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Zombie Apocalypse #1
Necrophobia
An ordinary summer's day. The grass is green, the flowers are blooming. All is right with the world. Then the dead start rising. From cemetery and mortuary, funeral home and morgue, they flood into the streets until every town and city is infested with walking corpses, blank-eyed eating machines that exist to take down the living. The world is a graveyard. And when you have a family to protect, it's more than survival. It's war.
240 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 2011
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460 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
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February 21, 2017The book is subtitled "Wake The Dead" Book 1.
This is a pen name for Tim Curran.
This is a pen name for Tim Curran.
March 8, 2015
Absolutely incredible post apocalyptic book.
I love the fact that Jack Hamlyn didn't try to recreate the Zombie, although sometimes it is needed to step away from the pack. It is not needed here, the story is so well written.
Jack Hamlyn has created a cast of characters that carry the story, we have our hero (Steve), his loving wife (Ricki), the crazy sister in law, the stable calm neighbour and the crazy survivalist nut case (where would a Zombie story be without him), and of course the lovable kid who has to grow up to quickly. All of these characters are so well developed, they are now my friends. I need to see what happens to them next.
Reading Necrophobia felt like watching an episode of the Walking Dead, Hamlyn brought the story to life. I would put Necrophobia right up there with Hater and Day By Day Armageddon. It was that good!
www.2bookloversreviews.com
I love the fact that Jack Hamlyn didn't try to recreate the Zombie, although sometimes it is needed to step away from the pack. It is not needed here, the story is so well written.
Jack Hamlyn has created a cast of characters that carry the story, we have our hero (Steve), his loving wife (Ricki), the crazy sister in law, the stable calm neighbour and the crazy survivalist nut case (where would a Zombie story be without him), and of course the lovable kid who has to grow up to quickly. All of these characters are so well developed, they are now my friends. I need to see what happens to them next.
Reading Necrophobia felt like watching an episode of the Walking Dead, Hamlyn brought the story to life. I would put Necrophobia right up there with Hater and Day By Day Armageddon. It was that good!
www.2bookloversreviews.com
September 22, 2017
Damn good zombie bashing fun
Just when I think I'm done with tales from the undead apocalypse Necrophobia creeps along and snatches me back in with it's cold, rotting claws. Nothing necessarily new here but that's ok. It hits the spot like a Coke. Loved the Iraq flashback scene. Wish they would make a movie already from one of Curran's books. Guy kicks all kinds of ass.
Just when I think I'm done with tales from the undead apocalypse Necrophobia creeps along and snatches me back in with it's cold, rotting claws. Nothing necessarily new here but that's ok. It hits the spot like a Coke. Loved the Iraq flashback scene. Wish they would make a movie already from one of Curran's books. Guy kicks all kinds of ass.
January 25, 2014
First of all, I adored this one as the dead are actually dead, as in from-the-grave dead, as opposed to infected. A nice throw-back in a day when most zombie works feature the infected. Make no mistake- if you're bitten, but happen to escape being torn to shreds, you'll still expire and come back shortly, but it begins when the dead rise from their graves. This origin lends itself to some terrific visuals of not just the 'eaten' corpses staggering around, but the ones long (or not so long) buried who've escaped the grave. A nice change of pace, in my eyes.
The story is very well written. I love it when it just flows, and you can get immersed in the story, instead of jumbled up in oddly-phrased bits or weird word choices or reptitive wording. There was none of that here. Some phrases were so well done that I read them more than once, just to savor them a bit more-they were that good. The author has a knack for 'realistic' descriptions that just feel...right. Have you ever read a zombie novel where the descriptions just don't 'work', but feel artificial and stiff instead? Again, none of that here- beautifully done. I could count the minor editing errors (misplaced comma, missing comma, that kind of thing) on one hand, so no big distractions there.
I really enjoyed the characters. Their interactions and personalities were believable, and comfortable. There were no way-out-of-left- field additions thrown in here to force the story along, no actions on any characters part that felt artificial to strong arm the story in a certain direction. The characters, and their actions, decisions, and behaviors, all felt very natural and true to life.
There's a nice balance between battling/surviving the dead and tangling with less-than-savory survivors here. Both are a huge issue, and both types of conflict were well-rounded and well done, making for a very enjoyable read.
This one fell short of a five star read due to a few minor issues I had. Starting off, there's a lot of Right/Republican bashing, particularly aimed at Fox News and the like. I'm not a huge fan myself, but it's a major turn-off for me when an author interjects personal views just for the hell of it. Had the strong opinion worked to shape the main character, to set up a tangible, important piece of the puzzle as to what makes him tick, then fine, I wouldn't mind. But the Right bashing added nothing but a peek into the author's political views. It was just political rhetoric thrown in to get it in, instead of benefitting the story. Not a fan, not in the least. Fortunately, after 2 or 3 episodes of this nonsense in the first half of the book, it disappeared.
At one point, one minor character is very clearly going to be a detriment to the group. It's not exactly his fault as he's not in his right mind, but it's clear to both the reader, and the other characters, that no good will come of that one and he'll probably endanger the whole group. Still nothing is done to prevent this. There's a group-wide "He's going to get us all killed" feeling, yet everyone kind of shrugs it off and wrings their hands instead of being pro-active about it. A snag in an otherwise fantastic tale.
My last complaint is a small one, but I still didn't care for it. At various points in the story, hand-drawn maps to demostrate how an area is set up, or pictures/basic info about military weapons, are randomly inserted. I found them distracting and unnecessary. If the author did a good job assmebling the setting with his/her words, I don't need a map, thanks. I'm not a military buff, but I have enough of a general idea to get a workable picture of various weapons and equipment in my head. Finding random maps and pictures in the book just yanked me out of the story and I found them distracting and unwelcome.
This is a worthwhile read, in general, as the author writes quite well and the story's a good one. If you enjoy 'realistic' zombie apocalypse stories, with realistic charcters and happenings, this is one to read.
The story is very well written. I love it when it just flows, and you can get immersed in the story, instead of jumbled up in oddly-phrased bits or weird word choices or reptitive wording. There was none of that here. Some phrases were so well done that I read them more than once, just to savor them a bit more-they were that good. The author has a knack for 'realistic' descriptions that just feel...right. Have you ever read a zombie novel where the descriptions just don't 'work', but feel artificial and stiff instead? Again, none of that here- beautifully done. I could count the minor editing errors (misplaced comma, missing comma, that kind of thing) on one hand, so no big distractions there.
I really enjoyed the characters. Their interactions and personalities were believable, and comfortable. There were no way-out-of-left- field additions thrown in here to force the story along, no actions on any characters part that felt artificial to strong arm the story in a certain direction. The characters, and their actions, decisions, and behaviors, all felt very natural and true to life.
There's a nice balance between battling/surviving the dead and tangling with less-than-savory survivors here. Both are a huge issue, and both types of conflict were well-rounded and well done, making for a very enjoyable read.
This one fell short of a five star read due to a few minor issues I had. Starting off, there's a lot of Right/Republican bashing, particularly aimed at Fox News and the like. I'm not a huge fan myself, but it's a major turn-off for me when an author interjects personal views just for the hell of it. Had the strong opinion worked to shape the main character, to set up a tangible, important piece of the puzzle as to what makes him tick, then fine, I wouldn't mind. But the Right bashing added nothing but a peek into the author's political views. It was just political rhetoric thrown in to get it in, instead of benefitting the story. Not a fan, not in the least. Fortunately, after 2 or 3 episodes of this nonsense in the first half of the book, it disappeared.
At one point, one minor character is very clearly going to be a detriment to the group. It's not exactly his fault as he's not in his right mind, but it's clear to both the reader, and the other characters, that no good will come of that one and he'll probably endanger the whole group. Still nothing is done to prevent this. There's a group-wide "He's going to get us all killed" feeling, yet everyone kind of shrugs it off and wrings their hands instead of being pro-active about it. A snag in an otherwise fantastic tale.
My last complaint is a small one, but I still didn't care for it. At various points in the story, hand-drawn maps to demostrate how an area is set up, or pictures/basic info about military weapons, are randomly inserted. I found them distracting and unnecessary. If the author did a good job assmebling the setting with his/her words, I don't need a map, thanks. I'm not a military buff, but I have enough of a general idea to get a workable picture of various weapons and equipment in my head. Finding random maps and pictures in the book just yanked me out of the story and I found them distracting and unwelcome.
This is a worthwhile read, in general, as the author writes quite well and the story's a good one. If you enjoy 'realistic' zombie apocalypse stories, with realistic charcters and happenings, this is one to read.
February 22, 2020
Overdone idea and the writing to match
Zombies aren't characters, they're objects, so I didn't expect much in terms of character development; what I did expect, however, is that the real human characters have some sort of personality. And I didn't get that. The main character is painstakingly boring and full of himself; the rest are... Just kind of there. The book in its entirety reads as a prologue, but I don't think I'll go for part two. Basically, I'd recommend this book to those who don't want a complex plot, interesting characters, but are fans of action packed, forgettable, run-of-the-mill films full of cliché dialogues and not much else. It's written as a film, and a not very good one at that.
Zombies aren't characters, they're objects, so I didn't expect much in terms of character development; what I did expect, however, is that the real human characters have some sort of personality. And I didn't get that. The main character is painstakingly boring and full of himself; the rest are... Just kind of there. The book in its entirety reads as a prologue, but I don't think I'll go for part two. Basically, I'd recommend this book to those who don't want a complex plot, interesting characters, but are fans of action packed, forgettable, run-of-the-mill films full of cliché dialogues and not much else. It's written as a film, and a not very good one at that.
September 17, 2017
This was a good story. I liked the MC right from the start and I had fun with the book. It was well written and well developed (though it had some spelling/grammar mistakes).
That said, I feel like it focused too much on the battle scenes. I get it, it's a zombie book. But the characters were so good, I wanted to see more of who they were, and not of how well they could kick zombie ass.
On the bright side, I loved the pictures. They REALLY helped.
That said, I feel like it focused too much on the battle scenes. I get it, it's a zombie book. But the characters were so good, I wanted to see more of who they were, and not of how well they could kick zombie ass.
On the bright side, I loved the pictures. They REALLY helped.
August 10, 2018
Military writer so you get excessive descriptions of fire fights but minimal words on everything else. A character can enter a space and you are given zero information of what they see. If they pick up a gun two pages are dedicated to a sales pitch on it. It was passable but brought very little new to the table
March 24, 2020
I have this book and number 2.
Not reading number 2.
A book that starts out okay, but never has any character development, everyone is a cartoon.
Lots of military action with no humanity.
Just not my kind of book.
Not reading number 2.
A book that starts out okay, but never has any character development, everyone is a cartoon.
Lots of military action with no humanity.
Just not my kind of book.
June 25, 2019
Not great
Bog standard zombie book. Typical story line of ex army man with more guns than Rambo and surprise surprise he finds some tanks. Read a lot of zombie books and this one was a run of the mill effort.
Bog standard zombie book. Typical story line of ex army man with more guns than Rambo and surprise surprise he finds some tanks. Read a lot of zombie books and this one was a run of the mill effort.
April 26, 2025
Great non-stop action throughout the series and full of lines like this: He was a big guy, utterly naked, gnawing on the gristle of a bone. Highly recommended!
May 2, 2012
This was a good read. As an author, we can be very critical of other books. We know what to look for. I love horror, and lately especially zombie fiction.
Jack Hamlyn created believable characters that I care about, something I look for in an enjoyable read. There was plenty of action and gore for fans that love action, and a well though out plot.
As someone who comes from a military family, I really liked the details on guns used, even to pictures. I loved the use of a tank. Very cool.
Finally, I absolutely love the fact that not all the characters were killed off by the end. That they plan to fight their way back for at least a small segment of humanity. It depresses me when so many zombie novels end in despair and no chance for humans to survive. I'm working on my own zombie book and that is an important element to me.
This author will be on my read list, and I look forward to the 2nd in this series.
Myra Nour
www.myranour.net
www.booktrailershowcase.com
Jack Hamlyn created believable characters that I care about, something I look for in an enjoyable read. There was plenty of action and gore for fans that love action, and a well though out plot.
As someone who comes from a military family, I really liked the details on guns used, even to pictures. I loved the use of a tank. Very cool.
Finally, I absolutely love the fact that not all the characters were killed off by the end. That they plan to fight their way back for at least a small segment of humanity. It depresses me when so many zombie novels end in despair and no chance for humans to survive. I'm working on my own zombie book and that is an important element to me.
This author will be on my read list, and I look forward to the 2nd in this series.
Myra Nour
www.myranour.net
www.booktrailershowcase.com
December 7, 2013
Necrophobia by Jack Hamlyn
A good effort at my favorite genre. I love the way it lacked sexy high kicking, teenage, anti role models, that are experts in all martial arts and live outside the old society, yet perfect in every way (Buffy you’ve a lot to answer for!) If you like the feminized world of soft horror, then this isn’t for you.
Real men, with hang-ups and family fight against an army of zombies and bad guys. Steve is every bit the hero and goes one step further to try and save, not only his family, but anyone he meets. He calls on the great ‘Tuck’ who is a Vietnam vet and trained killer.
If you do like fast paced, fun and scary Zombie books, this is a great start.
Jeremy Poole www.jeremypoole.net
A good effort at my favorite genre. I love the way it lacked sexy high kicking, teenage, anti role models, that are experts in all martial arts and live outside the old society, yet perfect in every way (Buffy you’ve a lot to answer for!) If you like the feminized world of soft horror, then this isn’t for you.
Real men, with hang-ups and family fight against an army of zombies and bad guys. Steve is every bit the hero and goes one step further to try and save, not only his family, but anyone he meets. He calls on the great ‘Tuck’ who is a Vietnam vet and trained killer.
If you do like fast paced, fun and scary Zombie books, this is a great start.
Jeremy Poole www.jeremypoole.net
Want to read
March 22, 2017Enjoying this so far.
Don't like Diane! When does she die? why is it her and not his wife working side by side with him and not his wife? Yeah waiting for Diane to disappear!!
I am also hoping there are other races saved, not just the usually in this end of the world story.
Diane is rude and uncaring towards her sister, a woman who's husband saved her ass, She seem to enjoy corrupting her sister's very young son.
The husband spends too much time thinking about Diane instead of his wife. T would enjoy this more if 5he husband and wife was working together on runs, so yeah, when does Diane die?!!!
Don't like Diane! When does she die? why is it her and not his wife working side by side with him and not his wife? Yeah waiting for Diane to disappear!!
I am also hoping there are other races saved, not just the usually in this end of the world story.
Diane is rude and uncaring towards her sister, a woman who's husband saved her ass, She seem to enjoy corrupting her sister's very young son.
The husband spends too much time thinking about Diane instead of his wife. T would enjoy this more if 5he husband and wife was working together on runs, so yeah, when does Diane die?!!!
June 5, 2012
This book was really good in the beginning, however as the story progressed I found myself highly pissed off with all the military terminology used. Don't get me wrong, some would have been great; but the every other paragraph had me highly upset. The story was fast pace and the plot was all about survival, which made the story flow really well with the events. Also, I loved the "how" the zombies started I just wished that there was more of the story without all the military info, if he would have cut about 40% off the military talk…this would have been a 5 star book
March 5, 2013
wow, this book was totally AWESOME!!! It had a little bit of everything, from guts, gore and zombies, to daring rescues and so much more. It is well written and you will fall in love with the characters. Not many authors have the talent to write like this!I was captivated from the beginning, got caught up in the story until the very end. I couldn't put the book down! I look forward to read more books from this author. BRAVO! BRAVO to Mr. Jack Hamlyn!!
October 21, 2014
This was ok, not horrible but not great. I'm also coming down off one of the worst book highs I've ever had though. The way it's written is quite believable and the military/weapons were well researched. I didn't connect with the characters like I would of wanted to. Except for Tuck, he was great for a slightly crazy old man. I would want him at my back in the zombie apocalypse. I may read book 2 one day, just not in a super big hurry to do so.
March 1, 2014
I am still a newbie to this genre and my only references are TWD and World War Z, so I don't know how this stacks up in the Zombie universe, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
It would seem to me that there can only be a limited take on the living dead, so it comes down to the adventures/survival of the characters against the world (both of the living and undead varieties). So far I am enjoying both the characters and the adventure, which has hinted that Hamlyn has some unique take on the genre.
It would seem to me that there can only be a limited take on the living dead, so it comes down to the adventures/survival of the characters against the world (both of the living and undead varieties). So far I am enjoying both the characters and the adventure, which has hinted that Hamlyn has some unique take on the genre.
November 6, 2015
Necrophobia Is a very interesting and an amazing book. The reader will be on the edge of their seat the whole book. One man against the undead world, surviving the apocalypse, with his son and old friends. It is one of the most involving books I have read. The story line keeps the reader guessing what will happen next. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes thriller books.
February 8, 2013
Inspired by the Walking Dead, I have a keen interest in a good zombie novels and this certainly could have been a scene out of the Walking Dead. I enjoyed it very much, a real page turner, suspenseful and I want to read the rest of the books in this series.
October 18, 2013
Started reading this last night and finished it early this morning. Couldn't put it down since I wanted to find out what happened next. Great characters and an interesting plot. Definitely one I would read again. :D
May 11, 2015
This five star rating could be confusing. I give it five stars relative to the combined mass of all Zombie literature. If I were to rate it relative to the combined mass of non-Zombie literature it would probably be a bit lower.
February 19, 2012
Awesome zombie book. One of the best I've read, actually!
Read
June 3, 2012Amazing edge of the seat reading material, couldn't turn the pages fast enough.... RECOMMENDED.
November 14, 2012
not a bad book for .99 cents - Necrophobia
February 4, 2016
*Eye-Roll* Not particularly impressive, filled with characters and situations that were very clumsily set up. A few too many errors round out a rather poor zombie novel.
December 24, 2016
Well written and professional.
September 6, 2017
Exciting!
This is a very well written and plotted out story. I really liked the characters, except the bad guys of course. Lots of action and terror.
This is a very well written and plotted out story. I really liked the characters, except the bad guys of course. Lots of action and terror.
December 4, 2013
Well written and thought out. I will say things seemed to be a bit to easy.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews