Dead: The Ugly Beginning [Kindle Edition]

TW Brown (Author)

Book Description

The unthinkable has happened. The dead are walking! Humanity's fragile thread may be reaching its bitter end. Individuals and groups struggle to survive...some at any cost. Will there be anybody left? Or, is this just...The Ugly Beginning?

So much more await you in TW Brown's DEAD series-- Dead: Revelations; Dead: Fortunes & Failures; Dead: Winter, Dead: Siege & Survival and book 6, Dead: Confrontation is scheduled for release on May 30, 2013.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Book 1: Dead: The Ugly Beginning

Book 2: Dead: Revelations

Book 3: Dead: Fortunes & Failures

Book 4: Dead: Winter

Book 5: Dead: Siege & Survival

Book 6: Dead: Confrontation (due May 30th)

About the Author

TW Brown is the author of the Zomblog series, his horror comedy romp, That Ghoul Ava, and, of course...the DEAD series. Safely tucked away in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, he moves away from his desk only at the urging of his Border Collie, Aoife. (Pronounced Eye-fa)

He plays a little guitar on the side...just for fun...and makes up any excuse to either go trail hiking or strolling along his favorite place...Cannon Beach. He answers all his emails sent to [e-mail] and tries to thank everybody personally when they take the time to leave a review of one of his works.

Product Details

• File Size: 1587 KB
• Print Length: 308 pages
• Publisher: May December Publications LLC; 2 edition (April 22, 2010)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B003L202KW
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Not Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #15,668 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Pretty enjoyable zombie read August 21, 2010

By Kevin Brown

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I enjoyed the book and the actual rating should be 3 and 1/2 stars. The story is told in a series of vignettes, some better than others. The sheer number of characters is a little confusing, also the fact that some characters reoccur and some do not. The book ends abruptly with none of the storylines brought to any conclusion and most just stopping in the middle of whatever action was going on. I am assuming that since this is volume one the author plans to continue the story in later volumes but still it would be much better if there was some sort of closure rather than just leaving all of the storylines hanging in mid-air.

22 of 25 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Can't Wait for Volume 2!! May 12, 2010

By Ursula K. Raphael TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

I received this book as a gift, and I gave up a night's sleep to finish it in one sitting.

The story begins with a guy named Steve, and his POV, looking back on the beginning of a zombie outbreak. He receives a phone call from a friend, instructing him to turn on the local news. Steve chooses to ignore the signs of a zombie outbreak, even though he and his friends have discussed what they would do in that exact situation. However, Steve admits straight away that most of his speculation was very mistaken. Unfortunately, Steve lives in an apartment that has a door and living room window facing an outside hallway, which is how the first zombie gets in. Based on what he sees in the parking lot as he escapes, both people and animals can be infected (the zombies go after all living things). Although the cause is unknown (and Steve doesn't think anyone will ever really know), the virus is definitely passed on by bites. Steve manages to save Thalia, a little girl who also lived in the apartment building, and the two are soon joined by a teenager named Teresa.

The POV begins to switch between various individuals and groups, but the changes are easy to follow. Some of the more gripping characters are:
Travis, former convict -- watched what remained of his work crew devour another co-worker at a warehouse. Turns out to be one of the sickos who takes advantage of the anarchy.
Jaun Hoya -- had been living in his car for eight months before outbreak reached him. He meets up with Travis, and thankfully has higher moral standards.
Darrin, Mike, Kevin, and Cary - some friends chatting online who create a survival plan that involves stealing a truck from U-Haul and loading it up at Wal-Mart superstore. These guys could have a book of their own...they had to deal with more obstacles than any other characters.
Dillon & Ian -- trapped in their prison cells. Two of the few who had the sense to stand at the BACK of their cells.

There were three qualities that I loved about this story:

1) The author obviously pays attention to what is said in zombie fan forums, message boards, etc.
2) Brown presents all of his characters in the same attention-grabbing way, even if they die soon after their introduction...you don't know it's coming until it happens.
3) The characters acknowledge the existing zombie culture...these people have watched the same zombie movies, read the same zombie novels, and had the same discussions as zombie fanatics in real-life.

There is a huge cliff-hanger, but the author has plans for a series comprising as many as ten volumes. I do not recommend this book to the squeamish, but I think this is an excellent book for any zombiephiles who have read pretty much everything else zombie-related. I haven't read anything this realistic since the The Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks. I can't wait to read more about these characters.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars T.W. Brown scores a home run with this one! July 3, 2010

By Lainey M

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Zombies books are a guilty pleasure for me since I first watched "Night of the Living Dead" as a kid. I am always looking for authors that can deliver that first blush of discovery of the genre. Mr. Brown certainly delivered. I love the way he inserts vignettes into the story in which the characters, although very quick to succumb to death, are nevertheless interesting and well developed. The main groups of characters are compelling and each has a distinct personality. His zombies are not the new speedy kind cropping up in zombie books lately, but rather the slow, lumbering kind I am most fearful of as they are relentless in their pursuit. You just KNOW that they will eventually get you. I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves the zombie genre (and those who are curious about it). The book does end with a cliffhanger which had me rushing to my computer to see if the author had the next book out already. Although it is not yet out, the author has plans for several books on the series. I am eagerly looking forward to the next one!

More About the Author

My name is Todd Brown. I write. Ever since a sixth grade project where the teacher put a single sentence on the board and said, "write a one page story using this sentence," and I wrote seven pages (typed with my left and right index finger), I knew that writing was my dream job.

My life has been anything but boring. I've been a submarine sonar man, a club DJ, a sports talk radio host, a prison inmate, a GED tutor, and a music teacher. I have four marriages and three divorces and I only really regret one of the marriages. I've played football at the North Pole, seen the Pyramids of Giza and the ruins of Rome.

Now that I'm in my forties, I've calmed down and really learned to appreciate all I've had, seen, and done. People who know me are a bit overwhelmed and it took those constant reactions to realize that my life has been full.

My Border Collie, Aoife (pronounced EYE-fa) keeps me from spending every waking moment at my keyboard. Border Collies are NOT lap dogs. They need trips to the beach, mountains, or any of the wonderful hiking trails here in the beautiful Pacific Northwest

I enjoy playing guitar in my spare time, and have been in a few bands There is something unexplainable about stepping up to the mike and singing or looking into an audience-be it forty or four hundred-after nailing a guitar solo. But that's what I do for fun.

As I said earlier, I write. Really, a lot of credit goes to ex-wife number three (Kathy). She learned of my dream after finding one of my old notebooks. She told me I had to write. "If you don't, you'll always wonder." So I wrote "DAKOTA". She never wavered in her support...just her tolerance for my selfishness and spirit crushing ways.

After a lot of cognitive workshop attendance, I learned that I was quite a jerk. Fortunately, wife #4 (Denise) picked me up, dusted me off, handed me a pen and said, "Chase your dream. I believe in you." So I re-wrote and re-wrote (etc, etc,) "DAKOTA". I also took up guitar and started college.

Fast forward to Ms. Bose, my college writing teacher. How many of us writers have that one teacher who really gets you. Pushes you. And finds your strengths. After discovering my (unhealthy) love for all things zombie..."Dead" was conceived. My goal is to try and break away from the steady stream of clichéd character types and story lines. I want this to be a series and for the characters to grow and gain depth.

I write for a few reasons. First, I love a good story. That is what drives me. However, I'd be a big fat liar if I did not admit to wanting the possible fame and fortune. There is a definite ego gratification in knowing that by putting words on paper I made somebody laugh, cry, or cringe. People can say "I do it for the artistic expression..." blah, blah, blah. I write because I want people to be a fan of my writing. I want you to lose yourself in my story for a few minutes or an hour. And when you're done...I want you to want more. That's t he honest truth.

So, what writers do that for me? Jasper Fforde, Kim Harrison, RA Salvatore, and Laurel K Hamilton. Books that I consider "must read" that aren't from the aforementioned writers? The Stand (best story ever!), The Time Traveler's Wife, Post-Birthday World, and the Song of Fire and Ice series by George R R Martin. That is just my opinion.

My favorite quote is from Gene Simmons of KISS: "Car crashes are neat, but you cant tap your feet to 'em." With that I should say that my favorite band is KISS. I also really enjoy Sarah McLachlin, Manhattan Transfer, Matchbox 20, Fallout Boy, Nickelback and original line up Van Halen.

When I write I listen to Mozart, Holst, or Future Sound of London. The last is perfect for zombie writin' music.

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

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#37 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Horror

#37 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Horror