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Dead Tide #1
Dead Tide
THE WORLD IS ENDING. BUT THERE ARE SURVIVORS.
Nick Talaski is a hard-bitten, angry cop. Graham is a newly divorced cab driver. Bronte is a Gulf War veteran hunting his brother’s killer. Janicea is a woman consumed by unflinching hate. Trish is a gentleman’s club dancer. Morgan is a morgue janitor.
THERE ARE NO CONTINGENCY PLANS FOR THIS.
The dead have risen and the citizens of St. Petersburg and Pinellas Park are trapped. The survivors are scattered, and options are few. And not all monsters are created by a bite. Some still have a mind of their own…
Nick Talaski is a hard-bitten, angry cop. Graham is a newly divorced cab driver. Bronte is a Gulf War veteran hunting his brother’s killer. Janicea is a woman consumed by unflinching hate. Trish is a gentleman’s club dancer. Morgan is a morgue janitor.
THERE ARE NO CONTINGENCY PLANS FOR THIS.
The dead have risen and the citizens of St. Petersburg and Pinellas Park are trapped. The survivors are scattered, and options are few. And not all monsters are created by a bite. Some still have a mind of their own…
372 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 2008
11 people are currently reading
219 people want to read
About the author
Stephen A. North
14 books58 followersHe is the author of six novels, one novella, and several short stories.
He has a BA in English Literature from the University of South Florida, and is a former Army Reservist.
He enjoys many genres of books such as Science Fiction/Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Horror, Detective, Westerns, and Alternative History.
His favorite authors: ERB; Ray Bradbury; C.S. Forrester; Bernard Cornwell; Ursula Le Guin; Keith Laumer; Robert B. Parker; Robert Crais; Richard Laymon; Stephen King; Larry Niven; Roald Dahl, Wilbur Smith; J.R.R. Tolkien; Harold Lamb; George R.R. Martin; Michael Moorcock; Brian Lumley; Lee Child; Willi Heinrich; Heinrich Muller; Paul Carell; Guy Sajer; Alexander Kent/Douglas Reeman; Richard Monaco; Alan Burt Akers; Robert Heinlein; Roger Zelazny; Frank Herbert.
He has a BA in English Literature from the University of South Florida, and is a former Army Reservist.
He enjoys many genres of books such as Science Fiction/Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Horror, Detective, Westerns, and Alternative History.
His favorite authors: ERB; Ray Bradbury; C.S. Forrester; Bernard Cornwell; Ursula Le Guin; Keith Laumer; Robert B. Parker; Robert Crais; Richard Laymon; Stephen King; Larry Niven; Roald Dahl, Wilbur Smith; J.R.R. Tolkien; Harold Lamb; George R.R. Martin; Michael Moorcock; Brian Lumley; Lee Child; Willi Heinrich; Heinrich Muller; Paul Carell; Guy Sajer; Alexander Kent/Douglas Reeman; Richard Monaco; Alan Burt Akers; Robert Heinlein; Roger Zelazny; Frank Herbert.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
April 9, 2021
***UPDATE*** The 4th book in series, DEAD TIDE RAGE, is now available!***
As of this review, July 2019, I've now read all 3 books so far published in series. That said, I think it must be shared with potential readers that this series is still NOT finished. Book 3 was released in 2014 and ends on a cliffhanger. It's now 2019 and nothing new has been published. I would not have began this series if I had known that in advance.
As of this review, July 2019, I've now read all 3 books so far published in series. That said, I think it must be shared with potential readers that this series is still NOT finished. Book 3 was released in 2014 and ends on a cliffhanger. It's now 2019 and nothing new has been published. I would not have began this series if I had known that in advance.
December 20, 2014
It must be tough trying to come up with a new way to write about the zombie apocalypse, and though Stephen A. North doesn't re-invent the wheel with Dark Tide, he at least brings a different structure to proceedings that makes it very readable. Rather than offering a traditional narrative focusing on a major character and three or four "B" characters, North creates a dozen or so almost equally important characters and follows them through short, sharp chapters each written from one of said characters third-person POVs. Positively, this had the effect of prompting me to rush through "just one more chapter" to get back to what was happening with someone else. Less awesomely, it concurrently made for some confusing moments as I tried to remember who was whom and what they were doing.
North also seems to skip over what I thought would be key moments. For example, at one point, two characters are ambushed by a set of more nefarious characters and things look ominous. Cut back to that group a few chapters later and they're seemingly getting along like a house on fire. I would have appreciated a chapter depicting how this fairly significant shift occurred.
The plot is otherwise fairly standard for this type of read, but I suspect you'd appreciate it a great deal more if you were familiar with the Florida peninsula area, since this geography plays a fairly pivotal role in the decisions the characters make. I was worried for much of the read as to whether the various arcs would come together, and they eventually do, but not until right at the very end, paving the way for an obvious sequel - as there is nothing approaching any kind of resolution here.
Two other things bear noting. One: there was a glaring plot hole involving one character being bitten at a mid-point of the novel, but then it was never referenced again and nothing came of it. Yet 70 pages before a minor character turned after being bitten! What gives? I deducted a star on this basis, as this is the kind of oversight that really bothers me. Two: some reviewers have commented on Dark Tide being written in the present tense, and how this affected their reading of it. Err. Did we read the same book? Because, well, it's just not written that way. It's past-tense through its entirety.
So, given all of the above, Dead Tide is a decent book within the zombie sub-genre that maintained my interest well-enough to prompt me to check out the sequel. Hopefully that one will be a little less confusing, even if there is still a large cast of characters who are breathing ...
3 Asshole Mayors (because clearly there are no other kind) for Dead Tide.
North also seems to skip over what I thought would be key moments. For example, at one point, two characters are ambushed by a set of more nefarious characters and things look ominous. Cut back to that group a few chapters later and they're seemingly getting along like a house on fire. I would have appreciated a chapter depicting how this fairly significant shift occurred.
The plot is otherwise fairly standard for this type of read, but I suspect you'd appreciate it a great deal more if you were familiar with the Florida peninsula area, since this geography plays a fairly pivotal role in the decisions the characters make. I was worried for much of the read as to whether the various arcs would come together, and they eventually do, but not until right at the very end, paving the way for an obvious sequel - as there is nothing approaching any kind of resolution here.
Two other things bear noting. One: there was a glaring plot hole involving one character being bitten at a mid-point of the novel, but then it was never referenced again and nothing came of it. Yet 70 pages before a minor character turned after being bitten! What gives? I deducted a star on this basis, as this is the kind of oversight that really bothers me. Two: some reviewers have commented on Dark Tide being written in the present tense, and how this affected their reading of it. Err. Did we read the same book? Because, well, it's just not written that way. It's past-tense through its entirety.
So, given all of the above, Dead Tide is a decent book within the zombie sub-genre that maintained my interest well-enough to prompt me to check out the sequel. Hopefully that one will be a little less confusing, even if there is still a large cast of characters who are breathing ...
3 Asshole Mayors (because clearly there are no other kind) for Dead Tide.
July 20, 2013
(This is a review for the Permuted Press re-release.)
The Permuted Press re-release of Dead Tide does not disappoint.
We are introduced to quite a few folks in this novel. This is a risk, in my honest opinion. I've read stories where there are so many characters that the plot simply drags along, convoluting the arc of the story with "he thought this, she thought that" instead of moving things forward. Stephen A. North has treaded this ground with an exercise of extreme caution and has come out on top.
As another reviewer stated, the author captured the social breakdown - be it government officials or John/Jane Everyday - with a remarkably believable precision. Now, this is a zombie book, but the focus is more on the characters, which keeps the pages turning. Not that I don't like a greatly-detailed layout of the undead stuffing the flesh of the fallen into their rotting mouths, mind you; I just prefer to focus more on character development. The visceral scenes that are captured within the pages felt like they belonged and are not at all overdone, which is also something you don't find in many reads from the genre.
The only thing I have to warn readers about, and I'm not the first to mention it, is that this is an extremely fast-paced read, in that you will get a brief looks (sometimes only a page's worth) into the goings on of some characters. When I had read one of the previously published versions of Dead Tide, I was initially intimidated by this. But once I dove in, just as I did this time, I was immersed in the world this author had created. What does this really mean? It means that I finished this (large) book in two days. And I warn: If you put down this book for a few days, you'll likely have to backtrack in order to catch your balance. That's just the style of this author and this novel. We're not dealing with one or two main characters, we're dealing with a lot. The best part is that not one of them is what I would consider a 'cardboard cutout.' Even better, each character has their own personality: some are good, some are bad, and some are just doing what they have to do in order to survive, but none are really alike.
The writing is crisp and the editing solid. Dead Tide is now a stronger work than what it had originally been and I'm sure its sequel won't disappoint, either.
As my blurb on the back cover states: "I recommend this book to all."
And I might add that Permuted Press made a wise decision in picking up this series. I'm really looking forward to the sequel - which the cover art has been released on Facebook and is beyond amazing.
The Permuted Press re-release of Dead Tide does not disappoint.
We are introduced to quite a few folks in this novel. This is a risk, in my honest opinion. I've read stories where there are so many characters that the plot simply drags along, convoluting the arc of the story with "he thought this, she thought that" instead of moving things forward. Stephen A. North has treaded this ground with an exercise of extreme caution and has come out on top.
As another reviewer stated, the author captured the social breakdown - be it government officials or John/Jane Everyday - with a remarkably believable precision. Now, this is a zombie book, but the focus is more on the characters, which keeps the pages turning. Not that I don't like a greatly-detailed layout of the undead stuffing the flesh of the fallen into their rotting mouths, mind you; I just prefer to focus more on character development. The visceral scenes that are captured within the pages felt like they belonged and are not at all overdone, which is also something you don't find in many reads from the genre.
The only thing I have to warn readers about, and I'm not the first to mention it, is that this is an extremely fast-paced read, in that you will get a brief looks (sometimes only a page's worth) into the goings on of some characters. When I had read one of the previously published versions of Dead Tide, I was initially intimidated by this. But once I dove in, just as I did this time, I was immersed in the world this author had created. What does this really mean? It means that I finished this (large) book in two days. And I warn: If you put down this book for a few days, you'll likely have to backtrack in order to catch your balance. That's just the style of this author and this novel. We're not dealing with one or two main characters, we're dealing with a lot. The best part is that not one of them is what I would consider a 'cardboard cutout.' Even better, each character has their own personality: some are good, some are bad, and some are just doing what they have to do in order to survive, but none are really alike.
The writing is crisp and the editing solid. Dead Tide is now a stronger work than what it had originally been and I'm sure its sequel won't disappoint, either.
As my blurb on the back cover states: "I recommend this book to all."
And I might add that Permuted Press made a wise decision in picking up this series. I'm really looking forward to the sequel - which the cover art has been released on Facebook and is beyond amazing.
November 5, 2010
Dead Tide takes place in the Tampa Bay area on the first few days of the Zombie Apocalypse. We are introduced to numerous characters going through their daily lives when the world starts to crumble around everyone as the dead come back to life.
This is not a straight line story in that we are guided along a single path but are taken down a meandering one with a multitude of characters coping with the undead surrounding them on all sides. The author points out on the back cover that the area these folks are living in is surrounded by water pretty much on every side and not a lot of manueverability. So they are stuck trying to simply get from point a to point b (and if they are lucky, to point c) before they get attacked by either the undead or the living who have discovered they are essentially living in a lawless environment now where only the strongest will survive. The rich are trying to flee to a cruise ship docked nearby while the police have long since lost control and (some) are still trying to save who they can. Along side them is the military who are trying to contain things in the most brutal of fashions while the every day folks are trying to figure out where they can hide or duck and cover.
I really enjoyed this story. I know it becomes a trite definition of enjoyment, but I really could not put it down. I got it the day before yesterday and plowed through it within a few hours. The action was at a fast clip and the characters were interesting and kept me wondering what was going to happen to them. Yep, it is only the first book in what I would guess is a trilogy (or duology at the minimum) so I was not surprised when it cut off as it did. Most of the characters in the story are on their own in this book and near the end it becomes clear that the survivors will attempt to join together, which will create an entirely new dynamic with the diversity of personalities the author has created here.
It is well worth your time if you are a zombie fan, to pick this book up. I have read over the criticisms in previous reviews posted here and while I can understand them and respect those that are well thought out I did not personally feel it was a problem that each chapter was laid out to give us a brief bit of a particular character's story and then leaves that character to return to the multitude of other characters the author was managing. I was able to keep up with it because overall plot points are revealed through the individual stories and slowly but surely the entire story comes together as one unified tale.
My own criticism are minor but I always try to be fair in my reviews, stating what I liked and did not like. There were a few elements that did not resonate with me completely. Just my personal take on things but I felt like while most of the characters were pitch perfect some of their actions or reactions were perhaps a little misplaced. An example is when Kathy, who has been rescued by Mills, the fireman, and has cozied up to him, seems to become instantly jealous of Trish, another person Mills has rescued. Her reaction, to me, seemed a bit over the top when my guess is that she would have been more happy to see another survivor since everyone else around them is either dead or dying. Is this a major criticism? No, certainly not, and her reaction is within the realm of possibilities, but it did seem like a big shock to me. Another minor criticism I had was in instances where three characters get bit or mysteriously injured (but we are not really sure if they are actually bit because of the circumstances) but after it is mentioned in the story nothing else comes of it...we are left to ponder if in fact they are infected or just injured. I realize this may be something that the sequel provides us with some more details on it but we are left in the dark in this book. In a way, it becomes another lure for me to see what becomes of each of them in the second book so in that respect, this criticism fades if they provide a real sucker punch of surprise in the sequel.
Overall, this is a really strong zombie novel that the author did a great job coordinating. I say coordinating because managing as many characters as he does here (and does very well) takes a great deal of skill. How he starts to bring them all together at the end is very intriguing. There is no doubt that I will be looking forward to the follow up book by the author to see how everyone comes together and continues to desperately survive in the face of overwhelming odds. Great stuff.
This is not a straight line story in that we are guided along a single path but are taken down a meandering one with a multitude of characters coping with the undead surrounding them on all sides. The author points out on the back cover that the area these folks are living in is surrounded by water pretty much on every side and not a lot of manueverability. So they are stuck trying to simply get from point a to point b (and if they are lucky, to point c) before they get attacked by either the undead or the living who have discovered they are essentially living in a lawless environment now where only the strongest will survive. The rich are trying to flee to a cruise ship docked nearby while the police have long since lost control and (some) are still trying to save who they can. Along side them is the military who are trying to contain things in the most brutal of fashions while the every day folks are trying to figure out where they can hide or duck and cover.
I really enjoyed this story. I know it becomes a trite definition of enjoyment, but I really could not put it down. I got it the day before yesterday and plowed through it within a few hours. The action was at a fast clip and the characters were interesting and kept me wondering what was going to happen to them. Yep, it is only the first book in what I would guess is a trilogy (or duology at the minimum) so I was not surprised when it cut off as it did. Most of the characters in the story are on their own in this book and near the end it becomes clear that the survivors will attempt to join together, which will create an entirely new dynamic with the diversity of personalities the author has created here.
It is well worth your time if you are a zombie fan, to pick this book up. I have read over the criticisms in previous reviews posted here and while I can understand them and respect those that are well thought out I did not personally feel it was a problem that each chapter was laid out to give us a brief bit of a particular character's story and then leaves that character to return to the multitude of other characters the author was managing. I was able to keep up with it because overall plot points are revealed through the individual stories and slowly but surely the entire story comes together as one unified tale.
My own criticism are minor but I always try to be fair in my reviews, stating what I liked and did not like. There were a few elements that did not resonate with me completely. Just my personal take on things but I felt like while most of the characters were pitch perfect some of their actions or reactions were perhaps a little misplaced. An example is when Kathy, who has been rescued by Mills, the fireman, and has cozied up to him, seems to become instantly jealous of Trish, another person Mills has rescued. Her reaction, to me, seemed a bit over the top when my guess is that she would have been more happy to see another survivor since everyone else around them is either dead or dying. Is this a major criticism? No, certainly not, and her reaction is within the realm of possibilities, but it did seem like a big shock to me. Another minor criticism I had was in instances where three characters get bit or mysteriously injured (but we are not really sure if they are actually bit because of the circumstances) but after it is mentioned in the story nothing else comes of it...we are left to ponder if in fact they are infected or just injured. I realize this may be something that the sequel provides us with some more details on it but we are left in the dark in this book. In a way, it becomes another lure for me to see what becomes of each of them in the second book so in that respect, this criticism fades if they provide a real sucker punch of surprise in the sequel.
Overall, this is a really strong zombie novel that the author did a great job coordinating. I say coordinating because managing as many characters as he does here (and does very well) takes a great deal of skill. How he starts to bring them all together at the end is very intriguing. There is no doubt that I will be looking forward to the follow up book by the author to see how everyone comes together and continues to desperately survive in the face of overwhelming odds. Great stuff.
January 18, 2016
Saint Petersburg, FL is filled with hungry soulless monsters. Also, zombies.
This isn't just me being flippant. Dead Tide is one of those uncommon, if not rare, zombie books which remembers the creatures were created (or, if you desire, adapted) for the purposes of social commentary. Modern adaptations of the zombie often forget the metaphor and simply make them a Maguffin for exploring the effects of trauma on humans.
Dead Tide is more akin to the original as Saint Petersburg, FL is used as the backdrop for an exploration of the simmering tensions existing in the United States today. When all hell breaks loose during your otherwise-typical zombie uprising (which is an odd sentence now that I think about it), Stephen A. North takes the time to examine how it impacts various classes of people. White, black, rich, poor, classy, and trashy all get their reactions gauged as things go to hell around them.
The city of Saint Petersburg is done no favors by Stephen A. North as the RL vacation spot is shown to be a place with a lot of ugly lying just beneath the surface of its glitzy atmosphere. In this respect, he successfully replicates what I liked so much about Dead Rising 2.
In that video game, our heroes were forced to try and rescue greedy-stupid people from a zombie apocalypse happening in a Faux-Las Vegas. Here, the many protagonists struggle to survive a seemingly glamorous town where everyone is ready to throw each other under the bus when the crap hits the fan.
Stephen A. North deserves credit for also handling the misogyny criticism of so-much post-apocalyptic fiction with a deft hand. At first, it seems like he uses several viewpoint characters to put female characters in typical "damsel in distress" situations but I was surprised to find these are subverted.
For one, the people ogling the female characters and thinking how they're all "bitches" for ignoring them under other circumstances are portrayed as the creepy weirdos they are. Likewise, when a person is stalked by those self-same weirdos, it's portrayed as a dangerous situation which they have to escape on their own rather than be protected from via a male protagonist. The passive sexism of many citizens is examined and condemned, which I liked.
One of the more memorable sequences in the book is where a fireman and his female associate come across a man who has apparently killed two jewelry store clerks. He's clearly unhinged and babbling in a way which leaves it unclear whether he murdered the two women or if he just put down their zombies. Either way, the man enjoyed it because they treated him poorly because of his clothes and were attractive women. It leaves our two heroes in a precarious position about what to do since he wants to go with them.
In fact, the book is filled with memorable apocalypse moments. Other favorites included the suicidal last stand of a cop confronted with a classicist Senator, the accidental shooting of a child during a vigilante killing spree, and the only people who have a grasp on what the hell is going on being individuals who have seen a zombie movie before. The latter adds a bit of much-needed levity as it's my own personal bugbear to have zombies always be something "new and unexpected" in fiction.
My favorite scene in the book? A terrible moment where a child is revealed to have been bitten and the people who want to put him down find those who love him willing to protect him with lethal force--a perfect tragedy for a Zombie Apocalypse.
Is the book flawless?
Sorry, no.
Readers should be warned the book takes a little time to get heated up and skips around too much at the beginning. Only a few pages are spent every chapter before switching perspectives to another character. While the book helpfully marks whose perspective is being moved to at the beginning of each chapter, it still was very confusing at the start. I would have preferred if Stephen A. North had done longer chapters so we knew each protagonist very well before moving back and forth.
Nevertheless, I am going to say that Dead Tide ranks up there with The Estuary for my favorite Zombie Apocalypse story. The characters are likable, the storytelling tight, the body-count high, and there's actually something said about real-life (specifically, class and race relations in America). What more could I ask for? In fact, I like it so much, I'm going to give it a ten despite its flaws. Just because its enjoyment factor trumps the bad.
10/10
This isn't just me being flippant. Dead Tide is one of those uncommon, if not rare, zombie books which remembers the creatures were created (or, if you desire, adapted) for the purposes of social commentary. Modern adaptations of the zombie often forget the metaphor and simply make them a Maguffin for exploring the effects of trauma on humans.
Dead Tide is more akin to the original as Saint Petersburg, FL is used as the backdrop for an exploration of the simmering tensions existing in the United States today. When all hell breaks loose during your otherwise-typical zombie uprising (which is an odd sentence now that I think about it), Stephen A. North takes the time to examine how it impacts various classes of people. White, black, rich, poor, classy, and trashy all get their reactions gauged as things go to hell around them.
The city of Saint Petersburg is done no favors by Stephen A. North as the RL vacation spot is shown to be a place with a lot of ugly lying just beneath the surface of its glitzy atmosphere. In this respect, he successfully replicates what I liked so much about Dead Rising 2.
In that video game, our heroes were forced to try and rescue greedy-stupid people from a zombie apocalypse happening in a Faux-Las Vegas. Here, the many protagonists struggle to survive a seemingly glamorous town where everyone is ready to throw each other under the bus when the crap hits the fan.
Stephen A. North deserves credit for also handling the misogyny criticism of so-much post-apocalyptic fiction with a deft hand. At first, it seems like he uses several viewpoint characters to put female characters in typical "damsel in distress" situations but I was surprised to find these are subverted.
For one, the people ogling the female characters and thinking how they're all "bitches" for ignoring them under other circumstances are portrayed as the creepy weirdos they are. Likewise, when a person is stalked by those self-same weirdos, it's portrayed as a dangerous situation which they have to escape on their own rather than be protected from via a male protagonist. The passive sexism of many citizens is examined and condemned, which I liked.
One of the more memorable sequences in the book is where a fireman and his female associate come across a man who has apparently killed two jewelry store clerks. He's clearly unhinged and babbling in a way which leaves it unclear whether he murdered the two women or if he just put down their zombies. Either way, the man enjoyed it because they treated him poorly because of his clothes and were attractive women. It leaves our two heroes in a precarious position about what to do since he wants to go with them.
In fact, the book is filled with memorable apocalypse moments. Other favorites included the suicidal last stand of a cop confronted with a classicist Senator, the accidental shooting of a child during a vigilante killing spree, and the only people who have a grasp on what the hell is going on being individuals who have seen a zombie movie before. The latter adds a bit of much-needed levity as it's my own personal bugbear to have zombies always be something "new and unexpected" in fiction.
My favorite scene in the book? A terrible moment where a child is revealed to have been bitten and the people who want to put him down find those who love him willing to protect him with lethal force--a perfect tragedy for a Zombie Apocalypse.
Is the book flawless?
Sorry, no.
Readers should be warned the book takes a little time to get heated up and skips around too much at the beginning. Only a few pages are spent every chapter before switching perspectives to another character. While the book helpfully marks whose perspective is being moved to at the beginning of each chapter, it still was very confusing at the start. I would have preferred if Stephen A. North had done longer chapters so we knew each protagonist very well before moving back and forth.
Nevertheless, I am going to say that Dead Tide ranks up there with The Estuary for my favorite Zombie Apocalypse story. The characters are likable, the storytelling tight, the body-count high, and there's actually something said about real-life (specifically, class and race relations in America). What more could I ask for? In fact, I like it so much, I'm going to give it a ten despite its flaws. Just because its enjoyment factor trumps the bad.
10/10
Read
October 18, 2009Just an explanation of the difference between this edition and the first. The first edition was rushed to the press and the inside is missing the copyright page, title page. It was rushed so it would be ready to sell at ZombieFest 2008. Travis Adkins, the author of Twilight of the Dead edited the inside and gave it the beauty treatment. He also retained all of the original content (plus we fixed one minor plot hole that fortunately no one noticed)and lowered the page count). The book is five bucks cheaper and thereby hopefully a lot more tempting for those who enjoy zombie apocalypse tales. Once again, I won't offer a rating of my own book, but I promise you that I gave my all.
December 8, 2020
***I won a copy of this series (Dead Tide) from https://astradaemon.blogspot.com/***
I have read dozens (well, maybe more) of zombie apocalypse books over the years (I used to run the Delaware Chapter of the "Zombie Research Society" when it was a lot less... political) and thought I had read them from all angles and to be honest, where as Stephen A. North does not blaze a trail of new mythology in the world of the ZA, his quick character development, defined situations and action sequences are damn good.
My only detraction from all of it is the chapter layout: each character gets about 3-5 paragraphs over 2-3 pages and then we go to someone else, somewhere else, and it can break up the tension and my track of mind. The main characters are fleshed out, their motivations (aside from staying alive during an uprising of the undead) are spelled out to you, and I for one actually cared about most of them (The Infantry Corporal got on my damn nerves, no one is that hooah :) ) - I hope that the rest of the books will narrow down the characters or even complete some character meetings to combine the groups for people like me to read easier.
I have read dozens (well, maybe more) of zombie apocalypse books over the years (I used to run the Delaware Chapter of the "Zombie Research Society" when it was a lot less... political) and thought I had read them from all angles and to be honest, where as Stephen A. North does not blaze a trail of new mythology in the world of the ZA, his quick character development, defined situations and action sequences are damn good.
My only detraction from all of it is the chapter layout: each character gets about 3-5 paragraphs over 2-3 pages and then we go to someone else, somewhere else, and it can break up the tension and my track of mind. The main characters are fleshed out, their motivations (aside from staying alive during an uprising of the undead) are spelled out to you, and I for one actually cared about most of them (The Infantry Corporal got on my damn nerves, no one is that hooah :) ) - I hope that the rest of the books will narrow down the characters or even complete some character meetings to combine the groups for people like me to read easier.
August 9, 2012
The author, Stephen A. North was kind enough to send me a copy of his novel. He's a very nice and well-spoken individual, and I was very excited to read his novel, Dead Tide. Dead Tide is definitely worth the time if you're a fan of a good zombie tale told from various perspectives.
This story takes the viewpoints from a wide cast of characters, and believe me, there are a lot of characters in this story. Sometimes, too many characters in a story could end up dragging down the plot, but there are a few novels out there that can actually juggle a large cast and still keep the story moving at a strong pace, and Dead Tide is one of these novels. The author only allows a few pages per chapter, giving little time for the reader to relate to the character before changing into the next POV. But I was pleasantly surprised at how well he balanced all these characters and still managed to make these characters relatable to the reader. The story itself wasn't bad. The author conveyed a great chaotic atmosphere and his depiction of a social breakdown (and how people, city officials and cops would react.)is very accurate. The only qualm I had with the story was that he could have made the zombies a bit more prevalent, a little more involved with the goings on in the story. At times, they seemed to blend in with the background, but there is some reasoning behind this, the focal point of the story was seeing how people react to the fall of mankind and more importantly, how they treat one another during times of peril--that alone was a very attractive and engaging feature of this novel.
Overall: This is a fast paced action story, driven by some strong characters in a great chaotic atmosphere. The only real qualm I have is the lack of zombie involvement with the plot, the zombies could have been a little more prominent in the story. This is a strong story about how people realistically react to zombies, and I haven't read very many stories that depict chaos as accurately as Dead Tide. The writing style was crisp, the flow was excellent, and it was a very well written story.
I highly advise reading this novel if you are a zombie fan, it is a solid story and I look forward to reading the sequel.
This story takes the viewpoints from a wide cast of characters, and believe me, there are a lot of characters in this story. Sometimes, too many characters in a story could end up dragging down the plot, but there are a few novels out there that can actually juggle a large cast and still keep the story moving at a strong pace, and Dead Tide is one of these novels. The author only allows a few pages per chapter, giving little time for the reader to relate to the character before changing into the next POV. But I was pleasantly surprised at how well he balanced all these characters and still managed to make these characters relatable to the reader. The story itself wasn't bad. The author conveyed a great chaotic atmosphere and his depiction of a social breakdown (and how people, city officials and cops would react.)is very accurate. The only qualm I had with the story was that he could have made the zombies a bit more prevalent, a little more involved with the goings on in the story. At times, they seemed to blend in with the background, but there is some reasoning behind this, the focal point of the story was seeing how people react to the fall of mankind and more importantly, how they treat one another during times of peril--that alone was a very attractive and engaging feature of this novel.
Overall: This is a fast paced action story, driven by some strong characters in a great chaotic atmosphere. The only real qualm I have is the lack of zombie involvement with the plot, the zombies could have been a little more prominent in the story. This is a strong story about how people realistically react to zombies, and I haven't read very many stories that depict chaos as accurately as Dead Tide. The writing style was crisp, the flow was excellent, and it was a very well written story.
