Customer Reviews

Autumn: The Human Condition

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

David Moody, Autumn: The Human Condition (Infected Books, 2005)

Moody rounds out his Autumn series with The Human Condition, which contains a select few stories set in the Autumn universe along with passages from the points of view of a number of major and minor characters from the series. Without the plot structure of the first three novels, Moody was able to go back through the story and illuminate some of the nooks and crannies that were touched on, but never explored; it wouldn't surprise me to find that a number of the pieces here had there geneses in fan mail or newsgroup questions.

If you've read the original books (and if you haven't, read those first), you have a good idea of what to expect as far as the writing style goes. Those who've wondered about the living dead's method of killing in the novels will get their answer (no, they're still not eating people). Some character traits of people we met along the way are revealed. In general, if you read the first three, you'll want to read this one. ***

This novel is available to read for free online at the author's website. That being the case will have most of you scrambling to his website to read it. The kicker is that there are three more novels in the story that you must purchase in order to read them. The first one is in my opinion so mezmerizing a story that I could not just read the first one and let that be the end of it. The story begins in a common enough way almost to the point of being cliche. Upon later character development, it becomes apparent that we are not dealing with your average run of the mill type undead. And while the cliche types of violence will kill these zombies, you will have to read on to find out if you would really want to use them or not. This is the first Series of Zombie literature that I have read that actually shows you what it is like being on the undead side looking out in a way that is serious and saddening. BUY THEM....BUY THEM ALL. You won't regret it.

This "short stories of apocalypse" sheds some light to the overall story. We really get to understand what happens in Canada and how the military in UK reacts etc. A must read if you have read the previous triology

The "AUTUMN" series is pretty strong overall, until this addendum. The series as a whole is not terribly original (see "Omega Man," etc...) but the prose is excellent, and it is written in an absorbing, page-turning style, even if there is little original in its plot. This flashback addendum though is a big mistake, seemingly something added to milk the series. It focuses more on characters and attempts to shed light on them. But let's face it--what made the trilogy work was not characters but the page-turning suspense of "what happens next." Here, we already know what happens next. Plus, the stories are, for the most part, not terribly interesting in and of themselves. I would underscore that many of the stories are simply tedious, and thin. They shed little evidence on character, add nothing new. They are simply rehashes of what we saw enough times in the trilogy. Even the one or two individual stories that generate some interest are obviously out of place in the timeline. There is no suspense. It just seems pointless.

David Moody does a really good job at tying in all characters/plot in all of the Autumn series with this last book. This is my favorite series yet! This book has a bittersweet ending that I felt was perfect.

I have enjoyed every book written by David Moody and the whole Autumn Series is awesome. He does a great job writing about human reactions to desperate situations and if your tired of happy endings then you will love any book by David Moody.

This was a great book which captured and further developed charaters in the previous Autum Books. Easy Read, keeps with the rest of the series.

The autumn series its just amazing,I first bought them in ebooks but it was so good thAt I had to buy the complete series in paperback.It's amazing how after so many books the author keeps you in suspense and doesn't get boring,this Moody guy it's really gifted.

This just happens to be one of my two favorite books by David Moody. In this book Dave goes so deep into the characters that you actually know them. He details their thinking to such an extreme that you can almost make their decisions for them.

Plus, for those that can see it, there is an epiphany to be had. I think it stands out pretty obvious. See for yourself.