Review: If You Like Post-Apocalyptic Fiction and Discovering New Authors This is the Book for You!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 02 28, 2013
Omega Zero is a post-apocalyptic story written in a style that reminded me of some of my favorite hard-boiled detective tales. Author Ryan Henry did a superior job in grabbing my attention with the first scene of the story when a drug buy goes south for his protagonist, a former Marine named, Trent.  One of the things I liked about this novella was that the author did not waste time getting right into the action of the story - something that seems rare these days.As a protagonist, Trent was interesting because his Marine training, and his decent into the darker side of society where he is dealing drugs, makes him a curious form of anti-hero. I enjoy protagonists that have a dark side and Trent reminded me of Barry Eisler's John Rain or Lee Child's Jack Reacher. Trent is forced into hiding when the drug deal at the start of the novella goes bad and when he finally is able to surface, discovers the world has gone crazy dealing with a viral plague. Omega Zero is as action filled a story as you will find in this genre. The plot is believable in a way that allows you to suspend disbelief and focus on the characters and what they would do in a situation like this.Mr. Henry does a great job in creating believable characters and in setting up plots and subplots without seeming to contrive too many coincidences that make some stories in this genre seem far-fetched. Omega Zero offers an original spin on the post-apocalypse virus theme that is popular now. Henry's description of locations, such as the Blue Ridge Mountains, and his dialogue are excellent and really add to the story. You can tell the author did meticulous research in both location and in the science to explain the Omega Zero virus that is devastating the population. The book does have mature levels of violence and language, but it is used in service of the story and not gratuitously - again, something rare in many books I have recently read in this genre.The bottom line for me is this: Omega Zero is a thoroughly entertaining and engaging book in the speculative fiction or post-apocalyptic genre. I enjoyed reading it and recommend it to anyone that likes this type of book. Ryan Henry is definitely a writer to watch and I would take a chance on any future books he publishes. Hopefully a follow up or sequel to Omega Zero is on the horizon.~Rocky Cole