Slow Burn Infected 2 by Bobby Adair is the second in his Slow Burn series. I picked it up a couple of years after reading his first book.
I made a quick one-minute review on YouTube of the first book, see it below.
And if you saw my one-minute review, you already know what I didn’t like about it.
Slow Burn Infected 2 Book Review
At the end of Book One, Austin, Zed, Murphy, and Jerome are forced to leave the University of Austin. And yes, I want to know what happens next.
I felt Book 1 ended too quickly, and although it wasn’t the most fantastic book I’ve ever read, I liked where it was going.
However, I’m not sure Infected Book 2 went anywhere, but maybe that was the point of this one.
What’s the Plot?
I’m not exactly sure where this book is heading. Is finding a safe space the only thing that matters? They talk about a safe haven briefly, but with all the wild stuff going on, they get sidetracked over and over again.
I also didn’t feel like Infected Book 2 had a centralized plotline on its own. Some series have an overarching plotline throughout, and each book has its own central plotline that feeds the main one. But I did not feel Book 2 was like that.
The main characters leave the University, find a bomb shelter, and bounce around. In the meantime, a few new characters are introduced to the story, and they revisit one of the locations they had previously deemed unsafe.
The new characters
Mandy and Russell are introduced, which makes the book more interesting.
Mandy is very likable and emotional, while Russell is more or less brain-dead. He is also a slow burn, but the virus has taken a toll on many of his humanistic skills, such as speaking and expressing himself in meaningful ways. However, he can scream and make a whole lotta noise, which puts the characters in precarious situations.
I liked the new characters more than the central characters, that’s for sure. And Mandy was likable right away. Perhaps it’s because I empathize with her.
Or maybe it’s because being stuck in a pitch-black bomb shelter surrounded by the undead and half-eaten corpses is awful, and it makes you wonder what it would be like if it were you in that situation.
We learn one important thing
The zombies can now run! But not just run. They’ve formed a hive mind like a flock of birds migrating. They follow a leader (actually, that’s not entirely true; maybe they all take turns leading?) and cause massive destruction. I want to see where this plotline goes in the future.
An unexpected twist
One of the characters dies a brutal death, which I didn’t see coming. Throughout the book, there is a lot of “wait and see.” However, you’re not entirely sure if Adair will resolve that plotline within this book or in future books.
But then they close this particular storyline and think, “Wow, he went there.” And it worked so well. That might be the only reason I want to read the third book, but I’m not sure that’s enough for me.
A Few Things I Didn’t Like
Adair apologizes for rushing the book. I didn’t think I would see it in his writing, but there are a few instances throughout where a sentence or two is jumbled. It was most likely due to the time crunch he was under, which I can empathize with. And it felt rushed.
However, the one big criticism I have is the same criticism I had with Book One. I felt that one thing happened in the book, and that’s where Adair’s focus remains. However, I am being a little harsh. Slow Burn Infected 2 has a little more content than Book One.
But it did feel like he spent his efforts on the bomb shelter scene.
I enjoy fleshed-out characters, but sometimes I struggle with reading the character development sections of books. Book 2 is more focused on character development, which is great if you plan to continue the series. Personally, this is the part I don’t like reading. However, that’s more of a “me” issue. If there were a way to make me like the characters (or relate to them) in one quick and easy page, that would be great. Unfortunately, sometimes, it takes chapters and time. And as of yet, I still don’t really like the characters.
Murphy drives me nuts. He “heh heh heh’s” every time he speaks, and many times, I felt like his dialogue could have been better.
There was hardly any gore, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but for a zombie apocalypse series, I thought there would be more.
It’s too short
The books are too short. That’s not a bad thing, though. What I mean is that perhaps two of these books could be combined to form one. I feel like I went through it way too fast, and I was expecting too much from the 200 pages.
You can only put so much in 200 pages, and maybe that’s where I’m being unreasonable.
My Final Verdict
I really want to like this series. I mean, there’s a reason he’s sold so many. I felt like I was watching The Walking Dead before realizing I should give up on it.
Zombies and the apocalypse are among my favorite topics, and although I didn’t love it, I’m wondering if I should try reading book three.
If you are reading this, do they get better? Should I continue the series?
As a result, I am giving Slow Burn Infected 2 two bloody hatchets out of five.
However, I would like to hear from you. What did you think of it? Am I being too harsh? Please leave a review of your own below and give Slow Burn Infected 2 a star rating.
