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Hater #4
One of Us Will Be Dead by Morning
Fifteen people are trapped on Skek, a barren island in the middle of the North Sea somewhere between the coasts of the UK and Denmark. Over the years this place has served many purposes a fishing settlement, a military outpost, a scientific base but one by one its inhabitants have abandoned its inhospitable shores. Today it s home to Hazleton Adventure Experiences, an extreme sports company specializing in corporate team building events.
Life there is fragile and tough. One slip is all it takes. A momentary lapse leads to a tragic accident, but when the body count quickly starts to rise, questions are inevitably asked. Are the deaths coincidental, or something else entirely? Those people you thought you knew well, can you really trust them? Are you standing next to a killer, and will you be their next victim?
A horrific discovery changes everything for everyone. There s no way home now, and a trickle of rumors becomes a tsunami of fear. Is this really the beginning of the end of everything, or a situation constructed by the mass hysteria of a handful of desperate and terrified people?
The lower the population, the higher the stakes.
Kill the rest of them, before one of them kills you.
"
Life there is fragile and tough. One slip is all it takes. A momentary lapse leads to a tragic accident, but when the body count quickly starts to rise, questions are inevitably asked. Are the deaths coincidental, or something else entirely? Those people you thought you knew well, can you really trust them? Are you standing next to a killer, and will you be their next victim?
A horrific discovery changes everything for everyone. There s no way home now, and a trickle of rumors becomes a tsunami of fear. Is this really the beginning of the end of everything, or a situation constructed by the mass hysteria of a handful of desperate and terrified people?
The lower the population, the higher the stakes.
Kill the rest of them, before one of them kills you.
"
336 pages, Hardcover
First published December 5, 2017
52 people are currently reading
1714 people want to read
About the author
David Moody
78 books1,260 followersDavid Moody first released Hater in 2006, and without an agent, succeeded in selling the film rights for the novel to Mark Johnson (producer, Breaking Bad) and Guillermo Del Toro (director, The Shape of Water, Pan's Labyrinth). Moody's seminal zombie novel Autumn was made into a movie starring Dexter Fletcher and David Carradine. He has an unhealthy fascination with the end of the world and likes to write books about ordinary folks going through absolute hell. With the publication of continuing Hater and Autumn stories, Moody has cemented his reputation as a writer of suspense-laced SF/horror, and "farther out" genre books of all description.
Find out more about his work at www.davidmoody.net and www.infectedbooks.co.uk, and join Moody's mailing list to keep up with new releases.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 137 reviews
August 21, 2018
this book begins on page three. by page five, there is already a body count.
that’s what happens when haters are afoot.
and what are haters? haters are like superfast zombies
without the whole grubby ordeal of death and decomposition. but it’s not braaaaaaiiiins they crave, it’s paaaaaaiiiin. your pain. and, consumed by impulses they cannot control, they won’t stop inflicting pain until their victim is dead, and then it’s off to find something new to hurt. it’s a sudden-onset phenomenon - one minute you’re fine, the next, you’re killing your spouse without hesitation or provocation. and there’s no way to identify a potential hater from an unchanged (at least, not in book one!) until they (or you!) just…start..stabbing!
so this is book 4 in moody’s hater ouvre, and the first book in a second trilogy. you got that math? this one takes place on a remote island on the same chronological pieslice as the events of Hater are occurring on the mainland.
i read the first trilogy between 2009 and 2012, and i wrote three spectacularly unhelpful reviews for them - good job, younger karen! - so i don’t remember a ton about them, and any thoughtful easter eggs or nods to the first book here are lost on me. i thought all of them were written from the POV of an infected “Hater,” but it might have only been the second and half of the third. who can say? however, i DO remember the basics, so a lot of the material covered in this fourth book - where it’s a frantic blur of “holy shit, what is happening and what can we do about it?” and on through the information-gathering and the not fully grasping the situation and the mistrusting those around you and yadda - that felt all “been there, done that” to me. and i know this is the first book in a new cycle, so there are new readers who need to learn what’s what and old readers who forgot the deets of so long ago and maybe read my spectacularly unhelpful reviews and remained fuzzy on the particulars, but it still feels like a lot of time is spent here going over the same ground. and even just within this book - the characters are very slow to adapt and accept, so there are a lot of very repetitive arguments and a lot of time-wasting resistance* and beating of dead horses. however - all the parts that aren’t those parts - the parts where the beatings are being inflicted on living people, well - that is some seriously scary stuff. scary because vicious killers, but also psychologically dicey since being stranded on a tiny island with extremely limited resources, with a handful of work-acquaintances and virtual strangers is nightmarish enough without the additional headache of struggling to comprehend why some of them are suddenly turning into violent, unstoppable predators, and being forced to navigate that superfine distinction between killing due to uncontrollable bloodlust and killing as pre-emptive measure against being killed by someone who might be experiencing uncontrollable bloodlust. i don’t know about you, but my co-workers are the last people i wanna be navigating that tightrope with. okay, after “subway randos.”
so, apart from some draggy (to me) bits, this is a real splattery treat. i am very excited to see where it goes from here, even if i NEVER remember what happened in the first trilogy. it's such a fantastic concept, and the jaggedy fear of never knowing if the person standing next to you, or a person you love, or you yourself are about to snap and start rampaging is so deliciously tense.
this one made my “titles that lie” shelf because although it is absolutely a fantastic title, “one” is a gross understatement of who-all’s gonna be dead come morning. and there are a number of mornings over the course of this book, resulting in mounds of corpses.
as an homage to one or another of my spectacularly unhelpful reviews, please enjoy this song.
and as a super-special bonus, i discovered today that there’s a free short story bridging the first and second book in the first trilogy (get out your calculators), and there is ONE day left in my december advent calendar project, so guess what imma read tomorrow? (although get out your time machines, because i’m probably not going to post this review to the feed until sometime next week. and then lend me your time machine so i can go back to when i read the first three books and write better reviews for them. because that is the best thing i can think of to use a time machine for. and probably why no one will give me a time machine.)
* dear potential survivors in unprecedented situations - when three different people tell you they saw something horrible on video footage, don’t push back. arguing and doubting this intel is a waste of your time and my time and a terrible way to stay alive. just say “why thank you for telling me this. i will use this information to prevent myself from being murdered.”
*******************************************
if you wait patiently enough, every series continues.
of course, i did not learn the lesson of patience too well; i bought this book the day it came out and then, wouldn't you know it - i got my pagehabit horror box in the mail:
but i don't even care - i returned my boring, unannotated copy to the store and now i get to read this much-cooler copy with notes by david moody himself (EEEE!) and christmas lights and a cool keychain and short story and BOOM! an end of 2017 miracle!
2018 resolution = have more patience. especially when it comes to buying hardcovers, you pauper!
come to my blog!
that’s what happens when haters are afoot.
and what are haters? haters are like superfast zombies
without the whole grubby ordeal of death and decomposition. but it’s not braaaaaaiiiins they crave, it’s paaaaaaiiiin. your pain. and, consumed by impulses they cannot control, they won’t stop inflicting pain until their victim is dead, and then it’s off to find something new to hurt. it’s a sudden-onset phenomenon - one minute you’re fine, the next, you’re killing your spouse without hesitation or provocation. and there’s no way to identify a potential hater from an unchanged (at least, not in book one!) until they (or you!) just…start..stabbing!
so this is book 4 in moody’s hater ouvre, and the first book in a second trilogy. you got that math? this one takes place on a remote island on the same chronological pieslice as the events of Hater are occurring on the mainland.
i read the first trilogy between 2009 and 2012, and i wrote three spectacularly unhelpful reviews for them - good job, younger karen! - so i don’t remember a ton about them, and any thoughtful easter eggs or nods to the first book here are lost on me. i thought all of them were written from the POV of an infected “Hater,” but it might have only been the second and half of the third. who can say? however, i DO remember the basics, so a lot of the material covered in this fourth book - where it’s a frantic blur of “holy shit, what is happening and what can we do about it?” and on through the information-gathering and the not fully grasping the situation and the mistrusting those around you and yadda - that felt all “been there, done that” to me. and i know this is the first book in a new cycle, so there are new readers who need to learn what’s what and old readers who forgot the deets of so long ago and maybe read my spectacularly unhelpful reviews and remained fuzzy on the particulars, but it still feels like a lot of time is spent here going over the same ground. and even just within this book - the characters are very slow to adapt and accept, so there are a lot of very repetitive arguments and a lot of time-wasting resistance* and beating of dead horses. however - all the parts that aren’t those parts - the parts where the beatings are being inflicted on living people, well - that is some seriously scary stuff. scary because vicious killers, but also psychologically dicey since being stranded on a tiny island with extremely limited resources, with a handful of work-acquaintances and virtual strangers is nightmarish enough without the additional headache of struggling to comprehend why some of them are suddenly turning into violent, unstoppable predators, and being forced to navigate that superfine distinction between killing due to uncontrollable bloodlust and killing as pre-emptive measure against being killed by someone who might be experiencing uncontrollable bloodlust. i don’t know about you, but my co-workers are the last people i wanna be navigating that tightrope with. okay, after “subway randos.”
so, apart from some draggy (to me) bits, this is a real splattery treat. i am very excited to see where it goes from here, even if i NEVER remember what happened in the first trilogy. it's such a fantastic concept, and the jaggedy fear of never knowing if the person standing next to you, or a person you love, or you yourself are about to snap and start rampaging is so deliciously tense.
this one made my “titles that lie” shelf because although it is absolutely a fantastic title, “one” is a gross understatement of who-all’s gonna be dead come morning. and there are a number of mornings over the course of this book, resulting in mounds of corpses.
as an homage to one or another of my spectacularly unhelpful reviews, please enjoy this song.
and as a super-special bonus, i discovered today that there’s a free short story bridging the first and second book in the first trilogy (get out your calculators), and there is ONE day left in my december advent calendar project, so guess what imma read tomorrow? (although get out your time machines, because i’m probably not going to post this review to the feed until sometime next week. and then lend me your time machine so i can go back to when i read the first three books and write better reviews for them. because that is the best thing i can think of to use a time machine for. and probably why no one will give me a time machine.)
* dear potential survivors in unprecedented situations - when three different people tell you they saw something horrible on video footage, don’t push back. arguing and doubting this intel is a waste of your time and my time and a terrible way to stay alive. just say “why thank you for telling me this. i will use this information to prevent myself from being murdered.”
*******************************************
if you wait patiently enough, every series continues.
of course, i did not learn the lesson of patience too well; i bought this book the day it came out and then, wouldn't you know it - i got my pagehabit horror box in the mail:
but i don't even care - i returned my boring, unannotated copy to the store and now i get to read this much-cooler copy with notes by david moody himself (EEEE!) and christmas lights and a cool keychain and short story and BOOM! an end of 2017 miracle!
2018 resolution = have more patience. especially when it comes to buying hardcovers, you pauper!
come to my blog!
December 26, 2017
3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2017/12/26/...
David Moody’s One of Us Will be Dead by Morning might be the first zombie-style book I’ve ever read that doesn’t involve actual zombies. All the post-apocalyptic themes may be there along with the survival elements and violent carnage, but instead of the living dead we have the “Haters”—normally sane, rational and self-controlled people who suddenly and inexplicably turn into feral, vicious killers. It sounded like a fascinating premise, so I decided to give this book a try after learning that the original Hater trilogy was not a prerequisite, since the story covers the events of the outbreak from the perspective of a whole different group of people.
We begin this tale on Skek, a tiny remote island somewhere in the middle of the North Sea between the coasts of the UK and Denmark. A group of corporate employees are on a team building retreat run by the staff of Hazleton Adventure Experiences, an outdoor recreation company. All together there are fifteen people on the island, which has no cellular coverage and little to no supplies beyond what might be necessary for immediate use. When the mangled body of one of the corporate employees is found shattered on the rocks beneath a tall crag, a co-worker is immediately blamed for her murder, though he insists that he was only acting in self-defense when he pushed her over the edge after she savagely attacked him. With no witnesses to the event, all anyone can do is wait for the next boat to ferry everybody back to the mainland.
The boat, however, never arrives. Instead, the islanders find the remains of it broken against Skek’s rocky shore, and within its hull they find a ghastly sight. As the days go by, their numbers start to dwindle as more of the group start dying under mysterious and violent circumstances, with repeated calls for assistance over the radio going unanswered. Cut off from the rest of the world, no one has a clue what’s happening on the mainland, and soon there’s even talk of having to ration food in case help never comes. As the situation becomes increasingly desperate, a rift begins to form between the survivors who are all paranoid and fearful that anyone around them can suddenly turn into a mindless homicidal maniac.
I’ll give the book this: it’s a fun, relatively quick read, and while you’ll probably forget the names of all the characters a few days later, that’s okay! It certainly got the job done and was entertaining while it lasted. Unflinchingly gory and brutal, the story will be a real treat for fans of post-apocalyptic survival horror. The remote setting also meant a small-scale but intense thriller, where powerful emotions like fear, anxiety, and anger drove most of the plot. To give you an idea of what that was like, try to recall the worst stress you’ve ever experienced while dealing with a boss or co-worker you despise. Now imagine that office drama multiplied by an order of magnitude unfolding on a tiny barren island upon which all of you are trapped, knowing that at any moment, anyone might lose their mind and tear your esophagus out with their teeth. Drain away all hope, and the stage is set for a darkly claustrophobic and terrifying tale featuring a modern twist on a classic idea.
On the other hand, characters in novels like these tend to be weakly sketched, as I alluded to before, given how most of them are written solely as fodder for their various gruesome deaths. With the exception of a few key characters, no one was all that well developed, and my memories of those who died early are limited only to vague impressions and snippets of conversations. Like watching a paint-by-numbers slasher film, there were no surprises involved and the emotional impact was minimal whenever something disastrous or tragic occurred. It also didn’t help that the majority of characters were very unpleasant, and I was glad to see the end of many of them if for no other reason than knowing I didn’t have to read about them anymore. Still, what you see is what you get when it comes to this genre, so as long as you know what to expect, you won’t be disappointed.
For that reason, I think I would like to continue with the next book. Novels like One of Us Will be Dead by Morning are designed to scratch a certain itch for me as a horror reader; they’re like candy for the brain and occasionally the mood for a fun popcorn read like this will strike. The book also ends on a mild cliffhanger, and I’d very much like to know what will happen next. I’m definitely going to be keeping my eye out for more from David Moody.
Audiobook Comments: This book is also available as an audiobook, which I also want to say a few words about. The narrator Gerard Doyle delivered a decent performance, though because of his accent, I sometimes found him hard to understand. Still, this was just a minor issue, certainly not a deal breaking one, and overall there’s nothing that would stop me from recommending this to audiobook fans.
David Moody’s One of Us Will be Dead by Morning might be the first zombie-style book I’ve ever read that doesn’t involve actual zombies. All the post-apocalyptic themes may be there along with the survival elements and violent carnage, but instead of the living dead we have the “Haters”—normally sane, rational and self-controlled people who suddenly and inexplicably turn into feral, vicious killers. It sounded like a fascinating premise, so I decided to give this book a try after learning that the original Hater trilogy was not a prerequisite, since the story covers the events of the outbreak from the perspective of a whole different group of people.
We begin this tale on Skek, a tiny remote island somewhere in the middle of the North Sea between the coasts of the UK and Denmark. A group of corporate employees are on a team building retreat run by the staff of Hazleton Adventure Experiences, an outdoor recreation company. All together there are fifteen people on the island, which has no cellular coverage and little to no supplies beyond what might be necessary for immediate use. When the mangled body of one of the corporate employees is found shattered on the rocks beneath a tall crag, a co-worker is immediately blamed for her murder, though he insists that he was only acting in self-defense when he pushed her over the edge after she savagely attacked him. With no witnesses to the event, all anyone can do is wait for the next boat to ferry everybody back to the mainland.
The boat, however, never arrives. Instead, the islanders find the remains of it broken against Skek’s rocky shore, and within its hull they find a ghastly sight. As the days go by, their numbers start to dwindle as more of the group start dying under mysterious and violent circumstances, with repeated calls for assistance over the radio going unanswered. Cut off from the rest of the world, no one has a clue what’s happening on the mainland, and soon there’s even talk of having to ration food in case help never comes. As the situation becomes increasingly desperate, a rift begins to form between the survivors who are all paranoid and fearful that anyone around them can suddenly turn into a mindless homicidal maniac.
I’ll give the book this: it’s a fun, relatively quick read, and while you’ll probably forget the names of all the characters a few days later, that’s okay! It certainly got the job done and was entertaining while it lasted. Unflinchingly gory and brutal, the story will be a real treat for fans of post-apocalyptic survival horror. The remote setting also meant a small-scale but intense thriller, where powerful emotions like fear, anxiety, and anger drove most of the plot. To give you an idea of what that was like, try to recall the worst stress you’ve ever experienced while dealing with a boss or co-worker you despise. Now imagine that office drama multiplied by an order of magnitude unfolding on a tiny barren island upon which all of you are trapped, knowing that at any moment, anyone might lose their mind and tear your esophagus out with their teeth. Drain away all hope, and the stage is set for a darkly claustrophobic and terrifying tale featuring a modern twist on a classic idea.
On the other hand, characters in novels like these tend to be weakly sketched, as I alluded to before, given how most of them are written solely as fodder for their various gruesome deaths. With the exception of a few key characters, no one was all that well developed, and my memories of those who died early are limited only to vague impressions and snippets of conversations. Like watching a paint-by-numbers slasher film, there were no surprises involved and the emotional impact was minimal whenever something disastrous or tragic occurred. It also didn’t help that the majority of characters were very unpleasant, and I was glad to see the end of many of them if for no other reason than knowing I didn’t have to read about them anymore. Still, what you see is what you get when it comes to this genre, so as long as you know what to expect, you won’t be disappointed.
For that reason, I think I would like to continue with the next book. Novels like One of Us Will be Dead by Morning are designed to scratch a certain itch for me as a horror reader; they’re like candy for the brain and occasionally the mood for a fun popcorn read like this will strike. The book also ends on a mild cliffhanger, and I’d very much like to know what will happen next. I’m definitely going to be keeping my eye out for more from David Moody.
Audiobook Comments: This book is also available as an audiobook, which I also want to say a few words about. The narrator Gerard Doyle delivered a decent performance, though because of his accent, I sometimes found him hard to understand. Still, this was just a minor issue, certainly not a deal breaking one, and overall there’s nothing that would stop me from recommending this to audiobook fans.
January 29, 2018
A group of business colleagues and their guides are trapped on an island with an unknown killer or killers. Eventually they realize that the problem extends beyond their island. The author did a good job of building and maintaining suspense as the members of the group turn against each other while trying to survive. The plot took a turn that I was not expecting from its blurb. I'm not sure I would have selected the book if I had known about this aspect of the plot, but the book was well done and kept me reading even though it was outside what I usually read.
September 15, 2017
Read on In The Sheets
This will be a spoiler-free review of a great book that was well worth the wait.
As a huge fan of the original Hater trilogy, I was beyond excited when David announced he was writing three new books that took place in the same universe, albeit from another perspective. I've been anticipating this book ever since and can now say with complete certainly, I was not let down or disappointed. It fully lived up to my expectations and has made me nostalgic for the original trilogy, which I plan to start re-reading again shortly.
Where the first 3 books followed Danny on his journey through a world turned upside down by this vicious "Outbreak", One of Us Will Be Dead by Morning follows a different group of people from the opposite perspective. As it follows the same timeline, this trilogy starts right at the beginning of the onslaught where Hater did.
As stated in the synopsis, a group of people become trapped on Skek (half of them there for a work team-building day, the other half working on the island itself) when an untimely death sets in motion the next 300+ pages of non-stop story telling that I could not bring myself to put down. Any time my friends and I discuss what we would do in the event of a violent apocalyptic scenario, we always go for supplies first and then an island, I'm now torn on whether or not that's the best decision.
Additionally I want to note that I love the way David includes diverse characters in his books, whether it be a practicing religious character, an LGBT character, or a person of colour, they're regularly included across all of his novels and it's never made out to be anything other than totally normal and okay, which is exactly as it should be. It doesn't feel like he put them in just for sake of it, they're great characters with substance. His books represent a large spectrum of characters and people because that's how any world should be. Not something you find in a lot of novels of this genre, and I think that deserves a little recognition. It's not something that has to be done, but it's done anyways and done correctly.
In closing, One of Us Will Be Dead by Morning is a must read for anyone who loves any of David's other novels, but especially for anyone who loved the Hater series as much as I did. Sometimes a little Battle Royale, all-times a thriller that messes with your head, never knowing who to trust (at least with Zombies you know when someone's gonna turn!). More often than not, authors revisit an old series and it feels like a cash grab and beating a dead horse. This just feels right and like an obvious extension of an already killer series. Pun fully intended.
This will be a spoiler-free review of a great book that was well worth the wait.
As a huge fan of the original Hater trilogy, I was beyond excited when David announced he was writing three new books that took place in the same universe, albeit from another perspective. I've been anticipating this book ever since and can now say with complete certainly, I was not let down or disappointed. It fully lived up to my expectations and has made me nostalgic for the original trilogy, which I plan to start re-reading again shortly.
Where the first 3 books followed Danny on his journey through a world turned upside down by this vicious "Outbreak", One of Us Will Be Dead by Morning follows a different group of people from the opposite perspective. As it follows the same timeline, this trilogy starts right at the beginning of the onslaught where Hater did.
As stated in the synopsis, a group of people become trapped on Skek (half of them there for a work team-building day, the other half working on the island itself) when an untimely death sets in motion the next 300+ pages of non-stop story telling that I could not bring myself to put down. Any time my friends and I discuss what we would do in the event of a violent apocalyptic scenario, we always go for supplies first and then an island, I'm now torn on whether or not that's the best decision.
Additionally I want to note that I love the way David includes diverse characters in his books, whether it be a practicing religious character, an LGBT character, or a person of colour, they're regularly included across all of his novels and it's never made out to be anything other than totally normal and okay, which is exactly as it should be. It doesn't feel like he put them in just for sake of it, they're great characters with substance. His books represent a large spectrum of characters and people because that's how any world should be. Not something you find in a lot of novels of this genre, and I think that deserves a little recognition. It's not something that has to be done, but it's done anyways and done correctly.
In closing, One of Us Will Be Dead by Morning is a must read for anyone who loves any of David's other novels, but especially for anyone who loved the Hater series as much as I did. Sometimes a little Battle Royale, all-times a thriller that messes with your head, never knowing who to trust (at least with Zombies you know when someone's gonna turn!). More often than not, authors revisit an old series and it feels like a cash grab and beating a dead horse. This just feels right and like an obvious extension of an already killer series. Pun fully intended.
December 5, 2017
When I saw that David Moody was working on more books in the Hater Series, I nearly peed my pants – not really, but I was exceptionally stoked. It has been a few years since I read Them or Us. This was the series that made me question: Can it be a zombie if it’s not dead? And, does it really matter how or why it happened or just what we do with it?
Now, let’s get down to some Hater business for anyone who hasn’t read anything in the series. Books one, two and three must be read in order. One of Us Will Be Dead by Morning (book four) is a new storyline within the Hater world. You can read and enjoy it without having read the previous books. This book goes back to the beginning and runs concurrently with book one, Hater.
In Hater, David Moody revealed himself to be a master of human relation dysfunction. Danny McCoyne’s interactions with his family was so realistic, we have all had those moments where we just wanted to hide away from our kids. With One of Us Will Be Dead by Morning, David Moody has attacked the workplace dysfunction. One group is on a team building getaway, while the second group consists of the employees who work on the island. The story is filled with the realities of workplace relationships, those we get along with and those we don’t. I saw myself and my coworkers. The two groups and the cliques within the groups; this book started off with a them and us attitude that was made fluid by the Haters, their them and us is so much more concrete.
David Moody has a knack for making me feel like a fly on the wall, right there amongst the action but not noticed by the players. One of Us Will Be Dead by Morning brought me within a hair of the Haters and their violence, while I remained nothing but an observer. I felt like I was right there with the people who were isolated on Skek. I felt their paranoia, distrust and hope that maybe somehow everyone could get out of this okay.
Moody has built an incredible cast of characters, each one unique and real; I think that any reader can identify with someone and recognize people that they know in the other characters. This brings a closeness and familiarity to the characters and the story.
The Hater world of David Moody is a dark, disturbing place, where it’s not survival of the fittest, but of the luckiest. It’s a world that I can come back to again and again to ask myself: How would I have reacted? Could I survive?
*I received a copy of the book from the publisher (via NetGalley).
Now, let’s get down to some Hater business for anyone who hasn’t read anything in the series. Books one, two and three must be read in order. One of Us Will Be Dead by Morning (book four) is a new storyline within the Hater world. You can read and enjoy it without having read the previous books. This book goes back to the beginning and runs concurrently with book one, Hater.
In Hater, David Moody revealed himself to be a master of human relation dysfunction. Danny McCoyne’s interactions with his family was so realistic, we have all had those moments where we just wanted to hide away from our kids. With One of Us Will Be Dead by Morning, David Moody has attacked the workplace dysfunction. One group is on a team building getaway, while the second group consists of the employees who work on the island. The story is filled with the realities of workplace relationships, those we get along with and those we don’t. I saw myself and my coworkers. The two groups and the cliques within the groups; this book started off with a them and us attitude that was made fluid by the Haters, their them and us is so much more concrete.
David Moody has a knack for making me feel like a fly on the wall, right there amongst the action but not noticed by the players. One of Us Will Be Dead by Morning brought me within a hair of the Haters and their violence, while I remained nothing but an observer. I felt like I was right there with the people who were isolated on Skek. I felt their paranoia, distrust and hope that maybe somehow everyone could get out of this okay.
Moody has built an incredible cast of characters, each one unique and real; I think that any reader can identify with someone and recognize people that they know in the other characters. This brings a closeness and familiarity to the characters and the story.
The Hater world of David Moody is a dark, disturbing place, where it’s not survival of the fittest, but of the luckiest. It’s a world that I can come back to again and again to ask myself: How would I have reacted? Could I survive?
*I received a copy of the book from the publisher (via NetGalley).
January 10, 2018
Lady and Gents this was another solid read in the unique Universe of the Haters.
Maybe not so fierce and engaging like the others (for me, at least), mainly because of the isolated scenery, in the most of the book, but, still, with plenty of action to had.
And taking in consideration that for the next book we`re on "solid ground", definitely, now, there is a lot of potential for a second amazing book to be made.
So, fasten your seatbelts because you`re going on a rampage ride!
If you`re bored of the conventional zombie flick, then this series are ready to impress you with a scenary totally fucked up! It`s something in the vein of the Crossed graphic books, but without the unecessary profanity of the human spirit and the gratuitous nudity scenes.
I`m truly glad that David Moody has decided to continue this series because the ideea deserves more study and informations.
Now, who has the pacience to wait, until the next book comes?!
Maybe not so fierce and engaging like the others (for me, at least), mainly because of the isolated scenery, in the most of the book, but, still, with plenty of action to had.
And taking in consideration that for the next book we`re on "solid ground", definitely, now, there is a lot of potential for a second amazing book to be made.
So, fasten your seatbelts because you`re going on a rampage ride!
If you`re bored of the conventional zombie flick, then this series are ready to impress you with a scenary totally fucked up! It`s something in the vein of the Crossed graphic books, but without the unecessary profanity of the human spirit and the gratuitous nudity scenes.
I`m truly glad that David Moody has decided to continue this series because the ideea deserves more study and informations.
Now, who has the pacience to wait, until the next book comes?!
December 16, 2017
http://horror-underground.com/2017/12...
In One of Us Will Be Dead by Morning, David Moody returns to his Hater trilogy set in a world where people turn into vengeful, violent murders whose only sustenance is snuffing out all existence. Although this is the fourth book in the series, it is a fresh start that takes the reader back to the beginning, making this a perfect jumping on point for readers that are new to the series. A little bit post-apocalyptic story with flashes of Garth Ennis’ Crossed, although Hater predates Ennis’ work and it isn’t anywhere near as violent or deplorable as the comic book mini-series, however, One of Us Will Be Dead by Morning, and the Hater series as a whole, still manages to be a dark and unrelenting story in its own right. Essentially a hard-boiled fight for survival – Moody quickly sets a break-neck pacing that never lets up, much like the vile Haters that relentlessly attack the characters in this story.
More than a dozen people are trapped on Skek, a relatively barren island off the coast of the UK that is home to Hazleton Adventure Experiences, an extreme sports and outdoor adventure setting for corporate team building retreats. What was supposed to be an exercise in cooperation and relationship building has now turned to tragedy as the co-workers on retreat witness a deadly accident that leads to the death of one of their team. Victims keep appearing and rumors begin to swirl about something much bigger and more devastating happening throughout the UK, not just on this tiny island. Tension ramps, infighting pops up, and death closes in.
One of Us Will Be Dead by Morning isn’t your typical post-apocalyptic narrative. Much like a zombie story, Moody’s book is about survival and the humanity that destroys us, but this time around it isn’t power or territorial fighting that threatens survival, it’s the dysfunction of the workplace. Moody builds a tight, realistic world with cliques, history, and all of the minutia that you would expect to find in an office environment. The conversations and characters build a believable world as Moody finds a way to represent each type of personality you would encounter while at work. At times I found myself lost in the dialogue, completely forgetting about the threat lurking outside that eventually breaks its way in.
David Moody’s Hater series has proven itself worthy of the great post-apocalyptic horror stories and One of Us Will Be Dead by Morning is no slouch of a sequel/fresh start. Fear stems from isolation and rumor, only to be reinforced by quick and brutal violence. This is gut-wrenchingly realistic survival horror.
October 20, 2017
“One of Us Will Be Dead by Morning” is a continuation of the “Hater” series but it can be read as a stand alone. I do recommend that the whole series should be read in order to get the full horror effect, though it’s not necessary.
The story moves along at a fast pace, but slows to emphasize the distortion of time when people are tramped together and suspicious of each other. Another writing technique employed by Mr. Moody is the shifting of viewpoints from one person to another. This gives the feel of that nothing is permanent as characters move from being the focal point to sidelines. This is what makes the story organic as it shifts from person to person.
This is a horror novel. It’s enthralling. It is well written and gives you the “unchanged” perspective of what is happening in the world; whereas, the 3 books in the “Hater” series focuses on one person’s point of view, a hater.
Get this book. It will have you paranoid at the very least.
The story moves along at a fast pace, but slows to emphasize the distortion of time when people are tramped together and suspicious of each other. Another writing technique employed by Mr. Moody is the shifting of viewpoints from one person to another. This gives the feel of that nothing is permanent as characters move from being the focal point to sidelines. This is what makes the story organic as it shifts from person to person.
This is a horror novel. It’s enthralling. It is well written and gives you the “unchanged” perspective of what is happening in the world; whereas, the 3 books in the “Hater” series focuses on one person’s point of view, a hater.
Get this book. It will have you paranoid at the very least.
January 1, 2018
I wanted every character in this book to die. Most annoying group of people.
February 9, 2018
Excellent entry in the Hater series about a group of people on an island for a work adventure week who become stranded and must fight to stay alive against the beginning wave of Haters. Gripping, bloody and full of tension, the story never lags and carries through to a brutal ending that more than implies the series will continue. Moody once again displays his top-notch writing skills here to powerful effect. Not for the feint of heart. Looking forward to the next one already. 4.5 stars. Highly recommended.
December 30, 2017
This is the first book by moody I have read. I wonder how I missed these. I plan to read more of his now.
This introduced me to the Haters and I have lots of questions about them. How do they work together if they hate so much? Wouldn’t it be like rabies? Genetic? Viral? Must find the first book!
This introduced me to the Haters and I have lots of questions about them. How do they work together if they hate so much? Wouldn’t it be like rabies? Genetic? Viral? Must find the first book!
January 13, 2019
When I started this book I did not know it was part of a series. I was told this would stand alone. More a concurrent book to the first book in the series.
I did like this book but I am going to add the first series, Hater, to the top of my to-be-read list and see it answers a few questions.
I will try to remember to come back and up date this review.
I did like this book but I am going to add the first series, Hater, to the top of my to-be-read list and see it answers a few questions.
I will try to remember to come back and up date this review.
April 13, 2018
The title is a bit of a misnomer because this is rather more like multiple people will be dead by page nine, but that's really what I want out of my apocalyptasmic books, isn't it? Super short on descriptions or deep characterization and dialog heavy with a tad too much emphasis on people asking, "Did you not hear me?" this is nonetheless very good at what it's meant to do for readers foolish enough to crack this after dark, which is build up unsettling atmospherics for a while and then deliver on the gore. I do wish that the characters in these novels would be a little more credulous and a little less prone to the aforementioned query interspersed with too much squinty-eyed disbelief, but this still spooked me and made me happy that I like my co-workers enough to feel able to ride out a calamity of this nature with them without too much animosity.
June 21, 2018
This was really good! I was expecting the writing to be a little better (my first David Moody book). However, it read easy and kept me entertained. The characters didn’t annoy me, which is always a plus.
There was something I can’t put my finger on as of why I can’t rate this a 5 star. I was never like “yes! I have time to read my book!” It was more like “wow, I have another 300 pages to go still??” So that’s why I’m giving it 4 stars. But it was almost a 5 for what it’s worth.
There was something I can’t put my finger on as of why I can’t rate this a 5 star. I was never like “yes! I have time to read my book!” It was more like “wow, I have another 300 pages to go still??” So that’s why I’m giving it 4 stars. But it was almost a 5 for what it’s worth.
April 21, 2018
I got this from the library, having read the synopsis hastily. I don't think I would have bothered to read it if I'd realized it was in the Haters universe, since scanning the first book in that series didn't grab me. Like any book involving a zombie apocalypse or similar contagion, much depends on the characters. If this had been a group of island-bound people comprised of diverse personalities and reactions, it could have been interesting. It was, instead, a group of barely distinguishable self-absorbed, shallow, petty, extremely unlikable twats, so it was hard to get exercised about their collective fate. There was an available sub-plot here about what distinguishes the human instinct for self-preservation from a blind need to kill, but it wasn't capitalized on in any meaningful way. Formulaic and forgettable.
February 2, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
Full disclosure, my library (hoopla) confused me and showed this book and the rest of the Final War series (1-3) as a series, and I just put them on hold without a second thought. After seeing on goodreads, it's book 4 in the Hater series, which I don't have on hold and can't listen to until a later date. Sooooooo... with that being said.
This felt like I started in the middle of something, because well I did. It's my fault. It was interesting but I did find myself not interested in the middle despite this only being a couple hour listen. (Also definitely my fault because I don't connect with anyone as this is book 4)
I do have book 1 from the Haters on loan and I will put the rest of the series on loan, once I get through all my other library listens. (We run a tight ship, book schedule here 🫠)
Full disclosure, my library (hoopla) confused me and showed this book and the rest of the Final War series (1-3) as a series, and I just put them on hold without a second thought. After seeing on goodreads, it's book 4 in the Hater series, which I don't have on hold and can't listen to until a later date. Sooooooo... with that being said.
This felt like I started in the middle of something, because well I did. It's my fault. It was interesting but I did find myself not interested in the middle despite this only being a couple hour listen. (Also definitely my fault because I don't connect with anyone as this is book 4)
I do have book 1 from the Haters on loan and I will put the rest of the series on loan, once I get through all my other library listens. (We run a tight ship, book schedule here 🫠)
January 8, 2018
Skek Island is a barren island in the North Sea. There is no modern convenience and yet a mysterious past to the island. The story starts with fifteen working stiffs on a survival retreat. But when they are getting ready to return home, one of the team is found dead and it looks like she was pushed off the cliff. Then the ferry that is supposed to pick them up is discovered grounded on the shore with thirty adults and kids dead inside. There is no contact with the outside world and a limit amount of food available.
But then a man and his daughter return to the island with a story of people going crazy and killing others on the mainland. Is it real? Are they going to turn into Haters? One of the group tries to go back to the mainland and ends up returning to Skek with questionable help. It’s looking like no one is going to get off Skek alive.
I have heard about the Haters series and have been meaning to get around to reading it. When the opportunity to review this book came up I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it. It is a great story with a misfit group of people, both the adventure group and the business people. But then there are those that stand out in the groups. It seems some are more able to survive than others. The first thing they need to do is figure out what is happening and get some resources.
I loved how the story progressed. It was like watching a train wreck. Bloody, gory, and doing to leave destruction behind yet I couldn’t look away. I loved every moment and really enjoyed Gerard Doyle’s narration. He really brought life to this story. I can’t wait to go back and see how this series has started.
I received One of Us Will be Dead by Morning from Macmillan Audio for free. This has in no way influenced my opinion of this book.
But then a man and his daughter return to the island with a story of people going crazy and killing others on the mainland. Is it real? Are they going to turn into Haters? One of the group tries to go back to the mainland and ends up returning to Skek with questionable help. It’s looking like no one is going to get off Skek alive.
I have heard about the Haters series and have been meaning to get around to reading it. When the opportunity to review this book came up I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it. It is a great story with a misfit group of people, both the adventure group and the business people. But then there are those that stand out in the groups. It seems some are more able to survive than others. The first thing they need to do is figure out what is happening and get some resources.
I loved how the story progressed. It was like watching a train wreck. Bloody, gory, and doing to leave destruction behind yet I couldn’t look away. I loved every moment and really enjoyed Gerard Doyle’s narration. He really brought life to this story. I can’t wait to go back and see how this series has started.
I received One of Us Will be Dead by Morning from Macmillan Audio for free. This has in no way influenced my opinion of this book.
September 19, 2019
No spoilers, no description. I want you to go into this blind like I did and know that by page 5 the story already kicks it up to high gear. This one will freak you out and leave you hoping that a Hater will never actually exist. Enjoy!
February 9, 2018
The first chapter had me wondering if I was going to like it at all. I thought it was going to be a book about a bunch of kids getting into trouble. I was wrong. The bodies start to drop right in the beginning and don't stop throughout the entire book. There were lots of different characters and I don't care for trying to remember who is who, but it didn't matter in this book, especially when people are dying off left and right. It's a modern day alternative to zombies as the "Haters" aren't actually zombies. I thought the name "Haters", for the changed people, wasn't a good choice. For some reason, it seemed a bit childish to me (sorry). I did enjoy how there was no real hero though. It makes trying to figure out who will survive harder. Everyone was out for themselves.
Read my full review here - http://readnreviews.blogspot.com/2018...
Read my full review here - http://readnreviews.blogspot.com/2018...
February 13, 2018
This is my first Moody book, but I liked it! There were a lot of characters to keep track of, but thankfully the high body count took care of that problem. Bloody and brutal!
December 21, 2017
Hoo boy... I'd forgotten how brutal these books were. But not how awesome! The latest book in the HATER series is packed with just as much drama, suspense, and gore that made the initial trilogy so shocking and wild to read. This time the stakes are raised when the characters find themselves trapped on an island. Literally one of the worst places you can be when every other person seems to have a mental breakdown and go completely homicidal. As with the previous trilogy, Moody does not shy away from the violence. His descriptions make the scenes uncomfortably real, and you'll find yourself turning the page at frantic rates to see if your favourite characters make it out alive. I was excited to keep reading, but also scared because there was no way to predict who was going to make it out alive, who might be a Hater, and who might make a colossal, crushing mistake. I wish I could say these books were for everybody (they probably won't be, since the prologue is ruthless) and some people might get turned off the visceral violence. That said, I do recommend them to everyone who likes good, fast-paced horror and is looking for a change in the "zombie" trope. Moody is a great writer and I can't wait to see what he comes up with next!
December 21, 2017
I never read any of the other Haters series books. Based on the reviews I saw on goodreads, it is not necessary to have read the trilogy before reading this one. But I just wanted to mention that it is part of a series, in a way.
I'm torn on my rating. It's more like a 2.5 to me. I didn't hate the book but I didn't love it, either. The book got more interesting as the characters died out, sorry to say. This is mostly because the dialogue was clunky and unrealistic. It read, to me, like a B horror movie screenplay. I feel like there were simply too many characters and not enough character development among them. I kept forgetting who characters were (didn't help that some names began with the same letter) and sometimes their motivations were muddled. It took too long for the three core characters to stand out. I simply didn't care for most of the characters because I did not know them.
But the good part of the book was the story itself. It's an interesting and creative concept. I'll probably go back and read the first book of the series because I want to see that event from those characters' perspectives. I hope the dialogue is better, though.
I'm torn on my rating. It's more like a 2.5 to me. I didn't hate the book but I didn't love it, either. The book got more interesting as the characters died out, sorry to say. This is mostly because the dialogue was clunky and unrealistic. It read, to me, like a B horror movie screenplay. I feel like there were simply too many characters and not enough character development among them. I kept forgetting who characters were (didn't help that some names began with the same letter) and sometimes their motivations were muddled. It took too long for the three core characters to stand out. I simply didn't care for most of the characters because I did not know them.
But the good part of the book was the story itself. It's an interesting and creative concept. I'll probably go back and read the first book of the series because I want to see that event from those characters' perspectives. I hope the dialogue is better, though.
February 2, 2018
Upon a quick second read of this book, it had the effect of swaying my opinion in a more positive direction (thus the upgrade in the star rating) and I'll talk about that more extensively in my full review on HorrorTalk. Upon a second reading (maybe because I was already familiar with the final developments between characters) I didn't find myself near as disappointed by the minimal backstory of the characters and able to more thoroughly enjoy the book as a whole. It's an action-packed, jet fueled terror trip that, in my final assessment, more than deserves it's place in the canon of Moody's other masterful works.
February 28, 2018
Review from Tenacious Reader: http://www.tenaciousreader.com/2018/0...
3.5/5 Stars
One of Us Will Be Dead by Morning is not a book for the squeamish! The body count rises at an astronimical rate, and details are not spared. I enjoyed it, and have to admit, parts were certainly unexpected, always a good thing. It takes place on a remote island that is currently home to an adventure group that does team building exercises.
The current group of coworkers on a retreat to the island find themselves trapped there as their ferry home crashed amongst the rocks, littering the corpses of its incoming passengers. Did they die in the crash? Were they murdered? Or is something else going on? If they didn’t die in the crash, are they safe or are they the next potential victims? All things to think about instead of heading back home as they planned. I have to admit, just the thought of traveling to a remote island with coworkers is a bit horrifying by itself. But then to get stuck there as horrify deaths that start to pile up? With no idea who you can trust? Then it becomes a living nightmare.
This book is part of a series that I’ve not previously read. I am always a bit hesitant to do this, because often I feel like I am missing critical backstory or not understanding the depth of relationships of characters, etc. and in the end my reading experience might not do the book justice as I am jumping in at the wrong point. In this case, I do think it works as a standalone. I would expect I might have had a better understanding of Haters had I read the first book, or maybe caught on to what was happening a bit quicker. But I don’t think that it mattered. The details I was missing I think created a bit more mystery (like you would have in the very first book).
So, what is a Hater? Well, they are normal, rational people. Some of the time, anyway. They can blend in with the population, have normal interactions, but they prey on people, and move lightining quick. Their goal is to inflict pain, so there are no quick merciful deaths with Haters, they are excruciating and gory. Again, I’ll repeat, this book may not be for the squeamish.
Overall, I would say this was an enjoyable and gruesome read and I do think it worked well as a good starting point to the series for me. And again, I have to mention that being trapped with coworkers always adds an extra dose of horrific fun to a story.
3.5/5 Stars
One of Us Will Be Dead by Morning is not a book for the squeamish! The body count rises at an astronimical rate, and details are not spared. I enjoyed it, and have to admit, parts were certainly unexpected, always a good thing. It takes place on a remote island that is currently home to an adventure group that does team building exercises.
The current group of coworkers on a retreat to the island find themselves trapped there as their ferry home crashed amongst the rocks, littering the corpses of its incoming passengers. Did they die in the crash? Were they murdered? Or is something else going on? If they didn’t die in the crash, are they safe or are they the next potential victims? All things to think about instead of heading back home as they planned. I have to admit, just the thought of traveling to a remote island with coworkers is a bit horrifying by itself. But then to get stuck there as horrify deaths that start to pile up? With no idea who you can trust? Then it becomes a living nightmare.
This book is part of a series that I’ve not previously read. I am always a bit hesitant to do this, because often I feel like I am missing critical backstory or not understanding the depth of relationships of characters, etc. and in the end my reading experience might not do the book justice as I am jumping in at the wrong point. In this case, I do think it works as a standalone. I would expect I might have had a better understanding of Haters had I read the first book, or maybe caught on to what was happening a bit quicker. But I don’t think that it mattered. The details I was missing I think created a bit more mystery (like you would have in the very first book).
So, what is a Hater? Well, they are normal, rational people. Some of the time, anyway. They can blend in with the population, have normal interactions, but they prey on people, and move lightining quick. Their goal is to inflict pain, so there are no quick merciful deaths with Haters, they are excruciating and gory. Again, I’ll repeat, this book may not be for the squeamish.
Overall, I would say this was an enjoyable and gruesome read and I do think it worked well as a good starting point to the series for me. And again, I have to mention that being trapped with coworkers always adds an extra dose of horrific fun to a story.
May 1, 2025
An intriguing premise, but one that didn't quite fully land for me. To be fair, this isn't quite my genre and others likely would enjoy this book much more.
June 12, 2018
With his Autumn and Hater series, British horror/thriller author David Moody reinvented the zombie. With One of Us Will Be Dead by Morning (St. Martin’s Press), he reinvents his Hater series. This book should be read as a prequel or sidequel to the series, making it worthwhile both for series fans and those looking for a standalone read with series potential.
Hater was originally self-published back in the days when eBooks were predominantly PDF files. After Guillermo Del Toro optioned it for film, St. Martin’s Press put it into print and published three additional books, quite a success story.
In this world, a substantial portion of the population suddenly changes due a peculiar gene, becoming hateful of anybody who isn’t changed. It’s the end of the world, not with a bang, not with a whimper, but a bloodbath of epic proportions. Hater has one of the most interesting twists in a work of fiction, and its ending is both violent and exultant.
At the start of One of Us Will Be Dead by Morning, the apocalypse hasn’t begun yet. A group of executives working for a business owned by Ronan have gone to the Island of Skek, a remote patch of rock in the North Sea where Hazelton Adventures runs wilderness training and team-building programs. The executives, including the introverted Matt who wants to get home to his wife, grumble and complain as the week comes to a close.
When a co-worker dies with the cause unclear as to accident or murder, tensions rise, made worse by the fact they can’t raise anybody on the mainland by radio. Then the boat that’s supposed to bring the next group and get them home crashes into the beach, filled with dead children.
What follows is what is great about Moody’s work: a deep dive into the human psychology of fear, paranoia, and survival. His apocalypses aren’t wish-fulfillment shoot-’em-ups but more about average people crumbling or rising to an extraordinary crisis. Denial, anger, bargaining, despair, and finally acceptance—the entire spectrum of human reactions to crisis is on full display in his novels.
One of Us Will Be Dead by Morning is no exception as Matt and the island’s other people find themselves cut off and at each other’s throats. While the first two Hater sequels (Dog Blood and Them or Us) veered off into the big picture, Moody’s latest gets back to the series’ roots by isolating a group of people, introducing them to the apocalypse, and then putting them through the wringer of need, uncertainty, and survival.
The writing is crisp and the voice strong, though the first act takes its time to give us particularly likeable people to root for. There are a lot of characters, which takes a little effort to track. That and the use of omniscient narration, often in the same scene, makes it difficult to determine a clear protagonist early on. There’s a small lost opportunity in that the interoffice relationships could have been explored a little further to explain the ample antagonisms, which works so well in Mayhem (2017), and differentiate the corporate employees from the adventure staff.
Once the body count rises and the central conflict crystallizes, however, the story comes together beautifully around a clear protagonist, enormous stakes, horrifying antagonist, and emotional wringer for all as trust becomes dangerous. The pace ramps up to that of a thriller.
All the while, Moody rarely, if ever, cuts corners, always favoring a gritty realism and emotional complexity to make his characters, their decision-making, and their world more realistic—and his monsters all the more fantastic for it. There’s enough violence to satisfy even the jaded, though it’s never gratuitous. The ending delivers a morally ambiguous punch.
Overall, One of Us Will Be Dead by Morning is one of Moody’s best, presenting an original apocalyptic world where one would never want to live, but one that’s plenty fun to visit in fiction. Let’s hope this revitalization of the Hater series means we’ll get even more of these stories from this notable British author.
(My review originally appeared on the New York Journal of Books website.)
Hater was originally self-published back in the days when eBooks were predominantly PDF files. After Guillermo Del Toro optioned it for film, St. Martin’s Press put it into print and published three additional books, quite a success story.
In this world, a substantial portion of the population suddenly changes due a peculiar gene, becoming hateful of anybody who isn’t changed. It’s the end of the world, not with a bang, not with a whimper, but a bloodbath of epic proportions. Hater has one of the most interesting twists in a work of fiction, and its ending is both violent and exultant.
At the start of One of Us Will Be Dead by Morning, the apocalypse hasn’t begun yet. A group of executives working for a business owned by Ronan have gone to the Island of Skek, a remote patch of rock in the North Sea where Hazelton Adventures runs wilderness training and team-building programs. The executives, including the introverted Matt who wants to get home to his wife, grumble and complain as the week comes to a close.
When a co-worker dies with the cause unclear as to accident or murder, tensions rise, made worse by the fact they can’t raise anybody on the mainland by radio. Then the boat that’s supposed to bring the next group and get them home crashes into the beach, filled with dead children.
What follows is what is great about Moody’s work: a deep dive into the human psychology of fear, paranoia, and survival. His apocalypses aren’t wish-fulfillment shoot-’em-ups but more about average people crumbling or rising to an extraordinary crisis. Denial, anger, bargaining, despair, and finally acceptance—the entire spectrum of human reactions to crisis is on full display in his novels.
One of Us Will Be Dead by Morning is no exception as Matt and the island’s other people find themselves cut off and at each other’s throats. While the first two Hater sequels (Dog Blood and Them or Us) veered off into the big picture, Moody’s latest gets back to the series’ roots by isolating a group of people, introducing them to the apocalypse, and then putting them through the wringer of need, uncertainty, and survival.
The writing is crisp and the voice strong, though the first act takes its time to give us particularly likeable people to root for. There are a lot of characters, which takes a little effort to track. That and the use of omniscient narration, often in the same scene, makes it difficult to determine a clear protagonist early on. There’s a small lost opportunity in that the interoffice relationships could have been explored a little further to explain the ample antagonisms, which works so well in Mayhem (2017), and differentiate the corporate employees from the adventure staff.
Once the body count rises and the central conflict crystallizes, however, the story comes together beautifully around a clear protagonist, enormous stakes, horrifying antagonist, and emotional wringer for all as trust becomes dangerous. The pace ramps up to that of a thriller.
All the while, Moody rarely, if ever, cuts corners, always favoring a gritty realism and emotional complexity to make his characters, their decision-making, and their world more realistic—and his monsters all the more fantastic for it. There’s enough violence to satisfy even the jaded, though it’s never gratuitous. The ending delivers a morally ambiguous punch.
Overall, One of Us Will Be Dead by Morning is one of Moody’s best, presenting an original apocalyptic world where one would never want to live, but one that’s plenty fun to visit in fiction. Let’s hope this revitalization of the Hater series means we’ll get even more of these stories from this notable British author.
(My review originally appeared on the New York Journal of Books website.)
February 5, 2018
More like 4.5 stars. This grips you from the very beginning. Not very spoilerish to say that the first blood is drawn after a few pages and a massive body count by the following pages in that chapter. I'm definitely keen to read the rest of the Hater books as a result of this. There are wonderful shocks in this and the action shifts organically once a scenario is fully explored. Moody is a great writer and writes realistically about a less than realistic situation.
February 5, 2018
I loved Moody's Hater series. This book, set in the initial days of the Hater outbreak is the absolute best in my opinion. Set on a remote island where a group of people are on a corporate "team-building" weekend - it is wildly claustrophobic and so scary. Aside from a break to watch the Super Bowl, I read it in one sitting. Just couldn't put it down.
December 24, 2017
Having read the Hater trilogy multiple times over the years I was really looking forward to reading this one, especially since this time the perspective is with the other side. I was not disappointed. I knew what to expect having read the other books but there were still plenty of surprises. If I have nightmares tonight then all I can say is thank you Mr Moody, job well done!
December 10, 2021
A welcome change to the Hater series. Still no zombies.
Fear and paranoia take hold when the hater outbreak begins.
During a team-building retreat on a desolate island a group of coworkers and staff become isolated from the mainland. It's an interesting take, as the previous trilogy focused on the haters, this time we see things from the perspective of "the unchanged".
I love island horror. I love the paranoia vibe. People don't yet know what the haters are and begin suspecting one another, not knowing who to trust. There's a clear but subtle nod to "The Thing by John Carpenter" which I also loved.
My only real criticism would be that I find It hard to connect to a story that starts with so many characters... Seriously, there's like 20 of them! This made it pretty hard to get a picture of who was who. Fortunately most are mere cannon fodder, and the herd is thinned quite quickly.
I'm looking forward to the next one, and am hoping that the series keeps surprising me.
4 Stars.
Fear and paranoia take hold when the hater outbreak begins.
During a team-building retreat on a desolate island a group of coworkers and staff become isolated from the mainland. It's an interesting take, as the previous trilogy focused on the haters, this time we see things from the perspective of "the unchanged".
I love island horror. I love the paranoia vibe. People don't yet know what the haters are and begin suspecting one another, not knowing who to trust. There's a clear but subtle nod to "The Thing by John Carpenter" which I also loved.
My only real criticism would be that I find It hard to connect to a story that starts with so many characters... Seriously, there's like 20 of them! This made it pretty hard to get a picture of who was who. Fortunately most are mere cannon fodder, and the herd is thinned quite quickly.
I'm looking forward to the next one, and am hoping that the series keeps surprising me.
4 Stars.
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