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Z is for Zombie #0.5
Free Fall
This short story first appeared in The Z Chronicles, and serves as a prequel to What We Left Behind.
Jackson is an astronaut testing a prototype interstellar craft in deep space. When he returns home, there’s no one to greet him. Earth has fallen silent. Now he must decide—stay in orbit, watching a dead planet roll slowly by beneath his windows, or land on Earth and fight for life?
Jackson is an astronaut testing a prototype interstellar craft in deep space. When he returns home, there’s no one to greet him. Earth has fallen silent. Now he must decide—stay in orbit, watching a dead planet roll slowly by beneath his windows, or land on Earth and fight for life?
59 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 31, 2015
100 people are currently reading
283 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
September 23, 2021
Jackson, an astronaut, has been in space for a long time. He also hasn’t heard from Earth for a long time, too.
But it is time to return, despite not hearing from NASA. When he finally gets into Earth’s atmosphere, the only person who is able to contact him is a little girl.
The Earth has undergone a profound change…
But it is time to return, despite not hearing from NASA. When he finally gets into Earth’s atmosphere, the only person who is able to contact him is a little girl.
The Earth has undergone a profound change…
October 21, 2018
Wow. I'm aware this was only meant to wet one's appetite - and it succeeded!
It's the story of an astronaut returning from a mission to test long-term space travel. Long-term-ish at least. So he comes back to Earth and doesn't get any reply from Houston. NASA isn't responding but he's not too worried at first. Until the only one replying on the com is a little girl. She seems to be in trouble and he decides to try and find her after landing. The problem? This is a zombie novel so guess what is waiting for him when he exits his capsule.
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
It was certainly a fun short story and I think I'll give the series a chance (though when, I don't know, as I have one hell of a lot of books planned for this Spooktober). Definite recommendation.
It's the story of an astronaut returning from a mission to test long-term space travel. Long-term-ish at least. So he comes back to Earth and doesn't get any reply from Houston. NASA isn't responding but he's not too worried at first. Until the only one replying on the com is a little girl. She seems to be in trouble and he decides to try and find her after landing. The problem? This is a zombie novel so guess what is waiting for him when he exits his capsule.
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
It was certainly a fun short story and I think I'll give the series a chance (though when, I don't know, as I have one hell of a lot of books planned for this Spooktober). Definite recommendation.
May 27, 2018
Free Fall is a short story but has all the creep factors a novel has! An astronaut is coming home but isn't about to contact anyone at all. He opens all channels and gets a little girl and what she says chills him to the bone. From there, he does something very unusual. Great story.
I love this narrator anyway and he does an extra special job here!
I love this narrator anyway and he does an extra special job here!
October 9, 2018
A near perfect INTRO. Intro to what? Zombpocalypse.
Astronaut returns to earth following the only voice speaking to him from so high. A young girl. :)
So yeah, pretty compelling, emotional, and these are two great characters. And since this is fully a character-driven series and it just introduces the two of them, I wouldn't expect much so far beyond a good hook. :)
I'm hooked, tho. :)
Astronaut returns to earth following the only voice speaking to him from so high. A young girl. :)
So yeah, pretty compelling, emotional, and these are two great characters. And since this is fully a character-driven series and it just introduces the two of them, I wouldn't expect much so far beyond a good hook. :)
I'm hooked, tho. :)
October 28, 2018
A short story in two chapters. Apollo 13 meets The Walking Dead. I liked the first chapter, set in Earth’s orbit, quite a bit. The second chapter was a bit of a let-down, being your usual zombie apocalypse fare.
I guess it’s a nice primer for the first full-length novel in this world, if you are still interested in zombies.
I guess it’s a nice primer for the first full-length novel in this world, if you are still interested in zombies.
June 4, 2020
Oh, this is just an appetite wetter?
I stand moist and appetitlich.
I stand moist and appetitlich.
April 17, 2021
I came across this while browsing the new arrival section for kindle books at my library. The library description didn't mention that this was a) a short story, b) the prequel to a series, or c) it was about zombies. I was hoping for a darker version of Becky Chambers' To Be Taught, If Fortunate. It wasn't bad, just not what I was looking for. I suppose it did its job, because now I'm kind of curious about the series for when I'm in a zombie mood.
