This is one of the few books that describes a zombie outbreak in the Great Northern expanse known as Canada. It’s also one of the few that tells the story of such an outbreak from multiple character/survivor perspectives and makes it work.
Zombie Night in Canada by Jamie Friesen tells the story of several groups of survivors and how they deal not so much with the dead walking but infected people from a strain of what is thought to be rabies. This makes those infected very aggressive and very dangerous.
As the plot moves on the reader is introduced to Xander, a hockey playing working stiff who at least has some idea of what is needed to survive. Ed and Dan, two Edmondton Police officers, various political personas, and views from the military personnel involved with trying to restore order, rescue survivors and stay alive.
Moving through several locations in Canada, from military installations to apartment buildings to parliament, it’s a whirlwind of action, suspense, drama and action that puts the reader in the scene. Whether it’s in the police car with Ed and Dan on patrol, inside Xander’s apartment or riding along in a LAV, Friesen takes you for one hell of a ride through a nightmare landscape.
It’s refreshing to find someone who has actually done research into what buildings would be relatively suitable to shelter and secure. While some authors will focus on securing a mall, not a worthwhile venture at no matter how many times you watch Dawn of the Dead, Friesen places one group of his survivors inside a Costco. When you look at a Costco, it has its benefits of being a shelter. There are no exterior windows, limited access points as in one large door in front that can be easily secured, and it’s solidly built out of brick and concrete. Not to mention they are usually close to a Home Depot. It’s not like I’ve looked at Costco as being a viable shelter in place location, not really anyway.
What would a zombie novel be without some conflict? In the first few chapters as some of the characters realized what was happening and started to get their shit together, I was having some thoughts that this could be one of those novels where everything goes in favor of the characters no matter how bad the situation gets. You know what I’m talking about. The books where it’s a literal world of shit but somehow, some way, the main characters always prevail and everything turns out smelling like roses.
Not so in this book.
Sure Xander and company take refuge inside Costco and the Canadian military puts some serious rounds downrange in an effort to sow some hate and discontent among the infected, but events transpire that make it not all peaches and cream.
Xander and group have to deal with infected outside the building, the pending loss of power that is soon expected, looters, and one of their own who is so useless they should have been dangled over the side as zombie bait.
Ed and Dan have to face the loss of a family member, the loss of their home and the loss of the people they’ve worked with for years.
Overall, Zombie Night in Canada is a great read and I look forward to the next in the series.
Now comes the part where I look into the aspect of details in regard to the military operations. What I’m going to mention in no way detracts from the storyline.
By now, those of you who have read my reviews know that I look into the accuracy of military tactics, procedures, methods, uniform, TO&E and other related items. This also spreads into the use of weapons to make sure that the author has conveyed their thoughts in such a way as it makes sense to the reader.
First thing, I’m not that well versed in the Canadian Military rank structure but I put in a few calls to some people I know and they set me straight. That being said I’ll move onto what I found.
Major General Raine, a major character is well defined and described. He has to deal with the loss of other installations as he tries to keep his own secure. One thing that was a little off, at least to me anyway, he had an executive officer that was a light (lieutenant) colonel. While this may not seem to be strange it actually is. Executive officers are the second in command so putting his rank as a full colonel would have tied that up rather nicely. That doesn’t mean that this isn’t something that couldn’t happen but it’s more of a lieutenant colonel (promotable) acting as the XO.
There is a mention of something referred to as sop. I’m thinking this was meant to be SOP or Standard Operating Procedure. Again, a small thing just want to know if I’m on the same page here is all.
The rank of Master Corporal threw me for a little bit until I made my calls and found out that this rank is something that one is appointed to like that of squad/section leader. It kind of fit for the character but then I started wondering where the rest of his squad/section was and who his SNCO was.
There is a mention of mortar bombs. While technically correct, as in the mortar launches a high explosive shell that then drops onto the target similar to a bomb, the correct nomenclature would be mortar shell or mortar round as you can fire all kinds of really cool mixtures from a mortar that will really ruin someone’s day.
And lastly, we have a character thumbing back the firing pin. That’s a little difficult to do as the firing pin is inside the weapon and the weapon in question was a handgun making the firing pin definitely inside the frame. I believe what the reference was that the person thumbed back the hammer thereby cocking the weapon and preparing it to fire.
Again, as stated these issues do not in any way detract from the story I just wanted to bring them to the attention of the author as a little FYI.
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