World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • the way the world was eaten
  • Incredible Alternate History Story!
  • Great Book - Serious Topic
  • "World War Z"
  • How Did I Miss This
World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War
Max Brooks
Manufacturer: Crown
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0307346609
Release Date: 2006-09-12

Book Description

“The end was near.” —Voices from the Zombie War

The Zombie War came unthinkably close to eradicating humanity. Max Brooks, driven by the urgency of preserving the acid-etched first-hand experiences of the survivors from those apocalyptic years, traveled across the United States of America and throughout the world, from decimated cities that once teemed with upwards of thirty million souls to the most remote and inhospitable areas of the planet. He recorded the testimony of men, women, and sometimes children who came face-to-face with the living, or at least the undead, hell of that dreadful time. World War Z is the result. Never before have we had access to a document that so powerfully conveys the depth of fear and horror, and also the ineradicable spirit of resistance, that gripped human society through the plague years.

Ranging from the now infamous village of New Dachang in the United Federation of China, where the epidemiological trail began with the twelve-year-old Patient Zero, to the unnamed northern forests where untold numbers sought a terrible and temporary refuge in the cold, to the United States of Southern Africa, where the Redeker Plan provided hope for humanity at an unspeakable price, to the west-of-the-Rockies redoubt where the North American tide finally started to turn, this invaluable chronicle reflects the full scope and duration of the Zombie War.

Most of all, the book captures with haunting immediacy the human dimension of this epochal event. Facing the often raw and vivid nature of these personal accounts requires a degree of courage on the part of the reader, but the effort is invaluable because, as Mr. Brooks says in his introduction, “By excluding the human factor, aren’t we risking the kind of personal detachment from history that may, heaven forbid, lead us one day to repeat it? And in the end, isn’t the human factor the only true difference between us and the enemy we now refer to as ‘the living dead’?”

Note: Some of the numerical and factual material contained in this edition was previously published under the auspices of the United Nations Postwar Commission.


Eyewitness reports from the first truly global war

“I found ‘Patient Zero’ behind the locked door of an abandoned apartment across town. . . . His wrists and feet were bound with plastic packing twine. Although he’d rubbed off the skin around his bonds, there was no blood. There was also no blood on his other wounds. . . . He was writhing like an animal; a gag muffled his growls. At first the villagers tried to hold me back. They warned me not to touch him, that he was ‘cursed.’ I shrugged them off and reached for my mask and gloves. The boy’s skin was . . . cold and gray . . . I could find neither his heartbeat nor his pulse.” —Dr. Kwang Jingshu, Greater Chongqing, United Federation of China


“‘Shock and Awe’? Perfect name. . . . But what if the enemy can’t be shocked and awed? Not just won’t, but biologically can’t! That’s what happened that day outside New York City, that’s the failure that almost lost us the whole damn war. The fact that we couldn’t shock and awe Zack boomeranged right back in our faces and actually allowed Zack to shock and awe us! They’re not afraid! No matter what we do, no matter how many we kill, they will never, ever be afraid!” —Todd Wainio, former U.S. Army infantryman and veteran of the Battle of Yonkers


“Two hundred million zombies. Who can even visualize that type of number, let alone combat it? . . . For the first time in history, we faced an enemy that was actively waging total war. They had no limits of endurance. They would never negotiate, never surrender. They would fight until the very end because, unlike us, every single one of them, every second of every day, was devoted to consuming all life on Earth.” —General Travis D’Ambrosia, Supreme Allied Commander, Europe

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars the way the world was eaten.......2007-10-02

Brad Pitt's production company has bought the rights to this book but how he plans on doing the individual stories justice I don't know. This book impressed the hell outta me. It was so well done in the mock-u-mentary style that it had me planning on boarding up the windows if I ever saw someone even slightly limping thru my yard! It had great ideas if you have your zombie survival kit ready and at hand just waiting for the zed's to rise.

5 out of 5 stars Incredible Alternate History Story! .......2007-10-01

I must begin this review by saying, I had no idea what to expect when I picked this book up!! It was recommeded to me by a friend, that knew I'm a sucker for a good zombie story! The subtitle of this book is "An Oral History of the Zombie War". And that's exactly the way it's written. A few years after the Zombie World War, a UN postwar Commission Report was written. The author (unnamed) was upset because the report he submitted was not the report that was presented. All the "human" element was removed. This book is a compilation of that human factor. Divided into sections detailing different aspects of the war, the author gives us a look at what happened through interviews with survivors. We learn a little about the initial outbreak of the Zombie epidemic that started in China and spread rapidly worldwide. We hear horror stories from survivors of the "great panic", and what each had to do in order to be telling the tale today. We learn about different countries and how they chose to turn the tide of the war. And we learn about heroes worldwide and how they stepped up to help their fellow man survive an attack like the world has never seen.

It's hard to review this book, because there are no central characters, no plot lines, no big finishes. It is written as if it is a documentary, detailing events and people all the way down to little footnotes of "historical" fact. And it is indeed chilling. Early on, I had expected this to be a funny book, taking a stab at the paranormal genre. What else would you expect from the son of Mel Brooks, but something of a parody?? World War Z isn't like that at all. It is a well-thought-out and carefully plotted book, that goes into such detail, it's hard to believe World War Z is just fiction!! Each little "interview" tells it's own little story, and Brooks ties them up nicely in his presentation. Not too much drama, but just the facts. Brooks also throws in a lot of political references in how he perceives the world would change if such a catastrophe occurred. Can you imagine a world in which Cuba is the new commerce capital? And yet, he does it so smoothly and believably, it's really hard to see it as fiction! Kudos to Brooks for such a unique and down-right fascinating book!! If there ever IS a Zombie epidemic, I know who's doorstep I'm going to show up on!! Max Brooks can lead us to Victory!!

5 out of 5 stars Great Book - Serious Topic.......2007-09-27

For those of you thinking this will be a tongue in cheek ironic laugh of a book, let me tell you that this is not the case. It is writen in a serious, insightful and journalistic style, perfect for the topic. He has great ideas about how all this might take place, and there are some truly moving parts of this book, as well as the horrible and violent. Do you like end of the world scenarios? Grab this book!

5 out of 5 stars "World War Z".......2007-09-27

The road to zombies is, evidently, a more slippery slope than I'd realized. Recently, I was in a Hamilton-Gibson ten-minute piece in which I played a dead person. The character opposite me was a bloody dead guy. At the opening night party, several of us got to laughing about how there just aren't enough plays where an actor gets to be a bloody dead guy. How we need some quality theater written about zombies. Imagine the witty dialogue-- Zombie #1: Mmmnnnggghhh! Zombie #2: Gnnrrrrrrr! There's some quality literature! Ha ha ha ha ha ....

