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Outpost #0.5
Juggernaut
THEY SEARCHED FOR GOLD. THEY FOUND DEATH.
Iraq 2005. Seven mercenaries hear an enticing rumor: somewhere, abandoned in the swirling desert sands, lies an abandoned Republican Guard convoy containing millions of pounds of Saddam's gold. They form an unlikely crew of battle-scarred privateers, killers and thieves, veterans of a dozen war zones, each of them anxious to make one last score before their luck runs out.
After liberating the sole surviving Guard member from US capture, the team makes their way to the ancient ruins where the convoy was last seen. Although all seems eerily quiet and deserted when they arrive, they soon find themselves caught in a desperate battle for their lives, confronted by greed, betrayal, and an army that won't stay dead.
---
“A high-voltage shock to the system. It’s smart, witty, crammed with action and disturbingly plausible. Highly recommended.” –Jonathan Maberry, New York Times bestselling author of Assassin’s Code
A brilliant, gripping portrait of survival in the face of complete annihilation perfect for fans of Jonathan Maberry and Guillermo Del Toro's The Strain
An unputdownable military thriller that SFFworld.com called "Three Kings meets The Walking Dead,” Juggernaut is a heart-pounding, fast-paced read that doesn’t let up until the last page.
Iraq 2005. Seven mercenaries hear an enticing rumor: somewhere, abandoned in the swirling desert sands, lies an abandoned Republican Guard convoy containing millions of pounds of Saddam's gold. They form an unlikely crew of battle-scarred privateers, killers and thieves, veterans of a dozen war zones, each of them anxious to make one last score before their luck runs out.
After liberating the sole surviving Guard member from US capture, the team makes their way to the ancient ruins where the convoy was last seen. Although all seems eerily quiet and deserted when they arrive, they soon find themselves caught in a desperate battle for their lives, confronted by greed, betrayal, and an army that won't stay dead.
---
“A high-voltage shock to the system. It’s smart, witty, crammed with action and disturbingly plausible. Highly recommended.” –Jonathan Maberry, New York Times bestselling author of Assassin’s Code
A brilliant, gripping portrait of survival in the face of complete annihilation perfect for fans of Jonathan Maberry and Guillermo Del Toro's The Strain
An unputdownable military thriller that SFFworld.com called "Three Kings meets The Walking Dead,” Juggernaut is a heart-pounding, fast-paced read that doesn’t let up until the last page.
305 pages, Hardcover
First published April 2, 2013
23 people are currently reading
495 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 109 reviews
April 3, 2020
juggernaut!!
so this is number 0.5 in the series, published several years after #1, Outpost, and roughly two months before #2:Terminus. got that? and if outpost was the thing with metal-zombies (and it was), this one is clearly three kings with metal zombies.
and i loved it.
yes, it is ANOTHER zombie book, and as much as i do still love the zombies, there is a sense of "enough, already." but they are never gonna stop writing love stories, and they are probably never going to stop writing zombie stories. unless the world is taken over by zombies and everyone is too busy trying to stay alive to waste time writing stories. which could happen.
but adam baker is no fool - he knows that to write a well-received zombie story today, you gotta give it something different. we are all supersaturated with the shambly zombies in torn plaid shirts like they all came from the nineties, moaning and hungering for braaaains.
so he creates a zombie scenario that is not virus-based. it is an organism that has come from space, and once it arrives on earth, it gets in you and turns the insides of you all metallic and spiky, right before it erases your you-ness and turns "you" into a shell containing a parasitic organism hell-bent on finding more and more hosts. and you know this would look way cool in movie-form.
the writing is very smart, too, in that cinematic way. it opens with a runaway train tearing through the desert in iraq, from which two women are extracted; wounded and only half-conscious, and brought to a terrible war-ravaged hospital, with arterial spray all over the walls and people trying to steal the watches off the patients. then it flashes back to show us who these women are: two members of a team of mercenaries who had gone into the desert on a tip that there was a truck full of gold, abandoned and forgotten, which they had intended to obtain as their last big score before retiring.
and how it all went wrong.
adam baker has a strong sense of timing, and a facility with thick detail. there is a great emphasis on the military aspects of the story: the weaponry and transportation and tactical maneuvers and protocol. i can't say that i have ever read a military thriller - they just never appealed to me. but he managed to hold my interest entirely, spinning out this story of highly trained rogue soldiers with distinct backgrounds and psychological motivations and holding off on the zombies for so long i almost forgot this was a zombie book. but i was deeply engaged - i was never like "gimmie my zombies!" as i may have ordinarily been. it's a smart way to widen the appeal factors of your book, and to draw in the military crowd, who might not ordinarily pick up a zombie book. the details of the heist are gripping, and the war stories and horrors these mercenaries have seen in their military experience are just as brutal as the things that happen once the zombies arrive. and the combination may sound a little strange, but i think it works well.
i personally loved the characters. i think they were more successfully fleshed-out than those in outpost; a much more slowly-paced book which suited its plot perfectly, but whose characters seemed a little black-and-white to me. here there is a little more gray, and there is just better construction, especially the character of lucy, the female leader of the mercenaries. having an englishwoman leading a military party into the desert could easily have become some sort of crazy sci-fi fantasy tough-girl situation (since we are still observing the cinematic sensibilities of the author), but she comes across as very realistic and female, which in a genre where women are frequently either so tough that they have been effectively neutered or tough in that self-destructive hyper-sexed adrenaline-junky way, she rings true. her thoughts and decisions are psychologically realistic, and she is a pragmatic leader not without empathy.
to me, she is the star, although the other characters are also well-developed.
i would love to know how i could get my hands on a copy of terminus, which may only be available in england right now. outpost was also difficult to track down, but i am thrilled that bill thompson snagged me a copy, so i could do this adam baker exchange with mike reynolds. fortunately, both books can completely be read as stand-alones, so if you can't get to outpost, you can read this one and be totally content.
rarrrr
come to my blog!
so this is number 0.5 in the series, published several years after #1, Outpost, and roughly two months before #2:Terminus. got that? and if outpost was the thing with metal-zombies (and it was), this one is clearly three kings with metal zombies.
and i loved it.
yes, it is ANOTHER zombie book, and as much as i do still love the zombies, there is a sense of "enough, already." but they are never gonna stop writing love stories, and they are probably never going to stop writing zombie stories. unless the world is taken over by zombies and everyone is too busy trying to stay alive to waste time writing stories. which could happen.
but adam baker is no fool - he knows that to write a well-received zombie story today, you gotta give it something different. we are all supersaturated with the shambly zombies in torn plaid shirts like they all came from the nineties, moaning and hungering for braaaains.
so he creates a zombie scenario that is not virus-based. it is an organism that has come from space, and once it arrives on earth, it gets in you and turns the insides of you all metallic and spiky, right before it erases your you-ness and turns "you" into a shell containing a parasitic organism hell-bent on finding more and more hosts. and you know this would look way cool in movie-form.
the writing is very smart, too, in that cinematic way. it opens with a runaway train tearing through the desert in iraq, from which two women are extracted; wounded and only half-conscious, and brought to a terrible war-ravaged hospital, with arterial spray all over the walls and people trying to steal the watches off the patients. then it flashes back to show us who these women are: two members of a team of mercenaries who had gone into the desert on a tip that there was a truck full of gold, abandoned and forgotten, which they had intended to obtain as their last big score before retiring.
and how it all went wrong.
adam baker has a strong sense of timing, and a facility with thick detail. there is a great emphasis on the military aspects of the story: the weaponry and transportation and tactical maneuvers and protocol. i can't say that i have ever read a military thriller - they just never appealed to me. but he managed to hold my interest entirely, spinning out this story of highly trained rogue soldiers with distinct backgrounds and psychological motivations and holding off on the zombies for so long i almost forgot this was a zombie book. but i was deeply engaged - i was never like "gimmie my zombies!" as i may have ordinarily been. it's a smart way to widen the appeal factors of your book, and to draw in the military crowd, who might not ordinarily pick up a zombie book. the details of the heist are gripping, and the war stories and horrors these mercenaries have seen in their military experience are just as brutal as the things that happen once the zombies arrive. and the combination may sound a little strange, but i think it works well.
i personally loved the characters. i think they were more successfully fleshed-out than those in outpost; a much more slowly-paced book which suited its plot perfectly, but whose characters seemed a little black-and-white to me. here there is a little more gray, and there is just better construction, especially the character of lucy, the female leader of the mercenaries. having an englishwoman leading a military party into the desert could easily have become some sort of crazy sci-fi fantasy tough-girl situation (since we are still observing the cinematic sensibilities of the author), but she comes across as very realistic and female, which in a genre where women are frequently either so tough that they have been effectively neutered or tough in that self-destructive hyper-sexed adrenaline-junky way, she rings true. her thoughts and decisions are psychologically realistic, and she is a pragmatic leader not without empathy.
to me, she is the star, although the other characters are also well-developed.
i would love to know how i could get my hands on a copy of terminus, which may only be available in england right now. outpost was also difficult to track down, but i am thrilled that bill thompson snagged me a copy, so i could do this adam baker exchange with mike reynolds. fortunately, both books can completely be read as stand-alones, so if you can't get to outpost, you can read this one and be totally content.
rarrrr
come to my blog!
February 18, 2012
The darkness of the desert and the gold coloured sand dunes provides an good setting for a story. The middle east Iraq to be exact provide plentiful bullets and bombs going off. Talk of dangerous weaponry and a virus an interesting ellement to this story also.
If you are a fan of military solider style stories this has plentiful military and weaponry talk.
A group of mercenaries choose to seek out and recover some gold to fill their pockets but eventually find out they have been a pawn in a dangerous bio-chemical world.
I found at times the story lost my concentration and the narrative did not hook me enough and I struggled to get through. There are many good elements to the story but the actual the layout did not process and deliver all this factors as much as it could have for me to say I really liked to give it that extra star.
If you are a fan of military solider style stories this has plentiful military and weaponry talk.
A group of mercenaries choose to seek out and recover some gold to fill their pockets but eventually find out they have been a pawn in a dangerous bio-chemical world.
I found at times the story lost my concentration and the narrative did not hook me enough and I struggled to get through. There are many good elements to the story but the actual the layout did not process and deliver all this factors as much as it could have for me to say I really liked to give it that extra star.
January 26, 2012
Wow!... That's about the extent of my review because I don't know what other words I could use to justify how much I loved this book!
Readers of Outpost will already recognise Bakers signature writing style starting this book, if you haven't read Outpost, don't worry these can be read out of order, the author has a really unique way of writing that really adds an extra effect to his chilling novels.
Juggernaut is every bit as stomach clenching and nail bitingly scary as the first book and just left my head spinning at the end, I really had to collect myself before I could pick up another book.
I will admit however, for me it took a little getting in to, not because it's bad just because I know nothing about the military so all the lingo and the different weapons just went over my head, I even had to find out exactly what a Mercenary is because I wasn't sure, but yeah, that was my problem lol At the same time though, I'm glad there wasn't descriptions of all the weapons and what the guys were talking about because I think it would have slowed down the story and added a big chunk to the book, I figured it all out for myself as I went and as the story was set up and the book started flowing I was completely hooked.
As the pace speeded up I came closer to the edge of my seat, my stomach in knots as I awaited the conclusion, I could feel the desert heat sizzling off the page.
There's plenty of 'infected' action and some really great insight into how the infection came about, something I know I was dying to learn about after finishing Outpost and I know others were to, and it's good!...
I enjoyed all of the characters, we don't learn a whole lot of backstory about most of them but I enjoyed how they interacted with each other, you can tell that the core group have been friends a long time... although there are some great twists along the way! There was also a good mix of characters, good, bad and really bad that made a good dynamic to the book.
Adam Baker is quickly becoming one of my favourite authors and for those that don't know there is to be another book to follow in this series, which I'm pretty sure is set after Outpost and I cannot wait to get my hands on it and be back in this world that sends chills up my spine.
Favourite quotes
'It's a matter of will. Put a man in a fiercely hostile enviroment like the desert or leave him marooned in Artic wastes and you'll soon see what lies in his heart.' - Jabril.
'Lucy will have no choice. he will turn homicidal. She will have to kill him, or be killed.' - Jabril
Readers of Outpost will already recognise Bakers signature writing style starting this book, if you haven't read Outpost, don't worry these can be read out of order, the author has a really unique way of writing that really adds an extra effect to his chilling novels.
Juggernaut is every bit as stomach clenching and nail bitingly scary as the first book and just left my head spinning at the end, I really had to collect myself before I could pick up another book.
I will admit however, for me it took a little getting in to, not because it's bad just because I know nothing about the military so all the lingo and the different weapons just went over my head, I even had to find out exactly what a Mercenary is because I wasn't sure, but yeah, that was my problem lol At the same time though, I'm glad there wasn't descriptions of all the weapons and what the guys were talking about because I think it would have slowed down the story and added a big chunk to the book, I figured it all out for myself as I went and as the story was set up and the book started flowing I was completely hooked.
As the pace speeded up I came closer to the edge of my seat, my stomach in knots as I awaited the conclusion, I could feel the desert heat sizzling off the page.
There's plenty of 'infected' action and some really great insight into how the infection came about, something I know I was dying to learn about after finishing Outpost and I know others were to, and it's good!...
I enjoyed all of the characters, we don't learn a whole lot of backstory about most of them but I enjoyed how they interacted with each other, you can tell that the core group have been friends a long time... although there are some great twists along the way! There was also a good mix of characters, good, bad and really bad that made a good dynamic to the book.
Adam Baker is quickly becoming one of my favourite authors and for those that don't know there is to be another book to follow in this series, which I'm pretty sure is set after Outpost and I cannot wait to get my hands on it and be back in this world that sends chills up my spine.
Favourite quotes
'It's a matter of will. Put a man in a fiercely hostile enviroment like the desert or leave him marooned in Artic wastes and you'll soon see what lies in his heart.' - Jabril.
'Lucy will have no choice. he will turn homicidal. She will have to kill him, or be killed.' - Jabril
June 26, 2013
4 Stars
Juggernaut is a rarity in that it really worked better as a prequel read after the first book Outpost. I normally have a hard time reading things out of order, it messes me up....haha. In this book Adam Baker has decided to take a straight up action thriller approach to his novel, countdowns and chases included, rather than the survival horror theme of book one.
In Outpost Baker centered the story on one main character, an amazing heroine named Jane. In this one, we get several strong main characters, led by the hard ass Lucy. I like that Baker does a good job at writing from both a male and a female perspective, even though it can be stereotypical at times.
Juggernaut is just that as far as action and pacing is concerned. The setting in the deserts of Iraq make for an awesome and oppressive backdrop. I love how the plot unfolded and the keys behind Outpost were brought to light.
My only real gripe is that I never found myself routing for any of the characters. Jabril, one of the real bad guys ending up being the most complex and easily identified with characters. I loved his backstory and his selfish actions.
A true summer read, Juggernaut is a really fun prequel to Outpost and a great introductions to the bad ass zombies. Highly recommended!
Juggernaut is a rarity in that it really worked better as a prequel read after the first book Outpost. I normally have a hard time reading things out of order, it messes me up....haha. In this book Adam Baker has decided to take a straight up action thriller approach to his novel, countdowns and chases included, rather than the survival horror theme of book one.
In Outpost Baker centered the story on one main character, an amazing heroine named Jane. In this one, we get several strong main characters, led by the hard ass Lucy. I like that Baker does a good job at writing from both a male and a female perspective, even though it can be stereotypical at times.
Juggernaut is just that as far as action and pacing is concerned. The setting in the deserts of Iraq make for an awesome and oppressive backdrop. I love how the plot unfolded and the keys behind Outpost were brought to light.
My only real gripe is that I never found myself routing for any of the characters. Jabril, one of the real bad guys ending up being the most complex and easily identified with characters. I loved his backstory and his selfish actions.
A true summer read, Juggernaut is a really fun prequel to Outpost and a great introductions to the bad ass zombies. Highly recommended!
