The Undead: The First Seven Days (The Undead series Book 1) - RR Haywood

The Undead: The First Seven Days is Season One of one of the UK’s most successful horror-comedy series.

THE ICONIC BRITISH SERIES THAT HAS REDEFINED A GENRE AND BECOME FAR MORE THAN A ZOMBIE STORY.

First published in 2012, now fully rewritten in 2025.

When a deadly infection spreads across Europe, Howie’s ordinary life is thrown into chaos. As the world crumbles around him, he teams up with his autistic best mate, Dave, and a ragtag bunch of misfits to face an enemy unlike any other, the undead. But this isn’t just any infection. It evolves. It learns. And it’s getting smarter every day. Howie soon discovers nothing is quite what it seems, and neither is he. With blistering action, horror, heart, and the occasional terrible decision, The Undead follows Howie and Dave as they become the last unlikely heroes to stop the infection before it becomes cleverer than them.

Which, honestly, wouldn’t be that hard.

"My name is Howie. I was named after my father, Howard, but having two Howards was confusing, so I became Howie. I am a supermarket night manager. This is my account."

The Undead. The First Seven Days Compilation Edition. Days One to Seven.

Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Amazon & Audible bestselling author, RR Haywood. One of the top ten most downloaded indie authors in the UK with over four million books sold and nearly 40 Kindle bestsellers

*WINNER OF DISCOVER SCI-FI BEST RELEASE OF 2023*

 

What did I think?

WOW!!! This book is OUTSTANDING!  I have just read 720 pages of non-stop action yet still want more, although I'm not sure my arm muscles could take much more as this is one very chunky book. 

I'm not averse to horror but I don't normally read it, however, this is more of a multi-genre novel filled with action, adventure, suspense, humour and of course gore.  As the night manager of a Tesco store, Howie is a very unlikely hero but he is fighting for his life and that of his family when a deadly virus turns people into ‘zombies not zombies’.  Luckily, he runs into one of his colleagues, Dave who is a one man killing machine when faced with danger.

Vividly written, the whole book reads like a TV show and it is incredibly bingeworthy.  It is quite gorey at times but I was completely invested in Howie and Dave's stories so I didn't feel the need to hide behind my virtual sofa at all.  I felt like my eyes were on stalks at times as the infected closed in but I loved every second of the non-stop action.

Whilst reading, I discovered that my sense of humour is very partial to a poo joke, of which there are plenty.  You can't beat a bit of toilet humour during a zombie apocalypse and the humour perfectly balanced the fighting and killing action.

Gripping, fast-paced and highly addictive, The Undead: The First Seven Days is an incredible novel that I wouldn't have put down if it wasn't so heavy!  Do not be put off by the size of this book, it is absolutely fantastic and completely unmissable.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

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The Hero Virus - Russell Dumper

‘The Hero Virus’ tells the thrilling story of Chris Taylor, who is hanging on to life by a thread.

Recently widowed, his only reason to carry on is his faithful Labrador, but even that doesn’t stop his willingness to gamble with death every day. When his companion suffers a violent demise, Taylor thinks he has nothing left to live for, until he discovers he has chanced upon a precious gift… he has become very ill.

The illness gives him special powers and, fairly soon, the authorities are swooping on to the ever-increasing list of cases. The Hero Virus might be different to other illnesses, but it’s no less dangerous. The effect it has on the world, though, is wildly different to any other virus that has come before. The unique reaction of the human body to infection means that everyone wants it. And some will do anything to get it.

How do you stop a pandemic when there are people who will kill for the virus? How do you stop people getting infected when they’re willing to die for it? How do you stop the infected when they have abilities nobody has ever seen before?

What did I think?

I was drawn to The Hero Virus as I do like my superhero films and this is like X-Men on steroids with mutations resulting from a viral infection.  It's a really interesting premise and you can't help but draw comparisons with the coronavirus pandemic with one huge difference: the hero virus is something that everyone wants to be infected with.

Widower Chris Taylor has suicidal thoughts every day as he puts a gun loaded with a single bullet to his mouth and presses the trigger.  The resulting click means he's not dying today and must get on with his empty life with just his dog for company.  When his dog dies from a mystery infection, Chris also becomes ill but rather than wake up weaker, he wakes up a LOT stronger.

As the virus spreads, the authorities try to contain the infection but the population want to get superpowers too and they will do anything to get infected.  It's gorey at times and the writing is very vivid so I did find my stomach clenching at some of the scenes.  It would be a fantastic film and it was almost like a film was playing in my head whilst I was reading the book.

Vividly written with an imaginative and original plot, The Hero Virus is a high-octane thriller that is packed with action.  It's a real page-turner with a jaw-dropping ending that made me actually gasp out loud.  I can't imagine anyone not enjoying this book, even if you think it's not your usual genre - give it a go!  Very highly recommended.

Many thanks to Russell Dumper for sending me a gifted paperback to read and review; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

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