The infection came first, hordes of undead bringing mankind swiftly to its knees. Despair and misery followed, as the remaining survivors fought the living dead--and one another--for a slim chance at survival.
Through the pain and the destruction, Mike McKnight has somehow survived. With the world's population on the brink of extinction, Mike and his friends have struggled to find a vaccine to this plague that threatens total, global annihilation of the human species.
Now, on the verge of turning back the tide, the success of a vaccine hinges on a dangerous, cross-country journey from Washington, D.C., to Seattle. Mike and his friends must find a way across a nation shattered by the undead, and through a world of horrors--human and zombie alike.
The clock is ticking and time is not on their side.
Over the blasted and haunted wasteland that was the United States of America, they fight the scourge of the undead and the hands of time, hoping against hope that the next sunset is not their last. That somehow, they can help mankind find what it needs most in its hour of peril: redemption.
I started this series a few years ago when they were going free on Amazon, when zombies were all the rage, and enjoyed the first two enough to keep going. I think this one was also free, but I bought the two novellas which came in between - they are not necessary for the main story arc, but flesh out the world a bit. This is definitely a series to read in order as you only get minimal recap of previous events.
This begins a few months in to the zombie apocalypse, with former movie star Mike McKnight and his lover, Kate, a Doctor, safe in the Pentagon. With both being recipients of the vaccine, which has rendered them immune to the virus and given them super-strength and heightened senses, they have also developed intolerance to daylight and an over-active metabolism which could kill them. When informed that the only scientist who might be able to synthesise more vaccine from their blood is on the other side of the country in Seattle, they set off on the perilous mission to try and save humanity, with young teenager Ty and her trusty dog Romeo in tow, but the undead are massing and seem drawn to any place humans hole up, and sometimes other humans are just as deadly...
This was a fast paced zombie action thriller with non-stop battles, lots of gory deaths and over the top escapes, punctuated by amusingly cheesy one-liners from our hero. It’s all told from his point of view (fortunately past tense) so keeps the reader right in the centre of it all. I found there was a little too much description of what every scene looks like, as if compensating for it not being a movie, whereas there’s very little about what the characters look like. Mike is an engaging hero and the sequences where people recognise him and are in awe to meet a movie star remain quite amusing.
The writing was mostly good apart from some oddly clunky sentences which must’ve slipped past the editor, but nowhere near as many typos as in the first book. It ends at a good point, rather than a cliffhanger, but leads straight into the next book - I don’t normally read the samples at the end of ebooks but intend to move on to the fourth (and apparently final) instalment soon.
…And the horrors continue as the man behind the Hollywood hero channels his own brand of selfless hero. As his ragtag group faces the perils of the living dead, the deceit of those who would take advantage of the chaos and those who want what he knows, what he carries and the power it would bring. Mike McKnight is headed for the one place his secrets can be used to save mankind from total annihilation, Seattle. Evolving zombies, more death, gore and destruction, each day could be their last as lives are lost to see him safely in the laboratories of those who can save the world with a vaccine only he has.
Yep, still edge of your seat drama, sometimes over the top, certainly deadly, but fascinating, just the same as the evolution of one man into the hero he portrayed can bring Redemption to humanity and a second chance to live and make the world a better place. Bryan James holds nothing back, and the tension is high as time after time, these heroes face a certain death only to life another day. If you like your zombies deadly, your gore graphic and your heroes humanly flawed, suspend your reality and take a ride on the journey to Redemption where hope is finally coming back to life, but the future is still one big question mark…and survival is now a reality.
Over the top sometimes, of course, this is horror, fantasy and action! A quick read that Mr. James still infuses with timely humor that feels pretty human to me!
Series: LZR:1143 - Book 3 Publication Date: October 28, 2013 Publisher: Bryan James Genre: Horror/Sci-fi Print Length: 422 pages Available from: Amazon For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
I have enjoyed reading the books so far even though it takes me longer than I think it should. The characters are all good though some could have more of a build-up since they will be around for a while and part of the overall narrative while others could get less screen time (you know what I mean) since they really have no real contribution to the plotline than as cannon fodder. The world-building has been good because you can feel the desolation of the landscape as they travel across the country. It is an interesting journey even though we have taken it before, the players make it worth the trip.
First came the infection bringing with it hordes of undead and bringing mankind to its knees. The survivors have had to fight not only the dead but the living in order to eke out one more day. Mike McKnight, a movie star in his former life, has somehow managed to survive through all the pain and destruction set before him. Mike and his friends have been tasked with getting the vaccine that stops or at least gives a fighting chance to those still in the day-to-day fight.
Just as things start to turn around for them their success hinges on a cross-country journey from Washington, DC to Seattle, Washington. Usually not really much of a journey by air but in the current state of the country, things are much more dicey than normal. The clock is ticking and time is not on their side.
This is book 3 and I am hoping for a rousing conclusion that will knock my socks off. Enjoy these characters because they are fun and have brought some smiles and laughs even as they face heartache and death.
I'm still loving the series. I can't wait to read the next book. This was a good addition to the series and definitely worth the read. It was full of action, emotion, and humor that made it more like watching a movie than reading. I love the authors writing style. The only negative feedback I can give would be that some parts are a little too disruptive for my taste. It is helpful to explain some of the military lingo and such, but I sometimes would get lost in the description of a few battles. I think it does add to the visualization of the story, though. I really love how these books are so hard to put down once you start reading.
Mr. James continues Mike and Kate's efforts to reach the only person left that could perhaps come up with a way to save mankind. His ending to this 3rd installment of his version of a world in the throes of a zombie apocalypse makes it impossible to not buy the last chapter of his story. I highly recommend one and all to take the time and read this series. You won't regret it.
There's only one more book left in this series and I'm already regretting reading it 😢 Mike, Kate, Ky, and Romeo are like friends I'd have in real life. It's going to be so sad to Not read their adventures anymore! However, I also am waiting anxiously too see if Kate's daughter is still alive. I sure hope so!
This book follows on from the previous instalments, all of which I have read. Quite a tale of survival. I’m a fan of this genre and it didn’t disappoint. Now onto the next one.
This third book is another great addition to the LZR-1143 series. It's a little long winded at times, but redeems itself with all the action and well-placed humor. Another thumbs up from me, and I plan to venture on to another Bryan James novel soon.
I really wanted to like this book, but it read like a string of cheesy episodes of a cable TV show. Every chapter held an event that was just a little too ridiculous. I'm all about over the top books. For crying out loud I'm addicted to the Dirk Pitt books, and I still thought these ended up being too much. Not a total waste of my time but I'm glad to be done with them!
Bryan James is by far the best wordsmith, weaving a wonderful, gripping and extremely funny (at the best times!) story that began at the first page of book one and ends with the last word of this one. I look forward to reading the next!!!
enjoyed the series thoroughly and thought it was a nice end. Not everything is solved, but the tide has tipped. The humor and jokes throughout the book break up the gore filled scenes and made me chuckle on occasion.
This one buffer had the best human element to it. We saw plenty of hardships on this story. Lots of death and humor. Showed that even though people screw up, we will do what's right to fix it
The beginning of the LZR-1143 started out at a fast pace, slowed a bit during Book Two because of much military jargon & then wrapped up nicely with Redemption. Overall, this was an exciting zombie trilogy, even if the main character was a bit cliche.
Hello, very good zombie apocalypse story. I'm somewhat amazed that it keeps up the good work. A lot of these stories dry up after the first book or two. Good stuff. Thanks.
I don't know, I just liked this series a lot. I can see myself reading it again in a few years time. If your a fan of zombie stuff, this series is a no brainer.
I thought this was a good ending to the trilogy. It basically ties up all the loose ends while allowing some things for the imagination. I enjoyed the characters in this book as well as the plot.
Well written and addictive. Once I started reading it was a true struggle to put the book down. I hope very much that there will be another book coming soon to provide more closure.