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Life After #1
Life After: The Arising
In a scientific and spiritual sense, humanity has its world ordered, but that order slowly descends into chaos when something defies the tenets of both, leaving the events of human history divided into life before and life after the bodies of the dead began to reanimate.
College student Jeff Grey comes home to be confronted by something he'd only read about in fiction and seen in movies: Zombies. Despite lungs beset by asthma and a total lack of survival skills, his lifelong desire to endure an undead apocalypse sees him unite a small group of acquaintances, but with the town quarantined as emergency infrastructure breaks down, Jeff and the rest of the survivors will have to grow up fast if they want to see a life after the arising...
College student Jeff Grey comes home to be confronted by something he'd only read about in fiction and seen in movies: Zombies. Despite lungs beset by asthma and a total lack of survival skills, his lifelong desire to endure an undead apocalypse sees him unite a small group of acquaintances, but with the town quarantined as emergency infrastructure breaks down, Jeff and the rest of the survivors will have to grow up fast if they want to see a life after the arising...
- GenresZombies
470 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 24, 2013
12 people are currently reading
83 people want to read
About the author
Bryan Way
13 books36 followersBryan Way is an author and screenwriter who loves life in Philly. Starting with
Life After The Arising
, this bootstrapper has self-published two novels and nearly a dozen short stories for which he does all the design, editing, and typesetting. An optimist and ambivert at heart, his first love in any writing project is a strong story populated by stronger characters.
Also, he was a video store clerk for nearly 14 years. Other than writing, it's the best job he's ever had.
Also, he was a video store clerk for nearly 14 years. Other than writing, it's the best job he's ever had.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
February 12, 2014
Zombie stories, as with most monster stories, seem to exist in a universe where nobody heard of such a thing.
Here in the real world, many people fantasize about these stories and how they would be the heroes of their own zombie survivalist adventure.
And that is the basic idea behind Life After: The Arising.
The main character, Jeff Grey, is a horror movie nut who finds himself in the beginning of a zombie apocalypse. Fortunately, he knows everything there is to know about zombies from movies like Dawn of the Dead and knows the basics of how to neutralize and evade the undead.
The plot is a familiar one, but great attention to detail is given to the strategies and tools that Jeff and his group of fellow survivalists use to fight off the monsters.
It is obvious that the author has done extensive research (or simply knows all of this stuff) as nothing is generalized or glossed over.
Sometimes this can get a bit tedious as we get an overload of information on every gun they have or what kind of ammunition they take.
But, more to the point of this novel are all of the little steps that one would have to take to survive a Zombie Apocalypse.
The main narrative is less about killing zombies and more about how to organize a group of people and to function as a unit.
Of course, it's not as easy as that. Much drama and conflict occur among the group.
It's mostly of the expected variety: the morally grey choices of survival, clashing of personalities and existential angst.
Most relatable are the scenes dealing with what to do with people who have been bitten and will turn into zombies.
One nice detail is that there are both running and walking zombies in this story. This is usually a stylistic choice of other zombie stories, but this time around there are both kinds.
Also, there are a few tense sequences, especially towards the end.
The end is a sudden and somewhat anticlimactic. But I was expecting it from the use of the subtitle.
I think this author has more stories from this apocalypse coming. Or at least he wants the reader to think of them.
Here in the real world, many people fantasize about these stories and how they would be the heroes of their own zombie survivalist adventure.
And that is the basic idea behind Life After: The Arising.
The main character, Jeff Grey, is a horror movie nut who finds himself in the beginning of a zombie apocalypse. Fortunately, he knows everything there is to know about zombies from movies like Dawn of the Dead and knows the basics of how to neutralize and evade the undead.
The plot is a familiar one, but great attention to detail is given to the strategies and tools that Jeff and his group of fellow survivalists use to fight off the monsters.
It is obvious that the author has done extensive research (or simply knows all of this stuff) as nothing is generalized or glossed over.
Sometimes this can get a bit tedious as we get an overload of information on every gun they have or what kind of ammunition they take.
But, more to the point of this novel are all of the little steps that one would have to take to survive a Zombie Apocalypse.
The main narrative is less about killing zombies and more about how to organize a group of people and to function as a unit.
Of course, it's not as easy as that. Much drama and conflict occur among the group.
It's mostly of the expected variety: the morally grey choices of survival, clashing of personalities and existential angst.
Most relatable are the scenes dealing with what to do with people who have been bitten and will turn into zombies.
One nice detail is that there are both running and walking zombies in this story. This is usually a stylistic choice of other zombie stories, but this time around there are both kinds.
Also, there are a few tense sequences, especially towards the end.
The end is a sudden and somewhat anticlimactic. But I was expecting it from the use of the subtitle.
I think this author has more stories from this apocalypse coming. Or at least he wants the reader to think of them.
August 24, 2013
Life After: The Arising tells the story of Jeff Grey and his experiences during the first few days of the zombie apocalypse. When the dead rise up his hometown suburb of Philadelphia, Jeff seems to be the only person prepared to do what it will take to survive.
Jeff is a college freshman who has returned home to visit his girlfriend who is performing in a high school band competition. He is a band geek himself as well as a zombie fanatic who has written several stories about the undead and knows about all about the ‘rules’ of dealing with the living dead. So when corpses start crawling out of a nearby cemetery during the band competition, he is able to react to the threat immediately. Taking charge, he leads a handful of terrified survivors, including his girlfriend Julia, into a building on campus while the rest of the people at the school are torn to pieces on the football field and in the stands.
Jeff becomes a somewhat reluctant leader when those he has saved look to him for guidance since he seems to know what he is doing. Jeff does indeed know a lot about zombies, but he isn’t some sort of survivalist, just a freshman college student who’s read a some books and watched a few movies about the undead. Fortunately for him, an old high school friend who is in the National Guard arrives on the scene a day or so later and takes on a leadership role to help keep the survivors alive.
The story takes place over a period of about ten days with the characters migrating to different hiding spots in their suburban environment in an effort to escape the constant barrage of corpses trying to hunt them down. The zombies are a mix of fast and slow moving based on how long they have been dead as well as how much damage they’ve suffered. The story is told in first person present tense, though thankfully not in a journal format, which has been a bit overused in the zompoc genre.
The action in the tale is solid, with the sequences surrounding the attacks by the undead moving at a fast clip. The gore is effective, though not over the top. The characters are, for the most part, solidly fleshed out. Of course, this is a story of one man’s journey above and beyond all else-this is Jeff’s tale, and it is through him that we allowed to understand the other characters and the world in which they must survive. As such, whether the reader enjoys this tale or not will likely hinge on what they think of Jeff and how he sees the world through his eyes…which see the world as a zombie obsessed fan who knows the drill when it comes to the undead and how to deal with them, or at least so he believes.
Though the pacing of this story is solid when there are zombies on the page, it is a not as even when there are only other humans interacting with Jeff. He spends a bit more time than necessary elaborating on his loving relationship with Julia. Though much of the arguments and discussions with other survivors are pertinent and critical to developing a better understanding of the other characters, there are occasions where things drag. An example is when several of the characters get into a debate about God and religion that felt unnecessary to the plot.
The dialog, for the most part, is snappy and moves things along. It wasn’t overly dramatic or overbearing and felt natural for the characters who were speaking it. A minor editing critique was the fact that in a lot of conversations in the book didn’t make it immediately apparent who was speaking what line. Tossing in a few more ‘I said’ or ‘Julia replied’ would solve that little issue.
Overall, Life After: The Arising is a solid freshman writing entry by Bryan Way. He shows a great deal of promise as a new voice in the zombie genre and I look forward to checking out the next installment in this saga.
Jeff is a college freshman who has returned home to visit his girlfriend who is performing in a high school band competition. He is a band geek himself as well as a zombie fanatic who has written several stories about the undead and knows about all about the ‘rules’ of dealing with the living dead. So when corpses start crawling out of a nearby cemetery during the band competition, he is able to react to the threat immediately. Taking charge, he leads a handful of terrified survivors, including his girlfriend Julia, into a building on campus while the rest of the people at the school are torn to pieces on the football field and in the stands.
Jeff becomes a somewhat reluctant leader when those he has saved look to him for guidance since he seems to know what he is doing. Jeff does indeed know a lot about zombies, but he isn’t some sort of survivalist, just a freshman college student who’s read a some books and watched a few movies about the undead. Fortunately for him, an old high school friend who is in the National Guard arrives on the scene a day or so later and takes on a leadership role to help keep the survivors alive.
The story takes place over a period of about ten days with the characters migrating to different hiding spots in their suburban environment in an effort to escape the constant barrage of corpses trying to hunt them down. The zombies are a mix of fast and slow moving based on how long they have been dead as well as how much damage they’ve suffered. The story is told in first person present tense, though thankfully not in a journal format, which has been a bit overused in the zompoc genre.
The action in the tale is solid, with the sequences surrounding the attacks by the undead moving at a fast clip. The gore is effective, though not over the top. The characters are, for the most part, solidly fleshed out. Of course, this is a story of one man’s journey above and beyond all else-this is Jeff’s tale, and it is through him that we allowed to understand the other characters and the world in which they must survive. As such, whether the reader enjoys this tale or not will likely hinge on what they think of Jeff and how he sees the world through his eyes…which see the world as a zombie obsessed fan who knows the drill when it comes to the undead and how to deal with them, or at least so he believes.
Though the pacing of this story is solid when there are zombies on the page, it is a not as even when there are only other humans interacting with Jeff. He spends a bit more time than necessary elaborating on his loving relationship with Julia. Though much of the arguments and discussions with other survivors are pertinent and critical to developing a better understanding of the other characters, there are occasions where things drag. An example is when several of the characters get into a debate about God and religion that felt unnecessary to the plot.
The dialog, for the most part, is snappy and moves things along. It wasn’t overly dramatic or overbearing and felt natural for the characters who were speaking it. A minor editing critique was the fact that in a lot of conversations in the book didn’t make it immediately apparent who was speaking what line. Tossing in a few more ‘I said’ or ‘Julia replied’ would solve that little issue.
Overall, Life After: The Arising is a solid freshman writing entry by Bryan Way. He shows a great deal of promise as a new voice in the zombie genre and I look forward to checking out the next installment in this saga.
April 1, 2014
Nineteen year-old Jeff Grey returns to his high school alma mater to support his younger girlfriend Julia in a battle of the (marching) bands. The stands are full of band fans and the performance is well underway when Jeff notices movement from the cemetery next to the field. A flood of rotting corpses is closing in on the concert and Jeff races out on the field to whisk his girlfriend to safety right before the screaming begins. The dead have risen and they're hungry. Followed by a small group of students and a homeless vagrant, Jeff fortifies the upper floor of the school and the survivors attempt to ride out the outbreak without being noticed by the undead and without turning on each other.
Life After: The Arising is my most challenging review to date. The core of the book, concept and plot, are intriguing and could have carried the book to a five star rating had there not been so many issues with characterization and a lack of realism. Nearly fifteen pages in the beginning focus on the marching band battle 'Bandrome'. I don't have an inner band geek, and found it difficult to connect with this content. In short, it was close to alienating me as a reader before the story even began. Jeff is the definitive main character, and the book is told in his first person narrative. Unfortunately, Jeff is not a believable character...and it's not for a lack of trying to connect. He drinks Earl Grey tea and dips his toothpicks in mint flavoring. His attire is strange; trench coat, bowler hat and cane. And his relationship with Julia comes off more mature and formal than any high school relationship I ever experienced. They call each other 'darling' and 'my love' which doesn't resonate well with me, especially considering they have yet to consummate their relationship. Awkward moments of blowing in her ear made me feel...weird, and pulled me right out of the story. The sexual tension, however, was extremely well-written and I found myself wondering on more than one occasion 'Is this it? Are they about to do it?'
I get that Jeff is a film student, but there was too much emphasis put on his DVD collection. Not only the fact that the collection along with his television were the first things he focused on when rushing to collect supplies from his home, but also that when they stopped for vital supplies, DVDs were still on his list. Random Scooby Doo soliloquies as Jeff deduced the chain of events at bloody locations were off-putting.
Jeff is asthmatic, so I couldn't get behind him smoking cigars. In fact, the asthma seems to get forgotten after a while. For someone claiming to be an authority on zombie movies, Jeff makes some rookie mistakes. He takes the group to a mall, a hospital, back to the school after it's been overrun. Even the biggest zombie newb should know to steer clear of these places. What I did appreciate about Jeff though, was his fast recognition of what was happening and immediate use of the word zombie.
I had hopes of a strong female character in Julia. There's a point where she quietly provides some level headed and helpful strategies to Jeff. But after that she seems to play a subservient role and spends most of her time providing Jeff with back massages. Richard, a homeless man, was a surprisingly human and endearing character. Without question, my favorite character. His story is emotional and engaged me as a reader.
Here are a few things that could have been done differently:
* It was too convenient that when stopping at stores, they have enough time to collect everything they need and hang around chatting
* At times the group is hyper vigilant but other times they display a total disregard for safety. I know the need to have a cigarette is a strong one, but is it strong enough to warrant leaving the safety of the group and isolating themselves in front of windows with dead on the other side?
* Is Melody a ditz or a savant? The theological and Darwinian debates are grossly out of place
* Jeff seems to cry an awful lot, so hard that he passes out several times
I like the concept of the cover art, but I'm not a big fan in the illustration's execution. The rudimentary art makes it feel somewhat juvenile and for me, I like a scary book to convey the anticipation of fear through the cover.
Overall, I actually enjoyed Life After: The Arising, even with its inconsistencies and unrealistic characters. There are some very tense, nail biting, moments that had me on the edge of my seat with anticipation. The most successful part of the writing was the author's skill in writing situations that end in close calls or death. I like the varying types of zombies Bryan Way has created, and the explanation behind the different behaviors they exhibit. My feedback on how this book could be received better is to tighten the story up a bit. The book is long enough to cut out some bits that go on too long and still be a complete story. I'd definitely read a sequel to answer some of the leftover questions. Why have they found so many military and police corpses, each stripped of anything useful, and some showing no signs of bites? Who is taking their gear and is it before or after they're dead? What happened at the checkpoints?
Life After: The Arising is my most challenging review to date. The core of the book, concept and plot, are intriguing and could have carried the book to a five star rating had there not been so many issues with characterization and a lack of realism. Nearly fifteen pages in the beginning focus on the marching band battle 'Bandrome'. I don't have an inner band geek, and found it difficult to connect with this content. In short, it was close to alienating me as a reader before the story even began. Jeff is the definitive main character, and the book is told in his first person narrative. Unfortunately, Jeff is not a believable character...and it's not for a lack of trying to connect. He drinks Earl Grey tea and dips his toothpicks in mint flavoring. His attire is strange; trench coat, bowler hat and cane. And his relationship with Julia comes off more mature and formal than any high school relationship I ever experienced. They call each other 'darling' and 'my love' which doesn't resonate well with me, especially considering they have yet to consummate their relationship. Awkward moments of blowing in her ear made me feel...weird, and pulled me right out of the story. The sexual tension, however, was extremely well-written and I found myself wondering on more than one occasion 'Is this it? Are they about to do it?'
I get that Jeff is a film student, but there was too much emphasis put on his DVD collection. Not only the fact that the collection along with his television were the first things he focused on when rushing to collect supplies from his home, but also that when they stopped for vital supplies, DVDs were still on his list. Random Scooby Doo soliloquies as Jeff deduced the chain of events at bloody locations were off-putting.
Jeff is asthmatic, so I couldn't get behind him smoking cigars. In fact, the asthma seems to get forgotten after a while. For someone claiming to be an authority on zombie movies, Jeff makes some rookie mistakes. He takes the group to a mall, a hospital, back to the school after it's been overrun. Even the biggest zombie newb should know to steer clear of these places. What I did appreciate about Jeff though, was his fast recognition of what was happening and immediate use of the word zombie.
I had hopes of a strong female character in Julia. There's a point where she quietly provides some level headed and helpful strategies to Jeff. But after that she seems to play a subservient role and spends most of her time providing Jeff with back massages. Richard, a homeless man, was a surprisingly human and endearing character. Without question, my favorite character. His story is emotional and engaged me as a reader.
Here are a few things that could have been done differently:
* It was too convenient that when stopping at stores, they have enough time to collect everything they need and hang around chatting
* At times the group is hyper vigilant but other times they display a total disregard for safety. I know the need to have a cigarette is a strong one, but is it strong enough to warrant leaving the safety of the group and isolating themselves in front of windows with dead on the other side?
* Is Melody a ditz or a savant? The theological and Darwinian debates are grossly out of place
* Jeff seems to cry an awful lot, so hard that he passes out several times
I like the concept of the cover art, but I'm not a big fan in the illustration's execution. The rudimentary art makes it feel somewhat juvenile and for me, I like a scary book to convey the anticipation of fear through the cover.
Overall, I actually enjoyed Life After: The Arising, even with its inconsistencies and unrealistic characters. There are some very tense, nail biting, moments that had me on the edge of my seat with anticipation. The most successful part of the writing was the author's skill in writing situations that end in close calls or death. I like the varying types of zombies Bryan Way has created, and the explanation behind the different behaviors they exhibit. My feedback on how this book could be received better is to tighten the story up a bit. The book is long enough to cut out some bits that go on too long and still be a complete story. I'd definitely read a sequel to answer some of the leftover questions. Why have they found so many military and police corpses, each stripped of anything useful, and some showing no signs of bites? Who is taking their gear and is it before or after they're dead? What happened at the checkpoints?
September 5, 2013
In the spirit of honest reviewing, I feel I should let you know that I know the author of this book personally which is why I know I can be totally honest with this review. To his credit Bryan not only wrote this book but he also self published it, an amazing feat for any author especially one as young as him.
I have never read a zombie novel before. Never really cared to. I'm not into vampires, werewolves and zombies but give me a space alien any day and I will be pretty happy.
When it comes to my choice in novels of the fictitious sort I tend to opt for a murder mystery or a court room story where things can pretty much only go one of two or three ways and I usually have got the story figured out about 1/3 of the way in. But when a friend writes and publishes a book, you are kind of obligated to at least give a cursory glance. I however ended up devouring it.
The first thing I noticed when I started reading Life After was that I was immediately an interloper on the events that were going on. As the story starts off The main character Jeff is home from college heading back to his old high school to meet up with his girlfriend who is taking part in a very well attended Bandrome Festival. It was there that quite literally all hell broke loose.
The way that Bryan writes is as if I was looking over Jeff's shoulder or standing just out of his line of site. You feel as though you are right there but somehow not getting in the way. Bryan has a very unique way of using language to paint a detailed picture and very little is left to chance. You would be hard pressed not to have a full video adaptation running through your brain as you read Life After.
The story goes on to show us how a small group of people work together (in most cases) to deal with and over come the obstacles brought on by a zombie apocalypse. The group dynamic works well and in it like a Joss Whedon story there is no guarantee that anyone will make it out alive.
I myself am a big picture person and a couple of times I got a bit lost in the flurry of the action happening on the pages. That may have to do with me skipping lines while reading, rather than the way the action is written because I was so excited to see what was happening next.
Over all I tore through the book quite quickly. I found the characters -both good and bad - were well written and relateable, the story moves along at a quick pace sending you on an emotional rollarcoaster between hoping the characters find safety together or praying they find a quick death to remove them from their misery.
I like how Bryan doesn't ignore the basic needs of everyday life like showers, bathroom trips and the characters coming to terms with the possibility of never being able to go back to the way things used to be.
I even held my breath towards the end when Bryan put me right there with Jeff on the rooftop and I could almost taste the metallic tang of doom.
Overall having nothing in the genre to compare it to, I found it to be a great example of what I expected it to be.
Compelling characters-check
Awesome Action-check
Zoned out zombies-check
I can't wait to read the second installment, so c'mon guys buy this one so Bryan can afford to publish the next one!
I have never read a zombie novel before. Never really cared to. I'm not into vampires, werewolves and zombies but give me a space alien any day and I will be pretty happy.
When it comes to my choice in novels of the fictitious sort I tend to opt for a murder mystery or a court room story where things can pretty much only go one of two or three ways and I usually have got the story figured out about 1/3 of the way in. But when a friend writes and publishes a book, you are kind of obligated to at least give a cursory glance. I however ended up devouring it.
The first thing I noticed when I started reading Life After was that I was immediately an interloper on the events that were going on. As the story starts off The main character Jeff is home from college heading back to his old high school to meet up with his girlfriend who is taking part in a very well attended Bandrome Festival. It was there that quite literally all hell broke loose.
The way that Bryan writes is as if I was looking over Jeff's shoulder or standing just out of his line of site. You feel as though you are right there but somehow not getting in the way. Bryan has a very unique way of using language to paint a detailed picture and very little is left to chance. You would be hard pressed not to have a full video adaptation running through your brain as you read Life After.
The story goes on to show us how a small group of people work together (in most cases) to deal with and over come the obstacles brought on by a zombie apocalypse. The group dynamic works well and in it like a Joss Whedon story there is no guarantee that anyone will make it out alive.
I myself am a big picture person and a couple of times I got a bit lost in the flurry of the action happening on the pages. That may have to do with me skipping lines while reading, rather than the way the action is written because I was so excited to see what was happening next.
Over all I tore through the book quite quickly. I found the characters -both good and bad - were well written and relateable, the story moves along at a quick pace sending you on an emotional rollarcoaster between hoping the characters find safety together or praying they find a quick death to remove them from their misery.
I like how Bryan doesn't ignore the basic needs of everyday life like showers, bathroom trips and the characters coming to terms with the possibility of never being able to go back to the way things used to be.
I even held my breath towards the end when Bryan put me right there with Jeff on the rooftop and I could almost taste the metallic tang of doom.
Overall having nothing in the genre to compare it to, I found it to be a great example of what I expected it to be.
Compelling characters-check
Awesome Action-check
Zoned out zombies-check
I can't wait to read the second installment, so c'mon guys buy this one so Bryan can afford to publish the next one!
April 27, 2024
I loved Life After — I found the story completely immersive via Way’s effortless and vivid setting development. As a California native who has never visited Pennsylvania, I somehow felt like a DelCo local fighting for her life in the comforts of familiar settings such as her high school Alma mater or the shopping mall at which she killed her teenage downtime. Something about a meaty, wordy setting description really paints a picture in my head, highlighting the power of Way’s choice of language regardless of the picture’s accuracy. He is wordy, but in the best way, that simply does not leave you guessing what he means.
The cast of characters did not leave me wanting; I enjoyed the diverse variety of personality types in the group, and appreciated that certain characters essentially exited before we reached introductions of new characters. My favorite character was undeniably Richard up until we met Colin Mursak toward the final chapters — but I must throw an honorable mention out for Melody, who I knew from the very beginning would be a standout character for me. I am biased in my preference for characters that can serve as both a protagonist AND villain; I only wish we could’ve gotten more of her.
I hate to say it but I couldn’t stand Julia, who long served as the front running female character. Her characterization felt like an homage to “the girl next door,” an insufferable archetype fabricated through the lens of the male gaze. She wasn’t bothersome enough to ruin the story but it is certainly a Sci-Fi thriller, NOT a romance — which I say to mean, the romance subplot felt superficial and underwhelming. The romance feature could’ve been omitted altogether and it would not have hurt the overall plot in my opinion.
I love that the evolution of understanding the zombies happens simultaneously for the reader and the characters. Jeff, the narrator protagonist, is the only character truly versed in zombie lore, but even he must intake information about them as he experiences it in real time, making their existence and abilities a juicy mystery to be unpacked. It’s a tantalizing and useful way to keep readers on the hook, desperate to learn more, and it thoroughly worked on me.
I also love that Way left me wanting more at the very last page — leaving our narrator Jeff contemplating an unknowable future, potentially at odds with his comrades. It’s the kind of ending that makes you want to rush to grab the next book so you don’t have to wonder for too long. Luckily, I have the 2nd book on hand, so I won’t have to wonder! 😉 All in all, I think this is an excellent debut & I will likely be a lifelong fan of Bryan Way’s works.
The cast of characters did not leave me wanting; I enjoyed the diverse variety of personality types in the group, and appreciated that certain characters essentially exited before we reached introductions of new characters. My favorite character was undeniably Richard up until we met Colin Mursak toward the final chapters — but I must throw an honorable mention out for Melody, who I knew from the very beginning would be a standout character for me. I am biased in my preference for characters that can serve as both a protagonist AND villain; I only wish we could’ve gotten more of her.
I hate to say it but I couldn’t stand Julia, who long served as the front running female character. Her characterization felt like an homage to “the girl next door,” an insufferable archetype fabricated through the lens of the male gaze. She wasn’t bothersome enough to ruin the story but it is certainly a Sci-Fi thriller, NOT a romance — which I say to mean, the romance subplot felt superficial and underwhelming. The romance feature could’ve been omitted altogether and it would not have hurt the overall plot in my opinion.
I love that the evolution of understanding the zombies happens simultaneously for the reader and the characters. Jeff, the narrator protagonist, is the only character truly versed in zombie lore, but even he must intake information about them as he experiences it in real time, making their existence and abilities a juicy mystery to be unpacked. It’s a tantalizing and useful way to keep readers on the hook, desperate to learn more, and it thoroughly worked on me.
I also love that Way left me wanting more at the very last page — leaving our narrator Jeff contemplating an unknowable future, potentially at odds with his comrades. It’s the kind of ending that makes you want to rush to grab the next book so you don’t have to wonder for too long. Luckily, I have the 2nd book on hand, so I won’t have to wonder! 😉 All in all, I think this is an excellent debut & I will likely be a lifelong fan of Bryan Way’s works.
January 14, 2014
A fun read and great for those looking to venture for the first time into the world of zombie fiction.
I generally don't read sci-fi, but now I think I might delve more into the genre. I found "Life After" very accessible for someone like me who mainly reads literature and the occasional urban fantasy or YA novel.
I'm also a suburban Philly resident, so this appeals to me as a local in much the same way that Silver Linings Playbook did. Just the thought of an outbreak in Delaware County, as I read Way's at times ridiculously well written passages about the zombie attack at the main character's high school, was part of what made me want to continue reading.
My favorite sections by far are the beautiful action scenes and descriptions of zombie gore.
Sometimes with zombie movies or television shows, you get the sense as a viewer that somehow none of the characters are aware of the existence of zombies, which given their ever-growing popularity, seems almost silly. Refreshingly, Way's main character is written as someone who has seen all the movies and read all the books, which separates him from other zombie survival protagonists and leaves opportunity for levity.
Way's characterization of Jeff Grey is all around-hilarious. He's a nerdy, fact-absorbing college freshman, who knows nothing about girls and views them as archetypes (dating a virgin, seduced by a whore, etc.), and has a humorously homo-erotic/bromance relationship with his best friend. Jeff is, in these ways, a pretty typical depiction of a late adolescent male. In other ways, Jeff's character is surprising in his coming of age realizations and strength in a time of crisis.
I really enjoyed Way's debut novel, and I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series. I also think this book is marketable and could work in several different mediums. I wouldn't be surprised if it were eventually adapted into a movie.
I generally don't read sci-fi, but now I think I might delve more into the genre. I found "Life After" very accessible for someone like me who mainly reads literature and the occasional urban fantasy or YA novel.
I'm also a suburban Philly resident, so this appeals to me as a local in much the same way that Silver Linings Playbook did. Just the thought of an outbreak in Delaware County, as I read Way's at times ridiculously well written passages about the zombie attack at the main character's high school, was part of what made me want to continue reading.
My favorite sections by far are the beautiful action scenes and descriptions of zombie gore.
Sometimes with zombie movies or television shows, you get the sense as a viewer that somehow none of the characters are aware of the existence of zombies, which given their ever-growing popularity, seems almost silly. Refreshingly, Way's main character is written as someone who has seen all the movies and read all the books, which separates him from other zombie survival protagonists and leaves opportunity for levity.
Way's characterization of Jeff Grey is all around-hilarious. He's a nerdy, fact-absorbing college freshman, who knows nothing about girls and views them as archetypes (dating a virgin, seduced by a whore, etc.), and has a humorously homo-erotic/bromance relationship with his best friend. Jeff is, in these ways, a pretty typical depiction of a late adolescent male. In other ways, Jeff's character is surprising in his coming of age realizations and strength in a time of crisis.
I really enjoyed Way's debut novel, and I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series. I also think this book is marketable and could work in several different mediums. I wouldn't be surprised if it were eventually adapted into a movie.
February 12, 2015
I will start by saying science fiction in not my normal read, however, Mr. Way's debut novel is absolutely wonderful! I grew up in the Philadelphia suburbs, have haunted a few of the places mentioned in this novel, share a name with one of the characters and well was a band geek. Once, I started reading I
Imagine going home from college to hang out at a band competition and it becomes overrun by zombies from the Graveyard next to the football field! (okay, unless you are from the area you wouldn't know that yep there are many graveyards scattered about just like that). In this story, the main character is a 19 year old named Jeff Grey. He is a nerd that has watched way too many zombie related movies, in love with a 16 year old high school girl. He goes home to see her perform in the band competition and saves her from the first wave of zombies. He along with the few he picks up along the way fight to survive.
I have to say Bryan's descriptions of the fighting and zombie yuck are so involved that should you close your eyes you can imagine you are right there with them fighting zombies! I even cried a few times. A book that makes you feel is a book worth reading!
If you enjoy a great post apocalyptic science fiction - this is must read! I look forward to reading more by this author.
Imagine going home from college to hang out at a band competition and it becomes overrun by zombies from the Graveyard next to the football field! (okay, unless you are from the area you wouldn't know that yep there are many graveyards scattered about just like that). In this story, the main character is a 19 year old named Jeff Grey. He is a nerd that has watched way too many zombie related movies, in love with a 16 year old high school girl. He goes home to see her perform in the band competition and saves her from the first wave of zombies. He along with the few he picks up along the way fight to survive.
I have to say Bryan's descriptions of the fighting and zombie yuck are so involved that should you close your eyes you can imagine you are right there with them fighting zombies! I even cried a few times. A book that makes you feel is a book worth reading!
If you enjoy a great post apocalyptic science fiction - this is must read! I look forward to reading more by this author.
April 2, 2014
5.5 Star
Imagine being at a school event and having a horde of people emerge from the nearby cemetery and start attacking everyone. What would you do? Jeff has it all figured out, he has watched all the zombie movies out and has written a few himself. When the attack starts, he races onto the field and grabs his girlfriend Julia. Together, they make their way through the chaotic parking lot and into the school. Followed by several other people, they hole up in a greenhouse.
Their they begin to await for rescue, but will it come? They attempt to head towards the nearest rescue center, but each one they come across has been overrun by zombies and abandoned. Can this group survive the arising? At what cost to themselves?
I found this book to be one of the most realistic views on the zombie apocalypse that I have read so far. It has a great story line, with realistic character interactions. Their is even debates between the characters on religion and religious beliefs.
Here are two of my favorite quotes from the book.
"Resurrection?" "Not...really. But depending on how you look at it, Jesus was a Zombie, right?'
" 'When I'm trying to ward of the pangs of sleep in the midst of a Zombie crisis, I turn to 5-Hour Energy...' "
Imagine being at a school event and having a horde of people emerge from the nearby cemetery and start attacking everyone. What would you do? Jeff has it all figured out, he has watched all the zombie movies out and has written a few himself. When the attack starts, he races onto the field and grabs his girlfriend Julia. Together, they make their way through the chaotic parking lot and into the school. Followed by several other people, they hole up in a greenhouse.
Their they begin to await for rescue, but will it come? They attempt to head towards the nearest rescue center, but each one they come across has been overrun by zombies and abandoned. Can this group survive the arising? At what cost to themselves?
I found this book to be one of the most realistic views on the zombie apocalypse that I have read so far. It has a great story line, with realistic character interactions. Their is even debates between the characters on religion and religious beliefs.
Here are two of my favorite quotes from the book.
"Resurrection?" "Not...really. But depending on how you look at it, Jesus was a Zombie, right?'
" 'When I'm trying to ward of the pangs of sleep in the midst of a Zombie crisis, I turn to 5-Hour Energy...' "
October 25, 2014
An exciting read about the "undead" or zombies crawling out of the cemetery on the night there is a band contest at the local High School. I read it from start to finish. Way writes very well and his descriptions of the zombies are as well as the dropping of the citizens made me believe zombies do exist, at least in remarkable novels. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves "zombies" or the undead. You could just see and know the fear that Jeff and the others, who are trying to survive and fight these zombies feel. Even the anger of being overtaken and killed by zombies. "I rest the rifle against the rim of the roof and sight one, pulling the trigger and blowing apart another head as if it were made of wet cardboard."
November 4, 2021
I really enjoyed The Arising. Plenty of action with the zombies. The group of survivors are interesting and likeable characters all with their own qualities. You know this is a good story when you have to the tissues out. Looking forward to following the group.
January 26, 2014
Zombie apocalypse books are nothing new, but when the story is told in the way this one is, it makes for an exciting read. The details in the story have been well written, you find yourself there, seeing what the main character Jeff sees, hears and feels. When we aren't immersed in the fight for survival during the zombie action scenes, were getting to know the characters and watch them develop. Their basic everyday needs aren't forgotten and this adds to making the story even more realistic.
Whether your already a zombie fan or considering venturing into the world of zombie fiction, this is a great book. I really look forward to reading the next instalment.
Whether your already a zombie fan or considering venturing into the world of zombie fiction, this is a great book. I really look forward to reading the next instalment.
December 2, 2014
Read this a couple months ago. Don't know why I am slack about putting reviews on Goodreads. I really enjoyed this book. it was a change of pace from some of the grim apocalyptic stuff I read. But it still had a good balance of waiting to see what happens next. my only complaint is that the young expert should know that all books about Zombies usually ends up with a character that might be immune. maybe Julia could have been that one. or maybe his character needed to be free to be able to grow
August 28, 2013
This book is amazing! The scene description is excellent, you feel as if you are there. I didn't want to put the book down at bedtime because I was so involved in the story. Can't wait to see what's next!
Read
August 13, 2016Review coming soon...
November 14, 2021
Life After: The Arising is a fantastically quirky zombie read.
It’s still a classic zompoc with hordes of zombies (fast and slow) chasing a small band of survivors around all the usual locations including schools, hospitals and shopping malls. There is gore galore, wit and humour and a smattering of romance. The majority of characters are young adults which will give the book YA appeal.
The best thing about the book is the delightfully nerdy main character, who just happens to be a zombie writer, wears a trench coat and bowler hat, chews mint flavoured toothpicks and sports a cane (until he gives this up in favour of a gun and a katana).
The author is clearly intelligent and knowledgeable about all sorts of things, but sometimes it felt a little bit as if he was using the book to soapbox his thoughts and opinions on a variety of moral and political dilemmas.
This also led to, in my opinion, too much detailed explanation and description of the characters movements and actions.
Combined with an unusual writing style this sometimes left me feeling a little confused as to who was speaking, where they were and what they were doing. There was also an excessive use of ellipses in the dialogue which disrupted the flow of the story.
Nevertheless a great read which I thoroughly enjoyed! I’ll definitely be reading the other books in the series.
It’s still a classic zompoc with hordes of zombies (fast and slow) chasing a small band of survivors around all the usual locations including schools, hospitals and shopping malls. There is gore galore, wit and humour and a smattering of romance. The majority of characters are young adults which will give the book YA appeal.
The best thing about the book is the delightfully nerdy main character, who just happens to be a zombie writer, wears a trench coat and bowler hat, chews mint flavoured toothpicks and sports a cane (until he gives this up in favour of a gun and a katana).
The author is clearly intelligent and knowledgeable about all sorts of things, but sometimes it felt a little bit as if he was using the book to soapbox his thoughts and opinions on a variety of moral and political dilemmas.
This also led to, in my opinion, too much detailed explanation and description of the characters movements and actions.
Combined with an unusual writing style this sometimes left me feeling a little confused as to who was speaking, where they were and what they were doing. There was also an excessive use of ellipses in the dialogue which disrupted the flow of the story.
Nevertheless a great read which I thoroughly enjoyed! I’ll definitely be reading the other books in the series.
February 21, 2022
WOW
action and a love story and Zombies. Exciting. love it!!! i could not put down. I could not read fast enough.
action and a love story and Zombies. Exciting. love it!!! i could not put down. I could not read fast enough.
October 5, 2013
Books about Zombies or other supernatural events are nothing new. At one point or another people think about what they would do during apocalyptic events and who they would want with them. In this novel, the protagonist is one of those guys who does just this. As you could imagine, things don't always go as they plan.
This book kept my up well past my normal bed time and kept me on the edge of my seat almost the entire time. There are some slow parts but these parts are things that other authors tend to miss in event's like this. Things like character development and history but it's done in such a way that if you zone out for a minute, you will want to go back and cover that section again as some details seem to come forward and play a part later on that you may not have expected.
One of my favorite bits about the characters is that they are in high school (or just out of for the most part) and certainly think and act like it. They do things that make you go "Oh, I totally would do that" and they don't skirt the issue about calling them Zombies. That is one of my biggest pet peeves with shows like Walking Dead and things of the like. Just call them Zombies already. We know about them, so should the characters in most cases.
What about the action? Want details about heads exploding or internal organs being ripped out of ribcages with descriptions that you can hear inside your head as you're reading? Let's just put a huge check mark down for that box. Some descriptions actually gave me the chills.
If you enjoy Zombie novels, or apocalyptic stories, I highly recommend taking the time to breeze this one over. Once you pick it up, you won't be able to put it down.
Henderson
This book kept my up well past my normal bed time and kept me on the edge of my seat almost the entire time. There are some slow parts but these parts are things that other authors tend to miss in event's like this. Things like character development and history but it's done in such a way that if you zone out for a minute, you will want to go back and cover that section again as some details seem to come forward and play a part later on that you may not have expected.
One of my favorite bits about the characters is that they are in high school (or just out of for the most part) and certainly think and act like it. They do things that make you go "Oh, I totally would do that" and they don't skirt the issue about calling them Zombies. That is one of my biggest pet peeves with shows like Walking Dead and things of the like. Just call them Zombies already. We know about them, so should the characters in most cases.
What about the action? Want details about heads exploding or internal organs being ripped out of ribcages with descriptions that you can hear inside your head as you're reading? Let's just put a huge check mark down for that box. Some descriptions actually gave me the chills.
If you enjoy Zombie novels, or apocalyptic stories, I highly recommend taking the time to breeze this one over. Once you pick it up, you won't be able to put it down.
Henderson
October 7, 2021
This is the first time I read a book about Undead. I liked the plot. While some parts were uninteresting to me (do I really want to know the ammunition count?), the other parts were very interesting. What would a handful of teenagers and a few adults do when all of a sudden the world changes as we all know it? It was interesting enough to keep me reading the first and second book, as well as the short stories supporting the plot.
August 30, 2015
There are two covers available to this one, so I will review the Amazon cover rather than the one provided in my PDF copy as that is more artistic. This is a zombie novel, so the cover is a tad on the nose, but I do like the color coordination.
The biggest issue for me is the dialogue. For some odd reason, the author decided to do it incorrectly in two different ways-either having multiple people clumped together in one paragraph, or having them discuss things in different paragraphs which is the correct way to do it, but also with incorrect spacing and no distinguishing way to identify who is talking. As a result the reader will lose track of this fast. To add to it there is way...too...many...ellipses which are begging to be removed. I believe there is a sequel in the works, and an editor or beta reader this will significantly improve things.
As with most zombie novels, the strength of the story is not with the zombies themselves but with the humans and how they react. There is some strong characterization in the book, particularly in the second half of the book when some characters become a bit more likable (I'm looking at you Melody). Jeff is a likable and realistic protagonist, and the author does create some good suspense and descriptive language besides the occasional stilted language. The novel also ends on a satisfactory note, although it might have benefited by losing a new character or two that was introduced in the last bit of the story and focusing on the main ones instead.
-Natasha Smith
http://www.blackhavenreviews.com
The biggest issue for me is the dialogue. For some odd reason, the author decided to do it incorrectly in two different ways-either having multiple people clumped together in one paragraph, or having them discuss things in different paragraphs which is the correct way to do it, but also with incorrect spacing and no distinguishing way to identify who is talking. As a result the reader will lose track of this fast. To add to it there is way...too...many...ellipses which are begging to be removed. I believe there is a sequel in the works, and an editor or beta reader this will significantly improve things.
As with most zombie novels, the strength of the story is not with the zombies themselves but with the humans and how they react. There is some strong characterization in the book, particularly in the second half of the book when some characters become a bit more likable (I'm looking at you Melody). Jeff is a likable and realistic protagonist, and the author does create some good suspense and descriptive language besides the occasional stilted language. The novel also ends on a satisfactory note, although it might have benefited by losing a new character or two that was introduced in the last bit of the story and focusing on the main ones instead.
-Natasha Smith
http://www.blackhavenreviews.com
August 7, 2016
Jeff is a 19 year old college freshman who has returned home to visit his girlfriend who is performing in a high school band competition. He is a band geek himself as well as a zombie fan who has written several stories about them. So when corpses start crawling out of a nearby cemetery during the band competition, he reacts to the immediately. He takes a handful of survivors, including his girlfriend Julia, into a building on campus while the rest of the people at the school are torn to pieces on the football field and in the stands.
The story follows the group for about 10 days, they leave to find weapons, food, and a safe spot.
Many things happen, we meet new people and we lose some in the group.
I thought this was a very well done Zombie book. I can't wait to read the next one.
September 26, 2015
Cringe-worthy zombie tale with irritating characters, and overly fluffy writing.
December 10, 2025
Fresh, smart, and emotionally grounded.
The mix of science, spirituality, and survival gives this book something unique. Jeff’s perspective makes the apocalypse feel personal, not just action-packed.
The mix of science, spirituality, and survival gives this book something unique. Jeff’s perspective makes the apocalypse feel personal, not just action-packed.
May 15, 2016
Human Predators
What happens after the zombies rise? Jeff has to grow up fast after a band competition takes an eerie turn.
Life After explores a post-apocalyptic world. Jeff and his girlfriend Julia have to make hard decisions. Good thing Jeff has watched a lot of zombie movies.
Another great story by Bryan Way is Hosts. It’s a short story with a punch.
What happens after the zombies rise? Jeff has to grow up fast after a band competition takes an eerie turn.
Life After explores a post-apocalyptic world. Jeff and his girlfriend Julia have to make hard decisions. Good thing Jeff has watched a lot of zombie movies.
Another great story by Bryan Way is Hosts. It’s a short story with a punch.
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