Why I read it:
Well over a year ago, Sean Cummings (a writer friend I’d met on Twitter) sent me a draft copy of The North via email. I wasn’t a fan of zombie novels (or zombies in any form <shudder>), and so I let it sit…and sit…and sit…until eventually, somehow, it disappeared from my inbox (I blame gremlins. Not a fan of those, either.) I never quite got over feeling guilty about not reading the story, however, so when I saw a tweet from Sean offering free e-arcs of the novel, I jumped at the chance to redeem myself. And whoa. Am I ever glad I did. Here’s my review of The North.
What I liked about it:
I loved so much about this book, I don’t even know where to start. The story is about what the world looks like after the zombie apocalypse — and it’s not pretty. Our hero is a 16-year-old kid who’s in charge of a group of army cadets who have holed up in the city until now, but if they’re going to survive, they have to get out…and the zombies (or creeps, as they’re called in the novel) are just the beginning of their problems in doing so. The post-apocalyptic world that Cummings has created is incredibly detailed and all-too-believable. The characters are tough without being over the top, and they strive to maintain their continued humanity in the face of unbelievable odds. And the action? A non-stop, edge-of-your-seat, must-read-just-one-more-chapter, relentless pace.
What I didn’t like:
About the only complaint I have is with regard to back story. The North kicks off six months after the apocalypse happens, and I would have liked a little more info on how it all came about, what caused it, etc. I’m hoping these details will be forthcoming in the next two books (this was the first of a trilogy), but it would have been nice to have more up front.
Final thoughts:
The North is being touted as a YA novel, but (as with many YA books) I think its appeal will go well beyond that audience. If you like zombies and dark, gritty, no-holds barred apocalyptic fiction, you’re going to love this. Heck, I don’t like zombies, and I still loved it. Sean’s book comes out October 6, 2014, and you can pre-order it here.
Breakout. Escape the city. Stay Alive.
Sixteen-year-old David Simmons is on a mission to save his eight-year-old sister. In a smoldering world infested with walking cadavers, the survivors of Simmons infantry reserve unit are going hatches down in a pair of armoured personnel carriers and everyone knows that it’s only a matter of time until their fuel runs dry.
There’s a weak short wave radio signal from a place called Sanctuary Base and it’s supposed to be zombie-free. But there’s more than a thousand miles to cover, a biting, unforgiving cold, armed survivalists, legions of the living dead and someone called SUNRAY.
They’re outgunned, outnumbered and out of time.
This tense thriller for teens offers a terrifying and brutal vision of survival in a post-apocalyptic world where the bonds of friendship and family are the only things left that are worth fighting for.
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