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Down the Road #1
Down the Road
A bizarre plague of the walking dead.
A nation desperate for survival.
It could be the end of the world. Around the globe, the dead are rising to devour the living. Hospitals are overrun, and martial law has been declared. The streets are in chaos. Society is disintegrating. George Zaragosa is a young school teacher living in the shadow of his fiancée’s unsolved murder. Now he just wants to go home to his family. He has made the journey before, traveling from Austin to San Uvalde. It is usually a short drive. But he knows this time is going to be different. Along the way, George must negotiate military roadblocks, FEMA camps, and street thugs, not to mention hordes of the living dead. He is determined to make it home, but only one thing is his trip down the road will be a journey like no other. New Features in the Special Edition :
- New introduction by Travis Adkins, author of Twilight of the Dead .
- New "Director's Commentary" afterword by Bowie Ibarra.
- Newly formatted and corrected manuscript.
- Sneak preview of the sequel, Down the On the Last Day .
- Amazing new cover art.
A nation desperate for survival.
It could be the end of the world. Around the globe, the dead are rising to devour the living. Hospitals are overrun, and martial law has been declared. The streets are in chaos. Society is disintegrating. George Zaragosa is a young school teacher living in the shadow of his fiancée’s unsolved murder. Now he just wants to go home to his family. He has made the journey before, traveling from Austin to San Uvalde. It is usually a short drive. But he knows this time is going to be different. Along the way, George must negotiate military roadblocks, FEMA camps, and street thugs, not to mention hordes of the living dead. He is determined to make it home, but only one thing is his trip down the road will be a journey like no other. New Features in the Special Edition :
- New introduction by Travis Adkins, author of Twilight of the Dead .
- New "Director's Commentary" afterword by Bowie Ibarra.
- Newly formatted and corrected manuscript.
- Sneak preview of the sequel, Down the On the Last Day .
- Amazing new cover art.
184 pages, Paperback
First published February 28, 2005
4 people are currently reading
827 people want to read
About the author
Bowie V. Ibarra
21 books38 followersBowie Valeriano Ibarra was born and raised in Uvalde, Texas on April 15, 1975. In his youth, he enjoyed acting, writing, and drawing. His most notable acting roles in High School include Huckleberry Finn, The Mad Hatter, Charlie Brown, and the Artful Dodger. Bowie also played wingback for the Uvalde Coyotes football team.
Bowie graduated from Uvalde High School and earned an acting scholarship to Bee County College (now Coastal Bend College), where he earned an Associates in Art. His most notable roles at BCC include Luther Billis in “South Pacific”, Troll in “Cinderella Waltz”, the Tramp from “In the Shadow of the Glen”, and Howard Bevins in “Picnic”.
Bowie earned a spot in the Southwest Texas State (now Texas State University) Bachelor of Fine Arts acting program, and earned a BFA in Acting with teacher certification for secondary schools. Notable roles include Dr. Miranda in “Death and the Maiden”, Max in “The Homecoming”, and “The Philadelphia”.
Bowie blew out his knee a week before graduation and had reconstructive surgery on his ACL. After recovering, he earned a position as a teacher at Barton Junior High in the Hays CISD in Kyle.
Bowie went on to earn a Master’s in Art degree in Theatre History. Notable roles during this time period were Gentleman in “Thirst” and the kid in “When the Southern Belle Tolls”. His thesis was entitled “The influence of Mexican Morality Plays on American Sports Entertainment.”
Bowie currently teaches at Lehman High School in Kyle, Texas. He is represented by Acclaim talent and has worked professionally in film and television industrial work. Bowie has one daughter, Gwendolyn Maya.
Bowie graduated from Uvalde High School and earned an acting scholarship to Bee County College (now Coastal Bend College), where he earned an Associates in Art. His most notable roles at BCC include Luther Billis in “South Pacific”, Troll in “Cinderella Waltz”, the Tramp from “In the Shadow of the Glen”, and Howard Bevins in “Picnic”.
Bowie earned a spot in the Southwest Texas State (now Texas State University) Bachelor of Fine Arts acting program, and earned a BFA in Acting with teacher certification for secondary schools. Notable roles include Dr. Miranda in “Death and the Maiden”, Max in “The Homecoming”, and “The Philadelphia”.
Bowie blew out his knee a week before graduation and had reconstructive surgery on his ACL. After recovering, he earned a position as a teacher at Barton Junior High in the Hays CISD in Kyle.
Bowie went on to earn a Master’s in Art degree in Theatre History. Notable roles during this time period were Gentleman in “Thirst” and the kid in “When the Southern Belle Tolls”. His thesis was entitled “The influence of Mexican Morality Plays on American Sports Entertainment.”
Bowie currently teaches at Lehman High School in Kyle, Texas. He is represented by Acclaim talent and has worked professionally in film and television industrial work. Bowie has one daughter, Gwendolyn Maya.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
February 5, 2026
This book started and ended strong. There were so many aspects of it that could have been great in a bleak and gritty sort of way but the writing style really got in the way and it's perhaps the most frustrating aspect of the book. The writing felt very flat and it was hard to connect with George even though he should have been a really interesting character (he has depth, he's not your usual over powered bad-ass…).
January 3, 2013
How awful can a story be and still get published? I think Down The Road provides insight into the publishing world on this topic. I wish I could have rated this -1 stars, that's right, a negative entry because I wasted precious hours of my life that I will never get back reading this drivel.
Here's a partial short list of the bad points:
-Author has remarkable problems with grammar, syntax, spelling, etc. I wonder who his editor at the publishing house was. That the author is a high school teacher is telling on our education system.
-Primitive narrative. Example: the use of the word "blood" six times in one paragraph to describe someone's gory ending. Ok, I get it, the zombies eat you and death is painful. Move on. You really should do a little more in the writing end to create mood than splash gallons of bodily fluids around the page.
-A psychopathic protagonist. That would be interesting, wouldn't it... A serial killer in a zombie world? Well, that's not what I meant. I meant that, despite the author's intent to create a sympathetic protagonist, he's created a psycho. Sex in the middle of a carnaged room? Really? How about let's show FEMA not as merely incompetent, but as bloodthirsty killers with special force troops who's sole mission is to kill survivors? (???? How did that happen?) Let's shoot some cops while we're at it. And without much provocation, the protagonist quickly sheds the veneer of civilization. I would be astounded (and disturbed) to learn that any reader could relate to the protagonist.
... It goes on, but what's the point?
As with the FEMA example, the author takes for granted that the reader will instantly understand that the federal governments' mandate in a time of crisis is to, naturally, kill its citizens. There is no explanation as to how this incredible collapse in trust and responsibility came about. It happens and no one in the story is particularly surprised, Sadly, I think this says more more about the author's world-view than the protagonist's.
Under no circumstances would I ever read anything this author ever writes again. To say that this is a "good" zombie novel is to imply that what makes a zombie novel decent is to have zombies in it, and that's all. I'd like to think that there's more to the genre than that.
Here's a partial short list of the bad points:
-Author has remarkable problems with grammar, syntax, spelling, etc. I wonder who his editor at the publishing house was. That the author is a high school teacher is telling on our education system.
-Primitive narrative. Example: the use of the word "blood" six times in one paragraph to describe someone's gory ending. Ok, I get it, the zombies eat you and death is painful. Move on. You really should do a little more in the writing end to create mood than splash gallons of bodily fluids around the page.
-A psychopathic protagonist. That would be interesting, wouldn't it... A serial killer in a zombie world? Well, that's not what I meant. I meant that, despite the author's intent to create a sympathetic protagonist, he's created a psycho. Sex in the middle of a carnaged room? Really? How about let's show FEMA not as merely incompetent, but as bloodthirsty killers with special force troops who's sole mission is to kill survivors? (???? How did that happen?) Let's shoot some cops while we're at it. And without much provocation, the protagonist quickly sheds the veneer of civilization. I would be astounded (and disturbed) to learn that any reader could relate to the protagonist.
... It goes on, but what's the point?
As with the FEMA example, the author takes for granted that the reader will instantly understand that the federal governments' mandate in a time of crisis is to, naturally, kill its citizens. There is no explanation as to how this incredible collapse in trust and responsibility came about. It happens and no one in the story is particularly surprised, Sadly, I think this says more more about the author's world-view than the protagonist's.
Under no circumstances would I ever read anything this author ever writes again. To say that this is a "good" zombie novel is to imply that what makes a zombie novel decent is to have zombies in it, and that's all. I'd like to think that there's more to the genre than that.
September 29, 2011
This book was like an Oreo cookie if the cream was something sucky. It started out well, and the ending was fun, but it was was stuffed with suck in the middle. Oh well, onto the next one.
October 1, 2015
"Down the Road" is a fun zombie story, with enough gore and violence to satisfy most readers for this type of read.
George is a high school teacher in San Antonio, Texas when the outbreak begins, and decides to journey to his small Texas hometown to find his family and shore up against the undead masses. For a public school teacher, George is the mac daddy of the apocalypse. On his initial excursion from the city, he deliberately runs over two police officers in his slick black Chevy Cavalier. He's good with guns, the ladies love him, and he's an all around rebel with a cause. George is, in short, a male fantasy action hero. But he's fun, and I liked him.
Kudos to the author for the ending of the story. It takes balls to do something like that. Thank you for realism there, at least.
George is a high school teacher in San Antonio, Texas when the outbreak begins, and decides to journey to his small Texas hometown to find his family and shore up against the undead masses. For a public school teacher, George is the mac daddy of the apocalypse. On his initial excursion from the city, he deliberately runs over two police officers in his slick black Chevy Cavalier. He's good with guns, the ladies love him, and he's an all around rebel with a cause. George is, in short, a male fantasy action hero. But he's fun, and I liked him.
Kudos to the author for the ending of the story. It takes balls to do something like that. Thank you for realism there, at least.
March 7, 2008
I had high expectations for this book going into it because I had heard decent things from a number of people about it. I hate to say it, but I think most of them were wrong.
This book reminds me of a cheese-ball action flick from the eighties for numerous reasons. The hero (untrained in the use of the specific firearm he picks up) manages numerous head shots on trained soldiers firing back at him from some cover while he stands in an open field and they miss every round. A little reality here, please. Some of the action just really felt like a bad Dolph Lundgren film to me.
Another problem I had is that much of the action was worded in a way that left me hard to visualize it. One part had a guy tackling a zombie to the ground and stomping its head at the same time. This left me picturing some ridiculous World Wrestling Federation slam leaving the attacker in a crab walk position over his victim. Did anyone go back and check some of these sections to see if they made any sense to them?
The next issue (I'm far from finished yet) I came across was the story of the character's fiance. His learning the truth behind her death was laid out in a really silly and far-fetched manner. It was very laughable and Saturday morning cartoon like to me. On the other hand, it was annoying.
The next irritating part was the sex. The sex in this novel made me wonder if the author has ever actually had any or simply learned everything he knows about it from adult films, books, and magazines. Let's picture this scenario: A man and woman kill some zombies and have to vomit from the stench of the corpses. They suddenly, in the same stench-filled room, decide to have spontaneous sexual intercourse. Kick in some disco music, please. The protagonist of the book is a mythical stud, bedding one woman several times in the course of one day and attracting another hottie before the book ends. All sex scenes involve the hero going through a variety of positions and the women putting on high heels for their part. Again, more disco music. I always picture women slapping on high heels and getting sexied up in the midst of a world wide zombie out break. Ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous.
There were too many things going on at times for me. I'm not sure if the author wanted the reader to feel like they were in the chaos themselves, but that's what it achieved for me.
Lastly, I found his portrayal of the military borderline offensive. The thought of the majority of our soldiers raping teenage girls and women and becoming completely barbaric and brutal a few days into an outbreak was complete crap. I spent nine years in the military and part of that was in a hostile environment. I didn't notice any soldiers running off to rape, plunder, and pillage. Perhaps Hagar the Horrible and the United States armed forces are the same thing to this author.
Now that I've bashed the hell out of the book, I'll put out some good points.
1. It seems the author had some creative and good ideas on where he wanted the story to go.
2. The ending wasn't bad either. I rather enjoyed the ending.
Over all, I felt this would have been better as a much shorter story. I feel this author has potential, but lacked maturity in this book. I will read the sequel since it was given to me as a gift, but I probably would not have purchased it otherwise.
This book reminds me of a cheese-ball action flick from the eighties for numerous reasons. The hero (untrained in the use of the specific firearm he picks up) manages numerous head shots on trained soldiers firing back at him from some cover while he stands in an open field and they miss every round. A little reality here, please. Some of the action just really felt like a bad Dolph Lundgren film to me.
Another problem I had is that much of the action was worded in a way that left me hard to visualize it. One part had a guy tackling a zombie to the ground and stomping its head at the same time. This left me picturing some ridiculous World Wrestling Federation slam leaving the attacker in a crab walk position over his victim. Did anyone go back and check some of these sections to see if they made any sense to them?
The next issue (I'm far from finished yet) I came across was the story of the character's fiance. His learning the truth behind her death was laid out in a really silly and far-fetched manner. It was very laughable and Saturday morning cartoon like to me. On the other hand, it was annoying.
The next irritating part was the sex. The sex in this novel made me wonder if the author has ever actually had any or simply learned everything he knows about it from adult films, books, and magazines. Let's picture this scenario: A man and woman kill some zombies and have to vomit from the stench of the corpses. They suddenly, in the same stench-filled room, decide to have spontaneous sexual intercourse. Kick in some disco music, please. The protagonist of the book is a mythical stud, bedding one woman several times in the course of one day and attracting another hottie before the book ends. All sex scenes involve the hero going through a variety of positions and the women putting on high heels for their part. Again, more disco music. I always picture women slapping on high heels and getting sexied up in the midst of a world wide zombie out break. Ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous.
There were too many things going on at times for me. I'm not sure if the author wanted the reader to feel like they were in the chaos themselves, but that's what it achieved for me.
Lastly, I found his portrayal of the military borderline offensive. The thought of the majority of our soldiers raping teenage girls and women and becoming completely barbaric and brutal a few days into an outbreak was complete crap. I spent nine years in the military and part of that was in a hostile environment. I didn't notice any soldiers running off to rape, plunder, and pillage. Perhaps Hagar the Horrible and the United States armed forces are the same thing to this author.
Now that I've bashed the hell out of the book, I'll put out some good points.
1. It seems the author had some creative and good ideas on where he wanted the story to go.
2. The ending wasn't bad either. I rather enjoyed the ending.
Over all, I felt this would have been better as a much shorter story. I feel this author has potential, but lacked maturity in this book. I will read the sequel since it was given to me as a gift, but I probably would not have purchased it otherwise.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 25, 2017
A lot of reviews slam this book because the author has written a somewhat anti government book and paints FEMA as something akin to the devil. I can't comment much on the government agencies in a country I don't live in but this distrust is a widely held view and so when I see it in books about the apocalypse, to be honest, it doesn't bother me greatly. It's the opinion of a character whose story we follow so I just got on with reading.
The apocalypse is in full swing and George is wishing he had left earlier as government controls on survivors are getting tight. FEMA has just announced that all survivors must report to mandatory FEMA camps. Those who hide at home or try to flee are to be arrested. George plans to get away from the city and find a safe place. I can't say much more about the overall plot as I did not finish the book for two reasons-the characters and the plot. When you don't like either, it is not going to be a happy book experience!
Lets start with George. George is determined to flee even if it means killing cops at roadblocks. He feels bad about running him down for about 5 seconds and then forgets about it. OK in an emergency survival situation perhaps you would do things you don't imagine doing so I guess I'll let that one slide. But George was just the world's biggest muppet when it came to planning! As others fled, he stayed in his home and had DAYS to plan what he was going to do. He waits until the FEMA camp orders, then decides to go as time is now critical. Yeah and finds roadblocks set up. Big surprise. He barely gets out his door before almost getting eaten in an attempt to be George the Zombie Slayer.
It gets worse. George suddenly decides he must detour to the school he teaches at because he has left the necklace of his dead girlfriend there and won't go without it. Are you serious??? Time is critical, FEMA camps are looking and you've just killed a cop so you decide to go and break into a dark school that could be heaving with the undead? WHY? If the necklace is so precious, why did you leave it there in the first place? He of course has no plan (surprise), forgot the keys to the school, )duh) manages to leave his gun in the car (double duh), almost gets eaten trying countless times to get on the roof to break in through the skylight, and when he finally gets up there, he realises he can't drop down into the classroom because his classroom door is locked and he'd be trapped. So he climbs back down. Jeez.
Now he has to go to the rescue of the dumbass female teacher who went into the school during the zombie apocalypse to grade papers for her class? Seriously WTF? She is too stupid to live. Of course she and George then decide to have sex in the room where filled with vomit and the decaying bloodied zombie corpses in it. Hygiene issues anyone? George being in a rush to escape from bad FEMA goes out the window with a night full of sex instead. Oh please! Despite the dark hallways, each encounter takes place somewhere different with no thought for other zombies in the building! This is all just stupid.
Add in the dumb and confusing story about the murder of George's girlfriend who may have been working in some badly explained way for a mafia or drug dealer and was killed being mistaken for a cop. These scenes were pointless, badly written, confusing as hell and had nothing to do with the zombie apocalypse as it all happened before. I just didn't get any of it and was bored by it.
A few chapters of this book were enough of a struggle for me. This book had come highly recommended to be and it was a huge letdown in writing, plot, characters and cohesion. I won't be looking at anything else by the author.
The apocalypse is in full swing and George is wishing he had left earlier as government controls on survivors are getting tight. FEMA has just announced that all survivors must report to mandatory FEMA camps. Those who hide at home or try to flee are to be arrested. George plans to get away from the city and find a safe place. I can't say much more about the overall plot as I did not finish the book for two reasons-the characters and the plot. When you don't like either, it is not going to be a happy book experience!
Lets start with George. George is determined to flee even if it means killing cops at roadblocks. He feels bad about running him down for about 5 seconds and then forgets about it. OK in an emergency survival situation perhaps you would do things you don't imagine doing so I guess I'll let that one slide. But George was just the world's biggest muppet when it came to planning! As others fled, he stayed in his home and had DAYS to plan what he was going to do. He waits until the FEMA camp orders, then decides to go as time is now critical. Yeah and finds roadblocks set up. Big surprise. He barely gets out his door before almost getting eaten in an attempt to be George the Zombie Slayer.
It gets worse. George suddenly decides he must detour to the school he teaches at because he has left the necklace of his dead girlfriend there and won't go without it. Are you serious??? Time is critical, FEMA camps are looking and you've just killed a cop so you decide to go and break into a dark school that could be heaving with the undead? WHY? If the necklace is so precious, why did you leave it there in the first place? He of course has no plan (surprise), forgot the keys to the school, )duh) manages to leave his gun in the car (double duh), almost gets eaten trying countless times to get on the roof to break in through the skylight, and when he finally gets up there, he realises he can't drop down into the classroom because his classroom door is locked and he'd be trapped. So he climbs back down. Jeez.
Now he has to go to the rescue of the dumbass female teacher who went into the school during the zombie apocalypse to grade papers for her class? Seriously WTF? She is too stupid to live. Of course she and George then decide to have sex in the room where filled with vomit and the decaying bloodied zombie corpses in it. Hygiene issues anyone? George being in a rush to escape from bad FEMA goes out the window with a night full of sex instead. Oh please! Despite the dark hallways, each encounter takes place somewhere different with no thought for other zombies in the building! This is all just stupid.
Add in the dumb and confusing story about the murder of George's girlfriend who may have been working in some badly explained way for a mafia or drug dealer and was killed being mistaken for a cop. These scenes were pointless, badly written, confusing as hell and had nothing to do with the zombie apocalypse as it all happened before. I just didn't get any of it and was bored by it.
A few chapters of this book were enough of a struggle for me. This book had come highly recommended to be and it was a huge letdown in writing, plot, characters and cohesion. I won't be looking at anything else by the author.
November 21, 2008
Down the Road: A Zombie Horror Story is Bowie Ibarra's first novel and is a respectable effort. The book follows George Zaragoza, a teacher, as he tries to make his way home through a zombie infested wasteland. Along the way he has to fight through zombies, FEMA road blocks, and other survivors. While the story keeps you interested and the book is well paced, it just lacks the moxie that some of the better zombie novels have.
I'll start with the good in the book, which makes up most of it. First, Down the Road explores the possible role of FEMA in apocalyptic situation. It seems that FEMA in Down Road was heavily influenced by the reaction to Katrina. It also feeds into the heavy conspiracy theories that several of the characters have. I also like that the Ibarra never really gets into trying explain what caused the outbreak as generally it just bogs down the story and in many cases strains your suspension of disbelief. Instead Ibarra uses the characters speculation on what may have happened.
Down the Road does several other things right. The action scenes are very well described and I, at times, could feel my heart rate rising. Now that is an indicator that the scenes are framed well. Another thing that I enjoyed was the description of how small towns and civilians reacted to the outbreak. I think that Ibarra portrays the small town "call the men to duty" defense down properly. There are also some very nice twists to the story that will throw you for loop, and maybe one of the best endings I have read in a zombie novel.
Now the things that I didn't like so much. The first thing that jumps to mind is that the zombies, while Romero style, had no personality. In most zombie novels the zombies have some defining moment. Like in Kim Paffenroth's Dying to Live there are several and in Z.A Recht's Plague of the Dead when there is an outbreak at sea. Down the Road just never has that one moment where the true terror of a zombie plague shows through.
I'm not against sex and romance in zombie horror, but the sex scenes in Down the Road did not seem to serve any other purpose in the story than just to have a sex scene. These scenes did not in anyway move the story forward or contribute anything meaningful to it either. The only thing it does show is how people hump like bunnies when faced with certain death. Nothing new there.
Ibarra's writing style, while not bad, was not inspiring either. At times the story just seemed to jump from one thing directly to the next leaving the reader questioning why. I point the finger at the first sex scene as an example. Overall, though, for a first novel the writing is pretty good.
So, where do I stand on Down the Road? Well, it's an entertaining read with an interesting main character and does introduce some new elements to the zombie genre but lacks the character of some of the better zombie books. However, if you are a zombie fan this a good read and should not disappoint too many.
I'll start with the good in the book, which makes up most of it. First, Down the Road explores the possible role of FEMA in apocalyptic situation. It seems that FEMA in Down Road was heavily influenced by the reaction to Katrina. It also feeds into the heavy conspiracy theories that several of the characters have. I also like that the Ibarra never really gets into trying explain what caused the outbreak as generally it just bogs down the story and in many cases strains your suspension of disbelief. Instead Ibarra uses the characters speculation on what may have happened.
Down the Road does several other things right. The action scenes are very well described and I, at times, could feel my heart rate rising. Now that is an indicator that the scenes are framed well. Another thing that I enjoyed was the description of how small towns and civilians reacted to the outbreak. I think that Ibarra portrays the small town "call the men to duty" defense down properly. There are also some very nice twists to the story that will throw you for loop, and maybe one of the best endings I have read in a zombie novel.
Now the things that I didn't like so much. The first thing that jumps to mind is that the zombies, while Romero style, had no personality. In most zombie novels the zombies have some defining moment. Like in Kim Paffenroth's Dying to Live there are several and in Z.A Recht's Plague of the Dead when there is an outbreak at sea. Down the Road just never has that one moment where the true terror of a zombie plague shows through.
I'm not against sex and romance in zombie horror, but the sex scenes in Down the Road did not seem to serve any other purpose in the story than just to have a sex scene. These scenes did not in anyway move the story forward or contribute anything meaningful to it either. The only thing it does show is how people hump like bunnies when faced with certain death. Nothing new there.
Ibarra's writing style, while not bad, was not inspiring either. At times the story just seemed to jump from one thing directly to the next leaving the reader questioning why. I point the finger at the first sex scene as an example. Overall, though, for a first novel the writing is pretty good.
So, where do I stand on Down the Road? Well, it's an entertaining read with an interesting main character and does introduce some new elements to the zombie genre but lacks the character of some of the better zombie books. However, if you are a zombie fan this a good read and should not disappoint too many.
November 5, 2010
Overall I enjoyed this story as a traditional zombie tale. True to Romero, these zombies don't do anything that will surprise the fan of the classic movies. Bowie obviously has as much love for the stories that GAR told and added to it with his own flavor and characterizations.
I don't read other's stories so that I get spoon fed exactly what I want to see. I like an author who speaks their mind even if I might disagree with their point of view. So I can pass over what felt like a very strong indictment of the government in this book. The presumption that not only would the government be unprepared for something like this (as was the case with FEMA and Hurricane Katrina) but that they would be vicious and evil in their handling of the populous is something I don't necessarily see eye to eye with. That said, putting that spin on this tale gave it some solid direction and motivation for the main character in what he does and is forced to do. I am not foolish enough to dispute that this could happen exactly as told so I can suspend any disbelief as I read through this tale.
The book reads like an action movie-there is plenty of sex and violence to keep the popcorn factor going and it was definitely a fast read. A big complaint I have is the limited development of the real motivation for George to take this trip in the first place. Certainly to be with his family, but little to nothing is devoted to them-a brief mention of his father but most of his memories are devoted to his fiancee instead of the people still alive that he is trying to reach. I would not have reduced the amount of time devoted to his memories of her, but added a few more pages of the driving factor in risking his life to head down the road. The author presumes that knowing George's family is there is motivation enough, but it would have been nice had there been more to go on. Two other criticism I have of this book is that it is just too coincidental that George meets up with a certain person in the book and gets sweet revenge (I won't be any more of a spoiler than that) and that George just seems a bit too much the stud as a "normal" school teacher-he seems a bit too much like an action hero-kickin' lots o' butt and gettin' da ladies. Again, I can suspend disbelief for a popcorn chomping good time at the movies and in a book like this.
If you are looking for a fast paced zombie tale, this is a pretty good bet.
I don't read other's stories so that I get spoon fed exactly what I want to see. I like an author who speaks their mind even if I might disagree with their point of view. So I can pass over what felt like a very strong indictment of the government in this book. The presumption that not only would the government be unprepared for something like this (as was the case with FEMA and Hurricane Katrina) but that they would be vicious and evil in their handling of the populous is something I don't necessarily see eye to eye with. That said, putting that spin on this tale gave it some solid direction and motivation for the main character in what he does and is forced to do. I am not foolish enough to dispute that this could happen exactly as told so I can suspend any disbelief as I read through this tale.
The book reads like an action movie-there is plenty of sex and violence to keep the popcorn factor going and it was definitely a fast read. A big complaint I have is the limited development of the real motivation for George to take this trip in the first place. Certainly to be with his family, but little to nothing is devoted to them-a brief mention of his father but most of his memories are devoted to his fiancee instead of the people still alive that he is trying to reach. I would not have reduced the amount of time devoted to his memories of her, but added a few more pages of the driving factor in risking his life to head down the road. The author presumes that knowing George's family is there is motivation enough, but it would have been nice had there been more to go on. Two other criticism I have of this book is that it is just too coincidental that George meets up with a certain person in the book and gets sweet revenge (I won't be any more of a spoiler than that) and that George just seems a bit too much the stud as a "normal" school teacher-he seems a bit too much like an action hero-kickin' lots o' butt and gettin' da ladies. Again, I can suspend disbelief for a popcorn chomping good time at the movies and in a book like this.
If you are looking for a fast paced zombie tale, this is a pretty good bet.
December 10, 2014
As a literary trope, the zombie has become one of the most prescient and fruitful symbols of contemporary and future human society and its many problems. It seems as if there is no limit to the possibilities that the zombie presents to enterprising writers. Nevertheless, some things will forever remain the same where writing is concerned. Despite how fantastic, weird, or stylized an idea, theme, or topic becomes at the hands of a writer, readers still expect, at the very least, that a story remain cogent, coherent, and believable within the confines of its fictionalized universe. Readers expect cause and effect, character motivation, and the central conflict to remain logically realized within the context of surrounding narrative elements.
While the zombie genre presents certain challenges when it comes to these writerly imperatives, it also affords a certain amount of freedom. Unfortunately, that freedom is easily abused by both writers and enterprising publishers expecting to make a quick buck. Slap the label "zombie horror story" on a cover, along with some catchy cover art, and you have something that will sell in the current market. Unfortunately, that means that readers loyal to the genre and eager to sample the goods from a variety of writers must at times suffer through some terrifically bad writing . . .
. . . I give you _Down the Road_ by Mr. Ibarra, perhaps the worst and most incompetently written piece of fiction I've ever had the displeasure of reading (and I am not a finicky reader). The actions of many of the characters are completely not in keeping with the basic expectations established by characterization, and Mr. Ibarra manages to leave out enough necessary plot details to display not only a very poor understanding of his audience's needs, but a complete misunderstanding of the writing process. The action scenes are hard to follow and unrealistic, and the novel reads more like a novice indulgence in gratuitous violence and sexual gratification than a serious tract on survival horror . . . good zombie stories have a purpose and lesson regarding what it means to be human when faced with inhuman challnges. Mr. Ibarra's vapid novel has nothing to teach us except that bad writers have a chance at getting published.
While the zombie genre presents certain challenges when it comes to these writerly imperatives, it also affords a certain amount of freedom. Unfortunately, that freedom is easily abused by both writers and enterprising publishers expecting to make a quick buck. Slap the label "zombie horror story" on a cover, along with some catchy cover art, and you have something that will sell in the current market. Unfortunately, that means that readers loyal to the genre and eager to sample the goods from a variety of writers must at times suffer through some terrifically bad writing . . .
. . . I give you _Down the Road_ by Mr. Ibarra, perhaps the worst and most incompetently written piece of fiction I've ever had the displeasure of reading (and I am not a finicky reader). The actions of many of the characters are completely not in keeping with the basic expectations established by characterization, and Mr. Ibarra manages to leave out enough necessary plot details to display not only a very poor understanding of his audience's needs, but a complete misunderstanding of the writing process. The action scenes are hard to follow and unrealistic, and the novel reads more like a novice indulgence in gratuitous violence and sexual gratification than a serious tract on survival horror . . . good zombie stories have a purpose and lesson regarding what it means to be human when faced with inhuman challnges. Mr. Ibarra's vapid novel has nothing to teach us except that bad writers have a chance at getting published.
September 18, 2011
Picking up this book, I was genuinely excited. I love zombie stories, and "Down the Road" by Bowie Ibarra seemed promising from what I've heard. The payoff was.... genuinely disappointing.
The story starts off immediately with the zombie virus already having spread to pandemic levels. George Zaragosa is in his apartment preparing to leave. Right off the bat, this strucks the wrong cord in me, as I think part of the fun parts of zombie stories is watching the gradual fall of humanity. Here, we're introduced right in the middle. Not only does it take away half the fun, it's just an akward way to tell a story.
Not that we don't learn what happened, oh no. This is where we get to my primary complaint, as this story is padded to the brim with exposition. Right from the start George is watching a news report explaining how the zombie outbreak spread. This should have been told as part of the story, but instead we get this shoehorned explanation.
If we're not reading through enough flashbacks to fill their own book, we get George's social commentary. His opinions are shoved in our face and predictable. Before the first page, we get this little dedication "first and foremost, to George Romero". I assume the social commentary was supposed to borrow from Romero, but where Romero had subtlety, Ibarra lacks.
Even the zombies get barely any moments through this padding. Instead, most of the time George spends in some makeshift community or another. All these scenarios are copy and pased from better stories. However, I must admit thatI appreciate the gore in this story as its all described in detail after viceral detail, which is how zombie stories are supposed to be.
The story never even really tries to scare you. It instead goes for simple shock value, which, in the world of horror, is just plain cheating. Even the tried and true zombie themes seemed forced. All in all, I'd say pass this one up, as there are plenty of better zombie books out there.
The story starts off immediately with the zombie virus already having spread to pandemic levels. George Zaragosa is in his apartment preparing to leave. Right off the bat, this strucks the wrong cord in me, as I think part of the fun parts of zombie stories is watching the gradual fall of humanity. Here, we're introduced right in the middle. Not only does it take away half the fun, it's just an akward way to tell a story.
Not that we don't learn what happened, oh no. This is where we get to my primary complaint, as this story is padded to the brim with exposition. Right from the start George is watching a news report explaining how the zombie outbreak spread. This should have been told as part of the story, but instead we get this shoehorned explanation.
If we're not reading through enough flashbacks to fill their own book, we get George's social commentary. His opinions are shoved in our face and predictable. Before the first page, we get this little dedication "first and foremost, to George Romero". I assume the social commentary was supposed to borrow from Romero, but where Romero had subtlety, Ibarra lacks.
Even the zombies get barely any moments through this padding. Instead, most of the time George spends in some makeshift community or another. All these scenarios are copy and pased from better stories. However, I must admit thatI appreciate the gore in this story as its all described in detail after viceral detail, which is how zombie stories are supposed to be.
The story never even really tries to scare you. It instead goes for simple shock value, which, in the world of horror, is just plain cheating. Even the tried and true zombie themes seemed forced. All in all, I'd say pass this one up, as there are plenty of better zombie books out there.
July 13, 2009
Alright .. so it wasn't terrible. But it wasn't great. I could tell far before i read the "authors commentary" that this book was very autobiographical, in a way. Being that the settings and the protagonists were based on, yes, his home area and HIS vocation. (the protagonist is a school teacher in texas, so is the author) WHile i understand this - hell, i do it - write-what-you-know thing ... you have to hide the fact that you are doing it from us within the text of your book. It was just really obvious that he wrote a story about kinda what he hoped he would do ... make us relate to it man! We're not living your life .. paint a picture with the words!
That brings me to the main problem i had with this book - the action scenes and prose in general came off like a coroners report: emotionless and boring. "the zombie ripped off his arm. Another zombie pulled out his guts. He screamed and John Doe came in and shot both zombies in the head" Just a series of short sentences simplistically describing what happens.
Now, i'm not saying the story couldn't be good - because it could be, for sure. It just READS like a first draft to me. As has been mentioned before, the school teacher has conveniently mastered martial arts somehow and he's not even a PE teacher) and can score multiple headshots against trained military with a weapon he has never used before ... so thats a bit of a stretch. And, as also mentioned .. the sex scenes are ridiculous. Just blandly describing a bunch of sexual positions that all make the protagonist feel like a porn star.
Anyway ... like i said .. this is first-draft material that could have potentially been really good. It's more believable than morningstar strain - if that counts for anything, though.
also ... he used the phrase "balls-out" to describe actions not ONCE .. but TWICE in this book. Come on. Seriously?
That brings me to the main problem i had with this book - the action scenes and prose in general came off like a coroners report: emotionless and boring. "the zombie ripped off his arm. Another zombie pulled out his guts. He screamed and John Doe came in and shot both zombies in the head" Just a series of short sentences simplistically describing what happens.
Now, i'm not saying the story couldn't be good - because it could be, for sure. It just READS like a first draft to me. As has been mentioned before, the school teacher has conveniently mastered martial arts somehow and he's not even a PE teacher) and can score multiple headshots against trained military with a weapon he has never used before ... so thats a bit of a stretch. And, as also mentioned .. the sex scenes are ridiculous. Just blandly describing a bunch of sexual positions that all make the protagonist feel like a porn star.
Anyway ... like i said .. this is first-draft material that could have potentially been really good. It's more believable than morningstar strain - if that counts for anything, though.
also ... he used the phrase "balls-out" to describe actions not ONCE .. but TWICE in this book. Come on. Seriously?
January 21, 2011
Pretty much this book starts out as most zombie stories. There is an unknown plague which animates the dead. A bite or scratch spreads the infection. In this story it is mostly told from George's POV. He sees what is coming and decides to try to reach his hometown where his mother and uncle still live. The government has taken over and put people in FEMA camps for "their own good". There is also a ban on living in private homes and owning weapons, even for safety. As things progress from bad to worse, many of the soldiers abandon posts and who is left are the corrupt and power hungry. FEMA camps become a war zone within itself where you not only have to worry about the guards, but the inmates as well.
As we follow George, we start to see the real monsters and they aren't the ones devouring the flesh of the living. As chaos reigns, gangs try to rule the weak. There are pockets of people sharing and holding out, but they too have to fight the rouge gangs and the government run FEMA soldiers as well. It is a story of true horror in a world we have already seen can happen. What is interesting is that we find that this book was written pre-Katrina and no one believed that anything FEMA run would be that incompetent. Now with this new edition, we find that what he had eerily predicted could come true if a zombie infestation would break out in the US. *shivers*
I give this book 3 stars. This is definitely an adult book. Not only is there violence but sex as well. If you like a good horror book and don't mind quite a bit of blood and guts then this book is for you! Just check your door before reading and make sure all windows are secure. Just in case. ;)
As we follow George, we start to see the real monsters and they aren't the ones devouring the flesh of the living. As chaos reigns, gangs try to rule the weak. There are pockets of people sharing and holding out, but they too have to fight the rouge gangs and the government run FEMA soldiers as well. It is a story of true horror in a world we have already seen can happen. What is interesting is that we find that this book was written pre-Katrina and no one believed that anything FEMA run would be that incompetent. Now with this new edition, we find that what he had eerily predicted could come true if a zombie infestation would break out in the US. *shivers*
I give this book 3 stars. This is definitely an adult book. Not only is there violence but sex as well. If you like a good horror book and don't mind quite a bit of blood and guts then this book is for you! Just check your door before reading and make sure all windows are secure. Just in case. ;)
February 28, 2009
Bowie's tale sets off in a world that is slowly falling apart. The reader is quickly thrown in to the action packed tale of George (undoubtedly named after George Romero after reading about Bowie's fixation with the director), who struggles to survive as he tries to reach his hometown San Uvalde.
The characterization is somewhat simplistic throughout the novel, but this doesn't seem to detract from the tale too much. Bowie's military group FEMA is a fabulous addition to the tale, screaming of a `Brave New World' paranoia. The FEMA camps in particular deliver a haunting image that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Only lasting for a mere 149 pages, this post-apocalyptic zombie story is fast paced throughout, but ends somewhat abruptly. Packed with gory zombie violence, oppressive government actions, die hard militias and a revenge laced sub plot - this novel packs it all in.
The special edition version includes a three page introduction by Travis Adkins (author of the zombie novel Twilight of the Dead) which sings a mass of praise for the author and his novel. There is also a seven page "director's commentary" from Bowie Ibarra, detailing his inspiration for the novel and its writing. Finally the book finishes with a nine page snippet from the sequel entitled "Down The Road: On The Last Day".
All in all, this is a great read and a must have for any fan of the zombie horror genre.
The characterization is somewhat simplistic throughout the novel, but this doesn't seem to detract from the tale too much. Bowie's military group FEMA is a fabulous addition to the tale, screaming of a `Brave New World' paranoia. The FEMA camps in particular deliver a haunting image that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Only lasting for a mere 149 pages, this post-apocalyptic zombie story is fast paced throughout, but ends somewhat abruptly. Packed with gory zombie violence, oppressive government actions, die hard militias and a revenge laced sub plot - this novel packs it all in.
The special edition version includes a three page introduction by Travis Adkins (author of the zombie novel Twilight of the Dead) which sings a mass of praise for the author and his novel. There is also a seven page "director's commentary" from Bowie Ibarra, detailing his inspiration for the novel and its writing. Finally the book finishes with a nine page snippet from the sequel entitled "Down The Road: On The Last Day".
All in all, this is a great read and a must have for any fan of the zombie horror genre.
December 13, 2021
Holy hell, this sucked SO bad. And I’m almost angry about it, because there’s an endorsement on the cover by an author I really like. This is the first time I’ve encountered first hand the stereotypical “men writing women badly”. The female characters are vacuous & awful, and the few sex scenes were absolutely juvenile & laughable.
Example 1: “Misty was naked. Her breasts hung perfectly on her chest, rising and falling to her breathing. George wanted to touch her pink nipples with his mouth. She was wearing a set of white heels that accentuated her nice legs.”
Example 2: “Before he could finish, she began kissing him. Her hand was slowly working it’s way to the area of his pants above his crotch. Soon she found his hard part and began to stroke it through his clothing.”
For real. Did a 12 year old write this? Or, like, an alien that’s unfamiliar with human sexuality/procreation? Aside from these cringingly hilarious excerpts (of which there are several more), the writing style throughout is exceedingly immature, with glaringly obvious storyline incontinuities, and contradictory descriptions.
So, yeah. This sucked. I only decided to finish it because it’s a measly 202 pages long. Needless to say, I would never recommend this to anyone, unless they’re looking for a laugh.
Example 1: “Misty was naked. Her breasts hung perfectly on her chest, rising and falling to her breathing. George wanted to touch her pink nipples with his mouth. She was wearing a set of white heels that accentuated her nice legs.”
Example 2: “Before he could finish, she began kissing him. Her hand was slowly working it’s way to the area of his pants above his crotch. Soon she found his hard part and began to stroke it through his clothing.”
For real. Did a 12 year old write this? Or, like, an alien that’s unfamiliar with human sexuality/procreation? Aside from these cringingly hilarious excerpts (of which there are several more), the writing style throughout is exceedingly immature, with glaringly obvious storyline incontinuities, and contradictory descriptions.
So, yeah. This sucked. I only decided to finish it because it’s a measly 202 pages long. Needless to say, I would never recommend this to anyone, unless they’re looking for a laugh.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 2, 2014
Another zombie novel that makes the Military out to be blood thirsty and greedy. You want to pull for the main character, but the fact that he is full of personality conflicts makes it hard to do. Sometimes I wished that he would be killed and a new main character introduced. The plot was non sense, with the government, military and police bigger villains than the zombies. Along with the visions and dreams of a dead fiance who is leading the main character to avenge her death six months later and just as the Zombie Apocalypse comes about. I give it a rating of 2, more for the characters we meet along the way, that are way more interesting than the main characters. Not as bad as a Thomas brothers novel, but pretty close.
May 13, 2012
This book just wasn't for me. There were numerous plot holes indicating that the author didn't have a cohesive outline for the book. For example, the main character states early on that he only has pocket change, then when he needs to buy gas he has $30 in bills to pay with. Later his wallet is taken at a check point but he suddenly has it again after he escapes from the FEMA camp. That's just one example. The writing is also poor especially from an author who claims to be a teacher?? I'm very disappointed in Permuted Press and their lack of editing for this book. Just not a cohesive story in my opinion.
July 15, 2008
A very cool book for those looking for a "traditional zombie" fix! It's got everything I wanted for a "summer read" - its gory, action packed, and surprisingly sexy (didn't ever think I'd be writing that line about a zombie story!). Awesome beach reading.
April 18, 2021
I started reading Bowie V. Ibarra with Big Cat and whereas I thought the characters idiotic and one-sided and could not be topped with how they were portrayed until I met George Zaragosa. George is a sociopath (hear me out) who cares little about human life outside of his own, that of his dead fiance (more of that in a moment), and whoever can move him forward in his quest to get home.
There are little in the way of redeeming qualities in George, he apparently is good looking enough that the three female characters we are given to work with all want to f*ck him (and do), immediately a badass with a gun as he pops headshots into the dead (and living) like he is Chris Kyle, and apparently can drive over people and zombies without any remorse or second thought.
Whenever I review books, I look out on the web for reviews from others to help cement my opinions or give me another perspective on what I have read so I can make sure I am not misrepresenting things and I am not the only one who does not care for the works of Mr. Ibarra:
Author Has Some Issues
If you hate America, read this!
As Zombie stories go, it's interesting and with little to the cause (it may be explained in other books, but I am good to not read them), but as a protagonist; George gets what he deserves in the end.
1.75 Skulls
There are little in the way of redeeming qualities in George, he apparently is good looking enough that the three female characters we are given to work with all want to f*ck him (and do), immediately a badass with a gun as he pops headshots into the dead (and living) like he is Chris Kyle, and apparently can drive over people and zombies without any remorse or second thought.
Whenever I review books, I look out on the web for reviews from others to help cement my opinions or give me another perspective on what I have read so I can make sure I am not misrepresenting things and I am not the only one who does not care for the works of Mr. Ibarra:
Author Has Some Issues
If you hate America, read this!
As Zombie stories go, it's interesting and with little to the cause (it may be explained in other books, but I am good to not read them), but as a protagonist; George gets what he deserves in the end.
1.75 Skulls
September 15, 2017
I am not going to shit on the author regarding his political views or anything like this, but I'm truly amazed how I didn't like a zombie story, therefore, this one has a special place for me because that very book is the only single zombie story I didn't enjoy at all.
No character development, no proper plot, no background, no nothing and there are some random things happening shown as "historical background". I would love to call that story fun or shocking, but I'm not able to do that since it doesn't make any sense at all. I know, I know, it's fiction and it doesn't have to, but if you're trying to create a realistic enviroment with goverment forces trying to force something on the citizens, at least try and implement that realism on your characters as well.
I may change this review in the future after giving it a reread but for now it stays like that. The only zombie work I didn't enjoy at all.
No character development, no proper plot, no background, no nothing and there are some random things happening shown as "historical background". I would love to call that story fun or shocking, but I'm not able to do that since it doesn't make any sense at all. I know, I know, it's fiction and it doesn't have to, but if you're trying to create a realistic enviroment with goverment forces trying to force something on the citizens, at least try and implement that realism on your characters as well.
I may change this review in the future after giving it a reread but for now it stays like that. The only zombie work I didn't enjoy at all.
May 22, 2018
If you're in the mood for an enchanting zombie epic full of snappy writing, realistic characters, juicy moral dilemmas, intrepid heroes and gratuitous sexy times, Down the Road offers one of those things.
Which one? Well, I'm not saying it's the sexy times...but it's the sexy times.
The book doesn't hold up, even to the limited standards of the zombie genre. I say this not to disparage a genre I feel an irrational and probably unhealthy fondness for but rather to disparage this particular example of it.
Exposition is a powerful drug, my friends. Powerful bad.
Which one? Well, I'm not saying it's the sexy times...but it's the sexy times.
The book doesn't hold up, even to the limited standards of the zombie genre. I say this not to disparage a genre I feel an irrational and probably unhealthy fondness for but rather to disparage this particular example of it.
Exposition is a powerful drug, my friends. Powerful bad.
August 24, 2022
If you are (or have the mind of) a young adult male that likes zombies, you will go wild for this one.
This is a fast paced story, filled with action, easy headshots and uninspired sexscenes. We follow the journey of a once kindhearted teacher that risks it all to retrieve a momento from his recently deceased, and much beloved, fiancée before turning into a ruthless menace that takes about 0,5 days to women weak in the knees.
Spoiler:
This is a fast paced story, filled with action, easy headshots and uninspired sexscenes. We follow the journey of a once kindhearted teacher that risks it all to retrieve a momento from his recently deceased, and much beloved, fiancée before turning into a ruthless menace that takes about 0,5 days to women weak in the knees.
Spoiler:
February 25, 2020
Six out of ten.
One man tries to get home to his family during the middle of a zombie outbreak. On the way he has to deal with military roadblocks, thugs and of course, zombies.
Quite typical zombie fare. Not the best but readable.
December 22, 2022
Great, no holds barred, zombie apocalypse. It's well written, and while it hits all the classic zombie trope markers, it dances, smashes, and stomps through them leading to a unique take on the zombie genre. I quite enjoyed it enough to immediately go get the next book in the series.
May 19, 2020
Slow, boring zombie story that's less about zombies and more an opprutinity for the author to rant about how bad FEMA is.
February 3, 2011
Review provided by Black Lagoon Reviews:
Down the Road by Bowie Ibarra was a thrilling fight for survival and absolutely one of the best zombie novels that I have had the pleasure of reading. Filled with blood, gore, violence and the inevitable journey through the collapse of both humanity and society, this novel delivers to fans of zombie horror like no other.
The world Ibarra created is a devastating and frightening mirror to our own allowing us to easily slip into George's situation. This easy accessibility paired with wonderful characterization helps to make the situations and emotions experienced by him and the other survivors he encounters more relatable, thus helping to allow the struggle and slow dehumanization of society to resonate within the reader. From the onset, the downfall of the world and civilization is nicely introduced to readers bringing to life the devastating situation the world comes to find itself in. This quick yet easily followed introduction sets a nice tone and the chronicling of George's journey through the world as the downward spiral continues creates a wonderful decaying atmosphere ripe with desolation and the ever growing sense of conflict. The acute sense of purpose residing in George and the detailed descriptions of his struggle for survival help to portray the collapse of civilization. I think what really helped draw me into this novel was the sense of disbelief within the first few chapters. The reality of society's end hasn't quite struck the main character as he takes foolish risks underestimating the zombies' threat. As the plot advances, not only are the zombies a threat, but the government which is tasked with protecting civilians becomes one as well. The heavy handed nature of 'Government knows best' adds an atmosphere ripe with distrust and frustration in an already horrifically maddening world.
The characterization of George is nicely done as we follow him through the initial stages of disbelief to the slow yet eventual chipping away of his humanity. The characters himself, while not overly emotional does have some empathic appeal based on the dismissed murder of his fiance Esperanza. His sense of loss is evident, and yet I liked that he didn't let his grief over take him. Instead, he feels the loss, but isn't ruled by it keeping his head as the world crumbles around him. He ends up showing a resourceful, strong and resilient nature that really appealed to me as we followed his slow progress across Texas. Slowly, the underlying violence inherent within him comes out as his need for survival increases. The loss of empathy and the quicker rush to violence is wonderfully described and mirrored within the world George is thrust into. The voice George is given is also quite insightful into both the situations he comes to find himself in and the de-evolution of his character. This voice helps to keep the sense of purpose in the forefront as well as keeping readers focused on the necessity of his journey as his 'need' for home drives him across the great state of Texas to his ultimate destination.
The cinematic quality of this novel helps to keep the pace moving, making this an extremely quick read. In truth, I could see this novel unfolding in my mind as if I were watching it on film. This was something that I greatly enjoyed about this book because there was a slight immediacy to it, while not making the reader feel burdened by the disasters that befall George. It gives a sense of distance separating the reader from the horror leaving them free to relish in it, which isn't that the great thing about zombie movies? You can watch it with a sense of detachment and even enjoying the eventual slaughter of humanity. It's sick, yet so true! Also, what absolutely made me fall in love with Ibarra's writing was that he doesn't shy away from the hard ending, because really, who wants to have the 'happily ever after' when horror is involved? And yet, despite the ending, which I thought was perfect, I loved the sense of closure to the novel. It doesn't leave you hanging with unaddressed plot lines, instead having a somewhat ironic closure that ties up everything fairly neatly.
In the end, I highly recommend this novel to all you zombie lovers out there. With highly enjoyable story telling this was one hell of a ride! I can't wait to see what Ibarra throws at us next!
Down the Road by Bowie Ibarra was a thrilling fight for survival and absolutely one of the best zombie novels that I have had the pleasure of reading. Filled with blood, gore, violence and the inevitable journey through the collapse of both humanity and society, this novel delivers to fans of zombie horror like no other.
The world Ibarra created is a devastating and frightening mirror to our own allowing us to easily slip into George's situation. This easy accessibility paired with wonderful characterization helps to make the situations and emotions experienced by him and the other survivors he encounters more relatable, thus helping to allow the struggle and slow dehumanization of society to resonate within the reader. From the onset, the downfall of the world and civilization is nicely introduced to readers bringing to life the devastating situation the world comes to find itself in. This quick yet easily followed introduction sets a nice tone and the chronicling of George's journey through the world as the downward spiral continues creates a wonderful decaying atmosphere ripe with desolation and the ever growing sense of conflict. The acute sense of purpose residing in George and the detailed descriptions of his struggle for survival help to portray the collapse of civilization. I think what really helped draw me into this novel was the sense of disbelief within the first few chapters. The reality of society's end hasn't quite struck the main character as he takes foolish risks underestimating the zombies' threat. As the plot advances, not only are the zombies a threat, but the government which is tasked with protecting civilians becomes one as well. The heavy handed nature of 'Government knows best' adds an atmosphere ripe with distrust and frustration in an already horrifically maddening world.
The characterization of George is nicely done as we follow him through the initial stages of disbelief to the slow yet eventual chipping away of his humanity. The characters himself, while not overly emotional does have some empathic appeal based on the dismissed murder of his fiance Esperanza. His sense of loss is evident, and yet I liked that he didn't let his grief over take him. Instead, he feels the loss, but isn't ruled by it keeping his head as the world crumbles around him. He ends up showing a resourceful, strong and resilient nature that really appealed to me as we followed his slow progress across Texas. Slowly, the underlying violence inherent within him comes out as his need for survival increases. The loss of empathy and the quicker rush to violence is wonderfully described and mirrored within the world George is thrust into. The voice George is given is also quite insightful into both the situations he comes to find himself in and the de-evolution of his character. This voice helps to keep the sense of purpose in the forefront as well as keeping readers focused on the necessity of his journey as his 'need' for home drives him across the great state of Texas to his ultimate destination.
The cinematic quality of this novel helps to keep the pace moving, making this an extremely quick read. In truth, I could see this novel unfolding in my mind as if I were watching it on film. This was something that I greatly enjoyed about this book because there was a slight immediacy to it, while not making the reader feel burdened by the disasters that befall George. It gives a sense of distance separating the reader from the horror leaving them free to relish in it, which isn't that the great thing about zombie movies? You can watch it with a sense of detachment and even enjoying the eventual slaughter of humanity. It's sick, yet so true! Also, what absolutely made me fall in love with Ibarra's writing was that he doesn't shy away from the hard ending, because really, who wants to have the 'happily ever after' when horror is involved? And yet, despite the ending, which I thought was perfect, I loved the sense of closure to the novel. It doesn't leave you hanging with unaddressed plot lines, instead having a somewhat ironic closure that ties up everything fairly neatly.
In the end, I highly recommend this novel to all you zombie lovers out there. With highly enjoyable story telling this was one hell of a ride! I can't wait to see what Ibarra throws at us next!
January 4, 2011
I read halfway through this book at one sitting, then gave up. The book was exciting but very frustrating. Every single figure in a position of authority is shown as being evil or stupid. Unfortunately, that includes the main character, a teacher who is clearly too lucky to die and too stupid to live. He keeps making mistakes which, in context, should be thoroughly fatal. He also murders two policemen early in the story. Crooked cops who were in no way a danger to him, but they were evil enough to die, for cheating people on phony traffic tickets during an emergency. Um, what? That whole scene didn't even make sense, and neither did the escape that followed. Everything has fallen apart, except the power lines leading to gasoline pumps? Homeland Security opening fire on survivors who are somehow "competing" with them? And the central character survives the crossfire?
Okay, so let's ignore that as being survival by writer fiat. Several times.
I was willing to forgive a few such cases, but they began to add up. That, combined with the mindless evil of the police, FEMA, Homeland Security and every government official at every level, just wore me down. The author's ongoing anti-government random diatribes wore thin when he was openly critical of FEMA being able to make all-channel emergency radio broadcasts, but I was still curious about the story at that point, so I kept reading a while longer.
Crooked cops extorting a few dollars while civilization collapses...okay, I can see that happening, maybe. U.S. Army troops firing on each other out of what appeared to be boredom, after all the officers just sort of wandered off [where did they GO, in the middle of a zombie siege?], that was way too much. It broke the shock absorbers on the suspension of my disbelief.
The basic premise of the book seems to be, if people start getting infected with a serious plague and the government orders everyone to stay put, the proper thing to do is to scatter in all directions. There is a flaw in the supposed logic of this. Let's replace "zombies" with any other serious plague with a semi-known transmission method. If you have no way of knowing if you're a passive carrier of said plague, there's a good chance you've just killed a whole bunch of people. In this story, since the zombie plague begins with what appear to be spontaneous outbreaks, this is exactly the scenario. The zombie plague is being spread by direct contact AND something else. So, how do you know you're not spreading it yourself? You don't, and you've just helped the world to die. The end.
I only gave this book a second star because the author really can write good fight scenes. They are the high point of the story.
Okay, so let's ignore that as being survival by writer fiat. Several times.
I was willing to forgive a few such cases, but they began to add up. That, combined with the mindless evil of the police, FEMA, Homeland Security and every government official at every level, just wore me down. The author's ongoing anti-government random diatribes wore thin when he was openly critical of FEMA being able to make all-channel emergency radio broadcasts, but I was still curious about the story at that point, so I kept reading a while longer.
Crooked cops extorting a few dollars while civilization collapses...okay, I can see that happening, maybe. U.S. Army troops firing on each other out of what appeared to be boredom, after all the officers just sort of wandered off [where did they GO, in the middle of a zombie siege?], that was way too much. It broke the shock absorbers on the suspension of my disbelief.
The basic premise of the book seems to be, if people start getting infected with a serious plague and the government orders everyone to stay put, the proper thing to do is to scatter in all directions. There is a flaw in the supposed logic of this. Let's replace "zombies" with any other serious plague with a semi-known transmission method. If you have no way of knowing if you're a passive carrier of said plague, there's a good chance you've just killed a whole bunch of people. In this story, since the zombie plague begins with what appear to be spontaneous outbreaks, this is exactly the scenario. The zombie plague is being spread by direct contact AND something else. So, how do you know you're not spreading it yourself? You don't, and you've just helped the world to die. The end.
I only gave this book a second star because the author really can write good fight scenes. They are the high point of the story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 3, 2014
I was looking forward to reading this book as it had been recommended by several sources of zombie fiction fans, and by the author Travis Adkins in the book itself. Bowie Ibarra explains in his notes at the end of the book that he's a zombie fiction fan himself and a teacher, so I expected the novel to be better than average for a first attempt. I guess that it is better than average, but it's not a masterpiece.
The story centres around a teacher living in Texas ("write what you know"!) who makes a trip through a zombie plague to get to his home town. This sort of perilous journey idea has been covered a lot in zombie fiction in the past. Several similar books I've read include "Monster Island" by David Wellington, "The Rising" by Brian Keene and "Dead City" by Joe McKinney. So, the basic premise behind the story is nothing new.
There are a couple of (sort of) new elements to the story, the main ones being sex scenes and FEMA camps. The sex scenes are a little bit awkward in that they're not totally necessary and the language used sounds very prudish at times. There's nothing really wrong with that, and I'm not saying that they should be graphic and crude, but using euphemisms like "George's sensitive area" seems a bit out of place among detailed and gory death scenes. The idea of including FEMA camps is good, but the descriptions of their methods seem a bit biased. There's basically nothing good to be said in the book about FEMA, which I think is a bit unfair as the organisation would surely feature at least some people trying to help and doing something in an attempt to protect the public. The novels "Eve of the Dead" by Nathan Tucker and "Hater" by David Moody also feature (what I feel to be) unfair and somewhat biased views of the military and authorities. Let's hope the governments of the world can do better if the zombies ever rise for real...
The book is generally well written and proof-read, with only a couple of typos that I noticed. The characters have a bit more depth than many found in the genre, and the situations are fairly well described, but this isn't a literary masterpiece. If you like zombies, you could do a lot worse than reading this book, and check out a couple of the others that I've mentioned above if you like the novel and are looking for something similar.
The story centres around a teacher living in Texas ("write what you know"!) who makes a trip through a zombie plague to get to his home town. This sort of perilous journey idea has been covered a lot in zombie fiction in the past. Several similar books I've read include "Monster Island" by David Wellington, "The Rising" by Brian Keene and "Dead City" by Joe McKinney. So, the basic premise behind the story is nothing new.
There are a couple of (sort of) new elements to the story, the main ones being sex scenes and FEMA camps. The sex scenes are a little bit awkward in that they're not totally necessary and the language used sounds very prudish at times. There's nothing really wrong with that, and I'm not saying that they should be graphic and crude, but using euphemisms like "George's sensitive area" seems a bit out of place among detailed and gory death scenes. The idea of including FEMA camps is good, but the descriptions of their methods seem a bit biased. There's basically nothing good to be said in the book about FEMA, which I think is a bit unfair as the organisation would surely feature at least some people trying to help and doing something in an attempt to protect the public. The novels "Eve of the Dead" by Nathan Tucker and "Hater" by David Moody also feature (what I feel to be) unfair and somewhat biased views of the military and authorities. Let's hope the governments of the world can do better if the zombies ever rise for real...
The book is generally well written and proof-read, with only a couple of typos that I noticed. The characters have a bit more depth than many found in the genre, and the situations are fairly well described, but this isn't a literary masterpiece. If you like zombies, you could do a lot worse than reading this book, and check out a couple of the others that I've mentioned above if you like the novel and are looking for something similar.
June 18, 2014
You know, I do like the story here, the narrative. It's something different from a survival story, albeit the zombie apocalypse features heavily enough.
Here we have a man who's on a journey, yet ends up getting shuffled from one situation to the next in the process.
I can't say that's it's all that believable (yeah I know, zombies, but you know what I mean), but there's a nice little theatrical story here alright, and I like it for that, the story is very much protagonist-driven and it stays from his perspective from start to finish.
But I don't think the book deserves higher than 3 stars. The story is light on action compared to most zombie books; which is fine - but then it has to be replaced with something solid; character development, tension/horror, etc... instead what it's replaced with are descriptions of surroundings, idle chit-chat and dialogue with briefly-featuring characters, some love scenes, back-story on his dead fiancee, etc... And that's all fine and all, but none of this stuff really stood out, and in light of this material I would have preferred more of a focus on pressing issues, the crumbling of the world, perhaps some more fleshed out action/suspense sequences, etc... The social commentary and such side-descriptions of the 'downfall' on the other hand were interesting, but I felt that it could have been done better.
I also like my zombie fiction with a little horror, terror, a real sense of danger - but this book had very little of it; felt more like an action run-through and dialogue piece.
So yeah, 3 stars. It's the author's 1st book, and it shows - although I can't put my finger on exactly why.
But I can see that the style, the narrative, the background setting, etc... all have potential.
I will definitely give the sequel a read, here's to hoping that the author has drawn some lessons from his first work and translated them into improvement for the second.
Here we have a man who's on a journey, yet ends up getting shuffled from one situation to the next in the process.
I can't say that's it's all that believable (yeah I know, zombies, but you know what I mean), but there's a nice little theatrical story here alright, and I like it for that, the story is very much protagonist-driven and it stays from his perspective from start to finish.
But I don't think the book deserves higher than 3 stars. The story is light on action compared to most zombie books; which is fine - but then it has to be replaced with something solid; character development, tension/horror, etc... instead what it's replaced with are descriptions of surroundings, idle chit-chat and dialogue with briefly-featuring characters, some love scenes, back-story on his dead fiancee, etc... And that's all fine and all, but none of this stuff really stood out, and in light of this material I would have preferred more of a focus on pressing issues, the crumbling of the world, perhaps some more fleshed out action/suspense sequences, etc... The social commentary and such side-descriptions of the 'downfall' on the other hand were interesting, but I felt that it could have been done better.
I also like my zombie fiction with a little horror, terror, a real sense of danger - but this book had very little of it; felt more like an action run-through and dialogue piece.
So yeah, 3 stars. It's the author's 1st book, and it shows - although I can't put my finger on exactly why.
But I can see that the style, the narrative, the background setting, etc... all have potential.
I will definitely give the sequel a read, here's to hoping that the author has drawn some lessons from his first work and translated them into improvement for the second.
August 16, 2013
Eh...just okay. If you put it on your to-read list, move it towards the bottom. There are far better zombie reads out there.
I really wanted to like this book more, but it just fell short for me. I couldn't get attached to any of the characters as no one ever really stood out in any important way. There was nothing memorable about any of them, and for me to care if the characters live or die, I need to feel something for them one way or another. The zombie action was so-so, could have more original, but not bad. The story had a lot of potential but there were too many minor plot holes and uninteresting characters for me to love it like I wanted to.
SPOILER ALERT
Things that bugged me- the scene with the two cops early on in the book. Really?! Because George has no money on him, was feeling spooked by the gov. and wanted to be on his way, he chose that? NO. Made no sense at all. I was too busy being perplexed to be horrified by the whole business.
The FEMA Camp- so the soldiers cut down unarmed citizens, and each other, at the slightest provocation or whim, but we're supposed to swallow their 'inability' to force families to separate from loved ones who've been bitten when everyone at the camp knows that they'll die and return? These soldiers who whisk away young girls in the night can't stand up to families who refuse to leave the bitten? Pul-leeze. Again, NO. It felt as if the author ignored his own set up for the convenience of ending the camp debacle, and that didn't sit right with me.
Just so-so. There are better, there are worse. Not one of my favorites but not one I had to force myself to finish.
I really wanted to like this book more, but it just fell short for me. I couldn't get attached to any of the characters as no one ever really stood out in any important way. There was nothing memorable about any of them, and for me to care if the characters live or die, I need to feel something for them one way or another. The zombie action was so-so, could have more original, but not bad. The story had a lot of potential but there were too many minor plot holes and uninteresting characters for me to love it like I wanted to.
SPOILER ALERT
Things that bugged me- the scene with the two cops early on in the book. Really?! Because George has no money on him, was feeling spooked by the gov. and wanted to be on his way, he chose that? NO. Made no sense at all. I was too busy being perplexed to be horrified by the whole business.
The FEMA Camp- so the soldiers cut down unarmed citizens, and each other, at the slightest provocation or whim, but we're supposed to swallow their 'inability' to force families to separate from loved ones who've been bitten when everyone at the camp knows that they'll die and return? These soldiers who whisk away young girls in the night can't stand up to families who refuse to leave the bitten? Pul-leeze. Again, NO. It felt as if the author ignored his own set up for the convenience of ending the camp debacle, and that didn't sit right with me.
Just so-so. There are better, there are worse. Not one of my favorites but not one I had to force myself to finish.
January 22, 2011
All George Zaragosa wants to do is get home safely to San Uvalda. The world around him has gone mad. A deadly plague has turned most of the human population into flesh eating zombies.
George has two choices…he could either sit in his apartment as he does have enough food to last him for at least three weeks or he can make an attempt to go down the road to San Uvalda. George decides to risk it and travel home. It will be a dangerous trek. One that George will by lucky to survive.
I recently became obsessed with reading zombie books. When I first start reading books in this genre, I could not get enough. Lately, I have been reading some duds. I was starting to re-think, if I had made a mistake and needed to take a break from the genre. This all changed when I read…Down the Road by Mr. Ibarra. What I liked about this book is that the zombies were what you would imagine zombies to be and act like. They were not modified versions. I was rooting for George the whole time. The ending was a surprise. I plan to check out more books by Mr. Ibarra…Down the Road.
George has two choices…he could either sit in his apartment as he does have enough food to last him for at least three weeks or he can make an attempt to go down the road to San Uvalda. George decides to risk it and travel home. It will be a dangerous trek. One that George will by lucky to survive.
I recently became obsessed with reading zombie books. When I first start reading books in this genre, I could not get enough. Lately, I have been reading some duds. I was starting to re-think, if I had made a mistake and needed to take a break from the genre. This all changed when I read…Down the Road by Mr. Ibarra. What I liked about this book is that the zombies were what you would imagine zombies to be and act like. They were not modified versions. I was rooting for George the whole time. The ending was a surprise. I plan to check out more books by Mr. Ibarra…Down the Road.
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