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A series of nuclear strikes has left huge swathes of the country uninhabitable. It’s a level playing field both Hater and Unchanged alike have to fight to stay alive. Both have retreated to their camps to regroup, less than twenty miles away from each other.

It’s here that the last major battle of the final war will inevitably be fought, but neither side has any idea what’s waiting for them just around the corner.

Both armies are ready to fight to the death, each of their leaders hell-bent on victory. Their tactics are uniformly strike first, get the enemy in a chokehold, then strangle the life out of them.

348 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 19, 2019

12 people are currently reading
347 people want to read

About the author

David Moody

77 books1,266 followers
David Moody first released Hater in 2006, and without an agent, succeeded in selling the film rights for the novel to Mark Johnson (producer, Breaking Bad) and Guillermo Del Toro (director, The Shape of Water, Pan's Labyrinth). Moody's seminal zombie novel Autumn was made into a movie starring Dexter Fletcher and David Carradine. He has an unhealthy fascination with the end of the world and likes to write books about ordinary folks going through absolute hell. With the publication of continuing Hater and Autumn stories, Moody has cemented his reputation as a writer of suspense-laced SF/horror, and "farther out" genre books of all description.

Find out more about his work at www.davidmoody.net and www.infectedbooks.co.uk, and join Moody's mailing list to keep up with new releases.

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5 stars
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74 (42%)
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
Profile Image for LIsa Noell "Rocking the chutzpah!".
739 reviews582 followers
November 23, 2021
I've had a bookish love affair with Mr. Moody for years. I've read everything I can by this man. He's someone that I have copies of real books and kindle books. So, to say that I have been looking forward to a continuation of this series is an understatement! Unfortunately.....There was no closure. It was great meeting up with past characters. Sad as hell too! But, the war still rages. I hate that! Also, I've discovered that whereas before I had sympathy for both sides, I don't anymore. I wish only death for the Haters! Sadly, they're all haters. I've heard that Moody may be continuing his Autumn series. This makes me wary now. Those books stunned me. I hate to think he may be messing up one of the best zombie stories ever told.
Profile Image for Greg at 2 Book Lovers Reviews.
552 reviews61 followers
November 25, 2019
*4.5 Stars

Authors are able to accomplish some incredible things: they create worlds that captivate people, they imagine characters that complete strangers connect with, they make people forget, temporarily, about the normal lives they live. David Moody has accomplished all of this with his Hater world.

Through my years of reading I’ve come to consider Danny McCoyne a good friend and, more recently, Matt Dunne one as well. Moody has created these characters who feel so real to me, I connect with both of them, despite the fact that they will never see eye to eye. These two protagonists are far from over the top, they are regular guys just trying to make a go of it in an exceptional situation.

Let me give you some advice, you cannot start with Chokehold, it is the culmination of five previous books. It would be like watching Revenge of the Sith first. You just can’t do that! It ruins the suspense, the surprises, and the overbearing feeling of gloom that persists in Moody’s world.

My mind went in many different directions as I immersed myself in Moody’s Chokehold. I appreciated Danny’s cameo in All Roads End Here, but this series is Matt’s! I almost felt a sense of betrayal that Matt had to share his final story with Danny. I get it though, the appetite was there for more Danny and everything came together nicely, well, as nicely as it can in a Moody book.

Are there more stories in the Hater world? If so, I will be there with bells on. If not, this a fitting ending to one of my most beloved series.

*I received a copy of the book from the publisher (via NetGalley).
Profile Image for Gatorman.
736 reviews96 followers
July 3, 2020
Fantastic finish to the Final War Hater trilogy that finds Matt trying to cope with the death of his girlfriend Jen while trying to stay alive with other Unchanged survivors as they hide from the effects of the atomic bomb dropped at the end of the last entry in the series. The action is non-stop and the story is truly gripping from beginning to end. Characters from prior entries in the entire Hater series make appearances which adds to the entire experience. The never-ending war between Haters and Unchanged is played out on both sides with violent determination that the reader gets pulled into with each passing chapter. The ending is emotional and a perfectly fitting wrap-up to a story about a brutal war for which there are no winners. Moody writes the hell out of this book. If you're a fan of this series you will not be disappointed. 4.5 stars. Very highly recommended.
1 review
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January 11, 2020
And bang just like that David Moody propels us right back into the post nuke chaos with delicious ease !! We find ourselves almost instantly updated on where our poor bedraggled changed & unchanged survivors are and I was personally most delighted to discover our Danny still kicking, so to speak. I personally love this wiley resilient character, as since first being introduced in book 1, I have always pictured my actor son David, as playing him in the role.
Moody has a unique way of creating characters so real and human, that you often find yourself empathizing with even the most dispicable & heinous ones.
Chokehold holds its own the Hater Series & is a non stop, adrenaline fueled literary ride that you simply cannot put down.
Think AMC's The Walking Dead series on roids and with characters you fall in love with and imagine, should the human race find ourselves in a similar situation, who you would choose sides with.
10/10 for me :)

Susan Austin
Director
Flaming Furnace Films
Profile Image for Michelle Wong.
49 reviews1 follower
January 31, 2020
I have to say that I never have any trouble finishing his books and am always waiting for the next one to come out.
This series has to be made into a movie or TV series as it gives you a feeling of what humanity would turn into if the world was to come to an end by a virus of turning monsters against humanity.
The characters are easy to follow and grow to love or hate. But the cliff hanger at the end makes me hope that he will still come back to write another book.
Pretty please 😊😊
Profile Image for Craig DiLouie.
Author 63 books1,554 followers
September 23, 2019
David Moody brings his HATER series into a spectacular landing with CHOKEHOLD, coming out from St. Martin’s Griffin November 19, 2019. I was lucky to receive an advance copy of the book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

I first read HATER back when Moody was self-publishing his zombie fiction in PDFs, and fell in love with it. In this apocalyptic novel, a dormant genetic switch flips in a third of humanity, making them terrified and hateful of the other two-thirds, resulting in a string of homicides that snowballs into an all-out war. The novel has a twist in the last act as powerful as the end of WOOL. After HATER was optioned by Guillermo del Toro, St. Martin’s brought the book to print along with a series that ended up spanning six books.

In the first trilogy, we follow a Hater, while in the second, we primarily follow Matt, one of the Unchanged. CHOKEHOLD follows the fall of nuclear bombs that have turned the UK into a wasteland. In the ruins, the last Unchanged survive in a fortress, while rival armies of Haters head toward them for a final showdown. Matt must navigate all this hate and try to survive on his own until finally making a choice to try to help them all survive.

Moody gave CHOKEHOLD his best writing in the series, tying all the characters and plots from the previous books together into a satisfying conclusion. Throughout the series, the main characters had their choices made for them by rapidly changing circumstances. In this last episode, they make the own choices, right or wrong, for hate or redemption, and even those who don’t make it expire knowing their death meant something. And for all its bleakness and violence, the series finishes on a small note of hope.

I can’t recommend Moody’s work enough, whether it’s his groundbreaking HATER series of his powerful AUTUMN series. I’ve stuck with both over a decade, and now I can’t wait to see what Moody comes up with next.
Profile Image for Horror DNA.
1,284 reviews118 followers
December 5, 2019
I have a confession. When it comes to zombies and most other end-of-the-world scenarios, I’ve become jaded and pretty much completely burnt. More and more it seems like there’s nothing new or unique to be found and I don’t find the themes to be even remotely entertaining anymore. It’s true that a thing can be done to death—or undeath—and the worst of all is the walking dead. So I’m an extremely hard sell when it comes to the trope. Almost 100% of the time, if you offer me this type of story for review, or even just to read, I’m going to reject it hands down. But there is an exception to that rule and it’s the works of David Moody, in particular, the “Haters” and “The Final War” series. These books, though they may riff a bit on the zombie theme, are in reality much different. The Haters are high-functioning, thinking human beings who just happen to have a deep-seated need to viciously murder anyone they encounter who are not infected with the virus known as the Hate. Several years back I discovered the author for the first time in the form of a book called Autumn and, while that book and subsequent others in that world deal with the very subject I profess to be tired of, it is one of the best of the bunch and it got me curious about the author’s other publications. So on the recommendation of some friends I very much trust in the industry, I took up Hater, the first book in a trilogy that was a total game-changer for me. One that left me longing for more like I never did for any other apocalypse tale I’ve ever read before. And goddamn did you take your sweet time or what, Mr. Moody?

You can read Shane's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
Profile Image for Star Gater.
1,912 reviews62 followers
April 15, 2022
What could have been will stay with me for a few minutes. This is a definite miss, best described as The Walking Dead with an excessive number of F-words used to communicate. Extremely disappointing.
Profile Image for OutlawPoet.
1,824 reviews68 followers
December 3, 2019
I've read the other two books in the series and really enjoyed them.

As a result, I was surprised that it took me a bit to get into this one. In fact, I stopped and started about three times before it finally caught hold.

The thing is, it's a good book. It's got action and heartbreak iconic characters and fights that border on epic. I think maybe, though, it's a little too close to the world today. No, we're not battling a true pandemic of rage...but sometimes, looking at the news, it sure feels like it.

I do recommend that you read the other books in the series first. You need to understand where the Hate comes from and there are characters whose stories are told in prior books - without much background here.

I just think I need something a little further away from today's culture right now.

*ARC Provided via Net Galley
Profile Image for Daniel Jimenez.
13 reviews2 followers
January 17, 2020
What a way to end the series! I'm filled with the urge to read through it again now that the whole story has been laid out. Perhaps I will...
Profile Image for PP9000.
82 reviews1 follower
June 1, 2020
I really liked this book - it can be depressing at times but there's something very British about spending the apocalypse in a Travelodge!
Profile Image for Suzanne Bainbridge.
30 reviews
December 11, 2019
Although this review doesn't contain "spoilers" I will have to give you some of the backgrounds as although this is a book that can be read on its own really it's best enjoyed if you know the start, middle and now the ending of the end of the world? I've put the question mark there as I haven't actually finished my book so I don't know what's going to happen but I know for sure it's not going to be an ending of rainbows and unicorns it will probably be nasty and yet maybe still with a glimmer of hope

As with most of his books, the characters both heroes, villains and those who are just surviving are ordinary people. They're me, you, your Sister, Mother the bloke you sit next to in the office and the person who used to sell you the newspaper in the morning. Everyone is so relateable, we know these people and also the way people react in the Moody stories is just how we know they would act.

So a bit of a backstory so if you don't want to read the first two books is that over a very quick period of time people turn into "Haters" or the "unchanged". There is no physical difference between the two groups unless you take into account the sheer hate which twists a haters face into when he has seen one of the unchanged. They become rabid the need to kill the unchanged drives them mad not just with anger and fury but pure fear of the unchanged while the unchanged do not have the power of this anger to survive they just want to survive. This "hate" is so strong that a Mother will kill her baby an Elderly man will kill his wife of 50+ years because she is the enemy she is UNCHANGED! People who cannot walk will drag themselves agonisingly along just to try to get to an unchanged person because the need to kill is overwhelming. When these haters aren't faced with the unchanged they're in the same predicament, starving, cold, desperate and human...till they see an unchanged of course. A lot of people come and go in the story, usually in a gruesome way, but the main character is Danny Coyne. He's just a man, thin, weak with hunger and sickness but hanging on in there and so far the only thing which has saved him was he has learned to "control the hate". This means he can hide among the haters or the unchanged whichever side is offering him the best chance of survival. He is no hero although he has tried to do good, in the end, he is just surviving no matter what the cost.

So that's the briefest of backstory considering that it covers the two previous books and I've not even mentioned the nuclear explosions, but once you know the plot it makes it easier to understand whats going on in this 3rd book. Haters are still hating and Unchanged are still clinging on but now there are 2 main camps and plenty of skirmishes, backstabbing, wins and losses the fight is ongoing.

Again I don't know what the end of the story is or if there will be a 4th book but what I do know is that when I read the first "Hater" book I was HOOKED! I ordered the second book before I'd even finished the first and then when I'd spotted that there was a third in the series I'd preordered that and then reread the previous 2 books to prepare myself for the ongoing struggles.

If you know someone who likes the apocalyptic genre esp ones which don't just trot out the same old stuff with the same old unrelatable characters then try David Moody they and you won't be disappointed.
Profile Image for Amy Braun.
Author 36 books349 followers
December 4, 2019
Actual rating is 4.5! I've been a huge fan of the HATER books for a long time and I'm sad to see the series come to a close. That said, it definitely went out with a bang! The one story was packed with action, drama, betrayal, and violence. Multiple perspectives added to the the world and its complexities. The entire story played out like an action movie with a fantastic, adrenaline-packed ending.

Many of the characters were great, though I must confess that Matt's attitude really bothered me until the end. He complained more than I hoped for. Still, the characters he interacted with were great and I wish they had gotten some more page time!

David Moody's bleak, brutal writing style adds to this horror action series and I recommend it to anyone looking for a darker series!
Profile Image for Stu Corner.
211 reviews43 followers
January 2, 2022
Well, that was... an ending?

Either way, I enjoyed the series as a whole. This was definitely the weakest entry in my opinion. Before there was always a kind of sympathy for both sides of the war, but that "changed" for the worse in this one. It was nice to see a few familiar faces return, but I was a bit confused as to where this one fits in the series. I'm pretty sure this was set just before "Them or Us" but I can't remember too many names from that book. The ending suggests that It was anyway. All in all I enjoyed the series and am looking forward to "Autumn".

3.5 Stars.
Profile Image for Larry.
676 reviews
January 27, 2020
I have loved this series. If you have too...you will enjoy this conclusion to it all. If you are unfamiliar with it and love apocalyptic fiction, you definitely should dive in. Just a bit blue now that it is over and I know the fates of characters I have known for a bit now. Good or bad endings or future...it’s an ending for the reader. Will look forward to the author’s next novel. He is great!
Profile Image for Kay.
1,724 reviews18 followers
January 3, 2020
Hate and war continues. All the previous remaining constituents of the rest of the series come crashing together in this, the end of the series. If you love David Moody then you will be more than happy with is. I reckon there may be more to come.

Ray Smillie
Profile Image for Michelle.
665 reviews3 followers
January 19, 2020
Another great read! Although stories of fiction, Moody does a great job of writing about the hate and violence unfortunately seen among humanity.
"Chokehold" is the 3rd book in the Final War series but the 6th Hater book. A great, action-packed, violent read. It's a war of Haters against the Unchanged, and it's a bloodbath.
Profile Image for Linda Bond.
452 reviews10 followers
September 28, 2019
It’s a dystopian novel with a twist. This is the third book in a series about the Haters and the Unchanged, who are about to face off in a war to end all wars, to herald the apocalypse that everyone expects but hopes to live through. Once the fighting starts, it’s horrific. The only problem: even though there are winners and losers, it’s not over yet. If you like to dig into an apocalyptic melee once in a while, check out Moody’s very realistic series – part social upheaval and part military drill. It’s got all the right pieces to a dystopian thriller puzzle.

I met this book at Auntie's Bookstore in Spokane, WA
Profile Image for Steve.
517 reviews18 followers
September 18, 2021
Chokehold is the 6th book in the Hater series by David Moody, this book set in the same universe as the original trilogy along the same time line but the difference here is that we get to see it from a different perspective this time from the Unchanged pov.
This one was always going to be a tough bleak and dark read after the events of book 5 but Moody delivers in spades as he finally wraps up his Hater series of books.
Moody has created a stunning world in this series and I have no doubt is now the King of this genre the characters that have been created across all 6 books have become like old friends and its been a delight to spend time with them in this unforgiven world.
Moody ties both of the trilogies together in the final book bringing back Danny from the original trilogy but make no mistake this book and this series has been Matts story and what a journey he and I the reader have been on Thank you so much David.
As a body of work these 6 books are absolutely outstanding and should be read by every fan of these genre I can not put into words just how good this series is it just needs to be read weather you start with the second or first trilogy makes no odds they are superb.

Well worth your time and hard-earned cash this is a masterclass in story telling.
Profile Image for Jen Juenke.
1,036 reviews42 followers
August 30, 2019
Let me first preface this review by saying that I have NOT read the other books in the series....
It would have helped if the author had at some point given a brief synopsis of what had transpired before this book.
I thought that the book had an interesting concept...yet...by the middle of the book, I was not certain which side I should be on...the haters or the unchanged.
I felt that the book just lacked OOMPH! There was NO clear direction of where or who the main story should be about.
By the end of the book, I kept thinking..."well that was a waste of time".
Overall, I thought that the beginning was great, the middle sagged, and by the end, I just wanted it to end!
Is Matt the hero?!
739 reviews3 followers
April 2, 2022
Picked this up because I had read the first two.

Pretty depressing..no real character development, I couldn’t muster an ounce of energy caring about a single named person in this story.

On top of that, poorly conceived scientifically. No one survives a radiation rain like these people apparently do. And even if they could continue to scavenge, how do they ever grow any crops again in soil poisoned by dozens of bombs?

No..this is the end of reading this series which with the ending apparently is planned to go on at least one more book
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
1 review
November 19, 2019
Loved it! Just like all the other books in the hater series I was totally gripped from page one and couldn't put it down. Really interesting to read from both sides of the war and finding that I sympathised with both sides depending on which book I was reading. Highly recommend the whole hater series.
Profile Image for Annarella.
14.3k reviews166 followers
November 19, 2019
I couldn't be involved in this book and it failed to keep my attention. Even if it's well written it's not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
681 reviews
June 30, 2025
Really want to know what happened to humans at end
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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