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Great Bitten #1
Outbreak
The UK is infected and Warren is going to be a hero, whether he likes it or not. Life used to be simple; a journalist addicted to his work, Warren's world has been a simple process of annoying friends, shunning family, and doing only what Warren wants.
As a virulent plague of unknown origin spreads rapidly across the UK, all of that is about to change. The only person Warren doesn't question is himself as his natural curiosity and world-weary cynicism come to the fore in his clumsy attempts at survival.
With the UK in chaos and the government in hiding, will Warren even be able to survive long enough to start finding the answers to the questions eating away inside him? And when he finally realises that there are people in this blighted world that he actually loves, will he be able to do what needs to be done to keep them safe before it is too late?
Outbreak introduces the world of the Great Bitten apocalypse, and includes the short story "Breakout" as the story's prologue.
As a virulent plague of unknown origin spreads rapidly across the UK, all of that is about to change. The only person Warren doesn't question is himself as his natural curiosity and world-weary cynicism come to the fore in his clumsy attempts at survival.
With the UK in chaos and the government in hiding, will Warren even be able to survive long enough to start finding the answers to the questions eating away inside him? And when he finally realises that there are people in this blighted world that he actually loves, will he be able to do what needs to be done to keep them safe before it is too late?
Outbreak introduces the world of the Great Bitten apocalypse, and includes the short story "Breakout" as the story's prologue.
209 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 31, 2013
32 people are currently reading
817 people want to read
About the author
Dawn Peers
24 books41 followersDawn was born in Warwickshire and currently lives in West Sussex. She works full time in the IT Services industry and writes whenever she finds the time.
Her fantasy fiction influences are Tolkien, Katharine Kerr, Terry Goodkind and Terry Pratchett, with the latter two being enjoyed in multiple languages. She loves football, cycling, writing, reading, anime and all things computer.
If you enjoy her work, she would love to connect with you via her website www.beyondapocalypse.com or via Twitter @dawnpeersauthor
Her fantasy fiction influences are Tolkien, Katharine Kerr, Terry Goodkind and Terry Pratchett, with the latter two being enjoyed in multiple languages. She loves football, cycling, writing, reading, anime and all things computer.
If you enjoy her work, she would love to connect with you via her website www.beyondapocalypse.com or via Twitter @dawnpeersauthor
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
May 5, 2015
It’s been far too long since I read a zombie novel, and when I saw an article (which I forgot to bookmark as a reference, naturally) about some recently released zombie books, Great Bitten caught my immediate attention for a couple of reasons:
1. It’s set the in UK – and as an Aussie with a British hubby, the sense of humour, slang and geography are pretty familiar to me.
2. The synopsis openly states that the main character isn’t likeable – and I love a good flawed character.
Journalist Warren isn’t a complete arsehole, but he certainly isn’t afraid to say exactly what he’s thinking, forms quick opinions on other people and when things to go to shit, he’s quick to put the needs of those closest to him first – and occasionally himself. If we are all completely honest with ourselves, and as much as we wouldn’t necessarily like to think it, this is how almost everyone would act during a zombie apocalypse.
Fielding explores some interesting ideas in Outbreak – having fast and slow zombies isn’t new, but it’s his presentation and explanation of the differences that makes Outbreak stand out. The zombies are of course scary, and the blood flows freely, but there’s also a fair amount of time spent on building tension, relationships and character building.
My only issue with Outbreak was a part of the storyline that felt a little too accelerated in terms of how quickly human society degenerated into trading favours for women. I’m not unrealistic enough to think that something like that COULDN’T happen, but it just felt like it happened too fast and was too coordinated. In saying that however, only part of the story is told, so perhaps my assumptions are incorrect.
The story moves along quite quickly, and although it doesn’t cover a large timespan, there’s enough variety to keep it interesting and it definitely sucked me in quickly and kept me glued to the pages. I’ll definitely be looking out for the sequel to this one.
1. It’s set the in UK – and as an Aussie with a British hubby, the sense of humour, slang and geography are pretty familiar to me.
2. The synopsis openly states that the main character isn’t likeable – and I love a good flawed character.
Journalist Warren isn’t a complete arsehole, but he certainly isn’t afraid to say exactly what he’s thinking, forms quick opinions on other people and when things to go to shit, he’s quick to put the needs of those closest to him first – and occasionally himself. If we are all completely honest with ourselves, and as much as we wouldn’t necessarily like to think it, this is how almost everyone would act during a zombie apocalypse.
Fielding explores some interesting ideas in Outbreak – having fast and slow zombies isn’t new, but it’s his presentation and explanation of the differences that makes Outbreak stand out. The zombies are of course scary, and the blood flows freely, but there’s also a fair amount of time spent on building tension, relationships and character building.
My only issue with Outbreak was a part of the storyline that felt a little too accelerated in terms of how quickly human society degenerated into trading favours for women. I’m not unrealistic enough to think that something like that COULDN’T happen, but it just felt like it happened too fast and was too coordinated. In saying that however, only part of the story is told, so perhaps my assumptions are incorrect.
The story moves along quite quickly, and although it doesn’t cover a large timespan, there’s enough variety to keep it interesting and it definitely sucked me in quickly and kept me glued to the pages. I’ll definitely be looking out for the sequel to this one.
June 1, 2018
So this is a blast of a zombie book.
Yes, it's got all the usual (no real surprises), but I found myself really digging it - largely due to Warren.
You see, our main character is a jerk. This isn't me saying. He admits it. He's selfish. Everything he does is to ensure his own survival. He kind of likes his sister. Kind of.
But he grows on you - and (#adulting) he starts figuring things out.
And you do get good zombie action, some terrible survivors, and one chompy adventure. When I finished this, I immediately downloaded book 2.
Yes, it's got all the usual (no real surprises), but I found myself really digging it - largely due to Warren.
You see, our main character is a jerk. This isn't me saying. He admits it. He's selfish. Everything he does is to ensure his own survival. He kind of likes his sister. Kind of.
But he grows on you - and (#adulting) he starts figuring things out.
And you do get good zombie action, some terrible survivors, and one chompy adventure. When I finished this, I immediately downloaded book 2.
November 21, 2013
I've read quite a few zombie books lately, but this is one of the better ones. Set (mostly) in a seaside town in England, and told first person perspective, it moves along at a fast pace and has a few surprises along the way. A mix of fast and slow zombies, dependent on how they died, gives it a little difference. Seems to be the first in a planned ongoing series, so hopefully a sequel is on the way soon.
January 18, 2016
28 Days Later is one of the two movies which tell the definitive British zombie apocalypse story. The other is Shaun of the Dead. The first gets referenced a couple of times in Great Bitten but, oddly, not the latter. I don't think Great Bitten is going to get many accolades as either film but it does manage to capture an essential British zeitgeist. Which is, of course, "What would it be like in the United Kingdom during the zombie apocalypse?" The lens through which this apocalypse is viewed is Warren Fielding. Warren is sort of an ur-British hero as twenty and thirty-something Brits see themselves (or forty-and-fifty-somethings looking back).
Just the way brown-haired hard men making hard choices represent the way American males like to see themselves, Warren is an anti-establishment working-class background kind of guy who is angry at the world but good-humored about his distaste for everything. He's quintessentially British. At least to anyone born during the 1980s to early 90s. I know this, oddly, because every single one of my England-born players made the same basic character for our online Tabletop games. Just about every one could be described the same way, too. Warren reminded me a lot of these old friends so I'm inclined to be kind to this book, fair warning.
Much of the book is about how the author sees the United Kingdom fairing during the zombie apocalypse. Some of the differences are stark and give a different sort of spin on the event than American fiction's usual, "everything falls to crap at once." Utilities last a long time in Great Bitten, as does things like the internet. Survivors are Twittering and Youtubing the apocalypse well after you'd think they'd be boarding up their homes. Guns exist but they're rare and something the protagonists wish they had more of. The government rabbits to the United States, doing their best to make it appear things are normal while planning for the worst.
There isn't much of a plot for the first two-thirds of the book. It's just Warren trying to get himself, his sister, brother-in-law, and their child to safety. Warren's flawed character is studied by the author as a part of him wants to make this his hour. Warren doesn't know anything more about the zombie apocalypse than anyone else but tries to become the leader anyway. Some of his suggestions, like not drinking (still functioning) tap water, are ridiculous but show what sort of person he is. Warren wants to be useful and Z-Day is his chance.
Or is it?
The plot which exists at the end of the book and sets up the sequel is my least favorite part of Outbreak. It resurrects the tired old trope of, "a bunch of men start enslaving women when the apocalypse happens." The fact it was used in 28 Days Later even gets lampshaded in the text. Given I want this trope to die in a fire, I'm happy about its inclusion. Thankfully, this overused plot doesn't take up much of the book and I hope it doesn't play a big role in the sequel. I was a big fan of the characters in this book and would like to see Lana, in particular, return. Lana is a well-designed lesbian character who's self-confidence plays off against Warren's insecure masculinity.
They're very entertaining together and would have been a good couple if not for their incompatible orientations. The two were developing a fast friendship in the book and I hope neither dies anytime soon. I'll probably read future volumes in the series but I wish the book had ended on a more definitive note. Outbreak is entertaining, well-structured, and has a different feel from most zombie-apocalypse stories. It's not perfect but, then again, what is?
8/10
Just the way brown-haired hard men making hard choices represent the way American males like to see themselves, Warren is an anti-establishment working-class background kind of guy who is angry at the world but good-humored about his distaste for everything. He's quintessentially British. At least to anyone born during the 1980s to early 90s. I know this, oddly, because every single one of my England-born players made the same basic character for our online Tabletop games. Just about every one could be described the same way, too. Warren reminded me a lot of these old friends so I'm inclined to be kind to this book, fair warning.
Much of the book is about how the author sees the United Kingdom fairing during the zombie apocalypse. Some of the differences are stark and give a different sort of spin on the event than American fiction's usual, "everything falls to crap at once." Utilities last a long time in Great Bitten, as does things like the internet. Survivors are Twittering and Youtubing the apocalypse well after you'd think they'd be boarding up their homes. Guns exist but they're rare and something the protagonists wish they had more of. The government rabbits to the United States, doing their best to make it appear things are normal while planning for the worst.
There isn't much of a plot for the first two-thirds of the book. It's just Warren trying to get himself, his sister, brother-in-law, and their child to safety. Warren's flawed character is studied by the author as a part of him wants to make this his hour. Warren doesn't know anything more about the zombie apocalypse than anyone else but tries to become the leader anyway. Some of his suggestions, like not drinking (still functioning) tap water, are ridiculous but show what sort of person he is. Warren wants to be useful and Z-Day is his chance.
Or is it?
The plot which exists at the end of the book and sets up the sequel is my least favorite part of Outbreak. It resurrects the tired old trope of, "a bunch of men start enslaving women when the apocalypse happens." The fact it was used in 28 Days Later even gets lampshaded in the text. Given I want this trope to die in a fire, I'm happy about its inclusion. Thankfully, this overused plot doesn't take up much of the book and I hope it doesn't play a big role in the sequel. I was a big fan of the characters in this book and would like to see Lana, in particular, return. Lana is a well-designed lesbian character who's self-confidence plays off against Warren's insecure masculinity.
They're very entertaining together and would have been a good couple if not for their incompatible orientations. The two were developing a fast friendship in the book and I hope neither dies anytime soon. I'll probably read future volumes in the series but I wish the book had ended on a more definitive note. Outbreak is entertaining, well-structured, and has a different feel from most zombie-apocalypse stories. It's not perfect but, then again, what is?
8/10
February 18, 2015
I received this book as part of a a First Reads Giveaway and will give an honest review in return.
This is my first real read of Zombie fiction, I've seen all the movies, and read stuff like World War Z (not a lot of Z action) and The Walking Dead, so I love my zombies. I'd read a few of the reviews and was prepared to want to strangle Warren, who I was expecting to be an A-Grade twat, but while he turned out to be a mouthy, sulky grump at times, I could kind of understand him, especially in the face of being eaten alive by zombies I'd become pretty selfish too I suspect.
I had a few struggles with some of the more obscure UK references, but I watch a lot of UK television so most of it was fine. I also found a few instances where conversations jarred me; a person talking seemingly out of character, switching direction suddenly or saying something that I doubt they would normally, but it did seem for the purposes of illustrating the unseen. It wasn't a deal breaker but these few moments kind of jarred me away from the story.
Now the story, we have your typical zombie expectations, it's a damn outbreak that turns people into flesh hungry maniacs, world is fine one minute then before you know it everything has gone to hell and life as you know it is over. This story however did something I wasn't expecting... it surprised me! I kind of expect from years of absorbing undead stories that I would see most of the twists and turns coming, but I didn't! I like that it came at me from an angle I wasn't really expecting. I was expecting certain outcomes that I did not get which made me frustrated (in a good way), it gave me swipes up the side of the head out of nowhere, and I gobbled the story up pretty damn quickly.
Of course there is the most important part of any zombie story... the zombies!! I really liked the way they were presented and the thought out details of why they act the way they do. This book doesn't cover the how of their existence, but it does give ideas of the why, at least as figured by the characters in the book. I never want to meet any of the zombies from this book, but there are quite a few I'd probably lose bladder control upon encountering.
I'd like to grumble at the author for distracting me from the chores I was supposed to be doing and ended up reading the book instead, instead of putting the book down, doing the housework (which needed to be done BEFORE the next day) and finishing in the evening when I was done, instead I sat in the sun absorbing zombie goodness and was later cleaning until 11pm!
While I think there could be a bit of polish on one or two parts, it did not detract from the overall story which I thoroughly enjoyed, and I'm now eager to get my hands on the next book... I want to know what happens damn it!!!!
This is my first real read of Zombie fiction, I've seen all the movies, and read stuff like World War Z (not a lot of Z action) and The Walking Dead, so I love my zombies. I'd read a few of the reviews and was prepared to want to strangle Warren, who I was expecting to be an A-Grade twat, but while he turned out to be a mouthy, sulky grump at times, I could kind of understand him, especially in the face of being eaten alive by zombies I'd become pretty selfish too I suspect.
I had a few struggles with some of the more obscure UK references, but I watch a lot of UK television so most of it was fine. I also found a few instances where conversations jarred me; a person talking seemingly out of character, switching direction suddenly or saying something that I doubt they would normally, but it did seem for the purposes of illustrating the unseen. It wasn't a deal breaker but these few moments kind of jarred me away from the story.
Now the story, we have your typical zombie expectations, it's a damn outbreak that turns people into flesh hungry maniacs, world is fine one minute then before you know it everything has gone to hell and life as you know it is over. This story however did something I wasn't expecting... it surprised me! I kind of expect from years of absorbing undead stories that I would see most of the twists and turns coming, but I didn't! I like that it came at me from an angle I wasn't really expecting. I was expecting certain outcomes that I did not get which made me frustrated (in a good way), it gave me swipes up the side of the head out of nowhere, and I gobbled the story up pretty damn quickly.
Of course there is the most important part of any zombie story... the zombies!! I really liked the way they were presented and the thought out details of why they act the way they do. This book doesn't cover the how of their existence, but it does give ideas of the why, at least as figured by the characters in the book. I never want to meet any of the zombies from this book, but there are quite a few I'd probably lose bladder control upon encountering.
I'd like to grumble at the author for distracting me from the chores I was supposed to be doing and ended up reading the book instead, instead of putting the book down, doing the housework (which needed to be done BEFORE the next day) and finishing in the evening when I was done, instead I sat in the sun absorbing zombie goodness and was later cleaning until 11pm!
While I think there could be a bit of polish on one or two parts, it did not detract from the overall story which I thoroughly enjoyed, and I'm now eager to get my hands on the next book... I want to know what happens damn it!!!!
February 16, 2015
“I hate zombies. I hate practically everything”
As soon as I read that first post-prologue line, I knew I’d get a beautifully sarcastic and oh-so-slightly selfish narration of living through a very British zombie apocalypse with an almost complete lack of guns, but with a lot of kitchen knives, axes and even a Phillips screwdriver at one point.
What I wasn’t expecting was to actually like Warren. Sure, he’s self-centred, hates pretty much everything, and is sarcastic to the point of offending pretty much everyone, but wouldn’t we all be? Despite all the bravado and seemingly not caring, Warren does genuinely care about some of the people he meets, and he genuinely changes as the plot progresses.
But a zombie novel would be nothing without zombies. And it sure delivers on zombies, scattering plenty of epic hammer meet undead skull fight scenes into the backdrop of fragile relationships and occasionally betrayal.
Probably one of my favourite sections was when Warren first gets to his sister Carla’s house, as he’s just the epitome of sarcasm and “I’m the big brother just do as I say”
Onto the one slight criticism: I sometimes really couldn’t tell who was talking in some dialogue sections. Despite the fact it added something in the more urgent panicked sections, I had to really go back through the conversation a lot to figure out who was talking.
Coming from the point of view of a nerdy 17 year old, the characters are brilliantly written, with almost everyone having good and bad points, so there’s no clear “villain” per se (apart from the zombies, but they can’t really help it), and I especially liked Lana, as her cockiness contrasted well with almost everyone else, but particularly Rick, and if there’s one issue I wasn’t expecting to see raised in a zombie novel it’s homophobia, which was tackled well.
Overall, a brilliant read.
As soon as I read that first post-prologue line, I knew I’d get a beautifully sarcastic and oh-so-slightly selfish narration of living through a very British zombie apocalypse with an almost complete lack of guns, but with a lot of kitchen knives, axes and even a Phillips screwdriver at one point.
What I wasn’t expecting was to actually like Warren. Sure, he’s self-centred, hates pretty much everything, and is sarcastic to the point of offending pretty much everyone, but wouldn’t we all be? Despite all the bravado and seemingly not caring, Warren does genuinely care about some of the people he meets, and he genuinely changes as the plot progresses.
But a zombie novel would be nothing without zombies. And it sure delivers on zombies, scattering plenty of epic hammer meet undead skull fight scenes into the backdrop of fragile relationships and occasionally betrayal.
Probably one of my favourite sections was when Warren first gets to his sister Carla’s house, as he’s just the epitome of sarcasm and “I’m the big brother just do as I say”
Onto the one slight criticism: I sometimes really couldn’t tell who was talking in some dialogue sections. Despite the fact it added something in the more urgent panicked sections, I had to really go back through the conversation a lot to figure out who was talking.
Coming from the point of view of a nerdy 17 year old, the characters are brilliantly written, with almost everyone having good and bad points, so there’s no clear “villain” per se (apart from the zombies, but they can’t really help it), and I especially liked Lana, as her cockiness contrasted well with almost everyone else, but particularly Rick, and if there’s one issue I wasn’t expecting to see raised in a zombie novel it’s homophobia, which was tackled well.
Overall, a brilliant read.
July 23, 2014
If you loved 28 Days Later, you MUST read this!
Well! This was the first book I'd ever read about a zombie apocalypse - and I LOVED it! Because it's not about zombies, really - okay, there's a fair bit of gory description, but this is a book about people, about human nature, about how in any microcosm of society (like the group of survivors on the pier), there still rise up the leaders, the sheep, the carers, the power hungry, the practical, the weak, the turncoats, the good and the evil.
I so much liked Warren, the main character (I love intelligent, practical people who don't mince their words), and had a certain affection for his sister Carla, and brother in law Rick. The character of dastardly 'Doughy' Austin was brilliantly portrayed. It's a sharp, funny book, as well as being so tragic. Loads of astute observations, and so many thought provoking aspects - how Warren felt so 'alive' because all he had to concentrate on was survival. What was also so notable was, of course, how quickly society breaks down and how priorities change; I liked the bit where he found a twenty pound note in his pocket and saw it as just a bit of purple toilet paper.
This book really needs a sequel - I was trying to make it end less quickly when I got to 96%, and I so want to know what happens next. Negatives? There are a few editing/proofreading errors, but they're nothing horrendous and don't stop me wanting to give this five stars. The only other negative is that it put my iPad in danger - I couldn't stop reading it, and so had to carry on doing so IN THE BATH - not a sensible thing to do!
Well! This was the first book I'd ever read about a zombie apocalypse - and I LOVED it! Because it's not about zombies, really - okay, there's a fair bit of gory description, but this is a book about people, about human nature, about how in any microcosm of society (like the group of survivors on the pier), there still rise up the leaders, the sheep, the carers, the power hungry, the practical, the weak, the turncoats, the good and the evil.
I so much liked Warren, the main character (I love intelligent, practical people who don't mince their words), and had a certain affection for his sister Carla, and brother in law Rick. The character of dastardly 'Doughy' Austin was brilliantly portrayed. It's a sharp, funny book, as well as being so tragic. Loads of astute observations, and so many thought provoking aspects - how Warren felt so 'alive' because all he had to concentrate on was survival. What was also so notable was, of course, how quickly society breaks down and how priorities change; I liked the bit where he found a twenty pound note in his pocket and saw it as just a bit of purple toilet paper.
This book really needs a sequel - I was trying to make it end less quickly when I got to 96%, and I so want to know what happens next. Negatives? There are a few editing/proofreading errors, but they're nothing horrendous and don't stop me wanting to give this five stars. The only other negative is that it put my iPad in danger - I couldn't stop reading it, and so had to carry on doing so IN THE BATH - not a sensible thing to do!
January 17, 2016
One of the biggest struggles of the zombie horror genre today is finding genuinely scary zombies and apocalyptic scenarios that feel real when every man and his dog has a zombie attack plan and dealing with zombies is a case of "Just shoot them in the head already." This book brings a really visceral sense of horror back to zombies, the stench, the gruesomeness and the danger of dealing with walking, diseased, human corpses in every encounter. One of the biggest strengths though is the really modern way it deals with the response to the zombies from both citizens and government rather than shying away by exploring reactions making their way to Twitter, Facebook and the rest of the internet, it makes the terror and confusion that much more real.
The narrator and protagonist takes some getting used to, cynical and pop culture-obsessed, right off the bat he feels like the kind of rambling drunk you don't want to get caught stuck in a conversation with at the pub. His voice ends up feeling so consistently real though that it's like you're genuinely experiencing the unfolding chaos through his eyes.
I'm torn about calling it a weakness or a strength, but reaching the end of the book it feels like the pilot episode of a TV show, we know the players and the setting but the real conflict is just starting to heat up. But on the plus side it's really given you time to digest some beautiful description, some fleshed-out characters and left you wanting more.
The narrator and protagonist takes some getting used to, cynical and pop culture-obsessed, right off the bat he feels like the kind of rambling drunk you don't want to get caught stuck in a conversation with at the pub. His voice ends up feeling so consistently real though that it's like you're genuinely experiencing the unfolding chaos through his eyes.
I'm torn about calling it a weakness or a strength, but reaching the end of the book it feels like the pilot episode of a TV show, we know the players and the setting but the real conflict is just starting to heat up. But on the plus side it's really given you time to digest some beautiful description, some fleshed-out characters and left you wanting more.
September 20, 2014
At first, I thought it might mirror 28 Days Later but once I’d read the book I can say that it has the basic idea of isolation on an island but beyond that, the story is it’s own independent concept with a twist on the traditional zombie.
The characters are humorous, hateful and loveable. Being a fan of characters and their development I can honestly say that Warren Fielding was fun to read. He had a dark humor and that bitter British wit that had me laughing when I probably shouldn't have. I could have read hours of just him and his sister arguing, they were highly entertaining.
Overall, I wasn’t disappointed. The book had everything a good horror should have: Gore, Believable Characters, Intense Situations & Vengeance. It did, however, end on a note that made me a little antsy. I’d wished for a bit more of a conclusion but if I’m correct, the author has the second book in the wings.
There’s tragedy for these “waiting dead” which was once described as the “survivors”. Warren Fielding is also a complex character that logically, I agree with and emotionally I want to scream at. He’s the perfect survivor and I can’t wait to find out how he continues to make it in the Z- Apocalypse.
Full Review is on The Reader's Hollow Blog http://thereadershollow.wordpress.com/2014/09/19/horrorzombies-great-bitten-outbreak-review/
The characters are humorous, hateful and loveable. Being a fan of characters and their development I can honestly say that Warren Fielding was fun to read. He had a dark humor and that bitter British wit that had me laughing when I probably shouldn't have. I could have read hours of just him and his sister arguing, they were highly entertaining.
Overall, I wasn’t disappointed. The book had everything a good horror should have: Gore, Believable Characters, Intense Situations & Vengeance. It did, however, end on a note that made me a little antsy. I’d wished for a bit more of a conclusion but if I’m correct, the author has the second book in the wings.
There’s tragedy for these “waiting dead” which was once described as the “survivors”. Warren Fielding is also a complex character that logically, I agree with and emotionally I want to scream at. He’s the perfect survivor and I can’t wait to find out how he continues to make it in the Z- Apocalypse.
Full Review is on The Reader's Hollow Blog http://thereadershollow.wordpress.com/2014/09/19/horrorzombies-great-bitten-outbreak-review/
August 18, 2014
What I liked most about this story is that it was humorous at times. Warren is a hoot and his selfish and no nonsense attitude keeps him and those with him from becoming zombie happy meals. The prologue was an excellent lead in to the story and that’s where the author hooked me. There were more than one type of zombie which was very cool too. That alone kept me turning the pages just to see which type of zombie was coming to get Warren and his family next.
Now, I did get confused while reading a few conversations. I didn’t know who was talking at times because the author failed to separate the dialogue or even give us the name of the character speaking at the time. It was very frustrating and at one point I wanted to stop reading the book even-though I liked the story. If it wasn’t for the casual and witty voice of the author I would have abandoned this book but I am glad that I didn’t.
The use of social media and the internet to get news as it was happening was true to life and well done. I could see myself checking Facebook, Twitter, and even Youtube for any news coming out of the affected area too. In the end the story is very good and you should give this book a chance because you may love it. It will also be very interesting to see where the next book takes us.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
Now, I did get confused while reading a few conversations. I didn’t know who was talking at times because the author failed to separate the dialogue or even give us the name of the character speaking at the time. It was very frustrating and at one point I wanted to stop reading the book even-though I liked the story. If it wasn’t for the casual and witty voice of the author I would have abandoned this book but I am glad that I didn’t.
The use of social media and the internet to get news as it was happening was true to life and well done. I could see myself checking Facebook, Twitter, and even Youtube for any news coming out of the affected area too. In the end the story is very good and you should give this book a chance because you may love it. It will also be very interesting to see where the next book takes us.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 11, 2021
A very typical but enjoyable end of the world zombie romp. Nothing very new here but still found it to be enough as bring me back for more. The author managed to create a villain who you will despise, who will inevitable have you coming back for more in the next outing.
The physical copy i have is littered with spelling and grammatical errors that can be a little jarring but dont let that put you off. Get your teeth into this, its worth a few hours of your time.
The physical copy i have is littered with spelling and grammatical errors that can be a little jarring but dont let that put you off. Get your teeth into this, its worth a few hours of your time.
August 12, 2018
Likeable
Really likeable writing style. Enjoyed the characters however i felt the timeline was rushed and made no sense. Small changes would have sorted that out though. They went from well stocked to dire situations too quickly. Other than that, was a very enjoyable read
Really likeable writing style. Enjoyed the characters however i felt the timeline was rushed and made no sense. Small changes would have sorted that out though. They went from well stocked to dire situations too quickly. Other than that, was a very enjoyable read
July 16, 2017
Great fun, and so dark!!
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December 8, 2019It was an ok read
June 20, 2025
I love zombie novels but this 1 just didn't do it for me.
August 8, 2016
Entertaining, enjoyable and interesting. The zombie apocalypse unfolding in Great Britain.
During a zombie outbreak would you really turn over a weapon you had, even if the government ordered it? That's a no. Any government that would make the request is out of their mind.
When the story begins it's 40 months after the zombie apocalypse has started. Warren a former journalist is writing a journal recounting the events that have happened to his group up to the present. He states right at the start he is going to recount the events in the minutest detail he can. There is not a lot of action until the last half of the story.
Warren Fielding his sister Carla and his brother-in-law Rick are trying to survive the best way they can.
Warren is full of sarcasm and snark, he tends to speak before he thinks at times. He's doing the best he can to keep them all safe. It's a learn as you go scenario(obviously) which adds to the different situations they find themselves in. Warren and his family are in no way "preppers" so they use what they have to survive. In the search for safety they end up in a situation they never could have imagined.
While there is humor and sarcasm through out the story, for me it was not the laugh out loud sarcasm/humor that fills the Zombie Fallout series by Mark Tufo. Warren may however be the British distant cousin version of that series MC Mike Talbot. There is a distinct difference between British and American humor, as well as the phrases they use. I think this effects how well each person enjoys the story.
Some things that didn't make sense to me. Why did they wait so long to board up their house? Where is any kind of authority? Things like electricity, internet etc. seemed to last longer than you would think.
Ian Gordon did a pretty good job with the narration. Pleasant voice. Smooth even pace. Not much difference between male character voices. His female voices were believable. I think a little more difference in the character voices would have really helped the sarcasm come through better. While he was able to convey the different emotions of the characters he needed more emotion in the action parts of the story.
The audio has a bit of a "hollow" sound to me in the beginning. I got used to it easily and it had no effect the overall enjoyment of the story. This just may be the difference in studio styles.
Dawn Peers aka Warren Fielding has written a pretty darn good offering in the zombie genre. It was good enough that it kept me listening in one sitting and I will continue with the series to find out what happens next.
This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBoom.com
During a zombie outbreak would you really turn over a weapon you had, even if the government ordered it? That's a no. Any government that would make the request is out of their mind.
When the story begins it's 40 months after the zombie apocalypse has started. Warren a former journalist is writing a journal recounting the events that have happened to his group up to the present. He states right at the start he is going to recount the events in the minutest detail he can. There is not a lot of action until the last half of the story.
Warren Fielding his sister Carla and his brother-in-law Rick are trying to survive the best way they can.
Warren is full of sarcasm and snark, he tends to speak before he thinks at times. He's doing the best he can to keep them all safe. It's a learn as you go scenario(obviously) which adds to the different situations they find themselves in. Warren and his family are in no way "preppers" so they use what they have to survive. In the search for safety they end up in a situation they never could have imagined.
While there is humor and sarcasm through out the story, for me it was not the laugh out loud sarcasm/humor that fills the Zombie Fallout series by Mark Tufo. Warren may however be the British distant cousin version of that series MC Mike Talbot. There is a distinct difference between British and American humor, as well as the phrases they use. I think this effects how well each person enjoys the story.
Some things that didn't make sense to me. Why did they wait so long to board up their house? Where is any kind of authority? Things like electricity, internet etc. seemed to last longer than you would think.
Ian Gordon did a pretty good job with the narration. Pleasant voice. Smooth even pace. Not much difference between male character voices. His female voices were believable. I think a little more difference in the character voices would have really helped the sarcasm come through better. While he was able to convey the different emotions of the characters he needed more emotion in the action parts of the story.
The audio has a bit of a "hollow" sound to me in the beginning. I got used to it easily and it had no effect the overall enjoyment of the story. This just may be the difference in studio styles.
Dawn Peers aka Warren Fielding has written a pretty darn good offering in the zombie genre. It was good enough that it kept me listening in one sitting and I will continue with the series to find out what happens next.
This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBoom.com
November 4, 2021
~Disclaimer: I received a free audiobook copy of this book.~
“Remember, dear readers, I am not a storyteller and I am not a hero. This may not be the prettiest, nor the most eloquent tale you have ever read. I am a journalist, and I find the answers to the questions that people never thought to ask. This is what I am doing now; finding those answers for us all, so the world can be restored to some vague semblance of normality. But what I did first? There are nights I wake in a cold sweat in fear and shame at how I went through the first weeks of my survival. This is what I remember. This is what I did next when the UK fell down.” (Pg. 23)
I do love a main character who knows they aren’t the best human in the world. I like a flawed main character and Warren delivers that in spades. I found his perspective to be amusing and sometimes even relatable (because who among us never has had mean thoughts).
As I said in my last zombie review, I like zombie stories that aren’t centered in the USA. I’ve just oversaturated myself with them, and therefore find books set in other countries to be much more compelling.
The narrator does a good job. His voice is easy to listen to for long periods of time (I’ll admit I listened to this book in one day).
It does fall into some old tropes. Humanity is the real monster and the whole women are good for trade. I did find the gender divide of responsibilities to be a bit overdone.
I’ll probably continue the story, as the next book is available on KU. Is it a perfect zombie story? No. Does it entertain and have a lot of snark with gore thrown in? Yes. I give it a solid 3 stars overall. Not bad, and if you are looking for a new series worth a look-see. It doesn’t look like the other books in the series have an audiobook yet. The series is on KU, so if you have it already, picking up the first book costs you nothing, but time.
I will note a quick first aid thing. Don’t remove things that are piercing folks. When Warren rips a shard of glass that had impaled someone, and then bound the injury, I was like that is a huge NO-NO. Better to leave it in and not have someone bleed out.
“Remember, dear readers, I am not a storyteller and I am not a hero. This may not be the prettiest, nor the most eloquent tale you have ever read. I am a journalist, and I find the answers to the questions that people never thought to ask. This is what I am doing now; finding those answers for us all, so the world can be restored to some vague semblance of normality. But what I did first? There are nights I wake in a cold sweat in fear and shame at how I went through the first weeks of my survival. This is what I remember. This is what I did next when the UK fell down.” (Pg. 23)
I do love a main character who knows they aren’t the best human in the world. I like a flawed main character and Warren delivers that in spades. I found his perspective to be amusing and sometimes even relatable (because who among us never has had mean thoughts).
As I said in my last zombie review, I like zombie stories that aren’t centered in the USA. I’ve just oversaturated myself with them, and therefore find books set in other countries to be much more compelling.
The narrator does a good job. His voice is easy to listen to for long periods of time (I’ll admit I listened to this book in one day).
It does fall into some old tropes. Humanity is the real monster and the whole women are good for trade. I did find the gender divide of responsibilities to be a bit overdone.
I’ll probably continue the story, as the next book is available on KU. Is it a perfect zombie story? No. Does it entertain and have a lot of snark with gore thrown in? Yes. I give it a solid 3 stars overall. Not bad, and if you are looking for a new series worth a look-see. It doesn’t look like the other books in the series have an audiobook yet. The series is on KU, so if you have it already, picking up the first book costs you nothing, but time.
I will note a quick first aid thing. Don’t remove things that are piercing folks. When Warren rips a shard of glass that had impaled someone, and then bound the injury, I was like that is a huge NO-NO. Better to leave it in and not have someone bleed out.
September 21, 2015
If you enjoy sarcasm, wit and the English seaside, then this book is for you! A very well written and extremely witty take on the zombie apocalypse that strikes a perfect balance between horror and humour. Without giving too much away, there are also some perfectly timed pop culture references that bibliophiles and fandoms alike will appreciate. Likewise, as someone currently living on the south coast, all the book locations are described in such a way to make any local smirk or laugh out loud in perfect agreement. Seriously though, I highly recommend this book and I cannot wait to read the rest of the series.
March 10, 2019
So, I this one as a gift,I was not really such what I expected, but I mainly found it okay. It did remind me a lot of 28 days later, but it was not as good as i kept on comparing it to that film. 28 days later did get a mention in the book too, which didn't help remove it from my mind.
I liked Warren, but as for the others in the book, I felt they lacked a stand out personality, I may read the next one, I will have to think about this one some more tho before I made up my mind.
I liked Warren, but as for the others in the book, I felt they lacked a stand out personality, I may read the next one, I will have to think about this one some more tho before I made up my mind.
April 21, 2016
A well-paced enjoyable read, so much so that I was able to overlook the few spelling and grammatical errors that are so often such a big feature of this genre. It was a delight to find that this book hadn't succumbed in a similar fashion.
I'll definitely be looking to read book 2 on the series in due course :)
I'll definitely be looking to read book 2 on the series in due course :)
January 13, 2017
Loved it!
This is a tale about ordinary folks at the beginning of the apocalypse. A newspaper Reporter, his sister, a lawyer, and her fiance, a househusband. There is danger, betrayal, an unexpected ally, and a common love to keep them going.
This is a tale about ordinary folks at the beginning of the apocalypse. A newspaper Reporter, his sister, a lawyer, and her fiance, a househusband. There is danger, betrayal, an unexpected ally, and a common love to keep them going.
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March 15, 2014Won through a BookLikes giveaway....just waiting for the book now
October 13, 2019
Thanks
Thanks for a great book. This was a wonderful read.. Will be reading more of your series. Dying to read more. Again great book.
Thanks so much. 😉😉😉😉.
.. ... ..... ....
Thanks for a great book. This was a wonderful read.. Will be reading more of your series. Dying to read more. Again great book.
Thanks so much. 😉😉😉😉.
.. ... ..... ....
December 29, 2022
Great book couldn’t put it down
March 27, 2017
In Warren Fielding’s, Great Bitten : Outbreak we follow the author as the main character in a World War Z(the book, not the movie) type recollection of the outbreak of a zombie virus in the UK as the reporter turned survivor escapes London and makes his way to safety.
The safety doesn’t last long as Warren, his sister Carla and her boyfriend Rick come to grips with the new zombie reality as society collapses all around them. They leave Carla’s home and go in search of a safe haven. Eventually ending up with a batch of not so trustworthy individuals that they must take shelter with in order to survive.
What I liked about this story?
I haven’t read many zombie stories that take place in the UK, so it was interesting to hear something that depicted things from that side of the planet.
I enjoyed the characters interactions, for me, it reminded me a lot of the characters in Douglas Adam’s, Hitchhiker’s Guide Series, this could simply be regular old british humor, but it amused me to listen to their absurd observational banter about what was going on around them. That alone made most of the story pretty enjoyable for me.
I also like the references to mainstream zombie pop culture and the mix of fast and slow zombies, this added a fun level of fright, as you never knew what the survivors were going to run into whenever they saw some of the dead.
What I didn’t like about this story?
There was one area that I struggled with in the story and that was the human bad guys. There was a small conflict at their introduction and I’ll admit that since I was listening to the audiobook versus reading the book, I may have zoned out and missed something important. However, for me I just didn’t pick up on why there was such a heavy level of conflict between the characters. I get the overall premise of it, just for me there was something that was missing and the high level of angst between our survivors and the leader of the survivors they joined, just never quite felt right to me.
Conclusion:
All in all, despite the part where I didn’t quite understand what was going on between the main good guys and bad guys, I did enjoy the story and found myself rooting for them. Especially at the end when everything goes from bad to worse and you find yourself really starting to hate some of the characters and worrying about the others.
There’s enough good stuff here to give it a listen and then wait patiently for the sequel!
I give this 7 out of 10 stars.
The safety doesn’t last long as Warren, his sister Carla and her boyfriend Rick come to grips with the new zombie reality as society collapses all around them. They leave Carla’s home and go in search of a safe haven. Eventually ending up with a batch of not so trustworthy individuals that they must take shelter with in order to survive.
What I liked about this story?
I haven’t read many zombie stories that take place in the UK, so it was interesting to hear something that depicted things from that side of the planet.
I enjoyed the characters interactions, for me, it reminded me a lot of the characters in Douglas Adam’s, Hitchhiker’s Guide Series, this could simply be regular old british humor, but it amused me to listen to their absurd observational banter about what was going on around them. That alone made most of the story pretty enjoyable for me.
I also like the references to mainstream zombie pop culture and the mix of fast and slow zombies, this added a fun level of fright, as you never knew what the survivors were going to run into whenever they saw some of the dead.
What I didn’t like about this story?
There was one area that I struggled with in the story and that was the human bad guys. There was a small conflict at their introduction and I’ll admit that since I was listening to the audiobook versus reading the book, I may have zoned out and missed something important. However, for me I just didn’t pick up on why there was such a heavy level of conflict between the characters. I get the overall premise of it, just for me there was something that was missing and the high level of angst between our survivors and the leader of the survivors they joined, just never quite felt right to me.
Conclusion:
All in all, despite the part where I didn’t quite understand what was going on between the main good guys and bad guys, I did enjoy the story and found myself rooting for them. Especially at the end when everything goes from bad to worse and you find yourself really starting to hate some of the characters and worrying about the others.
There’s enough good stuff here to give it a listen and then wait patiently for the sequel!
I give this 7 out of 10 stars.
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