Solstice: A Novel of the Zombie Apocalypse

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Solstice: A Novel of the Zombie Apocalypse

by Donna Burgess (Goodreads Author)

3.81 of 5 stars 3.81 · rating details · 175 ratings · 65 reviews

On the eve of winter Solstice, a massive flash envelopes the Earth and then there is nothing. The sun no longer shines and civilization is plunged into unending darkness. Those exposed to the mysterious flash have changed—they have become bloodthirsty, cunning, and determined to devour anyone who is not infected. They are Ragers.

In Sweden, a group of uneasy travelers hears...more

Paperback, First , 245 pages

Published May 7th 2012 by E-Volve Books (first published January 1st 2012)

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Jun 29, 2012 Giselle rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, ebook, adult, zombies

If it wasn't for the flaws in logic, this could've been a really great book. It's got intense scenes, a steady pace, and plenty of characters to keep you captivated, but it's hard to forget that nagging voice in your mind that tells you it doesn't make sense. Pushing that voice in a corner, I found I was able to enjoy the chilling story nonetheless.

Sure, talking zombies have been done in novels like Dearly, Departed and it works, but that's because we get a scientific explanation. Something has...more If it wasn't for the flaws in logic, this could've been a really great book. It's got intense scenes, a steady pace, and plenty of characters to keep you captivated, but it's hard to forget that nagging voice in your mind that tells you it doesn't make sense. Pushing that voice in a corner, I found I was able to enjoy the chilling story nonetheless.

Sure, talking zombies have been done in novels like Dearly, Departed and it works, but that's because we get a scientific explanation. Something has been done to give them a functioning brain in their undead state. It's much harder to suspend disbelief when we have a present day zombie apocalypse caused by a mysterious flash/storm that leaves the world filled with flesh eating monsters who walk around with would-be fatal injuries that don't seem to phase them. Yet, they speak. They speak with intelligence, luring and mocking its prey. One even runs away out of compassion or remorse for humans. At first I was expecting an explanation such as it being a freaky infection where they're actually still alive, turned into savage cannibals. But as the book moves along, we get more and more confirmation that these creatures are truly undead, thus should not have any brain function. It does not compute! Therefore, I suggest you to throw logic out the window, because the rest is actually pretty engrossing.

One thing that Solstice does not lack is in its characters. We get bombarded with quite a few character arcs to follow. I was a bit overwhelmed at first and it did take me a while to recall who was who when we switched to another POV. We eventually get to a point where a few of these people band together to give us only two POVs which is more manageable in a story so fast paced, leaving character building as a secondary thought - at least at first. So there we go, two POVs; two mismatched families who are fighting to survive this apocalypse. In a way we get two different stories inside the same world. I really enjoyed this style of telling; it's unnerving, with regular chapter cliffhangers that get you flying through to get back to where you left off, without really wanting to leave the story arc you're currently on. It's a great way to keep the reader enraptured. Between the two, I did favor the perspective with Tomas' family as I found the characters more compelling. I felt I cared more about their fate than I did the ones in Stu's story - which I thought was a bit all over the place, leaving me disjointed every time we got back to it.

With such a big cast, the plot is not incredibly character driven. I never felt truly invested in the characters, at least not until the last quarter where it becomes a bit more emotional. The fast pace makes up for this, though, with its constant feeling of doom in the air. This is also helped by the lack of sunlight, leading us into a very spine-chilling, gloomy setting. I'm not sure if the author plans on writing a sequel. If not the ending is bit disappointing as I feel nothing was really resolved or explained; it's all very unsettling. Overall as an author's first novel and as a rabid zombie fan, I did enjoy it. Yes it has flaws, but there's more than enough action and turbulence to keep you on your toes.

--
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads

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Aug 26, 2012 Natasha (Intertwined Blog) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-for-intertwined-blog, own-in-book-format

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◆Book Review◆
Author Donna Burgess sure gives readers a entertaining, action packed and chilling read with Solstice and as we follow several small groups through this modern day apocalypse, we are given no explanation to why or what caused this zombie (or Rager's) apocalypse, other than a mysterious flash. Which I loved.

