanding
It doesn't seem to matter how many books there are in this series, they just get better and better. I can't wait for more!
It doesn't seem to matter how many books there are in this series, they just get better and better. I can't wait for more!
October 25, 2023
WOW! Another excellent read!
I have loved this series since day 1, it was one of the first I started reading when I discovered that my favorite genre came in book form lol! Now these cliffhangers are killing me! I can't wait for the next one, again Mark Tufo has made me laugh, cry and get angry all in one book. I am looking forward to see where this adventure goes next and I am definitely not waiting patiently lol! 100% one of the best series I've read and highly recommend.
I have loved this series since day 1, it was one of the first I started reading when I discovered that my favorite genre came in book form lol! Now these cliffhangers are killing me! I can't wait for the next one, again Mark Tufo has made me laugh, cry and get angry all in one book. I am looking forward to see where this adventure goes next and I am definitely not waiting patiently lol! 100% one of the best series I've read and highly recommend.
June 9, 2023
My only issue with the zombie fall out series is that I devour these books way too fast and they are never never long enough. The right mix of family chosen family, terror and adventure!
April 24, 2026
Okay… yeah. This one was a letdown.
After how good the last two books were, I already kind of knew this was coming, and unfortunately, it did. We are right back to the same problem: nonstop fighting that just does not know when to end.
The best way I can describe it is like a comedy skit. It starts funny, it has a good idea, but then it just keeps going and going until you’re like… okay, this isn’t funny anymore, please stop. That’s exactly what this book feels like.
So we pick up right where we left off. Mike wakes up, tied up, and the ship has been taken over. And of course, the guy behind it all is the same principal Mike humiliated earlier by making him a janitor. And honestly, this is one of those moments where I’m like… Mike should have known better. He literally said before that janitors have access to everything, and then turns around and does that? That one kind of annoyed me.
From there, it’s just chaos. Half the ship is against them, and it turns into nonstop fighting. There’s even a whole part where Mike is tied up, and instead of figuring things out quickly, we get bathroom humor again. His thinking about peeing, what if he has to poop… like why is this still a thing 20 books in?
Eventually, he figures out he can communicate with Tommy, Tommy finds him, and they start trying to take the ship back. Then it becomes this messy situation of figuring out who’s on which side. The “bad guys” have smiley faces on their fingers, which is… whatever, we go with it.
One of Mike’s own team members ends up being on the wrong side, gets turned into a zombie, and her boyfriend has to kill her. That part was sad. Then everything escalates way too much.
We find out Eastman brought zombies onto the ship and was experimenting on them, so now we’ve got stronger, smarter zombies running around biting people to make more zombies. On top of that, the main bad guy has this button that activates capsules in people’s teeth and turns them instantly.
So now it’s:
Humans vs. humans,
Humans vs Zombies,
zombies making more zombies,
people choosing to turn into zombies…
And if that’s not enough, the ship is about to crash into Brazil, AND there’s a massive storm happening at the same time. It’s just too much. No breathing room, no pacing, just chaos piled on chaos.
And then the formula thing with BT’s baby happens, and it’s just… dumb. BT suddenly acts like Mike is the one pushing to go, when it’s literally his situation. And once again, Tommy gets pushed aside like he always does.
At this point, I finally understand why Tommy turns into a villain later. Mike constantly sidelines him while treating BT like he’s this amazing person, when most of the time he’s just complaining unless it affects him directly.
Now the part that really disappointed me…Azile, Wilkins, Mac, and Penver.
After how amazing that storyline was in the last two books, I was so excited for it. And what do we get? The same problem, just in a different place, nonstop fighting.
They’re running, fighting, escaping, fighting again. Over and over. And it just doesn’t stop. The dynamic that made that group so good in the last book is barely even there because they’re constantly in survival mode.
Penver betrays them again, goes back to McGowan, then comes back again, and they still take him back. At that point, it’s just frustrating. I actually liked his character, so seeing him betray them over and over again just made it worse.
Azile is clearly not as strong as the guy chasing her, and instead of that being something interesting to explore, it just turns into more fighting and running. Eventually, she forces everyone onto a yacht and basically says we’re done, we’re leaving, nothing is going to stop me from getting to Mike.
Mac is upset because he wanted to go back for Penver, but she doesn’t even give him the choice. And that whole group dynamic that was so good in the last book just… falls apart here. That was probably the biggest disappointment for me.
By the end, they abandon the ship completely. It’s going down, zombies are mutating into even weirder forms, including fish-like zombies, because why not at this point? People are getting separated, and we don’t even know who made it or not.
And then it ends with Riley and Ben-Ben’s POV, which I still enjoy. Honestly, the animals continue to be some of the best parts of these books. Overall, this felt like a step backward.
After books 17 and 18 finally found a good balance, this one goes right back to:
too much fighting,
too much chaos,
Not enough actual story.
And the part that hurts the most is that the Azile, Wilkins, and Mac storyline had so much potential, and instead of building on it, it just got dragged into the same repetitive cycle.
After how good the last two books were, I already kind of knew this was coming, and unfortunately, it did. We are right back to the same problem: nonstop fighting that just does not know when to end.
The best way I can describe it is like a comedy skit. It starts funny, it has a good idea, but then it just keeps going and going until you’re like… okay, this isn’t funny anymore, please stop. That’s exactly what this book feels like.
So we pick up right where we left off. Mike wakes up, tied up, and the ship has been taken over. And of course, the guy behind it all is the same principal Mike humiliated earlier by making him a janitor. And honestly, this is one of those moments where I’m like… Mike should have known better. He literally said before that janitors have access to everything, and then turns around and does that? That one kind of annoyed me.
From there, it’s just chaos. Half the ship is against them, and it turns into nonstop fighting. There’s even a whole part where Mike is tied up, and instead of figuring things out quickly, we get bathroom humor again. His thinking about peeing, what if he has to poop… like why is this still a thing 20 books in?
Eventually, he figures out he can communicate with Tommy, Tommy finds him, and they start trying to take the ship back. Then it becomes this messy situation of figuring out who’s on which side. The “bad guys” have smiley faces on their fingers, which is… whatever, we go with it.
One of Mike’s own team members ends up being on the wrong side, gets turned into a zombie, and her boyfriend has to kill her. That part was sad. Then everything escalates way too much.
We find out Eastman brought zombies onto the ship and was experimenting on them, so now we’ve got stronger, smarter zombies running around biting people to make more zombies. On top of that, the main bad guy has this button that activates capsules in people’s teeth and turns them instantly.
So now it’s:
Humans vs. humans,
Humans vs Zombies,
zombies making more zombies,
people choosing to turn into zombies…
And if that’s not enough, the ship is about to crash into Brazil, AND there’s a massive storm happening at the same time. It’s just too much. No breathing room, no pacing, just chaos piled on chaos.
And then the formula thing with BT’s baby happens, and it’s just… dumb. BT suddenly acts like Mike is the one pushing to go, when it’s literally his situation. And once again, Tommy gets pushed aside like he always does.
At this point, I finally understand why Tommy turns into a villain later. Mike constantly sidelines him while treating BT like he’s this amazing person, when most of the time he’s just complaining unless it affects him directly.
Now the part that really disappointed me…Azile, Wilkins, Mac, and Penver.
After how amazing that storyline was in the last two books, I was so excited for it. And what do we get? The same problem, just in a different place, nonstop fighting.
They’re running, fighting, escaping, fighting again. Over and over. And it just doesn’t stop. The dynamic that made that group so good in the last book is barely even there because they’re constantly in survival mode.
Penver betrays them again, goes back to McGowan, then comes back again, and they still take him back. At that point, it’s just frustrating. I actually liked his character, so seeing him betray them over and over again just made it worse.
Azile is clearly not as strong as the guy chasing her, and instead of that being something interesting to explore, it just turns into more fighting and running. Eventually, she forces everyone onto a yacht and basically says we’re done, we’re leaving, nothing is going to stop me from getting to Mike.
Mac is upset because he wanted to go back for Penver, but she doesn’t even give him the choice. And that whole group dynamic that was so good in the last book just… falls apart here. That was probably the biggest disappointment for me.
By the end, they abandon the ship completely. It’s going down, zombies are mutating into even weirder forms, including fish-like zombies, because why not at this point? People are getting separated, and we don’t even know who made it or not.
And then it ends with Riley and Ben-Ben’s POV, which I still enjoy. Honestly, the animals continue to be some of the best parts of these books. Overall, this felt like a step backward.
After books 17 and 18 finally found a good balance, this one goes right back to:
too much fighting,
too much chaos,
Not enough actual story.
And the part that hurts the most is that the Azile, Wilkins, and Mac storyline had so much potential, and instead of building on it, it just got dragged into the same repetitive cycle.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 21, 2023
I am so grateful that the author didn't give up writing this series. In the first books the author's introduction says that it was first a standalone or a trilogy, etc. They just kept coming though. Then in book 16, the MC himself said he won't be writing any more journals after this one. The ending of that story could have been an end. This post is for book 20 😃.
This series is so good and I can't believe how quickly I have caught up to publication. I read the first Zombie Fallout book in January 2022. I don't think I've ever gone through a series that quickly. Now I have to wait like everyone else. Book 20 was only just released. Luckily there are other timelines written by Mark Tufo, that follow Michael Talbot and family/friends. I guess a good place to go would be the Indian Hill series. It is often mentioned in Zombie Fallout.
In this story ARC, starting with book 17 (The Lost Journals) through book 20 (Shores of Dispair), Mike's journal entries are being read by a new set of character, who found a few of them in the future. Like me, they can't get enough of his story and are disappointed when the reach the end of what is available to them. I really like the new characters also, as they have their struggles and storyline developing. The new friends run into someone from Mike's past (no spoilers) who recognizes Mike's journals....the thing is, these journals are not from a timeline that this person recognizes. So, what is going on and is Mike about to be pulled from his current retirement?
This series is so good and I can't believe how quickly I have caught up to publication. I read the first Zombie Fallout book in January 2022. I don't think I've ever gone through a series that quickly. Now I have to wait like everyone else. Book 20 was only just released. Luckily there are other timelines written by Mark Tufo, that follow Michael Talbot and family/friends. I guess a good place to go would be the Indian Hill series. It is often mentioned in Zombie Fallout.
In this story ARC, starting with book 17 (The Lost Journals) through book 20 (Shores of Dispair), Mike's journal entries are being read by a new set of character, who found a few of them in the future. Like me, they can't get enough of his story and are disappointed when the reach the end of what is available to them. I really like the new characters also, as they have their struggles and storyline developing. The new friends run into someone from Mike's past (no spoilers) who recognizes Mike's journals....the thing is, these journals are not from a timeline that this person recognizes. So, what is going on and is Mike about to be pulled from his current retirement?
September 1, 2023
Book: I’m not going to say that these books have become unbelievable, because well, they’re zombie books. But OMG, the different types of zombies that keep popping up are so flipping disturbing and I had a hard time keeping up! Does that mean I like the book any less? Nope! I’ll just have to pay more attention the next time around when I re-read the series, because I will. Do I want zombie evolution to continue? Absolutely!
Series: I started re-listening to this series because I recommended it to a co-worker and I kept hearing him laugh. This series is my go-to recommendation for anyone who likes any combination of zombies, humor, and/or smart asses.
Series: I started re-listening to this series because I recommended it to a co-worker and I kept hearing him laugh. This series is my go-to recommendation for anyone who likes any combination of zombies, humor, and/or smart asses.
September 30, 2024
I am going to say that the person who ends up betraying the squad was not who I thought it would be. I was so gutted and this character was a fav of mine. I know they tried to redeem themselves in the end, but unfortunately, the author had other plans for their character and us as an audience. This book was riddled with ick zombies, ick humans, and crazy new zombies that kept me gasping and crying and on my toes at every turn. The fact that I am still hanging in there even at book 20 tells you how much I adore these characters and the fate that will be bestowed upon them. Mark Tufo never disappoints. I am so happy I stumbled upon this book series a decade ago. One of my favorites.
June 9, 2023
The perfect story for an adrenaline junkie. Pretty much non-stop action with a layer of humor throughout. This story makes no sense as a stand-alone - you've really got to have read the series. And if you haven't, what are you waiting for? This is some delightfully entertaining zombie apocalypse stuff. Don't just disregard - "not more zombies!" - this is fresh, fun, and wonderfully entertaining, Book 1 through this Book 20.
November 6, 2023
Spoiler alert!!! DON’T READ ON IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE BOOK !!!!!!!!!!!!
Book 20, sees them dealing with a mutiny on the ship, zombies, with moving brains, to avoid bullets, poison tooth cracks and turned you into a zombie and the loss of the aircraft carrier on the shores of Brazil
Book 20, sees them dealing with a mutiny on the ship, zombies, with moving brains, to avoid bullets, poison tooth cracks and turned you into a zombie and the loss of the aircraft carrier on the shores of Brazil
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 27, 2024
Great writing amidst a Terrifying timr
I love these books so much! But, I find the Mac and Wilkes story disruptive to the other. Major storyline. I am seriously thinking of skipping the chapters and reading the Michael Talbot portions.
I love these books so much! But, I find the Mac and Wilkes story disruptive to the other. Major storyline. I am seriously thinking of skipping the chapters and reading the Michael Talbot portions.
April 20, 2024
Terrifyingly addictive
Talbot does it again! I absolutely loved this book as much as the previous ones. Talbots dedication to his family, squad and others is inspiring and I only hope I meet someone like him when the zombies come ;)
Talbot does it again! I absolutely loved this book as much as the previous ones. Talbots dedication to his family, squad and others is inspiring and I only hope I meet someone like him when the zombies come ;)
May 19, 2023
Epic story
Another talbot adventure that leads into me waiting for another story. Thank you Mark tufo. I can't wait for the next book
Another talbot adventure that leads into me waiting for another story. Thank you Mark tufo. I can't wait for the next book
May 19, 2023
Amazing as always ! Funny heartwarming and gore all in one book….love the series. Makes it hard to find other books I want to read
May 24, 2023
loved it
Just what you expect from Tufo—action packed fun. Lots of plot twists and turns, all making it a fun read.
Just what you expect from Tufo—action packed fun. Lots of plot twists and turns, all making it a fun read.
June 1, 2023
Great job
This is an intense installment to the series. Everyone is involved in battles almost every minute. I'm doing to see what the next book has to offer.
This is an intense installment to the series. Everyone is involved in battles almost every minute. I'm doing to see what the next book has to offer.
June 3, 2023
Another great book from Tufo.
I've enjoyed reading everything by this author. He's built a truly astounding world in his books. The humor is what keeps bring me back.
I've enjoyed reading everything by this author. He's built a truly astounding world in his books. The humor is what keeps bring me back.
June 9, 2023
Great as always. Can’t get enough of Talbots BS and sarcasm.
June 12, 2023
well...
Always great but... this time you really laid on the Talbot inner monologue tirades... and the ending on both was a lil forced and rushed.
Still always great though.
Always great but... this time you really laid on the Talbot inner monologue tirades... and the ending on both was a lil forced and rushed.
Still always great though.
June 19, 2023
still one of the best.
Couldn’t wait for this to publish so I could read. The characters have become close friends, that is how good the story is one of the best writers, Mark Tufo
Couldn’t wait for this to publish so I could read. The characters have become close friends, that is how good the story is one of the best writers, Mark Tufo
July 7, 2023
Still a great story, can't wait for 21
July 28, 2023
Really running out of steam with this series tbh.
August 24, 2023
Outstanding
I'm not sure how he keeps pumping out these books and keeping the story going without it getting boring! Keep it up!
I'm not sure how he keeps pumping out these books and keeping the story going without it getting boring! Keep it up!
September 6, 2023
I enjoyed it just like all his other books but it felt like it ended abruptly.
October 8, 2023
awesome as always!
If you are new to the Mark Tufo universe, get ready to give up some hobbies and all your lunch hours to read all he has to offer!
If you are new to the Mark Tufo universe, get ready to give up some hobbies and all your lunch hours to read all he has to offer!
February 10, 2024
I’m still loving this series. It makes me laugh while being occasionally stomach churning. 1/2 star reduction for what appears to be a cliff hanger.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews