overal a really good sequel

If you could sum up Time of Death Book 2: Asylum (A Zombie Novel) in three words, what would they be?

Don't trust anyone

Who was your favorite character and why?

Vinny, because throughout the books he was consistently himself; a douche bag with a heart.

What about Sarah Tancer’s performance did you like?

I enjoyed her narration of the book she gave the characters a voice that helped make them more real.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No. I didn't want to listen to it in one sitting. I listened to the first in one sitting and missed key points in the plot line. I took my time with this one a few chapters a night and I found that worked better in prolonging the suspense in quite a fast paced book.

Any additional comments?

Overall I really enjoyed it as a sequel. I found the characters believable who at this juncture are two ish months Into an apocalypse and haven't got their act together yet. The writing is witty and sarcastic, and keeps much of the linguistic flavour from the first book. As always with this particular writer, she still enjoys pulling the rug out from unde/ / / r your feet just as you think all might be okay. Trust know one or anything whilst listening to this. I found the loss of everyone they meet a little annoying, there where some good characters that I would have liked to see go on further into the book. However, the plot twist and deaths I often didn't see coming which was a refreshing change to others of this genre I have read. I was a little disappointed in the end. For a book that had managed to keep its twist and turns going the end seemed a little predictable and lacking in suspense. Despite this I'm still looking forward to the third instalment to see where that leads..... hopefully somebody will still be left alive.

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Time of Death Asylum

When I read Festa's first zombie novel, ToD Induction, I read it in one sitting. Her writing style was gripping, and whilst not unique in plot, her storytelling was ruthless, the action non-stop, and I found myself fully invested in the survival story - and tragedies - of the Rossi's.

The narration of Sarah Tancer plays a definite part in how enjoyable this title is. Her delivery and timing is en pointe, and if you aren't a fan of audiobooks, I would recommend this as a definite starting point to try. You won't find many ZA books with better narration.

Asylum itself didn't get devoured in the same way as Induction - life got in the way, somewhat. So this time, I found myself mulling over characters and motives. The Rossi's have somehow escaped Sanibel with their lives, and through trial and error, find out about a safe-haven called Asylum. They decide to make their way there, and spend around 2/3 of the book doing so. There is no mundane filler in this title - the Rossi's do not collide around the US like hapless hobbits. They carve their way through the zombie apocalypse, and Asylum's action was as hugely enjoyable as the first.

I enjoyed more, however, the character development in this book. The events that the main characters endure are really starting to tell on their personalities, and Festa has taken time to make sure this creeps in throughout the novel's timeline. There are no blunt and unjustifiable changes in mentality that leave you scratching your head, trying to figure out what went wrong.

The twist at the end, whilst perhaps predictable in parts, was grimly satisfying, and we've been set up on a grand cliffhanger for the next novel. I can't wait to get my hands on the next installment in this series, and this is one zombie writer I implore you to try. You won't regret it.

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Sadly not a patch on the first book.

Would you try another book written by Shana Festa or narrated by Sarah Tancer?

Yes. The first book wasn't bad and the narrator is very good in my opinion.

Would you ever listen to anything by Shana Festa again?

Pointless repeat question of one above.

What does Sarah Tancer bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

Nothing. As I always say audio books can only ever be worse than reading the book yourself if the narration is bad and paints the scene unlike how you see it yourself. The only extra part is the voicing of characters, but even that we tend to do when we read a book, or those with imagination do so. However, that said I do like this narrator. She did a good job.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Time of Death Book 2: Asylum (A Zombie Novel)?

I'd not really cut things as such, but change them certainly. What I liked about the characters from the first one was largely gone in this. The action was less believable and general character actions massively unlikely.

Main character seems to lose her M4 rifle at some point as she never seems to carry it. Even if noise is bad and you may use melee weapons as preference you'd still be prepared to go loud rather than die against a mob of un-dead - right?

They go into a house and find a zombie in a room that has been stuck in there for two months. Me I just shut the door and loot the house. But no, they nearly die trying to kill it. And this is a trend in the book where they struggle to kill one or two zombies repeatedly, but then on one or two occasions take down packs of twenty in the space of a paragraph without breaking a sweat. Lacks consistency in their abilities as a group.

In this book despite them always going on about noise the author has them repeatedly shouting, screaming and fighting with each other in the open or other unsafe places for such actions. Nobody is that stupid.

The ending is also a bit silly in opinion as well. I'm all for a brainless character, but really what does the MC really expect CDC scientists to be doing with the drugs she got and zombies? I guess we find out in the next book - if we read it - but what does she really think is likely with their skills and that combination of things?

Any additional comments?

In short the book is not horrible. I still liked some of the humour, and some of the scenes in the book. Certainly this group of people is one I'd avoid as they are pretty incompetent and a death sentence for anyone they meet too. I just didn't believe people would act the way they did in a lot of situations. IE screaming a lot, or walking backwards for a long stretch, which is like walking forwards with a blindfold on. Who does that in a land where every corner can hold something trying to eat you?

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