RC Bray could read a washing machine repair manual

the story was great but the ending needed a sequel. great book. I wish I had ran up on it sooner

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

MUCH better than expected!

What about R. C. Bray’s performance did you like?

i have listened to r.c. bray a few times now, and he is becoming one of my favorite narrators. he gives each character their own unique voice. he is easy to listen to, and his narration draws you into the story.

Any additional comments?

robots and zombies!?! WTF...i thought! it's not normally a combination i'd consider even though i like them individually. BUT before you make a funny face and utter a derogatory remark, let me stop you there. this is a good zombie story, AND it is a great robot story.

great blend of characters. i found all of the characters interesting, unique, well drawn out, and needed. each character is an important building block of the world the author creates.

xom-b has all of the hallmarks of a good story, but i can't say too much b/c i don't want too spoil your listening experience.

i can usually predict how a story will unfold so i get excited when i'm surprised by a really good twist. there are breadcrumbs interspersed throughout the story, and what they finally lead to, i can honestly say i didn't see it coming.

overall, a good addition to your zombie library. if you're a fan of the zombie genre, this is a no-brainer- get it! but if you're not really into zombies, but you are into sci-fi, definitely give it a try b/c it's a good sci-fi book with a unique twist, and that twist be zombies! it's more AND better than you think!

NOTE: the story is a little slow in the beginning, but please give it a chance. it is well worth it!

NOTE 2: please nobody give away the twist of the story. you'll definitely earn my ire! thanks in advance!

18 of 21 people found this review helpful

Even R.C. Bray can't save this one

DNF at almost 50%. I just can't finish it. I can't. It is sooooo boring. It sounded so promising and had so many great reviews that I got the kindle version (on sale) and the discounted accompanying audiobook. The absolutely only positive thing I can say about the book is that the reader of the audio (R.C. Bray) is very good, but even he cannot save this book and make me care even one little bit about what happens to anyone in it. It's a little confusing figuring out who/what everyone is, but where that could have been compelling and intriguing it's just stupid and boring. Almost the whole first half of the book is like one giant chase scene trying to get away from mob after mob of zombies all while the main character, Freeman, a newly "born" (created?) robot?/android?/human?, waxes poetic about the reason for his existence and ponders how he suddenly knows how things work and how he can suddenly "do" all sorts of things. Once he finally meets up with the mysterious council, he ends up being sent on a journey to discover the source of some ground rumblings (which he thinks are zombies living underground). Really? A "new" man on a journey? I'm guessing if I had continued there would have been a lot more contemplation about his existence during this journey of "self-discovery". Somehow what *could* have been very deep and thoughtful and at the same time exciting and mysterious just turns out to be a giant snooze-fest. The sample on Audible (the prologue of the book) was misleadingly interesting. Sadly, it's all just downhill from there.

5 of 6 people found this review helpful

Zombies + Robots + Dystopia + Sci-Fi = Fun

At first glance the cover looks pretty tame. What could go on with robots, err, I mean androids? Then I looked closer and noticed the subtle bite wounds around the flesh of arm. What could this mean? Robot zombies? That could be entertaining.

Xom-B takes place in the future, a time were people have developed androids to do their bidding. People could get "upgraded" to look prettier, be smarter, see better, etc. All the while their android slave grind away at the thing that make the society what it is. I almost wish that more was told about the grind and how life came to be like this. More was revealed latter, but I can get impatient. All of a sudden people start dieing, everywhere, even in the middle of conversations.

Now I don't want to delve into the plot and characters too much as most of it would spoil your listening experience. I will say this. Robots and zombies mixed in with a truly satisfying science fiction dystopian society make for a great audiobook. I was fully encapsulated within the story and would fight going to sleep to hear just a bit more.

Even though it is slow starting it becomes full of interesting and complex characters that would evolve from seeming weaklings to self confident heroes. Anti-heroes that start off seeming not so bad transform into almost super villains. And enough plot twists and turns that kept me guessing, except for the ones I figured out.

Are you looking for a zombie story that doesn't have the main focus on the zombies? Maybe you want a great science fiction tale that doesn't focus solely on the technologies of the time. You could just be looking for another great dystopian adventure. Guess what, you get all of that with Xom-B. Yes much of it is so familiar that you would swear to reading it elsewhere, but I assure you that you haven't heard it put together like this. I have couple other Robinson audiobooks in my queue and will continue to look for them in the future.

Audiobook purchased by reviewer.

Please find this complete review and many others at audiobookreviewer dot com

13 of 17 people found this review helpful

Excellent Science Fiction Action Adventure

If you could sum up Xom-B in three words, what would they be?

Zombies. Robots. Action.

What about R. C. Bray’s performance did you like?

Everything.

Any additional comments?

I'm not primarily a science fiction reader but this had elements of the story that I really enjoyed. Jeremy Robinson's writing style drives the story forward and the book gives me wonderful flashbacks to a movie I've seen, without meaning to- and without any distinct, or direct intended imagery (there's nothing in here that tells the reader that he's seen the movie--it's just that feeling, and that imagery that in my head as the story slips forward). I can "see" the movie "9" in the environment that Freeman moves around in and that gives me happy thoughts all around.

I definitely recommend checking this book out. Even if you're not quite sure it's your genre or not, Jeremy Robinson has a way of casting a storytelling spell over you to where you start not to think in 'genres', but in just the story itself. Full of action, adventure, zombies, and adrenaline - I think that you'll enjoy this book as much as I did.

R.C Bray is an excellent narrator and it'll give you 11.5 hours of enjoyment.
Pop the audio on in your car on your way to work--it'll put a smile on your face before your feet hit that well known linoleum.

6 of 8 people found this review helpful

THE WORLD IS NOT THE PLACE I BELIEVED IT TO BE

I AM GOING TO DIE, OF THAT I HAVE NO DOUBT.
Every other chapter the main character thinks he is going to die. This is original, but it is not presented well and it is not worth your credit. It may be considered YA, but that is not an excuse to write boring stuff. I held on for a long time, thinking it would get better, but it got worse. You want Zombies listen to Maberry's 'Patient Zero". You want YA Zombies listen to Maberry's Rot and Ruin series.

17 of 28 people found this review helpful

Fantastic

I couldn't wait to get my hands on this book - robots, zombies and great writing what more does a person need from a book? So much so, that as soon at it arrived and I was greeted with the choice of listening or sleep, I chose to listen and I definitely don't regret that decision.

As always, Jeremy Robinson has written excellent characters that you love or/ and hate in equal measure. I thought Xom-B was fantastic, it incorporates lots of thoughts on what it is to be human, with nasty enemies and a few surprises. I'm waiting for the announcement that it's going to be a movie because this is the sort of book that is crying out to be made. We as an audience need it.

R.C.Bray did such a wonderful job with this narration, he really brought the characters to life and sets the scene extremely well. I enjoy his work a lot.

3 of 5 people found this review helpful

Freeman is Lovable ... This books saving Grace

In many of the reviews it states this book is not about Zombies. And indeed it is not. It is about a Robot that becomes Human.... His evolution and humanity is written very well. As far as the rest of the story you could interchange it with various world ending events, but it still comes down to Freeman, the A.I. that could. I really did like this story and R.C. Bray did well, but his voice and tenor was for the sci-fy of the story. I think a softer narration would have suited Freeman's character better.

its NOT

it's not a book about zombies, it's not a book about robots, its about humanity. its not didactic, its not cliché, its original and provacative. I enjoyed the hell out of it.

Zombie by any other name would ...

spell as unique

I'm not usually drawn to zombie/undead novels but since I've enjoyed audiobooks from this author and narrator in the past, I decided to give it a try. To say that this was a unique take on that genre would be an understatement. There are lots of twists and surprises that unfold gradually during the telling which help keep the story interesting and they act as milestones for when the story arc makes a course change.

Props to both Jeremy Robinson for his writing craftsmanship and R. C. Bray for his skillful narrating performance.