Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
Permuted Press (2007), Edition: 2, 228 pages
Description
An ongoing journal depicting one man's personal struggle for survival, dealing with the trials of an undead world unfolding around him. An unknown plague sweeps the planet. The dead rise to claim the Earth as the new dominant species. Trapped in the midst of a global tragedy, he must make decisions ... choices that ultimately mean life, or the eternal curse to walk as one of them.
User reviews
LibraryThing member richardderus
Rating: 3* of five
The Book Report: The book description says:
An ongoing journal depicting one man's personal struggle for survival, dealing with the trials of an undead world unfolding around him. An unknown plague sweeps the planet. The dead rise to claim the Earth as the new dominant species.
My Review: I really, really wish the narrative frame of “journal” was gone. This novel is just fine without that explanation, in fact a good deal better without it, because no one on the surface of the earth describes their little sister as their little sister in a journal. (Among other details that don't fit in the journal frame.)
A book to be enjoyed without one's awf'ly awwwgust self-imposed “this is not good enough because it is not good enough” filters on; note to snobbish readers: Yes, I rated it higher than Gone Girl and all works of, oh say Dickens, because reading it was a great deal more pleasant than reading those books.
IN. MY. OPINION.
Now. Perfect it isn't, and as annoying as the self-published novel with all the usual faults (wrong words used, punctuation eccentricities) can be, this one's got something going for it: Energy. This story's getting told by someone who really really likes the storytelling. I found that infectious (pardon pun) because, AGAIN IN MY OPINION (and how tired I am of having to defend my utterances by stating something that the absurdly over-sensitive or over-critical need to get a damn grip and assume is the case in a review), it takes this zombie novel out of the cash-in herd where Colson Whitehead et alii live. Bourne loves this story and can't not tell it, and that came through to me loud and clear.
Would I recommend it? No, not really, because zombie novels aren't in need of recommendations to the fan base, and the non-fans don't need to bother themselves with the genre. In my ongoing quest not to turn back into a dismissive, annoying book-snob, I read this because Stephen-from-Ohio (a zombie-book aficionado) gave it a good review. It's not a genre I'm going to adopt as regular diet, but there are some good stories being told in it. This being my fourth zombie novel, though, I don't want to go any deeper into the swamp. Go out on the highest note yet, I say, scraping zombie off my shoe.
The Book Report: The book description says:
An ongoing journal depicting one man's personal struggle for survival, dealing with the trials of an undead world unfolding around him. An unknown plague sweeps the planet. The dead rise to claim the Earth as the new dominant species.
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Trapped in the midst of a global tragedy, he must make decisions...choices that that ultimately mean life, or the eternal curse to walk as one of them. My Review: I really, really wish the narrative frame of “journal” was gone. This novel is just fine without that explanation, in fact a good deal better without it, because no one on the surface of the earth describes their little sister as their little sister in a journal. (Among other details that don't fit in the journal frame.)
A book to be enjoyed without one's awf'ly awwwgust self-imposed “this is not good enough because it is not good enough” filters on; note to snobbish readers: Yes, I rated it higher than Gone Girl and all works of, oh say Dickens, because reading it was a great deal more pleasant than reading those books.
IN. MY. OPINION.
Now. Perfect it isn't, and as annoying as the self-published novel with all the usual faults (wrong words used, punctuation eccentricities) can be, this one's got something going for it: Energy. This story's getting told by someone who really really likes the storytelling. I found that infectious (pardon pun) because, AGAIN IN MY OPINION (and how tired I am of having to defend my utterances by stating something that the absurdly over-sensitive or over-critical need to get a damn grip and assume is the case in a review), it takes this zombie novel out of the cash-in herd where Colson Whitehead et alii live. Bourne loves this story and can't not tell it, and that came through to me loud and clear.
Would I recommend it? No, not really, because zombie novels aren't in need of recommendations to the fan base, and the non-fans don't need to bother themselves with the genre. In my ongoing quest not to turn back into a dismissive, annoying book-snob, I read this because Stephen-from-Ohio (a zombie-book aficionado) gave it a good review. It's not a genre I'm going to adopt as regular diet, but there are some good stories being told in it. This being my fourth zombie novel, though, I don't want to go any deeper into the swamp. Go out on the highest note yet, I say, scraping zombie off my shoe.
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LibraryThing member Wova4
Day by Day Armageddon tells a conventional zombie apocalypse story through a gimmicky journal style. It apparently started as a blog or sum such, but that doesn't excuse the failures of this book. It apparently has struck a chord with many readers, so I guess that there is a market for masturbatory
I know Permuted Press is a small independent publisher, but they really need to work on their copy editing. I'm not a militant grammarian, so when I recognize more than a handful of mistakes, it's a sign of bad craftsmanship. The reproduction of the (cheesy) illustrations was also horrible.
The writing is lifeless and amateur. Bourne embellishes detail on the things he knows, like military equipment and flight procedures, while the rest of the world and events are lacking. A look at the zombie infestation map showing massive populations of zombies in sparsely-populated states like Wyoming suggests that even the most basic research was ignored. There were more than a few overly-awkward sentences that left me scratching my head. For example, it took me a long time before I figured out what he meant by "Annabelle dung".
The character development is nonexistent--the narrator does things but shows little introspection and the supporting cast are hardly more developed than the multitudes of zombies they dispatch. Each living character is a pawn for the survivalist fantasy--an engineer, a nurse, a chemist, a single young woman with no "marketable" skills. I can't even remember their names.
The narrator is the worst Mary Sue I've seen in some time, hence the reason I call this masturbatory survivalist fiction. If you ever read an internet forum on survivalism, you'll see the same sort of self-assurance as the narrator's story communicates, mostly generated from the idea that guns and preparation will save you. Who else but a committed survivalist, would load up on supplies and ammo when he hears about the outbreak of a flu in China? The narrator never makes a mistake with consequences--none of the living cast dies despite the supposed menace of the undead. Given the ineptitude of the zombies, it's amazing that the contagion spread to pandemic proportions.
I discovered this book through Amazon while searching for zombie books to try. It was highly-rated (currently 166 five-star ratings of 253) and comes up as the first recommendation for books like Max Brooks' World War Z. Having read the book, I can't believe this book represents the best of the sub-genre. I cannot prove it, but I think we're seeing manipulation of Amazon rankings, either intentionally or coincidentally by a core fan-group of survivalists who care more for the message than the quality of the book.
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survivalist fiction. I would have rated it a one-star book, but I did read it to the end (hoping for a decent payload which never showed).I know Permuted Press is a small independent publisher, but they really need to work on their copy editing. I'm not a militant grammarian, so when I recognize more than a handful of mistakes, it's a sign of bad craftsmanship. The reproduction of the (cheesy) illustrations was also horrible.
The writing is lifeless and amateur. Bourne embellishes detail on the things he knows, like military equipment and flight procedures, while the rest of the world and events are lacking. A look at the zombie infestation map showing massive populations of zombies in sparsely-populated states like Wyoming suggests that even the most basic research was ignored. There were more than a few overly-awkward sentences that left me scratching my head. For example, it took me a long time before I figured out what he meant by "Annabelle dung".
The character development is nonexistent--the narrator does things but shows little introspection and the supporting cast are hardly more developed than the multitudes of zombies they dispatch. Each living character is a pawn for the survivalist fantasy--an engineer, a nurse, a chemist, a single young woman with no "marketable" skills. I can't even remember their names.
The narrator is the worst Mary Sue I've seen in some time, hence the reason I call this masturbatory survivalist fiction. If you ever read an internet forum on survivalism, you'll see the same sort of self-assurance as the narrator's story communicates, mostly generated from the idea that guns and preparation will save you. Who else but a committed survivalist, would load up on supplies and ammo when he hears about the outbreak of a flu in China? The narrator never makes a mistake with consequences--none of the living cast dies despite the supposed menace of the undead. Given the ineptitude of the zombies, it's amazing that the contagion spread to pandemic proportions.
I discovered this book through Amazon while searching for zombie books to try. It was highly-rated (currently 166 five-star ratings of 253) and comes up as the first recommendation for books like Max Brooks' World War Z. Having read the book, I can't believe this book represents the best of the sub-genre. I cannot prove it, but I think we're seeing manipulation of Amazon rankings, either intentionally or coincidentally by a core fan-group of survivalists who care more for the message than the quality of the book.
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LibraryThing member ctmscova
You may argue the pros and cons of a zombie apocalyspe, or wether some sort of infection type thing will ever occur. Day by Day is a book about a strain of virus called "polio-x". This virus kills its victims, only for them to reanimate 24 hours later. When they wake up from their coma type sleep,
The book is written in the format of a journal, and follows Military Commander John. The protagonist lives in the suburbs 20 miles from Austin Texas. When he starts to here of a disease spreading in southeast asia, he prepares to go to war with zombies. After most of the population is diminished and zombies outnumber poeple, he quickly escapes his single family home to find security and food elsewhere.
The book has mistakes in it for example sometimes when im reading it sentances dont come together and it feels like there are words that are missing. But other than that i think this was a really great book. The author really did his research and learned about survival. The book goes into severe detail about his struggles for finding food and shelter. The author thought of pretty much everything and i think that plays a big role and making this book feel real.
So if you wish that you could live through an apocalypse for the scares and thrills, without dying from starvation or being picked apart limb by limb you can. This book is definitely worth reading.
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they lose almost all motor function and get the munchies for human flesh.The book is written in the format of a journal, and follows Military Commander John. The protagonist lives in the suburbs 20 miles from Austin Texas. When he starts to here of a disease spreading in southeast asia, he prepares to go to war with zombies. After most of the population is diminished and zombies outnumber poeple, he quickly escapes his single family home to find security and food elsewhere.
The book has mistakes in it for example sometimes when im reading it sentances dont come together and it feels like there are words that are missing. But other than that i think this was a really great book. The author really did his research and learned about survival. The book goes into severe detail about his struggles for finding food and shelter. The author thought of pretty much everything and i think that plays a big role and making this book feel real.
