Review: Tim Long's books always leave me chomping at the bit for more and chuckling for days.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 7, 2014
Machinist Mate First Class Jackson Creed and Marine Sergeant Joel "Cruze" Kelly are back. Only an hour has passed since they escaped a base overrun with undead at the end of book one, and now they're on the run with a mercenary group going by the name of Brightstar. As they traverse the infested streets of California to make it to a base in L.A., the group takes temporary refuge on the second floor of a rundown hotel. They soon discover they've outstayed their welcome.Outcasts maintains the same journal-entry narration delivered in Outbreak. What I love about Tim Long's style of writing is his blunt delivery and straight up comedy injected into his books. Amidst blood, guts and intense story, Long continues to make me laugh out loud with character dialogue and kooky situations.Outcasts answers some important questions regarding the origin of the infection and also provides more character development to it's secondary characters. Roz and Joel are getting closer, and Creed makes a love connection of his own. The addition of 'Frosty', man's best friend, was a clever move on Long's part. Everyone loves a good dog, and this pooch doesn't disappoint. Between fighting off hordes and now a rival faction, the action in Outcasts doesn't let up for a millisecond. Still angry at Lee for his actions regarding Craig, the likelihood of a confrontation between Creed and Lee in the next book looks good (according to my magic 8-ball, 'Outlook Good', and we all know the 8-ball doesn't lie). Once again, I find Outcasts ends before I'm ready. Tim Long's books always leave me chomping at the bit for more and chuckling for days.The cover art is fantastic. And I'm not just saying that because a quote from The Bookie Monster is displayed in all its shining glory. Joe Martin of Ragnarok Publications is credited for the design, and should really be commended for the quality illustration.The witty banter of Creed and Kelly continues with priceless moments like 'you're in the Marines now, b--ch' and a gratuitious throwback to Hackers with 'mess with the best, die like the rest'. Tim Long is hands down the easiest author I have read to pull quality quotes from. Nearly every bit of gold he spews onto a page is, in this readers opinion, quote worthy. Since I can be quoted in many reviews as finding poop-talk ALWAYS funny, I leave you with this. You can imagine how much I whole-heartedly agree. 'Poop jokes never get old. It’s a scientific fact.'