I have a bone to pick with you Mr Aldin. I have far too many things to do and I struggled to put this book down. Just ignore the fact that it’d be good for my health to go to bed for a week and that your book, with its two sequels, would keep me in bed for three days. Essentially, I’m now trying to get all these things done faster than before so I can have my week in bed…with whatever of your books are left when I get there.
I’ve found some good Australian authors in the last few months, Aldin is just one of them. This book is a great little horror. Set in Tasmania, the action starts just weeks after something initiates the zombies. I’m not clear on what, but that might be irrelevant as it seems the story is set on Elliot and how he reacts to the world around him. He’s suffering from PTSD from before the zombies so this doesn’t help. It’s interesting watching the flashbacks pop in at inopportune moments. I can’t help wondering how much time he’s losing to them. And the flashbacks can go some way to showing how soldiers cope with PTSD and why the hit the ground whenever a car back fires.
There is very little telling in this book, it seems to be mostly showing us what is happening rather than explaining in great details. It’s nice to have an author trust me to reach the right conclusions by leading me there rather than telling me.
Elliot tells us he’s a bad man, but his actions keep telling us otherwise. He’s not a bad man, just damaged, and that damage makes it hard for him to have normal relationships. He continually tries to do the right thing, killing when need be, saving the right person and keeping them safe. Then teaching them how to stay alive in this new and unsafe world. And that seems to be all he’s able to do, stay alive and teach people how to stay alive. These are bad times so these are some good skills to have.
At the point of putting this book down for the final time I was looking forward to the next two books in the series. That was a few days ago and I’m now almost halfway through the second book. It’s what I needed after some heavy non-fiction reading, a narrative with a good story line.
I do recommend it. If you like horror fiction that doesn’t pull its punches, then this is for you. And if you’re looking for Australian authors as well, then you’re on a winner. Here is an affiliate link in case you want to buy through Booktopia.