Area 187: Almost Hell - The Zombie Apocalypse

The year is 2007. In a secret government research facility hidden in a remote area of West Virginia, an accident has occurred that threatens the lives of everyone on the planet. Human test subjects infected with an incurable necrotic virus have just been released and the consequences are devastating.

The area is immediately placed under marshal law and citizens are being evacuated. But not fast enough. The zombies are winning. With survivors still trapped inside the government concocts one of their perfect cover-ups and seals off the area before the infection can spread any further.

Over the coming weeks and months a massive retaining wall is built around West Virginia and Homeland Security takes control of what is now known as Area 187. Anyone trying to get into the area can be charged with treason. Anyone trying to get out is shot.

Gradually the American people forget about the tragedy and the possibility that there may still be survivors inside Area 187. Life returns to normal and for the next 7 years Homeland Security makes sure nothing goes over that wall in either direction.

Or so they thought...

John Heath was an Air Force search-and-rescue team leader when the virus broke out. Separated from his wife at the last minute, he'd spent 5 years inside Area 187, searching everywhere he could think of to find her. When he finally emerged from the area he was a broken man, haunted by the horrors of the Inside, and wanted by the Homeland Security for the secret knowledge he might have.

Josephine Terrel was a television news anchor who'd never believed the stories the government had been spoon feeding the public. She knew there were still survivors inside the wall and she wanted to be the one to break the story. When a video arrived in an unmarked envelope that proved there were survivors in Area 187 - and that one of them might be John Heath's wife - she knew she had her story.

Now all she had to do was convince Heath to take her inside the wall to rescue the survivors.

Did I mention there were zombies in there?

I've spent the last few years fighting the good fight, refusing to read any of this New Age vampire, werewolf and zombie crap. I'm sorry. Vampires don't sparkle, werewolves are not cuddly, and zombies are supposed to be gross.

However...

Area 187: Almost Hell is one hell of a roller coaster ridin' Zombie tale! The action is fast and furious and Lowther is relentless when it comes to thrashing his readers. I can't tell you how many times I wanted to take a break while I was reading this book because I was getting tired of fighting the zombies!

When first we meet Josephine she's your typical television news reporter, working on a hard-hitting story. She's secure in her career, and she's definitely a 'concerned American' but she's really after the story more than anything else.

And then there's John Heath, the man who, just 2 years earlier, managed to make his way Outside with a handful of survivors - none of them his wife. The only difference between Heath and the zombies is that they're on the Inside and he's on the Outside, but he's just as trapped as they are.

Along the way we meet her bitchy little nemesis, Julie, the young blond bimbo who's daddy is one of the government officials overseeing Area 187. Julie wants Josephine's job and she doesn't care who she has to sleep with to get it. She also doesn't have a problem throwing Julie under the Homeland Security bus if that's what it's going to take.

And then there's Howie Williams, an ex-grave robber turned body guard who meets up with Heath and Josephine, dragging Julie along for the ride. Howie turns to comedy to relieve stress and his one burning desire isn't to know the meaning of life but who's your favorite Muppet.

There is no tap-dancing in this novel. Lowther gets right down to business with the opening credits and it runs full-tilt to the very last page. The depth of character he creates has the reader first on the edge of their seat, then dangling right over the edge of the dead zone and then laughing in the aisles. You get a two minute break, which is more than he gives his characters, and then the ride starts all over again.

He plays a wicked game with each character, too. You find yourself cheering them on one minute and then cursing them for being cruel and heartless the next. Lowther actually shows us life from the zombie's point of view and his readers feel sorry for the poor guys. After all, it's not their fault and there's nothing they can do to help themselves. In order to survive though, Heath and Josephine have to remember...

Zombies are just animated meat!

You can find Lowther's blog at ericrlowther.blogspot.com and you can follow him on Twitter at @bguglyhryscry.

This is Lowther's first novel but he's had works published in several magazines and anthologies. Yet, even with only one novel under his belt, I feel confident comparing his writing to the great Master of the Macabre, Stephen King.

Now, before you start laughing, hear me out. I have read every single thing written by, for and about Stephen King and Richard Bachman at least 3 times. Everything. Including all 7 books of The Gunslinger Series. So I know what I'm talking about.

I compare 'Area 187: Almost Hell' to King's 'The Stand', which is considered his best work by most serious King fans. 'The Stand' has the old Good vs Evil story line and a long, long list of strong characters, all brought together by adversity. In King's case it was also a plague. Instead of everyone turning into zombies though, the world just had to deal with the pure evil that was left over after humanity was practically wiped out.

In Lowther's world, there is no magic, higher power that swoops in at the last minute and saves the day. Once you're inside the wall you either have to fight the zombies or become a zombie because you ain't gettin' back out alive. And everybody who could help you is involved in the coverup so they're either going to feed you to the zombies or shoot you.

And, like 'The Stand' the reader is often torn. Should you cheer when a zombie gets killed? Should you cheer when a survivor is rescued? You might find it hard to believe, but Lowther actually makes you feel sorry for the zombies and hate the survivors. In fact, I noticed a few tear drops on my Kindle during one really horrible scene...

Lowther puts together a cast of characters that are real people - a macho super hero, his comedic sidekick, and two sexy women, one a driven, motivated goal-oriented brunette and the other a backstabbing, slutty, spoiled-rich-kid blonde - just like King's characters in 'The Stand'. The only thing missing is Trashcan Man, right? But don't worry. He's right there in the middle of Area 187.

At 600+ suspense filled pages this is one long story and it's a darn good thing, too. In fact, I was bummed when I hit the last page because I wanted to know more!

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