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Thirteen Roses #1
Thirteen Roses Book One: Before the Plague: An Apocalyptic Zombie Saga
The flower seller sets up his stall on Embankment every day. Every day, he will serve only one customer. That person will be on the edge, teetering between heaven and hell, and it is up to him to steer them in the right direction.
But this week, it will be different. Because this week, someone is screwing with the flower seller. While he struggles to figure out who it is, and why they are doing it, something far bigger is occurring, something that will change the world forever.
A plague is about to strike mankind that will reduce them to mindless zombies, bent on nothing more than the regular consumption of flesh. The flower seller is charged with the task of saving humanity, a task he neither wants, nor cares about.
Without him, mankind is doomed. With him, they might just be worse.
But who is the flower seller? Why does he try to save the subjects? And how the hell is he going to save the world?
But this week, it will be different. Because this week, someone is screwing with the flower seller. While he struggles to figure out who it is, and why they are doing it, something far bigger is occurring, something that will change the world forever.
A plague is about to strike mankind that will reduce them to mindless zombies, bent on nothing more than the regular consumption of flesh. The flower seller is charged with the task of saving humanity, a task he neither wants, nor cares about.
Without him, mankind is doomed. With him, they might just be worse.
But who is the flower seller? Why does he try to save the subjects? And how the hell is he going to save the world?
239 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 28, 2014
1 person is currently reading
51 people want to read
About the author
Michael Cairns
38 books161 followersMichael Cairns is a science fiction, horror and fantasy author, teacher and musician. He was born at a young age and could write even before he could play the drums, but that was long ago, in the glory days – when he actually had hair.
You can join his mailing list here: http://cairnswrites.com/sign/up
You can support him on Patreon and receive exclusive short stories, sneak peaks at his works in progress, free novellas and even star in one of his books!
https://www.patreon.com/cairnswrites
Michael loves pineapple, chocolate, playing gigs (though not right now, obviously. Because lockdown) and outwitting his young daughter (the scores are about level but she’s getting smarter every day).
Michael is currently working hard on writing, getting enough sleep and keeping his hair. The first is going well, the other two…not so much.
http://cairnswrites.com
http://www.twitter.com/Cairnswrites
You can join his mailing list here: http://cairnswrites.com/sign/up
You can support him on Patreon and receive exclusive short stories, sneak peaks at his works in progress, free novellas and even star in one of his books!
https://www.patreon.com/cairnswrites
Michael loves pineapple, chocolate, playing gigs (though not right now, obviously. Because lockdown) and outwitting his young daughter (the scores are about level but she’s getting smarter every day).
Michael is currently working hard on writing, getting enough sleep and keeping his hair. The first is going well, the other two…not so much.
http://cairnswrites.com
http://www.twitter.com/Cairnswrites
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
February 23, 2015
A couple of things before I start.
I don't read a ton of PA but I do dabble now and again and I really don't do zombie stories so what may seem new to me may be old hat for others.
Michael and I are internet friends and he gave me a copy of this book.
A couple of interesting ideas here and a spot towards the end that didn't work that well for me.
First the good. The whole concept behind the "Thirteen Roses" is very intriguing and even after the end, still mysterious. The flower vendor, who he chooses and how he gets this information is very interesting and once some the background is revealed you begin to understand that the story will have some supernatural aspects and it's not just straight up zombies eating flesh. I also liked the POVs of the group of people given the roses. There is a fantastic scene with a character named Jackson as he is confronted by his rather unsavory past. Throw in an unknown group that appears to be causing the outbreak and you have the makings of a good story.
What didn't work for me was the sequence at the end of the story as the outbreak begins and the story jumps between various POVs. Although each character has unique aspects to their story, these moments are basically the same, each character trying to stay alive as the victims become zombies. A bit less time spent on this part of the story would have added some fluidity to the end of the book.
Being a series, most of the threads are left unanswered but at this point I am intrigued enough by the overall story and will be looking forward to the next installment.
3.5 stars rounded to 4.
I don't read a ton of PA but I do dabble now and again and I really don't do zombie stories so what may seem new to me may be old hat for others.
Michael and I are internet friends and he gave me a copy of this book.
A couple of interesting ideas here and a spot towards the end that didn't work that well for me.
First the good. The whole concept behind the "Thirteen Roses" is very intriguing and even after the end, still mysterious. The flower vendor, who he chooses and how he gets this information is very interesting and once some the background is revealed you begin to understand that the story will have some supernatural aspects and it's not just straight up zombies eating flesh. I also liked the POVs of the group of people given the roses. There is a fantastic scene with a character named Jackson as he is confronted by his rather unsavory past. Throw in an unknown group that appears to be causing the outbreak and you have the makings of a good story.
What didn't work for me was the sequence at the end of the story as the outbreak begins and the story jumps between various POVs. Although each character has unique aspects to their story, these moments are basically the same, each character trying to stay alive as the victims become zombies. A bit less time spent on this part of the story would have added some fluidity to the end of the book.
Being a series, most of the threads are left unanswered but at this point I am intrigued enough by the overall story and will be looking forward to the next installment.
3.5 stars rounded to 4.
February 16, 2015
I received a copy of this book in return for my honest review.
This was a really enjoyable read. The fact that I breezed through it in only a few days is testament to that. It isn't a book which is easily placed in any particular genre and that's a factor which I always enjoy in the stuff that I read. The multitude of new, unrelated (to a certain extent) characters keep the reader on their toes while keeping the point of view ever fresh with its many differing voices and perspectives. I really liked the main character, although it's hard to completely tell just yet whether he is a likable person (I use the term person lightly.) There was definitely plenty within the 240 or so pages that make me a definite reader of the following books in this series, not least of all the cliffhanger in one of the final scenes. All in all a very enjoyable book, one which I would recommend to zombie lovers, fantasy readers or just about anybody who wants to read an exciting book from an author who is really writing some quality books.
4/5.
This was a really enjoyable read. The fact that I breezed through it in only a few days is testament to that. It isn't a book which is easily placed in any particular genre and that's a factor which I always enjoy in the stuff that I read. The multitude of new, unrelated (to a certain extent) characters keep the reader on their toes while keeping the point of view ever fresh with its many differing voices and perspectives. I really liked the main character, although it's hard to completely tell just yet whether he is a likable person (I use the term person lightly.) There was definitely plenty within the 240 or so pages that make me a definite reader of the following books in this series, not least of all the cliffhanger in one of the final scenes. All in all a very enjoyable book, one which I would recommend to zombie lovers, fantasy readers or just about anybody who wants to read an exciting book from an author who is really writing some quality books.
4/5.
April 4, 2017
I received a copy of this book in return for my honest review.
It was an average book for me as in about a 2.5/5 stars rounded up to 3. First I want to start with the cover which reads "The Walking Dead if written by Neil Gaiman," now I've only read 2 different novels by Gaiman and seen about 2 seasons of the Walking Dead(that's just a coincidence,) but I don't see the comparison at all. The writing style is very different from Neil Gaiman, that's not to say Cairns had a bad writing style, in fact I felt this novel was very well written, it is just a different style. I also don't see the Walking dead comparison other then you know.. Zombies?
Anyway, I really enjoyed the beginning and ending of the book but felt it slow down and get a bit boring towards the middle. The flower seller from the beginning was intriguing and had a mysterious appeal around him and what he was trying to accomplish. However, when you find out who he is, right around the middle of the novel, I was a bit disappointed in finding out the mystery. This is around the time things started to slow down for me and the Zombie outbreak chapters start. Here is where you view the same sequence of events 5 times over from 5 different perspectives with little variance. I see where he was going with this, but really, I felt it get repetitive and slow down.
The book started to pick up at the end, and without any spoilers something is revealed that intrigues you, and then it ends on a cliffhanger for the next book in the series. Oh well, it was a quick read and I enjoyed myself through most of it, though going to the next book in the series isn't a priority for me at this time.
It was an average book for me as in about a 2.5/5 stars rounded up to 3. First I want to start with the cover which reads "The Walking Dead if written by Neil Gaiman," now I've only read 2 different novels by Gaiman and seen about 2 seasons of the Walking Dead(that's just a coincidence,) but I don't see the comparison at all. The writing style is very different from Neil Gaiman, that's not to say Cairns had a bad writing style, in fact I felt this novel was very well written, it is just a different style. I also don't see the Walking dead comparison other then you know.. Zombies?
Anyway, I really enjoyed the beginning and ending of the book but felt it slow down and get a bit boring towards the middle. The flower seller from the beginning was intriguing and had a mysterious appeal around him and what he was trying to accomplish. However, when you find out who he is, right around the middle of the novel, I was a bit disappointed in finding out the mystery. This is around the time things started to slow down for me and the Zombie outbreak chapters start. Here is where you view the same sequence of events 5 times over from 5 different perspectives with little variance. I see where he was going with this, but really, I felt it get repetitive and slow down.
The book started to pick up at the end, and without any spoilers something is revealed that intrigues you, and then it ends on a cliffhanger for the next book in the series. Oh well, it was a quick read and I enjoyed myself through most of it, though going to the next book in the series isn't a priority for me at this time.
April 25, 2015
Thirteen Roses is a lot of things. I should say, Thirteen Roses is a lot of great things. The book, at its face, is an apocalyptic zombie tale. Going into this, one might think that it’s just another story of some government experiment that goes wrong, and suddenly most of the world’s population is shambling around eating anything that isn’t a walking corpse. Well, it is, kind of that, but it's also so much more. Without going too much into it, we’ll just say that there’s a supernatural element as opposed to some scientist who accidently sticks his hand in a blender that happens to contain the T-Virus.
The story is told from the perspective of an interesting group of people living in London. There’s Dave, an employee at a greeting card company who thinks he’s found a spark in life with a woman (who’s not his wife). Jackson, the street thug looking to hustle his way up the criminal ladder. And Krystal, the streetwise homeless girl who becomes attached to a boy she meets.
The characters are defined nicely with their distinct personalities, thought patterns, and speech. We feel that Krystal has built mental barriers around herself living in the streets, and Jackson thinks and talks with the slang of a gangster.
My favorite character by far was Luke. At the surface, he’s a flower seller, but his tale, background, and role in the story is different from the others. He has this internal conflict that shifts between wanting to save humanity and turning his back on it. In addition, his observation in the book is broader than what the others experience. By experience I mean simply surviving and trying not to get eaten by zombies.
I mentioned before that the book was a lot of things. It had action, horror, and some really funny moments. In regards to the last, a quote from when someone gets hit by a bus, “[the] sound was somewhere between dropping a watermelon and squirting the last bit of ketchup from the bottle.” I think about that periodically, and I still laugh.
To summarize, Cairns has written an excellent first entry to this series. I will without a doubt continue this tale.
The story is told from the perspective of an interesting group of people living in London. There’s Dave, an employee at a greeting card company who thinks he’s found a spark in life with a woman (who’s not his wife). Jackson, the street thug looking to hustle his way up the criminal ladder. And Krystal, the streetwise homeless girl who becomes attached to a boy she meets.
The characters are defined nicely with their distinct personalities, thought patterns, and speech. We feel that Krystal has built mental barriers around herself living in the streets, and Jackson thinks and talks with the slang of a gangster.
My favorite character by far was Luke. At the surface, he’s a flower seller, but his tale, background, and role in the story is different from the others. He has this internal conflict that shifts between wanting to save humanity and turning his back on it. In addition, his observation in the book is broader than what the others experience. By experience I mean simply surviving and trying not to get eaten by zombies.
I mentioned before that the book was a lot of things. It had action, horror, and some really funny moments. In regards to the last, a quote from when someone gets hit by a bus, “[the] sound was somewhere between dropping a watermelon and squirting the last bit of ketchup from the bottle.” I think about that periodically, and I still laugh.
To summarize, Cairns has written an excellent first entry to this series. I will without a doubt continue this tale.
July 7, 2015
The author offered me a copy of Thirteen Roses Book One: Before: An Apocalyptic Zombie Saga, which was on my To-Read list, in exchange for a review. Thanks, Michael! It was my first-ever experience reading on a device. (It went better than expected, but I remain a hold-the-book-in-my-hand kind of girl.)
The story is a unique blend of genres, religion, fantasy, science fiction and horror, which makes it a very intriguing read.
Despite the zombie subtitle, most of this first book focuses on the enigmatic main character, the Flower Seller, who is a spiritual/supernatural being, and his interactions with the people he appears to be trying to save. Midway through the book he is known as Luke, but the character called Father refers to him as Luci at one point, which leads me to believe he is the fallen angel, Lucifer. With several other spiritual/supernatural characters introduced, I believe there is much more to come of his relationship with them and his role in the spiritual realm, as well as his ultimate purpose in our world.
I like the writing style, easy to read with sparing but not short-changed descriptions, and different points of view as multiple characters, some likable and some not so much, interact with Luke and the people in their lives.
When this first book ends, there are a lot of unsolved mysteries … the significance of the thirteen roses and how the recipients are chosen … the identity and motives of the characters in the spiritual/supernatural realm … the identity of the plague spreaders and their intent in creating zombies … will the rose-recipients stories converge … does the zombie apocalypse mirror a spiritual apocalypse …
It definitely left me wanting more, but in a good way. I look forward to more clues, and perhaps some revelations, in Book Two: After!
The story is a unique blend of genres, religion, fantasy, science fiction and horror, which makes it a very intriguing read.
Despite the zombie subtitle, most of this first book focuses on the enigmatic main character, the Flower Seller, who is a spiritual/supernatural being, and his interactions with the people he appears to be trying to save. Midway through the book he is known as Luke, but the character called Father refers to him as Luci at one point, which leads me to believe he is the fallen angel, Lucifer. With several other spiritual/supernatural characters introduced, I believe there is much more to come of his relationship with them and his role in the spiritual realm, as well as his ultimate purpose in our world.
I like the writing style, easy to read with sparing but not short-changed descriptions, and different points of view as multiple characters, some likable and some not so much, interact with Luke and the people in their lives.
When this first book ends, there are a lot of unsolved mysteries … the significance of the thirteen roses and how the recipients are chosen … the identity and motives of the characters in the spiritual/supernatural realm … the identity of the plague spreaders and their intent in creating zombies … will the rose-recipients stories converge … does the zombie apocalypse mirror a spiritual apocalypse …
It definitely left me wanting more, but in a good way. I look forward to more clues, and perhaps some revelations, in Book Two: After!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 9, 2015
I thoroughly enjoyed this read! There were A LOT of crazy factors involved, which normally I wouldn't be thrilled about because too much can bog down a story. I'm a huge fan of zombie reads but this one really took a different turn with the addition of some religious/spiritual/paranormal elements. I especially enjoyed the use of multiple POVs in this story. Having multiple POVs can be a total nail in the coffin but it so completely worked for this read! Having perspectives from so many different types of characters is wonderful and truly allows for the reader to connect to at least one of them in some way. They each had their own really distinct voice and I felt like there was a lot of room for character growth to occur over the series, which I love!
I also really enjoy the two-fer story we're getting; the pre-apocalyptic work being done by "Luce" (exceptionally interested to get more information on Luce, I have some theories but I'm going to just wait and see) to try and save the world, and the post-apocalyptic view that our lowly human characters are currently moving through. I'm completely interested to continue with every....single....character....to see where their individual story arcs go; they all have so many different things to offer the story. I think labeling this as a Fable was perfect as that's exactly what it feels like! I feel like I'm reading a story from the Brothers Grimm and I LOVE those stories so that's a huge compliment from me.
I'm entirely and completely excited to continue with this story and will impatiently await the continuation. :)
Free copy provided by author in exchange for my honest review
I also really enjoy the two-fer story we're getting; the pre-apocalyptic work being done by "Luce" (exceptionally interested to get more information on Luce, I have some theories but I'm going to just wait and see) to try and save the world, and the post-apocalyptic view that our lowly human characters are currently moving through. I'm completely interested to continue with every....single....character....to see where their individual story arcs go; they all have so many different things to offer the story. I think labeling this as a Fable was perfect as that's exactly what it feels like! I feel like I'm reading a story from the Brothers Grimm and I LOVE those stories so that's a huge compliment from me.
I'm entirely and completely excited to continue with this story and will impatiently await the continuation. :)
Free copy provided by author in exchange for my honest review
March 17, 2015
I do love a good zombie story! The one thing that did kind of annoy me about this one is that it seemed like it took so long to get to the zombies. Don't get me wrong, I was enjoying the lead up completely, it's just I was looking all over for the zombies. I like the way the characters were introduced one at a time in order to give you a feel for who they are. It gave me a chance to decide if I liked them or not, meaning whether I was going to be rooting for or against them. I liked the use of interludes to give more background on the state of things as they unfolded. This was definitely a different type of zombie story with what seem to be spiritual/religious undertones.
A flower seller who appears to be nothing special but who speaks like a very well educated man, and is much more than anyone would believe. Flowers are given to seven carefully chosen people for reasons that can mean life or death for them. One of those people has the ability to cause the release of a plague that will devastate the world and it seems to have been made possible by someone associated with our flower seller.
You have to read this in order to truly appreciate it. Angels, demons, the almighty, and an interesting cross of humanity. I want book two to be just as interesting as this one because I am highly motivated to read it as soon as it comes out. Great characters, good action, nice premise, and kind of fun. I would call it a must read.
A flower seller who appears to be nothing special but who speaks like a very well educated man, and is much more than anyone would believe. Flowers are given to seven carefully chosen people for reasons that can mean life or death for them. One of those people has the ability to cause the release of a plague that will devastate the world and it seems to have been made possible by someone associated with our flower seller.
You have to read this in order to truly appreciate it. Angels, demons, the almighty, and an interesting cross of humanity. I want book two to be just as interesting as this one because I am highly motivated to read it as soon as it comes out. Great characters, good action, nice premise, and kind of fun. I would call it a must read.
March 19, 2015
So! I received a copy of this book in return for my honest review.
I have to say, zombies aren't a genre I find generally interesting. I would say they are usually on the boring end of horror. But, Micheal has managed to find a way to get me on board.
This book panders to my other interests, science fiction, religious satire, humor, gore. I had a really good time reading this book. The book is divided into chapters by character followed, which at times left me thinking, 'Who was this person again?'. It is pretty easy to remember once you are a paragraph or so into the chapter. I have a specific problem remembering names, so this might just be an issue for me. There is extremely limited interaction between the characters so far, which is actually neat. It gives you a broad view of the chaos but leaves open for these characters to meet in later books. I am very much looking forward to that, and I hope it happens.
Luke, clever. I picked up on it almost instantly. I just finished reading 'Good Omens' not long ago and all of the religion is still stuck in my head. There some fun similarities between that book and Michael's which I mean in the most complimentary way possible. I loved the Pantheon setting, sort of a behind the scenes look into the apocalypse.
I look forward to the next installment!
I have to say, zombies aren't a genre I find generally interesting. I would say they are usually on the boring end of horror. But, Micheal has managed to find a way to get me on board.
This book panders to my other interests, science fiction, religious satire, humor, gore. I had a really good time reading this book. The book is divided into chapters by character followed, which at times left me thinking, 'Who was this person again?'. It is pretty easy to remember once you are a paragraph or so into the chapter. I have a specific problem remembering names, so this might just be an issue for me. There is extremely limited interaction between the characters so far, which is actually neat. It gives you a broad view of the chaos but leaves open for these characters to meet in later books. I am very much looking forward to that, and I hope it happens.
Luke, clever. I picked up on it almost instantly. I just finished reading 'Good Omens' not long ago and all of the religion is still stuck in my head. There some fun similarities between that book and Michael's which I mean in the most complimentary way possible. I loved the Pantheon setting, sort of a behind the scenes look into the apocalypse.
I look forward to the next installment!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 25, 2015
A fun apocalypse read. But is it "apocalyptic" as in shambling zombies, tearing the insides out of screaming victims? Or is it "apocalyptic" in the old-school, biblical sense, with angels and demons wrestling over human souls?
Why not both?
That's the approach taken here. The book starts out like a bunch of "Twilight Zone" or "Black Mirror" tales, with various stories springing out of contact with a weird flower seller in London. But then the book morphs into a kind of Good Omens or American Gods, with supernatural beings hovering around, interfering with the works of man. Things go kablooey and the next thing you know, zombie attack.
The story is a little thin right now on the "why" and "how" for the zombie part of it, I guess all to be revealed later. Also pretty thin on the science aspect of the actual outbreak. There's some spinning test tubes and a lab, but not a lot of detail on the motivations and methods of the scientist responsible. Again, maybe all to be fleshed out as we go.
Why not both?
That's the approach taken here. The book starts out like a bunch of "Twilight Zone" or "Black Mirror" tales, with various stories springing out of contact with a weird flower seller in London. But then the book morphs into a kind of Good Omens or American Gods, with supernatural beings hovering around, interfering with the works of man. Things go kablooey and the next thing you know, zombie attack.
The story is a little thin right now on the "why" and "how" for the zombie part of it, I guess all to be revealed later. Also pretty thin on the science aspect of the actual outbreak. There's some spinning test tubes and a lab, but not a lot of detail on the motivations and methods of the scientist responsible. Again, maybe all to be fleshed out as we go.
February 14, 2015
I've never been into zombies very much. I've watched The Walking Dead, 28 Days Later, and the comedy Shaun of the Dead, but that's pretty much it. This isn't to say that I don't enjoy the genre, but I haven't been exposed to it much. I say this to let everyone reading this know that I'm not a zombie fanatic, but I adored Thirteen Roses Book One: Before: An Apocalyptic Zombie Fable.
There are lots of characters in this book. All of them are believable and interesting despite the short length of the book and the amount of characters it covers.
The chapters flash back and forth from character to character, so the pacing is nice and quick. I was never bored reading this book, even when all the characters were being introduced. I'm afraid to give anything away, so I'll end the review here before I let something slip accidentally.
This book is a must read for anyone who likes zombies, apocalyptic stories, or horror. Actually, I'd pretty much recommend it to anyone.
I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.
*I was given a copy of this book for an honest review.
There are lots of characters in this book. All of them are believable and interesting despite the short length of the book and the amount of characters it covers.
The chapters flash back and forth from character to character, so the pacing is nice and quick. I was never bored reading this book, even when all the characters were being introduced. I'm afraid to give anything away, so I'll end the review here before I let something slip accidentally.
This book is a must read for anyone who likes zombies, apocalyptic stories, or horror. Actually, I'd pretty much recommend it to anyone.
I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.
*I was given a copy of this book for an honest review.
February 9, 2015
First paragraph: The flower seller strolled from the station and onto Embankment. The sun was out today and he hunched his shoulders. It wouldn't do any good, but his hands were full. Eyes scrunched almost shut, he found his usual spot at the bottom of the stairs and spread out his wares.
"Thirteen Roses" is quite a different book, not at all what I expected. I'll admit I went into this novel with a little trepidation, not sure what I would discover with a flower-seller on the streets of London, pre-zombie apocalypse. How does this all fit together, I asked myself?
I was quickly and quite pleasantly surprised to find it all tying together, with the alternating stories of the various recipients of the 13 roses intermingling with our mysterious flower peddler.
And when the zombies attack, all hell breaks loose. Literally. Quite a lot of fun. I loved the metamorphosis of Luke the Flower Dealer. Can't say any more, as I don't want to spoil the fun for those who haven't read the book.
Well done, Mr. Cairns. I am ready for Book Two!
"Thirteen Roses" is quite a different book, not at all what I expected. I'll admit I went into this novel with a little trepidation, not sure what I would discover with a flower-seller on the streets of London, pre-zombie apocalypse. How does this all fit together, I asked myself?
I was quickly and quite pleasantly surprised to find it all tying together, with the alternating stories of the various recipients of the 13 roses intermingling with our mysterious flower peddler.
And when the zombies attack, all hell breaks loose. Literally. Quite a lot of fun. I loved the metamorphosis of Luke the Flower Dealer. Can't say any more, as I don't want to spoil the fun for those who haven't read the book.
Well done, Mr. Cairns. I am ready for Book Two!
March 29, 2015
Some time back Michael Cairns messaged me on goodreads offering me an electronic copy of his book in exchange for an honest review. A fair enough offer, but I elected to buy the book and write my review before responding.
The story starts off in a very non-apocalyptic way, presenting the character gallery and building the story background. I found the characters to be well fleshed out, with both strengths and flaws exposed. It's easy to develop a relation to them.
I like the mix of apocalypse and fantastical elements, the supernatural adds depth and help make the story work and also makes this book stand out from the standard "end-of-the-world" stories.
It's not apparent which direction the story is going at any point. There's unexpected twists and turns that keeps you in suspense and adds to the mystery.
I found the story engaging and interesting and I will definitely be getting the next book in the series.
The story starts off in a very non-apocalyptic way, presenting the character gallery and building the story background. I found the characters to be well fleshed out, with both strengths and flaws exposed. It's easy to develop a relation to them.
I like the mix of apocalypse and fantastical elements, the supernatural adds depth and help make the story work and also makes this book stand out from the standard "end-of-the-world" stories.
It's not apparent which direction the story is going at any point. There's unexpected twists and turns that keeps you in suspense and adds to the mystery.
I found the story engaging and interesting and I will definitely be getting the next book in the series.
March 10, 2015
I was given this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is one of the best books I've read so far this year. I didn't know quite what to expect and was pleasantly blown away.
Every single character is so well developed that I couldn't help feeling for all of them, and unlike some novels I remembered each one because they were all special.
They way the initial chapters tie into the bigger story of the zombie apocalypse is just brilliant. But the book is so much more than just a zombie horror. The little stories told throughout this novel are small gems just in themselves, that really made me think about the choices people make every single day.
The editing was bang on, the pacing was brilliant and the story is epic.
Recommended for everyone - you won't regret it.
This is one of the best books I've read so far this year. I didn't know quite what to expect and was pleasantly blown away.
Every single character is so well developed that I couldn't help feeling for all of them, and unlike some novels I remembered each one because they were all special.
They way the initial chapters tie into the bigger story of the zombie apocalypse is just brilliant. But the book is so much more than just a zombie horror. The little stories told throughout this novel are small gems just in themselves, that really made me think about the choices people make every single day.
The editing was bang on, the pacing was brilliant and the story is epic.
Recommended for everyone - you won't regret it.
June 15, 2015
I received a free electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I think I would have enjoyed Thirteen Roses more if the book had been split in two. The tone and action of each half is completely different, for plot reasons, but for me as a reader it was kind of jarring. The last zombie books I read were Carrie Ryan's YA series "The Forest of Hands and Teeth" over six months ago.
The nature of the zombies in this book and their origin is interesting but I never felt that adrenaline rush of fear for any of the characters. This was an okay book, it just wasn't for me.
I think I would have enjoyed Thirteen Roses more if the book had been split in two. The tone and action of each half is completely different, for plot reasons, but for me as a reader it was kind of jarring. The last zombie books I read were Carrie Ryan's YA series "The Forest of Hands and Teeth" over six months ago.
The nature of the zombies in this book and their origin is interesting but I never felt that adrenaline rush of fear for any of the characters. This was an okay book, it just wasn't for me.
February 7, 2015
I received a copy of this book in return for my honest review.
I loved this book! its extremely well written and cleverly paced keeping you interested from page to page. What i really liked about this book is Michael Cairns use of the flower seller. The book has a classic Amicus Films portmanteau feel. So if you liked Dr Terror House of Horrors and The House That Dripped Blood, then this book is a must read. 5 stars Mr Cairns!
I loved this book! its extremely well written and cleverly paced keeping you interested from page to page. What i really liked about this book is Michael Cairns use of the flower seller. The book has a classic Amicus Films portmanteau feel. So if you liked Dr Terror House of Horrors and The House That Dripped Blood, then this book is a must read. 5 stars Mr Cairns!
March 2, 2015
Heads up: I received a copy of this book from the author for an honest review. I'm making this vague so there are no spoilers. This book was really amazing. All the characters are special and unique in their own way, especially the flower seller who was like no character I've ever read before. The way the multiple perspectives were written was genius. Over all, really a fantastic book, and I don't normally even like zombies!
March 13, 2015
Intriguing stuff, check out my review at
http://www.fictionalfix.blogspot.com....
http://www.fictionalfix.blogspot.com....
July 25, 2018
We begin with an unusual man selling flowers in London. Yet to very specific individuals he gives roses. The particular flowers hold not only special meaning, but have life changing properties to them. It is up to the individual which choice they make of course. They still have free will of course. Why mention this? Once you learn who the flower seller is, the question will make sense.
This was a very conflicting book for me. Why, might you ask? Well, upon beginning I had a difficult time getting into the story. Now don’t get me wrong here, I really did enjoy this tale of chaos. It just started off strange for me. The initial mystery behind the flower seller and the first encounter with an individual confused me. Didn’t this story have something to do with zombies? Because what I was reading had no hint of them even on the horizon. In fact it actually reminded me of the old TV series, “The Twilight Zone.” Of which I would have been happy with. I was just promised zombies after all.
Have no fear though, for the zombies most certainly do appear. Now back to where I left off. Okay, this story unfolds by way of character hopping. At least that is the way I will describe it. It bounces back and forth from person to person, telling us about each character and the role they play in the madness that is their world. Once I reached a certain understanding of how each of these characters play, or don’t really play a part in the overall story, this form made sense. Unfortunately I did not like how it continued, especially once the zombies began invading the pages. There it began to take me out of the entrapment of blissful carnage and mayhem. Thank god I was able to re-achieve this in a quick manner.
It was this bounce around at the beginning that threw me off at first. I actually put the book down several times when I began reading. Though once I was given more information about Luke, Krystal and Ed. These particular characters I found most interesting out of the number of other ones in the book. I found I could not put the book down. Heck I would have been fine not having the zombies as an element in the story at all. I found these three so interesting, that just having a story involving them would have been wonderful.
Yet, as promised, I was given zombies and plenty of them.
The story behind Luke however is the most interesting of all to me. Oh, how I wish I could say more. This is one of those stories where you want to discuss with someone else just what is happening and what might happen. At least it’s that way for me. Michael Cairns has written this novel in such a way that the answers to the questions you will definitely have, during and after you read this book, can only be found in later installments. This is not a bad way, for once you reach the final page you will want to know these answers. I sure do.
I want to know more about the mysteries surrounding Luke, the others of his kind (No worries nothing is given away here. In fact you learn Luke is different on the first page,) and just who is behind his rash of bad luck. I just leave it there.
Then there is poor Krystal and Ed. What is to become of them? To be honest outside of those three main characters, I really didn’t care for the others much. Yes, they did advance the story, but they were uninteresting to me.
Now one very important question for me is just who is behind this zombie outbreak and why?
So Mr. Cairns, I must say well done again. Though a rough start for me, it was an enjoyable ride.
I do hope that any others that decide to give this book a go find it enjoyable. If they are anything like me, the advice I will give is… Don’t be put off by how it starts. Stay with it for I promise it most definitely gets better and the mystery builds, especially with Luke.
This was a very conflicting book for me. Why, might you ask? Well, upon beginning I had a difficult time getting into the story. Now don’t get me wrong here, I really did enjoy this tale of chaos. It just started off strange for me. The initial mystery behind the flower seller and the first encounter with an individual confused me. Didn’t this story have something to do with zombies? Because what I was reading had no hint of them even on the horizon. In fact it actually reminded me of the old TV series, “The Twilight Zone.” Of which I would have been happy with. I was just promised zombies after all.
Have no fear though, for the zombies most certainly do appear. Now back to where I left off. Okay, this story unfolds by way of character hopping. At least that is the way I will describe it. It bounces back and forth from person to person, telling us about each character and the role they play in the madness that is their world. Once I reached a certain understanding of how each of these characters play, or don’t really play a part in the overall story, this form made sense. Unfortunately I did not like how it continued, especially once the zombies began invading the pages. There it began to take me out of the entrapment of blissful carnage and mayhem. Thank god I was able to re-achieve this in a quick manner.
It was this bounce around at the beginning that threw me off at first. I actually put the book down several times when I began reading. Though once I was given more information about Luke, Krystal and Ed. These particular characters I found most interesting out of the number of other ones in the book. I found I could not put the book down. Heck I would have been fine not having the zombies as an element in the story at all. I found these three so interesting, that just having a story involving them would have been wonderful.
Yet, as promised, I was given zombies and plenty of them.
The story behind Luke however is the most interesting of all to me. Oh, how I wish I could say more. This is one of those stories where you want to discuss with someone else just what is happening and what might happen. At least it’s that way for me. Michael Cairns has written this novel in such a way that the answers to the questions you will definitely have, during and after you read this book, can only be found in later installments. This is not a bad way, for once you reach the final page you will want to know these answers. I sure do.
I want to know more about the mysteries surrounding Luke, the others of his kind (No worries nothing is given away here. In fact you learn Luke is different on the first page,) and just who is behind his rash of bad luck. I just leave it there.
Then there is poor Krystal and Ed. What is to become of them? To be honest outside of those three main characters, I really didn’t care for the others much. Yes, they did advance the story, but they were uninteresting to me.
Now one very important question for me is just who is behind this zombie outbreak and why?
So Mr. Cairns, I must say well done again. Though a rough start for me, it was an enjoyable ride.
I do hope that any others that decide to give this book a go find it enjoyable. If they are anything like me, the advice I will give is… Don’t be put off by how it starts. Stay with it for I promise it most definitely gets better and the mystery builds, especially with Luke.
February 16, 2015
I received a copy of this book in return for my honest review.
Luke is a flower seller in London but there is more to him than meets the eye. He is a benevolent being who is part of a group tasked with watching over the human race. Some who receive his flowers receive a life-changing stroke of luck while others find themselves punished for their sins and shown the error of their evil ways. The book starts out as a series of stories detailing several peoples' chance encounters with Luke and the results of his influence on their lives. These included a married man having an affair, a couple of homeless teenagers, a young woman struggling to care for her sick father, and a man who makes a living by enslaving and selling children.
Things take a turn when Luke encounters a young man who has just found out his girlfriend is pregnant. Luke convinces him to embrace fatherhood rather than convince the girl to abort the pregnancy, inadvertently setting in motion events that could destroy the human race. Luke discovers that someone has been at work behind the scenes setting him up for a fall. Possibly someone from the top.....like the very top....like as high up as you can possibly imagine. Luke is forced to attempt to reverse the damage he has done. A plague has been created and if it falls into the wrong hands the zombie apocalypse will consume the earth.
I enjoy weird stuff so this book was right up my alley and I enjoyed all the crazy elements mixed into the story such as angels, demons, zombies, and even a succubus. The pre-plague stories were all pretty engaging, filling in Luke's customers' back stories, as well as Luke's own. I found the characters to be believable and interesting. I thought the story was pretty original....especially Luke's origin story. Once the zombie action got started the timeline between Luke and the other characters started jumping around, with Luke's timeline set pre-plague while everyone else's was taking place the day the plague started. This led me to wonder if the plague day stories were events that were actually taking place or if they were just a telling of what could be if Luke failed to stop it from happening. That question went unanswered in this installment and it ended on a bit of a cliffhanger, which is to be expected when there is a "Book One" in the title. I was not disappointed, though, and I will definitely be eagerly anticipating the next installment to see where Mr. Cairns takes the story next.
Luke is a flower seller in London but there is more to him than meets the eye. He is a benevolent being who is part of a group tasked with watching over the human race. Some who receive his flowers receive a life-changing stroke of luck while others find themselves punished for their sins and shown the error of their evil ways. The book starts out as a series of stories detailing several peoples' chance encounters with Luke and the results of his influence on their lives. These included a married man having an affair, a couple of homeless teenagers, a young woman struggling to care for her sick father, and a man who makes a living by enslaving and selling children.
Things take a turn when Luke encounters a young man who has just found out his girlfriend is pregnant. Luke convinces him to embrace fatherhood rather than convince the girl to abort the pregnancy, inadvertently setting in motion events that could destroy the human race. Luke discovers that someone has been at work behind the scenes setting him up for a fall. Possibly someone from the top.....like the very top....like as high up as you can possibly imagine. Luke is forced to attempt to reverse the damage he has done. A plague has been created and if it falls into the wrong hands the zombie apocalypse will consume the earth.
I enjoy weird stuff so this book was right up my alley and I enjoyed all the crazy elements mixed into the story such as angels, demons, zombies, and even a succubus. The pre-plague stories were all pretty engaging, filling in Luke's customers' back stories, as well as Luke's own. I found the characters to be believable and interesting. I thought the story was pretty original....especially Luke's origin story. Once the zombie action got started the timeline between Luke and the other characters started jumping around, with Luke's timeline set pre-plague while everyone else's was taking place the day the plague started. This led me to wonder if the plague day stories were events that were actually taking place or if they were just a telling of what could be if Luke failed to stop it from happening. That question went unanswered in this installment and it ended on a bit of a cliffhanger, which is to be expected when there is a "Book One" in the title. I was not disappointed, though, and I will definitely be eagerly anticipating the next installment to see where Mr. Cairns takes the story next.
April 10, 2015
I found this book highly entertaining. It was that type of read where I thought, “This is insane and I’m not sure where this is heading, but I am totally on board.”
Cairns has this ability to create worlds that are consistent, engrossing and creative. Reading his writing is like watching The Mummy in the best possible way. There is a tongue in cheek quality to his worlds that I just love. I read a lot of fiction and as such have a habit of guessing where the story is going to head. Generally, I am good at this game. But with Cairns I never know where I’m going to actually end up. Thirteen Roses is no exception. I knew there were going to be zombies, but the way in which we got to them was completely unexpected.
In particular, I found the supernatural component to be interesting. Without giving anything away, I’ll just say that various pantheons have been plundered to provide a variety of characters. None of these characters are exactly how pop culture typically portrayed, highlighting Cairns’ perspective.
The story telling is done achronologically from several perspectives. Multiple pov is challenging to pull off. I have to say that while it does work in this context, it was not my favorite iteration of multiple view points.
I only have two real criticisms of the book. First, it took a long time for zombies to show up. I was promised zombies. I wanted zombies faster than I got them. Secondly, I was not a huge fan of the ending. This is the first in a series and as such did not wrap every plot point up at the end. I am fine with that. What I am not fine with is when the plot feels more like it’s at a pausing point than an ending point. Both of these criticisms are minor and didn’t significantly detract from my enjoyment of the book.
I would (and have) certainly recommend this book. It’s fun and tongue in cheek and a good lighter read.
Cairns has this ability to create worlds that are consistent, engrossing and creative. Reading his writing is like watching The Mummy in the best possible way. There is a tongue in cheek quality to his worlds that I just love. I read a lot of fiction and as such have a habit of guessing where the story is going to head. Generally, I am good at this game. But with Cairns I never know where I’m going to actually end up. Thirteen Roses is no exception. I knew there were going to be zombies, but the way in which we got to them was completely unexpected.
In particular, I found the supernatural component to be interesting. Without giving anything away, I’ll just say that various pantheons have been plundered to provide a variety of characters. None of these characters are exactly how pop culture typically portrayed, highlighting Cairns’ perspective.
The story telling is done achronologically from several perspectives. Multiple pov is challenging to pull off. I have to say that while it does work in this context, it was not my favorite iteration of multiple view points.
I only have two real criticisms of the book. First, it took a long time for zombies to show up. I was promised zombies. I wanted zombies faster than I got them. Secondly, I was not a huge fan of the ending. This is the first in a series and as such did not wrap every plot point up at the end. I am fine with that. What I am not fine with is when the plot feels more like it’s at a pausing point than an ending point. Both of these criticisms are minor and didn’t significantly detract from my enjoyment of the book.
I would (and have) certainly recommend this book. It’s fun and tongue in cheek and a good lighter read.
July 25, 2015
I received this book in exchange for an honest review...
3.5 stars...
Luke is a flower-seller on the streets of London. Right away, we realize that there is more than meets the eye about him. We learn that he will sell flowers to just one person a day and, as he sets up his flower stall each day, he seems to already know which person it will be. The smell of the flowers seems to have an immediate impact on each of Luke's targets. We learn that each person is at a crossroads, and Luke's role is to influence them in a positive direction.
Though I'm a huge fan of The Walking Dead, I have never felt an urge to read a zombie novel. But just as the zombies take backseat to the story of human survival in TWD, much is true in this book as well. The heart of the story lies in wondering what will become of the survivors of course. But the struggle between forces trying to avert the apocalypse and those who want to hasten its arrival becomes central as well.
The story is told from the point of view of each person to whom Luke has sold flowers, and the perspective switches with each chapter. We watch as the influence of Luke and his flowers affect their decision-making, then as each has to navigate their way through the start of the apocalypse. While the apocalypse is happening for them, we are simultaneously reading about Luke in the days leading up to the apocalypse. It will be interesting to see how the two timelines come together.
