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The Decaying World Saga #0
The Hand That Feeds
How far will a parent go to keep their child alive?
John and Angela Mason’s lives are brought to a tormenting halt when their ten year old son is reduced to a lifeless shell. John watches his wife slip into madness as his son rises from the dead. He realizes they must escape the terrifying infection in order to survive but how can he choose between the insanity consuming his wife and the undying hunger of his son.
An appetite for death will come in one form or another and it will be left to John to decide on the hand that feeds.
John and Angela Mason’s lives are brought to a tormenting halt when their ten year old son is reduced to a lifeless shell. John watches his wife slip into madness as his son rises from the dead. He realizes they must escape the terrifying infection in order to survive but how can he choose between the insanity consuming his wife and the undying hunger of his son.
An appetite for death will come in one form or another and it will be left to John to decide on the hand that feeds.
211 pages, Paperback
First published August 29, 2013
19 people are currently reading
1264 people want to read
About the author
Michael W. Garza
40 books115 followersMichael W. Garza often finds himself wondering where his inspiration will come from next and in what form his imagination will bring it to life. The outcomes regularly surprise him and it’s always his ambition to amaze those curious enough to follow him and take in those results. He hopes everyone will find something that frightens, surprises, or simply astonishes them.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
December 16, 2021
How far will a parent go to keep their child alive?
Well if are John and Angela Mason there is apparently no line they are not willing to cross. Their son arises from the dead with a terrifying appetite for human flesh. Angela convinces John that their son needs to be feed and to bring unsuspecting victims home. There are some humorous moments when plans go awry and he has to improvise on the spot. Garza wrote one heck of a zombie book. I bonded with the characters quickly and the plot is unique. Add this one to your undead reading list.
Well if are John and Angela Mason there is apparently no line they are not willing to cross. Their son arises from the dead with a terrifying appetite for human flesh. Angela convinces John that their son needs to be feed and to bring unsuspecting victims home. There are some humorous moments when plans go awry and he has to improvise on the spot. Garza wrote one heck of a zombie book. I bonded with the characters quickly and the plot is unique. Add this one to your undead reading list.
December 1, 2014
For me, it started with my addiction to the game, "Plants vs. Zombies."
Then came my HUGE addiction to the show, "The Walking Dead," which, despite the hype, I just began watching this past summer. I even got my sister addicted to the show.
I've never been a big zombie fan. But I think I'm finally coming around now. I asked my sister to suggest a good zombie horror and she enthusiastically recommended Michael Gatza's books. I am SO glad that she did. I've had the first one (this one) on my 'to-read' list for some time now. What was I waiting for?!?
First, I must say that Garza is an incredibly talented author. I greatly enjoyed his style of writing and his rich, descriptive storytelling.
In The Hand that Feeds, we meet Angela and John, frantic parents in search of their missing son, Alex. When Alex is found, he is in bad shape, covered in an unidentifiable black susbstance. The following day, he dies. Angela is especially grief-stricken. She can't bear the thought of living without her son. And when, later that night, he begins to move, she discovers that she won't have to....
From the very beginning, I was completely immersed in this story. I stepped into Angela and John's shoes and lived their horror. And while I might not have done things the same way, I could completely empathize with how they were feeling and why they felt their actions were justified. In fact, I couldn't help but root for them even in situations that I'd normally find appalling.
Thought-provoking, suspenseful and highly engrossing, this zombie story is a must for horror lovers, in my opinion. Now I'm off to immediately begin The Last Infection: A Post Apocalyptic Thriller, Garza's most recent zombie novel!
Just had to include this gif, too!
March 23, 2014
There are many things that are right with this yet another entry into the ever expanding zombie fiction genre. Primarily Garza seems to really grasp the fact that a zombie apocalypse is only as interesting as the humans being affected by it. As such, for the most part of this book, it is a family drama with zombies. At least for the first half, which is by far the strongest in writing and characterizations. Then for approximately a quester of the story, it turns into an all out stereotypical clichéd zombie survival scenario, which the hero doing a 180 from a whatever is a PG rated version of massively p*ssywhipped into an action hero. And then, after that's done, it turned back into an approximation of how the book began, only of course with events now escalated. Thing is at this point, I don't particularly want to read a yet another by the numbers zombie story. I want something unique, some sort of an angle. For a significant portion of Hand That Feeds, that angle is offered. No love is stronger than that of a parent (particularly a mad one) and this one produces phenomenally dire consequences. Another appropriate cliché here is that love is blind, but doing things blindly can be very very dangerous and what can be closer to danger than the hand that feeds a zombie. Fast paced, entertaining and solidly written story for any zombie/horror fan out there.
October 11, 2013
How do we make the zombie tale fresh, but still keep all the zombie, undead elements that readers love?
In 'The Hand That Feeds', the author takes the genre and goes micro instead of macro, and focuses on the family unit. It's a great take on the zombie genre by using it to illustrate marital dynamics that are happening on your street everyday.
First off, the origin of the zombie outbreak is catchy. There is a 'black gu' on a child which the reader can feel on themselves as they read. We may know where this is going, but it starts so normal and then oozes into you. Raising this undead boy is a husband and wife, and when the horror starts to hit, their human character traits and relationship issues are magnified.
She's an overbearing, very caring, mentally unstable, and nearly castrating wife who is consistently demeaning and challenging the husband in the story. There is even a near 'cuckold' scene that raises all sorts of underlying dynamics. He's running about the earth trying to make her happy, unable to fully speak up, and fearful of stating the obvious.
While much of the story takes place in one household, there's still an outbreak going on. The husband spends some time out in the 'zombie wild' in some frenetic action that should make all zombie fans happy. The reader is waiting for him to return home, rooting for him, and when he gets to his wife and kid again, things have gotten even worse. (I couldn't help but think of 'Michonne' from The Walking Dead at this point. Not sure if this was on purpose or not, but I liked that it stuck in my head). All of this leads to an explosive and satisfying conclusion. Like all good endings, the end is only a new beginning for this very interesting family.
In 'The Hand That Feeds', the author takes the genre and goes micro instead of macro, and focuses on the family unit. It's a great take on the zombie genre by using it to illustrate marital dynamics that are happening on your street everyday.
First off, the origin of the zombie outbreak is catchy. There is a 'black gu' on a child which the reader can feel on themselves as they read. We may know where this is going, but it starts so normal and then oozes into you. Raising this undead boy is a husband and wife, and when the horror starts to hit, their human character traits and relationship issues are magnified.
She's an overbearing, very caring, mentally unstable, and nearly castrating wife who is consistently demeaning and challenging the husband in the story. There is even a near 'cuckold' scene that raises all sorts of underlying dynamics. He's running about the earth trying to make her happy, unable to fully speak up, and fearful of stating the obvious.
While much of the story takes place in one household, there's still an outbreak going on. The husband spends some time out in the 'zombie wild' in some frenetic action that should make all zombie fans happy. The reader is waiting for him to return home, rooting for him, and when he gets to his wife and kid again, things have gotten even worse. (I couldn't help but think of 'Michonne' from The Walking Dead at this point. Not sure if this was on purpose or not, but I liked that it stuck in my head). All of this leads to an explosive and satisfying conclusion. Like all good endings, the end is only a new beginning for this very interesting family.
November 3, 2013
A parents love, and sanity, is put to the ultimate test in The Hand That Feeds. Michael Garza has delivered us one heck of a dark, mind-bending horror read. While the cause of the illness remains a mystery, the events that follow are well laid out for readers. Alex, ten year old son of John and Angela, contracts the zombie infection. Driven only by the need to provide for their child, The Mason's do the unthinkable. They sacrifice the living so that their son may continue to exist.
They thought they could contain it...they were wrong. Unknowingly, The Masons unleash hell on their town. Bodies of the unsuspecting souls, lured into their home under false pretenses, begin to rise and infect others.
I had difficulty reconciling the main character John. In that I mean it was difficult for me to root for a protagonist that was as much victim as he was villain. Struggling to survive in an outbreak, his main driving force remains to maintain the well-being of his family unit. Fueled by a mentally unstable wife, John is forced to commit unthinkable crimes upon his fellow man.
The major theme of The Hand That Feeds is one mans inner struggle between doing what's right and doing what he thinks is best for his family. Unlike most books that I read, I did not read this one fast. I couldn't, because it kept making me sick with what one man was capable of. A great book is one that makes you think, and man did I think on this book a lot! The human psyche is a fragile thing. So what happens when the one thing you love most in this world is no more? Denial, people! Denial can be a powerful beast all on its own, and can lead to our ultimate undoing.
Garza's work appeals to many readers. If you enjoy zombies, apocalyptic tales, horror, or psychological thrillers, then this book is for you. Visit www.bookie-monster.com to read my entire review.
They thought they could contain it...they were wrong. Unknowingly, The Masons unleash hell on their town. Bodies of the unsuspecting souls, lured into their home under false pretenses, begin to rise and infect others.
I had difficulty reconciling the main character John. In that I mean it was difficult for me to root for a protagonist that was as much victim as he was villain. Struggling to survive in an outbreak, his main driving force remains to maintain the well-being of his family unit. Fueled by a mentally unstable wife, John is forced to commit unthinkable crimes upon his fellow man.
The major theme of The Hand That Feeds is one mans inner struggle between doing what's right and doing what he thinks is best for his family. Unlike most books that I read, I did not read this one fast. I couldn't, because it kept making me sick with what one man was capable of. A great book is one that makes you think, and man did I think on this book a lot! The human psyche is a fragile thing. So what happens when the one thing you love most in this world is no more? Denial, people! Denial can be a powerful beast all on its own, and can lead to our ultimate undoing.
Garza's work appeals to many readers. If you enjoy zombies, apocalyptic tales, horror, or psychological thrillers, then this book is for you. Visit www.bookie-monster.com to read my entire review.
October 29, 2014
Spoilers Below:
This is a zombie novel that tries to take an original approach to the genre, and succeeds only in part. The story begins with Angela and John, a working class couple living on the outskirts of a small town, whose young son is attacked by something that turns him into a flesh-eating zombie. Angela, who is both a loving mother and a total psycho, decides that they have to keep their son “alive” by finding him living flesh to eat. While at first repulsed by this idea, John, who is shown to be weak-willed, brow-beaten and not particularly smart, eventually agrees.
The first third of the story shows them drawing strangers to their home to feed their zombie child. The idea is so over the top it actually works for a while, and some of the early scenes succeeded in sending shivers up my spine. This part of the story is gross, scary and sometimes funny. A very original take on this genre.
Unfortunately, the book takes an unoriginal turn when most of the people in town turn into zombies. What follows is a series of generic, and overly-long, scenes of John running around and fighting off hordes of zombies. It’s nothing we haven’t seen or read many times before, and while the blood-letting is graphic, there is little that is exciting in this part of the book. What made John and Angela interesting was their particular reaction to what happened to their son. Taken out of this twisted dynamic John is a much less interesting character, as is his story. As for the people he meets, they are thinly drawn and come and go so fast there is little time for the reader to care about them.
Another major problem with the scenes in town is that John suddenly turns into the decisive, heroic sheriff from The Walking Dead. He never showed this much backbone at home. Then when he does get back home, he’s Angela’s none-too-swift whipping boy again. The changes in his character are not very realistic.
These changes also reflect another problem with the story. When John is in town, fighting alongside other humans against the zombie horde, it’s only natural to cheer for him. When he goes home and starts hunting neighboring families to feed his son, he becomes the monster of the story. It’s as if the author has two different ideas for a zombie story and tried to combine them, but this only weakened the whole.
Finally, my last complaint, the book could use some serious editing. Too many typos became a distraction after a while. Then again, I’ve had this book on my Kindle for a while, and maybe the author has cleaned up his text since first putting it out.
All in all, pretty good, with parts that were really good and parts that were, well, not.
This is a zombie novel that tries to take an original approach to the genre, and succeeds only in part. The story begins with Angela and John, a working class couple living on the outskirts of a small town, whose young son is attacked by something that turns him into a flesh-eating zombie. Angela, who is both a loving mother and a total psycho, decides that they have to keep their son “alive” by finding him living flesh to eat. While at first repulsed by this idea, John, who is shown to be weak-willed, brow-beaten and not particularly smart, eventually agrees.
The first third of the story shows them drawing strangers to their home to feed their zombie child. The idea is so over the top it actually works for a while, and some of the early scenes succeeded in sending shivers up my spine. This part of the story is gross, scary and sometimes funny. A very original take on this genre.
Unfortunately, the book takes an unoriginal turn when most of the people in town turn into zombies. What follows is a series of generic, and overly-long, scenes of John running around and fighting off hordes of zombies. It’s nothing we haven’t seen or read many times before, and while the blood-letting is graphic, there is little that is exciting in this part of the book. What made John and Angela interesting was their particular reaction to what happened to their son. Taken out of this twisted dynamic John is a much less interesting character, as is his story. As for the people he meets, they are thinly drawn and come and go so fast there is little time for the reader to care about them.
Another major problem with the scenes in town is that John suddenly turns into the decisive, heroic sheriff from The Walking Dead. He never showed this much backbone at home. Then when he does get back home, he’s Angela’s none-too-swift whipping boy again. The changes in his character are not very realistic.
These changes also reflect another problem with the story. When John is in town, fighting alongside other humans against the zombie horde, it’s only natural to cheer for him. When he goes home and starts hunting neighboring families to feed his son, he becomes the monster of the story. It’s as if the author has two different ideas for a zombie story and tried to combine them, but this only weakened the whole.
Finally, my last complaint, the book could use some serious editing. Too many typos became a distraction after a while. Then again, I’ve had this book on my Kindle for a while, and maybe the author has cleaned up his text since first putting it out.
All in all, pretty good, with parts that were really good and parts that were, well, not.
October 31, 2013
Mr. Garza gave me a free copy of his book in exchange for an honest review.
Man I love zombies!
I could not put this book down! I was hooked from the first chapter. This makes you think. If someone you loved turns what would you do? Would you kill them? Or would you feed them? Any parent would do what they needed to do to protect their child and this book plays upon that instinct.
John, Angela and Alex are a typical family. Dad goes to work, mom stays home to take care of the kid. But what happens when the child becomes sick? The parents do all they can to care for that child of course – at any cost too. Alex takes a turn for the worse and is never the same again, he’s changed, he’s dangerous, he’s well, he’s dead. But Angela can’t let her baby go, can’t say good bye. He is still moving, he must be alive in some way, right? RIGHT?! John is spineless and won’t stand up to his already emotionally fragile wife and to appease her, he smiles and nods and goes on with the game.
Then the game changes, Alex is hungry, its lunch time. He needs food, he's a growing boy. John goes to town and picks up a quick bite for his ailing son. Surely some food will make it all better? Right? RIGHT?! John goes about his life during the day like nothing amiss. He and Angela have their issues, but what couple doesn’t? Then while in town at work, he realizes what his son is. What he has become. An undead, a walking dead, any way you slice it, the kid is a zombie and it all started with Alex. John tries desperately to get home to his family. But the zombies are everywhere and so are those damn barking dogs that alert the zombies that a human is around. Will John make it home? Are Angela and Alex ok? Or as okay as Alex is ever going to be?
Then the Government shows up and it’s a stand off. John vs. the Government and only one side can win. Alex still needs to feed. What are John and Angela going to do? There is only one thing that can be done. They need fresh meat and a parent needs to make a sacrifice.
My heart stopped on so many pages it’s not even funny. John is a good man, trying to keep the peace at home and his sanity. But he is plagued time and time again, by his wife and her manipulation. Towards the end of the book, a switch is flipped in John. I would have liked more background on the mom and why she was depressed and manipulative. It would have been great to read from her POV too. Over all I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to any of my zombie loving friends!!
Man I love zombies!
I could not put this book down! I was hooked from the first chapter. This makes you think. If someone you loved turns what would you do? Would you kill them? Or would you feed them? Any parent would do what they needed to do to protect their child and this book plays upon that instinct.
John, Angela and Alex are a typical family. Dad goes to work, mom stays home to take care of the kid. But what happens when the child becomes sick? The parents do all they can to care for that child of course – at any cost too. Alex takes a turn for the worse and is never the same again, he’s changed, he’s dangerous, he’s well, he’s dead. But Angela can’t let her baby go, can’t say good bye. He is still moving, he must be alive in some way, right? RIGHT?! John is spineless and won’t stand up to his already emotionally fragile wife and to appease her, he smiles and nods and goes on with the game.
Then the game changes, Alex is hungry, its lunch time. He needs food, he's a growing boy. John goes to town and picks up a quick bite for his ailing son. Surely some food will make it all better? Right? RIGHT?! John goes about his life during the day like nothing amiss. He and Angela have their issues, but what couple doesn’t? Then while in town at work, he realizes what his son is. What he has become. An undead, a walking dead, any way you slice it, the kid is a zombie and it all started with Alex. John tries desperately to get home to his family. But the zombies are everywhere and so are those damn barking dogs that alert the zombies that a human is around. Will John make it home? Are Angela and Alex ok? Or as okay as Alex is ever going to be?
Then the Government shows up and it’s a stand off. John vs. the Government and only one side can win. Alex still needs to feed. What are John and Angela going to do? There is only one thing that can be done. They need fresh meat and a parent needs to make a sacrifice.
My heart stopped on so many pages it’s not even funny. John is a good man, trying to keep the peace at home and his sanity. But he is plagued time and time again, by his wife and her manipulation. Towards the end of the book, a switch is flipped in John. I would have liked more background on the mom and why she was depressed and manipulative. It would have been great to read from her POV too. Over all I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to any of my zombie loving friends!!
December 16, 2013
First of all, excellent title. And the cover haunted me every time I swept by it on my Kindle, so the creepy eyes are great too.
This book is really unique zombie fiction. The story is not at all about the impact the zombies have on the rest of the world but much more about this small, insular family. You see just enough of the how the zombies affect the rest of the town, and how things escalate is simple, clear, and perfectly believable. But the main focus is definitely the family of John, Angela, and Alex, and this makes the book more heart-wrenching than a lot of shoot-and-run zombie stories. It’s really a commentary on dysfunctional marriages more than anything. Always, you have to ask yourself what you would do if you suddenly found your kid was a zombie, and the different choices John and Angela have to make become increasingly difficult, morally.
And that’s my only issue with this book. John, while trying to be a good guy and do right by his family, isn’t really that great of a guy. He sees immediately that Alex is dead and certainly never has the same level of delusion that Angela has about who/what Alex is, but he still does terrible things to other people without a lot of remorse. His main reason for going along with everything seems to be that he doesn’t want to upset Angela, and you kind of just want to slap him. He does have moments of humanity that shine through, so he’s not a completely despicable character, which I would say Angela is. The grief of a mother losing her child is understandable, but it’s also set up that she’s a little bit crazy anyway. And it turns out she is completely manipulative, which furthers the overarching dysfunctional marriage theme. So, really, there wasn’t anyone in this story I honestly wanted to root for. I love morally gray characters and enjoy when an author can make me identify and love a bad guy, but John just never quite got there for me. However, it DOES work because “The Hand That Feeds” shows that the true monsters are the husband/wife team who caused all this destruction in the first place. THEY are the conscienceless, selfish, blind killers. It works and is infuriating as things escalate, but personally I just ended up having a complete lack of sympathy where I would have liked to have at least a little bit. Again, that really may be on me.
Also, the last line is probably one of the best I’ve ever read and definitely got a verbal “No!” out of me.
This book is really unique zombie fiction. The story is not at all about the impact the zombies have on the rest of the world but much more about this small, insular family. You see just enough of the how the zombies affect the rest of the town, and how things escalate is simple, clear, and perfectly believable. But the main focus is definitely the family of John, Angela, and Alex, and this makes the book more heart-wrenching than a lot of shoot-and-run zombie stories. It’s really a commentary on dysfunctional marriages more than anything. Always, you have to ask yourself what you would do if you suddenly found your kid was a zombie, and the different choices John and Angela have to make become increasingly difficult, morally.
And that’s my only issue with this book. John, while trying to be a good guy and do right by his family, isn’t really that great of a guy. He sees immediately that Alex is dead and certainly never has the same level of delusion that Angela has about who/what Alex is, but he still does terrible things to other people without a lot of remorse. His main reason for going along with everything seems to be that he doesn’t want to upset Angela, and you kind of just want to slap him. He does have moments of humanity that shine through, so he’s not a completely despicable character, which I would say Angela is. The grief of a mother losing her child is understandable, but it’s also set up that she’s a little bit crazy anyway. And it turns out she is completely manipulative, which furthers the overarching dysfunctional marriage theme. So, really, there wasn’t anyone in this story I honestly wanted to root for. I love morally gray characters and enjoy when an author can make me identify and love a bad guy, but John just never quite got there for me. However, it DOES work because “The Hand That Feeds” shows that the true monsters are the husband/wife team who caused all this destruction in the first place. THEY are the conscienceless, selfish, blind killers. It works and is infuriating as things escalate, but personally I just ended up having a complete lack of sympathy where I would have liked to have at least a little bit. Again, that really may be on me.
Also, the last line is probably one of the best I’ve ever read and definitely got a verbal “No!” out of me.
February 4, 2014
A kid stumbles out of a forest, covered in black ooze; soon after, he dies. The parents, already beside themselves, are in for a bigger shock when the newly deceased child suddenly gets up – and has a whole new appetite. A little later he eats the family dog, then the family doctor.
We've all seen the movies: the kid, Alex, is a zombie, and the best thing would be to shoot him in the head. The novel, however, takes a more realistic approach; the parents, John and Angela, pretty much go insane, the domineering Angela even more so, dragging poor John along for the nightmare. Angela, watching in pain as her son weakens, makes a logical deduction: eating the doctor made Alex stronger, so feeding him similar meals should keep him hale and hearty.
They do the Hellraiser thing; Angela seduces men and brings them home for Alex. One of the meals, however, runs away after having been nibbled on by Alex, thus planting the seed for the zombie apocalypse we all know and love.
It's an intimate family portrait gone crazy, with the end times as a backdrop; the escalating lunacy of the parents reaches tragicomic heights as the novel progresses. There's a wonderful scene later in the novel where John and Angela try to kidnap someone from their neighbour's house; it's a very rare thing to root for the other guy, to hope for the main character to fail and to fail big.
A bleak story that causes such conflicting emotions takes skill to pull off, and happily Michael W. Garza succeeds; the writing is crisp and efficient, the parents' loss of sanity and common decency is well handled and the slow progression of the epidemic plays out nicely. The source of Alex's predicament is never explained, making the beginning of the novel feel almost like weird fiction.
The characterisations are strong, especially John comes off as a nicely fleshed-out character. He does go through a rather traditional zombie movie hero phase in the middle, but by that point it's just refreshing that he gets out of the house for a while, away from the pressure of family obligations. Still, in a brilliant flash of black humour, he cannot help thinking about a fellow survivor what a good meal he'd make for his son; now that's true fatherly love.
Read all my reviews at mikareadshorrorfiction.com
We've all seen the movies: the kid, Alex, is a zombie, and the best thing would be to shoot him in the head. The novel, however, takes a more realistic approach; the parents, John and Angela, pretty much go insane, the domineering Angela even more so, dragging poor John along for the nightmare. Angela, watching in pain as her son weakens, makes a logical deduction: eating the doctor made Alex stronger, so feeding him similar meals should keep him hale and hearty.
They do the Hellraiser thing; Angela seduces men and brings them home for Alex. One of the meals, however, runs away after having been nibbled on by Alex, thus planting the seed for the zombie apocalypse we all know and love.
It's an intimate family portrait gone crazy, with the end times as a backdrop; the escalating lunacy of the parents reaches tragicomic heights as the novel progresses. There's a wonderful scene later in the novel where John and Angela try to kidnap someone from their neighbour's house; it's a very rare thing to root for the other guy, to hope for the main character to fail and to fail big.
A bleak story that causes such conflicting emotions takes skill to pull off, and happily Michael W. Garza succeeds; the writing is crisp and efficient, the parents' loss of sanity and common decency is well handled and the slow progression of the epidemic plays out nicely. The source of Alex's predicament is never explained, making the beginning of the novel feel almost like weird fiction.
The characterisations are strong, especially John comes off as a nicely fleshed-out character. He does go through a rather traditional zombie movie hero phase in the middle, but by that point it's just refreshing that he gets out of the house for a while, away from the pressure of family obligations. Still, in a brilliant flash of black humour, he cannot help thinking about a fellow survivor what a good meal he'd make for his son; now that's true fatherly love.
Read all my reviews at mikareadshorrorfiction.com
October 5, 2013
This is just how far you would go for your kids, but John and Angela were just 2 parents who went far to far in trying to do this.
Alex their 10 year old son had gotten into something bad that it no only killed him but turned him into a zombie. After this things get out of hand fast . At first I thought it was just his mum,Angela, who was crazy but as it turned out out John was just as crazy as his wife.
It was all good to read, they started to feed their boy, first the dog , then his crazy mum feeds him the doctor. It was fun that Angela got her flirt / slut on to entice a man home. It didn't end well, and so the zombies spread. John's turn to feed the kid went a bit better, but he got attacked by Alex's leftovers and at this point I'm thinking, this guy so deserves being eaten by a zombie.
A point I loved was the three guy punch up in the town. John had gone into work but you know , there's now zombies everywhere. So he ends up handcuffed to his other guy, and the fight that happens is so funny. I don't know how he's still standing by the end of the book. He'd fallen down stairs ,kicked between the legs , smashed in the face, even run over.
When he finally makes it home, what does he get, only a crazy wife and we all know by this point , someone has to feed the boy. A great book that had me cringe, laugh root for the zombies and be scared.
Alex their 10 year old son had gotten into something bad that it no only killed him but turned him into a zombie. After this things get out of hand fast . At first I thought it was just his mum,Angela, who was crazy but as it turned out out John was just as crazy as his wife.
It was all good to read, they started to feed their boy, first the dog , then his crazy mum feeds him the doctor. It was fun that Angela got her flirt / slut on to entice a man home. It didn't end well, and so the zombies spread. John's turn to feed the kid went a bit better, but he got attacked by Alex's leftovers and at this point I'm thinking, this guy so deserves being eaten by a zombie.
A point I loved was the three guy punch up in the town. John had gone into work but you know , there's now zombies everywhere. So he ends up handcuffed to his other guy, and the fight that happens is so funny. I don't know how he's still standing by the end of the book. He'd fallen down stairs ,kicked between the legs , smashed in the face, even run over.
When he finally makes it home, what does he get, only a crazy wife and we all know by this point , someone has to feed the boy. A great book that had me cringe, laugh root for the zombies and be scared.
October 7, 2013
http://writeofmind.wordpress.com/2013...
Zombie stories have been done to death (pardon the pun). Stories of flesh eating walking dead now invades our culture. It has become a little dull and predictable. I am a diehard fan of AMC’s THE WALKING DEAD, not just because of the great graphics but because of the shows awesome story line.
When I came across Michael W. Garza ‘s debut zombie story, I wanted to read it because of the awesome cover alone (take note indie writers). But the story plot equally grabs your attention; not the typical Zombie Apocalypse tale. This is a story of parents, John and Angela Mason, in a family struggle that asks the question:
”How far will a parent go to keep their child alive?”
Michael W. Garza has done a great job of making the reader feel helpless and terrified. Great debut novel and totally not predictable.
August 9, 2017
This is a classic novel with zombies. A plot that everyone has met in films ("The walking dead" is the most recent example) or other zombie books.
As I said, it's a classic zombie novel. I can't say it's a must-read book, but surely it is an enjoyable book that can be read very easily. I think that the writing of the author needs some further practice, and if he keeps up working, he might one day be a popular name in the horror literature.
As I said, it's a classic zombie novel. I can't say it's a must-read book, but surely it is an enjoyable book that can be read very easily. I think that the writing of the author needs some further practice, and if he keeps up working, he might one day be a popular name in the horror literature.
September 20, 2013
Nothing like I imagined… It was better than any other Zombie book I’ve ever read!
I’m a big fan of horror, but never really got into the Zombie craze. They all became boring to me, it seemed like if you read one then you read them all.
But If they were all written like this book, I would have been their biggest fan. Michael’s way of writing brings you there with John, and you feel his pain with him as you watch his family crumble.
The Zombie’s in this book are terrifying, I couldn’t get them out of head for hours, and I think the main characters were a little scary as well.
I’m a big fan of horror, but never really got into the Zombie craze. They all became boring to me, it seemed like if you read one then you read them all.
But If they were all written like this book, I would have been their biggest fan. Michael’s way of writing brings you there with John, and you feel his pain with him as you watch his family crumble.
The Zombie’s in this book are terrifying, I couldn’t get them out of head for hours, and I think the main characters were a little scary as well.
December 24, 2022
Ok let me be really honest. I did not read this. I read a lesbian harry potter universe fan fic by the same title and it was 628 pages and it will count towards my reading goal goddamnit!
April 20, 2015
The premise of the book caught my attention, as it promised a fresh approach to the zombie genre: what would a parent do if the only child turned into a zombie? In The Hand That Feeds, the parents decide to keep their son and even provide him with what he craves: living human beings. Their decision made the main characters, John and Angela, immediately dislikable to me. I hated Angela for her selfishness - how can a mother choose to let her son vegetate as a mindless creature instead of having the mercy to release him from his cruel fate? While the father, John, had some scruples with that decision, he was too weak to stand up against his wife and cowardly followed her orders. Of course, the book would have been very short had he decided to to the right thing ;)
Next, in order to procure fresh meat for their son Alex, John visits a bar to pick up some woman. But instead of choosing the first available opportunity that comes along, he decides to wait for hours for a nicer woman to suit his taste. Really? You should expect he would be glad to finish his horrible task as fast as possible, and with all that's going on he can even spend a thought about the type of woman he wants to lure home? Why not just snatch some homeless people from the street, which would have been a lot easier? The clumsy and dumb attempts to feed their son both amused and annoyed me at the same time. That said, the first part of the book was the one I clearly enjoyed the least.
Then the story takes a turn: the town is overrun with the zombie plague and we follow John who tries to get home through the chaos. Though this is the part where the book follows typical mainstream zombie stories, I have to admit it was the part I liked best.
At the end, John reaches home and decides to get away with his family. I really hoped that after all he went through he would finally realize it would be best to end this madness, but instead he slips into the same state of madness his wife was in from the beginning. However, I immensely enjoyed Angela's well-deserved and long awaited fate.
With no one to give my sympathies to I had a hard time following the main characters with their decisions and actions. Nevertheless, I appreciate the original idea the author brought to life in this story and I enjoyed reading it.
(I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review)
Next, in order to procure fresh meat for their son Alex, John visits a bar to pick up some woman. But instead of choosing the first available opportunity that comes along, he decides to wait for hours for a nicer woman to suit his taste. Really? You should expect he would be glad to finish his horrible task as fast as possible, and with all that's going on he can even spend a thought about the type of woman he wants to lure home? Why not just snatch some homeless people from the street, which would have been a lot easier? The clumsy and dumb attempts to feed their son both amused and annoyed me at the same time. That said, the first part of the book was the one I clearly enjoyed the least.
Then the story takes a turn: the town is overrun with the zombie plague and we follow John who tries to get home through the chaos. Though this is the part where the book follows typical mainstream zombie stories, I have to admit it was the part I liked best.
At the end, John reaches home and decides to get away with his family. I really hoped that after all he went through he would finally realize it would be best to end this madness, but instead he slips into the same state of madness his wife was in from the beginning. However, I immensely enjoyed Angela's well-deserved and long awaited fate.
With no one to give my sympathies to I had a hard time following the main characters with their decisions and actions. Nevertheless, I appreciate the original idea the author brought to life in this story and I enjoyed reading it.
(I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review)
November 30, 2013
First paragraph: Evansville Kansas …
Alex’s lungs burnt in desperation as he vomited a powerful rush of the rotten, black mulch. Unable to control his body, his bowels released and he felt a warm rush as he struggled for consciousness. In a fit of madness, he pushed with his arms, finding only enough strength to lift his head. Pain wracked his eight-year-old body.
Wow. Scary creepy good.
This is not your typical zombie novel. Rather, it is a story of a family's rapid descent into madness, the insane lengths some people will go to for family togetherness when they've lost a few marbles. Make that, when they've lost the whole bag of marbles.
John Mason's a weak-willed auto mechanic, his lovely wife Angela is a mentally unstable stay-at-home mom, and together they both love their son Alex very much. When Alex contracts a sickness and turns, Angela's mental state snaps. She has to take care of her son, including his feeding. Not a bright one, John is quickly caught up in Angela's twisted plans to bring home fresh meat for Alex. As expected, things quickly get out of hand, and the Mason household becomes ground zero for a zombie outbreak in the local community.
I enjoyed the story very much, despite the fact that the main characters were despicable and had few redeeming qualities. Their 'brokenness', if you will, was like a car accident on the side of the interstate - you can't help but slow down and crane your neck to the sights in fascinated horror.
The middle portion of the book, where John is stuck in a zombified town trying to get back home to wife and son, felt a little disjointed from the beginning and ending of the book. Perhaps it was because John was away from his manipulative and unstable wife, and was making his own decisions. I gotta give it to John though - for a loser auto mechanic, he sure was able to pull out some action-packed moves on a whole host of enemies - zombies, starved dogs, gun-toting farmers, unhinged locals, even government FEMA officials. John had it going on.
Overall, 4 stars for an excellent read with characters that will stay with me for a long time. There are a few editorial corrections needed throughout the book, but nothing that takes away from the overall enjoyment of a good, horrific read. And I mean that in a good way.
November 29, 2013
Generally, I tend to avoid the current, trendy works that pertain to vampires, werewolves, or zombies, but the first sentence in the book's description, "How far would a parent go to keep their child alive?" piqued my maternal curiosity, so I took the bait.
When Jack and Angela Mason lost their ten-year-old son, Alex, to a mysterious malady, their lives are forever turned upside down when the boy returns from the dead. I'm going to begin this review with what I liked about this book. Garza definitely has the ability to suck his reader right into the story and never let go. His detailed descriptions mix well with lots of hard-hitting action and paints dramatic, almost movie-like images in the mind that keeps the reader strongly engaged. I found myself completely immersed within the story. The cover is extremely well-done and the plot is powerful, well-paced, and rolls nicely along appropriate action scenes and lulls.
Now, for what I didn't like. (Some spoilers may appear here.) I felt that what the author accomplished with action, he failed with characterization. I would've liked to have known Alex a little better before he became infected in order to evoke some empathy for the child. The story revolves around him yet he is nearly a non-entity and hardly likable. His mother was unlikable as well, right from the start. Her devotion to her son seemed to have little to do with love and everything to do with her obsessive madness. And then there's John...John's ambivalent character so often made me want to slap him. He is whipped and cowed by his mentally unstable wife and by and apparently heartless employer as well. He seems hardly compelled to aid his son, yet when it comes time for action he becomes some gung-ho, take-no-prisoners type of super commando, but never quite able to do what's necessary for either himself, his family, or humanity. I'm not convinced he truly loved his family--he seemed more to merely be duty-bound, and that blind sense of duty damns him in the end.
The author would benefit by paying closer attention to proof-reading. There are a few plot holes and the book is riddled with words not misspelled, but erroneously used that often jarred me right out of the story.
If you like zombie stories and a lot of high-hitting action, you should find this book devilishly delicious.
When Jack and Angela Mason lost their ten-year-old son, Alex, to a mysterious malady, their lives are forever turned upside down when the boy returns from the dead. I'm going to begin this review with what I liked about this book. Garza definitely has the ability to suck his reader right into the story and never let go. His detailed descriptions mix well with lots of hard-hitting action and paints dramatic, almost movie-like images in the mind that keeps the reader strongly engaged. I found myself completely immersed within the story. The cover is extremely well-done and the plot is powerful, well-paced, and rolls nicely along appropriate action scenes and lulls.
Now, for what I didn't like. (Some spoilers may appear here.) I felt that what the author accomplished with action, he failed with characterization. I would've liked to have known Alex a little better before he became infected in order to evoke some empathy for the child. The story revolves around him yet he is nearly a non-entity and hardly likable. His mother was unlikable as well, right from the start. Her devotion to her son seemed to have little to do with love and everything to do with her obsessive madness. And then there's John...John's ambivalent character so often made me want to slap him. He is whipped and cowed by his mentally unstable wife and by and apparently heartless employer as well. He seems hardly compelled to aid his son, yet when it comes time for action he becomes some gung-ho, take-no-prisoners type of super commando, but never quite able to do what's necessary for either himself, his family, or humanity. I'm not convinced he truly loved his family--he seemed more to merely be duty-bound, and that blind sense of duty damns him in the end.
The author would benefit by paying closer attention to proof-reading. There are a few plot holes and the book is riddled with words not misspelled, but erroneously used that often jarred me right out of the story.
If you like zombie stories and a lot of high-hitting action, you should find this book devilishly delicious.
December 3, 2013
The book opens up with eight year old Alex digging himself out of a grave. Pining over the loss of his parents, he realizes that he has no use of his legs and drags himself along the earth to find them. His mother, hearing his cries, does what any mother would do. She searches for and finds him. His father, more alert to the situation, though still loving his son, and afraid of its effects on his wife, attempts to take what little control he can over this strange, but engaging situation.
If the chilling cover won’t haunt you, the imagery that the author manages to kick up will. Michael W. Garza is a very descriptive writer. This author was lost more than once, while reading this book, in the haunting emotion and visual portrayal of the father, John, as he tried to find reason among madness.
As I read the book, I found myself lost in thoughts of what I would do in this same situation. John, not entirely onboard with his wife’s desire to feed their now zombie son, is forced to face his own humanity. His struggle to protect his family, as well as his own life, is haunting.
Another haunting piece to this tale is how John interacts with society as the world goes mad. Garza manages to encompass both the empathetic and the self-preserving personalities of many of his characters as the reality of what is happening engulfs this small town.
My only complaint about this book was that some of the situations that we were lead into resulted with predictable endings. This was a minor flaw, however, as the story, as told was definitely entertaining and worth the cost of the cover.
In short, this is definitely a book that keeps the pages turning and the reader looking to dark corner for unexpected movements. If you are looking for a quick read that incorporates a classic new scare, this book may be for you.
You can pick the book up at Amazon.com at the following link:
http://www.amazon.com/Hand-That-Feeds...
Author to Author asks you, how far will a mother go to protect her child, even when she knows that he has already been lost to her? And, secondly, how far will a husband go to protect his wife? The Hand That Feeds brilliantly answers both of these questions with a cliffhanger ending that will leave you chilled.
If the chilling cover won’t haunt you, the imagery that the author manages to kick up will. Michael W. Garza is a very descriptive writer. This author was lost more than once, while reading this book, in the haunting emotion and visual portrayal of the father, John, as he tried to find reason among madness.
As I read the book, I found myself lost in thoughts of what I would do in this same situation. John, not entirely onboard with his wife’s desire to feed their now zombie son, is forced to face his own humanity. His struggle to protect his family, as well as his own life, is haunting.
Another haunting piece to this tale is how John interacts with society as the world goes mad. Garza manages to encompass both the empathetic and the self-preserving personalities of many of his characters as the reality of what is happening engulfs this small town.
My only complaint about this book was that some of the situations that we were lead into resulted with predictable endings. This was a minor flaw, however, as the story, as told was definitely entertaining and worth the cost of the cover.
In short, this is definitely a book that keeps the pages turning and the reader looking to dark corner for unexpected movements. If you are looking for a quick read that incorporates a classic new scare, this book may be for you.
You can pick the book up at Amazon.com at the following link:
http://www.amazon.com/Hand-That-Feeds...
Author to Author asks you, how far will a mother go to protect her child, even when she knows that he has already been lost to her? And, secondly, how far will a husband go to protect his wife? The Hand That Feeds brilliantly answers both of these questions with a cliffhanger ending that will leave you chilled.
July 24, 2014
Let me preface my review by saying I normally don’t like anything zombie. Never have. The thought of being eaten alive by dead people is just gruesome. But, that’s the nature of the beast. I always wonder what happens to the zombies when there aren’t any more live people to eat.
What will a mother and father do to keep their son alive? Or at least some semblance of life. This story gripped me from the beginning to the end. Very compelling. Just like the cover to the book. That’s what made me read it to begin with. It kept staring at me from my kindle.
Poor Alex as he finds himself in some type of burial site that I assume was full of decomposing zombie bodies. This was never explained in the book, which I feel should have been. I mean, it wasn’t that far from their farmhouse. How did he get there? How did he actually get infected? None of these questions were addressed.
And then there’s Angela and John Mason, mother & father. Angela is the domineering and slightly psychotic member of the family. She convinces John to do anything to keep their boy alive. He needs to be fed. So the scenarios they concoct to bring people to their house to feed their boy are ingenious. But mistakes happen, and one of their victims escapes.
Realizing what his son has become, John still tries to maintain a normal life by going to work every day. That’s when the ramifications of their actions hit him in his moral face. And now it’s a race against time and zombies to protect his family.
Garza does a great job in explaining how the zombies look and smell. Makes my nose wrinkle just thinking of their zombie breathe. And then there’s Angela and John, a pair to draw too. John is always bending to the will of Angela, until he sees the truth of what they’ve unleashed on the unsuspecting town of Evansville Kansas. With moral dilemma comes growth. But is it good or bad?
A dark entertaining tale, one I would highly recommend. I did spot a few typo errors, but not prolific. This story gets 4 feathers
What will a mother and father do to keep their son alive? Or at least some semblance of life. This story gripped me from the beginning to the end. Very compelling. Just like the cover to the book. That’s what made me read it to begin with. It kept staring at me from my kindle.
Poor Alex as he finds himself in some type of burial site that I assume was full of decomposing zombie bodies. This was never explained in the book, which I feel should have been. I mean, it wasn’t that far from their farmhouse. How did he get there? How did he actually get infected? None of these questions were addressed.
And then there’s Angela and John Mason, mother & father. Angela is the domineering and slightly psychotic member of the family. She convinces John to do anything to keep their boy alive. He needs to be fed. So the scenarios they concoct to bring people to their house to feed their boy are ingenious. But mistakes happen, and one of their victims escapes.
Realizing what his son has become, John still tries to maintain a normal life by going to work every day. That’s when the ramifications of their actions hit him in his moral face. And now it’s a race against time and zombies to protect his family.
Garza does a great job in explaining how the zombies look and smell. Makes my nose wrinkle just thinking of their zombie breathe. And then there’s Angela and John, a pair to draw too. John is always bending to the will of Angela, until he sees the truth of what they’ve unleashed on the unsuspecting town of Evansville Kansas. With moral dilemma comes growth. But is it good or bad?
A dark entertaining tale, one I would highly recommend. I did spot a few typo errors, but not prolific. This story gets 4 feathers
July 25, 2014
You know when you read a title of a book and you see the cover and you are just like yep gotta add this book to my collection?
That was me. I saw the title and the cover and it drew me in and that I didn't even read the blurb. Now I know this author wrote zombie stories so I was sure this was going to be about zombies and I was not wrong. The only thing that bothered me about the book, and I am sure the author didn't want to put it in there is the fact that I don't know how the zombie apocalypse started. When I read about zombies I always like to know how did it happen was it airborne? Was it in the food, water? What? But I was able to overlook that and the story was able to capture me in from the first page.
We meet Alex who is a little boy and ends up sick pretty much but his parents have no clue what is going on. And that is when we notice that John's wife is not all there in the head, she is determine to have her son live no matter the cost of those around her. There is mayhem, murder, manipulation all wrapped up in this story that has you asking yourself the question how far would you go to keep your child living?
There are unspeakable acts that happen and I have to say it was AWESOME!!!! Now this story takes place with one family and their household, which is refreshing to read about but you do read about the outbreak later on happening and you will know who caused it.
Now on the ending I kept truly wondering when it was going to happen because the tension was tottering on the edge and who I expected to live surprised me a bit. If you are looking for a zombie story that focuses on a family that is going through the apocalypse and what they will do no matter the cost then I say pick up this book. There is gore and murder but what would you expect from a zombie story!
That was me. I saw the title and the cover and it drew me in and that I didn't even read the blurb. Now I know this author wrote zombie stories so I was sure this was going to be about zombies and I was not wrong. The only thing that bothered me about the book, and I am sure the author didn't want to put it in there is the fact that I don't know how the zombie apocalypse started. When I read about zombies I always like to know how did it happen was it airborne? Was it in the food, water? What? But I was able to overlook that and the story was able to capture me in from the first page.
We meet Alex who is a little boy and ends up sick pretty much but his parents have no clue what is going on. And that is when we notice that John's wife is not all there in the head, she is determine to have her son live no matter the cost of those around her. There is mayhem, murder, manipulation all wrapped up in this story that has you asking yourself the question how far would you go to keep your child living?
There are unspeakable acts that happen and I have to say it was AWESOME!!!! Now this story takes place with one family and their household, which is refreshing to read about but you do read about the outbreak later on happening and you will know who caused it.
Now on the ending I kept truly wondering when it was going to happen because the tension was tottering on the edge and who I expected to live surprised me a bit. If you are looking for a zombie story that focuses on a family that is going through the apocalypse and what they will do no matter the cost then I say pick up this book. There is gore and murder but what would you expect from a zombie story!
November 12, 2013
The original review was posted on Genuine Jenn This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.
After reading the book summary I thought it sounded like a great new zombie book. I haven't read many zombie books but have seen my fair share of zombie movies. This book is a refreshing twist on your regular zombie story lines. It starts off very quick with the reader wonder what happened to eight year old son, Alex. His parents don't have a lot of money and didn't want to take him to the hospital so they called in a Dr they know to make a house call. Soon enough John puts the pieces together and realizes Alex is the walking dead and has infected one person who has now infected their whole town. Angela has mental problems and is pushed to the edge when her son "dies" she will do anything and I mean anything to keep him alive.
This book is fast paced but I did find a spot where I felt it slowed down a bit. By the end it definitely picked back up and gave me an ending that I wasn't really expecting. John had a lot of obstacles to face to save his family from the walking dead, even though his son was where it all began.
The book wasn't too gruesome that I had problems continuing but there were moments where I was like ewww. How far would you go for the ones you love? If you like zombies and want to try a new storyline this one may be just right for you.
I give this book a 3.75 out of 5 stars.
After reading the book summary I thought it sounded like a great new zombie book. I haven't read many zombie books but have seen my fair share of zombie movies. This book is a refreshing twist on your regular zombie story lines. It starts off very quick with the reader wonder what happened to eight year old son, Alex. His parents don't have a lot of money and didn't want to take him to the hospital so they called in a Dr they know to make a house call. Soon enough John puts the pieces together and realizes Alex is the walking dead and has infected one person who has now infected their whole town. Angela has mental problems and is pushed to the edge when her son "dies" she will do anything and I mean anything to keep him alive.
This book is fast paced but I did find a spot where I felt it slowed down a bit. By the end it definitely picked back up and gave me an ending that I wasn't really expecting. John had a lot of obstacles to face to save his family from the walking dead, even though his son was where it all began.
The book wasn't too gruesome that I had problems continuing but there were moments where I was like ewww. How far would you go for the ones you love? If you like zombies and want to try a new storyline this one may be just right for you.
I give this book a 3.75 out of 5 stars.
September 14, 2013
Watch out zombie world: Michael W. Garza has arrived! The Hand That Feeds has everything you could possibly want in a zombie book (and more!). I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book, because it doesn’t conform to the average script for zombie literature (survivor kills zombies, runs away, hides, kills more zombie, etc.). Garza’s story has so much more substance than the average zombie book.
The Hand That Feeds focuses on one family. John and Angela’s marriage is held together by one thing: their son, Alex. The reader finds out early on that Angela has severe mental problems, and her love of Alex is the only thing that keeps her from completely losing her marbles. Alex goes missing and returns with a mysterious sickness, and Angela and John are grief stricken when their son dies at such a young age, which is a natural reaction. What isn’t so natural is what happens when Alex reanimates as a zombie. I don’t want to give away too much, because I want you to experience this book for yourself without any spoilers. But I will say that this book kept me on my toes the whole time I was reading.
I have to give props to Garza for his writing style. The Hand That Feeds is beautifully written. The descriptions are so vivid that I felt like I was in the room with John and Angela as their world came crashing down around them. If you haven’t picked up a copy of Michael W. Garza’s masterpiece yet, I highly recommend that you do so now! I promise you won’t be disappointed.
The Hand That Feeds focuses on one family. John and Angela’s marriage is held together by one thing: their son, Alex. The reader finds out early on that Angela has severe mental problems, and her love of Alex is the only thing that keeps her from completely losing her marbles. Alex goes missing and returns with a mysterious sickness, and Angela and John are grief stricken when their son dies at such a young age, which is a natural reaction. What isn’t so natural is what happens when Alex reanimates as a zombie. I don’t want to give away too much, because I want you to experience this book for yourself without any spoilers. But I will say that this book kept me on my toes the whole time I was reading.
I have to give props to Garza for his writing style. The Hand That Feeds is beautifully written. The descriptions are so vivid that I felt like I was in the room with John and Angela as their world came crashing down around them. If you haven’t picked up a copy of Michael W. Garza’s masterpiece yet, I highly recommend that you do so now! I promise you won’t be disappointed.
October 5, 2013
I got this book from the author, free of cost, in exchange of an honest review from my side.
Firstly I would like to thank Michael Gazra, author of The Hand That Feeds, for giving me this opportunity of reading and reviewing this book.
I liked this book a lot though this is the first time that I read a zombie book because I tend to avoid books in zombie genre because of extreme gory scenes which spoil the total book but the blurb of this book interested me so I gave it a shot and was really happy to find out that there are gory scenes but they aren't extreme at least!
The total concept and the emotions behind framing this story is really heart touching. The author portrayed the helplessness and indecision of the father and the madness of the mother is a spectacular way which I heartily felt and visualized while reading.
The writing style is great and the mystery will drive you crazy till the end and the suspense was really spooky and it gave me goosebumps at many scenes.
The unpredictable twits and turns makes it a gripping read and the readers are ought to be impatient to know that what the parents will do and how far would they go to save their son. Will they provide him with human flesh? Well go and grab your copy folks and find out the answer, I bet you wouldn't regret your decision.
All in all a great horror read and I would definitely recommend it to ya all and hope that you all will just love it like I did and enjoy it thoroughly.
Firstly I would like to thank Michael Gazra, author of The Hand That Feeds, for giving me this opportunity of reading and reviewing this book.
I liked this book a lot though this is the first time that I read a zombie book because I tend to avoid books in zombie genre because of extreme gory scenes which spoil the total book but the blurb of this book interested me so I gave it a shot and was really happy to find out that there are gory scenes but they aren't extreme at least!
The total concept and the emotions behind framing this story is really heart touching. The author portrayed the helplessness and indecision of the father and the madness of the mother is a spectacular way which I heartily felt and visualized while reading.
The writing style is great and the mystery will drive you crazy till the end and the suspense was really spooky and it gave me goosebumps at many scenes.
The unpredictable twits and turns makes it a gripping read and the readers are ought to be impatient to know that what the parents will do and how far would they go to save their son. Will they provide him with human flesh? Well go and grab your copy folks and find out the answer, I bet you wouldn't regret your decision.
All in all a great horror read and I would definitely recommend it to ya all and hope that you all will just love it like I did and enjoy it thoroughly.
December 27, 2013
I did receive a free copy in return for an honest review, but that in no way affected my opinion.
This is a difficult book to review because some parts were quite plausible while others were just so far out there I could not buy into it at all. I did like the concept of how a father would deal with what is obviously a fairly seriously mentally ill wife as well as a son who somehow has become infected with the zombie virus. I respected that the father was quite determined that after the initial accident that leads to his son's first feeding how he was able to accept it as it seemed almost unavoidable. However from there forward I felt the book began to go downhill. In some ways it was a bit like the movie "Groundhog Day" with the mantra day after day of how the kid needs food... go get food, provide for your family, your son needs food... it just became a bit much. As for the ending I have mixed motions. On one hand I can see how things may happen that way, but since in theory the father is supposed to be the most stable one left, it felt like a stretch.
It is not a bad book if you want something light and easy to read say on a plane or something, but overall I do not see it as a book I would go out of my way to read again or recommend to my friends. The potential in this author is definitely there as what he wrote came to life so easily as I read it, it is just too bad the story seems to have gotten away from him.
This is a difficult book to review because some parts were quite plausible while others were just so far out there I could not buy into it at all. I did like the concept of how a father would deal with what is obviously a fairly seriously mentally ill wife as well as a son who somehow has become infected with the zombie virus. I respected that the father was quite determined that after the initial accident that leads to his son's first feeding how he was able to accept it as it seemed almost unavoidable. However from there forward I felt the book began to go downhill. In some ways it was a bit like the movie "Groundhog Day" with the mantra day after day of how the kid needs food... go get food, provide for your family, your son needs food... it just became a bit much. As for the ending I have mixed motions. On one hand I can see how things may happen that way, but since in theory the father is supposed to be the most stable one left, it felt like a stretch.
It is not a bad book if you want something light and easy to read say on a plane or something, but overall I do not see it as a book I would go out of my way to read again or recommend to my friends. The potential in this author is definitely there as what he wrote came to life so easily as I read it, it is just too bad the story seems to have gotten away from him.
October 7, 2013
I was given an ARC of this by the author and asked for a honest review.
First things first...I went into this knowing that it was about Zombies and knew that there was great potential for scaring the crud out of me. I have never been able to watch or read anything with Zombies because I can't handle the gore and horror of it.
I was ready to take a leap into this book, feeling that I could get through it. It was a book and I wouldn't have to see the gore that comes with the territory of zombies. I was sooo wrong!
This book was very hard for me to finish. Not because of the writing or the story line, because both were excellent! The characters were strong and I couldn't find anything wrong with them or this story. The only thing that I had a problem with, was getting through it because of the horror and gore that was described in it. Everything that I would expect to be in a book of this genre, lived up to my expectations and beyond!
There were moments when I wanted to scream at the characters, especially Angela because of her actions. All the emotions that her and John went through with the state of their son were honest and believable. I truly understood why they did or didn't do things that seemed logical. Nothing about this situation was logical or typical.
I look forward to reading more of Michael's books.
First things first...I went into this knowing that it was about Zombies and knew that there was great potential for scaring the crud out of me. I have never been able to watch or read anything with Zombies because I can't handle the gore and horror of it.
I was ready to take a leap into this book, feeling that I could get through it. It was a book and I wouldn't have to see the gore that comes with the territory of zombies. I was sooo wrong!
This book was very hard for me to finish. Not because of the writing or the story line, because both were excellent! The characters were strong and I couldn't find anything wrong with them or this story. The only thing that I had a problem with, was getting through it because of the horror and gore that was described in it. Everything that I would expect to be in a book of this genre, lived up to my expectations and beyond!
There were moments when I wanted to scream at the characters, especially Angela because of her actions. All the emotions that her and John went through with the state of their son were honest and believable. I truly understood why they did or didn't do things that seemed logical. Nothing about this situation was logical or typical.
I look forward to reading more of Michael's books.
October 15, 2013
**I first want to thank the author for being very kind and giving me a free copy to review. Thanks! :) **
Now.. Would you go to extremes too keep your family together forever? Or not?..
This story is a about a small, scrapping by family of three having to deal with a mentally ill mother named, Angela, who would do absolutely anything for her child. A father, named John, who can't say no to his manipulative wife, and their decaying son, Alex, that only has a never ending need to feed and nothing more.
A odd couple, taking care of their zombie son by any means needed. It's a unique concept I never heard of before. Very well done. John and Angela are all well developed and interesting. Their personalities are dominant and constant. The story took a routine beat of their now concidered normal life until chaos comes and then the story picks up in pace. The ending was great and was a very good place to leave it off at. I had some small unresolved questions however, but overall the book was excellent and the ending was perfect.
So my verdict is "The Hand That Feeds" by Michael W. Garza is a good read if your interested in a unusual weird family and/ or in a differently unique zombie book that's vastly different then mainstream dystopia zombie genre views books.
Now.. Would you go to extremes too keep your family together forever? Or not?..
This story is a about a small, scrapping by family of three having to deal with a mentally ill mother named, Angela, who would do absolutely anything for her child. A father, named John, who can't say no to his manipulative wife, and their decaying son, Alex, that only has a never ending need to feed and nothing more.
A odd couple, taking care of their zombie son by any means needed. It's a unique concept I never heard of before. Very well done. John and Angela are all well developed and interesting. Their personalities are dominant and constant. The story took a routine beat of their now concidered normal life until chaos comes and then the story picks up in pace. The ending was great and was a very good place to leave it off at. I had some small unresolved questions however, but overall the book was excellent and the ending was perfect.
So my verdict is "The Hand That Feeds" by Michael W. Garza is a good read if your interested in a unusual weird family and/ or in a differently unique zombie book that's vastly different then mainstream dystopia zombie genre views books.
December 1, 2013
This was a great horror read. There are so many different things to be frightened by in this story, 1 the son Alex, what he is & how he became that way, 2 the wife/mother Angela, she is not only mentally deficient but morally as well & perhaps just evil deep down, 3 the narrator/father/husband John, so easily manipulated by Angela that you never doubt his willingness to do whatever nasty thing she demands of him & 4 the ZOMBIES of course! This book would have been a fantastic read even w/o the walking corpses but you know I love me some zombies. Now if you are not a fan of zombies don't write this book off because it's not your typical zombie book, it's really about John & Angela & what they are willing to do for their child & if you are a parent or just have a young person in your life you care about it really makes you ask the question "How far would I be willing to go for this child?"
If you can't tell from what I've already written let me say it plainly..
READ THIS BOOK, I WHOLLY RECOMMEND IT!!
If you can't tell from what I've already written let me say it plainly..
READ THIS BOOK, I WHOLLY RECOMMEND IT!!
October 20, 2013
I won this novel in a drawing here on goodreads. I can't in good conscience recommend this book. Although it had clearly been gone over with a spell checker there were a number of word errors that completely pulled me out of the book. Such as ewe instead of ew, awe instead of aw, and the worst contempt instead of content. Aside from these issues it was written well but had (for me at least) a fatal flaw. I could not stand any of the characters. In my opinion a truly outstanding book should have something that gets you to empathize with the characters. In all honesty the closer I was to finishing this book the more I hoped the characters would die. They simply had no redeeming qualities. In retrospect I think the idea behind this novel is one that may render it impossible to have empathic characters. If you like strong ideas or likable characters then give this book a pass. If all you want us yet another zombie end of the world story, then enjoy yourself.
September 10, 2013
Let's be fair and admit that the zombie genre has grown pretty stale. It's all been done and while some try and breath new life into it there's always the same results.
The hand that feeds is different and Michael W. Garza has written a novel that should appease both fans of horror and zombie stories. It's an interesting and gripping book that asks a simple question. What would you do to save your family?
The events that transpire in the novel are a direct result of that decision. There is a great deal of gore and like all zombie novels there's an outbreak but what drives the story is in fact John who sees first hand what he has caused yet the love he has for his family wins over common sense.
There is a lot to love about The Hand That Feeds does breath new life into a genre that has grown quite stale and boring. I did receive a copy in exchange for a review and look forward to reading more from this author.
The hand that feeds is different and Michael W. Garza has written a novel that should appease both fans of horror and zombie stories. It's an interesting and gripping book that asks a simple question. What would you do to save your family?
The events that transpire in the novel are a direct result of that decision. There is a great deal of gore and like all zombie novels there's an outbreak but what drives the story is in fact John who sees first hand what he has caused yet the love he has for his family wins over common sense.
There is a lot to love about The Hand That Feeds does breath new life into a genre that has grown quite stale and boring. I did receive a copy in exchange for a review and look forward to reading more from this author.
September 26, 2013
John. Angela. Alex. The family. The one's to blame (possibly) for starting it all. The apocalypse. Garza's novel gets right into the meat of the story on page one. It never stops. The tension. The action. The suspense. The unexpected ending. Loved it.
John and Angela are barely making ends meet. Their son Alex was missing. Is found. But something is different. Wrong. Angela forces her husband to do the one thing men should do for their families. Provide. Her nagging, and belittling ate through me as I read, and read and read. Some great scenes unfold. Especially when John is on his own in the "city," trying to make it back to his family.
With an intensity that would translate well on the big-screen, Garza takes the zombie story and brings it to a more personal level. Tight prose, and crisp descriptions -- I cannot wait to see what this author writes next!
John and Angela are barely making ends meet. Their son Alex was missing. Is found. But something is different. Wrong. Angela forces her husband to do the one thing men should do for their families. Provide. Her nagging, and belittling ate through me as I read, and read and read. Some great scenes unfold. Especially when John is on his own in the "city," trying to make it back to his family.
With an intensity that would translate well on the big-screen, Garza takes the zombie story and brings it to a more personal level. Tight prose, and crisp descriptions -- I cannot wait to see what this author writes next!
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