Zombies Attack! Read online

  Books by Mark Cheverton

  The Gameknight999 Series

  Invasion of the Overworld

  Battle for the Nether

  Confronting the Dragon

  The Mystery of Herobrine Series: A Gameknight999 Adventure

  Trouble in Zombie-town

  The Jungle Temple Oracle

  Last Stand on the Ocean Shore

  Herobrine Reborn Series: A Gameknight999 Adventure

  Saving Crafter

  The Destruction of the Overworld

  Gameknight999 vs. Herobrine

  Herobrine’s Revenge Series: A Gameknight999 Adventure

  The Phantom Virus

  Overworld in Flames

  System Overload

  The Birth of Herobrine: A Gameknight999 Adventure

  The Great Zombie Invasion

  Attack of the Shadow-Crafters

  Herobrine’s War

  The Mystery of Entity303: A Gameknight999 Adventure

  Terrors of the Forest

  Monsters in the Mist

  Mission to the Moon (Coming Soon!)

  The Gameknight999 Box Set

  The Gameknight999 vs. Herobrine Box Set

  The Gameknight999 Adventures Through Time Box Set (Coming Soon!)

  The Rise of the Warlords: An Unofficial Interactive Minecrafter’s Adventure

  Zombies Attack!

  The Bones of Doom (Coming Soon)

  Into the Spiders’ Lair (Coming Soon!)

  The Algae Voices of Azule Series

  Algae Voices of Azule

  Finding Home

  Finding the Lost

  This book is not authorized or sponsored by Microsoft Corp., Mojang AB, Notch Development AB or Scholastic Inc., or any other person or entity owning or controlling rights in the Minecraft name, trademark, or copyrights.

  Copyright © 2017 by Mark Cheverton

  Minecraft® is a registered trademark of Notch Development AB

  The Minecraft game is copyright © Mojang AB

  This book is not authorized or sponsored by Microsoft Corp., Mojang AB, Notch Development AB, or Scholastic Inc., or any other person or entity owning or controlling rights in the Minecraft name, trademark, or copyrights.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without the express written consent of the publisher, except in the case of brief excerpts in critical reviews or articles. All inquiries should be addressed to Sky Pony Press, 307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018.

  Sky Pony Press books may be purchased in bulk at special discounts for sales promotion, corporate gifts, fund-raising, or educational purposes. Special editions can also be created to specifications. For details, contact the Special Sales Department, Sky Pony Press, 307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018 or [email protected].

  Sky Pony® is a registered trademark of Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.®, a Delaware corporation.

  Visit our website at www.skyponypress.com.

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  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file.

  Cover design by Brian Peterson

  Cover artwork by Vilandas Sukutis (www.veloscraft.com)

  Technical consultant: Gameknight999

  Print Paperback ISBN: 978-1-51072-737-3

  Print Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-51072-831-8

  E-book ISBN: 978-1-51072-741-0

  Printed in Canada

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  As always, I want to thank my family for their continued support of my obsessive writing practices. Their understanding of my insanity about writing is a constant source of encouragement for me, though I know the only cure is to continue to write.

  To my readers, thank you for setting Gameknight999 aside and meeting my new friends, Watcher, Planter, Blaster, Cutter, Mapper, and Er-Lan. I think you’re going to love them as much as I already do.

  ZOMBIES ATTACK!:

  AN INTERACTIVE READING EXPERIENCE

  Zombies Attack! is a very important book to me for a few reasons. First, it’s the start of a completely new series set in the world of Minecraft, with never-before-seen characters and a new location: the mysterious Far Lands! Writing the Gameknight999 novels has been a blast, but after eighteen books, I knew it was time to challenge myself and come up with new stories and characters for readers to enjoy (and you never know, there may still be more adventures starring the User-who-is-not-a-user down the road …).

  Second, Zombies Attack! is the first ever truly interactive novel set in the world of Minecraft. Have you ever read a great Minecraft story and thought, “Wow! I’d love to actually play like this in the game, battling the same monsters and exploring the same buildings and worlds”? I definitely have, and was inspired enough to make my dream a reality. With the help of some very talented friends, I’ve created a custom Zombies Attack! Minecraft map that matches the storyline of this book. That means that as you’re reading, you’ll be able to follow along in the actual Minecraft game itself, visiting the same buildings and biomes, fighting the same monsters, and even more, all the same as the book.

  After you’ve met Watcher, the main character of Zombies Attack! and hero of the Rise of the Warlords series, you’ll be able to live out his adventures yourself in the Far Lands, facing monsters, uncovering treasure, and trying to defeat dangerous bosses like the zombie general, Ro-Zar, and the zombie warlord, Tu-Kar.

  Pulling this off required a lot of planning, and I had to carefully craft the story as my team was helping to build this custom map. There are many Easter eggs in these pages that will point you towards special treasure while you’re playing the Zombies Attack! map, so read carefully.

  Before we get into the fun stuff (like “How does it all work?”), I want to stress that although these bonus features for Zombies Attack are lots of fun, and I fully encourage all readers to try them out, they are not required to read the book and enjoy it. Just like my Gameknight999 series, the Rise of the Warlords trilogy is a fun and exciting story set in the world of Minecraft, filled with interesting characters I’ve grown to love. If you just want to read along, you’ll enjoy Zombies Attack! and the upcoming sequels just as much as my previous books. However, what makes these books different is that they’ve been written with some very cool bonus features in mind, and I hope you take the opportunity to check them out; they are awesome to play and explore!

  How do I play the Zombies Attack! map?

  The Zombies Attack! custom map is available on my Gameknight999 Minecraft Network server (server IP: mc.gameknight999.com), which many of you have visited and play on already. Detailed instructions for how to access the map for Zombies Attack! can be found by visiting my website, www.markcheverton.com, where there are video tutorials and more to get you set up and having fun in no time. Or, you can scan the QR code (more information on how to do that in a moment) on page xi to take you straight to the right webpage (be sure to have your parents’ permission to use third-party Minecraft servers).

  When you first enter the Zombies Attack! map, you’ll find yourself in a special room where you can join up with other players around the world to play the map with. The more people you have in your party, the more difficult you’ll find the game, but playing with other users is lots of fun! Each time you play, you’ll get a score related to how many monsters you destroyed and how quickly you made it through the game. Be sure to check for hidden loot; there will be hints throughout the book, telling you where you might find better armor and cool weapons.

  Good luck, and watch out for zombies—there will be a lot of them waiting to meet you!

  What if I can’t play on a server?

  Never fear, we’ve thought of that! Even if you don’t have access or permissi
on to play on third-party Minecraft servers, you’ll still be able to download the Zombies Attack! map and go through the adventure on your own. Unfortunately, the custom software that was written to create all the epic boss battles will only work if you play on my server, and will not work for you at home. So monsters might not pop up exactly like they do in the book this way, but the maps themselves are still really fun to explore, and there are still many, many random monster spawners around that will keep you busy.

  You can download the game (again, after getting your parents’ permission), by visiting my website or scanning the QR code on the next page and scrolling down to the download link at the bottom of the page. If you need help loading the world into Minecraft, I’ve included links to several YouTube videos that I’ve found extremely helpful. These videos will show you how to download the map file as well as well as how to load and run the file on your computer.

  Will the Zombies Attack! map work with my computer?

  Unfortunately, you can only log into the Gameknight999 Minecraft Network with the vanilla PC version 1.11 or 1.12 of Minecraft. The Windows 10 version, as well as the Xbox, Pocket Edition, or other console versions of Minecraft, will not work on the Gameknight999 Minecraft Network. So, if you use those versions of Minecraft, you won’t be able to join the online game server and play the custom Zombies Attack! map. In addition, the downloadable version will not work with any of these versions either. I wish this wasn’t the case, but I don’t have any control over what these other versions can run.

  What are QR codes and how do I use them?

  Even if you can’t join the server or download the single-player game to see first-hand what the fabulous structures created by our expert builders look like, that’s okay; there are still fun things to look at! Throughout the book, you will find square, black and white checkerboard patterns called QR codes. These QR codes are linked to pages on my website that show images of the buildings constructed by our building team, and give you more information about the structures and history of the Far Lands. You might find even some screenshots of different Minecrafters playing through the game … maybe you! Be sure to send me your screenshots from inside the game, and I’ll do my best to post them online.

  To scan the QR code, you’ll need a QR reader on your smart phone. There are many free QR readers available for all phones. I recommend you go to your phone’s app store to find one (with your parents’ permission, of course). I downloaded one for my iPhone and it works great, even though there are some ads across the bottom. Simply enter your QR reader app, then point the phone’s camera toward the QR code. The software should detect the code very quickly, then redirect your phone to the website. The QR code here, for example, will take you to the webpage for Zombies Attack! custom map lobby.

  If for some reason you aren’t able to use a QR reader on your smart phone, feel free to visit my website, where I’ll have the same links up for readers to explore.

  Putting together this interactive experience was something I’ve been thinking about for a long time, and it was only possible through the incredibly hard work and patience from a group of people who deserve lots of recognition and applause. Zombies Attack! was programmed by Luca Panjer (devLuca) and tested by Joseph Bamber (Quadbamber). We also had an incredible building team from the Gameknight999 Minecraft Network putting together all of the epic constructions for the game: Project Director Joseph Bamber (Quadbamber), Head Builder Will Shepherd (Mr_man12), Builder Adam Pugh (Arp97), and Builder Ben Archer (Benma98). They’ve created some amazing structures and buildings that I’ve done my best to describe throughout this book, but walking through them is even better.

  From the beginning, my goal has been to merge the experience of playing Minecraft and reading Minecraft-inspired books into a one-of-a-kind experience. I hope you enjoy the game and playing along while you read! Don’t get discouraged if you don’t beat the Zombies Attack! custom map on the first try, or if you get squashed by the zombies lying in wait for you; this game will take some clever thought and strategy to make it through unscathed. If you are not successful, keep trying. I guarantee it’s possible.

  Hope to see you in the Far Lands!

  —Monkeypants_271

  You should never feel as if you must prove you’re good enough to others to be accepted. Be the best version of yourself, and accept who you are, and don’t be concerned about what other people think.

  Watcher stood atop the tall watchtower, gazing down upon the village, disconnected from the community that bustled with activity below. The morning sun, painting the village with bright reds and warm oranges, rose above the eastern horizon, signaling the start of a new day. The NPCs (non-playable characters) were eager to get up and begin a new day’s work; nighttime and its ever-present collection of zombies, spiders, endermen, and creepers was always a welcome thing to put into the past.

  Watcher gazed toward the rising sun, trying to look past the haze that always obscured Minecraft’s features in the distance. Out there, somewhere, was the line between the Far Lands, where he lived, and the Overworld. Rumor had it, someone had once visited the Far Lands from the distant Overworld, but it had only happened once in Minecraft’s entire history. Even though Watcher had never been there, he knew that the Overworld was the central part of the Minecraft universe, where strangers with silver threads of light reaching up high into the air walked the land. But that was in the Overworld and none of those creatures, known as users, had stepped foot in the Far Lands for centuries; they were a thing of myth and legend.

  The Overworld was the center of Minecraft, a place where users interacted with NPCs and monsters and animals. Some of those interactions were not very positive, and Watcher had heard stories of griefers doing unbelievable harm to those that lived in the electronic world.

  But out in the Far Lands, Watcher was millions and millions of blocks away from all that. The Far Lands wrapped around the Overworld like a gigantic donut, only one with no sprinkles. Watcher had once heard that as strange as the Overworld seemed to him, the Far Lands had once been home to things even stranger than users: powerful beings such as gigantic monsters and mythical sorcerers who had long ago clashed over control of the land. The young boy had never seen anything like that in his time, though; the Far Lands he knew were a more peaceful part of Minecraft, even if dangers still existed.

  Turning his attention back to the task at hand, Watcher performed his job, which was watching out for monsters. He scanned the thick oak forest that hugged close to the village, looking for creatures lurking in the shadows of the boxy trees. Out here, in the Far Lands, zombies and skeletons did not burst into flames if they were exposed to the sunlight, like they would in the rest of the Overworld, but they still preferred the darkness of shadows or night. Watcher knew if any monsters were skulking about, they’d be found in the shade cast by the trees.

  Suddenly, he saw something move from behind the square trunk of a tall oak. And then something else. It was difficult to see what they were, for the shapes were still far away, but there was definitely something there. Watcher imagined it could be a group of zombies, or maybe skeletons out on the hunt. Images of a million different possibilities played through his head as the daydreaming he was famous for began to dominate his mind.

  Should I ring the alarm? Watcher thought.

  “No, I’ll wait until I can see them better,” he mumbled softly to himself.

  Leaning forward, he peered into the forest, holding his rectangular hand next to his face to shield his eyes from the light of the square sun.

  One of the creatures stepped into the clearing. There was a flash of brilliant light that momentarily blinded the young boy.

  “What was that?” Watcher extending his body farther over the edge of the tower. “Maybe it was a wizard, like the ones described in our history books.”

  His imagination instantly went to the NPC wizards that existed hundreds of years ago in these Far Lands. In school, they’d been learning about the hist
ory of the Far Lands and the strange things that existed long ago; not only NPC wizards, but also monster warlocks and terrifying creatures. A great war had ravaged the land long ago, wiping these monsters, warlocks and wizards from the face of Minecraft, and now they only existed in those historical tomes. All that remained of those ancient times were the elaborate structures sprinkled across the deserts and forests, and occasionally enchanted relics found in dark caves or hidden chests. That was where Watcher’s imagination went; anything that pulled him from his miserable, mundane life was a welcome relief.

  But it can’t be a wizard, he thought. That’s ridiculous.

  And then he saw the figure clearly; it was one of the village warriors returning from the evening patrol.

  More of the warriors emerged from behind trees and bushes, their iron armor reflecting the sun’s rays like highly polished mirrors; the NPCs looked as if they were made of light. As the soldiers neared the village, many of them sheathed their heavy broadswords and tucked their shields back into their inventories.

  “Anything to report?” a voice asked from behind.

  Watcher turned and found Tiller climbing up through the trapdoor that was set into the roof of the tower.

  “No, nothing,” Watcher replied, glad he didn’t signal a false alarm.

  He would have been embarrassed if he’d said they were wizards in the forest. The last time he’d imagined something and reported it, Watcher had been bitterly teased by the older kids in the village, calling him Dreamer instead of Watcher for weeks. They had picked on him relentlessly, making the young boy feel unwelcome everywhere … which was nothing new. The only person that had stood by his side was his best friend, Planter.

  The thought of her made him turn toward the fields. And there she was …

  Watcher smiled.

  Planter was heading into the fields with a hoe over her shoulders, her beautiful blond hair shining bright against the dark green smock, a yellow stripe running down the center. The long flowing strands swished back and forth as she walked, a cheerful spring always present in her gait.