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Moving Forward: A Novella of Life After Zombies
Corinne survived the zombie apocalypse 30 years ago. After the dust settled, she got married, had kids, built a life. All of that is gone in an instant when a zombie attacks a city park. Corinne manages to protect her family, but the zombie bites her before it is taken down. She wakes up in one of the infected sanctuaries, where she'll have to build her life over again, knowing that at any moment she, or anyone around her, could become a monster.
- GenresZombies
70 pages, Paperback
Published March 1, 2016
4 people are currently reading
164 people want to read
About the author
Jamie Lackey
113 books62 followersJamie Lackey lives in Pittsburgh with her husband and their cat. She graduated from the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford in 2006 with a degree in Creative Writing. She studied under James Gunn at the Center for the Study of Science Fiction's Writer's Workshop in 2010 and has taken various workshops with Cat Rambo. She primarily writes science fiction, fantasy, and horror short stories.
She has over 200 short fiction credits, and has appeared in Daily Science Fiction, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, and the Stoker Award-winning After Death.... Her fiction has appeared on the Best Horror of the Year Honorable Mention and Tangent Online Recommended Reading Lists, and she's a member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.
Her flash fiction collection, One Revolution, and her zombie novella, Moving Forward: A Novella of Life After Zombies, are available on Amazon.com. Her debut novel, Left Hand Gods, is available from Hadley Rille Books. She also has two short story collections available from Air and Nothingness Press.
She read submissions for the Hugo-winning Clarkesworld Magazine for five years and was an assistant editor for the Hugo-winning Electric Velocipede from 2012-2013. She served as editor for Triangulation: Lost Voices in 2015 and Triangulation: Beneath the Surface in 2016.
She enjoys reading, writing, tabletop role playing games, video games, baking, and hiking. Learn more about her at her website, www.jamielackey.com
She has over 200 short fiction credits, and has appeared in Daily Science Fiction, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, and the Stoker Award-winning After Death.... Her fiction has appeared on the Best Horror of the Year Honorable Mention and Tangent Online Recommended Reading Lists, and she's a member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.
Her flash fiction collection, One Revolution, and her zombie novella, Moving Forward: A Novella of Life After Zombies, are available on Amazon.com. Her debut novel, Left Hand Gods, is available from Hadley Rille Books. She also has two short story collections available from Air and Nothingness Press.
She read submissions for the Hugo-winning Clarkesworld Magazine for five years and was an assistant editor for the Hugo-winning Electric Velocipede from 2012-2013. She served as editor for Triangulation: Lost Voices in 2015 and Triangulation: Beneath the Surface in 2016.
She enjoys reading, writing, tabletop role playing games, video games, baking, and hiking. Learn more about her at her website, www.jamielackey.com
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
October 3, 2021
This was kind of short. Yes, yes I know it's a novella. But I just wanted a little bit more.
This is a story not about a zombie apocalypse, but what comes next.
It's set 30 years into the future where Corinne survived, got married and had kids. Then it all changed when a zombie got into the local park. Corinne defended her family but through this a zombie bites her.
As I said I wanted more.
Enjoy!
This is a story not about a zombie apocalypse, but what comes next.
It's set 30 years into the future where Corinne survived, got married and had kids. Then it all changed when a zombie got into the local park. Corinne defended her family but through this a zombie bites her.
As I said I wanted more.
Enjoy!
November 5, 2021
My thanks to the author and Netgalley. Usually I would also note the publisher. Lately, it's been difficult. Still, I must confess that this story was one of those few zombie tales that aren't so much about zombies, but what may come after. This is again, just one more story that I really wanted more of!
August 10, 2021
Aha, thought the name sounded familiar. Check and yes, I’ve read the author before. Twice, in fact. Both times to great enjoyment. This novella didn’t bring great enjoyment, but some enjoyment was had all the same. And the primary cause of that enjoyment was the story’s originality. Something not easy to do in zombie fiction, because there’s so much of it.
And most of it follows a formula. And this one didn’t. There are, mind you, a few genre books that focus instead on zombies as thinking beings, Scott Kenemore’s books come to mind for one thing, but this is more like the long game situation.
