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Day by Day Armageddon #4
Day by Day Armageddon: Ghost Run
The acclaimed and eagerly anticipated fourth thriller in the zombie apocalypse series from the author of Day by Day Armageddon and Day by Day Beyond Exile , for fans of the smash hit show The Walking Dead .
In a desperate bid to survive as hordes of bloodthirsty undead now dominate the ravaged U.S. population, a Navy commander discovers an incredible secret about the pandemic in this fourth novel in the acclaimed Day by Day Armageddon series.
Task Force Phoenix may be humanity’s final hope, and the narrator's agonizing decisions could mean living one more day—or surrendering to the eternal hell that exists between life and death.
Ghost Run is a suspenseful, gripping, and intelligent thriller that will terrify die-hard horror fans and reinforce J.L. Bourne’s reputation as “the new king of hardcore zombie action” (Brad Thor, author of Act of War ).
In a desperate bid to survive as hordes of bloodthirsty undead now dominate the ravaged U.S. population, a Navy commander discovers an incredible secret about the pandemic in this fourth novel in the acclaimed Day by Day Armageddon series.
Task Force Phoenix may be humanity’s final hope, and the narrator's agonizing decisions could mean living one more day—or surrendering to the eternal hell that exists between life and death.
Ghost Run is a suspenseful, gripping, and intelligent thriller that will terrify die-hard horror fans and reinforce J.L. Bourne’s reputation as “the new king of hardcore zombie action” (Brad Thor, author of Act of War ).
256 pages, Paperback
First published July 19, 2016
104 people are currently reading
1027 people want to read
About the author
J.L. Bourne
11 books1,112 followersWelcome to the Official J.L. Bourne Goodreads page.
J.L. Bourne is a retired military officer and national best selling author of the horror series, DAY BY DAY ARMAGEDDON, and dystopian thriller, TOMORROW WAR.
With twenty years of active military and intelligence community service behind him, J.L. brands a realistic and unique style of fiction.
J.L. lives on the Gulf Coast but is sometimes spotted toting a rifle and a knife in the rural hills of Arkansas where he grew up.
J.L. Bourne is a retired military officer and national best selling author of the horror series, DAY BY DAY ARMAGEDDON, and dystopian thriller, TOMORROW WAR.
With twenty years of active military and intelligence community service behind him, J.L. brands a realistic and unique style of fiction.
J.L. lives on the Gulf Coast but is sometimes spotted toting a rifle and a knife in the rural hills of Arkansas where he grew up.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews
August 7, 2016
I'm pretty bummed about this. I want so badly for the series that created my fascination in zombie survival journals to bring new life to the genre, but I'm afraid this one only made me worry. J.L. Bourne is a soldier who knows all the names for the latest survival gadgets, how a secret organization might try and take advantage of the zombie apocalypse, and how one man might use his military training and refusal to quit attitude to survive astronomical odds. Bourne again shows what he's good at, but unfortunately, this book leaves out the character interest that we had in series' first two books.
The storyline for Ghost Run puts our hero on a solitary mission to recover the cure to the zombie virus so he can make a better world for his wife and baby. While we catch his thoughts and fears about not seeing them and missing them while he's away, as well as the most character focused area in his struggle with painkiller addiction, the story was 95% run and shoot zombies. There were some tense corners that he had to escape from, but as the book rounded past the halfway point, I really became disappointed that more time wasn't put into character interaction. It was as if this book could have been a silent movie, and that's not what I was hoping for.
I listened to the audiobook version produced by Audible, which was pretty decent, but the narrator didn't really stand out...nor did he bring attention to himself, so if you prefer audiobooks, going this route would be fine.
If there is another book in this series I really hope we get our cast back together and make them survive together. Kil needs people to talk to.
The storyline for Ghost Run puts our hero on a solitary mission to recover the cure to the zombie virus so he can make a better world for his wife and baby. While we catch his thoughts and fears about not seeing them and missing them while he's away, as well as the most character focused area in his struggle with painkiller addiction, the story was 95% run and shoot zombies. There were some tense corners that he had to escape from, but as the book rounded past the halfway point, I really became disappointed that more time wasn't put into character interaction. It was as if this book could have been a silent movie, and that's not what I was hoping for.
I listened to the audiobook version produced by Audible, which was pretty decent, but the narrator didn't really stand out...nor did he bring attention to himself, so if you prefer audiobooks, going this route would be fine.
If there is another book in this series I really hope we get our cast back together and make them survive together. Kil needs people to talk to.
July 19, 2016
*4.5 Stars
I was first introduced to J.L. Bourne’s writing several years ago. We were on vacation, and my wife and I spent some time perusing the shelves at the local Barnes & Noble. I found “Two Zombie Thrillers in One Volume!” The cover immediately caught my eye and I left the store with Day By Day Armageddon, Origin to Exile and a few other great books in my hands.
J.L. Bourne’s style immediately captured my interest and hooked me on his approach. It was unlike anything I had ever read before. Day By Day Armageddon is not your typical narrative. It is written as the journal of the protagonist, once the shit hits the fan. He made me feel like Kil’s shadow as he experienced his world going to hell.
Well, now I am on book four in the series. Needless to say, I am addicted. I enjoyed the fact that J.L. Bourne returned to the journal approach for Ghost Run (this was abandoned in book three, Shattered Hourglass). This style works well in Kil’s world, it is something that sets the Day By Day Armageddon series apart in the supersaturated zombie world.
What I enjoyed most about Ghost Run was the…I won’t call it development…perhaps, evolution of the protagonist, Kil. Kil is a highly trained Navy commander, he has basic survival skills ingrained in his training; in the first few books, Kil often comes across as a zombie killing survival machine. Now, he has some more to lose, and we see a few cracks in his Superman armor – we begin to see his kryptonite.
Ghost Run truly is an evolution in J.L. Bourne’s writing. It stays true to the original spirit of the series, with more growth to the protagonist. J.L. Bourne has created a world that could be filled with many more stories.
*I received a copy of the book from the publisher (via NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review.
I was first introduced to J.L. Bourne’s writing several years ago. We were on vacation, and my wife and I spent some time perusing the shelves at the local Barnes & Noble. I found “Two Zombie Thrillers in One Volume!” The cover immediately caught my eye and I left the store with Day By Day Armageddon, Origin to Exile and a few other great books in my hands.
J.L. Bourne’s style immediately captured my interest and hooked me on his approach. It was unlike anything I had ever read before. Day By Day Armageddon is not your typical narrative. It is written as the journal of the protagonist, once the shit hits the fan. He made me feel like Kil’s shadow as he experienced his world going to hell.
Well, now I am on book four in the series. Needless to say, I am addicted. I enjoyed the fact that J.L. Bourne returned to the journal approach for Ghost Run (this was abandoned in book three, Shattered Hourglass). This style works well in Kil’s world, it is something that sets the Day By Day Armageddon series apart in the supersaturated zombie world.
What I enjoyed most about Ghost Run was the…I won’t call it development…perhaps, evolution of the protagonist, Kil. Kil is a highly trained Navy commander, he has basic survival skills ingrained in his training; in the first few books, Kil often comes across as a zombie killing survival machine. Now, he has some more to lose, and we see a few cracks in his Superman armor – we begin to see his kryptonite.
Ghost Run truly is an evolution in J.L. Bourne’s writing. It stays true to the original spirit of the series, with more growth to the protagonist. J.L. Bourne has created a world that could be filled with many more stories.
*I received a copy of the book from the publisher (via NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review.
August 8, 2016
Received a free copy from Netgalley for a fair and honest review.
It's been a very long time since I had read this series. Appreciated the refresher in the beginning. This series came out before The Walking Dead and before the market was flooded with zombie fiction. The authors background helps make the story more believable. Really enjoyed this but thought it ended rather abruptly.
It's been a very long time since I had read this series. Appreciated the refresher in the beginning. This series came out before The Walking Dead and before the market was flooded with zombie fiction. The authors background helps make the story more believable. Really enjoyed this but thought it ended rather abruptly.
August 13, 2020
Instead of the plethora of point of views and characters that had stifled the third installment of the series, here we find the original hero, Kil, on a solo mission between Florida and Georgia.
I must admit that I had a hard time capturing some scenes, I found them a bit messy, a bit repetitive, and sometimes uninteresting. There are however a few rare passages of very good quality, but overall it is not at the level of the first two parts of the series.
And the end is scamped in a few pages, with a conclusion that is quite difficult to understand.
In short, it's military post ap which returns to the sources of the series, that of the solitary hero in a world given over to zombies, based solely on action.
Something is missing.
For lovers of the genre only.
I must admit that I had a hard time capturing some scenes, I found them a bit messy, a bit repetitive, and sometimes uninteresting. There are however a few rare passages of very good quality, but overall it is not at the level of the first two parts of the series.
And the end is scamped in a few pages, with a conclusion that is quite difficult to understand.
In short, it's military post ap which returns to the sources of the series, that of the solitary hero in a world given over to zombies, based solely on action.
Something is missing.
For lovers of the genre only.
December 26, 2016
I thought it was okay. I miss the style of the first 2 books in the series. It felt like a lot was thrown in here just to make it more exciting but I felt it was flat. The ending seemed to be a little forced and was far too quick. The last page also made no sense either. There was no real explanation either. It was as if the editor said you have x amount of pager for the book and the author got to page z and said oh I need to end it now.
August 8, 2016
Too much jargon, too many repetitive actions (we get it, the drone has a nuclear battery), and just not a fan of the change (and now flip flopping back and forth) style vs. the first two books. JL is a good writer, but this is not his best.
February 22, 2020
Inhalt/Meinung
Wie lange hab ich darauf gewartet, dass dieses Buch erscheint!
Und als es dann da war, konnte und wollte ich es nicht lesen, weil Band 2 und 3 dieser Reihe mich derart enttäuschten, dass ich mir sicher, was es könnte nicht besser werden. Nach einigen Monaten wurde meine Neugier aber immer stärker. Ich hab mich ein wenig umgehört und mir wurde von einigen Stellen beteuert, Band 4 findet zu der Glanzleistung von Band 1 zurück.
Nun. Wir werden sehen. ABER ACHTUNG! Diese Rezension kann Spuren von SPOILERN enthalten!
Wie ihr wisst, steh ich auf Zombieromane! Tagebuch der Apokalypse Band 1(!!) ist eines meiner Lieblingsbücher und ich könnte es immer und immer wieder lesen. Ich hatte wirklich Bauchschmerzen, Band 4 zu lesen, aber andererseits wollte ich halt einfach auch wissen, die Geschichte um Kilroy endet. Denn irgendwann muss sie ja vorbei sein, so oder so.
Vielleicht fange ich mit den guten Seiten des Buches an.
Dir Schreibstil ist klasse! Ich versank in der Geschichte, klebte an den Seiten, weil es einfach spannend geschrieben ist. Der Autor versteh es, Atmosphäre zu erschaffen und den Leser zu fesseln. Das kann er einfach wirklich gut und ich freue mich, dass er das in dieser Geschichte auch wieder getan hat.
Ich finde gut, dass die Geschichte nun wirklich zu ende ist. Es kann nicht weiter gehen, alles andere wäre ausschlachten und Geldmacherei.
Was ich aber wirklich, wirklich am allerallerbesten an dieser Geschichte fand war…
… die letzte Seite! Herrgott war ich froh, als dieser Quatsch endlich zu ende war. Ich liebe Zombieromane und ich weiß, dass vieles natürlich erfunden ist. Ich kenne keinen, der auf echte Erfahrungen in Bezug auf das Thema zurückgreifen kann. Aber ich bin mir auch ziemlich sicher, dass niemand Superman ist und alles, wirklich ALLES überlebt, ohne wirklich bedenkliche Verletzungen abzubekommen.
(Denkt bitte an die SPOILER! Wer eine Spoilerunverträglichkeit hat, sollte JETZT aufhören zu lesen!)
Die Story fängt schon abstrus an. Kil verfolgt einen Funkspruch mitten ins Zombieverseuchte Festland. Alleine. Er kämpft sich durch, kann sowieso alles und kommt an seinem Ziel an. Allerdings findet er nicht das, was er dachte dort zu finden. Eine seltsame Leiche, mehr nicht. Er klaut eine Uhr, zieht die Leiche in ne Gasse und will gehen. Ich meine, what? Was denkt er sich dabei? Er ist nicht mal enttäuscht! Er wundert sich nicht. Er verfolgt einfach, meiner Meinung, den Weg, den der Autor ihm aufgeschrieben hat, ohne selbst zu denken. Er ist Meilen und Wochen von zu Hause entfernt, könnte jeden Augenblick sterben und ist NICHT enttäuscht, dass er quasi NICHTS gefunden hat? Nicht sauer? Niemals! Sofern er nicht ein Roboter geworden ist, glaub ich das einfach nicht!
Natürlich findet er mehr als nur eine Uhr. Anscheinend hockt neben dieser Leiche ein Roboterhund, der im Grunde alles kann. Was für ein Zufall, das Kilroy ihn findet, wo er doch dem Funkspruch gefolgt ist. Das alles klang für mich so konstruiert, dass es einfach albern war. Der Roboterhund (folgend RH) entwickelt sich zu einem heimlichen Protagonisten, denn Kil lässt ihn alles erkunden, was er nicht kann oder will. In einer Welt voller Zombies wird das Leben durch einen RH erheblich einfacher, muss ich Kil ja lassen. Aber es machte die Geschichte natürlich auch einfacher, denn Zombies weglocken oder unbekanntes Gebiet erforschen ist halt nur halb so aufregend, wenn es ein RH tut. Lustig ist auch, dass der RH nur eine sehr begrenzte Reichweite hat. Noch lustiger ist, dass dieser RH am Ende mehrere hundert Meilen auf dem Festland hinter sich bringt, obwohl Kil ganz offensichtlich aus seiner Reichweite verschwunden ist. Alles ziemlich ziemlich lustig, wenn ihr mich fragt. Happy End ist ja gut und schon, aber es darf auch mal jemand sterben, auch ein RH.
Die Geschichte geht so abstrus weiter, wie sie angefangen hat. Kil entkommt jedem und allem und alles. Wird verletzt, aber wir erinnern uns, er ist Superman, deswegen passiert ihm auch nichts weiter. Nebenher kuriert er ein Medikamentenproblem bei sich selbst, rettet ein paar Menschen und, ach ja, die Menschheit. Ich brech vom Glauben ab! Kil stürmt alleine in ein Haus voller Zombies. Tausende, laut seiner Aussage und springt dann mehr oder weniger unbeschadet mit einem Fallschirm und einem Arzt vom Dach. Vielleicht hat Batman seine Finger auch noch im Spiel, man weiß es nicht.
Die Story gleicht einem Roadtrip und ich bleibe dabei, schreiben kann der Autor, aber inhaltlich ist diese Geschichte einfach nur Schwachsinn schwach. Ein gut durchdachter Plot wäre hier wirklich Gold wert gewesen. Nicht, dass alles schlecht gewesen wäre, aber auf mich wirkte die Story wie ganz schnell runtergeschrieben, weil eben ein Ende hermusste. Schade. Wirklich, wirklich schade.
Fazit
Wer Tagebuch der Apokalypse 1 gelesen hat, sollte sofort aufhören. Wer, wie ich, weitergelesen hat, kann Band 4 auch noch lesen, weil darauf kommt es jetzt auch nicht mehr an. Man weiß, wie es endet, obwohl im Grunde rein gar nichts passiert. Kil streift meiner Meinung nach vollkommen sinnlos durch ein Zombieverseuchtes Land, fährt von A nach B und das wars. Schreibstil topp, Storyinhalt flopp.
Wie lange hab ich darauf gewartet, dass dieses Buch erscheint!
Und als es dann da war, konnte und wollte ich es nicht lesen, weil Band 2 und 3 dieser Reihe mich derart enttäuschten, dass ich mir sicher, was es könnte nicht besser werden. Nach einigen Monaten wurde meine Neugier aber immer stärker. Ich hab mich ein wenig umgehört und mir wurde von einigen Stellen beteuert, Band 4 findet zu der Glanzleistung von Band 1 zurück.
Nun. Wir werden sehen. ABER ACHTUNG! Diese Rezension kann Spuren von SPOILERN enthalten!
Wie ihr wisst, steh ich auf Zombieromane! Tagebuch der Apokalypse Band 1(!!) ist eines meiner Lieblingsbücher und ich könnte es immer und immer wieder lesen. Ich hatte wirklich Bauchschmerzen, Band 4 zu lesen, aber andererseits wollte ich halt einfach auch wissen, die Geschichte um Kilroy endet. Denn irgendwann muss sie ja vorbei sein, so oder so.
Vielleicht fange ich mit den guten Seiten des Buches an.
Dir Schreibstil ist klasse! Ich versank in der Geschichte, klebte an den Seiten, weil es einfach spannend geschrieben ist. Der Autor versteh es, Atmosphäre zu erschaffen und den Leser zu fesseln. Das kann er einfach wirklich gut und ich freue mich, dass er das in dieser Geschichte auch wieder getan hat.
Ich finde gut, dass die Geschichte nun wirklich zu ende ist. Es kann nicht weiter gehen, alles andere wäre ausschlachten und Geldmacherei.
Was ich aber wirklich, wirklich am allerallerbesten an dieser Geschichte fand war…
… die letzte Seite! Herrgott war ich froh, als dieser Quatsch endlich zu ende war. Ich liebe Zombieromane und ich weiß, dass vieles natürlich erfunden ist. Ich kenne keinen, der auf echte Erfahrungen in Bezug auf das Thema zurückgreifen kann. Aber ich bin mir auch ziemlich sicher, dass niemand Superman ist und alles, wirklich ALLES überlebt, ohne wirklich bedenkliche Verletzungen abzubekommen.
(Denkt bitte an die SPOILER! Wer eine Spoilerunverträglichkeit hat, sollte JETZT aufhören zu lesen!)
Die Story fängt schon abstrus an. Kil verfolgt einen Funkspruch mitten ins Zombieverseuchte Festland. Alleine. Er kämpft sich durch, kann sowieso alles und kommt an seinem Ziel an. Allerdings findet er nicht das, was er dachte dort zu finden. Eine seltsame Leiche, mehr nicht. Er klaut eine Uhr, zieht die Leiche in ne Gasse und will gehen. Ich meine, what? Was denkt er sich dabei? Er ist nicht mal enttäuscht! Er wundert sich nicht. Er verfolgt einfach, meiner Meinung, den Weg, den der Autor ihm aufgeschrieben hat, ohne selbst zu denken. Er ist Meilen und Wochen von zu Hause entfernt, könnte jeden Augenblick sterben und ist NICHT enttäuscht, dass er quasi NICHTS gefunden hat? Nicht sauer? Niemals! Sofern er nicht ein Roboter geworden ist, glaub ich das einfach nicht!
Natürlich findet er mehr als nur eine Uhr. Anscheinend hockt neben dieser Leiche ein Roboterhund, der im Grunde alles kann. Was für ein Zufall, das Kilroy ihn findet, wo er doch dem Funkspruch gefolgt ist. Das alles klang für mich so konstruiert, dass es einfach albern war. Der Roboterhund (folgend RH) entwickelt sich zu einem heimlichen Protagonisten, denn Kil lässt ihn alles erkunden, was er nicht kann oder will. In einer Welt voller Zombies wird das Leben durch einen RH erheblich einfacher, muss ich Kil ja lassen. Aber es machte die Geschichte natürlich auch einfacher, denn Zombies weglocken oder unbekanntes Gebiet erforschen ist halt nur halb so aufregend, wenn es ein RH tut. Lustig ist auch, dass der RH nur eine sehr begrenzte Reichweite hat. Noch lustiger ist, dass dieser RH am Ende mehrere hundert Meilen auf dem Festland hinter sich bringt, obwohl Kil ganz offensichtlich aus seiner Reichweite verschwunden ist. Alles ziemlich ziemlich lustig, wenn ihr mich fragt. Happy End ist ja gut und schon, aber es darf auch mal jemand sterben, auch ein RH.
Die Geschichte geht so abstrus weiter, wie sie angefangen hat. Kil entkommt jedem und allem und alles. Wird verletzt, aber wir erinnern uns, er ist Superman, deswegen passiert ihm auch nichts weiter. Nebenher kuriert er ein Medikamentenproblem bei sich selbst, rettet ein paar Menschen und, ach ja, die Menschheit. Ich brech vom Glauben ab! Kil stürmt alleine in ein Haus voller Zombies. Tausende, laut seiner Aussage und springt dann mehr oder weniger unbeschadet mit einem Fallschirm und einem Arzt vom Dach. Vielleicht hat Batman seine Finger auch noch im Spiel, man weiß es nicht.
Die Story gleicht einem Roadtrip und ich bleibe dabei, schreiben kann der Autor, aber inhaltlich ist diese Geschichte einfach nur Schwachsinn schwach. Ein gut durchdachter Plot wäre hier wirklich Gold wert gewesen. Nicht, dass alles schlecht gewesen wäre, aber auf mich wirkte die Story wie ganz schnell runtergeschrieben, weil eben ein Ende hermusste. Schade. Wirklich, wirklich schade.
Fazit
Wer Tagebuch der Apokalypse 1 gelesen hat, sollte sofort aufhören. Wer, wie ich, weitergelesen hat, kann Band 4 auch noch lesen, weil darauf kommt es jetzt auch nicht mehr an. Man weiß, wie es endet, obwohl im Grunde rein gar nichts passiert. Kil streift meiner Meinung nach vollkommen sinnlos durch ein Zombieverseuchtes Land, fährt von A nach B und das wars. Schreibstil topp, Storyinhalt flopp.
June 8, 2021
I just can't get enough of this series. Nowhere else can you get not only zombies, add in alligators, and the kicker is...toss in a robot! If you are a fan of The Walking DEAD, this will be right up your alley.
After reading this series, I want to read everything J.L. Bourne writes.
After reading this series, I want to read everything J.L. Bourne writes.
November 18, 2022
What a fantastic end to the series! We’re back with the storyline being told by our main character, “Kil”. So many great sequences, and even with zombies running round, every detail/situation was somehow believable throughout the entire series. Favourite character in this book? Hands down, Checkers. I don’t care that it’s just a machine. I love it, okay? I’m so happy for the addendum that reveals Checkers somehow made it out “alive”.
January 14, 2024
A story from the viewpoint of Kilroy, the original protagonist. Despite a lot of bad reviews i finally read the book to get closure.
Unfortunately, Kilroy repeatedly acts rashly and like an utter moron, especially in the middle of the book where both his idiotic actions and the actions of his antagonists are just utterly insane. After wasting his amunition the reader has to listen to his whining.
The whole Talahassee plot was rather pointless as he would have continued to save his friend anyway and if would not have wasted that much time he could have saved more people...
The end of the book felt absolutely rushed and unsatisfying.
Unfortunately, Kilroy repeatedly acts rashly and like an utter moron, especially in the middle of the book where both his idiotic actions and the actions of his antagonists are just utterly insane. After wasting his amunition the reader has to listen to his whining.
The whole Talahassee plot was rather pointless as he would have continued to save his friend anyway and if would not have wasted that much time he could have saved more people...
The end of the book felt absolutely rushed and unsatisfying.
October 15, 2016
I received a copy of this book in a giveaway.
Kil returns, on a mission of his own choosing, and saves the remaining world. Maybe.
One thing that's bothersome to me is that while the timeline of the world in this series is effectively ~2000—2004, there are skewed references to things – primarily tech-related – which are inconsistently from further down the timeline. It's a small thing, but it's somehow enough to jar me from the story and sticks out like a sore thumb.
Another small niggle is the highly detailed accounts of the weapons and assembly/disassembly, maintenance, and etc., which at times seemed to exist to meet a word count. I get that the availability of items in this world grows scarcer by the day, and especially weapons are hoarded by other bands of survivors, but explanations of differences between them and descriptions could be a bit less technically oriented. (Maybe it's just because that's not my mindset.)
He has a fine eye for detail, still, and otherwise does a fine job for filling in those little things to put you much deeper into the state of the now fading world.
As another reviewer mentioned, the end seemed to come about abruptly, and with a glossing over that seemed to indicate that we already knew the remainder of the tale. Then again, maybe he's saving that for the potential next chapter in the series. (I would surely enjoy one.)
Overall, I enjoyed this book, and the series overall. I am hopeful for another in the series, but would be satisfied if this were the last.
Kil returns, on a mission of his own choosing, and saves the remaining world. Maybe.
One thing that's bothersome to me is that while the timeline of the world in this series is effectively ~2000—2004, there are skewed references to things – primarily tech-related – which are inconsistently from further down the timeline. It's a small thing, but it's somehow enough to jar me from the story and sticks out like a sore thumb.
Another small niggle is the highly detailed accounts of the weapons and assembly/disassembly, maintenance, and etc., which at times seemed to exist to meet a word count. I get that the availability of items in this world grows scarcer by the day, and especially weapons are hoarded by other bands of survivors, but explanations of differences between them and descriptions could be a bit less technically oriented. (Maybe it's just because that's not my mindset.)
He has a fine eye for detail, still, and otherwise does a fine job for filling in those little things to put you much deeper into the state of the now fading world.
As another reviewer mentioned, the end seemed to come about abruptly, and with a glossing over that seemed to indicate that we already knew the remainder of the tale. Then again, maybe he's saving that for the potential next chapter in the series. (I would surely enjoy one.)
Overall, I enjoyed this book, and the series overall. I am hopeful for another in the series, but would be satisfied if this were the last.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 17, 2017
I missed a book somewhere but Bourne was kind enough to summarize everything that happened in the beginning, so thanks.
However, I didn't like this one as much as the previous ones I've read. Pretty much a solo story, with very little interaction from outside people. So you got to see him deal with zombies, but not others, which is one of the things I look forward to in a PA novel.
I thought he did some really stupid shit, one of which was
Bourne does know his weapons, which is a good thing, but sometimes got bogged down in the details.
However, I didn't like this one as much as the previous ones I've read. Pretty much a solo story, with very little interaction from outside people. So you got to see him deal with zombies, but not others, which is one of the things I look forward to in a PA novel.
I thought he did some really stupid shit, one of which was
Bourne does know his weapons, which is a good thing, but sometimes got bogged down in the details.
August 7, 2016
Back on track!
The previous book in this series left me wanting a bit. Thankfully this most recent addition to the series returned to everything I adored about the first book. I LOVED the new character that joins forces with Kill. Man's new best friend ;)
A must read for anyone who enjoyed the earlier installments in this series. This might just be my favorite yet.
Lots of zombie violence but not gore porn, no sexism, no politics, no sex acts (thank you), and minimal cursing.
The previous book in this series left me wanting a bit. Thankfully this most recent addition to the series returned to everything I adored about the first book. I LOVED the new character that joins forces with Kill. Man's new best friend ;)
A must read for anyone who enjoyed the earlier installments in this series. This might just be my favorite yet.
Lots of zombie violence but not gore porn, no sexism, no politics, no sex acts (thank you), and minimal cursing.
October 24, 2023
Best installment yet!
I've followed all the books this author has put out and I cannot wait for more to come! Great story, cast and narrative. The style is easy to follow in its journal format. I feel as though I actually know the characters!
I've followed all the books this author has put out and I cannot wait for more to come! Great story, cast and narrative. The style is easy to follow in its journal format. I feel as though I actually know the characters!
October 27, 2016
Outstanding
Yet another great addition to the series. I particularly liked the return to the daily journal style of the first book. Well done.
Yet another great addition to the series. I particularly liked the return to the daily journal style of the first book. Well done.
October 19, 2019
4th book in the series: Disappointing.
Felt like fan fiction to me.
Felt like fan fiction to me.
October 8, 2018
Time taken to read - 2 days
Pages - 256
Publisher - Gallery Books
Source - Amazon buy
Blurb from Goodreads
The acclaimed and eagerly anticipated fourth thriller in the zombie apocalypse series from the author of Day by Day Armageddon and Day by Day Armageddon: Beyond Exile, for fans of the smash hit show The Walking Dead.
In a desperate bid to survive as hordes of bloodthirsty undead now dominate the ravaged U.S. population, a Navy commander discovers an incredible secret about the pandemic in this fourth novel in the acclaimed Day by Day Armageddon series.
Task Force Phoenix may be humanity’s final hope, and the narrator's agonizing decisions could mean living one more day—or surrendering to the eternal hell that exists between life and death.
Ghost Run is a suspenseful, gripping, and intelligent thriller that will terrify die-hard horror fans and reinforce J.L. Bourne’s reputation as “the new king of hardcore zombie action” (Brad Thor, author of Act of War).
My Review
This is book four in the series and I would recommend reading the others before this one as the main character in this book isn't the main in the previous ones. There is also a lot of history to be read and small kickbacks to the previous book events so I think you would be better off reading them. The book does however start off with a wee mini recap of the previous books so you aren't starting off blind.
The main character, Kil, is Navy trained and one of the top guys. He knows combat, weapons, training and it is strong throughout the book. Whilst this will be a huge kick for some readers I didn't love it. A lot of the weapons, use of items, things he came across as Joe Public I had to re read some things, google, check as I didn't know what they were. I think it makes a bit of a change to have a main character who is so knowledgeable and weapon specialist. For me I do like a main character though who would struggle with stuff like this. I loved the wee machine that was like a dog, I just could not accurately envision it but I did love it. Something that is often missing in these books are animals or we get them and bad things happen.
There is a ton of action, death scenes, attacks and of course zombies galore. We have a good bit of travel in the book too and as with the previous books it is told in diary like entries cataloguing his experiences. 3.5/5 for me, I do enjoy this series and I look forward to the next book.
Pages - 256
Publisher - Gallery Books
Source - Amazon buy
Blurb from Goodreads
The acclaimed and eagerly anticipated fourth thriller in the zombie apocalypse series from the author of Day by Day Armageddon and Day by Day Armageddon: Beyond Exile, for fans of the smash hit show The Walking Dead.
In a desperate bid to survive as hordes of bloodthirsty undead now dominate the ravaged U.S. population, a Navy commander discovers an incredible secret about the pandemic in this fourth novel in the acclaimed Day by Day Armageddon series.
Task Force Phoenix may be humanity’s final hope, and the narrator's agonizing decisions could mean living one more day—or surrendering to the eternal hell that exists between life and death.
Ghost Run is a suspenseful, gripping, and intelligent thriller that will terrify die-hard horror fans and reinforce J.L. Bourne’s reputation as “the new king of hardcore zombie action” (Brad Thor, author of Act of War).
My Review
This is book four in the series and I would recommend reading the others before this one as the main character in this book isn't the main in the previous ones. There is also a lot of history to be read and small kickbacks to the previous book events so I think you would be better off reading them. The book does however start off with a wee mini recap of the previous books so you aren't starting off blind.
The main character, Kil, is Navy trained and one of the top guys. He knows combat, weapons, training and it is strong throughout the book. Whilst this will be a huge kick for some readers I didn't love it. A lot of the weapons, use of items, things he came across as Joe Public I had to re read some things, google, check as I didn't know what they were. I think it makes a bit of a change to have a main character who is so knowledgeable and weapon specialist. For me I do like a main character though who would struggle with stuff like this. I loved the wee machine that was like a dog, I just could not accurately envision it but I did love it. Something that is often missing in these books are animals or we get them and bad things happen.
There is a ton of action, death scenes, attacks and of course zombies galore. We have a good bit of travel in the book too and as with the previous books it is told in diary like entries cataloguing his experiences. 3.5/5 for me, I do enjoy this series and I look forward to the next book.
March 16, 2019
Bourne's Day By Day Armageddon series may be the best zombie apocalypse series out there (at least the best series I've read thus far), but it does show some signs of slowing down and would do well to wrap-up in the next book (two at most); remember, it's always best to end on a high note and to leave audiences with fond memories. That being said, I still enjoyed this entry in the series and found it more grounded and focused than the last entry. We're back to spending time with the original protagonist and that's a welcomed change to the norm. It's no spolier to say that this entry is about finding the cure that's claimed to be out there near the outset of this chapter in the series, but I felt that a great deal about the cure was left untold; whether found or not (I won't spoil that here). I rarely say this, but I think another 50-75 pages would have been ideal in order to expand upon the ending. This is a definite read for fans of the series and an improvement over the previous entry. 3.5/5 for me, but down to a 3 as I can't give half marks and a 4 felt too strong of a review.
Question for other readers/author: It's noted that when Kil reaches Wachovia Tower and uses his binoculars to view the top of the tower he notices a couple of the ballon things that are used to control the GAMR, but after this point they're never mentioned again. Did the author intend to expand upon this when Kil made his way to Wachovia Tower, but ran out of time (publishing deadlines?) or did the author simply forget?
Question for other readers/author: It's noted that when Kil reaches Wachovia Tower and uses his binoculars to view the top of the tower he notices a couple of the ballon things that are used to control the GAMR, but after this point they're never mentioned again. Did the author intend to expand upon this when Kil made his way to Wachovia Tower, but ran out of time (publishing deadlines?) or did the author simply forget?
December 4, 2022
The Main theme of the book day by day Armageddon run is man vs man. I first found this out in the first chapter when the main character has to fight off another group off survivors. The first thing that I liked about this book is that it is written in a journal format like a diary of a wimpy kid. It happens to be written by the main character. I think this is a very interesting way to write a zombie or post apocalyptic story about survivors. It also gives a new twist to these types of stories.Also another thing that I like about this book is the way that they describe the settings. The author give a very detailed description about what has happened after they dropped the bomb on the city and describeing what the building look like. One more thing that I like about this book is one of the characters is like a robot dog. This dog thing Is so cool it could be used as a distraction and it has this little gun on the side of it. Although one thing that I dislike about the book is the pacing of the story. I’m some parts it feels like it’s going by fast and other parts it feels like that part of the story is being dragged out for to long.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 10, 2024
(Reviewing the series as a whole) I found this book to be way too masculine, but there was a dense amount of knowledge behind it as well. It was super action packed with army men, tanks and explosions, which made the story feel like it was written by a man thinking about superhero things. It went into SO much detail about what its like to restart an abandoned car, since during an apocalypse most cars were abandoned. I appreciate that the author considered this detail, but good god I've actually learnt a little more on how to restart a car myself just from reading it so many times. I found those parts too detailed and boring. Same went for guns and other weaponry. I feel like this author simply wrote this book with just what knowledge they already had and did little to no research.
Not all books in this series are written in the same style, which took me by great surprise. I had to google if I had the correct book and found a lot of people in the same boat. There were too many typos, but without knowing anything about the book, I still enjoyed the story overall. Book 2 was very good and incredibly immersive.
Not all books in this series are written in the same style, which took me by great surprise. I had to google if I had the correct book and found a lot of people in the same boat. There were too many typos, but without knowing anything about the book, I still enjoyed the story overall. Book 2 was very good and incredibly immersive.
October 3, 2025
This is such a good series. I'm thrilled that he returned fully to the diary format. The third book was definitely the weakest when it deviated from what made the series unique compared to other zombie fiction. The ending felt a little rushed compared to most of the book, but overall there are so many great set pieces and moments that I won't knock it too harshly for that. I love this combination of zombie apocalypse and special ops action.
Having read the first book in his other apocalyptic series I think the two characters are basically one and the same. Not that they share a world, but to try to differentiate the characters wouldn't do much good. Obviously it seems to be a bit of a self-insert as well to some degree though I don't know much about the author other than what he's posted on Facebook.
Looking at the publishing date on this volume I worry that JL is moving away from writing which would be disappointing. I don't think anything else has been written since this one. I like his stories even if I view his worlds as more if an escape than a prediction as I think he feels they may be.
Having read the first book in his other apocalyptic series I think the two characters are basically one and the same. Not that they share a world, but to try to differentiate the characters wouldn't do much good. Obviously it seems to be a bit of a self-insert as well to some degree though I don't know much about the author other than what he's posted on Facebook.
Looking at the publishing date on this volume I worry that JL is moving away from writing which would be disappointing. I don't think anything else has been written since this one. I like his stories even if I view his worlds as more if an escape than a prediction as I think he feels they may be.
November 1, 2020
2.5 Stars in my opinion. While offering much of what I loved about the original, the first person perspective, the zombie slaying action, a more personal journey, this, fourth installment in the Day By Day Armageddon series is, unfortunately, something of a let down. Firstly, it tells a much darker story, with only a few rays of hope. Then it's much shorter, with precious little preamble to the meat of the main story. Shorn of the tighter narrative, broader supporting cast, and overarching sunny, but gray, tone, it made for a less compelling read than the previous three volumes.
If you're looking for some closure in the series, wrapping up what happened to a few people, and more fun with Kil, I definitely recommend it. There's some impressive fights, set piece events, and more exploration of the undead infested badlands with dark, and bright, surprises. Mr. Bourne still knows how to write some excellent zombie fiction. This one just wasn't as much to my taste.
If you're looking for some closure in the series, wrapping up what happened to a few people, and more fun with Kil, I definitely recommend it. There's some impressive fights, set piece events, and more exploration of the undead infested badlands with dark, and bright, surprises. Mr. Bourne still knows how to write some excellent zombie fiction. This one just wasn't as much to my taste.
July 2, 2025
Returning to form, this is a much better entry than #3 while still, unfortunately, keeping some of the bad elements of the same. Specifically, it's great that Bourne brought back the single plot, journal-style story line. This is what we signed up for in the first place. Unfortunately, he kept the longer format meaning still a lot of filler segments. The novel also struggles with pacing - there is almost no downtime but a constant staggering of encounters. The first two books handled this much better. Nevertheless, the return to basics and an apparent willingness to listen to criticism makes me keen to pick up the next installment (#4.5) once I'm ready for some in-between "brain rot reading" again.
October 2, 2020
The best in the series since the opener. Mostly because it is laser focused on one continual arc throughout, building tension the outcome whole way. The protagonist finally becomes vulnerable himself in more than just a physical way and is forced to build a relationship with a robotic companion of all things.
There are certainly some absurd situations that come up, but hey it the zombie apocalypse, so let them slide. Oh, and how are we in book 4 before bolt cutters become something of value. I’ll let it go.
A quick and fun read. Good for a break between more dense and heavy novels. But the ending was super rushed (again).
On to #5
There are certainly some absurd situations that come up, but hey it the zombie apocalypse, so let them slide. Oh, and how are we in book 4 before bolt cutters become something of value. I’ll let it go.
A quick and fun read. Good for a break between more dense and heavy novels. But the ending was super rushed (again).
On to #5
May 15, 2019
This is the fourth book in this emotionally charged, character driven series. Kil is out looking for supplies and hears a voice saying "We have the cure." coming from Atlanta. This action packed story tells of his journey through multiple hordes of slow and horrific fast dead. It will have you holding your breathe with a tight grip on the book while quickly flipping the pages. I love GARMR and the interaction between the two of them. I highly recommend this series to anyone who loves the zombie/horror genre.
March 18, 2021
Nachdem ich Teil 1 und 2 verschlungen habe, von Teil 3 enttäuscht war wollte ich bei Teil 4 der Serie nochmals eine Chance geben. Leider, leider hat sie mich enttäuscht und das Buch war gefühlt noch schlechter als Teil 3. Das was Teil 1 und 2 ausgemacht hat fehlt, trotz Rückkehr zu den Tagebucheinträgen. Insgesamt war es für mich ein zähes, langweiliges Lesen, was sich in der langen Lesedauer widerspiegelt. Daher von mir nur 2 von 5 Sternen.
July 8, 2019
The Day by Day series is a guilty pleasure. If Bourne writes them, I'll read them...eventually. This last episode feels clunkier than the rest. Frustrating because a lot of the problems are easy to fix. Whatever though. Zombies! I don't love dishing out the 2 star rating but he can do better than this. And if he can't, then his editor can.
November 24, 2019
Close to giving this 2 stars. Felt like I spent half the book saying “why the hell would you do that!?!” Not sure if the author is a genius and was showing us how the constant stress and stain of the apocalypse was affecting the character’s decision making abilities, or if the author just got lazy on this book.
July 12, 2023
I really wanted to like this book, but it is almost entirely from one characters point of view. This singular point of view creates a dull atmosphere in the book because I have no one to care about besides this one character, and I don't care about him enough to enjoy this book. When writing a book that follows a singular character more needs to be happen, a lot more.
June 8, 2017
This is an absolutely amazing series that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys the genre. Awesome story, Great flow and characters that make you feel every spectrum of emtotion during the course of the series. I hope there's another book in the series in the near future. I still want more...
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