The Walking Dead Season 3 Episode 8 Midseason Finale Made to Suffer

The Walking Dead Seaason 3 Episode 8Glenn makes a dagger out of a zombie forearm – was that the radius or ulna Maggie uses to take out the guard? A testament to human ingenuity, for sure. Woodbury is split wide open in The Walking Dead Season 3 Episode 8 Midseason Finale “Made to Suffer” as Rick and his team try to save Glenn and Maggie from almost certain death. Old loyalties are brought into question and new possibilities come to light. It’s going to be a long wait until the next episode in February but I have a feeling that it will be well worth it! If you missed this episode you can watch it through the Amazon link below:

The Walking Dead Season 3 Episode 7 When the Dead Come Knocking

 It looks like the Governor bit off more than he can chew in The Walking Dead Season 3 Episode 7 “When the Dead Come Knocking”. Rick and his crew have seen their fair share of hard times and won’t be bowing down to Woodbury and its cronies. There is some undeniable karmic righteousness when evildoers underestimate their victims. Call it what you will but a natural order exists that is inevitably restored to all circumstances, eventually. The Walking Dead is like so many other well told stories and stirs up some ancient archetype that we recognize unconsciously and find so appealing. Or maybe it’s just some good old zombie skull crushing fun. You choose, either way, or both is just fine with me! Enjoy!

The Reawakening

The Reawakening

The Reawakening puts a brand new slant on the zombie apocalypse. Joseph Souza’s mutant monsters, which come to be known as “fuckers” are different from traditional zombies in that they often take on features of the infected animals that bite them. Not only that, in the moments preceding their “reawakening” these creatures have some type of unearthly insight into the true nature of reality. I think that mutant zombie is an appropriate name for these reawakened creatures as it becomes apparent that their origin involves some type of genetic experimentation that has gone horribly wrong. Shortly after Thom and his daughter Dar arrive on a trip to visit Thom’s brother in rural Maine, animals and people begin to act very strangely and become increasingly violent. Apparently this abhorrent behavior is caused by some type of new disease that turns the infected into violent maniacs. Worse than that, the diseased are somehow able to reanimate after death and turn into monsters that are driven to consume human flesh. Under constant threat of attack from these reawakened creatures, Thom, his daughter and a small group of survivors are forced to spend a nightmarish winter barricaded in a fortified cabin that is surrounded by an improvised perimeter wall made up of snow, ice and rotting mutant zombies.

Faced with their own destruction and the insanity of their disgusting new world, the survivors have some “reawakenings” of their own. Like some other post-apocalyptic, kick ass female characters, Thom’s daughter Dar discovers her true purpose through the traumatic, violent events in the early stages of the apocalypse. In the spirit of Stephen King’s Cell ( is something in the water up that way? 🙂 ), Joseph Souza reinvents the traditional zombie and creates an entirely new mutant freak. He deserves a great deal of credit for venturing out in his own direction instead of recycling the standard zombie concept. While it may upset some zombie purists (if there is such a thing?), I think most fans of zombie fiction will find The Reawakening to be a bold, surprisingly refreshing and thoroughly entertaining story.

299 Days Giveaway for Books 1 to 4

299 Days

In honor of the recent release of books 3 and 4 of Glen Tate’s timely new book series 299 Days, I am giving away paperback versions of books 1-4. As if torn from the current headlines, 299 Days places you on the precipice of an economic disaster and then pushes you right over the edge. Enter for your chance to win the first 4 books in this powerful and eerily realistic book series below:

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Glen Tate Interviews:

The Survival Podcast

Great Northern Prepper

The Handgun World Podcast

The Walking Dead Season 3 Episode 5 Say the Word

the walking dead season 3 episode 5

Ladies and Gentlemen! The Walking Dead Season 3 Episode 5 Say the Word introduces us to an entirely new fighting sport that is destined to take the post apocalyptic world by storm! While the official name for this debauchery has yet to be announced, I would vote to call it Zombie Fight Club (ZFC) […if it’s already taken, I propose that a PA is added for post apocalypse PAZFC]. Standing as a testament to the pure genius of the writers of TWD, the sport is similar to a “no holds barred” cage fight, only instead of a cage, the “ring” is made up of chained zombies! As the fight progresses, the zombies are given more chain, thereby making the “ring” smaller with each interval. We haven’t seen this type of imagination since the post apocalyptic world of Mad Max at Thunderdome. Sure it’s depraved and barbaric but it sure is fun! People need some way to blow off steam when they have lost all of their family, friends, homes, civilization and minds. Sure, you can sit on your “high horse” and judge this sport to be unsavory, but after a year of hanging on to life by a thread in the zombie apocalypse what do you expect? I say cut these people some slack and grant them a little morale booster fun and games! For this and other zombie apocalypse awesomeness check out the latest episode of The Walking Dead below:

James Wesley Rawles Survivors

survivors

In Survivors, James Wesley Rawles explores the same economic disaster that occurs in Patriots from a different perspective, mostly through a new cast of characters. While the story covers the first years of “The Crunch” in the southwestern United States, the most interesting and unique part of Survivors is the story of the newly discharged American Army Captain Andrew Laine and his journey back home to New Mexico from Afghanistan. With fuel shortages, violence and chaos reigning, Captain Laine is forced to find his own way back to the United States. He travels through post-shit hits the fan (shtf) Germany, France, England, crosses the atlantic ocean to Belize, then finally goes through Mexico and into the US. Much like he does in Patriots, Rawles provides copious details in his descriptions and, with the steady stream of bible passages, the book seems tailored with a fairly specific reader in mind. While the in-depth, detailed information is useful in terms of gaining knowledge, it makes the reading tedious at times. For example, when a character encounters a new gun, Rawles goes into considerable details on the history, mechanics, durability, range and effectiveness of the weapon, making the internal dialogue and narration slightly monotonous and unrealistic. The conversations in morse code are downright painful to get through. To give credit where credit is due, Rawles has packed a lot of useful prepping information into this book. He provides detailed information on a variety of topics including the possible uses of gold and silver as currency, using morse code via ham radio, weapons, food, fuel and even gives basic instructions on how to make molotov cocktails. If you are able to handle the sometimes “preachy” chapter introductions, a lot can be learned from Survivors. Rawles writes informative, “how-to” books in a fictional format. Unfortunately, the fictional aspect often takes a back seat to his strong religious message and “prepping” information. That being said, I would read Survivors again for its crisis preparation advice and its interesting speculation about world travel after an economic disaster.

Click Here for the Audiobook Version

For those of you that are interested in learning more about James Wesley Rawles and disaster preparation, visit his blog at http://www.survivalblog.com/ . In case you aren’t familiar with his site, it is actually one of the most popular blogs in the survival/prepping arena and will provide you with a practically endless amount of useful information.

The Walking Dead Season 3 Episode 4 Killer Within

The Walking Dead Season 3 Episode 4

Can’t we have just one good day? The world answers Glenn back with a resounding NO in The Walking Dead Season 3 Episode 4 titled Killer Within when they discover that the prison walls have been breached by hundreds of bloodthirsty zombies. Maybe that’s what is so great about apocalyptic fiction in general, no matter how bad your day is, it can always be a LOT worse. What could be worse than being stuck in a prison full of flesh-eating zombies? How about getting your throat ripped out by one of those zombies…

The Walking Dead Season 3 Episode 3 Walk With Me

the walking dead season 3 episode 3The Walking Dead Season 3 Episode 3 titled Walk With Me introduces us to a whole new group of survivors and their well-kept, relatively safe community of Woodbury. Andrea and her friend, Michonne, are first captured and later welcomed by the leader of Woodbury known as “The Governor”. The characters in The Walking Dead really show their battle hardened/seasoned nature after a year of struggling to survive the zombie apocalypse. These are characters forged in a constant life and death struggle. The writers and actors deserve a lot credit for continuing to create this awesome television show. Thank you! Watch the episode through the link below:

The Walking Dead Season 3 Episode 2 Sick

The Walking Dead Season 3

What’s the difference between a walker and a blood crazed sociopath? Not much. Which is why Rick has to eliminate some holed up human monsters in their new-found prison sanctuary. In The Walking Dead Season 3 Episode 2 titled Sick, Rick and our small band of survivors stumble upon a group of prisoners that don’t understand the full scope of the zombie problem. Apparently, the fact that Rick and the crew actually broke into a prison wasn’t enough for these dim wits to realize that the world had gone bad. It was amusing to hear these prisoners that had been isolated since the start of the zombie apocalypse asking questions like “why don’t you go to the hospital?” or “where’s the National Guard?” all while acting like they are so tough. A dark apocalyptic sense of humor is greatly appreciated by this fan, though I’m sure prisoners the world over were offended by the apparent assault on their intelligence. Watch this episode at Amazon through the link below:

Brushfire Plague

brushfire plague
In R.P. Ruggiero’s new apocalyptic novel Brushfire Plague, a highly contagious, lethal new virus is spreading across the world, forcing civilization to its knees. The virus is aptly named the Brushfire Plague after its ability to spread extremely fast and its very high mortality rate.

In Brushfire Plague, there are no bugout locations and there is no safety. The virus attacks indiscriminately and kills fast. This apocalyptic story follows the early stages of a rapidly spreading pandemic and the violent beginnings of civil breakdown in suburban Portland, Oregon. Cooper, a combat veteran, is unable leave his recently buried wife and decides to make a stand at his suburban home. In an attempt to fend off the seemingly never-ending waves of violent incursions, Cooper works to organize his neighbors. With the help of his best friend and neighbor, Dranko, they are able to equip a small neighborhood defensive force.

Right from the beginning of Brushfire Plague, violent threats are met with deadly force. R.P. Ruggiero presents a fight or die type of scenario that I suspect is quite similar to what it would be like in a war zone. With no time for deliberation, one must choose to stand up against those with harmful intent or be at their mercy.

Brushfire Plague really captures the sense of panic and sadness that would undoubtedly accompany such a large-scale disaster. For an added twist, Cooper discovers that the plague may not be a random occurrence and may actually have its origins in a laboratory. 

Ruggiero has written a very entertaining apocalyptic novel that presents an entirely possible pandemic scenario through a cast of interesting and likable characters. Bring on the sequel!

Brushfire Plague Giveaway

Brushfire Plague

Brushfire Plague, written by R.P. Ruggiero follows the early stages of a worst case viral pandemic that devastates the population. The publisher, Prepper Press, has provided us with a hard copy of Brushfire Plague to review but I will be giving this copy away unscathed since I am reading this on my Kindle. I’m thoroughly enjoying this book so far (I’ve read approximately 3/4 of it) and will be posting a review when I finish it. In the meantime, enter the giveaway by liking Apocalyptic Fiction and Brushfire Plague on Facebook through the Rafflecopter widget below:

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The Walking Dead Season Three

the walking dead season three

The Walking Dead is back and better than ever! After travelling aimlessly through the winter looking for a safe place to roost, the small group of survivors has found temporary safety within the grounds of a Georgia State Correctional Facility. Our survivors are hungry, tired and running out of ammunition. Not to mention Lori looks close to having Shane’s err..Rick’s baby. This might just be the best tv show ever created! Watch the The Walking Dead Season Three premiere titled Seed through the link below:

Also, check out the Talking Dead with cast interviews.

 

299 Days Book Two The Collapse

299 Days The Collapse

In the second book of the 299 Days Series, The Collapse, we see the early stages of an economic collapse scenario. In The Collapse, Glen Tate captures some of the unpredictable nature of real life. Events seldom go as planned and they certainly don’t for Grant Matson, who has gone to great lengths to prepare for the safety of his family in the hard times ahead. With so many factors beyond his control, preparation for every situation just isn’t possible. People will make poor decisions, especially when they are blinded by their belief that everything will return to normal, otherwise known as the “normalcy bias”. This is when people just can’t accept that their situation has changed drastically. Often they will disregard or even ignore evidence from their environment that indicates that the new situation is different and indeed dangerous. Grant’s wife Lisa embodies the concept of normalcy bias perfectly. Living her entire life under the shelter of normal, civilized conditions, Lisa is unable to see that the rules have changed with the apparent lack of police and emergency response. It becomes clear after reading this book that normalcy bias is already a widespread phenomenon. How many people do you know that would ignore a collapse situation until it was no longer possible? Oh wait, that would include almost everybody, wouldn’t it?…Most people today carry on with “life as usual”, ignoring every indication that we are indeed on the precipice of some economic calamity. If such a collapse did occur, we are talking a major shift in thinking. …[start of rant…as small, personal example of how self-sufficiency goes so much against the grain, recently with the new addition of 12 hens to the family, I had someone ask me “…you ever hear of a grocery store?”, in a very sarcastic way. For a while, I actually considered this comment, even to the point where I doubted my own efforts. However, after some consideration, I realized that it was this other person that was indeed deluded…The idea that things just come from “somewhere else” with no thought of what this “somewhere else” is all about could just be part of the problem with the modern world. Collapse illustrates what happens when that “somewhere else” becomes “right here, right now”. “The buck stops here” or maybe it always did, except for the thin veil of modern society. Maybe our modern culture was constructed to keep this cold, hard reality at bay. Anyway, I digress. Rant complete]… Without going into too much detail to spoil the book, Lisa is in for a wakeup call. 299 Days: The Collapse does make some political commentary, but I think it goes beyond the traditional right/left political paradigms. I have yet to hear a good argument against the benefits of personal responsibility. So far I am very impressed with the 299 Days Series! The Collapse is a great story with an excellent message, useful information and realistic, likeable characters. I’m really looking forward to the release of the next books in the series!

 

Revolution Episodes 2-4

I just had the chance to watch the last few episodes of the Revolution tv series that have been sitting on the DVR for a while. A number of people have left comments on how they have been disappointed in the show for a variety of reasons. Some complain that the characters are too well-groomed and that the acting is sub par. While I agree with some of the criticism, I still enjoyed the episodes. Maybe my expectations for realism in fiction are low. In terms of tone, Revolution is much less ominous than The Walking Dead. In fact, many of the settings are bright and sunlit, as if speculating on how nature might take things back, though there is no mention of melted down nuclear reactors or other industrial processes left unattended. The Walking Dead has a gloomy end of the world feeling that is completely lacking in Revolution. Clearly Revolution is written more for a mainstream audience and may not appeal to the more traditional post apocalyptic and horror fiction fans. If nothing else, maybe it will make some people out there question their total dependence on electricity. I’ll continue to watch the series for its moderate entertainment value, not for its acting or realism.

Watch episodes through NBC’s website: Revolution

299 Days The Preparation

299 Days The Preparation

In the first book in Glen Tate’s 299 Days Series, The Preparation, we are introduced to a world, much like our own, that is on the verge of an economic collapse. As the economy deteriorates, Grant Matson, an otherwise average suburbanite lawyer, awakens to the reality that he alone is ultimately responsible for the well-being of his family. We are given an insider’s view through Grant, who works in the political arena and has a very unique perspective on the political and economic situation in Washington State. With the economy failing, federal, state and local governments simply cannot meet their obligations to fully fund pensions while providing social services for an ever burgeoning unemployed population. While there is a certain politically conservative tone to 299 Days, the ultimate realization that the current economic system is unsustainable and that the government will not be able to save us if and when the shit hits the fan is very difficult to argue against, regardless of your political leanings. For instance with local governments around the country laying off police officers and firefighters, how can we expect help to arrive in a timely manner when we call 911? After hurricane Katrina, how is it that anyone expects someone to save them if and when a disaster strikes? 299 Days is a very well thought out, rational exploration of how the state of the current economy in the United States could deteriorate into a full-blown depression. In addition to its realistic “play by-play” of an economic collapse scenario, 299 Days provides a wealth of practical information for those wanting to prepare for any number of disaster scenarios. Without a doubt, 299 Days will appeal to those inclined to like apocalyptic fiction, however, those that would benefit most from reading this book are those that are just beginning to consider the possibility that the current economic system is unsustainable. The message of personal responsibility is a good one and Glen Tate makes an excellent messenger in this well written, thoroughly enjoyable book. As if torn from the current headlines, 299 Days places you on the precipice of an economic disaster and then pushes you right over the edge.