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Summary: Endings
Review: These people giving away the ending are idiots. Regardless of whether you liked the book or not, PLEASE remember that there are other people who haven't read it yet and would like to get to the ending on their own!
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Summary: A Twist on the Typical Zombie Yarn
Review: This is in many ways what you'd expect of a zombie story. It's the end of the world as we know it, friends and family are dead, and the dead rise as flesh eating zombies. Run away, run away. But Keene puts an interesting crimp in the "usual" by making the zombies intelligent and cunning, and veers far from the often-repeated "something like a virus reanimates the dead." He also has a bit of fun with animal zombies, such as birds, squirrels, and even bunnies. It was a fun and quick read, and I definitely recommend it to those who enjoy these types of stories. HOWEVER I am in full agreement with others who have criticized the frustrating cliffhanger ending. Cliffhangers are fine, but Keene puts practically the entire plot up against a brick wall, a big bloody "to be continued" sign for the frustrated reader. Sure, I'll read the sequel, but I think the author could have done this better.
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Summary: Brian Keene is the next Bentley Little
Review: Short and sweet... Quite frankly this is probably the best "Siege" novel ever! Nicely done Mr. Keene. Thanks!
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Summary: No-Holds barred thrill ride
Review: Keene takes the zombie genre to the next level, and makes it as fun as anything you will read this year in the process. Loaded with inventive gore scenes, wild zombies, and tons of action, THE RISING will leave zombie (and gore) fans drooling. A must read.
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Summary: Somewhat Uneven, But Gross Fun
Review: This novel needs (and deserves) a better copy editor. Dumb mistakes like a car's "emergency break" instead of "emergency brake" and "His went there" instead of "He went there" litter the prose. Also the annoying use of a non-word: "alright" (should be "all right"; even my dictionary calls "alright" incorrect and of substandard usage). (Yes, it's nitpicking, but using "alright" and "alot" in novels instead of "all right" and "a lot" always bugs me because the first two just aren't words!)The writing, for the most part, is effective. Plenty of harrowing scenes. Now and then I had to roll my eyes at the plot contrivances, the worst being when our two heroes are waylaid by some zombies and saved at the last second by a gunshot from some hicks...and then those same hicks kidnap our heroes in order to eat them and our heroes are saved YET AGAIN, in the SAME CHAPTER, by MORE last-second shots from MORE hicks. Yeah, how...convenient. But, really, those are small little bug bites compared to the big chomp of fun this novel provides. Yes, we've seen a lot of this before: zombie feeding scenes right out of Romero zombie movies; the "brutal military as last bastion" most memorably used in "The Stand," and most recently in "28 Days." But Keene gives the familiar surroundings a certain verve, primarily because of the characters involved. From the gotta-see-my-son obsessed hero Jim to the ready-for-anything Frankie to the cold, ruthless calculation of Schow, these are some memorable characters that make the action that much more perilous. The two chapters that cover the massive rush for safety, involving hundreds of lives, against the onslaught of an opposing zombie army of children and animals...well, those pages fly fast because they are so involving. At that point, I couldn't put the book down. There are plenty of uneven patches, too, places where it felt like we were wandering again into cliche territory (the kindly black preacher...the brutal soldiers who think of nothing but knocking heads and rape), but the final confrontation between zombies and humans was good enough for me to recommend this book. Oh, and that ending. Well, not much of one, and yet it seemed to fit the rest of the book. It tells us the fate of these people up against overwhelming odds without really telling us. Yes, it's implied...which is somewhat at odds with the rest of the novel, since NOTHING else is implied but described in disturbing detail. But, again, the last half of the novel makes this one of the more exciting zombie (and horror in general) novels to come along in some time. And it's good enough for me to seek out Mr. Keene's next novel.
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Summary: A must read
Review: Brian Keene is unquestionably one of the best writer's working in spec fic today. His short works are brutal, honest and emotionally powerful...and well written, tightly structured and layered. With his first novel, Keene has kept true to his amazing skills and given us one hell of a read. Like Laymon, Ketchum and Little before him, Keene keeps the pace razor fast while still managing to create real characters. His prose is flowing, natural and as a result sucks the reader in until you feel like you're the one being chased by the zombies. But the main reason this book works is becasue at its heart it's a story about people, real people with real problems. The central character, Jim, and his journey is believable and harrowing. A must read for fans of horror, fantasy, zombies and those wishing to curl up with a really great story.
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Summary: Don't believe the hype
Review: This book has been hyped as one of the greatest zombie novels ever. Well that's all it is just pure hype. It's the same pointless run and dodges the ooh smarter then usual zombies while avoiding the evil army that is just as bad as the zombies. There are no really scary or tense scenes and the gore is also very minimal. Also no real explanation is given for the zombies. Lastly be warned this book has the worst rip-off cliffhanger setup for a sequel ending ever written. Note to the author cliffhangers and sequel setups are just fine but when you do one that basically kills the entire plot of the book it's just sad.
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Summary: The Undead Get an Upgrade For The New Millennium
Review: The title of Brian Keene's first novel aptly describes both the powerful story contained within, and the author's career. If you've been blown away by the quality of Keene's short fiction, strap into your seat before starting this one. Aside from the horror (of which there is plenty), Keene tells a remarkably human tale, primarily driven by a father's love for his son. The battle to save one child plays out against humanity's struggle to survive the threat of The Rising, and the results don't disappoint.
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Summary: Keene is here. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.
Review: A fresh new voice in the thriller/horror genre. I was lucky enough to buy the hardcover of this title. I loved the book so much that I will buy the paperback too. Keene has a way with words that few authors can ever dream of having. Smooth prose, action packed chapters, characters you love and cry over, there isn't a single thing missing from this novel. I have read a lot of books over the years, but hardly any of them were so hard to put down. It felt like I lost a companion when I finished. I can't wait for the upcoming sequel. And if you think this is just another zombie novel, you are sorely mistaken. A refreshing take that hasn't been done before. ONE WARNING: This story will haunt your sleep. I guarantee it. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. Bravo Mr. Keene, Bravo!!
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Summary: A New Master of Horror
Review: Brian Keene, author of No Rest for the Wicked, No Rest Redux, Talking Smack, and co-author of 4X4 and The Rise and Fall of Babylon, already has created a loyal following among horror aficionados with his smooth writing style and suspense-filled stories. In The Rising, Keene takes on the challenge of not merely recreating but reinventing an ancient evil from supernatural horror and, through a scientific experiment gone terribly awry, unleashing it on modern civilization. Apocalyptic in scope, The Rising explores the religious, political, scientific and cultural influences in the world we live in and their significance in a time of national disaster. But more important, this novel connects with the reader on a very basic level, the level of human emotion, asking the question , "What lengths would a father go to to save his child?" With the government destroyed, roaming bands of rogue militia fighting for control and civilization overrun by demons intelligent beyond understanding, one man sets out on a mission to save his son many miles away. Exploring the bonds of love, faith and friendship, Brian Keene has created a cast of three-dimensional characters we recognize through their backgrounds and motivations: the man who has been torn from his beloved child by divorce and distance, the elderly preacher strong in both conviction and determination, the former drug addict and prostitute resolved to overcome her past. We know these characters and we care about their outcomes. These exceptionally well-drawn characters along with non-stop action and heart-stopping suspense combine in a story of such depth and magnitude as to make the Rising one of the most outstanding novels on the market today. Mr. Keene's smooth narration makes this book a pleasure to read, and his use of authentic sounding dialogue adds credibility to the tale. Now and then a young writer creates a work so compelling it raises him from among the masses to his rightful place alongside the masters in his field. With The Rising, Brian Keene joins this elite group. The Rising is a tour de force.
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