The Loudest Silence: A Post-Apocalyptic Zombie Novel

THIS WAS NOT MY FAVE,BUT STILL GOOD!

I love Kate's writing and all things apocalypse...but this one felt way too long...and I didn't care for the romance between these 2...I liked that they lived underground...the place sounded amazing...and I liked how they all were a little family. I see the ties also0 to the other zombie apoc books in Kate's library and I loved that! Overall it was a nice listen, and the narration was on point! I still recommend everything Kate writes...she has a gift with the word!!! :)

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

A love story during the zombie apocalypse.

The struggle to survive zombies, drought, apocalypse and love is real. I enjoyed listening to this with my daughter. Narrator could have picked up her pace at times, but she has a great voice and varied the characters well. I'm interested in hearing more from this series.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Another great book by Kate!!!

I absolutely loved this book. I love all of Kate's books but this one has got to be my favorite so far. But I am biased, I grew up in Altus, Ok, and I knew all the places that were mentioned. The narration is awesome as well. I am a Kate fan for life!!!

interesting

Excellent story, the audible voices were fantastic. I enjoyed this story very much. I would recommend this story.

doomsday preppers and zombie. what more could you

i usually don't like zombie books, but this story is pretty good. cant wait to hear more

Great First in Series

Great book worth the money and time. Will be purchasing the second one! Narration was great as well. She did a fantastic job.

Meh!

Couldn't finish the book. Listen for maybe 18 minutes. Kept stopping and starting the book. Just too boring to continue. After the first chapter it was just meh! Definitely not my cup of tea.

A great listen to.

Let me start by saying that this narrator made me think of Emma Wilder from the Holly Danger series. I think she did a really good job with the variety of voices, especially Jaspers. I had three issues though. 1. Every few lines/sentences she would add inflection to the last word. Why? I’m not sure. 2. There were random pauses in the sentence, specifically after the introductory phrase. For example: “When I climbed out… the heat from the sun…” 3. For whatever reason, when she would say the word “figures” she would pronounce it as “figgers” and with “tightening,” it was like she had to pronounce all the consonants.

I liked this story. I wish there would have been more zombie interaction though.

Questions/Comments:

How many times was “nine years” mentioned? As in nine years had passed since the zombie outbreak. I felt too many times. Speaking of the outbreak, I was left with a few questions. Why was more not told about the outbreak? How it started? Did it affect the whole world? Why did Regan’s parents and brother not change into zombies after they died? Given this was a zombie story…why did it seem as though the zombies were left on the sideline a good majority of the story? Almost like an afterthought.

How would the cars/gas be good to go/working still?

There was a part when Callen and Regan are driving passed their old houses and Regan thinks of how that had been the only real home she’d ever had. Yet, either before that scene or after (I can’t remember), she thought the exact thing about the bunker.

Where are the newspapers coming from? The fact there was a government around after nine years and they/someone were making newspapers just seemed strange to me. Maybe it’s because this is the first post-apocalyptic story that had this? I’m not sure. I’d like a map of how the US is now laid out.

There were a couple of times in which someone would talk about the gang who went around looking for the immune people and say how they weren’t killing anyone. If they’re releasing zombies to bite people, then technically they are killing people. I just thought that was a questionable thing for anyone to have said.

I don’t think I was really a fan of Emma. The majority of the story she was all right, but when she found out Blake left, she turned into a douche, in my opinion. How could she be upset when she had moved on and there was no one there for him? Her bringing up the fact they had previously been together for seven years, as like a guilt trip, was what really did it for me. God forbid, he didn’t want to watch Emma and Cade all lovey-dovey while he was alone.

I was under the impression the gang wouldn’t have really raped Regan. Did anyone else feel that way? Like undressing her and threatening to do sexual stuff was the easiest way to upset Callen and they knew it. I don’t know. I wasn’t a fan of that scene. Maybe it was because I felt the narrator put a little too much emotion into Regan’s character. Or maybe it was because I felt Regan should have been a little tougher when it came to the guy touching her boob (in what sounded like a non-sexual way, as in it didn’t come across as though he were enjoying himself). Do I sound like a horrible person for thinking this? Maybe.

Even better was after they got back to the bunker. Given Regan was so traumatized about the experience with the gang, I found it very questionable that she would be so eager to suddenly have sex, all of a sudden. Yes, I know emotions can get crazy after an experience like that, and maybe she wanted to feel closer to Callen. I don’t know. But the fact there were no comments (inner thought/dialogue) about what had happened, no hesitancy about Callen touching her where a “bad man” touched her, only thinking about how she had wanted Callen for so long, no being violated thoughts, only acted normal, just had me questioning that scene.

Lastly, when was the last time they’d cleaned themselves? Sorry, but I always detest when characters are active, getting dirty, sweating and gross, but then go somewhere and make out (licking and kissing of yucky skin) or have sex… it’s gross.

Enjoyed Very Much

This story felt realistic (as far as this genre goes). I liked the relationship development between the main character, Regan, and her crush, Kellan. It had a nice pace.

An Oklahoma zompoc adventure- more please!

The Loudest Silence: A Post-Apocalyptic Zombie Novel (Oklahoma Wastelands, Book 1) by Kate L. Mary and narrated by Heather Firth is an amazing zompoc adventure! I recommend if you enjoy stories with great world building/great characters, the zompoc genre, or looking for something new, give this one a try.

What’s it about? Regan and Kellan have been living underground with a small group of folks since the zombie apocalypse began. Regan, who’s been treated as the baby of the group, is now an adult and requests to learn how to survive on her own (killing zombies, going to trade with others, etc.). She has also realized she cares for Kellan. Harper, a lone teenage girl who happens to be immune to the virus, shows up at the group’s hidden bunker one day. They decide to let her in and the troubles begin...It does end in a cliffhanger, or semi-cliffhanger- it’s clear there is more books in the series. The way people were talking in reviews I was expecting way more romance, but I didn’t think there was any more than in previous books I’ve listened to of Kate’s (I felt there were more zombie elements than romance). Favorite quote from the book: “Life isn’t worth living if there’s no risk.”

The narrator, Heather Firth, did an excellent job. Her voices are distinct and her narrating is smooth and easy to listen to.

You also get a bonus called Thank You Daddy (Broken Stories Novelette). It is fantastic! It tells Emma and Blake’s story at the beginning of the apocalypse. I am hoping we get more of their story (hint hint Kate).

Overall I recommend, especially if you love stories with great world building, fun characters, or the zompoc genre. Kate has yet to disappoint me with her writing and she’s in my top three favorite authors of 2019. If you haven’t jumped on the Kate bandwagon, it’s time to do so.

Parental guidance/trigger warnings (for both The Loudest Silence and Thank You Daddy): drinking, death (zombies, people), kidnapping, occasional swearing, weapons (guns), shower between the two main characters followed by sex (not in graphic detail), some sex talk (being a virgin, learning about it, or like things- minimal), threat of/sexual assault (forced removal of clothing on a woman before it is stopped- indicated she would be raped but stops before rape occurs), execution of male with gun, hitting of male in head with bat, war talk (Iraq/Afghanistan- not in detail a mention of past service), death of parents.

*I was given a free review copy of the audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review. Thank you for allowing me to listen and review the book!