Tribes of Decay

The Decaying World Saga #1

by Michael W. Garza

Our world decayed and a new world arose from the ashes of the old.

The remains of the human race cling to life decades after a decimating global plague. The infected hunt the living as the dead roam abandoned streets craving the taste of flesh. Mia and Rowan hoped to carve out a life for themselves in an apocalyptic wasteland, but fate had other plans. They’re forced to leave behind the relative safety of their home after a chance encounter challenges everything they’ve ever known.

Evolution always finds a way...

Genres: Zombies, Horror, Fiction

240 pages, Paperback

Published January 30, 2016

About the author

Michael W. Garza often finds himself wondering where his inspiration will come from next and in what form his imagination will bring it to life. The outcomes regularly surprise him and it’s always his ambition to amaze those curious enough to follow him and take in those results. He hopes everyone will find something that frightens, surprises, or simply astonishes them.

www.mwgarza.com
facebook.com/mwgarza
twitter.com/@mwgarza

Reviews

[Sunshine Somerville · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is so much more than just another zombie book. I’ve read a lot of Garza’s work, and I think this is my favorite. What I love about his stories is that the characters feel like real people – you might hate them, you might love them, but they feel like real people. Their choices make sense rather than just doing whatever works to advance the plot. Mia and Rowan are two great characters, and even the minor characters are given a lot of attention. Mia’s development greatly overshot my expectations (without giving away spoilers), and Rowan was consistently a good guy you could cheer for.
The post-apocalyptic world-building in this story is simple but perfect. Every description gives you just enough to create a picture in your head, and basically if you picture mass desolation, you’re good. Zombie worlds all have the same familiar feel, but I really liked the idea of how “tribes” of survivors had formed in cities and how these people had reverted to more primitive ways – if the world hadn’t functioned in decades, yeah, teens wouldn’t know about electricity.
The tension in the writing is great, too. I plowed through this book in two sittings because it kept building and I couldn’t put it down. The unique evolution of the zombies was something I hadn’t read before, and it added to the creepy factor. I always love when books like this use bad-guy humans as the biggest (still living) evil, and the second part of the book does a great job of bringing in something new.
Definitely gory. Definitely intense. Definitely worth a read if you like post-apocalyptic, zombie survival stories infused with a human kick.

[P.S. Winn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes evolution is not a good thing.
First off I should say I am not a zombie fan, now I should add I am a Michael Garza fan. He tells a story that is so much more than a standard Zombie story. Follow Rowan and Mia, two members of the Cheyenne tribe as they try to survive in a new world. The old world, the one we all new, is definitely gone and in it's place we have a land of devastation filled with horror and the infected. The author has a wonderful writing style that makes me want to dive in and not come up for air until I have turned that last page. Great job making one of my least favorite genres, a compelling read.

[Seregil of Rhiminee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally published at Risingshadow.

Before I begin to review this novel, I'll say a few words about my feelings towards zombie fiction.

As many readers may have noticed, zombie fiction has become increasingly popular during the recent years and many zombie novels and stories have been written by different authors. I haven't personally read many zombie novels, because I feel the same way about them as I feel about urban fantasy novels. Some of them are fun entertainment, but most of them are simply not worth reading, because the authors tend to recycle familiar plot elements without any kind of originality or style. Fortunately, Michael W. Garza is an author who writes good and entertaining zombie fiction that's worth reading. I enjoy his fiction, because he understands how to write stories.

Michael W. Garza's Tribes of Decay is a fine start to The Decaying World series. It's a good and entertaining novel to readers who enjoy reading zombie novels. It's a fun read if you're familiar with the zombie genre, but it will also please newcomers to the genre.

I've noticed that writing survival horror stories is a bit tricky. Some authors succeed in it while others fail at it almost miserably because of their lack of self restraint when writing about characters and what happens to them. Fortunately, Michael W. Garza succeeds in writing about how the characters fight for survival in a harsh and unforgiving world.

Here's information about the story:

- In the beginning, Darian and Rowan, who are cousins and belong to the Cheyenne Tribe, are hunting and wandering outdoors. They see a horde of the infected and seek shelter. Soon Rowan sees how the infected grab hold of Darian.

- Mia is in love with Rowan. She is aware that the leaders of the tribe will soon gather and discuss who among the young men will join them as full members. She hopes that Rowan will be selected, because they could finally be married.

- When Rowan arrives without Darian, Mia's father (Arkin) is angry and the council members hurt Rowan. When Rowan recovers, he knows that Arkin will never let him marry Mia.

- Rowan tells the coucil members that the infected are gathering. Nothing like that has ever happened before.

- Soon Rowan and Mia's lives change...

The worldbuilding is simple, but very effective. This novel is set in a future world where people have suffered a global plague and the dead crave for human flesh. The world has changed in many ways, because only remnants remain of the old world. The world has become a primitive place and people have to hunt for food.

The characterisation is good. I was pleasantly surprised when I read about the characters, because they were real people with real problems. The author has created interesting main characters and he makes you care about them. He also writes well about the secondary characters.

The relationship with Rowan and Mia is an important part of the story. You can feel how much they care about each other and to what lengths they're willing to go to be each other, because there's real love and affection between them. This kind of descriptions about love and affection can only be found in the best zombie novels, because good novels almost always have emotional depth in them so that the readers have something to relate to.

The tension between Rowan and Mia's father, Arkin, feels realistic and dramatic. When Rowan returns without Darian, tension rises and Arkin fully shows his contempt of Rowan. He blames Rowan for what has happened and wants him to stay away from his daughter.

The author writes convincingly about what Rowan and Darian experience at the beginning of the novel and what happens to them, because they've known each other for years and enjoy each other's company. It was interesting for me to read about their doings and how Darian met his fate.

The atmosphere is intense and mysterious. It was interesting to read about what the infected were doing, because they seemed to act in a new and unexpected way.

Michael W. Garza's Tribes of Decay is an entertaining and well written zombie novel. Whether you're a newcomer to zombie stories or an experienced reader, you'll find something to enjoy in this novel. It's a gem among zombie novels and should not be missed by fans of the genre.

Intriguing and well written postapocalyptic entertainment to fans of zombie stories!

[Romeight · Rating 5 out of 5]

*****I RECEIVED A COMPLIMENTARY COPY OF THIS BOOK FROM THE AUTHOR IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW*****



Wow! Wow! Wow! What more can I say?! This story is just action-packed! From the very beginning I was just kicked into the middle of everything which made it impossible for me to have a moment to think about anything that wasn’t this book. Painfully so, considering I was forced to drop it for a few days…

We begin with a quick introduction of the characters which leads into the world, and ultimately the action I am so annoyingly raving about. Now, this isn’t the only element “Tribes of Decay” has going for itself. I know what you’re possibly thinking; “Oh, it’s just another one of those generic zombie books like what everyone else is making”. Umm, excuse me! NO! Garza came, he conquered, and he raised the bar. He’s not just refreshing the ‘zombie’ genre, he is completely reinventing it. His concept of what they are, what they do, and where they’re coming from is certainly something to get you excited for this novel. I was actually squealing, ranting to my friend about what I was reading before I had two readers buying and reading this book.

The world he portrays for this zombie novel is also a breath of fresh air. I can’t possibly tell you how tired I am of seeing books where the portrayal of the world is a few weeks at the most after the ‘infection’, or ‘apocalypse’… Whatever they want to call it. Garza goes generations into the aftereffects and how society managed to make it that far. For me this is a fascinating concept as I’ve always been one of those theorists who enjoy debating on what we would do if something like this were to actually happen.

I personally loved every single character that was presented. I found that their development and growth was perfectly paced, and not one moment made me question what the author was thinking. Definitely have to comment how much I hate it when you suddenly read a completely out of character remark and/or action that leaves you staring at the page like “Where was I when he/she decided to make that flip?!”

The only con I would give this book? There are a few spelling errors you will catch if you’re actually taking your time to read and carefully process the book. It isn’t anything too big that would impede your understanding of the situation, but it can definitely get annoying if, as stated before, you are taking your sweet time reading through the book. I will say, however, I was so immersed with what was happening at certain points, that I was barely able to catch said errors the first time (I’ve read the book twice now).

Wrapping it up, this book is not only for those looking to read some horror, but also some good action, a fresh and new take on zombies with a sprinkle of well-balanced romance and drama. The romance being as minimal as it could be.

Enjoy guys! And make sure to check out more of his work!

[Zoltán · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, I'm not a zombie fanatic. I decided to read this book as the basic concept seemed interesting.

The story takes place in a world, where most of humanity is already infected or dead. Most of the survivors were born after the break out and never saw the old world. Fragmented memories of technology are turning into myth. The plot follows the life of two youngsters, about to come of age and be accepted as adult members or their tribe. A group surviving in the remains of a city. Their survivalist, but more or less working life crumbles when a wave of new zombies arrives. They are different and soon the main characters are on the run. The situation is simple. Adapt or die.

- I liked the idea of changing, evolving zombies. The "they are dumb, but many" base concept has been chewed to the bone. Nice to see an author trying to bring in new ideas.
- The characters were born in the zombie world, living their life within a small district of a city. It was nicely elaborated how they see their surroundings and won't understand basic (for us) items when they face it. (Electricity, guns are just tales by then.)
- There is also good description about how the characters feel, how they think.
- The story is complete, without unneeded hangovers, but perfectly open for a continuation.

There are two things that I didn't like and this is why I eventually decided on four starts only. I'm possibly too survivalist and technical. These may not be such problems for others.

- There is nothing in the book about how the survivors get food, apart from an unsuccessful gardening project. In the middle of a concrete city ruin, this is an important question. There is a whole tribe in a small district.
- I like the idea of evolving zombies. The reason I picked up this book. But I missed some hint about _how_ they evolve. With a virus infecting practically everybody a generation ago, there is little room for general mutation and zombies are quite resilient anyway. (This part may be solved in the second book.)

In general, I liked the book and suggest it for reading for anyone who likes the genre. I'm looking forward to read the next part.

[Edward Sweeney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I purchased “Tribes of Decay: A Zombie Novel (The Decaying World Saga Book 1)” by Michael W. Garza once I read the very intriguing summary for this book. I love reading well written zombie novels and this story line looked like something that I would enjoy. After reading “Tribes of Decay” I can officially say that this story did not disappoint. It is simply one fantastic zombie novel!
In this novel we meet Rowan, Mia and Darian who belong to the Cheyenne Tribe. Rowan and Darian journey away from the tribe to go hunting & exploring and what they find is a horde of infected. Darian informs the elders of the tribe that the zombies and the infected are joining forces to attack. Rowan isn’t believed and is soon forced out the tribe. What happens next in this story is a real page turner and I stayed up half the night reading because I simply needed to know what was going to happen next. “Tribes of Decay” is one intense zombie thrill ride but I should also mention that even though this is a zombie book there is a little romance between Rowan & Mia and it’s really wonderful to see their love develop as the story unfolds. I don’t want to give away too many details about the story line because interested readers really need to buy this book so that they can take this action filled adventure along with the characters.

Michael Garza’s writing style really brought Rowan and Mia to life for me. I appreciate it when an author adds a real depth to the characters in a story and Michael Garza most certainly did this in “Tribes of Decay”. Also, the story moves along swiftly thanks to a very strong plot line which kept me engaged in this extremely entertaining novel. If you’re a fan of well crafted zombie novels then you will have a hard time putting down “Tribes of Decay”. I highly recommend this book and I look forward to reading more books by this very talented author.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of Garza's latest novel in exchange for an honest review and I've read his work before. This is a talented that continues to release zombie novels that breath life into the genre. While this could appeal to just fans of the genre it also contains a bit of everything that appeals to fans of horror as well as straight fiction. In Tribes Garza presents us with a look at the world after the initial zombie outbreak and the tribes that are fighting to survive in this new world. The problem is that the zombies are evolving and gathering. That's what sets this apart from what you're accustomed to. You have a great story about survival and all the usual rules of the zombies are thrown out. Garza takes a huge risk and it pays off. As the opening book in the series there's a lot to grab your attention and there's a reason to read the continuing books in the series.

The strength of this is in the characters themselves. They are living in a new world that are thrust into a nightmare and while the zombies it would seem would be the focus, it's the survivors that are put right out in front. It is a zombie novel so expect a bit of gore, and violence. Garza has a unique writing style that pulls you into the story and even as the book is nearing its conclusion he gives you a valid reason to want to read the entire series. I liked these characters and want to see what happens to them on their quest to rebuild their paradise. This is a writer that knows how to effectively tell a story and keeps the pages flying. For those are looking for something unique and addicting you should preorder Tribes Of Decay as soon as you finish this review. The official release date is Jan 31, and then wait patiently for the next books in the series. Many thanks to Michael for allowing to get a sneak peak at his latest release

[J. Michel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even though Tribes of Decay is chock-full of zombies, there's a lot more going on in this book than flesh-eating corpses tearing apart a city. Rowan and Mia have been close since childhood, but now that they're teenagers they finally realize they're meant for each other. After the city is overrun by hordes of the undead, Rowan and Mia are separated and have to literally fight their way back to each other.

Michael Garza has a way of creating a believable world that sucks the reader right in. From the very first page, the author pulls us into this post-apocalyptic city: "There was little that remained of the old world." Garza's descriptions are vivid and his characters are sympathetic and real, which makes you want to tear through this book in one sitting.

One of the coolest things about Tribes of Decay is that even though it's set in the future, the characters are living in a primitive world. There's no electricity or running water, and everyone has to hunt for their food, which is commonplace in zombie novels, but in this book the men and woman have banded together to form solid groups in order to survive. It's not just every man/woman for him/herself; not only do Rowan and Mia have to find each other again, they have to ensure their tribe members are safe from the thousands of undead overrunning the city.

If you're a zombie fan, you absolutely have to read this book. I give Tribes of Decay five stars all the way!

[Autumn · Rating 5 out of 5]

http://fallenoverbookreviews.blogspot...

I received this book to give an honest review.

First let me start off with the cover it is awesome looking it just looks like it is going to be good.
With Tribes of Decay the old world is no longer, now groups of people are spread though out the world living in tribes though we are not told how many. Trying to stay alive.
So one day when Rowan and his friend are out and about they see that something seems up with the infected they are gathering? Say what? That isn't normal right? Well what Rowan sees is much more than that and it is up to him and Mia to help each other out along with others. It seems that there is a place that have a lot of survivors but is it worth going there? Where this story ended I am interested in what Mia, Rowan and the others are going to do. Will they get answers to how all of this started? What role will Mia take on? To me Mia was a character that I was very surprised at. When we first meet her she is a bit defiant with her father but we see how she grows into this strong person when thrown into the middle of trying to survive.
The way the dead was described was awesome to me I love reading about zombies and the more gruesome they are the better.
This author has a great way with telling a story and pulling you in.

[Ailyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Special thanks to the author for gifting me the book for a fair review. You would be forgiven if you think that this would be the same as many zombie novels that are out there. But Michael Garza spins a lot of plots in Tribes of Decay.

It starts with the Rowan of the Cheyenne Tribe going hunting with the tribe’s golden boy Darian, When things go awry, Rowan gets the blame, and things go from normal to interesting from there. First of all, he finds something disturbing, and secondly, no one is listening.

Conflict after conflict, the author then tosses in a girl, Mia into the mix and starts to make stakes higher and higher. Tribes of Decay is not just a zombie survival story and how people are surviving post zombie apocalypse. It is a lesson on change: if you do not change, things get ugly.

Message across, I enjoyed how Rowan’s adaptive abilities make him the hero of the day, even though he repeatedly doubted his capability. I love how zombies are not big enough of a threat that author had to introduce another third party to mix things up.

In the decaying world, Michael Garza addresses a very important point that I have been questioning all the time, but his answer is really … scary.

Worth the read, and definitely a series to follow.

[Andy Dill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tribes Of Decay: A Zombie Novel (The Decaying World Saga Book 1) by Michael W. Garza was a different take on the zombie theme. I usually don't read zombie books, but since I am a big fan of The Walking Dead, I thought I would give it a try. I was pleasantly surprised. There was plenty of action and the concept of the separation of the tribes trying to survive added to the overall story. I liked the different twists and turns that took place throughout the story. Mostly, I liked the idea of the infected leading the dead. The usual zombie story just follows people trying to survive against hordes of mindless flesh eaters. It was interesting that the mindless where kept under control to conserve the food supply.

I recommend this book to all zombie book fans and to those who enjoy a good zombie movie or TV show. I look forward to seeing what the survivors will do next.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

My original thoughts is that the zombie apocalypse thing has been done to the death (no pun originally intended). I mean, how many apocalypse stories have come out in the past few months?? But I must say this was one was more pleasing than I thought it would be. It’s a very busy book, I’m not sure how else to say it, but there was almost no stop to the action, which is alright!

It’s hard to talk and not spoil, but I feel that the characters really took advantage of their situations and I enjoyed following their adventures throughout the story. I highly recommend this book for fans of zombie adventure and science and saving the world type of stuff. It receives 3.5 out of 5 beans from me.

[Marinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a story about survival that takes place years after the zombie apocalypse. Rowan and Mia are members of the Chyanne tribe and are in love but Mia's father doesn't think Rowan is the one for his daughter. Rowan discovers the zombies and the infected are grouping together to attack but no one believes him of course because zombies aren't capable of joining forces. When Rowan is kicked out of the tribe what follows is an action packed bloody story about what it takes to survive and what people will do for love. I really enjoyed this couldn't put it down. Can't wait to get the next book in the series. Will definitely be looking for more from this amazing author.
Independent reviewer for Romance Authors That Rock

[Sahara Foley]

I just want to say right off the bat, I’m not into zombies. To me, zombie books are boring, How many ways can you read a fight scene with zombies? They eventually all sound the same. I just can’t understand people’s fascination with them, but I had previously read The Hand That Feeds by Garza, which I enjoyed, so I was hoping for another entertaining story.

What I was hoping for was a storyline, other than just fighting off zombie. I’ve never seen the Waling Dead, but their fans tell me it’s the story of the different characters that keeps them involved. And I have to say, this book is the same way. It drew me in from the start. I came to empathize with Rowan and Mia as they not only had to combat the zombies, but her father, and tribe, as well. As they rushed across the landscape, trying to escape the horde of undead and infected, I read faster and faster. I wanted to know what happened next. I was really getting into the book, as Jacob and Mia started realizing there was more to Connor and the Canaan compound than they thought. Then, it all came to a screeching halt.

(Spoiler Alert) What killed it for me is I found several plot holes that almost made me quit reading the book. If I wasn’t already invested in the characters, I would’ve. The first red flag was when Rowan is trying to find a way out of the compound, pushing zombie boy in front of him with his pole & leash. Suddenly, Mia shows up. Rowan and Mia hug, and now zombie-boy is gone. The same one Hinu told them they needed to keep as he’s patient zero. No mention was every made of him again. Why was he so important, but then just written off?

The second red flag, when Himu had his hand nearly shot off, but yet, he doesn’t bleed to death, and he’s able to climb a rope, and a ladder. Really? And the same for Connor. He falls off a platform, we know his knee is broken as it’s bent the wrong way, yet several chapters later, there he is walking with a splint. There is just no way. I’ve had a blown out knee. I know how painful and impossible it is to walk on one, let alone broken.

There were too many other smaller instances that felt contrived, just to make the story. If Garza had used some beta readers, or an editor, these issues would have been resolved before publication. And all the proofreading errors would’ve been corrected too.

If you’re into the Walking Dead, and love zombies, you’ll probably enjoy this story. Just be prepared to eat a lot of salt. For me, I was disappointed how it turned out, so I give it 3 feathers.

[Lourie · Rating 3 out of 5]

*** I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review ***

Truth be told I am not a fan of zombie apocalyptic books anymore. I feel as though they have become redundant recycling the same ideas over and over. However I decided to read this book because i enjoyed “The Last Infection”, also written by Michael Garza, so much.

This book opens long after the apocalypse. Rowan along with his cousin are on a hunting mission and I quickly learn that the author is not tied to keeping any of his characters safe. There is something very raw about a story when you know right away that anyone can die at anytime. For me it makes the story more riveting and tense which is what I want with this type of story.

Mia and Rowan the main protagonists are from the Cheyenne tribe who live above the city on roof tops and they are very sheltered as to the world outside of their community. They know about the zombies but not about the modern world that feel apart prior to their births. They meet up with Jacob who is much older and has wisdom far beyond their years. I liked that the story took up after the next generation was coming of age. It gave the story more depth then it would have had if it was after the initial outbreak.

The twist on this story is that there are the infected and also the dead (zombies) and they are evolving. They have learned how to communicate and to hunt. For me the difference between the groups was explained but left me feeling confused. I’m not sure it was explained throughly enough for me however once I decided to ignore that issue and focus on the fact that they all still wanted to eat the living it was much easier. I liked that Garza took them to the next level which made them more intimidating or more deadly if that is even possible.

The story moves quickly from one life threatening scene to the next but at times I felt like it was at the expense of character and plot development. There were many ideas present that I would have loved the author to expand on. However with all of that being said I did enjoy the book and look forward to the next. Ow and just as a side note this book does have a satisfying ending and does not leave you hanging until the next chronicle.

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

***Received a free copy via the GoodReads Giveways courtesy of the author***

This is definitely not your typical zombie book. I wasn't sure what to expect getting into this book, but I was pleasantly surprised by the story!

Rowan and Mia are struggling to survive in a world where the dead have taken over. Through a series of unfortunate circumstances they are thrust into a world of survival and have to face the idea that maybe there is more out there than just the city they know.

After completing the story I feel this is a tale with zombies rather than a "zombie tale." It sets the atmosphere that death can be around every corner, but the story doesn't just focus on the zombies it's about how the main characters can adapt to their changing situations within a zombie apocalypse. To grow, adapt and survive. Michael Garza does a fantastic job of explaining the characters motivation and desires as well as showing the growth of the main players throughout the story. Not one character is the same from chapter 1 to chapter 27.

It was a well written book, I recommend it to anyone who is into the Young Adult sci-fi/post apocalyptic genre! Looking forward to the second novel, and even if that doesn't happen this one is a good stand alone story

4/5

[Jane Kelsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Evolution results in death and destruction. Mia and Rowan are members of the Chayenne tribe surviving in a decaying world ruled by the zombies and the infected. They were born in a world already dead, a world where death cries every night, where each step can be fatal and nobody is spared.

When I began reading this novel, I was surprised from the begging in a very good way. I am a zombie fan, I would devour anything with zombies in it, but I knew it was more than just zombies, it was about humans, about feelings, about how you survive death without losing your humanity.

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