Dead New World

I received this novel from NetGalley.

I though this novel was going to be another run-of-the-mill zombie novel. Boy was I mistaken. This nvoel is engaging from the first page, the characters are original, likeable, relateable and emotive. The plot it well thoughout, engaging, original and thrilling.

This novel takes the tradtional zombie tale to a new level, it adds mateship, power struggles, advancement on zombies, and the introduction to a new dead-undead human. So Clever!

This novel is definitely something for the good ole' zombie, sci-fi, action fans. A great little novel!

I received this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Not quite 4 stars.

I love all things zombie but it's so hard to find a good zombie book. I thought this book was a nice change from the typical zombie infestations you see or read about. When Ambrose is bitten and doesn't completely change, it creates a fresh new scenario for the zombie genre. It also introduces the social stigma and bigotry Ambrose experiences because, while he's not a fully turned zombie and is the same person inside as he was before, the fear that former comrades and other humans have for him can turn malicious.

I really liked the friendship between Holt and Ambrose and how it endured above all else. Holt's mission to find his love, Nancy the nurse, would not have been possible unless Ambrose was beside him every step of the way.

I'm not sure I loved the ending of the book as it left with a "To be continued..." type of cliffhanger. The storyline did come to a conclusion, but the duo embark on another adventure that you can only hope to read about in a possible sequel.

All in all this was a quick read and I found it to be entertaining.

Dark, intriguing and horrific... a must read for speculative fiction fans! Fascinating characters, a grim setting, and a story that flows freely, Dead New World is an impressive read that is highly recommended. Ryan Hill is here to stay!

INITIAL THOUGHTS I'm a little apprehensive about this one, I mean I love post apocalyptic and dystopian books but zombies are still relatively new to me. I do have high expectations as I am wondering/hoping this book is as good as the Vaempires by Thomas Winship Series.

MY REVIEW I received an e-copy of this book directly from the publishers Curiosity Quills Press in exchange for my honest review. The cover shows one of the main characters in the book, Ambrose, who is kind of half human and half zombie. You can see the reddish eye and the grey skin. Then there's the desolate war torn savaged back ground. Would the cover alone make me pick this book up in a book store? Yes I'd definitely pick it up to read the blurb and learn more. The title of the book "Dead New World" is perfect, as it seem's the "Dead" are the one's ruling the world, or what left of it.
So the "Tribulation" has happened, the world is no longer what it used to be. Young men are enlisted into the army at the age of sixteen for a nine year duty. If they survive they are "free" to leave when they become 25 yrs old. Sadly the way the world is now, it's a bleak prospect, to go into the army and know it's highly likely you will be killed or worse. What's worse than being killed? Being bitten by a zombie and turned into one of the hordes of shuffling moaning, living dead. Most people only have a few hours left when they are bitten until they are turned. Very few survive and then there's those that are "lucky" like Ambrose who survive but belong in neither the human world nor the zombie world. The man behind the zombies world take over is the Reverend, a man who can communicate and control the zombies. The Reverends ultimate target is Washington DC. He thinks if DC falls to him and the zombies the rest of the world will follow what he says. It is Holt and Ambrose who are trying to get in the way and stop him. Then there's the rumour of "The Colony" where those who are like Ambrose can live their lives, and even have families etc.
So there's lots of fighting, blowing up, prosthetic limbs, secret cures and a little romance thrown into the mix. On the whole I did enjoy reading the book, however I felt there was something missing. I felt like I didn't care enough about the characters. Sure I had sympathy for Ambrose and how he is treat like a living, moving bomb by everyone around him. The only one that treats him like a human is Stanley Holt. I thought Holt and Ambrose had an awkward friendship. Holt seems to still have a fear of Ambrose even though they work closely together. There's lots of mysteries, secrets and betrayals, awful things that are maybe being carried out by the government.
There's also the intricacies of the relationship between Holt and Nancy, a nurse who cared for him when he lost his leg. Holt breaks things off with her, thinking he is doing the right thing for her but then cannot get her out of his mind. So much so when the base where Nancy is living/working on is attacked, Holt's immediate instinct is to rush to the base. When it is determined Nancy was taken alive, Holt decides he must rescue her. Then when everything seems to be sorting out, things go awry again. Truthfully the character of Nancy kind of irritated me towards the end of the book.
So did I enjoy the book? Mmm yes it was ok and worth reading. Would I recommend the book? I think the book is quite YA male orientated with the army content. Which I guess it's about time the teen boys had some great books to encourage them to read more. Would I read another book in this series? Truthfully I'm not sure. I'd have to read the blurb. Would I read other books by Ryan Hill? I would definitely take a close look at anything written by this author.