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The Return Man
 
 

The Return Man [Kindle Edition]

V. M. Zito
4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (49 customer reviews)

Print List Price: £7.99
Kindle Price: £4.99 includes VAT* & free wireless delivery via Amazon Whispernet
You Save: £3.00 (38%)
* Unlike print books, digital books are subject to VAT.

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Kindle Edition £4.99  
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Audio Download, Unabridged £9.74 or Free with Audible.co.uk 30-day free trial

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Product Description

Review

'Bloody excellent.'

(Financial Times )

'Zito expertly piles on thrills, cliffhangers and numerous twists, investing renewed life into the shambling, cliché-ridden corpse of the zombie subgenre.' (Guardian )

'An overload of thrills, spills and adventure.'

(Sun )

'Hands down one of the best zombie novels I've read in a long, long time. From first page to last, THE RETURN MAN is an astonishing read. With characters you genuinely give a damn about and a story that'll keep you turning page after page, this is an outstanding debut.' (David Moody, author of Autumn )

'In a word: relentless.'

(Sunday Telegraph )

'Contagion meets Mad Max.' (The Times )

'. . . a perfectly balanced layer cake of action and horror . . . This is a stunning debut and matches the feelings I had when I first read the likes of World War Z and Hater . . . you are unlikely to experience a better crafted and adrenalin fuelled thrill ride than V.M. Zito's novel THE RETURN MAN.' (Liberation Frequency )

'A page-turning, action packed, well-crafted debut novel that will take your breath away. Highly recommended.' (The Founding Fields )

'Henry Marco is a wonderful protagonist - inventive enough to be fun to read, and at the same time sufficiently complex to seem real . . .A highlight of the subgenre.'

(Drying Ink, Best Horror Novel of 2011 )

'Thrilling.' (Publishers Weekly )

'The story is tremendous, totally gripping and orchestrated in such a way to keep the reader on their toes, with plenty of twists, turns and dramatic moments - this is one of those page turners that grip you completely.' (Sfbook.com )

'THE RETURN MAN is very highly recommended. This is a thought-provoking, suspenseful and above all gripping take on the Zombie Apocalypse sub-genre. Brilliant.' (Civilian-reader.blogspot.co.uk )

'Full-throttle, intense and not for night reading.' ( West Australian 20120418)

'The Return Man is a cracking zombie novel . . . It's a real page turner, it's action packed, the characters jump off of the page, it's unputdownable and it's one hell of a rollercoaster ride.' (dogeardiscs.wordpress.com 20120418)

'This is an outstanding piece of fiction. If it came from the pen of an established name I would say they were at the top of their game. For a first time writer, it is nothing short of an astonishing piece of work. I would heartily recommend it to anyone with a pulse. V. M. Zito is most definitely a writer to look out for.' (geeksyndicate.wordpress.com 20120418)

'I have to say that its one of my favourite zombie debuts of all time as well as making this a title that's going to be well up on my UF favourites for the year. It's well written and whilst the concept on paper is remarkably simple, it is one that will attract readers the world over as the stories hero is manipulated into doing the governments bidding . . . All in a cracking story and when backed with an author whose writing style I couldn't get enough of, definitely a title to get before the hype hits.' (falcatatimes.blogspot.co.uk 20120418)

'Forget 28 Weeks or 28 Days Later - THE RETURN MAN is the most immediate, action packed tale of hunting and avoiding the undead that I have ever read. If you love the movies of George Romero, The Walking Dead comic books and tv show, then you are in for a real treat here . . .' (booksandwriters.wordpress.com 20120418)

'The adventure in this book is astounding. The fight scenes are damn well done, told in such a gripping way you have to read faster and faster to find out what happens next . . . you can emphasise with these characters. You feel proud at how they manage to keep going on, and you hope they get there and succeed . . . ' (sentientonline.net 20120418)

'I enjoyed every terrifying bit of this book, and if you love zombies, good writing, and great storytelling, I think you will too!' (mybookishways.com 20120418)

'I wouldn't be surprised if we see a version of THE RETURN MAN on the big screen.' (bookonaut.blogspot.co.uk 20120418)

'Zito throws in an international intrigue and action angle that would make Tom Clancy green with envy.' (www.scaryminds.com 20120418)

'A strong debut.' (techmonkeymag.com 20120418)

'[THE RETURN MAN] absolutely mesmerised me . . . An impressive debut novel. This is strongly recommended; those who enjoy classic horror will appreciate it, but it should also find an appreciative wider audience among those who enjoy well written, well plotted stories with very strong characterisation.' (aussiespecficinfocus.wordpress.com 20120418)

'The storyline is original, the characters are alive on the page, the action and gore scenes are top-notch, the writing is superb, and it's a fun time. This is a damn good book and it has potential to be a zombie classic.' (buyzombie.com 20120418)

'Compelling, captivating and at times hauntingly scary.'

(fantasybookreview.co.uk 20120418)

'V.M. Zito has written an amazing book, so good I finished it in just two days.' (themanlybookworm.blogspot.co.uk 20120418)

Product Description

The outbreak tore the USA in two. The east remains a safe haven. The west has become a ravaged wilderness. They call it the Evacuated States.

It is here that Henry Marco makes his living. Hired by grieving relatives, he tracks down the dead to deliver peace.

Now Homeland Security wants Marco, for a mission unlike any other. He must return to California, where the apocalypse began. Where a secret is hidden. And where his own tragic past waits to punish him again.

But in the wastelands of America, you never know who - or what - is watching you . . .

'Hands down one of the best zombie novels I've read in a long, long time.' David Moody, author of Autumn

Product details

  • Format: Kindle Edition
  • File Size: 2031 KB
  • Print Length: 432 pages
  • Publisher: Hodder; Unabridged edition (29 Mar 2012)
  • Sold by: Amazon Media EU S.à r.l.
  • Language: English
  • ASIN: B0071MB00Y
  • Text-to-Speech: Enabled
  • X-Ray: Not Enabled
  • Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (49 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #82,417 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
19 of 21 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Most entertaining 9 Mar 2012
Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)
While the premise of The Return Man is not exactly new - basically a fetch quest in a zombie filled United States - it is most certainly entertaining.

The plot is straight forward enough, a fast spreading zombie virus results in massive casualties and the western USA being quarantined off. Survivors are now all crammed into the safe eastern states. Our hero has stayed behind to locate his missing wife, but also accepts jobs from people in the safe states to 'return' people to the grave, ending their days as living dead and giving closure to surviving families. This sideline leads to a contract to locate a missing colleague who may have discovered a treatment for the virus in the days leading up to the outbreak four years earlier, finding him will not be easy...

So far so 'I am Legend' (and with this I'm referring to the book - which is excellent, not the movie - which was not). It's fair to say this book has certainly been influenced by the likes of the Richard Matheson iconic short story, but The Return Man finds it's own path to follow and does a fantastic job of pulling you in.

The book wastes no time getting into it's stride and the author V. Zito does an good job of making the zombie filled evacuated states a believable place, providing the reader with enough information to make things plausible without bogging the story down in pointless detail. The characters are also pleasingly rounded humans (those that aren't zombies of course) who make rational decisions, and feel like real people rather than ciphers who exist merely to propel the plot along. There's also a satisfying balance of character moments, action, horror and humour.

It would be east to dismiss The Return Man as just another end of the world/zombie book, but by the time I reached the end I felt genuinely disappointed the journey was over - if Zito writes another Return Man book I definitely be getting it. So, not exactly the most original book I've ever read, but definitely one of the most entertaining. An easy five stars from me.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Tons of action amongst the un-dead. 8 Feb 2012
By Zola fan TOP 1000 REVIEWER VINE™ VOICE
Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)
This is one of the best zombie books I've read and I could hardly bear to put it down.
The idea of running a business tracking down zombies and `delivering' them for their grieving loved ones is a really good one.
The USA is split between the evacuated states on the west and the safe states in the east where 50 million refugees have fled to safety from the un-dead. The main character, Henry Marco, is a man on a personal mission who lives a solitary life in the evacuated zone. Right from the start of the book we get a taste of what life is like for Marco, checking all the traps, reinforcing barricades around his house - whew, I was with him before the action really got going.

There are a couple of plots running throughout and the action and suspense doesn't rely just on the zombie action either; the non-viral villains in this book seem to cause more trouble than the walking dead.

However, I do have one criticism. The gory descriptions throughout of zombie viscera and the various ripping, biting and devouring of flesh by the un-dead were a little much by the time I got near the end. Although Mr Zito's vocabulary was up to it, my stomach had had enough.
Nevertheless, this is a top rate, superior zombie book.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars A gluttony of Zombies 4 Feb 2012
By Penny Waugh VINE™ VOICE
Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)
This is a fast paced, gory adventure that is very hard to put down. The greater part of the United States has been quarantined after a plague has turned most of the population into zombies and driven the survivors to an overcrowded Safe States area in the East. Very few people are left alive in the Evacuated States, one of them being Henry Marco, the Return Man, who, while searching for the wife he has lost, hunts down relatives of living people, at their request, and 'Returns' them to proper death. Then the government makes him an offer he can't refuse.
The zombies in this story are both horrific and pathetic, and the descriptions of their meat eating habits can be stomach-churning, but what sets this book aside from a simple gore fest is the relationship between Marco and Wu, the man who is seeking the same thing as Marco though from a different angle. Their wariness and hostility, their increasing reliance on each other, lead to a moving ending.
Their mission is to track down a scientist, believed to be dead or a zombie, in a prison in California and return with his secrets. The prison is a truly ghastly place, only too easy to imagine while you are reading. There are few minor characters; Marco's remembered wife, the sought-after scientist who was a friend of his until a tragedy split them, a very dodgy government official, a brutal quad bike gang in the desert living on their wits. It all makes for compulsive reading.
There is much here that will return to me, and I shan't easily forget the train episode.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous
More from you please V M Zito. Very different. Buy it and please someone, turn it into a film. I'm a fan.
Published 3 months ago by Karin1
2.0 out of 5 stars Swimming through treacle
This was, as best as I can recall, the first zombie book I have ever read. While I found the basic premise ingenious, reading the book was hard - like swimming through treacle. Read more
Published 3 months ago by D. Silber
4.0 out of 5 stars Good novel with many twists
Really liked this one. Author's first novel - and about zombies; something I normally don't read. The bad guy Osbourne was a bit one-dimensional and the epilogue could have been... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Anders Lundberg
4.0 out of 5 stars Horrific Zombie Debut
THE OUTBREAK TORE THE USA IN TWO. THE EAST REMAINS A SAFE HAVEN. THE WEST HAS BECOME A RAVAGED WILDERNESS. THEY CALL IT THE EVACUATED STATES. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Pablo Cheesecake (The Eloquent Page)
4.0 out of 5 stars I hope The Return Man returns
The latest entry in the seemingly ever-growing zombie apocalypse genre, The Return Man is a solid addition and an impressive debut novel from V.M. Zito. Read more
Published 4 months ago by CJ
5.0 out of 5 stars Really good zombie book
Good book I nearly read it in one go, needs a follow up book or prequel, so many characters that could be developed
Published 4 months ago by garth cranston
1.0 out of 5 stars the return man
suckered by lots of good reviews on rear cover and inside two pages,this is a poorly written story,like a B movie but worse
Published 4 months ago by caroline
5.0 out of 5 stars I will return man!
Really enjoyed the book. Keep up the good work. If you write another one like this you will have a happy customer.
Published 6 months ago by jollymike
4.0 out of 5 stars 85% awesome
This is definitely above par for the zombie genre. Here is a protagonist that you genuinely like, you want him to succeed and you root for him when he gets into trouble. Read more
Published 6 months ago by HarleyQ
4.0 out of 5 stars WILL THE RETURN MAN RETURN?
If you like this genre and you are a big fan of it you will have already read this but not bothered to review it. If it has slipped through your net then get yourself a copy. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Steveatki
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