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The Book of Riley #1
The Book of Riley 1
When the zombie apocalypse strikes without warning one dog will hold the fate of her pack in her paws. This is the story of Riley, an American bulldog. Follow along as she tries to keep her pack safe from a zombie apocalypse. Traveling with her are Ben-Ben the high strung Yorkie, her favorite two-legger Jessie, Jessie's younger brother Zachary, and Riley's arch enemy Patches the cat. They are a rag-tag group of survivors, who, when pushed to the limit, realize that they are all each other has.
3 pages, Audio CD
First published July 21, 2012
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February 26, 2018Free for the kindle @ Amazon US . Go get yourself some!
October 29, 2018
My rating 4.8
The Short Story "The Book of Riley, # 1" by Mark Tufo brings a spice of refreshments into the zombie horror genre. This time in the main role of the protagonist are not people, the main character is dogs and cat. The writer managed to glimpse the world through the cataclysm so that I felt the smell of living dead. The story is short but has the potential to become a complete novel. The book can be downloaded free over Amazon. The story will certainly appeal to all fans of the zombie genre.
The Short Story "The Book of Riley, # 1" by Mark Tufo brings a spice of refreshments into the zombie horror genre. This time in the main role of the protagonist are not people, the main character is dogs and cat. The writer managed to glimpse the world through the cataclysm so that I felt the smell of living dead. The story is short but has the potential to become a complete novel. The book can be downloaded free over Amazon. The story will certainly appeal to all fans of the zombie genre.
September 22, 2017
I was browsing the Kindle store when I found The Book of Riley for free in the horror section. On a whim, I decided to get it, with absolutely no idea what this was about. It sat in my Kindle library for months, maybe about six or seven, before I finally decided to pick this up last night and read at least the first chapter and have a look at what it was.
After reading the prologue and finding out that this was the zombie apocalypse from an English bulldog's point of view, I knew I just had to read on! And oh boy was this an absolute treat.
First of all, Tufo's writing is spectacular. There is nothing I can fault about it. The story flows well, and easy, and it's easy to just read and read and read without anything breaking you from the words. The only thing I do wish was that the chapters had been formatted a little better, as it was a little difficult with the chapter ending, and then there being a picture of a bulldog and "chapter x" next to the photo, and that was a little bit annoying.
But this story was an absolute delight to read! I never really though about dogs or animals in the zombie apocalypse before, and many films, books, shows, etc leave them out of the story, as if they don't exist and this was a wonderful little book that sparked my imagination off. Riley is absolutely adorable and it really makes me wish I had an English bulldog at home; I just wanna cuddle Riley! This was also surprisingly well written considering it was from the point of view of a dog, and Tufo just did absolutely wonders.
I devoured this in about an hour and a half, and I absolutely cannot wait to read the other three books in this series. I would definitely recommend this to everyone, including dog lovers! The gore content isn't that much but please be aware there is some gore in this and it won't be suited to everyone's tastes!
After reading the prologue and finding out that this was the zombie apocalypse from an English bulldog's point of view, I knew I just had to read on! And oh boy was this an absolute treat.
First of all, Tufo's writing is spectacular. There is nothing I can fault about it. The story flows well, and easy, and it's easy to just read and read and read without anything breaking you from the words. The only thing I do wish was that the chapters had been formatted a little better, as it was a little difficult with the chapter ending, and then there being a picture of a bulldog and "chapter x" next to the photo, and that was a little bit annoying.
But this story was an absolute delight to read! I never really though about dogs or animals in the zombie apocalypse before, and many films, books, shows, etc leave them out of the story, as if they don't exist and this was a wonderful little book that sparked my imagination off. Riley is absolutely adorable and it really makes me wish I had an English bulldog at home; I just wanna cuddle Riley! This was also surprisingly well written considering it was from the point of view of a dog, and Tufo just did absolutely wonders.
I devoured this in about an hour and a half, and I absolutely cannot wait to read the other three books in this series. I would definitely recommend this to everyone, including dog lovers! The gore content isn't that much but please be aware there is some gore in this and it won't be suited to everyone's tastes!
November 14, 2020
3.5 star upped to 4
For some reason, this book fell short for me. I think it's because I love animals so much and I went into it with such high hopes. It's not bad. It's quite entertaining. At first, there are so many characters ( until they die) and I was lost trying to remember the dogs nicknames for each character.
Then, the story got better but then just stopped.
It's fun. Unique. Actually the second most unique zombie twist I've ever read (2nd to Eleanor Merry ' s zombie books)
I can't complain about anything, and I can't put my finger on why I'm rating it lower than my normal reads. I feel bad about that. I truly do. Maybe it's just because I felt like finishing it was a chore. But I can't pin point why. So that's not fair. I'm sure other people would love this story.
Ps to the author..... The intro page said I was holding four novellas in my hand for the first time.... But it was only 1
For some reason, this book fell short for me. I think it's because I love animals so much and I went into it with such high hopes. It's not bad. It's quite entertaining. At first, there are so many characters ( until they die) and I was lost trying to remember the dogs nicknames for each character.
Then, the story got better but then just stopped.
It's fun. Unique. Actually the second most unique zombie twist I've ever read (2nd to Eleanor Merry ' s zombie books)
I can't complain about anything, and I can't put my finger on why I'm rating it lower than my normal reads. I feel bad about that. I truly do. Maybe it's just because I felt like finishing it was a chore. But I can't pin point why. So that's not fair. I'm sure other people would love this story.
Ps to the author..... The intro page said I was holding four novellas in my hand for the first time.... But it was only 1
May 31, 2016
This is just one more reason Mark Tufo is one of my all-time favorite authors. The zombie apocalypse from the view of the family Bulldog. Riley (the American Bulldog), Ben-Ben (the hyper little puppy), and Patches (the independent and arrogant cat) fight to keep the remaining two members of their pack (family: the teenage girl + her baby brother) alive as the world around them falls apart and rises back up to eat them.
