Lots of fun ideas - but needed a little more

The Curien Island chain is infested with the walking dead… and they wear glass jars on their heads tightly sealed to their necks. Yeah – that should give you a horrific visual. Drug traffickers collide with the locals and the US Navy. It’s really quite a mess as the world falls apart. On top of that, Rand Bergeron, creator of the virtual reality gizmo and sex programs, is right smack in the middle of this as well. It’s quite logical that a twisted religious cult would rise up out of all this mess, lead by Sonntag. I loved hating on Sonntag! He was the most despicable character but also a powerful force that pushes all the other heavy hitters around.

My favorite character was Libby West. She’s trapped walking this thin line under Admiral Fall. She wants to keep her men safe and also help the remaining humans but Admiral Fall has some twisted ideas. West tries again and again to hold to some healthy morals as people around her stray ever further into one flavor of depravity or another.

It took me some time to get into this book. First, the zombies jar heads (while an awesome scary image) just wasn’t practical. Where do they get all these jars? What happens when they break? Zombies are clumsy. Then the story spent time on this fancy new tech from Bergeron which was at odds with this nitty gritty zombie infestation. But once all the characters clashed together, the story worked a lot better for me.

Tuan Jim was a fun character because he kept popping up in unexpected places. I loved it when he squared off with Sonntag. Martigan, while an important character, was only so-so for me. Hannibal Mo was more memorable, along with Kurtz and how they lend a much needed helping hand to Butch (a stow away).

The story takes a devious turn in the last quarter that I didn’t see coming. Yet I did wonder about Bergeron’s virtual reality collars. They have a little needle that slips between the vertebrae…. and injects something? There was line about the collars needing a refill? So I had questions about the collars and their final use.

All in all, it was a mash of fun ideas that could have been tightened up a bit. Most of the characters were one-dimensional and I wanted the details about the tech to be clearer. 3.5/5 stars.

The Narration: Jennifer Fournier did a great job with this narration. She had a variety of character voices, complete with accents. Her male voices were believable. There were plenty of emotions in this story and Fournier portrayed them well. 5/5 stars.

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Fantastic

Unique story filled with fun characters and read by a wonderful voice performer. Not a typical zombie novel with a fun blend of historical fiction--life at sea on a ship, and science fiction--futuristic technology.

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Zombies

What did you like best about this story?

The Ghoul Archipelago tells a story about the zombie apocalypse that occured in fictional islands in the South Pacific,. The story was a bit confusing at first, as I tried to adjust to the different points of view, but by the end I was quite invested and staying up late to find out what was going to happen. Very interesting plot.

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8 people found this helpful

very good

Loved it !! this story. the narrator is so fantastic it's like your really there!! good overall

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Pickle Jar Muzzles and So Much More

If you’re looking for a zombie novel beyond the typical undead apocalypse, The Ghoul Archipelago by Stephen Kozeniewski delivers in pirated goods. This isn’t your run-of-the-mill zombie fare; it’s an ambitious mix of horror, satire, and enough existential dread to make you reconsider humanity’s priorities. Just when you think one subplot might overshadow the others, Kozeniewski ties them together with a blood-soaked bow.
The “mechanism” (I’m cringing just hinting at it) of the undead is something I have not encountered in my reading of various other zombie novels. What makes this story stand out isn’t just the creative kills (although there are plenty of those) but the unapologetic way it holds a mirror up to society. Greed, corruption, blind faith, perversion (so so so much) and survival instinct are all on full, grotesque display. It’s uncomfortable, it’s ugly, and it’s utterly compelling. With the tiniest twinkle of hope of the future in the very end.
The horror in The Ghoul Archipelago isn’t just in the shambling corpses but in the very human choices made in the face of disaster. With various defined reactions ranging from opportunistic, to worship, to just trying their best to survive, I found myself gagging more at the moral rot than the physical gore—though Kozeniewski doesn’t skimp on the latter.
If you’ve got the stomach for something that’s as thought-provoking as it is gag-worthy, this book is for you. Five stars for originality, tension, and a horrifyingly accurate look at what might really happen when the world ends.

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Who are the real ghouls?

This book is not your standard zombie flare, and that's what I liked about it. A story with zombies that steers clear of the tropes and is more character driven without getting boring like The Walking Dead. If you're looking for a story with zombies that isn't like a lot of the fodder out there, this is your book.

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a good zombie apocalypse tale

I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the narrator.

I love a good zombie apocalypse, and this is a good one. The characters are well-drawn and the plot involves more than just the "run, scavenge and survive" present in all zombie tales. There's social, political, and religious commentary/snark. It is irreverent, crude and gory. I largely enjoyed the social, political, and religious commentary/snark, although some is bit stereotypical. The gore didn't bother me, but this book is probably not for the really squeamish. I did find a few of the sexual depictions verged on offensive, particularly those involving Rand and his VR collar. Definitely written from a male point of view, but luckily these scenes weren't too prevalent or lengthy. The presence of strong female characters with agency redeemed the author.

There is a large cast of characters. The novel jumps around from character group to character group. All interact in the end, but you do need to pay attention to keep track of them all and follow the action, particularly in the beginning when the jumps can be a little confusing.

The narration is very well-done. I'd recommend the audio - this is the type of tale I like to listen to while gardening, doing dishes, etc. Because of some of the gory and/or explicit sexual scenes, watch out if listening while driving with the windows down. I had one awkward moment while stopped at a red light.

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1 person found this helpful

Strange book, great narration!

If you could sum up The Ghoul Archipelago in three words, what would they be?

Weird, ghoulish fluff.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

Eh.

What does Jennifer Fournier bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I loved her narration and the way she breathed life into rather far fetched leaden characters. If it wasn’t for Ms Fournier’s entrancing voice, I’d probably have turned this back in and reclaimed my credit. I hope this terrific narrator gets to read more polished, less ghoulish books in the future. She deserves better!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No.

Any additional comments?

This isn’t my genre, obviously, but I enjoyed the telling so stuck with the tale.

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Perfect for Halloween

I am always a sucker for a good zombie story. Especially one with a new angle, fun characters and interesting setting. Great stuff. Captain Martigan!

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1 person found this helpful

Interesting zombie book

Interesting zombie story that takes place in some fictional islands in the South Pacific. It can be gory and there are some sex scenes so be careful of your surroundings if you're not using headphones. At times the story was a little slow for me but not too bad, and if you're not paying attention you will get confused when it changes from one point of view to another. Excellent narration by Jennifer Fournier!

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