In the eagerly anticipated third installment of the Voodoo Plague series we pick up right where Crucifixion left off. Running to escape the converging herds of infected, every plan for reaching the west is put in jeopardy when an old nemesis returns. As more of the country falls to the unstoppable rampage of the infected, John must use all of his skills to lead a group of evacuees to safety, minutes ahead of certain death.
Dirk Patton is the best selling author of the V Plague series. You can email him at dirk@dirkpatton.com or find him on the internet at www.DirkPatton.com or Twitter @DirkPatton or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RealDirkPatton
I've read a lot of zombie series over the years and the truth is that, by the third book, they've often run out of steam or done stupid things that makes the plot unbelievable. Patton manages to avoid this easily by giving us another emotional, action-packed chapter in the tale of John Chase, Rachel and Dog.
This time around, we're more familiar with Chase and Co, so we're able to understand their motives. I do like the author's good habit of taking the time to let us see why Chase makes some of the decisions and how he makes them - what direction to take for instance. This helps us better understand the surroundings and gives us a hint of what might come.
The female zombies in book three are, quite literally, becoming terrifying. Their seeming sudden ability to make decisions is very threatening to the safety of the survivors and, if the trend continues, should make book four a total fright fest.
There is a cliffhanger ending here, but Patton writes quickly so I am confident that we'll have our answers soon.
On another note, and borrowing a phrase from The Walking Dead fandom: If Dog dies, we riot. :)
I've been a fan since I finished the first chapter of book one. I didn't really expect book 3 to be up to par with book 2, which was outstanding, but WOW! This series just keeps getting better and better. Like to binge read? Pick up all three and spend a weekend on the couch, the beach or the pool. You'll be glad you did and begging for book 4 to be ready NOW!
Wow! I am still reading! I am about to start book 4. I am so engrossed in each character and their story line (even Dog's -- I am in love with Dog. Makes me appreciate my two dogs all the more). I am so glad there are many books in this series. I don't want it to end. Mr. Patton, you did great with this series. AWESOME! Thank you!
What a great ride! Loved book 2 never thought book 3 would be as good and it isn't. It's even BETTER!! This book makes you picture everything that's happening. Not use to a book in this genre making me tear up but that's exactly what happened. BRAVO
The plague continues in book 3 with no major pseudoscientific developments, though the "clever" females seem to have impressed John with even more cleverness in this episode and the consequences of the second outbreak continue to reverberate. Once again, man's worst enemy is man rather than zombie; John meets and foils some evil survivors who are rustling up women for their species propagation/harem plan and meets a bad guy from one of the past volumes again. He also rejoins the military for yet another doomed civilian evacuation project.
Bad Guy is the most interesting twist to the story; he was just another unexplained jerk as viewed from the outside during his previous appearance, but in this volume we get to see deep into his psychopathic mind. Instead of being yet another one of the statistically unlikely stream of post-apocalyptic badly behaved men, he has a believable personal history of pre-apocalyptic evil.
This volume's attempted great escape involves trains, and (as in previous volumes) both survivors and zombies seem to come in infinite, if disproportionate, numbers for mutual carnage and pyrrhic victories. There's another big twist to the story which I won't give away, but I'm sure has a few volumes worth of plot potential. The cliffhanger leaves John separated from Rachel and Dog; I'm sure an exciting reunion is in the works.
Yet another page-turning thrill ride of a book. The apocalypse continues and John, Rachel and Dog move from one catastrophe to the next with little respite in between. Mr. Patton added some different and unique scenarios in this book, a huge darkened warehouse, a train and fog, just to name a few. I have to admit I'm liking the characters, John and Rachel, and their growing relationship. Although Dog is a lot more than just a dog. He's kind of the Einstein of canines, and one has to seriously suspend one's disbelief at times, especially if one has experience with dogs. Just for a change of pace, I was going to read something different for a while after completing this book, but the cliffhanging conclusion had me diving into Amazon for the next book in the series.
Ultra violent and still has the feel of a zombie story. The end was definitely a cliff hanger to get you on to the next book, but I needed a break for a bit of positivity! Since it is told in first person the use of "I" gets one to thinking the hero has a bit of an ego problem, but many of us do. It will certainly appeal to those who desire a lot of action.
I am burning through these books because I can't get enough! The writing is fantastic and I can really put myself in the characters interactions with both living and dead. I hate that it ended on a cliffhanger, but the best books do! I already have purchased and started book 4. I love these characters and the crap being tossed their way never ceases - makes for such an interesting read.
This new book continue the saga of John, Rachel and the rest of the survivors. Friends are scarce, enemies by thousands infected or not. The return of Roach.
Col. Crawford and and old allies like Jackson. The fight for survival is tested at every step. Highly Recommend!
Another great installment. Just when you think Dirk Patton has run out of gruesome scary scenarios, he hits you with another one. The action moves along like a b-movie serial where John Chase, Rachel and Dog leap from one frying pan into the next with barely a moment to catch one's breath. This is my second time through the series and I'm constantly surprised by things I have forgotten.
Not really my favorite genre, but his books are so gripping, I can’t stop reading them! I feel like I can see and hear everything he describes and I actually feel disoriented when I stop reading for a bit and look around. I do take breaks as I feel my heart rate go up sometimes in response to the action. I’m glad there are 19 in the series and will probably be bummed there aren’t more
This book has a lot of action, but it's dragging on. Why can't the characters get a break with the zombies? Why have John turned since he been bitten several times? Is John's wife still alive? All these questions will have to wait for the next episode😉
It’s heating up as the zombies take over every major American city and the armed forces struggle to get a small population of civilians to safety. Jackson and The Major are doing what they do…kill zombies!
An astounding brilliant read. I am so loving this series the intensity of it just keeps pushing me forward and turning those pages and we ended on a cliffhanger so I need to start on the next book. Highly recommended.
This series never slows as you reach for the next book even as you turn the final page.... The survivors continue to grapple and scramble to make another hour of life but it only gets rougher as they are fighting both infected as well as evil noninfected.... Now even Dog is a possible casualty....
They keep getting better and better. A great book full of non stop action and heart pounding twists and turns. One of the best zombie series out there!
Talk about a cliffhanger....I couldn't search for and purchase the next book fast enough!! I mostly hope Mr Dirk Patron keeps this series going for a long time....good stories are hard to find....I've read them already! I'm starting Red Hammer Book 4 right now! Hold your breath Rachel....we are coming for you and Dog!!!
The Voodoo Plague series by Dirk Patton is an original, character-filled, action-packed, compelling post-apocalyptic tale. The first book in series, Voodoo Plague, starts with a businessman, John Chase, experiencing some disturbing events while in a hotel in Atlanta. He rescues a woman, Rachel, from an attack and they quickly go on the run as they realize that people have become rage-infected due to a bioterrorist attack. They decide to head to Arizona to find John�??s wife, Katie, and quickly get immersed in not only survival, but also helping others survive. In Book 3, John, Rachel and Dog continue to fight their way to the West. There are several unique elements that make the series stand out from the ordinary. 1. The �??zombies�?� are not undead; they are regular people who have been infected with a bioterrorism virus. Females are fast, 28 days later rage-filled creatures, and some exhibit intelligence, while males form slow shambling Romero-type herds. 2. This is not a story about an average Joe rising to the occasion -- the central character in the series, John Chase, is a highly trained ex-military superhero. He keeps going and going, like the Energizer bunny, and is skilled to the extent that the reader has to suspend disbelief at some points. But being a superhero has its benefits, and it allows John to charge from action-packed situation to situation, which makes for a tense roller-coaster ride -- bringing us to point 3. 3. Action is non-stop. Infected! Nukes! White Supremists! Tornados! Slavers! Floods! Train Wrecks! Plane Crashes! Redneck Shit-kickers! Rescues! Bioterrorism! Serial Killers! Invading Forces! Helicopter Crashes! There is seriously no breathing space ever in this series, which means there is never a logical breaking point when you can go to sleep or leave the book for a while. 4. The characters, including those in supporting roles, are all interesting. I didn�??t much like John at first, as he is bit macho in the first book, but the other characters caught my attention, especially Dog. Rachel, the rather clich??d �??stripper with heart of gold�?� (and smarts too) is tough and resilient and likeable. Crawford, Jackson, Roach, and other characters add depth to the story. Though you don�??t want to get attached to them�??.these are normal mortals unlike John! The Voodoo Plague series is good fun, and I recommend that you get the entire set, call in sick to work, and tell your family that you need some personal space. Then, curl up in a dark room and enjoy the roller-coaster ride as John, Rachel, and Dog try to survive the action-packed events in Dirk Patton�??s extraordinary, post-apocalyptic world.