The Briggs Boys

Planet Dead

by Sylvester Barzey

Catherine & friends have their hands full with killer clowns, a crooked government, shady people and oh yeah, zombies! Life on Planet Dead is one endless horror show. There isn't always time to share each others tales. Some get lost in the madness. Lucky for you, they don't always stay lost.

Planet Dead: Lost Tale Vol. 1 tells the story of retried Army Sergeant First Class Robert Briggs who's dealing with all the daily problems of being a single father and widowed husband. 

Make breakfast.

Do the laundry.

Kill his mother.

Fight the military.

And kill zombies, you know dad things. 

I present to you a lost tale of family and fear right from the heart of Planet Dead. I present to you...

The Briggs Boys

Genres: Zombies, Horror

87 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 11, 2017

About the author

Hey Survivor! My name is Sylvester Barzey and I am a best-selling horror and fantasy author. I grew up in the Bronx, NY, lived in the smallest state in the country for a while, and then transplanted to Lawrence, GA.

I’m a military veteran with an addiction to all things horror. My overall goal is to shine a spotlight on BIPOC characters within the horror/fantasy genre. From a young age, I was obsessed with horror movies, mostly Slashers. The mythos of the “Final Girl” trope was always something that appealed to me. The act of taking someone and watching them overcome the greatest odds to be the ultimate survivor has been a strong attraction to the horror for me.

But, what I didn’t realize growing up was all these survivors were White. Seeing only one type of person rise, builds blocks within people’s minds, it causes them to think that surviving is a trait only in one race, which is far from the truth. The Black community (Black Women for sure) has survival built into their DNA. History has shown us that overcoming great odds is something Black people have always done.

Being that I couldn’t find the final girls I was looking for (There are some don’t get me wrong and they are amazing), I set out to create them. I want to produce Black heroes who overcome world-shattering events and rise above them. My goal is for people to say Catherine Briggs’ name in the same breath as they say, Sidney Prescott and Laurie Strode. It’s my mission to change horror so that my children can look at it and see themselves as survivors.

Random Facts:

I love The Golden Girls

I’m married and have one amazing little monster

I hate the snow

My Top Five Movies Are:

Scream, Candyman, Day of The Dead, Train To Busan & Mulan

Reviews

[Contentmo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the Briggs Boys!
They're funny and flawed and oh so human...as they battle the undead. Humor, scares, and suspense all rolled into one great zombie fest.

[Livvy · Rating 5 out of 5]

We get to follow cath husband Robert plus He's brother and son on their journey fighting zombies and humans along the way trying to find his wife and getting a doctor to CDC. It was a crazy ride all the way to the very end!

[BookzBookzBookz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one was good. The Briggs boys are the Sam and Dean of zombies. Well maybe they’re not the Winchester’s but this book was fun, funny and entertaining.

I enjoyed the brief flashbacks that filled you in on the characters and I liked Robert and even silly Peter.

[Plus Size Bibliophile · Rating 4 out of 5]

So much YES!!!! Fans of Z-Nation and Black Summer rejoice. This gave that vibe for sure. However, the characters were unique, funny, sexy, badass, and enduring. This was a quick, bloody, witty, action-packed kick off to a new zombie series.

From what I understand the Lead in the Planet Dead series is a badass FMC named Catherine. This is the story of the loved ones she's separated from.

Sylvester did a fantastic job laying the foundation for this zombie infested America. The characters had depth. Shout out to Mrs. Wilson the likable racist who gave Michael Rooker vibes, you know if he was a senior citizen.

I can't wait to continue this series!  

[Veronica ☠️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

These Briggs Boys can do no wrong!

The Briggs Boys, Robert and Peter, are trying to survive zombies and find safety. Robert also has his son Jordan to keep alive while the world is falling apart.

They meet some help along the way...but it's not the "help" they thought. This was so action packed and SO well written, I couldn't put it down. It bares the question..who can you trust when zombies are taking over the world? I cannot wait to continue the Planet Dead series! If you love zombies then this world is a must read!

[Michael Keller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amusing wordplay and the beginning of a great storyline!

The Briggs Boys are loose in the zompoc! Pity the undead! A soldier, his young son, and a loser brother who may turn out to have some skills. The three are determined to survive and I'd kinda like to see them do that! It's going to be a bumpy ride! I'm going to hitch my wagon behind them and travel their road for a bit. Should be a helluva ride!

[Hayley Surabian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun book to read! Not only does it have one of my absolute FAVORITE things to read about (zombies and apocalypse), but it also has humor thrown in here and there. Sylvester does a fantastic job of combining horror with humor and family bonds. If you are looking for a quick read that is packed with lots of action then this is the book for you! I look forward to reading the rest of the series and have high hopes that they will be just as awesome as this one was 🖤

[Ash Readz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always love a good apocalypse read. I loved the comedy within some of the characters. For me I feel like I was left wanting so much more to the Briggs story because I really liked it. Novellas never leave much time for character building and I could definitely indulge in more of this story as it is such a complex plot! I am looking forward to reading any connected writings in this authors universe !

[DA · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic!

The story starts off running right from page one and doesn't stop until the end. Plenty of action, plenty of well developed characters, plenty of zombies (the super scary fast kind) and just enough humor to take the edge off.
Robert and Peter have such a great sibling dynamic it's hard for me to grasp that they aren't real people. A wonderful zompoc story with heart and soul.

[Jorvik Zuleika · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emotional, Gritty, and Unforgettable

Planet Dead is a powerful mix of zombie horror, dark humor, and raw emotion. Catherine Briggs is a fierce, relatable heroine you can’t help but root for a Black mother and soldier fighting through hell to find her family. The action is intense, the characters feel real, and the story never lets up. A refreshing, heartfelt twist on the zombie genre.

[Sharon Hendrix · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super short story!!

I love the Briggs boys!
I wish I could have known more about mama but hey, Sylvester hit the good points with her.
Great action, good dialog…all in all a winner!

[Ginny Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm hooked on this series!

If you love zombies, this is a great read for you. There's blood, guts, drama and suspense. Never a dull moment. I love how the back stories for the main characters are developed. And the foreshadowing was top tier.

[Ben Boven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of Action

A fast-paced read that serves as a great introduction to the world, in which there are three more books. The fight scenes are descriptive and specific. If you like apocalypse stories, you can't go wrong with this one; It hits all the marks without any of the fluff!

[Emily Haynes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Robert is trying to keep his son safe in the zombie apocalypse. His wife is missing somewhere in the madness. He goes home to his mother and brother Pete. Things get worse after they are kidnapped by a group of men. Can Robert save his family? Is there a cure? Action packed read.

[BarbaraH · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shoot

Short Zombie tale of two brothers and their son as the world goes bad. They are captured by military and need to get away.

[Donny Wagner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Read

I love the diversity in Mr. Harvey's books. I really enjoyed this book and am delighted to get more since it is a series!

[Paulette Waters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zombies

I really really enjoyed the book. I will be reading more of your books in the future.bi. Can't wait to read your next book. Keep up the good work..

[Nikki Johnson-tyner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good Read

Started off a little slow but as the plot developed I found myself more involved in the story and it got pretty good. Will now move on to the next book

[Meli · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book from the start! It was fast paced, full of drama and zombies! Did I mention zombies?! Heck yeah! I didn't want to put it down, I enjoyed the entire ride and the Briggs Boys!

[Geoff Bergman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book though i should have read in the right order

[Barbara Wilkans · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read

Again Sylvester Barzey has another must read book, lots of zombies, action and the love of two brother who always have each other's backs

[Elaine and Tess the Springer. I won’t be on GR for a bit. · Rating 1 out of 5]

I found it really difficult to read this book. I kept on turning the pages because I hate giving up but in hindsight, I should have left it alone.

[Chrystal Lee Stevens · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great addition to the Planet Dead Universe. I love when supporting characters get to take center stage in their own story.

[Nakia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've officially landed on Planet Dead. I can't wait to see how the Briggs Boys fare in this series, and I'm looking forward to the badass female heroines I've heard so much about.

[Shakira Eakins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Edge of your seat excitement

I loved everything about this book. It is such a great mixture of complex family relationships and nonstop excitement. Plus Black men as MCs!

[Monica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well I’m invested. Will definitely be reading the rest of this series.

[Kristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first experience reading Sylvester Barzey (I believe) and he did not disappoint!

This little novella is about a father, young son and uncle trying to survive a zombie apocalypse. The reader is dropped into the middle of all the chaos and experience the wild adventure the three go through.

I have been semi burnt out on zombie stories for awhile but this has reignited my love for the undead genre. THE BRIGGS BOYS has great dialogue and character interactions--so many times I laughed out loud. I think this is a great introduction to Barzey's writing and an option to dip your toe into this world to see if it's up your alley.

I also would highly recommend reading Barzey's author note at the end. It's great insight on having Black survivors in horror stories and rethinking what a "Final Girl" can look like. The need for more BIPOC characters is such an important thing needed in all genres, especially horror/fantasy.

Great story--Terrific writing.

4/5

[Ami · Rating 2 out of 5]

This could be much better if an editor and a proofreader acts decisively. It’s very disjointed and the spelling and grammatical errors drove me wild.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this ebook from the author and this is my honest and freely given opinion.