The Rising: More Selected Scenes From The End Of The World

by Brian Keene, Charlie Benante (illustrator)

"Brian Keene writes like a force of nature." – F. Paul Wilson Twenty years ago, multiple Bram Stoker Award winner and World Horror Grandmaster Brian Keene's The Rising was credited with "revitalizing the horror fiction genre" and "giving zombies an upgrade". In the decades since then, the series has spawned three sequels and earned generations of eager fans from all walks of life– united in the hope that the author would return once again to the franchise. This is that return. The More Selected Scenes From the End of the World features a splattering of new stories set within the world of Brian Keene's The Rising franchise, complimented with original illustrations by Anthrax's Charlie Benante. Featuring tales set both before and after the events of the previous books, it will appeal to long-time fans and new readers alike. Brian Keene's The More Selected Scenes From the End of the World– zombies just got another upgrade.

Genres: Horror, Zombies

93 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 28, 2025

About the author

BRIAN KEENE writes novels, comic books, short fiction, and occasional journalism for money. He is the author of over forty books, mostly in the horror, crime, and dark fantasy genres. His 2003 novel, The Rising, is often credited (along with Robert Kirkman’s The Walking Dead comic and Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later film) with inspiring pop culture’s current interest in zombies. Keene’s novels have been translated into German, Spanish, Polish, Italian, French, Taiwanese, and many more. In addition to his own original work, Keene has written for media properties such as Doctor Who, Hellboy, Masters of the Universe, and Superman.

Several of Keene’s novels have been developed for film, including Ghoul, The Ties That Bind, and Fast Zombies Suck. Several more are in-development or under option. Keene also serves as Executive Producer for the independent film studio Drunken Tentacle Productions.

Keene also oversees Maelstrom, his own small press publishing imprint specializing in collectible limited editions, via Thunderstorm Books.

Keene’s work has been praised in such diverse places as The New York Times, The History Channel, The Howard Stern Show, CNN.com, Publisher’s Weekly, Media Bistro, Fangoria Magazine, and Rue Morgue Magazine. He has won numerous awards and honors, including the World Horror 2014 Grand Master Award, two Bram Stoker Awards, and a recognition from Whiteman A.F.B. (home of the B-2 Stealth Bomber) for his outreach to U.S. troops serving both overseas and abroad. A prolific public speaker, Keene has delivered talks at conventions, college campuses, theaters, and inside Central Intelligence Agency headquarters in Langley, VA.

The father of two sons, Keene lives in rural Pennsylvania.

Reviews

[LIsa Noell "Rocking the chutzpah!" · Rating 2 out of 5]

My thanks to Dead Sky Publishing, Brian Keene and Netgalley.
I should probably lie and tell y'all that I read this whole "short" thing.
Truth is that I think I wasted too much time in this crap.
Keene is one major reason why I love zombies. Now? This shit bored me to tears.
I have spent the last 20 to 30 years saving all of Keenes books. Period.
If you want better? Leave this be. Its toothless.

[Matty · Rating 4 out of 5]

These 10 short stories were written to help fund cancer treatment for Kristopher Trianas’ dog, Bear. Each story stars a person that bought them and then all the funds went to Bear’s treatment. The stories are light, fun, zombie stories I would read to my teenage kids. The majority of stories involve animals, reptiles, and insects. One story is even narrated by a dog. My favorite story was one with a man with a Corgi named Hannibal, who shared a birthday with Joey Ramone. This was my first book read by Brian Keene, and I know plan on reading The Rising books along with his other work. Highly recommend if you’re in the mood for some quick fun zombie stories featuring nonhuman zombies. Book will be published January 28, 2025.

