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The Daylight Cycle #2
Sunrise
At sunrise, the dead began to walk the earth.
Our days were numbered.
The world was over.
One month after the virus took over the United States of America and turned its inhabitants into ravenous, flesh-eating monsters, Dakota Travis and his friend Steve Earnest have been barely surviving. Hiding out in an abandoned apartment building, they struggle to live in a world where danger lies around every corner and is not limited to only the threat of the walking dead. Their latest supply run almost ended with their deaths. When a local gang violently uproots them from their shelter, there is little they can do but run.
Their flight finds them sanctuary one town over in a converted insane-asylum with members of the United States military. While things should be safer, an underlying tension begins to rule their lives as Sergeant Armstrong, leader of the small unit, begins to succumb to insanity. Tension runs high within the asylum. When all that separates them from the undead is a chain-link fence, Dakota begins to wonder whether or not they might be safer outside, especially when his feelings for another man leave him an open target to the disaproving within their midst.
Our days were numbered.
The world was over.
One month after the virus took over the United States of America and turned its inhabitants into ravenous, flesh-eating monsters, Dakota Travis and his friend Steve Earnest have been barely surviving. Hiding out in an abandoned apartment building, they struggle to live in a world where danger lies around every corner and is not limited to only the threat of the walking dead. Their latest supply run almost ended with their deaths. When a local gang violently uproots them from their shelter, there is little they can do but run.
Their flight finds them sanctuary one town over in a converted insane-asylum with members of the United States military. While things should be safer, an underlying tension begins to rule their lives as Sergeant Armstrong, leader of the small unit, begins to succumb to insanity. Tension runs high within the asylum. When all that separates them from the undead is a chain-link fence, Dakota begins to wonder whether or not they might be safer outside, especially when his feelings for another man leave him an open target to the disaproving within their midst.
245 pages, Paperback
First published May 28, 2009
43 people are currently reading
286 people want to read
About the author
Kody Boye
128 books273 followersKody Boye has always been drawn to escape into other worlds. Now primarily a young adult fiction author, he made his debut in the Yellow Mama webzine at the age of fourteen with the publication of "[A] Prom Queen's Revenge," and sold his debut novel, Sunrise, to Library of the Living Dead Press at eighteen.
Since then, he has authored several young adult novels across multiple speculative fiction genres. His works include The Beautiful Ones, The Red Wolf Saga, and the When They Came trilogy.
When not writing, Kody enjoys reading YA novels, playing video games, and relaxing with his three cats. He currently lives and writes in Southeastern Idaho.
Since then, he has authored several young adult novels across multiple speculative fiction genres. His works include The Beautiful Ones, The Red Wolf Saga, and the When They Came trilogy.
When not writing, Kody enjoys reading YA novels, playing video games, and relaxing with his three cats. He currently lives and writes in Southeastern Idaho.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
December 18, 2015
I wanted so badly to like this book. I really, REALLY did. A teen m/m novel with zombies sounded absolutely perfect. I’ve read the author’s work before and enjoyed his writing style too. ...Hate to say I only made it 10% before having to quit (minor spoiler warning if you don't want the first few pages ruined - it's not really far enough to tag it though). I could not submerge into the story for one main reason: the characters should be dead. There is no way they would have made it in a hostile apocalypse. There are just too many mistakes that never come with consequences when they should have. The further I got, the more details bothered me so I had to call it and part ways.
First off: shooting a gun is a bad idea when there are cannibalistic monsters hunting for any sign of life. For a while I thought the main characters had the right idea when a gang drove by acting recklessly with their weapons. The MCs even judge their behavior ...but that does not stop them from pulling out their own guns whenever situations got a little tight. Somehow the gang’s noise didn’t summon hoard, which it should have (thus lost more realism – which is an important element in zombie fiction).
Speaking of that gang - the MCs were watching them out their apartment window and were so careful looking out, but when they were done, they just pulled the curtains back like no one was there and surprise! Got caught. Seems like an obvious error? …Or more like an excuse to get them out of their apartment, but at the cost of their intelligence. Any-who, they run for a short while. Then they decide to stop running because there is no real threat; the gang won’t chase them down since they could already be dead. …But in this type of world, a gang like that would not stop so easily. They would hunt you down for any scrap of your limited supplies and even rip it off your dead corpse. Why did the MCs rule them off as a threat? They should have been sleeping with one eye open and jumping to every little noise!
So then the MCs find shelter with a married couple. The husband warns them that his wife is in a mentally fragile state, is heavily religious, and essentially under the impression that the zombies are god’s wrath to punish the sins of mankind. So what do they do? Tell them they are gay. Brilliant. Why? To get it out of the way. How on earth is that relevant or even remotely important to admit this? Especially to someone who believes that homosexuals are one of THE CAUSES OF THE APOCALYPSE? Does not seem like an appropriate time to start up a debate. Not with someone out of their right mind. Needless to say, this spot of unnecessary pride ends up costing the couple their lives because she freaks out and zombies notice (must have been louder than a gun).
Beyond the deadly mistakes, the dialogue was rather dry and said little about the characters. There were some obvious questions that were… frustrating (example: a group of civilians need clarification when a character in charge asks, “What can you all do?” “Do?” “Yeah, do… as in, what are you good at?” ...wait, where exactly did he lose them??). The MCs’ logic was questionable as well. They want to boil water but can't because their stove is not working and then they rule out fire because it’s unsafe indoors. So that is that. ...OMG GO OUTSIDE! It’s that easy I swear! Like... They don’t even have to go in reach of the zombies; they had a balcony and apartments normally come with roofs. Just. Wow.
Any-who, characters are free to make mistakes but it’s only interesting if we get to see the weighty results of these bad decisions (and not just to serve as a plot device to move the characters to the next point). They have to learn from it. When it’s brushed off like nothing it just makes me want to argue with the book. It was not a healthy relationship between us. Maybe someday when my reading pile is lower I’ll try again, but not right now.
First off: shooting a gun is a bad idea when there are cannibalistic monsters hunting for any sign of life. For a while I thought the main characters had the right idea when a gang drove by acting recklessly with their weapons. The MCs even judge their behavior ...but that does not stop them from pulling out their own guns whenever situations got a little tight. Somehow the gang’s noise didn’t summon hoard, which it should have (thus lost more realism – which is an important element in zombie fiction).
Speaking of that gang - the MCs were watching them out their apartment window and were so careful looking out, but when they were done, they just pulled the curtains back like no one was there and surprise! Got caught. Seems like an obvious error? …Or more like an excuse to get them out of their apartment, but at the cost of their intelligence. Any-who, they run for a short while. Then they decide to stop running because there is no real threat; the gang won’t chase them down since they could already be dead. …But in this type of world, a gang like that would not stop so easily. They would hunt you down for any scrap of your limited supplies and even rip it off your dead corpse. Why did the MCs rule them off as a threat? They should have been sleeping with one eye open and jumping to every little noise!
So then the MCs find shelter with a married couple. The husband warns them that his wife is in a mentally fragile state, is heavily religious, and essentially under the impression that the zombies are god’s wrath to punish the sins of mankind. So what do they do? Tell them they are gay. Brilliant. Why? To get it out of the way. How on earth is that relevant or even remotely important to admit this? Especially to someone who believes that homosexuals are one of THE CAUSES OF THE APOCALYPSE? Does not seem like an appropriate time to start up a debate. Not with someone out of their right mind. Needless to say, this spot of unnecessary pride ends up costing the couple their lives because she freaks out and zombies notice (must have been louder than a gun).
Beyond the deadly mistakes, the dialogue was rather dry and said little about the characters. There were some obvious questions that were… frustrating (example: a group of civilians need clarification when a character in charge asks, “What can you all do?” “Do?” “Yeah, do… as in, what are you good at?” ...wait, where exactly did he lose them??). The MCs’ logic was questionable as well. They want to boil water but can't because their stove is not working and then they rule out fire because it’s unsafe indoors. So that is that. ...OMG GO OUTSIDE! It’s that easy I swear! Like... They don’t even have to go in reach of the zombies; they had a balcony and apartments normally come with roofs. Just. Wow.
Any-who, characters are free to make mistakes but it’s only interesting if we get to see the weighty results of these bad decisions (and not just to serve as a plot device to move the characters to the next point). They have to learn from it. When it’s brushed off like nothing it just makes me want to argue with the book. It was not a healthy relationship between us. Maybe someday when my reading pile is lower I’ll try again, but not right now.
January 20, 2012
Back in October of ’09, I wrote a review of Kody Boye’s Sunrise. Kody, who was under the age of eighteen when he wrote his book of the zombie apocalypse, clearly had talent, but his story was somewhat raw, which was something I expected from such a young man still learning his way in the world.
At that time, I stated that the criticism I would have of the story would go hand in hand with what I find appealing about his writing style: his youthful idealism and exuberance. He wrote of romance in the time of the world ending with a great deal of zeal and perhaps with what some might call immaturity, although when seen through the perspective of someone who was not yet an adult, the perceptions he had should be understandable.
Kody Boye has changed since then. Now, as an adult, he has taken the time to revisit his first novel and revise it in ways that are more in keeping with his increase in adult experiences and relationships. In its earlier version, I would have been very comfortable stating that the story was all about gay characters and their experiences during the zombie apocalypse. Now, with the revisions that Kody has made, I would say that this story is about the experiences a group of people have during the zombie apocalypse. Some of the characters are gay, and it remains a theme in this book, but while it remains a key part of Dakota and Jamie’s experiences and their existence as main characters, it doesn’t detract from a story of the apocalypse, of human relationships, and how people manage to not only survive, but to thrive during times of great peril and tragedy.
Essentially, this story starts out with Dakota, a boy who has just turned eighteen, hiding out with his friend Steve, an Iraqi war veteran, in Steve’s apartment in the weeks following the start of the zombie apocalypse. With their supplies running out, they are forced to find a way out of their town with hopes of finding a safe haven. They end up at a modified apartment complex with several members of the military and several civilians there, including Jamie, a corporal who forms an almost immediate bond with Dakota.
Several key characters are introduced and developed within the pages of this book, and much is revealed about them as they fight and struggle to survive the undead…and the unique, intriguing new creatures that appear later in the book that may or may not be a new hybrid creation.
Kody’s writing has matured, and while some of his youthful abandon and exuberance has perhaps disappeared on these pages, it has been replaced by a sure hand that understands more about how adult relationships work, grow, and evolve. No, how some of them evolve is perhaps not perfect, but nothing ever is. Some of the imagery Kody creates seems a bit extravagant here and there, though he does paint a vivid picture that allows you to feel that you are a part of the landscape he is creating.
Sunrise is a tale of the apocalypse, of relationships, and of the struggles we all face to find love, understanding, and a place to call home in a world filled with death and destruction. Kody Boye has matured as a writer and is someone to keep an eye on. I see great things in his future.
At that time, I stated that the criticism I would have of the story would go hand in hand with what I find appealing about his writing style: his youthful idealism and exuberance. He wrote of romance in the time of the world ending with a great deal of zeal and perhaps with what some might call immaturity, although when seen through the perspective of someone who was not yet an adult, the perceptions he had should be understandable.
Kody Boye has changed since then. Now, as an adult, he has taken the time to revisit his first novel and revise it in ways that are more in keeping with his increase in adult experiences and relationships. In its earlier version, I would have been very comfortable stating that the story was all about gay characters and their experiences during the zombie apocalypse. Now, with the revisions that Kody has made, I would say that this story is about the experiences a group of people have during the zombie apocalypse. Some of the characters are gay, and it remains a theme in this book, but while it remains a key part of Dakota and Jamie’s experiences and their existence as main characters, it doesn’t detract from a story of the apocalypse, of human relationships, and how people manage to not only survive, but to thrive during times of great peril and tragedy.
Essentially, this story starts out with Dakota, a boy who has just turned eighteen, hiding out with his friend Steve, an Iraqi war veteran, in Steve’s apartment in the weeks following the start of the zombie apocalypse. With their supplies running out, they are forced to find a way out of their town with hopes of finding a safe haven. They end up at a modified apartment complex with several members of the military and several civilians there, including Jamie, a corporal who forms an almost immediate bond with Dakota.
Several key characters are introduced and developed within the pages of this book, and much is revealed about them as they fight and struggle to survive the undead…and the unique, intriguing new creatures that appear later in the book that may or may not be a new hybrid creation.
Kody’s writing has matured, and while some of his youthful abandon and exuberance has perhaps disappeared on these pages, it has been replaced by a sure hand that understands more about how adult relationships work, grow, and evolve. No, how some of them evolve is perhaps not perfect, but nothing ever is. Some of the imagery Kody creates seems a bit extravagant here and there, though he does paint a vivid picture that allows you to feel that you are a part of the landscape he is creating.
Sunrise is a tale of the apocalypse, of relationships, and of the struggles we all face to find love, understanding, and a place to call home in a world filled with death and destruction. Kody Boye has matured as a writer and is someone to keep an eye on. I see great things in his future.
February 1, 2012
I first came across this author with his offering of dark short stories which were issued for free on a few websites and I soon got to enjoy his style of writing, so when I saw that he was release a re-written and re-edited version of an old out of print zombie book I was really excited, as zombies are my favourite genre. I was not disappointed; with this effort I can say that in my opinion Kody Boye stands shoulder to shoulder with the other main authors in this field.
The story starts one month after the zombie apocalypse and the individuals histories is filled via characters telling stories and memory flashbacks. The characters which run central to this story were well thought out and the personality of each person grew as the book went on. The story was very evenly paced and follows two characters from the start with an ever growing band of survivors. Throughout the story you witness home invasion, sieges, lunatics and generally nice folk in a bad situation. There are some neat twists and it is nice to see a bit of mystery where you think that one thing is going on but it is actually something else.
This story has a gay bias, however it should be noted that although character sexuality is central to the story, it is portrayed in a sensitive and sweet way and is in no way graphic or in your face. This book is full of love, whether it is plutonic between friends, between lovers or family, the care that the characters feel for each other really oozes though the entire narrative.
If I had to find flaws in this book it is only something personal to me, I like to visualise the people in the books that I read and so like to see more descriptive narrative on each character. I would also have liked to have seen a further step towards the non-zombie zombie (sorry any more info is a spoiler) as I think the idea of this character was fascinating and I have never seen this sub-class explored before, so I am sure someone else will pick up this idea and run with it.
For me it is a shame that the next book being released by the author is a dark fantasy (zombies being my favourite) but he has proved that he can maintain a story over a full novel as well as short stories and so I will be giving it a try!
It is the differences in writing style that sets this novel apart from the norm and what makes it an important read. The book has content that will not be to everyone’s liking, but I say if you are open minded and like the zombie genre this is a must have for your collection and you should really give this author a chance.
The story starts one month after the zombie apocalypse and the individuals histories is filled via characters telling stories and memory flashbacks. The characters which run central to this story were well thought out and the personality of each person grew as the book went on. The story was very evenly paced and follows two characters from the start with an ever growing band of survivors. Throughout the story you witness home invasion, sieges, lunatics and generally nice folk in a bad situation. There are some neat twists and it is nice to see a bit of mystery where you think that one thing is going on but it is actually something else.
This story has a gay bias, however it should be noted that although character sexuality is central to the story, it is portrayed in a sensitive and sweet way and is in no way graphic or in your face. This book is full of love, whether it is plutonic between friends, between lovers or family, the care that the characters feel for each other really oozes though the entire narrative.
If I had to find flaws in this book it is only something personal to me, I like to visualise the people in the books that I read and so like to see more descriptive narrative on each character. I would also have liked to have seen a further step towards the non-zombie zombie (sorry any more info is a spoiler) as I think the idea of this character was fascinating and I have never seen this sub-class explored before, so I am sure someone else will pick up this idea and run with it.
For me it is a shame that the next book being released by the author is a dark fantasy (zombies being my favourite) but he has proved that he can maintain a story over a full novel as well as short stories and so I will be giving it a try!
It is the differences in writing style that sets this novel apart from the norm and what makes it an important read. The book has content that will not be to everyone’s liking, but I say if you are open minded and like the zombie genre this is a must have for your collection and you should really give this author a chance.
October 30, 2017
I really enjoyed this read... for the most part. I found it interesting that the story meandered the way it did, touching on unexpected moments of forboding on behalf of an MC (which, in turn, made my blood run cold)... only to have the feeling pass without incident. It seems that in the post apocalyptic world of a Zombie massacre, the MCs are not immune to paranoid tendencies when other beings, human or otherwise, cross their path. This is noteworthy because it keeps the reader in a state of uncertainty and suspicion as the story progresses. As the MCs forged ahead, they gathered strength in human numbers in order to face a known, common enemy. Yet, they were all too aware that a more imminent threat may inhabiting the bed just across the room from them as, night after night, they fall victim to a defenseless sleep. Creepy and unsettling.
The inner workings of troubled minds, the human elements of the story, were far more disturbing than the Zombies here...
I would recommend this read for anyone who really gets into the psychological aspects of an apocalyptic event, especially one that features zombies. Must like M/M romance that isn't heavy on the sex.
The inner workings of troubled minds, the human elements of the story, were far more disturbing than the Zombies here...
I would recommend this read for anyone who really gets into the psychological aspects of an apocalyptic event, especially one that features zombies. Must like M/M romance that isn't heavy on the sex.
February 17, 2013
What a wonderful surprise this turned out to be - a combination of my two favorite book genres: m/m and zombies. While there was a romantic relationship in the book between two guys, this definitely wasn't a scorching romance. It was, however, a great story about how great friendships are built and maintained under the most trying circumstances. Zombies made their appearance and were dispensed with in due course, but while there was certainly a lot of tension and excitement, the book didn't linger on unnecessarily excessive gore.
There were a few standout characters and relationships in this book.
For those who are super picky about accuracy, there are a few moments in the book that require a bit of suspension of disbelief, but while I noticed them, they didn't bother me enough to distract me from the otherwise enjoyable storyline. Thank you, Kody Boye, for combining the two genres I love the most and providing me with hours of entertainment. :)
There were a few standout characters and relationships in this book.
For those who are super picky about accuracy, there are a few moments in the book that require a bit of suspension of disbelief, but while I noticed them, they didn't bother me enough to distract me from the otherwise enjoyable storyline. Thank you, Kody Boye, for combining the two genres I love the most and providing me with hours of entertainment. :)
May 22, 2012
It took me a while to get into this book. I cant even really pinpoint why, but it did. I would say halfway through I started really getting into it, and felt that connection with the characters. Overall it was a pretty decent zombie novel. There was not as much violence, gore, and action in this book as there are in most zombie novels. However I read the author note at the beginning of the book and he stated that this wasnt written as a traditional zombie novel per se, but it was written for the gay community. So while some may be upset at the lack of killings, I was not. This was a very heartfelt book. The author didnt hold feelings back, he put it all out there in the pages of his book. I enjoyed that honesty.
October 15, 2017
Out of all the zombie books I've read, this is one of my favorites. It has lots of zombies, but it is also a wonderful story about life during hard times. You get to experience the fear and hope. You get to see a glimpse of the mental problems that can occur. It feels real. I would expect things to happen similarly if zombies occurred.
This book isn't just a horror though. It is a wonderful romance between Dakota and Jamie. I didn't even mind the lack of sex. The relationship and dynamics between all the characters made up for it.
I also loved all of the settings. I thought it was neat reading about different areas and the impact of zombies on them. You get to see city, town, and country. They all have different problems and the book describes the areas in just enough detail that you can visualize without being bored.
Overall, I just have to say I loved this book. I honestly wouldn't change a thing. I'm just glad to see that this is a series. I have to read the others now. Just a note for everyone. You don't have to read this book second. I didn't feel like I was lost at all by doing so.
September 22, 2013
This is book that gets better as you read. It had such a rough start that I almost stopped reading, had I done that I would have missed one of the best MM Romance, Zombie reads that I have read all year.
I can not say that I liked the character of Dakota much. In the beginning, he was annoying, self absorbed, full of angst. However the other characters in the book provided a contrast to him to such a degree that I was reading on to hear more of their stories. In the end, I warmed up a little bit to Dakota but not by much. I did find the characters of Erik, Steven, Ian, and Desmond to be the most appealing (and yet underwritten) characters. I would have loved to see more of them in the story.
Which brings me to the ending of this book, while this ends in a safe-for-now situation, I am directly appealing to the author in this review (and later on his goodreads page) to please continue this series.
I recommend this story to readers of M-M Romance and Zombies Apocalypse genre.
I will also comment to those who are a bit nervous about the M-M romance, it is a very tame romance with nothing more than kissing. :-)
I can not say that I liked the character of Dakota much. In the beginning, he was annoying, self absorbed, full of angst. However the other characters in the book provided a contrast to him to such a degree that I was reading on to hear more of their stories. In the end, I warmed up a little bit to Dakota but not by much. I did find the characters of Erik, Steven, Ian, and Desmond to be the most appealing (and yet underwritten) characters. I would have loved to see more of them in the story.
Which brings me to the ending of this book, while this ends in a safe-for-now situation, I am directly appealing to the author in this review (and later on his goodreads page) to please continue this series.
I recommend this story to readers of M-M Romance and Zombies Apocalypse genre.
I will also comment to those who are a bit nervous about the M-M romance, it is a very tame romance with nothing more than kissing. :-)
June 26, 2014
3.5
I liked this, but I wanted to like it more than I did.
It was a zombie book, but we don't get a lot of zombie action. Okay, I can handle that. Instead it is more of a character story. Right, I like those, too. But...we don't really get to know the characters either. Jamie and Dakota fall in love almost instantly, but why? Kevin (I think, the father of the three boys, anyhow) comes across as rather creepy, and the whole situation at his house has the other characters on edge. Why? Was it just because of Jessiah being sick? (Maybe I'm just not smart enough to read between the lines as much as I should have.) Eric gets migraines and sort of acts a little psychotic. Why? (Granted, I've had migraines, they suck and make me homicidal when I am not wishing someone would smash my head in.) He made me nervous. I thought he should make everyone else nervous, he was unpredictable with his temper and that is sort of a bad thing during the zombie apocalypse.
Ian. I had trouble with Ian. He is part of a gang. He has been to jail. Okay, I don't see those as issues, they don't mean he is not a redeemable character. But when they first talk to him he tells them that reason he was in jail is because he raped a girl. "It wasn't my most graceful hour." Or something along those lines, is what he says about it. No one blinks an eye. He raped a girl. But, hey, no biggie. Yet later, Dakota and Steve are getting all bent out of shape that he might have gay bashed and Ian is quick to assure him that while he has done bad things he has never done that. Yes, let's give differing values to gay bashing and rape. How do you differentiate? How do you decide which is worse? Is it based on which has happened to you or someone you know? I've never been gay bashed, but I've been raped. I would imagine that there are a lot of the same feelings involved. Loss of power, shame, fear, pain, anger. I bet survivors share a lot of the same fall-out. Maybe I'm making too big a deal out of this because of my own past. But no one thinks twice, EVER, about how this man raped a girl. Close to the end of the book we find out that he was forced to rape her as part of his gang initiation. He was forced. Like this is supposed to make it all better. He still made the choice to hurt someone else instead of getting hurt himself, how does that make it okay? How could you even do such a thing and live with yourself? I struggled with this every time I read about Ian and the others just casually accepting him. I didn't like it.
There are points where it seems like the story is hinting at Dakota being sick, so I kept waiting for something to happen with that, but it never goes anywhere, not even a short bout with the flu or something.
Then...there were things that just didn't work. One minute Jamie is saying he doesn't care who knows about him and Dakota and then on the next page Dakota, who previously cautioned him about PDA, is disappointed when Jamie says he just doesn't know if he can be open about them yet. I...what? B-but last page you guys were saying the opposite! *wails* Then towards the end of the book when, um, Rose (I think) shows up:
“She’s armed,” Jamie said, “and possibly unstable.”
“How do you know that?”
“No one uses a gun, Dakota. No one’s stupid enough to.”
Yet earlier in the book they had used guns themselves. Granted they tried not to most of the time but when desperate...but suddenly this woman is stupid do the same thing they did when desperate? *confused*
And the whole scene with the couple in the beginning? Why would you tell them you were gay. Why? The husband has already basically outright told you that his wife is totally unstable and thinks the zombie apocalypse is a punishment from god for all their sins. Just...don't be the guys in the horror movie that I root for to die first because you are so stupid (though they get knocked down on the list for the assholes, and they get knocked down a little for the stupid assholes). Why would you ever think that would turn out well. *beats head on wall*
Then we have the creatures...was Jessiah turning into one of those, did Jessiah turn into one of those, though he died and they buried him? I felt really stupid here because at one point it sort of seemed liked that was what Kevin was thinking. Either he thought that that particular creature was Jessiah (though he died, got buried and didn't exactly have a way to follow them to the new place) and that is what freaked him out, or he thought that that was what Jessiah was turning into and freaked out because they had given him poison so he wouldn't suffer anymore. I was never quite sure what was up. Upset because it was his son, because he thought his son had started to turn into one of those things or upset because they had euthanized him before he turned into one of the creatures...or none of the above. I've got to quit reading things that make me feel so dumb. Moving beyond the whole Jessiah part of it all...what was up with the creatures? Was it a different strain of the virus and it mutated the humans to something else? I...really wanted to know more. *whine*
I also wanted more from Jaime and Dakota's relationship. A little more time for it to develop or at least a little more time spent in their heads seeing why they fell in love.
Then I wanted to know what happened with the others from the asylum. Did they make it? Did they get killed? A short little scene with them either escaping or dying would have tidied that up a bit.
Now I've bitched through this whole review you would think I hated this book, but I didn't. I really really didn't. I quite liked it, but there were just so many small things that added up to keep this from being a four or even five star read for me. So many places where their actions didn't make sense and/or they should have died from stupid moves. So many little threads that seemed really interesting but never went anywhere. But, despite all my complaining, I want to know more about these characters. I liked the overall writing. I liked the characters well enough, even Ian, when I forgot why he had been in prison. I want another book letting me know how things go for them in the future, I want to know more about the creatures, I want to know if Kevin is going to turn into a scary religious person (he was making me very nervous but I couldn't tell if he was actually being written as a weirdo religious nut in the making or if that was just my own experiences coloring my view).
So, three and half stars, (rounded up to four on here) because it was zombies, and m/m, and I had fun with it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 31, 2017
Out of all the zombie books I've read, this is one of my favorites. It has lots of zombies, but it is also a wonderful story about life during hard times. You get to experience the fear and hope. You get to see a glimpse of the mental problems that can occur. It feels real. I would expect things to happen similarly if zombies occurred.
This book isn't just a horror though. It is a wonderful romance between Dakota and Jamie. I didn't even mind the lack of sex. The relationship and dynamics between all the characters made up for it.
I also loved all of the settings. I thought it was neat reading about different areas and the impact of zombies on them. You get to see city, town, and country. They all have different problems and the book describes the areas in just enough detail that you can visualize without being bored.
Overall, I just have to say I loved this book. I honestly wouldn't change a thing. I'm just glad to see that this is a series. I have to read the others now. Just a note for everyone. You don't have to read this book second. I didn't feel like I was lost at all by doing so.
This book isn't just a horror though. It is a wonderful romance between Dakota and Jamie. I didn't even mind the lack of sex. The relationship and dynamics between all the characters made up for it.
I also loved all of the settings. I thought it was neat reading about different areas and the impact of zombies on them. You get to see city, town, and country. They all have different problems and the book describes the areas in just enough detail that you can visualize without being bored.
Overall, I just have to say I loved this book. I honestly wouldn't change a thing. I'm just glad to see that this is a series. I have to read the others now. Just a note for everyone. You don't have to read this book second. I didn't feel like I was lost at all by doing so.
October 8, 2017
Awesome book two!!!!
This was another awesome edition of the zombie apocalypse and the few survivors trying to come together and make some kind of life for themselves after so much death. I love that Rose made her way to this group-I think this is where she’ll be able to settle, at least for a while. Going to read the next one.
This was another awesome edition of the zombie apocalypse and the few survivors trying to come together and make some kind of life for themselves after so much death. I love that Rose made her way to this group-I think this is where she’ll be able to settle, at least for a while. Going to read the next one.
January 9, 2022
Another brilliant read
This book was even better than the first one ,so I'm now going to download the next one I can't wait it's now 4.30 am in northern Ireland and I'm going to start reading the next one
This book was even better than the first one ,so I'm now going to download the next one I can't wait it's now 4.30 am in northern Ireland and I'm going to start reading the next one
October 4, 2013
Overall I think I give this book a 2.5 star rating. It did not start out good for me, but the book did end on a good note. I picked this up as a freebie a while back and read it now for a book club meeting. Honestly, if it wasn’t a book club pick I would have DNF’d about 25% through. I’m glad I kept going though because it did get better and there were parts I enjoyed.
Sunrise is a zombie novel that focuses more on the characters than what is going on around them. Yes, there are zombies, but they are not the focus of the book. I did find that an interesting change since most of the zombie novels I’ve read have a pretty big focus on the fight scenes and the gory details. Sunrise is mainly about the people involved and their struggle to find a safe place to hide from the end of the world. The characters deal with death and grief, fear and anger, but also love and friendship.
However, for a character-driven novel, we only really start to get to know the characters about halfway through. Most of the character back story is done through dialogue and I found that to sometimes be clumsy. I didn’t feel like I really understood much about the characters for the longest time. There also wasn’t much character development to speak of, other than some acceptance of their situation and beginning to learn to cope. Speaking of dialogue – especially at the beginning but through most of the novel, I found the dialogue to be uncomfortable and it just didn’t flow well for me. I get that this is an end of the world situation and everyone is freaking out and yelling at each other, but it was kind of cringe-worthy and awkward to me.
I also felt like the characters were making stupid mistakes. Yes, mistakes in a world gone to hell overnight are expected, but certain things just seemed off to me. The biggest one that rubbed me the wrong way was when Dakota and Steve were taken in by a couple for the night, and the husband told them his wife has gone a bit nuts and thinks this apocalypse was brought on by sinners – Dakota goes ahead and tells them he’s gay. Why? Don’t start crap when you’re running for your life and when any fight or outburst could get the attention of a horde of zombies and get people killed (*spoiler* it does). It didn’t make sense why that had to happen in the plot, unless this book has an agenda and used that moment as an opportunity. The fact that one of our main characters is gay didn’t have to be a big deal, but it was made into one.
I did like, however, the themes of friendship and family and making the best of what you have. I also liked the relationship between Dakota and Jamie. One of my favorite quotes in the book (because not all of the dialogue was awkward) was spoken by Jamie:
“Throw all that fundamentalist thinking out of the water, babe, because it’s the fuckin’ end of the world. Screw whatever anyone said about not being able to know if you’re in love in the first few days of knowing someone.”
I really enjoyed this because what could have otherwise been an instalove situation was presented in a really meaningful and believable way.
Somewhere maybe halfway through as the characters start settling down, we get more eloquent narration and less of that awkward dialogue that bothered me at the beginning of the novel. Now I think maybe the purpose of this change in style was to show the severity of the situation at the start and convey the feelings of things becoming more bearable for the characters. But while I was reading it felt like I slipped into a different story for a moment, so it was not a fluid or continuous change in the writing.
The story really piqued my interest with some non-zombie-like-zombies, such as the horse and a humanoid that came to their window and told them to run when a horde was coming. I thought that idea was so interesting, maybe it was even the most interesting tidbit in the book for me, and yet it was not developed or further explained. I was really disappointed because I expected something to happen with it, but it never did.
The plot progresses as you would expect in a zombie novel with characters meeting new people, trying to survive together, then getting separated by a horde and some of them finding each other again as they pick up new members of the group along the way. The characters end up in a very supportive group of people as they barricade and stock up supplies to hide out for the winter. Another quote I really enjoyed was “without friends, this world would swallow you whole.” The novel ends with an optimistic outlook of “we’re going to be just fine” and so I was left with an overall positive feeling at the ending.
Sunrise is a zombie novel that focuses more on the characters than what is going on around them. Yes, there are zombies, but they are not the focus of the book. I did find that an interesting change since most of the zombie novels I’ve read have a pretty big focus on the fight scenes and the gory details. Sunrise is mainly about the people involved and their struggle to find a safe place to hide from the end of the world. The characters deal with death and grief, fear and anger, but also love and friendship.
However, for a character-driven novel, we only really start to get to know the characters about halfway through. Most of the character back story is done through dialogue and I found that to sometimes be clumsy. I didn’t feel like I really understood much about the characters for the longest time. There also wasn’t much character development to speak of, other than some acceptance of their situation and beginning to learn to cope. Speaking of dialogue – especially at the beginning but through most of the novel, I found the dialogue to be uncomfortable and it just didn’t flow well for me. I get that this is an end of the world situation and everyone is freaking out and yelling at each other, but it was kind of cringe-worthy and awkward to me.
I also felt like the characters were making stupid mistakes. Yes, mistakes in a world gone to hell overnight are expected, but certain things just seemed off to me. The biggest one that rubbed me the wrong way was when Dakota and Steve were taken in by a couple for the night, and the husband told them his wife has gone a bit nuts and thinks this apocalypse was brought on by sinners – Dakota goes ahead and tells them he’s gay. Why? Don’t start crap when you’re running for your life and when any fight or outburst could get the attention of a horde of zombies and get people killed (*spoiler* it does). It didn’t make sense why that had to happen in the plot, unless this book has an agenda and used that moment as an opportunity. The fact that one of our main characters is gay didn’t have to be a big deal, but it was made into one.
I did like, however, the themes of friendship and family and making the best of what you have. I also liked the relationship between Dakota and Jamie. One of my favorite quotes in the book (because not all of the dialogue was awkward) was spoken by Jamie:
“Throw all that fundamentalist thinking out of the water, babe, because it’s the fuckin’ end of the world. Screw whatever anyone said about not being able to know if you’re in love in the first few days of knowing someone.”
I really enjoyed this because what could have otherwise been an instalove situation was presented in a really meaningful and believable way.
Somewhere maybe halfway through as the characters start settling down, we get more eloquent narration and less of that awkward dialogue that bothered me at the beginning of the novel. Now I think maybe the purpose of this change in style was to show the severity of the situation at the start and convey the feelings of things becoming more bearable for the characters. But while I was reading it felt like I slipped into a different story for a moment, so it was not a fluid or continuous change in the writing.
The story really piqued my interest with some non-zombie-like-zombies, such as the horse and a humanoid that came to their window and told them to run when a horde was coming. I thought that idea was so interesting, maybe it was even the most interesting tidbit in the book for me, and yet it was not developed or further explained. I was really disappointed because I expected something to happen with it, but it never did.
The plot progresses as you would expect in a zombie novel with characters meeting new people, trying to survive together, then getting separated by a horde and some of them finding each other again as they pick up new members of the group along the way. The characters end up in a very supportive group of people as they barricade and stock up supplies to hide out for the winter. Another quote I really enjoyed was “without friends, this world would swallow you whole.” The novel ends with an optimistic outlook of “we’re going to be just fine” and so I was left with an overall positive feeling at the ending.
May 20, 2012
Sunrise follows the story of a young man on a journey to out run zombies and save his life. Dakota is holed up in an apartment with his best friend Steve. The men are forced from their safe haven by a gang. They travel many miles and avoid and kill zombies along the way. Dakota also finds love and a family he never had.
What I liked:
It was beautifully written.
Dakota is a very likeable MC. He's not like most zombie novel heroes. He's not a badass super hero. He's just a regular guy that knows how to shoot a gun and run for his life. He's not tough as nails nothing can break me type of guy. I LOVE that about him. He is a guy I can relate too. Although I am sure I would have peed my pants in a lot of the situations these guys got themselves into.
Steve is an amazing guy and anyone would love to have him as a bestfriend.
Kody Boye knows how to write vulnerability. He really gets the human condition. In most end of the world novels we don't see the hero cry ever. Dakota sheds lots of tears. Over big and sometimes little things.
There were moments of humor in this work. They were very subtle and not all readers might catch onto them. There are moments that will break your heart. There are moments that will make you jump up and go YEAH!!!!!
Jamie--sigh. He's a guy any girl (or gay man) can fall in love with. Oh did I forget to mention that the MC is gay? I did? That's probably because it doesn't matter at all. This is a book about finding love and hanging on to life no matter the odds. When others turn to raiding, killing, and taking--these guys are about helping everyone and just finding joy in a dead world.
What some readers might not like:
Do not going into this book expecting a horror novel. It is not. It's a survival novel. There are zombies but they are just a situation that the characters must evolve and move around. THEY are not the stars of this story. LOVE and LIFE are. I am so glad I decided to read this book. It has gotten me out of my book slump and back on track. What a fantastic novel. I cannot gush enough! Kody Boye is an author that I will keep my eyes on in the future.
What I liked:
It was beautifully written.
Dakota is a very likeable MC. He's not like most zombie novel heroes. He's not a badass super hero. He's just a regular guy that knows how to shoot a gun and run for his life. He's not tough as nails nothing can break me type of guy. I LOVE that about him. He is a guy I can relate too. Although I am sure I would have peed my pants in a lot of the situations these guys got themselves into.
Steve is an amazing guy and anyone would love to have him as a bestfriend.
Kody Boye knows how to write vulnerability. He really gets the human condition. In most end of the world novels we don't see the hero cry ever. Dakota sheds lots of tears. Over big and sometimes little things.
There were moments of humor in this work. They were very subtle and not all readers might catch onto them. There are moments that will break your heart. There are moments that will make you jump up and go YEAH!!!!!
Jamie--sigh. He's a guy any girl (or gay man) can fall in love with. Oh did I forget to mention that the MC is gay? I did? That's probably because it doesn't matter at all. This is a book about finding love and hanging on to life no matter the odds. When others turn to raiding, killing, and taking--these guys are about helping everyone and just finding joy in a dead world.
What some readers might not like:
Do not going into this book expecting a horror novel. It is not. It's a survival novel. There are zombies but they are just a situation that the characters must evolve and move around. THEY are not the stars of this story. LOVE and LIFE are. I am so glad I decided to read this book. It has gotten me out of my book slump and back on track. What a fantastic novel. I cannot gush enough! Kody Boye is an author that I will keep my eyes on in the future.
May 21, 2012
I read this book the first time it was published, and back then it was a nice, original story that needed a little work to reach it's full potential. Well, that work has since been done and the potential has been reached! The new edition of Sunrise reads much more fluently than before, and there have been many improvements to both the characters and the story, while the core of the plot remains with all of it's originality intact. The story is told mostly from the perspective of a gay teenager, Dakota, which offers a refreshing change from the traditional zombie novel. It is interesting to see the zombie apocalypse from the point of view of someone who faces not only zombies and rogue bands of murderous ruffians, but also prejudice and bigotry from his fellow survivors. The main character, however, is not the only thing that makes this zombie novel stand out from others: it also contains a wonderfully original twist to zombies themselves! (I won't spoil the awesomeness here, go read it for yourself). If there is one area where Sunrise doesn't differ from the traditional zombie formula,it is the zombie action. There is certainly no lack of the suspense and mayhem that make zombie stories popular.
October 15, 2012
A zombie book! When I started reading this I thought I'd never be able to finish. I am not a fan of thrillers or horror movies but this book was an enjoyable venture into the future when zombies take over the world.
The story is told from the perspective of Dakota, a young gay man who, with his best friend Steve, an older retired military man, escape a zombie threat in their city and head west. There they ultimately meet Jamie, Dakota's eventual boyfriend, and join with others who make their way back to Jamie's hometown and build a fortress to hold back the zombies.
There's no sweet HEA but there is a HFN with a promise of a hopeful future.
The story is told from the perspective of Dakota, a young gay man who, with his best friend Steve, an older retired military man, escape a zombie threat in their city and head west. There they ultimately meet Jamie, Dakota's eventual boyfriend, and join with others who make their way back to Jamie's hometown and build a fortress to hold back the zombies.
There's no sweet HEA but there is a HFN with a promise of a hopeful future.
May 16, 2012
4.5 stars from me! A wonderful gem of a zombie book. Extremely character driven which I loved. I would love to see a sequel because I think there are still some unanswered questions, hopefully the young and talented Kody Boye will dazzle us with a trilogy? One can only hope!
June 30, 2012
I thoroughly enjoyed this. I felt, while reading, that it was more like watching a film because the descriptions were vivid enough for me to picture. I liked the characters and I liked the pace of the story. Very good read :)
June 11, 2013
The story aboute some survivors of a zombie apocalypse is okay. It's a little bit strange that there are so few female characters (there are only two in the whole book), but otherwise it's quite enterteaining!
August 3, 2009
Zombie novel with a gay main character = great! Too bad this book was so poorly written.
December 30, 2011
Yayyyyyyy!!! Another editing project is now a published book! Check out Sunrise by Kody Boye for more zombie goodness.
April 5, 2012
this was an ebook version of the 2011 edition. It was good reading. Very much in the depressing vein of a zombie apocalypse but with a HFN ending.
May 2, 2012
Started good, turned rather weird, then took a turn for the long and unnecessarily drawn-out. Also, when traveling from South Dakota to Idaho, going through Minnesota is counter-productive.
Want to read
April 1, 2013Free on Amazon today (3/28/13). Not sure for how long.
Read
March 30, 2015DNF'd at 33%
Hopefully by removing this from my currently reading folder GR will stop recommending Zombie books to me!
Hopefully by removing this from my currently reading folder GR will stop recommending Zombie books to me!
September 30, 2016
kadangi rase 18m zmogus, tai ganetinai neblogai gavosi.Tik labai jau super mazai tu zombiu .
April 30, 2012
3.5 out of 5
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