Day Zero

The Zero Trilogy #1

by Summer Lane

Elle is a survivor.
Since the collapse of modern society, she's been living in the remains of downtown Hollywood, California, foraging for food and fighting for her life.
And then everything changes.
After she is forced out of her home, she heads north. What she finds is a group of bunker survivors, unlikely comrades, and the hope of a safe haven. Together, they journey toward the dregs of civilization, facing starvation, imprisonment and death.
They are alone, but they are ready.
Day Zero begins today.

A novella, the first installment in The Zero Trilogy, a novella series complementing the international bestselling Collapse Series.

Genres: Dystopia, Young Adult, Zombies, Post Apocalyptic, Apocalyptic, Horror, Survival

160 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 29, 2014

About the author

Summer Lane is the #1 bestselling author of 30 hit books, including the smash-hit Collapse Series and Resurrection Series.

Resurrection: Shadows of Omega, the first story in a continuation of Cassidy Hart's adventures, launched February 2018, and recently concluded in January 2022.

Her new science-fiction thriller, EXPEDITION 99, is in the works.

Summer is a news writer, editorial writer, and producer. Check out her substack, The Write Revolution.

Reviews

[Tom Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It’s a companion piece to Summer Lane’s Collapse series, but works equally well as a stand-alone. It follows a 15 year old girl, trying to survive in LA in the wake of civilization’s collapse. Fans of dystopian literature like “Hunger Games” and “Divergent” will love it.

[Summer Lane · Rating 5 out of 5]

VERY EXCITED.
This book is the beginning of a new saga that is set in the same world as the Collapse Series - but with an entirely new storyline, new characters and a new perspective on the end of the world as we know it. :)

[Ruth Silver · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Day Zero is the first book in The Zero Trilogy. I’d definitely recommend reading Summer Lane’s Collapse series (starting with State of Emergency) before picking up this novella series. A lot more will make sense in terms of the back story of other characters, world building, and the recent dystopian setting.

As for Day Zero, it took about 15-20% of the story to really get into the setting, characters, and to know what was going on. The good news is that Day Zero is a novella so that 15-20% is probably like 10% in terms of a full-length novel. Which is about right.

Summer is fantastic with writing action, character interaction, and intensity when it comes to scenes. Constantly your heart will be pounding wondering what will happen next.

I admit, Elle wasn’t my favorite character in Day Zero. In some ways she’s not very likable, but I don’t hold that against the author. It’s how she wrote her and we do see character growth, even in a novella which is fantastic. There was a lot of flash backs which really helped develop the story and our main character, Elle.

Day Zero definitely ends on a cliffhanger, so expect that you’ll want the next book as soon as it’s available. I recommend Day Zero to Young Adults and Adults, I think both will enjoy this dystopian adventure.

[Olivia-Savannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Thank you to the author for sending me a copy for review*

This was a novella, which means it was a quick read at only 170 pages. As a novella, it had everything it needed to have in there and was a pretty enjoyable read as well. We got some character development, action and a good story in a shorter amount of pages than usual, and that is pretty admirable.


Elle is the main character, a teenager who has been left to fend for herself in a world where there is the Omega always watching everyone and the Klan is out to get everyone and kill them. She has had to survive through this on her own and scavenge for food. The thing is, in this town the food is running out. Now where will she go?


Elle was a tough character. I felt like she was a bit conveniently prepped for this situation seeing as she had done gymnastics and martial arts before Day Zero, but then again I let it go because of course there will always be some people better prepped than others in an apocalypse. She’s definitely someone who rolls solo and is a very tough cookie after all she’s seen. But when she ends up traveling with a group she changes, and that’s when we see the character development shine through. I wasn’t expecting any, so I was impressed when I saw it. I felt like all Elle really wanted was to feel safe, and to find happiness. She just didn't know where to look.


The story has its fair share of action-y moments in here. They were pretty well done and all, but I wanted something more eventful and bigger. It was enough for a novella, but maybe in the next book there will be something more big happening in terms of plotline.


The backstory was handled well and I think we were able to see enough of Elle’s history to understand her reasons for doing certain things. We also got a bit of backstory for each of the people she ended up traveling with as well, except one. His past remained a mystery and it’s either to be unlocked in future books, or the author forgot to resolve that one. Either way, I still want to know!


This book was pretty much romance free, which was brilliant because there aren’t nearly enough of those books, and I don’t see where the author could’ve crammed it in amongst everything else. I’m looking forward to the sequel!

http://olivia-savannah.blogspot.nl/20...

[Jas · Rating 4 out of 5]

These are easy to read books (or Novellas as they are quiet short) and set in the same 'Universe' as her other Collapse Series.
This series follows a young girl 'Elle' as she struggles to get around the nearly abandoned city of L.A. I say nearly abandoned as of course its full of the gangs, ferals, and other low lifes that you expect in this type of story, otherwise, what would be the point?? It's a good fun read, not to heavy, with a nice simple plot to follow that makes it an enjoyable read.
This book has some great descriptions of street scapes and city scapes, giving you a real feel for being in the city. You can really get a feeling and understanding of what the city that is desolated and abandoned, even more through the eyes of a young girl. Summer Lane does a brilliant job of describing this.
Summer writes great characters, this one is slightly different in that her female lead is slightly less useless than Cassidy was at the outset of the Collapse Series (Cassidy seemed completely inept at everything but was able to be rescued by the gorgeous hero quiet often...), whereas Elle is very self-sufficient. The characters in this series seem almost a little more believable than in her other series, and this one is a bit darker I feel as well. It reads really well and you flip through the pages quickly, wanting to read what is going to happen and find that the story is over very quickly (basically its only flaw?)
I really enjoyed the first in this series, and have already started on the 2nd, and will get the 3rd on pre-order based just on this book as in my opinion, it’s a great series, and a bit better than the Collapse series, more believable in its characters, and its story and a great read.

[Sharon Metcalf · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very quick read, this novella was book one of the Day Zero trilogy. It tells the story of 15 year old Elle, surviving alone in a Santa Monica and Hollywood in a post apocalypse world. Elle encounters a group of four other kids who have also survived although they dont have the experience and survival skills necessary to make it in this rugged landscape. Against her better judgement she stays with them and I quickly became engaged in the fast paced story as Elle took on a leadership role. Just as I was really getting into it the story came to an abrupt end. Knowing it was part of a trilogy I can understand the ending not providing the resoltion I was looking for - and it made me keen to read on - but as a standalone book (which was what I had intended) I'd have to say I felt I was left hanging. Still it was an unexpected and pleasant surprise to have enjoyed this one.

[Randy Tramp · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a place where there was no hope, hope was found. Destruction changed everything in Ellie's world. The modern world was plunged into a day of darkness that turned into a life time of despair.
I couldn't put the book down. It was a great read. As I read Day Zero I thought about how light shines greatest in darkness. The smallest amount of hope becomes paramount. I felt the darkness trying to cling to me as I turned the pages. I rejoiced when something good happened and welcomed the light.
Summer did an excellent job at putting the reader into the scene. There is mystery and suspense as the characters fight for their lives.The next books in this series will be good if it's anything like this one.

[Dick · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very freightening novella about the results om an EMP on a group of young adults in LA. There are many groups of dangerously bad people who have sprung up since the EMP.
There is one young lady who has a great deal of experience with the two worst of these groups and she is met by another five young people who want her to help them get out of LA. She is not excited about the prospects of helping these kids who have little or no knowledge of the changes that have happened.
She experiences a bit of a sea change and decided that she will help them and when she does, she begins to understand both the excitement or family and the terror of loosing that same family.
This is part of a trilogy and I am excited to start part two tonight.

[S.T. Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am so enthralled by Summer Lane's apocalypse, the post EMP world she has created sucked me in from the first pages of State of Emergency. I find Elle's story every bit as fascinating as I have found Cassidy's to be (and slightly more realistic) the only issue I had with this novella is that it is exactly that...a novella..it was too short too quick I want more!!

[Meghann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great little story about Elle who is trying to survive after a group named Omega takes over the US. Not only does she have to avoid them but also gangs and other bad people. She meets up with other teenagers and they have to decide where they need to go. I don't usually like short stories but this one was actually good and I want to read the next part of this series.

[Michelle McPherson · Rating 4 out of 5]

day zero

Small but enticing, leaving you wanting more! Being a quick read the characters are still well developed and you will want there to be more pages to answer some of the questions the different groups in the book leave you with!

[Abigail Ziegler · Rating 4 out of 5]

awesome, good to see some of the secondary characters from the state of emergency series pop up.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review coming!! Awesome!! I always enjoy Summers books. She is blessed with writing skills!! :)

[Nicole Nasholm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great novella! The author did a great job at character development. I cant wait for Day One!

[Sandy Benton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book

Another winner by Summer Lane. An inside look at Elle from the Collapse series. Can't wait for the next installment.

[Dawn Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read

I love Summer Lane. Her writing style gives you a vivid picture you feel like you are living the events.

[Celeste · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved Elle! Was introduced to her in the Collapse series. So glad I got to learn her backstory! She's one strong young woman.

[Sandy Blackwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have enjoyed all of Summer Lane's books and this is no exception.

[Isabel. · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was not a bad book , it's just that I don't like books with teens as the protagonist , I find them annoying.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting start to the spin-off from the author's other series. I enjoyed the realism and not sugarcoating what could happen. Will continue to read the series.

[ysar · Rating 2 out of 5]

Elle has been on her own since society collapsed and the modern world we've become accustomed to became a thing of past. Now scavenging for canned goods, hiding in abandoned buildings, and trying to escape the notice of armed gangs and the brutal new order has become the only way to live through each day. But for the first time since the world ended, she’s come across a group of survivors she just might stick with, and together, they’ll search somewhere safe.

The Verdict: I’ve read some really great books lately that focus on survivors of what is essentially the apocalypse. From Lissa Bryan’s world in which a flu-like plague wipes out most of humanity to Pauline Creeden incredible melding of zombies and aliens with the book of Revelations, I find myself wanting to read more and more stories of survival in collapsed world. So when I noticed that Day Zero was only 99¢ on Amazon, I decided to continue my post-apocalyptic journey. Unfortunately, this one just didn't live up to my expectations.

The biggest issue I have with the story is simply that everything is too easy. Elle should be a typical teenager, a bit lost without iPhones and cappuccinos, but she’s been rather conveniently trained in both martial arts and gymnastics, which give her an edge that’s just not believable. It’s not that she’s just lucky or slightly better prepared than her peers; she’s presented as some kind of teenage badass who can outrun and outfight her would-be killers. Add in that she’s probably the only person who’s ever escaped from the death matches that darker society has decided constitute entertainment, can lead a rag-tag group of teams in besting the heavily armed and feared gang that outnumbers them at least ten to one, and ends up with a sword, and I was done believing any of it. Had she been raised in some kind of system that turned out teenage assassins and survivalists, or had she not so neatly escaped danger at every turn, perhaps I would have bought into the story more.

Despite how negative that all sounds, it’s not a terrible book. The scenario is intriguing, and there’s plenty of mystery to be resolved in later novellas in the series. Elle’s too disconnected to be very likable at first, but I suspect that will change as she spends more time with her new band of survivors and reconnects at a human level. And as is appropriate for this genre, the violence isn't too gory or over-the-top for younger YA readers. I would venture say that while many YA books are great for any age, this one is probably better suited for the youngest teens, the ones who love falling into an adventure and won’t necessarily question the lack of fallibility in Elle. I already have my copy of Day One, though, so I may still give it a shot and see if it makes a better impact on me.

[Kate Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

My rating: 3.5 stars

Day Zero follows Elle, a fifteen-year-old girl who has been alone and in hiding, trying to survive after the world has fallen apart. After months of being alone, Elle runs into another group of teens and very reluctantly decides to help them out. This is a companion novella to Summer Lane’s Collapse series.

Like with the Collapse series, I really enjoyed the concept of this story. I’m a big fan of post-apocalyptic stories, and it’s nice to see one that has a slightly different take. Most seem to start with a major illness or a virus of some sort, but Ms. Lane’s story starts with an EMP, an electro-magnetic pulse that pretty much wiped out all modern technology. Cars don’t work, there’s no electricity or cell phones, and no hope of being able to retrieve those things. At least not in the near future. It’s speculated as being a major terrorist event, but Elle and her friends are just guessing. They don’t really know what happened. They do know that there is a group called Omega that swooped in after the EMP and killed off much of the population. There are also militia groups that have sprung up who are trying to fight Omega. Then there’s the Klan, which is a gang that has taken over the cities and are rounding up survivors, using them for their own sick sporting events.