Despite the zombie presence and a handful of gory descriptions, the story remains light-hearted, fun and entertaining. I particularly enjoyed the supernatural element that plays a pivotal role in the story. It was an unexpected and pleasant surprise, and I look forward to the next installment.
3.5 stars...
Luke is a flower-seller on the streets of London. Right away, we realize that there is more than meets the eye about him. We learn that he will sell flowers to just one person a day and, as he sets up his flower stall each day, he seems to already know which person it will be. The smell of the flowers seems to have an immediate impact on each of Luke's targets. We learn that each person is at a crossroads, and Luke's role is to influence them in a positive direction.
Though I'm a huge fan of The Walking Dead, I have never felt an urge to read a zombie novel. But just as the zombies take backseat to the story of human survival in TWD, much is true in this book as well. The heart of the story lies in wondering what will become of the survivors of course. But the struggle between forces trying to avert the apocalypse and those who want to hasten its arrival becomes central as well.
The story is told from the point of view of each person to whom Luke has sold flowers, and the perspective switches with each chapter. We watch as the influence of Luke and his flowers affect their decision-making, then as each has to navigate their way through the start of the apocalypse. While the apocalypse is happening for them, we are simultaneously reading about Luke in the days leading up to the apocalypse. It will be interesting to see how the two timelines come together.
Despite the zombie presence and a handful of gory descriptions, the story remains light-hearted, fun and entertaining. I particularly enjoyed the supernatural element that plays a pivotal role in the story. It was an unexpected and pleasant surprise, and I look forward to the next installment.
February 17, 2015
Disclaimer: I was given a free digital copy of this title from the author provided I write a review.
This was definitely an interesting take on a zombie apocalypse. The Walking Dead if it were written by Neil Gaiman. A majority of the book is setup as we are slowly introduced to a disparate group of characters each of whom crosses paths with a mysterious flower peddler. This floral vendor who sets up shop outside near the Thames sells a dozen roses to each character, but always includes a thirteenth rose for the person to keep or give away to whomever they choose.
And of course, there's zombies. But again, the majority of part one is set up.
No doubt people will have their favorites, but it seems most readers will probably be interested in Luke's story as he is the lynchpin in all of this (although you could argue Alex is just as central to the premise of the story) and probably the most fascinating. But I won't delve into that much, or any of the other characters or their predicaments as I feel I'd be spoiling the experience. Personally, I was rooting for Krystal and Ed to stay survivors in all of this since they'd already been through so much pre-zombie apocalypse.
The only real downside is that the book ends when things get really interesting. Which I suppose is to be expected as this is only book one of the series and as such the author would want to entice the reader to continue by providing a cliffhanger.
Sometimes humorous, often quirky, and at times just downright gruesome, this is a zombie fable I'd recommend to anyone looking for something just a little different.
This was definitely an interesting take on a zombie apocalypse. The Walking Dead if it were written by Neil Gaiman. A majority of the book is setup as we are slowly introduced to a disparate group of characters each of whom crosses paths with a mysterious flower peddler. This floral vendor who sets up shop outside near the Thames sells a dozen roses to each character, but always includes a thirteenth rose for the person to keep or give away to whomever they choose.
And of course, there's zombies. But again, the majority of part one is set up.
No doubt people will have their favorites, but it seems most readers will probably be interested in Luke's story as he is the lynchpin in all of this (although you could argue Alex is just as central to the premise of the story) and probably the most fascinating. But I won't delve into that much, or any of the other characters or their predicaments as I feel I'd be spoiling the experience. Personally, I was rooting for Krystal and Ed to stay survivors in all of this since they'd already been through so much pre-zombie apocalypse.
The only real downside is that the book ends when things get really interesting. Which I suppose is to be expected as this is only book one of the series and as such the author would want to entice the reader to continue by providing a cliffhanger.
Sometimes humorous, often quirky, and at times just downright gruesome, this is a zombie fable I'd recommend to anyone looking for something just a little different.
February 27, 2015
Thirteen roses starts off with a curious premise: twelve roses for you and a thirteenth to give to someone else.
The flower seller is an unusual and mysterious character that does very limited, targeted business. And the ones who buy the roses receive them for a reason. We follow several characters as they get their roses and are then pushed through events that reveal why they have gotten them. This takes on the feel of fables as the characters go through their revelations for moral reasons but without being heavy handed. To his credit Michael Cairns writes several of these stories within a story that could all be distinct and very good and imaginative short stories until about 30% into the book when a radical shift occurs as we start discovering who the mysterious flower seller is and why he does what he does.
The tale then turns to the zombie theme in the title but with an added cosmic dimension. This part of the book is full of gore for those who love that. That's the main reason why I did not give the book 5 stars since, oddly enough if you look at the books I read, I'm not a big fan of very detailed entrails repast descriptions. Nevertheless the framing story is very good and carries the book to its cliffhanger conclusion.
Recommended to fans of gory zombie tales who like with a sidedish of something more unusual.
The flower seller is an unusual and mysterious character that does very limited, targeted business. And the ones who buy the roses receive them for a reason. We follow several characters as they get their roses and are then pushed through events that reveal why they have gotten them. This takes on the feel of fables as the characters go through their revelations for moral reasons but without being heavy handed. To his credit Michael Cairns writes several of these stories within a story that could all be distinct and very good and imaginative short stories until about 30% into the book when a radical shift occurs as we start discovering who the mysterious flower seller is and why he does what he does.
The tale then turns to the zombie theme in the title but with an added cosmic dimension. This part of the book is full of gore for those who love that. That's the main reason why I did not give the book 5 stars since, oddly enough if you look at the books I read, I'm not a big fan of very detailed entrails repast descriptions. Nevertheless the framing story is very good and carries the book to its cliffhanger conclusion.
Recommended to fans of gory zombie tales who like with a sidedish of something more unusual.
April 7, 2015
I was offered a copy of this ebook, and I am very glad I was.
I am a big fan of zombie novels (although I have trouble with movies. It's the visuals that give me nightmares). This one took a different tack by starting well before the zombie apocalypse. It also took much more of a supernatural approach, and when I realize just who the flower seller was, it actually surprised me.
The flower seller sells one bunch of roses every day to a very particular person in London. Each buyer is on the edge of something life-changing. The seller is trying to nudge them in a particular direction.
Only problem is, something is going very wrong. And by the end of the book, his targets are facing the zombie apocalypse (a couple of characters protest, but have to accept that those dead people getting up and coming after them really are zombies).
The first half of the book, following each of the characters on the edge were intriguing, and I found *most* of them sympathetic (a couple of them are supposed to be sympathetic, so that's all right). When things fall apart, I was rooting hard for some of them (the shop girl and the homeless girl especially).
I very much look forward to seeing what comes next in the story.
I am a big fan of zombie novels (although I have trouble with movies. It's the visuals that give me nightmares). This one took a different tack by starting well before the zombie apocalypse. It also took much more of a supernatural approach, and when I realize just who the flower seller was, it actually surprised me.
The flower seller sells one bunch of roses every day to a very particular person in London. Each buyer is on the edge of something life-changing. The seller is trying to nudge them in a particular direction.
Only problem is, something is going very wrong. And by the end of the book, his targets are facing the zombie apocalypse (a couple of characters protest, but have to accept that those dead people getting up and coming after them really are zombies).
The first half of the book, following each of the characters on the edge were intriguing, and I found *most* of them sympathetic (a couple of them are supposed to be sympathetic, so that's all right). When things fall apart, I was rooting hard for some of them (the shop girl and the homeless girl especially).
I very much look forward to seeing what comes next in the story.
April 21, 2015
I received this book free in exchange for an honest review - and I'm really glad I did.
I have never read a zombie book before and I'm not a big fan of them. I don't like the fact that they are stupid and they bore me mainly because of that. I don't generally watch zombie movies (there are some exceptions)or series.
Having said that, I was a little anxious about reading Thirteen Roses but I shouldn't have been. This book is so much more than a simple zombie book. I don't want to say much, because I don't want to spoil anything, but the story is very interesting with clever twists that kept me reading without wanting to stop. I was never bored. I liked the humor and my favorite character was the flower seller. I also liked the different points of view and I particularly enjoyed the different stories behind the characters, even the tragic ones.
All in all, Thirteen Roses was a very enjoyable book and I look forward to reading the other books in the series. Highly recommended.
I have never read a zombie book before and I'm not a big fan of them. I don't like the fact that they are stupid and they bore me mainly because of that. I don't generally watch zombie movies (there are some exceptions)or series.
Having said that, I was a little anxious about reading Thirteen Roses but I shouldn't have been. This book is so much more than a simple zombie book. I don't want to say much, because I don't want to spoil anything, but the story is very interesting with clever twists that kept me reading without wanting to stop. I was never bored. I liked the humor and my favorite character was the flower seller. I also liked the different points of view and I particularly enjoyed the different stories behind the characters, even the tragic ones.
All in all, Thirteen Roses was a very enjoyable book and I look forward to reading the other books in the series. Highly recommended.
April 23, 2015
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I am not a huge zombie fan, so I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised, because I really enjoyed it! It was not at all what I expected.
The book starts out with the mysterious protagonist selling flowers on the Thames, and targeting different individuals for some sort of supernatural purpose. I was intrigued by the premise and I thought the characterization was awesome, you got to know each of the different targets really quickly over the course of just their introductory chapter. As the book unfolds you begin to understand who the protagonist is and that there is some sort of heavenly plot afoot.
I less enjoyed the zombie fighting in the second half of the book, and I was bummed that the book ends abruptly (I like it when a book at least wraps up a bit before moving on to the sequel), but overall this was a well written book with a really intriguing premise!
The book starts out with the mysterious protagonist selling flowers on the Thames, and targeting different individuals for some sort of supernatural purpose. I was intrigued by the premise and I thought the characterization was awesome, you got to know each of the different targets really quickly over the course of just their introductory chapter. As the book unfolds you begin to understand who the protagonist is and that there is some sort of heavenly plot afoot.
I less enjoyed the zombie fighting in the second half of the book, and I was bummed that the book ends abruptly (I like it when a book at least wraps up a bit before moving on to the sequel), but overall this was a well written book with a really intriguing premise!
March 20, 2015
Loved this book! I'm not into zombies, so will admit I skipped a paragraph or two when they started sticking garden shears into zombie's heads and 'the eye came out with a sucking noise'!
I loved the back story of the flower seller, who he was, and his role to play in all this. I found those chapters more enticing and action-packed.
I did find it confusing at times starting a new chapter from a different chracter's storyline and further into the book when a few characters were involved, it would take me maybe half a page to remember who that person was and what their story so far was. However, since I tend to do my reading while in bed, this may be my own fault for losing concentration.
I expect this book could be avidly read in one sitting - and I'm intrigued to see what happens in the next book.
I loved the back story of the flower seller, who he was, and his role to play in all this. I found those chapters more enticing and action-packed.
I did find it confusing at times starting a new chapter from a different chracter's storyline and further into the book when a few characters were involved, it would take me maybe half a page to remember who that person was and what their story so far was. However, since I tend to do my reading while in bed, this may be my own fault for losing concentration.
I expect this book could be avidly read in one sitting - and I'm intrigued to see what happens in the next book.
May 10, 2015
Another great read from Mr. Cairns!
The zombie genre is pretty tired at this point, but I was very interested in finding out how Michael Cairns had treated it, and to see if he added anything new to make it readable again. He absolutely did! I won't spoil the main twist, but I appreciate where he took it - to a new and fresh place that is much needed in the genre.
Reverence is not needed in a good zombie story, and none is given here. Cairns allows the blood and gore to flow, but not at the expense of good storytelling, and character building. I also appreciate the fact that many of the main characters are not people we root for, but they cannot be classified as villains, either. They are the flawed people we know we pass on the street in everyday life.
Congrats Mr. Cairns on a story well told!
I look forward to book 2!
The zombie genre is pretty tired at this point, but I was very interested in finding out how Michael Cairns had treated it, and to see if he added anything new to make it readable again. He absolutely did! I won't spoil the main twist, but I appreciate where he took it - to a new and fresh place that is much needed in the genre.
Reverence is not needed in a good zombie story, and none is given here. Cairns allows the blood and gore to flow, but not at the expense of good storytelling, and character building. I also appreciate the fact that many of the main characters are not people we root for, but they cannot be classified as villains, either. They are the flawed people we know we pass on the street in everyday life.
Congrats Mr. Cairns on a story well told!
I look forward to book 2!
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January 9, 2016This was annoying on almost every level. From depressing stupid human actions to every character being quite unbearable.
Not sure how to rate this book. A weird mixture of religion, fantasy, science fiction, and horror. With the main character being a somewhat reformed fella named Luke, who probably went by Lucifer at one point or another.
This isn't a review but notes I write before I roll over asleep..
Not sure how to rate this book. A weird mixture of religion, fantasy, science fiction, and horror. With the main character being a somewhat reformed fella named Luke, who probably went by Lucifer at one point or another.
This isn't a review but notes I write before I roll over asleep..
February 9, 2015
I received a copy of this book in return for my honest review.
I really liked this book! It combines some of my favorite things in books, changing characters for different chapters, cynical religious figures AND zombies. The zombies don't show up for a while, which is one of my only complaints, but isn't really a valid complaint as this is the first in a series. It's fun and a bit different, I can't wait to read the next book!
I really liked this book! It combines some of my favorite things in books, changing characters for different chapters, cynical religious figures AND zombies. The zombies don't show up for a while, which is one of my only complaints, but isn't really a valid complaint as this is the first in a series. It's fun and a bit different, I can't wait to read the next book!
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