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The Fall of Fort Bragg

I was totally pulled into this story from the opening page and it held through until the last. This author really put themselves into the world that they were writing about in such a way that they could have been channeling Nick Smith as they wrote this. Because we had not really met Sheila Horn before her creation could have gone any weird way, but this felt like the woman who would be married to Big Horn and the mother of his children.

Parker Horn has gone away with his Delta Force team just before things start to go south on the base. Sheila Horn has been left to protect her two young daughters as the Hemorrhage Virus begins to run out of control outside the gates of Fort Bragg. While she believes that her husband will return unhurt she also hopes that the soldiers on base can keep them safe from the infected trying to over run them.

As it becomes obvious that things are going from bad to worse outside her home when the opportunity presents itself Sheila takes the chance to get her and her daughters to the tunnels where they can hopefully hold out until her husband can find them.

I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading something else by this author. If they could keep me interested here I want to try more because there is nothing better than finding an author who writes in a way that keeps your attention.

If you have read the Extinction Cycle then you will want to read this story that fills in a piece of the puzzle of what was happening in those first days. If you have not read it then below find the perfect place to start.

Extinction Horizon

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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The Darwin Collapse

I read the first book in this series a while ago and was not always happy with it, though I did enjoy it. I can say that this one kept my attention from start to finish and was very satisfying. The characters got a chance to stretch and grow here adding more dimension to their personalities, though some were still very much the same. The locations are spot on and great for me since I know the names of the streets and freeways so well that I could tell exactly where I was when they mentioned it. The victims of the virus are terrifying because they are us with all of the humanity stripped away.

Mason West and his family survived the first days of the outbreak but not without injuries both physical and mental. Mason continues to protect Iridia even though he really does not have to but he is an honorable man and would not do anything else. Elio is in the West home because he is enamored of their daughter Theresa but also because he needs to heal.

Anton Reshenko has unleashed hell on earth for the people of the world and is focused on locating his daughter and going to the next phase of his plan. The Deltas are doing what he expected, more or less but he wants more from them. He is willing to kill anyone for his vision of the future.

This is told from multiple points of view which is great since there are so any things going on. This had some great action with very emotional parts. I did some laughing, crying and yelling. Loved every minute of it! Definitely recommend.

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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Extinction Edge

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Extinction Edge (The Extinction Cycle, #2)

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
What can I say about this book that I did not say about the first? I love the characters who have pulled me into their world and made me care about them in a big way. The ‘zombies’, still prefer the term infected but I will let that go because the story is good enough to make me not care as much. The introduction of the new characters was done perfectly and allowed me to get a feel for them when they return further down the line. The imagery pulls me in and I can actually visualize and put myself in the narrative as it plays out, even though I have never been to the locations described.

With the threat of infection no longer a part of the equation thanks to Kate, the military is now looking to take back the cities. The infected are still in the cities, roaming and killing any survivors they find. But they are not the simple creatures that the men in charge think they are by any means. They are sending their men into a situation that could further decimate their ranks and put them on a path to complete extinction.

There is tension from the moment this book begins to the time it ends and I loved every minute of it. There is a great deal of violence but you know that it is necessary and it is so well done that you cannot help but cheer them on in its execution. The relationships between the men is solid and what you want to see between guys who have each others back on a daily basis.

I don’t know what more to say other than this is a really great series. When I wasn’t actively reading I found myself thinking about it and what might happen next. I was still in this world long after I finished and all I could think about was what will happen in the next book. I am hooked! Highly recommend to zombie lovers or anyone who has a thing for the military.

Unknown's avatar

Extinction Horizon

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Extinction Horizon

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.

First thing I have to say is that these are not zombies! They are infected individuals, there is a difference. I know it does not seem important but I am serious about my zombies. Secondly my true rating is 4.5 stars, and that is only because it started a bit slowly for me.

I have here an author who can write a great apocalypse and make me enjoy it as the world falls apart. The characters are realistically portrayed and feel like they could be someone you might meet in your everyday life or at least know someone who knew them. The science is easy to understand, which is good since it could get technical and bog the story down if not handled right. The disease vectors are well thought out, both for the natural and unnatural ones depicted. The descriptions of the infected did put me in the mind somewhat of those in the Will Smith movie ‘I Am Legend’ but I think it is more because they are fast and animal like. Once again, not a bad thing because I like them, as long as you don’t call them zombies.

There have been more breakouts of the Ebola virus around the globe and it appears to be mutating making it harder to treat. Doctors from the CDC are being sent out and coming back with samples hoping to isolate the strain and be able to create a cure. During the Vietnam war there had been experiments with various drugs in an attempt to create better soldiers, those attempts were disastrous.

Now Delta Force operatives are being sent in to rescue or bring back the work of a scientist who has been experimenting with some dangerous virus’s and has gotten into trouble. Master Sargent Reed Beckham and his team go in without a full understanding of the consequences and come away without the prize. Dr. Kate Lovato and her mentor are asked to help figure out what was done and find a cure, but once again they are not given all the facts. Can the world be saved when men decide to play god?

I could give a blow-by-blow but then there would be no need to read the book, and you really should read it. I kind of fell a little in love with Reed Beckham because he seemed so needy in a way, even though he is a strong man who can take care of himself and others. This seems to escalate pretty quickly and I like that we are taken through it day by day which gives a better measure of how swiftly things get out of control.

I cried a little, laughed a little, yelled at the stupid and the slow, was truly disturbed by some of the things done by the infected, and generally had a blast. This is the start, I hope, of a new world of survivors. Enjoy this immediately!

Available for pre-order. Release date December 29, 2014.