Generation Z

Generation Z #1

by Peter Meredith

It’s been twelve years since the undead hordes swept over the earth forcing mankind to the brink of extinction. We now live like rats, scavenging in the ruins of our fallen civilization as the dead hunt us night and day.There is little left to scavenge, however. Grocery stores were emptied ages ago, gas tanks have long been dry and bullets are so precious that a man is lucky to have two to his name. Still, we survive. But for how much longer? Instinct and love have combined to turn Darwin’s theory on its head. The strongest didn’t survive in this world. They were the first to die, leaving behind a generation of orphans.It’s a generation that’s never had a full belly. It’s a generation that has no idea what an Xbox did, or what algebra is for. It’s a generation of children who never laugh out loud, and who have learned to cry softly because the dead are always near and the dead are always so very, very hungry.

Genres: Horror, Zombies, Fiction, Post Apocalyptic, Dystopia, Young Adult, Audiobook

332 pages, Paperback

First published January 21, 2018

About the author

Peter Meredith is the multi-genre author of an author of 35 novels in a variety of genres: Horror, zombies, post-apocalypse and Fantasy. Some of his creative work includes The Trilogy of Void, The Hidden Lands series, The Sacrificial Daughter, A Perfect America, Sprite and The Apocalypse Undead World.
Having tried his hand in real estate, as an emergency room nurse, and a CEO of a national lighting company, he has come to find that his true addiction is as an author.

Reviews

[Yvonne (the putrid Shelf) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Generation Z is a post-apocalyptic Zombie novel that didn’t hit home with me. It could have been something entirely different if the first half of the novel wasn’t being written solely for the second half. The cover instantly grabbed me, and it looked like it was right down my alley. Just from reading the first chapter I could tell that this series was a spin off from a much larger world and it did feel like I was missing out on a lot of the backstory and the world building in general.

Generation Z did the zombie interpretation fantastically. The imagery and the fear were palpable, and I did find myself lost in the moment, wondering how I would fare in such a catastrophic situation. The idea that the apocalyptic event was making zombies larger and humans smaller by means of malnutrition was definitely a food for thought plot line. Just for one second, imagine a zombie that has the capability of growing to around nine feet? The idea of zombies running amok in our cities and towns are frightening enough, but to have them tower over us with their hideous forms and the threat of being turned. It was a truly frightening perspective.

Generation Z is centered around Jenn Lockhart who is fifteen and is living in a community known as “The Coven.” It is harsh, unforgiving and brutal. She lost her parents when she was six years old and has been treated abysmally by those that have set up the coven. It is a gated community that can keep the dead out, they have access to warm baths and medicine (a luxury in this new world) but all is not well. Jenn is seen as a risk to their community, they believe her to be cursed. She is obsessed with signs in any form but especially the night sky, this is what gives her strength and gets her through each day. For someone that is viewed as bad luck she has more balls than the entire community and has regularly proven herself fighting zombies especially one named fondly as “Frank,” short for Frankenstein.

With journeys to meet traders to try and satisfy their community’s needs, they travel across the harbour to Alcatraz. Things don’t quite go to plan, there is a zombie horde lying in wait to attack and one of the residents end up being scratched by them. Initially all seems well but the potential of what could happen never leaves the back of their minds. The patient deteriorates and they realise they don’t have enough antibiotics. Jenn joins a group of residents who are attempting to leave again to either hunt down more antibiotics or find the lady doctor that has been whispered about existing. Jenn has never known a doctor but she isn’t about to sit back and let all the boys have all the fun now, is she?

[Stitching Ghost]

DNF at 10%, too many characters and when there's already a mention of a group of survivors resorting to slave trading I know this one isn't for me.

[Cynthia Terrones · Rating 5 out of 5]

DEFINITELY WORTH READING, THANK YOU PETER MEREDITH, NOW FOR BOOK #2.

Starting out on this book I wasn't sure if this story was for me, but with reading Peter Meredith's Authors Note in the beginning I decided to "have patience" as I settled down to check this out. All I can say is I'm so very glad I did, as I really loved this book and think the characters of Jillybean, Jenn, Mike & Stu are amazing. Once Jillybean got together it was non stop action and so much fun, especially how Jillybean taught Jenn not to fear the Zombies, but have them work for you. I so can't wait to find out what Peter Meredith has in store for our group in his next book and I for one am so ready for Book #2. This was seriously one story that deserves the 5 star rating I gave it and one book I will definitely recommend to others. Thank you Mr. Meredith.

[Miriam still reading! HIATUS from GR]

25% dnf. This is the 2nd book I've tried reading by this author. The storyline is very interesting and I love that the zombies are more monster like than rotting humans, but something about his writing and/or story execution is lacking in something that I can't quite pinpoint.

[Mark McGuinness · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just when I thought it couldn't get any better!

I took a shot reading The Apocalypse Book 1 as I had never read anything by Mr Meredith before. I was immediately immersed into what would become a reading frenzy like I've never experienced. The good news is that I was late to the party and when I finished 1, 2 was downloaded that instant and so on and so on... I now find myself at the end of Generation Z (book 1). Without giving anything away, I really didn't see that coming! The Apocalypse series was a fantastic journey with characters I'll never forget and the Generation Z series is shaping up to be as good if not better! Thank you Mr Meredith for renewing a love of reading that had somehow gotten lost in the shuffle of life. I am eagerly anticipating GENZ2!!!!

[Severina · Rating 2 out of 5]

12 years after a zombie apocalypse has decimated the world, a delegation from two small superstitious communities braves the desolation in search of a rumoured 'girl doctor' who can save their ailing friends.

I am a big fan of both the 'zombie' and 'post-apocalyptic' genres, so I was looking forward to devouring (heh, heh) this book and stoked that it has multiple sequels. Unfortunately, I was disappointed right off the bat to realize that in this universe, "zombies" continue to grow. So what we have are seven foot, eight foot, even nine foot, 600+ pound monsters, not zombies in the traditional sense. Zombies are scary and creepy to me because a. they used to be US, and b. they are unwavering in their determination to eat us. The monsters in this book are no longer identifiable as 'used to be US' and they even graze on grassland when a convenient human isn't available. Not at all scary.

On the plus side, the hero of the story is a 15 year old girl. Jen has been shunned as 'unlucky' since she was 6 years old, and thus has had to learn to survive on her own within her small community. She's smart, resourceful, and a character that felt real in an unreal world.

Jen and her friends make the journey to find the 'girl doctor' and that's when I started to believe in the story. The ridiculous zombie-monsters and superstitious cult-like survivors camps were left behind, and there were tantalizing glimpses of the destroyed world. Ground like fused glass and a colony of sick people who have never heard of nuclear weapons. Traders who risk the zombie-monsters; an outlaw group of criminals and slavers. I'd like to explore those worlds. But no, we end up with the 'girl doctor', who is named Jillybean, and who is a child prodigy/genius/speed-reader/has multiple personalities/did I mention genius? Jillybean immediately takes away any 'realism' that the novel achieved, and swings it right back into crazycakes giant-zombie-monster territory. Add in a ridiculous ending and I definitely won't be searching for those sequels.

[Diane · Rating 2 out of 5]

Got about halfway through. I think YA might appreciate this. The post apocalyptic world depicted about one generation after the outbreak doesn't feel authentic and I couldn't suspend my disbelief. The characters were either annoying or bland.

[Geoff · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tried my very best to finish this one. Managed about 60%.

[Kenny Bellew · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has been on my list since it won the Goodreads horror award in 2018. The zombies in this book don't stop growing, making them monstrous, one was 10-feet tall. Frankly, this book was just okay, as it felt more like a YA story in the way it dealt with romance. However, it was a decent story and a few of the characters, especially the multiple personalities character, were clever. Most were kind of flat. But, it's a fun read. However, don't look for deep meaning at the end of the world. If I wrote a zombie book, it would all be about clever ways to avoid zombies and how to trap zombies in a hole. I think I read zombie books to see if anyone has had my great ideas about how to defeat a hoard. lol.

[Jacob Clarke · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a really thrilling book and very full of actions. Keeps you on the edge of your seat.

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Immersion guaranteed

[Di · Rating 2 out of 5]

A post apocalyptic that i wasn't fond of.

[Delfina Ramos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Different from all the others

I was so surmount this book! It's not like all the other zombie books out there.it had me at the edge of my seat ! I can't wait to reAd book 2!

[Jonathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

On downloading this novel, I hadn't realized it was a spin off from another longer series. It quickly became apparent that this was this case though, as the author seemed to expect us to be familiar with the setting already. Still, various parts were properly explained but I feel like I lost out a lot by not having the background.

That being said the setting and zombie interpretation was excellent. I really loved how superstitions drove the community. Each community was also distinctly different and you could see how they were watching out for themselves. That being said, some were little more than a tagline. Hopefully they are expanded on in other books or the original series. The zombies were "Romero" enough to be recognizable, but the authors unique twist was a great addition.

The story started fairly slowly, which was good as it allowed new readers to get an idea of the setting, but then rapidly sped up as the plot demanded. For the most part it was believable, though some parts felt forced.

It made use of the latest fad of switching character perspective each chapter which weakened the story a bit as we got the character's thoughts and opinions, but it didn't feel like it changed the perspective of the world. If a character wasn't actively thinking something it almost slipped my mind whose chapter it was.

The end was frustrating as it ended abruptly. It was obvious that it is part of a series when it would have benefited from being more standalone. Despite, or perhaps because of that, I will be looking into the next book in the series sometimes after reading the first book in the original series.

Definitely worth the read!

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was just another zombie story, but then 10 foot tall, 600 pound monsters leapt out of the pages at me. As if that weren't enough, Jillibean magically appeared and totally knocked me for a loop!

This is an interesting look at the dystopian world 12 years after the fall, how communities have formed, and where civilization stands. There's a barest hint of mysticism, a hint of romance, and enough action to keep the story moving at a quick pace.

As others have mentioned this is a sequel to another Meredith series, but you shouldn't have any trouble following unless you want to know more about how the world ended up in this condition.

And did I mention Jillibean?

[Krystle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable take on the post apocalyptic genre of writing. I became enthralled quite quickly and it was an easy and fun read! Meredith has an easy-to-follow writing style, so the story doesn’t jump around and flows from character to character. A great read for $1.97AUD off of Amazon (which I actually feel quite guilty about considering how enjoyable I found it!) I immediately bought the next book in the series.

[Jerri · Rating 2 out of 5]

Probably would have been a 3 star but the narrator annoyed me.

[Antoinette L. Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read!

Moving on to the next GenerationX book! Can’t wait! This book was surprisingly good. It kept my interest and was thrilling!

[Jude Samson]

Despite grievous issues This is actually far more tolerable than so many others of the genre so it was tolerable.

I think the author only seems to know that sail boats tack. That’s all sail boats do with this guy. Tacking this way, tacking that way.

Common sense issues like cutting down a new tree and then using it immediately for firewood? Ummm no m, it has to dry out at least a year. Are you telling me they’re living a dozen years and don’t have tree cutters who handle making bundles? Assigning people specific tasks and chores as a community instead of just randomly everyone fiddling about alone?

In a dozen years no one has provided any education to kids? Even basic level stuff? And all that time no one has gone to raid a library to get books on survival and diy like how to make aspirin with tree bark and now they’re dealing with expired meds and don’t know what to do?

Are you serious there is not a single medical professional? Doctor, nurse, vet, medic? Nothing? What a load of shit. And the few people who did have medical knowledge would easily have taken apprentices to pass that on.

If you don’t know about the mental illnesses please stop writing about it. schizophrenia and multiple personality (which is actually called dissociative identity disorder (DID)) are NOT the same thing and it’s through constant ignorance in writing that allows this myth to continue. Additionally, while some who do have DID can share memories and information across personalities they don’t usually have split-second change over conversations with each other like you have jilly and Eve doing in a few instances. Jilly is probably the most interesting character you have so spending even three minutes googling DID or reaching out to speak to professionals for more information is the least you can do.

Hahaha, what? Ummmmm, Yes, you absolutely can kill someone by stabbing them in the head. How fast or how it happens changes depending on which vertebra is used though too.

Lol a male heart rate at 90 is pretty much resting. No where near what it should be if he was fleeing and struggling to work on deck and absolutely not worth a sit break. Do you know any basic medical facts?

Didn’t jilly say that she took a whole bunch of pills so she will stay a while but then ten mins later she’s already switching characters!

Then - what’s the plot? We are essentially hammered over the head how no one likes Jen, they are even essentially banished. Mike was just totally traded and told to go live with some stranger. And we are supposed to believe the whole plot of this book is to go find a doctor to save people that clear have no connections? There’s zero emotional investment involved. There are a couple of POTENTIAL storylines that could have been interesting and a more solid plot that are just smattered around but then just dropped off for some BS plotless plot.

[Astro · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't know to say this, but the 4/5 star reviews seem fake, either that, or I have read so many zombie books that inconsistencies end up destroying my suspended reality.
I know k don't make much sense, but its hard to explain without spoilers, still I will give it s try.
Put simply, the books are quite basic in nature, bunch of different societies, and bunch of power hungry people, u know the usual, on problem is that the amount of unity shown in the pirates(extra rapey bad guys), and the amount of discord shoen in the other groups is so beyond obvious plot convince, that it just destroys the narrative.
People living in comfort willing to betray their groups for no reason other than plot convince, and a bunch of extremely irrational and honestly poorly though out actions, it's just sad.
And all that can be ignored if only there was dumb fun to be had, but there is none of that, it's mostly just feels like bad guys won cause that is what the writer wanted it to be, to progress to the next point, where they fail cause due to discord among themselfs that just poped out of nowhere, ffs.
The first book takes place cause a skilled member of the first group went into a room with a bunch of supposed dangerous people and put a bunch of his group members at risk, even though he has the knowledge and the experience to not do that, it still happens, and latter they all point it out, even himself, then why it happened u may ask, for plots sake.
And before u think that there could be other circumstances, no there were not, they had thr drop on those guys, and had all the time in the world to approach them with a simple plan as guns out.
The rest of the six books are just as bad, chance to kill the bad guy, literally in front of the bad guy, with a bloody m4, still never took a shot, even though hr was there to do exactly that, why u may ask, PLOT.
Its not a bad book, if all u have is this book to read, it's horrible, yes, but it's not as bad as many others out there.
Still skip it if u can.

[Jeanette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zombies...

These zombies are huge!
Once again we are back in the authors apocalypse. And I love it! New characters so engaging they pull you right in the story from the first chapter.
Jenn is 15 years old, orphaned and living her life in a community that doesn't want her. Governed by a "coven" of older women who rely on signs to run their community, she is very self sufficient taking care of herself, but always with the knowledge that the zombies are still around, however they seem to have mutated and are bigger, faster & stronger.
Stu is the community protector. He plans & protects these people against zombies, raiders & whatever goes bump in the middle of the night.
Mike is from a community on Alcatraz. A great sailor as boats are their way of traveling. He's also to play a big part in Jenn's life if the coven has anything to do with it.
Of course a simple outing goes wrong, people are injured & Jenn and Mike are blamed. Antibiotics are not working against infection, there is no doctor or anyone to help.
Stu has heard a rumor of a " girl doctor" in Oregon. They plan to take a boat to find this girl and maybe antibiotics to save their lives.
Everything goes wrong. Storms, corsairs, cannibals ... a challenge they don't know if they can win. Stu is injured.
The girl doctor? Who else could it be? Our Jillybean! She's as messed up as ever! But still brilliant in her own way. What fun to read her interaction with these new characters.
I really enjoyed this book. Lots of action, adventure and zombies!
Kudos to the author. The storyline is great, we meet some old friends & make new ones. I would highly recommend this to anyone who loves the apocalyptic genre...😉

[Anniek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jenn lives at a community who're seeing her as bad luck. She became an orphan at as a teenager and had to stand up for herself ever since her father died. Her only friend is Stu. He's the brother she never had. Together they've been on countless trips to salvage or trade anything they need.
The community is lead by the coven. Seven women decide what needs to be done to survive. They think it's time for jenn to marry. Stu takes jenn on a trip to Alcatraz. A nearby community who has a lot of available young men. Jenn is linked to Mike. Someone she's know since she was a kid. What will happen when this trip ends badly? Can Jenn be braver than she's ever been?

Stu, Jenn and Mike need to find a doctor badly and they've only heard rumours of a girl doctor who lives up North. She'll be their only chance at staying in the community they've grown up in. Can this girl be the answer to their prayers?

Generation Z is the first book I've read by Peter Meredith and he supried me with the depth of the characters and the details in his story. The zombies are dangerous but are also mindless beasts who can be tricked. I found this angle refreshing and unique. Jenn is such a sweetheart. She's not really known the world before the zombies and I loved how pure and innocent she is. I liked it a lot to see her develop through the story since she's such a great and loyal friend.

I've read many zombie stories and I loved it when I can still be surprised. Generation Z absolutely did that. Every time when I thought things would go one way, an unexpected twist made me gasp out loud and had me turn the pages.

[Camilla Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Compared to other zombie novels I've read, this one has a charm they don't. It feels like a survival zombie game with a good storyline in a book, which made it feel so much more alive and dynamic for me.

Although I had some issues with Jenn being portrayed as a strong independent outcast type girl, there were times when even people who respect her as this (e.g. Stu) would 180 and say something slightly demeaning due to her sex. As in: I know you're tough as nails and can hold your own, but I can't let you do this specific dangerous thing because you're a girl and you need society to protect you rather than risk becoming a sex slave for some hoodlums. Wait what. That one seemed odd. Luckily it seemed like a minor issue that didn't reoccur to my knowledge.

Other than that, Jenn is moderately interesting as a character, Stu and Mike a bit more weakly defined, but other supporting characters bring life to the story.

I really enjoyed it because it wasn't just "amagurd zombols, let's run and do stupid shit to survive". It had so much more content in it. Then again, I have mainly read apocalyptic zombie books not post-apocalyptic. That does make a difference. I think this type is much more my style in hindsight.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a tough time taking zombie apocalypse books seriously so I wasn't sure how much I was going to like this, the blurb however sounded interesting so I decided to give it a go. I'm really glad that I did, the book was very entertaining!

The characters are fantastic, Jillybean, Jenn, Mike & Stu are all very different and yet they all ft together really well and they're so easy to like. The supporting cast is also well crafted.

I was impressed by the world building it was vivid and believable and the description of the zombies is really well done. The changes to society are really interesting and detailed.

And if you're looking for action, you'll find a lot of that as well, especially in the second half.

The narration is excellent, I really enjoyed the character voice they were easily recognizable for the different characters and the delivery matched the emotions and activities during the story.

I received a free copy of this book from the author and/or narrator and/or publisher and I voluntarily wrote this honest review.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Dark Look At The Latter Years Of Post-Apoc Society

The characters are real. The societies they barely exist in are very diverse, fringe, and extreme. This is a very dark, scary look at what could be after most of the human race has gone. You are left with those who are desperate, scared, scratching out a bare existence in a ruined world full of giant undead monsters. The main character, Jenn, goes from a self sufficient young girl who still holds much fear of the world outside her small community, to a more assured, outspoken, and brave women willing to do anything to protect her friends and save lives. Even if it means traveling up the coast into dangers known and unknown - slavers, sickness, ocean storms... Along with Stu and Mike, she'll face it to find the source of a legend, the girl doctor.

It's an impossible book to put down, and the story calls to you when you do. The spots of happiness are small, so look hard. I love unique spoons on the zombie genre, and Peter Meredith is one of the definitive masters. Read this, and it's current sequel. Enjoy!

[J Snyder · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars rounded down to 2. I had rounded up but after a little bit of time thinking about it, the parts I didn't like have stuck with me much more than the parts I enjoyed.

I have to say that I like the premise of this book and I like the "growing zombie" idea. It's something that makes this universe unique among other zombie fiction. The beginning part is great as it sets the (bleak, very bleak) tone for the world and establishes characters and "the rules" of how the zombies work.

The story really falls apart in the second half with the introduction of Jillybean and the overall shift in the power dynamic of the zombies as they go from "terrifying" to "nuisance" to "tool to be used".

I want to give the author a pass on Jillybean as the character is featured heavily in the 15 (?) other works set in this universe, but the tone shifts dramatically once she's introduced and it really took me out of the story. Also where did all the ammunition come from? One of the reasons the zombies are such a huge threat is that it's established early on how precious a resource bullets are, yet this story features multiple crazy shootouts without any mention of resource expenditure.

I may read more in this series if the other works are more like the beginning of the book, but I have a suspicion that the parts I enjoyed (suspense/world building/realistic characters) are the parts that will be less emphasized as the series moves forward.

[Carolina · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book starts 12 years after the apocalypse with a 16 years young girl as the main character in this book. The first half of the book is not credible...
The zombies are more like big evolved monsters and the world described seems more destroyed than only 12 years has passed...

And also the way the village people are described as a "coven" and al the mambo-jambo of seeing "the signs" everywhere, describes the characters in the village like they never had a modern world before. 12 years in the apocalypse is not so far ahead that people start to behave like nutters. 🤪

This young girls doesn't know meanings of some words from "the old world" but recognise old buildings and what it was used for?  The credibility of al this is worthless.

But the second half of the book gets better, more action packed And i can't stop reading 📖...

So do i like the book, yeah... Just because i liked the characters... Will I read the second... Still thinking about it.

[Heather H. Pogson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zombies? Check. Epic story? Double check. Fear factor? OMG GASP! :O

A "cursed" teenage girl sets out on high stakes journey to save her friends back home, but what she finds instead is the courage to be and accept herself even when no one else would.

When I read the words, "THE END". This was my reaction, "Nooooooooo~! Where's the next book? I NEED THE NEXT BOOK!"

I was hooked by the characters and worldbuilding of this book. The story kept me swiping through the ebook pages way into the wee hours of the morning. Effectively written and equally bone chilling. I was entirely engrossed in this book that I put off reading anything else just to finish it. Thank you Peter Meredith for writing such a wonderful zombie book that I'll highly recommend to all zombie fanatics out there!

[Fiona Findlater · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read a lot of zombie apocalypse books and in the beginning I used to love reading about how they came about and how humans adapted to the change. This book is way beyond that, years on where children don't know or remember what civilisation used to be like. They have to make do with the resources that have been left behind. What would happen, how would you live without electricity, hot running water, would humans unite and work together, would it bring out the good or the bad in the human race. Would they regain lost knowledge and reclaim civilisation or devolve back to a simple and ignorant way of life? Well pick this book up and have a read of Peter's take on this genre. Peter has an uncanny understanding of the good and the bad in each and every one of us and what one person can do if they put their mind to it!

[Sabrina Sellers · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book that really grabbed my attention and held on, not like some others I've read lately. I think it is part of a series, but I did just fine reading it as a standalone. There's a girl and a guy, and they're not sure they want to be together, but the choices are limited in the postapocalypse. The romance was a part of the story, but not the main part, so if you don't like that, you might still like this book. I don't want to give too much away, but there are zombies, of course, there is a quest to save friends, and there are humans who are too evil to live, but somehow, that seems to be the kind that does. In fact, the book points out that the good were the first to die. But there are still good people in this book. And it's not what I would call Teen or YA. So if you like post apocalypse stories or zombie stories, this is a great, exciting adventure.