This Dying World

By: James D. Dean

Narrated by: Eric A. Shelman

Length: 9 hrs and 43 mins

Publisher's Summary

It was always a joke. The what ifs and the planning were just conversations to have fun with. Who would be the first to go? Where would people be safe? Who would survive the zombie apocalypse?

No one is laughing anymore.

Awakening to a nightmare, Dan Foster is forced to flee his suburban Chicago home. Together with his wife Abby and little girl Katie, they begin a dangerous trek across the wintery Midwest in hopes to reconnect with his brother in the heartland of Wisconsin. Dan soon discovers the ravenous hordes of undead are not the only things out there that threaten the lives of his family. Can he stay the man he is, or will he need to become something more dangerous in order to protect the ones he loves?

In the end, how much of Dan's humanity will survive this dying world?

©2015 James Dean (P)2015 James Dean

great story

This story is one of the better stories I've heard in a long time. There are many different emotions that run through me. Fear funny anger grossed out ect. It was all woven in an outstanding story that I will be adding to my favorites. Eric Shelman did an outstanding job with the story. Both the story and Eric's narration had me in stitches at time.
I eagerly await the arrival of the next story in this word.
One last word: BACON :-)

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Fantastic!

A very well written and narrated book. The attention to detail made picturing everything while reading so easy. Full of snarky humor which I love. A must read for anyone who loves the zombie genre.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

couldn't put it down!

loved the book! could not put it down, the narrator was awesome and held my attention. He kept the characters fresh and entertaining. can't wait for book 2! There has to be a book 2!

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

This Dying World-not bad.

What did you love best about This Dying World?

Not the best part, but I did like that information about what was going on in the world was relayed in the first book.

What did you like best about this story?

It gave us an explanation, somewhere to start, with regards to the virus and whats going on.

What does Eric A. Shelman bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Very easy to listen to. I listen while I work and his voice is not annoying.

Any additional comments?

Overall, first book I've listened to from this author and I look forward to the second. I will recommend this book. You wont be disappointed.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Very good story

Not the best nor anywhere near the worst zombie novel I have heard of late. I do wish writers would stop advertising their next work at the end of the current piece with the heavy foreshadowing, but it is what it is. Worth the credit if you enjoy a good book.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

great zombie storie

I really enjoyed this zombie story had some great funny parts. Of course lots of nasty gore and zombie auctions some very sad parts and some what the hell come one man :)
For a first book this was really amazing i recommend it to any zombie fan.
I sure hope he writes more books will be buying them all
The Narration was wonderful Eric did so good giving everyone there own voice and some fun sounds for radio parts of it I can listen to him tell a story any day. Great job

5 of 7 people found this review helpful

Excellent book for zombie enthusiast

Once upon a time Dan Foster, his brothers and best buds thought a zombie apocalypse might be something to prepare for; little did they know. Living in a row of joined townhouses with his wife and daughter sounded like a good idea – it was!   There’s nothing like waking up in the middle of the night and discovering a roaring out of control fire zipping from home to home and there are flesh eating zombies outside too!

Dan, Abby and his daughter, Katie must fight their way to their car then to the family farm to escape the deadly monsters roaming, hunting them.  Along the way, they encounter a church filled with zeds and a trio of “scum of the earth” brothers who are bikers.  Now they have to deal with deadliest of humans as well as zeds.  Leaving the cities far behind, they head off to the countryside of Wisconsin to join his brothers and friends.

Faced with decisions that eat away at his humanity, Dan fights for the lives of his wife, daughter, brothers and friends.  No longer able to be the fun-sarcastic-always has a joke; Dan faces life head on becoming the man he must be to keep everyone safe!

James Dean vividly places his listeners in the mind of Dan Foster, showing us how he goes from mild mannered man to deadly protector.  I enjoyed how Abby and Dan was a couple, their playful banter and importantly, how she could calm him during those moments when the deadly protector made his appearance.  Eating beans out of the can was so well described that I won’t be able to see a can of beans without thinking of Dan.  Dean also places his listeners directly in the story through his character and plot development.

The other characters in the book were well developed as well.  You knew right away that Adam was going to be the proverbial thorn that would take everyone out of paradise (well, what passes as paradise in a zombie apocalypse). I thought Dean did an excellent job of coming up with a unique feature of the zombies thus providing some new twists.

Eric Shelman, narrator was able to whip out those sarcastic, fun comments as if they were second nature.  His ability to read the book with enthusiasm and getting caught up in the action was solid and enjoyable.  Shelman voiced all the characters in rich tones that made the reading more enjoyable.  Shelman presented each voice placing them with the right character and was steady in his reading.  He read with confidence and projected the inner strength of each character.

There were no real issues with production although there was an instance or two where it sounded like Shelman was speaking from a tunnel.  It did not take away from the book, it was just something I noticed.

Excellent book for zombie enthusiast!  I thoroughly enjoyed both the book and hearing Shelman – I couldn’t stop listening and made times when I could listen uninterrupted!  I look forward to more books written by James Dean and read by Eric Shelman!

Audiobook was provided for review by the author.

Please find this complete review and many others at my review blog

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6 of 10 people found this review helpful

Good

very good story line easy to follow likeable caricatures can't wait to hear more and the next steps in their paths.

Great listen

I enjoyed hearing the story of Dan and his family's journey to his brothers house. I liked the comic relief as well. I look forward to more of the story. The narrator did a great job as well.

Ordnary man fighting for his life

Would you consider the audio edition of This Dying World to be better than the print version?

No, they are both the same but hearing the characters brings them to life

What did you like best about this story?

Ordinary man, finds himself in a position he didn't expect, although disasters preparedness had been a running joke between he and his brother and friends, they just never counted on the Zombies to end the world as they knew it. He is no prepper, no survivalist although he always has a go bag ready. Not on this night as the end comes quickly and in the middle of the night. While he does not hesitate, he is still caught off guard, fighting to keep his wife and child safe giving them a chance to change and prepare as best they can, he, however, is unable to do more than run out with a thin overcoat, T shirt and pajamas and mix matched shoes. And a dead fall hammer that becomes his friend when it comes to defending his family. The trip across the country to get to his brothers farm is harrowing making many mistakes but doing everything he can to ensure the safety of his family. It's probably the reason I liked it. He is no ex soldier, no prepper, survivalist, just an man that finds strength to do what must be done to protect his family and get them to safety. Although he see the worst of humanity, he still tries to retain some of his civlized ways; he is a good man and doesn't want to taint that view in his family's eyes. But he will learn that even good men have their limit unfortunatel, that revelation comes too late for him. The story line is good although there are some, not many glaring mistakes he makes and still manages to come out of it. But with no real skills other than those that dicated his life in a world that no longer exist he fights on.
I did read the story but I always like to hear it as well, sometimes the narrator's voice does not match the character. In this case, Eric A Shelman, an independant author himself of the DEAD HUNGER series(which is great by he way; yes shameful plug for him) is the narrator and brings the character to life, giving the right inflection and emotion that comes through so that it will make you choke back tears at times or just plain cry. I look forward to the next installment in both written form an audible.

What about Eric A. Shelman’s performance did you like?

Great. Brought the characters to life with just the right nuance and inflection in the tone of his voice. Had me choking up a few times. Even cried once

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

When he is safe in his brothers house and meets one of the people there that makes a threat toward his wife and daughter. After such a long harrowing trip, keeping them safe, fighting and almost loosing them to thugs, he almost kills the man. It is his wife that stops him, knowing what will happen if he kills in cold blood.

Any additional comments?

Great story, great narrator. Had few mishaps that I found a bit stretched but overall it was great.