Ex-Patriots

By: Peter Clines

Narrated by: Jay Snyder, Khristine Hvam, Mark Boyett, Elisabeth Rodgers

Length: 11 hrs and 55 mins

Publisher's summary

It’s been two years since the world ended. Two years since the dead rose and the plague of ex-humanity decimated mankind. For most of that time, the superhero called St. George, formerly known to the world as the Mighty Dragon, has protected the people of Los Angeles at their film-studio-turned-fortress, The Mount. Together with his fellow heroes - Cerberus, Zzzap, and Stealth - he’s tried to give the survivors hope and something like a real life. But the swollen population of The Mount is becoming harder and harder to sustain, and the heroes are feeling the pressure.

Hope arrives in the form of a United States Army battalion, based in a complex a few hundred miles away in Arizona. This is not just any base, however. The men and women of Project Krypton are super-soldiers, designed and created before the outbreak to be better, stronger, and faster than normal humans. They want the heroes and all the people of The Mount to rejoin America and have normal lives again.

But can the military be trusted? And is there even a country left to rejoin? There is a secret at the heart of Project Krypton, and those behind it have an awesome power that will help them keep that secret hidden. The power of Freedom.

BONUS SHORT STORY: Ex-Patriots includes "Codependent", one of four interlocking stories from The Junkie Quatrain by Peter Clines.

Apocalypse now: Also listen to the first book, Ex-Heroes.

©2011 Peter Clines (P)2011 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Anyone who says there's nothing new in the world of zombie fiction hasn't read Peter Clines. Ex-Patriots is even better than its predecessor. This is a series that's going places." (Mira Grant, author of Feed and Deadline)

The superheroes+zombies mashup gets a little bette

This is definitely popcorn entertainment. Superheroes + zombies: it's a novelized comic book, and it reads like one. I thought the first book (Ex-Heroes) was pretty cheesy and mediocre if enjoyable. The second book is also cheesy, maybe just a notch above mediocre. Clines's writing has improved in this sequel, and it particularly shows in the plotting. Instead of a dumb boss fight with a predictable conclusion at the end, there are several fairly clever (if very much conforming to standard superhero tropes) twists, some of which made things that initially had me rolling my eyes suddenly become more credible. The battle at the end is more complex and has more factions and is left a little bit inconclusive (well, in typical genre fashion, you can't ever have a villain decisively killed).

In Ex-Heroes, we were introduced to a gang of superheroes who were defending "The Mount," a fortress inside what was once Paramount Studios in Hollywood, where human survivors have barricaded themselves against the zombie hordes that have overrun the world. In this second book in what is obviously meant to be an ongoing series, we're introduced to a group of "super soldiers" who were engineered by the U.S. Army just before everything went to apocalypse. Led by "Captain Freedom" (yeah, yeah), they discover the Mount when they fly a predator drone overhead. The heroes send out Zzzap, their energy form hero, and soon the superheroes are meeting the super-soldiers, there is the obligatory initial misunderstanding leading to a completely unnecessary hero battle, followed by the two groups deciding to join together, followed by the discovery of sinister secrets, a hidden bad guy, a returning foe, and more "killing dead zombie celebrity" jokes.

I gave the first book 3 stars; I give this one 3.5. I don't think Peter Clines is going to be putting out anything really fantastically well-written or brilliant, but although falling a bit below my usual quality threshold for series I want to keep following, I have enjoyed both books enough that I will probably snap up the next book when it's released. This is very much hardcore zombie-superhero-nerd fantasy, but if that hits your sweet spot, take the time to enjoy the unabashed enthusiastic genre love here.

Very good voice acting here, and with such a large cast, I appreciated having male and female voices to handle different characters.

Best worst book ever!

Any additional comments?

This sequel is great. Throughout the book they even point out how cliche this plot line is, but that doesn't matter; the character interaction, the witty build up of jokes, and the just freaky nature of ex's, compel you to listen to more. By the end you are rooting for the heroes and drooling for more, hoping Clines makes this into a Trilogy, if not more. The separation of readers, while in most books breaks up the flow, in this book, really helps drive the character development, and I applaud the talent for being able to do so. If you like comic book heroes, buy this, and the first book and take a listen, you wont be disappointed.

2nd better than the first and the first one rocked

I was hoping for a 2nd book after buying "Ex-Heros".

Have to say the second book is better than the first.
Audio production is great and the story takes my loved Heros into what could be a cliche' ridden direction, but instead it takes all I love about heros and zombies and gives them both a great new lease on life. It was awesome.

I may sound like a fool but after hard syfi, history, and bios,... this is all just great fun for me
I have listened to these books several times and keep enjoying them. Give this one a try. It stands alone if you have not read the first but if you hear this on you will have to read the first.

Thx again Mr. Clines

Great follow up

I wasn't expecting another book... I don't know why, but because of that I didn't keep the book fresh in my mind. I was surprised to see a second book and afraid I'd be lost and would have to re-listen to the first one. No, I fell right back in with everyone after a few moments of minor confusion. It's done in the same "then" and "now" style as the first, which drives me up the wall. Though I admit it always comes together and makes sense, so I appreciate it at the end. This time it left an OBVIOUS opening for a third book. I'll definely keep an eye out for that. I've always tried to stay away from apocalyptic zombie reads... But alas, I've finally been dragged in.

More suspenseful than first book, plus a twist...

It is even better than Ex-Heroes (the first book in the series). It is suspenseful, and there is a twist (or maybe even two twists) that I did not expect.

It is a rather mature zombie book (i.e. there is more to the story than just zombies eating everyone) and, while some readers have complained about the swearing, I didn't find it excessive at all. There are a couple characters who swear, but they don't show up much.

The heroes just feel like regular people, who have the goal of trying their best to save the remaining people from zombies. We don't really bat an eye at their powers because the powers are seamlessly woven into the story. And the heroes are distinct and we are made to care about them as individuals, not just in how they can save the day.

I think Clines is becoming a better writer the more he writes. I look forward to the next book in the series because I can't wait to see what the heroes do next, and if they can, indeed, save what is left of the world. There is not a cliff-hanger so you don't *have* to go out and buy the next book immediately, but I did anyway.

The narration is very good, there is some swearing but no real gore or graphic content.

Super Heroes and Zombies

What made the experience of listening to Ex-Patriots the most enjoyable?

It's a fun story that's interesting and has you trying to piece together everything thats happening to figure out where its leading. It really had me thinking everytime i shut off the book as to where it was leading and what clues it was giving me. It's also just plain entertaining this world of super heroes and zombies. I am definitively looking forward to his next book.

The peanut butter cup of sci-fi / fantasy.

Would you consider the audio edition of Ex-Patriots to be better than the print version?

NA, didn't read the print version.

Would you be willing to try another book from Peter Clines? Why or why not?

Yes. Maybe.

Which scene was your favorite?

Several good scenes.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Zombies and Superheroes, like peanut butter and chocolate.

Any additional comments?

A fun adventure story that does an ok job of mixing the Zombie and Superhero genres together in one book. Not great, but a lot of fun.

Even more narrators!

Have you listened to any of the narrators’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I was super excited to discover that there were even more narrators in this book than the last. I think it adds a really great element to the story. I hate some of the characters voices, but I also hate some of the characters, but that's part of the story.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I found that because I listened to this book and Ex-heros back to back it was a little bit easier for me to anticipate what would happen. It was still amazing, just a little less surprising.

im still going

loved the first exheros listened to it quickly. this one was a bit harder. id say because its a origins story to some new blood.
the mexican vato accent is horrible. but if you can get passed it, you're good.
id say the reference to military jargon, equipment, tactics, and overall operations are tough to get through as it seems outside the authors wheelhouse. that was the hardest part that kept me from delving into this story. but will it stop me grabbing the next one? Hell no! the storyline characters and premise are just so awesome, and Clines does so much of it so well that I cant give it hell for my hangups on trivial stuff.

Not too bad

I liked this book but it seemed to be redundant with the first in the series. My favorite character was The Driver. Made me laugh often.