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All the Tommys in the World
They know something we don't.
For horror Youtubers Lilith and Nate, zombie movies are escapist fantasies. So when a real zombie uprising in the streets of New Southport is quickly thwarted, they know those familiar-looking ghouls are hiding something. They should know. Born with a weak heart in the funeral town of Leatelranch, built around the largest cemetery in the world, Lilith’s parents raised her with zombie stories to keep her from learning the truth about what happens inside the cemetery walls.
As for Nathan, the caretaker’s son... he has his reasons to be so cowardly. So when they get outsmarted by seemingly droning ghouls and are forced to split up, the uncanny coincidences are undeniable. And as things start to look more and more like Lilith’s apocalyptic visions, and as a darker threat lurks, it’ll be up to them to piece the puzzle before everyone they love faces a fate worse than becoming a zombie.
Can they be stopped? Are they just playing dead? Do they have a plan?
They know something we don’t. And whatever it is, they hate us for it.
For horror Youtubers Lilith and Nate, zombie movies are escapist fantasies. So when a real zombie uprising in the streets of New Southport is quickly thwarted, they know those familiar-looking ghouls are hiding something. They should know. Born with a weak heart in the funeral town of Leatelranch, built around the largest cemetery in the world, Lilith’s parents raised her with zombie stories to keep her from learning the truth about what happens inside the cemetery walls.
As for Nathan, the caretaker’s son... he has his reasons to be so cowardly. So when they get outsmarted by seemingly droning ghouls and are forced to split up, the uncanny coincidences are undeniable. And as things start to look more and more like Lilith’s apocalyptic visions, and as a darker threat lurks, it’ll be up to them to piece the puzzle before everyone they love faces a fate worse than becoming a zombie.
Can they be stopped? Are they just playing dead? Do they have a plan?
They know something we don’t. And whatever it is, they hate us for it.
552 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 9, 2021
8 people are currently reading
104 people want to read
About the author
Javier Gombinsky
2 books5 followersJavier Gombinsky (he/him) is an Argentinian indie writer living in The Netherlands. He writes horror and fantasy in Spanish and English. He self-published his first zombie thriller All the Tommys in the World and his short story The Jeremy Sparkles Show, which was long-listed for the 2023 Uncharted Thrilling Story Award.
He is currently working on a short story collection.
He is currently working on a short story collection.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
July 11, 2021
All the Tommys in the World
A zombie thriller
by Javier Gombinsky
Pigfarm Press
This was a totally different concept of zombies in the blurb so I wanted to read it. That part is definitely true. I have read so many zombie stories I am really done with them but this was something new to the genre so I wanted to give it a try.
The zombie apocalypse is in full swing as the reader starts the book. Nate and Lil are Youtubers that watch and review scary movies for their audience. Lil's parents come by and say they are going back home and taking both of them too. But they don't want to go because that town is in the middle of a giant cemetery!
The parents also seem to be goading them to run with the zombies! Many people are doing this it seems, along with people killing them. It's like running with the bulls in Spain but more biting, less horns! So, the parents get them to do crazy things!
The whole book is strange, but I like strange. But what I don't like is confusion. There are a lot of confusing bits in here. It got so confusing at times I lost track of the plot. I hate stopping and trying to figure things out. There are some nice twists and the ghouls/zombies are not brainless, shambling creatures either. It's confusing if there are two creatures (ghouls and zombies) or just the one called something different at times.
I never felt an attachment to either main character or the kids (side characters). There is also a needless death of a very young child that Nate and Lil's let die. I wanted the parents to die right away.
Because this is the author's first book, I will watch for his next one. I enjoyed the concept that was new and unusual. I would rate this 2 1/2 stars (rounding up to 3) due to poor character development and confusion.
I want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for letting me read this unique book.
A zombie thriller
by Javier Gombinsky
Pigfarm Press
This was a totally different concept of zombies in the blurb so I wanted to read it. That part is definitely true. I have read so many zombie stories I am really done with them but this was something new to the genre so I wanted to give it a try.
The zombie apocalypse is in full swing as the reader starts the book. Nate and Lil are Youtubers that watch and review scary movies for their audience. Lil's parents come by and say they are going back home and taking both of them too. But they don't want to go because that town is in the middle of a giant cemetery!
The parents also seem to be goading them to run with the zombies! Many people are doing this it seems, along with people killing them. It's like running with the bulls in Spain but more biting, less horns! So, the parents get them to do crazy things!
The whole book is strange, but I like strange. But what I don't like is confusion. There are a lot of confusing bits in here. It got so confusing at times I lost track of the plot. I hate stopping and trying to figure things out. There are some nice twists and the ghouls/zombies are not brainless, shambling creatures either. It's confusing if there are two creatures (ghouls and zombies) or just the one called something different at times.
I never felt an attachment to either main character or the kids (side characters). There is also a needless death of a very young child that Nate and Lil's let die. I wanted the parents to die right away.
Because this is the author's first book, I will watch for his next one. I enjoyed the concept that was new and unusual. I would rate this 2 1/2 stars (rounding up to 3) due to poor character development and confusion.
I want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for letting me read this unique book.
October 14, 2024
An interesting concept and idea for zombies but, ultimately, just didn't work for me.
First, I love this cover. It's eerie and creepy and gives a good vibe of the story.
But right from the start, I knew this book wasn't going to be for me. I was confused right from the very beginning - between the couple arguing with the parents, stumbling outside and then separating. The conversations were so hard to imagine and place - it didn't feel natural or even realistic.
The kids and the tv show were even more confusing. The cast list was growing but I wasn't connecting or even rooting anyone on. I wish I'd loved this one but it just didn't work for me.
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
First, I love this cover. It's eerie and creepy and gives a good vibe of the story.
But right from the start, I knew this book wasn't going to be for me. I was confused right from the very beginning - between the couple arguing with the parents, stumbling outside and then separating. The conversations were so hard to imagine and place - it didn't feel natural or even realistic.
The kids and the tv show were even more confusing. The cast list was growing but I wasn't connecting or even rooting anyone on. I wish I'd loved this one but it just didn't work for me.
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
June 29, 2021
I got a free ARC copy on netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I loved the cover. I love zombies. I tried to give this book a fair shot, but it was very confusing. I got to chapter 15 before calling it quits.
July 9, 2021
I really, want to enjoy this book. I really do. It's a new concept. There are some scary bits that are so well-made that I actually had to stop and face my windows a couple of times. But the problem is that it is too confusing for me. I had to come sometimes back, to get a better understanding of the situation, and even like that I wasn't entirely sure of what I was reading and what was the main story really about.
Right now, I am going to leave it at that. I might take it back later, because I really want to enjoy this book and I feel like there is something big behind all that Apocalypse and very creepy children, dear lord.
Right now, I am going to leave it at that. I might take it back later, because I really want to enjoy this book and I feel like there is something big behind all that Apocalypse and very creepy children, dear lord.
August 20, 2021
All The Tommy’s In The World by Javier Gombinsky is a horror novel, based on a zombie uprising.
First, let me thank NetGalley (who sent me a widget), the publisher Pigfarm Press and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
My Synopsis: (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Lilith Kane was raised in the town of Leatelranch, a town created around the largest cemetery in the world. Although she was born with a weak heart, her parents deliberately told her zombie stories to prevent her from knowing what really happens behind the cemetery walls.
Nathan's mother died when he was very young, and he was raised by his father, who was a caretaker of the cemetery.
Lilith and Nate escaped Leatelranch, and became Youtube sensations on the matter of all things horror, mostly zombies. So when, there is an up-rising of the real thing, they are surprised to find themselves hiding inside. Eventually, they pick up the courage to travel outside the building, but are quickly forced to split up.
They both discover that Leatelranch may hold the answers they need.
My Opinions:
I was really looking forward to a good zombie/horror book. It had been a while. Unfortunately, although the premise looked promising, the book did not deliver true scares or much actual gore (in my opinion).
It would have been an easier read if the chapters were designated as "now" and "then". It took a couple of paragraphs each time to figure out the time-frame, and it was rather frustrating, and initially confusing.
The characters didn't appeal. Even from the get-go, I didn't like Lilith, although Nate was a bit more interesting. Unfortunately, neither of them, nor the other characters which appeared in the book thrilled me. They weren't deep enough, and their backstories were not as developed as they could have been. As well, it took much too long to get to their back-stories. By that time I had lost total interest in them surviving.
As well, this is a rather long book, and I admit to occasional boredom. The ending was more confusion, and suddenly it felt rushed.
However, the overall plot was good, and I could tell that the author had put a lot of thought into it, and was passionate about zombies. I may not have enjoyed this one, but I will watch this author.
For a more complete review of this book and others (including the reason I chose to read/review this book, as well as author information), please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
Currently reading
June 30, 2021It's a zombie apocolypse, but unlike any I have previously heard of. While I was originally excited about a unique concept, unfortunately, this ends up not being a good thing.
I am all for creative story telling, and playing with the timeline in a book to keep things interesting, but All the Tommys in the World is just a confusing, messy jumble of ideas that are half-baked or just plain dumb and nonsensical. I really wanted to like this book, and forced myself to read it all the way to the end, because I just KNEW it was going to have some great ending that really pulled everything together. Spoiler Alert: It doesn't. Javier Gombinsky needs to take some writing classes to help him figure out how to write a coherent story as well as how to write likeable, realistic characters. Nothing wrong with a broody, sarcastic anti-hero, we see tons of those in both literature and film/tv, but Gombinsky just absolutely fails at creating such characters. What he created is a set of stupid, selfish, short-sighted, useless, annoying, judgemental characters that made this book even more painful to read than it would have been anyway. Gombinsky also uses the same strange phrases over and over, like "eyes swell up" to describe someone widening their eyes and "like a sizzling anthill" to describe the movements of the zombies. Just absolutely bizarre language choices that don't make sense.
Also, in an apocolypse, you want the folks that are prepared, that can shoot a gun, and that are brave and selfless on your side, right? Well, not according to Gombinsky.. He apparently thinks anyone that owns a gun or plays video games are just awful people, and are all a bunch of literal nazis, with swastika tattoos, confederate flags, and MAGA hats galore! Gombinsky literally describes the characters in the book that are willing to shoot down the zombies as a bunch of crazy psychopaths (literally) that always wanted to kill a bunch of people and were just waiting for an excuse. Um, excuse me? Wanting to defend your loved ones and shoot literal zombies in the head to keep from being killed yourself makes you a psycho? Yeah, no. I'm not a gun owner and I did not vote for Trump, but I was very much offended by this portrayal and caricature of a large group of Americans.
Seriously, this is one of the worst books I have ever had the misfortune of reading. Please do yourself a favor and skip this awful book.
I am all for creative story telling, and playing with the timeline in a book to keep things interesting, but All the Tommys in the World is just a confusing, messy jumble of ideas that are half-baked or just plain dumb and nonsensical. I really wanted to like this book, and forced myself to read it all the way to the end, because I just KNEW it was going to have some great ending that really pulled everything together. Spoiler Alert: It doesn't. Javier Gombinsky needs to take some writing classes to help him figure out how to write a coherent story as well as how to write likeable, realistic characters. Nothing wrong with a broody, sarcastic anti-hero, we see tons of those in both literature and film/tv, but Gombinsky just absolutely fails at creating such characters. What he created is a set of stupid, selfish, short-sighted, useless, annoying, judgemental characters that made this book even more painful to read than it would have been anyway. Gombinsky also uses the same strange phrases over and over, like "eyes swell up" to describe someone widening their eyes and "like a sizzling anthill" to describe the movements of the zombies. Just absolutely bizarre language choices that don't make sense.
Also, in an apocolypse, you want the folks that are prepared, that can shoot a gun, and that are brave and selfless on your side, right? Well, not according to Gombinsky.. He apparently thinks anyone that owns a gun or plays video games are just awful people, and are all a bunch of literal nazis, with swastika tattoos, confederate flags, and MAGA hats galore! Gombinsky literally describes the characters in the book that are willing to shoot down the zombies as a bunch of crazy psychopaths (literally) that always wanted to kill a bunch of people and were just waiting for an excuse. Um, excuse me? Wanting to defend your loved ones and shoot literal zombies in the head to keep from being killed yourself makes you a psycho? Yeah, no. I'm not a gun owner and I did not vote for Trump, but I was very much offended by this portrayal and caricature of a large group of Americans.
Seriously, this is one of the worst books I have ever had the misfortune of reading. Please do yourself a favor and skip this awful book.
October 9, 2021
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
So this was an interesting take on zombies. And while I appreciate what it did, it has solidified my suspicions on my zombie preferences. I want them either completely brainless only knowing that they need raw flesh (The Walking Dead) or totally passable as a living person who can live among the living without going crazy and eating everybody (iZombie). The really smart zombies of this book just aren't for me.
What I didn't like about All the Tommys in the World is that is dragged in certain places. Also, at times it became a bit confusing. If you're someone who enjoys a lot of world building this could be something you like. The characters are not well developed which isn't a bad thing for me specifically but I wanted to mention it for anybody who wants that building in their stories.
With that being said, I would still give this book a solid 3/5. I enjoyed the story and the characters enough to keep me going throughout the book. A couple of times I found myself lost but was able to get back on track. The best part of this book is how weird it is. It has certain incoherent aspect to it that makes reading it feel like you're going through a nightmare.
I'm not sure who I would specifically recommend this to. It's weird, it's different and it's got zombies so if those things appeal to you maybe you would enjoy this one.
You can find this and other bookish content at https://fourmoonreviews.blogspot.com
So this was an interesting take on zombies. And while I appreciate what it did, it has solidified my suspicions on my zombie preferences. I want them either completely brainless only knowing that they need raw flesh (The Walking Dead) or totally passable as a living person who can live among the living without going crazy and eating everybody (iZombie). The really smart zombies of this book just aren't for me.
What I didn't like about All the Tommys in the World is that is dragged in certain places. Also, at times it became a bit confusing. If you're someone who enjoys a lot of world building this could be something you like. The characters are not well developed which isn't a bad thing for me specifically but I wanted to mention it for anybody who wants that building in their stories.
With that being said, I would still give this book a solid 3/5. I enjoyed the story and the characters enough to keep me going throughout the book. A couple of times I found myself lost but was able to get back on track. The best part of this book is how weird it is. It has certain incoherent aspect to it that makes reading it feel like you're going through a nightmare.
I'm not sure who I would specifically recommend this to. It's weird, it's different and it's got zombies so if those things appeal to you maybe you would enjoy this one.
You can find this and other bookish content at https://fourmoonreviews.blogspot.com
May 17, 2021
This ebook has been provided by netgalley in exchange of an honest review.
This book was quite different from anything I read before. The writing is clear and fast, there is no such thing as boring moments in it. I loved it, even if I'm not a horror or zombie fan !
This book was quite different from anything I read before. The writing is clear and fast, there is no such thing as boring moments in it. I loved it, even if I'm not a horror or zombie fan !
July 12, 2021
I am leaving a voluntary honest review for an advanced copy thru NetGalley.
I truly wanted to love this book. I'm a horror fan and zombies are my absolute favorite. When I read the description that 2 youtubers take on zombies...I was intrigued and excited to read this book.
The book centers on Lilith and Nathan. Two young adults that fled their creepy hometown as teens. They are obsessed with zombies and death. Nathan lived in the cemetary since his father was a caretaker. Lilith was always drawn to death an that cemetary. When these two meet up, they become inseparable.
Now the zombie apocalypse is happening... these two figure on blogging and waiting it out. They hear that a warrior gang called the Slayers are winning the war on the dead. Lilith's parents come to take her back to her childhood home and tell them the war is far from over. Then they start kinda weirdly pushing these two to actually do something for once being zombie experts rather than letting others do their job. In doing so, these two get departed. They meet other survivors, secrets and intrigue on these zombies, time jumps, and a meh ending.
I had to push myself to keep going with this book. There were times I was so invested in the current situation Nathan found himself in or Lilith. But then there would be huge time jumps with little explanation or mention an I'd have to go back and re read. The book switching back to the past to present had me confused the way it was done.
There is a weird twisted secret to these zombies and Lilith, Nathan and another childhood friend.
I think I was more confused by the whole book then anything else.
I'm giving it a two star rating for the parts I felt invested and was really into.
I truly wanted to love this book. I'm a horror fan and zombies are my absolute favorite. When I read the description that 2 youtubers take on zombies...I was intrigued and excited to read this book.
The book centers on Lilith and Nathan. Two young adults that fled their creepy hometown as teens. They are obsessed with zombies and death. Nathan lived in the cemetary since his father was a caretaker. Lilith was always drawn to death an that cemetary. When these two meet up, they become inseparable.
Now the zombie apocalypse is happening... these two figure on blogging and waiting it out. They hear that a warrior gang called the Slayers are winning the war on the dead. Lilith's parents come to take her back to her childhood home and tell them the war is far from over. Then they start kinda weirdly pushing these two to actually do something for once being zombie experts rather than letting others do their job. In doing so, these two get departed. They meet other survivors, secrets and intrigue on these zombies, time jumps, and a meh ending.
I had to push myself to keep going with this book. There were times I was so invested in the current situation Nathan found himself in or Lilith. But then there would be huge time jumps with little explanation or mention an I'd have to go back and re read. The book switching back to the past to present had me confused the way it was done.
There is a weird twisted secret to these zombies and Lilith, Nathan and another childhood friend.
I think I was more confused by the whole book then anything else.
I'm giving it a two star rating for the parts I felt invested and was really into.
August 1, 2021
All the Tommys in the World by Javier Gombinsky
#dnf #arc
CW: zombies, death, gory violence, cemeteries
I was interested in the premise of this book, but the execution was off. The multiple timelines via multiple flashbacks with multiple perspectives in each was confusing without any clarification on when exactly things were happening. Also, are zombies different than dead slayers different than walkers different than ghouls? It seems as though the terms were used interchangeably, then they weren’t, and I couldn’t keep track of what monster was what. I didn’t care about any of the main characters because they were very flat and not fleshed out at all. Then all of a sudden there’s a time jump of several years in the middle of a chapter but they’re still in the same situation? I ultimately DNFed at 52%.
Thank you to @netgalley and Pig Farm Press for the advance copy. (Pub date 08/17/21)
#dnf #arc
CW: zombies, death, gory violence, cemeteries
I was interested in the premise of this book, but the execution was off. The multiple timelines via multiple flashbacks with multiple perspectives in each was confusing without any clarification on when exactly things were happening. Also, are zombies different than dead slayers different than walkers different than ghouls? It seems as though the terms were used interchangeably, then they weren’t, and I couldn’t keep track of what monster was what. I didn’t care about any of the main characters because they were very flat and not fleshed out at all. Then all of a sudden there’s a time jump of several years in the middle of a chapter but they’re still in the same situation? I ultimately DNFed at 52%.
Thank you to @netgalley and Pig Farm Press for the advance copy. (Pub date 08/17/21)
July 13, 2021
I was provided with an ARC of this book through NetGalley.
I found this book extremely difficult to put down. The concept is so different within the undead genre, with not only faster moving zombies but ones that retain their intellect, and are cunning and dangerous adversaries. The little hints as you progress through the book as to what actually caused the outbreak of the disease that brought about the apocalypse, the roles the main characters played in it, and the the link to the town of Leatelranch, keep you turning the page and anticipating the moment when it all comes together.
By the time I got to the final section of the book, I was enthralled and ready to give the book five stars. Imagine my dismay when nothing is actually explained, and nothing comes together to make sense of the events of earlier in the book. The ending is extremely disappointing.
In fact, I feel as though I've wasted a few days of my time.
The book had so much potential, and it is, by the end, entirely wasted.
I'd give this 2.5 stars here if I could.
I found this book extremely difficult to put down. The concept is so different within the undead genre, with not only faster moving zombies but ones that retain their intellect, and are cunning and dangerous adversaries. The little hints as you progress through the book as to what actually caused the outbreak of the disease that brought about the apocalypse, the roles the main characters played in it, and the the link to the town of Leatelranch, keep you turning the page and anticipating the moment when it all comes together.
By the time I got to the final section of the book, I was enthralled and ready to give the book five stars. Imagine my dismay when nothing is actually explained, and nothing comes together to make sense of the events of earlier in the book. The ending is extremely disappointing.
In fact, I feel as though I've wasted a few days of my time.
The book had so much potential, and it is, by the end, entirely wasted.
I'd give this 2.5 stars here if I could.
July 25, 2021
I was drawn into this dystopian nightmare for probably the first half. It felt innovative and fresh, creative and cult-like. But then I became confused and felt like I had missed some vital pages in order to follow the plot. It started to pick up towards the end but essentially it never reached the heights that I envisioned for it.
I received this arc from netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
I received this arc from netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
August 5, 2021
This was a great book. A lot of people found it confusing. Same here. A lot of characters, a little too much mystery (mystery is great, but us dummies need some things spelled out for them), some really gratuitous violence. Well-written, edgy, humorous with a dark undertone.
I would have to say the only real problem I have with this book is the lack of explanation as to what was really going on. I think I got the bare jist of it by the end, but it was really difficult to follow in some spots.
I will probably have to read this again to try to find the explanations as I go along. It seems kind of like one of those movies you can watch over and over and catch little things in that you never saw before.
Trigger warnings: Somewhat descriptive gory violence, swearing
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC. All opinions are my own.
I would have to say the only real problem I have with this book is the lack of explanation as to what was really going on. I think I got the bare jist of it by the end, but it was really difficult to follow in some spots.
I will probably have to read this again to try to find the explanations as I go along. It seems kind of like one of those movies you can watch over and over and catch little things in that you never saw before.
Trigger warnings: Somewhat descriptive gory violence, swearing
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC. All opinions are my own.
August 9, 2021
I really wanted to love this book enough to give it five stars. It's well written and the story is engaging and exciting...until the end. I was so disappointed in the last third of the book. The story built up so beautifully and the idea of a town like Leatelranch was so interesting! I was looking forward to finding out more of the history and the how and why of what happened in the cemetery, but the author was more interested in gore than a great finish. I realize that there is gore in horror and I don't mind it at all, but not when it comes at the expense of a great story with well-developed characters-which is something I find happens far too often in my beloved horror genre.
July 21, 2021
It kind of reminded me of the mean ghouls (Rotten Apple#1) by Stacia deutsch. It was really cool to read the zombie apocalypse , albeit being a new plot and all, it is really vague and ambiguous. It would be a better book, if story is developed well. Apart from that ,the premise and the characters are good. They fit in so well with the plot.
Recommendation: For Zombie thriller genre fans , it would be an enjoyable read , it is fresh and new.I would definitely recommend it to both the rotten apple and poison apple book(s) fans.
Recommendation: For Zombie thriller genre fans , it would be an enjoyable read , it is fresh and new.I would definitely recommend it to both the rotten apple and poison apple book(s) fans.
August 17, 2021
This was a big one. If you like gore and zombies please pick this one up next. Old school zombie story with twist and turns galore. Terrifying!
Thank you NetGalley for this arc
Thank you NetGalley for this arc
June 7, 2021
Lilith and Nate are hiding away watching zombie movies while the real zombie apocalypse is happening right outside their window. Lilith and Nate decide to go outside to see the zombies for themselves. In the process they get separated, and their lives completely change from that moment on. They find out that the zombies are a lot different than what they’ve seen in the movies. Lilith and Nate must find a way back to each other. Finding each other might lead them back to Leatelranch, their hometown which is built around a large cemetery, and the secrets buried there.
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This was an interesting read — I keep going back and forth on how I exactly feel about it.
I had a hard time, in some parts, following the story. I found myself having to reread portions, because everything was fast paced and I was losing important details while reading. The concept at the end of the story also had me confused. I felt like up until ¾ of the book I was following the plot pretty well, but the last ¼ felt rushed and almost like it was a different story. I’m still confused on how I feel about the plot as a whole.
I enjoyed reading about the characters — Lilith, Nate, and the boys were great. I also enjoyed this concept of zombie. It’s something fresher (haha! zombies being fresh) and more unique than what I’m used to. The story was action packed — I feel like there was never a dull moment. It also kept me reading, because I wanted to figure out the mystery behind the zombies and Leatelranch.
Overall, I did enjoy this book. The story and characters kept me interested and I finished the book, even though I was confused and had to reread what was going on in some parts. The confusion is mostly why I gave this book a 3/5 stars.
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Thank you to NetGalley and Pigfarm Press for the ARC.
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This was an interesting read — I keep going back and forth on how I exactly feel about it.
I had a hard time, in some parts, following the story. I found myself having to reread portions, because everything was fast paced and I was losing important details while reading. The concept at the end of the story also had me confused. I felt like up until ¾ of the book I was following the plot pretty well, but the last ¼ felt rushed and almost like it was a different story. I’m still confused on how I feel about the plot as a whole.
I enjoyed reading about the characters — Lilith, Nate, and the boys were great. I also enjoyed this concept of zombie. It’s something fresher (haha! zombies being fresh) and more unique than what I’m used to. The story was action packed — I feel like there was never a dull moment. It also kept me reading, because I wanted to figure out the mystery behind the zombies and Leatelranch.
Overall, I did enjoy this book. The story and characters kept me interested and I finished the book, even though I was confused and had to reread what was going on in some parts. The confusion is mostly why I gave this book a 3/5 stars.
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Thank you to NetGalley and Pigfarm Press for the ARC.
September 25, 2021
“All the Tommy’s in the World” by Javier Gombinsky is an original zombie thriller that is both chilling and unsettling as readers are pulled into a world that offers a fresh take on what it means to live in a world overrun by the living dead.
A novel where the zombie apocalypse descends upon the human population and they aren’t trying to figure why the hell the dead aren’t staying dead and how this mess even started? Yes, please! “All the Tommy’s in the World” presents a zombie apocalypse in which no one is truly afraid of the flesh-eating creatures roaming their streets. Having seen all of this beforehand in popular media, humankind is ready to face the threat firsthand. Shoot to kill, bash in their head with whatever handy weapon is available, or get the hell out of dodge.
Readers and characters alike are lulled into a sense of security by following the age-old tropes that worked for every fictional zombie fighter known to man. When those tricks no longer work, everyone’s understanding of what a zombie is becomes flipped upside down, and an apocalypse like none other ensues.
There are moments when the book is confusing which usually happened when there were shifts in time or a perspective change to someone other than the two main characters Lillith and Nate. While some of that confusion was never cleared up, it didn’t detract too much from the overall chaos of a good ‘ole zombie outbreak. A good chunk of that is due to Lillith and Nate who narrates a majority of this novel with events from their past and present. The two of them are horror enthusiasts who use the zombie apocalypse as a chance to enjoy diving head-first into chaotic situations while simultaneously trying to save humankind from extinction.
This is definitely a novel fans of zombie horror should pick up! The writing is fresh and original along with the plot and characters. A lot of what feels predictable or overdone in the genre is met with unexpected twists or turns fans will enjoy. There’s a lot of great witty humor along with some gory scenes one can usually expect in a zombie apocalypse. I highly recommend checking out this novel on its expected publication date of August 17th, 2021.
Thank you Netgalley and Pigfarm press for providing me with a free e-arc and the opportunity to share my honest opinion in this review.
A novel where the zombie apocalypse descends upon the human population and they aren’t trying to figure why the hell the dead aren’t staying dead and how this mess even started? Yes, please! “All the Tommy’s in the World” presents a zombie apocalypse in which no one is truly afraid of the flesh-eating creatures roaming their streets. Having seen all of this beforehand in popular media, humankind is ready to face the threat firsthand. Shoot to kill, bash in their head with whatever handy weapon is available, or get the hell out of dodge.
Readers and characters alike are lulled into a sense of security by following the age-old tropes that worked for every fictional zombie fighter known to man. When those tricks no longer work, everyone’s understanding of what a zombie is becomes flipped upside down, and an apocalypse like none other ensues.
There are moments when the book is confusing which usually happened when there were shifts in time or a perspective change to someone other than the two main characters Lillith and Nate. While some of that confusion was never cleared up, it didn’t detract too much from the overall chaos of a good ‘ole zombie outbreak. A good chunk of that is due to Lillith and Nate who narrates a majority of this novel with events from their past and present. The two of them are horror enthusiasts who use the zombie apocalypse as a chance to enjoy diving head-first into chaotic situations while simultaneously trying to save humankind from extinction.
This is definitely a novel fans of zombie horror should pick up! The writing is fresh and original along with the plot and characters. A lot of what feels predictable or overdone in the genre is met with unexpected twists or turns fans will enjoy. There’s a lot of great witty humor along with some gory scenes one can usually expect in a zombie apocalypse. I highly recommend checking out this novel on its expected publication date of August 17th, 2021.
Thank you Netgalley and Pigfarm press for providing me with a free e-arc and the opportunity to share my honest opinion in this review.
September 24, 2021
Thank you NetGalley and Pigfarm press for a copy to review. All the Tommy’s in the World is a zombie novel. It’s not like any zombie book I’ve ever read. This is a completely different take on the sub-genre. This story feels fresh and unique.
The book is 554 pages and there’s a lot going on. I was never bored and I was completely invested in what was going on and what was going to happen next. I enjoyed reading this book. I loved the characters. It did take me a little while to like them. I was torn between rooting for them and not wanting a happy ending. I would recommend this book if your looking for something different.
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Spoiler at the end
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Don’t expect a happy ending with everything tied up at the end. No one came and saved the day. It’s not a superhero novel.
The book is 554 pages and there’s a lot going on. I was never bored and I was completely invested in what was going on and what was going to happen next. I enjoyed reading this book. I loved the characters. It did take me a little while to like them. I was torn between rooting for them and not wanting a happy ending. I would recommend this book if your looking for something different.
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Spoiler at the end
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Don’t expect a happy ending with everything tied up at the end. No one came and saved the day. It’s not a superhero novel.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 9, 2021
Thank you to the Pigfarm Press for giving me a copy of this book!
Okay, there's some interesting concepts here, but none of them are carried out to their fullest extent.
Characters: No one changed during the course of this book. There were times where their personalities switched for a moment, but then for the most part went back to what they were. Lila or Nate didn't grow in this novel. Everyone was pushing this edgy personality on Lila, but when was she ever edgy? Liking horror does not make one edgy. Also the YouTube thing which intrigued me got dropped off a quarter of the way into the book. That was their whole thing and then it was dropped off like most of the concepts in the book. I wanted some kind of resolution to Doyle and Lila, but Doyle just got killed off. Lila's psychic powers never got explained fully. Her relationship with Nate was bland. I also think that if we just focused on Lila and maybe Nate and not any other perspective, there would've been a tighter narrative. The zombies were cool in how they weren't your normal zombies, but nothing was explained about how they can't die or why they're suddenly evil when they turn.
Atmosphere: We never stayed in one spot long enough to focus on the atmosphere.
Writing: The dialogue in this book is very cringey at times. Lila and Nate are around my age and say things that make me think a 50 year old man wrote this. The parents trying to match the lingo of them was the worst parts. On top of that, the switch in perspectives didn't help and was just confusing at times.
Plot: Things were just happening. Everything just ended suddenly. We're going to find our fans. Oh, we got split up. The fan's place got set on fire. We're going to our hometown now. We're going to stay in the police station. Oh now everyone is a zombie and now we have to go to this building to figure out who this person is that can possibly stop this. No one can save this? Move on to an underground compound. Book ends. Nothing is explained or fulfilled.
Intrigue: Lila's psychic powers, the zombies, Doyle, and Tommy were the things I found super interesting about this book, but none of them were explained. What was with the train? What caused Lila's powers? Why are the zombies the way that they are? How did Doyle come to have an army of headless zombies and a pack of dogs?
Why are the zombies afraid of the dogs?
Logic: Nothing seemed logical in this book. Nothing is explained therefore logic is nowhere. Since zombies aren't the same as normal zombies, you can't fall back on previous versions of zombies.
Enjoyment: When I realized nothing was explained or plots weren't going to be finished, my enjoyment went down. I like a good zombie book, but I also like to know what's going on. I was confused for a good portion of the book as to what was going on.
All in all, I'm giving this two stars according to my rating system. There's a lot to improve on here, but the ideas and concepts are there.
Okay, there's some interesting concepts here, but none of them are carried out to their fullest extent.
Characters: No one changed during the course of this book. There were times where their personalities switched for a moment, but then for the most part went back to what they were. Lila or Nate didn't grow in this novel. Everyone was pushing this edgy personality on Lila, but when was she ever edgy? Liking horror does not make one edgy. Also the YouTube thing which intrigued me got dropped off a quarter of the way into the book. That was their whole thing and then it was dropped off like most of the concepts in the book. I wanted some kind of resolution to Doyle and Lila, but Doyle just got killed off. Lila's psychic powers never got explained fully. Her relationship with Nate was bland. I also think that if we just focused on Lila and maybe Nate and not any other perspective, there would've been a tighter narrative. The zombies were cool in how they weren't your normal zombies, but nothing was explained about how they can't die or why they're suddenly evil when they turn.
Atmosphere: We never stayed in one spot long enough to focus on the atmosphere.
Writing: The dialogue in this book is very cringey at times. Lila and Nate are around my age and say things that make me think a 50 year old man wrote this. The parents trying to match the lingo of them was the worst parts. On top of that, the switch in perspectives didn't help and was just confusing at times.
Plot: Things were just happening. Everything just ended suddenly. We're going to find our fans. Oh, we got split up. The fan's place got set on fire. We're going to our hometown now. We're going to stay in the police station. Oh now everyone is a zombie and now we have to go to this building to figure out who this person is that can possibly stop this. No one can save this? Move on to an underground compound. Book ends. Nothing is explained or fulfilled.
Intrigue: Lila's psychic powers, the zombies, Doyle, and Tommy were the things I found super interesting about this book, but none of them were explained. What was with the train? What caused Lila's powers? Why are the zombies the way that they are? How did Doyle come to have an army of headless zombies and a pack of dogs?
Why are the zombies afraid of the dogs?
Logic: Nothing seemed logical in this book. Nothing is explained therefore logic is nowhere. Since zombies aren't the same as normal zombies, you can't fall back on previous versions of zombies.
Enjoyment: When I realized nothing was explained or plots weren't going to be finished, my enjoyment went down. I like a good zombie book, but I also like to know what's going on. I was confused for a good portion of the book as to what was going on.
All in all, I'm giving this two stars according to my rating system. There's a lot to improve on here, but the ideas and concepts are there.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 13, 2021
I was approved to receive an ARC e-Galley of All the Tommys in the World from Pigfarm Press and NetGalley for review consideration. What follows below is my honest review, freely given.
I rated this novel 3.5 stars.
Zombies are near and dear to my horror loving heart, after the original mummy movie (not Fraser, even before him), zombies are what called me to the genre as a kid; scared me something fierce. I remember sitting on the couch, feet pulled off the floor for some reason, zombies are not mice after all, convinced that as long as I didn’t move until my parents came home from work, the zombies wouldn’t get me. I had just watched Night of the Living Dead for the first time, forever changed. Every shadow was a staggering corpse on it’s way to get me! Every creak in my century old house was the sound of a rotting body dragging itself closer and closer to my bedside! And I never said one word to my parents, because then they would have taken away the movies and the books, now wouldn’t they? This novel was an ode to zombies, in all their different forms, the author says so in the very back. He wanted to have a book that had them all in there. I can respect that, though I think having that note at the beginning may have done more good.
See, while reading this book, you very quickly can tell there is a main plot, involving the cemetery town of Leatelranch. To me, everything about it caught my attention, drawing me in to what I was sure to be a grand reveal, a key to the whole reason for what was going on. To me, sadly, things also became very muddled. Random, odd happenings would spring up, sometimes they would have an explanation given later, most times not. Sometimes they would fade out, almost like they were forgotten about. The last fourth of the book I wasn’t sure if I would finish it, but I rarely dnf a book that late in the game, so I kept on. The author’s note cleared some of my confusion up, but not all, the story still has some flow issues, but I know what the vision was and if I had known going in I may have been able to read it differently. Maybe this is an indicator that I don’t much about zombies, newer zombies? Maybe it seemed muddled because I didn’t recognize them? I’m not sure now. But I did like what I consider the main story plot with the town Leatelranch.
I rated this novel 3.5 stars.
Zombies are near and dear to my horror loving heart, after the original mummy movie (not Fraser, even before him), zombies are what called me to the genre as a kid; scared me something fierce. I remember sitting on the couch, feet pulled off the floor for some reason, zombies are not mice after all, convinced that as long as I didn’t move until my parents came home from work, the zombies wouldn’t get me. I had just watched Night of the Living Dead for the first time, forever changed. Every shadow was a staggering corpse on it’s way to get me! Every creak in my century old house was the sound of a rotting body dragging itself closer and closer to my bedside! And I never said one word to my parents, because then they would have taken away the movies and the books, now wouldn’t they? This novel was an ode to zombies, in all their different forms, the author says so in the very back. He wanted to have a book that had them all in there. I can respect that, though I think having that note at the beginning may have done more good.
See, while reading this book, you very quickly can tell there is a main plot, involving the cemetery town of Leatelranch. To me, everything about it caught my attention, drawing me in to what I was sure to be a grand reveal, a key to the whole reason for what was going on. To me, sadly, things also became very muddled. Random, odd happenings would spring up, sometimes they would have an explanation given later, most times not. Sometimes they would fade out, almost like they were forgotten about. The last fourth of the book I wasn’t sure if I would finish it, but I rarely dnf a book that late in the game, so I kept on. The author’s note cleared some of my confusion up, but not all, the story still has some flow issues, but I know what the vision was and if I had known going in I may have been able to read it differently. Maybe this is an indicator that I don’t much about zombies, newer zombies? Maybe it seemed muddled because I didn’t recognize them? I’m not sure now. But I did like what I consider the main story plot with the town Leatelranch.
August 11, 2021
All the Tommy's In the World spans 90 chapters and clocks in at an inexplicable 552 pages. Having myself been a horror Youtuber, I really wanted to like this book.
All the Tommy's In the World follows a group of characters I don't care about through a bizarre narrative and nonsensical plot. There's a fairly graphic child death, and maybe multiple dog deaths (I'm not entirely sure what was being communicated in those scenes,) and there's a chapter where a group of characters take a nap for several years.
I get the sense that the author truly loves horror, and for the most part, his allusions to horror tropes seem to serve as homage. Unfortunately, many of the references to cultural touchstones seem forced. Youtube is mentioned so sparingly - and with no exploration of what it means to the characters- that it may as well not have been mentioned at all. Nate's shirt is described multiple times, and it's only in the final pages that we learn he was wearing a Joy Division shirt all along. Solid outfit choice for a post-apocalyptic wasteland, but if that detail was intended to tell us something about the character, it should have been mentioned off the top.
There are some compelling turns of phrase and moments of brilliance in this novel, but the pacing and narrative elements really do them a disservice. Teeth are always gleaming in the moonlight, eyes are constantly burning, swelling, or glowing. Puzzle pieces are always "falling into place," which might lead you to believe this story will come together in the end. It does not. It feels like doing a 1000 piece puzzle only to find the box only contained 999 pieces.
Ultimately, I think this was a decent story that wasn't told well. I almost feel like it would have been better served by a series of graphic novels, because the pacing is so fast and many of the interesting concepts were more visual than abstract. The author has a creative mind, and I would definitely consider reading more of his work, but this novel just didn't do it for me.
All the Tommy's In the World follows a group of characters I don't care about through a bizarre narrative and nonsensical plot. There's a fairly graphic child death, and maybe multiple dog deaths (I'm not entirely sure what was being communicated in those scenes,) and there's a chapter where a group of characters take a nap for several years.
I get the sense that the author truly loves horror, and for the most part, his allusions to horror tropes seem to serve as homage. Unfortunately, many of the references to cultural touchstones seem forced. Youtube is mentioned so sparingly - and with no exploration of what it means to the characters- that it may as well not have been mentioned at all. Nate's shirt is described multiple times, and it's only in the final pages that we learn he was wearing a Joy Division shirt all along. Solid outfit choice for a post-apocalyptic wasteland, but if that detail was intended to tell us something about the character, it should have been mentioned off the top.
There are some compelling turns of phrase and moments of brilliance in this novel, but the pacing and narrative elements really do them a disservice. Teeth are always gleaming in the moonlight, eyes are constantly burning, swelling, or glowing. Puzzle pieces are always "falling into place," which might lead you to believe this story will come together in the end. It does not. It feels like doing a 1000 piece puzzle only to find the box only contained 999 pieces.
Ultimately, I think this was a decent story that wasn't told well. I almost feel like it would have been better served by a series of graphic novels, because the pacing is so fast and many of the interesting concepts were more visual than abstract. The author has a creative mind, and I would definitely consider reading more of his work, but this novel just didn't do it for me.
September 27, 2021
It's a zombie apocalypse - complete with slayer teams and zombies that follow the trope. The two main characters, Lilith and Nate, spent the beginning of the zombie apocalypse hidden in their home, engaged in posting reaction videos of horror movies. They soon realize that the zombie behaviour is very odd, indeed. The zombies seem to behave too predictably - they obligingly die at the slayers hands, just like the zombie trope, yet their behavior is a little off.
Nate and Lilith set out with Lilith's parents to escape the city. Predictably, the characters split up while running from zombies and we get to see the apocalypse from their POVs. All roads seem to lead to the modern necropolis of Leatelranch, which is revealed to be the place where both Lilith and Nate lived as children and left later. The zombies are busy converting the living and are converging on Leatelranch- are they organized? Are they following a plan? Is there a master directing them behind the scenes? Why did all the dead wake up and become zombies? Will the apocalypse end or will humanity bite the dust? These are the questions answered as the story follows the main characters down the ominous, gory body part-littered path to the conclusion. The story switches between the past and the present multiple times, for both the main characters and there are POVs from some minor characters as well.
The time switches were confusing and almost relegated book to my DNF shelf, but the conclusion was worth the effort of soldiering on. This book is sure to appeal to zombie lovers who nerd out on predicting likely locations of hypothetical zombie apocalypses and calculating the rates of spread during said apocalypses. I will certainly be on the look out for more from this author. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy to read.
Nate and Lilith set out with Lilith's parents to escape the city. Predictably, the characters split up while running from zombies and we get to see the apocalypse from their POVs. All roads seem to lead to the modern necropolis of Leatelranch, which is revealed to be the place where both Lilith and Nate lived as children and left later. The zombies are busy converting the living and are converging on Leatelranch- are they organized? Are they following a plan? Is there a master directing them behind the scenes? Why did all the dead wake up and become zombies? Will the apocalypse end or will humanity bite the dust? These are the questions answered as the story follows the main characters down the ominous, gory body part-littered path to the conclusion. The story switches between the past and the present multiple times, for both the main characters and there are POVs from some minor characters as well.
The time switches were confusing and almost relegated book to my DNF shelf, but the conclusion was worth the effort of soldiering on. This book is sure to appeal to zombie lovers who nerd out on predicting likely locations of hypothetical zombie apocalypses and calculating the rates of spread during said apocalypses. I will certainly be on the look out for more from this author. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy to read.
August 18, 2021
I was interested in this because I like a good zombie story but for me, this wasn’t one of the good ones. I’m not saying it is bad, it was just one that I couldn’t finish.
In this take on zombies, we are dropped into an existing zombie apocalypse which doesn’t seem to be worrying anyone. The first characters we meet are Youtubers that review scary movies and have Hollywood zombie knowledge. From the beginning this pulled me out of the world because who needs Youtube when there are zombies literally outside your door? Then we find out that people are running with the zombies (kind of like running with the bulls). But these aren’t the zombies of Hollywood. They move faster, retain knowledge from when they were alive, and are dangerous. But people think that because they’ve seen zombie movies, they know what to do so no one really seems concerned.
I think the casual nature of this apocalypse is what initially pulled me out of the story. It was also part of why I found it to be confusing. There were also weird time jumps that didn’t make sense to me and changes in perspective to people that weren’t the main characters. Anyway, I got confused and lost the plot several times.
I didn’t feel any kind of attachment to any characters and never really got a good sense of place. Many of the ideas had lots of potential but weren’t fully fleshed out and others were just questionable. There was some fun writing, witty moments, and gore but it just didn’t do it for me.
HOWEVER, if any of this sounds interesting to you the book is available for purchase. Maybe it will be something you enjoy.
Thank you to Netgalley and Pigfarm Press for providing me with a free e-arc in exchange for my honest review.
In this take on zombies, we are dropped into an existing zombie apocalypse which doesn’t seem to be worrying anyone. The first characters we meet are Youtubers that review scary movies and have Hollywood zombie knowledge. From the beginning this pulled me out of the world because who needs Youtube when there are zombies literally outside your door? Then we find out that people are running with the zombies (kind of like running with the bulls). But these aren’t the zombies of Hollywood. They move faster, retain knowledge from when they were alive, and are dangerous. But people think that because they’ve seen zombie movies, they know what to do so no one really seems concerned.
I think the casual nature of this apocalypse is what initially pulled me out of the story. It was also part of why I found it to be confusing. There were also weird time jumps that didn’t make sense to me and changes in perspective to people that weren’t the main characters. Anyway, I got confused and lost the plot several times.
I didn’t feel any kind of attachment to any characters and never really got a good sense of place. Many of the ideas had lots of potential but weren’t fully fleshed out and others were just questionable. There was some fun writing, witty moments, and gore but it just didn’t do it for me.
HOWEVER, if any of this sounds interesting to you the book is available for purchase. Maybe it will be something you enjoy.
Thank you to Netgalley and Pigfarm Press for providing me with a free e-arc in exchange for my honest review.
September 5, 2021
Horror YouTubers Lilith and Nathan love zombie movies...which is strange since an actual zombie uprising is happening right outside their front door.
When Lilith's parents come to take them to the safety of their old hometown, Leatelranch, the two rebel and end up getting separated on the streets of New Southport.
For most of the book, Lilith and Nathan are separated, trying their best to survive in a world that's literally trying to kill them.
All the Tommys in the World is an ambitious book with a very elaborate original story. It features a lot of characters, and the author works hard to build the unique world the story takes place in.
Unfortunately the way the author chooses to tell his tale is confusing, as he chooses to use non-linear chapters that jump forward and backwards in time for flashbacks that seem to be randomly inserted in the story.
There are also huge time jumps in the story...literally years at points. And they don't always make sense.
The author introduces a fascinating lore to why Leatelranch exists and details how it's laid out...but then introduces some type of funeral ritual that is central to the story, without fully explaining what it is or why they do it.
I enjoyed the Leatelranch portions of the book more than the New Southport, but each section of the story requires huge leaps of faith to follow along and accept everything works just as the author writes it.
And while I don't need "Happily Ever After" in my horror stories, the ending of the book was downright depressing, and kind of made the entire journey pointless.
I'm giving All the Tommys in the World by Javier Gombinsky 3 stars out of 5.
When Lilith's parents come to take them to the safety of their old hometown, Leatelranch, the two rebel and end up getting separated on the streets of New Southport.
For most of the book, Lilith and Nathan are separated, trying their best to survive in a world that's literally trying to kill them.
All the Tommys in the World is an ambitious book with a very elaborate original story. It features a lot of characters, and the author works hard to build the unique world the story takes place in.
Unfortunately the way the author chooses to tell his tale is confusing, as he chooses to use non-linear chapters that jump forward and backwards in time for flashbacks that seem to be randomly inserted in the story.
There are also huge time jumps in the story...literally years at points. And they don't always make sense.
The author introduces a fascinating lore to why Leatelranch exists and details how it's laid out...but then introduces some type of funeral ritual that is central to the story, without fully explaining what it is or why they do it.
I enjoyed the Leatelranch portions of the book more than the New Southport, but each section of the story requires huge leaps of faith to follow along and accept everything works just as the author writes it.
And while I don't need "Happily Ever After" in my horror stories, the ending of the book was downright depressing, and kind of made the entire journey pointless.
I'm giving All the Tommys in the World by Javier Gombinsky 3 stars out of 5.
July 22, 2021
2.5 / 3
This is a different sort of zombie book. When we begin the zombie apocolypse is alread underway. Lillith and her boyfriend Nathan are youtubers who watch horror movies, when after a visit from her parents Lilith decides they need to get out and see the zombies for themselves. While everyone thinks the zombies are like those from the movies.. dumb, slow, and just need a good head shot to take them down, her father swears that he saw one running. So they maybe smarter than they seem.. As they are out and about they get seperated and Nathan finds himself at a hospital with a bunch of children with cancer, and Lilith ends up meeting up with her parents who are trying to take her back to the town where she grew up.
Thats kind of where it lost me.. There are the zombies, the slayers are taking care of them.. but they seem to be getting smarter, or maybe they were always smart and they were faking being like zombies from the movie.. Lilith is being pushed to return to her hometown for some reason that has to do with the zombies. There is some big bad "Thing" that wants Lilith to return there for some reason..
Honestly this book was way to long, I ended up skimming through alot of it. So Im sure I missed some of the things that explained what what going on.
The parts with the zombies and one scene in particular with Liliths parents were really good and creeped me out. I think I would definitely check out other books by this author in the future.
I think that other people will really like this book, this one just wasn't for me.
This is a different sort of zombie book. When we begin the zombie apocolypse is alread underway. Lillith and her boyfriend Nathan are youtubers who watch horror movies, when after a visit from her parents Lilith decides they need to get out and see the zombies for themselves. While everyone thinks the zombies are like those from the movies.. dumb, slow, and just need a good head shot to take them down, her father swears that he saw one running. So they maybe smarter than they seem.. As they are out and about they get seperated and Nathan finds himself at a hospital with a bunch of children with cancer, and Lilith ends up meeting up with her parents who are trying to take her back to the town where she grew up.
Thats kind of where it lost me.. There are the zombies, the slayers are taking care of them.. but they seem to be getting smarter, or maybe they were always smart and they were faking being like zombies from the movie.. Lilith is being pushed to return to her hometown for some reason that has to do with the zombies. There is some big bad "Thing" that wants Lilith to return there for some reason..
Honestly this book was way to long, I ended up skimming through alot of it. So Im sure I missed some of the things that explained what what going on.
The parts with the zombies and one scene in particular with Liliths parents were really good and creeped me out. I think I would definitely check out other books by this author in the future.
I think that other people will really like this book, this one just wasn't for me.
July 20, 2021
I received this E-ARC for an honest review from NetGalley and and Pigfarm Press.
I really wanted to enjoy this novel a lot because it seemed to be a different approach to a zombie type book. When all the hype about the Walking Dead was around it felt like a lot of people were trying to write zombie and apocalypse type novels and I had grown tired of them. Although when I read the synopsis of this book I requested to read and review it. I love to read a good horror or thriller type book and was hoping this would be my new favorite.
I loved that this novel provided a different type of undead and showed them to be smarter and faster than the zombies we have been provided over the years. It is almost like a mystery trying to figure out how the virus was released into the world and the zombie took over. The issue I had with this novel was that it was hard to follow and, in the end, did not actually explain the point and reasoning behind what happened. Where I do not think that novels need to have a point or reason, it still needs to make sense to the reader. The ending seemed to be rushed and did not fulfill all the information that the novel needed to be understand able.
I gave this book 2 stars mainly because I needed to reread to understand what was happening throughout. Interesting concept and idea but lacked in the finished product.
I really wanted to enjoy this novel a lot because it seemed to be a different approach to a zombie type book. When all the hype about the Walking Dead was around it felt like a lot of people were trying to write zombie and apocalypse type novels and I had grown tired of them. Although when I read the synopsis of this book I requested to read and review it. I love to read a good horror or thriller type book and was hoping this would be my new favorite.
I loved that this novel provided a different type of undead and showed them to be smarter and faster than the zombies we have been provided over the years. It is almost like a mystery trying to figure out how the virus was released into the world and the zombie took over. The issue I had with this novel was that it was hard to follow and, in the end, did not actually explain the point and reasoning behind what happened. Where I do not think that novels need to have a point or reason, it still needs to make sense to the reader. The ending seemed to be rushed and did not fulfill all the information that the novel needed to be understand able.
I gave this book 2 stars mainly because I needed to reread to understand what was happening throughout. Interesting concept and idea but lacked in the finished product.
August 29, 2021
A couple stay in their apartment while a zombie apocalypse invades the city. When told that the zombies are almost gone, they decide to go outside. Zombie packs cause them to separate. Lilith goes to her hometown. It may not be the best place to go to as there is a cemetery of 300:000 plague victims. The zombies move fast and talk. Lilith thinks the zombies have a plan. With the clues she has, it becomes apparent that surviving zombie attacks is more important than trying to figure out the clues she has. Nate is stuck in the city. He ends up teaming with wisecracking kids. Nate does plan to be with Lilith in her hometown. Will they get back ogethr? Will they survive the zombies?
This isn’t a zombie movie as those have zombies not talking and walking slowly! There are rotting corpses, arms and legs missing and ambiance. Mysteries of the zombies and certain characters linger to the end.. I used my imagination to solve some of the mysteries of them due to the author’s writing. I enjoyed this zombie story as the zombies were “different.” It’s a fun zombie story that defies your expectations.
Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book from the author/publisher from Netgalley. I wasn’t obligated to write a favorable review or any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
This isn’t a zombie movie as those have zombies not talking and walking slowly! There are rotting corpses, arms and legs missing and ambiance. Mysteries of the zombies and certain characters linger to the end.. I used my imagination to solve some of the mysteries of them due to the author’s writing. I enjoyed this zombie story as the zombies were “different.” It’s a fun zombie story that defies your expectations.
Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book from the author/publisher from Netgalley. I wasn’t obligated to write a favorable review or any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
August 15, 2023
Having somehow missed NetGalley's 55-day reading period for Javier Combnsky's All the Tommys in the World, this reviewer took the trouble of tracking down an electronic copy of the book and reading it, in order to provide an honest and unbiased review. Alas, now it feels like a waste of money and time.
The author appears to have the full intention to write a fascinating zombie thriller, but is let down by a lack of writing experience and editorial guidance. The plot has its potential, but the execution is poor, leaving an impression that the author struggles to create coherent, believable characters to sustain the story. The dialogues are confusing, the pacing unsteady. There is no attempt at world-building, the actions weak and lack of convincing details.
With that said, to "keep a list in the back of his mind about all the things he wanted to happen, but didn't", is a good start. We all love everything horror and zombies, and it is vital that the author does not give up his dream of one day writing a fascinating zombie thriller novel. While consuming horror novels and films, it helps to pay attention to the techniques in developing plots and characters, building convincing worlds supported by sufficient, realistic details, and using d variety of literary techniques to enrich the story. A good story requires good storytelling to sustain it. Good luck.
The author appears to have the full intention to write a fascinating zombie thriller, but is let down by a lack of writing experience and editorial guidance. The plot has its potential, but the execution is poor, leaving an impression that the author struggles to create coherent, believable characters to sustain the story. The dialogues are confusing, the pacing unsteady. There is no attempt at world-building, the actions weak and lack of convincing details.
With that said, to "keep a list in the back of his mind about all the things he wanted to happen, but didn't", is a good start. We all love everything horror and zombies, and it is vital that the author does not give up his dream of one day writing a fascinating zombie thriller novel. While consuming horror novels and films, it helps to pay attention to the techniques in developing plots and characters, building convincing worlds supported by sufficient, realistic details, and using d variety of literary techniques to enrich the story. A good story requires good storytelling to sustain it. Good luck.
August 26, 2021
I received an advance reader copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Unfortunately for this book, an honest review isn’t going to be a positive review. This was billed as a zombie story unlike any zombie story ever told. That much was true, but I had multiple problems with this book.
The overriding issue I had with this book is that there was no organized plot to it – it was simply a series of random events strung together. Plot twists were teased via obtuse dialogue and epiphanies were announced but never revealed. I was very tempted to DNF this book, but stuck to it to the bitter end hoping to find out what the point of it all was. Unfortunately, there was no point to it all. There were constant unexplained time jumps forward and backward, and unannounced POV changes that left me wondering whose POV was being used and why.
I gave All the Tommys in the World two stars on Goodreads, and I think that’s being generous. In all sincerity, I can’t recommend this book at all to any audience.
Unfortunately for this book, an honest review isn’t going to be a positive review. This was billed as a zombie story unlike any zombie story ever told. That much was true, but I had multiple problems with this book.
The overriding issue I had with this book is that there was no organized plot to it – it was simply a series of random events strung together. Plot twists were teased via obtuse dialogue and epiphanies were announced but never revealed. I was very tempted to DNF this book, but stuck to it to the bitter end hoping to find out what the point of it all was. Unfortunately, there was no point to it all. There were constant unexplained time jumps forward and backward, and unannounced POV changes that left me wondering whose POV was being used and why.
I gave All the Tommys in the World two stars on Goodreads, and I think that’s being generous. In all sincerity, I can’t recommend this book at all to any audience.
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