December 6, 2015
I read this book originally The Z Chronicles and this was one my top fav in it. I loved it! I mean it could be a possibility that a astronaut is returning back to earth in between a zombie apoc and he don't know anything about. I loved the concept and story. The writing is cool.
Cool short story I'd re-read again.
Cool short story I'd re-read again.
September 20, 2018
5 out of 5 on a scale of unexpected endings. I really like it. You know what I now know I want as a result of reading this? The Martian but with an ending out of another scifi subgenre or fantasy.
May 31, 2016
You don’t need 400 pages to make someone feel
Jackson is returning from deep space where he was testing a brand new prototype interstellar spacecraft. On his return, he tries to radio home, but no one answers, Earth is silent. Jackson isn’t sure if his radio is broken or if there is a darker problem to blame.
The narration of Free Fall was done by Jeff Hays, and he does a superb job. Hays is able to voice Jackson in such a way that the reader actually feels for him. The story was short and to the point, but that didn’t stop Hays from being able to shine in his narration.
Any author who can write a sharp and to the point short story like Free Fall that actually makes a reader feel something must be doing something right. Free Fall really made me feel hopeless for Jackson, and then hopeful again, then hopeless. The cyclical take by Cawdron really took a toll on me, making me glad that the audiobook was only an hour long.
The key to writing a good short story is skipping most of the character development, but still showing the reader who someone is by their actions. I didn’t have hours of being told who Jackson was and why he was chosen for this mission. But I did quickly find out that he cares a lot, and that he is someone who does things methodically. I’m always amazed when an author can accomplish this — and believe me, Cawdron does.
If you liked books like Andy Weir’s The Martian or Hugh Howey’s Beacon 23 then this book is for you. Also, if you have a couple bucks, and area looking for a quick, hour-long audiobook that is full of emotion and sharp writing — you can’t miss with this book.
Did you enjoy this review? Find more like it at Brian's Book Blog
Jackson is returning from deep space where he was testing a brand new prototype interstellar spacecraft. On his return, he tries to radio home, but no one answers, Earth is silent. Jackson isn’t sure if his radio is broken or if there is a darker problem to blame.
The narration of Free Fall was done by Jeff Hays, and he does a superb job. Hays is able to voice Jackson in such a way that the reader actually feels for him. The story was short and to the point, but that didn’t stop Hays from being able to shine in his narration.
Any author who can write a sharp and to the point short story like Free Fall that actually makes a reader feel something must be doing something right. Free Fall really made me feel hopeless for Jackson, and then hopeful again, then hopeless. The cyclical take by Cawdron really took a toll on me, making me glad that the audiobook was only an hour long.
The key to writing a good short story is skipping most of the character development, but still showing the reader who someone is by their actions. I didn’t have hours of being told who Jackson was and why he was chosen for this mission. But I did quickly find out that he cares a lot, and that he is someone who does things methodically. I’m always amazed when an author can accomplish this — and believe me, Cawdron does.
If you liked books like Andy Weir’s The Martian or Hugh Howey’s Beacon 23 then this book is for you. Also, if you have a couple bucks, and area looking for a quick, hour-long audiobook that is full of emotion and sharp writing — you can’t miss with this book.
Did you enjoy this review? Find more like it at Brian's Book Blog
October 8, 2017
Bien que ce soit une histoire d'apocalypse zombiesque, la première partie concerne un astronaute de retour sur Terre après un test de 2 mois dans l'espace très science fiction donc à mon goût ...
J'ai aimé que l'auteur s'attache plus à ce personnage, à ce qui le motive, qu'au côté souvent gore et restrictif de ce genre d'histoire Rassurez vous, la fin vaut le détour
C'est un auteur que je découvre par ses nouvelles gratuites sur Amazon et autres sites Un grand MERCI à Randy Harmelink pour ses listes d'ebooks gratuits qu'il compile régulièrement
L'écriture est prenante, la science plausible, facile à lire (pas d'infos dumps à outrance) avec un angle d'approche et de réflexion qui m'a semblé original et pertinent
Je vais tenter le tome 1 de sa série Zombie Nighmare où je devrais retrouver Hazel qui est l'enfant appelant au secours dans un monde envahi par les zee (lire zombies) dans la nouvelle et voir si Peter Cawdron saura captiver mon attention dans un genre déjà très exploité
In english please read the review by Brian's Book Blog even if it is about the audio book, I agree with him
A suivre, donc ...
J'ai aimé que l'auteur s'attache plus à ce personnage, à ce qui le motive, qu'au côté souvent gore et restrictif de ce genre d'histoire Rassurez vous, la fin vaut le détour
C'est un auteur que je découvre par ses nouvelles gratuites sur Amazon et autres sites Un grand MERCI à Randy Harmelink pour ses listes d'ebooks gratuits qu'il compile régulièrement
L'écriture est prenante, la science plausible, facile à lire (pas d'infos dumps à outrance) avec un angle d'approche et de réflexion qui m'a semblé original et pertinent
Je vais tenter le tome 1 de sa série Zombie Nighmare où je devrais retrouver Hazel qui est l'enfant appelant au secours dans un monde envahi par les zee (lire zombies) dans la nouvelle et voir si Peter Cawdron saura captiver mon attention dans un genre déjà très exploité
In english please read the review by Brian's Book Blog even if it is about the audio book, I agree with him
A suivre, donc ...
November 8, 2015
It's not about the zombies. It's a great story, and it's about survivors. It's a short story, so the focus is on the returning astronaut - Daniel Jackson, that's perfect - and one small survivor he chances to find via radio. I loved the whole story, but the ending is the best part. Excellent reading.
November 30, 2018
If you appreciate well-written science fiction that includes a deep and compelling story in as little as sixty pages (or just over an hour in audiobook format), I recommend you pick up “Free Fall” by Peter Cawdron. I was unfamiliar with the work which was released in 2015, and I’m happy I spent my own money on getting a copy and the time to listen. The book was recommended to me by a trusty friend telling me to read it without knowing anything except what information is provided in the publisher’s summary. The story tells the tale of an astronaut returning to earth after a special faster-than-light experiment. What he comes back to is quite different from the planet he let only a few months earlier. The audiobook is skillfully narrated by Jeff Hays, which should not come as a surprise to those who have listened to his works or familiar with Soundbooth Studios production works. If this short science fiction tale sounds like your cup of tea, I highly recommend you pick up either the digital or audiobook edition.
Just word of warning: By continuing to read this review, you may be exposed to a few limited spoilers which could lessen your enjoyment or surprise of the book. You have been warned
Before diving into reviewing this book, I was not aware that it was a prequel to another work by the author called “What We Left Behind”. If you have already read the core book, having additional background to the story I’m sure is welcomed. Go get a copy. Coming into the book blind, I was not aware of some of the things or events that would occur in Free Fall. In many ways this made each paragraph a surprise and mystery for me; I liked the discovery aspect. In the early portion of the story, it felt like another book I have reviewed called Solitude or the movie Gravity. The author did a great job of letting us know the main character’s emotions. His emotions were all over the spectrum from extreme excitement for be back home to the gravity of facing death when there is no reply from NASA’s communication team. The author’s exceptional ability to create a detailed world, characters, and scenarios just felt real. It felt like I was watching it unfold on TV. I could have easily enjoyed a few hundred pages more of the events leading up to the ship arriving in Earth’s orbit, but I did not feel cheated in any way.
Ready for one of the main spoilers? It is a science fiction prequel that upon reentry drops the listener into a world full of zombies and a sprinkling of survivors. I had no idea, and although I suspected something catastrophic occurred on Earth, I was not sure what we would encounter. I never saw zombies coming. I’m not a big fan of the zombie genre, but I can say that I plan on reading the main book this prequel is tied too. So, I think the intentions of the author to hook people who like space science fiction via this prequel worked; at least it captivated me. Although it is a rather short story, the book is detailed and feels satisfying. Even if you are not a fan of zombies, I would suggest you give this a try and see if it hooks you like it did me.
Need I say more about the book’s narration than to say that it is performed by none other than Jeff Hays? The book’s narration enhanced the already powerful story. Mr. Hays’ wonderful ability to create and voice nearly any type of character without issue continues to amaze me. The audiobook narration helped me better visualize our main character and paint a picture I would not have had by reading the book alone. The audio was clean, clear, and crisp, something I have come to expect from Mr. Hays. Blending a great story with a great narrator makes for a super combination and enjoyable story.
For parents and younger readers, I would not recommend the book to younger audiences due to some graphic scenes of violence, language, and the overall horror theme. Although it is an excellent story, I would say it is best enjoyed by more mature readers/listeners.
In summary, I would recommend you spend an hour of your life reading or listening to this book. If you find it enjoyable, you like me, you will find yourself picking up the book it is a prequel of; simply for more of a good story. The story is short but is feels big and it has the complexity and detail found in books three or four times its size.
Just word of warning: By continuing to read this review, you may be exposed to a few limited spoilers which could lessen your enjoyment or surprise of the book. You have been warned
Before diving into reviewing this book, I was not aware that it was a prequel to another work by the author called “What We Left Behind”. If you have already read the core book, having additional background to the story I’m sure is welcomed. Go get a copy. Coming into the book blind, I was not aware of some of the things or events that would occur in Free Fall. In many ways this made each paragraph a surprise and mystery for me; I liked the discovery aspect. In the early portion of the story, it felt like another book I have reviewed called Solitude or the movie Gravity. The author did a great job of letting us know the main character’s emotions. His emotions were all over the spectrum from extreme excitement for be back home to the gravity of facing death when there is no reply from NASA’s communication team. The author’s exceptional ability to create a detailed world, characters, and scenarios just felt real. It felt like I was watching it unfold on TV. I could have easily enjoyed a few hundred pages more of the events leading up to the ship arriving in Earth’s orbit, but I did not feel cheated in any way.
Ready for one of the main spoilers? It is a science fiction prequel that upon reentry drops the listener into a world full of zombies and a sprinkling of survivors. I had no idea, and although I suspected something catastrophic occurred on Earth, I was not sure what we would encounter. I never saw zombies coming. I’m not a big fan of the zombie genre, but I can say that I plan on reading the main book this prequel is tied too. So, I think the intentions of the author to hook people who like space science fiction via this prequel worked; at least it captivated me. Although it is a rather short story, the book is detailed and feels satisfying. Even if you are not a fan of zombies, I would suggest you give this a try and see if it hooks you like it did me.
Need I say more about the book’s narration than to say that it is performed by none other than Jeff Hays? The book’s narration enhanced the already powerful story. Mr. Hays’ wonderful ability to create and voice nearly any type of character without issue continues to amaze me. The audiobook narration helped me better visualize our main character and paint a picture I would not have had by reading the book alone. The audio was clean, clear, and crisp, something I have come to expect from Mr. Hays. Blending a great story with a great narrator makes for a super combination and enjoyable story.
For parents and younger readers, I would not recommend the book to younger audiences due to some graphic scenes of violence, language, and the overall horror theme. Although it is an excellent story, I would say it is best enjoyed by more mature readers/listeners.
In summary, I would recommend you spend an hour of your life reading or listening to this book. If you find it enjoyable, you like me, you will find yourself picking up the book it is a prequel of; simply for more of a good story. The story is short but is feels big and it has the complexity and detail found in books three or four times its size.
June 24, 2019
I went into this completely blind and got something way different from what I expected. Instead of getting an alien sci-fi story, I got an astronaut and zombie one... Should have checked the Goodreads page first since it clearly says that, but whatever.
The writing in this was good and the dialogue/monologue was not bad, which is amazing compared to the other short stories/novellas I've read in the past couple of weeks.
I was already invested in the astronaut storyline but when the zombies came in, I had to go check the author's page and add a couple of their works into my TBR list.
I think that the characters weren't built up as much as they could, but it's a prequel novella, so I can't really expect a lot out of it. After finishing this, I will definitely be picking up the next book in the series, so it's done its job.
The writing in this was good and the dialogue/monologue was not bad, which is amazing compared to the other short stories/novellas I've read in the past couple of weeks.
I was already invested in the astronaut storyline but when the zombies came in, I had to go check the author's page and add a couple of their works into my TBR list.
I think that the characters weren't built up as much as they could, but it's a prequel novella, so I can't really expect a lot out of it. After finishing this, I will definitely be picking up the next book in the series, so it's done its job.
October 9, 2017
A short story that starts off as science fiction and ends as...
This is a lead-in to another book by the author.
See my review also at:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B...
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01...
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B017...
https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/...
This is a lead-in to another book by the author.
See my review also at:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B...
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01...
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B017...
https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/...
October 5, 2017
A SIMPLE MAN'S REVIEW:
A short read about an astronaut wondering if he's the last man alive. It feels more like the beginning of a book rather than a complete story, and indeed, there is a follow-up book about one of the characters. But I would have preferred this story to have ended after chapter one, with the explanation being something more exotic than what it turns out to be. Up until that point, the tension was building from the unknown, and then suddenly, it was all released because we've seen/read this before.
A short read about an astronaut wondering if he's the last man alive. It feels more like the beginning of a book rather than a complete story, and indeed, there is a follow-up book about one of the characters. But I would have preferred this story to have ended after chapter one, with the explanation being something more exotic than what it turns out to be. Up until that point, the tension was building from the unknown, and then suddenly, it was all released because we've seen/read this before.
June 1, 2025
This is a prequel story to the Z for Zombie series and is short, sweet and sets the stage for the novel series. An astronaut realizes he can't contact Houston and that all the lights on Earth have disappeared. He stays calm until he gets a communication from Hazel, a 7 year old girl who appears to be all alone with monsters attacking all around her. When he lands, he is neck=deep in zombies. Cawdron will have fun with his flesh-eating zombies and the series defintely beckons.
October 12, 2017
4 stars
Free Fall by Peter Cawdron is a short story prequel to the What We Left Behind series. It is set in the beginning of the zombie outbreak and Jackson is in space and has no idea what is happen on earth.
Free Fall by Peter Cawdron is a short story prequel to the What We Left Behind series. It is set in the beginning of the zombie outbreak and Jackson is in space and has no idea what is happen on earth.
December 18, 2018
Prequel to Cawdron's zombie series. Short story to set up a character seen in the main series. Not sure if it would have made as much sense if I read this one first (I didn't). Astronaut in orbit decides to come back to Earth after realizing something is wrong. He encounters zombies.
September 26, 2022
Highly excellent. Haven't Read a zombie story this refreshing in a while, and I've read A Lot of zombie stories. What an opening. I love all thing space as well, so ill be checking out his other books.
Read in The Future Chronicles, The Z Chronicles
Read in The Future Chronicles, The Z Chronicles
February 16, 2023
Quick story. Currently in a space vibe, so seeing a book cross astronauts with zombies caught my attention.
Story was OK, but I kept think of Charlton Heston and the Planet of the Apes quote: "You Maniacs! You blew it up! Ah, damn you! God damn you all to hell!"
Story was OK, but I kept think of Charlton Heston and the Planet of the Apes quote: "You Maniacs! You blew it up! Ah, damn you! God damn you all to hell!"
February 20, 2017
Zombies
I'm a fan of hard sci fi so I was disappointed that this story was about zombies. Writing was pretty engaging though .
I'm a fan of hard sci fi so I was disappointed that this story was about zombies. Writing was pretty engaging though .
October 31, 2017
3.5 stars. Just too short to be as great as the actual books in the series. I did like it though.
When I reread the series I'll start with this one.
When I reread the series I'll start with this one.
January 30, 2018
The brief story of the most stupid astronaut ever sent into space on his return to Earth.
April 11, 2018
Doar 40 de pagini, dar prea amatoricește scrisă pentru a mă convinge. Părea mai mult începutul unui joc decât un început de serie.
June 19, 2018
A fantastic read, and a great beginning to the Things We Left behind. Well written with a great main character.
September 30, 2019
Interesting
Short but catches you right from the get-go.
Love Dan and Hazel already and look forward to the next book.
Short but catches you right from the get-go.
Love Dan and Hazel already and look forward to the next book.
October 13, 2020
Unique start, could've taken the situation to a whole different level
June 13, 2021
Zombies!
Zombie stories are not my thing to read. Story lines are all the same. But I still will read to see if there are any new story lines.
Zombie stories are not my thing to read. Story lines are all the same. But I still will read to see if there are any new story lines.
sony-or-android
August 27, 2021free on smashwords
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