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Avid fans of historical or alternate history fiction will appreciate the intricate and wonderfully detailed horror of World War I in Pierce's novel. While the Great War, in of itself, is both terrifying and gruesome enough to give any reader nightmares, Pierce adds a twist to it: a demonic zombie invasion that heralds the end of the world, forcing the remnants of humanity to gather and stand their ground on a different, supernatural front.
Pierce does a fantastic job of immersing the reader inside the psyche of the traumatized characters who struggle to survive a war that seemingly has no point or end. It is brutal, brimming with both fear and death, to the point where the bleak reality of the novel's inhabitants is achingly palpable. Throughout the book, Jai Mitchell's black-and-white artwork only enhances the surreal, haunting atmosphere that grips the characters. While there are numerous players within the drama, each has a unique voice, brought to life with such complexity and realism that they could be one's next-door neighbor or a childhood friend known for a lifetime. This, along with some heart-wrenching twists, will effortlessly capture the reader's attention and heart with each turn of the page.
Pierce takes a unique and creative approach to this savage, weird tale of the undead, demons, and human survivors. The timeline of the story is not chronological, skipping around as it takes on each new perspective. While Ulysses Grant never spoke truer words than when he said, "War never changes. War is like winter and winter is coming," he also never faced a supernatural apocalypse on his doorstep. Pierce paints a wretched yet beautiful tale that will haunt fans of historical fiction for ages to come.
Winner of the 2021 Eric Hoffer Book Award E-Book Fiction Category
RECOMMENDED by the US Review