Autumn: Aftermath by David Moody is the fifth and final volume in his zombie apocalypse story. Over the course of the five books I have been following a number of different groups of people, and in this book the various groups come together and those still on the mainland plan to join with those who found shelter on an island off the coast of England.

It’s now almost 100 days since the dead became reinanimated and they have deteriorated to such a degree that they aren’t really that threatening any more. In fact, they seem to have some knowledge of their condition and have moved on from anger to wanting to be put down. Unfortunately, some of the people who are left have fallen into such depression that nothing seems to be able to bring them back. We also find a small group of men who decide they would rather set up on their own, with a number of captives to do the heavy work, including a number of women to cook, clean and offer sexual favors. Tempers and tensions mount as people see a way out of this enslavement and a chance for a new life.

I have enjoyed this series and appreciated that the author took the time to develop some interesting characters along the way. There was plenty of zombie action, but the author also took the time for the characters to plan their futures and to see what the post-apocalyptic world was going to develop into. ( )

Autumn: Aftermath - David Moody *****

Very rarely do I find a series of books that I start reading and order the next one as soon as I finish the current, and it’s even rarer for me to sit and read books about the walking dead.... so I guess Moody is doing something right.

Aftermath is a fitting tribute to the previous four Autumn novels, where the basic plot is that the human race, apart from a small number, dropped dead. However these dead didn’t remain down for long and soon resurrected as a sort of zombie. These ‘undead’ at first wandered aimlessly but with each passing day they became more self aware and through their sheer numbers pose a threat to the living. The bands of survivors gravitate towards ‘safe’ areas and start to make small groups. The series details how these groups and the decisions they make determine their continued existence.
Over the course of the journey we met many characters; some of these lived whilst others died horribly. Of the ones that survived I always kind of wondered what happened to them, did their lives work out for the better or was the happy ever after they sought just a pipe dream? Here we find out how they have battled for survival, and how at the end of it all the biggest threat to their existence isn’t necessarily the hoards of rotting corpses but the friction between different personalities when forced to live in each other’s pockets. Locked away in Cheetham castle, a stronghold for centuries, the survivors must make a decision that will alter the course of every life, do they stay put and ration their meagre supplies or do they make a break for it? And what impact will allowing any newcomers have to their already fractured social structure? With various contenders for the role of leader and with as many different outlooks things are going to get a little rocky....

As with all of its predecessors, Autumn Aftermath isn’t one of those books that you turn to hoping for a classic piece of literature. You pick it up to be transported into another world where your worst nightmares can come to life. The writing is sharp and to the point (although sometimes the characters can seem a little wooden), there is very little buffering of the text and at just shy of 400 pages it seems a much shorter book that it actually is. For pure escapism you can’t go wrong with a bit of Moody, an easy 5 five stars for the entertainment value alone.

**** There has also been a sixth book in the series released called The Human Condition, although not a true sequel it is linked to many of the events of the other 5 books. ( )

A rewarding ending to a series I loved. There are a lot of characters in this series, but the story is about the interactions between the characters rather then getting to know each character intimately. In Aftermath, I got to know some new characters living in a castle and how previous characters came about finding them and helping them. It is reminiscent of everything that happened in the hotel, but it is still fresh and engaging. I couldn't wait to see where everyone wound up. If you have enjoyed this series so far, you will not be let down. It is more of the same in a good way. I still want more, but with a story like this, is it ever really over? Probably not. ( )

A rewarding ending to a series I loved. There are a lot of characters in this series, but the story is about the interactions between the characters rather then getting to know each character intimately. In Aftermath, I got to know some new characters living in a castle and how previous characters came about finding them and helping them. It is reminiscent of everything that happened in the hotel, but it is still fresh and engaging. I couldn't wait to see where everyone wound up. If you have enjoyed this series so far, you will not be let down. It is more of the same in a good way. I still want more, but with a story like this, is it ever really over? Probably not. ( )

A rewarding ending to a series I loved. There are a lot of characters in this series, but the story is about the interactions between the characters rather then getting to know each character intimately. In Aftermath, I got to know some new characters living in a castle and how previous characters came about finding them and helping them. It is reminiscent of everything that happened in the hotel, but it is still fresh and engaging. I couldn't wait to see where everyone wound up. If you have enjoyed this series so far, you will not be let down. It is more of the same in a good way. I still want more, but with a story like this, is it ever really over? Probably not. ( )