The Change
A Prequel to "Wilders"
Partying too much, picking fights with her Mom... Holly's senior year of high school has become a bit of a mess. She has no idea what she wants to do next year and she's sick of the pressure to have a plan. When she's shipped off to spend some time in Chicago with her Aunt Miranda, she starts to feel more like herself.
Holly's about to have bigger problems. The world is on the brink of a viral outbreak that will change the way humans live for years to come. It begins in all the major cities. People are changing into crazed animals, impervious to pain. Nobody knows why.
For those who want a peek at what the original outbreak from "Wilders" looked like for those experiencing it. Also for anybody who enjoys a good story with some pulse pounding moments.
Set a decade before the events of "Wilders", and featuring an entirely different set of characters, this prequel can be read before or after "Wilders".
Praise for "The Change"
"Effectively spooky prequel to Cass Kim's novel Wilders. Wilders details the aftermath of a deadly virus outbreak and how society has more or less adjusted to living in a world where zombie-like humans are just another challenge to be dealt with in day-to-day life. In this novella, Kim shows us the chilling way the original outbreak unfolded through the eyes of a teenager caught up in it when she goes to visit her aunt in Chicago. This can be read as a stand-alone story, but I found it added extra depth to have read the Wilders novel first (a book I recommend heartily if you like this genre) as it gave me an additional level of dread knowing what the future holds for the world once the virus erupts. Wilders is a longer novel, and for me, that gave space for the author to develop the characters and the tension of the story a little more, but this book does a great job of capturing the terror, violence, and confusion of being caught up in such an epidemic at its earliest stages before anyone really understands what is happening. For fans of emotional and thoughtful horror, this is a satisfying companion piece to Wilders." - Amazon Reviewer
"Although this is a sequel to Wilders in series order, it's actually a prequel in chronological order.
The events take place following Holly, a teen with parent issues, on a visit to see her aunt in Chicago on the eve of the (1/2)polcalypse and through the harrowing first night.
As with Wilders, the author has an easy and evocative writing style and creates nuanced, believable characters.
I like the "Fog of War" that's present in the narrative, where only small bits of information make it to Holly about only the nature of the trouble, which serves to perfectly capture the fears and loneliness of a small group of almost defenseless people as they try to survive the unknowns of the first night of the zombie infestation
It's a fun read that's a perfect length to keep you entertained for an afternoon. " - Amazon Reviewer