While I really love the concept of this story, I had a problem with Elle. I found her very unemotional and detached, bordering on cold at times. I get that she’s been alone for a long time and has lost a lot, and that she’s trying to keep a distance between herself and others, but I felt it went a bit too far.

Overall, I think fans of the Collapse series will really enjoy this book, but unless you’ve read the whole series you’re going to be left with a lot of unanswered questions. For me, there were a lot of holes that would have liked filled.

Check out the full review on my website:
http://katelmary.com/2014/10/10/new-r...

***I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review

[Andretta Schellinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full review on www.fangfreakintasticreviews.com

Day Zero by Summer Lane is a story of perseverance, attitude, conquering your fears, and growing both physically and mentally when set against the worst that humankind can throw at you. All of that is wrapped up in a young girl who finds herself alone at the end of the world, trying to survive in a city that is too big for her, against enemies that outnumber her.


When the world ends, where will you be? who will you be with? Will you be alone or with family and/or friends? For Elle it was leaving her family behind to leave with an aunt and uncle. When she realized that her mother and father were not following her, she returned to the city to find them. What she found instead was bands of individuals who would like nothing more than to use her for their own benefit.

What she finds on one of her foraging trips is may be seen as a testament to the strength of man, or for Elle, a possible hindrance to staying hidden, and alone in Hollywood. When she is forced to make a decision regarding her new found associates, will she choose the one that will allow her to be safe, or the one that puts her back in the den of the enemy to save someone she barely knows. Her decisions are paramount to not only her survival but the survival of those who unknowingly are thrown into her past and her future.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good start

Short but involving. I will read the next one. This is written in the time of the Collapse series which I love, and towards the end even mentions Cassidy Hart and Chris Young. This one begins in southern California and centers around Elle, a 25 year old girl surviving alone who has developed some skills to keep herself alive. She encounters some other young people who are not quite so survival savvy but the thing she notices is although they are orphans they have banded together to form their own family.

Now they try to survive together.
I love all the books I have read by Summer Lane. This one had a few editing errors, one specifically obvious one mentioned Flash when it should have been Pix. Deducted a star for that. But I do love seeing this story in the time of the Collapse series. If you read that and liked it you will like this one. If you haven't you really should. They are separate stories and characters but same apocalypse.

[Lozza · Rating 3 out of 5]

3☆

Overall I'm not a fan of novellas, and this is novella one of a three part series (why not just put them all together?)
The story follows Elle, an orphaned teenage struggling to survive in a world brought to its knees by some sort of disaster. Her struggles include having to find safe shelter, safe food, avoiding The Klan and dealing with loss.
Another group of kids burst into her life and the struggle becomes harder. Should Elle risk her life for a group of strangers, or should she open her heart up once again?
As you'd expect with a group of kids things don't go well, or as well as they could have and the group is torn apart.

This story very much had a "The Last of Us" vibe which was awesome at first but didn't really hold up for me. The world building wasn't great, the character building was also a let down. If you asked me to draw any character in this installment I'd struggle.

I won't continue with the rest of the series.

[Andrew Carlson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Day Zero is the first in a series of novellas by Summer Lane that parallel the action in the Collapse series, featuring Cassidy Hart.

Day Zero follows the action of Elle as she moves about in Santa Monica, hiding from the gangs of people left behind after the city (and the country) was destroyed by an electromagnetic pulse.

The story is a quick read, full of action. There is not much time for Elle to contemplate life when she's trying to find food and avoid capture or death.

If you have read the books in the Collapse series, you'll enjoy this story. If you haven't, you still enjoy this. But I recommend reading State of Emergency as well, for more context.

Day Zero gives yet another exciting perspective to the post-apocalyptic saga of the Collapse.

[Alan Skarica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really into this particular genre and have read pretty much everything on the topic this is very believable and characters really well-developed I enjoyed it.

I've read a lot in this particular genre and found the book hard to put down and the characters well-developed.
I'm on book 3 now Read book two in one afternoon.

[Lauren S. · Rating 2 out of 5]

A decent story, but very weak writing.

[dolly whiddon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Day zero

It looked like to be a good book to read . And it was a lot of action , I couldn't put it down until I was through with it.

[Jenna · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was not feeling this one, read until 55% can’t get into this story. The characters don’t appeal to me.