Siege

As the World Dies, Book 3

By: Rhiannon Frater

Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell

Length: 12 hrs and 43 mins

Publisher's Summary

Siege is the conclusion to Rhiannon Frater’s As the World Dies trilogy, which should appeal to fans of The Walking Dead. Both The First Days and Fighting to Survive won the Dead Letter Award from Mail Order Zombie. The First Days was named one of the Best Zombie Books of the Decade by the Harrisburg Book Examiner.

The zombie illness has shattered civilization. The survivors, who have found tenuous safety in Texas, defend their fort against the walking dead and living bandits. Katie has made peace with the death of her wife and is pregnant and married to Travis, who has been elected mayor. Jenni; her stepson, Jason; and Juan - Travis’s right-hand man - are a happy family, though Jenni suffers from PTSD. Both women are deadly zombie killers.

In Siege, the people of Ashley Oaks are stunned to discover that the vice president of the United States is alive and commanding the remnants of the US military. And what’s left of the US government has plans for this group of determined survivors.

©2009, 2012 Rhiannon Frater (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

Critic Reviews

"There's a lot of great zombie fiction out there, but Rhiannon Frater sets the gold standard. She's got the goods." (Joe McKinney, author of Dead City and Apocalypse of the Dead)

"The First Days is one of the few zombie novels fueled by the power of feminine protagonists in an apocalyptic world gone wrong." (Harrisburg Book Examiner, "Best Zombie Books of the Decade")

A Must Listen!

This is the last book in the series and it does not disappoint! This was my first zombie series and now I am hooked. I normally listen to vampire stories but the reviews on this series got me interested and all it took was the first book in this series! I cried and smiled and cried some more! It has action that you can just see in your mind like a movie as it is being read! And that being said this would be one GREAT movie! Do your self a favor and read the full 3 book series, you will not regret it! I'm just sad because it's over but this is one I will listen to over and over!

First book I cried over - Great end to trilogy

I'll admit, the author drove me crazy in book one with her need to describe everyone's attire EVERY single time they're mentioned. She toned it down with this installment and I'm grateful! I won't ruin the end for anyone but I was very sad. It makes sense though. I just wished it was a happier ending - for all the lead characters. I'm all for happy endings. I just "tried" to read Feed and was very disappointed. This is what a zombie book is supposed to be about. Us against them. Trials, triumphs and a journey. I really enjoyed part 2 and part 3 better than the first one though it was good just a little too "harlequinesque" for my taste but hang in there it gets ALOT better. At the end I was so entangled in the characters that I truly was a blubbering idiot, crying when someone didn't live happily ever after. Great book!

FANTASTIC FINISH

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

I was very impressed with this final chapter in Rhiannon Frater's zombie trilogy. She made you love her characters. But not all the good guys made it to the end. I cried like a baby listening to this book. Anytime an author can touch me emotionaly to that depth I am going to recommend their book. One of the best zombie books out there.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Jenny was my favorite character. She came full circle in the trilogy. Saying more would give away too much.

Which character – as performed by Cassandra Campbell – was your favorite?

Narite was amazing and Calhoun was a trip. I loved the interaction between him and Narite.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Who will inherit the earth? The living or the dead?

REALLY!!! Does it have to end? :(

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Yes I would recommend the book and the series for all die hard Zombie fans. I have been listening to this series along with Zombie Fallout and the main difference is this series does not have a comic relief team such as Mike and BT.... BUT Frater does a EXCELLENT job on character development and developing realistic situations that sucks you in and will not let you go. There are very little happy endings but Frater resolves the good and the bad and I walked away satisfied with the series. This series is a nail biter with non stop brutal action including a tragic love story. In the third installment several main characters sacrifice their lives for those around them....the readers are introduced to the government (or whats left of them), "karma" makes her rounds to those that need a good a** kicking, and the fort gets quite a few new members.

A good addition to the series, if not the genre

If you've enjoyed this series so far, you won't be disappointed. There's quite a bit more of a supernatural twist here that I personally didn't care for but worked in well for the story. As with the previous books in this series, the story line is solid but the characters are a little flat - with the villains almost comically archetypal. It's a good romp, but doesn't expand the genre much.

Too bad it didn't get better

By the third book my opinion is probably outnumbered here, but the series was good enough for me to want to follow it trough. The series ends up being an average rated zombie tale with the twist being the strong female/alternative sexuality angle but it actually gets worse because now I have to listen about a gay male swooning over other males too. Luckily for me it just skimmed the surface and had a funny gay humor theme about it. I very much like the compound setting of the series, but it was way too comfy in this story and I hope another author picks this theme up. Or Rhiannon continues this story, but only after taking to heart my reviews :).

I didn't find the plot particularly convincing, rather cliché actually, the evil US govt wants to come in and ruin things. But it was actually just some stupid power hungry senator who had to be put in her place by Katie while Travis the man with no gonads follows like a whipped dog.

Rather than coming up with some clever plan (Like playing along until everyone moved to the fort the first, what they gonna do outnumbered?), they just go and tell the senator exactly what they want to do.

So every thing is supposed to be resolved because Katie talked tough but of course they haven't learned their lesson in leaving disgruntled people the freedom to ruin everything. Disaster strikes and someone important dies, which was actually rather sad and upsetting. Dying should be left to the "red-shirts". I found the zombie horde and ending rather anti-climatic too. Not to mention the silly ghosts everywhere. Yeah, ghosts.

I just found most of the story a load of phooey and in need of some aggressive resolution and problem solving, whether it be from a male or a female character, preferably both! Too bad Nerit didn't feature more in the story.

If a 4th book comes out, I'd probably by it, muttering to myself about all the changes I would make in it.

The Book I LOVE to HATE!

What did you love best about Siege?

I love Rhiannon Frater! I have loved the As the World Dies Trilogy from the first sentence! I love book three and hate it at the same time! I love it for the rich, edge of your seat story, Spending time with some of my favorite characters, and finding out what happens next! What I hate about this book is that it is the end of the series and that makes me sad.

I can imagine how hard it was for her to have written this particular book and the sacrifices that were made. However I think it was beautifully written and well done as always!

What did you like best about this story?

I love how she completely wrapped up the story lines of the characters while leaving what could happen next up to the readers imagination. They can live on in your mind well after your done reading this and the possibilities are nearly endless.

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

Cassandra is an incredible narrator!

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

I did listen to it all in one setting! I could not stop listening and have since listened to it again.

Any additional comments?

This book should come with a warning! Out of the entire trilogy this book with both elate and upset the reader. I laughed, cried and sat in total shock! This book is a must read!

Loved it!!!

Rhianna Frater has done it the right way. Her story is damn near perfect. Cassandra Campbell puts all the right touches on the narration to make the listener know just who is speaking during the conversations. I will definitely be listening yo this series again!

My favorite book trilogy

This is an incredibly written series and is a must read for any zombie book lover.

Love, love, love

I felt so much a part of this book. I’m listening on my way to work and home I’m yelling and crying and I’m way to involved. Loved every book was devastated when I finished.