Everyone loves Survivalist, a live-action, virtual reality show based on Arc Entertainment's The Game, where cybernetically controlled zombies do battle in a video arcade in the middle of a Long Island wasteland. It's to die for.
If you're rich enough, you can buy your way in. If you're desperate enough, you can volunteer to become one of the Undead Players. Jessie Daniels and her gang of computer hackers plan to break their way in.
Welcome to GAMELAND. Access Restricted.
EPISODE 1: Deep Into The Game A reckless, end-of-summer plan leads Jessie and her friends onto Long Island hoping to catch a glimpse of the infected victims of a decades-old outbreak. But while breaking in might be easy, getting back out is a hell of a killer. It doesn't take long before they realize they're part of The Game.
EPISODE 2: Failsafe Jessie and Kelly clash after one of their group gets stranded among the Infected Undead, forcing Kelly to make a rash decision which will ultimately deliver them into the hands of those who would turn them all into mindless players in The Game.
Saul is the specfic pen name of author Ken J. Howe, who writes in a variety of genres. He is a retired biotech entrepreneur with a PhD in molecular genetics and is a former combat medic.
So this isn't really about a game. More properly, you could say that a game is at the heart of the plot, but it's more of a plot device rather than part of the plot itself. You could replace with 'super secret spy project' and get the same story or something close to it.
In this one, zombies have been out and about for years. The government even makes use of them, forcing every person to serve a period of time as a zombie after their deaths. There's even a sick virtual game where Operators get to beat on each other through Operator-controlled Player zombies. And the subjects of this book want to hack into that game. But they can't, so instead, they hatch a plot to go to the game site physically.
Can you say 'bad idea'? Yeah, I knew you could. This would potentially make a good horror movie, but the production values would be off the chart for such a cheap genre. What it is as it stands is a bunch of teens making progressively bad decisions as their world is revealed to be even more rotten than a zombie corpse.
However, it does have action and it does move well, and I almost cared. For a half second.
Ep1 Saul Tanpepper's writing sucks you right in. I fell in love with his writing/story telling, when I read Bunker 12. This story starts right up. You learn as the story goes what happened to the world. You also get to see the world through the eyes of young adults, who are the main characters. The world, and characters, are all very real and relatable. I really should have read this sooner. It's just as captivating, and just as likely to happen.
Ep2 What is happening in here?!
I love this story. Saul writes like it's the world we live in, right now. We keep getting to know the characters, and learn about what's happening in this tale.
I am not usually a fan of zombie books where the zombies are controlled or have evolved, but I gave this one a try simply because it takes place on a quarantined and wall-lined Long Island and surrounding New York area. Being a New Yorker and living on Long Island for almost 20 years I do enjoy books where I recognize the geography. The story got me and the characters are likeable and flawed. I've added the rest of the series to my to be read spreadsheet. I look forward to the rest of the story.
I really enjoyed this undead story. It is very different than all other undead stories I have read or watched . I am truly looking forward to reading the rest of the series. I recommend reading this book to all that like undead stories as well as those whom don't. Truly a twist on the undead genres
Wasn't really feeling book 1 it was little boring until last few chapter's. Mainly teenager drama going on. Also the opening made me believe the kelly and Jessie voth dead at some point but it never happen the way it started with. Now book 2 i loved it. I like how it had different plot during a zombie apocalypse and at the same time nature apocalypse in the mixed. Something little new.
This book was decent overall, but I just never felt completely connected to the characters. I am definitely intrigued by the plot though and will most likely read the next in the series just to find out what happens, but I don't feel like I have to read those now. The characters to me were superficial and even the relationships between the characters were not involved. The author has an interesting take on zombies which is nice. I would recommend this book to others.
Not a big fan of zombie books and almost did not read this for that reason. And that would have been a mistake as I truly enjoyed Episodes 1 + 2. Enjoyed the future tech concept and the story is well told in my opinion
I'm a fan of the walking dead ... can't help that I love zombies. This is a good introductory installment to the series. It's an easy read that moves along at a comfortable place and will hold your attention ... leaving you ready for the next episode.
Grabbed this set of two on Google Play for free. Good little zombie series. I do enjoy how it follows sort of a TV show episode format and I noticed a lot of seeding of potential other mysteries to come. I have gone ahead and purchased the next two and will begin reading immediately!
WOW! A very good and well thought book. Thank you Mr. Tanpepper for a certain freshness in zombie literature. I am definitely buying the remaining episodes!