Review: DEAD NEW WORLD by Ryan Hill

Synopsis

Zombies aren’t mindless anymore.

Before the world fell into chaos, zombies existed only in the imagination. Now, there’re more dead walking the earth than living. Zombies move about freely, while humans are forced behind concrete barricades to stay alive.

A man known only as the Reverend has become a threat to the rebuilding United States. The leader of a powerful cult, the Reverend somehow controls the zombies, bending them to his will. He believes zombies are God’s latest creation, making humanity obsolete, and he wants to give every man, woman, and child the chance to become one. With the Horsemen of the Apocalypse, his army composed of both humans and zombies, he may well get his wish.

Best friends Holt and Ambrose went up against the Reverend once. Holt lost a foot and a zombie bit Ambrose… though he didn’t completely turn. He survived the virus, only to become a human-zombie hybrid, reviled by the living and unwelcome among the dead. When the Reverend kidnaps the woman Holt loves, the race is on to save her from a fate worse than death.

Holt and Ambrose must sacrifice everything to take down the Reverend and survive in this dead new world. But will they lose their souls in the process?

Review

Dead New World is a cool mash-up of military action, zombie horror, and evolution. It’s a fresh premise rooted in an easily visualized world where bio-engineered zombies have taken over and survivors must join military efforts to fight against them. I love the twist where the villain known as the Reverend has a connection with the walking dead that allows him to communicate and control them. And that’s not all, there are certain survivors who are strong enough to fight the infection from a zombie bite and in turn become a human-zombie hybrid, survival of the fittest at its best.

Overall I really enjoyed this read. The writing is tight and flows quickly. Hill keeps the story moving with exciting encounters, smart dialogue, and even a touch of romance! I’m really looking forward to the next installment of this series and highly recommend it to fans of the zombie genre!

Content: Some strong language and typical zombie-killing gore

Teaser

About the Author

Growing up, Ryan Hill used to spend his time reading and writing instead of doing homework. This resulted in an obsession with becoming a writer, but also a gross incompetence in the fields of science and mathematics. A graduate of North Carolina State University, Ryan has been a film critic for over five years. He lives in Raleigh, NC, with his dog/shadow Maggie. Ryan also feels strange about referring to himself in the third person.

Connect on Twitter: @J_Ryan