Of Sudden Origin - Omnibus

Of Sudden Origin

by C. Chase Harwood

Call them zombies if you must; America, is at the mercy of a ruthless infection that devolves the intellect into that of a simian fiend. Horrible, yes, merciless, yes, blood thirsty, unquestionably - but it is the offspring of the infected who will change the world: The children of the Fiends are a mutant mind controlling abomination, and there is no defense against them.

Genres: Zombies, Post Apocalyptic

349 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

C. Chase Harwood (aka Chris) made a career in Hollywood, decorating sets for such hits as THE BIG BANG THEORY and WILL & GRACE before turning his passion for storytelling into clicks on a keyboard. Between assaults on the walls of the screenwriting world, he chose to experiment with prose and found a fondness for Action-Adventure, particularly in the form of Sci-Fi and the Paranormal. Within that framework, he gets to explore the countless ways that humans interact while under duress. "Life is all the more lived when the consequences are high. When told as a tale it can be quite a page-turner," says Harwood. He lives in Los Angeles with his costume designer wife and young boy girl twins.

Reviews

[Brodie James · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given the novel " Of Sudden Origin - Omnibus " by C. Chase Harwood in exchange for an honest review.
Oh my god! This was one of the scariest zombie books I have ever read, it even gave me nightmares. Would hate to run into zombies like this.

Jon is a journalist, his sole purpose for living is to tell the story of Cain's disease so people can survive it. Being one of the last people to leave Florida the frontline of the infection, he has seen the devastation this disease does to the body first hand. It starts with an insatiable thirst, then comes the delirium caused by the fever and last the brain shuts down leaving only base survival skills intact eat, kill, breed and eat again. With PCP like affects, sufferers of Cain's disease feel no pain they only know to eat and an insatiable hunger turns them into cannibals. Jon is on a mission to get to Canada the only place as yet to be untouched by the disease. After nearly getting killed by the fiends Jon finds himself on an island as he watches a fortress with survivors he discovers them surrounded by fiends as the perimeter is breached a group of five escape. By boat the group makes it to the island. Among them is Nikki a former marine like her fellow survivors, together they decide to head to Canada. They head up stream in search of a vehicle that's where the lose most of their group Jon and Nikki being the only survivors. Eventually they find transport in the form of a cop car. Together they head north only to be stopped short of the border by a group of army deserters determined to take back America. Choosing to not fight Jon and Nikki are locked up with other like minded people. Too bad the town doesn't know about the massive herd headed their way. Will they survive and make it to Canada or perish in captivity?

I have never read a zombie book quite like this one. The zombies are terrifying with the ability to breed and their spawn capable of mind control it makes for one horrifying read. Unlike most zombies these are not the walking dead and being smarter than your average zombies they are capable of using tools and fast too. The survivors are great I fell in love with them and found myself praying they would make it. If you like zombies then you will love this series and the virus is more believable, I found myself believing this could actually happen. I give it 5 stars go on over to amazon and buy the first first book Omnibus for around $5.

[Icy-Cobwebs-Crossing-SpaceTime · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review: OF SUDDEN ORIGIN (OMNIBUS) by C. Chase Harwood

Using the theory that evolutionary mutations can occur spontaneously, not just over eons as Darwin postulated, OF SUDDEN ORIGIN is a four-part series covering the outbreak and consequences of a catastrophic event, akin to a plague. A sudden fever results in near-coma, then destruction of the frontal lobes of the brain. The result is a ravenous killing machine, determined to consume all "Fresh Meat" (living humans and animals). Those bitten but not consumed turn also. Named "Fiends" for the disease acronym, these former humans are almost unstoppable. From Florida, encroaching North, they travel in search of food. The remaining U.S. population has mostly evacuated for Eastern Canada, but the bizarre nature of the pathogen means no one on the continent is safe.

OF SUDDEN ORIGIN is a captivating narrative, with a wide cast of well-tuned characters and non-stop action. I won't give away any secrets, but the nature of the second generation Fiends, and the true source of this pathogen, are especially intriguing, weaving in science and "future science."

[Georgianna Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is probably one of the most interesting zombie tales I've ever read, and I've read a lot of them. The story is interesting, the cause of the plague is well explained and believable and the "zombies" get twists that even I couldn't have seen coming. Any zombie fan needs to add this series to their library.

See my full review at Zombie Book Blog.

[Netanella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome post-apocalyptic epic tale that is not the usual zombie fare. Our fiendish cannibals here are humans, alive, but infected and mutating into another species, one that is both sentient and telepathic and altogether much more terrifying.

Harwood's writing style is sharp, his action intense, the characters fully fleshed out and realistic. I am very much a new fan of his. Very well done.

[hIpnoticraQs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun zombie read.
One of the creepier zombie books that I have read. I liked most of the characters and the storyline. Slowed down a little bit in the middle but picked up again. Worth every penny!!

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

This title was packed with action, suspense, thrills, fantastic characters, crazy plot twists, and new types of infected, horrifying creatures...I loved it!!

[Wampuscat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as a giveaway item a while back, and finally got to read it.

Dude! I live in the woods. You can't give a man who lives in the woods a book like this! It's sadistic! If I left something in my truck, I would not be able to go get it after dark right now. Sheesh! But you know what's worse! There is a SEQUEL! SON-OF-A.....

So, anyway, yeah, I liked the book. A lot. I'm not a huge Zombie Apocalypse fan, but it's pretty good stuff, and this book absolutely rocked my socks off. Non-stop OMFG action. Demon Baby Zombies that can control your mind with ESP! Ffffffffffffuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!

The writing on this one was top notch. Great story plot. Great timing. Characters were awesomely developed. You just do not know how this one will end. If you like Zombie Apocalypse stuff (think World War Z, not Walking Dead) then you will love this. Read it now before it's too late!

I give it 4 stars and call this one a Exceptional Read!

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of Sudden Origin is one of the most unique and exciting apocalyptic books I have had the pleasure of reading in quite some time. The unique "zombies" that were portrayed in this book resemble what I have always imagined the "zombie apocalypse" to be. It is frightening, thrilling, gut wrenching and a book you will refuse to put down until the very last page. I can not wait to continue this journey with it's well developed characters and the author's page turning and adventurous writing! A must read for dystopian and zombie genre fans alike.

[Kelly Rickard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of sudden origin

A nice easy page turner that kept my attention

'Zombies' But not really as these are fast and sort of alive with pregnant 'zombies' and controlling unborn babies.

We follow Jon as he is trying to go north to Canada along the way he meets different people one is Nikki who is a kick ass marine.

I really enjoyed how much of an easy read this was and the fast 'zombies'

Want to find out more read the book

[Brad Theado · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yeah! Now this is a zombie story! A new take, zombies + evolutionary theory! Love it. Bring on the next one.

[Mandy - Reading in the Happi Bat's Nest · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome story with a much needed twist on the 'zombie' genre. If you love zombie apocalypse novels but are getting tired of the "same 'ol same 'ol" then this is DEFINITELY for you!!

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent story.

[Craig · Rating 2 out of 5]

The zombie genre is a guilty pleasure of mine, and I enjoyed Harwood’s “Bastion Saturn,” so I had high hopes for this story. I was over this book about 60% of the way through, and it reads like the author felt likewise. I finished it anyway.

Harwood deserves credit for creating a terrifying class of zombie and building some great action scenes with sly humor in the first half of the book.

Like many contemporary zombie films/tv shows/lit, however, the gruesome parts are overplayed at the expense of better character and story development. A lot of people die horrible deaths, and you’ll be too numb to care. Harwood portrays zombies raping women and children, masturbating and ejaculating on victims while eating them, and more. Meh, no thanks. Call me old fashioned, but the zombie genre is at its best when it becomes a platform to discuss societal and small-group interactions. The suspense is with the people, not a zombie with its dick out ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Combine this with the fact that there are literally hundreds of typos and grammatical errors throughout the book. These are not “artistic” choices; they’re mistakes that change the meaning of a sentence (frequently homophones), breaking the flow of key moments in the story. For example, Harwood seems to forget the name of one of his characters (Teddy), calling him Billy momentarily before returning to “Teddy.” There are myriad similar examples strewn across the entire book. This edition badly needs an editor.

[John R. Dailey Jr. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A FINE TALE OF SUPED UP FREAKS IT IS....

Hello, this story probably deserves a 4.5 star review. I wish the rating system was based on 10 instead of 5. This story would rate a 9. It was that good. Very well thought out and in the realm of possibility. Read it and enjoy. I'm off to the next one. Thanks.

[Jade Rogers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting twist on zombies as well as interesting POV from the zombies. I liked the character development between Jon and Nikki, though the general plot felt cyclical at times and the ending felt like a typical zombie story.

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting

A novel approach to the etiology of a well covered fiction. Not the typical zombie story. Easy read, and not too far fetched.

[Shana Festa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Jon is a journalist with time on the front lines under his belt when Florida was overrun. Of Sudden Origin begins six months after the outbreak, bacterial in origin, the infection is described as a form of dementia, and its victims are still alive. This is a nice variation on the usual dead reanimating.

Luck is a fickle friend. The Costas family knows this better than most. These poor people suffer one loss after another, and end up getting kicked while they’re down, every time. I rooted for them through each situation they faced.

The real tension builder in the book is in how the zombie infants have been crafted. Indicative more of a demon than zombie, they have black eyes, teeth and scariest of all, mind control over the adult zombies and a innate ability to control humans within line of sight.

Called fiends for short, Kane’s disease has left the reptilian brain intact. Base urges remain, and zombies are cunning and strategic, are able to use tools crudely (like throwing rocks at a window) and…of all things…maintain the ability to get a boner. Hey, those demon infants have to come from somewhere, right?

The book snuck up on me, and before I knew it, I was deep into the story. In fact, I was a bit shocked to discover I was so engrossed in the story because it didn’t grab me right away…it was a slow warmer. The prologue, and first words felt dry, almost as if I was reading from a historical textbook. Looking back, I can see how the author used this information to set the stage for an action-packed book.

I Love Nikki’s badassery – yes, it deserves the capital L. We all know I’m a sucker for a strong female lead. But the author does something we don’t necessarily see often. He’s given us two leads, Jon & Nikki, and either of them could stand alone, but together they’re great. Nikki and Jon are detained by a militant tyrant bent on taking the world back from the fiends. The duo has two options. Join them or die. They elect for option #3…but you’ll need to read the book to figure out what that means.

Either Harwood has a background somewhere in healthcare or science, or this is one of the best displays of researching for credible content that I have ever seen. Descriptions from epidemiology down to the minute details of hazmat suits, are told with such authority that even if not true, I’d have believed them. Of Sudden Origin spans from Florida all the way up to Canada. Harwood doesn’t get hung up on the specifics of each setting but gives just enough detail to make it realistic.

If all that wasn’t enough to slap a five star rating on this book, Harwood’s use of my absolute favorite word would be more than enough. Apoptosis…for some reason, I have bee enamored with this word since I was a wee nursing student.

The only areas I see for improvement are outside the story. In my opinion, it needs another pass with an editor. The editing isn’t bad per se, but it’s not great. There are just enough little issues to be noticeable. Other reviewers may penalize for minor editing issues, but I don’t. Next, and more importantly is cover art. I am a fanatic over cover art. The cover for Of Sudden Origin, is just okay…but it needs more depth, and needs some love in the typography area.

All said and done, would I recommend it? Yes. In fact, I went and purchased the next book in the series. However, the way it is available on Amazon is quite confusing, so I’m not really sure if the book I purchased is in the right order. (This is a hint to make the series nomenclature a bit more user friendly)

[Keith · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.....

I don't often read zombie apocalypse but I have this one a try because these weren't the typical brainless zombies: they have thoughts, they reproduce and the offspring have unique abilities.

This story is at its best when it stayed with the storyline of its main character, Jon Washington,a reporter who had been following the course of the girl outbreak that precipitated the apocalypse. There are several chapters where the story breaks away from him and focuses on a group of soldiers fighting against the zombies, and the book sure during this time. There are many soldiers and it's difficult to keep them all straight, and they weren't written with any depth yet much time was decided to this group. I lost interest during this stage but once the story began to focus on Jon and the other characters of importance, things got back on track. The author did a nice job of finding the emotion of the situation the characters found themselves, and there's was enough action and whenever to keep up my interest. Of Sudden Origin was a very solid read, and I still continue on with the next installment.

[Liquid Frost · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read many Zombie books and found this one to be pretty good. The horde or The Others as they self-identify, are the quick, strong, violent, raging sort of zombies. Humans (The Fresh Ones) are their food of choice; the younger the better as they provide exquisite meat.

The United States is lost and walls are overrun; defense shifts North into Canada. The pandemic and thousands upon thousands of zombies are following the food. There are pockets of survivors and this tale is mostly about Jon, a former, embedded reporter. Toss in a hot, female Marine - and you've got part of the story.

The rest centers around rag-tag survivors and scientists from the CDC running a theory for a cure. Parts of the book are slow, but the back half picks up steam. There is some character development in this first book of unknown numbers, but the action takes center stage.

Although the book ends with the full story untold, it does have an ending. I'm sure Book Two picks up straight away for the finale.

Zombies, violence, sex, death, dystopian, plague, cure. Sounds interesting? Check it out.

[Eric Echard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easily one of the best apocalyptic books I've ever read

Just read it, you won't be disappointed, terrified maybe, held in suspense of what will happen next, hell yes, disgusted at times sure, but definitely not disappointed.