Who knew how soon I would have to eat those sarcastic words (better than eating flesh, giggle-snort). On September 6, Max Brooks published his novel World War Z. "Z" in this case, is short for "Zombie". I started reading it soon after, thinking it'd be funny. I mean, zombie movies are mostly pretty cheesy, right?

I've never seen Romero's "Night of the Living Dead", or any of the films that followed. Certainly, I've read my share of Stephen King, and watched my share of slasher flicks. As a teen, I have to being somewhat scared by Freddie Kruger. But I was never a Goth girl, never into Anne Rice, and only watched "Resident Evil" because my boyfriend at the time had played the video game and wanted to see the film.

I picked up this novel because I thought it ironic to have just been joking about "zombie literature", and because I like survival stories. There are two post-apocalyptic, society-is-utterly-changed-by-sudden-catastrophe books that moved me and stayed with me over time. One is Stephen King's novel, The Stand (and for goodness' sake, read the book; don't see the mediocre movie!). The other was Whitley Strieber and James Kunetka's War Day. Both amazing stories came from sources I'd not expected. Third time's a charm, I guess.

World War Z surprised me. The writing grabbed me, and not the cheesy way a ghoulish hand from under the bed grabs the stupid heroine in a horror movie. I found the structure of the novel intriguing: Brooks shares the story of World War Z by "interviewing" the survivors ten years after "the Crisis" has passed. The interviewees are people who were, at the time, doctors, children, government officials, military grunts, cyberpunks, pilots, gardeners at fancy international resorts. They are Americans, Chinese, Russian, Mexican, Korean, British, French, Australian. While this style of storytelling is not completely original, it is compelling. I stopped chortling about reading about zombies (of all things! not serious literature, of course!), and started hearing what Max Brooks understands about humanity - as a whole, and as individuals.

I thought he had some profound insights about resilience and depravity, about the bald cruelty of survival tactics and the ridiculous amount of luxury we think of as necessity. Most of all, as someone who has fought my own version of life-or-death demons, I really agreed with what Brooks says about hope. Pick the book up yourself, and see if you don't find it hard to put down. Max Brooks may be a bit odd - he is the son of Mel Brooks, the director of many tongue-in-cheek films - but the writing here hits many issues right on the head. That's the only way to kill the undead, or the critics, if you can tell them apart.

5 out of 5 stars How Did I Miss This.......2007-09-20

The only thing I don't understand is how I missed this. I would think I would remember this happening, but I guess I must have been in college or something. Anyway, it's pretty good reporting - it's obvious that Brooks did a ton of research, and he interviewed a pretty impressive number of people. Their stories are amazing. I can't believe I missed a global catastrophy like this. Did this happen before I was born? Why don't they teach about this in highschool? Is it some kind of government suppression? I just hope it never happens again.
The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection from the Living Dead
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Well, now I'm prepared!
  • Zombies cool down
  • Very good.
  • Interesting Read
  • Cool Coffee Table Book
The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection from the Living Dead
Max Brooks
Manufacturer: Three Rivers Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1400049628
Release Date: 2003-09-16

Book Description

The Zombie Survival Guide is your key to survival against the hordes of undead who may be stalking you right now. Fully illustrated and exhaustively comprehensive, this book covers everything you need to know, including how to understand zombie physiology and behavior, the most effective defense tactics and weaponry, ways to outfit your home for a long siege, and how to survive and adapt in any territory or terrain.

Top 10 Lessons for Surviving a Zombie Attack

1. Organize before they rise!
2. They feel no fear, why should you?
3. Use your head: cut off theirs.
4. Blades don’t need reloading.
5. Ideal protection = tight clothes, short hair.
6. Get up the staircase, then destroy it.
7. Get out of the car, get onto the bike.
8. Keep moving, keep low, keep quiet, keep alert!
9. No place is safe, only safer.
10. The zombie may be gone, but the threat lives on.

Don’t be carefree and foolish with your most precious asset—life. This book is your key to survival against the hordes of undead who may be stalking you right now without your even knowing it. The Zombie Survival Guide offers complete protection through trusted, proven tips for safeguarding yourself and your loved ones against the living dead. It is a book that can save your life.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Well, now I'm prepared!.......2007-09-24

I bought this book after flipping through it a little, mainly for the humor value. I didn't think it would consist of much more than that. How wrong I was. I started reading it, and ended up reading the whole book cover to cover. The way the author presents everything, it really makes you believe that a zombie outbreak could happen at any time. The subject is treated as seriously as any other survival manual would be (which actually adds to the humor). So many great tips are offered, such as what types of buildings make the best strongholds, what weapons are best (and worst), and what types of environment offers the best protection. The "real life accounts" section adds to the realism of the book, and is actually quite creepy in some places. After reading this manual, you will have all the knowledge you will need to get yourself prepared for a zombie outbreak.

5 out of 5 stars Zombies cool down.......2007-09-21

I'm nuts about Zombies and suggest that anyone who can't get enough of these books should read World War Z and The Zen of Zombie. You won't be disappointed.

5 out of 5 stars Very good........2007-09-14

This Zombie Survival guide is fun to read and is very entertaining. It explains how to survive a zombie outbreak, how to fortify your home, what kind of weapons to use, and a lot more! I highly recommend this book. It's good for zombie lovers, and those who'd like to get a thrill. Buy this book- it's good.

4 out of 5 stars Interesting Read.......2007-09-07

I would highly recommend this "survival guide" for the like minded individuals. It will truly expand your imagination.

5 out of 5 stars Cool Coffee Table Book.......2007-09-06

Cool book for your coffee table. Book is written very seriously though. If you are into zombie movies, the author has had alot of time to think out every zombie tatic to help you survive. Don't take it to seriously though.
Marvel Zombies
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Graphic SF Reader
  • I love zombies!!!
  • wow
  • good quick read
  • Zombies + Marvel Guys = Fun
Marvel Zombies
Robert Kirkman
Manufacturer: Marvel Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover Comic

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ASIN: 078512277X

Book Description

Torn from the pages of Ultimate Fantastic Four! On an Earth shockingly similar to the Marvel Universe's, an alien virus has mutated all of the world's greatest super heroes into flesh-eating monsters! It took them only hours to destroy life as we know it - but what happens when they run out of humans to eat?! Follow their search for more food, and witness the arrival of the Silver Surfer! Collects Marvel Zombies #1-5.

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars Graphic SF Reader.......2007-09-25

This is a completely ludicrous story, but, still fun. Turn all the heroes in the Marvel Universe into zombies, and have them go down and track down and eat the few holdouts, survivors, and others, including people like Magneto.

Then, once they have eaten everyone, maybe they can find some other really big otherworldly food sources.

The title itself, is, of course, self-parody.

4 out of 5 stars I love zombies!!!.......2007-09-22

This is one of the best graphic novels I've read in a long time!Robert Kirkman was born to write zombie stories.I dont think this is as good as the walking dead but it still a wonderful read.My only complaint is that I thought this story should've been a little longer.I bet i finished this book in a half an hour tops.The art is pretty solid and stay with the story I have to give marvel credit for not holding back on the gore!

