Monday, February 07, 2011
Michael Allen
Author Ben Tripp calls his latest novel "a zombie thriller," and rightfully so. This post-apocalyptic read released to horror fans in October of 2010. Since then, Rise Again has received mostly praise-worthy reviews, as the 300 plus pages describe a world full of infection. Centering principally on female protagonist Danny, this chiller provides plenty of action, gore and evolving zombies. Any deeper connection is added as a bookend, with Danny searching passionately for her missing sister, Kelley.
A stand out feature of this book involves the evolutionary aspect of the virus, which infects North America. Zombies are not slow moving for long and soon they are hunting in packs. Also, the source of a fast spreading disease is bio-terrorism and "sixty three world cities" (Tripp 213) were initially attacked. However, the waves of the undead spread to outlying areas - hungry for living morsels. Military law is enforced and soon Danny is leading a rag tag group of survivors against armed mercenaries, known as Hawkstone (an allusion to Haliburton?).
The action within this novel is non-stop and most of the interactions are exciting. The battles are sometimes three-fold, with Danny facing mercenaries and the undead. Also, this central character travels throughout much of the western seaboard, so the devastation is widespread and descriptive.
Returning to the note of evolution and zombies, the disease in Rise Again follows a pattern. People are mysteriously infected, they spread others through foot travel, die and then return from the dead to plague still more characters. These are not slow moving zombies however, as the recently diseased stumble after further victims. Later, they are hunting in packs and much later, firearms are used. So, your chances of surviving this fantasy undead realm would be limited. However, Danny and many others do their best to do just that.
This is Ben Tripp's first novel and currently, he is working on a vampire thriller titled The Ormolu Clock. Understandably, there are some foibles in this read including strange similes: "the town of Forest Peak in her mind [Danny], this place she knew so well but hardly recognized, like a once-beloved grandparent gone senile" (Tripp 2). What? Comparing an entire city with an Alzheimer prone elder seems strange and this line made this reviewer laugh. Other descriptions seem overdone such as a two paragraph analysis of a door frame and installation (Tripp 109). Any weaknesses are soon forgotten in favour of fast pacing.
The Rising is ever moving onward to new locales, as the survivors search for a safe place to ride out the zombie plague. There really are no safe places from the coming undead hordes, but an isolated airfield offers some brief solace. Minors characters such as the San Francisco Zombie Killer are introduced and then outroduced by zombie mob and this novel quickly transforms into a page turner.
This book reviewer would only have asked for a little more inter-group conflict to keep things interesting. Aside from this element, Rise Again is recommended to those who enjoy a good zombie thriller, with plenty of action. The zombie apocalypse is on a global scope and fans will find lots here to excite the darker parts of the imagination. Infect yourself with this novel and Rise Again has been available for several months now.
Overall: 7 out of 10.
Ben Tripp's details with zombie graphic downloads and info' on the book are here:
The Rise Again Official Website
Purchasable through Amazon:
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Posted in: ben tripp,bloodshed,book,book review,evolution,novel,post apocalyptic,rise again,western,zombie,zombie book review
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