Review of Kody Boye’s “Sunrise”
Back in October of ’09, I wrote a review of Kody Boye’s Sunrise. Kody, who was under the age of eighteen when he wrote his book of the zombie apocalypse, clearly had talent, but his story was somewhat raw, which was something I expected from such a young man still learning his way in the world.
At that time, I stated that the criticism I would have of the story would go hand in hand with what I find appealing about his writing style: his youthful idealism and exuberance. He wrote of romance in the time of the world ending with a great deal of zeal and perhaps with what some might call immaturity, although when seen through the perspective of someone who was not yet an adult, the perceptions he had should be understandable.
Kody Boye has changed since then. Now, as an adult, he has taken the time to revisit his first novel and revise it in ways that are more in keeping with his increase in adult experiences and relationships. In its earlier version, I would have been very comfortable stating that the story was all about gay characters and their experiences during the zombie apocalypse. Now, with the revisions that Kody has made, I would say that this story is about the experiences a group of people have during the zombie apocalypse. Some of the characters are gay, and it remains a theme in this book, but while it remains a key part of Dakota and Jamie’s experiences and their existence as main characters, it doesn’t detract from a story of the apocalypse, of human relationships, and how people manage to not only survive, but to thrive during times of great peril and tragedy.
Essentially, this story starts out with Dakota, a boy who has just turned eighteen, hiding out with his friend Steve, an Iraqi war veteran, in Steve’s apartment in the weeks following the start of the zombie apocalypse. With their supplies running out, they are forced to find a way out of their town with hopes of finding a safe haven. They end up at a modified apartment complex with several members of the military and several civilians there, including Jamie, a corporal who forms an almost immediate bond with Dakota.
Several key characters are introduced and developed within the pages of this book, and much is revealed about them as they fight and struggle to survive the undead…and the unique, intriguing new creatures that appear later in the book that may or may not be a new hybrid creation.
Kody’s writing has matured, and while some of his youthful abandon and exuberance has perhaps disappeared on these pages, it has been replaced by a sure hand that understands more about how adult relationships work, grow, and evolve. No, how some of them evolve is perhaps not perfect, but nothing ever is. Some of the imagery Kody creates seems a bit extravagant here and there, though he does paint a vivid picture that allows you to feel that you are a part of the landscape he is creating.
Sunrise is a tale of the apocalypse, of relationships, and of the struggles we all face to find love, understanding, and a place to call home in a world filled with death and destruction. Kody Boye has matured as a writer and is someone to keep an eye on. I see great things in his future.
Sunrise can be found here: http://www.amazon.com/Sunrise-Kody-Boye/dp/1468149652/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1326921549&sr=8-1&tag=vig-20
“Live and Let Undead” is available on Amazon!
Live and Let Undead, an anthology with my tale “Legacy,” has been released and is now available over on Amazon. Just click the cover image and you’ll be heading over there so you can check it out for yourself.
I am really excited about this anthology. The story I wrote was truly inspired, and I wrote the first draft faster than any other story I’ve written. I loved the concept of this anthology: the idea of zombies not being the enemy, but being our domestic servants, much like you’ll find in the movie Fido. Of course, I suspect there were a lot of different takes on this particular concept. My story is certainly not what you might expect, or at least I hope not!
I think that any true zombie fan will love this one, and should give it a shot. Check out the description from the back cover, including the list of authors who contributed to this collection. I’m sure you’ll recognize a name or two on the list…or several.
The Zombie-pocalypse is real! Loved ones are returning from the grave in search of flesh and brains! Humans are running scared!
Aren’t they?
Here, rather than shooting them in the head, eighteen talented authors have figured out how to put the Undead to work. Zombies can now be contributing members to society once more.
Looking for some customer service help? ”Operators” from AM Burns, has just the call center crew for you. Need road repairs? Check out the workers in Mike Baretta’s “Memorial Day.” How about a solution for all those bombs, drugs, and other nasty stuff crossing through our seaports? Matt Adams’ Sparky can take care of it in “Sparky Save The World.”
These stories, and others, from authors-
Rebecca Snow
Keith Gouveia
Barry Rosenberg
Suzanne Robb
Patrick D’Orazio
Janet Tait
JW Schnarr
Brian Johnson
Steve Ruthenbeck
Daniel Robichaud
Brook Fabian
Jeff Chitty
HE Roulo
Peter Giglio
and
Eric Juneau
-will have you wishing for a zombie of your own.
Maybe…
Review of Suzanne Robb’s “Z-Boat”
Z-Boat tells the tale of the Betty Loo, an ancient heap of a submarine contracted out for search and rescue missions several decades in the future. The world has changed since the early part of the twenty first century, with massive pollution, tremendous political turmoil, deteriorating food and water supplies, and in general, a pretty messed up world. People do live longer and food is genetically enhanced, but large corporations run things along with the new superpowers: North Korea, Russia, and Israel. There is little in the way of freedom anymore, and the human race is starting to die out because food is losing its nutritional value and clean water is scarce. Missions to explore the depths of the ocean to find new solutions to the world’s energy and bio related problems are believed to be one of the few remaining hopes to the long term survival of the human race.
We are introduced to a decent sized cast of characters in this story: the members of the Betty Loo’s crew that have been with her for the long haul and the new members of the team who have signed on to join them for a search and rescue of a sub that is at a depth the Betty Loo has never gone to and perhaps can’t handle in her semi-decrepit state. It is clear almost immediately that virtually everyone who has been hired on for this mission has ulterior motives, and no one has any idea who to trust. No one really knows who has hired them for the operation, as that information is kept secret, even from the captain, though several grim facts have been shared with him that make him realize that this might be the last mission the Betty Loo ever undertakes.
The cast of characters is colorful, with several ranking high on the intrigue scale. Ally, the ship’s pilot with the cloudy past, is the captain’s right hand and is probably as close to a main character as this ensemble piece gets. Ivan, the newcomer who appears to be in charge of divulging information to the crew on a need to know basis, is an ominous presence along with the doctor and research scientist who have found their way onto this mission with him. Each has their own agenda, which the author doles out in bits and pieces as the story unfolds. The author also shares with the reader the perspective of virtually every character as key things happen, often switching from one to another rapidly to make us aware of some of the motivations that drive the different members of the crew, both new and old.
Oh yes, there are zombies in this tale, but this book is more of a thriller than a zombie story, with the gruesome gut-munchers not showing up until more than two-thirds through the book. When they do, they provide the level of gory entertainment that zombie fans crave. I didn’t see the build up to their reveal as a negative here-there was plenty to keep the plot rolling along in advance of their involvement, and even after they make their appearance, the elements that made the book a dark thriller remain in place.
Z-Boat was an ambitious undertaking. It blends elements of both horror and thriller effortlessly, and also gives the reader a solid perspective of life aboard a submarine without letting the technical details of such an experience become overwhelming (or boring!). We are given just the right amount of detail on the Betty Loo so we understand how she operates when things are working and when they are falling apart without feeling like we’ve read a technical manual. The twists and turns of the plot challenged me to keep up, but didn’t leave me scratching my head, which in some ways can be both a good and a bad thing. As I mentioned, the author reveals a great deal about each of the characters and what they’re thinking, so how they act and react doesn’t generate surprise or shock as we dig deeper into the story, which makes this one more of a thriller than a true mystery in my mind. Of course, the zombies themselves are always unpredictable and insert plenty of surprise into the story, giving us a pretty decent body count in cramped quarters-both on the mysterious vessel sitting on the bottom of the ocean waiting for rescue as well as the Betty Loo herself.
This was a fun read that kept me wondering how things would turn out from moment to moment, especially when the undead showed up and threw another wrench into the works for the crew just trying to survive each other as well as the constant array of mechanical problems the Betty Loo keeps having as she dives deeper and deeper into the dark depths of the ocean.
Z-Boat can be found here: http://www.amazon.com/Z-Boat-Suzanne-Robb/dp/1467945749/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1325460500&sr=1-1
Zombidays-Festivities of the Flesheaters, has been released!
This one was a long time coming, but I am thrilled to announce the release of the anthology, Zombidays, Fesitivities of the Flesheaters, from Library of the Living Dead. These stories revolve around the undead (naturally…er, I mean, unnaturally) with different holidays as the backdrop for each story (Ho! Ho!…Ho?). My story, “What A Fool Believes” has to do with…you guessed it: April Fool’s Day! Nothing better than prankster zombies!
This anthology is already up on Amazon, so check it out there. You can head on over by clicking on the picture below. I myself am looking forward to diving into all the different tales from a slew of great authors who know how to craft a good zombie story. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with mixing zombies with firecrackers, Halloween candy, or a few candy canes! Just shove an Easter Egg in to each of their eyes…it might not kill ‘em, but it’ll sure blind them!
So give it a look, and buy a few copies as stocking stuffers for Christmas…or even to give the kiddees rather than candy on that holiday coming up in a few days…but you better hurry if you wanna do that! But I would prepare for your house to be egged, because this book is full of tricks…well, and a few treats as well, heh.
Monster Librarian Reviews “Beyond The Dark”
Monster Librarian has been kind enough to review all three of my books since their release. I honestly am not sure how long ago they reviewed Beyond The Dark, but the website indicates that it is a new review, so hopefully not too long ago. Sometimes I miss these things as I continue to get older and forget to swing around and check out the different website out there I like to peruse on occasion. But it was worth the wait when you get comments like In a time when zombie novels seem to outnumber all the other types of horror stories out there, Beyond The Dark stands out. I have no problem recommending this book. And I have no problem urging you to check out the full review. Unfortunately, it either doesn’t have a direct link or I am too much of a goober to figure it out, but either way, you can head to their main page at http://www.monsterlibrarian.com/main_page.htm, click on the ‘Book Reviews’ header, then click on ‘Adult Horror Fiction’, then ‘Zombies’ and viola, you’re there!
Much thanks to Erik Smith, the reviewer assigned to check out all three of my books for Monster Librarian. I appreciate the time he took to check out the entire trilogy.
Living Dead Corner Reviews “Comes The Dark”
Mike Gardner, an up and coming zombie novelist in his own right, spent some time giving Comes The Dark a thorough, and honest review. I value reviews like this, because they find the good and the bad and speak genuinely about both, in a constructive fashion. I can always appreciate that, knowing that my books are far from perfect. So check out Mike’s great review here: http://livingdeadcorner.blogspot.com/p/living-dead-corner-reviews.html. Also, be on the look out for his reviews of the other two books in the trilogy, coming soon!
Monkey Faced Demon Blog reviews Beyond the Dark
For some odd reason, I thought Mr. Jonathan Moon had already reviewed Beyond The Dark and posted it. I think it’s because he did conduct a fun interview with me several months ago, and I guess I must have thought it was all rolled up into one particular segment. But as I get older, my head gets a bit mushy, so forgive me. So this review comes a bit later, but all the sweeter for it, since it is so very complimentary of the story. Like many reviewers, Jon digs the last installment in my trilogy, stating that it is the best of the three, which is always cool to hear for me, because I tend to agree. So without further ado, check out Mr. Moon’s review right here: http://mrmoonblogs.blogspot.com/2011/09/mr-moons-reviews-beyond-dark.html.
Cover for Live and Let Undead revealed.
Well, I was going to wait until the official wrap around cover was released, but I decided I didn’t want to. There will be a few more tweaks to this one, but I love the artwork, and love my story that appears within its pages. The title of the book is Live and Let Undead, and as the back cover describes, it is a bit of a different take on the traditional zombie apocalypse story telling. More details to come on this anthology, and my short story “Legacy” as it gets closer to a release date.
The Zombie-pocalypse is real! Loved ones are returning from the grave in search of flesh and brains! Humans are running scared!
Aren’t they?
Here, rather than shooting them in the head, eighteen talented authors have figured out how to put the Undead to work. Zombies can now be contributing members to society once more.
Looking for some customer service help? ”Operators” from AM Burns, has just the call center crew for you. Need road repairs? Check out the workers in Mike Baretta’s “Memorial Day.” How about a solution for all those bombs, drugs, and other nasty stuff crossing through our seaports? Matt Adams’ Sparky can take care of it in “Sparky Save The World.”
These stories, and others, from authors-
Rebecca Snow
Keith Gouveia
Barry Rosenberg
Suzanne Robb
Patrick D’Orazio
Janet Tait
JW Schnarr
Brian Johnson
Steve Ruthenbeck
Daniel Robichaud
Brook Fabian
Jeff Chitty
HE Roulo
Peter Giglio
and
Eric Juneau
-will have you wishing for a zombie of your own.
Maybe…
Rebecca Besser reviews Comes The Dark
Rebecca Besser, who has taken the time to interview me for her blog, has posted her review of Comes The Dark. For those of you not in the know, Rebecca is a very talented author in her own right, with a growing collection of tales to her name. On top of that, she is a damn fine editor to boot! I have the privilege of appearing with her in Collabthology and also in the Collaboration of the Dead, which is a single story told through the eyes of about twenty or so different authors, which is an ongoing project.
So I wanted to thank Rebecca for taking the time to check out my book, and can’t wait to see what she thinks of the second and third books in the trilogy as well. Check out the review here: http://www.rebeccabesser.com/rb_reviews_017.htm
Zombie Custodian…aka Matt Nord reviews Beyond the Dark
The Zombie Custodian was the first official reviewer of Comes The Dark and the first review I posted here on my blog. So it is fitting that I post his review of Beyond The Dark here as well. Matt really loved my first book, and I think Beyond The Dark crushed his hopes for a truly happy ending, but he seemed to appreciate the harsh realities that the book proposed. So check out his thorough and detailed review here: http://zombiecustodian.blogspot.com/2011/06/review-of-patrick-dorazios-beyond-dark.html. Thanks again to Matt for taking the time to check out the whole trilogy, and for being one of its most ardent supporters!
ZombieSlam gives us a double whammy review of Into The Dark and Beyond The Dark
Zombie Slam recently reviewed Comes The Dark, but decided to review the second and third books of the trilogy together, which was sort of cool. So check out their double dose review of Into The Dark and Beyond The Dark here: http://zombieslam.com/2011/06/the-dark-trilogy-ends/! Many thanks to Jessica Martin for checking out the trilogy and posting reviews so quickly. It is a pretty killer website, so keep an eye on these guys.
Night of the Living Podcast reviews Beyond The Dark
If you want to get a hilarious, entertaining review of Beyond The Dark that is not quite like the typical written review, then head on over to Night of the Living Podcast and download episode 231. At about the 38 minute mark, the review of Beyond The Dark starts, and from that point forward, things get crazy. My thanks to the folks at the podcast for checking all three of the books out and giving them the once over (and me too, with comments about my Italian heritage…but fuggedaboutit!). Special thanks to Amy for forging ahead with the review as the guys on the podcast do everything they can to derail the discussion. Again, they are hilarious over there. So check the review out and check them out in general on their website at: http://www.notlp.com/. WARNING: The podcast has adult content in it, so it isn’t necessarily work friendly and you might be careful if you have little kids around before you start listening. Okay, disclaimer over. Enjoy!
Zombieslam reviews Comes The Dark
It has been a while since I posted a review of Comes The Dark, but not that long ago I was approached by Jessica Martin, one of the people who runs Zombieslam, looking to review the trilogy. I was happy to obliged, and she now has all three books in her hands. It is sort of nice to revisit the first book in the trilogy, and getting a brand new perspective from someone just now checking it out. So here is the review. I am looking forward to seeing what she thinks of the other two books when she has the opportunity to read them as well. http://zombieslam.com/2011/06/comes-the-dark-by-patrick-dorazio/
Another Review! Sonar 4 Reviews Beyond The Dark
I must be missing a step here or there. I hadn’t seen the review of Beyond The Dark from Sonar 4 Landing Dock when it was first posted, so I am bringing attention to it now. My apologies for being a slow poke, but it is another one that really gave the most kudos to the third book in the trilogy. I know it sounds like a broken record, but please feel free to check it out for yourself…and if you need more encouragement to do so, here ya go: http://sonar4landingdockreviews.blogspot.com/2011/05/beyond-dark-by-patrick-dorazio-review.html
Buy Zombie reviews “Beyond The Dark”
Buy Zombie, which has been so kind as to review the first two books of The Dark Trilogy, has reviewed Beyond The Dark and the verdict was quite positive. The reviewer, who has some criticisms of my first two books (criticisms that I took well in stride, and appreciated his candor about his view of the books), really appears to be blown away by the third installment of the trilogy. Pretty much everyone who has read this book has declared it the best of the three, and as I have mentioned, I would toss my vote in with the rest. So without further ado, check out the review here: http://www.buyzombie.com/2011/06/13/reviews-of-zombie-related-things/beyond-the-dark-review/
