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The Colony #2
Renegades
Being alive just means you have more to lose.
The zombies are changing. Growing faster. Stronger. Smarter. Working together to destroy all of humanity.
Ken Strickland has found his family. But finding something and keeping it are two very different things.
The survivors are bruised. They are broken. And they are about to find out that the worst monsters are among those they count as their friends.
The zombies are changing. Growing faster. Stronger. Smarter. Working together to destroy all of humanity.
Ken Strickland has found his family. But finding something and keeping it are two very different things.
The survivors are bruised. They are broken. And they are about to find out that the worst monsters are among those they count as their friends.
222 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 3, 2013
30 people are currently reading
131 people want to read
About the author
Michaelbrent Collings
92 books660 followersOne of the most versatile writers around, Michaelbrent Collings is an internationally bestselling novelist, produced screenwriter, and multiple Bram Stoker Award finalist. While he is best known for horror (and is one of the most successful indie horror authors in the United States), he has also written bestselling thriller, fantasy, science fiction, mystery, humor, young adult, and middle grade works, and Western Romance.
In addition to being a bestselling novelist, Michaelbrent has also received critical acclaim: he is the only person who has ever been a finalist for a Bram Stoker Award, a Dragon Award, a RONE Award, and a Whitney award: and he and his work have been reviewed and/or featured on everything from Publishers Weekly to Scream Magazine to NPR. He is also a frequent guest at comic cons and on writing podcasts like Six Figure Authors, The Creative Penn, and Writing Excuses.
Find more about him at his website, WrittenInsomnia.com, or sign up for his mailing list (and get a free book!) at http://writteninsomnia.com/michaelbre....
In addition to being a bestselling novelist, Michaelbrent has also received critical acclaim: he is the only person who has ever been a finalist for a Bram Stoker Award, a Dragon Award, a RONE Award, and a Whitney award: and he and his work have been reviewed and/or featured on everything from Publishers Weekly to Scream Magazine to NPR. He is also a frequent guest at comic cons and on writing podcasts like Six Figure Authors, The Creative Penn, and Writing Excuses.
Find more about him at his website, WrittenInsomnia.com, or sign up for his mailing list (and get a free book!) at http://writteninsomnia.com/michaelbre....
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
October 2, 2020
Renegades (The Colony, #2) is phenomenal and served to up the ante in zombie destruction. The remaining humans continue to live in a perpetual state of terror while dealing with heart-breaking loss and exhaustion. How long can they continue the constant running for their lives?!
Narrator Kent Clark does a tremendous job delivering a suspenseful, and chillingly heart-pounding listen! 😵
Hopeful books #3-7 become available on Audible.
Narrator Kent Clark does a tremendous job delivering a suspenseful, and chillingly heart-pounding listen! 😵
Hopeful books #3-7 become available on Audible.
September 12, 2021
pure adrenaline!
Oh. My. Gosh! I could not stop reading. I read the first book and dove right into this one. I kept thinking that I should go and post a review for book one but couldn’t pause long enough to do so. I love a book where I just forget about everything else and these books deliver. Nonstop action. I can’t write more now because I HAVE to go read the third book!
Oh. My. Gosh! I could not stop reading. I read the first book and dove right into this one. I kept thinking that I should go and post a review for book one but couldn’t pause long enough to do so. I love a book where I just forget about everything else and these books deliver. Nonstop action. I can’t write more now because I HAVE to go read the third book!
October 18, 2013
Just to be fair department: I responded to a offer on Goodreads to read Renegades free, if I would post a review. Well, I ended up getting both Colony books to review. I already left a 5-star review for the 1st Colony book:
. As I remarked there, just because a book is FREE is no guarantee that I will like the book. If I didn't like the book I would not want to encourage an author to keep on writing or sending me books I do not like. Not the case here, as I love both these books. Check out my extensive review history (on Amazon mostly) and you will come across zombie book AFTER zombie book that I have read and reviewed. Nuff said, onto my review of Renegades:
At lunch today I finished reading the 2nd Colony thriller. Holy smokes! Michaelbrent has not slowed down the action at ALL thru either of the first two books. The zombies are still chasing Ken and his small band of survivor's. Both books take place in about a day and a half (if that) and they have been on the RUN the entire time.
And these zombies are constantly changing and adapting to the chase. But to call them zombies might not be fair (the characters call them zombies), as these "monsters" do a lot of things not normally associated with zombies. As if there is a set of rules for zombie behavior. There is something else at work here....a hint might be in the title of the series: The Colony.
I did not mind the cliff-hanger ending at the end of
, because I already had read 15% into Renegades. But the ending to Renegades is really really CREEPY! Yikes! Agggggggggh!
We find out a little more background on some of the characters. Take Aaron for example, a former rodeo clown? Yeah, like Casey Ryback was just a Navy cook in the movie Under Siege. Chills-thrills-death-zombies-(or close enough)-and a relentless pace to the story. I remarked before: the action is so fast & furious I FELT like I had to read at a FASTER pace just to keep up!
Take what you think you know about zombies and chuck it out the window for this baby....
. As I remarked there, just because a book is FREE is no guarantee that I will like the book. If I didn't like the book I would not want to encourage an author to keep on writing or sending me books I do not like. Not the case here, as I love both these books. Check out my extensive review history (on Amazon mostly) and you will come across zombie book AFTER zombie book that I have read and reviewed. Nuff said, onto my review of Renegades:At lunch today I finished reading the 2nd Colony thriller. Holy smokes! Michaelbrent has not slowed down the action at ALL thru either of the first two books. The zombies are still chasing Ken and his small band of survivor's. Both books take place in about a day and a half (if that) and they have been on the RUN the entire time.
And these zombies are constantly changing and adapting to the chase. But to call them zombies might not be fair (the characters call them zombies), as these "monsters" do a lot of things not normally associated with zombies. As if there is a set of rules for zombie behavior. There is something else at work here....a hint might be in the title of the series: The Colony.
I did not mind the cliff-hanger ending at the end of
, because I already had read 15% into Renegades. But the ending to Renegades is really really CREEPY! Yikes! Agggggggggh! We find out a little more background on some of the characters. Take Aaron for example, a former rodeo clown? Yeah, like Casey Ryback was just a Navy cook in the movie Under Siege. Chills-thrills-death-zombies-(or close enough)-and a relentless pace to the story. I remarked before: the action is so fast & furious I FELT like I had to read at a FASTER pace just to keep up!
Take what you think you know about zombies and chuck it out the window for this baby....
October 15, 2013
I originally reviewed this for http://horrornovelreviews.com/ I really love this series and hope to get everyone to check it out!
Fast pace in your face, the action doesn’t stop. That’s what you get with The Colony: Renegades by Michaelbrent Collings. This bestselling author has done it again, the continuing saga of The Colony: Genesis doesn’t disappoint!
The story opens where it ended; Ken and the small band of survivors open the door to the ninth floor, hoping against all odds to find his family. Stepping out of the elevator into the hall they are met with a wall of bodies stacked floor to ceiling at both ends of the hall. Not just bodies but limbs, heads that have been torn from torsos, all haphazardly stacked and held together with a glue-like substance. As they begin to break down the walls, the zombies start showing up, angry that the walls are being torn down. The zombies have now evolved, not only can they now cough up this gooey waxy substance and build, they’re now thinking, working together, able to communicate with one another.
Ken’s family is finally found in an office whose door has been sealed with that same glue-like substance. Finally breaking through, they are met with strands of silk, like giant spider webs hanging everywhere. Ken’s family is wrapped in cocoon-like cases along with two others. With the zombies almost upon them, the survivors are able to release everyone from their cocoons and begin their escape. This is no easy task. We now have young children in the mix, with adults that are hampered by their own injuries. Ken’s daughters are acting strange; the zombies are closing in and no matter where they go the zombies are able to track them.
If this were a movie I would be jumping up and down, cheering them on! It’s THAT good! I didn’t want the book to end and it doesn’t! Michaelbrent Collings will be continuing the saga with The Colony: Descent, I can hardly wait!
Fast pace in your face, the action doesn’t stop. That’s what you get with The Colony: Renegades by Michaelbrent Collings. This bestselling author has done it again, the continuing saga of The Colony: Genesis doesn’t disappoint!
The story opens where it ended; Ken and the small band of survivors open the door to the ninth floor, hoping against all odds to find his family. Stepping out of the elevator into the hall they are met with a wall of bodies stacked floor to ceiling at both ends of the hall. Not just bodies but limbs, heads that have been torn from torsos, all haphazardly stacked and held together with a glue-like substance. As they begin to break down the walls, the zombies start showing up, angry that the walls are being torn down. The zombies have now evolved, not only can they now cough up this gooey waxy substance and build, they’re now thinking, working together, able to communicate with one another.
Ken’s family is finally found in an office whose door has been sealed with that same glue-like substance. Finally breaking through, they are met with strands of silk, like giant spider webs hanging everywhere. Ken’s family is wrapped in cocoon-like cases along with two others. With the zombies almost upon them, the survivors are able to release everyone from their cocoons and begin their escape. This is no easy task. We now have young children in the mix, with adults that are hampered by their own injuries. Ken’s daughters are acting strange; the zombies are closing in and no matter where they go the zombies are able to track them.
If this were a movie I would be jumping up and down, cheering them on! It’s THAT good! I didn’t want the book to end and it doesn’t! Michaelbrent Collings will be continuing the saga with The Colony: Descent, I can hardly wait!
March 30, 2021
I like a good zombie story. I started with Walking Dead but it soon became too boring. After that I read a lot of books from different authors. All of them had in common that the zombies where never just dead. They had abilities, were fast or anything else which made them fearsome.
But there was always one thing which buged me: When everything goes to hell would the surviving humans turn against each other? This might happen but in the books I read it was alway like that. Psychology and relationships between humans, group dynamics... all of this is important but when what's left of humanty is a greater thread than the zombies, something's wrong.
This is the reason I like this series a lot. The surviving humans try to survive together which doesn't mean that there are no conflicts! It just means that they still possess the ability to settle a dispute without physical violence.
Other than that I'm curious what really happend, what let all this people change? At the end of book one Collings wrote that all that will be revealed and I want to know if he can keep his promise.
But there was always one thing which buged me: When everything goes to hell would the surviving humans turn against each other? This might happen but in the books I read it was alway like that. Psychology and relationships between humans, group dynamics... all of this is important but when what's left of humanty is a greater thread than the zombies, something's wrong.
This is the reason I like this series a lot. The surviving humans try to survive together which doesn't mean that there are no conflicts! It just means that they still possess the ability to settle a dispute without physical violence.
Other than that I'm curious what really happend, what let all this people change? At the end of book one Collings wrote that all that will be revealed and I want to know if he can keep his promise.
May 1, 2015
Great book!
I LOVED the first book in this series and was unsure where the second book would take me. I have to say.... I LOVED this one, too! I might even say that I loved it a bit more. I could feel the terror and the heartache and it only made me want to know more, more, more. What's going to happen to these people that I've grown to love? If you like zombies (if you can even call them that? I think they are worse.. much worse) and you like blood and gore, then you must read this book... after you've read Genesis, of course! Great job sucking me in, Michaelbrent Collings!! Can't wait to see where you take us in the next one!!
I LOVED the first book in this series and was unsure where the second book would take me. I have to say.... I LOVED this one, too! I might even say that I loved it a bit more. I could feel the terror and the heartache and it only made me want to know more, more, more. What's going to happen to these people that I've grown to love? If you like zombies (if you can even call them that? I think they are worse.. much worse) and you like blood and gore, then you must read this book... after you've read Genesis, of course! Great job sucking me in, Michaelbrent Collings!! Can't wait to see where you take us in the next one!!
September 3, 2018
Got bored fast
I some what liked the first book,I was really hoping that this book would be Way better,Danny I was wrong,I really don't understand how this book gets 4 or 5 star reviews so far both books have just been a few weak characters in one long chase scene,running,running,running from zombies that do crazy superhero stuff trying to catch the characters,but never catch them even after doing something a superhero can do and the characters still get away by some Awesome miracle,this is to far out for me,the thing is I wanted to like , cause I've enjoyed almost every book I've read by this author,I guess you can't like them all
I some what liked the first book,I was really hoping that this book would be Way better,Danny I was wrong,I really don't understand how this book gets 4 or 5 star reviews so far both books have just been a few weak characters in one long chase scene,running,running,running from zombies that do crazy superhero stuff trying to catch the characters,but never catch them even after doing something a superhero can do and the characters still get away by some Awesome miracle,this is to far out for me,the thing is I wanted to like , cause I've enjoyed almost every book I've read by this author,I guess you can't like them all
April 15, 2020
A fun zombie tale that I definitely liked well enough to want to purchase part 3, The Descent. This author's talents are definitely in well paced action and, this being zombie horror, some descriptive but not repellant guts and gore. The ace in the hole of this series, really, is the zombies are quite different from any you've seen or read about before. They have…talents. The pacing is likely a bit TOO fast paced for readers that focus more on character development but there is enough of that to make you care about the fate of our heroes…ya know, the only (apparently, anyway) people in the book that AREN'T undead. Overall, this is an enjoyable horror/suspense tale that does whet the appetite for more.
November 20, 2019
Enjoyable but slightly exhausting.
Book two retains the mechanism of the first. Tiny chapters, usually of one or two paragraphs, most with a minor cliffhanger. This became rather exhausting with every chapter being a fast paced new challenge.
I still cared for the group and wanted to see what happened to them and the ever more unexpected but I intend to take a break before book three.
Recommended with caveat.
Book two retains the mechanism of the first. Tiny chapters, usually of one or two paragraphs, most with a minor cliffhanger. This became rather exhausting with every chapter being a fast paced new challenge.
I still cared for the group and wanted to see what happened to them and the ever more unexpected but I intend to take a break before book three.
Recommended with caveat.
June 16, 2020
Excellent developments. Now that you are attached to the characters, their peril and emotional suffering is even more heart-wrenching. Some reviews say that they got tired around this point. I promise the series is worth it if you press on.... but I definitely wasn't tired during this book. quite the opposite.
May 27, 2021
Ok, so I flew through book 2. Holy cow! The non-stop action just goes on! Surprises and escapes that had me reading faster than I thought possible. And yes, I absolutely went straight on to #3. I can see that this feels like it’s all one book taken apart, but it would be a large one and I like the pacing of the shorter lengths.
January 3, 2022
Amazing
I'm not big on series books but this one is an exception !!!
I read books 2 through 6 in 2 days, reading late through the night. Great story and characters.
Not your usual zombie story Many, with many suprising twist and turns.
A must read!!
I'm not big on series books but this one is an exception !!!
I read books 2 through 6 in 2 days, reading late through the night. Great story and characters.
Not your usual zombie story Many, with many suprising twist and turns.
A must read!!
March 12, 2017
Pretty good read!
The Colony : Renegades is the second book in the Colony saga. If you enjoy zombie books then you'll definitely enjoy this one.
The Colony : Renegades is the second book in the Colony saga. If you enjoy zombie books then you'll definitely enjoy this one.
January 18, 2018
Awesome zombie story
Another awesome zombie story. I'm always looking for new twists in zombie movies and stories and this book had them. Can't wait to start the next book.
Another awesome zombie story. I'm always looking for new twists in zombie movies and stories and this book had them. Can't wait to start the next book.
September 8, 2018
I must say that after thinking this could potentially be a ploddy zombie fest - I feel this book has broken out of some of the predictability. I will continue with the rest of the saga.
April 4, 2019
Excellent continuation of Genesis. I really like the way the characters interact and take care of each other. Definitely a book where the characters stay with you.
Read
May 23, 2020Wtf?
August 26, 2021
Book two was action packed from start to finish and the end was crazy
May 16, 2022
a simple fast book
This second book in this series is a short and simple book. With lots of twists and turns to the storyline it will keep you reading.
This second book in this series is a short and simple book. With lots of twists and turns to the storyline it will keep you reading.
October 23, 2018
Fast Paced!
This a fast paced book with engaging characters. Easy to follow the plot. I recommend this book! The ending makes you want to read the next book!
This a fast paced book with engaging characters. Easy to follow the plot. I recommend this book! The ending makes you want to read the next book!
October 19, 2013
Oh, zombies!
I jumped in on The Colony: Renegades without having touched the first book. I have the first book in paperback, sitting on a shelf in my room. (I take this somewhat as a sign that I'm becoming partial to ebooks now that I have an iPhone). I opened up my Kindle just to take a "peek" at Renegades last night. Less than twenty-four hours later, I'm still on the edge of my seat, anxious to read both the first and next installments (when the next one comes out). While it's clear that the characters began their journey and came together prior to where we pick up in Renegades, I connected with the characters right away and found myself rooting (squirming?) for them at every twist and turn.
I'm still a little new to the horror genre, and I've never really read a zombie apocalypse book before this. Even so, Collings has created a fascinating breed of zombies in this world--zombies that swarm and think and move much like a hive of insects, or perhaps more like a sponge that keeps reconstituting despite being sent through the meat grinder again and again. It gives a really creative twist on an old-fashioned monster that piques my curiosity about everything driving them to do what they do and become what they become. If those mechanics are ever fully revealed in future installments, I will be ecstatic. (It's probably a good thing I wasn't a character in the story (as a scientist) because I probably would've gotten everyone killed trying to take tissue/saliva/belched chemical samples, and staring in awe at the really bizarre swarming behavior of these things). They're pretty cool.
Though these zombies and their habits are gory, bizarre, and relentlessly sinister, there is a beauty to Collings' descriptions of these creatures that makes them feel more fascinating than gross or off-putting in any offensive sort of way. Profanity came up sparingly and where it would naturally rather than being thrown all over the place, which I appreciated. The characters in this particular story are, save for maybe one exception, noble, constantly working to balance their own survival with safeguarding, not only the lives but the humanity (literally) of the other members of their group. While each character is flawed--and who knows, maybe some have dark secrets from their past that could come back to haunt them--the majority seemed to genuinely care about each other and worked together as a wonderfully dynamic and effective team to stay alive. I prefer stories with noble protagonists over stories about comeuppance or stories with anti-heros, so this really hit the spot for me. I also think giving the characters noble interest in each other rather than using manipulative cooperation as a means to avoid their terrible ends made their struggles for survival as well as their losses along the way that much more bitter-sweet.
While the zombies were fascinating and the suspense was intense, I think what really made this particular story gripping for me was the family--Ken, Maggie, and their kids--put through peril. Ken is a man pushed to his physical, emotional, and morally obligatory limits again and again. There are even moments where he stares into the impossibly endless nightmare of these hive-minded monsters coming for them all, trying simply not to lose hope, to lose his a purpose in living, when he brushes up against the very limits of what he thinks he can and can't do to protect his family and stay sane. The moments of vulnerability in Ken's experiences, in his internalizations were remarkable and heart-wrenching.
Really great stuff. If I was only a casual reader of Michaelbrent Collings' stories before, I'm definitely a committed fan now. Read The Colony: Renegades. Don't even wait to read Genesis first. It's that awesome!
I jumped in on The Colony: Renegades without having touched the first book. I have the first book in paperback, sitting on a shelf in my room. (I take this somewhat as a sign that I'm becoming partial to ebooks now that I have an iPhone). I opened up my Kindle just to take a "peek" at Renegades last night. Less than twenty-four hours later, I'm still on the edge of my seat, anxious to read both the first and next installments (when the next one comes out). While it's clear that the characters began their journey and came together prior to where we pick up in Renegades, I connected with the characters right away and found myself rooting (squirming?) for them at every twist and turn.