So if you wish that you could live through an apocalypse for the scares and thrills, without dying from starvation or being picked apart limb by limb you can. This book is definitely worth reading.
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LibraryThing member AtomicSpencer
Probably my favorite or on my top 5 list for best zombie book.
LibraryThing member meganDB
There are a lot of things to like about this book. If we start at a purely aesthetic viewpoint, this is a book that makes me glad to have resisted the ebook wave. I don’t mean the cover (which isn’t terrible but I wouldn’t say I’m in love with it), I’m talking about the pages. They are
Of course no quirky design will turn rubbish prose into good, but thankfully J.L. Bourne's text doesn’t need any help being good. Bourne's take on the Zombie apocalypse is a pleasing mixture of familiar and new ideas. He pays due homage to the zombie tradition while still managing to offer his own ideas without going too crazy with it.
But the real shining point, for me, is the narrator. Our hero is a military man, and this shines through in every aspect of the text. It's sometimes obvious, such as the use of military terminology, which is a little confusing at first but the author skilfully supplies enough context for us to figure out what all the words mean. (What, an author who doesn’t treat his readers like idiots? Imagine!) But his military background is also clear in his short, efficient sentences and the methodical way he views the world.
This book is an exercise in reading between the lines. As I mentioned, Protagonist McNoname writes his journal in a very straight forward, no fuss kind of way. He doesn’t dwell overlong on his feelings or hopes, he concerns himself with what is needed to survive; lists of remaining rations, brainstorm ideas of zombie proof fortresses and the like. When he meets other suriviors he writes about them foremost in terms of what the skills they offer, and when he finds those skills lacking he outlines plans to teach them. (Not, you may not, abandon them).
But when we look closer a picture of him begins to emerge. We start to see that he has always been a loner (when shit starts to go down he deserts the military without hesitation), and pretty bad at relating with women. He mentions briefly using army equipment to spy on an ex-girlfiend, and his thoughts when a friend calls to say his wife had left are also very telling. He refers to his guns as females, and in the early days of the book he is at his most considerate when he is carefully cleaning and maintaining them.
It is pleasure to watch, as the book progresses, our hero start to trust and depend on the few other survivors he joins up with. It’s also a pleasure to be in the hands of a perfectly capable protagonist. Often zombie books, or all post-apocalyptic books, are told from the point of view of unremarkable people who have to quickly learn how to survive. Our hero already knows how to survive, he just needs to learn how to love. (Oh man, that did not sound so cheesy in my head I promise…)
My biggest complaint with the book is the ending, or rather lack thereof. We are left with some major plot threads dangling in the wind, and while there is a sequel it’s still annoying to have to wait to get my hands on it. But then again, if the worst thing you can say about a book is that you want to read more right now instead of later, then it’s probably a pretty good book!
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adored with handwritten notes, pictures (both hand drawn and photographs), coffee rings and tears and what are possibly blood stains. There are also sections of texts that have been scribbled out and rendered unreadable, which brings to mind one of my all time favourite books, House of Leaves. It makes the book feel more immediate and authentic, and it makes you feel closer to our unnamed hero.Of course no quirky design will turn rubbish prose into good, but thankfully J.L. Bourne's text doesn’t need any help being good. Bourne's take on the Zombie apocalypse is a pleasing mixture of familiar and new ideas. He pays due homage to the zombie tradition while still managing to offer his own ideas without going too crazy with it.
But the real shining point, for me, is the narrator. Our hero is a military man, and this shines through in every aspect of the text. It's sometimes obvious, such as the use of military terminology, which is a little confusing at first but the author skilfully supplies enough context for us to figure out what all the words mean. (What, an author who doesn’t treat his readers like idiots? Imagine!) But his military background is also clear in his short, efficient sentences and the methodical way he views the world.
This book is an exercise in reading between the lines. As I mentioned, Protagonist McNoname writes his journal in a very straight forward, no fuss kind of way. He doesn’t dwell overlong on his feelings or hopes, he concerns himself with what is needed to survive; lists of remaining rations, brainstorm ideas of zombie proof fortresses and the like. When he meets other suriviors he writes about them foremost in terms of what the skills they offer, and when he finds those skills lacking he outlines plans to teach them. (Not, you may not, abandon them).
But when we look closer a picture of him begins to emerge. We start to see that he has always been a loner (when shit starts to go down he deserts the military without hesitation), and pretty bad at relating with women. He mentions briefly using army equipment to spy on an ex-girlfiend, and his thoughts when a friend calls to say his wife had left are also very telling. He refers to his guns as females, and in the early days of the book he is at his most considerate when he is carefully cleaning and maintaining them.
It is pleasure to watch, as the book progresses, our hero start to trust and depend on the few other survivors he joins up with. It’s also a pleasure to be in the hands of a perfectly capable protagonist. Often zombie books, or all post-apocalyptic books, are told from the point of view of unremarkable people who have to quickly learn how to survive. Our hero already knows how to survive, he just needs to learn how to love. (Oh man, that did not sound so cheesy in my head I promise…)
My biggest complaint with the book is the ending, or rather lack thereof. We are left with some major plot threads dangling in the wind, and while there is a sequel it’s still annoying to have to wait to get my hands on it. But then again, if the worst thing you can say about a book is that you want to read more right now instead of later, then it’s probably a pretty good book!
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LibraryThing member DeltaQueen50
Day by Day Armageddon by K.L. Bourne is quite simply one of the best “zombie apocalypse” books I have read. Written as an unnamed survivor’s journal, we follow the outbreak from it’s early days. Our journalist notes the rumors, the cover-ups and finally the government’s acknowledgement of
Being a military man he doesn’t waste his words on sentimentalism but immediately starts planning how to survive in this chaos. Food, water, weapons and ammunition are stockpiled and he is constantly planning his next step. This planning is a good thing because apparently no place is safe for long, and as he gathers a few other survivors up as he moves along, they eventually stumble upon an underground missile silo and take refuge there but there are still problems that these people have to confront and deal with in order to survive.
As with many zombie stories there was plenty of action and violence but what makes this book stand out for me was the main character, his analytical methods, his constant calculating of the odds and the almost believable way in which he records the action gave the book a realistic slant. A few very creepy moments such as underwater zombies kept the ick factor up and made for an thrilling read. This is, as usual, the first in a trilogy, and you can be sure that I will be getting the next book soon.
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an uncontrollable disease that is destroying the known world. Being a military man he doesn’t waste his words on sentimentalism but immediately starts planning how to survive in this chaos. Food, water, weapons and ammunition are stockpiled and he is constantly planning his next step. This planning is a good thing because apparently no place is safe for long, and as he gathers a few other survivors up as he moves along, they eventually stumble upon an underground missile silo and take refuge there but there are still problems that these people have to confront and deal with in order to survive.
As with many zombie stories there was plenty of action and violence but what makes this book stand out for me was the main character, his analytical methods, his constant calculating of the odds and the almost believable way in which he records the action gave the book a realistic slant. A few very creepy moments such as underwater zombies kept the ick factor up and made for an thrilling read. This is, as usual, the first in a trilogy, and you can be sure that I will be getting the next book soon.
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LibraryThing member Jaynee
VERY disappointed in the lackluster ending. The rest of the book had been very enjoyable, and then it just kind of ended. I didn't require resolution, given the format of the storytelling, but it truly ended as though the writer of the journal had run out of pages and started another journal
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somewhere else with little regard for closure on this one. Show Less
LibraryThing member wbentrim
Day By Day Armageddon by J. L. BourneUnbeknownst to me there is a Zombie story genre. This is a Zombie story and that alone seems to attract a loyal following. The protagonist is an active duty military officer in a nation that is combating an unknown disease. The disease turns out to be Zombieism
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(?) and the bulk of the world is infected. The story centers on the survival of the few remaining uninfected humans. My initial reaction to the story was disdain. Zombies have never caught my attention. Bourne wrote the story as if it was a journal. He did a nice job capturing the qualities of the protagonist that enabled him to be a survivor. The book surprised me in that I liked it. It held my attention and if you changed the word Zombie to evil bikers or Nazi’s it seemed like just a good story. The action was solid and the close brushes with death seemed realistic. I still have trouble with the concept of Zombies but then there are probably some poor souls out there who have trouble conceptionalizing a dragon or troll. Ignore the label of A Post-Apocalyptic Zombie Novel and read this, it was surprisingly good and I recommend it. Show Less
LibraryThing member sapphire--stars
This book was just fantastic :] When I started reading it, I was hesitant because it has no fancy writing style. It is written just as a standard journal, no whistles or frills and I wasn't sure that was what I was in the mood for.Shortly after starting it I was hooked. I am always on the lookout
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for the kind of book that is so haunting and chilling that your imagination runs away with you. This is how I felt throughout the majority of Day by Day. I think the only place I would have felt safe reading this book was in a bunker. :]The characters are simple but heartfelt and realistic. Some of the scenes are so stunning and leave an impression in your mind. I feel it would work great as a film.My only complaint would be the ending. While it doesn't cut off without complete notice, it does end almost suddenly and then the next page is a note from the author promising a sequel. The story is really not over and deserved more closure in this novel. Also, the ending had become a bit deus ex machina what with the main characters just HAPPENING to find a military base and everything else almost provided perfectly for them. Still, I'll give it 5/5! Show Less
LibraryThing member crazybatcow
Quite similar to World War Z, though it's less "commercial" and features just one journaller's story, rather than a collection of different people's "take" on the event.
It's creepy in its "reality" - it's written like events could or would unfold - if such a thing as a zombie breakout could happen
Compared to other zombie novels, it's very well written, and suspenseful, even though you know it's all just fiction.
It's creepy in its "reality" - it's written like events could or would unfold - if such a thing as a zombie breakout could happen
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in the first place. If you let yourself imagine that such a "virus" could occur, then try to figure out what you would do in the circumstances... well... it's beyond scary.Compared to other zombie novels, it's very well written, and suspenseful, even though you know it's all just fiction.
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LibraryThing member cmwilson101
Interesting apocalyptic story told from the perspective of a young man in diary format. At first I found the format a bit distant, but eventually I found that it made the story more real, more believable and somehow got me more involved in this lone survivor's plight, and where his choices lead
The zombies sometimes are less horrifying than other survivors, which is very sad.
I am keen to read the sequel, to find out what happens next.
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him. The zombies sometimes are less horrifying than other survivors, which is very sad.
I am keen to read the sequel, to find out what happens next.
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LibraryThing member jenni7202
This review was originally posted on my review blog, Falling Off The Shelf.
In the beginning of this novel we learn that there is an epidemic that is originating from the country of China. People have become lethargic, and unresponsive in the normal sense. It is slowly spreading throughout each
The government, as well as the citizens of the United States are in a panic, and have ordered all of military armed forces to military base camps. They do this for the protection of the officers, and to gather what is left of their forces to overcome this outbreak. It will be no easy feat though, because as more and more people succumb to this 'disease', less and less are left to fight the battle.
In Day by Day Armageddon we read the journal of an unnamed U.S. Naval Officer that has taken his life in his own hands. He ignores the command to report to base, and holes up in house house. His house is now his fortress, and he uses his military training to hold down the fort. He has enough ammunition to protect himself, as well as food and other neccessary provisions. He will wait it out, and record everything that happens to him in his journal.
Our hero soon learns that one of his fellow neighbors, John, is also holed up in his house. They join forces to overcome the growing number of zombies. His neighbor also brings along his trusty dog Annabelle, which is very good at warning of incoming threats. Most of the time she needs to be muzzled though, because her noises attract too much attention from the undead.
This book is filled with military slang, and abbreviations that will take a little getting used to for those that are unfamiliar with them. I personally didn't have too difficult a time with this, and soon got very used to it. You will meet other survivors along the journey, as well as hordes and hordes of undead.
It was easy for me to get into this novel, at the mere prospect that it would be filled with zombies. Despite it's short length, at a mere 200 pages, the story was well rounded and full of exciting adventure, as well as many of the promised undead. I am anticipating the sequel to this novel that is promised to be released by J.L. Bourne in the future.
In the beginning of this novel we learn that there is an epidemic that is originating from the country of China. People have become lethargic, and unresponsive in the normal sense. It is slowly spreading throughout each
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country, until it finally rests in the arms of the United States.The government, as well as the citizens of the United States are in a panic, and have ordered all of military armed forces to military base camps. They do this for the protection of the officers, and to gather what is left of their forces to overcome this outbreak. It will be no easy feat though, because as more and more people succumb to this 'disease', less and less are left to fight the battle.
In Day by Day Armageddon we read the journal of an unnamed U.S. Naval Officer that has taken his life in his own hands. He ignores the command to report to base, and holes up in house house. His house is now his fortress, and he uses his military training to hold down the fort. He has enough ammunition to protect himself, as well as food and other neccessary provisions. He will wait it out, and record everything that happens to him in his journal.
Our hero soon learns that one of his fellow neighbors, John, is also holed up in his house. They join forces to overcome the growing number of zombies. His neighbor also brings along his trusty dog Annabelle, which is very good at warning of incoming threats. Most of the time she needs to be muzzled though, because her noises attract too much attention from the undead.
This book is filled with military slang, and abbreviations that will take a little getting used to for those that are unfamiliar with them. I personally didn't have too difficult a time with this, and soon got very used to it. You will meet other survivors along the journey, as well as hordes and hordes of undead.
It was easy for me to get into this novel, at the mere prospect that it would be filled with zombies. Despite it's short length, at a mere 200 pages, the story was well rounded and full of exciting adventure, as well as many of the promised undead. I am anticipating the sequel to this novel that is promised to be released by J.L. Bourne in the future.
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LibraryThing member jaimehuff1
Day by Day Armageddon is written in a journal format of a man who is attempting to survive amidst the wake of zombies. As a matter of fact, not sure what his name is! The "author" is a military man who begins a journal as a New Year's Resolution and follows the mass destruction and chaos ensuing
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after this "virus" overtakes the world. He chronicles his killing, escaping and joining forces with a few other survivors he has met along the way. I have read some of the other reviews who state this is the best zombie book they have ever read and some that say that they don't like that the key character is so prepared. As for being the BEST zombie book ever, I don't know. This is my first one. I loved it. It was gripping, chilling, raw and crazed. I certainly don't have an issue with the key characters preparedness, he is military. If this was written from the view point of me, an average Jane, then prepare for it to have ended quickly as I wouldn't have had a clue what to do except RUN! Being as it is written from his viewpoint, I am all for his survival and game planning. I can't wait until the second book comes out and what's going to happen to these survivors housed at Hotel 23, an underground military facility. I can't help it, I need more! Show Less
LibraryThing member bookwormygirl
Day by Day Armageddon is written in diary entries from the perspective of a lone survivor in a post-apocalyptic world that is overrun by the living dead. When a strange epidemic makes its way to the United States, humanity quickly begins to crumble. Panic and chaos ensue but thanks to his military
The author, John Bourne has been writing this ongoing zombie saga in between serving as a U.S. Naval officer. His knowledge of tactical survival and weaponry is reflected perfectly within the pages of the novel.
The book gives off a realistic viewpoint of this harrowing and desperate situation - the journal entries seem to come from a man who although scared is determined to survive. The journal itself has doodles around the edges, passages that are circled or underlined, some pages where the entries have been completely scratched out, grammatical problems and even some smudges that you can only assume are blood. It's like a field guide to survival after a zombie invasion.
As a side note, I found it refreshing that it wasn't gory in nature. Most zombie related material is all full of blood and guts. This is a fantastic read for zombie lovers or fans of the horror genre.
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training, he has an upper hand on surviving.The author, John Bourne has been writing this ongoing zombie saga in between serving as a U.S. Naval officer. His knowledge of tactical survival and weaponry is reflected perfectly within the pages of the novel.
The book gives off a realistic viewpoint of this harrowing and desperate situation - the journal entries seem to come from a man who although scared is determined to survive. The journal itself has doodles around the edges, passages that are circled or underlined, some pages where the entries have been completely scratched out, grammatical problems and even some smudges that you can only assume are blood. It's like a field guide to survival after a zombie invasion.
As a side note, I found it refreshing that it wasn't gory in nature. Most zombie related material is all full of blood and guts. This is a fantastic read for zombie lovers or fans of the horror genre.
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LibraryThing member Ziaria
I received this from pocketbooks to review for a blog tour. I figured this would be a book I would like, what I wasn't expecting is it would be a book I would devour. Seriously I picked it up in the afternoon and was finished later in the evening.
The story is told in journal form which worked very
The book felt so realistic and left me feeling on edge and I was on edge each time one of the characters had to take a risk. A book that grabs my attention and makes me feel right alongside the characters gets two thumbs up for me.
If you are a zombie fan, this is definitely a book you'd want to read!
The story is told in journal form which worked very
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well. I'm not sure I would have enjoyed it nearly as much if it was told in a different form.The book felt so realistic and left me feeling on edge and I was on edge each time one of the characters had to take a risk. A book that grabs my attention and makes me feel right alongside the characters gets two thumbs up for me.
If you are a zombie fan, this is definitely a book you'd want to read!
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LibraryThing member chrisweiss
Didn't quite do it for me. I mean, sure, it's a zombie book, so how could I not like it. However, I'd recently come off of Cormac McCarthy's The Road and have been reading Walking Dead so I was kind of in the space of "bad things will happen, more bad things will happen" and DBDA didn't really
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deliver enough of that. Probably one of the least depressing zombie stories I've read. Show Less
LibraryThing member wbentrim
Day By Day Armageddon by J. L. Bourne
Unbeknownst to me there is a Zombie story genre. This is a Zombie story and that alone seems to attract a loyal following. The protagonist is an active duty military officer in a nation that is combating an unknown disease. The disease turns out to be Zombieism
My initial reaction to the story was disdain. Zombies have never caught my attention. Bourne wrote the story as if it was a journal. He did a nice job capturing the qualities of the protagonist that enabled him to be a survivor. The book surprised me in that I liked it. It held my attention and if you changed the word Zombie to evil bikers or Nazi’s it seemed like just a good story. The action was solid and the close brushes with death seemed realistic. I still have trouble with the concept of Zombies but then there are probably some poor souls out there who have trouble conceptionalizing a dragon or troll.
Ignore the label of A Post-Apocalyptic Zombie Novel and read this, it was surprisingly good and I recommend it.
Unbeknownst to me there is a Zombie story genre. This is a Zombie story and that alone seems to attract a loyal following. The protagonist is an active duty military officer in a nation that is combating an unknown disease. The disease turns out to be Zombieism
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(?) and the bulk of the world is infected. The story centers on the survival of the few remaining uninfected humans.My initial reaction to the story was disdain. Zombies have never caught my attention. Bourne wrote the story as if it was a journal. He did a nice job capturing the qualities of the protagonist that enabled him to be a survivor. The book surprised me in that I liked it. It held my attention and if you changed the word Zombie to evil bikers or Nazi’s it seemed like just a good story. The action was solid and the close brushes with death seemed realistic. I still have trouble with the concept of Zombies but then there are probably some poor souls out there who have trouble conceptionalizing a dragon or troll.
Ignore the label of A Post-Apocalyptic Zombie Novel and read this, it was surprisingly good and I recommend it.
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LibraryThing member DF5B_JohnG
I enjoyed this book because well, it's different. It's not a biography yet it's written in journal format. I loved the style of writing because I could follow it and understand what the author was aiming for. This is a serious page turner, I wish I had picked this book up sooner than I had. This
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book examines what it really would be like in a scarred war-torn world through the eyes of a smart resourceful man. Show Less
LibraryThing member lisabee
fun, but not well written.
LibraryThing member AReneeHunt
J. L. Bourne, the creator of the Day by Day Armageddon series, has never failed to entertain. With over twenty-three years of active duty/intelligence and his first person narratives, readers everywhere were privileged with amazing apocalyptic reading. Sadly, with no book four in the near future,
In Grey Fox, Kil, the teller of the tale, is a Runner. He fetches, for a price, items no longer created after the scrimmage between men and dead men. The first two books were fascinating, giving weapon details that no other author provided and actually teaching other characters to work the machines. Unlike other books where the every day Joe Shmoe was able to shoot like a pro within seconds of picking up an automatic/semi-sutomatic weapon! Intricacies like this made Bourne's monologue realistic.
Book three left us lingering with rudimentary ideas on how the undead returned, making it a let down of a ending. There was nothing definitive and the worse possible scenario seemed to take root. Fans, myself included were left upset, so I'm thinking that's where Bourne just quit. Instead of coming up with something plausible (in our apocalyptic worlds), he gave us Grey Fox. The story itself stitched nothing together for those who've read the previous books. It was just a 25-year jump into Kil's journal. *No Spoilers I felt this story was a huge let down and since I don't just rate high due to author names, I gave it 3/5 specs.
Bourne's incredible style remained. The guy's an amazing storyteller, but his offering of futuristic tidbits and no solution made for an unhappy read; too much is missing. So in the immortal words of Forrest Gump, "That's all I've got to say about that."
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we were given this short story.In Grey Fox, Kil, the teller of the tale, is a Runner. He fetches, for a price, items no longer created after the scrimmage between men and dead men. The first two books were fascinating, giving weapon details that no other author provided and actually teaching other characters to work the machines. Unlike other books where the every day Joe Shmoe was able to shoot like a pro within seconds of picking up an automatic/semi-sutomatic weapon! Intricacies like this made Bourne's monologue realistic.
Book three left us lingering with rudimentary ideas on how the undead returned, making it a let down of a ending. There was nothing definitive and the worse possible scenario seemed to take root. Fans, myself included were left upset, so I'm thinking that's where Bourne just quit. Instead of coming up with something plausible (in our apocalyptic worlds), he gave us Grey Fox. The story itself stitched nothing together for those who've read the previous books. It was just a 25-year jump into Kil's journal. *No Spoilers I felt this story was a huge let down and since I don't just rate high due to author names, I gave it 3/5 specs.
Bourne's incredible style remained. The guy's an amazing storyteller, but his offering of futuristic tidbits and no solution made for an unhappy read; too much is missing. So in the immortal words of Forrest Gump, "That's all I've got to say about that."
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LibraryThing member MJ_Crow
Day by Day Armageddon is a zombie survival story written from the point of view of one character, through the writing in his journal. Each section is dated just like a diary would be and then a description of the days events. Through his journal the story of the world coming to an end is related
The format is a nice change of pace in a subgenre that is so loaded with similar stories in similar formats that after reading one book you may have just read them all. The diary style of DBDA is both an asset and a hindrance. The style is refreshing because it gives you a look at survival horror from a different angle and it also allows you to feel more connected to the main character because you are reading his direct thoughts as he wrote them. I think that the style also lends to more creepy and suspenseful feeling in that each new section brings all new possibilities due to the fact that you are not sure how far in the future the next entry may be.
The style has its merits but it has its warts as well. First it seemed that the author had issues keeping to the style, in places it seemed like it was someone writing a journal and in other parts it looked like the prose was like writing a novel. If the book was supposed to written in journal form from someone we assume is not a writer, the prose should reflect that and be consistent throughout. Another problem, not so much the style or authors fault, is that people seem to have trouble grasping the concept of the style. Reading other reviews and talking people has revealed to me that some people believe that the book is poorly written do to week writing and spelling/grammar errors. It is often forgotten that his book is written from an everyday Joe point of view, someone who may not have the best spelling or grammar and is often journaling in haste. This makes it terribly hard to tell whether the errors and sub par writing, in spots, are the characters or the authors and many people seem to have issues determining which it is. I'm inclined to think that the errors for the most part are that of the character, not the author and were left in to help validate the journal like style the author used.
The main character seems to be a real badass and was pretty well ready and geared up for a zombie invasion. He's ex-military and would probably qualify as the most resourceful person any of the books readers have ever heard of. I'm not one to point at a zombie novel and complain about realism but James Bond would be envious of his resourcefulness. However, I would not have it any other way: after all ass-kicking heroes make for much more interesting stories.
J.L. Bourne did a great job with pacing and DBDA should keep reader interested and engaged. You have mad scrambles, shootouts, planes, boats, exploration, and seemingly hair brained ideas all within the pages of this book. When the last page left me hanging I definitely wanted to read more.
I give DBDA for being what it is: an experimental novel written in a sub-genre that has little room for anything new. I believe the author's intent was to take a zombie survival story and give it a different spin via its style. In that Bourne succeeded while delivering an enjoyable, well paced story.
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while the writer tries to survive. The format is a nice change of pace in a subgenre that is so loaded with similar stories in similar formats that after reading one book you may have just read them all. The diary style of DBDA is both an asset and a hindrance. The style is refreshing because it gives you a look at survival horror from a different angle and it also allows you to feel more connected to the main character because you are reading his direct thoughts as he wrote them. I think that the style also lends to more creepy and suspenseful feeling in that each new section brings all new possibilities due to the fact that you are not sure how far in the future the next entry may be.
The style has its merits but it has its warts as well. First it seemed that the author had issues keeping to the style, in places it seemed like it was someone writing a journal and in other parts it looked like the prose was like writing a novel. If the book was supposed to written in journal form from someone we assume is not a writer, the prose should reflect that and be consistent throughout. Another problem, not so much the style or authors fault, is that people seem to have trouble grasping the concept of the style. Reading other reviews and talking people has revealed to me that some people believe that the book is poorly written do to week writing and spelling/grammar errors. It is often forgotten that his book is written from an everyday Joe point of view, someone who may not have the best spelling or grammar and is often journaling in haste. This makes it terribly hard to tell whether the errors and sub par writing, in spots, are the characters or the authors and many people seem to have issues determining which it is. I'm inclined to think that the errors for the most part are that of the character, not the author and were left in to help validate the journal like style the author used.
The main character seems to be a real badass and was pretty well ready and geared up for a zombie invasion. He's ex-military and would probably qualify as the most resourceful person any of the books readers have ever heard of. I'm not one to point at a zombie novel and complain about realism but James Bond would be envious of his resourcefulness. However, I would not have it any other way: after all ass-kicking heroes make for much more interesting stories.
J.L. Bourne did a great job with pacing and DBDA should keep reader interested and engaged. You have mad scrambles, shootouts, planes, boats, exploration, and seemingly hair brained ideas all within the pages of this book. When the last page left me hanging I definitely wanted to read more.
I give DBDA for being what it is: an experimental novel written in a sub-genre that has little room for anything new. I believe the author's intent was to take a zombie survival story and give it a different spin via its style. In that Bourne succeeded while delivering an enjoyable, well paced story.
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LibraryThing member lchs.mrso
Day by Day Armageddon: Origin to Exile by J. L. Bourne is a comprehensive account of a naval officer’s survival in the zombie apocalypse. The story is written as if it was the naval officer’s journal or diary. His journey starts with him disobeying orders to go to the naval base for shelter as
The group of survivors are soon attacked by a rogue military group and are forced to leave Hotel 23 and find a new home.
The cover of the book is very interesting as it is of two zombies saluting the reader. This cover stands out and makes a reader wonder what the book is about.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a book that keeps them guessing at what happens next; to anyone who likes supernatural, survival, military, and humorous genre.
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the dead have been returning to life. He stays in his home, loaded with weapons and food for a month, later finding another man two houses don who have survived the onslaught. They team up and leave their town for supplies finding other survivors on the way. Near Texas they find a secret underground military base called, Hotel 23. They stay there as it is protected and has running water and electricity. Soon, their world shifts again as the last of the government decides to nuke major cities to lower the zombie population. That plan backfires as the nukes only take out a small portion and the radiation of the bombs make the surviving zombies in the surrounding area slow down their decomposition and become faster. The group of survivors are soon attacked by a rogue military group and are forced to leave Hotel 23 and find a new home.
The cover of the book is very interesting as it is of two zombies saluting the reader. This cover stands out and makes a reader wonder what the book is about.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a book that keeps them guessing at what happens next; to anyone who likes supernatural, survival, military, and humorous genre.
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LibraryThing member revslick
If you grew up on comic books and cliffhangers then this is your novel!!!! This is a fast paced, zombie novel that provides high octane for the roller coaster ride while remaining low on why, when, what and where the hell you're going. If you're looking for pure escapism then pick it up, but if you
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want more depth then don't say I didn't warn you. Show Less
LibraryThing member Christilee394
Toss me a book with a post apocalyptical theme with zombies and I am all in! So, basically, the world is getting taken over by zombies. Our protagonist, a military officer, is keeping a journal of his day-to-day survival struggles of not being eaten by the living dead. The author has thought of
By no means is this a step-by-step guide to turn to when the day comes that the Zombies really do come into existence. But rest assured, I will have this book on hand. This book was scary as hell. So much so that I had to keep a night-lite on to finish it.
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everything to make this world real, like everything. There is no down time when reading this one.By no means is this a step-by-step guide to turn to when the day comes that the Zombies really do come into existence. But rest assured, I will have this book on hand. This book was scary as hell. So much so that I had to keep a night-lite on to finish it.
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LibraryThing member ViragoReads
This was a good side-story to the series. It was similar to the original novel, just Kilroy on his own, having an 'adventure' in the middle of a zombie apocalypse.
Short, sweet and enjoyable.
Short, sweet and enjoyable.
Awards
Black Quill Award (Nominee — 2008)
Language
Original language
English
Physical description
228 p.; 5.98 inches
ISBN
0978970772 / 9780978970772