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Amish Apocalypse
In the year 2513, Ted Bundy and Jack the ripper are brought into the future to lead a group of notorious serial killers to help the Old Order Amish defeat a hoodoo queen who sees the Amish expansion into her territory as a direct threat. To retaliate, she kills and then resurrects the Amish children and leads them against their kin in battle, thinking the pacifist Amish will not fight against their children, dead or alive. However, they've found a way...
237 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 30, 2013
12 people want to read
About the author
James Daughety
1 book1 followerJames was born on October 29, 1962 in Tampa, Florida. Perhaps he can best be described as a jack of all places and trades. He has lived in Florida, Virginia, Missouri, Massachusetts, South Carolina, Rhode Island and Mississippi.
He has attended the University of Missouri, Christopher Newport University, Tampa College and Florida Technical School, accumulating over 170 credit hours in everything from creative writing to legal studies.
He has worked as a tree service employee, convenience store clerk, file clerk, account analyst, pro-shop manager, golf professional, greens keeper, deli hand, landscaper, musician, retail salesman, insurance salesman, underwriter, general manager, multi-unit restaurant manager, freight flow manager and has served in the U.S. Navy as a Legalman.
What does he do with all this life experience? He writes. It is the one constant; he has always written in one form or another - essays, poems, short stories, novels - throughout his life. It is the one thing that he truly loves to do. That and read. He tries to read at least two novels a week, sometimes he reads three, sometimes one - but, he always reads.
He has attended the University of Missouri, Christopher Newport University, Tampa College and Florida Technical School, accumulating over 170 credit hours in everything from creative writing to legal studies.
He has worked as a tree service employee, convenience store clerk, file clerk, account analyst, pro-shop manager, golf professional, greens keeper, deli hand, landscaper, musician, retail salesman, insurance salesman, underwriter, general manager, multi-unit restaurant manager, freight flow manager and has served in the U.S. Navy as a Legalman.
What does he do with all this life experience? He writes. It is the one constant; he has always written in one form or another - essays, poems, short stories, novels - throughout his life. It is the one thing that he truly loves to do. That and read. He tries to read at least two novels a week, sometimes he reads three, sometimes one - but, he always reads.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 26, 2014
This book has a very unique and interesting plot. Though it takes a bit of concentration in the beginning to sort out the who is who, it is refreshingly imaginative. It jumps view points from many characters, making it a little hard to attach to any particular one. The setting and time period the book takes place is a futuristic one, but yet still one of the past with the Amish storyline.
The feminist in me cringes at the way women are represented, the book showcasing Amish lifestyle. But the author contrasts this with the strong women of the opposing force in the battle between the amish and conjurer’s of dark magic. It is however, very interesting that the strong women of this novel are on the side of evil. The one saving grace to this is Hannah. A female character and member of the Amish group that does seem to step outside of the docile and submissive role of women.
There is a constant exchange of good and evil throughout this book. The author often blurs the lines between right and wrong and yet travels to the extreme ends of both. Add in some religion with worship of both the devil and God and you have a book that is perpetually making you wonder what is coming next.
There were themes that just made me feel very uncomfortable, like raising dead Amish children to fight their own kind. There were many disturbing things in this book that made my skin crawl. I think that was the authors intention, but if there was a little more back story and the story was fuller with more detail and explanations it wouldn’t have been so hard to follow at times. I felt like I was left with these images in my mind with not enough context to understand their place other than to make me squeamish.
This was a very strange book, mixing themes that one would not expect to go together. Often times I felt I was reading two different stories that the author mashed together. I can say however though the closer I got to the end the more I wanted to read it just to find out how the two worlds come together.
The book did come together at the end. Overall I gave this book 4 stars because it did make me want to read to the end to find out what happens. Everything was eventually explained, but I wanted a little more from the explanation.
The feminist in me cringes at the way women are represented, the book showcasing Amish lifestyle. But the author contrasts this with the strong women of the opposing force in the battle between the amish and conjurer’s of dark magic. It is however, very interesting that the strong women of this novel are on the side of evil. The one saving grace to this is Hannah. A female character and member of the Amish group that does seem to step outside of the docile and submissive role of women.
There is a constant exchange of good and evil throughout this book. The author often blurs the lines between right and wrong and yet travels to the extreme ends of both. Add in some religion with worship of both the devil and God and you have a book that is perpetually making you wonder what is coming next.
There were themes that just made me feel very uncomfortable, like raising dead Amish children to fight their own kind. There were many disturbing things in this book that made my skin crawl. I think that was the authors intention, but if there was a little more back story and the story was fuller with more detail and explanations it wouldn’t have been so hard to follow at times. I felt like I was left with these images in my mind with not enough context to understand their place other than to make me squeamish.
This was a very strange book, mixing themes that one would not expect to go together. Often times I felt I was reading two different stories that the author mashed together. I can say however though the closer I got to the end the more I wanted to read it just to find out how the two worlds come together.
The book did come together at the end. Overall I gave this book 4 stars because it did make me want to read to the end to find out what happens. Everything was eventually explained, but I wanted a little more from the explanation.
August 3, 2016
This is definitely a unique read; I cannot think of any other story to compare it to. The premise of this novel is quite fascinating, and the supernatural elements were well-thought out, not appearing naff or overdone.
I like the style the author employs to tell the story—short scenes make it easy for the reader to maintain interest in the novel without causing weariness. However, many different characters are introduced, and although the author makes an effort to bring some personality out in them all, I didn’t really have time to get attached to any and at times got confused. I know why this was the case, though—many threads were intertwined to form the story, and it was enjoyable to see how those multiple threads eventually came together.
Some interesting relationships that could be explored a bit more were not—it seems such a missed opportunity, e.g. the conjurer Serafine and Pierre, Hannah and Noah. I felt the focus was on advancing the story, which came at a cost.
Having said that, I am sure this novel will be enjoyed by fans of the genre, where action is more important than deep thoughts. Quite a lot of violence is scattered through the pages, but it seems necessary to tell the story properly; it is an apocalypse after all.
Last but not least, I cannot contain the b*tch within lol:
Hannah’s mother’s gravestone reads ‘2464–2495,’ and her husband’s ‘2439–2495,’ so he was ‘thirty-five years older than his wife.’
Erm, 64 minus 39 is 25.
Apologies for unleashing the pedant.
I like the style the author employs to tell the story—short scenes make it easy for the reader to maintain interest in the novel without causing weariness. However, many different characters are introduced, and although the author makes an effort to bring some personality out in them all, I didn’t really have time to get attached to any and at times got confused. I know why this was the case, though—many threads were intertwined to form the story, and it was enjoyable to see how those multiple threads eventually came together.
Some interesting relationships that could be explored a bit more were not—it seems such a missed opportunity, e.g. the conjurer Serafine and Pierre, Hannah and Noah. I felt the focus was on advancing the story, which came at a cost.
Having said that, I am sure this novel will be enjoyed by fans of the genre, where action is more important than deep thoughts. Quite a lot of violence is scattered through the pages, but it seems necessary to tell the story properly; it is an apocalypse after all.
Last but not least, I cannot contain the b*tch within lol:
Hannah’s mother’s gravestone reads ‘2464–2495,’ and her husband’s ‘2439–2495,’ so he was ‘thirty-five years older than his wife.’
Erm, 64 minus 39 is 25.
Apologies for unleashing the pedant.
January 24, 2014
One premise I liked about this book is that hundreds of years in the future, mankind has become so dependent on technology ("making a meal by pushing a button") that highly advanced societies had collapsed when World War V arrived, and all this technology was destroyed. Ultimately, Amish communities have the last laugh, because they had opted to continue their lives without technology all this time, as they continue to do today. I found myself pondering this excellent point. What if someday we become slaves to our technology, as demonstrated even now, with all our attention devoted to smartphones and video games?
There was little else I enjoyed about this book. None of the characters are virtuous and all do dastardly things to other people. In fact, this book is so violent and degrading, there should be a content advisory warning with this.
Even if one took all the violence and disturbing behaviour out, the plot did not work for me. I wasn't sure why the main villain, Serafine, was doing what she did, or what motivated her. I wasn't too convinced with the plot of why the Amish community would capture serial killers from the past and deploy them in this way, in fact, a lot of what the Amish did ran contrary to what is commonly attributed to the Amish as positive virtues, such as pacifism and respect for each other, never mind also following the Ten Commandments of the Bible.
I understand the author may be trying to create a "shock value" book in the crowded apocalyptic book market by drawing upon a famous pacifist community with conviction as to pioneer days lifestyle, but the plot does not carry water, and it is hard to care for any of the characters.
There was little else I enjoyed about this book. None of the characters are virtuous and all do dastardly things to other people. In fact, this book is so violent and degrading, there should be a content advisory warning with this.
Even if one took all the violence and disturbing behaviour out, the plot did not work for me. I wasn't sure why the main villain, Serafine, was doing what she did, or what motivated her. I wasn't too convinced with the plot of why the Amish community would capture serial killers from the past and deploy them in this way, in fact, a lot of what the Amish did ran contrary to what is commonly attributed to the Amish as positive virtues, such as pacifism and respect for each other, never mind also following the Ten Commandments of the Bible.
I understand the author may be trying to create a "shock value" book in the crowded apocalyptic book market by drawing upon a famous pacifist community with conviction as to pioneer days lifestyle, but the plot does not carry water, and it is hard to care for any of the characters.
May 25, 2014
A Pulpy Read!
As it came to me, the good things about this book are; 1) it has an original and imaginative plot (which maybe hard-to-digest for some people, depending on personal preferences), 2) the writing style is good in general, 3) there are a number of twists in the story that keeps the reader intrigued about what’s going to happen next and 4) one nice ending. In fact, the ending left me thinking for some time; whether the author just tried to introduce a bit of self-reflexivity or maybe an alter-ego! Also, I liked the very last line very much. It leaves a lot of open space for interpretations.
The bad things, so to speak, about this book are, 1) character establishment or building is not that evident like it should be in a novel, 2) several flaws can be noticed in the cause-and-effect relationships, that is to say, logic of things and actions. But when you know you are reading a zombie novel, you can absolutely ignore these facts! Can’t you? These ‘flaws’ can also be intentional. Maybe the author actually wanted to tell the story this way. I’m saying this because I can’t see any harm caused by these factors after finishing it. Rather, these are the keys that bring this novel closer to pulp. The survival of the Amish community after world war five is a phenomenon that seems to be a social statement from the author. Also, the binary of the men-of-nature and the un-dead or living-dead leaves space for socio-political interpretation.
All in all, a nice read with a pulpy feel all over. If you are a lover of this genre (which I’m not really and I still liked it), you are going to love it for sure!
As it came to me, the good things about this book are; 1) it has an original and imaginative plot (which maybe hard-to-digest for some people, depending on personal preferences), 2) the writing style is good in general, 3) there are a number of twists in the story that keeps the reader intrigued about what’s going to happen next and 4) one nice ending. In fact, the ending left me thinking for some time; whether the author just tried to introduce a bit of self-reflexivity or maybe an alter-ego! Also, I liked the very last line very much. It leaves a lot of open space for interpretations.
The bad things, so to speak, about this book are, 1) character establishment or building is not that evident like it should be in a novel, 2) several flaws can be noticed in the cause-and-effect relationships, that is to say, logic of things and actions. But when you know you are reading a zombie novel, you can absolutely ignore these facts! Can’t you? These ‘flaws’ can also be intentional. Maybe the author actually wanted to tell the story this way. I’m saying this because I can’t see any harm caused by these factors after finishing it. Rather, these are the keys that bring this novel closer to pulp. The survival of the Amish community after world war five is a phenomenon that seems to be a social statement from the author. Also, the binary of the men-of-nature and the un-dead or living-dead leaves space for socio-political interpretation.
All in all, a nice read with a pulpy feel all over. If you are a lover of this genre (which I’m not really and I still liked it), you are going to love it for sure!
May 20, 2014
I was given this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is a unique story and Mr. Daughety has quite an imagination. I am not a reader of Zombie fiction as a personal taste. I do not however shy away from the horror genre. All paranormal books require a willful suspension of disbelief but this book asked a bit too much of it from me. There were a few logic flaws that I could not get past. I know that sounds strange when discussing a work of fiction but it is how I felt as a reader. The flaws pulled my mind out of the story. It also felt like at the end the author wanted to end the story. The first part of the book had expansive setups of the plot and the end seemed to be wrap-up-ie. Almost as if he was tired of writing it. Also several of the characters had very little dimension and seemed caricatures. I do not want to give away the plot but that is definitely original. I at least have not heard of anything like it. I think this might actually make a great graphic novel with the right artist. Like I said this is not a category of book that I pick up on my own and it was an interesting fun read. If this is your thing I am sure you would enjoy it. I would definitely read something written by the author again. All said I was entertained.
This is a unique story and Mr. Daughety has quite an imagination. I am not a reader of Zombie fiction as a personal taste. I do not however shy away from the horror genre. All paranormal books require a willful suspension of disbelief but this book asked a bit too much of it from me. There were a few logic flaws that I could not get past. I know that sounds strange when discussing a work of fiction but it is how I felt as a reader. The flaws pulled my mind out of the story. It also felt like at the end the author wanted to end the story. The first part of the book had expansive setups of the plot and the end seemed to be wrap-up-ie. Almost as if he was tired of writing it. Also several of the characters had very little dimension and seemed caricatures. I do not want to give away the plot but that is definitely original. I at least have not heard of anything like it. I think this might actually make a great graphic novel with the right artist. Like I said this is not a category of book that I pick up on my own and it was an interesting fun read. If this is your thing I am sure you would enjoy it. I would definitely read something written by the author again. All said I was entertained.
September 2, 2016
Intelligent and imaginative, 'Amish Apocalypse' is an entertaining read for any fan of zombie literature/B-movie monster/sci-fi mash-ups. Set in the distant future, it immerses us in an Amish culture that has thrived despite mankind's best attempts to annihilate itself... and raises some interesting questions (as far as zombie lore is concerned) in the process. As a fan of Kirkman's 'Walking Dead' and Max Brooks' 'World War Z' I thought it was fun - and practical - to have the Amish (a hard-working, live-off-the-land people with REAL real world skills) be the ones to whip up a solution to a zombie problem never before thought of. From a sociological perspective, that in-and-of-itself, was interesting...and a risk, which, in this reader's opinion paid off. Although a little difficult to navigate through in the beginning, 'Amish Apocalypse' does succeed in introducing you to a wide range of layered characters, not to mention a few historical baddies who may or may not be worse than any zombie. Read it yourself and experience a very welcome departure from the extremely formulaic approach to a by-the-numbers genre.
January 19, 2014
Apocalypse with a twist
Five world wars later, the only social groups that survive are those that are not dependent by other communities. The Amish thrive and expand in this new world until they face those hidden in the mists of Louisiana, the Creoles.
Among the large number of apocalyptic stories with zombies that were published lately, this one stands out. James Daughety writes a fast paced story involving time travel, in order to bring a group of serial killers in a peaceful community to help fight the zombies. What makes it a page turner is the way in which every character follows his/her own agenda while they all manage to work together and give the reader that thrill of the chase and that certitude of good always wins over evil.
But wait, the final of the main story is not the end of the book. The end is awesome (that was the word that first came to my mind when I finished reading this story). No spoilers next. Read it. It’s worth it.
Five world wars later, the only social groups that survive are those that are not dependent by other communities. The Amish thrive and expand in this new world until they face those hidden in the mists of Louisiana, the Creoles.
Among the large number of apocalyptic stories with zombies that were published lately, this one stands out. James Daughety writes a fast paced story involving time travel, in order to bring a group of serial killers in a peaceful community to help fight the zombies. What makes it a page turner is the way in which every character follows his/her own agenda while they all manage to work together and give the reader that thrill of the chase and that certitude of good always wins over evil.
But wait, the final of the main story is not the end of the book. The end is awesome (that was the word that first came to my mind when I finished reading this story). No spoilers next. Read it. It’s worth it.
July 9, 2014
What if you combined an after the end of the technological world with time travel, serial killers through the ages, the Amish, and Hoodoo? Well, you’d get the premise for an exciting book, that’s for sure.
To be honest when I read the book’s back cover, I just wasn't sure the author could pull it off. But the way he blended the Amish culture, the time-traveling serial killers, and the evil Hoodoo Queen bent on destroying the Amish was nothing short of masterful. What an imagination!
Amish Apocalypse engaged me from the very beginning and kept my interest all the way to the end. If you want a fun and exciting read, I highly recommend this book!
To be honest when I read the book’s back cover, I just wasn't sure the author could pull it off. But the way he blended the Amish culture, the time-traveling serial killers, and the evil Hoodoo Queen bent on destroying the Amish was nothing short of masterful. What an imagination!
Amish Apocalypse engaged me from the very beginning and kept my interest all the way to the end. If you want a fun and exciting read, I highly recommend this book!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews