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LZR-1143 #1.5
Within
No power. No news. No windows. No help. No hope.
Set in the infection-ravaged world of Bryan James' frightening and sobering universe of zombie mayhem, a normal night shift becomes a surreal test of courage, strength, and selflessness as an unknown illness takes hold of the country.
Inside a reinforced bank office building, insulated from outside news for hours, the men and women inside work obliviously, unaware of the rising tide of horror. As society outside crumbles, the power fails. Phone lines are down. Communication is impossible, and those trapped within know nothing of the world without. Outside the single locked door, an incessant pounding punctuates the oppressive darkness of this modern catacomb, as the employees trapped inside struggle to understand what is happening. But soon, they will be fighting to merely survive as they come face to face with the threat that appears from where they least expect it: within.
Set in the infection-ravaged world of Bryan James' frightening and sobering universe of zombie mayhem, a normal night shift becomes a surreal test of courage, strength, and selflessness as an unknown illness takes hold of the country.
Inside a reinforced bank office building, insulated from outside news for hours, the men and women inside work obliviously, unaware of the rising tide of horror. As society outside crumbles, the power fails. Phone lines are down. Communication is impossible, and those trapped within know nothing of the world without. Outside the single locked door, an incessant pounding punctuates the oppressive darkness of this modern catacomb, as the employees trapped inside struggle to understand what is happening. But soon, they will be fighting to merely survive as they come face to face with the threat that appears from where they least expect it: within.
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First published October 25, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
December 8, 2013
-Más inquietud que acción pura.-
Género. Novela corta.
Lo que nos cuenta. Un grupo de empleados trabaja en una oficina aislada del exterior, donde una enfermedad está haciendo estragos muy rápidamente. Libro perteneciente a la serie LZR-1143 pero paralelo al primer volumen, mostrando otros protagonistas.
¿Quiere usted saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:
http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com/...
Género. Novela corta.
Lo que nos cuenta. Un grupo de empleados trabaja en una oficina aislada del exterior, donde una enfermedad está haciendo estragos muy rápidamente. Libro perteneciente a la serie LZR-1143 pero paralelo al primer volumen, mostrando otros protagonistas.
¿Quiere usted saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:
http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com/...
February 18, 2019
This novella is billed as being 1.5 in the LZR1143 series about a zombie apocalypse, but in fact turns out to be a prequel, leading directly into the first book, Infection. I read that one several years ago, the sequel a year later, and the associated short story collection quite recently, as I plan to start book 3 soon. The extra stories don’t really add anything to the main books, as they feature completely different characters, but they set the tone as they offer vignettes into the end of the world in different locations.
This novella is set entirely within a bunker-like bank call centre, where the oddballs of the night shift are enduring yet another tedious work period. When the power and phones suddenly go out, clumsy nervous Louis, who knows he’s no hero, finds himself searching the building in the dark to try and find out what’s going on. With only brief internet access, he and his colleagues discover that something has gone very wrong with the world outside, but in spite of the locked doors, horror finds a way in.
I enjoyed the first two proper novels mainly because of the OTT quips and heroism of former action movie star turned psych-patient Mike McKnight, and they are action adventures rather than horror, whereas the short stories are bleaker and more gory. This was a quick read, and hinted at how the epidemic began but without any meaningful explanation - hopefully this comes in the rest of the series. We are not really meant to like any of the characters here, so when they get eaten, it’s not much of a loss, and as the author explains at the end, it’s not always the hero that survives.
This was a quick easy read which zombie aficionados will enjoy even if there’s no great originality, but it’s not necessary to read it to follow the series unless you’re a completist like me.
This novella is set entirely within a bunker-like bank call centre, where the oddballs of the night shift are enduring yet another tedious work period. When the power and phones suddenly go out, clumsy nervous Louis, who knows he’s no hero, finds himself searching the building in the dark to try and find out what’s going on. With only brief internet access, he and his colleagues discover that something has gone very wrong with the world outside, but in spite of the locked doors, horror finds a way in.
I enjoyed the first two proper novels mainly because of the OTT quips and heroism of former action movie star turned psych-patient Mike McKnight, and they are action adventures rather than horror, whereas the short stories are bleaker and more gory. This was a quick read, and hinted at how the epidemic began but without any meaningful explanation - hopefully this comes in the rest of the series. We are not really meant to like any of the characters here, so when they get eaten, it’s not much of a loss, and as the author explains at the end, it’s not always the hero that survives.
This was a quick easy read which zombie aficionados will enjoy even if there’s no great originality, but it’s not necessary to read it to follow the series unless you’re a completist like me.
February 8, 2013
It was an entertaining, quick read, and zombies are always a good way to spend your time. However there were some editing mistakes in it (can't really complain for a free book though) and some awkwardly written passages. Having to reread parts where the author was trying to refer to someone by a description of them to avoid using their name too many times broke up the flow a bit. The plot was interesting and not completely predictable, and you spend most of the time unsure whether or not you will have an opportunity to root for the protagonist, Louis. Anyway, not the best book I have ever read but not being a long time commitment, I'd still recommend to zombie fans.
April 21, 2013
This was a really unique short story. Most of the time an author writes about the hero of the story, the one who saves the day. Not so- this is a tale of the anti-hero, the guy next door, the man who would rather go along to get along instead of taking risks.
And this is the apocalypse, after all... Hero or not, chances of survival are slim...
And this is the apocalypse, after all... Hero or not, chances of survival are slim...
July 24, 2015
Meh.
You would think that a locked call center would be a good place to remain safe from a zombie virus outbreak. But this book spends its pages explaining that this is not so.
Apparently this is part of a series, but it didn't have enough uniqueness or quality to make me pick up the rest.
You would think that a locked call center would be a good place to remain safe from a zombie virus outbreak. But this book spends its pages explaining that this is not so.
Apparently this is part of a series, but it didn't have enough uniqueness or quality to make me pick up the rest.
June 3, 2013
The story was good, and the author did a great job of setting it up, but it ended abruptly. It could have used a lot more exposition.
I give this book a letter grade of a D+.
I give this book a letter grade of a D+.
July 30, 2013
The constant shifting of viewpoints--even mid-paragraph--was only one of the poorly executed writing techniques that added up to a pretty bad little story. But, you know...zombies.
October 29, 2019
I LOVED this story! I loved the idea of taking a call center's overnight crew and isolating them from everything else in the world while the zombie apocalypse happened outside and they are given very little info about it.
These people working in this boring and drab building for eight hours a day doing mind numbingly repetitive tasks over and over, all that by itself is enough to drive anyone mad. But when you add zombies into the mix, that just makes it awesome!
The characters are relate-able and interesting, which is something that most zombie authors can't seem to pull off these days. So it's nice to see characters you can relate to for a change. Big props to the author for this!
***SPOILERS*** ***SPOILERS*** ***SPOILERS***
The ending is very realistic. The two remaining cube rats are running for their lives and they find a skylight that they open up and they aren't strong enough to pull themselves up individually. So they are forced to go up one at a time. One stays behind to give the other a boost. Once the first cube rat is on top of the roof, he turns to help the other and it's too late, she's been caught and torn to shreds by the zombie horde. When he's on top of the roof he realizes he was too cowardly to actually try to help her and only wanted to save himself. It really makes the reader wonder what we would do if we were in a life and death situation like this. Most of us like to think that we would do the right thing and help out others, but deep inside some of us know that we would just try to save our own skins and leave others to their fate.
***END SPOILERS*** ***END SPOILERS*** ***END SPOILERS***
The story is great, the plot is perfect, the characters are interesting, believable and realistic. Anyone who likes zombie literature will enjoy this!
These people working in this boring and drab building for eight hours a day doing mind numbingly repetitive tasks over and over, all that by itself is enough to drive anyone mad. But when you add zombies into the mix, that just makes it awesome!
The characters are relate-able and interesting, which is something that most zombie authors can't seem to pull off these days. So it's nice to see characters you can relate to for a change. Big props to the author for this!
***SPOILERS*** ***SPOILERS*** ***SPOILERS***
The ending is very realistic. The two remaining cube rats are running for their lives and they find a skylight that they open up and they aren't strong enough to pull themselves up individually. So they are forced to go up one at a time. One stays behind to give the other a boost. Once the first cube rat is on top of the roof, he turns to help the other and it's too late, she's been caught and torn to shreds by the zombie horde. When he's on top of the roof he realizes he was too cowardly to actually try to help her and only wanted to save himself. It really makes the reader wonder what we would do if we were in a life and death situation like this. Most of us like to think that we would do the right thing and help out others, but deep inside some of us know that we would just try to save our own skins and leave others to their fate.
***END SPOILERS*** ***END SPOILERS*** ***END SPOILERS***
The story is great, the plot is perfect, the characters are interesting, believable and realistic. Anyone who likes zombie literature will enjoy this!
November 18, 2025
This is a solid, tense little novella that operates admirably as a prequel to the LZR-1143 series. If you've read the first book or two of the series, then it is well worth the read. If you thinking about reading the series and use this as a place to start, be aware that it is entirely standalone and has a slightly different writing flavor than the series proper (which I think was very much the intent of the author).
On finishing reading, I was left with the feeling that the book could readily operate as a metaphor (which I again like to think was intended). This was significant for me as the zombie genre is a bit of track record in the metaphor space - and it is very rare for me to read a modern zombie book and feel triggered to think on the metaphor.
Also, I encourage you to read the additional author comments at the beginning of the book. I enjoyed them and you may too.
On finishing reading, I was left with the feeling that the book could readily operate as a metaphor (which I again like to think was intended). This was significant for me as the zombie genre is a bit of track record in the metaphor space - and it is very rare for me to read a modern zombie book and feel triggered to think on the metaphor.
Also, I encourage you to read the additional author comments at the beginning of the book. I enjoyed them and you may too.
February 4, 2018
Great little novella. This book is basically a study in character. The author really portrays the different personalities of people we come across in our everyday lives and the same people will be around during the zombie apocalypse. Louis is your everyday schlub, how will he react to the End of Days? How would you react? Nice to think we would all be Rick Grimes, but 90% of us would be dead within days or found cowering in our own piss and crying for Momma. I love this series and can't wait to read the next book in the series.
August 17, 2018
Good starter
I liked the action, the fear seemed real. And the grief for someone they hardly knew could be felt. The loss of a pet can be related too.
I liked the action, the fear seemed real. And the grief for someone they hardly knew could be felt. The loss of a pet can be related too.
July 15, 2020
An excellent prelude for this series. Really lays it out there, what was happening before book 1 came along. Enjoyed it thoroughly.
February 6, 2017
Within (LZR-1143 #1.5) by Bryan James LZR-1143 WITHINI love a good zombie book, and for all this is a novella and part of a series (this is book 1.5) it was easily read as a stand alone, and for it was short it gave me an idea of James world building.
Stuck in a windowless building where the power has gone sees everyone's senses go on high alter whilst they try to work out what is going on on the outside. The virus is bringing the dead back and they are inside the building. This was a short and suspenseful read and one that I thoroughly enjoyed as a wee change to what I have been reading currently.
4 stars
Stuck in a windowless building where the power has gone sees everyone's senses go on high alter whilst they try to work out what is going on on the outside. The virus is bringing the dead back and they are inside the building. This was a short and suspenseful read and one that I thoroughly enjoyed as a wee change to what I have been reading currently.
4 stars
February 17, 2014
Not quite sure where to start. Um, it was hard to read. Not the vernacular, or language or writing style. Just in general. Much like the antagonists of this story, it dragged it feet. The characters were all believable, so that was a plus. The dialog wasn't cheesy either, it genuinely flowed quite smoothly. But when I'm reading a zombie book, and the first real zombie attack (that isn't being talked about in minor detail in past tense) doesn't happen until after 60% into the story, you know there's problems. Bryan James set the scene and dark mood very well, in fairness to him. But that scene was just overdrawn and, not to be rude, just got boring. And without giving anything away, by the time it started to get exciting, it just sort of ended.
I also found I had to re-read some parts as I was getting a bit confused on where characters actually were (like one minute they're in a stairwell and the next they're in an office cubicle) or how they even got there. A positive though is that the language he uses throughout is pretty solid at the best of times and it was quite creepy at one point. I didn't really feel sorry for any of the characters, but as it's only a novella I don't expect him to go too far into each of their lives, so it was all good in hindsight.
The bottom line is, for me, that even though this man is obviously a good writer and definitely does his homework on any subject matter, it just took so long to get into. And seeing as I read a 330 page book the other day in the space of 24 hours, and it took me about five days to finish a 70 page book out of lack of interest because it felt like a genuine effort, I think that tells me that my enjoyment levels are low.
All in all, it was generally an effort to read, and I couldn't wait until it was finished. I haven't been put off reading his other material, as this might just be the rotten egg in the dozen, but I'm in no rush to read them either. Sorry, Bryan, mate.
I also found I had to re-read some parts as I was getting a bit confused on where characters actually were (like one minute they're in a stairwell and the next they're in an office cubicle) or how they even got there. A positive though is that the language he uses throughout is pretty solid at the best of times and it was quite creepy at one point. I didn't really feel sorry for any of the characters, but as it's only a novella I don't expect him to go too far into each of their lives, so it was all good in hindsight.
The bottom line is, for me, that even though this man is obviously a good writer and definitely does his homework on any subject matter, it just took so long to get into. And seeing as I read a 330 page book the other day in the space of 24 hours, and it took me about five days to finish a 70 page book out of lack of interest because it felt like a genuine effort, I think that tells me that my enjoyment levels are low.
