Aftershock: A Collection of Survivors Tales

By: Valerie Lioudis, Kristopher Lioudis

Narrated by: Daniel Rose

Life after an outbreak is a nightmare for those who are struggling to survive. Aftershock follows several groups as they make their way in this drastically different world and confront not just the relentless undead, but the dark side of humanity living in lawlessness.

Ian, an infantryman who fought on the front line at the beginning of the end, Jessica, an author from a small town in New Jersey, and Reverend Samuel Mathis, a Methodist minister struggling with his faith after the Apocalypse are just a few of the characters you will meet and travel with as they search for some kind of existence in the wasteland that America has become.

©2014 Valerie Lioudis (P)2015 Valerie Lioudis

AAAaaaaa Cliffhangerssss

Aftershock is an interesting and entertaining book. It was really easy to like and relate to the characters but, there were a few too many and it took me a while to remember who was who at the beginning of each chapter. There were enough twists and turns that I didn't see coming, which kept me interested but, the lack of action lost me a little. The authors have really turned cliffhangers into an art form, each chapter and the entire book ended with one. Would really like to see a bit more action in the sequel. Solid 3.5 stars. This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

Gripping, with some biting.

Interesting stories of characters after the "flu" began killing people.
Great perspective from each character's point of view.
This is my first audio book experience, it has me hooked.

Realistic Zombie Apocalypse...!

All characters are written in believable voices. Panic, sadness, fear, elation, even some romantic attraction ebb and flow throughout this interesting Zombie disaster fest. To be clear though, Valerie and Kris have created a world where the Zombies are not always the worst threat to your life...

I've listened start to finish twice so far. When the 2nd book comes out I'll re-listen to this one prior to getting into the next one so it's all fresh.

Zombilicious

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would absolutely recommend this book to every fan of the zombie genre.The authors created relatable and well developed characters.My favorite thing about Aftershock is that it felt like i was sitting next to them as they shared their stories with me,

What about Daniel Rose’s performance did you like?

Daniel Rose did an amazing job of narrating this audiobook.He made me feel really connected to the characters and their stories.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I lost sleep staying up late to finish this book.

Any additional comments?

I received a copy of this book from the authors in exchange for an honest review.

A unique take on the zombie genre

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes! Folks that enjoy zombie stories will enjoy this book.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Aftershock: A Collection of Survivors Tales?

Not a single moment per se, but I enjoyed how Aftershock developed several characters rather than relying on just one or two protagonists to tell the story. The narrator did a great job of bringing each character to life, making this a compelling listen.

Which character – as performed by Daniel Rose – was your favorite?

The boy whose mom had been attacked, and how he was trying to make his way in this dramatically different world. His story was so moving that I had to remind myself it was just a novel.

Any additional comments?

I received this audiobook from the author in return for an honest review

Good story

Any additional comments?

I was given this book for free for my honest review. The story itself was pretty good but I didn't care for the narration which makes or breaks an audible book. I didn't feel like he did a great job of switching voices and I had a hard figuring out who was who. Overall the book was good and I am happy I took the time to listen to it.

An excellent zombie story that will stay with you

~ I received a free copy of this audiobook through AudioBookBlast in exchange for an honest review.

**This book contains explicit language and violence and is not suitable for listeners under the age of 16**

This audiobook alternates between the survival stories of several people after a virus decimates the world's population. Most people are either dead or have turned into "Moaners" (zombies).

This is the same storyline that almost every zombie novel adheres to; at least that is what I thought at first.

Then comes the twist. Several survivors have one thing in common and that trait may just be the key to humanity's survival.

There are problems however. The survivors may be able to either outrun or outgun the Moaners, but what about other survivors?

It is unfortunate, but there is one universal truth that is highlighted in apocalyptic fiction. Not unfortunate that it is included in the story, but because it is so realistic. That truth is that there are always people who will exploit any situation to their own personal benefit. This is as true in real life as it is in fiction. You need only to look at the price gouging that took place after Hurricane Katrina to find a real-life example of this concept.

Each section or chapter of this book focuses on a specific survivor. My favourite parts were those that told the story of Max and Rocky. Max is a pre-teen and out of necessity he has had to grow up almost overnight. Fortunately for him, his dog Rocky is his constant companion. It is impossible as a parent not to root for the child to survive. And, of course, I love dogs so I wanted Rocky to survive as well. It is obvious that the authors are dog lovers because they really nailed the bond that develops between a boy and his dog.

This audiobook stands out from other zombie novels because of the author's incredible character development. There is a priest who has lost his faith. This to me makes him seem more real. In other books of this genre you often see religious characters that are so devout that even the walking dead are unable to shake their faith. Pardon my French, but BULLS**T. How could anyone not question their belief in a higher power when people are returning to 'life' after death and are attacking and eating anyone who is not yet infected with the virus?
Then, there is Daniel. He's a soldier who was left behind by his unit. I guess the "No Man Left Behind" credo does not apply in the Zombie Apocalypse. There are other terrific characters, but I don't want this review to be too long, so you will have to buy a copy of this audiobook to find out about the rest of them.

The narrator for this audiobook, Daniel Rose, did an absolutely outstanding job of narrating the male voices. In fact, he did such a great job that I would recommend to the author that he keep this same narrator throughout the series. However, the one complaint I do have regarding the narration is that the chapters that focused on female survivors were also narrated by the same person - a male. Daniel Rose has such a wonderfully rich, deep and masculine voice that it would have have been preferable to have a second narrator; a female, to read those particular chapters. I think that if there were both a male and a female narrator that this audiobook would be a chart-topper in it's genre.

My favourite quote from this book is: "You can have all the supplies in the world, but if you can't trust the group you're with; you're dead. It's that simple."

I enjoyed this audiobook and I do intend to listen to the next book in the series, especially since the ending of this one was a cliffhanger. I am interested to see what direction the survivors are headed and if all the separate groups and individuals will eventually end up together.

I rate AFTERSHOCKS as 4 out of 5 stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The only reason I did not rate it as 5 stars was due to the lack of a female narrator.

A great blend of interconnected stories

Any additional comments?

In Kristopher & Valerie Lioudis' Aftershock Book 1: A Collection of Survivors Tales we follow a series of short stories from different character's perspectives. These stories lead us from where they are at the beginning of the outbreak to how they survive and eventually how they all start to meet up and their stories intertwine.

The stories start with a survivor who is abandoned by the people he is with. He is bitten but survives... this pulled me right in. Why? What's going on here? What makes him immune? The conspiracy theorist in me wanted to know more!

I liked the mystery of the characters who got bit but didn't turn. This storyline appears to connect many of the characters and reminds me to a degree of Stephen King's The Stand, where we have 2 different factions of survivors coming together in a post-apocalyptic world. Some for good, some for evil.

There were a number of great lines in the stories, one that made me smile and laugh, was in reference to how to dispose of the piles of the dead. "The most grotesque barbecue in man's history." And while that and some other lines made me laugh, the book also has some pretty hard stories where people you are rooting for just don't make it.

Near the end, there is a great group of scenes where things go very bad for one of the main collection of survivors. Their leaders are at odds about why and how things happened and we are shown each of their perspectives in alternating chapters before they confront each other. The realization that they are both blaming one another gets you on the edge of your seat waiting to learn how it will play out as soon as they come face to face.

The book does have something of an abrupt ending, which leaves you wanting more. This is both good and bad. The book could have continued on, but I suspect it stopped where it did because to continue would have needed a lot more time and space to tell what happens next.

The story is engaging and it is really cool to see a husband and wife author team working together like this. I look forward to more by them individually and as a team!

Intriguing Story

Awesome story of survival as seen by different characters. Well written and looking forward to listening to other books by these authors

drawing the listener in holding their attention

We all know what happens when the dead begin to walk; it’s a flesh feast for the dead and a nightmare for the survivors.  What happens after the zombies slow down or start to think out?  At what point do the flesh eating monsters become a common occurrence and the living become the evil that needs to be put down?

This is a carefully constructed collection of tales written from a survivor’s viewpoint.   A diverse mixture of survivors tells their individual stories – their encounters with the walking dead and the evil living.  The tales are told from the perspective of a female author, a minister, a special needs child, a science experiment gone wrong and more.  Their stories intersect in various places creating delicately woven connections.

The Lioudis’ captures the emotions and fears of each character drawing the listener in holding their attention prisoner.  One cannot help but think about the individual stories long after the stories are finished.

Daniel Rose performed the stories in an exciting and riveting narration.  He spoke clearly and with appropriate inflection to indicate fear, pain, hate, curiosity and the even more subtle emotions.  He was perfect for the book!

There were no issues with the audio quality or production of this audiobook.

Audiobook was provided for review by the author.

Please find this complete review and many others at my review blog

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