Zombie-Apokalypse

Undead #1

by Eloise J. Knapp

When people started dying and coming back to life, it wasn’t difficult to start throwing terms like “apocalypse,” and “end of the world,” around. When authorities noticed said walking corpses’ affinity for eating the flesh of the living…well, it was easy to define them as “zombies.” Self-proclaimed sociopath Cyrus V. Sinclair isn’t surprised by the dead rising and roaming the Earth. In fact, he doesn’t mind the idea of staying in his Seattle apartment until the end of days—that is, until meeting up with other survivors’ cramps his style and forces him to reevaluate his outlook on life.

Genres: Zombies, Horror, Apocalyptic, Ebooks, Fiction, Audiobook, Post Apocalyptic

282 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2009

Reviews

[Tracy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am astonished by all the four- and five-star reviews that prompted me to waste my time with this ridiculous book. The main character could have been interesting had he stayed true to his (purported) character at all or made even a single rational decision. Instead, this is one stupid set piece after another, with nobody acting human or intelligent. The only thing that lets the characters get out of any of the corners they paint themselves into is the fact that their human adversaries are even more idiotic than they are, and their undead opponents are easily dispatched and not remotely threatening.

This is yet another complete whiff from Permuted Press, which has made it obvious that it will slap a nice cover on anything without vetting it or giving it a single editing pass just to churn out as much schlock as possible. The author had the premise and characters she needed to write a compelling book, but obviously had neither the skills nor publisher support to carry through on the promise. Spend your time and money on books from a publisher that actually cares about what it puts its name on.

[Marvin · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's a bit of a mystery about this book. I originally received it through a free Kindle download about a year ago. I just now got around to reading it but it is no longer on Amazon or any other bookstore site. In checking the author's website, I discovered that it was originally self-published but is now to be published by another book company and to be re-released sometime in 2011. Good move because it is a rather nifty zombie novel.

Most zombie novels are too much alike. There is really very little you can do with zombies. "Aarrgh...urrgh...eat brains." But the author throws in a nice trick. The main protagonist is a sociopath about one notch less cuddly than the zombies. He isn't exactly evil. He just doesn't care about anyone but himself...and his ferret. When the zombies come, he just sits himself down in his fortified apartment in Seattle and enjoy the show. However, he is thrown together with other survivors who are only a little less screwed up than he is and he is forced to examine himself. This is a nice gimmick that moves the story along some rather over-used situations. It manages to keep this tale interesting. Cyrus V. Sinclair may be unlikable but he has room to grow and the reader appreciates that. Unfortunately he has lousy taste in women who are just too one dimensional and yin-yang in their personalities. I also didn't like the cliff-hanger ending that screamed sequel. I said it once and I'll say it again. Please mark your novel as the first of a sequel if you intend it to be. There is nothing more frustrating than reading what you think is a stand-alone novel and find the author is hooking you for a series.

So this is a good zombie tale with some nice moves and an interesting protagonist marred by an open ending and formula action. Still, the zombie lovers will enjoy it. As for me, yes I enjoyed it too...enough to give it three and a half stars.

[Wulfwyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite zombie books. I picked it as a freebie from Amazon and never regretted it. What I did regret is that I have a number of people I recommended this to and they are unable to get it. The book was picked up for publishing with no date set yet.
Cyrus V. Sinclair is the main character. He is a survivor of a zombie apocalypse.He is also a sociopath so he really doesn't care about all the dead. Then he meets up with another survivor, Gabe, and decides he needs to leave the apartment where he is holed up. Along the way they meet up with Frank and, my personal favorite character, Blaze. It's action packed and messy.When it does get released again I highly recommend it to all zombie genre fans.

Update: It has been 3 years since I wrote that review. The Undead Situation is now available. It is still on of my favorite Zbooks. It is like a visit to a haunted house; the anticipation before you get there, the excitement when you enter and then the terror followed by relief and giddiness that you survived. There is a complexity to Cyrus - he is a sociopath who needs to learn to work with others in order to survive killers who are mindless. The characters are well written and you come to care about them. I think it is a sign of the author's gift of writing that we can actually come to love a sociopath and root for him. I still highly recommend this book. And now you can get it so what are you waiting for?

[Ignatz · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ok, you're writing a book about a zombie apocalypse. You've got yer zombies, you've got the end of civilization as it exists today. You've got a protagonist that's more anti-hero than hero, but that's okay. I mean, even Rick Grimes on The Walking Dead can be utterly un-likeable from time-to-time. But this protagonist, see, he's been planning for just such an event. He's a prepper! He's got MREs! He's got guns! And he knows how to use 'em! And he's not all bad, he's likes candy and owns a ferret.

So the stage is set, the player is ready, and.... he sits in his apartment. For weeks. Observing. Eating candy. Thinking. For chapters. ZZZZzzzzZZZZZzzzzZZZZzzzz.

Where in the hell was this writer's editor?!?

No. Just no.

[Fraser · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have a sweet tooth for zomb-fic. Tufo, Brooks, Maberry, Bourne, all great stuff. Even DeLouie, So here is The Undead Situation - great premise - how is a sociopath going to survive the zombie apocalypse? It'd be fun to read. Alas, I haven't found that novel yet. This one has a petulant, 2-dimensional child as the protagonist, cardboard cutouts for other characters, erratic plotting with the characters choosing to do utterly stupid things for not apparent reason. A painful read compared to the other novels that have recently graced the shelves.

[Kaisersoze · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing attempt at creating an anti-hero within a series of zombie apocalyptic books, which works about as well as this poorly constructed sentence. Knapp spends a very long time allowing the reader to get into POV character Cyrus' head, only she does not make said space hospitable, enjoyable or fun. But Cyrus does not embrace any true darkness either. If anything, he seems like he might be on the autism spectrum. And don't get me started on his decision-making...

In short, The Undead Situation is at least competently written and copy-edited, but the central premise is a complete let-down. It also contains a terrible moment where Knapp writes herself into a corner and opts to suddenly leaves Cyrus' POV to write from the third-person limited perspective of another character for a single chapter, and then resume the story as if this is a totally okay thing to do. Ughh.

2 Assholes Doing Assholish Things Because ... Assholes! for The Undead Situation.

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

My name is Cyrus V. Sinclair. The V stands for...

There is something about this book. I know it's in the middle of the e-market push of late. Great new ideas are being released everyday, of which I'm am a fan of. I am excited for the new blood in the mix. Frankly, I've always had a little morbid curiosity going with some of the more graphic stuff just hasn't been done well. Its usually been more about unnecessary blood and gore without any reason and once it stops making sense I check out. Of course with The Undead Situation that is not the case. This one starts off with a dude sitting in his room chilling and not giving a shit about anyone or anything - well except for his pet ferret. He's got all he needs and perfectly is ok with that. Who gives a rats ass what's out there right?

This book so was brutally honest it made me cringe and worry and fearful and realize that in a zombie apocalypse I'd be dead. When's the last time a book made you reassess your emergency survival plans? This shit is for real people! (hahaha) Honestly I've got too much of a heart to be able to survive. I appreciated this bleak view of things because when the good moments happened they meant more. Hand to heart, they really did. Even though things were out of control every once and while there was a few moments of normalcy and it was truly refreshing.

These novels and their fat cutting, really getting to the raw flesh (and quickly at that), while keeping you entertained - pfft, no faults there. I can't find many points where I'm thinking "where is this going" or "why should I care about that" because you either know from the get go or you're about to find out and for damn sure it will matter.

I'll take a moment and point out that this is 3 of 4 for ZombieFest (of course Permuted Press should keep them coming!) and I cannot get enough of the shorts at the end of these audiobooks. They made a pretty smart decision in pairing up this particular short after the novel. It's pretty much the coolest thing next to Predators themselves (you know the alien hunters...) I'm really starting to feel like a junkie myself. This book cannot get here fast enough.

I'm beat, this may be is all I've got, so I'm going to say Pickles is awesome. Peace.