All in all, it was generally an effort to read, and I couldn't wait until it was finished. I haven't been put off reading his other material, as this might just be the rotten egg in the dozen, but I'm in no rush to read them either. Sorry, Bryan, mate.
February 28, 2014
I understand that this is a novella in a series, however, the author failed to take several things in account to make people want to continue to read this series.
Failure one, the author decided to pin point what was the cause of the zombie epidemic. He linked it to water bottling plants. It was a good start, but he failed to state what happened to the water, was it an accident, was it a form of terrorism?
Failure two, this was the first volume in this set I found and nowhere in this book does it say anything to the titles meaning. What does LZR-1143 mean? If it is an attempt to get you to read the other volumes to find out, it didn't work for me.
Failure three, there are several parts in this book that is non-realistic. For example, there is no cell phone reception and during a critical moment, Louis's ringtone goes off and makes the zombies bang on the door harder. There is no reception, no mention of Louis setting an alarm, so why is it going off. I have to be in my ringtones folder for mine to go off on my phone, why at a critical point would he be on his ringtones.
Another part is when the power was restored. A zombie outbreak has been going on for hours, yet one Gung-Ho electrician stays on the job and makes sure he gets the electric back on, which just happens to let the zombies in the building.
This overall was a good idea but poorly executed.
Failure one, the author decided to pin point what was the cause of the zombie epidemic. He linked it to water bottling plants. It was a good start, but he failed to state what happened to the water, was it an accident, was it a form of terrorism?
Failure two, this was the first volume in this set I found and nowhere in this book does it say anything to the titles meaning. What does LZR-1143 mean? If it is an attempt to get you to read the other volumes to find out, it didn't work for me.
Failure three, there are several parts in this book that is non-realistic. For example, there is no cell phone reception and during a critical moment, Louis's ringtone goes off and makes the zombies bang on the door harder. There is no reception, no mention of Louis setting an alarm, so why is it going off. I have to be in my ringtones folder for mine to go off on my phone, why at a critical point would he be on his ringtones.
Another part is when the power was restored. A zombie outbreak has been going on for hours, yet one Gung-Ho electrician stays on the job and makes sure he gets the electric back on, which just happens to let the zombies in the building.
This overall was a good idea but poorly executed.
October 21, 2018
LZR-1143: Within is a Novella which introduces the reader to the LZR-1143 series of zombie novels which were written by Bryan James. It follows a group of people who are trapped in their place of employment as society collapses around them. This novella is quite short and is quite clearly published as a way to entice readers into delving into the full series. The issue I have is that it did not work for me at all and I can't say I have any burning desire to go and buy the rest of the novels.
Don't get me wrong the novella has some good points, as Bryan James does create some believable characters and the scene setting elements were well constructed. It just took too long to get into the action and whilst the characters were believable, they were lacking in depth. If the novella had been lacking in character depth but quicker into the action elements or vice versa then it may have worked better for me.
The biggest issue though is in the lack of originality, there is nothing here which hasn't been covered in many other zombie stories before. I appreciate that it gets harder to find something new in this sub-genre but without it I don't have a reason to read this over any of the other books out there. However, the novella is available for free on Amazon so there is no harm in giving it a go and perhaps you may find something there which I missed and decide to pick up the other stories.
Don't get me wrong the novella has some good points, as Bryan James does create some believable characters and the scene setting elements were well constructed. It just took too long to get into the action and whilst the characters were believable, they were lacking in depth. If the novella had been lacking in character depth but quicker into the action elements or vice versa then it may have worked better for me.
The biggest issue though is in the lack of originality, there is nothing here which hasn't been covered in many other zombie stories before. I appreciate that it gets harder to find something new in this sub-genre but without it I don't have a reason to read this over any of the other books out there. However, the novella is available for free on Amazon so there is no harm in giving it a go and perhaps you may find something there which I missed and decide to pick up the other stories.
September 16, 2013
Imagine being trapped in the building you work at with no windows and nothing more to light your way than the eerie, blood red emergency lights. There's no connection to the outside world; no cell phone signal, no internet connection. You have no idea what's going on. It's just a power outage, right? Wrong. So very, very wrong... Although there are a slight few spelling or grammatical mistakes, this is yet another diamond in the rough for this author. The LZR-1143 series is shaping up to be a very original, interesting and well told series of stories. Also check out LZR-1143: Perspectives... vignettes that give you a peek into how different individuals experience the beginning of the zombie apocalypse.
