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Zombie Apocalypse #2
Highway to Hell
The sequel to the “pick-your-own-path” adventure Can You Survive the Zombie Apocalypse?, which the Florida-Times Union hailed, “may just be the best thing to happen to literary zombies since Max Brooks”—for fans of the blockbuster phenomenon The Walking Dead.
You’ve probably read your fair share of zombie stories. But this time it’s different. In a horrific and hilarious cross-country road trip (or rather, suicide mission), you must overcome obstacles of every kind to save zombified America from utter collapse.
You're inside your prison cell, waiting to be released. Your name is Jimmy El Camino, and you’re a badass—in fact, you’re a supreme badass. Rambo with style. Snake Plissken with a failing liver. You’ve killed more men than cancer. But more men than the zombie apocalypse? That’s questionable.
Your mission? Drive your heavily armed 1967 El Camino from New York City to San Francisco in order to save the world. Along the way, you’ll encounter Ring’s Most Wonderful Circus Show; you’ll battle zombies gladiator-style; you’ll be forced to deal with lunatics. And every step of the way, an army of drivers in armored vehicles is hot on your tail—because there is one man, the mayor of New York, who will stop at nothing to keep this apocalypse of the undead alive.
You’ve probably read your fair share of zombie stories. But this time it’s different. In a horrific and hilarious cross-country road trip (or rather, suicide mission), you must overcome obstacles of every kind to save zombified America from utter collapse.
You're inside your prison cell, waiting to be released. Your name is Jimmy El Camino, and you’re a badass—in fact, you’re a supreme badass. Rambo with style. Snake Plissken with a failing liver. You’ve killed more men than cancer. But more men than the zombie apocalypse? That’s questionable.
Your mission? Drive your heavily armed 1967 El Camino from New York City to San Francisco in order to save the world. Along the way, you’ll encounter Ring’s Most Wonderful Circus Show; you’ll battle zombies gladiator-style; you’ll be forced to deal with lunatics. And every step of the way, an army of drivers in armored vehicles is hot on your tail—because there is one man, the mayor of New York, who will stop at nothing to keep this apocalypse of the undead alive.
416 pages, Paperback
First published August 2, 2016
About the author
Max Brallier
92 books615 followersMax Brallier is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. His books and series include The Last Kids on Earth, Eerie Elementary, Mister Shivers, Galactic Hot Dogs, and Can YOU Survive the Zombie Apocalypse? He is a writer and producer for Netflix's Emmy-award-winning adaptation of The Last Kids on Earth. Max lives in Los Angeles with his wife and daughter. Visit him at MaxBrallier.com.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
January 11, 2019
This was fun. It was a nostalgic trip for me reading a Choose Your Own Adventure book again. For me, I'm not sure that it's as fun as an adult as it was as a kid. I was too worried about making the "correct" decisions. And honestly, I couldn't identify with the protagonist, even later in the book as he evolved somewhat. But it was truly fun to relive that experience.
Otherwise, it's sadly every freaking zombie movie/book/video game trope out there. But that didn't bother me too much. Just don't look for anything novel in this book. Just run of the mill fun zombie mayhem.
I did really enjoy the few illustrations.
Otherwise, it's sadly every freaking zombie movie/book/video game trope out there. But that didn't bother me too much. Just don't look for anything novel in this book. Just run of the mill fun zombie mayhem.
I did really enjoy the few illustrations.
February 23, 2023
The power went out last night so I picked this Choose Your Own Adventure style book off my bookshelf to keep me entertained. I played through to three different death endings.
It could have been enjoyable had the character you’re forced to play as been vague, but instead he was a loser alcoholic with unhealthy rage and misogynistic views. It’s like the author took Duke Nukem and removed anything fun and campy from the character.
It could have been enjoyable had the character you’re forced to play as been vague, but instead he was a loser alcoholic with unhealthy rage and misogynistic views. It’s like the author took Duke Nukem and removed anything fun and campy from the character.
October 14, 2019
Hmph, some things should stay in your past. Naturally, I loved Choose Your Own Adventure books a kid, the idea of picking an adult variant up for Halloween reading seemed very enticing. Yet, it didn't hold up to my expectations, at least "Highway to Hell" didn't. While other adult book of this type could of course be better and more entertaining, I couldn't get into this one.
