Helpful Score: 4
Day by Day Armageddon is a zombie survival story written from the point of view of one character, through the writing in his journal. Each section is dated just like a diary would be and then a description of the days events. Through his journal the story of the world coming to an end is related while the writer tries to survive.
The format is a nice change of pace in a subgenre that is so loaded with similar stories in similar formats that after reading one book you may have just read them all. The diary style of DBDA is both an asset and a hindrance. The style is refreshing because it gives you a look at survival horror from a different angle and it also allows you to feel more connected to the main character because you are reading his direct thoughts as he wrote them. I think that the style also lends to more creepy and suspenseful feeling in that each new section brings all new possibilities due to the fact that you are not sure how far in the future the next entry may be.
The style has its merits but it has its warts as well. First it seemed that the author had issues keeping to the style, in places it seemed like it was someone writing a journal and in other parts it looked like the prose was like writing a novel. If the book was supposed to written in journal form from someone we assume is not a writer, the prose should reflect that and be consistent throughout. Another problem, not so much the style or authors fault, is that people seem to have trouble grasping the concept of the style. Reading other reviews and talking people has revealed to me that some people believe that the book is poorly written do to week writing and spelling/grammar errors. It is often forgotten that his book is written from an everyday Joe point of view, someone who may not have the best spelling or grammar and is often journaling in haste. This makes it terribly hard to tell whether the errors and sub par writing, in spots, are the characters or the authors and many people seem to have issues determining which it is. I'm inclined to think that the errors for the most part are that of the character, not the author and were left in to help validate the journal like style the author used.
The main character seems to be a real badass and was pretty well ready and geared up for a zombie invasion. He's ex-military and would probably qualify as the most resourceful person any of the books readers have ever heard of. I'm not one to point at a zombie novel and complain about realism but James Bond would be envious of his resourcefulness. However, I would not have it any other way: after all ass-kicking heroes make for much more interesting stories.
J.L. Bourne did a great job with pacing and DBDA should keep reader interested and engaged. You have mad scrambles, shootouts, planes, boats, exploration, and seemingly hair brained ideas all within the pages of this book. When the last page left me hanging I definitely wanted to read more.
I give DBDA for being what it is: an experimental novel written in a sub-genre that has little room for anything new. I believe the author's intent was to take a zombie survival story and give it a different spin via its style. In that Bourne succeeded while delivering an enjoyable, well paced story.
The format is a nice change of pace in a subgenre that is so loaded with similar stories in similar formats that after reading one book you may have just read them all. The diary style of DBDA is both an asset and a hindrance. The style is refreshing because it gives you a look at survival horror from a different angle and it also allows you to feel more connected to the main character because you are reading his direct thoughts as he wrote them. I think that the style also lends to more creepy and suspenseful feeling in that each new section brings all new possibilities due to the fact that you are not sure how far in the future the next entry may be.
The style has its merits but it has its warts as well. First it seemed that the author had issues keeping to the style, in places it seemed like it was someone writing a journal and in other parts it looked like the prose was like writing a novel. If the book was supposed to written in journal form from someone we assume is not a writer, the prose should reflect that and be consistent throughout. Another problem, not so much the style or authors fault, is that people seem to have trouble grasping the concept of the style. Reading other reviews and talking people has revealed to me that some people believe that the book is poorly written do to week writing and spelling/grammar errors. It is often forgotten that his book is written from an everyday Joe point of view, someone who may not have the best spelling or grammar and is often journaling in haste. This makes it terribly hard to tell whether the errors and sub par writing, in spots, are the characters or the authors and many people seem to have issues determining which it is. I'm inclined to think that the errors for the most part are that of the character, not the author and were left in to help validate the journal like style the author used.
The main character seems to be a real badass and was pretty well ready and geared up for a zombie invasion. He's ex-military and would probably qualify as the most resourceful person any of the books readers have ever heard of. I'm not one to point at a zombie novel and complain about realism but James Bond would be envious of his resourcefulness. However, I would not have it any other way: after all ass-kicking heroes make for much more interesting stories.
J.L. Bourne did a great job with pacing and DBDA should keep reader interested and engaged. You have mad scrambles, shootouts, planes, boats, exploration, and seemingly hair brained ideas all within the pages of this book. When the last page left me hanging I definitely wanted to read more.
I give DBDA for being what it is: an experimental novel written in a sub-genre that has little room for anything new. I believe the author's intent was to take a zombie survival story and give it a different spin via its style. In that Bourne succeeded while delivering an enjoyable, well paced story.
Helpful Score: 2
"A fun post zombie-plague survival story. Not the most sophisticated writing style or character development, but a quick, fun read. Author promises a sequel."
An amateur novel published by an odd small press. I applaud the author's knowledge and writing ability, but it's sort of like watching a local cover band instead of a well known musician... not quite polished enough, a bit cliched, and the ending isn't so much an ending as a teaser for another forthcoming book. This book is badly in need of a real editor, and maybe a real publisher. That said, it was a somewhat interesting story with some plausible twists.
Leo W. (postal1) reviewed Day by Day Armageddon (Day by Day Armageddon, Bk 1) on + 9 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
This is an aswome book. this is one of those zombie books that make it belive able that this could happen and how to survive it from a peoson that knows how to survive. This is a must read book
Helpful Score: 1
A fun post zombie-plague survival story. Not the most sophisticated writing style or character development, but a quick, fun read. Author promises a sequel.
Wendy H. (donkeycheese) -
Helpful Score: 1
Day by Day Armageddon sucks you in from page one. It's told in a journal format which makes for some pretty fast reading. An un-named U.S. Naval officer is the narrator.
It seems there is an unknown virus that has outbroken in China, and he keeps watching the news wondering with mixed emotions. Soon, the virus spreads across the globe, and the government urges everyone to stay in their homes and be quiet.
Their immediate findings show that the bite from one of these zombies quickly takes effect, within the hour turning you into one too. The world as we know it is over and now it's a game of survival.
The narrator has bunked down in his house but sees a light one evening across the street. He is scared, but also wants to help if there is a human out there. His name is John, and the two of them eventually becomes friends and work together to stay alive. They've found they can't stay immobile for long. To stay alive, they must keep moving. The area around there house has at least three hundred zombies, and to beat it all, the First Lady has just made an announcement on AM radio that has them stunned.
Before the President died of the disease, he signed an order to detonate nuclear warheads to all major cities in the hope it would eliminate the enemy. One of the major cities is where he and John are and they move quickly.
This story is amazing! When life is at it's lowest, we see humanity. We share their elation at triumph or their fear. Parts are just disgusting, but can expect no less from a zombie novel. However, as great as this novel is, it ends in an edge of your seat cliffhanger!! Fortunate for me, there's a sequel being written, but patience is a virtue. The author is currently serving in Iraq.
It seems there is an unknown virus that has outbroken in China, and he keeps watching the news wondering with mixed emotions. Soon, the virus spreads across the globe, and the government urges everyone to stay in their homes and be quiet.
Their immediate findings show that the bite from one of these zombies quickly takes effect, within the hour turning you into one too. The world as we know it is over and now it's a game of survival.
The narrator has bunked down in his house but sees a light one evening across the street. He is scared, but also wants to help if there is a human out there. His name is John, and the two of them eventually becomes friends and work together to stay alive. They've found they can't stay immobile for long. To stay alive, they must keep moving. The area around there house has at least three hundred zombies, and to beat it all, the First Lady has just made an announcement on AM radio that has them stunned.
Before the President died of the disease, he signed an order to detonate nuclear warheads to all major cities in the hope it would eliminate the enemy. One of the major cities is where he and John are and they move quickly.
This story is amazing! When life is at it's lowest, we see humanity. We share their elation at triumph or their fear. Parts are just disgusting, but can expect no less from a zombie novel. However, as great as this novel is, it ends in an edge of your seat cliffhanger!! Fortunate for me, there's a sequel being written, but patience is a virtue. The author is currently serving in Iraq.
Great book. Enjoyed all aspects.
Tina A. (paintnmynails) reviewed Day by Day Armageddon (Day by Day Armageddon, Bk 1) on + 25 more book reviews
I loved this one! I could not put it down. Read it straight through. I highly recommend it. Can't wait for the third book to come out.
Easily one of the best zombie books I have ready. If I had to compare it to a movie I'd say it is like watching George A. Romero's Dawn and Day of the Dead for the first time all over again.
The novel follows an AWOL US soldier who sets out to survive the zombie apocalypse. When you read it you will notice that the novel is a journal of the survivor's day to day experiences.
If you're going to read a zombie novel, read this.
The novel follows an AWOL US soldier who sets out to survive the zombie apocalypse. When you read it you will notice that the novel is a journal of the survivor's day to day experiences.
If you're going to read a zombie novel, read this.
I loved this book. Quick, easy to read and hit all the right notes. The diary style writing keeps in the bad spelling and grammar so it gives you a sense of being there with the undead moaning outside your door.
The author is an active duty U.S naval officer which tends to add a bit of authenticity to the writing and sometimes even a touch of a warriors despair.
If you like the zombie genre this is a must read up there with World War Z and The Walking Dead.
So far this is one of three.
The author is an active duty U.S naval officer which tends to add a bit of authenticity to the writing and sometimes even a touch of a warriors despair.
If you like the zombie genre this is a must read up there with World War Z and The Walking Dead.
So far this is one of three.
This book was fantastic. It is told through the main protagonist's journal entries; we never find out his name. He's a naval officer who was just returning home to Texas from visiting his parents in Arkansas when the zombie apocalypse hits. The story follows him as he watches news coverage of what begins as a violent strain of influenza in China, to the quarantine of the US being breached, and the government breaking down. He starts off alone hold up in his fortified home afraid that he will lose his sanity long before the dead get to him, but eventually meets another survivor on his block.
The duo make a daring escape from their overrun area and travel from place to place, staying only as long as is safe, and having a few near death experiences along the way. John and Annabell, a miniature greyhound, become the protagonist's whole world and they all work together to survive, hoping to find some working form of government, or some place in civilization that hasn't fallen.
Without spoiling it for you, they meet some people along the way as they move from :safe-house" to "safe house".
The story grips you and reads almost like a movie. I was anxious for their safety and waiting for the jump-scare with every sentence I read. I've been come attached to the characters in this book and now I am committed to reading the entire series to see how their survival progresses.
The duo make a daring escape from their overrun area and travel from place to place, staying only as long as is safe, and having a few near death experiences along the way. John and Annabell, a miniature greyhound, become the protagonist's whole world and they all work together to survive, hoping to find some working form of government, or some place in civilization that hasn't fallen.
Without spoiling it for you, they meet some people along the way as they move from :safe-house" to "safe house".
The story grips you and reads almost like a movie. I was anxious for their safety and waiting for the jump-scare with every sentence I read. I've been come attached to the characters in this book and now I am committed to reading the entire series to see how their survival progresses.
