Review: The First Days by Rhiannon Frater

The First Days is the first book in the As The World Dies series by Rhiannon Frater and a Horror Novel from TOR.


Book Blurb:


This is the way the world ends...not with a bang, not with a whimper, but with the rending and tearing of flesh.


It begins on a peaceful, beautiful morning. Katie, a prosecutor, is driving to work when a dead man jumps into her car and tries to eat her.  Elsewhere in the city, Jenni, a housewife, opens a bedroom door to find her husband devouring their infant son.


Fate puts Katie outside Jenni’s door when the younger woman flees her zombified family. Fate - and Katie’s quick reflexes behind the wheel - see them safely out of the city while most of the living are quickly chased down by the undead.


The two women begin a cross-Texas odyssey to rescue Jenni’s oldest son and hopefully find safety...somewhere...


A small, isolated, fortified town is their only hope.  Fewer than one hundred people have gathered there, clinging to civilization and to hope.  They all know the zombies will come for them.  But until that day, they will live, and love, and maybe even laugh.


My thoughts:


Jenni married young, hoping that with time she would grow to love her husband.  She didn’t. Now, she hopes that with time she will be able to secretly put away enough money to leave her abusive marriage and take her children to safety.


This morning all that changed.  Her abusive husband is now a zombie and her children...she can’t think of the children.  


Jenni lost a little bit of her mind today.


Katie is a successful prosecuting attorney.  She and her wife are happily married, starting their day in quiet contentment before heading out to face whatever the day throws their way.


Nothing could have prepared Katie for this morning.  While sitting in traffic on the way to the office, Katie is surprised when a man tries to pull her from her car.  Another driver offers her help - only to be tackled to the ground by people trying to eat him.


Katie flees and by chance finds Jenni in time to offer her help.  The two women become inseparable - overcoming unthinkable odds trying to stay alive, trying to stay ahead of the zombie horde.


The First Days explodes from page one and doesn’t look back.  This is down and dirty, in your face, I want to eat you - zombies.  I love it 


I give The First Days 5 out of 5 stars and I can’t wait for the next installment in this series - Fighting to Survive.

Product Details
Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Tor Books (July 5, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0765331268
ISBN-13: 978-0765331267