Furies Rising: Book One: Hollow Valley

With spooky season pretty much upon us, that means I had to read at least one horror and/or zombie novel to commemorate. I'm happy I chose Furies Rising to be my commemorative title for the season. A refreshing take on some of the more tired tropes of the genre, this is a rare series starter as well. The closest comparison I can draw would be from movies instead of literature: Red Dawn meets Land of the Dead.

I might not have realized quite as much while reading (because it blended in so well), but the author's choice of setting was both crucial and masterful. From the skills the main characters possess to how they strategize to try and survive, the plot stays more practical than not. And, largely because of the setting choices. Where our main characters are at the onset, and everywhere they aim to go after, drive the story forward.

The mainstay of the genre does remain: a ragtag group of survivors banding together but slowly dwindling as they face an overwhelming hoard of brainless reanimated corpses. What elevates that mainstay are two things. One, that band of survivors acts smart, has the tools and resources to do more than just hole up somewhere and wait out the apocalypse, and for the most part, plans for the good of the whole. Two, these aren't just zombies but Furies. Seemingly driven by both hunger and rage, some can talk and even direct other members of the hoard. The why and how offer a subplot of mystery to support the overarching survival one.

As much as I enjoyed Furies Rising, the read wasn't all smooth sailing, particularly in the first third. A crush of one brother on the elder's girlfriend leads to some unsettling internal machinations. These thankfully get dialed back eventually, but they directly impacted the character's likability for me. Scenes with a larger cast of characters can sometimes be bogged down by the description. There is also an underlying chosen one thread here, which is not a personal favorite.

One of the better novels of the genre I've read in recent years, I do highly recommend Furies Rising to readers who enjoy a good zombie apocalypse. The still normal humans are more decent and more resourceful than most, making them largely quite easy to rally behind.