Odium II

The Dead Saga

By: Claire C. Riley

Narrated by: Jennifer Reilly

Length: 11 hrs and 46 mins

Publisher's summary

Fortune favors...the dead!

Some secrets are too horrific to ever be forgiven, and some people should never be trusted.

Tortured, starved, and on the run, Nina thinks she's faced the worst that mankind has to offer, but she's wrong. She may have survived this long, but she hasn't come out of it unscathed, and there's worse to come.

Nina's trusty Doc Martens are showing signs of the zombie apocalypse, and she isn't faring much better. With her snarky attitude guaranteed to get her in trouble, Nina needs to forgive the past, to live once more in the present, and learn that sometimes she needs to place her trust in other people.

Because when people are faced with the end of times, they'll do anything to survive.

©2014 Claire C Riley (P)2015 Claire C Riley

Great Sequel to First Book

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

I love the narration, very pleasant and easy to listen to, good pace, nice voice and a variety of "voices" to keep it fresh, some were really fun to listen to as well. I am a big fan of Odium so I've been waiting for the sequel!

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

It was good, fun read. Very fast paced, action packed. I enjoyed it very much. A couple of unique and weird concepts I haven't seen before in zombie plots. Curious to see where this goes.

Any additional comments?

I would definitely recommend to start with the first Odium book which was really good. The first book has a little more character development and gives you a real sense of who Nina, Mikey and Emily are. The second book was good as a sequel, as it moves very, very fast.

Odium!!!

One of my very favorite ZomPoc Series!!! Give it a try...you won't be disappointed!!! LOVE!!!

Awesome!!

I am truly enjoying this series! Can't wait for my next credit so I can get the next one!!

Great Book

Any additional comments?

This was a very good book!! I haven't listened to the first book, but I will be doing so now. The story is fast paced and full of action. The narrator did a great job.

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

And it keeps getting better

Book 2 is just as good as book 1. I love Nina but missing Emily a bit in this book.
I wish Nina wasn't so hard headed at times.
I do love all of the throw backs to other authors (TW Browns Dead series & I should probably know who this Elizabeth person is but I don't.)
All in all this has been an excellent series so far.
I'm curious to see where the pregnancy issues end up.... I was a bit frustrated when Hillary & Decan came on the scene but it all plays out well. (No spoilers this time)
Good job on the zombie apocalypse mall scene. Wondering if the return to that location will be as 'easy' for lack of a better term.


Already started book 3 and kinda upset that here is a narrator change but that doesn't mean the new narrator is doing a bad job just hate it when there is a change in a series.

I was voluntarily provided this review copy at no charge by the author, publisher and or narrator.

Little less good than the first

You'll know who I mean when you listen to the book, but there is this character who did a real bad thing. But I'm thinking; so what? Look at what Mikey did. Nina is so judgemental. I couldn't really buy what a big deal that was and the series of events that followed as a consequence. Same goes for what happens between Mikey and Nina; really? After what they've been through, who cares about that.

I also understand some people who don't like Nina, her attitude keeps getting her into trouble. When will her character develop? It seems to be, but it's really really slow...she is more aware of it, and this conflict keeps the character interesting.

So yeah, story could have been better, but it does leave an anticipation for the next book.

Jennifer Reilly is just a wonderful narrator, her voice spoils me when I have to listen to others.

Listen to Odium before reading this review

We pick up where we left Nina in the first book…..although not exactly where we left them which was a good thing…..after reading the blurb I was a bit hesitant to start this one as I did not know if I could handle hearing what Nina went through with the Forgotten….. it was nice that we started out a bit further in and then kind of flashed back….it was not so hard to hear after that (still brutal but…easier to deal with at least for me). The first new couple we meet are Deacon & Hillary, who don’t meet up with Nina and crew but I thought it was headed there…..when I finally figured out who they were…it was a Holy Crap! moment. There was also the OCD/Cleaning obsessed kids and then at their final destination the people at the army base/bunker. I’m not going go into detail here cause I’m not sure I can do it without giving spoilers, you are just going to have to read or listen yourself, trust me it’s good.

My biggest compliant about this book is that the author seemed to way over use “I roll my eyes” for Nina….I stopped counting after the 34th mention…..I know it’s a small thing to nitpick but it was used so much it stood out. My only other complaint and I’m sure I’m not alone is Hello Cliffhanger…..I mean really, first we have to come to terms with the whole Nina and Mikey thing…..then you give us that ending….ARRRRGGGGHHHH. I have decided I am waiting for the series to be complete and then I can listen to them all back to back……which will kinda suck to have to wait but I think in the end I will be a much happier reader/listener (I have no patience….I want to know what happens and I usually want to know now….)

The narration…..again Jennifer Reilly did a fabulous job with all the characters and she really does Nina’s character well, I also really enjoyed her voice for Nova. She made distinguishing all the characters very easy as they all their own unique voice or way of speaking and I’m looking forward to seeing what else she narrates.

So, if you are reading this review and you have not read Odium…STOP, go get the first book and get pulled into this crazy messed up zombie apocalypse and enjoy the ride.

Audiobook provided for review by the author.

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People will do anything...

Odium II picks up right where Odium left us. Nina, Mikey, and Em are in trouble. Not only do they have to battle the zombies but their fate is in the hands of the Forgotten. As Nina tries to maintain the physical strength she needs to overcome her adversaries, her emotional walls continue to break down as her love for Em and Mikey continues to flourish. Even with Mikey’s dark past, which is now haunting them, her passion and desire for Mikey to be by her side is a constant reminder that there is hope even in this dark and destitute world.

Told in mostly Nina’s POV, Odium II is a perfect addition to this outstanding series. Nina is by far my favorite heroine of all time. She is sharp, sarcastic, and a real fighter. I simply adore the dynamics between her and Mikey. Mikey and Nina could not be more different, and yet, they are a fantastic match. Nina’s love for her surrogate daughter/little sister Em is natural and as their relationship continues to grow it only makes the love I feel for these characters even more intense. In addition to the unique relationships, the Odium Series offers non-stop action, humorous dialogue, and a creative plot. With the introduction of new characters, there is a revolving door of circumstances and emotions all centered around the same theme….don’t die!

Overall, I highly recommend Odium II to anyone who enjoys an action-packed apocalyptic world where no one is safe, and anything can happen! The characters are complex, and the multi-layered plot will keep you on the edge of your seat the entire read! This series is addictive! I simply cannot get enough of Nina and this whole crew of characters. Be forewarned, you will want to have Odium III downloaded and ready to read! Although I fear no character is truly safe, I have high hopes that Nina and Mikey will prevail!

Living in a Zombie Apocalypse

Would you consider the audio edition of Odium II to be better than the print version?

Yes, I believe the audio version is better than the written version.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Of course I like Nina. She's been with us since the beginning, but I also really liked Nova. She is super strong. I'm also drawn to characters who play off sadness or fear like it's nothing instead of breaking down.

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

Jennifer Reilly does an excellent job of voicing the emotions of the scenes.

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

Yes. If I would have been able to do so, I would have listened in one sitting.

Any additional comments?

Wow! That ending!

I've read a few zombie books, but Odium highlights some things that hadn't garnered my attention before and left me with plenty of questions. One survivor has a way of herding the undead by way of electric currents. Zombies don't have body functions so when they eat it has no place to go; thus, you get deaders with pieces of bodies inside them. The smells, the smells! How far are people willing to experiment in order to find a cure? What if it's not a virus but rather the next evolution?

Nina is relatable to most of us. She tries to be strong and help others. She's plagued by what is right morally versus strategically. At the end of the last book, Nina is at the mercy of the forgotten. Let's just say they aren't very merciful with her. And our girl Nina just can't keep her queries at bay. She has a habit of sticking her nose into things, out of one situation and into another.

Several new characters enter the story, some in passing and others in major ways. Hilary and Deacon are a couple that have a story running parallel with that of Nina and her crew. I definitely can't wait to find out more from them. Also, notice the blurb says "Some secrets are too horrific to ever be forgiven, and some people should never be trusted." We've witnessed some of this already in previous book but not like this. It's the apocalypse—people be crazy!

I loved this book, and I will definitely be continuing the series.

Attitude and Doc Martins will get you pretty far..

Odium 2 picks right up pretty close to where Odium 1 left off. You miss most of the torture that Nina went through, but you do get some snippets of it. And it is bad. Really bad. Any normal person would be curled up in a ball sucking their thumb if they had to go through what she did. Still she goes on. And keeps her snarky attitude. Nina is one of my favorite hot headed, stubborn, eye rolling heroines. Even if I do occasionally want to stop and shake the heck out of her. It makes her that much more realistic.

Book two proves to be much darker than the first one. You meet some great characters along the way, and watch them all get into trouble trying to find someplace safe.
Jennifer Reilly is the voice of Nina. She reads her perfectly. When I read Odium Origins part 2 I read it with her voice in my mind.

I can’t wait to see what happens in the next installment of Odium, and what trouble Nina will manage to get into. Thanks to the holy crap revelation at the end, I will be stalking Claire until it is released.

Audiobook purchased by reviewer.