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Arisen #1
Fortress Britain
A world fallen - under a plague of seven billion walking dead
A tiny island nation - the last refuge of the living
One team - of the world's most elite special operators
The dead, these heroes, humanity's last hope, all have...
When the Zombie Apocalypse came, one country had shut down its borders in response to a major terrorist attack. Now Fortress Britain is the last bastion of the living - with 50 million beleaguered survivors facing down a world of 7 billion animated corpses.
And when civilization fell, one international team of supremely elite special operators was being assembled for a nearly impossible mission, deployed out of the SAS barracks at Hereford. Supremely trained and armed, always the most skilled, resolved, and unstoppable amongst us, now the commandos of Alpha team are humanity's last best hope for survival. Searching through the detritus of fallen Europe, scavenging pharmaceutical labs for clues to a vaccine that might bring humanity back from the brink, now they are tasked with one last desperate operation.
They must cross the Atlantic aboard the world's only remaining supercarrier, insert by air into the very middle of a dead continent, and then fight their way on foot through a city of 3 million ravening dead guys. But these Zulus will not be like any zombies they have ever fought before...
A tiny island nation - the last refuge of the living
One team - of the world's most elite special operators
The dead, these heroes, humanity's last hope, all have...
When the Zombie Apocalypse came, one country had shut down its borders in response to a major terrorist attack. Now Fortress Britain is the last bastion of the living - with 50 million beleaguered survivors facing down a world of 7 billion animated corpses.
And when civilization fell, one international team of supremely elite special operators was being assembled for a nearly impossible mission, deployed out of the SAS barracks at Hereford. Supremely trained and armed, always the most skilled, resolved, and unstoppable amongst us, now the commandos of Alpha team are humanity's last best hope for survival. Searching through the detritus of fallen Europe, scavenging pharmaceutical labs for clues to a vaccine that might bring humanity back from the brink, now they are tasked with one last desperate operation.
They must cross the Atlantic aboard the world's only remaining supercarrier, insert by air into the very middle of a dead continent, and then fight their way on foot through a city of 3 million ravening dead guys. But these Zulus will not be like any zombies they have ever fought before...
231 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 18, 2013
1032 people are currently reading
3749 people want to read
About the author
Glynn James
92 books478 followersGLYNN JAMES is an author of science fiction, post-apocalyptic, dark fantasy, horror, and dystopian fiction. His love of science fiction began when he was eight years old after discovering HP Lovecraft and Richard Matheson, and then later on Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman, James Herbert, Clive Barker, and Stephen King.
In addition to being author of the “ALTERLIGHT” supernatural mystery thriller series, he is author of the dark sci-fi series "DIARY OF THE DISPLACED", the post-apocalyptic "THROWN AWAY" series, and co-author of the "ARISEN" series and the “DUSTFALL” series.
More info on his writing and projects can be found at -
Website - www.glynnjames.co.uk
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/glynnjamesfi...
Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/GlynnJames
In addition to being author of the “ALTERLIGHT” supernatural mystery thriller series, he is author of the dark sci-fi series "DIARY OF THE DISPLACED", the post-apocalyptic "THROWN AWAY" series, and co-author of the "ARISEN" series and the “DUSTFALL” series.
More info on his writing and projects can be found at -
Website - www.glynnjames.co.uk
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/glynnjamesfi...
Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/GlynnJames
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 268 reviews
November 6, 2022
I know what you are thinking: I have only myself to blame. I mean, I'm reading a zombie book that's a step up from self-published. What was I thinking? Do you really want to know? Really?
I was thinking about urgent care, and the record numbers of people in October trying to be seen for upper respiratory infections.
I was thinking about my upcoming beach vacation, cancelled because my dad has to be hospitalized for a couple of days and then undergo a medical procedure.
I was thinking about, in current pop psychology parlance, my attachment-avoidant relationship with humanity.
I might have even been thinking about upcoming elections. Not because I want to, but because the ads are effing unavoidable.
***************
Given my over-full brain, I really wanted something cathartic. Enter zombies. You get to kill off a whole bunch of humanity in satisfyingly horrible but clearly impossible ways (as opposed to real life ways that one does get to witness in an emergency room) and then focus on the efforts of a few to survive both at an individual level and to pull together the splinters of humanity. It's fucking amazing, really; stripping us down to our most basic function: can we work together enough to survive?
Alas, this entry in the genre, a collaboration between one writer that specializes in military-focused stories and another that specializes in post-apocalyptic something-or-another, was a disappointment. I enjoyed the idea of elite, multi-specialty military teams doing targeted missions to recover whatever data there was on vaccines/cures from various companies--this is a premise that actually makes some sense--but the actual storytelling felt awkward. The premise is great--that elite special forces have training to survive in terrible situations:
"But military personnel, especially special operations guys, had been operating in catastrophic vacuums of order and structure for most of their careers. Think Somalia, Bosnia, Afghanistan, and Iraq during its civil war. Being able to be effective in such wretched, menacing places was much of what it meant to be a special operator. Homer supposed the end of civilization really just supercharged what had always been the main human problem – working together to survive. The civilians had been shielded from that for a long time."
