The Plague Winter
Rich Hawkins
Genre: apocalypse
Sub-genre: genetipoc/alien invasion?
Novel, novella, short story: novella, set in “The Last” trilogy post-apoc world
Serial or stand alone: stand alone
Setting: United Kingdom
Characters: Eddie, Sam, Yost
Synopsis: Eddie and his grandson, Sam are just trying to survive the infestation of mutants human who have overtaken the United Kingdom. Whiskey and Sam are the two things that keep Eddie alive as winter sets in and the abominations show no signs of going away. Day by day, sip by sip, the rain falls, as the last humans fight to survive.
Thoughts: The second novella from Infected Books “Year of the Zombie.” Hawkins once again takes the reader to the dismal, desolate, apocalyptic world from his “The Last” trilogy. As with the two earlier full-length novels, The Winter Plague is a story of base survival in a land infested by human mutations bent on devouring the remnants of mankind. Eddie and his grandson Sam are two of those clinging survivors. Eddie scavenges for tins of food and bottles of whiskey, the two things he needs to survive another day in the devastated United Kingdom. One day he and Sam encounter another survivor named Yost, who adds a whole new dimension to the plague and to the future. As I’ve stated in reviews of Hawkins previous “The Last” novels, his writing style is wonderfully sparse, yet tells volumes with a minimum of words. The style adds to the bleak, hopeless setting, and the desperation of the characters. Hawkins’ work is not for those seeking happy endings or triumphant victories or the eventual re-rise of mankind as they banish the villains. What Hawkins writes is a testament to man’s ability to persevere even with no hope of winning. A day, an hour, another minute is a gift, or a hell depending upon the point of view. And what is deemed strength by some, might be viewed as weakness by others, for his characters refuse to take the easy route of suicide. There far too much going on for a three hundred word review to ever justify. I will say, Hawkins is one of the best writers I have ever read and his books are easily on-par with the best in any genre, ever.
About the author: Hawkins is from Somerset, England. A self-proclaimed “lovable rascal” he now lives in Salisbury with his wife and dog. In addition to The Last Plague he has also written The Last Outpost, Black Star Black Sun, and appeared in several anthologies.
Links
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Plague-Winter-Year-Zombie-Book-ebook/dp/B01B9VY8OW/
Website: http://richwhawkins.blogspot.co.uk/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RichHawkins4
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Rich-Hawkins-Writer-396739907194729/?fref=ts
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