Winter is coming... As survivors around the world struggle to get their feet under them in a world overrun by the walking dead, a new problem rears its head. As unstoppable as any horde of zombies, the seasons march on, heedless of the fragility of the human race. The first winter is approaching. Up in the mountains of northeastern Oregon, Steve's band settles in but discover something so horrible that it may destroy them before the weather has a chance. Kevin faces ghosts from his past while struggling to maintain unity among his people. In other parts of this dead world, a team of scientists struggle to devise a cure... A new pharaoh rises in Egypt... Chad learns he will do anything to keep his daughter safe... Juan struggles with the demons of his past that tell him he is unfit to lead...or love... A military unit tries to restore order at any cost...
Tucked away in the Pacific Northwest with my wife Denise, a Border Collie named Aoife, a guitar collection, and an increasing number of aquariums sporting a variety of fish (cichlids are my new favorites), I live for football season when I can cheer on the Oregon Ducks and be disappointed by my Seattle Seahawks once again. I am a fan of Cookie Monster, KISS, and Dr. Who (along with most things British).
As a person who always dreamed of writing as well as one completely enthralled by all things zombie, it is hard to believe that I never once considered writing in the genre. It is true. I wanted to be more “mainstream”. The first novel I actually wrote is titled Dakota (as Todd Brown). It is about a pair of DEA types tossed back in time to just prior to the start of the Civil War. They are in Charleston, South Carolina, and one of them is an African-American.
The zombie thing really started when I wrote a short for a college Creative Writing class. The teacher, Ms. Bose, pulled me up and told me I had an obvious love for the subject and a real talent for the style. I decided to give it a shot.
The first thing I cobbled together was Zomblog. I wrote it as a warm up for the project I had brewing in the back of my mind. It is a journal account of the apocalypse. The funny thing is that it was never intended to be published. A few things happened and it ended up being presented to me as a gift in book format by my wife for a Christmas present. There was something I will never forget about holding the copy of that book in my hand the first time. Because it gained a readership, and those readers asked for more, I made it a trilogy (Zomblog, Zomblog II, and Zomblog: The Final Entry). It is also because of those fans that I have returned to the Zomblog universe and just released the sixth (and FINAL) book in the series on Halloween of 2013: Zomblog: Snoe's Journey. I freely admit that I will sellout my plans to write what the fans ask for.
I really want my DEAD series to be what I am known for, and in the last year, it has really taken off. However, I will say that with the release of the fourth book in the DEAD series (DEAD: Winter), the numbers started to pick up beyond my wildest dreams.
The DEAD series (DEAD: The Ugly Beginning, DEAD: Revelations, and DEAD: Fortunes & Failures, DEAD: Winter, DEAD: Siege & Survival, DEAD: Confrontation, DEAD: Reborn) is scheduled to be a 12 part epic series.
It is told in three rotating chapters. One is from the first person perspective of Steve Hobart, a man thrust into the role of leader for a group of survivors struggling to keep alive. One chapter follows a group of four self-professed zombie “geeks” who initially believe that the zombie apocalypse would be fun and soon discover that it is nothing like the movies. The third of the rotating chapters is called “Vignettes” and is a series of snapshots from all around the world. Some of the vignettes are single chapter episodes, others are continuing threads that carry on for several chapters. A few are merged into the Steve story or the Geek story line.
Last year,I began my horror/comedy series, "That Ghoul Ava" and have found it to be my new guilty pleasure.
My first thoughts on the cover of Dead: Winter? Man in snowy woods fighting off zombie wolves with a machete… This guy might be boned. Zombie wolves are just creepy. It is both really cool that the zombie wolves faces are hanging half off, and really disturbing. This should be an interesting book.
This book has multiple stories in it. The stories start where a previous book has left off. Each has multiple layers to them that help keep interest enthralled with the characters’ lives. My favorite character in this book is Juan. He’s awesome because even though he has a criminal past, he fights like hell to redeem himself and protect others. He’s an unwilling leader to a group on an island that survive because he’s willing to do whatever it takes to protect them.
Andrew McFerrin is the Narrator. His voices help keep the listener spell bound. I love the Egyptian accents that he uses. He is fast becoming one of my favorite narrators. The Author is TW Brown. Dead: Winter is part of the Dead series. It is eleven hours and thirty-four minutes long.
I love the multiple levels of the characters in this book. Each story helps show the struggles people would face in this new world AZ (After Zombies.). Warning – There is violence, death, blood, and horror within this book. There is also life, love, and laughter.
That’s what makes it awesome.
This book left me with the craving need to know what happens next in this series. It left me wondering about the supplies I’d need in an apocalyptic event. It left me wanting to make sure those I care for will be protected in any event. It also makes me wonder how anyone could prepare for events such as these within this book.
Finally! After months of waiting, pacing, begging, and wondering, TW Brown’s new book in the DEAD series is here! I was lucky to get an advanced copy from Mr. Brown before publication. Needless to say, I read it in less than a day. I must say I have never had a book pull so many emotions from me. It’s one of those stories that, when you finish it, makes you feel like you’ve gone fifteen rounds with a champion boxer. I mean that in a good way, though!
DEAD: Winter – in fact, the whole DEAD series – is a book that makes you think. You find yourself asking questions, putting yourself in the minds of the characters, wondering if you’d make the same choices they do. It’s Zombie-Lit where the zombies are not the only problem the characters are dealing with. Heck, they aren’t even the biggest problem! After reading the first three books, I was honestly scared to read the fourth one. I have grown so close to the characters – they almost seem like family to me now. I kid you not; I was terrified at the beginning of every page. By the end, I had chewed the inside of my cheek to shreds and had cursed Brown several times. LOL! For those of you who are fans of the series: Make sure you have plenty of tissues and a pillow to punch. My cheek is just now healing up.
Some series start to sink after the third book, know what I mean? The author tends to run out of ideas, so they recycle problems their characters have already dealt with. I have to say this book was as mind-blowing as the first. There is action, drama, and death at every turn. Oh, and yes, there are zombies! I also love that Brown introduced some new characters and delved a little further into the pasts of some of the others. This book has it all and more!
So now, I sit and wait for December for the fifth book. I pray Brown will be gentle and not kill off too many members of my DEAD family. I wonder how he can possibly top this thrilling book with one that will be even better. I have no doubt he will, though. He’s accomplished that four times now. Lastly, let me say that if you love brown’s DEAD series, please, PLEASE check out his other books. I have read them all – from the Zomblog series to Dakota. There’s a reason he is one of my favorite authors!
This is the 4th book in the DEAD series. Zombies have taken a backseat to a more vicious killer, winter. As the weather starts changing groups are starting to realize that they may be ill prepared. We continue on with Steve's group and their fantastic fortress. Juan takes charge of the island with Mackenzie at his side. Kevin has found a good place to hole up, but he now has to face some demons from his past in a new survivor. Chad has found a place with a sizable population. Though as we have seen with other books looks are deceiving.We do lose a few but there are also new characters who join these varied groups, but as always caution first. At which hands are worse, Dying from a bite of a zombie or the harsh winds and snows of nature.
I really wanted to give this book 5 stars but I really don't like some of the vignettes. All I really care about are Steve and his group, Juan and Mackenzie and of course the Geeks. So had it not been for a shit ton of skipping past some stories I'd have given it 5 stars.
I will say this. T.W. Brown has a way of getting you emotionally invested in his characters. I'm still not feeling the "tight like a tigah" but I'm enjoying the character development. There's a lot of bad exposes in these series and it really makes me think about how there are truly bad and crazy people in this world...but there are good ones as well.
This series is amazing. I haven't been this attached to characters since Harry potter. Got to say I'm a little pissed with the story of Teresa, Jamie, and Ian but goes to show in Mr. Browns world no one is safe. I laughed and cried and got angry and scared. I can't wait for the next ones!
12/10/19 Wow, It's taking me longer then normal to finish this book. Life got in the way I guess. Anywho, I'm about a third of the way through and Steve's emotional outburst are getting a bit annoying. As many outburst and doubts that he has, I'm surprised they still look to him for leadership. Plus it comes across as whiney and insecure. I was hoping by this point he would be more secure in his position, and the choices he make. I guess I'm expecting Rick (from TWD), but alas, he is no Officer Grimes. LOL
AAAANNNNNDDD we're back to the raping of young girls.
12/11/19 Why does Steve go through a 10 minute inner monologue EVERYTIME something happens????? I find myself yelling out loud "JUST GET TO IT!!!!!!" The author drags it out so much!!! Being that I listen to my books on Audible, I hesitate to skip fearing that I may miss something important. UGH. Just shut up and say what needs to be said. And this has been happening since the beginning.
12/12/19 I'm done. Was really a good book. Yes I had some complaints along the way, but I am truly enjoying this series, and will be moving on to book 5 today. I like how the author has added characters in Egypt to show how this outbreak has affected other countries as well.
* I did enjoy the plot twist of the group of ladies in the science bunker. Too bad they had no way out.
The winter is coming and it's quite logical that most of the characters have set up a base of sorts. Most of POVs are now from the perspective of people leading communities and we can see how different type of communities and different type of people lead to a wide spectrum of leaders. As the zombie threat seems to be lower and lower, I find it interesting how the zombie kids started to develop this new behaviour that is promising some surprises maybe? PS. Theresa's death was quite unlucky and I don't understand why they haven't thought about it. I thought that they could get it through sex or cuts as soon as they found out about the 'immune' people. More so, Kevin (that is a zombie genius) was inches away from doing the same mistake and the only reason didn't had sex with Heather was her age.
This is the first book out of the series that I didn't give a five star,I give it 4 stars this time, just because it was a little slow in places and not as action-packed as the other books,Brown did a lot more character building in this book really getting down to there individual personalities for the characters that we have grown to love this is definitely a zombie apocalypse soap-opera,the characters come and go in this series,No One Is Safe,get to reading this series now before the apocalypse happens and u don't get to lol HAPPY READING
I will miss the "crews" till they come back! Really, do I have to wait till December to see where this all goes? :).
I do per se not read many zombie books, because usually they are pretty much the same: zombies bad, people good, people survive. I tried the first book of the dead series when it was available for free on amazon, and got sucked right in. I really liked Stephen King's Calla series, and while this world just inhabited by zombies is not as magical as Calla is, I still feel for the groups that stumble through the different scenarios that the post-zombie world brings. So, Mr. Brown, please bring it on, so I can continue to follow the roads the groups take.
Read Kindle version May 2013 and just finished with the audio version. Rating remains 5 stars.
I absolutely love this series. I get completely lost in the story of each character, their strengths and weaknesses. The way they handle the apocalyptic threats are unique to each and are true to their backgrounds. We lost another really bad guy, but there are always more lurking nearby to take their place. One of my favorite characters died and I cried. Mr Brown really paints a very realistic picture of a zombie apocalypse and of its survivors.
Well, there were less rapes going on... that means I feel comfortable enough to give this one 3 stars. Still pretty messed up, though. The vignettes are boring and, truth be told, unnecessary. The "geeks" are also boring (I'm not sure I will ever root for Kevin, sorry). And now Steve's group will never be the same (but I still love him). Meh. It's a better meh than the last two books, but... still a meh. So much potential...
Every book in this series has been great, but I think "Dead: Winter" was the best yet. Each group had their own issues while struggling to make it through the winter, but the one thing they all had to deal with was bitter cold temperatures and insane amounts of snow. I can't even imagine what I would do in their situations. It definitely takes a strong will to survive in order to make it through the zombie apocalypse!!!
Some may complain 'not much happens.' The truth is that not much time has passed and I give kudos to T.W. Brown. I'm committed to these characters and want to see where the zombie apocalypse takes them.