As for the book characters, I found that many were be...more

3 likes · like · see review

May 27, 2012 Puddlyduck rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: zombies, horror, action, dystopian

To be devoured in one bite.

Solstice is a swift-paced collection of experiences of gore, loss, love, self discovery and fear in the aftermath of an apocalypse.

As the characters discover, humanity is not measured in heartbeats alone.

3 likes · like · see review

Jul 25, 2012 Zander Vyne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Yay! Something different for zombie genre lovers. And, it's well written, and error free.

This was a free download. I've been on a quest this summer to download, read, and review as many free ebooks as possible. I only download items in genres I regularly read that sound interesting, and I am brutally honest with my reviews.

So far, I've found very few books to review positively. Most new e-books seem like hastily thrown together, rough drafts; self-published efforts that would have benefitted fro...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jul 26, 2012 Alisha rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I loved this book! It was a perfect book of imperfect characters! I didn't always like all their decisions, for instance choosing to move around when it's obvious that it makes more sense to find a place to hide, especially when you have a small child. Still, the romance, the grief, the horror were all done so perfectly that I know it's going to be awhile till I get this one out of my head. I did think the author, Donna, could have let a couple more of the characters live, as one in particular w...more

1 like · like · see review

Jul 05, 2012 Lori rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: must-read, favorites, end-of-the-world, fantasy, zombies, young-adult

I really really really want to give this book 5 stars. It was so good. I had a zombie nightmare for the first time in years after I finished it.
I really liked Melanie and Tomas's story. I wasn't so hot on Stu and Tana. I was cheering for Tomas and Mel from the beginning. They seemed to have more to live for and didn't just hide in a store the whole time. Their part of the story had the most action aspects of the story and really seemed to fly by. Stu et al had the most horror moments. When they...more

2 likes · like · see review

May 31, 2012 Rolando Gill rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I am a pretty fast reader and I tend to just fly past the fluff that authors put in to fill pages. I go from visual description to visual description. That is what made this book passable. The author was able to describe situations in a way that I could understand and see them. However, in order to enjoy this book you must make HUMONGOUS leaps of logic in almost every chapter. So much so that I had to create this unbelievable irrational construct in my mind. That is where the story stops being e...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jun 05, 2012 Ashley rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: loved, read-in-2012, zombies

I can not stress enough that if you are looking for a fast paced zombie novel, you HAVE to read this!

I saw this show up on a side bar on Good Reads and it perked my interest, even with zero reviews to go on I knew I had to try this.

The writing is extremely smooth and well written. You have a couple different points of view but they are very well written and they transition very well through out the chapters and book itself.

There is plenty of zombie carnage which is def a must in a zombie book! I...more

2 likes · like · see review

Oct 03, 2012 Riana Elizabeth rated it 3 of 5 stars

I'm not a huge fan of zombie stories, but "Soltice" was offered as a free promotional read on Amazon. The plot is nothing that hasn't been done before, though I like the addition of the zombie creepy intellect & speech. Various scenario holes, but a much more entertaing read that I expected it to be.

1 like · like · see review

Sep 16, 2012 Mary rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book and found it hard to put down. Some of the characters started out a little flat, but rounded out as the story continued. Also, the ending felt a little rushed, but I'd still like to find out what happens next. It was a fun read.

1 like · like · see review

Jul 18, 2012 Crystal Clifton rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: EVERYONE

Recommended to Crystal by: won on goodreads

Shelves: first-reads

This is actually the first book about zombies/ragers i have ever read . the characters in this book were so believable and make you think of what you might do in the case of the end of the world, Stu, Tana Melanie and Thomas are some kick ass characters that were very enjoyable to read. EIt was serious, humorous and sit on the edge of your seat excitement. I think everyone should have this book in their collection especially for those of you that love Zombie stories I mean these Zombies/Ragers m...more

2 likes · like · see review

Oct 28, 2012 John Podlaski rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have recently been attracted to zombie books and taking full advantage of the "free ebook promotions" by Amazon. This book is unlike the other apocalypse books that I've read...these zombies have super strength, memories, can think, speak, see in the dark killing machines.

