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Flu (Flu #1)

by Wayne Simmons (Goodreads Author)

3.56 of 5 stars 3.56 · rating details · 465 ratings · 81 reviews

There's a nasty flu going round. An epidemic, they call it. The posters say to cover your mouth when you sneeze, and throw away the tissue.

But such simple measures won't help.

Because when you catch this flu, armed police come and lock you in your house to die alone.

When you catch this flu, it kills you in days.

And two hours after it's killed you, your eyelids snap open...more

Paperback, 310 pages

Published April 2010 by Snowbooks Ltd

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Sep 22, 2011 Book Chick City rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: horror, zombies, book-list-2010

I actually gave this book 5/10 on my blog, but Goodreads doesn't offer half stars.

I am a huge zombie fan. I love watching movies about them, reading books about them, basically I can't get enough of them. So when I saw this beauty, with the pretty awesome cover, a while back, I knew I had to have it. Unfortunately, Flu just didn't hit the mark for me and I found it rather disappointing.

Flu is not a particularly original novel, although it does try to be, but where it tries it falls flat due to t...more I actually gave this book 5/10 on my blog, but Goodreads doesn't offer half stars.

I am a huge zombie fan. I love watching movies about them, reading books about them, basically I can't get enough of them. So when I saw this beauty, with the pretty awesome cover, a while back, I knew I had to have it. Unfortunately, Flu just didn't hit the mark for me and I found it rather disappointing.

Flu is not a particularly original novel, although it does try to be, but where it tries it falls flat due to the lack of explanation. People are dying after catching a new strain of flu virus only to rise again as the undead. There's no explanation about how the virus works and why people are coming back from the dead. The author even goes to the lengths of including a doctor/scientist but never allows them to discover anything.

We are also told that the zombies secrete a mucus that toughens like a hard shell to protect them, possibly preserving them, but goes no further into detail or gives a reason for it. The zombies even love the sun and seem to be drawn to fire but nothing is explained and so I found myself becoming increasingly frustrated.

The other aspect I found odd was the fact that throughout the novel the characters seemed to believe that the zombies couldn't hear due to the mucus and could barely see, and yet the zombies seem to know where everybody was. But if they couldn't hear or see, then surely the zombies would just be wandering around aimlessly with no purpose. But the characters are bombarded with zombies at every turn, which I found most peculiar.

The characters are pretty well rounded although some of the interactions between them are a bit unrealistic and I thought some of the feelings between them happened too quickly. I realise that being in such an intense situation as a zombie ridden world would create emotions that may not have arisen otherwise, but certain passages of dialogue were a little jarring at times and just didn't ring true.

I also found the ending to be a bit vague, so I'm not sure if the author is planning a sequel, but either way I am not a fan of ambiguity. The ending wasn't a cliffhanger or a happy ever after, so I was left feeling a bit duped.

Verdict:

I found Flu to be a fast-paced read, once I got going, however every time I put it down, I didn't have the killer urge to pick it up again. It was engaging enough while I was reading it but I've read better within the zombie genre, however, if you're a die-hard zombie fan then you may very well like it. Although it wasn't awful, it certainly wasn't great, so sadly, for me it was just a bit, meh...
(less)

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Apr 13, 2010 Desolation Culture rated it 3 of 5 stars

Ever wondered what might happen if flu turned people into zombies? No, me neither. Now having read this feisty little tome I can see that it's a question that definitely needs asking. You see, in this tale from Wayne Simmons a flu pandemic wipes out most of civilisation, and those who die coughing up their internal organs don't stay dead. Instead they rise as cannibalistic undead, and roam the streets seeking out the few survivors to satisfy their hunger.

The streets in this particular tale of th...more Ever wondered what might happen if flu turned people into zombies? No, me neither. Now having read this feisty little tome I can see that it's a question that definitely needs asking. You see, in this tale from Wayne Simmons a flu pandemic wipes out most of civilisation, and those who die coughing up their internal organs don't stay dead. Instead they rise as cannibalistic undead, and roam the streets seeking out the few survivors to satisfy their hunger.

The streets in this particular tale of the lurching dead are those of Belfast, Northern Ireland. The run down council estates of these environs provide a perfectly bleak backdrop to the story. Peopling the remains of this environment, are those who survived the initial bout of zombie plague to serve as protagonists. They are a varied bunch and include an ex IRA gunrunner, a retired army major, and a young skinhead.

Despite the silly sounding idea of a flu pandemic causing a zombie apocalypse, I found this book to be great fun. It has a dark wit running through it, and a great punk attitude; lean, mean and full of energy. I really liked Simmons's writing style too, I found it enthusiastic and straight to the point. Some may not be so keen, however, as it's blunt and frequently involves swearing. For me the at times sardonic tone suited the story perfectly. Not that there is a great deal of obvious humour, but a dark humour permeates the narrative and dialogue.

This book is so lean it could be an advert for Weight Watchers. At 282 pages of almost non stop zombie mayhem, there is certainly no padding. Thankfully the characterisation doesn't suffer from its slightness. You know enough of what you need to know about the characters to make them interesting and rounded. As the story evolves you get a sense of the very different worlds they all inhabited before civilisation collapsed. This works really well in a Northern Irish setting as it evokes - without Simmons needing to make any explicit point - how meaningless the divisions between people are in the face of widespread catastrophe and mass death.

Further into the story we learn of threads that connect some of the protagonists to one another, although they don't all meet. Simmons also reveals a little of the events that occurred following the initial outbreak of the virus, and the response of the authorities. This is typically bleak and unforgiving, but the ideas are not really anything new. What works well is the tension created among the characters, as some suspect the involvement of others in dark deeds. Tension and mistrust amongst the surviving characters is always present. The flu virus is airborne, and unsurprisingly paranoia has become the norm. Again, I like the writing of the characters and crucially, I cared about what happened to them.

This isn't the most original book you're ever going to read. In many ways this book reminded me a lot of the film 28 Days Later. The zombies in this are not driven by rage, but by hunger, and perhaps by a need for warmth. Simmons never actually explains what is driving his zombies, there are just hints in their behaviour. This is true of many other aspects of the story as well, and when I reached the end I still had a lot of questions which hadn't been answered. This left me feeling a little unsatisfied, but because I enjoyed the book, what I really wanted was a sequel. I don't know if a sequel is planned, but it feels like it should have one. I would certainly buy it.

In summary Flu is a belligerent little number. An easy to read, action packed blast of zombie shenanigans, that I thoroughly enjoyed. Above all I found it a fun read, and unlike the zombie hordes within, it certainly wasn't brain dead. There may be a lot that's never really explained, but what remains is a highly entertaining addition to the zombie canon.

Flu
by Wayne Simmons
282pp, published by Snow Books, Paperback £7.99/$14.95(less)

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Jun 13, 2012 Lalinilla rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: en-inglés, terror

NO ES OTRA MALDITA NOVELA DE ZOMBIS

Pandemia llegó a España hace relativamente poco, en pleno apogeo de la oleada de novelas de zombis que han salido a la luz en los últimos años. Quizás por eso no ha recibido todo el éxito que en realidad se merece.

Y es que Pandemia no es otra maldita novela de zombis. Además de una trama ágil, rica en personajes (es una novela coral con diferentes líneas argumentales que se cruzan y que recuerdan lejanamente a Descansa en paz, de Lindqvist, pero con mucha más a...more

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Mar 23, 2012 G.R. Yeates rated it 4 of 5 stars

Wayne Simmons crafts a pulp horror feast for those hankering for the heyday of the 1980s horror boom when Messrs Hutson, Herbert and Guy N. Smith were plying their gross and gory trade. In amongst the current scrum of zombie horror out there, Wayne's fetid creations stand out for the simple and straight-forward way in which they get under your skin. We've all had the flu and we've all felt like 'zombies' on these occasions. We've all been grossed out by people on the bus or train clearly too sic...more

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May 17, 2011 Miz Love rated it 5 of 5 stars

First off, I will admit to buying this book based only on the cover as I browsed my Facebook updates. What a good decision I made!

While thinking of this plot, I imagined Wayne Simmons doing a Stephen King and having the subject of Swine Flu on his mind then thinking: What if…? Wayne came up with people dying of a flu epidemic, only for them to come back to life as the un-dead. A chilling idea, and he showed the fear of those uninfected really well. Average people battling to stay healthy and ali...more

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Nov 05, 2010 Patrick D'Orazio rated it 4 of 5 stars

Wayne Simmons has returned with another tale of the apocalypse that transports the reader back to the streets of Belfast, Northern Ireland, much like he did with Drop Dead Gorgeous, although this tale is very much distinctly different in its approach to the dead who rise up in the story. IN DDG, the undead are VERY unique and take most of the story to appear-perhaps they are not even undead, as it were, given how they act and react. Much will be revealed in the sequel to that tale, I would gathe...more Wayne Simmons has returned with another tale of the apocalypse that transports the reader back to the streets of Belfast, Northern Ireland, much like he did with Drop Dead Gorgeous, although this tale is very much distinctly different in its approach to the dead who rise up in the story. IN DDG, the undead are VERY unique and take most of the story to appear-perhaps they are not even undead, as it were, given how they act and react. Much will be revealed in the sequel to that tale, I would gather, as the reader is left with something of a mystery on their hands after book one as to what to expect from them...a good, intriguing mystery, mind you.

Flu is, in many ways, a more 'traditional' tale of the dead rising. The premise here is a flu that rips through the populace, putting down almost everyone as it goes airborne. The police cannot handle it, nor the army, but they are doing their grim best to quarantine the initial victims of the outbreak in a way that I found to be quite disturbing. Those afflicted by the flu don't rise immediately-at least not at the beginning of the story, but it does not take long for it to be clear that we are dealing with a zombie outbreak as we see one body rise in a tenant where the police can barely contain the rioting citizens. After that, we skip ahead six weeks and discover that the city of Belfast is a wasteland, with few survivors and undead numbers growing exponentially.

Wayne brings the reader back to his little corner of the world and makes it as detailed and vital as he did in DDG. We again are introduced to characters who were immersed in the 'troubles' of that area-policemen, the military, and a member of the IRA, whose past existences haunt them and impact how they try to survive through this horrible reality they find themselves in. They are not the only characters, as Wayne doesn't scrimp on the introduction or development of others, including a heavily tattooed and pierced character named Lark and his buddy McCall, who inject some color into this new world of death and mayhem, alongside the beautiful Geri, who share time with cops George and Norman and Pat, an IRA operative who has taken it upon himself to protect a naive girl he's found in the aftermath of the apocalypse, Karen. We also get to see some things going on behind the scenes with the military, although our time with Major Connor Jackson and Dr. Miles Gallagher, two men at crossed purposes, is limited in this book-just enough for us to guess at what grim possibilities await the other survivors in a sequel to this novel.

The bottom line is that this is a richly developed story with characters that you can love or hate based on the depth with which they are developed. My criticism, which is minor, has to do with the fact that the action is limited because of the detail with which all the characters are given. Don't get me wrong, the story moves forward, it is just not at a lightning pace. I am guessing that the author is setting the reader up for a thrill ride of a sequel that is less heavy on character development and more on action, as is often the case with sagas such as this. Honestly, I can't say it is really a criticism that is heavy, because I think when this tale is complete, after two or three books, we will see something that is vibrant with characters that fascinate as well as action that resonates. Good stuff, and again, Wayne Simmons does not disappoint.(less)

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May 18, 2010 Lisa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Lisa by: Brian Stanton

Shelves: 2010, own

Oscillating between a 3.5 and a 4, mostly due to me wanting a little more closure come the end but a great, thundering tear through the bleak, unrelenting, post-zombie-uprising apocalypse in Belfast (so I'll be kind and round up!).

Populated by some interesting characters including a punk, some cops, an ex IRA gunrunner and a retired Army Major (who has some rather grim history with the gunrunner) there's a nice line in cynicism and a cause of infection that could have been ripped straight from s...more

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Jul 05, 2012 Judies rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, anglicky-2012

Nebylo to nějak šíleně napsané, ale ta knížka měla několik významných mínus, pro která jsem jí nakonec udělila jen 1*. Přeci jen některé knihy v dvouhvězdičkově poličce ji o něco předčí...a teď mluvím zejména o Lesu kostí a zubů, který se také zabývá zombie-tématikou...Navíc jsem si řekla, že bych mohla konečně začít brát v potaz ty popisky k jednotlivým hvězdičkám - a u téhle knihy platí: "didn't like it"

1) zoufale neoriginální příběh - zajímavý byl jen nápad z chřipkou, pak nastalo jedno velké...more

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Oct 03, 2011 Lainy rated it 2 of 5 stars

Blurb from Goodreads

There's a nasty flu going round. An epidemic, they call it. The posters say to cover your mouth when you sneeze, and throw away the tissue. But such simple measures won't stop this flu. Because when you catch the flu, armed police come and lock you in your house to die alone. When you catch this flu, it kills you in days. And when you catch this flu, two hours after it's killed you, your eyelids snap open again..."Flu" is a pacey, terrifying, frighteningly real zombie horror...more

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Jul 24, 2012 Victoria rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, horror, read-in-2012

I hate zombie novels. They make me groan and roll my eyes, perhaps a little unfairly and perhaps a little judgementally. I do try, however, to read a novel from each genre that irritates me, every now and then, in order to confirm my fears and give me an argument to back up my inward crying. So did this novel do as I expected? You know, I’m really not too sure.

I was a little worried that ‘Wayne’, my colleague, would colour my view of his book (having never read anything by anyone I know in re...more I hate zombie novels. They make me groan and roll my eyes, perhaps a little unfairly and perhaps a little judgementally. I do try, however, to read a novel from each genre that irritates me, every now and then, in order to confirm my fears and give me an argument to back up my inward crying. So did this novel do as I expected? You know, I’m really not too sure.

I was a little worried that ‘Wayne’, my colleague, would colour my view of his book (having never read anything by anyone I know in real life before – who knew that writers have actual physical bodies and lives of their own? A small part of me always hoped that they were merely hobbits, holed up somewhere and living purely through their characters. Alas, the romance of it all is finally dead). Ahem, I appear to have digressed. Perhaps Wayne’s lilting Irish accent would follow me through the pages, leaving me to lose ‘Simmons’ the writer and the tale he has to tell but my worry, it turns out, was entirely unfounded. In fact, I was pleasantly surprised at just how quickly Wayne left my side, as Simmons sucked me into his story (biting my hand and dragging me along infectiously maybe - or is that one just a little too obvious?) This very fact alone is a testament to his writing, for I do not forget easily (oh my, I can’t decide if that makes me sound more like an elephant or gangster).

The story itself is a rather stereotypical zombie apocalypse novel (except, I’m sure, for those die-hard zombie connoisseurs who could detail each and every nuance of zombie literature but I am far from one of those and thus, it remains pretty much firmly in my one and only ‘zombie novel’ category – sorry zombie dudes). There is an epidemic, lots of people die but rise again to bite and infect others. There is lots of gore and blood and bits of brains – all the usual stuff to be expected (and perhaps a little too much to have any impact – ‘desensitised’ has become my word of the hour and I have fallen in love with subtlety all over again). The characters, too, are typical horror-novel types. Two dimensional, stereotypical, meaningless and sometimes hard to tell apart. Let’s be honest though, when you pick up a zombie apocalypse novel, this is pretty much what you’re looking for and it certainly isn’t something you can complain about. After all, it’s meant to be about the zombies, the gore and the at-times humorously ridiculous descriptions (“diseased lungs slapped against the wall like oily pancakes” could only possibly have been written to make the reader guffaw and then quote it to a bemused looking partner and an even more bemused looking dog).

There were other bits that irritated me too – gratuitous gore (the welding torch scene – ew!), repetitive phrases (‘good God’, ‘dear God’, ‘but it was too late’), getting confused between Geri and Karen. But the one thing that irritated me the most (and this is me being brutally honest here, despite my usual disposition) is that I actually really enjoyed reading this book. I read it in two sittings alone – the pleasantly short chapters inducing that ‘just one more…’ culture that usually results in my falling asleep with a book on my face, wedged open, of course, by my subconsciously stiffened and determined thumb. This did, indeed happen with this novel, as it kept me reading way past my bed time. I just couldn’t resist reading one more chapter, to see how this or that turned out or to follow the characters on the journey of survival.

The characters themselves, as I mentioned above, meant nothing to me and I doubt I will remember them. Their plight, however, and their drive to survive, enchanted me. I was (always am) curious about survival in bad times – epidemics, war, the apparently impending apocalypse and so on. Dystopian tales have always intrigued me and have always been a staple on my reading (and in fact viewing) list. Thus, Flu appealed to me in that sense. Simmons did this really well too – looking at different types of people, different sections of society, different mind sets and how each worked to survive in his or her own world. I was also fascinated by the question of whether people would band together (like Lark and the police) or pull apart (like the army dudes, or Paddy). I really like the fact that Simmons portrayed both in his novel, making it more realistic, more believable and far more interesting than the alternative. Simmons’ ability to create such a good tale in this respect, furthermore, allowed me to skim over the zombie parts and as far as I am concerned, enriched the story to no end.

Another thing that I was surprised at was the amount of politics that Simmons introduced. Although I would have liked this to go a little deeper (I would definitely have liked to learn more about Irish politics – I accept that I could simply read history books but it wouldn’t have quite the same charm or authenticity), it is definitely one aspect of the novel that enthralled me. I was pleased when the Pat or Jackson sections came along and it is these two characters (perhaps along with Gallagher) who are the ones that were the best-rounded and three dimensional – even if dislikeable. Perhaps because they had more of a history than the others or perhaps because their stories were steeped in something bigger than flippant drug use, lost loved ones and driving taxis. Either way, the political commentary that Simmons laces through his narrative is eye-catching, unusual and unexpected. A pleasant addition to the story.

Finally, the writing style itself was something to behold. Yes, it’s a little repetitive. Yes, it is peppered with humorously bad descriptions (intentional, I think?). But on the whole, Simmons’ has a lovely way words, creating beautiful descriptions and inventive simile. “[L]ike marbles in a tin”, “crystal bread crumbs”, “relative countryside calm of a post-apocalyptic hell” – rhythmic beacons shining through an otherwise gory and unpleasant land.

So did Flu change my mind about zombie novels? No, it certainly did not. But it did make me realise that sometimes, a good writer can enchant you, even in spite of the un-dead. (less)

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Apr 07, 2013 Christopher Hyett rated it 4 of 5 stars

I found this book in a local charity shop and was drawn to the cover and the haunting eyes of a little girl, too creeped out to say no to buying it for the 50p that was being asked for it. Now after finally getting round to reading it I now know how lucky I was to find it. Not being the biggest zombie fan when I started this book I was not sure what to expect. I found the characters very deep and the theory of how zombies could exist well thought out and original. I liked the nice little details...more

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Jan 06, 2011 Linda rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: jan-2011

Sadly disappointing. I had high hopes for this book. I love the Zombie genre and it started off promising. The story was tight, the characters believable and the plot didn't paint itself into any corners with a lucky save right at the last second. But then like any night of drinking good Irish whiskey, one person got sullen and the rest soon followed suit. While waxing poetically about the past might be fine for a night at the pub, it really doesn't belong in a high action horror novel. It seeme...more

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Feb 11, 2013 Aleksandra Royzen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: end-of-the-world, zombies

Yet another zombie book under my belt. Lately I've been a bit obsessed with this genre and recently started to think of moving on to something else, but decided to stick to it for a few more books. And I'm glad I did since Flu was next on the list.

This was a quick and light read (that is if you can use word "light" when describing a zombie novel). It is definitely one of the dark novels and contained no humor, like some zombie books do. It covers several stories of various flu survivors in Irela...more Yet another zombie book under my belt. Lately I've been a bit obsessed with this genre and recently started to think of moving on to something else, but decided to stick to it for a few more books. And I'm glad I did since Flu was next on the list.

This was a quick and light read (that is if you can use word "light" when describing a zombie novel). It is definitely one of the dark novels and contained no humor, like some zombie books do. It covers several stories of various flu survivors in Ireland who try to stay alive while more and more people around them get infected.

Actually the fact that Flu is based in Ireland is a huge plus for me. For some reason I prefer stories taking place somewhere other than US, since it gives me an insight to other countries and cultures. It proves that people would behave differently depending on their background and how they grew up. I really like reading about the bad blood between IRA and Irish police/military. I of course knew about it before, but would never think how deep it would go. Even with the world crumbling down around them there is still huge suspicion of police and military. I don't think that if this story took place in US that cops would be hated and mistrusted so much. Quite an interesting point of view in my opinion.
One of the reason I removed a star is due to the fact that Wayne Simmons is one of those authors who could very easily kill off a character as soon as you get used to them. I realize a lot of authors do it and it adds to the excitement, but I dislike that a lot. Again this is totally my personal preference. I just love to be emotionally invested in the character. However, if this is not an issue for you, than it shouldn't stop you from getting this book.

I have to add however, that even though every character is fair play, Simmons does a beautiful job of a very short character development. Meaning even though he is not using 10 pages to describe the person, from few short paragraphs you can sort of judge their character pretty well. This is definitely a talent that I really appreciate in this particular book, which covers several stories and drown out character development would have been an overkill.

One other small gripe I have with the book is the lack of background story on the virus itself. We know nothing about where it came from or even if it started in Ireland. I personally enjoy the tale behind the infection, first hours, the beginning of the end. This was missing in this story. I'm currently reading the second book in the series called Fever and that's where Simmons gives us the beginning. But while reading Flu I had no idea about that and so was a bit disappointed.

In conclusion this is all around good zombie read which I highly recommend.(less)

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Jul 30, 2011 Pam rated it 3 of 5 stars

My thoughts on Flu Flu is an ok book. I didn't love it but I didn't hate it. The cover will suck you right in if you love Zombie books. For me the book just didn't live up tp what I had hoped it would be. It tries to follow to many characters for a short book. Geri one of the women left alive is the best character out of them all. Flu doesn't really have a lot to do with Zombies. They are kind of like background noise. It is more about the characters past lives before the flu and their hunt for...more

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Mar 24, 2012 Jason rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: e-books, read-2012

2 Stars

I love all things post apocalypse and for that reason I was able to read through this book easily. This is a fast paced, completely been done before 1000 times type zombie thriller. There is a tiny backstory and explanation. The world building is also extremely limited in its scope. The ending only reads as one due to the fact that there simply are no more pages to turn.

I liked quite a few of the characters. Simmons gives us a diverse cast to like and to hate. There are aspects to this st...more

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Mar 30, 2013 Timothy Ward rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: horror, zombies, audiobooks, 2013

REVIEW SUMMARY: A character-focused zombie story whose characters you’d rather ignore.

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: A flu outbreak in Northern Ireland overcomes quarantine efforts as the dead rise and survival efforts bring out the worst in most people.

MY RATING: 2.5 stars

MY REVIEW
PROS: A few memorable scenes; Irish accent in narration added to immersive experience.
CONS: Characters mostly unlikable; rambling plot; obtrusive prose.
BOTTOM LINE: The story is dominated by people being jerks, mixed in with some zo...more

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Mar 30, 2013 Donna rated it 3 of 5 stars

I have never read a book of this genre before will it make me read another of this type...probably no. Whilst, it was okay and was a page turner, just over 200 pages. It was very predictable and been done before. However; this type of genre does make me think...what if (not they 'we' will get turned in to zombies) but more how would one behave, what would one do to survive. I find that far more scary than the dead, coming back to life.

The book was filled with the usual gore and, the discovery ho...more

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Dec 03, 2011 Gem rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: My Sister!

Shelves: a-real-page-turner, apocalyptic, for-the-strong-stomach, full-of-zombies

I really did like this. It kept me on edge in the way that a good horror film would, and was well written - enough blood and suspense to keep me happy. The pages turned quickly and I was gutted when I misplaced the book for a few days right in the middle of reading!

The story is less about the flu virus (you don't get to find out any of the scientific details surrounding how it started) and more about survival - which was a major plus for me as I love survival tales.

There seemed to be a few thing...more

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Mar 05, 2013 Shaun rated it 4 of 5 stars

Still bearing the scars from the political upheavals that led to decades of violent conflict, the residents of Ireland now have another fight on their hands in Simmons’ novel, Flu, but this time their enemy is the undead. This is a very human zombie story, centred more around the living and how they survive, than with the dead themselves. Simmons has incorporated his intimate knowledge of Ireland to make the novel seem as ‘realistic’ as possible, and populated it with gritty, pragmatic, richly d...more

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Aug 12, 2010 Janjaf rated it 3 of 5 stars

I like the setup of this book, which drops us right in the middle of the by now wellknown zombia-apocalypse, without any exposition what so ever.

In this case humanities being eaten in Belfast, and the zombies (reminiscient of The Cranberries) are part of a subtle analogy to both sides in the north ireland struggles.

It's short, sharp but not to the point, unfortunately. Four narrative threads are not even being to interweave befor page 150, and while the pace is generally rather adagio, several o...more

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Jul 17, 2011 Roxanne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: own, horror, non-graphic-novel, ng-paperback, thriller-suspense, zombies

I thought this was an excellent book. A selection of stories that came together as it went along. I got completely hooked just before half way into the book and couldn't put it down. When I started this book I wasn't sure as there are so many Zombie novels out there I thought this one would be nothing new, but i was so wrong. A great read that just kept me asking for more. The story is very descriptive and gruesome but I thought this was great, not recommended for those with a weak stomach. The...more

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Feb 02, 2013 Xondra Day rated it 4 of 5 stars

A deadly strain of the flu virus has mutated. It's wiped out most of the population in Ireland and possibly the world. But the victims of the flu don't stay dead. They reanimate and come back as flesh eating zombies.

The story bounces around to different groups of survivors in Belfast revealing their own personal struggles to stay alive. Eventually all the groups connect and overall it's a good story with lots of action.

My only complaint is that the ending came about quickly. There was a lot tuck...more

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Nov 28, 2010 Sharon rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was a great read! I tend to read only PNR/UF, but will read the occasional horror and this was definitely worth my time. This author knows his way around a metaphor . He can flat out write. The story is character driven and you will be pulling for some and hoping others will get what they have coming. The scary thing (and cool thing) is the author makes the flu/zombie scenario seem plausible . My 15 year old daughter is reading it now and loving it too. She says it gives her nightmares (she...more

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Jul 19, 2012 Michelle rated it 3 of 5 stars

Flu is the first book in the Flu series by Wayne Simmons and a novel of Fiction from Snow Books.

Blurb:

A Deadly Strain Of Flu Has Mutated...

Two cops fight their way through an angry and frightened crowd to gain entry to an apartment block in Belfast. They have received reports of a fresh outbreak of the virus and are met with the bloodshot eyes of a six-year-old Lithuanian girl.

Out on the streets, Geri finds herself looking down the business end of a ski-masked man’s revolver. Nearby, hell-bent o...more

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Oct 29, 2012 Robert Beveridge rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Zombie fans everywhere!

Recommended to Robert by: already a fan of the author

Shelves: ebook, owned-and-still-own, finished

Wayne Simmons, Flu (Snowbooks, 2010)

I get that damn shot every year, and for what?

I have seen a few reviews of Wayne Simmons’ Flu that take it (and him) to task for not pushing the envelope here. Most of those reviews gave no indication if the reviewer in question had read Simmons’ first novel, Drop Dead Gorgeous. If they had, well, I can kind of see where they were coming from—for that is very much a book that pushed the envelope, zombie lit-wise, and to this day it’s one of my favorite novels...more Wayne Simmons, Flu (Snowbooks, 2010)

I get that damn shot every year, and for what?

I have seen a few reviews of Wayne Simmons’ Flu that take it (and him) to task for not pushing the envelope here. Most of those reviews gave no indication if the reviewer in question had read Simmons’ first novel, Drop Dead Gorgeous. If they had, well, I can kind of see where they were coming from—for that is very much a book that pushed the envelope, zombie lit-wise, and to this day it’s one of my favorite novels in the new wave of zombie lit. And no, Flu is not that. It’s a straight-up homage to classic zombies.

You know what? I don’t have problem one with that. Drop Dead Gorgeous is what it is, and if Wayne Simmons had never written another word, I would have still been praising him as one of the most original lights in the genre. But Flu is what it is as well, and when it comes right down to it, style will out—Simmons is a good, solid writer, and it doesn’t matter if he’s pushing envelopes or not. Hell, he could write a chick-lit novel and I’d give it a go, because I know it will have the same mix of quirky characters, graveyard humor, and situations that will make me say “what the hell were you smoking when you came up with this?”, and I can be reasonably certain I’ll have a great time with it.

Such is the case with Flu, which seems to have had its genesis (though we’re only talking about the preface here) in Paco Plaza’s flick [REC]; we see a couple of cops attempting to impose a quarantine on a block of flats where it’s been reported that one occupant has come down with a particularly virulent strain of the flu that’s been assaulting Ireland. And it’s not your run-of-the-mill flu, neither—after it kills the victim, it wants to spread itself by having the victim rise and spread the infection…

skip forward a few weeks, and Belfast is, for all intents and purposes, destroyed. We re-focus on Geri McConnell, a lone survivor who’s taken to moving very quietly, attempting to survive by raiding the local grocery stores and staying out of the way of hordes of the ravening undead…until she finds herself raiding the same grocery store as another obviously-human raider wearing a ski mask. (Trust me, the ski mask becomes important.) After one of the more amusing car-chase scenes I’ve read in recent memory, Geri becomes—uncomfortably—part of a band of survivors who are, basically, living the same way she was—but there’s strength in numbers, right? Right?

I’ll lay it out for you: if you like zombie novels in the classic zombie vein, Flu is going to work for you. Simmons leavens things with a little more humor than, say, John Russo did, but the focus is the same—the zombies are the external force, seen every once in a while, that keeps the survivors face-to-face with one another, leading the book to be more of an examination of human foibles exposed when people are cramped together than a book about the undead munching on body parts. And that’s what zombie books, the good ones anyway, have always been about—us, not them. *** ½(less)

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Dec 31, 2011 Paulo Carvalho rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: zombies, horror

This was a book that as soon as I received I start reading it. It is a theme I enjoy and it was a small book. All good qualities... It was my first book of this new author (not suprising since he's got only one other book called Drop Dead Gorgeous).

This book had an interesting concept of how the zombies were "created". Each book with zombies try to explain how where they created... This book it was the flu... It all that worry about the pandemic flu lying around it was a good concept... The Flu...more

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Nov 02, 2012 Nikki rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: apocalyptic, pandemic, zombies

Flu is a very creepy read. As I was reading the book, I would find my muscles tensing up and then pressing back into the chair. Both are excellent signs that I was nervous and tense, whi. is unusal in a zombie novel.

The characters are, for the most part, normal, everyday people who are easy to relate to. Geri, the mostly self-sufficient girl who manages to get the best of a couple of possible morons. Karen, the dingbat in denial. Pat, an IRA operative, is mostly understandable, and comes off as...more

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Nov 10, 2011 Sam rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: horror

Oooo I liked this one, it is very fast paced and with the familiarity that Belfast holds it made it just that bit more 'poignant' and real and the use of a very well known and common virus such as the flu really added a real-world edge to the story that lacks in some zombie stories that use the ever ellusive mystery virus. I found the characters well written and enjoyed the gradual build up of their stories through flashbacks, dreams and conversations added a human angle to the story without los...more

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Jan 07, 2011 Simon Logan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Simon by: Wayne Simmons

A worthy addition to the (unfortunately increasingly cluttered) zombie fiction genre.

Whilst there was nothing overwhelmingly original about the book there were enough moments of interest to make me glad to have read it. In particular the setting of post-peacetalks Belfast gave it a different feel and perhaps a little more weight than the glut of small-town US-based stories which litter the genre.

I was left *slightly* frustrated as I would have liked to have seen more done with the potential for...more

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Aug 01, 2011 Shelly rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: zombies, ebook, finished-in-2011, own

Super fast read.

Belfast, Ireland has been the victim of an intense flu that has decimated the population. Unfortunately the dead didn't stay dead and now the few survivors are doing the best they can in a city that has fallen to the hordes of undead roaming the streets.

A fairly typical zombie romp that was enjoyable and quick to finish. Not too much new in this installment for the genre, but I wasn't looking for anything new.

This isn't a deep, involved story, but a satisfying enough run through...more

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About Wayne Simmons

Belfast born, Wayne Simmons, has loitered with intent around the horror genre for some years. He penned reviews and interviews for several online zines before publication of his debut novel in 2008.

Wayne’s work has since been published in the UK, Austria, Germany, Spain, Turkey and North America.

Wayne currently lives in Wales with his ghoulfiend and a Jack Russel terrier called Dita.

Look out for W...more

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“There wasn’t much to coo at when driving along a post-apocalyptic motorway. A stalled vehicle here, a mini pile-up there.” — 2 people liked it

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