The second book in this stellar military zombie apocalypse, Aftermath is a breathless rollercoaster of a read. Terrifying action, brutal realism and very human characters, it’s a brilliant book.
Set straight after the first novel, a mere four days since protagonist Captain Lee Harden emerged from his bunker with the mission to help reunite the people of America, Aftermath keeps its foot firmly on the pedal. Whilst Harden put his body on the line to save a mother, daughter and another young boy, his appearance at a survivor camp is met with suspicion and animosity. It’s not helped when a breach in the fence results in the death of one of the camp dwellers. Still trying to convince them of his status and his cache of supplies, Harden is forced to go back out into the world, injured and underpowered, to prove who he is. The result is a terrible litany of running battles with the infected and worse.
The month Harden spent sequestered in his bunker saw the world change drastically. With the collapse of society, those survivors already on the wrong side of the law have been given a freedom to take things into their own hands. It’s these same characters that put Harden in so much danger before and, once again, he must face not only the infected but also human enemies. In a scarily realistic portrayal, Aftermath paints a worrying picture as survivors are preyed upon by the more nefarious elements amongst them. Forcing people into awful decisions, it’s here that the real dangers lurk.
Whilst Harden does everything he can to continue his mission and help those in need, keep the promises he’s made and try to unite different groups, he is constantly met with obstacles; some unavoidable and some man made. A brilliant character who shows the inner workings of a highly trained operator, both in terms of their mental fortitude and humanity, Harden is put through the wringer. Breathless action and terrifying situations come thick and fast as the pages burn by. Once again, the whole book only considers a few days but the sheer adrenaline fuelled task of surviving in a world torn apart gives the sequel a feel of a true epic. Yet, in the end, it’s Harden and his mission that stands tall.
Action packed, top notch military adventure in a zombie apocalypse, Aftermath is a dark, desperate and brilliant read.
My copy
Published by Orbit
thebookbeard's Blog 