What do you think?
Rate this book
Mountain Man #2
Safari
Augustus Berry lives a day-to-day existence comprised of waking up, getting drunk, and preparing for the inevitable day when "they" will come up the side of his mountain and penetrate his fortress. Living on the outskirts of a city and scavenging for whatever supplies remain since the demise of civilization, Gus knows that his next visit to undead suburbia could be his last. Not only does he face a corpse-infested urban hell, human scavengers, and unending loneliness, but now a new mystery has risen - the undead are disappearing from the streets. A force is gathering, beyond the mountain man's darkest nightmares, even more relentless and terrifying than the roaming tides of dead flesh. And it's preparing to hunt.
Audible Audio
First published May 1, 2012
185 people are currently reading
608 people want to read
About the author
Keith C. Blackmore
38 books909 followersBooks are available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, and others.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 220 reviews
December 18, 2025
This is book 2 in the Mountain Man series, and we start off pretty much where the last one concluded—don't read on unless you have read book 1!
Gus' life returns to how it started in the first book—living in solitude, with Scott and Roxanne now no longer around. It gets off to a grisly start when Gus realises he has to do some DIY home dentistry after the mess Roxanne made of his face—I was reading this bit with my hand over my face, peeking through my fingers.
Most of the beginning of the book is heralding in the winter months and Gus trying to heal from the beating he took, in addition to searching for pain meds and supplies. He is also still very much an alcoholic, and his drinking gets even more out of control.
Gus' constant inebriated state throughout, in addition to his increasing mental instability brought on by loneliness, inevitably leads to him making some stupid decisions. He becomes stranded in the town miles away from home, where he meets a new enemy.
There is no mention of the psychopath Tenner from book 1, or Scott's whereabouts, so I assume they will pop up later in the series. Didn't enjoy this one as much as book 1; there were a lot of mindless decisions, situations and meandering scenes.
By the end Gus is pretty much forced to change his ways. We also get a bit of a 'Deus ex machina' which saves the day; that kind of spoilt it a little because it felt too contrived. I will still move on to book 3 though, as I'm interested to know what will happen with some of the other characters.
Rating 2.5/5 but will round up.
Gus' life returns to how it started in the first book—living in solitude, with Scott and Roxanne now no longer around. It gets off to a grisly start when Gus realises he has to do some DIY home dentistry after the mess Roxanne made of his face—I was reading this bit with my hand over my face, peeking through my fingers.
Most of the beginning of the book is heralding in the winter months and Gus trying to heal from the beating he took, in addition to searching for pain meds and supplies. He is also still very much an alcoholic, and his drinking gets even more out of control.
Gus' constant inebriated state throughout, in addition to his increasing mental instability brought on by loneliness, inevitably leads to him making some stupid decisions. He becomes stranded in the town miles away from home, where he meets a new enemy.
There is no mention of the psychopath Tenner from book 1, or Scott's whereabouts, so I assume they will pop up later in the series. Didn't enjoy this one as much as book 1; there were a lot of mindless decisions, situations and meandering scenes.
By the end Gus is pretty much forced to change his ways. We also get a bit of a 'Deus ex machina' which saves the day; that kind of spoilt it a little because it felt too contrived. I will still move on to book 3 though, as I'm interested to know what will happen with some of the other characters.
Rating 2.5/5 but will round up.
November 1, 2019
I have been waiting for months to read the rest of Gus' story. Mountain Man: Safari was worth the wait!
One of the most refreshing things about reading Blackmore's work is the fact that he really goes "all in." As a writer, he is not afraid to take his characters to some very dark places. The story that he tells in Safari because of that is nothing short of amazing.
The solution to Gus' mystery of the disappearing zombie dead was terrifying and, literally, gave me nightmares.
Blackmore's apocalypse is neither neat nor formulaic. Unlike most zombie stories, the answer doesn't lie in guns and military training. There's a darkness that is only hinted at in Mountain Man, but which is fully explored in Safari. The world that is left after a zombie apocalypse is an insane one. Sometimes, even the good guy has to choose between insanity and the dark side.... This is not your typical zombie story, believe me! This book is thought-provoking and stays with you long after you have read the final page.
One of the most refreshing things about reading Blackmore's work is the fact that he really goes "all in." As a writer, he is not afraid to take his characters to some very dark places. The story that he tells in Safari because of that is nothing short of amazing.
The solution to Gus' mystery of the disappearing zombie dead was terrifying and, literally, gave me nightmares.
