All or Nothing

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Aconyte books for an advanced copy of this zombie- based board came adventure story.

As I have grown older a few things have become apparent, but the one fact that I know that I will take to my grave is that when the Zombie Revolution comes the biggest problem is going to be other humans. Zombies are just hungry, humans always want to have control, and will do anything to have it, even when the world is just a giant buffet during early bird specials. One of my new favorite writer Josh Reynolds novel All or Nothing; A Zombicide Novel, based on the best selling board game, presents a world where zombies are being zombies, humans are the enemy and resources, especially bullets, are running out fast.

The book is a sequel to the novel Last Resort, but this one pretty much stands on its own, featuring most of the same characters and their plight in a world that suddenly has become dead. Westlake is a criminal, who did what he did for the money, but in trying to help some other survivors he found himself in an odd situation. Half- dead, with a body decaying, a thirst for blood but with his memories slowly returning as is his ability to speak. Westlake last real memories are of the Adirondacks, and the people he helped save. Now he finds himself in Atlantic City, where human settlements are under attack not from zombies, but from other humans. A casino owner has turned his establishment into a fortress, from which he plans to take over the city. As a newly dubbed leader he has an arena to distract his people with entertainment of death games featuring prisoners of both humans and zombies. Westlake finds himself among the gladiators, but his friends have heard of troubles to the south, and the are coming. And a mysterious woman lurks in the background, with plans of her own.

A good eat- em- up kind of story with plenty of action, good characters and lot going on. Reynolds can write not only fight scenes, making them both bloody and tense, but adds little things to make the story atmospheric, zombie animals, humor and cool author shout- outs in the character's names. Westlake is the 50's criminal good with a plan, better when it all goes wrong, and fatalistic enough to face the odds when they are against him. There is a lot of advancing of the ideas behind the Zombicide, and enough clues are dropped for quite a few books more. I have never played the game, but I don't think that is necessary, as the story explains everything a reader needs to know. Besides Westlake, whose name I am a big fan of the character of the Mexican wrestler who sees the Goddess of Death who is one mad deity that she is not getting her fill of the dead, is character that could be a joke, but is played for real, and I would love to see more stories about.
I've read quite a few books by Josh Reynolds and have been impressed with his writing, plotting and way that he presents his stories, and the humor he slips in. And have become quite a fan of his and of all the books that Aconyte release. I have never found a book that I thought was either dull, or just went nowhere, and I am impressed by the amount of diversity and the care they take in finding and cultivating new writers. They really take time, even in simple seeming stories to make very good adventures, and adventures that people unfamiliar with the source will enjoy. A good adventure story, with a lot of great ideas, and interesting characters. Can' wait to read more.