Left Alive #1

Left Alive #1

by Jeremy Laszlo

The world is dead. Plants gone. Animals gone. The air is thick with dust and ash. Water has turned to murky cesspools of death and decay. Life and Earth as we know it are gone—at least all the good parts.
It’s been almost a year since the first signs that we killed our planet began to arise. Order and humanity are gone now, replaced by vigilante justice and survival at all costs. Nine months since the quarantines were put in place. Six months since we realized it was too late, and just after that the governments of the world fell.
That was nearly seven billion people ago, and now Charles has decided it is time to pack up and leave in search of the one thing still worth living for—his daughters.
With rumors of roving bands of cannibals, and even zombies, he knows making the journey is a long shot, but he has to try. He promised their dying mother that he would keep them safe and has every intention of doing just that, come hell or hungry zombies.
In a soulless world filled with nothing but pain and death, will his determination be enough to see him through to the end?

Genres: Horror, Zombies, Fiction, Post Apocalyptic, Apocalyptic, Dystopia, Amazon

163 pages, Paperback

First published July 17, 2014

About the author

First and foremost I am a father and a husband. I work full time as a civilian employed by the US army, and have also been known as a welder, electrician, carpenter, roofer, writer, painter, CNC machinist, and amongst many other things a romantic. I also belong to the eternal fraternal brotherhood of the United States Marine Corps, having served 8 years that showed me a much broader perspective of the world at large serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, The war on Terrorism, and the humanitarian effort in Liberia.

I currently live in southern Louisiana with my wife and children, though I grew up in Michigan, graduating high school in Mason MI. I also spent time living in North Carolina, Florida, and California during my time in the United States Marine Corps. I have always dreamed of publishing my work, and seeing it on a bookshelf in a store, however with the huge shift to digital media I finally realized that the dream was in my own hands. I tell my children that they can live their dreams, and I believe in leading by example.

I enjoy writing across several different genres from poetry, to children's stories, to full epic fantasies. Creating new characters for my readers to connect with, new worlds for them to immerse themselves in, and new ideas to wrap their minds around is an amazing if not humbling experience. I hope that all my readers can take something away from each of my books, and enjoy reading them just as much as I have enjoyed putting them in print.

Semper Fidelis

Reviews

[Olethros · Rating 3 out of 5]

-Lo de siempre en el postapocalipsis pero con un protagonista algo distinto y unos “zombis” diferentes.-

Género. Novela corta.

Lo que nos cuenta. Los intentos de un investigador por luchar contra la deforestación mediante un acelerador del crecimiento vegetal terminan, aparentemente de forma accidental, de forma totalmente distinta a lo previsto ya que tras la ingestión de plantas tratadas con el fertilizante las deposiciones arrasaban con todos aquellos nutrientes del suelo que la vida vegetal necesita para crecer, convirtiendo el mundo en un erial y terminando con gobiernos y normas sociales. Charlen Duwain es un superviviente que se ha aislado en la zona del lago Hurón pero al que el recuerdo de sus hijas, lejos de allí en Florida, obliga a dejar dicho lugar seguro para averiguar si ellas están bien sin hacer caso a los rumores sobre zombis. Primer volumen de la serie Left Alive.

¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:

http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com/...

[Serena · Rating 2 out of 5]

I never quite caught the main character Charlie's name until I looked at the book's page on Goodreads. He goes from a man that thinks about finding and protecting his daughters/dying with them and/or surviving in a world where resources are slim ...(without any real idea of how to do this as there are no plants or animals alive that we see only dust and canned food and bottled water and wandering cannibals and zombies) - to someone who is throwing away maps of survivors and killing or leaving to die most anyone that threatens him, or situations in which he could be harmed he runs away and leaves his resources or possible useful things behind. That to me isn't smart at all.

He also travels with a knife and even though guns are seemingly empty they could still be used for a scare tactic. He thinks of himself as a monster for living by killing in defense of his own life and even though it should be common knowledge that in a desert you should carry water and not travel by day ...he does this. He also seems to have no friends/neighbors beyond his two daughters and decreased wife to talk about. He also does not use rocks for slings or use the dead trees to make bows or arrows or fashion any kind of weapon from the dust which burns human skin. He walks rather than trying to find a car or scooter or *bike*!

