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The Z Chronicles
Z. Among the most monstrous creations of our imaginations, the zombie terrifies with its capacity to pursue its prey unrelentingly, to run it down, exhaust it to surrender.
In this title in the acclaimed Future Chronicles series of speculative fiction anthologies, fourteen authors confront that nightmare, that horrific mirror of ourselves turned base, soulless, and hungry.
In this title in the acclaimed Future Chronicles series of speculative fiction anthologies, fourteen authors confront that nightmare, that horrific mirror of ourselves turned base, soulless, and hungry.
400 pages, Paperback
First published June 15, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
June 15, 2015
The Z Chronicles is another wonderful addition to The Future Chronicles series. With some of today's top indie authors like Hugh Howey (Wool, Sand), Jennifer Foehner Wells (Fluency), Peter Cawdron (Anomaly, Xenophobia) and many many more, this anthology grabs you by the leg and starts ripping you apart... Wait, I think I got a little off track. There are several stories about zombies here, obviously, but each story gives the reader something new and refreshing, a genre palate cleanser if you will. There are a few stories from a zombie's perspective, allowing you to see what is really going through a flesh-eating walker's mind during the downfall of mankind. Maybe they aren't all mindless like we are lead to believe? There is a story about zombie terminators because, why not? Zombies all seem like pretty easy targets when you think about it, but what if they have machine-like arms and legs? No thanks. Another story is from the eyes of an astronaut who is returning to Earth. He is unable to get in touch with Houston and, upon his return into Earth's atmosphere, realizes that something has gone horribly wrong. His only radio communication is with a young girl that he is determined to save.
If you have read any of the other Future Chronicles anthologies or if you are enthralled with zombies, The Z Chronicles is a must own. I mean, just look at that author lineup! Grab a copy and don't look back. You may get eaten alive.
If you have read any of the other Future Chronicles anthologies or if you are enthralled with zombies, The Z Chronicles is a must own. I mean, just look at that author lineup! Grab a copy and don't look back. You may get eaten alive.
December 21, 2015
[Note: I received an advanced copy of this title for review.]
The Z Chronicles is the latest in Samuel Peralta’s ever-growing series of The Future Chronicles anthologies. While I’ve only read a couple of the previous collections, this zombie-themed antho is far and away my favorite of the bunch and represents one the strongest over-all anthologies that I’ve ever read.
There is a mighty fine assemblage of authors here, and a number of superb stories that, on their own, more than make the price of entry completely worthwhile. And, as with any good anthology, this has given me a nice starting point to delve deeper into the works of authors that are new to me. In fact, after reading several of the stories included here, I immediately hopped onto Amazon and bought a couple titles from writers like Ann Christy and Deirdre Gould. Following here, then, are a few thoughts on my favorites – consider this a LIGHT SPOILER WARNING and feel free to skip down to the bottom if you want to be completely blind going in.
Christy’s story, VINDICA, kicks of The Z Chronicles in grand style with a story of insurrection in an underground habitat built for the rich. It’s a strong stand-along story, but also provides a great taste of the author’s Between series.
KAMIKA-Z by Christopher Boore, and Will Swardstron’s Z BALL are also very strong efforts, with the former featuring cyborg zombies unleashed upon the US during a war with China. This one is told across three viewpoints of a single family struggling to survive. It’s dark, but the characters are richly developed and their own unique voices are allowed to shine across each chapter. My only complaint is that I really wanted to see more of these cyborg zombie things! It’s such a cool concept, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that Boore expands on it in a larger work soon.
Z BALL casts the zombie uprising through the bright lights of American sports. This one is a wonderful outside-of-the-box approach to the zombie apocalypse and the way society responds and adapts to changing circumstances. And, just for good measure, it’s all wrapped up in a nice shell of conspiracy and paranoia.
Hugh Howey and David Adams play around a bit in Howey’s own I, Zombie world. GLORIA is a story of a woman coming to grips with her own zombiefication, while Adams presents a similar story of a transgender individual who has been zombified. Both of these showcase a great bit of internal character development as they grapple with their post-death existence that finds their healthy mental states locked inside bodies they can no longer control thanks to the ravages of the plague.
Peter Cawdron’s FREE FALL is another excellent piece that begins with a bit of a sci-fi bent as an astronaut returns to a decimated Earth. The opening bit of this story is a terrific slow-burn as the spaceman attempts to establish contact with Houston Ground Control only to slowly realize things are not quite right. It slowly morphs into a more traditional zombie-survival story, one that is really well done. Fans of the comics Y: The Last Man and The Walking Dead should find quite a lot to appreciate here.
CURING KHANG YEO finished off the anthology with a stunningly rich character piece that finds the title character cured after several years as a zombie. Reclaimed by a very different world than the one he left, Yeo discovers that there are worse things than being a zombie – namely, living with yourself in the wake of all that you’ve done and those you’ve killed. His sense of guilt is supremely palpable, with the struggle between his own desires and the wishes of his medical saviors (if you can really call them that) is effectively striking. Author Deirdre Gould scores a huge, huge win with this story and I loved it so much that I immediately grabbed a copy of the first installment in her After The Cure series. While YEO is set in that same series, it is certainly effective as a stand-alone, but I suspect readers discovering Gould for the first time will find it difficult to ignore her novel-length works after reading this one. I, for one, absolutely need to know more about the world she’s constructed and the psychological and societal aftermath of this cure.
As with any anthology, there were a couple stories that didn’t strike a strong chord with me, but those that did, particularly those outlined above, were just incredibly top-notch efforts. Overall, this is a wickedly strong anthology and zombie fans should be devouring this one ASAP. If you’re going through withdrawal’s of AMC’s The Walking Dead, or looking for something to fill the gap left by Jonathan Maberry’s ROT & RUIN series, this fix is now in. Highly recommended!
The Z Chronicles is the latest in Samuel Peralta’s ever-growing series of The Future Chronicles anthologies. While I’ve only read a couple of the previous collections, this zombie-themed antho is far and away my favorite of the bunch and represents one the strongest over-all anthologies that I’ve ever read.
There is a mighty fine assemblage of authors here, and a number of superb stories that, on their own, more than make the price of entry completely worthwhile. And, as with any good anthology, this has given me a nice starting point to delve deeper into the works of authors that are new to me. In fact, after reading several of the stories included here, I immediately hopped onto Amazon and bought a couple titles from writers like Ann Christy and Deirdre Gould. Following here, then, are a few thoughts on my favorites – consider this a LIGHT SPOILER WARNING and feel free to skip down to the bottom if you want to be completely blind going in.
Christy’s story, VINDICA, kicks of The Z Chronicles in grand style with a story of insurrection in an underground habitat built for the rich. It’s a strong stand-along story, but also provides a great taste of the author’s Between series.
KAMIKA-Z by Christopher Boore, and Will Swardstron’s Z BALL are also very strong efforts, with the former featuring cyborg zombies unleashed upon the US during a war with China. This one is told across three viewpoints of a single family struggling to survive. It’s dark, but the characters are richly developed and their own unique voices are allowed to shine across each chapter. My only complaint is that I really wanted to see more of these cyborg zombie things! It’s such a cool concept, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that Boore expands on it in a larger work soon.
Z BALL casts the zombie uprising through the bright lights of American sports. This one is a wonderful outside-of-the-box approach to the zombie apocalypse and the way society responds and adapts to changing circumstances. And, just for good measure, it’s all wrapped up in a nice shell of conspiracy and paranoia.
Hugh Howey and David Adams play around a bit in Howey’s own I, Zombie world. GLORIA is a story of a woman coming to grips with her own zombiefication, while Adams presents a similar story of a transgender individual who has been zombified. Both of these showcase a great bit of internal character development as they grapple with their post-death existence that finds their healthy mental states locked inside bodies they can no longer control thanks to the ravages of the plague.
Peter Cawdron’s FREE FALL is another excellent piece that begins with a bit of a sci-fi bent as an astronaut returns to a decimated Earth. The opening bit of this story is a terrific slow-burn as the spaceman attempts to establish contact with Houston Ground Control only to slowly realize things are not quite right. It slowly morphs into a more traditional zombie-survival story, one that is really well done. Fans of the comics Y: The Last Man and The Walking Dead should find quite a lot to appreciate here.
CURING KHANG YEO finished off the anthology with a stunningly rich character piece that finds the title character cured after several years as a zombie. Reclaimed by a very different world than the one he left, Yeo discovers that there are worse things than being a zombie – namely, living with yourself in the wake of all that you’ve done and those you’ve killed. His sense of guilt is supremely palpable, with the struggle between his own desires and the wishes of his medical saviors (if you can really call them that) is effectively striking. Author Deirdre Gould scores a huge, huge win with this story and I loved it so much that I immediately grabbed a copy of the first installment in her After The Cure series. While YEO is set in that same series, it is certainly effective as a stand-alone, but I suspect readers discovering Gould for the first time will find it difficult to ignore her novel-length works after reading this one. I, for one, absolutely need to know more about the world she’s constructed and the psychological and societal aftermath of this cure.
As with any anthology, there were a couple stories that didn’t strike a strong chord with me, but those that did, particularly those outlined above, were just incredibly top-notch efforts. Overall, this is a wickedly strong anthology and zombie fans should be devouring this one ASAP. If you’re going through withdrawal’s of AMC’s The Walking Dead, or looking for something to fill the gap left by Jonathan Maberry’s ROT & RUIN series, this fix is now in. Highly recommended!
June 8, 2015
I like the action and the variety of original universes in this set. I'm an avid watcher of The Walking Dead and have seen/read a few other zombie books and movies. This one is really good.
June 9, 2015
I have read many of the Future Chronicles series, and though they are all great collections, this may be the best one yet. Z-Chronicles is solid from front to back, and filled with fantastic writing. This one is a must read if you are into zombie fiction. Five stars almost seems too little for this truly spectacular collection. I am beyond impressed!
Vindica by Ann Christy: A cool little story about what happens when privilege is taken too far. I love Ann's work, and this story was no exception. Great read!
Six Days by Theresa Kay: A different kind of take on the "Zombie Virus" style of apocalypse. This was a fun read, and I really felt myself pulling for Sarah.
Kamika-Z by Christopher Boore: Finally, a clever new take on zombies. This was really a fun short, but it has the potential to be a fantastic full-length novel. This is the best of the bunch so far!
The Fall of the Percedus by Jennifer Foehner Wells: a cautionary tale of what can happen when the scientific method is rushed. This story was a little hard to follow. It would probably make more sense if I had read Fluency, her first novel, before reading this. Not a bad story, but it needed a little more explanation.
Z-Ball by Will Swardstrom: Another unique and fun take on zombies unlike anything I've read before. This collection continues to impress with each story. Will's story will definitely end up in my top 5 though. A fun combo of sports and murder!
Gloria (from I Zombie) by Hugh Howey: I have read this book in its entirety, and it is a fantastic read. Gloria was an excellent selection for this collection, and remains one of my favorite chapters from I Zombie.
Her- by David Adams: A sort of fan-fic tribute to Hugh Howey's I Zombie, Her raises some seriously thought provoking issues as well as the hair on the back of your neck. Very well written.
The Soulless by Lesley Smith: Another new take on zombies. This is another story that did a great job of making me want to read more by this author.
Hybrid by Geoffrey Wakeling: Hybrid was interesting. The zombies are not entirely traditional, and it was cool to see another unique take on them. This one was more fast-paced and action/adventure feeling than some of the other stories in this collection.
Free Fall by Peter Cawdron: Ah, wow! A zombie apocalypse tale that begins in space and ends like the Walking Dead. This was an excellent little short, which I would like to see a whole lot more of. Thanks for a great read, Peter!
Girl Running by Kris Holt: A love story in the final days, this was another great short. It's also another one I wouldn't have minded seeing more of.
Sin Eater by Stacy Ericson: I'm not too sure of the relevance of this story to the overall collection. There were no zombies of any kind, and it was basically just a very short story about a wake.
The World After by Angela Cavanaugh: This read like the Walking Dead with a few major twists. It was great fun to read and was very well written. Definitely in my top five in the collection so far.
Curing Khang Yeo by Deidre Gould: A very poignant and sad tale of what it might be like if the cure for the zombie apocalypse was ever discovered. Very good!
Vindica by Ann Christy: A cool little story about what happens when privilege is taken too far. I love Ann's work, and this story was no exception. Great read!
Six Days by Theresa Kay: A different kind of take on the "Zombie Virus" style of apocalypse. This was a fun read, and I really felt myself pulling for Sarah.
Kamika-Z by Christopher Boore: Finally, a clever new take on zombies. This was really a fun short, but it has the potential to be a fantastic full-length novel. This is the best of the bunch so far!
The Fall of the Percedus by Jennifer Foehner Wells: a cautionary tale of what can happen when the scientific method is rushed. This story was a little hard to follow. It would probably make more sense if I had read Fluency, her first novel, before reading this. Not a bad story, but it needed a little more explanation.
Z-Ball by Will Swardstrom: Another unique and fun take on zombies unlike anything I've read before. This collection continues to impress with each story. Will's story will definitely end up in my top 5 though. A fun combo of sports and murder!
Gloria (from I Zombie) by Hugh Howey: I have read this book in its entirety, and it is a fantastic read. Gloria was an excellent selection for this collection, and remains one of my favorite chapters from I Zombie.
Her- by David Adams: A sort of fan-fic tribute to Hugh Howey's I Zombie, Her raises some seriously thought provoking issues as well as the hair on the back of your neck. Very well written.
The Soulless by Lesley Smith: Another new take on zombies. This is another story that did a great job of making me want to read more by this author.
Hybrid by Geoffrey Wakeling: Hybrid was interesting. The zombies are not entirely traditional, and it was cool to see another unique take on them. This one was more fast-paced and action/adventure feeling than some of the other stories in this collection.
Free Fall by Peter Cawdron: Ah, wow! A zombie apocalypse tale that begins in space and ends like the Walking Dead. This was an excellent little short, which I would like to see a whole lot more of. Thanks for a great read, Peter!
Girl Running by Kris Holt: A love story in the final days, this was another great short. It's also another one I wouldn't have minded seeing more of.
Sin Eater by Stacy Ericson: I'm not too sure of the relevance of this story to the overall collection. There were no zombies of any kind, and it was basically just a very short story about a wake.
The World After by Angela Cavanaugh: This read like the Walking Dead with a few major twists. It was great fun to read and was very well written. Definitely in my top five in the collection so far.
Curing Khang Yeo by Deidre Gould: A very poignant and sad tale of what it might be like if the cure for the zombie apocalypse was ever discovered. Very good!
June 15, 2015
Foreword by Samuel Peralta
"We make up horrors to help us cope with the real ones.”– Stephen King
Starting with that quote and describing this phrase in few pages with a story was awesome! Loved it! Comparison between fear and zombie. Describing how fear is kind of zombie,Awesome!
Fear is the zombie that pursues you, mindless, unrelenting, hungry.
Vindica by Ann Christy
Woaw, that was cool! My first zombie read! I love zombie movie and have wanted to read the books. My interest piqued by Ann's The in-betweener book, when I read it's excerpt but haven't read it yet but as soon as I finish this book, I'm going for it. This short story is related to that series, so a win win. I liked it a lot. I was holding my breath when they were leaving Vindicia. And there plan woaw I don't know what to say. It was short life for Vindicia.
Six Days by Theresa Kay
Damn and woaw. I loved it. It had bittersweet ending. Sarah has Six Days before she turns into a zombie but she have to try to be human as long as her son Benjamin is in right hands and safe. But will she able to find the safe for little Benny. Read to find out.
Kamika-Z by Christopher Boore
It was okay, in the beginning I didn't liked it but after POV of other characters and knowing their views, I started getting in the story. Well after that shit hit the fan. I liked the idea there being of cyborg zombies.
The Fall of the Percedus by Jennifer Foehner Wells
Freako! This was horrifying! Doomed! Loved it!! How science could go wrong and it's horrifying consequences. Even though you trying to do good and save the world it could lead to something terrible without bad intentions.
Z Ball by Will Swardstrom
The concept was freaking cool!! I loved it. It was a mix with dystopian genre. Football with a mix of zombies. I enjoyed out-of-the-box take on the zombie genre.
But I think I shouldn't have expected a HEA or close when I started the chronicles.
Gloria by Hugh Howey
Cool, liked it. Gloria is a zombie, the story is from her POV. She has conscience but can't control her hunger. What would you do if you was her and couldn't stop the instincts.
Her by David Adams
Nice liked it. Comparison of life of Diane how she was treated before and after being a zombie. Her sexuality didn't mattered when she became a zombie. As the people hate what she have become not who she was.
The Soulless: A History of Zombieism in Chiitai and Mihari Culture by Lesley Smith
Well it was interesting, liked it. It was sci-fi and mild horror mix for me. I liked 873e! Like the story, have to re-read sometimes as I jumbled up the names lol.
Hybrid by Geoffrey Wakeling
WoaW, speechless don't know what to say. I can imagine a type a dystopian era after the story finished. Freya well could be said was a survivor and will survive at any cost!
Free Fall by Peter Cawdron
I loved it! This is my fav story. A cool possibility not the apocalypse but an astronaut coming to earth finding a zombie apocalypse has taken place.
Girl, Running by Kris Holt
Really good, got to know everything in just a short story. Loved it!
The Sin Eater by Stacy Ericson
Well I didn't understood the meaning behind the story until I read what is sin eater and how it could be related to zombie in A word from author's section. We could perceive it like that.
The World After by Angela Cavanaugh
WoaW, this was really cool!! Loved it! Ella is strong minded.I loved how everything panned out. I just love the stories even with a little bit of dystopia, it is my go to genre.
Curing Khang Yeo by Deirdre Gould
This story has rendered me speechless. Wow, just think about getting cured after being a zombie, sound good? But what if you remember everything; the people you have killed, maybe your loved ones. Will you be able to live with yourselves, forgive yourselves when you could hear their scream, their faces etched with terror seeing you as the monster. Will being will be the blessing then or death sounds more of a blessing. I loved this and it was nice how it is place in the end as it is a perfect book to be in the end to go with a bang and this is my most fav in The Z Chronicles.
Really cool zombie reads in one place.
Got ARC of the book in exchange of an honest review.
"We make up horrors to help us cope with the real ones.”– Stephen King
Starting with that quote and describing this phrase in few pages with a story was awesome! Loved it! Comparison between fear and zombie. Describing how fear is kind of zombie,Awesome!
Fear is the zombie that pursues you, mindless, unrelenting, hungry.
Vindica by Ann Christy
Woaw, that was cool! My first zombie read! I love zombie movie and have wanted to read the books. My interest piqued by Ann's The in-betweener book, when I read it's excerpt but haven't read it yet but as soon as I finish this book, I'm going for it. This short story is related to that series, so a win win. I liked it a lot. I was holding my breath when they were leaving Vindicia. And there plan woaw I don't know what to say. It was short life for Vindicia.
Six Days by Theresa Kay
Damn and woaw. I loved it. It had bittersweet ending. Sarah has Six Days before she turns into a zombie but she have to try to be human as long as her son Benjamin is in right hands and safe. But will she able to find the safe for little Benny. Read to find out.
Kamika-Z by Christopher Boore
It was okay, in the beginning I didn't liked it but after POV of other characters and knowing their views, I started getting in the story. Well after that shit hit the fan. I liked the idea there being of cyborg zombies.
The Fall of the Percedus by Jennifer Foehner Wells
Freako! This was horrifying! Doomed! Loved it!! How science could go wrong and it's horrifying consequences. Even though you trying to do good and save the world it could lead to something terrible without bad intentions.
Z Ball by Will Swardstrom
The concept was freaking cool!! I loved it. It was a mix with dystopian genre. Football with a mix of zombies. I enjoyed out-of-the-box take on the zombie genre.
But I think I shouldn't have expected a HEA or close when I started the chronicles.
Gloria by Hugh Howey
Cool, liked it. Gloria is a zombie, the story is from her POV. She has conscience but can't control her hunger. What would you do if you was her and couldn't stop the instincts.
Her by David Adams
Nice liked it. Comparison of life of Diane how she was treated before and after being a zombie. Her sexuality didn't mattered when she became a zombie. As the people hate what she have become not who she was.
The Soulless: A History of Zombieism in Chiitai and Mihari Culture by Lesley Smith
Well it was interesting, liked it. It was sci-fi and mild horror mix for me. I liked 873e! Like the story, have to re-read sometimes as I jumbled up the names lol.
Hybrid by Geoffrey Wakeling
WoaW, speechless don't know what to say. I can imagine a type a dystopian era after the story finished. Freya well could be said was a survivor and will survive at any cost!
Free Fall by Peter Cawdron
I loved it! This is my fav story. A cool possibility not the apocalypse but an astronaut coming to earth finding a zombie apocalypse has taken place.
Girl, Running by Kris Holt
Really good, got to know everything in just a short story. Loved it!
The Sin Eater by Stacy Ericson
Well I didn't understood the meaning behind the story until I read what is sin eater and how it could be related to zombie in A word from author's section. We could perceive it like that.
The World After by Angela Cavanaugh
WoaW, this was really cool!! Loved it! Ella is strong minded.I loved how everything panned out. I just love the stories even with a little bit of dystopia, it is my go to genre.
Curing Khang Yeo by Deirdre Gould
This story has rendered me speechless. Wow, just think about getting cured after being a zombie, sound good? But what if you remember everything; the people you have killed, maybe your loved ones. Will you be able to live with yourselves, forgive yourselves when you could hear their scream, their faces etched with terror seeing you as the monster. Will being will be the blessing then or death sounds more of a blessing. I loved this and it was nice how it is place in the end as it is a perfect book to be in the end to go with a bang and this is my most fav in The Z Chronicles.
Really cool zombie reads in one place.
Got ARC of the book in exchange of an honest review.
August 23, 2015
i like to read zombie saga and i found out this book to be a quite unique anthology..... i enjoyed some of stories "Vindica" "Gloria " and" the world after"...... some of them were slow with too much linear plot.... maybe my expectation was too high about the book, for me is a 3 stars...
cosa posso dire? mi aspettavo chissà cosa leggendo gli updates di alcuni lettori e invece si e' rivelata essere una raccolta sotto alcuni aspetti molto acerba e sui generis nel mondo Zombie....
alcuni racconti sembrano essere stati scritti da ragazzini di 13 anni da tanto sono "orribili"..... nel vero senso di non avere ne capo ne coda....
noia, noia,noia ai massimi livelli.... ne salvo solo alcuni che trovare qui sopra....
3 stelle sono solo un regalo di incoraggiamento e basta....
poi spiegatemi voi( e ok che i gusti sono personali) tutte queste sfilze di 5 stelle .....misteri.....
cosa posso dire? mi aspettavo chissà cosa leggendo gli updates di alcuni lettori e invece si e' rivelata essere una raccolta sotto alcuni aspetti molto acerba e sui generis nel mondo Zombie....
alcuni racconti sembrano essere stati scritti da ragazzini di 13 anni da tanto sono "orribili"..... nel vero senso di non avere ne capo ne coda....
noia, noia,noia ai massimi livelli.... ne salvo solo alcuni che trovare qui sopra....
3 stelle sono solo un regalo di incoraggiamento e basta....
poi spiegatemi voi( e ok che i gusti sono personali) tutte queste sfilze di 5 stelle .....misteri.....
June 7, 2020
I love zombies 🧟♀️ but I don’t love this book. Too many of the stories are ponderous and without action. I want action with my zombies 🧟♀️ not a lot of talking.
June 16, 2015
Reading most of the short stories in this anthology twists and tears apart the standard zombie troupe’s. The range of places, emotions, and the various takes each story had, based on zombie mythology impressed me. The following were my favorite's:
*Vindica by Ann Christy had vivid characters and I was quickly drawn into the post apocalyptic crisis. I liked how Christy’s exploration into social hierarchy in a small community and lengths some will go to stabilize or change their position.
*Six Day’s by Therea Kay was horror done in a heart-wrenching manner. It was easy to relate to the protagonists dilemma and root for her success.
*The Fall of Percedus by: Jennifer Foehner Wells was a suspenseful nail biter. I was into the story very quickly and could not read it fast enough. I loved the inception of the zombie transition in this story.
*Z-Ball by: Will Swardson. Be prepared, to be amazed by this short story. It takes talent to make the protagonist, antagonist, and two supporting characters come to life in so few words; a feat many authors can’t pull off in a full-blown novel. You need to buy this anthology just so you can read this short. I really enjoyed the layering of political intrigue, money, fame, fortune, and what is tolerated in sports franchising verses the rest of the modern world.
*Gloria by: Hugh Howey. Horrifying, and I left the read feeling very disturbed.
*Hybrid by: Geoffrey Wakeling. I was hooked instantly by the action and the need to know what was happening in the story. This was a page-turner with lots of scary moments watching the protagonist trying to get down dark hallways where a zombie could be waiting. I also liked the suspense of waiting to see if the cure was really a cure or an impetus to spark something else.
*Free Fall by Peter Cawdron-I’m going to buy his novel after reading this short. This story had everything I love about the science of traveling to and from space. I really loved how Cawdron explored some of the emotions and human needs that might connect us or breaks us a part during conflict and stress.
*The World After by: Angela Cavanaugh. You want to buy this anthology so you can read this short story. Cavanaugh has a beautifully balanced narrative style that relates complex cultural information while still pressing the action of the story forward. All the things that took place in this short amazed me: there were surprise discoveries, love lost, betrayal, battles, new allegiances formed, a rescue mission, lovers reunited, and a heroic escape. It left me wanting to read more.
*Vindica by Ann Christy had vivid characters and I was quickly drawn into the post apocalyptic crisis. I liked how Christy’s exploration into social hierarchy in a small community and lengths some will go to stabilize or change their position.
*Six Day’s by Therea Kay was horror done in a heart-wrenching manner. It was easy to relate to the protagonists dilemma and root for her success.
*The Fall of Percedus by: Jennifer Foehner Wells was a suspenseful nail biter. I was into the story very quickly and could not read it fast enough. I loved the inception of the zombie transition in this story.
*Z-Ball by: Will Swardson. Be prepared, to be amazed by this short story. It takes talent to make the protagonist, antagonist, and two supporting characters come to life in so few words; a feat many authors can’t pull off in a full-blown novel. You need to buy this anthology just so you can read this short. I really enjoyed the layering of political intrigue, money, fame, fortune, and what is tolerated in sports franchising verses the rest of the modern world.
*Gloria by: Hugh Howey. Horrifying, and I left the read feeling very disturbed.
*Hybrid by: Geoffrey Wakeling. I was hooked instantly by the action and the need to know what was happening in the story. This was a page-turner with lots of scary moments watching the protagonist trying to get down dark hallways where a zombie could be waiting. I also liked the suspense of waiting to see if the cure was really a cure or an impetus to spark something else.
*Free Fall by Peter Cawdron-I’m going to buy his novel after reading this short. This story had everything I love about the science of traveling to and from space. I really loved how Cawdron explored some of the emotions and human needs that might connect us or breaks us a part during conflict and stress.
*The World After by: Angela Cavanaugh. You want to buy this anthology so you can read this short story. Cavanaugh has a beautifully balanced narrative style that relates complex cultural information while still pressing the action of the story forward. All the things that took place in this short amazed me: there were surprise discoveries, love lost, betrayal, battles, new allegiances formed, a rescue mission, lovers reunited, and a heroic escape. It left me wanting to read more.
June 16, 2015
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.I love Zombies and this anthology delivered some amazing stories.I especially enjoyed Vindica by Ann Christy.Having read her Between Life and Death trilogy I loved being able to have another peak at the world she created.Curing Khang Yeo by Deirdre Gould was a very touching entry into her After The Cure series.Z Ball by Will Swardston was a imaginative and unique take on the zombie genre.I really enjoyed reading stories by authors i already love and finding stories by talented new authors like Her by David Adams and Girl Running by Kris Holt.These stories will bring the highs of revenge and the sadness of loss and every emotion in between.I highly recommend this book to any Zombie fan.
June 11, 2015
This is an excellent collection of well-written zombie themed stories. I enjoyed reading them all, though naturally enjoyed some more than others, as is often the case in these anthologies. I think they all deserve 5 stars though, so the whole collection gets a 5 star rating from me. "6 Days" and "Free Fall" were my favourite stories, with "Hybrid" joining them to make my top three.
*Note: I was given an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, but this has in no way influenced the contents of this review, and the opinions expressed in it are entirely my own.
*Note: I was given an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, but this has in no way influenced the contents of this review, and the opinions expressed in it are entirely my own.
June 15, 2015
An amazing continuation of The Future Chronicles and perhaps the best one since The Robot Chronicles, which was the beginning of this adventure!
Amazing new takes on the Zombi Formula. My favs were Ann Christy, Huge Howey, Christopher Boore & Peter Crawdron - but they are all excellent & come highly recommend!
Amazing new takes on the Zombi Formula. My favs were Ann Christy, Huge Howey, Christopher Boore & Peter Crawdron - but they are all excellent & come highly recommend!
June 14, 2015
Great collection of short stories. Loved them from A to Z.
June 29, 2015
If you have followed my blog you know I am a HUGE FANGIRL of Ann Christy and I was so lucky to meet and speak with her in person at the recent UtopyaCon (now Utopia). She is an amazing writer and I just love reading her books like Strikers. So knowing she was one of the authors on this anthology of zombie stories, I knew I would love them
Ann Christy's short story in Z Chronicles starts out like a normal end of the world story. There are people who have survived the zombie apocalypse as they have paid to get into a very prestigious biosphere-like arena. She explains the established criterion and how the classes are maintained within the walls. She goes on to say that some people have gotten a better deal than other. The ending is so sick and twisted that I actually found myself laughing and thinking, "good job Ann Christy!" I did not expect her to take the story in the direction that she did. Really fun.
Ann Christy's short story in Z Chronicles starts out like a normal end of the world story. There are people who have survived the zombie apocalypse as they have paid to get into a very prestigious biosphere-like arena. She explains the established criterion and how the classes are maintained within the walls. She goes on to say that some people have gotten a better deal than other. The ending is so sick and twisted that I actually found myself laughing and thinking, "good job Ann Christy!" I did not expect her to take the story in the direction that she did. Really fun.
June 15, 2015
I loved it. This will be the first anthology I've read actually, so it's a pretty great day! If you like zombies, end-of-the-world scenarios, gore, and action then please pick up this anthology today! Ann Christy, author of the In-Betweener series starts the anthology with a story set in the same world as her zombie series.
I loved how different everyone's stories were. Even though I hadn't read anything from the other authors before, for the most part I felt a connection to the story and characters, even in such a short amount of time. There were a few stories that left my brain hurting a little bit, but I am not very science minded so some of that probably just went over my head.
I also love the cover! The colors are awesome and subtle. I can read all of the author's names and the title of the anthology easily. Awesome work.
Chew on this, zombie fans.
I loved how different everyone's stories were. Even though I hadn't read anything from the other authors before, for the most part I felt a connection to the story and characters, even in such a short amount of time. There were a few stories that left my brain hurting a little bit, but I am not very science minded so some of that probably just went over my head.
I also love the cover! The colors are awesome and subtle. I can read all of the author's names and the title of the anthology easily. Awesome work.
Chew on this, zombie fans.
July 5, 2015
I am not a huge fan of zombies, but this book was full of unique well written stories that twisted the theme into awesomeness. Each story had a different take, offering a new perspective on a time-worn classic. As with all anthologies I liked some stories more than others, but I can't say that any of them really let me down. This book has stories for everyone. Fun stories. Stories that make you think. Stories that make you feel. And I loved the bits written by the authors after each story, allowing us to hear about their inspiration.
July 24, 2015
Zawesome
I've never really gotten into the Zombie genre before, only in films really. This book gave me a new appreciate for it. Where movies and TV shows can get the spectacle and horror of the zombie genre, these stories captured their intimacy. Some of these stories actually made me care about zombies. And others made me care more deeply for the ones fighting them off. An awesome Chronicles, as usual.
Oh, and someone really needs to make a short film out of Z Ball.
I've never really gotten into the Zombie genre before, only in films really. This book gave me a new appreciate for it. Where movies and TV shows can get the spectacle and horror of the zombie genre, these stories captured their intimacy. Some of these stories actually made me care about zombies. And others made me care more deeply for the ones fighting them off. An awesome Chronicles, as usual.
Oh, and someone really needs to make a short film out of Z Ball.
July 14, 2015
I'm not crazy about zombies in general, but I really liked some of these stories and the backstories behind the infections, which is my usual gripe about zombies in general.
January 19, 2016
Okay, review time.
The only two stories I enjoyed were "Her" and "Free Fall". "Free Fall" was actually so good I damn near shed a tear, and immediately searched up more of the author's work. The best story in this anthology hands down. Next was "Her" which dealt with a transgender person who had turned into a zombie. I got kind of emotional with that one too.
Aside from those two? Meh. "Girl, Running" was decent, and was kind of interesting, but the zombies took a backseat and the angst was a little too heavy, not even in a substantial way either.
"Z Ball" had a cool concept, but yet again, the relationship angst got in the way. I did not give two sparkly fucks about the MC and his ex-he-still-had-feelings-for.
The rest were stupid, or an introduction to the author's other work. Let me explain. (Tyler Rant Time, you all already know how it is.)
In the last story "Curing Khang Yeo" the MC thought curing zombies and bringing back people to their human state was pointless because to he had to deal with the weight of his sins after being brought back and it was too much for him. Which I can get, but bruh if you're suicidal then whatever, some people want to live. Some people want to help rebuild Earth ya know? Then the doctor, THE LONE DOCTOR in the camp/world (it was never specified, all we know was that he was conveniently the only doctor) who was adamant about saving people five minutes earlier, somehow fucking agrees that it's pointless and kills himself too. Utter lunacy. I was so angry I tossed the book.
Can I just go off right here? I'm sick of the grimdark bullshit that seems to be the trend right now. This is coming from someone who absolutely loves grimdark anything. Books, comics, you name it. If you're going to go grimdark, at least make it sensible. Like for survival or just to be realistic in the fact that yes, life is dark and gritty. I'm sick of the killing and suicide and rape for the shock factor. It's not shocking anymore, it's stupid, overused, and most of the time illogical in the story.
Making Yeo kill himself because of his emotional issues was one thing, but making the doctor - a character that was dedicated to bringing back and saving humanity for years - just give up and kill himself for the fucking hell of it was stupid and illogical. I could see if the doctor struggled with the concept of his work and whether it was worth it or not, but we didn't even get that. He just randomly killed himself and spouted some shit about how "everyone has the right to die". What utter wannabe grimdark horseshit. Ugh.
Also "Vindica" pissed me off for similar reasons. In the story The Apocalypse Shelter Vindica had different levels based on those who payed their debt. Gold being the highest - paid in full- and "Shorties" being the lowest - those who didn't pay up in time. Gordon and all of the other Shortie idiots were angry because, in order to pay off their debt, they had to do menial janitor work while other people lived in different levels of comfort and even luxury. So they bring in dead zombie parts and infect the higher class people with them by means of food and air particles (ventilation system). They trap the other people in the shelter so they can all kill themselves. Then the Shorties leave to go find another shelter, but almost have a 100% chance of dying on the way there (it's states away). Here we go again! Nonsensical grimdark shit.
What. Was. The point. They had decent lives! They could've been starving outside and fighting off zombies or even dead (a Gold membership couple died because they couldn't reach the shelter in time despite having paid in full). They were lucky to have their lives, and they could've paid off their debt by working it off. I could get if they were fighting for food or something and it was survival of the fittest, but they were living in decent conditions. Ugh, stories like this and the Khang Yeo made me angry because they were so stupid. Nothing made sense. Like I said, I'm sick of this wannabe grimdark fuckery. It's not shocking to me, it just makes me angry at the sheer stupidity of it. Fuck off with that noise.
*takes a calming breath* Anyway, continuing on. Like I said, the other part was that authors were using their entry as a place to introduce their original work in a zombie anthology. In "The Fall of the Percedus" and I think it was "The Soulless" they had intriguing storylines. Space and aliens mixed with zombies? Awesome. But then as I kept reading, zombies weren't really the main thing, or even really in it at all. The author's aliens and space story was the main thing. That pissed me off. It's a zombie anthology, why are you peddling your alien story? I mean it's a good story, but I don't think this collection of stories based on ZOMBIES was an appropriate place to advertise it. That's just me.
Anyway, yeah, three stars. For two stellar stories, and a couple of okay ones. I almost gave it two, but "Free Fall" made me reconsider. Lol.
The only two stories I enjoyed were "Her" and "Free Fall". "Free Fall" was actually so good I damn near shed a tear, and immediately searched up more of the author's work. The best story in this anthology hands down. Next was "Her" which dealt with a transgender person who had turned into a zombie. I got kind of emotional with that one too.
Aside from those two? Meh. "Girl, Running" was decent, and was kind of interesting, but the zombies took a backseat and the angst was a little too heavy, not even in a substantial way either.
"Z Ball" had a cool concept, but yet again, the relationship angst got in the way. I did not give two sparkly fucks about the MC and his ex-he-still-had-feelings-for.
The rest were stupid, or an introduction to the author's other work. Let me explain. (Tyler Rant Time, you all already know how it is.)
In the last story "Curing Khang Yeo" the MC thought curing zombies and bringing back people to their human state was pointless because to he had to deal with the weight of his sins after being brought back and it was too much for him. Which I can get, but bruh if you're suicidal then whatever, some people want to live. Some people want to help rebuild Earth ya know? Then the doctor, THE LONE DOCTOR in the camp/world (it was never specified, all we know was that he was conveniently the only doctor) who was adamant about saving people five minutes earlier, somehow fucking agrees that it's pointless and kills himself too. Utter lunacy. I was so angry I tossed the book.
Can I just go off right here? I'm sick of the grimdark bullshit that seems to be the trend right now. This is coming from someone who absolutely loves grimdark anything. Books, comics, you name it. If you're going to go grimdark, at least make it sensible. Like for survival or just to be realistic in the fact that yes, life is dark and gritty. I'm sick of the killing and suicide and rape for the shock factor. It's not shocking anymore, it's stupid, overused, and most of the time illogical in the story.
Making Yeo kill himself because of his emotional issues was one thing, but making the doctor - a character that was dedicated to bringing back and saving humanity for years - just give up and kill himself for the fucking hell of it was stupid and illogical. I could see if the doctor struggled with the concept of his work and whether it was worth it or not, but we didn't even get that. He just randomly killed himself and spouted some shit about how "everyone has the right to die". What utter wannabe grimdark horseshit. Ugh.
Also "Vindica" pissed me off for similar reasons. In the story The Apocalypse Shelter Vindica had different levels based on those who payed their debt. Gold being the highest - paid in full- and "Shorties" being the lowest - those who didn't pay up in time. Gordon and all of the other Shortie idiots were angry because, in order to pay off their debt, they had to do menial janitor work while other people lived in different levels of comfort and even luxury. So they bring in dead zombie parts and infect the higher class people with them by means of food and air particles (ventilation system). They trap the other people in the shelter so they can all kill themselves. Then the Shorties leave to go find another shelter, but almost have a 100% chance of dying on the way there (it's states away). Here we go again! Nonsensical grimdark shit.
What. Was. The point. They had decent lives! They could've been starving outside and fighting off zombies or even dead (a Gold membership couple died because they couldn't reach the shelter in time despite having paid in full). They were lucky to have their lives, and they could've paid off their debt by working it off. I could get if they were fighting for food or something and it was survival of the fittest, but they were living in decent conditions. Ugh, stories like this and the Khang Yeo made me angry because they were so stupid. Nothing made sense. Like I said, I'm sick of this wannabe grimdark fuckery. It's not shocking to me, it just makes me angry at the sheer stupidity of it. Fuck off with that noise.
*takes a calming breath* Anyway, continuing on. Like I said, the other part was that authors were using their entry as a place to introduce their original work in a zombie anthology. In "The Fall of the Percedus" and I think it was "The Soulless" they had intriguing storylines. Space and aliens mixed with zombies? Awesome. But then as I kept reading, zombies weren't really the main thing, or even really in it at all. The author's aliens and space story was the main thing. That pissed me off. It's a zombie anthology, why are you peddling your alien story? I mean it's a good story, but I don't think this collection of stories based on ZOMBIES was an appropriate place to advertise it. That's just me.
Anyway, yeah, three stars. For two stellar stories, and a couple of okay ones. I almost gave it two, but "Free Fall" made me reconsider. Lol.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 16, 2015
* I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I had high hopes for this book - a few of my favorite authors are featured: Hugh Howey, Ann Christy & Theresa Kay. Their stories were all excellent, and I was very pleased with the entire anthology. Theresa Kay's story "Six Days" in particular merits a mention as story that most hit "home" with me and disturbed me greatly. It is a story of a mother's love that broke my heart, and I can only hope in the same situation I would be strong enough to do the same. But I was surprised to note that the two stand-out stories were from authors I had never experienced - Christopher Boore and Peter Cawdron. Boore's "Kamika-Z" was a terrifying scenario - not at all the ending I expected and terribly real and fascinating. I look forward to reading more by this author. Cawdron's "Free Fall"...WOW! Hands down the best story in the anthology. This was a scenario I had never thought about, and towards the end I was quite literally on the edge of my seat. You will not be disappointed with this anthology.
I had high hopes for this book - a few of my favorite authors are featured: Hugh Howey, Ann Christy & Theresa Kay. Their stories were all excellent, and I was very pleased with the entire anthology. Theresa Kay's story "Six Days" in particular merits a mention as story that most hit "home" with me and disturbed me greatly. It is a story of a mother's love that broke my heart, and I can only hope in the same situation I would be strong enough to do the same. But I was surprised to note that the two stand-out stories were from authors I had never experienced - Christopher Boore and Peter Cawdron. Boore's "Kamika-Z" was a terrifying scenario - not at all the ending I expected and terribly real and fascinating. I look forward to reading more by this author. Cawdron's "Free Fall"...WOW! Hands down the best story in the anthology. This was a scenario I had never thought about, and towards the end I was quite literally on the edge of my seat. You will not be disappointed with this anthology.
June 16, 2015
So what did do ever want to know about Zombies? How football is played with Zombies, how apartments will be after the apocalypse, or maybe how long it take from the time your infected until you are totally turned, well it is all here and more. This book is a awesome collection of short stories by many different authors, so it not only introduces you to a great bunch of new (or maybe if you have been around for a while just a great bunch of) authors, but the stories are short and to the point. Making each a quick read (great for the beach, or other places you like quick little stories). I like these books because I usually know some but not all the authors so it gives me a chance to meet some new authors I might like and I found some new ones in here each story was so much fun in this collection, it is apparent that the authors had as much fun writing their respective stories as I did reading them I am not usually a huge Zombie fan but this book has changed me it was totally cool thank you to all the authors I loved every minute.
September 3, 2015
Disappointing. The first of the "Chronicles" antologies that I read, this one is used by all the authors as introductions to their other work; sometimes zombie-related, most times not. And the book suffers because of it. Just to use an example, giant space bugs infected with nanites to try and defeat them but then, alas, the nanites turn them into giant space ZOMBIE bugs could be funny reading, but it's NOT worthy of a zombie anthology. Because I don't care about the space bugs or the alien people they eat, because the society they're endangering it's not mine, because I cannot emphatize with the characters or the situation. Zombie apocalypse stories are mirrors to our society, not excuses to showcase your other, unrelated, work.
There are exceptions: "Girl, Running", "Gloria" and "Curing Khang Yeo" are very, very good stories.
There are exceptions: "Girl, Running", "Gloria" and "Curing Khang Yeo" are very, very good stories.
Read
July 25, 2015Quite Impressive
Honestly, I'm hard to think of one story among this collection that was not provocative, thoughtful and eloquently beautiful. I've read the AI Chronicles as well, but enjoyed this collection most of all. And the AI book was also great. I'm not a zombie story nut in any way, but this is a keeper. Its stories, the best of the best, will remain with me for some time.
Honestly, I'm hard to think of one story among this collection that was not provocative, thoughtful and eloquently beautiful. I've read the AI Chronicles as well, but enjoyed this collection most of all. And the AI book was also great. I'm not a zombie story nut in any way, but this is a keeper. Its stories, the best of the best, will remain with me for some time.
August 5, 2015
Rollercoaster
A real great collection of zombie stories. These authors have invented real unique twists to the zombie genre. I would heartily recommend this to anyone who enjoys thought provoking prose and well written stories.
A real great collection of zombie stories. These authors have invented real unique twists to the zombie genre. I would heartily recommend this to anyone who enjoys thought provoking prose and well written stories.
August 29, 2015
I HATE zombies. They give me nightmares. And still, I adored this book! The stories were abstract enough to not be JUST zombie-eating people gore. Really, really surprising. But great!
May 23, 2018
Kicks you right in the feels
This anthology makes you consider aspects of zombie fiction that tend to get glossed over. It makes you consider the consequences of choice, and what it means to have humanity.
This anthology makes you consider aspects of zombie fiction that tend to get glossed over. It makes you consider the consequences of choice, and what it means to have humanity.
June 13, 2017
Refreshingly original takes on the zombie theme. Worth reading.
January 7, 2018
I was really looking forward to twists on zombies; a few stories did very well. The rest were just uninteresting.
November 22, 2019
Some of the stories are quite good, some okay, but I got rather tired of zombie stories after a while.
February 9, 2020
Great short stories
This was an enjoyable read. A lot of different takes on the traditional zombie genre. The last story in particular was really unique.
This was an enjoyable read. A lot of different takes on the traditional zombie genre. The last story in particular was really unique.
June 1, 2022
Random put together selection of books.
Was good to read, I enjoyed it but some of the short stories were really random.
Was good to read, I enjoyed it but some of the short stories were really random.
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