Big Sky: Zombie America

By: K. Edward Nelson

Narrated by: George Kastrinos

One year past infection and even rural Montana has not been immune to the scourge. Spreading slowly over the world has been an infection, an infection that robs humankind of their free will and replaces it with but a single desire, to infect others. Safe in the wide open spaces of Montana, some have found a way to survive using wit, bloodshed, or the simple tenacious creativity of life.

Life at the extremes of existence can bring out the best and the worst in people. Power and control become the currency of this new world. He or she who controls the resources, can reign. Those who have the divine insight to the whims of a wrathful God can bend all those who worship to their command.

Steve Johnson, already fighting to exist in a world no longer hospitable to the, living, is confronted with an impossible task and must choose either sacrifice or survival. In this land rife with bloodshed and conflict, Steve has to try and navigate the struggles of existence knowing at any moment something could crawl inside him and take over.

©2014 K. Edward Nelson (P)2019 K. Edward Nelson

not a fan of the ending

ending was too abrupt, needed to end better. story was ok, narrative ok, ok ok

Delightfully gritty

This story captured my imagination with its delightfully gritty even humorous take of zombie outbreak in the Northwest U.S.. The author's vibrant characters betray a keen insight into human nature with the sorts of people who would profit from this outbreak and presents a believable social aftermath of the unmaking and remaking of society in the wake of parasitic "zombs," without any encyclopedic 'worldbuilding dumping.' The setting is intriguingly chosen in an area that is already a hot spot for presently attracting those fleeing a perceived impending collapse of society for some reason or another, giving the area its name as the American Redoubt, so I found it enthralling to see Nelson's entertaining 'what if' play out. The narrator is no Nick Podehl, but he uses a more classic style of reading aloud and varies his voice and tone enough to keep you engaged. Otherwise, I wished there was more to read by this author. Even if you are not typically into zombie movies or books, I would heartily recommend this book, except for those readers with overly sensitive sensibilities.