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Dawn of the Zombie Apocalypse
Chaos’ latest game is positively epic. Just look at the trailer: the hero Bastion Axestone striding through the city streets, fireballs exploding around him and zombies staggering in his wake. Seb can’t wait to play it. He downloads the works. Explosive effects, 3D upgrade, heavy metal soundtrack and a subliminal quotient—whatever that is. But the next day, Seb and his friends wake up to an apocalypse. Their teachers are missing in action, coach doesn’t come to practice, and Seb’s dad spends all day in his pyjamas. Even worse, not only has Mum not been in to work, she hasn’t bothered to brush her teeth. It’s beginning to look as if every grown-up in Bridgetown—possibly the entire world—has been zombified. They’re obsessed with their personal electronic devices and it’s all Seb’s fault because he’s the one who downloaded the game in the first place. Now, he has to fix it. But how? It’s not as if he can un-download the game. Along with his best mate, Darren, and Talia, The Prettiest Girl in School, Seb has to figure out how to reverse the effect of the computer virus. But in the meantime, the zombies need feeding, Seb’s little sister, Ava, needs minding, and someone has to walk the dog.
168 pages, Paperback
Published October 7, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
March 15, 2020
An entertaining and thrilling ride. As a parent, I could appreciate only too well the world this story evokes. I was drawn in from page one and loved the turn of events. No spoilers here. Just read this original, well paced tale and be drawn into the characters and their bid to save their town and the ones they care about. A must read! Thanks Lee Murray for a wonderful adventure.
November 3, 2019
Unwittingly, Seb unleashes a zombie apocalypse on his hometown, Bridgewater. It’s up to him and his friends Darren and Talia to save all the adults in the town who have been zombified while staring at their devices. Not so easy when you must take your little sister and your dog with you wherever you go.
This is a fun book that tweens will enjoy, with characters they’ll relate to and school just how they’d love it: teacherless. There are plenty of laugh out loud moments as well as action and excitement to keep the them engrossed right to the very end of the story.
I particularly liked the irony of the situation—kids who are worried about parents who can’t take tear themselves away from their devices. This role-swapping is as enlightening to the reader as it is entertaining.
I highly recommend Dawn of the Zombie Apocalypse as a light-hearted, safe book for tweens (there’s no blood and gore, or death; and the language is clean). It’s full of adventure as the kids save the day!
This is a fun book that tweens will enjoy, with characters they’ll relate to and school just how they’d love it: teacherless. There are plenty of laugh out loud moments as well as action and excitement to keep the them engrossed right to the very end of the story.
I particularly liked the irony of the situation—kids who are worried about parents who can’t take tear themselves away from their devices. This role-swapping is as enlightening to the reader as it is entertaining.
I highly recommend Dawn of the Zombie Apocalypse as a light-hearted, safe book for tweens (there’s no blood and gore, or death; and the language is clean). It’s full of adventure as the kids save the day!
November 10, 2019
Don’t expect cries of BRAIIIIINS, but this zombie story is full of drama and action – and somehow feels all too real.
When Seb (short for Sebastian) downloads Chaos’ new game – Dawn of the Zombie Apocalypse – then uploads a copy to his school’s server, he unwittingly zombifies most of the adults in town. Parents, teachers, older brothers and other unwitting adults become slaves to their devices, unable to look away… They lose interest in eating, sleeping, washing (eewww) – everything except watching their screens. Only the retirees and kids seem immune. But why? And, are they really, or will the ‘virus’ get them too?
It is up to Seb, his friend Darren, and Talia – who’d get to add Prettiest Girl In School certificate to her other trophies, if such a prize existed – to save the day. Especially Seb, because, as Talia insists of reminding him, he’s responsible for the whole mess.
Filled with wonderful minor characters, such as adorable two-year-old Ava and Cody, Seb’s dog, and Grandma (and her specialty meal of fried liver!), Dawn of the Zombie Apocalypse is a fun read – but also resonates at a deeper level.
Although aimed at 9-12 age group, my thirteen year old loved it, and I did too ☺
When Seb (short for Sebastian) downloads Chaos’ new game – Dawn of the Zombie Apocalypse – then uploads a copy to his school’s server, he unwittingly zombifies most of the adults in town. Parents, teachers, older brothers and other unwitting adults become slaves to their devices, unable to look away… They lose interest in eating, sleeping, washing (eewww) – everything except watching their screens. Only the retirees and kids seem immune. But why? And, are they really, or will the ‘virus’ get them too?
It is up to Seb, his friend Darren, and Talia – who’d get to add Prettiest Girl In School certificate to her other trophies, if such a prize existed – to save the day. Especially Seb, because, as Talia insists of reminding him, he’s responsible for the whole mess.
Filled with wonderful minor characters, such as adorable two-year-old Ava and Cody, Seb’s dog, and Grandma (and her specialty meal of fried liver!), Dawn of the Zombie Apocalypse is a fun read – but also resonates at a deeper level.
Although aimed at 9-12 age group, my thirteen year old loved it, and I did too ☺
September 22, 2019
I loved this hilarious and charming book.
Packed with annoying, adorable and very relatable characters, it’s not quite the apocalypse you might be expecting. For a start, who knew the zombie apocalypse would be such hard work!
When it comes to saving Greendale and perhaps even the world from a zombie apocalypse, Seb discovers adults are useless. In fact they’re worse than useless. At least Grandma, whose been conscripted from the local rest home to help, can hold a conversation—but even fans of liver will be retching at the prospect of Grandma’s cuisine—and but the less said about her driving the better.
So now Seb has to help his friends figure out what’s wrong and make a plan to fix the zombie plague. Who knew the zombie apocalypse would be such hard work?
Just as it looks like they might be getting somewhere, more adults arrive…and that’s when things get really tricky.
Aimed at readers 8-12 it makes me wish my kids were young so I could read them the adventures of Seb, Cody the dog and little Ava-the cutest bundle of trouble you will ever meet.
Let’s hope everyone survives.
Packed with annoying, adorable and very relatable characters, it’s not quite the apocalypse you might be expecting. For a start, who knew the zombie apocalypse would be such hard work!
When it comes to saving Greendale and perhaps even the world from a zombie apocalypse, Seb discovers adults are useless. In fact they’re worse than useless. At least Grandma, whose been conscripted from the local rest home to help, can hold a conversation—but even fans of liver will be retching at the prospect of Grandma’s cuisine—and but the less said about her driving the better.
So now Seb has to help his friends figure out what’s wrong and make a plan to fix the zombie plague. Who knew the zombie apocalypse would be such hard work?
Just as it looks like they might be getting somewhere, more adults arrive…and that’s when things get really tricky.
Aimed at readers 8-12 it makes me wish my kids were young so I could read them the adventures of Seb, Cody the dog and little Ava-the cutest bundle of trouble you will ever meet.
Let’s hope everyone survives.
February 9, 2020
A real treat. Buy it for your middle grade kids. Buy it for your parents. Buy it for yourself. I laughed all the way. So clever and funny, sweet and charming.
And read it outside. Hush, no spoilers!
And read it outside. Hush, no spoilers!
August 14, 2019
Throwing all caution to the wind, Seb (short for Sebastion) has downloaded a new game called Chaos, which includes fabulous extras like a 3D upgrade and a ‘subliminal quotient’ which doesn’t mean anything to him, but must be awesome! Best of all, it’s free! The game asks for Seb to name the town he will be fighting zombies in, and so he types in his hometown and leaves the game to download overnight. Next morning his Mum forgets to wake him up and his Dad seems fixated on his phone - only his little sister Ava and their dog seem normal. Seb heads off to school, only to find that the teachers are missing. Gradually Seb and his mates find that most people are obsessed with their phones and devices, and realises that it must be a virus in the game he downloaded. Responsibility time! The ‘zombies’ need to be fed to keep them alive, Ava has been left in her highchair for half the day, has a very full nappy and needs watching every minute, and the dog needs feeding and walking... it’s a disaster! How to fix everything? How on earth do you unfold a pushchair? Can Grandma help? Actually, who is looking after Grandma and the other residents of the rest home? This perfectly pitched book by multi award-winning author Lee Murray would be great for intermediate school aged children. It’s funny, engaging, and well laid out with clear chapter headings, an attractive cover, good sized text, and a glossary snuck in at the end with snippets on people, places and words used in the book, such as Malcolm X, Pythagoras and the words subliminal and virus. The book is also an entertaining adult read. Well done!
Reviewed by Debbie McCauley (Bookrapt)
Lee Murray's latest book is a fast-paced tale which will attract readers 8-13 who will relate to the narrator Seb, his family and friends, and will enjoy the humour in some of the situations they find themselves in.
A computer game that Seb clicks on inadvertently, believing it to be a demo only and thus safe, causes chaos in his home, school, suburb and beyond.
Seb's family situation with older brother Jason, working mother and house husband father as full-time carer of toddler Ava is described in Chapter 1.
Chapter 2 introduces Seb's school routine, his school friends – and heads the reader straight into the mystery that Seb is made to feel increasingly responsible for creating, without as yet fully understanding it.
From there it is all action as Seb with best friend Darren and a growing number of school friends endeavour to correct the crazy effects his downloading of the Dawn of the Zombie Apocalypse programme has had.
Author Lee Murray shows a good grasp of the varying interests and attitudes of her middle school aged characters. Seb and Darren don't see eye to eye on everything. In fact Seb doesn't even understand his friend's wider vocabulary (and provides a fun Notebook at the end with explanations or definitions). Seb sees Talia as the class goody-good while at the same time feeling attracted to her. He knows Ava is not his responsibility but nevertheless takes good care of her, as he does of his grandmother. It is these two who provide much of the humour in the book.
The variety in chapter length keeps the story moving along, with full use made of conversation rather than explanation, keeping the reader fully involved. Just how will/can Seb, Darren and Talia bring things back to normal?
Reviewed by Chris Wright (Bookrapt)
Reviewed by Debbie McCauley (Bookrapt)
Lee Murray's latest book is a fast-paced tale which will attract readers 8-13 who will relate to the narrator Seb, his family and friends, and will enjoy the humour in some of the situations they find themselves in.
A computer game that Seb clicks on inadvertently, believing it to be a demo only and thus safe, causes chaos in his home, school, suburb and beyond.
Seb's family situation with older brother Jason, working mother and house husband father as full-time carer of toddler Ava is described in Chapter 1.
Chapter 2 introduces Seb's school routine, his school friends – and heads the reader straight into the mystery that Seb is made to feel increasingly responsible for creating, without as yet fully understanding it.
From there it is all action as Seb with best friend Darren and a growing number of school friends endeavour to correct the crazy effects his downloading of the Dawn of the Zombie Apocalypse programme has had.
Author Lee Murray shows a good grasp of the varying interests and attitudes of her middle school aged characters. Seb and Darren don't see eye to eye on everything. In fact Seb doesn't even understand his friend's wider vocabulary (and provides a fun Notebook at the end with explanations or definitions). Seb sees Talia as the class goody-good while at the same time feeling attracted to her. He knows Ava is not his responsibility but nevertheless takes good care of her, as he does of his grandmother. It is these two who provide much of the humour in the book.
The variety in chapter length keeps the story moving along, with full use made of conversation rather than explanation, keeping the reader fully involved. Just how will/can Seb, Darren and Talia bring things back to normal?
Reviewed by Chris Wright (Bookrapt)
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews