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Dead of Night #3
Still of Night
The dead rose. We fell. But not everyone thinks the war for survival is over. Heroes rise in times of crisis, and STILL OF NIGHT tells their stories... DAHLIA, a bullied high school girl with a love for edged weapons, goes from victim to powerful leader as the zombie apocalypse sweeps through her world. RACHAEL ELLE continues her journey from comic-con cosplayer to actual hero as she encounter a community with a dark and terrible secret. CAPTAIN JOE LEDGER and his best shooters, TOP and BUNNY, head to an overrun San Diego to try and save a possible cure for the virus that is bringing the dead back to unnatural life. And in the wilderness, Joe, Dahlia, and Rachael Elle will come face-to-face with savage gangs, an army of the living dead, and the mysterious and deadly OLD MAN CHURCH. The final battle unfolds in a little town called Happy Valley, where the residents have found their own unique and terrible way to survive the end of the world. But a war is coming, and no one will escape the last great war between the living and the dead. STILL OF NIGHT is the fourth book in NY Times bestseller Jonathan Maberry's bestselling Dead of Night series. George A. Romero called Dead of Night and its sequel, Fall of Night , " The official prequel to Night of the Living Dead as far as I'm concerned ."
336 pages, Paperback
First published November 9, 2018
55 people are currently reading
561 people want to read
About the author
Jonathan Maberry
522 books7,800 followersJONATHAN MABERRY is a NYTimes bestselling author, #1 Audible bestseller, 5-time Bram Stoker Award-winner, 4-time Scribe Award winner, Inkpot Award winner, comic book writer, and producer. He is the author of more than 50 novels, 190 short stories, 16 short story collections, 30 graphic novels, 14 nonfiction books, and has edited 26 anthologies. His vampire apocalypse book series, V-WARS, was a Netflix original series starring Ian Somerhalder. His 2009-10 run as writer on the Black Panther comic formed a large chunk of the recent blockbuster film, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. His bestselling YA zombie series, Rot & Ruin is in development for film at Alcon Entertainment; and John Wick director, Chad Stahelski, is developing Jonathan’s Joe Ledger Thrillers for TV. Jonathan writes in multiple genres including suspense, thriller, horror, science fiction, epic fantasy, and action; and he writes for adults, teens and middle grade. His works include The Pine Deep Trilogy, The Kagen the Damned Trilogy, NecroTek, Ink, Glimpse, the Rot & Ruin series, the Dead of Night series, The Wolfman, X-Files Origins: Devil’s Advocate, The Sleepers War (with Weston Ochse), Mars One, and many others. He is the editor of high-profile anthologies including Weird Tales: 100 Years of Weird, The X-Files, Aliens: Bug Hunt, Out of Tune, Don’t Turn out the Lights: A Tribute to Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, Baker Street Irregulars, Nights of the Living Dead, Shadows & Verse, and others. His comics include Marvel Zombies Return, The Punisher: Naked Kills, Wolverine: Ghosts, Godzilla vs Cthulhu: Death May Die, Bad Blood and many others. Jonathan has written in many popular licensed worlds, including Hellboy, True Blood, The Wolfman, John Carter of Mars, Sherlock Holmes, C.H.U.D., Diablo IV, Deadlands, World of Warcraft, Planet of the Apes, Aliens, Predator, Karl Kolchak, and many others. He the president of the International Association of Media Tie-in Writers, and the editor of Weird Tales Magazine. He lives in San Diego, California. Find him online at www.jonathanmaberry.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
October 18, 2018
Wow. Amazing.
This book got off to a kick ass start and never let up. Old friends from previous books in the series, new friends to get to know. A few scenes brought me to tears, a few kept me on the edge of my seat. I can't get enough of this series... and for that matter every series Jonathan Maberry has written. I'm enjoying the entire journey through Joe Ledger, Rot and Ruin, and now the 'Night' series.
Edited to add: I didn't mean to leave out a compliment to Ms Lavin who did an excellent job on the writing and characters and storyline that she contributed to the book. I look forward to more from her.
This book got off to a kick ass start and never let up. Old friends from previous books in the series, new friends to get to know. A few scenes brought me to tears, a few kept me on the edge of my seat. I can't get enough of this series... and for that matter every series Jonathan Maberry has written. I'm enjoying the entire journey through Joe Ledger, Rot and Ruin, and now the 'Night' series.
Edited to add: I didn't mean to leave out a compliment to Ms Lavin who did an excellent job on the writing and characters and storyline that she contributed to the book. I look forward to more from her.
March 13, 2019
Any time I can hear Church and Ledger together I am a happy camper. Mr. Church acts as a default mentor for a teen girl trying to find her way during all the zombie mayhem, nuclear war, and loss of the life she previously lived. Ironically, the most difficult quest for her is learning how to survive amongst the worst in humans and there is no better man for the job than Church. We should all be so lucky to have his guidance.
Enjoyed seeing a bit of the softer sides of both Ledger and Church while not being deprived of the amazing action I relish in all of these books.
Jonathan Maberry always hits the mark, and the narration was wonderful!
Enjoyed seeing a bit of the softer sides of both Ledger and Church while not being deprived of the amazing action I relish in all of these books.
Jonathan Maberry always hits the mark, and the narration was wonderful!
June 16, 2019
Well, this was fun. It collects three short stories featuring a particular character and a short novel that puts them all together in a longer adventure. Dez Fox, hero of the previous books, does not appear, but we are introduced to Dahlia, "fat girl with a knife," and Rachel Elle returns, as does Maberry's ubiquitous Joe Ledger. There's perhaps just a little too much preaching about tolerance and acceptance at times, but overall it's a fun and fast-paced post-zombie-apocalypse adventure. There's also a detailed appendix of the related Maberry stories and series. I'd recommend reading these particular "Night" books in order, but it wouldn't be necessary to have read any of the others to appreciate these.
August 9, 2020
4 out of 5 infected bites.
March 8, 2020
Notes:
Ray Porter was amazing! 5 Stars for Narration, 4 Stars for Story
I'm totally cool with the fact that this series ended up being about Joe. In fact, I would LOVE to read more about Joe, Church & the gang in this crazy shit-storm of a world. =P
Ray Porter was amazing! 5 Stars for Narration, 4 Stars for Story
I'm totally cool with the fact that this series ended up being about Joe. In fact, I would LOVE to read more about Joe, Church & the gang in this crazy shit-storm of a world. =P
December 31, 2018
Note to self: if you write stories where you are the main protagonist, please try to separate yourself just a tiny bit. I am sure Rachael is a spectacular cosplayer, gamer geek and such, but I am not really satisfied with her writing about herself. JM vouches for her, which holds water with me and his Joe Ledger and Mr. Church parts of the book are awesome (I miss Dez) but the "orc" fighting is less than thrilling and by the end, I was skipping it in favor of the other parts. If she contributed to the JL or "Fat Girl with a Knife" segments, that is awesome but the others were just not my style.
I want to read something else from her, the two contributions to JM's world don't thrill me.
I want to read something else from her, the two contributions to JM's world don't thrill me.
January 26, 2020
Where is FOX AND TROUT?!? I am not pleased I waited for their ending and nothing. I love Maberry he is intelligent and well written. It hurts to give him 2 stars but honestly aside from the lack of resolution for my favorite couple. The Cosplayer looses so many stars. I believe I've read this is the last in the series and if so I'm deeply disappointed.
February 12, 2019
Jonathan Maberry is simply a genius. Everything i have ever read is incredible. There is a world that Jonathan Maberry has created. In his various series of books, different characters form part of the jigsaw puzzle, that is this world. With each successive book he has written, the pieces begin to edge into place. I have read a lot of his books, and nothing is more exciting than finding the characters from the other series, moving through the books, in this amazing world.
I had the pleasure of listening to the audiobook of Still Of Night, narrated by the finest narrator in the world. Ray Porter is Joe Ledger, and he knows it. He plays the character with gusto, and must love the role.
Jonathan Maberry blows my mind every time i read his books. Clever beyond words, brimming with action, with a healthy dash of humour.
There is no finer writer on the planet in my opinion.
His latest batch of characters in Still Of Night are a marvel.
Dahlia, and Rachel are immense female characters, and of course Captain Joe Ledger is an utter legend.
Jonathan Maberry still remains the only Zombie Apocalypse author i have read, that deals with the infected with compassion, and empathy, continually reminding the reader, that they are innocent victims, and not monsters.
I had the pleasure of listening to the audiobook of Still Of Night, narrated by the finest narrator in the world. Ray Porter is Joe Ledger, and he knows it. He plays the character with gusto, and must love the role.
Jonathan Maberry blows my mind every time i read his books. Clever beyond words, brimming with action, with a healthy dash of humour.
There is no finer writer on the planet in my opinion.
His latest batch of characters in Still Of Night are a marvel.
Dahlia, and Rachel are immense female characters, and of course Captain Joe Ledger is an utter legend.
Jonathan Maberry still remains the only Zombie Apocalypse author i have read, that deals with the infected with compassion, and empathy, continually reminding the reader, that they are innocent victims, and not monsters.
July 10, 2020
Pretty great the first few stories, that sort of loses momentum and interest by the end.
July 2, 2024
I thought I was done with the Joe Ledger series 😢💔, but THANKFULLY he made a reappearance in this series and I loved it. 🐕
January 16, 2019
Just a heads up...I am an insufferable fan of Maberry so this review is completely and shamelessly biased. No spoilers ahead. I promise.
While I usually switch back and forth between paper, kindle, and audiobook formats I ONLY buy the audiobook versions of Maberry series when they are narrated by Ray Porter. As far as I'm concerned he IS Joe Ledger. Period. End of Story. Fin.
This book was masterfully written and narrated. Unlike other authors in this genre (I'm side-eyeing YOU, Meredith...you hack) Maberry has a gift for painting a picture without resorting to blatant, shock-value gore. This isn't an easy task but he makes it seem effortless. Without giving too much away, I will just say that the final battle was AMAZING. So many new and exciting ways to fight the dead.
The plot was fantastic and gave a nice chunk of history into the lore of each character. Rachael (her arc was written by Rachael Levin who is also a gifted writer) enjoyed the spotlight in her chapters and I was cheering for her the whole time.
Ray Porter is at the top of his game in Still of the Night and the investment he has made in giving each character a distinct personality shines through. I seriously cannot get enough of this guy.
How much would it cost to have him narrate the painfully boring textbooks in my doctorate program, I wonder? #gofundme
While I usually switch back and forth between paper, kindle, and audiobook formats I ONLY buy the audiobook versions of Maberry series when they are narrated by Ray Porter. As far as I'm concerned he IS Joe Ledger. Period. End of Story. Fin.
This book was masterfully written and narrated. Unlike other authors in this genre (I'm side-eyeing YOU, Meredith...you hack) Maberry has a gift for painting a picture without resorting to blatant, shock-value gore. This isn't an easy task but he makes it seem effortless. Without giving too much away, I will just say that the final battle was AMAZING. So many new and exciting ways to fight the dead.
The plot was fantastic and gave a nice chunk of history into the lore of each character. Rachael (her arc was written by Rachael Levin who is also a gifted writer) enjoyed the spotlight in her chapters and I was cheering for her the whole time.
Ray Porter is at the top of his game in Still of the Night and the investment he has made in giving each character a distinct personality shines through. I seriously cannot get enough of this guy.
How much would it cost to have him narrate the painfully boring textbooks in my doctorate program, I wonder? #gofundme
August 3, 2019
Final book in the zombies series that started with Dead of Night.
A series of three short stories and a novella that attempt to tie together various characters in Maberry's novels. The main problem here is that some of the things mentioned contradict what has happened in previous novels – as well as what has happened a few dozen pages back in the current story. Ledger is still awesome, but Lavin continues to overwrite her fight scenes. There are the same typographical and grammatical errors as the previous book in the series. And it is clear when reading one of the novellas – "Fat Girl with a Knife" – that the author has never been a. fat or b. female.
Sorry, this one is a let-down.
A series of three short stories and a novella that attempt to tie together various characters in Maberry's novels. The main problem here is that some of the things mentioned contradict what has happened in previous novels – as well as what has happened a few dozen pages back in the current story. Ledger is still awesome, but Lavin continues to overwrite her fight scenes. There are the same typographical and grammatical errors as the previous book in the series. And it is clear when reading one of the novellas – "Fat Girl with a Knife" – that the author has never been a. fat or b. female.
Sorry, this one is a let-down.
February 14, 2019
Not great
The story start off very captivating. About 1/4 into the book the storyline was developing well. Soon after that the flashbacks or flash forwards the jumping back and forth between different storylines and then poorly trying to tie them together. The book just spirals into racial and social injustice. All of a sudden the world that seems to be full of zombies, disappear and is replaced with white supremacy. It became unreadable towards the end of the book. I had high hopes for it.
The story start off very captivating. About 1/4 into the book the storyline was developing well. Soon after that the flashbacks or flash forwards the jumping back and forth between different storylines and then poorly trying to tie them together. The book just spirals into racial and social injustice. All of a sudden the world that seems to be full of zombies, disappear and is replaced with white supremacy. It became unreadable towards the end of the book. I had high hopes for it.
June 19, 2020
Bummer
I’m a big fan of Mayberry. I like his story arcs and writing style but the contrast between his parts of this book and Lavin’s is so glaring that it ruined the book for me. Lavin may become a good writer but she is not yet one. Unless you’re a female cosplayer with unresolved reality issues, don’t bother with this book. A disappointment.
I’m a big fan of Mayberry. I like his story arcs and writing style but the contrast between his parts of this book and Lavin’s is so glaring that it ruined the book for me. Lavin may become a good writer but she is not yet one. Unless you’re a female cosplayer with unresolved reality issues, don’t bother with this book. A disappointment.
July 28, 2019
After the first few chapters with Joe Ledger, Top Sims, and Bunny Rabbit I couldn’t care less about the rest of the characters. DNF
October 31, 2020
Chronology: DEAD OF NIGHT and FALL OF NIGHT are set fifteen years after the Ledger series. They are also the official story of how “First Night”
In a way, this was my favorite book of the series - huge Joe Ledger and Mr. Church fan. But the stakes seemed so miniscule. I struggled with bad guys being able to control thousands of zombies while 40 - 70 were enough to overrun Sam Imura and the Boyscouts in Fall of Night. Anyway, Still of Night starts 25% into the book after three short stories. I had some problems with it.
- First was with Trash: can a 17 year old really be on the semi-pro martial arts circuit? "Trash had fought in semi-pro mixed martial arts for years before the outbreak."
-Second, lacking adequate medical care, why would Church engage in training that led to broken bones? "Before the world ended that would be a fun, if weird, game of tag; now it usually resulted in heavy bruising and the occasional broken bone."
-Third: multiple typos in the ebook "Mr. Church pulled her close [nd] hugged her." and "The water in the balloons was warm, and Dahlia [immediate] understood."
-Fourth: with any ladder, there will not be a seven foot gap between the top of the ladder and the top of the wall "There was still a good seven-foot gap between the top of the ladder and the top of the wall, and her heart sank as she thought about the drop on the other side."
I don't want to be harsh, but the short story, Orc Night, by Rachel Lavin was the weakest. I appreciate the nonessential detail the Maberry adds that makes his stories so interesting. For Orc Night, I spent most of my time trying to figure out who Mark was and whether his betrayal should be indicative of anything. Additionally, this concept, doesn't make sense to me: "The orcs never got tired, they never gave up, they were relentless and insatiably hungry for the flesh of the living." If the orcs (zombies) are using human muscles, then there are action potentials and refractory times that can't be escaped. There is a reason that the fastest sprinter is faster over 100 yards than 400, and why the fastest mile pace can't be kept up over a marathon.
In a way, this was my favorite book of the series - huge Joe Ledger and Mr. Church fan. But the stakes seemed so miniscule. I struggled with bad guys being able to control thousands of zombies while 40 - 70 were enough to overrun Sam Imura and the Boyscouts in Fall of Night. Anyway, Still of Night starts 25% into the book after three short stories. I had some problems with it.
- First was with Trash: can a 17 year old really be on the semi-pro martial arts circuit? "Trash had fought in semi-pro mixed martial arts for years before the outbreak."
-Second, lacking adequate medical care, why would Church engage in training that led to broken bones? "Before the world ended that would be a fun, if weird, game of tag; now it usually resulted in heavy bruising and the occasional broken bone."
-Third: multiple typos in the ebook "Mr. Church pulled her close [nd] hugged her." and "The water in the balloons was warm, and Dahlia [immediate] understood."
-Fourth: with any ladder, there will not be a seven foot gap between the top of the ladder and the top of the wall "There was still a good seven-foot gap between the top of the ladder and the top of the wall, and her heart sank as she thought about the drop on the other side."
I don't want to be harsh, but the short story, Orc Night, by Rachel Lavin was the weakest. I appreciate the nonessential detail the Maberry adds that makes his stories so interesting. For Orc Night, I spent most of my time trying to figure out who Mark was and whether his betrayal should be indicative of anything. Additionally, this concept, doesn't make sense to me: "The orcs never got tired, they never gave up, they were relentless and insatiably hungry for the flesh of the living." If the orcs (zombies) are using human muscles, then there are action potentials and refractory times that can't be escaped. There is a reason that the fastest sprinter is faster over 100 yards than 400, and why the fastest mile pace can't be kept up over a marathon.
January 30, 2019
I love all of Jonathan Maberry's books. Whether they be his YA Rot & Ruin series, the adult Joe Ledger books or the Dead of Night series, they are all favorites of mine. The only reason I didn't give this one 5 stars was that it had a few short stories before leading into the main book and while I loved the main story not all of the short stories hit the mark for me. The main one I had issue with was Rachael's story. I had enjoyed her first appearance at a Comic Con but I couldn't get into her short story or feel it really added anything to the over arcing storyline. I did enjoy seeing her in the longer story when she meets up with Joe Ledger so it might have just been the style of the short story.
Other than that I loved the rest of the book. I was a little leery about Dahlia but watching how her character evolves is amazing especially once we she comes under Mr. Church's tutelage. And speaking of Mr. Church, I was so excited to see him make an appearance in this book. As I mentioned above I love the Joe Ledger series and seeing some of those characters weaving into this series has been great. I'm hoping at some point we see more of what happens with Top and Bunny.
I also really enjoyed reading the overview of the timeline of where all the series fell and it makes it that much more amazing see where Joe Ledger had started off and his experiences through out this entire zombie apocalypse. He really ties all the series together so nicely and I really look forward to more books.
Other than that I loved the rest of the book. I was a little leery about Dahlia but watching how her character evolves is amazing especially once we she comes under Mr. Church's tutelage. And speaking of Mr. Church, I was so excited to see him make an appearance in this book. As I mentioned above I love the Joe Ledger series and seeing some of those characters weaving into this series has been great. I'm hoping at some point we see more of what happens with Top and Bunny.
I also really enjoyed reading the overview of the timeline of where all the series fell and it makes it that much more amazing see where Joe Ledger had started off and his experiences through out this entire zombie apocalypse. He really ties all the series together so nicely and I really look forward to more books.
June 6, 2025
This had a completely different vibe than anything else I've read by Jonathan Maberry. But I loved it! I always love a good perspective switch. Joe Ledger is quickly becoming my favorite fictional man. I really liked Dahlia and her redemption arc. I see myself so much in Rachel Elle. I haven't been brave enough to cosplay, yet. But you bet your ass when the dead rise I'm stepping out in full Loki *avengers '12 of course* battle gear and bashing some heads.
Dahlia
I couldn't breathe during her intro. I didn't read ahead but I was reading in fast forward the whole time. I wish we'd gotten a little bit more closure with Trash. However, Church shaping a teenaged "fat girl with a knife" into a powerful and intelligent leader was amazing.
Joe
I'm reading these very out of order. I started with Rot and Ruin when I was a kid. Recently I've been jumping between this series and Joe Ledger. His snark, his skill, and his protective nature are amazing. I love fighters that fiercely protect children. Church just leaving feels incomplete. I'd hoped they would team up and take down some more bad guys together.
Rachel
She's such a badass. You can't get much better than Wonder woman wacking zoms. I really like how real she felt. I may not cosplay but I have friends who do, I can picture a lot of them as Rachel Elle. I do wish we had a little more context around what happened to her group.
I'm sorry for the lame review, it's an amazing book and I definitely recommend it. Now, I'm going to finally get some sleep. I one more chaptered it all night.
Dahlia
I couldn't breathe during her intro. I didn't read ahead but I was reading in fast forward the whole time. I wish we'd gotten a little bit more closure with Trash. However, Church shaping a teenaged "fat girl with a knife" into a powerful and intelligent leader was amazing.
Joe
I'm reading these very out of order. I started with Rot and Ruin when I was a kid. Recently I've been jumping between this series and Joe Ledger. His snark, his skill, and his protective nature are amazing. I love fighters that fiercely protect children. Church just leaving feels incomplete. I'd hoped they would team up and take down some more bad guys together.
Rachel
She's such a badass. You can't get much better than Wonder woman wacking zoms. I really like how real she felt. I may not cosplay but I have friends who do, I can picture a lot of them as Rachel Elle. I do wish we had a little more context around what happened to her group.
I'm sorry for the lame review, it's an amazing book and I definitely recommend it. Now, I'm going to finally get some sleep. I one more chaptered it all night.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 28, 2018
I unknowingly did myself the favor of not looking into what and more importantly who I might encounter when I picked up "Still of Night". I'm generally pretty picky with my audio book choices but with Jonathan Maberry I seldom give it a second thought. With Still of Night if I was expecting anything it would have been expecting some history behind the " Benny Imura" series and that would have been fine. I could not have been more pleased about being wrong! I'm not going to risk any spoilage beyond this... If you are anything like the Ledger fan(atic) I am when you hear the words "You can listen, you can run away or you can die" you will immediately remember how Mr. Maberry got you as addicted to the adventures of "ECHO TEAM" as you've become!
December 25, 2018
Big fan of Joe Ledger, so when this guy popped up in the feed, I was all over it. A cooperative effort with Rachel Lavin as a cosplayer who steps into the actual “super hero” role she aspired to when the ZA falls upon her. The other major character of Dahlia was also strong, perhaps even more so with her literal transformation into a true warrior , at The Deacon’s hand. This chapter had even more development of Mr. Church, which was the most interesting. I’d recommend more backstory about where and when our favorite Dark Ops departmental leader has come.
Two extremely enthusiastic thumbs up.
Two extremely enthusiastic thumbs up.
January 6, 2019
Spectacular and heartbreaking at the same time. If you've read the Joe Ledger series and the Rot and Ruin series, you know just how much the apocalypse hurts Joe. The hope and determination to survive is still there... just as there is still horrible people (somehow) left in the world. Lavin and Maberry make a spectacular writing team while fleshing out this decaying world. Realistic science fiction at its terrifying best. I truly hope there are more collaborations between Maberry and Lavin - and perhaps a few anthologies allowing others to play in the sandbox of the beginnings of the Rot & Ruin world.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 8, 2021
Damn good zombie story(ies). With a very unexpected ending.
The book opens with three short stories, introducing the three primary characters who all figure in the novella that makes up the rest of the book.
I'm a moderate fan of zombie stories. I can't read as much as I'd like to, or they start showing up in my dreams. So I'm very choosy about my zombie fiction. It has to be reasonable, the characters have to be believable, and the plot, whatever it is, has to be very good.
Obviously, this hit all three or I wouldn't have enjoyed it as much. Well done, Mr. Maberry and Ms Lavin. I'll actually be reading more of this. Just . . . not all at once. :)
The book opens with three short stories, introducing the three primary characters who all figure in the novella that makes up the rest of the book.
I'm a moderate fan of zombie stories. I can't read as much as I'd like to, or they start showing up in my dreams. So I'm very choosy about my zombie fiction. It has to be reasonable, the characters have to be believable, and the plot, whatever it is, has to be very good.
Obviously, this hit all three or I wouldn't have enjoyed it as much. Well done, Mr. Maberry and Ms Lavin. I'll actually be reading more of this. Just . . . not all at once. :)
May 24, 2025
I wouldn’t really count this as a book of short stories, because all of the characters end up together by the end. Basically it’s one overall storyline that’s told through multiple points of view. In any event, it’s just as enjoyable (if not more so), than books 1 & 2. I debated on whether I would bother reading the novella Dark of Night, which technically takes place before the events of this book. And honestly….I’m not really interested in reading any more storylines involving Dez. I really, REALLY dislike her as a character. I will be reading the Rot & Ruin series eventually, but I need to catch up on my word/motif prompts reading challenge.
January 2, 2019
Excellent, as Usual!
Another chapter in one of the best zombie series you’ll ever find! Mayberry has created a massive world across several different series and has seamlessly intertwined them all together over the last decade. Excellent read if you’ve followed the series thus far. If not...do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of the first Joe Ledger book titled “Patient Zero” to see where it all began. Excellent, excellent, excellent series and “Still of Night” just ramps it up another couple of notches!
Another chapter in one of the best zombie series you’ll ever find! Mayberry has created a massive world across several different series and has seamlessly intertwined them all together over the last decade. Excellent read if you’ve followed the series thus far. If not...do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of the first Joe Ledger book titled “Patient Zero” to see where it all began. Excellent, excellent, excellent series and “Still of Night” just ramps it up another couple of notches!
April 6, 2022
Overall I enjoyed the 3 short stories more than the longer 4th one. I wasn't the biggest fan of the second book in this series so I knew this one would be a hit or miss for me going into it.
Fat Girl With A Knife was my favorite, although it seemed slightly obvious to me that it was written by a man.
The other two stories were okay but didn't really stand out in any special way.
As for the longer fourth story, it really struggled to hold my interest. After having to keep pushing myself to keep reading I ended up DNF-ing it at page #141.
Fat Girl With A Knife was my favorite, although it seemed slightly obvious to me that it was written by a man.
The other two stories were okay but didn't really stand out in any special way.
As for the longer fourth story, it really struggled to hold my interest. After having to keep pushing myself to keep reading I ended up DNF-ing it at page #141.
June 19, 2024
A thrilling addition to his already impressive body of work in the horror genre. This novel takes readers on an intense journey through a world teetering on the brink of collapse, filled with the chilling suspense and rich storytelling that Maberry is known for.
The story picks up in a dire setting where the remnants of humanity are battling not just the infected, but also the crumbling of social and moral structures. Maberry's strength in character development shines through as he crafts a cast of characters who are both deeply flawed and profoundly relatable. Their struggles for survival are palpable, driving the narrative with urgency and depth.
Maberry's prose is precise and gripping, with a pacing that keeps the tension consistently high. He masterfully balances action sequences with quieter, more introspective moments, giving readers a chance to breathe and bond with the characters before the next wave of terror strikes.
The thematic exploration of hope and human resilience in the face of overwhelming darkness is particularly compelling. "Still of Night" is not just a tale of survival but also a meditation on what it means to maintain one's humanity in the darkest times.
A must-read for fans of horror and post-apocalyptic narratives. Jonathan Maberry has delivered a novel that is both a heart-pounding survival story and a thoughtful exploration of adversity and redemption. It's a vivid, haunting novel that lingers with the reader long after the last page is turned.
The story picks up in a dire setting where the remnants of humanity are battling not just the infected, but also the crumbling of social and moral structures. Maberry's strength in character development shines through as he crafts a cast of characters who are both deeply flawed and profoundly relatable. Their struggles for survival are palpable, driving the narrative with urgency and depth.
Maberry's prose is precise and gripping, with a pacing that keeps the tension consistently high. He masterfully balances action sequences with quieter, more introspective moments, giving readers a chance to breathe and bond with the characters before the next wave of terror strikes.
The thematic exploration of hope and human resilience in the face of overwhelming darkness is particularly compelling. "Still of Night" is not just a tale of survival but also a meditation on what it means to maintain one's humanity in the darkest times.
A must-read for fans of horror and post-apocalyptic narratives. Jonathan Maberry has delivered a novel that is both a heart-pounding survival story and a thoughtful exploration of adversity and redemption. It's a vivid, haunting novel that lingers with the reader long after the last page is turned.
December 14, 2024
😫 Soooo sad that I’ve reached the end of this series. It may seem weird to react that way over zombie apocalypse books, but there it is. Not only am I sorry that my visit into this world has ended, but I am also going to miss listening to the narrators Ray Porter and William Dufris, who were both so awesome at telling the tale of these character’s journey to survive. My favorite characters in the series were Joe, JT, Rachel, and Mr. Church. My least favorites were Dez, Trout, and Dahlia. I will definitely be reading and listening to more from Maberry, Dufris and Porter, in future.
November 23, 2020
I am resting in the afterglow after having read this book. This book is broken up into 3 short-stories that each provide a different perspective of the end of the world. Naturally, if the world is ending, then Joe Ledger (with Bunny and Top) must be near. It had been quite a while since I had last listened to a Joe Ledger novel. I had almost forgotten how well the voice talents of Ray Porter brings Joe and his character to life. It was such a pleasure!
January 29, 2026
Thoughts on this Book
I’m going off a "Joe Ledger" kick right now, so I’m reviewing these two together. The main premise is that the world has been overrun by zombies, and there is a group of school buses full of children and residents from a small town trying to get to a safe place. Joe Ledger comes in to help with the rescue. The buses take a diverse route, going through different places with various groups of people helping them along the way.
What I like about these novels is that they aren't slow. Usually, when you’re watching shows or movies in this genre, it becomes a slog where you get bogged down in the details of daily life and it gets boring. The only time things speed up is during a zombie attack. I don’t like that about other movies, but these books are amazing to listen to because you get through them really fast.
The other great thing about these books is the focus on the hostility of people. Zombies are not the only thing to fear; there are "normal" people praying on the weak, the helpless, and the innocent. There are all levels of evil that people are going through: one community excludes people based on their race, while others are driven by misogyny or just killing for fun. The survivors have to combat all of that as they try to get to safety. We know Ledger doesn’t tolerate that kind of shit, so he steps up to help.
We do get to see Church and a glimpse of Sam, but I would have liked to see Bunny & Top too. I really missed them because they make such a good team with Joe. Of course, Church was his unflappable self. Even when the world is ending, he finds a group of kids who are good people and trains them not just to survive, but to defend humanity. Joe and Church do meet up, but it’s at a very late stage in the story—though it was a cute moment. I also missed Lilith and Violin--they would have changed things up!
Also reviewed at WP
Review of Book 2 here
I’m going off a "Joe Ledger" kick right now, so I’m reviewing these two together. The main premise is that the world has been overrun by zombies, and there is a group of school buses full of children and residents from a small town trying to get to a safe place. Joe Ledger comes in to help with the rescue. The buses take a diverse route, going through different places with various groups of people helping them along the way.
What I like about these novels is that they aren't slow. Usually, when you’re watching shows or movies in this genre, it becomes a slog where you get bogged down in the details of daily life and it gets boring. The only time things speed up is during a zombie attack. I don’t like that about other movies, but these books are amazing to listen to because you get through them really fast.
The other great thing about these books is the focus on the hostility of people. Zombies are not the only thing to fear; there are "normal" people praying on the weak, the helpless, and the innocent. There are all levels of evil that people are going through: one community excludes people based on their race, while others are driven by misogyny or just killing for fun. The survivors have to combat all of that as they try to get to safety. We know Ledger doesn’t tolerate that kind of shit, so he steps up to help.
We do get to see Church and a glimpse of Sam, but I would have liked to see Bunny & Top too. I really missed them because they make such a good team with Joe. Of course, Church was his unflappable self. Even when the world is ending, he finds a group of kids who are good people and trains them not just to survive, but to defend humanity. Joe and Church do meet up, but it’s at a very late stage in the story—though it was a cute moment. I also missed Lilith and Violin--they would have changed things up!
Also reviewed at WP
Review of Book 2 here
January 30, 2019
I absolutely loved this book, Joe Ledger and Mr church are my favorite characters, they're so badasses, im looking to read the joe ledger series, then the next Rot and ruin series, Jonathan Maberry is a genius, i love zombies 😊, thanks to George A Romero we can enjoy all this stories and movies out there, RIP boss
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