Review: PLAGUE TOWN by Dana Fredsti

Ashley Parker has had a hell of a time: she has a rotten ex; she’s returned to college in her late twenties; and she’s just survived what is quite arguably the worst flu she’s ever had.  Unfortunately, that’s just the tip of the iceberg.  The dead have begun to reanimate and are wrecking havoc on her quiet college town—and it is up to her and a handful of “wild cards,” people immune to the strange infection behind the plague, to restore order within the quarantine zone and prevent a potential pandemic.

I can’t express enough how much I enjoyed this book.  Ashley is headstrong but lovable, surrounded by a small ensemble cast that compliments her witty character.  The story is fast-paced, creepy, and beautifully executed.  Fredsti’s style appears effortless, and her use of pop culture is the perfect mesh of subtle, integrative, and timely.  I loved the author’s take on the zombie survival horror genre, which pays homage to the classics while offering some unique new twists.  I rate this book an enthusiastic five stars.

The island town of Limm has a history that spans as far back as the Vikings, rich with mead, folklore, and its own private demons.  The story follows several people as they fight against a collective evil lurking in multiple forms that seeks to destroy everything in its path.

This story was very well written, containing rich characters, clean dialog, and lovely prose.  There were a few places where I felt that the pace lagged, and the large ensemble of characters made it difficult to keep track of some of them, but overall it was a fun read that was charming at times and wonderfully creepy at others.  I rate this work 4.5 stars.