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a short collection of short stories set in Keene's zombie apocalypse world. It would help to have read The Rising, but it's not imperative. (But why wouldn't you?) They're all entertaining pieces, though once the reality finally hits that there are no happy endings it borders on the repetitively bleak. The stories were commissioned to fund the medical care of a cancer-stricken dog named Bear, so it's a touching and worthwhile cause and you should buy the book. Keene's prose is enhanced by a section of illustrations, very cool paintings by Charlie Benante and some amusing zombie sketches by Wes Benscoter, who also did the striking cover. The gallery placement doesn't match the table of contents, but there's an inset group of slick pages that really adds to the experience.

[Ga.selle (Semi-hiatus) Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Now, as the stench of the crowd below wafted up to him, he saw just how futile such an attempt would have been. Descending from the balcony would be like dropping into a meat grinder or a swimming pool filled with ravenous piranha." -Body Talk



Author Brian Keene dedicated this short story collection to author Kristopher Triana and his dog named Bear.
"we offer a bunch of brand-new short stories that take place in that setting. Each story would star the person who purchased it, and all of the funds would go to Bear’s treatment."
The purpose or intent of creating this follow up volume for Bear's benefit is really admirable, moving and heart-warming. Sadly, Bear crossed the rainbow bridge year 2023. 🌈😞
Haven't read any of The Rising series/franchise yet but looking forward to starting pretty soon .

Thanks to NetGalley and Dead Sky Publishing for the arc. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily .Expected Publication Date: December 3rd, 2024 🖤

3.7✨🧟🧟‍♀️🧟‍♂️

[Michael Hicks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I suppose there's a perverse comfort in returning to Brian Keene's world of The Rising hot on the heels of Donald Trump's successful re-election bid. Like the 72 million American voters who opted to put a racist rapist, a domestic terrorist, a traitor and failed insurrectionist, and 34-time convicted felon back in the White House, The Rising is similarly populated by soulless ghouls driven solely by hate and the desire to destroy the world. Yes, it's a nihilistic escape, but, fuck it, at least it's an escape, and a reminder that no matter how bad the coming years will be -- and mark my words, they will be soul-crushingly bad and no doubt tragic, marred further still by a pervasive existential dread -- it could be even worse still. Even if only slightly... I mean, death by Elilum and the heat-death of the universe brought on by the invasion of Teraphim is actually looking pretty damn good right about now, if I'm being honest.

Yeah, I'm not feeling much in the way of hope in these dreary post-election 2024 days. Thankfully, Keene manages to eke out a few moments of heartfelt and sentimental moments at the end of days across the eleven short stories collected here in The Rising: More Selected Scenes From the End of the World. I have to admit, it's made for an awfully nice balm.

As he did with the previous volume of Selected Scenes, Keene takes a mosaic approach to crafting the stories herein, setting each of them, progressively, against the backdrop of the zombie apocalypse as established in his seminal novel The Rising and it's sequel, City of the Dead, and a smidge beyond. For those that haven't already, it is strongly encouraged you at least check out those two novels before plunging into either of the Selected Scenes books.

And like the previous volume, the stories here were made possible by Keene's biggest fans, who this time around donated money to help support Kristopher Triana's insanely costly vet bills after his dog, Bear, was diagnosed with cancer in 2021. Readers were able to join the fundraiser by donating to a tier to have Keene write a personalized short story in which they were the star, and those funds raised would go directly to paying for Bear's treatment. Keene contacted those individuals to learn a bit more about them and where they lived, as well as their pets in some instances, and crafted each story around them. In one such instance, it is the pet, a Chihuahua named Sophie, who stars as the central protagonist in "Sophie's Final Choice," which revolves around the animal coping with the looming death of her owner on the cusp of starvation.

Fair warning -- there are no happy endings in Keene's nightmarish scenarios. Sure, there are glimpses of happiness, moments of joy, even if short lived, but all in all it's pretty bleak fare. And even those few stories that do have what, for all intents and purposes, constitute a happy ending, well, it's gonna be awfully short-lived in the grand scheme of things. Ain't nobody nowhere safe!

As those familiar with The Rising mythos know, the zombie apocalypse kicks off in Pennsylvania and go global quickly thereafter, with both Scenes books providing a world tour of murder, heartbreak, and hopelessness. Oh yeah, and a bit of good, old fashioned human love and tenderness in those final moments, at least occasionally, and, unfortunately, not always reciprocated, because at the end of the day, love is all we have left, even if our significant other has been turned into a rotting, flesh-eating monstrosity who uses our love for them to cut us like a knife. But hey, that's life... and death. At least in The Rising.

[Horror Bookworm Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Horror Bookworm Recommendation
The Rising: More Selected Scenes From The End Of The World by Brian Keene
https://horrorbookwormreviews.com/

- What corrupted flesh is living within the walls of Observation Room Number Six? There lies within, is the darkest of what nightmares are made of.

- Through the eyes of a Chihuahua, who sees its master has become infected. Not only does it sense the oozing smell of death, it also comprehends…meat isn’t suppose to get up and walk around after it was dead.

- A family attempts to flee their home in search for a safer haven. As a new undead threat is newly discovered, the family realizes they have just jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire.

The Rising: More Selected Scenes From The End Of The World is the seventh book to take place within the setting of The Rising by Brian Keene. A husband and wife searching for sanctuary from undead insects to a plane crash where survivors possess post traumatic stress minus the post, Keene’s undead franchise continues. However this time, the level of decay comes in the form of short stories that qualify as an instant mind-blowing must read.

Brian Keene’s Introduction on how this collection of reanimated stories came to be is pretty amazing in and of itself. He allows the readers to witness the end of the world not only through the eyes of the uninfected but other life-forms as well. From a pandemic to something more supernatural, Keene keeps it real by providing that good ole gore and disturbing cannibalism. He also brings an unusual look into murderous corpses by way of buzzing flies, undead cockroaches and tens of thousands of centipedes.

I honestly can’t get enough of these “the dead began slaughtering the living” books. Somehow Brian Keene always finds a way to bring new ghoulish blood to his “when the world went to shit” crises. As I give this an enjoyable five star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Horror Bookworm Recommendation, I can hear pounding at the door and the smell of decay while I am boarding up my windows and doors.

[Milt Theo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is Brian Keene's second collection of short stories taking place in the world of his novels "The Rising" and "City of the Dead," an original take on the zombie trope that inspired works such as Kirkman's The Walking Dead and Outcast. The twist lies in the combination of zombies and demon possession: as shown in "The Rising," a high physics experiment breaks down the barriers between Earth (not exactly our Earth) and other dimensions, allowing demon-like entities, the Siqqusim, to enter the human world and possess the dead. The whole series (about five books so far, two novels, two collections, one novella) reads like one of those utterly shocking The Walking Dead episodes, where things keep getting worse and worse with no happy end in view, until something really horrible happens, and you have to rethink your investment in the whole thing lol! The series is, in other words, character-driven and emotionally heavy, building on relationships, friendships, traumatic losses and unpredictable turns of events.

The "Scenes" collections are an entertaining series of shorts and vignettes where characters from both books appear in cameos, the central figures however being people who actually paid to lend their names and personal details to star in the stories. The "More Scenes" collection (the one under review) includes people's pets as well, so it's no wonder that one of the stories ("Sophie's Final Coice") has a doggie starring and is actually told from the dog's point of view. Thankfully, this does not imply that included in the gore and the ugly twists will be animal abuse or anything similar; Keene knows better than going for some such cheap gimmick, preferring to highlight instead the relationship between pets and/or animals and owners. On the other hand, unfortunately according to the broader story, next to dead people the Siqqusim also possess dead animals, and this makes for some harrowing scenes of gore and anxiety. Not to mention that after the Siqqusim, you get the Elilum possessing plants and insects (so expect mosquito attacks, spiders and roaches), and finally the Teraphim burning the Earth to a cinder. So this is literally a collection about the end of the world, period.

It's worth emphasizing that this is not your run-of-the-mill zombie fiction: Keene's stories feel real and all the more terrifying for bringing in elements from a wide variety of themes and settings (e.g., military: "Waiting for Infinity," the opening story, the only one not starring a real person, a story that has in fact already appeared in a similar form in the Author's Preferred Edition of "The Rising"; or urban horror: "Nembrotto"; jungle horror: "Gorehog"; and so on). "More Selected Scenes From the End of the World" also includes Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante's artwork, and the stunning cover is Wes Benscoter’s, famous for his heavy metal albums cover art. And the Edition's proceeds benefitted Kristopher Triana's dog Bear when she got sick.

Highly recommended for people who have at least some familiarity with the Rising world, but also for those who prefer their zombie fiction thoughtful, emotionally heavy, and as realistic as possible.

[Logan Gisick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brian Keene’s The Rising: More Selected Scenes From The End Of The World offers a fresh and original take on the zombie genre, blending horror, science fiction, and existential dread into a series of interconnected short stories. While the creativity and unique approach to the virus progression stand out, the brevity of the stories—many spanning only 5–10 pages—left me wanting more. This format often made it difficult to emotionally invest in the characters or experience meaningful development, as just when a story began to draw me in, it ended.

That said, Keene’s vision of zombies as something more sinister and intelligent than the genre’s traditional shambling corpses is fascinating. The virus and its effects on humanity feel well thought out, and I appreciated the variety of perspectives and settings presented throughout the book. These diverse points of view brought a richness to the world, though I found myself wishing for stronger connections between the narratives to create a more cohesive overall story.

Despite these critiques, The Rising has piqued my interest in the larger series. While I haven’t read any other installments, this collection has intrigued me enough to explore more of Keene’s work and uncover how these stories might fit into the broader universe. Fans of inventive and fast-paced zombie fiction will find much to appreciate here, even if the format might leave some readers, like myself, wishing for deeper immersion.

Rating: 3.5/5

I want to thank NetGalley, Dead Sky Publishing, and Brian Keene for sending me a free advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Gyalten Lekden · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Rounded down from 4.5)

Do you want some no frills, no fuss, end of the world zombie action? This is for you! I haven’t read any of the books in The Rising series, and while I am sure that may give some extra bonus fun for those who have, I still had a great time with this short collection.

All you need to know is that whatever dies comer back, not a typical “must eat your brains” kind of zombie but a flesh suit possessed by some sort of demonic force, one that keeps the skills and memories of the host they reanimate, and instead of eating you they just want to kill you, as violently as possible. Other than that normal zombie rules apply, which is to say destroy the brain or these walking corpses will keep coming after you. In this world Keene has set a number of brief vignettes, and he gives us a whole array of characters and situations to spy on. Each story is self-contained (except for two at the end), and they are each a glimpse of how a different person or family might navigate this apocalypse. I don’t think it is much a spoiler to say most don’t navigate it well, but he manages to show different aspects of humanity across these characters. From hope to despair, from rage to love and kindness, our ill-fated characters get a moment to show what their humanity looks like in the face of unsurmountable odds, and it is a bloody delight to see the different places they go.

There is a bit of blood and gore, but nothing like the splatter that Keene seems to be just holding back from. I would have liked maybe a little more carnage, given the context. I also would have liked a little more diversity in characters and scenarios—while he did a good job of showcasing different responses and human impulses, a lot of the characters looked alike. Now, there is a good, self-selecting reason for that… This collection was a fundraiser to raise money for cancer treatments for his friend (and fellow horror author) Kristopher Triana’s dog. Keene auctioned off the chance to have a short story written about you in the world of The Rising, and this is the result. So, the type of people who enjoy Brian Keene’s particular flavor of horror, enough so that they would bid or purchase such an opportunity, and have the disposable income to do so, well that demographic may not be the broadest. But this collection is already really short, and to add in a half dozen other stories that weren’t based on real fans would have given a chance to diversify the cast.

That said, there was a lot of care in these stories. Many of the characters had just strange little random details about them, such as a jersey from a certain sports team, or a particular favorite band, and so on, that feel like they came from real people. It was actually really endearing, and it made every character feel genuine and real, because, well, they were, or at least very close to it. That isn’t to say he is gentle with these characters, he doesn’t provide a lot of space for gentility in this particular zombie apocalypse, but you can feel a fondness toward the characters. There is a level of sentimentality in just the way the characters are described and filled in that really makes these short stories stand out. There is not in the way of plot for most of these, nothing more than “survive another day.” What’s left is making these characters and their environments or situations feel real, enough so that we care about their deaths, and more importantly their lives. He definitely succeeds in doing that, enough so that I am excited to go back twenty (plus) years to when The Rising was published and read through the whole series, now.

I want to thank the author, the publisher Dead Sky Publishing / Death’s Head Press, and NetGalley, who provided a complimentary eARC for review. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

***A big thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this upcoming book***
The more I read from Brian Keene, the bigger fan of his that I become. His style is extremely approachable, his characters are always interesting and his books are just plain fun to read. As soon as I saw that he had an upcoming release on NetGalley I smashed the request button and was lucky enough to get picked to read this title before the general public.

This is a collection of short stories based in the universe of his zombie series The Rising. I haven’t had a chance to read that specific series just yet, but I have read one of his other zombie novels so I knew what to expect going in. Even if you haven’t read any of The Rising books yourself, the author gives a quick breakdown of the series and its rules at the beginning of the book.

That all being said, this was an OK collection of zombie tales that range from just OK to great. It is a short read that I was able to finish in a little over a day’s worth of sporadic reading. This would be a perfect spooky season title to leave on your night table to finish a story or 2 at the end of the day. It was also written for a great charitable cause and the author inserted fan names into each story. I would recommend this to any horror fans, although I wouldn’t recommend this as a starter book for Brian Keene as he has much better stuff available out there.

[Mel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Dead Sky Publishing for the ARC.

I've been a long time fan of Brian Keene's writing. Back in the summer of 2008, I was gifted a box (yes, an entire box) of his works by a dear friend. She told me to trust her, and that I'd want all of these readily available once I finished "The Rising".. and she was right. Keene's writing was my first introduction to books outside of school that I could read for pure enjoyment, and also the only horror book that scared me so badly that I slept with the lights on.

This book is a fantastic companion to the the original books of the series. This is a no frills, no overly flowery, no-nonsense form of storytelling that makes it easy for a reader of any level to jump into. The greatest tragedy for the characters in this book is simply their passing thoughts in this world that has become their new normal, however temporary that is. I thought the addition of Charlie Benante's art was a sick touch.

If you've been a fan of this world for the last two decades, that fact will hold true with this little collection of stories.

[Cory Brock · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's been a while since I read The Rising and City of the Dead, so this was a nice bite-sized way to revisit that incredibly bleak universe. The stories themselves in this collection are fine. They're all really short, so they don't have a lot of time to develop, but they're all decent zombie tales.

[Kaisersoze · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let me start with a significant complaint.

The contents page would have you believe this small collection of short stores set in Keene's The Rising universe is 120 pages long. Excluding the About the Author, About the Artist and the Forward (entitled "What Doesn't Die") sections.

It is not.

The paperback copy I hold in my hand from Death's Head Publishing is 74 pages long (not counting the above-noted sections, which is also how the Contents page of the book reads), plus 24 pages of illustrations from Anthrax's Charlie Benante.

I spent a few minutes scanning through reviews here to determine if pages had fallen out of my copy. But apparently not.

In my copy, the illustrations are not where the contents say they will be, but randomly dumped into the middle of one of the stores at the 59 page mark.

The contents suggests that the last story, which starts at page 71, is 26 pages long and finishes at page 97, where the illustrations begin. In my copy, it is precisely 4 pages long and finishes at page 74.

