Arisen: Raiders Volumes 1-2

By: Michael Stephen Fuchs

Narrated by: R.C. Bray

Length: 14 hrs and 10 mins

Publisher's Summary

Start the number one best-selling ARISEN series - which fans are calling “the best zombie apocalypse series ever written,” “an edge of your seat thrill ride - the best zombie thriller since WWZ,” and “an adrenaline-laced rush” - right from the beginning of the end, with the first two books together... 

Volume 1 - The Collapse 

Two teams of spec-ops Marines left to die in the fall of North America 

One carrier strike group, humanity's last best hope for survival 

And 7 billion ravening dead guys, devouring an overrun planet 

Climb aboard the USS John F. Kennedy, the most complex and deadly warship ever built by man, along with its pipe-hitting Marine Raider guardians, to experience two years of horrors and glories of the Zulu Alpha across the world's fallen ports and coasts. Now, after the epic 14-book ARISEN main series, the story before the story can finally be told… 

Volume 2 - Tribes 

Doc Yaz, Gunny Blane, and the rest of the Raiders are safely back on the Kennedy after surviving the horrific collapse of North America. But they are instantly thrust back onto shore, and into the worst of the ZA, to secure the critical supplies the strike group needs to survive even another day - and the weapons and ammo the Marines need to keep fighting for everyone else. Hold your breath as these shore missions go from simple, to stupid, to suicidal, all with breathtaking speed and violence. Keep the tribe alive. 

ARISEN 

Hope Never Dies. 

©2021 Michael Stephen Fuchs (P)2021 Podium Audio

Yaz needs to die. Read, then tell me if you agree.

So, I listened to this as I have for the entire series and found that if Michael is trying to make Yaz a hero he is failing and doing so badly. This guy is a cancer to any team he gets on and is only going to get people killed, he’s not a team player in a sport where people are playing for keeps.
Firstly, Yaz on his first team hesitated in shooting an active threat, which if it wasn’t for the Team 6 guys would’ve killed him and the other members of the team. Then he being a medic should be able to take emotion out of his evaluation, but he doesn’t he tried to waste limited supplies on a for sure dead man. It doesn’t stop here though, Yaz then argues with the team about taking this guy who is certain to die out with them in an already over loaded helicopter operating above its max ceiling. This means the helicopter is already having a problem producing enough lift to get off the ground and Yaz wanted to make it worse.
Secondly, Yaz gets to the second team and hesitates again, almost getting himself and others infected because he can’t seem to understand that not because these zombies look like people they’re already dead. He then hesitates in the doorway on the helicopter causing the perfectly good helicopter to go down and causing multiple people to get shot. If someone else was in the doorway, they would’ve taken action a lot quicker I will argue all day because they wouldn’t argue the point of killing the guy on the wing who was possibly infected to save them all.
Thirdly, once they crash he refuses to move the injured like staying in a burning and smoke filled helicopter is going to save anyone, even after saying win the fight and get the injured out of the environment first. It’s just by luck they didn’t all die from a fire on the helicopter. Next, he does an unnecessarily dangerous field surgery. A tourniquet can work for close to 5 hours without any serious or limb loss issues. This could’ve allowed the team to move a lot faster because he wouldn’t have to do what he did. In Black Hawk Down they were in place for almost an entire day, which was why the surgery was needed, not within 1 hour.
Fourthly, Yaz put his ego above the team by going out on missions whenever he wasn’t healthy and became another casualty for them to carry and care for. He could’ve stayed home and gotten rest be better for the next mission, but he didn’t.
Fifthly, Yaz refused to follow orders getting a member of the team killed because Yaz left his position due to him thinking he knows best. He then tries to blame everyone else apart from himself by saying he doesn’t follow orders, well he doesn’t need to be on the team, especially such a small team, which needs people to follow orders or people will die.
My final thoughts on the book are that I think Yaz is someone who wants to be wanted by the team to the point of putting everyone in danger to be wanted. He is a danger to the team and would be drummed out for the last bullshit he did, so if Michael is trying to make him a hero he needs to stop. Yaz needs to suck start his .300 blackout rifle or his pistol doesn’t matter to me or make himself useful as zombie bait if he won’t change his ways, which it doesn’t appear he will.

Amazing

Definitely worth the wait! Can’t wait for the nexts 2 books to come out! Both of these guys will never disappoint

Retired Marine here...

I am always SUPER critical of books that try to portray my beloved Corps... So, I spent 24 years in the Marines with a bunch of time in combat zones, lived all over the world and had a number of different MOS's actually and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel of Marines...so, I have the creds at least to critique. Most books...unless they were written by a Marine...about the Marine Corps...suck. We still need to teach Bray how to pronounce some of the abbreviations.. Like SSgt is Staff Sergeant, and Cpl is Corporal...but for the most part, he did pretty well. Bray, if you ever need a translation of Marine speak...HMU.

BUT FICK.... Holy hell. I had some serious LOL Moments listening to him, then I found the Fickisms compilation.

This was well researched, cannot find if Fuchs had any time in the Gun Club, but he did a pretty darn good job writing about it...so BZ for that.

Made me go find other Arisen titles since this was my first one....

Not a story - just a play-by-play

There are post-apocalyptic novels that have great action while telling an original story and creating characters with depth. This isn't one of those. It is just a play by play of completely unrealistic action sequences with descriptions of weapons and military tactics thrown in intermittently. It's Zombies meets Monday Night Football.

Just Too Much

The saying goes if not for bad luck no luck at all. I’ve listened to all of the Arisen series and was excited to listen to Raiders. It’s okay. As usual RC Bray bring characters like gunny Fick to life like no one else can.

The problem with this is in a effort to provide non-stop action the author gets lost in too much chaos with unrealistic situations the heroes have to battle through. They face one calamity after the other making zero progress towards their goal. It’s just too much and makes the each situation less exciting as the previous one because by the third or fourth mishap you’re thinking enough already move forward.

Still the best combo!

Can't ever go wrong with this pair! Can't wait for the next installment... Need more from Fuchs and Bray!!

ANother winner in the Arisen series

All I can say is give it a listen, you will not be disappointed. This is another great offshoot of the Arisen series. Looking forward to the next installment.

Amazing as always!

Great fast moving action packed storyline. RC Bray is fantastic, as always. Unlike other sequels that pull incoherent stories out of their… Arisen never gets boring or feels like the writer is milking his previous success.

Fuchs absolutely nails it again!

The Arisen series (in my mind) is basically the set standard when it comes to zombies and military fiction. Fick is by far my personal favorite and I absolutely see my old DS in him. Pretty outstanding research done to create the character. Thank you Mr. Fuchs for another awesome set of stories. This set, along with the rest of the Arisen series are my all time favorites and (especially if you’re a veteran) they will be yours too once you give them a listen.
Cheers!

Awesome listen! Love to see more Raiders!

RC Bray is the best reader and Fuchs is the best writer in audioland…without any question!

MSF - THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING

Welcome back to the ZA !
How ive missed you. More of back story of some of the most colourful characters in the Arisen Series. MSF just picks you and constantly batters your senses on an unending rollercoaster. NO ONE does it better. Call me biased, i dont care. Waiting patiently for the next one🔥

Can't wait to hear the next volume!

Amazing. Hope that the next release is two books too. Get rc bray on it ASAP! Can't wait to hear some more of gunny fich

Addictive as usual.

If Michael Stephen Fuchs writes it.
And R C Bray narrates it.
I listen to it.

Get some!!

Awesome additions to this epic series. Thoroughly enjoyable stories with the typically masterful performance by RC Bray.

10 star 🌟

I would like to give this book 10 star's 5 for the story and another 5 for the Fickisms worth getting the book just for them alone 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Always thrilling

I have listened to the main Arisen series, the prequel series set in Africa, and the story of Homer and Sarah's trip from Michigan to Virginia - multiple listens, if I'm honest. The main series probably 6 or 7 times at lesst! MSF writes thrilling action in such an unusual way, sometimes slowing down to the extent that the listener feels like they are being flown through a nearly-static scene of carnage, with bullets flying, Z's howling, melee weapons flashing. It is honestly the closest thing to a literary take on those slowed down scenes in comicbook movies, with the Avengers all leaping into the jaws of danger! It is honestly amazing.
This new series does a great job of introducing some new characters, but having them interact with much-loved characters from elsewhere in the universe, not all of which made it to the end of the ZA.... The trademark kineticism is there, and RC Bray is outstanding as always. Keep it up dude!

Brilliant story

An excellent listen, superbly performed as usual by Mr Bray. It's a good prequel to the full Arisen series of books.

Triumphant return

The Raiders is an amazing return to the Zulu alpha and the arisen universe I hope the raiders series run as long as the Arisen series did bravo MR Fuchs

Fantastic

Fantastic addition to the Arisen series, a must listen.
Hopefully the next books will be on audible soon.

Epic

Amazing nuff said!! But I have to at least write 15 word so like I said amazing!!!