Scan barcode
yodamom's review
2.0
The world has changed zombies have eaten their way through much of it. Small military fractions try to fight. One young solider tells his story as he battles, watching friends dies, nearly loses his life and has a love moment. He goes back and forth over the land search for zombies to kill or this Reverend who is somehow leading the dead into different camps. His friend is half zombie who seem to have some special skills.
I really wanted to like this I was struggling to keep on track with what was going on. I thought story is week, with many moments of confusion. They would be fighting for their lives and stop to trash talk each other or blow out some testosterone babble that just didn’t fit the situation. There are so many useless conversations jumping into the story breaking the flow. This went from telling me everything, to telling us too much of everything. Example, there of them took turn watching at night, he explains the schedule then he goes off on how everyone uses his riffle because of the scope, he loves the scope, he got it off some dead guy…I didn’t need to know that, it doesn’t matter. The language used, it was so over the top military sometimes I was just shaking my head. Time switches happen without any notice, all the sudden it switches to another time and I’m left wondering what the heck is going on for a few paragraphs.
I didn’t like the book. I could see a military person relating to it more, and perhaps that was who it was written for.
I really wanted to like this I was struggling to keep on track with what was going on. I thought story is week, with many moments of confusion. They would be fighting for their lives and stop to trash talk each other or blow out some testosterone babble that just didn’t fit the situation. There are so many useless conversations jumping into the story breaking the flow. This went from telling me everything, to telling us too much of everything. Example, there of them took turn watching at night, he explains the schedule then he goes off on how everyone uses his riffle because of the scope, he loves the scope, he got it off some dead guy…I didn’t need to know that, it doesn’t matter. The language used, it was so over the top military sometimes I was just shaking my head. Time switches happen without any notice, all the sudden it switches to another time and I’m left wondering what the heck is going on for a few paragraphs.
I didn’t like the book. I could see a military person relating to it more, and perhaps that was who it was written for.
lcmarie19's review
3.0
RATING: 3.5 stars
**This book was given to me by the publisher in exchange for my honest review**
I'd classify this book at a YA paranormal, dystopian read. Dead New World is a story of a world of zombies versus human and lo and behold, the zombies are in the majority. Our main characters, Holt and Ambrose, are military soldiers that are pretty much indentured to the government (or drafted) due to low human populations and the high need for combat forces.
The book is action packed right from the start and I wasn't ever left unsatisfied for too long. This is the first book that I've ever read by Ryan Hill and I don't think it will be the last. I was intrigued enough that I read this book in three hours, and I am still curious enough to read another book by him.
Although this book is mainly about the "zombie apocalypse", there is a bit more to the story that Hill introduces. This is a book that is definitely driven by its plot and the world that it creates. The setting of a zombie ridden United States is a very prominant character in itself throughout the story and it holds its own. The characters, though very decent, are a bit lackluster in comparison to the world.
I don't think that Hill did a bad job with his characters at all. I just think that things got interesting, character-wise, a little too late in the game. Initially, when the book starts, I'm more interested in the zombie world and the situation at hand. My concerns did not rest with any of the specific characters or their issues. I was concerned with the bigger problem. My worry and developing like for the characters didn't happen until maybe 60% into the book which, as some whose love for books is depending upon connection to characters, is not the best approach. It's not a bad approach, it's just one that I wasn't compatible with.
The romance in this book is NOT necessary, in fact, I think it take away from the story a bit. Especially when it comes to Holt and his growth. I don't think he needed that aspect to aid his growth in the story. It was okay, but I think that aspect of the plot could have been used a little different. It felt like an instalove moment and their relationship wasn't 100% believeable until about 75% of the way through reading.
BUT with that being said, this is a GREAT story and if there is a sequel, there is definitely potential for even better plot and character development. The book starts off slowly for characters, but it's very nicely paced when it comes to action. I have high hopes for Hill with the potential continuation of this story, it'll only get better. The plot and the character growth will be equally paced and the characters will become more and more loveable. There are no characters that I disliked, except those that are obvious meant to be, so I don't think it will take much for Hill to make another great book.
I do recommend this read because it IS interesting and it IS good. And I think a lot of people will disagree with my assessment and really enjoy this book. Prerogative is really the driving force behind this review.
**This book was given to me by the publisher in exchange for my honest review**
I'd classify this book at a YA paranormal, dystopian read. Dead New World is a story of a world of zombies versus human and lo and behold, the zombies are in the majority. Our main characters, Holt and Ambrose, are military soldiers that are pretty much indentured to the government (or drafted) due to low human populations and the high need for combat forces.
The book is action packed right from the start and I wasn't ever left unsatisfied for too long. This is the first book that I've ever read by Ryan Hill and I don't think it will be the last. I was intrigued enough that I read this book in three hours, and I am still curious enough to read another book by him.
Although this book is mainly about the "zombie apocalypse", there is a bit more to the story that Hill introduces. This is a book that is definitely driven by its plot and the world that it creates. The setting of a zombie ridden United States is a very prominant character in itself throughout the story and it holds its own. The characters, though very decent, are a bit lackluster in comparison to the world.
I don't think that Hill did a bad job with his characters at all. I just think that things got interesting, character-wise, a little too late in the game. Initially, when the book starts, I'm more interested in the zombie world and the situation at hand. My concerns did not rest with any of the specific characters or their issues. I was concerned with the bigger problem. My worry and developing like for the characters didn't happen until maybe 60% into the book which, as some whose love for books is depending upon connection to characters, is not the best approach. It's not a bad approach, it's just one that I wasn't compatible with.
The romance in this book is NOT necessary, in fact, I think it take away from the story a bit. Especially when it comes to Holt and his growth. I don't think he needed that aspect to aid his growth in the story. It was okay, but I think that aspect of the plot could have been used a little different. It felt like an instalove moment and their relationship wasn't 100% believeable until about 75% of the way through reading.
BUT with that being said, this is a GREAT story and if there is a sequel, there is definitely potential for even better plot and character development. The book starts off slowly for characters, but it's very nicely paced when it comes to action. I have high hopes for Hill with the potential continuation of this story, it'll only get better. The plot and the character growth will be equally paced and the characters will become more and more loveable. There are no characters that I disliked, except those that are obvious meant to be, so I don't think it will take much for Hill to make another great book.
I do recommend this read because it IS interesting and it IS good. And I think a lot of people will disagree with my assessment and really enjoy this book. Prerogative is really the driving force behind this review.
ninjabunneh's review
1.0
I don't even know where to begin with this one.
First off, cue in insta-love.
Dude gets his leg blown off fighting the undead and falls for his nurse. Dude and nurse get separated after dude dumps her ass in a martyr kind of way. Nurse gets kidnapped by evil dude and hero dude runs off to save her.
Dude is all of about 16 years old, an officer in the military, has a zombie/human hybrid as his bestie and blah blah blah. Nursie is the only one of a large group of people to not be killed by evil dude. How convenient.
Nursie had told dude not to contact her anymore and yet he goes off to save her ass. Stalker, much?
Dude and dude zombhuman friend traipse around killing zombehs, meeting random people, facing hybrid human/zombie discrimination and yadda yadda. All the while heading to kill off evil dude and save the nursie.
Zombeh bus rider says it best.
no bunnehs
First off, cue in insta-love.
Dude gets his leg blown off fighting the undead and falls for his nurse. Dude and nurse get separated after dude dumps her ass in a martyr kind of way. Nurse gets kidnapped by evil dude and hero dude runs off to save her.
Dude is all of about 16 years old, an officer in the military, has a zombie/human hybrid as his bestie and blah blah blah. Nursie is the only one of a large group of people to not be killed by evil dude. How convenient.
Nursie had told dude not to contact her anymore and yet he goes off to save her ass. Stalker, much?
Dude and dude zombhuman friend traipse around killing zombehs, meeting random people, facing hybrid human/zombie discrimination and yadda yadda. All the while heading to kill off evil dude and save the nursie.
Zombeh bus rider says it best.
no bunnehs
heatheray's review
5.0
I wouldn’t say I’m a fan of the zombie genre in particular, I would say I’m more a horror fan in general. When I saw the cover for Dead New World I was all over it. It’s different and a bit creepy. (To be honest, even though I had seen it small, when I accidently opened the book on my computer, and the cover popped up huge, I was a bit freaked out. Closed that sucker out fast. :) )
Then I read the blurb and thought this is going to be a different kind of zombie story. I must read.
So I did.
The book starts off with action, the guys (Holt, Ambrose, the rest of their platoon) are on patrol when they are attacked by the Reverend’s troops/people/zombies/etc. It was a very intense scene that kicked off the book and set the pace for the rest of the novel. Holt and Ambrose made it out of that round alive but in need of medical care, seeing as Holt lost his foot and Ambrose could lose his human state shortly.
And so the story goes.
Dead New World is full of so much action at one point I was saying will these boys ever get a break in their favor? I started this yesterday and was finished by last night, it flew by with everything that was happening throughout the book. While it wasn’t scary like I thought it would be, it was a crazy ride full of twists and turns, ups and downs, and zombie brains flying.
It definitely had a different twist on zombies, with the Reverend and his Horsemen working with the zombies to create a new world. It amazes me (and not in a good way) how one person can manage to bring a whole group of people under them, a cult to follow them, to listen to them, to do their bidding. We know this happens out of books. There’s something in some people that gives them this need to believe someone who feels like they have authority over them, to follow them, and to please them, when logic would dictate that what that person is preaching isn’t good. I assume that when something like the Tribulation (as it is called in Dead New World) happens, that kind of mass chaos, fear, and strife pushes even more people, who normally would behave within the constraints of society, to want to cling to some kind of belief, even if it is a dangerous man preaching his own agenda.
Absolutely amazing book full of heart stopping action that I am so glad I saw and read. This is definitely a stand alone, but one can hope that there might be a sequel? One that might revolve around Adam? *fingers crossed*
Thank you so much for my copy of Dead New World (I’ve had the song Mad World going through my head all morning because of this book), it gets 5 stars from me!
Then I read the blurb and thought this is going to be a different kind of zombie story. I must read.
