An Undead Glitch

About This Audiobook

Imagine waking up to find you’re not just playing a game—you *are* the game. Seth Willard’s life is a downward spiral: a terminal diagnosis, crushing debt, and a daughter who needs him. Then, a cryptic job offer arrives: become an NPC in a hyper-real zombie survival simulation. The catch? If you die in-game, you die for real. *An Undead Glitch* isn’t just a post-apocalyptic survival tale; it’s a brutal critique of capitalism, the gig economy, and our obsession with escapism, wrapped in the slick, neon-lit sheen of a survival game gone horribly wrong. Philbrook’s world-building is meticulous, blending the claustrophobic dread of *The Last of Us* with the satirical bite of *Black Mirror*, all while keeping the stakes horrifyingly personal. This isn’t a story about zombies—it’s a story about what happens when the rules of the game no longer apply to you. The audiobook’s immersive production amplifies the tension, making Seth’s suffering feel viscerally real, even when the premise stretches credibility. If you’ve ever felt like life’s a rigged system, this is your nightmare fuel.

The narration by Steve Van Samson is a masterclass in vocal performance, shifting effortlessly between Seth’s exhausted desperation, the cold precision of corporate villains, and the eerie, monotone AI guiding the simulation. His portrayal of the game’s NPCs—hollow, repetitive, and unsettling—adds an extra layer of unease, making even the most minor characters feel like they’re trapped in a loop. Philbrook’s script leans heavily on dialogue, and Van Samson’s pacing ensures every line lands with impact. The production is polished but never sterile; ambient sounds and subtle distortions mimic the glitches of the simulation, blurring the line between Seth’s reality and the game world. It’s a technical achievement that rarely calls attention to itself—because when it works, you won’t notice it. You’ll only feel the dread.