The After War

Two years have passed since humankind faced extinction: Brian Rhodes and his cousin, Steven, are leaving the protection of their underground bunker, after a cataclysmic war and unrelenting disease ravaged the earth. On the other side of North America, young Simon Kalispell is leaving the seclusion of his cabin deep in the woods, traveling with his aging canine companion, Winston. For individual reasons, these men are traveling east, where the fragmented lives of a small number of survivors will soon be decided by the choices of a corrupt few. Simon Kalispell and Brian Rhodes are not yet aware, but the strength that resides inside them will soon be tested, and destiny will call for their fates to be forever intertwined.

Part I: To Alice was a Semi Finalist in the 2016 BookLife Prize for Fiction, run by Publishers Weekly.

The Complete Novel contains both parts of the two part series.

Part I: To Alice
Part II: Fire Horizons

"I couldn't put this book down ... Sleep is good, but books are better."
-San Francisco Book Review

"Zenner's engrossing, brilliantly-written work -- which is reminiscent of The Stand -- follows main characters Brian, Steven, and Simon as they travel across the country to reunite with loved ones after a devastating illness wipes out most of the population. Their journeys are long, hard, and absorbing. The central theme of good versus evil permeates the story, as the main characters find themselves having to choose between the right thing to do and what they need to do to survive in this version of civilization. Character development is strong, the prose is top notch, and the plot sucks the reader in up to the last paragraph."
-The Booklife Prize in Fiction (Review of Part I: To Alice)

"Zenner's description of the post-disease world captivated me ... His creativity and attention to detail were excellent."
-Readers' Favorite Book Review

"Zenner has woven a gritty narrative of a future all too terrifyingly possible for us."
-Manhattan Book Review

"The characterization in THE AFTER WAR is where author Brandon Zenner's writing prowess truly shines. Every character in the story feels fleshed out, while remaining mysterious enough to keep readers engaged in trying to determine how things will turn out. Every character has their flaws, but Zenner masterfully weaves their personalities together in an intriguing mesh of strength, weakness, humanity and instinct."
-Indie Reader (Review of Part I: To Alice)

"It was like the reader is in this desolate land and are able to see and feel what these characters are seeing and feeling."
-Boundless Book Reviews

"A post-apocalyptic story that takes the reader on a hazardous and harrowing journey across North America where civilization has collapsed and anarchy seems to reign. From the beginning, Zenner surprises the reader."
-Flurries of Words Book Review