Solstice basically follows two groups of survivors. One is traveling through England and the other trekking through the north Baltic countries en route to England. Both had been attracted by sporadic radio announcements prom...more

1 like · like · see review

Sep 04, 2012 Books rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

It seems lately I have an appetite for zombie-themed books. I finished “Hollowland” by Amanda Hocking and then, on the recommendation of a friend, got started on this one. I finished it in no time because once the story got its hold on me, it just wouldn’t let go until I had read the last page at 02:30 in the morning.

Everyone who has been following my reviews by now knows that I’m a big fan of the horror genre. And let’s be honest: zombies are much more horrifying than vampires, werewolves and d...more It seems lately I have an appetite for zombie-themed books. I finished “Hollowland” by Amanda Hocking and then, on the recommendation of a friend, got started on this one. I finished it in no time because once the story got its hold on me, it just wouldn’t let go until I had read the last page at 02:30 in the morning.

Everyone who has been following my reviews by now knows that I’m a big fan of the horror genre. And let’s be honest: zombies are much more horrifying than vampires, werewolves and demons, which have become rather stereotypical and predictable creatures in every second paranormal novel on the market today. I suppose many will say the same about zombies, but “Solstice” gives a startling new meaning to fear with its depiction of the living dead.

I have to applaud the author for not holding back in her use of shock techniques to get the reader to fully comprehend the direness of the situations faced by the various characters, and the fear they’re constantly experiencing knowing their lives and those of their loved ones could end at any minute. Can you imagine living in a world where the sun no longer exists and it being impossible to discern between day and night? How about being as frightened of the living as of your zombie neighbor trying to make a meal out of you or your child? Or even worse; your child being the zombie trying to make a meal out of you! But what really had me chewing my nails and my nerves on end was the constant darkness in which the characters couldn’t even see their hands in front of their faces, and the terrifying sounds of running footsteps and howls behind them made by zombies and marauders chasing them down. All this while fleeing through burning cities they once called home.

Even without these flesh-eating monsters, the whole concept of living in a post-apocalyptic world where you not only have to run for your life, but fight against the cold and starvation to stay alive, is frightening in itself. The author does a great job taking the reader into that world and making the experience as realistic as possible. A lot happens in this fast paced book and the story is told from many different points of view. Although there’s not much in the way of plot twists, it is filled with shocking scenes, heartrending moments and boatloads of action. From Sweden all the way to London, this novel takes the reader on a horror-filled journey with characters whose fears and vulnerabilities are easy to relate to, thanks to the author’s skilled writing.

I agree with other reviewers who mentioned that the book needs some editing, but any book that has me reading into the wee hours of the morning because it’s impossible to put down, receives a ten star recommendation from me.
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Aug 27, 2012 Paranormal Reads rated it 5 of 5 stars

Solstice is different from your everyday Zombie or Rangers as they are called in this book. Tragedy happens and the world begins to end. People are transformed into Rangers, zombies who can talk to you and they love to taunt their victims. There is rumors of a safe place and some of the survivors try to find their way their. The only bad thing is the Rangers aren't the only ones you have to look out for. The bad and crazy people have come out as well.

This book follows several different characte...more

1 like · like · see review

Aug 24, 2012 Carlie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: zombielovin

I highly recommend this book.

You can call them zombies as a way of identifying the book for those looking for zombie related books. The author uniquely calls them Ragers and gives them their own distinct characteristics. Anyone reading a traditional zombie book would have to stop and do a double take when reading this book.
Ragers, talk. Yep, they are walking talking flesheaters. They laugh, tell bad jokes, know who they are, drive cars and get pissed when you won't opent the door and let them ta...more

1 like · like · see review

Aug 01, 2012 Mindy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: dream-reader-dreamer2229-blo

This story is told from multiple points of view about what happens when one day the world goes mad. One Solstice there are major solar flares and all light goes out on earth. No power, no phones, and people you love are dead but still moving and worse, eating people. This is the second zombie apocalypse novel I have read this week and it was not more of the same. This story focuses on the emotional and physical toll this would take on people and the extent to which people will go to save those...more

1 like · like · see review

Jul 15, 2012 T.M. Smith rated it 4 of 5 stars

A real life, honest to goodness, Zombie book! WooHoo!!!
My favorite genre of books are Zombie books; I especially enjoy a good zombie book; this was a great zombie book!
Burgess unfolds such an interesting post apocolyptic world for us, you are drawn in more and more with every page as you learn about these
blood thirsty zombies in a human shell (Ragers).
Another aspect of this book that I enjoyed was the justification; how these "Ragers" came to be. They also retained their human memories, locke...more

3 likes · like · see review

Jul 01, 2012 Wanda Panda Hartzenberg rated it 5 of 5 stars

Where to star, where to start? What can I say that would convince you that you seriously need to read this book? I don’t know the answer, so I am imploring you, trust me, you want to read this book. This was my first ever Zombie book. Post apocalyptic Europe had me enthralled. The characters, again very human and very flawed had me rooting for some and wishing others would dissolve like an aspiring in water. The author managed to use the dystopian backdrop as a character all in and of itself. I...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jun 24, 2012 Greg rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle-ebook, zombie, apocalyptic

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

1 like · like · see review

May 29, 2012 Mallory Anne-Marie Forbes rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: may-2012-reads, may-reading-challenge

11 or 12 stars would be apropos!

An electrifying “what if”-a coronal mass ejection on the sun, an ordinary and not infrequent event, serves as the “pulse” which totally knocks out the power grid everywhere on earth. And not just that-not just total loss of communications, Internet, television, subways, and so forth-but all those exposed to it, outdoors or indoors, turn into something really worse than zombies-flat grayish eyes, burnt skin-and an enormous and intense hunger for flesh. Even worse,...more

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Jun 03, 2012 Ananda rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Not a feel good read but very well written.

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Sep 22, 2012 Marissa Farrar rated it 4 of 5 stars

I do enjoy a good zombie novel which focuses on the characters rather than the zombies, and this one didn't disappoint. I thought all the characters were well-written and well-developed - from Tomas, with his well-meaning love for his family, to Melanie with her nervous ticks and her love for Tomas. The book had me hooked from the first couple of pages and I read it straight over two days.

My only real gripe with the story was a few of the things set in England weren't quite right. The English ch...more

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Jul 03, 2012 Karen Fowler rated it 4 of 5 stars

First, the good: Not your typical zombie novel, Solstice imagines the undead creatures a bit different, which is a breath of fresh air. I found the writing to be quite good, the action fast-paced and the descriptions very vivid. I plowed through this book in one sitting, so anxious was I to see how it ended.

Now, the bad (which isn't all that bad, I swear!)-- This book doesn't delve into the scientific reasoning behind the sudden appearance of zombies or the constant state of darkness, which bug...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jul 06, 2012 Chrystal rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 50-book-challenge-2012

Okay first off I loved how quickly this story moved. Solstice was a mixture of chaos, high running emotions and terror for the characters. I can only imagine the emotions that people would be experiencing at a time where the world is in complete darkness and people have gone stark raving mad. Also, the fact that this takes place in post-apocalptic Europe was an added bonus (London and Sweden). It was nice to see a change from the usual American locations, though there are some American character...more

1 like · like · see review

May 26, 2012 Jord¥n marked it as to-read · review of another edition

FREE ZOMBIE BOOK ON AMAZON TODAY

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May 25, 2012 AH marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle-freebies, own-not-read, zombies

Kindle free download 5/25/12.

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May 25, 2012 Doreen Dalesandro marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: apocalypse, owned-kindle

Kindle freebie, 5/25/12

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Jul 03, 2012 Stephanie Cover2CoverBlog rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle-library, early-review

Background: A flash of light and then an unbearable darkness has taken the world by surprise, leaving its inhabitants shocked. Those who saw the flash have become man-eating Ragers, a talking version of what is commonly considered a zombie. These Ragers are attacking the others all over and the living is trying to adapt to darkness, no power/electronics, and survival against the Ragers. Their only hope is a short radio transmission.

Review: I received this book as part of a blog tour to read for...more

Background: A flash of light and then an unbearable darkness has taken the world by surprise, leaving its inhabitants shocked. Those who saw the flash have become man-eating Ragers, a talking version of what is commonly considered a zombie. These Ragers are attacking the others all over and the living is trying to adapt to darkness, no power/electronics, and survival against the Ragers. Their only hope is a short radio transmission.

Review: I received this book as part of a blog tour to read for review. The premise is great. I was expecting a zombie apocalypse and that is essentially what I got, humans running or their lives, collecting weapons, and trying to find other survivors. There were intense scenes of violence and escape and breathtaking examples of survival when you think all is going to hell. The only problem was the lack of explanation. Yes, there was a flash of light and then darkness, but What? Why? I felt like I was watching a movie that had been over edited trying to cut out parts, so they cut out important ones. There seemed to be many of these plot flaws throughout.
The novel is presented in the tales of a few different groups of survivors and their different techniques of survival. We follow Melanie a college student and her adoptive family, and then a father/ teacher who was on a school trip with a handful of students and a mother and son who meet up with them. I think the most interesting part of this apocalypse was the Ragers; they were intelligent, they knew they were dead and could talk to those they were trying to attack. So there was a lot of egging on the survivors and trying to get them to come out of their hiding places, as well as knowing who people were to them before they became monsters.
Little by little you learn more about the characters and their families, and they are very interesting but not enough to hold me since there was no explanation of why these events were occurring… All I wanted was a character to come into the story who knew what was up…and that never happened.
If you enjoy Zombie movies and shows than you may enjoy this book, just be prepared for the survival story taking precedence over the reasoning behind why …(less)

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Jan 16, 2013 Lynn Worton rated it 5 of 5 stars

Review 6******

I received a copy of this book from the author in return for an honest review.

WOW!! I was told by a friend that this book was good, but until I read it, I didn't realise how good! I loved it!

I usually do a breakdown of the characters, but this is such a hard thing to do for this story. I will say that each and every one of the characters in this book came alive as I read it. I was routing for Thomas, Melanie and Christopher as they travelled through Europe to England. There were so...more

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Jul 04, 2012 Nazish Ahmed (Nazish Reads) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: blog-tours, own, ebooks, books-i-read-in-2012, reviews

I rated this book 3.5 stars.

I just reviewed this on my blog (also, my stop for the blog tour).
To view my post for the blog tour and other reviews, click here Solstice: A Novel of the Zombie Apocalypse by Donna Burgess

(I was given the ebook for free to review, as part of the "Solstice" blog tour.)

Sex: yes
Gore: yes, lots and lots of it
Magic: no
Romance: yes

Action: 5 stars
Pacing: 4.5 stars
Plot: 4 stars

First of all, I love the cover, partly because it's blue, but also because...I don't know, I just...more

1 like · like · see review

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About Donna Burgess

Donna Burgess is an author of dark fiction and poetry who enjoys surfing, painting and has a deep affection for all things Monty Python and low-budget horror flicks. Over the past fifteen years, her fiction and poetry has appeared in genre publications such as Weird Tales, Dark Wisdom, Sybil’s Garage and others. She has been married for nineteen years and has two children.

Her book include Breaths...more

More about Donna Burgess...

Books by Donna Burgess

Darklands: A Vampire's Tale (Darklands Vampires #1)

Dead Girl's Blog: Two Short Tales of Zombie Horror

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