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Black Tide Rising #4.5
Black Tide Rising
RESIST THE ZOMBIE PLAGUE!
The news that humanity had been dreading for ages had come true. Zombies are real. Worst of all, we created them. The apocalypse was upon us, and every man, woman and child had to answer a simple question of themselves: “What do we do now?” For a group of neighbors in the Chicago suburbs of Northern Indiana, it was “work together or die”...and figure out how to live on top of oil storage tanks to keep the zombies at bay. For the Biological Emergency Response Teams in New York City, it was “how long can we fight off the infected before it's too late” . . .as well as having to fight other groups all out to claim a dwindling stock of supplies and safety. And for a group of cheerleaders, it was about the end of their world. And about what happens when you get a group of physically fit young women really, really angry.
Featuring original stories from some of the brightest stars in the science fiction universe:
“Never Been Kissed” by John Ringo
“Up on the Roof” by Eric Flint
“Staying Human” by Jody Lynn Nye
“On the Wall” by John Scalzi & Dave Klecha
“Do No Harm” by Sarah A. Hoyt
“Not in Vain” by Kacey Ezell
“How Do You Solve a Problem Like Grandpa?” by Michael Z. Williamson
“Battle of the BERTs “by Mike Massa
“The Road to Good Intentions” by Tedd Roberts
“200 Miles to Huntsville” by Christopher Smith
“Best Laid Plans” by Jason Cordova & Eric S. Brown
“The Meaning of Freedom” by John Ringo
The news that humanity had been dreading for ages had come true. Zombies are real. Worst of all, we created them. The apocalypse was upon us, and every man, woman and child had to answer a simple question of themselves: “What do we do now?” For a group of neighbors in the Chicago suburbs of Northern Indiana, it was “work together or die”...and figure out how to live on top of oil storage tanks to keep the zombies at bay. For the Biological Emergency Response Teams in New York City, it was “how long can we fight off the infected before it's too late” . . .as well as having to fight other groups all out to claim a dwindling stock of supplies and safety. And for a group of cheerleaders, it was about the end of their world. And about what happens when you get a group of physically fit young women really, really angry.
Featuring original stories from some of the brightest stars in the science fiction universe:
“Never Been Kissed” by John Ringo
“Up on the Roof” by Eric Flint
“Staying Human” by Jody Lynn Nye
“On the Wall” by John Scalzi & Dave Klecha
“Do No Harm” by Sarah A. Hoyt
“Not in Vain” by Kacey Ezell
“How Do You Solve a Problem Like Grandpa?” by Michael Z. Williamson
“Battle of the BERTs “by Mike Massa
“The Road to Good Intentions” by Tedd Roberts
“200 Miles to Huntsville” by Christopher Smith
“Best Laid Plans” by Jason Cordova & Eric S. Brown
“The Meaning of Freedom” by John Ringo
304 pages, Hardcover
First published June 7, 2016
147 people are currently reading
574 people want to read
About the author
John Ringo
101 books1,830 followersJohn Ringo is a prolific author who has written in a wide variety of genres. His early life included a great deal of travel. He visited 23 foreign countries, and attended fourteen different schools. After graduation Ringo enlisted in the US military for four years, after which he studied marine biology.
In 1999 he wrote and published his first novel "A Hymn Before Battle", which proved successful. Since 2000 Ringo has been a full time author.
He has written science fiction, military fiction, and fantasy.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
In 1999 he wrote and published his first novel "A Hymn Before Battle", which proved successful. Since 2000 Ringo has been a full time author.
He has written science fiction, military fiction, and fantasy.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
May 2, 2016
3.5 stars, it took me a month to work through this collection of short stories in one of my favorite series. For me it suffered from its lack of main stream characters, most of the stories were entirely disconnected from the main thread of the series.
March 12, 2016
I downloaded this e-arc through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
The Black Tide Rising world that John Ringo created was in no means original. Zombie stories have been written and rewritten for decades. What I appreciate about his version is how character driven it is and that these characters are smart and flawed. I really liked this short story collection because it brought more characters into the world, showed how other regions of the US and the world coped with the apocalypse, expanded on some story lines in the original series, and also gave other science fiction authors a chance to contribute. Some of my favorite stories include the ones written by John Scalzi and Dave Klecha ( On the wall), Michael Z. Williamson ( How do you solve a problem like Grandpa?), and Christopher Smith (200 miles to Huntsville). This collection of stories is a wonderful companion to the Black Tide Rising series.
The Black Tide Rising world that John Ringo created was in no means original. Zombie stories have been written and rewritten for decades. What I appreciate about his version is how character driven it is and that these characters are smart and flawed. I really liked this short story collection because it brought more characters into the world, showed how other regions of the US and the world coped with the apocalypse, expanded on some story lines in the original series, and also gave other science fiction authors a chance to contribute. Some of my favorite stories include the ones written by John Scalzi and Dave Klecha ( On the wall), Michael Z. Williamson ( How do you solve a problem like Grandpa?), and Christopher Smith (200 miles to Huntsville). This collection of stories is a wonderful companion to the Black Tide Rising series.
June 6, 2016
This is a fun anthology of short stories set in John Ringo's Zombie Apocalypse setting from "Under A Graveyard Sky," written by a range of authors from John Scalzi to Michael Z. Williamson. Probably the weakest two are the two contributed by Ringo himself, although I quite enjoyed his introductory story, where heroine Faith Smith explains why she named an alligator "Reginald." Ranging from the tale of survivors who set up a fortress on the top of oil tanks in Lake County, Indiana to a high school cheerleading team caught on the road in rural New Mexico, returning from a competition (one of the best stories in the book, IMHO, written by newcomer Kacey Ezell), all offer interesting takes on survivors who were not part of Ringo's "Wolf Squadron." I also liked Michael Z. Williamson's story of a crabby old prepper whose grandsons' become glad that their efforts to force him to divest his firearms collection were unsuccessful.
September 21, 2018
I enjoyed some of the stories, others not so much!
June 15, 2016
Love this book. Wasn't sure I would as it is mostly stories by other authors doing stories in the world of zombies created by John Ringo. Loved the various stories and characters. My only problem, I WANT MORE!!! Of each and every story. Oh well, maybe there will be more. Definitely recommend this book!
March 22, 2018
An anthology of stories in the Black Tide Rising universe created by John Ringo. A great mix of well known authors play around in the sandbox of the master of Mil-SF. It’s a great adder to the overall universe. Typical mix of good and mediocre found in an anthology, but mostly good. The final Ringo story also might leave you gape-jawed at the potential for things to come in the series.
TLDR: The Flint, Williamson, and last Ringo stories are worth the price of the book. These three get 5 stars. There are other good ones as well in the anthology. My average rating for the book is 3 stars (36 over 12 stories), and I call it a Worthwhile Read.
Individual story ratings below. Beware of spoilers (I try not to, but they are short stories, so...)
Never Been Kissed by John Ringo (2 star)
Up on the Roof by Eric Flint (5 stars)
Staying Human by Jody Lynn Nye (1 star)
On the Wall by John Scalzi & Dave Klecha (2 stars)
Do No Harm by Sarah Hoyt (3 stars)
Not in Vain by Kacey Ezell (3 stars)
How Do You Solve a Problem Like Grandpa? by Michael Z. Williamson (5 stars)
Battle of the BERTs by Mike Massa (3 stars)
The Road to Good Intentions by Tedd Roberts (3 stars)
200 Miles to Huntsville by Christopher Smith (2 stars)
Best Laid Plans by Jason Cordova & Eric S. Brown (2 stars)
The Meaning of Freedom by John Ringo (5 stars)
TLDR: The Flint, Williamson, and last Ringo stories are worth the price of the book. These three get 5 stars. There are other good ones as well in the anthology. My average rating for the book is 3 stars (36 over 12 stories), and I call it a Worthwhile Read.
Individual story ratings below. Beware of spoilers (I try not to, but they are short stories, so...)
Never Been Kissed by John Ringo (2 star)
Very short. Musings of Faith about the fate of all the people she knew.
Up on the Roof by Eric Flint (5 stars)
An excellent story of a group of survivors who make an excellent choice to ride out the apocalypse atop a gasoline tank farm. Really good setup, detailed enough without being boring, and good character development in a short time. I would like to read a full novel about this group.
Staying Human by Jody Lynn Nye (1 star)
Missed the mark on several key points about the behavior of the zombies in this universe. Sentiment is all over the place and turns very preachy about being better and not seeking revenge against the ‘poor infected’. Waste of my time.
On the Wall by John Scalzi & Dave Klecha (2 stars)
Annoying. Some humor, but of the obnoxious variety. The entire story is dialogue, which makes it read like an episode of Gilmore Girls. One of the characters is such a douche that he needed to be thrown to the zombies.
Do No Harm by Sarah Hoyt (3 stars)
An ER nurse must come to grips with ‘kill or be killed’ as the hospital is overrun with zombies. Good story. Great character development for a short story length tale.
Not in Vain by Kacey Ezell (3 stars)
A group of cheerleaders and their coach must step up if they want to reach a safe haven in the zombie apocalypse. Excellent character development, but too short. I want more!
How Do You Solve a Problem Like Grandpa? by Michael Z. Williamson (5 stars)
Grandpa is a vet, but his grandkids think he’s a gun hoarder that needs an intervention... until the zombies hit. Best one in the book. Grandpa was right, and he ain’t taking no more of your crap, you little shits!
Battle of the BERTs by Mike Massa (3 stars)
Interesting story of the teams sent out to control infected on the streets of New York before everything gets completely out of control. This one ties in directly with events form Book 1 in the series.
The Road to Good Intentions by Tedd Roberts (3 stars)
A small town in the Blue Ridge Mountains could be a refuge for some, but only if they can keep outside influences from ruining things. One man struggles with his own religious issues as the local pastor calls his survival of the fever a miracle and sets him of as a beacon of hope. A decent story with good details, but the ending is abrupt and left hanging. The use of religion as a plot device is bothersome.
200 Miles to Huntsville by Christopher Smith (2 stars)
A post-war Vet turned cop, his dirty-cop partner, and the prisoner they are escorting find themselves in a cultish Hicksville, Texas as the final shoe begins to drop. I didn’t care for this one mainly because of the use of religion as a plot device. The writing and characters were ok, but the blurring of good/bad would not be something I’d want to keep reading for much longer.
Best Laid Plans by Jason Cordova & Eric S. Brown (2 stars)
A group of thieves are determined to rob the Louvre despite the zombie apocalypse. Interesting, but too short to get to know the characters well. The humor is quirky and not all that funny to me (others might find it more so).
The Meaning of Freedom by John Ringo (5 stars)
An interesting interlude that shows the true nature of the ‘beta’ zombies that has been hinted at in the main series. It raises a huge moral question, which I won’t spoil. This one is a thinker, unlike the ‘killing infected’ or ‘using infected for medicine’ questions that I found to be trite in the main series itself. This story is a must read for the series.
August 20, 2021
I enjoy the main series and the universe is an interesting one in Ringo's zombie apocalypse. Zombies are called zombies. The infection is grounded. The biggest point of interest is that people try and establish and maintain a law and moral system within the craziness of the end of the world. It's a refreshing take (even if it gives government agents more credit than reality - but this is fiction after all!)
Below are my short assessments, without spoilers, of each short story:
“Never Been Kissed” by John Ringo - One of two stories that involve some of the main cast, nothing really to applaud but not really a good choice to kick off the series.
“Up on the Roof” by Eric Flint - The flotilla story from the main series but on an industrial farm instead. There are a lot of parallel characters here that Flint uses from the main story which is a help in that it grounds it in the universe. There is also the logic and ramifications. This is obviously from someone who knew the series and wanted to honor the source material.
“Staying Human” by Jody Lynn Nye - While having some interesting points of doctors in the early days of the outbreak, the inclusion of smarter zombies not introduced in the main series is a story out of place.
“On the Wall” by John Scalzi & Dave Klecha - I love Scalzi's writing in general. This one had some good dialogue moments and honored the tone of the main story. I was just hoping for more from him.
“Do No Harm” by Sarah A. Hoyt - Doctors in the early days of the outbreak. Not too much to say and kind of a bland story. Should have focused on a couple of the characters more to make it more of an impacting story.
“Not in Vain” by Kacey Ezell - This was just a fun story. Cheerleaders, led by a BA coach, who try and survive. I would love to see the characters included in the main story.
“How Do You Solve a Problem Like Grandpa?” by Michael Z. Williamson - A story where you see where they're going but it just kind of fizzles out.
“Battle of the BERTs “by Mike Massa - A story that is for sure in line with the tone of the main story whereas this one takes the other side of the line of an attempt to hold moral and legal values but it not really coming succeeding. It has some interesting parts but is just a bit too long.
“The Road to Good Intentions” by Tedd Roberts - Pretty boring.
“200 Miles to Huntsville” by Christopher Smith - Someone wanted to write a story from Pulp Fiction in this universe. Honestly, the story could have taken 5-10 minutes and the rest of the story involving a police officer and criminal could have been the better story.
“Best Laid Plans” by Jason Cordova & Eric S. Brown - Interesting concept of a heist of the Louver in the middle of the zombie apocalypse but pretty boring.
“The Meaning of Freedom” by John Ringo - So a story that doesn't involve action but the other storyline from the main concept, which makes sense when it comes from the author himself. Discussion on what to do with a beta variant of the infected and the discussion of using them as breeders/workers/maybe slaves and the greater ramifications to the survivors, humanity, and the quality of life in an almost-post-apocalyptic recovery. A great story to end the short story collection.
Besides two to three stories, this was pretty meh. I wish many of the authors would have taken points from the main story and included more of them in the collection. Many felt like generic zombie stories. Some were a joy to listen to.
Final Grade - C
Below are my short assessments, without spoilers, of each short story:
“Never Been Kissed” by John Ringo - One of two stories that involve some of the main cast, nothing really to applaud but not really a good choice to kick off the series.
“Up on the Roof” by Eric Flint - The flotilla story from the main series but on an industrial farm instead. There are a lot of parallel characters here that Flint uses from the main story which is a help in that it grounds it in the universe. There is also the logic and ramifications. This is obviously from someone who knew the series and wanted to honor the source material.
“Staying Human” by Jody Lynn Nye - While having some interesting points of doctors in the early days of the outbreak, the inclusion of smarter zombies not introduced in the main series is a story out of place.
“On the Wall” by John Scalzi & Dave Klecha - I love Scalzi's writing in general. This one had some good dialogue moments and honored the tone of the main story. I was just hoping for more from him.
“Do No Harm” by Sarah A. Hoyt - Doctors in the early days of the outbreak. Not too much to say and kind of a bland story. Should have focused on a couple of the characters more to make it more of an impacting story.
“Not in Vain” by Kacey Ezell - This was just a fun story. Cheerleaders, led by a BA coach, who try and survive. I would love to see the characters included in the main story.
“How Do You Solve a Problem Like Grandpa?” by Michael Z. Williamson - A story where you see where they're going but it just kind of fizzles out.
“Battle of the BERTs “by Mike Massa - A story that is for sure in line with the tone of the main story whereas this one takes the other side of the line of an attempt to hold moral and legal values but it not really coming succeeding. It has some interesting parts but is just a bit too long.
“The Road to Good Intentions” by Tedd Roberts - Pretty boring.
“200 Miles to Huntsville” by Christopher Smith - Someone wanted to write a story from Pulp Fiction in this universe. Honestly, the story could have taken 5-10 minutes and the rest of the story involving a police officer and criminal could have been the better story.
“Best Laid Plans” by Jason Cordova & Eric S. Brown - Interesting concept of a heist of the Louver in the middle of the zombie apocalypse but pretty boring.
“The Meaning of Freedom” by John Ringo - So a story that doesn't involve action but the other storyline from the main concept, which makes sense when it comes from the author himself. Discussion on what to do with a beta variant of the infected and the discussion of using them as breeders/workers/maybe slaves and the greater ramifications to the survivors, humanity, and the quality of life in an almost-post-apocalyptic recovery. A great story to end the short story collection.
Besides two to three stories, this was pretty meh. I wish many of the authors would have taken points from the main story and included more of them in the collection. Many felt like generic zombie stories. Some were a joy to listen to.
Final Grade - C
August 12, 2018
This is an anthology of some very good Sci-Fi writers each giving their take on "Zombie Apocalypse" stories. Several were good enough that I wanted to read more, and I usually dislike dystopian stories as being too grim. These (most of them anyway) are more showing what the people who are survivors do, the decisions they make in order to NOT become victims or food & most important are the attitudes. Just like in real emergencies, attitude is the difference between winners who make things happen vs the apathetic who have things happen to them...
Of course many stories have veterans or first responders filling critical roles, just as we do in real life. I also suggest that you try the novels by several of these authors, especially John Ringo! The Troy Rising series is great (I just wish book 4 comes soon!) as well as the Legacy of the Aldenata aka Posleen books he's partnered with. I also greatly like the Empire of Man series he did with David Weber (Great author!)
Of course many stories have veterans or first responders filling critical roles, just as we do in real life. I also suggest that you try the novels by several of these authors, especially John Ringo! The Troy Rising series is great (I just wish book 4 comes soon!) as well as the Legacy of the Aldenata aka Posleen books he's partnered with. I also greatly like the Empire of Man series he did with David Weber (Great author!)
March 30, 2021
After an author puts out several good books you can get an obligatory anthology. Usually it includes several authors (friends of the original author and not always known by very many) who each put their own spin on the world. This collection of authors includes Jody Lynn Nye who also wrote with, then took over for, Robert Aspirin's Myth series.
The assortment of authors continue with a wide variety of people with their faults, fortes, vices and virtues. In seeing others experiences we learn new ways to survive the zombie apocalypse. From different styles of bugging out/in to how to run a generator without being so loud as to attract the undead. Sadly we also see the inability of man to deal with each other.
If you are unsure if you want to enter this world this book lets you peak inside the realm, if not the characters of the main story. That is also an interesting aspect of anthologies, seeing the varied perspectives of the people.
The assortment of authors continue with a wide variety of people with their faults, fortes, vices and virtues. In seeing others experiences we learn new ways to survive the zombie apocalypse. From different styles of bugging out/in to how to run a generator without being so loud as to attract the undead. Sadly we also see the inability of man to deal with each other.
If you are unsure if you want to enter this world this book lets you peak inside the realm, if not the characters of the main story. That is also an interesting aspect of anthologies, seeing the varied perspectives of the people.
December 12, 2018
This was an interesting collection. Each story is written by a different author but they take place in the world that was made by John Ringo for his Black Tide Rising series. To be totally honest, I haven't read the series but I saw this book on sale and decided to give it a shot.
The world is interesting. It is one of the better premises for a zombie outbreak that I have read. It seems to take care of a lot of the common problems in zombie stories such as if zombies eat people, why do so many people become zombies? I also like that a lot of the stories revolve around surviving more than fighting zombies.
Of course, like any collection with a bunch of stories by different people, I liked some stories better than others. But I would still recommend the collection. It made me decide to pick up the series to see if it is as good as the collection.
The world is interesting. It is one of the better premises for a zombie outbreak that I have read. It seems to take care of a lot of the common problems in zombie stories such as if zombies eat people, why do so many people become zombies? I also like that a lot of the stories revolve around surviving more than fighting zombies.
Of course, like any collection with a bunch of stories by different people, I liked some stories better than others. But I would still recommend the collection. It made me decide to pick up the series to see if it is as good as the collection.
September 11, 2017
Many fun stories about people either surviving or getting eaten by zombies. And John Ringo adds a second, final story to the end so he can ring a few more OH JOHN RINGO NO bells (a lot of the zombies turn out to be non-infectious docile morons, ideal for slavery or forced pregnancy, which is lucky because western civilizations breed more slowly than eastern ones so American civilization will fail and the ravening barbarian hordes will win unless all American women start bearing as many children as possible which requires them to withdraw from all other work and stop wearing shoes. Also, all hunter gatherer societies led lives of violent desperation. All objections to any of this are obviously just concerned about sounding PC).
January 2, 2019
I guess this makes it official. John ringo Has abandoned another yet unfinished book series he has going.
I honestly love the worlds Ringo invents and have read just about everything he has put out. Even though i have come to understand over the many years i have been reading his books that the chances of him ever actually finishing a series is just about Nill.
Shrug .. What can i say ..I love his books. Dislike the fact he can't seem to finish a series with a clear cut ending.
1 star. Why? Because I am interesting in reading the conclusion or continuation of any of his many series. Not something completely unrelated written by others. Even if it is set in one of his alt realitys.
Harsh? Maybe. But it is what it is.
I honestly love the worlds Ringo invents and have read just about everything he has put out. Even though i have come to understand over the many years i have been reading his books that the chances of him ever actually finishing a series is just about Nill.
Shrug .. What can i say ..I love his books. Dislike the fact he can't seem to finish a series with a clear cut ending.
1 star. Why? Because I am interesting in reading the conclusion or continuation of any of his many series. Not something completely unrelated written by others. Even if it is set in one of his alt realitys.
Harsh? Maybe. But it is what it is.
September 7, 2020
This series is being made into a graphic novel if anyone is interested. The fundraising has begun! It looks fantastic so far. This is cut/paste from the promoter: "Support new content and proven creators in an age of endless reboots! Pre-order your copy of Black Tide Rising: Volume 1 on Indiegogo today!
New York Times Bestselling novelist John Ringo's epic book series, adapted by comics legend Chuck Dixon! Art by Derlis Santacruz, colors by Brett Smith, and a cover by Star Wars icon Dave Dorman!"
You can search Black Tide Rising on the Indiegogo platform or this is the link> https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/bl...
I know the guys involved (the Hound Dog Media guys) & they are working hard. Send them $10 if you've got it! Thanks!
New York Times Bestselling novelist John Ringo's epic book series, adapted by comics legend Chuck Dixon! Art by Derlis Santacruz, colors by Brett Smith, and a cover by Star Wars icon Dave Dorman!"
You can search Black Tide Rising on the Indiegogo platform or this is the link> https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/bl...
I know the guys involved (the Hound Dog Media guys) & they are working hard. Send them $10 if you've got it! Thanks!
December 6, 2020
Never Been Kissed ***
Up on the Roof ****
Staying Human **
On the Wall ***
Do No Harm ***
Not in Vain ***
How Do You Solve a Problem Like Grandpa? ***
This had more potential, but it was too heavy handed, plus Sam really needed to be eaten by zombies.
Battle of the BERTs ****
The Road to Good Intentions **
200 Miles to Huntsville ****
Best Laid Plans **
The Meaning of Freedom ****
Faith’s zombie anthropology was a plot thread that was inexplicably abandoned in Book 3, but it is picked up here. But are the readers never going to get any explanation of who caused the zombie apocalypse and why??? This was a major plot thread in Book 1, but it was it abandoned and has never been picked up yet.
Up on the Roof ****
Staying Human **
On the Wall ***
Do No Harm ***
Not in Vain ***
How Do You Solve a Problem Like Grandpa? ***
This had more potential, but it was too heavy handed, plus Sam really needed to be eaten by zombies.
Battle of the BERTs ****
The Road to Good Intentions **
200 Miles to Huntsville ****
Best Laid Plans **
The Meaning of Freedom ****
Faith’s zombie anthropology was a plot thread that was inexplicably abandoned in Book 3, but it is picked up here. But are the readers never going to get any explanation of who caused the zombie apocalypse and why??? This was a major plot thread in Book 1, but it was it abandoned and has never been picked up yet.
April 15, 2019
Mature authors explore the Black Tide universe. (Why "Black" Tide? Only a minor racially-sensitive question.)
Rather than the lily-white white-bread schema of the main series, the disparate authors of these short fiction pieces explore the versatility and common sense of non-Stars-and-Bars ignorati.
After the profoundly ignorant spews of the main series, these mature pieces are a refreshing reminder that good people come in many shades of melanin and that there are more ideas in the universe than a simple-minded jerk can comprehend.
Rather than the lily-white white-bread schema of the main series, the disparate authors of these short fiction pieces explore the versatility and common sense of non-Stars-and-Bars ignorati.
After the profoundly ignorant spews of the main series, these mature pieces are a refreshing reminder that good people come in many shades of melanin and that there are more ideas in the universe than a simple-minded jerk can comprehend.
June 12, 2017
This collection has gems in it...but it also had turds and some in between. Overall it wasn't a great collection which is sad.
Some stories fit the world and back story and had solid attempts to expand the world.
Others, well you could tell the authors read a synopsis somewhere and then tried to write in the world and ended up in mush.
Others were just boring. Overall I struggled to finish about half the stories.
Some stories fit the world and back story and had solid attempts to expand the world.
Others, well you could tell the authors read a synopsis somewhere and then tried to write in the world and ended up in mush.
Others were just boring. Overall I struggled to finish about half the stories.
May 27, 2024
Review is for the first eight volumes in the series -
An entertaining if slightly repetitive series that follows a logical but somewhat fantastical cast through adventures whose tension dims with every new entry without fatalities. (Seriously, there is plenty of plot-fuel mass death but exactly one sort of important person dies in eight books and that was in an accident - statistically it's absurd given the world as presented).
An entertaining if slightly repetitive series that follows a logical but somewhat fantastical cast through adventures whose tension dims with every new entry without fatalities. (Seriously, there is plenty of plot-fuel mass death but exactly one sort of important person dies in eight books and that was in an accident - statistically it's absurd given the world as presented).
April 25, 2019
Surprisingly good entries in this collection. While Ringo's writing has some flaws, imho, his ideas can be top notch. This collection takes the zombie apocalypse stories he's written and hands it over to other authors. The results are considerably more hit than miss.
This can be read and enjoyed without suffering through Ringo's books, if that's a consideration.
This can be read and enjoyed without suffering through Ringo's books, if that's a consideration.
September 7, 2017
This is why I don't read short story books ! When you have 11 different authors some are good and many are not very good ! Short stories also leave too many things hanging and do not give you a sense of completion and fulfillment ! Very uneven ! Just a so-so book !
January 1, 2018
Zombies Like Never Before
This book of short stories kept me intrigued the whole way through. Not a single story was dull. They were however incredibly different from one another, putting us in places in the universe we have never seen before.
This book of short stories kept me intrigued the whole way through. Not a single story was dull. They were however incredibly different from one another, putting us in places in the universe we have never seen before.
July 21, 2019
Fun In the Apocalypse
I enjoyed the anthology. The only thing wrong with it was the brevity. I would start really getting into the story and characters and it was over. A truly enjoyable read.
I enjoyed the anthology. The only thing wrong with it was the brevity. I would start really getting into the story and characters and it was over. A truly enjoyable read.
April 14, 2020
Never Been Kisses **
Up On the Roof ***
Staying Human *
On the Wall **
Do No Harm ***
Not in Vain **
How do you solve a problem like Grandpa *
Battle of the BERTs *
The Road to Good Intentions *
200 Miles to Huntsville *
Best Laid Plans *
The Meaning of Freedom *
Up On the Roof ***
Staying Human *
On the Wall **
Do No Harm ***
Not in Vain **
How do you solve a problem like Grandpa *
Battle of the BERTs *
The Road to Good Intentions *
200 Miles to Huntsville *
Best Laid Plans *
The Meaning of Freedom *
August 26, 2020
Ok, this was a great idea. In the world falling apart, there are a million good little tales to tell. They could do 100 more of these collections of stories. I'd read em. Most were very good. Now back to the regular story, in progress.
August 24, 2025
It's an anthology from various Sci Fi authors. Each author covers the beginning of the zombi apocalypse from various geographic areas and perspectives. It's interesting, but ... I just wanted to learn more about where the series was going.
January 14, 2017
This book is an anthology of stories associated with the other Black Tide Rising books, but not about the Wolf Squadron starred in the previous books (Black Tide Rising 1 - 4).
May 16, 2017
uneven. Some parts rated 4 stars some parts rated 2 stars
July 5, 2017
Very thought-provoking, and a great selection of authors. I got introduced to several that I hadn't read yet.
August 27, 2017
An outstanding collection of short works set in Ringo's zombie plague universe. The differing styles really make this an enjoyable read.
September 4, 2017
A bit uneven, but the good stories are very good.
October 14, 2017
Great anthology!
Overall this is a great anthology. A story or two falter a bit but the rest make up for it.
Overall this is a great anthology. A story or two falter a bit but the rest make up for it.
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