Autumn (Paperback)

~ David Moody (Author) "Billions died in less than twenty-four hours..." (more)
Key Phrases: Penn Farm, Stuart Jeffries, Carl Henshawe (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

In less than twenty-four hours a vicious and virulent disease destroys virtually all of the population. Billions are killed. Thousands die every second.

There are no symptoms and no warnings. Within moments of infection each victim suffers a violent and agonizing death. Only a handful of survivors remain. By the end of the first day those survivors wish they were dead.

Then the disease strikes again, and all hell breaks loose...

The classic free underground novel finally bursts into the mainstream. Cold, dark, relentless and uncomfortably plausible. A Night of the Living Dead for the 21st Century.

About the Author

David Moody is the author of the acclaimed AUTUMN living dead novels. A writer sick of square-jawed, all-American heroes and contrived happy endings, his books are unique and individual. Tried and tested horror and science-fiction themes are twisted and given a fresh perspective by this British author. Moody's characters are ordinary people - you, me, the man or woman next door or across the street - forced to survive the most extraordinary of conditions. It is this uneasy mixture of the familiar and bizarre that makes his stories such unsettling and disturbing reads.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: INFECTED BOOKS (January 6, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0955005108
• ISBN-13: 978-0955005107
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (54 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #667,191 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

39 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Intriguing New Spin on Zombie Fiction, November 12, 2005

By	CreepyT "CreepyTendencies" (Colorado, United States) - See all my reviews (VINE VOICE)

On one mundane autumn morning, what appears to be a virus spreads rapidly throughout Northwich. Within minutes, the vast majority of the population is killed and lies strewn all over the streets of the city and roads of the outlying country. Emma, a medical student, Michael, a manager at a computer company, and Carl, a maintenance worker, are among a small handful of survivors. Within a small and somewhat shoddy community center, the survivors sit and wait for aid.

A few days later, and still no aid has come. However, a new challenge appears as the dead begin to rise from the surrounding streets. Food supplies diminish, tempers begin to flare, and slowly but surely hope dwindles.

Autumn is not quite like previous zombie novels I've read. Though the plot, at first glance, appears to be a cut-and-paste version of most other zombie books and films, the author approaches this material from a slightly different perspective. David Moody, rather than giving the reader fountains of gore, fighting, and violence, chooses to dissect the human condition. Moody delves into the heart of human emotions in times of crises, and interpersonal relationships when all hope seems lost. This may be a turn-off to those looking for an all-out splatter-fest, but you have to give him credit for trying a different angle in a genre that seemingly had little else to offer. The personalities of the characters are laid out quite well, leaving you caring about what happens to them by the end of the book.

I must admit that, at times, this slant can make for a somewhat slower read, and hence the four stars instead of five. However, the ending does pick up the pace quite abruptly, returning to the gore and tension more characteristic of the genre, and paving the way for the rest of the books in the series. The conclusion indeed leaves the reader wanting to indulge in more that Moody has to offer.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book and will pick up the remaining books in the series. It should be noted that this novel is also available as a free download from the author's website for those interested in checking out the series and saving a few bucks in the process.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Psychological Approach to the Zombie Apocalypse, May 21, 2008

By	RooZillah "Roo" (Abq, NM) - See all my reviews

David Moody's novel Autumn is a realistic account of the emotional upheaval and responses that might plague the people who survive a quick-acting pandemic, and who must then struggle for survival against those who have risen after having fallen dead.

The dread from Moody's work is not the horror of blood and guts, but the slow, creeping psychological terror that must accompany being trapped within a structure while becoming increasingly surrounded on the outside by creatures that would like nothing more than to destroy you. The claustrophobia of the work is reminiscent of Romero's Day of the Dead and Matheson's I am Legend. Do not look to this novel for quick-paced action as this is not what this book is about, rather this is how the world ends for each person, individually.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Claustrophobic and emotionally withering, August 27, 2006

By	Farron Watson (Randolph, NY USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Here's the thing. You see a good deal of negativity directed towards this book but I've got to say, I simply loved it. And hey, it's available for FREE download from Moody's website, so you cant beat the price, right?? And yes, it has it's flaws, and no there isn't a great deal of stereotypical full on zombie slaughter guts and gore going on, but the thing is, that's not the point of the story. What the novel focuses on, and does so exceedingly well is the atmosphere of fear and emotional devastation that such an event as a zombie apocalypse would cause.

Completely disturbing and emotionally withering, Autumn is a wonderful spin on the standard zombie apocalypse novel, focusing not so much on the zombies themselves, but the plight of the survivors. Bleak and poignant, Autumn was a novel I could not put down. Er... since I downloaded it.. I could not pry my eyes from the monitor, no matter how much I felt I wanted to. I went on to purchase the following two books in the series as well and loved the both of them.

I feel the story is realistic in it's portrayal of what likely would be the behavior of a survivor during a zombie apocalypse. Human nature in all it's negativity, selfishness, and arrogance is portrayed well throughout the novels. But so is the more noble side of mankind. Love, devotion, and hope.

Download the novel and give it a chance. I don't imagine any fan of zombie fiction will be disappointed.