Hater
David Moody
Dunne, Feb 2009, $21.95
ISBN: 9780312384838

Danny McCoyne is a bureaucrat at the Parking Fine Processing Office; a job he loathes but as poor as the pay is he needs to keep his boring position in order to feed his wife and kids. Depressed Danny knows he has no future beyond being near the bottom of his agency's food chain.

Danny is stunned when he witnesses an apparent random act of violence. When more occur, the media dubs the assaulters as Haters. Victims are loved ones, friends and fellow workers as much as strangers. No one can explain why even as society begins to unravel as exponentially the number of attacks is beyond when the government can contend with. Danny anticipates the worst is yet to come; so he tries to keep his loved ones safe though that means hiding inside their home like convicts. He trusts no one especially the government who he thinks may be behind the sudden violence

This is a chilling thriller as the increasingly violent society forcing innocents to lock themselves and their families in houses that are prisons seems plausible due to the pace of the story line. The brutality is often vivid, rightfully so, as that cruelty is what leads to self incarceration. Fans of a dark world will appreciate this grim thriller as normality is simple survival in a moody world gone mad.

Harriet Klausner

Synopsis:
"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. Their attacks are brutal, remorseless and extreme. There are no apparent links between the Haters or their victims and no obvious reason for their violence. In seconds rational, controlled people become vicious killers. Everyone - irrespective of race, gender, age, sexuality or any other imaginable difference - has the potential to become either a Hater or a victim. This is a terror which knows no boundaries. You can no longer trust anyone, no matter how well you think you know them. You can no longer trust yourself. By the end of today you could be a killer. By the end of today you could be dead".

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.

If you're a fan of Matheson's 'I Am Legend', Romero's 'Dead' series, or indeed any post-apocalyptic fiction, then this is a new and original approach to the genre that you'll love from the very start. But be warned, this book is an aggressive piece of fiction!

'Hater' was released on the 17th July 2006, and is available through David's website (www.infectedbooks.co.uk) as well as all good book retailers.

Let the war begin