I'm still a little new to the horror genre, and I've never really read a zombie apocalypse book before this. Even so, Collings has created a fascinating breed of zombies in this world--zombies that swarm and think and move much like a hive of insects, or perhaps more like a sponge that keeps reconstituting despite being sent through the meat grinder again and again. It gives a really creative twist on an old-fashioned monster that piques my curiosity about everything driving them to do what they do and become what they become. If those mechanics are ever fully revealed in future installments, I will be ecstatic. (It's probably a good thing I wasn't a character in the story (as a scientist) because I probably would've gotten everyone killed trying to take tissue/saliva/belched chemical samples, and staring in awe at the really bizarre swarming behavior of these things). They're pretty cool.
Though these zombies and their habits are gory, bizarre, and relentlessly sinister, there is a beauty to Collings' descriptions of these creatures that makes them feel more fascinating than gross or off-putting in any offensive sort of way. Profanity came up sparingly and where it would naturally rather than being thrown all over the place, which I appreciated. The characters in this particular story are, save for maybe one exception, noble, constantly working to balance their own survival with safeguarding, not only the lives but the humanity (literally) of the other members of their group. While each character is flawed--and who knows, maybe some have dark secrets from their past that could come back to haunt them--the majority seemed to genuinely care about each other and worked together as a wonderfully dynamic and effective team to stay alive. I prefer stories with noble protagonists over stories about comeuppance or stories with anti-heros, so this really hit the spot for me. I also think giving the characters noble interest in each other rather than using manipulative cooperation as a means to avoid their terrible ends made their struggles for survival as well as their losses along the way that much more bitter-sweet.
While the zombies were fascinating and the suspense was intense, I think what really made this particular story gripping for me was the family--Ken, Maggie, and their kids--put through peril. Ken is a man pushed to his physical, emotional, and morally obligatory limits again and again. There are even moments where he stares into the impossibly endless nightmare of these hive-minded monsters coming for them all, trying simply not to lose hope, to lose his a purpose in living, when he brushes up against the very limits of what he thinks he can and can't do to protect his family and stay sane. The moments of vulnerability in Ken's experiences, in his internalizations were remarkable and heart-wrenching.
Really great stuff. If I was only a casual reader of Michaelbrent Collings' stories before, I'm definitely a committed fan now. Read The Colony: Renegades. Don't even wait to read Genesis first. It's that awesome!
December 13, 2017
Somehow it was a bit less fun, BUT - more interesting overall in some ways, the evolutions of the zombiesss, and that plot twist at the end :).
February 9, 2014
Its only been a few hours since society has collapsed and already the zombies are evolving. They are smarter, faster, stronger, they spit acid and there are more of them. Things look bleak for Ken Strickland and the other survivors, but they have hope and they will do what it takes to survive the zombie apocalypse. This is the story behind book 2 in Michaelbrent Colling's zombie trilogy, The Colony: Renegades.
In book one of this series, the zombies were not as strong and the the thing you wondered about most was will Ken find his family? In The Renegades the main point I wondered about was how were the characters going to survive in this new world where there are zombies at every turn. These zombies aren't the kind that stumble through the street and walk slow, they are smart, they work as a team and can communicate with each other and they can attack you even when you dismember their bodies..
In most horror novels you find a character that is dealing with something that is much stronger than them and they're fighting against the odds to survive. Michaelbrent Colling's book takes it to the extreme. While reading I was constantly thinking that there is no way that the humans can survive. There is a scene where they survivors are trapped in an elevator shaft while zombies are climbing up the walls to get them. At one point they look down from a window and see so many zombies that they can't see the ground. There is also a scene where the zombies are climbing up a construction crane to get to their prey.
While writing this trilogy Michaelbrent must have thought to himself what is the absolute worst situation that I can put a human in? The answer to that is the Colony trilogy. I don't think I've ever read a series of books where the humans had to go through so much to survive. These characters go through hell and back, they lose hope and regain it, they fight among themselves but then have to work together to survive. The Renegades is a hardcore thriller that you can't stop reading because you have to know how the humans will make it through.
The nonstop action in this book is what really makes it a good read but I also liked the relationship between the characters. For instance the way Ken and his wife act towards each other in the story I think is how most married couples would act in this situation. I also liked how the characters change in the story. Despite a short period of time passing, everyone changes into a different person by the end.
It's hard to find any bad things to say about this book. I love the way the story is told and I love the characters. True horror in a novel is watching a character you like have to survive an impossible situation and The Colony: Renegades is filled with impossible situations. My only complaint is that I felt that some of the scenes were over described and the book ends on a big cliffhanger. This didn't bother me too much, if you made it this far in book 2 than book 3 is already a must read. Michaelbrent Collings has made one masterpiece of a zombie story.
In book one of this series, the zombies were not as strong and the the thing you wondered about most was will Ken find his family? In The Renegades the main point I wondered about was how were the characters going to survive in this new world where there are zombies at every turn. These zombies aren't the kind that stumble through the street and walk slow, they are smart, they work as a team and can communicate with each other and they can attack you even when you dismember their bodies..
In most horror novels you find a character that is dealing with something that is much stronger than them and they're fighting against the odds to survive. Michaelbrent Colling's book takes it to the extreme. While reading I was constantly thinking that there is no way that the humans can survive. There is a scene where they survivors are trapped in an elevator shaft while zombies are climbing up the walls to get them. At one point they look down from a window and see so many zombies that they can't see the ground. There is also a scene where the zombies are climbing up a construction crane to get to their prey.
While writing this trilogy Michaelbrent must have thought to himself what is the absolute worst situation that I can put a human in? The answer to that is the Colony trilogy. I don't think I've ever read a series of books where the humans had to go through so much to survive. These characters go through hell and back, they lose hope and regain it, they fight among themselves but then have to work together to survive. The Renegades is a hardcore thriller that you can't stop reading because you have to know how the humans will make it through.
The nonstop action in this book is what really makes it a good read but I also liked the relationship between the characters. For instance the way Ken and his wife act towards each other in the story I think is how most married couples would act in this situation. I also liked how the characters change in the story. Despite a short period of time passing, everyone changes into a different person by the end.
It's hard to find any bad things to say about this book. I love the way the story is told and I love the characters. True horror in a novel is watching a character you like have to survive an impossible situation and The Colony: Renegades is filled with impossible situations. My only complaint is that I felt that some of the scenes were over described and the book ends on a big cliffhanger. This didn't bother me too much, if you made it this far in book 2 than book 3 is already a must read. Michaelbrent Collings has made one masterpiece of a zombie story.
June 15, 2015
ABR's original The Colony: Renegades audiobook review and many others can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.
I have had the pleasure of hearing Michaelbrent Collings books before. I am amazed at how his mind works! Collings is definitely creative with a dark twisted side that only a true writer of horror can manage. This is clearly evident in The Colony: Renegades: The Colony, Volume 2.
I would imagine that waking up one morning and find oneself smack in the middle of a zombie apocalypse would be mind boggling. However, to discover that the zombies are not only changing but are practically undefeatable would be enough to make most throw up their hands and give up. Not so for Ken or his pack of survivors who travel into the city to find his wife and children. Every parent’s nightmare – to be separated from family when they need you the most and the overwhelming fear of failing them.
The building where his wife works is overrun with zombies but ones that ignore them until they attempt to back out. Herded further down the hallway, Ken and his pack discover that the acid vomiting zombies are the not the only ones to fear – now there are newer, stronger, and more deadly ones!
Collings combines fears like a master playing on untapped fears, drumming up nightmares that are best left forgotten in the early morning light. Instead he drags them out for all to experience setting them loose to roam through our minds and dreams.
In this short volume, Collings added new fully developed characters and even though I had not heard the first volume it is clear that the main characters are solid in their development. The plot flowed smoothly as did the fear!
I have not had the pleasure of hearing the first volume, yet volume two’s start was not confusing – it was clear that this rag tag group of survivors had suffered and managed to survive a harrowing journey and defined their mission in this volume clearly. The ending was abrupt but it was at a good place – makes me want to hear the rest.
Kent Clark did an excellent job of narration. He spoke clearly and concisely. His characters were clearly identifiable. While he could have overplayed the horror and excitement, he did not. He drew the listeners in with his skill and let the story over take me.
The audio production was good with the exception of some light static like background noise whenever there was a “chapter” pause. The audio flowed smoothly and there were no issues.
Audiobook provided for for review by the author.
I have had the pleasure of hearing Michaelbrent Collings books before. I am amazed at how his mind works! Collings is definitely creative with a dark twisted side that only a true writer of horror can manage. This is clearly evident in The Colony: Renegades: The Colony, Volume 2.
I would imagine that waking up one morning and find oneself smack in the middle of a zombie apocalypse would be mind boggling. However, to discover that the zombies are not only changing but are practically undefeatable would be enough to make most throw up their hands and give up. Not so for Ken or his pack of survivors who travel into the city to find his wife and children. Every parent’s nightmare – to be separated from family when they need you the most and the overwhelming fear of failing them.
The building where his wife works is overrun with zombies but ones that ignore them until they attempt to back out. Herded further down the hallway, Ken and his pack discover that the acid vomiting zombies are the not the only ones to fear – now there are newer, stronger, and more deadly ones!
Collings combines fears like a master playing on untapped fears, drumming up nightmares that are best left forgotten in the early morning light. Instead he drags them out for all to experience setting them loose to roam through our minds and dreams.
In this short volume, Collings added new fully developed characters and even though I had not heard the first volume it is clear that the main characters are solid in their development. The plot flowed smoothly as did the fear!
I have not had the pleasure of hearing the first volume, yet volume two’s start was not confusing – it was clear that this rag tag group of survivors had suffered and managed to survive a harrowing journey and defined their mission in this volume clearly. The ending was abrupt but it was at a good place – makes me want to hear the rest.
Kent Clark did an excellent job of narration. He spoke clearly and concisely. His characters were clearly identifiable. While he could have overplayed the horror and excitement, he did not. He drew the listeners in with his skill and let the story over take me.
The audio production was good with the exception of some light static like background noise whenever there was a “chapter” pause. The audio flowed smoothly and there were no issues.
Audiobook provided for for review by the author.
October 8, 2015
Just too fricking weird................................................... ......Too disturbing even for a zombie story. I struggled to get through to the end of the book. I finally got through it but I don't think I will be reading the next one.
Just too fricking weird. I struggled to get through to the end of the story. I finally made it to the end of the book, but I don't think I will be reading the next one.
Just too fricking weird. I struggled to get through to the end of the story. I finally made it to the end of the book, but I don't think I will be reading the next one.
December 24, 2013
Once again if you or you have friends who are interesting in zombiesk type books and or, tv and films that would enjoy this immensely. And would probably be considered better than the first book if you should happen to take a gander to read it.
5 stars
A+
read and reviewed by Shani
Bookangels12 was given a copy to read and review for an honest review.
5 stars
A+
read and reviewed by Shani
Bookangels12 was given a copy to read and review for an honest review.
September 21, 2014
This was a 2.5 stars for me. Two books now and I feel numb to the action that keeps getting thrown at the characters nonstop. Plus we still have zero answers about what is going on. I feel cheated and am officially done with this series.
I received a free download on Audible in exchange for an honest review.
I received a free download on Audible in exchange for an honest review.
March 2, 2014
The transition from book one to book two is seamless. The strange and wonderful momentum of the first book does not skip a beat to the second book. Each and every second is filled with thrills and wide eyed OMG's. I must read much more by this author.
January 11, 2016
Amazingly faced paced. The entire book probably only covers 3 or 4 hours of time and every second of it is spent running from the "zombies". The set up is intriguing and just begs you to keep reading to see what the %*#£ is going on.
February 12, 2014
The sequel was just as riveting as the first book.....and the zombies are evolving.
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