Rise Again Below Zero

Rise Again, Book 2

By: Ben Tripp

Narrated by: Kirsten Potter

Length: 14 hrs and 37 mins

Publisher's summary

Billions died and rose again, hungry for human flesh. When the nightmare reached Sheriff Danielle Adelman's small mountain community of Forest Peak, California, it was too late for warnings...forcing her to lead a small group of survivors out of hell, all the while seeking her estranged runaway sister at any cost.

Two years later, the undead have evolved. Now, besides the shambling, mindless cannibals are the hunters-cunning and fast, like wolves-and the thinkers, whose shocking intel­ligence and single-minded predatory obsession may mean the downfall of what's left of humanity. As Danny leads a ragtag band of the living through the remnants of the American Midwest, rumors arise of a safe place somewhere east. But the closer they get to it, the more certain Danny becomes that something evil waits for them at the end of the line.

With an unspeakable secret riding beside her and an unbreakable promise made to a small, silent boy, Danny must stake everything she has-her leadership, her sanity, and her life- in order to defeat the ultimate horror in a terrifying and dying world.

©2013 Ben Tripp (P)2014 Tantor

Critic reviews

"More than a routine zombiefest, this taut and intelligent tale succeeds as a moving meditation on a world steeped in 'the loneliness of life without afterlife.'" ( Publishers Weekly)

Spectacular!

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

I have and will continue to. This duology is a spectacular listen. The story line is gripping and realistic. I was eager to drive just so I had an excuse to listen to more!

Who was your favorite character and why?

Danny was for more than the fact she was the main character. She was human. She was flawed and selfish and giving and noble all at the same time. She was easy to get invested in. Her persiverance is epic.

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

I am a huge fan of Kristen's. This was another great preformance for her. I loved the scene with Danny and Wolf were on their binge and I honestly forgot it was the same person portraying both characters. Love her!

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

There were several moments that have stuck with me. And some are too gruesome to share here :-)

Any additional comments?

I love this world Ben has created. It is grounded and well plotted and you can believe that this could be a reality. Danny is legendary in her own right. I am eager to read something else from his crafty mind.

Great Story

Great narration; that is until the horrible attempt at a West Indian accent. Even with that,I enjoyed this story. Danny is such a badass!

Great book, but why not a triology?

The wrinkle on this zombie tale are the smart zombies, the thinkers.

Generally, it starts off as a convoy of humanity called the "tribe", led by Dani the sheriff. Pretty good zombie telling. Eventually they get to the "safe zone" where the "thinkers" are at the top of the food chain and the plot intricacies start to get complicated.

I thought the plot was kinda flimsy really and started to wonder where could this possibly lead. How far could Dani keep playing one political faction off against the other? I think the author was wondering the same and its almost as if his publisher was nagging at him and he felt he had better wrap things up because suddenly "Ka Boom! Never mind trying to tie the plot together, back to basics with a zombie onslaught, fire and mayhem.

Dani is slightly more likeable now because we have more insight into her battle with her rage and alcoholism.

Would have really liked to keep going with this series but this looks like the end of things. That's too bad. Still, we got two really long good solid zombie stories!

Another great story by Ben Tripp!

Tripp is a top notch story teller and Kirsten Potter really brings his writing to life. She is a great narrator for the main character. I've already listened to the first book 3 times. Although this book seems to have ended the storyline, I hope Ben Tripp will come out with similar stories.

Great book

The narrator was awesome. The story and her reading keeps you glued and not wanting to stop.

Terrific

I love this story and its prequel. I only hate one thing about it, but....I refuse to add spoilers to my review. How appropriate that the silent kid is the storyteller of the group.

Seemed disjointed, didn't flow

I re-listened to book 1 before this book, and book 2 just seemed disjointed. Kristen Potter really did a great performance - I think you could read a dictionary and still make it sound interesting.

Had to listen to the second... at least now I know

Is there anything you would change about this book?

There were some parts of the book's story line that could have been great but were sorely neglected. There are so many books that have great ideas but when it comes time to deliver, they fall short.

Would you recommend Rise Again Below Zero to your friends? Why or why not?

I would recommend the first book and then just give them a summary of this one. There were so many parts of this book that fell short.

Which character – as performed by Kirsten Potter – was your favorite?

Danny - her hardcore nature is definitely portrayed well by this actor. But when she tried to do the Jamaican accent of the wheelchair character, she fell short and it ended up sounding very Irish/English.

Did Rise Again Below Zero inspire you to do anything?

Carry a backpack of never-ending supplies.

Any additional comments?

I can't stress enough that this book fell short. It had such potential, the characters could have been so much more, the scenes could have flowed well and the plot could have been so much more, but it felt like it was hacked apart and put together by a novice serial killer.