Autumn: Aftermath (Autumn series 5)

Don't you just hate to see a series end? You become emotionally invested in the characters, the author.. and then, it is just.. over. Lately, those series ending leave you saying "huh??" - like the author just threw it all together in a nicely wrapped package (if you are lucky) or else thinking they just ran out of steam and you feel cheated.That doesn't happen in Autumn: Aftermath.We meet an entire new set of characters who have taken shelter in a set of Castle ruins that had been run as a tourist attraction before the virus. It had the security of the walls and some shelter but not any comforts. At the same time, Mr. Moody starts tying up the loose ends by having some of the other groups from previous books also find their way to the castle.As always, there is suspense, heartbreak, and lots of zombies. And, such an unexpected twist regarding the zombies themselves. A new concept and a way of showing hope if you were actually to experience a zombie apocalypse.And don't worry - there is plenty of gore to go along with it. I have a strong stomach and usually things I read don't bother me in the least. Last night though, I actually had to set aside the leftover Easter chocolate I was eating when he was describing some of the "goop" that had built up outside of the Castle walls that the characters had to wade through to get to safety. *shudder*... and we won't be having soup tonight for dinner either that I was going to make with the leftover ham... I would be too busy searching for floating eyeballs or a finger or...This book, more than any of the others, to me, explores the human side of the equation in more depth. And, most importantly, when I turned the last page, it wasn't with regrets but with a sigh, a little smile, and and a feeling of fulfillment. And really, what more can you ask for than that?

Aftermath begins focusing on a group of survivors hiding out in a castle to keep the walking corpses at bay until they have decayed enough to pose no threat. When a chance encounter with the group from Cormansey divides the castle dwellers on the best course of action (staying or joining the island group) it turns into a fight for survival not only against the dead, but against the living as well. As excited as I was to get an Advanced Reading Copy of Aftermath, I was equally reluctant to begin the final chapter in this phenomenal saga. David Moody artfully crafted a post apocalyptic world that seems harsh and cruel, then created characters to inhabit it that are as real as you and I. They are brilliantly flawed in their humanity, making the reader love them or hate them (and in some cases both.)These characters make the world seem less harsh. Aftermath feels a great deal like holding a mirror to society at the present. It showcases the human spirit both negative and positive in a time of panic and survival. How kindness and a desire to help fellow man is only one reaction. Life and death situations can also cause a person to snap, showing their weaknesses and greed. With every page in Aftermath I was drawn deeper into the Autumn world. Mr. Moody has a way of writing that effortlessly brings you inside the book. As sad as I am that a wonderful series has come to its end, the end was perfect. Now we can look forward to the next great novel from this extremely talented writer.

I read the first in the series many years ago, when it first came out. At that time I was new to the zombie genre. Moody got me hooked, darn him! I impatiently waited for subsequent installments and was not disappointed. Thus began an insatiable thirst for all things zombie. I read some good ones but none of them came close to Moody's tale.Moody cast a totally different spin on the why and how of zombies in this last book. The final book tied everything together, and the twist blew me away. (No spoilers here.) The final book had me in tears, both because of how it ended and just the fact that it did end. I've read pretty much all of Moody's other books (they're very good) but this series was the one that captured my personal attention the most.Suggestion: Read all things Moody. You will not be disappointed.

I love the autumn series, this one was a bit boring in the beginning ONLY because I'm in love with the characters in the first book and I wanted to know what happens to them, I have not finished reading this book yet but so far it's good, I'm just annoyed with the character Jas, his so whinny and unappreciated about everything. If this is your first book your reading I suggest and recommend you start from the first Book Autumn in order to get the entire story behind the whole outbreak and to get the characters history. i also recommend you to go to David Moody's web page to read all the short stories related the series. ( you don't necessarily have too but you will get a little insight on who the dead used to be) Can't wait to finish it and then read the next book after this.

Hats off to author Moody for the effort put into his five book series. Over the past ten years his books have charted the fate of survivors of a zombie apocalypse in Britain (with the action taking place over a few months). Atmospherically and plot-wise I could not help but see the influence of Wyndham's Day of the Triffids in this final entry that sees the 'merger' of two groups. It is rife with debate, differences, infighting and petty squabbles. Perhaps Moody intends deeper meaning in the combination of different ideologies but I viewed it in more simple terms. The abundance of 'talk' may be less-than-exciting for some afficionados but is absolutely necessary because the genre's essence and purpose is to describe how people react to the crisis ... not how many people get chewed. This is difficult to achieve as so many zombie novels end up with tired situations and stereotypical characters. Unfortunately both of those exist in Aftermath. Overall though it was the book's pacing that impacted my enjoyment.

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.

I eventually gave this book four stars, not three, because David Moody brings all the characters from the series together and produces an ending which is quite a bit more than OK. I don't read this genre very much but like his writing style. He has a different 'take' on the infected which was interesting at the end. As with other post-apocolyptic books though I can't believe that there aren't more altruistic people left. The meek probably won't inherit the earth, but I rather think that the strong and positive will - in the end. Or is that wishful thinking on my part. Usually I re-read books I like after a year or two, but I expect I will take this series over to the USA next time I'm there for my 18 year old grandson. The story line is exciting without being completely given over to blood and gore, though the descriptive parts of the zombies after they start disintegrating are not for the feint hearted!

I was one of those people who took a punt and bought the first Autumn books that were self published. I'm glad I did. It was refreshing to read about a zombie outbreak in a world I could immediately relate to. The U.K. No marauding survivors armed to the teeth USA style, just real people with real lives that could have been you or I (if zombie apocalypses were real)It's been a pleasure to follow the survivors, it got bleak, then it got bleaker but the human element always rang true.Read these books. They're not chuck away horror, although the horror is there, these books are cleverer than that.The Autumn series can get in your head and under your skin because you'll see yourself in the survivors whether you like it or not. So take a punt and see where Autumn will take you..

Great book

This book brought the characters from the previous books together. Was sorry the series ended.