The Undead Situation

By: Eloise J. Knapp

Narrated by: Kevin T. Collins

Length: 9 hrs and 18 mins

Publisher's summary

When the end finally occurred, everything about it was cinematic. The dead came back and ate people, civilization collapsed, and no one could do a thing. But Cyrus V. Sinclair couldn’t care less; he’s a sociopath.

Amidst the chaos, Cyrus sits back and contemplates the gore stained streets and screams of his fellow man with little more emotion than one of the walking corpses. With his cache of guns and MREs, he rather likes the idea of hunkering down in his Seattle apartment while the world ends outside.

All is well and good for Cyrus… until he meets up with Gabe, a belligerent annoyance, and the other inconvenient survivors who cramp his style and force him to re-evaluate his outlook on life. It’s Armageddon, and things will definitely get messy.

BONUS SHORT STORY: The Undead Situation includes "Strictly Professional", one of four interlocking stories from The Junkie Quatrain by Peter Clines.

©2010 Eloise J. Knapp (P)2011 Audible, Inc.

good start but boring finish

I was really into the book at first and then slowly got bored with it. very predictable

Different,

Its dark but not your typical dark. It definitely had something others don't. Worth the read.

TUS has a depth of story that surprised me.

I picked this audiobook up on a whim. In fact I very nearly passed it by. I've seen zombie stories in many forms and it feels as though it has been done to death, with little to no innovation.


That is not the case with The Undead Situation.


Cyrus, while being a general a**hole and all around apathetic guy, still manages to become a window for the audience. The idea of a character who didn't actually care about the welfare of those weaker to him just tickled my fancy, and Cyrus definitely does not disappoint.


I'll not give away the story with descriptions of the other characters, but rest assured that each has his or her own personality developed in such a way that makes you think the author had spent a great deal of time thinking of them, applying strengths and weaknesses to their personalities. The main characters seem to possess a depth that is not fully explored in the narration, but in this case it is a good thing. How boring would it be to know every facet of a character? A little mystery goes a long way in this kind of tale.


Ms. Knapp is a debut author and her efforts come across as someone who has labored with love and devotion. Mr. Collins possesses the perfect sneer to his voice that really makes Cyrus's character shine. His narration is flawless in reflecting the dirty, gritty reality of a world at its end.


There are a few flaws to this book. Most lie with some of the details regarding the military, but likely would only be caught by someone who has experience in the service. The events toward the end seemed to happen fast, though the epilogue was well done and is definitely my favorite part. As with any zombie book, it has events that mirror each other closely, but stays just shy of being repetitious.


Lastly, the author herself is very open to feedback. I tend to email authors whose work I enjoy and it was a genuine pleasure to correspond with Ms. Knapp.


I will be keeping an eye out for future works.

mindless fun, just what life needs!

Would you listen to The Undead Situation again? Why?

No need to... it is just a bit of mindless fun. Perfect to make the daily commute a fun experience!

What other book might you compare The Undead Situation to and why?

"The Undead Situation" is similar to "Mountain Man" by Keith C Blackmore. The same sense of twisted sense of humour! The main characters in both books walk the same line between sane and insane, with a wicked sense of sarcasm on the side!

Which scene was your favorite?

I loved any scene which included "My name is Cyrus V. Sinclair". You understand when you get there! But I can give you a clue... it is always "very funny"... "Verily" I say it is brilliant!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes most definitely!

Any additional comments?

Most of the other reviews will tell you about the story and the main character, in a way much better than me. So I will just add a comment about something which hasn't been mentioned before: The narration is very good but very slow. I tend to listen to most books at 1.25x speed. But it was no problem whatsoever listening to this one at 1.5x speed. This is a pity because it shortened the length considerably!

Overall this is one of those zombie books which will make you smile and well worth the credit to buy!

Not what I expected, but in a good way!

OK, this was not what I was used to in a zombie thriller, but in a good way. Usually there is "good guy" character or group of characters trying to survive the dead, while trying to also survive the living "bad guys". This story is unique in the fact that the main character, Cyrus, is a disconnected, withdrawn, self proclaimed borderline sociopath who has no sympathy for any other survivor. What I found compelling about the story is how well it is written to pull the listener in. Two hours into the listen I would have been glad if Cyrus had been killed off because he is such a rotten person. BUT, the story and Cyrus evolves, he grows fond of some, begins to find he has a moral compass, and starts to evolve into a "better" version of himself. He is by no means a good guy yet, but there is a second book and we can only hope.

Eloise J Knapp is a excellent writer that we should all pay attention to, I am adding her to my watch list. The narrator is Kevin T Collins and he did a solid job of the narration. He does have a slight Christian Slater vibe to his voice, but that is not a bad thing (unless you dont like C Slater).

favourite zombie book

The main character was a miserable person and the extra characters were also not exactly likable. However, the interaction between them was great and they were very entertaining. If I am ever actually in a zombie apocalypse this will be the book I refer to for practical information and guidance. I would highly recommend this book for its bravery and pragmatic look at apocalyptic life.

More Than Expected

I got this on a whim and have already purchased the sequel. Overall, this was exactly what I was looking for as it didn't seem to be so full of serious intent that it overlooked what it was - a first person narrative of the unimaginable, i.e.: zombie apocalypse, from a fringe element of society. The writing style was concise and didn't get too overly involved in anything outside of the immediate circumstances of the character, which in my opinion is appropriate and was thankfully consistent throughout the book. I watch the Walking Dead, but don't really read zombie books. This story sounded interesting because I like stories placing the lead character outside of their normal element. Not that zombie hoards are ever normal, but being in a position to kill at will is a favorable position for some of the previously noted fringe element to be in. After this book, I might start seeking other authors out.

The narration matched what I felt was the proper tone of the character...headstrong, with a sometimes sarcastic wit. The character seemed to leave himself open to evaluate what was happening around him while looking for "something" despite his general disdain for all things that crossed his path. Kevin T. Collins managed to succeed in the narrative within that framework and made listening to the story an unexpected treat.

Disturbing

Alright ready for the sequel!!! Loved the book! Smart and deranged! Ending leaving me wanting more.

Zombie Books ROCK.

I don't know how this happen, but I LOVE Zombie/End of the World as We Know it/Gross Me Out/ Gag Me with a Spoon Books.
I am a white, over 40,, mother of four. Go figure. That being said:

This was a good one. A Zombie lover's dream. The book was funny, sick and the main charater was great. He thinks he is such a bad***, but the more we get to know him, and the more he gets to know himself, we discover he really does care.... some of the time.

Can a Killer find love in the land of the Undead?

I suppose that it was the generally positive reviews that drew me to this story and I have to say I was not disappointed. Unlike many recent post-apocalyptic efforts, this one offers both a new-twist in the form of hero as sociopath, one without compassion or emotion, in a non-stop action thriller. As a fan of the "undead" genre, this one delivers in-your-face snarling, entrails-dragging dead people, some slow, some fast and the violence is up close and personal. But then there's the living to contend with: the twisted redneck evil survivors with guns. And there's lots and lots of violence. My only critique, and this is clearly the intention of the author, is that even though we come to know the primary characters quite well, there's nothing particularly likeable about any of them. If you like bad-ass women with guns, a dysfunctional hero and a world without hope or redemption, this is an outstanding zombie book. Go for it!