DEAD Series [Books 1-12] Read online

  ALL DEAD

  (The Complete 12 Book Set of the DEAD Series)

  Written by: TW Brown

  ALL Dead: The Complete 12 Book Set of the DEAD Series

  ©2017 May December Publications LLC

  Sixth Edition

  The split-tree logo is a registered trademark of May December Publications LLC

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons living, dead, or otherwise, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  This book is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the express written permission of the author or May December Publications LLC.

  Printed in the U.S.A.

  Behind the curtain of the DEAD series

  When I first sat down and wrote the opening line for the DEAD series, I was thinking, “Maybe I have a five-book series here.” By then end of that book, I knew it was going to take more than that. My mind was made up that I was going to write the Wheel of Time (or, if I can be so bold…The Stand) equivalent for the zombie crowd. I was set to build an entire world and then take the reader on a whirlwind tour of the apocalypse populated with a cast of characters that might reach a hundred in any given book. And yeah…I knew it was risky. But I also felt that the zombie fans were a group that deserved something with depth.

  The formula that I chose was inspired by George R.R. Martin. If you have dipped your toes in the books that the very popular “Game of Thrones” series is based upon, then you know how he does each chapter from a different perspective of one of his characters. I tweaked it for my own devices and came up with “Steve’s Story”, “The Geeks”, and “Vignettes” as my three rotating chapters. If you have read any of my DEAD series, then you know that each book is always 18 chapters long (6 per story line). However, things have changed some since that first book. I learned some lessons.

  Of course, Steve’s chapters are all in first person. That lets you really see things from one person’s perspective. You are only as clued in as he is during any particular moment. The Geeks was my homage to every single zombie fan who thinks that the Zombie Apocalypse would be so freakin’ cool. This is the story that I get to sink in to as I write it. I channel many of my friends and the snippets of conversations that we have had since that day in the 70s when we all came out of the original Dawn of the Dead with some fairly silly adolescent fantasies. However, it is the Vignettes where I think I have learned the most as a writer. And that is sort of my focus here as I let you peek behind the curtain.

  The vignettes were initially just supposed to be snapshots of the world in chaos. I even toyed with the idea of folding every one of those stories in to my two main story lines. Somewhere along the way, many of those shorts began to take on a life of their own. In fact, they are the source of the most hated and loved (according to reviews and personal emails) of my character; Garrett being the former and Juan the latter.

  In the first book, DEAD: The Ugly Beginning, I wrote the vignettes as they came to me. So, there was no order, rhyme, or reason. However, as some of the stories began to take on a life of their own, I started to really get invested in what would happen. By the second book, DEAD: Revelations, I realized something: I needed to keep the stories in the same order chapter by chapter. By the third book, DEAD: Fortunes and Failures, I had a refined formula. What I would do was continue to keep the main vignettes in order, but I would give each vignette chapter what I termed as a one-timer. This would be a single open-and-closed short.

  Funny thing about when an author sits down with an idea. They are usually the only one who understands it. So was the case with Vignettes. The idea is one that I would not change as a whole, but I do think that I would have modified it to some extent. And that is where I believe it to be now.

  Readers of the series have had to go through this process with me, but I do think what I have now is the way to go. Now, in Vignettes, there are the main story lines that have endured since the first book or two of the series. However, since I tried to complete the main ideas of a story arc in each three-book offering, I introduced a new vignette at the start of books 4, 7, and 10. That allowed me to write a bit of a novella-length story. Some will fold in to the main stories, some will simply reach a climax and end, and others might be melded into one of the other vignettes.

  Now, I realize that I still run the risk of “too many characters” as some critics have pointed out. However, I believe that, once you become engrossed in this DEAD world, you will find it a very rewarding experience.

  At least that is what I am hoping.

  I still wake up every day and pinch myself. I see reviews that are no longer from my friends and family. I’ve met total strangers that have become real-life friends, and I’ve heard from so many of you that it is a truly humbling experience. To have people tell me that they get swept up in my world is often overwhelming.

  I just want to thank you one more time.

  And now, I will let some of my peers and fellow writers as well as fans of the series tell you what you are in store for.

  A few words from fans and fellow writers as to why you need to read the DEAD series…

  I’ve been a zombie fan ever since I saw the original Dawn of the Dead at a drive-in (Yeah, I’m old.) way back when. Let’s just move along before someone decides to try to do the math on how long ago that was.

  I didn’t get into zombies in book form until after I got my first Kindle. I’d bought the occasional zombie story in physical book form but there weren’t many of them and, frankly, most of them sucked.

  Then I joined the digital book world and I discovered there were a lot of zombie books available--most of them cheap and some of them were even free. There were a few which felt overpriced even at free but most of the books were a decent enough read.

  Every now and then, however, you’d come across an author with actual skills, someone who could craft a well-written story with characters who had dimension, a plot that moved well and held your interest, and, of course, plenty of that good zombie action.

  TW Brown is in that category. As soon as I finished reading his first book, I went straight to Amazon to see what else he had written, going through everything he had written to date. I have no higher compliment for an author.

  I’ve been a fan of Todd’s ever since his first series, Zomblog. He’s done several series of zombie books since then and I’ve read them all. I’ve seen a real progression and evolution in his writing abilities with each series and each book. In fact, I like his writing so much that I’ve been one of his beta readers for his last few books.

  All of Todd’s books are set in the same universe. Although the physical locations and the characters vary widely in the various books and series, one thing remains the same--the zombies.

  The zombies in his universe are the good old-fashioned Romero-style shambler zeds. They are slow and stupid. Sure, you can get safely away from one or two of them without much difficulty but the thing is, it never stays at just one or two.

  Zombies are the roaches of the monster world. For every zombie you see, there are hundreds that you don’t, hiding in the shadows waiting to swarm forth at the first sign of food--and that food is you. The sheer numbers of them, coupled with their tireless and unrelenting pursuit of their prey make them truly dangerous and terrifying.

  I don’t like to do spoilers so I’ll just say that, while he basically adheres to the Romero model, he does add a couple of interesting twists. And remember one thing when you read his books--d
on’t assume anyone is safe.

  Now stop fooling around reading an amateur’s foreword and get to the good stuff.

  Debra Allen

  The apocalypse genre asks one big question. When the world goes kablooey, what happens to civilization?

  I loved this question when Stephen King asked it in The Stand. I loved it when Robert R. McCammon asked it in Swan Song. I still love it enough to watch AMC’s The Walking Dead. Then I found Todd Brown’s DEAD series, and I fell in love all over again.

  Apocalypse stories—whether they’re about super flu, nuclear annihilation, or zombies—expose the unvarnished core of humanity. That’s what makes them so universally appealing. The characters in these stories are us at our best and at our worst.

  Todd Brown’s contribution to this genre has made me laugh, cringe, and mourn the dark side of humanity. I’ve loved the time I spent with his characters. Enough to binge read several books in a row and then feel sad because there were no more.

  So grab yourself a six-pack of your favorite beverage, some fattening snacks, and take a harrowing tour through the darkened, alligator-infested swamps of humanity. You won’t be sorry.

  Catie Rhodes

  Author of the Peri Jean Mace Ghost Thrillers

  I discovered TW Brown through DEAD: The Ugly Beginning, and I was immediately hooked. It wasn’t because Brown had an affinity for Romero, or because he knew exact lines from the best zombie movies, or because he has exquisite taste in rock and roll. I loved DEAD because of the characters. Brown’s first-person POV sucks you right into the story, and without spoiling even a line of the series, trust me in that you won’t be able to put it down. You don’t believe me? I don’t blame you. The internet is full of bullshit. Let me show you how much I admire and respect TW Brown and the DEAD series. In 2013 when I was putting together multi-author box sets, I asked Brown if he would be willing to include DEAD stories (included in This is the End 2 and From Darkness Comes). And then again in 2014 when I orchestrated a ten-author collaboration known as The Black Fang Betrayal, I asked TW to be part of it.

  Brown is the real deal, and if you love zombie stories, you’ll love this collection. What you’re holding in your hand is a celebration of the DEAD and the mastermind who created it all. Sit back, relax, and get your zombie on.

  J. Thorn

  http://jthorn.net

  Dear eReader,

  Two disclosures right off the bat: 1) the author is an old schoolmate. (Do folks say that anymore?) 2) I do not dig the Zombie genre. Vampires have always been my thing, with Anne Rice as the best of all vampire authors, after Bram Stoker. (NO Twilight fan, either, so that is three disclosures.)

  Having stated that, let me tell you why this is a great series to read. TW Brown has done what the great fiction writers always manage to do. He makes it real in the theater of the mind. I read his first book in another series, called Zomblog, out of curiosity. The characters and the scenario became believable to me. I was up all night to finish it.

  I read the first DEAD book out of obligation. The first few books were a gift to my son, at a book signing, because my kids were polite. TW was impressed that 15-year-old Jacob could hold a decent conversation about Zombie movies, books, and games. Jacob was busy with other things and I felt guilty that such generosity was not immediately devoured. I opened the book with a sigh, knowing that it was not going to be an easy subject for me. All that blood, pain and anguish, knowing that I couldn’t help anyone and that folks were going to die. It nagged at me but a gift should be appreciated, so I opened the book.

  I was hooked. What happened next? Would my favorite character survive? Would TW actually give that nasty S.O.B. the ending I hoped for? Oh, NO!!! It’s 2: a.m. and I have to get up for work soon! I couldn’t put it down. He made it a compelling story. I had to see what happened next-next page, next chapter, next book. It was so awful! I hated the screams I could hear, wrinkled my nose at the stench and cried for the innocence I couldn’t protect. TW never held back. I had nightmares while reading the books, as if I were a child once again.

  Steve, Thalia, Kevin, Garrett and Kirsten. Little convenience stores and strangers needing help, awful deaths, impossible feats by ordinary people; They are all waiting for you in the same way they waited for me, only you don’t have to wait for the next installment, as I did. You get to binge, like a Netflix weekend.

  It’s all waiting for you.

  If you like the zombie stuff, you are in for a treat. I hate the zombie stuff and I read the entire series. TW is a good writer, even if the bastard gave me nightmares.

  Jamie Smith

  High School Friend and Dance Partner

  Zombies have always been a fascination of mine, whether it is through television, video games or movies, I loved all things Zombie. I had never been much in to reading, but after finding out my Dad is not only a published writer, but an author to a series about something I absolutely love. Now that’s what I call a reason to start reading. The DEAD series will pull you in to the world of the undead, and through each chapter, you’ll grow to love the characters, and really get a feel for how the average man would have to adapt to survive the new world being presented.

  -Cody Brown

  To find one’s father after years of separation is a wonderful thing, but, to find one’s father doing something that you have been dreaming of is even better. My older brother helped track down our father when I was 19 years old; at first, I wanted nothing to do with him, but I quickly learned he was not the man I perceived him to be. After talking with him for a while, I learned why I had my many quirks no one else in the family had, like my passion for all things undead. He gave me his DEAD Series to read and to have, I instantly fell in love with the writing style and how demented some parts can get. If you ever wondered what a normal guy would do in the apocalypse then I highly recommend the DEAD series by my father, TW Brown.

  -Scott (Alexander) Brown

  Needless to say, I’ve never written a forward. I’m not a writer. I don’t know how to create a world that comes to life and jumps of the proverbial page. I am however, an avid reader. Being such, I should warn you. NOT EVERYTHING YOU READ IN THIS STORY WILL MAKE YOU HAPPY!! I mean sure, there are parts where you will smile, chuckle, or even outright laugh, but there are also parts of this tale that will make you very angry at the talented Mr. Brown. (At least that was my experience.)

  You will connect to a lot of these characters (for better or worse). Remember, this is a horror story! Not only a story about zombies, but also about people. As we all know, people can be way more scary than anything that goes bump in the night. Some of these people you will love and some you will despise, but all in all I think you will enjoy the ride. So buckle up, buttercup, the roller coaster is about to start!

  Thanks.

  Randy Parr

  The DEAD Series by TW Brown.

  Jesus, what can I say about it that would do it justice? On a personal level- TW Brown was an inspiration to me before he became a friend. He was one of the reasons I entered into the crazy game that is the zombie genre. I mean, for fuck’s sake, he was more than one of the reasons. He literally invited me to a charity anthology with the singular caveat that- ‘hey, every story has to have zombies and, in some way, touch on cancer’. And then, not only did he like my story enough to print it, but he made it the opening of the anthology. This was back when I hadn’t really written all that much, just a few floundering books that had sold a handful of copies. But here was this author, who in my mind was ‘big time’, liking MY WORK enough to showcase it. And there were some top-notch names in that set, which floored me. It still floors me, if I’m honest. The DEAD Series was this thing to live up to as a writer. I wanted to be that good—in my own way of course.

  He brings characters to life, absolute freaking life, and makes you connect in a way that sometimes transcends connections you make in reality. You fall hard for characters that only live in black and white on the page. That’s talent. That’s a sto
ry to stick with you for a long damn time…well after the last book in the series is finished. Honestly, I think TW’s a bit bonkers for offering this book set at this price, but I know him enough to know that it’s not just a sales ploy, but a gift to the fans who’ve made his career possible. I think though that he sometimes forgets how fucking talented he is—that he writes off some of his successes as ‘luck of the draw’. When it isn’t. Not even a little bit. This forward was supposed to be about the DEAD books, spoiler-free, but for me it’s more about the man behind the books. You’re not going to find another zombie series like DEAD and you’re damn well not going to find another author or person like TW Brown. I can guarantee it. The very first book of this series begins with the line: ‘I ain’t no hero.’ This may be true of the character who thought it, but TW is a hero to me. As a reader, a fellow author, and a friend.

  - Eli Constant

  Author of the Zombie Children series

  TW Brown has a way of writing that pulls you in immediately. His scenes are rich and vivid. His characters are fully developed and you feel like you know these characters as people. You like them, hate them, find them annoying—just like any real person. Mr. Brown instills strengths, weaknesses, good and bad qualities into each one of his characters, just like each of us. The pages of his books are filled with triumph, fear, love, and loss. And just like in the real world— no one is safe. Mr. Brown makes that clear in the beginning. You just never know what’s going to happen. Even if zombie lore isn’t your thing, these books will grab your imagination and won’t let go. These are so much more than just zombie books. Mr. Brown is an excellent student of human nature and puts it all into his writing, which makes The DEAD Series my favorite of all zombie fiction.