April 15, 2015
Iraq. Treasure. Republican Guard. Zombies.
A very fun read.
A very fun read.
October 12, 2024
Extraterrestrial zombie virus in Saddam's Iraq. Very niche but very good! Lots of military descriptions that were a bit over my head in places & the characterisation wasn't quite as in-depth as Outpost but a very enjoyable read.
January 27, 2012
Original Post: http://thefoundingfields.com/2012/01/...
Zombies. If you’ve been a long-term follower of The Founding Fields, then you know that I like to read anything with zombies in it. That probably doesn’t explain why I haven’t picked up Max Brooks’ World War Z yet, but I’ll let you know when I do pick it up. But, back onto Juggernaut, the novel which I received an advanced review copy from the kind folks at Hodder and Stoughton. I also have another zombie related novel from them, The Return Man by VM Zito, so that should be a fun read when I get to it.
However, I keep straying off topic so without further ado, here’s the plot for Juggernaut.
A group of mercenaries, lead by the strong female lead character that is Lucy, are searching for Saddam’s gold in the year 2005, during the Iraq War. They’re on their last mission, and look set to go in, grab the gold, and get out in a matter of hours. However, something goes horribly wrong, and they soon find themselves fighting for their lives against an enemy that they didn’t think could exist. The mercenaries soon find themselves stranded in ancient ruins, confronted not only by an army that won’t stay dead – but also the threat of greed and betrayal.
Although at first, the novel itself may seem slow, but once Baker begins to increase the tension, the pace flies by, and you’re sucked into Juggernaut and won’t be able to put it down – even if you haven’t read that much zombie-horror in the first place.
Juggernaut certainly has an original background for the novel, and after all – there aren’t many zombie horrors set during the Iraq war. The characters, both the supporting cast and the main crew, are well developed and well rounded, and provide a strong cast to the novel.
Adam Baker’s second novel is a mostly action-packed, and provides some pretty awesome set-pieces where you will soon learn that nobody is safe – so don’t get too attached to a particular character.
I’d like to talk about the zombies here, in this review for a bit. Juggernaut is of course, set in the same world as Outpost, but can be read, as I found it could be, as a standalone novel without any prior knowledge of what happens in Outpost. What I like about the zombies in Baker’s novel is that they’re quite well explained, and the author manages to achieve this without spoiling the pace or otherwise.
However, not every novel is perfect – no matter how much we wish it could be. Juggernaut’s main fault and one that I hope is only in the advanced review copy that I got, is the constant typos, words missing and grammar errors littered throughout the novel, and where they were found – they were quite off-putting.
Juggernaut however, despite the flaws mentioned above, has made me want to read more of Baker and I will probably buy Outpost sometime soon. That’s always a good thing, when you enjoy an author’s work so much that you want to get the next or previous novel in the series.
The tone is pretty much serious throughout the entire novel, there are no z-word jokes, etc, no character that’s thrown in there for comic relief, but this novel doesn’t really need any as Baker manages to pull off a fantastic read and, with one book, is quickly becoming my ‘go-to’ author for zombie horror. Not that I’ve read much zombie-horror, mind you...
Before we finish off, I’d like to say a big thanks to Hodder and Stoughton for providing me with this advanced review copy – I really enjoyed this novel.
Verdict: 4/5
Zombies. If you’ve been a long-term follower of The Founding Fields, then you know that I like to read anything with zombies in it. That probably doesn’t explain why I haven’t picked up Max Brooks’ World War Z yet, but I’ll let you know when I do pick it up. But, back onto Juggernaut, the novel which I received an advanced review copy from the kind folks at Hodder and Stoughton. I also have another zombie related novel from them, The Return Man by VM Zito, so that should be a fun read when I get to it.
However, I keep straying off topic so without further ado, here’s the plot for Juggernaut.
A group of mercenaries, lead by the strong female lead character that is Lucy, are searching for Saddam’s gold in the year 2005, during the Iraq War. They’re on their last mission, and look set to go in, grab the gold, and get out in a matter of hours. However, something goes horribly wrong, and they soon find themselves fighting for their lives against an enemy that they didn’t think could exist. The mercenaries soon find themselves stranded in ancient ruins, confronted not only by an army that won’t stay dead – but also the threat of greed and betrayal.
Although at first, the novel itself may seem slow, but once Baker begins to increase the tension, the pace flies by, and you’re sucked into Juggernaut and won’t be able to put it down – even if you haven’t read that much zombie-horror in the first place.
Juggernaut certainly has an original background for the novel, and after all – there aren’t many zombie horrors set during the Iraq war. The characters, both the supporting cast and the main crew, are well developed and well rounded, and provide a strong cast to the novel.
Adam Baker’s second novel is a mostly action-packed, and provides some pretty awesome set-pieces where you will soon learn that nobody is safe – so don’t get too attached to a particular character.
I’d like to talk about the zombies here, in this review for a bit. Juggernaut is of course, set in the same world as Outpost, but can be read, as I found it could be, as a standalone novel without any prior knowledge of what happens in Outpost. What I like about the zombies in Baker’s novel is that they’re quite well explained, and the author manages to achieve this without spoiling the pace or otherwise.
However, not every novel is perfect – no matter how much we wish it could be. Juggernaut’s main fault and one that I hope is only in the advanced review copy that I got, is the constant typos, words missing and grammar errors littered throughout the novel, and where they were found – they were quite off-putting.
Juggernaut however, despite the flaws mentioned above, has made me want to read more of Baker and I will probably buy Outpost sometime soon. That’s always a good thing, when you enjoy an author’s work so much that you want to get the next or previous novel in the series.
The tone is pretty much serious throughout the entire novel, there are no z-word jokes, etc, no character that’s thrown in there for comic relief, but this novel doesn’t really need any as Baker manages to pull off a fantastic read and, with one book, is quickly becoming my ‘go-to’ author for zombie horror. Not that I’ve read much zombie-horror, mind you...
Before we finish off, I’d like to say a big thanks to Hodder and Stoughton for providing me with this advanced review copy – I really enjoyed this novel.
Verdict: 4/5
January 6, 2012
Juggernaut is Adam Baker's second book and although it is a stand alone story it is a prequel to his first novel, Outpost.
Juggernaut is set in Iraq, 2005. Mercenaries Lucy and Amanda uncover a rumour of Saddam's hidden gold and after getting an Iraqi called Jabril released from Abu Ghraib prison who knows first hand of where the gold is hidden, they form a team along with Voss, Huang and Toon to journey into Iraq's Western Desert near to the Syrian border to what is only marked on maps as Valley 403. They enlist the help of unscrupulous men called Gaunt and Raphael who have two antiquated helicopters from the 1960's who help them fly into the desert.
When they arrive at the valley they find an ancient citadel housed in a hidden ravine with only one entrance through a long natural tunnel. They find the burnt remains of many of Saddam's republican guards and without dropping any spoilers what begins as a hunt for gold turns into a living hell when the dead guards slowly sense human life is near and begin to move and attack the living. Whilst fighting for their lives, Jabril tells the group about a top secret Soviet spacecraft that had crash landed in the desert nearby and was brought into the citadel and was infected by a hideous alien toxin that has inadvertently crossed over into humans. What follows is a harrowing account of the group trying to survive, a double cross, and ultimately attempting to flee the valley if they can with their lives.
An amazing read! A very fast, rapid page turner of a book, action all the way, quite grisly and horrific in places. I loved it! Adam Baker is an author to keep an eye out for in the future!
Juggernaut is set in Iraq, 2005. Mercenaries Lucy and Amanda uncover a rumour of Saddam's hidden gold and after getting an Iraqi called Jabril released from Abu Ghraib prison who knows first hand of where the gold is hidden, they form a team along with Voss, Huang and Toon to journey into Iraq's Western Desert near to the Syrian border to what is only marked on maps as Valley 403. They enlist the help of unscrupulous men called Gaunt and Raphael who have two antiquated helicopters from the 1960's who help them fly into the desert.