July 30, 2013
LZR-1143 depicts the outbreak of a virus that spreads fast, a virus that transforms people into mindless creatures; zombies.
Our guy, Louis, is an average looking guy, with an average life and he knows he's a coward, he knows he's not the guy that can save himself and the others colleagues trapped in their offices after the power fails. He's the guy that trails behind, letting others take charge and you don't know if you love him or hate him, but you definitely want him to run as fast as he can from the hungry hands reaching from him.
The story is gripping, kept me curling my toes without even knowing, I couldn't relax while reading it. I wanted to read more, know more, see more. It was cleverly plotted,the characters believable and felt real to "touch".
Our guy, Louis, is an average looking guy, with an average life and he knows he's a coward, he knows he's not the guy that can save himself and the others colleagues trapped in their offices after the power fails. He's the guy that trails behind, letting others take charge and you don't know if you love him or hate him, but you definitely want him to run as fast as he can from the hungry hands reaching from him.
The story is gripping, kept me curling my toes without even knowing, I couldn't relax while reading it. I wanted to read more, know more, see more. It was cleverly plotted,the characters believable and felt real to "touch".
October 14, 2013
This short novella does an excellent job of setting up the outbreak scenario--I will never look at a bottle of water the same again. As well as focusing on a few people who work the night shift at a call center. One of the best parts of this story is the main character, Louis, a guy who does what he has to do but not much more. A guy who is in a dead end job and a crummy apartment living a crummy life because he's too afraid of failure to try for something more.
With zombies outside trying to get in will he finally man up and be a hero? Or will he simply become zombie chow? This book explores this and does a good job of doing so.
I will certainly be checking out Bryan James' other work in the future.
With zombies outside trying to get in will he finally man up and be a hero? Or will he simply become zombie chow? This book explores this and does a good job of doing so.
I will certainly be checking out Bryan James' other work in the future.
January 2, 2013
Pretty interesting take on zombies. I liked that they were all trapped inside and that the one who got to the "safety" of the roof was a complete tool for once! That was a nice change. Eventually I'll probably look into the follow ups but I'm not feeling rushed to do that right now. Still pretty good read!
January 31, 2013
this book was awesome. it had a little bit of everything. It was wonderfully creepy, scary, and sad.It had a little humor in the right places. I cant wait to pick up the next one, i hope the author does not disappoint. I recommend this book to anyone who would enjoy a fast paced, cant put down well written scary book of zombies! ENJOY, i did!!
August 3, 2016
I think this was an interesting short introduction to the series. I'm certainly interested to see where this came from and what happens. I want to see how the survivors handle it. I enjoyed the slight narration of what was going on outside of their building. It was a quick read and well, I love all things Zombie, so this was great!
August 21, 2015
Took a look
I just finished this novella . Seemed to be a way to check out LRZ-1143 without getting into another book series blindly. I like it ... good writing ,just enough back stories and characters without becoming over complicated . I will be checking out more LRZ-1143 soon.
I just finished this novella . Seemed to be a way to check out LRZ-1143 without getting into another book series blindly. I like it ... good writing ,just enough back stories and characters without becoming over complicated . I will be checking out more LRZ-1143 soon.
December 23, 2012
This was my first read in this genre, so I don't have much to base it on. I didn't think it was a standout or a terrible read either, but it does pique my interest a little-I guess that was the point of a free novella.
January 22, 2013
It was good! My first venture into the horror genre and I quite enjoyed it. Maybe not going to rush into buying Bryan James' other books at the minute but I will in the future! This is definitely a solid zombie novella :)
April 25, 2013
Got this one free on my Kindle and I have the rest on my wishlist.
Great characters, good insight into the apocalypse.
Louis acts just like most of us will, despite what we think we'll do. That "every man" view really made this a top notch book in my eyes.
Great characters, good insight into the apocalypse.
Louis acts just like most of us will, despite what we think we'll do. That "every man" view really made this a top notch book in my eyes.
May 1, 2013
fast paced novella that delivers the scares. The author did a good job with using the analogy of unhappy workers in a dead end call center job in a depressing environment as a contrast to being a real zombie. I think I will pick up some of the author's other stuff to check out.
February 14, 2016
Nothing New The 'setting the scene' parts were quite well done, but the rest of the novella didn't entertain me. The author doesn't say anything that hasn't been said a hundred times before, and the characterization just didn't work for me at all.
June 8, 2013
I like the attention to detail. The descriptions of the individuals going through the whole range of emotions is done really well. It leaves you wanting to read more to know what else is going on.
December 27, 2012
Lots of details, but a good build up.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews