Fifteens

Zombie Rules #7

by David Achord, Graham Halstead (Narrator)

It is the ninth year of the zombie apocalypse. Zach and his group of survivors at Mount Weather are struggling with the effects of no manufacturing and the difficulties of reestablishing the United States of America. To add to the difficulties, President Stark's position as president is being challenged. If he loses in the upcoming election, what will happen to his right hand man, Zach Gunderson?

Genres: Zombies, Horror, Post Apocalyptic, Science Fiction, Dystopia

Audio CD

First published February 7, 2020

About the author

After being honorably discharged as a Sergeant in the United States Army, David Achord found his true calling in law enforcement. His twenty-five year career included stints with the Rutherford County Sheriff's Department and the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. A lifelong Tennessee native, he is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University and Cumberland University.

Reviews

[Sonja · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was so excited when I saw this had come out. I have enjoyed this series. This one was flat and predicable.

[Mark Gannon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not too bad.. stuck with it out of pure will power though. It didn't really catch my attention. An editor could be needed.

[Hessah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was waiting for this installment for a while. Zac’s journey throughout the zombie apocalypse has been entertaining thanks to the entanglement of many characters’ affairs. However this installment was missing a much needed character development. Zach being Zach, is still full of himself but with less panache. Zach loves to attack women’ bodies when he can’t engage in a meaningful argument; he preaches being patient, but the reality is he is too judgmental. I’m used to Zach and his behavior, but thanks to the lack of an engaging storyline, his self absorbed behavior shines.
Another unfortunate notice is the lack of female leading ladies, Kelly and Riley are props for sexual tension which is hardly significant.

This installment is a departure from the scavenger driven previous books which I find refreshing as the politics and optics take center stage and influence all of the characters actions. I wish that the main characters were more engaged instead of newly emerging secondary characters.

The last 2 chapters set the pace for a new arc for most of the main characters outside the comfort of a place they called home for years.

[Auntmolly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will miss this series. I might try for the last book, that is if Zach story continues there. I realized all the different points if storyline in the book is a set up for different stories. I stayed tune for the Zach family.

This series educated me on so many things i never cared about or thought of, presently. This last book explained the immune system in the simplest way, better than my grade school education.

Also. The realism of the character development. The duality of humans and our actions are very well articulated in this series, one moment we are loving and logical the next we can be harsh hateful and forced to be a person who takes life. Very well done in the earlier books.

[Sulestine Skinner-Levine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good Times Comes to a End

Tears for Zach and his family. In the worst of times Zach and his friends have weathered the storms with grit, determination and purpose. The purpose is to stay alive and rebuild the U.S. after the zombie apocalypse. Will Zach be able to live to a file old age to see his children grow up and experience life before the zombies? This series of books has twists and turns for all the characters. What's going to happen with Fred, Sammy, and the rest of the group from Tennessee? I'm sad that I'll have to wait to find out how the people survives.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one seems to be just something to set up the next book in the series. It's a holding place. All of the elements are there. Our favorite characters return, but the emotional connection seems to be lacking. There's action, but it almost seems to be an afterthought.

It may sound like I'm disappointed and should be giving it a lower rating, but I can't because it's too well written. This is still a good book, I think maybe I was just waiting for another five star effort.

[AnnA Helms · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really have enjoyed the additional characters and the trials that occur in this kind of end of the world zombie story. A really good look into how messed up we are and how some will not accept the change and others will take whatever they can.

[Veronik Durocher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good!

Still so far so good, but I would have like to see a little bit more from side characters, nonetheless, appart from Zach's wife which is more accessory than anything, they have some good parts.

[Les Johnston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story in an excellent series, thoroughly enjoyed every book so far and can’t wait for the next one

[Mark West · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gripping series that continues to impress

David has once again captured the true aspect of a zombie apocalypse. Looking forward to book 8. Keep it up!

[HOLLY · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great ending and I liked how the Zombies evolved at the end. Very different than I expected.

[Elizabeth Barrett]

Amazing.

David Achord does it again. Never before have I been so invested into a series. Thank you and I can not wait for the next book!

[c · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little dryer and slower than previous entries.

[Greg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow... really leaves you hanging and ready for the next chapter!

Good book, but felt like some of the story was missing, like it could have been 2 or 3 books with the mission stories fleshed out

[martin shuster · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

Excellent series , can't put it down once I start. Looking forward to more from David Achord. Give more more .

[Angie Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW, what a chapter in this series!!!!

David Actors has hit it out of the park with this INE. Zach and company have been through so much, can they survive what happens next?.

[~xo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a sucker for a series!

[Guy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Feels like they are setting us up for a bigger story arc.

[Heather Petersen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series!♥️

[Terri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read in an excellent series.

I always enjoy reading these books. Exciting and just right for a relaxing afternoon. I highly recommend the complete series.

[Crystal Marcela · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one felt like a turning point book. Not explosive the whole time, but heavy with implications.

We finally get more of Patient Eve. She gives birth to a baby girl, which is both fascinating and unsettling. Eve still eats raw meat and doesn’t act human, but she is fiercely protective of her baby. The scientists are excited because zombie blood kills cancer cells, but Zach keeps reminding them she is not just a lab experiment. He actually tells them to back off and let her rest. Keeping her alive was dumb. In my opinion since she's not being a mom, he should have killed her and just kept the baby alive. if they want to be learning from the zombies or experimenting you know them.

Then, of course, everything blows up. Zombies attack, Eve escapes, and she has this eerie telepathic moment with Zach where she basically declares herself the queen. They are moving south. They want to be left alone. Zach clearly has other plans.

Riley makes a move on Zach. He does kiss her back, which annoyed me, but he pulls himself together and chooses Kelly. Kelly handles it in such a calm, mature way. She sets boundaries without drama.

Sammy’s storyline continues with Serena’s pregnancy and the rumors that the baby might not be his. A new senator spreads a disgusting rumor that it could be Zach’s. Zach confronts it directly. Sammy believes him, but he still doesn't think the baby is his because Serena's been acting very weird lately.

The three missions:

Merle’s team is Merle, Tru, and the two brothers. They reach a radio tower and find a prepper who has died. He left a note asking whoever found him to bury him, so they do. They also find a dog. They meet a small group of survivors and spend a little time helping them out. One of the survivors is an older woman with cancer who refuses to leave. They also get warned about someone called the Professor, and when they do run into him, it does not turn into a major confrontation. It is more of a warning to stay away.

Flash’s team goes sideways because Flash decides to help a woman on the side of the road even though everyone around him is telling him she is suspicious. He follows her lead anyway and it turns out to be a trap. His whole team gets killed. Flash survives, gets bitten, and makes it back because of the vaccine, but he is in horrible shape from dehydration and everything else. Later, Zach mentions they may or may not have gone back and handled the people who did it, but it is left vague.

Joker’s team includes Riley’s dad, the traitor Joe, and Riley’s brother. They act polite, but later it is confirmed they used to be marauders. They are also hiding supplies because they want to rebuild a meth lab and carve out their own setup. Their old lab blew up, which is why they ended up at Mount Weather in the first place, but they still plan to do it again, just in a “better” location.

Fred is mostly in the background this time, but he is still steady and present. He helps Zach when needed and stays involved without taking over. His relationship with Rachel is no longer vague. They are together, and by the end of the book she is pregnant. It is a quieter development compared to everything else going on, but it matters. Fred, after everything he has lost, is starting over again.