April 12, 2018

Review: Zombies vs The Living Dead by Frank Tayell

Zombies vs The Living Dead (Surviving The Evacuation #0.5)
Author: Frank Tayell
Publisher: Amazon Digital Services
Publication Date: September 26, 2013
Pages: 45
Format: Kindle/Bought

The outbreak began in New York. Within days the world descended into chaos as the infection spread to every corner of the globe. Across Britain, millions of people are told to leave the less defensible villages, towns and cities for the safety of one of the enclaves being established around the coast.


For George Tull and the other residents of the Waverly-Price Retirement Home, evacuation is not an option. Finding the staff have left, George has to choose between trying to save those he loathes, or abandoning the woman he loves to an uncertain fate.


"Zombies vs The Living Dead" is the first in a series of short zombie stories recording the aftermath of the outbreak, and is a companion piece to the series “Surviving The Evacuation”, by the same author.

Review: I thought this was a nice little backstory into the old man we meet in book 3 of the series, George Tull. When the outbreak happens, he's actually living in a retirement home. Not the place you wanna be when this happens right? George is pretty much the only one doing anything. The employees are leaving the residents in the dark about everything. They pretty much stole a bunch of the food and didn't tell them there was supposed to be an evacuation. The only reason George knows whats happening is because he is the only one allowed to have a TV in his room. So he watched the coverage and when he tried to tell the other residents, the employees told him to stop causing panic and problems. Like what?? Shouldn't they know whats going on?! It wasn't until all the staff had left and they pretty much had to listen to what George was saying for them to actually listen and take it seriously. But by then it was too late to do much of anything. 

I do have to say, after reading this and having read book 3 in the series, I can see where other people were coming from in saying it seems like George changed. He definitely had a different attitude and demeanor in this book compared to Family. Maybe that's because of how this whole thing went down, or maybe its because surviving after this changed him. But something is definitely behind the change. 

I really enjoyed this little short story in Georges background. The only thing that bugged me about the book was that in the ending we never find out what happens to Mrs. O'Leary. And I don't remember her being talked about when we meet George in book 3 either.