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The Junkie Quatrain
Audie Award Nominee, Original Work, 2013
Six months ago, the world ended. The Baugh Contagion swept across the planet. Its victims were left twitching, adrenalized cannibals that quickly became know as Junkies. Civilization crumbled as people created isolated safe havens to hide from the infected... and the possibly infected. Now, as society nears a tipping point, lives will intersect and intertwine across two days in a desolate city.
The Junkie Quatrain is four tales of survival, and four types of post-apocalypse story, because the end of the world means different things for different people. Loss. Opportunity. Hope. Or maybe just another day on the job.
©2012 Peter Clines (P)2012 Audible, Inc.
Four short stories. Each one's a different type of post-apocalypse story. Survival horror. Ethical horror. Adventure horror. And one where the protagonist barely notices the apocalypse has happened. Each one stands alone and (hopefully) makes for a fun little read.
But if you read two or three or all four, you'll see several events from different perspectives. And if you look close you'll even get a few scattered clues which might even come together to form a conspiracy.
Ex-Patriots by Peter Clines contains the chapter, "Codependent"
Acheron by Bryon Morrigon contains the chapter, "Predator and Prey"
The Undead Situation by Eloise J. Knapp contains the chapter, "Strictly Professional"
Hissers by Ryan Thomas contains the chapter, "Confidentiality".
Six months ago, the world ended. The Baugh Contagion swept across the planet. Its victims were left twitching, adrenalized cannibals that quickly became know as Junkies. Civilization crumbled as people created isolated safe havens to hide from the infected... and the possibly infected. Now, as society nears a tipping point, lives will intersect and intertwine across two days in a desolate city.
The Junkie Quatrain is four tales of survival, and four types of post-apocalypse story, because the end of the world means different things for different people. Loss. Opportunity. Hope. Or maybe just another day on the job.
©2012 Peter Clines (P)2012 Audible, Inc.
Four short stories. Each one's a different type of post-apocalypse story. Survival horror. Ethical horror. Adventure horror. And one where the protagonist barely notices the apocalypse has happened. Each one stands alone and (hopefully) makes for a fun little read.
But if you read two or three or all four, you'll see several events from different perspectives. And if you look close you'll even get a few scattered clues which might even come together to form a conspiracy.
Ex-Patriots by Peter Clines contains the chapter, "Codependent"
Acheron by Bryon Morrigon contains the chapter, "Predator and Prey"
The Undead Situation by Eloise J. Knapp contains the chapter, "Strictly Professional"
Hissers by Ryan Thomas contains the chapter, "Confidentiality".
Audible Audio
First published January 1, 2011
36 people are currently reading
900 people want to read
About the author
Peter Clines
33 books4,415 followers
Peter Clines
is the author of the genre-blending
-14-
and the
Ex-Heroes
series.
He grew up in the Stephen King fallout zone of Maine and--inspired by comic books, Star Wars, and Saturday morning cartoons--started writing at the age of eight with his first epic novel, Lizard Men From The Center of The Earth(unreleased).
He made his first writing sale at age seventeen to a local newspaper, and at the age of nineteen he completed his quadruple-PhD studies in English literature, archaeology, quantum physics, and interpretive dance. In 2008, while surfing Hawaii's Keauwaula Beach, he thought up a viable way to maintain cold fusion that would also solve world hunger, but forgot about it when he ran into actress Yvonne Strahvorski back on the beach and she offered to buy him a drink. He was the inspiration for both the epic poem Beowulf and the motion picture Raiders of the Lost Ark, and is single-handedly responsible for repelling the Martian Invasion of 1938 that occurred in Grovers Mills, New Jersey. Eleven sonnets he wrote to impress a girl in high school were all later found and attributed to Shakespeare.
He is the writer of countless film articles, several short stories, The Junkie Quatrain, the rarely-read The Eerie Adventures of the Lycanthrope Robinson Crusoe, the poorly-named website Writer on Writing , and an as-yet-undiscovered Dead Sea Scroll.
He currently lives and writes somewhere in southern California.
There is compelling evidence that he is, in fact, the Lindbergh baby.
He grew up in the Stephen King fallout zone of Maine and--inspired by comic books, Star Wars, and Saturday morning cartoons--started writing at the age of eight with his first epic novel, Lizard Men From The Center of The Earth(unreleased).
He made his first writing sale at age seventeen to a local newspaper, and at the age of nineteen he completed his quadruple-PhD studies in English literature, archaeology, quantum physics, and interpretive dance. In 2008, while surfing Hawaii's Keauwaula Beach, he thought up a viable way to maintain cold fusion that would also solve world hunger, but forgot about it when he ran into actress Yvonne Strahvorski back on the beach and she offered to buy him a drink. He was the inspiration for both the epic poem Beowulf and the motion picture Raiders of the Lost Ark, and is single-handedly responsible for repelling the Martian Invasion of 1938 that occurred in Grovers Mills, New Jersey. Eleven sonnets he wrote to impress a girl in high school were all later found and attributed to Shakespeare.
He is the writer of countless film articles, several short stories, The Junkie Quatrain, the rarely-read The Eerie Adventures of the Lycanthrope Robinson Crusoe, the poorly-named website Writer on Writing , and an as-yet-undiscovered Dead Sea Scroll.
He currently lives and writes somewhere in southern California.
There is compelling evidence that he is, in fact, the Lindbergh baby.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 169 reviews
December 7, 2021
Well executed and very entertaining set of interleaved tales from the zombie apocalypse. Clines creates vivid characters who come alive with their quirks and foibles - the traumatized lone survivor who envies the zombies because at least they have each other for company, the young scientist willing to put his ass on the line to find a cure, the hardened assassin whose disdain for society is so great that the apocalypse seems like an improvement.
August 5, 2016
I enjoy most Peter Clines books. They are have a Tales From The Crypt or a little twilight Zone vibe to them. Someone told me this was set in the same world as the ex-heroes books, IT IS NOT. This is a whole new zombie apocalypse world with a totally different origin story.
I liked how the four short stories were set at about the same time and some characters intersected. It was such an interesting way to tell one short story from varying views and build an origin story in an original way. Each story layers on top of the last to give you a much fuller picture at the end.
I always enjoy that little something strange that Peter Clines finds a way to include in his stories.
I liked how the four short stories were set at about the same time and some characters intersected. It was such an interesting way to tell one short story from varying views and build an origin story in an original way. Each story layers on top of the last to give you a much fuller picture at the end.
I always enjoy that little something strange that Peter Clines finds a way to include in his stories.
August 27, 2021
Peter Clines has earned his zombie spurs with his superhero zombie universe series, Ex. Now in the Junkie Quatrain he has created a whole new zombie apocalypse which he introduces in 4 sharp novellas. There’s a lot to love here, so let me take them point by point.
First, the zombies are great. They aren’t the walking dead, but the shattered remains of a virus-ridden humanity. They’re fast and they will chase you until they drop from exhaustion. They are ravenous, eating anything that moves. They have a pack mentality—but not every zombie gets to be part of the pack and they turn mercilessly on their own at the first sign of injury or other weakness. And best of all, Clines realizes this is not sustainable. Hunger and the elements will eventually end this zombie threat (or at least greatly reduce it). And because it was caused by a virus it is potentially curable. All of this makes these zombies feel very different from most other series.
Second, civilization hasn’t fully collapsed. The CDC is still working, trying to find a cure. Enclaves have developed. At one point, we learn that the U.S. is looking at 92 million deaths—horrific, but not The Walking Dead. There is still hope that civilization can be saved or at least salvaged.
Third, Clines gives us great characters in each of the novellas. These are people we can sympathize with (and in at least one case that was very surprising). They also have challenges that make sense and it was easy to imagine myself in their positions in most of the cases.
Best, however, was the way that each of the novellas intersected with each other. This really pushed this collection over the top into a simply great story and shows how thoroughly Clines thought everything out. It also means, however that the story does not advance very far chronologically. Clines better be planning to write volume 2.
If you liked this review, you can find more at www.gilbertstack.com/reviews.
First, the zombies are great. They aren’t the walking dead, but the shattered remains of a virus-ridden humanity. They’re fast and they will chase you until they drop from exhaustion. They are ravenous, eating anything that moves. They have a pack mentality—but not every zombie gets to be part of the pack and they turn mercilessly on their own at the first sign of injury or other weakness. And best of all, Clines realizes this is not sustainable. Hunger and the elements will eventually end this zombie threat (or at least greatly reduce it). And because it was caused by a virus it is potentially curable. All of this makes these zombies feel very different from most other series.
Second, civilization hasn’t fully collapsed. The CDC is still working, trying to find a cure. Enclaves have developed. At one point, we learn that the U.S. is looking at 92 million deaths—horrific, but not The Walking Dead. There is still hope that civilization can be saved or at least salvaged.
Third, Clines gives us great characters in each of the novellas. These are people we can sympathize with (and in at least one case that was very surprising). They also have challenges that make sense and it was easy to imagine myself in their positions in most of the cases.
Best, however, was the way that each of the novellas intersected with each other. This really pushed this collection over the top into a simply great story and shows how thoroughly Clines thought everything out. It also means, however that the story does not advance very far chronologically. Clines better be planning to write volume 2.
If you liked this review, you can find more at www.gilbertstack.com/reviews.
November 3, 2022
3 1/2, rounded up to 4 stars. Rounding works by approximation, usually upwards, which I wish my bank would use.
"The Junkie Quatrain" is a series of four-interlocking stories of different characters who are all connected together in a series of events and encounters over the course of two days in Los Angeles. The writing is deft, the stories fun and engaging, and the infected "junkies" are fast and semi-intelligent. Recommended for fans of the genre.
"The Junkie Quatrain" is a series of four-interlocking stories of different characters who are all connected together in a series of events and encounters over the course of two days in Los Angeles. The writing is deft, the stories fun and engaging, and the infected "junkies" are fast and semi-intelligent. Recommended for fans of the genre.
August 28, 2012
Honestly this little series was great after I read the ZombieFest exclusives on Audible and ever better when cut together as one now. I know these little shorts are going somewhere, wherever Clines takes them I am in.
April 11, 2015
Standard zombie fare. Well written with decent character development but it still seemed ordinary as far as zombie stories go.
2.5
2.5
May 26, 2012
Full Review originally at Fantasy Book Critic
ANALYSIS: There’s an interesting back story to The Junkie Quatrain by Peter Clines. Permuted Press had recently concluded a deal with Audible and invited Peter to write a few short which were to be included as bonus content. Peter agreed and set out to write four loosely connected stories that would resonate with the reader (or listener in this case). The stories can be read in the order they appear or as he suggests in the introduction, to read them after shuffling dice to determine the order of reading. I however didn’t follow Peter’s advice and decide to read them in the order they appear.
The first story that appeared in my reading list was “Codependent” It focuses on Holly, a ragged but tough survivor, who has been travelling to reach a certain direction towards a destination. She has walked nearly hundred and forty miles and is looking for her familial connections, what she doesn’t bank upon is companionship. The story is quite a stark one as Holly is consciously trying to avoid the “Junkies” the term coined for the zombie-like humans that have been afflicted with a certain virus. She is trying to be tough as she searches for what she wants. The trouble is you can’t always depend on the company you keep.
The second story is called “Predator and Prey”, it’s also set around the same time as the first story. The focus of the story is “the outsiders” a group of people among several groups that used to travel from sanctuary to sanctuary, this story focuses on a relative big group that travels and collects certain things for a select group of people. This time it’s a task for the US military that requires them to retrieve a certain object. What they don’t know is that this time around there might be something more than human that crosses their path.
The third story is titled “Confidentiality” and is also set around the same time as the first two stories however in truth is a prequel to all the stories as it gives us the most of the back story about the world, its current junkie problem and its possible origin. The story is centered on Dr. Sam Clemens who gets pulled from his residency in Seattle and is dropped into Los Angeles for an emergency meeting. He doesn’t exactly know what’s it about but the reason for the journey might be something that will reveal what really happened six months ago.
The last story is “Strictly Professional” and it deals with a guy called Quilt, he has been extremely successful as a mercenary and he has accomplished all of it by being strictly professional. The end of the world because of the rise of the junkies has thrown a spanner in his schedule however Quilt has managed to adjust his perspective and yet remain a prized asset for the people who wish to hire his services. He however finds out that some things go beyond professionalism and he has to decide how much of a professional he will be.
These four stories are set in the same geographical region circa Los Angeles and occur nearly in the same time duration (of roughly two days), the sequence however is different and will be apparent to the readers once they read them however the sequential timeline is third, first, second and fourth. I believe this order will be most helpful for the reader to glean most of the actual happening of the overall saga. These stories follow a Rashomon-like pattern of being connected to each to other; the characters are what bring the stories alive. Each story deals with a set of characters that shine in their stories and draw the reader in. The author does his absolute best with characterization and like his debut series; this makes the story that much more special. The reader feels encompassed in a dying world, which is similar to the world introduced in the Ex-Heroes trilogy but this one is a world of normal humans who have to do extra ordinary things to simply survive. The stories are deceptive as they draw the reader in and manage to surprise the reader with their twists. The reader will be clued in to each story as the threads slowly unfold and readers are given hints about each story as well as the world.
The drawbacks about these stories are that while the author does his best to provide a complete picture, the reader is left a bit clueless about the final outcome of the world and the characters introduced in the stories, this bit will cause some dissatisfaction as the reader will want to know more and demand some closure. The threads left hanging are what cause the most amount of discord among the readers. Perhaps the author might also want to explore what happened beyond the eventual outcome of the book. I for one would love to read more about the characters and the world created.
CONCLUSION: Peter Clines absolutely shines in these experimental short stories, thereby showcasing his awesome talent which was prevalent stories in the Ex-Heroes series. Give these stories a read if you happen to love zombie stories or thrillers or LOST. The Junkie Quatrain is a must read if you haven’t read Peter Clines yet and if you have, then you definitely know why you ought to read this one as well.
June 5, 2016
bellissimo , avrei dato anche 4 stelle ma i finali open così li odio....
May 4, 2012
Do you like thrilling suspense? Mystery? The Undead? Interested in how people survive in an apocalyptic world? Well then you need to stop reading right here and just trust Doubleshot Reviews and go pick up a copy of The Junkie Quatrain by Ex-Heroes/Ex-Patriots author Peter Clines. Go ahead, I'll wait............
Ok, got your copy? GREAT! Now pick any one of the 4 stories and read it, then roll a die and pick the next story and continue as such. You're thinking I'm crazy right about now, aren't you? Well, I am a bit touched in the head, but not about The Junkie Quatrain. These stories can be read in any order and can even be read as a stand alone tale, but when put together they tell the tale of a a mixed group of characters surviving/manipulating/scientifically studying the apocalypse. Nearly all the characters at some point come into contact with each other, some effecting certain lives more than others.
Just to give a little whetting of the whistle, because I am NOT giving away anything in this review. We meet a tough hardened woman who seems better suited to surviving alone rather than with others, a thoroughly professional killer, a scientist/researcher who has his own agenda and a group of scavengers who just happen upon the wrong building to raid. The tension is tangible at times and the mystery and intrigue continue throughout each story as I tried to figure out on my own how everything fits together.
I actually look forward to reading The Junkie Quatrain again and in a different order to see how things might change in how I perceive them. This book is a DEFINITE must have and since I know you have already grabbed your copy....roll the dice, sit back with your cuppa and enjoy the carnage.
Ok, got your copy? GREAT! Now pick any one of the 4 stories and read it, then roll a die and pick the next story and continue as such. You're thinking I'm crazy right about now, aren't you? Well, I am a bit touched in the head, but not about The Junkie Quatrain. These stories can be read in any order and can even be read as a stand alone tale, but when put together they tell the tale of a a mixed group of characters surviving/manipulating/scientifically studying the apocalypse. Nearly all the characters at some point come into contact with each other, some effecting certain lives more than others.
Just to give a little whetting of the whistle, because I am NOT giving away anything in this review. We meet a tough hardened woman who seems better suited to surviving alone rather than with others, a thoroughly professional killer, a scientist/researcher who has his own agenda and a group of scavengers who just happen upon the wrong building to raid. The tension is tangible at times and the mystery and intrigue continue throughout each story as I tried to figure out on my own how everything fits together.
I actually look forward to reading The Junkie Quatrain again and in a different order to see how things might change in how I perceive them. This book is a DEFINITE must have and since I know you have already grabbed your copy....roll the dice, sit back with your cuppa and enjoy the carnage.
December 15, 2014
This is a set of four interlinked short stories in post-zombie apocalypse Los Angeles.
The first story is about one woman, traveling alone, who is supposedly immune to the virus that creates "Junkies" (so-named because they eat literally anything they can stuff into their mouths). She acquires a traveling companion, another woman. Trouble ensues.
The second story is about a biological researcher who is brought to a research facility that is trying to develop a cure. He uncovers the Horrible Truth.
The third story is about a band of professional scavengers in the post-apocalyptic city who run into something more dangerous than Junkies.
The fourth story is about a mercenary/assassin who's still doing his thing after the apocalypse.
There is some cleverness in the way each story feeds into the next, but there is nothing really new here for zombie fans. Peter Clines's Ex-Heroes series is more interesting, as he mixes superheroes with his zombies. This is a fun, short read, but it's nothing you haven't seen before.
The first story is about one woman, traveling alone, who is supposedly immune to the virus that creates "Junkies" (so-named because they eat literally anything they can stuff into their mouths). She acquires a traveling companion, another woman. Trouble ensues.
The second story is about a biological researcher who is brought to a research facility that is trying to develop a cure. He uncovers the Horrible Truth.
The third story is about a band of professional scavengers in the post-apocalyptic city who run into something more dangerous than Junkies.
The fourth story is about a mercenary/assassin who's still doing his thing after the apocalypse.
There is some cleverness in the way each story feeds into the next, but there is nothing really new here for zombie fans. Peter Clines's Ex-Heroes series is more interesting, as he mixes superheroes with his zombies. This is a fun, short read, but it's nothing you haven't seen before.
January 16, 2025
4 Interesting zombie tales with overlapping characters and timelines, it’s classic Clines as we know him, I haven’t read the other tie-in stories so I’m not sure how they fit together, but the collection works fine together.
February 22, 2018
*listened to audiobook*
This was four different stories but I loved how they all pieced together perfectly.
This was four different stories but I loved how they all pieced together perfectly.
December 5, 2021
3.5 ***
Four interwoven short stories set in the zombie apocalypse. Narration was good.
Four interwoven short stories set in the zombie apocalypse. Narration was good.
April 17, 2022
3.50 / 3 Stars
I've read several of Clines' previous books and I enjoy his writing style. Narration was really good.
In The Junkie Quartile there are 4 zombie apocalypse short stories....all revolving around the same time period, just different experiences. I enjoyed them, but just when I was really into it the story angle changes to another situation. I understand their short stories....would have liked more.
I've read several of Clines' previous books and I enjoy his writing style. Narration was really good.
In The Junkie Quartile there are 4 zombie apocalypse short stories....all revolving around the same time period, just different experiences. I enjoyed them, but just when I was really into it the story angle changes to another situation. I understand their short stories....would have liked more.
September 1, 2012
Four separate stories! All interwoven! All readable in whatever order you want to read them in! The stories weave themselves around a lean mean woman (with issues) surviving on her own, a band of scavengers that has picked the wrong place to scavenge, a brilliant researcher with luck and integrity to spare, a thoroughly professional killer, and the Baugh-ridden (infected plague victims reduced to the level of cannibalistic meth monkeys). It's a great read, and one I hated to put down so that I could go to work. I truly hope that Peter Clines will give us some more of the Junkie Quatrain. I'm definitely Jonesin' for more of this great story...
May 12, 2013
I am rather fond of Peter Clines other books, and this one was a bit disappointing by comparison, but it still was a good book. It's a bit different in that it follow 3 different character's, but instead of doing like he did in ex-heroes, the characters whole story play out before going to the next character, and all these characters cross path with the others at some point, so you get details that you might have been curious about in the previous character's story. If felt that the end was lacking, since it didn't feel like there was much of a finality to any of the stories.
April 2, 2016
I usually don't read Zombie stories for one reason or another and this was my first. Have to say I loved it. I really LIKE the way the stories were written and how you had the same characters, but varying views of each that intersected each short story kind of making it into a into a "book'. instead of 4 or 5 different novelle's - which is what I expected.
March 26, 2016
Un quartetto di racconti sul tema zombie (versione sotto anfetamine, non classica) molto interessante questo The Junkie Quatrain: merito del taglio cinematografico dato da Clines (un autore sicuramente sottovalutato) e della varietà delle situazioni trattate nel rispetto dello spirito horror della raccolta. Veloce e divertente come un buon film.
April 4, 2017
Fantastic set. I love how the stories are independent but inter-related. I picked this because of the narrators, but I also have 4 other Clines books (his Ex-Heroes series) in my To be Listened files. If this is a glimpse into his standard of writing, I'll really enjoy those.
April 24, 2015
I loved this. though my favorite chapters were 1 and 4 all of them were entertaining and the audiobook was only 4 hours long so i burned through it on my walk to and from work. Peter clines has definitely become one of my favorite authors.
April 23, 2013
Quick introduction to Peter Clines' Zombie apocalypse. Very interesting spin, I'm going to add Exheros to my Want to read section!
April 28, 2014
I want more
May 12, 2014
These short stories are one story told from 4 points of view. Well written, and believable, the author left me wanting to know what would happen to the characters.
June 3, 2016
I want to know what happens? How does it end? 4 really entertaining short stories about the end of the world.
Want to read
December 18, 2014I listened to "Codependent" in Ex-Patriots by Peter Clines.
July 21, 2023
Spoilers ahead.
5/5 Perfect. One of the best books I've read in 6 months, maybe the last 50 books. It's basically a quatrain of 4 short stories that can be read in any order. The Intro explains how this book came into being.
They are 4 interconnected stories from 4 different POVs. I usually hate this but it works well in this case. All 4 are based in a post-apocalyptic world where a virus has caused people to become zombies once infected. The setting is Los Angeles.
The first story is of a woman (Holly) who is trying to make her way north to the Bay Area to relatives. The first story explains the setting. As she is going north she meets Angie who she travels with for awhile. Then she has a brief encounter with the characters from the second story. She finally meets a character from the 3rd story and it ends there. That's too bad because I would have liked to follow Holly some more.
The second story is of a group of mercenaries for hire who go into the city to get items for the local authorities whoever they may be. Their current mission is to get medical supplies from a clandestine medical facility. They also accidentally break into another office where they find a small but well equipped armory of high end weapons and food and raid it. On the way back they are targeted by some unknown element who kills 7 out of the 10 before they get to their employer (Bradbury) who is in the fortified LA public building. When they leave, they are finally accosted by their killer. It is revealed that he's the owner of the armory they looted and he's there to get his machete back (which they stole).
3rd story explains the reason for the epidemic. Sam is a research doctor. He is hired by Bradbury (from story 2) to find a cure. He has to sign a very serious NDA and he is told that once he signs, he cannot leave the facility or he will be killed. However once he signs, he is told the full story. The full story is that the epidemic was man made, in fact made by people Bradbury represent. It was made to kill 1/3 of the world's population, like triage, in order to save the world from all the ills of over-population.
But once Sam is told the story, he feels he cannot work for Bradbury anymore. He incapacitates Bradbury and his guard and leaves with a hard disc with the research and plans to go back to his own facility. On the way back, he meets Holly. It's kind of interesting that this book was written about 10 years before Covid. Imagine if it was published at the same time.
The 4th story is about Quilt a highly skilled assassin. We've actually met Quilt before, in one of the Threshold stories. In this story we just see him find his armory ransacked and his revenge where he kills 7 of the 10 mercs and recovers his machete. Earlier on he also saves Holly by shooting a zombie from far away.
Overall, a very quick and satisfying zombie book. I finished it in a few hours and wish Clines wrote a whole series on this. It's the best book of his that I have read.
5/5 Perfect. One of the best books I've read in 6 months, maybe the last 50 books. It's basically a quatrain of 4 short stories that can be read in any order. The Intro explains how this book came into being.
They are 4 interconnected stories from 4 different POVs. I usually hate this but it works well in this case. All 4 are based in a post-apocalyptic world where a virus has caused people to become zombies once infected. The setting is Los Angeles.
The first story is of a woman (Holly) who is trying to make her way north to the Bay Area to relatives. The first story explains the setting. As she is going north she meets Angie who she travels with for awhile. Then she has a brief encounter with the characters from the second story. She finally meets a character from the 3rd story and it ends there. That's too bad because I would have liked to follow Holly some more.
The second story is of a group of mercenaries for hire who go into the city to get items for the local authorities whoever they may be. Their current mission is to get medical supplies from a clandestine medical facility. They also accidentally break into another office where they find a small but well equipped armory of high end weapons and food and raid it. On the way back they are targeted by some unknown element who kills 7 out of the 10 before they get to their employer (Bradbury) who is in the fortified LA public building. When they leave, they are finally accosted by their killer. It is revealed that he's the owner of the armory they looted and he's there to get his machete back (which they stole).
3rd story explains the reason for the epidemic. Sam is a research doctor. He is hired by Bradbury (from story 2) to find a cure. He has to sign a very serious NDA and he is told that once he signs, he cannot leave the facility or he will be killed. However once he signs, he is told the full story. The full story is that the epidemic was man made, in fact made by people Bradbury represent. It was made to kill 1/3 of the world's population, like triage, in order to save the world from all the ills of over-population.
But once Sam is told the story, he feels he cannot work for Bradbury anymore. He incapacitates Bradbury and his guard and leaves with a hard disc with the research and plans to go back to his own facility. On the way back, he meets Holly. It's kind of interesting that this book was written about 10 years before Covid. Imagine if it was published at the same time.
The 4th story is about Quilt a highly skilled assassin. We've actually met Quilt before, in one of the Threshold stories. In this story we just see him find his armory ransacked and his revenge where he kills 7 of the 10 mercs and recovers his machete. Earlier on he also saves Holly by shooting a zombie from far away.
Overall, a very quick and satisfying zombie book. I finished it in a few hours and wish Clines wrote a whole series on this. It's the best book of his that I have read.
December 7, 2017
Clines is a real enigma for me. He writes books like 14 and The Fold which I really enjoy, but then he has this whole Ex-Heroes series which I find is a good premise but ultimately extremely mediocre. Unfortunately The Junkie Quatrain falls into the latter category. Four (extremely) short post-apocalyptic stories that are lightly connected to each other and even repeat some of the same events from a different point of view. Short stories are not the ideal format for world building or character development but things are so thin here it felt like I was reading a script for a low budget show on the CW. I thought the first story was the best by far and I wouldnt have minded more of it. I'm not done with Clines for sure, I think I just need to do a better job of evaluating his book before I pick it up.
July 14, 2020
This was probably not the best book to read in the middle of a global pandemic, but it was fun; and any book that leaves the reader satisfied but wanting more is probably a pretty good book.
The four stories in this collection are both independent and connected. Essentially they are aspects of the same story from different points of view.
Without looking at the actual titles of the stories, here is how I would describe them:
1) Two women try to travel together. They both have issues and secrets.
2) Looting is a necessary job during a pandemic. Be careful what you take.
3) A doctor working for a cure discovers that mankind sucks, and
4) Hunting is a skill. Don't steal from hunters.
This was a fun read.
The four stories in this collection are both independent and connected. Essentially they are aspects of the same story from different points of view.
Without looking at the actual titles of the stories, here is how I would describe them:
1) Two women try to travel together. They both have issues and secrets.
2) Looting is a necessary job during a pandemic. Be careful what you take.
3) A doctor working for a cure discovers that mankind sucks, and
4) Hunting is a skill. Don't steal from hunters.
This was a fun read.
December 2, 2021
I loved how this story was told, but I will probably need to go back and read it a few times. There are four different stories in the book. Each are on a similar time line of certain events, but they are told from different perspectives. So you gather more details with each subsequent story. I really liked this style.
The stories are based around different individuals who are experiencing a nationwide pandemic (of sorts) that manifests in it's afflicted loss of inhibitions and a ravenous hunger for flesh (okay, you can call them zombies if you must...in this book they are referred to as "junkies").
The stories are based around different individuals who are experiencing a nationwide pandemic (of sorts) that manifests in it's afflicted loss of inhibitions and a ravenous hunger for flesh (okay, you can call them zombies if you must...in this book they are referred to as "junkies").
January 25, 2022
This was kind of a weird book. I’ve really enjoyed all of Peter Cline’s other books, and this was the only one I hadn’t read yet, but I did not like it as much as all of his others.
It takes place during some kind of pandemic, where those who are infected sort of turn into zombies? And it’s told in 4 chapters, each chapter from a different POV, but all 4 are linked, so you get a pretty good picture of what’s going on.
It was an interesting idea, but overall I just didn’t really like the story or any of the characters, so that makes it hard to like the book. I mean, it was fine, just not at all as good as his other books.
It takes place during some kind of pandemic, where those who are infected sort of turn into zombies? And it’s told in 4 chapters, each chapter from a different POV, but all 4 are linked, so you get a pretty good picture of what’s going on.
It was an interesting idea, but overall I just didn’t really like the story or any of the characters, so that makes it hard to like the book. I mean, it was fine, just not at all as good as his other books.
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