What do you think?
Rate this book
LZR-1143 #1
Infection
Mike McKnight was an action movie star, condemned to a lifetime of incarceration in a psychiatric prison for the murder of someone he loves. At least until the zombies showed up. From his cell in the asylum, he is suddenly thrust into a nightmare of unbelievable proportions when the dead rise, and rapidly become a horrific plague on the world of the living. From Long Island to the burbs to the country, Mike fights to stay alive, to recover his memories, and to retrieve a cure for the most threatening disease the world has ever known.
297 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 25, 2010
487 people are currently reading
2248 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 164 reviews
February 27, 2023
Hilarious!
Former Hollywood action hero, Mike McKenzie, was in the Parkville Insane Asylum, minding his business, when the zombie apocalypse interrupted his tranquil life.
He and a doctor, and several patients, make a break for it, but life outside has changed a lot in the last three years.
Declared a lunatic for murdering his wife, Mike’s memories are sketchy, but he believes his wife may have been working on a cure. With help from new friends, they visit her lab, where they hope to find a vaccine, but find hundreds of zombies, instead.
Mike is the narrator throughout the story, and as a self described lunatic, you’re not always sure that what he says is reliable, but once you get used to his form of delivery, you begin to trust his vision, more.
Like a typical zombie story, the book is full of blood and violence, but it is also written with a lot of clever dialogue and tongue-in-cheek humor.
I’m told that this is the book that inspired The Walking Dead, and other popular zombie series, and helped to bring new life into the trope.
As a big zombie fan, I’m glad l finally got to experience a book that’s not only original, but also helped a new generation grow up with zombies.
Four fantastic stars. ✨✨✨✨
Former Hollywood action hero, Mike McKenzie, was in the Parkville Insane Asylum, minding his business, when the zombie apocalypse interrupted his tranquil life.
He and a doctor, and several patients, make a break for it, but life outside has changed a lot in the last three years.
Declared a lunatic for murdering his wife, Mike’s memories are sketchy, but he believes his wife may have been working on a cure. With help from new friends, they visit her lab, where they hope to find a vaccine, but find hundreds of zombies, instead.
Mike is the narrator throughout the story, and as a self described lunatic, you’re not always sure that what he says is reliable, but once you get used to his form of delivery, you begin to trust his vision, more.
Like a typical zombie story, the book is full of blood and violence, but it is also written with a lot of clever dialogue and tongue-in-cheek humor.
I’m told that this is the book that inspired The Walking Dead, and other popular zombie series, and helped to bring new life into the trope.
As a big zombie fan, I’m glad l finally got to experience a book that’s not only original, but also helped a new generation grow up with zombies.
Four fantastic stars. ✨✨✨✨
April 13, 2011
As a huge fan of zombie books, there's a lot I liked about this book, including the hero's unique background. I was a bit disappointed by the wife's role and with the ending, since I saw both coming a mile away. But fine, so the story was a little predictable. No biggie. I was still entertained.
That said . . .
What drove Anal Retentive Me twitching-crazy? Spelling errors. Lots and lots of them. And nothing makes me crazier than unwillingly shifting into editing mode when I'm reading for pleasure. Somebody really needs to tell the editor/writer that "its" and "it's" fulfill different purposes. That "waiving" is never a substitute for the gesture of "waving." That . . . oh, never mind. You get the idea.
So. IF you enjoy zombie books and IF you can suspend your inner editor, LZR-1143 is a fun read. If, however, multiple spelling errors have you cringing, this might not be the book for you.
That said . . .
What drove Anal Retentive Me twitching-crazy? Spelling errors. Lots and lots of them. And nothing makes me crazier than unwillingly shifting into editing mode when I'm reading for pleasure. Somebody really needs to tell the editor/writer that "its" and "it's" fulfill different purposes. That "waiving" is never a substitute for the gesture of "waving." That . . . oh, never mind. You get the idea.
So. IF you enjoy zombie books and IF you can suspend your inner editor, LZR-1143 is a fun read. If, however, multiple spelling errors have you cringing, this might not be the book for you.
October 20, 2014
-Sobre tendencias habituales, un protagonista algo particular.-
Género. Ciencia-Ficción.
Lo que nos cuenta. Mike McKnight ha sido una estrella del cine de acción que ahora está encarcelado en el ala oeste de Kings Park, una institución psiquiátrica de Long Island que da cabida a criminales convictos pero legalmente declarados “locos” para su tratamiento y rehabilitación. Mike ha sido encontrado culpable del asesinato en primer grado de su esposa, empleada en algún tipo de proyecto de investigación gubernamental, pero es totalmente incapaz de recordar muy bien qué ocurrió ese día exáctamente. Cuando empieza a salir del estado de letargo inducido por fármacos, descubre que el mundo que conocía está desapareciendo ya que parece que la sociedad está bajo el ataque de zombis. Primer libro de la serie LZR-1143.
¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:
http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com/...
Género. Ciencia-Ficción.
Lo que nos cuenta. Mike McKnight ha sido una estrella del cine de acción que ahora está encarcelado en el ala oeste de Kings Park, una institución psiquiátrica de Long Island que da cabida a criminales convictos pero legalmente declarados “locos” para su tratamiento y rehabilitación. Mike ha sido encontrado culpable del asesinato en primer grado de su esposa, empleada en algún tipo de proyecto de investigación gubernamental, pero es totalmente incapaz de recordar muy bien qué ocurrió ese día exáctamente. Cuando empieza a salir del estado de letargo inducido por fármacos, descubre que el mundo que conocía está desapareciendo ya que parece que la sociedad está bajo el ataque de zombis. Primer libro de la serie LZR-1143.
¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:
http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com/...
July 18, 2018
For those of you interested in a zombie story but haven't read many, or preferably any, this is actually a pretty decent story. Unfortunately, I've read lots and found this to be a bit generic and predictable. You really have to go above and beyond these days to wow me with your Z's.
I did really like the beginning when we meet our protagonist Mike McKnight. He's waking up from the drug cocktails they feed him in the asylum. He has no idea where anybody is or what is going on. It left me reminiscing about the first episode of The Walking Dead when Rick wakes up in the hospital. After that, it all gets ho-hum, even the big surprise about the wife wasn't big and it wasn't a surprise. If you can't get one over on me, you won't get anyone.
Recommended for first-time zombie readers only!
I did really like the beginning when we meet our protagonist Mike McKnight. He's waking up from the drug cocktails they feed him in the asylum. He has no idea where anybody is or what is going on. It left me reminiscing about the first episode of The Walking Dead when Rick wakes up in the hospital. After that, it all gets ho-hum, even the big surprise about the wife wasn't big and it wasn't a surprise. If you can't get one over on me, you won't get anyone.
Recommended for first-time zombie readers only!
July 17, 2016
Celebrities, always in the spotlight, right? Mike was a popular action movie star, when he claimed he had no memory of his wife’s brutal murder, he is convicted of criminal insanity and locked away. But did he do it? How could he remember if they keep him doped up on medications? And then it happened, he began seeing zombies, had he lost his mind for real or was there something horrendous going on? If Mike thought his life had become nightmare before, the world he would escape into would make anything before that pale in comparison.
Governments are collapsing under the gory chaos of the walking dead and the world becomes fodder for the living dead. Will his acting give him an edge in survival? Will the props he used on the big screen be his training ground to survival? With the help of a beautiful psychiatrist, an unlikely band of heroes are born. It is a time for survival of the fittest, or the luckiest and Mike plans on being among them.
LZR-1143:Infection by Bryan James is a zombie aficionado’s dream, a little over-the-top, a little terrifying, and full of gore, close encounters and even humor! Mike is pure Hollywood relying on his glory days in the spotlight and his ego to keep him moving as his ragtag group of survivors fight their way to safety. Prepare for mystery, madness and the sound of tearing flesh as a dark secret begins to unravel amidst the fall of humanity and human decency.
Fast-paced, riddled with blood, humor and lots of action, a fun read that is hard to put down.
Series: LZR-1143 - Book 1
Publication Date: June 25, 2010
Publisher: Bryan James
Genre: Sci-fi
Print Length: 330 pages
Available from: Amazon
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
Governments are collapsing under the gory chaos of the walking dead and the world becomes fodder for the living dead. Will his acting give him an edge in survival? Will the props he used on the big screen be his training ground to survival? With the help of a beautiful psychiatrist, an unlikely band of heroes are born. It is a time for survival of the fittest, or the luckiest and Mike plans on being among them.
LZR-1143:Infection by Bryan James is a zombie aficionado’s dream, a little over-the-top, a little terrifying, and full of gore, close encounters and even humor! Mike is pure Hollywood relying on his glory days in the spotlight and his ego to keep him moving as his ragtag group of survivors fight their way to safety. Prepare for mystery, madness and the sound of tearing flesh as a dark secret begins to unravel amidst the fall of humanity and human decency.
Fast-paced, riddled with blood, humor and lots of action, a fun read that is hard to put down.
Series: LZR-1143 - Book 1
Publication Date: June 25, 2010
Publisher: Bryan James
Genre: Sci-fi
Print Length: 330 pages
Available from: Amazon
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
October 23, 2016
3.5 Stars
This was a pretty good Zombie story. Hero, heroine, mad science, Gov't science.... the one thing that was great, was the end. WTF!?
Definitely ready for the next one. Evolution!
This was a pretty good Zombie story. Hero, heroine, mad science, Gov't science.... the one thing that was great, was the end. WTF!?
Definitely ready for the next one. Evolution!
December 27, 2020
Run-of-the-mill zombie horror - entertaining enough if you don't mind the predictability and not overly developed characters, but not particularly memorable. And then it rather went off the rails towards the end with its double feature of OTT comicbook villains...
February 5, 2017
First, it’s a zombie apocalypse book. So tons of people die, there are graphic depictions of gore, and a larger-than-life protagonist. If zombie books aren’t your thing, then you won’t enjoy this book. For those who enjoy a novel full of the undead and some good guys who try to battle and survive their encounters with reanimated while trying to find a cure, then this might be the next book for you. But first, a few warnings:
Mr. James must keep a thesaurus within arm’s reach at all times. He also uses very long, detailed sentences that often take away from the plot. While I appreciate descriptive prose, this goes overboard. Way, too far, beyond the pale overboard (this is the kind of description you will find in Infection).
Also, the protagonist, Mike McKnight, was very annoying. He was sarcastic, which is probably a solid defense mechanism when facing the undead, but his sarcasm was predictable. And after a sarcastic remark, McKnight congratulates himself or explains his sarcasm, which brings me to his internal dialogue with himself. This ongoing dialogue is not really made clear until later in the book when the internal voice is explicitly recognized. This internal voice gets old, especially when it/he keeps droning on about either the mental institute or the evening that this wife is killed and how he can’t remember most of the events.
Having said that, the plot is actually quite good. There were a few spots throughout the book where I actually found myself surprised or caught off guard. Mr. James would off a character, and I didn’t see it coming. The plot moves quite quickly (although it could move faster if the flowery language were kept to a minimum). However, the ending was a bit off. [SPOILER ALERT] The scientist who is discovered in the research facility, after explaining that the vials of blue liquid are a vaccine and not a cure (GASP!) is baited into addressing why in the heavens he would do such a thing. The scientist, seemingly out of the blue, begins to blame liberals, the Hollywood elite, and the gays and explain that he is doing the work of God. This came out of nowhere and, quite frankly, went nowhere. And then a character from earlier in the book returns and, of course, is a bad guy. But why was he a bad guy? There’s a brief mention of why McKnight was placed in the mental institute, but we never really learn why this guy was bad.
And finally, the ending. Bad. It just stops. McKnight wakes up in a dirty white room and has no scars or wounds. He feels that the room is familiar but it cannot be [presumably the mental institute where the book began]. He reaches for the door handle. The end. Seriously, the end. Granted there is a sequel, but I am not really inclined to read it, but I kinda want to know where McKnight was. So the ending was quite disappointing.
But to be honest, when you pick up a book like this, especially for free, you know you aren’t getting a Pulitzer-worthy book. And, as other reviewers mentioned, there are errors throughout the book (misspellings, punctuation issues, etc.). But they aren't so bad as to take away from the story. 3.5 Stars.
Mr. James must keep a thesaurus within arm’s reach at all times. He also uses very long, detailed sentences that often take away from the plot. While I appreciate descriptive prose, this goes overboard. Way, too far, beyond the pale overboard (this is the kind of description you will find in Infection).
Also, the protagonist, Mike McKnight, was very annoying. He was sarcastic, which is probably a solid defense mechanism when facing the undead, but his sarcasm was predictable. And after a sarcastic remark, McKnight congratulates himself or explains his sarcasm, which brings me to his internal dialogue with himself. This ongoing dialogue is not really made clear until later in the book when the internal voice is explicitly recognized. This internal voice gets old, especially when it/he keeps droning on about either the mental institute or the evening that this wife is killed and how he can’t remember most of the events.
Having said that, the plot is actually quite good. There were a few spots throughout the book where I actually found myself surprised or caught off guard. Mr. James would off a character, and I didn’t see it coming. The plot moves quite quickly (although it could move faster if the flowery language were kept to a minimum). However, the ending was a bit off. [SPOILER ALERT] The scientist who is discovered in the research facility, after explaining that the vials of blue liquid are a vaccine and not a cure (GASP!) is baited into addressing why in the heavens he would do such a thing. The scientist, seemingly out of the blue, begins to blame liberals, the Hollywood elite, and the gays and explain that he is doing the work of God. This came out of nowhere and, quite frankly, went nowhere. And then a character from earlier in the book returns and, of course, is a bad guy. But why was he a bad guy? There’s a brief mention of why McKnight was placed in the mental institute, but we never really learn why this guy was bad.
And finally, the ending. Bad. It just stops. McKnight wakes up in a dirty white room and has no scars or wounds. He feels that the room is familiar but it cannot be [presumably the mental institute where the book began]. He reaches for the door handle. The end. Seriously, the end. Granted there is a sequel, but I am not really inclined to read it, but I kinda want to know where McKnight was. So the ending was quite disappointing.
But to be honest, when you pick up a book like this, especially for free, you know you aren’t getting a Pulitzer-worthy book. And, as other reviewers mentioned, there are errors throughout the book (misspellings, punctuation issues, etc.). But they aren't so bad as to take away from the story. 3.5 Stars.
September 26, 2019
Rounding up to 3. Another freebie kindle book, I’m just getting around to reading. The writing started klunky and I figured I would abandon. The more I read, the writing matured and my interest peaked. It’s a typical zombie tale and I would consider reading the next book in the series
October 15, 2017
“Lemme guess,” I said, affecting the appropriate sarcastic tone. “We’re running low on gas?” He nodded curtly, eyes on the road. Despite my intuition, I was incredulous. “What the hell? Doesn’t anyone keep gas in their cars anymore? Why don’t any vehicles in the apocalypse have any goddamn gasoline? It’s like a really bad fucking movie! Jesus!” I couldn’t believe this. Second time in as many vehicles! “OK, I’m just telling you now, if any of you mother-fuckers even think about going outside to check out the noise in the dark, or go to the dark room upstairs to find the virgin after hearing the strange sound, I’m shooting you myself!”
This has been coming up as a recommended book based on my other Zombie reading for some time. It probably wasn't the best Zombie book I've read but it was good enough that I'll still read the second one since I scored the Kindle version for free.
This is the story about a action movie star married to a beautiful bio-engineer working on reanimating the dead and conquering death itself. Nothing could go wrong right? Well, surprise, it does. And action guy ends up only revealing his wife who went all bitey McBiteface on him in the flashbacks he has throughout the rest of this story. In the end we find out that, whatever her faults, she at least smuggled a vaccine out to Jean Claude and managed to inject him, so there's that. Not as if it makes up for the endless suffering inflicted on mankind and all of that.
The writing isn't the best, but it'll work for cheap pulp action flicks and easy reads.
This has been coming up as a recommended book based on my other Zombie reading for some time. It probably wasn't the best Zombie book I've read but it was good enough that I'll still read the second one since I scored the Kindle version for free.
This is the story about a action movie star married to a beautiful bio-engineer working on reanimating the dead and conquering death itself. Nothing could go wrong right? Well, surprise, it does. And action guy ends up only revealing his wife who went all bitey McBiteface on him in the flashbacks he has throughout the rest of this story. In the end we find out that, whatever her faults, she at least smuggled a vaccine out to Jean Claude and managed to inject him, so there's that. Not as if it makes up for the endless suffering inflicted on mankind and all of that.
The writing isn't the best, but it'll work for cheap pulp action flicks and easy reads.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 15, 2014
Copied from the review I left on Amazon...
As I was trying to decide on the the number of stars to give this book, I found my cursor hovering between four stars and three stars. If I could give it 3.5 stars, I would have. It's a little more than "okay", but I can't enthusiastically say I "liked" it.
Quick Summary:
The main character, Michael McKnight, is an inmate at a facility for the criminally insane. He wakes up one day to discover that he has been left behind at the mental hospital while the United States is becoming overrun with the living dead. During the first few scenes, the reader learns that McKnight is in the facility for supposedly murdering his wife. A crime he doesn't recall committing, but assumes had to be true. McKnight, a former action movie star, finds his way out of the facility with the help of a woman psychiatrist from the hospital wing. From there, the characters face all kinds of horrors. McKnight thinks he may be able to find a way to cure- or stop the spread of- whatever it is that is turning people into zombies. This is because he is starting to remember bits and pieces of his life before his wife's murder. His wife was a doctor at a research facility and had mentioned a project involving reanimation of the dead. As McKnight and his new psychiatrist friend make their way to the research center, they face all the horrors expected in a zombie-filled world. That's all I will write for a summary... I don't like spoilers.
What I Liked:
1) The author seems to have a good sense of humor. I liked the many witty comments made by the main character in the story.
2) The story-line is an interesting take on the whole zombie apocalypse scenario.
3) Bryan James is a good storyteller & keeps the action going strong.
4) I like the two main characters- while not entirely believable, they are likable.
5) The beginning of the book grabbed my attention.
What I Did Not Like:
1) There are way too many "coincidences" that I found irritating after a while. For example, lights going off at just the right time and coming back on at just the right time... televisions that just "happen" to work long enough for the main characters to get just the right information... recorded videos that just "happen" to be cued and ready to watch. Those are just a few examples.
2) I liked the main character, but I found him very difficult to relate to.
3) There could have been more character development. The story is told in first-person, which I like, but even with being able to be in McKnight's mind, there didn't seem to be much to him... other than he wonders if he truly is crazy.
4) Some of the scenes are so unbelievable, it was hard for me to overlook. Yes, it is a story about zombies, so of course it's going to be unbelievable to a large extent. I don't want to create a spoiler, but a certain scene sticks out in my mind where one of the minor characters has her arm hacked off by an ax. Even with this major injury and very little medical help, she is able to continue traveling and evading hundreds of pursuing zombies (for a while, that is). The extent of my medical knowledge is limited to the application of Neosporin and a Band-Aid, but this just doesn't seem right to me.
It's not a bad book, but I was expecting it to be better because of other reviews. This is the first book in the series, so I am holding out hope that they will only improve with time. I will give the sequel to Infection a try after I read some other authors on my list of books I want to read.
As I was trying to decide on the the number of stars to give this book, I found my cursor hovering between four stars and three stars. If I could give it 3.5 stars, I would have. It's a little more than "okay", but I can't enthusiastically say I "liked" it.
Quick Summary:
The main character, Michael McKnight, is an inmate at a facility for the criminally insane. He wakes up one day to discover that he has been left behind at the mental hospital while the United States is becoming overrun with the living dead. During the first few scenes, the reader learns that McKnight is in the facility for supposedly murdering his wife. A crime he doesn't recall committing, but assumes had to be true. McKnight, a former action movie star, finds his way out of the facility with the help of a woman psychiatrist from the hospital wing. From there, the characters face all kinds of horrors. McKnight thinks he may be able to find a way to cure- or stop the spread of- whatever it is that is turning people into zombies. This is because he is starting to remember bits and pieces of his life before his wife's murder. His wife was a doctor at a research facility and had mentioned a project involving reanimation of the dead. As McKnight and his new psychiatrist friend make their way to the research center, they face all the horrors expected in a zombie-filled world. That's all I will write for a summary... I don't like spoilers.
What I Liked:
1) The author seems to have a good sense of humor. I liked the many witty comments made by the main character in the story.
2) The story-line is an interesting take on the whole zombie apocalypse scenario.
3) Bryan James is a good storyteller & keeps the action going strong.
4) I like the two main characters- while not entirely believable, they are likable.
5) The beginning of the book grabbed my attention.
What I Did Not Like:
1) There are way too many "coincidences" that I found irritating after a while. For example, lights going off at just the right time and coming back on at just the right time... televisions that just "happen" to work long enough for the main characters to get just the right information... recorded videos that just "happen" to be cued and ready to watch. Those are just a few examples.
2) I liked the main character, but I found him very difficult to relate to.
3) There could have been more character development. The story is told in first-person, which I like, but even with being able to be in McKnight's mind, there didn't seem to be much to him... other than he wonders if he truly is crazy.
4) Some of the scenes are so unbelievable, it was hard for me to overlook. Yes, it is a story about zombies, so of course it's going to be unbelievable to a large extent. I don't want to create a spoiler, but a certain scene sticks out in my mind where one of the minor characters has her arm hacked off by an ax. Even with this major injury and very little medical help, she is able to continue traveling and evading hundreds of pursuing zombies (for a while, that is). The extent of my medical knowledge is limited to the application of Neosporin and a Band-Aid, but this just doesn't seem right to me.
It's not a bad book, but I was expecting it to be better because of other reviews. This is the first book in the series, so I am holding out hope that they will only improve with time. I will give the sequel to Infection a try after I read some other authors on my list of books I want to read.
July 19, 2012
LZR-1143 introduces us to Mike a one-time Hollywood action hero who was a serious box office draw. Mike has been accused of killing his wife but has no memory of doing so. This places him in a mental institution instead of prison but that’s not always a good thing. He’s essentially remanded to his cell where he’s heavily sedated for fear that somehow; he could become violent with possible repressed violent schizophrenic tendencies.
Waking up one morning, he finds himself in the TV room with no supervision, no escorts and no morning dose of anti-psychotics. Not that he needed the medication to begin with but I’ll get into that later.
Meanwhile, the world outside the walls of the facility has changed into a land of the walking dead.
It takes some time for Mike to come out of his nightly dose of meds to realize that the dead have been reanimated and some are inside with him, wandering the halls seeking fresh victims. After initial contact with one, he escapes unbitten and is able to meet up with a few other fellow survivors. These survivors consist of Kate, one of the doctors and a few patients. One particular patient, Fred, is blessed with a one word vocabulary, ‘pancake’ which adds to some of the dark humor throughout the story.
The story moves on from the asylum as they escape, run into more infected, a bad cop, a Target store night manager and of course, several thousand infected all while dragging along a couple of mental patients.
As the storyline progresses, the reader, as well as the primary character, Mike, are shown flashbacks to Mike’s life prior to incarceration. This lends a nice spin to the plot as Mr. James beautifully incorporates it into the current flow of the story instead of sidetracking the reader with paragraphs or chapters that move away from the core of the tale.
Mike slowly and eventually gets his memory back of what happened the night he allegedly killed his wife and the truth is shocking. While I began to suspect there was another reason for the murder and then started to put the pieces together as I read, some of it didn’t make too much sense until the ending chapters where it was all explained.
Or was it?
While the cause for the infection was explained and the reason behind his wife’s murder which he was wrongly accused of are all laid out, the ending makes the reader sit back and wonder if what they read really happened or was it a hallucinogenic reaction to the medication that was administered to Mike and the entire course of events only occurred in his drug addled mind.
I have to say that Mr. James has written one of the better novels in this genre to come my way in a long time. He successfully combined a murder mystery, political intrigue, industrial espionage and cover-up into a zombie/apocalyptic/horror genre novel and made it work.
I’m very much looking forward to the next book in this series.
January 25, 2015
This was a really good zombie story that has it's own little twist. The main characters are somewhat light in the beginning but get fleshed out nicely by the end, though there is still room for more development. The story is fast paced and brings things to a critical point pretty quickly. There is a bit of a mystery as to how things got started as well as the mystery surrounding the death of the main characters wife, though that seems to have been figured out. The language is straight and conveys the thoughts and actions of the characters perfectly.
The narrator is an ex-action hero and movie star, Michael McKnight, who was convicted of killing his wife and committed to a mental hospital as criminally insane. He does not remember killing her or anything else about that time, and they keep him so doped up he can barely function. When he wakes up and finds all the staff and a number of the patients gone he has no idea what happened until an orderly wanders in and eats the only other patient he has seen.
Michael meets Kate, a psychiatrist and some of her patients as he tries to escape the hospital. They get out together only to be confronted with the reality that the dead are walking and trying to kill them. Michael is having flashbacks and is sure that they are a way to redeem himself by saving the world, or maybe he really is crazy and its all a delusion.
The zombies are gross, the infection is fast, and the world is being devastated quickly. The only thing that really annoyed me about this was that it seemed to end so abruptly. I know there is another book but it could have given a better lead in for it. Still good though!
The narrator is an ex-action hero and movie star, Michael McKnight, who was convicted of killing his wife and committed to a mental hospital as criminally insane. He does not remember killing her or anything else about that time, and they keep him so doped up he can barely function. When he wakes up and finds all the staff and a number of the patients gone he has no idea what happened until an orderly wanders in and eats the only other patient he has seen.
Michael meets Kate, a psychiatrist and some of her patients as he tries to escape the hospital. They get out together only to be confronted with the reality that the dead are walking and trying to kill them. Michael is having flashbacks and is sure that they are a way to redeem himself by saving the world, or maybe he really is crazy and its all a delusion.
The zombies are gross, the infection is fast, and the world is being devastated quickly. The only thing that really annoyed me about this was that it seemed to end so abruptly. I know there is another book but it could have given a better lead in for it. Still good though!
January 26, 2015
I found this book after I downloaded about seven free zombie books. None of the previous seven kept my attention for longer than the first page, and I was hesitant about reading this one, but after reading the sample, I decided to buy it.
Movie star Mike McKnight, incarcerated in a mental institute, wakes up from a psychotic drug-induced sleep into a world that's gone to hell. Zombies litter the landscape of his hospital, and after a brief fight with the undead, he meets up with some survivors and head off to find a cure.
I gave this book two stars because, as strong as the writing was (which is why I purchased it), there were still too many things that I couldn't get into. I understand it's a fantasy story, and for this type (zombie) there has to be a certain element of believing in the impossible, but for me, there has to be an thread of logic to keep me in that frame of mine. I can believe almost anything in a story as long as it seems logical, and most of this didn't. The characters found exactly what they needed, when they needed it, and the sarcastic tone throughout the book (and from just about every character) started to weigh the story down.
Movie star Mike McKnight, incarcerated in a mental institute, wakes up from a psychotic drug-induced sleep into a world that's gone to hell. Zombies litter the landscape of his hospital, and after a brief fight with the undead, he meets up with some survivors and head off to find a cure.
I gave this book two stars because, as strong as the writing was (which is why I purchased it), there were still too many things that I couldn't get into. I understand it's a fantasy story, and for this type (zombie) there has to be a certain element of believing in the impossible, but for me, there has to be an thread of logic to keep me in that frame of mine. I can believe almost anything in a story as long as it seems logical, and most of this didn't. The characters found exactly what they needed, when they needed it, and the sarcastic tone throughout the book (and from just about every character) started to weigh the story down.
May 11, 2019
I really considered giving this book only one star. There were so many things about it I just didn't like. The biggest were the spelling and grammar mistakes. One mistake I can forgive but when there's a mistake what seems like every few pages it's too much. There was also a lack of continuity. The character would be sitting one moment and the next he's somehow somewhere else without having moved, or in one paragraph he sits down and the following paragraph he takes a seat. I found the main character himself boring. The idea of him being famous was pushed too hard and brought up too often making it feel forced. I also disliked the constant inner-monologue of the main character that slowed the story down quite a bit. The action was also overdone. It was never one or two zombies posing a threat but always dozens and at one point over a hundred. The beginning was fun and interesting with the main character discovering the outbreak and I enjoyed his flashes trying to remember his wife, but otherwise everything felt very contrived and the plot twists very convenient.
May 21, 2023
That should really be 4.5 starts.... just sayin
Pretty good read, definitely a page turner. There were also some twists I didn't see coming. It was super gory, but it is a zombie novel.
The ending killed me. I was reading late at night and this ends on such a cliffhanger that I wanted to immediately start the second book, but had to go to sleep. So you know it's good when I'm mad that it ended so abruptly because I can't start the next book. LOL
I would have given it 5 stars, but there were a couple editing issues. But nothing that really takes away from the story. Just annoyances/ pet peeves for me.
Pretty good read, definitely a page turner. There were also some twists I didn't see coming. It was super gory, but it is a zombie novel.
The ending killed me. I was reading late at night and this ends on such a cliffhanger that I wanted to immediately start the second book, but had to go to sleep. So you know it's good when I'm mad that it ended so abruptly because I can't start the next book. LOL
I would have given it 5 stars, but there were a couple editing issues. But nothing that really takes away from the story. Just annoyances/ pet peeves for me.
May 18, 2014
3.5 stars
The story was interesting enough for me to finish reading despite some errors. For example, waive means "to exempt", while wave is a gesture. Two different words; two different meanings. Errors like that interrupted the flow of the story. However, I liked the storyline enough to keep going. I'm not entirely sure that I'll continue with the series, but it's not completely out of the question.
The story was interesting enough for me to finish reading despite some errors. For example, waive means "to exempt", while wave is a gesture. Two different words; two different meanings. Errors like that interrupted the flow of the story. However, I liked the storyline enough to keep going. I'm not entirely sure that I'll continue with the series, but it's not completely out of the question.
July 26, 2018
weird, interesting, scary, suspenseful, crazy... I loved it.
February 16, 2012
Good read :) I like it a lot, and I'm really glad there's going to be another sequel.
October 25, 2025
I almost decided not to keep reading after I read the prologue (sigh). I guess the author thought it was cute to misrepresent, twist and fictionalize the Christian Bible (or at least John 11:41-44) and Jesus Christ. Just to set things a little straight, if your reading the prologue, perhaps read on a little further in in the Bible.
Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. (John 12:1-2)
When the great crowd of the Jews learned that he was there, they came not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death as well, since it was on account of him that many of the Jews were deserting and were believing in Jesus. (John 12:9-11)
Now I've got that off my chest, after getting past the prologue I found the book entertaining and I immediately started book two after I finished. There is certainly a good dose of originality (which I like in zombie book - otherwise why bother). I won't spoil it, but the circumstances of the main character right at the start of the book and then how that launch pad gradually unfolds was very satisfying and was a deft mechanism for moving the story forward.
There was plenty of action, a hefty dose of mystery with twists and turns, a sprinkling of wit and humor and enjoyable characters.
I even liked how the scientist, who our characters are hopefully searching for, turns out to be of the mad variety. For the record, I had no issue with that - a lot of nut bags have done things thinking they were on a mission from God.
This one is definitely worth chewing on (if you're into z-lit) - I'd only recommend skipping the prologue and starting straight at Chapter 1 (I wish I had).
Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. (John 12:1-2)
When the great crowd of the Jews learned that he was there, they came not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death as well, since it was on account of him that many of the Jews were deserting and were believing in Jesus. (John 12:9-11)
Now I've got that off my chest, after getting past the prologue I found the book entertaining and I immediately started book two after I finished. There is certainly a good dose of originality (which I like in zombie book - otherwise why bother). I won't spoil it, but the circumstances of the main character right at the start of the book and then how that launch pad gradually unfolds was very satisfying and was a deft mechanism for moving the story forward.
There was plenty of action, a hefty dose of mystery with twists and turns, a sprinkling of wit and humor and enjoyable characters.
I even liked how the scientist, who our characters are hopefully searching for, turns out to be of the mad variety. For the record, I had no issue with that - a lot of nut bags have done things thinking they were on a mission from God.
This one is definitely worth chewing on (if you're into z-lit) - I'd only recommend skipping the prologue and starting straight at Chapter 1 (I wish I had).
June 12, 2017
Overall, definitely not the worst zombie apocalypse book I've ever read. The main character being someone well-known and well-off rather than the usual Joe Schmoe that normally accompanies this kind of book was a departure from the normal premise. However: Michael McKnight is annoying as hell (he's one of those guys who doesn't know when to take it down a notch with the sarcasm - and this is coming from someone who speaks said language fluently). I found him irritating quite often, but not quite to the point of wanting him to get eaten alive. I also wasn't a fan of the senseless inner voice. Is he schizophrenic? DID?
My LEAST favorite part of this book was how it ended. Abruptly. In some random room. I guess the current story arc was fulfilled enough to end the episode, but that was no season finale, and there are too many questions still left unanswered.
Nevermind. The second book is on Amazon for free. Well, okay, no. My irritation at how the first book "ends" still stands, but it's definitely offset by the fact that I'm going to go download and read the second book right now and pretend that it isn't broken up into two different sections. ;D
ETA: I must have gotten a further edited copy of the book from many of the previous reviews, because I didn't see a lot of typos. Maybe two in the entire book, and that's not bad considering that just yesterday I read a book printed on actual paper and bound at a printing press with more typos than that.
Nevermind. The second book is on Amazon for free. Well, okay, no. My irritation at how the first book "ends" still stands, but it's definitely offset by the fact that I'm going to go download and read the second book right now and pretend that it isn't broken up into two different sections. ;D
ETA: I must have gotten a further edited copy of the book from many of the previous reviews, because I didn't see a lot of typos. Maybe two in the entire book, and that's not bad considering that just yesterday I read a book printed on actual paper and bound at a printing press with more typos than that.
December 5, 2016
I struggled between rating this book a 3 and rating it a 4. If given the choice, I'd rate this book a 3.5. I enjoyed the storyline and the action, and the humor was well placed. Each character is unique, and adds something truly special and necessary to the story. Mike McKnight's backstory was an interesting one, and I liked how it unfolded over time. This book gave me a different take on the zombies themselves, as they seemed to be able to seek out their prey a little more than the zombies I'm used to reading about or seeing on TV. The cause of this Zombie "Apocalypse" is also something I can see as being somewhat possible in the real world, which added to my enjoyment of the story. I wasn't thrilled with the ending, or with the role that our hero's wife played in all of this, which is why I couldn't bring myself to give a higher rating. However, as I've already started reading the second book in this series, the aspects of the first book that left me disappointed were somewhat made right in the beginning of the second book. If you enjoy this genre, I highly recommend this book. As a forewarning, there are spelling and grammatical errors that seem to bother some readers quite a bit. But, the story is truly entertaining.
October 23, 2018
This book is talking about 'what will gonna happen, if the human still don't cares they lovely earth. Just keep pollute the environment and making some infect weapons.
On this book it basically tell you the trueth of humans making to much infection stuff in world.
The virus breach have been found out was like at the past, when it start to spread there still didn't has anybody realize on it. First infected was on the area A. Then keep starting spread to some other place which also is on the story protagonist livening area as well. Them saw the first infected person was right standend by them, them has no idea what to do, just thinking that person maybe is a psycon. But they knows psycons won't attack people to use them teeth, after then them just get the information for the new. Some unknowns virus are spend real quickly now, so they must staying at home or good luck for you to be survived on some way else.
I love this book 's speaking tongue, it just like when's the time should be laugh then it has some cool comment to made your laugh, or when is like the time you needed be scare about. Then it has some horror sentcent to build that scarey feeling up.
On this book it basically tell you the trueth of humans making to much infection stuff in world.
The virus breach have been found out was like at the past, when it start to spread there still didn't has anybody realize on it. First infected was on the area A. Then keep starting spread to some other place which also is on the story protagonist livening area as well. Them saw the first infected person was right standend by them, them has no idea what to do, just thinking that person maybe is a psycon. But they knows psycons won't attack people to use them teeth, after then them just get the information for the new. Some unknowns virus are spend real quickly now, so they must staying at home or good luck for you to be survived on some way else.
I love this book 's speaking tongue, it just like when's the time should be laugh then it has some cool comment to made your laugh, or when is like the time you needed be scare about. Then it has some horror sentcent to build that scarey feeling up.
March 1, 2019
Thank you, Mr. James!
With the ease of publishing a "novel" seemingly at anyone's fingertips nowadays, I had recently become disillusioned with reading. I seriously went through seven so-called "novels", with four star or higher reviews, before I decided to take a chance on this quite ugly-looking (from the outset) zombie apocalypse novel. That's the thing about publishing today. It's simple to find a talented artist who will make your ho-hum writing at least LOOK amazing. The saying is true, however; NEVER JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER! LZR-1143 isn't particularly a NEW version of a zombie apocalypse plot. What makes this book amazing, to me, is the absolute REALITY involved with it. The snarky wit and unintended hilarious situations really made the story for me though. Admittedly, I was a grammar Nazi about typos such as "waive" when the meaning was clearly "wave". In case the author actually reads this, I made certain to highlight any passages I felt were grammatically suspect in yellow 😂 If he's ever in the market for an excellent proofreader, I cannot claim a piece of paper that I paid thousands for; however, I am free of charge! 😁
With the ease of publishing a "novel" seemingly at anyone's fingertips nowadays, I had recently become disillusioned with reading. I seriously went through seven so-called "novels", with four star or higher reviews, before I decided to take a chance on this quite ugly-looking (from the outset) zombie apocalypse novel. That's the thing about publishing today. It's simple to find a talented artist who will make your ho-hum writing at least LOOK amazing. The saying is true, however; NEVER JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER! LZR-1143 isn't particularly a NEW version of a zombie apocalypse plot. What makes this book amazing, to me, is the absolute REALITY involved with it. The snarky wit and unintended hilarious situations really made the story for me though. Admittedly, I was a grammar Nazi about typos such as "waive" when the meaning was clearly "wave". In case the author actually reads this, I made certain to highlight any passages I felt were grammatically suspect in yellow 😂 If he's ever in the market for an excellent proofreader, I cannot claim a piece of paper that I paid thousands for; however, I am free of charge! 😁
May 6, 2025
It's a surprisingly good read for a self-published book. Like most self-published books it's in desperate need of an editor, so many spelling and grammar mistakes, lots of little plot quirks and sections that either move too quickly or too slowly...but the issues are relatively minor.
The prose is functional, the characters are fun, there's a solid mix of action, humor and horror...I've read worse books who have had the benefit of professional editing. If this had been a Random House book, I would have given it a one star review for the spelling and grammatical mistakes...or a 3 star for just a competent if unspectacular story...but as a self-published book...it deserves a lot more leeway and gets 4 stars for rising above the usual painful writing or wildly uneven plot.
A truly impressive first novel
The prose is functional, the characters are fun, there's a solid mix of action, humor and horror...I've read worse books who have had the benefit of professional editing. If this had been a Random House book, I would have given it a one star review for the spelling and grammatical mistakes...or a 3 star for just a competent if unspectacular story...but as a self-published book...it deserves a lot more leeway and gets 4 stars for rising above the usual painful writing or wildly uneven plot.
A truly impressive first novel
November 17, 2016
A rollicking good read with the usual zombie descriptions but a 'hero' I could really like. What made this book special though, was the note from the Author at the end! It's clear that this is a book written, not for money, but for fun. And it shows. ( I expect the author hoped to make money from this, but the 'fun' factor is obvious!)
Zombie novels tend to be much of a muchness, but this had a cracking good start and I read through to the end without noticing much - if anything- in the way of SPaG errors, probably because I was enjoying it too much!
I would have appreciated proper formatting for chapters and in some places it was unclear who was speaking, but a good editor - or beta reader would solve that.
Four stars. I really liked it. ;)
Zombie novels tend to be much of a muchness, but this had a cracking good start and I read through to the end without noticing much - if anything- in the way of SPaG errors, probably because I was enjoying it too much!
I would have appreciated proper formatting for chapters and in some places it was unclear who was speaking, but a good editor - or beta reader would solve that.
Four stars. I really liked it. ;)
April 6, 2021
Enjoyable zombie slasher book.
A mineral is discovered from a cave thought to have biblical tie-ins to Lazarus (LZR - get it ??)
In small quantities it has healing abilities, but prolonged exposure leads to re-animation after death.
We start with a sectioned prisoner in a facility after he is convicted of murdering his wife.
We follow a first person comedy laden prespective as he tried to piece together his life before imprisonment as he can't remember a thing.
We slowly discover that as with most of these tales, that there is a mad scientist and a lab behind the infection.
We follow a rag-tag team of people as they try to find safe-haven and escape the virus before discovering that it has affected the world.
But as always there is hope in the form or a vaccine/cure.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 11, 2023
I have read a lot of zombie novels, and like most people with lower reviews, I found this one predictable. I found the beginning interested, while they were in the mental hospital, but then it became a little tedious. Also, how would Fred survive is not for a false identity (yeah, something of a spoiler). I wanted more from this book, and the turn of the wife just didn't sit well with me in regards to the story. The cliffhanger of an ending was okay, but it reminded me of the beginning of the movie 28 Days Later. Also, if you are going to use quotes the punctuation goes INSIDE of the quotes. This grammatical error drove me insane and I almost stopped reading the book because of it.
January 25, 2017
rare for a zombie apocalypse novel.
I found this book very readable and for the subject matter it was very light reading. The plot was fairly simple but not quite as simple as it seemed. The action was as constant as a low budget action movie...but in a fun way. The main characters are likable and pretty believable. No jerking me out of the story with stilted writing. It covered the zombie genre well. For all the horrors of the living dead, the real monsters are the living.
I found this book very readable and for the subject matter it was very light reading. The plot was fairly simple but not quite as simple as it seemed. The action was as constant as a low budget action movie...but in a fun way. The main characters are likable and pretty believable. No jerking me out of the story with stilted writing. It covered the zombie genre well. For all the horrors of the living dead, the real monsters are the living.
February 5, 2018
I liked it. However, if you are a christian, this book's explanation of how the zombies rose from the dead is a little sacrilegious towards Jesus' direction, claiming he rose Lazarus from the dead as a zombie, and Lazarus was sealed back inside, linking the outbreak of zombies to the recent excavation of Lazarus' tomb. Not a spoiler, just a warning. Other than that it was a good book. The ending confused me a little, but I think that was to make sure the reader would read the next book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 164 reviews