ARISEN, Book Fourteen - ENDGAME

The very best, #1 military zombie apocalypse series in the genre.I can’t keep up with reading every old and new book and all the series in the genre, but over the past five years, I’ve sure been trying my best in devouring 3-5 books per week. More if I sleep even less. But my family prefers to see me during SOME daylight hours.....That said - as you all know, as EVERYONE knows, this series is an absolute winner in every way. From the characters and masterful storytelling to the deep, well-researched knowledge on every subject touched upon. The emotional journey is rich- highs and lows and everything in between, including wake people up next to you humor. The scene setting puts you smack in the middle of the non-stop action. In the case of this book, the mud, rain, darkness, palpable death and dying all around you, smell of it all (wet earth, blood, sweat, fear, adrenaline, cordite, endless zombie horde), and the close-up and and distant sounds of the never ending battle.This part of the larger story/this book is especially full of reunions, loss, incredible heroism, hard choices made through the lens of duty, and the ultimate cost of such choices. The positives, and the more difficult to shoulder. The personal emotions that go along with all of the aforementioned.What I really appreciate is this far along into the tale is that the zombies still remain in the forefront. I mean, it IS a “zombie” story after all, yes? Not only this but they are still fresh (well, not exactly “fresh” ;) and interesting. They, themselves, are a character. I suppose the zombies and runners would be one character, and the Foxtrots another. Regardless, many, many authors cannot seem to manage this. They start off great, but by the 3rd or even the best ones -5th book, they can’t seem to be creative enough to keep the zombies up front any longer, while still maintaining a fast-paced, creative and interesting story. What always happens is .... the poor zombies .... fade into the background. Nothing changes with the plot to make them less of a threat, mind you. Simply, suddenly, by book #whatever, there are only bare mentions of “zombies continually banging on the walls” and maybe one or two unexciting zombie interactions the whole book.Allllll that said. Not here. And never within the Arise series. It’s a breath of fresh air. It’s thrilling, exciting, masterful, and surprising right up until the very last paragraphs. In every way, including the characters, the zombies.I’d like to add that I am honestly shocked, completely blown away, by a few turn of events in this story. Never saw them coming. One, I’d like to reach in and rewrite if I could. I still cannot seem to shake it. I bet it will always stick with me, my literary self.Special nod to the Gurkhas! Da*n, I LOVE these guys!!! So much I actually researched them. Their presence within this story — well, it absolutely made it.The sun is rising here as it is in London (whether it’s been won or lost, not for me to say ;). I hear there’s still more to read in this story? That this really isn’t the end? I’ve got to go research that now! As Handon, Fick, Pred, Juice, Henno, Ali, Homer, Sarah, Park, Wes, Jamison, Noise, Oleg, Charlotte, Kate, Baxter, Em, Amire, Josie, Elliot, Aiden, Luke, Martin, Judy, and on and on (I’m forgetting everyone!!) are part of my family too now. I can never quite seem to get this crew out of the back of my mind....Thank you, Michael Fuchs.You’re truly a genius within your craft. You make so very many people happy!!

Great literature, literary artistry, style, even sophistication -- I love that stuff, have studied and read it lifelong. That's not what the Arisen series offers. Not. At. All. This series has other goals and works hard to meet them on behalf of its creators' vision and an accurate sense of readers' wants and responses. Don't get me wrong: the Arisen series is not one of those sloppily executed homebrew products that Amazon tries to foist on its customers as recommendations. Fuchs uses language well, does not make errors, and is very straightforward about delivering his story cleanly and clearly. This directness is one of the series' virtues. For most readers, Endgame, like all installments, unfolds in what feel like real time. Though of course we read faster than the events could possibly occur, it does not feel that way. Fuchs provides lots of concrete details, but rather than burdening the plot, they work to create the feeling that the unfolding of the books language is happening in a way similar to what our senses and thoughts would be experiencing in real time. Though by now zombie apocalypse narratives seem almost stupid and cliche, in Arisen this element has never been the real point of the story. While Fuch's characters are not particularly complex, they are believable, and the display of various kinds of human virtue is really the heart of Arisen. I think Fuchs gets this right. He doesn't overcomplicate, or oversimplify human nature, and I suspect his readers find him pretty spot on. The other qualities of the series, and this book, are by now well known. The action is relentless, every situation is frantic, and there's a ton of violence all the time. Somehow, it doesn't get either ridiculous or offensive -- probably because the focus is really on the characters throughout. Fuchs is a reader-oriented writer, and though I am probably an intellectual snob in some ways -- sorry -- I found his narrative voice and approach to be authentic, effective, and reader-oriented. He's a rare writer who comes across as though he is really telling this story for you, and to you.

This series was stupendous! The complexity of the story lines, the building of the character's histories and intimate knowledge of the working of an aircraft carrier, various fixed wing aircraft and helicopters was extraordinary. Not to mention numerous weapons systems and how they operate.The author's insight into the triumphs and failures of the human psyche was amazing.I would recommend this series to anyone interested in this type of adventure series!