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Rise Again #1
Rise Again
A MYSTERIOUS CONTAGION. MASS HYSTERIA. SUDDEN DEATH. And a warning that would come all too late...
Forest Peak, California. Fourth of July. Sheriff Danielle Adelman, a troubled war veteran, thinks she has all the problems she can handle in this all-American town after her kid sister runs away from home. But when a disease-stricken horde of panicked refugees fleeing the fall of Los Angeles swarms her small mountain community, Danny realizes her problems have only just begun - starting with what might very well be the end of the world.
Danny thought she had seen humanity at its worst in war-torn Iraq, but nothing could prepare her for the remorseless struggle to survive in a dying world being overrun by the reanimated dead and men turned monster. Obsessed with finding her missing sister against all odds, Danny's epic and dangerous journey across the California desert will challenge her spirit... and bring her to the precipice of sanity itself...
Filled with adventurous human drama - and shocking inhuman horror - Rise Again marks a vivid and powerful fiction debut.
Forest Peak, California. Fourth of July. Sheriff Danielle Adelman, a troubled war veteran, thinks she has all the problems she can handle in this all-American town after her kid sister runs away from home. But when a disease-stricken horde of panicked refugees fleeing the fall of Los Angeles swarms her small mountain community, Danny realizes her problems have only just begun - starting with what might very well be the end of the world.
Danny thought she had seen humanity at its worst in war-torn Iraq, but nothing could prepare her for the remorseless struggle to survive in a dying world being overrun by the reanimated dead and men turned monster. Obsessed with finding her missing sister against all odds, Danny's epic and dangerous journey across the California desert will challenge her spirit... and bring her to the precipice of sanity itself...
Filled with adventurous human drama - and shocking inhuman horror - Rise Again marks a vivid and powerful fiction debut.
371 pages, Paperback
First published October 26, 2010
64 people are currently reading
7751 people want to read
About the author
Ben Tripp
16 books286 followersBEN TRIPP is the author of Fifth House of the Heart; Rise Again and Rise Again: Below Zero, a two-part apocalyptic zombie saga for Gallery; he has also completed the first volume of the Accidental Trilogy, The Accidental Highwayman, which is a young adult fantasy. The Accidental Giant will be the next book in the series.
Tripp is an artist, writer, and designer who has worked with major entertainment companies and motion picture studios for more than two decades. He was for many years one of the world's leading conceptualists of public experiences, with a global portfolio of projects ranging from urban masterplanning to theme parks. Now he writes novels full-time.
He lives with his wife (Academy Award-winning writer/ producer Corinne Marrinan) in Los Angeles and Europe.
Tripp is an artist, writer, and designer who has worked with major entertainment companies and motion picture studios for more than two decades. He was for many years one of the world's leading conceptualists of public experiences, with a global portfolio of projects ranging from urban masterplanning to theme parks. Now he writes novels full-time.
He lives with his wife (Academy Award-winning writer/ producer Corinne Marrinan) in Los Angeles and Europe.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 320 reviews
November 5, 2010
This is the best book I ever wrote.
July 28, 2015
Cross posted at Outlaw Reviews and at Shelf Inflicted
Sheriff Danielle Adelman is one tough lady. Her younger sister runs away from home with Danny’s vintage Mustang, she suffers the physical and psychological effects from being a soldier in the Iraq war, she deals with petty criminals, and if that’s not bad enough, zombies are moving into her small California town. No wonder she drowns out her troubles with alcohol.
With her sister’s letter in her shirt pocket and a small band of survivors, Danny is on a mission to find her sister and keep her people safe.
I loved Danny’s strength and sense of ethics, and the very different personalities she has to deal with. There’s Wulf, another hard-bitten war veteran whose shooting skills come in handy, there’s Patrick, gay TV personality who feels faint at the sight of blood and has a soft spot for Danny, and Amy, the veterinarian who prefers animals to people. Then there’s the private militia group who makes everyone’s life miserable and is as scary as the zombies.
The zombies get more terrifying as the story moves along. First, they are mindless, shambling creatures who moan at the sight of living prey. Then they gradually evolve into fast-moving predators that are more adept at getting through doors and windows, and then they form packs who stalk their prey. It seems that bio-terrorism caused the zombie epidemic, though the author thankfully did not spend a lot of time dwelling on the cause.
What I wanted was lots of action, believable flawed characters who have to learn to work together in order to survive, and scary zombies. What I didn’t expect was the gut-punch ending.
If you’re a fan of zombies, and don’t mind a story that takes occasional digs at the government and private enterprise, then don’t miss this one.
Sheriff Danielle Adelman is one tough lady. Her younger sister runs away from home with Danny’s vintage Mustang, she suffers the physical and psychological effects from being a soldier in the Iraq war, she deals with petty criminals, and if that’s not bad enough, zombies are moving into her small California town. No wonder she drowns out her troubles with alcohol.
With her sister’s letter in her shirt pocket and a small band of survivors, Danny is on a mission to find her sister and keep her people safe.
I loved Danny’s strength and sense of ethics, and the very different personalities she has to deal with. There’s Wulf, another hard-bitten war veteran whose shooting skills come in handy, there’s Patrick, gay TV personality who feels faint at the sight of blood and has a soft spot for Danny, and Amy, the veterinarian who prefers animals to people. Then there’s the private militia group who makes everyone’s life miserable and is as scary as the zombies.
The zombies get more terrifying as the story moves along. First, they are mindless, shambling creatures who moan at the sight of living prey. Then they gradually evolve into fast-moving predators that are more adept at getting through doors and windows, and then they form packs who stalk their prey. It seems that bio-terrorism caused the zombie epidemic, though the author thankfully did not spend a lot of time dwelling on the cause.
What I wanted was lots of action, believable flawed characters who have to learn to work together in order to survive, and scary zombies. What I didn’t expect was the gut-punch ending.
If you’re a fan of zombies, and don’t mind a story that takes occasional digs at the government and private enterprise, then don’t miss this one.
October 23, 2010
Ben Tripp is my husband, so I had the pleasure of reading the pages as he wrote them. Every day he would emerge from the tiny walk in closet that served as his "office" in our old apartment. I'd get my red pen, ready to give him notes. truth be told, i used very little red ink during that period. he's just a naturally fantastic storyteller who understands great characters and how to build tension in a moment. Sure, we own every horror flick ever made, Ben loves the genre. But this book is full of influences that surpass the genre. Ben reads (and writes) about politics, about human psychology, about every subject under the sun. All those influences make RISE AGAIN much more than your average horror/thriller...although he was very careful to include just enough gore and carnage for his fellow-fans. And that last line? WOW. If that doesn't scream for a sequel, I don't know what does. So that's my review: RISE AGAIN 5 stars. MY HUSBAND 5 stars. :) I'm a lucky lady.
October 21, 2016
Sheriff Danielle "Danny" Adelman is having the mother of all bad days. She wakes up late and hungover, to find her sullen kid sister has run away. She makes her way to town where crowds are already gathering for the 4th of July celebration. Word arrives that some boys have seen a dead body on the outskirts of town. Soon people are dropping like flies. The streets of town become clogged with vehicles and the dead. The few survivors are working hard to restore their town to some semblance of normalcy when someone hears a strange and chilling broadcast on the radio - "...will rise again. Repeat: The infected dead will rise again."
There are not a lot of new things that can be done with the zombie genre. The strength of this book lies with its cast of characters, particularly the strong females in the group. Danny is a veteran with three tours in Iraq under her belt. A borderline alcoholic, she is suffering from PTSD, obsessed with finding her sister, and bent on keeping her small group together and safe. She is constantly ruminating over her decisions, worrying that one of her actions may have cost someone his life. Such introspection is rare for a character in a horror novel, and I found it refreshing.
Danny's group finds a temporary refuge while she goes alone to look for her sister, only to discover that some of the dead are evolving, becoming both faster . . . and smarter. Things go from bad to worse with the arrival of Blackwater, oops! I mean - Hawkstone Security. (You can almost picture Haliburton skulking behind a pile of corpses, just waiting for their contract to start rebuilding . . .)
The survivors soon come to realize that roaming bands of zombies may not be as terrifying as the actions of their fellow men.
Fans of Robert Kirkman's Walking Dead graphic novels should find plenty here to hold their interest. I'm fairly immune to violence and gore, but I went eeewwww! a few times.
Be sure to visit author Tripp's website - http://www.riseagainthenovel.com/ for free downloads of zombie masks, bookmarks, holiday cards and alternative dust jackets that allow you to fool others into thinking that you are reading great literature, a textbook or a cookbook, instead of an entertaining zombie novel.
There are not a lot of new things that can be done with the zombie genre. The strength of this book lies with its cast of characters, particularly the strong females in the group. Danny is a veteran with three tours in Iraq under her belt. A borderline alcoholic, she is suffering from PTSD, obsessed with finding her sister, and bent on keeping her small group together and safe. She is constantly ruminating over her decisions, worrying that one of her actions may have cost someone his life. Such introspection is rare for a character in a horror novel, and I found it refreshing.
Danny's group finds a temporary refuge while she goes alone to look for her sister, only to discover that some of the dead are evolving, becoming both faster . . . and smarter. Things go from bad to worse with the arrival of Blackwater, oops! I mean - Hawkstone Security. (You can almost picture Haliburton skulking behind a pile of corpses, just waiting for their contract to start rebuilding . . .)
The survivors soon come to realize that roaming bands of zombies may not be as terrifying as the actions of their fellow men.
Fans of Robert Kirkman's Walking Dead graphic novels should find plenty here to hold their interest. I'm fairly immune to violence and gore, but I went eeewwww! a few times.
Be sure to visit author Tripp's website - http://www.riseagainthenovel.com/ for free downloads of zombie masks, bookmarks, holiday cards and alternative dust jackets that allow you to fool others into thinking that you are reading great literature, a textbook or a cookbook, instead of an entertaining zombie novel.
May 9, 2014
Two and a half stars.
Ah, zombies and survivalism. A topic near and dear to my heart. I gravitate towards the genre like a chocoholic towards the candy section at the convenience store (who, me?). Yet I am frequently disappointed on both fronts. Searching for rich texture, a smooth taste, the essence of flavor, I often discover a waxy imposter attempting to cash in on the cravings. I’ve struggled with my review of Rise Again as the first time through was satisfying, at least in the quick-fix kind of way. Unfortunately, a second tasting highlighted a number of faults, and the unpredictable, cliff-hanger ending left a bitter aftertaste.
Sheriff Danny (Danielle) is struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder after a tour in Iraq, coping by drinking herself into insensibility every night. Nominally in charge of her teenage sister, Kelley, she wakes up one morning to discover that Kelley has disappeared, leaving a long letter and taking Danny’s most prized possession, a cherry-red Mustang. On the warpath, Danny heads into the office, set on using police resources to track her sister. However, she is soon interrupted for the town’s annual Fourth of July celebration, and she has celebratory responsibilities elsewhere. Shortly after, a state trooper shows up with vague warnings about outbreaks and disaster plans. Unable to contact his department, he hangs around hoping to help out. A few kids discover the first dead body, and it’s only a short time before all hell breaks loose with people running and screaming before dropping dead in short order. Danny and a few survivors fight their way free of the town, with Danny using her position for a leadership role–and to influence a search for Kelley.
*****************
Speculation on the differences between screenplays and books follow, with long quoted sections. So as usual, my full thoughts are at:
http://clsiewert.wordpress.com/2014/0...
and
http://carols.booklikes.com/post/8790...-
Plus, I'm heading over to Leafmarks, where the staff are very responsive and actually focus on readers more than authors.
Ah, zombies and survivalism. A topic near and dear to my heart. I gravitate towards the genre like a chocoholic towards the candy section at the convenience store (who, me?). Yet I am frequently disappointed on both fronts. Searching for rich texture, a smooth taste, the essence of flavor, I often discover a waxy imposter attempting to cash in on the cravings. I’ve struggled with my review of Rise Again as the first time through was satisfying, at least in the quick-fix kind of way. Unfortunately, a second tasting highlighted a number of faults, and the unpredictable, cliff-hanger ending left a bitter aftertaste.
Sheriff Danny (Danielle) is struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder after a tour in Iraq, coping by drinking herself into insensibility every night. Nominally in charge of her teenage sister, Kelley, she wakes up one morning to discover that Kelley has disappeared, leaving a long letter and taking Danny’s most prized possession, a cherry-red Mustang. On the warpath, Danny heads into the office, set on using police resources to track her sister. However, she is soon interrupted for the town’s annual Fourth of July celebration, and she has celebratory responsibilities elsewhere. Shortly after, a state trooper shows up with vague warnings about outbreaks and disaster plans. Unable to contact his department, he hangs around hoping to help out. A few kids discover the first dead body, and it’s only a short time before all hell breaks loose with people running and screaming before dropping dead in short order. Danny and a few survivors fight their way free of the town, with Danny using her position for a leadership role–and to influence a search for Kelley.
*****************
Speculation on the differences between screenplays and books follow, with long quoted sections. So as usual, my full thoughts are at:
http://clsiewert.wordpress.com/2014/0...
and
http://carols.booklikes.com/post/8790...-
Plus, I'm heading over to Leafmarks, where the staff are very responsive and actually focus on readers more than authors.
July 23, 2024
Surprisingly good writing style and exhilarating action scenes. The ending is a true cliffhanger but the library doesn't have book two so I may never know what happens. The only downside is there were long periods of ruminating inner monologues which I found myself skim reading through. The gore levels were great with the main character gnawing off her trapped fingers in order to get away from the zombie horde. Kinda felt like poetic irony. Chewing off her flesh to escape having her flesh chewed off. I love zombie virus stories like this one where the undead evolve. Makes them more frightening. Thanks for the recommendation, Zellian!
February 26, 2012
The horror genre and its close cousin, the horror film, has always been susceptible to fads. In the 50s, it was the atomic holocaust and its mutant monsters. in the 60s and 70s, thanks to Robert Bloch's Psycho, it was serial killers. For the 70s on, Vampires ruled with its evil nephew the paranormal romance making a splash in the 90s and on. All these themes existed before, surfaces often, and will continue to be visited by the horror writers and screenwriters. Yet each one had its particular heyday.
Nowadays it is the zombie novel.You can't walk through the book store without a zombie novel smacking you in the face. There's some pretty bad ones out there. Fortunately, Ben Tripp's novel of zombie apocalypse is one of the good ones. He does a lot of things right in this thrilling horror epic.
First, his zombies just don't urgh and argh. We never know for sure what the cause of the zombie plaque is but the author strongly hints at the idea of a viral epidemic. At first the zombies are the mindless quality yet they evolve to something else and that is what makes them interesting. The reader is treated to a changing threat leading to a intense and surprising ending.
Second, while the author gives us some horrific monsters, he also knows that man is the ultimate danger. In many ways this is more of a post-apocalyptic survival tale pitting man (and woman) against themselves. Tripp appears to take Sartre's admonition that Hell is other people quite seriously. Another nice touch is the author's update to the 21st century by giving us a new boogeyman in our social-political spectrum; a Black-water like private military army. Tripp's knowledge and use of current events such as the Iraq War nicely accents this thriller.
Third, Tripp has created a very strong female protagonist, a sheriff named Danny Adelman that is easy to like and root for. This also brings up one of the weaker aspects of this novel and that is her first motive for her actions. In the first chapter, Danny's baby sister runs away . We learn a lot about Danny but the sister remains elusive as is Danny's reason for taking risky and sometimes incomprehensible actions to find her. It is a minor complaint but annoying since there is so much going on with the survivors that this sub-quest seems unneeded.
Yet this is a riveting horror novel combining the best of adventure, survival tales and zombie horror. I highly recommend it to any zombie fans but also to those who simply love a good adventure yarn.
Nowadays it is the zombie novel.You can't walk through the book store without a zombie novel smacking you in the face. There's some pretty bad ones out there. Fortunately, Ben Tripp's novel of zombie apocalypse is one of the good ones. He does a lot of things right in this thrilling horror epic.
First, his zombies just don't urgh and argh. We never know for sure what the cause of the zombie plaque is but the author strongly hints at the idea of a viral epidemic. At first the zombies are the mindless quality yet they evolve to something else and that is what makes them interesting. The reader is treated to a changing threat leading to a intense and surprising ending.
Second, while the author gives us some horrific monsters, he also knows that man is the ultimate danger. In many ways this is more of a post-apocalyptic survival tale pitting man (and woman) against themselves. Tripp appears to take Sartre's admonition that Hell is other people quite seriously. Another nice touch is the author's update to the 21st century by giving us a new boogeyman in our social-political spectrum; a Black-water like private military army. Tripp's knowledge and use of current events such as the Iraq War nicely accents this thriller.
Third, Tripp has created a very strong female protagonist, a sheriff named Danny Adelman that is easy to like and root for. This also brings up one of the weaker aspects of this novel and that is her first motive for her actions. In the first chapter, Danny's baby sister runs away . We learn a lot about Danny but the sister remains elusive as is Danny's reason for taking risky and sometimes incomprehensible actions to find her. It is a minor complaint but annoying since there is so much going on with the survivors that this sub-quest seems unneeded.
Yet this is a riveting horror novel combining the best of adventure, survival tales and zombie horror. I highly recommend it to any zombie fans but also to those who simply love a good adventure yarn.
February 15, 2021
3.5 stars. It was an entertaining read, a fun read thinking about what would happen if zombie appears in the world. Not my favorite but a decent read
October 29, 2010
Danny Adelman is a veteran of the Iraq war suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome. She is working as the Sheriff in the quiet town of Forest Peak (which is about an hour outside of LA). She knows she's not going to have a good day when she wakes with a hangover, realizes her young sister Kelly has run away in none other than her car and dreads dealing with the crowds at the town's Independence Day gathering. What more could go wrong right? She definitely wasn't expecting for people to grip their heads, screaming at the top of their lungs, run off and eventually drop dead, and rise as flesh-eating corpses.
This book scared me to death. I don't know what my infatuation with zombies is... I'm not a fan of scary movies nor do I read a lot of horror, but tell me it's a zombie book and I just MUST read it. Thus was the case with Rise Again, and although it did scare me to death, I could not put it down.
Mr. Tripp created one bad-ass heroine in Danny. She is not perfect - far from it - but her strength, perseverance, the need to protect the civilians that have remarkably put their trust in her to help save them as well as her unstoppable need to find her missing sister were something that I was in awe of. She grew on me and I found myself cringing and more than once not wanting to turn the page in fear that something would happen to her or some of the other characters. As with all zombie books, I'm always afraid to love a character for fear of them getting killed off. I truly think this is what up's the fear factor in these books for me. Some of the supporting characters were awesome as well, and some were just the type that you love to hate. I love how humanity always turns against itself at one point or another in these type of books. Sometimes the zombies are the least of the worries.
In the end, I loved this book! It was not overly gory nor overly violent, although there is both, yet it was done in a tasteful manner. I mean it is a zombie book - blood, guts and brains are expected. But what I found refreshing were its rich characters, great action and tight, well-paced story. Horror and, especially, zombie lovers will find a gem in this one.
This book scared me to death. I don't know what my infatuation with zombies is... I'm not a fan of scary movies nor do I read a lot of horror, but tell me it's a zombie book and I just MUST read it. Thus was the case with Rise Again, and although it did scare me to death, I could not put it down.
Mr. Tripp created one bad-ass heroine in Danny. She is not perfect - far from it - but her strength, perseverance, the need to protect the civilians that have remarkably put their trust in her to help save them as well as her unstoppable need to find her missing sister were something that I was in awe of. She grew on me and I found myself cringing and more than once not wanting to turn the page in fear that something would happen to her or some of the other characters. As with all zombie books, I'm always afraid to love a character for fear of them getting killed off. I truly think this is what up's the fear factor in these books for me. Some of the supporting characters were awesome as well, and some were just the type that you love to hate. I love how humanity always turns against itself at one point or another in these type of books. Sometimes the zombies are the least of the worries.
In the end, I loved this book! It was not overly gory nor overly violent, although there is both, yet it was done in a tasteful manner. I mean it is a zombie book - blood, guts and brains are expected. But what I found refreshing were its rich characters, great action and tight, well-paced story. Horror and, especially, zombie lovers will find a gem in this one.
October 23, 2010
Rise Again by Ben Tripp
The plethora of zombie books tends to drown the entire genre. Luckily Ben Tripp has a book that really does rise again. I fully intended to dislike the book because it was another, yes another, zombie book. Some time of trigger turns a majority of the population into mindless zombies. While the protagonist never determines the trigger, I personally suspect it is the stupefying effects of negative campaign advertisements. They just make you want to zombify yourself. Small town sheriff, Danny Adelman is forced to face mindless hordes, hapless civilians and clueless friends in the midst of an unprecedented, post apocalyptic civil disaster.
Danny is like one of those inflatable Bozo the Clown figures with a rounded sandy bottom, punch it and it just flies back in your face. Her resiliency is unbound. She establishes relationships through no intent on her part. She is duty bound, come heck or high tides of zombies.
Tripp has a terrific command of the English language and great descriptive powers. Funny how that didn’t seem to enter my mind when I started the book but on several occasions, I literally paused to reread a sentence and marvel how well it was crafted. I’m looking forward to the sequel.
I highly recommend it.
The plethora of zombie books tends to drown the entire genre. Luckily Ben Tripp has a book that really does rise again. I fully intended to dislike the book because it was another, yes another, zombie book. Some time of trigger turns a majority of the population into mindless zombies. While the protagonist never determines the trigger, I personally suspect it is the stupefying effects of negative campaign advertisements. They just make you want to zombify yourself. Small town sheriff, Danny Adelman is forced to face mindless hordes, hapless civilians and clueless friends in the midst of an unprecedented, post apocalyptic civil disaster.
Danny is like one of those inflatable Bozo the Clown figures with a rounded sandy bottom, punch it and it just flies back in your face. Her resiliency is unbound. She establishes relationships through no intent on her part. She is duty bound, come heck or high tides of zombies.
Tripp has a terrific command of the English language and great descriptive powers. Funny how that didn’t seem to enter my mind when I started the book but on several occasions, I literally paused to reread a sentence and marvel how well it was crafted. I’m looking forward to the sequel.
I highly recommend it.
May 11, 2018
kinda slow for a zombie book
January 22, 2016
I'd recently read Tripp's zombie book, in which the MC is a 70-year old man fighting vampires, not your typical hero. This book has a much younger female Iraqi War vet as the MC and she's just as tough...
Danny Adelman, straight home from Iraq, is serving as the local sheriff in the small town of Forest Peak, CA. Raising Kelley, her teenage sister, and dealing with PSTD, manifesting as nightmares and other problems, including alcoholism, Danny has to deal with a zombie invasion from out of LA on the same day Kelley steals Danny's precious vintage Mustang and takes off.
The scenes of carnage, zombie chaos, and so on, are described almost eloquently. Tripp is nothing if not a master of description - great chunks of this book are just description-with-action. Or action graphically, gorily, minutely, yet accurately described. I loved reading these sections. My fav. parts of any zombie (or horror) book are when people go off alone and wander through old buildings, hotels, trains, etc., and you never know who - or what - might spring up at you. (And yes, sometimes the reasons characters do this is simply because the author orders them to, but in this case you truly believe Danny's reasons for entering a small town which looks absolutely DEAD.)
There are also a few zombie tropes, including mercenaries who don't know what the f--- they're doing in the midst of zombie attacks, as well as authority figures living in a cloud and are just as ignorant. There's also the 'lone wolf' good guy with a gun, a former Viet Nam vet who's often juiced up, but just as often there when you least expect. However, Danny's no female pushover, waiting for the guys to come and rescue her. She's smart and capable and makes mistakes, but if survival means biting one's fingers off while stuck in that same beloved Mustang while zombies are banging on the car doors, then...
Too much spoilerage! But just one detail that showcases the strength of this book. Suffice to say if you're looking for a formidable woman figure as MC, this is the book. The depiction of Danny Adelman AND the the sheer panorama of death, disease, and hell Tripp is able to conjure up are the two strengths of this book. No two action scenes are even remotely similar and the book plays out like a lengthy and gloriously-gorily depicted movie. But played out in the brain, always the best place for these things to happen, IMO.
Anyhow, a great zombie thriller and I am going to buy the sequel...
Now! :D
Danny Adelman, straight home from Iraq, is serving as the local sheriff in the small town of Forest Peak, CA. Raising Kelley, her teenage sister, and dealing with PSTD, manifesting as nightmares and other problems, including alcoholism, Danny has to deal with a zombie invasion from out of LA on the same day Kelley steals Danny's precious vintage Mustang and takes off.
The scenes of carnage, zombie chaos, and so on, are described almost eloquently. Tripp is nothing if not a master of description - great chunks of this book are just description-with-action. Or action graphically, gorily, minutely, yet accurately described. I loved reading these sections. My fav. parts of any zombie (or horror) book are when people go off alone and wander through old buildings, hotels, trains, etc., and you never know who - or what - might spring up at you. (And yes, sometimes the reasons characters do this is simply because the author orders them to, but in this case you truly believe Danny's reasons for entering a small town which looks absolutely DEAD.)
There are also a few zombie tropes, including mercenaries who don't know what the f--- they're doing in the midst of zombie attacks, as well as authority figures living in a cloud and are just as ignorant. There's also the 'lone wolf' good guy with a gun, a former Viet Nam vet who's often juiced up, but just as often there when you least expect. However, Danny's no female pushover, waiting for the guys to come and rescue her. She's smart and capable and makes mistakes, but if survival means biting one's fingers off while stuck in that same beloved Mustang while zombies are banging on the car doors, then...
Too much spoilerage! But just one detail that showcases the strength of this book. Suffice to say if you're looking for a formidable woman figure as MC, this is the book. The depiction of Danny Adelman AND the the sheer panorama of death, disease, and hell Tripp is able to conjure up are the two strengths of this book. No two action scenes are even remotely similar and the book plays out like a lengthy and gloriously-gorily depicted movie. But played out in the brain, always the best place for these things to happen, IMO.
Anyhow, a great zombie thriller and I am going to buy the sequel...
Now! :D
October 28, 2018
I liked the beginning and end of RISE AGAIN; the middle was as uneven as it was gory. Overall, it manages to rise above the horde of really bad zombie books out there, so I'd call it "above average." Characters were mostly fun, if not well-developed.
BEGINNING: 3 stars (got my interest)
MIDDLE: 1.5 to 2.5 stars
ENDING: ~4 stars (memorable)
AVERAGE = 3 stars
Towards the end there were hints that the story was going to morph into a different take on the undead genre. Though it turned out to be not a totally original or mind-blowing direction, it was still pretty well done. I like it when an ending makes me smile like this, rather than throw the book!
VERDICT: Deserves either 2+ stars for some technical issues with POV, show vs. tell, etc. (which some 2-star reviewers have already noted), or 3.5+ stars for a few good lines and that ending! So 3 stars it is, overall.
The ending . There is a Book #2.
Would I read Book #2? Maybe.
BEGINNING: 3 stars (got my interest)
MIDDLE: 1.5 to 2.5 stars
ENDING: ~4 stars (memorable)
AVERAGE = 3 stars
Towards the end there were hints that the story was going to morph into a different take on the undead genre. Though it turned out to be not a totally original or mind-blowing direction, it was still pretty well done. I like it when an ending makes me smile like this, rather than throw the book!
VERDICT: Deserves either 2+ stars for some technical issues with POV, show vs. tell, etc. (which some 2-star reviewers have already noted), or 3.5+ stars for a few good lines and that ending! So 3 stars it is, overall.
The ending . There is a Book #2.
Would I read Book #2? Maybe.
February 5, 2015
I didn't have very high hopes for this book. I'd never heard of it or the author. I hadn't seen any reviews and it was a debut novel. I thought it would be okay at best. However, after the first 30 pages, I could see that I was completely wrong. It was going to be really great. And it was.
To be honest, the first 20 pages didn't really hit me right. I couldn't relate to the main character, Danny, and I didn't know her well enough to feel any sort of empathy. But right around page 50, when crap got real, I really started to get into the story.
Danny was a great main character. She kicked so much butt and didn't get caught up in any stupid drama. She didn't dwell on what ifs and how horrible everything was. She got crap done and she kicked butt while doing it.
And while I couldn't even really relate to her, I really starting rooting for her and I liked her a lot.
I really liked how the story split off into two perspectives in the middle of the book. It sounds like a weird thing for the author to do but it really worked well for the story.
The writing style and all that good stuff was awesome. I couldn't believe that this was a debut book. Ben Tripp knows how to write a great story.
The plot was so well thought out! I think that's my favorite thing about this book. It was clear that Tripp had really thought about where he wanted to story to go and how to get it there. Some books, it feels like the writer was just making it up as they went, with no real end game. But Rise Again had a great story line. It was amazing.
I really liked the zombies that Tripp created. They were fairly original, I thought. Not to the point or being weird and dumb but a fresh take on zombies.
Overall, I was tremendously impressed with this book. It was well written with a fresh take on an old idea.
If you're looking for a really good horror and/or zombie book, I recommend this book. And after an ending like that, I have a mighty need for book two!
To be honest, the first 20 pages didn't really hit me right. I couldn't relate to the main character, Danny, and I didn't know her well enough to feel any sort of empathy. But right around page 50, when crap got real, I really started to get into the story.
Danny was a great main character. She kicked so much butt and didn't get caught up in any stupid drama. She didn't dwell on what ifs and how horrible everything was. She got crap done and she kicked butt while doing it.
And while I couldn't even really relate to her, I really starting rooting for her and I liked her a lot.
I really liked how the story split off into two perspectives in the middle of the book. It sounds like a weird thing for the author to do but it really worked well for the story.
The writing style and all that good stuff was awesome. I couldn't believe that this was a debut book. Ben Tripp knows how to write a great story.
The plot was so well thought out! I think that's my favorite thing about this book. It was clear that Tripp had really thought about where he wanted to story to go and how to get it there. Some books, it feels like the writer was just making it up as they went, with no real end game. But Rise Again had a great story line. It was amazing.
I really liked the zombies that Tripp created. They were fairly original, I thought. Not to the point or being weird and dumb but a fresh take on zombies.
Overall, I was tremendously impressed with this book. It was well written with a fresh take on an old idea.
If you're looking for a really good horror and/or zombie book, I recommend this book. And after an ending like that, I have a mighty need for book two!
May 11, 2011
A very famous and renowned author once said that the most vital aspect of writing a good novel is to tell the truth. Someone should have told Ben Tripp that. The dialogue and scenarios that the characters found themselves in were completely unrealistic, they made unbelievable jumps in logic and were, for the most part, caricatures and stereotypes, not living and breathing people that you would eventually come to care about (you won't). He obviously borrowed heavily from other zombie lore (the stupid, out-of-control military types hellbent on raping surviving women - 28 Days Later; Danny cutting her own hand off to save herself - The Walking Dead; zombies evolving and developing intelligence - George Romero; to say nothing of the Mad Max inferences), and the whole story just had a tired, worn-out, cliched feel to it. Even though I normally love reading about tough, capable, ass-kicking women, I didn't like the protagonist, a PTSD-suffering alcoholic sheriff (and really, does it get any more cliched than that) who has to repeatedly save her band of survivors because none of them are willing to step up to the plate to do it themselves. And her lesbian veterinarian sidekick drove me up the freaking wall - some of the things she said would never come out of the mouth of a human with above-average intelligence (which she supposedly was). Again, the author wasn't telling the truth, and it made those passages painful to read. The book wasn't scary at all and was actually quite boring...it look me a lot longer to finish it than it should have, and the only reason I kept going was because I was sure that something would happen and it would start getting good. And the epilogue ended up being the best part of the whole thing, so I wasn't entirely wrong, but I still wish I'd spent my time reading something worthwhile and memorable.
April 15, 2022
Forest Peak es un pueblecito montañoso donde los vecinos no podrían ser más aburridos. Lo más emocionante es la celebración del 4 de julio donde su arisca sheriff recibirá la llave de la montaña. Pero en medio de la celebración comienzan a aparecer noticias de histeria colectiva en otras ciudades y muy pronto, empiezan a llegar personas corriendo en un aparente ataque nervioso, que colapsan y mueren... pero no se quedan muertos durante mucho tiempo.
~~~
Rescaté este libro de mi pila infinita de libros pendientes, escrito durante el pleno apogeo de estas historias de zombis. Y sin importar en qué época se hayan escrito, no hay mucha innovación posible en el género zombie. Siempre se nos cuenta la vida normal de la gente que de repente se ve lanzada a la locura de sobrevivir a un apocalipsis zombi, lo importante es que los protagonistas sean carismáticos y la narración sea trepidante y emocionante, y si de paso quieren darnos un poco del ¿por qué ocurrió esto? pues podemos darnos por bien servidos. Ben Tripp cumple muy bien con esos aspectos y se supera gracias a una protagonista fuerte pero profundamente humana, que comete errores más de una vez, sumado a una trama trepidante y llena de acción.
Kelley es la hermana menor de la condecorada heroína de guerra Danielle Adelman, la orgullosa sheriff de un pueblito montañoso al sur de los Angeles. Está harta de ser invisible para todos, así que decide fugarse para iniciar una nueva vida... pero no elige un momento precisamente idóneo para hacerlo. A pesar de que solo conocemos su punto de vista en el capítulo inicial, ella es el hilo conductor de nuestra protagonista, Danny. Todas sus decisiones las toma pensando en el mejor modo para encontrar a su hermana menor. No importan los civiles que tiene a su cargo ni la posibilidad muy real de que Kelley ya esté muerta. Solo quiere saber qué fue de ella, encontrarla y tal vez pedirle una disculpa por todos esos años que no se ocupó de ella como debía. Sabiendo eso, no podemos menos que admirarnos por la entereza de Danny. Está muy lejos de ser perfecta, tiene traumas de las 3 ocasiones en que estuvo de servicio en Irak y lo que vivió allí, está a un paso de ser alcohólica y su única cualidad es ser una buena líder, pero su frialdad para mantenerse en control le ha costado perder a su hermana, aun así, en medio de la confusión y locura que cae sobre el pueblo cuando empiezan a llegar desconocidos que caen muertos y luego reviven, Danny mantiene la suficiente cabeza fría para manejar la situación, hacer todo lo posible por los supervivientes y conducirlos a un lugar seguro. Y solo entonces decide seguir el rastro de su hermana. Gracias a ese viaje consigue descubrir información muy relevante sobre el estado de las grandes ciudades, la posible ayuda militar que puedan esperar los civiles (ninguna) y la visible evolución que están teniendo los infectados, que pasan de ser simples cadáveres de movimientos lentos, a criaturas inteligentes con instintos de caza muy desarrollados.
Aunque Danny es la protagonista badass indiscutible, está rodeada de un par de secundarios que ayudan a mostrar su humanidad y gracias a los cuales estamos al tanto de lo que ocurre con los supervivientes "abandonados" mientras ella va en su búsqueda solitaria. Amy, la veterinaria, que erróneamente creen todos que es una "doctora de humanos"; Patrick, el diseñador de interiores con su propio programa de televisión; Wulf, veterano de guerra y el ebrio del pueblo, que convenientemente es un excelente francotirador que consigue sacarlos del apuro en más de una ocasión, aparte de otros que no tienen gran protagonismo, pero cada que se les menciona nos alegramos de que sigan bien. Mención aparte necesita el grupo de mercenarios, pseudo militares, que demuestra que en medio de una crisis mundial, la gente no deja de ser gente y ya sin las reglas de la sociedad, algunos demuestran su verdadera naturaleza.
Como toda buena historia de zombies, el libro nos lleva a reflexionar más sobre la conducta humana, PERO también nos muestra enfrentamientos sangrientos y algunas escenas bastante grotescas y descriptivas que le revolverán el estómago a más de uno. Los zombies de Rise Again son asquerosos y despiadados y es muy interesante ver su evolución a lo largo de toda la trama. La mitad del libro está cargada de acción por los enfrentamientos contra estas criaturas, además de contra unos cuantos humanos que no son mejores que los monstruos.
Creía que era un libro autoconclusivo... pero con esa frase del final (tremendo cliffhanger), resultó obvio que no, todavía hay más historia que contar, aunque creo que bien podría haber terminado allí.
Nivel de Inglés: Intermedio
¿Qué Disfruté?
Danny es aguerrida, inteligente y muy tenaz. Verla sobrevivir una y otra vez, aún cuando todo estaba en su contra, fue realmente emocionante.
¿Qué Prefiero Olvidar?
Toda la secuencia del grupo militar me dio muchísima rabia.
Citas
Danny was trying to decide between hope and horror. To lose someone to death was to come up against a great, hateful mystery, a thing that would claim everyone some day. To see that person return from death, if only halfway—was that some kind of mercy, or was it the worst possible outcome?
Danny had a system for dealing with despair. The first thing to do was to acknowledge that your situation sucked more than seemed fair. The second thing was to remember that “fair” was an imaginary idea that had no basis in reality. The third thing was to identify a simple long-term goal, something beyond the world of shit, and make that your purpose in life.
Her motto had always been I can handle this. If she fell back on a bunch of incompetent civilians, she wasn’t stronger. She was weaker.
What she’d never considered was the idea that “stronger” wasn’t the only virtue. There were other things. Being a good friend, maybe. Not only being close to people, but needing them. She’d always thought of that as a weakness, but it was also a strength.
And Kelley—what did Danny even need her for? Maybe hope. Maybe atonement. Maybe she simply loved her, and that was all there was to it.>
~~~
Rescaté este libro de mi pila infinita de libros pendientes, escrito durante el pleno apogeo de estas historias de zombis. Y sin importar en qué época se hayan escrito, no hay mucha innovación posible en el género zombie. Siempre se nos cuenta la vida normal de la gente que de repente se ve lanzada a la locura de sobrevivir a un apocalipsis zombi, lo importante es que los protagonistas sean carismáticos y la narración sea trepidante y emocionante, y si de paso quieren darnos un poco del ¿por qué ocurrió esto? pues podemos darnos por bien servidos. Ben Tripp cumple muy bien con esos aspectos y se supera gracias a una protagonista fuerte pero profundamente humana, que comete errores más de una vez, sumado a una trama trepidante y llena de acción.
Kelley es la hermana menor de la condecorada heroína de guerra Danielle Adelman, la orgullosa sheriff de un pueblito montañoso al sur de los Angeles. Está harta de ser invisible para todos, así que decide fugarse para iniciar una nueva vida... pero no elige un momento precisamente idóneo para hacerlo. A pesar de que solo conocemos su punto de vista en el capítulo inicial, ella es el hilo conductor de nuestra protagonista, Danny. Todas sus decisiones las toma pensando en el mejor modo para encontrar a su hermana menor. No importan los civiles que tiene a su cargo ni la posibilidad muy real de que Kelley ya esté muerta. Solo quiere saber qué fue de ella, encontrarla y tal vez pedirle una disculpa por todos esos años que no se ocupó de ella como debía. Sabiendo eso, no podemos menos que admirarnos por la entereza de Danny. Está muy lejos de ser perfecta, tiene traumas de las 3 ocasiones en que estuvo de servicio en Irak y lo que vivió allí, está a un paso de ser alcohólica y su única cualidad es ser una buena líder, pero su frialdad para mantenerse en control le ha costado perder a su hermana, aun así, en medio de la confusión y locura que cae sobre el pueblo cuando empiezan a llegar desconocidos que caen muertos y luego reviven, Danny mantiene la suficiente cabeza fría para manejar la situación, hacer todo lo posible por los supervivientes y conducirlos a un lugar seguro. Y solo entonces decide seguir el rastro de su hermana. Gracias a ese viaje consigue descubrir información muy relevante sobre el estado de las grandes ciudades, la posible ayuda militar que puedan esperar los civiles (ninguna) y la visible evolución que están teniendo los infectados, que pasan de ser simples cadáveres de movimientos lentos, a criaturas inteligentes con instintos de caza muy desarrollados.
Aunque Danny es la protagonista badass indiscutible, está rodeada de un par de secundarios que ayudan a mostrar su humanidad y gracias a los cuales estamos al tanto de lo que ocurre con los supervivientes "abandonados" mientras ella va en su búsqueda solitaria. Amy, la veterinaria, que erróneamente creen todos que es una "doctora de humanos"; Patrick, el diseñador de interiores con su propio programa de televisión; Wulf, veterano de guerra y el ebrio del pueblo, que convenientemente es un excelente francotirador que consigue sacarlos del apuro en más de una ocasión, aparte de otros que no tienen gran protagonismo, pero cada que se les menciona nos alegramos de que sigan bien. Mención aparte necesita el grupo de mercenarios, pseudo militares, que demuestra que en medio de una crisis mundial, la gente no deja de ser gente y ya sin las reglas de la sociedad, algunos demuestran su verdadera naturaleza.
Como toda buena historia de zombies, el libro nos lleva a reflexionar más sobre la conducta humana, PERO también nos muestra enfrentamientos sangrientos y algunas escenas bastante grotescas y descriptivas que le revolverán el estómago a más de uno. Los zombies de Rise Again son asquerosos y despiadados y es muy interesante ver su evolución a lo largo de toda la trama. La mitad del libro está cargada de acción por los enfrentamientos contra estas criaturas, además de contra unos cuantos humanos que no son mejores que los monstruos.
Creía que era un libro autoconclusivo... pero con esa frase del final (tremendo cliffhanger), resultó obvio que no, todavía hay más historia que contar, aunque creo que bien podría haber terminado allí.
Nivel de Inglés: Intermedio
¿Qué Disfruté?
Danny es aguerrida, inteligente y muy tenaz. Verla sobrevivir una y otra vez, aún cuando todo estaba en su contra, fue realmente emocionante.
¿Qué Prefiero Olvidar?
Toda la secuencia del grupo militar me dio muchísima rabia.
Citas
Danny was trying to decide between hope and horror. To lose someone to death was to come up against a great, hateful mystery, a thing that would claim everyone some day. To see that person return from death, if only halfway—was that some kind of mercy, or was it the worst possible outcome?
Danny had a system for dealing with despair. The first thing to do was to acknowledge that your situation sucked more than seemed fair. The second thing was to remember that “fair” was an imaginary idea that had no basis in reality. The third thing was to identify a simple long-term goal, something beyond the world of shit, and make that your purpose in life.
Her motto had always been I can handle this. If she fell back on a bunch of incompetent civilians, she wasn’t stronger. She was weaker.
What she’d never considered was the idea that “stronger” wasn’t the only virtue. There were other things. Being a good friend, maybe. Not only being close to people, but needing them. She’d always thought of that as a weakness, but it was also a strength.
And Kelley—what did Danny even need her for? Maybe hope. Maybe atonement. Maybe she simply loved her, and that was all there was to it.>
October 29, 2010
Rise Again is one of the most haunting things I've ever read. It kept me awake at night thinking about what the lead character endures. What if the world was suddenly infested with man-eating zombies and you had to find the one person who didn't want to be found? That's the set up of this thriller, and even though it takes a lot of twists and turns, we keep returning to her central quest. Rise Again is the story of Danielle "Danny" Adelman, a combat veteran and now sheriff, who has to find her runaway sister and keep a bunch of fairly helpless civilians alive at the same time. Danny just might be the toughest gal in any book ever written. Her chararter is both flawed and powerful and always extremely compelling. I can't forget the scenes in post-apocalypse San Francisco, and the ending will not leave me alone. It's worth reading just for the last sentence of the book.
August 2, 2023
Quote: “the zombies formed a dense pack in their footsteps creating gaps in the crowd on either side. They were so stupid, but so dedicated, like Republicans Amy thought.”
Add to that the portrayal of yet another veteran as a drunken, aggressive, and anti-social mess… Yeah that’ll do it for me. There are many many books in the sea that won’t insult me or awkwardly slap politics right in the middle of my zombie book. Way to jerk me out of the story :(
Moving on. DNF
Add to that the portrayal of yet another veteran as a drunken, aggressive, and anti-social mess… Yeah that’ll do it for me. There are many many books in the sea that won’t insult me or awkwardly slap politics right in the middle of my zombie book. Way to jerk me out of the story :(
Moving on. DNF
October 14, 2010
Fresh fiction at it's finest. I can't believe that this is Ben's first book. It's well written and has more heart than most zombie books. I would definitely recommend this book. It gets five stars, easy.
November 15, 2013
The ending crawled inside my head and laid eggs.
July 9, 2011
I gave up for a bit on finding a good zombie read after a few too many permuted-press SUPERplausible endless weapon list/convenient super secret forces training books. Seriously - i got turned on to the genre through max brooks' world war z and thought "Wow - i love this" then have just been repeatedly let down since then. Bourne, McKinney, Recht, and Ibarra are all hacks. Mira Grant is decent, but really just writing bloated cyberpunk with zombies. Jonathan Mayberry is great - but seems distractable in a Mark Twain kind of way, if that makes sense (i'm loving Rot & Ruin though - kind of embarassing to shop in the Young Adult section though). Keene is a great writer - but he's writing demons, not zombies, and doesn't realize it. Or doesn't care, cool whatever. Every anthology is garbage (except John Skip's). Kirkman is amazing, but waiting a month for a few pages of TWD is like eating a bite size snickers when you really want to eat a whole cake. And don't get me started on how DONE i am with ZomComs and RomZomComs - they just need to stop.
So I was very relieved to pick this one up. Strong female protagonist - and none of the cheesy impossible ending stuff you're expecting for more than half the book. I hate predictable yet highly unlikely plot turns, and this one makes you think you're going to get that, but then just refuses to do it. The characters are well developed. The commentary on the military industrial complex is heavy yet doesn't impede the movement of the book. (though i kind of expected the extended bit-by-bit flashback to resolve more than it did)
The author isn't fond of Blackwater - or whatever he calls them in this book so he won't get sued - and as a member of the real military i totally agree with his views. So overall, i really enjoyed this book and read it in about 2 days in my spare time. It was totally refreshing compared to the last half dozen zombie reads that i have had. So thanks Tripp.
So, spoilers
Great, fun, read - worth your time, though.
So I was very relieved to pick this one up. Strong female protagonist - and none of the cheesy impossible ending stuff you're expecting for more than half the book. I hate predictable yet highly unlikely plot turns, and this one makes you think you're going to get that, but then just refuses to do it. The characters are well developed. The commentary on the military industrial complex is heavy yet doesn't impede the movement of the book. (though i kind of expected the extended bit-by-bit flashback to resolve more than it did)
The author isn't fond of Blackwater - or whatever he calls them in this book so he won't get sued - and as a member of the real military i totally agree with his views. So overall, i really enjoyed this book and read it in about 2 days in my spare time. It was totally refreshing compared to the last half dozen zombie reads that i have had. So thanks Tripp.
So, spoilers
Great, fun, read - worth your time, though.
August 30, 2013
There isn't much new under the sun when it comes to zombie fiction, which in the recent past has been overdone to death, pun intended. So really at this point it's mostly all about quality of the story and the writing, originality...well, there can only be so much. Tripp must have realized that because he crafted a really solid entry into the body of zombie fiction in Rise Again. Character driven with nearly nonstop boombastic action, this book is a bleak scary intense and realistic look into the world where the dead rise again. It somewhat reminded me of the Walking Dead (difficult not to compare a good zombie story to the iconic best of them), but Tripp concentrated less on the characters hooking up with each other and instead it was more like individual character journeys traveled side by side. There are really no love threads here of a romantic kind, no sex, just steadfast perseverance and survival. The main protagonist, Danny, is quite possibly the toughest female character I've ever read. This woman makes Sarah Connor seem like a cheerleader. Danny is an unstoppable driving force, an absolute powerhouse, a real warrior with a strong moral code to boot. Her quest to find her sister is also the heart of the story. Her second in command, Amy, is also a terrific character, her and Patrick were my favorite. Way to go, Mr. Tripp for writing a male gay character who wasn't all cliche. Way WAY to go, Mr. Tripp for writing such incredible kickass female characters. And WAY WAY WAY to go for writing the ending which is genuinely original, horrifying and shocking in a genre that one would think was fresh out of surprises. I actually have mixed feelings about the upcoming sequel, as much as I loved and cared about the characters, I think the novel packs much more of a punch as a stand alone. Top notch solid entry into zombie genre, most impressive debut and a very entertaining read. Recommended.
December 20, 2010
Rise Again brings a realism to the zombie genre that I haven't seen done this well before. When people start dropping dead, the townspeople of Forest Peak, including Sheriff Danny Adelman, don't have a clue what to do. As those who survive manage to hold it together the best they can amidst the chaos, the dead begin to get up and start walking around. Denial sets in for many, yet a few put a name to the phenomenon - zombies. How refreshing to find characters embroiled in a zombie book actually having seen Night of the Living Dead.
When the dead start eating the living, terror ensues. Not just in the form of zombie carnage, but among the human element as well. Danny must protect the survivors from dead and undead alike, while searching for her missing sister and dealing with her PTSD from her tours in Iraq. Unexpected people die. Unexpected people manage not to survive. A stunning, emotionally devastating ending will chill readers to their very core.
Rise Again is flawless. Every emotion realistic, every action thrilling, every page perfectly written. I find myself unable to convey the magnitude of awe this book has inspired in me. It literally left me with my jaw hanging open on more than one occasion. Terrifying and amazing, Rise Again will traumatize you in the way you always hope zombies would.
When the dead start eating the living, terror ensues. Not just in the form of zombie carnage, but among the human element as well. Danny must protect the survivors from dead and undead alike, while searching for her missing sister and dealing with her PTSD from her tours in Iraq. Unexpected people die. Unexpected people manage not to survive. A stunning, emotionally devastating ending will chill readers to their very core.
Rise Again is flawless. Every emotion realistic, every action thrilling, every page perfectly written. I find myself unable to convey the magnitude of awe this book has inspired in me. It literally left me with my jaw hanging open on more than one occasion. Terrifying and amazing, Rise Again will traumatize you in the way you always hope zombies would.
December 13, 2010
I know, I know, I'm reading another apocalyptic book, with zombies now. It's wrong, but it's like dystopian candy to me. I'm on a roll. So this feels like the "before" pic for The Forest of Hands and Teeth. Danny's a ex-soldier (and a woman) with PTSD and a bit of a drinking problem, and is a small town cop in California. Her little sister has just run away, in Danny's cherry red Mustang. Before she can go find her, all hell breaks loose in town as refugees from the city come to town running and screaming and dropping dead. Turns out to be some sort of plague, and before we know it most of the town is dead. Danny is just getting a handle on things, when it turns out the dead rise again and turn into dangerous zombies. Danny and a small troop of survivors band together to survive and exit the town for somewhere safer. Most of the US seems to be dead. Or undead I guess. Danny's a rather compelling character, and the relationships built among the survivors and the nonstop mayhem and action certainly kept me interested. The book's actually a pretty good zombie thriller, classic tropes and all. I don't think it will have the legs that Day of the Triffids or Matheson's I Am Legend have, but that's ok. It was fun. The last line's a killer too. What?! Next book please!
June 18, 2015
This was by far one of the most thrilling books I've read in recent memory.
It's slow to start at first, but I think that's given the nature of the inevitable that you know is going to start to happen. You know when you pick it up that it is a zombie novel, and you kind of want the action to start immediately. But, no. Ben Tripp gives us a glance of the humanity of the protagonist, Danny, and her struggles, and it is beautiful. When you eventually do get to the meat of the book, it is done flawlessly. It reads like a movie, and becomes very difficult to put down.
The ending was probably one of the most heart-wrenching things that I have ever read, and the last few sentences have you reeling. While I long to know what possibly could have happened, what it could mean for the fight, the survival, and for humanity, I don't dare hope to see a sequel to this book. The way it ended was absolutely perfect, and in an odd way, needs no further explanation.
An all around fantastic read, and I look forward to seeing more from Mr. Tripp in the future.
It's slow to start at first, but I think that's given the nature of the inevitable that you know is going to start to happen. You know when you pick it up that it is a zombie novel, and you kind of want the action to start immediately. But, no. Ben Tripp gives us a glance of the humanity of the protagonist, Danny, and her struggles, and it is beautiful. When you eventually do get to the meat of the book, it is done flawlessly. It reads like a movie, and becomes very difficult to put down.
The ending was probably one of the most heart-wrenching things that I have ever read, and the last few sentences have you reeling. While I long to know what possibly could have happened, what it could mean for the fight, the survival, and for humanity, I don't dare hope to see a sequel to this book. The way it ended was absolutely perfect, and in an odd way, needs no further explanation.
An all around fantastic read, and I look forward to seeing more from Mr. Tripp in the future.
February 19, 2011
I will have to continue my search for a good zombie thriller. Rise Again started off promisingly with a good premise but fizzled quickly. Character development was very weak. The way the author changed points of view were very disconnected and required leaps of logic. The main reason for the book and the protagonist's struggle was dropped and changed in the middle of the book and then revisited in the epilogue. The author in an attempt to touch all the bases included several zombie and apocalyptic archetypes. How does a zombie decompose into a sack of oozing pus and at the same time evolve into an intelligent roving group of hunters? I loved the way the book started and was very intrigued but he left so much hanging and opened so many situations that I was left with a feeling of "what happened?". I hope he tries again and stays on track rather than attempting to include all of his ideas in one book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 4, 2018
Abysmal. From the very first page this is an unreadable mess. Jolting shifts in perspectives (that add nothing of value), too many characters introduced too quickly, a monotonous buildup to action, there are so many enormous flaws.
The biggest flaw is level of description-- everything I do not care about gets several sentences. Everything I need to know is omitted. And there are at least forty lines in the first 100 pages that say the exact same thing.
Also, hearing war flashbacks from someone who is absolutely oblivious to them, it is just really awful. What a mess.
The biggest flaw is level of description-- everything I do not care about gets several sentences. Everything I need to know is omitted. And there are at least forty lines in the first 100 pages that say the exact same thing.
Also, hearing war flashbacks from someone who is absolutely oblivious to them, it is just really awful. What a mess.
May 10, 2014
Great premise.
Slow execution unlikable characters. I would be
mortified to be stuck with them.
The Danny, Oliver scenario is ridiculous.
Danny character by far the worst character I've ever came upon.
One of the worst Zombie books I've read.
With so many books of this genre skip this painful experience.
Slow execution unlikable characters. I would be
mortified to be stuck with them.
The Danny, Oliver scenario is ridiculous.
Danny character by far the worst character I've ever came upon.
One of the worst Zombie books I've read.
With so many books of this genre skip this painful experience.
August 30, 2021
Ok. So. THIS is extremely well written zombie fiction. I really enjoyed it, but at the same time, it summoned up a massive amount of rage in me. Given today’s ongoing pandemic, I already had a lot of anger simmering inside me against the selfish minority (at least I like to think they’re the minority...) that are keeping this pandemic going. So, knowing exactly how ignorant and selfish people actually ARE currently being in the real world, the actions/behaviour of some of the characters in this book were 100% believable….and that’s a fairly hard hitting realization. When I say this book summoned up rage, I mean it quite literally. My hands shook at certain parts, and sometimes when I had to put the book down to do real life things, I found I didn’t want to pick it back up again because I knew that rage was bound to come roaring back again every time characters behaved badly. This may not be a great review to leave for a book that I’ve given 5 stars to. But again (and in conclusion), aside from being extremely well written, the characters are believable, and the way the zombie virus evolves is fascinatingly terrifying. The cliffhanger ending made me feel like my heart was up in my throat, and my arms were covered in goosebumps. So of course I have to dive directly into the sequel to see what happens.
February 1, 2012
Rise Again is an above average zombie novel from first time author in this genre Ben Tripp. It focuses on a small mountain town, Forest Peak, CA and the people and events that transpire when an unknown possibly weaponized virus is released.
The actual release point was Los Angeles but due to the spread pattern, wind direction and panicked civilians, the virus spread to other locations. This is the first novel that actually created a somewhat believable real-world cause for a zombie outbreak. Not to pick apart another author's work, but a previous novel in this same genre insinuated that the Ebola virus had somehow been mutated into something more deadly. While this sounds really cool for a plot device, basic research into Ebola shows that it’s very susceptible to UV and therefore not a viable candidate.
Looking back at Rise Again, the initial read through showed it was well written with good action, believable character development and character interaction. However, after mentioning in several passages the decomposition and decay of the infected, essentially goo in their clothes for those unlucky to have been trapped in a sealed car, we now have evolution (?) of the decaying infected. Not only does this go against the basics of thermodynamics and psychics it’s not a very good plot device. This is where the storyline runs off the rails and moves into another direction that severely stretches the previously established facts as presented earlier in this novel.
Let’s take a step back and look into the story a little more deeply.
How does something that is dead, as described numerous times in painstaking detail throughout the novel all of a sudden begin to evolve? (Attack of the smelly, gelatinous monsters?)
Here's an example: the story starts on the 4th of July which most of us know to be a summer day and usually quite warm especially in California. So in the middle of summer, with high temperatures (as mentioned in the early chapters) thereby facilitating a rapid decay rate, we have rotting corpses 'learning' pack mentality and somehow moving faster.
Yeah, kind of makes you think. That’s a stretch even for this genre.
Decay and decomposition will increase in the warm weather and not only bloat the bodies but once they 'pop' and the fluids drain out, bodies have a tendency to dry out fast with exception to the side of the body that is in contact with the ground or any other surface like a floor, chair, bed or couch. (Isn’t basic science fun?) But, this is not mentioned or described and did not occur in the story.
This popping and rapid decay coupled with the high temperatures would make the infected dry out like seasoned firewood and very brittle making it easier to 'break' them into smaller pieces ala axe handles, pry bars, shovel handles or that handy sharpened wooden fence post you keep around in case of vampires. (Oops! Sorry about that, wrong genre.)
While the concept of decaying matter learning or evolving goes against known protocol it does make for an interesting read.
Overall, the storyline was good with several minor subplots that didn't detract from the main story. The thinly veiled though not directly named Blackwater (now known as Xe) PSC’s that appear towards the middle add to the plot and ratchet up the tension and drama a bit more. The Mad Max- Road Warrioresque caravan of up armored vehicles full of survivors that now prowl the rural areas searching for supplies and more survivors adds a nice twist to the story as does the use of a hardened female character in search of her wayward younger sister who took her most prized possession on the morning the infection first appeared. The issue of fuel or running out of food and ammunition is very lightly touched upon and there is no mention of what happens when a vehicle breaks down and needs spare parts.
Damn, really hate those little details.
Rise Again was well written and held the interest of the reader far better than previous novels of the same genre.
The actual release point was Los Angeles but due to the spread pattern, wind direction and panicked civilians, the virus spread to other locations. This is the first novel that actually created a somewhat believable real-world cause for a zombie outbreak. Not to pick apart another author's work, but a previous novel in this same genre insinuated that the Ebola virus had somehow been mutated into something more deadly. While this sounds really cool for a plot device, basic research into Ebola shows that it’s very susceptible to UV and therefore not a viable candidate.
Looking back at Rise Again, the initial read through showed it was well written with good action, believable character development and character interaction. However, after mentioning in several passages the decomposition and decay of the infected, essentially goo in their clothes for those unlucky to have been trapped in a sealed car, we now have evolution (?) of the decaying infected. Not only does this go against the basics of thermodynamics and psychics it’s not a very good plot device. This is where the storyline runs off the rails and moves into another direction that severely stretches the previously established facts as presented earlier in this novel.
Let’s take a step back and look into the story a little more deeply.
How does something that is dead, as described numerous times in painstaking detail throughout the novel all of a sudden begin to evolve? (Attack of the smelly, gelatinous monsters?)
Here's an example: the story starts on the 4th of July which most of us know to be a summer day and usually quite warm especially in California. So in the middle of summer, with high temperatures (as mentioned in the early chapters) thereby facilitating a rapid decay rate, we have rotting corpses 'learning' pack mentality and somehow moving faster.
Yeah, kind of makes you think. That’s a stretch even for this genre.
Decay and decomposition will increase in the warm weather and not only bloat the bodies but once they 'pop' and the fluids drain out, bodies have a tendency to dry out fast with exception to the side of the body that is in contact with the ground or any other surface like a floor, chair, bed or couch. (Isn’t basic science fun?) But, this is not mentioned or described and did not occur in the story.
This popping and rapid decay coupled with the high temperatures would make the infected dry out like seasoned firewood and very brittle making it easier to 'break' them into smaller pieces ala axe handles, pry bars, shovel handles or that handy sharpened wooden fence post you keep around in case of vampires. (Oops! Sorry about that, wrong genre.)
While the concept of decaying matter learning or evolving goes against known protocol it does make for an interesting read.
Overall, the storyline was good with several minor subplots that didn't detract from the main story. The thinly veiled though not directly named Blackwater (now known as Xe) PSC’s that appear towards the middle add to the plot and ratchet up the tension and drama a bit more. The Mad Max- Road Warrioresque caravan of up armored vehicles full of survivors that now prowl the rural areas searching for supplies and more survivors adds a nice twist to the story as does the use of a hardened female character in search of her wayward younger sister who took her most prized possession on the morning the infection first appeared. The issue of fuel or running out of food and ammunition is very lightly touched upon and there is no mention of what happens when a vehicle breaks down and needs spare parts.
Damn, really hate those little details.
Rise Again was well written and held the interest of the reader far better than previous novels of the same genre.
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