3 1/2 stars
I am so torn about this book. Even after taking a few days off from goodreads, I'm still no closer to deciding how I actually feel about it and whether, in the end, I think it's worth recommending to others.

Let me just say first: I love the idea. I love the clever twists that took me completely by surprise, I love the creepy setting and I also love the relationship between Michael and Patrick. This is a very eerie novel, one that is filled with zombie- creatures called Bellows that moan back your words to you in an elongated, disturbing echo. The End Games opens up right in the middle of the action, there's barely room to breathe before we are thrown into this dark world of monsters, where two young boys must fight to survive against the odds and make it to the end of the game: the safe zone.

This is the element that immediately sets this book apart from every other dystopia/sci-fi/horror story (or at least the ones that I've read) - the game. Michael and Patrick must play the game, evade the monsters, collect their points and make it through the various challenging levels until they reach the game's end. They follow instructions from a mysterious Game Master who assures them that the monsters cannot hurt them inside the game, who assures them that their mother awaits them at the game's end. But who is this Game Master? Can he be trusted? Or is he something else entirely? This part of the book with the boys' uncertainty and the constant action is told brilliantly.

Another strength of The End Games is the relationship between Michael and Patrick. I have personally always loved a good tale of sibling bonds and this one is fantastic. Michael's protectiveness of Patrick and the fear he feels over the possibility of any harm coming to him seem very genuine and believable. On the other hand, Patrick's idolisation of his older brother and his own heartwarming attempts to protect him in return make this one truly well-rounded and touching relationship. Being all each other have in this game world, the strength of their love for one another is made evident, but it also means they have much more to lose.

I think, ultimately, this book's greatest strength also becomes its biggest problem and it would be very difficult for me to talk about it without heading into spoiler territory. What happens about a quarter of the way into the book is excellent and yet, in some ways, it takes something away from the rest of the novel and left me with a story very similar to the vast amount of other zombie apocalypse novels I've read. Which is not necessarily a bad thing if you're a big fan of the average zombie apocalypse novel. But I'm not. In order for me to enjoy a story about staggering dead people, there has to be something more to it. , for example, in This is Not a Test and The Reapers Are the Angels.

The End Games is a great idea but the very backbone of the story is flawed, in my opinion. It is an odd book in that I want to tell people to read it so we can talk about it; and yet, I feel the need to warn them of its problems.2013 arc dystopia-utopia ...more46 s Trudi615 1,621


It used to be I'd pick up any zombie book and be easily entertained. I mean, c'mon -- zombies...s'all good, right? But as I get older, with a gluttonous trail of consumed zombie books left in my wake, I've become a lot more discriminating and hyper-critical. And the simple reason for that is I have proof that zombies can be amazing. And once you know that, there's no going back to the good ol' days when merely okay was good enough.

Which brings us to The End Games: a debut novel riding the tsunami-sized zombie popularity wave onto our to-read piles. At least onto mine. In short: there are some great action scenes, a few plot-twists I haven't seen before, and an endearing relationship shared between big brother Mike and five-year-old Patrick. But overall, it still felt average and meh. It certainly didn't blow my skirt up or leave me panting for more. I won't run out and scream for all my zombie-loving friends to get their greedy hands on a copy asap.

It was fine. It was okay. But these days, I'm looking for so much more than that. 2013 apocalyptic-types cover-lust ...more15 s Stephanie377 351

This review and others are posted at Read, Rinse, Repeat.

I've read through the current on Goodreads, and one common thread is that everyone loved the relationship between brothers Michael, seventeen, and Patrick, five. I'll be the lone wolf who says I did not it. At all. This child seemed straight out of 80's sitcom land: way too cutesy and overly precocious in a way that made me (and I can't believe I'm writing this about a young child) dis him. I suppose I can understand why readers who responded positively to the relationship rated the story highly. For better or worse, this relationship drives nearly the entire plot. I do appreciate a boy who puts the needs of his little brother first and goes to extraordinary (and often unbelievable) lengths to protect him. I'm going to pause now to allow you to get out your pitchforks...


Are you ready? Pitchforks in hand? OK...

I wanted the zombies to eat Patrick. There, I said it. In part, just to get this annoying person out of the book. But also, I think the plot would have received a much-needed jolt of energy by dispatching this child who required constant care and attention, admittedly just as would any 5 year old in a setting populated with ravenous zombies.

Look at the last two words of the synopsis: "unexpected romance." Well, no, it was not unexpected to me. Unnecessary? Definitely. Thrown in at the request of the agent or publisher? Maybe. It seems as much an afterthought in the book as it did in the synopsis. Out of the tiny, and I mean TINY, group of seemingly-normal survivors the boys found, one just happened to be the correct age and gender to appeal to a heterosexual teenage boy. Her character could have been a different age or gender, and if you take away the flirty moments, you've got the same book.

If you've visited my site before, you might know that my obsession with zombies often leads me to give some leeway to flaws that might bother other readers. As fantastic as the synopsis sounded, and THAT AWESOME COVER, I just couldn't do it here. In addition to the character problems I mentioned, I was also turned off by the overly juvenile tone of the writing. Yes, it's YA, but the tone of the book and Michael's own voice seemed a bit dumbed-down. It almost seemed more MG than YA. The secondary characters, particularly the villains, were little more than caricatures, and there is absolutely no surprise in who gets their zombie comeuppance. Worst of all, these zombies/bellows were not all that scary, and I never had the sense that the characters who were obviously going to make it to the end were ever in danger. And that, my friends, is a major zombie fail.

Note - I received an ARC of this book from the publisher for review.
arc-galley horror post-apocalyptic ...more9 s Melanie589 1,077

See more at YA Midnight Reads

3.5 stars

Thank you HarperTeen for sending me this copy. No compensation was given or taken to alter this review.

'The Bellow replied: "NEEEEEWWW-" Three, two..."Good morning," Michael said, and the first shafts of dawn slit bright and pink over the trees, glimmering the snow and windshield dust on their dashboard. The sunshine struck the Bellow's eyes: the creature collapsed on its knees, and it's roar became a roar of pain.'

The hardest to write are always the ones that I had nothing completely against or anything that I loved entirely. The End Games was clearly one of those as I'm struggling to find words to place together and form comprehendible sentences. Yet on all, The End Games was rather enjoyable.

It's simple enough. The rules in the Game. Follow them, collect points and keep away from Bellows and you will find the Safe Zone. But if it were only that simple. At a glance, The End Game's premise is rather absurd. But once becoming enveloped into the novel, twists will jump out and surprise you when you least expect it. In a new take on aliens in sci-fi world, Bellows are the alive dead that are a mixture of zombies/vampires where they imitate people talking in a 'bellowing' voice and bite them. Their bite is viscous, if a human comes intact with one, they will also soon evolve into a Bellow. Michael tells is five year old brother, Patrick, that the 'Game Master' guides them to the Safe Zone where they will meet their mother. But who is the Game Master? Why do they need to collect points? Martin successfully illusions the atmosphere with doubt, suspicion and sceptical-ness towards each and every character. This original level of uncertainty Martin created brightened up The End Games even at the most uneventful of times.

Told in third person, naturally it is hard to relate or understand what the characters are pondering in their minds etc. However Martin accomplishes this aspect so flawlessly it seems rather surreal and impossible at times. Not only was each character outlined intricately, the relationships with the main character were so diverse and attaching. Michael, our main character is not exactly what he seems on the surface. He holds are dark, secretive regret towards his little brother, and deems that it's wrong to tell Patrick what really is going on. What I admired about this was Michael's protectiveness and intelligence. Majority of Michael's actions were reasonable and not out of impulse. Yet still, I constantly felt a nagging point of him where he was too overly regretful of his own actions etc. sometimes, Michael was too caught up in self regret to acknowledge the urgent issues being addressed.

Despite all negativity, The End Games will promise a heart warming relationship between the two brothers; Michael and Patrick. I was constantly relating them back to me and my own sister. Many people remark that our age difference is excruciatingly large and what a surprise it is that we kind of get along. And nothing beats one where the ages are 17 and 5. That is DOUBLE the age difference of my sister and I. In post-apocalyptic situations, Martin lightened, ever so skilfully, the mood with this gravitating interaction that kept me entertained during the attention-poo- ish holes, but also levelled out a blunt sense of humour to really make this book stand out.

Another relationship I found loveable was Jopek's and Michael's. Jopek, is, in my opinion much more eventful than the Bellows, I felt the Bellows were just some random alive dead corpses running around moaning nothing was to horrifying. It only seemed to add a slight tinge of atmospheric taste to The Games. But Jopek, was what I found fascinating to analyse. Definitely a unpredictable character, jumping out unexpectedly, Jopek manages to make The End Games far more eventful. Half the time, I really couldn't know what to expect when Jopek was part of the plot as his attitude and motions were just slightly abnormal. The way he interacted with Michael striked me as jovial then seriously intense at other times. Completely contrasting.

All in all, The End Games was somewhat satisfying while I believe it could have been improved in many levels (i. e. Bellows playing a larger role). The characters were definitely a strong point in this book as well as the idea and twists. An eerie debut novel that kept me struggling to find coherent words. action aliens-and-other-creepy-creatures books-i-own ...more8 s Dayla2,357 214

Review first appeared on my blog: Book Addict 24-7

I received a copy from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review

The beginning of May is riddled with a few zombie novels that have opened up the world of zombies for us beyond the usual shambling and insatiable creatures that haunt our dreams. T. Michael Martin's young adult debut, The End Games, plays perfectly into this genre-changing month with its unique take on the undead, and its very emotionally stimulating and raw internal struggle. Brimming with stories untold and an extremely successful use of third person narrative, The End Games is a must-read for any young adult zombie enthusiast.

I've mentioned in various other that I am not a fan of third person narrative, whether it is omniscient or limited. But I will have to put that dis to the side for this one. I was wary at first, since third person usually feels disconnected and unreliable, but wow, Martin sure knows how to cross the disconnected barrier. Though the narrative is obviously third person, the writing feels so personal and unique, that it made me want more and more.

Michael, our seventeen-year-old protagonist, paints a distressing picture of a past that actually acts as a good opponent against his current predicament. Zombies, or as he and his five-year-old brother, Patrick, call them, Bellows (ingenius, since these creatures repeat whatever they hear), have taken over the world as we know it. They struck, ironically enough, on Halloween and offered both a purpose and salvation for the two lone brothers.

We are pushed from liking Michael, to pitying him, hating him, then finally, having the hope that he is too afraid to have. He is only human and though he acts as more than that for his brother's sake, we are reminded many times of how insecure he is about his decisions. As we continue reading his story, we begin to find it difficult to discern the difference between his fearful reality and what is blissfully imagined.

In fact, the internal struggle Michael experiences (occasionally written in spurts of stream of consciousness) is so powerful that we are often drawn to the darkness of his past, rather than the dangers of his present. And while he creates a somewhat safe world for his emotionally unstable little brother, we forget that Michael himself is a child who also needs to believe in something; who also needs protection from the past the two brothers are running from.

While Patrick's inability to accept his surroundings as something more than just a game may infuriate me, I also understand that he is just a kid stuck in the middle of a zombie apocalypse with only his brother.

Martin starts off the novel with a hook that is electrifying and immediately intriguing. Right off the bat, we want to know: What game is this? Who are these players? What are bellows? Who is this game master?

Of course, aspects of religion are tossed in, as they usually are with post-apocalyptic novels, but I how they are hinted at and occasionally used, but not to the extent where it is everything the protagonist thinks about. Sure you have your biblical lunatics here and there in The End Games, but let's be honest: aren't they, or any approximations of this genre cliche, in every post-apocalyptic novel?

The tone and prose go hand in hand. Whereas one expects the prose to make up the tone (words, phrases, etc), Martin uses the (extremely cool) technique of letting the prose highlight the tone. Sometimes the text breaks up, or repeats itself, just to create a hyper awareness of Michael's surroundings, or his thoughts and memories. This also plays into making the whole third person narrative aspect of this novel unique. We aren't simply being told what is up, we are being shown how to feel what we are being told.

One last note, and probably one of the more important ones when it comes to books this one: The End Games is CREEPY. Very extremely, can't look away, block your eyes, look out your window to make sure there are no bellows out there, creepy. Gory, exciting, bloody, frustrating (thanks to humanity's occasional ignorance), and heart-warming (Patrick and Michael are the cutest siblings ever!), The End Games is a must-read.

The End Games baited me with a very original and intelligent concept, hooked me with its twist just after we are introduced to the characters, and reeled me in with the fantastic storytelling. I await Martin's next book eagerly!
action addicting adventure ...more6 s Dear Faye492 2,132

An ARC was provided in exchange for a review. This in no way influenced my thoughts in any way.

Almost more than 24 hours later, I'm still a bit stumped and at a loss. No, no, it's not because this book gave me something to ponder on for days on end, rather, I simply found it difficult to gather my thoughts and coherently put them into words. Did this book have zombies? Well, yes, close enough. Was it entertaining? Yes. Did I it? Yes and no. If that sounds fickle to you, it probably is, but let me explain why I'm torn between "fuck yeah awesome" and "I'm outta here".

The premise is original and intriguing. any other zombie fiction, it mainly revolves around the heroes' survival, but what kept the story from going to the "been there done that" pile were the game concept as well as the heart warming relationship between Michael and Patrick. These two brothers have been on their own since Halloween, the End of the World. They've been relying on each other all this while. They're in a "game", in which the objective is to get to the Safe Zone and meet their mother. To do this, they have to fight the Bellows, dead people walking that distort your words and echo them back to you, as well as follow the instructions from the Game Master.

If you're looking for a darker plot than most YA survival stories, this one here is right up your alley. It is absolutely thrilling, creepy, and sinister. This is a world where you only have yourself to trust, because even those alive have proven themselves equally dangerous. I found myself glued to the pages, unable to keep myself away as the escalation of events became even more suspenseful. The atmosphere is emotional, a sense of urgency is present, and all of these are intensified thanks to the close bond between Michael and Patrick, who are dependent on each other for both of their sanities, a realistic relationship of protector and the one being protected. It is a riveting plot that would put you at the edges of your seat, a story of lies, manipulation, and survival, and for me, it could have been a fun ride from beginning to end.

Note the could.

Alas, in the end, it wasn't meant to be. What dampened my enjoyment was the way the narration was written. It was hard for me to get used to it at first as the style was a bit different, and unfortunately, I think I was uncomfortable to the last page. The author made the voice sound from a teenager's, which is quite weird since it's told in third person anyway, but it only felt unnatural and forced to me. It felt the narration was trying hard to reach out to me and have me relate with my inner teen, but... yeah, no.

Most of the characters were also annoying as hell. I think I only d one person, and that was Bobbie, an old grandma who managed to survive with the small group of survivors in the Capitol. The rest - bah. Despite the heartwarming relationship between Michael and Patrick, at least, the protector vs. damsel in distress kind, I also disd both of them, as in, I wouldn't have cared if they were killed anyway; I just wanted them to finally stop talking. Patrick sometimes acted a three year old kid, and then talk a ten year old, and then revert back to being too cutesy. Each time, I only wanted to yell, STAHP IT!! Don't get me wrong, I love kids, but it was so exhausting to read his dialogue and his antics, and the only thing I thought in my mind every time he'd come up was "Please let it be over soon; o, have mercy!! Michael, on the other hand, was decent with his "I'm the macho guy, I can take care of all of ye" attitude, but there were times he infuriated me as well. While questionable, I understood some of the actions he did; those were merely done because he believed it was for the best interests of his younger brother, and I guess that tidbit gave him more depth. The "love interest" was also one of the ficklest characters I've ever had the displeasure to read, and one of the most irritating as well. She said she cared for the brothers, but every time she did something for them out of that "care" and "goodness", she only made things worse not only for them, but for everybody else. And how truly convenient that she was Michael's age, too! What are the odds of encountering someone that out of the blue, huh? Their "romance" felt superficial, too. Ugh.

Overall, this is not a bad book. The storyline, despite the annoying characters and unnecessary romance, is something those looking for a darker and more sinister plot would find appealing and would probably enjoy. I advice reading this with no high expectations, lest you might be disappointed, as I was. Nevertheless, it's still a solid 3/5 stars for me.

Read this and other at The Social Potato!
1st-in-series 2012 action ...more5 s Jenni Arndt438 413 Shelved as 'did-not-finish'

I only made it to chapter 4 in this novel. The third person POV wasn't working for me and I felt the narrative was jumping all over and I couldn't get a grasp or a picture of anything that was happening. Then this sentence occurred: "They'd been old even when they'd found them in Ron's cabin, and being in the car had not done much in the way of making them less gaaaah." And now I just can't do it anymore.

DNF5 s Christina (A Reader of Fictions)4,332 1,761

Bear with me, please, because The End Games is one of those novels with a twist fairly early on that makes reviewing the book without spoilers difficult. Still, I shall endeavor to sum up my basic thoughts while not revealing anything not mentioned in the blurb. T. Michael Martin's debut is a very strange book in pretty much every way: the plot, the characters, and, most significantly, stylistically. All of this add up to distinguish the novel from other post-apocalyptics that take on the concept of an outbreak that turns human into monsters.

The End Games is a zombie novel, though the Bellows are certainly not the average zombies, except that they too are best taken out with a head shot, and that they were once human. The Bellows manage to be eerier. Rather than moaning zombies generally do, the Bellows are echoes, repeating any words they hear in a long shout. Of course, this is nice since you can hear them coming, but also freaking scary when you realize they're surrounding your position, and, since they're so loud, they're probably going to draw more Bellows to your position. In case that's not bad enough, they're evolving into something much worse.

What I think Martin does best here is the horror aspect. The End Games is pretty frightening, offering gore, monsters, battles, and psychological terror. Michael, a teen, and his five year old brother, Patrick, are trying to survive, to find a Safe Zone with other survivors, in this hellish Game. Getting through an apocalypse on your own would be bad enough but with a kid in tow? Yikes! When they do finally encounter other people, it's very hard to know who to trust and who's crazy, including with the brothers. All of this kept me engaged and curious.

There's a strong focus on family in The End Games, which I greatly appreciate. Michael is an amazing brother. He takes such good care of Patrick, not resenting him for making survival more difficult. In fact, Michael needs Patrick just as much, because he has to keep it together for Patrick, keep hope and motivation.

T. Michael Martin uses a very interesting storytelling method. The End Games is written almost a reality show about a particular character. The narration is third person limited, following Michael. However, the narrator seems at times to interact with Michael, adding to the video game feel of the tale in what is a slightly discomfiting but powerful technique. Here are some examples of that:

"Dang, she's so cool.
Dang, don't think that.
Dang, why?

Because of on account of this being the most horrible time to get a crush on a girl.
Oh. Right. Daaaang."

"Keep going. You're scared, that's true, but."

In the first example, a lot of Martin's style is illustrated. Michael's thoughts are included throughout in italics, though whispers are as well and sometimes emphasis as shown here. Michael and a couple other characters speak in some sort of strange dialect and occasionally hold out words, with that last "dang." You can also see the way the narrator just answered his question, and he in turn responded to that. Even more interesting, the narrator actually emulates Michael's way of speaking/thinking; the bulk of the narration is in standard American dialect. In the second, the narrator eggs Michael on, urging him not to give up in a desperate situation. While I do think this writing style is largely effective, it's very odd and will be disconcerting to some readers, especially the unidentifiable dialect used by the brothers.

Where The End Games left me cold was the characters. I don't care much about anyone. Of them all, Michael is the most likable, due to his sweet affection for his brother. However, Patrick actually creeps me out a lot. I kept expecting him to turn out to be some sort of new monster or something, because I found him that freaky. Spoiler: he's not. I couldn't care about the half-hearted romance or the deaths of any of the characters either. More time is spent on developing the creepiness than on the characters.

The End Games will be a great read for those who love horror tales, and new creepy monsters. Those who take an interest in unique storytelling will also want to check out this quirky debut. arc yabc-4 s Beth (YA Books Central)415 115


I was really eager to read this book when I first saw it. The synopsis grabbed me from the beginning. I am all about a post apocalyptic book that involves humans fighting monsters to survive! HECK YEAH!

but....

It started off immediately throwing you into a survival scene with the main character, Michael and his little brother, Patrick. So I was , Yeah here we go! and then they called the "monsters" by a name...Bellows? Ok I'm not so sure that the name did the monster justice because I just didn't find that very creepy or scary?

And then all Michael talked about was The Game Master and The Game and I kept bringing myself back to Hunger Games and thinking that this was about to get intense. But for me, it didn't. I really, i mean REALLY wanted to this book but I just could not get into it.

And when the plot totally changes in the middle of the story I was just in shock. I then had to gather my thoughts around this whole different idea.

Needless to say I just really didn't get this book. I did finish it but I'm sad to say it will not be going on my favorites list. I am just really torn about this because I wanted to it SO much... *Sad*
arc4 s Robbie337 12

This is the second book I've read because John Green recommended it. And... I think I'm going to ignore John's recommendations from now on. No offense, my dear, I love YOUR books - I just don't the books that YOU .

Anyhow, it was the way this book was written that just didn't satisfy me at all. T. Michael Martin's style just is not effective, in my opinion, in achieving any sense of suspense, thrill or intrigue.

I honestly don't know why John raved about this book so much. Maybe there's a weird cult in the heart of Indianapolis between authors with wives named Sarah (both John and T. Michael live in Indianapolis and are married to a Sarah. Weird, yes?) that means you have to each others books, even if they're un-engaging and disappointing this one is.

It's a shame because this book gets 5 stars for the cover. The pages inside just didn't do their job properly.average-young-adult read-in-20154 s Takiq1 review

Zombie books. Despite the fact that zombies have become somewhat of a fashion in YA fiction, I still haven't grown tired of books about dead people eating alive people. However, if you take an interesting zombie apocalypse plot and add a video and gemegames scenario, such as that in The End Games? Count me in.
4 s Stevie Finegan (SableCaught)46 297

To see my video review:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Z7-C5...

Zombies, Zombies everywhere and not a moment to think!

The End Games by T. Michael Martin

22 days. It’s been 22 days since it all started, since the virus started to spread, since the dead started to rise, since Michael and his little brother Patrick set out alone. And somehow they have managed survive, hiding as best they can whenever the sun sets, looting deserted stores for supplies, killing the Bellows, the terrifying, once-human, now mindless creatures that stalk them, wishing to do nothing more than rip them limb from limb.

Day by day Michael keeps playing the game, keeps assuring his little brother of what they have to do next, to survive, for this all to make sense. He promises him the end zone, where there will be safety, where their mother will be, where this this living nightmare will find its close. But the game isn’t as straight forwards as it might seem, there are too many who refuse to play by the rules, and as the struggle of last remaining humans wears on, no one can be quite sure what they should believe, what story they should tell themselves to survive.

The End Games is a fantastic read, both a nail-biting thriller who’s zombies keep you balanced precariously on the very edge of your chair and yet also a fully realised novel whose characters are supremely real, and plagued with the damage and demons that we all end up butting heads against. It’s a super fast paced work. I really haven’t experienced anything as quick, since reading Game of Thrones. It’s that, oh I’ll stop reading just as soon as this comes to its necessary conclusi-, oh wait, something else has hap- ahthere’smo- omigosh that as wel- *breathes* You get my drift.

This book just doesn’t let up. I read it in two sittings, it would have been, one if my oh so fascinating life hadn’t demanding I take a break to write an essay on early modern representations of commerce. (An essay which I might add, thanks to this book, now has far more references to slaughtering the undead than my tutors are probably used to.)

Another thing I really d about this story is I just couldn’t second guess it. Over and over again I thought, this was it, I’d sussed out how this world worked, I knew which final action on behalf of the protagonist was going to make him a hero and draw him to safety. It never happened. Again, a comparison to George RR Martin, because apparently I’m Westeros obsessed today, both these Martins are mean authors. I mean, their books are brilliant but they’re constantly presenting to you with exits, with ways their stories could be wrapped up nicely, ways in which everyone could be saved and live happily ever after, hunky dory dafter, and then THE CAGE COME DOWN. Do you want this you want this? Haha, no, none for you.

There are no awkward lulls in this story, nowhere you feel the author is just keeping you busy while he resharpens his pencils, slowly meandering us through the mechanic of his world because it just needs to be explained at some point. All the backstory is there, all the characters are brilliant with it, but it’s perfectly interlaced into the story, into the action, so the seams between the two remain indiscernible. If you want a book that just keeps going, this will be your friend. I think there were two points, each of which maybe lasted 4 pages at the most, where I felt I could rest and finally let out that breath I hadn’t realised I was holding.

This book was honestly scary because there was no safety net. The whole way through part of Michael’s struggle is his attempts to create a narrative of sense. This shouldn’t have to fall to him, this is the job of the government, the doctors, the adults. But they’re no longer here. Ultimately there is no sense to what is happening, there is no figure that is held up as actually being in control, and actually knowing what they’re doing.
I remember when I first read Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. Hugely sleep deprived after long stints of queuing, exhaustedly continuing to flip those last pages to the end, to that lightning struck tower. Dumbledore’s death shook me, Dumbledore’s death was what ultimately made the following book scary and unsafe. Because when Harry had fought Voldemort before, even though it was Harry fighting him, sometimes even with his bare hands, there was kind of an assumption that Dumbledore, wise and mysterious sage that he was, knew what was going on, that this was all some big plan that he was part of, that would work out eventually. In The End Games we get the situation as it really is, only magnified a thousand-fold, because those parents, those teachers, and other who are normally in charge, have been swept away in the wake of these undefeatable monsters. You can hope there is some greater force out there, that’s in control, that’s got a plan, you can believe, but you can never know.

I will say I don’t normally read thrillers or horror as much as I do other genres and the reason for this is that I can sometimes find their male protagonists unrealistic or unrelatable. I feel The End Games takes the good qualities, the action and the suspense, of those novels, and adds so much more to it. Michael is a great character. This is, essentially, a horror novel, an action novel, but one in which the main character is developed to an extent I would say is more commonly found in contemporary fiction. He is a fantastic hero to rally behind but he is not masculine at the expense of the emotive. His relationship with his brother founds everything, this novel works because of it.

Finally the element of this book I d most, the element I felt transcended genre, was the idea of the game, the accusation put to various characters throughout, of lying, the questions posed as to where they founded their beliefs and hopes. I felt, regardless of the fact that it came in really exciting zombie casing, this book ultimately considered the narrativisation of life. The stories we make, and take, to understand and survive.

I hope you enjoyed my review. I’d love to hear in the comments down below what you guys think of the sound of The End Games? Do you zombie novels, and thrillers in general? Do you think this might be a book you decide to check out? Before you leave I’ve got some exciting extra information to pass on to you. In the video information down below, as well as linking to some websites you can buy the book from, as I always do, I’m gonna link to some great other things to check out if you’re bouncing around giddily, unable to wait to get your paws on The End Games. Firstly, T. Michael Martin has a youtube channel of his very own! I’ve been watching them from almost the beginning and I generally love his videos, they’re amazingly thoughtful and often just beautiful in the sentiment expressed. At the moment he’s also running stupendous competition where you can win signed books for life, a character named after you, or manuscript pages! Secondly, let me link you to videos by Elmify and Bryly two of my favourite youtubers who’ve made fantastic videos in honour of this book. And third and finally, the first three chapters of this book are available to read for free online! I know some of those have to make you guys very happy.

Anyway, can’t wait to hear what you guys think. Let me know and I’ll see you in my next video, bye.
3 s Jane43 4

Martin's take on zombies is scary enough, but the writing is horrible - I doubt anyone would find this easy to read, let alone enjoyable. 3 s Colleen 394 233

Probably for a teenage boy....which is great! Or zombie-apocalypse story lovers.

I shall tell you a great secret, my friend.
Do not wait for the last judgement,
it takes place every day.
-Albert Camus

talk-books uno-reads-20213 s Jillian Reynolds (Jillian Loves Books)413 66

Well. That was a ride of sorts.

I’m not sure I’m particularly happy with the ending, though. I don’t want to spoil anything, but good endings in zombie books are really hard to do. So imma just leave it at that.

Overall, this story was enjoyable. It took about 50 pages for me to get really into the action, but once things started moving, I started enjoying the story.

Is this book groundbreaking and/or original? Not necessarily. But let’s be honest, it’s really hard to tell a zombie story that hasn’t already been done. I mean, HELLLOOOO The Walking Dead has used just about every zombie-related storyline at this point, so nothing is shocking if you’ve seen that show. And this book is no exception. (Lo key not trying to trash TWD because that show was good at one point, but can we agree it’s aged way past its time? , give me some new zombie-related stories! Okay rant over, moving right along...)

We basically have Michael and Patrick, two brothers trying to survive the zombie apocalypse. Throughout their adventures, they encounter hoards of zombies, and a number of morally gray characters you’re meant to question the whole way through. While this book had some unique twists and turns, nothing was unexpected. You have the few survivors just barely getting by, a group of crazy religious people who worship the zombies (kinda), an unexplained virus, the CDC failing (as they do in every zombie movie too, I mean wtf—I feel we’re all engrained with a serious lack of trust for these folks if the zombie apocalypse ever DOES happen), and our protagonists (who just so happen to be children, and simultaneously and incredulously are the only ones to successfully navigate hoards of zombies—and I mean.... .... that’s just a bit too convenient for me).

Anyways, aside from that, the characters felt kind of annoying and convenient. , Michael just so happens to be a genius, while his little brother happens to have no concept of the world. And for these reasons, Michael OBVIOUSLY has to just constantly lie to cause drama, because the undead reanimating isn’t dramatic enough. Plus, one of the characters they meet is obviously set up to be a bad guy from freaking day 1... I don’t know. I was annoyed by the majority of the interactions in this book. And don’t even get me started on this weird YA-esque romance that happens randomly, but it’s really just based on lies... Is that a great analysis? Hell no.But sometimes, you just don’t personally vibe with the characters in a book, and that’s okay, people. They just weren’t my type of people, you know?

Another issue is the straight up CRINGEY AS HELL language. Words “Fugging” and “Mothafuggin” litter the pages in an attempt to keep the book semi G-rated (while simultaneously provide VIVID details of the peeling skin and twisted tendons of the zombies, but that’s none of my business), and that felt a huge disconnect for me. I generally don’t awkward placeholders for curse words because.... well, it’s awkward. Speaking of things that made me cringe, we were introduced to this new random ass demon thing, with 30 pages left to go, and then we’re left with NO “FUGGIN” EXPLANATION. , hi—where did it come from, what is it, why did the virus start, wtf was in a mine that made this THING?!?!? Really? We get NOTHING?!? I’m not salty or anything, don’t worry.

Now for the good: the book was action-packed from start to finish. I actually found myself wondering where the plot was going to go when mutations became a topic about two thirds of the way through. Unfortunately, that uncertainty was quickly dispelled because DUH most zombie stories end the same exact way. But whatever. I enjoyed the action. It was fun. And it was pretty gruesome. Action-packed and not a lot of critical reading required. For all its downfalls, the book was still immensely fun, and if you weren’t looking to dissect it as savagely as I just did, you’d probably enjoy it.

At the end of the day, this book is 2 stars. Its fun, dangerous, and there are zombies. It wasn’t as scary as I was hoping, but there were some good cliff hangers sprinkled throughout. It was enjoyable enough for an October read.

Wow. That’s enough ranting for today.
Who wants wine?3 s Kevin175 31

Review? "REVIEWWWWW" (On that Bellow talk)

From the second I heard about this book, I knew I had to have it. So it's no surprise to me that I in fact ended up enjoying it as well!

The End Games combines some pretty "LOL-worthy" moments and zombies? I mean whats not to love? Martin's humor reminded me oh so much of the famous "John Green Prose," which I hear has created quite the fan base.

This one depicts the story of brothers Michael and Patrick. Michael the older brother and the protagonist of the story has QUITE the imagination, and that imagination helps his five-year-old brother deal with the surrounding chaos of the Bellows (or the zombies.) These zombies are not unique really in any way other than the fact they can't go out in the daylight, and they to scream repeat things characters say, as I started this review with.

Oh but if you are afraid of the common zombie book, don't be here, this one is so so much more! There are some crazy creepy characters that include a general who has so lost his marbles, and a religious cult with an even CRAZIER leader. To add on to that there are some Bellow with lets just say... advanced skills. Basically there is just a lot to love here.

Some of my favorite things were Michael's humor and his relationship with his brother. It's rare that I actually openly laugh out loud while reading, but this book had me laughing even at some of the more serious moments. Martin is a funny guy, people should read this book for the humor alone.
I also adored the relationship with his brother. Michael is Patrick's main caregiver and acts according, protecting Patrick from the real world dangers in anyway he can. Michael and Patrick have not had the easiest of lives either. Michael not getting along with his less than ideal step-father and Patrick dealing with his own behavioral problems. This duo kept things interesting for me and I enjoyed watching the highs and lows of their relationship.

There were some things that kept this from a five star book though. The romance I felt was unneeded here and a bit just thrown in there. There wasn't any "John Green feelings" there, and there definitely wasn't any swoon-worthy spark. I just didn't care for it and it wasn't terribly exciting, and completely predictable.

Early in the book you learn about a "game" aspect to the story. I'm not going to spoil what happens with the game, but to me it was a letdown. This zombie book really HAD everything, but it didn't have that thing to throw it over the top and make it one of the best of its genre. The game could have been that thing, but it kind of just fell flat.

I'm not sure if there is going to be another book or not in this series, but if there is, sign me up.

This book was provided to me via edelweiss. reviewed3 s Sophia Cauduro103 2

I was super back and forth with this book. The twists were really well thought out, I’ll give the author that but the ending did feel a bit rushed. Mind you, you are attempting to wrap up an entire apocalypse in 350 pages so I kept that in mind.

The relationship between the two brothers is what won this book for me. The innocence and the bond is what really kept me on this book. I was expecting to read something really creepy but instead I got some great character exploration in Patrick, Micheal and Jopek.

The writing was clear and engaging and the front quote of “this is not just a monster novel; it is a tale of terror worthy of the early, great Stephen King” rings true.

I recommend this to anyone who is looking for a unique perspective on the zombie/apocalypse genre!! 3 s Kayla175

Actually 4.5 stars, maybe even 4.75 stars to make it complicated :P

This book was actually pretty good. I had my doubts at the start as it sounded a bit weird and strange from what I was used to. I didn't even think that the Bellows were zombies. However, I realised that this book was written in a style unique to the author. As the book continued, it started to unravel and I really began to it. The ending was epic and frankly, probably one of the most relieving (in a god- damn really good way) ending.

I was originally going to rate it a 4 but the second half of the book helped it along, just not quite 5 stars. 2 s Amber (Books of Amber)583 782

I have absolutely nothing good to say about The End Games, so if you're a fan of this novel then I suggest you turn back now if you think you're going to be offended. I went into this novel expected to adore these two brothers while they helped each other survive the zombie apocalypse. You all know how I love my sibling relationships. But after finishing this book, I just feel underwhelmed and rather empty.

Full review on Books of Amber3 s Emily LaStrange32 40 Want to read

THAT COVER.


I DON'T KNOW WHY I LOVE THAT SO MUCH, BUT IT JUST LOOKS INCREDIBLY HAUNTING AND SO. SO. SO.
BEAUTIFUL.3 s Jessica Reigle541 29

Review originally posted at Step Into Fiction

You know how a main theme for me is romance, right? Well, fear not - there isn't really any in this book and you know what? It's perfectly okay. It's better than okay, actually! I know, you must be wondering if I'm feeling alright or something but I assure you, I am well. This book was brilliant and heartwarming and it made me anxious the whole time. The best aspect of this book, above all the action and adventure is the relationship between our main character, Michael Faris and his younger five year old brother, Patrick. This relationship is just the highlight of this story. The whole reason for this story, actually. The way Michael does everything to not only protect Patrick but make sure Patrick is happy and feeling safe is just . . . mind blowing. I don't know of any sibling who would go as far as Michael does.

The humor, for example, I-have-questions-but-I-also-have-bacon-and-guess-which-I-love-more good, is one of the greatest things about this book, behind the brothers relationship. That was probably one of my favorite lines, it's a line right after they reach a 'safe house' and he's eating real food, bacon in fact. Now, if I were in his position, this is definitely how I would be thinking because I mean, hello, it's bacon! After eating stale pop-tarts, eating delicious bacon is heaven. That's only one example, there are too many, a lot of which come from Patrick. He's so cute and funny and he doesn't even realize how just perfect he really is.

You learn a lot about Michael and Patrick's lives before Halloween, before people starting biting each other and turning in to Bellows (or Zeds) - zombie- people. His life wasn't easy especially once Ron, his step-father and Patrick's biological father came in to the picture. He was abusive in every sense of the word and because of his behavior, it cause Patrick to have social and emotional issues. Similar to panic/anxiety attacks where he would just start freaking out, hitting himself and yelling to the point where it gets so bad he just is completely in a daze. Michael thinks taking he and his brother away from this will open up his mothers eyes to do the same thing and that's when everything changes. It's very sad seeing his childhood and how everything just went from bad to worse.

So many times in this book I thought it could've been the end but then another curveball was thrown our way and the game started all over again. It certainly kept me on my toes and biting my nails when things got rough. It is fresh, new and un most Young Adult books out there. It will keep you alert, keep you laughing while also making you on the verge of tears. The amount of emotions you go through while reading this book is mind boggling.
arcs2 s Andye.Reads874 547

At a Glance:
Zombie books. Despite the fact that zombies have become somewhat of a fashion in YA fiction, I still haven't grown tired of books about dead people eating alive people. However, if you take an interesting zombie apocalypse plot and add a video game scenario, such as that in The End Games? Count me in.

Cover:
I have admitted many times to judging books by their covers. As much as I hate it, it's just something that I do. And I was immediately interested in The End Games after seeing the awesome cover that it has. I mean, let's be series. Dead trees make for cool book covers. Especially when they spell out words, and their branches for general zombie-creepiness.


Action:
Probably the best thing about this book, in my humble opinion, was the never-ending action. I never wanted to put this thing down, it was so enthralling. At one point, I had to tear myself away from the book to go pull my taquitos out of the oven for fear of starting a kitchen fire. Darned taquitos.


Romance:
There was actually a surprisingly delightful romance in this otherwise generally creepy and gruesome novel. I'm not one who is usually very interested in the romantic aspects of books, but there are a few instances when an author succeeds in making me feel all fuzzy inside. Good job, Mr. Martin.


Hero:
Michael Faris is the main character of this book, and a very good one at that. This book is absolutely hilarious with the dialogue between Michael and his younger brother, Patrick. Michael is brave when he needs to be, always willing to do just about anything if it meant keeping his brother safe. He is definitely a well-developed character, and a delight to read about.


Favorite Supporting Character:
My favorite supporting character in this book is Michael's five-year-old brother, Patrick. Whether it's by making video game references, or using his robot-voice in serious situations, Patrick always kept a level of humor in the book.


Something I loved:
I loved that this wasn't just another zombie book. It was a well-developed, well thought-out plot with a unique take on the undead. Bonus points to Mr. Martin for originality.


Something(s) I hated:
I can't think of anything about this book that I hated, besides the fact that there wasn't more to read. At 384 pages, The End Games is by no means a short book, but there was definitely a level of sadness as I read that last page. This is definitely a story that I would to see more of.


Cliffhanger?
Though this book wrapped up very nicely, not really ending in a cliffhanger, I would still love to see a sequel out of it. A continuation of this story would make me a happy reader.


Would I recommend it?
Definitely. Anybody who is looking for a new take on zombie books, The End Games is what you should read.

-Austin
ReadingTeen.net
2 s Cait S923 81

So one day I was scrolling through Goodreads, as I do, and I come across this book. This book. A YA, zombie novel for video game nerds. It looked to me as though T. Michael Martin awoke from a very strange and very vivid dream one night and said to himself, "You know what I need to do? Write Caitlyn a book. She's a good person. She deserves this."

You're sweet. You shouldn't have!

I actually put off reading it for a long time, afraid it wouldn't be as good as I was desperately hoping it it would be. Here we are though, the book has been read. Now comes the hard part.

The beginning of this book is nothing short of ridiculously awesome. I'm obsessed with the wide openness, the possibilities and at the same time, the hopelessness from an apocalypse...and here it's magnified tenfold. Michael is a seventeen year old boy. Not necessarily that special, there are plenty of teen heroes out there grinding away, surviving zombieland. Michael though, he's a seventeen year old boy who is protecting and guiding his five year old autistic brother through a world that's getting a little closer to ending each day. You can't do anything but sit back in awe as you watch him navigate this world under pressures that may cause the most put together adult to crack. Well, you can do one more thing, and that's fall pretty quickly in love with Patrick, the little brother. A miniature nerd after my own heart, bless him. An incredible character voice that T. Michael Martin absolutely nailed.

Unfortunately, after the first few opening chapters of this, things start to go downhill. Without giving spoilers, I'll sum it up by saying it just loses it's magic. Michael loses his spark, the world becomes predictable and almost a paint-by-numbers version of what a zombie apocalypse has come to look in most shows, movies, and books. The things we read in the beginning that have you going "I can't stop reading! I haven't slept in 48 hours! I love coffee!"...just disappear.

The driving force to finish the book becomes the brotherly love. I wanted to see them succeed, I want to know Michael was strong enough to make a new world for Patrick even if I had no idea how he'd do it. It's enough to get through to an ending that you will either love or hate.

Maybe I haven't decided which camp I'm in yet. Don't judge.

T. Michael Martin gave it a damn good try, I will give him that. A for effort, C+ for execution with a smiley face sticker that says "Try again! You're getting there!"2 s Darlene933 451

Well, I finished it. That’s saying something, right?

When I read the synopsis for The End Games, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it: A 17 year-old guy and his 5 year-old brother who survive an apocalypse and try to make their way to the Charleston Safe Zone, battling zombies (called "Bellows" in this book) along the way, so that they can be reunited with their mom. I love “end of the world” books, especially those with zombies. So, why did I have such a problem getting into it?

This was one of those books that I had to slog my way through. It wasn’t that the writing was bad. I think my main problem with it was the lack of connection to the hero of the story, Michael Faris. He sounds a great guy who is very protective of his younger brother, who I am guessing is autistic. In fact, Michael and Patrick had run away from home on the night that the apocalypse struck because their step-father wanted Patrick to be institutionalized. In order to keep Patrick from having a melt-down as a result of the chaos surrounding them, Michael told him that the apocalypse is just a game and that they are role-playing. Aside from that, we don’t really know that much about Michael except that he was a bit of a loner in school and was definitely not one of the cool kids.

It took me a really long time to get into this book. Many times, I just couldn’t keep my eyes open because I was so bored. I expected it to be a lot more action-packed, but it wasn’t. It wasn’t until I actually started waking up a little early to try to read first thing in the morning that I started to make some head-way into the story, and it wasn’t until I was in over 200 pages that I actually started to it.

Michael and his brother meet up with four other survivors: A US Army Captain named Horace Jopek whose personality is not un their abusive step-father, a kind middle-aged woman named Bobbie Louise, and a pair of teenage siblings named Hank and Holly – Hank, who is the epitome of the school jock, looks upon Jopek as their saviour and Holly, who is a bit of a brainy nerd.

I would have d to know the back-story of why the apocalypse took place. Instead, I felt I was thrust into this story and wandered around aimlessly, just Michael and Patrick.

For me, this debut was a disappointment.

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive any compensation for my review, and the views expressed herein are my own. 2013-a-to-z-reading-challenge 2013-debut-author-challenge arc ...more2 s David Wickham507 7

What a mess of a book. I didn't the plot or the characters.

I didn't buy that the CDC would fly people to Charleston, West Virginia in order to work on a vaccine for whatever they thought caused the zombie outbreak. Why not Pittsburgh which is less than an hour north of Charleston by air? Morgantown would even work since West Virginia University is there and would have more resources that a scientist would need.

The author made a comment about the Kanawha River which I took to mean that the river flowed the entire length of the state. The only river in the state that does that is the Ohio River which forms the western boundary of the state.

I had a hard time caring what happened to the characters. All of the characters were flat. Michael is this 17 year old kid who is thrust into this and by some great luck survives. I was never afraid for him because no matter how bad he screwed something up, he always managed to get out of it alive. I'm not sure what to think about Patrick. In the book, he's referred to as "special needs". What does that mean? I found a review that refers to him as autistic. Was he? I don't think that autistic kids are sent to psych wards. Michael and his family lived in an area that has some good medical resources. Patrick's character just didn't ring true to me.

As for the bunch they found in Charleston, can any characters be more two-dimensional? Hank-jock who was always looking for a daddy figure's approval? Bobbie-the good Christian woman who always took care of others. Jopec-the macho Army guy who's not too sane. Holly-the nerd chick. They were pretty much stereotypes. I was looking for some depth in these characters.

Even with all these little things that just didn't make sense, the ending just killed it for me. I can buy zombies caused by some viral outbreak. The government was working on a vaccine to combat the virus. That all makes perfect sense but when the author pulls a plot twist he did at the end, it just killed the book. It wasn't clever; it was just lazy.

I really can't recommend this book.2 s Reign218 27

Just because Pittacus Lore reviewed it I wouldn't criticize some things about the book. But, yes, it's a fantastic read. The angst of the characters, especially Michael who's obviously the one ruling out on his own A-game and I got dumbly bored to death because of the reflective flashbacks that he had about her Mom and Ron. Simply, this book is critically-acclaimed stuff mainly because it outwitted those apocalyptic zombie genres in the different aspect of its natural identity.

Aside from the fact that I loved it at my first read, it consequently made a different twist out of my own feels. It's innovative yet carefree. It justified its plot but rendered much time on side stories. But, most of all, the same thing goes for the breakthrough of the storyline of the characters. It's unique but far enthusiastic. I enjoyed a 4.05 stars as my honest rating for this debut novel of T. Michael Martin.

Although, there are some that I would to distinguish as the disadvantages of how this book was written in Martin's style. It's 1) There are some disoriented grammatical errors on some of the characters' dialogue 2) Most of the time, I get annoyed by Patrick 3) The cure doesn't make any sense in the end (well, perhaps the inclusion of I Am Legend's plot could be supported at will by the writer there) 4) Too much reflections on flashbacks as I had said earlier and 5) Its sting flows through alternative currents on my brain that I just would want to skip other descriptive scenes. I got sleepy for some of the chapters. My bad.

But, the newness of its nature gave me such impact because this is my first zombie book. Maybe, it would be much better if this would become a comic, though. But I support all of the experience with all honesty and respect. I loved this book because I love books that captivate my bookworm heart.

Bellows hit me a yes-yes.fiction forbidden-and-it-hurts idle-read ...more2 s Jess225 26

Basic Notes. Full review to come.

While the beginning threw me off a bit and was a bit confusing, when the story "clicked" a few chapters in, I was hooked. This was an intense examination of familial ties and the human struggle to hold on when everything seems lost. There were a lot of really creepy descriptions - Mike has a twisted mind for the visual horrors... a bit of that might come from film school, I suppose.

Michael and Patrick were a great example of a loving brotherly bond that can be strained when one tries to take complete care of the other for too long. I think Patrick probably has a mental illness of some kind, though that is never explicitly stated. He was definitely an interesting character, though. Michael's inner voice was a little all over the place, but for the circumstances, it made sense. Holly kind of threw me for a loop. There were points I d her and points I thought I didn't and for the longest time she kept me in the dark about what she's really , which I d. Jopek was crazy, but crazy convincing. I think he really believed in everything he did and stood for. Very convincing characters overall, really, even in their insincerity and hidden truths. I felt they were all REAL even when they weren't truthful.

One thing I really
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