"I just hope that whatever He has planned He will spare those of us who have tried to be good, even with all the evil and madness" - Josephine.

It's been four years since the primordial jungle burst back the boundaries of the modern world and thrust humanity back into the pre-civilisation barbaric. Chaos reigns as the new world order as the few bands of human survivors and scavengers try to eke out a living amongst the fierce predator tribes of Lions, tree dwellers, and subterranean tunnel dwellers. With humanity apparently regressing genetically just staying alive is a job of work. The only bright light at the end of this overgrown tunnel is the promise the jungle ends somewhere toward the interior of the Country, just down the decaying freeway in fact, if people are strong enough to venture that way.

Even in the new world Nick Artimus is still something of a drifter, as he seeks escape from a bad memory. He comes to the rescue of the pregnant Josephine and Graham, being stalked by tree dwellers, and decides to join their quest to find the fabled edge of the jungle. Naturally there are more than a few dangers lurking on the journey ahead of the trio. Ben Latimer is a young Lion who at thirteen finds himself expelled from his pride and forced to venture out into the jungle to either survive or perish on his own. While he needs to hunt, humans being a major source of food, he is also in danger from other tribes now that he no longer has a pride behind him. On the road to building his own pride Ben will find support in the most unlikely of sources. Naturally nature isn't finished with her remodelling of the World, a major change is coming down the pipeline that might just catch everyone by surprise.

McBean's Jungle trilogy has been following its own evolution as society decays under the forest canopy. In the first novel, Concrete Jungle a few survivors witness the eruption of Mother Nature and have to deal with the immediate aftermath. The narrative goes down in a single multi storey car park, but the savagery is already starting to rear its head with the probable removal of any thoughts of law and order. The follow up Neighbourhood Jungle takes the action out into the new growth jungle as two tribes with diametrically opposed ideals clash while something never explained appears to be stalking the area. In the final novel Suburban Jungle it's four years since the fall of society and at least five separate tribes have emerged who are involved in a battle for survival with at least three of the groups living by and largely by cannibalism. The three novels have gone from a limited stage in the car pack to a wider world view as evolution appears to have accelerated. As a series of novels the Jungle trilogy is vivid, imaginative, and does claw towards an epic world view in a sort low budget fashion. Don't expect sweeping vistas and casts of thousands, all three of the novels focus on a handful of characters with a limited stage to perform on, but regardless there's still an epic quality to the narrative.

In his latest foray into the jungle McBean pulls a Romero by offering some sort of explanation of why things are going down, but never actually coming out with the definitive reason. We know that plant life exploded into accelerated growth, human evolution is either progressing of devolving, depending on view point, exponentially, and the cataclysmic changes throw into the mix are ongoing. Like Romero's oft times isolated and besieged everyman and everywoman no one is an expert, they can simply offer up theories ranging from the old standby of a Government conspiracy gone wrong to that good old religion and God's retribution for all the sinners. I pretty much got caught up in the narrative, McBean remains an excellent writer with an inherent grasp of pacing and timing, so didn't ask any of the big questions and am really no worse for wear without having received any answers. Suburban Jungle isn't about giving answers to life's big mysteries, it's all about the tale, as any self respecting post apocalyptic book should be. I note no one is asking Cormac McCarthy to explain The Road, Brett McBean is clearly equally not going to explain the Jungle trilogy.

I guess more importantly some folk are going to question the ending of Suburban Jungle, there isn't really any resolution or to be honest a happy ever after feeling in the final pages. This is apocalyptic fiction at its best, gruelling, no holds bar, a vision of how quickly the social norms of society can get washed away in the upheaval. No one has any answers other then emerging myths and fables about a promised land somewhere beyond the jungle, and knowing McBean the edge of the jungle for sure is probably not going to be a happy place. Maybe the Author will tackle a fourth book in the series at some stage, but do we really need it? Wanting it isn't the same as needing it people, this story has been told, I'm happy to read the next offering from McBean without getting bogged down in details that aren't going to keep me awake at night. If the Author decides the tale should continue then that's cool otherwise it's still cool

For anyone who hasn't read McBean before, where have you been Outer Mongolia? - be warned the Author is coming at you with a sharp knife and a wicked frame of mind. If blood splattered pages isn't your thing then you are in the wrong place. At stages I thought I might just have to ring the gore out of the book as I gobbled it down like a greedy pig. So yeah warning enough, if you haven't handed in your horror card yet then you are going to feel right at home.

