Something happened to the earth. Inexplicable. Not a product of man, but of nature. Now Flex Sheridan and Gem Cardoza must do all they can to protect Flex's six-year-old neice Trina and find ways to survive a massive outbreak that has caused most of humankind to metamorphose into the walking dead. Enter Hemphill "Hemp" Chatsworth. He is a scientist who has expertise in epidemics, as well as a mechanical engineering degree. He's doing all the important work, setting up a mobile lab in which to experiment on the zombies and learn what drives them. But he must also learn what will defeat them. Charlene "Charlie" Sanders is a punk rock-loving, crossbow-wielding firecracker who rivals only Gem Cardoza in her sharp wit and fighting capability. She'll join with Hemp in his lab to help him learn what they all need to know in order to stay safe. Spiraling Down to a New Reality
A Thousand Wonderful Pieces This is a very original concept, as far as the books I've read. And this is one things that I've noticed about Indie authors that I love, I don't know if it comes from being hungry for the recognition as authors that makes them try harder, or if it's just that the main steam is so comfortable with their remakes and regurgitated bullshit that they can no longer actually create. Whatever the case, I have read some of the most delightfully abstract and fresh ideas that I've ever seen sense I've been doing this. I'm thankful to all you authors for that sincerely. These were zombies without a doubt, anyone who is very particular about what they consider a zombie will be fully satisfied. Flesh eating, shuffling, rotting homicidal corpses. Done and done. But they're also something more than that. They secrete some bio-chemical mist that puts the living to sleep with pretty f'd up results for the, not so long to be living people. Oh the possibilities! I know a lot of you out there know more than I do, because, just like with Chris Phillbrook's "Adrian's Undead Diary" series, I'm light years behind the the original fan base, who found the joys of Indies long before I came along with my humble opinion. Description and details, characters and plot, this whole thing came together for me really well .. except one little thing. Fuck That! This Is Conflict! "First rule: In the new world, fuck is not a bad word. It's just a very versatile word that can be used as a noun, a verb, or an adjective. Shit is right there with it, and it can almost be used anywhere fuck can." --Gem The Gemissums were not at all my problem. I could quote these characters all day long. It's the conflict, or lack there of. I was super uncomfortable with the idea of teaching a tiny little six year old girl to shoot a gun, and to be as excited about it, and amused by it as the characters were, felt wrong. I know everyone doesn't feel the same about guns as I do, and putting myself in the shoes of survivors in a scenario like the one depicted in "Dead Hunger", I have to say I understand. It made me cringe, where I'm sure others thought it was fine, but I understood. The character, Flex, seemed to have some very slight reservations with this as well, before coming around to the out weighing benefits of young Trina being able to defend herself if they could not, it was a show of love, mercy, and empowerment. I would have liked to have seen a little more of the things they didn't necessarily see eye to eye on. It was the singular problem I had with the whole story. Everyone was so easily swayed or didn't have to be swayed at all, they were on the same page. Hemp's situation lined up so perfectly for him to be able to leave his life behind and barely look back, and none of the rescued survivors from the Seven Eleven store made a really big stink about where they might rather be or who they may want to be lead by. if they wanted to be lead at all. It would have been worth a longer book for me to see that real life, unpredictable human reaction. For that I have to bash half a skull. Over all, Killer book! I really enjoyed reading it and will defiantly be reading the rest of the Dead Hunger series. Smashing!!!Four and a half skulls for Dead Hunger.
For more on Eric A. Shelman, see The Author Files page. |
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