So I did.
The book starts off with action, the guys (Holt, Ambrose, the rest of their platoon) are on patrol when they are attacked by the Reverend’s troops/people/zombies/etc. It was a very intense scene that kicked off the book and set the pace for the rest of the novel. Holt and Ambrose made it out of that round alive but in need of medical care, seeing as Holt lost his foot and Ambrose could lose his human state shortly.
And so the story goes.
Dead New World is full of so much action at one point I was saying will these boys ever get a break in their favor? I started this yesterday and was finished by last night, it flew by with everything that was happening throughout the book. While it wasn’t scary like I thought it would be, it was a crazy ride full of twists and turns, ups and downs, and zombie brains flying.
It definitely had a different twist on zombies, with the Reverend and his Horsemen working with the zombies to create a new world. It amazes me (and not in a good way) how one person can manage to bring a whole group of people under them, a cult to follow them, to listen to them, to do their bidding. We know this happens out of books. There’s something in some people that gives them this need to believe someone who feels like they have authority over them, to follow them, and to please them, when logic would dictate that what that person is preaching isn’t good. I assume that when something like the Tribulation (as it is called in Dead New World) happens, that kind of mass chaos, fear, and strife pushes even more people, who normally would behave within the constraints of society, to want to cling to some kind of belief, even if it is a dangerous man preaching his own agenda.
Absolutely amazing book full of heart stopping action that I am so glad I saw and read. This is definitely a stand alone, but one can hope that there might be a sequel? One that might revolve around Adam? *fingers crossed*
Thank you so much for my copy of Dead New World (I’ve had the song Mad World going through my head all morning because of this book), it gets 5 stars from me!
jeanz's review
3.0
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, Amrose, 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 9 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 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, Holts 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.
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, Amrose, 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 9 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 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, Holts 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.
pippajay's review
4.0
I was given an ARC for my honest and unbiased review.
What I liked.
I have to start by saying I have limited experience with zombies of any kind. I'm not a fan of the traditional Hollywood-type zombie apocalypses, so a twist on that had more appeal for me and certainly worked in giving the story that extra edge. Ambrose fascinated me - the whole idea of a human-zombie hybrid. I loved the idea of the Reverend and the quasi-religious fanaticism. It's also rare to have a handicapped hero, and I felt this was done well (though not always entirely believable. However, in this scenario not even military can afford to turn down someone who can handle a gun despite the artificial limb proving the occasional setback, so it allowed the possibility). While part of the world building was fairly standard post apocalyptic, the idea of the zombie colony (like a leper colony) was interesting, and the idea of tying in the apocalypse with zombies in a more SF type end of the world than a paranormal rising of the dead kind. I did feel the author had the voice right for YA.
What I didn't like.
I didn't much like or empathize with Holt, and emotionally speaking the story fell a little flat...until near the end. Then *spoilers* wham! Prepare to have your heart ripped out and stomped on! In my mind, Ambrose was more of the hero than Holt, and I would rather have seen it told at least partially from his POV (but maybe I'm biased toward a zombie hero after Warm Bodies). The story did drag a bit between action scenes - a little more trimming down on wordage or being more visceral would have picked up the pace somewhat.
In conclusion.
If you like the traditional zombie shoot-em-up but want extra and/or a different twist on it, this will satisfy you on both levels, and hopefully appeal to traditional zombie fans and those who might not normally pick up a zombie book. Those who like more emotional impact might find this a bit lacking. Although the story was complete, it left an opening for a sequel (which I would love to read).
What I liked.
I have to start by saying I have limited experience with zombies of any kind. I'm not a fan of the traditional Hollywood-type zombie apocalypses, so a twist on that had more appeal for me and certainly worked in giving the story that extra edge. Ambrose fascinated me - the whole idea of a human-zombie hybrid. I loved the idea of the Reverend and the quasi-religious fanaticism. It's also rare to have a handicapped hero, and I felt this was done well (though not always entirely believable. However, in this scenario not even military can afford to turn down someone who can handle a gun despite the artificial limb proving the occasional setback, so it allowed the possibility). While part of the world building was fairly standard post apocalyptic, the idea of the zombie colony (like a leper colony) was interesting, and the idea of tying in the apocalypse with zombies in a more SF type end of the world than a paranormal rising of the dead kind. I did feel the author had the voice right for YA.
What I didn't like.
I didn't much like or empathize with Holt, and emotionally speaking the story fell a little flat...until near the end. Then *spoilers* wham! Prepare to have your heart ripped out and stomped on! In my mind, Ambrose was more of the hero than Holt, and I would rather have seen it told at least partially from his POV (but maybe I'm biased toward a zombie hero after Warm Bodies). The story did drag a bit between action scenes - a little more trimming down on wordage or being more visceral would have picked up the pace somewhat.
In conclusion.
If you like the traditional zombie shoot-em-up but want extra and/or a different twist on it, this will satisfy you on both levels, and hopefully appeal to traditional zombie fans and those who might not normally pick up a zombie book. Those who like more emotional impact might find this a bit lacking. Although the story was complete, it left an opening for a sequel (which I would love to read).
More...