It's a relatively short read, but great for any zombie novel fans or even just someone looking for an entertaining light read. I'm looking forward to starting part 2 and see how it goes when the Talbots come into the picture. (can't wait)
It's a relatively short read, but great for any zombie novel fans or even just someone looking for an entertaining light read. I'm looking forward to starting part 2 and see how it goes when the Talbots come into the picture. (can't wait)
May 4, 2023
I did not care for this book nearly as much as I adored Zombie Fallout series. I may read more books in this series. We will see. I'm surprised because I absolutely adore everything else I have read from Mark Tufo.
February 13, 2018
It was a dark and stormy night. Well, actually it was a quiet night. Riley was grousing about Ben-Ben’s piddle on the floor and the Yorkie’s constant whining about something outside. The quiet night soon turns violent when the dogs realize the humans pounding on the door wanting in are zombies.
Riley is a female American Bulldog . Solid in build and loyal to the family. Once she figures out what’s going down she dons her defense mode and goes to work. The pack, human and four-legged, must be protected.
But the zombies won’t be denied their meal and soon bust into the house. The man and Riley put up a valiant fight but the zombies have the numbers and those left of the pack that make it out of the house alive soon realize that they may have won the fight but its only the beginning.
Ben-Ben is just what you’d expect a Yorkie to be like. All nervous energy. He has these spontaneous bowel releases whenever he’s overexcited or scared. Which is often and hilarious.
The cat, Patches, is all cat. A superior attitude and thinks about herself first. She looks down her whiskers at the dogs and humans but knows as a group they stand a better chance of surviving. Zombies don’t discriminate in their munching. Animals go down just as easy as humans.
Two dogs, a cat, a young girl and an infant. All that’s left of the pack. Will they learn to work together? What does the future hold for them? I couldn’t wait to read further.
There’s plenty of zombie action. Bloody bits flying everywhere. As much as it was gory, it was also funny at times. The story is mostly meat, very little fluff, so the action is fast and furious. This works really well as you’re getting this story from Riley’s point of view. And there’s an ending, of a sort. This is one of four stories about Riley and her pack. I’m already listening to the second one and its proving to be every bit as fun.
Sean Runnette did a bang up job of telling Riley’s story. His inflection was good and I enjoyed listening to him switch from dog, to sarcastic cat, and back again. Glad he’s continuing to read this series.
Thanks so much to Tantor Audio and the author for the complimentary copy.
My review is voluntarily given.
Riley is a female American Bulldog . Solid in build and loyal to the family. Once she figures out what’s going down she dons her defense mode and goes to work. The pack, human and four-legged, must be protected.
But the zombies won’t be denied their meal and soon bust into the house. The man and Riley put up a valiant fight but the zombies have the numbers and those left of the pack that make it out of the house alive soon realize that they may have won the fight but its only the beginning.
Ben-Ben is just what you’d expect a Yorkie to be like. All nervous energy. He has these spontaneous bowel releases whenever he’s overexcited or scared. Which is often and hilarious.
The cat, Patches, is all cat. A superior attitude and thinks about herself first. She looks down her whiskers at the dogs and humans but knows as a group they stand a better chance of surviving. Zombies don’t discriminate in their munching. Animals go down just as easy as humans.
Two dogs, a cat, a young girl and an infant. All that’s left of the pack. Will they learn to work together? What does the future hold for them? I couldn’t wait to read further.
There’s plenty of zombie action. Bloody bits flying everywhere. As much as it was gory, it was also funny at times. The story is mostly meat, very little fluff, so the action is fast and furious. This works really well as you’re getting this story from Riley’s point of view. And there’s an ending, of a sort. This is one of four stories about Riley and her pack. I’m already listening to the second one and its proving to be every bit as fun.
Sean Runnette did a bang up job of telling Riley’s story. His inflection was good and I enjoyed listening to him switch from dog, to sarcastic cat, and back again. Glad he’s continuing to read this series.
Thanks so much to Tantor Audio and the author for the complimentary copy.
My review is voluntarily given.
June 14, 2024
I guess I like animals as narrators! Cats are a different breed altogether, lol. Mark did a great job at portraying the personality of cats.
Want to read
March 25, 2017I love dogs. I like zombies. I thought this would be an awesome combination for The Book of Riley, a zombie story told from the dog's perspective. I forgot, however, that I did not enjoy Tufo's toilet humor. I guess I'm a prude like that. Not my cuppa, as the Brits say.
No rating on this one, as it's a DNF.
No rating on this one, as it's a DNF.
August 2, 2012
Love all of Mark Tufos work! The only problem with this is that it was to short!! Cant wait for the next one!
September 30, 2024
Interesting to read a zombie apocalypse from the perspective of the pets.
February 26, 2019
Well, where to start with this one? Some spoilers are included in this review.
Story:
Riley, an American Bulldog, is in a zombie apocalypse trying to survive with her favorite two-legger Jessie, Jessie's younger brother Zachary, Ben-Ben the high strung Yorkie and Riley's arch-enemy Patches the Cat.
That's kind of it, I mean if you want more detail (and trust me there are some that I wish I didn't know at all) the story is as basic as your going to get with a 104 pages book. Oh yeah did I forget that this book was short like 2 hours and 58 minutes short (according to audible).
Now keep in mind I thought this was going to be a little light hearted cause you know it has a cute little dog in it. Boy was I wrong.
You think an Ages 11-13 (according to audible) would be a bit tamed in this zombie apocalypse? Nope in the first chapter alone we have cussing from the dog, "fear" urine, cussing from the "Alpha" Male owner, Riley comparing the smell of the zombies with the baby's poop (cause get it she's a dog that love stinky stuff), the "Alpha" male hurling not once, but twice, the Yorkie, Ben-Ben poop a lot and I mean A LOT and that's only within a few minutes.
Oh and I hope you like bodily fluids, body parts being torn and gore because they are everywhere is this book.
It also doesn't help that in the audiobook, the narrator was male while the main character was female and he only spoken in a female voice when Patches or Jesse spoke they really couldn't find a female to narrate this one?
Characters:
Riley- is a jerk to Patches and Ben-Ben, has way too much pride and (the only good thing about her) she fights pretty well good thing to cause Jessie is basically pathetic.
Ben-Ben - very stupid name, is a stupid dog like really stupid it's almost adorable, does a lot of urinating and defecating and fights very poorly, but A for effort.
Patches- only cares unless it benefits herself, can fight pretty decent if need be, knows when people are going to die (I don't understand that one) and almost has as much pride as Riley does which can be obnoxious.
Jessie- the lone survivor of her family, besides her little brother Zachary, is 100% uderly useless and pathetic and I get it's a zombie apocalypse but there is a time when you need to get your s*** together in a serious situation like this and she almost killed her little brother because of her ignorance to taking care of him
Zachary- has no reason to be here he's just there
The rest of the Family- they all die at the beginning the mother, the father and the second brother, dead in a horribly gory way.
Location:
Half the time I don't even remember where we are all I know is that we need to go from one place to another because Jessie's boyfriend is the one who is most prepared for a zombie apocalypse. That's all I know and that is supposed to be our destination across the country................ I think?
Conclusion:
In a rough conclusion it wasn't that bad of a read. It just wasn't my cup of tea what with all the gore, a hint of death and so much bodily fluids it's a wonder I was able to finish this book also this is part one there it is at least a total of five books all at the same length (just put them all into one book). If you can get past all that then I say aim for the zombies heads and give it a shot.
Rating: 2 1/2 stars
Story:
Riley, an American Bulldog, is in a zombie apocalypse trying to survive with her favorite two-legger Jessie, Jessie's younger brother Zachary, Ben-Ben the high strung Yorkie and Riley's arch-enemy Patches the Cat.
That's kind of it, I mean if you want more detail (and trust me there are some that I wish I didn't know at all) the story is as basic as your going to get with a 104 pages book. Oh yeah did I forget that this book was short like 2 hours and 58 minutes short (according to audible).
Now keep in mind I thought this was going to be a little light hearted cause you know it has a cute little dog in it. Boy was I wrong.
You think an Ages 11-13 (according to audible) would be a bit tamed in this zombie apocalypse? Nope in the first chapter alone we have cussing from the dog, "fear" urine, cussing from the "Alpha" Male owner, Riley comparing the smell of the zombies with the baby's poop (cause get it she's a dog that love stinky stuff), the "Alpha" male hurling not once, but twice, the Yorkie, Ben-Ben poop a lot and I mean A LOT and that's only within a few minutes.
Oh and I hope you like bodily fluids, body parts being torn and gore because they are everywhere is this book.
It also doesn't help that in the audiobook, the narrator was male while the main character was female and he only spoken in a female voice when Patches or Jesse spoke they really couldn't find a female to narrate this one?
Characters:
Riley- is a jerk to Patches and Ben-Ben, has way too much pride and (the only good thing about her) she fights pretty well good thing to cause Jessie is basically pathetic.
Ben-Ben - very stupid name, is a stupid dog like really stupid it's almost adorable, does a lot of urinating and defecating and fights very poorly, but A for effort.
Patches- only cares unless it benefits herself, can fight pretty decent if need be, knows when people are going to die (I don't understand that one) and almost has as much pride as Riley does which can be obnoxious.
Jessie- the lone survivor of her family, besides her little brother Zachary, is 100% uderly useless and pathetic and I get it's a zombie apocalypse but there is a time when you need to get your s*** together in a serious situation like this and she almost killed her little brother because of her ignorance to taking care of him
Zachary- has no reason to be here he's just there
The rest of the Family- they all die at the beginning the mother, the father and the second brother, dead in a horribly gory way.
Location:
Half the time I don't even remember where we are all I know is that we need to go from one place to another because Jessie's boyfriend is the one who is most prepared for a zombie apocalypse. That's all I know and that is supposed to be our destination across the country................ I think?
Conclusion:
In a rough conclusion it wasn't that bad of a read. It just wasn't my cup of tea what with all the gore, a hint of death and so much bodily fluids it's a wonder I was able to finish this book also this is part one there it is at least a total of five books all at the same length (just put them all into one book). If you can get past all that then I say aim for the zombies heads and give it a shot.
Rating: 2 1/2 stars
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 10, 2018
Zombie apocalypse through the eyes of a dog? How interesting! The first time I ever saw a book like this, so of course I had to try it out.
But sadly, it was good and bad. There were parts that had me on the edge of my seat, and there were many times I just wanted to delete the book of my Kindle.
I wasn't a big fan of the pets, especially Ben-Ben was just freaking annoying with his constant yapping and whining and barking and being a pest. I was so happy when in the beginning it seemed that he wouldn't be around for long, sadly, he was.
Patches was just your typical cat. Only thinking about herself, being a total bitch in general. Thankfully, as the story continues she seems to get better, and eventually I liked her more than I liked Riley.
And then there is Riley. In the beginning I was already getting a bit annoying with her, because of how wonderful, magical, awesome she thought she was. OMG, I can watch television, I can count till 7, I can do this, and I can do that. It just made her feel less like a dog and more like a very small annoying child. And throughout the book, sorry, I just started disliking her more and more. She kept expecting the humans to just understand her. Yay, you are barking, congrats, but sorry, unlike what you may think, we humans can't do barks. So let's just bite her? Yay! *rolls eyes* Yay, you killed that lizard, I am totally sorry, but we humans don't just eat raw meat (generally at least). And then there were other parts that just had me rolling my eyes.
Also the constant bickering between cat and dog, dear Lord, please. I get that dogs and cats generally don't like each other, but urghhhhhhhhhh.
Sure, there were times that I liked Riley, she did help out Jessie, and she showed lots of bravery. But really, for a dog so (according to her) smart, she was acting pretty dumb.
Plus, I almost didn't make it through the first part. Sorry, but all the talk about poo and pee and vomit, it made my stomach (already not in a happy place today) very upset.
I did think what Winke did was very selfish.
There were still parts that I liked. Again, I liked that this book was from a pet's view, I haven't read one before, and I do want more books like this one. I liked that it was a zombie book, perfect for Halloween. I liked Jessie, though she still has a lot to learn if she wants to make it through this new and dangerous world.
And yes, even though I didn't always like the pets, I do want to continue reading this one. At least one more book, because this one ended on a cliffhanger, and I desperately need to know what will happen next.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
But sadly, it was good and bad. There were parts that had me on the edge of my seat, and there were many times I just wanted to delete the book of my Kindle.
I wasn't a big fan of the pets, especially Ben-Ben was just freaking annoying with his constant yapping and whining and barking and being a pest. I was so happy when in the beginning it seemed that he wouldn't be around for long, sadly, he was.
Patches was just your typical cat. Only thinking about herself, being a total bitch in general. Thankfully, as the story continues she seems to get better, and eventually I liked her more than I liked Riley.
And then there is Riley. In the beginning I was already getting a bit annoying with her, because of how wonderful, magical, awesome she thought she was. OMG, I can watch television, I can count till 7, I can do this, and I can do that. It just made her feel less like a dog and more like a very small annoying child. And throughout the book, sorry, I just started disliking her more and more. She kept expecting the humans to just understand her. Yay, you are barking, congrats, but sorry, unlike what you may think, we humans can't do barks. So let's just bite her? Yay! *rolls eyes* Yay, you killed that lizard, I am totally sorry, but we humans don't just eat raw meat (generally at least). And then there were other parts that just had me rolling my eyes.
Also the constant bickering between cat and dog, dear Lord, please. I get that dogs and cats generally don't like each other, but urghhhhhhhhhh.
Sure, there were times that I liked Riley, she did help out Jessie, and she showed lots of bravery. But really, for a dog so (according to her) smart, she was acting pretty dumb.
Plus, I almost didn't make it through the first part. Sorry, but all the talk about poo and pee and vomit, it made my stomach (already not in a happy place today) very upset.
I did think what Winke did was very selfish.
There were still parts that I liked. Again, I liked that this book was from a pet's view, I haven't read one before, and I do want more books like this one. I liked that it was a zombie book, perfect for Halloween. I liked Jessie, though she still has a lot to learn if she wants to make it through this new and dangerous world.
And yes, even though I didn't always like the pets, I do want to continue reading this one. At least one more book, because this one ended on a cliffhanger, and I desperately need to know what will happen next.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
March 3, 2016
I downloaded this book for free on Amazon and it was a pleasant surprise. I loved it. It's told from the point of view of Riley an American bulldog and faithful companion of Jessie and her family.
The book begins with the family being attacked by zombies. The only survivors are Jessie, the oldest daughter, Zac, the baby, Patches, the cat, Ben-ben, the Yorkie and Riley. The 5 escape in a hummer and head towards Colorado where Jessie knows a boy named Justin. They encounter several hurdles along the way and with the help of the 3 animals Jessie and Zac manage to escape and survive. They stop at a house with an old couple named Faye and Winke for help but after zombies attack again they must move on.
What made this book so great was the animals. The animals were able to talk but once to each other. They each had very strong and distinct personalities which made the book very enjoyable to read. Riley was the strong, loyal protector. Patches was the smart, snarky cat. Then there was Ben-ben. He was great. Ben-ben was a jumpy, timid but loyal little dog. He had the bladder of a mouse but the heart of a lion and he looked up to Riley like she ruled the world.
The interactions between them all made the book.
I wasn't sure if I liked Jessie at the beginning but she grew on me. She ended up learning that she needed to be brave and defend herself, her brother and the animals or at least pay attention when the animals were trying to tell her what to do to protect herself.
One thing I thought was kind of stupid was what Winke did after they escaped the zombies. I get that he wanted to just go back across the street for Faye's eReader but what I don't get is why after he got it and gave it to her, he didn't protect her and everyone else by leaving. He knew what would happen. I don't want to go into more detail and risk spoilers.
Bottom line is that I loved this book and I usually am not into zombie stuff. I cannot wait to read the next part of this series!
The book begins with the family being attacked by zombies. The only survivors are Jessie, the oldest daughter, Zac, the baby, Patches, the cat, Ben-ben, the Yorkie and Riley. The 5 escape in a hummer and head towards Colorado where Jessie knows a boy named Justin. They encounter several hurdles along the way and with the help of the 3 animals Jessie and Zac manage to escape and survive. They stop at a house with an old couple named Faye and Winke for help but after zombies attack again they must move on.
What made this book so great was the animals. The animals were able to talk but once to each other. They each had very strong and distinct personalities which made the book very enjoyable to read. Riley was the strong, loyal protector. Patches was the smart, snarky cat. Then there was Ben-ben. He was great. Ben-ben was a jumpy, timid but loyal little dog. He had the bladder of a mouse but the heart of a lion and he looked up to Riley like she ruled the world.
The interactions between them all made the book.
I wasn't sure if I liked Jessie at the beginning but she grew on me. She ended up learning that she needed to be brave and defend herself, her brother and the animals or at least pay attention when the animals were trying to tell her what to do to protect herself.
One thing I thought was kind of stupid was what Winke did after they escaped the zombies. I get that he wanted to just go back across the street for Faye's eReader but what I don't get is why after he got it and gave it to her, he didn't protect her and everyone else by leaving. He knew what would happen. I don't want to go into more detail and risk spoilers.
Bottom line is that I loved this book and I usually am not into zombie stuff. I cannot wait to read the next part of this series!
June 5, 2014
The Zombie Lit genre is pretty full currently and I am finding it harder and harder to find books that stand out as something different. This is happily one of those books! Told from the perspective of a dog during the zombie apocalypse the story is cute, funny, and touching.
--edit after reading the full book--
I still feel this book adds something new and unique to the zombie lit genre and is fully worth reading, but the kind of shitty ending almost ruins the book.
I understand the serial writing/release nature of publishing, and for the first three "books" in this book it didn't seem to hold the story back. But through the forth "book" I couldn't help but feel Tufo just got bored of this story and tried to tie up all the loose ends and end it as quickly as possible.
The sudden death of a main character almost off screen, the way the world they are traveling suddenly became easy enough to travel half way across the country with little problems, and the reunion at the end without actually seeing it or seeing how it played out was just shitty.
Bad endings can ruin otherwise amazing works of fiction, and if this is how he ends his series I'll be staying away from the rest of his works. Here's to hoping another author takes this idea and does it better sometime in the future.
--edit after reading the full book--
I still feel this book adds something new and unique to the zombie lit genre and is fully worth reading, but the kind of shitty ending almost ruins the book.
I understand the serial writing/release nature of publishing, and for the first three "books" in this book it didn't seem to hold the story back. But through the forth "book" I couldn't help but feel Tufo just got bored of this story and tried to tie up all the loose ends and end it as quickly as possible.
The sudden death of a main character almost off screen, the way the world they are traveling suddenly became easy enough to travel half way across the country with little problems, and the reunion at the end without actually seeing it or seeing how it played out was just shitty.
Bad endings can ruin otherwise amazing works of fiction, and if this is how he ends his series I'll be staying away from the rest of his works. Here's to hoping another author takes this idea and does it better sometime in the future.
February 14, 2020
What a fun little book! I had recently tried Tufo's Zombie Fallout, which was OK, but this book is just pure fun. I rooted for Riley from the first moment all the way through the book. She keeps her pack together and safe despite initially not being very enthusiastic about Ben-Ben or Patches.
Now admittedly, the story starts off with most of the family dying but Jessie and her baby brother (Zach?) make it out in an SUV with the pets. I think it would be OK for kids who get the zombie genre but I don't know many kids... so, perhaps it's a toss of the coin.
The entire book is told through the voice of Riley and her animal companions. Jessie sometimes talks to them, but we don't know what she's thinking other than the search for safety. She has a goal: reach the old stomping ground and boyfriend in Colorado.
Patches made me laugh the most. So snotty yet so right! I loved her character. Ben-Ben was fun too and I often felt a kinship with his character - clueless but enthusiastic. Ha!
Overall, very fun story. 5/5 stars.
The Narration: Sean Runnette pulled off a great voice for a female dog - surprising but true. And I loved his voice for Patches the cat. Runnette also performed a scared Jessie quite well too. The pacing was perfect and all the characters had unique voices. Ben-Ben was perfectly hyper most of the time. There were no tech issues. 5/5 stars.
Now admittedly, the story starts off with most of the family dying but Jessie and her baby brother (Zach?) make it out in an SUV with the pets. I think it would be OK for kids who get the zombie genre but I don't know many kids... so, perhaps it's a toss of the coin.
The entire book is told through the voice of Riley and her animal companions. Jessie sometimes talks to them, but we don't know what she's thinking other than the search for safety. She has a goal: reach the old stomping ground and boyfriend in Colorado.
Patches made me laugh the most. So snotty yet so right! I loved her character. Ben-Ben was fun too and I often felt a kinship with his character - clueless but enthusiastic. Ha!
Overall, very fun story. 5/5 stars.
The Narration: Sean Runnette pulled off a great voice for a female dog - surprising but true. And I loved his voice for Patches the cat. Runnette also performed a scared Jessie quite well too. The pacing was perfect and all the characters had unique voices. Ben-Ben was perfectly hyper most of the time. There were no tech issues. 5/5 stars.
March 9, 2014
This was my first Mark Tufo novel. I listened to the audio book version and listened to all four parts. I have to say i really enjoyed it, I was a little put off at the start because of the talking animals but decided to just go with it and i am glad I did. I will be getting myself another Mark Tufo novel very soon.
August 2, 2019
Another good one!!!
Wow! I had some extra time and i wanted to read something fast and easy, im so glad i choose this one because it was great! Love that i was reading in a dogs perspective and also love that this time the cat is good and helping her pack. Mark keeps getting me hooked on his amazing books.
Wow! I had some extra time and i wanted to read something fast and easy, im so glad i choose this one because it was great! Love that i was reading in a dogs perspective and also love that this time the cat is good and helping her pack. Mark keeps getting me hooked on his amazing books.
May 19, 2017
I enjoyed this story more I thought I would. It is a well written story, a zombie tale seen through the eyes of a dog. I will buy the rest in the series....I have learned that anything Mark Tufo writes will be worth the read. And this book continues to make it so. A Good Read
August 30, 2012
A VERY GOOD SHORT BOOK. A GREAT TWIST ON THE ZOMBIE Apocalypse SEEN THROUGH A DOGS EYES. CAN'T WAIT FOR THE OTHER 3.
August 9, 2017
Just as good a 2nd time around!! on to book 2!
And a 3rd time...it was awesome too!!
And a 3rd time...it was awesome too!!
February 1, 2016
Short zombie story from a dog's perspective! Good!
September 9, 2018
Awesome concept with the first person dog... But a bit too cutsie for a zombie story I think
April 15, 2020
The concept of this book is one with a lot of potential to it -- the zombie apocalypse, but from the point of view of a family pet instead of a human. And as a dog lover, I was curious to see how the author would handle this concept... plus I'm just always a sucker for a good dog story. Sadly, "The Book of Riley" was a disappointment -- the writing was bad, the characters were flat and obnoxious, and the story offered little new to the zombie apocalypse genre.
Riley is a bulldog, content with her life among a suburban family and tolerating sharing her space with Ben-Ben the Yorkie and Patches the cat. But when strange creatures -- zombies -- attack her home one day, her owners are killed and she's left to flee for her life with Ben-Ben, Patches, and two of her owners' children. Despite her limited knowledge of the world outside her comfortable neighborhood, Riley is determined to get her newfound pack to safety... even if her fellow pack members' stupidity or snarkiness gets in the way.
The biggest strength of this book is its canine protagonist... and sadly, it doesn't seem to do much more than lean heavily on its gimmick. None of the human characters are fleshed out much, and of the animal protagonists Ben-Ben is solely defined by how stupid and cowardly he is, while Patches is selfish and is barely defined outside of her role as a rival for Riley. Everyone else is there to be "the load" or to serve as a handy target for the zombies. An older couple we meet along the way have some effort at characterization and I would have loved to see them developed more, but sadly we don't get to stay with them for long.
The writing is pretty bad too -- bland, with simple sentences and a LOT of swearing for ostensibly being from the point of view of a dog. I get that this is supposed to be from the point of view of an animal, but I've read other books with animal points of view (Watership Down, The Bees, etc.) that manage to have evocative and beautiful writing despite their animal protagonists. And there's a LOT of emphasis on bodily fluids and gore in this book -- I can understand the blood and gore, given that it's a zombie novel, but do we need countless descriptions of urine, feces, and vomit as well? Needless to say, I wouldn't recommend reading this while eating...
Lastly, this book ends with no resolution whatsoever. I get that it's part of a series, but it still deserved some measure of closure instead of a non-ending. This feels like a cheat to force you to buy the next book... and sadly I wasn't won over enough by this book to want to continue.
This book is pretty much a neat premise squandered by bland writing, flat characters, and way too much emphasis on body fluids even for a zombie novel. I'm not going to be continuing this series, and feel there has to be a better way to show us a zombie apocalypse through an animal's eyes than this. Perhaps Hollow Kingdom will do the job better...
Riley is a bulldog, content with her life among a suburban family and tolerating sharing her space with Ben-Ben the Yorkie and Patches the cat. But when strange creatures -- zombies -- attack her home one day, her owners are killed and she's left to flee for her life with Ben-Ben, Patches, and two of her owners' children. Despite her limited knowledge of the world outside her comfortable neighborhood, Riley is determined to get her newfound pack to safety... even if her fellow pack members' stupidity or snarkiness gets in the way.
The biggest strength of this book is its canine protagonist... and sadly, it doesn't seem to do much more than lean heavily on its gimmick. None of the human characters are fleshed out much, and of the animal protagonists Ben-Ben is solely defined by how stupid and cowardly he is, while Patches is selfish and is barely defined outside of her role as a rival for Riley. Everyone else is there to be "the load" or to serve as a handy target for the zombies. An older couple we meet along the way have some effort at characterization and I would have loved to see them developed more, but sadly we don't get to stay with them for long.
The writing is pretty bad too -- bland, with simple sentences and a LOT of swearing for ostensibly being from the point of view of a dog. I get that this is supposed to be from the point of view of an animal, but I've read other books with animal points of view (Watership Down, The Bees, etc.) that manage to have evocative and beautiful writing despite their animal protagonists. And there's a LOT of emphasis on bodily fluids and gore in this book -- I can understand the blood and gore, given that it's a zombie novel, but do we need countless descriptions of urine, feces, and vomit as well? Needless to say, I wouldn't recommend reading this while eating...
Lastly, this book ends with no resolution whatsoever. I get that it's part of a series, but it still deserved some measure of closure instead of a non-ending. This feels like a cheat to force you to buy the next book... and sadly I wasn't won over enough by this book to want to continue.
This book is pretty much a neat premise squandered by bland writing, flat characters, and way too much emphasis on body fluids even for a zombie novel. I'm not going to be continuing this series, and feel there has to be a better way to show us a zombie apocalypse through an animal's eyes than this. Perhaps Hollow Kingdom will do the job better...
September 26, 2019
Tufo, we thank u once more!
To b honest, I at first thought the read was a bit too simple, but after just a few pages i was totally intrigued by the uniqueness of the narrative. The story is actually told from the point of view of an American bullie, alongside the rest of her dwindled pack, which would be a dog-brained yorkie, a clever cat, a two-legger named jessie, and her baby brother zachary. This gr8 read awesomely falls in the realm of the fallout series (even a connection to the Talbot's themselves) that so many of us have come to luv! With the z-pocalypse genre being so overwhelmed w attention in the past few years, it was gr8 to find something new, something different, yet still part of the same world we luv. This quick read throws a new look on a genre that's gotta be difficult when it comes to originality,.. I mean, zombies are zombies. But just as mr Tufo brought something fresh into a rotted world in his incredible 'fallout series', whether it was the highly detailed uniqueness of his particular writing style, the allure of Tommy and his own undead connection to his sister (i don't want to give any spoilers), not to mention what mr Talbot himself had to become later in the series just to keep fighting the good fight, or just the bond we felt thru the characters struggles, Mark Tufo has yet again managed to find a way to shine bright and bring something new into this flooded genre. Never again will i second guess my feelings that our 'pets' are much more than that, but our family, our pack. It's really amazing how he managed to capture what might go on inside a canines head, and cat lovers will definitely enjoy the way he lays out what I imagine would be the spot on inner workings of a felines mind and manner. Just read it dudes and dudettes, it will not disappoint. Also, for those who have not yet read Tufo's fallout series, I recommend checking that out, I can absolutely judge his talent buy that series alone... Also check out his lycan series, Talbot is a lead role in that as well (as he happens to be involved in most all Tufo's writings in one way or another), and it's just bottom line another awesome series, and u'll b surprised w the timeline.
To b honest, I at first thought the read was a bit too simple, but after just a few pages i was totally intrigued by the uniqueness of the narrative. The story is actually told from the point of view of an American bullie, alongside the rest of her dwindled pack, which would be a dog-brained yorkie, a clever cat, a two-legger named jessie, and her baby brother zachary. This gr8 read awesomely falls in the realm of the fallout series (even a connection to the Talbot's themselves) that so many of us have come to luv! With the z-pocalypse genre being so overwhelmed w attention in the past few years, it was gr8 to find something new, something different, yet still part of the same world we luv. This quick read throws a new look on a genre that's gotta be difficult when it comes to originality,.. I mean, zombies are zombies. But just as mr Tufo brought something fresh into a rotted world in his incredible 'fallout series', whether it was the highly detailed uniqueness of his particular writing style, the allure of Tommy and his own undead connection to his sister (i don't want to give any spoilers), not to mention what mr Talbot himself had to become later in the series just to keep fighting the good fight, or just the bond we felt thru the characters struggles, Mark Tufo has yet again managed to find a way to shine bright and bring something new into this flooded genre. Never again will i second guess my feelings that our 'pets' are much more than that, but our family, our pack. It's really amazing how he managed to capture what might go on inside a canines head, and cat lovers will definitely enjoy the way he lays out what I imagine would be the spot on inner workings of a felines mind and manner. Just read it dudes and dudettes, it will not disappoint. Also, for those who have not yet read Tufo's fallout series, I recommend checking that out, I can absolutely judge his talent buy that series alone... Also check out his lycan series, Talbot is a lead role in that as well (as he happens to be involved in most all Tufo's writings in one way or another), and it's just bottom line another awesome series, and u'll b surprised w the timeline.
October 2, 2024
2*
I listened to the audiobook, and that's didn't heightened the experience one bit.
I like alternative ways to tell a story, so the plot idea sounds interesting to me. But I don't think the author came out good with writing from a dog's perspective.
After it's finished I still have no idea if this is supposed to be a kids story or not. On one hand, the dogs and cat has an almost cartoonish relationship which is to be crossing the border to goofy. But on the other hand, I find it hard to imagine kids finding the story very interesting, but it still doesn't comes across as an adult story (or even YA)
The language is probably my biggest issue. Of course the dog do have language; it would be rather hard to write a story from the perspective otherwise, and I understand it's difficult to convey the dog's perspective without it either sounding too human or too simple to keep the readers interest. This is where I don't think this one succeeds.
To take an example, the dog has a level of sophistication in it's language it includes words like CACOPHONY , but the sun is called THE BURNING DISC. This doesn't work for me at all.
Out of 3 animals the cat feels most coherent in it's behaviour and intelligence throughout the story opposite the dogs where the 'stupid' dog apparently has a much bigger vocabulary than the POV dog.
The narrator was unfortunately awful for this story. His voice is nice and fine as long as there's no monologues/dialogues, let him narrate a non-fiction book I stead. As soon as he narrated the characters lines it sent completely kids cartoon, and why on earth have they chosen a male narrator, when POV is female, and most of the others characters are female as well 🤷
I'm sure the narration strengthens the kids-feel of the story.
I listened to the audiobook, and that's didn't heightened the experience one bit.
I like alternative ways to tell a story, so the plot idea sounds interesting to me. But I don't think the author came out good with writing from a dog's perspective.
After it's finished I still have no idea if this is supposed to be a kids story or not. On one hand, the dogs and cat has an almost cartoonish relationship which is to be crossing the border to goofy. But on the other hand, I find it hard to imagine kids finding the story very interesting, but it still doesn't comes across as an adult story (or even YA)
The language is probably my biggest issue. Of course the dog do have language; it would be rather hard to write a story from the perspective otherwise, and I understand it's difficult to convey the dog's perspective without it either sounding too human or too simple to keep the readers interest. This is where I don't think this one succeeds.
To take an example, the dog has a level of sophistication in it's language it includes words like CACOPHONY , but the sun is called THE BURNING DISC. This doesn't work for me at all.
Out of 3 animals the cat feels most coherent in it's behaviour and intelligence throughout the story opposite the dogs where the 'stupid' dog apparently has a much bigger vocabulary than the POV dog.
The narrator was unfortunately awful for this story. His voice is nice and fine as long as there's no monologues/dialogues, let him narrate a non-fiction book I stead. As soon as he narrated the characters lines it sent completely kids cartoon, and why on earth have they chosen a male narrator, when POV is female, and most of the others characters are female as well 🤷
I'm sure the narration strengthens the kids-feel of the story.
June 16, 2019
Milo and Otis Meet the Zombie Apocalypse
I started this book by purchasing the audio version so I could listen to it on a road trip to Ponca City. Usually if the audio lasts longer than the road trip, then I just wait until the next time I’m on the road to finish it. Not this time! As soon as I got home, I opened my kindle and downloaded the rest of the story (as well as the rest of the series, volumes 2-5). I was hooked!
If people are curious about what to expect, think of any of the great family-friendly animal movies that you loved such as Milo & Otis or Homeward Bound, and now imagine them set during the zombie apocalypse.
The story comes from Riley (a large bulldog)’s point of view. She along with her companions Ben-Ben (a delightfully tiny Yorkie), Patches (the house cat who is not sure what to make of this pack), and the surviving members of their human family strike off into the desert to hopefully find a lost friend to help them survive the apocalypse.
It was hard to fight back a tear as I flew down the turnpike listening as the animal companions (and the their humans) faced tests of survival and starvation, thirst and disease, and decisions about which people to trust. There were plenty of really funny moments as well...I just hope no one looked into my car on the highway at the guy alternately laughing and crying to himself on the open road.
At any rate I finished Book 1 and thoroughly enjoyed the adventure. Much like The Walking Dead this book doesn’t really show a conclusion, rather just a stopping point. Needless to say, I’ve got Book 2 queued up on my kindle now, and I am about to see where the road takes Riley and her pack.
I started this book by purchasing the audio version so I could listen to it on a road trip to Ponca City. Usually if the audio lasts longer than the road trip, then I just wait until the next time I’m on the road to finish it. Not this time! As soon as I got home, I opened my kindle and downloaded the rest of the story (as well as the rest of the series, volumes 2-5). I was hooked!
If people are curious about what to expect, think of any of the great family-friendly animal movies that you loved such as Milo & Otis or Homeward Bound, and now imagine them set during the zombie apocalypse.
The story comes from Riley (a large bulldog)’s point of view. She along with her companions Ben-Ben (a delightfully tiny Yorkie), Patches (the house cat who is not sure what to make of this pack), and the surviving members of their human family strike off into the desert to hopefully find a lost friend to help them survive the apocalypse.
It was hard to fight back a tear as I flew down the turnpike listening as the animal companions (and the their humans) faced tests of survival and starvation, thirst and disease, and decisions about which people to trust. There were plenty of really funny moments as well...I just hope no one looked into my car on the highway at the guy alternately laughing and crying to himself on the open road.
At any rate I finished Book 1 and thoroughly enjoyed the adventure. Much like The Walking Dead this book doesn’t really show a conclusion, rather just a stopping point. Needless to say, I’ve got Book 2 queued up on my kindle now, and I am about to see where the road takes Riley and her pack.
December 1, 2023
Only Mark Tufo
I'm a fairly recent convert to Mark Tufo fandom. Since I don't read a lot of zombie books, I was really pretty clueless until I discovered his Lycan Fallout series. Anyone who seems to live and breathe snarky sarcasm the way he can just has to be fun to read. So I grabbed this up as soon as I found it.
This is the first of four novellas in The Book of Riley series. As the author explains, it started out being a short story, but he couldn't let go of the characters without finishing their tale. So why is the master of Zombie Fallout writing a dog book? Do you remember the old movie, Homeward Bound? Yeah. It's sort of like that, but with zombies. And it's fun. Well, except when the shufflers are eating a character you like...
Riley is an American Bulldog. His pack consists of his alpha male and female, their 3 young cubs, a yorkie named Ben-Ben, and *shudder* a cat. Their world is torn apart when zombies come from nowhere and attack their house [and the rest of civilization] one night. The three pets make it their mission to save what small portion of their pack remains following that horrific event.
If you're looking for a unique zombie story, look no further. If you're looking for a slightly lighter apocalyptic read full of snark, witty banter, and heart, try out this first novella of the series. It's been out a while, but it's still refreshing and different.
I'm a fairly recent convert to Mark Tufo fandom. Since I don't read a lot of zombie books, I was really pretty clueless until I discovered his Lycan Fallout series. Anyone who seems to live and breathe snarky sarcasm the way he can just has to be fun to read. So I grabbed this up as soon as I found it.
This is the first of four novellas in The Book of Riley series. As the author explains, it started out being a short story, but he couldn't let go of the characters without finishing their tale. So why is the master of Zombie Fallout writing a dog book? Do you remember the old movie, Homeward Bound? Yeah. It's sort of like that, but with zombies. And it's fun. Well, except when the shufflers are eating a character you like...
Riley is an American Bulldog. His pack consists of his alpha male and female, their 3 young cubs, a yorkie named Ben-Ben, and *shudder* a cat. Their world is torn apart when zombies come from nowhere and attack their house [and the rest of civilization] one night. The three pets make it their mission to save what small portion of their pack remains following that horrific event.
If you're looking for a unique zombie story, look no further. If you're looking for a slightly lighter apocalyptic read full of snark, witty banter, and heart, try out this first novella of the series. It's been out a while, but it's still refreshing and different.
January 18, 2025
The Book of Riley : My Name is Riley follows an American Bulldog, Riley, thrown together with the last surviving members of her human family, a quick-witted cat and a food obsessed Yorkie in a battle against the undead.
I think animals in horror settings ,especially zombie stories are super underrated . Pardon the pun, but I think it breathes a bit of life into the long dead zombie genre.
I found this book to be engaging with a mixture of horror and humour that both made me laugh and shudder. The characters are all well-written- though I do think the humans are a little dumbed down to make the canine and feline interventions more effective, but it never gets ridiculous to the point I was pulled out of the story. Patches the cat is probably the best written character. Everything the author wrote coming out of her mouth I could see an actual cat saying. The dogs are typical, run of the mill, loyal to the death, “You jump- I jump,Jack” type thing, which is par for the course for books having dogs as main characters.
The only real complaint I have is this book was originally a short story (3 hrs) and the author has expanded it into a series of short stories, so I found it ended rather abruptly. I think they could shove the series into one book and make it into a full length novel. But, hey! that’s just me.
In conclusion, I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would have and I look forward to the rest.
I think animals in horror settings ,especially zombie stories are super underrated . Pardon the pun, but I think it breathes a bit of life into the long dead zombie genre.
I found this book to be engaging with a mixture of horror and humour that both made me laugh and shudder. The characters are all well-written- though I do think the humans are a little dumbed down to make the canine and feline interventions more effective, but it never gets ridiculous to the point I was pulled out of the story. Patches the cat is probably the best written character. Everything the author wrote coming out of her mouth I could see an actual cat saying. The dogs are typical, run of the mill, loyal to the death, “You jump- I jump,Jack” type thing, which is par for the course for books having dogs as main characters.
The only real complaint I have is this book was originally a short story (3 hrs) and the author has expanded it into a series of short stories, so I found it ended rather abruptly. I think they could shove the series into one book and make it into a full length novel. But, hey! that’s just me.
In conclusion, I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would have and I look forward to the rest.
January 5, 2025
The Book Of Riley - A Zombie Tale is split between 5 volumes on audible:
The Book Of Riley 1: 2hrs 58mins
The Book Of Riley 2: 2hrs 46mins
The Book Of Riley 3: 2hrs 41mins
The Book Of Riley 4: 3hrs 21mins
The Book Of Riley 5: 2hrs 41mins
The series describes the journey from the start of the zombie apocalypse to the eventual reunification with the Talbot clan in Maine. Jess and her baby brother Zach travel with Riley, Ben Ben and Patches to find Justin Talbot who Jess dated for a couple years as she believes him to still be alive due to his dad's survivalist ideals.
It isn't an easy journey and they run into some truely despicable people and also some very kind ones. I loved the perspective from the animals and tbh, if I didn't already know from the main story Zach survived it would have been much more difficult reading about the baby's multiple close calls.
This is a great side story to the main Zombie Fallout series and a reprieve from the dark current situation.
Author: Mark Tufo
374 pages
The Book Of Riley 1: 2hrs 58mins
The Book Of Riley 2: 2hrs 46mins
The Book Of Riley 3: 2hrs 41mins
The Book Of Riley 4: 3hrs 21mins
The Book Of Riley 5: 2hrs 41mins
The series describes the journey from the start of the zombie apocalypse to the eventual reunification with the Talbot clan in Maine. Jess and her baby brother Zach travel with Riley, Ben Ben and Patches to find Justin Talbot who Jess dated for a couple years as she believes him to still be alive due to his dad's survivalist ideals.
It isn't an easy journey and they run into some truely despicable people and also some very kind ones. I loved the perspective from the animals and tbh, if I didn't already know from the main story Zach survived it would have been much more difficult reading about the baby's multiple close calls.
This is a great side story to the main Zombie Fallout series and a reprieve from the dark current situation.
Author: Mark Tufo
374 pages
Displaying 1 - 30 of 171 reviews