The end of the world usually signals the end of life. But for convicted murderer Frank Lee, it was only the beginning. With his newfound freedom, Frank suddenly has the world at his feet. The only downside: all the damn cannibals! Amy was working in Sunnymoor Hospital when the virus struck. Now, with her patients craving flesh, the only person she can save is herself. But as more of the townsfolk fall victim to the wave of infection, Amy’s chances of survival quickly begin to diminish. With reluctant alliances, betrayal and an unrelenting fight for survival, The Virus is an action-packed journey into the depths of human depravity.
Damien Lee was born in the historic town of Whitby, United Kingdom. His interest in horror started when his father would relay countless ghost stories and local folklore. Naturally, Dracula's connection with the seaside town did not go unnoticed either.
After reading the Bram Stoker classic, Damien went on to discover other horror writers, including; Stephen King, Clive Barker, Richard Laymon and Shaun Hutson. Each offering a unique insight into the world of horror, and each inspiring him, in their own way, to become a writer.
Whitby's gothic ties and rich history also proved to be invaluable influences on his writing, and it wasn't long before his first short story, Hyde and Seek, was published. Next came The Bed of Tulips, before Damien decided to write his first novel, The Virus. Want to know more? Feel free to get in touch!
You'd never guess this was a debut novel, it was so well written, the narrative flowed nicely, keeping me fully engaged throughout. Action packed, fast paced and gory, it was a great, fun read. I also enjoyed Damiens sense of humour, and the fact that it has been left so that there could easily be a sequel......🤞😉🤞 5 viral zombies from me 🧟♀️🧟🧟♂️🧟♀️🧟 Oh, and the book cover makes for a great mask....try it!! 😂
“The Virus” is a refreshing take on the classic zombie outbreak tale. A deadly virus swarms the countryside as the Sunnymoor hospital is overwhelmed with patients. What is thought to be a deadly case of food poisoning soon turns into something more, as patients die and then, come back, no longer dead, starving for fresh blood. Young Amy is a nurse at Sunnymoor, recently transferred and on her second shift as chaos ensues within the hospital. They are overrun with patients that are bleeding profusely, and then going into cardiac arrest. There are not enough doctors to contend with everyone and the nurses are already short-staffed. When a sick janitor begins to attack a doctor, Amy knows something is terribly wrong and runs for help. Ben, a guard, is just arriving to work and rushes to her aid when she flags him down. Meanwhile, over at the HMP Harrodale prison, inmate Frank Lee is well on his way to winning yet another illicit fighting match for fellow inmate and crime boss Gus Razor, a fighting ring that even the corrupt guards place bets on. Frank owes a debt to Gus, a debt which Gus fully intends to collect on. As the fight is over and bets are collected, the guards approach Frank with a proposition to throw the next fight, and give him 24 hours to sleep on it, before escorting him to the medical ward. By the next evening however, none of that matters as a new guard attempts to evacuate the men as the virus sweeps the prison, turning inmates faster than before. The story follows the fates of Amy, Ben, Frank as they make their way from the overrun hospital, prison and the nearby towns, seeking out safety somewhere in the countryside. Gus and his new cronie head for a nearby military base, which has been left empty, hoping to bunker down there. The fates of the four and their companions they pick up along the way, soon turn out to be more connected than any of them realize. This story is extremely fast-paced and intense, with a full measure of blood and gore thrown in. The action is non-stop and the tension seems to build and build even as you root for the survivors in their endeavors. Damien Lee does an excellent job at keeping the story focused and moving ahead, all while creating complex characters that you immediately love or hate. I loved this story, from beginning to end and I am giving it 5 stars for renewing my hope for the zombie tale.
The reader follows a few key characters as the outbreak (which has started prior to the book) turns more deadly and spreads further afield.
I did enjoy some of the characters and the majority of the plot. The hospital scenes were my favourite. The animals being infected was unique as well, but I thought more birds would be affected from scavenging on pieces of gore.
Ultimately, the story could’ve had more gore, violence, and intensity, but instead felt a little mellow and slow at times. The characters started strong but just kind of faded into the background as the book progressed; Amy was promising, but her character development was sacrificed for more boisterous characters like Lisa and Frank.
I don’t think I’ll be reading the second book in the series, at least right away.
The Virus was everything I wanted it to be. Is it the most original zombie book? No, but I don't really care. Great scenes and action. It's very worthy of checking out on KU.
This was a thrilling first time book. Exciting from the start to the end. The main character, Frank will have you loving him and hating him. It's a very interesting storyline and will keep you riveted. A must read !
I have read a great many novels in this genre. In my opinion, this book compares favorably with those of more experienced writers. It was exciting and kept my interest throughout. I would definitely by additional books by this author and highly recommend it. Also, much better editing than most independent authors in this genre.
Please please please say you have a follow up Mr. Lee. This book, while needing some editing and a tad more follow up, was great! I’d like to know more about Lisa & Tina’s background and what happened to the rag tail groups. The explanation could have been more in-depth also. All in all despite some things left to the imagination I really enjoyed it
The Virus starts off at 100 mph and doesn't slow down for anyone. The two main characters are polar opposites. Amy being a nurse and a compassionate person and Frank, the convict who doesn't care about anyone but himself. Having such different people as the focus leads to a roller coaster ride of conflicting emotions.
This book is in your face and full speed ahead! I can't recommend it enough !
Not as good as Origins. The females characters are badly wriiten and especially Amy who seems to know nothing, See my highlights for a few examples of stupid.
What a first novel for Damien Lee! Nice development with a couple of completely different types of characters in Frank and Amy, great gore scenes thrown in the mix as well. Loved it!
Damien Lee has a knack for creating characters you love to invest in. I read the prequel first, and couldn't wait to see what happened next. In The Virus, more depth is added to each character and the outbreak is explained (and it's a little too realistic which makes it even scarier!).
Read the prequel first, then jump into this one so you can cheer for the unlikely heros and wait patiently for punishment for the selfish prigs! This author is one to follow!
The book kept me intrigued from the beginning. Characters are well written and fast paved action will keep you turning the pages as fasr as possible. Looking forward to the next book.
So mad this turned out to be so dumb. Stupid people everywhere. I just can’t believe the ending. That people would be so freaking dumb is completely annoying. I hated Frank and Lisa barely tolerated Amy and Ben. I just can’t say anything good. I almost didn’t finish it.
I wanted to love this book, I really did :( But I've discovered that zombie books are not my thing. The book itself was amazing, and the descriptions of things freaked me out alot of the time! The premise was also there. But for me personally, I just couldn't enjoy it as much as I'd like to.
The Virus is a gruesome, action-packed British take on the zombie genre. You won't be disappointed. Damien Lee is definitely an author to keep an eye on!
I am extremely picky when it comes to zombie novels, but Damien Lee's debut novel didn't disappoint. I'm going to have to put him at the top of my zombie author list as I absolutely loved this British zompoc. It sunk its teeth into me from the beginning and just wouldn't let go. Fast-paced, and exciting, there were moments throughout that had me on the edge of my seat.
I loved the contrast between Amy, who is a nurse working in a hospital; and Frank, a murderer doing time in a high-security prison. It kind of highlights the fact that it doesn't matter who you are, or were, before the outbreak, it all comes down to humanity in the end. Ultimately, the virus isn't selective and whoever is left has to work together to survive. But, as we know, human beings can be the worst monsters of all, especially when it comes to survival. It's always interesting to see how people interact with one another, and what decisions they make, in this type of scenario.
The character building was really good, and, although there are some you will either love or hate, Damien has done a good job of keeping this balanced to keep you invested in everyone. I wanted to know what was going to happen to my favourite characters, as well as the ones that rubbed me up the wrong way. I actually cared, which can be rare with a book with a few characters to keep tabs on, especially when there are some undesirables amongst the bunch.
The gore factor, which is so important for this genre, was done so well. I never thought for a moment that it was over the top or unrealistic. Sometimes zombie novels have a tendency to go overboard with this, to the point it's ridiculous, but I felt Damien kept everything believable, while still making me wince, which is, honestly, a job well done.
I am now going to be devouring Damien's follow-up, The Host, as I can't wait to find out where this apocalyptic adventure is going to take me next.
The end of the world usually signals the end of life. But for convicted murderer Frank Lee, it was only the beginning. With his newfound freedom, Frank suddenly has the world at his feet. The only downside; all the damn cannibals! Amy was working in Sunnymoor Hospital when the virus struck. Now, with her patients craving flesh, the only person she can save is herself. But as more of the townsfolk fall victim to the wave of infection, Amy’s chances of survival quickly begin to diminish. With reluctant alliances, betrayal and an unrelenting fight for survival, The Virus is an action-packed journey into the depths of human depravity. My Review:
This story is about an apocalyptic event and its aftermath which turns out to be a zombie making virus. The whole book is just the first couple days of the event with the characters learning how to survive in this new dystopian world.
That being said it was a thoroughly entertaining read explaining the beginnings of the zombie apocalypse and introducing the characters. It was easy to read, and fast paced after you got into it. The plot was well thought out and had an interesting take on the aftermath. The characters were quite different but totally relatable in how they deal with everything. I really enjoyed reading this book and hope it becomes a long series. Damien Lee has become one of my go to favorite authors that I will buy anything he writes. Highly addictive and would recommend.
Frank Lee was in prison for beating his cheating wife to death with a hammer
As the mysterious ailment spread over England, through the Channel and into Europe, Frank was on the run. Survival was his goal and acquiring an entourage was definitely not in his plans, but it happened anyway. The dead rose, hungry and angry, as the virus consumed them. Survival required three things: food, shelter and weapons. Frank organized his crew and set out to acquire their needs. The dead had their own needs and Frank's crew filled all those needs.
A mysterious virus that raises the dead is the beginning of every horror / zompoc story. This version is great! The characters are exquisite, each fulfilling an important element to the storyline, each holding a wildly different personality which made the group dynamics an additional character in the story. Frank's leadership style was crude, rude and effective. The other members of Frank's posse followed Frank whether they wanted to or not. The cliffhanger ending begs for a follow-up or series! I would look forward to more, stretching my English/American dictionary to its limits! I thoroughly enjoyed The Virus! This is s great read!
This is the first book in this series also the first book I have read by this author it did not disappoint at all, now who doesn't love a brilliant horrific zombie book I did, it has all you expect from an end of the world scenario, even better it's set in Britain and loved the characters too.
WOAH!!! This is the best prologue I have read in a long time and instantly this author had me intrigued, shocked, gasp out loud moments with all the horror of it OMG!!!. Brilliant storyline, I loved the way the chapters were about different characters and placed, I know some I liked and a couple I detested, but that's what I loved about it. Amy was working in the hospital going round doing daily duties, totally oblivious to that there was an infection outside, not aware how life threatening it was and that her life is going to change and that she will be fighting for survival.
It has action, horror lots of it and cringe factor moments arghhhh!! 😨😨. Did I mention one hell of a prologue. I am now addicted to this series and can't wait to read the next book The Host, I have just got to find out what happens to the characters on their journey for survival.
I am eagerly looking forward to reading the next book in this series, not one to be missed!!
The Virus follows many characters at the start of a zombie outbreak set in England. The main characters are Amy, a young nurse dealing with sick patients, and Frank, a convicted murderer stuck in prison, and how they deal with the people they meet, the zombie outbreak until their paths cross.
The levels of action and gore in the book were good and the fact that the virus could infect birds and animals helped set it apart from other books and this doesn't happen often. My only gripe was I didn't feel for either of the main characters so didn't care for them as the story went on. However, the action did keep me wanting more and I will get the next one in the series.
I listened to this on Audible, the narrator did a great job with all of the various voices and accents and made it a treat to listen to.
The Virus is my first book by Damien Lee and it definitely won’t be the last.
When a virus hits the UK it’s not long before the country descends into chaos. People start dropping like flies, but they don’t stay down for long and that’s when all hell breaks loose. Forced together by fate, a band of survivors must work as a team in order to escape the undead. Easier said than done when one of them is a convicted murderer with a short fuse.
This book has everything you could want in a zombie novel: high stakes, action and gore aplenty. I listened to this one on Audible and have to say that the narration is brilliant. It pulls you into the story completely.
If you’re a fan of The Night of the Living Dead franchise you won’t want to miss out on The Virus.
I have listened to the Audible version of this book This is a superb start to a new series from Damien Lee. It is the first book I've listened to of his but hopefully not the last. A prison full of corruption. a hospital full of a mysterious virus leads to the need to escape for the main characters in this edge of the seat listen. From vastly different backgrounds they meet up and have to work together to escape the Zombies. the talented Simon Aitchison with his multi voiced narration does a wonderful job of keeping the listener hooked. Highly Recommended.