By Jim Mcleod 
Anthony Ryan’s The Feeding and the Art of Post-Apocalyptic Terror
A Horror Book Review by Jim Mcleod
Anthony Ryan, renowned for his bestselling fantasy sagas, ventures deeper into post-apocalyptic terrain with The Feeding, a gripping, standalone thriller that masterfully blends relentless action, poignant character drama, and genuinely unsettling horror. Released on August 12, 2025, by Blackstone Publishing (and under the pseudonym A.J. Ryan in the UK), this novel carves a distinct niche within a crowded genre, offering both visceral thrills and thoughtful commentary on survival, sacrifice, and the fragile remnants of humanity.
Fifteen years after “The Feeding” decimated civilisation, scattered human enclaves cling to existence behind fortified walls. New City Redoubt serves as the primary setting, a bastion where survivors barter for essentials and reminisce about the vanished era of “Peace.” Beyond these walls lies the Outside: a ruinous wasteland infested by feeders. These creatures, emerging at night but dangerously unpredictable by day, are neither classic zombies nor traditional vampires, but a terrifying hybrid. Described as shadowy, nest-dwelling hunters with vampiric traits (e.g., vulnerability to light, predatory intelligence), they evoke the dread of I Am Legend’s infected.
Humanity’s lifeline depends on Crossers, elite scouts who risk feeder attacks to traverse between settlements and trade vital supplies. As the Outside grows deadlier and Crosser ranks thin, the novel introduces Layla, a young scavenger whose adoptive father is dying from a treatable illness. With medicine unavailable within the Redoubt, Layla must become a Crosser herself and brave the feeder-haunted wilderness to save him.
Layla stands out as the novel’s greatest asset, a protagonist who is both pragmatically tough and profoundly compassionate. Forged by the apocalypse yet untouched by cynicism, her motivation is deeply personal: to save her father. This emotional core anchors the intense action. Ryan skillfully avoids heavy exposition, instead showcasing Layla’s resilience, scavenging expertise, and tactical intelligence through gruelling Crosser trials and rugged wilderness journeys.
Her connections—with her ailing father, cautious fellow Crossers, and a struggling settlement, add rich complexity to her path. As one reviewer highlights, Layla’s discovery of a deeper conspiracy midway through the story marks a “catastrophic” turning point that reshapes her mission.
Ryan skillfully examines humanity’s ability, or inability, to adapt when old-world structures collapse. The Redoubt’s movie theatre, where Layla’s family watches relics of “Peace,” serves as a powerful symbol of nostalgia’s double edge. Is clinging to pre-feeding culture a source of comfort or a burden? Ryan argues that survival requires pragmatism, not sentimentality. In a world where “sentimentality or weakness will get you killed,” Layla’s transformation into a decisive, sometimes ruthless survivor feels authentic. Unlike many apocalypse tales, The Feeding embraces unanswered questions.
How did the feeders begin? What caused the global collapse? This deliberate ambiguity reflects the characters’ limited understanding, heightening the story’s pervasive sense of dread. Personally, I appreciate this approach. With a background in virology, I’ve often found many “explanations” for vampires and zombies unconvincing. I prefer when they exist without detailed origin stories. The only author who truly succeeded in crafting a believable vampire ecology was Brian Lumley in his Necroscope series.
Ryan’s prose is lean, visceral, and relentlessly paced. Contrasting with the slower-burn tension of his earlier Red River Seven, The Feeding delivers frantic action sequences that evoke a blockbuster film or video game. Scenes of Crossers navigating dilapidated buildings or fleeing feeder nests are choreographed with claustrophobic intensity. Where almost every page becomes a lesson in how to drive a narrative with a pulse-pounding speed.
The Feeding is a triumph of genre merging. It harnesses the adrenaline of survival horror (The Last of Us), the emotional weight of dystopian drama (The Road), and the inventiveness of biological terror (I Am Legend), while carving its own identity. Ryan’s decision to focus on character amidst chaos, particularly through Layla’s desperate quest, elevates this beyond a mere creature feature. The feeders stand as memorably grotesque additions to the monster canon, and New City Redoubt feels tangibly oppressive yet tragically human.
Further Reading: Check out Anthony’s brillaint article on Nigel Kneale here
The Feeding by Anthony Ryan
‘[A] pulse-pounding vampire tale . . . Ryan keeps readers on the edge of their seats. Fans of The Last of Us will be enthralled’ Publishers Weekly
‘A frenetically-paced read that will equally excite and terrify you’ FanfiAddict
Layla has spent her entire life in the Redoubt, one of the last bastions of humanity in a ravaged world. She’s never been beyond the Redoubt’s walls; only Crossers, with their special training and survival skills, are permitted to venture into the shadow-haunted wastelands.
When Layla’s father falls ill, she knows she needs to find a cure. But no such medicine can be found within the Redoubt. Instead, her only chance is to pass a series of gruelling trials to become a Crosser, and then to strike out into the wilderness.
Where the feeders are.
Internationally bestselling fantasy author Anthony Ryan – writing as A. J. Ryan – delivers a nerve-shredding horror novel where humans are no longer top of the food chain.
Praise for A. J. Ryan
‘Bursts onto the page like a riveting ride into a monstrous heart of darkness, starting out as a locked-room mystery and steadily stomping the gas to become an edge-of-your seat thriller’ Craig DiLouie
‘A madly entertaining amalgam of locked-room mystery, heart-racing thriller, and terror-inducing horror show that will keep you up late into the night and darken your dreams long after you turn the last page’ Philip Fracassi
‘Soaked in terror and shrouded in fog, this book demands to be gulped down in one sitting’ Andy Merino
‘A frenetically paced, galvanizing read that will equally excite and terrify you’ FanFiAddict
Book Reviews on Ginger Nuts of Horror
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