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The Scattered and the Dead #0.5-2
The Scattered and the Dead Series: The First Four Books
"A heart pounding, nightmare inducing read that is also sad and nostalgic, poignant and even endearing." Over 1,600 pages of post-apocalyptic survival.
With 99.7% of the Earth's population dead and gone, the few who remain struggle to survive in an empty world. The scattered. The leftovers. These are their stories.
This collection contains the first four volumes of The Scattered and the Dead series, books 0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2.0.
Meet Mitch, a father infected with the zombie virus. His wife is gone. He has 24 hours until he turns. Can he make sure his kids are taken care of before time runs out?
Meet Travis, a 23 year old wimp who ran away as his parents were murdered by raiders. Surrounded by towers of scavenged booze and pills, he only wants to numb the pain... until he happens upon the men who killed his family. Now he has a choice.
Meet Erin. She's 16. Six months ago she was worried about prom. Now she worries about zombies and raiders and feeding an eight year old orphan.
Meet Baghead. Meet Ray and Lorraine. Meet Decker and Teddy and Fiona.
Meet the utterly lost who look for meaning in humanity's fading glow. Meet the scattered and the dead. Grab the box set today.
Praise for The Scattered and the Dead series:
"Comparable to The Stand... I don't say this lightly. This book is amazing." - Rain
"It is a heart pounding, nightmare inducing read that is also sad and nostalgic, poignant and even endearing." - Queen_of_Chaos
"Tim McBain and L.T. Vargus have written yet another spectacular and vivid story." - Heather Di
"Best book in this genre I've EVER read!" - Krycek
"I loved the characters and their stories, can't wait to see who makes it to the end. Very entertaining!" - Dina
"Man, got sucked in from page 1. Very well written, hard/impossible to put down. Love being immersed in this world with relatable dialogue and story to boot. 10 out of 10 would read again." - Paul King
"Dark and fast paced, with vivid imagery." - Michael J
"The best zombie series you will ever read! Love King, Cronin, or Koontz? The Scattered and the Dead is for you." - Kurt Robair
With 99.7% of the Earth's population dead and gone, the few who remain struggle to survive in an empty world. The scattered. The leftovers. These are their stories.
This collection contains the first four volumes of The Scattered and the Dead series, books 0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2.0.
Meet Mitch, a father infected with the zombie virus. His wife is gone. He has 24 hours until he turns. Can he make sure his kids are taken care of before time runs out?
Meet Travis, a 23 year old wimp who ran away as his parents were murdered by raiders. Surrounded by towers of scavenged booze and pills, he only wants to numb the pain... until he happens upon the men who killed his family. Now he has a choice.
Meet Erin. She's 16. Six months ago she was worried about prom. Now she worries about zombies and raiders and feeding an eight year old orphan.
Meet Baghead. Meet Ray and Lorraine. Meet Decker and Teddy and Fiona.
Meet the utterly lost who look for meaning in humanity's fading glow. Meet the scattered and the dead. Grab the box set today.
Praise for The Scattered and the Dead series:
"Comparable to The Stand... I don't say this lightly. This book is amazing." - Rain
"It is a heart pounding, nightmare inducing read that is also sad and nostalgic, poignant and even endearing." - Queen_of_Chaos
"Tim McBain and L.T. Vargus have written yet another spectacular and vivid story." - Heather Di
"Best book in this genre I've EVER read!" - Krycek
"I loved the characters and their stories, can't wait to see who makes it to the end. Very entertaining!" - Dina
"Man, got sucked in from page 1. Very well written, hard/impossible to put down. Love being immersed in this world with relatable dialogue and story to boot. 10 out of 10 would read again." - Paul King
"Dark and fast paced, with vivid imagery." - Michael J
"The best zombie series you will ever read! Love King, Cronin, or Koontz? The Scattered and the Dead is for you." - Kurt Robair
- GenresAmazonZombiesApocalyptic
Audible Audio
First published August 30, 2017
995 people are currently reading
148 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
May 6, 2021
Riveting, smart and the characters are fabulous! Several subplots take place throughout these first 4 books of the series - each has separate characters, dilemmas and group dynamics - I enjoyed this aspect a lot, and think it kept the storyline exceptionally fresh and exciting.
The narration by Christopher Boucher is phenomenal! Cannot say enough about the fine job he does voicing all of the numerous characters throughout - male, female, young, old and in multiple dialects.
The narration by Christopher Boucher is phenomenal! Cannot say enough about the fine job he does voicing all of the numerous characters throughout - male, female, young, old and in multiple dialects.
September 1, 2017
Overall review: TEOTWAWKI, zombies, raiders, cults, addicts, serial killers, average people just trying to survive, and mysterious guys wearing bags over their heads—the Scattered and the Dead has something for everybody. It's one post-apocalyptic thrill ride you don't want to miss.
Individual reviews:
Book 0.5
shut-in vs. the apocalypse
I love this book. It's grim, dark, and visceral. While society falls apart, Decker, a guy who sealed himself off from the world at the very beginning of the plague is trying to make a connection with the girl across the hall.
This is a smooth, seamless read. I finished it in one sitting. I couldn't stop turning the pages. I had to find out what Decker would do next, how he would cope with this dark new reality, and whether he would finally give the letter to the girl across the hall. The ending gave me this sense of finality and loss, of irreversible changes—not just to the world, but to Decker himself. I realized I'd been clinging to the old world and the old Decker as tightly as he had been. In the end, that was the hardest part to stomach—watching helplessly while Decker became the man he had to be to survive.
If this is any indication of things to come, then the Scattered and the Dead Book 1 can't come out soon enough. I can't wait to spend some more time in McBain and Vargus's grim and gritty post-apocalyptic world.
Book 1.0
it's the end of the world as we know it
One of the coolest things about the Scattered and the Dead Book 1 is that it combines everything post-apocalyptic enthusiasts love about the genre--death, fighting, TEOTWAWKI, the struggle to survive without modern niceties like electricity, and oh yeah, freakin' zombies!--with the contemplation of why humans cling so hard to The World As We Know It in the first place. Why do we fill up our lives with products and meaningless entertainment? What problem does a large Number 5 with cheese solve? How is being ironic on Instagram or Twitter enriching our lives? What lessons are we imparting to the next generation by spending our time in front of a television, ereader, computer, or phone screen? How much time and energy before and after The End are we going to expend trying to keep ourselves numb to the world around us?
Zombie plagues and food for thought. Pretty awesome, right? And you haven't even met the cast yet.
There's Mitch, the dad at the end of the world, who's turning into a zombie and only has hours left to prep his sons for the apocalypse they never thought would come. Erin, a teenager taking care of an eight-year-old while learning to survive in the world After. Travis, raiding the ruins of the world for all the booze, cigarettes, and pills he can find so he never has to feel again. Baghead, on a one-man publisher on a mission to preserve the memory of the world Before. The slick former televangelist, the lone sadist, the mysterious Five...the list goes on and on. Somehow the all-star team of Vargas and McBain managed to weave all of these story lines and ideas into a single book that takes us into, through, and out the other side of the apocalypse.
The feeling I got as I read was one of all these story lines working toward a singularity, of disparate threads coming together, and without giving away any spoilers, I was not disappointed. The Scattered and the Dead Book 1 is epic on so many levels. It's the first full novel in the series, but I would say it could almost be read as a self-contained story. There isn't any cheesy cliffhanger; the ending is satisfying and awful and just right. I can't wait to see what happens with the characters and the world in the rest of the series.
Book 1.5
zombie apocalypse with a chance of muuuurder
Like the Scattered and the Dead 0.5, I read 1.5 in one sitting because I couldn't stop. I had to see what would happen. The authors know how to write a story that won't let you go. I'm still thinking about everything that went down, turning over how it could all too easily become reality for mankind—just add apocalypse.
The creepiest parts of this story was the isolated characters' slow slide into dark superstitions. Weird little ideas that might have been easily dismissed Before with the distractions of technology start to take on a life of their own After, where there's nothing but cold and dark and time to think. Suspicions grow and twist into obsessions, and those morph into horrific actions. It was inevitable and awful, and McBain and Vargus never give the reader a chance to look away. The writing is stark, almost painfully clear, and serves to reinforce that this new world is a one without the same brand of hope as the old world, even as one of the characters is offered a fresh start.
The Scattered and the Dead 1.5 is also a volume of Postcards from an Empty World, the collections Baghead has become famous (or infamous) for publishing, and it offers us clues as to why Father wants Baghead dead. When viewed from that angle, it's not just an awesome read, it's an awesome piece of world-building metafiction. Unlike other works of metafiction, though, it isn't alienating or sarcastic. As the reader, you're both completely enmeshed in the characters' accounts and aware of the stories stretching across the Scattered and the Dead series. It's brilliant.
Book 2.0
not your grandpa's zombie apocalypse
Some post-apocalyptic zombie stories are so predictable that the only thing keeping you reading is the zombie-head-smashing action. Some are so full of zombie-head-smashing that you can't see the cardboard-cutout-characters for the blood. Some are so focused on methodical survival that they could be the curriculum for a prepper's TEOTWAWKI course. And some are so dark that you can't imagine anyone wanting to survive in that sick new future, let alone actually thrive in it. But The Scattered and the Dead is not like any of those post-apocalyptic zombie stories. In this series, Vargus and McBain have struck an incredible balance between character, action, story, survival, dark, light, and oh yeah, zombies. It's the total package.
Weaving together strands from the characters who fascinated us from the previous books with unpredictable newcomers, The Scattered and the Dead Book 2 takes us on a journey through the worst of human nature: A sadistic psycho driven to torture and kill. A corrupt community where no one is going to punish a murderer because he has connections. The creation of a cult by false prophets preying on their follower's desperate desire for miracles. The realities of scarcity and the lengths the survivors will go to take supplies from each other.
However, unlike some post-apocalyptic series, The Scattered and the Dead isn't a complete condemnation of humanity. The authors didn't just slap some evil characters onto the page and call it a day. They built real, living, breathing humans out of words, then let those humans interact with the world. What came out was dark, definitely, but there was light in it, too. Book 2 is both a look at how awful humans can be to each other...and how beautiful they can be to each other. While reading, you get a sense of hope, a sense that maybe goodness can even survive a zombie apocalypse. The darkness in these books just accentuates the moments of light all the more.
Of course, there's also a bunch of zombie-smashin', Bind Torture Killin', and revenge-soaked deliciousness in there, too. Even more of the disparate strands our favorite author duo started with are coming together in new, sick, and satisfying ways. If you see this ending coming, then you should probably check with your local psychic, because you might be clairvoyant. It's so inevitable and yet so unpredictable—and that makes it downright awesome. Just read it already!
Individual reviews:
Book 0.5
shut-in vs. the apocalypse
I love this book. It's grim, dark, and visceral. While society falls apart, Decker, a guy who sealed himself off from the world at the very beginning of the plague is trying to make a connection with the girl across the hall.
This is a smooth, seamless read. I finished it in one sitting. I couldn't stop turning the pages. I had to find out what Decker would do next, how he would cope with this dark new reality, and whether he would finally give the letter to the girl across the hall. The ending gave me this sense of finality and loss, of irreversible changes—not just to the world, but to Decker himself. I realized I'd been clinging to the old world and the old Decker as tightly as he had been. In the end, that was the hardest part to stomach—watching helplessly while Decker became the man he had to be to survive.
If this is any indication of things to come, then the Scattered and the Dead Book 1 can't come out soon enough. I can't wait to spend some more time in McBain and Vargus's grim and gritty post-apocalyptic world.
Book 1.0
it's the end of the world as we know it
One of the coolest things about the Scattered and the Dead Book 1 is that it combines everything post-apocalyptic enthusiasts love about the genre--death, fighting, TEOTWAWKI, the struggle to survive without modern niceties like electricity, and oh yeah, freakin' zombies!--with the contemplation of why humans cling so hard to The World As We Know It in the first place. Why do we fill up our lives with products and meaningless entertainment? What problem does a large Number 5 with cheese solve? How is being ironic on Instagram or Twitter enriching our lives? What lessons are we imparting to the next generation by spending our time in front of a television, ereader, computer, or phone screen? How much time and energy before and after The End are we going to expend trying to keep ourselves numb to the world around us?
Zombie plagues and food for thought. Pretty awesome, right? And you haven't even met the cast yet.
There's Mitch, the dad at the end of the world, who's turning into a zombie and only has hours left to prep his sons for the apocalypse they never thought would come. Erin, a teenager taking care of an eight-year-old while learning to survive in the world After. Travis, raiding the ruins of the world for all the booze, cigarettes, and pills he can find so he never has to feel again. Baghead, on a one-man publisher on a mission to preserve the memory of the world Before. The slick former televangelist, the lone sadist, the mysterious Five...the list goes on and on. Somehow the all-star team of Vargas and McBain managed to weave all of these story lines and ideas into a single book that takes us into, through, and out the other side of the apocalypse.
The feeling I got as I read was one of all these story lines working toward a singularity, of disparate threads coming together, and without giving away any spoilers, I was not disappointed. The Scattered and the Dead Book 1 is epic on so many levels. It's the first full novel in the series, but I would say it could almost be read as a self-contained story. There isn't any cheesy cliffhanger; the ending is satisfying and awful and just right. I can't wait to see what happens with the characters and the world in the rest of the series.
Book 1.5
zombie apocalypse with a chance of muuuurder
Like the Scattered and the Dead 0.5, I read 1.5 in one sitting because I couldn't stop. I had to see what would happen. The authors know how to write a story that won't let you go. I'm still thinking about everything that went down, turning over how it could all too easily become reality for mankind—just add apocalypse.
The creepiest parts of this story was the isolated characters' slow slide into dark superstitions. Weird little ideas that might have been easily dismissed Before with the distractions of technology start to take on a life of their own After, where there's nothing but cold and dark and time to think. Suspicions grow and twist into obsessions, and those morph into horrific actions. It was inevitable and awful, and McBain and Vargus never give the reader a chance to look away. The writing is stark, almost painfully clear, and serves to reinforce that this new world is a one without the same brand of hope as the old world, even as one of the characters is offered a fresh start.
The Scattered and the Dead 1.5 is also a volume of Postcards from an Empty World, the collections Baghead has become famous (or infamous) for publishing, and it offers us clues as to why Father wants Baghead dead. When viewed from that angle, it's not just an awesome read, it's an awesome piece of world-building metafiction. Unlike other works of metafiction, though, it isn't alienating or sarcastic. As the reader, you're both completely enmeshed in the characters' accounts and aware of the stories stretching across the Scattered and the Dead series. It's brilliant.
Book 2.0
not your grandpa's zombie apocalypse
Some post-apocalyptic zombie stories are so predictable that the only thing keeping you reading is the zombie-head-smashing action. Some are so full of zombie-head-smashing that you can't see the cardboard-cutout-characters for the blood. Some are so focused on methodical survival that they could be the curriculum for a prepper's TEOTWAWKI course. And some are so dark that you can't imagine anyone wanting to survive in that sick new future, let alone actually thrive in it. But The Scattered and the Dead is not like any of those post-apocalyptic zombie stories. In this series, Vargus and McBain have struck an incredible balance between character, action, story, survival, dark, light, and oh yeah, zombies. It's the total package.
Weaving together strands from the characters who fascinated us from the previous books with unpredictable newcomers, The Scattered and the Dead Book 2 takes us on a journey through the worst of human nature: A sadistic psycho driven to torture and kill. A corrupt community where no one is going to punish a murderer because he has connections. The creation of a cult by false prophets preying on their follower's desperate desire for miracles. The realities of scarcity and the lengths the survivors will go to take supplies from each other.
However, unlike some post-apocalyptic series, The Scattered and the Dead isn't a complete condemnation of humanity. The authors didn't just slap some evil characters onto the page and call it a day. They built real, living, breathing humans out of words, then let those humans interact with the world. What came out was dark, definitely, but there was light in it, too. Book 2 is both a look at how awful humans can be to each other...and how beautiful they can be to each other. While reading, you get a sense of hope, a sense that maybe goodness can even survive a zombie apocalypse. The darkness in these books just accentuates the moments of light all the more.
Of course, there's also a bunch of zombie-smashin', Bind Torture Killin', and revenge-soaked deliciousness in there, too. Even more of the disparate strands our favorite author duo started with are coming together in new, sick, and satisfying ways. If you see this ending coming, then you should probably check with your local psychic, because you might be clairvoyant. It's so inevitable and yet so unpredictable—and that makes it downright awesome. Just read it already!
May 23, 2020
WARNING: long post but no spoilers 🙂
Just finished this box set and if you had asked me through book 1 & 1.5 if I would continue the story, I’m not sure. But book 2 really got a catch of me and I’m definitely continuing.
The apocalypse genre has been very popular for years, just look at the variety of books, movies and tv-shows.
So what makes this series work ?
For me, it’s the characters and the possibility of putting yourself in their place (would I react like that/why is she so annoying/can’t people see what fraud he is ?). It took some time, but know I want to know what happens.
The idea of working with different timelines and multiple characters individual development, while the reader wonders if & when the characters will cross paths, is also seen in GRR Martins “A Song of Ice and Fire” (which I love).
Luckily Vargus & McBain (so far!) didn’t paint themselves in a corner with too many characters/incidents/storylines to keep track of. But one of the things that intrigues me is the journey of one of the characters (Baghead), more than 9 years after “the end of the world as we know it”. Now the story has a timespan and a playground to evolve in. Love it.
So, this series comes with my recommendations. A slow burner but you won’t regret grinding on.
BTW, this was my first read on a Kindle, and coming from Denmark with English as a foreign language, I really love the different tools: Thesaurus, Wikipedia, Highligting paragraphs. Hail Technology (until the World ends, and batteries run out)
Just finished this box set and if you had asked me through book 1 & 1.5 if I would continue the story, I’m not sure. But book 2 really got a catch of me and I’m definitely continuing.
The apocalypse genre has been very popular for years, just look at the variety of books, movies and tv-shows.
So what makes this series work ?
For me, it’s the characters and the possibility of putting yourself in their place (would I react like that/why is she so annoying/can’t people see what fraud he is ?). It took some time, but know I want to know what happens.
The idea of working with different timelines and multiple characters individual development, while the reader wonders if & when the characters will cross paths, is also seen in GRR Martins “A Song of Ice and Fire” (which I love).
Luckily Vargus & McBain (so far!) didn’t paint themselves in a corner with too many characters/incidents/storylines to keep track of. But one of the things that intrigues me is the journey of one of the characters (Baghead), more than 9 years after “the end of the world as we know it”. Now the story has a timespan and a playground to evolve in. Love it.
So, this series comes with my recommendations. A slow burner but you won’t regret grinding on.
BTW, this was my first read on a Kindle, and coming from Denmark with English as a foreign language, I really love the different tools: Thesaurus, Wikipedia, Highligting paragraphs. Hail Technology (until the World ends, and batteries run out)
October 6, 2017
The narrative follows a variety of characters across a spectrum of time periods before and after the nuclear strike. It’s a bit confusing to go back and forth like that all over the place, but I think ultimately it works.
Sometimes there’s a bit of sameness to the character voices. The characters have some nice depth, though, and sometimes surprise the reader. Current post-apocalyptic fiction still often focuses so intensely on the basics–survivalism, largely–that it’s nice to find a book that develops the depth of plot and character necessary in fiction in general.
I like some of the details. There’s a prepper whose preparations come to naught because he gets hit by the plague, and given the odds, that should happen more often than not. It’s been a bit weird to read post-apocalyptic after post-apocalyptic in which both the prepper and all of his family members mysteriously turn out to be immune; after a while it beggars belief. Another nice detail: there may be some serious perverts in here, but at least it doesn’t depict every male as a rampant rapist and every female as a would-be victim.
Vargus’s work is a bit rough around the edges, but I like the story and characters. If you like the genre it’s worth giving this series a read.
Longer review on my site: http://www.errantdreams.com/2017/10/r...
Sometimes there’s a bit of sameness to the character voices. The characters have some nice depth, though, and sometimes surprise the reader. Current post-apocalyptic fiction still often focuses so intensely on the basics–survivalism, largely–that it’s nice to find a book that develops the depth of plot and character necessary in fiction in general.
I like some of the details. There’s a prepper whose preparations come to naught because he gets hit by the plague, and given the odds, that should happen more often than not. It’s been a bit weird to read post-apocalyptic after post-apocalyptic in which both the prepper and all of his family members mysteriously turn out to be immune; after a while it beggars belief. Another nice detail: there may be some serious perverts in here, but at least it doesn’t depict every male as a rampant rapist and every female as a would-be victim.
Vargus’s work is a bit rough around the edges, but I like the story and characters. If you like the genre it’s worth giving this series a read.
Longer review on my site: http://www.errantdreams.com/2017/10/r...
December 21, 2018
This review is for the audiobook version of The Scattered and the Dead Series: The First Four Books.
Having previously read each of these books separately, listening to the audiobook version was like going back and revisiting “old friends” only this time they were given a voice other than my imagination. These stories skip through time and between characters in a manner that shouldn’t work at all, but once you are into the stories you begin to pick up on the flow of each of the separate stories and get a feel of what came before as well as what comes after based on different characters timeline. I will have to admit the audiobooks caused me to pick up on two separate characters timelines crossing that I never noticed as I was reading the books.
L.T. Vargus and Tim McBain create some dark characters and in some cases some very dark stories but when you take all the characters and their stories in this series together it becomes a very rich and complete tale of a post-apocalyptical America.
Having previously read each of these books separately, listening to the audiobook version was like going back and revisiting “old friends” only this time they were given a voice other than my imagination. These stories skip through time and between characters in a manner that shouldn’t work at all, but once you are into the stories you begin to pick up on the flow of each of the separate stories and get a feel of what came before as well as what comes after based on different characters timeline. I will have to admit the audiobooks caused me to pick up on two separate characters timelines crossing that I never noticed as I was reading the books.
L.T. Vargus and Tim McBain create some dark characters and in some cases some very dark stories but when you take all the characters and their stories in this series together it becomes a very rich and complete tale of a post-apocalyptical America.
January 24, 2019
The first four books follow a series of people in their journey before, during and after the end of the world. Their struggles, joys, sadness, happiness, disasters and achievements along with more than a few zombies for good measure.
The books follow several characters in different locations throughout the United States as they live through an apocalypse, a virus has wiped out the majority of the population with a significant number returning from the dead to become flesh eating zombies, one bite and you are guaranteed to join their number.
We meet Decker, who is watching it all mapped from his window afraid to speak the woman in the apartment over the hall; Travis who saw things he can’t un-see and is blotting it all out; Erin and Izzy, two young orphans trying to survive alone; Mitch with a hard task he doesn’t know that he can complete; Ray a con man trying to lead an honest life; to name but a few.
The books were brilliantly read and I for one can’t wait for the next instalment of The Scattered and the Dead.
Give it a listen, I don’t think you’ll regret it.
The books follow several characters in different locations throughout the United States as they live through an apocalypse, a virus has wiped out the majority of the population with a significant number returning from the dead to become flesh eating zombies, one bite and you are guaranteed to join their number.
We meet Decker, who is watching it all mapped from his window afraid to speak the woman in the apartment over the hall; Travis who saw things he can’t un-see and is blotting it all out; Erin and Izzy, two young orphans trying to survive alone; Mitch with a hard task he doesn’t know that he can complete; Ray a con man trying to lead an honest life; to name but a few.
The books were brilliantly read and I for one can’t wait for the next instalment of The Scattered and the Dead.
Give it a listen, I don’t think you’ll regret it.
September 29, 2017
This is a great post-apocalyptic zombie survival series! I usually stick to authors that I know because I hate bad writing, so it took some convincing for me to try these new authors I had never heard of. I'm so glad I gave them a chance! I love their books and it's really cool how prolific they are, because I regularly have a new book to read. This series is deeply disturbing, complex, scary, exciting - everything you want in a story about the end of the world. I love the characters, and I love seeing them develop over time. This series has kept me up late on many nights already and I'm looking forward to more sleepless nights with them. I've even gone back and started listening to the audio books now, I like them so much! And I'm getting more out of the story that I missed on my first reading. Great series!
September 7, 2017
This is one of my favorite series from two of my favorite authors, all packaged together in one omnibus edition.
This is really more of a collection of short stories that are loosely tied together in the same fictional post-apocalyptic world. The perspective changes often, but it works.
What I really like most about the series is the vivid imagery. Vargus and McBain have the ability to describe a scene in a way that makes me feel as if I'm there, and that alone is enough to make it very memorable and enjoyable.
If you like gritty post-apocalyptic dramas that focus on human interaction, then you should enjoy this series.
This is really more of a collection of short stories that are loosely tied together in the same fictional post-apocalyptic world. The perspective changes often, but it works.
What I really like most about the series is the vivid imagery. Vargus and McBain have the ability to describe a scene in a way that makes me feel as if I'm there, and that alone is enough to make it very memorable and enjoyable.
If you like gritty post-apocalyptic dramas that focus on human interaction, then you should enjoy this series.
June 6, 2019
Awesome!
I probably read about 8 - 10 books a week, being mostly disabled, just cause I don’t have to feel guilty about doing nothing but reading. That’s been my dream for a lifetime. Since I discovered these two talented authors, I’ve done nothing but read everything they’ve written. And I won’t stop... not until I’ve devoured it all.
In a series of this size, with sooooo many different characters, you’re bound to get confused. Except you don’t. The characters are so well developed, so unforgettable, so real. Each one is memorable in their own way, and all of them don’t make it to the end of the series. Just sayin’.
I probably read about 8 - 10 books a week, being mostly disabled, just cause I don’t have to feel guilty about doing nothing but reading. That’s been my dream for a lifetime. Since I discovered these two talented authors, I’ve done nothing but read everything they’ve written. And I won’t stop... not until I’ve devoured it all.
In a series of this size, with sooooo many different characters, you’re bound to get confused. Except you don’t. The characters are so well developed, so unforgettable, so real. Each one is memorable in their own way, and all of them don’t make it to the end of the series. Just sayin’.
May 13, 2019
Good but really slow.
If you're looking for a fast paced action book filled with hordes of zombies, this story isn't for you! The rhythm is slow, really slow. You follow a lot of characters in small chapters. Sometimes too small for my own taste. It made me grind my teeth, as I wanted to know what will happens next. But that's the way the authors write and it slowly get additive. If you're the type of person who wanna know the end of the story fast, don't bother. But if you're the really patient type, those books are for you! The more you read, the best it gets!
If you're looking for a fast paced action book filled with hordes of zombies, this story isn't for you! The rhythm is slow, really slow. You follow a lot of characters in small chapters. Sometimes too small for my own taste. It made me grind my teeth, as I wanted to know what will happens next. But that's the way the authors write and it slowly get additive. If you're the type of person who wanna know the end of the story fast, don't bother. But if you're the really patient type, those books are for you! The more you read, the best it gets!
January 31, 2019
Where to begin.
Well how about the book is 1200 pages but "Over 1,600 pages of post-apocalyptic survival" is what it says on Amazon. Also 1200 what? Kindle pages? Banana peels? Not 1200 pages in a real book that is for sure! I bought it like a week ago and only read at night before sleep. Hard to say how many pages that really is but... 300? Not near 1200 or 1600!
Well how about the book is 1200 pages but "Over 1,600 pages of post-apocalyptic survival" is what it says on Amazon. Also 1200 what? Kindle pages? Banana peels? Not 1200 pages in a real book that is for sure! I bought it like a week ago and only read at night before sleep. Hard to say how many pages that really is but... 300? Not near 1200 or 1600!
October 6, 2017
You talk about staying up all night
You will want to keep reading. You will stay up late and wake up tired. Accept it and keep reading. You get addicted to the lives of the survivors!!!!
You will want to keep reading. You will stay up late and wake up tired. Accept it and keep reading. You get addicted to the lives of the survivors!!!!
December 13, 2017
Amazing series!
The only downside to book 2.0 was that it ended. I wanted to keep reading. The whole series has been great but 2.0 has been my favorite so far. Humor (a little), drama, terror, violence, heart, this series has it all.
The only downside to book 2.0 was that it ended. I wanted to keep reading. The whole series has been great but 2.0 has been my favorite so far. Humor (a little), drama, terror, violence, heart, this series has it all.
March 5, 2019
Almighty read with action, tough decisions and death
Quite the read from day 0 of the event thru to well past the end of the world. Involving many characters and chronicling their survival past the end of the world.
Quite the read from day 0 of the event thru to well past the end of the world. Involving many characters and chronicling their survival past the end of the world.
July 18, 2019
Just couldn’t get into this
I read through about half of this, although the “Baghead” stuff kind of turned me off, but ultimately couldn’t get behind the characters or invested in their stories and it was just boring, for me. On the plus side it was well edited and proofed.
I read through about half of this, although the “Baghead” stuff kind of turned me off, but ultimately couldn’t get behind the characters or invested in their stories and it was just boring, for me. On the plus side it was well edited and proofed.
December 14, 2019
It's ok
Although I did finish the books and quite enjoyed reading about how everyone was getting on, i found myself flipping through the pages when there was too much thinking of people
Although I did finish the books and quite enjoyed reading about how everyone was getting on, i found myself flipping through the pages when there was too much thinking of people
December 20, 2019
Overall a very enjoyable story with a couple of interesting twists on the standard zombie apocalypse scenario.
However, I didn't enjoy the main characters internal soliloquies every time they got into physical confrontation. Made me want to scream "Snap out of it!"
However, I didn't enjoy the main characters internal soliloquies every time they got into physical confrontation. Made me want to scream "Snap out of it!"
February 25, 2020
Good story but hard to keep track of time
This had a good story and characters. It was a keep you on the edge of your seat type of story.
My only complaint was the constant jumping back and forth in time. (So hard to keep track)
This had a good story and characters. It was a keep you on the edge of your seat type of story.
My only complaint was the constant jumping back and forth in time. (So hard to keep track)
August 8, 2020
The different voices of the authors was clear Unfortunately, one was much better than the other. No problem and then this led to me flipping through some pages to get to better dialogue. This book is true to its title, scattered.
September 3, 2020
The Stand?
1200 pages without closure? I'm not sure what I just read, but I skimmed ~300-350 pages and don't feel like I missed anything. Maybe I'll continue because I need closure.
1200 pages without closure? I'm not sure what I just read, but I skimmed ~300-350 pages and don't feel like I missed anything. Maybe I'll continue because I need closure.
October 6, 2017
Holy Zombies!
Grand should and takes ya for a fast ride, I couldn't put it down. Can't wait to download the second book!! New fan right here
Grand should and takes ya for a fast ride, I couldn't put it down. Can't wait to download the second book!! New fan right here
July 25, 2018
I gave up on this one.
I tried to read this but there's no way I have the patience.
Nonsensical gibberish.
Recommended to those with far more taste for nothingness.
I tried to read this but there's no way I have the patience.
Nonsensical gibberish.
Recommended to those with far more taste for nothingness.
February 2, 2019
Love this series!
August 24, 2019
Enjoyed this very much pity it come to the end was brilliant.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 4, 2018
Fabulous series!!
May 6, 2020
03/22/19 Chapter 58 and Dekker story is the most boring thing I have ever heard!!!!! The whole "Inner monologue" thing is driving me crazy!! I'm looking for action, and a bit more character development, but I don't feel I've gotten that in this character. I want to stick to the story because of the positives reviews (so I know it gets better), but this guy is killing me with his uneventful tale of how he "survived". I'm listening on Audible, and found myself skipping ahead to get through his part of the story. I'm pissed that it lasted so long. Had I purchased this one 1st as a standalone story, I would have shelved it w/o finish reading. The only saving grace was because this was a book series for 1 Audible credit (38 hours of listening). If you can make it past the first 4 hours of Dekker's story, I applaud you.
UPDATE: I made it to Ch. 74 and this has NOT gotten any better! The book still reads the same. Even though these characters interact with each other, there's still that mono dialog going on with the individuals. Sigh. Alas, this is not the book for me. If it does somehow get better, I won't be around to witness it. I am returning this book to audible, AND GETTING A REFUND.
UPDATE: I made it to Ch. 74 and this has NOT gotten any better! The book still reads the same. Even though these characters interact with each other, there's still that mono dialog going on with the individuals. Sigh. Alas, this is not the book for me. If it does somehow get better, I won't be around to witness it. I am returning this book to audible, AND GETTING A REFUND.
March 19, 2018
I hate when you never find out why something started. I also hate when the chapters fluctuate between characters over and over without progressing much. Both of these were the case in this series. However the story was creepy and interesting enough to make up for that here.
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