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The Silvercrest Experiment #1
Cinco de Zombie
Sid Singleton can stop the zombie apocalypse. All he has to do is kill a horde of zombie chipmunks and his last friend on earth.
Singleton is a one-of-a-kind, amnesiac, taco loving, zombie killer whose best friend takes him to dinner at location zero for Silvercrest Research Laboratory's latest epidemic mishap: El Coyote Gordo, a sleepy roadside Mexican restaurant nestled in the remote Coyote National Forest where the margaritas run deep and no one can hear you scream “Zombie!”
If you liked Evil Dead and Zombieland, keep finding yourself re-re-rewatching classics like Night of the Living Dead and Toxic Avenger, and dried your eyeballs out tearing through all the zombie books with a sense of humor, then you are guaranteed to enjoy riding along with Sid as he grapples with the ravenous side effects of The Silvercrest Experiment.
Singleton is a one-of-a-kind, amnesiac, taco loving, zombie killer whose best friend takes him to dinner at location zero for Silvercrest Research Laboratory's latest epidemic mishap: El Coyote Gordo, a sleepy roadside Mexican restaurant nestled in the remote Coyote National Forest where the margaritas run deep and no one can hear you scream “Zombie!”
If you liked Evil Dead and Zombieland, keep finding yourself re-re-rewatching classics like Night of the Living Dead and Toxic Avenger, and dried your eyeballs out tearing through all the zombie books with a sense of humor, then you are guaranteed to enjoy riding along with Sid as he grapples with the ravenous side effects of The Silvercrest Experiment.
- GenresZombies
217 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 23, 2019
71 people are currently reading
57 people want to read
About the author
Albert Aykler
7 books10 followersI write to stay sane and entertain myself. Every one of my books is an experiment. Can I make a story about that? Would anyone read it? How would it work? Could I enjoy writing that enough to finish it? None of these books has been sent through the traditional publishing grind. I didn’t figure they would fit anywhere, but I believe they are worth a read to the people that are willing to take the chance. They’re meant to entertain, but the narrators always learn a thing or two along the way and try to share that with the reader.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 13, 2020
OK, I'll round all this up to 2 stars because it was a Kindle Unlimited 'freebie'. However, this is a very uneven story that doesn't really start to make much sense until the plot is already said and done. It doesn't take long to read but even then it feels a good deal longer.
Lots of bits in this story just flash by and make you wonder why they were there in the first place - previews for the next books? - while others seem to have no rhyme or reason for being included at all. In addition, Aykler seems to go out of his way to bring in elements of various movies (I got more of a 'From Dusk to Dawn' vibe than any of the advertised zombie flicks) without any of the charm or real suspense these possess. I was looking forward to an original approach to the zombie genre but just didn't find any trace of what I expected. My feeling is it just read amateurishly in its execution and had really a kind of vague 'train of thought' approach to the entire structure.
There are some interesting elements in here - hey, how could I resist a story with a main protagonist (antagonist?) named Ziggy? And certainly Leo-slash-Singleton being a zombie survivor is the biggest of these ... even if the 'suspended animation' part seems far too complex to be real. But the tired trope of this all being part of a 'Big Pharma' corporate cover up falls flat. Almost but not quite as flat as the 'humor' the book promotes. I didn't find a lot to be very funny at all and really the entire story struck me as an episode (a much too long episode) of "South Park". In fact, a lot of the self-absorbed mental reflection that we had to wade through came to me in Eric Cartman's voice. So really, I'd call it more silly than funny ... if even that.
Oh and I have to say this: if I ever see the word 'boondoggle' again, it will be too soon. The word search says it appears 19 times. It felt like 19 HUNDRED. No. One. Uses. That. WORD!!! Irritating x 19.
Sadly, I will not continue the series as this style of writing left me bored, indifferent and frustrated at the lack of realization of the potential. Better luck next time.
Lots of bits in this story just flash by and make you wonder why they were there in the first place - previews for the next books? - while others seem to have no rhyme or reason for being included at all. In addition, Aykler seems to go out of his way to bring in elements of various movies (I got more of a 'From Dusk to Dawn' vibe than any of the advertised zombie flicks) without any of the charm or real suspense these possess. I was looking forward to an original approach to the zombie genre but just didn't find any trace of what I expected. My feeling is it just read amateurishly in its execution and had really a kind of vague 'train of thought' approach to the entire structure.
There are some interesting elements in here - hey, how could I resist a story with a main protagonist (antagonist?) named Ziggy? And certainly Leo-slash-Singleton being a zombie survivor is the biggest of these ... even if the 'suspended animation' part seems far too complex to be real. But the tired trope of this all being part of a 'Big Pharma' corporate cover up falls flat. Almost but not quite as flat as the 'humor' the book promotes. I didn't find a lot to be very funny at all and really the entire story struck me as an episode (a much too long episode) of "South Park". In fact, a lot of the self-absorbed mental reflection that we had to wade through came to me in Eric Cartman's voice. So really, I'd call it more silly than funny ... if even that.
Oh and I have to say this: if I ever see the word 'boondoggle' again, it will be too soon. The word search says it appears 19 times. It felt like 19 HUNDRED. No. One. Uses. That. WORD!!! Irritating x 19.
Sadly, I will not continue the series as this style of writing left me bored, indifferent and frustrated at the lack of realization of the potential. Better luck next time.
June 8, 2020
Strange things are afoot at the El Coyote Gordo. The chipmunks are craving raw meat, the campground is open way too late in the year, and the tacos are fantastic. Enter Sid Singleton, our narrator whose primary mode of communication is sarcasm. Singleton is resourceful and wiry, loves tacos, and always knows what’s playing on the jukebox.
Flashbacks aside, the action takes place almost entirely in and around the El Coyote campground and restaurant, in the course of a single day and night of one zombie outbreak. Aykler thus observes the Aristotelian Unities, perhaps betraying a background in the theatre. The flashbacks progressively reveal bits of Singleton’s past, a structure that almost broke our brains when “Lost” did it but now seems somewhat stale. It doesn’t help that Singleton has two blank periods in his history – one the result of amnesia, the other due to being in “stasis” for three years. As a result, it can be haphazard trying to keep things straight – but don’t try too hard.
See, Singleton is infected but not a zombie. For reasons we don’t know yet, the virus has made him impervious to all harm (including other zombies) with Wolverine-esque healing abilities. In response his company, Silvercrest, has been sending him around the world to clean up after zombie outbreaks – sort of a ServPro for zombies. But now, his friend Ziggy has spirited him away from the place, again for reasons we don’t know yet. Ziggy clearly knows more than he is saying – but wants to protect Singleton from the toxic contents of his own memory. By the time the two of them walk into the bar, the infection has already taken hold.
Zombie literature is by now a grand tradition, and Aykler makes sure to include a handful of stock characters right out of the playbook: The well-meaning but overconfident mad scientist; the corporate badass who probably isn’t just there for a holiday; the louche, unpredictable best friend with the comically nonspecific Eastern European accent; and of course, dozens and dozens of zombies. But there are hints here too of something more on the horizon: A mysterious red mist, a hastily administered would-be vaccine that may or may not have horrific side effects, and the fact that the virus has jumped species (to chipmunks, no less).
Because of its narrow scope, Aykler compensates by going deep into the details – Proust-like, but Singleton’s trigger is not a madeleine but a taco. We get a three-page disquisition on the unmatched beauty of these tacos, which makes the El Coyote somewhat less seamy than it at first seemed. Aykler also goes into microscopic detail on the house margarita, man-purses, coffee-making techniques, headlamps, salsa fresca, bar signs, the pom-poms on the rim of a sombrero, aluminum bats, t-shirt designs, and of course all the sounds and smells of zombiedom. In a lesser writer this might clog up the action and slow things down, but this is a tight fast novelette and the details go by like telephone poles outside a train window, adding depth but not complexity. Could have benefitted from the attentions of a proofreader, but Aykler is light on his feet and doesn’t dwell on things.
So, don’t be surprised to discover that this is only the beginning – an opening salvo. By the end Singleton has gotten away from the El Coyote Gordo, but it’s clear that worse is yet to come in Volumes 2 and 3.
Flashbacks aside, the action takes place almost entirely in and around the El Coyote campground and restaurant, in the course of a single day and night of one zombie outbreak. Aykler thus observes the Aristotelian Unities, perhaps betraying a background in the theatre. The flashbacks progressively reveal bits of Singleton’s past, a structure that almost broke our brains when “Lost” did it but now seems somewhat stale. It doesn’t help that Singleton has two blank periods in his history – one the result of amnesia, the other due to being in “stasis” for three years. As a result, it can be haphazard trying to keep things straight – but don’t try too hard.
See, Singleton is infected but not a zombie. For reasons we don’t know yet, the virus has made him impervious to all harm (including other zombies) with Wolverine-esque healing abilities. In response his company, Silvercrest, has been sending him around the world to clean up after zombie outbreaks – sort of a ServPro for zombies. But now, his friend Ziggy has spirited him away from the place, again for reasons we don’t know yet. Ziggy clearly knows more than he is saying – but wants to protect Singleton from the toxic contents of his own memory. By the time the two of them walk into the bar, the infection has already taken hold.
Zombie literature is by now a grand tradition, and Aykler makes sure to include a handful of stock characters right out of the playbook: The well-meaning but overconfident mad scientist; the corporate badass who probably isn’t just there for a holiday; the louche, unpredictable best friend with the comically nonspecific Eastern European accent; and of course, dozens and dozens of zombies. But there are hints here too of something more on the horizon: A mysterious red mist, a hastily administered would-be vaccine that may or may not have horrific side effects, and the fact that the virus has jumped species (to chipmunks, no less).
Because of its narrow scope, Aykler compensates by going deep into the details – Proust-like, but Singleton’s trigger is not a madeleine but a taco. We get a three-page disquisition on the unmatched beauty of these tacos, which makes the El Coyote somewhat less seamy than it at first seemed. Aykler also goes into microscopic detail on the house margarita, man-purses, coffee-making techniques, headlamps, salsa fresca, bar signs, the pom-poms on the rim of a sombrero, aluminum bats, t-shirt designs, and of course all the sounds and smells of zombiedom. In a lesser writer this might clog up the action and slow things down, but this is a tight fast novelette and the details go by like telephone poles outside a train window, adding depth but not complexity. Could have benefitted from the attentions of a proofreader, but Aykler is light on his feet and doesn’t dwell on things.
So, don’t be surprised to discover that this is only the beginning – an opening salvo. By the end Singleton has gotten away from the El Coyote Gordo, but it’s clear that worse is yet to come in Volumes 2 and 3.
June 18, 2020
Overall: 3
An interesting take on how a zombie apocalypse could start and go bat shit in a short period of time. Pretty funny.
Cover: 3
Would I be inclined to check out / buy this book at first sight? Maybe. Probably not, if it depended solely on the appeal of the graphic aspect, which is not bad at all, but not exactly eye-catching either, in my humble opinion. I have to admit, though, the title did catch my eye.
Writing: 3
I see great potential here. Aykler already has an original style in his pocket, which isn't something many authors I've come across can honestly say. He can go from depressing to hilarious and back in 0.3 seconds, which is yet another rare feat.
What's to improve, then, you might ask? Well, too much descriptive summary, at least for my taste. I felt he could have injected more action (easier said than done, I know) in many of the scenes. I felt the chapters were way too long and this was probably why. There was also a bunch of information that seemed irrelevant, but who knows. Maybe their relevance will be seen in next installments of the series. We'll see.
Editorial: 3
While I'm no expert in the field, I'll say that even though this is an ARC and I've seen worse from final products, this book still needed some work being so close to print when I received it. It's okay for the most part, though.
Quotes:
"Would God get signal from here? I didn’t think so, but any port in a zombie storm."
"Is a memory of a memory a real memory? Or is it the only kind of memory we have?"
An interesting take on how a zombie apocalypse could start and go bat shit in a short period of time. Pretty funny.
Cover: 3
Would I be inclined to check out / buy this book at first sight? Maybe. Probably not, if it depended solely on the appeal of the graphic aspect, which is not bad at all, but not exactly eye-catching either, in my humble opinion. I have to admit, though, the title did catch my eye.
Writing: 3
I see great potential here. Aykler already has an original style in his pocket, which isn't something many authors I've come across can honestly say. He can go from depressing to hilarious and back in 0.3 seconds, which is yet another rare feat.
What's to improve, then, you might ask? Well, too much descriptive summary, at least for my taste. I felt he could have injected more action (easier said than done, I know) in many of the scenes. I felt the chapters were way too long and this was probably why. There was also a bunch of information that seemed irrelevant, but who knows. Maybe their relevance will be seen in next installments of the series. We'll see.
Editorial: 3
While I'm no expert in the field, I'll say that even though this is an ARC and I've seen worse from final products, this book still needed some work being so close to print when I received it. It's okay for the most part, though.
Quotes:
"Would God get signal from here? I didn’t think so, but any port in a zombie storm."
"Is a memory of a memory a real memory? Or is it the only kind of memory we have?"
February 22, 2020
Nectar for conspiracy enthusiasts and "it's the Apocalypse!!" fans, CINCO DE ZOMBIE is a thoughtful "it's too late" tale starring a young man who once worked at a covert facility for "medical research." [Read: Bioweapon R & D]. He doesn't know what his job title was, his identity, whether he has a hometown and a family. He knows he has one friend, Austrian "Ziggy. " Given the name Sid Singleton, Our Hero has survived a massive Zombie attack [yes, Zombie] when the lab's security failed. [One of the secret labs: they are legion; and like cockroaches, they exist everywhere.] "Sid" inexplicably not only survived but healed, seemingly immune to the Zombie virus that fells, then resurrects, others. So he and his best friend Zombie Ziggy, become Monster Hunters. Because really, these covert labs are everywhere.
March 6, 2020
ZOMBIES AND TACOS
I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving a free copy. I enjoyed this book very much. The main character is immune to the virus, used basically as a janitor for cleaning up after zombie incidents. The virus seems to have been contained in experiments for some time. Until some genius decides he'll up it a notch. If you enjoy movies like Zombieland and Shuan of the dead this is a book you should read.
I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving a free copy. I enjoyed this book very much. The main character is immune to the virus, used basically as a janitor for cleaning up after zombie incidents. The virus seems to have been contained in experiments for some time. Until some genius decides he'll up it a notch. If you enjoy movies like Zombieland and Shuan of the dead this is a book you should read.
May 17, 2022
Fun
This dude can write!!! Why have I not heard of this author??? I must read the next book!! Zombie mayhem with racism so freakin' fun.
This dude can write!!! Why have I not heard of this author??? I must read the next book!! Zombie mayhem with racism so freakin' fun.
May 11, 2020
A very good book with very likable characters. You have all the makings of a great zombiecolypse! You do not get a lot of answers in this book, but do get some explanations of why and how things are happening. The main character has amnesia but as we learn through the story he may have a lot to do with the zombies, as he is immune but can not remember what happen. At times I was a bit confused as the book tends to have many flashbacks but overall, great writings and characters.
September 29, 2020
i really liked the new take on the zombie outbreak. as original as you can get with the zombie vibe and i great read. there was some things that i was left wondering about but over all well written and good story line!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews