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Zoey and the Zombies: A Mondamin Court Adventure
The world is over ran with undead. Giant hordes of zombies are pouring out of the East Coast, threatening the Midwest. The defense of Mondamin Court, a quiet neighborhood in Des Moines, Iowa is up to a disabled cop, a fourteen year old boy and a transgender girl. What could go wrong? Mondamin Court is a typical lower middle class neighborhood in a midwestern city. The people are a cross section of normal Americans. Each book starts with the same setting and characters but they face a different apocalyptic scenario.
428 pages, Paperback
Published June 16, 2016
1 person is currently reading
255 people want to read
About the author
R.J. Eliason
32 books11 followersR. J. Eliason writes immersive science fiction and fantasy stories that feature diverse characters. Her writing spans many sub-genres from alien contact, apocalyptic stories and epic fantasy. She also writes in a wide variety of formats, from full length novels to an ongoing serialized adventure. Her writing can be found in digital and print formats anywhere online that books are sold. Or check out her website at rj.eliason.com and sign up for a free book.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
August 27, 2016
"Zoey and the Zombies: A Mondamin Court Adventure" which I won through Goodreads Giveaways is an apocalyptic thrill ride that begins in Miami with an infection that's spreading like wildfire as people are turned into zombies. As fear of the contagion spreads north schools are closed, local travel restricted and martial law enforced. In Des Moines, Iowa on Mondamin Court Jack Haverford a disabled cop and survivalist has called a meeting of his neighbors rallying them into protecting their neighborhood from the hordes of zombies following the Army who's looking for a spot to set up their last line of defence.
Closing off the entrances to the cul-de-sac with wire fencing the neighbors hole up, sharing food, information and keeping watch on zombie movements outside the perimeter. But as the zombie crisis escalates the atmosphere within the neighborhood grows tense especially when two freeloaders move in with an incompetent drunk threatening people, stealing their food and killing an older resident. In this setting fourteen year old Ethan grows up quickly acting as the man of the house when his father is called to serve with the reserves, and a transgender girl fights for acceptance as much as her home.
R.J. Eliason sets the stage in a lower middle class neighborhood with a cross-section of diverse characters including a Hindu family, a prostitute, a lesbian couple and a transgender girl. Skilfully the author creates not only a tale of survival as this small community struggles to exist during a zombie outbreak, but weaves in sensitive issues like intolerance, bullying, abuse and stereotyping.
Well-developed although it could use formatting, the story is fast-paced as events unfold that have people stepping up and taking responsibility for their actions like Ethan who's determined to do his part to protect his mother and sisters, or Zoey who quickly adapts becoming a skilled and fearless warrior. The action never stops as suspense continually escalates whether with a zombie break in, a mother who's snatched through the fence or the Army declaring they're going to decimate the city.
The main characters are complex with faults and flaws that make them fascinating as they tackle one challenge after another. Fourteen year old Ethan accepts his role as man of the house protecting his mother and two sisters after his father leaves to join the reserves. Stubborn but resilient he quickly matures defying his returning father as he tries to protect Holly or refuses to stay back when there's a food run. Zoey a geeky transgender girl who no longer can undergo treatment to change her sex yearns to be accepted for who she is. Naive, she sees the best in people like Caleb an arrogant and brash young man who ends up being demanding and possessive. Spirited, strong -willed and tough Zoey becomes a skilled warrior refusing to be hurt again. Jack Haverford is a calm, competent leader with a protective streak who helps his neighbors survive the worst days of the zombie apocalypse.
"Zoey and the Zombies: A Mondamin Court Adventure" is an entertaining story whose originality lies not in the story line but in a host of colorful characters from different backgrounds who are struggling to survive. I enjoyed it.
Closing off the entrances to the cul-de-sac with wire fencing the neighbors hole up, sharing food, information and keeping watch on zombie movements outside the perimeter. But as the zombie crisis escalates the atmosphere within the neighborhood grows tense especially when two freeloaders move in with an incompetent drunk threatening people, stealing their food and killing an older resident. In this setting fourteen year old Ethan grows up quickly acting as the man of the house when his father is called to serve with the reserves, and a transgender girl fights for acceptance as much as her home.
R.J. Eliason sets the stage in a lower middle class neighborhood with a cross-section of diverse characters including a Hindu family, a prostitute, a lesbian couple and a transgender girl. Skilfully the author creates not only a tale of survival as this small community struggles to exist during a zombie outbreak, but weaves in sensitive issues like intolerance, bullying, abuse and stereotyping.
Well-developed although it could use formatting, the story is fast-paced as events unfold that have people stepping up and taking responsibility for their actions like Ethan who's determined to do his part to protect his mother and sisters, or Zoey who quickly adapts becoming a skilled and fearless warrior. The action never stops as suspense continually escalates whether with a zombie break in, a mother who's snatched through the fence or the Army declaring they're going to decimate the city.
The main characters are complex with faults and flaws that make them fascinating as they tackle one challenge after another. Fourteen year old Ethan accepts his role as man of the house protecting his mother and two sisters after his father leaves to join the reserves. Stubborn but resilient he quickly matures defying his returning father as he tries to protect Holly or refuses to stay back when there's a food run. Zoey a geeky transgender girl who no longer can undergo treatment to change her sex yearns to be accepted for who she is. Naive, she sees the best in people like Caleb an arrogant and brash young man who ends up being demanding and possessive. Spirited, strong -willed and tough Zoey becomes a skilled warrior refusing to be hurt again. Jack Haverford is a calm, competent leader with a protective streak who helps his neighbors survive the worst days of the zombie apocalypse.
"Zoey and the Zombies: A Mondamin Court Adventure" is an entertaining story whose originality lies not in the story line but in a host of colorful characters from different backgrounds who are struggling to survive. I enjoyed it.
August 20, 2016
I found this enjoyable. I really appreciated that it took on some serious themes and included some intriguing human/social insights. But the only thing that separates it from a hundred other zombie survivor books is the presence of a prominent lesbian couple and a trans character (who is admittedly badass).
These inclusions are great, but not enough to carry a book. Unfortunately, I kind of felt like the author expected it to. She went to great efforts to include several diverse characters, as well as do things like present a prostitute in a humanized light, which is unusual and, again, great. But unfortunately she fell prey to as many stereo-types as she upended and eventually the variety felt forced. Partly because there are about a million characters to diversify. Far, far, far, far, far, far too many characters are in this book. I very quickly gave up on keeping track of who was who.
The main characters were varied and some of them were complex, flawed but redeemable. Others, not so much, but with so many I don’t know that it would be possible to flesh them all out. A lot of them, especially the young, were forced to consider heavy ideas and I liked how a lot of it was handled.
There are some pretty significant plot holes and, despite the blurb describing the people of Mondamin Court as “a cross section of normal America,” they seemed to have unusual and convenient skills to survive the zombie apocalypse, not so normal really. How many of your suburban neighbors know how to use a halbert, own katana or wakizashi, or happen to take belly dancing that includes scimitars, or are fully prepared preppers with hydroponic stations, know how to can and stretch rations almost indefinitely, or keep goats?
All in all, when I look at technicality I find complaints, but if I stand back and just think about my reading experience, it’s more positive than not.
These inclusions are great, but not enough to carry a book. Unfortunately, I kind of felt like the author expected it to. She went to great efforts to include several diverse characters, as well as do things like present a prostitute in a humanized light, which is unusual and, again, great. But unfortunately she fell prey to as many stereo-types as she upended and eventually the variety felt forced. Partly because there are about a million characters to diversify. Far, far, far, far, far, far too many characters are in this book. I very quickly gave up on keeping track of who was who.
The main characters were varied and some of them were complex, flawed but redeemable. Others, not so much, but with so many I don’t know that it would be possible to flesh them all out. A lot of them, especially the young, were forced to consider heavy ideas and I liked how a lot of it was handled.
There are some pretty significant plot holes and, despite the blurb describing the people of Mondamin Court as “a cross section of normal America,” they seemed to have unusual and convenient skills to survive the zombie apocalypse, not so normal really. How many of your suburban neighbors know how to use a halbert, own katana or wakizashi, or happen to take belly dancing that includes scimitars, or are fully prepared preppers with hydroponic stations, know how to can and stretch rations almost indefinitely, or keep goats?
All in all, when I look at technicality I find complaints, but if I stand back and just think about my reading experience, it’s more positive than not.
August 20, 2016
This is a Goodreads win review. Normally scifi and fantasy are out of my comfort reading zone but this book was awesome. In this book the world has become overrun with the undead, and Zombies are heading all over and going to invade Iowa. The book is about how all the charaacters in the book deal with this.
July 21, 2016
I loved it! For a transgendered teen Zoey kicked Ass!!!
Great supporting characters too! I loved Jack, Lydia and Ethan. Most folks pulled their weight in the book... of course there had to be assholes too.
Bloody BRILLIANT! I can't wait for book 2!!!
Great supporting characters too! I loved Jack, Lydia and Ethan. Most folks pulled their weight in the book... of course there had to be assholes too.
Bloody BRILLIANT! I can't wait for book 2!!!
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews