Deadly Dozen

ZOMBIES INSIDE by Rebecca Besser and Courtney Rene is a collection of twelve zombie stories by the two authors:

ADMIT ONE, UNDEAD - stupid teens wreck a carnival

THE WORLD OF ZOMBIES - a nod to a zombie classic

MY KIND OF WOMAN - a bad breakup

EVIL MOUNTAIN - mix of monsters

THE HEART OF HEROISM - special needs superhero vs zombies

HEROIC DREAMS - rescue of a sidekick

A DAY IN THE NEW WORLD - more like a moment in a dead world

TO WALK THE HALLS - extremely horrific

WHEN PLANS FAIL - a mother's difficult decision

HIGH PRICE FOR HOPE - a father's difficult decision

THE MAGIC OF CHRISTMAS - zombies at the North Pole

THE POWER OF A GIFT - the sequel to the previous story

Quite a range of stories for zombiephiles.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Harvesting the Dead

NURSE BLOOD by Rebecca Besser is the author's best work, and I don't say that lightly. She's written all kinds of stories ranging from zombie horror to science fiction. This time, Besser has combined suspense, horror and drama to create one hell of a crime thriller!

The story is told through multiple POVs, but mainly alternates between the FBI investigating dozens of missing person cases and a group of organ harvesters. Sonya has been with the group since day one, baiting and kidnapping victims, while Agent David is finally making headway in his twin brother's case. (Having the brothers be identical twins is a great detail!) Sonya's group are going after an entire family this time, and David is successfully connecting the puzzle pieces.

The dynamics of the harvesting group is better than any soap opera, with deadlier consequences when in-fighting begins. David's personal connection to the investigation reminds readers of how lives are destroyed, not saved, as Sonya often rationalizes. The ending is like a sudden drop after several wicked curves, and will likely have readers screaming long-after the ride is over.

I can't wait for the sequel!!

I am very excited to announce this week's prize is an autographed copy of NURSE BLOOD. To enter, just leave a comment below about this book/author/review. A winner will be chosen on Sunday, October 27th.

As always,
AstraDaemon

YA Science Fiction

HEART OF A SOLDIER by Rebecca Besser is a YA science fiction story about a couple falling in love, and risking their lives to help a loved one. Definitely a story for a younger audience. Besser has created such a fascinating setting, I think the author should consider writing a mini-series around the JMB.

FUELING A JOY RIDE is told through the POV of two young aliens stranded on Earth. The story is a bit of science fiction humor. Again, written for a younger audience.

While these stories are not what I'm used to reading by the author, they are a solid starting point for future fans. I recommend following up with the Re-Civilize novellas by Besser.

As always,
AstraDaemon

No Dice

HALL OF TWELVE by Rebecca Besser is one of her older short stories, but still a horrific thriller, with a mix of Lovecraft and science fiction. Readers experience Besser's nightmare through the eyes of a father who has come home to find a bloodbath within his home. He joins a group of his neighbors in an effort to find safety, dig up answers and exact revenge.

The Beings and their "pets" are easy to envision with the author's detailed imagery. While very little is revealed about the human survivors, readers will still be able to relate to the hopelessness of the new Hell on Earth. Never has a game of dice been so terrifying and demoralizing.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Liam Isn't Your Typical Farm Boy

Liam earned a full scholarship and escaped the small town of his birth. When his father passes away, he’s sucked back into the life he’d worked so hard to leave behind.

Reluctantly he leaves school and travels home to the farm he grew up on. The farm where working with his hands was worth more than the knowledge he garnered from the books he read to escape reality.

He tries to help his mother settle his father’s estate and plan the funeral despite her emotional guilty trips, but things go horribly wrong in a short span of time. In a last attempt to do something right and ease his guilt, he heads back to school to try and rescue his girlfriend, Stella. But everything has changed in the world beyond the vacant acres he’s been protected by while dealing with his home life.

The world as he knew it has crumbled into something unbelievable. Zombies have taken over and ripped society to shreds…literally. Making it back to Stella becomes impossible.

When he realizes the futility of his journey, he’s forced to a safe zone to preserve his life. Once there, Liam has to make a decision that will change the course of his life forever. 

Re-Civilize: Liam (Zpoc Exception Series Book 3) by Rebecca Besser is my favorite one in the series so far. Even though Liam mostly keeps to himself throughout the story, his thoughts and feelings about his personal experiences seem to run quite deep. The way he chooses to interact with other people, whether it's his mother or complete strangers, is interesting...I'm thinking his ability to make decisions without getting overly emotional is going to keep him alive far longer than the other characters. His POV provides readers with more information about the military encampment.

I can't wait to see what Besser has planned for Liam. I'm hoping he remains a central character through out the additional storylines.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Re-Civilizing Teenagers

Elaine is an average teen girl. All she wants is to be noticed by the boy she likes and for her parents to relax enough to let her go on a date with him. She’s tired of her boring life where the most excitement she has is her parents fighting, which she hates.

When the zombie apocalypse wipes out the world as she knows it, she makes her way home, where she has always been overprotected and safe.

This time, home is not the fort of comfort she has always known. Instead it’s a den of danger where she’s bitten by her zombie mother.

Wounded and scared, she manages to hide. Her father comes to her rescue and attempts to get them to a safe zone he heard about on the radio. They run out of gas and end up having to find shelter. They end up in Chad’s house.

Chad tells them how he’s immune to the zombie virus, and that he believes Elaine is too, because she hasn’t turned into a zombie from her bite.

They make plans to travel together to the safe zone once Elaine is strong enough. When Chad goes to find them a new vehicle and supplies, he finds a small boy named Tad.

At the safe zone, Elaine has to deal with being separated from her father and Tad, while being forced to make a decision that will change who she has always been…and her relationship with Chad.

Re-Civilize: Elaine (Zpoc Exception Series Book 2) by Rebecca Besser is the second novella in a mini-series following the lives of immune teenagers, expected to protect the rest of the survivors who aren't so lucky. Elaine's story begins as the virus is spreading through her community, continuing to when she crosses paths with Chad (from the first book). Her version of events are much the same as Chad's, but, somehow, less emotional.

I believe the difference between Chad's and Elaine's POVs has something to do with their family backgrounds. Her home life seems much more stable. Elaine's biggest complaint is her mom's health food obsession. Not to mention, her Z-day doesn't seem nearly as traumatic as Chad's. When her group arrives at the safe zone, Elaine seems oblivious to the dangers of their situation.

I can't wait to read Liam's POV...I'm hoping there will be more action in his story.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Teenage Angst In A Zombie Outbreak

Chad hates everything about life. He hates his sister for being a brat, his parents for being in denial and pretending life is perfect, and the world he lives in for the adherence to social pressures and norms. He wants it all to go away.

When the zombie apocalypse wipes out the world he’s used to, he’s left alone…and bitten. He’s sure he’ll die and become one of the undead. Instead, he becomes severely sick and recovers…still fully human.

Believing he can’t be the only exception, the only one immune to the zpoc virus, Chad goes out into the world to find others like himself. Once he does, he’s sucked into a plan to re-civilize for the good of all the survivors.

Chad and the other exceptions are expected to protect and provide for the weak and vulnerable survivors. He’s not sure he wants to take on the role expected of him in the new society, but he knows that if he refuses the survivors will die.

The fate of the human race weighs heavily on Chad’s young shoulders and he has to make a decision that he can live with in the new, re-civilized world.


Re-Civilize: Chad (Zpoc Exception Series Book 1) by Rebecca Besser is a novella about a young man who discovers his is immune to a zombie virus, which has quickly spread throughout the rest of the population. As Chad's story unfolds, the backstory about his family life helps define his personality and explains his reasoning throughout his struggle to interact with the other survivors. Told strictly from the teenager's POV, the author does a good job of conveying his frustration and helplessness as the military dictates how he will live within the safe zone.

I look forward to the other installments in the series, with each one having a different teenage POV. Although the main characters are high school age, it would be a mistake to approach the Zpoc stories as young adult fiction. I believe zombiephiles of all ages will enjoy Besser's latest creation.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Throwback Thursday: Zombie Western

Cursed Bounty by Rebecca Besser was a pleasant, but macabre surprise. I’m not big into Western themes, but I still enjoyed the story. After a bank robbery involving multiple murders, the Sheriff of Bristleton requests help from the governor. Let me tell you, Besser’s governor would scare the crap out of The Walking Dead governor.

The foreshadowing in the governor’s office was a dead giveaway (no pun intended) as to the fate of the bank robbers, but nothing could have prepared me for the shocking ending.

Besser has written an excellent example of what a horror short should be like, especially when mixing genres.

You can find more of Besser’s work featured in Code Z.

As always,
Astradaemon