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The Decline
The outbreak devastated entire nations; what little hope would be found here?
It has been weeks since the First Wave broke, and a woefully unprepared mankind has steadily lost ground to the tide of infected. Overwhelmed by the sheer number and ferocity of the afflicted, the official response has abandoned its inland posts and collapsed back to the last line of defensible terrain.
Cut off from rescue and resupply, a desperate pocket of survivors cling to the notion of humanity while faced with a grim decision - is it worth it to be the last survivors of the human race, if you lose your humanity in the process?
Thoughtful and tense, The Decline is a gripping, atmospheric exploration of loss, isolation and the bleak realities of survival in a post-apocalyptic world.
It has been weeks since the First Wave broke, and a woefully unprepared mankind has steadily lost ground to the tide of infected. Overwhelmed by the sheer number and ferocity of the afflicted, the official response has abandoned its inland posts and collapsed back to the last line of defensible terrain.
Cut off from rescue and resupply, a desperate pocket of survivors cling to the notion of humanity while faced with a grim decision - is it worth it to be the last survivors of the human race, if you lose your humanity in the process?
Thoughtful and tense, The Decline is a gripping, atmospheric exploration of loss, isolation and the bleak realities of survival in a post-apocalyptic world.
344 pages, Paperback
Published December 22, 2016
38 people are currently reading
437 people want to read
About the author
Christopher Jessulat
2 books14 followersBorn in Moncton, New Brunswick but setting roots in Saint John, Christopher Jessulat has been a lifelong bookworm. Seeking an outlet that could accommodate his love of creative writing and the post-apocalyptic/science fiction/survival genres, his most recent project quickly took a “life” of its own, culminating in his first published novel – The Decline.
Christopher has a long history in combat sports, specifically in grappling and submission grappling (his kickboxing is terrible). As a former Canadian Armed Forces reservist, his love and knowledge of all-things-military will occasionally find its way into his work, lending an added flair for realism in often surreal environments.
Though juggling professional, personal and writing aspirations pose their challenges, Christopher is busy working on the second installment of The Decline series while cultivating a handful of other potential sources of future inspiration.
Christopher has a long history in combat sports, specifically in grappling and submission grappling (his kickboxing is terrible). As a former Canadian Armed Forces reservist, his love and knowledge of all-things-military will occasionally find its way into his work, lending an added flair for realism in often surreal environments.
Though juggling professional, personal and writing aspirations pose their challenges, Christopher is busy working on the second installment of The Decline series while cultivating a handful of other potential sources of future inspiration.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
January 5, 2020
Post-apocalyptic novels, especially zombie fiction, are a favorite of mine, so this was a real treat. Author Christopher Jessault clearly knows his craft, fleshing out a bleak world where survivors are left to carve out bunkers and defensible outposts as the undead or “infected” in this novel swarm across the city. It’s set in cold, snowy Canada, which is a lovely setting for such a novel, adding to the bleakness. Food is scarce. The survivors are starving.
We’re introduced to an array of characters, not all of whom I will mention, but some of the more memorable... Quinn, the commander, who is trying to maintain discipline and not go through rations even as food reserves dwindle. Isaac, the military type. Anders, from Finland. Daniel, the doctor. Keeley, who works with him in the infirmary. Jacob, Emily and Madison, part of another group of survivors. The strength in Jessault’s writing is in the way he conveys the absolute bleakness of this undead world, the inescapability of it, how the odds are so very, very stacked against our cast. Many scenes are long, detailed raids that various groups must go out on in search of food or other supplies. In other places, we get glimpses of politics within life back at camp, or personal stories. This is the perfect novel for readers who love zombie fiction like “The Girl With All the Gifts” or “World War Z.” An excellent read!
Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.
We’re introduced to an array of characters, not all of whom I will mention, but some of the more memorable... Quinn, the commander, who is trying to maintain discipline and not go through rations even as food reserves dwindle. Isaac, the military type. Anders, from Finland. Daniel, the doctor. Keeley, who works with him in the infirmary. Jacob, Emily and Madison, part of another group of survivors. The strength in Jessault’s writing is in the way he conveys the absolute bleakness of this undead world, the inescapability of it, how the odds are so very, very stacked against our cast. Many scenes are long, detailed raids that various groups must go out on in search of food or other supplies. In other places, we get glimpses of politics within life back at camp, or personal stories. This is the perfect novel for readers who love zombie fiction like “The Girl With All the Gifts” or “World War Z.” An excellent read!
Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.
April 24, 2017
Holy shmoly, this was certainly a book to get and keep my heart pumping! The lively use of language and description definitely brought to life the solemness of the situation the characters are in. The blend of their hope combined with their desperation and a sense of doom is incredibly written, making it easy to relate and feel the characters' emotions.
It is a book that I found very easy to read in one long sitting - the tempo of the situations presented was one that made it impossible for me to put it down. It is a story that beautifully captures the combination of despair, horror ... and the strength of humanity. I had never before heard of this author but I would definitely read more of his work. This is an excellent storyline and exceptional writing. Fantastic!
It is a book that I found very easy to read in one long sitting - the tempo of the situations presented was one that made it impossible for me to put it down. It is a story that beautifully captures the combination of despair, horror ... and the strength of humanity. I had never before heard of this author but I would definitely read more of his work. This is an excellent storyline and exceptional writing. Fantastic!
March 23, 2017
An infection has decimated the Earth’s population and caused the planet to be overrun by zombies. The few survivors must fight the infected as well as the elements and other un-infected people.
The action scenes are very good and the plot moves on at a fast pace. The characters, dialogue and ruthless actions of some of the survivors are all believable. As I read this book I kept thinking of “The Walking Death” as some of the themes are similar – although the story unfolds in a different manner.
My overall rating is 4 stars for two main reasons. Firstly I found there were too many characters / too many parallel views / actions so in a couple of places so I had to re-read paragraphs. Secondly the writing could have been tighter.
Overall an entertaining read and if you like “living dead action” books this is definitely worth a look.
The action scenes are very good and the plot moves on at a fast pace. The characters, dialogue and ruthless actions of some of the survivors are all believable. As I read this book I kept thinking of “The Walking Death” as some of the themes are similar – although the story unfolds in a different manner.
My overall rating is 4 stars for two main reasons. Firstly I found there were too many characters / too many parallel views / actions so in a couple of places so I had to re-read paragraphs. Secondly the writing could have been tighter.
Overall an entertaining read and if you like “living dead action” books this is definitely worth a look.
March 11, 2017
The Decline, with its exceptional detail follows the story of several characters in the unforgiving winter of Canada. They must survive not only a ghastly hoard of infected beings from ripping them to shreds, but also live in fear of starvation, infection, and the threat of their fellow survivors.
Though it does have a very familiar plot, every scene that involves his ghouls are chilling and even jaw-dropping at times: "Several of the cars scattered through the parking lot were occupied. The dead contained within, awakened by the commotion pressed their blighted faces against the windows and struck the glass with their fists and feet. In the hush of the late morning air it was almost rhythmic. A morbid chaos announcing their presence."
The final chapters are the best as the characters fight to survive an onslaught of the infected within the barracks, and again, incredibly fun and disturbing as they come into close contact with the dead, and utter despair as their worst nightmares become closely felt by the reader.
Though it does have a very familiar plot, every scene that involves his ghouls are chilling and even jaw-dropping at times: "Several of the cars scattered through the parking lot were occupied. The dead contained within, awakened by the commotion pressed their blighted faces against the windows and struck the glass with their fists and feet. In the hush of the late morning air it was almost rhythmic. A morbid chaos announcing their presence."
The final chapters are the best as the characters fight to survive an onslaught of the infected within the barracks, and again, incredibly fun and disturbing as they come into close contact with the dead, and utter despair as their worst nightmares become closely felt by the reader.
June 7, 2017
I decided the other day that I have read far too many zombie novels. Most of them are terrible, but The Decline isn't one of them. I only wish that I had read it earlier, as I think the basic idea of"zombies" is tainted for me.
Jessulat takes the Walking Dead approach, and this is not a criticism, nor is it to say that he has copied that plot. I mean that he has taken the road of "people are the real monsters", and it serves the book well. The backstories of the characters are some of the best moments in the book, as is the harsh Canadian climate that acts as a character all it's own.
The writing here is fantastic. The action is intense, and the characters are relatively dynamic. I would definitely recommend the book to anyone who hasn't become as zombie jaded as myself. Well done.
Jessulat takes the Walking Dead approach, and this is not a criticism, nor is it to say that he has copied that plot. I mean that he has taken the road of "people are the real monsters", and it serves the book well. The backstories of the characters are some of the best moments in the book, as is the harsh Canadian climate that acts as a character all it's own.
The writing here is fantastic. The action is intense, and the characters are relatively dynamic. I would definitely recommend the book to anyone who hasn't become as zombie jaded as myself. Well done.
July 20, 2020
There are good zombie books and bad ones. This one falls in the former category. You won't find anything special about this. People will try to survive in a bleak environment, some will screw others over. It's the same thing you've seen before, but it was done mostly well. There's a reason why there are so many Robin Hood stories: people like them. If you need something to replace your Walking Dead comics void, this is worth a shot. The rest of my review will contain spoilers.
The Good.
I liked Anders. Specifically, I liked the fact he was from Finland, but stuck in Canada during the apocalypse. He has no family. That is a more brutal way to have to survive.
The food supply is so limited, the characters dine on boiled oats in water because oatmeal would be a luxury.
The characters were cool, diverse, and interesting. They weren't perfect, but each was interesting. There were a lot of characters. All were fun to read, but some were unnecessary to this story (*cough* Lynn, Andrew *cough*). I assume they have a purpose for an eventual sequel.
The environment was perfect. How do you make a zombie apocalypse even more bleak? Set it in the frozen tundra of Canada.
Anders and his sniper leading to a lot of death. He gets some punishment for it, but not as much as he probably deserved.
Cox's scope was jostled. It kept her from being as good a shot. I loved the cause and effect. It kept plot armor from sticking its ugly face into this story.
The post-attack mistrust between Quinn and his soldiers with the civilians at the outpost. Finger pointing will never go away. Ironically, it was one of the civilian's (Anders) fault.
Issac not wanting to escape with Anders. It was a rational reaction. Rationality/believability is often absent from fiction.
Anders and Sully not caring about Cox's fate. (I'm sure she's still alive).
The last scene showing the survivors eating grubs.
The Bad.
There is barely any dialogue in this novel. People never talk. The first half of the novel probably had 10% of the words dedicated to dialogue. The remaining 90% went to purple prose. The lack of dialogue was the main reason I had issues with this book. Ironically, Daniel was frustrated that Jacob remained mute when they first met. Ha. You all remained mute the whole time. In fact, the first words don't come until the end of chapter three, both of them. The first words with a response didn't come for another chapter. It led to a lot of exposition when each character was introduced.
The story just sort of started and finished. There was nothing that felt like a typical story structure for the first half. We are just told what people do and think. It leads to a couple missions that happen and end, but don't tie together to well.
The word is zombie. Why doesn't anyone use it? The Walking Dead avoided the word, now it seems like everyone wants to pretend a perfectly good word for this type of creature doesn't exist. The author preferred infected, reanimated, or ghouls. I don't know why it bugs me when people act like nothing zombie (not even the original voodoo interpretations) existed in this universe.
I don't like fast, running zombies. The young ones only (thankfully) were like this.
It was hard to care for the characters until the back half. Like I said, the beginning was a bit disjointed, so I felt little while I waited to see who were the redshirts. Ironically, Lynn was one of the most fascinating characters but was underutilized.
Why all the flipping between Sullivan and Sully? In the same paragraph, both versions would be used for a character. Did nobody have an idea on how to address him? It seemed artificial. People usually have a name they assign to people. If it was different characters using different names, fine. It would be the same character using both.
Andrew and Lynn were unnecessary. There scenes could have been completely removed without any impact to the main story. I assume they were being set up for sequels. Just introduce them then. With this many characters, did we really need extras?
The Technical.
The book is written third person omniscient. If head hopping bothers you, stay away.
There are a ton of characters. Issac, Keeley, Andrew, Lynn, Madison, Emily, Jacob, Sullivan, Cox, Quinn, William, Anders, Erik, the list goes on.
There is profanity.
There is violence.
The Good.
I liked Anders. Specifically, I liked the fact he was from Finland, but stuck in Canada during the apocalypse. He has no family. That is a more brutal way to have to survive.
The food supply is so limited, the characters dine on boiled oats in water because oatmeal would be a luxury.
The characters were cool, diverse, and interesting. They weren't perfect, but each was interesting. There were a lot of characters. All were fun to read, but some were unnecessary to this story (*cough* Lynn, Andrew *cough*). I assume they have a purpose for an eventual sequel.
The environment was perfect. How do you make a zombie apocalypse even more bleak? Set it in the frozen tundra of Canada.
Anders and his sniper leading to a lot of death. He gets some punishment for it, but not as much as he probably deserved.
Cox's scope was jostled. It kept her from being as good a shot. I loved the cause and effect. It kept plot armor from sticking its ugly face into this story.
The post-attack mistrust between Quinn and his soldiers with the civilians at the outpost. Finger pointing will never go away. Ironically, it was one of the civilian's (Anders) fault.
Issac not wanting to escape with Anders. It was a rational reaction. Rationality/believability is often absent from fiction.
Anders and Sully not caring about Cox's fate. (I'm sure she's still alive).
The last scene showing the survivors eating grubs.
The Bad.
There is barely any dialogue in this novel. People never talk. The first half of the novel probably had 10% of the words dedicated to dialogue. The remaining 90% went to purple prose. The lack of dialogue was the main reason I had issues with this book. Ironically, Daniel was frustrated that Jacob remained mute when they first met. Ha. You all remained mute the whole time. In fact, the first words don't come until the end of chapter three, both of them. The first words with a response didn't come for another chapter. It led to a lot of exposition when each character was introduced.
The story just sort of started and finished. There was nothing that felt like a typical story structure for the first half. We are just told what people do and think. It leads to a couple missions that happen and end, but don't tie together to well.
The word is zombie. Why doesn't anyone use it? The Walking Dead avoided the word, now it seems like everyone wants to pretend a perfectly good word for this type of creature doesn't exist. The author preferred infected, reanimated, or ghouls. I don't know why it bugs me when people act like nothing zombie (not even the original voodoo interpretations) existed in this universe.
I don't like fast, running zombies. The young ones only (thankfully) were like this.
It was hard to care for the characters until the back half. Like I said, the beginning was a bit disjointed, so I felt little while I waited to see who were the redshirts. Ironically, Lynn was one of the most fascinating characters but was underutilized.
Why all the flipping between Sullivan and Sully? In the same paragraph, both versions would be used for a character. Did nobody have an idea on how to address him? It seemed artificial. People usually have a name they assign to people. If it was different characters using different names, fine. It would be the same character using both.
Andrew and Lynn were unnecessary. There scenes could have been completely removed without any impact to the main story. I assume they were being set up for sequels. Just introduce them then. With this many characters, did we really need extras?
The Technical.
The book is written third person omniscient. If head hopping bothers you, stay away.
There are a ton of characters. Issac, Keeley, Andrew, Lynn, Madison, Emily, Jacob, Sullivan, Cox, Quinn, William, Anders, Erik, the list goes on.
There is profanity.
There is violence.
April 21, 2017
love post-apocalyptic tales and although this one had a similar storyline (outbreak leading to infected taking over and a small groups efforts to survive), I found the book took a bit of a different angle than others I have read. What I enjoyed the most was the backstories of all the survivors. The book begins with a small group, bunkered up and the author gives information on how they all got there. Also, interesting pieces of their stories pop up as the story develops further. I have to admit, however, it was a bit hard to remember who was who at first but as I got to know the characters better, I caught on.
The book has a good bit of suspense, as the group goes on "runs" and as suspicion builds behind the motives of the leader, Quinn's, motives. There are also interesting dynamics between the characters. The last 50-75 pages are all crazy. I could not put the book down until I finished. Overall, I enjoyed reading this and look forward to future books so I can continue to see where this group goes...
The book has a good bit of suspense, as the group goes on "runs" and as suspicion builds behind the motives of the leader, Quinn's, motives. There are also interesting dynamics between the characters. The last 50-75 pages are all crazy. I could not put the book down until I finished. Overall, I enjoyed reading this and look forward to future books so I can continue to see where this group goes...
May 24, 2017
The Decline revolves around the last human colony within the frozen wasteland of a Canadian city as they struggle to survive amidst the zombie apocalypse. However, with supplies scarce, and hope of rescue running on empty, the colony must face more drastic means of retaining control and surviving, or risk succumbing to the zombie hoard that constantly lurks within the city.
Right off the bat, I’ll get two things out of the way. I don’t read zombie fiction much, so if you’re wondering if this would be a good zombie book compared to others, you may want to read some additional reviews after this one. Two, yes, this premise sounds similar to The Walking Dead, as others have pointed out. Yet, I would say it differentiates itself in some significant ways. For one, there’s not necessarily a “main” villain. Sure, there is an antagonist, whose ruthless actions drive a handful of characters to desperate measures. But even then, the character is trading their humanity to stave off the inevitable collapse of the colony. And the cold logic of their actions is shown somewhat even-handedly through a couple of other main characters arguing that the circumstances dictate these actions to be necessary for survival.
The other way this book differentiates itself is that it’s bleak. This is not the typical zombie apocalypse book where a group of people hold up in some mall/shelter/bunker, ride out the zombie waves, then experience a climatic break-in, where only a handful of decent people survive and escape. Right from the outset, the is bleak, dour, and there will not be a happy ending for anyone. The city and the people are like a terminal patient. You don’t know when their end will come and you can’t help them. The most that you can do is ease their passing. That’s the sensation I got while reading this. There’s not a standard plot here per se. It’s more a look into some people’s lives during an especially trying time that begins and ends with little hope.
I do applaud Christopher Jessulat for his writing technique and skill. I did care about most of the characters and they are a varied and believable assortment. There were a couple of predictable moments that felt a little reminiscent of zombie horror, but these are few overall.
While this book wasn’t for me, I won’t include my personal taste in the overall rating. I would say it’s well-written and I believe those interested in a somber zombie narrative would enjoy it. Therefore, with such good writing and a unique angle to approach the story from, I’d say the quality here is worth 4.5 stars, rounded up to 5. There is violence, naturally, but much of the time, it’s descriptions of battles long since lost to the zombie hoard. Also, fair warning, there is also some swearing and sexual content here. Perhaps the biggest thing I would caution people about the book is you have to be in the right mood to read this. If you’re in the mood for something depressing and tragic, you’ll get much more enjoyment out of The Decline.
Right off the bat, I’ll get two things out of the way. I don’t read zombie fiction much, so if you’re wondering if this would be a good zombie book compared to others, you may want to read some additional reviews after this one. Two, yes, this premise sounds similar to The Walking Dead, as others have pointed out. Yet, I would say it differentiates itself in some significant ways. For one, there’s not necessarily a “main” villain. Sure, there is an antagonist, whose ruthless actions drive a handful of characters to desperate measures. But even then, the character is trading their humanity to stave off the inevitable collapse of the colony. And the cold logic of their actions is shown somewhat even-handedly through a couple of other main characters arguing that the circumstances dictate these actions to be necessary for survival.
The other way this book differentiates itself is that it’s bleak. This is not the typical zombie apocalypse book where a group of people hold up in some mall/shelter/bunker, ride out the zombie waves, then experience a climatic break-in, where only a handful of decent people survive and escape. Right from the outset, the is bleak, dour, and there will not be a happy ending for anyone. The city and the people are like a terminal patient. You don’t know when their end will come and you can’t help them. The most that you can do is ease their passing. That’s the sensation I got while reading this. There’s not a standard plot here per se. It’s more a look into some people’s lives during an especially trying time that begins and ends with little hope.
I do applaud Christopher Jessulat for his writing technique and skill. I did care about most of the characters and they are a varied and believable assortment. There were a couple of predictable moments that felt a little reminiscent of zombie horror, but these are few overall.
While this book wasn’t for me, I won’t include my personal taste in the overall rating. I would say it’s well-written and I believe those interested in a somber zombie narrative would enjoy it. Therefore, with such good writing and a unique angle to approach the story from, I’d say the quality here is worth 4.5 stars, rounded up to 5. There is violence, naturally, but much of the time, it’s descriptions of battles long since lost to the zombie hoard. Also, fair warning, there is also some swearing and sexual content here. Perhaps the biggest thing I would caution people about the book is you have to be in the right mood to read this. If you’re in the mood for something depressing and tragic, you’ll get much more enjoyment out of The Decline.
June 16, 2017
Genre - Post-Apocalyptic/Survival/Zombie
Pages - 337
Just finished reading “The Decline” by Christopher Jessulat. I would like to thank Christopher for the ebook copy of this book. It is much appreciated. This was a very fast-paced and nicely flowing Post-Apocalyptic/Survival/Zombie read. A refreshing type of read, as it was very much character driven, opposed to depending only on the gore and guts usually found in these types of reads. There were a few different scenarios going on throughout the book and Christopher was able to navigate from one to the other with great ease. While there are Zombies (ghouls) in this book, I find it is just as much a survival adventure read with a credible plot and storyline. It was one of those reads that before you knew it you were finished, and wanting more. I found this read to be quite entertaining and kept my attention from start to finish. Highly recommend this read for all you Zombie/Post-Apocalyptic/Survival lovers out there! For a debut novel this was out of the park great.
Synopsis (from back cover) - The outbreak devastated entire nations; what little hope would be found here?
It has been weeks since the First Wave broke, and a woefully unprepared mankind has steadily lost ground to the tide of infected. Overwhelmed by the sheer number and ferocity of the afflicted, the official response has abandoned its inland posts and collapsed back to the last line of defensible terrain.
Cut off from rescue and resupply, a desperate pocket of survivors cling to the notion of humanity while faced with a grim decision - is it worth it to be the last survivors of the human race, if you lose your humanity in the process?
Pages - 337
Just finished reading “The Decline” by Christopher Jessulat. I would like to thank Christopher for the ebook copy of this book. It is much appreciated. This was a very fast-paced and nicely flowing Post-Apocalyptic/Survival/Zombie read. A refreshing type of read, as it was very much character driven, opposed to depending only on the gore and guts usually found in these types of reads. There were a few different scenarios going on throughout the book and Christopher was able to navigate from one to the other with great ease. While there are Zombies (ghouls) in this book, I find it is just as much a survival adventure read with a credible plot and storyline. It was one of those reads that before you knew it you were finished, and wanting more. I found this read to be quite entertaining and kept my attention from start to finish. Highly recommend this read for all you Zombie/Post-Apocalyptic/Survival lovers out there! For a debut novel this was out of the park great.
Synopsis (from back cover) - The outbreak devastated entire nations; what little hope would be found here?
It has been weeks since the First Wave broke, and a woefully unprepared mankind has steadily lost ground to the tide of infected. Overwhelmed by the sheer number and ferocity of the afflicted, the official response has abandoned its inland posts and collapsed back to the last line of defensible terrain.
Cut off from rescue and resupply, a desperate pocket of survivors cling to the notion of humanity while faced with a grim decision - is it worth it to be the last survivors of the human race, if you lose your humanity in the process?
April 8, 2017
The Decline tells the story of a small group of survivors in a post apocalyptic world in Canada where the infected or zombies roam the streets.
Survivors have taken refuge in a guarded compound. This is a world where the usual rules no longer apply and the characters have to do what ever they can to survive. Andrew wastes days attempting to make the radio work, and Lynn flirts with anyone to get what she wants. After becoming increasingly concerned by the erratic behaviour of Quinn, who runs the compound, a small group of survivors decide to take their chances outside.
This group comprising Isaac, Anders, Keeley, Sully and Daniel are brave but desperate and must learn to trust one another as their journey progresses. They are all well-developed and distinct characters.
The writing is descriptive and imaginative and the action scenes involving the infected are very detailed and well written. The author paints a vivid picture of a bleak and dark world, with danger and uncertainty ever present. The story is compelling and believable and conveys the strength and tenacity of the human spirit in the darkest of times.
The suspense is heightened as the survivors continue on their journey, culminating in the action scenes at the barracks. These scenes are compelling, and while there is plenty of gore, the violence is never overdone but is used well to convey the full horror of the situation.
A thought provoking and engrossing book.
Survivors have taken refuge in a guarded compound. This is a world where the usual rules no longer apply and the characters have to do what ever they can to survive. Andrew wastes days attempting to make the radio work, and Lynn flirts with anyone to get what she wants. After becoming increasingly concerned by the erratic behaviour of Quinn, who runs the compound, a small group of survivors decide to take their chances outside.
This group comprising Isaac, Anders, Keeley, Sully and Daniel are brave but desperate and must learn to trust one another as their journey progresses. They are all well-developed and distinct characters.
The writing is descriptive and imaginative and the action scenes involving the infected are very detailed and well written. The author paints a vivid picture of a bleak and dark world, with danger and uncertainty ever present. The story is compelling and believable and conveys the strength and tenacity of the human spirit in the darkest of times.
The suspense is heightened as the survivors continue on their journey, culminating in the action scenes at the barracks. These scenes are compelling, and while there is plenty of gore, the violence is never overdone but is used well to convey the full horror of the situation.
A thought provoking and engrossing book.
May 21, 2020
There were too many characters to keep track of in this story, particularly since some of them seemed to have a storyline started and then no follow through (like the radio guy and the girl looking for a protector, or the teenager and redhead girl). Even the characters that had more page time didn't have a lot of depth to them, I didn't really find myself truly caring what happened to them.
I liked the Canadian setting, the harsh temperatures added to the bleakness. There's plenty of action and gore, especially once the focus is off of the military compound. A lot of words spent on guns and what types they were, which is good if you're into guns, but for me...snore.
The ending is left pretty open, I could easily see a sequel, but this was published in 2016, so I'm guessing probably not?
I liked the Canadian setting, the harsh temperatures added to the bleakness. There's plenty of action and gore, especially once the focus is off of the military compound. A lot of words spent on guns and what types they were, which is good if you're into guns, but for me...snore.
The ending is left pretty open, I could easily see a sequel, but this was published in 2016, so I'm guessing probably not?
May 18, 2017
The Decline by Christopher Jessulat is a fast-paced zombie-horror fiction that makes one think of The Walking Dead. The setting is New Brunswick, a beautiful Canadian province. The book is well-written and offers beautiful descriptions of the Maritime landscape, as well as detailed accounts of horrific battles between people and ghouls. The military experience of the author shines in the war scenes. The book also touches upon important themes such as loyalty, friendship and love. I found it quite enjoyable and recommend it to all who like stories about the undead.
July 13, 2017
Fantastic! A great debut novel set during an apocalyptic future featuring zombies. I struggled to put the book down - the author drives you forward through the story using excellent character development and exciting action scenes throughout the adventure. I can't wait to see what is next for this author, and I'm hoping a continuation of the story is in the works! Definitely recommended!
April 19, 2018
I definitely felt like I was back in season one of “The Walking Dead” while reading Christopher J’s “The Decline.” And that’s a good thing, ‘cause I think we all know that was the best season.
Jessulat’s writing is crisp and bleak, painting a desolate end-of-the-world zombie picture that rises above the masses of undead stories, in my opinion. Even when describing blood and gore, this author put an effort into presenting those images sometimes in almost lyrical language that created an odd but intriguing juxtaposition of horror versus the everyday and even the strangely beautiful.
I enjoyed the three-dimensionality of many of the characters and their realistic dialogue and layered motivations.
I found the author’s knowledge of weaponry, size and handling, situations that could arise with specific rifles or guns, and general military operations and reconnoitering fascinating, and that made me curious enough to look him up and…yep. He was a military guy himself. Aha! It shows in his writing and layers the characters with a level of believable expertise that only enhances the apocalyptic experience.
In the world of zombie fiction, “The Decline” is a refreshing new voice, balancing the terror of real monsters with the tension and endless stress of being cold, hungry, and having to make oneself seem useful to those who are left in charge.
Jessulat’s writing is crisp and bleak, painting a desolate end-of-the-world zombie picture that rises above the masses of undead stories, in my opinion. Even when describing blood and gore, this author put an effort into presenting those images sometimes in almost lyrical language that created an odd but intriguing juxtaposition of horror versus the everyday and even the strangely beautiful.
I enjoyed the three-dimensionality of many of the characters and their realistic dialogue and layered motivations.
I found the author’s knowledge of weaponry, size and handling, situations that could arise with specific rifles or guns, and general military operations and reconnoitering fascinating, and that made me curious enough to look him up and…yep. He was a military guy himself. Aha! It shows in his writing and layers the characters with a level of believable expertise that only enhances the apocalyptic experience.
In the world of zombie fiction, “The Decline” is a refreshing new voice, balancing the terror of real monsters with the tension and endless stress of being cold, hungry, and having to make oneself seem useful to those who are left in charge.
September 1, 2017
This was a fairly easy read. It had everything you could ever ask for in an apocalyptic story. Hoards of zombies, check. A group of people fighting to survive, check.
The story is set in Canada, with the usual apocalyptic scenarios attached, which I love. The story was engaging and fast paced, and very well constructed. The character were believable and you can definitely relate to them and feel everything they are going through... and the willingness to do anything to survive was always there throughout the the whole story. I found it quite atmospheric, as an apocalypse should be, and the backdrop for the story was also well done. The writing was spot on, and drew you in. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and highly recommend it to anyone who like this type of novel.
The story is set in Canada, with the usual apocalyptic scenarios attached, which I love. The story was engaging and fast paced, and very well constructed. The character were believable and you can definitely relate to them and feel everything they are going through... and the willingness to do anything to survive was always there throughout the the whole story. I found it quite atmospheric, as an apocalypse should be, and the backdrop for the story was also well done. The writing was spot on, and drew you in. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and highly recommend it to anyone who like this type of novel.
September 29, 2020
The Decline is a zombie based book that resembles The Walking Dead only better in every way. The author details the characters and environment in a way that made me feel like I was really there. Everything was well-developed.
This is one that deserves more visibility, and I hope the author gets it because this was truly a great book. I was hooked and felt like I was watching a t.v. show.
I highly recommend!
This is one that deserves more visibility, and I hope the author gets it because this was truly a great book. I was hooked and felt like I was watching a t.v. show.
I highly recommend!
April 9, 2017
I liked this book. People interested in post-apocalyptic and zombie stories should keep The Decline in mind. It is a good debut novel, with a uniqueness that I found refreshing.
The story follows a group of survivors in an eastern Canadian city, as they face raging ghouls and a harsh winter. Their worse enemy, though, is themselves, as they struggle not to turn on each other.
Although I found the writing and the flow could have been tighter in some places, several of the descriptions are striking and stayed with me after the end of the book. There is a rawness to The Decline that makes it hard to forget. The conclusion is satisfying and left me with a haunting feeling; a sign that the book worked for me.
Overall good; the start of a promising series.
The story follows a group of survivors in an eastern Canadian city, as they face raging ghouls and a harsh winter. Their worse enemy, though, is themselves, as they struggle not to turn on each other.
Although I found the writing and the flow could have been tighter in some places, several of the descriptions are striking and stayed with me after the end of the book. There is a rawness to The Decline that makes it hard to forget. The conclusion is satisfying and left me with a haunting feeling; a sign that the book worked for me.
Overall good; the start of a promising series.
September 21, 2020
The Decline by Christopher Jessulat is a dystopian story that takes place in a Canadian after a Zombie apocalypse. The story kept my interest from beginning to end. I enjoyed the unique characters. Unlike most Zombie tales, this one dealt more with the survivors scavenging for provisions, and the tensions between the survivors— never really knowing who was trustworthy and who was not.
I normally do not ready Zombie stories, but this book kept me on the edge and I really enjoyed it!
I normally do not ready Zombie stories, but this book kept me on the edge and I really enjoyed it!
October 28, 2019
A group of Canada refugees try to escape an infectious outbreak.
The survivors have a safe zone and jobs to protect each other from the zombies. You get a clear picture of how everything is organized to survive and protect each other. There are many problems such as the harsh freezing climate and conflicts among the survivors.
Quinn, struggles to hold the group together. He is willing to do whatever it takes to stay the leader of the group.
Things get worse as food and medicine supplies are scarce.
The description of what is happening is clear, vivid, and moves forward fast with just the right amount of information to keep you guessing what is going to happen next.
The backstories of the characters are interesting. At times the story feels depressing due to the isolation and losses of the survivors.
The Decline is a story about people coming together to help each other and fight to survive while wondering if it is worth the effort of being the last survivors in such extreme circumstances.
If you like Zombie/Post-Apocalyptic novels, you will enjoy this book.
The survivors have a safe zone and jobs to protect each other from the zombies. You get a clear picture of how everything is organized to survive and protect each other. There are many problems such as the harsh freezing climate and conflicts among the survivors.
Quinn, struggles to hold the group together. He is willing to do whatever it takes to stay the leader of the group.
Things get worse as food and medicine supplies are scarce.
The description of what is happening is clear, vivid, and moves forward fast with just the right amount of information to keep you guessing what is going to happen next.
The backstories of the characters are interesting. At times the story feels depressing due to the isolation and losses of the survivors.
The Decline is a story about people coming together to help each other and fight to survive while wondering if it is worth the effort of being the last survivors in such extreme circumstances.
If you like Zombie/Post-Apocalyptic novels, you will enjoy this book.
July 19, 2017
I don’t normally read these type of post-apocalyptic books, but after coming across the haunting cover for this one, I had to check it out. I’m so glad I did as this story blew my mind! The author has an incredible way of setting an almost visceral mood with his descriptions. This added so much to the suspense of the story that I found myself holding my breath during several scenes. By the third chapter I couldn’t put the book down and I ended staying up almost all night to finish it.
The Decline is told through multiple points of view, which was a little jarring at first. However, as the story unfolded, the relationships between the characters and the impact they had on one another became clear. Although I didn’t empathize with every character, each of them was compelling and their motivations understandable. The arc of one of my favorite characters, Cox, was particularly satisfying. The tale was so gripping that it wasn’t until I got to the last page that I was finally able to take a deep breath. I wish I could give more than five stars for this book! I can’t wait for the next installment in the series to come out so I can find out what comes next for those that survived!
The Decline is told through multiple points of view, which was a little jarring at first. However, as the story unfolded, the relationships between the characters and the impact they had on one another became clear. Although I didn’t empathize with every character, each of them was compelling and their motivations understandable. The arc of one of my favorite characters, Cox, was particularly satisfying. The tale was so gripping that it wasn’t until I got to the last page that I was finally able to take a deep breath. I wish I could give more than five stars for this book! I can’t wait for the next installment in the series to come out so I can find out what comes next for those that survived!
May 21, 2019
The Decline takes place in Canada following a group of refugees a few weeks after an infectious outbreak. The group decides to leave their "safe place" because it's barely hanging on and shit is about to go south. Their former leader, Quinn, can hardly hold his little community together and has the mindset of "doing whatever it takes" to keep shit together and to keep his image as a strong leader. Quieting anyone who opposes him by any means possible and best believe he makes sure no mistakes go unpunished. Running low on both medical and food supplies, things start to get messy and out of control.
Being a debut novel, I felt it was a decent read. The first few chapters seemed to drag along a bit. The author seems to really know his guns because there is at least one page dedicated to what sorts of guns Quinn's small community has. But it also made it feel as if I were reading about the military's zombie apocalypse experience instead of regular civilians. Which I don't think is a bad thing. Just different.
I feel there were more characters than needed. Some I felt didn't do much for the story. Like the boy named Eric and the redhead girl. I'm not sure what that was all about. I had no connection with any of the characters. There was one character that did receive some sort of reaction out of me. Emily. This character is the deadweight member of the group that came from the barracks. She's a liability and an extra mouth to feed. She is traumatized by the events of the outbreak and coming from a privileged background it hits her pretty hard. She spends her second chance at life sitting in the corner like a stone, withdrawn from those close to her. The people she is with try their best to take care of her but she barely gives them a response.
Emilie's reaction to the post-apocalyptic world is all understandable and is not what bothers me about her. It makes her believable and gives a sharp contrast to those who can survive this world. A world where only the fittest wins. It's when another character, Anders, outside of their small group shows up. Emily seems to get chummy with him. Letting him wrap his arms around her and they haven't even known each other a week yet. I think that's weird, the dude is a perfect stranger. That just bugs me. Perhaps she relates to him because of what he had gone through before he left the compound; Quinn had him roughed up for failing to do his duty and as a result, had become withdrawn himself. Anyway, meeting Anders did somehow bring Emily back to the surface but not by much. Despite Emily, I felt the actions, behavior, and dialogue of the other characters were believable.
The novel was actioned packed with very little drama sprinkled here and there. The story is familiar enough to be predictable but there are a few small curve balls Chris throws out. Which is always refreshing.
Being a debut novel, I felt it was a decent read. The first few chapters seemed to drag along a bit. The author seems to really know his guns because there is at least one page dedicated to what sorts of guns Quinn's small community has. But it also made it feel as if I were reading about the military's zombie apocalypse experience instead of regular civilians. Which I don't think is a bad thing. Just different.
I feel there were more characters than needed. Some I felt didn't do much for the story. Like the boy named Eric and the redhead girl. I'm not sure what that was all about. I had no connection with any of the characters. There was one character that did receive some sort of reaction out of me. Emily. This character is the deadweight member of the group that came from the barracks. She's a liability and an extra mouth to feed. She is traumatized by the events of the outbreak and coming from a privileged background it hits her pretty hard. She spends her second chance at life sitting in the corner like a stone, withdrawn from those close to her. The people she is with try their best to take care of her but she barely gives them a response.
Emilie's reaction to the post-apocalyptic world is all understandable and is not what bothers me about her. It makes her believable and gives a sharp contrast to those who can survive this world. A world where only the fittest wins. It's when another character, Anders, outside of their small group shows up. Emily seems to get chummy with him. Letting him wrap his arms around her and they haven't even known each other a week yet. I think that's weird, the dude is a perfect stranger. That just bugs me. Perhaps she relates to him because of what he had gone through before he left the compound; Quinn had him roughed up for failing to do his duty and as a result, had become withdrawn himself. Anyway, meeting Anders did somehow bring Emily back to the surface but not by much. Despite Emily, I felt the actions, behavior, and dialogue of the other characters were believable.
The novel was actioned packed with very little drama sprinkled here and there. The story is familiar enough to be predictable but there are a few small curve balls Chris throws out. Which is always refreshing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 24, 2020
It should be a series
I give this book a 4 stars because it ended in a way as if there will be more. That there should be more. What will happen to the Coast Guard location? Will there be another attack because of the explosion at the barricades? What will happen to the group of survivors leaving the city? There are some unanswered questions that may never be answered. I didn’t like the fact the Nigerian man died towards the end of the book despite staying alive for so long. He was one who sacrificed himself along with the corporal who majority love to hate. The book started off slow. It was a lot of character building and details to how the survivors from the virus were surviving. It did not pick up for me until after the ghouls attacking the fence of the Coast Guard because of activity from the first run at St Joseph’s Hospital caused activity. Then leading up to the plotted scavenging run where the corporal purposely killed a man who wanted to get the person overseeing everything out because he was going mad. The Coast was on martial law despite people are trying to survive after the world ending. It could be said he was just wanted to tighten things up in his own way because the lost of lives from the attack. Many at the Coast viewed what he was doing in humane despite humanity lost a lot. Then it picked up some more towards the end when a select few decided to leave the Coast Guard they met with survivors outside the gate. You also learned that there are other survivors in the city who didn’t make the Coast Guard area and been surviving on the street. They were not the most friendliest. It is all in all an interesting read if you are into the whole world ending. Especially with this Covid-19 going on. It kind of gives you an eerie feeling because all these types of books and movies started off as a virus. That is neither here nor there I do believe a series to see if the group makes it to another town and if it is the same thing. Are there anymore survivors outside their own city?
I give this book a 4 stars because it ended in a way as if there will be more. That there should be more. What will happen to the Coast Guard location? Will there be another attack because of the explosion at the barricades? What will happen to the group of survivors leaving the city? There are some unanswered questions that may never be answered. I didn’t like the fact the Nigerian man died towards the end of the book despite staying alive for so long. He was one who sacrificed himself along with the corporal who majority love to hate. The book started off slow. It was a lot of character building and details to how the survivors from the virus were surviving. It did not pick up for me until after the ghouls attacking the fence of the Coast Guard because of activity from the first run at St Joseph’s Hospital caused activity. Then leading up to the plotted scavenging run where the corporal purposely killed a man who wanted to get the person overseeing everything out because he was going mad. The Coast was on martial law despite people are trying to survive after the world ending. It could be said he was just wanted to tighten things up in his own way because the lost of lives from the attack. Many at the Coast viewed what he was doing in humane despite humanity lost a lot. Then it picked up some more towards the end when a select few decided to leave the Coast Guard they met with survivors outside the gate. You also learned that there are other survivors in the city who didn’t make the Coast Guard area and been surviving on the street. They were not the most friendliest. It is all in all an interesting read if you are into the whole world ending. Especially with this Covid-19 going on. It kind of gives you an eerie feeling because all these types of books and movies started off as a virus. That is neither here nor there I do believe a series to see if the group makes it to another town and if it is the same thing. Are there anymore survivors outside their own city?
November 2, 2019
From the start, it was clear that THE DECLINE by Christopher Jessulat was going to be a well-written dystopian tale. His descriptions of "dead yet reanimated" humans is entertaining. The narrative of how a spreading infection creates swarms of the dead, and how those uninfected must struggle to survive behind the walls of secure compounds, is told from various points of view.
The story starts with Anders, a Finn now stationed in New Brunswick, Canada, in what should have been a brief exchange program - he serves as a spotter for snipers in watchtowers surrounding his compound. The POV then switches to Isaac, a nerdy "numbers man," and his fiancee Keeley, a likable and highly skilled medic. Next is Lynn, a young, self-centered aide to the most important compound officials. After that is Quinn, the facility's commander who, while not enjoying the burden of command, does his best to run the compound well. A few other point-of-view characters are introduced and used throughout to tell this rugged survival story in a sort of multiple-third-person POV using head-hopping within scenes.
With supplies dwindling, Quinn is convinced the compound's scavenging parties must extend their reach, and their hauls. With such boldness comes the obvious risks of scavengers being enveloped by the reanimated hoards and the less-than-fully-defended compound being overrun. But what other unknown risks have they all now been exposed to? Is evil only found outside the compound walls, or does more danger come from within as the situation declines into an adult version of LORD OF THE FLIES with guns?
THE DECLINE is recommended for fans of THE WALKING DEAD, 28 DAYS LATER, 28 WEEKS LATER, WORLD WAR Z, or the RESIDENT EVIL series.
The story starts with Anders, a Finn now stationed in New Brunswick, Canada, in what should have been a brief exchange program - he serves as a spotter for snipers in watchtowers surrounding his compound. The POV then switches to Isaac, a nerdy "numbers man," and his fiancee Keeley, a likable and highly skilled medic. Next is Lynn, a young, self-centered aide to the most important compound officials. After that is Quinn, the facility's commander who, while not enjoying the burden of command, does his best to run the compound well. A few other point-of-view characters are introduced and used throughout to tell this rugged survival story in a sort of multiple-third-person POV using head-hopping within scenes.
With supplies dwindling, Quinn is convinced the compound's scavenging parties must extend their reach, and their hauls. With such boldness comes the obvious risks of scavengers being enveloped by the reanimated hoards and the less-than-fully-defended compound being overrun. But what other unknown risks have they all now been exposed to? Is evil only found outside the compound walls, or does more danger come from within as the situation declines into an adult version of LORD OF THE FLIES with guns?
THE DECLINE is recommended for fans of THE WALKING DEAD, 28 DAYS LATER, 28 WEEKS LATER, WORLD WAR Z, or the RESIDENT EVIL series.
June 14, 2018
Who Dies with Me in the Zombie Apocalypse?
While the book starts off a little rough for me, once I actually got into the meat of it, the flow carried me along, and I couldn’t stop reading it, hence the five stars.
Granted, the entire time I’m reading a zombie book, I’m asking myself why I read zombie books, because the constant threat of death by zombie puts me on edge and causes me stress.
Yet, it’s also hard to look away. I often ponder what I’d be like in the zombie apocalypse as a result of seeing how the different characters react, and I’m pretty sure I’m one of the first ones eaten, or worse, zombified. And then someone I love has to put me down, for my sake, causing them years of apocalyptic therapy….oh, the horror.
Christopher Jessulat’s zombie world is much as you’d expect, and he does a great job of pulling you in and making you care if the characters live or die. I will be reading the second in the series when it’s available. I recommend it!
While the book starts off a little rough for me, once I actually got into the meat of it, the flow carried me along, and I couldn’t stop reading it, hence the five stars.
Granted, the entire time I’m reading a zombie book, I’m asking myself why I read zombie books, because the constant threat of death by zombie puts me on edge and causes me stress.
Yet, it’s also hard to look away. I often ponder what I’d be like in the zombie apocalypse as a result of seeing how the different characters react, and I’m pretty sure I’m one of the first ones eaten, or worse, zombified. And then someone I love has to put me down, for my sake, causing them years of apocalyptic therapy….oh, the horror.
Christopher Jessulat’s zombie world is much as you’d expect, and he does a great job of pulling you in and making you care if the characters live or die. I will be reading the second in the series when it’s available. I recommend it!
June 11, 2019
I absolutely loved the writer's style and flow. The author built a believable world through description and action. His use of "show it, don't tell it" kept me engaged throughout the vast majority of the story. I enjoyed the characters, although I never felt there was a "main" character--I felt the action and the story was more important than the characters. (I never really bonded with them, which is odd to say because I found them relatable.) The last 25 to 30% of the book flew by with non-stop action. (Don't want to give too much away, but once the main group leaves the camp, it gets pretty crazy)
My only criticisms would be that there were a few spots of infodumps I could have done without and some characters' stories could have been cut as they didn't do much for the main plot curve.
*If it had not been from a Goodreads group, I would never have picked this book up. The cover looks like a murder mystery more that it does post-apocalyptic.
I downloaded this on KU.
My only criticisms would be that there were a few spots of infodumps I could have done without and some characters' stories could have been cut as they didn't do much for the main plot curve.
*If it had not been from a Goodreads group, I would never have picked this book up. The cover looks like a murder mystery more that it does post-apocalyptic.
I downloaded this on KU.
March 1, 2023
It's so hard to find good books in this genre. There are a lot of books, but most of them aren't worth even the few minutes it takes to realize they're awful. This book is actually quite good. I just finished it, and I was looking for more from the author. It's frustrating that I've found so many books with 1,000s of reviews that were utter garbage, while I find a good book with only 64 reviews. I suspect that has more to do with the prevalence of fake reviews across every possible platform than the quality of the books. I'm learning though. Fake reviews have a lot of similarities and I'm finally learning to identify them. The reviews here look entirely genuine, and I hope this author gets more attention. It's frustrating that honest authors seem to have a hard time competing with gimmicks. This is a fairly typical zombie apocalypse novel, but that's exactly what I was looking for, so I'm happy.
January 3, 2020
First of all, disclaimer: I haven't read too many Zombie novels, mainly because I imagine the storyline will be too predictable after having watched the Walking Dead. Yet, Jessulat's book had me biting my nails and sitting on the edge of my seat. It's bleak, and fast-paced, with vivid descriptions of the Canadian landscape. What I appreciated the most was how the author went into the back story of the colony, which made me care about them and had me really wanting them to survive. I don't know if I have the nerves to read post-apocalyptic books but the author's writing talent shines through. If you love zombies books, I would definitely recommend.
June 6, 2018
I indulge in post-apocalypitc fiction mostly as a guilty pleasure. There's nothing remotely realistic about a zombie apocalypse, but that's not why you watch movies or read books on it. You do it for the fun of it. This book has nice characters you care about, a fast pace, and a touch of realism that make this genre enjoyable for me and make me appreciate indulging in a guilty pleasure.
June 22, 2018
Well written and gripping, this apocalyptic novel will hold your attention.
Adult language and lotsa combat scenes allow the story to flow along while building like a good zombie romp should.
At times stunning and depressing at others, the author holds the story together and pulls you along until the very end.
Its the survival of the fittest.
I give this realistic tale a solid four stars.
Adult language and lotsa combat scenes allow the story to flow along while building like a good zombie romp should.
At times stunning and depressing at others, the author holds the story together and pulls you along until the very end.
Its the survival of the fittest.
I give this realistic tale a solid four stars.
November 2, 2021
Really good book
I like this book, it was a good length with enough action i wish there was a second part to this book
I like this book, it was a good length with enough action i wish there was a second part to this book
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