A Reconciliation With Death

by Cody Ray George

An anthology series wherein survivors of a viral infection seek help from therapists who are just as traumatized as they are. Conspiracies run deep within a recovering United States, where a small percentage of its population once suffered from a viral outbreak brought on by infected cats. Many believe the animals were dropped into low-income neighborhoods as a means of population control; others subscribe to forget about the event altogether. One decade later, the imprinted trauma is still fresh as an orphaned boy, a disenfranchised postal worker, an ex-member of a dystopian cult, and a withered old woman seek therapy from professionals who have suffered from their own chaotic experiences during the epidemic.

235 pages, Paperback

Published July 13, 2020

About the author

Cody Ray George was born and raised in central Florida and now lives in Atlanta. He is a fan of dogs, ghost stories, and coffee. As a genre fiction author, he tends to write horror and stories involving the occult and paranormal.

Reviews

[Vera Kabushemeye · Rating 4 out of 5]

This anthology has five stories, each set during or after the catastrophe. They are not all told in the same way and the different voices are striking in how unique they sound and how real they feel; George really knows how to put us in a character’s head.

The world also feels really lived in, imagery haunting and gory at times. The perspective on that type of catastrophe is innovative and the characters’ actions and the resources they have access to make sense. The world-building is really interesting and its introduction slow-paced, making it feel more real and less shoved-in-your-face.

The stories have an admirable sense of realism and the characters they feature are pretty well-rounded - and that’s a feat, what with how short the book is and how the stories are not directly connected.

I highly recommend this well-written anthology despite the current times we are in. It is an easy read that will leave you thinking about the people in your life and what they mean to you. While you shouldn’t expect mayhem, you might find solace, understanding or even amusement reading this. I can't wait for the upcoming prequel!

For more in-depth review, check out my blog .

[A.S. Arnett · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Thoughtful Anthology

Well written all around, though a couple of the stories stood out.

J & S's story was gripping and relatable, the pages flew by and the ending was quite eye opening.

C's and T's story is quite a bit different than the rest, making it not only compelling but refreshing.

[Bethany Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Reconciliation With Death is post-apocalyptic fiction with a twist. In the aftermath of an infection that swept America, survivors tell their stories to traumatised therapists. The book follows several characters, including an orphaned boy, a postal worker, and a man who regrets his apocalyptic actions, as they come to terms with the apocalypse a decade later.

This book strongly reminded me of World War Z, in that it tells the story of an apocalypse in snippets. The focus isn't on the apocalypse itself--there are very few references to the infection, and the only important details are that victims died of heart attacks and the virus was transmitted through cats--but rather on the characters and how they were affected by the infection. This is a brilliant angle to take in apocalyptic fiction (especially this year) to give a story a refreshing feel.

Another strong theme in A Reconciliation With Death, alongside relationships, is conspiracy theories. There are several different theories presented to explain the apocalypse and most of the time, they aren't confirmed or denied. It presents an interesting situation for the reader, especially when combined with the overall absence of background: are any of the theories true?

My favourite story within the book was Wyatt and Gene. The cult aspect is horrifying realistic, and the desire for a dog made me pull my own dog closer. Cade and Tawny's story, though short, was heartbreaking. I would have liked to know more about the actual apocalypse, but overall this book was a great look at the intimate lives of apocalyptic survivors.

[Boakye Alpha · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Reconciliation With Death
Cody George



“It is in our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.” – Taylor Benson

HOW DO people deal with difficult events that change their lives? How does a society bounce back after having to deal with a CATastrophe that threatened to cause its downfall? This is one question that this book sets out to answer. Many people respond to such situations with a barrage of strong emotions and apprehension. It is hard to deal with the aftermath of life-changing events.

Resilience is the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy and threats, and that is what most characters from this book show as they go through therapy to recover.


A Reconciliation With Death is a post-apocalyptic book with a unique twist. The stories are titled as below:

—Cade & Tawny

—Wyatt & Gene

—Lorelei Coffin

—Joey & Sarah

—Fran & Corey

Each of these five stories in the anthology takes place after the pandemic. They are not all told in the same way, and the different voices stand out in terms of how distinct they sound and how genuine they feel.

George truly understands how to put us in the heads of the characters, she has a way to make you feel their every emotion and discern each of their thoughts.
Cody writes beautifully and the dialogues feel natural.

I will give Cody an A+ for the concept as well.
However, one concern would be that I wished more time—perhaps a prologue or something—was spent on making us see a bit of the viral infection and how it all rolled out. It is promising to know there was some sort of apocalypse and, though the stories were set in its aftermath, I would have appreciated a focus on the apocalypse itself at some point.

Regardless, this is a completely whole book without the focus too! This book has a Beautiful title too.


I would recommend it to everyone!

[Cody George · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wrote it. It's great!

Upcoming prequel will take place during the rise and peak of the Cat Scratch pandemic.