But authorial skill limited the development of such a great concept. As we jumped from one character to another, it started to feel a little 'samesies.' Like each person was just a military dude that gave up a personal life to become an elite. It made for some awkward info-dumping that allowed the author to show-up knowledge about elite military divisions but not so much about personality traits. There is a token woman, and interestingly, what we learn is that she is having sex with someone and the rest of the guys speculate who. There's also a Muslim who is, of course, very religious and will say last rites, etc (because to be Muslim is to be religious?). There's a couple of guys that are huge and like to intimidate other men through their size. And that's about all I remember of the special ops team. There's a couple more 'ordinary' military people who get pulled into meeting the special team, for reasons that are clearly silly.
The authors used an underused resource in apocalypse fiction, that of a This section hinted at issues raised in The Last Policeman, which I hadn't seen before in a zombie apocalypse. I am curious as to that potential.
As one might expect, the book ends as they head into a life-or-death--most likely death--mission. Overall, the unique military focus wasn't enough to overcome the problems in story-telling flow and lack of character development.
I was thinking about urgent care, and the record numbers of people in October trying to be seen for upper respiratory infections.
I was thinking about my upcoming beach vacation, cancelled because my dad has to be hospitalized for a couple of days and then undergo a medical procedure.
I was thinking about, in current pop psychology parlance, my attachment-avoidant relationship with humanity.
I might have even been thinking about upcoming elections. Not because I want to, but because the ads are effing unavoidable.
***************
Given my over-full brain, I really wanted something cathartic. Enter zombies. You get to kill off a whole bunch of humanity in satisfyingly horrible but clearly impossible ways (as opposed to real life ways that one does get to witness in an emergency room) and then focus on the efforts of a few to survive both at an individual level and to pull together the splinters of humanity. It's fucking amazing, really; stripping us down to our most basic function: can we work together enough to survive?
Alas, this entry in the genre, a collaboration between one writer that specializes in military-focused stories and another that specializes in post-apocalyptic something-or-another, was a disappointment. I enjoyed the idea of elite, multi-specialty military teams doing targeted missions to recover whatever data there was on vaccines/cures from various companies--this is a premise that actually makes some sense--but the actual storytelling felt awkward. The premise is great--that elite special forces have training to survive in terrible situations:
"But military personnel, especially special operations guys, had been operating in catastrophic vacuums of order and structure for most of their careers. Think Somalia, Bosnia, Afghanistan, and Iraq during its civil war. Being able to be effective in such wretched, menacing places was much of what it meant to be a special operator. Homer supposed the end of civilization really just supercharged what had always been the main human problem – working together to survive. The civilians had been shielded from that for a long time."
But authorial skill limited the development of such a great concept. As we jumped from one character to another, it started to feel a little 'samesies.' Like each person was just a military dude that gave up a personal life to become an elite. It made for some awkward info-dumping that allowed the author to show-up knowledge about elite military divisions but not so much about personality traits. There is a token woman, and interestingly, what we learn is that she is having sex with someone and the rest of the guys speculate who. There's also a Muslim who is, of course, very religious and will say last rites, etc (because to be Muslim is to be religious?). There's a couple of guys that are huge and like to intimidate other men through their size. And that's about all I remember of the special ops team. There's a couple more 'ordinary' military people who get pulled into meeting the special team, for reasons that are clearly silly.
The authors used an underused resource in apocalypse fiction, that of a This section hinted at issues raised in The Last Policeman, which I hadn't seen before in a zombie apocalypse. I am curious as to that potential.
As one might expect, the book ends as they head into a life-or-death--most likely death--mission. Overall, the unique military focus wasn't enough to overcome the problems in story-telling flow and lack of character development.
December 29, 2025
Don't pretend we won't miss corporate *slang* when the world ends -yes- calling thieves "procurement officers" is the right thing.
Promising. Great tone.
Promising. Great tone.
August 5, 2019
Since I haven't dabbled in the undead for a while, I thought it might be high time.
Also, R.C. Bray narrating an audio book can only bring strength to my recent and unprecedented "sad-book binge".
Review to come tonight. This was some good stuff, some really good stuff. A fresh take on zombies. The genre has been dragging for a long time now. I feel like the genre has become soulless and without flesh.
Enough puns.
Man I wish this man narrated my life. Imagine how much more fun breakfast would be.
Also, R.C. Bray narrating an audio book can only bring strength to my recent and unprecedented "sad-book binge".
Review to come tonight. This was some good stuff, some really good stuff. A fresh take on zombies. The genre has been dragging for a long time now. I feel like the genre has become soulless and without flesh.
Enough puns.
Man I wish this man narrated my life. Imagine how much more fun breakfast would be.
December 4, 2013
My only complaint is thus book is short. Stephen King would combine all four books into one, but serial authors these days seem to feel they get more $$ by four purchases at $3. Perhaps true, but many, like thus one, end clearly at a commercial break rather than with a stand-alone conclusion. I should want to read the next book because the current one was so engrossing, not because I'm left with an unfinished story.
August 29, 2015
I find it somewhat awkward to admit that as a Zomibe junkie, I had not read anything by Glynn James. However, as a hi-tech military action junkie, I have read a few books by of Michael S. Fuchs. My favorite of his so far is: D-Boys. The follow up to D-Boys is Counter-Assault. I love both of these books.
This book combined two of my favor storylines: Zombies and military action thrillers. It seems as if it was written JUST for me. Arisen, Book One, fits right along with The Gathering Dead (A Zombie Apocalypse Novel) by Stephen Knight and with Tooth And Nail by Craig DiLouie. And I consider these two books as being among the very best of the zombie/military thrillers books I have read.
What is there not to like? Flesh eating zombies, and several different kinds to boot! They are changing with the times, some now can now run and jump! Not all, but more than a few. And who stands for mankind? Some of the best, most elite special forces operators from the U.S. and Britain. Even if Tom Clancy Rainbow Six (Jack Ryan) and Tim Curran Resurrection:Zombie Epic, had decided to get together and write a zombie/military action thriller, it could not be better written than Arisen, Book One-Fortress Britain.
The combination of Fuchs and James is a winner for sure. The authors draw you into this crazy world of zombies. We feel how some of the operators feel about fighting while all the time thinking about their families. We get to see how the soldiers react to each other and deal with the world at large. This is a set-up book for sure, but who cares? I was already hooked and about half-way thru I went ahead and ordered the 2nd book in this series: Arisen, Book Two - Mogadishu of the Dead. Just as good as the first book. A 3rd book recently came out, and Fuchs wrote a prequel: Arisen: Genesis (a combination of the tv series Strikeback and The Walking Dead).
This book combined two of my favor storylines: Zombies and military action thrillers. It seems as if it was written JUST for me. Arisen, Book One, fits right along with The Gathering Dead (A Zombie Apocalypse Novel) by Stephen Knight and with Tooth And Nail by Craig DiLouie. And I consider these two books as being among the very best of the zombie/military thrillers books I have read.
What is there not to like? Flesh eating zombies, and several different kinds to boot! They are changing with the times, some now can now run and jump! Not all, but more than a few. And who stands for mankind? Some of the best, most elite special forces operators from the U.S. and Britain. Even if Tom Clancy Rainbow Six (Jack Ryan) and Tim Curran Resurrection:Zombie Epic, had decided to get together and write a zombie/military action thriller, it could not be better written than Arisen, Book One-Fortress Britain.
The combination of Fuchs and James is a winner for sure. The authors draw you into this crazy world of zombies. We feel how some of the operators feel about fighting while all the time thinking about their families. We get to see how the soldiers react to each other and deal with the world at large. This is a set-up book for sure, but who cares? I was already hooked and about half-way thru I went ahead and ordered the 2nd book in this series: Arisen, Book Two - Mogadishu of the Dead. Just as good as the first book. A 3rd book recently came out, and Fuchs wrote a prequel: Arisen: Genesis (a combination of the tv series Strikeback and The Walking Dead).
May 4, 2018
I'll explain the two stars when I get on my big boy computer (presently on Kindle 🔥).
June 24, 2015
Imagine a book where every character has the world's worst case of short mans syndrome. Imagine a world filled with nothing but cliches. Imagine a story where nothing happens but random scenes of violence that neither impacts the characters or the world. Now you don't need to read this awful, awful book.
January 8, 2016
Don't expect a novel. If you do, you will be disappointed. Expect, instead, an extended set-up piece for some future novel. Here, you will face a bit of plot background (which is told, not shown) as well as lots of fawning praise for special forces troops and highly detailed reverence for military equipment. Character development is an obvious low priority; we learn very little about any character and, as a result, have a hard time caring about them.
For me, the bottom line is that this book does a masterful job of demonstrating why plot alone is not enough to create a good novel. If we care about the people, we will naturally care about the plot. The reverse isn't necessarily true and is certainly not true in Fortress Britain.
Best news. At least this novel fragment was brief; you won't need to spend too long with this testosterone-mad paean to soldiers and their weapons in order to conclude that it is not worth your time.
For me, the bottom line is that this book does a masterful job of demonstrating why plot alone is not enough to create a good novel. If we care about the people, we will naturally care about the plot. The reverse isn't necessarily true and is certainly not true in Fortress Britain.
Best news. At least this novel fragment was brief; you won't need to spend too long with this testosterone-mad paean to soldiers and their weapons in order to conclude that it is not worth your time.
August 22, 2013
See book four for my overall verdict.... It's a good one!
For poor books remember what Yoda said - "If no mistake have you made, yet losing you are ... a different game you should play!"
How I review...
1 star - binned it before half way, please don't write anymore!!!
2 stars - finally binned it after really trying, I mean really trying and I hate to not finishing someth....
3 stars - finished it but boy was that hard work on times, it just about hooked me back in as I was about to dump it
4 stars - great book but it lacked something, something, can't put my finger on it but.... something
5 stars - want more, more books, more movies about the books, more movies about the authors and the making of the movie, just more!!!
For poor books remember what Yoda said - "If no mistake have you made, yet losing you are ... a different game you should play!"
How I review...
1 star - binned it before half way, please don't write anymore!!!
2 stars - finally binned it after really trying, I mean really trying and I hate to not finishing someth....
3 stars - finished it but boy was that hard work on times, it just about hooked me back in as I was about to dump it
4 stars - great book but it lacked something, something, can't put my finger on it but.... something
5 stars - want more, more books, more movies about the books, more movies about the authors and the making of the movie, just more!!!
January 12, 2016
Now where the hell did this come from?? I loved it! Great zombie books that held my attention from the beginning! Totally did not expect this! If you like zombie books with more action / military etc then you need to read these!
May 13, 2017
Britain is the only country who seems to have the zombie apocalypse under some kind of control, due to a terrorist attack shutting their airspace to aircraft just as the virus went global. The Channel Tunnel has been blocked off and the military have all but a few random zombies taken care of who are wandering the countryside. The US and UK military launch raids to gather vital supplies from around Europe in special forces missions. But things are about to go very wrong when something escapes the Tunnel...
The military based in the UK have to go on missions into Europe for supplies and information about a cure. The missions get more dangerous and new mutant versions of the zombies with more speed and intelligence are appearing, putting the troops in extreme danger. You have the ordinary Romero style shambling zombies. Then a new faster moving zombie was spotted, nicknamed 'Romeos' as in runners. But on Alpha's trip to Germany, they see something they have not seen before and the nickname is Foxtrot November meaning 'fucking nightmares'. Seriously I never want to see a Foxtrot! These guys can run like an olympic sprinter, climb, jump and their sole purpose is to infect, not feed. This is a highly disturbing development for the big bosses.
Then one night Corporal Wesley is on duty as security at the Channel Tunnel when a breach appears in the Tunnel and a Foxtrot digs its way out and starts infecting people and soldiers around Folkstone, turning the local population into zombies. Wesley finds a sole survivor from the hotel where the troops are based and he and Captain Martin launch a defense of the town, taking down zombies until the British Army arrive to help. A mission is then ordered to open the Tunnel and make sure that anything inside is dead, to stop more problems, even if it means killing the rumoured survivors, which does not sit well with Major Grews and Lt Jameson. So into the Tunnel the team goes...
Alpha Team are also given their next mission-to fly into Chicago and find the neuroscience company who had come closest to an antidote and bring it and any surviving scientists to safety. With the zombies marching through the city in droves, it is a suicide mission but could be the only chance the world has of surviving and must be taken. And still nobody knows where the lone Tunnel escaping Foxtrot has gone...
I liked this book. The writing was very tight and the authors have a good way of drawing you into the story. The missions are very tense and exciting as you wait to see if the troops or the zombies are going to get the upper hand. I liked the different types of zombies with different threat levels, which makes things a bit different, especially the introduction of the terrifying Foxtrots. The action near the tunnel takes place in the dark, where you know bad things are lurking and people are being pounced on by the undead. It was quite a gripping read and it was not hard to get caught up in events as things go wrong.
I'm not a military expert so I have no idea how accurate the portrayal of the soldiers and weapons are but to the untrained eye it feels realistic and authentic. This is how I imagine that a military base in a crisis would be operating, complete with the mix of characters getting on each others nerves, but uniting to get on with the job. It is TEOTWAWKI as REM would have said, so things are going to be tense and petty fights are going to break out, and the soldiers are going to have fears and personal issues. I do like Alpha Team and a lot of effort is put into having us like these characters and care what happens to them. We see them as people as well as well trained soldiers. I like that we also see different people with different jobs in the defence of Britain-Wesley from the Tunnel security and his local defence leader Grews, the commanders, the ship XO, and even Alpha Team is made up of SAS, CIA, and Seals giving a nice mix of British and American characters.
However, the minor gripe? The US military are in the UK which is the only safe place to launch operations from. So of course they decide to throw their weight around, barking out orders and causing resentment from the UK soldiers-and this British reader! This is our bloody country and foreign troops should do what they are told or they can go back to the Infected States of America! Grr. But to be serious, it is a minor issue that is quickly resolved as events unfold. The brief religious bits also held no interest for me but it was clear that they were introducing the beliefs of certain characters for development purposes so I was ok with it.
Having now read on in the series, the religious things are kept to the minimum required and the story is very fast paced so I was happy with that. Also to my delight, the teams forget their differences and both US and British team members become friends and the tension between any of them and fights over chain of command are gone.
This book is set in the UK and I'm pleased about that because there are so few good zombie novels based here for British fans to read. Too many of them are Shaun of the Dead type storylines which ends up with loser characters you hate doing dumb stuff. This is different-US Army, US Navy, SAS, Special Forces, British Armed Forces, Border Security and a cast of civilians give you different viewpoints all the time and the switching action keeps it exciting. This book is more of an scene setting introduction to the crisis so it's a bit slower than the action packed sequels but is far from being slow, as there is good action in it. If you like this books, the sequels will blow your mind! It was the first mega high octane zombie series that I looked at and I loved it!
I originally gave this 3 stars but a reread this week had me wondering why I marked it so low! I'm loving the series now so have rewritten this review. If you liked ZA Recht's Morningstar or Nicholas Sansbury Smith's Extinction zombie books you should like this.
The military based in the UK have to go on missions into Europe for supplies and information about a cure. The missions get more dangerous and new mutant versions of the zombies with more speed and intelligence are appearing, putting the troops in extreme danger. You have the ordinary Romero style shambling zombies. Then a new faster moving zombie was spotted, nicknamed 'Romeos' as in runners. But on Alpha's trip to Germany, they see something they have not seen before and the nickname is Foxtrot November meaning 'fucking nightmares'. Seriously I never want to see a Foxtrot! These guys can run like an olympic sprinter, climb, jump and their sole purpose is to infect, not feed. This is a highly disturbing development for the big bosses.
Then one night Corporal Wesley is on duty as security at the Channel Tunnel when a breach appears in the Tunnel and a Foxtrot digs its way out and starts infecting people and soldiers around Folkstone, turning the local population into zombies. Wesley finds a sole survivor from the hotel where the troops are based and he and Captain Martin launch a defense of the town, taking down zombies until the British Army arrive to help. A mission is then ordered to open the Tunnel and make sure that anything inside is dead, to stop more problems, even if it means killing the rumoured survivors, which does not sit well with Major Grews and Lt Jameson. So into the Tunnel the team goes...
Alpha Team are also given their next mission-to fly into Chicago and find the neuroscience company who had come closest to an antidote and bring it and any surviving scientists to safety. With the zombies marching through the city in droves, it is a suicide mission but could be the only chance the world has of surviving and must be taken. And still nobody knows where the lone Tunnel escaping Foxtrot has gone...
I liked this book. The writing was very tight and the authors have a good way of drawing you into the story. The missions are very tense and exciting as you wait to see if the troops or the zombies are going to get the upper hand. I liked the different types of zombies with different threat levels, which makes things a bit different, especially the introduction of the terrifying Foxtrots. The action near the tunnel takes place in the dark, where you know bad things are lurking and people are being pounced on by the undead. It was quite a gripping read and it was not hard to get caught up in events as things go wrong.
I'm not a military expert so I have no idea how accurate the portrayal of the soldiers and weapons are but to the untrained eye it feels realistic and authentic. This is how I imagine that a military base in a crisis would be operating, complete with the mix of characters getting on each others nerves, but uniting to get on with the job. It is TEOTWAWKI as REM would have said, so things are going to be tense and petty fights are going to break out, and the soldiers are going to have fears and personal issues. I do like Alpha Team and a lot of effort is put into having us like these characters and care what happens to them. We see them as people as well as well trained soldiers. I like that we also see different people with different jobs in the defence of Britain-Wesley from the Tunnel security and his local defence leader Grews, the commanders, the ship XO, and even Alpha Team is made up of SAS, CIA, and Seals giving a nice mix of British and American characters.
However, the minor gripe? The US military are in the UK which is the only safe place to launch operations from. So of course they decide to throw their weight around, barking out orders and causing resentment from the UK soldiers-and this British reader! This is our bloody country and foreign troops should do what they are told or they can go back to the Infected States of America! Grr. But to be serious, it is a minor issue that is quickly resolved as events unfold. The brief religious bits also held no interest for me but it was clear that they were introducing the beliefs of certain characters for development purposes so I was ok with it.
Having now read on in the series, the religious things are kept to the minimum required and the story is very fast paced so I was happy with that. Also to my delight, the teams forget their differences and both US and British team members become friends and the tension between any of them and fights over chain of command are gone.
This book is set in the UK and I'm pleased about that because there are so few good zombie novels based here for British fans to read. Too many of them are Shaun of the Dead type storylines which ends up with loser characters you hate doing dumb stuff. This is different-US Army, US Navy, SAS, Special Forces, British Armed Forces, Border Security and a cast of civilians give you different viewpoints all the time and the switching action keeps it exciting. This book is more of an scene setting introduction to the crisis so it's a bit slower than the action packed sequels but is far from being slow, as there is good action in it. If you like this books, the sequels will blow your mind! It was the first mega high octane zombie series that I looked at and I loved it!
I originally gave this 3 stars but a reread this week had me wondering why I marked it so low! I'm loving the series now so have rewritten this review. If you liked ZA Recht's Morningstar or Nicholas Sansbury Smith's Extinction zombie books you should like this.
May 14, 2013
Lets be honest, zombies seem to be everywhere. Movies, games , TV and novels aplenty.
Now, I'm not normally a zombie type of reader. Yep, I enjoyed World War Z. However, there just seems to be lots of novels with almost identical blurbs.
Choosing a good one seems to be a bit of a challenge.
I'm not too sure how I came across Arisen, but it grabbed my imagination. Tier 1 operators hunting through zombie infected buildings for technology that help may find a cure.
However, i have read many books that have a great synopsis but just turn into run of the mill stories. But, at such a reasonable price on the Kindle, it was worth a try.
Well, how do I explain the near addiction of this book?
Ok, the writing is short, sharp and punchy and that adds greatly to the atmosphere of the book. It its written in a gritty no nonsense kind of way. Yes, there are very detailed descriptions of weapons, sighting systems and kit. But they fit in with the characters and they never slow the pace down which hurtles along with only a few breaks for character background. However, even these 'breaks' are interesting, painting a picture of the Zulu Alpha before our story begins.
And what about the characters?
I can't say I know any current Tier 1 operators but the main characters feel convincing. They also feel vulnerable. Each time they are in action i have that feeling in the pit of my stomach that they may not make it. Characters that appear as almost bit players suddenly evolve into main characters. Main characters fall by the wayside. All done in a really convincing way. The characters employ real life tactics and use their weapons realistically. No Rambo style gun battles here. Just highly skilled operators, equipped with cutting edge weapons employing their training to best effect.
All in all, a really impressive and addictive book. Its short, so don't be surprised if you finish it in a day (I did) but at least you can download the second instalment.
Well done gents. A fantastic book which I have recommended to a large number of friends.
Now, I'm not normally a zombie type of reader. Yep, I enjoyed World War Z. However, there just seems to be lots of novels with almost identical blurbs.
Choosing a good one seems to be a bit of a challenge.
I'm not too sure how I came across Arisen, but it grabbed my imagination. Tier 1 operators hunting through zombie infected buildings for technology that help may find a cure.
However, i have read many books that have a great synopsis but just turn into run of the mill stories. But, at such a reasonable price on the Kindle, it was worth a try.
Well, how do I explain the near addiction of this book?
Ok, the writing is short, sharp and punchy and that adds greatly to the atmosphere of the book. It its written in a gritty no nonsense kind of way. Yes, there are very detailed descriptions of weapons, sighting systems and kit. But they fit in with the characters and they never slow the pace down which hurtles along with only a few breaks for character background. However, even these 'breaks' are interesting, painting a picture of the Zulu Alpha before our story begins.
And what about the characters?
I can't say I know any current Tier 1 operators but the main characters feel convincing. They also feel vulnerable. Each time they are in action i have that feeling in the pit of my stomach that they may not make it. Characters that appear as almost bit players suddenly evolve into main characters. Main characters fall by the wayside. All done in a really convincing way. The characters employ real life tactics and use their weapons realistically. No Rambo style gun battles here. Just highly skilled operators, equipped with cutting edge weapons employing their training to best effect.
All in all, a really impressive and addictive book. Its short, so don't be surprised if you finish it in a day (I did) but at least you can download the second instalment.
Well done gents. A fantastic book which I have recommended to a large number of friends.
October 21, 2014
Originally I read this book sometime ago. I ran across listings for the others in the series and dove back in.
I was a rush of a ride, I burned through the series so quickly I honestly don't remember which events happened when.
I can say that these books are fast pace action and yet still manage to capture the humanity, or the loss of it from a psychological point of view that is both insight full, and in my not so expert opinion, seemingly accurate. As I commented, I am no expert and have nothing to back my opinion of human reaction scientifically, but it felt right. Lol it felt like I was there wanting to give someone a hug or tell them "It will be alright, you're doing fine".
So if you like an action packed, #$$-kicking, zombie/apocalypse series. I highly advise checking out this one, but I warn you... just get the whole series and save yourself the agony of either waiting for a download or going to the store. Each book in this series compels you to find out what happens next. A great thing for James.... a blessing and a curse to the hooked reader who's eyes have dried out and has to wearily decide if its better to just stay up and keep reading because there's only a couple hours till the work alarm beckons!
Bravo Sir, now get cracking and start writing or dictating as fast as I am compelled to read your works.
Dedicated Arisen Junkie!
I was a rush of a ride, I burned through the series so quickly I honestly don't remember which events happened when.
I can say that these books are fast pace action and yet still manage to capture the humanity, or the loss of it from a psychological point of view that is both insight full, and in my not so expert opinion, seemingly accurate. As I commented, I am no expert and have nothing to back my opinion of human reaction scientifically, but it felt right. Lol it felt like I was there wanting to give someone a hug or tell them "It will be alright, you're doing fine".
So if you like an action packed, #$$-kicking, zombie/apocalypse series. I highly advise checking out this one, but I warn you... just get the whole series and save yourself the agony of either waiting for a download or going to the store. Each book in this series compels you to find out what happens next. A great thing for James.... a blessing and a curse to the hooked reader who's eyes have dried out and has to wearily decide if its better to just stay up and keep reading because there's only a couple hours till the work alarm beckons!
Bravo Sir, now get cracking and start writing or dictating as fast as I am compelled to read your works.
Dedicated Arisen Junkie!
June 23, 2014
This was a solid 4 rating until I got to the end of the book. It just ends. In the middle of a developing storyline. I also felt it left another storyline dangling.
The last 20-30% of this book sets up for a zombie mission, which won't take place until the next book. All of that setup should have been in the next book! Not this one.
Anyway, other than that leaving a bad taste in my mouth, I enjoyed the book quite a bit. Good writing. Good characters. Good zombie action. A few surprises here and there.
The last 20-30% of this book sets up for a zombie mission, which won't take place until the next book. All of that setup should have been in the next book! Not this one.
Anyway, other than that leaving a bad taste in my mouth, I enjoyed the book quite a bit. Good writing. Good characters. Good zombie action. A few surprises here and there.
October 18, 2021
It's 2 years into a zombie apocalypse that has brought the world to its knees. Mainland Europe is overrun, America has gone dark and it appears the only nation left standing is the UK or 'Fortress Britain' thanks to it being an island, and the government shutting off the Euro Tunnel, and leaving refugees to languish. Now the military really are the ones taking care of everything, and we follow a group of Alpha Soldiers as they are sent on missions to try and stop the disease as a terrifying new breed of zombie emerges.
I picked this up mostly to see if this kind of military-heavy ZA novel suited my reading tastes, and I can say after reading this, it definitely isn't. I don't think this is badly written at all but it definitely just didn't gel with me. I had trouble from the very first chapter and was completely lost with all of the military jargon, and almost too fast-paced and brutal action scenes as people shouted things I didn't understand into their walkies. When things got back to base, and it felt like we were getting to know the soldiers better, I felt more confident but I was ultimately left didappointed.
I think we were seeing too many of the soldier's POV, and because of this I feel like I confused who they all were in my mind (other than Wesley, the one security guy), and would always be trying to figure out who was who when we swapped POV. I also don't think we got to know anyone well, it was all surface skimming.
The characters in the story are extremely male-heavy - we don't get much at all from a female perspective. There is one woman on the Alpha team and she's an amazing sniper, yet the conversations we get about her from the others is their speculation on who she is sleeping with. Lovely.
I also think this story ended before it really got going, and looking at the length of the second book I'm confused why the first two couldn't have been put together to create a longer, more detailed story. Not that much actually happened before the book ended, and I was left disappointed I didn't get to see them enter Chicago. I'm not sure if I would continue this series or recommend it unless you really like military heavy fiction.
I picked this up mostly to see if this kind of military-heavy ZA novel suited my reading tastes, and I can say after reading this, it definitely isn't. I don't think this is badly written at all but it definitely just didn't gel with me. I had trouble from the very first chapter and was completely lost with all of the military jargon, and almost too fast-paced and brutal action scenes as people shouted things I didn't understand into their walkies. When things got back to base, and it felt like we were getting to know the soldiers better, I felt more confident but I was ultimately left didappointed.
I think we were seeing too many of the soldier's POV, and because of this I feel like I confused who they all were in my mind (other than Wesley, the one security guy), and would always be trying to figure out who was who when we swapped POV. I also don't think we got to know anyone well, it was all surface skimming.
The characters in the story are extremely male-heavy - we don't get much at all from a female perspective. There is one woman on the Alpha team and she's an amazing sniper, yet the conversations we get about her from the others is their speculation on who she is sleeping with. Lovely.
I also think this story ended before it really got going, and looking at the length of the second book I'm confused why the first two couldn't have been put together to create a longer, more detailed story. Not that much actually happened before the book ended, and I was left disappointed I didn't get to see them enter Chicago. I'm not sure if I would continue this series or recommend it unless you really like military heavy fiction.
December 4, 2013
I thought this book was great. It was a little confusing in the beginning switching from one group to another for every chapter but once I got to know the the groups it all came together nicely. I always give my greatest phrase to books I really like so as is, " it wasn't long enough", meaning I want more and the author did well because it ended right exactly as I was really getting into it!
I like the military slang and I am looking forward to reading more books in the series just to find out more about our "foxtrot November's".
I usually do like almost all of the zombie/ apocalypse books I read and this was no exception.
I like the military slang and I am looking forward to reading more books in the series just to find out more about our "foxtrot November's".
I usually do like almost all of the zombie/ apocalypse books I read and this was no exception.
December 4, 2013
I'm an eternal zombie fan so this seemed like a good one to try. It's not too bad, this book sets the scene and establishes some characters and there are more books available in the series (another reason I gave this one a try).
Not much originality in the plot but I don't care. Teams of military operators, dropping into zombie-infested cities on life-or-death missions? Yes please!
Not much originality in the plot but I don't care. Teams of military operators, dropping into zombie-infested cities on life-or-death missions? Yes please!
April 26, 2019
4 Fleshy bites out of 5 (Review to Follow)
October 9, 2021
A 5 hour and 15 minute unabridged audiobook relating to a zombie outbreak.
Perhaps I'm a bit of a zombie purist - I'm okay with zombies that walk, those that can run, but any mutations past that are a bit much for me. Just not suitable to my particular taste.
Perhaps I'm a bit of a zombie purist - I'm okay with zombies that walk, those that can run, but any mutations past that are a bit much for me. Just not suitable to my particular taste.
December 8, 2023
This was OK, a little too military focused for me. But it was a decent start to a series. I’m not in a rush to read the next one, but I will likely at least check out the next one.
April 11, 2014
I was quite sure I had marked this as finished and written a short review, but well, apparently not. I finished this Tuesday evening. There isn't a terrible lot to say. Zombie apocalypse with military overtones. It's been three years since the end of the world and the only country which has any living left is the British island. They are under constant attack though. The military is searching for cures in the research centers across Europe. They are no longer working and because communication broke down, the last reports were never transmitted. There could be hope out there, somewhere in between the millions upon millions of living dead. A pretty good take.
April 8, 2014
This is a low rent attempt at a thrilling zombie apocalypse book which left me feeling cheated and wanting my money back. I could be wrong but I've always considered a "series" to be a compilation of several complete books that follow the same plot line. Instead this "series" broke one book into multiple parts and labeled it a series. Unfortunately this seems to be a popular trend among indie writers. So, congrats Mr. James, you got my .99 cents or whatever it was, but rest assured you'll get no more.
July 25, 2022
“Its face appeared through the mist, the mouth torn and the left side of its skull shattered. Ragged and bloodstained shreds of clothing, hanging from the gaunt frame, grew visible as it advanced. Congealed black fluid leaked out of sores that burned red with infection, and its bones cracked in defiance with every movement as it staggered into sight. And”
I came in with low expectations. It's ZA vs Military ops. Treat the first book as a build-up because it ends abruptly. I enjoyed it and looking forward to continuing the series.
I came in with low expectations. It's ZA vs Military ops. Treat the first book as a build-up because it ends abruptly. I enjoyed it and looking forward to continuing the series.
June 28, 2014
I have had this first book of this series for a while, but just now read it when I got book 2 for free. I am so glad that I waited, as these books each end with a bang, and I really want to read the rest of them, cause I have to know what happens!
Full of action and ZOMBIES, this is one of the best series out there! I have found a new favorite!
Full of action and ZOMBIES, this is one of the best series out there! I have found a new favorite!
May 27, 2013
Not terrible, but not as "action packed" as reviews led me to believe. A good portion of the book dealt more with the philisophical and feelings of the barely developed characters. God is mentioned every page and gets a bit overwhelming for my tastes.
May 12, 2014
Better
I found Arisen: Fortress Britain a better read than Genesis simply because it began with more action. The characters are well developed and I find myself cheering for them. I’m happy to have found another great zombie vs. army series to read.
I found Arisen: Fortress Britain a better read than Genesis simply because it began with more action. The characters are well developed and I find myself cheering for them. I’m happy to have found another great zombie vs. army series to read.
July 19, 2018
It amazes me how so many people can write books about zombies and each one is different and entertaining. This is only the first in the series and I hope to read the others.
May 5, 2018
no real plot
January 3, 2014
Most of the zombie books that I've read depict the military as an inept force that is unable to stop the ZA and usually follows a group of lucky civilians in their quest for survival. Arisen - Fortress Britain, on the other hand, tells the story of ZA through the eyes of the military. Great Britain had the foresight to begin preparing themselves for the end of the world and welcoming survivors that managed to reach its shores; the fortress island has survived for over two years by using the military and a strict protocol for those that have traveled outside of its protective walls.
Instead of being content with just surviving, the powers to be in Britain want to find the cure of the dreadful virus that has almost destroyed the world. Through the use of special military operating groups comprised of multi-national soldiers from countries around the world, their missions take them to different countries in hopes of recovering data and samples from secret labs that had worked on possible cures or antidotes prior to their demise. The eight man teams are exceptionally stealthy, armed to the max with special weaponry and often find themselves vastly outnumbered by the zombie horde during these missions.
The security of the fortress is breached when a super-zombie exits the destroyed France to England tunnel; this new breed is super fast, doesn't feast on victims - its only interest is in "scratching" survivors, who turn in mere minutes, taking on the fight from within. After a day, the military claims to have secured the interior of the fortress, but the special zombie has not shown himself since the initial attack. Was he real or imagined?
The second half of the story bogs down without zombie battles as it focuses more on preparations for the next military mission; this one in Chicago, IL (USA). This lab is located in the middle of the city and surrounded by an estimated 3 million undeads. Is this a suicide mission for the 8 members of Team alpha? This mission must succeed as intelligence strongly believes the cure is there. Other surprises are in store for readers - something I've not read about in any other zombie genre story.
The story is well-written but too short; appearing to take a six-hundred page novel and split it up into five smaller books. I received book one for free on Amazon and will have to spend $2.99 for each of the other books in the series. I'll download book two after posting this, hoping it holds my interest to the same extent as Fortress. The characters are likable and have secrets to protect - I hope book 2 exposes them.
I'd recommend Arisen, Book One - Fortress Britain to both readers of the zombie genre and military books.
John Podlaski, author
Cherrries - A Vietnam War Novel
Instead of being content with just surviving, the powers to be in Britain want to find the cure of the dreadful virus that has almost destroyed the world. Through the use of special military operating groups comprised of multi-national soldiers from countries around the world, their missions take them to different countries in hopes of recovering data and samples from secret labs that had worked on possible cures or antidotes prior to their demise. The eight man teams are exceptionally stealthy, armed to the max with special weaponry and often find themselves vastly outnumbered by the zombie horde during these missions.
The security of the fortress is breached when a super-zombie exits the destroyed France to England tunnel; this new breed is super fast, doesn't feast on victims - its only interest is in "scratching" survivors, who turn in mere minutes, taking on the fight from within. After a day, the military claims to have secured the interior of the fortress, but the special zombie has not shown himself since the initial attack. Was he real or imagined?
The second half of the story bogs down without zombie battles as it focuses more on preparations for the next military mission; this one in Chicago, IL (USA). This lab is located in the middle of the city and surrounded by an estimated 3 million undeads. Is this a suicide mission for the 8 members of Team alpha? This mission must succeed as intelligence strongly believes the cure is there. Other surprises are in store for readers - something I've not read about in any other zombie genre story.
The story is well-written but too short; appearing to take a six-hundred page novel and split it up into five smaller books. I received book one for free on Amazon and will have to spend $2.99 for each of the other books in the series. I'll download book two after posting this, hoping it holds my interest to the same extent as Fortress. The characters are likable and have secrets to protect - I hope book 2 exposes them.
I'd recommend Arisen, Book One - Fortress Britain to both readers of the zombie genre and military books.
John Podlaski, author
Cherrries - A Vietnam War Novel
September 3, 2021
This entire series is excellent! I listened to all of them within a few days and found it hard to turn off. Very well written and performed. The main characters are military Spec Ops types and Fuchs' has either been there or done his research well. One of the great things about the story is that even though these guys (and girls) are tough, trained and well armed they are still almost outmatched by the undead. Nobody is safe as they struggle to stay a half step ahead of the zombie hoards, not to mention all the other pitfalls of post apocalypse civilization (supplies running low, fuel & ammo scarce, equipment failing, buildings structurally unsound). The anxiety and intensity level is off the chart and it is a non stop fight for survival. If these Spec Ops types are getting their asses kicked like this none of us regular Joe's would have a chance!
Tom Clancy could not write a better Military vs Zombie series. The only downside will be for readers with no military background. There are a lot of acronyms and references that only military types will get. But, even then, Fuchs explains what needs to be understood without boring the those of us who get it.
Last note - if you like "The Remaining" series you will love this.
Tom Clancy could not write a better Military vs Zombie series. The only downside will be for readers with no military background. There are a lot of acronyms and references that only military types will get. But, even then, Fuchs explains what needs to be understood without boring the those of us who get it.
Last note - if you like "The Remaining" series you will love this.
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