REVIEW: Beyond Exile by J. L. Bourne
J. L. Bourne has returned with his second entry in the Day by Day Armageddon series. Beyond Exile picks up right where book one ends. If you’ve not read the first one, and you are a fan of zombie fiction, I just want to know what rock you’ve been under. Stop reading this and get his first book: Day by Day Armageddon. No, really. Go ahead…I’ll wait.
So, you’ve read book one? Okay. Then you must go forth and follow the continued exploits of a United States Naval Officer in Beyond Exile. Like the first, this story is in a journal format. I openly admit that Bourne’s first entry was an absolute inspiration for me. I dove into Beyond Exile with high expectations and…at first…I was feeling a little bummed. Don’t get me wrong. The book is good. But Bourne made me wait. Then I hit about page 85. Wear protective gear from that point on because you don’t get a breath. It’s like track 2 of the Goblin soundtrack to Dawn of the Dead, (zombi). Tension. Tension. Tension.
Bourne has created his own mythos, and his world has some very nasty surprises. The true mark of a great zombie story is having believable characters that you care about. Bourne certainly delivers that in Beyond Exile. While there are a good number of supporting cast members, this really is one man’s journey. And he keeps that one central character dancing on the knife’s edge most of the story.
My only real complaint with the story was the McGiver-esque ability of the central character. While he had some very human qualities, he was a bit “lucky†(i.e. when he drove a tank off a bridge into a river) at times. If that’s my biggest critique (and it actually is) then you can rest assured that this book will provide a wonderful diversion.
J.L. Bourne’s Beyond Exile is a wonderful follow-up to Day by Day Armageddon and judging by the conclusion, we will be fortunate inasmuch that there is obviously at least a trilogy here. The story has turned a corner and set up for what-if we are lucky-is a multiple book story-arc. Does a billion Chinese zombies sound like fun to you? I have a feeling Bourne is just getting started.
So, sit down with Beyond Exile. It is a wonderful story, and well worth the time. I unabashedly recommend Beyond Exile.
Available at Amazon
