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Indian Hill #1
Indian Hill
A Michael Talbot Adventure
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step and for Michael Talbot that step is taken at Indian Hill with his best friend Paul Ginson by his side. Together they grow up, meet girls, and go off to college.
And that's where everything changes.
While out on a date Mike, along with thousands of others, are quite literally abducted by aliens. Known as the Progerians, their mission is to determine how best to conquer the human race. To that end they force the men to fight one another in death matches. The women are given to the victors as spoils.
Believing his friend to be dead, and furious with the government's refusal to even acknowledge what happen to him, Paul decides to take matters into his own hands. The aliens may have killed his best friend but they aren't going take his planet.
Not if he has anything to say about it.
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step and for Michael Talbot that step is taken at Indian Hill with his best friend Paul Ginson by his side. Together they grow up, meet girls, and go off to college.
And that's where everything changes.
While out on a date Mike, along with thousands of others, are quite literally abducted by aliens. Known as the Progerians, their mission is to determine how best to conquer the human race. To that end they force the men to fight one another in death matches. The women are given to the victors as spoils.
Believing his friend to be dead, and furious with the government's refusal to even acknowledge what happen to him, Paul decides to take matters into his own hands. The aliens may have killed his best friend but they aren't going take his planet.
Not if he has anything to say about it.
323 pages, Paperback
First published July 17, 2009
319 people are currently reading
1129 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 137 reviews
June 13, 2021
This book was awesome!!
I highly recommend it, to anyone who wants a great action Sci-fi story !
I highly recommend it, to anyone who wants a great action Sci-fi story !
April 12, 2013
I can't understand the good reviews this book got. While I love Science
fiction. I swear a fifteen year old boy wrote this book.
Cliche' quotes at every page.
Wrote more about throwing up than I needed to know.
And sexual fantasies that a teenage boy would have and wrote about like
someone with half a brain would be interested in.
Maybe teenagers like this stuff, but I found it just too boring.
fiction. I swear a fifteen year old boy wrote this book.
Cliche' quotes at every page.
Wrote more about throwing up than I needed to know.
And sexual fantasies that a teenage boy would have and wrote about like
someone with half a brain would be interested in.
Maybe teenagers like this stuff, but I found it just too boring.
April 3, 2020
Genres: Sci-fi and Horror
This was fun for being Sci-fi and horror both. It was a little dark and a little violent, but I can honestly say, I've never read anything quite like this before. I love being surprised like that.
First, I liked the voice of the MC. He seemed like a normal kid, doing normal kid things. I loved how the author showed his family and his friends. Then when the moment comes where he needs to stand tall and shine, he has the normal apprehensions.
The ending did have some resolution, but it ended on such a cliffhanger that I came right home to see if the next one was available....and also the third one.
This was fun for being Sci-fi and horror both. It was a little dark and a little violent, but I can honestly say, I've never read anything quite like this before. I love being surprised like that.
First, I liked the voice of the MC. He seemed like a normal kid, doing normal kid things. I loved how the author showed his family and his friends. Then when the moment comes where he needs to stand tall and shine, he has the normal apprehensions.
The ending did have some resolution, but it ended on such a cliffhanger that I came right home to see if the next one was available....and also the third one.
July 21, 2012
Read the series from 1-3, straight through and all I can say is fantastic. I am not a big SF fan but as it shares the same main character as in ZF series I felt I had to give it a go. Similar style as ZF but with a twist and vibe that makes the reading of this series a joy and fresh in the post-apocalyptic genre. I wish that when it all ends Mark Tufo finds a way to link it all together. Here is my idea, ZF happens but at the end a time machine sends an assassin back to take out the main baddie, once she has been killed the time line resets and Indian Hills starts with the aliens alerted by the temporal riff (am I a geek or what?).
August 1, 2016
Ugh, so I got about halfway through this before giving up.
Main character is super male "I'm a nice guy and really noble" can do no wrong type. Female characters serve no purpose other than as the male characters hareem. Not one of them has a personality.
Lots of the female characters are raped then killed, and it's not even used as an important part of the story, it's more like a totem for what's the worst thing the author could think of.
Main character is super male "I'm a nice guy and really noble" can do no wrong type. Female characters serve no purpose other than as the male characters hareem. Not one of them has a personality.
Lots of the female characters are raped then killed, and it's not even used as an important part of the story, it's more like a totem for what's the worst thing the author could think of.
December 20, 2019
I would have liked this more if he did not try to make them the same charters as Zombie Fallout. There is just no connection.
November 12, 2012
Awesome book,
This is a Mike Talbot book, just a diffrent Mike from the zombie fallout series (which i also love) just think of it as a multi-verse type Mike, if he dont have to fight zombies he's got to put up with this insted,
the book its self is great, well written and is full of all the witty sarcasm that we know and love from Mike, and also a few other names you may know (if you read zombie fallout series first)
I 100% loved this book now on to book 2
This is a Mike Talbot book, just a diffrent Mike from the zombie fallout series (which i also love) just think of it as a multi-verse type Mike, if he dont have to fight zombies he's got to put up with this insted,
the book its self is great, well written and is full of all the witty sarcasm that we know and love from Mike, and also a few other names you may know (if you read zombie fallout series first)
I 100% loved this book now on to book 2
March 2, 2012
While this is advertised as a Mike Talbot adventure, if you've read the Zombie Fallout series, I will say it has nothing to do with that Mike and Paul. It's like an alternate dimension Mike and Paul.
The Good: Tight story, lots of action, likable characters. The writing is such that you don't mind The Bad. The Big Bad in the story is interesting, and Mark takes the time to flesh them out in such a way that I found them genuinely interesting, and wanted to know more.
The Bad: I can't really get into the one thing that really bugged me without spoiling it for you Dear Reader, but suffice to say the ending could have been a little better. It's not a bad ending, just...cliffhanger-y. Noble Mike Talbot is Noble. So much so that in certain situations, it's almost unbelievable.
The Ugly: It's not short, but it desperately needs a sequel.
The Good: Tight story, lots of action, likable characters. The writing is such that you don't mind The Bad. The Big Bad in the story is interesting, and Mark takes the time to flesh them out in such a way that I found them genuinely interesting, and wanted to know more.
The Bad: I can't really get into the one thing that really bugged me without spoiling it for you Dear Reader, but suffice to say the ending could have been a little better. It's not a bad ending, just...cliffhanger-y. Noble Mike Talbot is Noble. So much so that in certain situations, it's almost unbelievable.
The Ugly: It's not short, but it desperately needs a sequel.
May 24, 2025
This was a bit different than what I was expecting. The first half of the book was the typical Mark Tufo writing...funny, witty, ridiculously goofy. All the stuff I love about this author. Then we get to the 2nd half of the book and things take a turn. A turn for the worst? Not really, well for some of the characters it was, but the whole tone changed. It was no longer light and funny. This was a long hard look at what we humans will do in the most dire of situations. What lengths will we go to to keep ourselves alive? What about others? Will it be every man for themselves? This is horror to the the extreme, mentally and physically. What happens during the 2nd half of the book is not for the weak hearted or the easily offended.
February 16, 2018
Fun read! Yes, a bit too colloquial at times, but it is all from the protagonist’s journal entries so for that, totally acceptable and entertaining! Can’t wait to read the next one!
July 8, 2014
My full Indian Hill (Indian Hill Book 1) audiobook review can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.
When I read the summary I was a little confused and disappointed that it was the same main character as that series. But what could be better than a zombie series, why an alien invasion series of course. I have been a big science fiction fan since I was a kid so I was interested to hear Tufo’s spin on it.
Once I started the audiobook I immediately had apprehension with the cast line being almost exactly the same, but that went away fairly quickly. Once I realized that Tufo is laying out an alternate reality rather than adding on to what I already know.
Mark Tufo has a unique and witty way of really deep character building. So we start the book off going back to Michael Talbot’s childhood where he meets his best friend Paul. They grow up and go to college getting into hilarious trouble along the way.
At college Michael goes to an outdoor concert where the listeners are abducted by aliens. Instead of your typical experimentation on humans this is where Tufo puts his touch on it. All the male prisoners are forced into a gladiator style, fight to the death, completion. The females are then awarded to the male prisoners as their spoils. As the completion progresses the victor gets more spoils, bigger accommodations and so forth.
During all this Paul is upset that the government isn’t doing more to investigate what happened at the concert. So he does some looking around and finds out it was an alien abduction. Based on the governments reaction and response he decides to buy a piece of land from their childhood called Indian Hill and turn into a bunker for his militia, The Planetary Defense.
We go through a few chapters where nothing major happens, Mike is fighting and winning, Paul is building a bunker and an army. Most audiobooks would get stagnant here, and while my attention waned a little, the sarcasm and humor brought me back pretty quickly.
At some point Mike discovers he isn’t only fighting for his life but for the right to be with his earth girlfriend who is the best spoil, and also to protect all of the woman he has “won”. The last fight is really bad one, which he wins of course, but then he takes the supreme leader hostage and fights his way to a shuttle and flies back to earth.
While the fighting and bunker building seem drawn out it is clear that it is building into a bigger story, so it is worth it. After they return to earth that is the end of the book…until Indian Hill 2.
Audiobook provided for review by the author.
Please find this complete review and many others at audiobookreviewer dot com
When I read the summary I was a little confused and disappointed that it was the same main character as that series. But what could be better than a zombie series, why an alien invasion series of course. I have been a big science fiction fan since I was a kid so I was interested to hear Tufo’s spin on it.
Once I started the audiobook I immediately had apprehension with the cast line being almost exactly the same, but that went away fairly quickly. Once I realized that Tufo is laying out an alternate reality rather than adding on to what I already know.
Mark Tufo has a unique and witty way of really deep character building. So we start the book off going back to Michael Talbot’s childhood where he meets his best friend Paul. They grow up and go to college getting into hilarious trouble along the way.
At college Michael goes to an outdoor concert where the listeners are abducted by aliens. Instead of your typical experimentation on humans this is where Tufo puts his touch on it. All the male prisoners are forced into a gladiator style, fight to the death, completion. The females are then awarded to the male prisoners as their spoils. As the completion progresses the victor gets more spoils, bigger accommodations and so forth.
During all this Paul is upset that the government isn’t doing more to investigate what happened at the concert. So he does some looking around and finds out it was an alien abduction. Based on the governments reaction and response he decides to buy a piece of land from their childhood called Indian Hill and turn into a bunker for his militia, The Planetary Defense.
We go through a few chapters where nothing major happens, Mike is fighting and winning, Paul is building a bunker and an army. Most audiobooks would get stagnant here, and while my attention waned a little, the sarcasm and humor brought me back pretty quickly.
At some point Mike discovers he isn’t only fighting for his life but for the right to be with his earth girlfriend who is the best spoil, and also to protect all of the woman he has “won”. The last fight is really bad one, which he wins of course, but then he takes the supreme leader hostage and fights his way to a shuttle and flies back to earth.
While the fighting and bunker building seem drawn out it is clear that it is building into a bigger story, so it is worth it. After they return to earth that is the end of the book…until Indian Hill 2.
Audiobook provided for review by the author.
Please find this complete review and many others at audiobookreviewer dot com
February 6, 2016
Big fan of all the other Tufo series. Sean Runette was perfect Talbot as always with his spot on narration. I liked the back story showing us how young Mike Talbot grew up. I was a little on the eye rolling is this a male fantasy driven plot ALL the way through side of my decision about this first book. Spoilers: tied up helpless women, aliens make men divide their time in captivity between fighting to the death AND sex...with an ever increasing variety of women. As one of THE main storylines. Not my favorite . Thumbs up for a creative alien take over but I think I may skip the rest in this series .
October 16, 2012
Great book. I discovered Tufo's books this summer. I have loved every thing I have read of his so far. Although Indian Hill is not quite as good as the Zombie Fallout series I will still highly recommend it. I have fallen for Mark Talbot who is the main character in both ZF series and the IH'S series. He is a underdog but things have a way of working out for him. Mostly by accident. His mouth has a way of getting him into trouble and I can so identify with that. Great writer. Will continue to be a favorite.
July 13, 2012
Just finished Mark Tufo's Indian Hill, it is about the main charater from the Zombie Fallout series, Michael Talbot, but he is only 19 and abducted by an alien species far superior to ours and made to fight as a gladiator to the death with fellow humans. Great story, easy to read action packed and give's a excelent acount of why Talbot is such a bad ass when it comes to killing Zombies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!(less)
June 10, 2018
So I re-read ZOMBIE Fallout and The first Book of Riley today and was curious about this series as it says it’s about Mike’s younger days at maybe in an alternate universe type story.. and I love me anything about the Talbot Family and written by Mark Tufo. This was interesting and now I get the reference in ZFallout.. where Mike goes “Deb.. do I know you from somewhere?” Lol.. as there is a Deb I This story.. unless Mr. Tufo had something else in mind.. I Don’t know but it seems to fit.. so instead of zombies.. or spirits.. which is what I thought would be in this tale.. Aliens that look like Crocodiles.. beam up Mike and Deb in college on a date at a concert...and then Mike has to fight for his life.. and this is before the Marines.. Army Whatchamacallit.. in Z Fallout.. so Mike is getting pretty beat up having to kill to survive. These Aliens are crazy and totally immune to sarcasm..but Paul is also on the ground amassing secret troops to kick Alien butt lol.. it’s just funny gory and delightful! Perfect for my tastes.. Mark can even break the 4th wall (I believe that’s what it’s called when an author calls to attention himself as narrator.. and talks about writing or the plot) without breaking a beat (this happened more in Z Fallout) but still I just love all his stuff! And still there is his collaborations, A Spirit Clearing and Demon Fallout.. the fun just keeps coming. Anyways our ever silly hero Mile Talbot.. battles Aliens.. deals with women.. and prepares the US for an invasion..by collecting a hostage...always completing the impossible with his smart mouth, wit, intellect and again sheer luck.. and it doesn’t hurt his alien Hotel Sweet comes with workout equipment.. I’ve never seen such a well rounded hero character who always comes up with a plan and also keeps his humanity and does his best to protect those he loves, has loved..left! Another 4 Star Syart!
July 15, 2017
Deserves 4.5 stars. somewhat similar to hunger games they say, but I find it to be an amazing independent story. I like it. the character building was very good. glad that I read this. now gonna read the second part of it. if you like aliens, ships, battles, emotions, and fantasy, this is the book you need.
also, the audiobook narration... by Sean Runnette, is as beautiful as ever.
also, the audiobook narration... by Sean Runnette, is as beautiful as ever.
March 27, 2025
Added To TRB 10/17/2024
So in this dimension a teenage Mike Talbot has to fight off an alien invasion. Mike Talbot is so cool!
So in this dimension a teenage Mike Talbot has to fight off an alien invasion. Mike Talbot is so cool!
October 15, 2012
i just finished the first book and had to immediately start the second. I really enjoy Mark Tufo's writing style. It's smooth paced and has a sense of humor that is refreshing in the genre of apocalypse weather it be alien or zombie. If you have read the Zombie fallout books, you will notice that the character is the sameish Mike Talbot. I love this. Just try to think of an alternate universe thing. Sameish guy, different catastrophe.
Alien subject matter can be tricky. The aliens can come of cheesy or they can be over the top unbelievable. Mark nailed them pretty decently. He figured out a motivation for them, a reason they would attack earth and at the same time opened up the possibility of other species...or now extinct species if he chose. I don't know what's going to happen in the second book just yet, but I recomentd these books and Zombie fallout if you're looking for something to read.
Alien subject matter can be tricky. The aliens can come of cheesy or they can be over the top unbelievable. Mark nailed them pretty decently. He figured out a motivation for them, a reason they would attack earth and at the same time opened up the possibility of other species...or now extinct species if he chose. I don't know what's going to happen in the second book just yet, but I recomentd these books and Zombie fallout if you're looking for something to read.
January 18, 2023
When I came home today, I found my autographed copy of Indian Hill, obtained via a Goodreads FirstReads giveaway, in the mail. I recently had an eyesight issue(detached retina) and was not able to read books easily. I have been cautiously optimistic about my returning vision and decided to read the first few pages. I enjoyed the humor of his dedication to his multitasking wife and his choice to explain the same character in this series and the Zombie Fallout series (which I have not read) as his misadventures in alternate realities.
The book is written in first person, which is a form that often keeps me from becoming involved in the story beyond a certain level. This is a peculiarity of mine and has nothing to do with the author's writing ability. The phrasing and vocabulary of the protagonist do seem representative of a teen boy.
The book is written in first person, which is a form that often keeps me from becoming involved in the story beyond a certain level. This is a peculiarity of mine and has nothing to do with the author's writing ability. The phrasing and vocabulary of the protagonist do seem representative of a teen boy.
October 15, 2014
Another awesome book from Mark Tufo. I can never get enough of Mike Talbot. This book perfectly falls in line with our beloved hero from the Zombie Fallout series. There were less hilarious rants than usual, but still a few that had me audibly cracking up.
The story is very well written and structured. The origins of Mike, Paul, and Dennis' friendship were well done. His experience aboard the ship was exciting and definitely had more than it's share of drama. Paul and Dennis' actions paralleling the time Mike is gone is looking to be an awesome aspect of the story to come. And although it lead up to the sequel quite well, it did not leave you wanting or unresolved as to the main story of the first book. Have already started the second part of the series, and am looking forward to the events to come.
If you are a Mark Tufo fan, or even if not, I highly recommend this book.
The story is very well written and structured. The origins of Mike, Paul, and Dennis' friendship were well done. His experience aboard the ship was exciting and definitely had more than it's share of drama. Paul and Dennis' actions paralleling the time Mike is gone is looking to be an awesome aspect of the story to come. And although it lead up to the sequel quite well, it did not leave you wanting or unresolved as to the main story of the first book. Have already started the second part of the series, and am looking forward to the events to come.
If you are a Mark Tufo fan, or even if not, I highly recommend this book.
April 15, 2018
Would have been better if shorter. Plot is alians kidnap humans and make them fight in deathmatches. Of course this is setup for larger multi-book story about kicking alien butt. I would have liked it just being a battle royal and the reward being the aliens don't wipe them out.
MC was brooding, for good reason, but not fun to read given that the girls have it worse.
The girls have it the worst, they are given out as spoils as war, and that would not be a problem if most of the competitors stayed decent, but one uber monster, makes a show out of killing them and it becomes a snuff-film. A warning for those who don't want to read that sort of thing. It works for the story though, as we see the consequences of this play out in interesting ways.
MC was brooding, for good reason, but not fun to read given that the girls have it worse.
The girls have it the worst, they are given out as spoils as war, and that would not be a problem if most of the competitors stayed decent, but one uber monster, makes a show out of killing them and it becomes a snuff-film. A warning for those who don't want to read that sort of thing. It works for the story though, as we see the consequences of this play out in interesting ways.
February 21, 2018
Loki captain. We later discover he was about 14 in 1984. Then, at 19, he is playing Punchout as a college student (1989) while simultaneously a Captain in the US marines is briefing a President that is a Democrat (George HW Bush?)...then it jumps back to 1985...with Punch-out!!! (1987)...WTF!?!
And the conversational style as well as the protagonist's obsession with "big tits" and shitty beer is maddening.
I have books 2 and 3...hopefully they won't be as hard to read...
I'm not sure I will make it all the way through this one, though.
So many anachronisms and editorial errors!!!
Deartment of homeland security in 1985?
And the conversational style as well as the protagonist's obsession with "big tits" and shitty beer is maddening.
I have books 2 and 3...hopefully they won't be as hard to read...
I'm not sure I will make it all the way through this one, though.
So many anachronisms and editorial errors!!!
Deartment of homeland security in 1985?
August 29, 2012
"Indian Hill" follows Mike Talbot in his never ending pain that has been pursuing him in every dimension. In the first installment Talbot starts collage and get abducted and has to fight his way to freedom. Another good series from my favorite upcoming author.
January 12, 2013
Great series of books although its a mike talbot story it's so different that there is no comparison in this mike and zombie mike
Marks style of writing is so simple and easy to relate to and he has an awesome ability to add a sense of humour that had me laughing out loud
Marks style of writing is so simple and easy to relate to and he has an awesome ability to add a sense of humour that had me laughing out loud
December 29, 2011
pretty much love anything Mark Tufo writes!
April 4, 2012
It was a good book but totally not what i expected. I thought it would be about the child life of the main charecter but instead it started like that then he got take by aliens it was odd.
May 1, 2012
If you havent read this book yet the question i have is why not trust me you will enjoy this a lot and will lea you on to more of mikes books.
May 1, 2012
I love every book Mark had put out so far!
January 18, 2013
I like this book , Love the fallout books more but this was a great read i cant wait to get to get the second one to read it Thank you Mr. Tufo for all your books i am so ready for your new ones
May 23, 2013
Sex, violence, and unspeakable acts made me toss this one. Maybe, it gets better in the end, but I no longer care.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 137 reviews