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Five Roads to Texas #0
The Days Before: A Prequel
The day of retribution is at hand.
Years before the outbreak, an unexplained illness in the Congo that mimicked different hemorrhagic fevers brought scientists from the CDC to the jungle. Rebels attacked and destroyed all of the data and blood samples before their research was completed. The true nature of the disease remained a secret.
Months before the outbreak, contractors began to build and secure caches of military equipment and supplies across the US. What was their purpose?
Days before the outbreak, everything seemed normal. The public had no idea that terrorist forces planned to unleash a literal hell upon the earth. The US and British intelligence community knew, and sent a covert team to North Korea to try to stop the extinction event before it began. This is their story.
The Days Before is the prequel to the bestselling Five Roads to Texas series written by W.J. Lundy, Rich Baker, Joseph Hansen, Allen Gamboa, AJ Powers, Brian Parker, and JL Bourne. Find out how it all began.
Years before the outbreak, an unexplained illness in the Congo that mimicked different hemorrhagic fevers brought scientists from the CDC to the jungle. Rebels attacked and destroyed all of the data and blood samples before their research was completed. The true nature of the disease remained a secret.
Months before the outbreak, contractors began to build and secure caches of military equipment and supplies across the US. What was their purpose?
Days before the outbreak, everything seemed normal. The public had no idea that terrorist forces planned to unleash a literal hell upon the earth. The US and British intelligence community knew, and sent a covert team to North Korea to try to stop the extinction event before it began. This is their story.
The Days Before is the prequel to the bestselling Five Roads to Texas series written by W.J. Lundy, Rich Baker, Joseph Hansen, Allen Gamboa, AJ Powers, Brian Parker, and JL Bourne. Find out how it all began.
- GenresHorror
451 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 16, 2019
99 people are currently reading
35 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
August 30, 2019
Excellent prequel to the 'Five Roads to Texas' series. Segues perfectly into the beginning and concisely explains how it all began.
December 4, 2021
So this is listed by Audible as book 8, but Goodreads has it listed as book 0 and it’s noted as a prequel. I really like to read things chronologically - so skimmed the reviews and saw a few folks mention while good for fans of the series, starting here was a good idea.
Whoah! This was a really great listen. No stopping, rearranging my TBL to listen to more of the books, totally sucked into this world listen.
This sets up the various events and players that instigated &/or will feature in the Five Roads to Texas apocalyptic zombie series. I was a little worried that a weaponized virus story might not sit too well considering the last two years, but this story is so different that I wasn’t feeling any comparison to real life. That said, there’s definitely a level of authenticity and believability that gave me chills at times.
While it feels slightly disjointed at first - because there’s so many moving parts and people who don’t seem to have anything to do with each other - as it all comes together every chapter before was absolutely necessary. There’s villains, doctors, current & former military, as well as just plain normal every day people.
As this is meant to be a teaser to the full series, this absolutely ends in a cliffhanger. However, at 8.5 hours this is full of plenty of mystery, suspense, & thriller elements to feel worth every penny spent. I can’t wait to start book 1, Five Roads to Texas.
Narration: I’ve listened to other thrillers narrated by Andrew B Wehrlen and was just as impressed this time as in the past. Probably more. Lots of accents, genders, and personalities that he kept distinct and consistent. Very emotional scenes that he handled really well. I’m excited he’s at the helm for the entire series.
Whoah! This was a really great listen. No stopping, rearranging my TBL to listen to more of the books, totally sucked into this world listen.
This sets up the various events and players that instigated &/or will feature in the Five Roads to Texas apocalyptic zombie series. I was a little worried that a weaponized virus story might not sit too well considering the last two years, but this story is so different that I wasn’t feeling any comparison to real life. That said, there’s definitely a level of authenticity and believability that gave me chills at times.
While it feels slightly disjointed at first - because there’s so many moving parts and people who don’t seem to have anything to do with each other - as it all comes together every chapter before was absolutely necessary. There’s villains, doctors, current & former military, as well as just plain normal every day people.
As this is meant to be a teaser to the full series, this absolutely ends in a cliffhanger. However, at 8.5 hours this is full of plenty of mystery, suspense, & thriller elements to feel worth every penny spent. I can’t wait to start book 1, Five Roads to Texas.
Narration: I’ve listened to other thrillers narrated by Andrew B Wehrlen and was just as impressed this time as in the past. Probably more. Lots of accents, genders, and personalities that he kept distinct and consistent. Very emotional scenes that he handled really well. I’m excited he’s at the helm for the entire series.
January 12, 2020
Holy Hannah (pun intended) That Was Good
I hate prequels, I really do. Brian made this one not just good, but absolutely amazing. The origin story for Grady was better than I could have hoped, and didn't even know I needed.
In addition to learning Grady's past, we get short, quick tidbits of other characters we have met over the series. The last one left me gaping with my mouth open. OMG! There had better be some more books in the series coming soon!
Great work from Brian and all the authors at Phalanx Press.
I hate prequels, I really do. Brian made this one not just good, but absolutely amazing. The origin story for Grady was better than I could have hoped, and didn't even know I needed.
In addition to learning Grady's past, we get short, quick tidbits of other characters we have met over the series. The last one left me gaping with my mouth open. OMG! There had better be some more books in the series coming soon!
Great work from Brian and all the authors at Phalanx Press.
April 23, 2020
Before Five Roads
What an exciting prequel to Five Roads To Texas! I love the new characters, I hope some will be in the next book but it also looks like some others won't be. I am very anxious to read it!!
What an exciting prequel to Five Roads To Texas! I love the new characters, I hope some will be in the next book but it also looks like some others won't be. I am very anxious to read it!!
February 6, 2022
audible:This was a really good lead up to the five roads series.I enjoyed it. Andrew B Wehrlen was a terrific narrator.I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
November 8, 2020
Another great story
Well written. Full of intense action. Interesting characters that you either love or hate. A book that was an entertaining read.
Well written. Full of intense action. Interesting characters that you either love or hate. A book that was an entertaining read.
March 28, 2022
A lot of side stories that didn’t advance the plot.
May 29, 2023
Fantastic!
Nonstop excitement. Highly recommended. Good character description and very fast paced. Can't wait to read more of this story. Great!
Nonstop excitement. Highly recommended. Good character description and very fast paced. Can't wait to read more of this story. Great!
November 2, 2025
Great prequel
Really sets the stage for Five Roads to Texas. Begins to establish the main character profiles. Can't wait for the next book in the series.
Really sets the stage for Five Roads to Texas. Begins to establish the main character profiles. Can't wait for the next book in the series.
September 7, 2019
This is the prequel to the Five Roads to Texas Series; i.e., how it all began. Back in the day, CDC scientists in the Congo were researching a virus which caused hemorrhagic fevers, but rebels destroyed the site along with all the data and blood samples scientists had been collecting. Fast forward to today; the United States is aware of North Korea working on a virus in underground facilities. Through escaped prisoners and defectors, U.S. Intelligence learned that North Korea was testing this virus on captured villagers. In a bid to teach North Korea a lesson, U.S. military contractors were secretly sent to the facility to destroy it, everything, and everyone within. This is the account of what they found. I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
September 14, 2019
One hell of a good read.
So the start of the zombie Apocalypse starts as a scheme between two third world countries who absolutely hate the free world, one for religious reasons the other for economic and ideological reasons. Together they create the most fearsome virus know to man and unleash it upon the world. Our main cast of characters in this book who try their damndest to prevent its release are always running just a few steps behind the villains are are constantly trying to make up ground. Be sure to read this book first although you don’t have to but it would help to understand just what and where the cause and effect came about.
So the start of the zombie Apocalypse starts as a scheme between two third world countries who absolutely hate the free world, one for religious reasons the other for economic and ideological reasons. Together they create the most fearsome virus know to man and unleash it upon the world. Our main cast of characters in this book who try their damndest to prevent its release are always running just a few steps behind the villains are are constantly trying to make up ground. Be sure to read this book first although you don’t have to but it would help to understand just what and where the cause and effect came about.
September 9, 2019
*This book was given to me by the author at my request, and I provided this voluntary, unbiased review.*
4/5
I enjoyed this story - was glad to see its a prequel book to the main series, which I havent read yet. Now I will have an origin story when I go to read Five Roads to Texas. This was a fast-paced and short book, but I enjoyed the ride. Some of the characters were forgettable, but the MC and his would-be fling were interesting enough. The prequel definitely has my interest peaked for the main series, and I would suggest reading this first before the main series.
4/5
I enjoyed this story - was glad to see its a prequel book to the main series, which I havent read yet. Now I will have an origin story when I go to read Five Roads to Texas. This was a fast-paced and short book, but I enjoyed the ride. Some of the characters were forgettable, but the MC and his would-be fling were interesting enough. The prequel definitely has my interest peaked for the main series, and I would suggest reading this first before the main series.
October 28, 2019
I have enjoyed all the books in the Five Roads to Texas series. This book was really good. The events of how the zombie apocalypse started were just briefly touched on in the other books of the series. This book brings to light what happened in the months leading up to the outbreak. Great characters with fast paced storyline combine to make this an excellent read.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews