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Slow Burn #2
Infected
Slow Burn: Infected picks up the story of Zed, Murphy, and Jerome where Slow Burn: Zero Day ended.
All three have all been infected but have not succumbed to the most pernicious symptoms of the virus. They’re not the mindless cannibals that most infected are. Nevertheless, their band of survivors, fearful about the trio’s infections, have ostracized them.
Now, back on the street, with weapons to defend themselves but little food in their packs, they embark on a search for Murphy’s family while following the rumor of a safe haven in the form of a doomsday bunker under a house in east Austin.
But the world is more hazardous than they could have guessed. They expect violence from the voracious infected but they have harsh lessons to learn about the lethality of the uninfected. And without people to support the infrastructure of modern civilization, they find that danger comes in many forms.
All three have all been infected but have not succumbed to the most pernicious symptoms of the virus. They’re not the mindless cannibals that most infected are. Nevertheless, their band of survivors, fearful about the trio’s infections, have ostracized them.
Now, back on the street, with weapons to defend themselves but little food in their packs, they embark on a search for Murphy’s family while following the rumor of a safe haven in the form of a doomsday bunker under a house in east Austin.
But the world is more hazardous than they could have guessed. They expect violence from the voracious infected but they have harsh lessons to learn about the lethality of the uninfected. And without people to support the infrastructure of modern civilization, they find that danger comes in many forms.
214 pages, Paperback
Published September 26, 2013
293 people are currently reading
976 people want to read
About the author
Bobby Adair
71 books700 followersA bio is a weird thing to write.
Just trying to imagine presenting the highlights of ME sets off alarm bells in my head. Why would anybody want to know anything about me? What about me is remarkable enough to tell?
When I think about these questions, I recall lying on my bed back in high school, headphones muffed over my ears, heavy metal blasting through my head. As with most teens, music’s power seduced me, and as I listened, I found myself admiring the albums' cover art (yeah, I’m old enough that I used to by LP’s) and I found myself reading about the singers and guitar players and drummers in the liner notes. Why? Because those musicians had created something that was deeply personal, passionate, and wonderfully emotional, and they’d shared it with the world. They’d shared it with me.
It made me want to know them through more than just their music. So, I read.
Through the years, I found myself reading about writers I’d enjoyed, historical figures I’d admired, politicians who weren’t dipshits, and business leaders who’d built great companies. Again, why? Who the hell knows? We’re all just people. I think we find each other interesting. We like to feel connected.
And that was my answer, at least as to the WHY.
On the WHAT I can say about me, for those who feel moved by my work: I’ll give it a quick go.
I was born an Air Force brat and lived in a dozen states before I graduated high school. I’ve worked my way through a wide variety of jobs, left most on a whim, owned businesses, lived through times when I had more money than I knew what to do with, and worried my way through times when I wondered how I’d pay the rent.
Life has been boring at times, and it’s been plenty exciting, too. So far.
I’ve traveled to India, stood atop the tallest mountains around, swam with sharks, smarted-off to cops, and been arrested. I’ve tried beer and weed, but never made a thing of either one. I’ve been brushed too close by death a few times. Thankfully, doctors, EMT’s, and nurses were kind enough to put all the pieces together again. I've ridden my bike so deep into the mountains it felt like I was alone on the edge of heaven, and I've watched the red sun sinking on an evening so clear it looked like it was falling off the edge of the world.
I’ve always had a hard time being where I am, wherever that is. My daydreams forever call from just over the horizon.
I’ve been asked by a dozen bosses where I see myself in five years, and I've lied every time, always telling them what they wanted to hear. Because the only thing I knew for sure, was that I wanted to be anywhere but there.
Find out more:
http://www.bobbyadair.com/
https://www.facebook.com/BobbyAdairAu...
Just trying to imagine presenting the highlights of ME sets off alarm bells in my head. Why would anybody want to know anything about me? What about me is remarkable enough to tell?
When I think about these questions, I recall lying on my bed back in high school, headphones muffed over my ears, heavy metal blasting through my head. As with most teens, music’s power seduced me, and as I listened, I found myself admiring the albums' cover art (yeah, I’m old enough that I used to by LP’s) and I found myself reading about the singers and guitar players and drummers in the liner notes. Why? Because those musicians had created something that was deeply personal, passionate, and wonderfully emotional, and they’d shared it with the world. They’d shared it with me.
It made me want to know them through more than just their music. So, I read.
Through the years, I found myself reading about writers I’d enjoyed, historical figures I’d admired, politicians who weren’t dipshits, and business leaders who’d built great companies. Again, why? Who the hell knows? We’re all just people. I think we find each other interesting. We like to feel connected.
And that was my answer, at least as to the WHY.
On the WHAT I can say about me, for those who feel moved by my work: I’ll give it a quick go.
I was born an Air Force brat and lived in a dozen states before I graduated high school. I’ve worked my way through a wide variety of jobs, left most on a whim, owned businesses, lived through times when I had more money than I knew what to do with, and worried my way through times when I wondered how I’d pay the rent.
Life has been boring at times, and it’s been plenty exciting, too. So far.
I’ve traveled to India, stood atop the tallest mountains around, swam with sharks, smarted-off to cops, and been arrested. I’ve tried beer and weed, but never made a thing of either one. I’ve been brushed too close by death a few times. Thankfully, doctors, EMT’s, and nurses were kind enough to put all the pieces together again. I've ridden my bike so deep into the mountains it felt like I was alone on the edge of heaven, and I've watched the red sun sinking on an evening so clear it looked like it was falling off the edge of the world.
I’ve always had a hard time being where I am, wherever that is. My daydreams forever call from just over the horizon.
I’ve been asked by a dozen bosses where I see myself in five years, and I've lied every time, always telling them what they wanted to hear. Because the only thing I knew for sure, was that I wanted to be anywhere but there.
Find out more:
http://www.bobbyadair.com/
https://www.facebook.com/BobbyAdairAu...
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 196 reviews
November 7, 2021
The second time around with book two was another fast paced story!
A small backstory:
Zed is back with his new found friends from the previous book and they are still trying to stay alive by dodging the zombies that are roaming their world.
The friends on their hunt for others like them that are still alive come across some people trapped on a college campus so Zed and company hang out with them in a dorm room. Eventually the group has to split up as a few soldiers enter the dorm and a few of the college people would rather stay with the soldiers.
Zed has other plans as one of his new friends has informed him about a fortified bunker that is located at a relative's house. From that point on Zed and company make their way toward where the bunker is located trying to elude the zombies along with picking up a couple of new companions and trying to stay alive.
Thoughts:
This book goes into lots of detail of what Zed and his companions go through as they try to adapt in a zombie infested world. The start of this series kinds of reminds me of the tv series The Walking Dead as there are a band of survivors trying to learn to live within a world that they no longer know.
I really like the character, Zed as I can tell that in the first book he was kind of scared and worried about what the future holds, but in this book he seems to have become more set on what he wants to do and what has to be done - he can still get reckless at times, but he still has that determination to keep going and stay tough. Giving this book four "Fight to Stay Alive" stars.
For more thoughts on this review, please see my blog:
https://booknookretreat.blogspot.com/...
A small backstory:
Zed is back with his new found friends from the previous book and they are still trying to stay alive by dodging the zombies that are roaming their world.
The friends on their hunt for others like them that are still alive come across some people trapped on a college campus so Zed and company hang out with them in a dorm room. Eventually the group has to split up as a few soldiers enter the dorm and a few of the college people would rather stay with the soldiers.
Zed has other plans as one of his new friends has informed him about a fortified bunker that is located at a relative's house. From that point on Zed and company make their way toward where the bunker is located trying to elude the zombies along with picking up a couple of new companions and trying to stay alive.
Thoughts:
This book goes into lots of detail of what Zed and his companions go through as they try to adapt in a zombie infested world. The start of this series kinds of reminds me of the tv series The Walking Dead as there are a band of survivors trying to learn to live within a world that they no longer know.
I really like the character, Zed as I can tell that in the first book he was kind of scared and worried about what the future holds, but in this book he seems to have become more set on what he wants to do and what has to be done - he can still get reckless at times, but he still has that determination to keep going and stay tough. Giving this book four "Fight to Stay Alive" stars.
For more thoughts on this review, please see my blog:
https://booknookretreat.blogspot.com/...
November 10, 2022
Book 5 of my Zombie-a-thon 2022!
3.5 Stars
Things got frantic in this one with the odds against...well...everyone. Some hard losses in this one through both zombie attack and more sickeningly depraved humans. I'm starting to quite like our main characters. On to the next!
3.5 Stars
Things got frantic in this one with the odds against...well...everyone. Some hard losses in this one through both zombie attack and more sickeningly depraved humans. I'm starting to quite like our main characters. On to the next!
November 21, 2024
And the plot thickens. That one hurt a little. I should definitely not get attached to these characters but I'm miserably failing at keeping my distance.
February 6, 2014
Yes yes and YES! I flew through this book. I think I read it in less than a day. Not because it is super short or a horrible read but because I couldn't put it down. Every time I would get to the end of a chapter I thought, just one more chapter and whoa! I couldn't put it down in the middle of this fuck-a-roo so I had to read 'just one more chapter'. The entire series grabs you by your face and drags you along. Leaves you saying 'oh hell nah', 'Oh for the love of God RUN' and 'kill THAT mother fucker'. It is truly an awesome ride and I cannot WAIT until book 4. ARC please? :-)
May 14, 2024
**Picks up EXACTLY where book one left off!**
That's doing things right! Everything remained consistent into this second book of the series. Writing style was still gloriously well-done, as far as keeping me thoroughly invested. A handful of characters, after having been ostracized from their former safe zone for reasons explored in book one, are now on their way to what they hope can be a second, more improved safe zone. Needless to say, now that these characters are traversing further out into the world, they inevitably ran into more of the virus's victims.
"Infected" is a fitting title for this one because quite a bit of effort is spent on not just the behaviors of the infected themselves, but also on other people's responses to them. And given that those infected also include the "slow burns" of the story, (aka those who don't fully turn zombie), life turns even MORE complicated in a mighty big hurry. What a mess things become in this book. I love how exploring the aftermath of being infected gives things a more universal feel to the story beyond the restriction of being in Zed's head the whole time.
Onward to book 3! Oh but P.S. Did I mention how much I love Murphy? Because I LOVE him.
That's doing things right! Everything remained consistent into this second book of the series. Writing style was still gloriously well-done, as far as keeping me thoroughly invested. A handful of characters, after having been ostracized from their former safe zone for reasons explored in book one, are now on their way to what they hope can be a second, more improved safe zone. Needless to say, now that these characters are traversing further out into the world, they inevitably ran into more of the virus's victims.
"Infected" is a fitting title for this one because quite a bit of effort is spent on not just the behaviors of the infected themselves, but also on other people's responses to them. And given that those infected also include the "slow burns" of the story, (aka those who don't fully turn zombie), life turns even MORE complicated in a mighty big hurry. What a mess things become in this book. I love how exploring the aftermath of being infected gives things a more universal feel to the story beyond the restriction of being in Zed's head the whole time.
Onward to book 3! Oh but P.S. Did I mention how much I love Murphy? Because I LOVE him.
December 19, 2023
I enjoyed the second volume just as much as the first volume, it’s definitely a good zombie series, that is easy to fly through.
The story picks up directly where the previous book left up, allowing no frustration with unnecessary timeskips.
The dynamic between the characters is even better than the previous book, allowing you to not only enjoy the action packed scenes, but the simple interactions between characters too.
We get to see more of the main character’s heroism and I found myself charmed by him even more throughout the book.
I like how the characters make unique, but logical decisions, giving the book even more depth.
The unique concept of immunity, that we are already familiar with from the previous book, also gets further explored and I loved the differences in immunity between different people.
The greatest part of the book, was how the author truly considered the world the story was set in, adding smaller and bigger details so often missed in other zombie literature and movies. From corpse that remain behind at each battle side and decaying in accordance, to fires no one is putting out no more and are growing out of hand, to the difference of electricity not coming from broken powerlines, compared to solar run houses. The world had an incredibly real feel to it and you could truly feel the thought the author put in it. The fact that cellphones still worked and characters could to some extent keep in touch with characters they separated from, not only allowed you to view the apocalypse from different angles, but truly brought out the connection between the characters.
The ending left you hungry for more and I can’t wait to read the next book.
The story picks up directly where the previous book left up, allowing no frustration with unnecessary timeskips.
The dynamic between the characters is even better than the previous book, allowing you to not only enjoy the action packed scenes, but the simple interactions between characters too.
We get to see more of the main character’s heroism and I found myself charmed by him even more throughout the book.
I like how the characters make unique, but logical decisions, giving the book even more depth.
The unique concept of immunity, that we are already familiar with from the previous book, also gets further explored and I loved the differences in immunity between different people.
The greatest part of the book, was how the author truly considered the world the story was set in, adding smaller and bigger details so often missed in other zombie literature and movies. From corpse that remain behind at each battle side and decaying in accordance, to fires no one is putting out no more and are growing out of hand, to the difference of electricity not coming from broken powerlines, compared to solar run houses. The world had an incredibly real feel to it and you could truly feel the thought the author put in it. The fact that cellphones still worked and characters could to some extent keep in touch with characters they separated from, not only allowed you to view the apocalypse from different angles, but truly brought out the connection between the characters.
The ending left you hungry for more and I can’t wait to read the next book.
April 15, 2021
Violence and action both solid. Really liked some of the more tension filled moments. The zombies , or as they call them whites, traveling around in a flock of sorts is very creepy.
My main issues are the constant bickering between the two mains and the new character that they save. The picking on Zed, who's name I still dislike, got old pretty fast. There's some goofy political/social statements in this one but it thankfully didn't last long. The texting scenes were too frequent and drawn out, didn't really buy the relationships that were forming.
My main issues are the constant bickering between the two mains and the new character that they save. The picking on Zed, who's name I still dislike, got old pretty fast. There's some goofy political/social statements in this one but it thankfully didn't last long. The texting scenes were too frequent and drawn out, didn't really buy the relationships that were forming.
April 22, 2017
Pretty good series so far. The group is getting fleshed out nicely, finally have a tough female character, and the main character is coming along nicely.
So far I'm happy with the way the author has re-worked the "zombies." They are different enough to be interesting.
A lot of action, a bit of humour, decent writing and some good characters development makes this a series that I'm eager to continue.
So far I'm happy with the way the author has re-worked the "zombies." They are different enough to be interesting.
A lot of action, a bit of humour, decent writing and some good characters development makes this a series that I'm eager to continue.
January 21, 2020
Patīk man tas pseido postapokaliptisms, kas grāmatā aprakstīts, bet katra grāmata ir kā tāda liela nodaļa vienā lielā grāmatā - tas sāk besīt, jo, tikko paspēj ieskrieties, grāmata jau beigusies un jāsāk nākamo, ko arī darīšu, bet domāju, ka tālāk par 3. neiešu.
September 15, 2024
Inconsistent characters, a sequence of events masquerading as a coherent plot, and the world’s strangest pacing, but hey, at least a zombie’s head got chopped in half with a machete.
September 26, 2020
I am reading this in the Slow Burn Box Set: The Complete Post Apocalyptic Series boxed set
All the places they think might be safe, aren't. And they're feared just as much as the mindless. Really good. 5 stars
All the places they think might be safe, aren't. And they're feared just as much as the mindless. Really good. 5 stars
October 29, 2014
Decent zombie series and I like that it has unique spin wherein our main protagonist catches the virus and ends up looking like an infected but still has all his mental capacities as a human being whereas most infected turn full zombie.
Our "hero's" predicament makes him a bit of an outcast with the humans. So far a good series I'd say 3.5 stars as the main character's rants can get annoying on occasion. I'm still reading them though. They are hard to put down once you start since they are only about 200 pages per book.
Our "hero's" predicament makes him a bit of an outcast with the humans. So far a good series I'd say 3.5 stars as the main character's rants can get annoying on occasion. I'm still reading them though. They are hard to put down once you start since they are only about 200 pages per book.
May 11, 2018
You know how at the end of a Netflix episode when it starts the next episode in the series automatically in like 10 seconds with that annoying little anxiety causing countdown, and you end up binge watching the entire season of something you were only mildly interested in on accident... this is the book form of the same thing.
We continue this installment with the same cast from the first book in the series. Expanding on the fear the appearance of the Slow Burns cause in those that have watched their friends and family be snacked upon, the gore is upped in Infected. Zed and Murphy have similarly bonded through the same events as the uninfected and the quest to find Murphy's family begins. We see more of what has happened in the area and the characters are fleshed out more completely than in the first book.
I still am at odds with Zed, though he is SLOWLY growing on me. His character doesn't seem as realized as say, Murphy. While Murphy's optimism is hopeful in the world they now live in, he's consistent and his reactions to realistic events are believable. Zed feels more like a plot device when we need a shift in direction for the plot, he becomes something slightly different to accommodate that event. As others have mentioned, this is likely an internal struggle on his part as well, since we give up in a post apocalyptic world many of the identifying factors we knew in the world before, like profession, marital status, etc. Instead of the canned "do you have kids, are you married, what do you do" opening questions everyone is used to, people tell their story and this integrates into how this is changed for the Slow Burns. I'm hopeful as we learn more about Zeds past this might become more evident as he decides who he wants to be now that he's given a second chance where everything he does has a cost, and every decision is potentially life threatening.
In general we have a "middle book" that not actually a middle book, setting us up for more to come. The concept of the Slow Burn and how this changes their views compared to the group is very intriguing and one a major reason I'm continuing on with the series. That and I bought this as a bundle and when each book ends with unknowns I just allow myself to move forward, and by the time I hit something I'm annoyed by in the next book I'm too far in to stop.
If a "top summer beach reads" list included books where things try to nom your face, this would be on it.
We continue this installment with the same cast from the first book in the series. Expanding on the fear the appearance of the Slow Burns cause in those that have watched their friends and family be snacked upon, the gore is upped in Infected. Zed and Murphy have similarly bonded through the same events as the uninfected and the quest to find Murphy's family begins. We see more of what has happened in the area and the characters are fleshed out more completely than in the first book.
I still am at odds with Zed, though he is SLOWLY growing on me. His character doesn't seem as realized as say, Murphy. While Murphy's optimism is hopeful in the world they now live in, he's consistent and his reactions to realistic events are believable. Zed feels more like a plot device when we need a shift in direction for the plot, he becomes something slightly different to accommodate that event. As others have mentioned, this is likely an internal struggle on his part as well, since we give up in a post apocalyptic world many of the identifying factors we knew in the world before, like profession, marital status, etc. Instead of the canned "do you have kids, are you married, what do you do" opening questions everyone is used to, people tell their story and this integrates into how this is changed for the Slow Burns. I'm hopeful as we learn more about Zeds past this might become more evident as he decides who he wants to be now that he's given a second chance where everything he does has a cost, and every decision is potentially life threatening.
In general we have a "middle book" that not actually a middle book, setting us up for more to come. The concept of the Slow Burn and how this changes their views compared to the group is very intriguing and one a major reason I'm continuing on with the series. That and I bought this as a bundle and when each book ends with unknowns I just allow myself to move forward, and by the time I hit something I'm annoyed by in the next book I'm too far in to stop.
If a "top summer beach reads" list included books where things try to nom your face, this would be on it.
April 12, 2023
My Thoughts:
Infected started exactly where Zero Day left off. This book continues the saga of Zed and company's struggle for survival in a zombie post-apocalyptic world. The same tempo. The same fight. Different day. Still beautiful world building and masterful story telling quality though! But I am starting to worry that this is going to start getting "same old, same old"...
This book tackles old societal issues like prejudice of things and people who are not exactly like us. Who got features which is different and if we can't find one, we make up one. Othering. And the burning desire in a lot of us, to do good. To be good. Hero complex. Real issues played out in fiction setting.
The ending, of course, was a cliffhanger.
Quantitative Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 4
Character development = 4.5
Story itself = 3.5
Writing Style = 4
Ending = 2
World building = 5
Cover art = 3
Pace = 3.5
Plot = 2
Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Infected started exactly where Zero Day left off. This book continues the saga of Zed and company's struggle for survival in a zombie post-apocalyptic world. The same tempo. The same fight. Different day. Still beautiful world building and masterful story telling quality though! But I am starting to worry that this is going to start getting "same old, same old"...
This book tackles old societal issues like prejudice of things and people who are not exactly like us. Who got features which is different and if we can't find one, we make up one. Othering. And the burning desire in a lot of us, to do good. To be good. Hero complex. Real issues played out in fiction setting.
The ending, of course, was a cliffhanger.
Quantitative Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 4
Character development = 4.5
Story itself = 3.5
Writing Style = 4
Ending = 2
World building = 5
Cover art = 3
Pace = 3.5
Plot = 2
Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5
July 17, 2017
Actual rating - 3.5
November 14, 2019
This is hotting up for a great series. On with book 3
August 18, 2016
Slow Burn: Infected, Book 2 by Bobby Adair Slow Burn: Infected, Book 2 by Bobby Adair is an action-filled, zombie apocaplyse thriller. It picks up where Slow Burn: Zero Day Book 1 stopped. I gave it five stars.
"Midafternoon in August is not a pleasant time to be outdoors in central Texas....Every patch of unirrigated grass gets baked to crisp hues of tan and brown. Every concrete sidewalk and stretch of bleached asphalt shimmers radiated heat."
Zed continues to learn about himself as he adapts to the circumstances of the new world. "Oft times, anger was all I had, my sole defining characteristic. It clung to me like an insecure girlfriend, and I put as little effort into sloughing it off. Perhaps I could learn from Murphy." Murphy was an optimist.
However, his laugh began to get on Zed's nerves. "'What’s up with that laugh? Did you have a favorite cartoon character or something that laughed like that?' I asked. 'No, man, that’s just my laugh. Heh, heh, heh.'"
Some of the changes that came with being infected are permanently dilated pupils and skin getting whiter. "'You know, you’re practically white now, Murphy.' 'I’m mocha frost, man.' 'Mocha frost?'"
Zed reflected on the absence of his friends. He came to terms with this by realizing: "I wouldn’t even call them friends. They’re circumstantial companions."
He also wondered about his own survival and the reason for existing. He "spent a long time staring into the insulation between my feet after that, deciding whether I was worth the effort of inhaling another breath."
I look forward to reading the next Slow Burn Book 3, Destroyer.
Link to purchase: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...
"Midafternoon in August is not a pleasant time to be outdoors in central Texas....Every patch of unirrigated grass gets baked to crisp hues of tan and brown. Every concrete sidewalk and stretch of bleached asphalt shimmers radiated heat."
Zed continues to learn about himself as he adapts to the circumstances of the new world. "Oft times, anger was all I had, my sole defining characteristic. It clung to me like an insecure girlfriend, and I put as little effort into sloughing it off. Perhaps I could learn from Murphy." Murphy was an optimist.
However, his laugh began to get on Zed's nerves. "'What’s up with that laugh? Did you have a favorite cartoon character or something that laughed like that?' I asked. 'No, man, that’s just my laugh. Heh, heh, heh.'"
Some of the changes that came with being infected are permanently dilated pupils and skin getting whiter. "'You know, you’re practically white now, Murphy.' 'I’m mocha frost, man.' 'Mocha frost?'"
Zed reflected on the absence of his friends. He came to terms with this by realizing: "I wouldn’t even call them friends. They’re circumstantial companions."
He also wondered about his own survival and the reason for existing. He "spent a long time staring into the insulation between my feet after that, deciding whether I was worth the effort of inhaling another breath."
I look forward to reading the next Slow Burn Book 3, Destroyer.
Link to purchase: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...
September 27, 2015
4 Platypires for Slow Burn: Infected by Bobby Adair
Whoa this was a lot better than the first book. Like I couldn't put it down good. I just kept wanting to know what else was gonna happen. The book was really fast paced and had quite a few surprises which I enjoyed.
I think my favorite character is Murphy. He is pretty bada$$ and his outlook on their situation is just humbling. He's not gonna sugarcoat it and he's not slow on the uptake. He just gets it. Zed on the other hand shows signs of improvement but it can be quite frustrating watching him go back & forth with his thoughts and his teachable moments. When he's explaining the new world to Mandi, he sounds harsh and very negative. But then at times he comes off as very optimistic for the future and wants to save everybody. Which is kinda writes cause before the apocalypse he didn't care about life or anybody but now he does. Like, Murphy said, Zed can be very naive and imo slow on the uptake. I hope their is improvement with his character in the next book.
Slow Burn is a really great read and I would recommend it to any zombie fan.
Whoa this was a lot better than the first book. Like I couldn't put it down good. I just kept wanting to know what else was gonna happen. The book was really fast paced and had quite a few surprises which I enjoyed.
I think my favorite character is Murphy. He is pretty bada$$ and his outlook on their situation is just humbling. He's not gonna sugarcoat it and he's not slow on the uptake. He just gets it. Zed on the other hand shows signs of improvement but it can be quite frustrating watching him go back & forth with his thoughts and his teachable moments. When he's explaining the new world to Mandi, he sounds harsh and very negative. But then at times he comes off as very optimistic for the future and wants to save everybody. Which is kinda writes cause before the apocalypse he didn't care about life or anybody but now he does. Like, Murphy said, Zed can be very naive and imo slow on the uptake. I hope their is improvement with his character in the next book.
Slow Burn is a really great read and I would recommend it to any zombie fan.
September 23, 2015
All three are planning to make their way to the shelter. But that is easier said than done. Being infected themselves it is hard to find people willing to help them.. In fact in makes it really hard. Being a zombie but not being s zombie has some minor benefits, they can move along the infected with little risk. There is still some but not as much as a regular human that is not infected. But the big down side is that they get treated just like all the other infected and now must hide from the rest of the world as much as they can.
Zed, still had contact to s few people they met via phone, which was a nice aspect that the power and the phones still work. So far.
We meet some new people but also lose some if course being in the zombie apocalypse.
You can find my full review here:
http://snoopydoosbookreviews.com/slow...
Zed, still had contact to s few people they met via phone, which was a nice aspect that the power and the phones still work. So far.
We meet some new people but also lose some if course being in the zombie apocalypse.
You can find my full review here:
http://snoopydoosbookreviews.com/slow...
July 24, 2020
3.5 stars
September 3, 2021
A lot more to Infected than was present in the first novel, and some notably better writing if I'm being honest. That said, it still comes across as a generic zombie book, written by someone who either is former military or fancies themselves part of that community, as it borderline fetishizes military ranks/protocol/presence, as well as the weaponry/zombie shooting side of things. This book, much like the first, just kind of "ends" out of nowhere, and felt extremely lazy in that regard. It was still quite a bit better, and kept me engaged in the story.
March 22, 2020
The world is a fucked up place, but it’s always been a fucked up place. I just chose not to let it fuck me up, if you know what I mean.
Witnessing the world continue to fall to shambles, and seeing the arising number of casualties continue to sky rocket it would leave little choices in the quest for survival outside of merely surviving. Living without basic necessities, survivors are tested by the minute to what lengths they would endure to keep themselves and those closest to them living. For Zed Zane and Murphy, a treasure trove of pain, misery and carnage would like on their footsteps while each shouldered the weight of countless misgivings and losses. Willing to risk everything to find the truth of his mother and sister’s fates in the hysteria, closure would come rather broke my as he find his mother deceased and his sister nowhere to be found in their old neighborhood. Driven to an underground bunker to escape the flames and blankets of smoke licking up at their heels, they would discover quickly many others had the same hiding place in mind.
It’s like you think you’re invincible.
With the entirety of one city ablaze, the duo will experience the shock of a lifetime as they come further to term with the meaning of a slow burn and what it could mean towards the impeding infections. Murphy’s charismatic humor balances to the sarcastic and quick tongued Zed while they face off with the undead that are stumbling. Below leaving the safe confines of the Dorm, Zed saves the lives of another group, the ROTC boys who held little trust to the two men with pale skin and permanently dilated eyes. As the struggle to survive forever increases tenfold, anybody could be a threat.
Fear and hate aren’t rational emotions, and they damn sure don’t depend on the existence of valid reasons. People hate because they’re afraid. People are afraid because they don’t understand.
The walls begin closing in as Zed struggles to keep a charge on the cellphone to keep contact with Nurse Steph and Amber who stayed behind with those non infected in the Dorms miles away. While Amber warns of several falling to infection and locked behind doors, Steph cries out of the infection roulette playing out in the hospital as every 45 minutes twenty bands are pulled to see if they will burn out into a Slow Burn or not. Amber is watching a power struggle flip and turn as she please for Zed, Murphy and Jerome to come back soon for her rescue. Torn between his loyalties after witnessing Jerome gunned down for no apparent reason, Murphy and Zed continue their quests no matter the consequences.
Fear makes it all worse. Fear cements belief into people’s heads better than anything else. Right now, people are scared, right? As they should be.
Hidden deep within a locked away room in the abandoned and looted bunker, Zed and Murphy make the discovery of a non infected locked inside a room swarming with dozens of starving monsters. In a rush to free her, the two take it within themselves to free her, which introduces them to Mandi. A young girl without true confirmation to immunity as she remained unchanged from lack of bites and wounds, the three set off to loot houses where Zed discoveries in an upstairs bedroom Russel Coronado. He’s in a comatose state, barely blinking with a muteness that’s unnerves them. Childlike innocence he takes to Zed in an overwhelming need as he follows the newly imprinted upon man. Teamed up to four strong, they fight the hoard that surged his home, before ether two groups flee separate ways. Murphy and Mandi stay behind while Zed and Russel run back to the Dorms to save Amber who earned of the dangers she was facing, but none could ever explain the scene they stumbled into.
Nothing ever just fucking works out by itself anymore.
The Dorms loomed ever closer as he kicks through the door to Amber’s room where he sees she was a Slow Burn, never once infected to the horrors. Beaten, bruised and having her shirt ripped clear from her torso, the conclusion of a monster in human flesh sets forth a blind rage within Zed. Amber has not been killed by the infected. There were no signs of feeding. She’d been murdered. I cut the deductions short and jumped to the only conclusion that made sense. She’d been beaten, raped, and murdered by Mark. on a sworn oath to find Mark and unleash every pent up emotion he was feeling his and Russel turn heel to look straight on into the sounds of infected tearing up the stairs...
How will humanity react when it realizes that it has survived an extinction event?
Witnessing the world continue to fall to shambles, and seeing the arising number of casualties continue to sky rocket it would leave little choices in the quest for survival outside of merely surviving. Living without basic necessities, survivors are tested by the minute to what lengths they would endure to keep themselves and those closest to them living. For Zed Zane and Murphy, a treasure trove of pain, misery and carnage would like on their footsteps while each shouldered the weight of countless misgivings and losses. Willing to risk everything to find the truth of his mother and sister’s fates in the hysteria, closure would come rather broke my as he find his mother deceased and his sister nowhere to be found in their old neighborhood. Driven to an underground bunker to escape the flames and blankets of smoke licking up at their heels, they would discover quickly many others had the same hiding place in mind.
It’s like you think you’re invincible.
With the entirety of one city ablaze, the duo will experience the shock of a lifetime as they come further to term with the meaning of a slow burn and what it could mean towards the impeding infections. Murphy’s charismatic humor balances to the sarcastic and quick tongued Zed while they face off with the undead that are stumbling. Below leaving the safe confines of the Dorm, Zed saves the lives of another group, the ROTC boys who held little trust to the two men with pale skin and permanently dilated eyes. As the struggle to survive forever increases tenfold, anybody could be a threat.
Fear and hate aren’t rational emotions, and they damn sure don’t depend on the existence of valid reasons. People hate because they’re afraid. People are afraid because they don’t understand.
The walls begin closing in as Zed struggles to keep a charge on the cellphone to keep contact with Nurse Steph and Amber who stayed behind with those non infected in the Dorms miles away. While Amber warns of several falling to infection and locked behind doors, Steph cries out of the infection roulette playing out in the hospital as every 45 minutes twenty bands are pulled to see if they will burn out into a Slow Burn or not. Amber is watching a power struggle flip and turn as she please for Zed, Murphy and Jerome to come back soon for her rescue. Torn between his loyalties after witnessing Jerome gunned down for no apparent reason, Murphy and Zed continue their quests no matter the consequences.
Fear makes it all worse. Fear cements belief into people’s heads better than anything else. Right now, people are scared, right? As they should be.
Hidden deep within a locked away room in the abandoned and looted bunker, Zed and Murphy make the discovery of a non infected locked inside a room swarming with dozens of starving monsters. In a rush to free her, the two take it within themselves to free her, which introduces them to Mandi. A young girl without true confirmation to immunity as she remained unchanged from lack of bites and wounds, the three set off to loot houses where Zed discoveries in an upstairs bedroom Russel Coronado. He’s in a comatose state, barely blinking with a muteness that’s unnerves them. Childlike innocence he takes to Zed in an overwhelming need as he follows the newly imprinted upon man. Teamed up to four strong, they fight the hoard that surged his home, before ether two groups flee separate ways. Murphy and Mandi stay behind while Zed and Russel run back to the Dorms to save Amber who earned of the dangers she was facing, but none could ever explain the scene they stumbled into.
Nothing ever just fucking works out by itself anymore.
The Dorms loomed ever closer as he kicks through the door to Amber’s room where he sees she was a Slow Burn, never once infected to the horrors. Beaten, bruised and having her shirt ripped clear from her torso, the conclusion of a monster in human flesh sets forth a blind rage within Zed. Amber has not been killed by the infected. There were no signs of feeding. She’d been murdered. I cut the deductions short and jumped to the only conclusion that made sense. She’d been beaten, raped, and murdered by Mark. on a sworn oath to find Mark and unleash every pent up emotion he was feeling his and Russel turn heel to look straight on into the sounds of infected tearing up the stairs...
How will humanity react when it realizes that it has survived an extinction event?
February 15, 2024
After being asked to leave by the people they saved, Zed, Murphy and Jerome decide to go looking for Murphy's remaining family and the survival bunker. Zed is worried about leaving Amber behind with the soldiers and is also concerned to hear that Steph is trapped in the hospital overrun with infected people, but is unsure if he can do anything to help either woman.
This book drifts a bit with the plot as our heroes look to steal a humvee from campus or the hospital to drive over to Murphy's mum, as a fire rages through the city towards them. Then they flee to the underground bunker to get a safe place to hide for a short spell. Plot wise, there's not much else going on. Zed seems to spend all his time calling Amber and Steph, thinking about potential rescue of the women. The character interaction seems to be the main focus in this book and even the zombie encounters aren't as fun as the first book.
The 'playful banter' between the characters is starting to annoy me a bit. It is amusing at first but every time Murphy uses a playful racial comment or slags off Zed for wanting to help people, it gets a bit more grating each time. And it happens on every page where they don't battle zombies. Murphy keeps saying 'whitey' to describe everything that moves and is forever calling Jerome a coward. OK we get it, no need to hammer it into our brains every ten seconds. It also gets worse when Mandi joins them and it becomes a threeway for them to all dig at each other. I just find it a bit repetitive and it makes me want to keep rolling my eyes. The toneless heh heh heh every time Murphy laughs does bug me a little too.
I can't say that Mandi adds anything interesting to the plot. She spends her entire time crying, teasing Zed, asking questions with no answers or getting angry at being seen as weak. I actually found Russell a lot more interesting, maybe because he doesn't talk. If we are having a female character in there I'd rather see the much more capable Steph or the less annoying Amber.
The other annoying thing is the way the conversation is on the page. In a chat between two people, they really don't need to use the other person's name every sentence. I'm not going to copy out lines of dialogue but here is a sort of made up example
'Well, Zed, it's a problem'
'Murphy, you're right'
'Zed, what should we do?'
'I'm not sure Murphy'
They sound a bit like Batman and Robin in the old tv show with Adam West! It's irritating and it's not the way real people talk. Also every conversation turns into either insults or arguments. There is also the changing brain of Zed-one minute he can't understand the situation or what is being explained to him, the next minute he is giving lectures on complex species behaviour. He can't seem to decide if he's a lazy layabout or a clever graduate.
Not really a great book as a second in the series as it isn't really making me want to continue the series. I don't know if I'll read book three.
This book drifts a bit with the plot as our heroes look to steal a humvee from campus or the hospital to drive over to Murphy's mum, as a fire rages through the city towards them. Then they flee to the underground bunker to get a safe place to hide for a short spell. Plot wise, there's not much else going on. Zed seems to spend all his time calling Amber and Steph, thinking about potential rescue of the women. The character interaction seems to be the main focus in this book and even the zombie encounters aren't as fun as the first book.
The 'playful banter' between the characters is starting to annoy me a bit. It is amusing at first but every time Murphy uses a playful racial comment or slags off Zed for wanting to help people, it gets a bit more grating each time. And it happens on every page where they don't battle zombies. Murphy keeps saying 'whitey' to describe everything that moves and is forever calling Jerome a coward. OK we get it, no need to hammer it into our brains every ten seconds. It also gets worse when Mandi joins them and it becomes a threeway for them to all dig at each other. I just find it a bit repetitive and it makes me want to keep rolling my eyes. The toneless heh heh heh every time Murphy laughs does bug me a little too.
I can't say that Mandi adds anything interesting to the plot. She spends her entire time crying, teasing Zed, asking questions with no answers or getting angry at being seen as weak. I actually found Russell a lot more interesting, maybe because he doesn't talk. If we are having a female character in there I'd rather see the much more capable Steph or the less annoying Amber.
The other annoying thing is the way the conversation is on the page. In a chat between two people, they really don't need to use the other person's name every sentence. I'm not going to copy out lines of dialogue but here is a sort of made up example
'Well, Zed, it's a problem'
'Murphy, you're right'
'Zed, what should we do?'
'I'm not sure Murphy'
They sound a bit like Batman and Robin in the old tv show with Adam West! It's irritating and it's not the way real people talk. Also every conversation turns into either insults or arguments. There is also the changing brain of Zed-one minute he can't understand the situation or what is being explained to him, the next minute he is giving lectures on complex species behaviour. He can't seem to decide if he's a lazy layabout or a clever graduate.
Not really a great book as a second in the series as it isn't really making me want to continue the series. I don't know if I'll read book three.
July 10, 2021
The Zombie Virus has run rampant over the world. In Zed's small part of the world, only slow burns like Zed and Murphy still lived . . . or whatever.
Zed Zane and Murphy Smalls were evicted from the shelter that they had found, protected and kept safe and clear. They had rescued some coeds from the college, you know - because they needed rescued, not because they were coeds! They also ran into some soldier boys and offered them shelter also. So, wasn't long before the soldiers took over and evicted Zed and Murphy because they were infected and didn't trust them.
Then came the big fire, roaring through Austin burning everything and everyone not in a fireproof shelter. Again our slow burn men found shelter in the old prepper's underground bunker. Safe, or so, they found a slew of infected and one living girl. Most they killed, but for some reason kept the girl with them. LOL Good choice!
Zed and Murphy are great characters, getting along like brothers, meaning they argued, made fun, called each other names, and would die before they let anything happen to their buddy. The other characters they find and interact with all seem to die. Sucks not to be them! LOL I give them credit for trying, but not for luck. That they don't seem to have the best of. The storyline is good zombie post-apocalyptic fare, with the added variation of the Slow Burn phenomenon. Good theater, great story, amusing, solid characters just trying to get by in a dying world. I like it! I'm going to stick with this for a while!
Zed Zane and Murphy Smalls were evicted from the shelter that they had found, protected and kept safe and clear. They had rescued some coeds from the college, you know - because they needed rescued, not because they were coeds! They also ran into some soldier boys and offered them shelter also. So, wasn't long before the soldiers took over and evicted Zed and Murphy because they were infected and didn't trust them.
Then came the big fire, roaring through Austin burning everything and everyone not in a fireproof shelter. Again our slow burn men found shelter in the old prepper's underground bunker. Safe, or so, they found a slew of infected and one living girl. Most they killed, but for some reason kept the girl with them. LOL Good choice!
Zed and Murphy are great characters, getting along like brothers, meaning they argued, made fun, called each other names, and would die before they let anything happen to their buddy. The other characters they find and interact with all seem to die. Sucks not to be them! LOL I give them credit for trying, but not for luck. That they don't seem to have the best of. The storyline is good zombie post-apocalyptic fare, with the added variation of the Slow Burn phenomenon. Good theater, great story, amusing, solid characters just trying to get by in a dying world. I like it! I'm going to stick with this for a while!
June 22, 2023
Really loving this.
I only have 1 complaint and that's a lack of descriptions of characters. A new character was introduced named Mandi and for a while there I wasn't even sure how old she was. She could've been a child. And then later she was telling them about herself and we find out she was a college student. But for a good chunk there I had no idea what to picture her as. And still don't really. I've got a rough age estimate now but no idea what she looks like so I've had to make something up in my head. And this has happened for most of the characters. Occasionally we'll get a small description like Amber has dark hair but that gives me almost no mental image of what this girl is supposed to look like. I guess it's giving me the creative freedom to imagine whatever I want but sometimes when this happens details are provided later that contradict what I made up in my head and it gets frustrating.
But other than that, this story is so fast paced and fun to read that I can overlook that very easily and I'm excited to keep going.
I only have 1 complaint and that's a lack of descriptions of characters. A new character was introduced named Mandi and for a while there I wasn't even sure how old she was. She could've been a child. And then later she was telling them about herself and we find out she was a college student. But for a good chunk there I had no idea what to picture her as. And still don't really. I've got a rough age estimate now but no idea what she looks like so I've had to make something up in my head. And this has happened for most of the characters. Occasionally we'll get a small description like Amber has dark hair but that gives me almost no mental image of what this girl is supposed to look like. I guess it's giving me the creative freedom to imagine whatever I want but sometimes when this happens details are provided later that contradict what I made up in my head and it gets frustrating.
But other than that, this story is so fast paced and fun to read that I can overlook that very easily and I'm excited to keep going.
December 23, 2017
Awesome
You have read volume one, so you know that it's a zombie tale. Warning this dark story gets scarier and so it should in the scenario he depicts.
That being said, if you're in the mood for zombies and can appreciate the ups and downs of living in Zombleland, you'll enjoy this book. The main character is constantly fighting himself and doesn't connect with many people but because of luck or skill is very good at staying alive. He is growing into the role of zombie fighter.
The composition of the group he creates is so varied that it feels right for the new world and is not possible probably in any other. The action is more intense and you will enjoy volume two. The writing doesn't slip and the characters fascinate.
You have read volume one, so you know that it's a zombie tale. Warning this dark story gets scarier and so it should in the scenario he depicts.
That being said, if you're in the mood for zombies and can appreciate the ups and downs of living in Zombleland, you'll enjoy this book. The main character is constantly fighting himself and doesn't connect with many people but because of luck or skill is very good at staying alive. He is growing into the role of zombie fighter.
The composition of the group he creates is so varied that it feels right for the new world and is not possible probably in any other. The action is more intense and you will enjoy volume two. The writing doesn't slip and the characters fascinate.
August 28, 2017
I really enjoyed this book. There's lots of fast paced action ... much of it stomach churning ... but somehow it doesn't have that disgusting feel that often turns me off. Zed and Murphy are engaging characters and I really liked Russell and Mandi too. In the midst of all the gore, there is enough witty banter and humor to lighten the story. Toward the end, there is also a nice little philosophical discussion about the re-evolution of humanity that gives a hint of where this story might be going. I can't wait for the next book to see how it develops.
I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway for this honest review.
I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway for this honest review.
June 4, 2021
I have submitted this review after listening to the audiobook of this title.
Three of the slow burners move out from the university, as their rescued companions, now that they were armed, thanks to Zed and Murphy's scavenging forays, no longer felt safe with the three that had obviously been infected, but were not rabid.
So, they head towards Murphy's mother's house, hoping that they would find his family alive. The backup plan is to find the condemned house with the bunker, and see if they could hole up there.
It's a dangerous world, and nothing can be trusted. Not having your wits about you will certainly get you or your companions killed.
Three of the slow burners move out from the university, as their rescued companions, now that they were armed, thanks to Zed and Murphy's scavenging forays, no longer felt safe with the three that had obviously been infected, but were not rabid.
So, they head towards Murphy's mother's house, hoping that they would find his family alive. The backup plan is to find the condemned house with the bunker, and see if they could hole up there.
It's a dangerous world, and nothing can be trusted. Not having your wits about you will certainly get you or your companions killed.
July 8, 2019
The first volume in this series—Zero Day—was a pretty straightforward Zombie novel. It was very good, but pretty standard stuff. It looks like Bobby Adair spent quite a lot of time after its publication considering what such a world event would mean to survivors. This book is a five star effort. It starts to clearly define personalities; it probes the ultimate issue of long-term survival; and it has a great deal of pathos. Once again, the events in this book take place in a very short time period of just a couple of days. And they are chock full of horror.
On to volume 3!
On to volume 3!
July 9, 2018
I was hoping the missused term of Clip was a charector progression mark in the first book. So please this turned out to be true and introduction of the proper term Magazine was comedic. Imediantly after Bullet was used in place of Cartridge or Round and pulled me back out. Just a tiny detail that prevented me from staying fully engaged but I'm willing to overlook. 2 in and I'm liking the series more and more. The premise is intriguing and offers unique situational drama.
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