Book Review: The Colony: Genesis, by Michaelbrent Collings
Review by Jon Clapier
THE COLONY: GENESIS, by Michaelbrent Collings, is another zombie end-of-the-world-apocalypse. Need I say more? Yes, I do, even at the risk of sounding slightly psychotic by answering my own apparently rhetorical question.
I have spent plenty of time in the slush pile of Fiction Vortex, occasionally finding myself agonizing over some wonderful ideas presented within the hundreds of stories that I have read, but often those excellent ideas were written without the skill to project them in a manner pleasing to the eye and mind. Most of these are rejected outright simply because the authors haven’t yet become practiced at their craft. Many others are returned to their authors with editorial suggestions. I also find some very well-written stories that seem to go nowhere or suffer from a basic premise that is flawed. These too can sometimes be salvaged with editing and rewriting but usually they are also rejected.
It has become apparent to me that in most cases a good author can take a bad idea and write a good story, but a bad author will rarely make a good idea into a successful story. (No jokes about Meyer!)
Mr. Collings has taken a general idea that has been done by others and given us his own interpretation of it, and it is good. So, whether you like zombie novels or not, I think you will find The Colony: Genesis is definitely well-written, fast-paced, and it moves forward without bogging down, much more so than most novels. He will have you turning pages quickly, (or clicking the page down button!) The action is intense, gory, and abundant. There were times when I was reading it that I felt real concern for the characters because the threat of peril is so constant and horrific. Much like the old adage of ‘out of the frying pan and into the fire,’ but here Collings adds for his characters, ‘and then into the river of lava.’
The basic zombie premise was presented with a new twist and it lent enough mystery to keep my attention from wandering while I read. In fact, I was drawn into the book well enough to not note the passage of time or how many pages were flying by, which is one of the greatest compliments I can give for any book.
I will point out that, just because I personally liked it, I am not under the opinion that it is perfect. The character development seemed to me to be a little bit cliché — especially for supporting characters — and the situations didn’t give me the same chills that I have gotten from some of my favorite Stephen King novels. But I would still recommend it to anyone who enjoys the genre, or even one close to it.
If you are squeamish at the sight of blood, either real or in print, then this may not be the book for you. But, if you want a straightforward horrific adventure with a taste of mystery, then you should definitely enjoy The Colony: Genesis. My only real complaint was: It was too short.