Blackmore's apocalypse is neither neat nor formulaic. Unlike most zombie stories, the answer doesn't lie in guns and military training. There's a darkness that is only hinted at in Mountain Man, but which is fully explored in Safari. The world that is left after a zombie apocalypse is an insane one. Sometimes, even the good guy has to choose between insanity and the dark side.... This is not your typical zombie story, believe me! This book is thought-provoking and stays with you long after you have read the final page.
June 3, 2023
ok I did like this book - good plot, well written, deeper character building, and disturbing - everything a good zombie story needs. But what the heck happened to Scott? What a big miss not allowing us to continue following his story.
August 20, 2025
3.25 stars
January 20, 2016
I really liked this book.
Right up until the last 20 pages. The author should've done many things different within those closing scenes.
I mean, sure. We all knew Gus was sliding into psychosis but that ending just destroyed any suspension of disbelief. Really doused it in gas, lit it on fire and slammed it into the side of a mountain fourty feet below.
He should've killed Gus there. Ain't nobody walkin' away from that. I don't care if you are covered in nomex.
Or, he should've written it differently with the rat horde; had Gus jump in the beast and escape upon seeing how bad it was.
But do not force me to eat the shit sandwich of disbelief that is a character surviving events that should've killed them; then changing them so much in the space of two pages that a lewd, guilt ridden, alcoholic, suicidal , homicidal antihero suffering from a severe case of psychosis basically becomes a good natured Amish.
That is not the Gus we all grew to love.
And you expect me to believe--in the Zombie apocalypse, no less-- that the people Gus royally screwed over by burning all the remaining supplies in Annapolis and unleashing an undead horde of rats on the countryside--where they live-- are going to take him in?
Especially after he indiscriminately opened fire on one of them.
Lets face it: though we may love him, Gus is incredibly unhinged and dangerous.
Any sane person in that area would shoot him for being a psychopathic menace.
Right up until the last 20 pages. The author should've done many things different within those closing scenes.
I mean, sure. We all knew Gus was sliding into psychosis but that ending just destroyed any suspension of disbelief. Really doused it in gas, lit it on fire and slammed it into the side of a mountain fourty feet below.
He should've killed Gus there. Ain't nobody walkin' away from that. I don't care if you are covered in nomex.
Or, he should've written it differently with the rat horde; had Gus jump in the beast and escape upon seeing how bad it was.
But do not force me to eat the shit sandwich of disbelief that is a character surviving events that should've killed them; then changing them so much in the space of two pages that a lewd, guilt ridden, alcoholic, suicidal , homicidal antihero suffering from a severe case of psychosis basically becomes a good natured Amish.
That is not the Gus we all grew to love.
And you expect me to believe--in the Zombie apocalypse, no less-- that the people Gus royally screwed over by burning all the remaining supplies in Annapolis and unleashing an undead horde of rats on the countryside--where they live-- are going to take him in?
Especially after he indiscriminately opened fire on one of them.
Lets face it: though we may love him, Gus is incredibly unhinged and dangerous.
Any sane person in that area would shoot him for being a psychopathic menace.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 11, 2021
Gus Berry. He was a house painter...an average joe...an overweight, middle-aged white guy. And then the zombies came. Now, Gus is still an overweight, middle aged white guy but add survivor, heavy drinker and slightly insane to the list. Well, maybe more than slightly insane...his best friend is Captain Morgan off the label of his favorite bottle of rum. He talks to Morgan and Morgan talks back. That's pretty insane, right? But I can't fault the guy...with dead people roaming around wanting to kill him and other survivors being just as dangerous, having a buddy is important, even if it's a fake pirate off a rum label.
I enjoyed this second book in the Mountain Man series. But I have to say that I wanted to hop into the book and slap some sense into Gus. He gets an idea into his head....fueled by loneliness, booze and burgeoning mental issues, and makes some real strange decisions in this story. But...given the character and the situation, I didn't have a problem with his actions. It certainly kept the action going! Nope -- not going to say what his decisions were....you have to read or listen to the book! I will say.....he follows it through to the very end. Go big or be zombie food!
I didn't expect the ending....I love it when a zombie story has some surprises for me. The book definitely kept my attention from start to finish. I don't usually binge a series, but I enjoyed book 1 so much I went right into book 2!
I listened to the audio book version of this story. Narrated by R. C. Bray, the audio is a bit over 7 hours long. Bray is an excellent narrator! He has definitely joined the ranks of my favorites now! He brings the character to life and does a superb job of voice acting!
This series is gritty and most likely not for some readers. Gus is a foul-mouthed drunk who obsesses about finding toilet paper, the condition of his balls, his liquor supply and killing deadheads. Not necessarily in that order.
Enjoying this series! Definitely continuing with the audio books -- I love R.C. Bray's narration!
I enjoyed this second book in the Mountain Man series. But I have to say that I wanted to hop into the book and slap some sense into Gus. He gets an idea into his head....fueled by loneliness, booze and burgeoning mental issues, and makes some real strange decisions in this story. But...given the character and the situation, I didn't have a problem with his actions. It certainly kept the action going! Nope -- not going to say what his decisions were....you have to read or listen to the book! I will say.....he follows it through to the very end. Go big or be zombie food!
I didn't expect the ending....I love it when a zombie story has some surprises for me. The book definitely kept my attention from start to finish. I don't usually binge a series, but I enjoyed book 1 so much I went right into book 2!
I listened to the audio book version of this story. Narrated by R. C. Bray, the audio is a bit over 7 hours long. Bray is an excellent narrator! He has definitely joined the ranks of my favorites now! He brings the character to life and does a superb job of voice acting!
This series is gritty and most likely not for some readers. Gus is a foul-mouthed drunk who obsesses about finding toilet paper, the condition of his balls, his liquor supply and killing deadheads. Not necessarily in that order.
Enjoying this series! Definitely continuing with the audio books -- I love R.C. Bray's narration!
December 2, 2014
**Actual rating 4.5**
This sequel was almost as fun to read as the first book, I enjoyed the hell out if it.
At this point in the post apoc zombie world the Mountain Man is starting to go insane and goes all "winston from castaway" with a bottle of Captain Morgans. The fact that he is drunk all day probably helps with this and it actually kind of makes sense that his sole companion is a pirate on a bottle. This book had some really gruesome scenes including but not limited to: home dental surgery, tidal waves of rats and as always, flesh eating zombie hoards.
At this point I am absolutely consumed by this series and will probably end up reading them one after another. On to book three I go Hellifax.
This sequel was almost as fun to read as the first book, I enjoyed the hell out if it.
At this point in the post apoc zombie world the Mountain Man is starting to go insane and goes all "winston from castaway" with a bottle of Captain Morgans. The fact that he is drunk all day probably helps with this and it actually kind of makes sense that his sole companion is a pirate on a bottle. This book had some really gruesome scenes including but not limited to: home dental surgery, tidal waves of rats and as always, flesh eating zombie hoards.
At this point I am absolutely consumed by this series and will probably end up reading them one after another. On to book three I go Hellifax.
March 30, 2015
BORING
I was BORED with this book. It is ONLY Gus. He is disgusting! The whole blowing up things and rat stand off was soon drawn out I just skipped through the last 40%-50% of the book. I do want to see what's going on with Scott though, so I'll probably be reading Hellifax. Even though this one SUCKED.
I was BORED with this book. It is ONLY Gus. He is disgusting! The whole blowing up things and rat stand off was soon drawn out I just skipped through the last 40%-50% of the book. I do want to see what's going on with Scott though, so I'll probably be reading Hellifax. Even though this one SUCKED.
September 3, 2016
Recommended to those who didn't think there were any more zombie novels out there worth reading.
December 1, 2022
I never thought there would be something worse than zombies, but Keith Blackmore showed me that zombies can be so much worse!
June 7, 2012
I missed Gus over the last few months, so I was very pleased to grab a copy of Mountain Man 2. Whereas the first book focused a lot on the everyday external life and survival in the zombapocalypse, the second part focuses on the internal aspects of daily life. Particularly with our friend Gus-it gets dark.
Keith Blackmore has an underlying humor to his writing style; mix this with zombies and a few other surprises, and we have the Mountain Man series. Someone mentioned that this was one of the best character studies in the genre (Hi Glinda!), and I think she nailed it on the head. My mantra is that a good zombie story is NEVER about zombies, and nothing could be more true for Mountain Man 2. Blackmore gives us an in depth look at Gus' mental and emotional downfall within the context of the zombie apocalypse(although sometimes amusing). There are some new twists, and questions from the first book are (mostly) answered in part 2.
Gus is such a likeable character, even though he's a grump. What makes him so likeable is that he is just an ordinary guy thrown into extraordinary circumstances. He is no superhero but he can take care of himself, regardless of his mental state. As with many books in this genre, we get to study human behaviour in the most terrifying of contexts.
I absolutely recommend the Mountain Man series!
