Janus

By: James Livingood

Narrated by: Randal Schaffer

Length: 5 hrs and 33 mins

Publisher's Summary

The tide of zombies appears to be under control, thanks to the franken-beasts known as dinosaurs. However, one calm zombie shifts the tide. Soon they swell in like foaming water, buffeting against the frail walls men make. Pools of blood will flow, teeth with gnash, and not even dinosaurs will be able to stop this onslaught.

Experience the second book in the struggle of Zombies Versus Dinosaurs!

©2015 James Livingood (P)2015 James Livingood

zombies vs dinosaurs vs humans

The idea was very interesting and I really wanted it to be something other than what it was. I wanted Jurassic Park vs zombies and instead it was more like petting zoo vs Cro-Magnons. I read a lot of post apocalyptic stories and this wasn't like any of them, which was refreshing; however; I felt like I was taking a course without the proper prerequisites. The book can stand alone but I really felt like I lost something by not having read the first one. I also felt like the first 1/2 of the book was wasted going into far too much detail on Alpha vs Beta relationships. The action didn't really come until the end of the book and then it was just over with too quickly. I plan on getting the first book so that I can get more familiar with the characters and their circumstances in order to hopefully understand this story better and prepare for the next.

I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Post apocalyptic meets Jurassic park

Great concept well written the first book is a must or you will be lost. Not your traditional zombie and the characters already have a history that is meant to be understood. The narration was alright but really weird voice for the main characters daughter. Sounds like a wittle baby talky and yet a proficient fighter and survivalist. Overall I enjoyed it but it was defiantly not a standalone story. I received this audiobook from the author narrator or publisher for free via audiobookblast in exchange for an unbiased review

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

gotta try it again after I get the first one

I received this book free of charge for an honest review. knowing I wasn't starting at the beginning kept distracting me from realy getting into it, gonna have to hear it again after I get the first one to really enjoy it, no doubt though that I'll just like it more,after all how can you not like dinosaurs and zombies together

Unique

Any additional comments?

I wish I would have listened to book 1 first as I was lost for much of the book. Other than that, this was a very good book with a unique story. The narrator did a great job.

I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.

Unique, captivating and interesting.

As the plot unfolds it becomes apparent that Paul, The Pale Rider is the leader of the uninfected humans and that Janus is the leader of the Blue Brains or Zombies. Each leader or Alpha is trying to grow their pack and extend their ability to survive. What will happen when the two alphas meet? Within the humans is a third female character, Heche who takes the role of a pseudo-geneticist by experimenting with the beasts improving them and selling them to humans for income. What impact will this genetic tinkering have upon the story? This is a tale of creation and evolution, of self-discovery and growth. This is one unique story and unlike anything I have come across before. Captivating and interesting to be sure. Stay with it and let your imagination flow. Janus deserves a high rating for its uniqueness and addition to the genre. This audiobook was given by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review via Audiobook Boom.

Janus

Zombies and dinosaurs crammed into the same work of art! Not a bad book! I don't usually go with this genre, but I was pleasantly surprised. The book was written so well I could literally envision the scenes in the book and I was on edge several times by the narrator portraying them as well.

This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of Audiobook Blast.

Zombies organizing? Aaarrrgghhh!

Note: While this is Book 2 in the series, it works fine as a stand alone.

I really enjoyed Pale Rider so when the author offered me a review copy of the sequel, I jumped at the chance. Sad to say, I didn’t find this installment as interesting. Janus is a zombie leader and he controls his pack of zombies through instinct. He also uses this power, instinct, to control a non-zombiefied deer or elk (I forget which), which he rides upon. The zombies are definitely different than the ones we saw in Book 1, being able to group together like this and be lead by a strong ‘personality’. However, I found the whole instinct power not well flushed out and difficult to believe in. Yep, I can totally believe in zombies and genetically created dinosaur-looking beasties, but I had a hard time with this instinct. Mostly, it was because of the elk. Wild animals have their own agendas – eat, sleep, fornicate, repeat. Elk aren’t big fans of rotting meat smell either. So Janus is using his power, instinct, to keep this elk in line, by negating the elk’s own instincts to run? That’s where Janus’s power gets to squishy and ill-defined for me.

The character, Pale Rider, is a reluctant leader in his town. He settles disputes and folks seek him out for advice on difficult fencing situations. He has a young daughter and he deeply misses his wife. Janus has recognized him as the human leader and if Janus wants to ‘free’ these humans from their boring lives, giving them the gifts of instinct and freedom, he must take out Pale Rider. The story sets up early for a good Western-type showdown and I really enjoyed the building of suspense.

Then we have Heche, who is like a mad scientist. She creates new dinos to sell to the local farmers. They are used in putting up fencing, taking down trees, and farming. I really like the basics of her character – she’s a seeker of knowledge both in books and through her work. However, this is another area that isn’t really clear. Does she have a lab with petri dishes and sterile equipment? Or is more like a wizard’s barn, full of smelly potions and unidentified bits of dried animals? I would have liked a bit more on this front because it ties into other questions I have. How far has civilization fallen? There’s a reference to contact lenses and it’s unlikely someone whipped those up, even if the town has a watchmaker. Is it 6 months since the zombie calamity or 6 years? If it’s 6 months, then contact lenses are still around. If it’s 6 years, then no, not realistic.

Book 1 was pretty sparse on the ladies and Book 2 does better but there are definitely not enough females around to save humanity. Heche has the most lines, but that’s perhaps 10-20 lines, though we get some quality time in her head. Pale Rider’s young daughter also has a role. Then there are 2 female zombies (why so few?) and maybe a few human ladies tossed in here and there. As usual, I like to see more ladies in post-apocalyptic stories. How else will we rebuild?

OK. So, bad to the goodness. We do get a showdown at the end and there were some twists. The author took the story beyond what I expected. These zombies are more like feral beasts than shuffling corpses; they are not so easily beaten. Heche creates a fantastical beast that comes in handy. And then there’s that thing that happened right at the end that has me craving to know where things will go from here. It’s all very dramatic at the end and very satisfying.

I received a copy of this audiobook at no cost (from the author) in exchange for an honest review.


The Narration: Randal Schaffer’s performance was OK. When the characters were talking, he imbued them with emotion. The rest of the story he read in a monologue that made me wonder if he was bored with the book or not.

0 of 1 people found this review helpful