4 out of 5 stars wow.......2007-09-21

This is great stuff. If you liked it, too, you'll love The Zen of Zombie, which just came out. Great illustrations and hilarious text.

4 out of 5 stars good quick read.......2007-09-14

this book being a comic collect, was fast and fun, but i cant help be feel that more of the story from before the time line of this book should have been included... if you like zombie stuff, or super heros, (and who doesnt?) this will be a good read... oh, and the art is great too!!

4 out of 5 stars Zombies + Marvel Guys = Fun.......2007-08-18

Just a bit of silliness really. A must have for zombie lovers and marvel fans.
I can't wait for the rest of the "Zombies" books to come out in hardback.
Plague of the Dead (The Morningstar Strain)
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Not the worst, but close
  • Book
  • Plague of the Dead review
  • Lot of Action and Survival
  • Good read
Plague of the Dead (The Morningstar Strain)
Z. A. Recht
Manufacturer: Permuted Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0978970705

Book Description

The end begins with a viral outbreak unlike anything mankind has ever encountered before. The infected are subject to delirium, fever, a dramatic increase in violent behavior, and a one-hundred percent mortality rate. Death. But it doesn't end there. The victims return from death to walk the earth. When a massive military operation fails to contain the plague of the living dead it escalates into a global pandemic. In one fell swoop, the necessities of life become much more basic. Gone are petty everyday concerns. Gone are the amenities of civilized life. Yet a single law of nature remains: Live, or die. Kill, or be killed. On one side of the world, a battle-hardened General surveys the remnants of his command: a young medic, a veteran photographer, a brash Private, and dozens of refugees, all are his responsibility-all thousands of miles from home. Back in the United States, an Army Colonel discovers the darker side of Morningstar virus and begins to collaborate with a well-known journalist to leak the information to the public... The Morningstar Saga has begun.

Customer Reviews:

2 out of 5 stars Not the worst, but close.......2007-10-02

I have a serious thing for zombies. If it is about the undead I will read it or watch it. Because of this I have read a whole lot of horrible books. While this is certainly not the worst of the genre it does come fairly close.
The novel is grammatically sound, sadly an unusual trait in most zombie books. This does help an awful lot, but it certainly isn't enough to overcome paper thin characters throughout the book. I mean it, there isn't one well developed character in the entire book. Transparent, poorly researched caricatures of people are all you get, and it is often enough to make you cringe. There's the gruff general who is a natural leader, the plucky red cross nurse, and enough soldiers stolen from various movies to fill a small stadium.
Another glaring problem is the lazy story development. This book is made up of long strings of ridiculously convenient plot devices that carry the story from A to B. It reads like the author had a an idea for the beginning and end of a story and decided to slap together enough filler to get you from one to the other.
I gave the novel two stars because I think this is the author's first book. Since his technical writing skills aren't too bad there is room for him to pull it together and learn how to write at least marginally interesting characters and plot lines. Considering how god awful much of this genre is, it is at least a bit refreshing to find a writer that knows the difference between 'there' 'their' and 'they're'.

4 out of 5 stars Book.......2007-09-22

This is a strong book that always keeps yo guessing and on the edge of your seat. I think that this author writes some nice pieces of written masterpiece! I will be buying more!

4 out of 5 stars Plague of the Dead review.......2007-09-04

If you enjoy Zombie stories like I do (guilty pleasure) then you will really enjoy this one. This book has all of the attributes of a world-wide zombie apocalypse. It incorporates a causative agent and the in-effective efforts of the military. The story centers on several different characters and their experiences. It is a complete story but could very well have another book following the surviving characters.

4 out of 5 stars Lot of Action and Survival.......2007-08-24

The story takes the reader through Africa, the Middle-East and finally to the United States. The story becomes more compelling as the number of soldiers and civilian refugees dwindles and they are forced to find supplies where they can.

If only I could have been better convinced that the battle at Suez was truly un-winnable, then I would have given this book 5 stars. That wasn't even the key turning point in the story that it seemed to be; The world was lost before then.

The story is very good and I am glad I read it. I am looking forward to the rest of the series.

4 out of 5 stars Good read.......2007-08-03

I quite enjoyed this book. I'm relatively new to zombie books, so I couldn't say which ideas were new and which aren't, but I liked the concept of having two different types of zombies. The parallels drawn between the Morningstar virus and other viruses also made sense to me.

I had a couple of minor issues with the book. There were a fair number of spelling/printing errors in my copy (such as Pacific Northwest not being capitalized). Not the fault of the author, nor did they detract from my enjoyment. But the copy editor needs to double check his work.

*Spoiler Warning*

The other issue is a pet peeve of mine. I grew up in northern California - five hours north of San Francisco. From where I lived, it was another hour and a half to two hours to the Oregon border. If the Ramage was headed to San Francisco, and they were dropped off a little north of the city - even 2 hundred miles north - they would have been crossing northern California, not Oregon. Not a major issue, but it seems like there's a lot of folks that forget that San Francisco is in the middle of the state. Like I said, pet peeve.

Still a good book, though, and I look forward to the sequel.
The Walking Dead, Vol. 6: This Sorrowful Life
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Back on its Feet
  • Good but not the best of them
  • Just keeps getting better...
  • Going Savage for Civilization's Sake
  • On the Decline?
The Walking Dead, Vol. 6: This Sorrowful Life
Robert Kirkman
Manufacturer: Image Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1582406847

Book Description

Trapped in a town surrounded by madmen, Rick must find a way out or die trying. Meanwhile, back at the prison, the rest of the survivors come to grips with the fact Rick may be dead, and a major turning point in the series is reached.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Back on its Feet.......2007-08-03

Time flies when you're having fun.

When we last checked in on trooper gone feral Rick Grimes and his merry crew of survivors, three of them---I'll call them Rick, Katana Chick, and Baldy for simplicity---had been dragooned by the thugs of a rival local warlord, the psychopathic "Governor" (who bears an uncanny resemblance to splatter-meister and all-around zombie dude Tom Savini).

The Governor's little welcome-wagon goons bore great tidings of glad joy back to their little fortified village, where the advent of three guests meant one thing: new meat for their homegrown little gladiatorials, where they dropped two combatants into an arena, added in some zombies, and mixed well! Place your bets! We don't need another hero!

"Best Defense" wasn't anything trailblazing or genius---indeed, it owed far more to "Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome" than anything Romero created--- but it was a welcome escape from Charlie Adlard's increasingly indifferent artwork (maybe the prospect of bloodsports quickened Adlard's blood and steeled his brush) and the tedium of what had become a zombified soap opera trapped behind bars. Hell, it got the characters (and the faithful, bored readers) outdoors for some fresh air.

No, "Sorrowful Life" doesn't bring to bear anything new, but it's fun just the same. Payback in this one---particularly for the atrocities inflicted by the Governor in his, um, 'complicated' relationship with Katana Chick---well, payback has been a long time coming, but come it does, as Katana Chick introduces her new best buddy the Governor to the joys of well-tempered Japanese cutlery.

That's really not the question, though, is it?

The real question is this: as you watch the arena battle play out, as you watch Katana Chick take her stand, samurai swords poised to slice and dice, as you glimpse the crowd's fevered reaction---can you deny they've got Metallica's "Sad But True" amped over the arena's loudspeakers? You know they do.

Anyway, even though at journey's end we're back where we started, Kirkman has advanced the story to the very edge of a major confrontation---derivative, but blood-spattered and tasty nonetheless. Hopefully Kirkman will get more adventuresome (and Adlard tighter) as things progress, but in the meantime, the last few issues of "Walking Dead" have been pretty dry, and this gets the juices flowing and fills the bill.

For now.

JSG

3 out of 5 stars Good but not the best of them.......2007-08-03

The 6th book in Kirkman's excellent story about a group of survivors in a post-apocalyptic world ruled by the dead. It stays true to the fans. If you're reading this review, that probably means you're one of them and you've read the firt 5 books, if that is the case then this review doesn't really matter. You're going to buy "This sorrowful life" anyway, that is if you liked the first 5. And that is excactly what I recommend you do. It's not the best of them but that doesn't mean it's not good. 3/5

5 out of 5 stars Just keeps getting better..........2007-05-17

Getting this book was a little slow due to the delays but as soon as I got it and read it I was totally satisfied.

In my personal opinion vol. 6 of Walking Dead is probably the scariest one I've read. Not for reasons you might think, either. Zombies take a back seat in this volume and the real threat of the story is...you guessed it...humans. The evil things people do to one another just to quench their bloodlust is terrifying because it's real and it happens every day.

It also asks the question: just how far would the characters go for revenge and to keep their loved ones safe and what price do they pay when they have to live with their decisions.

To be honest this has been the first volume to actually make me squirm in my chair and cry out in a (somewhat) sympathy pain. The scary thing about the violence in this volume is you almost crave it. The way Kirkman writes his characters you feel their pain as well as their thirst for revenge. It almost puts you in the story and brings you to the same scary dark place that the characters go to.

If you haven't read Walking Dead don't be a dope and read this volume and if you have been reading Walking Dead and have been trouble by the violence and disturbing subject material...well...you might want to switch to reading Invincible because this volume takes it to a whole new level. Plus I have a feeling things are only going to get worse for Rick and his gang.

4 out of 5 stars Going Savage for Civilization's Sake.......2007-05-16

Most of the folks here already know that The Walking Dead saga is a compilation of stories by Robert Kirkman that expand on the story that is well know to any zombie movie fan. The main story. The one started in earnest by George Romero in 1968 with Night of the Living Dead [and was later remade in 1990 (the version that I prefer) by Tom Savini (with Romero oversight)]

The Walking Dead Volume 6 continues the story of former Normal-World Police Officer Rick Grimes and those that he comes in contact with in The New World...a world that has been over-run by zombies.

Volume 6 begins after many months have passed since The Walking Dead epidemic started, and all of the characters are now reluctantly beginning to accept that their home is not the only thing that's new. Their entire existence is new: New families. New friends. New daily routines. New rules to live by. New World.

And venturing out into The New World is dangerous. The confines and security provided by the characters' new home (established in Volume 3) are less than safe. But outside the gates await unfathomable chaos and horror; hordes of the undead, along with other survivors in desperate situations that will do the unthinkable to stay alive (or entertained).

Volume 6 is much less about zombies and more about what happens to society, its morals, laws and standards when government is lost and the planet becomes mostly uninhabitable.

I'm not a regular comic book reader. But I was drawn to The Walking Dead by the volume releases that bring the convenience of being able to get several chapters of the story without the month to month waiting for each issue. And I am now hooked.

The volume releases of The Walking Dead are like reading a screenplay with storyboards of a version of Night of the Living Dead that began simultaneously, but in a different part of the country. Yes, it's kind of a rip-off of a story (stories) already told, but the key is that it's done very very well. The zombies are true to the original Romero creation: slow and stupid as opposed to the 28 Days/Weeks Later (2002 & 2007) or 2004 remake of Dawn of the Dead fast and thinking zombies.

Each volume takes under an hour to get all the way through, and they leave you wanting more. So it's bittersweet to now be caught up to where I'm through all of the released material, and now have to wait for the subsequent volume releases.

Volumes 1 - 5 are all also available individually. A hard cover (Book 1) combination of Volumes 1 & 2 is out The Walking Dead Book 1 (Walking Dead) and a hard cover (Book 2) combination of Volumes 3 & 4 also came out this year The Walking Dead, Book 2 (Nos. 13-24). Book 3 (Volumes 5 & 6), is listed on Amazon for presale as of this writing The Walking Dead Book 3.

So anyone in need of a very well done zombie fix that you don't put into your DVD player should absolutely get down with The Walking Dead sickness. Add it to your cart, but be sure to start with volume 1 and read them chronologically.

3 out of 5 stars On the Decline?.......2007-05-16

I tore through this TPB in the shortest amount of time of any of the series so far. My personal taste runs toward graphic novels that reward a slower pace through the dialog and art. I sometimes find Adlard's rushed style disconcerting for the wrong reasons, and it's hard to tell some of the main characters apart sometimes - Tony Moore's quirky characterizations are long gone. There was a crazy captivating fresh take on the zombie story when this series started out, and a real clarity to the characters of the ensemble cast. To my mind that originality is starting to be replaced by a whiff of Steven King.

Not that there's anything wrong with that... ;-)

This isn't a negative review, but I think this one's my least favorite in the series so far.

That's OK. I'm sure there are a lot more to come.
Dying to Live
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Good Zombie novel!!
  • Zombie Fiction at its Best!! A Must Read!!
  • SOLID ZOMBIE NOVEL
  • Zombies, with a side order of religion.
  • AMAZING!!!
Dying to Live
Kim Paffenroth
Manufacturer: Permuted Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 097897073X

Book Description

Jonah Caine, a lone survivor in a zombie-infested world, struggles to understand the apocalypse in which he lives. Unable to find a moral or sane reason for the horror that surrounds him, he is overwhelmed by violence and insignificance. After wandering for months, Jonah's lonely existence dramatically changes when he discovers a group of survivors. Living in a museum-turned-compound, they are led jointly by Jack, an ever-practical and efficient military man, and Milton, a mysterious, quizzical prophet who holds a strange power over the dead. Both leaders share Jonah's anguish over the brutality of their world, as well as his hope for its beauty. Together with others, they build a community that reestablishes an island of order and humanity surrounded by relentless ghouls. But this newfound peace is short-lived, as Jonah and his band of refugees clash with another group of survivors who remind them that the undead are not the only-nor the most grotesque-horrors they must face.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Good Zombie novel!!.......2007-09-18

I have read alot of zombie books and this one uses the more common ideas for them. BUT it has a neat twist with one of the people involved. I really enjoyed this book and think all zombie book lovers will like it too!!

5 out of 5 stars Zombie Fiction at its Best!! A Must Read!!.......2007-09-16

I have read most of the zombie fiction available out there and Dying to Live manages to deliver where most others fail. Here are the reasons:
1. Finally a zombie novel with horror in it. True horror.
2. Tons of action.
3. A storyline that doesn't involve survivors sitting around in a safehouse the entire time waiting for help.
4. A character with a mysterious ability over the undead that doesn't turn the book into the mummy returns.
5. Great bad guys. Characters that we pretend don't really exist just to be able to sleep at night.

4 out of 5 stars SOLID ZOMBIE NOVEL.......2007-09-14

Permuted Press has been making quite a name for themselves in the genre of zombie fiction and their latest release is Kim Paffenroth's "Dying to Live." The problem I have had with some zombie novels in the past is that the authors tend to set their sights a bit too high. While trying to tell a world-spanning tale of a zombie outbreak they often try to do too much and forget the smaller, personal stories. The best zombie stories/films were those that concentrated on the smaller picture, such as "Night of the Living Dead." Thankfully Paffenroth does not fall into this trap. He gives us one small, yet very appetizing piece of the zombie pie.

Paffenroth doesn't waste a lot of time explaining the zombie outbreak, preferring to jump right into the introduction of the main character, Jonah Caine, who has been surviving on his own since the catastrophe took place. Jonah is a plain, everyman...a former English professor at a community college, who has been resourceful enough to stay alive but grown weary by the stress of being on the run. A risky foray into a city to find food leads to Jonah meeting a small settlement of survivors who have turned a museum into their own fortress. The settlement's leader is Jack Lawson, your typical former military man but the most interesting character is the settlement's spiritual leader, Milton. In Paffenroth's zombie world, animals can also become zombies. When one of these undead animals bites Milton, he becomes essentially a human/zombie hybrid, carrying the stink and rot of death, yet not actually dying. Further, other zombies seem to fear Milton and are repelled when he walks among them, a useful ability indeed.

These survivors live in relative safety in their stronghold, leaving only for quick raids for food and supplies in the city. Jonah has to prove himself with a dangerous initiation rite by going on one of these raids. It is during one of these raids that they encounter another survivor, living alone with his newborn son in what turns into a harrowing rescue. With no real threat to them, they decide to go to the threat, by investigating smoke seen at the far end of the city. It's here where the survivors face the real horrors...a state correctional facility whose inmates have secured their own fortress.

"Dying to Live" is a solid, and often terrifying novel. The confrontations with the zombies keep are slam-bang thrill rides with something lurking behind each dark corner. The only real problem with the story is the last quarter of the book when Jonah and a few others encounter the prison inmates. Paffenroth ultimately made his characters too safe and secure in their museum home. The zombies were completely unable to mount any kind of a threat to them in their makeshift museum fortress. Paffenroth had to concoct a more serious threat than the legions of zombies themselves. A bit contrived, but not enough to spoil an otherwise brisk moving story with sufficient scares for any zombie fan. While I would have liked to have seen the characters developed a bit more, this is still an entertaining zombie fiction read.

REVIEWED BY TIM JANSON

3 out of 5 stars Zombies, with a side order of religion........2007-08-30

There are parts of this book that are great - some flat out fantastic zombie fiction. Original, and yet mostly true to the Romero template (though that's not something I live and die by, as it were). I can see why this has earned his book the compliment of being 'the thinking man's zombie novel' - but I think that description is somewhat misleading.
The plot and geography of his world are very nicely done - and the nods and respect for what is horrific about the genre are intact. That aspect is intelligent and fun writing.
There is a lot lacking, however. The dialog is pretty bad, with exposition coming about in unnatural ways. There are some awkward treatments of gender, and race, that read like they are coming from someone a few generations older than the pop culture norm. The narrator and male characters have a kind of 'tin masculinity' - cliches abound. The women are treated nearly as a different species, rather than gender.
Especially odd is the way the narrator lingers on many emotionally difficult things, yet - he doesn't think about his wife and kids at all after trying, unsuccessfully, to find them (not really a spoiler - its covered in exposition). He writes of sexuality as if he is Mr. Rogers. In a prison environment, he refers several times to 'the black man'(previously met)- it would be more apt to point out 'the white man', who is more likely a minority in this setting. Better yet - I'd rather have characters described as something other than their race. In a zombie infested convenience store he comments about how the races are all finally getting along now that they are undead... last time I was in a convenience store many races were represented and they were getting along fine. There is some ugly judgement and generalization of inmates in prison - all lazy stupid sodomites.
All of this can be forgiven for a fast paced romp through a zombie apocalypse.
Harder to avoid, however, is the ever present discussion of God, the Bible, spirits, and souls. Luck and 'all these little miracles' are written of in a way that tauntingly suggests that anyone who doesn't think God is pulling the strings is crazy. The word or name God is on nearly every page - especially in dialog - many characters like to chat about God. An unlikely character points out the difference between the Tribulation and the Apocalypse (having overheard it from elderly relatives!?). The Bible is quoted several times, sometimes in casual conversation. People don't talk like that, in my experience, except perhaps in church lobbies or study groups. For the most part - people avoid discussion of religion and politics in polite company of casual acquaintances.
This would all seem more plausible, and less hard to accept and digest, if the narrating character was a professor of religious studies (like the author of the book) rather than an english professor. That would have been a good solution, I think.
Aside from dialog - there are several biblical references in the action of the story. A man first looses his ear in a scuffle - then has both hands pierced with knives and is finally killed with a spear in his side while his friends talk about how forsaken he was, and how 'like a lamb to the slaughter' (this read as crass and tasteless, not merely out of place and unlikely). There is an outright messiah character who didn't bother me half as much as the frequent references to God and impromptu religious discussions (and untimely internal reflection of the narrator) throughout the rest of book.
How reviewers fail to mention this religious undertone is beyond me. I found it very distracting at times - and feel it detracted from an otherwise fantastic read.
The highs were strongly tempered by the lows - I would have gone to 5 if it hadn't had a subversive religious tone.

5 out of 5 stars AMAZING!!!.......2007-08-18

I could not put this down. Just an amazing story. The ending seemed a little rushed, but overall a fantastic book. Bring on the feature film!!!!
The Stupidest Angel: A Heartwarming Tale of Christmas Terror
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • The Stupidest yet funniest Angel
  • MY Angle on the Angel
  • A Wonderful Phanasy
  • Absolutely hysterical
  • Great Book
The Stupidest Angel: A Heartwarming Tale of Christmas Terror
Christopher Moore
Manufacturer: William Morrow
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0060842350
Release Date: 2005-11-01

Book Description

'Twas the night (okay, more like the week) before Christmas, and all through the tiny community of Pine Cove, California, people are busy buying, wrapping, packing, and generally getting into the holiday spirit.

But not everybody is feeling the joy. Little Joshua Barker is in desperate need of a holiday miracle. No, he's not on his deathbed; no, his dog hasn't run away from home. But Josh is sure that he saw Santa take a shovel to the head, and now the seven-year-old has only one prayer: Please, Santa, come back from the dead.

But hold on! There's an angel waiting in the wings. (Wings, get it?) It's none other than the Archangel Raziel come to Earth seeking a small child with a wish that needs granting. Unfortunately, our angel's not sporting the brightest halo in the bunch, and before you can say "Kris Kringle," he's botched his sacred mission and sent the residents of Pine Cove headlong into Christmas chaos, culminating in the most hilarious and horrifying holiday party the town has ever seen.

Move over, Charles Dickens -- it's Christopher Moore time.

Download Description

"

Christmas crept into Pine Cove like a creeping Christmas thing: dragging garland, ribbon, and sleigh bells, oozing eggnog, reeking of pine, and threatening festive doom like a cold sore under the mistletoe.

'Twas the night (okay, more like the week) before Christmas, and all through the tiny community of Pine Cove, California, people are busy buying, wrapping, packing, and generally getting into the holiday spirit. It is the hap-hap-happiest time of the year, after all.

But not everybody is feeling the joy. Little Joshua Barker is in desperate need of a holiday miracle. No, he's not on his deathbed; no, his dog hasn't run away from home. But Josh is sure that he saw Santa take a shovel to the head, and now the seven-year-old has only one prayer: Please, Santa, come back from the dead.

But hold on! There's an angel waiting in the wings. (Wings, get it?) It's none other than the Archangel Raziel come to Earth seeking a small child with a wish that needs granting. Unfortunately, our angel's not sporting the brightest halo in the bunch, and before you can say ""Kris Kringle,"" he's botched his sacred mission and sent the residents of Pine Cove headlong into Christmas chaos, culminating in the most hilarious and horrifying holiday party the town has ever seen.

Only Christopher Moore, the man who brought you the outrageous lost gospel Lamb and the hysterical fish tale Fluke could have devised a new holiday classic that tugs at the heartstrings and serves up a healthy slice of fruitcake to boot.

Move over, Charles Dickens -- it's Christopher Moore time.

"

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars The Stupidest yet funniest Angel.......2007-09-02

I had this book on cd and was standing in line at the DMV so I was able to listen to the entire book while waiting. Just kidding. I was laughing out loud and getting funny looks. I told those who were not trying to avoid eye contact with me they have to buy this book is is just too funny.

4 out of 5 stars MY Angle on the Angel.......2007-08-24

I'm a huge Christopher Moore fan, have enjoyed all of his writings to date, and this book met all my expectations of wit, wry humor, and warped storylines featuring many of the eccentric personalities I've grown to know and adore in Pine Cove and from other Moore books. I recommend starting with "Practical Demonkeeping" (the first book in Christopher Moore's series and the reader's intro to Pine Cove) and following his array of books in the order he's written them. All are winners, just some more special than others. Enjoy!

5 out of 5 stars A Wonderful Phanasy.......2007-08-23

Should you wish to be cheered and if you can take off beat humour, then this CD is for you. The presentation and voices are unusually good and the use of slightly weird Christmas music adds to the glow. The story is a joy, prepostorous, wild and it makes fun of so much that is tripe. You'll laugh, even if your alone.

5 out of 5 stars Absolutely hysterical.......2007-07-25

I decided to buy this book after reading half of the first paragraph -- and it just got better from there. I read it twice in the first week. Check out the "Search Inside" function on this one!

5 out of 5 stars Great Book.......2007-07-13

The Stupidest Angel is funny, clever, and surprizing. I got to like the characters; in fact I'd like to be their friend. They are real, vunerable,funny and really screwed up.
Monster Island: A Zombie Novel
Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • Amazing Zombie epic pray for more!
  • Excellent, unique twist on the zombie genre
  • Zombie novel or Night at the museum???
  • Good... mostly.
  • Who Doesn't Love Zombies???
Monster Island: A Zombie Novel
David Wellington
Manufacturer: Thunder's Mouth Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1560258500

Book Description

It's one month after a global disaster. The most "developed" nations of the world have fallen to the shambling zombie masses. Only a few pockets of humanity survive — in places rife with high-powered weaponry, such as Somalia.

In New York City, the dead walk the streets, driven by an insatiable hunger for all things living. One amongst them is different; though he shares their appetites he has retained his human intelligence. Alone among the mindless zombies, Gary Fleck is an eyewitness to the end of the world — and perhaps the evil genius behind it all.

From the other side of the planet, a small but heavily-armed group of schoolgirls-turned-soldiers has come in search of desperately needed medicine. Dekalb, a former United Nations weapons inspector, leads them as their local guide. Ayaan, a crack shot at the age of sixteen, will stop at nothing to complete her mission. They think they are prepared for anything. On Monster Island they will find that there is something worse even than being undead, as Gary learns the true price of survival.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Amazing Zombie epic pray for more!.......2007-09-29

Great new take on zombie apoclyspe. truly amazing, nothing sort of one of the best horror books of the decade!

5 out of 5 stars Excellent, unique twist on the zombie genre.......2007-09-18

I read a lot of books, including a great number of "volume one"s - the first in a trilogy, the first in a series and so forth. In many of those cases, I never make it to volume two. In many of the others, I make a note to pick up the second volume "sooner or later." This is one of those rare cases where I want to rush right out and get the next book, because I'm dying to see what happens next.

At first blush, this seems to be a typical zombie novel. A plague of the undead has overrun the Earth and there seems to be no hope, let alone a cure. Dekalb, a former UN weapons inspector, agrees to go to New York to try to find a supply of HIV drugs for a Somalian warrior woman, in exchange for the safety of his daughter. What Dekalb doesn't count on is Gary, a former doctor who theorizes that the reason the Undead are mindless beasts is because their brains starve from lack of oxygen between the time they die and the time they rise - and he thinks he's found a way to beat it. While Dekalb's mission remainds somewhat single-minded, Gary finds himself growing more and more horrific and bloodthirsty as the book progresses, with his goals changing as he learns more about the Undead and the world he has ushered himself into.

David Wellington has found a wonderful new twist on the zombie novel. It's not just "man against the walking dead" like so many of the stories are - instead he digs deeper to reveal an underlying evil that makes the zombie plague seem innocent by comparison. It feels like a Stephen King sort of twist, only with a much more solid ending, even for the first volume of a trilogy. While the book as a whole is very energetic and exciting, it's the ending that makes me want to run out for book two, Monster Nation. I've got to see just where Wellington plans on taking this.

1 out of 5 stars Zombie novel or Night at the museum???.......2007-09-17

This book felt more like, "a night at the museum", than a zombie book. It starts out great with real mystery surrounding the Gary character, then it unravels in such an absurd way that it becomes a mockery of the genre. i could care less about mummies, and if I had any idea that they were in this book, I wouldn't have bought it. The other 2 of the trilogy sound equally as absurd...

3 out of 5 stars Good... mostly........2007-08-22

To me, there are a few rules to zombie fiction.
Everyone has their own peculiar tastes about the genre - some people have a real problem with running zombies (they don't run in this book), for example.
I really don't like mind-melding psychic junk in my zombie fiction, and I don't typically like intelligent zombies (a real problem I had with Land of the Dead - it felt like Romero had sold himself out somehow allowing for the learning undead, and interpersonal hiarchies within their ranks).
D. Wellington has psychic mind-melding zombies, intelligent zombies and hiarchies in this novel - and the plot is dependant on these elements, which I see as 'broken rules'.
That being said - he did it in creative ways, and who the heck am I to make up rules about such things. He dared to take some new ground and throw a spin in there. The Samolian girl army easily cancels out my protests on some of the zombie points.
It felt a bit like Brian Lumley's Necroscope books - if you want straight up vampire fiction and you aren't willing to be flexible, those books are really irritating, but once you relax and let the author take you on a trip - you find that its very enjoyable and that you really want to learn where its going.
There are three parts to this book - I rate part one a 5, part two a 2, and part three a 4 - ultimately leading me to favor it with a 4 for my rating.
I'm very picky about these things - and I end this review by letting you know that I fully expect to read the second and third books in this trilogy (unless I find that Plague of the Dead and Dying to Live blow it out of the water and I don't want to return to Wellington's canon). Good stuff, but I won't be entirely surprised if it takes a turn that I don't ultimately like as much.

4 out of 5 stars Who Doesn't Love Zombies???.......2007-08-19

OK....well maybe I don't LOVE Zombies, but I love the genre!! Starting with the cheesy Romero movies, all the way to the new "Dawn of the Dead" and "28 Days Later", I have a passion for them. But I have to say, I haven't read a lot of Zombie books. Enter Monster Island by David Wellington. This is the first in a trilogy of Zombie books that Wellington originally published online.

Some time in the very near future, the Epidemic hits our planet. What is this epidemic? We never find out: but it causes the dead to rise again. Dekalb used to be a weapons inspector for the UN working in Africa. After the Epidemic took his wife, Dekalb and his daughter were captured by a band of female rebels in Somalia, led by Mama Halima. Normally, a man wouldn't have a chance with this group of females. But Dekalb has special knowledge that the Somalians need: he can lead them to the UN hospitals. Mama Halima needs AIDS medication. After a lengthy search through many of the countries in the area, no meds are found. All the hospitals have been raided. There is only one place Dekalb can think of that will have the much needed medical supplies: The UN Headquarters in New York City. With his daughter being held as collateral, Dekalb and a band of teenage school girl rebels set out on a ship and sail halfway around the world to find the drugs.

Now we meet Gary, a man who used to be a doctor in the city. Gary decided the old philosophy "if you can't beat them, join them" was the only way to make it. With his medical training, Gary felt that the reason the Zombies were so slow and stupid is because of a lack of oxygen to their brain when they dead and before the reanimated. So Gary hooked himself up to machines to keep everything flowing through the death process. When Gary "awakened", he was still able to think logically and move better than the rest of the zombies. The only real difference is the hunger that is unquenchable.

This book was fun!! The best part of the novel to me was the change in Dekalb. He had to rewire his way of thinking: from a peace keeper to a survivor. It was really hard for him to pick up a weapon against others, even if they were already dead. But when it came down to it, Dekalb became the hero that he needed to be to save his daughter. Wellington tells a great story and doesn't go too over the top. The suspense level was high from page one all the way till the last page. Although, I must say, he left us hanging, BIG TIME, by the end. So I guess this means I'm going to have to read Zombie Nation now!!
Twilight of the Dead (Special Edition)
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Great new take on zombies!
  • Great coming of age tale
  • Excellent variation on a theme...
  • Twilight of the Dead **1/2
  • A fully fleshed-out world of rotting ghouls.
Twilight of the Dead (Special Edition)
Travis Adkins
Manufacturer: Permuted Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0976555964

Book Description

Courtney Colvin was nearing the end of her teenage years when the undead apocalypse began. She survived, forsaking her youth and innocence, and five years later she continues to exist--albeit lonely--in the fortified town of Eastpointe. Nightmares and the unwelcome advances of Leon Wolfe are the worst things she's dealing with now in her otherwise mundane life. But when a newcomer arrives in town and claims to know the location of the antidote to the zombie plague, it sends Eastpointe into an uproar. To retrieve this cure, she and a group of other survivors must venture outside the relative safety of the compound's walls and into a world ruled and dominated by the flesh-eating undead. Twilight of the Dead puts a new spin on the zombie genre, yet remains true to the classic rules that have already been set forth. A sure-fire reading pleasure for anyone who loves character-driven horror. This Special Edition contains an Introduction by David Moody and three bonus short stories detailing important moments in the lives of other survivors.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Great new take on zombies!.......2007-06-13

Twilight of the Dead by Travis Adkins is a different and exciting take on the zombie genre. The story revolves around Courtney Colvin, a sassy young woman and a lethal "Black Beret": a zombie killer. She is one part Tomb Raider, one part Gretel and one part everyday girl. Twilight of the Dead takes the old Romero style zombie story and adds some modern twists. How would a community live on years after the apocalypse? What would every day and not so everyday life be like? Adkins explores the long term life style of people in such a setting. This is all done within a well written and paced story that reels you in and doesn't let go.

The bulk of the story takes place in and around the walled in community of Eastpointe that had been able to survive the outbreak. It also ended up being the home for the last of the Black Berets. Courtney is a "Black Beret", trained in the art of zombie killing. Black Berets are armed with a rifle, pistol, and a wakizashi and trained in a modified form of hand-to-hand combat created specifically to fight zombies. Among the other Black Berets is Leon, a young good looking guy around Courtney's age. Leo and Courtney have a more or less love to hate relationship going.

The book overall has a really addicting element about it, I read the first 140 pages in one sitting without realizing how long I had been sitting there. I was fully engrossed in the story and in the characters. I think the part that keeps you reading is that besides having a great plot; it also has several intriguing subplots. Relationships, situations, and the setting provide plenty of interesting tidbits to think about beyond the main plot. Because of this there is always something happening to keep your interest.

Hardcore zombie fans should be pleased with the action and the way Adkins writes his combat scenes and the Black Berets really kick rear. What could be cooler than a people taking a wakizashi to zombies? The zombies are truly terrifying and the twist near the end will leave you saying "that's just wrong!"

In the end Twilight of the Dead was a complete surprise to me and in now among my favorites. It has few flaws, such as medical explanations that stretched my suspension of disbelief. However, I have a medical background and I think most people may not know the difference. This is definitely a book that belongs on every zombie fan's shelf.

4 out of 5 stars Great coming of age tale.......2007-05-23

It is a perfect book for newbies to Zombie genre and great read for adolescents. I enjoyed the book and wished it was a tad bit longer or had a more definite ending.

5 out of 5 stars Excellent variation on a theme..........2007-05-22

"Twilight of the Dead" is Travis Adkins first journey into the zombie genre and he scores a knockout punch with this excellent novel.

Taking the zombie tradition set down by Romero, Adkins takes the reader several years into the future, after the plague has had a chance to overtake the world (as far as we know). Survivors hold their own in a fortified township in the eastern U.S. A mysterious scientist arrives in town, and the citizens, including an elite squad of zombie eliminators called the "Black Berets", are suprised at the revelation the scientist reveals to them.

The book starts off fast and has a very deliberate pace, driving the reader to the climax. I found the ending to be outstanding and moving, reminding me of the ending of the original "Dawn...".

An additional treat of the special edition is the mini-stories after the ending. All of them are fantastic stand-alone stories that color the characters mentioned in the main story, describing how they ended up at Eastpointe. I was very pleased with the shorts.

"Twilight of the Dead" is a standard for all fans of zombie literature.

2 out of 5 stars Twilight of the Dead **1/2.......2007-03-29

I really wanted to like this short novel, especially after reading many of the reviews here. I plowed through it pretty quickly, but my enthusiasm flamed out early on. I don't want to trash Adkins here; on the contrary, I give him props -- hey, he wrote a novel, right? -- and I will keep an eye out for his future work.

HOWEVER--

While competently written and character-focused, there was a level of naiveté emanating from the text. Sure, this springs from the protagonist, but the writing lent itself more toward something you'd expect to find in the Young Adult section (also exemplified by the comic-bookie Lara Croft-type cover art of the special edition). The protagonist was a whiny, juvenile brat. I appreciate Adkins's willingness to take a risk and cast a young 20's female lead, but I simply did not care about her -- ditto the rest of the characters, except maybe her bartender friend, who exits as quickly as she arrives. I expected to dislike Leon more, but his character struck me as more believable and less irritating than Courtney. (Let's hate on the jock-types, folks. After all, we're the nerds writing and reading zombie fiction, right?)

For a zombie novel, there really weren't a heckuva lot of zombie appearances either, opening up more space for Courtney's moodiness and Beverly Hills 90210-ish drama.

Villain's character was flat as a pancake and predictable. Definitely expected more there.

But enough of the negativity. There were a few bright spots. Although a whole lot of nothing happens in the book's middle section, I did feel the story as a whole was well-paced. The between-the-chapters notes were a fantastic addition as well, outlaying military documents, maps, and manual excerpts of the Black Beret creation. Filler? Yes, but fun and added to the story. Eastpointe was well described, as was Courtney's journey from Florida to Rhode Island, but when the Black Berets set out in search of the cure, the setting became a bit vague.

While Adkins needs to mature more as a writer, he has the fundamentals down. With widely varying levels of quality in zombie literature out there, this falls somewhere in the middle. If you're reading this review, you probably enjoy zombie fiction. As do I. Despite my two-and-a-half star rating, I do recommend.

5 out of 5 stars A fully fleshed-out world of rotting ghouls........2006-11-22

Twilight of the Dead is brimming with original ideas in a finely-tuned post-apocalyptic world. Travis Adkins has obviously put a great deal of thought into the practical aspects of the story as well as the undead themselves. Excerpts from fax transmissions, magazine articles & manuals are scattered throughout the book to establish Twilight's mythos without bringing the story to a jarring halt; and lead character Courtney Colvin lives in a believable self-sustaining community. But it's when she ventures outside the walls in pursuit of a cure that we get loads of sword-wielding, gun-toting action courtesy of Adkins' coolest idea, the Black Berets, and their hybrid fighting system designed specifically to combat the walking dead.

Included in the Special Edition are 3 tales that go back in time and provide snapshots of personal dramas unfolding during the zombie outbreak. Adding approximately 80 pages of new story, these other perspectives help the reader realize the scope of the world that Adkins has created. Plus there's a lot more zombie-killin'.

Twilight ends on a cliffhanger note and leaves the reader hungry for its sequel.
The Undead: Zombie Anthology
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Good Zombie stories
  • Dead good
  • A vanguard presentation of short zombie fiction
  • Dead on
  • Entertaining read.
The Undead: Zombie Anthology

Manufacturer: Permuted Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0976555948

Book Description

"The Undead" is a stunning collection of 23 tales of the living dead by zombie fan favorites and up-and-coming authors. "The Undead" includes classic tales of survival in a world populated by the living dead as well as an array of unique takes on the zombie genre: zombies as reality entertainment, glimpses from inside the "life" of the undead, intergalactic war with humanity's own dead turned against us, and everything in between. "The Undead" will leave zombie fans hungry for more!

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Good Zombie stories.......2007-06-09

Many different genres and styles represented. A great read. It was over much too soon.

4 out of 5 stars Dead good.......2007-05-16

Very well done. Bring it on and give me more!! Mr Keene put together a nice collection of stories and look forward to the next installment. Cheers!

5 out of 5 stars A vanguard presentation of short zombie fiction.......2007-04-23

I'm teaching a class on zombies in literature and film. Film zombies are all too easy to find, but what of literary zombies? The answer to my prayers was this anthology from Permuted Press (which publishes excellent long-form zombie fiction as well). The Undead: Zombie Anthology is a smorgasboard (sorry) of stories about zombies written from every conceivable angle: What if the zombies had *more* intelligence than we in some ways? What if Frankenstein's monster were real, and saw fighting zombies as his (tragic) chance for acceptance by the humanity he loved and loathed? What would a blind Black girl do when confronted with both zombies and a band of bloodthirsty rednecks? There are a couple of duds in the collection, to be sure, which don't add anything to Romero's mythos of the cannibalistic, infectious living dead, but these stories are far outnumbered by the clever, inventive, even heartfelt stories of life after the plague of the walking dead. A BRILLIANT ACHIEVEMENT!

4 out of 5 stars Dead on.......2007-01-19

Zombie fiction at its finest. These are some of the best stories I've read on the genre in a while. Great stories by some very fine writers.

3 out of 5 stars Entertaining read........2007-01-13

I really enjoy an anthology that shows some variety. This anthology wasn't too heavy - plenty of dark humor mixed in with more serious stories. The contributors were somewhat uneven. Some were excellent, where others appeared to have been written by a 13 year-old (werewolves fighting zombies). I thoroughly enjoyed the book and would recommend it to anyone looking for a quick, entertaining read

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