Product Description

REMAIN CALM DO NOT PANIC TAKE SHELTER WAIT FOR FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS THE SITUATION IS UNDER CONTROL Society is rocked by a sudden increase in the number of violent assaults on individuals. Christened 'Haters' by the media, the attackers strike without warning. The assaults are brutal, remorseless and extreme: within seconds, normally rational, self-controlled people are becoming maddened, vicious killers. There are no apparent links as a hundred random attacks become a thousand, and then thousands, right across the country. Everyone, irrespective of gender, age, race, sexuality or any other difference, has the potential to become a victim - or a Hater. People are afraid to go to work, afraid to leave their homes and, increasingly, afraid that at any moment their friends, even their closest family, could turn on them with murderous intent. By the end of today you could be dead. By the end of today you could be a killer. Attack first, ask questions later . . . but the answer might not be what you expect . . .

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #50994 in Books
• Published on: 2009-02-19
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 240 pages

Review
"A head-spinning thrill ride, a caustionary tale about the most salient emotion of the 21st century... HATER will haunt you long after you read the last page..." (Guillermo Del Toro DIRECTOR OF "HELLBOY" AND "PAN'S LABYRINTH )

"To call it a page turner is understating the pace and skill the author brings to this haunting and thought-provoking masterpiece of dark and bloodthirsty fiction. The descriptions of the emotional strain and fear of the characters is gripping, and the tension is palpable, leading to an unnerving and shocking climax. this is a new and original approach to the genre that you will love from the very start." (THE BOOKSELLER )

"Hater is a simple story, powerfully told, and if David Moody's this good part-time, how good is he going to be, given his well-deserved freedom to focus upon his apocalyptic formulae on a full-time basis?" (BOOK GEEKS )

"For all of its widespread impact, Hater still reads like a very personal journal of events. Chalk that up to Moody's snappy first-person narrative which zips along faster than a stranger can bash your skull in with a tack hammer. Although the book does a good job of making you care about the characters and positioning itself as a mainstream thriller, it's when the book sheds its mainstream pretense that it really shines." (SF SIGNAL )

"David Moody spins paranoia into a deliciously dark new direction. [He] is one scary guy." (Jonathan Maberry )

"Moody creates a paranoid and horrific world that's so good, the film rights have already been snapped up." (ZOO )

"This is a story that lingers in the mind... because of the unnerving twist Moody gives to a frayed concept. The Haters don't lose their intelligence and feelings when they turn, and they don't think they're the bad guys - they're convinced we are. By the end, you wonder if they've got a point." (Calvin Baxter SFX )

"In what is fast becoming an oversaturated genre, Hater stands head and shoulders above most other offerings. A brilliantly paced, constructed and written piece of work. Moody takes a unique perspective on zombies, while offering the most surprising and unique twist to a narrative we have come across in a very long time. Moody has provided us with a brilliant piece of storytelling. Read this book now." (Ross Sutcliffe SCI FI NOW )

"A brutal, relentless SF horror... gives a new spin to zombie flick conventions." (Jonathan Wright BBC FOCUS )

"Moody makes no apology for his pulp influences, and nor should he. Take it as read then that this 28 Days Later-style tale of ordinary people becoming crazed with murderous rage and one family's desperate attempts to survive is longer on plot than anything else. Characters are little more than ciphers and the prose is sometimes inelegant, but there's something darkly charming about Mooyd's hurtling, sadistic enthusiasm for his story." (THE LIST )

"Some thought-provoking questions are raised, taking Hater beyond the 28 Days Later/Survivors hybrid that it initially appears to be. Hater takes the reader on an uncomfortable journey but a powerful one." (Paul Simpson DREAMWATCH )

"Moody's writing style is sparse with hardly a wasted syllable and as the plot progresses the clipped sentences and disjointed thinking really help the pacing, ramping things up until, as you get nearer the end, you're barreling along, right in the thick of it, unable to put it down until you reach the conclusion. Underneath all the hype, [David Moody] undoubtedly has the talent to back it up. 'Hater' is a cracking read." (Robert Grant SCI-FI LONDON )

"In his evocation of fear and unease and the speed with which he grips you, he brings to mind old Brit horror writer James Herbert. And that is some recommendation." (Paul Connolly LONDON LITE )

"The fact that the story is in parts ultra realistic and the characters so believable, makes the gory sci-fi angle even more terrifying. A dark, filmic thriller." (THE BIG ISSUE )

About the Author
David Moody was born near Birmingham, UK in 1970. He is a long-time fan of horror and pulp science fiction. His first novel was published in 1996.

Customer Reviews

Let the war begin...
From the author of the classic post-apocalyptic zombie series 'Autumn', David Moody's new ultra-violent novel 'Hater' is a masterpiece of dark and bloodthirsty fiction. From the very first page the reader is thrown into a downward spiral of seemingly unprovoked and extreme violence. As civilisation is slowly torn apart from the inside, fear and confusion take over.

David throws up a cloud of unnerving mystery as the reader is taken along by this unrelenting wave of violence. The novel homes in on the emotional strain and fear of everyone in the book, drawing you deep into the gripping text. With each chapter, tension builds towards a massive climax that will leave you gasping.

Possibly the most original and thought provoking take on this type of genre, David will keep you guessing throughout.

`Hater' is in my opinion David's most shocking and powerful novel to date. The novel ends ready to be taken up by the sequel `Dog Blood' which I am already eagerly anticipating.

With a general premise to the storyline that's not too dissimilar to James Herbert's novel 'The Fog', Jim Stalin & Daina Graziunas's novel 'Among Madmen' or indeed Danny Boyle's film '28 Days Later...', if you're a fan of any post-apocalyptic fiction, then this uber-violent yet thought provoking approach to the genre will satisfy the morbid thirst of any follower of similar fiction. Be warned, this book is an aggressive piece of fiction!

Let the war begin...

Interesting Story
I think David Moody is a talented author, but I don't think this was his best work.

First of all, do not expect another zombie story -- don't even expect a twist on a zombie story (ex: 28 Days)...in fact, I wouldn't call this a horror story in any sense.

It was an original thriller, with an unexpected twist. Usually, it's easy to describe the characters as good guys vs. bad guys, but Moody will have you second-guessing the whole time. I didn't know whether to feel sorry for Danny, or "hate" him. I like that the ending wasn't some neat & tidy happy-ending, but I feel like there could have been more -- the book was only 281 pages.

Most of the book is told from Danny's POV, with the few exceptions in italics (giving us background information on what is happening to the people in Danny's area). After a while, I was kind of sick of Danny complaining about his job and his family life, and I began to dislike the character just because I thought he was a crappy parent. It was difficult to muster any sympathy for him.

When the action did finally get under way, it didn't seem to last long. I'm wondering how the movie will turn out because most of the book seemed to be Danny's thoughts, and Danny was kind of boring for a central character.

If you want an excellent horror story, read Patient Zero.

Genius
Well what an exciting book that was. Brilliantly developed, I was drawn in from the start and read faster and faster. I empathised with the main character all the way and enjoyed all the supporting characters too.

I can't wait for the sequel.