☣️ Apocalyptic

Decimation Book One: Contagion

✍️ Jeff Lorch
Reader Score
4.4
(1 review)
$11.99
In stock — ready to ship Ships in 1–2 business days
📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A father and mother fight through a zombie outbreak to reach their family.

The novel follows two parents trapped away from home during a devastating epidemic. They traverse dangerous territories filled with aggressive infected individuals. The plot emphasizes the bond between spouses and their drive to protect their children. Lorch structures the narrative around their physical progress toward safety. The story highlights the brutality of the environment and the psychological weight of loss. It appeals to readers who prefer action-oriented horror over slow-burn mystery.

Key Themes
familial love zombie outbreak survival struggle
Literary Context

This book sits within the contemporary American horror tradition, specifically the zombie apocalypse subgenre. Published independently in 2019, it reflects modern anxieties about infectious disease and societal collapse. The setting remains strictly within North America, focusing on urban and road-based dangers.

Difficulty
● Easy
Recommended For Fans Of
Max Brooks · John Scalzi · George A. Romero
☣️
Apocalyptic
🏛 Independently Published 📅 2019 🌐 English 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9781794259744

📝 Description: Decimation Book One: Contagion

Jeff Lorch presents Decimation Book One: Contagion as a thriller centered on a father and mother stranded far from home. They must fight across a hostile landscape to reach their family in a world where a horrific sickness has burned across North America like a wildfire. Millions have died, leaving infected survivors who scour cities and roads with uncontrolled homicidal fury. These individuals kill any uninfected person they find. The narrative focuses on love and loss alongside family and friendship. It examines the struggle to survive in a land of the dead. Lorch writes this as the first in a series of novels for fans of zombie apocalypse fiction. The story provides a concrete look at the physical and emotional toll of such an event. Readers seeking grounded survival stories will find material here that allows them to sink their teeth into the plot without distraction. This work does not promise safety or easy resolutions. It tracks the desperate journey of parents navigating a world gone mad. The text relies on the tension between familial duty and immediate physical danger. Lorch qualifies his approach by focusing on the raw mechanics of survival rather than abstract philosophy. The book suits those who enjoy intense, character-driven horror narratives set in contemporary American settings.

💎 Our verdict on Decimation Book One: Contagion

“
🩸
Horror Reads editorial team
Horror desk
Jeff Lorch delivers a visceral entry in the zombie apocalypse genre, prioritizing physical survival and emotional stakes over complex lore. The narrative effectively tracks the desperate journey of parents navigating a devastated North America, highlighting the bond between spouses under extreme duress. While it lacks easy resolutions or promises of safety, it succeeds in portraying the psychological weight of loss amidst constant violence. The story appeals to readers who enjoy action-driven plots and contemporary settings where infrastructure has collapsed. It is best suited for fans of grounded horror fiction who value the raw mechanics of endurance and the fierce drive to protect loved ones against overwhelming odds.
✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers who prefer action-oriented horror over slow-burn mystery will find this book compelling because it emphasizes the raw mechanics of survival rather than abstract philosophy. It suits those seeking grounded stories where parents fight through hostile landscapes to protect their family. The narrative offers a concrete look at the emotional weight of loss and the brutality of the environment. Fans of intense, character-driven horror set in contemporary America will appreciate the focus on familial duty versus immediate danger. This work provides material for those who want to sink into the plot without distraction, offering a tense journey through a world where millions have died and infected survivors scour roads with homicidal fury.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —

Reader rating

4.4
Based on 1 reviews
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Horror Reads editorial team

Jeff Lorch delivers a visceral entry in the zombie apocalypse genre, prioritizing physical survival and emotional stakes over complex lore. The narrative effectively tracks the desperate journey of parents navigating a devastated North America, highlighting the bond between spouses under extreme duress. While it lacks easy resolutions or promises of safety, it succeeds in portraying the psychological weight of loss amidst constant violence. The story appeals to readers who enjoy action-driven plots and contemporary settings where infrastructure has collapsed. It is best suited for fans of grounded horror fiction who value the raw mechanics of endurance and the fierce drive to protect loved ones against overwhelming odds.

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