Dead Hunger: The Flex Sheridan Chronicle (2011) - Plot & Excerpts
I am an unabashed zombie fan. A fanatic even. I have read just under a bajillion zombie-themed books (plus or minus a jillion). One would think there wasn’t a lot new that could be brought to the zombie genre with the recent influx of zombie books, zombie movies and zombie tv. One would be wrong. I picked up Dead Hunger: The Flex Sheridan Chronicle after having it in my to-be-read queue for quite some time, and I have to say, I wish I hadn’t waited. The author has given us a story that is smart, funny, exciting, dangerous and full of heart. The story grabbed me right away, with Flex Sheridan setting out to save his sister. We can all relate, as I hope most of us would want to save a loved one who called us in trouble (I just want to say, I’m sorry for any of the things I may or may not have done to my brother when we were kids just in case!). The characters are fleshed out and so well written, each having their own voice and personalities, strengths and quirks, so that you really get to know them and care about them. I may even have a little bit of a crush on Flex, but we all know a guy this good just has to be fiction, right? *wink* And the zombies. The zombies here have a new trick, they aren’t your typical zombies. The writing is good, and I mean really good. Its professional and well edited. It ends leaving me ready to jump into Dead Hunger II: The Gem Cardoza Chronicle to continue the saga and find out what happens to Flex, Gem, Hemp, Charlie and my favorite little zombie ass kicker, Trina, with her Great Pyrenees, Bunson. This is definitely the team I want to be on when the zombie apocalypse arrives! I am a zom-poc fan, don't deny it, don't make excuses for it. They are just plain fun to read but there comes a point when the subject is inundated with zombie novels/books/stories and they are all the same with the exception of a few, Mark Tufo, James Cook, Shawn Chesser come to mind. Eric Shelman can now be counted in those few writers I enjoy. The beginning of the series is told through the eyes of the main character, Flex Sheridan and the story begins rather quickly. He has called his little sister intent on coming in for a visit, he lives in Georgia and she in Florida. But something is wrong and the words and screams he hears over the phone has him rushing to his sisters house although it takes him several hours to get there. Because he is several hours away the drive for him is distracting, not wanting to believe what he heard but fearing the worst. Along the way, in hindsight, he pays no attention to the signs around him that something is not right with the world and what could be a precursor to a nightmare he will not soon awaken from. The horrific scene he discovers upon his arrival is only the beginning. He now has only his niece, six year old Trina and his ex girl friend, Gem, who has faced her own tragic turn of events and risks all to find him again. Together they cross Florida in search of help which they soon learn will not be forthcoming. Zombies are everywhere but they refuse to call them that thinking it is just to Cliché and refer to the affected people as Abnormals. And Gem is not the swooning girl type either. She arrives sporting an Uzi and knowing they will need food and supplies if they are to survive tells him how to find weapons; at a police station because they have the best evidence... all types of weapons and weed. It is at a police station they find Hemp Chatsworth in a cell who just happens to be a biochemist/engineer and will soon find a woman name Charlie who handles a wicked Crossbow. The five bond quickly as is necessary in these sudden times of danger around every corner while they try to understand what is happening. And the biggest question of all is WHY? Why were they spared from what ever disease that afflicted so many and not them. The first book in the series does not dwell overly much on the how and why of it, just their attempts at securing a safe haven until they can make sense of a world suddenly gone mad. One thing is made very clear, whether they want to call them zombies or not, these are no ordinary zombies, for they have a secret... well actually they have a couple but Flex and his group, although having seen characteristics not seen on movie and TV zombies, want only to stay hidden and safe. They really don't want to seek out other survivors reasoning they are better off on their own not wanting the headache that will surely come with a large group. And too, they now have Trina to consider. These people are not hero's rushing in to save mankind and they don't make excuses about it. They want to be safe. But how can they when by Hemps humble estimation 90% of the population may be turned.. and he is not even sure about Europe since there has been no communication or anyone alive to say different.Hemp is invaluable because of his background, Flex is not so bad himself and Gem and Charlie are not the whining, helpless female type. They hold their own and in some cases better than the men which is a plus in this new world. And the twist in the Zombie mystery kept me reading to the last page. It's different and that is what I look for but it has to be good and I got both.
What do You think about Dead Hunger: The Flex Sheridan Chronicle (2011)?
Wasn't too bad - but there was too much coincidence, and telling.
—rrmears
I loved this series if I can give it more than 5 stars I would.
—Mikki