When they arrive at the valley they find an ancient citadel housed in a hidden ravine with only one entrance through a long natural tunnel. They find the burnt remains of many of Saddam's republican guards and without dropping any spoilers what begins as a hunt for gold turns into a living hell when the dead guards slowly sense human life is near and begin to move and attack the living. Whilst fighting for their lives, Jabril tells the group about a top secret Soviet spacecraft that had crash landed in the desert nearby and was brought into the citadel and was infected by a hideous alien toxin that has inadvertently crossed over into humans. What follows is a harrowing account of the group trying to survive, a double cross, and ultimately attempting to flee the valley if they can with their lives.
An amazing read! A very fast, rapid page turner of a book, action all the way, quite grisly and horrific in places. I loved it! Adam Baker is an author to keep an eye out for in the future!
December 30, 2013
THEY SEARCHED FOR GOLD. THEY FOUND DEATH.
Iraq 2005. Seven mercenaries hear an enticing rumor: somewhere, abandoned in the swirling desert sands, lies an abandoned Republican Guard convoy containing millions of pounds of Saddam's gold. They form an unlikely crew of battle-scarred privateers, killers and thieves, veterans of a dozen war zones, each of them anxious to make one last score before their luck runs out.
After liberating the sole surviving Guard member from US capture, the team makes their way to the ancient ruins where the convoy was last seen. Although all seems eerily quiet and deserted when they arrive, they soon find themselves caught in a desperate battle for their lives, confronted by greed, betrayal, and an army that won't stay dead.
Second book in the Outpost series and another rollicking, rollercoster page turning read. Baker excells at writing strong female protagonists and I loved the female lead in the last book "Outpost". In Juggernaut Lucy, mercenary leader and general all round kick arse makes a refreshing change to have a female in the kind of role that's usually reserved for pumped-up action men.
In fact Lucy Whyte is so hard she makes pumped-up action men cry:
*Lucy and her team were wearing full body armor. Lucy had a cheery Sheraton conference badge pinned to her flak jacket. “Hello, my name is … F*** YOU.”
*Lucy shot him through the left eye and blew out the back of his skull. He was thrown clean out of his flip-flops.
*Lucy threw him over the parapet. He fell three stories into the wreckage of the burning Humvee, and was lost in flame.
:)
Iraq 2005. Seven mercenaries hear an enticing rumor: somewhere, abandoned in the swirling desert sands, lies an abandoned Republican Guard convoy containing millions of pounds of Saddam's gold. They form an unlikely crew of battle-scarred privateers, killers and thieves, veterans of a dozen war zones, each of them anxious to make one last score before their luck runs out.
After liberating the sole surviving Guard member from US capture, the team makes their way to the ancient ruins where the convoy was last seen. Although all seems eerily quiet and deserted when they arrive, they soon find themselves caught in a desperate battle for their lives, confronted by greed, betrayal, and an army that won't stay dead.
Second book in the Outpost series and another rollicking, rollercoster page turning read. Baker excells at writing strong female protagonists and I loved the female lead in the last book "Outpost". In Juggernaut Lucy, mercenary leader and general all round kick arse makes a refreshing change to have a female in the kind of role that's usually reserved for pumped-up action men.
In fact Lucy Whyte is so hard she makes pumped-up action men cry:
*Lucy and her team were wearing full body armor. Lucy had a cheery Sheraton conference badge pinned to her flak jacket. “Hello, my name is … F*** YOU.”
*Lucy shot him through the left eye and blew out the back of his skull. He was thrown clean out of his flip-flops.
*Lucy threw him over the parapet. He fell three stories into the wreckage of the burning Humvee, and was lost in flame.
:)
October 17, 2015
I gave Baker's debut novel 3 ½ stars, this one leans more to four, so four it is, and yes i have some kind of fixation with giving precise numbers to things. Juggernaut is set in the same world as Outpost, but serves as a prequel. Like Outpost, Baker gives an unique setting, this time a desolate Iraq desert. First part gives a really good feeling of Saddam's regimes last days, there is no politics, just telling how it was a good place to all those mercenaries to make a good living. Novels 'heroes' are a small time mercenary team and 'villains' are the black ops type guys, but it is not a black and white stuff, one of the main character is Iraq soldier, Jabril, with a shady past.
My main problem with Outpost was lack of deeper characters, same here, deepest one is Jabril, if the same amount time had been put to main guys, the mercenaries, then we could be in the 5 star territory. A prose style, that i found somewhat jarring in the first book, is here, but oddly enough now it feels better and fit's the fast paced action like a needle in the eye. More good things: Baker knows his weapons, and that makes action scenes more realistic. Best part was the section describing origins of the virus, puzzle piece fitting together nicely with Outpost, making you want to know more. Roll on Terminus!
My main problem with Outpost was lack of deeper characters, same here, deepest one is Jabril, if the same amount time had been put to main guys, the mercenaries, then we could be in the 5 star territory. A prose style, that i found somewhat jarring in the first book, is here, but oddly enough now it feels better and fit's the fast paced action like a needle in the eye. More good things: Baker knows his weapons, and that makes action scenes more realistic. Best part was the section describing origins of the virus, puzzle piece fitting together nicely with Outpost, making you want to know more. Roll on Terminus!
August 9, 2019
I don’t think I’m a zombie snob. Hell, I gave The Walking Dead two seasons to stop being about Andrew Lincoln staring hard into the distance and saying something in a gravely drawl. But we’ve had brilliant zombie creations over the past few years, and while Juggernaut is an inspired reinvention of the zombie virus epidemic, its dry and technical nature can’t compare to the more fulfilling stories of 28 Days Later and even Warm Bodies.
You can read Karin's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
You can read Karin's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
August 9, 2013
Juggernaut takes place during the final days of Saddam Hussein’s reign in Iraq. How, you may ask, is this something that could contain zombies? Here’s how it works. In the book, and as part of the plot, the rumor is that sometime before the second invasion of Iraq, Saddam had his personal fortune shipped to the Western Desert. This is where he had previously released chemical weapons against the Kurds who live in that region and following that release created a fence and renamed it the Contaminated Zone.
This is where Baker’s Juggernaut comes in. A second string, Private Military Company (PMC), hears the rumor about Saddam’s gold and decides to track it down. Unknown to them, one of the people they contact for assistance has already been contacted by a shadowy CIA agent who wants something that is also in that convoy. What awaits them in that desolate place is more than just gold and some super secret intelligence item. There be zombies in that there wasteland.
Heralded as a cross between Three Kings and The Walking Dead, Juggernaut is a taut zombie action adventure with well developed characters and a solid plot. It has moments of terror accompanied with moments of tense dialogue that sets the pace throughout the story.
But, and this was coming from almost the first page.
There are some serious technical issues. What stands out to me and by now most of the people who have read my reviews know what I’m referring to, the ever present disease known as poor research.
Within the first chapter there is a major issue with a soldier who is sitting in the doorway of a low flying Black Hawk. That’s Black Hawk; two words not one as in Blackhawk. This soldier apparently does not have a sling on his rifle as he tosses it to another soldier who is inside the helicopter. Let’s look at that action for a moment. Sure, that sounds kind of cool and puts a real Hollywood feel to the scene but, tossing a live weapon inside a helicopter while said aircraft is in flight is not only a direct violation of safety, it’s the most stupid thing someone could do.
Moving on, we have another character introduced as a marine. Sorry, that’s Marine. Marine is a title and needs to be capitalized. Said former Marine somehow has a West Point ring on his finger. Some of you may ask why that’s an issue. Here’s the problem with that. West Point is the U.S. Army’s military academy. Marines don’t attend that academy because they aren’t part of the Army. Marines attend Annapolis, the Naval Academy because Marines are part of the Navy and are considered to be Naval Infantry.
That being said, no way would a former Marine lieutenant be wearing a West Point ring. Then there is the lack of capitalization when referring to the U.S. Air Force. That is a proper noun and title therefore it needs to be capitalized. Throughout the story there are constant references to clips and magazines and the ever present reference to STANAG magazines which the author appeared to be fixated with. Let’s address the whole clip/magazine issue first. A clip is a term that refers to the old stripper clip from the M1 Garand rifle of the WW2 era. It was a simple metal clip that rounds (those are bullets) were attached to and then inserted into the rifle. Modern military rifles do no use a clip, they use a magazine. The term clip has seem life inside several books, movies and even badly researched television shows and is an incorrect term when referring to a modern military, magazine fed weapon.
Now we have the whole STANAG magazine issue. A STANAG magazine is simply a Standard Agreement magazine adopted by NATO forces, hence the whole acronym, Standard Agreement = STANAG. It’s not a special magazine, nor is it a really high quality magazine; it’s simply a standard 5.56mm compatible magazine. Oh, and that 5.56 not 5:56 when referring to the caliber of the M16/M4 rifle and the M249 SAW. Later in the book, there is a mention of one of the PMC contractors going full auto with his AR-15. Really? The AR-15 is the semiautomatic only version of the military M16 so it would not have a selective fire switch that would allow it to fire fully automatic. Just not going to happen. There is a mention of the M249 SAW using a 200 round drum. That’s not going to happen either. The standard drum magazine for the M249 is 100 rounds. There is a 200 round ammunition box that the linked belts are stored in but there is no 200 round box or drum magazine. There is even a mention of one of the contractors feeding shells into his shotgun then racking the slide. Maybe he racked the pump action but definitely he didn’t rack the slide.
These are all reasons why I offer my services as a Military Technical Advisor for authors. There will always be a few issues no matter how well someone researches but this many?
While Juggernaut is a tense zombie thriller that had a relatively believable cause for an outbreak, to me, it really lacked the tactical and technical savvy required to make this an outstanding novel set within contemporary times. If you can overlook what I mentioned above and just read it as it stands, a zombie thriller, then Juggernaut is an outstanding story that uses a real world cause for the zombies and tosses in some political thrills and plenty of action.
This is where Baker’s Juggernaut comes in. A second string, Private Military Company (PMC), hears the rumor about Saddam’s gold and decides to track it down. Unknown to them, one of the people they contact for assistance has already been contacted by a shadowy CIA agent who wants something that is also in that convoy. What awaits them in that desolate place is more than just gold and some super secret intelligence item. There be zombies in that there wasteland.
Heralded as a cross between Three Kings and The Walking Dead, Juggernaut is a taut zombie action adventure with well developed characters and a solid plot. It has moments of terror accompanied with moments of tense dialogue that sets the pace throughout the story.
But, and this was coming from almost the first page.
There are some serious technical issues. What stands out to me and by now most of the people who have read my reviews know what I’m referring to, the ever present disease known as poor research.
Within the first chapter there is a major issue with a soldier who is sitting in the doorway of a low flying Black Hawk. That’s Black Hawk; two words not one as in Blackhawk. This soldier apparently does not have a sling on his rifle as he tosses it to another soldier who is inside the helicopter. Let’s look at that action for a moment. Sure, that sounds kind of cool and puts a real Hollywood feel to the scene but, tossing a live weapon inside a helicopter while said aircraft is in flight is not only a direct violation of safety, it’s the most stupid thing someone could do.
Moving on, we have another character introduced as a marine. Sorry, that’s Marine. Marine is a title and needs to be capitalized. Said former Marine somehow has a West Point ring on his finger. Some of you may ask why that’s an issue. Here’s the problem with that. West Point is the U.S. Army’s military academy. Marines don’t attend that academy because they aren’t part of the Army. Marines attend Annapolis, the Naval Academy because Marines are part of the Navy and are considered to be Naval Infantry.
That being said, no way would a former Marine lieutenant be wearing a West Point ring. Then there is the lack of capitalization when referring to the U.S. Air Force. That is a proper noun and title therefore it needs to be capitalized. Throughout the story there are constant references to clips and magazines and the ever present reference to STANAG magazines which the author appeared to be fixated with. Let’s address the whole clip/magazine issue first. A clip is a term that refers to the old stripper clip from the M1 Garand rifle of the WW2 era. It was a simple metal clip that rounds (those are bullets) were attached to and then inserted into the rifle. Modern military rifles do no use a clip, they use a magazine. The term clip has seem life inside several books, movies and even badly researched television shows and is an incorrect term when referring to a modern military, magazine fed weapon.
Now we have the whole STANAG magazine issue. A STANAG magazine is simply a Standard Agreement magazine adopted by NATO forces, hence the whole acronym, Standard Agreement = STANAG. It’s not a special magazine, nor is it a really high quality magazine; it’s simply a standard 5.56mm compatible magazine. Oh, and that 5.56 not 5:56 when referring to the caliber of the M16/M4 rifle and the M249 SAW. Later in the book, there is a mention of one of the PMC contractors going full auto with his AR-15. Really? The AR-15 is the semiautomatic only version of the military M16 so it would not have a selective fire switch that would allow it to fire fully automatic. Just not going to happen. There is a mention of the M249 SAW using a 200 round drum. That’s not going to happen either. The standard drum magazine for the M249 is 100 rounds. There is a 200 round ammunition box that the linked belts are stored in but there is no 200 round box or drum magazine. There is even a mention of one of the contractors feeding shells into his shotgun then racking the slide. Maybe he racked the pump action but definitely he didn’t rack the slide.
These are all reasons why I offer my services as a Military Technical Advisor for authors. There will always be a few issues no matter how well someone researches but this many?
While Juggernaut is a tense zombie thriller that had a relatively believable cause for an outbreak, to me, it really lacked the tactical and technical savvy required to make this an outstanding novel set within contemporary times. If you can overlook what I mentioned above and just read it as it stands, a zombie thriller, then Juggernaut is an outstanding story that uses a real world cause for the zombies and tosses in some political thrills and plenty of action.
June 27, 2017
Adam Baker's monstrous Juggernaut is a prequel to the epic Outpost series. ZA horror at its absolute best, and Juggernaut is frantic, bloody, adrenaline gushing fun from start to finish.
This whole series has confirmed to me that Adam Baker knows how to write awesome ZA goodness.
One of the best series i've read.
This whole series has confirmed to me that Adam Baker knows how to write awesome ZA goodness.
One of the best series i've read.
April 12, 2021
While I appreciate this “origins” story, it was a bit bogged down by military jargon, and the author showcasing his obviously extensive research.
November 19, 2021
After really enjoying Outpost, the start of this book read like a squadie wet dream, really hard to read. Got better in the second half though.
May 19, 2012
It's 2007 and a small team of mercenaries travel into the heart of peace-torn Iraq, in search of Saddam's gold. What they find, however, will change the world forever.
Imagine a cross between, let's say, Three Kings and Resident Evil with, perhaps, a bit of Jarhead and 28 Days Later thrown in (not to mention a goodly helping of Tomb Raider - the game not the film) and you'll have a reasonable idea of the plot. This is what I believe is known as "survivalist fiction", action/adventure with a dash of techno-thriller military porn thrown in. Billed as it is, i.e. the prequel to Baker's Outpost, I suppose that it will be fairly clear where the story is going. I however had never heard of Baker and this is really not the sort of genre that I would ever have considered picking up before now. Indeed, until reading this book, the zombie survival genre had pretty much passed me by and I had little idea just how big the market actually is. However, I was pleasantly surprised! Juggernaut actually turns out to be a well written, fast-moving, engaging and enjoyable read.
Outpost was knocked somewhat for Baker's excessive use of terse, truncated sentences. Things ain't changed. Sentences are still short. He hasn't learnt. Still damn annoying. Damn. Actually, this style has its place and it can be used to inject pace into fast-moving scenes and/or give a clipped "military" feel to things, but used excessively it IS irritating. The style sort of fits the story in this case and it certainly doesn't kill the story but it is overdone. Overdone to the extent that not only is the prose written this way*, but also the dialogue. Apart from that, the writing is clear, accomplished and evocative with plenty of pacy, well-choreographed action scenes.
The characterisation is good, if a little superficial and patchy. It's nice that the story is led by a female protagonist: Lucy, the leader of the merc team, is an interesting character, enigmatic, cool (in both senses of the word) and a little bit sexy but by no means stereotypical and much the same could be said for most of the rest cast. I would have liked to have learnt a bit more about her past and I have to admit that I was hoping for some sexytimes to spice up the interplay between the characters. I know, I know! That makes me a bad person, a shallow MCP and no better than a slavering animal. I must admit, though that I got the distinct feeling that Baker almost felt like adding a bit of naughtiness but decided that it would be crass. Score: Baker one, Me nil.
One danger with military porn is that, unless the author is a recent member of the armed forces, there will be techno-howlers to negotiate. I have some experience of military matters, occasionally spot these slips and find them distracting. While Juggernaut is by no means perfect in this respect**), it is actually quite convincing. In fact, Baker's description of the Baghdad suburbs and of the Iraqi desert was also persuasive, redolent even (I will point out that I have not been there so I'm taking him on trust!)
In the end, I had a lot of fun with this book and, overlooking its occasional shortcomings was sufficiently taken by it that I have added Outpost to my "To Read" list.
I'm hovering between a 3 star rating ("It's OK") which seems most appropriate but doessn't quite do it justice and a 4 star ("I like it") so I've given it the benefit of the doubt and plumped for four. In either case... reccomended.
* "Bare rooms. No plumbing. No electricity. A couple of beds. Some cushions and rugs. A back room. Scattered shoes. Broken tea glasses. An old black bloodstain on the carpet. Cushions stuffed in the windows." Imagine reading a whole book written in this style!
Imagine a cross between, let's say, Three Kings and Resident Evil with, perhaps, a bit of Jarhead and 28 Days Later thrown in (not to mention a goodly helping of Tomb Raider - the game not the film) and you'll have a reasonable idea of the plot. This is what I believe is known as "survivalist fiction", action/adventure with a dash of techno-thriller military porn thrown in. Billed as it is, i.e. the prequel to Baker's Outpost, I suppose that it will be fairly clear where the story is going. I however had never heard of Baker and this is really not the sort of genre that I would ever have considered picking up before now. Indeed, until reading this book, the zombie survival genre had pretty much passed me by and I had little idea just how big the market actually is. However, I was pleasantly surprised! Juggernaut actually turns out to be a well written, fast-moving, engaging and enjoyable read.
Outpost was knocked somewhat for Baker's excessive use of terse, truncated sentences. Things ain't changed. Sentences are still short. He hasn't learnt. Still damn annoying. Damn. Actually, this style has its place and it can be used to inject pace into fast-moving scenes and/or give a clipped "military" feel to things, but used excessively it IS irritating. The style sort of fits the story in this case and it certainly doesn't kill the story but it is overdone. Overdone to the extent that not only is the prose written this way*, but also the dialogue. Apart from that, the writing is clear, accomplished and evocative with plenty of pacy, well-choreographed action scenes.
The characterisation is good, if a little superficial and patchy. It's nice that the story is led by a female protagonist: Lucy, the leader of the merc team, is an interesting character, enigmatic, cool (in both senses of the word) and a little bit sexy but by no means stereotypical and much the same could be said for most of the rest cast. I would have liked to have learnt a bit more about her past and I have to admit that I was hoping for some sexytimes to spice up the interplay between the characters. I know, I know! That makes me a bad person, a shallow MCP and no better than a slavering animal. I must admit, though that I got the distinct feeling that Baker almost felt like adding a bit of naughtiness but decided that it would be crass. Score: Baker one, Me nil.
One danger with military porn is that, unless the author is a recent member of the armed forces, there will be techno-howlers to negotiate. I have some experience of military matters, occasionally spot these slips and find them distracting. While Juggernaut is by no means perfect in this respect**), it is actually quite convincing. In fact, Baker's description of the Baghdad suburbs and of the Iraqi desert was also persuasive, redolent even (I will point out that I have not been there so I'm taking him on trust!)
In the end, I had a lot of fun with this book and, overlooking its occasional shortcomings was sufficiently taken by it that I have added Outpost to my "To Read" list.
I'm hovering between a 3 star rating ("It's OK") which seems most appropriate but doessn't quite do it justice and a 4 star ("I like it") so I've given it the benefit of the doubt and plumped for four. In either case... reccomended.
* "Bare rooms. No plumbing. No electricity. A couple of beds. Some cushions and rugs. A back room. Scattered shoes. Broken tea glasses. An old black bloodstain on the carpet. Cushions stuffed in the windows." Imagine reading a whole book written in this style!
February 18, 2012
Here’s one of those techno-thrillers, so beloved of authors like Tom Clancy and Robert Ludlum, but with a genre twist.
Set in 2005, at a time of the Iraq War, with Saddam Hussein captured but the Middle East in turmoil, the outline of the plot is quite simple. A group of mercenary soldiers, led by Lucy Whyte, hear of a rumour that millions of pounds worth of gold have been left abandoned at an old temple in the middle of the Western Desert.
Realising that they’re not getting any younger and their time to make ‘the big deal’ is running out, the mercenaries plan to make their fortune and hire helicopters, go in and fetch the gold out in a couple of hours. They arrange the escape of Jabril Jamadi, a Republican Guard and the sole survivor of the original abandoned convoy, who can show them the way to the temple. There are all sorts of rumours for the demise of the initial Guard group, but all seems quiet and deserted upon their arrival.
Unbeknown to the soldiers, the crash-landing of a Russian space satellite years ago, Spektr, has led to the dispersal of an active bio-weapon, and it is this that causes the creation of the zombies. Our ‘heroes’ arrival cause the reawakening of the lost legion and much of the book is spent dealing with these infected soldiers and trying to escape, whilst also avoiding the CIA who have been searching for Spektr for years.
This is a no-nonsense, straight-forward thriller tale, admittedly with added zombies. The action scenes are thrillingly done, with enough bone-crunching, biting and beheading to satisfy most gore-fans. Adam manages to make this un-, which is impressive considering the limited number of living cast and the number of zombie encounters they have to endure.
Its style is very straight-forward, though clearly knowledgeable, and its tale told in a very matter-of fact manner. Sentences are short, yet the action fast. As a result, the characters do not spend too much time contemplating their navel, and consequently can read as typical stereotypes: the hard-nut mercenary, world-weary and emotionally detached, yet doing their difficult job as professionally as they can, the faceless evil corporation determined to keep things secret, the ancient torturer determined to atone for previous sins. This allows the focus to be on the action sequences, which it does in spades.
In the end it’s basically Three Kings meets The Walking Dead, with enough intelligence and panache to make what could’ve been predictable a great page turner. For a second novel, it’s quite impressive.
Set in 2005, at a time of the Iraq War, with Saddam Hussein captured but the Middle East in turmoil, the outline of the plot is quite simple. A group of mercenary soldiers, led by Lucy Whyte, hear of a rumour that millions of pounds worth of gold have been left abandoned at an old temple in the middle of the Western Desert.
Realising that they’re not getting any younger and their time to make ‘the big deal’ is running out, the mercenaries plan to make their fortune and hire helicopters, go in and fetch the gold out in a couple of hours. They arrange the escape of Jabril Jamadi, a Republican Guard and the sole survivor of the original abandoned convoy, who can show them the way to the temple. There are all sorts of rumours for the demise of the initial Guard group, but all seems quiet and deserted upon their arrival.
Unbeknown to the soldiers, the crash-landing of a Russian space satellite years ago, Spektr, has led to the dispersal of an active bio-weapon, and it is this that causes the creation of the zombies. Our ‘heroes’ arrival cause the reawakening of the lost legion and much of the book is spent dealing with these infected soldiers and trying to escape, whilst also avoiding the CIA who have been searching for Spektr for years.
This is a no-nonsense, straight-forward thriller tale, admittedly with added zombies. The action scenes are thrillingly done, with enough bone-crunching, biting and beheading to satisfy most gore-fans. Adam manages to make this un-, which is impressive considering the limited number of living cast and the number of zombie encounters they have to endure.
Its style is very straight-forward, though clearly knowledgeable, and its tale told in a very matter-of fact manner. Sentences are short, yet the action fast. As a result, the characters do not spend too much time contemplating their navel, and consequently can read as typical stereotypes: the hard-nut mercenary, world-weary and emotionally detached, yet doing their difficult job as professionally as they can, the faceless evil corporation determined to keep things secret, the ancient torturer determined to atone for previous sins. This allows the focus to be on the action sequences, which it does in spades.
In the end it’s basically Three Kings meets The Walking Dead, with enough intelligence and panache to make what could’ve been predictable a great page turner. For a second novel, it’s quite impressive.
July 8, 2012
Now that was quite a ride.
Adam Baker's Juggernaut takes us deep into the western desert of Iraq where the inhospitable terrain turns out to be the least of anyone's worries.
Set in 2005, the country is a war-torn hellhole, despite being 'liberated' by US forces. Regular and mercenary armies patrol Baghdad; it's a place where powermongers wheel and deal, and fortunes are being made picking over the bones of a shattered country, but Lucy and her team of mercs are at the bottom of the food chain.
Risking their necks for a pittance, they're little more than disposable pawns, but then they hit pay dirt: out in the western desert, stashed away in a valley, a fortune in Saddam's ill-gotten gold.
One man knows where it is, one of Saddam's former henchmen Jabril. Busting him out of jail, they embark on what should be a simple mission: locate the gold, stash it in a couple of choppers and fly out of Dodge to a rich retirement. But nothing is ever that easy.
Lucy and her team are caught in a deadly game. Jabril has his own agenda. So too does the shady US intelligence officer Koell, who is manipulating events from afar. Both of them want to get their hands on a mysterious but deadly bio-weapon stashed away with the gold.
The bio-weapon, brought to earth in a crashed relic of a secret Soviet space-programme and weaponised by Jabril and Keoll's equally secretive research team, could destroy the world. Lucy and her team will discover their meal-ticket is a rapid-fire descent into Hell. Out in the harsh desert, the fate of the world is about to be decided.
Intrigue and treachery, an infected Republican Army brigade that just won't stay dead, an alien plague, ancient ruins, and a handful of mercs standing between the rest of us and disaster, all add up to an action-packed story that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Juggernaut is Baker's second novel, a worthy follow up (and nominal prequel) to Outpost but with the pace and tension ramped up to provide a frenzied mayhem. The writing captures the tensions and paranoia of life in post-war Iraq, conveys the weary cynicism of the brutal truth behind the headlines of occupation, and then transfers the brutality into a desert storm of undead ferocity that guarantees a thrilling page-turner of a novel.
Simply put, this a cracking novel that grabs with all the single-minded purpose of an infected soldier, but when this story bites, you won't mind at all.
Mark Cantrell,
Author of CITIZEN ZERO.
Adam Baker's Juggernaut takes us deep into the western desert of Iraq where the inhospitable terrain turns out to be the least of anyone's worries.
Set in 2005, the country is a war-torn hellhole, despite being 'liberated' by US forces. Regular and mercenary armies patrol Baghdad; it's a place where powermongers wheel and deal, and fortunes are being made picking over the bones of a shattered country, but Lucy and her team of mercs are at the bottom of the food chain.
Risking their necks for a pittance, they're little more than disposable pawns, but then they hit pay dirt: out in the western desert, stashed away in a valley, a fortune in Saddam's ill-gotten gold.
One man knows where it is, one of Saddam's former henchmen Jabril. Busting him out of jail, they embark on what should be a simple mission: locate the gold, stash it in a couple of choppers and fly out of Dodge to a rich retirement. But nothing is ever that easy.
Lucy and her team are caught in a deadly game. Jabril has his own agenda. So too does the shady US intelligence officer Koell, who is manipulating events from afar. Both of them want to get their hands on a mysterious but deadly bio-weapon stashed away with the gold.
The bio-weapon, brought to earth in a crashed relic of a secret Soviet space-programme and weaponised by Jabril and Keoll's equally secretive research team, could destroy the world. Lucy and her team will discover their meal-ticket is a rapid-fire descent into Hell. Out in the harsh desert, the fate of the world is about to be decided.
Intrigue and treachery, an infected Republican Army brigade that just won't stay dead, an alien plague, ancient ruins, and a handful of mercs standing between the rest of us and disaster, all add up to an action-packed story that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Juggernaut is Baker's second novel, a worthy follow up (and nominal prequel) to Outpost but with the pace and tension ramped up to provide a frenzied mayhem. The writing captures the tensions and paranoia of life in post-war Iraq, conveys the weary cynicism of the brutal truth behind the headlines of occupation, and then transfers the brutality into a desert storm of undead ferocity that guarantees a thrilling page-turner of a novel.
Simply put, this a cracking novel that grabs with all the single-minded purpose of an infected soldier, but when this story bites, you won't mind at all.
Mark Cantrell,
Author of CITIZEN ZERO.
February 28, 2013
All the undead fans unite! Although that probably will never make a great billboard (unless it’s for the TNT show), this is one book that will bring in fans from almost every genre. Suspense, mystery, action, paranormal (I’d probably rule out Austen romance fans), but Adam Baker definitely overwhelms the rest.
The dictionary tells us that juggernaut is “an overwhelming, advancing force that crushes everything in its path.” For this review, that definition is right on the money. Rife with war, violence, science-fiction and just plain horror, Juggernaut lets even more readers delve deeper into the parasite/virus that was cleverly written about in, Outpost.
Lucy, the main character, is still at the ‘head of the class’ as the leader of a group of soldiers who work for the highest bidder. The location is something all are familiar with - war torn Iraq. Suffice to say, after all the incredible workload and strain they’ve been under, early retirement is a definite goal. And to be fabulously rich on Saddam’s gold that was already promised to them, makes this goal even more fun to finally have come to pass. Sadly, things do not go as planned.
Along with the mercenaries come a gallery of spooks, who are the zombie soldiers; undead machines that are also on the hunt for a convoy that contains much of Saddam’s gold. Heading to the place where the convoy was last seen, both groups seem to arrive together and find themselves caught in a ruthless battle to see who will come away the winner.
The author is so very good at what he does that as a reviewer - with every ounce of action being placed on every page - it is hard to reveal any ‘moments’ of unparalleled success or defeat because readers and fans would be highly disappointed to learn everything ahead of time. For those who loved Outpost; for those who are simply happy that the ‘vampire’ reign has come to an end, it is a huge recommendation to alert you to delve into these books full force and disappear into a world you will not believe. Zombies are front and center, along with a lot of blood and gore. A great night time read for all who have the courage - this is a great recurring puzzle!
The dictionary tells us that juggernaut is “an overwhelming, advancing force that crushes everything in its path.” For this review, that definition is right on the money. Rife with war, violence, science-fiction and just plain horror, Juggernaut lets even more readers delve deeper into the parasite/virus that was cleverly written about in, Outpost.
Lucy, the main character, is still at the ‘head of the class’ as the leader of a group of soldiers who work for the highest bidder. The location is something all are familiar with - war torn Iraq. Suffice to say, after all the incredible workload and strain they’ve been under, early retirement is a definite goal. And to be fabulously rich on Saddam’s gold that was already promised to them, makes this goal even more fun to finally have come to pass. Sadly, things do not go as planned.
Along with the mercenaries come a gallery of spooks, who are the zombie soldiers; undead machines that are also on the hunt for a convoy that contains much of Saddam’s gold. Heading to the place where the convoy was last seen, both groups seem to arrive together and find themselves caught in a ruthless battle to see who will come away the winner.
The author is so very good at what he does that as a reviewer - with every ounce of action being placed on every page - it is hard to reveal any ‘moments’ of unparalleled success or defeat because readers and fans would be highly disappointed to learn everything ahead of time. For those who loved Outpost; for those who are simply happy that the ‘vampire’ reign has come to an end, it is a huge recommendation to alert you to delve into these books full force and disappear into a world you will not believe. Zombies are front and center, along with a lot of blood and gore. A great night time read for all who have the courage - this is a great recurring puzzle!
May 11, 2013
Set 5 years before Outpost I wondered if this was going to be a prequel and lead us to Outpost but it can be read as a stand-alone book (as there are no common characters unless you count the zombies). A very good one at that, although it gives some clues as to the origins of the outbreak in The first book. Adam Baker does what he does best, takes time to build the scenario before the real action begins. A group of mercenaries go into the Iraqi desert in search of Saddam's gold, they're done being guns for hire and want a big paycheck so they can give up the life and grow old, period. You just wonder when he's going to introduce the zombies and when he does its slowly at first but quickly all hell breaks loose and it's a fight for survival not just from zombies but each other. I enjoyed this, maybe not as much as Outpost but it's probably more to do with me than the book. I read it quickly although felt bogged down at times, again, I think that was me. The female lead is strong, she's head of the group, and kick-ass but being a mercenary she pretty much has to be. I think this is why I preferred the first book. They were civilians, stranded, no real weapons etc whereas these guys are prepared. Okay, prepared for hostiles of the human variety not zombies but still it was more action and military tech than the desperation of Outpost, I cared more for those characters than these ones, don't shoot me for saying that! Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed this, I'm no book reviewer, I don't get paid to read books (I wish) it's just my personal preference, I don't usually go for military action books so I guess that's probably why I found it less enjoyable but I'd still recommend it. The bad guy is a right evil b*stard, pulling strings from behind the scenes, and through him we find out more about this virus and possibly how 5 years later the outbreak began. Needless to say i'll be waiting to see what Mr Baker releases next, whatever it is i'll read it but I do hope he continues in his zombietastic tales.
March 20, 2015
I didn't like this as much as I liked Outpost, that's not saying I didn't like it, because I did. I'm not a fan of military perspectives because I don't understand military jargon. I'm Canadian and military isn't a huge part of our culture. Or at least for me it isn't. The characters in this story were more fleshed out than Outpost, and the action was great. The only reason I didn't like it as much was the military (or mercenary) theme it had.
I mean take some of this:
and add some of this:
and it's bound to be a great edge of your seat creepy fest!
You learn quite a bit more about the mutant/alien/virus thinger in this one, which is great, and like I said that action scenes (albeit how ridiculous some are) are amazing. If you are a fan of spiky metal zombies, mercenaries kicking ass and blowing shit up, old creepy ruins, and the desert killing you slowly by heat stroke, then I think you'll love this!
I mean take some of this:
and add some of this:
and it's bound to be a great edge of your seat creepy fest!
You learn quite a bit more about the mutant/alien/virus thinger in this one, which is great, and like I said that action scenes (albeit how ridiculous some are) are amazing. If you are a fan of spiky metal zombies, mercenaries kicking ass and blowing shit up, old creepy ruins, and the desert killing you slowly by heat stroke, then I think you'll love this!
July 4, 2012
After the gem that was Outbreak, I was prepared to expect second-best from Adam Baker. But he delivers again. This time, proving once more that he's that rarest of rare supernatural horror novelists, the kind that not only creates strong characters, writes well, has a distinct voice and narrative style and most of all, knows how to set up, build upto and deliver blockbuster action sequences. To sum it up: Baker out-Hollywoods Hollywood. He doesn't just write like a screenplay writer: he puts flesh and bones and a living breathing zombie corpse, complete with glowering eyes and a ragged scorching breath into the script. His ability to stage and pull off action sequences on the page is Hollywood. The unique way of looking at stuff, people, ideas, is his own. This is 3D action horror at its best. Keep one hand free for popcorn.
January 11, 2014
Thoroughly enjoyable read. Baker's take on the zombie genre is inventive and original, to the point that his zombies are like no other that I have read or seen. There were a few errors grammar wise but I'm willing to overlook these as I have enjoyed the two books of Baker I have read.
I'm off to buy Terminus now.
I'm off to buy Terminus now.
January 23, 2021
Kept my interest, even through a couple of slow stretches. Interesting and diverse cast of characters though by the end the one I had the most empathy for was Jabril...two reasons 1) We really don't get to know much about the others but we get to know Jabril quite well by the end ; 2) He was the only one that really showed any kind of growth - technically the growth had already happened and we learned about it as the book went on, but we still saw it.
The history/anthropology/archaeology buff in me was jazzed by the ancient complex and desperately wanted to know more. Was also sort of peeved about how every time the ancient god/religion was mentioned it was always with "evil" descriptors, especially as they didn't actually KNOW anything about it. But that is a rant for another time.
The negative: needed more editing, both technical and content. There were places were descriptions droned on and on and one. Missing words, extra words, same phrases used over and over, repeated descriptions. It wasn't rampant, but often enough to be noticeable and annoying.
The history/anthropology/archaeology buff in me was jazzed by the ancient complex and desperately wanted to know more. Was also sort of peeved about how every time the ancient god/religion was mentioned it was always with "evil" descriptors, especially as they didn't actually KNOW anything about it. But that is a rant for another time.
The negative: needed more editing, both technical and content. There were places were descriptions droned on and on and one. Missing words, extra words, same phrases used over and over, repeated descriptions. It wasn't rampant, but often enough to be noticeable and annoying.
February 6, 2022
A roaring adventure in a scary world
I have read all 4 books in this series several times now, Adam has created a scary, dark world that is something way more than the usual zombie story, his characters in each of the books are relatable and believable.
Each book covers a location that has been affected by the infection from an underground station in New York to an oil rig in the Arctic.
I have thoroughly enjoyed all 4 books and hope that Adam continues to create more characters and tales in this unique world.
Read them, you won't be disappointed.
I have read all 4 books in this series several times now, Adam has created a scary, dark world that is something way more than the usual zombie story, his characters in each of the books are relatable and believable.
Each book covers a location that has been affected by the infection from an underground station in New York to an oil rig in the Arctic.
I have thoroughly enjoyed all 4 books and hope that Adam continues to create more characters and tales in this unique world.
Read them, you won't be disappointed.
August 3, 2025
Another solid zombie book.
This is the second in the series but as they are merely set in the same world you can read them in any order. It provides a little more detail/speculation on where the disease/plague originated and is a solid zombie story in its own right.
Safe to say if you enjoyed the others in the series, you’ll enjoy this one.
To knit pick there are a few moments towards the end where you wonder “would XYZ really do that?” or “that makes no sense” but nothing that meaningfully detracts from the story.
A solid read.
This is the second in the series but as they are merely set in the same world you can read them in any order. It provides a little more detail/speculation on where the disease/plague originated and is a solid zombie story in its own right.
Safe to say if you enjoyed the others in the series, you’ll enjoy this one.
To knit pick there are a few moments towards the end where you wonder “would XYZ really do that?” or “that makes no sense” but nothing that meaningfully detracts from the story.
A solid read.
July 11, 2017
A sort of prequel to Outpost where the extraterrestrial virus from the first novel makes it's first appearance on Earth. In North Iraq. In a remote base which is filled with the steely undead. As per other reviews it reads more like a thriller where mercenaries are looking to seal a deal which will mean that they will never have to work again. Suffice to say, it is far from plain sailing.
Ray Smillie
Ray Smillie
April 10, 2020
A prequel to Baker's debut novel Outpost, Juggernaut is a fast-paced action packed novel about a group of mercenaries in the invasion of Iraq who venture to a remote desert location in search of Saddam's cache of gold. What they find instead is a disease that turns men into monsters.
Baker's prose is extremely cinematic and his characters are tough SOB's. The action is plentiful and so is the gore. If you enjoyed Outpost then you'll love this.
Baker's prose is extremely cinematic and his characters are tough SOB's. The action is plentiful and so is the gore. If you enjoyed Outpost then you'll love this.
October 9, 2017
Metal infused Zombies!!!! Coupled with an outstanding descriptive prose...Nuff said! This book is the reason that nothing productive got done in my life the last 3 days. Could. Not. Put. It. Down!
It's the prequel to the Outpost series, which I started reading as soon as I finished Juggernaut. And it turns out it also a page turner as I am already 20% into book 1.
It's the prequel to the Outpost series, which I started reading as soon as I finished Juggernaut. And it turns out it also a page turner as I am already 20% into book 1.
August 8, 2018
The first book was waaaaay better than this one. Did not grip the readers and was hard to keep on reading to the last page. When I start a book I keep reading till the end no matter how bad it is. And this what the worst ever. Hopefully the other 2 books in the series are better.
Read the first but skip this one.
Read the first but skip this one.
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