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The Reanimates #1
The Complex
Nothing stays the way we want it to. A virus that went awry and a plague of zombies made sure of that.
Cali Anglin learned the hard way. Before, her life was simple. She was a mom, a wife, and a nurse. Now she is in a fight of her life to save her family, her neighbors, and herself.
How do you survive the zombie apocalypse with your humanity intact?
Cali Anglin learned the hard way. Before, her life was simple. She was a mom, a wife, and a nurse. Now she is in a fight of her life to save her family, her neighbors, and herself.
How do you survive the zombie apocalypse with your humanity intact?
281 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 11, 2012
20 people are currently reading
161 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
February 7, 2014
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. The opinion in this review is unbiased and reflects my honest judgment of the book.
An earthquake in Japan causes the nuclear power plants to leak. An evacuation is ordered and a family takes this opportunity to visit friends in New York. Taking his pet rat along, their son is unaware it is infected with the Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus. Given respite from it's cage during layovers, the rat becomes increasingly aggressive and leaves contagion bombs at each stop - a scratch here, a bite there - until he finally breaks free from his cage on the final leg. Loose in the Big Apple, the once docile pet infects New York's rat population. And inevitably, the rats go to work on the human population spreading the infection via blood and saliva.
"The world did not end with a bang, nor did it end with a whimper. It was more of a chomp. And a slurp."
The CDC quickly identifies the origin of the virus by tracing its path of destruction. In a press conference, the director of the CDC informs the public of the details and also that the virus appears to be mutating. Only a week ago reanimation took a week to occur and now it can occur in as soon as thirty minutes depending on the severity of the injury.
The Complex, aptly named, is told in first person narrative from Cali, a cardiac nurse in Southern California. Cali resides in a gated apartment complex with her husband Trent, and ten year old son Drew. Trent, a carpenter by trade, helps make their home into a stronghold with the help of other tenants. Their handiwork is put to the test by the undead and a group of marauders looking to take what Cali's group has managed to amass.
A successful author once told me "when you open a book, readers tend to latch onto the first character and think the character is the main one of the story". Using the Japanese family to foreshadow the plot was a nice addition to the story, but their story ends with a bite, and readers are never told of their fate. It's left to the imagination and assumption of the reader that rat bites boy, boy bites parents, and so forth. The author missed out on a great opportunity to introduce the boy somewhere along the way. Perhaps their plane could have landed in California instead of New York and at the very least the boy could have been one of the zombies described by Cali.
I didn't have to read the author's bio to know she was a nurse by the way in which the clinical scenes are worded. Rudolph successful bridges the gap in medical terminology to ensure even those not in healthcare aren't bombarded by unfamiliar words or concepts. Any floor nurse reading The Complex will relate to Cali's kitchen drawer of medical supplies forgotten in her pockets during a shift. These supplies spawned the family joke of having a zombie preparedness medical kit and Cali definitely put them to good use. My drawer just happens to be in the bathroom.
The story ebbed and flowed well. The pace was consistent throughout and the tension built up smoothly to the final climax. The characters actions and reactions were realistic and their interactions had the ring of authenticity. Cali is the clear protagonist of the book, but Rudolph has written her in such a way that allows her to be an assertive woman while not undermining her husbands credibility as a character.
The only characterization that felt inauthentic was the CDC director. The first half of the press conference was what one could expect from a person in that role; clipped, concise, and devoid of personality. The latter portion conveyed his personal experiences in an informal tone, and could have been edited to to be congruent throughout or removed altogether.
There were a few small moments that were hard to reconcile with reality. The group only has one person on watch at any given time. So it doesn't seem practical for Trent to suggest Cali slip into a bikini and work on her tan while reading her kindle. Additionally, the decision the group makes at the close of the book was very hard to believe. I realize the door is left open intentionally for a second book, but think it showed a lack of common sense among the characters. This would have been okay had the story been full of poor decisions, but the characters were pragmatic and made responsible choices up until that point.
The Complex is light on gore but rich with heart. It's characters are compassionate and brave. This reader looks forward to seeing where things go from here. Should the second book continue on it's current collision course, the survivors of The Complex will no doubt be in for a bumpy ride.