I am not sure if I remember the kids series correctly, but I thought the 'You' character was supposed to be fairly vague (aside from necessary info like being an explorer when you head into the jungle etc.) so everyone can picture themselves in it. This 'You' is the opposite of vague, is strongly defined as male, washed-up alcoholic with very violent tendencies. I didn't like playing as that, role players might get a kick out of that but to me it was off putting from the get go. But I was really bummed out when my first choice ends up getting reversed so I had to follow the other choice's path. I am fine with dying but don't make the choices meaningless (and especially not the first one). I trotted on but never got the swing of this, I felt like there was too much mediocre story between the choices. Sure, this isn't supposed to be Shakespear, what I mean is that this is supposed to be a fun diversion and it took too long to get from choice to choice and the choice are where the fun is at.
After my first death I gave a 2nd scenario a tyr but it felt like I was pushed too strongly into a specific direction. The writing was dull and as much as I love Zombies this was too macho-man fighting his way for me, the Zombies couldn't save it. Reading this turned into a chore and that is exactly not what it should be.
Clearly I didn't read the whole book, I remember I used to explore every possible path in these books as a kid but not in here. I don't know if the spell is generally broken once I passed a certain age but I didn't enjoy "Highway to Hell".
I am not sure if I remember the kids series correctly, but I thought the 'You' character was supposed to be fairly vague (aside from necessary info like being an explorer when you head into the jungle etc.) so everyone can picture themselves in it. This 'You' is the opposite of vague, is strongly defined as male, washed-up alcoholic with very violent tendencies. I didn't like playing as that, role players might get a kick out of that but to me it was off putting from the get go. But I was really bummed out when my first choice ends up getting reversed so I had to follow the other choice's path. I am fine with dying but don't make the choices meaningless (and especially not the first one). I trotted on but never got the swing of this, I felt like there was too much mediocre story between the choices. Sure, this isn't supposed to be Shakespear, what I mean is that this is supposed to be a fun diversion and it took too long to get from choice to choice and the choice are where the fun is at.
After my first death I gave a 2nd scenario a tyr but it felt like I was pushed too strongly into a specific direction. The writing was dull and as much as I love Zombies this was too macho-man fighting his way for me, the Zombies couldn't save it. Reading this turned into a chore and that is exactly not what it should be.
Clearly I didn't read the whole book, I remember I used to explore every possible path in these books as a kid but not in here. I don't know if the spell is generally broken once I passed a certain age but I didn't enjoy "Highway to Hell".
August 29, 2016
“ A chance to get some of that back.
A chance for just the tiniest bit of redemption.”
I haven't read a book like this one in a lot of years. The action jumps from a chapter to a different page either forward or backward. I got whiplash from trying to follow the action. I also learned that it was really hard for me to stay alive depending on the path I kept on choosing. The story has a lot of different endings and picking the right one was hard. In all honesty, I'm not sure I picked the right one but it was the one that made the most sense.
The main character is Jimmy El Camino. He is an ex-soldier who has been captured and kept a prisoner for fifty-eight months. One day he is brought out of his cell and introduced to Major Eigle. Eigle promises his freedom as long as he takes a woman to San Francisco. In order to get there, they would have to survive what's out there. The world has changed while he was rotting in a cell. Zombies are all over. There is no President or police to help them. Also, powerful people want to keep the status quo and prevent Iris, who might save the world, from getting there.
Highway to Hell is full of action and you root for Jimmy to succeed and survive. I just don't know if the reader will be able to follow the story in just one sitting without dying multiple times first like I did.
Cliffhanger: No
3/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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October 19, 2016
This book is something else, man! It's a total high-octane rip-roaring ride that doesn't waste any time jumping you in! It's a total roided out guy book that's a mashup of Mad Max, Day of the Dead, Army of Darkness, Twisted Metal (video game) and Crank! It's so over the top terrible that it borders on B-movie genius! I'd love to see this turned into some kind of movie or tv series!
It's a Choose Your Own Adventure for adults....with souped up death-mobile cars, zombies, guns, fights, and chicks, and damn if it isn't a lot of fun. Be warned though that you will die in this book as it doesn't mess around and is very unpredictable! I never made it to the proper ending as I kept dying and finally I had to return it to the library, but it's the type of book you can read over and change your mind (usually leading to death) multiple times!
It's a Choose Your Own Adventure for adults....with souped up death-mobile cars, zombies, guns, fights, and chicks, and damn if it isn't a lot of fun. Be warned though that you will die in this book as it doesn't mess around and is very unpredictable! I never made it to the proper ending as I kept dying and finally I had to return it to the library, but it's the type of book you can read over and change your mind (usually leading to death) multiple times!
September 11, 2016
Apparently I can't survive the zombie apocalypse. I came to a bad end pretty early on, devoured by zombies and then run over by a tank during the Death Derby. I'll have to try again. I love the concept of this book: it's Choose Your Own Adventure for adults!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 16, 2016
I got to a point in the book where either option lead to me death. I'm gonna have to go back through it and try to work out which previous choice to change to avoid that and actually survive to the end of the book. i only bought it a few hours ago and I AM HOOKED
October 7, 2016
It's a choose your own adventure, Zombie style. I got stuck in a loop twice now; going to see if I can get out of it.
November 17, 2016
Fun adult update for all you old Choose Your Own Adventure junkies! Film Noir mixed with 70's Exploitation.
December 18, 2016
A shallow, easy read. I think it was the format that kept it from being a story I could connect to. I did try a couple go rounds...the different options of story paths was cool.
January 2, 2017
This was so much fun! A zombie apocalypse, choose-your-own-adventure book for adults, with so many twists and turns, that it can't be read in one sitting.
March 21, 2017
i died in a freaking car accident
October 21, 2023
It’s fun for a distraction. The writing is just ok, and the story is pretty shallow, but the novelty of a choose your own adventure book for adults makes this entertaining enough that I will be going back to try different paths. It’s a great bit of nostalgia, coupled with something that’s easy to get a few pages in while waiting at appointments, or while relaxing in the evening.
January 17, 2018
Utterly ridiculous! This book was right good fun, full of silly and stupid zombie gore. I read this out loud to my husband and we had a great time dying and dying and dying but eventually we survived the zombie apocalypse!
February 5, 2018
Somehow I didn't know this was a choose your own adventure book until I started reading. I managed to only die once and then made it to the end.
Your character is not particularly likable but it is a fun read.
Your character is not particularly likable but it is a fun read.
April 13, 2018
This one was highly entertaining! I haven't read one of the "Choose your own adventure" type books since I was in grade school. Its a mixture of scary, heartwrenching at times, and downright hilarious. I highly recommend to anyone who likes the zombie genre and throwback horror movies of the 80s.
August 31, 2021
3.5 stars
It is an interesting idea based off the kids series of choose your own adventure books. I like the different decisions that you could make but i think that this is a one off for me, not that a lot of these types of books are coming into the market.
It is an interesting idea based off the kids series of choose your own adventure books. I like the different decisions that you could make but i think that this is a one off for me, not that a lot of these types of books are coming into the market.
June 5, 2017
A grown-up Choose Your Own Adventure book set during the zombie apocalypse and is, therefore, quite horrific and gruesome. I like the new take on a classic format. I'm just not a huge horror fan.
February 3, 2018
It was a fun read. It took about 90 mins with great details and fun. Worth a read!! It reminds me of the Choose Your Own Adventure books I read as a kid.
July 13, 2021
First written review here. I had fun reading this. Reminds me of the make a choice books from my childhood.
August 11, 2016
Another fun read from Max Brallier. I think I like this one slightly better than the first and I loved that one. While the first one was about survival this one feels like it gives you a goal to work towards. I can't speak to every option as I've been reading, dying, rereading again for only the last two days but so far loved every twist and turn of it. This one is a must read, if you liked the first one or like choose your own adventure books.
September 12, 2016
I really enjoyed this book it was a neat twist on the zombie genre, it brought back memories of my childhood reading choose your own adventure books.
April 29, 2017
highly entertaining. read it in one day.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews