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Dead #1
The Ugly Beginning
The unthinkable has happened. The dead are walking! Humanity's fragile thread may be reaching its bitter end. Individuals and groups struggle to survive...some at any cost. Will there be anybody left? Or, is this just...The Ugly Beginning?
308 pages, Paperback
First published April 22, 2010
192 people are currently reading
1108 people want to read
About the author
T.W. Brown
96 books303 followersTucked away in the Pacific Northwest with my wife Denise, a Border Collie named Aoife, a guitar collection, and an increasing number of aquariums sporting a variety of fish (cichlids are my new favorites), I live for football season when I can cheer on the Oregon Ducks and be disappointed by my Seattle Seahawks once again. I am a fan of Cookie Monster, KISS, and Dr. Who (along with most things British).
As a person who always dreamed of writing as well as one completely enthralled by all things zombie, it is hard to believe that I never once considered writing in the genre. It is true. I wanted to be more “mainstream”. The first novel I actually wrote is titled Dakota (as Todd Brown). It is about a pair of DEA types tossed back in time to just prior to the start of the Civil War. They are in Charleston, South Carolina, and one of them is an African-American.
The zombie thing really started when I wrote a short for a college Creative Writing class. The teacher, Ms. Bose, pulled me up and told me I had an obvious love for the subject and a real talent for the style. I decided to give it a shot.
The first thing I cobbled together was Zomblog. I wrote it as a warm up for the project I had brewing in the back of my mind. It is a journal account of the apocalypse. The funny thing is that it was never intended to be published. A few things happened and it ended up being presented to me as a gift in book format by my wife for a Christmas present. There was something I will never forget about holding the copy of that book in my hand the first time.
Because it gained a readership, and those readers asked for more, I made it a trilogy (Zomblog, Zomblog II, and Zomblog: The Final Entry). It is also because of those fans that I have returned to the Zomblog universe and just released the sixth (and FINAL) book in the series on Halloween of 2013: Zomblog: Snoe's Journey. I freely admit that I will sellout my plans to write what the fans ask for.
I really want my DEAD series to be what I am known for, and in the last year, it has really taken off. However, I will say that with the release of the fourth book in the DEAD series (DEAD: Winter), the numbers started to pick up beyond my wildest dreams.
The DEAD series (DEAD: The Ugly Beginning, DEAD: Revelations, and DEAD: Fortunes & Failures, DEAD: Winter, DEAD: Siege & Survival, DEAD: Confrontation, DEAD: Reborn) is scheduled to be a 12 part epic series.
It is told in three rotating chapters. One is from the first person perspective of Steve Hobart, a man thrust into the role of leader for a group of survivors struggling to keep alive. One chapter follows a group of four self-professed zombie “geeks” who initially believe that the zombie apocalypse would be fun and soon discover that it is nothing like the movies. The third of the rotating chapters is called “Vignettes” and is a series of snapshots from all around the world. Some of the vignettes are single chapter episodes, others are continuing threads that carry on for several chapters. A few are merged into the Steve story or the Geek story line.
Last year,I began my horror/comedy series, "That Ghoul Ava" and have found it to be my new guilty pleasure.
My blog can be found at:
http://twbrown.blogspot.com/
You can contact him at:
twbrown.maydecpub@gmail.com
You can follow him on twitter @maydecpub and on Facebook under Todd Brown, Author TW Brown, and also under May December Publications.
Book Links:
DEAD
http://www.amazon.com/Dead-The-Ugly-B...
http://www.amazon.com/Dead-Revelation...
http://www.amazon.com/Dead-Fortunes-F...
http://www.amazon.com/Dead-Winter-ebo...
http://www.amazon.com/DEAD-Winter-TW-...
http://www.amazon.com/DEAD-Siege-Surv...
http://www.amazon.com/DEAD-Confrontat...
http://www.amazon.com/DEAD-Reborn-TW-...
As a person who always dreamed of writing as well as one completely enthralled by all things zombie, it is hard to believe that I never once considered writing in the genre. It is true. I wanted to be more “mainstream”. The first novel I actually wrote is titled Dakota (as Todd Brown). It is about a pair of DEA types tossed back in time to just prior to the start of the Civil War. They are in Charleston, South Carolina, and one of them is an African-American.
The zombie thing really started when I wrote a short for a college Creative Writing class. The teacher, Ms. Bose, pulled me up and told me I had an obvious love for the subject and a real talent for the style. I decided to give it a shot.
The first thing I cobbled together was Zomblog. I wrote it as a warm up for the project I had brewing in the back of my mind. It is a journal account of the apocalypse. The funny thing is that it was never intended to be published. A few things happened and it ended up being presented to me as a gift in book format by my wife for a Christmas present. There was something I will never forget about holding the copy of that book in my hand the first time.
Because it gained a readership, and those readers asked for more, I made it a trilogy (Zomblog, Zomblog II, and Zomblog: The Final Entry). It is also because of those fans that I have returned to the Zomblog universe and just released the sixth (and FINAL) book in the series on Halloween of 2013: Zomblog: Snoe's Journey. I freely admit that I will sellout my plans to write what the fans ask for.
I really want my DEAD series to be what I am known for, and in the last year, it has really taken off. However, I will say that with the release of the fourth book in the DEAD series (DEAD: Winter), the numbers started to pick up beyond my wildest dreams.
The DEAD series (DEAD: The Ugly Beginning, DEAD: Revelations, and DEAD: Fortunes & Failures, DEAD: Winter, DEAD: Siege & Survival, DEAD: Confrontation, DEAD: Reborn) is scheduled to be a 12 part epic series.
It is told in three rotating chapters. One is from the first person perspective of Steve Hobart, a man thrust into the role of leader for a group of survivors struggling to keep alive. One chapter follows a group of four self-professed zombie “geeks” who initially believe that the zombie apocalypse would be fun and soon discover that it is nothing like the movies. The third of the rotating chapters is called “Vignettes” and is a series of snapshots from all around the world. Some of the vignettes are single chapter episodes, others are continuing threads that carry on for several chapters. A few are merged into the Steve story or the Geek story line.
Last year,I began my horror/comedy series, "That Ghoul Ava" and have found it to be my new guilty pleasure.
My blog can be found at:
http://twbrown.blogspot.com/
You can contact him at:
twbrown.maydecpub@gmail.com
You can follow him on twitter @maydecpub and on Facebook under Todd Brown, Author TW Brown, and also under May December Publications.
Book Links:
DEAD
http://www.amazon.com/Dead-The-Ugly-B...
http://www.amazon.com/Dead-Revelation...
http://www.amazon.com/Dead-Fortunes-F...
http://www.amazon.com/Dead-Winter-ebo...
http://www.amazon.com/DEAD-Winter-TW-...
http://www.amazon.com/DEAD-Siege-Surv...
http://www.amazon.com/DEAD-Confrontat...
http://www.amazon.com/DEAD-Reborn-TW-...
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 142 reviews
December 22, 2013
First I have to say I am not big on leaving reviews. Even when I don't like a book I am usually appreciative of the time and work that went into it.
That aside. .. this book was misogynistic, racist, and disgusting on several levels. I don't know where all these great reviews are coming from, but I don't believe them. Child rape, and in great detail, not just alluded to. That among the other 10+ rapes that are gone into detail on. A man urinating into a woman's mouth as she begs for water after he takes her captive and rapes her repeatedly. These are just a few examples. Repeated descriptions of naked zombie breasts in detail, I mean come on. ..seriously?
I am a die hard zombie fan. Books, movies, graphic novels, some of the most obscure and well known in my collection. But this was nothing but a ripoff of those stories that have come before. Rambling, disjointed, and extremely self-indulgent, I didn't see any of the "great character development" that other readers have alluded to.
To the argument "well those are really things that would happen in the zombie apocalypse" that I have seen in defense of the disgusting rape scenes etc., I call b***$***. You can allude to those things in any book or movie without going into great detail through the eyes of the rapist. ... once you cross that line to such a degree methinks you are actually giving glimpses into your own mind, and the minds of those who will read these kinds of things for pleasure.
If you are going to come out in the beginning of your book and right away compare yourself and your goals to greats like Robert Jordan or Terry Goodkind, you better deliver. 12 books of this would be torture.
That aside. .. this book was misogynistic, racist, and disgusting on several levels. I don't know where all these great reviews are coming from, but I don't believe them. Child rape, and in great detail, not just alluded to. That among the other 10+ rapes that are gone into detail on. A man urinating into a woman's mouth as she begs for water after he takes her captive and rapes her repeatedly. These are just a few examples. Repeated descriptions of naked zombie breasts in detail, I mean come on. ..seriously?
I am a die hard zombie fan. Books, movies, graphic novels, some of the most obscure and well known in my collection. But this was nothing but a ripoff of those stories that have come before. Rambling, disjointed, and extremely self-indulgent, I didn't see any of the "great character development" that other readers have alluded to.
To the argument "well those are really things that would happen in the zombie apocalypse" that I have seen in defense of the disgusting rape scenes etc., I call b***$***. You can allude to those things in any book or movie without going into great detail through the eyes of the rapist. ... once you cross that line to such a degree methinks you are actually giving glimpses into your own mind, and the minds of those who will read these kinds of things for pleasure.
If you are going to come out in the beginning of your book and right away compare yourself and your goals to greats like Robert Jordan or Terry Goodkind, you better deliver. 12 books of this would be torture.
January 9, 2014
I didn't enjoy this because it follows about 5 different groups of characters and continues cycling among them. After a while I didn't recognize names or who was who so I didn't care, which is unfortunate because it had some cool action scenes and seems to be well written except for that aspect.
I didn't think it would be like that because we start off in first person with one guy at the start of the outbreak and I would've loved to follow him only. I didn't finish.
I didn't think it would be like that because we start off in first person with one guy at the start of the outbreak and I would've loved to follow him only. I didn't finish.
October 17, 2011
I LOVE this book. I was just getting to know Todd when I read this, so our friendship has NO bearing on my opinions....nor do they ever. This is easily one of my favorite zombie Apocalypse books. I would even go as far as to say it's in the top 25 of my all time favs.
To be blunt - the end of the world won't be pretty, like a maiden slowly drifting off to eternal slumber. It will be like a fat, juicy 800 pound mutant maggot slamming into the windshield of life at 1000 MPH, and the survivors will be left to wallow in the rot and juicy bits.
The Survivors won't just be the good guys. Death doesn't have an agenda, nor is He biased. The good, the bad, the ugly, the psychotic - all have an equal chance at being that lone survivor you see up ahead. So do you call out, knowing that good conversation and a human voice is worth just as much as the food and medicine he might have to barter with? Or do you hide before he sees you, using your surveillance to see if he has a collection of human scalps on his belt; scalps of previous would-be traders who lost more than just their supplies....
Brown begins to tell the story of Earth during and after the zombie apocalypse from the perspective of several different people, each with different motives and goals. It's the first book of what's planned to be a long series, a series that is less about zombies and more about the brutal nature of mankind and the extremes he will take to remain human, both physically and mentally.
This book is graphic and can be disturbing. Such is life though, and if Death won't sugarcoat things, why should an author?
To be blunt - the end of the world won't be pretty, like a maiden slowly drifting off to eternal slumber. It will be like a fat, juicy 800 pound mutant maggot slamming into the windshield of life at 1000 MPH, and the survivors will be left to wallow in the rot and juicy bits.
The Survivors won't just be the good guys. Death doesn't have an agenda, nor is He biased. The good, the bad, the ugly, the psychotic - all have an equal chance at being that lone survivor you see up ahead. So do you call out, knowing that good conversation and a human voice is worth just as much as the food and medicine he might have to barter with? Or do you hide before he sees you, using your surveillance to see if he has a collection of human scalps on his belt; scalps of previous would-be traders who lost more than just their supplies....
Brown begins to tell the story of Earth during and after the zombie apocalypse from the perspective of several different people, each with different motives and goals. It's the first book of what's planned to be a long series, a series that is less about zombies and more about the brutal nature of mankind and the extremes he will take to remain human, both physically and mentally.
This book is graphic and can be disturbing. Such is life though, and if Death won't sugarcoat things, why should an author?
Read
June 28, 20101 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars A wild and intense ride through a zombie wasteland, May 22, 2010
By Benjamin L. Langhinrichs (Cleveland, OH USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
This review is from: Dead: The Ugly Beginning (Volume 1) (Paperback)
I should start by saying, I have not read many zombie books, watched any zombie movies or played any zombie video games. My reactions may be slanted somewhat by being unfamiliar with the common assumptions. That said...
Wow! I read this book on a whim, but it is not to be read lightly. There is a whirlwind of characters, although for the most part I could keep track of them all. The author takes the interesting tack of bringing in new characters and making them compelling, even if they get killed off on the next page. You might think that after a while, you would know not to get involved... but the characters are so darn compelling. Each time you think you have seen every possible reaction, a new person comes along with an angle you'd never have imagined. The one that got to me most was the young teenage girl whose parents and guardians have been zombified. When she gets lonely, she goes down to see them through the wrought iron gates, although of course they don't know her. Yikes.
I should stress that there are some seriously bad characters in this book, not badly written, just evil. Yet even they seem real, for the most part. I will say that many women don't fare terribly well in this post-apocalyptic world. It helps to be bigger and stronger than the zombies, and the remaining humans. Like any good horror, this reflects back on some true evil within the human race, but also heroism, fear and every other very real emotion you can imagine.
I should probably give this five stars, but for the fate of the little girl by the wrought iron gates. Call me a sentimentalist, but it went a bit too far.
It may have been one of my first zombie books, but the author has several more planned in this series, and I won't be able to resist reading them, so it won't be my last. I'll end the way I started. Wow!
September 4, 2012
DEAD: The Ugly Beginning had me hooked in the first chapter! At first I wasn't sure how I felt about breaking off into different stories. But now I love being so into the book that I can't stop reading one story because I have to find out about the next. I love this series. If you like zombies or even supernatural books this is a must read!! TW Brown I have to say in my eyes you are a great writer!!
March 4, 2021
3/3/2021 Notes on Dead Series:
4 Stars for Narration by Andrew McFerrin
3.5 Stars for Characters
1 Star for Lack of Meaningful Plot
The writer has a nice format for short stories & vignettes. It's when the details need to add up there's a problem. The characters were the strong points for the entire series. It doesn't have any depth on zombies, the mini-arcs end up being repeated by different characters, the bad guys end up sounding like one bad guy masked with new name/sex, and the series ends with a vague life goes on.
2/28/2021 Notes:
The varied changes in POV makes the story seem a bit stagnant due to active scenes being shown in short bursts. Great examples of short story format woven together to portray the horrors and pinprick of hope in zombie apocalypse.
4 Stars for Narration by Andrew McFerrin
3.5 Stars for Characters
1 Star for Lack of Meaningful Plot
The writer has a nice format for short stories & vignettes. It's when the details need to add up there's a problem. The characters were the strong points for the entire series. It doesn't have any depth on zombies, the mini-arcs end up being repeated by different characters, the bad guys end up sounding like one bad guy masked with new name/sex, and the series ends with a vague life goes on.
2/28/2021 Notes:
The varied changes in POV makes the story seem a bit stagnant due to active scenes being shown in short bursts. Great examples of short story format woven together to portray the horrors and pinprick of hope in zombie apocalypse.
Read
May 10, 2016No review from me. I am the author. Just moderating the discussion about it with a book club.
June 10, 2020
Although I gave this book 2 stars, the story with Steve was a 4 star story, as was the one with Juan.
Mike and Darrins et al, story was a 3 star
The rest was just too much
Megan, a rock star, and 6 others who have a chapter all to themselves that goes nowhere and has nothing to do with the rest of the book.
Too many POVs to Allie much character develop with the exception of Juan, Steve and a bit of Teresa.
And Garret’s shit was just that. Shit
2 stars.
Mike and Darrins et al, story was a 3 star
The rest was just too much
Megan, a rock star, and 6 others who have a chapter all to themselves that goes nowhere and has nothing to do with the rest of the book.
Too many POVs to Allie much character develop with the exception of Juan, Steve and a bit of Teresa.
And Garret’s shit was just that. Shit
2 stars.
November 22, 2019
5 stars audio
3 stars story because author introduced too many characters at once and it was very hard to keep up with them until he started killing some of them off. I hope things get less confusing in book 2.
3 stars story because author introduced too many characters at once and it was very hard to keep up with them until he started killing some of them off. I hope things get less confusing in book 2.
November 27, 2011
Taken from my blog: nicolestorey.wordpress.com
Now, anyone who really knows me can tell you that I am a zombie-fanatic! I love all zombie movies and shows (my current favorite T.V. show is The Walking Dead), but, I have not read many zombie-related books. I guess, in my mind, I just couldn’t see how a writer could capture all the emotions that are expressed on the big screen in a dystopian world where zombies have taken over. On T.V., you can see with your own eyes that raw emotion; the horror that the characters are faced with. Their panic is so tangible that you can almost feel it and experience it with them. I read one other “zombie” (and I use that term loosely) book and I was not impressed, so I decided to just stick to Romero films and The Walking Dead and let it go. I’m glad that I changed my mind and took another chance on Zombie-Literature!
I won’t say that I was hooked by the first page when I read this book. As a matter of fact, I was a tad disappointed. The book started out just like many other zombie movies I have seen before and was a little predictable. It was easy to see that the author is a Romero fan AND a Stephen King fan. He took many experiences from Romero’s movies and King’s book, “The Stand”, and incorporated them. He also refers to them a lot via the characters in the story.
BUT, by the third chapter, I couldn’t help myself. I could NOT put the book down. I started reading it at 10 am and finished it by 3 am. Brown did something that I didn’t think was possible; he took a zombie story and made it seem real. Of course, there is a lot of gore, blood, head-bashing, and the like. After all, this IS a zombie-related book and we all know that the only way to kill one is to disable their brains. I expected that. What I didn’t expect was a story with characters that I grew to like and care about.
Brown has many characters in the story and you get to follow them while they try to survive in this new and chaotic world where there is no law, no rules, and no hiding from the zombies. The characters were easy to follow and I never once got confused or mixed up. He made the point-of-view changes very clear and enjoyable. I came to love so many of the characters and was very upset when one didn’t make it or another was forced to leave a friend after they were bitten by the zombies. Brown’s writing made it easy for me to feel their pain, joy, horror, and hopelessness. I didn’t want the story to end!
TW Brown has the second book in this series available now; “Dead: Revelations” and a third installment ready to publish next month! After reading this book, I can now say that my faith in zombie-related stories is renewed and I cannot wait to read Brown’s next book in this amazing series. Also, thanks to Mr. Brown, I have also ordered Robert Kirkman’s “The Walking Dead: Compendium One”. I now have to see if the comic books are as good (or better!) than the T.V. show! If Kirkman’s writing is as good as Brown’s, I have nothing to worry about! Who knows, maybe one day in the future, I’ll be watching another wonderful zombie show or movie called “Dead: The Ugly Beginning”. I wouldn’t be surprised at all!
Now, anyone who really knows me can tell you that I am a zombie-fanatic! I love all zombie movies and shows (my current favorite T.V. show is The Walking Dead), but, I have not read many zombie-related books. I guess, in my mind, I just couldn’t see how a writer could capture all the emotions that are expressed on the big screen in a dystopian world where zombies have taken over. On T.V., you can see with your own eyes that raw emotion; the horror that the characters are faced with. Their panic is so tangible that you can almost feel it and experience it with them. I read one other “zombie” (and I use that term loosely) book and I was not impressed, so I decided to just stick to Romero films and The Walking Dead and let it go. I’m glad that I changed my mind and took another chance on Zombie-Literature!
I won’t say that I was hooked by the first page when I read this book. As a matter of fact, I was a tad disappointed. The book started out just like many other zombie movies I have seen before and was a little predictable. It was easy to see that the author is a Romero fan AND a Stephen King fan. He took many experiences from Romero’s movies and King’s book, “The Stand”, and incorporated them. He also refers to them a lot via the characters in the story.
BUT, by the third chapter, I couldn’t help myself. I could NOT put the book down. I started reading it at 10 am and finished it by 3 am. Brown did something that I didn’t think was possible; he took a zombie story and made it seem real. Of course, there is a lot of gore, blood, head-bashing, and the like. After all, this IS a zombie-related book and we all know that the only way to kill one is to disable their brains. I expected that. What I didn’t expect was a story with characters that I grew to like and care about.
Brown has many characters in the story and you get to follow them while they try to survive in this new and chaotic world where there is no law, no rules, and no hiding from the zombies. The characters were easy to follow and I never once got confused or mixed up. He made the point-of-view changes very clear and enjoyable. I came to love so many of the characters and was very upset when one didn’t make it or another was forced to leave a friend after they were bitten by the zombies. Brown’s writing made it easy for me to feel their pain, joy, horror, and hopelessness. I didn’t want the story to end!
TW Brown has the second book in this series available now; “Dead: Revelations” and a third installment ready to publish next month! After reading this book, I can now say that my faith in zombie-related stories is renewed and I cannot wait to read Brown’s next book in this amazing series. Also, thanks to Mr. Brown, I have also ordered Robert Kirkman’s “The Walking Dead: Compendium One”. I now have to see if the comic books are as good (or better!) than the T.V. show! If Kirkman’s writing is as good as Brown’s, I have nothing to worry about! Who knows, maybe one day in the future, I’ll be watching another wonderful zombie show or movie called “Dead: The Ugly Beginning”. I wouldn’t be surprised at all!
September 14, 2014
Every once in a while, a writer comes along that makes me stop and think. Some books just flow, and you find yourself reading and enjoying all the same, but some times there are books that have you living the story alongside the characters.
TW.Brown is one of those writers.
Frighteningly realistic, and disturbingly horrific, the characters both good and bad, all had me rooting for them. Well, nearly all of them.
The story opens from several POV, and how the zombie outbreak starts for them. This is always my favourite part of zombie stories, so you can imagine how freaking pleased i was. The best part though, and in my opinion is absolute genius, is that you never know which characters are goign to live and which are going to die. I mean you literally get a full backstory, sob-story build a connection with the character, and then BAM TW Brown goes and kills them just like that. Some characters don't even last a chapter, but you feel the true horror and loss of them as if you had read a full book.
I can't waiat to get started on book two, and am really excited to know that this is a series which is set to continue for quite some timme. It's already up to book six, with several mmore already in the pipeline.
If you love old school zombie hooror, you will LOVE this book.
TW.Brown is one of those writers.
Frighteningly realistic, and disturbingly horrific, the characters both good and bad, all had me rooting for them. Well, nearly all of them.
The story opens from several POV, and how the zombie outbreak starts for them. This is always my favourite part of zombie stories, so you can imagine how freaking pleased i was. The best part though, and in my opinion is absolute genius, is that you never know which characters are goign to live and which are going to die. I mean you literally get a full backstory, sob-story build a connection with the character, and then BAM TW Brown goes and kills them just like that. Some characters don't even last a chapter, but you feel the true horror and loss of them as if you had read a full book.
I can't waiat to get started on book two, and am really excited to know that this is a series which is set to continue for quite some timme. It's already up to book six, with several mmore already in the pipeline.
If you love old school zombie hooror, you will LOVE this book.
August 18, 2013
If you're looking for a zombie with lots of action then T.W. Brown does not disappoint!
Some zombie, some human, some good and, of course, some bad.
There are lots of characters and we get to see what's going on with all of them. You'll love some of the characters. They are doing the best they can fighting the zombies and helping each other out and then on the other end of the spectrum you'll see the really bad guys who'll do anything to anyone.
The author shows the best and worst of human behaviors (and some of the worst were indeed, some of the worst).
One aspect of the book that I really liked was that some of the zombies make a sound like a baby crying to lure people over. It's a little different take on the zombies that makes it interesting and scary, as if zombies themselves aren't bad enough now they developing skills to a certain extent.
Some zombie, some human, some good and, of course, some bad.
There are lots of characters and we get to see what's going on with all of them. You'll love some of the characters. They are doing the best they can fighting the zombies and helping each other out and then on the other end of the spectrum you'll see the really bad guys who'll do anything to anyone.
The author shows the best and worst of human behaviors (and some of the worst were indeed, some of the worst).
One aspect of the book that I really liked was that some of the zombies make a sound like a baby crying to lure people over. It's a little different take on the zombies that makes it interesting and scary, as if zombies themselves aren't bad enough now they developing skills to a certain extent.
September 13, 2012
DEAD: The Ugly Beginning sets out to start a very ambitious saga. From the get go we are warned that we've been treated to the first of what will be a set of twelve books relating this particular zombie apocalypse. Then the action starts. The first third of the book is strong, plunging the reader right into the middle of the action. The characters are interesting, complex, and likable. Simply amazing. And the one-liners, Jesus! Brown is really at his best when crafting spunky dialog. The plot moves fast and there's so much action, we can't stop from turning the pages.
Brown's characters are intelligent and act in a way consistent with their different backgrounds; they also make mistakes and pay for them dearly, which is a wave of fresh air in and out of itself. I found I was never able to foretell the next character that was about to die, adding to the fun.
As the story progressed, there were a few issues that took away from my original excitement. First, there are too many characters, some appear for a brief moment only to be dispatched by the undead, others are staples of the book which back stories are spread so far apart from one chapter to another, that we struggle to remember what was happening with them last time we came their way. Also, whenever a character goes into a flashback, there is no change in the grammatical tense (say, going from past to present, for example) or point of view, and whatever is written in italics tends to change size from word to word, making the reading experience a bit confusing.
Now, I think there are enough clues pointing to a certain evolution in the zombie, though it is never clear and the characters don't seem to pay attention to these changes. Is it possible that zombies can learn and are actually conscious, to some degree, of their situation? This would mean they have a low, but still threatening, degree of intelligence. It would certainly be a game changer and may send the surviving pieces of Human Race into a second purge that could very well end with it all. So looking forward to learn how well I read in between the lines!
Finally, I feel like I need to warn all the readers-to-be about the ending of DEAD. No, not spoiler alert should be issued, I'm not going to spill the beans about what's going to happen to the most important character or ruin any possible plot twists. I just want you to know that DEAD, like so many serial books of our times, doesn't have a neat ending with some sense of conclusion. It simply ends, leaving all plot lines open to continue in the second book of the series. And while it is a great selling strategy for your already captured audience, I wished we could leave this trend behind. What is it so unappealing about giving the readership some sense of resolution and still letting the door ajar just a bit so we can fathom what adventures may still await?
All nip-tuck aside, DEAD: The Ugly Beginning is a highly entertaining book. I loved the references to paramount pictures or phrases in the Zombie Lore, the sarcasm and intelligence of the narration, and the interesting plot ram-packed of action. I will be reading the second book in the series, waiting anxiously to know the fate of those fantastic characters I grew to love. Definitively a book to be read by every zombie fan who wants a bit of the classic with a lot of spark.
Brown's characters are intelligent and act in a way consistent with their different backgrounds; they also make mistakes and pay for them dearly, which is a wave of fresh air in and out of itself. I found I was never able to foretell the next character that was about to die, adding to the fun.
As the story progressed, there were a few issues that took away from my original excitement. First, there are too many characters, some appear for a brief moment only to be dispatched by the undead, others are staples of the book which back stories are spread so far apart from one chapter to another, that we struggle to remember what was happening with them last time we came their way. Also, whenever a character goes into a flashback, there is no change in the grammatical tense (say, going from past to present, for example) or point of view, and whatever is written in italics tends to change size from word to word, making the reading experience a bit confusing.
Now, I think there are enough clues pointing to a certain evolution in the zombie, though it is never clear and the characters don't seem to pay attention to these changes. Is it possible that zombies can learn and are actually conscious, to some degree, of their situation? This would mean they have a low, but still threatening, degree of intelligence. It would certainly be a game changer and may send the surviving pieces of Human Race into a second purge that could very well end with it all. So looking forward to learn how well I read in between the lines!
Finally, I feel like I need to warn all the readers-to-be about the ending of DEAD. No, not spoiler alert should be issued, I'm not going to spill the beans about what's going to happen to the most important character or ruin any possible plot twists. I just want you to know that DEAD, like so many serial books of our times, doesn't have a neat ending with some sense of conclusion. It simply ends, leaving all plot lines open to continue in the second book of the series. And while it is a great selling strategy for your already captured audience, I wished we could leave this trend behind. What is it so unappealing about giving the readership some sense of resolution and still letting the door ajar just a bit so we can fathom what adventures may still await?
All nip-tuck aside, DEAD: The Ugly Beginning is a highly entertaining book. I loved the references to paramount pictures or phrases in the Zombie Lore, the sarcasm and intelligence of the narration, and the interesting plot ram-packed of action. I will be reading the second book in the series, waiting anxiously to know the fate of those fantastic characters I grew to love. Definitively a book to be read by every zombie fan who wants a bit of the classic with a lot of spark.
February 6, 2014
I love a zombie book that acknowledges the history of the genre, and this one certainly does that. The world is immediately believable exactly because the characters recognize zombies as “zombies” and “walking dead” and frequently think about what survivors do in zombie movies. If a zombie apocalypse happened tomorrow, THIS is how people would behave – for better and for worse. A great thing about this book is the diversity of characters and situations, even if there are maybe too many characters and it becomes difficult to remember who is who as it flips back and forth from viewpoint to viewpoint. But the range is the important thing, and I think every human reaction to a zombie apocalypse is covered.
As familiar and realistic as this story feels, there are also new, unique twists thrown in to make it fresh. These zombies learn, respond, and are trickier than zombies from some other stories. Also, a quirk pops up in that not everyone bitten becomes infected – but why? And how did this all start in the first place? There are some elements that are left open and confusing, which I honestly liked because this feels more realistic in a world that’s fallen apart. I also liked that, in the midst of the dozens of characters, some are introduced who don’t make it to the end of their own narrative. Just when I would think, “Great, somebody else I’m going to have to keep track of,” they’d die horribly, which was a surprise and kept things interesting.
The writing is smart, never forced, well-edited, and clearly thought out. I never felt like the author was going out of his way to show off with “writing” – the focus was on the storytelling, and it was clear and crisp. The action is direct and great. The more thought-filled moments, particularly with the only character used in the first person, feel natural and add good insight into the hearts and minds of the characters so that you really do care about them…or hate them.
This is the first in a lengthy series, and it certainly doesn’t offer any closure at the end of this book 1, so if you really get sucked into this one, expect a long journey ahead.
As familiar and realistic as this story feels, there are also new, unique twists thrown in to make it fresh. These zombies learn, respond, and are trickier than zombies from some other stories. Also, a quirk pops up in that not everyone bitten becomes infected – but why? And how did this all start in the first place? There are some elements that are left open and confusing, which I honestly liked because this feels more realistic in a world that’s fallen apart. I also liked that, in the midst of the dozens of characters, some are introduced who don’t make it to the end of their own narrative. Just when I would think, “Great, somebody else I’m going to have to keep track of,” they’d die horribly, which was a surprise and kept things interesting.
The writing is smart, never forced, well-edited, and clearly thought out. I never felt like the author was going out of his way to show off with “writing” – the focus was on the storytelling, and it was clear and crisp. The action is direct and great. The more thought-filled moments, particularly with the only character used in the first person, feel natural and add good insight into the hearts and minds of the characters so that you really do care about them…or hate them.
This is the first in a lengthy series, and it certainly doesn’t offer any closure at the end of this book 1, so if you really get sucked into this one, expect a long journey ahead.
May 23, 2011
TW Brown is very good at presenting his reader with the everyman. His protagonists tend to be average Joes with regular lives, dull jobs and routines that include sitting in front of the TV and hanging out with their dogs. It’s kind of appropriate that in this case the main character likes dogs, because he spends part of the book picking up lost strays (only human ones in this instance.)
Brown’s characters aren’t exactly the heroic type, but considering that the zombie apocalypse is thrust upon them with little warning and not the kind of trouble a veritable hero might go looking for, that’s no great surprise. It’s more an issue of thirst for survival than any valiant and lofty ambitions. In my opinion, that’s what these stories call for, a prime example of the basic human condition, in order to keep them believable.
There are other components that make for a great zombie story that I enjoyed in this book, in addition to the believable characterization. There was plenty of suspense and gore, well paced action scenes, and one of the things I look for – dark humour (zombie bowling anyone?)
The vignettes and the geeks were an interesting touch, providing a variety of perspectives of the apocalypse rather than just limiting the reader to that of the protagonist and a single viewpoint. I considered them an added bonus to the primary plot thread.
Overall, this was a fun and scary read, a combination of traditional apocalypse chaos and mayhem blended with greater character depth than the average zombie fare. It is certainly on my recommended list for those who are fans of zombie fiction.
Brown’s characters aren’t exactly the heroic type, but considering that the zombie apocalypse is thrust upon them with little warning and not the kind of trouble a veritable hero might go looking for, that’s no great surprise. It’s more an issue of thirst for survival than any valiant and lofty ambitions. In my opinion, that’s what these stories call for, a prime example of the basic human condition, in order to keep them believable.
There are other components that make for a great zombie story that I enjoyed in this book, in addition to the believable characterization. There was plenty of suspense and gore, well paced action scenes, and one of the things I look for – dark humour (zombie bowling anyone?)
The vignettes and the geeks were an interesting touch, providing a variety of perspectives of the apocalypse rather than just limiting the reader to that of the protagonist and a single viewpoint. I considered them an added bonus to the primary plot thread.
Overall, this was a fun and scary read, a combination of traditional apocalypse chaos and mayhem blended with greater character depth than the average zombie fare. It is certainly on my recommended list for those who are fans of zombie fiction.
May 5, 2012
In a sudden and worldwide outbreak, zombies are on the attack. This novel follows the stories of several groups of characters as they attempt to cope with the reality of a real-life, Romero-style zombie invasion, while struggling to survive the effects of waning resources and failed martial law.
Brown has a beautiful way with words, skillfully bringing one image to the next within the reader’s mind’s eye. What captured me the most was the brilliant juxtaposition of the undead and the slow waning of the human spirit within the living, the apathy and brutality exhibited by the survivors growing as the story progresses. I did find the sheer numbers of characters a little overwhelming, at times taking a page or two at the beginning of a new chapter to figure out whether I was reading about recurring characters or an altogether new group. I also had an issue with the choice to follow one character in first-person, especially since that character did not carry any more significant weight throughout the story than any of the other main storylines. The first-person narrative also carried some tense issues, going back and forth between present and past, which may have been a stylistic choice, but one that affected the flow of the prose just the same. There were some grammatical issues as well, and the ending, while clearly leaving room for sequels, was a bit anticlimactic. Had these minor issues been cleaned up, I would have given this book 5 stars, but as it stands, it is a very good read, one I very happily rate at a solid 4 stars.
Brown has a beautiful way with words, skillfully bringing one image to the next within the reader’s mind’s eye. What captured me the most was the brilliant juxtaposition of the undead and the slow waning of the human spirit within the living, the apathy and brutality exhibited by the survivors growing as the story progresses. I did find the sheer numbers of characters a little overwhelming, at times taking a page or two at the beginning of a new chapter to figure out whether I was reading about recurring characters or an altogether new group. I also had an issue with the choice to follow one character in first-person, especially since that character did not carry any more significant weight throughout the story than any of the other main storylines. The first-person narrative also carried some tense issues, going back and forth between present and past, which may have been a stylistic choice, but one that affected the flow of the prose just the same. There were some grammatical issues as well, and the ending, while clearly leaving room for sequels, was a bit anticlimactic. Had these minor issues been cleaned up, I would have given this book 5 stars, but as it stands, it is a very good read, one I very happily rate at a solid 4 stars.
February 12, 2012
Pure. Zombie. Awesomeness! DEAD: THE UGLY BEGINNING is balls to the wall pure zombie fiction. Author TW Brown is clearly well versed in zombie lore. This story, the first in a twelve part series, is uniquely laid out. The action is tight and graphic. This is everything a zombie enthusiast could ever want.
The book features an ensemble cast of characters if you will. As the title implies the story starts as the zombie uprising begins. A myriad of characters are introduced and we get snippets of the action as the apocalypse unfolds. Also brilliantly, the story also includes Vignettes of less fortunate folks. While the vignettes do not serve to move the main plot forward they work effortlessly to season the story with the right moods.
Some reviews I read on DEAD:THE UGLY BEGINNING stressed that this is not a zombie story but a story about people. While ultimately this is true I also feel that this is indeed a balls to the wall pure zombie story as well. The plot is real and engaging and keeps the pages turning. The zombies however put the hair on the nuts of this story. If you love zombies pick up with small press gem and get great zombie fiction at small press prices.
The book features an ensemble cast of characters if you will. As the title implies the story starts as the zombie uprising begins. A myriad of characters are introduced and we get snippets of the action as the apocalypse unfolds. Also brilliantly, the story also includes Vignettes of less fortunate folks. While the vignettes do not serve to move the main plot forward they work effortlessly to season the story with the right moods.
Some reviews I read on DEAD:THE UGLY BEGINNING stressed that this is not a zombie story but a story about people. While ultimately this is true I also feel that this is indeed a balls to the wall pure zombie story as well. The plot is real and engaging and keeps the pages turning. The zombies however put the hair on the nuts of this story. If you love zombies pick up with small press gem and get great zombie fiction at small press prices.
May 10, 2015
best ZA book I've read yet
If Stephen King wrote a zombie book it would read like Dead: The Ugly Beginning. It is a terrific, character-driven book- not gun porn, not made of special forces super heroes, and not told in the voice of a fourteen year old who thinks the zombie apocalypse would be a terrific thing to happen.
DEAD is the tale of unprepared, everyday people doing their best to deal with a nightmare situation. The characters are written in rich, vivid hues and quickly grab your attention. The zombies are a character too and are written the same way- all age ranges and income brackets are there, and each has there own horrible wounds that tell the tale of how they came to be there.
Brown handles the narrative deftly. The story flows along, and though it covers four separate points of view, not to mention several vignettes (the vignettes are wonderful little nuggets that take place away from the main story lines, and tell the story of different people across the country in a few pages) the reader is never confused about where he is in the story or whose tale is being told.
I give Dead the highest and rarest praise I can give a zombie novel- I recommend it to people who don't read the genre or horror. It's just a really damn good book.
If Stephen King wrote a zombie book it would read like Dead: The Ugly Beginning. It is a terrific, character-driven book- not gun porn, not made of special forces super heroes, and not told in the voice of a fourteen year old who thinks the zombie apocalypse would be a terrific thing to happen.
DEAD is the tale of unprepared, everyday people doing their best to deal with a nightmare situation. The characters are written in rich, vivid hues and quickly grab your attention. The zombies are a character too and are written the same way- all age ranges and income brackets are there, and each has there own horrible wounds that tell the tale of how they came to be there.
Brown handles the narrative deftly. The story flows along, and though it covers four separate points of view, not to mention several vignettes (the vignettes are wonderful little nuggets that take place away from the main story lines, and tell the story of different people across the country in a few pages) the reader is never confused about where he is in the story or whose tale is being told.
I give Dead the highest and rarest praise I can give a zombie novel- I recommend it to people who don't read the genre or horror. It's just a really damn good book.
February 25, 2012
Before I fully begin my review, I have to admit: I love this cover! The artist did a fantastic job with the detail. The artist really caught Thalia's scared expression. The zombie was also drawn with a lot of detail. Dead: The Ugly Beginning is a fantastic zombie novel. I loved the Zombie Strippers reference in the introduction of the book. It has quite a realistic take of what would happen during a zombie apocalypse. Most things zombie movies don't cover, like when Steve wet his pants in the beginning would realistically happen. I liked most of the characters, except for Travis and Mister Abernathy. They were both horrible people and deserved everything that happened to them. The only thing I didn't like about this book was that it had several rape scenes. Dead left off on a cliffhanger, and had me theorizing about what would happen. It's a great zombie novel that will keep you awake late at night reading, but it's not for the faint of heart. I would recommend it to anyone looking for an original zombie story.
April 11, 2012
This book is the first in a series. It follows different groups of people and how they try and survive after the zombies start. You see humanity revert to basic needs. Some follow morals and some do not. I believe this gives an accurate account of what might happen if this were to happen for real. What I liked was the author's ability to follow many different groups/people and show many different outcomes, instead of one main character.I highly recommend this book for anyone who enjoys zombies/end of the world.Looking forward to the rest of the series!
October 22, 2014
I had a hard time tracking the numerous characters in this book. Some characters would be introduced and then not reappear again until late in the story. The characters were just not differentiated enough, in my opinion.
All in all, a decent time-killer, but not particularly memorable. Just in case, I'm going to give the series the benefit of the doubt and have already started reading the second book in the series.
All in all, a decent time-killer, but not particularly memorable. Just in case, I'm going to give the series the benefit of the doubt and have already started reading the second book in the series.
July 12, 2015
A decent Z book that jumps around from character to character. Personally I don't love that aspect but they manage to avoid most of the mistakes you usually read. The ones that always leave you asking 'Didn't any of these people ever read a zombie book or see a zombie movie?!'
We will see where the books take us!
We will see where the books take us!
September 19, 2010
This book was something else for me. After reading it, it stuck with me for weeks. I found myself thinking back to things I had read in the book. Honestly I would give this book 4.5 out of 5, but its just so good. Really a book that zombie fans should read.
May 22, 2012
One of the best zombie books I've had the pleasure of reading. With so many story lines going on, I never had a chance to get bored. The action was non stop. The characters felt real. Looking forward to getting the sequel. Well worth the $4 I paid for a kindle copy.
May 26, 2017
I was hesitant to read yet another zombie series but I really enjoyed Dead! I laughed and nearly cried, I loved all the different points of view, which kept me very entertained. I can't say that this series is like any of the others, because it is not! I love it! Can't wait to read more!!
February 24, 2016
This is less a full novel and more of a series of short stories with every conceivable permutation of human-zombie-human interaction. It all over the place and because of it I didn't become attached to any of the characters.
January 5, 2025
I did not need that many descriptions of zombie breasts 😫
August 27, 2013
My first impression, after having just finished reading this is wow. Just... Wow. So much to process...
Overall I enjoyed the book. Right from the start you're introduced to characters that draw you in and make you care about them and what happens to them. How many people wouldn't be worried about a little girl that's just been traumatized and is rescued by, what I consider the main character. Now let me explain that a bit... There are multiple groups of survivors that the author moves back and forth between throughout the entire book. At times, for me, this got quite confusing and I wasn't entirely sure which group I was reading about. This plethora of characters and the constant switching was really the only drawback for me. With all these different groups, though, all of them except Steve and Thalia, the aforementioned little girl, are all written in third person. Steve is the only character that has a first person point of view, so that instantly clues the reader in on that group and is why I consider him to be the main character.
The storyline is your typical zompoc affair. Zombies rise and people struggle to cope with that and survive. Some work together some don't. The difference here is that the characters are from all walks of life, from prisoners to a senator to a pop star to your average middle class joe. The relationships between the characters is what keeps you reading. And those relationships are well written and the characters are nicely developed. With a few exceptions, that I won't mention here, they also develop and grow throughout the story. And those that don't aren't supposed to and are well written.
Now make no mistake, this is a zompoc book and there are PLENTY of zombies. There's also plenty of gore an violence as well. And as I read it struck me as quite realistic. Not all of the violence is from the zombies which for me helps drive home the idea that societal structure as we know it would crumble and there would be those that would take whatever they wanted when they wanted. Some of what is depicted might bother those with weak stomachs or even strong feelings in regards to certain violations. It could even be said that some of the scenes were unnecessary in their existence because of the disturbing nature of them but I would disagree. I think it helps with differentiating not only the survivors but also the before and after. It also seems to possibly be a statement about how true nature always comes through. Or I could just be reading in to it.
I was actually a bit surprised and a little disappointed when I finished reading it. I started reading it knowing full well that it's the first in a series so was expecting an open ending. The way it ended, though, felt quite abrupt. Even in books of a series there is some finality to the end of a book but this one didn't have that at all. It just ended, as though you could simply turn the page and continue the story. Honestly I'm not sure how I felt about it. I do know, though, that I will be reading the second book, and probably the entire series, because I want to know what happens to the characters.
Overall I enjoyed the book. Right from the start you're introduced to characters that draw you in and make you care about them and what happens to them. How many people wouldn't be worried about a little girl that's just been traumatized and is rescued by, what I consider the main character. Now let me explain that a bit... There are multiple groups of survivors that the author moves back and forth between throughout the entire book. At times, for me, this got quite confusing and I wasn't entirely sure which group I was reading about. This plethora of characters and the constant switching was really the only drawback for me. With all these different groups, though, all of them except Steve and Thalia, the aforementioned little girl, are all written in third person. Steve is the only character that has a first person point of view, so that instantly clues the reader in on that group and is why I consider him to be the main character.
The storyline is your typical zompoc affair. Zombies rise and people struggle to cope with that and survive. Some work together some don't. The difference here is that the characters are from all walks of life, from prisoners to a senator to a pop star to your average middle class joe. The relationships between the characters is what keeps you reading. And those relationships are well written and the characters are nicely developed. With a few exceptions, that I won't mention here, they also develop and grow throughout the story. And those that don't aren't supposed to and are well written.
Now make no mistake, this is a zompoc book and there are PLENTY of zombies. There's also plenty of gore an violence as well. And as I read it struck me as quite realistic. Not all of the violence is from the zombies which for me helps drive home the idea that societal structure as we know it would crumble and there would be those that would take whatever they wanted when they wanted. Some of what is depicted might bother those with weak stomachs or even strong feelings in regards to certain violations. It could even be said that some of the scenes were unnecessary in their existence because of the disturbing nature of them but I would disagree. I think it helps with differentiating not only the survivors but also the before and after. It also seems to possibly be a statement about how true nature always comes through. Or I could just be reading in to it.
I was actually a bit surprised and a little disappointed when I finished reading it. I started reading it knowing full well that it's the first in a series so was expecting an open ending. The way it ended, though, felt quite abrupt. Even in books of a series there is some finality to the end of a book but this one didn't have that at all. It just ended, as though you could simply turn the page and continue the story. Honestly I'm not sure how I felt about it. I do know, though, that I will be reading the second book, and probably the entire series, because I want to know what happens to the characters.
November 5, 2010
Author T.W. Brown indicates that this will be the first of at least five books in his Dead Saga. All I can say to that is: when is the second volume coming out?
This is the beginning, and so we are introduced to a wide array of characters. It is the beginning of the zombie apocalypse, the beginning of the end for the human race, and the beginning of some incredible and wide spanning journeys for characters both big and small. We are provided with two main stories in this book. One is told from the perspective of Steve, a guy living in Portland, Oregon when the infection begins, although he is soon on the road, picking up a neighbor girl on the way as things quickly unravel around him. The other story is of a group of geeks in Norfolk, Virginia who are also attempting to cope with the apocalypse and get on the road almost immediately, to start heading west to an area they hope is lacking enough in population that it will be safe. The author doesn't stop there with the characters, adding chapters entitled Vignettes, which share the stories of others, both survivors and the not so lucky, as they live and die throughout the country (and in a couple of cases, in other areas of the world). Some of the characters introduced through those chapters will continue to play a role in the upcoming books, or at least the sequel, although many face their doom rather abruptly in this story.
This is a very traditional Romero zombie style story, which means that you shouldn't expect the zombies to be demonic, speedsters, or intelligent. These are the slow moving, inevitable shamblers that inhabit nightmare not because you can't run away from them, but because they never stop coming for you, in greater and greater numbers. You have time to pause and consider your fate as they close in, slowly, awkwardly, knowing that they will get through the barricades in time because they will never stop until everyone is devoured and turned into what they have become.
The key to a story like this one is to have compelling characters, which is what Mr. Brown has created. Whether they're one of the main characters like Steve, Kevin, or Mike, or any of the multitude of more ancillary characters, there are very few "extras" in this tale. Even those who have been bitten in the vignettes that you know almost immediately are about to die are provided with a compelling enough storyline to make it so I cared about them as a reader. There are good and evil people, as there always are in these stories, but more important, the good guys can and do make mistakes, which means that while you are rooting for them, they are still human and still apt to make a monumental mistake that gets someone killed. The author has developed "real" characters, which is why I am looking forward to see where they end up going in this story, even if it is always in doubt as to whether or not any of them will be able to survive until the very end.
This is the beginning, and so we are introduced to a wide array of characters. It is the beginning of the zombie apocalypse, the beginning of the end for the human race, and the beginning of some incredible and wide spanning journeys for characters both big and small. We are provided with two main stories in this book. One is told from the perspective of Steve, a guy living in Portland, Oregon when the infection begins, although he is soon on the road, picking up a neighbor girl on the way as things quickly unravel around him. The other story is of a group of geeks in Norfolk, Virginia who are also attempting to cope with the apocalypse and get on the road almost immediately, to start heading west to an area they hope is lacking enough in population that it will be safe. The author doesn't stop there with the characters, adding chapters entitled Vignettes, which share the stories of others, both survivors and the not so lucky, as they live and die throughout the country (and in a couple of cases, in other areas of the world). Some of the characters introduced through those chapters will continue to play a role in the upcoming books, or at least the sequel, although many face their doom rather abruptly in this story.
This is a very traditional Romero zombie style story, which means that you shouldn't expect the zombies to be demonic, speedsters, or intelligent. These are the slow moving, inevitable shamblers that inhabit nightmare not because you can't run away from them, but because they never stop coming for you, in greater and greater numbers. You have time to pause and consider your fate as they close in, slowly, awkwardly, knowing that they will get through the barricades in time because they will never stop until everyone is devoured and turned into what they have become.
The key to a story like this one is to have compelling characters, which is what Mr. Brown has created. Whether they're one of the main characters like Steve, Kevin, or Mike, or any of the multitude of more ancillary characters, there are very few "extras" in this tale. Even those who have been bitten in the vignettes that you know almost immediately are about to die are provided with a compelling enough storyline to make it so I cared about them as a reader. There are good and evil people, as there always are in these stories, but more important, the good guys can and do make mistakes, which means that while you are rooting for them, they are still human and still apt to make a monumental mistake that gets someone killed. The author has developed "real" characters, which is why I am looking forward to see where they end up going in this story, even if it is always in doubt as to whether or not any of them will be able to survive until the very end.
April 2, 2016
Dead: The Ugly Beginning is the first in a series of zombie novels by TW Brown. This book really grabbed me from the first page. The writing is very polished from sentence to sentence. The dialogue is spot on and the action-packed scenes are gripping and pack a punch. TW Brown is a writer that has all the tools to be a great storyteller.
The story is a collage of classic post-apocalyptic zombie yarns. Dead: The Ugly Beginning doesn't desperately seek originality, but is far from a re-hash of old plots either. The characters and their stories are original, but the world created by TW Brown feels immediately like the familiar world of a Romero film. The novel is full of tastefully gruesome moments. Enough to horrify any reader, but not go over the edge.
Based on the quality of the writing alone, this book would be a 5 star novel.
While it is a series so I didn't expect everything to be resolved, I found myself baffled at the end of the book. It left me with more questions than answers, particularly what do any of the characters in this book have to do with each other? The stories are so unconnected it's rather hard to consider this book a novel as opposed to a book of short stories. There is not much in the way of a narrative arc for most of the characters.
I could have still rated this a four star book, but the character development was also not as strong as it could have been. There are some intriguing characters in this book, but most of their motives, struggles, etc. still aren't very clear by the end of the novel. So, in spite of some outstanding chops in the writing, I give this one a very high three stars. I think TW Brown is easily capable of writing an incredible novel with time. Definitely an author to keep your eye on down the road.
The story is a collage of classic post-apocalyptic zombie yarns. Dead: The Ugly Beginning doesn't desperately seek originality, but is far from a re-hash of old plots either. The characters and their stories are original, but the world created by TW Brown feels immediately like the familiar world of a Romero film. The novel is full of tastefully gruesome moments. Enough to horrify any reader, but not go over the edge.
Based on the quality of the writing alone, this book would be a 5 star novel.
While it is a series so I didn't expect everything to be resolved, I found myself baffled at the end of the book. It left me with more questions than answers, particularly what do any of the characters in this book have to do with each other? The stories are so unconnected it's rather hard to consider this book a novel as opposed to a book of short stories. There is not much in the way of a narrative arc for most of the characters.
I could have still rated this a four star book, but the character development was also not as strong as it could have been. There are some intriguing characters in this book, but most of their motives, struggles, etc. still aren't very clear by the end of the novel. So, in spite of some outstanding chops in the writing, I give this one a very high three stars. I think TW Brown is easily capable of writing an incredible novel with time. Definitely an author to keep your eye on down the road.
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