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  • Zero Day Code

  • End of Days, Book 1
  • By: John Birmingham
  • Narrated by: Rupert Degas
  • Length: 12 hrs and 32 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (3,843 ratings)

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Zero Day Code

By: John Birmingham
Narrated by: Rupert Degas
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Publisher's Summary

Every modern city has one week’s worth of food to feed itself. Then it will collapse.

Cut off the resources to New York, Sydney, or even a mid-size metropolis, and millions will soon starve. In Zero Day Code we see those immense and open, hyper-complex, networked supercities of the new millennium die. And in the last moments we see their vengeance take form as all the best and worst traits of humanity bubble to the surface.

Zero Day Code is set in a realistic near future with dwindling global food supplies under increasing pressure from worsening droughts, floods and extreme weather events. Written by prolific Australian writer John Birmingham, the thriller follows a handful of survivors from the first day of society’s descent into violent, uncertain futures.

James, a consultant to the US National Security Council, is the first to suspect that the worldwide emergence of a crippling computer virus is actually a cover for something else - a devastating cyber-attack by China on the food distribution system of the United States. The attack is a bid for the Middle Kingdom to distract America as it seizes the food bowl of South East Asia and feeds its starving population. But Beijing has miscalculated.

Follow the missions of an embittered activist chasing salvation, a single mum rescuing her child from a frantic San Francisco and an army veteran who has long retreated from society, as the world they knew crumbles around them.

Please note: this audiobook contains mature content and listener discretion is advised.

©2019 Audible Australia Pty Ltd. (P)2019 Audible Australia Pty Ltd.

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An apocalypse just around the corner

I've been a John Birmingham fan for a long time. He's always thoroughly entertaining and with Zero Day Code he's raised the bar again. As the reviews roll in for this one, I'm guessing the word we'll see repeated a lot will be 'plausible'. The ideas and overall plot put forward just feels very real and like something that could happen today, right now.

Nothing that Birmingham lays out in this tale of the world in crisis feels in any way like it couldn't take place exactly as he describes it. There are no zombies, aliens or asteroids throwing the world into chaos, just the very real threat of what could happen when people get desperate and use our own technology against us.

Global threats aside, I also can't recall any novel I've ever read, or movie for that matter, that is so well hooked in to the way we communicate and consume information in the digital age. I'm not just talking Facebook and Twitter here, every mention of a social media platform or cloud based app or tool, no matter how obscure, has had me thinking John must have had big brother style cameras and snooping software watching my house and devices for the past few years.

What holds this story together though is the characters. John has always been great at giving you characters that you feel for and believe in, and with Zero Day Code he's raised the bar there as well. I can't help feeling these guys and girls will be sticking with me for a long time to come, like all great novel characters should. They all feel like real people I know, the good and the bad.

That predominantly comes down to Birmingham's storytelling skills, but Rupert Degas also does a fantastic job at not only narrating this story, but also giving every character, large or small, their own unique voice. Literally. That's quite as feat.

I can't wait for the next book in this series. I want to know what happens next for each and every one of these people and the wider world around them.

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8 people found this helpful

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John Birmingham leaves us wanting more

Rupert Degas's performance was brilliant; I thoroughly enjoyed the narrative and character acting throughout, with many a wince & not a few laughs at situations portrayed almost flawlessly in a very listenable voice.

And I can't forget John Birmingham's writing, obviously; a very plausible premise presented in a well fleshed out tale which is only just beginning. Romance, weapons, sex, drama, violence & of course, explosions, are all just parts of the palette John employs to paint the narrative. And A Very Good Dog.

Do yourself a favour, grab John Birmingham's Audible Original Audiobook 'Zero Day Code', today, before the world comes to an end.

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Action Packed and Convincing

John Birmingham has a great Aussie sense of humour and beautifully crafted mix of pessimism and hope it's a great start to what shapes up as a (what i consider) as a plausible scenario. I FUCKING LOVE Rupert Degas his narration and character performances are first class.

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BEST ever!

I think John Birmingham is the guy who started COVID!!!! Fabulous story, characters SO believable. One of the best books I have listened to, we found ourselves going for long drives so we could listen to it uninterrupted.

As for the performance? World class, Rupert Degas is without peer. Just look at his “ad reel” on the Internet.

His voices are perfect, the accents and the personalities are spot on. Makes the characters SO real.

Perfect combo, loved this book, onto sequel now!!




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Free book

This was a free book, part 1 of a series, I’ve really enjoyed it, I can’t believe it was free. I’ve also listened to the second book ( also free). I’m looking forward to more. Well played Audible, I’ll be purchasing any more of these. I love a good apocalypse.

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Great

It's a great book. Just a terrible ending. It's like it was ended half way through the book. I suppose to force me to buy the next book. Disappointing.

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Wow!

Could not stop listening.... Awesome narration of a well written plot. Feels frighteningly close to a true plot. I have to stop myself from starting the next book, so I can tend to my veggie patch & get to drying some food!!

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pleasant surprise

didn't know what I was getting in to when I started with this series, I think I got it free as a gift or something.
the main characters are very interesting, they are engaging to read just by themselves, before being led to their place as the story unfolds.
I am finishing the second book as I write this. would absolutely recommend this book.

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Gritty and plausible

One of my first Audible books, I found this book sometimes confronting yet compelling also. There was no glorification of violence although it was frequent and I appreciated the unusual choice of characters and narration. Definitely thought provoking. Recommended!

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Great story, well narrated

loved it, couldn't stop listening. Great narration looking fiat's to book two. Best of all both are free!

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