I would not recommend this book at all. It was a huge letdown, and not worth my time reading.

I had originally thought the premise was a good idea, and bonus points for it being a zombie apocalypse set in the Philippines. It's hard to come across books set in Asian countries that aren't supposed to be scholarly in some way. However, the main character leaves the Philippines and comes to America pretty early on, so half of the book isn't in Asia.

I think the author was trying to make a commentary on drugs = bad, education = good, but that commentary is confusing and overdrawn. He was beating a dead horse with the commentary. The main character, Min, plans to become a doctor and states multiple times that education is the only way forward and to avoid taking drugs. The statement of "education is the only way forward" is made multiple times by adults and Min. And Min attempts to stay in school up until the zombie apocalypse. What turns zombies into zombies? Drugs. And zombie bites, but that's typical zombie lore.

Min escapes to America, ends up in New York City, and almost immediately becomes addicted to heroin. There is commentary to be had here as well, about immigrants and unhoused peoples not being given adequate support by the American government. However, at one point, the author hits us with about a page and half/two pages of statistics about how drugs are bad, the crimes committed by drug addicts, etc. It reads almost like he found a medical article about addiction and just inserted it into the book. It was honestly super jarring and did not lend itself to a book about a zombie apocalypse at all.

This is the author's first book, and it seems like he has the potential to make either good horror books, or books with commentary about life in the Philippines, America's treatment of unhoused and drug addicts, and addiction itself. But this book ain't it.

I unfortunately did not like this book, it just wasn't for me. I wish the writer well and to keep writing, just not my favorite read.

I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to the editor for sending me an advance copy of this upcoming title. Your hard work and dedication to this project are truly commendable, and I am incredibly honored to have the opportunity to review it before its official release.

The depth and quality of this work are a testament to your meticulous attention to detail and your passion for bringing exceptional stories to life. From the engaging narrative to the well-developed characters, it's clear that a tremendous amount of effort has gone into every aspect of this book.

I am genuinely excited about this title and eager to share my thoughts and insights. Having the chance to read it in advance has been a wonderful experience, and I am confident that readers will be just as captivated by it as I am.

Thank you once again for this incredible opportunity. Your support and trust in my feedback mean a great deal to me. I look forward to continuing to work together and witnessing the success of this fantastic book.

Thank you Netgalley, Alaric Cabiling and Asylum Art Press for the eArc of Below.

The premise of this book sounded promising, a post apocalyptic zombie horror in the grimy, dirty slums of the Philippines. From the POV of Min Arnaiz, a young lad, trying to survive this world that a street drug turns the user into a Zombie. The detail of the slums, what Min and his friends have to eat gets under your skin. It's surprising that they would ever survive in normal circumstances , let alone in a Zombie nation. It felt gritty and the world building of the village of Tondo, Manila is well detailed.

The timeline of the narrative itself has some small flashbacks of Min and his friends as Min makes his escape from the Philippines to get to New York City to find " Below " a safe space for non zombies. They are clearly marked and does well to character build Min. I did, however find this book a little too slow paced for me
3 stars

What a letdown. I'm sorry to be negative ... but this was awful: pointless, senseless, and a waste of a good idea. We have a zombie apocalypse resulting from a new variety of meth in the Philippines. Hmm! There's hints that this is about racism and colonialism but there's no clear link. The apocalypse begins but nothing makes any sense. Everyone's turning into a zombie. Perhaps the best and most chilling moment is when the lead and friends (about 12 years old) stumble upon their long lost buddy who's hitting up the drug and is barely alive. Our hero escapes to the states as the zombie rush reaches a critical point, He lands in New York ... and immediately gets addicted to drugs. Right. The addiction itself is ridiculous. The author quotes a lot of "Google scholar" material but clearly has no grasp on addiction. And where are these drugs coming from? America is on lockdown because of the zombification going on around the world but somehow heroin is streaming in. But this is just a small thing that receives most of the attention. Reading between the lines, all infrastructure, from electricity to the Internet, is completely unaffected even while society shuts down for several years. This is some kind of alternate speculative history because the lead gets covid. Yup! We've got the corona alongside the shabu. Why? Well, who knows. This is just supposed to be "horrific" ... as in scary, not a mess. We're also privy to a few heroic moments that feel extracted from an action video game and also, unsurprisingly, make zero sense. Like opening the underground waterways to wash out the zombies ... but somehow the lead survives, the only one somehow not washed away, even while zombies were gnawing on his bones ... of course, he doesn't last long ... he escapes only to be gunned down while turning into a zombie himself. Look, I get the sense this is the author's first book. The technical skill and hint at a unique perspective is there. But I can't in good conscience recommend this one. Leave it to the zombies and try again.

*Below* by Alaric Cabiling is a stunning debut that marks a triumphant return to the realm of literary horror. This novel captures the essence of classic horror masters like Stephen King and Peter Straub while carving out its own unique niche. Cabiling's vivid prose and elaborate detail bring the terrifying world of a modern zombie pandemic to life, set against the gritty backdrop of Tondo, Manila.

The story of *Below* is both haunting and compelling, as it explores the devastating impact of a zombie phenomenon triggered by tainted street drugs. The congested slums of Tondo provide the perfect setting for a frantic, unrelenting horror that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. The protagonist, Min Arnaiz, offers a deeply human perspective on the apocalypse, narrating a harrowing journey from the chaotic streets of Manila to the sewers of New York City.

Cabiling's ability to blend striking imagery with stylish prose makes *Below* a standout in the genre. The novel's exploration of themes such as survival, courage, and the indomitable human spirit elevates it beyond a simple horror story. Min's transformation into a reluctant hero is both inspiring and heartbreaking,

Oof.

I really enjoyed this, if enjoy is the right word. I think what I appreciated most was the through line of basic human kindness that's typically missing from zombie stories, and never even close to the amount in this book.

This is a book of two parts, The Zombie genre has been done to death and this section adds nothing new to the story. To be fair I would say this of any Zombie, flesh-eating, virus-spreading yarn - it is all a bit boring and repetitive.

The other part is the story of living in the slums and scavenging for a living. Children are forced to do this to get a scrap of plastic, copper, or gold to help feed their families. The writing here has real depth. You can smell the smell, feel the heat, and breathe in the dust. For the 'real' story alone I give this book 3 stars