Synopses & Reviews
Katie is driving to work one beautiful day when a dead man jumps into her car and tries to eat her. That same morning, Jenni opens a bedroom door to find her husband devouring their toddler son.
Fate puts Jenni and Katie—total strangers—together in a pickup, fleeing the suddenly zombie-filled streets of the Texas city in which they live. Before the sun has set, they have become more than just friends and allies—they are bonded as tightly as any two people who have been to war together.
During their cross-Texas odyssey to find and rescue Jennis oldest son, Jenni discovers the joy of watching a zombies head explode when she shoots its brains out. Katie learns that shes a terrific tactician—and a pretty good shot.
A chance encounter puts them on the road to an isolated, fortified town, besieged by zombies, where fewer than one hundred people cling to the shreds of civilization.
It looks like the end of the world. But Katie and Jenni and many others will do whatever they have to to stay alive. Run, fight, pick each other up when they stumble, fall in love…anything is possible at the end of the world.
Review
The First Days
Best Zombie Book of the Year: Explorations
Dead Letter Award for Best Novel: Mail Order Zombie
“‘This world is fragile. This truth lies at the core of Frater's intensely compelling first novel. This outstanding first effort, the first book in a trilogy, will appeal greatly to zombie fans, but the undead are merely the catalyst for a far more disquieting tale of societal collapse.”
—Publishers Weekly, starred review
“The First Days is a lean, mean read. You'll blow through this faster than a herd of undead at an all-cheerleader buffet. Buy this book now so you can say you liked Frater before she became the Next Big Deal In Horror, because that's where she's headed.” —Dread Central
“This is a world where zombies existed in media before they became ‘real and there are a ton of little easter eggs throughout for zombie fans. Romeros films are references, as is The Zombie Survival Guide.” —BuyZombie
“Katie and Jenni are first drawn in short, sharp sketches and fleshed out as the story progresses. By the end of the book I was laughing at their jokes and feeling what they felt, excited to see what happened next. The First Days plays on deep-seated fears and pushes the limits constantly.” —Café Libri
“From literally the first page, Frater pulled me in and never let go. The First Days had me thrilled, excited, sad, and happy. If you love strong characters, exciting plot and of course zombies then I'm sure you will love this.” —Book Chick City
“From the first page, the reader is plunged into a terrifying but riveting nightmare. Frater does not shy away from depicting the story in all its gory detail, never forgetting a healthy dose of black humor to keep things from sinking into bleak despair.” —So I Read this Book
“Everything felt so real and haunting. Beautiful. I really, really enjoyed this book. It reminds me of The Walking Dead in terms of the pace and the story progression. This is good stuff! Zombie fiction fans, this is definitely for you.” —Reading Good Books
“Every scene is packed with action, conflict, and zombie killing goodness. All the secondary characters Jenni and Katie encountered, from the husband and wife survivalists holed up in their gun store methodically sniping their infected neighbors, to the Reverend who saves Katies life and his dogs at the expense of his own, were fantastic.” —All Things Urban Fantasy
“Terrifyingly realistic and vividly horrifying, this book is feverish and electrifying—amazing in every sense of the word.” —The Bookish Brunette
“Rhiannon Fraters much-heralded debut novel The First Days—the opening salvo in her As the World Dies trilogy—combines two of my favorite genre fiction elements: zombies and the Apocalypse. The compelling narrative and endearing duo of female protagonists make this a ‘must read for anyone who considers themselves a fan of zombie fiction or apocalyptic fiction. Jenni and Katie are like Thelma and Louise of the Apocalypse. There is definite social commentary at play here and a healthy dose of zombie-powered pop culture references as well—but, for me at least, the thing that makes this novel so remarkable is Fraters ability to draw the reader in to the minds of the two protagonists and experience the end of the world—and the beginning of a new one—through their eyes.”
—Unabashedly Bookish
“Holy smokes! This book was a wild ride of awesome. It reminds me a lot of The Walking Dead, with the heavy emphasis on survival and character relationships, and a healthy dose of zombie terror. All the secondary characters were glorious and each played an important role in the progression of the story. Jack the German Shepard made my heart sing with joy. Recommended for any Zombie fiction fan or those looking for a great character-driven postapocalyptic survival story.”—Smash Attack Reads
Synopsis
Rhiannon Frater's As the World Dies trilogy is an internet sensation. The first two books, The First Days and Fighting to Survive, have won the Dead Letter Award for Best Novel from Mail Order Zombie. The First Days was named one of the Best Zombie Books of the Decade by the Harrisburg Book Examiner. AmericanHorrorBlog calls Rhiannon Frater a writer to watch.
The morning that the world ends, Katie is getting ready for court and housewife Jenni is taking care of her family. Less than two hours later, they are fleeing for their lives from a zombie horde.
Thrown together by circumstance, Jenni and Katie become a powerful zombie-killing partnership, mowing down zombies as they rescue Jenni's stepson, Jason, from an infected campground.
They find sanctuary in a tiny, roughly fortified Texas town. There Jenni and Katie find they are both attracted to Travis, leader of the survivors; and the refugees must slaughter people they know, who have returned in zombie form.
Fast-paced and exciting, filled with characters who grab your heart, The First Days: As the World Dies is the beginning of a frightening trilogy.
Synopsis
“Thelma and Louise meets The Walking Dead.” —All Things Urban Fantasy
“Outstanding.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review
About the Author
Rhiannon Frater is the author of The First Days: As the World Dies and two sequels, Fighting to Survive and Siege. Originally self-published, this award-winning, critically acclaimed trilogy has been substantially revised for the Tor editions. Frater has written several other novels and been active in the Goth and horror communities in Texas, around the US, and online. Rhiannon Frater and her husband live in Austin, TX.