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Extinction Survival #1
Lost Valley
John Eric Carver and Shrek are a retired Navy SEAL war dog team, now living in the mountains outside of San Diego. Both man and dog thought their life was now settled, finding peace on the forty acre ranch they had moved to. But life, and a mutated virus, changed all that. Now, they had to survive the infection that was consuming the world. Taking refuge in a near-by Boy Scout camp, he leads a group of teens and their parents as they are forced to deal with infected creatures that were rapidly consuming the world. A novel based in the “Extinction Cycle” Kindle world created by the fertile mind of Nicholas Sansbury Smith, “Lost Valley” takes the reader through the first months of the apocalypse that threatens all of humanity.
“If by my life or death I can protect you, I will. ”
— J.R.R. Tolkien (The Fellowship of the Ring)
“If by my life or death I can protect you, I will. ”
— J.R.R. Tolkien (The Fellowship of the Ring)
202 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 4, 2019
1122 people are currently reading
558 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 136 reviews
February 2, 2020
Every so often--say, after I've read about the latest Climate Summit--I get an urge to read about the end of the world. Zombies are a particularly solid way to end it, something like a visual disease state and an antagonistic threat all rolled up into one happy disaster. Lost Valley is apparently based on a 'shared world,' and the hook, at least according to Browning, is that the zombies are 'science-based.' Well, no, unless you also consider claims of crystals preventing influenza to be science-based. But I'm not really expecting that in a zombie book. Just don't claim it, okay?
The set-up is a retired SEAL and his war-dog, Shrek, and one of the things that truly does set this book apart is the occasional chapter from his dog. Much like the cougar in Faith Hunter's Skinwalker series, the dog perspective is fairly limited, and tries to stick fairly close to what an animal range of perception and thought might be. Perhaps.
Anyway, John Carver and his dog Shrek have a remote ranch in California. They occasionally visit the nearby Boy Scout camp, helping out the retired Marine who works there. Browning does a nice job of building a sense of normalcy, of giving the reader the feel of the remote California environment, the kind of life John and his dog are living, and the easy camaraderie with the camp staff. A (cute) single mom and her teenage son live nearby, and the son's been helping John on his ranch. The director of the camp is a woman, Jen, and is off for the weekend visiting her long-time and serious boyfriend, on shore leave from the Navy.
Perspective is mostly from John's viewpoint, although it does hop around a bit so that the reader can get the feel of looming disaster. As the story advances, it jumps to a pilot on a runway in Chicago, a father who is stranded at a Chicago baseball game, and a man doing a delivery run to a country club. As the epidemic spreads, we witness various characters become victims in the plague.
The virus spreads shockingly fast and within a week or two of discovery, it's sweeping the nation. Those bitten or killed (when not eaten, I suppose) transform into equally hungry mindless beings, so it's an exponential growth pattern. All is standard horror fare, until the dead start becoming a bit extra-special, including being able to crawl along ceiling and being capable of actively hunting their prey.
If one can ignore this extra-ordinary zombie-on-steroids aspect, I'd say it's a solidly written book. The military detail feels real; clearly the author either knows or interviewed a variety of military personnel to get the diverse cross-section of armed forces personnel we meet in the course of the story. The California scrub-mountain foothills also feels quite real. There's a few details that seems a bit unbelievable for the set-up--besides zombies, duh--(when it becomes obvious that the zombies can use brute force at the country club to break through doors and into cars, why is John allowing people to stay in tents? and why are they letting the twins stay together even after one is bit?)
Action is fast-paced and there's a nice variety. The actual word choice and story-telling is decent. I'd say it was surprisingly well done for the genre. I was initially lured by the 'sciencey' angle, but that's a total bust. There's nothing 'science' about this set-up, and in this scenario, I fail to even understand how it could be science-based. Browning is telling a survival story, with military overtones in the type of people and their approach to problem-solving. That said, it's well done and more appealing than I would have expected. Three female characters come to mind, but one is largely girl-friend role, one mother role, and one a young, sassy woman who takes a fair amount of initiative. A friend and co-worker of the mother seems to be acting with stereotypical gay behaviors. I could be wrong. I'm not even sure why it mattered. Ah, diversity. To be inclusive, or not, amIright? Especially when almost all the characters are stereotypes, except John.
So would I buy? I probably would have, if I hadn't gotten this during my Kindle Unlimited membership, and I wouldn't have regretted it. Just go in with normal genre expectations, and you'll probably be pleasantly surprised. Just, for heaven's sake, do NOT go on to the next book. Leave it alone.
The set-up is a retired SEAL and his war-dog, Shrek, and one of the things that truly does set this book apart is the occasional chapter from his dog. Much like the cougar in Faith Hunter's Skinwalker series, the dog perspective is fairly limited, and tries to stick fairly close to what an animal range of perception and thought might be. Perhaps.
Anyway, John Carver and his dog Shrek have a remote ranch in California. They occasionally visit the nearby Boy Scout camp, helping out the retired Marine who works there. Browning does a nice job of building a sense of normalcy, of giving the reader the feel of the remote California environment, the kind of life John and his dog are living, and the easy camaraderie with the camp staff. A (cute) single mom and her teenage son live nearby, and the son's been helping John on his ranch. The director of the camp is a woman, Jen, and is off for the weekend visiting her long-time and serious boyfriend, on shore leave from the Navy.
Perspective is mostly from John's viewpoint, although it does hop around a bit so that the reader can get the feel of looming disaster. As the story advances, it jumps to a pilot on a runway in Chicago, a father who is stranded at a Chicago baseball game, and a man doing a delivery run to a country club. As the epidemic spreads, we witness various characters become victims in the plague.
The virus spreads shockingly fast and within a week or two of discovery, it's sweeping the nation. Those bitten or killed (when not eaten, I suppose) transform into equally hungry mindless beings, so it's an exponential growth pattern. All is standard horror fare, until the dead start becoming a bit extra-special, including being able to crawl along ceiling and being capable of actively hunting their prey.
If one can ignore this extra-ordinary zombie-on-steroids aspect, I'd say it's a solidly written book. The military detail feels real; clearly the author either knows or interviewed a variety of military personnel to get the diverse cross-section of armed forces personnel we meet in the course of the story. The California scrub-mountain foothills also feels quite real. There's a few details that seems a bit unbelievable for the set-up--besides zombies, duh--(when it becomes obvious that the zombies can use brute force at the country club to break through doors and into cars, why is John allowing people to stay in tents? and why are they letting the twins stay together even after one is bit?)
Action is fast-paced and there's a nice variety. The actual word choice and story-telling is decent. I'd say it was surprisingly well done for the genre. I was initially lured by the 'sciencey' angle, but that's a total bust. There's nothing 'science' about this set-up, and in this scenario, I fail to even understand how it could be science-based. Browning is telling a survival story, with military overtones in the type of people and their approach to problem-solving. That said, it's well done and more appealing than I would have expected. Three female characters come to mind, but one is largely girl-friend role, one mother role, and one a young, sassy woman who takes a fair amount of initiative. A friend and co-worker of the mother seems to be acting with stereotypical gay behaviors. I could be wrong. I'm not even sure why it mattered. Ah, diversity. To be inclusive, or not, amIright? Especially when almost all the characters are stereotypes, except John.
So would I buy? I probably would have, if I hadn't gotten this during my Kindle Unlimited membership, and I wouldn't have regretted it. Just go in with normal genre expectations, and you'll probably be pleasantly surprised. Just, for heaven's sake, do NOT go on to the next book. Leave it alone.
May 28, 2025
Stars: 3 out of 5
This is a decent book, as dar as zombie books go. I would even go as far as to say it is better than the original series which world it's based in. I couldn't get into that one no matter how hard I tried.
longer review to come.
This is a decent book, as dar as zombie books go. I would even go as far as to say it is better than the original series which world it's based in. I couldn't get into that one no matter how hard I tried.
longer review to come.
July 11, 2019
Not so good
Really nothing different here. There are a bunch of idiots running around and dying. Even the main characters aren't so bright.
Really nothing different here. There are a bunch of idiots running around and dying. Even the main characters aren't so bright.
August 18, 2019
A good zombie book, very classic but well done, even if the end is a bit steep.
It's nice to read, the characters are correct but relatively bland, the most interesting of them being the dog.
It lacks originality, although the peculiarities of the zombie infection are rather well found.
Fans of such universes will not be disappointed.
It's nice to read, the characters are correct but relatively bland, the most interesting of them being the dog.
It lacks originality, although the peculiarities of the zombie infection are rather well found.
Fans of such universes will not be disappointed.
January 9, 2020
Notes:
I snagged this book because Bronson Pinchot is the narrator and I knew what kind of story I would be getting. This world was already established and all I had to do was get to know the new characters/victims. Zombie plague! It was fun. That's all I needed. =)
I snagged this book because Bronson Pinchot is the narrator and I knew what kind of story I would be getting. This world was already established and all I had to do was get to know the new characters/victims. Zombie plague! It was fun. That's all I needed. =)
November 22, 2019
The book isn’t bad.
Why I gave it only two stars?
Firstly, it is too short to properly get into the story and connect with the characters.
If you wouldn’t have read the series extinction cycles/Sansbury Smith beforehand this book would be a disaster. It lacked a proper background, despite piggy backing off an awesome series.
Which brings me to my next point, there were little inconsistencies, I normally would overlook but not when you place this book in a world already created by another author. That is just negligence.
Do people hear explosions on a regular basis, that they just ignore it?
Do people have sudden rashes and pain in their eyes with blood coming off of it on a regular basis to just ignore it? It is the way it is written with not mentioning that the brain suffered already as well to ignore such things in that way.
I can’t tell how I would react in such an extreme “zombie” situation. But I doubt I would be that calm, level headed and even make jokes to flirt with someone, shortly after their first contact, for regular people.
The transmission and subsequent infection was also off. With the different scenes it was unbelievable that some were infected and some weren’t. The haemorrhage virus is part of the infection in the beginning after all.
To not check new arrivals for infection?
Jen doesn’t even think once about the people she left behind at the camp, not one single thought about the needed insulin?
That and many more inconsistencies, silly behaviour and actions make the characters look incompetent and not appealing.
I liked the perspective of the dog and the little homages to Reed “Beckham” and his team “ghost”.
Schreck/Shrek doesn’t mean Ghost in german. Not sure where the author got that from. Schreck means a scare, Geist would be Ghost in german.
It wasn’t bad, and some characters were good, like Carver. But in general I expect more from an author, in addition that, the author didn’t even create the world he is writing in.
Sigh, I really wanted to like this book series.
Why I gave it only two stars?
Firstly, it is too short to properly get into the story and connect with the characters.
If you wouldn’t have read the series extinction cycles/Sansbury Smith beforehand this book would be a disaster. It lacked a proper background, despite piggy backing off an awesome series.
Which brings me to my next point, there were little inconsistencies, I normally would overlook but not when you place this book in a world already created by another author. That is just negligence.
Do people hear explosions on a regular basis, that they just ignore it?
Do people have sudden rashes and pain in their eyes with blood coming off of it on a regular basis to just ignore it? It is the way it is written with not mentioning that the brain suffered already as well to ignore such things in that way.
I can’t tell how I would react in such an extreme “zombie” situation. But I doubt I would be that calm, level headed and even make jokes to flirt with someone, shortly after their first contact, for regular people.
The transmission and subsequent infection was also off. With the different scenes it was unbelievable that some were infected and some weren’t. The haemorrhage virus is part of the infection in the beginning after all.
To not check new arrivals for infection?
Jen doesn’t even think once about the people she left behind at the camp, not one single thought about the needed insulin?
That and many more inconsistencies, silly behaviour and actions make the characters look incompetent and not appealing.
I liked the perspective of the dog and the little homages to Reed “Beckham” and his team “ghost”.
Schreck/Shrek doesn’t mean Ghost in german. Not sure where the author got that from. Schreck means a scare, Geist would be Ghost in german.
It wasn’t bad, and some characters were good, like Carver. But in general I expect more from an author, in addition that, the author didn’t even create the world he is writing in.
Sigh, I really wanted to like this book series.
June 6, 2019
Yeah some silly stuff
The book has some great characters and could have been an awesome zombie apocalypse story.
But..... that is only if you skip over the parts and chapters written for and from the mind of his war dog and a coyote.
Its like reading a violent red rover story where red rovers thoughts,feelings and story is told.
Had the author stuck to the humans and not gibberish from an animal I would have given more stars.
Not reading further to find out if infected cows,cats or parrotts have emotions and can be infected and voice their bloodlust.
Dumbest shite ever.
The book has some great characters and could have been an awesome zombie apocalypse story.
But..... that is only if you skip over the parts and chapters written for and from the mind of his war dog and a coyote.
Its like reading a violent red rover story where red rovers thoughts,feelings and story is told.
Had the author stuck to the humans and not gibberish from an animal I would have given more stars.
Not reading further to find out if infected cows,cats or parrotts have emotions and can be infected and voice their bloodlust.
Dumbest shite ever.
April 24, 2019
A Seal and a Ghost
Wow, I picked up this book at the behest of a another author who had read it. He told me that I might like it.. Might ? I freaking loved it. It is set in the Extinction Cycle Universe by Nicholas Sansbury Smith, a Universe I happen to just like quite a lot. Walt Browning tells his story and if you close your eyes for a moment you will feel as if you are actually there with Carver and Ghost. Sneaking through the halls of the hospital. Knowing that every breath may be your last. Telling the story through Ghost’s eyes is so awesome, I can believe that is what the war dog is thinking . I was unable to put down the book for one minute as the author had me hanging on every word and action. For myself i can not wait for the next book..I will be reading it..
Wow, I picked up this book at the behest of a another author who had read it. He told me that I might like it.. Might ? I freaking loved it. It is set in the Extinction Cycle Universe by Nicholas Sansbury Smith, a Universe I happen to just like quite a lot. Walt Browning tells his story and if you close your eyes for a moment you will feel as if you are actually there with Carver and Ghost. Sneaking through the halls of the hospital. Knowing that every breath may be your last. Telling the story through Ghost’s eyes is so awesome, I can believe that is what the war dog is thinking . I was unable to put down the book for one minute as the author had me hanging on every word and action. For myself i can not wait for the next book..I will be reading it..
April 12, 2019
Wow!!! I can't believe this new book!!!
This book is so good. I love that you get to see inside the thoughts of all of the main characters including the dog!!! Such an interesting way to write a book!!! I love love love this book and I can't wait to read the next one!!!
This book is so good. I love that you get to see inside the thoughts of all of the main characters including the dog!!! Such an interesting way to write a book!!! I love love love this book and I can't wait to read the next one!!!
July 30, 2021
Good quotes. Good charecters. I love Ghost (what the dog calls himself)! Neverwould have thought of the pants and shoestring trick to make a backpack. Thank you for a good read!
June 21, 2019
Be prepared for anything and everything.
Upfront: This is the first book in a series that is part of the Extinction Cycle Universe created by Nicholas Sansbury Smith. I highly recommend that you read the Extinction Cycle series before reading this so you have a better background and understanding of the triggering events. There is violence as well as adult language.
Lost Valley is the name of a Boy Scout camp near to former Navy SEAL, John Carver. He and his canine companion and trained war dog, Shrek, are helping out there when news of an incident arrives. Fearing the worst, John and Shrek make it their mission to protect those who are close to them.
I really enjoyed how the author shared not only the humans' viewpoints but those of Shrek and another canine as well.
Upfront: This is the first book in a series that is part of the Extinction Cycle Universe created by Nicholas Sansbury Smith. I highly recommend that you read the Extinction Cycle series before reading this so you have a better background and understanding of the triggering events. There is violence as well as adult language.
Lost Valley is the name of a Boy Scout camp near to former Navy SEAL, John Carver. He and his canine companion and trained war dog, Shrek, are helping out there when news of an incident arrives. Fearing the worst, John and Shrek make it their mission to protect those who are close to them.
I really enjoyed how the author shared not only the humans' viewpoints but those of Shrek and another canine as well.
May 16, 2019
I'm probably in a minority in this genre where zombies are not my favorite theme. That is because the science for a lot of zombie types is just not believable. There is no science that would change the faces/mouths etc of people like in the story. I realize that for a lot of fiction of this type, you have to suspend belief a bit. That being said, the writing style and flow is very good, though the dog and coyote dialogue was a bit much. My initial review is really 2 stars, but the writing and Shrek bumped that up.
February 18, 2021
An excellent story in a great apocalyptic universe! John Carver, a retired Navy Seal, and his dog Shrek (Belgium Malinois K9) take refuge at Lost Valley Boy Scout Camp where he volunteers when the viral apocalypse comes to southern California in Nicholas Sansbury Smith's Extinction Cycle universe. The story is action-packed and as entertaining as Smith's books. Loved the characters (and the dog) and the book. I'll continue the series and more from the author. Audible version with great narration by Bronson Pinchot.
April 26, 2019
Great read
I’m so happy that I get to keep reading more and more books in Smith’s Extinction Cycle universe and this was a great addition.
I’m so happy that I get to keep reading more and more books in Smith’s Extinction Cycle universe and this was a great addition.
January 5, 2021
I've read so many Kindle military suspense-thrillers and zombie apocalypse books that suck that when one is good it really gets your attention. By good I mean it must be well-written, have something unique and engaging to lift it above the thousands of others in those genres, and it must have a certain technical plausibility. I am not sure what compelled me to download Lost Valley but I was very pleased to find it met all of my demands.
I am partial to the fact that it is set in Southern California. I live in San Diego County, I am a Veteran of elite military training, am an urban prepper, and I have a dog... so needless to say, the protagonist was someone I could relate to.
Much to my surprise, the locales in Lost Valley are places I am quite familiar with. I have researched some of the rural spots mentioned here as potential sanctuaries in case the SHTF. That made the book doubly interesting and made me realize how much I have in common with its author, Walt Browning.
I was initially dismayed by the idea that I would be viewing much of this story through the eyes of one of the protagonists. I know that sounds funny until you realize I am talking about the Belgian Malinois military working war dog named Shrek. I am not into animal books. I love my dog but doubt his ability to tell a story. I almost quit reading at that point (some readers did, unfortunately, judging by some of the negative reviews). But I pressed on. And found myself enjoying that aspect of the story. In fact, it became one of the things I truly loved about the book before it was over. Why? Because Walter Browning did his research. And he clearly has studied the behavior and psychology of this wonderful breed of working dogs to bring home why they are such an important part of the human-dog team in combat.
Overall, I must say I heartily recommend Lost Valley. I should have read others in this series by now but confess I've been distracted by a bunch of cheap Kindle novels that, in comparison to this one, really suck.
So, if you are looking for an above average take on the Zombie Apocalypse, here it is. And when you find yourself inside the dog's head, resist the urge to stop reading and hit the delete on your Kindle. Press on, instead!
It's actually an extremely enjoyable and different perspective that makes this novel worth reading.
I am partial to the fact that it is set in Southern California. I live in San Diego County, I am a Veteran of elite military training, am an urban prepper, and I have a dog... so needless to say, the protagonist was someone I could relate to.
Much to my surprise, the locales in Lost Valley are places I am quite familiar with. I have researched some of the rural spots mentioned here as potential sanctuaries in case the SHTF. That made the book doubly interesting and made me realize how much I have in common with its author, Walt Browning.
I was initially dismayed by the idea that I would be viewing much of this story through the eyes of one of the protagonists. I know that sounds funny until you realize I am talking about the Belgian Malinois military working war dog named Shrek. I am not into animal books. I love my dog but doubt his ability to tell a story. I almost quit reading at that point (some readers did, unfortunately, judging by some of the negative reviews). But I pressed on. And found myself enjoying that aspect of the story. In fact, it became one of the things I truly loved about the book before it was over. Why? Because Walter Browning did his research. And he clearly has studied the behavior and psychology of this wonderful breed of working dogs to bring home why they are such an important part of the human-dog team in combat.
Overall, I must say I heartily recommend Lost Valley. I should have read others in this series by now but confess I've been distracted by a bunch of cheap Kindle novels that, in comparison to this one, really suck.
So, if you are looking for an above average take on the Zombie Apocalypse, here it is. And when you find yourself inside the dog's head, resist the urge to stop reading and hit the delete on your Kindle. Press on, instead!
It's actually an extremely enjoyable and different perspective that makes this novel worth reading.
November 14, 2024
First off, I listened to the audiobook as I do with most of my stories. The narrator, Bronson Pinchot, excels in delivering a wide range of voices, accents, and inflections. He also demonstrates impressive skills in yelling and shouting; many narrators tend to employ a "soft" yell or shout, which doesn’t have the same impact. Additionally, he embodies the voice, accent, and mannerisms of each character convincingly. His portrayal of female characters is equally commendable.
The story itself offers an engaging cinematic feel through its multiple perspectives, which I appreciate and thoroughly enjoyed. The story contains a significant amount of stereotypical machismo, a common element in most apocalyptic tales. The humor throughout the story, especially from Randy and occasionally Kini, is a nice touch and nothing was in bad taste. The characters are not flat, although they lack real depth.
For any women who are wondering about it, there are a few female characters in the book. Three primary women, plus a few smaller characters that either don't last long or have a small part. The ones present are well-written and not sexualized or too helpless. However, it is still heavily male dominated, as most apocalyptic books are.
One issue I have with the story is when the author offers conveniences in parts of the narrative while neglecting others. For instance, the author has Carver receiving valuable supplies from old friends, ensuring he is well-equipped and informed for the situation. Highly convenient and idealized. However, when Carver enters the cabin, the creature(formerly Sarah) remains on the ceiling and doesn't attack, which contradicts the usual portrayal of these creatures. Carver is allowed to check each room and locate the creature before it engages, which again feels convenient and idealized. Additionally, the shift in terminology from “infected” to “the dead” in the final quarter of the book feels inconsistent, especially given these are more mutated humans than traditional zombies. Overall, this does have the feel of a typical zombie outbreak story and would most likely be well loved by anyone who enjoys the genre. Myself included.
The story itself offers an engaging cinematic feel through its multiple perspectives, which I appreciate and thoroughly enjoyed. The story contains a significant amount of stereotypical machismo, a common element in most apocalyptic tales. The humor throughout the story, especially from Randy and occasionally Kini, is a nice touch and nothing was in bad taste. The characters are not flat, although they lack real depth.
For any women who are wondering about it, there are a few female characters in the book. Three primary women, plus a few smaller characters that either don't last long or have a small part. The ones present are well-written and not sexualized or too helpless. However, it is still heavily male dominated, as most apocalyptic books are.
One issue I have with the story is when the author offers conveniences in parts of the narrative while neglecting others. For instance, the author has Carver receiving valuable supplies from old friends, ensuring he is well-equipped and informed for the situation. Highly convenient and idealized. However, when Carver enters the cabin, the creature(formerly Sarah) remains on the ceiling and doesn't attack, which contradicts the usual portrayal of these creatures. Carver is allowed to check each room and locate the creature before it engages, which again feels convenient and idealized. Additionally, the shift in terminology from “infected” to “the dead” in the final quarter of the book feels inconsistent, especially given these are more mutated humans than traditional zombies. Overall, this does have the feel of a typical zombie outbreak story and would most likely be well loved by anyone who enjoys the genre. Myself included.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 24, 2021
On a mountain outside of San Diego, a retired navy Seal John Eric Carver and his War Dog Shrek are living out the retirement dream. Nestled in beside a native American reservation and a boy scout camp, he spends his days working on his small farm, and looking after the neighbor kid, who works around the property. Aside from the occasional Coyote life is pretty idealist. That is until the infected start spreading all across the nation.
With mutant humanoid monsters with a ravenous hunger start killing or infecting everything they come across the world isn't safe anymore, but then a gain for Shrek and the Lost Valley could only have ever of been a reprieve.
Deciding to hold up at the boy scout camp, Carver and Shrek build and train a team for the end times, but there are many challenges along the way, and not everyone they meet is all about human survival as much as their own gain. The Mutants, they are out for blood.
I wanted to give this five stars but a few things annoyed me from the start. Shrek's self boosting monologue's were tedious, and Carver's decision making process left me baffled. Need a drug? Skip the local Riteaid, or CVS, head to where you would expect the infected to be initially taken, a major hospital, because that sounds like a smart move.
However, the writer did like Modelo beer, so there is a win right there.
With mutant humanoid monsters with a ravenous hunger start killing or infecting everything they come across the world isn't safe anymore, but then a gain for Shrek and the Lost Valley could only have ever of been a reprieve.
Deciding to hold up at the boy scout camp, Carver and Shrek build and train a team for the end times, but there are many challenges along the way, and not everyone they meet is all about human survival as much as their own gain. The Mutants, they are out for blood.
I wanted to give this five stars but a few things annoyed me from the start. Shrek's self boosting monologue's were tedious, and Carver's decision making process left me baffled. Need a drug? Skip the local Riteaid, or CVS, head to where you would expect the infected to be initially taken, a major hospital, because that sounds like a smart move.
However, the writer did like Modelo beer, so there is a win right there.
September 30, 2024
My true rating is 4.4 stars.
I have been immersed in this universe for years and always relish the opportunity to dive back in. The story is enriched by references to characters, locales, and elements from the original arcs, adding depth as the narrative unfolds. The introduction of characters was so masterfully done that I was instantly engaged, eager to learn more about them, knowing the impending crisis they would face.
John Eric Carver and Shrek, a retired Navy SEAL war dog team, had settled in the mountains outside San Diego, believing they had found tranquility on their forty-acre ranch. However, a mutating virus upended their lives. Now, they must outlive the pandemic ravaging the globe. Seeking sanctuary in a nearby Boy Scout camp, Carver leads teenagers and their parents in a struggle against the infected beings overtaking the world. Set in the "Extinction Cycle" Kindle world conceived by Nicholas Sansbury Smith, "Lost Valley" escorts the reader through the initial months of an apocalypse threatening humanity.
Although I appreciate Bronson Pinchot's narration, I find his tendency to alter the text while reading quite disruptive. It's frustrating to follow the text and then search for the author's original words, which differ from what he narrates. If he disagrees with the writing style, perhaps he shouldn't narrate it, despite the continued approval he receives. This new chapter of the saga becomes even more captivating as it reveals the inner thoughts of the animals, particularly Shrek's.
I have been immersed in this universe for years and always relish the opportunity to dive back in. The story is enriched by references to characters, locales, and elements from the original arcs, adding depth as the narrative unfolds. The introduction of characters was so masterfully done that I was instantly engaged, eager to learn more about them, knowing the impending crisis they would face.
John Eric Carver and Shrek, a retired Navy SEAL war dog team, had settled in the mountains outside San Diego, believing they had found tranquility on their forty-acre ranch. However, a mutating virus upended their lives. Now, they must outlive the pandemic ravaging the globe. Seeking sanctuary in a nearby Boy Scout camp, Carver leads teenagers and their parents in a struggle against the infected beings overtaking the world. Set in the "Extinction Cycle" Kindle world conceived by Nicholas Sansbury Smith, "Lost Valley" escorts the reader through the initial months of an apocalypse threatening humanity.
Although I appreciate Bronson Pinchot's narration, I find his tendency to alter the text while reading quite disruptive. It's frustrating to follow the text and then search for the author's original words, which differ from what he narrates. If he disagrees with the writing style, perhaps he shouldn't narrate it, despite the continued approval he receives. This new chapter of the saga becomes even more captivating as it reveals the inner thoughts of the animals, particularly Shrek's.
February 22, 2021
It’s hard not to repeat this part of the summary as it is a central part of the story. John Carver and Shrek are a retired Navy SEAL war dog team. Shrek is a Belgian Malinois, a beautiful dog that has a long history of being used by military forces, serving in both World Wars; they continue to be used by several militaries in a variety of roles to this day. You are treated to a unique experience in hearing Shrek’s thoughts. According to Shrek, the native German spelling of his name is Schreck, but he doesn’t mind the American version. As the viral infection makes its way across the country turning millions into undead, places of safety are sought out. Miles from his home near San Diego, Carver decided on Lost Valley Boyscout Camp north of the Los Coyotes Reservation. Tucked into the mountains, far from civilization, it seemed the camp would make an ideal retreat. The story continues, describing the camp efforts dealing with random visitors, making supply runs into the closest cities, and attempting to remain virus-free. Occasionally, the focus switches to San Diego to learn what the military is doing out of Coronado. This is a great story. I love Shrek and am ready for volume two.
August 5, 2021
OK, I was REALLY surprised with how good this book was! I usually steer away from books with Military leads. Let me explain why...........I use books to escape reality (I mean, who doesn't, right). I am a vet, and my husband is Active Duty, so the Military IS my reality. But this book got so many 5 star reviews, I figured why the hell not. I am so glad I did not let this one pass me by! Even though the protagonist was ex military, that wasn't the bases of the story. It was simply used as character development so we knew what type of person we was getting to know. I typically prefer "Joe Everyman" when it comes to these types of stories because I like to read how an ordinary person would navigate these situations. Military personnel in these books usually have ALL the skill and knowledge, and tools, and resources to be the "Super Hero" and it makes them out to be superhuman, and unrealistic. This book didn't read like that. It was very enjoyable, and the creatures were, WOW! LOL no words. I am moving on to book 2.
January 2, 2020
Boring
DNF @ 20%
Some books you put down and don't ever feel like picking up again. This is one of those books. My attention is harder to wrangle than most others but that doesn't mean that author's shouldn't try. Walt Browning clearly didn't.
The story and characters gave me nothing to sink my teeth into and much of the plot (so far) read like a todo-list, ticking each scene of without any real purpose.
Couple that with the inane idea to see through the eyes of the dog and you have a truly potent sleeping pill. Being an avid dog lover and owner myself, you need to do something extraordinary to convince me that this dog understood anything that was going on around him. They are instinctual creatures and the nuances of a dog never came through. I semi-convinced that Walt Browning has never owned a dog himself.
Dog rant aside, I couldn't finish or even get more than half way through this novel. You might have a better time, but you also may not.
DNF @ 20%
Some books you put down and don't ever feel like picking up again. This is one of those books. My attention is harder to wrangle than most others but that doesn't mean that author's shouldn't try. Walt Browning clearly didn't.
The story and characters gave me nothing to sink my teeth into and much of the plot (so far) read like a todo-list, ticking each scene of without any real purpose.
Couple that with the inane idea to see through the eyes of the dog and you have a truly potent sleeping pill. Being an avid dog lover and owner myself, you need to do something extraordinary to convince me that this dog understood anything that was going on around him. They are instinctual creatures and the nuances of a dog never came through. I semi-convinced that Walt Browning has never owned a dog himself.
Dog rant aside, I couldn't finish or even get more than half way through this novel. You might have a better time, but you also may not.
December 27, 2020
Good start to a trilogy
Inspired by Nicholas Stansbury Smith, this book extends his Extinction series, and does a fine job of it.
It is another ZA story, but sets the table nicely, starting with the random start of the zombie apocalypse and building nicely to the ending assault on the hospital.
The main characters, Carver and his dog Shrek, are somewhat tradition alkyex Seal vets, you always seems to have to have an ex Seal or Ranger in these things. Of course, that makes perfect sense, a sthese guys would've equipped to survive such an event.
You also get Kinney, an ex Marine Boy Scout Camp supervisor ( Yes, cthere are Boy Scouts.... With shotguns), Hope and her son Kyle, the neighbors, and several nasty people who always seem to get infected.
So a lot of fun, easy read, I am looking forward to book 2.
Inspired by Nicholas Stansbury Smith, this book extends his Extinction series, and does a fine job of it.
It is another ZA story, but sets the table nicely, starting with the random start of the zombie apocalypse and building nicely to the ending assault on the hospital.
The main characters, Carver and his dog Shrek, are somewhat tradition alkyex Seal vets, you always seems to have to have an ex Seal or Ranger in these things. Of course, that makes perfect sense, a sthese guys would've equipped to survive such an event.
You also get Kinney, an ex Marine Boy Scout Camp supervisor ( Yes, cthere are Boy Scouts.... With shotguns), Hope and her son Kyle, the neighbors, and several nasty people who always seem to get infected.
So a lot of fun, easy read, I am looking forward to book 2.
February 5, 2025
Quick read
I bought this book looking for an apocalyptic book with a dog. I read that you get the perspective of the dog too and I really liked that. Then I read in the introduction that it was a Zombie book. Oh cramp! I hate zombie movies. I should have read the description first. But surprisingly, this one is interesting. But if they kill the dog schrek, I'm not reading another page! On to book two to see how the camp is going. A few things I've noticed You risk your lives for insulin why didn't you get other drugs like penicillin?. And seeds. You just passed a Wal-Mart. If you get seeds, you could start growing your own food. You need to think long term. This isn't going away soon. I just hope those monsters don't start breeding. It's bad enough the wildlife is infected. And get another dog to breed with Schrek and train the next legend hero.
I bought this book looking for an apocalyptic book with a dog. I read that you get the perspective of the dog too and I really liked that. Then I read in the introduction that it was a Zombie book. Oh cramp! I hate zombie movies. I should have read the description first. But surprisingly, this one is interesting. But if they kill the dog schrek, I'm not reading another page! On to book two to see how the camp is going. A few things I've noticed You risk your lives for insulin why didn't you get other drugs like penicillin?. And seeds. You just passed a Wal-Mart. If you get seeds, you could start growing your own food. You need to think long term. This isn't going away soon. I just hope those monsters don't start breeding. It's bad enough the wildlife is infected. And get another dog to breed with Schrek and train the next legend hero.
January 28, 2021
Audiobook: Please read my review of the Extinction Cycle series. I can't image coming into this book without reading the EC series first. The story was OK, but lacked much the depth and suspense the original series included. The end of the first book in this side-quest seemed abrupt, but it was clearly a lead in to a next book.
One thing that is interesting about this book is the voice of the dog. I did not expect to hear what the dog was thinking or how he would think about the monsters.
I did enjoy that this story happens in parallel to the timeline in EC. While reading EC, I wondered what is happening in other parts of the world. This book shares one of those stories.
I'm not sure I'll continue this series.
One thing that is interesting about this book is the voice of the dog. I did not expect to hear what the dog was thinking or how he would think about the monsters.
I did enjoy that this story happens in parallel to the timeline in EC. While reading EC, I wondered what is happening in other parts of the world. This book shares one of those stories.
I'm not sure I'll continue this series.
December 27, 2021
Audible. In some books we are not told how the world came to be but in the story were given just that, although I wish it came in a little more depth. The story was very interesting in the beginning but later dragged at some parts and the actions of some characters (wholly unbelievable) I guess make sense in this universe. I also liked how each chapter can take the POV of characters within the story as it does keep it interesting. The narration of main character Changed halfway through the book. In the beginning the character seemed to have a calm and nonchalant attitude even when getting hit on by someone he may not be interested in.Then starts yelling at kids when he is providing Instruction. It was a bit strange for me to hear this change.
July 2, 2019
Zombie Apocalypse
Good action story. I always prefer a story based on a realistically probable cause, even though we hope that cause isn't too probable. Carved comes across as a sound character. I do have some problem giving the dog, no matter how well trained and clever, human style reasoning. I have read other gripping tales with heroic animals whose loyalty and trading shone through without giving them "thoughts". This doesn't detract from the storyline buy for me, doesn't really seem necessary. I will be buying Satan's Gate to see where the story takes us. If Collingwood and realistic action writing, dig in to this.
Good action story. I always prefer a story based on a realistically probable cause, even though we hope that cause isn't too probable. Carved comes across as a sound character. I do have some problem giving the dog, no matter how well trained and clever, human style reasoning. I have read other gripping tales with heroic animals whose loyalty and trading shone through without giving them "thoughts". This doesn't detract from the storyline buy for me, doesn't really seem necessary. I will be buying Satan's Gate to see where the story takes us. If Collingwood and realistic action writing, dig in to this.
June 4, 2020
Entertaining, but quite as good as I was expecting. Certainly well-written, and the inclusion of the Belgian Malinois pushed the rating from like a 3.5 to a 4. I'm biased for good dog characters and I'm not ashamed of it.
As far as the zombies, themselves, I wasn't all that happy with them. This is more of a monster story than a zombie story. The intro gave this big shpiel about being "based in science" and "realistic." Hardly. I suppose that made me set my bar high before the first chapter began and led to some disappointment when people magically shape-shifted in like 2 hours after infection.
As far as the zombies, themselves, I wasn't all that happy with them. This is more of a monster story than a zombie story. The intro gave this big shpiel about being "based in science" and "realistic." Hardly. I suppose that made me set my bar high before the first chapter began and led to some disappointment when people magically shape-shifted in like 2 hours after infection.
December 6, 2023
I picked up the 4-book audio set of this series and it's great fun. Bronson Pinchot's reading is a gas -- it really elevates the material. There are chapters told from the dog Shrek's point if view and Pinchot gives him this quietly arrogant personality with a Germanic (Belgian?) accent that's hilarious. Let's just say the dog is VERY sure of himself.
The book doesn't add much to the known tropes but the writing is skillful and assured, and the characters are well-developed. I like the fact that special ops types are leading our survivors. I'd certainly want to be with them in such a catastrophe.
The book doesn't add much to the known tropes but the writing is skillful and assured, and the characters are well-developed. I like the fact that special ops types are leading our survivors. I'd certainly want to be with them in such a catastrophe.
May 31, 2025
Interesting introduction to a unique 'zombie' apocalypse
Lost Valley, book 1 in the Extinction Survival series, focuses on ex-SEAL John Carved and his group of boy scouts and their families trying to survive after a virus turns those infected into something akin to zombies with the mouth of a lamprey. The writing is clear and intense, with engaging characters and excellent plotting and pacing. The fact that animals can be infected and mutated after surviving wounds from an attack adds another whole level of peril. 4/5 stars, recommended for fans of zombie apocalypse thrillers and survival thrillers!
Lost Valley, book 1 in the Extinction Survival series, focuses on ex-SEAL John Carved and his group of boy scouts and their families trying to survive after a virus turns those infected into something akin to zombies with the mouth of a lamprey. The writing is clear and intense, with engaging characters and excellent plotting and pacing. The fact that animals can be infected and mutated after surviving wounds from an attack adds another whole level of peril. 4/5 stars, recommended for fans of zombie apocalypse thrillers and survival thrillers!
May 3, 2019
Fantastic!!
Fantastic addition to the Extinction Survival world! New, novel setting, with interesting characters and spot on character development (in the adults). Loved it!
However, everything seems to just run along so easily for the characters, the story ends up feeling a bit blah. There seems to always be a quick and easy fix for everything and every situation. Perhaps more tension would amp it up some??
Otherwise, I’m once again totally hooked! Racing to download the next in the series now!
Fantastic addition to the Extinction Survival world! New, novel setting, with interesting characters and spot on character development (in the adults). Loved it!
However, everything seems to just run along so easily for the characters, the story ends up feeling a bit blah. There seems to always be a quick and easy fix for everything and every situation. Perhaps more tension would amp it up some??
Otherwise, I’m once again totally hooked! Racing to download the next in the series now!
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