[Patrick D'Orazio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cyrus V. Sinclair thinks he is a sociopath. And perhaps he is, though it is hard to be certain. What is for certain is that he is an overly confident loner who seems ideally built for the end of the world, at least in a situation where the dead rise and the living become fodder for them. He lives alone in his soundproofed and reinforced apartment in Seattle, and given his lack of interest in anyone except for his pet ferret Pickles and mentor, Frank, he is okay watching the world fall apart outside his window. He is not the man with the plan; he is the man with a lack of concern about his fate, or the fate of anyone else.
This story starts with him doing nothing for the most part except sitting back collecting rainwater and reading old copies of guns and ammo, though he does venture out to a corner store to grab, of all things, candy. Cyrus has a sweet tooth, and while he works hard to stay in shape, has stocked up on MREs, and has a small arsenal in his apartment, he has a penchant for sugary snacks that is extreme, and we are reminded of that on a regular basis in this story.
Things get shaken up in Cyrus’s world when Gabriella, or Gabe as he dubs her, shows up underneath his window, fleeing from a pack of the undead on the street below. Young and tough, she fascinates him enough with her false bravado that he lets her into his apartment, though it becomes clear quickly that he is none too fond of her or her attitude toward the world. Soon, after a few misadventures, the two of them decide to leave the apartment on a hunt to find Frank, Cyrus’s only human friend in the world. Through several more adventures with both the dead and living, the trio happen upon Blaze, a tough as nails ex-marine that fascinates Cyrus for her ruthless nature, which is also why she is also despised by Gabe, who still believes that the world, and the human race, is worth saving.
The story progresses with the objective of getting to Frank’s cabin in the woods-a hideaway built for survivalists that is far removed from the undead world that surrounds the quartet at every turn. Naturally, along the way they find numerous others trying their best to survive-from the desperate, to the crazed, to the innocent and weak. Through these experiences we get to know Cyrus and his compatriots, and what is revealed is often repellant-especially with Cyrus and Blaze. We are not dealing with heroes here, but people willing to do what it takes to survive, often by dismissing others who plead for their help.
I know that this story has gone through some changes since it was originally written as a self-published work and then became a Permuted offering, though I can’t say for sure what all the changes are-I had a chance to check this story out in its infancy (approximately the first third of it) and even offered up some feedback to the author. I have always felt that she had a compelling character in Cyrus V. Sinclair, though I questioned then, as I question now, as to what extent he is a sociopath. Granted, he seems to kill with ease during the apocalypse and does relate an early experience where he killed as a child, though in the telling of the tale it seems that Cyrus has convinced himself more of his homicidal nature than perhaps what actually occurred-we as readers of this first person chronicle have to take his word on how things went down. Or so it seems to me. Cyrus is rather boastful of his ability to remain impassive and lacking in any sort of human compassion and yet he can’t deny the bonds that form between him and the other members of his small company, including his pet, Pickles.
I think the author has done a excellent job in creating a despicable and yet very much human character that despises weakness and vulnerability while displaying it himself quite regularly. And when he contrasts himself with Blaze even he realizes that he is not nearly as tough and callous as this woman with a scar and a nasty streak a mile wide. Cyrus plays at being superior to all around him (except perhaps for Frank), but time after time he makes mistakes, nearly getting himself killed over and over again by the undead and the living. In these instances he typically requires someone else to save him, but brushes over it like it isn’t a big deal. I think it would have been fascinating to read this same story in third person, without the biased viewpoint of Cyrus clouding the picture of him. We see this dead world through his eyes, which is fascinating, but I also think it would be fascinating to see it from an outside perspective. I think much would be revealed about his true nature, and not just what he wants us to believe.
This is a unique story in the zombie genre. My tendency is to prefer works that are character driven like this one. The author has created a very intriguing character to examine and wonder about. On that level, the story is a winner. With that said, I feel it only fair to point out a couple of issues that I had with the telling of this tale. I really don’t feel the change in perspective to another character for a single chapter was necessary. It was like a hurdle that slowed down the tempo of the story and served as an unneeded disruption in my opinion. I feel that what was revealed could have remained a mystery that was slowly unveiled through Cyrus’s suspicious eyes, as needed. I also feel that what occurs in that particular chapter needed to be further elaborated upon (once again, through Cyrus’s eyes). It changes the course of the novel profoundly, and while more may be revealed in a sequel, I think more needed to be devoted to that storyline within this book.
Overall, this is a great first effort from Eloise Knapp. It takes guts to craft a main character that is, for the most part, a despicable human being and then craft another character that is, on many levels, even more despicable. It takes a certain level of skill to make readers grow fascinated with these two, as I did, while I am sure there will be some folks who just despise them and will leave it at that. I’m not sure that I could say I ever grew attached to Cyrus or Blaze and like them all that much, but I have to admit they are a pair of very interesting survivors that will likely draw me in for the sequel.

[Heather Faville · Rating 4 out of 5]

Technically 4.5

The Undead Situation by Eloise Knapp is quite a surprise read after having sat through a Permuted Press authors panel at ZomBcon and listened to what Eloise had to say about various topics regarding the undead. Now, I didn't think Knapp's work would be all teddy bears and roses, but coming from a young female author The Undead Situation is not what I expected, to be honest, this book is MORE than I expected.

First off, I didn't like many of the characters at all...and that's ok. Cyrus is a self proclaimed sociopath. He doesn't want to be liked and Ms. Knapp does an excellent job making sure that we don't or, at least I didn't. He's rude and obnoxious and is only out for himself, that is until a young woman by the name of Gabe shows up and then he's not sure what to do...take care of her or throw her to the zeds? The only person Cyrus even remotely cares about is Frank and Frank was the only character I truly liked. He was a Vietnam Veteran with PTSD and he was a survivalist. His family left him a cabin that he'd been working on fortifying when the shit hit the fan and his plan was to come and get Cyrus and take him back to the cabin. Nice, guy, right? So what does he see in Cyrus?Then there is Blaze Wright, an ex-Marine who's as tough as nails and had the scars to prove it. You know those type of woman with the tough exterior who are soft on the inside? Yeah, don't let Blaze catch you thinking that way about her.

Making their way through the chaos of the new world, Cyrus and his band of unmerry men not only have to contend with the undead attempting to munch their brains/flesh, but they also have to deal with the living. We're not talking just your typical person just doing what they can to survive, but those that "normal" society would have labeled zealots, inhumane or even sociopaths...like our main man Cyrus. Our characters get into situation after situation...yes, some even could be considered "undead situations". At times our crew is definitely worse for wear. Lives are lost and found. Understandably, there are certain aspects that stay true to almost every telling of a zombie story and there is nothing wrong with that. What The Undead Situation does is takes those familiar situations and rather than having the sympathetic characters, Knapp gives us characters that one might question their desire to see them continue to forge on in this world while others are left to perish.

The Undead Situation gets nothing but high praise from me and I would definitely suggest it to any fan of tales of the undead. I cannot wait to read more from this extremely talented author.

[Misty · Rating 1 out of 5]

Well. This book first introduces the reader to the hero in the story and immediately colors him as a bona fide psychopath. The cover does the him absolute justice! Our next character is an ingenue so cheesy and naive I wasn't sure if maybe I had stumbled into the freaky lead-in scene to some kind of fantasy porn. Alas, I hadn't. Long review short: badly written, badly plotted, and badly read. It's a stinker.

[Justin · Rating 4 out of 5]

You know the drill by now, right? For some reason, zombies walk the Earth, bringing an end to civilization. One hero, a man of strong morals and character, leads a band of fellow survivors to a safe haven. Yeah, well...not this time. In The Undead Situation, the debut novel by Eloise Knapp, we meet Cyrus V. Sinclair. The V stands for...well, we never really settle on that. Cyrus is, for lack of a better term, a sociopath. The end of the world doesn't really bother this guy as long as his pet ferret is OK and he has ready access to candy. He loves guns, hates people and had no plans to ever leave his apartment, zombies or no.

Zombie 411 - These are your basic Romero-style zombies, just like God intended. Slow, stupid and ever so hungry.

Sure, there are some similarities to the typical zombie survivor tale. The Undead Situation is a first-person story and the main character does head off with a few companions in search of safety. Cyrus is far from the typical protagonist though, and his love interest proves to be just as heartless and vicious as he is. It's a match made in post-apocalyptic heaven, and besides, who is better suited to survive in a zombie world than two amoral mayhem creators?

Beyond the unusual (and unforgettable) characters, The Undead Situation reads a bit like a modern version of Kim Paffenroth's Valley of the Dead (The Truth Behind Dante's Inferno). It's an almost Dante-esque trip through the circles of post-apocalyptic Hell, and without fail, the worst horrors Knapp portrays come in the form of the various humans Cyrus and company encounter. Flesh-eating undead hordes have nothing on some of these people.

If you're a fan of zombie stories but have been bored with "business as usual," The Undead Situation is a book that's well worth checking out. It's a dark, cynical twist on the traditional zombie story, and the ending is so very perfect.

[Justin Sylvia · Rating 4 out of 5]

What can I say about Cyrus V Sinclair?? Well for one.. he's anti social, for two he's used to fending for himself & his beloved albino ferret Pickle. He even seemed to enjoy watching the world unfold in his apartment in Seattle, but that all changed one day when a women named Gabriella or Gabe came bursting into his life.. uninvited or necessarily wanted. Amidst the chaos of the on going Zombie Apocalypse that is unfolding in his neighborhood & across the state, he somehow manages to become a "leader" of sorts for his ragtag crew. There's Frank his longtime friend & mentor, Gabe a woman who claims to be an assassin of some sort for some mafia/mob & then there's Blaze. A former service woman who the orginal trio manage to rescue from some crazed people in a former prison. Along the way, they encounter some other survivors, some good, some not so much, plenty of zombies, fast & slow ones apparently, & a few other obstacles & distractions. If your COMPLETELY okay with some not so happy stuff mixed in with some interesting characters, then you'll enjoy this book.

[Kathleen Fitzgerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rollicking funny but edge of the seat excitememt

I gave this book the full 5 stars because I stayed up all night reading it - could not put it down. Maybe the first psycho character (Cyrus) who was extremely likable and hilarious. Also, an equally hilarious but horrifying heroine in Blaze. Of course, there was also a co-heroine (Gabe) who while not a psycho like the other two, brought a lot of humour and sass to the story. I've downloaded the next two books in the trilogy and look forward to two more sleepless nights.

[Shanna Tidwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Narration on this was excellent. I actually listened to this series on YouTube. it’s crazy to me how well Cryus is written to be unlikable but yet you do end up caring about him anyway. He’s quite unsufferable at first. And the ferret you’re never gonna read another zombie series with a ferret in it. There are seriously some almost funny parts of the story and it is definitely interesting.

[Vikas Jadon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book.

[Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written and some good humor thrown in as well. Cyrus V. Sinclair is a cool character.

[J.R. · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Undead Situation introduces us to a somewhat different take on survivors during a zombie apocalypse. We’re introduced to Cyrus V. Sinclair a sociopathic survivor with a shitload of firepower, a sweet tooth to die for and a penchant for not giving a shit about others, even his so called friends.

Well, okay maybe he gives a shit about a few friends. Pickle his ferret and Francis his best and only true friend.

Sinclair is content to sit out the apocalypse in his fortified apartment while he decides whether to stay or go. That decision is moderately taken out of his hands when Frank calls him and gives him the latest news on the world in general. Apparently, Frank has been in the same state for about a year working on some remote cabin that his parents left him. Of course, Frank is a survivor like Cyrus is. And maybe he’s not as sociopathic but only time will tell.

Cyrus ventures out of his apartment to see how the rest of the occupants of the building have fared given that dead are now walking. This is done on his way to the corner market to forage for more sugar laden goodness that will satisfy his sweet tooth.

Seattle is a town of the reanimated dead as he soon finds out.

Even with all the weaponry at his disposal, he elects to use stealth and brute force to take out any of the zombies that get in his way, a crowbar. This is a nice relief from all the other novels where the primary character usually takes several paragraphs and sometimes chapters to realize that noise attracts more zombies.

Safely back at his apartment, he secures the main door of the building then retreats to his living space and savors the tasty treats he risked life and limb to gather. It’s during that time that he realizes that neighbors have books therefore reading material that he could use. To use up all that free-time now at his disposal, he reads and reads and reads then just to break things up some more, he reads.

Interrupting all this prime reading time is another survivor, Gabriella. First impressions usually set the tone of the relationship and Cyrus makes a nice impression on his new guest. Besides the open animosity between the two, he ties her up and dangles her over the end of the balcony as zombie bait.

Remember, Cyrus is a sociopath with psychotic tendencies and zero conscience.

During the course of the story, Cyrus deals with people who want Gabriella back, finally meets up with Frank, leaves Seattle, ends up at a detention center where he meets a woman who has almost the same moral makeup as himself.

Eloise Knapp paints a stark picture of the aftermath of a zombie apocalypse striking the Emerald City. Her character development of Cyrus V. Sinclair would make any sane person shudder and many a psychotherapist drool in anticipation of such a meeting.

The Undead Situation reads like it’s a mild inconvenience for Cyrus whereas it’s a major disaster for everyone else involved except maybe Frank. This is a well written, well thought out novel that has very developed layered characters.

There is great detail in the background and surroundings, primarily Seattle and the environs around it. This is not the average zombie survivor story and that’s what makes this such an enjoyable read. No predictable character actions, no cliché and no stereotypical supporting characters.

I recommend this novel for anyone looking for a somewhat darker side of being a survivor during a zombie apocalypse.

[Nathan Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Undead Situation
By Eloise J Knapp

It infuriates me that a novel like this has being released. Not only is the writer younger than me, the writer is also a she (not that I’m sexist) and somehow manages to write with more balls than most male writers alive and writing today; Miss Knapp isn’t afraid of being dangerous. And I like that.
I don’t know how she did it, nor do I know where she found the inspiration from (but someone should ask her, If there’s a guy like Cyrus out there, we should all know who he is for safety’s sake!) but she managed to create a fantastic character with Cyrus V. Sinclair. Imagine if Travis Bickle was in that cabin in woods instead of Ash and you’re somewhere near, a character so flawed in his perception of the world, at times it felt like Steinbeck or Hemmingway had somehow written a gritty zombie novel. The story is so down to earth that you feel like you’re there with him every step of his journey, feeling his punches and pains. Cyrus starts out as a guy who wants to be hated, a misanthropic Grinch of the apocalypse if you will, who despised humanity even before it turned and tried to bite him. But as the story progress’s and more and more survivors come to rely on him, a conscience grows in him and becomes something he doesn’t want to handle, and that’s what interesting about this book. Not the bullets into heads nor the shambling waves of the undead, but the making of a character who was trying his best to not be accepted by society, who abhorred the majority of the human race with a psychopathic passion.
Cyrus is neither Anti-Hero nor Anti-Villain, he strives to be neither, trying his best to distance himself from such labels, but then surprising himself when he finds that doing the right thing is easier than doing the harsh thing. As he stumbles from one action set piece to another, Sinclair realises he’s become what he hated before, an active and useful member of society, despite it crumbling around him, it takes the end of the world to make him be true to himself.
I implore you to buy a copy, because if Robert Kirkman’s got any sense, he’d buy the rights up to this pronto and somehow shimmy Cyrus V. Sinclair into The Walking Dead comics/TV series. Because in a crazy, topsy-turvy world of the zombie apocalypse, despite his grievances with the world, you’d still want a guy like him surviving.


5/5

[Procrastinador Diletante · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hoje em dia, com a popularidade dos zombies e a relativa facilidade em lançar um ebook, existem muitos livros com histórias de sobrevivência em mundos afectados por estes monstros - daí ter sido uma agradável surpresa descobrir que este livro, que tinha tudo para ser mais uma obra genérica do tema, consegue ir um pouco mais além do que o habitual, em termos de qualidade e interesse.

A grande força deste "The Undead Situation", é que a personagem principal realmente capta a nossa atenção e nos leva a querer saber qual o passo seguinte. Sociopata assumido, parece ter tudo para sobreviver calmamente a um apocalipse zombie, mas rapidamente se apercebe que há muitos factores que não controla.

Cyrus V. Sinclair vai passar por várias situações que vão pôr em causa as suas convicções, começando a desconfiar que afinal não é o eremita sem sentimentos, que sempre acreditou ser. Temos portanto uma personagem, que se vai desenvolvendo ao mesmo ritmo da história.

Claro que há certos momentos que são um cliché desta temática, enquanto que outros são demasiado exagerados e algo surreais, mas até se aceitam bem, tendo em conta que contribuiem para o desvendar da personagem principal.

Com bastante acção e uma pesquisa intensa da autora, que é uma jovem sobrevivencialista, o livro é quase como que uma viagem de descoberta pessoal, mas rodeada de vários perigos e zombies.

[Jeremy Dyson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an adventurous read, with some compelling characters that aren't your run of the mill heroes. The main character is at times quite despicable, which is perhaps the personality needed to survive in Knapp's bleak world of psychotic villains and the undead.

Knapp is tough writer, who isn't afraid to go to that dark place of the human psyche, and that is what keeps the reader turning the pages. At times irrational, angry, and violent, her "heroes" drive the plot forward and not quite being able to trust the main character creates the feeling that anything could happen.

At it's best moments, the Undead Situation portrays an internal struggle of a character that believes himself to be a villain. He finds it hard to be the hero, and the kinds of expectations and moments he is forced to live up to that status.

The lack of a backstory for the narrator creates a lot of mystery in reading the novel, however it would have really been a benefit to able to better understand where this guy was coming from to understand his transformation. Still, it's an interesting angle in post-apocalyptic fiction to tell the story of a character that is becoming more human as the world he lives in becomes less and less human.

[Joanne O'Sullivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I started this book I loathed the main character and had a hard time getting into the story. After a while (maybe too long of a while?) I got more invested in it!

[Michelle DePaepe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great character-centered zombie tale. It's full of action and doesn't shy away from the violence that zombie genre fans crave. At first, the main characther, Cyrus V. Sinclair, seems like a shallow, unlikeable bastard, but he grows on you and eventually finds his human side (a surprise even to himself.) My only disappointment was when it ended. I definitely look forward to the sequel, because I know Eloise has some more great adventures in store for this unusual character. Crack open a can of sweetened condensed milk, put your favorite warm fuzzy pet on your lap, kick back and enjoy!

[Crystal · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was very frustrated by the main character constantly forgetting his ferret. Not good pet ownership.
Had to remove one star because of a particular narrative cliché I hate with a fiery passion, , when the narrator discovers he's in love by an offhand stream-of-consciousness monologuing. Also, I really realy wanted Gabe to show up and kill both of them, because they were terrible in all ways.

In general I do not recommend any of this but the beginning, which was adequately creepy. I do wish someone would write an actual sociopathic sympathetic main character, because the mental disorder is fascinating.

[Nikki · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was better than I thought it would be, but not what I expected it to be. Sirus V. Sinclaire is trying to hard to be a non-feeling psychopath, but just can't manage it once he meets Gabe and Blaze. Also, he sorta loves his best friend/father figure Frank. Blaze is more of a sociopath than Sirus is. It's the story of 4 survivors getting form point A to point B with A LOT OF CRAP that happens in between. It goes horribly wrong so many times, I found myself yelling "Seriously????" a few times in response. Decent narration. Good, quick listen if you like apocalypse based literature.

[Abeille · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not much to say about this book, as it's a pretty typical zombie-genre novel. It was mostly well done, and the protagonist was interesting. Really though, I didn't feel this book did anything new for the genre (contrast with "Feed" and its sequels by Mira Grant). I also found the cliffhanger ending rather annoying. I'm not sorry I read The Undead Situation, as it did just what I expected it to: entertained me for a short while as I decided what book to tackle next. Book #46 in the Book a Week Challenge from the #WTM boards.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book! At first I was kind of iffy on whether it would be something that I would enjoy. Zombies, I enjoy, sociopaths, not so much. This book made me think, maybe you're going to have to be crazy to survive the end of the world.

Actually enjoyed the male leads more then the female, the main character actually showed an incredible amount of growth and development through out the story.

Over all great book!

[Rolando Gill · Rating 1 out of 5]

I want to read the book the other reviewers read because this one is terrible. At least 30 per cent of the book had the "sociopath" sitting in a one bedroom apartment. Sure that is odd but Cyrus struck me more as a maladapted child than a sociopath. The character was very inconsistent and the scenes were written without much depth. He is also quite a crybaby for a person who doesn't care about anyone. I can not recommend this book.

[Michael Stockinger · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is borderline 3.5/4. I enjoyed it. Knapp doesn't sugar coat anything in this book. At times I thought it just the standard zombie fare, however I found myself surprised and excited about what came next. At times it reminded me of "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly" as the characters traveled through the bizarre landscape exploring different nightmares of human civilization; helping some, leaving others. A quick and fun read.

[Rachel MacNaught · Rating 4 out of 5]

i really enjoyed this and demolished it.
my only complaint was in it being a light read that i feel could have supported something heavier. the author rushed the story a bit when the characters (an affected vietnam war vet, an apathetic, and a wannabe sociopath with an unfounded superiority complex) could have carried so much more. there were so many points where i was enthralled, both in flowing scene or character.. but the author never elaborated. every moment felt cut short.

[M. Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went ahead and bought the Kindle version of this book, read it in a span of two nights and LOVED IT! It is well written and the story will hook you. I would have read it in one night if it wasn't for my tablet running out of power. Eloise manages to get all the right details without going off into the weeds and stays right on track. The characters are developed nicely. I encourage zombie fans to give this a read. I have made The Undead Haze the next book on my list.