Excellent

diary style story, great narration
looking forward to the next book. I hope it's as well done as the first.

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Rather Dull

Is there anything you would change about this book?

I would have preferred the story to be told from the viewpoint of several characters - or not in diary format. I felt like a lot of detail was lacking.

What could Gareth Wood have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Character development would have made a big difference. Not only did I feel completely disconnected from the secondary characters, I couldn't muster any real emotions for the narrator, either. There was lots of action... but I found I didn't really care about the outcome. Looking back, the narrator seemed a bit emotionally vacuous himself - connections with his parents and cat were dismissed in about two sentences combined.

Was Rise worth the listening time?

I guess. It's probably NOT worth the credit, though - and I doubt I would have made it through the printed version (too tedious).

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I am fine with this book.

What did you like best about Rise? What did you like least?

I liked the book. I have a low expectation of this kind of book based on the type of book - like its movie counterpart there are not going to be any academy awards handed out - but this is my genera and I love the whole zombie thing. I am fully enjoying this book having just endured some really terrible krap recently (MIRA GRANT I would rather gouge out my ears than listen to another minute of your books!!!!)- .What Ilike most - I like the fact it is talking about places where I live and have been and have memories of - it appeals to me in that way. I am from the areas he describes and know the roads and cities and have been to most of the places he describes in the book. I also like the fact that cars run out of gas, break down, and that guns run out of bullets.Least liked....The diray type novella... Would have been a better story than diary monologue. He transforms from investment banker to zombie slayer quickly. Very little remorse or afterthought after the first kill. Seems to get right down to the business of bashing heads in with whatever is lying around - way too easy.Also a hoard of zombies is more than 15... 4-5 guys with guns VS 4-5 zombies is should not be a monty python "RUN AWAY" situation.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

I liked how it focused more on the rebuilding aspect rather than survival.

What three words best describe Jeff Woodman’s voice?

almost at puberty

Did Rise inspire you to do anything?

no

Any additional comments?

Honestly a good book - I have been listening to it non stop since I started and will purchase the next book shortly.

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Fails to add anything to the genre

This is what I get for not doing my research.

I had insomnia last night and went browsing for a new audio book. I bought this and spent the night listening to it. I guess the best that can be said is that it did NOT put me to sleep.

If I had researched the book beforehand, I'd have seen that it was web-published. And I'd have seen that the pdf is readily available. Not that I don't buy things I can get for free, but I'd have looked it over and seen immediately that it was not what I was looking for.

Alas.

The list of problems I have with this novel is long. These are just the main ones.

1. It consists of journal entries by one person. This format has some definite drawbacks. Also, there is no dialog. OK, there are a few very short exchanges near the end. Dialog is crucial. It's what reveals character! And so...

2. I have no idea who any of the characters are. Sure, I've got their names, but I don't KNOW them. And there was no character development. It's hard to develop what doesn't exist in the first place.

3. There was no depth to the characters' relationships with one another. No genuine emotion. How is the reader supposed to care what happens to these people? This point flows out of the first two.

4. It’s full of clunky prose like this: “The West Africa virus has spread there now, too, and people are catching it.” Really? It has spread? AND people are catching it?? The very first lines made me cringe. By the time I got to this, several minutes in, I knew I was in trouble.

5. Finally, it adds nothing to my understanding of zombies and the zombie apocalypse. I've read some solid zombie novels in the last few years. I'm thinking of World War Z, Raising Stony Mayhall, and Zone One to name a few. They each changed the way I look at this genre. Rise lacks the scope of WWZ, the heart of Stony Mayhall, and the literariness of Zone One. It is nothing but a recitation of a series of events. It falls flat.

The narration was okay. The reader just didn’t have much to work with here.

I admit that were it not for the fact that I’m the one who failed to do my homework, I’d be tempted to ask for my money back. I don't feel this book is of the same quality as others in the same price range.

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7 people found this helpful

LOUSY-LOUSY-LOUSY

Don't waste your money on this one, starts off boring and ends the same way

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4 people found this helpful

how does your average guy survive?

Any additional comments?

what happens to your average joe when the zombie apocalypse happens. no military skills, no bunker of supplies, no contacts...how do you survive? well, you run and fight only when you have to. you rescue others when you can to increase your numbers.

an interesting take...ok characters. realistic survival scenarios. zombies may be slow but their numbers can easily overwhelm any plan.

what's it like in a small military and civilian camp? find out. how do you take back parts of a city? not easily and not always successfully.

what's worse zombies or the other survivors? both can do some pretty bad stuff. zombies can kill you, but other survivors can do some pretty evil things too.

this story is what most people would try to do. story is worthwhile. average. it's a different take. narration is ok.

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...and this happened, and then that, and then we

Its just describing one thing after the other, after the other after the other and you just don't care. Its supposed to be journal style but nobody writes such detailed journal entries. Detailed for a journal, but so shallow its as interesting as reading a road map. I could barely get past the first chapter.

Don't touch this thing with a 10 foot pole.

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Fails to add anything to the genre

This is what I get for not doing my research.

I had insomnia last night and went browsing for a new audio book. I bought this and spent the night listening to it. I guess the best that can be said is that it did NOT put me to sleep.

If I had researched the book beforehand, I'd have seen that it was web-published. And I'd have seen that the pdf is readily available. Not that I don't buy things I can get for free, but I'd have looked it over and seen immediately that it was not what I was looking for.

Alas.

The list of problems I have with this novel is long. These are just the main ones.

1. It consists of journal entries by one person. This format has some definite drawbacks. Also, there is no dialog. OK, there are a few very short exchanges near the end. Dialog is crucial. It's what reveals character! And so...

2. I have no idea who any of the characters are. Sure, I've got their names, but I don't KNOW them. And there was no character development. It's hard to develop what doesn't exist in the first place.

3. There was no depth to the characters' relationships with one another. No genuine emotion. How is the reader supposed to care what happens to these people? This point flows out of the first two.

4. It???s full of clunky prose like this: ???The West Africa virus has spread there now, too, and people are catching it.??? Really? It has spread? AND people are catching it?? The very first lines made me cringe. By the time I got to this, several minutes in, I knew I was in trouble.

5. Finally, it adds nothing to my understanding of zombies and the zombie apocalypse. I've read some solid zombie novels in the last few years. I'm thinking of World War Z, Raising Stony Mayhall, and Zone One to name a few. They each changed the way I look at this genre. Rise lacks the scope of WWZ, the heart of Stony Mayhall, and the literariness of Zone One. It is nothing but a recitation of a series of events. It falls flat.

The narration was okay. The reader just didn???t have much to work with here.

I admit that were it not for the fact that I???m the one who failed to do my homework, I???d be tempted to ask for my money back. I don't feel this book is of the same quality as others in the same price range.

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9 people found this helpful

So Anywayssss

What disappointed you about Rise?

Even if anyways was a word (it is not anyway is the correct form). Using it 50 times in a chapter gets annoying even when correct. "They slept poorly anyways". What is wrong with they slept poorly. I know I am being grammar psychotic, but once I keyed in I wanted to kill the editor and finally had to give up on the book.

Would you recommend Rise to your friends? Why or why not?

The reader was awesome.

Which character – as performed by Jeff Woodman – was your favorite?

N/A only one character as it is in a journal format.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

disapointment

Any additional comments?

I am a zombie junkie. This author is no Mark Tufo or Manel Loureino.

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6 people found this helpful