Dead Plains (Zombie West, #3)

by Angela Scott

[jesstheaudiobookworm]

4.75 ★ Audiobook⎮Because I heard the last two installments in such quick succession, without even a break for writing a review in between, I’ve decided to combine my thoughts on them into one review. The continuity and fluidity of this series’ storyline makes the combining of reviews that much easier. Even if a listener had not heard the installments practically back-to-back, as I did, Angela Scott (the author) makes it extremely easy to jump back into the story as if it never ceased. This also makes it hard for me to recall precisely which installment certain events occurred in, which is not necessarily a negative thing. The continuous nature of the writing is one of the series’ greatest appeals. There were miniscule bits and pieces of the storyline that bothered me from time to time, the main one being the steady weakening of the way the main character was written and my declining opinion of her that went along with it, but it was never enough to murk my overall opinion of her or of the story, in general. There were times towards the end of the second installment and especially in the third when I questioned the way she and Trace were written, but in reality, I was just being nitpicky and impatient. Having finished the series, I can clearly see that now. Which leaves my largest standing complaint as being the extremely graphic, vivid, and revolting descriptions. Before you yell at me, I know this is a zombie series. I’m sure those kinds of descriptions are par for the course among zombie literature and there would probably be a lot more fans upset if that type of thing was excluded or watered down. Heck, the graphic nature of this series may pale in comparison to that of its contemporaries. I don’t read enough zombie stories to know. I’m just saying that, for me, it was a bit much. I quickly learned that I couldn’t listen to this while eating or trying to fall asleep at night. Not big sacrifices. But there were a couple of times when I actually had to stop listening for a period because the descriptions were so stomach-turning. I don’t consider myself overly squeamish either. Mind you, this type of thing may appeal to some listeners, but consider this a warning if you are not one of them. I would find it completely unnecessary and any other type of story, but in a zombie series, I’m guessing mine was probably the intended reaction. And it isn’t like the guts and gore didn’t serve a purpose because that would have really disappointed me. It all added to the story’s atmosphere. This story was woven together exceptionally well with relatable characters, plenty of heart warming moments, and some laughs thrown in as well. Speaking of heartwarming, let’s talk about that epilogue. It positively made my heart swell and also made me ache for a spinoff series set several years in the future. The epilogue set the stage perfectly for that type of thing, should Angela Scott ever feel so inclined. I would definitely, definitely have to get my hands on that. I’m salivating just thinking about it! I felt this series was extremely well-balanced, well-developed, and well-written. The Zombie West series tops my burgeoning list of favorite zombie stories, for sure.

Narration review: Rebecca Roberts has become a premier narrator, in my mind, primarily because of her wide tonal range. Her ability to give each of the characters their own distinct voices, impacted my listening experience in the most positive of ways. It can be frustrating for audiobook listeners when character voices are not given enough distinction and individuality, especially because we don’t have the visual cues that traditional book readers do to tell who is speaking. I understand that some narrators may not have the physical voice range of others, to no fault of their own, so it is always exciting to discover a narrator with Rebecca’s vocal abilities. She showed wonderful discernment while narrating, particularly with the decision to transform her voice when switching in and out of character. She made the multiple point-of-view switches much more bearable than I normally would have considered them. And, most importantly, her voice had an overall pleasant quality (read: not annoying) that I found quite enjoyable. As an audiobook reviewer, I’ve learned that the value of such a thing should never be overlooked! In addition to being a top tier narrator, I’ve also found Ms. Roberts to be an extremely delightful conversationalist in our brief, but charming communications. I’m incredibly grateful to her for her kindness and for introducing me to this wonderful series! ♣︎

➜ This audiobook was graciously gifted to me by its narrator, Rebecca Roberts, in exchange for a review containing my honest thoughts and opinions. Thanks, Rebecca!