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Zombie Attack #1
Zombie Attack! Rise of the Horde
When 16 year old Xander's older brother Moto left him at Vandenberg Airforce Base he only had one request - don't leave no matter what. But there was no way he could have known that one day zombies would gather into groups big enough to knock down walls and take out entire buildings full of people. That was before the rise of the horde!
Now Xander is on the run, fleeing south to Port Hueneme to locate his brother with nothing but his martial arts training and the katana blade left to him. Along the way he'll have to fight for his life against other survivors, neo-Nazi's, outlaw bikers, gang bangers, cannibals, cult members, and a seemingly endless sea of flesh hungry zombies.
But Xander is far from alone. Traveling with him are Benji, a 12 year old comic book geek, and Felicity Jane, a childhood celebrity with wild mood swings. Will they make it together in one piece to the safe zone or will they become the next meal for a hungry horde of wild zombies?
Zombie Attack! Rise of the Horde is filled with pulse pounding undead action from the very first chapter up until the bitter sweet end. From rock stars and celebrities to false prophets and miracle workers, this book has it all! The story takes off like a bullet and doesn't slow down until the last sentence. You won't be able to put it down!
Amazon Bestseller, Voted best Zombie/Horror E-books of 2012 on Goodreads
'Zombie Attack: Rise of the Horde' is everything the blurb promises it to be, and much, much more! A tale of despair and sacrifice, small precious victories, farewells and reunions, and subtle spirituality, "Zombie Attack: Rise of the Horde" is a book I would highly recommend to readers looking for an enormously thrilling story with a degree of depth to it. As the book ends with a bit of a cliff hanger, I sincerely hope that we'll soon see more books from this brilliant author."
Books for Tomorrow, 5 of 5 star review
"Whoa! This book is a super exciting fast paced trip! I enjoyed it greatly. So will I be buying the next book? Hell yes I will. Without a doubt!"
Contagious Reads, Lori
"An excellent composition of prose, action, dialogue and foreshadowing is Rise of The Horde that is indicative of a well-seasoned story teller. Devan Sagliani's endeavor is tremendous in luring readers into anticipating more and more. Whether you're an avid reader or been bitten by the curiosity bug in zombielore, there's a little something for everyone in Rise of The Horde."
Horror News, Dave Gammon
"Zombie Attack! Rise of the Horde by Devan Sagliani is the book you, your friends, and your kids (provided they like sweet gory violence) should be reading. I mean it. If I had sum it up... I would say, "What the hell are you still doing here? Why haven't you bought it yet?"
The Geekest
"Novice author Devan Sagliani breathes new life into a tired over indulgent genre. His concept of appealing to a mass audience is firmly grasped and unrelenting. Once delving into the narrative of this novella, the tale becomes infectious and downright addictive. Many avid readers will have difficulty putting it down." Rick Amortis, Hellnotes
Now Xander is on the run, fleeing south to Port Hueneme to locate his brother with nothing but his martial arts training and the katana blade left to him. Along the way he'll have to fight for his life against other survivors, neo-Nazi's, outlaw bikers, gang bangers, cannibals, cult members, and a seemingly endless sea of flesh hungry zombies.
But Xander is far from alone. Traveling with him are Benji, a 12 year old comic book geek, and Felicity Jane, a childhood celebrity with wild mood swings. Will they make it together in one piece to the safe zone or will they become the next meal for a hungry horde of wild zombies?
Zombie Attack! Rise of the Horde is filled with pulse pounding undead action from the very first chapter up until the bitter sweet end. From rock stars and celebrities to false prophets and miracle workers, this book has it all! The story takes off like a bullet and doesn't slow down until the last sentence. You won't be able to put it down!
Amazon Bestseller, Voted best Zombie/Horror E-books of 2012 on Goodreads
'Zombie Attack: Rise of the Horde' is everything the blurb promises it to be, and much, much more! A tale of despair and sacrifice, small precious victories, farewells and reunions, and subtle spirituality, "Zombie Attack: Rise of the Horde" is a book I would highly recommend to readers looking for an enormously thrilling story with a degree of depth to it. As the book ends with a bit of a cliff hanger, I sincerely hope that we'll soon see more books from this brilliant author."
Books for Tomorrow, 5 of 5 star review
"Whoa! This book is a super exciting fast paced trip! I enjoyed it greatly. So will I be buying the next book? Hell yes I will. Without a doubt!"
Contagious Reads, Lori
"An excellent composition of prose, action, dialogue and foreshadowing is Rise of The Horde that is indicative of a well-seasoned story teller. Devan Sagliani's endeavor is tremendous in luring readers into anticipating more and more. Whether you're an avid reader or been bitten by the curiosity bug in zombielore, there's a little something for everyone in Rise of The Horde."
Horror News, Dave Gammon
"Zombie Attack! Rise of the Horde by Devan Sagliani is the book you, your friends, and your kids (provided they like sweet gory violence) should be reading. I mean it. If I had sum it up... I would say, "What the hell are you still doing here? Why haven't you bought it yet?"
The Geekest
"Novice author Devan Sagliani breathes new life into a tired over indulgent genre. His concept of appealing to a mass audience is firmly grasped and unrelenting. Once delving into the narrative of this novella, the tale becomes infectious and downright addictive. Many avid readers will have difficulty putting it down." Rick Amortis, Hellnotes
276 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 28, 2012
56 people are currently reading
335 people want to read
About the author
Devan Sagliani
20 books95 followersDevan Sagliani was born and raised in Southern California and graduated from UCLA. He is the author of the Zombie Attack! series, The Rising Dead, A Thirst For Fire, and the UNDEAD L.A. series. Devan also wrote the original screenplay for the movie HVZ: Humans Versus Zombies. He writes a bimonthly horror column for Escapist Magazine called Dark Dreams.
Devan's fiction has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and the Million Writers Award. In 2012 his debut novel Zombie Attack! Rise of the Horde won Best Zombie/Horror E-book on Goodreads. He is also an active member of the Horror Writer's Association.
He currently lives in Venice Beach, California with his wife.
Devan's fiction has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and the Million Writers Award. In 2012 his debut novel Zombie Attack! Rise of the Horde won Best Zombie/Horror E-book on Goodreads. He is also an active member of the Horror Writer's Association.
He currently lives in Venice Beach, California with his wife.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
October 29, 2017
Zombies are not high on my list of things I want to read about but this was for a challenge so read it anyway.
It turned out to be a pretty good book too. There were lots of Zombies (hordes of them as it says in the title) and although they were killing every human in sight of course our trio of teenagers traveled a very long way without a bite, armed only with a sword.
The ending was good as it tied up loose ends from this book and set it up big time for the next. As I am not a zombie fan I will probably not go for the next book. However if you are such a fan, based on this book, I would recommend this series:)
It turned out to be a pretty good book too. There were lots of Zombies (hordes of them as it says in the title) and although they were killing every human in sight of course our trio of teenagers traveled a very long way without a bite, armed only with a sword.
The ending was good as it tied up loose ends from this book and set it up big time for the next. As I am not a zombie fan I will probably not go for the next book. However if you are such a fan, based on this book, I would recommend this series:)
August 15, 2012
"Zombie Attack!" pulls off the rare feat, in the zombie genre, of delivering both finely-drawn characters and truly unpredictable plot turns. Unlike most books in the zombie genre -- and I've read a lot -- the characters in "Zombie Attack!" aren't two-dimensional cartoon figures who are tossed into the narrative merely to serve as zombie lunch. Rather, they're flesh-and-blood humans whose complex inner lives drive their actions to their inexorable, bloody ends.
Yes, these's stomach-churning blood-splatter galore ... but the novel derives its real narrative thrust from the psychological insight that author Devan Sagliani gives us into protagonists Xander and Benji -- who prove themselves all too human as they fight their way through a post-apocalyptic landscape pock-marked with biker cannibals, white supremacists and brainwashed cult members.
This Zombie book has earned a prominent spot on my shelf. I'll be loaning it out frequently.
Yes, these's stomach-churning blood-splatter galore ... but the novel derives its real narrative thrust from the psychological insight that author Devan Sagliani gives us into protagonists Xander and Benji -- who prove themselves all too human as they fight their way through a post-apocalyptic landscape pock-marked with biker cannibals, white supremacists and brainwashed cult members.
This Zombie book has earned a prominent spot on my shelf. I'll be loaning it out frequently.
December 6, 2020
This book is why young adult, post-apocalyptic, dystopian, zombie books are among my favorite ones! Thrilling, gripping, nerve-breaking. Great plot, loveable characters, unexpected situations.
If you like to be scared, but also feel the warmth around your heart, Zombie Attack! Rise of the Horde is the book you should read!
If you like to be scared, but also feel the warmth around your heart, Zombie Attack! Rise of the Horde is the book you should read!
February 14, 2015
Oh my god its Zombilicious
First of all a huge thanks to the author for providing me with a review copy and secondly... OH MY GOD...this was fantastic
Well as the name suggests this is totally a zombie apocalypse book but if you think that this book is going to be all about zombie and running from them, then you are wrong because while zombie are running in the background craving for brains, the story line has much more to offer and have so many other twists and turns that keeps it spicy and completely going roller coaster on you. while the central characters keep ending up in troubles one after another making them run for their lives, for the readers it is downright fun and entertaining.
(more like those people from gladiator times who sat on the sidelines watching a tiger ripping some gladiator's throat, while munching popcorn and saying " wow the tiger has got some moves..... wait!! is that a tattoo on his paws?")
The brilliance and effectiveness of the book comes from the fact that the author did not keep the story hovering around running from a zombie army but had incorporated various other sidelines to the overall plot that you can't blink your eyes for one moment. For me the story graph keeps elevating and elevating until it settles down peacefully towards the end, giving you your breath back.
Thank fully the author does not leave huge cliff hangers but still makes you want to read the sequel so badly
The language and storytelling is absolutely weaving its magic so you can pick up this book without having to worry that you will be left stranded in the zombie land for too long. The narration skill is fantastic and the simplicity and the flowing language keeps you glued to the book and in any case i believe this book was a fantastic opening to the series.
The book in its short span, takes you from interesting to the level were your blood is threatening to come out of your veins with excitement. The best part is that the story line keeps reinventing itself with each increasing chapters and before you know it jumps into places that you lest expected. You never know what is coming up next and this twists and turns in the story makes this book an exciting ride. The language and narration skill only adds to the overall charm.
If you think that this book is going to be all zombies and zombies.. think again and for all those who love zombies then.... what are you waiting for... DIG IN.....
how was it?
First of all a huge thanks to the author for providing me with a review copy and secondly... OH MY GOD...this was fantastic
Well as the name suggests this is totally a zombie apocalypse book but if you think that this book is going to be all about zombie and running from them, then you are wrong because while zombie are running in the background craving for brains, the story line has much more to offer and have so many other twists and turns that keeps it spicy and completely going roller coaster on you. while the central characters keep ending up in troubles one after another making them run for their lives, for the readers it is downright fun and entertaining.
(more like those people from gladiator times who sat on the sidelines watching a tiger ripping some gladiator's throat, while munching popcorn and saying " wow the tiger has got some moves..... wait!! is that a tattoo on his paws?")
The brilliance and effectiveness of the book comes from the fact that the author did not keep the story hovering around running from a zombie army but had incorporated various other sidelines to the overall plot that you can't blink your eyes for one moment. For me the story graph keeps elevating and elevating until it settles down peacefully towards the end, giving you your breath back.
Thank fully the author does not leave huge cliff hangers but still makes you want to read the sequel so badly
The language and storytelling is absolutely weaving its magic so you can pick up this book without having to worry that you will be left stranded in the zombie land for too long. The narration skill is fantastic and the simplicity and the flowing language keeps you glued to the book and in any case i believe this book was a fantastic opening to the series.
The book in its short span, takes you from interesting to the level were your blood is threatening to come out of your veins with excitement. The best part is that the story line keeps reinventing itself with each increasing chapters and before you know it jumps into places that you lest expected. You never know what is coming up next and this twists and turns in the story makes this book an exciting ride. The language and narration skill only adds to the overall charm.
If you think that this book is going to be all zombies and zombies.. think again and for all those who love zombies then.... what are you waiting for... DIG IN.....
how was it?
September 14, 2012
16 year old Xander is left at Vandenberg Airforce Base by his older brother Moto, who tells him not to leave-but that was before the horde of zombies attacked! Xander manages to escape, fleeing south to Port Hueneme to locate his brother with nothing but his martial arts training and the katana blade left to him. Along the way he meets up with others as they struggle to survive. This is a great Zombie story that is rich in characters and plot. A Zombie story without the bad language, sex, and senseless gore. The action was nonstop that left me wanting more.I can't wait for the next sequel.Thanks for such a great Zombie story.
August 15, 2012
Wow, if you are a big zombie fan like I am, then you will definitely enjoy this book from the minute you open it up until the end. Devan as done an exceptional job in writing this book and creating this wonderful, crazy and adventurous story. I truly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a great zombie experience.
July 22, 2012
Whoa! This book is a super exciting fast paced trip! I enjoyed it greatly. From page one you know what we are getting into. The author instantly tells the reader "Hey listen, this is a zombie book and this is the kind of zombies we have in these pages." What kind of zombies are they? Uhh the awesome kind duh. We all know that the teeny bopper zombie love intrest novel no longer hold any interest for me. I want my zombies scary as hell! The zombies in this book can be scary as hell. To be honest though the people that Xander, Felicity and Benji meet are scarier. Their flight is filled with nefarious peeps. It really is one of those action packed rides that you can't put down. Xander and gang flee creeps and zombies.
The writing itself was great. It held my attention and for a debut novel there were surprisingly very few typos. I can't comment on grammer because, well, umm my grammer is shitty. But I think it was good too. There were no parts that tripped me up because of clunky sentence structure.
Benji and Xander are great. They have banter. They have depth. With all three main characters at times it is hard to gauge their real age. Which the author tells us. Sometimes both Benji and Xander seem a lot younger than their real ages. Felicity Jane seems a lot older. Poor girl has seen her share of hardships though.
If you're looking for lots of gruesome zombie slaying, well, there are moments in this book that do have zom slaughter in them. It's not the central theme. It's more or less the overeaching arc of the story line. It didn't make the story any less enjoyable for me.
So why only 4 stars? Well I just wanted more. I didn't connect deeply with Xander and there we a few huh? parts. Don't think that means that the story is confusing and clustered. It's not. It's just that this is part of a series. Devan can't give away all of the goods in this book! So will I be buying the next book? Hell yes I will. Without a doubt!
**Personal note. Devan seems like a totally super awesome guy. He wrote the first draft listening to G'NR's Appetite for Destruction!!! The second pass through included some Metallica! Random Lori factoid: My first concert at the age of 13 was Metallica. Yep. My parents are cool. My second concert was Ja Rule (LOL).
The writing itself was great. It held my attention and for a debut novel there were surprisingly very few typos. I can't comment on grammer because, well, umm my grammer is shitty. But I think it was good too. There were no parts that tripped me up because of clunky sentence structure.
Benji and Xander are great. They have banter. They have depth. With all three main characters at times it is hard to gauge their real age. Which the author tells us. Sometimes both Benji and Xander seem a lot younger than their real ages. Felicity Jane seems a lot older. Poor girl has seen her share of hardships though.
If you're looking for lots of gruesome zombie slaying, well, there are moments in this book that do have zom slaughter in them. It's not the central theme. It's more or less the overeaching arc of the story line. It didn't make the story any less enjoyable for me.
So why only 4 stars? Well I just wanted more. I didn't connect deeply with Xander and there we a few huh? parts. Don't think that means that the story is confusing and clustered. It's not. It's just that this is part of a series. Devan can't give away all of the goods in this book! So will I be buying the next book? Hell yes I will. Without a doubt!
**Personal note. Devan seems like a totally super awesome guy. He wrote the first draft listening to G'NR's Appetite for Destruction!!! The second pass through included some Metallica! Random Lori factoid: My first concert at the age of 13 was Metallica. Yep. My parents are cool. My second concert was Ja Rule (LOL).
November 10, 2012
“Zombie Attack: Rise of the Horde” is everything the blurb promises it to be, and much, much more! When the current world order collapses into chaos under the shuffling feet of flesh-eating zombies, and law and order can no longer be maintained; those who thrive in a lawless world get together to create even more chaos. Gangsters and those who oppose them, Neo-Nazi’s and cannibals, are just some of the dangers Xander, Benji and Felicity have to face on their journey to the safe zone at Port Hueneme. Along the way they even run into a religious cult who tends to use strangers as sacrifices and as food for their caged zombies.
With bloody, gory action, and nail-biting suspense from the start, which does not let up until the last sentence, I finished this book in one day. Of all the post-apocalyptic books I have read, this one actually scared me the most, as it projects a truly frightening end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it scenario. The main character, Xander, is one of the best crafted characters I have ever encountered. Not only is his personality absolutely realistic but his sarcastic, smart-mouth comments will make you laugh out loud - that is when he’s not getting into some trouble because of said mouth. Where Xander is slightly aggressive, bitter, and jaded at times, his young friend Benji is a kind boy who wins the hearts of people with his sweet disposition. The third member of their group, Felicity Jane, mood swings and all, proves to be a diplomatic asset when it really counts. Amidst the seriousness, suspense and heartbreak of their journey, the trio still find time for fun and relaxation and, yes, even for a few gentle romantic moments.
A tale of despair and sacrifice, small precious victories, farewells and reunions, and subtle spirituality, “Zombie Attack: Rise of the Horde” is a book I would highly recommend to readers looking for an enormously thrilling story with a degree of depth to it. As the book ends with a bit of a cliff hanger, I sincerely hope that we'll soon see more books from this brilliant author. (Ellen Fritz)
With bloody, gory action, and nail-biting suspense from the start, which does not let up until the last sentence, I finished this book in one day. Of all the post-apocalyptic books I have read, this one actually scared me the most, as it projects a truly frightening end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it scenario. The main character, Xander, is one of the best crafted characters I have ever encountered. Not only is his personality absolutely realistic but his sarcastic, smart-mouth comments will make you laugh out loud - that is when he’s not getting into some trouble because of said mouth. Where Xander is slightly aggressive, bitter, and jaded at times, his young friend Benji is a kind boy who wins the hearts of people with his sweet disposition. The third member of their group, Felicity Jane, mood swings and all, proves to be a diplomatic asset when it really counts. Amidst the seriousness, suspense and heartbreak of their journey, the trio still find time for fun and relaxation and, yes, even for a few gentle romantic moments.
A tale of despair and sacrifice, small precious victories, farewells and reunions, and subtle spirituality, “Zombie Attack: Rise of the Horde” is a book I would highly recommend to readers looking for an enormously thrilling story with a degree of depth to it. As the book ends with a bit of a cliff hanger, I sincerely hope that we'll soon see more books from this brilliant author. (Ellen Fritz)
August 7, 2012
This book, Zombie Attack! Rise of the Horde, takes you on a non-stop ride with Xander, a 16-yr old searching for his brother, Moto, while battling zombies and gaining friends along the way. You see it all from Xander's point of view and the details are all there! The relationships are believable, the battles seem real, the surprises do not disappoint! There is simply no let-down as the action continues to build throughout the book. I know this book was written for teenagers or young adults but as an older adult I chose this book anyway and have read it twice--the first time was fast, just to get the feel of the book; the second read was for the detail--and I wasn't disappointed. The author, Devan Sagliani, actively leads us in and out of one imaginative adventure after another, all the while keeping us fully engrossed in the lives of his characters. It's this character involvement that intrigues me most. I admire the author's strong writing talent and imagination! I love his use of detail that he weaves into the lives of Xander and everyone he meets--he knows how to flesh out his characters and really make them come to life! I highly recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a bit of horror to take you out of your everyday world! In fact, I'll bet you'll read it more than once!
April 9, 2014
I am a bit torn between two and three stars here, I keep reaching up and changing the rating. Let me type up why I feel this way, then I'll see what I'll do about the rating.
The beginning of the book started off strong. You could see the action coming and realized once the book got its pacing that there would not be much standing around. In the pro column the book did a swell job of that, it was brimming with plot and kept moving. When I started the book I was convinced it was going to be fantastic, and this was with serious reservations - I start most books with reservations. Some of my favorite things in the dawn of the book with the descriptions and occasional introspection.
There seemed some promise in the characterization, they gave some back-story for Benji and he was relatable. Felicity while not entirely relatable was likable.
Unfortunately, for whatever reason, this seemed to stop completely or hedged down to the bare minimal. The main character, Xander, ceased to develop or evolve into much of a character. The physical descriptions seemed to drop down dramatically leaving you wondering what was going on. And what was going on? Really, not much in the background. Many of the explored places were empty besides a singleton zombie to move the plot along, or a very non-threatening horde. Where were all the zombies? Entire neighborhoods were empty. That aside, Xander seemed to be the only one to ever do anything in combat situations, and the things he did seemed very unrealistic.
What bothered me more than that though was Xander just behaved like no one ever would. He was a simple character, and impossible to get into the head of. I have heard a lot of books that are written in first person tend to struggle with this.
There was no sense of urgency and the periods of grief were almost laughable. I thought this was limited to Xander but it became apparent quite quickly that it was not just him. For example, .
Some more examples of them behaving like no actual person would-
.
Don't even get me started on the soldier speaking in riddles at the end. What is that? That's the same as "It's neither here nor there." That's nothing. A space filler. That's what 60% of the book was.
I feel like this book started with an idea in mind, somewhere to go, and then before it even got halfway through it turned into a mad dash to The End.
Also there was a point where a zombie breathed. The narrator writes about their cold breath hitting his face. That pretty much sums it up. I'm going to go with two stars.
*I am thankful for the free copy of the book and the opportunity to review it. I hope my feedback is helpful.
The beginning of the book started off strong. You could see the action coming and realized once the book got its pacing that there would not be much standing around. In the pro column the book did a swell job of that, it was brimming with plot and kept moving. When I started the book I was convinced it was going to be fantastic, and this was with serious reservations - I start most books with reservations. Some of my favorite things in the dawn of the book with the descriptions and occasional introspection.
There seemed some promise in the characterization, they gave some back-story for Benji and he was relatable. Felicity while not entirely relatable was likable.
Unfortunately, for whatever reason, this seemed to stop completely or hedged down to the bare minimal. The main character, Xander, ceased to develop or evolve into much of a character. The physical descriptions seemed to drop down dramatically leaving you wondering what was going on. And what was going on? Really, not much in the background. Many of the explored places were empty besides a singleton zombie to move the plot along, or a very non-threatening horde. Where were all the zombies? Entire neighborhoods were empty. That aside, Xander seemed to be the only one to ever do anything in combat situations, and the things he did seemed very unrealistic.
What bothered me more than that though was Xander just behaved like no one ever would. He was a simple character, and impossible to get into the head of. I have heard a lot of books that are written in first person tend to struggle with this.
There was no sense of urgency and the periods of grief were almost laughable. I thought this was limited to Xander but it became apparent quite quickly that it was not just him. For example, .
Some more examples of them behaving like no actual person would-
.
Don't even get me started on the soldier speaking in riddles at the end. What is that? That's the same as "It's neither here nor there." That's nothing. A space filler. That's what 60% of the book was.
I feel like this book started with an idea in mind, somewhere to go, and then before it even got halfway through it turned into a mad dash to The End.
Also there was a point where a zombie breathed. The narrator writes about their cold breath hitting his face. That pretty much sums it up. I'm going to go with two stars.
*I am thankful for the free copy of the book and the opportunity to review it. I hope my feedback is helpful.
July 17, 2012
With a title like this and a cover like this book has you would expect an ordinary, everyday zombie story for the YA crowd. The zombies have wiped out most of humanity; a small band of survivors battles to the uncertain finish. You would be right about the fact that this book does not stray far from the storyline we've become accustomed to from many othe zombie stories. That's where the similarity ends.
Friends, author Devan Sagliani can write. This book is populated with some characters I really grow to like, soon after I meet them, and who I like better and better as their courage is tested. There's our hero, Xander, a sixteen-year-old with a special Samurai sword, and Xander is both stronger and wiser than his years. He takes 12-year-old Benji under his wing, protecting him from bullies, zombies, cannibals and Jesus freaks and putting his own life at risk each time. The relationship between these two boys turns out to be a highlight of the book.
Xander is on a quest to find his own older brother, and he knows where he'll find him; it's just getting there that's turning out to be a problem. The story moves smoothly from one impossible, pulled-from-the-snapping-jaws-of-the-zombie scene to the next with professional alacrity. Told in the first person, we are in Xander's head, and we couldn't have gotten thrown into this mess with a nicer guy. Yet the relationship stuff doesn't get in the way of the fast-moving story, either. It's just good.
This book is suitable for the same YA readers who would be reading Lord of the Rings or Eragon. There is a commonality on many levels between the zombie apocalypse and the evil reign of Mordor. The ending of Zombie Attack! leads me to believe a sequel is planned, and I can assure you I'll be first in line to read it.
Friends, author Devan Sagliani can write. This book is populated with some characters I really grow to like, soon after I meet them, and who I like better and better as their courage is tested. There's our hero, Xander, a sixteen-year-old with a special Samurai sword, and Xander is both stronger and wiser than his years. He takes 12-year-old Benji under his wing, protecting him from bullies, zombies, cannibals and Jesus freaks and putting his own life at risk each time. The relationship between these two boys turns out to be a highlight of the book.
Xander is on a quest to find his own older brother, and he knows where he'll find him; it's just getting there that's turning out to be a problem. The story moves smoothly from one impossible, pulled-from-the-snapping-jaws-of-the-zombie scene to the next with professional alacrity. Told in the first person, we are in Xander's head, and we couldn't have gotten thrown into this mess with a nicer guy. Yet the relationship stuff doesn't get in the way of the fast-moving story, either. It's just good.
This book is suitable for the same YA readers who would be reading Lord of the Rings or Eragon. There is a commonality on many levels between the zombie apocalypse and the evil reign of Mordor. The ending of Zombie Attack! leads me to believe a sequel is planned, and I can assure you I'll be first in line to read it.
December 16, 2013
Xander was to wait for his brother Moto to return for him when zombies attack. Now Xander has to fend for himself against gangs, cannibals, religious zealots, and more on his quest to find his brother. Along the way he meets a young boy and an on-screen idol, Felicity. Their journey may no longer be a lonely one, but it is no less dangerous.
To be fair, I'm not necessarily a fan of a lot of teen reads. The book flowed at a decent pace, but I didn't connect with the characters. I understood their motivation and angst, there was just nothing bonding me to them. The writing was clean. This is a Devan Sagliani tale after all. It was the content of the story that I wasn't very excited about. I like it, it just didn't have that "umph" of a more mature read.
If you liked Jonathan Maberry's Rot and Ruin, you'll like this.
*I was given a copy of this in exchange for and honest review*
To be fair, I'm not necessarily a fan of a lot of teen reads. The book flowed at a decent pace, but I didn't connect with the characters. I understood their motivation and angst, there was just nothing bonding me to them. The writing was clean. This is a Devan Sagliani tale after all. It was the content of the story that I wasn't very excited about. I like it, it just didn't have that "umph" of a more mature read.
If you liked Jonathan Maberry's Rot and Ruin, you'll like this.
*I was given a copy of this in exchange for and honest review*
December 18, 2012
Sagliani smashes it again! Zombie Attack: Rise of the Horde was top quality YA horror, with easily relatable characters you will find yourself caring about very quickly.
The standard apocalyptic setting for a zombie novel was enhanced by Sagliani's world building skills. The different attitudes towards the zombie threat by the groups of people he has created made for a page turning read. One group leader in particular made it seem there might be worse things than zombie hordes for the main characters to worry about!
This book is fast paced, action packed, suspenseful, tense and creepy. There's some good humour in there too and even a little romance. Recommended reading!
The standard apocalyptic setting for a zombie novel was enhanced by Sagliani's world building skills. The different attitudes towards the zombie threat by the groups of people he has created made for a page turning read. One group leader in particular made it seem there might be worse things than zombie hordes for the main characters to worry about!
This book is fast paced, action packed, suspenseful, tense and creepy. There's some good humour in there too and even a little romance. Recommended reading!
July 24, 2012
OH MY DOUBLE M G!! This was the best zombie book I've ever read! Move over Hunger Games, I think this is gonna be the next big thing! The writing was excellent. It was very appropriate for the teenage audience it is geared toward. It was nice to read a zombie book without the bad language, sex, and senseless gore. This was a zombie book with class, and one parents will easily approve. The characters were rich and the action was nonstop. I never knew what was coming next; an edge-of-your-seat read that left me wanting more. I am anxiously awaiting the sequel. Great job, Mr. Sagliani.
January 17, 2013
This book is very entertaining with lots of action from both zombies, baddies, religious cults and cannibals the main characters are a 16 year old boy a 16 year old TV celebrity and a 12 year old comic nerd! They get them selves I. All kinds of trouble on there way to find xanders brother at a military base. I love the way the characters react to situations in childish adolescent manor and usually make there predicaments worse by childish behaviour! Great book for young adults and above. 5 ***** highly recommend this book.
July 18, 2013
A smash-bang post-apocalypse zombie-nightmare romp. The story follows teen Xander and the various kids he encounters - and some he feels responsible for - on a journey of necessity and survival. It has lots of mythical-type characters brought down to earth and set in Xander's way. The situations the group encounters are one-after-another obstacles and rites of passage through a world of walking dead. There's lots of action, violence and heart to keep even a reluctant reader turning the pages. I really enjoyed this book and recommend it for young readers who have a stomach for blood and guts.
August 4, 2012
I have a hard time being entertained by many contemporary books, but this was not the case with Zombie Attack. I was hooked from page one and I couldn't put it down. I thought this book was so well written and the author can really develop a character. I was never bored and there were times that my eyes were watery from reading too much. I highly recommend this read! It's a great young adult book. Can't wait for the next book in the series.
August 21, 2012
Incredibly entertaining, fast-paced read. I literally read this in three sittings! Excellent storytelling and well-drawn, relatable characters whom you can’t help but care about. (Loved me some Xander.) Looking forward to more!
August 1, 2012
Fun, creepy, engaging and captivating zombie tale with substance and well-developed characters - enjoyed it very much - a great undead fix for zombie junkies and dystopian landscapes!
October 25, 2012
Such a great book Devan! can not wait to read the next one. sorry it took me so long to finish but i wasn't in the mood to read when i was laid up from surgery and on pain killers.
January 13, 2016
Originally posted on: Reader's Anonymous
Zombie Attack! Rise of the Horde Zombie wasn’t a contemporary classic, it’s not written so eloquently that my heart couldn’t take it, nor was it some horror-filled masterpiece, but it was fun. It was similar to the zombie movies and television shows I’ve seen with the whole “people are the true monster’s not flesh eating parasites,” which I actually happen to enjoy.
I know what you’re thinking. What possibly possessed me to read a novel with that title, well I’ll tell you why.
The only reason I read this novel was because it happened to be free on Amazon for kindle unlimited. At first I was completely perplexed with the title, so I told myself “don’t judge a book by its title”, but an exclamation point and then zombie and horde in the same book – I honestly didn’t expect much. However, it wasn’t that bad and I actually had moments where I was actually engrossed in the story. So let’s get this review started!
So, zombies are getting smart (yup, you read that right) and learning to attack the living in huge hordes. This happens the day, Xander and Benji escape the military base where everyone dies (I’m not certain if that’s a spoiler since it can be read in the sample). After this, Xander becomes Benji’s primary protector and travels with twin brothers (hell, if I remember their names) to find Xander’s brother, who’s a soldier, where they run into problem after problem. They literally run into more trouble than the Grimes wolf-pack on The Walking Dead.
Their first encounter is with a group that takes them to a neighborhood they’ve secured and turned back into a civilized society. Hot water, hot food, and soft beds. It’s HEAVEN! Well, except for the Unity Gang which has some of the worst criminals ever; they pillage, rape and torture (remember the Reavers on Firefly? They’re like that) – so don’t get caught by them – but Xander doesn’t trust anyone, including the nice people that picked his crew up.
After escaping that situation we’re on the road again where Xander and Benji see some disturbing things, too disturbing for kids, and you really appreciate the simplicity of Sagliani’s scene and his respect for the reader’s maturity to understand the toll the zombies have taken on the world. This last until they arrive in a very rich neighbor to scavenge for supplies and are ambushed by Felicity Jane, former child star and current love interest for our male lead, and her longtime friend (don’t know his name). Felicity is an interesting character, although she may seem like a spoiled, diva brat, you’ll learn her history and feel for her.
Soon enough they’ll leave and encounter ANOTHER set of bad guys, but they’re a religious group recruiting long-before the zombie apocalypse started. This was actually done very well, especially the child bride thing (oops, is that a spoiler?) and really gave me the creeps. However, this is also the point I stopped liking Xander some. He does something that just rubbed me the wrong way and just lessened my enjoyment of his character.
The end is what really intrigued me and made me decide to read book two. There’s this amazing revelation at the end.
If you’re in the mood for some “light” zombie, horror, post-apocalyptic, survival, YA, adventurous fun that mentions fast food, video games, and reality television (in a bad light) then you’ll LOVE this book.
Zombie Attack! Rise of the Horde Zombie wasn’t a contemporary classic, it’s not written so eloquently that my heart couldn’t take it, nor was it some horror-filled masterpiece, but it was fun. It was similar to the zombie movies and television shows I’ve seen with the whole “people are the true monster’s not flesh eating parasites,” which I actually happen to enjoy.
I know what you’re thinking. What possibly possessed me to read a novel with that title, well I’ll tell you why.
The only reason I read this novel was because it happened to be free on Amazon for kindle unlimited. At first I was completely perplexed with the title, so I told myself “don’t judge a book by its title”, but an exclamation point and then zombie and horde in the same book – I honestly didn’t expect much. However, it wasn’t that bad and I actually had moments where I was actually engrossed in the story. So let’s get this review started!
So, zombies are getting smart (yup, you read that right) and learning to attack the living in huge hordes. This happens the day, Xander and Benji escape the military base where everyone dies (I’m not certain if that’s a spoiler since it can be read in the sample). After this, Xander becomes Benji’s primary protector and travels with twin brothers (hell, if I remember their names) to find Xander’s brother, who’s a soldier, where they run into problem after problem. They literally run into more trouble than the Grimes wolf-pack on The Walking Dead.
Their first encounter is with a group that takes them to a neighborhood they’ve secured and turned back into a civilized society. Hot water, hot food, and soft beds. It’s HEAVEN! Well, except for the Unity Gang which has some of the worst criminals ever; they pillage, rape and torture (remember the Reavers on Firefly? They’re like that) – so don’t get caught by them – but Xander doesn’t trust anyone, including the nice people that picked his crew up.
After escaping that situation we’re on the road again where Xander and Benji see some disturbing things, too disturbing for kids, and you really appreciate the simplicity of Sagliani’s scene and his respect for the reader’s maturity to understand the toll the zombies have taken on the world. This last until they arrive in a very rich neighbor to scavenge for supplies and are ambushed by Felicity Jane, former child star and current love interest for our male lead, and her longtime friend (don’t know his name). Felicity is an interesting character, although she may seem like a spoiled, diva brat, you’ll learn her history and feel for her.
Soon enough they’ll leave and encounter ANOTHER set of bad guys, but they’re a religious group recruiting long-before the zombie apocalypse started. This was actually done very well, especially the child bride thing (oops, is that a spoiler?) and really gave me the creeps. However, this is also the point I stopped liking Xander some. He does something that just rubbed me the wrong way and just lessened my enjoyment of his character.
The end is what really intrigued me and made me decide to read book two. There’s this amazing revelation at the end.
If you’re in the mood for some “light” zombie, horror, post-apocalyptic, survival, YA, adventurous fun that mentions fast food, video games, and reality television (in a bad light) then you’ll LOVE this book.
March 16, 2014
Zombie Attack: Rise of the Horde follows the story of a teenager named Xander and his companion Benji as they tried to find a new safe zone after their last one has been overrun by Zombies.
What I really liked about the story were the characters. Benji was my favorite because he thought logically and seemed to just have a tighter grip on reality than Xander even though he was a couple of years younger. I also really liked Felicity Jane. She was like this weird cross of Cher from Clueless and Darla from Mike Mullin's Ashfall series. However bizarre that mash-up may seem it totally worked for me as her character ended up being a great addition to the group and she also added that feminine quality that I felt was missing in the beginning. Lastly, I liked the Zombies because they actually felt menacing. The Zombie weren't superhuman like say those from say The Devil's Playground or Will Smith's version of I am Legend but they definitely had some semblance of higher brain function left.
Another thing I liked about the story were the hardships the characters met along the way. The journey wasn't just about the Zombie threat but the human one as well. The Author really highlighted how society can degenerate in times of crisis and that not everything is black and white or right and wrong in terms of survival.
Now although I enjoyed Zombie Attack the story did have a few problems that kept me from enjoying it fully.
First off, I found Xander frustrating. He reminded me of a boy scout vs. the survivalist I thought he'd turn out to be considering all his martial arts training. If someone was in danger Xander was around to save the day no matter that the decision to do so would create a million and one other problems for the rest of the characters. I get it, the story needs to move along but I wish it wouldn't have to do so because of a characters hero complex.
Secondly, I hate stupid decisions and this book is filled with plenty of them. For example, The characters know the roads are filled with roving gangs not to mention situations can change at a moments notice but oh no we need to keep all the supplies packed neatly far away from us and then bitch when we lose it all to the stupid decisions we made. It's little things like that which frustrate me to no end because you know reading it that so much hurt could've been avoided with a little forethought on the characters parts.
Final Thoughts
While I ultimately ended up really enjoying Zombie Attack I can't help but wonder how things would've turned out if I just liked the main character a bit more. However, despite my frustrations with the main character I think the story was solid, the pacing fantastic and the ending definitely left me wanting to know more. So am I happy to have read it? Yup! Would I recommend it? You bet. With that being said, I'll be rating Zombie Attack: Rise of the Horde by Devan Sagliani ★★★★.
*Copy won. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated in an which way for providing them.
What I really liked about the story were the characters. Benji was my favorite because he thought logically and seemed to just have a tighter grip on reality than Xander even though he was a couple of years younger. I also really liked Felicity Jane. She was like this weird cross of Cher from Clueless and Darla from Mike Mullin's Ashfall series. However bizarre that mash-up may seem it totally worked for me as her character ended up being a great addition to the group and she also added that feminine quality that I felt was missing in the beginning. Lastly, I liked the Zombies because they actually felt menacing. The Zombie weren't superhuman like say those from say The Devil's Playground or Will Smith's version of I am Legend but they definitely had some semblance of higher brain function left.
Another thing I liked about the story were the hardships the characters met along the way. The journey wasn't just about the Zombie threat but the human one as well. The Author really highlighted how society can degenerate in times of crisis and that not everything is black and white or right and wrong in terms of survival.
Now although I enjoyed Zombie Attack the story did have a few problems that kept me from enjoying it fully.
First off, I found Xander frustrating. He reminded me of a boy scout vs. the survivalist I thought he'd turn out to be considering all his martial arts training. If someone was in danger Xander was around to save the day no matter that the decision to do so would create a million and one other problems for the rest of the characters. I get it, the story needs to move along but I wish it wouldn't have to do so because of a characters hero complex.
Secondly, I hate stupid decisions and this book is filled with plenty of them. For example, The characters know the roads are filled with roving gangs not to mention situations can change at a moments notice but oh no we need to keep all the supplies packed neatly far away from us and then bitch when we lose it all to the stupid decisions we made. It's little things like that which frustrate me to no end because you know reading it that so much hurt could've been avoided with a little forethought on the characters parts.
Final Thoughts
While I ultimately ended up really enjoying Zombie Attack I can't help but wonder how things would've turned out if I just liked the main character a bit more. However, despite my frustrations with the main character I think the story was solid, the pacing fantastic and the ending definitely left me wanting to know more. So am I happy to have read it? Yup! Would I recommend it? You bet. With that being said, I'll be rating Zombie Attack: Rise of the Horde by Devan Sagliani ★★★★.
*Copy won. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated in an which way for providing them.
July 10, 2014
Rise of the Horde definitely isn't the average zombie novel, and I liked it all the more because of that. Overall, the story is well-described, with enjoyable dialogue and a lot of action. At times, some of the characters decisions or actions seemed a bit odd given their circumstances, and there were slow points in between the highly active scenes, but neither of those stopped the novel from being a thoroughly enjoyable read.
What I really loved the most about Rise of the Horde is what differentiated it from all of the other zombie apocalypse novels that are already in existence. For one thing, the beginning of the story does not occur right on the first day of infection (or, in this case, Z-day). When readers are brought into this new world of the story, the virus has been spreading for a while, and the characters are deeply involved in the zombie problem.
In addition, and this was my absolute favorite part, Sagliani shows what is doomed to be true were a zombie onset were to arise in reality: the undead would not be the only problem. The thing is, there are plenty of criminals in the world as it is. That isn't going to change just because some brain-eating monsters are arising. If anything, it will only make the problems worse. So many novels just put everyone in a survivalist mode - yeah, I might push you at a zombie to save myself, but I don't want you dead necessarily. In Rise of the Horde, zombies are only half of the problem. The other half are all of the people who have gone absolutely insane due to the seemingly impending doom for all of the human race: murderous gangs, obsessed religious fanatics, cannibals...the dark side of people really coming out when the world becomes a nightmare? Yeah, that I can see.
As a reader, I also enjoyed Xander's perspective. Yeah, he can be a bit cocky and let his emotions get the best of him - but he is a sixteen year old boy during a period of immense death. For the most part, he sounded authentically teenage and, regardless of whether or not he made good decisions, you want it all to work out for him in the end. It's very admirable how he cares about his brother, and Xander has the makings of a true literary hero. Not to mention, the Katana was a nice touch. Really, all of the characters were so authentic and unique that it really brought life to the story. It's not everyday that celebrities become main characters in an apocalyptic fiction. Even the complete nutcases were fantastic. This is a bit scary to think about, but Bryan was such a believable character that it freaked me out.
Rise of the Horde has a good voice, great action and description, and excellent potential to become a favorite for fans of zombies. Following teenage protagonists who have to deal with an absolute nightmare, their situation is so crazy and awful that, well, it's actually believable. Definitely an enjoyable read.
What I really loved the most about Rise of the Horde is what differentiated it from all of the other zombie apocalypse novels that are already in existence. For one thing, the beginning of the story does not occur right on the first day of infection (or, in this case, Z-day). When readers are brought into this new world of the story, the virus has been spreading for a while, and the characters are deeply involved in the zombie problem.
In addition, and this was my absolute favorite part, Sagliani shows what is doomed to be true were a zombie onset were to arise in reality: the undead would not be the only problem. The thing is, there are plenty of criminals in the world as it is. That isn't going to change just because some brain-eating monsters are arising. If anything, it will only make the problems worse. So many novels just put everyone in a survivalist mode - yeah, I might push you at a zombie to save myself, but I don't want you dead necessarily. In Rise of the Horde, zombies are only half of the problem. The other half are all of the people who have gone absolutely insane due to the seemingly impending doom for all of the human race: murderous gangs, obsessed religious fanatics, cannibals...the dark side of people really coming out when the world becomes a nightmare? Yeah, that I can see.
As a reader, I also enjoyed Xander's perspective. Yeah, he can be a bit cocky and let his emotions get the best of him - but he is a sixteen year old boy during a period of immense death. For the most part, he sounded authentically teenage and, regardless of whether or not he made good decisions, you want it all to work out for him in the end. It's very admirable how he cares about his brother, and Xander has the makings of a true literary hero. Not to mention, the Katana was a nice touch. Really, all of the characters were so authentic and unique that it really brought life to the story. It's not everyday that celebrities become main characters in an apocalyptic fiction. Even the complete nutcases were fantastic. This is a bit scary to think about, but Bryan was such a believable character that it freaked me out.
Rise of the Horde has a good voice, great action and description, and excellent potential to become a favorite for fans of zombies. Following teenage protagonists who have to deal with an absolute nightmare, their situation is so crazy and awful that, well, it's actually believable. Definitely an enjoyable read.
July 1, 2014
At first I was afraid that this would be just a copy of a classic ol zombie tale. Just when I thought I knew what would happenin the story, I was blown away by the creativeness of the author! I love the references to current pop culture and details of teenage life. I also like the fact that the characters were mostly teens. In all honesty I think the younger generation would survive better in the Zombie apocalypse, especially after reading this book. Looking forward to the next horde,a big fight :)
Xander Macnamara (16) is living at Vandenberg Air Force base. He is fluent in martial arts and practices to pass the time. His brother Moto is military royalty, and he gave Xander a Katana, as well as training before he left for his current duty. When Benji Jones (12) is being bullied by Weasel, Xander steps in and makes Weasel apologize for trying to steal comic books and beating up Benji. Then Benji becomes his friend and traveling companion till the end. Benji tells how he lost his whole family on Z day, he loves reading comics and talking.
The base gets run over by a zombie horde while the two run to an elementary school. They successfully maneuver out of the school only to run into the Parker twins who are packing heat. Their father was in the military and trained them with every auto gun imaginable.
This is the start of an incredible journey to find Xander's brother Moto (hel-lo mo-to, Motorola commercial ) in Hueneme. The two boys meet crazy, cannabalistic, charismatic, religious, fanatical, helpful, innocent, brave, smart, talented, and strange people, most get eaten except for a rare few gems. The boys manage to watch tv, eat junk food, play video games (mostly Benji), drive sweet cars, listen to rock and roll, make escape plans, search and rescue, meet cute girls,live in a mansion with a pool, evade zombies, kill zombies with swords and guns, all through this traumatic zombie experience.
The zombies were believable,and the characters were solid. I felt while reading, oh no they got stuck again...very suspenseful. The author really took the time to put in details that would be real to these young kids, and also was able to incorporate how they felt and dealt with their awful surroundings, bad people, sad events, kick butt dreams and still hold out hope! A stronge message in this book is that bad things happen, but there is always an answer to every situation. Never give up because the small things in life are miracles. You never know who you will meet or what adventure waits around the corner.
Xander Macnamara (16) is living at Vandenberg Air Force base. He is fluent in martial arts and practices to pass the time. His brother Moto is military royalty, and he gave Xander a Katana, as well as training before he left for his current duty. When Benji Jones (12) is being bullied by Weasel, Xander steps in and makes Weasel apologize for trying to steal comic books and beating up Benji. Then Benji becomes his friend and traveling companion till the end. Benji tells how he lost his whole family on Z day, he loves reading comics and talking.
The base gets run over by a zombie horde while the two run to an elementary school. They successfully maneuver out of the school only to run into the Parker twins who are packing heat. Their father was in the military and trained them with every auto gun imaginable.
This is the start of an incredible journey to find Xander's brother Moto (hel-lo mo-to, Motorola commercial ) in Hueneme. The two boys meet crazy, cannabalistic, charismatic, religious, fanatical, helpful, innocent, brave, smart, talented, and strange people, most get eaten except for a rare few gems. The boys manage to watch tv, eat junk food, play video games (mostly Benji), drive sweet cars, listen to rock and roll, make escape plans, search and rescue, meet cute girls,live in a mansion with a pool, evade zombies, kill zombies with swords and guns, all through this traumatic zombie experience.
The zombies were believable,and the characters were solid. I felt while reading, oh no they got stuck again...very suspenseful. The author really took the time to put in details that would be real to these young kids, and also was able to incorporate how they felt and dealt with their awful surroundings, bad people, sad events, kick butt dreams and still hold out hope! A stronge message in this book is that bad things happen, but there is always an answer to every situation. Never give up because the small things in life are miracles. You never know who you will meet or what adventure waits around the corner.
September 5, 2014
I read a lot of zombie apocalypse novels. My preference leans toward more of the zombie survival books rather than the ones that focus on the horror aspect of it. I've pretty much read all of the major Z.A. book worth reading, so now I'm looking at some of the lesser know authors/books. Basically I'm scraping the bottom of the barrel to get my zombie fix.
I should've known by the cover of the book, not the one that's on Goodreads, but the updated one that screams this is a YA novel. Rise of the Horde has been on my radar for a few weeks now, but I finally got around to it. It started out well...but then went downhill from there. It was like picking up an Urban Fantasy book, but what you actually got was Paranormal Romance.
I get that the author departed from the standard cliche where the survivor holes up in an unbelievably fortified house with a year's worth of food. But the homage to the movie, Zombieland, was obvious except it wasn't as good and it was really boring.
My biggest complaint is Xander, the main character. The author writes him as a total badass, trained in martial arts who's a natural leader, but that isn't supported by his actions. I thought that he was and idiot. Some of the decisions that he made had me screaming in frustration. It's like when you're watching a movie and someone is about to do something stupid. They KNOW it's stupid and will probably lead to something bad, but they do it any way. Oh, instead of a gun Xander carries a katana (Japanese sword). Guess he's too young to carry a gun?
Also, the story was lite on the zombies. There was no tension. I never got the sense that the zombies were a real threat, or that the characters were in real danger. If this was a movie, I'd give it a G rating. If you're not a fan of gratuitous violence or over the top jaw dropping (WTF! zombie) moments...then you'll probably like this book.
In the interest of full disclosure...I gave up after 3/4 of the book. I skimmed the last quarter.
I should've known by the cover of the book, not the one that's on Goodreads, but the updated one that screams this is a YA novel. Rise of the Horde has been on my radar for a few weeks now, but I finally got around to it. It started out well...but then went downhill from there. It was like picking up an Urban Fantasy book, but what you actually got was Paranormal Romance.
I get that the author departed from the standard cliche where the survivor holes up in an unbelievably fortified house with a year's worth of food. But the homage to the movie, Zombieland, was obvious except it wasn't as good and it was really boring.
My biggest complaint is Xander, the main character. The author writes him as a total badass, trained in martial arts who's a natural leader, but that isn't supported by his actions. I thought that he was and idiot. Some of the decisions that he made had me screaming in frustration. It's like when you're watching a movie and someone is about to do something stupid. They KNOW it's stupid and will probably lead to something bad, but they do it any way. Oh, instead of a gun Xander carries a katana (Japanese sword). Guess he's too young to carry a gun?
Also, the story was lite on the zombies. There was no tension. I never got the sense that the zombies were a real threat, or that the characters were in real danger. If this was a movie, I'd give it a G rating. If you're not a fan of gratuitous violence or over the top jaw dropping (WTF! zombie) moments...then you'll probably like this book.
In the interest of full disclosure...I gave up after 3/4 of the book. I skimmed the last quarter.
October 20, 2013
Straying from the usual plot of trying to create a stronghold and stand their ground, Zombie Attack! Rise of the Horde takes us on the road. Trying to get to his brothers military base, Xander picks up new comrades along the way. In Sagliani's world, where zombies aren't the only monsters roaming the streets, Xander and his friends face neo-Nazis, marauders, cults and other evils of a fallen society.
Where all it takes is a single bite, this group of misfits suffer the loss of loved ones, childhood idols, and each other. Xander, jaded and suspicious, displays instincts and common sense far beyond his years. Trained by his soldier half brother, Moto, Xander is skilled in martial arts and wields my favorite weapon...the katana. Unassuming Benji looks to Xander for direction like a lost puppy dog. Xander takes Benji under his wing, protecting him from the torments of man and zombie alike. These two fast friends come across teen actress Felicity Jane. Having fallen victim to the child actor stereotype of substance abuse, Felicity Jane manages to pull herself together and team up with Xander and Benji.
No zombie book would be complete without a few religious zealots. Sagliani manages to sneak in my favorite apocalyptic quote "the dead shall walk the earth because Hell is overflowing and there is no more room for them". And doesn't it just figure that during the apocalypse, the only things left airing on TV are The Jersey Shore and Jackass!?
Appropriate for the Young Adult masses it was written for, Zombie Attack! Rise of the Horde balances the right amount of horror and emotion. Sagliani manages to pull out another winner. The characters were relatable and genuine. The story was fast-paced and unexpected. I love that Sagliani hints at the possibility of zombies having a hive mind and working together. Read my entire review at www.bookie-monster.com
Where all it takes is a single bite, this group of misfits suffer the loss of loved ones, childhood idols, and each other. Xander, jaded and suspicious, displays instincts and common sense far beyond his years. Trained by his soldier half brother, Moto, Xander is skilled in martial arts and wields my favorite weapon...the katana. Unassuming Benji looks to Xander for direction like a lost puppy dog. Xander takes Benji under his wing, protecting him from the torments of man and zombie alike. These two fast friends come across teen actress Felicity Jane. Having fallen victim to the child actor stereotype of substance abuse, Felicity Jane manages to pull herself together and team up with Xander and Benji.
No zombie book would be complete without a few religious zealots. Sagliani manages to sneak in my favorite apocalyptic quote "the dead shall walk the earth because Hell is overflowing and there is no more room for them". And doesn't it just figure that during the apocalypse, the only things left airing on TV are The Jersey Shore and Jackass!?
Appropriate for the Young Adult masses it was written for, Zombie Attack! Rise of the Horde balances the right amount of horror and emotion. Sagliani manages to pull out another winner. The characters were relatable and genuine. The story was fast-paced and unexpected. I love that Sagliani hints at the possibility of zombies having a hive mind and working together. Read my entire review at www.bookie-monster.com
December 9, 2013
If you’re looking for a laid back read, this is certainly not what you seek. Rise of the Horde starts out with heart-pounding, nail-biting action that refuses to let up. I FREAKING LOVE IT! The experience of reading this book is the equivalent of watching a Jason Statham film. I held my breath so often, I’m surprised I didn’t pass out.
You all know how obsessed I am with zombies — unless you’re new here, in which case, WELCOME! And, by the way.. I’m a zombie-loving freak. Back to my point, though. I’ve read more zombie fiction than is probably considered normal so I’m pretty darn picky about it. I was not disappointed with this book. In fact, I may very well be addicted to Devan Sagliani. Well, um.. I mean his books, of course. You can bank on seeing my reviews for both The Rising Dead and Undead L.A. 1 in the very near future.
If you read the synopsis you may be thinking, “How does the author fit so much detail into one book and make it work?” I’ll admit, I did. I was pleasantly surprised to find that everything meshed well, and I didn’t feel overwhelmed by the amount of characters or events taking place. The characters are actually pretty awesome. I love Xander. He’s a bad-ass little dude, and I’m totally recruiting him for my zombie survival team.
Ok, so this review isn’t at all organized, which I’m surprised my OCD is allowing, but I just finished reading the book and my adrenaline hasn’t quite returned to normal. I’m not sure when that might happen, so I’m riding the wave and getting my thoughts “on paper” now. If you haven’t guessed by this point, I highly recommend Rise of the Horde to all fans of zombie fiction, especially those who plan to survive the zombie apocalypse!
You all know how obsessed I am with zombies — unless you’re new here, in which case, WELCOME! And, by the way.. I’m a zombie-loving freak. Back to my point, though. I’ve read more zombie fiction than is probably considered normal so I’m pretty darn picky about it. I was not disappointed with this book. In fact, I may very well be addicted to Devan Sagliani. Well, um.. I mean his books, of course. You can bank on seeing my reviews for both The Rising Dead and Undead L.A. 1 in the very near future.
If you read the synopsis you may be thinking, “How does the author fit so much detail into one book and make it work?” I’ll admit, I did. I was pleasantly surprised to find that everything meshed well, and I didn’t feel overwhelmed by the amount of characters or events taking place. The characters are actually pretty awesome. I love Xander. He’s a bad-ass little dude, and I’m totally recruiting him for my zombie survival team.
Ok, so this review isn’t at all organized, which I’m surprised my OCD is allowing, but I just finished reading the book and my adrenaline hasn’t quite returned to normal. I’m not sure when that might happen, so I’m riding the wave and getting my thoughts “on paper” now. If you haven’t guessed by this point, I highly recommend Rise of the Horde to all fans of zombie fiction, especially those who plan to survive the zombie apocalypse!
April 23, 2014
I receive a free copy for review from the author Devan Sagliani. The opinions below are my own. There are spoilers so if you enjoy not knowing what will happen next, read the book and not my review.
This was very well written. I suspect the author is from my generation, or close enough for government work, because I caught and understood all of the references to pop culture. This is somewhat of a rarity for me and always fills me with joy, like I've been let in on an inside joke.
I gave this a 3.5 because horror books, zombie or otherwise, rarely are something I would pick up to read again. Once you know all the main plot points it's hard to feel that same rush you do when reading a book for the first time. However, it was very enjoyable and my only complaints are very, very minor. It's laughable really that I didn't realize that two of the main characters never had weapons but managed to escape unscathed. Once I realized this I was a little miffed, but honestly it didn't detract from the story.
The action scenes were written clearly enough that I didn't have to read and re-read and pause and re-read and mull over what just happened. I can't tell you enough how annoying it is to know that a writer can't see the action in their head and therefore the choreography of their fight scenes are muddled and confusing. Thankfully, as I said, this was not a problem in this book and the action was heart pumping and exciting, just as it should be!
This wasn't a new twist on an old story per se in that the zombies were different, but there are some interesting twists. From a big fan of zombie books that don't make you want to shake your head in disgust, I recommend picking up this fast paced thriller.
This was very well written. I suspect the author is from my generation, or close enough for government work, because I caught and understood all of the references to pop culture. This is somewhat of a rarity for me and always fills me with joy, like I've been let in on an inside joke.
I gave this a 3.5 because horror books, zombie or otherwise, rarely are something I would pick up to read again. Once you know all the main plot points it's hard to feel that same rush you do when reading a book for the first time. However, it was very enjoyable and my only complaints are very, very minor. It's laughable really that I didn't realize that two of the main characters never had weapons but managed to escape unscathed. Once I realized this I was a little miffed, but honestly it didn't detract from the story.
The action scenes were written clearly enough that I didn't have to read and re-read and pause and re-read and mull over what just happened. I can't tell you enough how annoying it is to know that a writer can't see the action in their head and therefore the choreography of their fight scenes are muddled and confusing. Thankfully, as I said, this was not a problem in this book and the action was heart pumping and exciting, just as it should be!
This wasn't a new twist on an old story per se in that the zombies were different, but there are some interesting twists. From a big fan of zombie books that don't make you want to shake your head in disgust, I recommend picking up this fast paced thriller.
August 7, 2012
I abandoned this book because a) I got caught up in a lot of other books and b) this one wasn't strong enough to hold my attention. I could never get a good grasp of the main character. The narrative told me a lot about him (he was strong, he was a great fighter, he was a natural leader), but I never saw that (at least, not the great leader part). There was a surplus of boys and the first women to show up were one dimensional (the mother and the beautiful betrayer). I know that another girl is supposed to show up later, but, like I said, I didn't hold out for it.
I was also confused as to the people in Lompoc. Specifically, the reaction of their leader. He takes a bunch of kids to the border, everything goes to hell, one of the kids acts like an idiot and gets himself zombified,and suddenly the rest are under house arrest (in the Nazi room of cliche) because... they're suddenly untrustworthy? I didn't quite follow all the logic.
And, finally, there were the grammar issues. So many run on sentences, so few commas. I was mentally adding in commas all over the place. Had it been a print book, I probably would have broken down and put them in myself. It was quite annoying. Also (and this might be an e-reader problem), some of the paragraphs were just giant blocks of text that needed to be broken up.
When I cut down on some of the other stuff I'm reading, I might go back. I like zombie books and this was a very typical zombie narrative. It's light reading when there's nothing else going on. But, when there are other things, it wasn't enough to hold my attention.
I was also confused as to the people in Lompoc. Specifically, the reaction of their leader. He takes a bunch of kids to the border, everything goes to hell, one of the kids acts like an idiot and gets himself zombified,and suddenly the rest are under house arrest (in the Nazi room of cliche) because... they're suddenly untrustworthy? I didn't quite follow all the logic.
And, finally, there were the grammar issues. So many run on sentences, so few commas. I was mentally adding in commas all over the place. Had it been a print book, I probably would have broken down and put them in myself. It was quite annoying. Also (and this might be an e-reader problem), some of the paragraphs were just giant blocks of text that needed to be broken up.
When I cut down on some of the other stuff I'm reading, I might go back. I like zombie books and this was a very typical zombie narrative. It's light reading when there's nothing else going on. But, when there are other things, it wasn't enough to hold my attention.
October 16, 2014
Xander.
Running, always running and protecting his friends.
Benji.
A little boy who watched his family being killed and loves comic books.
Felicity Jane.
A beautiful teen actress who becomes part of Xander’s family.
Let’s get one thing clear I still dislike Zombie stories…
Xander sets one goal for himself, to reach the base where his brother Moto is stationed. In the process of reaching this goal he protects Benji, who is bullied by older boys. He takes Benji with him. He meets a teen celebrity, Felicity Jane, and the trio becomes each other’s new family.
The unlikely bizarre circumstances that plague their trip is sometimes too much, yet the investment I ended up putting in these characters, who slowly unfolded their full personalities, was enough to keep me turning pages. I needed to see them safe.
Mr. Sagliani uses words to create three amazing characters. Are they perfect? No, they are kids trying to survive a most horrendous virus known to mankind.
As the reader, we see the Zombies. We hear the Zombies, but they are not overwhelming, even I could put up with them because the journey Xander embarks in puts his character on display. He’s strong. He’s courageous. That’s what we see on the outside. We also see his internal struggle, the one that shows he’s only a kid.
Well executed. It kept me turning the pages until there were no more to turn, but there is, book 2. In the next book will Mr. Sagliani continue the development of these wonderful characters.
If you are a lover of Zombie stories this one is a must read.
Running, always running and protecting his friends.
Benji.
A little boy who watched his family being killed and loves comic books.
Felicity Jane.
A beautiful teen actress who becomes part of Xander’s family.
Let’s get one thing clear I still dislike Zombie stories…
Xander sets one goal for himself, to reach the base where his brother Moto is stationed. In the process of reaching this goal he protects Benji, who is bullied by older boys. He takes Benji with him. He meets a teen celebrity, Felicity Jane, and the trio becomes each other’s new family.
The unlikely bizarre circumstances that plague their trip is sometimes too much, yet the investment I ended up putting in these characters, who slowly unfolded their full personalities, was enough to keep me turning pages. I needed to see them safe.
Mr. Sagliani uses words to create three amazing characters. Are they perfect? No, they are kids trying to survive a most horrendous virus known to mankind.
As the reader, we see the Zombies. We hear the Zombies, but they are not overwhelming, even I could put up with them because the journey Xander embarks in puts his character on display. He’s strong. He’s courageous. That’s what we see on the outside. We also see his internal struggle, the one that shows he’s only a kid.
Well executed. It kept me turning the pages until there were no more to turn, but there is, book 2. In the next book will Mr. Sagliani continue the development of these wonderful characters.
If you are a lover of Zombie stories this one is a must read.
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