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The Scattered and the Dead #0.5
The Scattered and the Dead
Loneliness drives an agoraphobic shut-in to write a letter to the girl in the apartment across the hall, trying to strike up a friendship. Unfortunately, a series of apocalyptic events interrupt this attempt at human contact. Now he watches out the window as the world gets cut to pieces by plague and riots. There are even rumors of zombies. Getting to know someone could be harder than he thought, let alone surviving in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. He might even need to leave the apartment.
162 pages, Paperback
First published January 30, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 152 reviews
February 25, 2019
This is a 4.5 star read.
What happens to an agoraphobic with social anxiety and panic disorder during and post an Apocalypse? Read the written ramblings of Decker, an apartment bound 25 year old serious introvert as he views the fall of society from an apocalyptic event, all through the window of his high rise building. The novelette is written in first person POV as a series of letters to his secret crush, a girl in an apartment opposite, who he can't bring himself to contact.(and is most likely dead)
The character of Decker SO spoke to me (hellooo social anxiety and agoraphobia! ) especially the wanting to connect but being unable to and the inherent loneliness. Decker's loneliness is made all the more real by wanting to connect but now having no one to connect with - everybody's dead! Well, nearly everybody.
The tale divulges his preparation and coping with the actual apocalypse, (no real zombies here - except in Florida) the death of his mother, the disintegration of society while viewing from his apartment window and Decker's eventual courage in going out into what is left of the world in order to survive and to try to connect with another person. The story also shows Decker's evolution into the man he must become in order to survive. Man!! I mourned the old Decker. 😭
A gritty, hard hitting look at a person's coping mechanisms during a life altering event, it's one of the few zombie-less apocalyptic stories I've read and so seemed a lot fresher. I HIGHLY recommend this book to lovers of dystopian apocalyptics (is there any other?) but p.s. to self - DO NOT read 3x dystopian/apocalypse books at the same time - SO depressing!
What happens to an agoraphobic with social anxiety and panic disorder during and post an Apocalypse? Read the written ramblings of Decker, an apartment bound 25 year old serious introvert as he views the fall of society from an apocalyptic event, all through the window of his high rise building. The novelette is written in first person POV as a series of letters to his secret crush, a girl in an apartment opposite, who he can't bring himself to contact.(and is most likely dead)
The character of Decker SO spoke to me (hellooo social anxiety and agoraphobia! ) especially the wanting to connect but being unable to and the inherent loneliness. Decker's loneliness is made all the more real by wanting to connect but now having no one to connect with - everybody's dead! Well, nearly everybody.
The tale divulges his preparation and coping with the actual apocalypse, (no real zombies here - except in Florida) the death of his mother, the disintegration of society while viewing from his apartment window and Decker's eventual courage in going out into what is left of the world in order to survive and to try to connect with another person. The story also shows Decker's evolution into the man he must become in order to survive. Man!! I mourned the old Decker. 😭
A gritty, hard hitting look at a person's coping mechanisms during a life altering event, it's one of the few zombie-less apocalyptic stories I've read and so seemed a lot fresher. I HIGHLY recommend this book to lovers of dystopian apocalyptics (is there any other?) but p.s. to self - DO NOT read 3x dystopian/apocalypse books at the same time - SO depressing!
March 3, 2016
This is a book about gardening. It's a story about what happens if you plant a person in contemporary society and then incubate them on a diet of tang. That might actually be epidemiology. Anyway, the Scattered and the Dead is what happens to a reasonably intelligent person if you leave them alone long enough.
If you're an introvert who's ever felt isolated, you'll get this book. If you've ever had a crush on someone and not told them, you'll get this book. You'll understand why feral cats are fascinating and what might make you carry a machete downtown. You'll understand the blinding, righteous fury of discovering the callous injustice of other human beings. Fundamentally, this is a story about you without the thousands of strings society ties to you every day, and if you've ever wondered what you'd be like if there was no one around to judge your actions, no obligations or constraints other than your own survival, then you'll probably like this book.
The writing is smooth and funny, but it's also a solo trip, so if snappy dialogue is your thing as opposed to the inner workings of an evolving mind, this might not be your cup of tea - or tang, as it were.
But I liked it.
If you're an introvert who's ever felt isolated, you'll get this book. If you've ever had a crush on someone and not told them, you'll get this book. You'll understand why feral cats are fascinating and what might make you carry a machete downtown. You'll understand the blinding, righteous fury of discovering the callous injustice of other human beings. Fundamentally, this is a story about you without the thousands of strings society ties to you every day, and if you've ever wondered what you'd be like if there was no one around to judge your actions, no obligations or constraints other than your own survival, then you'll probably like this book.
The writing is smooth and funny, but it's also a solo trip, so if snappy dialogue is your thing as opposed to the inner workings of an evolving mind, this might not be your cup of tea - or tang, as it were.
But I liked it.
March 6, 2016
This is a short novella - and introduction to a future series that I will definitely be reading. I bought it after being recommend it on Goodreads. Decker is a 25 year old who has barely left his apartment over the last few years, crippled by social anxiety and panic attacks. Luckily, he runs a successful online business, so has a very well supplied apartment. In this series, the apocalypse ramps up slowly, rather than overnight, so he has time to stockpile, but also time to watch his mother die and be inundated by senseless violence on TV as the people turn on each other. There is a girl who lives in the apartment across from him who he has been trying to get up the courage to talk to - now, he writes her a letter, a journal detailing his experience over the last few months as society crumbles.
There are no actual zombies in this book (although it is a world with zombies; we're told that the dead are rising in Florida, but not everywhere) - it is more a psychological introduction to a character and how he copes mentally and physically with being alone in the new world. The transformation is impressive, and I found Decker a believable character, with an interesting backstory.
The book is short and there isn't much of a plot since a pre-series introduction, but I enjoyed it. I'm a big fan of the post apocalyptic genre, and enjoy slower survival stories as much as the action-filled ones. I look forward to reading a full length book in this series.
There are no actual zombies in this book (although it is a world with zombies; we're told that the dead are rising in Florida, but not everywhere) - it is more a psychological introduction to a character and how he copes mentally and physically with being alone in the new world. The transformation is impressive, and I found Decker a believable character, with an interesting backstory.
The book is short and there isn't much of a plot since a pre-series introduction, but I enjoyed it. I'm a big fan of the post apocalyptic genre, and enjoy slower survival stories as much as the action-filled ones. I look forward to reading a full length book in this series.
March 2, 2016
shut-in vs. the apocalypse
I love this book. It's grim, dark, and visceral. While society falls apart, Decker, a guy who sealed himself off from the world at the very beginning of the plague is trying to make a connection with the girl across the hall.
This is a smooth, seamless read. I finished it in one sitting. I couldn't stop turning the pages. I had to find out what Decker would do next, how he would cope with this dark new reality, and whether he would finally give the letter to the girl across the hall. The ending gave me this sense of finality and loss, of irreversible changes—not just to the world, but to Decker himself. I realized I'd been clinging to the old world and the old Decker as tightly as he had been. In the end, that was the hardest part to stomach—watching helplessly while Decker became the man he had to be to survive.
If this is any indication of things to come, then the Scattered and the Dead Book 1 can't come out soon enough. I can't wait to spend some more time in McBain and Vargus's grim and gritty post-apocalyptic world.
I love this book. It's grim, dark, and visceral. While society falls apart, Decker, a guy who sealed himself off from the world at the very beginning of the plague is trying to make a connection with the girl across the hall.
This is a smooth, seamless read. I finished it in one sitting. I couldn't stop turning the pages. I had to find out what Decker would do next, how he would cope with this dark new reality, and whether he would finally give the letter to the girl across the hall. The ending gave me this sense of finality and loss, of irreversible changes—not just to the world, but to Decker himself. I realized I'd been clinging to the old world and the old Decker as tightly as he had been. In the end, that was the hardest part to stomach—watching helplessly while Decker became the man he had to be to survive.
If this is any indication of things to come, then the Scattered and the Dead Book 1 can't come out soon enough. I can't wait to spend some more time in McBain and Vargus's grim and gritty post-apocalyptic world.
July 14, 2018
Same shtick, different apocalypse. If you’ve read this writing team before you pretty much know what to expect, the sort of very immediate, first person narration, that comes across as hip, quippy and very young, no matter what the narrator’s age is. Here the narrator is 25, an agoraphob with money, so he sits in his apartment stockpiled with goodies and watches the world around him die out, until he is forces by necessity to actually go outside and start doing something. The story’s told epistolary style via short letters he writes to the nameless neighbor girl he has a crush on. It’s also meant to be either the starter or a prequel for a series. I don’t think I’m all that interested in that particular apocalypse, didn’t sound like a strikingly original addition to the genre, more like a version of the same old. This was a freebie and I like survival stories and because of its style it’s very readable, so it passed some time in a reasonably entertaining fashion.
March 2, 2017
Why do these words occur to me? This never ending stream of thoughts, of sentences constructing themselves in my head? And why do I get the urge to write some of them down? To grasp after the feeling of sharing some of these thoughts even with no one here. To compose them in a never ending letter to the dead girl rotting across the way?
I surprised the hell out myself by enjoying this.
This is so not my genre. I catalog a bunch of these books, the indie or self-published, post-apocalyptic, prepper-is-vindicated, chaos in destroyed America novels. There's usually an electromagnetic pulse involved, so no power grid. There are always guns and tough men leading people to a farm/homestead on lots of family acres. Sometimes there are missing family members, usually wives or children, and sometimes it's just the lone maverick. Sometimes he's a retired Navy SEAL and other times, he's just an avid outdoorsman. But the story always goes like this: Everything is fine and then it's not. EMP destroys power grid and only old cars still work. Chaos ensues. Gangs of militants/hooligans/vigilantes form. Man must high-tail it to safety. He's been waiting for this moment all his life. Man and possible group encounter many harrowing moments and all the worst kinds of people on trek to safe place. Cliffhanger ending.
They're often poorly-written, trite, and that storyline is always the same. They both irritate and bore me.
But not this one!
I cataloged this so had to quickly flip through it for content and, as I did so, I noticed the writing was not horrible, the plot was not regurgitated, and it seemed interesting. Also, it's super short, being a novella, and all. I figured, what the hey, I'll check it out.
And I did.
And I liked it.
This agoraphobic accidental prepper, who has only left his apartment to visit his mother in the hospital when she died from the illness that has since killed off a ton of the population, takes the reader, day by day, through the end of the world via a letter he's writing to the woman who lives across the hall.
It's sad, thought-provoking, and left me disappointed in humanity.
I really enjoyed it.
I surprised the hell out myself by enjoying this.
This is so not my genre. I catalog a bunch of these books, the indie or self-published, post-apocalyptic, prepper-is-vindicated, chaos in destroyed America novels. There's usually an electromagnetic pulse involved, so no power grid. There are always guns and tough men leading people to a farm/homestead on lots of family acres. Sometimes there are missing family members, usually wives or children, and sometimes it's just the lone maverick. Sometimes he's a retired Navy SEAL and other times, he's just an avid outdoorsman. But the story always goes like this: Everything is fine and then it's not. EMP destroys power grid and only old cars still work. Chaos ensues. Gangs of militants/hooligans/vigilantes form. Man must high-tail it to safety. He's been waiting for this moment all his life. Man and possible group encounter many harrowing moments and all the worst kinds of people on trek to safe place. Cliffhanger ending.
They're often poorly-written, trite, and that storyline is always the same. They both irritate and bore me.
But not this one!
I cataloged this so had to quickly flip through it for content and, as I did so, I noticed the writing was not horrible, the plot was not regurgitated, and it seemed interesting. Also, it's super short, being a novella, and all. I figured, what the hey, I'll check it out.
And I did.
And I liked it.
This agoraphobic accidental prepper, who has only left his apartment to visit his mother in the hospital when she died from the illness that has since killed off a ton of the population, takes the reader, day by day, through the end of the world via a letter he's writing to the woman who lives across the hall.
It's sad, thought-provoking, and left me disappointed in humanity.
I really enjoyed it.
March 21, 2016
LOVED LOVED LOVED and CANNOT WAIT for the novels to come out!
December 14, 2016
That surprises come in small packages we can say with certainty for The Scattered and the Dead by Tim McBain and L.T. Vargus. But don't be too much surprised to see that this review, despite my best intentions, contains some spoilers.
The Scattered and the Dead (Book 0.5) has only 162 pages, but each page is carefully and meticulously thought over. It starts with the young man John Decker, who is writing a letter to an unknown girl (his neighbor), in a very unusual manner. He tells her that he sees her, sometimes feels like he knows her but he doesn't know how to say hi to her. Immediately after the opening sentences he starts describing to her the painful and realistically graphic death of his mother.
Decker is an introvert and he cannot fit into society. Even though he is good with saving money, he lives in his fortress of an apartment, where he is anonymous and no one knows about him. He is writing a letter to the girl three doors down across the hall, with whom he is trying to make a contact while watching the world go to shit on TV. The world is facing apocalypse, people are bleeding to death, zombies are eating people's faces, and he doesn't know how to connect with anyone.
He has endless supplies ordered from Amazon and he feels rather safe in his apartment when the face of the world, and consequently his life, rapidly changes. New deliveries stop to arrive, an old man sprays blood all over the sidewalk in front of his building, journalists wearing surgical masks report about riots and human misery everywhere. No one puts out the fire which devours the apartment building across the street, the power keeps cutting out until it goes out in the middle of the night and the big silence creeps in.
With such detailed descriptions of an apocalypse at the time of the plague, McBain and Vargus build suspense around their one main character who, as the world slides into its final days of civilization, becomes lonelier and lonelier. It makes me wonder what all goes on in the night, in the dark, in all of the places where my eyes can’t go. (. . .) Please help me find someone. I don’t know what to do, and I don’t want to be alone forever.
The horrific beauty of this book, unlike other zombie books, does not focus on the gory imagery of human degradation and destruction of our world. Those images coexist and function as a backdrop, while the true horror is that of a psychological nature of an unsocialized and abandoned 25 years old Derek who cannot stand the burden of loneliness in the world which completely belongs to him. Behold the loneliness. The only thing that’s left. The only thing that was ever real if you stripped away the novelties and distractions, maybe.
As the world around him crumbles further to pieces, Derek finds in himself strength to survive: But I’ve seen how things can change, how they must change, how all things must come to ash, how the old ways can die out and become something new. And I know I can change. I can transform. And so I will. And so he does transform, sometimes unaware of his actions which function on the most primal level. But he realizes and acknowledges the change that is happening not only in the world around him but within his lonely state as well. I started this letter in a lonely state, surrounded by people, literally in a building crawling with them, a city full of them, but unsure how to connect with them, how to really know any of them. And I end this letter in a lonely state, a different kind of lonely with no one around for miles. Apart from the dead bodies, I guess.
He is becoming someone else, an unknown person who not only manages to conquer his fears from both living people and the piles of dead bodies mass murdered in a government camp, but he also doesn't flinch in using a weapon to defend his survival, even finding rush and fun in killing other human beings.
McBain and Vargus have created a spectacularly creepy psychological and apocalyptic novella full of anxiety. Though from a different perspective, it brings to our mind a memory on the literary classic The Road by Cormac McCarthy. The biggest question we ask ourselves at the end of The Scattered and the Dead (Book 0.5) is who are the true winners in this story – the ones who mercifully (or not) fell victims or its survivor(s). For, living in a big wide world full of dead bodies of the disease-plagued mankind is not a prospect we should look forward to. Unless we are able to mentally transform into something we aren't, bared to our basic instinct.
BJ
www.bernardjan.com
The Scattered and the Dead (Book 0.5) has only 162 pages, but each page is carefully and meticulously thought over. It starts with the young man John Decker, who is writing a letter to an unknown girl (his neighbor), in a very unusual manner. He tells her that he sees her, sometimes feels like he knows her but he doesn't know how to say hi to her. Immediately after the opening sentences he starts describing to her the painful and realistically graphic death of his mother.
Decker is an introvert and he cannot fit into society. Even though he is good with saving money, he lives in his fortress of an apartment, where he is anonymous and no one knows about him. He is writing a letter to the girl three doors down across the hall, with whom he is trying to make a contact while watching the world go to shit on TV. The world is facing apocalypse, people are bleeding to death, zombies are eating people's faces, and he doesn't know how to connect with anyone.
He has endless supplies ordered from Amazon and he feels rather safe in his apartment when the face of the world, and consequently his life, rapidly changes. New deliveries stop to arrive, an old man sprays blood all over the sidewalk in front of his building, journalists wearing surgical masks report about riots and human misery everywhere. No one puts out the fire which devours the apartment building across the street, the power keeps cutting out until it goes out in the middle of the night and the big silence creeps in.
With such detailed descriptions of an apocalypse at the time of the plague, McBain and Vargus build suspense around their one main character who, as the world slides into its final days of civilization, becomes lonelier and lonelier. It makes me wonder what all goes on in the night, in the dark, in all of the places where my eyes can’t go. (. . .) Please help me find someone. I don’t know what to do, and I don’t want to be alone forever.
The horrific beauty of this book, unlike other zombie books, does not focus on the gory imagery of human degradation and destruction of our world. Those images coexist and function as a backdrop, while the true horror is that of a psychological nature of an unsocialized and abandoned 25 years old Derek who cannot stand the burden of loneliness in the world which completely belongs to him. Behold the loneliness. The only thing that’s left. The only thing that was ever real if you stripped away the novelties and distractions, maybe.
As the world around him crumbles further to pieces, Derek finds in himself strength to survive: But I’ve seen how things can change, how they must change, how all things must come to ash, how the old ways can die out and become something new. And I know I can change. I can transform. And so I will. And so he does transform, sometimes unaware of his actions which function on the most primal level. But he realizes and acknowledges the change that is happening not only in the world around him but within his lonely state as well. I started this letter in a lonely state, surrounded by people, literally in a building crawling with them, a city full of them, but unsure how to connect with them, how to really know any of them. And I end this letter in a lonely state, a different kind of lonely with no one around for miles. Apart from the dead bodies, I guess.
He is becoming someone else, an unknown person who not only manages to conquer his fears from both living people and the piles of dead bodies mass murdered in a government camp, but he also doesn't flinch in using a weapon to defend his survival, even finding rush and fun in killing other human beings.
McBain and Vargus have created a spectacularly creepy psychological and apocalyptic novella full of anxiety. Though from a different perspective, it brings to our mind a memory on the literary classic The Road by Cormac McCarthy. The biggest question we ask ourselves at the end of The Scattered and the Dead (Book 0.5) is who are the true winners in this story – the ones who mercifully (or not) fell victims or its survivor(s). For, living in a big wide world full of dead bodies of the disease-plagued mankind is not a prospect we should look forward to. Unless we are able to mentally transform into something we aren't, bared to our basic instinct.
BJ
www.bernardjan.com
October 12, 2019
Recap: A recluse writes a letter to the girl across the hall as the world ends.
Review: A compelling page Turner as first you waited to see if he would mail the letter and speak to the girl and then to see the aftermath of the plague and the EMP and the mass exodus of the city. Soooooo many questions so obviously, going to have to read the next one!
Review: A compelling page Turner as first you waited to see if he would mail the letter and speak to the girl and then to see the aftermath of the plague and the EMP and the mass exodus of the city. Soooooo many questions so obviously, going to have to read the next one!
August 7, 2020
A prequel to what appears to be a great post-apocalyptic series! I'm already reading the next book!
March 8, 2017
The Scattered and the Dead, Book 0.5
Written by: Tim McBain, L.T. Vargus
Narrated by: Tim McBain
Length: 2 hrs and 27 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:02-04-16
Publisher: Smarmy Press
The Scattered and the Dead, Book 0.5 had been on my Kindle radar for a few days. I liked the description. The prices was right, less than a dollar, but I just had not made that commitment click yet. Earlier today I was offered a free copy of the Audible version in exchange for a fair review. I immediately committed to it. I thought I would start listening to it tonight and finish tomorrow since it is only two and a half hours long. That did not happen. I sat in my chair totally lost in the book. Other than pausing to tell my family to fend for themselves for dinner (all over eighteen so it is not abuse, it is character building), I got lost in a new universe.
The Scattered and the Dead begins twenty-one days before. Before what is something the reader has to discover for themselves. In the dwindling days of “before”, Decker, the main character watches the world slip away. Very important to note, that he watches; other than one event he does not participate. Once the countdown of “before” ends and the count begins to go up for “after”, Decker finds he cannot wait this catastrophe out. When he does venture out and participate, the story was not predictable. I would be neglectful if I did not mention Decker’s reliance on Tang for vitamin C. I feel compelled to share that my plumber advises us to use Tang once a week to keep our sink from clogging. Drink at your own risk. When I finished, I sat for a few minutes wishing it continued. It really is a great story.
The production values are excellent. There are no extraneous noises. No background music or sound effects. Just the clear strong voice of the narrator, who happens to be one of the authors. Tim McBain did a fantastic job narrating the book. Perhaps having helped create it helped. He did not seem to be reading it as much as telling it, as one survivor sharing their story with another. It makes for a very intimate narration.
I truly enjoyed The Scattered and the Dead, Book 0.5. I am looking forward to the sequel coming out in the next month. The authors have created a post apocalyptic universe that feels different than many of the other I have read (and I have read many). I cannot quite put my finger on it yet to say definitively what is different but I look forward to the sequel to discover exactly what it is that makes this universe different.
Story (Plot) 5
Performance 5
Production Quality 5
Attention Holding 5
I received a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for a fair review. I purchased the Kindle version myself.
Written by: Tim McBain, L.T. Vargus
Narrated by: Tim McBain
Length: 2 hrs and 27 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:02-04-16
Publisher: Smarmy Press
The Scattered and the Dead, Book 0.5 had been on my Kindle radar for a few days. I liked the description. The prices was right, less than a dollar, but I just had not made that commitment click yet. Earlier today I was offered a free copy of the Audible version in exchange for a fair review. I immediately committed to it. I thought I would start listening to it tonight and finish tomorrow since it is only two and a half hours long. That did not happen. I sat in my chair totally lost in the book. Other than pausing to tell my family to fend for themselves for dinner (all over eighteen so it is not abuse, it is character building), I got lost in a new universe.
The Scattered and the Dead begins twenty-one days before. Before what is something the reader has to discover for themselves. In the dwindling days of “before”, Decker, the main character watches the world slip away. Very important to note, that he watches; other than one event he does not participate. Once the countdown of “before” ends and the count begins to go up for “after”, Decker finds he cannot wait this catastrophe out. When he does venture out and participate, the story was not predictable. I would be neglectful if I did not mention Decker’s reliance on Tang for vitamin C. I feel compelled to share that my plumber advises us to use Tang once a week to keep our sink from clogging. Drink at your own risk. When I finished, I sat for a few minutes wishing it continued. It really is a great story.
The production values are excellent. There are no extraneous noises. No background music or sound effects. Just the clear strong voice of the narrator, who happens to be one of the authors. Tim McBain did a fantastic job narrating the book. Perhaps having helped create it helped. He did not seem to be reading it as much as telling it, as one survivor sharing their story with another. It makes for a very intimate narration.
I truly enjoyed The Scattered and the Dead, Book 0.5. I am looking forward to the sequel coming out in the next month. The authors have created a post apocalyptic universe that feels different than many of the other I have read (and I have read many). I cannot quite put my finger on it yet to say definitively what is different but I look forward to the sequel to discover exactly what it is that makes this universe different.
Story (Plot) 5
Performance 5
Production Quality 5
Attention Holding 5
I received a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for a fair review. I purchased the Kindle version myself.
March 3, 2016
My original The Scattered and the Dead audiobook review and many others can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.
The first thing that struck me when looking at new releases a while back was, "Why is this in the romance genre?" Obviously miscategorized when first loaded into Audible as it has now been fixed. I am betting that many overlooked it because of this snafu.
The Scattered and the Dead is a very short introduction to a zombie apocalypse series that I am going to have to listen to once it comes out. Following the very familiar and successful journal style format. Decker is continuously writing letters. Letters to a love interest that lives across the hall from him, introducing himself, telling her about each day. Being too afraid to go talk to her in person. As these letters were never delivered to their intended recipient, quickly they turn into a record of the apocalypse as more discoveries are made.
At the beginning I wasn't too sure if I was going to enjoy this or not. As I am used to the action packed apocalypse variety stories. However, I am now hooked. Tim McBain and L.T. Vargus somehow created a post apocalypse that feels fresh, new and exciting. Along with a protagonist that evolves so much in a two hour book, going from a agoraphobic hermit to and adventure driven fearless explorer.
There are so many good things going for this book. I cannot wait for the next installment and I hope it is full length. However there was one thing that stuck out to me as a slight annoyance. Each journal entry starts off with the day count either before or after and the location of Pittsburg Pennsylvania. This location never changed. Why keep it in there so many times? Not sure. It does not take anything away, just a slight irk.
I am always a bit weary when I see an author is narrating their own work. As I have experienced so many that just don't do the story justice. I am very happy to report that Tim McBain's performance was spot on. I can't even think of anything critical to say. He delivered the story in such a melancholy manner in the beginning evolving with Decker into a strong personality and confidence.
Audiobook was provided for review by the author.
The first thing that struck me when looking at new releases a while back was, "Why is this in the romance genre?" Obviously miscategorized when first loaded into Audible as it has now been fixed. I am betting that many overlooked it because of this snafu.
The Scattered and the Dead is a very short introduction to a zombie apocalypse series that I am going to have to listen to once it comes out. Following the very familiar and successful journal style format. Decker is continuously writing letters. Letters to a love interest that lives across the hall from him, introducing himself, telling her about each day. Being too afraid to go talk to her in person. As these letters were never delivered to their intended recipient, quickly they turn into a record of the apocalypse as more discoveries are made.
At the beginning I wasn't too sure if I was going to enjoy this or not. As I am used to the action packed apocalypse variety stories. However, I am now hooked. Tim McBain and L.T. Vargus somehow created a post apocalypse that feels fresh, new and exciting. Along with a protagonist that evolves so much in a two hour book, going from a agoraphobic hermit to and adventure driven fearless explorer.
There are so many good things going for this book. I cannot wait for the next installment and I hope it is full length. However there was one thing that stuck out to me as a slight annoyance. Each journal entry starts off with the day count either before or after and the location of Pittsburg Pennsylvania. This location never changed. Why keep it in there so many times? Not sure. It does not take anything away, just a slight irk.
I am always a bit weary when I see an author is narrating their own work. As I have experienced so many that just don't do the story justice. I am very happy to report that Tim McBain's performance was spot on. I can't even think of anything critical to say. He delivered the story in such a melancholy manner in the beginning evolving with Decker into a strong personality and confidence.
Audiobook was provided for review by the author.
February 4, 2016
I love a post apocalyptic story as much as the next guy, especially when it comes to zombies, but can writers successfully strike up a new series with a completely different premise after nailing their previous one?
If you're Tim McBain and L.T Vargus you can.
Becker is a social recluse, hidden away in his apartment and focused on one thing: the girl across the hall. Oh, and possibly the end of the world, but that's just an afterthought. The only problem is, he's never spoken to his female neighbor and has no desire to leave his apartment. As he writes to his mystery girl from the leftover comforts of his apartment, he describes his experience with the world that is falling apart around him until he is eventually forced to leave and face what has become of reality.
What's interesting about reading this take on the post a apocalyptic genre, is the connection the reader has with the protagonist. Written in the first person, readers are left with the mystery of what has happened outside Becker's secluded world, and the prospect is as much exciting as it is terrifying.
Read my full review here: http://www.gcmacquarie.com/reviews/th...
If you're Tim McBain and L.T Vargus you can.
Becker is a social recluse, hidden away in his apartment and focused on one thing: the girl across the hall. Oh, and possibly the end of the world, but that's just an afterthought. The only problem is, he's never spoken to his female neighbor and has no desire to leave his apartment. As he writes to his mystery girl from the leftover comforts of his apartment, he describes his experience with the world that is falling apart around him until he is eventually forced to leave and face what has become of reality.
What's interesting about reading this take on the post a apocalyptic genre, is the connection the reader has with the protagonist. Written in the first person, readers are left with the mystery of what has happened outside Becker's secluded world, and the prospect is as much exciting as it is terrifying.
Read my full review here: http://www.gcmacquarie.com/reviews/th...
February 16, 2016
L.T. Vargus and Tim McBain have done it again—they’ve created a unique world with the strangest unexpected twists. THE SCATTERED AND THE DEAD takes place in the pre-apocalypse, while life as we know it falls apart around the main character. The story is rather soft and action-less, though it’s clear big things are coming in the sequel; this quick read is only getting the audience’s toes wet. As usual, Vargus and McBain have a distinctly original voice that emanates from the pages, sucking the reader in. Though the story itself is impressive, it’s the writing that makes this book stand out. Always engaging and never apologetic, THE SCATTERED AND THE DEAD is not to be missed! I look forward to being the first in line to read the rest of this series. I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
March 31, 2016
This book is written in a long narrative letter from Decker to a girl that lives in his apartment building. He details the death of his mother, the plague, his preparations for the end. He writes about his observations, his thoughts and eventually the numbness of not feeling much of anything at all. To me, the book is like a written monologue in homage to The Walkng Dead (one of my favorite shows, by the way). The authors do a fantastic job of detailing out what an agrophobic might experience when being left all alone and what he might do to survive. Very interesting and just the precursor of what is to come. I look forward to seeing what their imagination brings forth. Enjoy! I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
May 20, 2016
Interesting twist on the apocalypse
I've read a LOT of post-apocalyptic fiction, and this is the first book I've read in which the plot unfolds via a series of letters to a girl. It's also the first one I've read that combines an unknown humanity-ending virus with an EMP and its aftermath. The book is very well written, and my interest is piqued enough to delve a little deeper by purchasing the next book in the series.
I've read a LOT of post-apocalyptic fiction, and this is the first book I've read in which the plot unfolds via a series of letters to a girl. It's also the first one I've read that combines an unknown humanity-ending virus with an EMP and its aftermath. The book is very well written, and my interest is piqued enough to delve a little deeper by purchasing the next book in the series.
June 14, 2016
Absolutely loved this novella. Not huge on post Apocalyptic; y'all know I love my horror...but this was not typical. So very descriptive and flows beautifully. Read this in 2 sittings only because of my time constraints. So glad I picked this up (thanks LT Vargus for twisting my arm!) and can't wait to read book 1.
May 11, 2016
An unsettling story about an agoraphobic man in the Apocalypse. I enjoyed the way it was written mostly as letters to a girl he liked. Interesting, quite a good pace, I simply was unable to really connect to the main character.
July 8, 2017
All my friends are dead. Probably everyone I've ever cared about is dead."
-L.T. Vargus & Tim McBain, The Scattered and the Dead (Book 0.5)
This is a 150 page prelude to The Scattered and the Dead Series. There are a total of 4 works in this series. The Scattered and the Dead books 0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2. This is the suggested reading order.
First off, I just need to point out how relatable the main character for me was on a personal level. I mean my blog name isn't The Introverted Book Nerd for nothing. Along with the main character, Decker, I am also an introvert. There are passages that describe just how much of an introvert he is, very much like myself.
"I might have a slight case of agoraphobia. To be clear, I do leave my apartment. Six days a week, I go downstairs to get the mail. I usually do it late at night or really early in the morning to avoid seeing anyone. Or maybe to avoid anyone seeing me? I'm not sure."
-L.T. Vargus & Tim McBain, The Scattered and the Dead (Book 0.5)
This may only be a short novella in the series but it did not disappoint! Being only a prelude there wasn't much of a plot, rather a set up of how the apocalypse began and how the world fell apart; but that does not mean there wasn't any action or gore. There most definitely was. And I want more. As soon as I was finished I wanted to pick the next book up immediately and just dive right in! I most definitely will be continuing on with this series. I rate this novella 4 out of 5 stars. I recommend this series to anyone who likes post-apocalyptic stories and zombies.
Thank you to the authors for granting me this e-book in return for an honest review.
-L.T. Vargus & Tim McBain, The Scattered and the Dead (Book 0.5)
This is a 150 page prelude to The Scattered and the Dead Series. There are a total of 4 works in this series. The Scattered and the Dead books 0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2. This is the suggested reading order.
First off, I just need to point out how relatable the main character for me was on a personal level. I mean my blog name isn't The Introverted Book Nerd for nothing. Along with the main character, Decker, I am also an introvert. There are passages that describe just how much of an introvert he is, very much like myself.
"I might have a slight case of agoraphobia. To be clear, I do leave my apartment. Six days a week, I go downstairs to get the mail. I usually do it late at night or really early in the morning to avoid seeing anyone. Or maybe to avoid anyone seeing me? I'm not sure."
-L.T. Vargus & Tim McBain, The Scattered and the Dead (Book 0.5)
This may only be a short novella in the series but it did not disappoint! Being only a prelude there wasn't much of a plot, rather a set up of how the apocalypse began and how the world fell apart; but that does not mean there wasn't any action or gore. There most definitely was. And I want more. As soon as I was finished I wanted to pick the next book up immediately and just dive right in! I most definitely will be continuing on with this series. I rate this novella 4 out of 5 stars. I recommend this series to anyone who likes post-apocalyptic stories and zombies.
Thank you to the authors for granting me this e-book in return for an honest review.
May 6, 2017
After watching his mother die from the plague Decker becomes agoraphobic and shuts himself in his room having all his food and provisions delivered. His family is dead, all his friends are dead, everyone he has ever known is dead as he looks out of the window all he can see is death and devastation. He starts to write to a young woman in a nearby apartment. This book is that letter and it is a daily diary.
Decker is an introverted character with a great instinct for survival as he struggles with his inner demons to overcome his fear of the world.
This is an interesting view on how people react and survive the end of the world as they know it. It is well written and you just keep turning the pages. Although this book is 0.5 it is significantly longer than a novella.
I dont normally read Post Apocalyptic books but this made a change and earned the 5 stars.
I downloaded a free copy of this book from the website.
http://ltvargus.com/sca05twj/ @books_n_all @ltvargus #5stars #postapocalyptic
Decker is an introverted character with a great instinct for survival as he struggles with his inner demons to overcome his fear of the world.
This is an interesting view on how people react and survive the end of the world as they know it. It is well written and you just keep turning the pages. Although this book is 0.5 it is significantly longer than a novella.
I dont normally read Post Apocalyptic books but this made a change and earned the 5 stars.
I downloaded a free copy of this book from the website.
http://ltvargus.com/sca05twj/ @books_n_all @ltvargus #5stars #postapocalyptic
May 17, 2017
Wow. I loved it! It's written different from most other books in the genre and not everyone will like the way it is done. The entire structure is written from the main character pov in a letter to a girl but as he adds to the letter it becomes more like a journal of his experiences before and after 'the event'.
For someone to tell me to read a book that is written as a letter would not sound appealing but this is not boring like that. It reads quickly, is interesting and keeps you turning the pages deep into the wee hours of the night wanting to see what's next.
It's worth checking out and if you're undecided, try reading the preview chapters then you'll want to read the rest, as I did.
For someone to tell me to read a book that is written as a letter would not sound appealing but this is not boring like that. It reads quickly, is interesting and keeps you turning the pages deep into the wee hours of the night wanting to see what's next.
It's worth checking out and if you're undecided, try reading the preview chapters then you'll want to read the rest, as I did.
August 24, 2017
Interesting storyline!
March 8, 2017
The best part of post-apocalyptic fiction, in my opinion, is a description of the time during and just after the "event". That's when this book takes place. It was well written but just a touch too gross for my tastes with some very detailed descriptions of vomiting, etc. But I suppose mass extinction due to an out of control virus is not going to be pretty! I've already started the next book in the series, The Scattered and the Dead (Book 1): Post Apocalyptic Fiction, and I am enjoying it so far.
September 19, 2017
Let's face it: We are virtually living in the Golden Age of post-apocalyptic, dystopian fiction. It would be hard to discount the allure these stories have with audiences everywhere when we witness the tremendous success of the many tv shows and movies echoing this theme. The frenzy to experiment with this genre has exponentially increased the challenges authors face trying to find new ways to present their own concepts while avoiding the pitfall of regurgitating something that has already been done. As a reader, I can only imagine we are all equally as anxious to see authors succeed.
Recently, I was afforded the unique opportunity to review The Scattered and the Dead, Book 0.5 by Tim McBain and L.T. Vargus. This story is set in a world where humankind is virtually extinct. What has passed to create this new reality is essentially unknown, because this narrative lives in the present. This story introduces us to Decker, a man forced to assimilate into this new reality by descending into hellish conditions. Though this book offers the intimate feel of a letter, it reads more like a journal, which makes this unlike any other book I've read within this genre. With practically zero interaction with other characters, I still found the first-person presentation engaging and almost voyeuristic in its nature. The authors provide brilliant imagery with their bleak allegories, while forcing the reader to confront the darker side of human nature. Although this is somewhat of a quick read, the pacing is good and I believe it stayed genuine to the authors intent. Decker is a memorable character that stays with you long after you’ve finished reading, and I hope to see much more of his story in the coming book. Will he have what it takes to survive in this post-apocalyptic world? The Scattered and the Dead, Book 0.5 is an extraordinary story. It is visionary fiction worth the read.
Recently, I was afforded the unique opportunity to review The Scattered and the Dead, Book 0.5 by Tim McBain and L.T. Vargus. This story is set in a world where humankind is virtually extinct. What has passed to create this new reality is essentially unknown, because this narrative lives in the present. This story introduces us to Decker, a man forced to assimilate into this new reality by descending into hellish conditions. Though this book offers the intimate feel of a letter, it reads more like a journal, which makes this unlike any other book I've read within this genre. With practically zero interaction with other characters, I still found the first-person presentation engaging and almost voyeuristic in its nature. The authors provide brilliant imagery with their bleak allegories, while forcing the reader to confront the darker side of human nature. Although this is somewhat of a quick read, the pacing is good and I believe it stayed genuine to the authors intent. Decker is a memorable character that stays with you long after you’ve finished reading, and I hope to see much more of his story in the coming book. Will he have what it takes to survive in this post-apocalyptic world? The Scattered and the Dead, Book 0.5 is an extraordinary story. It is visionary fiction worth the read.
March 11, 2016
Ninja Stars Have All The Points
*Some spoilers and cussing*
****
***
**
*
Wow, what the fuck.
It isn't a question. It's a "my mind is blown" paraphrasing statement of awe. I watched Decker become a creature fully adapted to cope with a post-apocalyptic world filled with lonely violence and cold-blooded, instinctual killing.
The book was written in first-person, which I never have a problem with; I've always found it to be easier to immerse myself and relate to the character.
I enjoyed, thoroughly, the suspense the countdown in the letters gave. One usually reads books and stories about After the apocalypse, but not the months or weeks leading up to it. The idea is a terrifying one that resonated once I read the part about the Florida zombies. I remember that being in the news and I believe the link between reality and the surrealistic world in this novel made it even more immersive. That was my "Oh shit!" moment.
I'm head over heels for this book and I really want the second one and all the others that will ever exist to be in my hands right now. This novel made me horrified to watch as Decker became some sort of sociopath after having been a complete nerd. Reading this.... Did I become as crazy as he is? As ruthless? As insanely pragmatic?
I'm questioning my sanity after reading this; it seemed so easy for him to become this beast. Could I?
I bought this book via Kindle Unlimited, recommended by the author. In exchange for this happily traumatic experience, I am giving an honest review. Thank you Lex T. Vargas!
*Some spoilers and cussing*
****
***
**
*
Wow, what the fuck.
It isn't a question. It's a "my mind is blown" paraphrasing statement of awe. I watched Decker become a creature fully adapted to cope with a post-apocalyptic world filled with lonely violence and cold-blooded, instinctual killing.
The book was written in first-person, which I never have a problem with; I've always found it to be easier to immerse myself and relate to the character.
I enjoyed, thoroughly, the suspense the countdown in the letters gave. One usually reads books and stories about After the apocalypse, but not the months or weeks leading up to it. The idea is a terrifying one that resonated once I read the part about the Florida zombies. I remember that being in the news and I believe the link between reality and the surrealistic world in this novel made it even more immersive. That was my "Oh shit!" moment.
I'm head over heels for this book and I really want the second one and all the others that will ever exist to be in my hands right now. This novel made me horrified to watch as Decker became some sort of sociopath after having been a complete nerd. Reading this.... Did I become as crazy as he is? As ruthless? As insanely pragmatic?
I'm questioning my sanity after reading this; it seemed so easy for him to become this beast. Could I?
I bought this book via Kindle Unlimited, recommended by the author. In exchange for this happily traumatic experience, I am giving an honest review. Thank you Lex T. Vargas!
October 5, 2016
This was different from most zombie books I have read. It takes place during a pandemic. There is no panicky rushing around. No truly terrifying violent altercations. Just one man, the narrator, writing letters to the girl across the hall. He writes down what he sees, what he feels, thinks and does. This may sound very tame and even boring but don't be fooled. It is an uncomfortable situation. I thought a lot about how it would be to believe I was the only person remaining in my town. I think I would go mad. By the time we see our first zombie perhaps the narrator has. You be the judge.
I really liked how the author wrote this. We don't know much about our narrator or the city neighborhood he is in. It is easy to transfer it to the area you live in.
I did learn it was Philadelphia but by then I had already imagined it being a city I knew. The narrator had become the neighbor you wave to but really don't know. As the days pass you become uneasy, then terrified. I enjoyed that build up. I really want to know where this goes.
This book is part of a series. I'm not sure if our narrator is in the other books. Sometimes these types of additional novellas tell us the story of a minor character or someone completely new. Other times it is background of a major character. I enjoyed it enough that I am looking forward to the series. I am reading this during FrightFall week and have my books selected, so I will have to come back to this one.
I really liked how the author wrote this. We don't know much about our narrator or the city neighborhood he is in. It is easy to transfer it to the area you live in.
I did learn it was Philadelphia but by then I had already imagined it being a city I knew. The narrator had become the neighbor you wave to but really don't know. As the days pass you become uneasy, then terrified. I enjoyed that build up. I really want to know where this goes.
This book is part of a series. I'm not sure if our narrator is in the other books. Sometimes these types of additional novellas tell us the story of a minor character or someone completely new. Other times it is background of a major character. I enjoyed it enough that I am looking forward to the series. I am reading this during FrightFall week and have my books selected, so I will have to come back to this one.
February 15, 2016
After watching his mother die from a plague ravaging the world, Decker, an agoraphobic recluse, has a front row seat from the window of his well-stocked apartment as the Apocalypse comes to Pittsburgh and the rest of world. Written as a letter to an attractive, female neighbor that he can't bring himself to approach, he details the collapse from the news and the Internet until they disappear and he is left with only his view of the world on the street below. He shares his plans, his thoughts and his feelings in the uncertain times and his reactions to the challenges that he faces.
The tight, deeply personal writing tells a tale of horrific events and the inevitable changes that it must have on a survivor. Life becomes an oddly two faceted thing -- oddly unfocused and surreal in a numbing solitude matched to a brutal, razor sharp reality where right and wrong become blurred. A brief intense read in the now common apocalyptic genre and an introductory tale to a much larger story, it is nonetheless a worthwhile read that might cause the more introspective to question, "What would I do?"
The tight, deeply personal writing tells a tale of horrific events and the inevitable changes that it must have on a survivor. Life becomes an oddly two faceted thing -- oddly unfocused and surreal in a numbing solitude matched to a brutal, razor sharp reality where right and wrong become blurred. A brief intense read in the now common apocalyptic genre and an introductory tale to a much larger story, it is nonetheless a worthwhile read that might cause the more introspective to question, "What would I do?"
February 13, 2016
Decker is a 25 year old agrophobe. He rarely leaves his apartment, but there is this girl who lives in his building who he likes so he decides to write her a letter telling her everything about himself , it is a really long letter. Unfortunately it maybe to late as the world is coming to an end as he knows it due to a virus that is killing and than turning everyone into zombies. I really enjoyed this book it's grim, dark , and visceral. It reminded me of my favorite t.v show The Walking Dead. I can't wait for the Scattered and the Dead book 1 to be released so i can see what happens next!
February 6, 2016
Another Great Series!
I was provided this book for an honest review.
The story is written as letters or notes; kind of like a diary. Decker is funny, sarcastic, shy and sweet.
This is an awesome look into life after a massive viral event, from one man's perspective. The types of people left alive, runs the gamut, and Decker has to learn how to survive, once he can build up the courage to leave his apartment.
I was provided this book for an honest review.
The story is written as letters or notes; kind of like a diary. Decker is funny, sarcastic, shy and sweet.
This is an awesome look into life after a massive viral event, from one man's perspective. The types of people left alive, runs the gamut, and Decker has to learn how to survive, once he can build up the courage to leave his apartment.
March 16, 2016
This wasn't what I expected at all.
It starts out as a letter to his cute neighbor but he's too afraid to deliver it. So instead he keeps adding to it as the world starts going to shit.
He eventually notices that he hasn't seen another human in weeks so the chances of her still being alive in her apartment are slim but he keeps writing.
I was a little shock about the turn around in his personality in the end. It was a great prequel and I think I will read the series.
It starts out as a letter to his cute neighbor but he's too afraid to deliver it. So instead he keeps adding to it as the world starts going to shit.
He eventually notices that he hasn't seen another human in weeks so the chances of her still being alive in her apartment are slim but he keeps writing.
I was a little shock about the turn around in his personality in the end. It was a great prequel and I think I will read the series.
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