(Pardon the author picture. The only cover image I could find for Episode Two was tiny!)
Back in January I reviewed Ryan Casey’s best selling Dead Days Season One, Episode One. He was kind enough to send me a copy of the Dead Days Complete Season One Collection (Books 1-6) that is currently available on Amazon (and a myriad of other retailers) to check out and review. So far I have only gotten through Season One Episode Two, but what a ride!
Scene Description: 5/5
I may have said it before, but I’ll say it again. I love Casey’s writing style. The level of detail put into each and every scene really drives whatever emotion or action is featured home. There are truly devastating scenes in Dead Days S1E2, just as there are thrilling action sequences. Although the description is often gory (as zombie fiction tends to mandate…), it is still eloquent and very beautiful. My favorite comparison comes from the first few chapters of Episode Two where he compares Ted and Riley to Hansel and Gretel, leaving a trail to a candy house of blood. How deliciously disturbing! (Of course, the book is filled with descriptions such as that.)
Originality & Entertainment: 5/5 & 5/5
Of course the subject of survival is a persistent theme in this book, but again Casey’s execution is thoroughly enjoyable and unique. The story line is character driven and is very heavily dependent on dialogue – but the feel is much more captivating than the average zombie story due to Casey’s ability to describe characters, events, and scenes so specifically and with such eloquence. Another attribute that Casey has in his favor is that despite the serious hardships faced by his characters, the emotional turmoil caused by events which occur, and the fact that the characters are in a zombie apocalypse situation… The book is fun. Above all, it’s a really fun, really quick read. I’m glad that the books are packaged as a set, because that means I will be able to immediately start book 3 in this series. If you are interested in a book that will make you laugh but also make you sad, this might be the title for you.
Writing Style & Writing Flow: 5/5 & 5/5
I commented on this in my previous review, but if you aren’t familiar with this series, the book is written as if it were a television program. (Thus the episode-based divisions.) It doesn’t have a screenplay format, but rather each section focuses on a particular event or events and the books are divided into easily digestible, fairly quick chunks. Since the books are designed to be read with the same ease that one watches a film, the flow is easy to follow – which definitely helps these books be a quick, but dense read. They might not take a long time, but you will think and you will likely feel. (If you don’t feel things, you may want to check your pulse.)
Overall: 5/5
Another excellent book from Ryan Casey. Although I did receive a free copy of the book for review purposes it in no way influenced my opinion. I do tend to post positive reviews, but only because I don’t waste my time reading lousy books because I know you won’t want to, either. I know with a series I tend to say things like ‘I can’t wait until the next volume’ but this time I can honestly say that I didn’t wait until the next volume. I’ve already started Episode 3! I’ll keep you posted on my progress, but I expect nothing but good things from this lively undead series.
