What do you think?
Rate this book
The outbreak started in New York. Within days the infection had spread to every corner of the world. Nowhere is safe from the undead...
Bill watched from his window as London was evacuated. His leg broken, he is unable to join the exodus. Turning to his friends in the government, he waits and hopes for rescue. As the days turn into weeks, realising inaction will lead only to starvation and death, his thoughts turn to escape.
Forced to leave the safety of his home he ventures out into the undead wasteland that once was England, where he will discover a horrific secret.
This is the first volume of his journal.
Bill watched from his window as London was evacuated. His leg broken, he is unable to join the exodus. Turning to his friends in the government, he waits and hopes for rescue. As the days turn into weeks, realising inaction will lead only to starvation and death, his thoughts turn to escape.
Forced to leave the safety of his home he ventures out into the undead wasteland that once was England, where he will discover a horrific secret.
This is the first volume of his journal.
196 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 26, 2013
2680 people are currently reading
4141 people want to read
About the author
Frank Tayell
54 books485 followersAuthor of post-apocalyptic and near-future science fiction, with a focus on democracies struggling against dystopia.
For more information, or to join the mailing list, please visit; www.FrankTayell.com, facebook.com/FrankTayell, or facebook.com/TheEvacuation
For more information, or to join the mailing list, please visit; www.FrankTayell.com, facebook.com/FrankTayell, or facebook.com/TheEvacuation
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 627 reviews
August 1, 2018
The only thing Tayell can't do is catchy titles. Oh, and cover design. Besides that, this is easily one of the better apocalypse I've read in years (mentally reviews prior reads...). Yep, that's true. It's too bad the cover design is so pulpy, because this is pretty much the opposite type of story: the diary of an intelligent but perhaps unimaginative person as civilization begins to implode.
Bartholomew--Bill, to his friends--is at home recovering from a broken leg as he watches the London evacuation. Jennifer, Bill's closest friend, former business partner, and rising star in the London government has told him to stay put until she can send a car for him. She's the one that broke the news of what appears to be an attack of the living dead when he awakened in the hospital, and told him to stay home instead of evacuate. What follows is Bill's gradual realization that he will have to save himself.
"I made another assumption about our situation, one that’s only just starting to dawn on me. I assumed that one day, one day soon, that these things outside, undead, zombies, infected, whatever, that one day They would die, and that we could just take back our island. What if we have to fight for it?"
I think it's closest analogy in stories would be I Am Legend, Zone One or perhaps The Day of the Triffids, particularly in the sense that this is one person's journey and evolution of understanding about himself and about the crisis. Bill has a likeable, vaguely self-depreciating voice that was engrossing. At first, he is an intelligent Everyman, albeit with insider information, with a trust in government and society that is admirable, even if a little naive. He is a modern white-collar professional and city dweller, suddenly made aware of the inadequacies of his skill sets. Some reviewers note that he felt 'whiny,' which is a description that surprised me. Occasionally little despairing, perhaps, and at war with himself over what to be done next. Like Hamlet, he is indecisive over his course of action, his broken leg preventing him from easy maneuverability.
"I purposefully only did a rough headcount. I knew I wasn’t in the right frame of mind to know exactly how bad my situation was."
One aspect that sets Tayell apart as a writer is that this is free of the sexist trappings. One reviewer even notes that she thought the narrator was a woman for much of the story. Perhaps that will change as the apocalypse progresses and issues such as survival and continuation of society come into play, but I really enjoyed the gender-free approach. I also appreciated the seemingly slow dissolution of society, although if one keeps strict track of days, the breakdown still works out to be quite fast. There questions Bill faces are quite real, quite similar to the range of responses for a hurricane, for instance. Should I shelter in place? What will it take? Should I evacuate? How to plan beyond the next few days? I had noted in a recent review of the EMP series how fast society broke down into looting/rioting/burning, and appreciated that Tayell didn't make that mistake.
"Out of all the job descriptions I’ve ever had, I think looter sounds the best. It’s more proactive than survivor."
The writing is exceptional for what appears to be a first book. In fact, I'll note that I judged this on a mass-published scale; there were no instance of the awkward phrasing or contrived dialogue that I associate with a beginning writer. There was a nice balance of humor, description and introspection in the narrative--this was definitely not a young-adult level read. Flashbacks were well integrated. If there were shortcomings, it is perhaps an ending that feels a bit rushed, and two over-contrived bits in terms of plot development. Bill has access to someone with a surprisingly wide information base, and that also feels a bit over-convenient, but I think that will play a more significant role in the following books. On the whole, however, this was an admirable apocalypse tale, and one deserving of far greater attention. On to the next.
Shoutout to John for his review on the fourth book, pointing the way towards this series.
Bartholomew--Bill, to his friends--is at home recovering from a broken leg as he watches the London evacuation. Jennifer, Bill's closest friend, former business partner, and rising star in the London government has told him to stay put until she can send a car for him. She's the one that broke the news of what appears to be an attack of the living dead when he awakened in the hospital, and told him to stay home instead of evacuate. What follows is Bill's gradual realization that he will have to save himself.
"I made another assumption about our situation, one that’s only just starting to dawn on me. I assumed that one day, one day soon, that these things outside, undead, zombies, infected, whatever, that one day They would die, and that we could just take back our island. What if we have to fight for it?"
I think it's closest analogy in stories would be I Am Legend, Zone One or perhaps The Day of the Triffids, particularly in the sense that this is one person's journey and evolution of understanding about himself and about the crisis. Bill has a likeable, vaguely self-depreciating voice that was engrossing. At first, he is an intelligent Everyman, albeit with insider information, with a trust in government and society that is admirable, even if a little naive. He is a modern white-collar professional and city dweller, suddenly made aware of the inadequacies of his skill sets. Some reviewers note that he felt 'whiny,' which is a description that surprised me. Occasionally little despairing, perhaps, and at war with himself over what to be done next. Like Hamlet, he is indecisive over his course of action, his broken leg preventing him from easy maneuverability.
"I purposefully only did a rough headcount. I knew I wasn’t in the right frame of mind to know exactly how bad my situation was."
One aspect that sets Tayell apart as a writer is that this is free of the sexist trappings. One reviewer even notes that she thought the narrator was a woman for much of the story. Perhaps that will change as the apocalypse progresses and issues such as survival and continuation of society come into play, but I really enjoyed the gender-free approach. I also appreciated the seemingly slow dissolution of society, although if one keeps strict track of days, the breakdown still works out to be quite fast. There questions Bill faces are quite real, quite similar to the range of responses for a hurricane, for instance. Should I shelter in place? What will it take? Should I evacuate? How to plan beyond the next few days? I had noted in a recent review of the EMP series how fast society broke down into looting/rioting/burning, and appreciated that Tayell didn't make that mistake.
"Out of all the job descriptions I’ve ever had, I think looter sounds the best. It’s more proactive than survivor."
The writing is exceptional for what appears to be a first book. In fact, I'll note that I judged this on a mass-published scale; there were no instance of the awkward phrasing or contrived dialogue that I associate with a beginning writer. There was a nice balance of humor, description and introspection in the narrative--this was definitely not a young-adult level read. Flashbacks were well integrated. If there were shortcomings, it is perhaps an ending that feels a bit rushed, and two over-contrived bits in terms of plot development. Bill has access to someone with a surprisingly wide information base, and that also feels a bit over-convenient, but I think that will play a more significant role in the following books. On the whole, however, this was an admirable apocalypse tale, and one deserving of far greater attention. On to the next.
Shoutout to John for his review on the fourth book, pointing the way towards this series.
May 24, 2021
shit.
August 25, 2017
Bill is a political advisor for rising star MP Jennifer so she promises to evacuate him to a safe place is the zombie apocalypse in the US enters the UK. Bill is at home with a broken leg when Britain becomes infected and the first car that comes for him is attacked, leaving the driver as zombie nosh, and Bill stuck.
Bill is a very annoying man. He is sitting safe indoors with food that Jennifer brought early in the outbreak, and he is just moaning like a child. He has no real milk as Jennifer failed to bring him that and biscuits, only the powdered stuff he doesn't like, his tea is cold, he can't get up and down stairs easily because of his broken leg, Jennifer is taking AGES to send another car...and when he realises that one of his tenants who fled because of the zombies repainted her room without permission, he is gleeful about keeping her deposit. WTF is wrong with this idiot?
Bill is dumb. He owns a house where he rented out rooms on the ground and first floor as flats while he lives in the attic. His tenants fled and left most things behind so why not move down into one of these flats instead of moaning about going up and down the stairs to raid their stuff??? Show some common sense man or just shut up with the complaining already!!! I can't imagine why Jennifer would WANT to rescue this whining child! I'd leave him there to rot.
Bill is a very annoying man. He is sitting safe indoors with food that Jennifer brought early in the outbreak, and he is just moaning like a child. He has no real milk as Jennifer failed to bring him that and biscuits, only the powdered stuff he doesn't like, his tea is cold, he can't get up and down stairs easily because of his broken leg, Jennifer is taking AGES to send another car...and when he realises that one of his tenants who fled because of the zombies repainted her room without permission, he is gleeful about keeping her deposit. WTF is wrong with this idiot?
Bill is dumb. He owns a house where he rented out rooms on the ground and first floor as flats while he lives in the attic. His tenants fled and left most things behind so why not move down into one of these flats instead of moaning about going up and down the stairs to raid their stuff??? Show some common sense man or just shut up with the complaining already!!! I can't imagine why Jennifer would WANT to rescue this whining child! I'd leave him there to rot.
February 6, 2017
This review is featured on my blog: Writerly Bookish Stuff
I rate this book 3.5/5.
Bill is an advisor to his MP friend, Jennifer. A broken leg has him confined to his apartment during a zombie infection outbreak. Jen promised to get him to safety, but the car that was sent was attacked and the driver was killed. Bill's story is built upon the journals of his confinement from just before the London evacuation to about 3 months after.
The first part of the book is pretty much Bill moaning, moping, and waiting to be rescued. His poor survival skills and the insights into how he passes the time were building blocks to show his mind set and how it changes with the realisation that he is well and truly left to his own devices. He isn't a man who takes well to manual work, and you quickly learn that he isn't courageous, but he is intelligent and knows a lot about the evacuation, the early days of the outbreak, and what has/ may have gone wrong during the evacuation and containment.
Persevere through the first part, and I promise, the book picks up.
The author has thought out different government tactics during such an incident, and I found it all extremely fascinating. I cannot fault the detail woven into the evacuation plans and the realism this creates.
There is something different about this book, and it's hard to put my finger on. Considering that I didn't really like Bill and the narrative isn't action based, I found myself turning the pages and wanting to know the conclusion. Whether it was the realism, his intellect, or the need to see if boring Bill toughened up and survived, I am hopeful for the next books in the series.
I rate this book 3.5/5.
Bill is an advisor to his MP friend, Jennifer. A broken leg has him confined to his apartment during a zombie infection outbreak. Jen promised to get him to safety, but the car that was sent was attacked and the driver was killed. Bill's story is built upon the journals of his confinement from just before the London evacuation to about 3 months after.
The first part of the book is pretty much Bill moaning, moping, and waiting to be rescued. His poor survival skills and the insights into how he passes the time were building blocks to show his mind set and how it changes with the realisation that he is well and truly left to his own devices. He isn't a man who takes well to manual work, and you quickly learn that he isn't courageous, but he is intelligent and knows a lot about the evacuation, the early days of the outbreak, and what has/ may have gone wrong during the evacuation and containment.
Persevere through the first part, and I promise, the book picks up.
The author has thought out different government tactics during such an incident, and I found it all extremely fascinating. I cannot fault the detail woven into the evacuation plans and the realism this creates.
There is something different about this book, and it's hard to put my finger on. Considering that I didn't really like Bill and the narrative isn't action based, I found myself turning the pages and wanting to know the conclusion. Whether it was the realism, his intellect, or the need to see if boring Bill toughened up and survived, I am hopeful for the next books in the series.
October 3, 2017
There’s a lot to be really impressed by here. I say that as a man who doesn’t generally read zombie novels, who thinks that we’re over-saturated by the undead and that most of the depictions aren’t that interesting. But, if you spin that on its head, then I suppose the fact there is so much zombie media out there means some of it is going to be good. It's the law of averages.
The first half of this novel is fantastic. If you too are tired of zombies, I’d still recommend the first half. It’s basically an injured man trapped in a flat watching the world fall apart outside. It doesn’t really matter that it is zombies, it could be Cthulhu sending its tentacles down every street. The horror comes from his being trapped and helpless, in a big city but cut off from the rest of the world. It’s gripping, claustrophobic (which is obviously a type of horror I love) and the scares come from the practicality of having nothing and having no way to get anything.
Once our protagonist gets out of the flat, it’s not quite as interesting (even if this is a book which visits my old stamping grounds of Surrey Quays and New Cross). Still, the fact that it remains self-consciously Robinson Crusoe with added zombies makes it a winner in my eyes. A smart and entertaining read that that takes an intriguing conceit and keeps finding new ways to make it thrill.
The first half of this novel is fantastic. If you too are tired of zombies, I’d still recommend the first half. It’s basically an injured man trapped in a flat watching the world fall apart outside. It doesn’t really matter that it is zombies, it could be Cthulhu sending its tentacles down every street. The horror comes from his being trapped and helpless, in a big city but cut off from the rest of the world. It’s gripping, claustrophobic (which is obviously a type of horror I love) and the scares come from the practicality of having nothing and having no way to get anything.
Once our protagonist gets out of the flat, it’s not quite as interesting (even if this is a book which visits my old stamping grounds of Surrey Quays and New Cross). Still, the fact that it remains self-consciously Robinson Crusoe with added zombies makes it a winner in my eyes. A smart and entertaining read that that takes an intriguing conceit and keeps finding new ways to make it thrill.
August 25, 2019
suckkkkssss..
March 8, 2018
Back in the 1980s (when I was much younger!) my friends & I used to enjoy watching zombie films on video. In the last few years there seem to be zombies everywhere, whether in films. TV programmes, comics or books. It became overkill, so that I even found well made series like The Walking Dead to be dull.
So, after a considerable break I thought it was time to revisit a genre I used to like with the first book in Frank Tayell's Surviving The Evacuation series.
The story certainly starts well, with Bill Wright alone & isolated after a worldwide outbreak. With a broken leg he is limited in his movements, but as time passes he ventures out to find other survivors. Although I enjoyed the story I don't quite have enough enthusiasm to continue with the next book in the series.
So, after a considerable break I thought it was time to revisit a genre I used to like with the first book in Frank Tayell's Surviving The Evacuation series.
The story certainly starts well, with Bill Wright alone & isolated after a worldwide outbreak. With a broken leg he is limited in his movements, but as time passes he ventures out to find other survivors. Although I enjoyed the story I don't quite have enough enthusiasm to continue with the next book in the series.
February 9, 2022
Ahhhhh ........ the good old zombie trope! Ya gotta love it when you find one of these stories that stands out from other lacklustre fare in this genre. And, as always, it's the strength of the main character and being able to become invested in them that totally makes the book.
Very topical too, at the moment, given our current situation re the Covid19 pandemic and the bleating from the anti-vaxxer conspiracy nuts.
Very topical too, at the moment, given our current situation re the Covid19 pandemic and the bleating from the anti-vaxxer conspiracy nuts.
November 3, 2016
The author was kind enough to gift me a copy of his book. This book is being offered for free, in exchange for an honest review at Making Connections. Get your copy here.
What I liked:
the way the author chose to tell the story-journal of a survivor during a zombie infestation. It might be difficult to keep the reader interested but I had fun reading it.
the gradual change in Bill's journal entries-he begins with believing that his MP friend would be sending a car for him to learning to fend for himself, once he realizes help won't be coming.
the part about Sam & how it affected the way Bill reacted to the plight of other survivors.
What I didn't like:
the origin of the outbreak was just too expected or typical. I also think maybe the author could have kept that part for the next book.
Fans of slow moving zombies & stories styled as journal entries should definitely give this one a try.
Also reviewed at:
Shelfari
Amazon
B&N
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 26, 2018
Knjige o Zombijima su u jednom periodu baš eksplodirale ali većina njih nisu mi privlačila pažnju pošto ih je većina slična ko jaje jajetu. Grupa ljudi koja se bori sa drugim preživelima i usput izbegava zombije. Mislim nije da može nešto puno da se tu promeni al malo originalnosti ne bi bilo na odmet.
Originalnost je upravo ono što dobijamo ovde. Pod broj jedan knjiga se fokusira na samo jednog lika i drugih skoro ni nema. Pod dva priča prati sam početak izbijanja infekcije, ne samo posledice. Pod tri pokušava da objasni kako je do svega došlo. E sad samo objašnjenje je za mene slaba tačka svega ali barem imamo pokušaj.
Sam stil pisanja je u obliku dnevnika što je sa jedne strane dosta interesantno i daje dosta uvida u razmišljanja našeg junoše al sa druge strane malo kvari tenziju pošto je logično da je preživeo većinu problema pošto bi teško mogao da piše o njima da nije.
Sve u svemu fin početak i serijal koji ću nastaviti.
Originalnost je upravo ono što dobijamo ovde. Pod broj jedan knjiga se fokusira na samo jednog lika i drugih skoro ni nema. Pod dva priča prati sam početak izbijanja infekcije, ne samo posledice. Pod tri pokušava da objasni kako je do svega došlo. E sad samo objašnjenje je za mene slaba tačka svega ali barem imamo pokušaj.
Sam stil pisanja je u obliku dnevnika što je sa jedne strane dosta interesantno i daje dosta uvida u razmišljanja našeg junoše al sa druge strane malo kvari tenziju pošto je logično da je preživeo većinu problema pošto bi teško mogao da piše o njima da nije.
Sve u svemu fin početak i serijal koji ću nastaviti.
April 25, 2020
I bought this on a whim as Amazon kept recommending it to me and I am so glad I did, The tale of Bartholomew "Bill" Wright is a gripping read and as he is pretty much the only character in the book we get to know him very well.
Bill is/was a government adviser to his old friend Jen who has been appointed Minister for the Interior, during a visit to Whitehall, Bill is knocked over a banister on to a marble floor which results in him waking up several days later with a broken leg.
As he comes to, Jen is there by his bedside but she is the bearer of some terrifying news, America has been attacked, he sees footage, totally horrific footage of a mall in the States and people running and jumping for their lives, they are being hunted down by creatures and these creatures are zombies, there is no better word for it, they are the dead who have risen again with a taste for flesh.
The UK goes on lock down its borders are closed, the channel tunnel blown up and the government announces that the whole of the island is under quarantine, chaos in ensuing around the world. back in the comfort or discomfort as he has a broken leg of his flat, Bill watches with help from his informer Sholto, chaos and horror unfolding around the world, the inevitable happens of course and the UK succumbs to the infection and one by one people start dropping like flies and rising as the living dead.
Bill can only watch from his flat, he has been supplied with food and drink from Jen but he is well and truly stuck and to be honest to begin with he is better to be in his flat than outside with Them. One by one the utilities fail, electricity, gas and water, he has been given a mobile to contact Jen and she calls one day to say a car is coming to get him, that car is still outside with the driver lying dead beside it.
As the story unfolds Bill's cabin fever sets in, he counts down the days until he cast can come off and he has to ration his food and water. He starts fending off his fever by raiding the flats below but when his supplies are near spent he makes his escape narrowly avoiding the undead he starts making his way from safe haven to safe haven, happily looting along the way and getting better at despatching the zombies.
Apart from one survivor he came across who ran without taking Bill and his broken leg, Bill is by himself but he seems quite a lot of the time in good spirits and I think this is what makes this such a could story, yes there are moments of pure terror, panic and the fear of discovery is constantly on his mind but he also craves tea and creates a hybrid coffee and coke drink.
Surviving the Evacuation is a brilliant start to a series of books which follow Bill and his struggle to stay alive in a Britain changed for the worse, he discovers that there is more to the infection than he first thought and I think we are going to see some great revelations as this story progresses plus I hope he is not lonely for to long!
Awarded 5 out of 5
Bill is/was a government adviser to his old friend Jen who has been appointed Minister for the Interior, during a visit to Whitehall, Bill is knocked over a banister on to a marble floor which results in him waking up several days later with a broken leg.
As he comes to, Jen is there by his bedside but she is the bearer of some terrifying news, America has been attacked, he sees footage, totally horrific footage of a mall in the States and people running and jumping for their lives, they are being hunted down by creatures and these creatures are zombies, there is no better word for it, they are the dead who have risen again with a taste for flesh.
The UK goes on lock down its borders are closed, the channel tunnel blown up and the government announces that the whole of the island is under quarantine, chaos in ensuing around the world. back in the comfort or discomfort as he has a broken leg of his flat, Bill watches with help from his informer Sholto, chaos and horror unfolding around the world, the inevitable happens of course and the UK succumbs to the infection and one by one people start dropping like flies and rising as the living dead.
Bill can only watch from his flat, he has been supplied with food and drink from Jen but he is well and truly stuck and to be honest to begin with he is better to be in his flat than outside with Them. One by one the utilities fail, electricity, gas and water, he has been given a mobile to contact Jen and she calls one day to say a car is coming to get him, that car is still outside with the driver lying dead beside it.
As the story unfolds Bill's cabin fever sets in, he counts down the days until he cast can come off and he has to ration his food and water. He starts fending off his fever by raiding the flats below but when his supplies are near spent he makes his escape narrowly avoiding the undead he starts making his way from safe haven to safe haven, happily looting along the way and getting better at despatching the zombies.
Apart from one survivor he came across who ran without taking Bill and his broken leg, Bill is by himself but he seems quite a lot of the time in good spirits and I think this is what makes this such a could story, yes there are moments of pure terror, panic and the fear of discovery is constantly on his mind but he also craves tea and creates a hybrid coffee and coke drink.
Surviving the Evacuation is a brilliant start to a series of books which follow Bill and his struggle to stay alive in a Britain changed for the worse, he discovers that there is more to the infection than he first thought and I think we are going to see some great revelations as this story progresses plus I hope he is not lonely for to long!
Awarded 5 out of 5
January 30, 2016
Eh this one was OK.
My Thoughts: Have you ever read a book that when you finished you just felt like, "Huh, that's it?" That was my reaction after finishing London (Surviving the Evacuation). The main protagonist Bill is an incredibly dull fellow who spends the first half of the story giving us commentary about his even duller existence. Listen, I like a good build up but when over half the story follows just a single character sitting in his flat complaining about everything from lack of hot tea to the weather it can drag the story down quite a bit. Bill is the type of protagonist who shouldn't survive but somehow does despite doing literally everything wrong. Now I will say that despite the first half being nothing more than a lesson in procrastination the story wasn't all bad. Once we left the flat and Bill started exploring the newly dead world things started looking up. The back half has more action and the pacing picks up considerably. So in the end while I didn't love this one, I know I'll at least, well probably anyway, still continue on with this series.
In the end I gave this one ★★★.
My Thoughts: Have you ever read a book that when you finished you just felt like, "Huh, that's it?" That was my reaction after finishing London (Surviving the Evacuation). The main protagonist Bill is an incredibly dull fellow who spends the first half of the story giving us commentary about his even duller existence. Listen, I like a good build up but when over half the story follows just a single character sitting in his flat complaining about everything from lack of hot tea to the weather it can drag the story down quite a bit. Bill is the type of protagonist who shouldn't survive but somehow does despite doing literally everything wrong. Now I will say that despite the first half being nothing more than a lesson in procrastination the story wasn't all bad. Once we left the flat and Bill started exploring the newly dead world things started looking up. The back half has more action and the pacing picks up considerably. So in the end while I didn't love this one, I know I'll at least, well probably anyway, still continue on with this series.
In the end I gave this one ★★★.
March 12, 2019
A very detailed exposition of the end of the world from the journal of a witness. Set in London, the zombie apocalypse erupts - unfortunately for Bill, or perhaps fortunately, he has a broken leg and has to watch from the safety of his top floor apartment as everything around falls apart.
We are fortunate that Bill is a political adviser, and as the story unfolds, so does more and more backstory, showing how Bill perhaps knows more than he lets on at the beginning. Befriending a hack that sends him underground videos and information is also helpful for us; the reader. Rather than being an anonymous survivor, and completely clueless about the realities of this infection, as the story unfolds we garner more info, making for a rounded story.
These snippets are fed us between the grounded reality of life in the apocalypse: stabbing zombies in the head and searching for loot - mostly food and water. There's some good research here, indicating what would happen - and when - to the various utilities, and the difficulty of attaining water. Clean water, at least. I'm not sure about boiling pasta in orange juice any time soon.
It's very much foundational in its setup and premise, being book one, but it's a solid base. Unless you forward planned on reading the rest I perhaps wouldn't read this one, unless you just love zombies. Enjoyed the London setting!
We are fortunate that Bill is a political adviser, and as the story unfolds, so does more and more backstory, showing how Bill perhaps knows more than he lets on at the beginning. Befriending a hack that sends him underground videos and information is also helpful for us; the reader. Rather than being an anonymous survivor, and completely clueless about the realities of this infection, as the story unfolds we garner more info, making for a rounded story.
These snippets are fed us between the grounded reality of life in the apocalypse: stabbing zombies in the head and searching for loot - mostly food and water. There's some good research here, indicating what would happen - and when - to the various utilities, and the difficulty of attaining water. Clean water, at least. I'm not sure about boiling pasta in orange juice any time soon.
It's very much foundational in its setup and premise, being book one, but it's a solid base. Unless you forward planned on reading the rest I perhaps wouldn't read this one, unless you just love zombies. Enjoyed the London setting!
August 12, 2018
I was doubtful of this one within the first few pages, particularly because we get the entire narrative through a single perspective, in a journal format. This worry was unfounded and it didn't take long before I was completely invested in the decisions of our main character, Bill. Bill missed the start of what would be the downfall of civilization due to an injury that left him with one leg in a cast. He has close ties with high up government officials, through his childhood friend Jen, and missed the government directed evacuation because she made special arrangements for him due to his injury.
There is nothing particularly unique about the zombies, or his relationships within the book, but what makes this particular zombie book stand out to me is his internal struggle and the realistic take on the terror one would feel in that environment. His concern about being rescued, and timing for his plans in a world that is at the very best unpredictable. What if he misses the car that Jen sent to collect him? Are the doors locked downstairs? When is it safe to leave? Where do you go?
Seeing Bill evolve as the world shapes both him and his idea of the world around him, was totally worth it. He isn't perfect. There are a lot of skills that would be helpful to him to know, but the world is set up more as a following of real events, no finding all the reference books you need in a place completely outfitted with protection and a year's worth of food.
Each day is a struggle, and with each decision he tries to keep his humanity.
... I immediately purchased the second book in the series upon finishing this one. It's a cool, rainy Sunday here in Boston, and I plan on devouring the next book in the series immediately.
There is nothing particularly unique about the zombies, or his relationships within the book, but what makes this particular zombie book stand out to me is his internal struggle and the realistic take on the terror one would feel in that environment. His concern about being rescued, and timing for his plans in a world that is at the very best unpredictable. What if he misses the car that Jen sent to collect him? Are the doors locked downstairs? When is it safe to leave? Where do you go?
Seeing Bill evolve as the world shapes both him and his idea of the world around him, was totally worth it. He isn't perfect. There are a lot of skills that would be helpful to him to know, but the world is set up more as a following of real events, no finding all the reference books you need in a place completely outfitted with protection and a year's worth of food.
Each day is a struggle, and with each decision he tries to keep his humanity.
... I immediately purchased the second book in the series upon finishing this one. It's a cool, rainy Sunday here in Boston, and I plan on devouring the next book in the series immediately.
January 12, 2014
Wow. This is everything you need in a zombie novel. I've read a fair few of the zombie diary style books, this one is by far my favourite. It's really well written, and it's relatable, Bill acts exactly like the average person would (or hopes they would.) With just enough contact with Zombies to keep you on your toes, and plenty of new survival ideas, it really does keep the readers interest.
What makes this different is Bill used to work closely with the government, and ends up with a broken leg so can't escape to evacuate (thank goodness) He seems a bit of a helpless tool at first, but as time progresses he really comes into his own.
I found this full of new ideas (for me anyway, and I love zombies) although mixed with some of the classic zombie traits. I've taken some ideas on board, just incase we do get over run with Zombies. And I'm now eagerly awaiting book two!
What makes this different is Bill used to work closely with the government, and ends up with a broken leg so can't escape to evacuate (thank goodness) He seems a bit of a helpless tool at first, but as time progresses he really comes into his own.
I found this full of new ideas (for me anyway, and I love zombies) although mixed with some of the classic zombie traits. I've taken some ideas on board, just incase we do get over run with Zombies. And I'm now eagerly awaiting book two!
February 21, 2018
This novel is mostly about a man with a broken leg sitting in his flat feeling sorry for himself and whining. Occasionally he looks out of the window at any zombies that might be milling about outside. Eventually he leaves and wanders around London, encountering the odd zombie. Most of the time he finds other places to sit in and feel sorry for himself and whine. There are a few embellishments, but that's about it. It's more about surviving the tedium than the evacuation.
December 15, 2019
3.5 Stars.
A deadly virus, turning the infected into zombies.
One man’s diary and attempt to get out of London.
A post-apocalyptic read that delivers what it promises. Fast-paced and smooth, this is a quick read with a fairly interesting character.
Overall, this feels more like an opening chapter, but considering how many sequels there are, that’s probably exactly what it is.
I will read on, mostly because of the U.K. setting.
A deadly virus, turning the infected into zombies.
One man’s diary and attempt to get out of London.
A post-apocalyptic read that delivers what it promises. Fast-paced and smooth, this is a quick read with a fairly interesting character.
Overall, this feels more like an opening chapter, but considering how many sequels there are, that’s probably exactly what it is.
I will read on, mostly because of the U.K. setting.
February 3, 2019
This was so much fun to read. I’ve always loved reading diary type novels (looking at you, Bridget Jones). I liked Bill’s voice, the way he tried to think things out when he realized help was never coming. He is thoughtful and rational. I thought the ending was terrific...just gut wrenching really.
January 23, 2016
I enjoyed this book a lot. It starts off a little slowly, with the rather mundane tasks of having to survive the zombie apocalypse with a broken leg (as if it wasn't hard enough already!) but there's already the hint of intrigue as we discover the main character was involved in politics, and has a lot of behind the scenes information. Unfortunately he's been left behind to fend for himself, and we follow his journey through his personal journal as he tries to make his way out of an over-run London and to discover what went wrong with the evacuation plan - a plan that he himself designed, but never got to see in full. It is a fairly short and easy read, and ideal for fans of zombies, survival or the apocalypse, with just enough political / conspiracy to give it a different edge to the usual.
This was a promotional free purchase, but I have already bought book 2 and look forward to reading it.
This was a promotional free purchase, but I have already bought book 2 and look forward to reading it.
July 3, 2022
I'd bought the three first volumes of Surviving the Evacuation ages ago, on a whim, and totally forgot about those til I got caught into a reading slump and went looking for books on my shelves and found them lying in the back.
Well, this is a great catch 🙃 I read London quite easily despite my slump and had a great time ! Definitely going to the next one straight away!
Is this the best zombie book ever ? No. But it deserves its five stars no question for it helped me in this difficult reading time
Well, this is a great catch 🙃 I read London quite easily despite my slump and had a great time ! Definitely going to the next one straight away!
Is this the best zombie book ever ? No. But it deserves its five stars no question for it helped me in this difficult reading time
May 17, 2021
OK. I hate this book. Mostly because I moaned all the way through it and then the last pages just...argh! I had to buy book 2.
There was so much not happening in the early book that perhaps I was too hasty to judge. It was a slow build up to an onslaught of knowledge at the end that I didn't expect. And of course that left me wondering what happened next. So, it was for that I will give this the 4 stars and hopefully I find the next installment easier to wade through.
There was so much not happening in the early book that perhaps I was too hasty to judge. It was a slow build up to an onslaught of knowledge at the end that I didn't expect. And of course that left me wondering what happened next. So, it was for that I will give this the 4 stars and hopefully I find the next installment easier to wade through.
Read
June 1, 2018I just could not get into this. Overly descriptive and I kept waiting for the actual plot to roll out. Possibly just not in the right frame of mind and may try this book again at another time. Others seemed to like it. I have not rated it due to not progressing far into this one.
July 14, 2017
3.5
Better than your run of the mill zombie book.
The excellent audio narration helped.
Better than your run of the mill zombie book.
The excellent audio narration helped.
February 24, 2019
Dreadfully boring. Didn’t like the main character at all . Won’t be reading any more of the series. Thankfully it was free!
November 30, 2021
I want to start out by saying the length of time it took me to read this book is no reflection on the quality of the writing. I found this to be an immensely enjoyable book. I just kept getting pulled away by more pressing books, such as Library books. I owned this copy, having purchased it March 14, 2017, which lands it squarely on my Mt TBR Challenge list. But since I do own it, I needed to read the library books that must be returned in 21 days as deemed so by the Gods at Libby! Therefore, I kept having to push this back further and further.
Bill is not the most likable character ever. In the beginning he is a tad self absorbed and pompous. But I will say, starving and dehydrating alone in your apartment while trying to recover from a broken leg in the middle of a zombie apocalypse will humble a guy fast. By the end of the book, Bill is a better and less naïve character.
My one critique of the story, was in how when Bill finds the number of zombie books in his neighbors flat, he made comments about how unhelpful they are because the characters are so incredibly lucking in having just the right skills, or finding just the right needed item at the exact moment it is needed. The end of the book was just one big, oh look what I just found at just the right moment. I'm ok with it, because I truly do feel that my only hope in surviving any sort of apocalypse will be with a good deal of luck. The older I get the more true this seems.
I am so glad I enjoyed this book, because I apparently own two more books in the series, which I will be reading in 2022, or eventually.
Bill is not the most likable character ever. In the beginning he is a tad self absorbed and pompous. But I will say, starving and dehydrating alone in your apartment while trying to recover from a broken leg in the middle of a zombie apocalypse will humble a guy fast. By the end of the book, Bill is a better and less naïve character.
My one critique of the story, was in how when Bill finds the number of zombie books in his neighbors flat, he made comments about how unhelpful they are because the characters are so incredibly lucking in having just the right skills, or finding just the right needed item at the exact moment it is needed. The end of the book was just one big, oh look what I just found at just the right moment. I'm ok with it, because I truly do feel that my only hope in surviving any sort of apocalypse will be with a good deal of luck. The older I get the more true this seems.
I am so glad I enjoyed this book, because I apparently own two more books in the series, which I will be reading in 2022, or eventually.
January 1, 2014
There's a certain something about this book that had me intrigued from the moment it showed up in my submission list. I can't tell you if it was the cover or the title because, frankly, I think they're both captivating. So, maybe I'll just say it was the combination of both. So intriguing, in fact, that I had a hard time ripping it out of another team members cyber hands!
Surviving the Evacuation begins with Bill, aid to Jennifer, his childhood friend and now politician, having broken his leg and recounting his story via a journal. Armed with damning information from his very own version of Deepthroat, Bill watches from his window as neighbors and would-be rescuers are downed by the infected. The phones and electricity are down and Bill's only means of communication is a satellite phone given to him by Jennifer before things turned ugly. The only problem...no one is answering the phone anymore. Bill fights against time as his food supplies dwindle, counting the days until his leg is healed enough to travel to someplace safer.
I enjoyed the book, but felt at times as if some of the situations had been done before. Take, for example, waking up in the hospital and not knowing what had happened. Reminiscent of Resident Evil and 28 Days Later. While well constructed, there wasn't enough pizzazz to put his own stamp on and make his own. For this reason, I awarded the book 4 out of 5 stars. I did, however, enjoy the origins of the infection and wish there had been more time spent on this story line. This part showed some real originality. Kudos to Tayell on this, because let's be Frank (lol, sorry, couldn't resist), There is only so many ways to write a successful outbreak to allow for it to be believable. I believed.
Surviving The Evacuation has a conclusion, but definitely leaves readers with questions that must be answered. This reader absolutely has to find out what became of his friends and confidant. Luckily, the second book, Wasteland, was released a couple days ago. Here's to hoping that one gets submitted for review as well so I can get those answers!
This is definitely a book I would recommend to add to your libraries.
Visit www.bookie-monster.com to read the entire review
Surviving the Evacuation begins with Bill, aid to Jennifer, his childhood friend and now politician, having broken his leg and recounting his story via a journal. Armed with damning information from his very own version of Deepthroat, Bill watches from his window as neighbors and would-be rescuers are downed by the infected. The phones and electricity are down and Bill's only means of communication is a satellite phone given to him by Jennifer before things turned ugly. The only problem...no one is answering the phone anymore. Bill fights against time as his food supplies dwindle, counting the days until his leg is healed enough to travel to someplace safer.
I enjoyed the book, but felt at times as if some of the situations had been done before. Take, for example, waking up in the hospital and not knowing what had happened. Reminiscent of Resident Evil and 28 Days Later. While well constructed, there wasn't enough pizzazz to put his own stamp on and make his own. For this reason, I awarded the book 4 out of 5 stars. I did, however, enjoy the origins of the infection and wish there had been more time spent on this story line. This part showed some real originality. Kudos to Tayell on this, because let's be Frank (lol, sorry, couldn't resist), There is only so many ways to write a successful outbreak to allow for it to be believable. I believed.
Surviving The Evacuation has a conclusion, but definitely leaves readers with questions that must be answered. This reader absolutely has to find out what became of his friends and confidant. Luckily, the second book, Wasteland, was released a couple days ago. Here's to hoping that one gets submitted for review as well so I can get those answers!
This is definitely a book I would recommend to add to your libraries.
Visit www.bookie-monster.com to read the entire review
June 5, 2017
An interesting read.
STE, book 1: London is an anomaly in the indie zombie apocalypse universe. Not a lot of action here. It's one guy's introspective telling, in which he does a lifetime worth of thinking as he moves from one abandoned place to another, trying to hunker down and survive the outbreak.
Many, many authors would fail to execute that premise, but Tayell handles it nicely- the book is very well written and the reader comes to admire the hero's craft and guile as he learns to survive in a land overrun with the dead.
Another interesting split from the genre's usual fare- firearms barely make an appearance in STE. There's a pistol the hero is unable to retrieve off the floorboard of a car, and that's it until the very end of the book, when he finds a policeman's suicide note.
I found that refreshing, since the zompoc genre certainly has its share of gunporn. A sad number of books in the genre seem to be nothing more than an author's adolescent fantasy of what a gun-toting, zombie-shooting, Billy Badass he'd be if only he were lucky enough for an outbreak to occur.
Compared to those protagonists, one who chooses to mostly avoid the dead and has only the items around him to use as a weapon when forced into a confrontation is a breath of fresh air.
STE, book 1: London is an anomaly in the indie zombie apocalypse universe. Not a lot of action here. It's one guy's introspective telling, in which he does a lifetime worth of thinking as he moves from one abandoned place to another, trying to hunker down and survive the outbreak.
Many, many authors would fail to execute that premise, but Tayell handles it nicely- the book is very well written and the reader comes to admire the hero's craft and guile as he learns to survive in a land overrun with the dead.
Another interesting split from the genre's usual fare- firearms barely make an appearance in STE. There's a pistol the hero is unable to retrieve off the floorboard of a car, and that's it until the very end of the book, when he finds a policeman's suicide note.
I found that refreshing, since the zompoc genre certainly has its share of gunporn. A sad number of books in the genre seem to be nothing more than an author's adolescent fantasy of what a gun-toting, zombie-shooting, Billy Badass he'd be if only he were lucky enough for an outbreak to occur.
Compared to those protagonists, one who chooses to mostly avoid the dead and has only the items around him to use as a weapon when forced into a confrontation is a breath of fresh air.
February 17, 2023
3.5/5. A fairly stereotypical zombie book. A bit too slow burn at the start for my liking but otherwise pulled through. All in all an enjoyable read but nothing ground breaking.
November 4, 2017
I hate anything to do with Zombies. I think this genre is overused. Too many books about apocalyptic scenarios regarding viruses etc. However I found myself want to read something mainstream and decided to download this book for free.
I have to say for my first outing in the zombie genre I was impressed. I like the fact that it was set in the UK and although a few years old now this book has withstood the test of time. I like the fact it was written in journal format which gives the impression that it’s the reader who could well have written the journal and not the author.
Although I am not a believer in the zombie apocalypse theory, this book did give a little insight into a what if scenarios, like an infectious disease. The detail was exquisite for a hand written diary. You certainly felt for the main character. The book also proved that you do not need multiple characters to tell a good story.
I have to say for my first outing in the zombie genre I was impressed. I like the fact that it was set in the UK and although a few years old now this book has withstood the test of time. I like the fact it was written in journal format which gives the impression that it’s the reader who could well have written the journal and not the author.
Although I am not a believer in the zombie apocalypse theory, this book did give a little insight into a what if scenarios, like an infectious disease. The detail was exquisite for a hand written diary. You certainly felt for the main character. The book also proved that you do not need multiple characters to tell a good story.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 627 reviews