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Ashley Parker #3
Plague World
The thrilling conclusion of the zombie apocalypse begun in PLAGUE TOWN and continued in PLAGUE NATION! The zombie plague has gone airborne, and the conspiracy that began it all reaches the boiling point.
Having been ambushed in San Francisco, which is now fully engulfed in the zombie plague, Ashley and the wild cards must pursue the enemy to San Diego. There they will discover a splinter of their own organization, the Dolofónoi tou Zontanoús Nekroús, which seeks to weaponize the plague. But that isn't the worst news. The plague has gone airborne, making it transferable without physical contract. It cannot be controlled by anyone, so reports of the zombie swarm are coming in from across the United States - and across the world.
Having been ambushed in San Francisco, which is now fully engulfed in the zombie plague, Ashley and the wild cards must pursue the enemy to San Diego. There they will discover a splinter of their own organization, the Dolofónoi tou Zontanoús Nekroús, which seeks to weaponize the plague. But that isn't the worst news. The plague has gone airborne, making it transferable without physical contract. It cannot be controlled by anyone, so reports of the zombie swarm are coming in from across the United States - and across the world.
320 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 26, 2014
10 people are currently reading
390 people want to read
About the author
Dana Fredsti
36 books285 followersDana Fredsti is ex B-movie actress with a background in theatrical sword-fighting. Through seven plus years of volunteering at EFBC/FCC (Exotic Feline Breeding Facility/Feline Conservation Center), Dana's had a full-grown leopard sit on her feet, kissed by tigers, held baby jaguars and had her thumb sucked by an ocelot with nursing issues. She's addicted to bad movies and any book or film, good or bad, which include zombies. Her other hobbies include surfing (badly), collecting beach glass (obsessively), and wine tasting (happily).
Along with her best friend Maureen, Dana was co-producer/writer/director for a mystery-oriented theatrical troupe based in San Diego. While no actual murders occurred during their performances, there were times when the actors and clients made the idea very tempting. Somewhere in the mists of time she lost a grip on what happened in real life and what she made up for her book.
She's written numerous published articles, essays and shorts, including stories in Cat Fantastic IV, an anthology series edited by Andre Norton (Daw, 1997), Danger City (Contemporary Press, 2005), and Mondo Zombie (Cemetery Dance, 2006). Her essays can be seen in Morbid Curiosity, Issues 2-7. Additionally she's written several produced low-budget screenplays and currently has another script under option. Dana was also co-writer/associate producer on Urban Rescuers, a documentary on feral cats and TNR (Trap/Neuter/Return), which won Best Documentary at the 2003 Valley Film Festival in Los Angeles.
Dana is currently working on the second book in the Murder for Hire series, The Big Snooze and writing erotic romance under the pen name Inara LaVey for Ravenous Romance.
Along with her best friend Maureen, Dana was co-producer/writer/director for a mystery-oriented theatrical troupe based in San Diego. While no actual murders occurred during their performances, there were times when the actors and clients made the idea very tempting. Somewhere in the mists of time she lost a grip on what happened in real life and what she made up for her book.
She's written numerous published articles, essays and shorts, including stories in Cat Fantastic IV, an anthology series edited by Andre Norton (Daw, 1997), Danger City (Contemporary Press, 2005), and Mondo Zombie (Cemetery Dance, 2006). Her essays can be seen in Morbid Curiosity, Issues 2-7. Additionally she's written several produced low-budget screenplays and currently has another script under option. Dana was also co-writer/associate producer on Urban Rescuers, a documentary on feral cats and TNR (Trap/Neuter/Return), which won Best Documentary at the 2003 Valley Film Festival in Los Angeles.
Dana is currently working on the second book in the Murder for Hire series, The Big Snooze and writing erotic romance under the pen name Inara LaVey for Ravenous Romance.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
August 1, 2015
*Warning: Spoilers*
Plague World is the third book in the Ashley Parker zombie/urban fantasy series, following her fight to save the world from the zombie plague. This continues on from where Plague Nation ended, and Ashley and her band of merry-men are fighting their way across America to find Gabriel, who was taken by the bad guys. He could also hold the cure to the virus that is now spreading across the world.
As usual there is quite a lot of action, but I felt as though not a lot actually happens. Sadly the pacing did fluctuate, and I found myself getting a bit bored in places. For the book just to be about Ashley trying to find Gabriel, meant that it didn’t quite have the same amount of excitement as the previous two books. I feel that if Gabriel’s side of the story was interwoven with Ashley’s story, it would have given the book a better dynamic, broken the story up a bit, making it a more fast-paced read. Gabriel’s condition is an interesting one and it was a shame that we couldn’t have seen what he was going through while Ashley was trying to find him.
As mentioned, there is no appearance of Gabriel, until 30 pages before the end of the book. I will admit that this annoyed me quite a bit as the series started out with Gabriel being part of the main storyline, as well as Ashley’s love interest, which I really liked. I enjoyed having the romance aspect mixed with the darkness of the zombie apocalypse, so to not have Gabriel in for basically the entire book made me feel a little bit cheated.
Thankfully, Ashley’s snarky nature is still present. She’s funny without being annoying, and although the situation is dire, her humour breaks up the seriousness of what is going on around them. Fredsti manages to combine humour and horror very well and I really enjoy that aspect of her writing.
In this instalment, the virus has become airborne, but sometimes it didn’t really make sense. As well as the Wild Cards (those who are immune to the zombie bite), there is also TJ, who is a civilian. He goes out with the Wild Cards, but doesn’t wear a protective mask. Is the now mutated virus, which has gone airborne, only contagious from human to human when it shows itself as the flu? Once it kills the humans and they come back as a zombie is the virus not airborne anymore? How long can it survive while its airborne? Once people turn into zombies does it return to it’s previous state of only being transmitted through bites and blood? Too many questions…
The story of Ashley and the other Wild Cards is interjected with snippets of the outside world, and focuses on an individual or couple and their experiences, and we get to see what’s going on through their eyes. Some of these mini stories were good as the ending is wrapped up, but some were left hanging and all I could think was, what happened to so and so? Although generally these stories were interesting, I also found them to be slightly distracting to the overall story. In all honesty I could have done without them, and would have preferred snippets of what Gabriel was going through instead.
When we do finally meet up with Gabriel again, it is very close to the end of the book, and it is bitterly disappointing. I DID NOT like what happened to him, and felt as though it was an easy way out, rather than expanding on his condition of half human, half zombie. It was a real shame this part of the story wasn’t fully developed, as it was one of the most exciting aspects to the overall story, and to Gabriel’s character.
I did enjoy this final instalment, but not as much as the first two books, and I didn’t like the way it ended – heartbroken doesn’t cover it. The ending, however, didn’t really feel like a conclusion, as the zombie apocalypse continues, but it did give me hope that maybe one day, Fredsti will bring back Ashley Parker.
Plague World is the third book in the Ashley Parker zombie/urban fantasy series, following her fight to save the world from the zombie plague. This continues on from where Plague Nation ended, and Ashley and her band of merry-men are fighting their way across America to find Gabriel, who was taken by the bad guys. He could also hold the cure to the virus that is now spreading across the world.
As usual there is quite a lot of action, but I felt as though not a lot actually happens. Sadly the pacing did fluctuate, and I found myself getting a bit bored in places. For the book just to be about Ashley trying to find Gabriel, meant that it didn’t quite have the same amount of excitement as the previous two books. I feel that if Gabriel’s side of the story was interwoven with Ashley’s story, it would have given the book a better dynamic, broken the story up a bit, making it a more fast-paced read. Gabriel’s condition is an interesting one and it was a shame that we couldn’t have seen what he was going through while Ashley was trying to find him.
As mentioned, there is no appearance of Gabriel, until 30 pages before the end of the book. I will admit that this annoyed me quite a bit as the series started out with Gabriel being part of the main storyline, as well as Ashley’s love interest, which I really liked. I enjoyed having the romance aspect mixed with the darkness of the zombie apocalypse, so to not have Gabriel in for basically the entire book made me feel a little bit cheated.
Thankfully, Ashley’s snarky nature is still present. She’s funny without being annoying, and although the situation is dire, her humour breaks up the seriousness of what is going on around them. Fredsti manages to combine humour and horror very well and I really enjoy that aspect of her writing.
In this instalment, the virus has become airborne, but sometimes it didn’t really make sense. As well as the Wild Cards (those who are immune to the zombie bite), there is also TJ, who is a civilian. He goes out with the Wild Cards, but doesn’t wear a protective mask. Is the now mutated virus, which has gone airborne, only contagious from human to human when it shows itself as the flu? Once it kills the humans and they come back as a zombie is the virus not airborne anymore? How long can it survive while its airborne? Once people turn into zombies does it return to it’s previous state of only being transmitted through bites and blood? Too many questions…
The story of Ashley and the other Wild Cards is interjected with snippets of the outside world, and focuses on an individual or couple and their experiences, and we get to see what’s going on through their eyes. Some of these mini stories were good as the ending is wrapped up, but some were left hanging and all I could think was, what happened to so and so? Although generally these stories were interesting, I also found them to be slightly distracting to the overall story. In all honesty I could have done without them, and would have preferred snippets of what Gabriel was going through instead.
When we do finally meet up with Gabriel again, it is very close to the end of the book, and it is bitterly disappointing. I DID NOT like what happened to him, and felt as though it was an easy way out, rather than expanding on his condition of half human, half zombie. It was a real shame this part of the story wasn’t fully developed, as it was one of the most exciting aspects to the overall story, and to Gabriel’s character.
I did enjoy this final instalment, but not as much as the first two books, and I didn’t like the way it ended – heartbroken doesn’t cover it. The ending, however, didn’t really feel like a conclusion, as the zombie apocalypse continues, but it did give me hope that maybe one day, Fredsti will bring back Ashley Parker.
January 6, 2020
Phew! I thought Ashley Parker and her team were goners... I'm glad to be proven wrong. Also, Lil's a cute kid, I just want to give the troubled youngin' a hug.
I liked the series for the peculiar plot of the immune gaining their enhanced abilities, and I thought Ash as a character and Simone, actually were both really great. I found Gabriel to be incredibly arrogant and abusive AF... why Ash was attracted to the abusive arsehole I'll never know, but meh... straight people.
I liked the series for the peculiar plot of the immune gaining their enhanced abilities, and I thought Ash as a character and Simone, actually were both really great. I found Gabriel to be incredibly arrogant and abusive AF... why Ash was attracted to the abusive arsehole I'll never know, but meh... straight people.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 25, 2014
http://www.mybookishways.com/2014/08/...
Ashley Parker has been dealing with, and battling, the plague, and the zombies they spawned, like a champ, and Plague Nation was especially harrowing for Ashley and the gang. There was a helicopter crash, an ambush, and perhaps the worst part for Ashley, Gabriel was captured at gunpoint. He and Ashley were just starting to explore their new relationship, and the possibility of a way to control his condition. Needless to say, Ashley is desperate to get him back. To make things even worse, Dr. Albert was taken by the same people, and the possibility of a vaccine for Walker’s Flu lies with him. The current incarnation of the vaccine can actually cause people to become the walking dead, but it’s a starting point for a cure, and now that the virus has become airborne, it’s more important than ever before that they recover Dr. Albert. Luckily, Ashley is a Wild Card (she’s immune to the zombie virus and after she contracted it and fought it, she came out of it with some pretty awesome “heightened” abilities), and most of her team are Wild Cards as well. Now, they must make their way to San Diego to hopefully rescue Dr. Albert, for them to have any hope for a cure to a disease that has now spread throughout the world.
Ashley is back in all her snarky glory, but in Plague World, although she hasn’t lost her considerable sense of humor, she’s a more subdued, introspective Ashley than she was in previous books. She misses Gabriel, she worries that Lil will just get worse without medication, so finding appropriate meds is a priority, and the new guy, Griff, seems determined to get his hands on Ashley, whether she consents or not, and she doesn’t trust him. He’s got some kind of angle, and she’s certain it’s more than just getting in her pants. So, the team is off to San Diego to find out who is at the bottom of unleashing Walker’s Flu and perverted the DZN’s (Dolofonoitou Zontanous Nekrous, or “killers of the dead”) existence for their own nefarious means.
Plague World is the 3rd and last in Dana Fredsti’s smashing zombie series, and although it’s a bit bittersweet, she brings things to a satisfying conclusion and the journey to get there is horrific, sometimes funny, and always awesome. Most of the story is told by Ashley, but in Plague World, there are interludes that take place in different parts of the world where the plague is just taking hold, and it serves to heighten the terror of an already awful situation. Fredsti has a lot of fun with her use of San Diego’s Balboa Park, which is a former naval based turned national park, and as always, her fight scenes are fantastic. Give Ashley a sword, and she’ll cut a swath through the undead that’s a mile long, and as gruesomely gleeful as some of the fight scenes are, the body count is taking its toll on Ashley and the rest of the group, especially after the considerable losses they’ve suffered.
This book is darker than the previous two, and it doesn’t get much darker than in the final pages, when Ashley comes face to face with a person from her past. I don’t want to give anything away, but suffice it to say that Ashley is taken to a very, very dark place, and the experience would cause many to lose their minds. Yeah, it’s that bad. Dana Fredsti is a fantastic storyteller-you’ll blaze through this in one or two sittings, because the action rarely lets up, and it’s just good. If you’re a zombie fan, or just a fan of spectacular horror, this should be a go-to series, and I envy anyone that gets to read this series back to back. Plague World was worth the wait, though, and I’ll follow Dana Fredsti anywhere. I’m very much looking forward to what she’s got in the works next.
Ashley Parker has been dealing with, and battling, the plague, and the zombies they spawned, like a champ, and Plague Nation was especially harrowing for Ashley and the gang. There was a helicopter crash, an ambush, and perhaps the worst part for Ashley, Gabriel was captured at gunpoint. He and Ashley were just starting to explore their new relationship, and the possibility of a way to control his condition. Needless to say, Ashley is desperate to get him back. To make things even worse, Dr. Albert was taken by the same people, and the possibility of a vaccine for Walker’s Flu lies with him. The current incarnation of the vaccine can actually cause people to become the walking dead, but it’s a starting point for a cure, and now that the virus has become airborne, it’s more important than ever before that they recover Dr. Albert. Luckily, Ashley is a Wild Card (she’s immune to the zombie virus and after she contracted it and fought it, she came out of it with some pretty awesome “heightened” abilities), and most of her team are Wild Cards as well. Now, they must make their way to San Diego to hopefully rescue Dr. Albert, for them to have any hope for a cure to a disease that has now spread throughout the world.
