The dead are rising. Reports of rioting and mob violence begin to appear in the news as more and more major cities go silent. The CDC and FEMA are powerless to stop the spread of the deadly “Reaper Virus.” Rumors fly about the nature of the “rioters”, claiming that the dead have risen to prey on the living. In the Midwest City of Springfield Missouri, all Law Enforcement Officers are called to report for duty. Corrections Officer Wylie Grant is sent into the field only to discover for himself that they are facing the living dead. Wylie and National Guard Corporal Chrissy “Spec-4” Wilder must fight their way back to the Nathanael County Jail where the few remaining officers are attempting to regroup. Soon, they find themselves leading the rescue efforts as more and more positions are overrun by the dead. Darkness is Awakening.
D.A. Roberts is an author of fiction, primarily in the horror/dystopian and science fiction genres. Born in Lebanon, Missouri, he now lives in Springfield, Missouri with his wife and sons. When not writing, D.A. serves his community in Law Enforcement.
Best known for his “Ragnarok Rising Saga,” he blends the zombie genre with elements of Norse Mythology. The series has been called “a thinking man’s apocalyptic world.”
He is also known in science fiction for “The Infinite Black Series.” This series is based on the hit video game from Spellbook Studio. Download and play the game for free at www.Spellbook.com.
His most recent releases are all in the horror genre. Cold Hunger which he co-wrote with Author Catt Dahman; Three books in the Apex Predator Series, book one of the Lakeview Man Series and book one of the Code Name: Wild Hunt Series.
All titles are currently available now from J. Ellington Ashton Press.
In November of 2018, D.A. took on the challenging role of C.E.O. of J. Ellington Ashton Press.
In March of 2020, D.A. was elected first president of the Horror Author’s Guild.
I liked this better than I thought I would. I had no idea what "Ragnarok" meant, but after Wikipedia let me know, it makes sense. It's essentially the Norse end of life as we know it scenario, and it makes sense in context with this book, because the main character apparently worships Odin. As in, Thor. I have to admit that it was strange for me to get used to that at first, because I think of Odin in terms of the recent Hollywood movies with Anthony Hopkins and Chris Hemsworth. Every time the main character prayed to Odin and "Friend Thor", it made me want to laugh. Sorry, someone's religion isn't funny, but can you picture praying to Chris Hemsworth? It's just what I pictured. Anyways. The story is pretty fantastic, the characters are great, the dialogue is well written (and very funny at times). I really don't have much to say that's negative. I think the title might make some people overlook the book, which is a shame, and there are a few areas where I think it's detail-heavy. (While driving through Springfield, every time they went out, we were told every street, right, left, everything they saw, what they might have seen a different direction, etc. I don't know Springfield, and it felt a little bogged down by every minute detail.) Otherwise, a really great book. Wylie is the ultimate warrior, and Spec4 is his perfect warrior sidekick. Also, it doesn't really have anything to do with the book, but at the top of every new chapter, the author added some fairly famous quotes. I loved them. Really great quotes, and they tied in very well with the warrior theme to the book. Now, Mr. Roberts, I need book two ASAP!!
In “Ragnarok Rising: The Awakening” DA Roberts offers an exciting and fresh take on the tried and true story of a zombie apocalypse as seen through the eyes of a correctional officer who discovers the best place to be is inside a jail. This action packed thrill ride is full of horror, suspense and gun-play. The protagonist, along with a strong female sidekick, discovers that zombies are not the only threat they face when humanity consumes itself. Yet even in the face of trigger happy rednecks and military atrocities, they rise to the call of duty and rescue civilians, fellow officers, and family in a story that displays both the best and worst sides of mankind and leaves you wanting more. Five stars for this outstanding addition to the genre!
Review by David P Forsyth (Author of Voyage of the Dead, Flotilla of the Dead, and Deluge of the Dead)
I am not a fan of 1st person zombie works. Usually these end up being outrageous self images put to paper. D.A. Roberts has created a local real life world that has adapted to the zombie infestation in a mostly realistic manner. Roberts brings the fear and adrenaline of a horror scenario to the streets he knows best. Once the story starts rolling it is hard to put down. The story build up does not last as long as Tom Clancy but does last long enough to ensure the background of the main character is not ignored. Overall this is a great zombie story that makes you feel as if you could be the person living the situation.
The writer has put together an amazing blend of zombie apocalypse and Norse mythology. The main character is a great protagonist. Ex-military and law enforcement tough and grizzled. One of my favorite series I’ve ever read.
I got the ePub version of this book and finished it two days later! The story is engaging and the characters are well developed. It's a page turner for sure and leaves you wanting more!
Ragnarock Rising: The Awakening by D.A. Roberts (Review) By Capt. (Mike) Creeper
Title: Ragnarok Rising: The Awakening
Author: D.A. Roberts
Pages: 418
Publication Date: June 30, 2012
Basic Plot: “Initial reports of rioting and chaos begin to appear in the news, slowly spreading east from California. As the unusual 'riots' come closer and closer however, the first hints of their true nature begin to emerge. Internet videos show rioters eating those they overtake. When the disturbances finally reach Springfield Missouri, all law enforcement officers are called to field duty. Officer Wylie Grant finds himself manning a remote checkpoint. There the true nature of the "rioters" becomes terrifyingly clear, and only Wylie and Corporal Chrissy Wilder survive the revelation. Their new goal becomes to survive …” (Amazon)
My likes/dislikes: So this is the first book in Roberts' “Ragnarock” series. We are fortunate that he sent us the book to read because I doubt I would have come across it on my own or if I did I might have passed it by, because as I have mentioned recently, I feel there is a glut on the market and am honestly getting a little tired of zombies. That having been said, I have to add that once again I was pleasantly surprised to find I actually enjoyed this book. It has the usual stock of characters and starts out the same as a lot of zombie books with an unknown outbreak that starts in other parts of the country and spreads eventually closing in on our hero’s location. What’s nice is there isn’t a lot of the denial of zombies not being possible. Our characters quickly realize what the threat is and adapt accordingly. I constantly found myself rooting for the main characters and wishing for the deaths of others. Surprisingly the characters I wanted dead the most weren’t even given that much attention in the book… but I still wanted them to get their faces eaten off.
Now there is some bad to this book. It tends to get a bit repetitive as Wylie (our protagonist) keeps going back out on rescue/scavenging missions. I felt overwhelmed at times with road names and directions as our group of hero’s went looking for other survivors. I am not from Missouri and have only ever driven through it so a lot of the road descriptions meant nothing to me, but, I am sure anyone from the area who reads the book will get a kick out of recognizing the area. Of course if Mr. Roberts gets the details wrong then they will be the first to criticize it also. One of the things I really didn’t like was the focus on all the weapons. I am not a gun enthusiast so the mention of weapon after weapon was a bit distracting since I had no idea what they were talking about.
What I really liked was, for lack of a better word, the realism in the book. I know, I know… realism in a zombie novel? Yes, I said it right… realism. Here’s the thing… any of you who have listened to me on this show or read my reviews will notice that I can only take suspension of disbelief so far and then I get pissy. Roberts does great job of not taking things too far. The vehicles which become our hero’s main mode of transportation for the search and rescue take a hell of a beating, and Roberts doesn’t ignore the laws of reality, i.e. one vehicle loses its topside gun while crashing through a house and they abandon another one due to it being unfit to drive anymore. Also, our characters suffer injuries and it affects them like it would anyone, there aren’t any super heroes or BFG’s and certainly no Dead Reckoning (yes those were obscure pop culture references again… come on people Google was invented for a reason). Additionally, something else I liked was the way Roberts divided the zombies into five different categories when we usually only see one or two, three at the most. Its not silly or arbitrary either, it makes sense especially if you are a fan of the zombie genre.
I went and read some other reviews of “Ragnarok Rising: The Awakening” and wanted to address a couple of issues that never originally occurred to me... One reviewer ragged on the book for like three paragraphs and then at the end in, what appears to be a throw away sentence, mentions the focus, or lack thereof, of the Norse mythology. Yes Wylie’s character professes to worship the Norse gods as opposed to Christianity and yes there is very little explanation about it or for it, but, I have to say… SO WHAT. I would think by today that we have more tolerance to not focus on someone’s religious beliefs. Yes, I hope with the next book we might get more background and/or explanation but I don’t feel that is really the point or focus of the book. The other issue I saw repeatedly was people ragging on the fact that the character of Wilder seems to fall for Wylie in a relatively short period of time and feel her character is shallow or something for it. One person mentions that within 24 hours of meeting they are sleeping alone together in a room, in each other’s arms. Now I have never been enlisted in the military let alone in any sort of combat situation but it seems to me that this might actually be a normal reaction in the face of what they were dealing with. I don’t know for sure though so I will leave it to the experts, but I never once questioned it while I was reading it.
So over all this was pretty good and I really liked it despite having a few minor problems. I even liked the fact that he didn’t resolve anything at the end, as you often find in writers of series, but left you with a cliffhanger which means waiting for the next book. Bastard. Anyway I can’t wait to read the next book. Well done.
My score:
4 out of 5 stabs
Format: Paperback and e-book
TAGS: Creepercast, Michael Donner, Captain Creepers Book Corner, Capt Creeper, Mike, horror, books, review, Ragnarock Rising The Awakening, D.A. Roberts, zombies, survival
very good book DA very good writing & love the twists & turns & continued action! there is plenty of action yet time for relationships to build & good way of showing humanity is still there even during the End of the World! you're in for a ride of your life w/the emotional roller coaster that is this book! main character in book is humble but deadly! it's great to see even w/all that's going on he puts others before himself! great read! I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did & I can't wait to read book #2 when it comes out! DA is very good at cliff hangers & making you wonder what's going to be around the next corner! it's a book that just can't be put down & when you do put it down... you are still wondering what's going to happen to the gang next! You will not be sorry when you buy this book!
Excellent book, finished on a cliffhanger & I'm really hoping the 2nd book is going to be just as good. The characters are really strong & you can connect with them as they come to terms with what's happening around them.
For the most part, I am not a fan of dystopian or post apocalyptic stories but the Ragnarok Rising Saga is proving to be the exception to the rule. Mr. Roberts approach to the zombie apocalypse is unique with his use of Norse mythology as its background. Having read several other books by D. A. Roberts, I have found all of them to be very entertaining and compelling. His characters are always well fleshed out and the plotlines keep me turning the pages. I was hesitant to begin this series though because of my overall dislike of the zombie genre, believing it to be a well over used trope ( ironic,I know, because I'm still in favor of werewolf and vampire stories -- go figure!) but as I've found with each of Mr. Roberts books, he makes the story and characters believable and all his own. There is a palpable sense of dread that grows with each turn of the page, but even in that ever growing shadow, there lurks an element of hope. I look forward to continuing this series to see where Mr. Roberts takes these characters.
Like Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, author D. A. Roberts, “Book One of the Ragnarok Rising Saga: Awakening” was... well... Wild. Written from the perspective of a peace officer during the time of a national emergency, I found the author’s point-by-point breakdown of how first responders would handle this level crisis event very well done. Not to mention the realistic way he portrayed the bond between law enforcement officers. Roberts describes the bond between the Blue Brotherhood as only someone who has lived it could do.
I found the complex look into how the main character Wylie Grant struggled internally with his code of ethics, commitment to duty, and desire to protect one’s family incredibly compelling. Sign me up for the next book in the series because I am eager to see what Mr. Roberts has in store for us next.
I listened to the Audible version of this book. It was about how the world falls apart during the zombie apocalypse, from the perspective of resourceful corrections officer Wylie Grant. He simultaneously tries to protect his family while rescuing his coworkers, other first responders and civilians. The book has non-stop action, but also some philosophical moments. Sometimes the other humans in this new society are worse than the zombies. The narrator does a perfect job narrating as Wylie Grant. It was an entertaining book, but I wish not so much time was spent on descriptions of every single gun.
I'm a D.A. Roberts fan... specifically the Alpha predator series (top notch) so I was excited to see what he would do with an apocalyptic zombie series. It hasn't disappointed but protagonist(s) is/are somewhat stereotypical cop(s) (complete with racial under tones) so far but it's early. Also it could just be my Western sensibilities but I'm failing to see the necessity of the Norse angle but there might be a long arc on that aspect...? Otherwise a strong, gripping book with gore and abundant danger or everything you want in a Zombie read.
I really enjoyed this apocalyptic ride into a this hellish zombie filled page turner. Loved the chart and the action was spot on. DA Roberts is a master of undead horror in this book. Now I’m hooked. Excellent read.
Normally i don't buy zombie horror as i find them boring and dull in the monster genre but i love Roberts other series and this was a pleasent surprice, easy to see who the author is, will defently read the next
I enjoyed this local view of the zombie plague but the story needed a quicker pacing. I didn't need to know the caliber and manufacturer of every bullet encountered.
Have to say i enjoyed the series. I found it a slightly different take on the genre and read all five of the books in the series one after the other. Good reads
Clear the afternoon as you won't be able to stop reading. The second best zombie author (sorry Doug, you know the first) and great start to a great series.
"In Norse mythology, Ragnarök is a series of future events, including a great battle foretold to ultimately result in the death of a number of major figures (including the gods Odin, Thor, Týr, Freyr, Heimdallr, and Loki), the occurrence of various natural disasters, and the subsequent submersion of the world in water. Afterward, the world will resurface anew and fertile, the surviving and returning gods will meet, and the world will be repopulated by two human survivors. Ragnarök is an important event in the Norse canon, and has been the subject of scholarly discourse and theory."
It's April 1, April Fools Day. Wylie Grant likes law-enforcement news stories, since he is a Corrections Officer with the Nathanael County Sheriff’s Office in Springfield, Missouri. That day, he watched footage of mob violence and rioting in LA. Wylie notices the rioters shamble through the wreckage, their eyes glazed and their mouths ringed with blood.
As the violence continues, Wylie experiences vivid dreams about Vikings fighting the same type of rioters he'd seen on TV. Wylie's tattoos are a triple horn on the left pectoral and a volknut on each bicep. The tattoos symbolize his dedication to Odin and the Aesir. He prays to Odin and Thor for help.
D. A. Roberts offers a different perspective on zombies. Ragnarok Rising: The Awakening (Book One of The Ragnarok Rising Saga) tells the story from Wylie's point of view. The action keeps the reader's attention, and the characters are believable. Wylie definitely found a place in my heart.
Great read - I felt I struggled a little in the beginning, the gun detail was a bit lost on me to be honest, however towards the final chapters the author really ramps up the pace and I was actually holding my breath in parts. Well done for a picture well painted, can't wait to get my teeth into #2.
It was fun to start with. Zombies, a few different types in fact, and plenty of action but then it just kept repeating the same formula.
Hero heads out, fights zombies, saves people, fights zombies, saves more people, fights yet more zombies and I give up and wander off to read something with more of a plot.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Great action, great book. I feel like this book was written by one of my friends, and that is a compliment. Several of them are CO' & LEO's so the humor was spot on and I enjoyed the detail DA gives on the weapons and tactics used. Looking forward to the rest of the series.
Lots of zombies...and some pretty bad military guys. If you like action then this book is for you. A really good storyline with likeable characters. Can't wait to see what's next...
The story line was very engaging and the characters interesting. The first person format kind of gives the hero a God complex that got a bit old. Overall it was a good book with a solid storyline.