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The Hunger #1
Devoured
Alternate cover edition for ASIN B00DPK3D0G.
Day One: A series of terrorist attacks spread a cloud of noxious gas over highly populated areas.
Day Two: Higher brain function erodes in those exposed to the gas. Their bodies begin to distort, faces distending, skin sallowing, teeth elongating.
Day Three: The infected disappear into the shadows, fleeing the harsh daylight which has begun to sear their flesh.
Day Four: The world is DEVOURED.
Life isn’t kind to Lance York. A full-time job has eluded him for years, his wife loathes the sight of him, his bank accounts are empty, and his wealthy father-in-law revels in his failures.
After he lunges in front of a car to save a sick and disoriented woman, Lance awakens in a quarantined hospital. A devastating plague is spreading worldwide, driving those infected with it insane. Their bodies begin to mutate into horrors that have haunted mankind’s nightmares for centuries.
The world descends into chaos as death holds sway in the streets.
With the help of an unlikely ally, Lance must navigate through the collapsing city of Pittsburgh, striving to escape the madness of the Apocalypse that unfolds around them.
Day One: A series of terrorist attacks spread a cloud of noxious gas over highly populated areas.
Day Two: Higher brain function erodes in those exposed to the gas. Their bodies begin to distort, faces distending, skin sallowing, teeth elongating.
Day Three: The infected disappear into the shadows, fleeing the harsh daylight which has begun to sear their flesh.
Day Four: The world is DEVOURED.
Life isn’t kind to Lance York. A full-time job has eluded him for years, his wife loathes the sight of him, his bank accounts are empty, and his wealthy father-in-law revels in his failures.
After he lunges in front of a car to save a sick and disoriented woman, Lance awakens in a quarantined hospital. A devastating plague is spreading worldwide, driving those infected with it insane. Their bodies begin to mutate into horrors that have haunted mankind’s nightmares for centuries.
The world descends into chaos as death holds sway in the streets.
With the help of an unlikely ally, Lance must navigate through the collapsing city of Pittsburgh, striving to escape the madness of the Apocalypse that unfolds around them.
268 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 28, 2013
229 people are currently reading
1514 people want to read
About the author
Jason Brant
35 books280 followers"JASON BRANT" is an anagram for Bas Trojann, a former Bigfoot hunter who, after being abducted (and subsequently returned) by aliens, decided to hang up his ghillie suit and enter the world of professional arm wrestling. Despite back-to-back first place finishes in the South Dakota World International Championship League, Bas receded from athletics to invent cheese and give Al Gore the initiative to create the internet.
Nearly a decade after writing the bestselling self-help series, Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese (Cut into Four Pieces) for the Soul, Bas has left his life of notoriety and critical acclaim behind him to write existential, erotic poetry.
His wife washes their clothing on his abs.
Nearly a decade after writing the bestselling self-help series, Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese (Cut into Four Pieces) for the Soul, Bas has left his life of notoriety and critical acclaim behind him to write existential, erotic poetry.
His wife washes their clothing on his abs.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 169 reviews
April 14, 2017
Fresh off my Vietnam fictional-autobiography The Things They Carried and Pulitzer Prize winner Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City, I really needed to rest my brain. Actually--let's be honest--I really needed to see humanity destroyed a little faster than we seem to be doing it ourselves. Brant--and I might turn into a genuine fan of this non-genuine Bigfoot hunter--serves up almost exactly what I was looking for in an apocalypse-monster novel. For all you who wanted to like The Passage and didn't, I'd strongly suggest this little action-fest. Competently written (and I'm not damning it with faint praise), I just could not put it down.
We're set up with a character who is having a bit of a life-crisis but ends up discovering his personal strengths in an external one. He's ill-prepared in physical skill sets but not in mental ones, once he overcomes self-doubt. I thought the characters all behaved rather realistically, from initial rationalization of the 'illness' to depression to to attempting to strategize through the disaster, albeit somewhat ineffectively (of course). Focus is tightly on Lance, with important secondary characters. I appreciated that Lance did not overly demonize his soon-to-be-ex-wife, often a tempting crutch to make a character seem more likeable.
Although it goes quickly, the story allows for information-sharing through television and social media, giving the chance to witness some of the societal breakdown as systems and their back-ups gradually fail. I always wish this part was longer in survival stories, but Brant gives me more than many books. Plotting was tension-filled, feeling a great deal like a survival video game. Immediate conflict, re-group/strategize, next conflict. There's a part near the end that sounded scarily prescient with some people's political response to the virus. I found it almost impossible to stop reading.
Beginning paragraph:
"The tie around Lance's neck might as well have been a noose.
Yet another job interview went horribly as his career circled the drain. He looped a finger over the knot by his throat and pulled it down, letting out a long, depressed sigh. Fourteen years of hard work, certifications, and experience meant nothing anymore."
What fun foreshadowing! Not only true for Lance's own life, but about to be true for the world.
I have perhaps only two quibbles. One, overall conflict escalated quickly. I don't mind the escalation in terms of human destruction scenario, but in terms of the monster scenario, it straddles the line between believability and pure fiction. I'm a little ambivalent about that, because then I feel the story loses its chance to explore the breakdown, and not head straight into survivalist territory. Two, (mild mid-book character spoiler)
Dialogue was solid, although I did eyeroll a couple of times at the flirtation-type banter. I suppose it provides some humor. There is a little bit of humor edging into description which I appreciated. Certainly not enough to distract from the seriousness of the situation. "He considered breaking in to his neighbors’ apartments to scrounge for food, but he feared some of them might be hiding inside, armed with shotguns. Getting shot was low on Lance’s list of priorities."
This was a freebie at Amazon when I picked it up. No worries, though--unlike the last self-pub apocalypse I picked up (L.A. Dark), this one had adequate closure, much like an arc in a television series. That said, the reader will undoubtedly want to go on to the next book. I certainly did. I just won't start it tonight, because I need to sleep sometime and I have doubts about putting it down.
This is a straight-forward apocalypse, solidly written with no literary pretensions involved (as opposed to The Reapers are the Angels, The Girl with All the Gifts or Station Eleven). Reminding me a little of Rhiannon Frater's As the World Dies series, I found it much better written. Recommend for people who want an apocalypse-monster fix with likeable heroes and grip-your-seat pacing.
Solid four genre stars
We're set up with a character who is having a bit of a life-crisis but ends up discovering his personal strengths in an external one. He's ill-prepared in physical skill sets but not in mental ones, once he overcomes self-doubt. I thought the characters all behaved rather realistically, from initial rationalization of the 'illness' to depression to to attempting to strategize through the disaster, albeit somewhat ineffectively (of course). Focus is tightly on Lance, with important secondary characters. I appreciated that Lance did not overly demonize his soon-to-be-ex-wife, often a tempting crutch to make a character seem more likeable.
Although it goes quickly, the story allows for information-sharing through television and social media, giving the chance to witness some of the societal breakdown as systems and their back-ups gradually fail. I always wish this part was longer in survival stories, but Brant gives me more than many books. Plotting was tension-filled, feeling a great deal like a survival video game. Immediate conflict, re-group/strategize, next conflict. There's a part near the end that sounded scarily prescient with some people's political response to the virus. I found it almost impossible to stop reading.
Beginning paragraph:
"The tie around Lance's neck might as well have been a noose.
Yet another job interview went horribly as his career circled the drain. He looped a finger over the knot by his throat and pulled it down, letting out a long, depressed sigh. Fourteen years of hard work, certifications, and experience meant nothing anymore."
What fun foreshadowing! Not only true for Lance's own life, but about to be true for the world.
I have perhaps only two quibbles. One, overall conflict escalated quickly. I don't mind the escalation in terms of human destruction scenario, but in terms of the monster scenario, it straddles the line between believability and pure fiction. I'm a little ambivalent about that, because then I feel the story loses its chance to explore the breakdown, and not head straight into survivalist territory. Two, (mild mid-book character spoiler)
Dialogue was solid, although I did eyeroll a couple of times at the flirtation-type banter. I suppose it provides some humor. There is a little bit of humor edging into description which I appreciated. Certainly not enough to distract from the seriousness of the situation. "He considered breaking in to his neighbors’ apartments to scrounge for food, but he feared some of them might be hiding inside, armed with shotguns. Getting shot was low on Lance’s list of priorities."
This was a freebie at Amazon when I picked it up. No worries, though--unlike the last self-pub apocalypse I picked up (L.A. Dark), this one had adequate closure, much like an arc in a television series. That said, the reader will undoubtedly want to go on to the next book. I certainly did. I just won't start it tonight, because I need to sleep sometime and I have doubts about putting it down.
This is a straight-forward apocalypse, solidly written with no literary pretensions involved (as opposed to The Reapers are the Angels, The Girl with All the Gifts or Station Eleven). Reminding me a little of Rhiannon Frater's As the World Dies series, I found it much better written. Recommend for people who want an apocalypse-monster fix with likeable heroes and grip-your-seat pacing.
Solid four genre stars
April 27, 2014
After yet another unsuccessful job interview, Lance York shoves a strangely-acting woman out of the path of a speeding car and is struck himself. When he awakes in the hospital, he is shocked to find a plague has struck Pittsburgh, a plague that mutates its victims and turns them into eyeless, savage, flesh-eating horrors! Even with help from some new friends, can Lance escape the abattoir Pittsburgh has become?
After reading his West of Hell trilogy, Jason Brant invited me to give his Hunger series a shot. It took me a while to take the bait but Brant soon had me hooked once again.
Before even opening the book, or whatever the equivalent of opening an e-book is, I kept thinking "Zombies? Aren't we all getting tired of that shit?" Brant puts his spin on the survival horror tale and I Devoured it in two sittings. Besides, his plague victims aren't zombies. They have some virus that makes their eyes fall out and their brain functions go haywire, mutating them into cannibal feral things with fangs and caveman brows.
The protagonist of the tale, Lance York, was a guy I could really get behind. He wasn't a hyper-prepared militant or a survivalist super hero. He's kind of a screw up, he's going through a divorce, and is unemployed. Oh, and he's also infertile. Lance spends the first part of the book escaping the hospital and dealing with his soon to be ex-wife and her boyfriend.
The book kicks into high gear once Lance finally escapes the hospital, deals with militants, and hooks up with Cassandra, an ax-wielding failed artist. The scope ratchets up with every revelation. By the time Lance gets his legs under him, it's pretty apparent that civilization is going down the toilet pretty quickly.
The gore and carnage are the stars of the show here and they spend a lot of time on stage. The Vladdies, as Cassandra calls them, are pretty terrifying. However, the militia assholes were much bigger villains considering they're human and the Vladdies are practically forces of nature.
While this is the first book in a trilogy, it's pretty satisfying on its own with no cliffhanger ending or anything else that might leave a reader feeling cheated.
I can't find anything bad to say about this book. Like Edward Lorn, Jason Brant is self-publishing done right. Four out of five stars.
After reading his West of Hell trilogy, Jason Brant invited me to give his Hunger series a shot. It took me a while to take the bait but Brant soon had me hooked once again.
Before even opening the book, or whatever the equivalent of opening an e-book is, I kept thinking "Zombies? Aren't we all getting tired of that shit?" Brant puts his spin on the survival horror tale and I Devoured it in two sittings. Besides, his plague victims aren't zombies. They have some virus that makes their eyes fall out and their brain functions go haywire, mutating them into cannibal feral things with fangs and caveman brows.
The protagonist of the tale, Lance York, was a guy I could really get behind. He wasn't a hyper-prepared militant or a survivalist super hero. He's kind of a screw up, he's going through a divorce, and is unemployed. Oh, and he's also infertile. Lance spends the first part of the book escaping the hospital and dealing with his soon to be ex-wife and her boyfriend.
The book kicks into high gear once Lance finally escapes the hospital, deals with militants, and hooks up with Cassandra, an ax-wielding failed artist. The scope ratchets up with every revelation. By the time Lance gets his legs under him, it's pretty apparent that civilization is going down the toilet pretty quickly.
The gore and carnage are the stars of the show here and they spend a lot of time on stage. The Vladdies, as Cassandra calls them, are pretty terrifying. However, the militia assholes were much bigger villains considering they're human and the Vladdies are practically forces of nature.
While this is the first book in a trilogy, it's pretty satisfying on its own with no cliffhanger ending or anything else that might leave a reader feeling cheated.
I can't find anything bad to say about this book. Like Edward Lorn, Jason Brant is self-publishing done right. Four out of five stars.
April 21, 2018
Lance is having what can only be considered a monumentally bad day. He's unemployed. He bombed his job interview. His wife is leaving him and he's pretty sure she's also sleeping with an obnoxiously successful former co-worker. And he bumps into one of the infected. Oh, and he gets hit by a car. Lance wakes up in the hospital and all hell begins breaking loose. The Xavier virus is on the loose and the infection is spreading alarmingly. Attempts at quarantine fail and in a matter of days the city of Pittsburgh is burning.
This book was not great fiction, it was awesome fiction. I loved every page of it - from Lance's escape form the hospital, to his holing up in his apartment, to the flight to Heinz field and the ultimate cataclysmic collapse. I identified with Lance. As he struggled to survive I found myself thinking, yeah, that's what I would do. He felt real. He worried about other people. He tried to stay out of trouble. He tried to do the right thing. And Cass, wow, she is a little bit of a caricature, but how can you not like a battle-axe wielding blonde built like an Amazon? And she's got a mouth like a sailor. Bonus!
Very impressed with this book (and the author). I thought I was picking up another zombie apocalypse (yawn) and discovered a diamond in the rough. Brant has a knack for building characters, driving an action packed story and making me give a damn. I ripped through this book in pretty much two major binge reading sessions. So much fun.
My only knock against the book is the presence of the crazy "minute men" militia. They are almost a requirement in apocalypse literature. The infected are like the weather - a menace and problem that must be dealt with - but the real foe are other people. I wish that the author had found a differnet twist to drive the story, but it's fine. The book was just fun.
Five gory, blood-stained stars out of five. I'm pretty sure that my mom would not appreciate it, but it was a complete and total blast to read.
Down graded to four stars on further reflection. I liked the book but is it really five stars. I think it’s really 4 outta 5.
This book was not great fiction, it was awesome fiction. I loved every page of it - from Lance's escape form the hospital, to his holing up in his apartment, to the flight to Heinz field and the ultimate cataclysmic collapse. I identified with Lance. As he struggled to survive I found myself thinking, yeah, that's what I would do. He felt real. He worried about other people. He tried to stay out of trouble. He tried to do the right thing. And Cass, wow, she is a little bit of a caricature, but how can you not like a battle-axe wielding blonde built like an Amazon? And she's got a mouth like a sailor. Bonus!
Very impressed with this book (and the author). I thought I was picking up another zombie apocalypse (yawn) and discovered a diamond in the rough. Brant has a knack for building characters, driving an action packed story and making me give a damn. I ripped through this book in pretty much two major binge reading sessions. So much fun.
My only knock against the book is the presence of the crazy "minute men" militia. They are almost a requirement in apocalypse literature. The infected are like the weather - a menace and problem that must be dealt with - but the real foe are other people. I wish that the author had found a differnet twist to drive the story, but it's fine. The book was just fun.
Five gory, blood-stained stars out of five. I'm pretty sure that my mom would not appreciate it, but it was a complete and total blast to read.
Down graded to four stars on further reflection. I liked the book but is it really five stars. I think it’s really 4 outta 5.
August 9, 2013
This was a well-crafted 'end of the world' premise novel that kept me hooked from beginning to end. I love the way by which Brant has created a unique plague-based transformation that begins to appear to turn humans into zombies, which is merely the first phase in a more vampire-esque ultimate transformation.
The ending of what appears to be book 1 in an ongoing series left me satisfied, yet eager for Brant's return to this world so I can see what happens next.
A great writer, an intriguing story and a fun dynamic between the main characters - what more could a reader want?
The ending of what appears to be book 1 in an ongoing series left me satisfied, yet eager for Brant's return to this world so I can see what happens next.
A great writer, an intriguing story and a fun dynamic between the main characters - what more could a reader want?
March 1, 2014
This was my second Jason Brant novel. I had previously read Gehanna - his West of Hell series book 1 and really enjoyed it. In fact I bought the West of Hell Omnibus edition and fully intended to read it but then I got to looking at the cover of this book: Devoured (The Hunger Volume 1) and it just drew me to it so I thought I'd read the sample to see what it was like and I was immediately sucked into a swirling vortex of pure awesomeness and was unable to put the book down so I ended up buying it and those two seconds waiting for it to fully load on my kindle were pure torture.
Jason Brant doesn't mess around. One of the things I loved about this book is that the action starts up right out of the gate and doesn't let up until the very last harrowing page. Everything you could want from a good post-apocalyptic zombie invasion was here. A mutant zombie horde - check! Lots and lots of action - check! Just enough gore to satisfy you but not enough to make you hurl while eating your lunch - check! The one thing I generally don't like about some action heavy oriented novels is that the characters usually suffer from it but have no fear, Mr Brant has seemingly mastered the fine art of balancing action and character depth. The characters in Devoured are ones that you can not only relate to but also root for and for that this book gets a huge nod from me.
Lance is the main hero of the tale. I love the fact that he's just an ordinary guy. In fact life has been very unkind to Lance York. In the real world he hasn't been able to hold down a job in years, his wife can't stand the sight of him and his marriage is crumbling faster than a zombie can eat your brains. Lance has pretty much lost what self esteem and self respect he once had and as the world begins to go to the zombies he finally starts to come into his own. He's a good guy, the kind of person you'd want on your side if you all of the sudden found yourself at the bottom of the food chain while zombies and crazy militants ran around killing everyone.
Lance survives the initial destruction of mankind by hiding out in a restaurant for a while and when things quickly turn for the worse and it looks like his brains are going to be eaten after all he is saved by one of the most unlikeliest heroines to ever grace the pages of zombie fiction. Enter Cassie or Cass as she demands to be called She carries a big axe, is full of attitude, (and I mean that in the most awesome way possible) and has a whacked out sense of fashion, and ho she's the true bada** (self censored) of the tale. Her interactions with Lance are priceless and I love how his self confidence goes way up after meeting her. I also love the fact that the woman is the true action hero of the tale. She's athletic, strong and quick on her feet as well as her mind. Lance on the other hand is a bit out of shape not that he let's that stop him but Cass, well she's something else.
I had such an amazingly fun time reading this book. It's not your average run-of-the-mill zombie book and these are in no way your average zombies and trust me, this makes all the difference in the world. If you are looking for an action-packed read with witty dialogue, colorful characters and a unique take on a genre that already has so many books to choose from then you can hardly do better than Devoured. I've already bought and started reading the second book: Consumed and I happily give this one a very enthusiastic 5 Stars. Heck, I wish I could give this an extra star just for Cass alone. She's freaking awesome! Great read and I highly recommend it!!!
http://jamiesbookblog.com/devoured-ja...
Jason Brant doesn't mess around. One of the things I loved about this book is that the action starts up right out of the gate and doesn't let up until the very last harrowing page. Everything you could want from a good post-apocalyptic zombie invasion was here. A mutant zombie horde - check! Lots and lots of action - check! Just enough gore to satisfy you but not enough to make you hurl while eating your lunch - check! The one thing I generally don't like about some action heavy oriented novels is that the characters usually suffer from it but have no fear, Mr Brant has seemingly mastered the fine art of balancing action and character depth. The characters in Devoured are ones that you can not only relate to but also root for and for that this book gets a huge nod from me.
Lance is the main hero of the tale. I love the fact that he's just an ordinary guy. In fact life has been very unkind to Lance York. In the real world he hasn't been able to hold down a job in years, his wife can't stand the sight of him and his marriage is crumbling faster than a zombie can eat your brains. Lance has pretty much lost what self esteem and self respect he once had and as the world begins to go to the zombies he finally starts to come into his own. He's a good guy, the kind of person you'd want on your side if you all of the sudden found yourself at the bottom of the food chain while zombies and crazy militants ran around killing everyone.
Lance survives the initial destruction of mankind by hiding out in a restaurant for a while and when things quickly turn for the worse and it looks like his brains are going to be eaten after all he is saved by one of the most unlikeliest heroines to ever grace the pages of zombie fiction. Enter Cassie or Cass as she demands to be called She carries a big axe, is full of attitude, (and I mean that in the most awesome way possible) and has a whacked out sense of fashion, and ho she's the true bada** (self censored) of the tale. Her interactions with Lance are priceless and I love how his self confidence goes way up after meeting her. I also love the fact that the woman is the true action hero of the tale. She's athletic, strong and quick on her feet as well as her mind. Lance on the other hand is a bit out of shape not that he let's that stop him but Cass, well she's something else.
I had such an amazingly fun time reading this book. It's not your average run-of-the-mill zombie book and these are in no way your average zombies and trust me, this makes all the difference in the world. If you are looking for an action-packed read with witty dialogue, colorful characters and a unique take on a genre that already has so many books to choose from then you can hardly do better than Devoured. I've already bought and started reading the second book: Consumed and I happily give this one a very enthusiastic 5 Stars. Heck, I wish I could give this an extra star just for Cass alone. She's freaking awesome! Great read and I highly recommend it!!!
http://jamiesbookblog.com/devoured-ja...
April 5, 2021
Yeah ok Mr Brant - it was fantastic. I guess you can write ...
Ha, this book is brilliant.
Full review to come.
Ha, this book is brilliant.
Full review to come.
September 18, 2013
Lance, by his own admission, was a loser. Stuck in a failed marriage and unable to keep a job, he had succumbed to depression and had pretty much given up. While walking down the street talking to an old coworker that he hadn’t seen in years, he noticed an incoherent woman stumbling toward an intersection and certain death. He was struck by a car when he pushed the woman to safety, but the insanity was just beginning. While in the hospital, he learned that the woman was infected with a virus that had turned her into a cannibalistic monster. She wasn’t the only infected; it seemed the entire city of Pittsburgh was under attack, and the military closed in to quarantine the hospital. With the help of a doctor and a staff sergeant with a conscious, Lance was able to get his soon-to-be ex wife and her boyfriend (his old coworker), to safety and to escape the hospital. His journey to safety, however, was far from over!
Jason Brant has made me afraid of the dark once again! His rendering of these “Vladdies” was horrifying. They’re a terrifying cross between demons, zombies and vampires, and the true stuff of nightmares! Lance and his travelling companion Cass were quite a pair. The banter made me smile even while my heart was pounding and I was struggling to remind myself that it was okay to exhale! These two “failures” came into their own and proved their own opinions of themselves wrong. They managed to be stronger than they thought, while still keeping their insecurities. This made them completely believable characters that I rooted for with a vengeance! I try to imagine myself stuck in a situation like this, and I hope to be 1/10th of the person that Cass was.
This book was so fast paced that there was absolutely never a dull moment. It held my attention from the first page to the last, and I darn-near threw my kindle when the battery died. This is also a book that I thought about even when I wasn’t reading it… very few books affect me like that. I am both nervous about and looking forward to the next book in the series. Jason has a way of making even the bizarre terrifyingly real, and this book was no exception. As a Pennsylvania girl, the location of the book hit me a little hard. My home was being invaded! Seriously, five stars doesn’t do this book justice. Elevendy seven will have to do!
Jason Brant has made me afraid of the dark once again! His rendering of these “Vladdies” was horrifying. They’re a terrifying cross between demons, zombies and vampires, and the true stuff of nightmares! Lance and his travelling companion Cass were quite a pair. The banter made me smile even while my heart was pounding and I was struggling to remind myself that it was okay to exhale! These two “failures” came into their own and proved their own opinions of themselves wrong. They managed to be stronger than they thought, while still keeping their insecurities. This made them completely believable characters that I rooted for with a vengeance! I try to imagine myself stuck in a situation like this, and I hope to be 1/10th of the person that Cass was.
This book was so fast paced that there was absolutely never a dull moment. It held my attention from the first page to the last, and I darn-near threw my kindle when the battery died. This is also a book that I thought about even when I wasn’t reading it… very few books affect me like that. I am both nervous about and looking forward to the next book in the series. Jason has a way of making even the bizarre terrifyingly real, and this book was no exception. As a Pennsylvania girl, the location of the book hit me a little hard. My home was being invaded! Seriously, five stars doesn’t do this book justice. Elevendy seven will have to do!
November 14, 2015
In the mood for a new apocalyptic thriller, this one was a pleasant surprise. I hear great things about Jason Brant, and am glad to feel it was warranted. The story introduces us to a likable hero who is dealing with the end of his marriage, depressed over his career failures and husband failures, when his willingness to stick his neck out for someone in need puts him in the center of a violent outbreak. I enjoyed getting to know him and the heroine who will join his side. The action is strongly written, and the plot kept me surprised. I'm eager to continue the series. There is plenty of ground left to cover!
May 11, 2024
Sooooooooo many issues. First, I wanted to really to like this book based on the kick-ass looking woman on the cover and the cheeky author profile that made he seem like a younger author so I was thinking they'd be more in touch with stuff happening in the world and not be as inclined to play into the sexist BS too many books, especially Apoc-fic books, seem to do.
Nope...
Not only are there way too many instances of raging sexism throughout the book there's also an obscene number of just common sense issues. I had a hard time really getting into the world and characters because every few minutes I was catching yet another load of crap nonsense. It's entertaining enough if you can ignore the issues but I'm far too OCD for that so here's my breakdown of the BS.
Right off the bat, we're introduced to Lance who encounters a random sick woman on the street. They call for an ambulance but instead of waiting where you just told the ambulance you were located, Lance and Don start following this woman as she wanders around. Why not just keep redirecting her back to the corner or try to get her to sit down to rest?
- Because the author needed an excuse to get the characters to the hospital he forces this scene.
The writer has some issues understanding how real people seem to speak and interact, especially evident with the bitchy nurse at the hospital. Yes, nurses can be hardasses, they can speak in a real hardass way - even to the doctors but the way the writer has this nurse barking orders at Doc Brown and the way she speaks to him? No, not really.
SEXISM ALERT: Lance promised to take care of his wife financially... because, you know, we're still in the 1950s.
GENDERISM ALERT: Years of office work "sissified" his legs? LOL First of all, no - it's not like he was chained to a desk. Nothing stopped him from exercising so it's years of just being lazy. Secondly, sissified? Of all the words to use this is the one the author pics? It's ignorant, sexist, and wrong on so many levels.
IGNORANCE ALERT: The writer shows true ignorance with sentences like "I'd get AIDS going anywhere near that couch." Not only is it an abhorrent thing to say but do we even honestly believe this guy is going to stay so picky about where he sits during such a grisly extinction-level event, especially after he just almost died in the alley?
I get that Lance figured it was pointless in the very beginning to use a car but by this point, after he meets Cass, and they're trying to get to the safe zone as fast as possible to avoid the night you'd think one of the first things they'd do is try to find a car (especially a big truck).
DRAMA-LLAMA ALERT: His damn foot. He got glass in it, and it hurts, but the writer makes it seem like it's a damn major injury like the glass nearly took his damn foot off. We hear about this damn foot hurting him every few paragraphs it seems (and even starts the next book with it!!!!)
Just moments before Spec Ops explains they're looking for nests in dark places like basements and the first idea Lance/Cass come up with to try to find food is to look in the church basement?!?! Not one second spared to think about a restaurant or corner shop? Even just to get candy or bread or something? It's stupid needless FORCED WRITING like this that litters the entire series.
More lazy writing to try to build tension in situations like a horde of daywalkers coming and an asshole trying to catch up to them while Lance is carrying an unconscious Cass. what does he do when he comes up to an armored truck that has keys in the ignition? No, he doesn't try to get it started or anything common sense like that. Nope, the author wastes time by having Lance put Cass down outside (not even trying to get her into the truck), go to get the keys (again, not even trying to start the truck) so he can go unlock the BACK, and then go pick Cass up again. It would have made more sense to at least get them in the front of the truck and have him describe the horde pounding on the truck if you wanted common-sense-based tension. Nope.
We get it - Lance hasn't been laid in a while but for crying out loud all he does is sexualize Cass. She's unconscious, they're out in the open, dozens of daywalkers headed for them, a dude who just shot his friend headed but yeah... by all means, it's important to point out her skirt riding up and that she's wearing black panties. Then he says he's not flirting with her and it's the last thing on his mind then immediately the author writes that he got a bit of a show when Cass sat down. I think maybe it was the author who hadn't been laid in a while.
Lance did not stab the guy with surprising ease in the sternum. The sternum is a BONE!!!!! Even if you don't know that at least just say he stabbed the guy in the chest. The writer's constant mistakes and repetition bring the reader OUT of the story, not further into it. Stupid things like saying the vladies are just seconds away but yes, let's spend time looking at the guy you stabbed and going into physical descriptions about him when the reader is not invested in that character to break up the attempt at building tension.
Even attempting to ignore the technical issues involved in the story there are just some that are so glaring they cannot be ignored. Like calling this an armored car - it's not a car, it's a TRUCK. What makes this type of mistake even worse is we just got needless in-depth descriptions about a random guy Lance just stabbed but yes, let's give things the wrong name. The "attention to detail" is just all over the place and often in the wrong places, at that.
We are told earlier how Lance kept trying to be quiet when hiding in the freezer and such but while they're in the truck with vladies banging away outside - and they're not sure if the truck will hold against the assault - it's a good idea to just keep talking like nothing's happening.
SEXISM ALERT: While in the truck the writer tells us that Cass doesn't look smart because of the way she's dressed. I bet this is the same mentality of "what was she wearing" when filing for SA.
Honestly, how did this type of stuff get passed editing? Probably because these self-published "cram as many books as we can into the series" types don't actually have an editor. We're told that Lance finds a bag in the corner with towels, hand sanitizer, and a few bottles of water. Water - something that's currently a limited resource and they don't know where the next drink is coming from or when... and Lance just said he's worried about dehydration from all the running/sweating. What does he do to wash the blood from his hand? He uses the water. No, not the hand sanitizer that would have helped to break up the drying blood. Plus, he uses the shirt to wipe it clean and not the damn towels. The shirt could be used at least, why waste a shirt when you have towels right there?
AUTHOR FORGETS ALERT: The author has a terrible time remembering what he just wrote. The interior light is one, it's off, it's on, it's off. When it's off he still writes the characters as being able to see despite also saying how utterly pitch black it is without the light. Not to mention it makes it harder for their eyes to adjust when you keep turning the light on/off.
Do we expect to believe that disrobing is going to help them in any way to stay cooler in that truck? Especially Cass is already in skimpy clothes - taking them off would do absolutely nothing to help her. Then he has Cass making fun of Lance being hot but then immediately starts complaining about how hot it is herself. Not to mention you don't get naked in a dire situation like that as you never know when you need to cut and run. You sleep with clothes and shoes on so you're always ready to run. Nope, again the writer throws common sense to the wind to FORCE a scene to happen instead of not being so lazy and writing the scenes properly.
SEXISM ALERT: The author spends a ridiculous amount of time sexualizing Cass and pointing out how not-laid Lance is but then makes statements like knowing there is nothing sexual between them then immediately saying that he’s got a hot woman beside him. Then - of course - it has to get sexual.
AUTHOR FORGETS ALERT: Another perfect example of the author forgetting what he writes is when Cass tells him to shut up. Lance doesn’t any anything else. Cass says “I said, 'shut up.'” He didn’t say anything!!!
SEXISM ALERT: The writer has Cass (a woman) call Lance 'a woman' for wanting to know what prompted the sex. If I have to explain this...
Again, the author FORCES the situation/scene to unfold by just tossing in some lazy writing. Having the characters continue in the truck despite seeing the blockade ahead is just stupid.
Also, there's no way the guys sitting on lawn chairs with guns on their laps would still be there as Lance drives passed. They would have immediately jumped up at the gunfire.
The writer seems to have a fetish obsession with the way Cass is dressed. He does realize that other people dress like this and that seeing people so dressed may turn the occasional head but wouldn’t be a great mystery or talking point for almost everyone she passes. (And this even continues into the next book!!!)
The author calls Cass Xena Princess Warrior when it's supposed to be Xena Warrior Princess. Don't make a cultural reference if you don't know it.
Are you seriously kidding me? They haven’t eaten in days. No idea when they can eat again. They have MREs that aren't that big and they throw them down? Not even trying to put them in their pockets for later? Not even sure why they didn’t even just start eating them while talking to Iford.
The first thing anyone with a lick of sense, but especially someone who just pointed out that all he had was a small Rambo knife, would do is pick up the gun the asshole soldier had.
AUTHOR FORGETS ALERT: He has Iford saying they lost contact with the other military divisions in the last week or so when it’s been said, up until now, that it’s just been under a week.
This is CLEARLY someone who had a basic idea for a story, spewed as many words as he could to make it into a book and then self-published it after a few friends/family said it was good. And then proceeded to repeat the same drivel with the same results. With some actual effort and honing of the craft he could have written a solid SINGLE book trimmed down to be an action-packed thrilling tale. He needs to slow down and learn how to walk before he runs - too late. At least TRY to learn about the intricacies of writing and maybe speak AND LISTEN to some women for a change?
Nope...
Not only are there way too many instances of raging sexism throughout the book there's also an obscene number of just common sense issues. I had a hard time really getting into the world and characters because every few minutes I was catching yet another load of crap nonsense. It's entertaining enough if you can ignore the issues but I'm far too OCD for that so here's my breakdown of the BS.
Right off the bat, we're introduced to Lance who encounters a random sick woman on the street. They call for an ambulance but instead of waiting where you just told the ambulance you were located, Lance and Don start following this woman as she wanders around. Why not just keep redirecting her back to the corner or try to get her to sit down to rest?
- Because the author needed an excuse to get the characters to the hospital he forces this scene.
The writer has some issues understanding how real people seem to speak and interact, especially evident with the bitchy nurse at the hospital. Yes, nurses can be hardasses, they can speak in a real hardass way - even to the doctors but the way the writer has this nurse barking orders at Doc Brown and the way she speaks to him? No, not really.
SEXISM ALERT: Lance promised to take care of his wife financially... because, you know, we're still in the 1950s.
GENDERISM ALERT: Years of office work "sissified" his legs? LOL First of all, no - it's not like he was chained to a desk. Nothing stopped him from exercising so it's years of just being lazy. Secondly, sissified? Of all the words to use this is the one the author pics? It's ignorant, sexist, and wrong on so many levels.
IGNORANCE ALERT: The writer shows true ignorance with sentences like "I'd get AIDS going anywhere near that couch." Not only is it an abhorrent thing to say but do we even honestly believe this guy is going to stay so picky about where he sits during such a grisly extinction-level event, especially after he just almost died in the alley?
I get that Lance figured it was pointless in the very beginning to use a car but by this point, after he meets Cass, and they're trying to get to the safe zone as fast as possible to avoid the night you'd think one of the first things they'd do is try to find a car (especially a big truck).
DRAMA-LLAMA ALERT: His damn foot. He got glass in it, and it hurts, but the writer makes it seem like it's a damn major injury like the glass nearly took his damn foot off. We hear about this damn foot hurting him every few paragraphs it seems (and even starts the next book with it!!!!)
Just moments before Spec Ops explains they're looking for nests in dark places like basements and the first idea Lance/Cass come up with to try to find food is to look in the church basement?!?! Not one second spared to think about a restaurant or corner shop? Even just to get candy or bread or something? It's stupid needless FORCED WRITING like this that litters the entire series.
More lazy writing to try to build tension in situations like a horde of daywalkers coming and an asshole trying to catch up to them while Lance is carrying an unconscious Cass. what does he do when he comes up to an armored truck that has keys in the ignition? No, he doesn't try to get it started or anything common sense like that. Nope, the author wastes time by having Lance put Cass down outside (not even trying to get her into the truck), go to get the keys (again, not even trying to start the truck) so he can go unlock the BACK, and then go pick Cass up again. It would have made more sense to at least get them in the front of the truck and have him describe the horde pounding on the truck if you wanted common-sense-based tension. Nope.
We get it - Lance hasn't been laid in a while but for crying out loud all he does is sexualize Cass. She's unconscious, they're out in the open, dozens of daywalkers headed for them, a dude who just shot his friend headed but yeah... by all means, it's important to point out her skirt riding up and that she's wearing black panties. Then he says he's not flirting with her and it's the last thing on his mind then immediately the author writes that he got a bit of a show when Cass sat down. I think maybe it was the author who hadn't been laid in a while.
Lance did not stab the guy with surprising ease in the sternum. The sternum is a BONE!!!!! Even if you don't know that at least just say he stabbed the guy in the chest. The writer's constant mistakes and repetition bring the reader OUT of the story, not further into it. Stupid things like saying the vladies are just seconds away but yes, let's spend time looking at the guy you stabbed and going into physical descriptions about him when the reader is not invested in that character to break up the attempt at building tension.
Even attempting to ignore the technical issues involved in the story there are just some that are so glaring they cannot be ignored. Like calling this an armored car - it's not a car, it's a TRUCK. What makes this type of mistake even worse is we just got needless in-depth descriptions about a random guy Lance just stabbed but yes, let's give things the wrong name. The "attention to detail" is just all over the place and often in the wrong places, at that.
We are told earlier how Lance kept trying to be quiet when hiding in the freezer and such but while they're in the truck with vladies banging away outside - and they're not sure if the truck will hold against the assault - it's a good idea to just keep talking like nothing's happening.
SEXISM ALERT: While in the truck the writer tells us that Cass doesn't look smart because of the way she's dressed. I bet this is the same mentality of "what was she wearing" when filing for SA.
Honestly, how did this type of stuff get passed editing? Probably because these self-published "cram as many books as we can into the series" types don't actually have an editor. We're told that Lance finds a bag in the corner with towels, hand sanitizer, and a few bottles of water. Water - something that's currently a limited resource and they don't know where the next drink is coming from or when... and Lance just said he's worried about dehydration from all the running/sweating. What does he do to wash the blood from his hand? He uses the water. No, not the hand sanitizer that would have helped to break up the drying blood. Plus, he uses the shirt to wipe it clean and not the damn towels. The shirt could be used at least, why waste a shirt when you have towels right there?
AUTHOR FORGETS ALERT: The author has a terrible time remembering what he just wrote. The interior light is one, it's off, it's on, it's off. When it's off he still writes the characters as being able to see despite also saying how utterly pitch black it is without the light. Not to mention it makes it harder for their eyes to adjust when you keep turning the light on/off.
Do we expect to believe that disrobing is going to help them in any way to stay cooler in that truck? Especially Cass is already in skimpy clothes - taking them off would do absolutely nothing to help her. Then he has Cass making fun of Lance being hot but then immediately starts complaining about how hot it is herself. Not to mention you don't get naked in a dire situation like that as you never know when you need to cut and run. You sleep with clothes and shoes on so you're always ready to run. Nope, again the writer throws common sense to the wind to FORCE a scene to happen instead of not being so lazy and writing the scenes properly.
SEXISM ALERT: The author spends a ridiculous amount of time sexualizing Cass and pointing out how not-laid Lance is but then makes statements like knowing there is nothing sexual between them then immediately saying that he’s got a hot woman beside him. Then - of course - it has to get sexual.
AUTHOR FORGETS ALERT: Another perfect example of the author forgetting what he writes is when Cass tells him to shut up. Lance doesn’t any anything else. Cass says “I said, 'shut up.'” He didn’t say anything!!!
SEXISM ALERT: The writer has Cass (a woman) call Lance 'a woman' for wanting to know what prompted the sex. If I have to explain this...
Again, the author FORCES the situation/scene to unfold by just tossing in some lazy writing. Having the characters continue in the truck despite seeing the blockade ahead is just stupid.
Also, there's no way the guys sitting on lawn chairs with guns on their laps would still be there as Lance drives passed. They would have immediately jumped up at the gunfire.
The writer seems to have a fetish obsession with the way Cass is dressed. He does realize that other people dress like this and that seeing people so dressed may turn the occasional head but wouldn’t be a great mystery or talking point for almost everyone she passes. (And this even continues into the next book!!!)
The author calls Cass Xena Princess Warrior when it's supposed to be Xena Warrior Princess. Don't make a cultural reference if you don't know it.
Are you seriously kidding me? They haven’t eaten in days. No idea when they can eat again. They have MREs that aren't that big and they throw them down? Not even trying to put them in their pockets for later? Not even sure why they didn’t even just start eating them while talking to Iford.
The first thing anyone with a lick of sense, but especially someone who just pointed out that all he had was a small Rambo knife, would do is pick up the gun the asshole soldier had.
AUTHOR FORGETS ALERT: He has Iford saying they lost contact with the other military divisions in the last week or so when it’s been said, up until now, that it’s just been under a week.
This is CLEARLY someone who had a basic idea for a story, spewed as many words as he could to make it into a book and then self-published it after a few friends/family said it was good. And then proceeded to repeat the same drivel with the same results. With some actual effort and honing of the craft he could have written a solid SINGLE book trimmed down to be an action-packed thrilling tale. He needs to slow down and learn how to walk before he runs - too late. At least TRY to learn about the intricacies of writing and maybe speak AND LISTEN to some women for a change?
January 30, 2019
2 extremely generous stars and that's rounding up and tilting the damn pinball machine all at once (see comment about price below).
