Dead 'til Dawn

by Gerald Dean Rice

Two friends who have drifted apart go on an unintended journey when they take a drug that technically turns them into zombies for 72 hours. But near immortal cultists intent on journeying to the other side will stop at nothing to get the 'Bloom' back, even if it means taking it from their undead bodies. As the two men run for their unlives they test the bonds of friendship and learn the whole universe is depending on them. So we're probably screwed.

Genres: Horror

446 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 23, 2017

Reviews

[Montzalee Wittmann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dead 'til Dawn by Gerald Dean Rice is a book I won through the Kindle Scout program. I am not someone really into zombie books really but it sounded like a book that would make it to a book. After reading it, it is an okay read. It is different. It is not my kind of book but it is not a bad book. I found it was a bit wordy. I think the concept was new and different which was a big plus but I really couldn't bond with the characters. Worth the read regardless.

[Noah Nichols · Rating 4 out of 5]

While this novel lacks heart, it packs snark. For the most part, I dug this book. But it did take me a while to get through. That's because it has a hot start and then a lukewarm middle. The ending picks up for sure, however. The things I liked about Dead 'til Dawn (a Kindle Scout winner) are as follows:

1. The two main characters had "good chemistry" during the entire novel. I found their witty exchanges to be a shining highlight.

2. The humor was persistent (and surprisingly solid) in its presence throughout.

3. It was well-edited and well-written...and didn't have many drops in quality grammatically, except for a few flubs here and there with a misspelling or a repeated word. Gerald, if you're reading this—and I'm positive that you are or will soon, since you seem to fearlessly comment on several of your reviews received on Amazon—I'll happily send you the botches in a direct message, if you're down for that. I tracked them while journeying through DTD. Don't get yourself a towel, though...it's not enough to sweat over. Just small stuff!

Anyway, here are three things I didn't dig too much about this:

1. The meandering middle. My God, was it a slog. For whatever reason, the book had this special superpower to make me NOT care at times, so I actually quit reading for quite a while. I just didn't care for what would happen next. The cliffhangers to the chapters didn't leave me hanging/wanting as much as other fictional stories have in the past.

2. The overall sarcastic nature to the novel started to get old Flash-fast. At first it was refreshing and even unique (especially since the book is told from a third-person perspective) in its narrative decisions, but it fell flat in parts and desensitized you with a slew of look-at-me meta.

3. The plot went haywire. It didn't know what it wanted to be...the book's identity was always in question with itself, if that makes any sense. It was like a drug buddy book for a bit, morphed into a mild zombie story after that, and then went full-on nutty McGee with the supernatural and spiritual. Of course, it mixed a lot of genres up as well, so I'm not too ticked. There's a reason I'm still standing on a four-star rating. I'll hold firm on that.

So, I dug this. I wouldn't exactly say it's a novel that'll stay with me for years, but it was a decent foray into the overcrowded zombie field of fiction. It was definitely not the standard fare.

Check it out! And I, for one, liked the "pompous ass" foreword. It's supposed to be ridiculous! I thought it was rather clever. Anybody who didn't/doesn't get that is just an idiot and shouldn't even begin to read this story.

[Join the Penguin Resistance! · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review: DEAD TIL DAWN by Gerald Rice

DEAD TIL DAWN is a blast!! Readers who are already fans of author Gerald Rice already know what he can do, and those new to him will find this novel a superb introduction. This is not a zombie story, though there are plenty of mobile dead. Mr. Rice does a riff on a potentially valid premise, akin to original Zombi as created in Haiti by houngans. In the first chapter, I was thinking, "Ooooh, shades of Poe' s "Premature Burial," done up right in modern Detroit. Well, not so much so after all. It's trite to say "nonstop roller cqoaster action," but it's true. The action never stops, and you just can't keep them down, not the bad guys nor the good guys. Just read it!!

[Gerald Rice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect book for the summer! Great read.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recieved Dead in exchange for an honest review

When I recieved this my first thought was of course; "Not another zombie novel!" Then, I began to read it, and I began to laugh at the plight of Gary and Jim. Gary is the kind of guy we all know. He has good intentions, but somehow he screws everything up. They take a pill that turns them into zombies for three days, but that's not the entire story. There's a cult called the Ascension after them and want the pill that they took. If you want to call Dead 'Til Dawn something, it would be a buddy comedy. These are two guys stuck in a situation that just keeps getting worse. Is it implausible? Of course it is, but it's a fun book that you can't help but laugh at. There is one plot line that doesn't fit but it doesn't detract from the story at all. Once you see it, you'll know what I'm talking about.

Gerald is a talented writer, and he has a knack for witty dialouge, and he's created two characters you can't help but like. Gary and Jim are the main characters, so if you didn't like them, the story wouldn't work. There's just enough of a straightman in Jim to balance out Gary, and it works beautifully. You can see Gary's influence over this guy, and you almost feel bad for him. Gary never grew up while Jim has, but they have a chemistry together that adds a lot to the story. The story itself is interesting, and moves at a pretty steady clip. There's a great deal of humor here, and a little horror thrown in just to keep things interesting. The main question is, what's going to happen to these guys once the pill wears off.

There are a lot of weird elements that keep the novel going. You have the Ascension and their quest to get the Bloom. Gary and Jim trying to survive, and keep from being captured, but it all leads to a satisying conclusion. There are bits here and there that have nothing at all to do with the over all plot, but it's still a solid read. It was a lot of fun, and proves that you can play with the zombie genre and create something unique. Dead 'Til Dawn is an ambitious novel and it works based on the characters, and the solid writing. If you want to read a novel that's entertaining and different, this is one you'll have a good time with.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was bizarre. It starts out rather humorous like a zombie version of Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Gary and Jim become zombies for a couple of days after consuming a black pill. The two friends behave and talk like juveniles, and end up at various drug-intensive parties, among other things. From there, the story gets decidedly stranger, with various religious overtones. I think those who love zombie stories will enjoy it.

I received a copy of this book through the Kindle Scout program.

[Melanie Marsh · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings about Dead Til Dawn by Gerald Dean Rice. I didn’t love it, but I didn’t hate it. I thought it was ok enough to read the entire thing. There were several times where I almost had to add it to my DNF list. I’m sure there are some out there who will probably enjoy it more than I did. I wanted it to be better than it actually was.

It started out really strong I thought. I liked the ideas Rice was developing I thought it was unique but believable. The characters were fairly easy to relate to and had interesting personalities. They were funny and entertaining. They did keep me laughing for the most part.

I’m not sure exactly when it happened, but somewhere near the middle, I got bored. Almost as if there was unnecessary details going into the story. That’s just my opinion though, I’m sure the author has a reason for including the things I didn’t think were needed. There were too many scenes where I found myself thinking, “Would you just get to the point already.”

The ending picks up a bit, but by then I was just ready for it to be over, so I think some of the excitement may have been missed on my part due to lack of interest at that point.

Overall, it’s not a bad book, just a bit too wordy for my taste and couldn’t hold my attention. That being said, if you are looking for a different kind of zombie book, you should definitely check it out for yourself. You may have a much different opinion.

[Made DNA · Rating 3 out of 5]

To be honest, this was a tough read. There points at which I thought it was a little too long-winded, especially the last chapter and the epilogue. There were points at which I really didn't know what was going on. There were other points I couldn't remember which character (Gary and Jim) was which (actually, I'm still a little confused). I'm not a fan of fiction where one friend's the jerk and the other is the nice guy; it just turns me off. This book starts off that way, but fortunately, it doesn't last the whole book.

Is the book bad? No, I don't think it's bad, but it just wasn't my thing. I thought it was going to be as the premise is interesting, but it just went in directions I couldn't fathom. Some readers will enjoy this of course, because, most definitely, it doesn't follow the pattern of normal zombie novels. In fact, it turns "reverse" zombie near the end where the zombies are the ones in danger from live humans. (Not a spoiler.)

I think people's mileage is going to vary on this one.

[Ailyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received the book for a fair review.
I will admit that the story, setting and plot are interesting and unique, but there are many aspects in the book that could use a little more revising. The characters come out as funny but falls short of becoming someone I can relate to. This is a different type of zombie movie, initially I thought it was sci-fi but it later moved onto fantasy/ paranormal.
Overall, this is an entertaining read for zombie fans, it has its twists and turns, enough to keep you going.

[Theresa Jeffreys · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dead til dawn

I was impressed by this book. It was a totally different take on and zombies. It was refreshing to read a book with more details on the characters than on the munching zombies