Am I being pedantic? Yes, I am. But I feel justified in being that way when I paid just shy of $35 for this book which was advertised as, and which the contents page confirms as, being 120 pages.

Right, with that out of the way, Brian Keene wrote these stories out of the kindness of his heart for a friend who was going to lose his dog to cancer, so he wanted to raise money to help the dog with treatment. I therefore am incapable of dinging it too hard for the shit show that is the final presentation of this book.

It is, in fact, a perfectly fine collection of stories which are very heavy on references to dogs (one is even written from the POV of a dog). You will devour it in an hour or so. Some stories are better than others, but there is nothing new here. It is more of the same and it is generally solid writing with one or two "meh" entries and one or two very pleasant surprises.

Brian Keene is the author I have spent the most money on throughout my life. I have more physical copies of his books than any other writer. So while I can confidently say this is not the place to start reading him, I can suggest that fans will have a good time.

Especially if they know it is 74 pages in length (plus 24 pages of illustrations) and not 120 as advertised.

3 Final Sunsets for The Rising: More Selected Scenes From the End of the World.

[Richard Livesay · Rating 4 out of 5]

It ain’t happy, the end of the world. It’s not fun. Brian Keene knows this, and he shows it to us in The Rising: More Selected Scenes from the End of the World. While it’s not fun, Keene does show us that it can contain some true joy…even if that joy is dark.

In the introduction, Keene tells the reader that these stories are the result of a fundraiser to save a friend’s dog. Readers could pay and have their names placed in tales set in Keene’s world of The Rising, a zombie apocalypse even darker than those of popular settings such as The Walking Dead or The Last of Us. In this world, there is no ultimate survival, just the struggle to hang on as long as possible before giving in to the inevitable. We find out while reading that animals come back as demon-possessed zombies, too. Eventually, even the bugs and trees get in on the action. The reader would be forgiven for thinking that such a group of stories would be entirely too dark to enjoy, but Keene makes it work, up to a point.

Most of these stories end in death, of course. They function mostly as character studies, and good ones at that. Keene has some good insights into what makes people tick, and a decidedly macabre sense of humor that will make you laugh from time to time as you read, even if you kind of hate yourself for doing it. At least one of the stories contained within has a happier ending, with a zombie slayer finding a dog (and a reason to keep living). The occasional flashes of triumph keep the whole thing from being too depressing to look at.

In the end, humanity loses. We overreached in our haste to control the universe and brought on our own doom. It’s the oldest trope in zombie fiction, and it’s a strong one. Keene doesn’t try to do much new in this collection, but that’s mostly because of the fund-raising nature of the work. Probably not for new readers, but if you’ve read previous tales set in this world, it’s worth reading this one, too. Just don’t expect the ending of the book to be as happy as the result of the fundraiser (the friend’s dog LIVES!)

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded up to 5.

Thanks to NetGalley and Death's Head Press for an advanced copy of this short story collection, in exchange for an honest review.

I read a couple of Brian Keene's books from The Rising series way back when I was in high school, and it was around the time my love and obsession with zombies started. I was extremely excited to discover that he created this book of short stories from the same world.

What I loved most about this one was that all of these stories, as short and abrupt as some of them were, was that they were all interconnected. They all took place around the same time, with different characters in different locations, so it still felt like it was part of a bigger storyline and not just random zombie stories. I thought it was clever. I also loved how it escalated from the zombies we learned about earlier on in the series, to all of the creepy-crawly bugs being impacted and unable to die. A new fear was unlocked for me! It was disturbing and bleak and left me scratching my body, trying to rid myself of the invisible bugs.

I would also like to note that I thought his dedication of this book to Kristopher Triana and his late dog was incredibly sweet and thoughtful. As a dog lover and owner, I know the devastating pain and loss you feel when these amazing animals pass on. Some of the stories including dogs were some of my favorites in this collection.

I will definitely be recommending this collection to anyone who loves The Rising series and to anyone with a fear of bugs.

[BlurbGoesHere · Rating 3 out of 5]

[Blurb goes here]

The Rising: More Selected Scenes From the End of the World is a collection of short stories set in the post-apocalyptic world of the 'The Rising' crafted by author Brian Keene. The original book was credited with 'giving zombies an upgrade,' the upgrade being that the creatures act more like the possesed from 'The Evil Dead' than zombies.

Keene's talent as a writer is unquestionable, but unfortunately, this anthology falls short of expectations. I was hoping for deeply engaging characters with rich development, the kind you truly root for. Instead, the stories offer mainly flat, two-dimensional figures navigating familiar scenarios with predictable outcomes.

One story, for example, echoes Stephen King’s The Mist: a family trapped with a bleak choice, the father hell-bent on the ultimate sacrifice. While there are moments of intrigue, many of the stories feel like echoes of tales we’ve read before.

If you’re a die-hard fan of The Rising, it may still be worth exploring. But for those who seek something fresh and surprising, this one might be a skip.

Thank you for the advanced copy.

[Lizz · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars, rounded up for Bear.

The Rising: More Selected Scenes From the End of the World by Brian Keene is a collection of short stories set in the same universe as his famous "The Rising" series. Keene wrote these stories to help fund cancer treatment for Bear, a dear friend's dog. Each tale within stars the person who purchased an opportunity to try and survive the apocalypse or be brutally devoured by zombies.

This collection allows you to travel worldwide and witness how this apocalypse affects everyone differently. You witness love, loss, grief, survival, and many zombies.

I'll be honest in saying this is the first thing I've read by Keene, and maybe it wasn't the best choice. While I mostly enjoyed the stories, I couldn't stop thinking that I would appreciate them more if I had a better understanding of the universe. I kept wanting more, and I kept asking WHY. Needless to say, The Rising is now on my TBR list.

Thank you to Netgalley and Dead Sky Publishing for the opportunity to read this eArc/DRC in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

[Alex McConnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

We return to Keene’s zombie world of the Rising over twenty years since the original novels release with a handful of brand new zombie tales.
Written as a fundraiser where the characters bought their own story essentially, this by no means takes away from the tales. In fact, it gives them more heart and roots the stories themselves.
As usual the Siqquism are destroying the world via zombie human, zombie bug, undead tree and then eventually living fire.
There’s really nothing overly new here, if you’re a fan of Keene’s work you’ll love this book as it’s more stories of the same. Not much hope to be had in the tales but hey the world ends. Can’t really sugar coat that. Better to just kill your family and then yourself (as per multiple tales). It’s a fun short read so you wont be disappointed.
Overall another fun entry into Keenes world of The Rising. We’ll have to see if there’s more to come.

[Jacquelyn Dohoney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brian Keene never fails to deliver a rad story! I absolutely loved reading this collection of shorts. I haven’t read The Rising since it was published, so this was a great step back into a world I really missed! Not just zombies, but zombie animals and bugs?! It’s the ultimate in nightmare fuel. (I say this as I’m in Mexico getting swarmed by mosquitos). I couldn’t help but think of that every time one of the little bas——s stung me. And as for the art work, so perfect! Sophia is definitely my favorite. I love it when the dog lives, and she’s a rad little pupper! An excellent collection, especially if you’re a fan of this world!

Huge thanks to Dead Sky Publishing and NetGalley for sending me this ARC for review! All of my reviews are given honestly!

[Danielle Yvonne · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Dead meat was for eating, not walking.”

Ahh!! This is such a fun collection! I’ll start off by saying that I’m not typically a zombie person when it comes to books, but Keene nailed it! I haven’t read the books in The Rising series, and you certainly don’t need to for this collection, but I’ll definitely be going back and reading them now.

There’s 10 short stories and all easy to binge in one sitting. Each one is unique and not your typical zombie story. I did think it would be more splatter-y, but quite frankly, I’m glad it wasn’t. And it didn’t need to be. It’s amazing as is, and I can see why he’s so beloved in the community.

This book releases on the 28th and absolutely gets a huge recommendation from me!

*ARC came from Netgalley

[Garrett · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review is for an ARC copy received from the publisher through NetGalley. Keene's books are hit or miss for me. I loved his podcast and think he's a great champion for the horror genre, so I'm interested in reading more of his work. His seminal novel 'The Rising' is one of my least favorite of his novels that I've read so far, so maybe I should have known this collection wouldn't be for me. You'll probably enjoy this collection if you loved "The Rising'. I found most stories to be short and mostly forgettable. Keene is without a doubt a talented author and I will definitely check out more of his books.

[Glenn Rolfe · Rating 5 out of 5]

That was AWESOME.

What a great way to return to the world of THE RISING. This felt like classic Keene from start to finish. I really loved most of these stories.
My favorites were:
"What Doesn't Die"
"Wasted Time"
"Body Talk"
"Bunker Hill"
and
"Nembrotto"

I read this short collection in one sitting, so I did get a wee bit of zombie fatigue during the last few stories, but that definitely wouldn't stop me from 5 starring this one.

If you haven't read Keene before, this would be a neat introduction. Great stuff from a legend.

I give THE RISING: More Selected Scenes from the End of the World 5 stars!

[Kaitlyn]

3.75

This is my first foray into Keene's Rising series and it won't be my last. I've always wondered why zombie viruses always only seem to hit humans, so I enjoyed that the zombies were also animals and insects in some of these stories. My favorites out of this entire collection were probably stories 1, 2 and 4. The goldfish one was ridiculous and made me realize that I wanted to read more in this universe. I liked that Sophie's story wasn't told by a human narrator, but the dog's POV. Story 4 was just a sweet little story of a cat and its owner amidst all of the gloom of a zombie apocalypse.

[Alan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review is for an ARC copy received from the publisher through NetGalley.
Brian Keene returns to his world of The Rising with more short stories set in that universe of demonically controlled zombies. The stories are all very short quick reads. One or two mentioned characters from the other novels which I recognized, though I haven't read them all and it's been ages since I read what I have of them. The book is kinda depressing, as there's not a lot of hope found in most of the tales..

[Scott]

A good collection of short stories set in the world of 'The Rising' books from Brian Keene. Some were definitely better than others. My favorite was the one written from the perspective of a Chihuahua dog as it watched it's owner change from human to one of the transformed undead. That was clever and darkly humorous...in a world that is mostly dire and grim (as we've come to expect from Keene). As a fan of 'The Rising' books, it was worth the time to read. The color illustrations by Charlie Benante were a nice touch, too.

[Troy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This short collection of short stories set in Brian Keene's The Rising universe was an excellent addition to the mythos. Designed as a fundraiser for a fellow author's pooch, it does not disappoint. My favorites of the collection were Waiting For Infinity (the one that got it all started), Body Talk, and the 2 part Curtain Call (spiders and cockroaches, oh my). Highly recommended.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been a huge fan of Brian Keene''s book for years. Especially his "Rising" universe. Zombie fiction has always been a favorite of mine and this does not disappoint. Evert story is a winner. If I had one complaint I wish it was longer. I read this collection in one evening.

[Michael Porter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Keene Strikes Again With Another Round Of Fantastic Tales

What can I say? Brian Keene once again delivers an excellent collection of short stories set in the world of The Rising, and it’s for a good cause. Really enjoyed this collection.

[Joseph Ulmen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great but too expensive for length

Story is in the same universe as the rising, with a bit of a secondary event as was spoken about during the original books which was nice for lore. Same quality as his usual writing, but at the price point id say wait for a sale.

[Wayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great read from Brian Keene. These are all short short stories. Each was enjoyable, with great characters and stories. Always enjoy a new release from Brian Keene, #TheRising #NetGalley