So a zombie tried to snack on you and you got away? Well, the good news is that you’re ok, for the moment anyway and possibly for the foreseeable future, it’s a death sentence, but a prolonged one and not without its perks. You’ll get stronger, tougher, you’ll practically become a superhero…and then it might eventually kill you. Or not, You may have months or decades. But in any case, there is life afterwards and a forward direction.
It’s an interesting set of rules. And the book’s protagonist finds herself living them after she heroically intervenes one day during a zombie attack in the park. So the social and familiar implications and ramifications of her situation are really interesting, especially when it comes to her family.
After the attack, she gets to go live in a facility for similar inbetween individuals and the book follows her story. I didn’t find a story especially emotionally engaging, which is most likely a strictly personal thing and would vary for different readers, but it was an entertainignr ead all the same. A short and fairly compelling read and it does a good job of reinventing the rules of a familiar story, so for that, kudos. Zombie fans (and why wouldn’t you be a zombie fan, seriously?) will likely enjoy this original novella. Thanks Netgalley.
This and more at https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/
And most of it follows a formula. And this one didn’t. There are, mind you, a few genre books that focus instead on zombies as thinking beings, Scott Kenemore’s books come to mind for one thing, but this is more like the long game situation.
So a zombie tried to snack on you and you got away? Well, the good news is that you’re ok, for the moment anyway and possibly for the foreseeable future, it’s a death sentence, but a prolonged one and not without its perks. You’ll get stronger, tougher, you’ll practically become a superhero…and then it might eventually kill you. Or not, You may have months or decades. But in any case, there is life afterwards and a forward direction.
It’s an interesting set of rules. And the book’s protagonist finds herself living them after she heroically intervenes one day during a zombie attack in the park. So the social and familiar implications and ramifications of her situation are really interesting, especially when it comes to her family.
After the attack, she gets to go live in a facility for similar inbetween individuals and the book follows her story. I didn’t find a story especially emotionally engaging, which is most likely a strictly personal thing and would vary for different readers, but it was an entertainignr ead all the same. A short and fairly compelling read and it does a good job of reinventing the rules of a familiar story, so for that, kudos. Zombie fans (and why wouldn’t you be a zombie fan, seriously?) will likely enjoy this original novella. Thanks Netgalley.
This and more at https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/
May 8, 2016
4.5 stars. Really unique and enjoyable novella. I loved seeing a bisexual black woman as the heroine and the premise of what happens after a zombie outbreak is contained. I wanted a bit more interesting of an ending, but definitely recommend this to zombie and scifi fans.
September 26, 2021
MOVING FORWARD – A #Novella of #LifeAfterZombies by #author JAMIE LACKEY
@jamierlackey is Available #NOW This #novella is #unique and unlike other#zombie #books you have #read in the #past #5Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Read my #BookReview for more info
It is fascinating to me how a skilled author is able to pack in as much story as a full-length novel into a novella. This ability only occurs in truly talented authors ... of which, Jamie Lackey is one.
This tale is an original take on the zombie fiction theme. It takes place thirty years after the zombie apocalypse. Zombies are still around but security is such that they rarely pose a problem for the general public.
One day, Corinne is enjoying a lazy picnic in the park with her daughter and infant granddaughter when she spots a single zombie coming into the park. Most of the residents of the city were born after the zombie war and have had the privilege of growing up in relative safety. Because of this they are not alert and none of the other families enjoying the sunshine notice the impending attack.
Corinne doesn't think. She acts purely on instinct. That instinct propels her toward the zombie while warning everyone else to escape to safety. Unfortunately, Corinne ends up bitten before the security forces are able to nullify the threat.
Corinne sees none of this and the next thing she is aware of is waking up in one of the many infected sanctuaries. This is where people who are zombie-bitten but who did not immediately become a zombie themselves.
It is this idea of infected sanctuaries that is such a unique take on the zombie genre. I bought in completely and I was 100% absorbed in the story.
The lead character - Corinne - is not the typical heroine. Firstly, she is older than the characters that usually populate zombie fiction. Plus, not only is she a mother, she is also a grandmother. She is not perfect and doesn't pretend to be. I thoroughly identified with her plight. All she wants is to live and love, it was not her fault she was bitten. She was trying to do something good and ended up paying for it with her freedom.
I also loved the idea of shelters for the Infected. What a fascinating place Author Jamie Lackey has brought to life in vivid prose.
In fact, I enjoyed this novella so much that I am hoping to discover the Author has decided to turn this novella into the first book in a series. If she does continue this tale in additional volumes, I will be the first to purchase a copy.
The setting is familiar and yet not, the characters are compelling and utterly believable. I can't imagine enjoying a story anymore than I enjoyed MOVING FORWARD. I have added all the other titles written by Jamie Lackey to my TBR (To Be Read) list.
I rate MOVING FORWARD as a solid 5 OUT OF 5 STARS ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
To read my full #BookReview go to:
https://bit.ly/ZombieUnique
(Link is case sensitive)
Thank you to #NetGalley and the #author for providing me with a free copy of this #book
@jamierlackey is Available #NOW This #novella is #unique and unlike other#zombie #books you have #read in the #past #5Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Read my #BookReview for more info
It is fascinating to me how a skilled author is able to pack in as much story as a full-length novel into a novella. This ability only occurs in truly talented authors ... of which, Jamie Lackey is one.
This tale is an original take on the zombie fiction theme. It takes place thirty years after the zombie apocalypse. Zombies are still around but security is such that they rarely pose a problem for the general public.
One day, Corinne is enjoying a lazy picnic in the park with her daughter and infant granddaughter when she spots a single zombie coming into the park. Most of the residents of the city were born after the zombie war and have had the privilege of growing up in relative safety. Because of this they are not alert and none of the other families enjoying the sunshine notice the impending attack.
Corinne doesn't think. She acts purely on instinct. That instinct propels her toward the zombie while warning everyone else to escape to safety. Unfortunately, Corinne ends up bitten before the security forces are able to nullify the threat.
Corinne sees none of this and the next thing she is aware of is waking up in one of the many infected sanctuaries. This is where people who are zombie-bitten but who did not immediately become a zombie themselves.
It is this idea of infected sanctuaries that is such a unique take on the zombie genre. I bought in completely and I was 100% absorbed in the story.
The lead character - Corinne - is not the typical heroine. Firstly, she is older than the characters that usually populate zombie fiction. Plus, not only is she a mother, she is also a grandmother. She is not perfect and doesn't pretend to be. I thoroughly identified with her plight. All she wants is to live and love, it was not her fault she was bitten. She was trying to do something good and ended up paying for it with her freedom.
I also loved the idea of shelters for the Infected. What a fascinating place Author Jamie Lackey has brought to life in vivid prose.
In fact, I enjoyed this novella so much that I am hoping to discover the Author has decided to turn this novella into the first book in a series. If she does continue this tale in additional volumes, I will be the first to purchase a copy.
The setting is familiar and yet not, the characters are compelling and utterly believable. I can't imagine enjoying a story anymore than I enjoyed MOVING FORWARD. I have added all the other titles written by Jamie Lackey to my TBR (To Be Read) list.
I rate MOVING FORWARD as a solid 5 OUT OF 5 STARS ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
To read my full #BookReview go to:
https://bit.ly/ZombieUnique
(Link is case sensitive)
Thank you to #NetGalley and the #author for providing me with a free copy of this #book
August 16, 2021
🧟♀️ Book Review 🧟♀️
🧟♀️ Moving Forward: A Novella of Life After Zombies by Jamie Lackey
🧟♀️ Corinne survived the zombie apocalypse 30 years ago. After the dust settled, she got married, had kids, built a life. All of that is gone in an instant when a zombie attacks a city park. Corinne manages to protect her family, but the zombie bites her before it is taken down. She wakes up in one of the infected sanctuaries, where she'll have to build her life over again, knowing that at any moment she, or anyone around her, could become a monster.
🧟♀️ Lackey wrote a book that is so very different to any other zombie book/ movie you have ever seen before. This Novella takes a unique moving take on an old story line.
🧟♀️ The story was less about zombies and more about humans: our prejudices, our stubbornness, and our unbreakable will to survive
🧟♀️ I found the characters well developed considering the book has approximately 50 pages. There is definitely room for more to come in the lives of Corrine, Nancy and Thomas.
🧟♀️ Moving Forward: A Novella of Life After Zombies by Jamie Lackey
🧟♀️ Corinne survived the zombie apocalypse 30 years ago. After the dust settled, she got married, had kids, built a life. All of that is gone in an instant when a zombie attacks a city park. Corinne manages to protect her family, but the zombie bites her before it is taken down. She wakes up in one of the infected sanctuaries, where she'll have to build her life over again, knowing that at any moment she, or anyone around her, could become a monster.
🧟♀️ Lackey wrote a book that is so very different to any other zombie book/ movie you have ever seen before. This Novella takes a unique moving take on an old story line.
🧟♀️ The story was less about zombies and more about humans: our prejudices, our stubbornness, and our unbreakable will to survive
🧟♀️ I found the characters well developed considering the book has approximately 50 pages. There is definitely room for more to come in the lives of Corrine, Nancy and Thomas.
August 9, 2021
This is the first time I have read anything from this author and I really enjoyed this novella. I read the book in hour half and it gripped me straight the way. I like Jamie writing style it is easy to get into. The characters where easy to like and dislike. Moving forward is about Corrinne who has fought in the zombie war and one day she’s enjoying a picnic with her family when a zombies some how mange’s you get in the park. Without thinking Corinne does something that’s going to change her life forever. I wished it was abit longer because I would liked to know more about Corrinne life.
Thank you NetGalley for letting me read this book.
Thank you NetGalley for letting me read this book.
August 9, 2021
This is the first time I have read anything from this author and I really enjoyed this novella. I read the book in hour half and it gripped me straight the way. I like Jamie writing style it is easy to get into. The characters where easy to like and dislike. Moving forward is about Corrinne who has fought in the zombie war and one day she’s enjoying a picnic with her family when a zombies some how mange’s you get in the park. Without thinking Corinne does something that’s going to change her life forever. I wished it was abit longer because I would liked to know more about Corrinne life.
Thank you NetGalley for letting me read this book.
Thank you NetGalley for letting me read this book.
August 18, 2021
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.
I liked this book! It was a nice quick read, perfect for getting out of a slump, with a creative premise. I wish it would've been longer so I could've had more time to connect to the characters and have the plot a little more fleshed out, but as it's a novella, I'm satisfied with what was done.
There were definitely things I didn't like about this book. The romance was unnecessary and moved far, far too fast, which was incredibly off-putting for me. I didn't care for the ending either; it felt very forced and unsatisfying.
But, overall, it was a good read and I had fun reading it.
I liked this book! It was a nice quick read, perfect for getting out of a slump, with a creative premise. I wish it would've been longer so I could've had more time to connect to the characters and have the plot a little more fleshed out, but as it's a novella, I'm satisfied with what was done.
There were definitely things I didn't like about this book. The romance was unnecessary and moved far, far too fast, which was incredibly off-putting for me. I didn't care for the ending either; it felt very forced and unsatisfying.
But, overall, it was a good read and I had fun reading it.
May 7, 2022
This was a really original take on the zombie apocalypse story and I'm here for it. It's a novella, but I really wish it had been a longer because I would love to read more about the characters and the world. Most of the characters managed to leave a mark, even those who only had a few lines and as a reader, I wanted to know more about them all of them. Meanwhile, the romance felt forced because of the small timeframe and it didn't really add to the story. All in all, I enjoyed the story, but I think it would have benefitted from being a little longer.
August 20, 2021
I liked this book and the overall concept. Super short read and easy between longer novels. The romance was a bit weird, I wasn't pegging this for a romance novel. And I was super frustrated with the ending
June 7, 2016
LOVED IT. Managed to fit an entire world into a comparatively short novella, and it didn't shy away from the tough questions. I'll be reading this one again, for sure. :)
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews