Perdition's Storm

by Brian Trent

ZOMBIES MEET THE MAFIA IN JOHN RINGO’S BLACK TIDE RISING UNIVERSE, AUTHORED BY A RISING STAR IN SCIENCE FICTION, BRIAN TRENT!

Before the world fell, Silvio Cipriano was a contract-killer for the Italian Mafia.

When the H7D3 virus came to Italy, Silvio worked to forget his past, to build a different future. Fighting to protect his loved ones from the zombie hordes, he organized the survivors, raised them up from the ashes, and gave them hope.

Now, a new enemy has arisen. Worse than the zombies, and bent on conquering the planet one nation at a time, they’ve set their sights on Italy . . .

. . . with no idea what’s awaiting them.

At the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management).


Praise for Brian

“. . . Brian Trent is one of our very best new writers and now’s the time to start reading him.” —Robert J. Sawyer, bestselling and Hugo Award-winning author

“Once begun, [Redspace Rising] will grip you by the throat—like its soldier protagonist grips his many enemies—and compel you to read it all the way to its jubilant, battered conclusion. And you’ll be very grateful.” —Locus

“Gritty, action-packed, and relentless, Redspace Rising shows us a dark future in which battles are won, but the war is never truly over. Trent's follow-up to Ten Thousand Thunders surpasses it in every way.” —Andrea Stewart, best-selling author of The Bone Shard Daughter

“Ten Thousand Thunders is a remarkable book, showcasing many of Brian Trent’s talents. He has created a believable and fascinating future, visited it with a plot any science fiction writer would be proud to have created, and—most important—populated it with believable, motivated characters. Hats off to the new kid on the science fiction block!” —Mike Resnick, 5-time Hugo Award winner

“Brian Trent has crafted an ingenious masterpiece of military sci-fi . . . With its fast-paced action, double-crossing characters, and focus on personal identity and memory, Redspace Rising is like a literary sci-fi version of the Jason Bourne movie franchise, with Brian Trent serving as the virtuoso cameraman documenting the gripping adventures of our proficient but broken hero.” —Grimdark Magazine

Praise for Black Tide

“This anthology broadens Ringo’s Black Tide world, serving up doses of humanity amid the ravenous afflicted. Comedy has a place in this harsh reality, and these stories stir adventure and emotion at a frantic clip throughout. Zombie fiction fans will be thrilled.” —Library Journal

Praise for the Black Tide Rising

“Not only has Ringo found a mostly unexplored corner of the zombie landscape, he’s using the zombie frame to tackle a broader the collapse and rebirth of civilization. The zombie scenes are exciting, sure, but its the human story that keeps us involved. A fine series.” —Booklist

Genres: Science Fiction

339 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 4, 2025

Reviews

[Jadewik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two years since the H7D3 virus first ravaged the globe, Silvio Cipriano and other survivors of the plague have established a Trade Road and given hope to the people in Italy, but a new enemy is intent on establishing global dominion by snuffing out individual threats who would oppose them. Silvio and his Trade Road are the next target on the list.

I'm not familiar with the Black Tide Rising series, but read this as a one-off because I've become a fast-fan of Brian Trent's intelligent, layered style of writing. (If the other books in the series are as engaging as this, I might pick up a few Black Tide Rising books to binge.)

"Perdition's Storm" is a combination of fast-paced action and calculated precision. Not a word is wasted in the writing, and the devil is in the details-- From carefully placed novels to a pack of ravenous dogs-- the details ultimately rising in crescendo for a most satisfying ending. But, if you're not in it for the details, and like a fast read with a good story, that's there as well. You don't have to know anything about the Black Tide Rising series to enjoy this book on its own, and therein lies a particular charm because, as a reader, you're getting a full and rich plot in a single novel.

Besides the masterful metaphors and humour, "Perdition's Storm" also plays host to a plethora of imagery and Easter eggs that add a layer of depth to the story making the novel enjoyable in more complex ways as well. For example, the chapter titled "The Tunnel Rat" paying subtle homage to soldiers who infiltrated the Viet Cong underground tunnel systems during the Vietnam war. On a larger scale, the author pays homage to Dante Alighieri's "The Divine Comedy" and also uses symbolism in the characters and story line that would make Harvey Dent proud. I don't want to spoil the details, but I will say if you're looking for a book that packs a little extra panache-- Perdition's Storm has that too.

I also enjoyed the balance between book's characters. Among the protagonists, the Dragon of Munich, a foreigner who has been stuck in Europe because of the H7D3 virus. The Dragon and Cipriano make for an unexpectedly delightful pairing. (That character makes me want to read a sequel!) Caterina Cipriano is another favourite character for her contributions to the plot.

As much as I love strong protagonists, I also love the depth that the vilest of villains delivers to this story. The antagonists provide a calculated counter-balance to the plot. Whether it's the battle in the Boccaccio "billionaire" Bunkers or the events on the hills of Ravenna Port-- the villains (Kendra Nelson, Colonel Xavier York, and Jacob York) deliver their damnedest to the plot.

In terms of triggers-- the book has elements of graphic violence associated with war/self-defense. There are passing mentions of sexual conduct, but nothing explicit. There's nothing outrageous for shock value-- meaning the violence and gore and everything fits into the story. In essence, I'd let my teen read this novel if he wanted.

Would I read this again? Yes-- Probably after giving Dante's "Divine Comedy" a read... but absolutely, yes. It's fun, it's fast, and the only reason I didn't devour it in a day was because I'm a working mom with other obligations. Would I recommend it? Absolutely-- either for a fun stand-alone read or for something more in-depth-- it's a great novel. If you like zombies, action, and stories that aren't so predictable, I highly recommend this book.

[Paul Quinn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Less than I’d hoped in some ways. more than I hoped in others

The action, character development, angst, and European worldbuilding are all as good as ever if not better and promise interesting things for the future.

I deduct one star because of the cheap way four returning characters are killed off in mostly gratuitous ways when it looked like we’d we seeing them get to do better things at first (although two of them still get good moments). I deduct a second star for how the author insists on making so many of the coolest survivors military or organized crime vets rather than just ordinary people, even ones who I feel like did just seem like rural villagers in the short stories.

I don’t deduct a star for the new threat the Janus Federation, which does add to the setting and suspense, but I do think it got introduced way too fast and should have had a few short story cameos earlier or spent more chapters building up to their origins and motives rather than info dump it.

Overall, while the book has flaws that I think should be discussed, I can see myself re-reading this book, find it accessible for franchise newcomers, and think longtime fans will find a lot more to like than dislike about it.

[Kevin Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Solid entry to the series but I was surprised this was where we get the reveal behind who started the zombie outbreak. It was always implied from the first book that it was manufactured but now we have a name/organization along with their motivation. I also enjoyed how multiple "heroes" join forces in this book to combat the larger problem this evil organization represents.

[Tom Franciosi · Rating 5 out of 5]

The entire 16 book series rocks

The entire series is a fantastic read. I am a big fan of John Ringo.

Hate to see it end...