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Scary Tales #1
That Risen Snow: Snow White & Zombies
THAT RISEN SNOW
by Rob E. Boley
Book One of the Scary Tales: A Killer Serial
DESCRIPTION:
The zombie sequel to Snow White begins where the classic fairy tale ends, with the Prince’s kiss waking Snow from her cursed slumber. Snow wakes up, but she doesn’t wake up right.
Now a deranged zombie, Snow infects both the Prince and the seven dwarfs’ leader. That leaves the young dwarf Grouchy, who is secretly in love with Snow, to find a cure for her malicious curse. So begins an epic journey that pits the lovesick Grouchy against dwarf-hating human soldiers, Snow’s ever-growing zombie horde, and his own bad temper.
But when Grouchy and his motley crew of survivors escape Snow’s clutches and seek refuge in a nearby human village, he soon finds that her affliction has spread faster and further then he ever could have imagined. Snow is hell-bent on spreading her horrid curse across the land, and it’s up to Grouchy to stop her before it’s too late.
For fans of horror, dark comedy, horror comedy, dark fantasy, zombies, and mashups such as Pride and Prejudice and Zombies; Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter; Sense and Sensibility and Seamonsters; Little Women and Werewolves; Queen Victoria: Demon Hunter; Henry VIII: Wolfman; Jane Slayre.
REVIEWS:
“Part delicious dream, part nightmare, That Risen Snow is an aberrant fairytale that is just as much a horror story. Boley has a knack for dark comedy and witty prose, and he blends it with a nearly-hardboiled voice uncharacteristic of (and therefore pleasantly unique in) dark fantasy fiction. It’s a story you’ll want to tear ass through but will equally want to slow down for, so you can savor the prose.”
—Brady Allen, author of Back Roads & Frontal Lobes
“In 1912, the Brothers Grimm published an old German fairy tale they titled Snow White. Little did they know that a guy named Rob Boley would come along a hundred years later to reveal the ‘true’ and adult story of Ms. White, or ‘Snow’ as she was known in real life… No one could have possibly foreseen what would become of Snow in the hands of a diabolical, maniacal imagination like Boley’s… Such a nice boy… with such a fevered mind. Read this with the lights on and a baseball bat or shotgun handy… you’re gonna be glad you did. This is a Snow White you ain’t gonna find in the middle school library… Get it, read it, and try to keep the screaming down.”
—Les Edgerton, author of Hooked, Just Like That, and The Bitch
“That Risen Snow and That Wicked Apple make a deliciously diabolical tale—part Walking Dead, part turned-on-its-ear fairy tale. Rob Boley strikes the perfect balance of depth, drama, and dark humor to keep readers devouring the pages and leave them hungering for more.”
—Linda Gerber, author of the Death by Bikini Mysteries
by Rob E. Boley
Book One of the Scary Tales: A Killer Serial
DESCRIPTION:
The zombie sequel to Snow White begins where the classic fairy tale ends, with the Prince’s kiss waking Snow from her cursed slumber. Snow wakes up, but she doesn’t wake up right.
Now a deranged zombie, Snow infects both the Prince and the seven dwarfs’ leader. That leaves the young dwarf Grouchy, who is secretly in love with Snow, to find a cure for her malicious curse. So begins an epic journey that pits the lovesick Grouchy against dwarf-hating human soldiers, Snow’s ever-growing zombie horde, and his own bad temper.
But when Grouchy and his motley crew of survivors escape Snow’s clutches and seek refuge in a nearby human village, he soon finds that her affliction has spread faster and further then he ever could have imagined. Snow is hell-bent on spreading her horrid curse across the land, and it’s up to Grouchy to stop her before it’s too late.
For fans of horror, dark comedy, horror comedy, dark fantasy, zombies, and mashups such as Pride and Prejudice and Zombies; Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter; Sense and Sensibility and Seamonsters; Little Women and Werewolves; Queen Victoria: Demon Hunter; Henry VIII: Wolfman; Jane Slayre.
REVIEWS:
“Part delicious dream, part nightmare, That Risen Snow is an aberrant fairytale that is just as much a horror story. Boley has a knack for dark comedy and witty prose, and he blends it with a nearly-hardboiled voice uncharacteristic of (and therefore pleasantly unique in) dark fantasy fiction. It’s a story you’ll want to tear ass through but will equally want to slow down for, so you can savor the prose.”
—Brady Allen, author of Back Roads & Frontal Lobes
“In 1912, the Brothers Grimm published an old German fairy tale they titled Snow White. Little did they know that a guy named Rob Boley would come along a hundred years later to reveal the ‘true’ and adult story of Ms. White, or ‘Snow’ as she was known in real life… No one could have possibly foreseen what would become of Snow in the hands of a diabolical, maniacal imagination like Boley’s… Such a nice boy… with such a fevered mind. Read this with the lights on and a baseball bat or shotgun handy… you’re gonna be glad you did. This is a Snow White you ain’t gonna find in the middle school library… Get it, read it, and try to keep the screaming down.”
—Les Edgerton, author of Hooked, Just Like That, and The Bitch
“That Risen Snow and That Wicked Apple make a deliciously diabolical tale—part Walking Dead, part turned-on-its-ear fairy tale. Rob Boley strikes the perfect balance of depth, drama, and dark humor to keep readers devouring the pages and leave them hungering for more.”
—Linda Gerber, author of the Death by Bikini Mysteries
248 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 21, 2014
154 people are currently reading
7152 people want to read
About the author
Rob E. Boley
29 books369 followersRob E. Boley likes to make blank pages darker. He lives with his wife and his daughter in Dayton, Ohio. By day, he manages and analyzes big data. Yet each morning before sunrise, he rises to strike terror into the hearts of the unfortunate characters dwelling in his novels, stories, and poems. His fiction has been seen lurking in places such as A cappella Zoo, Pseudopod, Clackamas Literary Review, and Best New Werewolf Tales. His poetry has been known to prowl in publications such as Wild Goose Poetry Review, California Quarterly, Horror Writers’ Association Poetry Showcase, and Undead: A Poetry Anthology of Ghosts and Ghouls. He co-founded Howling Unicorn Press with his wife, author Megan Hart, to conjure tales that thrill, chill, and fulfill. You can learn more about this weird figure of the dark by visiting his website at www.robboley.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 142 reviews
December 31, 2014
Yes, I'm crying. This book started out so very good. The story was being told from Grouchy's (Grumpy's) point of view and he was frigging hilarious. Then the points of view started changing and the story lost it's way.
Snow is awakened by the prince's kiss-then she bites the shiznit out of him. The plague spreads and the Horrors start chasing the remaining dwarves and prince's men. And it just gets stupid.
I received an arc copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 17, 2014
That was fun!
I love Disney movies. I watched them over and over again as a kid. This was no exception. So when I found an interesting new take on Snow White & The Seven Dwarves I was eager to pick this up. I was not disappointed.
The sevendwarves live in the woods and work in the mine, escaping their own horrors in a world where humans persecute dwarves. After taking a bite out of a poison apple given to her by an old hag, Snow White is in a coma, sleeping until true love's kiss comes to awaken her. The Prince, having fallen in love with her at first sight, comes to claim his girl, but gets more than he bargains for when Snow White awakened by his kiss only wants one thing - blood.
Grab meat. Bite neck. Flesh warm. Swallow. For one moment, cold fades. Death fades. Alive. Meat cools. Lifeless. Ever forward. Hunger.
While quite short, this story was fast paced and kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time with near misses, and great background on characters. The world is imaginative and is a far cry from the happily ever after ending in the Disney movie. There are naked women, gore, swearing and inappropriate songs.
Jack took the maiden Jill to the top of the hill
And reached under her resplendent chemise.
Jill would have fought back but Jack used such skill
On every part of her he expertly seized.
I adored the main character Grouchy learning his past, and about his true feelings for Snow. He was sarcastic and dramatic and it was great to watch him grow through the book. I don't often connect with characters in horror novels, as its usually a bad call, but in this case it was unavoidable.
My only complaint would be that cliffhanger ending. Now I need to find out what happens to Grouchy.
Cross posted at Kaora's Corner.
I love Disney movies. I watched them over and over again as a kid. This was no exception. So when I found an interesting new take on Snow White & The Seven Dwarves I was eager to pick this up. I was not disappointed.
The sevendwarves live in the woods and work in the mine, escaping their own horrors in a world where humans persecute dwarves. After taking a bite out of a poison apple given to her by an old hag, Snow White is in a coma, sleeping until true love's kiss comes to awaken her. The Prince, having fallen in love with her at first sight, comes to claim his girl, but gets more than he bargains for when Snow White awakened by his kiss only wants one thing - blood.
Grab meat. Bite neck. Flesh warm. Swallow. For one moment, cold fades. Death fades. Alive. Meat cools. Lifeless. Ever forward. Hunger.
While quite short, this story was fast paced and kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time with near misses, and great background on characters. The world is imaginative and is a far cry from the happily ever after ending in the Disney movie. There are naked women, gore, swearing and inappropriate songs.
Jack took the maiden Jill to the top of the hill
And reached under her resplendent chemise.
Jill would have fought back but Jack used such skill
On every part of her he expertly seized.
I adored the main character Grouchy learning his past, and about his true feelings for Snow. He was sarcastic and dramatic and it was great to watch him grow through the book. I don't often connect with characters in horror novels, as its usually a bad call, but in this case it was unavoidable.
My only complaint would be that cliffhanger ending. Now I need to find out what happens to Grouchy.
Cross posted at Kaora's Corner.
Read
February 23, 2015“The first 10% has been torture. This was supposed to be a twisted dark fairy tale of Snow White with zombies. Sounds great right ? The lines are so silly, like the author was trying to keep it kid-like disney + with made up words that sound like cuss words but aren't even words. It felt like a Dumb and Dumber trying to talk over the kids while stuck in dwarf bodies. Snow White ? She never did anything but bite and chew, no lines, no emotions, nothing. [Whinning] I wanted a good fun nightmare ! My heart is broken.
November 11, 2014
Snow white wakes up only to come back as a zombie and turns the prince into one. Can the dwarves stop her from turning everyone into zombies? Read that risen snow and find out.
I read this for free on wattpad and this was a pretty good zombie horror story. Def check it out.
I read this for free on wattpad and this was a pretty good zombie horror story. Def check it out.
March 23, 2018
Review to come!
December 9, 2014
*NetGalley book review*
I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I requested this book. It looked like a neat read. Another zombie book to check off my list. This picks up right after Snow Whites kiss that awakes her. But does it really? I thought a lot of this was very inventive and enjoyable, but sometimes I just cringed at the writing. If that had been better I would have enjoyed this a whole hell of a lot more.
I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I requested this book. It looked like a neat read. Another zombie book to check off my list. This picks up right after Snow Whites kiss that awakes her. But does it really? I thought a lot of this was very inventive and enjoyable, but sometimes I just cringed at the writing. If that had been better I would have enjoyed this a whole hell of a lot more.
February 23, 2015
I received this book free for review from the author or publisher in exchange for an honest review. Despite the coolness of receiving a free book, I’m absolutely candid about it below because I believe authors and readers will benefit most from honest reviews rather than vacuous 5-star reviews.
Generally, I tend to follow a standard form for book reviews in which I give a tiny blurb indicating the story then outline positive and negative traits of the book. In this case, I think the important thing is really to make sure you have a solid sense of what this book IS rather than try to analyze it because, well frankly, if this book is what you're looking for in a read then no matter what I say it won't make a lick of difference because this one is out there on the fringe and if you want the fringe then there's not a blasted thing anyone could say to keep you off the fringe.
Essentially, this is an alternative fairy tale history of Snow White. Though it doesn't tend to say that very often because of obvious copyright infringement issues. Rather than waking from her deathly slumber when the price kisses her, she instead bites him on the neck and starts a zombie plague. The rest of the book outlines the aftermath of that simple pestilent event in exceptionally gruesome and profanity-filled detail. This book has all the makings of a very sick horror cartoon. If that's your thing then... well, you've found your thing!
Qualitatively, the writing is solid, though simple and doesn't hesitate to dive into the depths of grim detail. It pulls the reader along nicely though it was a fair bit confusing to me trying to keep track of all the dwarf's pseudonyms (since ostensibly their names are also copyright fodder). In summary, if you like 'em gorey, grim and dark with a pinch of princess from a large corporation that shall not be named, this is your book!
PS: I hope my review was helpful. If it was not, then please let me know what I left out that you’d want to know. I always aim to improve.
Generally, I tend to follow a standard form for book reviews in which I give a tiny blurb indicating the story then outline positive and negative traits of the book. In this case, I think the important thing is really to make sure you have a solid sense of what this book IS rather than try to analyze it because, well frankly, if this book is what you're looking for in a read then no matter what I say it won't make a lick of difference because this one is out there on the fringe and if you want the fringe then there's not a blasted thing anyone could say to keep you off the fringe.
Essentially, this is an alternative fairy tale history of Snow White. Though it doesn't tend to say that very often because of obvious copyright infringement issues. Rather than waking from her deathly slumber when the price kisses her, she instead bites him on the neck and starts a zombie plague. The rest of the book outlines the aftermath of that simple pestilent event in exceptionally gruesome and profanity-filled detail. This book has all the makings of a very sick horror cartoon. If that's your thing then... well, you've found your thing!
Qualitatively, the writing is solid, though simple and doesn't hesitate to dive into the depths of grim detail. It pulls the reader along nicely though it was a fair bit confusing to me trying to keep track of all the dwarf's pseudonyms (since ostensibly their names are also copyright fodder). In summary, if you like 'em gorey, grim and dark with a pinch of princess from a large corporation that shall not be named, this is your book!
PS: I hope my review was helpful. If it was not, then please let me know what I left out that you’d want to know. I always aim to improve.
November 16, 2016
I'll admit, I started this book with a far bit of trepidation, largely because these kind of mash-ups can end up so very very bad. But I found this both entertaining and amusing, although I'm not sure whether I should have found it as funny as I did but hey I can't help my sense of humour. This picks up where the traditional fairy tale ends with the Prince kissing Snow White but instead of happily ever after, Snow has become a zombie, which very quickly spreads to the Prince and the dwarfs. The latter of whom are not the dwarfs that you remember from your childhood but instead are more realistically named from the leader Bones to our main narrator Grouchy. The story does get a little over the top and silly but for some reason this seems to work. Whether this is because it is based on the eternally ridiculous fairy tale or for some other reason, I don't know but none of what happened seemed out of place, not the bear, the weird yet useful herbs, the appearance of random naked females, nothing. There is only one real issue with this, the cruel cliffhanger that Boley leaves you on when you reach that final page. So so harsh.
May 2, 2015
Not dead, just sleeping....ok dead or undead
This one is hard to review, the premise was decent though not wholly original and the execution was fine.bottom line though nothing in this novel wowed me. One thing I really did like though in this iteration snow white was way deeper than her Disney interpretations.
This one is hard to review, the premise was decent though not wholly original and the execution was fine.bottom line though nothing in this novel wowed me. One thing I really did like though in this iteration snow white was way deeper than her Disney interpretations.
July 19, 2015
3/5 stars
You can find all my reviews here
“Happily ever after, my hairy ass.”
An interesting concept, Snow wakes up from the Prince’s kiss but she doesn’t wake up right. Rather than the fun and beautiful (an in this interpretation, vulgar) girl she was before she has become a Horror, this story’s equivalent of a zombie.
It is a very, very vulgar story that actually managed to make me uncomfortable at times. That’s saying a lot because in real life I unintentionally cuss like a sailor, apparently my subconscious is a potty mouth. It did give a reason for the constant cussing but I was still abundant throughout the entire book.
It was told from multiple points of view. In some ways, how you got insight into a character’s mind and background, it was nice, but overall it just managed to make the story jump around. An event would happen but in the next chapter you were back before the event took place.
My favorite part of the story was learning about the background of each of the dwarves. Some people may argue that it is filler and unneeded but I have a huge interest in psychology, specifically behavior and why happened to cause that behavior. For me, the insight into how they got taken in by Bones (Doc) was what made this story special.
In the end, I had enjoyed the experience but the way it ended with nothing solved and an even bigger problem added to the mix upset me greatly. Yes, I do want to read the second book and see if things get resolved. I also am annoyed that the reason I want to read the next book isn’t because I loved the writing in the first book, but rather because I want the real ending that the first book didn’t have.
“It hurts, yes? Don’t let that stop you. Don’t let pain or fear stop you. Keep rubbing, and you will mold that stone—that darkness—to your will.”
You can find all my reviews here
“Happily ever after, my hairy ass.”
An interesting concept, Snow wakes up from the Prince’s kiss but she doesn’t wake up right. Rather than the fun and beautiful (an in this interpretation, vulgar) girl she was before she has become a Horror, this story’s equivalent of a zombie.
It is a very, very vulgar story that actually managed to make me uncomfortable at times. That’s saying a lot because in real life I unintentionally cuss like a sailor, apparently my subconscious is a potty mouth. It did give a reason for the constant cussing but I was still abundant throughout the entire book.
It was told from multiple points of view. In some ways, how you got insight into a character’s mind and background, it was nice, but overall it just managed to make the story jump around. An event would happen but in the next chapter you were back before the event took place.
My favorite part of the story was learning about the background of each of the dwarves. Some people may argue that it is filler and unneeded but I have a huge interest in psychology, specifically behavior and why happened to cause that behavior. For me, the insight into how they got taken in by Bones (Doc) was what made this story special.
In the end, I had enjoyed the experience but the way it ended with nothing solved and an even bigger problem added to the mix upset me greatly. Yes, I do want to read the second book and see if things get resolved. I also am annoyed that the reason I want to read the next book isn’t because I loved the writing in the first book, but rather because I want the real ending that the first book didn’t have.
“It hurts, yes? Don’t let that stop you. Don’t let pain or fear stop you. Keep rubbing, and you will mold that stone—that darkness—to your will.”
May 29, 2018
...This was weird.
March 26, 2017
What did I just read!
Snow White receives a kiss from Prince Charming only to wake up a zombie, the seven Dwarfs have major issues, one of them being a drug addict.
The author definitely has quite the imagination. The book is weird, I think that would be my best explanation. It is definitely a mindless read, perfect when you're bored or someplace where you don't feel like getting into a good thought provoking book.
Snow White receives a kiss from Prince Charming only to wake up a zombie, the seven Dwarfs have major issues, one of them being a drug addict.
The author definitely has quite the imagination. The book is weird, I think that would be my best explanation. It is definitely a mindless read, perfect when you're bored or someplace where you don't feel like getting into a good thought provoking book.
February 7, 2019
Zombie Snow White
Snow White is kissed by her prince but doesn't fully wake up. She wakes up undead and has poisoned he beloved prince. Now it's up to the dwarfs and the princes soldiers to break the curse. But can they all survive?
Snow White is kissed by her prince but doesn't fully wake up. She wakes up undead and has poisoned he beloved prince. Now it's up to the dwarfs and the princes soldiers to break the curse. But can they all survive?
July 26, 2017
The summary of the book looked exciting, but unfortunately that's where my excitement ended. I tried to like this book but I just couldn't.
July 4, 2022
I really enjoyed this book. Snow white has always been my favorite princess and fairytales with a twist are my guilty pleasure reading. Snowas a zombie is fanminal and exciting. I can not wait to get the next book to seeif grouchy can get back his Snow. I started reading it on 7/2 and finished it on 7/4.
January 30, 2021
Could not get Into this book
October 31, 2014
That Risen Snow has a twist on the Snow White fairytale and is to be read as a sequel to the original, albeit adult readers only (17yrs+). Complete with Snow White, the seven dwarves, the prince and the evil Queen it is a quirky horror story that will certainly be a treat for Halloween!!
******************************************************
Trick or treat? That Risen Snow is a brilliant combination of horror, quirkiness and fairytale, although certainly for the adult reader! It is definitely a ‘treat’ in my opinion. I imagined the dwarves to be scared for their life in a truly dark, life threatening and terrifying horror, filled with blood, guts and gore. Although this was a part of the story, what really surprised me was the fun and humour content as well as the heart-warming feelings that Grouchy has for Snow White.
The dwarves are like you have never imagined, with bad language and sarcasm, but these moments add another element. They are not typical of the dwarves we are familiar with, but in fact have characteristics of real people, which I loved. Even Snow White wasn’t as graceful and elegant as one would think!
The layout of the story is interesting too, with chapters written from the different character’s perspectives. The reader learns what is happening with each character which keeps the reader informed and able to see where the author is going, and suspense can be built-up from this. Another area of the story which fascinated me were the flashbacks. The flashbacks were mostly Grouchy’s personal thoughts and feelings towards Snow since she came to their cottage. The reader feels the growth of affection that Grouchy has for Snow and begins to understand why he wants to find a cure for her curse, rather than just be rid of her and the undead.
After reading this you will certainly feel that you know the dwarves more personally than ever before. From the past thoughts and dialogue between the dwarves we are made aware that they have all been having private discussions with their leader, Bones. Each dwarf has their own problem and obstacle that they need to overcome and Bones was helping them with this. Merry’s story was one that touched me, as we learn that he longed to be trusted and respected by the others. Bones gave him tasks to do to make him feel worthy and needed, but once their life changes and they are being chased by the undead Grouchy tells Merry how it really is. It is then up to Merry to either pity himself or do something about it.
Battson, a dwarf-hating human soldier working with the Prince, is, initially, an unlikeable character who would prefer to see the dwarves harmed in a typical encounter. Yet, as the story unfolds and continues into a survival story, the war between human soldiers and dwarves is swept aside as they begin to work together to keep the remaining survivors alive and hopefully find a cure for this disease that their friends are suffering from. Battson does begin to slowly show a quiet, heroic side which changes the readers opinion into respecting and admiring him for his new-found quality.
Although an extremely trying time of desperation, hardship and fear, the reader does not be given many opportunities to feel the tragedy and terror due to the humour and fun way in which it That Risen Snow is written. However, as the story continues, and more dwarves and soldiers are turning, it does become a little more serious and desperate for the remaining survivors. The reader is left on a hanger at the end, and I for one really want to know the outcome in the sequel, That Wicked Apple! Grouchy has come so far, and for the reader to walk away at this point would be like leaving him there for the curse to take him too!!
A copy of That Risen Snow: A Scary Tale of Snow White & Zombies was provided by the author, Rob E. Boley, for the purpose of an honest and fair review.
******************************************************
Trick or treat? That Risen Snow is a brilliant combination of horror, quirkiness and fairytale, although certainly for the adult reader! It is definitely a ‘treat’ in my opinion. I imagined the dwarves to be scared for their life in a truly dark, life threatening and terrifying horror, filled with blood, guts and gore. Although this was a part of the story, what really surprised me was the fun and humour content as well as the heart-warming feelings that Grouchy has for Snow White.
The dwarves are like you have never imagined, with bad language and sarcasm, but these moments add another element. They are not typical of the dwarves we are familiar with, but in fact have characteristics of real people, which I loved. Even Snow White wasn’t as graceful and elegant as one would think!
The layout of the story is interesting too, with chapters written from the different character’s perspectives. The reader learns what is happening with each character which keeps the reader informed and able to see where the author is going, and suspense can be built-up from this. Another area of the story which fascinated me were the flashbacks. The flashbacks were mostly Grouchy’s personal thoughts and feelings towards Snow since she came to their cottage. The reader feels the growth of affection that Grouchy has for Snow and begins to understand why he wants to find a cure for her curse, rather than just be rid of her and the undead.
After reading this you will certainly feel that you know the dwarves more personally than ever before. From the past thoughts and dialogue between the dwarves we are made aware that they have all been having private discussions with their leader, Bones. Each dwarf has their own problem and obstacle that they need to overcome and Bones was helping them with this. Merry’s story was one that touched me, as we learn that he longed to be trusted and respected by the others. Bones gave him tasks to do to make him feel worthy and needed, but once their life changes and they are being chased by the undead Grouchy tells Merry how it really is. It is then up to Merry to either pity himself or do something about it.
Battson, a dwarf-hating human soldier working with the Prince, is, initially, an unlikeable character who would prefer to see the dwarves harmed in a typical encounter. Yet, as the story unfolds and continues into a survival story, the war between human soldiers and dwarves is swept aside as they begin to work together to keep the remaining survivors alive and hopefully find a cure for this disease that their friends are suffering from. Battson does begin to slowly show a quiet, heroic side which changes the readers opinion into respecting and admiring him for his new-found quality.
Although an extremely trying time of desperation, hardship and fear, the reader does not be given many opportunities to feel the tragedy and terror due to the humour and fun way in which it That Risen Snow is written. However, as the story continues, and more dwarves and soldiers are turning, it does become a little more serious and desperate for the remaining survivors. The reader is left on a hanger at the end, and I for one really want to know the outcome in the sequel, That Wicked Apple! Grouchy has come so far, and for the reader to walk away at this point would be like leaving him there for the curse to take him too!!
A copy of That Risen Snow: A Scary Tale of Snow White & Zombies was provided by the author, Rob E. Boley, for the purpose of an honest and fair review.
December 27, 2014
Snow White bites the apple offered by the old woman and she is placed into a deep slumber until Prince Mikael wakes her with true love's kiss- but this is all of the normal fairy tale that you will find in That Risen Snow. Snow White wakes up, but she isn't acting right and immediately takes a bite out of Prince Mikael. As Snow White spreads her disease, the dwarves try to fight back only to be taken down themselves. The dwarves believe that a cure can be found to save their beloved Snow in a nearby town, but trying to survive the Horrors to get to the town proves harder than they thought. Along with the Prince's soldiers, the remaining dwarves make it to town only to find that Snow's curse is bigger than they thought.
I loved the idea of Snow White mixed with zombie; bringing parts of the well known fairy-tale together with nightmarish horror. My favorite parts were some of the flashbacks to Snow White's past; we learn she wasn't the perfect little Princess in this version of the story. The dwarves history is also very interesting. I liked learning about how they came to be and how they earned their names; these dwarves are far from perfect also. The narration begins with Grumpy the dwarf, he probably has the strongest voice and character. However, the point of view skips around through all of the other dwarves, the Prince, the soldiers and the Queen. All this jumping around provided a few too many voices, I think it would have been more effective sticking to one point of view. The twist at the end was a surprise to me, I'm glad that the story will continue and it seems like we will get to learn more of the Queen.
This book was provided for free in return for an honest review.
I loved the idea of Snow White mixed with zombie; bringing parts of the well known fairy-tale together with nightmarish horror. My favorite parts were some of the flashbacks to Snow White's past; we learn she wasn't the perfect little Princess in this version of the story. The dwarves history is also very interesting. I liked learning about how they came to be and how they earned their names; these dwarves are far from perfect also. The narration begins with Grumpy the dwarf, he probably has the strongest voice and character. However, the point of view skips around through all of the other dwarves, the Prince, the soldiers and the Queen. All this jumping around provided a few too many voices, I think it would have been more effective sticking to one point of view. The twist at the end was a surprise to me, I'm glad that the story will continue and it seems like we will get to learn more of the Queen.
This book was provided for free in return for an honest review.
July 27, 2015
I love reading a twisted fairytale, so when I received this book I was excited.
The overall idea of the book is very interesting. Snow White turns into a flesh-eating zombie when kissed by the prince instead of breaking the curse. I also liked the descriptiveness of each scene and character. The author did a good job describing scenes of battle and the state of each attacking zombie. That was well done. However, that was about it for the story.
I found the book to be a tedious read, overly elaborated in some parts when it was not necessary. The story could have been shorter, or it could have been finished in one book. But the dwarfs kept jumping from plan to plan, only to have one of them screw it up at the last minute. Seriously, at the VERY last minute. I found myself rushing through the book towards the end.
The characters were the biggest detractors for me. NONE of them were even remotely likable, especially Grumpy (Who is the main character...). It made the book harder to read, because I found myself thinking about how much I disliked each character than focusing on the story. Each character also had a sense of arrogance about them and refused to budge from their own self-contrived plan. On a personal note, I found it hard to remember each dwarf (their name, characteristics, and "ailment"). I kept getting confused about who was who.
The ending of the book wasn't any better. In the end a slue of new characters were semi-introduced, but not well. It didn't add anything to the cliffhanger at all.
Sadly, I did not enjoy this book as much as I wanted to and I will not be reading the rest of the series.
The overall idea of the book is very interesting. Snow White turns into a flesh-eating zombie when kissed by the prince instead of breaking the curse. I also liked the descriptiveness of each scene and character. The author did a good job describing scenes of battle and the state of each attacking zombie. That was well done. However, that was about it for the story.
I found the book to be a tedious read, overly elaborated in some parts when it was not necessary. The story could have been shorter, or it could have been finished in one book. But the dwarfs kept jumping from plan to plan, only to have one of them screw it up at the last minute. Seriously, at the VERY last minute. I found myself rushing through the book towards the end.
The characters were the biggest detractors for me. NONE of them were even remotely likable, especially Grumpy (Who is the main character...). It made the book harder to read, because I found myself thinking about how much I disliked each character than focusing on the story. Each character also had a sense of arrogance about them and refused to budge from their own self-contrived plan. On a personal note, I found it hard to remember each dwarf (their name, characteristics, and "ailment"). I kept getting confused about who was who.
The ending of the book wasn't any better. In the end a slue of new characters were semi-introduced, but not well. It didn't add anything to the cliffhanger at all.
Sadly, I did not enjoy this book as much as I wanted to and I will not be reading the rest of the series.
May 5, 2015
Grrrr....I guess I asked for it....
The story didn't take long for the excitement to start. Mainly told by Grouchy, but also told from other characters points of view. I'm enjoying being able to see it through different characters eyes. The story isn't what I expected....but that's not a bad thing...yet... Excited to see where the story goes, and what happens in the end, but of course since this book was free it has to have an awful cliff hanger leading to another book. Good read...unless you are going to be bothered by the fact there is no real ending in this book and you must buy more to reach the ending.
I gave the rating I did because I did enjoy the book...just not the way it ended...
The story didn't take long for the excitement to start. Mainly told by Grouchy, but also told from other characters points of view. I'm enjoying being able to see it through different characters eyes. The story isn't what I expected....but that's not a bad thing...yet... Excited to see where the story goes, and what happens in the end, but of course since this book was free it has to have an awful cliff hanger leading to another book. Good read...unless you are going to be bothered by the fact there is no real ending in this book and you must buy more to reach the ending.
I gave the rating I did because I did enjoy the book...just not the way it ended...
June 2, 2017
I read this book because I got a free ebook copy. It was a quick fun read! Sometimes I feel like reading something that is not meant to be taken seriously at all and this was exactly that. It's not a gigantic tome full of poetry and character development so detailed that you feel like you have known them your entire life, and that's okay. I immediately bought the other two books he had out at the time and am now caught up to his newest book (unfortunately it's not out for iBooks yet
April 7, 2017
This interesting tale of Snow White mixed with zombies was pretty good. Gruesome blood-soaked zombie action- check! Interesting twist that I didn't see coming at the end- check! Will I read the next book- you bet! What a great Halloween October book to read. So, go read it... but during daylight hours. :)
September 20, 2015
I wanted to like this book. It had such a cool premise and I enjoy zombie stories. Blood and gore don't bother me the least, and this book had quite a bit. So why didn't I like it? I really don't know. I enjoyed the first few chapters, but then it just got boring and tedious and I didn't like any of the characters. So that's it. I just couldn't get into this one. :(
December 21, 2015
I liked the idea of this. Snow White is awoken by her true love's kiss, only she wakes up as a zombie instead of a princess. There was so much potential here for a good story, but it just didn't work for me. It was hard to follow with the changing point of views, and I wish there would have been more scenes involving the zombies. I'm really sad that this didn't work out better.
May 1, 2015
I saw this book on a BookBub email as one of their free eBooks, and the premise sounded interesting, so I picked it up. The author had a good idea, but it just didn't pan out. The writing is incredibly sub-par, and I had to force myself to get even as far as chapter 4. I finally gave up. -3 stars.
September 30, 2015
I rather enjoyed this, especially as it is told from the perspective of Grumpy and the other dwarves. I was however a bit disappointed to see that I'll have to go after the next book to finish up this story, or most likely continue on as it seems that everybody is writing a trilogy now. *sigh*...
January 5, 2015
This book just did not work for me at all
For a full review, please go to http://www.examiner.com/review/that-r... and follow me on Twitter @josenher
For a full review, please go to http://www.examiner.com/review/that-r... and follow me on Twitter @josenher
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December 14, 2016it was pretty good for a quick read
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March 4, 2023DNF at 10%, this was just awful and confusing.
April 25, 2016
Review to come eventually, pretty easy book to read if you like re-tellings and zombies.
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