The Thirteenth Step: Zombie Recovery - Softcover

Miller, Michele W.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0991066812 ISBN 13: 9780991066810

Publisher: HOW Club Press, 2013

Synopsis

Eight people escape decimated New York. They have only one thing in common: the alcoholic gene. The same genetic quirk that makes alcoholics and addicts susceptible to booze and drugs gives them a mysterious ability to evade detection by the undead. But one gene in common isn’t enough to unite them. They’re an unlikely crew: A Botoxed Upper Eastsider; a drug dealer rescued from lockup; a resentful daughter of addicts; an insecure AA guy; a Japanese ex-dope fiend; an addicted Ivy Leaguer; and a Mexican immigrant. Dodging natural and unnatural disasters, drugged lunatics, and the living dead, they struggle to face their personal demons, accept one another, and find a new life. They think they’ve reached the end of their trek when they encounter a settlement that takes A.A. to fundamentalist extremes. They have to make a choice...one they may not survive.

About this title

About the Author

Married to a New York City high school chemistry teacher, mom to15-year-old twins, and an Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awardssemi-finalist, Michele practices law and lives in Manhattan.

Review

2013 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards Quarter-Finalist

"A humorous and surprising satire of both the zombie apocalypse and the culture of addiction....wholly original...satisfying....  The care taken in both characterization and prose earns the reader’s time. A well-written, thoughtful treatment not just of a popular literary trope but of a nagging social issue."
-KIRKUS REVIEWS

"What makes this book stand out, besides its great pacing and true-to-life dialogue, is the characters and their relation to one another... .  It's a striking look at the ills of society without being preachy...a study of human nature in the guise of a horror novel....  Miller is also able to weave in her brazen New York style humor seamlessly. The humor is harsh and unbridled, delivered in a way that only a native of New York can really master.  If you like zombies or well written books of any genre, then you can't go wrong with The Thirteenth Step: Zombie Recovery."
-HELLNOTES.COM

"Michele Miller has had more lives than a cat, and they've made her a writer of passion and substance."
-Lawrence Block, Edgar Award winner & New York Times bestselling author

"I don't normally read this genre but the prose was so taut and the premise so original that I kept turning pages....   This book deserves lots of accolades.  Read it!!
-Ashley Prentice Norton, author of The Chocolate Money

"It is very well-written and well-paced.  The writing flows naturally and is not self-conscious.  The dialogue is believable....  This is an engaging and entertaining read."
-Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Expert Review.

"The zombie apocalypse is not the story; it's the setting.  This thought-provoking commentary on 12-Step culture -- our pitfalls, majesty and volatility -- is the treasure inside this story....  This book ranks as a strong buy from this analyst."
-Rebelliondogspublishing.com

"Likeable characters.  Moves at a good clip.  Good read."
 -Isabel Cristina Pinedo, author of Recreational Terror: Women & the Pleasures of Horror Film Viewing

"As an author, fan of the genre... I have nothing but envy for the premise of this book. Addicts, and those who have the genetic makeup of an addict, are immune to the Zombie infection. Zombies don't smell them and seek them out the way they do with other humans.  So what is left wandering the post-apocalyptic zombie wasteland is either recovering addicts, or those who continue to get high on the scraps left behind.  Why can't I think of something cool like that?  ...[L]ike all the best zombie stories, this isn't about the zombies at all. It is to see if humans can keep their humanity, or will they become like the undead they are trying to escape...   You will smile and become part of this group as you read about their adventures...."
-Mark Matthews, author of On The Lips of Children

About this edition

• Publisher: HOW Club Press
• Publication date: 2013
• ISBN 10: 0991066812
• ISBN 13: 9780991066810
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 254