The Afters: Book One

Reviews

1. 

   Laura – July 22, 2024

   Great read! Not your average zombie narrative
   The Afters was an absolute blast – a comedic twist on a zombie story that manages to maintain a depth of character. The author plays with the stereotypical zombie archetype, rather than the undead they are more of the sick living; and by introducing even more nuance and evolution at the end of the story I am hooked and ready for book 2!The wisecracks and levity of the protagonist helps moderate the horror and gore. His playfulness and humor bring joy into a story that could otherwise be too dark for my taste. And the introduction of meaningful characters with rich backstories sends home the message that love and community are the true backbones of our humanity.Good read!

2. 

   Tortuga77 – July 22, 2024

   Chilling plot and great action
   I don’t read a lot of zombie books, but this one really hooked me with its characters and page-turning action scenes. Looking forward to Book 2!

3. 

   Tyler Clifton – July 22, 2024

   Super Fun Read
   Great writing and super well paced

4. 

   Helen Sheen – July 22, 2024

   One of my most favorite modern novels
   I stayed up until 3am to finish this novel; I ordered two copies for my classroom library; my students are constantly reading it; I messaged the author asking for the sequel! I never read horror/zombie acopolypse stories, yet this one gripped my attention with its voice and plot and wit. I highly recommend it!

5. 

   Lilyn G. – July 22, 2024

   Easy read that’s easy to visualize.
   Disclaimer:I received a copy of this book free for review consideration. This does not affect my review.It was the cover of the book that initially drew me too it. I think it made me expect something vaguely comic book-y, without the whole panels thing. And, actually, that was pretty much dead on. The Afters has that quick-moving action and sly-tongued banter that graphic novels have trained me to expect.O’Connell did good here. It’s 234 pages, but feels like its only about 125 or so. The main character, Chuck, is too mouthy for his own good, but he has a heart of gold, and when he suddenly finds himself taking care of a couple of munchkins, he’s surprisingly okay with it. And you buy it. That’s the most important part. He seems very believable. We want to think that, should the worst happen to us – to the world – there’d be a slew of Chucks out there doing the right thing. I didn’t even mind being inside his head, and I normally hate that POV! As for Kalila – she wasn’t my favorite. To be honest, I could have done with most of her parts being much reduced in the novel. Chuck, Big Bertha, and the two little ‘uns were enough for me.This book does one thing different from normal zombie novels that really made me feel creeped out for a few minutes. I won’t go into details because you need to read it yourself, but let’s just say that I’m not sure I could do the apocalypse in The Afters’ world. Well, maybe if I got to be like one of the kids…. actually, no. Not even then. Not considering some of the baddies that get introduced en masse later in the book. Nope, no thank you. I want a regular zombie apocalypse please.This was a quick, easy read, but it would have done better with a(nother?) round with an editor. There are some scenes that could have been tightened up and it would read much better on the whole. One stands out near the beginning where the dialogue just feels kind of cringe-worthy.Overall, This was an enjoyable, shut-your-brain off read that demanded little, but entertained a lot. It’s not memorable, but you’re absorbed while you’re reading it. Considering it was a post-apocalyptic zombie fic, which I’m nearly burnt out on, AND the POV is my least favorite, I could have easily hated this book. I didn’t, though, and I think that says a lot for O’Connell’s story-telling ability.

6. 

   Steven Weinell – July 22, 2024

   The book is well written and fun to read
   The main character was a bit over-confident for me in the beginning, but as the book went on he grew on me. In the end I was rooting whole-heartedly for him. The book is well written and fun to read.