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Infected Books 

    Aside from the short story Home, which featured in The Undead: An Anthology from Permuted Press, Hater is my first real foray into the work of author David Moody, who is probably best known for his Autumn series of novels. I can safely say that it won't be my last visit to his work though as Hater was a rip-roaring read, which drew to and end far too quickly if you ask me. Mind you there is an advert at the end of the book stating that there will be a conclusion to the Hater story. Even without the knowledge of a follow-up though Hater does stand alone as an exciting, and at times, quite brutal work of fiction that may not be all that far removed from reality. 

    The book is set in an unnamed town in England that is being rocked by a series of seemingly unprovoked acts of violence. People are attacking others completely out of the blue, some victims know their attackers, some don't. What is clear though is that the assailant senses something about the victim that instills a deep fear within them. Of course the media see these as crimes of hate, thus dubbing them Haters. No one, it would seem though, has any idea where these attacks stem from or why. All people have managed to ascertain though is that absolutely anyone could attack at any given time. 

    Thrown into this mess is Danny McCoyne, an average kind of guy who hates his job, but can't be bothered to do anything about it, and loves his family, even when they try their hardest to wind him up. The story is told from his perspective as he relays the initial shock at the attacks; some of which he bears witness to, and the increased paranoia that sweeps his town and the country, to the eventual breakdown of civilzed life and his coming to terms with what to do next. 

    When I first read the back cover of Hater I was initially struck with a sense of 28 Days Later, but those thoughts were soon dispelled once I started reading it. The Haters, of the title, aren't maniacal infected monsters, just everyday folk like you or I, there is no physical change, and to the best of my knowledge no monkeys were harmed during the writing of this book. Of course there are elements of similarity between the stories, as there is to a degree with some zombie stories. To me though this was a far more human tale with a more direct reflection on society than mere social commentary. This becomes increasingly apparent the further into the book you delve. 

    What really appealed to me about Hater though, apart from the great story and at times leg-crossing inducing violence, was the manner in which the story is told. Danny's story is so matter of fact and to the point, there is so much I could relate to in the way that he tells the story; his job, families, saturday lunch down the pub etc. it was quite refreshing that is for sure. Hater isn't fantasy horror, it is everyday horror that a good many people can no doubt relate to; albeit in a slightly exaggerated but not impossible kind of way. 

Hater is a damned good book that I recommend searching out a copy of. It's a brisk 230 odd pages that will leave you wanting more. 

You can find out more about this and other books by David Moody at www.djmoody.co.uk 

Rating - ***  

- Jude Felton