The Beginning of the End: Apocalypse Z by Manel Loureiro
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Summary
The dead rise... A mysterious incident in Russia, a blip buried in the news - it's the only warning humanity receives that civilization will soon be destroyed by a single, voracious virus that creates monsters of men. Humanity falls... A lawyer, still grieving over the death of his young wife, begins to write as a form of therapy. Bur he never expected that his anonymous blog would ultimately record humanity's last days. The end of the world has begun... Governments scramble to stop the zombie virus, people panic, so-called "Safe Havens" are established, the world erupts into chaos; soon it's every man, woman, and child for themselves. Armed only with makeshift weapons and the will to live, a lone survivor will give mankind one last chance against...
As a die-hard fan of this genre, I must say that the narration in 'The Beginning of the End: Apocalypse Z' is top-notch. It truly enhances the overall experience and makes it a fantastic listen.
This story has an interesting twist with the inclusion of a cat as the protagonist's companion in a zombie apocalypse, instead of the typical wife, girlfriend, or child. The cat, Sucullus, takes on the role usually assigned to female characters in scary zombie stories, which adds a unique element. It's hard to imagine, but it works. Additionally, the fact that the story is translated from Spanish adds another layer of distinctiveness.
The plot mainly revolves around the protagonist seeking safety in various locations, alternating with travel sequences. It's a predominantly solitary story with few characters involved. While some may find it a bit prolonged, there's plenty of action and terrifying zombie encounters to keep things interesting.
One weakness of the book lies in the lack of depth in character development. Although it's written as a journal, the story primarily focuses on the environment and the protagonist's reactions, with little emphasis on individuality. The few additional characters introduced fail to contribute to defining the protagonist. Furthermore, when a girl eventually enters the picture, any potential relationship development is completely skipped over.
The ending feels somewhat rushed, as if the author struggled to find a suitable conclusion for the book.
Nevertheless, overall, it's a compelling, extensive, and engaging story that has left me eager to continue with the rest of the series.
I'm not a big fan of the first person "Journal" style book, but I have to admit that it takes a unique story and a talented author to make it work, and unfortunately, this story falls short in that aspect.
I don't want to blame the author entirely for any issues I noticed because this book is a translated version originally written in Spanish, so the flaws may be a result of the translation process. Ultimately, it's just an average zombie book that doesn't stand out from the rest.
Some people have expressed their dissatisfaction with Nick Podehi's narration. I understand their concerns, but personally, I actually enjoyed it. He did his best to bring the story to life, although there were a few instances where he may have gone a bit overboard with the acting. Overall, I found his performance enjoyable.
I was a bit let down by this audiobook, not living up to my expectations. However, I did stick with it until the end to see how things played out. I found myself drawn to the main character and some of the minor characters as well. Despite the audiobook's format, the characters were fairly well developed. Although, I must admit that the "journaling" style became grating after a while. I feel like the story would have been better experienced in written form.
Even though I considered returning the book, I ultimately decided to keep it because I had grown attached to the characters and was genuinely curious about their fate. I do think the author missed an opportunity to delve deeper into the hospital stay, as it could have added an extra layer of depth to the story. However, considering the apocalyptic setting, I understand that the creep factor was inevitable. Expanding on this aspect might have actually enhanced the overall book, if it hadn't been written in journal format.
Personally, I purchased both the Kindle version and the audiobook with "whisper-sync," and I found that I enjoyed the Kindle version more. So, if you're a fan of zombie books, I would recommend giving that a try.
I believe this book would greatly appeal to readers/listeners who are familiar with the story's setting. In fact, I even looked up some of the places mentioned on Google Earth to get a better feel for the geography.
While the audiobook itself was pretty good, the journaling style proved to be quite distracting. However, the narrator did an excellent job, which helped me develop a liking and concern for the main character. There were some unresolved plot points that may be addressed in the next installment, so be prepared for that. Additionally, it's important to note that the book contains a significant amount of profanity and gore, as is typical in any zombie story.
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