Fire: A Zombie Apocalypse Novel: Elements of the Undead, #1

By William Esmont

Megan Pritchard survived the zombie apocalypse, but that was only the beginning of her problems. When a rival group of survivors led by a psychopathic ex-submarine commander threatens the fragile existence she has carved out in the southern Arizona desert, she must face her own mortality once again – or die trying.

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: William Esmont
• Release date: May 5, 2011
• ISBN: 9781502273567

William Esmont

William Esmont writes about zombies, spies, and futures you probably wouldn't want to experience from his home in southern Arizona. He counts Stephen King, Vince Flynn, and Margaret Atwood as his influences. When not writing, he likes to spend time riding his bike or hanging out with his wife and their two Great Danes.

Book preview

ONE

Megan Pritchard stretched and yawned. She was only two hours into the graveyard shift, and she had already served three customers. The first had been a laid-back, beer-drinking trucker, the second, a German who reeked of tequila and had trouble keeping it up, and the last, a wild-eyed, fifty-something man who smelled like a dirty ashtray and wouldn’t take no for an answer. Number four, another trucker, was in the bathroom washing up. She sighed and ran her hand across the bed, smoothing the comforter. The toilet flushed.

Any second now.

She arranged herself in a seductive pose, angling her leg to show a hint of pubic hair and squeezing her breasts together like her roommate Heather had taught her. The door opened, and a bear of a man strode in wearing only a stupid grin and a faded black cowboy hat.

You ready to play, baby? he drawled. West Texas.

Megan smiled and beckoned with her right index finger. She looked at his crotch. I’m not sure I can handle you, Ray.

He blushed at the lie. In truth, she was disappointed in what he brought to the bedroom. At six-foot-three and two hundred and sixty pounds, she figured he’d be packing something more than the tiny sausage poking from the nest of gray hair between his legs. Whatever. I get paid either way.

Ray stepped toward the bed, but she held up her palm. Hold on, big boy. We need to settle up first.

His smile faltered for a heartbeat, then was replaced by a boyish flash of uncertainty. He recovered quickly. Right. Of course. He picked up his pants from the wooden footstool beside the bathroom and dug out his wallet. Counting out a thick stack of twenties, he placed them on the bedside dresser and took a step back.

Megan scooped up the cash and inspected it, rubbing each bill between her thumb and forefinger to verify its authenticity. She raised an eyebrow as she realized there was an extra hundred dollar bill on top of the pile. What’s this?

Ray leered. A little incentive...

The bills went into the lockbox bolted to the headboard. She winked. We’re all set.

At a hair under five-foot-seven, Megan had the bright-eyed, girl-next-door look that turned men into drooling school boys. She had her mother’s genes to thank for her figure and her father’s for her lustrous black hair, her perky, upturned nose and luminous gray eyes.

She waved him to the fake French-baroque dresser beside her bed, and pulled open the top drawer, revealing a kaleidoscope-colored collection of condoms.

Take your pick.

He scratched his chin in thought, and then chose one. Magnum. Of course.

Megan always kept a healthy supply of the king-sized condoms on hand. It was all about the ego; she had learned that early on. And if that’s what got him off, who was she to complain?

She held out her hand. I’ll take care of that.

Ray surrendered the package. With an expert touch, she tore open the wrapper and slid the rubber between her teeth and lips. A few seconds later, he was wrapped and ready to go.

She gave him a few quick strokes and pulled him onto the bed. Gazing into his eyes, she asked, Where do you want me?

Let’s start out regular and see how things go.

Sure. She drew him in. This one’s going to be quick, she thought. Hoped.

Top.

Bottom.

Behind.

Top. Again.

Pop!

Another two hundred dollars in her bank account. Easy as pie.

He rolled off and collapsed beside her with a contented smile plastered across his fleshy face.

Better? she asked.

Ray grunted and started to check his watch, but she caught his arm and gave his knuckles a kiss, distracting him. Her room, like all the others in the brothel, was a clock-free cocoon, engineered to support an ancient fantasy. With no way to tell time, customers tended to be far more willing to pay for more when it ran out.

He was playing with himself, rubbing against her leg.

What’s this?

She glanced at the digital timer tucked out of Ray’s direct line of sight beside the bed. He had three minutes left in his twenty-minute session. A second round wasn’t out of the question, but it required more cash, something she suspected he didn’t have.

Let’s cuddle, she said, resting her head on his chest. His chest hairs tickled her ear.

Come on, sweetheart. What do you think the extra hundred was for?

Megan batted her eyelashes at him, put her hand on his, and mirrored his stroking motion.

Gotta run down the clock, she thought.

If you had a little more money...

Ray cast his eyes away, mumbling something under his breath. She moved to get up from the bed. He touched her elbow, a desperate, but tender, gesture. I’m all tapped out...

Despite her better judgment, Megan felt a twinge of pity. He seemed like a wannabe high roller, the kind of guy that hit it big every once in a while, but was never able to keep it going.

She softened. I’ll tell you what, we only have a few minutes left…

Really? He perked up.

How about I... She nudged his hand aside and took its place. Slow at first, then she picked up the pace as his time grew short.

Ray closed his eyes. Don’t stop... She counted in her head: Five, Four, Three. He finished at Two.

He exhaled, long and slow. You’re amazing, baby, you know that?

Megan pecked him on the forehead. I do. She scooted to the edge of the bed and dangled her feet over, searching for her slippers. It’s time to go now, big guy. She gave his belly a playful pat.

Ray let out a groan of protest, but hoisted himself up and joined her. He gathered his clothes and dressed quickly before slinking out of the room and back to whatever life he led outside.

Megan fell back on the bed and lay staring at the ceiling, counting the peaks in the acoustic popcorn finish. She only had a few minutes to clean the room and prepare for the next lineup.

As she was about to get up, a stabbing pain blossomed deep within her gut. She winced, and her eyes teared up. Trying in vain to hold back the inevitable, her hand flew to her mouth.

She barely made it to the bathroom before the contents of her stomach erupted from her mouth in a hot torrent, splattering the rim of the toilet with the half-digested remains of the burrito she had eaten hours earlier. The nausea rolled through her like a raging tsunami; hot waves of uncontrollable agony drained her energy, leaving her whimpering on the floor like a young child.

And then it was gone. Her stomach stopped heaving, her vision cleared, and she felt human again. It was as if the sickness had happened to someone else.

Megan got to her feet and stared down at the toilet in disgust. She pulled a towel from under the sink and wiped her mouth. The room stunk. Rolling out a handful of toilet paper, she wiped down the edges of the toilet, then flushed the sopping paper and floating clumps of half-digested food to oblivion.

Her throat burned, and her diaphragm ached from all of the heaving. She went to the sink, washed her hands, and rinsed her mouth, gargling afterward with a shot of peppermint Scope to banish the vile aftertaste. It didn’t work. She gargled another shot. That’s better.

She turned on the bathroom fan to suck out the smell of puke, and then padded back into the bedroom.

The house doorbell chimed.

Damn it. Already?

With a tired sigh, Megan stripped the cum-soaked sheets from the bed and stuffed them in the hamper, preparing the room for her next client.

TWO

Alicia tucked an errant strand of strawberry-blond hair behind her ear and bumped the drawer closed with her hip.

Seventeen, eighteen, and nineteen is twenty, she said, handing a fistful of bills and coins to the frazzled housewife on the other side of the counter. The woman shot her a grim smile and pushed her cart into the stream of people heading for the store exit.

Alicia checked her watch. Five minutes until break time. God I need to get out of here. She glanced over her shoulder at the next cashier station. Her best friend Brittany frowned back at her and mouthed the word ‘help!’

Four minutes. Fuck it. I’m out of here. She reached up and flipped off her light, signaling a closed lane. She spun and started walking toward the door.

Wait! Miss! Despite her desire to keep walking, her responsible side took over. She stopped and turned.

I’m on break now. One of the other lanes can help you. She held firm.

"But you were open just a second ago," the customer whined, gesturing at the light.

I’m sorry, Alicia said, trying to sound sincere. She had no intention of sacrificing her precious fifteen minutes for this pushy bitch.

Technically, she was required to take her break in the rear of the store in the kitchen area, but she wanted to spend her time somewhere a little more interesting. She waved at Dave, the receipt checker, as she breezed past. He ignored her. Dork.

Her Subaru was in the far corner of the parking lot, out of sight of the surveillance cameras. She beeped the car as she approached, and the headlights flashed once.

Once safely ensconced in the car, she popped open the center console, took out her iPod, turned it on, and cranked up the volume. As an afterthought, she pushed the central door lock, sealing herself in. Digging around in her backpack, she pulled out a small Ziploc bag. With dismay, she realized her pot supply was almost exhausted. The ounce she had purchased only a week before was no more than seeds and a few lonely buds. Shit.

She broke the seal on the bag with the tip of her finger and inhaled, reveling in the pungent aroma of the remains of her Super Skunk. She reached into her backpack again and pulled out her bowl, a compact swirled-glass favorite she had had since junior high school.

Someone rapped on her window, and she jumped in surprise. Cupping her pipe in one hand, she put on her most innocent face and peeked out, prepared for the worst.

Fuck me. She relaxed. Brittany stood outside the car grinning like a maniac. Alicia exhaled a sigh of relief and pressed the unlock button.

Brittany slid in beside her. Thanks. Can you believe the crowds today?

With a noncommittal shrug, Alicia locked the doors and retrieved her pot. She chose the plumpest bud from her bag and crammed it into her bowl. Sucks in there. She lit up.

Brittany eyed her. It does. I couldn’t take it anymore.

Alicia snorted, smoke jetting from her nose in twin streams and passed the pipe. They spent the next ten minutes smoking and refilling until only shake remained in the baggie, and they had run out of things to talk about. Alicia laughed to herself.

What? Brittany asked, tapping the ashes of the bowl into an empty Diet Coke can.

Alicia shook her head. It’s nothing. She checked the clock through heavy-lidded eyes. Three minutes until her break was over. Her life was supposed to have started by now. Instead, here she was, stuck in this shitty Costco in Tempe.

Are you ready? Brittany asked, shattering Alicia’s reverie.

Sure. I guess. She wasn’t. She could spend all day out here.

She stuffed her pipe and the empty Ziploc into the bottom of her backpack, tucking them under a spare pair of panties. Okay. Let’s go.

The girls got out of the car, surrounded by a billowing cloud of smoke, and began the long walk across the hot parking lot. As they neared the front door, Alicia stopped and took Brittany by the elbow. Do you ever think about leaving here? I mean…

Brittany gave her a puzzled look. Not really... Why? What’s wrong?

Alicia shuffled her feet. I’m just…tired of this place. She looked at the ground.

Brittany laughed. You’re moody because you’re stoned. You always get like this. She had a point. Brittany arched a perfect eyebrow. Are you going out tonight?

Alicia shrugged. I don’t know. It depends—

Brittany cut her off. Call me if you do. I want to get out for a little while.

I will.

They entered the store and went their separate ways. Three more hours, Alicia thought with a pained expression.

THREE

Jack leaned on his shovel and ran the back of his hand across his brow, wiping off the accumulated sweat. He stole a glance at his wife Becka and waited in silence as she dumped a shovelful of dirt. Something to drink?

She dropped her shovel with a thud. I thought you’d never ask.

Jack groaned. His arms tingled, and his shoulders burned. He needed a glass of tea and a few minutes to relax if he had any hope of finishing the job today. Or maybe even a beer.

Okay. I’ll be back in a minute. He sank his shovel into a mound of dirt and took off across the yard toward the front porch.

The hole, seven feet long by six wide and a little over a foot deep at the moment, was intended for a koi pond, a surprise birthday present for their twin daughters, Maddie and Ellie. As usual, they didn’t have enough money to hire an excavator, so this had become yet one more in an endless procession of do-it-yourself projects.

The idea had been born two weeks before on a routine trip to Home Depot. He was browsing the tool aisle when she called out to him. Jack?

Huh? He held a shovel in each hand, trying to decide if the shiny stainless steel model warranted an extra twenty dollars.

I’ve got an idea, she said, her voice full of mischief. Uh oh. He knew that tone. Trouble. He gave her his attention. You know how the girls are into fish…

Jack nodded. The girls were in the midst of their first small pet phase. From bettas to goldfish to species he couldn’t even pronounce, the house looked like an aquarium, with tanks covering every horizontal surface. Becka’s idea consisted of a second shovel—stainless, he insisted—along with a large, black plastic pond insert and a cheap solar pump.

He suppressed a groan. Are you sure? What about winter? Won’t it freeze?

Becka rolled her eyes, took the shovel, and threw it in their cart.

Half an hour later, they were on their way home with the tools in the bed of his pickup along with an eight-by-ten pond.

He strolled into the kitchen, got two glasses from the cabinet over the sink, and then went to the refrigerator. A refreshing wave of chilled air washed over him when he opened the French doors. Damn.... He held them open and wedged his entire six-foot-two frame in as close as possible, savoring the coolness. He stayed in that position for a full minute, eyes half-closed, fantasizing about a mythical afternoon of leisure, a distant memory from the time before the girls. Finally satisfied, he took a half-full pitcher of iced tea from the top shelf and filled their glasses.

On the way out, he grabbed two oatmeal cookies from a plate on the counter, stuffing one into his mouth and pinching the other between the fingers of his free hand. Pushing

Reviews for Fire

[booksofliztoye · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a fast paced, quick read zombie apocalypse novel. It's a pretty typical book of it's type, but this did not detract from the book. I enjoyed it. We are introduced chapter by chapter to the major players of the book... and they don't all survive. I liked that there were enough twists that you really never knew who would die next and how they would go. I'd recommend it and have already downloaded the short story, "Air," book number 2 of the series from amazon.com

[leleliasky · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I received this book for free in exchange for a honest review. This is a zombie apocalypse novel. We follow several main characters: Megan, a prostitute; Jack and his family; Cesar who is crossing the border when apocalypse begins for him; Kevin who just landed in Boise; Captain Pringle flying over Kansas; and Navy Commander Betty Hollister. We jump in time from their each individual experiences of the apocalypse to 3 months later. I felt cheated out of how they escaped their situations. How did they survive? It left a cliffhanger for each, then denied us the satisfaction. We are given a little info about it in flash backs but it is not enough. As we often see, humanity's ability to be cruel and inhumane appears. Very good book overall. I would actually give it a 3 1/2 star if we could do half stars.

[cwaldrum_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

While the threat of a zombie apocalypse is one that seems surreal there is a good chance it will begin and with little warning and with no cure. Book One details the initial spread and the first few months of survival after it begins. The interesting part of this tale with the use of military and nuclear weapons in trying to limit or destroy the threat, on US soil to say the least. This twist is not one I've seen played out in any format before. I liked it, made it far more realistic than other tales. Yet while I enjoyed the gnashing of rotting teeth against fresh flesh the story was merely bones. There was little in character development or enough of any one storyline to find a connection with a key player. Perhaps this was intentional since anyone can be killed at any time but I felt it lacked a hook. Perhaps it was simply a line up for the next tale (it is Book One after all) however it left an empty feeling at the end and a 'meh' feeling for me to seek out the second book. Overall not a bad tale of the end of the world and the zombie apocalypse, however better character connectino is needed to make it a re-reader.

[millerca_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I found Fire filled with characters that you wanted to return to and see what happened next. I found myself rooting for Megan as her life did a 180 degree shift taking her from a lowly shunned profession to a leader. On the same token, you couldn't help but feel for Jack as his world crumbled around him. Even when you knew what the next few pages would reveal for him you still wanted to hope it wouldn't really happen. I thought this book was very well written and though sometimes I questioned if some things were really possible (like the rate the disease spread) I also knew that some creative manipulation of reality is always needed to keep the story moving. The choices some had to make were excellent and left you asking yourself what would you do in the same situation.Overall I would definitely recommend this to others to read if they enjoy end of the world and/or zombie stories.

[bookjunkee27 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was a quick read for me haven't read a zombie book before characters were believable scenes descriptive left you itching to find out how its all going to play out looking forward to book 2 and 3

[ft_ball_fn · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book was a quick read... I finished it in a little over a day (while on vacation). It's well written, with the author having a flowing and easy to read writing style. The set up... With characters being introduced in their own sections and the book jumping btwn them at first is effective but then becomes sort of annoying as I was not tied into the character yet... So when the story jumps away and then back I didn't recall the characters details immediately. There also seems to be a lot of set up without a lot of insight into the characters... You dont get attatched to them. There seemed to be too much time devoted to background characters who play a small role in where the story is going... I assume this was done to make a point as story lines develop an elicit emotion from the reader.... But it's ineffective... There isn't much of a connection with characters so when the story progresses your just a bystander watching vs a concerned participant. The story also was short... Really short...and seemed to be written to set up a sequel or series vs to tell a story. I have a hard time with a series that's first volume is 150 pages. My suggestion would be to add more content to this volume so that readers are more engaged and therefore likely to buy the second book. As it stands now I'm curios about what happens next... But not dying to know. Maybe as the story progresses in the next book that will change.Another issue is that I think i see where the storyline is going... Setting up a struggle btwn 2 sets of survivors... One good, one evil or dark... All the while both sides struggling to survive the zombie outbreak... Reminding me of dies the fire and other books where someone was focused on building an empire after society collapses.Finally-IMO the storyline was cheapened to b movie status when a dismembered arm "ran" and grabbed someone and scrambled up their leg... Arms+hands have no eyes... How would they "know" which way to scramble to move up someone's leg? A minor passage in the book but one that stuck with me ... Leaving a bad taste and detracting from a story that up to that point was moving along well.Overall the writing is good, but the execution of the character development could be improved to better engage the reader in the story and build momentum for the second book.

[enemyanniemae · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The very idea of zombies is the stuff of nightmares. Is it possible for the entire world to be blanketed within days by a virus that not only kills its victims but reanimates them and turns them into voracious killers, craving human flesh? It is the gritty reality of William Esmont's world. Not only do the characters in this story have to avoid the undead in order to survive, but lines are being drawn among the living that are actually scarier than the possibility of being bitten by a zombie. This book is most unsettling. It positively undulates with tension and sets the stage for what I believe will be one hell of a battle. Eat or be eaten, both literally and figuratively... I look forward to the next segment in this tale of survival.

[rottie_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Fire Elements of the undead by William Esmont was a good easy book to read that talks about something that could happen in today’s society not the zombies but the dieses that could wipe out the world as we know it and turn every one left alive into survivalists. I enjoyed it.

[kalyssa_4 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Review -I received this book in return for a honest review from the author. The book focus's around Megan and those she comes in contact with. In this book we have no way of knowing where the zombies come from, they were just suddenly everywhere. We get different perspectives each character has there own unique story but one common goal to survive. The start to the zombies happened within hours, they were in all parts of earth, New York, LA, Russia, London to name a few. which leads me to believe that it wasn't a attack unless it's aliens. The military tries I think Megan is my fave but there are a few I would to see the zombies eat too. It's a short book, but so much is packed in, you start to connect with the characters, I was sad when people you were starting to know would die. I like that you care about the characters, it's not just a zombie eat zombie kill book. There is a real story going on. I found the characters interesting, some you like right away while some you want to see get eaten.I'm not a huge fan of zombie books, in part because they are one of the few things that still scare me, but that doesn't mean I don't want to read them. This book was no exception, it gave me nightmares last night, but I really enjoyed the story. It is well written and keeps you on the edge of your seat the whole time. I look forward to learning more about Megan and her battles with zombies and other humans.

[leonmc4 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I have recently been going through a zombie heavy reading phase. I was pleased to get a free copy of this book from the website. I have to start by saying I felt like their is a really good story here and I have certainly read worse zombie books. However I was 1/3 the way though the book and still was just getting introduced to new characters without the story moving forward. Once the story did start to come together I did enjoy it much more. I am interested to see what occurs and will likely purchase the next book. I would have liked to see a little more character development and get better acquainted with some of the characters.

[sara2012_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I received this book as a giveaway on librarything.com. I really enjoyed this book. I am totally into this genre and the book flew by I was reading it so fast. I loved the different people he wrote about all at the same time. I loved it so much I went and purchased book two. I wished that it had been longer. It was a great short story though. I can't wait for book three.

[cindyxiii · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I received a copy of this through a giveaway on Librarything.This book is about zombies. Yes, zombies.I liked it because it was told from many different pov's, not just one.It was pretty good, but then again, you really can't go wrong with a book about ZOMBIES.

[steelyshan · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I received a copy of this book in exchange for a review. Which, I am so happy to do and will immediately purchase the next part. I am a pretty avid reader of zombie fiction and I thoroughly enjoyed this book. While I was a bit disappointed by how the actual details of the zombie rising were skimmed over, the rest of the story makes up for it. There is quite a few edge-of-your seat moments that I had to ignore the ringing phone or other distractions because I could not put it down! I wish the book had been a bit longer because some of it felt rushed but I am hoping for a catch-up in the next installment.

[clitchfi22 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Only one problem I had with this book and that was I had trouble putting it down. The book tells the story of several survivors of a virus outbreak that the government tried to control by nuking. In my opinion, if a zombie apocalypse was ever to happen, it would be very close to the way this author imagined it. Even if your not a zombie fan, you should still give this book a try. Personally I wasn't a zombie fan until I read this book.Great book and looking forward to the sequel.

[hirotani · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

There were things I really did not like about this book and things that I did. I read the entire book in 2 days - which gives you some idea that I did very much enjoyed reading it and overall I liked it. Its about a post-apocalyptic world and about how the survivors manage in the mayhem that surrounds them. Its well written, a page turner and exciting to read. The parts I didn't like were fairly few. I didn't like the gore and I didn't like the jumping around of the first 13 or so chapters. Each seemingly about different characters (some where not - but the dotting about was so regular and repititive, every chapter start was a jump, that it was annoying to see it continually happen). To much jumping around and too many characters - for me anyway at the beginning. Around about 35% through the book, things improved dramatically as we start reinvisting those intially introduced and the various story threads started to come out and to get tied together. We learn more about what happened and from 50% of the way through the book - I enjoyed reading it. The characters were ok if unbelievable - especially the Navy one, dialogue and balance of dialogue with narrative were very good.All in all - if you like post-event world and survivor scenarios - then this could be a book for you.

[crazy_bunny_lady · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It was ok but I find I am not a real fan of zombie stories after all. I love paranormal & some supernatural books but I just can't get into zombies & I had the same problem with the book. For anyone who is in zombies it would be a good read though. It just wasn't for me.

[matnastos_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I received a copy of this through a giveaway on Librarything. Technically, the author writes very well. Unfortunately, the story he chose to tell was, in my opinion, a bit iffy. It jumps around a lot - each chapter is a new character/story/setting and those characters/stories/settings don't always pay off. Some of the characters have a ton of build up and then are killed off quickly or are forgotten. The main problem with this book is that it was used to lay the background for future books and wasn't a complete story unto itself. There was little to no point in the book being released on its own.It's sad to see something that was well-written that just isn't worth reading.

[sweko_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

There are a handful of issues that just rub me the wrong way about this book. First of all, I understand that it's part of a series, but even then, I expect for each part of the series to stand more-or-less on it's own. Not this book. This is just a development for a story that will be (maybe) told later. While the characters are nicely constructed and realistic, the plot goes either too fast or too slow, and at the end gets nowhere.Furthermore most zombie-related works either focus on the initial impact of the dead rising (Night of the Living Dead) or on the psychological aftermath of the apocalypse (Walking Dead). This book tries to sit on both chairs, and, IMHO fails miserably.Warning: Here there be spoilers.Right off the bat we are presented with a laundry list of characters. After the fifth or sixth chapter that dealt with a new character introduction I kinda lost track of who was who. On the up side, most of the characters presented had a nice quality about them, even if they were a bit stereotypical (e.g. the hooker with a heart of gold). However, there are some characters that are heavily introduced in the lead-up, and then given supporting background roles. For the life of me I don't understand why we need to know that Alicia was a cashier - she doesn't even get a speaking part in the latter half of the book, or why Peter, a disposable goon at best, got his own chapter. Yet, the worst example is Kevin. He is given a few chapters, he is rounded off well, he is a nice and relatable character, and he is then killed off page, with barely a mention. Anyway, after the lengthy introduction, the zombies rise, and they rise FAST. Unlike other works where the apocalypse last weeks and months, here the world is overrun in an afternoon. The dead turn and rise within minutes. I like that no explanation is given why, although I would not mind having a better glimpse of the panic that overtook society. Also, I find that the army's response to the undead threat - nuke everything, ask questions later - is implausible, and I feel that the submarine scene would have been better had the captain not been so pathologically trigger happy.We then jump to a three months later part, and are served with a few chapters where the three months that passed are explained. The point of moving three months in time, and then reiterating those three months again is beyond me. Most of the characters we are introduced early on are finally at the same place. Here, the focus of the book shifts away from the zombies, to the internal power struggles that plague their little community and the inevitable clash with the rag-tag band of misfits that the psychotic captain of the submarine has assembled. This drudges on for several chapters, and then the book ends. No resolution, no final victory, not even a one-on-one showdown.The novel is not without some merit, though. The story of Jack is well thought out and emotionally written. It shows some real potential, and I wish the rest of the book was up on the same level of quality.

[chowchow_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Zombi storylines can be very predictable and cliché, not so Fire (Elements of The Undead) I really enjoyed reading this book, fast paced and full of action, I couldn't put it down I just kept turning the pages form start to finish. Now I will wait inpatiently for the next installment.

[the0avid0reader · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

An infection, a virus has broken out all over the world and turning people into zombies. People are attacking each other and then eating them. A navy commander has been given orders to nuke parts of the United States. Everyone is in shock not knowing what is going on. What is happening to all the people? Why are they attacking each other?Everyone or anyone that is still alive is running trying to stay alive and survive. There are two groups of people. Megan's group are very good people they want to do what ever they can to help people to survive until they can get the world back on its feet again. The other group, ran by the navy commander Hollister wants to take over the world. Hollister will kill any one that goes against what she wants.Fire is written from different character's point of view given us an inside to their story. We get the back ground on their lives as to who and what they did before the infection broke out. I really liked seeing things from each character's view being inside their head and not getting the info from someone else. I can't wait to read the next book Air to find out more about Megan and how she leads the people. Will she be a good leader? Will the people like they way she leads? Will Megan and Jack become an item? Will Hollister take over the world?

[amcreech · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It appears the end of the world has come. People are attacking each other, eating each other and spreading the infection of a zombie disease at an incredible speed. The few groups of people uninflected have to learn to live again while constantly being vigilant of the zombies that want to kill them. This book follows the stories of several characters as they try to cope and stay alive.

[janiera_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I received a copy of the William Esmont book Fire (Elements of the Undead Book One) so I could review it. The book started out switching from character to character. The plot came together quite well once all the characters were introduced. At the end of the book, there were two groups of people who were totally separate, and I still am trying to figure out how the two groups are associated. This is one of the questions that are left unanswered at the end of the story.The basis of the book is when a disease is started (created?) that turn humans into flesh-eating zombies. The story is about the people who survive the initial onslaught and how they survive in the wake of this disaster. Add to it that many of the US major cities have been nuked to try and circumvent the takeover of the zombies and you have an interesting read. The book left many questions to be answered as I read through it, and quite a few of those were left unanswered at the end of the book. They author has already stated that he is planning on writing both a prequel and a sequel to this book, so I hope that some of the questions will be answered in one or both of those books.Overall, the book was well written and enjoyable to read. However, there are several scenes that are fairly sexually graphic in terms of how they are written. These could have been toned down to make this a little more accessible to people who do not appreciate explicitness in their reading.

[cookiedemon · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

*Full disclosure: I acquired a copy of this book from the author in return for a review. All opinions expressed are my own.*I have to be honest and admit that zombies aren't my usual horror creature of choice, though I do love a good dystopian/apocalyptic tale, and this book had that in spades. This, the first in a trilogy, takes place following an outbreak of infection that quickly sweeps the globe and leaves its victims the walking dead. As we see the consequences of the zombie uprising alongside the survivors of the disaster, we come to understand that though fighting zombies is bad enough, human in-fighting can be just as devastating...I first thought this book was going to be confusing as there seemed to be so many characters, but it soon became clear that their stories would eventually interlink and they all had their different flaws and traits that set them apart. Some of them, I really liked- Jack particularly, who went through the unimaginable and still came out fighting. Megan, similarly, I thought was well written. I didn't like Hollister, though I think that was the point- and she made a great villain! Though not all of the characters were developed particularly extensively and you only get to know some of them on a superficial level, I am hoping this may change as the series progresses.The writing flows well and I didn't pick up on any grammatical mistakes, which is something I can be picky about, particularly in a Kindle book. I also thought the author was able to craft a situation that has been done many times before, yet give it a new spin from many different survivors perspectives. If this hadn't already been done before (Walking Dead, 28 Days Later etc...) then I could also see this working well on screen. The author certainly doesn't hold back in his descriptions, so some of this might not be for the feint hearted either!If you are looking for a bit of a gory, no holds barred horror book then give this a go. It's a quick, easy read and its fast pace (though abrupt ending!) has definitely whetted my appetite for the sequel- and I am definitely intrigued to know what is going to play out between some of the characters next time round.

[debrarbell · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I won this book thru Librarything in exchange for a review. This was a fast pace, quick read. If you love zombie stories this one will really be enjoyed! I will continue to read this author.

[bella55075 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I won this book through a Library Thing's giveaway,I liked this book. I'm not much into Zombie's but this was a great story. Every character in this book was brought out. I liked the character of Megan the most. I am glad that there is going to more in this series. I would really like to know what happens when Megan takes over and I also want to see what happens with Hollister.

[honoliipali · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is my second read of William Esmont and I am enthralled by his work. Interesting story and characters. The author is able to keep me engrossed even though zombies are not my genre of choice. Don't let the zombie theme dissuade you from reading this book. I read this novel in 2 sittings.I look forward to reading the other books by this fine author and highly recommend him to readers of all genres.

[macygma · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Zombies are current “thing” and nowhere more current than the first book in a series. Fire: Elements of the Undead by Bill Esmont. The characters are strongly written and we immediately feel their fear and their resolve to survive. Graphic is too soft a word for the descriptions of Zombies in the novel. It is totally gross but, if you love zombies this is YOUR new series! Megan, prostitute in the Nevada desert; ____________ lost biker who pays the ultimate price. Two pilots high over it all dealing with a plane full of what were once nice people. The submarine warrior who finally gets to do things her way and devil take anyone who doesn’t want to play along.A settlement high in the Arizona mountains where some find hope and others find they can’t win ‘em all. You are the winners here my friends. Go get this book and get spooked big time – The Walking Dead has nothing on this one!

[darlenesbooknook · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I received this e-book for review from the author through a LibraryThing Member Giveaway. I did not receive any compensation for my review, and the views expressed herein are my own.I was quite excited to read this book when I saw that it featured zombies! Who doesn’t love zombies?A virus breaks out worldwide, which initially starts off with flu-like symptoms. After a few hours, those infected begin to change and become violent, attacking people. To be bitten by one that is infected is certain death...that is, until you rise again!I am not usually a fan of multiple parallel story-lines, but Esmont pulls it off! Zombie fans will not be disappointed. It is gruesome in some spots, but I think the details need to be vivid for a zombie story.Esmont’s bio at the end of the book says that he is working on both a sequel and a prequel to Fire, and I know that I would definitely be interested in reading those as well!MY RATING: 4 stars! I really enjoyed it!!

[spiceca_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Very fast and gory read. I enjoyed the characters and though there was enough back-story on them to be able to relate. The zombies were fairly standard zombies but they were well-done. The only part that kinda annoyed me was that there was a section that was left a little too open-ended. Although- I think this open-ended may be addressed in a future volume. At least I am hoping.The writing was pretty solid, not too long, great pace. I like how its not just the zombies you have to watch out- but human nature too. I am looking forward to the next installment.Recommended if you enjoy the zombie genre.

[sarahbrownschmidt · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved this book. The author has the zombie genre down pat. There are lots of characters and they are constantly doomed (or should I say, consumed!). A great, fast read, and a lot of fun.