Hello there,
I am honored to be able to present this month’s recap of acclaimed author Jason Kristopher’s “The Dying of the Light” series. The series follows a group of human survivors in a post apocalyptic world overrun by zombies, from the day the world ends to the fight for survival and the ultimate goal of restoration. The series also follows an elite group who has worked for years to eliminate the threat of the zombie virus and those who would take advantage of it. Below you will find a complete recap of the entire series, including a synopsis, my review, and the link to the book for you to check out and enjoy for yourself. I hope you all will enjoy this trip into the apacalypse as much as I did.
END (BOOK 1)
THE SYNOPSIS
When 1,500 people die in Fall Creek’s zombie outbreak—including his fiancée—bookseller David Blake becomes the sole survivor. His escape catches the attention of AEGIS, an elite military unit that’s been secretly fighting the undead since 1873.
The truth is terrifying: walkers have been here for over a century. The government has been lying. And now the infection is evolving—turning victims in minutes instead of hours.
Recruited as a civilian consultant, David joins Major Kimberly Barnes and her squad of hardened soldiers. But as outbreaks multiply and humanity teeters on the edge, he discovers the walking dead might be the least of their problems.
THE REVIEW
I am a big fan of zombie apocalypse, dystopian-level horror novels, and this book was such a unique and compelling new direction to take the genre. Immediately, I was drawn into the massive world-building that the narrative takes, sharing a creative direction of taking the outbreak of zombies back hundreds of years, and showing the sudden evolution of the virus that brings about the apocalypse. How government agencies have tried to hide this outbreak for years added a fun conspiracy element to this horror thriller that will stay with readers.
The depth of character development really was the driving force behind this story. The chemistry between the two protagonists, David and Kim, and their individual losses and traumas from their experiences made this such an emotionally driven narrative, and it helps balance out the novel with the heavy action sequences and horror elements. The detail the author poured into this story, too, from the different outbreak classifications and military systems, to the differing types of zombies and how the virus reacts in other people, made this feel like a cinematic quality experience in novel form.
INTERVAL (BOOK TWO)
THE SYNOPSIS
Return to the award-winning zombie series called “the best since World War Z!”
Becoming a zombie was much more painful than he had expected.
In a world devoured by chaos, survival hangs by a thread. Amidst the relentless onslaught of the undead, hope flickers dim. But beyond the horrors of the walkers lies an even graver threat. Massive bunkers crumble under unyielding assault, plunging into darkness.
Across icy wastelands, stranded scientists fight starvation’s cold grip. Can David Blake and the remnants of AEGIS rescue the salvation-bearing scientist from the frigid grip of Antarctica, or will humanity succumb to the merciless jaws of extinction?
Fans of The Walking Dead and Maberry’s The Dead of Night will love this action-packed, globe-trotting sequel. Don’t wait – grab your copy now!
THE REVIEW
This is a fantastic follow-up to the first book in this series, END, and capitalizes on the brutality and horror of the first book’s events by delving into the freezing depths of the Antarctic and the lengths humanity must go to survive. The balance the author finds in utilizing military protocol and language with the personal storytelling of the characters and their lives was as astounding as it was in book one, and the way the author explored how different militaries around the world responded to their own bases in the Arctic and how things advanced as the years wore on was so engaging from a reader’s perspective.
The world-building and action are so visceral and alive on the page, and the imagery is so compelling. The exploration of the effects the virus, aka the prion, has on the dead, mainly the reasons some become “runners” rather than “walkers,” is so enthralling. The way the author writes allows the pacing to feel punctuated and engaged in a fast-paced action thriller, keeping the reader invested throughout the entire novel.
BEGINNING (BOOK THREE)
THE SYNOPSIS
He awoke and, for the first time in almost twenty-five years, remembered who he was.
Twenty years after Z-Day, humanity’s remnants prepare to reclaim the surface from underground bunkers. But as survivors venture upward, they discover a chilling truth: the world above has changed in ways no one anticipated.
When a new threat emerges that could trigger a second Z-Day, Eden Blake and the remaining heroes of AEGIS must make their final stand. In this race against extinction, the greatest enemy comes from within.
Heart-pounding action meets moral complexity in this explosive conclusion that fans of The Walking Dead and World War Z won’t be able to put down.
THE REVIEW
This was a compelling and gripping novel. The author did a fabulous job of creating a narrative that both allowed new readers into a harrowing world and paid off major storylines and character developments begun throughout the first two books of the series. The wealth of world-building and multiple POVs from various characters showcasing how humanity has divided and evolved in the years since Z-Day was both entertaining and thrilling, allowing readers to visualize the world the author created.
The heart of this narrative was the characters and their growth. From the first chapter, readers are on the edge of their seats as blasts from the past are revealed before the curtain is pulled back, taking them to a new time period to explore. The powerful imagery in the author’s writing style makes both the zombie and human threats the book reveals feel visceral, and the action more tense. The reader will instantly connect emotionally with the characters as they grow throughout the narrative.
THE WALKER CHRONICLES (BOOK FOUR)
THE SYNOPSIS
The zombie apocalypse didn’t begin on Z-Day—it’s been raging in secret for 150 years. From an 1872 military unit’s first walker encounter to Nazi experiments in concentration camps, from Cold War cover-ups to the final days before collapse, these classified stories reveal the conspiracy that doomed humanity. While the world slept, Unit 73 and AEGIS fought a shadow war against the walking dead. Some secrets should stay buried—but like the dead themselves, truth always rises.
The Walker Chronicles expands the universe of The Dying of the Light trilogy, uncovering the untold history of humanity’s fight against the walking dead. While David Blake’s journey in END, INTERVAL, and BEGINNING shows the apocalypse and its aftermath, these essential stories reveal the covert battles that raged for decades before Z-Day changed everything. Each tale deepens the conspiracy, heightens the horror, and illuminates the sacrifices made to keep humanity alive.
THE REVIEW
This was a fun and exhilarating addition to this incredible zombie horror series. The author does an amazing job of continuing to bring rich character dynamics to this universe while also implementing a historical fiction element to the mix. The action and horror of this zombie virus is perfectly brought to life through strong imagery in the author’s writing, and the short story aspect of the book’s formatting allowed the reader to fully experience the world in which this virus thrived.
The heart of this narrative was in the historical fiction aspect of the genre and the world building that took place. Each story in this collection helms from a different era of history, and one that was truly chilling was the 1940s, exploring Joseph Mengele and the way his real-life atrocities during WWII could have been implemented into the zombie virus world. The way these events played into the main series and how the virus eventually overcame the world, as well as the formation of the organization that has fought this virus for so long, was powerful and engaging.
http://amazon.com/gp/product/B00JCDNY86?ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_tkin_3&storeType=ebooks
FINAL IMPRESSION
The Dying of the Light series is one filled with action, suspense, horror, and relatable and heartfelt characters that will instantly immerse the reader into this sprawling world of chaos and terror. The underlying theme of finding humanity and hope in the darkest of times resonates with readers everywhere, and keeps an emotional beat to the narrative that ampliefies the action and chilling narrative overall. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today of this incredible series.
About the Author
Jason Kristopher is the award-winning author terrifying readers with zombies in THE DYING OF THE LIGHT, thrilling them with 1940s noir in LOCO MOCO, and harrowing them with boy-meets-gryphon-meets-robot adventure in WHEN IRON WAKES. With the love of his life and the dog that rescued him by his side, he plots his next traumatizing stories from Florida beaches.
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