An earthquake in Japan causes the nuclear power plants to leak. An evacuation is ordered and a family takes this opportunity to visit friends in New York. Taking his pet rat along, their son is unaware it is infected with the Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus. Given respite from it's cage during layovers, the rat becomes increasingly aggressive and leaves contagion bombs at each stop - a scratch here, a bite there - until he finally breaks free from his cage on the final leg. Loose in the Big Apple, the once docile pet infects New York's rat population. And inevitably, the rats go to work on the human population spreading the infection via blood and saliva.
"The world did not end with a bang, nor did it end with a whimper. It was more of a chomp. And a slurp."
The CDC quickly identifies the origin of the virus by tracing its path of destruction. In a press conference, the director of the CDC informs the public of the details and also that the virus appears to be mutating. Only a week ago reanimation took a week to occur and now it can occur in as soon as thirty minutes depending on the severity of the injury.
The Complex, aptly named, is told in first person narrative from Cali, a cardiac nurse in Southern California. Cali resides in a gated apartment complex with her husband Trent, and ten year old son Drew. Trent, a carpenter by trade, helps make their home into a stronghold with the help of other tenants. Their handiwork is put to the test by the undead and a group of marauders looking to take what Cali's group has managed to amass.
A successful author once told me "when you open a book, readers tend to latch onto the first character and think the character is the main one of the story". Using the Japanese family to foreshadow the plot was a nice addition to the story, but their story ends with a bite, and readers are never told of their fate. It's left to the imagination and assumption of the reader that rat bites boy, boy bites parents, and so forth. The author missed out on a great opportunity to introduce the boy somewhere along the way. Perhaps their plane could have landed in California instead of New York and at the very least the boy could have been one of the zombies described by Cali.
I didn't have to read the author's bio to know she was a nurse by the way in which the clinical scenes are worded. Rudolph successful bridges the gap in medical terminology to ensure even those not in healthcare aren't bombarded by unfamiliar words or concepts. Any floor nurse reading The Complex will relate to Cali's kitchen drawer of medical supplies forgotten in her pockets during a shift. These supplies spawned the family joke of having a zombie preparedness medical kit and Cali definitely put them to good use. My drawer just happens to be in the bathroom.
The story ebbed and flowed well. The pace was consistent throughout and the tension built up smoothly to the final climax. The characters actions and reactions were realistic and their interactions had the ring of authenticity. Cali is the clear protagonist of the book, but Rudolph has written her in such a way that allows her to be an assertive woman while not undermining her husbands credibility as a character.
The only characterization that felt inauthentic was the CDC director. The first half of the press conference was what one could expect from a person in that role; clipped, concise, and devoid of personality. The latter portion conveyed his personal experiences in an informal tone, and could have been edited to to be congruent throughout or removed altogether.
There were a few small moments that were hard to reconcile with reality. The group only has one person on watch at any given time. So it doesn't seem practical for Trent to suggest Cali slip into a bikini and work on her tan while reading her kindle. Additionally, the decision the group makes at the close of the book was very hard to believe. I realize the door is left open intentionally for a second book, but think it showed a lack of common sense among the characters. This would have been okay had the story been full of poor decisions, but the characters were pragmatic and made responsible choices up until that point.
The Complex is light on gore but rich with heart. It's characters are compassionate and brave. This reader looks forward to seeing where things go from here. Should the second book continue on it's current collision course, the survivors of The Complex will no doubt be in for a bumpy ride.
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July 12, 2015Excellent Characters
The Complex is a character driven book that I really enjoyed. This book definitely was focused more on the characters than the zombie threat though the menace of them was a backdrop throughout the book. The author has created like-able characters that I was rooting for. There was no zombie killing machine in the bunch. Rather the characters come across as real fallible people. They make good decisions and bad decisions but it is all realistic. Each person has their own strengths which make the group strong. There are threats outside the walls of the complex and the live ones end up more dangerous than the dead ones. The pace of this novel was great and the prose was very good and never awkward. This is not the most action packed book but when there was action it was well written. Overall this was a fun read and I am excited to see what happens next in the series. I recommend this book.
The Complex is a character driven book that I really enjoyed. This book definitely was focused more on the characters than the zombie threat though the menace of them was a backdrop throughout the book. The author has created like-able characters that I was rooting for. There was no zombie killing machine in the bunch. Rather the characters come across as real fallible people. They make good decisions and bad decisions but it is all realistic. Each person has their own strengths which make the group strong. There are threats outside the walls of the complex and the live ones end up more dangerous than the dead ones. The pace of this novel was great and the prose was very good and never awkward. This is not the most action packed book but when there was action it was well written. Overall this was a fun read and I am excited to see what happens next in the series. I recommend this book.
September 16, 2013
I really enjoyed The Complex. I've read a lot of books about people who try to survive a zombie apocalypse in a lot of places. Farms, ranches, shopping malls, liquor stores, bunkers, and even boats (smile). But this is the first one I read where the characters are residents of an apartment complex. It brings a new and missing dynamic to the genre.
Not all the neighbors are friends, or even friendly, but they all need to pull together to defend their gated community. Of course not all of them will survive, but you already knew that. Right? Ms. Rudolph tells a good story that left me wanting more. So I grabbed The Highway and am looking forward to reading it too!
Not all the neighbors are friends, or even friendly, but they all need to pull together to defend their gated community. Of course not all of them will survive, but you already knew that. Right? Ms. Rudolph tells a good story that left me wanting more. So I grabbed The Highway and am looking forward to reading it too!
July 12, 2015
The Complex is a character driven book that I really enjoyed. This book definitely was focused more on the characters than the zombie threat though the menace of them was a backdrop throughout the book. The author has created like-able characters that I was rooting for. There was no zombie killing machine in the bunch. Rather the characters come across as real fallible people. They make good decisions and bad decisions but it is all realistic. Each person has their own strengths which make the group strong. There are threats outside the walls of the complex and the live ones end up more dangerous than the dead ones. The pace of this novel was great and the prose was very good and never awkward. This is not the most action packed book but when there was action it was well written. Overall this was a fun read and I am excited to see what happens next in the series. I recommend this book.
July 25, 2015
Ok, but very slow going at times.
I enjoyed a lot of it, but much of it could've been cut down. Felt like I kept waiting for action...
I enjoyed a lot of it, but much of it could've been cut down. Felt like I kept waiting for action...
September 7, 2015
I first read and reviewed this book for BigAl’s Books and Pals in January 2013. I gave it three-stars back then. Ms. Rudolph has since gained a small publisher Winlock Press, an imprint of Permuted Press, and asked if I would re-read The Complex. If you read the original review you will see I had some story-line problems, so I was interested to see how the book had or hadn’t changed.
When a devastating virus, which causes it victims to reanimate after death, hits the U.S. people everywhere start to panic. The Complex is about a small gated apartment complex in southern California and how they deal with the situation. Several families pack their things up as fast as they can and leave. A few families or residents of this complex decide to stay and ride it out for as long as they can. The characters are strongly developed and diverse, each having their own strengths. They quickly fortify their complex to keep the zombies out and gather food, tools, weapons, ammo, and medicines they need to sustain and protect themselves. Things are working out well for them as each challenge is met and dealt with. At least until a band of marauders discover them and their safe haven.
What I enjoyed the most about this story were the relationships this small community developed working together to survive. They became family. The way the story is set up now grabs you and draws you into the story with a peek of what is to come. The first chapter walks the reader through how the virus began and we see how it is mutating and spreading out of control. This story is told through the eyes of Cali Anglin, a nurse, a wife, and a mother of a ten year-old son, Drew. She and her husband Trent had always joked about a zombie apocalypse; it was a game they played, ‘what if’. It was never supposed to be real.
The Complex is an interesting post-apocalyptic story with characters I found it easy to feel a connection with. The dialogue is realistic and convincing. The plot moves at a smooth pace with some realistic twists, which could happen. When the marauders come we learn humans are far more dangerous than the zombies could ever be. If you enjoy zombie stories I think you would enjoy this one.
FYI: The Complex is book 1 of The Reanimates. There are three books in the series so far. Book 2, The Highway, will be released soon and book 3, The Escape, is scheduled for release later this year.
There are three F-bombs dropped along with graphic blood and gore.
**Originally written for "BigAl’s Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy.** September 2, 2015
Format/Typo Issues: I found no significant errors in editing or formatting.
I am going to leave my first review from 2013 here for those who might be interested:
A devastating virus has gone out of control that reanimates the dead. This is the story of a small group of survivors that have found refuge in their small, gated apartment complex.
This story is told through the eyes of Cali, a nurse, a wife, and a mother of a ten year-old son. She and her husband Trent had always joked about a zombie apocalypse; it was a game they played, ‘what if’. It was never supposed to be real. They have banded together with their neighbors who stayed and succeeded in building a small fortress for their protection from the zombies. It is an interesting character study. The characters are well developed and I became invested in their future. The narrative descriptions were well done and the conversations between all the players were realistic. I felt that the plot had a nice pace and the twists were interesting and unexpected. I am not a zombie aficionado, nor do I ever expect to be, it is not my usual genre preference.
The weakest part of the whole story is the preface. I understand why it is there but I felt like it may have been better handled as a flashback perhaps. The beginning of a story is suppose to grab the reader and not let go, I don’t think the preface did that. It is interesting to know how the virus got so out of control so fast though. There are also several small editing errors mostly extra or missing words or letters, they were a minor irritant that made some sentences read clunky.
I enjoyed the story and was glad there was not a cliffhanger ending, although it is evident there will be a sequel. I am anxious to see how things develop for this small band of survivors. FYI: There are three F-bombs dropped and graphic gore.
Format/Typo Issues: There are a small number of proofing errors.
**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. ** Posted on January 24, 2013
Rating: *** Three stars
When a devastating virus, which causes it victims to reanimate after death, hits the U.S. people everywhere start to panic. The Complex is about a small gated apartment complex in southern California and how they deal with the situation. Several families pack their things up as fast as they can and leave. A few families or residents of this complex decide to stay and ride it out for as long as they can. The characters are strongly developed and diverse, each having their own strengths. They quickly fortify their complex to keep the zombies out and gather food, tools, weapons, ammo, and medicines they need to sustain and protect themselves. Things are working out well for them as each challenge is met and dealt with. At least until a band of marauders discover them and their safe haven.
What I enjoyed the most about this story were the relationships this small community developed working together to survive. They became family. The way the story is set up now grabs you and draws you into the story with a peek of what is to come. The first chapter walks the reader through how the virus began and we see how it is mutating and spreading out of control. This story is told through the eyes of Cali Anglin, a nurse, a wife, and a mother of a ten year-old son, Drew. She and her husband Trent had always joked about a zombie apocalypse; it was a game they played, ‘what if’. It was never supposed to be real.
The Complex is an interesting post-apocalyptic story with characters I found it easy to feel a connection with. The dialogue is realistic and convincing. The plot moves at a smooth pace with some realistic twists, which could happen. When the marauders come we learn humans are far more dangerous than the zombies could ever be. If you enjoy zombie stories I think you would enjoy this one.
FYI: The Complex is book 1 of The Reanimates. There are three books in the series so far. Book 2, The Highway, will be released soon and book 3, The Escape, is scheduled for release later this year.
There are three F-bombs dropped along with graphic blood and gore.
**Originally written for "BigAl’s Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy.** September 2, 2015
Format/Typo Issues: I found no significant errors in editing or formatting.
I am going to leave my first review from 2013 here for those who might be interested:
A devastating virus has gone out of control that reanimates the dead. This is the story of a small group of survivors that have found refuge in their small, gated apartment complex.
This story is told through the eyes of Cali, a nurse, a wife, and a mother of a ten year-old son. She and her husband Trent had always joked about a zombie apocalypse; it was a game they played, ‘what if’. It was never supposed to be real. They have banded together with their neighbors who stayed and succeeded in building a small fortress for their protection from the zombies. It is an interesting character study. The characters are well developed and I became invested in their future. The narrative descriptions were well done and the conversations between all the players were realistic. I felt that the plot had a nice pace and the twists were interesting and unexpected. I am not a zombie aficionado, nor do I ever expect to be, it is not my usual genre preference.
The weakest part of the whole story is the preface. I understand why it is there but I felt like it may have been better handled as a flashback perhaps. The beginning of a story is suppose to grab the reader and not let go, I don’t think the preface did that. It is interesting to know how the virus got so out of control so fast though. There are also several small editing errors mostly extra or missing words or letters, they were a minor irritant that made some sentences read clunky.
I enjoyed the story and was glad there was not a cliffhanger ending, although it is evident there will be a sequel. I am anxious to see how things develop for this small band of survivors. FYI: There are three F-bombs dropped and graphic gore.
Format/Typo Issues: There are a small number of proofing errors.
**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. ** Posted on January 24, 2013
Rating: *** Three stars
September 3, 2013
I think this is a solid zombie read. I'll not go into the minutia of the book: read the blurb. It's a group of people who live in a gated apartment complex and their struggles through the virus that brings about the zombie apocalypse. Nut shell. I'm a little torn. There are things I didn't *like* about this book, but I couldn't put it down. Literally. Could not put it down. The good: loved the dystopian aspect of just trying to rebuild some semblance of society...that's a favorite part of the zombie genre for me. Ms. Rudolph included a lot of cliche aspects, but spun them differently so it remained fresh (I stayed up ALL night!!). There's no bad...my only complaint is when the characters encountered an obstacle, it was solved immediately (the pool water and the washing machine as an example). I would have liked a little more *grungy* aspect and uncomfortable living situations. Something wrong inside the complex besides you know who. I did like this book. I wasn't sure in the beginning...the way the virus was introduced to the United States was stilted. I read the first part and felt it was oddly written. The only thing I would change is more hand to hand combat with the zombies. Overall...do you have to ask? I read it in one sitting...YES YES YES!!
February 25, 2016
I was surprised to hear that this was the debut novel of J. Rudolph as it is well written with very well defined compelling characters that would you expect from an author that has already honed their craft.
In a small town in Southern California the dead are reanimating and attacking the living therefore creating more reanimates. Cali, her husband Trent and son Drew live in a gated apartment complex and when some neighbours decide to stay, Cali and Trent being zombie apocalypse junkies spearhead the group into fortifying the walls, getting supplies, medicines and generally making this a place to survive.
As in every zombie,reanimate, walker or whatever you call them story there are deaths but I found this book more about a group of people who really didn't know each other well before this horrific event bonding into a family unit and really making it work. Of course as usual there are other survivors out there that take advantage of the apocalypse to become more of a threat than the dead. The reanimates have no choice in what they do but these human scum do.
I don't want to give too much away so I'll just say very well done J. Rudolph and I'm now diving into the second book of this series. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys the zombie genre.
In a small town in Southern California the dead are reanimating and attacking the living therefore creating more reanimates. Cali, her husband Trent and son Drew live in a gated apartment complex and when some neighbours decide to stay, Cali and Trent being zombie apocalypse junkies spearhead the group into fortifying the walls, getting supplies, medicines and generally making this a place to survive.
As in every zombie,reanimate, walker or whatever you call them story there are deaths but I found this book more about a group of people who really didn't know each other well before this horrific event bonding into a family unit and really making it work. Of course as usual there are other survivors out there that take advantage of the apocalypse to become more of a threat than the dead. The reanimates have no choice in what they do but these human scum do.
I don't want to give too much away so I'll just say very well done J. Rudolph and I'm now diving into the second book of this series. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys the zombie genre.
July 30, 2018
Great story
I enjoyed this rendition of a zombie apocalypse. The characters come to life in this story. You learn things about some of the characters. Things seem to be working out and then they aren't. My heart broke for some characters and I was ready to smack a few others.
Time to read book two!
I enjoyed this rendition of a zombie apocalypse. The characters come to life in this story. You learn things about some of the characters. Things seem to be working out and then they aren't. My heart broke for some characters and I was ready to smack a few others.
Time to read book two!
March 20, 2016
A zombie series with a female lead!
Based in Southern California, The Complex depicts a small group trying to survive in a desert environment in their gated apartment complex. The zombies are only part of the struggle to stay alive!
Based in Southern California, The Complex depicts a small group trying to survive in a desert environment in their gated apartment complex. The zombies are only part of the struggle to stay alive!
February 19, 2013
I really enjoyed this zombie story.A great change. The story really makes you care about the people. I won't say more. Read it you will enjoy it. Can't wait for the next book. Onto my favorite list.
June 14, 2013
It's about time there was a zombie book with a woman's point of view....I mean what woman hasn't read these books and thought about underwear and socks?
November 30, 2013
I would have given it 4 stars but there are a LOT of typos. The story line was great but the typos were a huge distraction. Hopefully, the 2nd book will be edited better.
May 28, 2014
I liked it.it was kind of mellow but I couldn't put it down .now on to the highway book 2
September 19, 2015
I enjoyed this book. Reminded me of the walking dead which I am a big fan of. minor errors. could of been more indepth. but over all five stars. can't wait to read the second one.
April 20, 2015
A quick read. I give it 4.3 stars.
September 25, 2018
Like reading something written by a 6th grader
April 2, 2025
This book was pretty good. I appreciated that the origin and spread of the “zombie virus” was explained pretty thoroughly. The middle of the book dragged a bit and there were no real surprises.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews