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Diaries of the Damned
From the mind of British horror author Alex Laybourne comes his debut foray into the world of Zombie fiction. Diaries of the Damned is an international bestseller having sat in the number one position on the British Horror rank on Amazon.com for several weeks, and has been in the top ten since its release.
The flu is spreading through the English county of Norfolk. A nasty virus that has hospitals overflowing and people are being transported out of the county for medical attention elsewhere. What nobody realizes however is that they are spreading much more than a bad case of the flu.
When the dead start to rise people are caught off-guard. Trapped in the town of Norwich people are battling their way to the local airport, where the military have established a base.
Separated upon arrival, with no word of explanation, the survivors are herded onto planes and evacuated to safety.
Paul Larkin, a worn our journalist who once harbored Pulitzer-sized dreams starts talking to several passengers on his flight, and soon people begin to come together, each telling their tales to Paul, who
agrees to document it all for the sake of ensuring that their tale of triumph is heard by the world. Little did this group know, that their tales would uncover a truth far more sinister than anybody could have thought possible.
When the dead rise, they bring all of your secrets with them, and sometimes, the truth is worse than the fiction.
The flu is spreading through the English county of Norfolk. A nasty virus that has hospitals overflowing and people are being transported out of the county for medical attention elsewhere. What nobody realizes however is that they are spreading much more than a bad case of the flu.
When the dead start to rise people are caught off-guard. Trapped in the town of Norwich people are battling their way to the local airport, where the military have established a base.
Separated upon arrival, with no word of explanation, the survivors are herded onto planes and evacuated to safety.
Paul Larkin, a worn our journalist who once harbored Pulitzer-sized dreams starts talking to several passengers on his flight, and soon people begin to come together, each telling their tales to Paul, who
agrees to document it all for the sake of ensuring that their tale of triumph is heard by the world. Little did this group know, that their tales would uncover a truth far more sinister than anybody could have thought possible.
When the dead rise, they bring all of your secrets with them, and sometimes, the truth is worse than the fiction.
- GenresZombies
318 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 23, 2013
7 people are currently reading
43 people want to read
About the author
Alex Laybourne
41 books68 followersBorn and raised in the coastal English town Lowestoft, it should come as no surprise (to those that have the misfortune of knowing this place) that I became a horror writer.
From an early age I was sent to schools which were at least 30 minutes drive away and so spent the most of my free time alone, as the friends I did have lived too far away for me to be able to hang out with them in the weekends or holidays.
I have been a writer as long as I can remember and have always had a vivid imagination. To this very day I find it all too easy to just drift away into my own mind and explore the world I create, where the conditions always seem to be just perfect for the cultivation of ideas, plots, scenes, characters and lines of dialogue everything basically, and when the time is right, I can simply pluck them from the allotment of my mind serve them up on the pages of whatever work is to be their home.
I am married and have four children and my biggest dream for them is that they grow up and spend their lives doing what makes them happy, whatever that is.
From an early age I was sent to schools which were at least 30 minutes drive away and so spent the most of my free time alone, as the friends I did have lived too far away for me to be able to hang out with them in the weekends or holidays.
I have been a writer as long as I can remember and have always had a vivid imagination. To this very day I find it all too easy to just drift away into my own mind and explore the world I create, where the conditions always seem to be just perfect for the cultivation of ideas, plots, scenes, characters and lines of dialogue everything basically, and when the time is right, I can simply pluck them from the allotment of my mind serve them up on the pages of whatever work is to be their home.
I am married and have four children and my biggest dream for them is that they grow up and spend their lives doing what makes them happy, whatever that is.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
March 8, 2014
Book Review originally published here: http://www.iheartreading.net/book-tou...
