Dead Winter

Mad Swine #2

by Steven Pajak

Three months after the beginning of the Mad Swine outbreak, the residents of Randall Oaks have reached their breaking point. After surviving the initial outbreak and a war waged with their neighboring community, Providence, their supplies are severely close to depletion. With hostile neighbors at their flanks and hordes of infected outside their walls, they have become prisoners within their own community. When new allies arrive with an old friend, the brave men and women of Randall Oaks will be faced with the decision to stay within the confines of the community only to die of starvation or to leave the safety of their walls in pursuit of a promise land, the survivors must make their choice—and face a new enemy unseen. Will the remaining members of Randall Oaks continue to survive the apocalypse or will it be a Dead Winter?

Genres: Zombies, Horror

230 pages, Paperback

Published December 6, 2012

About the author

Steven Pajak, a Chicago-based author, crafts stories that explore the depths of horror and the human psyche. With a pen that dances on the edges of darkness, Steven brings to life tales that challenge, terrify, and linger in the minds of readers. Drawing inspiration from the urban tapestry of Chicago, his work merges the pulse of city life with the eerie quiet of the shadows lurking within the darkest corners of our minds. Steven invites you into a world where fear meets courage, and the journey through his imagination proves as haunting as it is unforgettable.

Reviews

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

Mad Swine: Dead Winter does not pick up where Mad Swine: The Beginning left off. In fact, this sequel provides a review of the events that happen directly after the abrupt ending of the first book with a relatively quick synopsis by the main character more than a couple of months later. I stated in my review of the first book that it cut off abruptly with a cliff hanger ending that left me very curious as to what would happen next. Unfortunately, the focal point on this story does not start out with, or even focus on, the war between the neighborhoods, only its aftermath, which makes me puzzle over whether the author wrote about the battles that occurred and either he or someone in his circle of advisors suggested he cut it and focus on the long term survival of the community that the main character, Matt Danzig, is leading through the apocalypse. I would have liked to have read the story of the actual battle for Randall Oaks.
This criticism does not mean that the actual story that the author wrote here doesn’t have its own positive qualities. In and of itself, the tale told here is solid, and in fact some elements of this book work better than the first. The lack of ammunition and the desire to stay quiet and not draw the attention of the infected leave the survivors with more challenges and less ability to utilize the arsenal that the main character and narrator had at his disposal in MS:TB. This makes for a more pure and raw survival story of average suburban folks vs. more of an armed military camp scenario that there was a taste of in book one. Matt’s personal relationships are explored with more depth and there is a bit of romance thrown in as well for him after the trauma of losing his wife and children in the first book. He is, understandably, reluctant, but the sense that everything could fall apart at any minutes does pervade his and everyone else’s reality in Randall Oaks. The struggles with the bitter cold of winter and diminishing supplies are the main nemesis for the citizens of the community, with the infected playing a close second. The competing neighborhoods are no longer a factor in this tale, but the urgency to figure out how to make it to spring without freezing or starving is crucial. The infected, which were explained to not be the undead in the first book, continue to have all the traits of the undead in this one. Where they slept in the first book like regular humans, they seemed to have moved past that stage here, where the virus or plague has further transformed them. Another interesting and threatening aspect of their existence is revealed that seemed quite creative. The theory that the undead will freeze in bitter cold comes somewhat into play, with the undead going dormant in the cold, but even more interestingly, when they get buried under snow they will still become alert when a living human presence is nearby, which makes for some very interesting ambush scenarios.
Overall, I think the author’s story telling skills have grown with this sequel, though I can’t deny my disappointment that I was not treated to the battle of the neighborhoods that the first book appeared to promise was on the horizon. As a standalone, this tale definitely has its merits, and its focus on Matt more as a man struggling to lead people against nature and inhuman monsters is compelling, though it serves, like so many second books in a trilogy, as a transition between the sudden and abrupt actions of the first book and the potential threats that promise to inhabit the third book. The hope is that both the personal struggles that Matt suffers through in the second book and the heated action and excitement of the first book will join forces in book three for a very compelling conclusion.

[Susu · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not happy with this book/series. I enjoyed the first book, great take on a zombie apocalypse. my first complaint with this book is that it skipped the parts of the story I was most interested in reading about (the war between the neighbor community). those parts were just thrown in as a 'by the way' or 'while you were out' type retelling. I was totally bummed that those battles were skimmed over as they could have been really intense scenes.
my second complaint with this book and probably my biggest gripe (hence the low stars) this series turned from a great zombie read to a cheesy sappy romance novel. I wanted to yell at matt to grow a set several times as he mooned on and on about his new girlfriend. and seriously 3 months (90 days!) after your wife (of 10 yrs) and children are murdered your head over heels in love again? really?
I expected more action from this book based on the first book, I expected the MC to be the tough guy we met in the first book. after his wife and kids died he sucked up his courage and strength and kept fighting for the people under his charge. in this book he was whiney and emotional.
I really hope the next book stays more true to character established in book one and we can get back to the apocalypse in progress instead of the lovey dovey bs!

[RJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story evolved into an exciting and emotional tale of survival. A sad tale as well; for the many who did not survive the search for a safe location to exist until...when? No one knew what was to come or how long this nightmare would continue. According to the epilogue there is a third book in the works titled "New Dawn" and I look forward to it.

[Gloria Picchione Snodgrass · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was fantastic! I can't wait for the next one.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

good story, will get book 3.