What do you think?
Rate this book
The Dead Wake Horror Collection Vol 1
Ten utterly gruesome tales, that will disable you.
You won’t know what hit you.
You will from this day forward sleep with one eye open.
Insist that all the lights stay on...always.
You will begin a ritual; checking under your bed, inside the closet and double checking your windows.
Throw into this the sick and twisted and the utterly crazy humor and your stomach will explode.
With some erotica, you’ll be hot and sweaty and wont know which way to run...and you’ll be scared for life.
In the best possible way.
196 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 28, 2017
5 people are currently reading
16 people want to read
About the author
Ellie Douglas
28 books190 followersI’m Ellie Douglas, and like you, I love horror, everything about horror, the goriest and most gruesome of horrors is the ultimate. I can’t get enough. So much so that I write horror. That need to be graphic, and explicit with my horror scenes makes me stand out. I give what I want to read to others, so now they can enjoy a true horror story.
I’m not all about just being graphic, I also build characters that the readers will love and or hate, so they can feel pulled right inside of the story that they are reading. It gives me so much enjoyment when I hear remarks like, ‘You made me want to puke,’ ‘I have nightmares every damned night –thanks,’ and ‘Quentin Tarantino and Steven King made a baby, YOU!’ when I hear comments like that, I know then I’ve succeeded, that also pushes me into writing more and becoming even better.
I’m fun loving, generous and very mysterious. I enjoy spending time with my family, and have four children to keep the horror writing alive. I enjoy helping others and volunteer my services to help Autistic children, I love cosplay and the chance to dress up as a monster, zombie or some other gritty character is fun, oh so much fun.
I love summer, and well…I hate winter. I live in New Zealand and feel often too far away from all the cool stuff going on in the world. I love helping people all the time. I’ve got my hands dipped in a few things, I write books, but I also make professional book covers for other authors, I also create adult coloring books and I have a gambling app that I designed on the apple store :) I’ve always got a project going, be it writing or creating, that is who I am and I love it :)
My ultimate aim is to give back, paying it forward, to constantly better myself and give the audience amazing stories. Let me scare you…
I’m not all about just being graphic, I also build characters that the readers will love and or hate, so they can feel pulled right inside of the story that they are reading. It gives me so much enjoyment when I hear remarks like, ‘You made me want to puke,’ ‘I have nightmares every damned night –thanks,’ and ‘Quentin Tarantino and Steven King made a baby, YOU!’ when I hear comments like that, I know then I’ve succeeded, that also pushes me into writing more and becoming even better.
I’m fun loving, generous and very mysterious. I enjoy spending time with my family, and have four children to keep the horror writing alive. I enjoy helping others and volunteer my services to help Autistic children, I love cosplay and the chance to dress up as a monster, zombie or some other gritty character is fun, oh so much fun.
I love summer, and well…I hate winter. I live in New Zealand and feel often too far away from all the cool stuff going on in the world. I love helping people all the time. I’ve got my hands dipped in a few things, I write books, but I also make professional book covers for other authors, I also create adult coloring books and I have a gambling app that I designed on the apple store :) I’ve always got a project going, be it writing or creating, that is who I am and I love it :)
My ultimate aim is to give back, paying it forward, to constantly better myself and give the audience amazing stories. Let me scare you…
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
May 9, 2018
If you're into zombies, Ellie Douglas' short stories of the undead and all their related environment is an enjoyable read. You'll be disturbed and disgusted, which is of course exactly how zombie stories should be.
March 15, 2018
What does travelling in outer space, visiting babies at the hospital and eating KFC at the mall all have in common? Give up? They are all ideal locations for flesh eating zombies to infiltrate- that’s what! In her work, The Dead Wake Anthology, author Ellie Douglas presents 10 very imaginative and perfectly creepy tales of the undead. If you are a fan of horror and the zombie genre, then this collection of stories is absolutely a must read!
There can be little doubt that zombies are a popular topic in this day and age. You see books, television shows and movies about them popping up all the time. However, to actually write engaging zombie stories is no easy feat. Anybody can compose a blood and gore story… but the great writers do it in a way that captivate and engage the reader. That is exactly what Ellie Douglas accomplishes in her tales.
Great horror stories always have key elements such as mystery, suspense, fear and foreshadowing. When composing zombie tales, the author must include all of those elements of horror, but also pay very close attention to other traits as well. For instance, characters must be fully developed in order to establish a connection with the reader. Also, the setting is critical as it helps to establish an atmosphere or “zombie world” which feels real. If the story feels fake or forced, it will instantly turn the reader off. Add some original and innovative ideas to this mix and you will have yourself a top-notch creation. In fact, what you have is the Dead Wake Anthology by Ellie Douglas!
As the anthology actually contains ten tales, it is difficult to provide a summary for them all. Nevertheless, there is basically something here for every fan of the genre. From outer space zombies to little “coo coo” baby zombies. There are prostitute zombies for the adult crowd and even senior citizen rest home zombies. I think you get the picture! However, what makes this work so very impressive is that it is about much more than just blood and gore. While there is certainly no shortage of carnage in the tales, Douglas makes it all fit nicely into well laid out and descriptive stories. For instance, in the very short amount of space allotted to the short story format, the author is able to depict characters who quickly develop through the tales and are relatable to the reader. Through the death and destruction you will feel pride and empathy for Ichabod Davenport at the rest home and pure disgust and disdain for Rene Hefter at the Playhood Club. This is not an easy task to accomplish so quickly and the author more than capably achieves it.
As mentioned, for the reader to “buy into” the story and its premise, the world which is created by the author must be convincing. Otherwise the book will be closed in very short order, never to be picked up again! Once more, Douglas aptly accomplishes this very challenging task. Perhaps the best evidence of this is in the tale, “Flesh Eaters”, which takes place on the subway. The setting is depicted in such a way that the reader actually feels as if they are on the subway with Darren! It is entirely believable and incredibly eerie at the same time. To be able to use the setting in this succinct yet effective way, without long drawn out passages, is a writing talent in itself.
To write good horror is a very challenging task. There are so many elements which are involved. If any of those are neglected, the work will suffer as a result. It is the authors who understand this fact that truly succeed in the genre. Blood and gore for the sake of blood and gore will never flourish. The reading audience is too intelligent for that. Add the zombie component to the mix and it becomes even more complicated. In the Dead Wake Anthology, Ellie Douglas presents a series of tales which virtually personify great horror writing. They are fun…yet terrifying. Fascinating…yet hideous. This is an author who certainly knows how to weave her craft. I believe she could take any of these short tales and turn them into a full-length book. Also, I could see some of these tales on the big screen as they are bound to engage the audience. Speaking of audience- due to some scenes which are drenched in sexuality, this work would be recommended for adult and up.
5 Ghastly Stars for this one! *****
There can be little doubt that zombies are a popular topic in this day and age. You see books, television shows and movies about them popping up all the time. However, to actually write engaging zombie stories is no easy feat. Anybody can compose a blood and gore story… but the great writers do it in a way that captivate and engage the reader. That is exactly what Ellie Douglas accomplishes in her tales.
Great horror stories always have key elements such as mystery, suspense, fear and foreshadowing. When composing zombie tales, the author must include all of those elements of horror, but also pay very close attention to other traits as well. For instance, characters must be fully developed in order to establish a connection with the reader. Also, the setting is critical as it helps to establish an atmosphere or “zombie world” which feels real. If the story feels fake or forced, it will instantly turn the reader off. Add some original and innovative ideas to this mix and you will have yourself a top-notch creation. In fact, what you have is the Dead Wake Anthology by Ellie Douglas!
As the anthology actually contains ten tales, it is difficult to provide a summary for them all. Nevertheless, there is basically something here for every fan of the genre. From outer space zombies to little “coo coo” baby zombies. There are prostitute zombies for the adult crowd and even senior citizen rest home zombies. I think you get the picture! However, what makes this work so very impressive is that it is about much more than just blood and gore. While there is certainly no shortage of carnage in the tales, Douglas makes it all fit nicely into well laid out and descriptive stories. For instance, in the very short amount of space allotted to the short story format, the author is able to depict characters who quickly develop through the tales and are relatable to the reader. Through the death and destruction you will feel pride and empathy for Ichabod Davenport at the rest home and pure disgust and disdain for Rene Hefter at the Playhood Club. This is not an easy task to accomplish so quickly and the author more than capably achieves it.
As mentioned, for the reader to “buy into” the story and its premise, the world which is created by the author must be convincing. Otherwise the book will be closed in very short order, never to be picked up again! Once more, Douglas aptly accomplishes this very challenging task. Perhaps the best evidence of this is in the tale, “Flesh Eaters”, which takes place on the subway. The setting is depicted in such a way that the reader actually feels as if they are on the subway with Darren! It is entirely believable and incredibly eerie at the same time. To be able to use the setting in this succinct yet effective way, without long drawn out passages, is a writing talent in itself.
To write good horror is a very challenging task. There are so many elements which are involved. If any of those are neglected, the work will suffer as a result. It is the authors who understand this fact that truly succeed in the genre. Blood and gore for the sake of blood and gore will never flourish. The reading audience is too intelligent for that. Add the zombie component to the mix and it becomes even more complicated. In the Dead Wake Anthology, Ellie Douglas presents a series of tales which virtually personify great horror writing. They are fun…yet terrifying. Fascinating…yet hideous. This is an author who certainly knows how to weave her craft. I believe she could take any of these short tales and turn them into a full-length book. Also, I could see some of these tales on the big screen as they are bound to engage the audience. Speaking of audience- due to some scenes which are drenched in sexuality, this work would be recommended for adult and up.
5 Ghastly Stars for this one! *****
August 28, 2019
I both love and am mortified by zombies so the variety Ellie Douglas brought forth in The Dead Wake really hit the spot for me! From Antarctica to the past, even to space, The Dead Wake is filled with a span of short stories brimming with everyone’s favorite shambling corpses. Douglas ratchets up the tension and writes in a variety of styles keeping each short story fresh. Check out The Dead Wake next time you get that old hankering for some human flesh!
December 31, 2019
The terrors of an undead apocalypse unfold in this thrill filled collection of horror by Author Ellie Douglas. We are given a first hand view of how the a simple act unleashes a zombiesque plague determined to spread and proliferate, destroying life as we know it everywhere. We witness the terror of the victims as the plague of the undead spreads, with a plentitude of bone crunching, blood spewing gore.
I was mesmerized by this collection of short stories, each set in different locations as the pandemic events unfold, giving the victims’ perspective of the confusion, chaos and terror that would erupt in such a horrific event. Author Douglas does a superb job in giving the reader the raw emotions and dismal realizations of the victims as they try every last means to survive against a gruesome end. This is a page turning read, and one I couldn’t put down (as I read peaking under the covers, lol). Be forewarned, there is extreme gruesomeness and sexual content. This horror collection will have your spine tingling, highly recommended!
I was mesmerized by this collection of short stories, each set in different locations as the pandemic events unfold, giving the victims’ perspective of the confusion, chaos and terror that would erupt in such a horrific event. Author Douglas does a superb job in giving the reader the raw emotions and dismal realizations of the victims as they try every last means to survive against a gruesome end. This is a page turning read, and one I couldn’t put down (as I read peaking under the covers, lol). Be forewarned, there is extreme gruesomeness and sexual content. This horror collection will have your spine tingling, highly recommended!
October 22, 2018
I've never read any of Ms. Douglas's books before now. This won't be the last.
Having never dipped into the horror/zombie genre previously, I admit this could have been a mistake. I am converted!
In this collection are ten tales of various degrees of horror from the zombie brigades. At times, I found myself pausing, and in disbelief, having to reread over again to ensure this was actually happening!
I enjoyed the story revolving around the American 'wild west' which revealed the depth and breadth of the authors imagination ... superb! The tale was perfectly balanced and executed (not a pun) in a believable shockingly factual manner. Scary!
Ms. Douglas's writing style is graphically presented in all aspects of what we might expect. If you are squeamish or easily offended, you should stay well away.
Structurally each tale zips along with considerable and scary pace. Combined with this is spot on characterisation that become totally credible. Blended in with the gore are moments of humour and I was reminded of the murder scene from Shakespeare's 'Macbeth' which is followed at once by a comic scene with a gatekeeper.
I was much impressed and will be taking far more note of the author's works as from now!
Having never dipped into the horror/zombie genre previously, I admit this could have been a mistake. I am converted!
In this collection are ten tales of various degrees of horror from the zombie brigades. At times, I found myself pausing, and in disbelief, having to reread over again to ensure this was actually happening!
I enjoyed the story revolving around the American 'wild west' which revealed the depth and breadth of the authors imagination ... superb! The tale was perfectly balanced and executed (not a pun) in a believable shockingly factual manner. Scary!
Ms. Douglas's writing style is graphically presented in all aspects of what we might expect. If you are squeamish or easily offended, you should stay well away.
Structurally each tale zips along with considerable and scary pace. Combined with this is spot on characterisation that become totally credible. Blended in with the gore are moments of humour and I was reminded of the murder scene from Shakespeare's 'Macbeth' which is followed at once by a comic scene with a gatekeeper.
I was much impressed and will be taking far more note of the author's works as from now!
May 23, 2018
Fantastic tales of horror!
This book had so many vivid, gory stories! I loved it! You can tell the author has not only a feel of the genre, but more importantly, a love for these types of tales.
This book had so many vivid, gory stories! I loved it! You can tell the author has not only a feel of the genre, but more importantly, a love for these types of tales.
May 21, 2018
From outer space journeys to passengers on a subway station to families eating in a mall—all sounds very simple and something we’re quite used to, but what would appear to be normal isn’t quite so. For you see, there was something wrong with each of those scenarios. Most of the characters you read in these stories are the walking dead—Zombies running amuck!
If you’re a fan of the Twilight Zone, Tales from the Crypt, The Night of the Living Dead, well you’ve come to the right place. Every kind of zombie imaginable Douglas has graced each of the pages with one horrific tale after the other. There were tons of gore galore and for this horror fan reader, I just couldn’t get enough. My all time favorite story was the one where the mother and her kids were at the mall sitting at an eatery enjoying her KFC moment, when blood curdling screams could be heard throughout the mall, and her own children began getting frightened. The way that story ended had me in total stitches, literally.
Everything about these stories were downright hilarious with some very real life’s lessons to be learned. One thing is for sure, I’ve learned many people do not take heed to their surroundings. It would seem to me if I’m out and about and see what appears to be a human being taking bites out of another person, and you just sit there as if this is just a normal everyday occurrence, something is seriously wrong with you and that picture. I often found myself happy when the zombies got some of the living humans because they were just plain stupid to wait around to see what would happen to them next. My other favorite story was the one where the guy who was homeless makes a deal with the devil to turn his life around, and boy did the devil ever come through. There were several lessons in that story.
Douglas did an amazing job with all the gory details. Some of it was so gross I had to look away, but for only a second, and my eyes went right back to reading because I couldn’t get enough. I’m a huge horror fan and the bloodier the better and Douglas definitely kept the gore factor going. She even managed to throw in some sexy scenes and tons of humor. You can’t read gory stories like this and take them seriously, although Douglas’ writing was on point! She most definitely took her writing seriously. Each of these ten tales will catapult the reader to the next level. And what was really touching is how each of the stories, although reads as a standalone, they each connected.
Douglas made the zombies the star of the show while showcasing her talent for great storytelling. The hairs on the back of my neck and arms rose quite a bit as she built up the suspense. These stories were haunting, yet at the same time, kept you laughing because you had no idea where the story was going next. The human characters’ reactions were spot on in some cases, and then in others, you wondered where their minds were at. Oh…that’s right, perhaps the zombies took a bite out of their brains. No matter, there was plenty of body parts, blood and brain matter to satisfy the horror fan. Outstanding anthology! I just wished I had waited until October to read, but it didn’t matter because I was terrified beyond belief reading each and every night. (chuckle)
Douglas is very talented writing an anthology that should be made into a short film. I’d love to see these stories come to life on the silver screen. Oh, what a great movie this would make! However, having said that, if you’re not a true fan of horror and do not like blood and guts and gross stuff, I wouldn’t suggest you’d read this type of book. But for all my real horror fans out there, get to reading. You’ll love it. Just make sure you’ve eaten well in advance before you begin this book. There’s lots of gross stuff in it. I love it! Until next time, Intellectual Minds, keep on reading!
If you’re a fan of the Twilight Zone, Tales from the Crypt, The Night of the Living Dead, well you’ve come to the right place. Every kind of zombie imaginable Douglas has graced each of the pages with one horrific tale after the other. There were tons of gore galore and for this horror fan reader, I just couldn’t get enough. My all time favorite story was the one where the mother and her kids were at the mall sitting at an eatery enjoying her KFC moment, when blood curdling screams could be heard throughout the mall, and her own children began getting frightened. The way that story ended had me in total stitches, literally.
Everything about these stories were downright hilarious with some very real life’s lessons to be learned. One thing is for sure, I’ve learned many people do not take heed to their surroundings. It would seem to me if I’m out and about and see what appears to be a human being taking bites out of another person, and you just sit there as if this is just a normal everyday occurrence, something is seriously wrong with you and that picture. I often found myself happy when the zombies got some of the living humans because they were just plain stupid to wait around to see what would happen to them next. My other favorite story was the one where the guy who was homeless makes a deal with the devil to turn his life around, and boy did the devil ever come through. There were several lessons in that story.
Douglas did an amazing job with all the gory details. Some of it was so gross I had to look away, but for only a second, and my eyes went right back to reading because I couldn’t get enough. I’m a huge horror fan and the bloodier the better and Douglas definitely kept the gore factor going. She even managed to throw in some sexy scenes and tons of humor. You can’t read gory stories like this and take them seriously, although Douglas’ writing was on point! She most definitely took her writing seriously. Each of these ten tales will catapult the reader to the next level. And what was really touching is how each of the stories, although reads as a standalone, they each connected.
Douglas made the zombies the star of the show while showcasing her talent for great storytelling. The hairs on the back of my neck and arms rose quite a bit as she built up the suspense. These stories were haunting, yet at the same time, kept you laughing because you had no idea where the story was going next. The human characters’ reactions were spot on in some cases, and then in others, you wondered where their minds were at. Oh…that’s right, perhaps the zombies took a bite out of their brains. No matter, there was plenty of body parts, blood and brain matter to satisfy the horror fan. Outstanding anthology! I just wished I had waited until October to read, but it didn’t matter because I was terrified beyond belief reading each and every night. (chuckle)
Douglas is very talented writing an anthology that should be made into a short film. I’d love to see these stories come to life on the silver screen. Oh, what a great movie this would make! However, having said that, if you’re not a true fan of horror and do not like blood and guts and gross stuff, I wouldn’t suggest you’d read this type of book. But for all my real horror fans out there, get to reading. You’ll love it. Just make sure you’ve eaten well in advance before you begin this book. There’s lots of gross stuff in it. I love it! Until next time, Intellectual Minds, keep on reading!
August 8, 2018
Fast paced and nail biting... but needs work
A series of fast paced zombie action which had me constantly on the edge of my seat, but there are so many mistakes that it was sometimes hard to keep track of the characters and plots. Some readers might find a lot of the mistakes quite jarring, but if that isn't an issue for you then it is definitely worth a read.
I personally felt the dialogue could be a little stilted at times, but fairly smooth and even amusing at others. Perhaps that's just how it sounded in my head and other readers might disagree.
Short stories don't give much chance for character development but somehow, in some of the stories at least, the author managed to pull it off. I particularly liked the one set in space but my favourite is the one set on a train - blood and gore with a side order of 'very spooky!'.
3.5 stars. Fix the mistakes, spend a little more time working on the dialogue, and this could go on to be a roaring success in the zombie genre.
A series of fast paced zombie action which had me constantly on the edge of my seat, but there are so many mistakes that it was sometimes hard to keep track of the characters and plots. Some readers might find a lot of the mistakes quite jarring, but if that isn't an issue for you then it is definitely worth a read.
I personally felt the dialogue could be a little stilted at times, but fairly smooth and even amusing at others. Perhaps that's just how it sounded in my head and other readers might disagree.
Short stories don't give much chance for character development but somehow, in some of the stories at least, the author managed to pull it off. I particularly liked the one set in space but my favourite is the one set on a train - blood and gore with a side order of 'very spooky!'.
3.5 stars. Fix the mistakes, spend a little more time working on the dialogue, and this could go on to be a roaring success in the zombie genre.
November 17, 2018
Book Review
Basic Details:
Book Title: The Dead Wake Anthology
Subtitle: The Dead Wake Horror Collection Vol 1
Author: Ellie Douglas
Genre: Horror
Part of a series? Yes
Order in series: 1st
Best read after earlier books in series? No
Available: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
Overall score:
I scored this book 4/5
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Short Summary of the book:
This book is a collection of horror stories, generally zombie-like creatures sprouting up in the stories. It is a great read for lovers of zombie stories and the author’s style of writing is great. The genre does not really appeal to me, but the way the author has written the stories, made me want to keep turning the page after all. Even if I did not really like the goriness of the stories.
What I liked about the book:
I particularly liked the author’s writing style, which kept me changing the pages although the genre made we wish the book was finished. This really was a contradiction in feelings as I wanted to know the outcome of the story but didn’t really want to read the story either. Confused? Yes, so was I.
What I didn’t like about the book:
I wasn’t impressed by subject. Zombie stories don’t appeal to me at all.
My favourite bits in the book:
I loved when stories appeared to have a happy ending. But did they really? Sorry, this genre really is not my cup of tea.
My least favourite bits in the book:
I didn’t like the genre but loved the author’s style of writing.
Any further books in the series? Any more planned by this author?
I understand from the vol. 1 part of the title that there will be or are more books in this series.
What books could this be compared to and why?
This book reminded me of no other books I have read so far. As mentioned earlier, this is really not the genre for me.
Recommendation:
In summary, I would recommend this book for the following readers:
Children No
Young Adult Yes?
Adult Yes
If you like Horror and zombie stories this book is the book for you.
If this author would also write different genres of books to horror, I would look forward to reading more books by this author. Horror is, however, really not my cup of tea. But, I loved the author’s style of writing.
Book Description by Author:
Ten utterly gruesome tales, that will disable you. You won’t know what hit you. You will from this day forward sleep with one eye open. Insist that all the lights stay on...always. You will begin a ritual; checking under your bed, inside the closet and double checking your windows. Throw into this the sick and twisted and the utterly crazy humor and your stomach will explode. With some erotica, you’ll be hot and sweaty and wont know which way to run...and you’ll be scared for life. In the best possible way.
About the Author:
I’m Ellie Douglas, and like you, I love horror, everything about horror, the goriest and most gruesome of horrors is the ultimate. I can’t get enough. So much so that I write horror. That need to be graphic, and explicit with my horror scenes makes me stand out. I give what I want to read to others, so now they can enjoy a true horror story.
I’m not all about just being graphic, I also build characters that the readers will love and or hate, so they can feel pulled right inside of the story that they are reading. It gives me so much enjoyment when I hear remarks like, ‘You made me want to puke,’ ‘I have nightmares every damned night –thanks,’ and ‘Quentin Tarantino and Steven King made a baby, YOU!’ when I hear comments like that, I know then I’ve succeeded, that also pushes me into writing more and becoming even better.
I’m fun loving, generous and very mysterious. I enjoy spending time with my family, and have four children to keep the horror writing alive. I enjoy helping others and volunteer my services to help Autistic children, I love cosplay and the chance to dress up as a monster, zombie or some other gritty character is fun, oh so much fun.
I love summer, and well…I hate winter. I live in New Zealand and feel often too far away from all the cool stuff going on in the world. I love helping people all the time. I’ve got my hands dipped in a few things, I write books, but I also make professional book covers for other authors, I also create adult coloring books and I have a gambling app that I designed on the apple store :) I’ve always got a project going, be it writing or creating, that is who I am and I love it :)
My ultimate aim is to give back, paying it forward, to constantly better myself and give the audience amazing stories. Let me scare you…
Basic Details:
Book Title: The Dead Wake Anthology
Subtitle: The Dead Wake Horror Collection Vol 1
Author: Ellie Douglas
Genre: Horror
Part of a series? Yes
Order in series: 1st
Best read after earlier books in series? No
Available: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
Overall score:
I scored this book 4/5
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Short Summary of the book:
This book is a collection of horror stories, generally zombie-like creatures sprouting up in the stories. It is a great read for lovers of zombie stories and the author’s style of writing is great. The genre does not really appeal to me, but the way the author has written the stories, made me want to keep turning the page after all. Even if I did not really like the goriness of the stories.
What I liked about the book:
I particularly liked the author’s writing style, which kept me changing the pages although the genre made we wish the book was finished. This really was a contradiction in feelings as I wanted to know the outcome of the story but didn’t really want to read the story either. Confused? Yes, so was I.
What I didn’t like about the book:
I wasn’t impressed by subject. Zombie stories don’t appeal to me at all.
My favourite bits in the book:
I loved when stories appeared to have a happy ending. But did they really? Sorry, this genre really is not my cup of tea.
My least favourite bits in the book:
I didn’t like the genre but loved the author’s style of writing.
Any further books in the series? Any more planned by this author?
I understand from the vol. 1 part of the title that there will be or are more books in this series.
What books could this be compared to and why?
This book reminded me of no other books I have read so far. As mentioned earlier, this is really not the genre for me.
Recommendation:
In summary, I would recommend this book for the following readers:
Children No
Young Adult Yes?
Adult Yes
If you like Horror and zombie stories this book is the book for you.
If this author would also write different genres of books to horror, I would look forward to reading more books by this author. Horror is, however, really not my cup of tea. But, I loved the author’s style of writing.
Book Description by Author:
Ten utterly gruesome tales, that will disable you. You won’t know what hit you. You will from this day forward sleep with one eye open. Insist that all the lights stay on...always. You will begin a ritual; checking under your bed, inside the closet and double checking your windows. Throw into this the sick and twisted and the utterly crazy humor and your stomach will explode. With some erotica, you’ll be hot and sweaty and wont know which way to run...and you’ll be scared for life. In the best possible way.
About the Author:
I’m Ellie Douglas, and like you, I love horror, everything about horror, the goriest and most gruesome of horrors is the ultimate. I can’t get enough. So much so that I write horror. That need to be graphic, and explicit with my horror scenes makes me stand out. I give what I want to read to others, so now they can enjoy a true horror story.
I’m not all about just being graphic, I also build characters that the readers will love and or hate, so they can feel pulled right inside of the story that they are reading. It gives me so much enjoyment when I hear remarks like, ‘You made me want to puke,’ ‘I have nightmares every damned night –thanks,’ and ‘Quentin Tarantino and Steven King made a baby, YOU!’ when I hear comments like that, I know then I’ve succeeded, that also pushes me into writing more and becoming even better.
I’m fun loving, generous and very mysterious. I enjoy spending time with my family, and have four children to keep the horror writing alive. I enjoy helping others and volunteer my services to help Autistic children, I love cosplay and the chance to dress up as a monster, zombie or some other gritty character is fun, oh so much fun.
I love summer, and well…I hate winter. I live in New Zealand and feel often too far away from all the cool stuff going on in the world. I love helping people all the time. I’ve got my hands dipped in a few things, I write books, but I also make professional book covers for other authors, I also create adult coloring books and I have a gambling app that I designed on the apple store :) I’ve always got a project going, be it writing or creating, that is who I am and I love it :)
My ultimate aim is to give back, paying it forward, to constantly better myself and give the audience amazing stories. Let me scare you…
May 22, 2020
Gormandized flesh, bodies getting degloved, yes, degloved! And zombies biting down like a hippo would to a crocodile, flesh spewing from meat volcanoes and… All that and more is merely the shoreline of this blood bath. Prepare to dive into horrific madness, into steamy flesh, into hot, naked, wide-spread bodies—and I had to put this down. The imagery had my brain too activated, too terrorized! I had to put it down for just a moment.
So, I enjoyed just one or two tales per day. They were that potent. And I really enjoyed Ellie’s creative use of metaphors: swinging pendulums on crack, heads popping like champagne corks, insides replaced with mashed potatoes, bone marrow replaced with ice cream… What a rush!
And I had my favorites. I loved Space Zombies because Travis (ME!) was in it. Well, my name anyway. Many of my friends know just how much I love outer space and science fiction. But now, mix in the zombies and Ellie’s no-holds-barred, adults-only writing style, where anything goes, and we do—oh yes we surely do—have a winner! I’ll be re-reading this one. And it’s too bad “what’s his name” didn’t…
Well, let me not spoil this one for you. And off to the life pods we go. Escape! Escape the madness. But really, there’ll be no escaping this infection. And that was just the beginning. The first story.
Then, I found myself busting up inside with OH SH*T! ZOMBIES, my second favorite tale of the book. Greasy chicken? Oh, gawd… At the Mall, enjoying a nice meal and the main character is pissed off about a ruined bucket of extra-crispy KFC, about greasy fingers while having to run from zombies. Bah, hahaha! Loved it! And this short tale made me hungry, in a bizarre kind of way, then it grossed me out, totally, and kept me laughing—as Mummy kept rambling on about the dang chicken!
But there was still more. Much more! And I’ll highlight a few of the tales I liked in this compilation. FLESH EATERS… FOOTHILL REST HOME… Yet, they were all awesome. My fourth favorite was the Western tale, GUNSLINGER, or, maybe it was PIMP MY BODY. I can’t decide. I loved them all. But by far, my favorite story included in this treasure trove of ghastly, gory insanity, was the most shocking…
Excellent character development, a jolting, eerie and bloody ride. PLAYHOOD had carnage and all-out, adults-only sexual mayhem. And wishes granted, because the main character, Rene Hefter, had wanted to end it. But after getting what he got, well—keep on living! And live he did, surrounded by a throng of the most beautiful women imaginable. But, as wishes from the man downstairs sometimes roll… Well, read it. No more hints! But I will say, this one ends with a great, muahahaha, “moral of the story!”
Really, for this story alone (PLAYHOOD), I would rate this gruesome collection FIVE STARS. I could see PLAYHOOD as a horror movie, or expanded into a full novel, and would have purchased my copy of The Dead Wake Horror Collection for this one story. Some of Ellie’s best work! And PLAYHOOD made me queasy. It was the one that made me put the book down. The imagery was too punching, as the blood flowed and flooded. As the flesh volcanoes erupted and naked women, again no holds barred, sucked and slurped—and as the devil… This story really stuck with me. It shocked and jarred and jolted me. Yep, it made me put ’er down, and say, “Whoa! That’s enough for today. Brain…fried… Need…recovery…”
Funny but true.
Overall, what a read. Fantastic book. Fun tales with a something for all horror fans, especially for zombie fans. Five stars for a diverse compilation with diverse settings. From hospital bed, where the delivery of a ferociously hungry baby goes awry, to Alaska, inside frozen hell, to boarding a cruise ship where the parrots have pathogens, and get nasty, to the Old West and even, to the shopping mall…where that bucket of crispy KFC, perhaps, did not get the chance to be savored…
Ellie’s book had it all. I look forward with extreme anticipation—and perhaps, a little trepidation—to a gruesome and shocking, volume two. Excellent work, Ellie Douglas.
So, I enjoyed just one or two tales per day. They were that potent. And I really enjoyed Ellie’s creative use of metaphors: swinging pendulums on crack, heads popping like champagne corks, insides replaced with mashed potatoes, bone marrow replaced with ice cream… What a rush!
And I had my favorites. I loved Space Zombies because Travis (ME!) was in it. Well, my name anyway. Many of my friends know just how much I love outer space and science fiction. But now, mix in the zombies and Ellie’s no-holds-barred, adults-only writing style, where anything goes, and we do—oh yes we surely do—have a winner! I’ll be re-reading this one. And it’s too bad “what’s his name” didn’t…
Well, let me not spoil this one for you. And off to the life pods we go. Escape! Escape the madness. But really, there’ll be no escaping this infection. And that was just the beginning. The first story.
Then, I found myself busting up inside with OH SH*T! ZOMBIES, my second favorite tale of the book. Greasy chicken? Oh, gawd… At the Mall, enjoying a nice meal and the main character is pissed off about a ruined bucket of extra-crispy KFC, about greasy fingers while having to run from zombies. Bah, hahaha! Loved it! And this short tale made me hungry, in a bizarre kind of way, then it grossed me out, totally, and kept me laughing—as Mummy kept rambling on about the dang chicken!
But there was still more. Much more! And I’ll highlight a few of the tales I liked in this compilation. FLESH EATERS… FOOTHILL REST HOME… Yet, they were all awesome. My fourth favorite was the Western tale, GUNSLINGER, or, maybe it was PIMP MY BODY. I can’t decide. I loved them all. But by far, my favorite story included in this treasure trove of ghastly, gory insanity, was the most shocking…
Excellent character development, a jolting, eerie and bloody ride. PLAYHOOD had carnage and all-out, adults-only sexual mayhem. And wishes granted, because the main character, Rene Hefter, had wanted to end it. But after getting what he got, well—keep on living! And live he did, surrounded by a throng of the most beautiful women imaginable. But, as wishes from the man downstairs sometimes roll… Well, read it. No more hints! But I will say, this one ends with a great, muahahaha, “moral of the story!”
Really, for this story alone (PLAYHOOD), I would rate this gruesome collection FIVE STARS. I could see PLAYHOOD as a horror movie, or expanded into a full novel, and would have purchased my copy of The Dead Wake Horror Collection for this one story. Some of Ellie’s best work! And PLAYHOOD made me queasy. It was the one that made me put the book down. The imagery was too punching, as the blood flowed and flooded. As the flesh volcanoes erupted and naked women, again no holds barred, sucked and slurped—and as the devil… This story really stuck with me. It shocked and jarred and jolted me. Yep, it made me put ’er down, and say, “Whoa! That’s enough for today. Brain…fried… Need…recovery…”
Funny but true.
Overall, what a read. Fantastic book. Fun tales with a something for all horror fans, especially for zombie fans. Five stars for a diverse compilation with diverse settings. From hospital bed, where the delivery of a ferociously hungry baby goes awry, to Alaska, inside frozen hell, to boarding a cruise ship where the parrots have pathogens, and get nasty, to the Old West and even, to the shopping mall…where that bucket of crispy KFC, perhaps, did not get the chance to be savored…
Ellie’s book had it all. I look forward with extreme anticipation—and perhaps, a little trepidation—to a gruesome and shocking, volume two. Excellent work, Ellie Douglas.
June 22, 2018
This anthology of 10 stories by Author Ellie Douglas is a thrilling roller-coaster ride through the horror world of zombies/flesh eaters. The author certainly knows and loves what she is writing about – for writing shorter stories, unlike novels – where authors can use fillers as they wish – is not easy as every bibliophile should know, everything must be condensed to a grater or lesser degree depending on the length of the story and still work, and this is where many new authors fail but not so seasoned author Ellie Douglas, she produced perfectly balanced horror tales and delivers what one expects from them. You have all the gory bits and gruesome details but also great well rounded characters and well developed settings and plot(s) - Sometimes though, the author includes some funny situations that can be an opportunity to lower down some of the tension before major onslaughts that will leave you literally prostrated. Other times Author Ellie leaves information out but this is a technique to make everything more mysterious and makes one continue to think about the stories even after finishing them, wondering: “where the hell that came from?!” or “How can that be?! There must be an explanation”. Of course it also can be an open door to expand the stories to full-fledged novels later on! So the author kills two birds with one stone, smart move eh?! I really enjoyed the different settings and imaginative background stories the author used to fit in all the mayhem, for instance when I started to read the third story I couldn’t help but laugh aloud (thinking “oh Author Ellie Douglas, you are so mean! LOL”) when I read about such an innocuous and ordinary thing as a mother going to the mall with her kids and ordering some KFC...
As you would expect from this kind of anthology the stories usually start in a very mild tone but soon something is not quite right and the relentless suspense buildup commences and there is no turning back! Soon you have the flesh eaters pouncing on every one – even on you! Because it will be impossible to detach yourself from what’s going on – be prepared to live all the fear and shocking horrifying experiences of the characters in the story.
If you are a zombiephile you certainly will reach zombie heaven( if such a think exists!) while reading this anthology. To other readers I feel the obligation to echo the words of the author taken from the Disclaimer: “All of the stories within this anthology are to entertain you, some will be filled with sexual material that may offend, others may be filled with language that may offend.”
Review written by Sandrus of Circle of Books.
As you would expect from this kind of anthology the stories usually start in a very mild tone but soon something is not quite right and the relentless suspense buildup commences and there is no turning back! Soon you have the flesh eaters pouncing on every one – even on you! Because it will be impossible to detach yourself from what’s going on – be prepared to live all the fear and shocking horrifying experiences of the characters in the story.
If you are a zombiephile you certainly will reach zombie heaven( if such a think exists!) while reading this anthology. To other readers I feel the obligation to echo the words of the author taken from the Disclaimer: “All of the stories within this anthology are to entertain you, some will be filled with sexual material that may offend, others may be filled with language that may offend.”
Review written by Sandrus of Circle of Books.
December 12, 2018
Ellie Douglas terrified me with her double-feature canine zombie novels in the Hounded series, and now she has given me more sleepless nights with her horror anthology, The Dead Wake, vol 1. The ten terrifying tales in this collection cover a wide-ranging history of the undead, from the "earth-breathers" the old American West to space-age zombies in the far future.
Douglas has that oh-so-rare talent to combine exquisitely-crafted prose and characterization with gruesome, gory horror. If I were to compare her to better-known authors, it would be Jack Ketchum and Stephen King.
These tales cover fascinating and often-overlooked aspects of the zombie genre and are firmly grounded in the every-day realities of human experience. My favorite stores are Gunslinger (as I love Old West horror) in which a rip-roaring, quick-drawing tale of guns and guts is melded with a coming of age tale, and Foothill Rest Home, told through a series of diary entries.
This is a zombie anthology not to be missed by devotees of the genre. I hope to be able to sleep with the light off soon, but as Douglas has a follow-up anthology, that may not be in my future!
Douglas has that oh-so-rare talent to combine exquisitely-crafted prose and characterization with gruesome, gory horror. If I were to compare her to better-known authors, it would be Jack Ketchum and Stephen King.
These tales cover fascinating and often-overlooked aspects of the zombie genre and are firmly grounded in the every-day realities of human experience. My favorite stores are Gunslinger (as I love Old West horror) in which a rip-roaring, quick-drawing tale of guns and guts is melded with a coming of age tale, and Foothill Rest Home, told through a series of diary entries.
This is a zombie anthology not to be missed by devotees of the genre. I hope to be able to sleep with the light off soon, but as Douglas has a follow-up anthology, that may not be in my future!
October 18, 2018
This anthology is not for the faint of heart or for the weak of stomach. It’s gross, vulgar, violent, over-the-top ... and tremendously fun. I’d like to stress the FUN aspect, because it’s what made Douglas’ book stand out. As I read this collection, I often imagined Douglas pounding away at a keyboard in the dark while laughing like a lunatic—her only light sources being an occasional blast of lightning and an eerie under-lighting that doesn’t appear to come from any natural source.
Douglas used a sledgehammer with the precision of a surgical scalpel in order to find the tender spot between terror and fun. For me, this sweet spot is where my love of horror resides. It’s where Creepshow lives. It’s where Freddy and Jason hang out to compare body counts. It’s where ratty Fangoria magazines are stacked. It’s where screaming bleeds into nervous laughter because you’re still alive.
The Dead Wake Anthology is balls-to-the-wall horror. Readers will have a great time with it—maybe even more than I assume Douglas did when she wrote it.
Douglas used a sledgehammer with the precision of a surgical scalpel in order to find the tender spot between terror and fun. For me, this sweet spot is where my love of horror resides. It’s where Creepshow lives. It’s where Freddy and Jason hang out to compare body counts. It’s where ratty Fangoria magazines are stacked. It’s where screaming bleeds into nervous laughter because you’re still alive.
The Dead Wake Anthology is balls-to-the-wall horror. Readers will have a great time with it—maybe even more than I assume Douglas did when she wrote it.
November 8, 2021
Author Ellie Douglas brings us ten tales of flesh eating zombies that are told in such a way that you will have to remember not to have anything to eat before you read. The first of the tales is a primer for her book Leech, of which I highly recommend. There are ten stories in all in this anthology and they are a great read. I know that besides the first I enjoyed the one on the cruse ship where we saw the real threat being the coward of the captain. I did like the last one too in the arctic it reminded me of the opening to the 1982 film the thing with zombies thrown in. This is a great anthology and I highly recommend it to all horror fans and those that just want a scare.
November 10, 2018
As a zombie lover, I really enjoyed this collection of great zombie stories! This is the first book I have read from this author and I can't wait to read more!
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews