Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

The Fifth Survivor #1

The Fifth Survivor: Episode 1

Rate this book
ZOMBIES AND BACON RULE! The series where the worlds of Charles Bronson and Resident Evil combine into an episodic book series! Who says old men can't be badass vigilantes? A middle-aged journalist turned vigilante will show he can kick some serious zombie butt and save the friggin world while maintaining his unhealthy bacon obsession. Sign in and see if you survive the nightmare. On July 7th, 2007 the first ever zombie outbreak took place in Brooklyn, NY. Four survivors were able to escape and live through the horrors. These survivors included Angel, Maria, Luis, and Joe. While most literature will say there were four survivors that survived that fateful day, there was one survivor that was never spotted or even mentioned. He will always be known as the unknown survivor of the first outbreak. This survivor is known as George Fisher and he knows the ins and outs of Hybrid. Behind the secret cloak of his job as a janitor, he intends to expose Hybrid for their misdeeds from the inside out. This secret survivor would rather be referenced as the “The Fifth Survivor.” Join George in his survival horror adventure. This is episode 1 in what will be a serial release that will have a new episode every month or so. George learns more about the giant pharmaceutical company, The Hybrid Corporation. With its checkered past, he becomes suspicious about their real intentions when they decide they want to build a substation in his hometown of Cypress Hills. Deciding to make the dangerous decision to probe Hybrid without permission, George will sneak into a construction site, the Hybrid HQ, and sneak into a meeting in the hospital. What he doesn't know is that when he decides to sneak into the hospital meeting, the Raven Hawk virus has already been released. With the hospital infected with zombies and other biohazard creatures, will he escape to continue his probe? Or has he gotten his foot in too deep into a rat trap that threatens mankind? See the New World Order plot through the eyes of the journalist known as, "The Fish Master". This is a gamelit set in the real world, so it's all real, even the zombies!

119 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 25, 2019

158 people are currently reading
88 people want to read

About the author

Angel Ramon

34 books41 followers

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
57 (60%)
4 stars
15 (15%)
3 stars
7 (7%)
2 stars
5 (5%)
1 star
11 (11%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
Profile Image for Shelley Deuso.
58 reviews1 follower
April 10, 2019
This book was my very first gameLit type book I have read and I am totally hooked.
The storyline was great with plenty of action and because I have played games like this I could easily visulize everything as described.
I absolutely can't wait to read the next in the series and will now be reading a whole new type of book!!
Profile Image for John Adams.
Author 17 books8 followers
October 2, 2019
You wouldn't think that two very separate things like bacon and zombies could come together in such a fine fashion! I have never heard of "gameLit" before today and I'm not completely sure that I understand it --- give me a break will you? I'm a late fiftysomething fuddy! Anyway, the author has a talented writing style and I am pleased to hand over my five stars.
369 reviews3 followers
January 14, 2019
Awesome book! Very different from other Author​'s that's for sure. Sadly to say I haven't read any book's by Angel before this one and I even own 3 books by him haven't read them yet.
We follow George trying to build story against big company and the hospital and follow leads. All at the same time fighting his way out of infested hospital of zombies and weird creatures that are infection too!!!. I love how the author does the story telling in video game action it was amazing!! Can't wait to read more!!!
1 review
January 17, 2019
Action packed, interesting characters and a little bit of intrigue. GameLit is not my thing, but I am hooked on the story and would like to follow the remainder of George's journey. Personally, I would love a bit more depth to the other characters in the story.
Profile Image for Robin.
289 reviews
July 9, 2019
Awesome gamelit fiction

First time reading this style of book and I loved it! Looking forward to the next episodes. I really felt like I was in a game
Profile Image for Jennifer Willison.
215 reviews8 followers
January 7, 2019
Excellent book. So much action you stay drawn in right up to the very end. The characters are fun and well written.
5 reviews36 followers
January 17, 2019

The Fifth Survivor: Episode 1 is my first exposure to the gamelit genre. This is exciting new territory as a reader. Ramon does an excellent job formatting the narrative to showcase different text elements found in games. Details relevant to the reader (or player) such as leveling up skills are displayed in bold. Interactive written elements such as notes, letters, and journal entries are featured in italics and I appreciated that some, while not relevant to the main story, added texture and richness to the world.

The present verb tense took a little bit to get used to but captured the action and agency of playing a game. I am intrigued by the idea that Ramon could explore writing a second person point of view novel in his zombie world to give the reader even more agency.

Ramon is skilled at writing action sequences however he oftentimes failed to provide physical descriptions of the area the action was taking place beyond some structural damage or the type of room it was. Objects in the room were not described until they were interacted with, which caused me to reread sections to make sure I knew what room I was in.

For the most part, Ramon does a good job of showing instead of telling. There were two instances during dialogue that instead of continuing the dialogue and providing world building and details in the responses characters gave, Ramon chose to summarize in exposition. I felt that the interview would have been helpful to see the types of questions George asks and look at the way Anthony Clark answered them.

There is some room for improvement as there were some issues with continuity. There was a contradiction with the oversized tank zombie. In some scenes you could hear or feel the vibrations of his footsteps, his imposing size and demeanor kept him from moving quietly. But in other scenes he would pop out of nowhere, completely silent. The release of the experiment occurred on that day at the hospital and within a few hours George finds patients who have flatlined due to lack of care and expired food and flat soda in a break room. Those are things that would have taken more time to occur.

The novel would have been stronger with some research outside of video games. Announcements made in the novel were long and provided unnecessary details, and the announcement made at the hospital began with calling a Code Red. Code Red is standard in US hospitals for fire. Along the lines of fire, the hospital was not designed for fire code as doors that exited into stairwells and emergency exits were locked preventing exit (which was irksome given the long announcement ordered everyone to evacuate through the nearest emergency exit). Basic crime scene protocol knowledge would have improved George’s interaction with police. He was able to walk away without being required to provide any information while being possibly the last person to see a murder victim alive. George also unjams his magnum revolver by slamming it against the wall or floor which isn't an effective way to fix a jam on a gun, let alone a gun that rarely jams. These incidents of needing more world knowledge didn’t affect the flow of the narrative too much, just brief hiccups where I was reminded that’s not how it works.

The first half of the book is very quick to get into the action. George is very much a do-things-by-the-seat-of-his-pants character and he keeps the plot moving forward. By the second half of the novel I began to notice frequent typos and redundant words and phrases. It was as if editors and proofreaders had started editing the novel and stopped finding errors once they got pulled into the story.

If you can excuse some grammatical issues, the novel will pull you in with Ramon’s command of action and fighting. George is a believable and quirky character and his objectives are compelling. Gamelit is an exciting genre to read and experience. Ramon has the story crafting and potential to be next greatest zombie craze.

Profile Image for Charlotte Miller.
31 reviews
January 19, 2019
The Fifth Survivor: Episode 1 is my first exposure to the gamelit genre. However, since I enjoy zombie books, this was a great segueway to the genre for me. The story follows George Fisher as he is is trying to find out what the Hybrid Corporation is up to, how they are involved the Woodhull Hospital, and what the “Raven Hawk” virus is.
George is in the hospital when the Hybrid Corporation releases the virus and is attempting to escape from the zombies. While trying to escape he encounters animals that have been infected with the virus and have transformed into mutated beings of themselves. In his escapade to escape the hospital he encounters game power-ups to assist him.
I felt that the story needed to have more showing to it than telling. It was hard to get in to the story, because the story needed to have more description to it. The second person point-of-view was difficult to read. I felt there were areas that needed more explanation and definition and other areas, such as the announcements and letters, that could have been cut down or eliminated.
The story was also full of grammatical errors and some repetition of words. However, overall there is a good storyline and with some re-working could be very excellent. George is a likable character and is intent on his purpose. Even with the even with some of the inconsistencies, the story leaves you wanting to find out more about the “Raven Hawk” virus and the zombies.
I received and advanced reader copy and am providing a review of my own free will.
Profile Image for Joshua Griffith.
Author 16 books34 followers
May 31, 2019
A wonderful story that makes you feel like you're in a video game

It was a wonderful read and I'm a sucker for horror, zombies and video games which meshes nicely in this story. You follow along with George, a school janitor by day and an investigative reporter looking to uncover the mystery as to why the shady mega pharmaceutical company Hybrid doing in a small area just on the outskirts of New York city.
After a lot of sneaking and snooping, he uncovers that Hybrid is partnering with a local hospital to test its cure for cancer drug in the patients. George discovers and tries to collect evidence that Hybrid is up to no good and runs into zombies, freaky creatures like man eating frogs, lizard creatures, and worst of them all: Mr Z, a superhuman monster that won't stay dead.it's a wonderful story that you can actually feel like you're playing a game like Resident Evil. One thing that caught my attention was the author put in choices that George should make, either conversation or what to do, like in games such as Mass Effect. Part of me wishes that I could make the different choices and see where the story goes, like I did with old find your own fate novels. That would make this wonderful story interactive and unique, but might be a pain in the zombie bite to do. Yes, I just geeked out and with that, I highly recommend this one!I
Profile Image for Stephen Landry.
Author 53 books27 followers
January 21, 2019
I was given an ARC copy of this novel.

Angel’s writing style is unique in that not only does he move the story forward using present tense, dialogue, and gamelit elements but he weaves together a plot full of mystery and action introducing new takes on some familiar monsters while bringing a new perspective to his other novels. This is an author who has found his voice. I wouldn’t say you have to read the other Angel Nightmare Adventures to enjoy this but if you have you will be pleasantly surprised the way they flow together. George is an interesting character and I can’t wait to learn more about Raven Hawk and the new characters introduced in future episodes. If you are new Angel’s work or to the zombie / gamelit genres I really recommend checking out this series. The Fifth Survivor has the elements of horror without being too scary or gory and moves at such a fast tense pace fans of zombie fiction can pick this up and enjoy it right from the start. This might count as a spoiler but I was surprised to find as a bonus there is an index in the back that sums up the characters, monsters and even includes a list of weapons.
Profile Image for George Fisher.
9 reviews1 follower
January 26, 2019
I love the MC. Having said that Angel writes well defined zombie horror from a FPS standpoint. Over the years, his books have developed into a cult following. And, his writing style has gotten much deeper into character development. I'm certainly not saying the beginning books were bad, they were not. Just that the characters now come to life and progress with the story line. And, I like seeing that in the authors I follow.

This book isn't a waste of time. You can follow along even if you haven't read anything Angel has written before. Which makes it all the better. Even if you're not into zombies and horror, this is a good book to introduce or reintroduce you to the sub-genre.
Profile Image for Stefan McElvain.
Author 50 books39 followers
August 8, 2019
This is a first for me...a game novel. I enjoyed reading it, but not sure it's my cup of tea. You're inside a game with choices, and what happens next is driven by the selection--which is part of the story. That's the area I'm not sure about. I think I would have preferred you choose and then jump ahead. Maybe that's too difficult to create in an eBook format as it causes multiple reading paths.
Back to the story, you're a detective trying to find out what is going on and staying alive. There are zombies and monsters...plus plenty of gore.

It's a fun read...and as this is episode one...more to come.

If you enjoy zombie stories, this one's up your alley.
Profile Image for Butterfly Bridge Reviews.
67 reviews4 followers
March 16, 2019
New York Zombies what can I say. This book has so much to offer. The outbreak that took NY by surprise. I know some people not effected by it. Darn..lol

The beginning of Georges journey. We get to see how it all began. For those of you who have not read any of these amazing books you really should.

The action, suspense, thriller and OMG the ZOMBIES and other nasty things. I'm pretty sure he described my ex-sister in law in this book. I will check the next time I see her.

This will be an amazing adventure for all.
Profile Image for Oralee.
145 reviews3 followers
January 4, 2019
Wow what a unique read! I have never read a book written quit like this one. I loved the way this book was like playing a video game it was very unique. Protagonist George Fisher is a pretty ordinary guy in a pretty crazy and unique situation. The story is fast paced with interesting enemy's and fascinating characters. It draws you in and because it reads like a video game you feel more a part of the story. Looking forward to Episode 2 this series is a winner.
72 reviews1 follower
October 26, 2020
Breathless, original take on the theme of the lone investigator taking on a big, evil corporation up to no good. The narrative is presented as if we are immersed in a video-game, as we follow middle-aged George in his struggle against a multitude of zombies and the Hybrid Corporation. Cleverly and smoothly done, with a fair number of dead zombies littering up the place. The author's enthusiasm and skill got me quickly hooked. Original and exciting.
15 reviews1 follower
January 1, 2019
Really nice concept of combining the video game Resident Evil with a written story. Angel does a great job developing the characters. It is fast paced,action packed and well written. Looking forward to the next installment!
Profile Image for Michelle.
266 reviews
January 15, 2019
I have given this book 4 stars because it was not my “cup of tea”. I’m not criticising the authors work~it’s fine, I’m just not into GameLit especially in ZomPoc.

If you’re into GameLit then this is the book for you.
790 reviews7 followers
January 26, 2019
My favorite so far

One thing these books have in common is a point of view as if the reader's playing a game. I think they are patterned after the Resident Evil game play. The storytelling has improved with each novel. I had a fun time reading it. Pretty easy to read. Great job Angel Ramon!
62 reviews
February 9, 2019
I was not disappointed! I really like this series and love the back stories that make their way to us. This book can be a stand alone, but I do recommend reading the rest of the series, it is just as good! I love the gamelit horror, a fan for life!
Profile Image for J.C. Everlyn.
Author 17 books35 followers
June 15, 2019
I really enjoyed reading this book. It reminded me of playing video games which I also like to do. I am also a fan of zombies and watch TWD and have seen every George Romero zombie movie he made with my husband. Who says woman can't enjoy books like these ;-) Great job!
Profile Image for Jim Glover.
349 reviews5 followers
October 24, 2020
I’m not a big zombie fan but started seeing this book advert all over Facebook and thought what the hell. If you have ever played Resident Evil then this book is just like reading if someone wrote exactly how you were playing. It announces low health, health herb, ammo it’s pretty cool I enjoyed it a lot. Now if you want to listen to it, I highly recommend getting the audible. The guy who reads it is great and you will laugh your ass off. Don’t want to spoil it why just check it out you won’t regret it
Profile Image for A.L. Norton.
Author 33 books120 followers
April 20, 2019
If you like Resident Evil, you will love this book! 5 stars all the way!
Profile Image for Jade Wilson.
160 reviews2 followers
April 24, 2019
A good read it kept me hooked all the way through.
Profile Image for P.D. Alleva.
Author 19 books765 followers
July 12, 2019
This is The second book I have read by this author and I do have to say he does not disappoint. His books are fast-paced and exciting. I’m looking forward to continuing the series.
194 reviews2 followers
July 12, 2020
Almost like playing a game

It's written like a game, and it's fun. The writing could be better but it's an enjoyable read. I will read the next
Profile Image for Merrill David.
Author 31 books61 followers
April 15, 2021
Intense gamelit zombie action!

My first taste of gamelit, it was an action packed fun read ! Makes me wish I was a gamer ! Very nice book, highly recommended!
23 reviews1 follower
January 25, 2019
Zombies

I love this book. Angel is a very talented writer and can't wait to read the second book from this series. I will be recommending it to all my friends who, like me, love resident evil and all things zombie. 😃😃😃😃😃😃
Profile Image for Elaine Emmerick.
137 reviews8 followers
January 25, 2019
IT'S A 5 STAR ZOMBIE READ!


In this Zombie thriller - George Fisher is
trying to get information on Woodhull Hospital and the Hybrid Corp. As George gathers more information - he comes in contact with zombies, Mr. Z, Frogger and Lizarda. They've been infected with the "Raven Hawk" virus. Hybrid is telling people that it's a cancer cure. But something nefarious is going on!

George continues to check out the hospital's floors and finds keycards, healing herbs and sprays to use when he sustains damage. He also kills zombies and tries to avoid getting hurt with the venom of the mutated species. Mr. Z is a superhuman to be reckoned with. As much as he tries to kill Mr. Z, it always gets back up - ready to chase George.

As George tries to escape from the hospital, his friend Elaine is willing to pick him up in the hospital parking lot. It seems that the more he tries to escape, the more these mutated species attack him.

When he's in the parking lot, he sees Elaine and they make a mad dash to her car.

Will George survive? What will it take to kill Mr. Z? What will happen next? You'll have to read it to find out!

I'm a big fan of Angel and he never disappoints his readers! If you like lots of action, including zombies and other mutated species - this is the book for you!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.