Whenever he was surprised to wake up I was a little bit too. Yet his main problem was being too much alone I think which I hope is solved now, although his opinion of women could use some better sense too.

[Arnis · Rating 1 out of 5]

https://poseidons99.wordpress.com/201...

[Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oddly enough, I couldn't put this book down. There's great story telling, coupled with surreal imagery, which left me on the edge of my seat after nearly every page. I'll admit saying to myself, several times, "this guy's dead" only to be completely wrong. I'm anticipating the next book with unyielding eagerness, in this series.

[Liquid Frost · Rating 4 out of 5]

Third time was the charm. Laszlo’s Left Alive (#1) was geared toward adults and had enough gore and action to keep me highly entertained. It is dystopia for sure; post-apocalyptic, too as we start the story with genetically-modified organisms (GMO) ending up crippling the world. GMOs, for this story, were set to end world hunger and deforestation…but of course, that didn't happen as intended.

The story centers around Charles, who we find out has some survival skills, but isn’t a superman-hero; rather a widower trekking to Florida to find his girls. Charles walks…a lot. A little too much, so skimming is acceptable. He encounters plenty of situations where survival is difficult; whether human physiology, bandits, cannibals, or the toxic environment in which he must traverse (and by that I mean, walk….a lot).

Overall, it is a quality series launch for adults. There is some repetition which begins to get skimmed (walking, daughters, avoiding large cities and stomach pains).

Laszlo is hit and miss for me, but that may be due to the author writing across different targeted demographics. The Choosing (series launch; pure YA), The Awakening (series launch; pure YA) were “okay” for me, but I wasn't the intended target-audience and I felt they didn’t translate well to adults. However, Left Alive was a fun read and was geared toward adults.

[Carolyn Injoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Left Alive #2: A Zombie Action and Adventure Novel by Jeremy Laszlo Left Alive #2: A Zombie Action and Adventure Novel by Jeremy Laszlo starts where Left Alive #1 stopped. It is a post-apocalyptic, dystopian novel which is peopled with zombies of a different nature. I gave it five stars.
 
"Everyone had been tainted with the fertilizer that unleashed an agricultural plague to end all plagues across the planet. I had watched on the news as they showed us the devastation. They showed us the quarantines and the evacuations. There were the food strikes, the hunger and fear that drove average citizens into hostile frenzies...War erupted on a nearly global scale."
 
Charlie meets Lindsay who had saved his life before. She saved him again. He woke to missing his arm that had been caught in a bear trap by a Hunter.
 
Link to purchase: https://www.amazon.com/Left-Alive-Zom...

[Andrea Gatti · Rating 2 out of 5]

Saga apocalittica gratuita trovata per caso su amazon.
Che dire, non male, considerato come mi ci sono imbattuto. Sembra pure che l'autore non stia fermo un attimo, ha scritto qualcosa come 20 libri!
Della saga Left Alive ce ne sono altri 5. Probabilmente leggerò anche il secondo, prima o poi, essendo trovato il primo breve ma intenso.
Una storia sugli zombi piuttosto diversa dal solito.

[Lisa Stethem · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started out really good then got mediocre toward the end to where I was actually glad when it ended

[sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Left alive is a

Pretty decent read .. our hero goes thru some trials in the attempt to reach his daughters who are several states away .
I do like to read books that have a ongoing storyline however i feel these episodic stories should give a more satisfying conclusion per book ... i don't like cliffhanger style books .. and generally will not by the second.. or third etc out of stubbornness.. no matter how good the story is
.

[Kim Carroll]

I’m rating this one star based on the audio book. I wont add the one star to the book rating to be fair. The voice was terrible, and he read way too slow. I felt like I was sitting in an English class listening to a dumb jock try to read the story out loud. I’ll try the rest of the series reading the old fashion way!

[Allan Ashinoff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Left Alive #1 is not really an apocalyptic zombie story. The author did a fine job of depicting a dying and desolate world with the gritty feelings of mans grudging attempt to remain hopeful, alive, and sane.

[Meliciousbeauty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heart stopping

This book kept me at the edge of my seat. I couldn't put it down. I stayed up reading it all night. Just phenomenal. The writing, the character building. I can't get enough!

[Joe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book but forcing you to buy the series ...

[Samanta Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just read it!!

If yes like zombies, you definitely have to read this series. I will definitely put the next one on the top of my reading list. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

[Mary Neal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read

Think book keeps you reading , just when you think you know what will happen the story throws you a curve.

[Chuck · Rating 3 out of 5]

Downloaded for free and read in a couple of hours. Took my mind off the Covid for a while.

[Shelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gritty

Interesting take on zombie apocalypse. Gruesome and gory at times in a world of survival at any cost! Page turner.

[Sandra Burke · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG

Chosen because I like this genre. The description caught my attention. I am anxious for the second in the series. Please don't kill him off. Please.

[RJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

We are presented with a journal-style narrative; one voice, one character for the majority of time. To be honest it got a little old after a while. The world has suffered a global die-off due to a GMO fertilizer gone amuck killing all plant life and everyone that ate of it. This plot reminds me of the Hunger book series by Jeremiah Knight. Our protagonist, Charles is traveling on foot from Michigan to Florida to reach his two daughters. The story details the usual cast of misfits Charles will come across from zombies and looters to cannibals. Charles definitely has some personal issues to deal with, which will stand out as the story progresses. Will Charles arrive in sunny Florida to reunite with his daughters? You can expect some twists and turns at the end of the book along with a solid setup for book two. Three.point.five for a perplexing start.

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good start to another post-apocalyptic series. In this one, the world has been destroyed by men. They may have been well-intentioned men, but what they did destroyed all plant life on the planet. I have to believe there's more to this story because wouldn't they have tested their new invention before putting it into use? Wouldn't they know the side effects? We don't know who these people are ("scientists"), but I want to know why this disaster happened .

This story follows a man who is on a trek from Michigan to Florida to hopefully find his two daughters. He was somewhat of a survivalist before the end of the world and taught his daughters what he knew, so he does have hope they are alive. He leaves his hideout well-equipped and well-prepared, but along the way, he runs into people who take everything from him. He has to walk to Florida, by himself, constantly searching for food and water and trying to evade the remaining people and the zombies.

The zombies in this story are not like those you've read about in other books. The man is horrified at what they are, and from the author's description, so are we. The author paints a picture of an empty, dead, gray America, which is difficult to think about because there are so many things of beauty here. That everything was destroyed is a tragedy not only in the book, but to our vision of our country. It is depressing to think about.

The man is in Ohio at the end of the book and not in a good situation. He has seen and done some terrible things and he constantly questions whether what he is doing is justified by his love for his daughters and his desire to reach them. He becomes paranoid, which is justified in the world he finds himself in. As he walks his way across the country, he feels the loss of everything and equates it to how he felt like he lost everything when his wife died of breast cancer. Of course, this is much worse, but how many people feel like it's the end of the world when a loved one dies? A lot.

I felt for the man. I didn't think he was a terrible person. He was a normal person in terrible circumstances. Sometimes I wasn't quite sure how he was able to continue due to injuries he suffered and the lack of food and water. He's weak and in pain, but it doesn't seem to stop him. I found that to be the most unrealistic part of the book.

I definitely want to continue reading the series. I want to know if the man finds his daughters, whether there are other people who are still normal, why this disaster was allowed to happen, and whether there is any hope of recovering from it.

This was a depressing book, but it was well-written and the author was able to make the readers see through the eyes of the man. I look forward to continuing the series.

[J.C. Cauthon · Rating 3 out of 5]

First off, this book is one that is a bit outside my preferred reading. Not because of genre--I simply don't usually read books that are written in the first person point-of-view. When I do read books written in this point-of-view, they have to be tightly written or I find myself putting them down. This one was not as tightly written as I prefer, but I did push through it simply because I'm a writer, too, and I would like to think that people will give my books the same consideration.

A few things I noticed that really made the book seem hum-drum to me was that it really needed a good, thorough editing by someone who does that type of thing for a living. In the first 38% of the book (I read it on the Kindle), the main character essentially thought the same cluster of input about his wife and two daughters about every other paragraph. I almost put the book down, and I'll be honest, I did close it out on my Kindle and go read some short stories to give myself a break from it.

The other major issue I noticed is that all the trees and plants are dead. With all those people breathing, the world would be full of carbon dioxide pretty quickly without our natural carbon dioxide scrubbers going through photosynthesis. I'm assuming that some survived somewhere, but it would not be enough to sustain an entire planet of people, and there still seem to be a lot of people.

It had great potential for an excellent dystopian novel, and I do believe that if Laszlo had gone through a few more edits, it could have been a 5-star novel. It just needed a bit more polish.

[Dusky · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was okay

The ending was a surprise, but not really. He was asking for trouble, the way he was behaving. He is trying to talk himself into losing his humanity, and has no issue doing the deeds, but it bothers him later. The thing with Jason really bothered me, cause he thinks about it over and over, and seriously it was a kill our be killed moment. I don't know why there is so much angst. He says, he was just trying to defend his home. Wouldn't a good person give a warning? Or at least lock the damn door?

At the same time, this guy goes through some major hell. And it was interesting to wonder how he would get out of each situation he had put himself in. The plot was also very interesting. I wish the book would have had him actually find his daughters.

90% of this book, there was no dialogue. We just had his thoughts and descriptions. Over all, it was an okay book, decently written, lots of action, no romance (which I loved) and a lot of deep thoughts.

I would like to see the end I hoped would come and I am sure still will, but only liked this book enough to stick with it to get that ending. So I won't be getting the other books I the series.

[chucklesthescot · Rating 2 out of 5]

A scientist attempts to modify crop growth but it has a bad effect on the animals eating them and their toxic waste destroys all plants. Wind spread the problem across the US, causing panic and anarchy-and hunger. Now the survivors who are left fear each other and try to find safety.

Our MC is Charles, who has been hiding out at his isolated cabin the woods to avoid the psychos and thieves. When the lake becomes polluted, he packs up all his supplies and leaves. Charles you would think, is a survivalist-until he falls for the oldest trick in the world. Put a girl in the middle of the road to get the car to stop for her, then her armed friends ambush you and steal your supplies. REALLY smart. If our hero is outwitted that easily, I will have issues with him.

The whole story, or at least what I read, was one long monologue of Charles on the move and it was only broken up by the horror book ambush cliche. It wasn't keeping my attention so I decided to DNF.

[Barbara · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was an okay little read. I wasn't blown away by the writing, the style, or the editing. I felt that all of those elements needed some polish, but the story was enough to get me through it. I picked it up and put it down a couple times because there was very little action to sustain my interest. While I understand that a man walking from Detroit, Michigan to Gainesville, Florida means there's going to be long stretches of nothing, the book is only 163 pages. There were some good bits of action, but for the most part, they were very short bursts. It was a free book, so I'm not going to complain. But I definitely don't have enough interest to read the other two in the series.

[Mary MacKay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Possible

The story in this book is very possible. When you follow what is going on in this world today and even some little known facts from the past, you realize that science is moving too fast without enough testing. In the 60's there was the swine fly vaccine that after being distributed, they found that it. Ww

[Mrz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Left Alive is Thrilling

You want to know what's going to happen next. Of course there are zombies but not in the traditional sense of I want to eat your brains zombies but they are flesh eater and they are every where you turn. Being nice gets you no where. This is a must read. I am fascinated by Laszlo's storytelling. Get this book and you winter disappointed.

[Melissa Rice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Left Alive #1

What can I say about this book? Wow! The way the author uses words to make you feel as though your right there in this post apocalyptic horror. A new take on Zombies that I haven't come across before that made this a very enjoyable read. Can't wait to read the next book.

[R. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This wasn't a bad book. It's honestly one that I would read the rest of the series and pay for them if they aren't too expensive. This isn't a zombie story per se or anything that weird. This is more a true post apocalyptic story in the style of end of the world devastation and ash and the dying off of not just mankind but all living things.

[Marcus · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is basically a zombie/end of the world book, but this is where the similarities end. It comes at the plot from a totally different direction but it doesn't skip on the action, tension, and detail (sometimes a little too graphic) The characters are well written and designed with plenty of depth for the plot. This is a good read and an interesting way to write the story.

[Vale · Rating 3 out of 5]

To my surprise, I actually kinda enjoyed this book. It wasn't as cliche or overdone as I expected it to be. There were quite a few writing/grammar mistakes that had been overlooked, but it didn't really bother me, as I've come to expect at least a couple in any free kindle books I read. With better editing this would've been 4 stars, because I really liked the style of storytelling and the plot.