Odium

By: Claire C. Riley

Narrated by: Jennifer Reilly

Length: 11 hrs and 18 mins

Publisher's Summary

It's better to die by the gun than die by the dead.

Nina's life was irrevocably changed when humanity's dead began to rise.

Now, she lives behind the walls.

The barricaded cities, erected by the government to protect the remnants of civilization, have become a brutal dictatorship- causing the inhabitants within to starve, steal and claw for survival. Life behind the walls has become as terrifying as roaming the zombie-ridden landscape beyond.

Citizens trade what they can to gain food, water, and shelter. Nina has only one currency-her body and she is tired of submitting herself to the greedy hands of the self-proclaimed leaders.

An opportunity to escape presents itself in the fate of a young girl named Emily-Rose. For the price of a stale piece of bread, she is set for banishment from the city, and most likely a horrific death at the hands of the deaders. Nina tells herself that it is sympathy and not self-preservation that makes her follow the young girl out of the walled metropolis, and into the overgrown world beyond.

Unused to fighting the deaders, Nina tries to scrounge for her survival and against her better judgment, begins to care for Emily-Rose. However, when you have a bread-stealing liability providing your only back up, survival seems even tougher. Nina is forced to fight for their lives, and with every zombie slain, she becomes fiercer, faster - a grim reaper with her not-so-sharp butcher's knife.

Along the path to a safe-haven that might not exist, Nina and Emily-Rose meet Mikey who introduces them to a new life they could not imagine, a life above the ground. However, this new world brings new dangers, and darker shadows than she knew.

Nina finds out that the deaders aren't the only thing to fear beyond the wall.

And that fear will not be ignored, or Forgotten.

©2013 Claire C. Riley (P)2014 Claire C. Riley

Zombies and gore and snark!

What made the experience of listening to Odium the most enjoyable?

I really loved this book. It starts a while after the outbreak – not something you see very often. I enjoy the outbreak stories, but what happens after the dust settles and the zombies don’t die off?
The main character Nina starts off living in walled off camp with a power hungry leader that cares more about himself than anyone else. When he exiles the young Emily, Nina goes with her gut and leaves with her. She is just a normal person. No special military training or superpowers – unless you count snark. They come across plenty of zombies and a few survivors along the way. Claire Riley does an excellent job with her characters. Some you love and some you love to hate. It's fast paced with lots of action.

What other book might you compare Odium to and why?

The 'oh my gosh - did she seriously just say that out loud' reactions reminded me of some of Talbot's speaking before you think situations.

What does Jennifer Reilly bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

She was awesome as a narrator. She really brought the book to life. Great voice, nice pace, you can easily distinguish different characters - and Nina's inner monologue.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

The main character is very stubborn and strong willed and extremely snarky. She is also hilarious. I was laughing right along with her. The zombies are also pretty cringe worthy.

Any additional comments?

Give this a listen. You won't be disappointed.

8 of 9 people found this review helpful

Devoured In A Matter of Days

If you could sum up Odium in three words, what would they be?

Audible page turner

What other book might you compare Odium to and why?

Outside the genre, "Odium" compares to any book that moves quickly and takes the reader for a ride. Within the genre, "Patient Zero" by Jonathan Maberry.

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

I'm not familiar with Jennifer Reilly's other reads. This performance is a very fine "hello," though!

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

Without giving too much away, there's a point where several of the characters race across what I can only describe as No Man's Land on the Western Front in WW1. Though certain death may await some, there's no choice but to brave what lies ahead.

Jennifer Reilly describes each anxious heartbeat and adrenalin-laden step so vividly that your heart speeds up as you feel your adrenalin rising.

Any additional comments?

I'm not one for zombie books or films. Odium, however, absolutely sucked me in. During parts where several characters were interacting, it was easy to follow along with who was saying what. Each character has a unique voice that keeps you from getting lost through the plot twists and turns.

6 of 7 people found this review helpful

Awesome Zombie- Apocolypse Book! Great Female lead

Would you listen to Odium again? Why?

Yes, I would. I am a big horror fan and this was a good book. I like to go back and re-read or re-listen to enjoyable stories. Defintely worth it! I am even thinking about gifting out a copy to my sister, it was a fun, full of action, scary book! I also liked that Nina (the main character) was just an average woman who found herself surviving, sometimes by luck and chance and sometimes by relying on her own strengths.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Odium?

*SPOILERS*I like when Nina stood up for the little girl in the start of the story, it really helped me to connect with her and made her likeable. I like when they are searcing old man Reily's garage and the shit hits the fan. I also liked when they cleared the hub building, I wish they would've stayed there a bit longer and defended themselves. I want to know why the zombies found them all uphill by the trailer in the woods? How or why did that happen? Did the forgotten lead them up there on purpose to flush them out, or was it just coincidence?

What does Jennifer Reilly bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Jennifer Reilly has a smooth, soothing, and expressive voice. I truly can envision each of the characters as she brings them to life with her talents! It is really nice listening to her, I really enjoyed the book thoroughly!

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

YES! But it is too long for that! I really couldn't wait to see what happened to Nina next.

Any additional comments?

WHERE IS THE SECOND ONE? The ending wasn't really an ending but more like a pause in the story. I hope there's another one coming because I want to FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENS NEXT!

6 of 7 people found this review helpful

IF I COULD KICK MY OWN ASS I WOULD

I'M JUST A CHICK WITH AN ATTITUDE PROBLEM
This has been on and off my Wish List for years. It is in the back of the horror section. The combination of the cover and the reviews made me think this would be a hard core Zombie Horror. Recently I made number one in the Horror Review Section and decided to celebrate by listening to some of these potential horror sleepers, books not high enough to help a reviewer.

HIP HIP HOORAY,
I love snarky and dry humor, but it turns out I don't care for forced snarky. It is kind of like forced cuteness. Anything that is forced or in which someone tries too hard never comes out as well as the real deal. This is a Girly YA book with the F word used in every other sentence. I have nothing against the F word, I use it myself. You know how too much macho talk can end up sounding silly, well multiple that by ten, when it comes out of a high female voice. HAPPY DANCE

ME, I'M A REALIST
I hung on to this story for three hours, but when the girls got into a Hummer that had been sitting for three years, as they were being attacked by Zombies, and the truck started on the first try, it was the last straw.

This is not a sleeper, it is in the back of the horror section for a reason.

70 of 92 people found this review helpful

Great Story and likable characters

Very well written zombie story. Looking forward to the next book. Narrator was a bit melancholic at times but otherwise great.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Great zombie series

Great zombie apocalypse story. Great cast of characters plenty of interaction and emotion. Strong lead female character with plenty of attitude and will to survive. Plenty of action and gore and twists and turns. Loved it on to book number two.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

fantastic!! fantastic! fantastic!

What did you love best about Odium?

OK - you have to get through the first chapter and then this book(s) just take off!! This series is now in my top 4 favorite of all zombie apocalypse books. The main female character is a BITCH and you will hate her for all 3 books but the rest of the characters that the author brings to the table are just really good! You get so caught up in the book that you'll be reluctant to turn it off !

What did you like best about this story?

The character building is so good- and the story just gets better and YES there are new takes and ideas on the zombie apocalypse.

What does Jennifer Reilly bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

She is so good at all of her voices!

If you could take any character from Odium out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Mikey of course - hot hot

Any additional comments?

Get this series - you won't be sorry
There are 3 books total and as of this date book number 3 is not yet out on audible. I did send the author a message and asked if she knew when that might be happening. You can however get the 3rd book from Amazon.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

As girlie as this fatman can handle

I am going to start this review off with a confession… Ok here it is… Sadly, I have short pockets. But, I have even shorter arms. Yes I am cheap. I am so cheap I don’t even pay attention. This is why I am going to say that the recent trend on most titles of having the narration so slow that it is unbearable to listen to is driving me nuts, and for the love of all things good please make it stop! It makes it impossible to judge the price per hour of any title. However, I was surprised when I first started listening to this one, the speed was perfect. I must have the speed set by accident to 1.25x speed. I slowed it down to normal speed and there really was no problem with listening to it. But here is the thing…. I was so keen to hear the story that I cranked it up just a notch to 1.25!

The start of story really does an excellent job of setting the scene. I have listened to a lot of zombie stories over the years and sadly I couldn’t recall to many of them having a female lead. It got me thinking so I searched through my library but soon gave up, because so many of them have slipped my mind. Yes I am cheap and have a poor memory. So I had a look at a goodread list called ‘147 top female lead zombie stories’. I could only find 2 in the list which I had purchased over the years. I will have to repent of my ways and not shy away with purchasing titles with a female lead character, or at least from titles authored by Claire C Riley. Yes there is a more of the love and the girlie rolling of the eyes and the ‘he likes me, she like me’ type thing it, wasn’t enough to turn me off. This type of thing can be summed up with a quote from the story “I’m just a girl who likes shoes”. Perhaps this fatman has found his girly inner heart… but please don’t tell anyone or remind me of that fact. I have a reputation to uphold!

I have just finished listening to the complete story and I have got to confess there several things I disliked. As I mentioned before the main character has way to many eye rolls, has way to many mood swings for my liking. But I think that is simply because I have teenage children myself who are going through the ‘daaaaaaaad’ plus the dreaded ‘eye roll’ stage in life. The narrator’s voice really matched the character. All of this once again helped me understand why some species eat their own young. On the plus side I don’t think it is the sort of thing which should turn you off purchasing this title, because it is a good story, and I hold out with hope as the story progresses that the lead character becomes a complete psycho or maybe a little more stable, or maybe even dead, as a lot of people do die in this story! I don’t mind that aspect of the story, after all it is a zombie story!

The fatman has enjoyed his time with this one and will purchasing the next in the series! On my preferred Indian curry rating it is a hot butter chicken, but not quite vindaloo level. Perhaps the next in the series could send the spice rating even hotter!

BTW I love what the word ‘odium’ means

14 of 19 people found this review helpful

love

Where does Odium rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Odium was my first audio book and now I am hooked!

What did you like best about this story?

Zombies galore. I Absolutely loved the detail and hearing a zombie story from a females perspective. Nina's kick ass attitude is one to be reckoned with. This book definitely had me on the edge of my seat and wanting to hear more. I can't wait to read all future books to come on Nina, Mikey and crew!

4 of 5 people found this review helpful

Not your average zombie story (in a good way!)

What did you like best about this story?

This story takes place several years after the outbreak. This is something that interests me, very much. In this book, society has come together behind massive walls to protect them from the dead. Unfortunately, not everyone was permitted behind the walls AND not everyone behind the walls is benign. The power struggle has led to people in charge who take what they want and use fear and starvation to control the masses. Nina has had enough of being raped repeatedly and watching others go through the same. Nobody speaks up, fearing the safety of their families. She is ready to take her chances outside of the walls.

What about Jennifer Reilly’s performance did you like?

Jennifer Reilly did a great job with the voices. My favorite was Steve. My second favorite was probably Crunch. It made the story easy to follow because the characters were different enough to make an impression.

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

I did want to listen in all one sitting. I did not, but I found myself staying in the tub a little longer than usual, mowing the grass a little longer than usual, taking longer with the dishes, taking the long way home... anything to prolong my listening experience.

Any additional comments?

I was excited when Odium became available for audiobook. I had been wanting to read it for some time, but I do not have the ability to focus since I have two small children. I was disappointed when the ending came. I thought my phone said I still had an hour of the book left. Apparently, it said I had one MINUTE left. *Disappointed WHEN the ending came, not disappointed wth the actual ending.* I am already ready for more. I will definitely read more by Claire C Riley. I like her style. I like her character development. I liked that it wasn't military-based, just normal people.Give this book a shot. If you like well-written, character-driven books, you'll like this one...especially if you like snark and zombies!!

4 of 5 people found this review helpful

Zombies for girls

This very much feels like a zombie story for girls. Not just because of the female lead but because it focuses a lot on relationships. That's not a bad thing. It allows the reader to really get to know the characters and care for them.

The story itself is a solid zombie story. It doesn't break new ground but what it does give us is a different perspective from the usual testosterone filled stories. The voice of the MC has a wry, self-deprecating humour that is both entertaining and disarming. It gives a real sense of the character. This is reminiscent of, though not as good as, the brilliant Zombie Fallout books from Mark Tufo, and indeed all of his books, that have great humour that manages to humanise the characters in a way rarely seen in this genre.

The narration is lively and entertaining. The characters are distinct and skilfully brought to life.

I am looking forward to listening to book 2.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

This Was Spot On... I Loved It!

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

For me I was a bit wary when I heard Odium The Audio Book was coming out, As Odium was one of my favourite book of all time. So I brought this with some trepidation but thought I'd give it a go, and I'm glad that I did as it was brilliant! It captured the characters as well as I had hoped for and played out as dramatically as when I first read it.

What did you like best about this story?

My favourite part must be the way the essence of these characters were captured, which is a difficult thing to do, Especially when a person has read the book and has a connection to these characters. I had a set mind set with these characters, and each one was captured pretty much perfectly which sets the tone for this to be an enjoyable audio book

What about Jennifer Reilly’s performance did you like?

I thought Jennifer captured the snarkiness of the main character Nina brilliantly, and did just as well with the supporting cast! (Drunk Steve being a favourite)

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

The story flows easily here and doesn't drag any where and if I had 11 hours spare I'd listen to this in one sitting. A great story captured and delivered into a great audio book

Any additional comments?

Any fans of the Odium Saga will love this! Jennifer has captured these characters wonderfully and I hope the other books in this saga come out as audio books, as I for one will definitely be getting them. Good job on bringing The Odium world to life.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Brilliant zombie book!

Very well written, on edge throughout! You can really get into this book and imagine exactly how they are feeling! The narration is also very good!