I recently got to read an advanced copy of "The Romero Strain" by
TS Alan. It's a zombie apocalypse story but it's more about the characters and how they develop than about the zombies, themselves. TS Alan really gets to the heart of the people involved, at least of those who survive, much like The Walking Dead series does. Yes, there's of course zombie attacks on our five to six characters but it's how they deal with one another and the outside world more than anything else. It really is a basic human story in that sense.
There are a lot of facts and figures to go along with the story. Sometimes they detract from the story but at the same time, it's good knowledge that would be spoken aloud if you were a survivor and needed to know how to operate a weapon of choice or how to get through the sewers.
It takes place in NYC and it all happens very unexpectedly. No time to prepare for the oncoming storm. Kind of like Cloverfield, you don't see it coming. But we travel the underground with J.D. Nichols, the main character. We watch him deal with the apocalypse and talk about how to be prepared for such an occurrence. It really does make you think twice when you leave the house empty-handed.
The Romero Strain really reads like a movie. It's so easy to envision
everything from what the "zombies" look like to the bunkers to the
underground. It's also why I can compare it to other shows or movies rather than other books. The book has a very good flow to it and a good timeframe surrounding it.
We see relationships form, both friendships and romantic ones. We see how everyone deals with that when you think you may be the only ones left alive. This book mostly deals with the human heart than the zombies but there is plenty of action. And it's a different kind of zombie we are dealing with in this book. Alan explains it so explicitly about what we are dealing with. There was a lot of science and biology discussion, and what type of "zombie" might occur under certain conditions. It was fascinating to read his version of what a zombie is. The book is so well-written that you can't put it down. You want to know what happens. You want to see who ends up with whom, and you want to know who survives and who may not!
It is the first book in a series and so it leaves you on a cliffhanger! I cannot wait to read the rest of the series!
For now, you can get the e-book version via
Amazon for only $3.99 for the Kindle. It's so worth the read! The hardcopy is supposed to be out in stores within the next six months if all goes according to plan, but I wouldn't wait! It's too good to wait!!
Also, follow the author
TS Alan on Twitter as he gives you Thursday survival tips and good advice every week.