Keith Blackmore has an underlying humor to his writing style; mix this with zombies and a few other surprises, and we have the Mountain Man series. Someone mentioned that this was one of the best character studies in the genre (Hi Glinda!), and I think she nailed it on the head. My mantra is that a good zombie story is NEVER about zombies, and nothing could be more true for Mountain Man 2. Blackmore gives us an in depth look at Gus' mental and emotional downfall within the context of the zombie apocalypse(although sometimes amusing). There are some new twists, and questions from the first book are (mostly) answered in part 2.
Gus is such a likeable character, even though he's a grump. What makes him so likeable is that he is just an ordinary guy thrown into extraordinary circumstances. He is no superhero but he can take care of himself, regardless of his mental state. As with many books in this genre, we get to study human behaviour in the most terrifying of contexts.
I absolutely recommend the Mountain Man series!
November 23, 2012
A great zombie book. You'll obviously find parallels and similiarities to other books/stories about zombies and such, but you have to keep in mind, there's only so many ways of telling these kinds of stories that will keep them interesting to the reader. Common sense really, that a secluded house or farm will be safer than staying in an actual city full of zombies. Kind of a spoiler-
The author did go on an interesting tangent about how the local wildlife might be effected by it. I can see it being difficult to incorporate into the story line though, going along that tangent might make the future for the characters much more difficult if the wildlife and plant life become zombified. Regardless, I'll be keeping an eye out for the third book in this series to come out.
The author did go on an interesting tangent about how the local wildlife might be effected by it. I can see it being difficult to incorporate into the story line though, going along that tangent might make the future for the characters much more difficult if the wildlife and plant life become zombified. Regardless, I'll be keeping an eye out for the third book in this series to come out.
January 31, 2020
Notes:
Boring. I don't care about the MC at all.
Boring. I don't care about the MC at all.
August 10, 2021
Continued the audio of the first book straight into the second. This one wasn't as good. Gus lost his partner-in-crime for banter, not to mention he just straight up lost the plot. I didn't think the drinking could get more out of control than the first book but when you start believing that Captain Morgan is talking to you that's probably a good sign you should stop. Still killing Zombies but when they became less scary than the rats is when this went downhill for me. The rat scenes totally gave me the willies. Interested though to see where the next book goes.
January 5, 2015
The undead (of all kinds) had better watch out for Gus
UPDATE: January 5, 2015
I just finished rereading MOUNTAIN MAN and SAFARI because I wanted to refresh my memory before I started on - Hellifax (Mountain Man Book 3) and Well Fed (Mountain Man Book 4). There are parts of both books I had forgotten so I'm glad I took the time to reread. This is one great zombie series.
I thoroughly enjoyed the first book in this series "Mountain Man" and was hoping for more of the same in SAFARI. I was NOT disappointed.
Great character development on Gus, who is not a ex-Seal or paramilitary survivalist like in a lot of zombie or post apocalyptic novels. He is a man with all-too-human foibles, the main being that Gus can put away more liquor than a salesmen's convention with an open bar. His drinking is what gets him through all the terrible happenings after the zombie infection hits the world (not without consequences). Oh, and taking a baseball bat or weapons after the undead to reduce their population.
I liked how Blackmore handled the disappearing bodies question - surprise to me and very creepy. And I liked how the book ended.
Only problem now is waiting until book three of the series. At the end of SAFARI, Blackmore says we will learn more about Scott and his adventures with Tenner, probably in the late summer. Well, Keith, it is the first part of September and I'm ready to start reading. He also mentioned that there was a "Mountain Man" short story in "Cauldron Gristle." I am hoping it helps shed some light on the crazy nurse Alice mentioned in "Mountain Man."
If you like well edited zombie stories by an indie author, I am sure you will enjoy "Safari." Oh, reminder to self - get Nomex suit and motorcycle helmet so I'll be ready to fight the undead.
NOTE: I heard from the author and book three of the MOUNTAIN MAN series is going to be out hopefully in December 2012 - a good Christmas gift to myself. Also, I did read "Cauldron Gristle" and the fourth short story in the book "The Hospital" does tell the story of Gus and deadly nurse Alice, as mentioned in "Mountain Man." My recommendation (although not totally necessary) is read "The Hospital" before starting the MOUNTAIN MAN series.
UPDATE: January 5, 2015
I just finished rereading MOUNTAIN MAN and SAFARI because I wanted to refresh my memory before I started on - Hellifax (Mountain Man Book 3) and Well Fed (Mountain Man Book 4). There are parts of both books I had forgotten so I'm glad I took the time to reread. This is one great zombie series.
I thoroughly enjoyed the first book in this series "Mountain Man" and was hoping for more of the same in SAFARI. I was NOT disappointed.
Great character development on Gus, who is not a ex-Seal or paramilitary survivalist like in a lot of zombie or post apocalyptic novels. He is a man with all-too-human foibles, the main being that Gus can put away more liquor than a salesmen's convention with an open bar. His drinking is what gets him through all the terrible happenings after the zombie infection hits the world (not without consequences). Oh, and taking a baseball bat or weapons after the undead to reduce their population.
I liked how Blackmore handled the disappearing bodies question - surprise to me and very creepy. And I liked how the book ended.
Only problem now is waiting until book three of the series. At the end of SAFARI, Blackmore says we will learn more about Scott and his adventures with Tenner, probably in the late summer. Well, Keith, it is the first part of September and I'm ready to start reading. He also mentioned that there was a "Mountain Man" short story in "Cauldron Gristle." I am hoping it helps shed some light on the crazy nurse Alice mentioned in "Mountain Man."
If you like well edited zombie stories by an indie author, I am sure you will enjoy "Safari." Oh, reminder to self - get Nomex suit and motorcycle helmet so I'll be ready to fight the undead.
NOTE: I heard from the author and book three of the MOUNTAIN MAN series is going to be out hopefully in December 2012 - a good Christmas gift to myself. Also, I did read "Cauldron Gristle" and the fourth short story in the book "The Hospital" does tell the story of Gus and deadly nurse Alice, as mentioned in "Mountain Man." My recommendation (although not totally necessary) is read "The Hospital" before starting the MOUNTAIN MAN series.
April 17, 2017
This is the second book in the series and from the start of this review, there are spoilers about the end of book one so read with caution!
Gus is still reeling from the recent events and waiting for his injuries to heal. He is worried about when he will be able to get his home repaired, and that becomes critical when he realises that the zombies have been attracted by all the gunfire and are trying to break down his gate. Gus is facing total disaster unless he can kill all the zombies and repair the damage, and then he needs a plan for new supplies and surviving the winter alone again.
Oh dear. The stupid decisions that Gus made in the last book have really put him in a bad spot and threaten his safe mountain hideout. I did try to warm him but he just wouldn't listen! Now thanks to his obsession with Roxanne, he has lost his only friend, his safe house, a pile of supplies and his health. The zombies have located him and he has to do something to stop more zombies coming up to him. He devises a plan to dispose of all the bodies and that is when he notices that his previous kills have vanished. Are they still alive and reanimated again or has something taken them?
The current situation and going back to being alone really messes Gus up and he starts doing very stupid things. He comes up with the insane plan of going out before winter to kill as many zombies as he can to reduce their numbers. A nice plan in theory but other people in town are not very happy with what Gus is planning to do as it brings the zombies out into the open and threatens them. Now Gus is in conflict with other survivors which gives him a whole new set of problems. And of course his actions cause him more trouble when he fails to think through the plan and it is then that he finds out to his horror what has happened to the zombie bodies. Now his plans evolve into something really drastic!
Gus never makes life easy for himself but he is fun to read about! I plan to continue on with books three and four hopefully this winter, to see what happens to him next. This book does finish on a bit of a surprise so it will be interesting to see where it goes from here.
Gus is still reeling from the recent events and waiting for his injuries to heal. He is worried about when he will be able to get his home repaired, and that becomes critical when he realises that the zombies have been attracted by all the gunfire and are trying to break down his gate. Gus is facing total disaster unless he can kill all the zombies and repair the damage, and then he needs a plan for new supplies and surviving the winter alone again.
Oh dear. The stupid decisions that Gus made in the last book have really put him in a bad spot and threaten his safe mountain hideout. I did try to warm him but he just wouldn't listen! Now thanks to his obsession with Roxanne, he has lost his only friend, his safe house, a pile of supplies and his health. The zombies have located him and he has to do something to stop more zombies coming up to him. He devises a plan to dispose of all the bodies and that is when he notices that his previous kills have vanished. Are they still alive and reanimated again or has something taken them?
The current situation and going back to being alone really messes Gus up and he starts doing very stupid things. He comes up with the insane plan of going out before winter to kill as many zombies as he can to reduce their numbers. A nice plan in theory but other people in town are not very happy with what Gus is planning to do as it brings the zombies out into the open and threatens them. Now Gus is in conflict with other survivors which gives him a whole new set of problems. And of course his actions cause him more trouble when he fails to think through the plan and it is then that he finds out to his horror what has happened to the zombie bodies. Now his plans evolve into something really drastic!
Gus never makes life easy for himself but he is fun to read about! I plan to continue on with books three and four hopefully this winter, to see what happens to him next. This book does finish on a bit of a surprise so it will be interesting to see where it goes from here.
April 22, 2021
Much the same, but a bit better.
Reading the second book in the Mountain Man series brings back memories of ball scratching, deadhead thumping, liquor drowning days where the protagonist, Gus, survives against the dead. The beginning is boring and drags, as the first four chapters can be summed up in a few quick paragraphs. But no, it's a sad play-by-play hell.
This book is a complete regurgitation of the first one, minus Scott. Actually, Blackmore replaces Scott with Captain Morgan, an empty liquor bottle that speaks to Gus who is slowly losing his mind. The Captain becomes so important to Gus that he's duct-taped and carried with Gus as he drinks in the house and when he's out and about. I will admit that The Captain is a definite boost to the story and sometimes the only thing that kept me reading. I'm not sure I would have the same level of dedication that Gus does toward The Captain, but I'm glad he's there.
New enemies. The new creatures that Gus encounters are well thought out, realistic, and dangerous enough to be a problem. Blackmore does a great job with the description but often repeats them so I always get the same vision.
The story. Several times through the book, predicting what happens next is far too simple, and Gus does nothing to oppose this. Admittedly, he has some really stupid ideas, but once his plans are set into motion, the rest is incredibly simple to see where things lead.
Gus. Blackmore's protagonist somehow, surprisingly, survives everything, no matter what. He gets his head crushed and teeth knocked in by Roxanne, then he gets the hell beat out of him by a man with a baseball bat, he is constantly drunk or trying to drink himself to death, and finally, he sets himself on fire and jumps off a cliff, breaking both arms. Yes, he survives all of this and I'm not even counting the short story of The Hospital where he's gutted and stabbed, nor all the horrible things that happen in the first full book in the series. Dude is invincible.
Overall, this is good to listen to while on a long drive. Reading for anything beyond a time-killer, probably not something to recommend.
Reading the second book in the Mountain Man series brings back memories of ball scratching, deadhead thumping, liquor drowning days where the protagonist, Gus, survives against the dead. The beginning is boring and drags, as the first four chapters can be summed up in a few quick paragraphs. But no, it's a sad play-by-play hell.
This book is a complete regurgitation of the first one, minus Scott. Actually, Blackmore replaces Scott with Captain Morgan, an empty liquor bottle that speaks to Gus who is slowly losing his mind. The Captain becomes so important to Gus that he's duct-taped and carried with Gus as he drinks in the house and when he's out and about. I will admit that The Captain is a definite boost to the story and sometimes the only thing that kept me reading. I'm not sure I would have the same level of dedication that Gus does toward The Captain, but I'm glad he's there.
New enemies. The new creatures that Gus encounters are well thought out, realistic, and dangerous enough to be a problem. Blackmore does a great job with the description but often repeats them so I always get the same vision.
The story. Several times through the book, predicting what happens next is far too simple, and Gus does nothing to oppose this. Admittedly, he has some really stupid ideas, but once his plans are set into motion, the rest is incredibly simple to see where things lead.
Gus. Blackmore's protagonist somehow, surprisingly, survives everything, no matter what. He gets his head crushed and teeth knocked in by Roxanne, then he gets the hell beat out of him by a man with a baseball bat, he is constantly drunk or trying to drink himself to death, and finally, he sets himself on fire and jumps off a cliff, breaking both arms. Yes, he survives all of this and I'm not even counting the short story of The Hospital where he's gutted and stabbed, nor all the horrible things that happen in the first full book in the series. Dude is invincible.
Overall, this is good to listen to while on a long drive. Reading for anything beyond a time-killer, probably not something to recommend.
September 10, 2012
I already reviewed the first book, so I'll keep this brief. Blackmore does a terrific job in completing Gus' character arc. I don't want to give anything away, but I was sure I knew how this thing was going to end, only to be pleasantly surprised. Gus' descent into insanity and depression (not to mention serious alcohol abuse) is believable and necessary. After all, without pain and suffering how do any of us grow?
The disappearing bodies...when the reveal came I wasn't sure what to think. But then when the true nature of the cause was revealed I was blown away by how scary it was. Not what I expected at all (in a good way).
With Gus' story complete I can't wait to read part three. Scott versus Tenner should be quite a show. Did I mention I can't wait?
As with the first book, "Safari" is well-written and well-edited. The cover looks great and the story is complete and satisfying. This is a quality release all around. Blackmore is a gifted writer.
So if you enjoyed "Mountain Man" I see no reason at all why you won't also enjoy "Safari".
The disappearing bodies...when the reveal came I wasn't sure what to think. But then when the true nature of the cause was revealed I was blown away by how scary it was. Not what I expected at all (in a good way).
With Gus' story complete I can't wait to read part three. Scott versus Tenner should be quite a show. Did I mention I can't wait?
As with the first book, "Safari" is well-written and well-edited. The cover looks great and the story is complete and satisfying. This is a quality release all around. Blackmore is a gifted writer.
So if you enjoyed "Mountain Man" I see no reason at all why you won't also enjoy "Safari".
May 22, 2021
How many times can one person use the word “foppish” in a single story?
Book 1 was pretty decent - not incredible, but more than good enough to justify a listen to the next episode. Book 2 jumps the shark, er, rat pretty quickly. The only thing dumber than the main plot of this book is Gus’s plan to deal with it. I know we left reality when we started reading a book about zombies, but can we at least pretend that we’re still on Earth and a few of the rules still apply?
The only saving grace in this audiobook experience was the narration of RC Bray, but it wasn’t enough to redeem the title.
2 stars, do not recommend.
Book 1 was pretty decent - not incredible, but more than good enough to justify a listen to the next episode. Book 2 jumps the shark, er, rat pretty quickly. The only thing dumber than the main plot of this book is Gus’s plan to deal with it. I know we left reality when we started reading a book about zombies, but can we at least pretend that we’re still on Earth and a few of the rules still apply?
The only saving grace in this audiobook experience was the narration of RC Bray, but it wasn’t enough to redeem the title.
2 stars, do not recommend.
September 26, 2019
5 delicious R.C. Bray stars audio!
5 too-stupid-to-die-hilarious-MC stars story.
5 too-stupid-to-die-hilarious-MC stars story.
October 1, 2019
Gus is back ! The second book of his (very) atypical post-apocalyptic adventures starts just after his "little" problems with his girlfriend.
Gus is a follower of the solitary heroes's favorite self-medication against anxiety: rum.
So Gus is drunk almost throughout the book. And everything he does during this book is related to his state. Mainly nonsense stuff.
It's funny (and sad) but sometimes it gets a little too much, and the end is not very credible.
Gus is a follower of the solitary heroes's favorite self-medication against anxiety: rum.
So Gus is drunk almost throughout the book. And everything he does during this book is related to his state. Mainly nonsense stuff.
It's funny (and sad) but sometimes it gets a little too much, and the end is not very credible.
May 4, 2021
I’m giving this book five stars and I’m not happy about it. Let me tell you why...
The writing is so descriptive that I’m terrified, hooked, and disgusted all at once. As we follow Gus, the affable alcoholic and a survivor of a zombie apocalypse. I can feel what he feels. The book (dare I say) should come with a trigger warning for alcohol description.
Overall it’s an excellent zombie thriller. That makes me miss New Brunswick and all of east coast Canada oh so much....
The writing is so descriptive that I’m terrified, hooked, and disgusted all at once. As we follow Gus, the affable alcoholic and a survivor of a zombie apocalypse. I can feel what he feels. The book (dare I say) should come with a trigger warning for alcohol description.
Overall it’s an excellent zombie thriller. That makes me miss New Brunswick and all of east coast Canada oh so much....
October 15, 2025
Not much to say other than an enjoyable Zombie story but follows fairly similar paths to almost everything else in the genre. Interesting aspect of a man losing his sanity where the only other character in the book is the bottle of Captain Morgan’s he befriends.
Nothing new, nothing exciting, scratches an itch.
Nothing new, nothing exciting, scratches an itch.
November 26, 2018
Not as fun as the first book.
December 17, 2024
Good book👍🏼
December 11, 2018
Author Blackmore does it again, although not quite as effectively in this second book about zombies (among other undead things) in the apocalypse. Solid, fun characters and wonderful descriptions highlight this entry. I didn't agree with the solution of the main character on how to get rid of a certain special rodent infestation, but there is so much to enjoy with this very well written series, I gave that part a pass. Looking forward to the next installment.
May 20, 2024
I gave the first book 5 stars, as I really enjoyed the dynamic between Gus and Scott and their banter. I also enjoyed the story. Although not complex, it had its interesting moments and its mystery of the disappearing bodies. For some reason, I thought that the rats were kind of a letdown. I was expecting something more interesting.
This book takes away everything I loved from the first book. Scott's gone to hunt down Tenner which I thought was a really cool idea and was expecting this book to cover Scott's perspective. I know now that the third book will cover that, but I really think it should've been this book. The plot here feels really pointless.
I suppose the bottle was to fill the hole that Scott left. However, I never really found the captain interesting or funny.
I know Gus isn't very bright, and even though he vows constantly not to do anything stupid...he ends up always doing the stupidest things.
Blowing up the entire city to kill the rats? Really? And he even comes across another person during his attempt to blow up the stations. Wouldn't that convince you that there could be other humans in and around the city? The whole idea behind Gus deciding to blow up the city was that he felt bad for killing that kid. But then he doesn't even care that he saw another person? Just doesn't make sense to me.
All in all, I think this was a boring and unnecessary read. I probably wouldn't have minded it if it was a novella's length, but it really feels drawn out in my eyes.
I'll still read the third book as it's finally covering Scott's story. Hopefully, it'll be an improvement from this book.
This book takes away everything I loved from the first book. Scott's gone to hunt down Tenner which I thought was a really cool idea and was expecting this book to cover Scott's perspective. I know now that the third book will cover that, but I really think it should've been this book. The plot here feels really pointless.
I suppose the bottle was to fill the hole that Scott left. However, I never really found the captain interesting or funny.
I know Gus isn't very bright, and even though he vows constantly not to do anything stupid...he ends up always doing the stupidest things.
Blowing up the entire city to kill the rats? Really? And he even comes across another person during his attempt to blow up the stations. Wouldn't that convince you that there could be other humans in and around the city? The whole idea behind Gus deciding to blow up the city was that he felt bad for killing that kid. But then he doesn't even care that he saw another person? Just doesn't make sense to me.
All in all, I think this was a boring and unnecessary read. I probably wouldn't have minded it if it was a novella's length, but it really feels drawn out in my eyes.
I'll still read the third book as it's finally covering Scott's story. Hopefully, it'll be an improvement from this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 4, 2013
Thanks to VFloyd for letting me borrow this thriller. This is my 2nd Mountain Man book. This one is even more creepy than the 1st. Poor old Gus is going way over the edge being by himself: drinking way too much and talking to Captain Morgan (yes, that Captain Morgan). Besides a couple of epic fights with zombies, Gus had to kill a few humans to stay alive. A bit of a guilt trip there, and maybe more than once he went a bit too far. But I was not in his shoes. I might have done worse.
And the author introduces a new threat besides the zombies and other humans. We find out where all the zombie bodies go AFTER Gus kills them. Creepy, very creepy even for a zombie story! Hey, poor Gus can only do so much. Go Gus Go!
This story is not a rehash of the first Mountain Man story. Rather, we get to see Gus as he slowly descends into madness. Being all alone for so long has finally taken its' toll on him.
Looking forward to reading
and
as well (Mountain Man #3 and #4).
And the author introduces a new threat besides the zombies and other humans. We find out where all the zombie bodies go AFTER Gus kills them. Creepy, very creepy even for a zombie story! Hey, poor Gus can only do so much. Go Gus Go!
This story is not a rehash of the first Mountain Man story. Rather, we get to see Gus as he slowly descends into madness. Being all alone for so long has finally taken its' toll on him.
Looking forward to reading
and
as well (Mountain Man #3 and #4).
April 30, 2023
I’m in the midst of listening to #2 in the series. It’s not good when I’m rooting for the undead to take out Gus or for him to accidentally blow himself up. He’s disgusting me at the moment. I hope this is the author’s intent and that Gus will have an epiphany, make changes and become a likable person again. The chain of events leading to Gus’s deterioration is more realistic than some other end of the world novels where the main character is always an incredible savior. But if I hadn’t already listened to the pre-series book and gotten to know and readily liked Gus, I might’ve been too disgusted and quit. Book 0.4 has been my favorite so far. The writing seemed a little more advanced than these first 2 in the series (it was written some years after the first few books). 0.4 had a more concrete storyline where there was a central problem to solve throughout the duration of the book. #1 and #2 so far have had more little issues to tackle throughout and after a problem is resolved there are a few days of downtime before the next problem emerges.
November 27, 2015
Very solid second book and overall great zombie story. It didn't get five stars like the first book did because there just wasn't enough character interaction. It's mostly one character, with some humorous dialogue between him and his alcohol bottle. While I really enjoyed the twist on traditional zombie conflict, and the action and climax are intense, overall the story didn't match my enjoyment from the first book because the two friends weren't together. Great conclusion, however, and really enjoyed the next book as well. Outstanding series so far.
Reviewed Mountain Man Omnibus edition (Books 1-3) at timothycward.com
Reviewed Mountain Man Omnibus edition (Books 1-3) at timothycward.com
Displaying 1 - 30 of 220 reviews