I highly advise reading this novel if you are a zombie fan, it is a solid story and I look forward to reading the sequel.
April 4, 2014
Stephen A. North has taken a unique approach to his ZomPoc novel, in that he has chosen to divide the book up into character scenes rather than chapters where the POV may be that of one or two characters. Stephen's writing style is smooth and slick, and he really paints the picture for you as our heroes and some villains try to get to safety. I will admit to having some difficulty at first trying to figure out which characters were with which other characters, but once I figured that out, I settled in for an amazing ride. Dead Tide 2 is already out - and is on my TBR list - and Dead Tide 3 is underway as of April 2014. Great job, Mr. North! Keep up the intensity, brother. Recommended.
February 26, 2019
Conversation between the husband and I
Me: This book is god awful.
Husband - You don't have to finish it
Me - Yes I do.
Husband - Why?
Me - I'm already 130 pages in. I can't quit now. Maybe it gets better.
Husband - You can still stop reading it.
Me - Nope, I'm gonna finish this bitch just for spite now.
I love anything zombie related. I really don't care if the same story has been told countless times, as long as the writing is interesting and keeps me engaged in the story. This...This is what I would refer to as a mess, not even a hot mess.
Let's start with the story. Same story in relation to zombies. Zombies happen, no one believes, a lot of people die in the beginning, and then everyone goes bat shit crazy. Got it. No problem there. The characters and how they are written is where shit falls to pieces. Each chapter was anywhere from 1-3 pages long. I kinda liked the concept of that. It was different, but once again we it leads us back to the characters. This book had enough characters to rival a George R.R. Martin novel. That's not so bad when each character seems to have their own distinct personality. You really couldn't tell the characters apart because all of them were super assholes. I don't have an issue with too many characters, I have a problem when they are all written the same. Even the women were all written the same. Bit tits, stupid, and all the men thinking the only thing they need is a good fuck. For real?? WTF was up with the rape scenes? Honestly, they weren't needed. I'm grateful they didn't go into detail.
Because they way this was written it was confusing, boring, and a bit pointless. The short chapters were an awesome idea that could have worked if everything else didn't fuck it up. Needless to say I will not be continuing with the series.
Me: This book is god awful.
Husband - You don't have to finish it
Me - Yes I do.
Husband - Why?
Me - I'm already 130 pages in. I can't quit now. Maybe it gets better.
Husband - You can still stop reading it.
Me - Nope, I'm gonna finish this bitch just for spite now.
I love anything zombie related. I really don't care if the same story has been told countless times, as long as the writing is interesting and keeps me engaged in the story. This...This is what I would refer to as a mess, not even a hot mess.
Let's start with the story. Same story in relation to zombies. Zombies happen, no one believes, a lot of people die in the beginning, and then everyone goes bat shit crazy. Got it. No problem there. The characters and how they are written is where shit falls to pieces. Each chapter was anywhere from 1-3 pages long. I kinda liked the concept of that. It was different, but once again we it leads us back to the characters. This book had enough characters to rival a George R.R. Martin novel. That's not so bad when each character seems to have their own distinct personality. You really couldn't tell the characters apart because all of them were super assholes. I don't have an issue with too many characters, I have a problem when they are all written the same. Even the women were all written the same. Bit tits, stupid, and all the men thinking the only thing they need is a good fuck. For real?? WTF was up with the rape scenes? Honestly, they weren't needed. I'm grateful they didn't go into detail.
Because they way this was written it was confusing, boring, and a bit pointless. The short chapters were an awesome idea that could have worked if everything else didn't fuck it up. Needless to say I will not be continuing with the series.
September 10, 2014
This got a star simply by being written about my hometown. There is something surreal and kinda awesome about knowing the streets and locations in this book. The middle school I went to is mentioned. I've driven over Thrill Hill rather faster than is legally recommended. I saw The Empire Strikes Back at Tyrone Mall when I was a kid. This list goes on.
Now on to the story. The book is not broken up into chapters but has segments about various characters. I liked it. Sometimes the actions in one person's segment would intersect with another. There are a lot of characters but I'm okay with that. I was able to keep everybody straight. If you don't like a bunch of characters in a book, then you may have trouble with this story.
This book is everything I love about a good zombie novel with none of the things I hate.
The zombies are good old fashioned Romero zombies. They are mindless, shuffling undead. To kill them, you put a bullet in their head or otherwise destroy the brain. Anything that dies, rather from a bite or other causes, will come back as a zombie. They are slow but dangerous in packs. They don't run, speak, use tools or show any other signs of intelligence. They will bang and paw at windows/doors trying to get to their food but otherwise shuffle around. They are attracted to noise.
This book is not filled with gun or survival porn. I can appreciate knowing what type of guns the characters are carrying/using without pages and pages of details about the weaponry. I like survival stories. I appreciate ZAP stories where you get survival tips and you see the characters figuring out how to survive essentially off the grid. What I don't need is a story where the main character is sitting in a TEOTWAYKI bunker complete with every survival tool and supply they will ever need, with pages and pages of description about each item. This book has none of that. I also really enjoyed that not every character used a gun to kill zombies. There were other weapons and things that were used which is smart writing.
The story isn't gore/horror for the sake of gore/horror. There are zombies, deaths, some gruesome stuff because it's a zombie story and it should have those things. However, each "scene" isn't a deliberate attempt to "out gore" the one that went before it.
The best thing about this book is that is is driven by characters. While we may not see a lot of some of the characters they are pretty memorable. The characters are flawed. Good characters do horrible things. People show great kindness and compassion. Other characters are selfish. Bad guys become good. There are heroes and cowards. I love character driven stories. I loved that some of the worst things to happen in this book are done by human beings.
The military in this story are following orders that come from up the chain, dictated by civilian politics. They were portrayed in a reasonable way. I didn't find them mindlessly evil for no apparent reason. Same with the police. I enjoyed some of the political machinations that went on behind the scenes. The elite taking care of themselves and throwing everyone else to the wolves.
The story takes place over about 48 hours. Things slowly disintegrate, but it's not a long boring crawl. Things keep getting worse and worse as the chaos of the situation slowly grows out of control. It's not just the threat of the zombies but also the chaos of society spinning out of control - lawlessness and every man for himself.
This is one of the better zombie books that I've read. I'm looking forward to the next one in the series.
Now on to the story. The book is not broken up into chapters but has segments about various characters. I liked it. Sometimes the actions in one person's segment would intersect with another. There are a lot of characters but I'm okay with that. I was able to keep everybody straight. If you don't like a bunch of characters in a book, then you may have trouble with this story.
This book is everything I love about a good zombie novel with none of the things I hate.
The zombies are good old fashioned Romero zombies. They are mindless, shuffling undead. To kill them, you put a bullet in their head or otherwise destroy the brain. Anything that dies, rather from a bite or other causes, will come back as a zombie. They are slow but dangerous in packs. They don't run, speak, use tools or show any other signs of intelligence. They will bang and paw at windows/doors trying to get to their food but otherwise shuffle around. They are attracted to noise.
This book is not filled with gun or survival porn. I can appreciate knowing what type of guns the characters are carrying/using without pages and pages of details about the weaponry. I like survival stories. I appreciate ZAP stories where you get survival tips and you see the characters figuring out how to survive essentially off the grid. What I don't need is a story where the main character is sitting in a TEOTWAYKI bunker complete with every survival tool and supply they will ever need, with pages and pages of description about each item. This book has none of that. I also really enjoyed that not every character used a gun to kill zombies. There were other weapons and things that were used which is smart writing.
The story isn't gore/horror for the sake of gore/horror. There are zombies, deaths, some gruesome stuff because it's a zombie story and it should have those things. However, each "scene" isn't a deliberate attempt to "out gore" the one that went before it.
The best thing about this book is that is is driven by characters. While we may not see a lot of some of the characters they are pretty memorable. The characters are flawed. Good characters do horrible things. People show great kindness and compassion. Other characters are selfish. Bad guys become good. There are heroes and cowards. I love character driven stories. I loved that some of the worst things to happen in this book are done by human beings.
The military in this story are following orders that come from up the chain, dictated by civilian politics. They were portrayed in a reasonable way. I didn't find them mindlessly evil for no apparent reason. Same with the police. I enjoyed some of the political machinations that went on behind the scenes. The elite taking care of themselves and throwing everyone else to the wolves.
The story takes place over about 48 hours. Things slowly disintegrate, but it's not a long boring crawl. Things keep getting worse and worse as the chaos of the situation slowly grows out of control. It's not just the threat of the zombies but also the chaos of society spinning out of control - lawlessness and every man for himself.
This is one of the better zombie books that I've read. I'm looking forward to the next one in the series.
June 16, 2014
Dead Tide is the first of Stephen A. North’s Dead Tide Series. I began the book and was immediately intrigued by the straightforward storytelling. The devil is in the details and North does an excellent job of bringing the Tampa Bay area to life on the pages of his book. The zombies are a force to be reckoned with and the hapless citizens of central Florida have no idea just how bad things are about to get.
You’re instantly drawn to the “mini-stories” of each chapter. North breaks down his chapters by character name and gives each character their own “spotlight”, slowly progressing the events of the zombie apocalypse as they unfold from each character’s own viewpoint. The book’s storyline of events was simplistically portrayed at first, as if I could see a timeline in my mind as I read the book. I enjoyed it at first, feeling as if though I were reading a collection of short stories in an adventurous zombie apocalypse saga.
But as you progress through Dead Tide, the different stories begin to create a confusing chain of events that I found hard to keep track of. Had North kept it to three or four different character viewpoints, it would have been easier to keep up with, but story lines became discombobulated and things began to feel more like distractions from the meat and potatoes of the action and adventure of this wonderful story.
It’s not that there were too many character arcs, it was that there were too many character arcs that didn’t blend well. I found myself backtracking quite a bit and questioning who certain characters even were; having to reread the character’s initial introduction all over again to refresh my memory.
The story in itself is an action packed, fun filled and often comedic ride that I thoroughly enjoyed. There were certain characters that I was especially interested in like Talaski the cop and Bronte the thug. Then you have your evident antagonist, the sadistic Officer Dodd. You can’t help but hope to experience his demise with each chapter that focuses on him. With that being said, you have the bad guy that you consistently loathe throughout, but you never really have a solid protagonist to focus on. With the point of view jumping around so much, perhaps that is the book’s biggest flaw; its lack of focus.
I will say that the drama is tense and the dialogue is solid. If you’re looking for something new, definitely check out Dead Tide. The style of writing in the book is present tense, something new for me, but I did enjoy it. Just don’t feel bad if you can’t follow along the whole way without taking notes.
I do anticipate reading the follow up novels and am curious to see if North breaks up the chapters in this same manner.
You’re instantly drawn to the “mini-stories” of each chapter. North breaks down his chapters by character name and gives each character their own “spotlight”, slowly progressing the events of the zombie apocalypse as they unfold from each character’s own viewpoint. The book’s storyline of events was simplistically portrayed at first, as if I could see a timeline in my mind as I read the book. I enjoyed it at first, feeling as if though I were reading a collection of short stories in an adventurous zombie apocalypse saga.
But as you progress through Dead Tide, the different stories begin to create a confusing chain of events that I found hard to keep track of. Had North kept it to three or four different character viewpoints, it would have been easier to keep up with, but story lines became discombobulated and things began to feel more like distractions from the meat and potatoes of the action and adventure of this wonderful story.
It’s not that there were too many character arcs, it was that there were too many character arcs that didn’t blend well. I found myself backtracking quite a bit and questioning who certain characters even were; having to reread the character’s initial introduction all over again to refresh my memory.
The story in itself is an action packed, fun filled and often comedic ride that I thoroughly enjoyed. There were certain characters that I was especially interested in like Talaski the cop and Bronte the thug. Then you have your evident antagonist, the sadistic Officer Dodd. You can’t help but hope to experience his demise with each chapter that focuses on him. With that being said, you have the bad guy that you consistently loathe throughout, but you never really have a solid protagonist to focus on. With the point of view jumping around so much, perhaps that is the book’s biggest flaw; its lack of focus.
I will say that the drama is tense and the dialogue is solid. If you’re looking for something new, definitely check out Dead Tide. The style of writing in the book is present tense, something new for me, but I did enjoy it. Just don’t feel bad if you can’t follow along the whole way without taking notes.
I do anticipate reading the follow up novels and am curious to see if North breaks up the chapters in this same manner.
June 18, 2010
Can you survive the rising Dead Tide?
In St. Petersburg and Pinellas Park, Florida the dead have begun to rise with only one goal….to feed on the living. Sitting on a small peninsula with the Gulf of Mexico on one side and Tampa Bay on the other, there are few options for evacuation in the event of an emergency. This is one emergency that no one has prepared for. There is no warning and there is no plan. Who will survive the zombie apocalypse?
With the story taking place over twenty-four hours, we are introduced to many characters quickly, but effectively. Nick Talaski, the hard-nosed cop with his friend Matt Keller on a ride-along; James Dodd, a cop who probably got lucky when he graduated from the academy, and seems to have a bit of a mean-streak; Trish, a stripper who doesn’t like to let anyone get too close; Mills, a firefighter and the only rescue worker left alive at the Mall; Bronte and Tracks who seemed to be up to no good when it all started; and the Mayor who has organized a group of VIPs that he has deemed worthy of evacuation to the safety of a cruise ship in the Bay. Dodd turns out to have a few screws loose and hooks up with some shady people, while Mills risks his life to go into the Mall alone to look for survivors. Trish manages to find some good people while Talaski and Keller end up on the wrong side of an ambush. What I liked most about DEAD TIDE was that it focused more on the living than the dead. The zombies are driven solely by hunger, but the living, even during a life-threatening crisis, are still driven by their own selfishness and what they can potentially gain. I also liked that the story is all local. There are one or two references to news reports from outside these two cities, but the sphere of the action is kept small. There’s also a major surprise in store when the government finally seems to get its act together and send in some troops.
This is a great story that any zombie fan will love. There were quite a few surprises throughout, which is always good.....who likes predictability? Stephen doesn’t give too much away because there is a sequel coming….which I am really looking forward to. I recommend DEAD TIDE to any horror fan.
Colleen Wanglund
6/17/2010
In St. Petersburg and Pinellas Park, Florida the dead have begun to rise with only one goal….to feed on the living. Sitting on a small peninsula with the Gulf of Mexico on one side and Tampa Bay on the other, there are few options for evacuation in the event of an emergency. This is one emergency that no one has prepared for. There is no warning and there is no plan. Who will survive the zombie apocalypse?
With the story taking place over twenty-four hours, we are introduced to many characters quickly, but effectively. Nick Talaski, the hard-nosed cop with his friend Matt Keller on a ride-along; James Dodd, a cop who probably got lucky when he graduated from the academy, and seems to have a bit of a mean-streak; Trish, a stripper who doesn’t like to let anyone get too close; Mills, a firefighter and the only rescue worker left alive at the Mall; Bronte and Tracks who seemed to be up to no good when it all started; and the Mayor who has organized a group of VIPs that he has deemed worthy of evacuation to the safety of a cruise ship in the Bay. Dodd turns out to have a few screws loose and hooks up with some shady people, while Mills risks his life to go into the Mall alone to look for survivors. Trish manages to find some good people while Talaski and Keller end up on the wrong side of an ambush. What I liked most about DEAD TIDE was that it focused more on the living than the dead. The zombies are driven solely by hunger, but the living, even during a life-threatening crisis, are still driven by their own selfishness and what they can potentially gain. I also liked that the story is all local. There are one or two references to news reports from outside these two cities, but the sphere of the action is kept small. There’s also a major surprise in store when the government finally seems to get its act together and send in some troops.
This is a great story that any zombie fan will love. There were quite a few surprises throughout, which is always good.....who likes predictability? Stephen doesn’t give too much away because there is a sequel coming….which I am really looking forward to. I recommend DEAD TIDE to any horror fan.
Colleen Wanglund
6/17/2010
August 16, 2012
Living on a warm, beautiful peninsula is like waking up every morning in a dream; but when the earth starts to give up her dead, it quickly becomes a terrifying nightmare. Dead Tide is a start-up novel from Library of the Living Dead and author Stephen A. North. The narrative covers about one day’s time shortly after hell closes its doors. There is no containment procedure. No emergency plan in place. The characters must figure out how they will each personally deal with the Apocalypse.
The structure of the novel feels very different. It is written in very short chapters, sometimes only a page or two long, which chronicles a single survivor or small group as they do their best to stay away from the hungry dead and get off the peninsula. It’s a structure you’ll either catch on to, or not. For myself, the hardest part was keeping the characters in place. There are quite a few survivors and it made it hard to track them all at times, but each of them is well-developed and interesting. Definitely worth the effort.
Another aspect of the book’s structure is that it’s written in the present tense. It’s as if you’re listening to a radio broadcast and getting a play-by-play. It definitely took a chapter or two for me to get accustomed to it, but when I did I actually began to enjoy it. This style of writing actually made me feel like the action was more believable, like the outcome of each encounter was as of yet undetermined, and I was along for the ride for the very first time.
The thing that I enjoyed most about the book is something I’ve mentioned many times before at various points; the story focuses on the people and the way they cope with the end of the world. The Zombies are an ever present danger, but they are the foundation that the story of overcoming adversity is built upon. The zombies are predictable and constantly yearning to feed on the living. The survivors are either noble or vile and they come into multiple conflicts with one another. The story is about the people and their will to survive seemingly insurmountable hardship.
Check out this and all of my other reviews at www.zombiesandtoys.com!
The structure of the novel feels very different. It is written in very short chapters, sometimes only a page or two long, which chronicles a single survivor or small group as they do their best to stay away from the hungry dead and get off the peninsula. It’s a structure you’ll either catch on to, or not. For myself, the hardest part was keeping the characters in place. There are quite a few survivors and it made it hard to track them all at times, but each of them is well-developed and interesting. Definitely worth the effort.
Another aspect of the book’s structure is that it’s written in the present tense. It’s as if you’re listening to a radio broadcast and getting a play-by-play. It definitely took a chapter or two for me to get accustomed to it, but when I did I actually began to enjoy it. This style of writing actually made me feel like the action was more believable, like the outcome of each encounter was as of yet undetermined, and I was along for the ride for the very first time.
The thing that I enjoyed most about the book is something I’ve mentioned many times before at various points; the story focuses on the people and the way they cope with the end of the world. The Zombies are an ever present danger, but they are the foundation that the story of overcoming adversity is built upon. The zombies are predictable and constantly yearning to feed on the living. The survivors are either noble or vile and they come into multiple conflicts with one another. The story is about the people and their will to survive seemingly insurmountable hardship.
Check out this and all of my other reviews at www.zombiesandtoys.com!
April 20, 2015
Dead Tide by Stephen North is roller coaster ride in an apocalyptic world. This novel is fast-paced and once you begin, you won’t want to stop. Written from multiple perspectives, the author is able to share insight into a zombie apocalypse as seen through many eyes. This provides the reader with array of viewpoints; some from honorable characters, while others are from characters that represent the dredges of society. One of my favorites was Talaski, an old-school, no nonsense cop. He and his side-kick Keller are a voice of reason in a world gone mad. I also really enjoyed the location of the novel; Florida was a great backdrop for the action and the author writes with clarity about the area. Dead Tide by Stephen North is definitely a must read for fans of apocalyptic fiction, zombie enthusiasts, and horror aficionados.
March 12, 2012
This book jumps right into the action, and there is good zombie fun seeded throughout. While full of zombie encounters, the focus of the story revolves around its many characters, as they struggle to survive and escape. In every life or death situation there are those who are heroes, but there are also the opportunists who seek to help only themselves. It becomes a game of good versus evil within the apocalyptic setting, and it becomes quite interesting at times. Mr. North takes readers on a wicked, twisted ride full of surprises.
August 21, 2016
Great Story
I'm not into zombie stories, but this was great. Being that it is based in my hometown it kept me interested. Jumping around from character to character took some getting used to, but it made sense as the story progressed. The story was well written and exciting. I can't wait to read the next book in the series.
I'm not into zombie stories, but this was great. Being that it is based in my hometown it kept me interested. Jumping around from character to character took some getting used to, but it made sense as the story progressed. The story was well written and exciting. I can't wait to read the next book in the series.
April 22, 2014
It was hard for me to follow the characters as well as,the story line. " left my ass floatin in the wind" was quoted many times lol I think where I got confused was all the police officers. It did leave me with an ending I'm wondering about to read the next book.
May 15, 2014
YAYYYYYYYYYYYY! Another editing project is now a published book!
August 10, 2015
A muddle of a narrative mostly involving very unpleasant, sexually frustrated men salivating at thought of taking advantage of women while everyone else is distracted by the zombie apocalypse.
December 22, 2016
I want to get out of the way that this is the first zombie apocalypse book I've read in...forever. I love the genre for movies, but I've always thought it would be too tough to consistently capture the tension and horror in books.
Put that concern aside, because I think North manages to pull off a pretty dang good semblance of the insanity that many zombie movies use to present their stories. "Dead Tide" uses a short chapter thriller structure to establish the pace. This is made a little tougher to pull off by jumping across multiple character points of view, but it generally works.
The story opens with the zombie plague already ramping up. There's a mix of people who seem to know what's going on and people who have no idea what a zombie is. There's also a mix of people who are ready for chaos and people who crumble at the slightest hint of trouble. Sort of like humans in general.
One thing I really liked about North's choices was that the protagonists were a broad mix, with about half of them fitting nicely into a basket of deplorables. We have no shortage of terrible people, and a zombie apocalypse would not be the shining moment for even many decent people.
The ending isn't a cliffhanger but sets the stage for sequels, so if that bugs you, you've been warned. I'll be picking up the next book, partly because I want to see if a couple of the characters are actually infected (which is implied but never resolved).
Violence and gore are mostly kept at a PG-13 or soft R rating, so even people who might be queasy should be able to handle this zombie story.
A final note: The book would easily move from a four to a five star rating with a strong editing pass. There were a lot of little errors that should have been caught/corrected during editing. These aren't necessarily the sort of errors that would bother a lot of readers, but it's something that detracted from what was an otherwise enjoyable reading experience.
Put that concern aside, because I think North manages to pull off a pretty dang good semblance of the insanity that many zombie movies use to present their stories. "Dead Tide" uses a short chapter thriller structure to establish the pace. This is made a little tougher to pull off by jumping across multiple character points of view, but it generally works.
The story opens with the zombie plague already ramping up. There's a mix of people who seem to know what's going on and people who have no idea what a zombie is. There's also a mix of people who are ready for chaos and people who crumble at the slightest hint of trouble. Sort of like humans in general.
One thing I really liked about North's choices was that the protagonists were a broad mix, with about half of them fitting nicely into a basket of deplorables. We have no shortage of terrible people, and a zombie apocalypse would not be the shining moment for even many decent people.
The ending isn't a cliffhanger but sets the stage for sequels, so if that bugs you, you've been warned. I'll be picking up the next book, partly because I want to see if a couple of the characters are actually infected (which is implied but never resolved).
Violence and gore are mostly kept at a PG-13 or soft R rating, so even people who might be queasy should be able to handle this zombie story.
A final note: The book would easily move from a four to a five star rating with a strong editing pass. There were a lot of little errors that should have been caught/corrected during editing. These aren't necessarily the sort of errors that would bother a lot of readers, but it's something that detracted from what was an otherwise enjoyable reading experience.
March 18, 2022
I would have liked to give it a 4 star but the way the stories were presented was just too chaotic so had to go 3. The stories are good and the book is worth the read I just wished it was more organized.
April 17, 2020
Awesome!
Fast Paced, riveting action. This book was impossible to put down. I gotta have the next one to find out what happens after the world ended!
Fast Paced, riveting action. This book was impossible to put down. I gotta have the next one to find out what happens after the world ended!
August 23, 2019
I liked Dead Tide however changing characters every chapter really slowed my reading down to a crawl. I liked it enough to buy book #2 so Mr. North is doing something right or maybe his style is just different enough to keep me going.
June 3, 2011
Technically 3.5 stars
When in a peninsula with the Gulf of Mexico on one side and Tampa Bay on the other, there aren't many options during an emergency. Not exactly the best place to be when the power goes out in the middle of a disaster. The people living in this area received no prior warning of the horror that was heading their direction. The dead coming back to life and attempting to eat the living is something that might be considered urgent and should be dealt with by giving the people of the area a chance to get out of town. The news did little more than give limited details of the crisis and most of the people did more to become part of the problem rather than fixing it. Hopefully there are enough survivors who are willing and able to do what needs done in order to truly survive the dead tide rising to meet them.
The setting is highly believable, as the author is from the area in which Dead Tide is placed. I enjoy the personal touches that are given by the authors who live or are familiar with the location being written.
Many times I've mentioned that one of my favorite parts of the zombie genre is the focus on the people surviving the outbreak, not the creatures themselves. Stephen North's Dead Tide does just that. The undead have one main focus and that is simply to eat the flesh of the living. The living, yes, they have the crisis at hand, but the problem with the people is that there is always this sense of entitlement and if they can benefit from certain situations. Makes me think of The Real World only with zombies rather than roommates...When people stop being polite and start being real, while trying not to become zombie chow.
Two particular points of interests...first the story is written as short chapters following each group of survivors as they attempt to avoid the zeds and make their way to safety. There are quite a few characters, hence my not going into detail in regards to them individually. This may cause some confusion at times and I will admit the short chapters did make me yearn for a bit more development and there was a few times when I had to go back to figure out what I missed. The second point of interest is that Dead Tide is written in the present tense. It is not something usually done and it takes a few moments to get used to, but once you have your mind settled in to accept that what you are reading is actually happening, at the moment you're reading it, it makes the action and tension filled scenes even more intense.
Overall I would suggest Dead Tide to all fans of the zombie genre, especially those who like a more character driven rather than zombie mutilation driven tale.
When in a peninsula with the Gulf of Mexico on one side and Tampa Bay on the other, there aren't many options during an emergency. Not exactly the best place to be when the power goes out in the middle of a disaster. The people living in this area received no prior warning of the horror that was heading their direction. The dead coming back to life and attempting to eat the living is something that might be considered urgent and should be dealt with by giving the people of the area a chance to get out of town. The news did little more than give limited details of the crisis and most of the people did more to become part of the problem rather than fixing it. Hopefully there are enough survivors who are willing and able to do what needs done in order to truly survive the dead tide rising to meet them.
The setting is highly believable, as the author is from the area in which Dead Tide is placed. I enjoy the personal touches that are given by the authors who live or are familiar with the location being written.
Many times I've mentioned that one of my favorite parts of the zombie genre is the focus on the people surviving the outbreak, not the creatures themselves. Stephen North's Dead Tide does just that. The undead have one main focus and that is simply to eat the flesh of the living. The living, yes, they have the crisis at hand, but the problem with the people is that there is always this sense of entitlement and if they can benefit from certain situations. Makes me think of The Real World only with zombies rather than roommates...When people stop being polite and start being real, while trying not to become zombie chow.
Two particular points of interests...first the story is written as short chapters following each group of survivors as they attempt to avoid the zeds and make their way to safety. There are quite a few characters, hence my not going into detail in regards to them individually. This may cause some confusion at times and I will admit the short chapters did make me yearn for a bit more development and there was a few times when I had to go back to figure out what I missed. The second point of interest is that Dead Tide is written in the present tense. It is not something usually done and it takes a few moments to get used to, but once you have your mind settled in to accept that what you are reading is actually happening, at the moment you're reading it, it makes the action and tension filled scenes even more intense.
Overall I would suggest Dead Tide to all fans of the zombie genre, especially those who like a more character driven rather than zombie mutilation driven tale.
August 21, 2014
I had been eagerly awaiting the re-issue of this book and I am happy to say that it was definitely worth the wait. It grabbed my attention immediately and I didn't want to put it down. I loved the way that the author handled so many characters. I had read reviews of the earlier release so I was prepared for the chapters being short and each one featuring updates on where a particular character was in his/her story. I actually liked this technique but I can see how it might throw off the reader that wasn't prepared for it. The author fleshed out the characters nicely and really made me love some while detesting others. One in particular I thought I wasn't going to like at all, but then Mr North turned it around for me. There were a couple of places I felt the author rushed to the conclusion of a character's story just a bit, but maybe I just wanted it to last longer. I am looking forward to Dead Tide Rising next and I hope it will be released very soon!
July 13, 2014
Good
This was a good read, I like how the author went back and forth between different characters, made it interesting. I'd pick it up if your a fan of the genre.
This was a good read, I like how the author went back and forth between different characters, made it interesting. I'd pick it up if your a fan of the genre.
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