After The Virus

by Meghan Ciana Doidge

After the virus decimates 99.9% of the world’s population, and all traces of humanity along with it, Rhiannon and Will are forced to move beyond their past fame, fortune, and personal demons to rescue a mute girl from the clutches of two warring cults.

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WARNING: this post-apocalyptic love story contains mature situations, violence, and language.

Genres: Zombies, Post Apocalyptic, Horror, Science Fiction, Dystopia, Apocalyptic, Fiction

238 pages, Paperback

First published May 30, 2011

About the author

Meghan Ciana Doidge writes tales of true love conquering all, even death. Though sometimes the love is elusive, the vampires and werewolves come out to play in the daylight, and bloody mayhem ensues.

Reviews

[DJ Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

After the Virus by Meghan Ciana Doidge

A gorgeous actress with a smile that brings men to their knees…
The former college quarterback who feels out-of-place…
Enter the Zombie Apocalypse!
Could this be love?

A Virus has spread like wildfire throughout the world killing, or infecting, 99.9% of the population. Those who become Infected with the Virus die quickly, but they aren’t really dead! Instead, the Infected become mindless zombies who sustain themselves on the blood and flesh of the immune. They may have died out long ago, however; family that can’t let go and criminal organizations like the New World Order use the Infected to do their bidding.

Rhiannon, a famous actress before the Virus took hold, is immune. She’s also running for her life! She unintentionally stumbles upon Will, a former star quarterback, and the abandoned little girl he’s taken in, Snickers (named after the candy bar because she does not speak). Both Will and Snickers are immune to the Virus as well.

Rhiannon doesn’t trust men…
…but Will is different.
Looks like the stench of rotting corpses and true love is in the air!

Expect the unexpected, After the Virus by Meghan Ciana Doidge isn’t a typical love story.



Meghan Ciana Doidge is an award-winning writer. She lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada where she has penned brilliant stories, such as; After the Virus , Spirit Binder, Time Walker, and Cupcakes, Trinkets & Other Deadly Magic.

Book Excerpt:
"He really didn’t know what he was doing. The people who’d built this home hadn’t exactly left self-help child rearing books lying around, but he figured she would need to feel safe alone before she would allow him to be her protector. So to that end, he put together a backpack under her watchful eye."

It was obvious that Will felt lost when it came to Snickers, but he was such a natural Dad. It’s amazing how tragedy can cause bonds to form quickly, quicker than in everyday life, stronger too! If it hadn’t been for Will’s bond with Snicker’s I think Rhiannon would have passed by not giving Will a second look.

The backpack (Bug Out Bag or B.O.B.) that Will put together for Snicker’s was a brilliant idea. It’s even cooler that she was willing to carry it without hesitation. I wish we had gotten a better backstory on Snicker’s, but then again it would have ruined the ending!

Maybe in the next book! *Hint, Hint!*

Book Excerpt:
""Amazing she didn’t get snatched. If it’s not the rebuild humanity one-rape-at-a-time group, it’s murderers or the Infected.""

Okay, I know I’m sick and twisted now because this is my favorite line from the book. I laughed and laughed at the description here, although I don’t think that’s what the author was going for, sorry Meghan Ciana Doidge.

Amazingly Snicker’s abduction is not the scariest, most horrific, or suspense filled moment(s) of the story. This writer takes us on a cRaZy WiLd RiDe filled with thrills, spills, and DRAMA, so HOLD ON TIGHT!

Book Excerpt:
"…"You’re gonna breed the Boss’s Sons of New World Order. And breed, and breed, and breed.""

I wish The Boss had thought this through a little more, or maybe he did and it just wasn’t revealed to us, the reader. If all the children in the world were spawns of The Boss they wouldn’t be capable of breeding with each other to continue the bloodline without risking physical and mental defects in the offspring. Understanding that this was done amongst Royalty for centuries with little consequence, I still doubt he would want to risk it. Only sane people think that far ahead I suppose.

A few details, unnecessary details, left me with a feeling of incompleteness as I read After the Virus , such as; where did the virus come from, how did it get out, what was the Big Picture plan of the New World Order, or what happened to Big and Stupid in their time away from Tex/Will?

I hope the author, Meghan Ciana Doidge, writes another book with these characters so we can get some answers! *Hint, Hint!*

Book Excerpt:
"He needed paper. Big was right; he had always been good at strategy. ‘Course, X’s and O’s now represented guns and death, so that was new."

If I don’t write it down, I won’t remember it! If, and when, the apocalypse happens I’ll be the one trading off my wares for tablets and journals so I can write everything down! Lol!

I have been told by my team of doctors, yes there really is a team, that I suffer from a mild form of hypergraphia. If you are unaware of what hypergraphia is it’s an overwhelming urge to write. My hypergraphia comes and goes, as do many of the symptoms my team attributes to my Multiple Sclerosis (MS). When it’s kicking in full gear I usually turn out three or four hundred hand written letters a day to various government representatives. I have to be on a list somewhere!

Book Excerpt:
"This was a prison – recently renovated – to house her. Silk/cotton sheets on the bed. A favorite soap by the soaker tub. See’s candies on the table. And not a single, obvious thing she could use for a weapon."

See’s candies. No one on the east coast knows what that is, out here it’s all Sarris, yuck! I miss See’s candies a lot. The baby on the cover of their boxes, if that’s still their logo, was my great-great-grandmother, or something. I have that original logo print, my grandparents left it to me when they passed.

Realistically, I should tell everyone considering reading After the Virus by Meghan Ciana Doidge that the book has well developed but predictable Characters and simple and easy to follow Plot that would benefit from some complexity. The books Reading Level was easy, the stories length was good (not short enough to be a short story, not long enough to be a novel, more of a Novella). The language and content makes it inappropriate for children.

Truthfully, I don’t care! The story moves along at an intense pace, the characters are relatable, and the writing style is fresh and exciting! I have never encountered an author who articulates their story the way Meghan Ciana Doidge does with her printed Voice. I’m giving this baby 5 STARS, and despite its flaws they are well deserved!

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book!

My only real disappointment, no insight into when Will realized who Rhiannon really was or how he reacted to the epiphany. It just seemed to unfold somewhere in the background and I was waiting the whole time for that really BIG PUNCH! *Pout!*

I was the Lucky Winner of a Free Copy of this book compliments of the Apocalypse Whenever Group and the author.







Review provided by DJ Harris (aka DJ6ual):

[Gertie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everyone has their own idea of what makes a good apocalyptic fiction book (or book in general). One thing that I usually need in order to enjoy a book is likable characters — characters with a moral code that relates to our own non-apocalyptic ones are kind of hard to come by in this genre, because most post-apocalypse stories focus on survival, and the things people will do to live. Not very nice things.

The main male in this book, Will ("Tex"), is the sort of guy who clearly sees the world a certain way and wants it to stay that way. He spends his time trying to keep/make the world a better place, a place he can live in. The main female character Rhiannon does something early on in the book that made me like her right away. Small spoiler here, happens early in the book though, so may be fine for you to read. The female lead was a bit more mysterious. Initially I really liked her, but I found myself questioning that judgement later in the story. She seemed to have a soft spot for a few others, but then outside of that seemed to be a bit cold and sometimes ruthless or selfish. There were also what seemed to me to be hints at a darker past, which I may have been misunderstanding. At any rate, I felt like her character could have been explored more, particularly since she felt like a more central figure than anyone else in the book.

Technically this is a zombie book. For me, it was more of a romance and survival story, which just happened to have a few zombie-like folks here and there. They were a part of the backdrop that could have had a more prominent presence, more frightening or dangerous, but they ended up coming off as essentially just another danger of the new world, so to speak.

There are a lot of nicknamed people in this book -- One Ear, Buddy, Big, etc. This is usually a literary device I enjoy. I have to admit though, I did sometimes get a little confused about who was who. I'm not sure if it was me or the way it was written though. Maybe I just get too impatient to store up names properly. :-P

The author swears a lot. Well, actually, the character Rhiannon swears a lot. I don't mind that, I swear a lot too. Sometimes I even like it. It does however contribute to that coldness of character I had a little trouble figuring out. Was she always like this? Just after the virus? If before, then why?

One thing that bothered me was the use of double hyphens, but I believe this is a side-effect of the format of the book, which will likely be remedied in future versions.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. The price was right, it was surprisingly clean of type errors for a self-published book. The story was fun, not overly complicated (which I sometimes like), and the straightforwardness and likable characters were somewhat refreshing. I read a lot of apocalyptic fiction and sometimes it gets a little complex and heady, and it's nice to read something a little more to the point sometimes.

If you enjoy apocalyptic stories and are looking for a light summer read on your Kindle, pick this one up.

[Felicia A Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Non-zombie focused post-apocalyptic tale of love, life, survival and morals...not necessarily in that order.

I thought this was a well thought out tale, non-gory (even though there was a virus and "infected"), and had all the elements for a full and complete story AND an actual ending. Though the story COULD be continued, it ended well and with enough closure, which not all the books in the genre do.

I thought there was a missed opportunity for Will's tale to be expounded upon (with Big's help), and wished it had been more fleshed out. Rhiannon was well written and lively, and even the nearly mute Snickers was able to play a wonderful part in this story because of how she was written.

Yeah, there's a love story intertwined among the ruins of civilization, but don't let that scare you if that's not your style. There is sufficient action, conflicts and subplots that the "love" part of the story doesn't take over.

Definitely a good one to add to your shelves.

[Scott Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deftly mixing post-apocalyptic survivor thriller tropes with a wickedly morbid sense of humor, Meghan Ciana Doidge's "After the Virus" manages to be both the funniest and most kick-ass action/adventure narrative i've read in ages. (Not exactly a spoiler, but skip this but if you like to be completely surprised when you read: "The Boss, completely focused on Snickers, turned to violently vault the girl across the room. Instead, he discovered the three-inch-heel of her previously so impractical shoe buried his throat, which was a bitch, as she'd aimed for his eye.")

