What do you think?
Rate this book
Domain of the Dead #1
Domain of the Dead
A group of strangers battle their way through a zombie hoard to reach a chance at freedom in this post-apocalyptic horror series opener.The world is dead, devoured by a plague of reanimated corpses.In a crumbling city Sarah, Nathan, and a band of survivors barricade themselves inside a warehouse surrounded by a sea of shambling putrefaction. Days in seclusion blur by, and their food is nearly gone. The group is faced with two possible creeping starvation, or the undead outside the warehouse.As Sarah stands on the edge of the warehouse roof preparing to step out into oblivion, she spots a glimmer of hope. In the distance a helicopter approaches the city…but is it the salvation the survivors have been waiting for? And do they dare attempt to fight their way through the mass of infected dead to reach it?Praise for Domain of the Dead“Surprised me. . . . A quick, violent, and exciting adventure.” —David Moody, author of Hater
252 pages, Paperback
First published May 13, 2008
21 people are currently reading
2016 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
September 26, 2009
Good book by Iain McKinnnon, due for re-release from Permuted Press later this year. Reads more like a late 80's action / monster movie than a traditional zombie story, but that's no bad thing!
April 27, 2012
Ian McKinnon, Domain of the Dead (Permuted Press, 2009)
Whil I can't say that Domain of the Dead does anything new with the zombie genre, existing fans will not be disappointed by McKinnon's novel; after a couple of quick opening chapters that set up the main characters, the book takes off, and it's chock-full of hot zombie action. The majority of it is also set on a boat, which means said hot zombie action is taking place in cramped spaces that are mostly dim, if not dark, which ramps up the excitement factor nicely. If that's what you're looking for, Domain of the Dead is right up your alley. That's what I was looking for when I read it, and it satisfied. My only real beef with the book is that it didn't do anything new, and when you're playing to such an oversaturated market as zombie lit is these days, doing something new is a necessity if you want your book to stand out from the crowd. This one doesn't, but again, that does not in any way make it not worth your time; this is a good, solid, if unexceptional, novel. ***
Whil I can't say that Domain of the Dead does anything new with the zombie genre, existing fans will not be disappointed by McKinnon's novel; after a couple of quick opening chapters that set up the main characters, the book takes off, and it's chock-full of hot zombie action. The majority of it is also set on a boat, which means said hot zombie action is taking place in cramped spaces that are mostly dim, if not dark, which ramps up the excitement factor nicely. If that's what you're looking for, Domain of the Dead is right up your alley. That's what I was looking for when I read it, and it satisfied. My only real beef with the book is that it didn't do anything new, and when you're playing to such an oversaturated market as zombie lit is these days, doing something new is a necessity if you want your book to stand out from the crowd. This one doesn't, but again, that does not in any way make it not worth your time; this is a good, solid, if unexceptional, novel. ***
September 21, 2011
Shocked by the high reviews and praise here. This book is HIGHLY derivative of Romero's Day of the Dead film, and is chock full of spelling and grammar errors. Maybe subsequent editions have fixed up the atrocious editing, but this book mostly just pissed me off with its repetitive, uninspired prose.
December 21, 2011
Iain McKinnon has developed a bit of a deserved cult among my friends. Recently I got sick of all of their hero worship and decided to find out for myself why his books are such a big deal. I just finished "Domain of the Dead." I must confess, having stayed at the "compound," I am now a missionary.
Mr. McKinnon has written a book that can only be deemed "horror literature." His narrative style is sharp, his dialogue quick, his characters inspired, and his gore plentiful. Too much gore, however, can ruin a good plot, and I'm happy to say Mr. McKinnon keeps his hand close to valve. He knows just when to let the blood flow...and when to hold it in reserve.
The author expertly conveys mood. He has built a bleak, hopeless world. Like Atlas, I felt it weighing heavier on my shoulders with each passing chapter.
I really enjoyed the scientific flourishes as well. I'm a huge fan of using science to bring the unbelievable to life, and Mr. McKinnon does just that.
You have to respect a writer who can use the "z word" on page 2 ("Zombie," on page 2? The balls!) and still ensure readers don't fall victim to their own prejudices about what a zombie is or should be. No worries, Mr. McKinnon has it all under control. His monsters, or WDs, are all too possible, and that makes for a story that is as fun as it is scary.
My only minor quibble: I was left wanting to know more about some of the characters. No matter. There's a contemporaneous sequel, a companion piece called "Remains of the Dead." I've already purchased it, and I am looking forward to learning their fates.
Mr. McKinnon has written a book that can only be deemed "horror literature." His narrative style is sharp, his dialogue quick, his characters inspired, and his gore plentiful. Too much gore, however, can ruin a good plot, and I'm happy to say Mr. McKinnon keeps his hand close to valve. He knows just when to let the blood flow...and when to hold it in reserve.
The author expertly conveys mood. He has built a bleak, hopeless world. Like Atlas, I felt it weighing heavier on my shoulders with each passing chapter.
I really enjoyed the scientific flourishes as well. I'm a huge fan of using science to bring the unbelievable to life, and Mr. McKinnon does just that.
You have to respect a writer who can use the "z word" on page 2 ("Zombie," on page 2? The balls!) and still ensure readers don't fall victim to their own prejudices about what a zombie is or should be. No worries, Mr. McKinnon has it all under control. His monsters, or WDs, are all too possible, and that makes for a story that is as fun as it is scary.
My only minor quibble: I was left wanting to know more about some of the characters. No matter. There's a contemporaneous sequel, a companion piece called "Remains of the Dead." I've already purchased it, and I am looking forward to learning their fates.
December 10, 2015
I read this book yesterday and already almost forgot the plot.
I see there's a bunch of these, so it might improve. My tolerance for some of these narrators is just at low levels. Years after zombie outbreak, the whole country is ruined. A few smart survivors have lived for years barricaded in a Costco like warehouse, the supplies are dwindling, and they see a helicopter.
This seems like an awesome start. But then in a horrible escape--parts just seemed dumb to me--why would you give the precious baby to the oldest, weakest member and not have that baby super protected? You've had years scavaging in this area. Anyways, it turns out the helicopter can't seat them all, so they'll have to make 2 trips. The closest civilized place is a research ship. Everyone's shocked there are still survivors on land. They get clothes, wine, feast--you'd think this would be good news.
Seems like this would be a good book. But nope! The characters are emo at this. So what if humanity went from billions to 15 million barely holding on. I don't want to work! They're given a week to think of a job they would be good at, which seemed pretty nice to me. I would need like 15 minutes to come up with stuff I'd be competent at doing for the good of what was left of humanity. There's a lot of sulky romance pouting. Even though they've been locked in a warehouse and it's been clear all along that nothing is going to happen, I guess none of that got resolved.
Majority of the conversations I found totally unbelievable. You would think people in like year 5 of the zombie outbreak would be better at defending themselves against said zombies. I don't expect Carol from the Walking Dead beautiful metamorphoses but the ship falls in like 5 minutes.
There were parts that could have been good--I would have much prefered this book from the viewpoint of the wisecracking Russian sniper. She stole all the few scenes she was in, but the main characters were far too whiny and criminally self absorbed. I might try another to see if this is just the first book jitters thing that can happen sometimes.
I see there's a bunch of these, so it might improve. My tolerance for some of these narrators is just at low levels. Years after zombie outbreak, the whole country is ruined. A few smart survivors have lived for years barricaded in a Costco like warehouse, the supplies are dwindling, and they see a helicopter.
This seems like an awesome start. But then in a horrible escape--parts just seemed dumb to me--why would you give the precious baby to the oldest, weakest member and not have that baby super protected? You've had years scavaging in this area. Anyways, it turns out the helicopter can't seat them all, so they'll have to make 2 trips. The closest civilized place is a research ship. Everyone's shocked there are still survivors on land. They get clothes, wine, feast--you'd think this would be good news.
Seems like this would be a good book. But nope! The characters are emo at this. So what if humanity went from billions to 15 million barely holding on. I don't want to work! They're given a week to think of a job they would be good at, which seemed pretty nice to me. I would need like 15 minutes to come up with stuff I'd be competent at doing for the good of what was left of humanity. There's a lot of sulky romance pouting. Even though they've been locked in a warehouse and it's been clear all along that nothing is going to happen, I guess none of that got resolved.
Majority of the conversations I found totally unbelievable. You would think people in like year 5 of the zombie outbreak would be better at defending themselves against said zombies. I don't expect Carol from the Walking Dead beautiful metamorphoses but the ship falls in like 5 minutes.
There were parts that could have been good--I would have much prefered this book from the viewpoint of the wisecracking Russian sniper. She stole all the few scenes she was in, but the main characters were far too whiny and criminally self absorbed. I might try another to see if this is just the first book jitters thing that can happen sometimes.
March 20, 2012
3.5 STARS
This was fun and well-written, but I had some issues which were enough to make me knock a half star off what would have been a 4 star review. Those issues were (SPOILERS BELOW):
One - I always have thought it ridiculous that in the middle of something dangerous and horrible going on, that a character feels a sudden 'spark of passion' for someone. Give me a break.
Two - One of the characters got bitten, so they put his hand/arm in liquid nitrogen to 'stop the spread'. Problem is, by by time they were able to do the liquid nitrogen thing, the infection would have already spread because of how fast blood travels through the body with each heartbeat. But nothing happens to this character infection-wise; however, the dude with a scratch wasn't so lucky.
Three - I hate the type of ending where the danger pops up again in the last second so you know that no one will live. They totally suck in horror movies and books are no exception. Of course, in this case, we kinda already know that the danger is going to re-emerge just because of what happened to a character earlier in the novel.
I understand there's a sequel that tells the story of other members of the group, so it's possible we'll see the characters in this book again, but I'm not holding out hope.
This was fun and well-written, but I had some issues which were enough to make me knock a half star off what would have been a 4 star review. Those issues were (SPOILERS BELOW):
One - I always have thought it ridiculous that in the middle of something dangerous and horrible going on, that a character feels a sudden 'spark of passion' for someone. Give me a break.
Two - One of the characters got bitten, so they put his hand/arm in liquid nitrogen to 'stop the spread'. Problem is, by by time they were able to do the liquid nitrogen thing, the infection would have already spread because of how fast blood travels through the body with each heartbeat. But nothing happens to this character infection-wise; however, the dude with a scratch wasn't so lucky.
Three - I hate the type of ending where the danger pops up again in the last second so you know that no one will live. They totally suck in horror movies and books are no exception. Of course, in this case, we kinda already know that the danger is going to re-emerge just because of what happened to a character earlier in the novel.
I understand there's a sequel that tells the story of other members of the group, so it's possible we'll see the characters in this book again, but I'm not holding out hope.
May 14, 2013
I really enjoyed this zombie book, a little different than the rest with a twist at the end. Nathan and Sarah are sheltering from the walking dead in a warehouse but supplies are running low. A visit to the warehouse roof means they spot a distant helicopter, they decide to strike out in a journey to find out where the helicopter has landed and where these survivors have come from....
A scary fight across a zombie wasteland, a helicopter rescue and a trip to an isolated boat housing an experiment which goes badly wrong....
Very good zombie fiction.
A scary fight across a zombie wasteland, a helicopter rescue and a trip to an isolated boat housing an experiment which goes badly wrong....
Very good zombie fiction.
May 30, 2012
May as well get a copy of Day of The Dead movie since this book pretty much copies it. On a boat rather then underground,insane doctor even referenced with the same name of Frankenstein, use of liquid nitrogen instead of fire to remove an arm to stop infection and so on and so on.
June 28, 2011
A great read for any zombie fan. Packed with just the right mix of horror and action. The ending left me a little flat as it resolved almost nothing so I hope it's setting up for a sequel.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 19, 2020
The book is pretty good, loads of action, i liked the characters especially my boi Bates and dream girl Angel, i'll probably read the whole series.
March 22, 2021
This tapped into my nostalgia for the first Resident Evil book. You know, the suspense of a a bunch of people stuck in an interesting building with zombies, some are civvies, some are trained soldiers. Fight your way out guys!
That's my idea of a fun read and this book delivered.
Note: It helps if you like the zombie genre.
Pros:
1. No gratuitous gore
2. Good pacing
3. Interesting setting (from land, on chopper, to a ship)
4. Pretty good characters. Angel and Bates were the best. XD
5. Third act is fun and suspenseful. Loved it.
6. A breath of fresh air for this genre.
7. Funny banter between the characters.
Cons:
1. Audiobook mispronounced some words.
2. There was one bit where the characters were just beyond stupid. For the most part in this book the characters were pretty intelligent, but there was just that one bit... Argh!
3. Cliffhanger ending! Argh!
Can't wait to read the next one.
That's my idea of a fun read and this book delivered.
Note: It helps if you like the zombie genre.
Pros:
1. No gratuitous gore
2. Good pacing
3. Interesting setting (from land, on chopper, to a ship)
4. Pretty good characters. Angel and Bates were the best. XD
5. Third act is fun and suspenseful. Loved it.
6. A breath of fresh air for this genre.
7. Funny banter between the characters.
Cons:
1. Audiobook mispronounced some words.
2. There was one bit where the characters were just beyond stupid. For the most part in this book the characters were pretty intelligent, but there was just that one bit... Argh!
3. Cliffhanger ending! Argh!
Can't wait to read the next one.
October 19, 2017
Natürlich wusste man ab einem Punkt was passieren muss/wird, aber es hat Spaß gemacht, auch wenn es ziemlich kurz war.
Leider sind Band 2 und 3 nicht mehr bei uns erschienen.
Leider sind Band 2 und 3 nicht mehr bei uns erschienen.
September 17, 2013
I've always worn my diseased heart on my sleeve when it comes to the fact that I try to champion homegrown horror here in the UK and so, when I came across the work of fellow Scotsman Iain McKinnon in the awesome horror anthology Holiday of the Dead, I was keen to get my hands on some more of his work. What I discovered was his novel, Domain of the Dead, a story centring on the aftermath of the dead rising and plaguing the earth.
I have to admit that straight off the bat, the title of this tale did little to thrill me. It seems that every other zombie yarn these days simply rips off Romero's movies and slots in a different noun to make the title their own. However, this particular story comes with a foreword by David Moody: a man who knows a thing or two about stories of the walking dead, since he is the man behind the wildly popular Autumn series and Hater, the film rights to which have been snapped up by Guillermo del Toro. Armed with this information, my motivation distinctly perked up!
With hindsight, the synopsis provided sets the scene and describes the opening scenes of McKinnon's tale but does not betray the true course of the story; a story which is driven by action and destruction. Again, David Moody commented that Domain of the Dead has "... the claustrophobia of `Alien' with enough blood, action and reanimated corpses to satisfy hardened gore-fans" and I agree with the majority of that statement; gorehounds will absolutely love the carnage created by McKinnon in this tale and those who like their horror fast-apced and unrelenting won't be left disappointed. However, I didn't find Domain of the Dead to be claustrophobic like Ridley Scott's Alien but actually had more in common with its sequel, James Cameron's Aliens; in fact, one of the main characters I would suggest, owes a lot of his attributes to Hudson from the same film!
On a critical note, I was disappointed with what I considered to be a huge swathe of plot missing from Domain of the Dead. However, on further investigation, it would appear that McKinnon has reserved this particular storyline for the sequel to Domain, Remains of the Dead. Another issue that irked me a little was inappropriate use of language at times. At points in the book, I found American characters using what I would consider uniquely British language but to my mind, this is a small matter indeed.
Domain of the Dead is far from being a seminal entry to the sub-genre but is nevertheless a strong, competent entry in a field where zombie tales are ten a penny. As I stated earlier, it was McKinnon's contribution to Holiday of the Dead with his short story Jennifer, that led me to seek out more of his work. Jennifer was a truly horrifying tale that genuinely took me by surprise and left me shocked. Domain of the Dead is distinctly different from Jennifer in that it is a fast-paced action-horror novel and is the written equivalent of a streetfight: brutal, straightforward and horrifying, just the way tales of the walking dead should be!
I have to admit that straight off the bat, the title of this tale did little to thrill me. It seems that every other zombie yarn these days simply rips off Romero's movies and slots in a different noun to make the title their own. However, this particular story comes with a foreword by David Moody: a man who knows a thing or two about stories of the walking dead, since he is the man behind the wildly popular Autumn series and Hater, the film rights to which have been snapped up by Guillermo del Toro. Armed with this information, my motivation distinctly perked up!
With hindsight, the synopsis provided sets the scene and describes the opening scenes of McKinnon's tale but does not betray the true course of the story; a story which is driven by action and destruction. Again, David Moody commented that Domain of the Dead has "... the claustrophobia of `Alien' with enough blood, action and reanimated corpses to satisfy hardened gore-fans" and I agree with the majority of that statement; gorehounds will absolutely love the carnage created by McKinnon in this tale and those who like their horror fast-apced and unrelenting won't be left disappointed. However, I didn't find Domain of the Dead to be claustrophobic like Ridley Scott's Alien but actually had more in common with its sequel, James Cameron's Aliens; in fact, one of the main characters I would suggest, owes a lot of his attributes to Hudson from the same film!
On a critical note, I was disappointed with what I considered to be a huge swathe of plot missing from Domain of the Dead. However, on further investigation, it would appear that McKinnon has reserved this particular storyline for the sequel to Domain, Remains of the Dead. Another issue that irked me a little was inappropriate use of language at times. At points in the book, I found American characters using what I would consider uniquely British language but to my mind, this is a small matter indeed.
Domain of the Dead is far from being a seminal entry to the sub-genre but is nevertheless a strong, competent entry in a field where zombie tales are ten a penny. As I stated earlier, it was McKinnon's contribution to Holiday of the Dead with his short story Jennifer, that led me to seek out more of his work. Jennifer was a truly horrifying tale that genuinely took me by surprise and left me shocked. Domain of the Dead is distinctly different from Jennifer in that it is a fast-paced action-horror novel and is the written equivalent of a streetfight: brutal, straightforward and horrifying, just the way tales of the walking dead should be!
November 5, 2010
Domain of the Dead begins with a group of survivors living in a warehouse that was stocked with food when the zombie apocalypse began. There were 27 survivors at one point but they are down to a handful of them and one, Sarah, has decided that it would be best to end it all, because their food is about to run out after being tucked away in this place for as long as they all have. She climbs up to the roof, ready to jump, and sees a helicopter off in the distance and the decision is quickly made to try and make a break for it to the helicopter, rather than starve to death by the few people left in the warehouse.
A few of them survive the quick and violent trip to the helicopter, with the help of the military personnel who had set down and were patrolling the area. Some are left behind, because the helicopter doesn't have enough room for all of them, and they fade out of the story for the most part, as Sarah and a couple of other warehouse survivors: Nathan and a little girl named Jennifer, fly back to a ship where the military is running experiments on zombies, trying to discover a cure or vaccination against the mysterious ailment that causes the dead to rise. Not long after that,things go a little nuts and a breakout of the zombie virus has the survivors fighting for their lives as the ship becomes a graveyard of the undead.
The book is a fast paced, quick zombie read that clearly intends to have a sequel based on how the story ends. I thought it was unfortunate that the people left behind on the mainland were not returned to the spotlight in this book after the helicopter returns to the ship, and the entire focus was on what was happening on the ship. The author provides some interesting suggestions based on science as to why the dead were rising and a good chunk of the book is spent on that discussion in the second act. Unfortunately, that felt like a slight disruption to the plot, as we start out with a high octane beginning to the book as the survivors from the warehouse are rushing to escape the hordes and get to the helicopter and then there is a lull until the action starts again towards the final third of the book. While that is a bit of a criticism, as well as the lack of connection to those left behind back on the mainland, the story itself is entertaining and does provide some good zombie gore, guts, and action. I think this series of books, whether it is two or more, could be quite interesting, as the fate of those who remained behind will likely be revealed pretty early on in a second book and things certainly will be different for the survivors who had been on the ship. I just wish they had remained a part of the plot of this first book.
A few of them survive the quick and violent trip to the helicopter, with the help of the military personnel who had set down and were patrolling the area. Some are left behind, because the helicopter doesn't have enough room for all of them, and they fade out of the story for the most part, as Sarah and a couple of other warehouse survivors: Nathan and a little girl named Jennifer, fly back to a ship where the military is running experiments on zombies, trying to discover a cure or vaccination against the mysterious ailment that causes the dead to rise. Not long after that,things go a little nuts and a breakout of the zombie virus has the survivors fighting for their lives as the ship becomes a graveyard of the undead.
The book is a fast paced, quick zombie read that clearly intends to have a sequel based on how the story ends. I thought it was unfortunate that the people left behind on the mainland were not returned to the spotlight in this book after the helicopter returns to the ship, and the entire focus was on what was happening on the ship. The author provides some interesting suggestions based on science as to why the dead were rising and a good chunk of the book is spent on that discussion in the second act. Unfortunately, that felt like a slight disruption to the plot, as we start out with a high octane beginning to the book as the survivors from the warehouse are rushing to escape the hordes and get to the helicopter and then there is a lull until the action starts again towards the final third of the book. While that is a bit of a criticism, as well as the lack of connection to those left behind back on the mainland, the story itself is entertaining and does provide some good zombie gore, guts, and action. I think this series of books, whether it is two or more, could be quite interesting, as the fate of those who remained behind will likely be revealed pretty early on in a second book and things certainly will be different for the survivors who had been on the ship. I just wish they had remained a part of the plot of this first book.
April 17, 2017
A group of starving survivors leave the safety of a warehouse to fight through a zombie horde to get to a helicopter that is catching zombie specimens to be studied in a lab out at sea. Not everyone can fit on the helicopter and the lucky ones discover that the ship might not be the safest place to be after all, when the zombie virus gets loose there.
The ship captain seems quite unstable and is worried about the experiments that the scientists are doing on the zombies. He has already lost soldiers on these capture missions and is determined to keep his people safe. The scientists are suddenly on the brink of a vaccine which Cutler decides needs immediate human testing. The rescued civilians are caught in the middle of military v science but can they all work together when the zombies are loose?
To be honest I didn't really like many of the characters. Bates is a bit of a moron at the start, Nathan is a whining idiot who gets more immature as the book goes on, the senior officers are all psychos, the scientists are insane, Sarah never listens to anything that is said to her...Angel and Jennifer are the only two that I liked! Jennifer may be young but she is without doubt the most observant and sensible in the group and if they paid more attention to her, they would be a lot safer.
The science stuff was far from convincing. The big biochemical info dumps as they ate dinner was boring and I had forgotten it all by the time I turned the page anyway so I questioned the point of going into all the deatail. The difference in treatment between two infected characters verged on the bizarre and I did not find myself believing the bite solution used by Sarah in the lab. It was crazy stuff. I found it easier to believe the stupidity that led to the outbreak on the ship as you could see that a mile off. I was also not impressed by the decision to introduce the damn ista-luv which was out of place and really dumb as they run about on the ship evading zombies. I hate it in YA novels-I despise it in zombie novels as it is just not needed and adds nothing to the story.
It was an ok story, maybe 2.5 rather than just 2. If it had less instaluv and been a little less science fiction and a bit more zombie horror, it had real potential.
The ship captain seems quite unstable and is worried about the experiments that the scientists are doing on the zombies. He has already lost soldiers on these capture missions and is determined to keep his people safe. The scientists are suddenly on the brink of a vaccine which Cutler decides needs immediate human testing. The rescued civilians are caught in the middle of military v science but can they all work together when the zombies are loose?
To be honest I didn't really like many of the characters. Bates is a bit of a moron at the start, Nathan is a whining idiot who gets more immature as the book goes on, the senior officers are all psychos, the scientists are insane, Sarah never listens to anything that is said to her...Angel and Jennifer are the only two that I liked! Jennifer may be young but she is without doubt the most observant and sensible in the group and if they paid more attention to her, they would be a lot safer.
The science stuff was far from convincing. The big biochemical info dumps as they ate dinner was boring and I had forgotten it all by the time I turned the page anyway so I questioned the point of going into all the deatail. The difference in treatment between two infected characters verged on the bizarre and I did not find myself believing the bite solution used by Sarah in the lab. It was crazy stuff. I found it easier to believe the stupidity that led to the outbreak on the ship as you could see that a mile off. I was also not impressed by the decision to introduce the damn ista-luv which was out of place and really dumb as they run about on the ship evading zombies. I hate it in YA novels-I despise it in zombie novels as it is just not needed and adds nothing to the story.
It was an ok story, maybe 2.5 rather than just 2. If it had less instaluv and been a little less science fiction and a bit more zombie horror, it had real potential.
December 21, 2012
It's four years after World War Z,the war is over and mankind lost. A lone band of survivors are ekiing out the final days of their existence in an abandoned warehouse when they hear something they never thought to hear again. The sound of a helicopter!
Leaving their sanctuary with dreams of rescue, the survivors brave the undead infested streets in a bid to reach salvation. But once at the landing site, they soon realise that not all of them can fit on the copter....hard descisions are made, people are left behind and eventually those remaining end up on a military ship moored in the middle of the ocean where humanity's last, best hope are slowly working on finding a solution to the zombie epidemic. Of course, things go badly wrong and it is not long before the survivors realise they may just have leapt out of the frying pan and into the fire!
This was a great book that is perfect for lovers of zombie fiction and pays much homage to the work of George.R.Romero. At one point (in a not too subtle reference to Night Of The Living Dead) one of the survivors protests that he believes the virus came from outer space despite a scientists insistence that this would be impossible and this is just one of several moments that makes this book so great!
Yes, it has all been done before but I simply devoured this book and loved every minute of it! The climax is inconclusive and leaves you with a real cliff-hanger of an ending but was so good that I rushed out and ACTUALLY BOUGHT the sequel! (this one was free on kindle!). I rarely actually buy things for kindle so this shows you that this book must have been good!
In one word, unputdownable!
Leaving their sanctuary with dreams of rescue, the survivors brave the undead infested streets in a bid to reach salvation. But once at the landing site, they soon realise that not all of them can fit on the copter....hard descisions are made, people are left behind and eventually those remaining end up on a military ship moored in the middle of the ocean where humanity's last, best hope are slowly working on finding a solution to the zombie epidemic. Of course, things go badly wrong and it is not long before the survivors realise they may just have leapt out of the frying pan and into the fire!
This was a great book that is perfect for lovers of zombie fiction and pays much homage to the work of George.R.Romero. At one point (in a not too subtle reference to Night Of The Living Dead) one of the survivors protests that he believes the virus came from outer space despite a scientists insistence that this would be impossible and this is just one of several moments that makes this book so great!
Yes, it has all been done before but I simply devoured this book and loved every minute of it! The climax is inconclusive and leaves you with a real cliff-hanger of an ending but was so good that I rushed out and ACTUALLY BOUGHT the sequel! (this one was free on kindle!). I rarely actually buy things for kindle so this shows you that this book must have been good!
In one word, unputdownable!
January 21, 2012
Iain McKinnon delivers a great first novel. It is shy one star of perfect mostly due to typos and misspelled words, which is really a shame. It saddens me to see something come to print without the attention to detail and editing needed to make the story shine. It's like showing up to your wedding in cut-off shorts and flip-flops.
The first chapter was a ramrod of action, and probably saw the most editing, as it was free of any visible errors. The characters are introduced in such a way that we get a sense of who they are and what their motives are without being rushed. Every line of chapter one propels the story ahead, and I applaud this work whole-heartedly.
In fact, the only character I had trouble with was one of the doctors. He came across as a bit too much of a one-dimensional villain, and the exposition on his work and his internal dialogue dragged a bit for me. (This was the only part of the book that I found to drag.) The bulk of the story takes place on a ship, which I thought was a great idea.
The back-story of the infection was handled really well, and the author dared to plunge into some muddy scientific waters along the way, which really worked for me. I am not sure I would have attempted such a writing feat!
Overall, I really enjoyed the storytelling style, pacing, and character development and relationships. And I was definitely happy with the breadth of vocabulary, which I sometimes find lacking in genre books.
Definitely worth reading... and I look forward to starting the sequel soon!
The first chapter was a ramrod of action, and probably saw the most editing, as it was free of any visible errors. The characters are introduced in such a way that we get a sense of who they are and what their motives are without being rushed. Every line of chapter one propels the story ahead, and I applaud this work whole-heartedly.
In fact, the only character I had trouble with was one of the doctors. He came across as a bit too much of a one-dimensional villain, and the exposition on his work and his internal dialogue dragged a bit for me. (This was the only part of the book that I found to drag.) The bulk of the story takes place on a ship, which I thought was a great idea.
The back-story of the infection was handled really well, and the author dared to plunge into some muddy scientific waters along the way, which really worked for me. I am not sure I would have attempted such a writing feat!
Overall, I really enjoyed the storytelling style, pacing, and character development and relationships. And I was definitely happy with the breadth of vocabulary, which I sometimes find lacking in genre books.
Definitely worth reading... and I look forward to starting the sequel soon!
February 24, 2012
After seeing that this was only $2.99 on the kindle store, I bought it without hesitation. And I must say it was quite a good read! We're introduced to a bunch of survivors who have been trapped in a warehouse for years, malnourished and hopeless. Sarah, the main character, heard a chopper going by one morning and convinced her fellow survivors to abandon their sanctuary and make a run towards the chopper, which may just be their last hope to surviving the already dead world. One problem though - the warehouse is surrounded by thousands of zombies!
This is a very good zombie book, in my opinion. It has enough gore and action to not make it too disgusting, but enough to make your heart pace! Unlike most books of the same genre, the characters were able to make a scientific explanation of the virus that has overwhelmed the world. It does get dragging around that part though. Too much technical terms and explanations that was just too much for me! Ha ha.
You get to care for the characters... a LOT. I really feel for Sarah though. She's more human than any of the main characters in the previous comic books I've seen. She's strong-willed, but there are times that she's scared and feel like giving up, too. She was able to get the group together, but there's no guarantee it's the same for her.
Overall, it's a pretty good read. I look forward to reading the sequel, Remains of the Dead, but when I have enough money to buy it on Amazon! Spent too much on books already this month :-)
This is a very good zombie book, in my opinion. It has enough gore and action to not make it too disgusting, but enough to make your heart pace! Unlike most books of the same genre, the characters were able to make a scientific explanation of the virus that has overwhelmed the world. It does get dragging around that part though. Too much technical terms and explanations that was just too much for me! Ha ha.
You get to care for the characters... a LOT. I really feel for Sarah though. She's more human than any of the main characters in the previous comic books I've seen. She's strong-willed, but there are times that she's scared and feel like giving up, too. She was able to get the group together, but there's no guarantee it's the same for her.
Overall, it's a pretty good read. I look forward to reading the sequel, Remains of the Dead, but when I have enough money to buy it on Amazon! Spent too much on books already this month :-)
July 1, 2011
Iain McKinnon's first novel crams quite a bit into its action-packed 185 pages: a narrative that takes place on land, in the air, and at sea, the development of at least eight major characters, and the crafting of enough suspenseful twists and turns in the plot to keep you reading. A rag-tag group of survivors from a zombie apocalypse, on the verge of starvation and despair in an almost-depleted urban warehouse that has sustained them for years, gets an unexpected chance at escape and rescue...but their new-found security proves short-lived as new dangers arise in rapid succession. I was a little disappointed to discover that McKinnon had borrowed a few too many plot elements from George A. Romero's "Day of the Dead" film (apparently intended as a homage, as McKinnon has stated elsewhere that the film had a major influence on him), but the novel still has enough originality to be a satisfying entry in the zombie fiction genre, and McKinnon's lean, economical prose is admirable. The ending suggests a possible sequel, and McKinnon has announced a "follow up" novel - titled "Remains of the Dead" - is scheduled to be published later in 2011. With the skills and imagination evident in "Domain," the new book is likely to be a cut above.
July 20, 2014
After a breathtaking beginning, McKinnon's Domain of the Dead puts a slight spin on the usual zombie novel stereotypes by having the rest of its action set on a ship out at sea. For a debut author, McKinnon really knows how to draw the reader in, and provides a set of characters that are just nuanced and interesting enough to care about. A few of his soldiers are particularly well constructed, so that when the inevitable mistake gets made and the excrement hits the fan, I found myself genuinely hoping a couple of them would find a way to survive.
That said, this is a first published work, and it's not perfect though. Even though its a short novel and reasonably fast-paced, the info-dump about the zombie plague and the pseudo-science behind it is too much and goes on for too long, almost squandering the good-will established in the first quarter of the novel. There are also a surprising number of typos that can knock the reader right out of the story.
Despite these short-comings, McKinnon has definitely won himself a new fan, and I'm eagerly looking forward to tackling the sequel to Domain, in which characters glimpsed in the early part of this novel get their own story.
4 Bullets to the Head for Domain of the Dead.
That said, this is a first published work, and it's not perfect though. Even though its a short novel and reasonably fast-paced, the info-dump about the zombie plague and the pseudo-science behind it is too much and goes on for too long, almost squandering the good-will established in the first quarter of the novel. There are also a surprising number of typos that can knock the reader right out of the story.
Despite these short-comings, McKinnon has definitely won himself a new fan, and I'm eagerly looking forward to tackling the sequel to Domain, in which characters glimpsed in the early part of this novel get their own story.
4 Bullets to the Head for Domain of the Dead.
September 10, 2011
http://www.buyzombie.com/2011/01/10/r...
Above is the link for the review I wrote for Domain of the Dead on Buyzombie.com This is by far one of the best novels in the zombie genre, very well written and the author provides a plausible biological explanation for how the undead came to be. (It's actually quite fantastic how he came up with this explanantion) and this is a terrifying story. It is the only zombie novel I've read where I was genuinly spooked while reading some of the scenes.
If you're a zombie fan, you MUST read this one. It is one of the best in the genre and you;re desperately missing out if you haven't read this great story.
Above is the link for the review I wrote for Domain of the Dead on Buyzombie.com This is by far one of the best novels in the zombie genre, very well written and the author provides a plausible biological explanation for how the undead came to be. (It's actually quite fantastic how he came up with this explanantion) and this is a terrifying story. It is the only zombie novel I've read where I was genuinly spooked while reading some of the scenes.
If you're a zombie fan, you MUST read this one. It is one of the best in the genre and you;re desperately missing out if you haven't read this great story.
May 2, 2013
What an action packed story!! WOW!! that was AWESOME!! I just couldn't put it down, then I was reading it too fast, I didn't want it to end, so I would try to prolong it, but I just couldn't hold on.I say BRAVO to the author, that was some story! I don't want to spoil it for others. I recommend this book to everyone and anyone who wants to read a fast paced, hell of a GREAT BOOK!! It has zombies, guts, gore, it will have you at the edge of your seat biting your nails, waiting to see what will happen next!! This was too AWESOME!! and the ending was jaw dropping WOW!!! I really hope their is a second part to this, PLEASE, and I hope it starts where this one stopped!! I tip my hat to the author!!!
September 1, 2012
Iain McKinnon has written a great Z book. When a group of survivors hear a helicopter land adjacent to the wharehouse where they have been holed up for years, they decide to bolt through the horde of undead to reach it. This is the story of the ones who made it onto the helicopter. I was thrilled when I got the end of the book and found out there was a second book (Remains of the Dead) that told the story of those that were left behind. I hated having to put these books down at night. The Romero style zombies are creepy, the writing is fast paced, and I loved the dialog! I gave Domain of the Dead four stars, but Remains of the Dead got all five. I'll be more than a little irritiated if Mr. McKinnon doesn't come out with a third book in this series...
February 2, 2014
This is a solid read in the genre and does have some unique twists, such as setting most of the story at sea. The ship definitely provides the locked room paranoia to this story as the characters realize they never really were safe after all. I also particularly liked the unresolved arc and the realism of the scenes. Want to learn about zombie gore up close? Just read this book. So why the 3 star rating? Well...I thought the middle was a bit slow and the detailed descriptions of the zombie virology research and lab methods bogged down a bit. But I raced through the rest of it and quickly downloaded Remains of the Dead to keep going. The focus on sets of characters really reminded me of Hugh Howey's Wool series too. Domain is worth reading.
May 3, 2010
Domain of the Dead (ISBN 9781934861271) by, Iain McKinnon, is fast paced action novel, in a post appocalyptical world where Zombies have taken over.
The novel is akin to watching a zombie horror movie, by the likes of 28 Days Later. This was demonstrated in the plot, and mainly in how the characters’ stories were developed in parallel–telling each part of the gruesome tale.
What took away from the novel, were the countless typos sprinkled through the novel.
I guess you get what you expect from this novel, a quick horrific tale of desperation in the domain of the dead, as the title suggests.
The novel is akin to watching a zombie horror movie, by the likes of 28 Days Later. This was demonstrated in the plot, and mainly in how the characters’ stories were developed in parallel–telling each part of the gruesome tale.
What took away from the novel, were the countless typos sprinkled through the novel.
I guess you get what you expect from this novel, a quick horrific tale of desperation in the domain of the dead, as the title suggests.
July 4, 2012
This book really did it for me. I liked that it took place a few years "after the event". I also really enjoyed the location of the boat. It made it quite a different zombie read for me just from being on the boat alone. I also found the boat chuck full of dark humor ! Maybe am just a dark dark girl, because i "think" if the author intended it to be there, but even if not, it was there and I thank him for him!
Fabulous read, great ending to set up for the next book in the series which I am off to read right now!
Fabulous read, great ending to set up for the next book in the series which I am off to read right now!
January 7, 2013
I just became a fan of Zombies from watching " Walking Dead" so I thought I would read a couple books about them and see how it compares.. I have never heard of Iain McKinnon I just picked him random from Amazon and I have to say I picked a good one. Holy Cow his books kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. I was getting anxiety from his books wondering what was going to happen next I found myself waking up in the middle of the night to read because I couldn't wait to see what was going to happen! I loved both of his books and I can't wait to read the third one ...
September 25, 2014
This was my second time reading this. I wanted to freshen my memory before reading the next book in this series. It's a decent book, there's never a dull moment.
Life since the rising of the dead has been tough, so tough that Sarah is standing on a roof - getting ready to jump off... She hears a noise that sounds like a helicopter, and her desire to give up instantly turns to hope. The members of her group make a run for it, with no idea of what's waiting for them...
Life since the rising of the dead has been tough, so tough that Sarah is standing on a roof - getting ready to jump off... She hears a noise that sounds like a helicopter, and her desire to give up instantly turns to hope. The members of her group make a run for it, with no idea of what's waiting for them...
January 25, 2010
Great story. Can't wait to read the follow-up, if there is one. The editing does go slightly downhill after the first quarter of the book and, at times, gets annoying. I really wish this genre of books was edited better even though the storylines are good.
Instead of holed-up in a house or compound, this story takes place on a research/ military vessel.
Instead of holed-up in a house or compound, this story takes place on a research/ military vessel.
January 4, 2013
There’s action, adventure, horror, love, and backstory. The characters are crisp in a way that most novels can’t nail. Each character is well written and easily identifiable in action and dialogue. The action is sharp. The action scenes are so well conceived and written that you’ll find yourself mimicking the characters actions.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews