Dog Blood (Hater #2)

David Moody

This is turning out to be a great series, so if you're a fan of post-apocalyptic fiction with an original twist on the zombie theme, then don't miss out.

Dog Blood is not as strong as Hater but a decent sequel that achieves the necessary plot development to move the story along to what will hopefully be a rousing finale. By now, we know what's going on so there's no mystery there (even though we still don't know why and for what purpose).

Even though Dog Blood lacks the fever-pitch level of suspense that grabs you by the throat in Hater, it is a gripping read nonetheless in the way it shows how most humans are "dealing with" the crisis. Most are refugees locked behind a perimeter that surrounds their ravaged cities, existing under martial law, depending on the military for every basic human need. All the while government soldiers and pseudo-conscripted volunteers, wage a war on the Haters in their attempt to wipe them out.

Dog Blood also raises some interesting questions about the Hate, whether it is a disease, an alien influence, or a genetic malfunction in some humans triggering an evolutionary dichotomy between man and Hater. Other than the bloodlust and insatiable need to kill the Unchanged, Haters remain recognizably human. But cannot or will not co-exist with non-Haters. So my hope for Book 3 is that we learn the true nature and purpose of the Hate and that Moody will take a closer look at the Hater goal -- if they succeed in wiping out the Unchanged and in taking over the planet, what will that "new world" look like, and how will they choose to live in it with no one ostensibly left to hate?

::::::::::::::BEWARE SPOILERS::::::::::::::::
What I did find totally engaging here is Danny McCoyne's quest to find his five year old daughter, also a Hater. The ramifications of child Haters, and their possible role in the on-going war against humans, is chilling. What's remarkable is that McCoyne is no less sympathetic now, as a blood-thirsty full-on Hater, then he is in Book 1 as a normal Joe Blow underachiever trying to protect his family from the exploding violence. That's good writing. ::::::::::::::::::::END SPOILER:::::::::::::::::::::

Don't miss out on David Moody's Autumn series

The online zombie sensation that has been downloaded more than half a million times is finally available as a novel - including brand new material available for the first time!!!

Autumn (Book 1)

Autumn: The City

Zombie fans rejoice! One of the original zombie novels is back from the grave to remind us all why the walking dead are so scary, and what it means to have a front-row seat for the end of the world. AUTUMN is genuinely creepy, an atmospheric study of what happens when the dead come back--and what we have to do just to survive. -- David Wellington

In less than twenty-four hours a vicious and virulent disease destroys virtually all of the population. Billions are killed. Thousands die every second. There are no symptoms and no warnings. Within moments of infection each victim suffers a violent and agonizing death. Only a handful of survivors remain. By the end of the first day those survivors wish they were dead.

Then the disease strikes again, and all hell breaks loose. Read more here!

Dust (2010) New!

by Joan Frances Turner

A zombie book told from the p.o.v of the zombies? Okay, I'll bite...

Reviews on this one have been mixed, but some people are raving. It's gory, gooshy, zombie fun and a whole new take on the genre.

Nine years ago, Jessie was in a car crash and died. Nine years ago, Jessie was human.

Now, she’s not.

After she was buried, Jessie awoke and tore through the earth to arise, reborn, as a zombie. Jessie’s gang is the Fly-by-Nights.... She’s in love with Joe, a maggot-infested corpse. They fight, hunt, dance together as one—something humans can never understand. There are dark places humans have learned to avoid, lest they run into the zombie gangs.

But now, Jessie and the Fly-by-Nights have seen new creatures in the woods—things not human and not zombie. A strange new illness has flamed up out of nowhere, causing the undeads to become more alive and the living to exist on the brink of death (Book Description)

-Trudi

This fall AMC has combined forces with Frank Darabont to bring us a zombie-licious series based on Robert Kirkman's Walking Dead graphic novels.

Why you should be watching:

1) Zombies - Zombies rock okay?? Beyond their meta-mystique appeal, they are truly terrible and terrifying. Anything that is driven by pure, mindless instinct to rip you apart and EAT you from the inside out, you just gotta respect. Furthermore, Zombies are usually accompanied by an apocalypse, and who doesn't bow down to a good "the world's gone to hell you better kiss your behind goodbye" scenario? I do! I do!

2) Frank Darabont you're my hero - very few writers/directors can successfully translate the sheer storytelling genius that is Stephen King to the big screen. Most of the time, the adaptations wind up a great big steaming pile of you know what. There are exceptions, and Frank Darabont's work is among them (The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, The Mist). Darabont *loves* horror, and has wanted to "work with zombies" since he was 14 years old.

3) AMC The rise of specialty cable networks like HBO, Showtime and AMC have ensured that talented writers are not fated to go the way of the Do-Do bird, at least not yet. It's no coincidence then that AMC's tagline is: Story Matters Here - the network home of Mad Men and Breaking Bad.

Hater (2009)

by David Moody

"A head-spinning thrill ride ... Hater will haunt you long after you read the last page" --Guillermo Del Toro, director Pan's Labyrinth

Product Description:
Soon to be a major motion picture produced by Guillermo Del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth), and directed by Juan Antonio Bayona (The Orphanage), Hater is the story of Danny McCoyne, an everyman forced to contend with a world gone mad. For reasons unknown, vast numbers of the human population suddenly become irrationally violent, killing all who cross their path.

Dog Blood (2010) New and popular!

Product Description:

...the electrifying sequel to Hater where humanity fights itself to the death against a backdrop of ultimate apocalyptic destruction

The Earth has been torn into two parts...everyone is now either Human or Hater. Victim or killer. Governments have fallen, command structures have collapsed, and relationships have crumbled. Major cities have become refugee camps where human survivors cower together in fear. Amidst this indiscriminate carnage, Danny McCoyne is on a mission to find his daughter Ellis, convinced that her shared Hater condition means her allegiance is to people like him. Free of inhibitions, unrestricted by memories of peace, and driven by instinct, children are pure Haters, and may well define the future of the Hater race. But, as McCoyne makes his way into the heart of human territory, an incident on the battlefield sets in place an unexpected chain of events, forcing him to question everything he believes he knows about the new order that has arisen, and the dynamic of the Hate itself.

Click here for author's official website!

The Cryptkeeper

Infected (2008)

Summary: CIA operative Dew Phillips, working together with CDC epidemiologist Margaret Montoya, race to stop the spread of a mysterious disease that is turning ordinary people into murderers. A former football player who has become infected with the deadly bioengineered parasite may carry the cure.

The Cryptkeeper says: I worried about starting this one. It's tough for a book with so much hype surrounding it to meet reader expectations, but it did that and more. Sigler's writing style is lean and mean. Several scenes rank among the grossest I've ever read, to the point where I'm laughing and cringing at the same time. Funny and scary, my favorite combination.

This book is 90% plot-driven. It moves from one action sequence to the next, and I usually tire of that type of story-telling pretty quickly. But not so with Sigler. What a ride. His powers of description are enormous. If Hollywood doesn't option this for a movie I'll be gob-smacked. So this book won't change your life or anything, but it's a fun, high-octane read, and there's nothing wrong with that. Beware the triangles!

Contagious (2008)

Summary: Picking up immediately where Infected ended, Contagious continues the story of CIA operative Dew Phillips, CDC epidemiologist Margaret Montoya, and the only survivor of the original triangles infection, Perry Dawsey....the disease responds, adapts, using sophisticated strategies and brilliant ruses to fool its pursuers. The only possible explanation: the epidemic is driven not by evolution but by some malevolent intelligence.

The Cryptkeeper says: I really enjoyed this one - not as much as Infected, but it's still a rollicking, rousing read. For readers who like plot driven page-turners, you will definitely want to give Scott Sigler a try. Sigler has a very American sense of humor that reminds me a lot of Stephen King -- it's crass, downhome, good 'ol boy stuff. For example: "Donald Jewell ... did not feel good. Perhaps it was more accurate to say that he felt like a tainted can of boiled elephant ass." This line got me giggling so hard I had to put the book down for a minute. And there's lots of gems like that to look forward to.

Sigler does an amazing job of developing the relationship between the old and crusty CIA veteran Dew Phillips and the young, troubled, violent Perry Dawsey who is desperately trying to outrun his demons. For a book that's mostly action sequences, there are moments shared between these two men that are thoughtful and believable and cut to the heart of what motivates each man. The ass-whupping scene is not one I will forget soon either. Priceless!

For all you hardcore sci-fi geeks out there, Sigler goes the extra mile and explains in great detail a lot of the science and technological components that drive the plot.

John Dies at the End Coming Soon!

by David Wong

Wong is like a mash-up of Douglass Adams and Stephen King... 'page-turner' is an understatement. --Don Coscarelli, Bubba Ho-tep (director)

John Dies At the End has a cult following for a reason: it's horrific, thought-provoking, and hilarious all at once. This is one of the most entertaining and addictive novels I've ever read. --Jacob Kier, Permuted Press

Plot Summary:
It's a drug that promises an out-of-body experience with each hit. On the street they call it Soy Sauce, and users drift across time and dimensions. But some who come back are no longer human. Suddenly, a silent otherworldly invasion is underway, and mankind needs a hero. What it gets instead is John and David, a pair of college dropouts who can barely hold down jobs. Can these two stop the oncoming horror in time to save humanity? No. No, they can't.

The Cryptkeeper says: I can't wait to get my hands on this, it sounds absolutely hilarious!!! ... and dreadful, a perfect blend of horror-comedy reminiscent of Shaun of the Dead. John Dies at the End started its life as a webserial in 2001 and an estimated 70 000 people read the free online versions before they were removed in September 2008 (Wikipedia.org). While the novel is no longer available online, there's still a pretty hilarious website up and running -- check it out!

The Suicide Collectors (2008) New!

by Dave Oppegaard

Plot Summary (taken from Book Jacket):
The Despair has plagued the earth for five years. Most of the world’s population has inexplicably died by its own hand, and the few survivors struggle to remain alive. A mysterious, shadowy group called the Collectors has emerged, inevitably appearing to remove the bodies of the dead. But in the crumbling state of Florida, a man named Norman takes an unprecedented stand against the Collectors, propelling him on a journey across North America. It’s rumored a scientist in Seattle is working on a cure for the Despair, but in a world ruled by death, it won’t be easy to get there.

Hater (2009) New and popular!

by David Moody

"A head-spinning thrill ride ... Hater will haunt you long after you read the last page" --Guillermo Del Toro, director Pan's Labyrinth

From Jacket Notes:
Soon to be a major motion picture produced by Guillermo Del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth), and directed by Juan Antonio Bayona (The Orphanage), Hater is the story of Danny McCoyne, an everyman forced to contend with a world gone mad. For reasons unknown, vast numbers of the human population suddenly become irrationally violent, killing all who cross their path.

The Cryptkeeper says: This is a very intense book that's extremely well-written and emotionally charged. Danny McCoyne's character is well-developed and I found him to be very sympathetic. Hater is told in the first-person from McCoyne's point of view and this made him very real to me.

Moody's writing is so immediate and descriptive, the story unfolded in my mind's eye in a series of graphic pictures. My heart beat faster, my adrenaline levels went through the roof, and I experienced genuine dread. To coax so many emotions from me using a mere 281 pages, is impressive to say the least. For readers who want everything nicely wrapped up by the last page, you will be disappointed. Hater is part of a projected trilogy, so the book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger. This did not detract from my enjoyment of the book, however; if anything, it's made me really excited for the follow-up. Stay tuned! Grade: A+

Click here for author's official website!

The Cryptkeeper

Voracious (2009) New!

by Alice Henderson

The Cryptkeeper says: I'm a sucker for eco-horror, survival stories and this one sounds like a goody. Madeline Keye has turned to the wilderness for solace and comfort. Far removed from any human contact, Madeline searches for sanctuary in the backcountry of Glacial National Park. Her solitude soon turns into a waking nightmare when Madeline is caught in a flash flood and nearly dies. Now, she can't shake the feeling that she is being watched ... stalked ... hunted. Something is lurking in the shadows of this wilderness paradise ... and it wants Madeline.

Reviews:

"Breathtaking and merciless" --Christopher Golden

"A polished and well-focused novel of raw animal terror..." --William D. Gagliani

"A combination of awe-inspiring setting and deeply personal terror, Voracious is irresistible" -- Richard Dansky

Pontypool Changes Everything New!

by Tony Burgess

The Cryptkeeper says: First published in 1998, Burgess' epic Canadian zombie apocalypse scenario is getting re-released thanks to Bruce McDonald's recent film adaptation Pontypool (2009). We've seen this scenario many times before -- zombie "virus" sweeps through humanity turning everyday civilians into flesh-eating creatures on a cannibalistic rampage. But Burgess' detailed exploration of zombie behaviour rises above the average zombie fare and achieves un-put-downable, page-turning status. You don't want to miss out on this Canadian horror classic!

Plot Summary: The dark side of humanity is explored in this electrifying science fiction thriller in which an epidemic virus terrorizes the earth. Causing its inhabitants to strike out on murderous rampages, the virus is caught through conversation and, once contracted, leads its host on a strange journey—into another world where the undead roam the streets of the smallest towns and largest cities, hungry for human flesh. Describing in chilling detail what it would be like if thousands suddenly caught such a virus and struck out on a mass, never-ending, cannibalistic spree, this terrifying narrative is perfect for those who are ready to explore their darkest secret imaginings through a sinister and compelling literary work of art. This new edition includes a new afterword on the making of the new motion picture.

Look for Pontypool (2009) the movie, coming soon to RPL on DVD!