'Devoured (The Hunger #1)' is an exceedingly sub-average zombie-slash-vampire book that offers imho nothing terribly unique to the genre. I considered giving it 3 stars but in goodreads parlance that means 'I liked it' and that is not the case. This was painful.
This book certainly can't be said to have anything even remotely to be confused with 'horror' in between the covers, even though I'll have to reluctantly put it on this shelf. It is a quick read, yes, but this is owing in large part to deceptively spaced text and much!!! fewer pages than advertised. I prefer not to even comment about the absurd cover so I won't (I got the one with the 'white tee-shirt and anarchy symbol' for Cass rather than the black leather version ... that is being used by other books, too, I would add). And no connection to Pittsburgh, so no bonus points there.
I think what stuns me the most at this stage is how many absolutely raving reviews this book has received, including by at least one well-known author that I have read. Did I miss something? Yes, we must acknowledge as well that the book is offered for free and that the next chapters in the series are offered at 'affordable and ready to move' prices but why the accolades? I've seen that other, less enthusiastic raters have said they stand at 50:50 in terms of continuing, but I think my life would have to be AT LEAST as depressing as Lance's before I continue ... and no, waiting for him to have sex with Cass again (yeah, it's a spoiler, get over it) isn't worth it. Note as well that in all likelihood I won't even bother with the 'gratis' copy of 'Ash' I received either, not and risk another wasted reading session like the one I just plodded through.
Funnily (?) enough, the book is not poorly written but it is, again, about as bland as sugar-free cookie dough. I felt no sympathy for the protagonists, where once again, a ... well, hell's bells, let's just call them monsters ... story involves characters that (a) would in all reality have no chance of surviving past the initial outbreak owing to a lack of, well, everything and (b) good gods, how many lucky breaks does one get in the space of all this? And no, their 'wacky banter' is NOT. FUNNY. AT. ALL!!! A lot of it plays out like someone is controlling a video game that has been played before with all the cheat codes known and ready to use. Need something like an armored car or secure freezer (that is no longer frozen) to hide in? How about all manner of boats just where and when you need them? Anyone? Sheesh.
Life is too short for below average books. Let me go before the second star turns out to be paste and flakes off...
'Devoured (The Hunger #1)' is an exceedingly sub-average zombie-slash-vampire book that offers imho nothing terribly unique to the genre. I considered giving it 3 stars but in goodreads parlance that means 'I liked it' and that is not the case. This was painful.
This book certainly can't be said to have anything even remotely to be confused with 'horror' in between the covers, even though I'll have to reluctantly put it on this shelf. It is a quick read, yes, but this is owing in large part to deceptively spaced text and much!!! fewer pages than advertised. I prefer not to even comment about the absurd cover so I won't (I got the one with the 'white tee-shirt and anarchy symbol' for Cass rather than the black leather version ... that is being used by other books, too, I would add). And no connection to Pittsburgh, so no bonus points there.
I think what stuns me the most at this stage is how many absolutely raving reviews this book has received, including by at least one well-known author that I have read. Did I miss something? Yes, we must acknowledge as well that the book is offered for free and that the next chapters in the series are offered at 'affordable and ready to move' prices but why the accolades? I've seen that other, less enthusiastic raters have said they stand at 50:50 in terms of continuing, but I think my life would have to be AT LEAST as depressing as Lance's before I continue ... and no, waiting for him to have sex with Cass again (yeah, it's a spoiler, get over it) isn't worth it. Note as well that in all likelihood I won't even bother with the 'gratis' copy of 'Ash' I received either, not and risk another wasted reading session like the one I just plodded through.
Funnily (?) enough, the book is not poorly written but it is, again, about as bland as sugar-free cookie dough. I felt no sympathy for the protagonists, where once again, a ... well, hell's bells, let's just call them monsters ... story involves characters that (a) would in all reality have no chance of surviving past the initial outbreak owing to a lack of, well, everything and (b) good gods, how many lucky breaks does one get in the space of all this? And no, their 'wacky banter' is NOT. FUNNY. AT. ALL!!! A lot of it plays out like someone is controlling a video game that has been played before with all the cheat codes known and ready to use. Need something like an armored car or secure freezer (that is no longer frozen) to hide in? How about all manner of boats just where and when you need them? Anyone? Sheesh.
Life is too short for below average books. Let me go before the second star turns out to be paste and flakes off...
February 13, 2014
Devoured was a competent addition to the canon of zombie stories. I found the book a very fast read, finishing it in one day and part of a night of reading.
There is a very out of shape hero. He is far from an expert in weapons or unarmed fighting techniques. He has watched alot of television and movies, so he is acquainted, at an intellectual level, with the issues around a zombie apocalypse. This is good preparation because that is what he wakes up to in the hospital near the beginning of the book.
The monsters in the book are not strictly zombies, they are a zombie-vampire hybrid. They have problems with bright lights and the sun when they have undergone full transformation. There are what the hero calls daywalkers, who are on the road to transformation, but are not in the final state. The final monsters are overwhelmingly dangerous and are a challenge to heavily armed military units. Another villain in the story is uninfected humans who descend into barbarism and self serving evil.
After several days of difficult1y with all the villains mentioned, with the addition of stupid bureaucrats and poorly organized military types, our hero finds a great partner in the form of a beautiful, sexy babe with a big axe. Think of Buffy as a yuppy artist. The two fight their way through the city of Pittsburgh in the attempt to survive the end of civilization.
I found the book adequate to mostly hold my attention, but did not notice anything that made me want to read the next one in the series. I have never read any other zombie story, not counting I am Legend from 1950, so I don't know how fans of the genre would like this story. I suspect aficionados of the genre might find the story routine and predictable, but only they can judge. Again, a very fast read and containing all the points of canon for a zombie/vampire apocalypse.
There is a very out of shape hero. He is far from an expert in weapons or unarmed fighting techniques. He has watched alot of television and movies, so he is acquainted, at an intellectual level, with the issues around a zombie apocalypse. This is good preparation because that is what he wakes up to in the hospital near the beginning of the book.
The monsters in the book are not strictly zombies, they are a zombie-vampire hybrid. They have problems with bright lights and the sun when they have undergone full transformation. There are what the hero calls daywalkers, who are on the road to transformation, but are not in the final state. The final monsters are overwhelmingly dangerous and are a challenge to heavily armed military units. Another villain in the story is uninfected humans who descend into barbarism and self serving evil.
After several days of difficult1y with all the villains mentioned, with the addition of stupid bureaucrats and poorly organized military types, our hero finds a great partner in the form of a beautiful, sexy babe with a big axe. Think of Buffy as a yuppy artist. The two fight their way through the city of Pittsburgh in the attempt to survive the end of civilization.
I found the book adequate to mostly hold my attention, but did not notice anything that made me want to read the next one in the series. I have never read any other zombie story, not counting I am Legend from 1950, so I don't know how fans of the genre would like this story. I suspect aficionados of the genre might find the story routine and predictable, but only they can judge. Again, a very fast read and containing all the points of canon for a zombie/vampire apocalypse.
June 5, 2018
This book has been sitting on my Kindle for more than three years when I finally decided to read it. It was all about the girl on the cover.
Yeah, the girl on the cover. She pops up only at about 55% of the book. First it was all about Lance and I didn't like Lance, especially at the beginning of the novel. He's in his mid-thirties and can't hold a job (kind of a familiar situation), his divorcing his wife (not my case) and he's in the middle of a zombie apocalypse. Oh yeah, he's impotent. Really, at first he was hard to put up with him. When Cass appeared, everything improved.
Let me get straight one thing first: Cass is the typical female character created by a man. She doesn't feel right; she's just the creation of a male mind. I mean, is there a girl out there ready to fight zombies in mini-skirt? So you have to worry about not just being killed but also not flashing at the same time. Not believable, sorry. She comes off as a sort of robot ready to kill everything on her path with an axe.
Maybe a little more explanation of the monster thing would have been useful. At the end of the book the reader still don't know the why and how of the zombie apocalypse. S/he knows they change really quickly and become a sort of gorilla crossbred with three others types of apes.
The scariest part? The one about the militia... Men are actually more dangerous than gorilla-zombies...
Let's start with book #2 and I'll se where all this is going.
Yeah, the girl on the cover. She pops up only at about 55% of the book. First it was all about Lance and I didn't like Lance, especially at the beginning of the novel. He's in his mid-thirties and can't hold a job (kind of a familiar situation), his divorcing his wife (not my case) and he's in the middle of a zombie apocalypse. Oh yeah, he's impotent. Really, at first he was hard to put up with him. When Cass appeared, everything improved.
Let me get straight one thing first: Cass is the typical female character created by a man. She doesn't feel right; she's just the creation of a male mind. I mean, is there a girl out there ready to fight zombies in mini-skirt? So you have to worry about not just being killed but also not flashing at the same time. Not believable, sorry. She comes off as a sort of robot ready to kill everything on her path with an axe.
Maybe a little more explanation of the monster thing would have been useful. At the end of the book the reader still don't know the why and how of the zombie apocalypse. S/he knows they change really quickly and become a sort of gorilla crossbred with three others types of apes.
The scariest part? The one about the militia... Men are actually more dangerous than gorilla-zombies...
Let's start with book #2 and I'll se where all this is going.
August 6, 2017
This is a five star apocalyptic read of what should be a stunning series!
I'd been plodding along reading my normal fare and I was becoming quite bogged down and losing interest in reading when I decided to give this book a shot. O.M.G. ..... best decision ever!
It is one of the best apocalyptic stories I have read. I opened the first page and before I knew it I was done and looking where the rest of it was. Fair warning - it does sort of end with things up in the air, not necessarily a cliff hanger, but you're definitely left salivating for more, which follows on in book two of the trilogy.
It would be unfair to call it yet another zombie book. For one, the infected don't die and there's a nice distinction between the recently infected and what turns out to be those changed completely by the Xavier virus. One rule the day, the other the night - basically you're stuffed however you look at it. Towards the end you realise that things may be about to become a lot worse when changes are noticed in the "Vladdies" by our protagonist.
Brant has an interesting collection of characters that leave you wondering who exactly the real monsters are? I have read another book by the author and he does seem to love the underdog ...... and so do I.
The goodies, the baddies, the misguided, the monsters and the monstrous .... it has everything. Highly recommended!
I'd been plodding along reading my normal fare and I was becoming quite bogged down and losing interest in reading when I decided to give this book a shot. O.M.G. ..... best decision ever!
It is one of the best apocalyptic stories I have read. I opened the first page and before I knew it I was done and looking where the rest of it was. Fair warning - it does sort of end with things up in the air, not necessarily a cliff hanger, but you're definitely left salivating for more, which follows on in book two of the trilogy.
It would be unfair to call it yet another zombie book. For one, the infected don't die and there's a nice distinction between the recently infected and what turns out to be those changed completely by the Xavier virus. One rule the day, the other the night - basically you're stuffed however you look at it. Towards the end you realise that things may be about to become a lot worse when changes are noticed in the "Vladdies" by our protagonist.
Brant has an interesting collection of characters that leave you wondering who exactly the real monsters are? I have read another book by the author and he does seem to love the underdog ...... and so do I.
The goodies, the baddies, the misguided, the monsters and the monstrous .... it has everything. Highly recommended!
March 8, 2015
What a great book! Jason Brant has taken a fresh new approach to the PA genre. These monsters have some "zombie" characteristics, but then he turns the whole "normal" apocalypse over on it's head.
The story is driven by the two great characters created by Brant. Lance and Cassie are both so well developed. Lance is down on his luck and is such a nice guy (and we all know nice guys finish last) we are pulling for him to survive. And Cassie, with her battle axe, she is Lance's polar opposite.
This story left me craving more, and luckily it's the first in a trilogy. I will be reading a lot more from Jason Brant.
http://www.2bookloversreviews.com/dev...
The story is driven by the two great characters created by Brant. Lance and Cassie are both so well developed. Lance is down on his luck and is such a nice guy (and we all know nice guys finish last) we are pulling for him to survive. And Cassie, with her battle axe, she is Lance's polar opposite.
This story left me craving more, and luckily it's the first in a trilogy. I will be reading a lot more from Jason Brant.
http://www.2bookloversreviews.com/dev...
February 8, 2023
I enjoyed this more than I expected to. There is plenty of violence and gore, as one would expect in an account of a mutant apocalypse. But the author also gives his protagonist some philosophical moments in which he ponders the reasons why his marriage (not to mention civilization) has fallen apart.
The banter between Lance the loser and Cass the art student turned kick-ass warrior princess is quite amusing. Also the fact that the author could not quite decide whether to make his mutants flesh-eating zombies or vampires (or Vladdies, as Cass calls them). So he kind of made them a bit of both.
I must say that I'm relieved Mr. Brant didn't title his book Attack of the Zompires.
The banter between Lance the loser and Cass the art student turned kick-ass warrior princess is quite amusing. Also the fact that the author could not quite decide whether to make his mutants flesh-eating zombies or vampires (or Vladdies, as Cass calls them). So he kind of made them a bit of both.
I must say that I'm relieved Mr. Brant didn't title his book Attack of the Zompires.
December 16, 2015
At A Glance
Grab this book, it's free and exciting.
The Good
This is not your average zombie book. These creatures are part vampire, part zombie. They aren't dead like zombies but they are mostly mindless, rotting creatures. They have an aversion to sun and superhuman strength like vampires and they eat and drink people like a combo of both. Brant did a good job of reinventing the zombie and vampire genre.
The best part was that the hero and heroine were normal people. Lance is unemployed and getting a divorce. He, his wife, and her boyfriend are stuck in the hospital when shit hits the fan. Terrorist have released this virus gas on the US that turns people into vampire/zombie hybrids that have a violent hunger. Not much to do but run, hide, and survive in a world that is slowly ending.
Lance is not super strong, smart, or intelligent. He's just an average Joe who wants to survive. But he has heart and he's brave even when he doesn't want to be. Cass is a little different. She dresses like a slutty Goth and wields an axe. She's not a real fighter but she plays a good one when it's needed. She has grit and snark, and she's kind of a bitch, which is why I liked her so much. That's why Lance liked her too. She's different and exciting.
Together they stumble their way through the zombie/vampire apocalypse, fighting the creatures and bad humans that seem to pop up in hoards when the world starts to fall apart. There is a lot of action, suspense, and gore to go around. Devoured was just plain fun and exciting.
The Bad
The beginning was slow. I liked the story but I am not sure if enough happened for me to continue the series.
The Snuggly
There is a sex scene. Not very sexy or detailed, it just was. What else are two people going to do when they might die tomorrow?
Final Thoughts
I am 50-50 on continuing this series. I really liked Devoured and I do want to see what happens next but there are so many other books I still need to read. Decisions, decisions. Still, this book is free so, yes, grab it. It's good. Very recommended.
Quotes
Lance watched as it fed on the three men, moving back and forth between the bodies. It took a bite out of one before going to the next, as if it was trying to decide which to feast upon first.
The sigh tstretched Lance's mind to its limit. People weren't meant to see such things. His stomach twisted, wanting to spill its contents. He struggled to keep his emotions in check, knowing that his survival depended on staying as calm as possible.
This review was originally posted on Bad Bird Reads
Grab this book, it's free and exciting.
The Good
This is not your average zombie book. These creatures are part vampire, part zombie. They aren't dead like zombies but they are mostly mindless, rotting creatures. They have an aversion to sun and superhuman strength like vampires and they eat and drink people like a combo of both. Brant did a good job of reinventing the zombie and vampire genre.
The best part was that the hero and heroine were normal people. Lance is unemployed and getting a divorce. He, his wife, and her boyfriend are stuck in the hospital when shit hits the fan. Terrorist have released this virus gas on the US that turns people into vampire/zombie hybrids that have a violent hunger. Not much to do but run, hide, and survive in a world that is slowly ending.
Lance is not super strong, smart, or intelligent. He's just an average Joe who wants to survive. But he has heart and he's brave even when he doesn't want to be. Cass is a little different. She dresses like a slutty Goth and wields an axe. She's not a real fighter but she plays a good one when it's needed. She has grit and snark, and she's kind of a bitch, which is why I liked her so much. That's why Lance liked her too. She's different and exciting.
Together they stumble their way through the zombie/vampire apocalypse, fighting the creatures and bad humans that seem to pop up in hoards when the world starts to fall apart. There is a lot of action, suspense, and gore to go around. Devoured was just plain fun and exciting.
The Bad
The beginning was slow. I liked the story but I am not sure if enough happened for me to continue the series.
The Snuggly
There is a sex scene. Not very sexy or detailed, it just was. What else are two people going to do when they might die tomorrow?
Final Thoughts
I am 50-50 on continuing this series. I really liked Devoured and I do want to see what happens next but there are so many other books I still need to read. Decisions, decisions. Still, this book is free so, yes, grab it. It's good. Very recommended.
Quotes
Lance watched as it fed on the three men, moving back and forth between the bodies. It took a bite out of one before going to the next, as if it was trying to decide which to feast upon first.
The sigh tstretched Lance's mind to its limit. People weren't meant to see such things. His stomach twisted, wanting to spill its contents. He struggled to keep his emotions in check, knowing that his survival depended on staying as calm as possible.
This review was originally posted on Bad Bird Reads
September 13, 2013
Gehenna, Tartarus, and Sheol entertained us with zombies in the Old West. The Gate and The Dark made our sleep uneasy with thoughts of horrifying, demonic monsters that had gained access to our world. Now Devoured terrifies us with a new and meaner type of super-vampire that ushers in the Apocalypse.
Lance’s life is rather challenging at the moment. The economy is down. He is out of a job. His wife is divorcing him. What else could go wrong? Plenty. Trust me. I don’t think you’ve ever experienced anything as bad as what Lance is about to.
A compassionate fellow, he has pity on a sick young lady he sees stumbling through town. When she heads straight out into traffic, he does the gallant thing and tries to save her. As a reward for his good deed, he gets hit and ends up in the hospital. Then the world falls apart. Literally.
From the confines of his hospital room, he watches through the window as things go completely crazy outside. Things inside the hospital aren’t much better. Daywalkers, more people who act just like the woman had, are being brought in. Doctors and nurses are attacked. Soon even the other patients are attacked.
Lance escapes from the hospital, thinking it will be easier to survive outside. If it is any easier, it is only because there are more places to hide from these ravenous creatures. The need for survival takes precedence over the need for food and water.
He teams up with a surprising ally, and together they fight their way through this horde of monsters that only keeps growing meaner and stronger. During the day, they fight off the Daywalkers. At night, they fight off the ones who have advanced to Vladdies.
Lance is just a normal, everyday guy who watches as the unthinkable happens around him. The story is told from his point of view. The characters are very realistic in their dialogue and how they react to such a traumatic situation. If you aren’t careful, you might find yourself caught up in the story and so anxious to find out what happens next that you read too fast and skip over something vital.
The action never lets up or slows down. If you want to read a book where you can’t wait to see what happens on the next page, then you will enjoy this one. But even in the midst of the terror that is going on, the author manages to sneak in some humor.
Things are not back to normal at the end of the book. I’m not sure that things could ever get back to normal if such events were to really happen. The story isn’t over yet though. I wasn’t tempted to throw things when I reached the end, but I’m super excited to read the sequel, Consumed.
Remember, this is a horror book so you can expect edge-of-your-seat moments, blood, gore, colorful language, and a desire to hunt down the author and demand that he tells you what happens next. I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Lance’s life is rather challenging at the moment. The economy is down. He is out of a job. His wife is divorcing him. What else could go wrong? Plenty. Trust me. I don’t think you’ve ever experienced anything as bad as what Lance is about to.
A compassionate fellow, he has pity on a sick young lady he sees stumbling through town. When she heads straight out into traffic, he does the gallant thing and tries to save her. As a reward for his good deed, he gets hit and ends up in the hospital. Then the world falls apart. Literally.
From the confines of his hospital room, he watches through the window as things go completely crazy outside. Things inside the hospital aren’t much better. Daywalkers, more people who act just like the woman had, are being brought in. Doctors and nurses are attacked. Soon even the other patients are attacked.
Lance escapes from the hospital, thinking it will be easier to survive outside. If it is any easier, it is only because there are more places to hide from these ravenous creatures. The need for survival takes precedence over the need for food and water.
He teams up with a surprising ally, and together they fight their way through this horde of monsters that only keeps growing meaner and stronger. During the day, they fight off the Daywalkers. At night, they fight off the ones who have advanced to Vladdies.
Lance is just a normal, everyday guy who watches as the unthinkable happens around him. The story is told from his point of view. The characters are very realistic in their dialogue and how they react to such a traumatic situation. If you aren’t careful, you might find yourself caught up in the story and so anxious to find out what happens next that you read too fast and skip over something vital.
The action never lets up or slows down. If you want to read a book where you can’t wait to see what happens on the next page, then you will enjoy this one. But even in the midst of the terror that is going on, the author manages to sneak in some humor.
Things are not back to normal at the end of the book. I’m not sure that things could ever get back to normal if such events were to really happen. The story isn’t over yet though. I wasn’t tempted to throw things when I reached the end, but I’m super excited to read the sequel, Consumed.
Remember, this is a horror book so you can expect edge-of-your-seat moments, blood, gore, colorful language, and a desire to hunt down the author and demand that he tells you what happens next. I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 23, 2020
Devoured is the first book in best-selling author Jason Brant’s new series, The Hunger. It’s based off a short story he wrote titled LOTION, written for Apocalypse: An Anthology by Authors and Readers.
The novel starts off with Lance York – a man who, by his own admission, is a loser. Barely able to hold a job and coming upon an impending divorce, Lance sees no light in sight. Things get even worse for the poor man when, after saving a sickly woman from being hit by a car, he finds himself stuck in a quarantined hospital. Things escalate quickly as the sickly woman makes a return, but as something else. She has begun to mutate, as has many others. Cities begin to fall, the military steps in but proves to be ineffective, and civilization starts its inevitable collapse. All within the span of a day.
Lance now has to survive in this newly ravaged world, coming to terms with the drastic changes to his life and assimilating to the new laws of the new, burnt world. It’s kill or be killed now, and Lance, with his new companion Cass who is much more than she appears, decides it’s not him who’s going down.
This story was brilliantly written, each scene depicted with such detail and care that it was like a true horror movie in my head. There are humorous parts as well, as is Jason Brant’s signature, timed well and not out-of-place like some novels tend to do. There’s always a good joke to be had when the tension begins to cease, and Jason Brant makes sure the joke is spoken!
The monsters in this novel were unique. They’re vampires, sort of. They aren’t your average, run-of-the-mill blood suckers. They’re mutated monsters who have nothing of their past human lives left inside of them except for a few snippets of intelligence – which only makes them more terrifying. The Vladdies – as Brant has dubbed them – can only come out at night, but that doesn’t mean the daytime is safe. Those who were recently infected are still able to roam in the light, and prove to be a threat bigger than you’d expect. No time and nowhere is safe from these creatures, and though things look bleak Lance and Cass trudge on in the hopes of finding salvation.
I sincerely enjoyed this book and positively can’t wait for the next one!
The novel starts off with Lance York – a man who, by his own admission, is a loser. Barely able to hold a job and coming upon an impending divorce, Lance sees no light in sight. Things get even worse for the poor man when, after saving a sickly woman from being hit by a car, he finds himself stuck in a quarantined hospital. Things escalate quickly as the sickly woman makes a return, but as something else. She has begun to mutate, as has many others. Cities begin to fall, the military steps in but proves to be ineffective, and civilization starts its inevitable collapse. All within the span of a day.
Lance now has to survive in this newly ravaged world, coming to terms with the drastic changes to his life and assimilating to the new laws of the new, burnt world. It’s kill or be killed now, and Lance, with his new companion Cass who is much more than she appears, decides it’s not him who’s going down.
This story was brilliantly written, each scene depicted with such detail and care that it was like a true horror movie in my head. There are humorous parts as well, as is Jason Brant’s signature, timed well and not out-of-place like some novels tend to do. There’s always a good joke to be had when the tension begins to cease, and Jason Brant makes sure the joke is spoken!
The monsters in this novel were unique. They’re vampires, sort of. They aren’t your average, run-of-the-mill blood suckers. They’re mutated monsters who have nothing of their past human lives left inside of them except for a few snippets of intelligence – which only makes them more terrifying. The Vladdies – as Brant has dubbed them – can only come out at night, but that doesn’t mean the daytime is safe. Those who were recently infected are still able to roam in the light, and prove to be a threat bigger than you’d expect. No time and nowhere is safe from these creatures, and though things look bleak Lance and Cass trudge on in the hopes of finding salvation.
I sincerely enjoyed this book and positively can’t wait for the next one!
March 8, 2015
This was the first book Ive read from Jason Brant and it wont be my last. I had downloaded this for free quite awhile ago but only just got round to reading it. What a fantastic fast paced read, I was hooked and completely sucked into this fast paced storyline from the very first page...why on earth...hadn't I read this earlier...doh!
If you love your zombie dystonian horror and gore you so need to read this next as its quite different to your normal zombie-esk reads. These monsters are a horrific combination of zombies and vampires similar to those of the Blade trilogy with larger bodies and more grotesque features making these creatures almost impossible to fight and so much more terrifying.
What's great about this book is that most of us can relate to or know someone like Lance who is in a really bad place, with a nagging wife, not enough money and is feeling quite down. Jason has made us as the reader really feel for this guy as he's so realistic and completely believable. I was almost shouting at the screen when I discovered more about his scheming wife...no more spoilers here...grrr.
Its been brilliantly written and I was completely sucked into this storyline and I absolutely loved watching Lance develop naturally throughout the book from this downtrodden guy to a more confident ass-kicking hero which is so convincing. Part of the reason for this new found confidence was Cassie who saved his butt from not just the night and day-walkers but the Militia (its not just monsters to be scared of out there).
She is a likable, cocky young woman who is confident and strong not scared to kick ass when needed. Girl power at its best...yesss! However her constant use of the word "dumbass" aimed at Lance was actually getting on my nerves as funny, quirky and likable as she is; even though it ends up as a term of endearment.
We watch Lances confidence grow as the two of them fight together to get to the national safety point and of course this isn't going to go easy or is it even going to be safe?
I found myself speeding through this book unable to put it down; another 6am finish on this lol! Loved it and I cant wait to read book 2.
Go grab this you've no excuse as its FREE as I type for kindles.
If you love your zombie dystonian horror and gore you so need to read this next as its quite different to your normal zombie-esk reads. These monsters are a horrific combination of zombies and vampires similar to those of the Blade trilogy with larger bodies and more grotesque features making these creatures almost impossible to fight and so much more terrifying.
What's great about this book is that most of us can relate to or know someone like Lance who is in a really bad place, with a nagging wife, not enough money and is feeling quite down. Jason has made us as the reader really feel for this guy as he's so realistic and completely believable. I was almost shouting at the screen when I discovered more about his scheming wife...no more spoilers here...grrr.
Its been brilliantly written and I was completely sucked into this storyline and I absolutely loved watching Lance develop naturally throughout the book from this downtrodden guy to a more confident ass-kicking hero which is so convincing. Part of the reason for this new found confidence was Cassie who saved his butt from not just the night and day-walkers but the Militia (its not just monsters to be scared of out there).
She is a likable, cocky young woman who is confident and strong not scared to kick ass when needed. Girl power at its best...yesss! However her constant use of the word "dumbass" aimed at Lance was actually getting on my nerves as funny, quirky and likable as she is; even though it ends up as a term of endearment.
We watch Lances confidence grow as the two of them fight together to get to the national safety point and of course this isn't going to go easy or is it even going to be safe?
I found myself speeding through this book unable to put it down; another 6am finish on this lol! Loved it and I cant wait to read book 2.
Go grab this you've no excuse as its FREE as I type for kindles.
June 30, 2013
Lance York is not a hero. He's jobless. He's in the middle of a divorce and he's feeling worthless. With one act of kindness, rescuing a sick woman from the path of a moving vehicle, Lance puts his life on a path he never expected. A quick moving sickness starts in the hospitals and then spreads. Chaos takes over and Lance finds himself smack dab in the middle of a new Pittsburgh, one that's overrun by daywalkers and Vladdies. But even uninfected people can be enemies and Lance is forced to do what he must to survive while still maintaining his humanity.
Although the beginning is a little slow, once the action started, I couldn't put the book down. Brant has a gritty writing style that really brings life into this story while still injecting it with some great humor. Yes, it gets a little gory at parts, but it is a horror novel, so that's to be expected. I loved that the conflict came not only from running from the infected but also from some opportunistic humans and Lance's desire to do the right thing. Lance was a great character. His "every man" point of view definitely added dimension to the story. My favorite character, however, was Cass. She is Brant's most well-developed female character yet and I found her to be relateable, funny and just the right amount kick ass. The banter between Cass and Lance is some of the best humor in the book.
This is the first book in a series (no big cliffhanger though) and I will be anxiously awaiting the next in the series.
I got the book for free as a beta reader.
Although the beginning is a little slow, once the action started, I couldn't put the book down. Brant has a gritty writing style that really brings life into this story while still injecting it with some great humor. Yes, it gets a little gory at parts, but it is a horror novel, so that's to be expected. I loved that the conflict came not only from running from the infected but also from some opportunistic humans and Lance's desire to do the right thing. Lance was a great character. His "every man" point of view definitely added dimension to the story. My favorite character, however, was Cass. She is Brant's most well-developed female character yet and I found her to be relateable, funny and just the right amount kick ass. The banter between Cass and Lance is some of the best humor in the book.
This is the first book in a series (no big cliffhanger though) and I will be anxiously awaiting the next in the series.
I got the book for free as a beta reader.
April 7, 2014
My full Devoured: The Hunger, Book 1 audiobook review can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.
Devoured: The Hunger, Book 1 starts of kind of slow. Before the end of society, we meet Lance who is very down and out. A man that has been jobless for an extended period, who is in the midst of a divorce from a cheating wife. Everything soon changes when he takes a chance to save a woman from being hit by a car and knocking himself unconscious. Waking up to find that the hospital he is in has been quarantined by the CDC. The first of many adventures is his escape from the hospital so he can hide in his home. Soon the news channels stop broadcasting and then starts the real horror. Everyone that has been infected have risen into zombie like creatures that shy away from the sun and ravage at night. My thought was “Zombie vampires?”, but it gets worse. This is my favorite part of Jason Brant’s brainchild, the creatures and how the infected go from flu like symptoms, to fearsome zombie like creatures, to something that lives only in nightmares. Brant was able to create a very unique and refreshing take on a very heavily populated genre. Full of interesting characters, humor, survival, the systematic collapse of society. I will be back for more, I can’t wait to find out what Brant has in store for us.
Audiobook provided for review by the author.
Devoured: The Hunger, Book 1 starts of kind of slow. Before the end of society, we meet Lance who is very down and out. A man that has been jobless for an extended period, who is in the midst of a divorce from a cheating wife. Everything soon changes when he takes a chance to save a woman from being hit by a car and knocking himself unconscious. Waking up to find that the hospital he is in has been quarantined by the CDC. The first of many adventures is his escape from the hospital so he can hide in his home. Soon the news channels stop broadcasting and then starts the real horror. Everyone that has been infected have risen into zombie like creatures that shy away from the sun and ravage at night. My thought was “Zombie vampires?”, but it gets worse. This is my favorite part of Jason Brant’s brainchild, the creatures and how the infected go from flu like symptoms, to fearsome zombie like creatures, to something that lives only in nightmares. Brant was able to create a very unique and refreshing take on a very heavily populated genre. Full of interesting characters, humor, survival, the systematic collapse of society. I will be back for more, I can’t wait to find out what Brant has in store for us.
Audiobook provided for review by the author.
December 25, 2017
Devoured is at its heart a Post Apocalyptic zombie tale. Pittsburgh resident Lance York is down on his luck and things take a turn for the worse following a failed job interview. He saves a sick woman who turns out to have a nasty case of the plague and wakes up in hospital. The story follows Lance as he lurches from on crisis to another whilst trying to survive while the plague spreads like wildfire. Along the way he comes across a variety of people, good and bad. And so on.
This is a straightforward end-of-the-world caused by plague/virus novel. Jason Brant tries to twist is slightly by giving a different take on the "zombies", so kudos to him for that. However, there's no getting away from the fact that there's nothing new here. Brant keeps it simple and his style works well for this kind of novel, although there is some terrible dialogue and monologue. Unlike some serials, the ending leaves it open for a sequel without leaving everything hanging.
As a footnote, I couldn't help noticing that the cover is almost identical to Jenny Undead apart from the text and the woman's hair colour.
This is a straightforward end-of-the-world caused by plague/virus novel. Jason Brant tries to twist is slightly by giving a different take on the "zombies", so kudos to him for that. However, there's no getting away from the fact that there's nothing new here. Brant keeps it simple and his style works well for this kind of novel, although there is some terrible dialogue and monologue. Unlike some serials, the ending leaves it open for a sequel without leaving everything hanging.
As a footnote, I couldn't help noticing that the cover is almost identical to Jenny Undead apart from the text and the woman's hair colour.
June 26, 2013
This novel is another prime example of the author's ability to draw you into the world he's creating. There was an awesome sense of experiencing the madness for oneself. The main character's confusion over what was truly happening combined with the uncertainty of what to do next, played very well throughout the entire story and his struggle to survive really had me on the edge of my seat.
Lance is a very likable character. Despite his self-described shortcomings, feeling like a miserable failure and suffering from depression, he continued to strive to climb out of that hole. The dissolution of his marriage is heartbreaking at times, and I couldn't help but feel for him as he tried to cope with it on top of everything else. The character, as a whole, is another shining example of the author's skill at creating a hero from the underdog.
The monsters creating all the havoc for our hero are unsettling, to say the least. The descriptions of them were nothing short of fantastic.
All in all, another awesome offering from the indie master of horror, Jason Brant. Pick this one up, you won't be sorry.
Lance is a very likable character. Despite his self-described shortcomings, feeling like a miserable failure and suffering from depression, he continued to strive to climb out of that hole. The dissolution of his marriage is heartbreaking at times, and I couldn't help but feel for him as he tried to cope with it on top of everything else. The character, as a whole, is another shining example of the author's skill at creating a hero from the underdog.
The monsters creating all the havoc for our hero are unsettling, to say the least. The descriptions of them were nothing short of fantastic.
All in all, another awesome offering from the indie master of horror, Jason Brant. Pick this one up, you won't be sorry.
July 1, 2013
A few weeks ago when Jason Brant announced that his new book - Devoured, would soon be released, I was thrilled.
All the other PA books I have read recently have kick-ass ex-army/special forces, highly trained terminator types as the main characters - which is cool, we like these strong silent types. The main character in Devoured, on the other hand, is the ordinary guy in the street. A bit of a loser according to his `charming' soon-to-be-ex-wife, and even to an extent, himself, but when the world starting crumbling, he became the person we will all want on our side when the odds are stacked against us.
The creatures in this book are not zombie as we know them, they are different in a few very important ways - and are terrifying.
Devoured is the first book in the series - `The Hunger' - no cliffhanger, thank goodness, just a very good book with lots of action, surprises, terrifying moments, and as we have come to expect from Jason Brant - humor. I loved this book and could not put it down. I look forward (impatiently) to the next in the series. A really good book.
All the other PA books I have read recently have kick-ass ex-army/special forces, highly trained terminator types as the main characters - which is cool, we like these strong silent types. The main character in Devoured, on the other hand, is the ordinary guy in the street. A bit of a loser according to his `charming' soon-to-be-ex-wife, and even to an extent, himself, but when the world starting crumbling, he became the person we will all want on our side when the odds are stacked against us.
The creatures in this book are not zombie as we know them, they are different in a few very important ways - and are terrifying.
Devoured is the first book in the series - `The Hunger' - no cliffhanger, thank goodness, just a very good book with lots of action, surprises, terrifying moments, and as we have come to expect from Jason Brant - humor. I loved this book and could not put it down. I look forward (impatiently) to the next in the series. A really good book.
March 6, 2017
This is a surprising little gem of a read, I really was surprised by how fun it was. I understand the girl on the front cover is the same as the girl on Chrissy Peebles books but I a assume she is a favourite to use, anyway we are not here to judge the book by the cover.
Lance as a character is pretty relatable because quite a lot of people have been through depression, breakups, divorce and unemployment. He really isn't in the best of positions to start off with and then forced to face vampirism fuelled mutations with nothing more than a shotgun and an army knife. I like how he tries to make the best of a bad situation despite what has happened to him and what is happening.
I know the survival story has been done many times but I find this to be a little different, the infected are more like mutated vampires. This gives it a 'Last Man on Earth' / 'I Am Legend' vibe to it but with more survivors. I love post apocalyptic zombie novels but this is refreshing to have another type of infected person/danger that is that much harder to get away from.
Lance as a character is pretty relatable because quite a lot of people have been through depression, breakups, divorce and unemployment. He really isn't in the best of positions to start off with and then forced to face vampirism fuelled mutations with nothing more than a shotgun and an army knife. I like how he tries to make the best of a bad situation despite what has happened to him and what is happening.
I know the survival story has been done many times but I find this to be a little different, the infected are more like mutated vampires. This gives it a 'Last Man on Earth' / 'I Am Legend' vibe to it but with more survivors. I love post apocalyptic zombie novels but this is refreshing to have another type of infected person/danger that is that much harder to get away from.
April 19, 2019
My real rating for this is 2.5 stars. I almost didn't read this book, as I read one of the author's bios first, the one that is painfully trying too hard to be clever. I thought that if the book were written as the bio, that it would end up a "did not finish" after about twenty pages. I haven't decided whether I'll read the second installment of the series. In many ways this is an average zombie-vampire tale. It needed better proofreading (this mistake of a yolk instead of a yoke stayed with me). Yes, the hero's sexual yearnings are rather silly, such as fixating on peek of black panties when one is getting chased by beasts, but on the other hand, from what I'm told by males, that wouldn't be too far fetched; and so, it didn't bother me. I liked the main character, despite or because of his flaws, and I also liked the supporting characters. They are all a bit two-dimensional. This was a quick read. It was entertaining. I needed a bit of light reading and this qualified, which is why I might just pick up the second book when I need something just for fun.
June 29, 2013
It is the end of the world as we know it. What would you do to survive? Lance is a guy who is down on his luck. He is jobless and in the process of getting a divorce from his wife. He more or less is feeling sorry for himself. In an act of heroism he tries to save a woman's life, only to end up landing himself in the hospital. Then all hell brakes loose as a deadly plague hits the USA.
I am a big fan of Jason Brant books. This one is right up there with all his other books. Yes, it is full of gore as usual, but not to the point that it makes you ill. As I have come to expect he adds his own little bit of humor to his book, and I could see some of his personality in his characters. It is also well-written. There is none of those horrendous grammar or spelling errors I have found in other indie books. This one is well worth the price. Especially for those who are fans of thriller/ apocalypse genres.
I am a big fan of Jason Brant books. This one is right up there with all his other books. Yes, it is full of gore as usual, but not to the point that it makes you ill. As I have come to expect he adds his own little bit of humor to his book, and I could see some of his personality in his characters. It is also well-written. There is none of those horrendous grammar or spelling errors I have found in other indie books. This one is well worth the price. Especially for those who are fans of thriller/ apocalypse genres.
April 2, 2019
A great rendition on the I am Legend monsters. However, it is obvious Jason inflected himself in the main character, with the guise of making him grossly depressed, pessimistic, or whatever. Lance, at least in the first book is the epitome of useless and useful at the same time. Cass feels like either Jason's "dream girl" in the apocalypse, or just some random punk/goth girl who happens to be oddly smart and fit at the same time.
The world is interesting, government response is reasonable, populace reacts in a logical way, but Lance and Cass are incredibly weak main characters. The other books are better than this one, but the premise of something other than your typical "slow moving walking zombies" is what really draws me in for the ride.
I would recommend this book only if you're looking for a different take on the zombie apocalypse, but not recommend it if you dislike weak main characters, or people who are consistently saved by luck, rather than skill or careful planning.
The world is interesting, government response is reasonable, populace reacts in a logical way, but Lance and Cass are incredibly weak main characters. The other books are better than this one, but the premise of something other than your typical "slow moving walking zombies" is what really draws me in for the ride.
I would recommend this book only if you're looking for a different take on the zombie apocalypse, but not recommend it if you dislike weak main characters, or people who are consistently saved by luck, rather than skill or careful planning.
September 4, 2013
This is definitely another fast-paced, action-packed thriller from the talented Jason Brant. Lance starts out as a whiny shell of a man, and for good reason. His life is in the toilet. Yet he continues to try and survive in a world consumed by monsters who go bump in the night. The story really gets interesting when Lance meets a sassy, strong female who is dead set on giving him a run for his money. Not only is Cass awesome, but she makes Lance a stronger man as their relationship they quickly develops and keeps you glued to the page while you follow them through this new world of chaos and destruction. I can't wait to find out what happens next on their journey.
February 1, 2016
A plague/zombie invasion? This book is an amazing book with lots of action. The story is a about a man named Lance and his life is going horribly. When he thinks that his life could not get any worse it does. Lance has to try and survive in the outside world trying to not get eaten. I think that the book was great. Its very suspenseful and also scary at some parts. I am very happy that this is not the only book so that I have more to read.
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