Surviving the Dead Series by James N. Cook, Joshua Guess

My name is Eric Riordan. Once, I was a wealthy man leading a comfortable, easy life. Then my old friend Gabriel told me how the world would end. Gabriel tried to help me. He taught me everything he learned as a Scout Sniper in the Marine Corps. All the hard lessons from years spent in the sand choked battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan. I did everything I could to prepare. I thought I was ready.I was wrong.When the Outbreak came, it destroyed everything... moreMy name is Eric Riordan. Once, I was a wealthy man leading a comfortable, easy life. Then my old friend Gabriel told me how the world would end. Gabriel tried to help me. He taught me everything he learned as a Scout Sniper in the Marine Corps. All the hard lessons from years spent in the sand choked battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan. I did everything I could to prepare. I thought I was ready.I was wrong.When the Outbreak came, it destroyed everything. The dead rose to consume the living, and all that mankind spent so many millennia working to build was laid to waste in a matter of months. The undead spared no one, leaving only ashes and death in their wake.For those of us still alive, every single day is a struggle. In spite of the danger, and the darkness, I still believe there is a chance that the human race can rebuild. If I can make my way North and enlist Gabriel's help, maybe we can find enough people to start over again. It won't be easy, though. I have to make my way across the ruins of the old world, and along the way my will to live, my humanity, and my very soul will be tested.I have food, I have a pickup truck, and I have my trusty rifle. Most importantly, I have hope. Hope is a powerful thing, but I will need much more than that if I am to survive the dead.This is the beginning. This is my story. less

Eric Riordan doesn't look for trouble, but trouble has a way of finding him.Two years have passed since the Outbreak. After joining forces with his friend Gabriel he has managed to stay alive by fleeing to the peaks of the Appalachian mountains. With supplies running low, and enemies gathering, the two survivors are forced to begin their journey west to Colorado. Along the way they will find unexpected allies, reunite with old friends, and make deadly new enemies... moreEric Riordan doesn't look for trouble, but trouble has a way of finding him.Two years have passed since the Outbreak. After joining forces with his friend Gabriel he has managed to stay alive by fleeing to the peaks of the Appalachian mountains. With supplies running low, and enemies gathering, the two survivors are forced to begin their journey west to Colorado. Along the way they will find unexpected allies, reunite with old friends, and make deadly new enemies. As difficult as life has been, the most dangerous times lie ahead. Nothing is ever easy at the end of the world. less

There are those who do not wish for peace.As the Free Legion declares war on the survivors of Hollow Rock, Gabriel and Eric find themselves drawn ever deeper into the growing conflict. Aided by a fledgling militia, and a small contingent of federal operatives, the two warriors must find a way to defeat an unyielding enemy that threatens to destroy all they have grown to love... moreThere are those who do not wish for peace.As the Free Legion declares war on the survivors of Hollow Rock, Gabriel and Eric find themselves drawn ever deeper into the growing conflict. Aided by a fledgling militia, and a small contingent of federal operatives, the two warriors must find a way to defeat an unyielding enemy that threatens to destroy all they have grown to love.To win, Gabriel must become the leader he was born to be, while Eric, haunted by his actions since the Outbreak, must descend deeper into the heart of darkness.In this battle, nothing is what it seems. The tides of power are shifting, and soon, a danger even greater than the living dead will rise…Surviving the Dead I: No Easy HopeSurviving the Dead II: This Shattered LandSurviving the Dead III: Warrior Within less

While this was released after The Warrior Within (Book 3 of Surviving the Dead), it is not Book 4 in the series. It is related and some of the characters were in the first book in the series, No Easy Hope. It is more of a supplemental reading to the series.During the Outbreak, like billions of others, a man finds himself infected with the Phage. Desperate to spare his family from watching him become a walking nightmare, he flees. Soon after, he is dead. Two years later, he wakes up... moreWhile this was released after The Warrior Within (Book 3 of Surviving the Dead), it is not Book 4 in the series. It is related and some of the characters were in the first book in the series, No Easy Hope. It is more of a supplemental reading to the series.During the Outbreak, like billions of others, a man finds himself infected with the Phage. Desperate to spare his family from watching him become a walking nightmare, he flees. Soon after, he is dead. Two years later, he wakes up. Not in the afterlife, but in his own body. Trapped, unable to control the monster that carries him, and forced to witness the horror of its existence. A hundred miles away, Sergeant Ethan Thompson thinks he has seen the worst the apocalypse has to offer. He is wrong. Following the trail of a dying madman, he will embark on a journey of vengeance that will test the limits of his sanity. Along the way, he will learn that there is no justice at the end of the world. There is only the living and the dead, and in between, there is The Passenger. less

“Before you embark on a journey of vengeance, dig two graves.” - Confucius. With the dark cloud of civil war gathering on the horizon, Gabriel Garrett struggles to protect his new home and the new life he has just begun. But as he soon learns, a man’s past has a way of catching up with him, and Gabriel has more than his share of dark secrets. When his world is shattered, he will walk a path of vengeance across a land where the dead hold sway, and the living count their lives in seconds... more“Before you embark on a journey of vengeance, dig two graves.” - Confucius. With the dark cloud of civil war gathering on the horizon, Gabriel Garrett struggles to protect his new home and the new life he has just begun. But as he soon learns, a man’s past has a way of catching up with him, and Gabriel has more than his share of dark secrets. When his world is shattered, he will walk a path of vengeance across a land where the dead hold sway, and the living count their lives in seconds. His enemy is the deadliest he has ever faced, and in this battle, there is no justice, no redemption, and no mercy. There is only revenge. less

For Caleb Hicks, survival means hiding in plain sight. Trained from a young age to be a super-soldier, he has worked hard to keep his abilities hidden. But after a disastrous mistake forces him into military service, hiding his skills becomes increasingly difficult. To maintain his cover, he isolates himself, rarely speaking and discussing his past with no one. Until now... moreFor Caleb Hicks, survival means hiding in plain sight. Trained from a young age to be a super-soldier, he has worked hard to keep his abilities hidden. But after a disastrous mistake forces him into military service, hiding his skills becomes increasingly difficult. To maintain his cover, he isolates himself, rarely speaking and discussing his past with no one. Until now. After finding love in the wake of catastrophe, he will finally reveal the secrets of his childhood, his training, and the tragic events of his life following the Outbreak. Packed with intense action, thrills, and suspense, The Darkest Place is a harrowing tale of love, loss, and survival against all odds. And ultimately, of the enduring power of hope. Surviving the Dead series (in order): No Easy Hope This Shattered Land Warrior Within The Passenger Fire In Winter The Darkest Place less

Eric Riordan thought he had seen the worst the post-Outbreak world had to offer. He was wrong. As the Midwest Alliance puts plans in motion to touch off a civil war, Eric and a group of elite warriors are recruited to stop them. To prevent disaster, they will venture into the heart of enemy territory on an assassination mission. To survive, Eric will have to call on all his training, willpower, and strength... moreEric Riordan thought he had seen the worst the post-Outbreak world had to offer. He was wrong. As the Midwest Alliance puts plans in motion to touch off a civil war, Eric and a group of elite warriors are recruited to stop them. To prevent disaster, they will venture into the heart of enemy territory on an assassination mission. To survive, Eric will have to call on all his training, willpower, and strength. Because this fight will determine not only his future, but the fate of an entire nation. And if he fails, the enemy will show no mercy. Surviving the Dead Series: No Easy Hope This Shattered Land Warrior Within The Passenger Fire in Winter The Darkest Place Savages less

Gabriel Garrett has faced many challenges. The battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan, the CIA, several years as a mercenary, and the end of the world among them. But now he faces a challenge none of his training, expertise, or combat experience have prepared him for—fatherhood. With a new family and new responsibilities, Gabriel decides to leave Hollow Rock and start over in the growing city of Colorado Springs... moreGabriel Garrett has faced many challenges. The battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan, the CIA, several years as a mercenary, and the end of the world among them. But now he faces a challenge none of his training, expertise, or combat experience have prepared him for—fatherhood. With a new family and new responsibilities, Gabriel decides to leave Hollow Rock and start over in the growing city of Colorado Springs. It is here he believes he can finally leave behind the violence that has always followed him and begin a new chapter in his life. But to get there, he will have to cross the vastness of the American plains, and in a world where the dead walk the earth, no journey is ever easy. When his caravan is ransacked, Gabriel, his stalwart friends Eric Riordan and Caleb Hicks, and his new family are forced to endure the dangers of the post-Outbreak world on their own. It is here they will face marauders, criminal organizations, corrupt government officials, starvation, and every danger the wastelands can throw at them. To survive, they will have to rely on their courage, resourcefulness, and will to fight. And most importantly, they will have to rely on each other. less

For years, exiles from North Korea, China, and Russia have terrorized the Western Seaboard of post-Outbreak America. And for years, the remnants of U.S. military forces have struggled to defeat them. No more. After U.S. forces cripple the enemy's ability to wage war, the North Koreans and their allies have engaged in a last ditch effort to save themselves by building internment camps where thousands of American citizens are being held hostage. They think they are invulnerable... moreFor years, exiles from North Korea, China, and Russia have terrorized the Western Seaboard of post-Outbreak America. And for years, the remnants of U.S. military forces have struggled to defeat them. No more. After U.S. forces cripple the enemy's ability to wage war, the North Koreans and their allies have engaged in a last ditch effort to save themselves by building internment camps where thousands of American citizens are being held hostage. They think they are invulnerable. They think they have the ultimate leverage. They are wrong. Caleb Hicks, Gabriel Garrett, Tyrel Jennings, and Raymond Grabovsky will join forces with patriotic troops who have spent years fighting the North Koreans to bring their reign of terror to an end. To accomplish this, they will have to utilize a secret weapon even the U.S. government has been afraid to use. Until now... Don't miss this next exciting chapter in the Surviving the Dead series! Surviving the Dead Series: No Easy Hope This Shattered Land Warrior Within The Passenger Fire in Winter The Darkest Place Savages The Killing Line Storm of Ghosts less