October 20, 2016
The After War
Additional Info for Reviewers & Staff
This novel is the first book I have ever written, yet it is the third that I have published. During the editing and proofreading stages, I have written and published two others (I've also written a sequel to this title, The After War: Part II - Fire Horizons). I had previously gone the independent route, so I continued on the same path. I had a three month pre-order period, involving two blog tours, and as host of press releases. To drum up support, I gave away five signed copies of my other novel, and sent out a host of emails to my email list, and continuously updated my social media followers.
The first rough draft, containing both this first part of the novel and the second, was written more than five years ago. I did not like the first rough draft, so I put it aside, and wrote another novel in the meantime. While I was editing the second novel, I returned to The After War, and wrote the entire rough draft from scratch, not even glancing at the first. After a read through, it went to two developmental editors to iron out the plot. Next, it went through a round of editing, where some developmental issues were still worked out. A second round of editing followed, and then it was completed by two rounds of proofreading and polishing.
To ensure the reader is presented with a quality book, arc copies were sent to review sites, such as The San Francisco Book Review (five star rating), and a host of book blogs. It has been admitted to several book awards, where this first edition made it to the semi-finals in the BookLife Prize in Fiction, a contest run by Publishers Weekly. I am still awaiting the results from several other awards, but I received word just today that it is being short listed as a finalist and for a category distinction in a notable award (I'm sorry, but I can't give the name since it hasn't been made public yet).
To continue receiving reviews, the book is featured this month on NetGalley. In addition, I advertise on Goodreads, BookBub, and on Kindle directly.
Hello Chantelle,
Thank you for considering my novel, The After War. You have read and reviewed one of my other novels, Whiskey Devils, in the past, so I wanted to reach out to you first.
The After War is a bit different than my previous novels. It is a dystopian, post-apocalyptic story, involving the plight of three separate people (and one dog) across a decimated, and dangerous landscape. It was a semi-finalist in the 2016 BookLife Prize in Fiction, run by Publishers weekly. The judge there compared it to The Stand, and awarded it a 9.5 out of 10.
Hopefully dystopian fiction will peak your interest. If you have any questions for me, please let me know.
All the best,
Brandon Zenner
Amazon e-book: $2.99
Editing, Production, Marketing & Sales
Workshopped with
BookLife Prize in Fiction
Edited by Stephanie Parents
Cover design by Humble Nation
Formatted by Polgarus Studios
Published Through Amazon Createspace – KDP
Reviewed at San Francisco Book Review
Read a positive review
Distributed by Amazon
Additional services through Catherine York (additional editor)
Scheduled for review – the information below will be filled out slowly. It will not be visible to the public until it is published on our magazine.
Two years after the world was ravaged by war and disease, two cousins, Brian and Steve emerge from their underground bunker to face what is left of humankind. Meanwhile, on the other side of the country, Simon and his loyal dog Winston are also leaving the cabin that has kept them safe for two years. Neither party knows what to expect, but all three men are driven by the desire to find loved ones and create a new home. As post-apocalyptic stories go, this one is superb. The first part of the book is largely concerned with the characters journeys, both emotional and physical. As they make their way across a ruined landscape, they are instantly forced to fight and survive. Brian and Steve do this by fighting, while Simon, a survivalist, relies heavily on nature to see him through. I think everyone is to some extent fascinated by post-apocalyptic survival stories. We all wonder what we would do, or wouldn’t do to keep living. Along the way, all three men encounter horrific situations that test their sanity and their physical strength. I was totally drawn into the scenario, reading with my breath held at times, the tension alive on every page as I feared what or who was around the next corner. Brian and Steve end up going separate ways, but all three men still end up in the same place, a place they were told would be safe after the war. They are all hoping to find loved ones there, and they all assume they will be safe once they arrive. Humankind has not quite learned its lesson, however, and as the new safe zone collapses into war and violence, who will survive the war after the war? My heart was with Simon and Winston. Please don’t kill the dog, I kept thinking! In conclusion, a riveting read, very hard to put down, with believable characters and dialogue. I also felt I learned a few survival skills in case I ever need them!
I would highly recommend this gripping post-apocalyptic thriller to anyone who has a thirst for the genre, and to anyone who wants to read an action-packed, thought-provoking book. The first part of the book builds the tension up superbly, like a horror film, tipping you to the edge of your seat, whilst also dipping back into the past to explain what has brought the world to this point. The second half of the story is almost sad in its gory inevitability. Humans have not had enough violence or death, and the war continues. I was fully involved with the characters and rooting for them to come through. Very much looking forward to reading the next installment.
The Rundown
Two years after the world was ravaged by war and disease, two cousins, Brian and Steve emerge from their underground bunker to face what is left of humankind. Meanwhile, on the other side of the country, Simon and his loyal dog Winston are also leaving the cabin that has kept them safe for two years. Neither party knows what to expect, but all three men are driven by the desire to find loved ones and create a new home. As post-apocalyptic stories go, this one is superb. The first part of the book is largely concerned with the characters journeys, both emotional and physical. As they make their way across a ruined landscape, they are instantly forced to fight and survive. Brian and Steve do this by fighting, while Simon, a survivalist, relies heavily on nature to see him through. I think everyone is to some extent fascinated by post-apocalyptic survival stories. We all wonder what we would do, or wouldn’t do to keep living. Along the way, all three men encounter horrific situations that test their sanity and their physical strength. I was totally drawn into the scenario, reading with my breath held at times, the tension alive on every page as I feared what or who was around the next corner. Brian and Steve end up going separate ways, but all three men still end up in the same place, a place they were told would be safe after the war. They are all hoping to find loved ones there, and they all assume they will be safe once they arrive. Humankind has not quite learned its lesson, however, and as the new safe zone collapses into war and violence, who will survive the war after the war? My heart was with Simon and Winston. Please don’t kill the dog, I kept thinking! In conclusion, a riveting read, very hard to put down, with believable characters and dialogue. I also felt I learned a few survival skills in case I ever need them!
The Recommendation
I would highly recommend this gripping post-apocalyptic thriller to anyone who has a thirst for the genre, and to anyone who wants to read an action-packed, thought-provoking book. The first part of the book builds the tension up superbly, like a horror film, tipping you to the edge of your seat, whilst also dipping back into the past to explain what has brought the world to this point. The second half of the story is almost sad in its gory inevitability. Humans have not had enough violence or death, and the war continues. I was fully involved with the characters and rooting for them to come through. Very much looking forward to reading the next installment.
The Rating
Top Pick! 5 Stars (out of five): Freaking amazing. Any agent or publishing house that passed this one up made a big mistake. It was selected by our reviewer as a personal favorite. This is also a nomination for our Novel of the Year award.
The Pros & Cons
Pros: Believable, Characterization, Page Turner, Plot, Strong World-BuildingAuthor’s Summary
Two years have passed since humankind faced extinction: Cousins, Brian and Steven, are leaving the protection of their underground bunker for the first time, after a cataclysmic war and unrelenting disease ravaged the earth. On the other side of North America, a young survivalist is leaving the seclusion of his cabin deep in the woods, traveling with his aging canine companion, Winston. For individual reasons, these men are traveling east, facing the terrible wake of civilization left to prowl the landscape.
Short Description
Two cousins are leaving the protection of their underground bunker, after a cataclysmic war and unrelenting disease ravaged the earth. On the other side of North America, a young survivalist is leaving the seclusion of his cabin in the woods.
Catchphrase
Two years have passed since humankind faced extinction.You might also like...
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