• Beyond Exile

  • Day by Day Armageddon, Book 2
  • By: J. L. Bourne
  • Narrated by: Jay Snyder
  • Length: 9 hrs and 40 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (4,083 ratings)

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Beyond Exile  By  cover art

Beyond Exile

By: J. L. Bourne
Narrated by: Jay Snyder
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Publisher's summary

The first book of Day by Day Armageddon took us deep into the mind of a military officer and survivor as he made a New Year's resolution to start keeping a journal. The man kept his resolution and brought to us the fall of humanity, day by day. We see the man transition from the life that you and I live to the prospect of fighting for his very survival against the overwhelming hordes of the dead. We see him bleed, we see him make mistakes, we witness him evolve. The highly anticipated sequel to the best-selling underground cult classic, Day by Day Armageddon, begins where the first novel left off.

BEGIN INTERCEPT

Armies of undead have risen up across the U.S. and around the globe; there is no safe haven from the diseased corpses hungering for human flesh. But in the heat of a Texas wasteland, a small band of survivors attempt to counter the millions closing in around them.

INTERCEPT COMPLETED

Day by day, the handwritten journal entries of one man caught in a worldwide cataclysm capture the desperation--and the will to survive--as he joins forces with a handful of refugees to battle soulless enemies both human and inhuman from inside an abandoned strategic missile facility. But in the world of the undead, is mere survival enough?

©2010 J.L. Bourne (P)2010 Audible, Inc.

Featured Article: Mmmm, Brains...Satisfy Your Cravings with the 20 Best Zombie Audiobooks Ever


Zombies have been a potent cultural force for decades. Something about the concept of a ragtag crew of survivors facing off against endless masses of shuffling brain-munchers really seems to speak to people! There are hundreds, if not thousands, of zombie-themed stories out there. But which ones are the very best? And which zombie audiobooks will have you double-checking the locks and sleeping with a baseball bat next to your bed?

What listeners say about Beyond Exile

Average customer ratings
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  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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Story
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Fun new story direction

So this book is the sequel to "Day by Day Armageddon". The story explained in the format of the main character reading back his diary. The book picks up the day after the events at the end of the previous book. The book takes quit a few twist and turns, introduces new friends, new groups with unknown allegiances, and deeper explanation of what is going on with the undead. Although for every question that this book answered, it brought up two more. The one thing this book has that I thought was missing from the story is a "long trek to safety while scanvanging for items'. This is also the first time that our protagonist is actually all alone for a time. That one section was truly masterful. I generally enjoy these books for fun, and that one section is the only place that actually gave me a chill. If you like book one, there is no reason I can think of that you wouldn't like book 2. Jay Snyder is a great reader. He does the voices with ease, even when he has to use a accent. I think zombies + great story + great reader = a good time. I hope book 3 will be written and released on audible soon. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

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18 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

ROE/Rules For Engagement. RFL/ Rules for listening

MADE ME WONDER HOW MANY UNDEAD EYES SHE HAD PLUCKED OUT IN THE LAST WEEK.
Okay, I am as surprised as you are. If you read my review from six months ago, I gave Day by Day, Armageddon five stars and said I had the Zombie Fever. I was looking forward to this book. I had just finished a good book, (Unwind) and thought how lucky I was to have another good book to turn to. I just could not get into this book.

THIS COULD BE THE END!!!!!
It seemed to me to be more of a dry account of what was going on. My main RFL, is I need to be able to stay awake. The author wants to prove that he can fly, so he gets into a plane and goes on a trip. We get all the airplane lingo and check list stuff so that we know the author is a pilot. A grandma is picked up with her grandson. We think it is a new character, yet little is heard from them again. We then go from a ex-military man leading some civilians, to him just happening to be the highest ranking officer in Texas and now the army follows him, after they tried to kill him. This then becomes mostly a military book. Every time he goes somewhere we get a detail checklist of everything he packs and why. If the world ever ends, make sure and grab this book for the checklists. In the middle of the book, he gets hurt and may die. I have never understood why authors do that. Unless they are George R.R. Martin, we know they are not going to kill off the main character with a couple hundred pages of book left. I also felt the book had no plot, no goal, no quest. This got a high rating from most, although most of these ratings are from 2010. Maybe we have gotten used to better writing since then, I don't know. I just know that I was bored. There was also six years between the publication of book one and book two. Maybe Bourne ran out of ideas and knew it. I have also noticed that book 3 is not getting good reviews.

I JUST KNEW I WAS ALIVE AND HAD COGNITIVE FUNCTION.
The narrator was okay, just not great.

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16 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

He's done it again!!!

Another excellent installment in the ongoing Zombie Armageddon. Often times the sequel to any book (or movie) isn't able to hold up to the expectations of the original. Beyond Exile is certainly one of the few exceptions, with J.L. taking us on a new and equally intense journey.

If you are into the Zombie/Post Apocalyptic experience and/or you enjoyed Day by Day Armageddon, Beyond Exile is a must read.

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16 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

For Zombie Lovers

Make sure you start with Book 1 "Day by Day Armagedon" then sit back and enjoy Beyond Exile. I love J.L. Bourne's writing style and the Narrator Jay Snyder, has the perfect voice for this part. I enjoy a good Zombie story and or movie, some more then others, and this is rated right up there with my #1 picks. Please keep the stories coming Mr. Bourne !!

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12 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Good story - Can't wait for the next one

The story is as good or maybe better than the previous book. There is never a dull moment in this new macabre world of the undead. It also leaves the possibility for a third book. I can't wait. The narrator was also very good. If you liked the first book even a little, then this is a worthwhile listen.

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12 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Very Much Surprised

This book is very well written, he draws you into the story very well. I had my reservation but not any more. I have listened to both books and enjoyed them very much. The first book well like everyone says ends very abruptly , but the second pick's up right where one left off. This is a must read/listen for anyone interested in the zombie genre. I would highly recommend this to anyone and I truly can't wait until the 3rd one come out.

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10 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent

This series is a real treat a blend of sci fi, action and horror. Looks are deceiving in that there is a deeper story than just a simple genre book

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Outstanding Field Craft!

What some critics may not understand about the zombie genre is that prior training and repetitive technique is neccessary to survival, and truly understanding this genre. Obviously many techniques in the story are from max brook's guide or THE GUIDE in my opinion but the authorship provides some innovative ideas as well, the story is great, and I identify with many of the moments in the story what with having been forced to hold up inside my house for 8 days because of my nutcase of a mother. Much of the psychological, and physical pains the main character suffered were similiar. Having had experience patching up a life threatening wound with no one to help me, this was a reminiscence of my past. Overall I have never seen an author to date who can elude to the beast driving someone to stay alive in the Zombie Genre with the exception of "The Walking Dead" Comic books. Which both are substantially on par with eachother.

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

We don't need Character Development.

Any additional comments?

Day by Day is simply the best Zombie book I have read. All the negative reviews that accuse this book of lack of character development and straying from the Novel Format are completely missing the point of this book. It’s a “Day by Day” account of one guys journey through surviving the Zombie outbreak. Unlike other novels that start out as a journal then morph the reader into the scene to over hear conversations and thoughts of the characters, this book stays in true Journal format – so there are no conversations between characters we get to experience… there are no side plots… there are no other points of view - from the first page to the last page, this is a documentation of survival.

As if the reader were to find this “Journal” in an old desk, we get a glimpse – a snap shot of this guys life. What he sees, what he thinks, who he meets, how he reacts… I was not so sure a book like this would keep me invested – but honestly, I have never had a book grab hold of me so hard and so fast – literally by the 3rd page I was hooked. In spite of the limitations the author gave himself in picking this writing style, he still manages to make us care about our hero - and care about the things he cares about (other characters). We feel his fear right along with him. We feel his frustration, his denial, and his determination. All this – without any character development at all. (Now that’s a great writer in my book!).

I highly recommend this book! And take my suggestion, if you do purchase this book, have your Google Maps ready – you will find yourself wanting to follow along with the character. :)

The narrator is excellent! He does a good job at sounding like he’s talking to himself… fits in very well the feel of the book.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

One of the BEST Zombie "Journey" stories out there

I'd be hard-pressed to come up with a better recommendation for a book about one man's journey through a catastrophic zombie event. It IS written as a journal, which may take a few minutes to get used to, but trust me, IT WORKS. Not only does the journal-style work, but it also adds to the tension of the story. Do yourself a favor, and download this AND the sequel. You will want to start up the sequel right after the first one ends. There is nothing in this book that I would've changed. It is pretty much perfect, for what it is.

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7 people found this helpful