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A Thousand Miles to Nowhere: An Apocalypse Thriller
When a stranger shows up and infects almost everyone Matt Tanner knows with the zombie virus that destroyed the world fifteen years prior, he’s forced to make a flee with only a handful of survivors, or stay in the mountains and rebuild.
But when Matt discovers the stranger was carrying a letter addressed to him from someone he thought he’d never hear from again, he’s forced to reconcile demons from the past with the chance for a future with the brother he left behind.
Avoiding the withered zombies that roam the wastelands and the flesh-eating humans that stalk the night, Matt struggles to find the balance necessary to keep everyone alive and his own mind sane.
But when things go wrong and he watches friend after friend die, can he survive, or will the wastelands consume him, too?
But when Matt discovers the stranger was carrying a letter addressed to him from someone he thought he’d never hear from again, he’s forced to reconcile demons from the past with the chance for a future with the brother he left behind.
Avoiding the withered zombies that roam the wastelands and the flesh-eating humans that stalk the night, Matt struggles to find the balance necessary to keep everyone alive and his own mind sane.
But when things go wrong and he watches friend after friend die, can he survive, or will the wastelands consume him, too?
268 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 21, 2019
13 people are currently reading
101 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
June 17, 2020
I love a good zombie book that transcends the typical zombie narrative...a story that makes me feel something...a story that makes me root for the characters, not just their bloody flesh-ripping deaths at the hands of the undead.
At it's core, it is the story of Matt who, along with his group of zombie apocalypse survivors, traverses the ravaged country to attempt to reunite with his mother and his beloved brother. It's deeper than that though. There are deeply connected friendships, familiar bonds, drama, and even some romance throw in (don't worry, it's not much- I hate romance, and I would have given up if it was much more than an undercurrent). I love the addition of the pregnancy to give us all one final hope for humanity, even if all else becomes lost.
You're going to be punched in the feels more than once during your journey through this apocalyptic wasteland. There are plenty of bloody and gruesome zombie kills, and there is one particular scene in a police station that has been commandeered by some other survivors that had me so uncomfortable and squirming in my seat. I felt heartbroken, angry, hopeful, disgusted, fearful, intrigued, joyful, and shaken all within a span of nearly 300 pages.
Sometimes when I read zombie books, they seem to all follow the same prescribed and predictable events, but this one broke the zombie mold. I found the elements of the apocalypse to be original and not drawing too much from apocalypses past. This book is completely binge-worthy, and I think its readability transcends horror lovers.
**Thank you, David Curfiss for gifting me this copy in exchange for an honest review.**
At it's core, it is the story of Matt who, along with his group of zombie apocalypse survivors, traverses the ravaged country to attempt to reunite with his mother and his beloved brother. It's deeper than that though. There are deeply connected friendships, familiar bonds, drama, and even some romance throw in (don't worry, it's not much- I hate romance, and I would have given up if it was much more than an undercurrent). I love the addition of the pregnancy to give us all one final hope for humanity, even if all else becomes lost.
You're going to be punched in the feels more than once during your journey through this apocalyptic wasteland. There are plenty of bloody and gruesome zombie kills, and there is one particular scene in a police station that has been commandeered by some other survivors that had me so uncomfortable and squirming in my seat. I felt heartbroken, angry, hopeful, disgusted, fearful, intrigued, joyful, and shaken all within a span of nearly 300 pages.
Sometimes when I read zombie books, they seem to all follow the same prescribed and predictable events, but this one broke the zombie mold. I found the elements of the apocalypse to be original and not drawing too much from apocalypses past. This book is completely binge-worthy, and I think its readability transcends horror lovers.
**Thank you, David Curfiss for gifting me this copy in exchange for an honest review.**
April 11, 2020
If you are a fan of zombie apocalypse stories, then you will definitely enjoy this read. Reminiscent of The Walking Dead, there are lots of gripping moments of terror and gore. But that's not all. Curfiss includes realistic and poignant portrayals of human connection during this time of crisis (all thanks to big pharma--so believable, btw!). We experience the gamut of emotion the characters go through: the good, the bad, the ugly. I particularly enjoyed the romantic dynamics present in the novel and how they evolved. Without giving anything away, Curfiss does a good job tying everything up at the end and bringing the story full-circle. So grab your weapon of choice (or whatever's available) and find out if anyone makes it out alive...
March 22, 2020
I have not read a zombie novel since 2017. With the excellence of so many indie books coming out of late, it’s hard for me to keep caught up in everything I’ve wanted to read. I mean this in the best possible way. There’s truly amazing work coming out of the horror community. All. The. Time.
David Curfiss apocalypse novel ‘A Thousand Miles To Nowhere’ is of no exception to the latter statement. This is the book I haven’t heard of before but always needed to read. If your a fan of the zombie genre, this book has everything you could want. I can rank it amount my favorite zombie works. It’s right up there with The Walking Dead in its glory days for me.
We follow our main character Matt and his band of survivors. Who decide to travel with Matt in his cross-country trip to hopefully find his mother and brother. I enjoyed basically everything about this book. The action pieces are written greatly and there’s plenty of zombie kills. We have likable characters who we care about. There is loss and heartbreak. Downfalls and redemptions. This book checks all the zombie apocalypse boxes for me. The cover art is a recent favorite of mine also.
This book put David Curfiss on my favorites list and I will certainly be looking forward to his next release.
Thank you David for the review copy and thank you for your service to protect our country!
David Curfiss apocalypse novel ‘A Thousand Miles To Nowhere’ is of no exception to the latter statement. This is the book I haven’t heard of before but always needed to read. If your a fan of the zombie genre, this book has everything you could want. I can rank it amount my favorite zombie works. It’s right up there with The Walking Dead in its glory days for me.
We follow our main character Matt and his band of survivors. Who decide to travel with Matt in his cross-country trip to hopefully find his mother and brother. I enjoyed basically everything about this book. The action pieces are written greatly and there’s plenty of zombie kills. We have likable characters who we care about. There is loss and heartbreak. Downfalls and redemptions. This book checks all the zombie apocalypse boxes for me. The cover art is a recent favorite of mine also.
This book put David Curfiss on my favorites list and I will certainly be looking forward to his next release.
Thank you David for the review copy and thank you for your service to protect our country!
July 29, 2020
I've said it before and I'll say it again, I'm not a huge fan of zombie fiction. The tropes have been played out a thousand times and the genre, to me anyway, has grown boring and stale. Now after having said all that I am going to have to eat those words because A Thousand Miles to Nowhere by David Curfiss has reanimated my perspective on what zombie fiction can be when done well, and this one was done oh so well.
There are zombies here, obviously. The world has gone to ruin and we find ourselves in a post-apocalyptic setting. Those who still roam around not seeking out human flesh for their next meal struggle to survive in this savage world. It all sounds familiar so far right? Well, strip all those things away and at its core, what makes this book shine, is its focus on the people. The relationships and bonds they have forged in the fires of hardship and survival. It is the human relationships, the comradery, the sacrifices that these people are willing to make for their family that sets this book crawling to the top of the corpse pile. This book isn't about what caused the outbreak or trying to find a cure. We are thrown into the story fifteen years after the world fell apart. The focus here is smaller, it feels more intimate. The day to day, the hour by hour, the minute by minute survival of our characters as they hold onto all that is dear.
I'll touch on the zombies for just a moment. They are important and do play a role, but they serve more as the backdrop and a plot device to propel the story forward at times rather than being the star of the show. I enjoyed Curfiss' take on zombies, mixing the fast zombies (think 28 Days Later) known here as ragers with your more typical slow rambling zombie known as withered. Having different classes of zombies present in the story made for a more thrilling experience as you never knew what our characters might encounter just behind the next door.
Now let's talk about the main attraction here, the characters. We follow Matt and a small group or survivors, no not group, a small family of survivors. Our characters are more than just a group of people thrown together by circumstance. They are a family. There is more to family than just blood. This is brotherhood and sisterhood. They have a trust and a love for one another. You as the reader get attached to the characters. You feel as if you are a part of this family. I don't think it's a spoiler to say that there is a body count here, being the type of book this is it is something you expect going in but that doesn't lessen the blow when those deaths come.
Matt and his family are fleeing across the wastelands after their home, their community was recently destroyed from within by an infected stranger. As they traverse this dangerous landscape Matt is forced to make life and death decisions. Decisions that may save those he cares about most or put them directly in harm's way. These decisions, this burden weighs heavily on Matt's conscience. Being responsible for the lives of others is a tough cross to bear, especially when a wrong choice ends in death. Every tough decision he is forced to make is another crack in his psyche, and before long anyone under that kind of pressure is bound to shatter. We get to watch and see if Matt gives in or if he can pick up the pieces and put the jigsaw puzzle back together.
One last thing I wanted to mention is the human threat. The zombies are all well and good but the scariest monsters are those other humans. The depraved and the insane. Those who fell down the well of madness and have no hope of ever climbing out again. The scenes where humanity is pitted against itself were some of the most chilling moments in the book.
Full of love and loss. Fear and regret, A Thousand Miles to Nowhere by David Curfiss is overflowing with primal human emotions. An utterly bleak tale of survival and sheltering the last flickering flames of hope before they are snuffed out and the final shreds of humanity are plunged into darkness. I highly recommend checking this one out, even if you are not a huge zombie fan like myself. This one is more than just a zombie story. This book has a strong beating heart and the zombies just happen to be the backdrop. I don't think you will be disappointed.
I received a free audiobook code from the author.
Video review: https://youtu.be/M5pFv1l1cq8
There are zombies here, obviously. The world has gone to ruin and we find ourselves in a post-apocalyptic setting. Those who still roam around not seeking out human flesh for their next meal struggle to survive in this savage world. It all sounds familiar so far right? Well, strip all those things away and at its core, what makes this book shine, is its focus on the people. The relationships and bonds they have forged in the fires of hardship and survival. It is the human relationships, the comradery, the sacrifices that these people are willing to make for their family that sets this book crawling to the top of the corpse pile. This book isn't about what caused the outbreak or trying to find a cure. We are thrown into the story fifteen years after the world fell apart. The focus here is smaller, it feels more intimate. The day to day, the hour by hour, the minute by minute survival of our characters as they hold onto all that is dear.
I'll touch on the zombies for just a moment. They are important and do play a role, but they serve more as the backdrop and a plot device to propel the story forward at times rather than being the star of the show. I enjoyed Curfiss' take on zombies, mixing the fast zombies (think 28 Days Later) known here as ragers with your more typical slow rambling zombie known as withered. Having different classes of zombies present in the story made for a more thrilling experience as you never knew what our characters might encounter just behind the next door.
Now let's talk about the main attraction here, the characters. We follow Matt and a small group or survivors, no not group, a small family of survivors. Our characters are more than just a group of people thrown together by circumstance. They are a family. There is more to family than just blood. This is brotherhood and sisterhood. They have a trust and a love for one another. You as the reader get attached to the characters. You feel as if you are a part of this family. I don't think it's a spoiler to say that there is a body count here, being the type of book this is it is something you expect going in but that doesn't lessen the blow when those deaths come.
Matt and his family are fleeing across the wastelands after their home, their community was recently destroyed from within by an infected stranger. As they traverse this dangerous landscape Matt is forced to make life and death decisions. Decisions that may save those he cares about most or put them directly in harm's way. These decisions, this burden weighs heavily on Matt's conscience. Being responsible for the lives of others is a tough cross to bear, especially when a wrong choice ends in death. Every tough decision he is forced to make is another crack in his psyche, and before long anyone under that kind of pressure is bound to shatter. We get to watch and see if Matt gives in or if he can pick up the pieces and put the jigsaw puzzle back together.
One last thing I wanted to mention is the human threat. The zombies are all well and good but the scariest monsters are those other humans. The depraved and the insane. Those who fell down the well of madness and have no hope of ever climbing out again. The scenes where humanity is pitted against itself were some of the most chilling moments in the book.
Full of love and loss. Fear and regret, A Thousand Miles to Nowhere by David Curfiss is overflowing with primal human emotions. An utterly bleak tale of survival and sheltering the last flickering flames of hope before they are snuffed out and the final shreds of humanity are plunged into darkness. I highly recommend checking this one out, even if you are not a huge zombie fan like myself. This one is more than just a zombie story. This book has a strong beating heart and the zombies just happen to be the backdrop. I don't think you will be disappointed.
I received a free audiobook code from the author.
Video review: https://youtu.be/M5pFv1l1cq8
May 20, 2020
First things first; I received a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
I've tried writing this review several times. Starting, reading and deciding I was being too harsh then beginning again only to decide I was being too lenient. A Thousand Miles to Nowhere was a difficult book to get through, not as difficult as many, but certainly not the gripping read I would have expected from a apocalyptic book of survival.
Let me start with what I liked about the book. Author David Curfiss has a good handle on dialogue and for the most part the exchanges flows back and forth between the characters without too much of a hitch, even presenting what could have been uneven bits of verbal exposition without it feeling too contrived and the characters themselves are a broad enough group and portrayed as nicely distinct from one another.
The story carries a rather large group of protagonists so keeping each with a distinct voice and character illustrates that Curfuss seemed to have a good handle on who they were and had done some good work not allowing them to infringe on each others territory.
Personally I tend not to like large casts so this was something I appreciated greatly, never did I get confused between characters with superficially similar characteristics or get myself muddled as to each of their motivations or reactions. This made the journey a far more pleasant one than it might have been without such careful effort.
Scene settings were also equally well conceived, not bogging down the pace with unnecessary description or geographical scene-setting and relying instead on the characters themselves to provide understanding of the surrounding through their actions. I tend to appreciate nicely detailed descriptions of the world the characters inhabit, but I didn't miss this while working my way through A Thousand Miles to Nowhere, which I think illustrates that Curfuss managed to provide what was necessary for me to get what I needed without me noticing his scene-setting frugality in the process.
Unfortunately for me it wasn't all good.
There is a difference between showing a characters emotional side and allowing them to wallow and whine in it; and for me A Thousand Miles to Nowhere allows just that. I quickly became tired of hearing the lead character blame himself for things that were not even remotely his fault. He appeared to be a character living in the distant past of an emotional child rather than a hard-nosed soldier of the future; this made me wonder why anyone would listen to his guidance, I don't think I would.
Ultimately the characters inner-world wasn't interesting enough to offset the meandering storyline. Either A Thousand Miles to Nowhere needed to have a stronger story or it needed a stronger internal narrative for its lead. I've read many novels where the story was entirely character led, novels with little or no plot which relied solely on the fascination the reader had with the protagonists (or antagonists); and in truth this my favourite approach. But the lead of A Thousand Miles to Nowhere spends all his ruminating on self-recrimination, hate or a personal death wish and none on the varied and obviously positive values of those around him, even when one of his friends reveals they are pregnant our hero shows no interest.
If I were trapped in a hellish future with this man I'd take the first opportunity to put a bullet in his head, not out of hatred or irritation of his self-obsession, but because it would ultimately be a kindness to all concerned. This is what - for me at least - led to the books failure in spite of the many achievements of its author, as its hard to get past the simple fact that I wanted the lead character to die almost as soon as I met him.
Would I read something else by David Curfiss? Yeah, I think I probably would because, in my view at least, the prose he produces is pretty good taken line-by-line and if he hadn't concerned himself with the inner-emotions of his characters (or produced inner-emotions that weren't so defeatist and self-obsessed) he would've probably produced a book I would've enjoyed quite a lot.
It seems to me that a book has to concern itself with plot-driven story or character-driven story, and if its plot-driven you need a compelling plot and if its character-driven its needs compelling characters. Unfortunately, in my opinion at least, A Thousand Miles to Nowhere has neither.
Please bear in mind that my opinion seems to be in the (vast) minority on this one, so there's a good chance I am simply not "getting it"; so I guess if the reviews you read interest you then you should find a copy and see for yourself, which - in truth - I would always think would be the correct course of action.
I mean; the only review that matters is your own, and the only person who knows what you might like or not is you. So if you got this far in my review you should probably see for yourself, you wouldn't want to miss out on your next favourite author if I'm wrong would you?
I've tried writing this review several times. Starting, reading and deciding I was being too harsh then beginning again only to decide I was being too lenient. A Thousand Miles to Nowhere was a difficult book to get through, not as difficult as many, but certainly not the gripping read I would have expected from a apocalyptic book of survival.
Let me start with what I liked about the book. Author David Curfiss has a good handle on dialogue and for the most part the exchanges flows back and forth between the characters without too much of a hitch, even presenting what could have been uneven bits of verbal exposition without it feeling too contrived and the characters themselves are a broad enough group and portrayed as nicely distinct from one another.
The story carries a rather large group of protagonists so keeping each with a distinct voice and character illustrates that Curfuss seemed to have a good handle on who they were and had done some good work not allowing them to infringe on each others territory.
Personally I tend not to like large casts so this was something I appreciated greatly, never did I get confused between characters with superficially similar characteristics or get myself muddled as to each of their motivations or reactions. This made the journey a far more pleasant one than it might have been without such careful effort.
Scene settings were also equally well conceived, not bogging down the pace with unnecessary description or geographical scene-setting and relying instead on the characters themselves to provide understanding of the surrounding through their actions. I tend to appreciate nicely detailed descriptions of the world the characters inhabit, but I didn't miss this while working my way through A Thousand Miles to Nowhere, which I think illustrates that Curfuss managed to provide what was necessary for me to get what I needed without me noticing his scene-setting frugality in the process.
Unfortunately for me it wasn't all good.
There is a difference between showing a characters emotional side and allowing them to wallow and whine in it; and for me A Thousand Miles to Nowhere allows just that. I quickly became tired of hearing the lead character blame himself for things that were not even remotely his fault. He appeared to be a character living in the distant past of an emotional child rather than a hard-nosed soldier of the future; this made me wonder why anyone would listen to his guidance, I don't think I would.
Ultimately the characters inner-world wasn't interesting enough to offset the meandering storyline. Either A Thousand Miles to Nowhere needed to have a stronger story or it needed a stronger internal narrative for its lead. I've read many novels where the story was entirely character led, novels with little or no plot which relied solely on the fascination the reader had with the protagonists (or antagonists); and in truth this my favourite approach. But the lead of A Thousand Miles to Nowhere spends all his ruminating on self-recrimination, hate or a personal death wish and none on the varied and obviously positive values of those around him, even when one of his friends reveals they are pregnant our hero shows no interest.
If I were trapped in a hellish future with this man I'd take the first opportunity to put a bullet in his head, not out of hatred or irritation of his self-obsession, but because it would ultimately be a kindness to all concerned. This is what - for me at least - led to the books failure in spite of the many achievements of its author, as its hard to get past the simple fact that I wanted the lead character to die almost as soon as I met him.
Would I read something else by David Curfiss? Yeah, I think I probably would because, in my view at least, the prose he produces is pretty good taken line-by-line and if he hadn't concerned himself with the inner-emotions of his characters (or produced inner-emotions that weren't so defeatist and self-obsessed) he would've probably produced a book I would've enjoyed quite a lot.
It seems to me that a book has to concern itself with plot-driven story or character-driven story, and if its plot-driven you need a compelling plot and if its character-driven its needs compelling characters. Unfortunately, in my opinion at least, A Thousand Miles to Nowhere has neither.
Please bear in mind that my opinion seems to be in the (vast) minority on this one, so there's a good chance I am simply not "getting it"; so I guess if the reviews you read interest you then you should find a copy and see for yourself, which - in truth - I would always think would be the correct course of action.
I mean; the only review that matters is your own, and the only person who knows what you might like or not is you. So if you got this far in my review you should probably see for yourself, you wouldn't want to miss out on your next favourite author if I'm wrong would you?
April 7, 2020
An impressive zompoc novel packing some real emotional punches throughout and likable characters.
It seems like I say this a lot when I review a zombie book, but it's still generally true (since there are so many of them out there): I generally am not into zombie fiction. That said (again, lol) I DO still read some of it, and I DO still come across some real gems in the subgenre. A THOUSAND MILES TO NOWHERE is certainly one of the gems.
There are plenty of battles with the undead here, but the bulk of the book doesn't focus on that, nor does it only focus on a small group of survivors scavenging and avoiding the zombies (though that occurs too). This one focuses mostly around Matt, and his psychological struggles from both his past and present, the weight of everything bearing down on him whether it was in his control or not. This internal struggle is central to the story, and it was a fascinating study, well-written and believable. To find something of this depth in a genre famous for stench and gore was a real breath of fresh air, and I found myself wanting more.
Another great aspect to this one is the inclusion of a pregnant woman and her baby, which really heightened the suspense in the final act and lead to some emotionally horrifying moments during the climax. Curfiss never pulled a punch, but I never felt like anything was gratuitous either. Again, hats off on the superb writing here.
This has all the standard fare zompoc aficionados look for, plenty of action and gore, but it is elevated by it's well-drawn characters and superior writing in general. Had this one come out back around the turn of the century, it may well be known as the quintessential zompoc book instead of Brian Keene's THE RISING. Very different books, but this one was on par.
Recommended to any fan of horror, and even those looking for a psychological drama, providing you're cool with the zombie apocalypse as the backdrop. Bravo!
It seems like I say this a lot when I review a zombie book, but it's still generally true (since there are so many of them out there): I generally am not into zombie fiction. That said (again, lol) I DO still read some of it, and I DO still come across some real gems in the subgenre. A THOUSAND MILES TO NOWHERE is certainly one of the gems.
There are plenty of battles with the undead here, but the bulk of the book doesn't focus on that, nor does it only focus on a small group of survivors scavenging and avoiding the zombies (though that occurs too). This one focuses mostly around Matt, and his psychological struggles from both his past and present, the weight of everything bearing down on him whether it was in his control or not. This internal struggle is central to the story, and it was a fascinating study, well-written and believable. To find something of this depth in a genre famous for stench and gore was a real breath of fresh air, and I found myself wanting more.
Another great aspect to this one is the inclusion of a pregnant woman and her baby, which really heightened the suspense in the final act and lead to some emotionally horrifying moments during the climax. Curfiss never pulled a punch, but I never felt like anything was gratuitous either. Again, hats off on the superb writing here.
This has all the standard fare zompoc aficionados look for, plenty of action and gore, but it is elevated by it's well-drawn characters and superior writing in general. Had this one come out back around the turn of the century, it may well be known as the quintessential zompoc book instead of Brian Keene's THE RISING. Very different books, but this one was on par.
Recommended to any fan of horror, and even those looking for a psychological drama, providing you're cool with the zombie apocalypse as the backdrop. Bravo!
June 9, 2020
I love a hero named ‘Matt’ and here we have a dude named Matt Tanner who eats the infected / reanimated dead for breakfast (not literally) and still has time for some emotional burnout on the side…
This is a bad time for humanity – yes even worse than the Covid-19 nightmare of 2020… A man-made virus (we were looking to become immortal – when will we learn?) has turned most of the population into zombies and only a few groups of ragtag survivors find themselves left as mankind’s last best hopes.
Curfiss is a sick doggy (and I mean that as a compliment) bringing enough new nasty scenarios to prevent this being just another Walking Dead knock off. He’s also clued up on military hardware so expect realistic gunfights where you’ll likely learn about the weapons being used as much as the people on each end of them.
In this quality zombie-em-up, it’s not just the shuffling ‘withered’ who are the problem – angry newly ‘Ragers’ are much to be feared – especially if they were people who meant something to you…
Matt isn’t alone in this apocalyptic horror show – his fire team includes Steve and Tara, who bring some welcome banter and cover fire. The conversations in the rare moments of downtime between the violent action scenes.
The plotting has nods to classics of the genre like Kirkman’s Walking Dead, Brooks’ World War Z and some of the isolation if not vampires from Matheson’s I Am Legend – I also got flavour from my fav zombie book ‘The Girl With All The Gifts’ by Mike Carey, I had the honour of being one of the ‘Hungries’ in the film version and even though we knew it was just makeup and ‘acting’, on set it was often an eerie place to be.
Curfiss writes with a lean, readable and detailed style that evolves the relationship between characters in a way that makes the losses when they come more impactful. There is a building sense of bleakness and a well-captured sense of just how close humanity is to going out… Even a pregnancy dynamic that you’ll cling to as a possible source of reprieve can’t make this a feel-good read!?
If you’re looking for a novel that will get under your skin and leave you with lots to chew over (like a still-warm limb torn from one of the living) - this is definitely a zombie tale to consider...
This is a bad time for humanity – yes even worse than the Covid-19 nightmare of 2020… A man-made virus (we were looking to become immortal – when will we learn?) has turned most of the population into zombies and only a few groups of ragtag survivors find themselves left as mankind’s last best hopes.
Curfiss is a sick doggy (and I mean that as a compliment) bringing enough new nasty scenarios to prevent this being just another Walking Dead knock off. He’s also clued up on military hardware so expect realistic gunfights where you’ll likely learn about the weapons being used as much as the people on each end of them.
In this quality zombie-em-up, it’s not just the shuffling ‘withered’ who are the problem – angry newly ‘Ragers’ are much to be feared – especially if they were people who meant something to you…
Matt isn’t alone in this apocalyptic horror show – his fire team includes Steve and Tara, who bring some welcome banter and cover fire. The conversations in the rare moments of downtime between the violent action scenes.
The plotting has nods to classics of the genre like Kirkman’s Walking Dead, Brooks’ World War Z and some of the isolation if not vampires from Matheson’s I Am Legend – I also got flavour from my fav zombie book ‘The Girl With All The Gifts’ by Mike Carey, I had the honour of being one of the ‘Hungries’ in the film version and even though we knew it was just makeup and ‘acting’, on set it was often an eerie place to be.
Curfiss writes with a lean, readable and detailed style that evolves the relationship between characters in a way that makes the losses when they come more impactful. There is a building sense of bleakness and a well-captured sense of just how close humanity is to going out… Even a pregnancy dynamic that you’ll cling to as a possible source of reprieve can’t make this a feel-good read!?
If you’re looking for a novel that will get under your skin and leave you with lots to chew over (like a still-warm limb torn from one of the living) - this is definitely a zombie tale to consider...
May 26, 2021
This is deep, tense, tragic, and beautifully horrific. This is a zombie story, a survival story, a story of regret and guilt.
Trudging across the U.S. -Matt, Tara, Steve, Greg, and other survivors search for Matt’s younger brother trying to avoid zombie hoards and living human cannibals.
Really, this book is about so much more. It is about consequences and living with choices that you made, it just happens to be set in a zombie world. The story can be applied to many life situations, from being in the armed forces in a war zone, to being in a hostile work environment. Okay, maybe that is too much, but any situation where it seems like every decision is wrong and you are attacked from all sides.
Read this book and be prepared
Trudging across the U.S. -Matt, Tara, Steve, Greg, and other survivors search for Matt’s younger brother trying to avoid zombie hoards and living human cannibals.
Really, this book is about so much more. It is about consequences and living with choices that you made, it just happens to be set in a zombie world. The story can be applied to many life situations, from being in the armed forces in a war zone, to being in a hostile work environment. Okay, maybe that is too much, but any situation where it seems like every decision is wrong and you are attacked from all sides.
Read this book and be prepared
May 6, 2020
This was a hell of a lot better than I thought it was going to be. If I'm being honest, if it hadn't been for a good friend of mine gifting it to me on audible, I never would've given it a chance.
A zombie apocalypse story wouldn't be my choice of reading at the moment. And if it was a cover buy, I would have skipped it for that reason, too.
But that's where the negative comments end because I thoroughly enjoyed it.
There's loads to like, and Neill Thorne does a fantastic job with the narration.
The coffee shop scene was a real standout for me. I thought it unfolded beautifully. Well, in an ugly kind of way, but it was just so well written. In fact the whole book is really well written. I had an absolute blast with it.
The background of how the apocalypse began was cool too, with the drug: THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH.
I can't really fault it. Like I say it was a blast from start to finish. Never a dull moment.
I kept thinking the pace was bound to slow down, or zombie up, like The Walking Dead. Man, did the show get slower than a week in the jail or what? But no, it never came to that. It was always engaging.
Definitely recommend this one.
Audiobook all the way.
4.5 rounded to 5.
Thanks for gifting me this, Kevin.
Great choice.
Go check out his Kevin's YouTube channel.
He knows his books.
Search for Well Read Beard.
He'll steer you right.
A zombie apocalypse story wouldn't be my choice of reading at the moment. And if it was a cover buy, I would have skipped it for that reason, too.
But that's where the negative comments end because I thoroughly enjoyed it.
There's loads to like, and Neill Thorne does a fantastic job with the narration.
The coffee shop scene was a real standout for me. I thought it unfolded beautifully. Well, in an ugly kind of way, but it was just so well written. In fact the whole book is really well written. I had an absolute blast with it.
The background of how the apocalypse began was cool too, with the drug: THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH.
I can't really fault it. Like I say it was a blast from start to finish. Never a dull moment.
I kept thinking the pace was bound to slow down, or zombie up, like The Walking Dead. Man, did the show get slower than a week in the jail or what? But no, it never came to that. It was always engaging.
Definitely recommend this one.
Audiobook all the way.
4.5 rounded to 5.
Thanks for gifting me this, Kevin.
Great choice.
Go check out his Kevin's YouTube channel.
He knows his books.
Search for Well Read Beard.
He'll steer you right.
April 29, 2020
We begin with your typical apocalyptic zombie tale. The intro is a bit confusing. A man infected with the virus that spawned the apocalypse fifteen years ago is found outside an Army camp and brought inside for medical attention. Well, we know what happens, and this ignites the apocalypse all over again. Really? I guess it doesn’t matter. The infected does possess another secret though… The story focuses on Matt, a soldier who suffers from a guilty conscience. Separated from his younger brother years ago, not knowing where he is or if he’s still alive. The guilt follows Matt, affecting every aspect of his life, and unfortunately the lives of others around him. Throughout the story, via family, friends, acquaintances, and hordes of zombies, we witness what can become of one that loses his way. If they learned anything, it’s that nothing can withstand the will of the world. We conclude with a shoutout to Moses. I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
October 19, 2020
A Thousand Miles To Nowhere, authored by David Curfiss, was a birthday buy for myself that I chose after listening to a YouTube review by Well Read Beard; his no-nonsense review helped push it from a maybe to a must buy. Zombies have been a favorite horror sub-genre of mine from all the way back to the beginning of my horror addiction introduction. I remember sitting frozen on my couch after viewing Night Of The Living Dead for the first time, convinced I would see shambling shadows cross my wall as the dead came to get me.
I rated this 5 stars.
I think the zombie is a versatile creature to use in fiction; rate of infection, zombie speed, how they break down, intelligence, strength, the list goes on. These can be adjusted or created anew by the author for their story, and it gives such a rich field to pick from when reading. This work focused on a less explored aspect: life where zombies are never going away, food and water supplies ever dwindling, and being without fear is a long lost memory. Many people can give you their plan for a zombie outbreak, but what next? I’ll admit growing up and reading/watching zombie horror, I never really gave much thought to what happened...later, if no equilibrium is met. Romero’s movies moved along the same road, so in that way I could imagine a world where zombies stayed but other than that, I didn’t worry about it, finished the movie, closed the book and the story ended. How would one feel after a decade of living in this type of environment? Always being on guard, seeing people you love turning, having to fight for shelter or food, never ending, on and on…..
What kind of person would you be after that long? Medication is going to expire, so even if you were able to medicate for a number of illnesses, that will dry out. I just imagine myself being too exhausted to continue, way before the decade mark. I have depression, I take medication and I would not want to be without it, trying to keep calm and navigating zombies. I would be a liability at some point. Even if you were pretty stable before, I can only imagine that seeing death and having to deal death in the wake of a zombie apocalypse would give some heavy PTSD. Human interaction would be pretty hard, right? You wouldn’t just come across someone naturally, and trust barely earned, not freely given. Even if you were happy to see someone new, you would have to take into account several logistics before admitting them, just to have a great chance of it failing anyway, maybe taking down everyone. Thinking about all that, I feel how relentless the weight would be, how tired so many of the sporadic population would get of surviving, even if that was all they knew to do, and how dehumanizing isolation from larger groups it could be for those really struggling on their own.
I think that one fun thing about having a zombie preparedness plan is that you get to imagine yourself as someone’s hero, an apocalyptic survivor, someone who is going to help shape the new world when the dust settles. What I felt was unique to this novel was that we were shown a more realistic view, humans just trying to continue, wrinkles and all. No over the top masterminds, controlling armies to attack each other, with zombies as a backdrop to take out a loved one at peak emotional cost, though that has to be possible I guess. We were shown... us, getting up each day, trying to keep those we love together and safe, while not being at our best, being at the end of our ropes and still going. I found it a very moving novel to read through, while still moving at a fast clip.
I rated this 5 stars.
I think the zombie is a versatile creature to use in fiction; rate of infection, zombie speed, how they break down, intelligence, strength, the list goes on. These can be adjusted or created anew by the author for their story, and it gives such a rich field to pick from when reading. This work focused on a less explored aspect: life where zombies are never going away, food and water supplies ever dwindling, and being without fear is a long lost memory. Many people can give you their plan for a zombie outbreak, but what next? I’ll admit growing up and reading/watching zombie horror, I never really gave much thought to what happened...later, if no equilibrium is met. Romero’s movies moved along the same road, so in that way I could imagine a world where zombies stayed but other than that, I didn’t worry about it, finished the movie, closed the book and the story ended. How would one feel after a decade of living in this type of environment? Always being on guard, seeing people you love turning, having to fight for shelter or food, never ending, on and on…..
What kind of person would you be after that long? Medication is going to expire, so even if you were able to medicate for a number of illnesses, that will dry out. I just imagine myself being too exhausted to continue, way before the decade mark. I have depression, I take medication and I would not want to be without it, trying to keep calm and navigating zombies. I would be a liability at some point. Even if you were pretty stable before, I can only imagine that seeing death and having to deal death in the wake of a zombie apocalypse would give some heavy PTSD. Human interaction would be pretty hard, right? You wouldn’t just come across someone naturally, and trust barely earned, not freely given. Even if you were happy to see someone new, you would have to take into account several logistics before admitting them, just to have a great chance of it failing anyway, maybe taking down everyone. Thinking about all that, I feel how relentless the weight would be, how tired so many of the sporadic population would get of surviving, even if that was all they knew to do, and how dehumanizing isolation from larger groups it could be for those really struggling on their own.
I think that one fun thing about having a zombie preparedness plan is that you get to imagine yourself as someone’s hero, an apocalyptic survivor, someone who is going to help shape the new world when the dust settles. What I felt was unique to this novel was that we were shown a more realistic view, humans just trying to continue, wrinkles and all. No over the top masterminds, controlling armies to attack each other, with zombies as a backdrop to take out a loved one at peak emotional cost, though that has to be possible I guess. We were shown... us, getting up each day, trying to keep those we love together and safe, while not being at our best, being at the end of our ropes and still going. I found it a very moving novel to read through, while still moving at a fast clip.
March 28, 2020
A Thousand Miles to Nowhere by David Curfiss starts as zombie books usually begin: a small group of survivors are battling the undead. Everything is hopeless. There is just unrelenting sadness and despair. We learn about our main characters, about how the zombies came to be (with a nice dig at big pharma!) and just what the hell is going on. Matt, our leader, has received word that his mother and younger brother might be alive. What follows is the survivors’ journey across western America. Probably not the greatest idea during a zombie apocalypse, but here we go.
After a choppy beginning, these characters flesh out into people I found myself really caring about. They displayed all the feelings one would feel facing a pandemic of biblical proportions. The entire second half of this book becomes a tale of humanity, a tale of what makes people HUMAN. Will you be one to help selflessly in a time of need? Will you open your door to someone hurt? Will you lock your doors and protect yourself? How do you think you would handle the end of the world?
I believe that certain books find us when they are supposed to. I have never, ever taken this long to review a book sent for my opinion. This book though, man. It just worked that way. I read this book while recovering from what now seems eerily similar to COVID19. I am writing a review while in quarantine. I feel as hopeless as the characters I read about, I feel as trapped as them and I feel lost. What this book did, during this very very dark time was give me hope. And let’s be honest: if a book about zombies can give you HOPE, that’s a book you need to add to your tbr.
After a choppy beginning, these characters flesh out into people I found myself really caring about. They displayed all the feelings one would feel facing a pandemic of biblical proportions. The entire second half of this book becomes a tale of humanity, a tale of what makes people HUMAN. Will you be one to help selflessly in a time of need? Will you open your door to someone hurt? Will you lock your doors and protect yourself? How do you think you would handle the end of the world?
I believe that certain books find us when they are supposed to. I have never, ever taken this long to review a book sent for my opinion. This book though, man. It just worked that way. I read this book while recovering from what now seems eerily similar to COVID19. I am writing a review while in quarantine. I feel as hopeless as the characters I read about, I feel as trapped as them and I feel lost. What this book did, during this very very dark time was give me hope. And let’s be honest: if a book about zombies can give you HOPE, that’s a book you need to add to your tbr.
February 26, 2020
Not my usual story type but I liked it.
I’ll be honest I am not a zombie lover. I wasn’t sure I would like this book, I was not drawn to the grotesque cover, or the appeal of a zombie apocalypse story line. But it was recommended to me so I checked out the description just to get a feel for it. It sounded intriguing so I decided to give it a shot. Overall the storyline is well thought out and adds a different/new dimension to the typical zombie stories. Generally it’s pretty typical, the world is infected by zombies except a few certain people who are in a race for survival, they survive and defeat every zombie or they eventually die. But I have to say that I liked this storyline, it definitely isn’t the typical stereotypical zombie story which was nice. I would be curious to read more from this author, he did a good job creating a couple different storylines that wove in and out of each other skillfully.
I’ll be honest I am not a zombie lover. I wasn’t sure I would like this book, I was not drawn to the grotesque cover, or the appeal of a zombie apocalypse story line. But it was recommended to me so I checked out the description just to get a feel for it. It sounded intriguing so I decided to give it a shot. Overall the storyline is well thought out and adds a different/new dimension to the typical zombie stories. Generally it’s pretty typical, the world is infected by zombies except a few certain people who are in a race for survival, they survive and defeat every zombie or they eventually die. But I have to say that I liked this storyline, it definitely isn’t the typical stereotypical zombie story which was nice. I would be curious to read more from this author, he did a good job creating a couple different storylines that wove in and out of each other skillfully.
March 28, 2020
David Curfiss ‘A Thousand miles to nowhere’
A zombie apocalypse story. Sure. But so much more!
When Mr Curfiss offered to send me his novel ‘A Thousand miles to nowhere’ I was excited. Of course, who doesn’t like receiving cool looking/sounding books FOC!
However. If I’m being honest I wasn’t expecting much, but Christ on a fucking bike was I wrong!
It had a touch of Walking dead about it (the good bits) sure, but it is much more a story of family, love, heartache and survival mixed with some quite disturbing narrative -the creepy kid in the abandoned police station for example!
It’s an easy read, that, in my opinion gets better and better the closer to the story’s climax!
I will 100% be checking for David Curfiss in the future, and I recommend you do the same.
4/5 📚
A zombie apocalypse story. Sure. But so much more!
When Mr Curfiss offered to send me his novel ‘A Thousand miles to nowhere’ I was excited. Of course, who doesn’t like receiving cool looking/sounding books FOC!
However. If I’m being honest I wasn’t expecting much, but Christ on a fucking bike was I wrong!
It had a touch of Walking dead about it (the good bits) sure, but it is much more a story of family, love, heartache and survival mixed with some quite disturbing narrative -the creepy kid in the abandoned police station for example!
It’s an easy read, that, in my opinion gets better and better the closer to the story’s climax!
I will 100% be checking for David Curfiss in the future, and I recommend you do the same.
4/5 📚
December 28, 2019
Strongly recommended for fans of zombies... Very easy to read, great flow throughout the novel. Finished it in almost one sitting. Enjoyed the depth of the characters and their development throughout the story.
May 7, 2025
A fresh direction with the zombie genre that was needed. David delivers a story line where the characters have to deal with not just the threat of the living dead, but the environment, basic human needs, and people in general. Delivering a gruesome take on apocalyptic nightmare that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
May 5, 2021
This apocalyptic thriller is well written and has lots of surprises. The great writing style, character development and unique plot pulls you in and does not let go. Definitely not your typical zombie story. Very well done.
August 18, 2021
A Thousand Miles to Nowhere...what a debut. David Curfiss takes great pains in this post-apocalyptic tale to draw deep connections between the main players, as well as forging our own connections to the characters, before allowing tragedy and catastrophe befitting of the very best post-apocalyptic stories to tear its way across the narrative.
There are flavours of The Walking Dead sprinkled throughout this novel, as well as cues having been taken from other post-Romero contemporary zombie flicks such as 28 Days Later. The ordeal presented to us is one not only of the desperate clinging to physical survival, but also emotional.
And that’s where the core of A Thousand Miles to Nowhere lies: emotion. If you want a zombie survival-em-up less about shooting and screaming and grisly maulings (although you’ll find those here, too) and more about the straining threads of sanity as survivors struggle to find their way through a ruined world, then this one’s for you.
There are flavours of The Walking Dead sprinkled throughout this novel, as well as cues having been taken from other post-Romero contemporary zombie flicks such as 28 Days Later. The ordeal presented to us is one not only of the desperate clinging to physical survival, but also emotional.
And that’s where the core of A Thousand Miles to Nowhere lies: emotion. If you want a zombie survival-em-up less about shooting and screaming and grisly maulings (although you’ll find those here, too) and more about the straining threads of sanity as survivors struggle to find their way through a ruined world, then this one’s for you.
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