Book Review: Panic By K.R. Griffiths

It doesn’t take a lot for me to find a book, but when this one appeared on my Twitter feed with the caption: “free book“, I didn’t care about anything else and just bought it there and then. Attractive cover and low price are all it usually takes for me; impulse buys usually don’t amount to much, but I never expected this book to be as gripping as it was.

From the opening paragraph, I knew this was going to be no normal book. How many stories have you come across where you start off as an inanimate object crash-landing to earth? The reader practically starts the infestation of the zombie apocalypse.

This isn’t a typical zombie apocalypse storyline, although it has similar qualities as many others I have read, these zombies are as gruesome as possible. K.R. Griffiths’ amazing ability to transport readers into each and every scene, allows the out-of-this-world description to take a hold of the readers and make you squirm and cringe as you read every word.

Our main characters are Michael, Rachel and Jason; although that isn’t quite clear to start off with as we flit from one narrative to the next to the next to the next. Michael is a police officer in the small town of St. Davids, where the whole story takes place. He got a transfer from Aberystwyth a while ago. We read on as his partner on the force gets bitten and transformed into a zombie. Running away leads Michael into a much more deadly situation.

Rachel is returning home to St. Davids, after being at university. I know this feeling, so I easily identified with her and could imagine taking the exact same steps that she takes in the first few scenes.

As for Jason, he is Rachel’s brother, he’s big and bulky but timid inside. He has to toughen up for a zombie apocalypse, but is he capable of doing so?

Flitting from one narrative to the next gives the reader some balance of time. It’s difficult to establish main characters when some early favourites turn into zombies. Yet, K.R. Griffiths’ magical writing continues on as the character transforms; feel the need to rip your eyes out, feel the need to bite into human flesh, feel the desire to go after your loved ones. Zombies may not be the sexy supernatural creature you want to read about, but the author truly turns you; infecting you with the need to continue on.

As always, there is a bad human. In Panic, the first novel of the Wildfire Chronicles, we become Victor. A maniac who knew this apocalypse was coming; had built quite the safe house. This is quite understandable as you get inside his head and his thought processes, but when Michael accidentally stumbles across him, we realise Victor is going to play a crucial part in our main characters lives. Wrecking havoc in an already alarmed situation.

Zombies may have not hit it off as big as vampires, werewolves, ghosts and witches have, but they are totally becoming the horrorsome supernatural creature you’re dying to know more about. If there’s one series you should start, it’s K.R. Griffiths’ Wildfire Chronicles. Panic is the first book from the series, and it’s free now on Amazon. A great incentive as I fly onto the sequel, which isn’t free.

Written by Jonathan Currinn

26-year-old writer, blogger, author and journalist. Graduated from Staffordshire University in 2015. I write under the name Critic Jonni, on my blog. I also write for Channillo, The Coffee House, Outlet Magazine, SPECTRUMM, and CelebMix. Follow me on Twitter @CriticJonni

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