Okay if you are able to get past the blood and guts, and hey we're talking true horror here not gorenography, McBean isn't writing in any fashion exploitation, then you are in for one heck of a thrill ride in terms of alternative worlds. Brett McBean is one of those writers who can create a fictional world, submerge the Reader into that world, and have them believing everything they read. It's the same sort of talent writers such as Stephen King and Ray Bradbury possess, either McBean is a natural born writer or he work his fingers to the bone to develop the skill. You will dig the world create in the Jungle trilogy, you will believe in that world, and more importantly some part of you will be digging that world even as you are shocked by some of its denizens. McBean takes the mundane, drops in a few product labels, and nails an alternative tomorrow that may just having you waking screaming from a nightmare.

Brett McBean demonstrates in Suburban Jungle he hasn't lost any of his narrative skill or ability to totally immersed the reader in his story. The writer has a naturalistic style that will have you reading till the early hours and not regretting a minute of time spent in Country. McBean is the sort of writer that can describe some guy having the top of his skull sliced off in order for mutants to eat his brains for brekkie and it'll take the reader a couple of pages before they suddenly scream out "whoa pull the buggy up the to the curb baby what did I just read"! The narrative drives forward without giving the reader pause, there's a natural flow to the words. If you ever wanted to know how to write that perfect horror prose then dial into this novel to get the good oil, McBean once again demonstration a naturally story telling style that is reminiscent of the greats of the genre.

Suburban Jungle, like the previous two books in the trilogy, comes at us from the good folk over at Tasmaniac Publications. As usual we're talking a highly professional package that is a delight to read. While the novel by McBean remains the focal point, and the main reason to dial in, Tasmaniac Editor Stephen Clark isn't stinting on the extras, Tasmaniac sure do provide good value for the hard earns.

Suburban Jungle spouts a vibrant cover by Steve Crisp that really nails the content of the novel you are about to enjoy. But Tasmaniac isn't finished there, sprinkled throughout the book are illustrations from the pen of Keith Minnion that will have you dancing in the streets for joy, well okay until the guys with the big butterfly nets arrive at least. I was more than digging the artwork, as stated in a previous review Steve Clark has no doubt gone Turkey Shoot on us and has a compound of imprisoned artists working away on novel ideas in the hinterland of Tasmania. Fingers crossed they are calling that place the "Alexander Pearce School for Fine Art".

As the adverts say, but wait there's more, not only do you get Brett McBean grinding flesh but you also get three bonus short stories to whet your appetite for mayhem. Each story takes place in McBean's Jungle universe and for mine adds to the rich texture and vibrancy of the novel. John R Little delivers Loyd and Caitlin and the Ghosts, you might work out where this one is heading, but boy is it a good read getting there. In Devolution Daniel I Russell explores religion in the new world order and finds that fundamentalism never changes, it's nearly always a destructive force folks regardless of which religion it wrongly propounds, there's a whole slew of interesting angles and ideas percolating away in this superb story. And finally Kirstyn McDermott the Aussie Diva of Destruction delivers a single ray of hope in her excellent tale Partisan, even in the darkest night folks.

Now just try and tell me Tasmaniac aren't in the business of spoiling us like the kids of overindulgent parents on Christmas morning. I did mention we also get an excellent introduction from Brian Hodge right?

I had a fantastic time with Suburban Jungle and am now left disappointed that we're at the end of the trilogy, there isn't any more. Fingers crossed Steve Clark puts some pressure on Brett McBean to come back for a fourth novel, that would be beyond cool and I'm pretty sure anyone who has read the trilogy would be in total agreement. Or maybe an Asylum project involving a honking big book of short stories set in the jungle? I'm just full of good ideas that don't involve me doing anything approaching work, that's simply how I roll. Okay so back to the meat and three veg, Brett McBean delivers a stunning imaginative read that will hold you spellbound from first to last page, I can't recommend Suburban Jungle or in fact the entire trilogy enough, this is definitive Australian post apocalyptic writing that deserves more accolades than I can deliver. The bonus folks is the novel is released by Tasmaniac, ergo you are going to get an outstanding package delivered to your bookshelf that will take pride of place.

Some bad news kids and a whole bunch of websites to check out for further coolness and to round out your jungle experience. Suburban Jungle is in strictly limited release, Tasmaniac don't mass published at the best of times, the novel is restricted to 180 numbered soft cover and for the lucky few 26 lettered hard cover. And before you ask no not aware of any electronic releases available. I wouldn't muck around, hit Tasmaniac's site today, right here, and secure your copy. It's the quick and the disappointed folks, you have been warned. On the subject of websites, Brett McBean maintains a web presence right here, where you can run to earth a pretty extensive body of horror work by the Author. For contributing Authors check out John R Little, Daniel I Russell, and Kirstyn McDermott. Not forgetting the artists, Steve Crisp and Keith Minnion . Phew, think I've got all the links sorted.

I've avoided saying it all review, but what the heck; welcome to the Jungle Brett McBean has lots of fun and games!