Melanie
Written on May 21, 2018
This is a novella set in the Newsflesh world. I wouldn’t recommend reading this story unless you’ve read all three books in the original trilogy (Feed, Deadline, Blackout). If you haven’t read the other short stories, that isn’t an issue, though there are some that are mentioned. You also don’t have to have read Feedback (listed as #4, but chronologically takes place during the same time as Feed, but with a different group of bloggers).
I really can’t tell you anything about this story without spoiling the original trilogy for you. Let me give you a brief summary of this series. George and Sean Mason are a brother/sister team of bloggers in a zombie filled world. Anything that is over 40 pounds can become a zombie. Blood outside the body can be infectious. There are systems in place to keep people safe, but nothing is foolproof. George and Sean run After the End Times, which reports on the news. Sean is an Irwin (named for Steve Irwin). He likes to find zombies and poke them with a stick. Irwins are known for their reckless need to get a story. George is a newsy, she wants to get the facts out to people, from a safer location.
If you haven’t tried this series, then I recommend you give it a try. This series is full of really great characters. I love all the characters we meet with After the End Times. Such a wonderfully diverse group of people. They are a lot of fun. The world is really great too. Things like zombie moose and bears. Plus, all the things put into place to keep everyone safe from zombies and the issues that those things can cause.
**SPOILERS for previous books in the series**
This book takes place after the entire trilogy. Sean and George are hiding out in Canada. That is until George gets a nosebleed and passes out. They call the only doctor they can trust, Dr. Abby. Dr. Abby forces them to come see her for an in-person exam.
It was great to spend time with George and Sean. They are a great team. We also get to see some of the other medical professionals we’ve met in the earlier books. It takes a whole team to solve George’s issues. She is a medical miracle, after all. Some of the old gang also make an appearance.
This isn’t the greatest novella I’ve ever read. There isn’t some huge beast to be tackled. The only mystery is what is going on medically with George. I do think, that for fans of the series, it is great to spend some time with George and Sean and the gang. I do really love these characters and love any time I get to spend with them.
Narration
Christine Lakin continues to do a great job with narration of this series (though she doesn’t narrate all of the books, she does do some of them). I like the voices she uses for each of the different characters. She does a great job with male and female voices. I really love her voice for Mahir. He’s an Indian by way of United Kingdom (because India was lost to zombies even before he was born). I feel like she really captured his accent.
**I like to thank the publisher for providing me with a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
