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The Undead #1
The Undead Day One
My name is Howie. I was named after my father Howard, but it became too confusing to have two Howards, so I became Howie. I am 27 years old and I work as a night's manager in a supermarket.
I will tell you what happened...
The undead have risen. Within hours all communication has gone and a frantic struggle for survival begins.
Day One: Friday: the world falls apart. A zombie infestation is ravaging Europe. Howie is at home and quickly has to learn this new world as he battles through hordes of undead, desperately trying to reach his family...The Undead Day One, a thrilling new series of zombie horror
I will tell you what happened...
The undead have risen. Within hours all communication has gone and a frantic struggle for survival begins.
Day One: Friday: the world falls apart. A zombie infestation is ravaging Europe. Howie is at home and quickly has to learn this new world as he battles through hordes of undead, desperately trying to reach his family...The Undead Day One, a thrilling new series of zombie horror
59 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 2012
319 people are currently reading
655 people want to read
About the author
R.R. Haywood
81 books1,203 followers"One of the most original voices of our time." - Richard Moriarty, The Sun
"Whether it's gritty horror, spectacular sci-fi, or insane comedy, RR Haywood delivers in style." - Chris Riches, Daily Express
RR Haywood is a Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Amazon, and Audible bestselling author with over 4 million books sold and more than 30 Kindle Bestsellers. As one of the top ten most downloaded indie authors in the UK, Haywood has captivated readers worldwide with his diverse storytelling.
His creations include the global sensation EXTRACTED, the riveting CODE TRILOGY narrated by Colin Morgan, the phenomenal UNDEAD Series, the blockbuster DELIO, PHASE ONE, and the chart-topping A TOWN CALLED DISCOVERY. His latest work, FICTION LAND, narrated by Game of Thrones star Gethin Anthony, has been hailed as "an outrageously funny tour de force."
A former police officer, Haywood now resides with his dogs on the north coast of the Isle of Wight. He entertains audiences and shares his expertise on TikTok with his Writing Class for the Working Class.
"Whether it's gritty horror, spectacular sci-fi, or insane comedy, RR Haywood delivers in style." - Chris Riches, Daily Express
RR Haywood is a Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Amazon, and Audible bestselling author with over 4 million books sold and more than 30 Kindle Bestsellers. As one of the top ten most downloaded indie authors in the UK, Haywood has captivated readers worldwide with his diverse storytelling.
His creations include the global sensation EXTRACTED, the riveting CODE TRILOGY narrated by Colin Morgan, the phenomenal UNDEAD Series, the blockbuster DELIO, PHASE ONE, and the chart-topping A TOWN CALLED DISCOVERY. His latest work, FICTION LAND, narrated by Game of Thrones star Gethin Anthony, has been hailed as "an outrageously funny tour de force."
A former police officer, Haywood now resides with his dogs on the north coast of the Isle of Wight. He entertains audiences and shares his expertise on TikTok with his Writing Class for the Working Class.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 109 reviews
June 15, 2023
Delightfully basic. No super-soldiers. A night manager at the local Tesco has some extraordinary luck as the zombie apocalypse begins. It begins with a nice slice of life that humanizes our narrator, Howie. There's nice moments of fear, violence and humor to keep things moving.
"I inhale deeply and feel the nicotine receptors joining the party held by the sugar dudes in my brain."
This is novelette length, verging on short story, about worth the 99 cent price tag. While it doesn't end on a cliffhanger, it does end as , and each subsequent book follows suit. Told in first person, it stays in character without being excessively descriptive or focused on the 'how' of the crisis.
"I inhale deeply and feel the nicotine receptors joining the party held by the sugar dudes in my brain."
This is novelette length, verging on short story, about worth the 99 cent price tag. While it doesn't end on a cliffhanger, it does end as , and each subsequent book follows suit. Told in first person, it stays in character without being excessively descriptive or focused on the 'how' of the crisis.
January 26, 2016
3.5
This was a fast fun read full of action and gore as expected from a Zombie apocalypse storyline and this time, the story is set in the UK.
'There are survivors, you are not alone. Do not come to London, We are completely infested. I repeat, DO NOT COME TO LONDON'.
Howie is a shy 27 year old night time supermarket (Tesco) manager who leads a boring predictable life when a report of sudden outbreak of shocking violence and biting in Eastern Europe flood the TV screens.
'People with obvious injuries run by, wounds to their faces and necks, bleeding with noses or ears ripped away. Police officers fire handguns into crowds of bystanders, then more police officers using shotguns and assault rifles. Swat teams and riot police are deployed'.
But the violence spreads overnight across Western Europe and arrives in the South of England and at Howie's front door with horrific speed and total devastation. Howie is forced to fight his way out of town, pick up quick survival skills, think fast, avoid his undead neighbours as well as his fellow country men and women and most importantly, try to find his parents and sister.
'It was an undead, they all are. The quicker I get that into my head, the safer I will be, and the greater chance for survival I will have. They are all undead. I lower my hands from my head, resolute, changed and hardened. I have killed to survive and I will do it again-if I have to.'
Up to the 60% mark I thought this was going to be the usual zombie book with an annoying bumbling main character incapable of being rational and stop doing stupid things that'll get him killed or eaten but at @66% Howie surprised me and became tough, determined and one hell of a kick-ass hero I'd like to read more of.
This short book is NOT one of those complicated, multi-POV zombie drama stories but it's a simple, fast, action packed zombie story told from a male POV and it has the potential to develop into a story full of depth, layers and (hopefully) with a great set of characters as there are fourteen books in this series.
This was a fast fun read full of action and gore as expected from a Zombie apocalypse storyline and this time, the story is set in the UK.
'There are survivors, you are not alone. Do not come to London, We are completely infested. I repeat, DO NOT COME TO LONDON'.
Howie is a shy 27 year old night time supermarket (Tesco) manager who leads a boring predictable life when a report of sudden outbreak of shocking violence and biting in Eastern Europe flood the TV screens.
'People with obvious injuries run by, wounds to their faces and necks, bleeding with noses or ears ripped away. Police officers fire handguns into crowds of bystanders, then more police officers using shotguns and assault rifles. Swat teams and riot police are deployed'.
But the violence spreads overnight across Western Europe and arrives in the South of England and at Howie's front door with horrific speed and total devastation. Howie is forced to fight his way out of town, pick up quick survival skills, think fast, avoid his undead neighbours as well as his fellow country men and women and most importantly, try to find his parents and sister.
'It was an undead, they all are. The quicker I get that into my head, the safer I will be, and the greater chance for survival I will have. They are all undead. I lower my hands from my head, resolute, changed and hardened. I have killed to survive and I will do it again-if I have to.'
Up to the 60% mark I thought this was going to be the usual zombie book with an annoying bumbling main character incapable of being rational and stop doing stupid things that'll get him killed or eaten but at @66% Howie surprised me and became tough, determined and one hell of a kick-ass hero I'd like to read more of.
This short book is NOT one of those complicated, multi-POV zombie drama stories but it's a simple, fast, action packed zombie story told from a male POV and it has the potential to develop into a story full of depth, layers and (hopefully) with a great set of characters as there are fourteen books in this series.
July 23, 2012
Although I enjoyed the book, I can't say there was anything remarkable about. Just a run of the mill story about the first day of a zombie apocalypse from one person's viewpoint. But it did leave me wanting more.
August 30, 2022
This was light relief in a funny sort of way, having recently read serious science books and a historical murder mystery with a very slow plot. This is a short novella representing day 1 of the zombie apocalypse. The protagonist is a manager on the night shift of his local Tesco supermarket and has been getting good work and productivity out of a formerly disaffected group of low paid workers by some creative team bonding - poker games - though his unorthodox technique is unknown to the management. I would have liked to have seen more of that and maybe have the disaster unfold at the supermarket on the night shift.
Instead, he goes home and only becomes aware of impending disaster as TV news reports show 'riots' which as the evening progresses are recognised as zombie attacks of greater and greater magnitude, at first on the European continent and eventually in the UK where the story is set. Then the internet, mobile network and TV go off though weirdly the electricity and gas supply don't and the zombie apocalypse starts to play out in his local area.
There isn't a great deal of originality and the plot is rudimentary, comprising his desire to get to his parents' house in the hope they are still all right and beyond that to help his sister who has a flat in London. But it was a fairly fast paced read with quite a bit of action and some character development insofar as the protagonist moves from denial and fear to being conscience wracked by his actions, and final acceptance that he has to do what he is doing to defend himself and other living people and the recipients aren't human. It is written in first person present tense which isn't the problem I found with third person present in a recent read: in such a short piece and with the nature of the story it comes across as more natural. Altogether a pace turning solid 3 star read.
Instead, he goes home and only becomes aware of impending disaster as TV news reports show 'riots' which as the evening progresses are recognised as zombie attacks of greater and greater magnitude, at first on the European continent and eventually in the UK where the story is set. Then the internet, mobile network and TV go off though weirdly the electricity and gas supply don't and the zombie apocalypse starts to play out in his local area.
There isn't a great deal of originality and the plot is rudimentary, comprising his desire to get to his parents' house in the hope they are still all right and beyond that to help his sister who has a flat in London. But it was a fairly fast paced read with quite a bit of action and some character development insofar as the protagonist moves from denial and fear to being conscience wracked by his actions, and final acceptance that he has to do what he is doing to defend himself and other living people and the recipients aren't human. It is written in first person present tense which isn't the problem I found with third person present in a recent read: in such a short piece and with the nature of the story it comes across as more natural. Altogether a pace turning solid 3 star read.
September 20, 2024
This fast-moving read is a great start to a zombie world.
Just in case I haven’t made this clear over my years wandering around goodreads….I ADORE ZOMBIE STORIES. The humor/horror combo makes me oh-so happy.
“Groans sounding out. Feet shuffling. Bodies moving.”
The Undead Day One by R.R. Haywood gets right to the blood, biting, and running action, which I always appreciate. But there’s also the perfect amount of character background and development too. I like Howie, our hero in this suddenly-turned-upside-down world. You can tell he’s a good bloke from the decisions he’s making and the path he’s running. I’m rooting for him!
Looking forward to Day Two!
p.s. My favorite part? The PULL vs. PUSH moment. Haha…. Damn door! One of my all-time favorite Far Side comics depicts the same problem minus the out for blood zombies, of course. :)
Just in case I haven’t made this clear over my years wandering around goodreads….I ADORE ZOMBIE STORIES. The humor/horror combo makes me oh-so happy.
“Groans sounding out. Feet shuffling. Bodies moving.”
The Undead Day One by R.R. Haywood gets right to the blood, biting, and running action, which I always appreciate. But there’s also the perfect amount of character background and development too. I like Howie, our hero in this suddenly-turned-upside-down world. You can tell he’s a good bloke from the decisions he’s making and the path he’s running. I’m rooting for him!
Looking forward to Day Two!
p.s. My favorite part? The PULL vs. PUSH moment. Haha…. Damn door! One of my all-time favorite Far Side comics depicts the same problem minus the out for blood zombies, of course. :)
October 28, 2022
I was genuinely entertained by Extracted (Extracted Trilogy #1), and was thrilled to learn that there is another series by the same author. Alas, the first instalment of "The Undead" did not make me want to read the rest. I realise this is cult classic, and I feel guilty for not continuing with the series, but for now I found prose and plot somewhat bland. Mea culpa.
“They are undead. They are all undead.”
“They are undead. They are all undead.”
November 13, 2015
“The Undead Day One” is a well written and action packed zombie book with interesting characters and even a little humor towards the end. This book is for the lover of die-hard zombie action and gore, as it delivers up tons of action and combined with the great writing makes you feel as if you’re right in the action! My main problem with this book is that the plot doesn’t really go anywhere. There’s no resolution and nothing is really accomplished. I’m sure moving on to the other books will bring it all together but if I’m writing a review and rating THIS book then I have to call that out as an issue (especially since it’s one of my pet peeves). Don’t get me wrong one I want to go back for a zombie story I’ll probably grab two or three of the next in the series and listen to them back to back, but standalone it leaves me wanting. So if you want a long zombie story spread across a couple of books, grab this one and dive in!
June 14, 2023
Haywood's "Undead Day One" is a classic in the world of Z fiction. I read it several years ago and am surprised I didn't write a review at the time. The fun thing about this book is that all the characters are regular people who are dealing with a zombie apocalypse in the best way they know how. They make mistakes, they get lucky, they run, they figure it out as they go. The story is fresh, exciting and we feel for everyone in the book. Much later in the series, things get more predictable but here, in the original first 7 (books) days, Haywood brings his A game. Highly recommended.
March 24, 2020
Good zombie fiction detailing a first day experience by the narrator, Howie. Apparently I’ve got at least 23 more days to race through. I’m looking forward to it, but will probably break up the stories between other books. In each zombie book I’ve read I can never understand why the concept of zombieism is so startling to each narrator. Taking out a zombie vis headshot, etc. is pretty well known, but the characters have to learn this fundamental lesson while experiencing terrifying moments.
This story is very exciting, develops quickly and steps on the gas. Entertaining read!
This story is very exciting, develops quickly and steps on the gas. Entertaining read!
September 20, 2024
Read this with James on his live, not read anything zombie based, am I a fan of a zombie…,not really but this was ok and funny in places.
November 1, 2024
This kinda reminded me of the walking dead but also Shaun of the dead with some of the less serious parts of it. I love how it’s split into days and I’ll carry on the others
January 12, 2022
Update. I have re-read this book after reading a few more first person books and I must say I thoroughly enjoyed it! My review below is legacy but I thought I would leave it in to show that even if you don't like first person books this is still a good one. I'm over my dislike of first person and now i can see how funny (the British mentality) and well written it actually is. I'm going to do the series.
Original.
I had a bit of an issue with this book. The writing is good and being British, I can relate to most of the experiences and the things he says. However, I honestly cannot stand first person perspective.
I finished the book as it is good and I really wanted to have a go at reading all 24 (at the moment) but I can't get past the first person view.
From reading it I can see that they will be an excellent series and will have lots of fans who probably read the whole thing. If you enjoy zombie books and first person, read these, they are good!
If you're RR Haywood reading this, please do the same thing but not in first person!!!
Original.
I had a bit of an issue with this book. The writing is good and being British, I can relate to most of the experiences and the things he says. However, I honestly cannot stand first person perspective.
I finished the book as it is good and I really wanted to have a go at reading all 24 (at the moment) but I can't get past the first person view.
From reading it I can see that they will be an excellent series and will have lots of fans who probably read the whole thing. If you enjoy zombie books and first person, read these, they are good!
If you're RR Haywood reading this, please do the same thing but not in first person!!!
March 22, 2018
This is really run of the mill pulp Zombie stuff. It rolls along at a fair pace and is short. Other reviews have pointed out that each ‘book’ is basically a long chapter.
The characters are pulp cardboard, there is nothing to make you laugh or cry. The reason I say this is that there re loads of very glowing and gushing reviews on Amazon that are written in similar terms to one another and suggesting things like you buy the whole series to save money. They are blatantly bogus.
This is a three star book not five as so many of the bogus reviews assert.
The characters are pulp cardboard, there is nothing to make you laugh or cry. The reason I say this is that there re loads of very glowing and gushing reviews on Amazon that are written in similar terms to one another and suggesting things like you buy the whole series to save money. They are blatantly bogus.
This is a three star book not five as so many of the bogus reviews assert.
June 11, 2018
I have been on the Zombie kick for some time. I just can't seem to get away from them. In the beginning, I was somewhat skeptical about this series. I stuck with it and before I realized it I had finished several days. There is something about the way Brits tell a story. It's captivating and find my self-slowing down on the way home to see what happens next. I hope the rest hold my attention as well as the first ones have. I see no reason to believe they won't. Mister Howie and Dave not David form a unique bond between them. I hope it continues.
May 6, 2022
Day 1: Howie.
This is a 23 part series so I'm not going to do a full review of each part, but since this is the first one, here's a short review.
The Undead is a zombie horror series set in the U.K. In Day 1, we're introduced to main character Howie, a night manager of a Tesco supermarket. We follow along with him as he tries to find his family and come up with a plan in this new world.
Maybe not the most well-written book ever, but it's very entertaining and I will read the next part at the very least.
This is a 23 part series so I'm not going to do a full review of each part, but since this is the first one, here's a short review.
The Undead is a zombie horror series set in the U.K. In Day 1, we're introduced to main character Howie, a night manager of a Tesco supermarket. We follow along with him as he tries to find his family and come up with a plan in this new world.
Maybe not the most well-written book ever, but it's very entertaining and I will read the next part at the very least.
February 21, 2016
This was a GREAT book, fast paced, I couldn't put it down from the moment I picked it up. My only gripe was that it was too short! I wanted to read so much more. Looking forward to the next book!
May 5, 2017
Still hunting for zombie books. And then I came across this book, and this series.
It is quite a short book, just about 50-60 pages, but the story it tells is pretty amazing. It tells of the first real day of the apocalypse in the town/country of our MC. We see him watch tv, and then with stunning realisation find him looking out of the window to his street, someone is being chased. People are getting killed. And thus begins his night of horrors.
It is filled with some typical cliche stuff. Like apparently everyone going outside to see what is going on (really, I would just stay inside and barricade the dang door or at least higher up and fortify whatever I can). Or the fact that our MC knows first-hand what happens when bitten, yet tries to do x when he encounters it.
There is nothing yet about how this zombie stuff really started. If it was a virus, or lab experiment went wrong, or a patient zero (or multiple patient zeroes) infecting people, I am leaning towards that last option since there were no news-bulletins about sickness. I hope that the coming books will explain a bit more about the situation at hand.
The night, and also partial morning were definitely creepy, and I was on the edge of my seat. I knew of course that this guy would survive, at least for now. I am not sure how long he can live, but I do hope he has some time left.
The writing was a bit childish/off/choppy at times. Which is a shame.
There is quite a bit of gore, but thankfully not too gruesome so I could read it without having to stop or feel my breakfast/lunch come up again.
Zombies, more zombies, and survival. This accompanied with a dash of humour. Would definitely recommend this book.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
It is quite a short book, just about 50-60 pages, but the story it tells is pretty amazing. It tells of the first real day of the apocalypse in the town/country of our MC. We see him watch tv, and then with stunning realisation find him looking out of the window to his street, someone is being chased. People are getting killed. And thus begins his night of horrors.
It is filled with some typical cliche stuff. Like apparently everyone going outside to see what is going on (really, I would just stay inside and barricade the dang door or at least higher up and fortify whatever I can). Or the fact that our MC knows first-hand what happens when bitten, yet tries to do x when he encounters it.
There is nothing yet about how this zombie stuff really started. If it was a virus, or lab experiment went wrong, or a patient zero (or multiple patient zeroes) infecting people, I am leaning towards that last option since there were no news-bulletins about sickness. I hope that the coming books will explain a bit more about the situation at hand.
The night, and also partial morning were definitely creepy, and I was on the edge of my seat. I knew of course that this guy would survive, at least for now. I am not sure how long he can live, but I do hope he has some time left.
The writing was a bit childish/off/choppy at times. Which is a shame.
There is quite a bit of gore, but thankfully not too gruesome so I could read it without having to stop or feel my breakfast/lunch come up again.
Zombies, more zombies, and survival. This accompanied with a dash of humour. Would definitely recommend this book.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
December 29, 2019
I am starting book 7 now. I have been reading this series without a break in between because I am usually fairly desperate for a good read. I used to read books voraciously with real lovely paper pages but I am self employed and I have no time so I switched to audio because I can listen to those in the car and while I am making stuff for clients.
Ok let me state clearly I have a no zombie policy, but i enjoyed the later books by this author so much that I had to break it. When I finished book 3 of his time travel trilogy i was actually SAD.
It just goes to show you that you should not have a no zombie policy and a good book is a good book, no matter what it is about and you really should not close yourself off from different books even if the topic might seem too whatever.
Also I am a bit squeamish. I never got over seeing the movie Carrie (really like ptsd).
So enough about me, about this book, I started it, put it down and started it again and then I ended up enjoying it. It is a bit simplistic. This book sets up a big story. So it is a slow start with just Howie at first, but worth it for the books that follow. I did not roll my eyes once. I gather this writer was a beginner when he wrote this and it is better than some books I have read by supposedly experienced authors. (if I read about another woman described as dusky that's it, I swear I will stop reading).
If you stick with this series you will be rewarded, I guarantee. The writer is funny and inventive and he seems to create characters from an affectionate and warm perspective, like he really gets a kick out of people.
I had a good laugh at the other reviews. Somebody complained it was not realistic. Okay. Um, dude you do realize.....
Ok let me state clearly I have a no zombie policy, but i enjoyed the later books by this author so much that I had to break it. When I finished book 3 of his time travel trilogy i was actually SAD.
It just goes to show you that you should not have a no zombie policy and a good book is a good book, no matter what it is about and you really should not close yourself off from different books even if the topic might seem too whatever.
Also I am a bit squeamish. I never got over seeing the movie Carrie (really like ptsd).
So enough about me, about this book, I started it, put it down and started it again and then I ended up enjoying it. It is a bit simplistic. This book sets up a big story. So it is a slow start with just Howie at first, but worth it for the books that follow. I did not roll my eyes once. I gather this writer was a beginner when he wrote this and it is better than some books I have read by supposedly experienced authors. (if I read about another woman described as dusky that's it, I swear I will stop reading).
If you stick with this series you will be rewarded, I guarantee. The writer is funny and inventive and he seems to create characters from an affectionate and warm perspective, like he really gets a kick out of people.
I had a good laugh at the other reviews. Somebody complained it was not realistic. Okay. Um, dude you do realize.....
July 28, 2018
Ok. Between books, TV and movies I'm suffering from post-apocalyptic and/or zombie fatigue as much as anyone out there, and only started this series after a good friend swore to me it was worth the effort. I'm glad I listened. Its a lot of fun, a lot of dialogue banter as people try to keep their sanity in a world gone ape-shite. Its a zombie plague that isn't quite what it seems, and actually evolves over time. That twist and the great moments of humor make it worth it.
The only criticism I have, keeping it from a 5-star, is the author occasionally gets really, really bogged down in a particular conversation or moment in the story and it just draaaaaaaaaaaaaaags on for-ev-er. What should be maybe a 1-page scene turns into 5-10+, with the same dialogue being rehashed over and over and over again. I believe this was a self-published first effort, and if so then brav, its incredibly good overall for a first-time work. I just wish an editor could have circled these huge sections in red and said, "uh, lets cut 90% of this part."
I guess readers who invest in the series long-term should be prepared for some really, truly horrible things happening in later books. Assault, rape etc., some pretty graphic. I could do without it, especially when so much of the story has great humor mixed in. You could easily tell the story without the brutal rapes of mid-teenage girls. Fortunately these moments are rare, or I'd probably have to bail on it. As it is I just skip over it when it seems a bit much.
The only criticism I have, keeping it from a 5-star, is the author occasionally gets really, really bogged down in a particular conversation or moment in the story and it just draaaaaaaaaaaaaaags on for-ev-er. What should be maybe a 1-page scene turns into 5-10+, with the same dialogue being rehashed over and over and over again. I believe this was a self-published first effort, and if so then brav, its incredibly good overall for a first-time work. I just wish an editor could have circled these huge sections in red and said, "uh, lets cut 90% of this part."
I guess readers who invest in the series long-term should be prepared for some really, truly horrible things happening in later books. Assault, rape etc., some pretty graphic. I could do without it, especially when so much of the story has great humor mixed in. You could easily tell the story without the brutal rapes of mid-teenage girls. Fortunately these moments are rare, or I'd probably have to bail on it. As it is I just skip over it when it seems a bit much.
September 21, 2024
Undead Day 01 by R.R. Haywood is an engaging and fast-paced read that I thoroughly enjoyed. It's the perfect mix of humor, action, and suspense, making it hard to put down. The book kicks off with Howie, an unassuming night shift manager at Tesco, going about his ordinary routine when rumors begin to surface of strange occurrences in Europe. What starts as an odd, distant news story quickly escalates into a full-blown zombie apocalypse, and Howie finds himself fighting for survival.
One of the highlights of _Undead_ is its setting. The story unfolds in the UK, which lends a refreshing, relatable backdrop for British readers, especially for those familiar with the daily, mundane routines of a Tesco employee. Howie's character is another standout. He's not your typical action hero—he's clumsy, overwhelmed, and entirely out of his depth, which makes him all the more relatable and endearing as he stumbles his way through one life-or-death situation after another.
R.R. Haywood’s writing is sharp and snappy, making it a fast read without losing any depth in the narrative. There’s plenty of humor, too, which balances out the intense, zombie-infested action. The ending left me eager to dive into the next book in the series, Undead Day 02, and continue following Howie’s chaotic journey through the apocalypse.
If you're looking for a fun, relatable take on the zombie genre with a British twist, Undead Day 01 is definitely worth picking up!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 29, 2020
A Weak Vision
This is a review of the series as a whole. I read books up to day 7 at which point I gave up.
Why, you ask?
Well if you've read the other dissenting reviews you'll know its because of one thing: boredom. I think the more interesting question though is why was the book boring in the first place? Simply put, the author is laying down the plot of the story as he writes the series. In the hands of an amazing writer this can lead to success (think GRR Martin) but most writers will fail at this technique. Often relying on "action" that is unconnected to the plot (just bashing zombie skulls for pages on end), storylines that lead to nowhere and plot conveniences to pull the main characters from an impossible situation that an author accidently wrote them into.
So why the high score? Because the first couple of days are a fun ride. If you can happily dump it after that then it's a good read, else don't bother.
This is a review of the series as a whole. I read books up to day 7 at which point I gave up.
Why, you ask?
Well if you've read the other dissenting reviews you'll know its because of one thing: boredom. I think the more interesting question though is why was the book boring in the first place? Simply put, the author is laying down the plot of the story as he writes the series. In the hands of an amazing writer this can lead to success (think GRR Martin) but most writers will fail at this technique. Often relying on "action" that is unconnected to the plot (just bashing zombie skulls for pages on end), storylines that lead to nowhere and plot conveniences to pull the main characters from an impossible situation that an author accidently wrote them into.
So why the high score? Because the first couple of days are a fun ride. If you can happily dump it after that then it's a good read, else don't bother.
May 12, 2020
This is another British zombie series that uses the one novella per day approach. This seems to be a thing, although it’s an annoying gimmick in my view.
The writing here is clear and effective. The use of the present tense is strange as this story is introduced as an after the event account. The past tense would have been better for the introspective bits, but the author is careful not to put thoughts into his protagonist’s head that would not have belonged there at the time of the action.
A few implausibilities jar: phones, mobiles, internet are down, but not the electricity or gas? Nope. The zombie infection really proceeds too fast, but at least these zombies are very difficult to kill, which avoids the usual one blow to the head trope. And I like the day / night contrast in zombie virulence.
I’ll happily read on as this long series seems to be on Kindle Unlimited, but it’s nothing special.
The writing here is clear and effective. The use of the present tense is strange as this story is introduced as an after the event account. The past tense would have been better for the introspective bits, but the author is careful not to put thoughts into his protagonist’s head that would not have belonged there at the time of the action.
A few implausibilities jar: phones, mobiles, internet are down, but not the electricity or gas? Nope. The zombie infection really proceeds too fast, but at least these zombies are very difficult to kill, which avoids the usual one blow to the head trope. And I like the day / night contrast in zombie virulence.
I’ll happily read on as this long series seems to be on Kindle Unlimited, but it’s nothing special.
June 22, 2024
A zombie story, set in the UK this time. The book flows quite well, written in first person perspective. The world is built quite well, as well as the change from a normal life of daily routine to a quest for survival and safety.
The greatest failing is the protagonist, Howie. He is an imbecile. I'm unsure how this book was rated so highly when the main character is idiotic. He's not a kid, yet he lacks simple rationale & logic. Examples below.
Small spoilers :
- he watches the news for hours, knows what is going on, yet still wants to pull people away from biting a victim;
- he sees a car being driven crazily & notes there's someone in the back looking like they 'want to talk to the driver'. Really????? You just got out of a zombie infested town. He then tries to save the driver even after she's bitten;
The greatest failing is the protagonist, Howie. He is an imbecile. I'm unsure how this book was rated so highly when the main character is idiotic. He's not a kid, yet he lacks simple rationale & logic. Examples below.
Small spoilers :
- he watches the news for hours, knows what is going on, yet still wants to pull people away from biting a victim;
- he sees a car being driven crazily & notes there's someone in the back looking like they 'want to talk to the driver'. Really????? You just got out of a zombie infested town. He then tries to save the driver even after she's bitten;
October 7, 2024
I love zombie books, zombie movies, all of it, but I have also seen most of the well known zombie stories so I was very excited to see this self-published nearly endless series. It scratched the itch of zombie fiction, but I cannot say it was 100% perfect. There are some excellent twists, such as the zombifying-disease developing the ability to infect the living through their saliva glands., not to mention the ANIMAL zombies- which really scare me.
However, the somewhat predictable, repetitive action scenes—starring our night-time Tesco manager turned omnipotent, immortal supersoldier—got a bit tedious, and I found myself needing breaks during the read.
That said, I will continue the series and I’m eager to see more character development, especially with Sarah, who started off as a damsel in distress in the first book. I'm excited to see what becomes of her and her character.
However, the somewhat predictable, repetitive action scenes—starring our night-time Tesco manager turned omnipotent, immortal supersoldier—got a bit tedious, and I found myself needing breaks during the read.
That said, I will continue the series and I’m eager to see more character development, especially with Sarah, who started off as a damsel in distress in the first book. I'm excited to see what becomes of her and her character.
October 15, 2021
So I took Amazon's word for interesting titles in the horror genre to have something light while I read some non-fiction that's dense (by my incredibly low standards).
I get that it's pulp, but this title was incredibly derivative and unimaginative, anyone who watched the Walking Dead and played Fallout 3 could have hit on aPoCaLyPsE imagery. The characters are 2-D cut outs (the strong, silent killer with a mysterious past; the thuggish, sexist British gangster; the South Asian shop owner). There is very little structure and horrible pacing, the main character has really dubious motivation that isn't clearly explained beyond surface level descriptions.
I get that it's pulp, but this title was incredibly derivative and unimaginative, anyone who watched the Walking Dead and played Fallout 3 could have hit on aPoCaLyPsE imagery. The characters are 2-D cut outs (the strong, silent killer with a mysterious past; the thuggish, sexist British gangster; the South Asian shop owner). There is very little structure and horrible pacing, the main character has really dubious motivation that isn't clearly explained beyond surface level descriptions.
August 9, 2024
The Undead Day One
The Undead #1
Sci-Fi
R.R. Haywood
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
• ᴢᴏᴍʙɪᴇꜱ • ɢᴏʀᴇ • ꜱᴜʀᴠɪᴠᴀʟ •
I really liked how the author included British slang in this book. The swear words and foul language was just right 😂.
Howie was an interesting character. He was very humble and just an average guy but when things went south, he immediately wanted to find his sister and protect her and help other people too.
There was constantly something happening at the same time as Howie was trying to get to his parents' house. It made the pacing good and there was a real sense of urgency and the tension was great.
I've only read one other book by this author but I'm really enjoying his writing style and I look forward to the next book in this series.
The Undead #1
Sci-Fi
R.R. Haywood
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
• ᴢᴏᴍʙɪᴇꜱ • ɢᴏʀᴇ • ꜱᴜʀᴠɪᴠᴀʟ •
I really liked how the author included British slang in this book. The swear words and foul language was just right 😂.
Howie was an interesting character. He was very humble and just an average guy but when things went south, he immediately wanted to find his sister and protect her and help other people too.
There was constantly something happening at the same time as Howie was trying to get to his parents' house. It made the pacing good and there was a real sense of urgency and the tension was great.
I've only read one other book by this author but I'm really enjoying his writing style and I look forward to the next book in this series.
August 29, 2022
I get it's a zombie book we're gonna talk about fending off zombies. But when there's only a few paragraphs of storytelling in between each description of a fight I'm not finding anything to enjoy. Don't really get to know the character apart from that he had a sister in London because its mentioned multiple times. Was disappointed as the series is quite long but there just seems to be no effort to draw the reader in unless they're interested in how you bashed a zombies face in for the 10th time in a single chapter
October 24, 2023
Though released as a complete story, this clearly self-published item is more along the lines of several chapters of a longer tale. It’s a pretty basic opener to the traditional zombie story, but it’s almost as if the author is writing about a movie he saw, if that makes any sense. There’s no emotion, just step by step zombie mayhem and the MCs unsurprising response. The MC has anger issues, mentally makes fun of an overweight guy who has admittedly been nothing but kind to him, and gives me creepster misogynist vibes. Suffice to say I won’t be reading the remainder of the story.
March 10, 2017
This "book", and I use that term loosely, is really a novella that could have used a lot more time in the editing room. It's around 58 or so pages and about a third of that is filler. It could have easily been trimmed down to 45 pages or less and told the exact same story while flowing better. There is minimal dialogue or characters and the whole thing was just three or four action scenes strung together detailing the first day of a zombie apocalypse.
The Undead Day One is a glorified short story and nothing more than an introduction to the series. I've read the first book so far and as of this writing there are 20 more to go. The version I have is called "The Undead Week One" and it includes the first seven books, which certainly brings it to a more reasonable length. I haven't read The Undead Week One yet so instead i'm reviewing the version listed here.
The author basically wrote a book, bloated the chapters with filler and then took batches of the chapters and released them as individual books. I am NOT criticizing the strategy, for a 0.99 cent eBook it's a great idea and one lots of authors use. You get your moneys worth. The idea of each installment being a day in the apocalypse is an interesting gimmick but it leads to silliness in the writing such as the whole world being taken over in less than a few hours. Come on, it would take way longer than that but for the purpose of the gimmick it happens almost instantly in this book. One minute he's looking at riots in the news and a few hours later it's Armageddon outside and society has broken down.
The book also didn't end with enough of a cliffhanger that would make you want to read the next one. Because of it all taking place in one day the main character basically just travels less than an hour away from his house and barely anything happens. Following this gimmick I can already imagine how tedious future installments will be.
These would probably make good graphic novels but as a book I personally prefer more substantial stories.
The Undead Day One is a glorified short story and nothing more than an introduction to the series. I've read the first book so far and as of this writing there are 20 more to go. The version I have is called "The Undead Week One" and it includes the first seven books, which certainly brings it to a more reasonable length. I haven't read The Undead Week One yet so instead i'm reviewing the version listed here.
The author basically wrote a book, bloated the chapters with filler and then took batches of the chapters and released them as individual books. I am NOT criticizing the strategy, for a 0.99 cent eBook it's a great idea and one lots of authors use. You get your moneys worth. The idea of each installment being a day in the apocalypse is an interesting gimmick but it leads to silliness in the writing such as the whole world being taken over in less than a few hours. Come on, it would take way longer than that but for the purpose of the gimmick it happens almost instantly in this book. One minute he's looking at riots in the news and a few hours later it's Armageddon outside and society has broken down.
The book also didn't end with enough of a cliffhanger that would make you want to read the next one. Because of it all taking place in one day the main character basically just travels less than an hour away from his house and barely anything happens. Following this gimmick I can already imagine how tedious future installments will be.
These would probably make good graphic novels but as a book I personally prefer more substantial stories.
December 14, 2018
Kept me reading
This was not a long book and the lack of a normal ending made it clear in my opinion that this was intended to be (as indeed it is) part of a series. Having said that I enjoyed the book. The opening set the scene and got me interested in the protagonist. The action scenes with the zombies have established some what one might call the rules of the story. I will probably read more of the series.
This was not a long book and the lack of a normal ending made it clear in my opinion that this was intended to be (as indeed it is) part of a series. Having said that I enjoyed the book. The opening set the scene and got me interested in the protagonist. The action scenes with the zombies have established some what one might call the rules of the story. I will probably read more of the series.
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