The Savage Dead

by Joe McKinney, Michael Kramer (Narrator)

It starts in a laboratory. A man-made strain of flesh-eating virus. Created by a power-hungry cartel. Capable of turning victims into brain-dead carnivores. Smuggled aboard a cruise ship that's about to set sail . . . One by one, the passengers are exposed. A U.S. senator. A young couple. An undercover agent. A beautiful assassin. Some will be infected. Others will survive. But no one will be spared if the outbreak isn't contained and the dead outnumber the living. Enter Delta Force operative Juan Perez. He's fought the deadliest killers in the darkest hellholes on earth. But he's never seen anything like this-an apocalyptic cargo of pure zombie mayhem heading for the coast. If Perez and his SEAL team can't stop it, America, and quickly the entire population of the world, are finished. The plague years will begin . . .

Genres: Zombies, Horror, Fiction, Post Apocalyptic, Thriller, Science Fiction Fantasy, Science Fiction

Audio CD

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Joe McKinney has been a patrol officer for the San Antonio Police Department, a homicide detective, a disaster mitigation specialist, a patrol commander, and a successful novelist. His books include the four part Dead World series, Quarantined and Dodging Bullets. His short fiction has been collected in The Red Empire and Other Stories and Dating in Dead World and Other Stories. For more information go to http://joemckinney.wordpress.com.

Reviews

[Rachel Aukes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to receive an early copy (booyeah!) to do a review for Target Audience Magazine.

Imagine what it would be like to be trapped on a cruise ship, surrounded by the insatiably hungry undead. Add in tough-as-nails secret service agents up against a bloodthirsty drug cartel. What you get is a terrifying, action-packed addition to the horror genre from the Bram Stoker Award®-winning author of the Dead World series.

To me, it feels like it could be a prequel to Joe's Dead World series, and I loved it. Without giving spoilers, there's enough of a action-thriller to keep me wondering what's going to happen next. That Joe used female leads (both good and evil) made me enjoy it all the more. So many zombie books focus on badass military guys. This was a nice change, and I think guys can relate to the characters as easily as I did. Finally, Joe is spot-on with his military jargon and scenes. I've always enjoyed stories with a military slant, and this book doesn't disappoint.

The novel earned a solid five stars from me.

[Tracy P. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everything I look for in my zombie books! Lots of zombie action combined with well developed, intelligent characters who are assigned the task of attempting to save the remaining passengers on a cruise ship full of zombies - and all before imminent prevention measures are taken to stop the infected from making it to land. The clock is ticking. . .

[Alondra Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars

Zombies on a cruise ship! Like I said in an update; "I guess you really can make this sh*t up! 😩😂😂

Anywho; a very wealthy and sadistic cartel head invests in nefarious activities with a sus laboratory. The man-made strain of a flesh eating virus (lovely), is created solely to murder a senator that pissed them off. Seriously. As corny and B-movieish as it sounds, it is definitely worth the read. Zombies, Soldiers, cruise ship, politicians and a cartel assassin with ptsd. This is what we all need.

If you love zombies, suspect plot, and gory b-movie horror; then this is the book for you.... oh, and did I mention the romance??? 🤣🤣

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the Dead World series of books (Dead City, Apocalypse of the Dead, Flesh Eaters and Mutated) by Mr McKinney and liked the sound of this zombie book. A zombie outbreak caused by a drugs cartel to assassinate a Senator and scare the American public into submission. Our heroes which consist of the Senator, an undercover agent and a Delta Force agent leading a Navy SEAL team have to fight to defeat the cartel's plan and save America.

Sounds like an action horror thriller B movie. It is a action horror thriller but is most certainly not a B movie. The characters are believable and demand empathy. They go on a journey as the zombie outbreak causes them to question their actions and their lives. This is especially with regards to the Senators right hand man and the undercover cartel assassin.

There are plenty of action sequences and gory zombie encounters. They are savage and fierce as they overrun the vessel.

This book reminded me of a previous book about a zombie outbreak confined to a vessel. That book is Deck Z: The Titanic: Unsinkable. Undead. which also rose above it's B movie sounding story.

Never judge a book by it's cover (or it's blurb on the back)!

[Paulo "paper books only" · Rating 3 out of 5]

If I had to decide between a grade from 1 to 10 I would rate 7.
Having read another novel by the author which I think it was better. (Dead City).

This one is a stand alone zombie stuff not set on Dead World or Deadlands. I think he wanted to write a sequel (at least the ending hinted on that) but never did. This tale could have been part of dead city but I didn't it is.
The author wrote almost of all his novels through pinnacle (the first back in 2006); then published in 2010 (Apocalpyse of the Dead); Flesh Eaters (2011) and finally Mutated (2012). This one came in 2013 and then he wrote Plague of the Undead in 2014 and the dead won't die (2015) After that period he basically only did short stories and such. Don't know why. I only have the first 5. Never got Plague & Dead won't die. Hard and very expensive nowdays.

This tale focus on two characters. One on the "good" side - Juan and another on the "bad" side Pilar. Both the author tried to portrayed them as conflicted and the bad one could have be of the good side but due to influences and such she went to work to the baddies.
So what's this story about? A senator is making many waves against drug lords and such. The Druglords of course are not that interested in that powerful senator so they tried to killer her but failed. Yet she is still adamant on continuing her pursuit on war on drugs. So one drug lord, who is more powerful (moneywise) than countries invented a flesh eating bacteria that turn people into zombies. As our senator wants to send a message that the war continues she is going on a trip via boat and thus our story begins...

Spoilers ahead...
What's good
I enjoy the pace, you've got on the first 60 pages the introduction of characters, goals and purposes. Then for about more 60 it's what is going to happen and how is going to happen. The remaining book is the fulfilling of the vision of the bad guys and action scenes after another.

What's bad or what I didn't enjoy
First of all was Pilar, our main baddie. Basically she was a poor girl with her brother and she was "saved" by a druglord that use her after knowing about her ninja alike skills. She study in Harvard and went to become a spy for him (with alias of a famous celebrity). My main grip was her inner struggles about the druglord, with all the bad stuff he did she still followed him. She basically put a virus that turn people undead on a ship yet she was struggling with her action because of children and so on... it didn't felt sincere. If someone even with her struggles are able to do that then she cannot be goody turn baddie because of circumstances. By the end she redeem herself BUT to me didn't felt true. After all she killed 6000 people
Another thing I didn't enjoy was the all delta force stuff. They are so good because of X and Y and so on but then ended up dying even with weapons and all their training yet the characters, including a class with dozen children were unscathed and go through zombies and stuff (some not even armed) So basically zombies were either super powerful or mindless idiots - it depended on the foe. It seems when they saw people with gun they become unstoppable but when dealing with children didn't had the strength.

Overall it was a good interesting zombie story that I hoped it didn't end the way it did. with a happy positive note where our characters (there were more than 2 ok?) didn't died and even had happy endings. It also ended in a way you could easily done a sequel - which to my knowledge he didn't.

[Edward Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second readthrough of my 4/5 star books that I wanted to check back in on and see what I thought years later. There were some moments that really stuck with me but there were some that I just groaned over. I always love when authors include things like "Delta Force", "Green Berets" and "Navy Seals" into their stories and play them off like superheroes. To quote former Navy Seal Jocko Willink: "I am mortal just like you, I just bleed better"

In the beginning, Joe McKinney's heroes were everyday people like patrol cops, Radio/TV helicopter pilots, and just schlubs like you and me that eventually evolved into Tom Cruise. Once he got out of the "Dead World" series and into the newer "Deadlands" it all went back to where his first protagonist Eddie Hudson started out: just a normal guy dealing with an abnormal situation.

If you like more simple heroes, the first two books are better for you. If you want a serious operator vs. monsters, try a Joe Ledger novel.

[Shana Festa · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was genius to change up the usual apocalyptic scenery. The first part of the book builds up to the final stand off on the cruise ship. Zombies on boats always heighten my level of fear. Normally you can find a good hiding place and wait long enough for a horde of zombies to pass you by, migrating to places of higher population. On a ship, there's no place for them to go! And on a ship filled with undead, there's nowhere for a survivor to go but in the water...assuming you're lucky enough to make it out of your stateroom.

The title of this book is aptly fitting. These zombies are some of the scariest, most resilient, bastards I've read to date. They just wont die! Even after four shots to the head, they keep coming. McKinney is a marvel at creating gruesome scenes and frightening monsters. The Savage Dead is full of rich, three dimensional characters and satisfying story lines. Filled to the brim with action and terror, it manages to keep me on the edge of my seat and craving more depravity. I love the imagery McKinney creates when describing the dead. In one scene he describes a man's gaping abdomen spilling intestines and carved out like the belly of a canoe. It's these small details that make his work so successful.

Let's talk characters...the standout character surprised me. Rarely do I connect with the antagonist of a book. The complexity of Pilars character was unexpected. As she fights to assassinate the senator, she's also at war with her internal demons. The hard, callous character shows moments of compassion and struggles with some obvious anger management issues. Much of her development is done through flashback. Memories of her attempt to sneak into America as a child, she's left in a truck with a group of immigrants as they die from starvation. She blames herself for not saving her childhood friend Lupe and is haunted by his ghost.

Chief of Staff, Paul is two parts whiner one part hero. He nearly abandons a group of twenty three children to save his own skin. Forced into aiding them, he manages to come off heroic in the end. Is it just me, or when hiding with someone else, does their always seem to be that one idiot that makes noises or cries? Okay, okay, I know I'm being harsh and I should be understanding and all because it's a scared little boy and all. But seriously, I would probably find myself suffocating or slapping that kid.

For my female readers out there, if you've watched Titanic, you'll get a kick out of this one. McKinney writes "It was the most erotic moment of his life." I don't know why but this got me laughing, thinking about geriatric Rose as she tells her captivated audience of her naked portrait experience with Jack.

My only moment of pause comes in the form of language. Agent Juan Perez launches a one man takeover of the cartel. During the scene, there is a lot of Spanish thrown around. Unfortunately, I don't speak a lick of Spanish (unless you count banyo...I can ask for a bathroom. And until recently I actually thought manana meant Monday). Adding the foreign language detracted from what should have been an intense and frightening action scene, but instead left me disjointed from the chapter.

Enjoyable Quote:

"And not for the first time that evening, he felt everything that made him a man melt into a puddle of goo."

I received a signed copy of The Savage Dead from the author, but chose to purchase the audio version. Really good audiobook narration takes great talent, which Michael Kramer clearly has. One of the things I look for in a narrator is the ability to create distinct characters and authentic accents. Michael Kramer has an appealing voice with a wide dramatic range. He does an excellent job of keeping the pace and provides enough emotion to keep you invested in the story.

This is the third novel I've read from Joe McKinney. I'm always nervous to read new works after finishing a five star read. I fear it won't live up to it's predecessors and leave me disappointed. The Savage Dead earns another 5-star notch on McKinneys belt from The Bookie Monster

With a little something for everyone, the book appeals to a mass audience. Whether your interests include political thrillers zombies, horror, or suspense, you'll no doubt enjoy The Savage Dead.

Visit bookie-monster.com to read my full review.

[Amanda Felix · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are a fan of the Dead World series, this book will more than hold your interest. It is a stand alone book and as far as I can tell, is not a part of the Dead series.(Might contain some spoilers) Joe McKinney is at his best as we follow Secret Service agent Juan Perez as he and his team are assigned to protect a Senator who has not only declared war on the Mexican drug cartels but has made great strides in shutting them down by hitting them in the pocket book. Her laws are designed to stop the flow of not only narcotics but the money as well, seizing all bank accounts and funds around the world. As one would expect, this does not go over well with the cartels and her life is now open season as assassination attempts keep those assigned to guard her very busy. Agent Perez and his crack team are good at what they do and thus far have thwarted two attempts on her life but now the arrogance of the Senator will put not only her life and the Agent Perez's team in danger but thousands of innocent lives as she decides to thumb her nose at the Cartels by vacationing in Mexico. Nothing will distract her and she boards a cruise ship unaware of the assassin that is already on board. Juan assigns his best agent to protect the Senator and stays behind because he believes he has uncovered a conspiracy to kill the Senator. Following his instinct he is led to a meat packing company in San Antonio, Texas. What he discovers is beyond imagination as one particularly brutal Cartel and its leader Ramon Medina have something in mind that will rid the thorn on his side, Senator Sutton, rid him of his rivals and give him control of the border towns and the drug trade between Mexico and the United States; Ramon Medina has a deadly chemical agent that will turn people into flesh eaters. The story begins at break neck speed in Washington, DC and continues on the cruise ship in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico where the battle is raging and Juan Perez is desperate to get to the Senator and his Agent. Fighting and evading the Z's is only part of the story and this is what makes it so unique as the agent, Senator and her Aide attempt to flee the horde, try to get help and hide from the assassin hot on their heels. But really where can you hide when you are on a twenty one story building floating dead in the water in the middle of nowhere and 99% of its occupants are no longer human? And of course Joe McKinney does what he does best, he humanizes his characters by giving them a backstory to such degree that, like or hate them, you know them, can feel their pain, and their reasons for who and what they are... even the lessor characters have a spot here that the reader can identify with. Battle scenes with the Z's and assassin are aplenty and will satisfy any Z lover but the story behind everything is far more frightening; The politicians and the Drug Cartels are not that different, it's all about power an control with no real winner. Kudos to you Mr. McKinney for a great adventure that left me drained and gave me nightmares. Few authors have that ability, you are among them.

[Vincenzo Bilof · Rating 5 out of 5]

With all the breathtaking suspense and action of a summer movie thriller, The Savage Dead reads like Under Siege meets Resident Evil. With a diverse cast of characters whose internal struggles appropriately establish a sense of dread and force the reader to watch the events unfold with discomfort, The Savage Dead delivers a zombie adventure fans of the genre will love.

A biological weapon unleashed upon unsuspecting innocents who’re enjoying a vacation on a cruise ship; the premise is familiar to readers, but McKinney’s method of delivery brings the story to life. Forensics, military weaponry, politics, and zombies—a fun read that is both relevant and intelligent. While I flipped through this page-turner, I envisioned a Ridley Scott-directed film that would focus on the characters and their place in the world; with an antagonist who begs for readers to sympathize with her cause, McKinney challenges our worldview and gave me pause for thought on several occasions. In the real world, drug cartels are armed and dangerous, and with the “war on drugs” seemingly reduced to an afterthought in the public eye, one is forced to wonder about the capabilities of a wealthy organization whose members have made the battle against the U.S. a personal affair. After decades of crippling drug lords and removing them from the power they’ve enjoyed at the behest of accommodating governments, what’s stopping the cartels from becoming terrorists?

This is one of the most prominent questions I found lingering in the pages of McKinney’s work, and his attention for detail and accuracy add to the story’s frightening realism. The zombies are products of a world gone mad with greed and derision (and maybe even political wastefulness, if you want to read the book on a deeper level, which McKinney allows you to do). The zombies in this book are as fierce and savage as the title implies, but this savagery is underscored by the novel’s hyperrealism, a contrast that makes the zombies all the more effective as monsters.

Zombie fans should be excited for this book. You’ll read this one more than once; with characters to cheer for who are thrown into a series of conflicts our society has become all-too-familiar with, the pages are packed with thrills only a master storyteller can provide. I finished reading this book instead of watching football—I felt like I was sitting in a movie theater, and when it was over, I wanted to Google to find out when the next installment is coming.

[Keith Milstead · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a reader of Joe McKinney’s books, I always finish his newest work by saying “Wow that was better than the last!” Having just read THE SAVAGE DEAD, Joe’s newest contribution to the world of the living dead, I closed the book and went, “Wow that was incredible. Readers of The Savage Dead will be given three books as opposed to one as Joe writes a political thriller a la Frederick Forsyth, a military thriller a la Mark Bowden (Black Hawk Down) and a zombie catastrophic event a la, well, Joe McKinney.

Our protagonists face a Mexican Cartel that is so tired of the antics of a Senator as she fights the ongoing ruthlessness of the cartels in Mexico, they develop a chemical that when introduced to people turns them in the carnivorous dead. The most interesting part of this book is the setting, a cruise ship, which Joe sets up as a huge character herself, lumbering, overwhelming and unforgiving. The Senator is a passenger with her husband, a political aide and a CIA agent along with an assassin dutied with making sure the Senator doesn’t leave the ship alive.

As the survivors of the apocalyptic event on the ship fight those that have changed, in comes a Delta Force team to help their cause. Armed to the teeth, they battle thousands of zombies in an effort to save the Senator before, well; I leave that to you, dear reader.

How do you like your zombies? Slow, fast, smart, mindless? Joe gives you all of this in this spectacular book. He continues to take the genre a step up every time he puts pen to paper. His imagination is infectious. This book is a page turner, so make sure you set aside enough time to read because you will not want to put it down until it is done. Also, keep an eye on the nearest accesses because his characters are so real, you never know who or what might come lumbering through the nearest door while you are engrossed in his tale of deteriorating mankind!

[W.J. Whaley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zombies on a cruise ship? Sign me up! Not for the cruise that is but definitely for the read. The Savage Dead was my first encounter with a Joe McKinney book and one that I can honestly say was a very pleasing experience. This book is absolutely riddled with non-stop page turning goodness. McKinney does an exceptional job of keeping the reader hooked on the story making it particularly difficult to put down. I was also very impressed with the author’s knowledge of police tactical procedures. McKinney’s ability to convey this knowledge brings a level of believability to the story that transfixes the imagination. Truly, you will get lost in this story, which is exactly what I hope for in every book that I read. And again, zombies on a cruise ship—hell yes! I am very much looking forward to reading more of McKinney’s work.

[Timothy Neesam · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pure, unadulterated guilty pleasure. On a cold and stormy weekend, what could be better than a book about a Mexican drug cartel unleashing a zombie virus on a cruise ship carrying a vacationing anti-crime Senator and her bodyguard? The cast of characters includes a beautiful assassin, a beautiful secret agent, a determined Mexican-American crime fighter, kids in need of rescue, a Delta Force rescue gone wrong and .... lots and lots and lots of gore. Joe McKinney's books are always a cut above other zombie books and this was great fun, though I think we lost sight of the boatload of kids and a reluctant hero toward the end (plague carrier or no?), and the finale sets us up for a sequel that I haven't seen. What's up with that, Joe? Recommended for those who like action, adventure and, yes, the undead.

[Severina · Rating 5 out of 5]

The head of a Mexican drug cartel inadvertently comes across the formula to create the living dead, and decides to release it on board a cruise ship in an attempt to kill a US Senator.

This was a well-written and fast-paced book of the genre, with more backstory than is usual in these types of books. The story is ostensibly of Juan Perez, a government agent who figures out what’s going on and is airlifted onto the ship. But the action revolves around his subordinate, Tess, who’s tasked with protecting the Senator amidst the chaos, and the assassin on board who’s there to ensure the deadly virus takes down the Senator. The result is a very female-centric and female-positive book, which is such a nice change in the genre.

[olivesinthegarden · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s a fun zombie book, lots of action, and not a lot else. The writing and plot are very simplistic and easily digestible, there’s not even a hint of discussion of any type of theme, and you know what, that’s ok.

It’s good there are books like this out there, because not everything has to be complicated or deep. Sometimes you want to read something and not have to think too much.

Sometimes you just want some zomzoms.

[Ashlei Hawley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was fantastic. The day I got it, I started it and then didn't stop reading until I had finished it at 2a.m. The characters were far beyond your typical hack and slash heroes/heroines and the setting and plot were both awesome. I am a zombie-obsessed and I love when I find an author or series that captivates me. Joe McKinney is a new favorite.

[TacoFan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was going to quit on it in the beginning because I had a hard time with Pilar. I found her to be really unlikable, which was the goal with her being the bad guy, but still. Intentionally killing 6,000 people and trying to justify it for the dumbest reasons didn't work for me. I liked the idea of a zombie outbreak on a cruise ship! I would love to see this as a movie.

[Rebecca Snow · Rating 4 out of 5]

It seemed to take a little bit to get into (but that could have been me trying to read when I couldn't focus), but once it got going, it was a real page turner. Because I'm picky, it could have used a final edit for missing or wrong words.

[Simon Dower · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was good, but not great. I was expecting more zombie carnage, but this is 2/3 espionage and only about 1/3 zombie action. Think Army of the Dead meets Escape from New York but on a cruise ship. 3.5/5.

[Amanda Walton · Rating 3 out of 5]

well written. some issues with the use of spanish in sections. as a non-speaker it made it difficult in some portions to understand the dialogue.

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joe McKinney did it again. I do love his books. I think this is one of my favorite in this series. A ship full of zombies!!! Could you survive????

[A. Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story moved fast and the different storylines made it not just about zombies but about the people caught in the crosshairs. Very well done!

[Steph · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was good, not my favorite but decent!

[Weez Bee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good fun zombies on a cruise ship.

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting book--one that ultimately impressed me. I tend to judge a book's quality content set against its genre, appearance, and purpose. This one's genre? Firmly in the horror/thriller camp, with the typical artwork on the cover (the oddly gruesome fan art appearance of the cheapest horror novels is one of my favorite parts), and definitely fulfills its purpose--to keep the reader teetering on edge of seat.

I have never read this author before, but then in the space of a week I randomly found myself reading two of his works (he's one of the authors in the new V Wars book). I am glad I read this one before VWars since the main character in this one shows up in VWars and I had a nice backstory/familiarity with that character already.

Much like in VWars (Aztec horror-show vampires running amok in Mexico City being worshipped by the cartel), this book too is heavily about the cartels. Now I watched Cocaine Cowboys documentary and a few on Pablo Escobar, but some of the things mentioned in this book, actually got me up and on to Wikipedia and angry about the media's lack of interest in covering Mexico news. One of the things I judge horror books on is how believable is this scenario if it should happen? Part of what makes things scary to begin with is the thought this could actually happen to you or to your town/country/world. Most books tend to fail I think pretty hard on the "could this happen scenario" but this author sells it better than most.

Basically evil cartel kingpin, smarting at economic sanctions handed down by one crusading US Senator and failed assassination attempts against said senator, have their evil scientist division cook up a zombie virus--some of the zombies are violently murderous, some docile and stumbling, others infected just die natural deaths. They then take this and unleash it on a Caribbean cruise ship that the senator is vacationing on and it's up to her trusty aide & bodyguard to fight off 7,000 newly turned zombies and live to see another day.

I was only mildly annoyed at a few turn of events (the fact that the bodyguard and aide got super drunk the first night out) and how it seemed like no one was aware of massive shipwide slaughter. Not even the one person on board the ship who was NOT drinking that night. Really, I could have used more chapters (even if by a different viewpoint since our heroes were passed out) about what happened the first night on boat, but ah well.

My list of frequently seen tropes doesn't really apply to this book, since it's definitely not an apocalypse book--more like trapped on cruise ship with the time ticking. Although there's no time for the "military to turn on populace", the rescue attempt could have been MUCH better so I guess that counts as "inept government response"; or "criminals to take over"--although the cartel does have personnel on the boat, though the exit plan for them is never quite clear; or "clergy to go nuts"; Some old friends do pop up though! There's always the old tried and true of "saddled with plucky child! About thirty of them, yet even this plot device that I usually hate is okay. The author actually works the child thing really well throughout the whole book.

The writing is a cut above of most books and while this one is a stand alone, will definitely have to check out his series next!

[Jordan Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Upon hearing of McKinney’s newest zombie novel, I wasn’t exactly excited. Oh, I wanted to read it, being as I have read pretty much everything else he has published, but seeing “The Savage Dead” on Amazon did not compel me to jump up and quickly dash to my nearest Barnes & Noble and snag myself a copy. Especially considering how much of a disappointment he has been the last few years.
McKinney’s first 3 novels were fantastic.

The whole “dead” series was a fresh, although not very original, take on the zombie genre. They were quick, exciting, and made for good 3 or 4 day reads. Then things started to change. And not for the better. There was “Quarantine” which was basically just another rehash of “Dead City”, minus the zombies. There was “Mutated” which was a sort of sequel to “Apocalypse of the Dead” but felt so rushed, and so heartless, that it might as well have been written by a different author entirely. Even the production value of the book spoke of its quick attempt to cash in on a genre that was dying. Finally McKinney published “Inheritance”, a novel so weak and so boring that I felt myself just wanting to get it read so that I could move on to something more engrossing and worth my time.

So how does this one stack up against its predecessors? Well, while it still fails to measure up to those first 3 novels, it is a whole heck of a lot better than those last 3 I just mentioned.

I’m not gonna say the plot is original. It’s actually pretty far from original. Zombies on a cruise ship? Haven’t we seen that kind of thing before? Maybe not in these exact circumstances, but I do believe it has been done in similar circumstances. In this case, though, it isn’t a bad thing. It makes for a tight, quick paced story, all in one location. When things happen all in one place, then you know it’s going to leave room for a lot of action and intensity. McKinney hasn’t been as deft at these kind of scenes as some others (Rollins and Reilly come to mind) but he does make it work pretty well here, or at least a lot better than he has in the past. There’s always some kind of gun battle, or flesh tearing, or something blowing up. He also has returned to the whole zombie genre from which he got his start, leaving behind his attempt at basic horror (in which he failed before.)

My beef with this one comes at the side plot. Basically it’s too long and complicated for a book that tops out at 359 pages. It takes up almost the first 3rd of the story and because of that, it isn’t until around page 150 that we see any form of zombies or the “savages”. The whole drug cartel backstory wasn’t bad, but it would have worked better in a political thriller or action novel. There is also Pinnacle’s lousy work in editing which we’ve all seen before. I caught more than my fair share of typos and grammatical errors throughout the entire book.

Seeing “The Savage Dead” didn’t fill me up with any kind of anticipation or a huge desire to read it. Even the moderately positive reviews did little to coax me into picking it up. Seeing it at Wal-Mart for a measly five bucks is what finally did it for me and I’m glad I did. This still wasn’t his best, but it’s a step back into the right direction.

[Meran · Rating 3 out of 5]

The order of this series' books were printed in is strange, non-linear. The previous book was really the finale, I think. #3 was #1, I had thought, but it was really #2. THIS one is #1 -- the story of the virus itself and how it got out into the world…

By pg 31, we've had an attempted assassination of a senator, a shoot-out, and are thrust fully into an extended sex scene. And yet, we aren't quite sure of the plot. The blurbs on the back cover have done better.

As the series has gone on, the gun descriptions have gotten more exact. Do we really need to know the make, model, and type of clip it takes? I miss the books where it was only "She shot the zombie right where it counts.." I guess the elaborate descriptions add to the word count.

That and describing a woman in such physical detail that we know her bra and panty sizes is what makes this a dudebook.

So, the plot is basically this: A drug cartel guy in Mexico pays for research into two existing viruses (though I'm pretty sure there's a bacteria involves too, pg 257), which leads to combining them all into an agent that needs/eats protein to live. After testing in a few locals, he has an associate release it on a cruise ship carrying a Senator who has consistently fought against the Mexican drug cartels.

The result is a ship full of zombies. Per the research, there are 3 reactions to the infective agent: death, inaction, passive, life after death; and real, active, aggressive zombies.

Pg 232 (and many others): "lady agent"??? Really? Do you say "man agent"?? It's overdone. And she never says "lady senator", so pointing out traditional male roles won't work as explanation. Honestly, I don't know how there were ANY survivors if the germ was introduced into the "meat and the butter" and maybe other foods, on the boat.

BDUs -- always spell it out then use shortened forms. Something something uniform? If Tess wasn't shot by Pilar, wh/how was she knocked out for quite some time?

_____________
Errors: pg 138- Unphased should be unfazed; 230-"…Marked for STAGE ACCESS…" the word "for" is unnecessary; 265- Anything was better than sitting her, stewing.." "her" should be "here";304-- "with his their teeth… " -delete "his".

[Badseedgirl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Horror novelists tend to be pigeon-holed into sub-genres. Joe McKinney is well on his way to becoming the “Texas-Zombie Guy.” And that is ok, because he is good at what he writes. In his novel Savage Dead, he becomes the “zombie-on-cruise-ship guy.” But his title still works because the ship leaves from the port of Galveston, so he’s still technically “Texas Zombie Guy.”

I love zombies and I am leaving for a 7 day cruise next week, so of course I would read this novel before I go. The thing is, when you think about it; the idea of a deadly virus ravaging a cruise ship is not too far off the mark. There have been at least 5 or 6 cases of Norovirus, or “The Cruise Ship Virus” spreading through a cruise ship this year alone. Anytime you get lots of people in close quarters, quickly spreading virus can be a problem. So imagine if instead of giving you upset stomach and diarrhea, you got a pesky case of death and reanimation instead.

In Savage Dead Mexican Drug Cartels create and disperse a genetically altered flesh eating bacteria into the food supply of a cruise ship to kill a US Senator who has been making trouble for them. A diligent secret service agent and his team discover the plot after the ship has left port and have to attempt a daring at-sea rescue mission. As I have said above this was a great plot, because anyone who has ever been on a cruise ship can tell you it is most definitely a closed system and once you are at sea, your only resources are what are on the ship.

This is clearly the first novel of a new series for Mr. McKinney. It was left with a hanging ending, and it was hinted that at least one passenger who managed to get off the ship, may have been showing early signs of having the virus. I will be looking forward to the next installment, but it is going to have a hard time living up to “Zombies on a Cruise Ship,” otherwise known as Savage Dead.


PS I still plan to go on the cruise; I just hope I don’t get eaten by my fellow passengers or crew members!

[Paul Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joe McKinney is a great horror writer and a really nice guy. I was out of the horror industry when Joe burst on the scene with Dead City a decade ago, and I’m only now catching up on all of the great stories and novels Joe’s written since. The Savage Dead (Pinnacle, September 2013) breaks from Joe’s usual “everyman” (average person caught up in extraordinary events) archetype and features three extraordinarily capable characters. Juan Perez and Tess Compton are Secret Service agents assigned to protect Senator Rachel Sutton, an anti-drug crusader in Congress. Pilar (aka Monica Rivas)works for Mexican drug cartel czar Ramon Medina. Juan and Tess foiled two earlier Medina plots to kill Senator Sutton, so Medina goes all out and unleashes a bio-engineered zombie plague aboard a cruise ship where Sutton and her husband, guarded only by Tess, try to save their failing marriage. Medina places Pilar on the same ship with instructions to disable the ship and ensure Sutton dies.
Juan, while investigating the Medina cartel,discovers the zombie plot. He pulls strings at the White House and gets priority to lead a Delta Force SOG rescue of Sutton and Tess. But Juan’s rescue teams are killed by the zombies, and Juan must face the zombie hoard and Pilar’s guns in a desperate race against time. Two F-15s are coming to blow the ship out of the water within minutes. The tension mounts, each chapter is literally a cliff-hanger, and the big-bang finish caps a well-told story that’s a thrill a minute.

[Vanessa theJeepDiva · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to recommend that you read this book on the very first day of your very first cruise. Oh I LOVE me a good zombie apocalypse tale. Joe McKinney delivers exactly that with The Savage Dead.
So many of the characters can be viewed as so many different things. Senator Rachel Sutton has declared a war on the drug cartels. She has done so much to make their business dealings more and more difficult. In return the cartels have continuously tried to end her life.
Now let’s talk about the psychotically brilliant Ramon Medina. He is the head of one of the cartels. He wants to stop Sutton more than anything. Being the resourceful man he is he has put his drug money in many different pots, including biomedical research, and this is where the fun begins.
What better way to make a statement than go on a vacation cruise into the country where you’ve made numerous enemies. Is there a smarter way to unleash the zombie virus than a cruise ship where is will be easily contained. Could you make a bigger statement in the don’t mess with me department than that.
I loved how everything played out. I loved how the points of view switched with regularity. I need multiple points of view. Everyone got their point across in their page time. The action was intense and flowed throughout the entire book. This romance loving diva even got a tiny bit of romance with this must buy zombie read.

[R.L. Blalock · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book started off a little slow. I really couldn’t see where it was going. IT really didn’t take too long for it to pick up and when it did it was glorious!

I’m not entirely sure where this book fits into Mr. McKinney’s writing. I’m almost positive it isn’t part of the Dead World series and since I am just starting the Deadlands series I can’t say. Though it may be a standalone.

The book follows a couple separate perspectives. A high ranking member of a Mexican drug cartel, Pilar Soledad. Senator Rachel Sutton who is working to bring down the cartels. Senator Sutton’s entourage includes her assistant, Paul Godwin, and her protective detail, Tess Compton and Juan Perez. While this seems like a lot of different perspectives, the characters’ perspectives blend together well to paint a comprehensive picture.

My other fascination with the savage dead is the location of the outbreak. A cruise ship. What could be worse? Limited food and water. Worst of all, these no place to run. While cruise ships seem large, when you’re running for your life they can seem incredibly small. The seclusion of this makes it all the more terrifying. This scenario was not something I had ever thought about.

Between the zombies and cartels, Joe McKinney has written another action packed, terrifying outbreak adventure.