Ashley is back in all her snarky glory, but in Plague World, although she hasn’t lost her considerable sense of humor, she’s a more subdued, introspective Ashley than she was in previous books. She misses Gabriel, she worries that Lil will just get worse without medication, so finding appropriate meds is a priority, and the new guy, Griff, seems determined to get his hands on Ashley, whether she consents or not, and she doesn’t trust him. He’s got some kind of angle, and she’s certain it’s more than just getting in her pants. So, the team is off to San Diego to find out who is at the bottom of unleashing Walker’s Flu and perverted the DZN’s (Dolofonoitou Zontanous Nekrous, or “killers of the dead”) existence for their own nefarious means.
Plague World is the 3rd and last in Dana Fredsti’s smashing zombie series, and although it’s a bit bittersweet, she brings things to a satisfying conclusion and the journey to get there is horrific, sometimes funny, and always awesome. Most of the story is told by Ashley, but in Plague World, there are interludes that take place in different parts of the world where the plague is just taking hold, and it serves to heighten the terror of an already awful situation. Fredsti has a lot of fun with her use of San Diego’s Balboa Park, which is a former naval based turned national park, and as always, her fight scenes are fantastic. Give Ashley a sword, and she’ll cut a swath through the undead that’s a mile long, and as gruesomely gleeful as some of the fight scenes are, the body count is taking its toll on Ashley and the rest of the group, especially after the considerable losses they’ve suffered.
This book is darker than the previous two, and it doesn’t get much darker than in the final pages, when Ashley comes face to face with a person from her past. I don’t want to give anything away, but suffice it to say that Ashley is taken to a very, very dark place, and the experience would cause many to lose their minds. Yeah, it’s that bad. Dana Fredsti is a fantastic storyteller-you’ll blaze through this in one or two sittings, because the action rarely lets up, and it’s just good. If you’re a zombie fan, or just a fan of spectacular horror, this should be a go-to series, and I envy anyone that gets to read this series back to back. Plague World was worth the wait, though, and I’ll follow Dana Fredsti anywhere. I’m very much looking forward to what she’s got in the works next.
October 23, 2014
What the HELL was that?!???!!!! I know it seems drastic to give a book one star (especially when you really liked the other two) but seriously...WTF?!?! How on earth is that conceivably a good ending? An appropriate one? I...I can't even...I'm so pissed off I wasted all this time just to end up with THAT! I mean, seriously there were other ways this series could have been ended that didn't result in THAT!
SPOILERS
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*****
I cannot BELIEVE, much less fathom a reason why Gabriel had to die. It was unnecessary and made all three books a total waste of time. And then even though Gabriel died, Ashley could have ended up with Griff just to give her something other than zilch. It was terrible. I will NEVER recommend this series to anyone (even my enemies) again. It was that wrong. If I could go back in time and unread the Ashley Parker series I would.
SPOILERS
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*****
I cannot BELIEVE, much less fathom a reason why Gabriel had to die. It was unnecessary and made all three books a total waste of time. And then even though Gabriel died, Ashley could have ended up with Griff just to give her something other than zilch. It was terrible. I will NEVER recommend this series to anyone (even my enemies) again. It was that wrong. If I could go back in time and unread the Ashley Parker series I would.
October 9, 2014
Not a good idea to read this one without reading book 1 Plague Town and book 2 Plague Nation first. This was a very fast paced, again action packed, filled with gory humor and lots of the snark we expect from Ashley however it also had moments of heartache and moments of wonder when at the end something very unexpected and wonderful came to pass for Lily.
I laughed, cried, cringed and enjoyed this last book in the trilogy and will miss Ashley Parker and JT.
I laughed, cried, cringed and enjoyed this last book in the trilogy and will miss Ashley Parker and JT.
September 9, 2014
I love this series! I want it to keep going! I'm in love with the characters and am sad some of them had to go, but that always happens.
I am so happy for Lil, but I don't want to add a spoiler so only the readers know what I mean :)
I loved the new biker characters and I could picture Sam Elliot as the leader perfectly!
I'm really sad at all Ash went through just to get to where she is now.. another spoiler I can't speak of.
I really hope we see more of this series. I had heard this was the last book, but I hope that is not the case, but if it is, this was a great trilogy either way!
I would recommend to all zombie fans!
I am so happy for Lil, but I don't want to add a spoiler so only the readers know what I mean :)
I loved the new biker characters and I could picture Sam Elliot as the leader perfectly!
I'm really sad at all Ash went through just to get to where she is now.. another spoiler I can't speak of.
I really hope we see more of this series. I had heard this was the last book, but I hope that is not the case, but if it is, this was a great trilogy either way!
I would recommend to all zombie fans!
May 11, 2015
This book was very disappointing. It is supposed to be the last in the series, but there were too many loose endings. They haven't found the cure yet, and there was never a turn for the better. I didn't expect it to end all happily but it could've ended at least with a little hope.....finding a cure or something like that. They also didn't explain why Griff did what he did. There was never any reason. He was basically murdering people....sleeping with girls and passing on the virus. I really enjoyed the first two books, but this one was very lacking.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 4, 2014
Ashley kicks ass again! The story took a turn i didnt expect. I had thought maybe Gabriel had betrayed Ashley. You really care about the characters. Lils' story thread ends with a tug at your heart strings. We lose some characters we like and save some we wish had been killed. There is room for more Ashley stories! that makes me happy because I love a kick ass smart mouthed snarky hero. Long Live Ashley Parker.
June 22, 2015
...Woah woah woah...
Did the release date really get pushed back? *dies*
August 30, 2014
Was rushed and disjointed, but I was still able to get into it. I wasn't happy with the ending even though I understood why it happened.
November 17, 2014
I have 2 words...HEART BROKEN. Done.
November 27, 2022
hard to get into, but it was the 3rd book of the series, so that might have been why
April 26, 2015
http://badbirdreads.com/review-plague...
At A Glance
Seriously, that’s the end of the series? WTF?
The Good
It started out good. The action took time to get going but it’s as gruesome and heartbreaking as ever. The group is on a mission to save Gabriel, Ashley’s boyfriend, and some others from their group who got kidnapped by the bad guys who want the zombie apocalypse to continue. Ash and the crew are trying to find a cure, but everyone wants to get in their way. So, the adventures begin and we meet a lot of interesting people while facing hordes of zombies and assholes.
The best part of the book was the side stories about random people and their stories from when the zombies first started showing up. Now those are interesting. Plus, the humor is great, though it got a bit annoying sometimes.
The Bad
I was going to give this book 3 stars until I found out it was the end of the series. Nothing was resolved and very few questions were answered. Plus, I have four things that I HATE in books, and Plague World did one (almost two) of those things. What’s even worse, I didn’t even care that this thing happened, because I didn’t care about a certain character anymore.
A lot of the people we have come to love died for no reason by the end. This did not feel like a wrap up to a series at all. Never even crossed my mind that it was the last book until I looked on Goodreads five minutes after finishing the book. Then I flipped! The ending to this book can be equated to ending Citizen Kane with him sitting down to eat dinner. WTF??? No cure and no happy ending. Just blah.
Oh yeah, and thanks for giving us Griff, who is either a rapist, murder, hero, love-interest, or maybe he just gives zero fucks. I don’t know and honestly, I don’t even care anymore. And we get almost no explanation for his actions through the novel.
The Snuggly
No sex and really no relationship stuff either.
Final Thoughts
I liked the first two books of the trilogy. It has an urban fantasy feel and lots of yucky zombies. Win-win, right? Wrong. Not with how it all ended. It’s just plain stupid and I am pissed. However, if the author decided to continue the series and actually give a good series an appropriate ending, I would read it. Not recommended.
Quotes
Then it hit me. A quick pat down confirmed that not only was my katana gone, but I was also missing my M4 and my squirrel gun. Griff had either overlooked or decided to leave me with my tanto and my Ruger. The arming equivalent of a pity fuck.
At A Glance
Seriously, that’s the end of the series? WTF?
The Good
It started out good. The action took time to get going but it’s as gruesome and heartbreaking as ever. The group is on a mission to save Gabriel, Ashley’s boyfriend, and some others from their group who got kidnapped by the bad guys who want the zombie apocalypse to continue. Ash and the crew are trying to find a cure, but everyone wants to get in their way. So, the adventures begin and we meet a lot of interesting people while facing hordes of zombies and assholes.
The best part of the book was the side stories about random people and their stories from when the zombies first started showing up. Now those are interesting. Plus, the humor is great, though it got a bit annoying sometimes.
The Bad
I was going to give this book 3 stars until I found out it was the end of the series. Nothing was resolved and very few questions were answered. Plus, I have four things that I HATE in books, and Plague World did one (almost two) of those things. What’s even worse, I didn’t even care that this thing happened, because I didn’t care about a certain character anymore.
A lot of the people we have come to love died for no reason by the end. This did not feel like a wrap up to a series at all. Never even crossed my mind that it was the last book until I looked on Goodreads five minutes after finishing the book. Then I flipped! The ending to this book can be equated to ending Citizen Kane with him sitting down to eat dinner. WTF??? No cure and no happy ending. Just blah.
Oh yeah, and thanks for giving us Griff, who is either a rapist, murder, hero, love-interest, or maybe he just gives zero fucks. I don’t know and honestly, I don’t even care anymore. And we get almost no explanation for his actions through the novel.
The Snuggly
No sex and really no relationship stuff either.
Final Thoughts
I liked the first two books of the trilogy. It has an urban fantasy feel and lots of yucky zombies. Win-win, right? Wrong. Not with how it all ended. It’s just plain stupid and I am pissed. However, if the author decided to continue the series and actually give a good series an appropriate ending, I would read it. Not recommended.
Quotes
Then it hit me. A quick pat down confirmed that not only was my katana gone, but I was also missing my M4 and my squirrel gun. Griff had either overlooked or decided to leave me with my tanto and my Ruger. The arming equivalent of a pity fuck.
October 1, 2014
It’s always nice when an author knows what fans want and has no qualms about giving it to them, especially when it comes to the conclusion of a series. Author Dana Fredsti just keeps delivering the goods with Ashley Parker and her zombie-stomping crew in PLAGUE WORLD, the third and final book in the Plague trilogy. A bit darker in tone but still full of wit and action, this book is the pinnacle of the collection, and I’m very pleased with out things turn out.
Ashley Parker is touted as “Buffy meets The Walking Dead”, and that is an excellent way to describe these books. As a fan of both Buffy and Walking, I am thrilled to have a series that sort of throws them together.
As with the previous books, PLAGUE WORLD is written well and flows perfectly. Fredsti’s writing is swift and concise, which allows for a deeper immersion into the story. This gives a greater enjoyment factor when the action scenes come along.
And there’s plenty of action to go around. The fight scenes are intense, and the zombie-killing is plentiful. I particularly like how Fredsti puts the reader right in the thick of things as the terrifying events unfold. Her zombies are actually scary, and there’s a real sense of threat in the air as you tear through each page.
The characters in PLAGUE WORLD are once again crisp and real, another primary reason this series is so good. There are those you love and those you hate, but one thing is for sure: each one will leave a lasting imprint in your brain throughout the book.
PLAGUE WORLD is an epic conclusion to an excellent series, and I highly recommend giving it a read. If you’ve never read any of this series, I suggest starting today with book one (PLAGUE TOWN) and binge-reading the whole trilogy. If you’re a fan of horror and/or zombies, you won’t be disappointed.
Ashley Parker is touted as “Buffy meets The Walking Dead”, and that is an excellent way to describe these books. As a fan of both Buffy and Walking, I am thrilled to have a series that sort of throws them together.
As with the previous books, PLAGUE WORLD is written well and flows perfectly. Fredsti’s writing is swift and concise, which allows for a deeper immersion into the story. This gives a greater enjoyment factor when the action scenes come along.
And there’s plenty of action to go around. The fight scenes are intense, and the zombie-killing is plentiful. I particularly like how Fredsti puts the reader right in the thick of things as the terrifying events unfold. Her zombies are actually scary, and there’s a real sense of threat in the air as you tear through each page.
The characters in PLAGUE WORLD are once again crisp and real, another primary reason this series is so good. There are those you love and those you hate, but one thing is for sure: each one will leave a lasting imprint in your brain throughout the book.
PLAGUE WORLD is an epic conclusion to an excellent series, and I highly recommend giving it a read. If you’ve never read any of this series, I suggest starting today with book one (PLAGUE TOWN) and binge-reading the whole trilogy. If you’re a fan of horror and/or zombies, you won’t be disappointed.
October 20, 2014
I loved the first two books of this series, but I have to take a star off because this book didn't end as much as stop. I will read however many books follow this one, but I was expecting the series to end as a trilogy. The surprise was hard to take.
Dana did a great job in this book with the side characters, particularly the Harajuku girls trapped in a shop in Tokyo (it's like they were written just for me!) and the ex-Special Forces motorcycle "club." I would love to read spin-off stories about them.
The character Griff was problematic for me, though. The scene where he corners Ashley in a corridor was triggery for me. While he later justifies his behavior and she forgives him, I could not. The creep factor was just too high.
Which actually was one of the things I liked about the book: just because the zombocalypse is going on, men don't stop playing "games" with women. Ashley can and does hold her own, but it's good to see that that world reflecting our own so clearly.
There were nit-picky things that struck me: the BDSM girl in the pub is wearing a high leather collar just before the zombies tear out her throat. Ashley & crew go out of their way to bust into a Walgreens when there's a hospital pharmacy in UCSF, directly across the street from the zombie lab. The lead-up to the San Diego Zoo really got my hopes up that there would be tigers mauling zombies, but Ashley gets cold-cocked and misses out of the whole thing.
Still, the excitement level remains high, the pace is fast, and the zombies disgusting. I guess I'm glad that I don't have to leave this world just yet, while stories remain to be told there.
Dana did a great job in this book with the side characters, particularly the Harajuku girls trapped in a shop in Tokyo (it's like they were written just for me!) and the ex-Special Forces motorcycle "club." I would love to read spin-off stories about them.
The character Griff was problematic for me, though. The scene where he corners Ashley in a corridor was triggery for me. While he later justifies his behavior and she forgives him, I could not. The creep factor was just too high.
Which actually was one of the things I liked about the book: just because the zombocalypse is going on, men don't stop playing "games" with women. Ashley can and does hold her own, but it's good to see that that world reflecting our own so clearly.
There were nit-picky things that struck me: the BDSM girl in the pub is wearing a high leather collar just before the zombies tear out her throat. Ashley & crew go out of their way to bust into a Walgreens when there's a hospital pharmacy in UCSF, directly across the street from the zombie lab. The lead-up to the San Diego Zoo really got my hopes up that there would be tigers mauling zombies, but Ashley gets cold-cocked and misses out of the whole thing.
Still, the excitement level remains high, the pace is fast, and the zombies disgusting. I guess I'm glad that I don't have to leave this world just yet, while stories remain to be told there.
December 30, 2025
A zombie book with hearts, guts, brains and humor, “Plague World” is a must read for any and all zombie fans! There were ups and downs (and oh, the downs really, really got to me) and plenty of thrills. There was tons of action, just a touch of romance and more chills than you can count! The ending was....difficult. Difficult both because of the fact that the series is over and because of certain events. However, it was not gratuitously difficult, what happened really felt as if it needed to happen. So, even though I was saddened, I felt as if the story went where it had to go. And, on the not depressing side, the geek references rocked! I consider myself a card carrying geek and I'm still not sure I got all of the references (“going to need a bigger boat”; “can't stop the signal Mal”; “arguing over who was the best Doctor”; and many, many more – don't want to give too many away, that takes the fun out of finding them!). You really do need to read the first two books in the trilogy before this one (“Plague Town” and “Plague Nation”) but if you haven't already dove into those, you're really in for a treat! If you have read the previous two, you know what to expect and believe me, “Plague World” delivers! (Oh, and the furry ones live so that's good!)
September 13, 2014
I love Ashley Parker and the entire series. There have already been plenty of people giving details that I'm going to refrain from wasting your time here.
I think that this is a great book - there's plenty of character development, introspection and enough action and plot twists to keep the pages turning very quickly.
I'm giving Plague World four stars because, although this is the last book in the series, I was left feeling that there were too many things unresolved. I hope the "world" gets picked up again, either through Ashley or another character.
See my full review at Zombie Book Blog.
I think that this is a great book - there's plenty of character development, introspection and enough action and plot twists to keep the pages turning very quickly.
I'm giving Plague World four stars because, although this is the last book in the series, I was left feeling that there were too many things unresolved. I hope the "world" gets picked up again, either through Ashley or another character.
See my full review at Zombie Book Blog.
August 22, 2014
All the snarky comments with all the fun of kicking zombie butt. . . Plague World continues the fun started in Plague Town & Plague Nation. We find out more about what, who & why the plague started as Ashley does what she best.
This was a romp through zombie infested California as only a native could take us on. I think the vignettes of activities in other areas keep the book from veering too far into pop culture campiness while the humor, black as it is, keeps the book fresh.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. (scored a signed copy at SDCC)
This was a romp through zombie infested California as only a native could take us on. I think the vignettes of activities in other areas keep the book from veering too far into pop culture campiness while the humor, black as it is, keeps the book fresh.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. (scored a signed copy at SDCC)
September 2, 2014
Disappointing ending all around. The action was dragged out too long, to the point that I started skimming most of it. And all just so that the ending could be rushed. People who deserved to survive didn't and some, one in particular, who didn't, will live to see another day. I don't expect happy, happy endings in zombie apocalypse stories but this went beyond the pale. If there are more books I will not be reading them.
September 24, 2014
This conclusion to Dana Fredsti's plague series offered all of the fun, tension and page turning action of the first two books. I liked seeing the story lines tied up and will miss Ashley Parker and her zombie world. A very satisfying read. Well done.
September 14, 2014
Review to come.
April 8, 2015
I enjoyed this series but confess to being startled and greatly saddened by the ending. I really wasn't expecting what happened ...
Very well-written and entertaining zombie series.
Very well-written and entertaining zombie series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 7, 2015
4.5 stars
A sign of a good book, for me, is still considering the ending even hours later after finishing it which is what I am still doing.
A sign of a good book, for me, is still considering the ending even hours later after finishing it which is what I am still doing.
October 17, 2015
Dana Fredsti you broke my heart...
May 12, 2018
Review time:
The last book of the trilogy of Ashley Parker Novels “Plague World” by Dana Fredsti.
The mission to save Ashley’s kinda-sorta boyfriend, and the crazy doctor who invented the Walkers Flu vaccine, is on. Ashley’s squad has lost three of its original members, each loss an emotional cut, but they’ve gained others, some that they can trust, some they cannot. The trip from San Francisco to San Diego is not only long, but rife with danger, especially to the new members of the team who are not wild cards. Zombies roam everywhere; every street, every park, every alleyway, and they have a keen ability to sense the living. The forces behind the distribution of the vaccine are based in San Diego, and the person in charge is not who you expect. The cure to the zombie retrovirus is within reach, but it may not be in time to save humanity. And with the loss of Gabriel to a final death, Ashley finds she may not care.
The ending to this book was the absolute best! With every nook and cranny of the world infected, from the big cities, to zombies walking out of the ocean “Pirates of the Caribbean” style to infect the two people who live on the smallest populated island to ever exist, it would stand to reason that no where is safe. Until you remember that there are people living on the international Space Station. And they have a pretty good guess about what’s going on back home. It was the epilogue. I never would have expected to involve outer space in a Zombie book, and I would have been losing out. Killer ending.
Five stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The last book of the trilogy of Ashley Parker Novels “Plague World” by Dana Fredsti.
The mission to save Ashley’s kinda-sorta boyfriend, and the crazy doctor who invented the Walkers Flu vaccine, is on. Ashley’s squad has lost three of its original members, each loss an emotional cut, but they’ve gained others, some that they can trust, some they cannot. The trip from San Francisco to San Diego is not only long, but rife with danger, especially to the new members of the team who are not wild cards. Zombies roam everywhere; every street, every park, every alleyway, and they have a keen ability to sense the living. The forces behind the distribution of the vaccine are based in San Diego, and the person in charge is not who you expect. The cure to the zombie retrovirus is within reach, but it may not be in time to save humanity. And with the loss of Gabriel to a final death, Ashley finds she may not care.
The ending to this book was the absolute best! With every nook and cranny of the world infected, from the big cities, to zombies walking out of the ocean “Pirates of the Caribbean” style to infect the two people who live on the smallest populated island to ever exist, it would stand to reason that no where is safe. Until you remember that there are people living on the international Space Station. And they have a pretty good guess about what’s going on back home. It was the epilogue. I never would have expected to involve outer space in a Zombie book, and I would have been losing out. Killer ending.
Five stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
July 25, 2018
This is the third book in the Ashley Parker trilogy.
In one sense, the progression from Town --> Nation --> World in the trilogy is a bit too accelerated. While the zombie plague is worldwide, the scope of the novels are not.
In fact, I only gave this book 4 stars because after a while, it seemed more like a travelogue of Golden Gate Park and Balboa Park rather than zombie survival story.
The details about the pipe organ in Balboa Park (in the Organ Pavilion) were accurate. My mom was an organist and I was invited by the then organist at Emmanuel Faith Community Church up into the area where the pipes and the wind box was. Fascinating.
This novel was better edited (punctuation) than the previous novels.
Note that the Amazon name of this book mentions Ashley Parker but doesn't state that it's book 3 in the series.
I wish there were more books in this series and recommend it.
In one sense, the progression from Town --> Nation --> World in the trilogy is a bit too accelerated. While the zombie plague is worldwide, the scope of the novels are not.
In fact, I only gave this book 4 stars because after a while, it seemed more like a travelogue of Golden Gate Park and Balboa Park rather than zombie survival story.
The details about the pipe organ in Balboa Park (in the Organ Pavilion) were accurate. My mom was an organist and I was invited by the then organist at Emmanuel Faith Community Church up into the area where the pipes and the wind box was. Fascinating.
This novel was better edited (punctuation) than the previous novels.
Note that the Amazon name of this book mentions Ashley Parker but doesn't state that it's book 3 in the series.
I wish there were more books in this series and recommend it.
September 14, 2018
There was a lot of action but not much actual plot progression and the ending left me feeling cheated. I just wanted....more. It seemed like everything was building and then just ended abruptly without any real resolution. We also were introduced to several side characters from different parts of the world, I had really hoped they’d somehow tie into the overall story arc, but they never reappeared and I was left wondering what happened. The ending was disappointing- to put it mildly. Hopefully one day we’ll get another book that grants some feeling of closure.
I did give three stars because the series as a whole kept me interested and I enjoyed the author’s unique spin on the zombie craze. The books are worth a read, just don’t expect much of an ending.
I did give three stars because the series as a whole kept me interested and I enjoyed the author’s unique spin on the zombie craze. The books are worth a read, just don’t expect much of an ending.
February 24, 2019
I really loves this book & the whole series! And I so wanted to give it 5 stars but the way I’m feeling after finishing the book is kinda disappointed. I mean without saying too much or spoiling it for other. I did NOT like the ending at all! It just jumped from the lil end on the roof & it just went to somewhere never talked about before in the epilogue & ended there leaving it open even though unfortunately this is the last actual book in the series/trilogy & it left me hanging & wondering & wanting so much more for the conclusion. Like I said I LOVE these books in this trilogy! So I expected a lot more from it at the end! So I’m just left disappointed😞 & heartbroken💔
Please decide to come out with more to these stories!?
Please decide to come out with more to these stories!?
September 5, 2017
This was a really good ending! Very sad and emotional but still a great finale and an unusual zombie story! My fave part was the "wild cards" and the ending with the "certain political" figures.. who were mysterious till the very end! What a shock but an obvious parallel to our real life in a way.. of what could happen if great power got into the hands of a few people who were radical, selfish, and tyrannical. Loved the Ashley Parker series and I completely forgot how old she was.. more my own age which is prob why I related to her. What is the fascination with becoming warriors... noticed this theme amoung women characters lately...
June 9, 2020
Read: June 9, 2020
Rating: preliminary 5 Stars
I might revisit this review as soon as I get over the emotional backhand and sucker-punch.
This was...amazing and heartbreaking at the same time, what an ending.
On the one hand, I'm extremely upset by the turns of events and want to scream angrily, but on the other, I was expecting it and while it made me rage, it wasn't quite what I expected, better in some ways, worse in others.
It was definitely good since it got me so worked up and the book itself is 5 Stars in terms of making the feels go, but I don't quite know what to feel yet.
Rating: preliminary 5 Stars
I might revisit this review as soon as I get over the emotional backhand and sucker-punch.
This was...amazing and heartbreaking at the same time, what an ending.
On the one hand, I'm extremely upset by the turns of events and want to scream angrily, but on the other, I was expecting it and while it made me rage, it wasn't quite what I expected, better in some ways, worse in others.
It was definitely good since it got me so worked up and the book itself is 5 Stars in terms of making the feels go, but I don't quite know what to feel yet.
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