The novel tells the story of two survivors of a world-destroying biological plague -- A-list actress Rhiannon, who finds herself the unwitting central figure in the plots of a maniacal fascist boss; and ex-pro quarterback Will, intent on living his life alone but looked to by a population of scattered survivors desperate for someone to lead them. The darkness of the story speaks to the trials of its characters and the strength of its setting (which will particularly resonate with any resident of Vancouver who's ever asked "Could this city possibly be more unlivable?") But at the same time, Doidge builds her narrative on a firm foundation of hope for the future, manifested in an 8-year-old girl known only as Snickers, who becomes the point of emotional entanglement connecting Will and Rhiannon as they're dragged through the darkness and back out again.

[Patrick D'Orazio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite a few post apocalyptic novels have attempted to inject love and romance into their pages. Some do it by cramming it into a high action, gore splattered story, while others let it flow more gradually into the mix, letting it germinate based on circumstances surrounding the characters-people pushed together and sharing the horrors that surround one another, so they come together to push back the nightmares. Meghan Ciana Doidge is one of the few storytellers who pushes the love story up front and center. There are a couple of other books I have read that have the relationship between two main characters stand as the key element, but this is the first that I would categorize as a true romance tale.

This story surrounds the two main characters, Rhiannon and Will, as they live their separate lives after the apocalypse...if you can call it living-especially for Rhiannon, who begins the story captured and put into what amounts to a baby mill. Over 99% of the world's population has died, and the barbaric pockets of survivors are lead by men who need as many healthy women to breed as possible. But Rhiannon is special. She is an actress and a world class beauty that has caught the eye of the local boss, who wants her all to himself. She escapes, but throughout the rest of the story is pursued by the boss's men, who are intent on bringing her back to him. Will, on the other hand, is a man who has chosen to live his life alone, in a small, remote town where he dutifully takes to the task of cleaning out the dead bodies and restocking the stores and and maintaining the hotel. But Will just wants to be left alone, which creates friction when other survivors come across his little Shangri La who are looking for a place to stay. He eludes danger with them, and on one of his trips to find more supplies, comes across a mute nine year old girl he dubs Snickers (that was what she was eating when he finds her) and though she is skittish, brings her back to his place to live with him. Rhiannon, who manages to escape her captors, stumbles across Will's town and finds herself reluctantly feeling that this new place could be home. Of course, due to the character's actions and the other desperate survivors that surround them, things do not go at all well for them. Will and Rhiannon are thrust into the wider world, with other survivors, desperate for heroes, latching on to Will. Rhiannon gets captured again, and Will realizes that he has a greater responsibility in the world than he had hoped or wanted, but will accept, if it will allow him to save the woman he is falling in love with.

The story flows very well and I liked the characters the author developed. Snickers and the dog B.B. allow Will and Rhiannon to focus their efforts on something more than their awkward, fumbling steps toward the realization that they belong together, and draw them closer throughout the story. Some would call this a zombie story, but more to the point, it is an apocalyptic love tale with a smattering of infected creatures that perhaps resemble zombies, though they are a side point altogether. As the author states clearly, this is a story that pays homage to other author's tales, including one of my favorite books of all time, The Stand. It is about people living, loving, and struggling after the world has crumbled; trying to put the pieces back together and start again, which requires reluctant heroes and leaders, and symbols of hope that can stand against the devastation that not only a virus can do, but what men can do to one another.

The areas of concern I had with this story were a couple of main distractions that I think took away slightly from the tale. First and foremost, the use of pronouns when it came to stating who was speaking and thinking were confusing. One character would be speaking or would be in action one paragraph, and the next would start out with "he" or "she" and would be referring to an entirely different character. This was consistent throughout the story, and while it is something I got used to and started to expect, it disrupted the story when I had to figure things out more than once. The other issue I had was with the nicknames given to various characters. I totally understand and appreciate them for characters that pass by in a story and become nothing more than minor details, but when they become key characters, and when their real names are learned, those nicknames need to evaporate, or at least used less liberally-it caused confusion, and in some cases didn't make much sense. Especially when it is really only one person who creates the nickname and doesn't necessarily speak it out loud, but just as a device to remember them, but in no time, everyone else is using it as well. This works when a few characters call Will "Tex", but not so much when a character is dubbed "Stupid" early on in the tale, but even when his real name is provided that dismissive moniker is used up until the very end of the story.

Rest assured, these issues were not deterrence for me in reading or completing this book. It is a solid tale, with well fleshed out characters and a story that has a place in the PA pantheon as unique because it is a true love story. I know this is the author's first book, and my gripes are minor issues that are a sideline to her ability to tell a tale. I look forward to checking out more of her work as it is released.

[Miranda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book in a group giveaway, it in no way changed or routed this review.

Life made you get your hands dirty; life was vengeful if you tried an easy route.

This story was pretty awesome for a "Romantic" Post-apocalyptic novel. It's the authors first ever book so I like many other probably get a bit nervous over those. But Meghan Doidge did AMAZING! I mean the concept of this story was a bit refreshing on the whole "zombie/infected" theme. Most are just gore and death and oh yeah lets add some more gore and death, but no! She went beyond that and had these characters that you liked and rooted for and you didn't have to sit through so many scenes were you were wanting to run to the bathroom over morbid details. The men in here most of which were pigs trying to use the female race as cattle to just use and abuse to repopulate was gruesome enough but not overly done.
I enjoyed the growth of the characters on their journey through this new world where not everyone is bad, but letting your guard done isn't all that much of an option. It kept me on my seats edge waiting for the next craziness to happen.
The characters main and side, WOW.
I loved Will "Tex" he's everyones hero, all around just nice guy that you want to lead or be with hes got that vibe about him. I was basically insta book crushing.
Snickers was such a bad a$$ nine year old. Holy cow I probably enjoyed her the most even if she never spoke the entire book, well maybe in expression or the last chapter or two. The last chapter was pretty humorous due to it being her chapter I wish she would've had more or maybe even have another book where she's the main character grown up alittle? I would totally buy it!
Rhiannon was pretty much an up and down character for me... I wanted to like her but at times I swear she was off putting and I wanted nothing to do with her or I wanted smack her around alittle she was almost to coincided. I know she was a big actress before the whole thing but damn...
The breaks in time really upset me were it basically skipped a bunch of development between the three while they were just starting to live together I wish that would've been added some part I felt like ok I don't think I like this whole love connection it doesn't feel..sincere? I think that's the word I'd use.
I'm glad that they stuck with side characters nicknames and left it at that cause WOW i'd be lost at who was who after awhile too many names would've left me utterly exhausted with memory overload. And Tex when he was cleaning his little town sorta reminded me of the guy from Stephen Kings the Last Stand it was cute. Not sure if i'd be able to go through all those buildings and clean out the dead but props to whoever could.
All in all this book will be on my shelf forever a re-read!

[Misty Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ahhh…Fall. My favorite season. Not, for the reasons you might expect however. Yes, I am quite happy to be rid of the daunting 118 degrees Texas heat, but cooler weather, and only 1 deodorant pit-stop a day pales in comparison to Fall’s true, most glorious of perks…Zombies.

Oh yes. Fall is the season for “Chiller” TV, “Zombie Girls from Mars” marathons and more importantly, post apocalyptic literature. With Halloween in the not-so-distant-future, I get to lose myself in the slightly demented minds of people like King, Nicholson or Wallen, and not get judge harshly when I chuckle at a particularly gruesome passage.

Fall…the time of year when the freaks get freakier, and the books come along for the ride.

Today’s helping…”After The Virus” by Meghan Ciana Doidge.

“After the virus decimates 99.9% of the world’s population, and all traces of humanity along with it, Rhiannon and Will are forced to move beyond their past fame, fortune, and personal demons to rescue a mute girl from the clutches of two warring cults.”

I know what you are thinking…there is nothing in that synopsis that indicates Zombies, but trust me…they are there. To prove it, I’ll share a particularly brilliant passage with you.

“It cat-batted the jutting knife and got it loose along with a chunk of its brain. The mushed brain matter squelched under the knife as it hit ground. They all, including it, just stared, dumbfounded at the goopy pile.”

Awesome right? I thought so.

Anyways, like all good its-the-end-of-the-world-and-we-know-it novels, the “Infected” as they are appropriately deemed in “After the Virus” are not the story. Yes, they are ooey and gooey and like to pop up at the most inconvenient of times, but it’s the people trying to survive that drive the story, (think…The Walking Dead.)

Now, if I’m to be honest, I was a little concerned at the start of this story. The original blocking (story set up) was all over the place and the editing was a train-wreck (there were “he’s” where there should have been “she’s” and “it’s” where their should have been…well, I don’t know really.) The details felt rushed, the characters’ felt void, and despite my assumption as to what the hell was going on, it wasn’t really confirmed. Thankfully however, about 6 chapters in Doidge found her line and she rode it smoothly to the finish. As a matter of fact, after I got past Doidge’s confusing 1st/2nd person mayhem I had difficulty putting the book down, (despite the 100 or so typos that followed *cough*)

The action was nonstop, the evil was surprising and by the end of the book I wanted to grab a gun and take part, (which says a lot considering I hate guns.)

Even better…Doidge’s choice to alternate chapters between Rhiannon’s point of view and Will’s slightly more frantic one was a stroke of genius, (so was the last damn sentence if you don’t mind me saying.)

Overall, a fantastic post apocalyptic/zombie/angsty/romance that delivers in all of the right areas, even if one of those areas does not include editing.

Happy Reading my fellow Kindle-ites and remember: when in doubt, a high heel makes an excellent javelin.

[Heller · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think the best thing about post-apocalyptic stories is how they make me feel. Scared. Freaked out. Disturbed. Angry. Hopeful. This book gives me all that.

99.9% of the world has been wiped out by a virus. The remaining infected are being used as bloodhounds by the immune and sustained through the blood and flesh of the immune. There is no transference of the plague, you were either immune or you were dead and the last of humanity is battling it out to see who comes out on top. The insane, the messiah complexes, the loners, the killers, the rapists.

There's an interesting take on celebrity obsessed culture here as well and how being famous causes the survivors to look at you as a more special human being. This is the story of Rhiannon, the world's top box office actress, she's an immune and she's being hunted/stalked by "The Boss" he wants her and her face is on magazines and billboards everywhere so it's hard to hide. Rhiannon is incredibly tough, she uses the knowledge gleaned from her various roles and movie sets to escape and get as far away from the city as possible.

She meets up with Will. Will is a former NFL quarterback who has his own kind of fame to deal with in this new world. He's an upright, moral man living in times where that is a pretty unique thing to be. He's a loner and has been cleaning up a small town, clearing the dead away. In his travels he finds a young 9 year old girl, she doesn't speak but he names her Snickers for the chocolate bars she's eating when he finds her. He makes a home for her and invites Rhiannon and her rotweiller companion to join them.

They create a rather sweet little family but the peace doesn't last long as Rhiannon's past catches up with her and Snickers gets caught up in the crossfire.

There's an interesting structure to this book. The chapters flip from Rhiannon's perspective to Will's and we follow them on their journeys. I enjoyed that about this read quite a bit. One thing that I didn't like: that the villians in this piece all turned out to be people that Rhiannon knew from before the plague. Too much of a coincidence for me. Mandy I could see, but "The Boss" I would have preferred him to be a complete stranger.

This was a really interesting read for me. Compelling characters with an intruiguing concept. A recommended read for fans of post-apocalyptic fiction.

[Heather Faville · Rating 4 out of 5]

A virus decimates all but 0.1% of the world's population and with such a small percentage of humans still attempting to survive the line between what a person will and will not do to survive is drawn. Rhiannon is...or should I say was a woman well-known to many, but in this new world she is a prize to be captured and used to breed the spawn of "the Boss" Will or Tex as some call him is a the type of man you want in this type of world...hell in any world. He's a good guy who does his best to what is right. In his travels he comes across a young girl eating a Snickers bar. She is unwilling or unable to take, so she dubs her Snickers and takes her under his wing, in time this duo come across Rhiannon, who joins them for a while. Later, for reasons that seem make sense to her, Rhiannon leaves Will and Snickers and that's when the trouble really begins. (Oh and there are undead in this, but they don't pay a large role other than as a sort of tracker for the Boss's cronies to find more of the living)

After the Virus i s an interesting tale of good vs evil and just how far man will go to ensure the survival of their species and let me tell you there are some images you do not want the world to be created in. There are a few zombie/post-apocalyptic books that have added a touch of romance, but our author, Meghan Ciana Doidge, has optioned to have the romance be a fairly large part of the story, which was refreshing for a change. It was not overly mushy, so guys...don't worry. I loved the 3 main characters, but Snickers was my favorite. She was a smart cookie even if she didn't speak. Oh and B.B. I love her...she's the dog and she is awesome! There were many other characters, all with nicknames and there were a few times where I got a bit confused as to who was who, but overall it was not distracting. I had a bit of a hard time with the Boss and who he ended up being, but that is a matter of my personal preference of believablity.

There are undead in After the Virus. However, while they are a threat and our protagonists still have to be careful they are not a major part of the story except to act as trackers for the living.

Overall, After the Virus is a great story about people living, loving and trying to rebuild their lives in a world that has crumbled with the scourge of the earth nipping at their heels to get what they have or who they have with them.

[Michelle Greathouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

After the Virus is a Post Apocalyptic novel by Meghan Ciana Doidge from Old Man in the CrossWalk Productions.

Book Blurb:

After the virus decimates 99.9% of the world’s population, and all traces of humanity along with it, Rhiannon and Will are forced to move beyond their past fame, fortune, and personal demons to rescue a mute girl from the clutches of two warring cults.

My thoughts:

Rhiannon is an actress - or was an actress, before the world went to hell. A virus swept the land, killing all but a very few who, for unknown reasons, were immune.

Now all forms of social niceties have fallen to the wayside. It’s every man for himself - and for some men, that means every woman is his for the taking.

Rhiannon has been taken against her will - but she plans to escape - or die trying. Odds are not in her favor - the men are heavily armed - but even scarier than weapons are The Infecteds - beings who’ve been given the blood of those immune to the virus. This blood keeps them going - like mindless eating machines.

Will has drifted aimlessly from one survivor group to another until finally deciding to strike out on his own - find a place for himself in the world that is left. On one of his scavenger hunts, he finds an orphaned girl and takes her under his wing - providing her with a safe place in an unsafe world.

When Rhiannon meets Will - he offers her shelter as well - but her feeling of safety does not last long. She is being hunted - and she has brought danger right to Will’s door.

I enjoyed After the Virus. I am a huge fan of the post apocalyptic read and a total zombie nerd - though this is not a typical zombie story - it works for me.

I give After the Virus 4 out of 5 stars.

[A Book Vacation · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very interesting zombie novel, zoning in more upon how disturbing the world has become after a virus wipes out all but 1% of the population. While zombies are a small portion of the novel, the main spread deals with the left over humans and how they are attempting to take over what little is left of the world. This novel is different from all the other zombie/dystopian novels I’ve read, and it was refreshing and attention-grabbing, causing me to read it all in one sitting.

I enjoyed the two main characters, Rhiannon and Will. They are not the norm—prior to the virus, they were well known, Rhiannon having been an actress, and Will having been a sports star. However, once the virus decimates the world, they are reduced to average citizens looking to survive in what is left of the cruel world. I thought these were really unique character choices that made a lot of the situations more believable. Rhiannon, an exceptionally pretty woman, is not used to her new surroundings, especially having to fend for herself. She’s witty, demanding, headstrong, selfish—and in high demand. Having only 1% of the world population left, there are many who would love to have Rhiannon for themselves, and one man, intend on recreating the world in his image, is willing to pay top dollar to have her in his clutches. This makes for a very interesting story of cat and mouse, coming to a head as Rhiannon’s motherly instincts take over after meeting a young girl who is in more danger than Rhiannon herself...



To read my full review (9/2):

http://bookvacations.wordpress.com/20...

[Brenda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good story. It was interesting and different, a story that kind of takes place in a zombie apocalypse type setting.

I liked how it was a bit more realistic with some things. Namely how I think women would (unfortunately) be treated. It brought forth a potential reality that is very harsh and unforgiving to the female population, and that was definitely one of the more central themes to the story, whether intentional or not.

Snickers was such a great character. It probably wasn't very realistic that she was able to remain stony during all of the insanity she witnessed and was a part of, but I didn't care. She was brave and strong and wasn't afraid to do what needed to be done. I couldn't really say the same for Will or Rhiannon, both of whom let people go that injured them somehow later. Snickers made no such mistake.

The whole movie star thing was honestly a bit odd. There was way more focus on Rhiannon's past life than the whole apocalypse thing. I'm still not totally sure if the infected can think or not, because at times it seemed like they could. But we get a whole chapter of her reenacting a scene from a movie she did.

It was unusual and curious to be certain. I found that I was fascinated simply because it was such a weird direction to go in with the whole apocalypse thing.

[Karen’s Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great little book with a fresh take on the post-apocalypse. What happens to the rich and famous movie starlets and football quarterbacks who survive a virus that decimates 99% of the population? I loved this book! It took me a few chapters to get used to the writing style, but once B.B. the dog enters, I was completely and utterly enthralled and couldn't stop thinking about it in between reading times. At times I was gasping in horror at what these characters endured. But, the ending..! Oh my... I truly got goose bumples!

I was one of the lucky ones who won an autographed copy through my Apocalypse Whenever group. (Shhhh... Don't tell anyone I was within a day of purchasing to my Nook anyway!) So, Miss Meghan, I am going to go look for your other books, because I really like the way your mind works! Thanks for a very entertaining book!

[Susan Tydings · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was prepared for "just another" post apocalyptic zombie novel. I was delightfully surprised to read an engaging story with interesting characters with depth. There are good guys, bad guys who become good guys, and a few very bad guys. The story revolves around a heroic man, a brave and gorgeous woman, a cute & initially odd child named Snickers, and a dog. What's not to love? The story line leads you on an atypical journey, with twists & turns. There are lovely moments of man helping his fellow man & some very nasty men and women who were monsters. Zombies are secondary. I would have liked for the female hero to have been stronger. All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and finished it in two evenings because I didn't want to put it down.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

What would happen if a virus decimated most of the worlds population, leaving the remnants of humanity to fight it out over territory, food and women? After the Virus takes a popular idea and gives it a unique twist by taking two formerly famous people and throwing them together in a world torn apart by greed and desperation, with some freaky Infected thrown in for good measure.

Opening with a tense escape scene, as Rhiannon flees her captors who are using women as baby-machines, we are introduced to a strong, haunted character who underneath a sarcastic shell, is really just looking to survive quietly and away from the violence that seems to follow her wherever she goes. I really liked Rhiannon - getting inside her head, and the way that she fought for the people she cared about, all the while dropping snark bombs like they were going out of fashion. There is also a thing that she does early in the book that immediately endeared her to me.

The romance between Will and Rhiannon felt natural and realistic, and they complimented each other perfectly, with Rhiannon's self-projected hardness, and Will's calm, dedicated nature.
Whilst not exactly zombies, The Infected, and the way that their 'handlers' sustain them, is truly terrifying, particularly how far some of them go to keep them 'alive'. Although some scenes in After the Virus are shocking in the depravity of humankind, it is a plausible scenario - do we really know people would react to the disintegration of law and order?

After the Virus sucked me in and didn't let me go - the writing was great, the characterisation excellent and the plot kept me on the edge of my seat.

Read more of my reviews at The Aussie Zombie

[Gina · Rating 3 out of 5]

A virus wipes out 99% of the world's population. The remaining 1% are divided between those who are immune and those who are infected but have found a way to remain alive on the blood of the immune (mindless, sort of zombies). Those who are immune have divided into warring factions - cult like groups. A few survivors, like Rhiannon and Will, live outside of those groups just trying to survive in peace. When the 2 meet, along with Snickers (a mute 9 yr old girl) and B.B. (a rottweiler Rhiannon rescued), they form a small, found family. When that family is threatened, Rhiannon and Will must draw on their pasts - both were survivors long before the apocalypse - in order to save their future choices.

I've become a huge Meghan Ciana Doidge fan this past year. Yet, this is her first book and it shows. There are hints at the great, action packed books she'll come to write, but this one lacks a good bit in timeline consistency and character development. I liked it, but I'm glad this isn't the first book of hers I read.

[Grammar*Kitten · Rating 4 out of 5]

A dystopian thriller, with parallels to some kind of zombie apocalypse, but altogether different. The 'infected' are dying of a virus, but are not dead or reanimated, though they share the same hunger of their zombie-cousins, a hunger for the blood and flesh of the immune, which strengthens and sustains them.

Within this setting, a group of the immune have set up a baby factory within the city, kidnapping women to breed new humans. It is from here that Rhiannon, our female protagonist, escapes, before finally finding her way to the male protagonist, Will, who has cleared out a whole safe haven of a village in the mountains. Those who had kidnapped Rhiannon are not far behind her though, and they soon re-capture her and the small girl, Snickers, that she and Will had been looking after.

Great characters - a strong female protagonist is always a welcome rarity in modern literature. Some are altogether without morals and decency, stealing, raping and murdering in the wake of society's break down and others choose to cling steadfastly to their human decency in a battle between the two groups.

A bold and creative plot which advances steadily through the narrative with just enough twists and turns; very original and interesting, using enough thrills and surprises to keep the reader engaged but not gratuitously.

The odd rogue apostrophe and spelling mistake seems to have snuck in here and there, but it seems editors/proof readers are incapable of actually finding and eliminating these in this day and age (which is a shame, seems the author thanks a paid proof reader at the end of the novel - what a waste!). A little irksome, but does nothing to detract from my enjoyment of the novel.

I'd definitely recommend this to anyone who likes a zombie book (even though they're not technically zombies), dystopian thrillers or just a good original read.

[Tania Kliphuis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book in two sittings - one evening, and the morning after. The writing style is punchy and the plot makes it a little hard to put down. I wasn't sure if I liked the author's habit of giving the "what happens next" away at the end of each chapter, but I got used to it and it bothered me less and less as I got through the book.

I know nothing about zombies. I know there are some fanatics out there, so I thought I should be clear about that. i had read that this was a zombie novel, but the the 'infected' didn't seem like zombies to me. Zombies are walking dead, right? These poor souls are dying, and being kept alive inhumanely. The 'infected' are not the biggest problem in this post-apocalyptic world where only 0.01% of the population have survived (the 'immune'). What makes this world scary and sick are the twisted human beings still left in it. In an attempt to seize power and start a new world order, some men and women have become monsters.

The story centers around a makeshift family, three people and a dog who have found each other and quickly become mom, dad, daughter and a dog. The love story is sweet and romantic, etc. etc. but I found the love story between these two adults and the child most touching. They see in her what most people see in children - hope, growth, possibility. And in a world bereft of all of those things, this is what spurs them on to try and make what is left better.

There is a lot of gore (probably not enough for the aforementioned zombiacs, but plenty for me), and a lot of references to rape and abuse of women. Don't let that put you off though. It works and is never quite gratuitous - although it does come very close often.

I'm probably making too much of it all though. Awesome read.

[Charlie Kravetz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review is for the Kindle edition ebook.

An exciting, fast-moving, horror story.

In a time when we just passed the “end of the world”(December 21, 2012), this book was great! The end of the world, as we know it. Zombies, as you don’t know them. A few people, immune to the virus that erased humanity, left to live their lives out. A young man, a young woman, a young child in need, a lot of terror, and no one with answers.

This is a book with a lot of horrible things in it. It really fits right in with some of the best horror stories out there. However, it also is a book about the humanity of men and women everywhere. In some ways, this story is heartbreaking. In other ways, it will make you think about the world around you.

I can heartily recommend this book to adults that enjoy horror and mystery. It is not always an easy story to read. Some of the text is very graphic. Some of the text made me squeamish. I have read everything from Stephen King to Jules Verne. Not much makes me squeamish, but parts of this story did. If horror makes you squirm and stay awake, this might not be the book for you. If the end of the world gives you nightmares, stay away from this book. Otherwise, grab it and start reading. What are you waiting for?

I have already picked up another book by Meghan Ciana Doidge. Spirit Binder: The Cascadian Chronicles (Volume 1) should be an excellent book for me, after this one.

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WARNING: contains mature situations, violence, and language.

[Apocalyptic Fiction · Rating 4 out of 5]

A famous actress meets a star college football quarterback, they fall in love and adopt a nine-year old girl…the only problem is that the world has ended, a devastating virus has killed 99% of the human population, some portion of the population has become bloodthirsty zombies and most of those that are immune are ruled by psychopathic lunatics. After the Virus by Meghan Ciana Doidge is not your typical love story. In fact, it ranks up there with some of the more violent and gruesome post apocalyptic fiction. The female protagonist is seriously bad ass and is fueled by pent-up anger after suffering a lifetime of abuse. The female perspective provides a uniquely fascinating glimpse into the post apocalypse. The author envisions an evil, twisted world in which surviving women are held captive to be used as “baby factories” to repopulate the earth. Though some of the choices made by characters in the story are questionable, After the Virus is a uniquely entertaining and action packed post apocalyptic adventure.

[Georgeanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm at 42% in the Kindle for iPad version and I'm starting to get really tired of this woman being kidnapped every few pages. I think everything else is great--the writing, the editing, and the main plot are all very enjoyable. Loving the dog and the cute kid, too. And the hero is the 'strong, quiet' type. My favorite:-)
I received a free copy of this book for review. I will finish it and come back to edit my review. I hope she either stays kidnapped for a while, or gets free for a while, though.
Ok, she does get kidnapped a few more times, but it was totally worth it! Great story, great characters, great action, great ending!!!
I will be looking for more of this authors' work.

[Nadir · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining if a bit over the top. Nice to see a female lead character in an "action" role.

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really fun quick read. Mostly a love story but with zombies and pure evil to spice up the true love.

[Tera · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finished in a day really good book I recommend !

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

New take on the apocalyptic end of the world theme

[Leanne Holmes · Rating 5 out of 5]

great book

[Sarah Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Source: I received a digital copy of this book as a gift. Thanks to author Meghan Ciana Doidge.)
A virus has killed most of the human population on earth, leaving just a small handful of ‘immune’.
Will was taunted by racists in the town where he lived, but now everyone but him is dead, so he’s been tidying the town up alone.
Rhiannon was a famous movie star, but now she’s just trying to avoid being raped by some nut cases that want to repopulate the world one baby at a time.
Can Rhiannon and Will survive alone? Can they help each other? And will they ever be free of people who are trying to kill them?


This was an okay post-apocalyptic story, but there were a couple of things that annoyed me.

Rhiannon and Will were both okay characters, and were both standing on their own two feet in the aftermath of the virus. I liked how neither had given up, and continued to fight to survive.

I thought the storyline in this book was okay, although I enjoyed the beginning more than the rest of the story. I was a bit annoyed that even though Rhiannon and Will were consistently tracked down and harassed by certain people, to the point where they were almost killed, or in Rhiannon’s case raped, they never killed anyone. Okay, taking a life is a big thing, but when it is post-apocalypse, and the same people continue to keep trying to kill them, wouldn’t it be easier, instead of incapacitating them briefly and running, to just kill them? And the same goes for the infected. If these same people who are harassing them are dragging around zombies to threaten them with, why not just kill the stupid zombies? I mean, they’re basically already dead aren’t they?

Anyway, the rest of the story was alright, although I did get slightly confused with all the different characters, and the groups that they belonged to. The ending was also okay, and we got a happily ever after, which was good.
Overall; an okay post-apocalyptic zombie story.
6.5 out of 10.

[Patti · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was absolutely fantastic!!!!!!

The author did an excellent job of giving the back story of the characters without "When Rhiannon was a child, people were mean to her." The various little clues/hints she left were richly detailed, yet not in your face. Each one built a layer onto Rhiannon and Will, allowing you to really identify with them as people, not just made up characters.

The movie star as apocalyptic heroine was pretty bad ass and I just fell in love with Snickers. There wasn't much outright gore, just a taste, but more than enough. All of the components of post-apocalyptic fiction were there, like the power-mad leader and the warring gangs, along with a few unexpected treats. I love it when an author throws in actual real life everyday problems in a PA situation.

And it also gave me one of my newest favoritest quotes, which I will hide for those sensitive to profanity: "Ah, the fucking penis; whether it worked or not, it was always about the dick. Women just didn't obsess about their clits the same way."

Highly recommended to anyone who loves a good strong heroine, a good post-apocalyptic story, or both.

[Janae Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Couldn't wait to get my hands on the book but alas exams and homework had to come first.I'm a die hard fan of post apocalyptic worlds so I dove right into this action packed-adventure where a virus has wiped out most of the population except for those that were immune. Society in most places has left and its everyone for themselves. Rhiannon the main
antagonist is fascinating as she is being sought after by the boss and soon comes to love the man she met (Will) and the young girl (Snickers). Well this was one of the more violent post apocalyptic book I have read in a while I still found myself enjoying the read and rooting
for Rhiannon as the book proceeded. The one thing i would have really liked to know is how did the virus come to be and why were so few immune to it.

[Ellen · Rating 1 out of 5]

What happens when you cross breed romance plot with zombies and apocalypse, with beginner writing skills? You get this novel. Honestly can't believe the 4 stars rating for lines like: "“It. Wanted. His. Blood.”

Excerpt From: Meghan Ciana Doidge. “After The Virus.” Old Man in the CrossWalk Productions, 2012-07-19. iBooks.
This material may be protected by copyright.

I can only imagine the other ratings reflect marks for effort. I did think the writing improved in second half of the book. Note: I received this free from the Apocalypse whenever group offer.