Diaries of the Damned tells us the story of the damned, of the survivors narrowly escaping the zombie apocalypse. Paul, a wannabe fiction author who worked as a journalist in a previous life – the life he led before his family turned into zombies – goes aboard an airplane destined to take them to their salvation, away from the devastation of a city that was once Norwich, but is now infected with the undead. Paul feels numbed, unable to feel anything after losing the ones dear to him. He rescues the plane’s stewardess, Jessica, when she attempts a suicide. The two of them start talking, and Jessica suggests Paul embraces his long-time dream of being an author, and starts by writing down the stories of the survivors on the airplane.
One by one, the survivors start talking, and pieces of the puzzle are revealed. First up is Jessica, the flight attendent, who barely knew about the zombie outbreak until it was almost too late. Next is Leon, a paramedic who went to search for his daughter when the virus first broke out. Kind of like the Canterbury tales, each of the survivor’s unique stories make up a smaller story within the larger story. The most memorable stories were Roberts, Tracey and Allen’s, and Neil’s. As each story is told, we see a unique aspect of the zombie outbreak, until we find out more about the origin of the virus that started the flu that was the beginning of the end. We also learn about the characters, about what it takes to survive in a world turning against you, about what it means to live while everyone you’ve ever loved, has passed away.
The story is complicated enough that you don’t figure out the origins of the virus, or how the outbreak started, right away. It’s a compelling story about human survival, about how far we’re willing to go to survive. There is plenty of horror too though. Especially Robert’s story was rather horrific. Either way, these zombies aren’t the ones you encounter in the movies. They’re darker, their emotions and actions more human. And that makes them all the more dangerous.
The author isn’t afraid to kill off characters, which is a must in books this dark, and actually made it a more intriguing read for me. He’s not afraid to go into really dark territory either.
The writing was solid, the survivors offer compelling stories, and there are some huge surprises and plot twists throughout the novel that kept me thoroughly entertained. It’s been a long time since zombies entertained me as much as these ones did. If you like zombies and/or horror, Diaries of the Damned needs to be added to your reading pile.
Diaries of the Damned tells us the story of the damned, of the survivors narrowly escaping the zombie apocalypse. Paul, a wannabe fiction author who worked as a journalist in a previous life – the life he led before his family turned into zombies – goes aboard an airplane destined to take them to their salvation, away from the devastation of a city that was once Norwich, but is now infected with the undead. Paul feels numbed, unable to feel anything after losing the ones dear to him. He rescues the plane’s stewardess, Jessica, when she attempts a suicide. The two of them start talking, and Jessica suggests Paul embraces his long-time dream of being an author, and starts by writing down the stories of the survivors on the airplane.
One by one, the survivors start talking, and pieces of the puzzle are revealed. First up is Jessica, the flight attendent, who barely knew about the zombie outbreak until it was almost too late. Next is Leon, a paramedic who went to search for his daughter when the virus first broke out. Kind of like the Canterbury tales, each of the survivor’s unique stories make up a smaller story within the larger story. The most memorable stories were Roberts, Tracey and Allen’s, and Neil’s. As each story is told, we see a unique aspect of the zombie outbreak, until we find out more about the origin of the virus that started the flu that was the beginning of the end. We also learn about the characters, about what it takes to survive in a world turning against you, about what it means to live while everyone you’ve ever loved, has passed away.
The story is complicated enough that you don’t figure out the origins of the virus, or how the outbreak started, right away. It’s a compelling story about human survival, about how far we’re willing to go to survive. There is plenty of horror too though. Especially Robert’s story was rather horrific. Either way, these zombies aren’t the ones you encounter in the movies. They’re darker, their emotions and actions more human. And that makes them all the more dangerous.
The author isn’t afraid to kill off characters, which is a must in books this dark, and actually made it a more intriguing read for me. He’s not afraid to go into really dark territory either.
The writing was solid, the survivors offer compelling stories, and there are some huge surprises and plot twists throughout the novel that kept me thoroughly entertained. It’s been a long time since zombies entertained me as much as these ones did. If you like zombies and/or horror, Diaries of the Damned needs to be added to your reading pile.
March 16, 2014
Please note that this review is a modified version from my blog After The Last Day.
Zombies, the great crowd-pleasers. Or is that crowd-eaters? Either way, zombies are more popular than Jesus right now, and the bookshelves are full of zombie stories. Luckily, Diaries of the Damned manages to give us a neat take on the genre.
The Premise
A killer flu turns its victims into zombies. After making it through the zombie outbreak to safety, journalist Paul Larkin begins collecting the stories of the other survivors on the plane he finds himself aboard, destination unknown. But as each passenger’s stories come to light, revelations about the origins of the flu virus and the nature of the undead are shared, culminating in some shocking truths.
What’s So Great About It?
Diaries of the Damned has a great premise behind it. Everybody loves zombies these days (well…except for all those damn vampires…) but in the glut of zombie fiction lore out there, its hard to find zombies that stand out from the crowd. Diaries of the Damned manages to stand out from the herd by the nature of its (un)dead. The zombies stand out as a more cohesive and consistent creature here than in many other efforts.
The narrative is a collection of what is essentially the short story of one survivor after another, interwoven with a grounding element (the journalist on the plane, collecting the stories) and advancing the plot each time. It’s done really well here and the narrative flow is well handled. It keeps the pages turning, along with some inventive moments.
Diaries of the Damned is an enthusiastically told collection of tales and manages to keep things fresh, in terms of both the escalating conspiracy introduced artfully in the storyline, and the zombies themselves. Nobody is safe in this novel, and that’s a good thing.
What’s Not Great About It?
The dialogue is bad. There’s no sense of urgency to action scenes in the dialogue, and the characters love stating the obvious. The narrative tells what’s happening more than shows.
More depth to the characters would be nice to see – Paul seems to be the only one really fleshed out.
I think that this author is one to watch and can only improve with each work, but although this novel was inventive and different, those elements only carry a story so far.
Who Would Enjoy This Book?
If you’re after a zombie tale that’s refreshingly different and doesn’t require your concentration, this is something you’re going to enjoy. Its fast paced, enjoyable if you don’t find the writing style incompatible with your reading style, and ultimately, worth reading for the well-laid plot.
If you love your zombies, give it a read.
Zombies, the great crowd-pleasers. Or is that crowd-eaters? Either way, zombies are more popular than Jesus right now, and the bookshelves are full of zombie stories. Luckily, Diaries of the Damned manages to give us a neat take on the genre.
The Premise
A killer flu turns its victims into zombies. After making it through the zombie outbreak to safety, journalist Paul Larkin begins collecting the stories of the other survivors on the plane he finds himself aboard, destination unknown. But as each passenger’s stories come to light, revelations about the origins of the flu virus and the nature of the undead are shared, culminating in some shocking truths.
What’s So Great About It?
Diaries of the Damned has a great premise behind it. Everybody loves zombies these days (well…except for all those damn vampires…) but in the glut of zombie fiction lore out there, its hard to find zombies that stand out from the crowd. Diaries of the Damned manages to stand out from the herd by the nature of its (un)dead. The zombies stand out as a more cohesive and consistent creature here than in many other efforts.
The narrative is a collection of what is essentially the short story of one survivor after another, interwoven with a grounding element (the journalist on the plane, collecting the stories) and advancing the plot each time. It’s done really well here and the narrative flow is well handled. It keeps the pages turning, along with some inventive moments.
Diaries of the Damned is an enthusiastically told collection of tales and manages to keep things fresh, in terms of both the escalating conspiracy introduced artfully in the storyline, and the zombies themselves. Nobody is safe in this novel, and that’s a good thing.
What’s Not Great About It?
The dialogue is bad. There’s no sense of urgency to action scenes in the dialogue, and the characters love stating the obvious. The narrative tells what’s happening more than shows.
More depth to the characters would be nice to see – Paul seems to be the only one really fleshed out.
I think that this author is one to watch and can only improve with each work, but although this novel was inventive and different, those elements only carry a story so far.
Who Would Enjoy This Book?
If you’re after a zombie tale that’s refreshingly different and doesn’t require your concentration, this is something you’re going to enjoy. Its fast paced, enjoyable if you don’t find the writing style incompatible with your reading style, and ultimately, worth reading for the well-laid plot.
If you love your zombies, give it a read.
March 13, 2014
Well this is most certainly going to be one of the best (and goriest) reviews I have ever done. Allow me to start off with saying that I was never much of a zombie fan. I was always more of a... werewolf... vampire... witch fan. But this book completely turned my opinion around.
When I first started reading this, I did not think that I would enjoy it. I really didn't. The beginning was slow at first, but soon it got interesting. I loved how the reader gets absorbed into the plot... slowly... reigned... in... It was enthralling.
Then! We get into the gory details that zombies are known for. When I first began getting into the gory details, I found myself enjoying all of the thrills, all the of gore, all the EWWWW!!!!! that the author presents us with.
One of the best things about being an author, one of the things I admire most, is the ability to change perspectives. I absolutely loved how Mr. Laybourne was able to switch from one character to another and still have the book make sense. Being able to take one person's perspective and switch it around to someone else's is not that easy to do because the remainder of the story may not make as much sense as one wants. However, this is perfect because not only does the author switch characters, he also switches back to the main protagonist, the writer telling the story, and has him collect stories of the actual apocalypse. That is admirable to me because as a writer myself, I find that changing perspectives is difficult to do.
As a whole, the book is something highly admirable. Romance, goriness, and zombies (!) are all a huge part of this book that make it worth reading. Especially if you want a scare!!! Be ready to have nightmares!
Gabby
For the original review and more, please visit Marked By Books.
When I first started reading this, I did not think that I would enjoy it. I really didn't. The beginning was slow at first, but soon it got interesting. I loved how the reader gets absorbed into the plot... slowly... reigned... in... It was enthralling.
Then! We get into the gory details that zombies are known for. When I first began getting into the gory details, I found myself enjoying all of the thrills, all the of gore, all the EWWWW!!!!! that the author presents us with.
One of the best things about being an author, one of the things I admire most, is the ability to change perspectives. I absolutely loved how Mr. Laybourne was able to switch from one character to another and still have the book make sense. Being able to take one person's perspective and switch it around to someone else's is not that easy to do because the remainder of the story may not make as much sense as one wants. However, this is perfect because not only does the author switch characters, he also switches back to the main protagonist, the writer telling the story, and has him collect stories of the actual apocalypse. That is admirable to me because as a writer myself, I find that changing perspectives is difficult to do.
As a whole, the book is something highly admirable. Romance, goriness, and zombies (!) are all a huge part of this book that make it worth reading. Especially if you want a scare!!! Be ready to have nightmares!
Gabby
For the original review and more, please visit Marked By Books.
December 2, 2014
Free book for honest review. juliesbookreview.blogspot.com
In Norwich many will go to bed on a normal night and wake thinking its a normal day . . . .but what they soon discover is not like any book or movie they have ever read or seen.
Norwich has a bad flu epidemic, one that is a fast acting and will kill you within days. Once they die they come back. . . as ZOMBIES. What has caused these brain eating, foul smelling, creatures ?? Survivors are being transported from planes, being carried to unknown location. The author takes us a on particular plane that is carrying Paul. Paul is a journalist with a tabloid. He along with many others are survivors and ones that have lost loved ones. Paul has always dreamed of writing a fiction book. This maybe his last chance. He will befriend 7 people that will tell their stories, each with their own perspectives of the doom they encountered. Paul will take notes of each one, each having their own survival story and how they escape. When the stories end and the plane lands the story will take a twist . . . . one that will change everything and their world.
What a WONDERFUL read ! ! ! ! I feel in LOVE with this novel. I have read alot of zombie books, but this one by far was my favorite ! Each person's story was unique and not far fetched. Each story will put more pieces into the puzzle of how and why this happened. You will soon see that no one is safe and this could happen in today's world. Laybourne's flow of writing is perfect ! Many places you wanted to cry, laugh and scream ! All these characters were survivors and did what they had to do to survive. I was left wanting to read more when I hit that last page! IT makes you stop and think . . . . what would you do to survive ? You will have blood, gore and ZOMBIES !! ! Sit back and buckle up its a fun ride !
5 zombie stars
Wende :)
In Norwich many will go to bed on a normal night and wake thinking its a normal day . . . .but what they soon discover is not like any book or movie they have ever read or seen.
Norwich has a bad flu epidemic, one that is a fast acting and will kill you within days. Once they die they come back. . . as ZOMBIES. What has caused these brain eating, foul smelling, creatures ?? Survivors are being transported from planes, being carried to unknown location. The author takes us a on particular plane that is carrying Paul. Paul is a journalist with a tabloid. He along with many others are survivors and ones that have lost loved ones. Paul has always dreamed of writing a fiction book. This maybe his last chance. He will befriend 7 people that will tell their stories, each with their own perspectives of the doom they encountered. Paul will take notes of each one, each having their own survival story and how they escape. When the stories end and the plane lands the story will take a twist . . . . one that will change everything and their world.
What a WONDERFUL read ! ! ! ! I feel in LOVE with this novel. I have read alot of zombie books, but this one by far was my favorite ! Each person's story was unique and not far fetched. Each story will put more pieces into the puzzle of how and why this happened. You will soon see that no one is safe and this could happen in today's world. Laybourne's flow of writing is perfect ! Many places you wanted to cry, laugh and scream ! All these characters were survivors and did what they had to do to survive. I was left wanting to read more when I hit that last page! IT makes you stop and think . . . . what would you do to survive ? You will have blood, gore and ZOMBIES !! ! Sit back and buckle up its a fun ride !
5 zombie stars
Wende :)
August 25, 2016
Wow. This book was intense! I love me a good zombie book, for I love all things zombie, and this book did not disappoint at all.
This book was laid out with different survivor stories. Each chapter was someone else's story with a few mini chapters in between to connect them all together. Each account of the same event was very interesting and at the same time awesome. To see what other people did when the world basically ends is so cool, and was written very well. Moique's story was one of the stories that really got to me. Made me sick with how quickly people turned against each other and into barbaric animals.
Read full review at Step Into Fiction
Review completed by: Ashley
This book was laid out with different survivor stories. Each chapter was someone else's story with a few mini chapters in between to connect them all together. Each account of the same event was very interesting and at the same time awesome. To see what other people did when the world basically ends is so cool, and was written very well. Moique's story was one of the stories that really got to me. Made me sick with how quickly people turned against each other and into barbaric animals.
Read full review at Step Into Fiction
Review completed by: Ashley
June 14, 2014
0% through and a couple of editing typos your/you're earlier on and thank instead of than at 19%...the instead of they at 20%...not enough to detract from the story but worth resolving. Ok I gave up listing the typos a quarter of the way through as there were too many. I really enjoyed this..an original way to group together different survivors' tales and I loved the twist at the end. The writing itself was great, just needed better editing. Gorier than most undead books I've read (and I've read a lot!) with some great graphic descriptions. Not all the characters are particularly likeable, and some that are don't survive which is a good way to keep the reader on their toes. In it's genre this would be a 5-star read, but with the shoddy editing it has to come down to 4-stars as it became very distracting!
March 18, 2014
Diaries of the Damned is a fresh now take on the zombie tale.
The main character, Paul, begins journaling the survivor's compelling stories. Each smaller story makes up part of a larger one. As we find out more about each survivor, we learn more about the outbreak and its origin.
If you like action, adventure and most of all, gore and ZOMBIES... add this to your TBR pile!
The main character, Paul, begins journaling the survivor's compelling stories. Each smaller story makes up part of a larger one. As we find out more about each survivor, we learn more about the outbreak and its origin.
If you like action, adventure and most of all, gore and ZOMBIES... add this to your TBR pile!
June 28, 2015
loved this book
March 20, 2014
review coming soon
August 24, 2015
Quick read when you're in need of a zombie fix.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews