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The Outbreak #1
Safe Haven
A day of death. A night of terror. The Outbreak begins. What if you withstood the zombie apocalypse only to discover there were worst monsters that survived?
Thousands of years of civilization came to an end in an inconceivably short time. The worst wasn’t that the virus killed its victims, it’s how revived their dead bodies to spread itself around the globe.
Among the remaining survivors are Harold, a social outcast living in a cabin out in the woods and JT, just a regular guy with anger issues, who somehow became the leader of a ragtag group of survivors from the cities.
When JT follows the spray painted signs to Safe Haven and ends up on Harold’s doorstep, will they be safe? What shocking discoveries will lead Harold and JT on a collision course as the zombie horde threatens to consume them all?
Thousands of years of civilization came to an end in an inconceivably short time. The worst wasn’t that the virus killed its victims, it’s how revived their dead bodies to spread itself around the globe.
Among the remaining survivors are Harold, a social outcast living in a cabin out in the woods and JT, just a regular guy with anger issues, who somehow became the leader of a ragtag group of survivors from the cities.
When JT follows the spray painted signs to Safe Haven and ends up on Harold’s doorstep, will they be safe? What shocking discoveries will lead Harold and JT on a collision course as the zombie horde threatens to consume them all?
285 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 25, 2017
396 people are currently reading
200 people want to read
About the author
Thomas Baker
10 books10 followersThomas is a lover of all things horror with a heavy emphasis on zombies, paranormal and things of the slasher variety. He grew up convincing his mom to let him watch all the scary movies he could get his hands on. He aims to keep his writing fast paced and fun. He is best known for his co-written “Outbreak Series” with his good friend and writing partner Robert. The series has reached trilogy status with the titles “Safe Haven”, “Purgatory” and “Dead Of Winter” You can follow him on his 6K Press page on both Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on the latest shenanigans that are afoot! Be warned, some parental advisory required.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
January 6, 2021
A mediocre book that follows the same path as many, with the saviour not being a saviour.
Many, many, typos, misspelled words and improper or no spacing
Character development is not great, and I was not invested in anyone.
Many, many, typos, misspelled words and improper or no spacing
Character development is not great, and I was not invested in anyone.
July 20, 2018
Safe Haven was a place that Apocalypse survivors hoped to reach while battling zombies, finding sufficient food and water, and standing up to those living people who wanted to take what you had. There were signs encountered everywhere the small group travelled, but did the place really exist? They managed to reach a small town when they were suddenly attacked...was this the end? Fortunately, one man living in the hills came down to rescue the small band of survivors. He's a prepper, lives alone, and his home is stocked with enough supplies to last months. The property is also well fortified by natural barriers and booby traps to keep out the zombies. Is this the Safe Haven they'd been seeking?
Scavenging was still necessary and small groups had to expand their search for supplies and other survivors; some long-term characters don't make it to the end of the book, which does make the story more realistic but each death will pull at your heart strings. After a while, readers will soon learn that their prepping savior has another agenda...one that is self-gratifying and so secret that when exposed, it will catch everyone off guard and the story takes a dramatic turn.
My biggest disappointment was in seeing the many typos and grammatical errors. I began highlighting them and planned to inform the authors, but after encountering so many, I gave up before even completing half of the book. Some criticisms that come to mind while writing this: excessive use of past instead of passed; to instead of too, typos such as Sargeant, guild instead of guilt, tense issues of verbs within the same sentences or paragraphs. It seems that all the other reviewers also mentioned the same findings. So how come with two authors and over a year gone by, one or both are not trying to make corrections and republish? It is for this same reason that I won't be purchasing any more books in this series. Editing by a 3rd party is very important...authors make poor editors of their own work.
Scavenging was still necessary and small groups had to expand their search for supplies and other survivors; some long-term characters don't make it to the end of the book, which does make the story more realistic but each death will pull at your heart strings. After a while, readers will soon learn that their prepping savior has another agenda...one that is self-gratifying and so secret that when exposed, it will catch everyone off guard and the story takes a dramatic turn.
My biggest disappointment was in seeing the many typos and grammatical errors. I began highlighting them and planned to inform the authors, but after encountering so many, I gave up before even completing half of the book. Some criticisms that come to mind while writing this: excessive use of past instead of passed; to instead of too, typos such as Sargeant, guild instead of guilt, tense issues of verbs within the same sentences or paragraphs. It seems that all the other reviewers also mentioned the same findings. So how come with two authors and over a year gone by, one or both are not trying to make corrections and republish? It is for this same reason that I won't be purchasing any more books in this series. Editing by a 3rd party is very important...authors make poor editors of their own work.
August 14, 2019
Let me start by saying I absolutely pride myself on reading indie or up and coming authors! That being said, I had the privilege of meeting the authors of this series at a recent Comic Con in Oklahoma! Incredibly nice and approachable guys! Now for the books. I purchased their outbreak series on a Saturday morning and by Sunday night I finished book 1 (Safe Haven) I simply could not put it down! The characters are likable, some even lovable. The pace, humor and action never stop making it a quick, fun and easy read! I have no idea how anyone can co-author but these guys seem great at it! I do not want to be a spoiler so I wont leave any details in my review but Safe Haven is a must read for any apocalypse lovers out there, these guys truly love and respect the genre and it shines through! Book 2 (Purgatory) It was a little more of a slow burn than the first book but it definitely stood its ground and showed how diabolical people could be in the right circumstances. The entire book is worth reading for the brutal fight that happens between two burly characters! Read this one in four days time! Book 3 (Dead Of Winter) I just finished last night, You can tell they had a full head of steam going into this one! A coming of age for type story for a lead character, a culmination of a intensifying desires, bad blood, jealousy, bad choices, redemption, this one has it all! They told me they are currently working a fourth book in the series and I can not wait for it to come out! I will be eagerly keeping an eye on that hope! This series is 100% re-readable and would be the perfect idea for a current zombie show type series on Hulu or Netflix! This series will become well known I think!
April 11, 2025
I enjoyed this Zombie read. I don't know if I will read the rest, but that was adrenaline filled ride.
August 24, 2023
I quite enjoy a zombie apocalypse! This one wasn't bad. My only problem is that is the first in a series of 5 and I don't have the other 4. This book ends with just 4 of the original 7 still alive and on the run and I really want to know what happens next. I like books to have a definite conclusion and ending so why I keep making the mistake of reading books from a series which often don't is beyond me! I need to learn my lesson and leave well alone to avoid disapointment.
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A day of death. A night of terror. The Outbreak begins. What if you withstood the zombie apocalypse only to discover there were worst monsters that survived?
Thousands of years of civilization came to an end in an inconceivably short time. The worst wasn’t that the virus killed its victims, it’s how revived their dead bodies to spread itself around the globe.
Among the remaining survivors are Harold, a social outcast living in a cabin out in the woods and JT, just a regular guy with anger issues, who somehow became the leader of a ragtag group of survivors from the cities.
When JT follows the spray painted signs to Safe Haven and ends up on Harold’s doorstep, will they be safe? What shocking discoveries will lead Harold and JT on a collision course as the zombie horde threatens to consume them all?
********************************
A day of death. A night of terror. The Outbreak begins. What if you withstood the zombie apocalypse only to discover there were worst monsters that survived?
Thousands of years of civilization came to an end in an inconceivably short time. The worst wasn’t that the virus killed its victims, it’s how revived their dead bodies to spread itself around the globe.
Among the remaining survivors are Harold, a social outcast living in a cabin out in the woods and JT, just a regular guy with anger issues, who somehow became the leader of a ragtag group of survivors from the cities.
When JT follows the spray painted signs to Safe Haven and ends up on Harold’s doorstep, will they be safe? What shocking discoveries will lead Harold and JT on a collision course as the zombie horde threatens to consume them all?
January 23, 2021
Safe Haven was a dream for the survivors of the apocalypse. A place of security, allowing them to relax from the constant tension and pressure of being hunted. A place of food and water to refresh their souls. Signs were posted throughout the area, pointing survivors to this place of rest. Did this place exist? Was it a trap, or a cruel joke? Opinions differed among the individuals and small bands of survivors that hoped it was real. Along this route, travelers came upon Harold’s cabin. Harold lived alone, a prepper, and had a nice setup for himself: security, supplies, water, fuel, even a generator. Harold appeared to be a godsend, allowing several groups of survivors to stay at his place for a short time. The situation seemed ideal, but all were not content. Secrecy, odd behavior, unprovoked anger, and even jealousy played on the minds of survivor and host alike. Soon this ill will would come to a head and set-in motion a series of events that would shock one and all. Safe Haven is a #thriller and #unique twist to the genre. I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
February 1, 2019
First of all my son, wife and I are all avid readers. We recommend books to one another all of the time, especially when it come to horror, suspense and such. Well when my wife told our son to read this book because one of the main characters (Gus) reminded her of me I laughed it off. My son read it and told me I absolutely had to read it cuz it was like reading about me in the apocalypse. I finally caved and started it, didn’t get into the beginning but once all the storylines start to unfold it got to be incredible fun and even I must say I feel like these guys must know me and wrote Gus with me in mind! I don’t laugh out loud too often at things I read but it did in this book more than once! In addition to the humor there is great relationship building stories building. Now I have to get the next book to follow my new doppelgänger/zombie hero!
November 24, 2018
No a safe Haven
I loved this story. All the characters were interesting. I knew Harold was gonna be a problem once he got introduced to the story. He was off from the beginning. Too bad nobody recognized it til it was too late. I was kinda feeling Alan was nuts but he was just missing his family. Trying to survive the apocalypse must be hard enough without all the crazy survivors. This story Just makes you think How crazy some folks are already. I'm hoping Gus pulls through he's tough and gave the story humor. I was pissed how easily Ashley got taken down but she was the most useless character of all. I thought that would be Tyrone but he's finally adapting. This story held my interest from beginning to end and I can't wait to see what happens next.
I loved this story. All the characters were interesting. I knew Harold was gonna be a problem once he got introduced to the story. He was off from the beginning. Too bad nobody recognized it til it was too late. I was kinda feeling Alan was nuts but he was just missing his family. Trying to survive the apocalypse must be hard enough without all the crazy survivors. This story Just makes you think How crazy some folks are already. I'm hoping Gus pulls through he's tough and gave the story humor. I was pissed how easily Ashley got taken down but she was the most useless character of all. I thought that would be Tyrone but he's finally adapting. This story held my interest from beginning to end and I can't wait to see what happens next.
February 19, 2020
I finally got around to reading this one after seeing several reviews and it being recommended by a friend. I was definitely NOT disappointed! Would have been a 5 star if not for a few small errors but overall what a fun time this book was! It is the perfect blend of zombies and pop culture. The characters are viable and while reading it felt like this is what it would be like if my friends and I were thrust into zombieland! I will definitely be moving on to book 2 and see what other things lay in store for this lovable band of misfits!
March 11, 2021
I really liked this book. I enjoyed the characters. I would love for this series to continue. I would recommend this book and probably the series once I get to the rest of them!
Kind of a spoiler here but....
JT, Hanna and Tyrone must continue...
I kept hoping that Harold would turn out to be a misunderstood loner but knew he wouldn’t be.
Great narration by Jason Hill. I’d definitely listen to more from him.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
Kind of a spoiler here but....
JT, Hanna and Tyrone must continue...
I kept hoping that Harold would turn out to be a misunderstood loner but knew he wouldn’t be.
Great narration by Jason Hill. I’d definitely listen to more from him.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
August 29, 2017
I am not one to typically leave reviews but I recently injured my foot and have been using my Kindle Library often and got hooked into zombie books! I went through all of Joe Mckinneys books and loved them, moved on to Brian Keene and this became recommended, I had little expectation because it looked low budget at first but these characters have a lot of life and I personally can't wait for the next one!
January 22, 2019
It felt like I was watching and living it as I was reading.
It felt like this book was written just for me. I understood all the references, it's captivating, heart wrenching, suspenseful. I finished it so fast because I couldn't stop reading. I have nothing negative to say. If you like post apocalypse, dystopian, zombie style books you'll love this. There's a character for everyone.
It felt like this book was written just for me. I understood all the references, it's captivating, heart wrenching, suspenseful. I finished it so fast because I couldn't stop reading. I have nothing negative to say. If you like post apocalypse, dystopian, zombie style books you'll love this. There's a character for everyone.
January 31, 2019
This book was an unexpected find! Found it on my kindle for 99 cents and decided to give it a try on a cold day of staying home. It’s a really great, fun read. I loved the humor in it and the action pace, I feel like if zombies happened today it’s how it would be. I will definitely be checking out the next book in the series soon as I have to see what happened to a certain character but I do not want to spoil!
October 24, 2017
Gus! Gus is a great and well written character! It’s like reading about my Dad if he were in the Zombie Apocalypse! Amazing one liners, curious what awaits JT and Hannah and the tension in their relationship, would’ve liked more of Alan, feel like they missed a great opportunity there but overall it’s fast paced, funny and good time to read! Looking forward to the next chapter in this series!
July 4, 2018
Saw this advertised last week for free, thought it would be just another generic run of the mill zombie book. To my surprise it was not! I had a lot of fun reading this entry and will be sure to check out the rest of this series. My only complaint for this book is I did not like the Tyrone character but I absolutely loved the Gus character, I would read a book from his solo perspective anytime!
March 22, 2023
Personally not a fan of this book. However that doesn't mean it won't be a great story for other readers as long as they can get past the gramatical errors and bad spacing. It wasn't gripping enough for me. It started really good but then at some point I just wished for it to end already. Some aspects, very cliche, but again might be more enjoyable for others, just not for me this time.
November 28, 2018
Great fun! Little rough around the edges but it’s a zombie book! Some of the story felt a little rushed but overall it was a fun read! Gus was my favorite followed closely by Alan, I want to know more about the mystery man!
November 7, 2020
Great Book
Nicely written apocalyptic tale with great characters and a,fast moving plot. Kindle formatting ran quite a,few words together but that didn't detract from reading this book. I've already purchased the next book in this series.
Nicely written apocalyptic tale with great characters and a,fast moving plot. Kindle formatting ran quite a,few words together but that didn't detract from reading this book. I've already purchased the next book in this series.
December 6, 2020
I couldnt put it down
Great Book, I couldn't stop reading it I had finish it It was so good , I really didn't see what was coming, the ending Suprised me as well as Creeped me out lol although I wished Alan and Dusty would've survived with the others
Great Book, I couldn't stop reading it I had finish it It was so good , I really didn't see what was coming, the ending Suprised me as well as Creeped me out lol although I wished Alan and Dusty would've survived with the others
July 28, 2021
Read : July 28, 2021
Rating : 2,5 Stars
This was meh, no connection to the characters and a looot of typo's.
It wasn't too terrible untill we got to the crazy prepper dude angle and it went pretty downhill from there for me.
Rating : 2,5 Stars
This was meh, no connection to the characters and a looot of typo's.
It wasn't too terrible untill we got to the crazy prepper dude angle and it went pretty downhill from there for me.
October 16, 2022
This is an enjoyable, zombie end of the world adventure! Overall good ideas & I liked the characters & general style/feel. It is a shame that it did not have a better proof read, as it needed it! Could have been very good!
October 27, 2023
The plot was great and story line kept me engaged and kept me from putting it down. I am looking forward to Book 2. The editing was really bad though, word spacing was off with many words run together.
July 26, 2017
This book was a ton of fun to read! Gus is the best comedic relief character I've ever read in the horror/zombie genre!!!!
August 23, 2017
One word. Fun
January 8, 2018
These guys should be considered rising stars on the zombie scene!
March 9, 2018
Surprisingly great! If I’m ever in a zombie apocalypse I hope I’m with Gus!
March 20, 2018
This was one I just stumbled across and absolutely loved! Great humor and a good pace, just wanted more of the main two characters relationship!
June 30, 2018
Unexpected fun! Enjoyable story for me and my love for the zombie genre!
July 27, 2018
It can happen
I really got this and wanted more. I can't wait to read the next book in the series. I do enjoy these readings just to see if they know what to do.
I really got this and wanted more. I can't wait to read the next book in the series. I do enjoy these readings just to see if they know what to do.
August 4, 2018
Very different turn for a zombie apocalypse story. Not at all what I was expecting. Gus is my favorite character.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews