Review: The Rising (The End Time Saga Book 3) by Daniel Greene

This third installment of Daniel Greene’s End Time Saga pushes the envelope even further in its post-apocalyptic hellscape, making The Rising one novel you should not miss, whether you’re new to the series, or you’ve been along for the ride in this oddly addictive work of zombie fiction.

The survivors from the first two books are still plowing through their harrowing missions, fending off the living dead and fighting for a cure. The virus that threatens the planet has laid waste to society and the rule of law has shattered. Desperate times call for desperate measures, and with the ultimate threat of a nuclear solution coming closer every hour, Steele and Kinnick continue to fight their own battles, their common goal never more apparent. Dr. Jackowski also comes into his own in this novel, and his character gains significantly more depth than was apparent in the first two books.

Within the backdrop of a zombie apocalypse, Greene still manages to dig out sincere and human moments in this bleak landscape. The book is driven by a wide range of narrators, which includes their personal fears and banalities, and their moments of glory or failure. With so many perspectives, it hits harder than mere carnage, immersing the reader deeper in this world than a single point of view could ever manage. Greene proves his literary mettle here, showing himself to be a flexible, compassionate and detail-oriented storyteller.

The first and second books in this series struggled at times on the technical side, with the language not flowing as organically as it could. However, this book has been very well edited and polished, with emotional scenes balanced subtly with action and tension. The dialogue is crisp, with enough natural moments of dark humor to provide a respite for readers. The terse, generally short sentence structure lends an urgent tone to the entire reading experience, while never skimping on detail. The scientific and technical details are also well-researched, an aspect on which so many authors cut corners.

After three books, Greene seems comfortable in the skin of these characters, which comes across clearly to anyone who has been along for the series so far. He also manages to give some originality to some well-trod territory. While The End Time Saga doesn’t exactly rewrite the genre, it is enormously successful using the tools of the zombie trade. Greene also doesn’t repeat himself from earlier books, and instead adds to what has already occurred, which is vital for a successful series.

Readers are bound to root for the survival of humanity, and that is where this series is at its strongest. With chaos running rampant in the world, Greene takes present-day issues and extrapolates them into a terrifying future, yet the underlying message is also one of unity and the importance of humanity’s survival. The world that The Rising paints may be bleak, but it’s also hopeful, and the vessel for its delivery is engaging, thought-provoking and, at times, even profound.