River of Night

Black Tide Rising #6

by John Ringo, Mike Massa

A NEW NOVEL IN JOHN RINGO'S BESTSELLING BLACK TIDE RISING SERIES. Sequel to The Valley of Shadows.

Tom Smith used to be somebody. Now he's just another refugee, fleeing the smoking ruins of civilization.

Well, maybe not just another refugee.

Late of the Bank of the Americas where he used to be the global managing director for Security, Tom and his fellow survivors watched New York City burn. His plan to the save New York long enough to find a cure for the zombie virus hadn't survived the bloody scrimmage between angry cops, cunning gangsters, and rapacious City officials.

Now only millions of infected humans, driven mad by the high infectious tailored rabies virus, inhabited the city.

But Tom and some trusted allies were able to stay one step ahead and escaped offshore. Now they're holed up in a safe house in coastal Virginia and it's time to breakout.

Between him and his objective, one of the bank's prepared evacuation camps in the Cumberland Valley, are hundreds of miles of clogged roads, burnt-out towns and howling mobs of infected humans who know only hunger. He must corral his motley team, complete with middle-schoolers, to navigate the treacherous landscape.

And yet he feels his odds are good.

But there's always someone smarter. And they like things just the way they are.

Without a fat checkbook and the team of hired spec-ops mercenaries it used to bring, how will Tom Smith fend off entrepreneurial marauders, a brilliant sociopath or two and a kill-count hungry member of the E-4 mafia?

And if he pulls it off, no one is sure how they will they re-start civilization.

But Tom Smith has the spark of an idea.

About Black Tide Rising:
“. . . an entertaining batch of . . . action-packed tales. Certainly, fans of Ringo’s particular brand of action-adventure will be pleased.”—Booklist

"This anthology broadens Ringo’s  Black Tide world, serving up doses of humanity amid the ravenous afflicted. Comedy has a place in this harsh reality, and these stories stir adventure and emotion at a frantic clip throughout. Zombie fiction fans will be thrilled."—Library Journal

About the Black Tide Rising Series:
“Not only has Ringo found a mostly unexplored corner of the zombie landscape, he's using the zombie frame to tackle a broader theme: the collapse and rebirth of civilization. The zombie scenes are exciting, sure, but its the human story that keeps us involved. A fine series.”—Booklist

About Under a Graveyard Sky:
“Ringo combines humor and horror in this strong series debut, the thinking reader’s zombie novel.”—Publishers Weekly 

About John Ringo:
“[Ringo’s work is] peopled with three-dimensional characters and spiced with personal drama as well as tactical finesse.”—Library Journal

“. . . Explosive. . . . fans. . .will appreciate Ringo’s lively narrative and flavorful characters.”—Publishers Weekly

“. . .practically impossible not to read in one sitting . . . exceedingly impressive . . . executed with skill, verve, and wit.”—Booklist

“Crackerjack storytelling.”—Starlog

BLACK TIDE RISING SERIES:
Under a Graveyard Sky
To Sail a Darkling Sea
Islands of Rage and Hope
Strands of Sorrow
Black Tide Rising
The Valley of Shadows

Genres: Science Fiction, Horror, Zombies, Adventure, Fiction, Ebooks, Post Apocalyptic

384 pages, Hardcover

Published July 2, 2019

About the author

John Ringo is a prolific author who has written in a wide variety of genres. His early life included a great deal of travel. He visited 23 foreign countries, and attended fourteen different schools. After graduation Ringo enlisted in the US military for four years, after which he studied marine biology.

In 1999 he wrote and published his first novel "A Hymn Before Battle", which proved successful. Since 2000 Ringo has been a full time author.

He has written science fiction, military fiction, and fantasy.


Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Reviews

[Debrac2014 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed it much more than The Valley of Shadows! Great characters! I chuckled while reading Cathe's Do's and Don'ts!

[Dan Montague · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Rob appreciated the presence of his teammates and their families; there was greater safety in numbers. Pre-Plague, solo prepping had been all the rage and much money had changed hands for this gadget or that bit of apocalyptic kit. The truth was that mutually supporting communities and mastering the fundamentals of shelter, water and security were far more important than any high-speed, low-drag gear. Of course, if you had mastered the basic, special purpose kit could make a difference." -- pg 81, excerpt from Chapter 4, ISBN: 9781481484213 [hardback]

Excellent! I do love me some apocalyptic fiction about the struggle to rebuild civilization including Alas, Babylon (1959) by Pat Frank, Canticle for Leibowitz (1959) by Walter M. Miller Jr., Pulling Through (1983) by Dean Ing, The Postman (1985) by David Brin, ... and the Black Tide Rising series (starting in 2013, of which River of Night is Book 7) by John Ringo, Mike Massa, et. al

[Wolfgarr · Rating 1 out of 5]

Why is this book listed as a sequal to the Black tide rising series? It is NOT a sequal to the first 3 books people. It is a totaly new book in the Black tide rising universe. If you are looking to continue the adventure of the family from the first 3 books...Don't bother with this or any of the other books. Author has jumped the shark and has decided for some unknown reason to ignore the ongoing story he started. Something this author is notorious for doing i must say. Soo many good stories left unfinished. Honestly i love John ringo's books. But frankly i am tired of him starting series and then dropping them.

John...you are a amazing author. Please for the love of god finish the story's you have before you start anything new.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too many characters, and I don't see enough of them to care very much. I mostly skimmed the back half because there were so many threads I didn't care enough about. There were occasional moments of humor -- the idiots who scolded the manly men about proper word usage instead of worrying about zombies, the men who still seem confused on how human reproduction works, etc. I'm never sure if the author thinks people like this exist, or if he knows people like this and just lives a very different life than me.

The Combat Administrator is the best. She should have had a lot more screen time -- she could have been like Faith and made this a fun read.

[Caitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like these stories less because they're more about the world falling apart than being rebuilt, but they're still fast-paced, action filled stories, about the survivors of a zombie apocalypse struggling to stay alive. Some people find the situation a good chance for a power grab, while others are hoping to keep the remnants of civilization alive.

A quick read, enjoyable without depth much to it.

[Tony · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars for some minor editing problems and the mistakes I felt Tom made were kind of irritating. That said, I did enjoy it quite a lot, and I thoroughly enjoyed the character of Private Cathe Astroga. She was funny, and her rules in the appendix are good for a laugh.

Morality rating: PG-18 for violence and implied rape
Religious rating: does not really bash anyone, just tells a story. Religion not brought in much, to be honest.

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good, even better than its predecessor.

[Kristoffer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was really disappointed with this book. I was expecting more of the main story and thought that the stuff with Tom Smith would be a big part of the book but not all of it. Instead, it was all about Tom Smith, and it looks like the main characters from the first books have been set aside by the author to never be used again. There are several books after this, and it looks like those are just about some random kids. Tom's story was interesting, but it just did not have the feeling of awesomeness as the first few books had. None of the characters in this were very likeable, and like two thirds of the book was about sociopaths in positions of power. It was no fun. I am giving up on this series I think.

[Ed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome Book!!!

** Beware addictive writing and excellent story telling!! **
Once more, Ringom& Massa team up in an effective and delightful collaboration. This followed Tom "Train" Smith and his groups exploits on the departure from New York. The characters are real, well developed and engaging. You care when one of them struggles, and get nervous when they are in a life threatening situation (which of course happens alot).
The E4 Mafia rides high and provides moments of hilarity and pragmatic injection. Both authors combined to provide a great story. Thanks for your amazing work!!

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good addition to the series, helping zombies on their way to being "good" zombies. Will have to look for the first in this series, just to fill holes. With the addition of the the hydroelectric dams, there came new & novel ways to fry zombies. Like having an idea and writhing a book to use it in, but the story carries through well and is still (grossly) enertaining. Love the Spec 4 revolution!

[Jeffrey Schmieder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good to see what happened to Tom Smith after the lights went out. Enjoyed most of the book, the authors created two great villains, but the most fun part were the unconventional weapons created and seeing the characters go from major setbacks to a rewarding finish. Also some great, very distinctive characters.

[Alex Shrugged · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is better than the previous book in the series "The Valley of Shadows". It is a lot less about politics. The underlying question is whether a democracy (or republic) and its trappings are appropriate in the middle of a zombie apocalypse. In a more general sense, when society breaks down, what emerges? Three examples are given, 1. the one that Tom Smith holds to. He still clings to his oaths he swore to what might be a lost civilization. 2. A new fascism masquerading as a democratic process, or 3. a war lord dictatorship masquerading as a government service with a fee.

The story: Tom continues to take his band of refugees out of New York toward the Bank of the Americas safe site somewhere in the South. He is maintaining discipline as best he can, but his fellows are not all military. They have their own ideas on what is essential and some of those fellows are teenagers. Others are breaking down psychologically. And as they make their way they are running into more than zombies. Criminals are on the loose and organized under a banner of order and discipline, for a price. The price is high. Will Tom get his people to the safe site and thus fulfill his oaths? And what will he find when he gets there? As you might guess, nothing good.

Any problems with this story? I think Tom held on to his civilization-as-it-once-was framework for far too long. I understand why he upheld it so long, but it was too long. That other civilization wasn't coming back any time soon. Maybe not in his lifetime. He needed to be more flexible. I found it annoying.

Any modesty issues? The F-word is used quite a bit. Sex is implied including lesbianism, but nothing is described that I recall.

The ending was expected but there was plenty of suspense. I'm not sure where the series is going from here, but it could end here.

I'd read this book again.

[John Davies · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second collab Ringo did with Mike Massa, and it continues straight on from the first book. Tom Smith and the people with him are trying to get to the Bank of the Americas survival site, and because the helicopter they should have used got shot down, they are having to drive. Along the way, they get into a fight with the Gleaners, a group of escaped prisoners, who are enslaving towns in the area. The two groups end up battling over possession of a dam that still has power, which Tom wants to use to revive America.
There is also a sub-plot involving a psychotic woman who featured in the first book, who just wants all the power she can grab from the survivors, and how she gets dealt with by our main characters..

Overall, a good book, and desperately in need of a further novel, but so far we've just had several anthologies that I hope answer some of the questions raised in this book.

[Jeffrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Much better than the previous book in the series, The Valley of Shadows. Astroga is a great character; you can tell she's a Ringo creation. The ending of the book contains a valuable and timely lesson on how to deal with cultural Marxist dictators who crave power and will retain it by any means, say, by openly rejecting the results of free elections, nominating "queens" of an erstwhile "resistance" (royalty is so prole, after all -- all animals are equal, but some are more equal than others), and attempting to sabotage future elections.

All in all, a step up for the series after Valley, even if it still doesn't come near the earlier books in terms of greatness.

[Sayomara Vesper · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book is a lot more mixed than the first Thomas Smith Book. It felt like a lot of people being stupid for the first half of the book to get the plot going. I put the book down a few times before coming back to it. Final battle is good ends and the book ends well but overall feels like the weakest of the Black Tide novels up to this point.

I think the weakest part structurally was the jumping from one point of view to another inside of a chapter or even inside a scene. Catfish point of view is fine. Jumping back and forth between Green and Paul with in the same scene is not. It just confusing and often redundant.

If Valley is a 3.5 star book, River is a 3 star book

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was just pretty good. The infected barely played a role is my second-biggest gripe.

My biggest gripe is how they can just so easily drive from the coast to Tennessee. Yes, the main series mostly focuses on the cities, but still you'd think hordes would be more of a problem anywhere. And then how many show up out of nowhere at one point towards the end of this book? Where did those guys come from?!

Still, good reading. Hope there's another one in the series...

[Mark A · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as exciting as the others of this series. I was bit bored the first 2/3 of the book.
This book is the 2nd in the series with this set of characters (6th in this zombie apocalypse universe). It completes some of the stories started in "The Valley of Shadows" (book 5). If this was the first book of the series that I read, I wouldn't have picked up any of the others. However, this is the only one that I don't consider good enough to read a second time.

[Andy Zach · Rating 4 out of 5]

In some ways, book 6 was the most entertaining of John Ringo's six-book series. Bank security agent Tom Smith has to shepherd a group of people across zombie-filled America to prepared safe havens.
Just about everything you can imagine goes wrong.

John Ringo and his co-author Mike Massa kept me on the edge of my seat, worried about who was going to live and who would die right up to the end.

If you like thrilling adventure set in a zombie apocalypse, this is the book for you.

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review is for the first eight volumes in the series -

An entertaining if slightly repetitive series that follows a logical but somewhat fantastical cast through adventures whose tension dims with every new entry without fatalities. (Seriously, there is plenty of plot-fuel mass death but exactly one sort of important person dies in eight books and that was in an accident - statistically it's absurd given the world as presented).

[Toben · Rating 2 out of 5]

Doesn’t return to wolf squadron. The bad people are bad and do bad things seems pretty over used and under thought out. The single minded need of the main character to make bad decisions in order to live up to his word also takes away his ability to actually think through any decisions and the long term outcomes. I struggled through the previous book with the same issues and just gave up reading this one.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wathful

Ok, Tom Smith said that a lot. So, the land based story of Black Tide Rising continues. This is good and there’s likely more story options available, especially with the non-infected bad guys. Still, I’m missing the original Smith family, especially the daughters, hopefully they will make an appearance soon. I will say the gun battles are much better in the land based group. Still a top notch series.

[John Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very exciting book, especially the final attack on the dam. With the major major exception of the stupid sideplot about how liberals will inevitably doom the world, even at the new evaluation site. Seriously? John Ringo's concept is that a military commander is gonna somehow lose control of his command centre to a civilian plotting a coup? When all the soldiers are under his direct command? John Ringo just can't help his obsession with liberals.

[Michael Rutkowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fast paced, entertaining summer read ! This is the seventh book in this series and the best thing about this book is that it has the least amount of fighting zombies scenes so far ! In the other books the zombie scenes become repetitive, redundant and frankly boring ! This book thankfully avoids that and concentrates on the human stories !

[Douglas R Grigg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect book and series for 2020, cause cities make the worst villians

I would give 4.5 out that was a choice... It's not. A silly pet peeve, a large percent of people shot were hit in the spine. Also I really dislike the main villain, and wish I could say they could not be real, but, well 2020...

[AnnA Helms · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book continues Tom Smith's story as they escape New York. There are several story lines; The evacuation site blue, which turns into the far left political correctness run amuck. The bad guys and their plan to rape, kill, and pillage a new world order, and Tom trying to pass through the new landscape turned war zone.

[Harold Duryea · Rating 4 out of 5]

The view from the other side

If you have read the other 5 books, you can look at this one as "What happened to brother Tom after the Smith family sailed. " A good read and let's you know a bit about what was going on for those still in the US.
Ringo and Massa have brought us another good book in the series.

[Thor Toms · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good story except for making the lead character make the mistake of marking a map in order to advance the plot. I'm waiting to see where this story goes as the struggle to rebuild civilization continues.

[STEVEN L UNDERWOOD · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read

I normally don't care as much for the books Ringo does with a co-author but this one exceeded my expectations .I enjoy Ringos style of writing and his black humor so much .

[Elaynor Hazelman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I JUST HAVE TO KNOW

Is there ever gonna be a book where Tom and Steve and his family ever meet? Oh yeah...FAITH! is MT FREAKING FAVORITE CHARACTER!! But yeah, are they ever gonna reunite?!?

[Nick Kohler · Rating 5 out of 5]

great follow up!

Specialist astronaut is an outstanding character the whole series was a fun read and I hope the series continues because there is so many things that can be added! Gotta rescue the hole?!