This continues the Day by Day Armageddon zombie series. Once again, pure pulpy zombie fun. The book continues the story (remember "book 1" just ends without a real conclusion and "book 2" simply proceeds - a trend not started by this author/publisher but an approach unfortunately well-accepted these days)Anyways, the fun level continues, although the storyline gets incrementally more preposterous as the book proceeds. The last few pages add a whole new "twist" to the story. (It's hard to be judgmental in the attempt to describe what constitutes preposterous/ridiculous in a pulp post-apocolyptic zombie novel. And yet I am. Pulp fiction this is, emphasis on fiction with a massive component of pulp thrown in.)However, the bottom line is that the writing remains adequate (nothing spectacular) and the fun continues. The linear storyline advances and the pacing maintained my attention. I am already in to the third book in the series, which tells you that I enjoyed the work well enough. I would reiterate from my review of the first book - this is light, pulp zombie fun. It does not really advance the genre or literature in any substantive sense. It is plenty entertaining, which is adequate to my current cause, but those looking for something special should continue their search elsewhere. The series is very similar in many ways to "The Remaining" series - and this second book only advances that parallel. (I do not know who published first) If I had to choose, I would give "The Remaining" the edge...but both are fun. I went into Beyond Exile with slightly misleading information--its written journal style (its a guy, so I don't think we can call it a 'diary') and chock full of military terms, euphemisms and well...military stuff. Having grown up military this was both a godsend (because I understood what he was talking about) and a curse (because I understood too well what he wasn't saying). Also its fair to point out I read the first book (Day by Day Armageddon) after reading this book.As a zombie book this is almost pitch perfect; the author's obvious military training (he's on active duty) gives a more realistic spin on how to deal with the threat. This doesn't mean its a clean cut fight, but there is a sense of order to some of the chaos. As this is about the narrator's first hand experiences anything that happens outside of his purvue, or anything he doesn't directly relate to us via his entries, may as well have not happened. In a way I was glad that the narrator wasn't in every single skirmish or battle, that would have seemed contrived. Sometimes though Bourne keeps the interesting action as a third hand accounting, which is irritating.By its very nature a journal is an anti-info dump. Journals are personal things, how many people explain every little detail about something that is a) obvious to them and b) almost second nature? The occasional explanation of what a weapon or abbreviation means--that's understandable. It's nice to have reminders about important stuff.a full point-by-point breakdown of a big plot point in the third act just before the ending? Warning bells!Not only that but abrupt what the heck are you talking about warning bells. At first I thought it was because I hadn't read the first book, but then I bought the first book. And it still made little sense to me. There is going to be a third one (I can't see how there won't be given that ending), so there is hope for this all to be explained. As is, read, enjoy and pick up some useful tips for surviving a zombie invasion.
What do You think about Beyond Exile (2010)?
Excellent book. Highly recommend. The series is very good so far and I am looking forward to book 3!
—Anette
I liked it but not as much as the 1st one. I got bored with all the miltary and gun talk.
—Lonidee76
Just as good as the first one. Keeps you on the edge of your seat.
—CherryDragon0305
Another great installement in this series! Loving it!
—motodude
En fortsættelse af bog 1, ikke den store udvikling.
—Michelle
